First Book of the Year (2019)

I immediately knew which book I would chose this year. From the moment this was available for pre-order, I have longed to own it and dive right in. When it arrived, I was knee deep in showing houses and in the middle of my big house clean out. Plus I had, once again, requested too many books to review for virtual book tours (at least I am consistent).

The cover art is stunning. The story sounds intriguing. Who wouldn't want to meet a younger Marilla Cuthbert, see her romance with John Blythe unfold, and wonder if the reason she was so hard on Anne when she came to Green Gables was because she, too, once was a dreamer?

While I've never read a book by McCoy, my hope is she will do the Marilla of Lucy Maud Montgomery's books justice as the story unfolds.

A bold, heartfelt tale of life at Green Gables . . . before Anne: A marvelously entertaining and moving historical novel, set in rural Prince Edward Island in the nineteenth century, that imagines the young life of spinster Marilla Cuthbert, and the choices that will open her life to the possibility of heartbreak—and unimaginable greatness

Plucky and ambitious, Marilla Cuthbert is thirteen years old when her world is turned upside down. Her beloved mother has died in childbirth, and Marilla suddenly must bear the responsibilities of a farm wife: cooking, sewing, keeping house, and overseeing the day-to-day life of Green Gables with her brother, Matthew and father, Hugh.

In Avonlea—a small, tight-knit farming town on a remote island—life holds few options for farm girls. Her one connection to the wider world is Aunt Elizabeth “Izzy” Johnson, her mother’s sister, who managed to escape from Avonlea to the bustling city of St. Catharines. An opinionated spinster, Aunt Izzy’s talent as a seamstress has allowed her to build a thriving business and make her own way in the world.

Emboldened by her aunt, Marilla dares to venture beyond the safety of Green Gables and discovers new friends and new opportunities. With her friend Rachel, she joins the Ladies Aid Society, she raises funds for an orphanage run by the Sisters of Charity in nearby Nova Scotia that secretly serves as a way station for runaway slaves from America. Her budding romance with John Blythe, the charming son of a neighbor, offers her a possibility of future happiness—Marilla is in no rush to trade one farm life for another. She soon finds herself caught up in the dangerous work of politics, and abolition—jeopardizing all she cherishes, including her bond with her dearest John Blythe. Now Marilla must face a reckoning between her dreams of making a difference in the wider world and the small-town reality of life at Green Gables.

Purchase Marilla of Green Gables here!

Book Spotlight: On Love's Gentle Shore by Liz Johnson

Fifteen years after she left Prince Edward Island, Natalie O’Ryan had no plans to return. But when her fiancé, music producer Russell Jacobs, books their wedding in her hometown and schedules a summer at Rose’s Red Door Inn, she sets out to put the finishing touches on the perfect wedding. But she can’t possibly prepare for a run-in with Justin Kane–the best friend she left behind all those years ago after promising to stay.

Justin’s never forgotten Natalie or the music career he always dreamed of pursuing. He’d been prepared to follow her off the island until his dad died and he was left to run the family dairy farm. He’s done the best he can with the life that was thrust upon him–but with Natalie back in the picture, he begins to realize just how much joy he’s been missing.

After Natalie’s reception venue falls through, she must scramble to find an alternative, and the only option seems to be a barn on Justin’s property. As they work together to get the dilapidated building ready for the party, Natalie and Justin discover the groundwork for forgiveness–and that there may be more than an old friendship between them.

Series: Prince Edward Island Dreams (Book 3)
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Revell (July 4, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0800724518
ISBN-13: 978-0800724511

Order here

June NaBloPoMo Special Feature - Heroes

As I mentioned yesterday, the first three literary heroes being featured in June will be authors who wrote for children. While Laura Ingalls Wilder remains my strong favorite, this next author's books I have read almost as many times as my Little House books; and like Laura, I find many things I can relate to in their strong, feisty main character.

When I first discovered Anne Shirley, it was through a Sullivan Entertainment production titled, Anne of Green Gables. In this movie, a red-headed orphan girl named Anne is adopted after many trials and mishaps by Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, who live in Avonlea on Prince Edward Island, Canada.

She attends school and church, makes friends with Diana Barry, and unknowingly makes an adversary of Josie Pye who is interested in the dashing Gilbert Blythe. Gil, however, has taken a keen interest in the feisty Anne Shirley; though Anne sees him as more of a rival than an ideal suitor.

Anne grows from girl to young woman at Green Gables, and is soon off to Queens College. Her rivalry with Gilbert Blythe continues, as they vie for various scholarships.

Having made plans to go on to Redmond College, Anne's plans change when tragedy strikes. Knowing that Marilla can't possibly run a farm the size of Green Gables by herself, Anne makes the ultimate sacrifice to stay at home with her after Matthew's death. Other things at home change too, as Anne and Gilbert finally become friends instead of rivals.

The popularity of Sullivan's first Anne production led to three more installments in Anne's story: Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel, also known as Anne of Avonlea, Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story, and most recently, Anne of Green Gables ~ A New Beginning. Sullivan also created an animated Anne series.

But how does all that make Lucy Maud Montgomery one of my literary heroes? In my childhood home, probably on my eleventh birthday, I received a three-book set that contained the first three books in the Anne series: Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, and Anne of the Island. I tried reading Anne of Green Gables, but Montgomery's flowing descriptions of Prince Edward Island were lost on me, and I probably didn't make it past the third chapter before I tucked these books away on the shelf.

For whatever reason, I kept this set through various moves. Then, in my early twenties, as a young single mother, I saw Sullivan Entertainment's Anne of Green Gables and loved it so much I dug my Anne books out of the back of the bookshelf and began reading. I devoured all three books in record time and began visting my local Barnes and Noble for more books in the Anne series.

According to The L.M. Montgomery Institute, Lucy Maud Montgomery was sent to live with her mother's parents after her mother died of tuberculosis. Lucy was only 21 months old. Nature, books, writing and her imagination became constant companions.

As a young girl, Lucy kept a journal and wrote poetry. One of her poems was published before she even graduated from Prince of Wales College.

Montgomery taught at three different schools and also sought to better herself by continuing her studies. She also continued to write. Even though she received many rejections, she was able to make a comfortable living off her writing.

When Montgomery first tried to find a publisher for her first novel, Anne of Green Gables, it was rejected numerous times. She sought a publisher for her manuscript two years later, and Anne of Green Gables was released by Page Company of Boston, Massachusetts in 1908.

In July of 1911, Lucy Maud Montgomery married Reverend Ewan MacDonald and eventually gave birth to three sons, one of which was stillborn.

Despite many problems and highly affected by events of the day, Montgomery continued to write. All except one of her twenty books are set on Prince Edward Island, a place she never saw again after her marriage in 1911.


Along with her Anne series, Montgomery wrote two books about Sara Stanley and her King cousins. The Story Girl and The Golden Road were the basis for another Sullivan Entertainment series, Road to Avonlea. For a more extensive list of Montgomery's works, please visit The L.M. Montgomery Institiute.

Legions of fans flock to Prince Edward Island, Canada each year to visit the place made famous by Montgomery's books. Even though Anne Shirley, Sara Stanley, the King cousins and many other residents of Avonlea are fictitious, readers still want to see a piece of the Canadian shoreline where Lucy Maud Montgomery's characters roamed.

March Special Feature - Giving Up, Lucy Maud Montgomery Style

Anne of Green Gables is the first book in an eight-book series by Lucy Maud Montgomery. These books feature Anne Shirley, a feisty red-headed orphan girl who usually finds herself in a spot of trouble. Anne comes to Green Gables--the home of Marilla Cuthbert and her bachelor brother Matthew--by mistake. The Cuthberts had sent word to the orphanage for a boy to help with the farm work now that Matthew is getting on in years.

Little did they know how much that tiny mistake would change their lives.

Through this classic series for young girls, Anne grows and changes, but always remains true to the spirited young girl readers meet in Anne of Green Gables.

At the behest of Rachel Lynde--the Cuthbert's nosy neighbor--Marilla enrolls Anne in school. On the first day, Anne breaks a slate over Gilbert Blythe's head because the boy dare to call her "Carrots". And from this moment on, Anne and Gilbert's lives would always be connected, whether in rivalry or love.

But what has all that to do with our March theme of "Giving Up"? Well, both Anne and Gilbert will do a great deal of giving up as they travel through this series.

In the second book, Anne of Avonlea, Anne has grown up and done so well in her studies that she must leave Green Gables to go and study at Redmond College. Gilbert would also be going to Redmond, as he hopes to become a doctor. In Anne of the Island, Anne makes many friends during her time at Redmond and also attracts a few potential suitors. Her friends are all off getting married, but Anne's proposals are embarrassing affairs. After graduation, she returns home to Green Gables, leaving behind all the fun of college, but open to the future laying before her.

And then there is Gilbert, who Anne believes may have feelings for her; but their days at Redmond are often spent in the company of others, and Anne must admit he isn't her idea of the perfect suitor. Besides, there is talk that he and Christine Stuart will be engaged any day now, so what's the point of thinking on it any longer. But when Gilbert becomes gravely ill, Anne is forced to reveal her true feelings for Gil to herself, even if she may never have him.

The remaining books in the Anne series bring many more disappointments for Anne and Gilbert, but also many moments of joy and triumph. And when World War I threatens to change their lives forever, the faith and loyalty of Dog Monday is an example to all.



Many years after these books were written, Sullivan Entertainment, captured some of Montgomery's books on film. Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea, were followed by Anne: The Continuing Story and Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning. While Sullivan totally went away from Montgomery's beloved books with the last two movies, the first two captured the essence of Lucy Maud Montgomery's Anne perfectly, even when the storylines were decidedly different.

Anne of Green Gables has remained one of my all-time favorite series of books. Through the work of the Lucy Maud Montgomery Institute, Sullivan Entertainment, and the many Anne fans worldwide, the feisty red-headed orphan girl lives on and will continue to attract new fans for generations to come.