Psalm 27:1

The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?

www.biblegateway.com


Monday, August 12, 2013

Dark Road Home Book Review

Edge of Freedom Series
Book Two

SUMMARY:  The nightmares of her past have found Ana Kavanagh an ocean away.
     Ana Kavanagh's memories of Ireland are mostly of fire and pain.  As a girl she survived a blaze that left her an orphan, left her scarred, and left her angry at God.  Now in New York, Ana finds a kindred spirit in Eoghan Hamilton, who's struggling with his own anger.  His twin sister, Cara, betrayed him by falling in love with his enemy.
     Cast aside by everyone, Eoghan hopes to rejoin the Fenians, an organization pushing for change back in Ireland, by securing information against Rourke, the man his sister married.  Ana, Cara's friend, may be his best source, and despite the attraction he feels, Eoghan determines to use the girl's sweet nature to his advantage.
     Adding to the danger is a specter from Eoghan's own past, one whose thirst for vengeance knows no bounds.   Eoghan must choose which road to follow - bitterness or forgiveness - and where to finally place his trust.

REVIEW:  This book picks up where No Safe Harbor leaves off.  Cara is married to Rourke and is still looking for her brother, Eoghan.  Ana, Cara's friend from the boardinghouse, discovers him at a local church when she goes to help feed the poor and homeless women staying in the church's shelter and tries to help Cara and Eoghan reconnect.
     Ana carries scars on her body from a house fire she survived as a young child.  I love how even though she was afraid of fire, she was quick to rush in to help Ellen, a young girl staying in the shelter, when a heavy pot of boiling water falls on her and burns her.  Ana often steps out of her comfort zone to help the people around her, especially when it comes to helping in the church and Eoghan.  In doing so, she finds God never left her and was with her as she recovered from her burns and made a new life for herself in America.  She also realizes outward beauty does not matter as much as the beauty that lies in our hearts.
     The underlying story of the Fenians and their quest for freedom from England's rule plays a crucial role in this book.  Eoghan will do almost anything to get back into this group then realizes it is not what he truly wants.  Cara's uncle Brion has major dealings with the Celt, the mysterious leader of the Fenians, and uses his standing in Ireland to find the whereabouts of Cara.  If you are not familiar with the struggle of Ireland and England then this book will be confusing at times.
     This is the second book in the Edge of Freedom series.   You will need to read the first book No Safe Harbor to understand the whole story and histories of Eoghan, Ana, Cara, and Rourke and the struggles they face.  This is a good book and I look forward to reading more in this set.

This book was provided by Bethany House for review without compensation.

Elizabeth Ludwig is the award-winning author of No Safe Harbor, Book One in the EDGE OF FREEDOM series.  Her work has also been featured on Novel Journey, the Christian Authors Network, and the Christian Pulse.  Elizabeth's debut novel, Where the Truth Lies (coauthored with Janelle Mowery), earned her the IWA Writer of the Year Award.  Her first historical novel, Love Finds You in Calico, California, was given four stars from Romantic Times.  And her poplar literary blog, The Borrowed Book, enjoys a wide readership.  Along with her husband and two grown children, she makes her home in the great state of Texas.  To learn more, visit www.ElizabethLudwig.net.

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