Lessons Learned--Grace's Secret: A review

A review of my latest book, Lessons Learned--Grace's Secret has been submitted to The Daily Nonpareil. You can read it below! 

"...you know that you can't change the past, only the here and now."

Grace Freeport is a well-respected school teacher in the frontier town of Omaha.  She thoroughly enjoys working with each of her thirteen students but her past still secretly haunts her.
On a typical November day in 1874, the school day begins as usual.  However, the weather quickly changes with a little snow, and temperatures are plunging with the wind accelerating.  
For a classroom with children, the weather can be frightening, and when their teacher steps outside to access the weather, the impending storm is terrifying for everyone.
Fortunately yesterday, Grace had taken the precaution of running a clothesline from the school to her home.   She is well aware of storms in the plains and knows how quickly a blizzard can become dangerous.   Leaving a note of their location, Grace carefully led the children holding the line and each other, to the safety of her home where she knows there is plenty of wood and food.  
So what is her reward for saving the children?   Grace tries to move past her past and reveals her secret.  Now, the mayor's wife wants her fired.
Grace's past is now becoming a part of her new life.   Complete with a feeling of guilt; she learns the value of friendship, loyalty, and love.
Lessons Learned- Grace's Secret is an excellent example of a perfect historical Christian romance.  Perfectly balancing all three genres into one novel is masterfully accomplished in this book. 
Local author, Jewell Tweedt has written numerous books in this Omaha-based series during the last few years.   Many of the characters in this story were in her previous books,  A Bride for the Sheriff, A Lady for the Lawman and Gold in My Pocket. 
Lessons Learned is a part of this series but can also be a stand-alone novel.    Knowing the backgrounds of the characters and their past experiences enrich the story and allows the reader to understand better the choices of each character as they move beyond their problemed past.
Lessons Learned-Grace's Secret is the longest in this series and shows how the author has developed in her writing with superb characterization and well-developed plots including realistic situations based on the history of the area.
Lessons Learned-Grace's Secret has life lessons that every person daily needs to reinforce in moving on with every person's life.

The same reader also sent a review of last year's Christmas book, Love's Christmas Past, featuring my book, When Christmas Bells are Ringing, along with books by authors Susan M. Baganz and Rachel James. This book is available for purchase on Amazon.com, both in the set and as a stand alone novel!

This review was also submitted to Best Sellers World, Feedspot, and The Midwest Book Review. Check it out!

Three gifted women authors masterfully join their talents creating a collection of three short stories all in one cover in a historical setting all with realistic characters all hoping to find love this Christmas season.
Council Bluffs' author, Jewell Tweedt created an entrancing novelette, Christmas Bells, with her protagonist, Connie Rose Simonson.  Connie manages two cafes on in the frontier town of Omaha, Nebraska during November of 1878. 
Connie is a recent widow who is also raising her seven-year-old son, Andrew.  She enjoys being extremely busy to the point of exhaustion.
With an invitation to a birthday party where there happen to be puppies, the two look forward to Saturday.
Dr. James Connor also works until exhaustion.  Being a lonely bachelor is easier if you are busy especially when you are the only doctor within a thirty-miles radius.    For a booming frontier town, that is a lot of responsibility for one person.
Rachel James is the author of another story in this collection entitled, A Medieval Christmas. 
Nola is experiencing morning sickness.   Her mother, Lady Langley, logically has made this conclusion.  As an unwed woman with a social standing, she realizes that she could marry a man beneath her station or become a member of a convent, hopefully, close enough to observe her child grow.
The Earl of Beauwater needs a wife.  A man of distinction needs a companion and heirs.  With his brother's dying wish is for to marry, can he find a particular woman to fulfill his responsibilities and dreams?
In Fragile Blessings by Susan Baganz, Grant and Lily anticipate the birth of their first child. Unfortunately, the baby dies during its rough delivery.  How does anyone heal from the death of a child?
Misfortune has company when there is a fire leaving three Catholic children orphans at a nearby farm. 
Who would care for three children with an entirely different religion?
These three stories join in themes of Christmas and hope.  All three have practical problems reflective of the time period and even today.
These three short novelettes have an intended audience of women who enjoy reading historical fiction, Christian novels, and romance.  All are thoroughly engaging stories transporting the reader to another time and place.
Love's Christmas Past is the perfect gift for any woman who enjoys historical Christian romances.

The loyalty and encouragement from readers are really what keeps writers like me, writing and publishing. Your continued interest really does make a difference. Receiving reviews such as these is incredibly humbling and inspiring. Thanks for reading and for being with me through the writing process. You are appreciated. 

If you are interested in purchasing Lessons Learned--Grace's Secret, When Christmas Bells are Ringing, or Love's Christmas Past all are available on Amazon. Love's Christmas Past and  When Christmas Bells are Ringing are fantastic reads for this holiday season. 

Thank you for your continued encouragement and faith. 

~J