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1869 – Matthew Gentry joined the Confederate Army at eighteen years of age after an argument with his father, leaving Paradise, his Virginia home and famed horse breeding stables, for the fields of Gettysburg.Having survived
the War Between the States, Gentry is haunted by the violence and inhumanity of
the war. He continues to roam the country long after the conflict is over,
finding solace in the arms of soiled doves and at the bottom of whiskey bottles.
Finally traveling home after learning of a family tragedy, he nearly loses his
life in a spring-flooded riverbed.
Annie Campbell, lone survivor of
her family, lives at a remote farm near the North River, raising pigs and
trying to grow enough to feed herself, and to stay out of the cross hairs of
the Thurmans, violent men who run the town of Bridgewater. Annie’s secrets
threaten her safety, even as she rescues and nurses Matthew Gentry.
Matthew knows he must return to
Paradise, to grieve with his family. Will his heart lead him back to
Bridgewater and Annie Campbell?
Excerpt:
The rain had finally stopped long enough for Annie Campbell
to feed the hogs and not get soaked to the skin. She pulled on her father’s
brown hat, the brim bent down so far that it was barely recognizable as a brim
any longer. She stepped into her brother’s boots, pushing down on the newsprint
that lined the soles where the leather had worn through. She pulled on her coat
over the heavy wool shirt she wore and tucked the legs of her flannel pants
down into her boots. She threw another log on the fire before she left and
stirred the soup in the back of the fireplace.
Annie moved the shotgun from her right hand to her left and
picked up the bucket sitting on her front porch beside the old rocker. There
were plenty of scraps there to keep the hogs happy and fat, and the fatter they
were the better price she’d get from Jeb Barlow, a
neighbor man who took her hogs to auction in Harrisonburg when he took his
heifers. For a price, of course.
“Dinnertime!” she called. “The sun is finally coming out and
I’m able to get out here and feed y’all.”
Two great pigs and nine piglets came trotting over to the
trough where Annie was dumping the scraps. They were snorting and oinking loud
enough that she could barely hear herself think. But it was springtime, her
hogs would sell soon, and it was a beautiful day. Even though she was not
naturally happy or ebullient, the sun breaking through after endless weeks of
wet, chilly spring weather was threatening to make her feel some joy. What an
odd feeling, she thought, as she spun in the warm sunbeams. Maybe tomorrow she
wouldn’t even need her coat when she went out to do her chores.
She took a look along the fence line she intended to fix
this spring, and fix it she would starting tomorrow, the whole way down to
where it stopped at the stand of trees. Past those trees was the North River,
just a large stream at this point but with all the rain, she imagined it was
well over its banks as had happened on other occasions.
There was something standing there just inside the tree
line. She brought her shotgun up to her shoulder instinctively, but it wasn’t a
who. It was a what. A deer? No. Her eyes were playing tricks on her now. She
walked down the slope toward the trees to get a better look. She stopped dead
in her tracks when she realized it was a horse. A horse meant a man. She turned
and ran back to the house as fast as her feet would carry her. She threw the
bar over the door and climbed on the stool to see out the slit on that side of
the cabin. The horse had walked out of the trees and stopped in the tall grass.
She climbed down, opened her mother’s sewing box, picked up the tray that held
the spools of thread, and pulled out her father’s spyglass.
Meet Holly
“. .
. Love does not end, even with tragedy and sadness, and has given us the will
to go on.” Crawford Family Series
Holly
Bush books are set during the turbulent and transformative years of the late
1800’s and the first two books in her newest series, The Gentrys of Paradise, will
release in the spring of 2017. Into the
Evermore is the opening novella and where readers will meet Virginia horse
breeders, Eleanor and Beauregard Gentry. The following books will feature their
children, Adam, Matthew, and Olivia. For
the Brave is Matthew’s story and is the first full length book of the
series.
The Crawford
Family Series following the fortunes of the three Boston born Crawford sisters
and includes Train Station Bride, Contract
to Wed, Her Safe Harbor, and companion novella, The Maid’s Quarters. Cross
the Ocean and Charming the Duke
are both British set Victorian romances. Fan favorites stand-alone historical
romance novels include Romancing Olive
and Reconstructing Jackson. Her books are described as ‘emotional,
with heartfelt, sexy romance.’
Holly
makes her home with her husband, one happy Labrador Retriever, and two
difficult cats in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Connect with Holly at www.hollybushbooks.com,
on Twitter @hollybushbooks, and on Facebook at Holly Bush.
E.E.: Tea or Coffee? And how do you
take it?
Holly: I’m definitely a tea person,
sweetened, and plenty of half & half!
E.E.: What’s your favorite movie of
all time?
Holly: I love the movies and have a
list that I update occasionally!
- Ang Lee’s 1995 Sense and Sensibility is my all-time favorite. From
the music to the casting to the costumes to the script. The acting was
superb as was the cinematography. Is there a more nuanced depiction of
love and love’s foes, money and power, ever told? Emma Thompson’s
screenplay triumphs.
- A&E’s 1995 Pride and Prejudice originally aired as a six part
television series on the BBC. Wonderful casting and a story line faithful
to Jane Austen’s original. And I realize this was never a movie, a real
movie, shown in a theatre – don’t care! It’s a favorite!
- To Kill a Mockingbird 1962 is the only movie that I liked as much
as the book. Gregory Peck’s subtle strength showed and didn’t tell and
Scout’s narration still makes me feel like she was talking directly to me.
This is an American classic.
- Parenthood 1989. I know. This is a real curveball. But rarely do
you see such a raw and funny depiction of a family – all their warts and
all the joys when families merge and grow, inevitable when introducing
unknowns to a closed group with a single uniting strand of love.
- It’s a Wonderful Life 1946. This Christmas classic reminds us that
doing the right thing, even in a trivial circumstance or setting, are the
bricks that build our character. No one could have portrayed the value of
the Everyman like Jimmy Stewart.
- Godfather 1972. Brutal film examining the relationships of power,
showcasing performances by arguably one the best casts ever assembled,
including Brando, Pacino, Caan and Duvall.
- Annie Hall 1977. I can’t remove this movie from my list even
knowing the creep level of Woody Allen. Brilliant and hysterical adult
dialogue with a sprinkling of the absurd.
- Million Dollar Baby 2004. Eastwood’s piece de résistance of a long
career. While Gran Torino and Unforgiven were perfect vehicles for
Eastwood’s personal brand of heroic isolation, MDB is all about Eastwood
and Swank’s relationship and their love for each other. I can honestly say
that no movie has ever made me cry as hard or as long as this one.
- Gone with the Wind 1939. What more is there to be said? Could
there be a more conniving, mean-spirited heroine than Scarlett O’Hara?
Vivian Leigh managed to make us admire and root for this survivor, quite a
feat. And seriously folks, Clark Gable was flat-out gorgeous.
- Open Range 2003. I’ve always been a sucker for a good western and
they are so rarely made. Settlers in the West were depicted realistically
as independent and inter-dependent. Costner’s no Pacino but he is easy on
the eyes and delivers a subtle believable performance with the help of
Benning and Duvall.
- Raiders of the Lost Ark 1981. This action adventure had me in the
opening scene watching Harrison Ford be chased by a massive stone ball.
Speaking of Harrison Ford, not classically beautiful, but so handsome and
MASCULINE, whether he was in his professor bow tie or in an open neck
shirt, leather bomber jacket and fedora.
- Lincoln 2012. Spielberg and Kushner’s adaptation of Doris Kearns
Goodwin’s biography of the 16th President may or may not be
accurate but it was a glimpse of what ‘probably was’ during the worst
crisis our country has ever faced. Spielberg focused on one piece of
legislation as it made its way through Congress and how important that
vote was as we look back at history. All this woven through the life of a
man carrying significant personal burdens.
- Singin’ in the Rain 1952. I know all the songs and most of the
words. Watching Gene Kelly and Donald O’Conner dance makes me smile and I
think one of the all-time funniest scenes ever is when Lina Lamont is
doing her first ‘talkie’ and they sew the microphone into her dress.
- The Patriot and Bull Durham are the runners up.
What is your all time favorite movie(s)?
