The Lumber Baron's Daughters The Element of Love, Book 1, (Paperback)

Three sheltered sisters, who have only known affluence, escape in the middle of the night. They follow a dangerous scheme, but they must get away before their step-father's arranged marriages take place. Their only hope is to find honest men, marry them and gain control of their inheritance. To stay under the radar, they have taken refuge in a struggling mission near the California gold camps. But Caleb, the man in charge, is new. His lack of knowledge, along with terrible circumstances, have almost caused the death of them all. Have the sisters leapt out of the frying pan and into the fire? If they marry quickly, how do they keep from getting in a controlling, dangerous situation like they had with their step-dad? Will they be able to find suitable husbands among the desperate men ready to kill because of gold fever? Is their mother being beaten or worse because of their step-father's anger over the missing girls? The adventures these women have will keep you on the edge of your seat, while many of their circumstances, although dangerous, will also bring you a chuckle or two. Mary Connealy is well-known for her amazing stories, and this does not disappoint. This is Christian fiction, a clean story, and I highly recommend it. This is book one in the series, "Lumber Baron's Daughters," and ends on a cliff-hanger. You will be thrilled to get the next installment for more of this exciting tale--I guarantee it! Bethany House has provided Tickmenot with a complimentary copy of, The Element of Love, for the purpose of review.

First, I would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank you” to Mary Connealy and her publisher for sending me a copy of "The Element of Love" to review for them. I am truly grateful for this generosity. I really appreciate the time, effort and expense it takes to make a reviewer copy available to me. “The Element of Love” by Mary Connealy is the first book in her brand new Lumber Baron's Daughters series! It is a beautiful story of love and sacrifice and strength and bravery. And, of course, there is a generous sprinkling of the author's wit amongst the wisdom throughout throughout the book. I am always amazed at how much I learn about the character I want to display in my life when I ready Mary's books! Each of her characters either displays Christ-like characteristics to be emulated or reveals the opposite to be avoided at all costs. She is one fiction author I will never give up reading! In this story, the three daughters of the deceased lumber baron must leave their mother and escape the home they love to avoid marrying the inappropriate men selected by their stepfather. Their escape is quite exciting and lands them in situations that will not only test their faith and allow them to use the skills instilled in them by their loving parents, but will also lead them to the husbands they must find in order to inherit their father's lumber mill and expel their no-good stepfather once and for all! Mary Connealy always surprises with an exciting plot, a heart-warming lesson and lots of laughs! I highly recommend her books! And am looking forward to the second offering in this series.