Review + GIVEAWAY: Woman of Courage

Woman of Courage
By Wanda E. Brunstetter
Shiloh Run Press, 2014


A big thank you goes to Julie Busteed and Handlebar for graciously giving away a copy of Woman of Courage to one of The Power of Words' readers. Entry details are at the end of this review.


Summary

Amanda Pearson, a Quaker woman suffering from a broken engagement, leaves her home in New York and travels West to minister to the Nez Perce Indians. Along the way, she encounters many problems, yet she never gives up. Like a true woman of courage, Amanda trusts God to see her through, even when she fights illness, abandonment, misunderstandings, and an unexpected event.

Set in 1837, this historical novel has many twists and turns that will take readers from the rugged Rocky Mountains to Oregon Territory and the home of the Spalding Mission, where the Nez Perce Indians were first introduced to Christianity.


My thoughts

Woman of Courage, a departure from the Amish fiction for which Wanda E. Brunstetter is most widely known, is an interesting historical romance set in 1837 Oregon Territory. Although Amanda Pearson's story is fiction, Woman of Courage is inspired by Rev. and Mrs. Spalding's mission to the Nez Perce Indians, and how a delegation from the tribe had previously gone to St. Louis on a quest to find out more about the Book of Heaven (the Bible) and ask for missionaries to come to them.

I found the story interesting and liked that the faith elements were very strong. Although well researched, I'm not sure how realistic all the tragedies were, but everything comes together in a narrative that smoothly flows. Some spots move slower than others, but Wanda's style of writing always holds my attention.

Amanda, a Quaker missionary with a passion to share her faith with the Nez Perce Indians, has the fighting spirit and strength needed to survive the wilderness. I think I would have been drawn to Amanda more had her character been more deeply developed. But she is indeed a woman of courage, as is Mary Yellow Bird, my favorite character in the story. Mary's gentle spirit in spite of her tragic background captured my heart immediately. I especially enjoyed the Native American and missionary themes, as well as the spiritual journeys of several characters.

I appreciate that Wanda brought her unique writing ability to this inspiring story and recommend it to all who enjoy historical fiction.

Woman of Courage can be purchased online at CBD, DeeperShopping, B&N, or Amazon.

Wanda E. Brunstetter

Wanda Brunstetter is an award-winning romance novelist who has led millions of readers to lose their heart in the Amish life. She is the author of over 60 books with more than 7 million copies sold. Many of her books have landed on the top bestseller lists, including the New York Times, Publisher’s Weekly, CBA, ECPA, and CBD. Wanda is considered one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre, and her work has been covered by national publications, includingTime Magazine and USA Today. Wanda’s books have been translated into four foreign languages.

Meet Wanda online at wandabrunstetter.com, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.

Thank you to Handlebar for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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GIVEAWAY

To enter the drawing for Woman of Courage, simply answer the following question and leave your e-mail in a safe format. If you're willing, it's also helpful to share about this giveaway on Facebook.

Question:

Do you find it easy or hard to share your faith?

Please "like" my Facebook page, ThePowerofWordsBookReviews, if you haven't already. And new followers of this blog are always welcome!

• E-mail required, one entry per person. Odds of winning are based on number of entries.
• Contest ends at midnight PST on Thursday, August 14. No purchase necessary.
• Winner will be chosen by Random.org and contacted by e-mail by Saturday, August 16. Respond within 48 hours of notification or another winner will be chosen.
• Eligibility: US residents, 18 and older