About the Book

Book: The Gamekeeper’s Reluctant Bride

Author: Elva Cobb Martin

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: September 10, 2024

She fled from a gilded cage, only to find herself trapped in a marriage of obligation.

Helena Allston had it all—wealth, beauty, and a life of luxury on her family’s plantation. But when her father arranges a marriage to a man she despises, Helena takes matters into her own hands, fleeing on horseback, only to find herself half-drowned and memory-less in a simple cottage. And when her memory returns, Helena ends up back where she began—arranged to marry, this time to the handsome gamekeeper who rescued her.

Could there be more than obligation to this marriage? Or is he only after the Windemere Plantation her father promised him?

Gideon Falconer is at a loss when it comes to the stubborn, beautiful woman he rescued from the Ashley River. His predicament only worsens when he returns her to her family’s plantation, where her father shocks him with a demand that Gideon marry his daughter to prevent a scandal. As a man new to his faith, he feels compelled to do the right thing, but his own secrets and the past left behind in England threaten to complicate matters further.

In a marriage that began as a mere obligation, can Helena and Gideon find the strength to let love and trust conquer all, despite a determined enemy’s schemes to wreck their hope?

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About the Author

Elva Cobb Martin is a wife, mother, and grandmother who lives in South Carolina with her husband and a mini-dachshund. A life-long student of history, her favorite city, Charleston, inspires her stories of romance and adventure. Her love of writing grew out of a desire to share exciting stories of courageous characters and communicate truths of the Christian faith to bring hope and encouragement.

Author Interview with Elva

Q: What do you hope readers take away from The Gamekeeper's Reluctant Bride?

Elva: I pray readers will have an exciting and satisfying time reading Gideon’s and Helena’s story, The Gamekeeper’s Reluctant Bride, and see in action its theme, faith is not faith without corresponding actions of love for God and our fellowman. In short, we must be born again and spend time in prayer, in the Word of God, and serving with our gifts and talents versus just depending on our name being on a church roll.

Q: When did you first know you wanted to be an author?

Elva: You’re going to laugh, but when I was in the 7th grade, I competed with the class in writing a short story. I lived on a farm and loved horses. My simplistic horse story of Dolly who won a race, even with a broken leg, did well in the class contest. That’s when I first thought of becoming a writer. And horses are in most of my stories, as well as sailing ships, pirates and privateers, zesty heroes, and courageous heroines.

Q: What are you reading now?

Elva: Besides the Holy Bible I read through each year, I am reading the Savannah Quartet by Eugenia Price, an oldie but goodie historical series about the old South, set in Savannah and the mountain Geogia frontier in the early 1800’s. Also, I am in Book 6 of the amazing 21-book series, The Bregdan Chronicles, by Ginny Dye, covering the period before the Civil War, during the conflict, and reconstruction. It’s set in Richmond, Virginia, area plantations, Philadelphia, and the battle zones. On the non-fiction side, I’m reading an amazing older release, They Speak with Other Tongues by John Sherrill which is his testimony of coming from a dry religious background into the book of Acts power of the Holy Spirit.

Q: What is your favorite season and why?

Elva: Spring is my favorite season. It is the season that my dreamed writing career actually began. It followed a real low time in my life from quitting a difficult job that winter, which left me depressed, praying, and wondering what the future might hold. Staring out our patio door at the frozen landscape, I wondered if spring would ever come.

One cold morning I saw a yellow daffodil pushing up its golden head from the snow. Hope burst into my heart, and I believe the Lord planted an inspiration in my mind for a magazine article which I entitled “When Spring Came.” It’s Easter theme proclaims Jesus’ Resurrection as the first spiritual spring of the earth. I polished that short piece and searched the Writers’ Market for magazine publishers, knowing it must be too late for this coming Easter. I sent it off to a church magazine of a denomination I’d never heard of, the Assemblies of God Fellowship. They accepted, published at Easter, and paid me $30 for that article. It was one of the happiest days of my life when I opened up that check envelope. Now I was a paid writer. Paul Harvey would add, here’s the rest of the story. About 15 years later when the Lord called us into ministry, I became licensed with the Assemblies of God and entered full-time ministry.

Q: Where can readers find out more about you and your book?

Elva: I’d love for readers to sign up for my newsletter found at the top of page one on my website which also gives details about all my books and more about me. http://www.elvamartin.com

Jolene, thank you so much for this interview and have a blessed day!

More from Elva

In The Gamekeeper’s Reluctant Bride, I planned to develop a rich, spoiled heroine who had everything she wanted—beauty, wealth, reputation, an important Charleston family name, and even membership in a popular church of her day but who had no real relationship with Jesus Christ. Isn’t that like so many in America today with our many blessings and freedom but no real love for Christ, his written Word, or his love for the unborn and his biblical plan for marriage and gender? Yet our name may be on some church roll and we call ourselves Christian. I believe our Mighty God is calling America back to him in faith and obedience to the Bible. I believe He is calling forth godly leaders who will stand for truth and righteousness, but we must go to the polls and help raise them up. America has a mighty history and a covenant cut with God by our founders. Focusing our hearts and minds on Christ gives us courage and confidence, and we can look to the future with hope in our hearts.

Here’s part of a scene showing the “before Christ” Helena with her pride and arrogance after Gideon rescued her from drowning in the river:

Gideon ducked his head at her icy voice. “Look, young woman, I dragged you from the Ashley River and walked miles carrying you in my arms, to this cottage. You were soaked through and through and unconscious.”

She interrupted him. “I don’t want to hear any more of your wild story. Go from my presence and shut the door while I dress.” She pointed to the cabin door, then reached up and touched the lump on her forehead and groaned. “Why did you strike me, sir?” These words came from between gritted teeth.

Gideon’s nostrils flared. “Miss or ma’am, whichever you are, I did not strike you. You must have hit your head on your horse’s neck or a rock when you two jumped into the Ashley. For your information, all I did was save your life, if you’d like to thank me for that.”

Here’s part of Helena’s epiphany:

Captive on the pirate ship, Helena dropped to her knees beside the bed and cried out to God. Her life paraded before her, and tears blinded her eyes. The privileged life she’d led as a wealthy planter’s daughter now seemed frivolous and meaningless. She had never lacked for a thing and had not even imagined there could be such people as the pirate captain who now had her under his control, threatening to sail to the Barbary Coast and sell her to a sultan. Would Gideon and her father ever be able to rescue her before the ship sailed away? A chill rose from her heart to her fingertips. Slavery! Would she end up in slavery? Why had she never considered the poor slaves who met all their needs on the plantation? Ever since she was a child, slaves had done everything to make her family’s life easy and pleasant. Was she now to find out what it would be like to be a slave and at the mercy of someone else’s desires and moods?…Lord Jesus, please forgive me for my proud, selfish, unthankful life. If you’re real, come into my heart, deliver me, help me come to know Your plan and purpose for me.

Like Helena, we can cry out to God in humble repentance and return with our whole heart, and He will always answer. We are never out of the reach of God’s eyes or hand. Here is a simple prayer I invite you to pray for yourself and our nation in this election year:

Father God, I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son you sent to save me from my sins. I repent and turn from them to You and Your Word. Please forgive me and come into my heart, be not only my Savior, but my Lord and director of my decisions, especially my vote for righteous leaders. Help me find a Bible-preaching church family and do my part in bringing America back to You. I believe You are working mightily in my life, family and nation, and I give You praise. Amen