A Noble Groom by Jody Hedlund

From the publisher: "Recently widowed Annalisa Werner has the feeling her husband was murdered but can't prove it. Alone with her young daughter in 1881 Michigan, she has six months left to finish raising the money needed to pay back the land contract her husband purchased, and the land is difficult to toil by herself. She needs a husband. With unmarried men scarce, her father sends a letter to his brother in the Old Country, asking him to find Annalisa a groom.

For nobleman Carl von Reichart, the blade of the guillotine is his fate. He's been accused and convicted of a serious crime he didn't commit, and his only escape is to flee to a small German community in Michigan where he'll be safe. He secures a job on Annalisa's farm but bumbles through learning about farming and manual labor. 

Annalisa senses that Carl is harboring a secret about his past, yet she finds herself drawn to him anyway. He's gentle, kind, and romantic--unlike any of the men she's ever known. He begins to restore her faith in the ability to love--but her true groom is still on his way. And time is running out on them all."

I really enjoyed reading this book.  Jody Hedlund does a very good job with weaving in mystery, tension, and romance all together without the reader feeling overwhelmed by any of the aspects of the story.  The romance was sweet and both characters learned to put each other before themselves.

What I really liked about this book was how Carl talks about God.  Through out the book he shares how God cares about our small daily requests, or the fact that we are each made in the image of God.  Jody allows Carl's character to speak to each person who reads the book to find value in themselves and to see that God cares for each of us--even when it might seem that He is silent for a time being.  

I also enjoyed getting to know more about 1880-1882 and the connection between American and Germany.  I love when authors take history and really make it a part of the novel.  The ideas of rank, station, and equality were very thought provoking.  Jody shows how people can change their ideas and perceptions, but how that sometimes takes the person being in a new situation.

I really enjoyed this book for many reason and highly recommend it.

I received this book free from Bethany House Publishing in exchange for my honest review.