The Secrets of Emberwild - by Stephenia H McGee (Paperback)

Growing up I loved all things horse. I loved to ride them and care for them and in my spare time I read every book about them that I could get my hands on. Fast forward several years and I'm still a crazy horse lover and I'm still delighted to get my hands on a book that centers around horses. The Secrets of Emberwild checks all my horse loving boxes. Emberwild is a horse farm in 1905 Mississippi and is filled with beautiful offspring from Ember the prize stud for their farm. Nora Fenton has spent her entire life devoted to making her father's fledgling endeavor a success. But much to her horror shortly before her father's death he reveals that the whole thing is built on a lie. Nora has no idea what he's talking about but as the story progresses those words will come back to haunt her. After the loss of his mother Silas Cavallero decides to set out on a journey to solve the mystery of his beloved father's death. That journey takes him to a small Mississippi town where his father was killed in a freak accident. Silas was about twelve at the time and has harbored doubts about the circumstances ever since. He takes a temporary horse trainer position at Emberwild and that's where he meets and clashes with Nora. The chemistry between the two just sizzles. I enjoyed watching their rocky relationship unfold. Not only is their relationship tumultuous but so are the circumstances surrounding the farm. This was a book that was hard to put down because each chapter ended with an urgent need to see what would happen in the next. Stephenia McGee is a new to me author and I thoroughly enjoyed her writing style. At the end of the book there is a teaser for her next book. It sounds just as fascinating as The Secrets of Emberwild and I'm looking forward to diving in. I received a copy of this book to facilitate my review.

“All she had to do was keep Silas Cavallero from asking too many questions that could dig up secrets better left entombed,” Nora considered in Stephenia H. McGee’s novel, The Secrets of Emberwild. ~ What ~ This three-hundred-and-twenty-page paperback targets those who like a Christian historical romance about learning the truth about the past and finding love on a horse farm. Containing no profanity, topics of illness and death may not be appropriate for immature readers. The ending includes a teaser from another book by the writer, an author’s note, acknowledgments, her biography, and advertisements. In this tale set in the early 1900s, twenty-eight-year-old Nora Fenton is just as deliberate as she is stubborn when it comes to men and horses. While preferring her prized possession, a colt, over the security of having a husband, she is determined to race in the upcoming Mississippi Fair. When her father dies and her controlling uncle takes over the struggling family farm, she must learn to have faith in a new trainer to tame her horse and find out if he is involved in the family’s secrets. ~ Why ~ This story has ample details and depth when it comes to raising horses for racing and living in the past century. I appreciate the detail of the horses and their ways as well as the Southern charm and nuances of the day. The relationships between the naive protagonist and those who love and challenge her are well-written. ~ Why Not ~ Some may not like a tale of a family who keeps secrets that affect others. Others may find Nora to be too strong-willed for the era or that she always demanded to get her way. The romantic aspect is predictable from the start and a character or two are stereotypical. ~ Wish ~ The occasional noting to call out to God for guidance and protection missed the opportunity to explain that Jesus died and shed His blood on the cross for our sins and rose the third day. I prefer all pronouns of God capitalized for reverence. ~ Want ~ If you are a reader who likes a historical romance about a volatile, independent woman who forges her way into the equestrian world, this one uncovers family secrets and the love of humans and horses. Thanks to Revell and the author for this complimentary book that I am under no obligation to review.

Oh, my, this book has so many things that I enjoy, including intriguing characters, a mystery needing to be solved, and romantic feelings waiting to be explored! Women horse trainers weren't the norm in 1905 and women farm managers weren't either but independent Nora Fenton was determined to do both. What she couldn't do was race her own horse! Silas Cavallero seemed to be her answer but did he have his own secret agenda? Would he help her, or bring her even more problems? McGee's use of innuendos, twists and turns kept me flipping the pages to uncover the many secrets and enjoy the attraction between Nora and Silas. The Secrets of Emberwild is a captivating story of second chances and forgiveness, and I recommend it to all who enjoy historical Christian fiction. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Revell Reads. There was no obligation for a positive review.

This review is freely given and I did receive an ARC of this book from Revell Reads program. The story is basically a Christian book but not much is mentioned about being a Christian. The main male character embodies being a Christian best. This is not a preachy book. The book is part mystery and part love story. I have to admit I did figure it out about 2/3 of the way through but there were still twists that I didn't see coming. The story is unique and well-told. The main characters are very well-developed and the main supporting characters are fairly well-developed. It's a book I truly enjoyed and really didn't want to put down. I would definitely recommend this book. I give this a 4 out of 5 star rating. I have never read a book by Stephenia McGee but look forward to reading more.

This is the first book I have read by this author. It is categorized as historical romance. However, it seems that the romance is secondary to the mystery that is going on in the story which does not bother me. It also does not affect whether or not I enjoy the book. I love that this book has horses in it and it is nice that the chapters are not super long. The author does a good job with having her characters not be one dimensional. And the mystery I mentioned earlier has definitely kept my interest. I found myself throughout the book wondering who the culprit of the lie was as well as who was helping cover it up. There were several people in the book that made for good antagonists. They made the story that much more interesting to read. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.

A nice historical mystery that will keep you reading! If you enjoy books about horses, this will interest you and hold your attention. It is the first book I have read from this author. I will be reading more! Nora is working hard to keep things going for her horse farm. As Silas comes to train her colt, he has another goal as well. He is doing all he can to solve his father's death. And yes, there is romance. I can recommend this book to you and am sure you will enjoy it as much as I have. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own.

"Find a better life. Love a good woman. Rest once in awhile." Some of his mother's last words . . . but was it possible to find a better life, or even rest for awhile when so many questions surrounding the mysterious death of his father still swirled around in his head. Since that horrible night, Silas Cavallero had grown from a boy into a man, a man who now decides to return to the scene of the incident that had so dramatically changed his life. Utilizing his skills as an experienced horse trainer, Silas finds employment at Emberwild Horse Farm where he can continue to ask questions among those in the horse racing community near Philadelphia, Mississippi who might still remember the incident. What he never expected to find? . . .a good woman to love . . . however, it's going to take more than some awkward attempts at flattery (what does a cowboy know about women anyway) and a shared love of horses, to tame Nora Fenton. As it turns out, "the secrets of Emberwild" might hold the answers to Silas' questions. Sadly, the truth could ruin everything, for both of them. Filled with passion, this book displays a passion for horses, a passion for family, a passion for the truth, and a sweet display of passion between two rather lost soulmates who discover that a tragedy is just an opportunity for God to "weave a pattern where men's evil and tragedy could somehow be twisted into something beautiful at the end". An exceptional story to be enjoyed by many. I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.

I have adored reading previous books written by Stephenia H McGee and was excited to have the opportunity to read her latest release, The Secrets of Emberwild. How is it possible that her books just keep getting better and better? This is definitely among my favorites that I have read of hers to date. I admired Nora so much with her determination, bravery and courage. I especially loved her in the scenes with Silas. I am so happy to have gone back in time to the early twentieth century and taking an adventure with them. I am giving The Secrets of Emberwild five plus stars. I believe fans of clean historical romance will love as much as I did. As always, I will be eagerly waiting for stories written by the Stephenia H. McGee in the future. I received a paperback copy of The Secrets of Emberwild from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

What a page turning read the author has given us. As the story opens Nora's father is taking his last breath, what will happen to her and her mother. They live in Mississippi on a beautiful horse farm called Emberwild, love the name, but could just picture the place! We are given a strong willed young woman, Nora Fenton, a woman who doesn't know the word "no", and sneaks off to the barns to work with horses! She even owns some trousers! We also have a hurting young man who has just buried his mother, and is now on a quest to find out whom murdered his father and stole their horse. Silas Cavallero, is journeying for answers , but he ends up at Emberwild, and he is a gifted horse trainer. I loved the training of Arrow, although there are scary times, and then things get even more dangerous, what is going on? Then there is Uncle Amos, will he prevail with his demands? This is such a great read, and yes, answers come, maybe not like you guessed, but this is a journey with surprises! I received this book through the Publisher Revell, and was not required to give a positive review.

This was a fantastic historical romance I completely loved!! Nora Fenton is a woman ahead of her time. It’s early nineteenth century and, already considered a spinster, she is a talented and gifted trainer in a world where only men are allowed to work with horses. Her father has just passed away and has left their horse farm for her uncle Amos to manage. And her uncle isn’t any more pleased than her father was with her training her prize colt Arrow for harness races. If only she could take Arrow to the local Fair or -why not dream?- to the Mississippi Fair. If her colt wins, that would open a huge door to their horse breeding business. Her opportunity comes in form of Silas Cavallero, who is hired to train her colt for her. Silas amazes her from the start with his penetrating stare and his protective nature. He’s not only not scandalized by her love of horses but he encourages her and offers to help prepare Arrow for the harness races. While her uncle and mother scheme for a widowed suitor for her to marry, Nora’s thoughts are more and more captivated by this enigmatic man that saves her more than once from physical danger. Also, she has to find out what her father meant with his mysterious words on his deathbed. Silas has only one purpose: to find out what really happened with his father’s accident that caused his death. He can’t believe his father, an expert horseman, was trampled by his own prize colt. The only way is to visit the place where his father died. His opportunity comes when he’s hired to train Nora’s colt at their horse ranch. But as mysterious accidents threaten their safety and circumstances unravel clues that might be related to his past, he will have to decide if the truth is worth ruining everything for the woman that is slowly capturing his heart. This beauty of a novel kept me captivated from page one! I’m not a particular lover of horses, but I found myself enchanted with all the details about horse breeding and training. I was amazed about how well researched this story was and was not surprised to find out at the end that the author had an equine science degree. Her love of horses is contagious! The characters were so well depicted that they felt so relatable, I found myself rooting for them to realize their dreams and purpose. Nora was a feisty heroine, strong and determined, yet not without fears, and with a yearning of freedom and independence that was not common in her era. I admired her sass and spunk. I loved how Silas admired her and respected her. He was a true gentleman, and his protectiveness was endearing. My heart ached at his pain of the loss of his father, and not being able to have peace until he could really understand what happened that tragic night. The story is intriguing to say the least. I was hooked with the mystery around Emberwild, and the story had unexpected twists that engaged me even more. The writing style flowed naturally, and the story never dragged. I did have to look up a few more technical equine words, but it made it all the richer experience and I felt I learned about the horses in a very entertaining way. The romance was so sweet and heartwarming. I fell in love with Silas at the same time Nora did. And it has a faith inspiring message that felt natural too! The ending was awesome. I was so happy I read this book! Ms. McGee is a new author to me and I’m thrilled to see she has so many books already that I can read! A wonderful story for horse lovers and non-lovers! I received a complimentary book from the Publisher but wasn’t required to post a positive review. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.

This book has everything in it to satisfy my criteria for a wonderful story. I love the characters and how complex they are. Nora is not just another female with a fickle mind. I love that she’s smart and knows what she wants and Silas matches her so well. The author shows us all sides of the main characters and I can’t think of any characters I like better at the moment. I rode horses as a child and a teenager but I learned quite a bit about them in this book. Bringing Nora and Silas together over training Arrow was certainly fun to read. I loved the tension between them. I also enjoyed Nora and her mother’s story as it developed. A historical romance, a little mystery, a good plot and certainly intrigue made a wonderful story that I loved. I received a copy of this book from the publisher but was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

The Secrets of Emberwild is the story of 2 people who defy the norms with every step they take. Nora wants to train horses in a time when women are not supposed to leave the house and Silas does not mind letting her while all other men strive to hold her back. This historical fiction romance will teach you about the south in the 1900s while also bringing you to the future with the thoughts and wants of the main characters. This story brings the past of wild cowboy Silas together with the present of rule-breaking Nora. Together, they answer questions both are too afraid to ask and find love along the way. I was given a copy of this book by the publisher. All thoughts and comments are my own.

Nora is a strong, independent young woman who wants nothing more than to ride and train horses. Her independence always came at a price. What would the price be this time? The author has given us a story that will keep your attention right up till the end, trying to figure out what the secrets are that Nora’s father alluded to just before he died. The horse farm needs more than stud fees to continue on, but will Arrow be the one to bring Emberwild out of the red and into the racing world? Someone is sabotaging her efforts - but who? Accidents, jealousy and lies - will the truth ever come to light? An early copy was received through Revell, Baker Publishing Group and NetGalley. These impressions are my own and were in no way solicited.