New from Rachel A James

Ponder this... series of inspirational romantic novellas

New from Pelican Book Group

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8

A Field of Forget-me-nots by Rachel A. James

About the book - "Whatever is Noble"

When the patron of the Foundling School takes pity upon young orphan, Georgiana (Ana) Weston, Lady Dunston raises her as one of her own. However, years pass and Lady Dunston's health begins to fail. With the Longworth estate entailed away, Ana is faced with an uncertain future.

Mr. Luke Renshaw still mourns the loss of his parents, and would rather travel the world than live in a place that reminds him of so much pain and loss. But responsibilities await, and when his only aunt becomes sick, he returns to Longworth. After all, it is where he will receive his inheritance.

Luke and Ana used to play together as children, though many years have passed and much has changed. The prospect of marriage without love holds little hope for their romantic ideals, and yet it seems the most sensible solution for both parties.

Pelican Ventures LLC

March, 2020

Inspirational romantic novella

65 pp

$2.99 eBoook

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A brief interview with Rachel

What do you love about your story?

I love the setting in this story. I’ve based it on a historical house that I live near, and I just love visiting it and imagining what went on all those years ago. 

How does your story relate to the theme verse? Tell us a little about how you worked your story to meet the theme.

I was given the “Whatever is noble” part of the theme verse, and the first thing that sprang to mind was the Wife of Noble Character from Proverbs 31. I’ve always seen this character as an ideal to aspire to, and wondered what this type of woman would have been like. So this is what I set out to do, create a lead character that modeled the Proverbs 31 woman. In the end, I think the hero of the story also displayed the theme - becoming noble was part of his character arc.

What do you hope readers will tell others when they’ve finished reading?

I hope that readers will be inspired and encouraged by the book, and that they tell others it was a sweet historical romance! 

What are you reading?

I have several books on the go at the moment. Veiled in Smoke by Jocelyn Green, The Tea Chest by Heidi Chivaroli, and several of the books from the Ponder This series! As you may have gathered, I love Christian historical romance books!

What’s next for you?

I’m currently working on a new Medieval book series, and I hope to have the first book out by the summer. I would also like to write another Victorian novella at some point later this year. I’m thinking… possibly a Christmas novella…?

My Review

Sweet historical British romance ala upstairs downstairs

Ana Weston is a product of the meeting of upstairs and downstairs in mid-nineteenth century England. Things are changing, and Ana is as comfortable cooking in the kitchen and cleaning fireplace ashes of the Longworth estate as she is wearing silks as Lady Dunston’s ward. Eschewing the formal flower gardens, she prefers the wild meadows and picking forget-me-nots to adorn the manor rooms.

When the foundling’s patroness passes away, Ana’s anchor line may be cut, casting her adrift. Lady Dunston has one last wish she shares with her heir, her nephew Luke. Luke has enjoyed his work schedule as a travel writer, using it as an excuse to avoid returning to his mother’s twin sister and his own home not far away. Lady Dunston reels him in with the hint of a possible happy home life once again if he seriously considers marriage to the suitable Ana. Luke doesn’t need much coaxing and the two enter into a very quick and sensible relationship which allows Luke to work as needed and Ana to step into the role of mistress at Longworth.

As Luke gradually eases into the life of a responsible wealthy landowner, his eyes are opened to the needs around him and his new wife’s depth of character. The two of them have gotten pretty good at keeping each other at arms’ length, but how long they can keep it up as the walls of decorum begin to crumble is not hard to guess. Ana and Luke’s journey toward true nobility is a delightful, sweet short read. Told from both their perspectives, the reader is drawn into Victorian age England and its advances toward the modern era.

About Rachel

Rachel is an inspirational author. She has an MA in Creative Writing and loves to write fiction that uplifts, inspires, and encourages others. She lives in Yorkshire with her husband and three adorable girls and when not writing she enjoys idling time away in a vintage teashop or visiting a historic landmark in pursuit of a new story! For more information visit www.rachelajames.com

Connect with Rachel

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Check out all eight books in the series.

Featured here: March 17, 18, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26, 27

Buy in the Pelican book store

Lucy in Love by Kimberly M. Miller

Charlotte's Dilemma by Susan Karsten

Buttonholed by Anita Klumpers

A Field of Forget-me-nots by Rachel A. James

To Complicate Matters by Linda Widrick

This Worthy Heart by Dixie Jo Jarchow

A Perfect Fit by Christine Schimpf

Everything about Us by Lisa J. Lickel

Book Review - the Last Princess of Meigen by Rachel James

The Last Princess of Meigen

Rachel James

Prism Book Group

c. May 2015

ISBN 978-1512263534

Buy on Amazon

Ebook $3.99

Print $12.99

About the Book:

She must choose between love and duty...

A captivating tale of love and duty as the last princess of Meigen searches for her true purpose amidst conflict and betrayal.

It is 626AD, and the ancient Kingdom of Meigen is left vulnerable to neighboring Saxons. To unite the kingdoms and bring peace, Princess Alena must enter into a royal marital alliance. But when the handsome physician, Sherwin, befalls her, matters become complicated. Torn between obligations to her young son and country, she faces a difficult decision. Will Alena obey the king’s orders, or choose to follow her heart? 

My Review:

The second in a series of medieval tales, Rachel James’s stories have continued to unfold with enough detail and richness to take the reader back fifteen hundred years. Knights, kings, betrayal, spies, a baby religion and courtly romance adds up to a fine tale that will enchant those who enjoy some shiny armor with their everyday castle living.

With the loss of her husband, commoner Alena, married into the royal family and mother of the prince, is ill-treated by her father-in-law. When danger in the form of an invasion looms, she is tasked with marrying again to forge an alliance with a nearby kingdom, as well as find and delivery any kind of valuable information…if she wants to see her son again. The couriers are none other than heroes from the first book in the series, the now-married Ryce, and his friend Sherwin, former physician held to blame for the King Niall’s loss of wife in childbirth.

Poor Sherwin finds his soulmate, a woman not only on a mission that involves marriage to another, but also one who does not share his faith.

Old friends pop up once the group reaches Niall’s kingdom of Angularem. There, Alena realizes her true purpose in life, if only she wasn’t in such a dubious unwanted position as a member of royalty. At the price of her son’s life and future, Alena and Sherwin must act in truth and dignity.

Told from multiple viewpoints, James’s story is for those who enjoy inspirational fiction with an ageless message of faith and truth.

About the Author:

Rachel A. James grew fascinated with the medieval time period as a child. Dubbed a bookworm from a young age, Rachel found herself surrounded by places steeped in history and adventure. She enjoyed trips with her family to visit nearby derelict castles and Roman ruins, and that coupled with a zealous imagination and love for stories, sparked her interest in knights, fortresses and ancient kingdoms.

Born and bred in England, Rachel now writes adventure driven historical romance, she is also a pastor's wife and has three beautiful little princesses. She minored in creative writing at university and strives to entertain, inspire and encourage others in their own spiritual journey. She's also insanely addicted to romantic tales... combine it with a little history and a hot cup of tea, and she's smitten! Find her at www.rachelajames.com for more information.

The Last Princess of Meigen by Rachel A. James

The Last Princess of Meigen

by Rachel A. James

Inspirational Medieval Romance

Release Date: May 22, 2015

 

About the book:

A captivating tale of love and duty as the last princess of Meigen searches for her true purpose amidst conflict and betrayal.

It is 626AD, and the ancient Kingdom of Meigen is left vulnerable to neighboring Saxons. To unite the kingdoms and bring peace, Princess Alena must enter into a royal marital

alliance. But when the handsome physician, Sherwin, befalls her, matters become

complicated. Torn between obligations to her young son and country, she faces a

difficult decision. Will Alena obey the king’s orders, or choose to follow her

heart?

$3.99 ebook

Add to Goodreads

 Buy on Amazon

Book Teaser

https://youtu.be/_vbOzDHA9E4

About the Author:

Rachel A. James grew fascinated with the medieval time period as a child. Dubbed a bookworm from a young age, Rachel found herself surrounded by places steeped in history and adventure. She enjoyed trips with her family to visit nearby derelict castles and Roman ruins, and that coupled with a zealous imagination and love for stories, sparked her interest in knights, fortresses and ancient kingdoms. 

Born and raised in England, Rachel now writes inspirational historical romance, she is also a pastor's wife and has three beautiful little princesses. She minored in creative writing at university and strives to entertain, inspire and encourage others in their own spiritual journey. She's also insanely addicted to romantic tales... combine it with a little history and a hot cup of tea, and she's smitten! Find her at www.rachelajames.com for more information.

Connect with Rachel

Facebook  Twitter   Google+   Goodreads   Amazon Author   Pinterest

A brief Interview with the author:

Rachel, what do you love about this book?

I love Alena’s character, and her journey of discovering personal value and acceptance.  Alena is an introvert by nature, but circumstances thrown at her cause her to step out of her comfort–zone. She certainly has had a tough life, what with suffering from asthma in a world where there are no inhalers, and raising her small boy without a father. Being a peasant by birth has not made it easy for her to adapt to royal life either (she was a peasant by birth, and married the Prince of Meigen years earlier). 

Can you share what you learned during the writing/publishing process?

I had to do a lot more research for this novel, particularly on ancient herbal/medicinal practices. I thought, seeing as I had already undertaken a great deal of study for my first novel that I would not need to do quite so much this time around. Well I was wrong. I found myself re-creating historical timelines, looking into Old English language and calculating how long it would take to travel by land and sea from various different ancient kingdom borders. What I learned? One can never do enough research!

What do you hope readers will tell other readers when they've finished?

My goal is that readers will be inspired and encouraged to depend on God more in their own circumstances after reading the book, and I hope they’ll tell others how they were touched by Alena’s love story. 

Book Review: The Forgotten Princess of Elmetia by Rachel James

TheForgotten Princess of Elmetia

Rachel A James

 

2014 Prism Book Group

ISBN: 9781940099873

Price: Print $14.99, E-book $3.99

Medieval Romance

From the Publisher:  A tale of grace, forgiveness, and love as a forgotten princess seeks to reclaim her true identity. 

It is 616AD, and one fatal night the ancient Kingdom of Elmetia falls. Saxons kill the Elmetian King, and capture Princess Teagen. 

Teagen poses as a slave girl and works for the Saxons in the Kingdom of Deira, until she discovers her brother is alive. She finds a way to escape, and her path crosses with Ryce the Warrior. 

Struggling with his past and angry against the tyrant Saxon king, Ryce helps the princess in pursuit of her brother. But just as the connection between them intensifies, obstacles get in their way. The Saxon king now wants vengeance, and will stop at nothing to get it. 

My review:  Well-researched and documented tale based on a recorded historical event. I love this period of history and James's story was an enjoyable read. Dialect and dialog stayed true throughout the book.

Taking place during the dark days of Saxons and Celts overrunning the British Isles, Elmetia was one such small kingdom, shattered by the Saxon ruler who attempted to destroy the governing family. However, the children disappear during the battle. The dead king's young daughter changes place with a deceased servant girl and survives in the Saxon kingdom biding her time. When she overhears more news of that tragic night eight years earlier, she risks her life to seek retribution. If only King Edwin's pesky warriors would stay out of Teagan's way.

A worthy romance raised to high stakes when more intrigue comes to light. Set also during the early stages of the new faith, Christianity, readers will see it woven in naturally through the adventure, how learning to overcome the prejudices of our past believe system to know who deserves our true allegiance is the one true thing we can count on. I appreciated the hero, Ryce's, struggles on the matter of religion.

 It's no secret that Ryce and Teagan are expected to become romantic partners, but with skill, the author slowly peels away layers of intrigue, revealing new secrets and new problems that give the reader pause. It's a good thing that Ryce's companion is a physician, because there are a number of injuries to deal with. For readers who like romances with a bit of a twist, James's historical tale will delight you.

Medieval Romance The Forgotten Princess of Elmetia

Rachel James and her new book 

The Forgotten Princess of Elmetia

About the Book  (Inspirational Medieval Romance)

It is 616AD, and one fatal night the ancient Kingdom of Elmetia falls. Saxons kill the Elmetian King, and capture Princess Teagen. Teagen poses as a slave girl and works for the Saxons in the Kingdom of Deira, until she discovers her brother is alive. She finds a way to escape, and her path crosses with Ryce the Warrior.

Struggling with his past, and angry against the tyrant Saxon king, Ryce helps the princess in pursuit of her brother. But just as the connection between them intensifies, obstacles get in their way. The Saxon king now wants vengeance, and will stop at nothing to get it.

E-book $3.99

Buy on  Amazon

Read my review here.

Here's an Excerpt

616 AD, The Kingdom of Elmetia

Teagen scrambled under the table as the first fire-drenched arrow shot through the sky. Within seconds, thatched rooftops blazed and smoke bellowed throughout the palace. Frantic screams replaced the joyful music playing moments before.

“Princess,” Teagen’s nurse hissed from behind a wooden bench. “Are ye injured?”

“Nay.” She cast a wary glance as the battle unfolded before her. “What’s happening? Is it Saxons?”

Her nurse stretched her arm over and stroked her hair. “Aye, princess. Seems to be. Now stay put here while I find yer brother.”

Teagen flinched. “Don’t leave me Dera, please—Niall will be with Papa, they’ll be safe.”

Dera’s face paled. “I hope not, lassie, for yer brother’s sake, I pray he’s not.”

What could she mean? Was Papa in trouble?

She jumped out from her hiding place. “Then I’ll come with ye—”

Dera pushed her down firmly. “Nay, ‘tis not safe. Whatever ye do, do not let them capture ye, understand?”

She nodded, dumbfounded as Dera disappeared.

Grabbing the bottom of her long silk dress, she covered her face in an attempt to subdue the nausea that welled within. She wouldn’t look. She couldn’t. Where was Papa? She needed him right now, to hold her, and keep her safe.

 “Teagen.”

A wave of relief washed over her. “Papa!” Teagen ran toward him, tears threatening her eyes.

“Shhh, lassie.” Her father scooped her up and headed for the kitchen just off the Great Hall. He opened a small stone cupboard and placed her inside.

“Stay in here, do ye understand? Do not come out until yer brother gets ye.”

“Please don’t leave me, Papa. Everyone keeps leaving me.” She tasted the salty tears that streamed her face.

Her father stroked her cheek. “Oh, lassie, I love ye so much. Ye know this, don’t ye?”

She nodded.

“Now be a brave girl and stay put.”

She gave her father a lingering hug and breathed in his comforting musky scent, her eyes averting his blood stained tunic. As he shut the cupboard door, the sound of the latch closing sent shivers through her body. The darkness did not mask the coldness of the damp stone walls, or the stale air which stifled her breathing. A sob lodged in her throat. I need to be brave for Papa.

Muffled sounds from outside grew louder—the clash of iron on iron, the collapse of buildings, and cries for help.

“King Ceretic is dead!”

Teagen stopped breathing. It could not be true.

“And what of the rest of the family?”

“Not yet found.”

“We do not leave until they are dead. Burn everything, and gather the survivors—we’ll take them to the slave market.”

She squeezed her eyes together, shutting out the fuzzy sensation that threatened to overtake her.Please, God. Nay. There surely must be some mistake.

Teagen could wait no longer. Despite her father’s strict instructions, she pushed open the door and fell on the kitchen floor. She gasped in a huge breath of air and scrambled to the doorway. Soldiers littered the outside, and in the centre, stood the Saxon King—Edwin the Tyrant. Her stomach lurched as she saw the remains of her father’s body.

Oh, Heavenly Father.

She collapsed to the ground. If her father was dead, it meant her brother Niall would likely be too. She studied the hem of her fine tunic and caressed the intricate beading Dera had sewn on the day before.

She stiffened. If they discovered her true identity as the king’s daughter, she too would be slain. She had to get out of these clothes. Her eyes rested on the dead bodies piled up outside the kitchen entrance and her heart broke as she spotted one of her friends lying on the ground. She kept low, reached out and pulled her friend further inside the kitchen.

“I’m sorry, Hilda,” she whispered to the girl, “but I’m going to need yer clothes. Ye won’t have use for them anymore.” She closed the girl’s eyelids, said a quick prayer, and removed the simple tunic and redressed her young friend in her own grand attire.

She ran out of the kitchen and toward the oak tree at the top of the hill, knowing she would be seen. She perched under a sloping branch and gazed out—her entire world ablaze. Soldiers rummaged through the dead bodies looking for valuables to keep for themselves. Teagen covered her ears as cries penetrated the night. Curling herself into a ball, she cradled her arms around her knees and rocked herself back and forth watching her kingdom fall. They were coming for her, it was simply a matter of time. To survive this night, her identity would have to be forgotten.

Book Trailer

About the Author

Rachel James grew fascinated with the medieval time period as a child. Dubbed a bookworm from a young age, Rachel found herself surrounded by places steeped in history and adventure. She enjoyed trips with her family to visit nearby derelict castles and Roman ruins, and that coupled with a zealous imagination and love for stories, sparked her interest in knights, fortresses and ancient kingdoms. 

Born and bred in England, Rachel writes adventure driven historical romance, she is also a pastor’s wife, and has three beautiful little princesses. She minored in creative writing at university and strives to entertain, inspire and encourage others in their own spiritual journey. She’s also captivated by romantic tales… combine it with a little history and a hot cup of tea, and she’s smitten! Find her at www.rachelajames.com for more information. 

Connect with Rachel: 

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