This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
A Heartbeat Away
Abingdon Press (May 1, 2013)
S. Dionne Moore
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
S. Dionne Moore started writing in 2006. Her first book, Murder on the Ol’ Bunions, was contracted for publication by Barbour Publishing in 2008. In 2009 she moved on to writing historical romances as an outlet for her passion for history. In 2010 her second cozy mystery, Polly Dent Loses Grip, was a 2010 Carol Award finalist and she was also named a Barbour Publishing 2010 Favorite New Author. In 2011 her first historical romance, Promise of Tomorrow, was nominated a 2011 Carol Award finalist.
Born and raised in Manassas, Virginia, Moore moved to Greencastle, PA in 1993, then to Mercersburg in 2009. Moore enjoys life in the historically rich Cumberland Valley where traffic jams are a thing of the past and there are only two stoplights in the whole town.
For more information, visit her Website at www.sdionnemoore.com.
Follow her on Twitter: @sdionnemoore
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/sdionnemoore
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/sdionnemoore
ABOUT THE BOOK
When a band of runaway slaves brings Union-loyal Beth Bumgartner a wounded Confederate soldier named Joe, it is the catalyst that pushes her to defy her pacifist parents and become a nurse during the Battle of Antietam.
Her mother's mysterious goodbye gift is filled with quilt blocks that bring comfort to Beth during the hard days and lonely nights, but as she sews each block, she realizes there is a hidden message of faith within the pattern that encourages and sustains her. Reunited with Joe, Beth learns his secret and puts the quilt's message to its greatest test—but can betrayal be forgiven?
If you would like to read the first chapter of A Heartbeat Away, go HERE.
Watch the video:
AHeartbeatAway - Medium from S. Dionne Moore on Vimeo.
My Thoughts:
A Heartbeat Away, S. Dionne Moore's newest novel is set against the tumultuous backdrop of the Civil War, which is one of my favorite time periods to read about. Ms. Moore's novel is more about the people and what they experienced as opposed to the actual battles.
The story begins during the Battle of South Mountain. Beth Bumgartner's family are Unionists and her parents really don't want their daughter to be part of the war that continues to rage. Beth however wants to be a nurse and makes the decision to go to her Grandma Gerta's house to learn how to tend to the sick and wounded. Her first patient is Joe Madison, a severely wounded Confederate soldier. At first she doesn't want to tend to him because he is the enemy. But Gerta makes her realize that to be a nurse she must help all people. So she begins to tend to Joe's wounds and in time, God tends to both of their hearts.
Beth's mother gave a package to Beth before she left to live with Gerta. When she finally opens the package she finds quilting blocks. Beth has never really liked to quilt but in time she begins to piece the blocks together. She begins to realize that there is a story behind the blocks and as her time with Joe progresses they both discover the hidden meaning to the quilt's blocks.
Ms. Moore paints a picture of the tragedy the Civil War brought to our great nation. Her way with showing, not telling, brought me into the story and at times I felt like I smelled the dust and smoke brought about by the war. I heard the cries of the wounded soldiers as the doctors did what they had to do. I was there through the imagery that Ms. Moore painted across each page. It was truly a masterpiece.
This book is one I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a good historical novel.
On a 5-star scale = 5 Stars!!!!!
I would like to thank Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and Abingdon Press for my review copy of A Heartbeat Away. I received my copy for free in order to read and give my honest review which I have done.
Smiles & Blessings,
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