Happy Wednesday, friends! I can’t believe it’s October already! This year has really flown by for me. Today I am thrilled to share my review of Arms of Freedom by Kathleen Neely. This is the first book of hers that I have read. I always love a good time slip (dual timeline) novel, and I was so impressed by her well-written storylines.
Have you read any books by Kathleen Neely yet?
ABOUT THE BOOK
With each page of the age-old journals, Annie discovers all that unites her with a woman who once lived in her farmhouse. One lived with wealth and one with poverty, but both knew captivity. Both longed to be free.
Miriam yearns to escape her life as a super model. She drops the pseudonym and uses the name she gave up years ago—Annie Gentry. Then she alters her appearance and moves to rural South Carolina to care for her grandmother. Can she live a simple life without recognition? Can she hide a net worth valued in the millions? Love is nowhere in her plans until she meets a man who wants nothing more than Annie Gentry and the simple life he lives.
Charlotte lived in the same farmhouse in the tumultuous 1860’s. The Civil War was over, but for a bi-racial girl, freedom remained elusive. She coveted a life where she wouldn’t bring shame to her family. A life where she could make a difference. As she experiences hope, will it be wrested from her?
The journals stop abruptly with a climactic event, leaving Annie to search for information. What happened to Charlotte? Did her life make a difference? Did she ever find freedom?
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MY THOUGHTS
“These walls hold secrets.”
In Arms of Freedom, author Kathleen Neely has penned an incredible dual timeline novel that fans of both post-Civil War historical fiction during the Reconstruction period and contemporary fiction will immensely enjoy. The novel intertwines the historical storyline with the present as a young bi-racial girl’s journal from the 1800s turns into a search for family history and answers about the past. This powerful and emotional story demonstrates the strength and determination of the human spirit during the time of the Emancipation Proclamation, the Reconstruction period, and the rise of the KKK.
I enjoyed the present-day storyline as much as the historical storyline, which is often not the case for me when reading dual timeline novels. The light romance developing in the present-day storyline made my romance-loving heart happy. The faith threads weaved throughout the novel are inspiring to readers. Arms of Freedom is highly recommended for fans of time slip novels, historical fiction, and women’s contemporary fiction with light romantic threads. Such a wonderful novel!
I RECEIVED A COMPLIMENTARY COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM THE AUTHOR/PUBLISHER AND WAS NOT REQUIRED TO WRITE A POSITIVE REVIEW. ALL OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE MINE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kathleen Neely is the author of THE STREET SINGER, BEAUTY FOR ASHES, THE LEAST OF THESE, and IN SEARCH OF TRUE NORTH. She is a former elementary teacher. Following her years in the classroom, she moved into administration, serving as an elementary principal. Kathleen is an alumnus of Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania and Regent University in Virginia.
Among her writing accomplishments, Kathleen won second place in a short story contest through ACFWVA for “The Missing Piece” and an honorable mention for her story “The Dance.” Both were published in a Christmas anthology. Her novel, THE LEAST OF THESE, was awarded first place in the 2015 Fresh Voices contest through Almost an Author. She has numerous devotions published through Christian Devotions. She continues to speak to students about writing. Kathleen is a member of American of Christian Fiction Writers.
She resides in South Carolina with her husband, two cats, and one dog. She enjoys time with family, visiting her two grandsons, traveling, and reading. You can contact her at www.KathleenNeely.com.
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Diversity Between the Pages 