Tag: Nerys Leigh

The Blacksmith's Heart

Book Review | The Blacksmith’s Heart by Nerys Leigh

The Blacksmith’s Heart is the first book in Nerys Leigh’s Back to the West series, so you don’t need to have read any of her other books in order to enjoy this one. Having said that, if you have read any of her earlier Escape to the West mail order bride stories, you will recognise some of the characters in The Blacksmith’s Heart (even though the Escape to the West books are set around 15 years later than The Blacksmith’s Heart).

The Blacksmith’s Heart is the story of widower Peter Johnson, the blacksmith in Green Hill Creek, and father to ten-year-old Jesse. He’d never planned to marry again, but that was before Miss Malinda Wilson moved into town with her sister and brother, the new doctor. (I’m guessing they are the hero and heroine of the next two novels in the series, The Doctor’s Courtship and The Spinster’s Hope, both apparently coming in 2018).

Anyway, Peter isn’t looking for a wife, which is good because Malinda isn’t looking for a husband. Although Peter is handsome and smart and interesting and funny, with broad shoulders and brilliant blue eyes …

Okay, so this is a romance novel, which means we all know how it’s going to end. But the fun part is the journey, and it’s definitely fun. Peter has a disabled son, Jesse (who we later see in An Unexpected Groom). But right now Jesse is a mischievous ten-year-old who wants to ride and fish and pick blackberries … all the things a normal child would want to do.

It’s a great story, perfect for long summer days (if you’re Down Under, like me) or long winter nights (for the rest of you). Recommended for fans of Christian romance from authors such as Regina Jennings and Karen Witemeyer.

Thanks to the author for providing a free ebook for review.

About Nerys Leigh

Nerys LeighNerys Leigh writes thoroughly romantic Christian historical love stories. She loves heroes who are strong but sweet and heroines who are willing to fight for the life they want.

She’s from the UK, which you would think puts her in a unique position to not write about mail order brides in the American west, but the old adage of writing what you know has never appealed to her. She has an actual American read each book before publishing to make sure she hasn’t gone all English on it.

No One’s Bride is the first in the Escape to the West series which tells the stories of a group of women willing to travel across America to find happiness, and the men determined to win their hearts.

You can find Nerys Leigh online at:

Website | Facebook

About The Blacksmith’s Heart

Can true love strike twice in a lifetime?

Peter Johnson met the love of his life when he was nineteen. Three years later, she was gone, leaving him to raise their son alone. Knowing he would never love another woman the way he loved his wife.

But when a new doctor arrives in town ten years later, bringing with him his smart, beautiful, funny, opinionated sister, desires Peter never dreamed he’d feel again begin to surface.

Malinda Wilson, however, is fiercely independent and doesn’t want a husband. Which is good, because Peter doesn’t want another wife.

He’s almost sure of that.

Christian historical romance The Blacksmith’s Heart is the first in a prequel trilogy to the bestselling Escape to the West series. Lose yourself in the romance of the old west with this heart-warming, uplifting novella!

You can find The Blacksmith’s Heart online at:

Amazon US | Amazon AU | Amazon UK | Goodreads

You can read the introduction to The Blacksmith’s Heart below. If you like it, pop over to www.nerysleigh.com and download your free copy!

As a woman, she didn't need to be blissfully happy. She just needed to be secure, safe, and provided for.

Book Recommendation | An Unexpected Groom by Nerys Leigh

Nerys Leigh’s Escape to the West series is unique.

All the books run concurrently, which means the stories can be read in any order as none comes first. Each book follows one of five women who have come west to California as a mail-order bride.

The Unexpected Groom is the fourth book in the Escape to the West series.

Louisa has been raised to believe she must marry well in order to be happy. She’s arrived in California to marry Jesse Johnson, an accountant with the local bank—a man with the right kind of social standing for Louisa. But when she arrives, she finds Jesse’s letters neglected to tell her one significant fact …

Jesse Johnson is used to women calling off relationships when they find out what’s wrong with him. So, despite his better judgement, he agrees when his friend Adam suggests he doesn’t mention his problem. Instead, let the lady arrive and get to know the real Jesse before making a decision.

Louisa is taken aback at first, but agrees to stay for two weeks, to get to know Jesse. But she finds more than bargained for and has to make the difficult decision to follow her parents, follow her heart … or follow God.

The Unexpected Groom was an excellent romance.

I loved the growing romantic tension between Lousia and Jesse almost as much as I loved the Christian element. It was great to see a character really consider their Christian faith and deepen their relationship with God, even over the relatively short timeframe of this novel (a few weeks).

The one problem with the story was the excess of run-on sentences (Leigh uses British spelling and grammar, which explains Britishisms like gammon, but run-on sentences are wrong in all versions of English). But these didn’t detract from the excellent story, and the great use of humour:

A proper lady knows that breaking a leg is one thing, but allowing anyone to see it is far, far worse.

Recommended for fans of Western Christian historical romance.

Thanks to the author for providing a free ebook for review.

About Nerys Leigh

Nerys LeighNerys Leigh writes thoroughly romantic Christian historical love stories. She loves heroes who are strong but sweet and heroines who are willing to fight for the life they want.

She’s from the UK, which you would think puts her in a unique position to not write about mail order brides in the American west, but the old adage of writing what you know has never appealed to her. She has an actual American read each book before publishing to make sure she hasn’t gone all English on it.

No One’s Bride is the first in the Escape to the West series which tells the stories of a group of women willing to travel across America to find happiness, and the men determined to win their hearts.

You can find Nerys Leigh online relaxing and generally enjoying the view at:

 Website | Facebook

About The Unexpected Groom

When heart and mind pull in opposite directions, which way do you turn?

Louisa Wood’s parents have always taught her that appearance is everything, and to behave like a lady because one day she would marry a man who could make her one. But without money or social standing, New York society has proved beyond Louisa’s reach. The answer? Go where no one knows who she is.

A young accountant advertising for a mail order bride seems the perfect solution, until Louisa arrives in California to find that Jesse Johnson has been keeping a secret and isn’t at all what she’s expecting. What he is, however, is charming and handsome, and she agrees to stay for two weeks despite knowing she will likely return home at the end.

But as a mystery at the bank where Jesse works draws them closer and her heart wakes to new possibilities, for the first time in her life Louisa finds herself doubting everything she’s been raised to believe.

Find The Unexpected Groom online at:

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Goodreads

My Top 10 Christian Novels of 2016

I’ve missed a few of my monthly book recommendation posts, so I’m going to catch up over the next few weeks. This week I’m covering the top 10 Christian novels I read last year, in a post originally published at Australasian Christian Writers in December 2016.

How many of my Top 10 Christian novels have you read? What did you think?

Every year I write a post of the top ten novels I read, and every year I struggle. How to condense a year of reading into just ten books? In 2016, I decided the only way I could do it was to stick to novels published in 2016—cutting non-fiction and novellas.

So here are my Top Ten Christian Novels published in 2016 (in alphabetical order. It was enough trouble to narrow them down to ten without having to rank them!):

Since You’ve Been Gone by Christa Allan

Since You’ve Been Gone starts with a twist on a cliché: a groom who doesn’t show up to the wedding, and a bride-to-be who is left to work out why. The obvious is soon discovered (he’s dead in a car wreck), but that doesn’t answer the important questions … Click here to read my review.

Waves of Mercy by Lynn Austin

An excellent dual timeline story from Lynn Austin, showing the difficulties faced by early American settlers, and their determination to succeed. And their faith. Click here to read my review.

The Cautious Maiden by Dawn Crandall

This is the fourth novel in The Everstone Chronicles, and it’s as good as the rest. Don’t worry—you don’t have to read them all. But you’ll want to. Excellent historical romantic suspense. Click here to read my review.

Quote from Waves of Mercy by Lynn Austin

Intermission by Serena Chase

Intermission isn’t Serena Chase’s first novel, but it’s the first one I’ve read—an excellent Young Adult novel with some valuable lessons about God and obedience. Click here to read my review.

Can’t Help Falling by Kara Isaac

Kiwi author Kara Isaac has actually released two books this year: Close to You, and Can’t Help Falling. While I’ve read and enjoyed both, Can’t Help Falling is definitely my favourite. Click here to read my review.

A Heart Most Certain by Melissa Jagears

A Heart Most Certain looks like a typical romance novel set in the American West in the late 1900’s—a sweet romance between two almost-perfect characters. Bland, predictable. But it’s anything but, and that’s what makes it so good. Click here to read my review.

No One’s Bride by Nerys Leigh

I love a good mail order bride story, and this one was excellent. Even better, it’s the start of a series and I’m already holding the date to review book two. Click here to read my review.

The Thirteenth Chance by Amy Matayo

Everyone has been telling me I need to read Amy Matayo’s work. I finally did, and everyone was right. She’s brilliant—real characters with real strengths and failings. I’ll certainly be reading more. Click here to read my review.

The Long Journey to Jake Palmer by James L Rubart

No, I didn’t include this simply to include a token male author (although I do read a lot more female authors than male). James L Rubart is an excellent writer of almost-speculative fiction. I say ‘almost’ because we serve a God of miracles, so who is to say these things couldn’t happen? Click here to read my review.

On the Edge by Theresa L Santy

On the Edge won the FaithWriters 2013 Page Turner Contest … and it certainly was a page turner. I’ll be watching for more from this debut author. Click here to read my review.

Although my choices are a mix of contemporary and historical, American authors and authors from England and New Zealand, they all have one thing in common. No, they’re not all romance novels (although yes, most are).

No, the one thing they all have in common is flawed characters doing their best to become better people.

Just like we all do in real life.