Thursday, July 26, 2018

About the Book

Title: Revealed

Author: Elaine Manders

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: December 27, 2018

Nothing can be hidden that won’t be revealed.

When her father dies, Katherine Levinson discovers her parents have kept secrets that render her happy childhood a farce. She and her gravely ill mother face eviction, and she has no choice but to appeal to the brother she’s never seen, the famous cattle baron, Rhyan Cason. Over her gravely ill mother’s objections, they move to Nebraska and the sprawling cattle ranch, Sollano.

Instead of the warm welcome Katherine expects, she and her mother are met with whispers and scorn in the little prairie town near Sollano. Gradually, the sins of her parents’ past surface, and Katherine begins to doubt her very identify. With her brother busy with cattle rustlers and her mother too ill to be bothered, Katherine turns to Colt Holliman, a soft-spoken neighboring rancher, for comfort.

Tired of waiting for the right woman to come along, Colt has promised to wait for Charley Ryder, an acclaimed female sharp shooter and equestrian acrobat with the Wild West Show, but it’s becoming clear Charley loves the show more than him. As his attraction to Katherine grows, he finds himself spiritually conflicted. How can he break from past commitments and follow his heart?

Then unexpected danger strikes, testing Katherine’s and Colt’s faith in God—and each other.

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About the Author

Elaine Manders writes wholesome Christian romance and suspense about the bold, capable women of history and the strong, dependable men who love them. Her stories twist, turn, and surprise, told by characters who aren’t afraid to show their love for God and each other. She grew up a small town country girl and now lives in Central Georgia with her fur baby. Besides writing, she enjoys reading, sewing, crafts, and spending time with her family.

Guest Post from Elaine Manders

My Backstory

Intrigue under Western Skies Series, Book 3

Revealed

Back when I watched television, drama series were my favorite—Little House of the Prairie, the Waltons, the Virginian. I was caught up in the lives of these characters and looked forward to seeing what they were up to each week. For much the same reason, I enjoy writing episodic series.

Intrigue under Western Skies, a blended genre, historical romantic suspense series falls in this category. Some of the characters show up in every book, with new ones added along the way. But the books can be read out of sequence since each one has a different premise and plot.

In Revealed, Book 3 of Intrigue under Western Skies, I wanted to give Colt Holliman, previously introduced as a secondary character, his own HEA. Also, it seemed the time to reveal what happened to Rhyan Cason’s mother, the woman who’d caused so much angst in the first two books. More importantly, it gave me the opportunity to introduce Katherine, the sister he never knew existed.

Unexpectedly, my research led me to the history of show business, and how it developed through the Wild West shows of the nineteenth century. From that, a mystery evolved.

The spiritual thread running through Revealed explores the emotions of a young woman who discovers blood relatives have been hidden from her. Can she accept and love her new family and forgive the sins of her parents?

Maybe the greatest insight I gained from writing Revealed is that one can never trust his own heart without first trusting God.

I love reading western stories and this one is filled with such great history that 1885 came to life. I loved learning about Katherine and how her life was going to change forever when she travels with her mother to Nebraska. It's not every day you find out you have a brother who just happens to be a very rich cattle rancher. Her mother is quite ill so hopefully she can get some medical attention when they arrive. I loved the mystery surrounding who Katherine's real father is. What secret did her mother keep from her that may cause friction when they arrive into town?

It was so interesting to read about the Wild West Show. I can remember watching shows like that when I was younger. The stunts that were done by the people on the horses were death defying. I couldn't believe how precise they were. The horses were obedient and beautiful. Charley fascinated me with her skills not only on a horse but with a gun. She was definitely a good shot and I would feel safe around when it is discovered that there is a thief trying to steal cattle and horses.

One of the most beautiful things said in the story was by Colt as he was consoling Katherine. He said, "Your name doesn't define you. Your parents don't define you. Your past doesn't define you. You're made in the image of God, and that makes you equal with everyone else. Never forget that." If only we could remember that when we feel shame or unworthy. It was a moment for me to realize that my insecurity needs to disappear and to hold my head up.

Katherine is surrounded by secrets from her past and the town is sure doing a good job of gossiping abut her. I loved the story between Colt and Katherine. Katherine is hesitant in showing her feelings to Colt. Will she learn to trust him? I loved the intrigue in the story and the author caught me by surprise with the story line. I began to wonder who could be trusted when a baby is kidnapped. The story has plenty of action and a lesson in trust, jealousy and believing in yourself and God.

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