About the Book

Title: Across the Blue

Author: Carrie Turansky

Genre: Historical romance

Release Date: February 20, 2018

Love soars to new heights in this Edwardian romance filled with adventure, faith, and inspiration, but how much will it cost Bella and James to follow their dreams?

Isabella Grayson, the eldest daughter of a wealthy, English newspaper magnate, longs to become a journalist, but her parents don’t approve. They want her to marry well and help them gain a higher standing in society. After she writes an anonymous letter to the editor that impresses her father, her parents reluctantly agree she can write a series of articles about aviation and the race to be the first to fly across the English Channel, but only if she promises to accept a marriage proposal within the year. When James Drake, an aspiring aviator, crashes his flying machine at the Grayson’s new estate, Bella is intrigued. James is determined to win that race across the Channel and gain the prize Mr. Grayson’s newspaper is offering. He hopes it will help him secure a government contract to build airplanes and redeem a terrible family secret. James wants to win Bella’s heart, but his background and lack of social standing make it unlikely her parents would approve. If he fails to achieve his dream, how will he win the love and respect he is seeking? Will Bella’s faith and support help him find the strength and courage he needs when unexpected events turn their world upside down?

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About the Author

Carrie Turansky has loved reading since she first visited the library as a young child and checked out a tall stack of picture books. Her love for writing began when she penned her first novel at age twelve. She is now the award-winning author of nineteen inspirational romance novels and novellas. Carrie and her husband, Scott, who is a pastor, author, and speaker, have been married for more than thirty years and make their home in New Jersey. They often travel together on ministry trips and to visit their five adult children and five grandchildren. Carrie leads women’s ministry at her church, and when she is not writing she enjoys spending time working in her flower gardens and cooking healthy meals for friends and family. She loves to connect with reading friends through her website, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.

Guest Post from Carrie Turansky

Following your Dreams

By Carrie Turansky

In Across the Blue, Bella Grayson and James Drake both go to great lengths to pursue their dreams. Bella longs to become a journalist and write for one of her father’s newspapers, but in 1909 England, aristocratic young women did not work as journalists. A young woman’s path was set by the unwritten rules of society. At eighteen she was presented at court, and then she took part in the London social season and hoped for a marriage proposal from a young man from a wealthy family, with an estate and title. Marriage, having children, and taking part in social and charitable events was the prescribed course for their lives.

But Bella has a different future in mind. She wants to marry for love, and she won’t settle for anything less. She also wants to write articles about the important events of the day that will inform and inspire people. She wants to be a world changer, and that is a very unique role for a woman in England in the Edwardian Era. At that time women didn’t have the right to vote yet and very few pursued any kind of career.

James is an aviation pioneer, and his dream is to build an airplane that will allow him to be the first to fly across the English Channel. This is no easy accomplishment, and he faces many challenges as he pursues his dream. Aviation is brand new. Wilbur Wright demonstrated his airplane in France the year before and stunned Europeans with his skill. With the help of his mentor, Professor Steed, James conducts experiments, refines his design, and makes countless test flights. It takes great courage and determination to overcome setbacks and make it through near fatal crash landings, but James has his heart and mind set on perfecting his airplane and reaching his goal.

What about you? What hopes and dreams do you have for your future? What goals would you like to accomplish? As you think about your dreams and future plans I hope you’ll gain some insight from James and Bella’s experiences in Across the Blue. When they considered the cost of pursuing their dreams they realized their plans and choices impacted others as well as themselves. James and Bella believed striving for their dreams is important, but they learned it must be balanced with commitments to family and friends, and most of all a commitment to following the Lord on the path He has for them.

Following our dreams and working toward accomplishing our goals, especially those the Lord puts on our heart, is important. However, sometimes we may have to put our dreams on hold and wait for the right time and season. We don’t need to be discouraged when this happens. As we listen to the Lord and ask Him to guide and direct us He will show us the right path at the right time to follow it.

Just like James and Bella I hope you’ll pursue your dreams but also hold them with an open hand, allowing the Lord to guide and direct you each step of the way. When you do I’m confident you’ll be headed toward seeing your dreams become reality in His time and in His way. “For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord; plans to prosper you, not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

With that wonderful promise in mind, I hope you’ll enjoy reading Across the Blue and joining Bella and James as they they pursue their dreams. You’re in for high-flying adventure, romance, and inspiration, and I can’t wait to share this new story with you. Happy reading to you!

How many of you dreamt that you could fly when you were a child? I remember dreaming one night that I had on a cape and was standing at the edge of a cliff.  I took off and suddenly I was flying. The wind grazed my face as I flew through the air. I glanced down and saw trees that looked like little plants. When I woke up all I could think of was how wonderful it was to feel free. We all have dreams and this story reminds us to never up on your dream.

 The story of the Wright Brothers is very famous and the author does an incredible job of explaining about flying machines in the 1900s.  I absolutely adored Bella right away. She is a very determined young woman. She comes from a very wealthy family who owns several newspapers. Her parents are determined to see their daughter marry into a prestigious family. I loved how Bella had other ideas. Her dream is to become a journalist. Oh my Bella what a dreamer you are. Has anyone told her that women can't be journalists? Her interest in aviation is refreshing and I loved how she was so supportive of this new adventure of flying machines. Will her father believe in her and allow her to write for the paper?

James is a very skilled pilot and is determined that nothing will stop him from being the first to fly across the English Channel. He sure has his work cut out for him when his flying machine crashes on Bella's family estate. At that moment I felt a connection between the two characters. They each have a dream and decide to support each other to achieve what is so important to them. What dream have you had that others supported? Did you give up or continue to pursue the dream? Will James be the first to fly across the English Channel?

 What I loved about the story is how the author makes readers feel like they have traveled back in time and are witnessing James as he prepares to follow after his dream. Each time he took the flying machine up in the air, I could visualize how he must have felt.  He never gave up and with Bella supporting him his confidence became stronger. There were times my heart bear a little faster as he tried to keep the flying machine in the air.  Mixed in the story is a bit of mystery about James. What secrets about his childhood have been hidden from him? The relationship between Bella and James is sweet and has a few bumps that they need to work out. Thank you for writing a story that is filled with hope, faith, forgiveness and dreams. It is a beautiful story that not only highlights the start of aviation everywhere but reminds us that dreams do come true with determination and faith.

I received a copy of this book from the author and Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

Blog Stops

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Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Carrie is giving away a grand prize of an autographed copy of Shine Like the Dawn and $30 gift card to Christianbooks.com!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/c987