Wednesday, April 10, 2024

About the Book

Book: Love’s Winding Road

Author: Susan F. Craft

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: February 27, 2024

They were forced into this marriage of convenience, but there’s more at stake than their hearts on this wagon train through the mountain wilderness.

When Rose Jackson and her Irish immigrant family join a wagon train headed for a new life in South Carolina, the last thing she expects is to fall for the half-Cherokee wagon scout along the way. But their journey takes a life-changing turn when Rose is kidnapped by Indians. Daniel comes to her rescue, but the effects mean their lives will be forever intertwined.

Daniel prides himself on his self-control—inner and outer—but can’t seem to get a handle on either when Rose is near. Now his life is bound to hers when the consequences of her rescue force them to marry. Now it’s even more critical he maintain that self-control to keep her safe.

When tragedy strikes at the heart of their strained marriage, they leave for Daniel’s home in the Blue Ridge Mountains. As they face the perils of the journey, Rose can’t help but wonder why her new husband guards his heart so strongly. Why does he resist his obvious attraction for her? And what life awaits them at the end of love’s winding road?

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About the Author

Susan F. Craft retired after a 45-year career in writing, editing, and communicating in business settings.

She authored the historical romantic suspense trilogy Women of the American Revolution—The Chamomile, Laurel, and Cassia. The Chamomile and Cassia received national Illumination Silver Awards. The Chamomile was named by the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance as an Okra Pick and was nominated for a Christy Award.

She collaborated with the International Long Riders’ Guild Academic Foundation to compile An Equestrian Writer’s Guide (www.lrgaf.org), including almost everything you’d ever want to know about horses.

An admitted history nerd, she enjoys painting, singing, listening to music, and sitting on her porch watching geese eat her daylilies. She most recently took up the ukulele.

More from Susan

Colonial American medicine fascinates me. The shortage of doctors made it critical for women to maintain medicine kits that included remedies brought with them from Europe as well as those shared with them by Native Americans.

In Love’s Winding Road, my character Rose falls into river rapids and suffers serious scrapes and bruises. Daniel, the half-Cherokee scout of her wagon train, rescues her and makes witch hazel flowers into a paste.

With gentle movements, he spread the ointment on her arms, legs, and neck. When he dabbed some on several raw places on her scalp where her hair had been ripped out, Rose clenched her teeth until her face hurt. With her hand trembling, she reached up to touch her hair.

“Don’t worry. It will grow back. Just thank the good Lord, for though it may be distressing and painful to have lost some of your hair, the strands helped me keep track of you.”

Rose’s father suffers from arthritis in his hands, so he chews on the twigs of black willow trees (not weeping willows) and drinks the tea his wife prepares from the bark also used to treat back pain, headaches, and inflammatory conditions.

When a mountain lion attacks Daniel, Rose stitches the laceration. She cleans the area with whiskey and offers it to him as a painkiller.

She threaded her needle with her finest flax fiber, and holding her breath, she began the first tiny stitches. Think of it as cloth. Think of it as cloth. She repeated the words over and over in her head.

Sometimes doing research can be amusing.

The night before I was to see my doctor, I’d read a resource book, Indian Doctor – Nature’s method of curing and preventing disease according to the Indians. I showed my doctor the Indian cure for my problem.

What a hoot! We had such fun looking through the book. Seems as if every cure involved mixing something with wine, ale, beer, or liquor. We came to the conclusion that with enough alcohol, even if you still had the problem, you wouldn’t care anymore.

Two weeks later, I saw my doctor for an earache. Of course, we looked up the Indian cure. It involved lily onions, marsh mallows, oil of violet—all taken with wine. And then, bleeding.

I’ll stick with antibiotics.

I pray that my Great Wagon Road series honors the Lord and the gifts He has given me and that you will love my characters as much as I do. Soli Deo Gloria.

REVIEW

The journey promised to be long as people join the wagon train bound for a better life . Rose and her family join the group with hope of a better future and long to find a place to call their own. They are warned of the danger they may face on the trip. I can’t imagine how long the days were for them. I loved learning about the different remedies used to treat wounds and illness. It is interesting to think how people were able to use things grown naturally that could heal so easily.

Rose has a quality that many talk about. Her flaming red hair captures the attention of many but her kindness is what draws people to her. She is braver than she thinks when she is captured by enemies. What a terrifying experience it was to look death right in the eyes. That moment it felt like time stood still.

Daniel is an excellent scout and with his faithful dog they make others feel protected. Daniel is part Cherokee and perhaps some on the wagon train don’t like him much. He proves his bravery when he rescues Rose from those who kidnapped her. I really like his dog and loved how he took to Rose right away.

How easy rumors start after Rose is brought back to camp. Seems some think her and Daniel were let’s say a little cozy when he stayed with her out in the wilderness after he rescued her. Jealousy shows its ugly head when a young woman who Rose never trusted starts spreading lies around camp about her. The solution that Rose’s father comes up with to stop all this talk going on really surprises a few. Is it the right thing to do to quiet the rumors?

The story was one I found myself completely involved in. The author does an amazing job of making the scenery come to life as we follow Rose, Daniel and Rose’s sister Nora through trials. Danger surrounds them but what I loved the most was the moment these two people realize how much they care for each other. The saying , “ absence makes the heart grow fonder,” really relates to this story. Rose and Daniel overcome misunderstandings, danger that threatens the life of one and a fierce determination to return home for the other. Their faith is evident and I loved watching how family is important in this vivid story of survival.

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