One of the disadvantages of escaping civil war to find a new home in an uncharted island that can’t be reached using normal navigation systems is the lack of reading material. The only books in All Things Beautiful are those the settlers brought eight years ago.
This could be a problem …
Hannah Vestal has written a novel. Not that she plans to tell anyone about her literary efforts. After all, no man would be interested in a woman who dreams up stories. But her father is interested, so she decides to print a copy for his birthday. But Henry Roberts, the printer, has other priorities, like printing a New Testament. He does’t have time to waste on printing romantic fairy tales by someone who fancies she can write.
I’ve enjoyed all the Uncharted stories, but never stopped to think about what they read for pleasure (or even if they read for pleasure). And while I sometimes sigh when I find yet another novel about a character who wants to write a novel, I found I enjoyed Hannah’s writing efforts … and Henry’s efforts to improve her writing. It makes point that good writers need good editors. Most novels focus on the writer. Few give credit to the people who work with writers to bring their words to the world.
Of course, All Things Beautiful is also a romance.
And not one that runs smoothly! Hannah has a lot to learn about writing, about herself, and about her role in life. Henry has his own challenges to overcome, not least his disability and the way that’s affected his self-belief. Mind you, we all have lessons to learn in this area!
All Things Beautiful is the third (and, I think, final) book in the Uncharted Beginnings series. These were published after the Uncharted series, but are set in the 1860s. They tell the story of the voyage to the Land Uncharted, and the early days of the settlement. This series is more pure Christian historical romance than the later books. (They have a bit of a speculative element as well). Still, I suspect anyone who reads and enjoys the Uncharted Beginnings series will want to go on and read the later books, even if they don’t consider themselves speculative fiction fans.
Recommended for fans of Christian historical romance. Thanks to the author for providing a free ebook for review.
About Keely Brooke Keith
Keely 
Brooke Keith writes inspirational frontier-style fiction with a slight Sci-Fi twist, including The Land Uncharted (Shelf Unbound Notable Romance 2015) and Aboard Providence (2017 INSPY Awards Longlist). Keely also creates resources for writers such as The Writer’s Book Launch Guide and The Writer’s Character Journal.
Born in St. Joseph, Missouri, Keely grew up in a family that frequently relocated. By graduation, she lived in 8 states and attended 14 schools. When she isn’t writing, Keely enjoys playing bass guitar, preparing homeschool lessons, and collecting antique textbooks. Keely, her husband, and their daughter live on a hilltop south of Nashville, Tennessee.
Find Keely Brooke Keith online at:
About All Things Beautiful
It’s 1868 in the settlement of Good Springs, and Hannah Vestal is passionate about writing fiction and keeping her stories to herself. By lantern light she slips into her story world and dreams the adventures she’ll never experience. When her father asks to read her work, she decides to have it printed secretly for his 50th birthday. Hannah tries to arrange the printing with the settlement’s pressman, but the witty and dapper Henry Roberts won’t make it easy for her to prove her writing is worthy of his ink.
If Henry Roberts did nothing else for the rest of his life but print and bind books, he would die a satisfied man. In order to secure settlement support for his printing press, the elder council says Henry must print an error-free copy of the New Testament before the settlement’s 8th anniversary celebration. He is determined to meet their challenge, but when the enigmatic Hannah proves to be a beguiling distraction, Henry longs for something more than a life at the letterpress.
Get swept away to the hidden frontier settlement where love requires sacrifice, faith-filled adventures await, and sweet romance makes people glad to be alive. Read All Things Beautiful today and embark on an unforgettable journey of the heart in this inspirational story.
