A Haven on Orchard Lane by Lawana Blackwell

A Haven on Orchard Lane by Lawana Blackwell ISBN-13: 9780764217937 Trade Paperback: 416 pages Publisher: Bethany House Publishers Released: June 7, 2016

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Charlotte Ward, once a famed stage actress, tries to restart her career as a way to escape her husband--only to experience disaster. Rosalind, her estranged daughter from a previous marriage, comes to her mother's rescue and moves her to a quiet English coastal village.

Charlotte is grateful to get to know Rosalind after years apart, and it's a joy to see love blossom for her daughter. Rosalind has mixed feelings about helping the mother who wasn't there for her. And what could be more complicated than romance? Mother and daughter find healing as they reach out to help others.


My Review:
A Haven on Orchard Lane is a Christian romance set in 1880 in England. The setting was a cultural backdrop rather than a detailed part of the story.

Rosalind mostly wanted to know why her mother left her with an aunt to raise her, so the healing between mother and daughter happened fairly quickly. Charlotte was unwise in choosing husbands in the past, and her current husband wants to destroy her reputation so he can divorce her and marry a rich woman. While she's hiding from him, she provides wise advice about romance to various young people, including her own daughter. She also reaches out to help two young boys from a troubled home.

The characters were complex, varied, and acted realistically. I cared about what happened to them. The romances developed over time, and I appreciated Charlotte's wisdom about looking at a man's character rather than his charm and good looks and not marrying out of fear that no one else will offer.

The Christian element was the forgiveness and care for others shown by the main characters plus some brief prayers and church attendance. And God does, indeed, work things together for good. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this novel to historical romance fans.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


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