Sandra Byrd's "Mist of Midnight"--a gothic Victorian treat

I've become a slightly more impatient reader in recent years.  If a book doesn't grab me fairly soon after I open it, I have trouble making myself keep reading.

Mist of Midnight, by Sandra Byrd, offered no such problem. As soon as the reader meets Rebecca Ravenshaw, then finds out her extraordinary quandary, you're in.

This from Amazon.com:

"In the first of a brand-new series set in Victorian England, a young woman returns home from India after the death of her family to discover her identity and inheritance are challenged by the man who holds her future in his hands.

"Rebecca Ravenshaw, daughter of missionaries, spent most of her life in India. Following the death of her family in the Indian Mutiny, Rebecca returns to claim her family estate in Hampshire, England. Upon her return, people are surprised to see her...and highly suspicious. Less than a year earlier, an imposter had arrived with an Indian servant and assumed not only Rebecca's name, but her home and incomes."

Rebecca is a likable heroine, and I kept turning pages to find out how she would deal with her plight and her growing attraction to Captain Luke Whitfield, who has taken over her family's estate. In true Gothic novel fashion, we have to question whether the handsome captain is friend or foe. (We're hoping it's friend, because we're a little in love with him ourselves.)

In fact, the entire story has that Gothic atmosphere that I used to enjoy in writers like Victoria Holt.

About Sandra Byrd

Sandra Byrd

Sandra Byrd first drew me in with her contemporary French Twist  series about a young woman who becomes a pastry chef in France,  Then I loved her Tudor series, Ladies in Waiting.  I'm not surprised that her Victorian series, Daughters of Hampshire, should be any different.

I've read dozens, if not hundreds, of Christian fiction books.  Sandra Byrd has that something extra that makes a writer stand out in the genre.  Faith is naturally infused into her books in, as she once told me in an interview, an "organic" way.

Most of all, her books have the quality I ask for of any writer:  Make me care about the story and characters.  Give me the sheer enjoyment of reading that makes me keep turning the pages.  Sandra Byrd does that, in spades.

Disclosure: I was provided an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.  This is my honest review.

Revisiting my reviews of some Christy Award nominees!

I'm delighted to see that some of the books I've reviewed on this blog, as well as a couple of others but I read but didn't review, have been nominated for Christy Awards.

What are Christy Awards, you might ask? Named for Catherine Marshall's classic, "Christy," the awards are given each year to honor and promote excellence in Christian fiction.

The awards will be presented July 16th in Orlando.

Check out my reviews of four of the nominees (click on the title to go to my review):

Nominated in the category CONTEMPORARY SERIES, SEQUELS, AND NOVELLAS:

Dancing on Glass, by Pamela Binning Ewen

Nominated in the categories CONTEMPORARY STANDALONE and FIRST NOVEL:

Words, by Ginny Yttrup

Nominated in the category HISTORICAL ROMANCE:

The Maid of Fairbourne Hall, by Julie Klassen

To Die For, by Sandra Byrd

Nominated in the category YOUNG ADULT:

Waterfall, by Lisa T. Bergren

Although I never reviewed it, I also blogged about (and highly recommend) Mine is the Night, by Liz Curtis Higgs, nominated in the HISTORICAL category.

And I read and really enjoyed My Foolish Heart, by Susan May Warren, nominated in the CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE category.

You can find the complete list of nominees here.

Congratulations to all the nominees!

My Review of To Die For, by Sandra Byrd

I've always been fascinated by Anne Boleyn. So when I found out that Sandra Byrd--author of the wonderful French Twist series--had written a book about Anne, I knew I had to read it.

Historical fiction is a departure for Byrd, but it fits her like a hand in a glove. She effortlessly adopts the voice of Meg Wyatt, Anne Boleyn's lifelong friend and lady-in-waiting.

Through Meg's eyes, we see Anne's trajectory from a charming young girl to the king's adored favorite to beloved wife, and ultimately to falsely accused and abandoned queen.

Meg is a very likable narrator--a keen observer with intelligence, dignity and common sense. Though she loves Anne dearly, she's in no way blind to her friend's foibles.

While I knew the conclusion to Anne's story, I didn't know Meg's--and I found myself rooting for a happy ending for her.

I also loved Meg's faith journey--from anger at and estrangement from God, to the wonder of coming to know Him on a personal level in a time when English people were finally being able to read Scriptures in their own language.

Sandra Byrd's writing brings the Tudor court to sparkling life, with all its magnificent fashions, sumptuous feasts, and imposing pageantry. Not to mention gossip, intrigue, and political machinations that could turn deadly in the blink of an eye.

To Die For is the story of Anne Boleyn--without a doubt one of the most fascinating women in history--but it's also a story of a deep and loyal friendship between two women. I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”