Author: Rachel Fordham
Publisher: Revell
Release Date: July 3, 2018
Genre: Historical Romance
Alone in a strange town, can she find healing for her new home . . . and herself?
Ada, Mich.—Between 1854 and 1929, the orphan train movement relocated over 200,000 orphaned, abandoned, or homeless children from the eastern United States to rural areas throughout the country, focusing primarily in the Midwest. Since that time, this movement has captured the attention and curiosity of readers. In The Hope of Azure Springs, debut author Rachel Fordham masterfully blends history and romance in her well-crafted tale of a former “train rider.”
Seven years ago, orphaned and alone, Em arrived at a new home in Iowa after riding the orphan train. But secrets from her past haunt her, and her new life in the western wilderness is a rough one. When her guardian is shot and killed, Em, now nineteen, finally has the chance to search for her long-lost sister, but she won’t be able to do it alone.
Sheriff Caleb Reynolds is determined to solve the case and secure justice for Em. But what he doesn’t expect is the hold this strange young woman will have on his heart.
Historical romance readers will be charmed by the town of Azure Springs as they journey with Em to face her past, embrace her future, and rescue what she’s lost.
Debut Author Deftly Combines Orphan Train Tale with Sweet Prairie Romance
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
 |
| Credit: Kylee Ann Maughan |
Rachel Fordham started writing when her children began begging her for stories at night. She'd pull a book from the shelf, but they'd insist she make one up. Finally she put her love of good stories with her love of writing and she hasn't stopped since. She lives with her husband and children on an island in the state of Washington.
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Excerpt
One
I’m
sorry to come by unannounced, but this business with the girl’s
been put off long enough,” Sheriff Caleb Reynolds said while
standing in the doorway of the Howells’ home. “I’d have come by
sooner, but Doc Jones said she’d need time.”
“I
reckon that’s fine.” Abraham scratched his balding head. Then he
reached into his pocket and took out his handkerchief. After blowing
his nose, he said, “She’s been sleeping pretty hard for two days.
I think we could rouse her. I know we’d worry less if we knew the
whole story.” He opened the door wider, admitting Caleb inside.
“Thank
you,” Caleb said, trying not to sound too eager. In the years Caleb
had known Abraham, the man had never spoken quickly. “Most folks
wouldn’t have taken her in. It was good of you.”
“It’s
no problem.” Abraham smiled as they made their way inside. “Eliza
was a bit put out giving up her bed, but the rest of us haven’t
minded a bit. The girl hasn’t asked for anything. Mostly she just
sleeps. Follow me. I’ll take you to her.”
They
proceeded through the well-lit house. Caleb couldn’t help admiring
the details as he walked. Dark decorative paneling. A massive stone
fireplace. Large, deep chairs that begged to be sat in. He hoped to
have a home like this someday. An involuntary sigh escaped him. A
place like this would make his father proud.
Abraham’s
quiet words came again as they walked toward the room. “Abigail is
in there. She rarely leaves the girl’s side. She’s been so
worried that we’d lose her. Even after the doctor told us the wound
wasn’t serious, she’s still worrying.”
“It’s
not a bad wound?”
“Doctor
said she’s lucky the bullet didn’t hit anything important. It
should heal up fine. But she lost a lot of blood. My Abigail has been
by her side since. Nursing seems to be in her blood—and in her
heart.” Abraham spoke of Abigail’s current nursing, but Caleb
wondered if he was remembering. A few years back the whole town had
suffered from fevers. The Howells had lost two sons. Grief sat heavy
on the town, but no one had mourned quite like Abigail Howell.
Focusing
on the current circumstances, Caleb readied himself for another
glimpse of the waif. For just a moment he’d seen the girl when the
wagon lurched into town two days before. She was a sorry excuse for a
girl—unconscious, seeping blood, dirty, and smelling like something
pulled from the bottom of a privy. He had been near the wagon and had
heard the doctor shouting his request for someone to take her in.
“Who’ll
house her?” the good doctor had shouted into the growing crowd.
“She needs a place to stay. Somewhere safe to convalesce.”
No
one had volunteered. No one but Abraham, who happened to be returning
home from his store, his books tucked under his arm as they were
every night when he locked up and walked the short distance back to
his home and family. Stopping to see what the commotion was, he had
quietly offered his roof to the girl. The crowd had murmured among
themselves, but none seemed surprised by Abraham’s offer.
Caleb
had been ready to wake the girl and go after whoever did this. No one
was going to get away with shooting a pitiful girl in his territory.
Before he’d been able to shake her and get the details he needed,
Doc Jones had stopped him. “She’s not well enough to be
questioned,” he’d said. “Give her a couple days.”
Caleb
had questioned the men who had found her, but they’d been no help.
When he’d walked back to the jail, he had nothing to show for his
efforts but questions. Now here he was. He’d followed the doctor’s
orders and waited two days, but it was time to figure out this mess.
“Em,
try to wake up. The sheriff’s here. He wants to help you. Can you
wake up and talk to him?” Abigail gently nudged the girl’s
shoulder. Abraham stood near his wife, silently spectating.
The
effect was slow, but the girl did open her eyes. Blue eyes met his
own. It was obvious that the Howells had attempted to clean her up,
but she was in need of a good dunk in a tub.
“Em,
is it?” Caleb asked, trying to sound gentle, not wanting to scare
the girl off. Em,
he said again in his mind. A
mighty plain name for a mighty plain girl.
“That’s
my name. What do you want?” Though the girl’s voice quivered, it
still carried a hint of defensiveness.
“I
want to find out who shot you and what I can do to help.” He leaned
in a little closer and tapped his badge. “I’m the sheriff of this
town, and it’s my job to catch whoever did this. You tell me what
you can and we’ll keep you safe. I need to know everything you
remember.” He’d dealt with youngsters before, often enough to
know that a gentle voice helped them stay calm. After years of
questioning people, he’d also learned other tricks: Never let them
know you’re caught off guard. Always keep control. “Go ahead,
tell me what you can.”
She
raised herself up a little, her eyes meeting his. “Why are you
talking to me like I’m a child?”
“How
old are you?” He was okay starting with her age—at least it was
something.
“Nineteen.
Nearly twenty.”
He
could find no words. So much for keeping control. Staring hard at the
girl, he tried to decide if he believed her. Upon closer inspection,
he thought perhaps she was right. She was so thin, terribly thin, her
frame looked childlike.
Perhaps it was lack of food rather than age that caused her to look
so young and small.
Finally,
clearing his throat, he spoke, making sure he was using a voice
appropriate for an adult. “I apologize. I’m not the best at
guessing a woman’s
age. Can you tell me who shot you?”
“I’ll
tell you, but it won’t do you much good. Three men came to the
house, yelling and knocking things around, and then they started
shooting.” Pausing, Em took a ragged breath. “I’m sure they
thought I was dead. They just stepped
over
me, cursing and searching the house for something. I just lay there
in my own blood, waiting for them to leave.”
“Did
you see their faces?” He opened his notepad. “Did you know any of
them? Do you know what they were looking for?”
_____________________________________________________________________
GIVEAWAY
The publisher has graciously offered (3) winners each a copy of The Hope of Azure Springs and special Revell swag!
_______________________________________________________________________
Excerpt
One
I’m
sorry to come by unannounced, but this business with the girl’s
been put off long enough,” Sheriff Caleb Reynolds said while
standing in the doorway of the Howells’ home. “I’d have come by
sooner, but Doc Jones said she’d need time.”
“I
reckon that’s fine.” Abraham scratched his balding head. Then he
reached into his pocket and took out his handkerchief. After blowing
his nose, he said, “She’s been sleeping pretty hard for two days.
I think we could rouse her. I know we’d worry less if we knew the
whole story.” He opened the door wider, admitting Caleb inside.
“Thank
you,” Caleb said, trying not to sound too eager. In the years Caleb
had known Abraham, the man had never spoken quickly. “Most folks
wouldn’t have taken her in. It was good of you.”
“It’s
no problem.” Abraham smiled as they made their way inside. “Eliza
was a bit put out giving up her bed, but the rest of us haven’t
minded a bit. The girl hasn’t asked for anything. Mostly she just
sleeps. Follow me. I’ll take you to her.”
They
proceeded through the well-lit house. Caleb couldn’t help admiring
the details as he walked. Dark decorative paneling. A massive stone
fireplace. Large, deep chairs that begged to be sat in. He hoped to
have a home like this someday. An involuntary sigh escaped him. A
place like this would make his father proud.
Abraham’s
quiet words came again as they walked toward the room. “Abigail is
in there. She rarely leaves the girl’s side. She’s been so
worried that we’d lose her. Even after the doctor told us the wound
wasn’t serious, she’s still worrying.”
“It’s
not a bad wound?”
“Doctor
said she’s lucky the bullet didn’t hit anything important. It
should heal up fine. But she lost a lot of blood. My Abigail has been
by her side since. Nursing seems to be in her blood—and in her
heart.” Abraham spoke of Abigail’s current nursing, but Caleb
wondered if he was remembering. A few years back the whole town had
suffered from fevers. The Howells had lost two sons. Grief sat heavy
on the town, but no one had mourned quite like Abigail Howell.
Focusing
on the current circumstances, Caleb readied himself for another
glimpse of the waif. For just a moment he’d seen the girl when the
wagon lurched into town two days before. She was a sorry excuse for a
girl—unconscious, seeping blood, dirty, and smelling like something
pulled from the bottom of a privy. He had been near the wagon and had
heard the doctor shouting his request for someone to take her in.
“Who’ll
house her?” the good doctor had shouted into the growing crowd.
“She needs a place to stay. Somewhere safe to convalesce.”
No
one had volunteered. No one but Abraham, who happened to be returning
home from his store, his books tucked under his arm as they were
every night when he locked up and walked the short distance back to
his home and family. Stopping to see what the commotion was, he had
quietly offered his roof to the girl. The crowd had murmured among
themselves, but none seemed surprised by Abraham’s offer.
Caleb
had been ready to wake the girl and go after whoever did this. No one
was going to get away with shooting a pitiful girl in his territory.
Before he’d been able to shake her and get the details he needed,
Doc Jones had stopped him. “She’s not well enough to be
questioned,” he’d said. “Give her a couple days.”
Caleb
had questioned the men who had found her, but they’d been no help.
When he’d walked back to the jail, he had nothing to show for his
efforts but questions. Now here he was. He’d followed the doctor’s
orders and waited two days, but it was time to figure out this mess.
“Em,
try to wake up. The sheriff’s here. He wants to help you. Can you
wake up and talk to him?” Abigail gently nudged the girl’s
shoulder. Abraham stood near his wife, silently spectating.
The
effect was slow, but the girl did open her eyes. Blue eyes met his
own. It was obvious that the Howells had attempted to clean her up,
but she was in need of a good dunk in a tub.
“Em,
is it?” Caleb asked, trying to sound gentle, not wanting to scare
the girl off. Em,
he said again in his mind. A
mighty plain name for a mighty plain girl.
“That’s
my name. What do you want?” Though the girl’s voice quivered, it
still carried a hint of defensiveness.
“I
want to find out who shot you and what I can do to help.” He leaned
in a little closer and tapped his badge. “I’m the sheriff of this
town, and it’s my job to catch whoever did this. You tell me what
you can and we’ll keep you safe. I need to know everything you
remember.” He’d dealt with youngsters before, often enough to
know that a gentle voice helped them stay calm. After years of
questioning people, he’d also learned other tricks: Never let them
know you’re caught off guard. Always keep control. “Go ahead,
tell me what you can.”
She
raised herself up a little, her eyes meeting his. “Why are you
talking to me like I’m a child?”
“How
old are you?” He was okay starting with her age—at least it was
something.
“Nineteen.
Nearly twenty.”
He
could find no words. So much for keeping control. Staring hard at the
girl, he tried to decide if he believed her. Upon closer inspection,
he thought perhaps she was right. She was so thin, terribly thin, her
frame looked childlike.
Perhaps it was lack of food rather than age that caused her to look
so young and small.
Finally,
clearing his throat, he spoke, making sure he was using a voice
appropriate for an adult. “I apologize. I’m not the best at
guessing a woman’s
age. Can you tell me who shot you?”
“I’ll
tell you, but it won’t do you much good. Three men came to the
house, yelling and knocking things around, and then they started
shooting.” Pausing, Em took a ragged breath. “I’m sure they
thought I was dead. They just stepped
over
me, cursing and searching the house for something. I just lay there
in my own blood, waiting for them to leave.”
“Did
you see their faces?” He opened his notepad. “Did you know any of
them? Do you know what they were looking for?”
_____________________________________________________________________
GIVEAWAY
Giveaway will begin at midnight July 9, 2018 and last through 11:59 PM EST on July 17, 2018. Winners will be notified within a week of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Complete prize open to US mailing addresses only. For our giveaway rules and policy, click HERE.
Be sure to stop at a stop each day for extra entries!
TOUR SCHEDULE
For the full tour schedule, click on either of the launch pages below.
(All stops expected to post by 11:00 AM EST)
Thank you for the spotlight on "The Hope of Azure Springs" by Rachel Fordham and for being part of the JustRead blog tour. Loved reading the excerpt which made me want to keep reading. This book is on my TBR list and I'd love the opportunity to read it.
ReplyDelete2clowns at arkansas dot net
Thank you for being a part of the tour!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a wonderful book. Congrats on the tour!
ReplyDeleteGreat review! I'm looking forward to reading this one!
ReplyDelete