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JoyAnneTN
Posted February 20, 2013
Wow! What a great book! That's what I felt when I finished this book. Sarah's husband drowns and when she reaches out to his family for help they have her kidnapped and sold into slavery. The author has introduced us to some of the meanest characters I've read about. Women are of no worth and are treated horribly. Their lives are filled with pain, physical and emotional. Rita was able to help bring healing and forgiveness to them. The day to day life she endures shows us what strength and character she has. Her trust is in God and He and her child are what gets her through.
Falling in love with a doctor that makes his rounds brings the possibility of freedom, hope, and love Sarah deserves. I loved this well written, adventurous story! 5 out of 5 stars!
I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Rita Gerlach in her new book, "Beyond The Valley" Book Three in The Daughters of the Potomac Series published by Abingdon Press takes us into the life of Sarah Carr.
From the back cover: Searching for hope on the Maryland frontier.
When Sarah Carr's husband, Jamie, drowns, her young life is shattered and takes a turn she never expected. When she reaches out to Jamie's family for help, they devise a plan to have her kidnapped and taken to the Colonies to live a life of servitude.
Sarah endures the hardships of a sea voyage, the debasement of the slave auction, and loneliness. In despair, she puts her trust in her Savior as her new life in the Colonies finds her surrounded by a family's whirlwind of dangerous secrets. While she copes with new threats, Sarah dares to risk everything for a new love.
I think that Rita Gerlach is an incredibly gifted author. She is able to describe these wonderful scenes where you feel as though you are there watching the event instead of reading about it. I am sorry that this is the last book in this series as I hate to see it end. In "Beyond The Valley" Ms. Gerlach takes us into the life of Sarah Carr who is faced with terrible tragedy in her life yet continues to somehow survive and persevere. Ms. Gerlach makes you care not only for Sarah and her journey but for all the supporting characters as well. Then there are the themes of hope and redemption, that despite the tragedy and hardships God offers new hope and life to those that trust in Him. I have a minor complaint that has nothing to do with Ms. Gerlach's writing. It is just that I feel that there was way too much tragedy in the book for me personally. I guess I just could not handle all that Sarah had to go through. Well done Ms. Gerlach. I look forward to the next series.
If you missed the interview for "Surrender The Wind", a different book from Rita Gerlach, and would like to listen to it and/or interviews with other authors and professionals please go to Kingdom Highlights where they are available On Demand.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Abingdon Press. 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."
JerseyGirlBookReviews
Posted March 25, 2013
When seventeen year old Sarah Carr's husband Jamie drowns while trying to salvage items from a shipwreck off of England's Cornish coast, she finds herself a pregnant widow with no means to support herself. Seeking support from her husband's sister Mary and husband Lem, Sarah is an unwanted burden in their house. Her brother-in-law devises a ruthless plan to betray Sarah with a stranger who promises her work, only to kidnap her and force her on a ship bound for the American Colonies to be sold as an indentured servant. Arriving in Potomac, Sarah is sold as an indentured servant to the Woodhouse family. Sarah gets through the heartache and hardship with her unwavering faith, and finds herself falling in love with Alex Hutton, a young country doctor. When Dr. Hutton declares his love for Sarah and tries to purchase her freedom, Sarah is once again sold off to another family and loses contact with Alex. Enduring endless trials and tribulations, Sarah's strong faith keeps her hope alive of reuniting with her beloved Dr. Hutton.
In Beyond The Valley, the third installment of The Daughters of the Potomac series, author Rita Gerlach weaves another poignant tale of inspiration, faith and love, that magically transports the reader back to the scenic Potomac River area of Maryland during the Revolutionary War era.
Written in the third person narrative, the story focuses on the journey of Sarah Carr, who was introduced to the reader in the first book of the series, Before the Scarlet Dawn. This is a wonderful story that follows the trials and tribulations that young Sarah endures from England to the American Colonies, while maintaining unwavering faith and hope.
With a mixture of drama, suspense and romance, Beyond The Valley has enough riveting twist and turns that will keep the reader captivated. The author masterfully weaves an emotional tale while adding heartwarming messages of inspiration and wisdom through Sarah's remarkable faith, strength and ability to overcome adversity. I have always been a history buff, and I think that the author's rich description of the Revolutionary War era setting was simply phenomenal, it transports the reader back to that time period in our nation's history.
Beyond The Valley is the third book in the amazing The Daughters of Potomac series. While each book can be a stand alone read, to enjoy the beauty of this phenomenal Christian Historical Romance series, I would recommend reading the books in order. Christian and Historical fiction fans, this series is a must read!
Anne_Baxter_Campbell
Posted March 20, 2013
, I loved the way you wound the thread in Beyond the Valley so skillfully in and around the fabric of the rest of the Daughers of the Potomac Series. Great job!
When her husband tries to salvage goods from a shipwreck on the Cornish coast, Sarah Carr finds herself a widow with a baby on the way and no means of support. Her husband told her if anything ever happened to him she must go to his sister and her husband.
Perhaps not the best advice. The sister is only interested in unpaid help. The sister's husband, however, doesn't want to support not only the widow but also a child, free housekeeping or not. When he commiserates with an acquaintance at a nearby tavern, Mr. Sawyer proposes selling her as a bonded servant in the colonies. A ship just happens to be leaving for America that evening.
In the rough seas of the Atlantic, Sarah loses her baby son when he is born too early. At the mouth of the Potomac, she is sold to the highest bidder. For the first time her impediment--one leg shorter than the other--is actually a blessing. She avoids being sold into the hands of a man who might misuse her and instead becomes the servant of an older woman.
The Woodhouse family has a neighbor who dies in the American Revolution. His brother, Dr. Alex Hutton, arrives to find the widow dying and the twin daughters near starvation. After his sister-in-law dies, Alex visits the Woodhouse family and asks if Sarah can come help him with the children until his aunt arrives.
Ah, yes, you guessed it--they fall in love. This book epitomizes the saying that true love never runs smooth. Woodhouse loses his fortune and sells everything--including Sarah. The man who takes her might have been kind enough, but gets himself killed. And that's just the beginning...
Sarah Carr is a character that you surely would not want to walk in her shoes. Through all that happens to her, she holds on to her faith in God.
She is widowed, when her husband Jamie is drowned. She is now all alone in Cornwall England, and her husband had told her to seek out his sister, if anything happened to him.
When she finds them, his sister, Mary, is dismayed that she is with child, but likes having her do all the house hold chores. Lem the brother-in-law, is a thief, so to speak. He does not want Sarah around, and finds a way to be rid of her!
In the end she ends up on a ship heading to the Colonies, and being a slave. You ask what more can happen to this poor girl? So much more, that it is hard to believe. There are happy moments, and she does find real love, and of course, that is snatched from her again.
We learn a lot about the times of the Revolutionary War, and the trouble with the Indians. Will Sarah ever find peace, she does find more heartbreak, and some really good and God loving friends.
Enjoy this third book in this series, you do not have to have read the other two books in order to enjoy this one, but don't miss out on two other great stories.
I received this book through Pump Your Book Virtual Tours, and Net Galley, and was not required to give a positive review.
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