Book Review and Giveaway: "Love's Rescue" by Linda Shenton Matchett

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About the Book

A prostitute, a spy, and the liberation of Paris.

Sold by her parents to settle a debt, Rolande Bisset is forced into prostitution. Years later, shunned by her family and most of society, it’s the only way she knows how to subsist. When the Germans overrun Paris, she decides she’s had enough of evil men controlling her life and uses her wiles to obtain information for the Allied forces. Branded a collaborator, her life hangs in the balance. Then an American spy stumbles onto her doorstep. Is redemption within her grasp?

​Simon Harlow is one of an elite corps of American soldiers. Regularly chosen for dangerous covert missions, he is tasked with infiltrating Paris to ascertain the Axis’s defenses. Nearly caught by German forces moments after arriving, he owes his life to the beautiful prostitute who claims she’s been waiting for the Allies to arrive. Her lifestyle goes against everything he believes in, but will she steal his heart during his quest to liberate her city?
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Inspired by the biblical story of Rahab, Love’s Rescue is a tale of faith and hope during one of history’s darkest periods.

My Review

​Love’s Rescue is the first book I’ve read by Linda Shenton Matchett. It’s the second in the Wartime Brides series but works completely fine as a standalone book. Love’s Rescue is set in German occupied Paris, France, near the end of World War II.
 
Ms. Shenton Matchett has written a great story that explores topics including survival, redemption, and trusting in God.
 
Rolande is our main character. She is a French woman forced into prostitution and eventually becomes a member of the French Resistance. Rolande is smart and resourceful and though she is aware of what her family and other people think of her, she is unapologetic about what she had to do to survive. She is hesitant to believe that God can use someone like her to do His work, but learns to trust that is true.
 
Simon is our other main character. He’s an American soldier who is tasked with infiltrating Paris to ascertain the locations of German troops before the Allied invasion of Paris. He’s a nice character who is uneasy about what he’s done in the war and takes an instant liking to Rolande.
 
Because this is a novella, the romance between Rolande and Simon feels rushed, but we expect that out of these shorter stories. Love’s Rescue felt extremely quick, however, and it spent a lot of time on the set up of the story that could’ve been discarded.
 
The novella is a very quick and easy read, but Ms. Shenton Matchett creates emotions and depth in the main characters that belies the shortness of the story. Despite the rushed romance, both Rolande and Simon are fully realized characters with motivations and character actions that make sense for their respective plotlines and characters.
 
I give Love’s Rescue 3/5 stars and can recommend it to anyone looking for a quick, somewhat satisfying read that explores themes of redemption and trust.
 
**I received a complimentary copy of this book from CelebrateLit. All opinions are my own.** 

​About the Author

​Linda Shenton Matchett is an author, speaker, and history geek. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, she was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry (of Star Spangled Banner fame) and has lived in historic places all her life. Linda is a member of ACFW, RWA, and Sisters in Crime. She is a volunteer docent and archivist at the Wright Museum of WWII and a trustee for her local public library.

​More from Linda:

​Love’s Rescue is a modern retelling of the biblical book of Rahab. I set the story in Paris during the last weeks of the German occupation of France during WWII. While researching the book, I read numerous memoirs and interviews of folks who lived through the occupation. Two aspects discussed time and time again were rationing and the difficulty in getting food. People with any amount of land at all planted produce to supplement the meager supply in the shops. If they were fortunate and an egg was available, it would be fried to a runny consistency and poured over the top of the dish.

Here is a simple recipe for Ratatouille:
Ingredients
1 whole white onion
1 large eggplant
1 large zucchini
1 bell pepper
2 medium tomatoes
2 large cloves garlic
2 sprigs thyme
2 T Olive oil
Salt & Pepper

Instructions

• Peel garlic cloves. Smash with end of knife, then cut into a small dice.
• Cut onions, bell pepper, and tomatoes into a medium dice.
• Chop the eggplant and zucchini into 1” cubes.
• In a large saucepan or pot, warm olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Warm over low heat. Add the onion to the pot and cook until tender – about five minutes.
• Add garlic and saute for about 30 seconds.
• Add remaining vegetables to the pot.
• Add a generous pinch of salt and a light pinch of pepper.
• Add the thyme.
• Cover the saucepan or pot with a lid and cook over medium-low heat for approximately 40 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender and there is little liquid in the pot.
• Serve on your favorite platter.

Bon Appétit!

Blog Stops

​Texas Book-aholic, April 16
Carpe Diem, April 17
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 18
Reflections From My Bookshelves, April 19
Inklings and notions , April 20
A Reader’s Brain, April 21
Genesis 5020, April 22
Books, Books, and More Books., April 22
Carla Loves to Read, April 23
Connie’s History Classroom, April 23
For Him and my Family, April 24
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 24
Maureen’s Musings, April 25
Connect in Fiction, April 26
Through the Fire Blogs, April 26
mpbooks, April 27
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 27
Real World Bible Study, April 28
My Devotional Thoughts , April 28
janicesbookreviews, April 29
The Becca Files, April 29

​Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Linda is giving away a grand prize of a French/WWII themed gift basket that includes a WWII Word Find book by Linda Shenton Matchett, Love’s Rescue – Wartime Brides Book 2 by Linda Shenton Matchett, French-milled soap lavender scent, a Fleur-de-lis ribbon book mark, a set of three note pads with French motif, and a set of cocktail napkins with French motif!!
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Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/de7e/love-s-rescue-celebration-tour-giveaway