THE DISCOVERY, by Dan Walsh

When best-selling author Gerard Warner dies, his grandson, Michael Warner, inherits the man's stately home in Charleston. On a desk in the home, the grandfather has left a wooden box containing an unfinished manuscript, which he intended for Michael to find.
What follows is a story-within-a-story, as Michael reads the manuscript. The Discovery is structured in such a way that the reader is allowed to look over Michael's shoulder and read along with him.
The story he discovers is a fascinating tale involving little-known events that took place in Florida during World War II. Running through the authentic wartime scenes is a heartwarming love story, told with Walsh’s customary depth and richness.
The Discovery will go on my "keeper" shelf. I recommend it highly, both for history buffs and lovers of touching romantic fiction.

My thanks to Revell for providing me with a review copy of this book.

BEYOND ALL MEASURE, by Dorothy Love

Penniless and alone, Ada Wentworth travels from her home in Boston to accept a job as a companion to an elderly woman in Hickory Ridge, Tennessee. The War Between the States has only been over for a short time, and once Ada arrives in Hickory Ridge, she finds that many townsfolk are not willing to accept a Yankee in their midst.
To add to her difficulties, the woman she’s hired to attend, Lillian Willis, is crotchety and critical of Ada's every effort. As Ada struggles to master cooking and cleaning, tasks she's never had to perform, her one bright spot is Miss Lillian,s nephew, Wyatt Caldwell.
Wyatt is the owner of a successful lumber mill in Hickory Ridge, but his heart remains in his home state of Texas. Between his desire to return to ranching, and Ada’s plans to open a millinery shop in Hickory Ridge, the two of them seem destined to travel separate paths.
In Beyond All Measure, Dorothy Love has crafted a beautifully detailed story of life in the aftermath of war. Her descriptions of Hickory Ridge left me feeling I’d spent time in Tennessee.
If you’re of lover of historical romance, Beyond All Measure is sure to captivate your imagination. I found myself sneaking spare moments to read when I should have been busy with other things. I think you’ll enjoy this story, too.

WORDS SPOKEN TRUE, by Ann Gabhart

The back cover copy for Words Spoken True leads the reader to believe that this novel is simple romance between two people with interests in competing newspapers. But Words Spoken True is so much more.
A serial killer is on the loose in 1850's Louisville, Kentucky, preying on young Irish girls. As this mystery deepens, author Gabhart drops the reader into the midst of a political campaign fought on the basis of prejudice against immigrants and enslaved blacks.
If this weren't enough, the main characters in Words Spoken True, Adriane Darcy and Blake Garrett, strike more sparks than I’ve encountered in the past several novels I’ve read.
Quite simply, Words Spoken True is a terrific read. I give this story two thumbs up.