Beauty For Ashes
By
Dorothy Love
I was super excited to be able to review this novel; it follows the first installment in Love’s Hickory Ridge series, Beyond All Measure. I always love it when an author chooses to follow a set of characters because I feel like the original story doesn’t just end on the last page. Beauty For Ashes was no exception, it followed the stories of some of the characters we previously met in Hickory Ridge as well as introducing us to some newcomers. Here’s what thomasnelson.com has to say:
She’s a beautiful young widow. He’s a Southern gentleman with a thirst for adventure. Both need a place to call home.
After losing her husband in the Civil War, Carrie Daly is scared she will never have the family she longs for. Eligible bachelors are scarce in Hickory Ridge, Tennessee, but Carrie Daly has found love. Not the weak-in-the-knees kind, but something practical. Still, she isn’t quite ready to set a wedding date with Nate Chastain.
Griff Rutledge is a former member of Charleston society, but has been estranged from his family for years. He’s determined to remain unattached, never settling in one place for too long. But when asked to train a Thoroughbred for an upcoming race in Hickory Ridge, he decides to stay awhile.
Despite objections from the townsfolk, and her fear that true happiness has eluded her, Carrie is drawn to Griff’s kindness and charm. It will take a leap of faith for them to open their hearts and claim God’s promise to trade beauty for ashes.
I enjoyed reading this book so much I read it in less than five days, it would have taken less time but we had a family trip over the weekend! 🙂 The way Dorothy Love writes makes it really easy for a reader to find themselves in the midst of the story, right there in Hickory Ridge. I fell in love with the story of Carrie and Griff, I can’t wait to see where life leads them in Love’s next novel. There’s also an element of mystery in this book, we never learn the full story of Rosaleen and are left guessing how her story might develop and what twists and turns her path might take. According to a note at the end of this novel, the next installment in the Hickory Ridge series is due out next year….it’s going to be a long wait for those of us so captivated by the tales of fictional small town in Tennessee.
This book can be found at Amazon and Barnes and Noble, as well as many other retailers.
Disclaimer: A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review by Thomas Nelson Publishers. All thoughts are my own and I was not required to post a positive review.
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