MaryLu Tyndall's Veil of Pearls ~ Reviewed

VEIL OF PEARLS

MaryLu Tyndall

July 2012

Barbour Publishing

9781616265779

Description: 

Be swept away to Charleston of 1811, a city bustling with immigrants like Adalia, who is a runaway slave so light-skinned that no one guesses her past. Terrified her secret will be discovered, she settles into a quiet life making herbal remedies for a local doctor. But when Morgan, the handsome son of a prominent family, sweeps her into his glamorous world—a world in which the truth about Adalia’s heritage would ruin them both—suspicions and petty jealousies are aroused. What will Morgan do when he discovers that the woman he has fallen in love with is a runaway slave?

Review by Michelle Griep

Is the content of our character really decided by the color of our skin? It was back in 1811 Charleston. In VEIL OF PEARLS, author MaryLu Tyndall body-slams into this sensitive topic...and comes out the victor!

Adalia is a runaway slave, but her skin is so light, no one guesses she's got a black heritage. She settles in a town where no one knows her and begins a new life. A good life. And it works...for awhile. Enter the dashing hero, Morgan, who's a wealthy plantation owner's son. Conflict fireworks erupt. Will Adalia be discovered for who she really is? And more importantly, will she be loved for who she really is?

You'll have to read this one to find out!

Bonus Review:

I’m thankful for the review copy of powerful sincere Cinderella story that tugged heavy on my heartstrings. This novel reminded me of the movie Ever After starring Drew Barrymore who played Cinderella with a back bone. Marylou’s main character Adalia is a feisty woman on the run and haunted by secrets of her past.

This author pens a suspenseful tale with three dimensional characters that jump off the page and into your heart. I enjoyed the surprises in this journey the author took me on. Just when I thought I had this plot all figured out MaryLou would surprise me with a path I didn’t quite expect and didn’t see any of her characters going down.

Adalia meets Mr. Morgan Rutledge at his plantation tending to one of his slaves whose sick. She knows her stuff and is all business. She wasn’t to be messed with just because a rich boy was bored. Adelia makes it clear she’s not interested in thid man’s games.  She wasn’t taken by his status, money, charm or wit. She has a gift for healing and she was thankful for the opportunity to use it.

After Adalia leaves Mr. Morgan thinks. “He was a great catch if he were to say himself. She was feisty, said what was on her mind and didn’t care about his feelings. She refused him dates or time to talk. No woman dared treat him this way. He had to know more about this woman who was stealing his heart?”

Adalia agrees with a friend, “God has a purpose for each of us. He puts us in certain homes, certain circumstances good or bad that lead best to that purpose.” She struggles with applying scripture to her life (don’t we all) “The fear of man bringth a snare; but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe..” she realized she had not only feared the opinion of man but also denied who she truly was…she’d been embarrassed, ashamed of who God made her to be. She was his workmanship masterpiece. How could she believe and walk in who God said she was? She was fearful of many things one of them was her past catching up with her.”  Adalia is a deep thinker, honest and walks out God’s word the best she can. She’s an inspiration.

Things start changing in Morgan Rutledge’s life. Adalia made him think about what he really wanted out of life. How could she be happy and be so poor? Morgan’s Captain sparks a flame in his ear, “some things are worth fighting for..somethings are worth working hard for.” Morgan never worked a day in his life. That was the benefit of having money, he thought.” Did he really want to follow his father’s lead or go his own way?

Adalia’s past threatens to ruin her present life all the way through this novel, I never had a clue how this story would play out. It was filled with drama and suspense. If I had nails I would bit them. Grin! I was anxious to the last page not wanting to discover Adelia’s fate. This author pulls out all the stops in this one. It’s the first novel I’ve read by this author it definitely won’t be the last! I highly recommend you add this novel to your summer reading list and book club reading list. We had great discussions over this one!

Reviewed by: Nora St.Laurent

TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!