Tuesday, June 19, 2018

About the Book

Title: To Claim Her Heart

Author: Jodie Wolfe

Release Date: May 14, 2018

Genre: Historical Romance

In 1893, on the eve of the great race for land, Benjamin David prays for God to guide him to his ‘Promised Land’. Finding property and preaching to the lost are his only ways of honoring his deceased fiancee, but he didn’t count on Elmer (Elsie) Smith claiming the same plot and refusing to leave. Not only is she a burr in his side, but she is full of the homesteading know-how he sadly lacks.

Obtaining a claim in the Cherokee Strip Land Run is Elsie Smith’s only hope for survival, but not just any plot will do. She has a specific one in mind. The plot’s not only a way to honor her pa and his life, but also to provide a livelihood for herself. Elsie’s willing to do whatever it takes to get that piece of property, and she determined to keep it, but she wasn’t planning on a kind, handsome preacher standing in her way.

Her bitterness is what protects her, and she has not intentions of allowing that preacher to lay claim to her land … or her heart.

About the Author

Jodie Wolfe got bitten by the writing bug as a young girl after reading and watching Little House on the Prairie. She creates novels where hope and quirky meet. The power of story to influence lives and change hearts is what motivates her to weave tales that tell of the Savior’s faithfulness and forgiveness. When not writing, she enjoys spending time with her husband in Pennsylvania, reading, walking, and being a Grammie. Learn more at www.jodiewolfe.com.

Guest Post from Jodie Wolfe

The Heart of a Book

I think there’s always a little bit of the author in each book they write, but sometimes something deeper and very close to the author is wrapped up in the pages of a story. That’s the case for To Claim Her Heart. This is the tale that my mother-in-law always wanted me to write. She was so proud of her family heritage and almost twenty years ago, she was anxious to share it with me. We visited Oklahoma where several of her relatives had staked claims in the last great race for land in our country – the Cherokee Strip Land Run of 1893. This September will mark the 125th anniversary of the land race.

While it saddens me that my dear mother-in-law never lived long enough to see this story in print, I’m thankful that she shared her rich heritage with me. In To Claim Her Heart I was able to mention a recipe passed down through her family for prune cake. I also made sure the heroine had a Rose of Sharon quilt that was given to her. My mother-in-law gave me this quilt dating back as early as 1834 when it was stitched by my husband’s great, great, great, great grandmother. It’s been passed down to the oldest daughter for generations. But, I think one of my favorite memories is the one that concerns outlaws and how my husband’s great, great, great grandmother dealt with them. To find out more about this actual encounter, you’ll have to read To Claim Her Heart. I hope your heart will be as touched by these stories as mine was when my mother-in-law shared them.

Enjoy!

I really enjoyed this story and loved how it talked about people claiming land. My granddad came by covered wagon to claim his land in Oklahoma in the 1800s. I remember him telling me how hard it was to keep the land away from others. I was cheering for Elsie as she took on the challenge of getting land. There was some silly law that men were the only ones that could participate in the competition to get land. Elsie is one clever woman who hopes to fool everyone with her disguise.

Benjamin is ready to claim land to build a small farm and church on. The excitement builds as the race starts. I could picture people everywhere determined to win the valuable prize. The tension is heavy in the air as time drew closer for the race to begin.

The adventure begins when a mistake is made and Benjamin and Elsie have a deed to the same land. I would be furious if it happened to me. All my hard work and then to find out someone was claiming it as theirs. Will a truce hold up between Elsie and Benjamin? Elsie knows a lot about building, but will she agree to help Benjamin until it can be decided who gets the land? There is danger that surrounds the land and both need to keep their wits about themselves. The author does a really good job of describing how hard it is to live with hardly any possessions like Elsie finds herself doing. I don't think I could hunt for food, but Elsie has no choice.

This is a wonderful story of how hard it was for people during the 1800s. They had to watch out for the weather, thieves and keep their faith strong. I admired Elsie for trying so hard to keep her land and working it on her own. The relationship between Elsie and Benjamin is guarded at times and it gives readers a look at their past. It is not always easy to overcome loss or pain, and both will have to turn to God for help. Through their trials they grow stronger and start to depend on each other. There is still the nagging question of who will be rewarded the land when they go before a judge. To find out, you need to read the story and be taken away to a time where it was hard to survive and neighbors became important. Above all their faith will be tested and they will need to make a choice to trust each other and God.

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