Review + Giveaway: "The Thorn Keeper" by Pepper Basham

 

Welcome to my stop on the Blog Tour & Giveaway for The Thorn Keeper by Pepper D. Basham, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

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With her past in shambles, how can she fashion a future of hope?

Catherine Dougall’s past of manipulation has left her future in threads. With a new faith, she longs to take the remnants of her life and make something beautiful, but shame, societies’ judgments, and the natural consequences of an unplanned pregnancy test her newfound hope.

Dr. David Ross doesn’t help either. His kindness, sacrifice, and tenderness tempt her to impossible dreams. A fallen woman doesn’t merit a fairytale. David Ross has made every effort to keep his life above reproach. His passion for the sick pump fresh purpose through his choices, but without financial support to maintain his war hospital, all is lost. When his notorious aunt offers an easy solution, David is tempted to give in to her demands, but his growing affection for the reformed flirt, Catherine Dougall, unwinds the careful wall around his heart and offers an unexpected choice.

When the worst of war tears them apart, can love renew the memory of what was lost or will tragedy steal away their hope forever.

From the beautiful Derbyshire countryside to the trenches of World War One, Catherine and David must learn to trust in a God who designs a masterpiece out of brokenness and fashions hope in the most unlikely places.







PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Title: The Thorn Keeper
Series: Penned in Time #2
Author: Pepper D. Basham
Publisher: Vinspire Publishing
Release Date: February 28, 2016
Genre: Historical Romance

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After reading The Thorn Bearer (my review), I couldn't wait to start The Thorn Keeper! In The Thorn Bearer, Catherine made a remarkable change from a shallow, petty, manipulative woman to a humble, caring servant of the Lord. In The Thorn Keeper, she continues to grow in her relationship with Christ, but she also continues to face the consequences of her prior actions, and she often views herself as unworthy of love and happiness because of her past.

I don't normally highlight fiction, but this quote struck me as so simple and so profound that I had to mark it: "You've made some hard choices, make no mistake. But your past choices only define what you've done. They don't determine who you'll become." Isn't that great?

A LOT happens in this novel, and I can't really touch on much of it because of spoilers. So let's just say that Basham took the novel in places I never expected, and I loved it so much. The romance between David and Catherine is so sweet, but my favorite part of the novel is Catherine's professional journey (which, again, I can't elaborate on because spoilers). The way God redeemed her story was something to watch.

I liked and recommended The Thorn Bearer ... but this novel is on another level. I loved it so much, and I can't wait to continue the series with The Thorn Healer! 5 stars.

Follow the tour.
Read my reviews of Basham's The Thorn Bearer (4 stars), My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge (4 stars), her Mitchell's Crossroads novels A Twist of Faith (3-1/2 stars), Charming the Troublemaker (4-1/2 stars), and A Match for Emma (5 stars), and her Pleasant Gap novel Just the Way You Are (4 stars).

PENNED IN TIME SERIES

 

 

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Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance peppered with grace and humor with southern Appalachian flair. Both her historical and contemporary novels have garnered recognition in the Grace Awards, Inspys, and ACFW Carol Awards. Her historical romance, The Thorn Healer, was a finalist in the 2018 RT Awards. Her most recent historical romance, My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge, showcases her Appalachian heritage and history, as well as her love for humor and family. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the mom of five great kids, a speech-language pathologist to about fifty more, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus.

 Pepper loves getting to know readers and other authors through social media outlets like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. You may also learn more about her on her website at www.pepperdbasham.com

CONNECT WITH PEPPER: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram  

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive all three Penned in Time novels in print or ebook format plus a stained glass dragonfly!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway will begin at midnight April 14, 2020 and last through 11:59 PM EST on April 21, 2020. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US mailing addresses only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

 

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from JustRead Publicity Tours. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click the link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."