She’s desperate to find her missing father. His conscience demands he risk all to help.Eliza Brooks is haunted by her role in her mother’s death, so she’ll do anything to find her missing pa—even if it means sneaking aboard a southbound ship. When those meant to protect her abandon and betray her instead, a family friend’s unexpected assistance is a blessing she can’t refuse.Daniel Clarke came to … she can’t refuse.
Daniel Clarke came to California to make his fortune, and a stable job as a San Francisco carpenter has earned him more than most have scraped from the local goldfields. But it’s been four years since he left Massachusetts and his fiancée is impatient for his return. Bound for home at last, Daniel Clarke finds his heart and plans challenged by a tenacious young woman with haunted eyes. Though every word he utters seems to offend her, he is determined to see her safely returned to her father. Even if that means risking his fragile engagement.
When disaster befalls them in the remote wilderness of the Southern California mountains, true feelings are revealed, and both must face heart-rending decisions. But how to decide when every choice before them leads to someone getting hurt?
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Right from the very first chapter, these characters invited me to join their story and waltzed their way into my heart. I enjoyed my time spent within the pages of this engaging book and I honestly hope that you get to enjoy this story as well!
Eliza Brooks has more than her fair share of rough edges. Prickly could be a word that most would use to describe her. She keeps others at a distance and doesn’t let people get close. Eliza has experienced more than her fair share of loss, everyone she’s ever let in, has either died or left her behind. I loved the character journey and growth that Eliza makes. A reminder that everyone we meet has a story, and is hurting. That everyone needs our grace and kindness.
With an engaging plot, dynamic characters and unexpected dangers, you won’t be able to put this book down! More often than not I found myself talking to these characters as if they could hear me! Kathleen Denly brings not only the setting but the characters to life and invites to the reader to join the story!
I eagerly look forward to more page-turning adventures in the Chaparral Hearts series and more fantastic stories from this author in the future!
(I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including Netgalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
I have been a fan of Kathleen Denly’s BLOG for almost three years now, so when I heard she was releasing a novel I knew I had to read it immediately. Boy, am I glad I jumped at the chance to read Waltz in the Wilderness. It is fantastic. I was captivated from the very beginning and the pages kept turning at lightning speed. I am a native So Cal girl; been here my entire life. I have traveled to San Diego many a time, so getting to learn some history about the early days was fascinating and fun. I very much enjoyed Eliza and Daniel’s characters. I found them to be perfectly crafted and they come off very relatable and genuine. And, I found the themes of Waltz in the Wilderness thoughtful and plentiful. In my humble opinion, this beautiful novel would make an excellent choice for any book club. All in all, I loved this adventurous, wild romance and feel it is a 2020 must-read for sure!
Eliza’s character arc is superb. At first, I didn’t like Eliza’s character at all. She is petulant, self-righteous, and volatile. It was hard for me to root for her, and I often found myself feeling frustrated by her as Daniel, the hero, does. But as the narrative progresses, her volatility calms down and I found that Eliza grew on me. Her walls come down a bit and I began to understand her actions a little better, which led me wanting to root for her. By the end of the novel, if Eliza were a real human, I would have wanted to be her friend. What I gleaned from this excellently crafted character arc is to never judge based on first appearances alone. I judged Eliza and found her wanting, but I didn’t know anything about her. How many times have I done that in real life to real people? How many potential friends have I lost because of my initial, knee-jerk judgments?
Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:1-2 not to judge others because by the measure we judge others we will be judged. Instead, He shows us that we need to illustrate grace, mercy, and kindness towards others. Shamefully, I often forget this, especially in our crazy day and age. I’m grateful for Ms. Denly’s reminder that I need to be less judgemental and more patient and understanding. I was ready to completely write Eliza off at the beginning of this story and wasn’t willing to give her much of a chance. What does that say about my heart?! Thank you, Ms. Denly, for holding this mirror up for me and allowing me the opportunity to see where I need to make corrections. I can definitely say God has used Waltz in the Wilderness to convict my heart.
There is just so much to love about Waltz in the Wilderness that one review just cannot do this book justice. I highly recommend reading this wonderful novel. I truly believe you will love it as much as I do!
I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the author via Celebrate Lit. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I loved this book! Kathleen Denly wrote such an entertaining story! I loved Eliza and Daniel! I enjoyed how their personalities fit together. This story was very unique. This book makes me want to read more from her!
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
I love a strong-willed character which is why I loved Eliza Brooks so much. I understood her fears and concern for her father and their close relationship since the death of her mother. Did I understand the lengths she would go to in finding him? Not at first but that’s what I loved about her, her determination is admirable and once she made up her mind to do something there was no stopping her.
Daniel Clarke is the epitome of a gentlemen, he is truly an honorable man as he escorts Eliza on her search to find her Pa. Meanwhile at the home of Uncle Henry and Aunt Cecilia there is all kinds of things happening. Eliza had been living with them but took off to find her father but Uncle Henry had no idea where she was, his wife is rather tight-lipped and they have an unexpected guest in need of help. There are so many fantastic characters in this book to love(and a couple to dislike)that I was sorry to see this story end. I’m happy that this is the first book in a series by Ms. Denly so I’m looking forward to what she has in store for her readers in the next book.
Overall, this is easily one of the best books I have read this year. The writing is top-notch, the characters are well developed and delightful. Waltz in the Wilderness is perfect for readers of , historical and Christian romance novels with a bit of adventure in the mix.
I received a complimentary e-copy of this book. I was not required to write a review and all opinions are completely my own.
Loved the characters and situations based on historical facts. Had great plot twists and engaging scenes. Can’t wait for the next book in the series. Uplifting.
I really enjoyed Waltz in the Wilderness
Waltz in the wilderness was a great story of Eliza and Daniel‘s journey to find her father and also to find themselves. Eliza was this young girl who didn’t really know who she was and Daniel wasn’t sure what he wanted in life. Eliza had insecurities about letting God have the control over her life because she didn’t trust him fully and didn’t think that he listened to her. Daniel had a strong placed faith in God. Eliza was a headstrong, obstinate, stubborn girl who grew into a kind, gentle, loving,(but still stubborn) and beautiful on inside and out woman, and in the beginning of the book, Daniel couldn’t find the answer to the question that he’s been asking himself, but farther into the book, you see him gradually find the answer and him and Eliza kind of grow together.
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Kathleen Denly has written a wonderful masterpiece Kathleen Denly
I know I’m going to give this book a five star rating because this book has made me groan out loud, want to give Eliza the good shaking she deserves at times and I have even snickerd in some places.
Eliza is a fabulous character though. You just gotta love her.
Daniel is a good man and he is a gentleman in every way possible. His mama raised him right! I love him too.
As for Alice, Richard and Caroline I felt this was like a second story. I can’t imagine being in Alice’s shoes. Not at all!! In in a few ways I don’t like her at all but you really have to read this book to understand where she came from.
I didn’t like Cecilia at all! But, I am hoping she will learn her lesson somewhere along the line. Karma does have a way of coming around.
Poor Uncle Henry! He sure got more than he bargained for! Bless his heart. He’s a good man though. I give him credit for trying.
The Lord is good is He not? I would like to give Him some credit in this story too. For He saw the big picture that no one else could see. He had a big plans for Eliza.
He’s got the whole world in His Hands.
I highly recommend this story. I hope it blesses you as it has me.
(There is some suggestion that alcohol and abuse are involved).
My thanks to the author for a complimentary copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a review. NO compensations were received and all opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed this book. It was captivating right from the start as we meet Eli who really is Eliza. She has lost her mother and blames herself. She is with her dad in the gold mines, poor, hungry and most of all definitely not being a lady. Her dad realizes that this is not the place for her and takes the chance of taking her to his brother in San Francisco. Eliza is none too happy about his decision and this is where the story truly begins for me.
Eliza is definitely very close to her father and I think a huge part of it stems from blaming herself for the death of her mom. She doesn’t want to lose him too and wants to make sure that he is well. When he leaves her with her uncle without her knowledge she is furious but it is truly for the best despite her Aunt Cecilia. Seriously her aunt is one of those characters that you despise due to her attitude. Now back to Eliza, it took me a while to get to like her. On the outside she seems like a selfish, self centered brat. But once you get to know her inner being, you understand why she is like that.
We meet Daniel who is absolutely amazing! You know I am going to say it… he is definitely swoon-worthy! He is a true gentleman and even though he is engaged to Alice he can’t help being drawn to Eliza. So when Eliza decides that she needs to find her father and boards a ship unchaperoned of course my man Daniel steps up to the job especially after he sees how the captain and the other men are eyeing her. (I told you he’s swoon worthy) He treks it all over God’s creation to help her find her father and during all of this you can’t help but love Eliza because finally her shell is breaking and she sees that she can trust and open herself to something more than herself. That God is the person she needs to be trusting for everything. That was an amazing moment.
I know you are thinking of Alice… but don’t worry about her. I assure you everything does get resolved for her in the best possible way. I will say that Alice was a great addition to the story and I do hope we get to see her in the next book as I would like to know what happens to her brother and mother.
This is Kathleen Denly’s debut novel and I have to say I am very impressed! She not only did a great job at painting a picturesque setting in which you can lose yourself in but made some great characters that you can relate to. I for one cannot wait to read the next one, which just happens to be on my bookshelf!
I received this book from the author. I was not required to post a positive review. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
This book is so perfectly written. The words are so engaging. You will experience emotions as felt by the characters in the book.
Eliza and Daniel are two characters you can’t help noticing.
The suspense and drama in this book were so intriguing.
I like the fast paced turn of events with flashbacks so you can understand the full plot.
Kathleen writes so well, I was just flipping each page.
This is an awesome Christian Fiction novel I will recommend for anyone seeking for an adventure.
The bible verses here in this book made me to smile. They are so encouraging even to me reading this novel.
Aunt Cecilia is such a big case. I smiled at her scenes.
I stayed way up past my bedtime and I finished this book around 2:03am the next morning. I was so engrossed in the pages with a cozy blanket and the hours went by. What a good book!
5 stars rating please.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are mine.
The writer invited you on Eliza and Daniel’s journey in learning to trust God’s plan for their lives. Eliza annoyed me at first because I felt she was too impulsive and didn’t think of the consequences of her actions. As the story progresses I got to see how she was motivated by controlling everything in her life. Daniel is a man seeking to go back to the familiar because he thinks that is what he should do. God allowed Eliza and Daniel to meet so that His purpose can be revealed in their lives. I loved how God used the people in their lives to help them face some truths about themselves. I cannot wait for the continuation of the series and what other interesting characters I may meet. This was the time of love triangle that I wish were in more books.
I received this book from the publisher and the reviews expressed are entirely my own.
Kathleen Denly does an amazing job building tension between Eliza and Daniel as main characters. I enjoyed Eliza’s strong character and the numerous times she had to swallow her pride. Her heartbreaking story to reunite with her father, filled with plot twists, makes it a pageturner, and I was up way too late unable to put the book down.
What an awesome debut! I don’t even know where to start, but I really enjoyed this one and wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the characters at the end of the book. It was easy for me to get into it and imagine the setting as if I was standing right next to the characters. The plot was well developed to keep the flow moving and readers engaged. Overall a very solid read.
Eliza was one of those characters that I felt like I could relate to a little too much. She was a woman on a mission and nothing was going to get in her way, but at the same point her drive blinded her to logic and it often resulted in frustrating set-back.How easy can it be for us to get frustrated when other people don’t feel the same level of anxiousness in a situation and we try to force them instead of pausing and recognizing the need to slow down and think. It can save a lot of time, energy, and resentment in the end.
I really liked the character growth in this one and it wasn’t just for Eliza. Initially you see how each of the characters handle their anxieties in their own way but over time the more they grow the more they learn to lean on God instead of trying to control their circumstances. Or on the flip side if they choose to look within themselves and act out of fear, you see how their circumstances only seem to grow even more overwhelming. I thought the author did a wonderful job of showing this through more than one personality yet was still able to teach the same lesson.
I really enjoyed this one and can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next. I will definitely be looking forward to reading more from her in the future. I highly recommend this to other historical fiction fans.
*I received a copy of this book from the author. Thoughts and opinions expressed are mine alone.
Waltz in the Wilderness is Kathleen Denly’s debut novel, and it’s excellent. It’s set in California during the Gold Rush, in the time when people referred to the East as “the States”. (That amused me.)
I found the beginning a little disjointed. I didn’t immediately realise that Eli was Eliza, or that her father had left her with her aunt and uncle. That could have been me—I wasn’t able to sit down and read the way I usually do. Instead, I was snatching a chapter here and a chapter there … not my preference.
But once I got into the story without interruptions, it flowed and flowed well. There was plenty of action (including a shipwreck and a near-drowning), a trek into the wilderness, and plenty of emotional conflict. Daniel is a great hero. He is a man of honour, choosing to do what he believes is right even when it’s hard.
My favourite character was Eliza. She was a woman who could think and act for herself and wasn’t afraid to act outside society’s norms. She’s strong and independent, knows her own mind, and goes after what she wants … even if it doesn’t appear to make sense. But she’s also not the kind of woman who complains, no matter how bad the circumstances, and I could admire that about her (okay, so she did have a little moan at one point, but it didn’t last).
I especially liked the fact that Eliza and Daniel both developed as characters during the novel, especially in terms of their spiritual journeys. Eliza especially had some lessons to learn, and they came out naturally—which is a testament to Kathleen Denly’s writing.
Recommended.
Thanks to Wild Heart books for providing a free ebook for review.
With a stubborn but loyal heroine and an honorable hero with a steadfast faith, this story is a bit complicated but that’s what makes it interesting and enjoyable. It was fun to read about Eliza Brooks’ journey into womanhood. The historical facts about early San Francisco and San Diego and ship travel of that time were fascinating. Daniel Clarke is a man with high principles, even as he is escorting Eliza into the wilderness to find her father. He tries to honor God and his fiancée but could he be falling for Eliza? Would they find her father? Would Daniel’s betrothed feel the same after four years apart?
Some characters had much to admire and others were fun to boo and hiss at.
This is the first of a series and I am anxious to see what is in store for the characters in the next book.
*I received a complimentary ecopy of this book from the author. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*
This has been such a wonderful book that I was sad to see it end. The author has captured the time period with pristine details. I loved reading about the towns and especially the mountains. Eliza was a like able character who carries a burden that has prevented her from getting close to God. Her guilt over the death of her mother caused her pain. What I really was upset about was her father leaving her at her uncles’ with no explanation. Her heart was filled with abandonment and it became hard to trust anyone.
The journey Eliza takes to find her father was very enjoyable to read about. I don’t think I could ever go on a ship. It would feel cramped and the thought of floating around at sea does not appeal to me. There was a little bit of Eliza I didn’t care for. Now she never acted snotty but there was a sense that she expected better accommodations at places. It was fun to have Daniel escort her on the journey. He was quite the gentleman and certainly had his hands full with Eliza and her stubbornness.
The best character for me was Eliza’s uncle. He adored Eliza and was so upset when she took off without a word. There are secrets that are being hidden from Eliza’s uncle and you won’t be surprised who it is. The author wrote a beautiful passage about how we should be looking to help others and it was directed at a certain character. Oh how I loved the faith element in the story and the way that the author led Eliza back to God. There are several lessons in the book that I want to point out. Forgiveness is relevant in the story because several characters will need to forgive themselves as well as others. Trusting people is something we all have a difficult time with. The author demonstrates trust by showing how a character’s words were honest and respectful in their actions.
This has been a journey where danger lurks, romance is in the air and the undeniable epic story that will keep you glued to the pages. I was charmed by the dashing Daniel and the determination Eliza had to find her father. The author gives us hope of a new beginning, mending relationships and understanding how to trust.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
Kathleen Denly has written a beautiful tale in the first installment from her Chaparral Hearts series, Waltz in the Wilderness. I adored this book. I enjoyed the historical details throughout the book. The author did a fantastic job with her vision on how it must have been like in that time in history. Eliza is one of those characters that I love from the start and feel a connection to. I admired her courage and bravery. Daniel is a wonderful man of faith. It was great seeing how Eliza and Daniel interacted with one another and I am happy I was able to take this adventure with them.
I am giving Waltz in the Wilderness five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers who love clean historical fiction. I look forward to reading the next book in the Chaparral Hearts series and will be early waiting for its release.
I received this book from the publisher. This review 100% my own honest opinion.
What a wonderful book! This is a Historical Christian Romance set in 1854 in California. I thought this book was great and I loved the characters. I loved how independent Eliza was and how important family was to her. I loved how honorable Daniel was and I loved the chemistry that was between them. Even though they didn’t get along as first I loved how with the different trials they had to go through together how they grew to love each other. I also loved how Daniel helped Eliza to let go of the guilt she felt about her mom’s death and to know that God loved her. This book was very well written and I look forward to reading more books by Kathleen.
I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors. A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.
Let us just start with the beautiful cover, shall we? It’s a dreamy one that’s for sure and seems to portray the inner struggles of Eliza quite well .
The characters in this book are quite unique. The main characters Eliza and Daniel both have some very big struggles to overcome and a lot to learn along the way. Eliza especially caught my attention as a character who had to learn some important lessons in trusting God to guide her path. I did feel that Eliza’s character was kind of wishy-washy, but that may be just me. I like characters that are strong and can plan well and execute things themselves; Eliza always seemed to need help in some form or another, and even though she grew up with her Dad in remote locations she did not seem to know much about survival. Daniel was a great knight in shining armor right from the very beginning and I truly liked his character.
I thought that this new twist on a classic storyline was fun and enjoyable. Waltz in the Wilderness had a sense of adventure, travel, and courage followed closely by themes of faith, reliance on God, and forgiveness. I think that Kathleen Denly did a great job writing this story and that she stuck close to the time period (i.e. the mode of travel the characters used, and the clothes the characters were described to be wearing) very accurately.
Overall, I would give this story 4 out of 5 stars for the adventurous theme, the basis of faith, and the lessons learned by the characters.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within this review are my own.
I just finished reading this book and am kind of sad that it’s over. I am very much looking forward to the next series in this author’s collection. I thought the author did a wonderful job with the accuracy of the history during that time. I love that she included her research at the end of the book on where she got her information for the historical facts. Eliza, the main character is easy to love. She may be stubborn and headstrong but she is also very loving and loyal. There was adventure, suspense and romance all rolled into one story. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves Christian romance novels. This is one of the best I’ve read so far.
At first I had a bit of a hard time getting into this story but I’m so glad I kept reading! It was marvelous! It was just slow in the first two chapters! I do have to say that I didn’t relate much with the heroine, Eliza, though. That is strange for me because I usually relate immediately with heroines but I just didn’t with her. I got closer as the book moved on, of course, but I really fell in love with Daniel, the hero! He was an awesome character and I adored him! In the end, the two of them were perfect for each other and I didn’t want the book to end! I wanted to know how their life together would be but, of course, the book had to end at some point! The secondary characters were fabulous also and really added a lot to the story. Eliza’s uncle was such a support to her! I loved the descriptions of San Francisco and San Diego during that time period since I grew up in California. There is also a separate story line that follows Daniel’s fiancé, Alice, in the Boston area and her troubled family. This was very interesting as well. All in all, it was a wonderful book and I sincerely look forward to more books in this series!