I was lucky enough to win an autographed copy of historical romance author Rita Gerlach's current release Surrender the Wind from the wonderful Christian romance author MaryLu Tyndall, which I've had the pleasure of reading her books. I've also had the pleasure of chatting with Rita on Facebook one day and I was lucky enough to have her scheduled to be on my live podcast show TAMFA—Phoebe Jordan on Thursday, January 21st at 8PM EST. For today I will be reviewing her novel Surrender the Wind which I had such a fun time reading because I love historical romance novels very much. The novel starts after a harrowing escape from the British, patriot and the hero of the novel, Seth Braxton, finds his father had died at Yorktown. Now battle scarred and grieving, he hopes to settle down for a peaceful life along the shores of the Potomac by restoring the land his father so dearly loved. Thinking he will forever stay in the secluded wilderness of Virginia he receives a message that he has inherited his grandfather's estate in faraway England. Seth is torn between the land he's fought so hard for and the prospect of reuniting with his young sister, Caroline, who was a motherless child at the onset of the Revolution, taken to England in order to spare her the horrors of war. Well Seth has to make up his mind on what he is going to do next because it will decide his future forever which could end up with him falling in love in England or him being alone to care for his land in Virginia. So in the end he made up his mind though not with any intention of making his stay at Ten Width permanent. He journeys to England to do his duty and when he arrives, he finds his sister grieving terrible after being told her young son has died of a fever.

In the midst of so much tragedy, he meets Juleah, the daughter of an eccentric landed gentleman who lives not that far away from Ten Width. She is also best friends with his sister Caroline and was with her when her grandfather was gravely ill and died several months ago which helped her get through such sorrow. Her independent spirit and gentle soul stole his heart from the very the time that they first met in person and she later becomes his wife and lady of the manor. That then enrages the man who once sought her hand and hoped Ten Width would be his own which leads both Seth and Juleah on a dangerous path. From the Virginia wilderness, to the dark halls of an isolated English estate, Seth inherits more than a crumbling ancestral home that he has never wanted but is responsible for. He uncovers a sinister plot that leads to murder, abduction, and betrayal—an ominous mix that threatens to destroy his new life and new love. It took me a little while to get into this book but after finishing the first two chapters of the book I was immediately hooked with all that was going on with the hero Seth and the heroine Juleah. I could tell from the beginning of this novel that it would be a good read because I could feel the chemistry between Seth and Juleah that would make this novel fun to read so that I could find out how they would get their happily ever after ending that I so wanted for them. Rita Gerlach delivers a wonderfully written historical romance novel that had the sinister plot that leads to murder, abduction and betrayal it promised and left me wanting more even after the novel had ended for Seth and Juleah. I will be looking forward to any of Rita's future books if they are as good as her novel Surrender the Wind. I give this book 4 Open Books:

Here is the description of the book from the back cover and picture:

SURRENDER THE WIND by Rita Gerlach $ 13.99 (382 Pages)

After a harrowing escape from the British, patriot Seth Braxton finds his father dead at Yorktown. Now battle scarred and grieving, he endeavors to settle down for a peaceful life along the shores of the Potomac by restoring the land his father loved. Thinking he will forever stay in the secluded wilderness, he receives a message that he has inherited his grandfather's estate in faraway England. Seth is torn between the land he's fought for and the prospect of reuniting with his sister, Caroline, who was a motherless child at the onset of the Revolution, taken to England in order to spare her the horrors of war. With no intention of making his stay at Ten Width permanent, he journeys to England to do his duty. When he arrives, he finds his sister in the throes of grief after being told her young son has died of a fever. In the midst of so much tragedy, he meets Juleah, the daughter of an eccentric landed gentleman. Her independent spirit and gentle soul steal his heart, and she becomes his wife and lady of the manor, enraging the man who once sought her hand and hoped Ten Width would be his own. From the Virginia wilderness, to the dark halls of an isolated English estate, Seth inherits more than a crumbling ancestral home. He uncovers a sinister plot that leads to murder, abduction, and betrayal—an ominous mix that threatens to destroy his new life and new love.

MaryLu Tyndall is a Christian Romance author that I got in touch with through Christian Romance author Linore Rose Burkard after I reviewed her novel Before the Season Ends. She contacted me about a possible book review, author interview and author guest blog. After I checked out her website to know more about her current released novel The Red Siren, I got back to her and we set up for an author interview that I posted on Tuesday, March 17 and an author guest blog for Thursday, March 19 and for a book review that I am posting today. Now for my review of MaryLu (M.L.) Tyndall's The Red Siren. Faith Westcott abandoned her shallow faith when a series of tragedies struck her family. There was just such misfortune happening to Faith and her family that she has stopped believing that God is watching over them. To save herself from forced marriages, this fiery, born-to-the-manor redhead is a lady by day and a pirate by night. That is something that only some really desperate ladies of this time would do because it took courage to turn to pirating when you were raised in strong religious family.

How long can she maintain this dual identity before she's caught red-handed? Well that is a question that has only recently been on Faith's mind since she met the God-fearing Dajon Waite, who scours the Carolina coast, expunging it of pirates, is a more-than-capable captain in the British Royal Navy. But when he is asked to take on the guardianship of Faith and her sisters, he's headed for deep water. Having vowed to avoid women, what will he do when he finds himself falling for Faith? Sir Wilhelm Carteret has always gotten everything he desired, but Faith seems to be unaffected by his charms and when he devises a plot to rid himself of his competition, more than Captain Waite's reputation is at stake as alarming secrets are revealed. Will Faith regain her trust in God only to find herself headed for the gallows? Will Dajon scuttle his good name—and neck—to save her?

I didn't think I would ever read more Christian Romance books after I read Before the Season Ends by Linore Rose Burkard. because I didn't know much about this genre. Well I'm glad that Linore spread the word about my book review for her on several of her Christian Romance communities. That is how MaryLu Tyndall came to get in touch with me about a book review as well as an author interview and an author guest blog. The Red Siren is the first book in her new series called Charles Towne Belles and it came out in January 2009. MaryLu (M.L.) writes historical Christian Romance that focuses on pirates, which is a favorite of mine since Johnny Depp played Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribben. I went to her website to find out more about her and her novels so I could get a feel for the novel she wanted reviewed. So I found out she had written a previous pirate series that I had to try as well because the blurb and covers intrigued me.

Now for the review of The Red Siren, which is my second historical Christian Romance and I think it will definitely not be my last. The heroine of the novel, Faith Westcott, is the second oldest sister of 4 girls and since her oldest sister Charity is married and her mother has recently died in child birth. She has taken the responsibility of taking care of her two younger sisters which isn't an easy task because they are ruled by a very stern and sometimes uncaring Admiral British Navy father who loves the sea than his daughters. This has led her to becoming a lady pirate in order to amass the fortune she would need to be independent for both herself and her younger sisters. I think that Faith is one amazing female character that has such strength that is not something women of that century are known for. I also think that Dajon and Faith are so made for one another because they have suffered their loses but in the end they return to their faith because it has helped them even though when they thought it wouldn't. I'm so looking forward to the next installment of the Charles Town Belle series called The Blue Enchantress. This is a keeper for me and I am going to look forward to reading some of her pervious novels as well as her future novels. I give this book 4 Open Books:

Here is the description of the book from the back cover and picture:

THE RED SIREN by M.L. Tyndall $ 14.95 (Book 1)(318 Pages)

Faith Westcott abandoned her shallow faith when a series of tragedies struck her family. To save herself from forced marriages, this fiery, born-to-the-manor redhead is a lady by day and a pirate by night. How long can she maintain this dual identity before she's caught red-handed? God-fearing Dajon Waite, who scours the Carolina coast, expunging it of pirates, is a more-than-capable captain in the British Royal Navy. But when he is asked to take on the guardianship of Faith and her sisters, he's headed for deep water. Having vowed to avoid women, what will he do when he finds himself falling for Faith? Sir Wilhelm Carteret has always gotten everything he desired, but Faith seems to be unaffected by his charms. When he devises a plot to rid himself of his competition, more than Captain Waite's reputation is at stake as alarming secrets are revealed. Will Faith regain her trust in God only to find herself headed for the gallows? Will Dajon scuttle his good name—and neck—to save her?

Like I promised when Linore Rose Burkard guest blogged here on the blog I've finally finished reading her debut novel Before the Season Ends. Now for my review of my first Christian and Inspirational romance novel that I found out about through Jessica Coulter Smith's blog one day. I really loved the cover of her novel along with the title but when I read the blurb of her book it really hooked me so I went to her website. I found this little trailer she had of her novel and after I finished watching it I knew I had to get in touch with Linore so I can review her novel as well as have her here on my blog as a guest. Even though Linore's novel is considered a christian romance and I've never really read any christian based novels I still wanted to read it. I'm always telling everyone that I love reading new types of genres except non-fiction which I really don't like reading so I'm going to read this novel even though I've never read a Jane Austen book either. The novel starts in England in the year 1813 and the romantic woes at home send Ariana Forsythe to her wealthy Aunt Bentley’s townhouse in fashionable Mayfair, London. Ariana and her family are very religious so Ariana felt that it was her destiny to marry a man of God. Even though the man of God she wants to marry is almost 30 years older than her and isn't the man her mother wants her to marry at all.

She's been sent to London for her own good and under her aunt’s calculating eye, Ariana is thrust into the high society she doesn't understand fully and a worse intrigue than that which prompted her flight from home has happened. Then a scandalous rumor involving her with London’s current darling rogue, the handsome, Mr. Phillip Mornay, is launched on society in a malicious act of meanness by a Lady of society that changes Ariana’s life forever. Her faith, her future, and her heart are all at stake as she strives to clear her name and resist Phillip Mornay, the man who does not share her faith as deeply as her. Will Ariana’s beliefs survive? I think it will though she will definitely be suffering a bit because of what she is feeling for Phillip. And what about her heart? She has developed deep feelings for Phillip since she met him and that is conflicting with her religious belief that she can only love and marry a man as deeply religious as her.

For her belief is the part of her which most threatens to betray the truths she has always believed in and when she finds herself backed against a wall, betrothed to the supposedly wrong man, how will it ever turn out right? That is a question that had me wondering as I was reading this novel which at first I felt started out kind of slow but really picked up for me after chapter two. From the country village of Chesterton, where Ariana was born and raised, to the ballroom of the Prince Regent’s London palace, where she begins to fall in love with Phillip Mornay. Before the Season Ends will take you to Regency England where you’ll find a world so elegant and comfortable, you’ll want to stay for a long, long time. I'm not that religious so I really could relate more to Phillip's character than Ariana because his family is Christian but he's not the deep faith religious like Ariana.

Here is the description of the book from the back cover and picture: