Author: Kelly Goshen
Publisher: Prism Book Group
Release Date: June 29, 2018
She was nothing like the woman he’d envisioned for his bride, but he was everything she’d ever dreamed of—until a promise from his past threatened their future.
Twenty-year old Ruth Ann Sutton doesn’t measure up to society’s vision of a perfect lady. She would rather read Jules Verne or teach Negro children to read and write than join the Women’s Benevolent Aid Society or practice her voice lessons. Her pert opinions and less than perfect figure keep many suitors away. When Ruth Ann accepts a position teaching at the new Freedman’s School, it threatens the only marriage offer she is likely to receive. Should she risk life as a lonely spinster or reinvent herself to accept a proposal from a man she does not love?
Determined to rise above his meager beginnings, Benjamin Coulter’s reputation as a fast learner and hard worker earn him the opportunity to apprentice with a surveyor for the railroad—a position that will garner the respect of other men. All he needs now is a woman to share his promising future. When Benjamin has a chance encounter with Ruth Ann Sutton, he is smitten with her pretty face, quick wit, and feisty personality. When others ridicule his choice, Benjamin must decide whether he will listen to his heart or put ambition first.
Twenty-year old Ruth Ann Sutton doesn’t measure up to society’s vision of a perfect lady. She would rather read Jules Verne or teach Negro children to read and write than join the Women’s Benevolent Aid Society or practice her voice lessons. Her pert opinions and less than perfect figure keep many suitors away. When Ruth Ann accepts a position teaching at the new Freedman’s School, it threatens the only marriage offer she is likely to receive. Should she risk life as a lonely spinster or reinvent herself to accept a proposal from a man she does not love?
Determined to rise above his meager beginnings, Benjamin Coulter’s reputation as a fast learner and hard worker earn him the opportunity to apprentice with a surveyor for the railroad—a position that will garner the respect of other men. All he needs now is a woman to share his promising future. When Benjamin has a chance encounter with Ruth Ann Sutton, he is smitten with her pretty face, quick wit, and feisty personality. When others ridicule his choice, Benjamin must decide whether he will listen to his heart or put ambition first.
EXCERPT
Loudoun County,
Virginia
August 1873
Benjamin Coulter cringed as the shrill
tune hung in the air. That woman sure knew how to ruin a Sunday afternoon.
Sounded like something was dying and needed to be put out of its misery.
He shook his head. All he wanted to do
was rest a while longer. His decision to go around his headstrong superior and
talk to Mr. Farrell directly about his boss’s inaccurate measurements had made
for a nerve wracking week. That decision could have cost him his job.
Thankfully, his discovery had been received well, saving the struggling
railroad both time and money.
Benjamin leaned against the sycamore
tree and tossed his line into the creek. A slight hint of remorse nicked his
conscience. He now sat poised to guide the construction of the Washington &
Ohio Railroad through the town of Catoctin Creek and over the Blue Ridge
Mountains to Winchester, but he hadn’t intended to get his boss fired. If only
the man hadn’t refused to admit he’d made a mistake.
Yep, it was all coming together. Just
the way he’d hoped it would when he agreed to leave Texas and take this
apprenticeship in Virginia. All he had to do was pass that examination next
spring and...
He shuddered. The woman’s screeching
escalated to a bone-grating pitch. She’d frighten the fish away for sure. Like
most folks, Sunday was his day off, and he didn’t intend to spend it listening
to her sing off-key.
Wedging his pole in the mud of the creek
bank, he set off to investigate. Her ear-piercing slaughter of The Merry, Merry Month of May led the
way. He spied his first glimpse of the lyrical assassin through the thin limbs
of a dogwood tree. Perched on a large, flat rock at the edge of the creek, she
swirled her bare feet in the water. Behind the rock sat a pair of woman’s
boots—fancy ones. Too bad she hadn’t spent some of her shoe allowance on
singing lessons. Her
voice cracked. “The skies were bright,
our hearts were light, in the merry, merry month of May...”
Benjamin winced. That was the fourth time
in a row she’d sung that part. For the love of Pete, didn’t Miss Fancy Boots
even know the words? He needed to put a stop to this so he could continue
fishing—and napping. He stepped forward then stopped. The woman reached up and
removed a pin from her hair, then another. Mounds of long chestnut brown
ringlets spilled over her shoulders into the middle of her back.
Curls. He groaned. Why’d she have to
have curls?
“The
skies were bright. Our eyes were light...”
Never
mind. Curls or not, the woman’s voice could haunt the
dead.
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I love this cover. so soft and pretty. this is probably how others see her. they both seem to have some issues to over come. if they work together who knows how high they can go. i would love to read this book. thanks for the post.
ReplyDeletequilting dash lady at comcast dot net
Hi Lori, I love the cover too! Nicola Martinez at Pelican Book Group designed the cover. I think she did a fabulous job!
DeleteThis book sounds so good! It is on my TBR list.
ReplyDeletejtabalk(at)hotmail(dot)com
Hi Tiffany, Thank you! I hope you enjoy ALR! Thanks for visiting today!
DeleteIt's nice to know that there are people out there who aren't afraid to write romances about heroines who have less than perfect figures. Usually those ladies are sidekicks or Dowagers who look down there noses at others. I can't wait to read this book.
ReplyDeleteprincessdebbie1_2000(at)yahoo(dot)com
Hi Debbie, ALR is based on my own real-life romance with my hubby. I hope you enjoy ALR if you get a chance to read it!
DeleteSounds like a good read.
ReplyDeleteHi Kim, Thank you and thanks for commenting today!
DeleteSounds like an interesting story.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Family K! I appreciate your kind words. Good luck in the drawing!
DeleteSounds like a cute story. Her singing voice and imperfect figure sounds like me. LOL
ReplyDeleteThanks Jan! Well she definitely sounds like me as ALR is based on my own real-life romance with my hubby Mike who loves to tease me about my not-so-stellar singing voice! Thanks for commenting today!
DeleteHi Annie, Thanks for highlighting A Love Restored today!
ReplyDeleteI loved this book. A must read.
ReplyDeleteAww, thanks so much Lucy! I'm so glad you enjoyed ALR!
DeleteGreat book! i read it a couple of months ago and really enjoyed it. I like the struggles and growth the two main characters went through. Vivian Furbay jtandviv (at) q (dot) com
ReplyDeleteHi Vivian, Thanks so much for your kind words. I'm thrilled you enjoyed the story.
Delete