Hello Everyone :)
Recently I finally had the chance to read a book that had been on my anticipated reads list for quite sometime, and I was very much looking forward to it.
It's always a little nerve wracking reading a book that you have such high hopes for, and today I can't wait to share with you all whether or not this particular book lived up to my expectations.
The Lady and the Lionheart by Joanne Bischof:
Source: Library
Publisher: Mason Jar Books
Publication Date: August 1st, 2016
Genre: Christian Fiction/Historical Fiction
Synopsis:
Two worlds collide when the circus comes to Victorian-era Virginia.
Raised amid the fame and mystique of the Big Top, Charlie Lionheart holds the audience in the palm of his hand. But while his act captivates thousands, it’s away from the spotlight where his true heart lies. Here he humbly cares for his pride of lions as if they were his brothers, a skill of bravery and strength that has prepared him for his most challenging feat yet—freeing an orphaned infant from the dark bondage of a sideshow. A trade so costly, it requires his life in exchange for hers, leaving him tarnished by the price of that choice.
As the circus tents are raised on the outskirts of Roanoke, nurse Ella Beckley arrives to tend to this Gypsy girl. All under the watchful eye of a guardian who not only bears a striking resemblance to the child, but who protects the baby with a love that wraps around Ella’s own tragic past, awakening a hope that goodness may yet reign. When their forbidden friendship deepens, Charlie dares to ask for her heart, bringing her behind the curtain of his secret world to reveal the sacrifice that gave hope to one little girl—boldly showing Ella that while her tattered faith is deeply scarred, the only marks that need be permanent are his own.
Just then a child in the row behind Ella cried out, “Look, Mama!”
Charlie, dressed in his center ring finery, strode into the arena, as strong and strapping as ever. Face powdered and painted with two jagged teardrops under his eyes, he walked with stoic authority, tall boots forging a fresh trail straight toward his audience. Ella didn’t know a single man could hush a packed house with no words, but…then there was Charlie Lionheart.
*****synopsis from goodreads*****
My Review:
Without a doubt, The Lady and the Lionheart is one of the best historical fiction novels I've ever had the pleasure of reading, and it had me hooked right from the very first page. Joanne Bischof has crafted a masterful story about redemption, second chances, first love, and how true healing can only truly come from Jesus, and it's a story that will resonate with each and every reader who chooses to pick it up.
Set in Victorian-era Virginia, The Lady and the Lionheart tells the story of Ella, a nurse who's been running and hiding from a traumatic event in her past, and Charlie, a lion tamer with a traveling circus who's ultimate sacrifice has cost him more than most could truly ever understand. When Charlie brings the baby in his care to the hospital where Ella's employed, the two are ultimately drawn to each other in ways they can't really explain, and soon Ella finds herself continually visiting the circus grounds; drawn both to Charlie, and to the adorable little girl named Holland who's a huge part of his life. Ella and Charlie find themselves falling faster and faster for each other, but how could a romance ever work between a small town nurse, and a lion tamer with the circus, especially one who's harboring a dark secret.
I can't even begin to express just how much this amazing book touched me, and how it lingered in my mind long after I first finished it. While the romance was beautiful, and intriguing, and kept me glued to the pages, this story was so much more than a simple romance. The author really dives into the message of letting healing truly come from Jesus, and how every one is special to Him, despite what society's mislead notions might be. The writing was captivating, the story was mesmerizing, the romance was breathtaking, and the character's felt so real that by the end of the novel they'd started to feel like old friends. I've never read anything like this novel before, and I doubt I will again, and I can't possibly recommend it enough. Joanne Bischof is a mastermind at really taking her time to unveil her stories, and yet the reader never feels bored, and stays entranced with each and every page.
Final Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I can't possibly recommend this enough, and if you haven't already read this one, I highly suggest that you do.
Thanks so much for reading guys! Have a great rest of your day.
This is not a sponsored post. All thoughts and opinions are my own. The photo does not belong to me, and all rights to the respective owners.
Recently I finally had the chance to read a book that had been on my anticipated reads list for quite sometime, and I was very much looking forward to it.
It's always a little nerve wracking reading a book that you have such high hopes for, and today I can't wait to share with you all whether or not this particular book lived up to my expectations.
The Lady and the Lionheart by Joanne Bischof:
Source: Library
Publisher: Mason Jar Books
Publication Date: August 1st, 2016
Genre: Christian Fiction/Historical Fiction
Synopsis:
Two worlds collide when the circus comes to Victorian-era Virginia.
Raised amid the fame and mystique of the Big Top, Charlie Lionheart holds the audience in the palm of his hand. But while his act captivates thousands, it’s away from the spotlight where his true heart lies. Here he humbly cares for his pride of lions as if they were his brothers, a skill of bravery and strength that has prepared him for his most challenging feat yet—freeing an orphaned infant from the dark bondage of a sideshow. A trade so costly, it requires his life in exchange for hers, leaving him tarnished by the price of that choice.
As the circus tents are raised on the outskirts of Roanoke, nurse Ella Beckley arrives to tend to this Gypsy girl. All under the watchful eye of a guardian who not only bears a striking resemblance to the child, but who protects the baby with a love that wraps around Ella’s own tragic past, awakening a hope that goodness may yet reign. When their forbidden friendship deepens, Charlie dares to ask for her heart, bringing her behind the curtain of his secret world to reveal the sacrifice that gave hope to one little girl—boldly showing Ella that while her tattered faith is deeply scarred, the only marks that need be permanent are his own.
Just then a child in the row behind Ella cried out, “Look, Mama!”
Charlie, dressed in his center ring finery, strode into the arena, as strong and strapping as ever. Face powdered and painted with two jagged teardrops under his eyes, he walked with stoic authority, tall boots forging a fresh trail straight toward his audience. Ella didn’t know a single man could hush a packed house with no words, but…then there was Charlie Lionheart.
*****synopsis from goodreads*****
My Review:
Without a doubt, The Lady and the Lionheart is one of the best historical fiction novels I've ever had the pleasure of reading, and it had me hooked right from the very first page. Joanne Bischof has crafted a masterful story about redemption, second chances, first love, and how true healing can only truly come from Jesus, and it's a story that will resonate with each and every reader who chooses to pick it up.
Set in Victorian-era Virginia, The Lady and the Lionheart tells the story of Ella, a nurse who's been running and hiding from a traumatic event in her past, and Charlie, a lion tamer with a traveling circus who's ultimate sacrifice has cost him more than most could truly ever understand. When Charlie brings the baby in his care to the hospital where Ella's employed, the two are ultimately drawn to each other in ways they can't really explain, and soon Ella finds herself continually visiting the circus grounds; drawn both to Charlie, and to the adorable little girl named Holland who's a huge part of his life. Ella and Charlie find themselves falling faster and faster for each other, but how could a romance ever work between a small town nurse, and a lion tamer with the circus, especially one who's harboring a dark secret.
I can't even begin to express just how much this amazing book touched me, and how it lingered in my mind long after I first finished it. While the romance was beautiful, and intriguing, and kept me glued to the pages, this story was so much more than a simple romance. The author really dives into the message of letting healing truly come from Jesus, and how every one is special to Him, despite what society's mislead notions might be. The writing was captivating, the story was mesmerizing, the romance was breathtaking, and the character's felt so real that by the end of the novel they'd started to feel like old friends. I've never read anything like this novel before, and I doubt I will again, and I can't possibly recommend it enough. Joanne Bischof is a mastermind at really taking her time to unveil her stories, and yet the reader never feels bored, and stays entranced with each and every page.
Final Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I can't possibly recommend this enough, and if you haven't already read this one, I highly suggest that you do.
Thanks so much for reading guys! Have a great rest of your day.
This is not a sponsored post. All thoughts and opinions are my own. The photo does not belong to me, and all rights to the respective owners.
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