Tempest's Course

Quilts of Love

by Lynette Sowell

4.0 out of 5 stars Restoring History

Description

Kelly Frost, a textiles conservator, is invited to the Massachusetts coastal town of Fairhaven to restore the centuries-old Mariner's Compass quilt. But there is one stipulation: she must live and work in Grey House, a former whaling captain's home, where the quilt is stored. There she meets Tom Silva, the caretaker of Grey House, whose heart seems as hard as the rocky Massachusetts coastline. Over the long-lit months as Kelly works to restore the quilt, she is buoyed by occasional afternoon visits from Tom and other Fairhaven town members, and is drawn into their lives. And each night, as she reads stories in a daily journal penned by Mary Grey, she learns details about her newfound community members that help her see that their lives are as vivid and interwoven as the quilt pieces she is working to restore. But, when Kelly discovers a truth about Tom?s heritage hidden in the journal, she must decide if keeping the past to herself is the only way to ensure the hope of a future with Tom.

This book can be purchased at the following locations:

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Biography

Lynette Sowell is the award-winning author of over one dozen titles for Barbour Publishing, Harlequin, and Abingdon Press. In 2009, Lynette was voted one of the favorite new authors by Heartsong Presents book club readers. Her historical romance, All That Glitters, was a finalist in ACFW's 2010 Carol Awards. When Lynette's not writing, she divides her time between editing medical reports and chasing down news stories for the local newspaper. Lynette was born in Massachusetts, raised on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, but makes her home on the doorstep of the Texas hill country with her husband and a herd of cats who have them well-trained. She loves reading, cooking, watching movies, and is always up for a Texas road trip.

The author can be contacted at the following locations:

Twitter: www.twitter.com/LynetteSowell 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/lynettesowellauthor

My Review ~

In this stand-alone novel in the Quilts of Love series, a young textile conservator was hired to restore a generations-old Mariner's Compass quilt that was nearly beyond repair. Kelly Frost was suffering hard times financially so she had bid a substantial amount for the restoration in order to improve her depleted financial status. Her bid to repair the quilt was accepted with the stipulation that while restoring the quilt she would live in the vacant old whaler's mansion where the quilt originated. Moving to the coastal community in Massachusetts had some distinct advantages. Kelly had suffered some substantial losses and pain in her young life, not to mention her professional status as the result of a poor decision on her part.

Tom Silva had been hired to take care of the grounds and outdoor maintenance at Gray House. A medically discharged veteran, Tom had recently recovered from injuries suffered while serving overseas. His presence on the grounds was somewhat comforting to Kelly after she moved into the creaky old mansion with no one else living on the grounds. His own past haunted him, but he found his strength in his relationship with God. Both Kelly and Tom were wary of any kind of attachments, but the companionship they found in each other was a distinct advantage under their respective circumstances.

In Kelly's spare time she explored various rooms in the 3-story mansion, and subsequently discovered a hidden diary that had belonged to Mary Gray, wife of the whaling captain who originally built the house. Hopeful that the diary would reveal something about the quilt and questions about why the house remained vacant for so many years Kelly began reading. The diary entries paralleled events in Kelly's own life, making her acutely aware of her mistakes and her need for change in her life and guidance from God.

Numerous plots are interwoven into the cloth of this story of intrigue, mystery, romance and the quest for balance in the lives of both Kelly and Tom. The setting for Tempest's Course is well described as the harbor of an old whaling town, and the characters throughout this book are well represented. I've read many of the Quilts of Love books and enjoyed them each for their own merits. Lynette Sowell has done a wonderful job of creating a hauntingly fascinating story of a quilt with a mysterious history and the revelation of secrets that an old whaling mansion held.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Wynn-Wynn Media in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review.