CFBA: The Preacher's Bride by Jody Hedlund

Song Stuck on the Brain: I've got a brand new pair of rollerskates....

Thanks to the commercial with the baby in a walker speeding down the freeway, I sing this about every other day now.

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing:
The Preacher's BrideBethany House; Original edition (October 1, 2010)
by
Jody Hedlund



MY TAKE:

I didn't realize when I began The Preacher's Bride, that it was based on John Bunyan's life and what it would have been like to be the wife of such a great spiritual leader.

Jody did an amazing job in re-creating the world of the Puritans. She brought many of Bunyan's real life contemporaries to life, both those political and well known and his communitiy church members and friends. Her depth of research is remarkable. What I loved the most though, was her portrayal of Elizabeth, John's soon to be wife. Elizabeth is so fully fleshed in character. She has an incredibly strong dedication to serving God and a great deal of faith, and yet she's still so human. Suceptible to self-doubt, fear and heartbreak just as easily as everyone else.

This is a real page turner. I read it in one day and couldn't put it down. I definitely recommend this to all readers, not just those that read historical. It will have an impact on your view of faith and what it means to stay strong in that faith.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

In 1650s England, a young Puritan maiden is on a mission to save the baby of her newly widowed preacher--whether her assistance is wanted or not. Always ready to help those in need, Elizabeth ignores John's protests of her aid. She's even willing to risk her lone marriage prospect to help the little family. Yet Elizabeth's new role as nanny takes a dangerous turn when John's boldness from the pulpit makes him a target of political and religious leaders. As the preacher's enemies become desperate to silence him, they draw Elizabeth into a deadly web of deception. Finding herself in more danger than she ever bargained for, she's more determined than ever to save the child--and man--she's come to love.



If you would like to read the first chapter of The Preacher's Bride, go HERE.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jody has written novels for the last 16 years (with a hiatus when her children were young. In May of 2009 she double-finaled in the Genesis contest, a national fiction-writing contest for unpublished writers, sponsored by American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW.Shortly after the final, Jody acquired an agent, Rachelle Gardner of Word Serve Literary. Her agent spent the summer of 2009 working on selling her books. In September of that year, Jody signed a three-book deal with Bethany House Publishers. Jody’s debut novel, The Preacher’s Bride, releases in Oct. 2010. Her next book will release in 2011 and a third in 2012.