Title: Love’s Gift
Author: Penelope Marzec
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Book Blurb:
In 1903, Amaranth Beach is burdened by her ethnicity due to the Chinese Exclusion Acts. Abandoned on a beach as a newborn and raised in an orphanage, she is a skilled secretary, but the threat of deportation looms constantly and all employers turn her away... until Mrs. Tildon of Sea Haven, New Jersey, hires her.
Soon after Amaranth' s arrival, she discovers that the Tildon family secrets run deep— a reprobate father, a long-lost brother, an obnoxious maid who is never fired for her behavior, and William the son who worries too much about what people will think.
When a series of alarming events occur, it' s up to Amaranth and William to unravel the secrets that threaten to destroy the Tildon family.
Can Amaranth heal the family' s divisions with her faith? Or will a greater danger threaten them all.
My Review:
Love’s Gift is an exceptionally heartwarming, Christian romance. Holding more depth than I expected, this story completely immersed me into the early twentieth-century as well as the legal prejudices against the Chinese.
The meet-cute is precious. Amaranth Beach, our young Chinese heroine raised in an orphanage, is searching for the Tilden cottage. But she’s broken her glasses, and to add insult to injury, a dog has just snatched the hat off her head and eaten the flower. That’s when a young man approaches. Dressed in googles and a leather jacket, he’s just stepped out of, well, it’s a car. Imagine it, in 1903. He’s William Tilden, the son of the woman she’ll be typing for.
This novel touches on all aspects of the nineteen-hundreds, from prejudice against the Chinese, to suffrage movement, to the technology of the day. (One person asked at a dinner party, “What will we do with all that electricity?”)
But without a doubt, the greatest parts of this story are the characters. We get to see William’s dry humor with an occasional well-spoken line of dialogue, followed by a smile or just a wink. I felt like I knew him, and wanted to spend time over the heavenly biscuits at the Tilden home talking to him about his latest inventions.
And Amaranth’s personality shined just as well. As an orphan, she had limited experiences, and the author showed us how she handled it. I felt her trepidation, and her daring to dream.
The secondary characters are equally vibrant and alive.
The chemistry between William and Amaranth was sweet and charming. I was rooting for them all the way.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Filled with humor, love, loyalty and faith, Love’s Gift by Penelope Marzec is truly magic.
My Rating: 5+ stars
Buy it Now:
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/loves-gift-penelope-marzec/1145600891?ean=9781522304555
Pelican Book Group: https://pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=37_73&products_id=1678
Author Biography:
Penelope Marzec grew up along the Jersey shore. She started reading romances at a young age and fell hopelessly in love with happy endings. Two of her inspirational romances won EPIC’s eBook Award and another was a finalist in that contest. Her paranormal, Irons in the Fire, was a nominee for a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice award. Her Christian historical, Patriot’s Courage, placed First in the Inspirational category of the 2021 National Excellence in Story Telling (NEST) Contest.
Visit her website at www.penelopemarzec.com for more information.
Social Media Links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/penelopemarzec
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marzecpenelope/
TikTok: @penelopemarzec
Bluesky: @pennmarz.bsky.social
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/penelopemarzec
Reviewed by: Terry