"Fairer Than Morning" by Rosslyn Elliot

About the book:

Ann dreams of a marriage proposal from her poetic suitor, Eli-until Will Hanby shows her that nobility is more than fine words.

On a small farm in 19th-century Ohio, young Ann Miller is pursued by the gallant Eli Bowen, son of a prominent family. Eli is the suitor of Ann's dreams. Like her, he enjoys poetry and beautiful things and soon, he will move to the city to become a doctor. Ann travels to Pittsburgh, accompanying her father on business. There she meets Will Hanby, a saddle-maker's apprentice. Will has spent years eking out an existence under a cruel master and his spirit is nearly broken. But Ann's compassion lights a long-dark part of his soul. Through his encounters with Ann's father, a master saddler, Will discovers new hope and courage in the midst of tremendous adversity.

When the Milers must return to Ohio and their ministry there, Will resolves to find them, at any cost. If Will can make it back to Ann, will she be waiting?

Read an excerpt here: http://www.rosslynelliot.com/books.php

My Review:

This book was a beautiful story that gradually intertwined the lives of two characters: Ann Miller, a young woman responsible for caring for her father and two younger sisters after her mother's death, and Will Hanby, a young man who is an apprentice to a cruel, violent saddle maker. When Ann finds a collection of letters from a mother to her son, she is determined to return them to the young man they belong to, and when she accompanies her father on business and crosses paths with Will Hanby, their lives remain entwined for the rest of the story. Rosslyn Elliot is a gifted author who uses her writing to show that God can bring people together in the most unlikely of ways, and He can use anyone, no matter where they are at in life, and for His Glory!

The book was a great love story without being a full-blown historical Christian romance. The author brings out a wide variety of emotions in her writing, making the story almost real to the reader. I loved the historical setting and the accuracy of the details. It's like being transported to another time. I also appreciated the honesty about Will's struggles in his life because it was a much clearer example of how the Lord can work in someone and use them just as they are.

Overall the book was a great read, one that I thoroughly enjoyed and found difficult to put down!

You can purchase your own copy of Fairer Than Morning on Amazon!

About the author:

Rosslyn Elliott grew up in a military family and relocated so often that she attended nine schools before her high school graduation. With the help of excellent teachers, she qualified to attend Yale University, where she earned a BA in English and Theater. She worked in business and as a schoolteacher before returning to study at Emory University, where she earned a Ph.D. in English in 2006. Her study of American literature and history inspired her to pursue her lifelong dream of writing fiction. She lives in the Southwest, where she homeschools her daughter and teaches in children's ministry.

For more about Rosslyn, visit her website: http://rosslynelliot.com


Disclosure: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group as part of a Blog Tour. I was not required to write a positive review.