Today's Wednesday Wonders features By the Stars by Lindsay Ferguson.
About the book:
Deep in the alcoves of 93-year-old Cal Morgan’s
mind is an unexpected and intriguing past. Recollections of growing up a farm
boy during the Great Depression, learning to foxtrot in the largest ballroom in
America, and serving as an infantry soldier in World War II are fragments of
his memories. But perhaps above all, a once in a lifetime love story is seared
in his soul, reminding us that some things in life are meant to be.
When Cal finally gets a chance with
Kate, the girl he’s loved since grade school, their easy friendship quickly
blossoms into a meaningful romance. Spirited and independent, Kate keeps a
guarded heart due to a painful past, and Cal wants nothing more than to gain
her trust. But the WWII draft calls him to the war in the Pacific and with no
way of knowing when and if he will return, Cal prepares to part from her for
good. After he’s gone, what Kate does next changes everything.
In the suffocating jungles of the Philippines Cal
encounters the chilling life of a soldier and deadly battles of war. But with
Kate’s memory always near and willing him on he puts his trust in God,
ultimately driven to return to her. Inspired by a true story, By the Stars
shows that love, faith, and perseverance can overcome insurmountable obstacles.
My Book Review:
What a
delightful romance, and a testament that good things come to even ordinary
people. Cal was not considered among the popular crowd. He missed out on a lot
of frivolous fun because of his long hours spent working on the family farm, a mundane
but essential family business. That put him out of the path of the popular
social group. Kate, a girl he meets and befriends when she is assigned a school
locker next to his, soon goes on with her life as if Cal doesn’t exist. He
admires from afar, but does not believe he can compete with the popular guys in
Kate’s social circle.
I loved the way
the characters were written. Cal was an ordinary guy, not flashy, but a young
man who did his duty to both his church and his country. Even though he loses
contact with Kate several times during his young life, he never completely
forgets her. Occasional chance meetings throw them together often enough to
keep his interest in her alive. Kate is a delightful young woman, but disappointed
in her expectations. As much as she enjoys socializing and having fun, she decides
to follow a path that excludes marriage and family—probably the only reason she
was still single in the short period of time between Cal’s mission and his military
service in World War Two.
I think my
favorite part in the entire story was when he visits family at church after being
gone three years. He is late for the meeting, and sees one seat open halfway
down the chapel. Just as he reaches that spot and prepares to ask the person
sitting next to it if it is available, the young woman turns to face him. It is
Kate. At that moment, the lyrics of the opening hymn, “…Here’s my heart, O take
and seal it,…” is sung and resonates through him. But, it didn’t with Kate. She
agrees to go dancing with Cal, but not to enter into a romance with him.
Once again, after
only a few weeks at home, Cal is inducted into the Army as an infantryman where
he will eventually be sent to the Philippines, a duty that would lead to years
of difficulty for him. He left expecting never to see Kate again. What happened
while he was in training had me raising an eyebrow. The incident is based on a
true story, but I’m pretty sure it could never happen in today’s world.
The romance is
clean and proper. The story was uplifting. I could identify with Kate’s
feelings and got a chuckle out of some of her antics. I also could not help but
admire Cal as proof that quiet, dependable men who work hard and do their duty
are sometimes the best heroes of all.
About the author:
LINDSAY FERGUSON has
been immersing herself in stories since her childhood days of
sneaking a flashlight into her room and staying up reading The Babysitters Club
series way past her bedtime, writing spinoffs of The Twelve Dancing Princesses,
and imagining herself in fascinating, far-off places. She still dreams of
traveling the world one day, and finds getting lost in a good book almost as
absorbing as penning her own stories and experiencing them unfold. A
Communication graduate from the University of Utah, she worked as a PR and
marketing writer for a computer software company for several years before
resigning to focus on raising her family. She has also contributed lifestyle
articles to various media outlets. When she felt the itch to attempt novel
writing a fascination with history created a natural inclination toward
historical fiction, with a romantic flare, of course. She lives in a
suburb of Salt Lake City with her husband and four children. By the Stars
is her first novel.
You may
purchase By the Stars at the
following:
Connect with Lindsay Ferguson:
Please CLICK HERE to tweet this blog post:
Some things in life are meant to be. BY THE STARS @lb_ferguson http://bit.ly/24PU7qs #RobynEcholsBooks
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