The Blessed by Ann H. Gabhart

Lacey Bishop hasn't had an easy life and things get even more difficult when she marries Pastor Elwood Palmer in order to continue caring for Rachel. Though she did not give birth to Rachel, Lacey considers Rachel to be her daughter and would do anything to stay with her. As tensions in the parsonage mount, a move to the Shaker community, where all marital relationships are dissolved, seems like a relief. Unfortunately, the Shakers also believe in dissolving parent-child relationships. Lacey is compelled to stay within the Shaker community to be near Rachel. The strange rules and practices of the Shakers leave Lacey feeling isolated and desperate. When she finds herself drawn to Isaac Kingston, a widower living among the Shakers, Lacey struggles with to trust in God. Trapped by obligations, Lacey must fight to keep her faith and hope alive. Will she ever fit in with the Shakers? Can God deliver her and Rachel from this tangled mess? Will she find true love in this unlikely place?

Reading The Blessed by Ann H. Gabhart was an interesting experience for me. I've never read a book about the Shaker religion. Though I don't know much about the history of the Shakers, the book seemed well-researched and included Shaker songs. As a word of warning, this book is much more fiction than romance. Although romance is included, it reads more on the fiction side. I don't mind fiction, so this was okay with me, but I expected more interaction between Lacey and Isaac. Lacey and Isaac are extremely well-developed characters. The author takes the reader deep into their thoughts and feelings without boring the reader with a lack of action. Fans of historical Christian fiction will probably like this book.

Click here to read an excerpt from The Blessed by Ann H. Gabhart.

Available July 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing Group. 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."