Women's Fiction Romance |
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Merida Johns will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Click on "read more" to sign up for the Giveaway.
Under another hand,
Blackhorse Road could all too easily have been a singular romance. Johns
provides more as she follows Luci down the rabbit hole and out the other side
of life experience, bringing readers into a world where . . . transgression
changes everything and challenges carefully-constructed foundations of belief
and values. As Luci lets go of her lifesavers and navigates obstacles to happiness,
her story becomes a vivid portrait of hope and self-examination which
ultimately moves into unexpected territory. Novel readers seeking a tale that
closely considers deception and forgiveness, love gained and lost, and family
ties will welcome the multifaceted Blackhorse Road's ability to come full
circle in a satisfyingly unexpected way. - D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest
Book Review
It’s the turbulent
mid-1960s, and Luci, an eighteen-year-old Southern California girl, is on the
quest for self-determination and new beginnings. Three powerful forces
influence her values: the grit of her Irish great-grandmother, Lucinda
McCormick; the philosophy of choice of her father, Sam; and the 1960s ideals of
equity and altruism. But potent foes thwart Luci at every turn. Her budding
romance with a handsome United States Air Force Academy cadet sets the stage
for conflict and deception that last for two decades. When Luci discovers how
her autonomy and her love affair were hijacked, she struggles with anger and bitterness.
But from a surprising source, she finds a forgiveness path that restores her
well-being and hope and, in the end, faith in herself.
My Review...
A really nice read. What a picture of life in the 60’s. This
book deals with so many items, emotions really. From the moment I began to read
about the true hardships, the real picture drawn by the people trying to
immigrate I wanted to keep reading to see what happened. I wanted to see where
this was going to lead. At first I thought the letters would create a back and
forth kind of reading confusion. That didn’t happen here. Everything centered
around Luci in one way or another and the author seemed to be able to weave
this story without any confusion, Even no hiccups to my reading which I thought
surely would happen.
This is an interesting book, suitable for all ages.
read an excerpt...
Uncertain what to make of Luci’s stillness, Barry brought his head close to hers and asked, “What are you thinking?”
Luci held back, still gazing ahead. She turned and drilled into Barry’s blue eyes. “I guess, using an Irish term, I could say, ‘What a bunch of malarkey!’” She drew back her lips in a saucy grin and weighed his reaction.
Luci’s response was unarming but charming. Barry laughed. “No one has ever told me in such a nice way that I’m full of bullshit.”
“Well, I guess there’s that!” Luci chuckled, then turned thoughtful. “Putting the ‘BS’ aside, I’d say the story is about choices, not a lovestruck fairy tale. It’s about risks and consequences and being true to your values. It’s about living who you are and not how someone else expects you to live.”
about Merida Johns...
Merida Johns
takes her experience as an educator, consultant, and businesswoman and writes
about the human experience. In 2018 Merida took an unlikely off-ramp from
writing textbooks and motivational books to authoring women’s fiction. Her
stories are learning lessons where awareness and curiosity transport readers to
the most unexpected places within themselves.
Merida hails from Windsor, Ontario, Canada, grew up in Southern
California and has lived from coast-to-coast in the United States. Besides writing, she enjoys fabric arts,
including weaving and knitting. She makes her home in the serene Midwest
countryside that gives her the inspiration and space for storytelling.
Website: www.MeridaJohnsAuthor.com
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/MeridaJohnsAuthor/
Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/meridajohns
Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Merida-L.-Johns/e/B001IU2KBS
Bookshop:
https://bookshop.org/shop/MeridaJohns
Thank you for hosting!
ReplyDeleteI liked the excerpt.
ReplyDeleteHappy Friday, thanks for sharing your review!
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting me and Blackhorse Road. Writing about the immigrant journey and its influence on and creating "bridges" with following generations was one of the special connections I felt as an author in creating the characters in the story. It was wonderful to see this theme identified in your review.
ReplyDeleteHello! Thanks so much for sharing your book with us. Always fun reading about another book to enjoy.
ReplyDeleteI really like the cover, it's nice
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment Marisela. The two major elements on the cover, the red envelope and gold key, have significant roles in the story. I'm glad you like the cover.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed having you on Our Town Book Reviews. Best of luck with Blackhorse Road
ReplyDeleteSounds awesome!
ReplyDelete