Love Finds You in Mackinac Island Michigan, by Melanie Dobson (Review & Giveaway!)

4.5 STARS!

ABOUT THE BOOK -

As the Gilded Age comes to a close, Elena Bissette's once-wealthy family has nearly lost its fortune. The Bissettes still own a home on fashionable Mackinac Island, where they will spend one last summer in the hope of introducing Elena to a wealthy suitor. But Elena is repulsed by the idea of marrying for money.

Quickly tiring of the extravagant balls, Elena spends most evenings escaping back into Mackinac's rugged forest. There she meets Chase, a handsome laborer who shares her love for the night sky. The two begin to meet in secret at an abandoned lighthouse, where they work together to solve a mystery buried in the pages of a tattered diary.

As Elena falls in love with Chase, her mother relentlessly contrives to introduce her to Chester Darrington, the island's most eligible bachelor. Marriage to the elusive millionaire would solve the Bissettes' financial woes, and Elena is torn between duty and love.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR -

Melanie Dobson has written ten contemporary and historical novels including five releases in Summerside's Love Finds You series. In 2011, two of her releases won Carol Awards: Love Finds You in Homestead, Iowa (for historical romance) and The Silent Order (for romantic suspense).

Melanie received her undergraduate degree in journalism from Liberty University and her master's degree in communication from Regent University. Prior to her writing career, Melanie was the corporate publicity manager at Focus on the Family and a publicist for The Family Channel. She later launched her own public relations company and worked in the fields of publicity and journalism for more than fifteen years.

For more about Melanie Dobson and her books, visit www.melaniedobson.com.

Celebrate with Melanie by entering her Kindle Giveaway!

Enter Today - 7/17-8/4!

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A brand new Kindle Fire

• Signed copies of Melanie’s Love Find You books: Love Finds you in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, Love Finds You in Amana, Iowa, Love Finds You in Homestead, Iowa, and Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana.

Hurry, the giveaway ends on 8/4/12. The winner will be announced on 8/6/12 on Melanie’s blog! Just click on the icon to enter!

MY REVIEW -

Wonderful, beautiful, historically rich story!  I have been to Michigan a few times and had the pleasure of crossing the UP but have never been to Mackinac Island so I was so excited to read this book! It did not disappoint me at all! This was a very interesting, well written, fun little love story.

I loved all the historical facts about the island -

"Mackinac, is pronounced 'Mackinaw'  like Mackinaw City but its spelled differently so the post office could differentiate between the island and the town."

I feel really stupid, but I did not know that! 

And -

"He looked across at Mackinac, at its hump rising in the middle. "It looks like a turtle."
"That's why the Indians named it Michilimackinac," Parker said, "Home of the giant turtle."

This book also has great descriptions. There is a lighthouse on the island that  Elena, the main character visits in secret. And it was described so well I could really picture it! I am a huge lighthouse fan so this was a real treat for me. I did not know there was going to be a lighthouse in the book. It was like a little gem hidden inside.

Also included in the book were parts of a diary from a woman who lived in the lighthouse years ago, this was like a story within the story and I found it to be just as interesting!  It was like getting 2 stories in one.

The character development was great. I loved Elena. She was young, beautiful, wanted to marry for love not money but was willing to do whatever necessary to help her family. I also love that her mother annoyed the heck out of her, LOL, it made the story more real.

I liked Chase but found him to be arrogant, stubborn, and a little dense at times. But of course I wanted him to end up with Elena. The ending was predictable but again - it ended the way I wanted it to so I was happy.

Oh! And let me just say - I am absolutely in love with this cover! Isn't it gorgeous? I kept peeking at it all throughout the story.

My only problem with the book and the reason for the .5 deduction was that it was a little slow in the beginning, it took me a few chapters to get into it. And the ending also seemed to drag a little.

This is a real nice Christian based, historical love story - it is very clean and very entertaining!

This "Love Finds You" is part of a huge series by Summerside press. I would really love to read more books in this series! They are written by different authors (a few more by Melanie Dobson).

A big thanks to "Litfuse Publicity Group" for sending me this book to read and review!

MY GIVEAWAY -
I am giving away my copy of this book.

To enter to win this book - fill out the form below.

* Please US & Canada only.

And please only enter once -  (I go through and delete double entries).

* Winner will be chosen on July 30th.

* Winner will have 48 hrs. to respond.