The Innocent ~ Review

The Innocent
By Ann H. Gabhart

Carlyn Kearney is facing a choice she had hoped that she would never have to face.  Two years have passed since she last heard from her husband and she cannot make up the payments that have been missed.  With no family that she can turn to, she finds her hopes of safety live with the Shaker community of Harmony Hill.

But is Carlyn ready to embrace the Shaker life?  A life that she finds herself not completely prepared for.  A life that is so different from her own.

But when trouble finds its way to Harmony Hill, Carlyn has to question where safety can be found? And is she truly willing to commit to a life of celibacy as a Shaker?

I have read several of Ann's books in the past, but none were from her Shaker series.  I've heard of Shakers before, but it was more of a passing comment in a history book or in reference to Quakers. I have to say this was quite an eye opening reading experience.  First off I didn't know the Shaker stance on marriage and communal living.  I did know that they and the Quakers were pacifists.  I found their views about Mother Ann interesting.

But this was both an entertaining and an educational reading experience.  I have to admit being intrigued enough that I want to read the previous Shaker books that Ann has written.  And thanks to the easy access of the internet I did a little research on the histories of both the Quakers and the Shakers.  There are some interesting recordings of Shaker music that one can listen to clips of on CD Baby.

I really love when I read a book that sparks my interest in something I'm not familiar with.

And The Innocent definitely is one book that fulfilled all my expectations.  Fans of historical fiction, romance, and even mysteries will find something to love in this book.  And if you are a dog lover there is Asher.  Everyone should have a dog as loyal as Asher!

I was provided a copy of this book by Revell through their blogger program in exchange for my honest review.


About the Book:

She longs for peace

--for her land and her heart--

but can it truly be found at Harmony Hill?

Carlyn Kearney has spent two lonely years not knowing whether to mourn or to hope after she receives word from the Union Army that her husband is missing. When the war ends without further word, Carlyn finds herself penniless, in debt, and forced from her home. With nowhere else to go, she seeks refuge at the Shaker village of Harmony Hill.

The Shakers profess peace through simple living, but to Carlyn, the Shaker life seems anything but simple. When mysterious deaths disturb the peace of the village, Carlyn falls under intense scrutiny. Can a kind sheriff help her expose the true culprit?

Bestselling author Ann H. Gabhart invites fans back to Harmony Hill for a story laced with intrigue, romance, and heart.

About the Author:
Ann H. Gabhart is the bestselling author of several Shaker novels--The Outsider, The Believer, The Seeker,The Blessed, and The Gifted--as well as Angel Sister,Small Town Girl, Love Comes Home, Words Spoken True, and The Heart of Hollyhill series. She lives with her husband a mile from where she was born in rural Kentucky. Learn more at www.annhgabhart.com.