Dear Readers, please join me in welcoming Linda Hoover to the blog. Her historical series looks fascinating. I also happen to be a big fan of series--once I get to know a set of characters, I hate letting them go!
Introduce yourself?
Hi, I’m Linda Hoover from west central Ohio, a little over an hour north of the Ohio river and an hour east of Indiana. It’s a pretty part of the state with farm land all around us. My husband and I have four grown children, three daughters and a son and three grandsons. I write historical Christian romance. My first two novels are standalone titles. The first is set in 1918 Appalachians and the second in 1900 Brighton, England. My series, starts in Boston 1880, book two ends in 1883 and book three, which comes out next year will go from 1890 to 1900. When someone meets me for the first time, I hope they can tell by my words and actions that I’m a Christian who is genuinely interested in knowing them.
Tell us about your book
Heart’s Desire, the first book in the Heart’s Desire series is a window on the world of the elite. Family relationships, friendships, the whirl of balls, dinners, and other entertainments might look ideal, but trouble brews on all levels. They need God’s love and protection just as much as everyone else.
BOOK BLURB
In the winter of 1880 Boston, Julia Phillips’s father betroths her to wealthy Lucien Harris to cover up a tragic secret. She has no interest in Lucien, but Jacob Anderson, a kind jewelry store clerk has captured her heart. Can she put off Lucien long enough to convince her parents to accept a man who isn’t in the upper-class?
Jacob works with his uncle in Boston, but when he has enough money, he plans to buy land for a farm in Iowa. When Julia walks into their store his priorities change. Their mutual attraction grows into love, and he wants to be the man she marries. But how can he with so little money and Julia’s father insisting she marry Lucien?
Julia feels increasing pressure from Lucien to pretend she’s happy about the upcoming wedding. Then, she discovers the arranged marriage is based on blackmail. Her family will be ruined if she doesn’t comply.
Will God make a way for Jacob and Julia to have their heart’s desire?
CHALLENGE
Heart’s Desire was a fun story to write as well as a challenge. At the time I wrote the book I’d never been to Boston, so I had to rely on research. I wrote to and received information from The Bostonian Society, Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities and others. I was also able to borrow books from the library in Boston through interlibrary loan. And of course, Google was a big help. I needed to know what the fashions of the period were and what you could do in the city besides go to balls. My characters took advantage of many of the opportunities. Because Jacob was not part of Julia’s social class it was important to find things they could do together. Thankfully there were public events where everyone was welcome. Probably the strangest thing I researched was chloroform. The villain (Lucien) might have been thinking about a kidnapping plot. In 2019, my husband, oldest grandson and I visited Boston. I loved seeing Beacon Hill where Julia lived, the Public Garden where she first saw Jacob, and other places that brought the book to life.
QUESTION
Have you ever read a book and wanted to visit the place where it was set? Were you able to go?
CONNECT WITH LINDA
Website: https://lindahooverbooks.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindahooverbooks
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/lindahoover
Author Newsletter Signup: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/itdsg090xu
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You know, I just realized I never answered your question and the answers are yes and yes. I've read so many books set in London, England. Years ago, before my husband I really had been able to travel together, we asked each other where was the one place we wanted to go and London was it. Not long after, the Big Bubba radio station held a contest and we won a trip--to London! We had a wonderful time ad have been back twice since. :)
Oh so often! I'm reading Carrie Turansky's Token of Love I would love to be transported to that time. I want to sign up for this author's newsletter and the link given doesn't seem to be working.
I'm guilty of that many times over I like both city and country books but like country more and I think a lot I have lived way out in the country near wood and coexisted with all kinds of animals all my life not to mention that where I live the town is so small it's called a Borough and I get my mail at a Post Office that is only open for a few hours
I like a simple, quiet existance with lots of nature surrounding me like oceans, mountains, lakes, trees, etc. so city life is not something that holds any attraction for me. A farm in Iowa sounds much more appealing than Boston.