Review: The Vow by Jody Hedlund

The Vow (An Uncertain Choice #0.5)
By: Jody Hedlund
Publisher: Zondervan
ASIN: B00S4NQVKS

Review:

Jody Hedlund's books have long been on my radar, but until recently time (and my overwhelming TBR stack) did not see me diving into her writing. But with the upcoming release of her first young adult medieval, An Uncertain Choice, rapidly approaching (seriously, March 3rd cannot come soon enough to suit me!), I knew 2015 would have to be the year I finally discovered why Hedlund has such an enthusiastic following. If you don't believe me, check out the #HedlundChallenge2015 on Twitter!

The Vow introduces fourteen-year old Rosemarie on the cusp of womanhood, the beloved only child and heir of her parents, beginning to consider her future as heir and the type of marriage she hopes to one day make. Her dreams of love are fueled by a visit from Lord Thomas, the handsome son of a neighboring baron. But just as she starts to dream of a future with the young nobleman, her lands are hit with an outbreak of plague. Forced into seclusion, Rosemarie chafes against the protective restrictions her parents have placed around her, never dreaming that the plague may cost her the lives of her family. Facing a future as a leader far too soon, Rosemarie's world is rocked once again when she discovers her future is not a matter of choice, but predetermined by her parents' secret, sacred vow -- leaving Rosemarie struggling to reconcile her dreams with her parents' inheritance.

This slim novella served as the perfect introduction to Hedlund's writing, and the world and characters to be found within the pages of her upcoming medieval. The Vow's crisp prose and pitch-perfect characterization (LOVE the sweetness to Rosemarie and Thomas's budding romance!) quickly immersed me in the romance, pageantry, and courtliness of Hedlund's medieval world. Refreshingly, she pulls no punches in the realism department, sensitively addressing the expectations facing a young teenage noblewoman during this time period, a reality that is foreign to modern sensibilities. Another potential shock to contemporary readers' sensibilities is Hedlund's fleeting, but graphic, acknowledgement of medieval torture methods (one word: RATS).

If this forty-odd page introduction to Rosemarie is any indication, Hedlund's YA debut is sure to be a flawlessly researched, tightly-plotted, heart-stopping romance, with a potential appeal sure to extend Hedlund's fanbase beyond the inspy market. I for one cannot wait for the release of An Uncertain Choice in March, and am more determined than ever to make good on my long-overdue resolution to finally dive into Hedlund's backlist!

About the book:

In this ebook historical romance novella by Jody Hedlund, young Rosemarie finds herself drawn to Thomas, the son of the nearby baron. But just as her feelings begin to grow, a man carrying the Plague interrupts their hunting party. While in forced isolation, Rosemarie begins to contemplate her future—could it include Thomas? Could he be the perfect man to one day rule beside her and oversee her parents’ lands? 

Then Rosemarie is summoned back to her castle in haste. The disease has spread, and her family is threatened. And the secret she discovers when she returns could change her future forever.

This novella also serves as a prequel to Jody Hedlund’s An Uncertain Choice.

Unending Devotion by Jody Hedlund

This week, the   Christian Fiction Blog Alliance   is introducing   Unending Devotion   Bethany House Publishers (September 1, 2012)   by   Jody Hedlund
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jody has written novels for the last 20 years (with a hiatus when her children were young). After many years of writing and honing her skills, she finally garnered national attention with her double final in the Genesis Contest, a fiction-writing contest for unpublished writers through ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers).

Her first published book, The Preacher’s Bride (2010 Bethany House Publishers), became a best seller and has won multiple awards.

Her second book, The Doctor’s Lady, released in September of 2011, and her third book, Unending Devotion, is out now. She’s currently busy researching and writing another book!

Jody has been married for twenty years to her college sweetheart. Jody has five children ranging in ages from 15 to 6, with a set of twin daughters in the mix to make things more lively.

ABOUT THE BOOK

High-Stakes Drama Meets High-Tension Romance

In 1883 Michigan, Lily Young is on a mission to save her lost sister, or die trying. Heedless of the danger, her searches of logging camps lead her to Harrison and into the sights of Connell McCormick, a man doing his best to add to the hard-earned fortunes of his lumber baron father.

Posing during the day as a photographer's assistant, Lily can't understand why any God-fearing citizen would allow evil to persist and why men like Connell McCormick turn a blind eye to the crime rampant in the town. But Connell is boss-man of three of his father's lumber camps in the area, and like most of the other men, he's interested in clearing the pine and earning a profit. He figures as long as he's living an upright life, that's what matters.

Lily challenges everything he thought he knew, and together they work not only to save her sister but to put an end to the corruption that's dominated Harrison for so long.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Unending Devotion, go HERE.

cover candy

Bethany House and Revell, two of my favorite publishing houses, recently released information on their January-April 2013 fiction list. I couldn't resist the chance to share with you this sneak peek of some of the books I'm most looking forward to! I'd love to hear your thoughts (this is by no means the full list, just a sample of what has caught my eye!).

Emma Smallwood, determined to help her widowed father regain his spirits when his academy fails, agrees to travel with him to the distant Cornwall coast, to the cliff-top manor of a baronet and his four sons. But after they arrive and begin teaching the younger boys, mysterious things begin to happen and danger mounts. Who does Emma hear playing the pianoforte, only to find the music room empty? Who sneaks into her room at night? Who rips a page from her journal, only to return it with a chilling illustration?

The baronet's older sons, Phillip and Henry, wrestle with problems--and secrets--of their own. They both remember Emma Smallwood from their days at her father's academy. She had been an awkward, studious girl. But now one of them finds himself unexpectedly drawn to her.

When the suspicious acts escalate, can the clever tutor's daughter figure out which brother to blame... and which brother to trust with her heart?

Lucy Kendall always assumed she'd help her father in his candy-making business, creating recipes and aiding him in their shared passion. But after a year traveling in Europe, Lucy returns to 1910 St. Louis to find her father unwell and her mother planning to sell the struggling candy company. Determined to help, Lucy vows to create a candy that will reverse their fortunes.

St. Louis newcomer Charlie Clarke is determined to help his father dominate the nation's candy industry. Compromise is not an option when the prize is a father's approval, and falling in love with a business rival is a recipe for disaster when only one company can win. Will these two star-crossed lovers let a competition that turns less than friendly sour their dreams?

Hosea has been charged by God with a difficult task--marry a prostitute in order to show God's people the nature and depth of his love for Israel. When Hosea goes to Israel to proclaim God's message, the prostitute God tells him to marry turns out to be his childhood friend Gomer. He finds her broken and abused, unwilling to trust Hosea or his God. But when marrying Hosea becomes her only choice, Gomer does what she's good at--she survives. Can Hosea's love for God and God's love for Israel heal Gomer's broken spirit?

With her potent combination of in-depth research and masterful storytelling, Mesu Andrews brings to life a complex and fascinating biblical story of the power of love and forgiveness in the face of utter betrayal.

Recently widowed Analisa Weiss has the feeling her husband was murdered but can't prove it. Alone with her young daughter in 1881 Michigan, she has six months left to finish raising the money needed to pay back the land contract her husband purchased, and the land is difficult to toil by herself. She needs a husband. With unmarried men scarce, her father sends a letter to his brother in the Old Country, asking him to find Analisa a groom.

For nobleman Karl von Reichert, the noose of the hangman's rope is his fate. He's been accused and convicted of a serious crime he didn't commit, and his only escape is to flee to a small German community in Michigan where he'll be safe. He secures a job on Analisa's farm but bumbles through learning about farming and manual labor.

Analisa senses that Karl is harboring a secret about his past, yet she finds herself drawn to him anyway. He's gentle, kind, and romantic--unlike any of the men she's ever known. He begins to restore her faith in the ability to love--but her true groom is still on his way. And time is running out on them all.

******

Aren't these covers amazing?! Here are pre-order links and release dates:

• The Tutor's Daughter by Julie Klassen (January 2013)
• Unrivaled by Siri Mitchell (March 2013)
• Love in a Broken Vessel by Mesu Andrews (March 2013)
• A Noble Groom by Jody Hedlund (April 2013)

The Doctor's Lady by Jody Hedlund

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The Doctor's Lady Bethany House (September 1, 2011) by Jody Hedlund
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jody has written novels for the last 18 years (with a hiatus when her children were young). After many years of writing and honing her skills, she finally garnered national attention with her double final in the Genesis Contest, a fiction-writing contest for unpublished writers through ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers).

Her first published book, The Preacher’s Bride (2010 Bethany House Publishers), hit the CBA Best Seller list on two different occasions and has won multiple awards.

Her second book, The Doctor’s Lady, released this September. She has completed a third book which will be released in 2012. She’s currently busy researching and writing another book!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Priscilla White knows she'll never be a wife or mother and feels God's call to the mission field in India. Dr. Eli Ernest is back from Oregon Country only long enough to raise awareness of missions to the natives before heading out West once more. But then Priscilla and Eli both receive news from the mission board: No longer will they send unmarried men and women into the field.

Left scrambling for options, the two realize the other might be the answer to their needs. Priscilla and Eli agree to a partnership, a marriage in name only that will allow them to follow God's leading into the mission field. But as they journey west, this decision will be tested by the hardships of the trip and by the unexpected turnings of their hearts.

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Doctor's Lady, go HERE.

Watch the book trailer: