Thursday, June 28, 2018

Reviewer's bookshelf:The Road to Magnolia Glen by Pam Hillman


Book summary (Goodreads): 1792, Natchez Trace, MS
Bitter since his eldest brother abandoned their family in Ireland, Quinn O’Shea travels to Natchez, Mississippi, ready to shuck the weight of his duty and set off on an adventure of his own. It’s time Connor, as head of the family, took responsibility for their younger siblings. While aboard ship, a run-in with three Irish sisters lands Quinn in the role of reluctant savior. Though it may delay his plans, he cannot abandon the Young sisters, especially the tenacious yet kind Kiera.

Upon arriving in the colonies, Kiera Young prepares to meet her intended and begin her new life. But she soon discovers the marriage her brother-in-law arranged was never meant to be, and a far more sinister deal was negotiated for her and her sisters.

Quinn offers to escort his charges safely to Breeze Hill Plantation and his brother’s care, fully intending to seek his freedom elsewhere. But the longer he remains, the greater his feelings toward Kiera grow and the more he comes to realize true freedom might be found in sacrifice.

My thoughts...This is the second book in the Natchez Trace series. You don't necessarily have to read the first book in the series, but it definitely helps fill in the gaps with this sequel. From the very beginning, there is a lot of action going on. As Kiera and Quinn cross the Atlantic with their siblings, tension builds as Kiera knows that she is on her way to her intended in America. When they arrive, the tension doesn't stop but keeps building up as there is evil in their midst. While they manage to escape for the moment, the evil lurks throughout the novel, which helps maintain the suspense even as the story transitions to Breeze Hill Plantation.

Pam Hillman continues to write strong characters in this sequel, just as there were in the first novel. The previous characters do reappear and contribute to the plot and suspense. There was a good amount of clean romantic tension as well, which is always my favorite ; ). Quinn and Kiera both go on a journey of self-discovery, each having a need to let go of past hurts. As they face many hardships, they also take a spiritual journey that builds their faith. 

My only personal pet peeve in the story were some terrible choices that some of the minor characters made that were almost unbelievable. It did help bring about a building of suspense, but it was one of those moments for me that made me think, "Why would they think that's a good idea?!" I guess that's why it's fiction ; ).

Personal takeaway: God is sovereign over our past, present, and future.

**I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley to share my personal opinions, which I did**

No comments: