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immigrant Rachel Gordon doesn't believe
her situation could get any worse...until
she meets her new neighbors.
Shortly after the War of 1812, Rachel and her husband
set out from England for a plantation in South Carolina,
which he had purchased sight unseen. However, while
en route, Tom Gordon fell overboard and drowned,
leaving Rachel, frightened and alone, to make a home
for her and her newborn.
Can a battle-scarred American physician who comes to
her rescue also heal her wounded heart?
Anonymous
Posted October 14, 2012
Nice job
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted October 13, 2012
I like how your building up your characters all through the story! Great job!
-Dauntless's author (I hit the little book button all the time, and it deletes my story! Trying to write Chapter 16, but I keep hitting the button by mistake! Grrr!)
0 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.Anonymous
Posted October 3, 2012
OMG! Officially a fan of your stories! Writting my stories pisses me off. I keep hitting 'back' when im like 2,000 words into it. -Bridget (Author of super human at 'four')
0 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.Anonymous
Posted October 2, 2012
Chapter Ten ~
I paused, staring at the wooden figure. I drew a arrow from my quiver and set it on the string. With a twang, the arrow went flying and hit the dummy right in the forehead.
Professor Finn nodded. He then walked over to Ob, and whispered something in the fat boy's ear. I could just hear it.
"If you head out that door, I'm sure Elbeth will show you something to eat."
Ob nodded greedily. Dropping his weapons, he flew for the door. Then Finn turned to Lily and gestured towards the door. She smiled at Jorlan and followed Ob.
The professor turned to us. "Congrats! You passed!" He said. "Now you can proceed to the first trial."
"What's that?" Jorlan asked.
"It's a test." Finn replied.
"I bet it'll be easy." Jorlan sneered. "If it's anything like this one, if you could call this a test."
Finn frowned. "The trial is nothing like this. Not only will it test your skill, it will test your courage, strenght, and knowledge. Very few pass on their first try."
"I bet I can." Jorlan said. "Where's the trial?"
"I'm hungry." Jennica said.
"I'll show you to the dining hall, and then, if you want, I can take you to the course."
As we followed the professor, I asked, "Will other kids be taking the trial?"
"Only the ones who passed, and a few of the older students." Finn said.
"Older students?" I echoed.
"Older students, like Elbeth. It takes a lot of skill to be ready for trial one." He replied. "Some of the older students still have not completed trial one. And then there's the other trials. Some students find it easier to complete trial two if they practice in trial one.
"How many courses are there?" I asked, confused.
"Three - the Shadow Trial, the Snow Trial, and the Silent Trial." Finn said.
Kids ran past us, talking and jabbering excitedly. I frowned. Where were all the adults? Wasn't this a war base?
If it wasn't a war base, what was it?
And if this wasn't the base, where was the base?
# # #
The dining hall was stuffed with kids of all ages, eating noisily and yelling back at each other, trying to talk over the noise.
"The line is over there." Finn said. "I'll pick you up once you are done." And with that, he was gone.
Shrugging, we headed for the line. It was moving fast.
There was every kind of breakfast food you could think of. I was starving, and grabbed a bit of everything.
I found an empty table and sat down, hungrily wolfing down my breakfast.
I was joined by Logas and to my suprise, Jennica. The red haired girl didn't say much, and hardly looked up as another boy strode over.
He was tall with jet black hair and blue eyes. He was clothed in chain mail, and had a battle axe that he left in an empty seat. "Hey." He mumbled.
"Hi." I said.
"My name's Brunce." The boy said.
"I'm Alora." I replied. "And that's Logas and that's Jennica."
"Nice to meet you." He said.
"So... did you pass?" I asked him.
"Yep!" He smiled. "I chopped the dummy's arm off."
"We all passed too." I said.
"Cool. Mabye we'll all take that Shadow Trail or whatever together." He added.
"What is this Shadow Trial thing anyway?" Jennica muttered.
"I don't know." Brunce said. "But I heard it's dangerous."
"Dangerous?" I echoed.
"Really dangerous." Brunce said.
I wasn't sure if he was just trying to scare me, but I felt a pang of fear.
0 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Digging4Pearls
Posted March 31, 2012
From This Day Forward by Margaret Daley is a delightful tale of Rachel Gordon, a young English woman who has arrived in Charleston, South Carolina shortly after the War of 1812. While en-route to her plantation, she meets with an accident and goes into premature labor. Nathan Stuart happens along the road and comes to her rescue.
Rachel has no desire to be beholding to any man, but seems to have no choice in the matter. Nathan refuses to take her to her new home, unless she agrees for him to help.
Nathan fights his own bitter memories as a former physician. He feels the need to help widow Rachel, but doesn't want to get emotionally involved either.
Conflict and misunderstanding abound as these two try to eek out a living on Rachel's farm. Both desire for it to be a short-term relationship, until Rachel can be on her own. Will they learn to compromise and work together, or continue to be in turmoil?
I found Margaret's book to be a wonderfully woven tale that kept me hooked to each word. I highly recommend this book.
* This book was provided free for review by the author and Summerside Press.
spcovey
Posted November 22, 2011
Reading Margaret Daley's book, From This Day Forward, is pure enjoyment. This historical novel is set at a rural, abandoned farm just outside Charleston, South Carolina. The story pulls the reader into a era long forgotten. When Rachel and Nathan's worlds collide, their lives are forever changed. This mismatched couple's journey starts with excitement, and the tension increases with each turned page. This book is definitely one to keep--it has not only suspense, but also it delivers a tender romance.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Christine_Lindsay
Posted October 25, 2011
The riveting human drama in 'From This Day Forward' held me captive from the first page. The story starts off like a clap of thunder, spooking the heroine's horse and throwing her into premature labor. From the start my emotions were engaged as newly widowed Rachel Gordon from England arrives in Charleston. Alone, with little money, a young maid, and now a baby daughter, Rachel needs help to start over in this new land-a land that only recently fought a war to gain independence from her homeland, England.
Nathan Stuart, the doctor who finds Rachel on that stormy night brings her child safely into the world, setting up a tender love story. It's just the book I love to read-one that has layers of relationships, love growing between new friends, the orphans that mysteriously show up on Rachel's life become important to her, and of course the growing romance between Rachel and Nathan.
This book has enough twists and turns in it to satisfy those who love a good romantic suspense. I highly recommend it.
BlissfulLB
Posted September 28, 2011
Margaret Daley is well known for her suspense novels through Love Inspired, so it is not by accident that her first historical novel would likewise be a ride of suspense and intrigue throughout. She does not disappoint as the reader is led on a series of events through the eyes of both the heroine, Rachel, and the reluctant but oftentimes heroic doctor Nathan Stuart. While they struggle through events that seem to pepper them constantly (and at a more rapid clip that nearly begs for some time to allow the reader to catch a breath), they also struggle with themselves. This is the author's first venture into historical writing, and despite the few modern phrases , she has entered it at a fast gallop that will leave you hanging on for dear life until the end.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Rachel Gordon set sail from England to Charleston, South Carolina with her husband in the hopes of running a plantation. What Rachel Gordon never anticipated was being stranded in this new country as a pregnant widow with a plantation that is next to uninhabitable. Disowned by her family in England, she determines to make a new life in Charleston--even at the disapproval of her new neighbor, Nathan Stuart.
Dr. Nathan Stuart knows that Rachel's plantation is no place for a widowed woman--and he's not about to let her stay there and face any harm. As he and Rachel work together, a certain bond forms between them . . .one that could lead to so much more than either ever imagined, and one that neither of them wants to move forward with.
From This Day Forward is a great historical debut for author Margaret Daley. While the wording in this novel seems a bit awkward at first, and it does takes a while for the story to really pick up it's pace and start moving, once readers reach a certain point, the wording becomes less awkward and Margaret Daley seems to ease into her own element as she unveils a mystery surrounding strange events that occur on the plantation.
And that's when this story begins to make a heavy impact.
While this story is definitely a historical romance, we do see elements of suspense in it--and I don't mind them one bit. Though the back cover never hints at this story having any suspense, I truly enjoyed it and the mystery fit very naturally into the plot.
As a native Charlestonian, I can attest to the amazing research and authenticity Margaret Daley used in describing plantation life. When looking back in history, we often view the plantation lifestyle with a sort of a "Gone with the Wind" nostalgia, but the truth is that for people who actually lived during that era, it was anything but. Margaret Daley uses this truth to deepen the external struggles that go on with the main characters.
She also does a great job with the character's inner struggles and keeps readers engaged as we wonder what these characters will choose in the end.
I definitely recommend From this Day Forward!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
Anonymous
Posted December 29, 2011
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted February 23, 2012
No text was provided for this review.
Overview
immigrant Rachel Gordon doesn't believe
her situation could get any worse...until
she meets ...