Monday, November 6, 2023

About the Book

Book: Settlers & Toffs

Author: Caryl McAdoo

Genre: Historical Romance

Release Date: August 23, 2023

New and old collide in SETTLERS & TOFFS as Ambrose Lee and Blaire build a hotel and a new life together with a remnant from the wagon train he captained in ’49. Settling in Auburn, California, they deal with the gold rush boom town’s growing pangs while the next Earl of Farnsworth, William Cromwell, voyages home to England with his intended Clara and her family. Though separated by a country and an ocean, troubles and trials plague them all. Revisit old friends from Book One WAGONS WEST and meet new ones in this second novel of the New Beginnings Family Saga! This story has been previously published on Kindle Vella with the same title as episodes for Season Two. Season Three, ANSWERING THE CALL episodes are now available at Kindle Vella now.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Award-winning author Caryl McAdoo prays her story brings God glory, and her best-selling tales—coming up on seventy titles now published—delight readers all around the world. The prolific writer also enjoys singing the new songs the Lord gives her; you may listen to those at her YouTube channel.

She loves working in the yard at The Peaceable, her home tucked away on twenty acres, mowing and planting flowers. She lives there with Ron, her high school sweetheart and husband of fifty-five years, five dogs, two dairy goats she milks daily, a flock of chickens, and a plethora of barn cats.

The couple shares four children and twenty-seven grandsugars, six are greats. Caryl and Ron love their quiet, country life in the woods south of Clarksville, seat of Red River County in far Northeast Texas and wait expectantly for God to open the next door so they may do His will.

More from Caryl

I started writing “episodes” for Kindle Vella the first month they opened the new format with WAGONS WEST, season one in the New Beginnings Family Saga Season One. For those who don’t read at Kindle Vella, after the ”season” has been up thirty days, the author can create a book!

The episodes become chapters and WAGONS WEST debuted last November 2022! The SETTLERS & TOFFS story is “Season Two” and I’m tickled pink with it! Book One in the series was an epic wagon train story that ended when they got to the gold fields around Auburn California.

In Book Two, the characters spread out across the globe, and we follow them all. Some of those who arrived in covered wagons began to build the pioneer town of Auburn, making a new home for themselves. Some panning for gold and others building hotels and businesses the miners need.

Some travel to merry old England where one of the wagon train sojourners has been called home after his older brother’s death to be the future Earl of Farnsworth. Having fallen in love, he couldn’t bear to leave Clara behind, so arranges for her family to accompany him. So many of the main characters sail away cross the seas.

The third storyline in SETTLERS & TOFFS becomes another wagon train when the scout in book one decides with his wife to go and bring another group of settlers to the new land—a very lucrative business venture for the captains who knew the way.

There are plenty of characters who come in and out as the story progresses. I’ve come to love the primary ones. There are struggles at every turn. Trials and tribulations fill many of their days, but there are those joyous ones as well!

Through it all, the Lord—still on the throne and in control in 1850—helps His children overcome and blesses them beyond measure . . . just as He does today. He is the Rewarder of those who diligently seek him and obey His commandments—then and now.

My author’s motto is “Praying my story gives God glory!” I also pray that its readers will be drawn into a closer walk with the Almighty as they walk alongside these awesome, stalwart folks who settled the West! They had it rough, but God . . . PRAISE HIM!

They sure do! And so do I!
BLESSINGS!

MY REVIEW

With this story you get a look at the gold rush that everyone was hoping would make them rich. Some moved their entire family just to be close to what they hoped would be their ticket to wealth. I kinda laughed because aren’t we all looking for that one thing that will give us peace with our finances? During this time period it was hard work with long hours and little provision that people faced. But as the characters go through one thing was constant. God is always there. I love that the author reminds us to look to Him for our needs and trust Him when we face difficult times.

The book may be hard to follow for those who have not read the first in this series. The great news is the author has provided a list of characters to help us out. I recommend reading the first book so you are familiar with the characters. We have repeat characters such as Ambrose Lee and Blaire. Their excitement over now being in California is contagious. Before their eyes is the dream of opening a hotel. Can you imagine starting from scratch building a hotel with just lumber and other hard to find materials? It is not like today where we have machines that can do the heavy lifting and many employees that get the job done quicker.

What I really liked about the story was we were also able to travel to England where William is about to marry Clara and become the Earl of Farnworth. This storyline provided quite an adventure and some drama. Will William marry Clara and become the Earl? What will they face together as they plan their future?

There are a few sensitive subjects in the story that may be triggers for some readers, such as assault on a young woman and talk of suicide. The author illustrates these two topics in a way that shows how we can feel hopeless when facing a traumatic event. She does always direct us to God and his unconditional love and forgiveness.

I liked the story and how it gives us a glimpse into the past where people faced tragedy, hurt, hope and a new beginning. As always I grow in my faith and develop a deeper relationship with God after reading a book by this author.

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