Over the past few years, I've found myself very picky over the fiction that I read. Maybe it's my age. I could not get into this title. I tried a couple of times. There were some parts that I found engrossing and some that I just wanted to skip over.

I've yet to find out what makes my kind of fiction and I hope I figure it out soon.

The Promise of Breeze Hill is Pam Hillman's first book in her "Natchez Trace" series. Based on this book, I would say her series will be a 'winner' for all who enjoy historical fiction

I fell in love with the characters in this book, the good and the bad. Ms. Hillman breathed life into a cast of characters from plantation owners and indentured servants, to piratous cut-throats and just plain mean folk. She did it well as I rooted for them, yelled at them and wanted to wring some of their necks.

The leading characters are Isabella, plantation owner, and Connor, an indentured servant. Sparks fly between these two whenever they appear in a scene together. Connor, oh, my, my, my, what a swoon-worthy character. He is definitely one of my favorite hero characters of all time. Right up there with Rhett Butler.

There are several topics that Ms. Hillman tackled within the covers of this book. Pride, commitment, jealousy and greed, just to name a few. Her characters tackled these issues and persevered, offering hope to all.

This was an extremely well-written historical novel with a Christian thread woven throughout. I would highly recommend this wonderful novel.

On a 5-Star scale = 5 HUGE Stars!!!!!

I would like to thank the author for my copy of The Promise of Breeze Hill. I received it for free in order to read it and give my honest review.

In The Promise of Breeze Hill, Pam Hillman shares a story full of history and romance, and I really enjoyed it. The characters are engaging, the romantic development sweet, the historical detail fascinating, and the overall story excellent. Page after page of this book, I loved seeing everything for Connor O’Shea and Isabella Bartholomew progress and had a delightful time reading it. I can’t wait to read more from Pam Hillman and, in the meantime, recommend this book to readers of historical romance.

A good read that deals with Isabella Bartholomew, daughter of a plantation owner that has to deal with the running of the plantation after her brothers death and an accident that left her father in a very weak state and Connor O'shea a man indentured in an effort to bring his brothers over from Ireland.

I loved the relationship between the characters. The relationship between Isabella and her father was really sweet, there was great trust between her father and Connor and of course the relationship between the both of them. I greatly admired her father when he stood up against the injustice taking place on his land.

All in all a great book, this is the first book I read by Pam Hillman and I'm looking forward to other books in this series.

Thanks to Netgalley and Tyndale House Publishers for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for the chance to review this book, however, unfortunately, I was unable to read and review this title before it was archived.

3.5 stars
At first this was shaping up to be very close to a five-star read. The prose is lyrical and the characters and circumstances very engaging. I was a bit shocked to see a French profanity in a scene, but I was still really enjoying it.

A little past the halfway point, it seemed to lose focus. Strong Isabella falls prey to worry and misunderstandings and begins to believe that the bad guy might actually hold the solution. It was still a very interesting story, but it wasn’t as compelling, and I felt that it began to lose a bit of its uniqueness as a story in a little-featured time period and place. Then I encountered two more profanities, this time in English, at 73% and 74%. Seriously, I’m so fed up with Christian authors who write characters who take God’s name in vain. Fed up with “mainstream” Christian publishers who think it’s okay to leave it in.

Well, so Isabella finds herself at the end of the rope, and she takes matters into her own hand. Rather than seeking wise counsel from the people around her, rather than praying and seeking God for an answer, she does what she thinks is “wise,” thereby endangering herself and several other people. The odds are not good. Ultimately the rescue felt like mere chance, a convenient way to complete two or three plot points within a given amount of time.

The ending was satisfying and the writing style itself stayed engaging and well-crafted throughout the story.

Thanks to NetGalley for a free review copy.

Following the death of her brother and her father’s subsequent injuries, Isabella Bartholemew is left in control of her family plantation of Breeze Hill on the Natchez Trace. She needs labour. Her father is opposed to slavery. So she hires an indentured Irish carpenter to rebuild the estate—Connor O’Shea.

I liked Isabella. She was a strong woman who was prepared to do what needed to be done to protect her family and her home. And there were a lot of threats. Natchez in 1791 wasn’t a safe place for a woman almost alone. It was surrounded by slave traders, rouges on the road, and several suitors … some of whom are not what they appear.

That’s a lot of trouble to navigate, and Isabella does it well. She was more intelligent and more savvy than many historical romance heroines. I liked that.

I enjoyed watching Isabella and Connor get to know each other, and watching their relationship progress against the backdrop of the local troubles. Connor O’Shea is practically perfect. He is a handsome, hardworking man of faith and principles, who once made the mistake of falling for the wrong girl. He says he’s determined not to do the same again, but his actions (and feelings) don’t match his words or will. This makes for some fun in the romance. (Although there was also plenty of conflict.)

All in all, The Promise of Breeze Hill was an excellent historical romance. The ending was perhaps a little too neat, but that’s a small niggle in an enjoyable novel. Thanks to NetGalley and Tyndale House for providing a free ebook for review.

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My Thoughts:
I honestly don't know why it took me so long to start this book. But it did. I was captivated by the first few pages. And while it took me about 2 weeks to actually read the book, I'm so glad that I finally got around to it.

I loved Connor. I loved how he was determined to keep Isabella safe at all costs. I loved how she was just as determined to not let him. I also enjoyed learning more about the history of Natchez as most of my knowledge of that town comes from the form of the musical Showboat.

I'm looking forward to seeing these characters again in the next one of the series, about Connor's brother Quinn.

I received a Kindle copy via NetGalley from the publisher. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of historical fiction, Julie Lessman, Pam Hillman, Jody Hedlund, Laura Frantz

Rating - 4 stars

Mississippi is known for slavery, but it isn’t a black man on the auction block in the opening pages of The Promise of Breeze Hill. Connor O’Shea is white Irish and an indentured servant. Freedom would be nice, but it won’t get him the money he needs to give his brothers a new start in life. The night after Isabella buys him, however, he makes a vicious enemy. A man whose pride has been wounded can be dangerous, especially when he’s in the employ of someone with their own reasons for wanting Connor out of the way.

The historic and foreboding Natchez Trace is central to this new series by Pam Hillman. Breeze Hill is situated alongside and, therefore, there are many scenes set on it. Much of the book, though, is taken up with Connor attempting to resist any romance with Isabella while also keeping her out of danger. He fails at both more than once, but he makes a good impression on her father and a slave at a neighboring plantation. The latter will prove advantageous at a pivotal moment of the narrative. The neighboring plantation families are a mixed bag and their morals contrast sharply with ours, especially where slavery is concerned. There is some violence, mostly against slaves, although there’s also a barroom brawl and an indication of what might face Isabella during one of the times she’s in peril. Overall, The Promise of Breeze Hill was a breeze of a read and I’ll probably read the next in the series if it becomes available to me.

Thank you to Tyndale for my complimentary electronic advance reader copy of The Promise of Breeze Hill, which I downloaded via NetGalley.

The Promise of Breeze Hill is so sweet and humble and yet strong the kind that a women finds within herself, but there is the knowledge that GOD is there - how could you go wrong? Isabella has a hard thing thrown upon her shoulders - she has to take over the plantation - when there is someone who wants to wipe them all out - unbeknownst to her -- at least there for a while - so a handsome Irish man walks into her life to take over taking care of her plantation and - hey wait a minute - I am not going to tell you the story - you have to go and read it - it is incredible -- this book pulls your heart out of your chest when you realize what is happening - you want to scream out loud "Isabella watch your back girl this and that is going to happen"", and "Conner hurry up take care of Isabella", you get so raveled up into their lives because you fall so in love with them you just cannot help yourself - don't regret not getting this incredible book.

Pam Hillman writes a story that leaves you breathless. The romance in them are wonderful

Characters
Connor: A gentle, protective, swoon-worthy hero. Irish. Isabella: A gutsy heroine determined to save her struggling plantation home. 

They both dearly love their families and put their heart and soul into pursuing their goals.

Secondary characters in this novel are memorable as well! Many unique and vivid portraits of Southern folk. This heroine has a mystery tied to her mother, which was intriguing. And I found it interesting to watch her grow from an impetuous young girl into her role of perceptive woman-of-the-house. 

Setting
Fascinating history. Life and times of Mississippians at the end of the 18th century. This was before statehood, so when the men gathered on the porch to drink lemonade, they spoke of the territory and governor and banded together as property owners to deal with the issues facing them and their loved ones. I also found interesting the mentions of Irish slaves and their role during this time period. 

Romance
From the moment Connor and Isabella meet at the auction block, he is so wounded and guilt-ridden and defensive, but matures through his love for the heroine and his realization that his perceptions from his past life are wrong. Connor has had a previous, hurtful relationship, but Isabella is quite innocent about men. About many things, as she has been sheltered and well-guarded in her plantation home and social circles. Though Connor has been ill-treated by a woman, gives care to be respectful and gentle with Isabella, no matter how little he trusts her. As their feelings grow, their relationship develops tenderly, showcasing Connor's protective instincts. 

Pace  

Well-paced, flowing, and varied. Thoughtful at times and action packed at others. Goes perfectly with lemonade and porch swings!

 

Stakes
The danger of highwaymen along the Natchez Trace and specifically the Devil’s Backbone were historical bits I’d never heard of until reading Pam’s blogs about her research for this book. An eye-opening subject since sometimes we, at least I, tend to think of the Natchez Trace as a peaceful, scenic joyride. Not so during the 18th century. I'm glad for books like these that bring out the struggles of those in prior centuries, familiar struggles that I can relate to and learn from.

Overall Impression
The history fascinates, characters made me care about them, and I can’t wait to see what happens to the other Connor brothers!

The cover for this book is beautiful, and was the main reason for my choice here. The author is new to me, and I am generally not that interested in this time period and location. I've never heard of Natchez or the Trace, or familiar with the issues of the day. The benefit of reading books like this, especially with the historical fiction, is exactly that. A greater understanding of the history of an area.

Connor O'Shea has been working under a well known and respected carpenter/craftsman and is now indentured to a Plantation along the Natchez Trace, MS. He was sent off to America after what he considers the biggest mistake of his life - falling for a woman far above his station. A landowners daughter in Ireland. Leaving behind his brothers he is determined to earn enough for passage to bring them to him in America. He has no idea however the dire straits that Breeze Hill is in, nor is he aware of the danger the Bartholomew family is in. They have suffered death and destruction and Isabella's father is highly suspicious that there is powers at play to bring about the downfall of his Plantation. He has lost a son, and half the home to a fire, in which he himself was also badly wounded. Connor is brought to Breeze Hill in efforts to rebuild the home, and assist what is left of his workers in getting the Plantation back on track.

Isabella is desperate to prove her value, and just wants to do right by everyone. In that she makes quick decisions that place her in harms way on many an occasion, giving our hero Connor many an opportunity to step in and rescue. With many landowner suitors clamoring for her attention, Isabella has a alternative focus than what she had only mere months earlier. The sudden tragic death of her brother (and heir to the plantation) has put her on a path of trying to protect those left, including her sister in law who is pregnant with a potential new heir. There is evil at play and it seems no-one is safe along the Trace.

There's times when I felt like the story lagged a little, waiting periods while we reflect on Isabella's thoughts. Connor reminds us often of the pitfalls of falling in love above your station. The author does a fine job of incorporating many elements into the plot. Highwaymen, Slave owners/traders, Upper Class, the Spanish Governor & the French baddie. Overall I give this book 3.5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley & Tyndale for the complimentary eARC. This is my honest review.

I have to say the first meet with Connor O’ Shea up on the auction block; I knew my heart was in trouble! As soon as I heard his Irish lilt, I was in deep waters and didn’t care if I drowned. His sparkling green eyes and crooked smile added to his charm, the more I got to know his character in the story, the more I knew he was a man of integrity, gentle faith, and a rare steadfastness. A man one could count on in a pinch, reliable as the snow in winter and a great protector of those he feels responsible for. He has a great capacity to love as seen in his need to secure passage for his younger brothers. A hero worthy of his weight in gold.

Of course, any good hero needs a heroine by his side! I think he more than met his match in Isabella Bartholomew. A lady of distinguishable character who’s been through the fire, literally after her plantation & cotton crops caught fire all but destroying her home, a lucrative future and the father she loves. Having been thrust into a position no lady of her era should be in, she rises above the challenge by indenturing O’ Shea to rebuild Breeze Hill in exchange for his brother’s safe passage to the Americas. These two certainly shoot sparks and brandish words as if sword fighting! Snappish dialogue aside, there’s an ever-growing attraction just under the surface which adds to the tension.

No story would be complete without some nefarious characters to add extra layers to an already tense plot. It certainly had me turning pages faster just to see what happens next and how both O’Shea and Mistress Bartholomew can eliminate the danger surrounding the estate. Lastly, I never heard of the Natchez Trace and the author certainly gives a complete picture in history. A dangerous passage wrought with highwaymen with no regard to life and the greed of money making many a wary traveler.

I found this to be a historically rich, many layered, and engaging novel with the kind of character depth I so love. I would easily put this as one of my top reads of 2017, finishing it in a mere 24 hours!

The Promise of Breeze Hill by Pam Hillman is a Christian novel set in 1791 Mississippi along the Natchez Trace.
Isabella Bartholomew came to Natchez looking for a carpenter to rebuild the wing of Breeze Hill damaged in a fire. Her father was also severely burned and still recovering. She purchases the indenture of Connor O’Shea with the terms being that he will receive passage for his four brothers from Ireland at the completion of the work. He soon learns there is more to the story than just an accidental fire; the cotton crop was destroyed by the fire and finances are very strained. He and Isabella also become closer and he is torn about his feelings for her as she is the mistress of the plantation. Is someone out to destroy Breeze Hill and why? Can Isabella and Connor save the plantation?
Pam Hillman is an excellent story teller and this one does not disappoint. The characters are described in detail and come to life on the page; the bad guys are truly evil and I was concerned when Isabella was in their presence. There are many twists and turns to the story; I couldn’t put it down wondering what secrets would be revealed next. Who can be trusted? Who has the most to gain by taking over Breeze Hill? Can being kind to strangers be dangerous? All of these questions are answered and some in very unexpected ways. I do have to admit the ending left me with some questions and I wonder if a sequel may be in the works. This book is a definite 5 of 5 stars. Everyone who enjoys Christian novels will not want to miss this one!
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I seriously loved the history and setting of this story! It's a time and place I know little about, so I was fascinated by the details of life there, the dangers and struggles, the successes and progress. The vibrant characters made it come alive and it was great to see Isabella and Connor's relationship shift throughout the book. The author chose to let us know who the villain is from the beginning so even though it wasn't a mystery who was causing the destruction, there was still heightened tension and I couldn't help but want to warn Isabella! It was admirable to see how Connor helped Isabella's father recuperate in body and mind, and his strength was able to continue as the foundation of Breeze Hill. The sweet romance is woven throughout various hardships and challenges, and I loved every minute of reading this book. Highly recommend to fans of Laura Frantz and Tamera Alexander!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

A powerful must read! It is written about a time in our history in the South. I fell in love with the characters. I loved the whole plot and especially the inspirational thread throughout the book. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series.

THE PROMISE OF BREEZE HILL is an excellent novel...wonderfully written, fully developed and a joy to read. I loved it. I have shared this story w/ all of my reading friends. Thank you for the opportunity to read it. FIVE STARS.

I'm not sure which character I liked reading about more, Isabella or Connor. And then putting the two of them together?! It was beyond entertaining. Between Connor's wit and sarcasm, and Isabella's determination and grit, it seemed destined these two would get under each other's skin. In a charming way of course! Their growing attraction for one another was not lost on me, no matter how much they tried to deny it. The banter between these two characters was my favorite part of the book, and lasted right up until the end.

The author did a wonderful job in mixing suspense, romance, family, and survival in this story. The story flowed beautifully, and my eyes were not going anywhere until I saw the words "the end". Perhaps what captured my attention the most was the prayers the characters were quick to say. They didn't have to be long and drawn out, just enough to grab my attention. I like seeing faith in my leading characters without being too preachy. I want it to be natural, and this was very natural.

Bottom line - this is a great story. The setting is beautiful, the characters are strong, and while there are some heavy topics written, there are some comical and light hearted scenes interwoven that allow you to regroup and carry on. Highly recommend you give this a try. I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.