Surrender the Heart by MaryLu Tyndall
Genre: Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction
Pages: 368 (Ereader)
Source: NetGalley Publisher: Barbour Books
Website | Author Blog
Description:
For the sake of her ailing mother and destitute sister, Marianne Denton has become engaged to Noah Brenin, a merchantman she despises and who has no intentions of going through with the wedding himself. Unwillingly, the volatile couple find themselves deeply entangled in the War of 1812 when Noah's ship is taken by the British and they obtain knowledge that would greatly aid the United States' effort. As they battle to stay alive, defy the enemy to save their country, and escape from a British warship, can they also fall deeply in love?
Rating:
My Review:Marianne Denton is twenty-five and desperate to receive her inheritance, which she can only obtain by marrying. Noah Brenin has the weight of his family on his shoulders and wants only to please his father by paying the family debts. While Marianne has is resigned to the match, Noah feels no such obligation and only wants Marianne to break the engagement so that he may be on his way to earn his fortune on his own and gain his father's approval in the process. Unfortunately for him, he doesn't count on Marianne's persistence, which is enough to send them both on a difficult and harrowing adventure. This is one novel where the reader really has to hang on for dear life as nothing happens as expected.
This is the first novel of the Surrender to Destiny series. If you've been following along and have an awesome memory, you may realize that I've already read and reviewed the second book in the series, Surrender the Night (review can be found here). So I read this series out of order, which is silly because I had both books. Anyways, this is a fantastic read. It is interesting, the characters are loveable and flawed, and the adventure is spectacular. It is truly interesting from the beginning to the end. Many books are a bit predictable. When characters get in trouble, we know they have to get out of the trouble. They are the good guys after all. For some reason, that isn't the norm in this book. When the characters find themselves in trouble, they are definitely in trouble. And amazingly find themselves in even more trouble. I really enjoyed it. I never knew what was going to happen next. No quick solutions here.
So far it seems that each book in the series can stand alone and are connected by similar historical period and a patriotic theme. I recommend this for those who love a bit of adventure and who don't mind the many references to scripture, God, and stories within the Bible.
On that note, I have a question about your take on Christian Fiction. What are your preferences (if you have any)? Do you prefer casual mentions of God and religion? Or do you feel that if it is going to be Christian Fiction, it should strongly send a moral message with references to God and the Bible? At what point does it become too preachy (if there is a point at all)?