***Book Giveaway – See Contest Rules Below***
I’ll confess my bias right up front as I give this shameless shout-out for Lorna Seilstad‘s newest release, WHEN LOVE CALLS (Revell). Lorna and I have been critique partners (and friends) since 2008, so I’ve sat in the front row cheering section since before the birth of her first novel Making Waves (Lake Manawa Series). Now she’s onto her next series, The Gregory Sisters, and she’s better than ever. I’ll give Lorna personal credit for getting me to read historical romance and enjoy it!
I love Lorna’s humor, her settings, the characters, the romance. If I need a pick-me-up, all I have to do is read one of Lorna’s books, and she gets me smiling. 🙂 (They make a great Mother’s Day present too!)
Now, as Lorna’s critique partner, I have the privilege and honor of reading her books in their early stages, and get a glimpse into what’s coming next. (It’s very good!) Lorna has graciously shared her plans for books two and three of The Gregory Sisters series, so I can pass them on to you. Considering books two and three are set in Minnesota, that alone makes me very eager to read them, especially when Lorna teaches me a thing or two about my state’s history (which she does quite often).
If you have yet to read a Lorna Seilstad novel, I hope you’ll add them to your to-be-read list. You won’t be disappointed!
Book 1—WHEN LOVE CALLS – (Romantic Times review rating of 4 Stars! Yeah, Lorna!!!)
Story Description
Hannah Gregory is good at many things, but that list doesn’t include following rules. So when she is forced to apply for a job as a telephone switchboard operator to support her two sisters, she knows it won’t be easy. “Hello Girls” must conduct themselves according to strict–and often bewildering–rules. No talking to the other girls. No chatting with callers. No blowing your nose without first raising your hand. And absolutely no consorting with gentlemen while in training.
Meanwhile, young lawyer Lincoln Cole finds himself in the unfortunate position of having to enforce the bank’s eviction of the three Gregory girls from their parents’ home. He tries to soften the blow by supporting them in small ways as they settle into another home. But fiery Hannah refuses his overtures and insists on paying back every cent of his charity.
When one of Hannah’s friends finds himself on the wrong side of a jail cell, Hannah is forced to look to Lincoln for help. Will it be her chance to return to her dreams of studying law? And could she be falling in love?
With historic details that bring to life the exciting first decade of the twentieth century, Lorna Seilstad weaves a charming tale of camaraderie and companionship that blossoms into love. Readers will get lost in this sweet romance and will eagerly look forward to championing each sister’s dreams.
Book 2—WHAT’S COOKIN’’?(working title)
What’s Cookin’? tells the story of the middle sister Charlotte. This story has a little mystery and a lot of food. It’s set in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1910.
Story Description
After graduating from Fannie Farmer’s School of Cookery in 1910, Charlotte Gregory, a woman with a taste for stirring things up, wins a contest and is offered a position which will allow her to travel, lecture, and give demonstrations on the newest kitchen revolution—cooking with gas.
She accepts the job, believing it will also allow her to carry on her mentor’s work by speaking about improving nutrition for the convalescent at hospitals in the cities she visits. When she addresses her own local hospital, the nurses welcome her ideas about creating attractive food trays and providing fresh, appetizing foods. However, stubborn Dr. Joel Brooks, the young hospital administrator, believes she’s stirring up unnecessary controversy. He insists the hospital does not need and cannot afford to make the changes she suggests.
While Charlotte is traveling, she frequently crosses paths with a thoughtful stove salesman, Lewis Mathis. He finds her ideas fresh and fascinating and encourages her work. Charlotte enjoys his companionship, and Lewis begins to think the two of them complement one another like biscuits and gravy.
Everything comes to a boil when Charlotte’s wealthy aunt announces she is planning to host a charity ball for the hospital. She expects Charlotte to plan the entire festivity, including a menu sure to impress all the influential pocketbooks. Charlotte almost refuses when she learns she must work side by side with Dr. Joel. She soon discovers she and the doctor are a combustible pair.
Will Charlotte’s goose be cooked when one man learns about the other? And in the end, which entree will she choose off the menu?
Book 3—A BLOOMIN’ SHAME (working title)
The third book is the youngest sister’s, Tessa’s, story. By book three, we’ve seen Tessa want to become a reporter, an actress, a photographer, a librarian, and a Pinkerton agent. She actually ends up studying horticulture, but in this book, we see her putting the skills to work that she gained in exploring these careers. This book is set in St. Paul in 1912.
Story Description
Tenacious Tessa Gregory wants a position as a horticulturalist at the prestigious Como Park under the direction of Frederick Nussbaumer. However, when she arrives, Nussbaumer refuses to consider having a woman on his staff as a flower girl, let alone gardener.
When Tessa learns that Nussbaumer has great hope of building a conservatory rivaling those in London, Detroit, and San Francisco, she secretly goes in search of a way to help the man in his quest. Perhaps in helping him, he will reconsider. Using her natural acting abilities, she slips into her “aunt’s” world of wealthy and influential people, and there meets one of Nussbaumer’s gardeners Reese Baker.
Reese, who must also prove himself to the park superintendent, is drawn to Tessa like a bee to a flower, but Tessa will have nothing to do with him. She’s in St. Paul for a purpose and not to find a husband. Reese, however, offers to let her help him with his gardening responsibilities in secret until they can find a way to convince Nussbaumer to hire her.
While Tessa works to persuade the right people to lend their vote toward the building of the conservatory, she unknowingly becomes part of an act of subterfuge fooling the legislators into financing the effort. She finally gets the master gardener’s attention, but she also gets the attention of those opposed to the project and her life is threatened. When she learns who is behind the threats, she realizes it puts the whole conservatory project and Reese’s future in jeopardy. Will she bury the truth and let love bloom? Or will she uncover the dirt and risk losing it all?
~*~*~
About Lorna Seilstad~
A history buff, antique collector, and freelance graphic designer, Lorna Seilstad is the author of Making Waves, A Great Catch, and The Ride of Her Life. A former high school English and journalism teacher, she has won several online writing contests and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Lorna lives in Council Bluffs, Iowa, with her husband. Find out more at www.lornaseilstad.com.
You Can Find Lorna At ~
- Website: https://lornaseilstad.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lorna-Seilstads-Fan-Page/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/LornaSeilstad
- Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/lornaseilstad/
- Blogs: https://lornaseilstad.com/blog/
- https://inkspirationalmessages.com/
You can find When Love Calls and all of Lorna’s books at ~
- Your local bookseller
- Amazon
- Christianbook.com
- Barnes and Noble
- Books-A-Million
- And other online stores!
***Book Giveaway Contest Rules***
If you’d like to win a copy of WHEN LOVE CALLS by Lorna Seilstad, in the comments below, tell me what your favorite historical romance novel is. This contest ends Sunday, May 5, 2013 at 11:59 p.m. (CST). I will post the winner on Monday, May 6, 2013. The contest is open to residents of the contiguous United States.
Also, it would be super-nice 🙂 if you’d Subscribe to my blog, but it’s not required.
TO FIND MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO WIN BOOKS, CHECK OUT
FICTIONADDICTIONFIX.BLOGSPOT.COM
Comments 54
My favorite historical? I don’t think I could ever choose?! All I read are historicals! Perhaps I’d choose the very first books I read…and still love! Janette Oke’s Love Comes Softly series! They’ve topped my list for years! After that, I’ve read so many great ones, I’d never be able to list them all!
Stephanie
mybabyblessings AT gmail.com
Stephanie – Love your blog! I can imagine why it would be difficult to choose a favorite historical. Hope you enjoy Lorna’s books!
Did you like the “Love Comes Softly” movies, too, Stephanie? Those are some of my favorites.
Ms. Seilstad:
Ooh my dear stars, I LOVE the Love Come Softly Saga on Hallmark!! I am always hoping they will keep making new installments!! 🙂 🙂 I do miss the original characters protrayed by Dale Midkiff and Katherine Heigl,… I wish they both could have kept returning! 🙁 And, I miss Missy too, as an adult protrayed by Erin Cottrell.
Janette Oke’s books were probably my first intorduction to christian fiction too!
A more recent favorite would be ‘A Heart Most Worthy’ by Siri Mitchell.
Another vote for Janette Oke. Can you believe I’ve never read them? But then, I’ve only recently begun adding historicals to my to-read list. I’ve heard wonderful things about Siri Mitchell’s writing. And her book covers are divine! Guess I’ll have to check them out.
I enjoy Siri’s book, too, Patty, and Brenda, she does have lovely covers.
I have many favorites but one I recently read was “She walks in beauty” by Siri Mitchell. It was great and so informative about the Victorian times and what was expected of ladies! It would be great to win a copy of your book, I love the reviews of your books, they sound like fun!
And another vote for Siri Mitchell’s books 🙂 I haven’t read her works yet, but I plan on picking one up soon.
Hope you enjoy Lorna’s books, Jojo. They’re fabulous!
Hi Jojo! Another Siri lover! I hope you’ll give When Love Calls a try. It was a lot of fun to write.
My favorite historical romance novel is Making Waves…it was the first I read of Lorna and I laughed so hard!! It make me want to summer at the lake too! She is at true character and I am so excited to read her others..it is so true that you can read her books and be uplifted…they are wonderful reminders to find the humor in everyday life. I also enjoy Mary Coneally for the same reason. truckredford(at)gmail(dot)com
Eliza – wasn’t that a fun story?! Since you loved that one, I know you’ll love When Love Calls.
Eliza! You made my day! I think you’ll find When Love Calls reminiscent of Making Waves in many ways.
I love Lorna’s historicals, then there’s Judy Miller’s whose Carousel Painter was one of my favorites, and Mary Connealy’s Husband Tree….the list goes on and on. However if I am honest (you know me too well to think different and since I am a Young Adult writer!) my newest favorite book series based in the past is the Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare. She just ended that series and brought a twist to the end that I never saw happening, and just loved it. Clare gave me one of the most satisfying endings that I could have ever imagined!
Dawn – Now I’m going to have to go look at Infernal Devices. You’ve intrigued me!
Poor Dawn. She has to hear snippets of chapters all year long. If anyone likes Tessa in When Love Calls, it will because of Dawn’s input.
My favorite is “Edenbrooke”. So many books to choose from. Hard to pick just one.
I hadn’t been introduced to your books yet but I have enjoyed several historical writing authors, Jeanette Oke, being one of my favorites, with her Canadian West series.
Lynna, Jeannette Oke has blessed the world with so many wonderful works, hasn’t she?
Edenbrooke … I had to look that up… is it written by Julianne Donaldson? It looks like it’s received tremendous reviews.
Yes, it is an Austen type book, but moves faster and is easier to read.
I haven’t read Edenbrook. I’ll have to check it out.
Its so hard to choose just one, but one of my favorites is Belonging by Robin Lee Hatcher.
Robin Lee Hatcher is another prolific and gifted writer. Good choice!
Robin’s book are some of my favorites, Katie. In fact, did you read Catching Katie? That’s one of my all time favs.
I hadn’t been introduced to your books yet but I have enjoyed several historical writing authors, Jeanette Oke, being one of my favorites, with her Canadian West series.
Hi Lynna – I hope you pick up one or more of Lorna’s books. I know you’ll get hooked!
If you’re a historical reader, Lynna, I’d be honored if you’d give on of my books a try.
I am looking forward to reading your new series. Reading as much as I do, it is sometimes hard to choose a favorite but I would have to say it would be a toss-up between the Lowlands of Scotland series by Liz Curtis Higgs and “Redeeming Love” by Francine Rivers. Anyone who has not read these books is missing an awesome treat.
As an avid reader, I completely agree that it’s difficult to choose. Redeeming Love is near the top of my list too.
Sorry, I meant Lorna’s new series. Have read her other books and enjoyed them very much.
It’s okay, Roberta, Brenda definitely has left a mark on my books. Thank you for reading the other ones, and I look forward to hearing how you like this one.
Do I have to pick just one historical favorite? Oh my! I will say this time I will say: Joanne Bischof’s Be Still My Soul. But I do love books by Laura Frantz, ML Tyndall, Jocelyn Green, Kim Vogel Sawyer, and Jody Hedlund.
Amy, Laura’s one of my best writer friends. She is as wonderful as her books. I promise.
I’d love to win this book! My favorite historical romance novel is Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers.
Excellent taste, Marissa!
Another Redeeming Love fan. 🙂 It’s an amazing novel, isn’t it?
I love historical fiction…but it’s so hard for me to pick a favourite. I read Lorna’s first series of novels…and loved the all 🙂 Thanks for the chance to read her latest one.
Karen, thank you for being one of my readers! I hope you’ll enjoy When Love Calls, too. I had a lot of fun writing it.
Hi Karenk – you’re going to love Lorna’s new series, too!
Ms. Anderson,
What an awesome tribute and showcase for your friend, and critque partner, Ms. Seilstad! 🙂 I took it upon myself to curate a bit of a Challenge for myself, starting *this!* month and concluding May 2014 — whereupon I selected 70 Inspirational Authors to read, and guess what!? I selected your dear friend as one of the authors! I always appear to have this ever-evolving list of authors I want to read, but I never truly get to focus on each genre that I want to read more of, so I thought, why not just make it a personal challenge!? Therefore, I know of her series because I’ve been reading quite a heap about her on her personal website! You always showcase and blog about authors that pull you into their stories, and that is of course, the type of writer I am always on the lookout for,.. which is why, when it comes to picking my ‘favourite historical’,… that’s a bit dicy, so I’m go with my heart’s pick, which is: The Daughters of Boston series by Julie Lessman! Which I happily brought home this Spring, and will be knee deep into as May progresses forward!
The lively pacing of the trilogy dug me deep into the heart of the O’ Connor family, as you become lit alive inside this Irish-American firecely passionate family who embrace not only their children’s diverse fields of professions, but their individual desires to seek out the one they will pick as their spouse! Their a dyanamic family that wraps around your heart the minute you drink in their world and find yourself in Boston and Ireland! 🙂 And, of course, right now, giving a bit of extra love to Boston is high on my list! I have only read books 1 and 2 thus far in the past, as I always had to return book 3 to the library before it was read! Oy. I cannot wait to read straight through without fear of needing to return the books!! What joy, eh!? To soak into a book series that you already know you adore, but you get to savour the pages, and see things you might have missed or forgotten!?
I love historicals for this reason, we get to step outside our current decade and century, pulling back the veils of time and walk amongst those who lived before us! What sweet bliss!! 🙂
Thank you for offering another smashing bookaway and for introducing us properly too: The Gregory Sisters!!
Jorie, I’m honored to be on your list. Julie’s books are truly an experience all their own. So moving.So fun to soak up. I pray you’ll enjoy the Gregory Sistes just as much.
And thank you for stopping by, Jorie. I love your enthusiasm for books!
So glad you’ve included Lorna’s books on your to-read list. I know you’ll enjoy them!
I honestly can’t give you just one that I love but I can honestly say that there are VERY FEW that I don’t like, lol.
wfnren(at)aol(dot)com
Wendy, you’re a girl after my own heart. I have too many favorites to ever pick just one. Hope you’ll be put Wehn Love Calls on your TBR pile.
Love that you enjoy so many! Admittedly, I’m picky, but when I find quality, such as Lorna’s, I love to talk about them!
My favorite historical romance is the “Bridal Veil Island” series by Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller.
Thanks for entering me in the giveaway.
You’re welcome, Janet! Thanks for stopping by!
Love the cover of this book!
My favorite historical is Gone with the Wind. But my favorite Christian historical is Veil of Pearls by MaryLu Tyndall.
Isn’t it a beautiful cover, Melissa? And the story inside is just as good. 🙂
I love historical fiction, so it is hard to choose just one…The Colonel’s Lady by Laura Frantz, The Husband Tree by Mary Connealy, Forevermore by Cathy Marie Hake , Short-Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer, and The Maid of Fairbourne Hall by Julie Klassen are just a few favorites!
Oh, all excellent choices, Merry! I especially LOVE everything by Laura Frantz.
Lorna, I loved the “Love Comes Softly” series by Janette Okes. I could read more to that series if she would only write them. And, Gone With the Wind is a must. You are new to me, but I would love to win this book. Brenda, thanks for telling us about Lorna’s new book here. I love the cover picture. Please put me in the drawing. Thanks!
MAXIE mac262(at)me(dot)com
Maxie – Once you read one of Lorna’s books, you’ll beg for more! Thanks for coming by.