Publication Date: March 1, 2015 SilverWood Books
Formats: eBook, Paperback
Series: Book Eight, The Graham Saga
Genre: Historical Fiction/Time-Slip
To Catch a Falling Star is the eighth book in Anna Belfrage’s series featuring time traveller Alexandra Lind and her seventeenth century husband, Matthew Graham. Some gifts are double-edged swords … For Matthew Graham, being given the gift of his former Scottish manor is a dream come true. For his wife, Alex, this gift will force her to undertake a perilous sea journey, leaving most of their extensive family in the Colony of Maryland. Alex is torn apart by this, but staying behind while her husband travels to Scotland is no option. Scotland in 1688 is a divided country, torn between the papist Stuart king and the foreign but Protestant William of Orange. In the Lowlands, popular opinion is with Dutch William, and Matthew’s reluctance to openly support him does not endear him to his former friends and neighbours. While Matthew struggles to come to terms with the fact that Scotland of 1688 bears little resemblance to his lovingly conserved memories, Alex is forced to confront unresolved issues from her past, including her overly curious brother-in-law, Luke Graham. And then there’s the further complication of the dashing, flamboyant Viscount Dundee, a man who knocks Alex completely off her feet. All the turmoil that accompanies their return to Scotland pales into insignificance when a letter arrives, detailing the calamities threatening their youngest daughter in Maryland – at the hand of that most obnoxious minister, Richard Campbell. Matthew and Alex have no choice but to hasten back, no matter the heartache this causes. Will they make it back in time? And what will Richard Campbell do?
Buy To Catch a Falling Star
Amazon Barnes & NobleGraham Saga Titles
Book One: A Rip in the VeilBook Two: Like Chaff in the Wind
Book Three: The Prodigal Son
Book Four: A Newfound Land
Book Five: Serpents in the Garden
Book Six: Revenge & Retribution
Book Seven: Whither Thou Goest
Book Eight: To Catch a Falling Star
About the Author
I was raised abroad, on a pungent mix of Latin American culture, English history and Swedish traditions. As a result I’m multilingual and most of my reading is historical – both non-fiction and fiction.
I was always going to be a writer – or a historian, preferably both. Instead I ended up with a degree in Business and Finance, with very little time to spare for my most favourite pursuit. Still, one does as one must, and in between juggling a challenging career I raised my four children on a potent combination of invented stories, historical debates and masses of good food and homemade cakes. They seem to thrive … Nowadays I spend most of my spare time at my writing desk. The children are half grown, the house is at times eerily silent and I slip away into my imaginary world, with my imaginary characters. Every now and then the one and only man in my life pops his head in to ensure I’m still there. I like that – just as I like how he makes me laugh so often I’ll probably live to well over a hundred.
I was always going to be a writer. Now I am – I have achieved my dream.
For more information, please visit Anna Belfrage’s website and blog. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.
My Thoughts
To Catch a Falling Star is Book Eight in the Graham Saga, and the last of the series, which makes me sad. I look forward to getting the invite to review another book in this great series. I did not start the series from Book One but rather in Book Three, but that was alright as the way Anna writes it was easy to pick up the story.
This book continues the story of Alex and Matthew Graham in Maryland. Mathew gets a letter from his brother Luke, who he has not seen in twenty years, letting him know that he now owns the family manor back in Scotland. Alex is not happy at all about leaving her home to sail across the ocean to Scotland and the prospect of seeing Luke again is unsettling. The year is 1688 and Scotland is torn between the Catholics and the Protestants and war is on the horizon, another reason for Alex not wanting to go to Scotland. But go she does with a couple of her sons and Matthew.
Scotland is not what they expected, definitely a lot of changes in 20 years. In another story, Alex's son Isaac has fallen through a painting to arrive in a time 300 years in the past. He is a gifted painter like his grandmother Mercedes, who somehow managed to go back and forth in time herself. While he tries to paint a way back to his own time to his wife and daughter, things don't go as planned.
The Grahams must face an uncertain future and tragic losses while they need to decide if staying in Scotland is an option, Alex hopes not because her home is now in Maryland with the rest of her family. There is persecution in the colonies as well as in Scotland against the Catholics which adds to the stress that the Grahams have. Their daughter in Scotland is accused of murder and takes off and it is up to the family and friends to find her and bring her home and prove her innocence. This was a terrible time when religious adversity comes between families.
I really love time slip novels and this is a wonderful series, written with amazing knowledge of the Colonies and Scotland. the characters are so well written that I feel like I know them and had an amazing time going along with them on their journey of births, deaths, love, danger and time travel. I really need to go back and read the first two books so I can better understand how Alex came to be in Scotland in the first place. I will miss this amazing family and hope to read more in the sequels that will follow, well according to Anna anyway. I look forward to reading Anna Belfrage's next work in In the Shadow of the Storm, a new series set in the fourteenth century.
I received a copy for review and was not monetarily compensated for said review.
To Catch a Falling Star Blog Tour Schedule
Monday, April 7 Review at Just One More Chapter Excerpt at Rainy Day Reviews Guest Post at What Is That Book About Tuesday, April 8 Guest Post at Just One More Chapter Wednesday, April 9 Review & Giveaway at So Many Books, So Little Time Spotlight at Unshelfish Thursday, April 10 Excerpt & Giveaway at So Many Precious Books, So Little Time Friday, April 11 Spotlight at Caroline Wilson Writes Monday, April 14 Review at A Bibliotaph's Reviews Interview at Becky on Books Tuesday, April 15 Review & Guest Post at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book Wednesday, April 16 Review at CelticLady's Reviews Thursday, April 17 Review at Book Nerd Friday, April 18 Spotlight & Giveaway at View From the Birdhouse Monday, April 21 Review at Oh, For the Hook of a Book Tuesday, April 22 Spotlight at A Literary Vacation Interview & Excerpt at Oh, For the Hook of a Book Wednesday, April 23 Review at Griperang's Bookmarks Thursday, April 24 Interview & Giveaway at Griperang's Bookmarks Friday, April 25 Spotlight at Historical Fiction Connection Monday, April 28 Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past Tuesday, April 29 Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway at A Virtual Hobby Store and Coffee Haus Wednesday, April 30 Spotlight & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books Thursday, May 1 Review at A Chick Who Reads Review & Giveaway at Broken Teepee Saturday, May 3 Review at Quirky Book Reviews Monday, May 5 Review at Beth's Book Nook Blog Tuesday, May 6 Review at Layered Pages Spotlight at Long Ago Love Wednesday, May 7 Review at Mari Reads Review at Dianne Ascroft Blog Thursday, May 8 Review at Flashlight Commentary
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