Authors like Lori Benton and Laura Frantz have endeared me to this period of historical fiction. If you've enjoyed their work, I encourage you to pick up a copy of The Heart's Stronghold. Below, I've rated the individual stories with what I saw to be their greatest strengths. In my opinion, the depth and heart of the books built into a lovely crescendo (hence the reason I've listed them in reverse order).

A Promise for Tomorrow by Amanda Barratt
Fort Boonesborough, Kentucky, 1778
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Positives:
• Barratt's contribution held the most action.
• If you've read My Dearest Deitrich, you know how emotive Barratt's writing can be. ♥️
• The more I learned of Rosina's past, the more I longed for her to find happiness.
• Silas is a dear!

****

A Treaty of Tulips by Angie Dicken
Fort Burnett in Upstate New York, 1740
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• Sabine would not allow herself to be ruled by fear.
• I enjoyed how Dicken used Jacob and Sabine's friendship to demonstrate how our differences can lead to our collective strength.
• Sabine's mother's blindness and offering of tulips add another layer to the story.
• The character's faith is integral to the storyline.
• In regards to his post as well as his daughter, Jacob's sense of duty is honorable.

Favorite Quotes:

“We all have valleys in which we walk. Mine was dark and desolate—a stubborn journey with my back to the Lord. These blooms were my comfort, my reminder that forgiveness is near.”

"He may never be able to avoid trials, but he could remain strong and courageous to face hardship when it came. No matter the discord around them, he’d follow Sabine’s persistent desire to courageously follow peace."

****

Embers of Hope by Kimberley Woodhouse
Castle Island, Massachusetts, 1674
Castle William (which would eventually become Fort Independence)
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Positives
• A bit of a mystery is woven into the story.
• The story ties back to The Mayflower Bride which is another book by this author that I enjoyed.
• Are you feeling antsy in our COVID-19 quarantine? Esther endures a similar period of self-isolation.
• Esther doesn't allow the way people treat her to make her bitter. Instead presses on—winning others over by her selfless service.

Favorite Quotes:
"Where was her trust? God had brought them here for a purpose. It was her job to rest in that."

"Theirs had been a friendship that was quite uncommon. Simple moments talking together. Sharing by the fire. It wasn’t how it would be done in Boston, but what did that matter? It was natural and real. And that was what she loved."

****

Virginia Company Bride by Gabrielle Meyer
James Fort at Jamestown, Virginia, 1608

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
After the death of her mistress, Anne Burras finds herself to be the focus of attention among the Fort's 400 male occupants. Some are happy to see someone of the fairer sex while others cling to old superstitions and label her as a curse. One man, John Layton, stood apart from the rest. Although reluctant at first, he did seek to protect her—until he found he could no longer protect his own heart.

Positives
• The main characters have brief encounters with Pocahontas and John Smith.
• Loosely based on a true story.
• The author does a nice job explaining the layout, industry, and threats against James Fort.

Of all the stories in this collection, this one resonated with me the least. The courtship was too short and shallow for my taste... "A month had gone by since Anne Burras had arrived in Virginia, and John was surprised at how much his life had changed since that fateful day. He never would have believed the first time he saw her that he would be anticipating their wedding any day now." I also felt it lacked the depth of the other stories in the collection.

very great encouraging stories, I loved the writing how this to me didn't feel too far apart as far as the author's styles changed from story to story one of my favorite collection of short stories I've read in a while. The only things id change more shows of Ann's life outside of feeling alone at the beginning of "Virginia Company Bride" it did feel a little repetitive.

Great historical read! The detailed research is evident in all the stories. Each tale was vastly different from one another, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I typically shy away from “collections” because they are the same story with different names but the ones in this collection were new and fresh.

4 novella length stories with each taking place on a different fort from the early days of Us history.
I found it especially fascinating because I also live in an unincorporated area, Fort Loudon, PA which is rich in history . The fort here was built in 1756 during the French and Indian War and reading these novellas I could vividly picture what life was like at the fort during this time.
Inspirational stores that will give you hope, they tell of life's struggles,turmoils,forgiveness,truth,triumph and finding love in the most unexpected way.
It's all the goodness of God's timing.
I really loved these stories!

Pub Date 01 Mar 2020 Barbour Publishing, Inc.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

This book consists of four novellas that each focus on a different fort from the early days of the US. Each story is historical fiction, so I found myself googling different people/places/events as I read. It was interesting to learn more about that time in our country’s history.

I received this book through NetGalley. I was not required to give a positive review.

Four great novellas in one. They are all centered around Colonial Forts. Well written and lots of great characters in each book. 1 Virginia Company Bride by Gabrielle Meyer is a story about the only women in the settlement. Lots of true historical info in this book. How hard it was for her to have no one that she could talk to. 2 Embers of hope by Kimberly Woodhouse is a story about superstitions of a women being in a Colonial Fort and how a women brought bad luck to the fort. Everything that happens is always do to a women being in the fort. 3 A treaty of Tulips by Angie Dickens is a story about a family called the Van Der Bergs . The daughter Sabine becomes good friends with the Native Americans and she teaches others about them. When Lt. Jacob Bennington comes to the island to secure and extent the fort from the French and the Natives Sabine starts to open her heart to him. 4 A Promise of Tomorrow by Amanda Barratt tells the story of Fort Boonesborough in 1778. When Rosina Whiting husband is killed by the Indians Rosina walks to Fort Boonesbrough she meets Silas who she loved but was forced to marry another man. Can they find love again? I loved all these novellas loved to see each women and how they were strong and brave.

These four inspirational stories tell tales of struggle, catastrophe and triumph. Love found under the most unlikely of circumstances. All involve fortifications of some sort, be they physical or mental. Walls put up to protect.

Basic forts, stone castles, superstition, folklore, and a clash of cultures, all factor into these stories of faith and fortitude. They will capture your heart.

This was a great book with four very different stories all set in early America. Each story gave a glimpse of the hardships that the early settlers had to deal with.
Virginia Company Bride gave a taste of what life would be like for the only female in a settlement. I liked Anne's tenacity as she had to live among so many men. The way that the settlers had to overcome diseases and attacks from those that didn't want them in the area showed great strength.
Embers of Hope showed how superstitions ruled men's hearts. The stone mason's daughter showed great strength in adversity when she faced the superstitions of the men on the island. She kept her faith when accusations were flung her way. She was able to overcome the negativity through her faith in Christ.
A Treaty of Tulips shared how the relations among the early settlers and the Native Americans was so fragile. I enjoyed seeing how a woman had such a strong relationship with the Native peoples that she was able to teach others what she learned.
A Promise for Tomorrow showed the rising tension between the hostile Native Americans, England and the early Americans. This story was filled with tension and a seemingly hopeless situation. I enjoyed watching a romance grow under such dire circumstances.
Overall, this was a great collection of stories that kept me reading. I felt like I was with the characters as they faced down their circumstances. I recommend this book to those that love early American history and romance.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Books through Netgalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

This read consisted on four novellas with a time period spanning from 1608 to 1778, and focuses on the founders of our Great Country.
We are given a sweet romance in each of these locations, but we also get to walk in the shoes of these people who gave so much, and didn’t have easy lives.
From the Virginia Colony, where we ended up with the gift of the first child born in this Country, to the building of what would become Fort Independence in Massachusetts, to enlarging of Fort Oswego, a place near me and I have visited, and finally Fort Boonesborough, with Daniel Boone present!
As we journey with these individuals, we see the contributions and sacrifices these patriots made for us. The common thread in all of these reads is a love of God.

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Barbour, and was not required to give a positive review

Heart's Stronghold 4 Stories of Love on the Edge of the Frontier
by Kimberley Woodhouse, Gabrielle Meyer, Angie Dicken, Amanda Barratt. The stories are Christian Historical Fiction set in early United States History. If you have read the series Mayflower Brides this book is similar in that it has many historical details of early America, Christian perspectives, romance and lots of thrilling action.
I appreciated the admonition to share the Gospel and remember those who will perish without Christ while we worry about our daily challenges. I loved reading this book because it helped me to imagine the experiences my ancestors may have had.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I appreciate the opportunity and thank the author and publisher for allowing me to read, enjoy and review this book. 5 Stars

The Heart's Stronghold is four sweet novellas that are set during the early days of America - spanning a hundred years (1608 to 1778) across the wilds of the frontier forts. The characters and stories are captivating and the world of these early forts is brought to life. I enjoyed each of the stories and honestly can't choose a favorite amongst them. Great glimpse into history and a bit of heartwarming romance.

Journey back to the rugged American frontier with these entertaining stories to meet four young, memorable, courageous heroines who face illness, harsh weather, superstition, and other hardships and conflicts; and in the midst of all this, find love. Set in four real-life forts during the 1600s and 1700s, these romantic novellas are chocked full of historical detail making them educational as well as enjoyable. The characters are well-developed and engaging. Real-life characters and events are expertly incorporated with the fictional ones. Stands of faith are woven throughout the stories. I highly recommend this easy-to-read narrative.
Quotes that caught my attention follow:
“In a land where life was short and precious, he’d found that love grew quickly.”
(from Virginia Company Bride by Gabrielle Meyer)
“She realized that beauty wasn’t in the seeing but in the knowing—not just appreciating His creation by sight, but knowing Him fully in her heart.”
(from A Treaty of Tulips by Angie Dicken)
“Words are leaves flung into the air to flutter down weightless. Action—now action was lead, heavy and powerful.”
(from A Promise for Tomorrow by Amanda Barratt)
“But God provides ample strength for whatever we must face. Be it the waiting or the acting.”
(from A Promise for Tomorrow by Amanda Barratt)
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via netgalley but am under no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Hearts Stronghold
This is a book comprised of 4 short stories. They all are set between the early 1600’s and the late 1700’s. During the early settlements of the colonies. They told of the hardships of limited supplies, rough winters, dealings with the French, English, Spanish and the Native Americans. Women were frowned upon, or ogled,if they were anywhere near the forts and soldiers. I have not read any of these authors before. They were ok, but nothing outstanding. By the last two stories I started skimming through. They just were to similar storylines. If you are into that time era and history you may love them.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

A worthwhile read. Four stories, set in early American times will give you a glimpse into parts of our country’s history that may be very unfamiliar to many of us. The stories also give you a glimpse into the lives of women, greatly out numbered by the men, yet brave and ready to live on the frontiers of a new land and face danger and threatening attacks.
Each author does a great job giving as many historical details as possible. Every story held my attention wondering what would happen next!

Virginia Company Bride by Gabrielle Meyer
I adored this one! I liked that it was based on real historical people and that the author looked for the story within what was written in the history books. It was an intriguing premise and I think she did a great job with it. It was highly engaging and easy to read in just one sitting.

Embers of Hope by Kimberley Woodhouse
I am a pretty huge fan of the Daughters of the Mayflower series, so I was pretty excited to see Kimberley Woodhouse choose to create a fictional character who was a descendant from one of the most memorable real-life characters found in her book The Mayflower Bride. It was interesting how big of a role superstition played in this one and I liked how it was all played out. I always love how saturated this author's works are with real history and how she is able to seamlessly weave it into her fiction. This isn't a highly common time period to read in but I really enjoyed it and wish it could have been a full-length novel.

A Treaty of Tulips by Angie Dicken
There's something about reading a book that takes place in familiar territory that makes you love it more. Born and raised in NY and currently living less than a half hour from Fort Niagara (which isn't the main fort but is mentioned), I got excited to read this one. I liked that the author was able to create some space in the timeline of this one to make the romance more believable. I also liked the drama within that held my attention and kept the pages turning.

A Promise for Tomorrow by Amanda Barratt
I love how Amanda Barratt wrote with such vivid imagery that it was easy to imagine yourself within the setting. My heart went out to Rosina and I found myself desperately hoping for her happiness. This was another one that I really enjoyed and wished it could have been a full length novel so that I could spend more time with the characters. I wasn't ready to let them go in the end.

I'll admit that I don't read a ton of novellas because I like my full-length novels, but recently I've started to really enjoy them. Typically I've found that I like some but not others in a collection, however I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed every single one of these. Barbour did a wonderful job of picking just the right authors for this collection.

*I received a copy of this book from Barbour Publishing through NetGalley. Thoughts and opinions expressed are mine alone.

The Heart’s Stronghold is a wonderful book containing 4 delightful novellas of historical fiction. Although the novellas are stand alone reads, each story pairs beautifully and progresses smoothly from the year 1608 to 1778 and revolve around a different fort, a particular time in American history and a sweet love interest. Although the stories and some of the characters are fictitious, the forts themselves and periods of time are historically accurate.

In the Virginia Company Bride by Gabrielle Meyer, Anne Burras, a maid to Mistress Forest, arrives at James Fort, Jamestown, Va in 1608. When Mistress Forest passes shortly after arriving, Anne has no choice but to stay at the fort and earn her keep until the next ship departs for England. John Layton, a hard working tradesman, objects to having Anne in the fort. As the only woman and so many men, he’s adamant she will be a liability and a distraction at a time when the men are struggling to survive in an untamed wilderness. What John Layton doesn’t count on though is the feelings he develops for Miss Anne Burras.

In Embers of Hope by Kimberly Woodhouse, Samuel Howland travels to Castle Island near Boston Massachusetts in 1674 tasked with rebuilding Fort Independence. An expert stone mason, Samuel brings along his son and daughter Esther to assist him in the process. Samuel and his son are accepted immediately, but Esther's welcome is not as warm. The men at Castle Island are superstitious about women at the fort and from the moment she arrives accidents begin to happen. Captain Christopher Lathan, in charge of the fort and overseeing the project, is determined to continue the building progress the men have made under Samuel while squashing all rumours and ill will towards Esther. However, denying his feelings for the young woman is another matter.

In A Treaty of Tulips by Angie Dicken, Lt. Jacob Bennington, is a British soldier dispatched to Fort Burnet in 1740 to secure and extend its perimeter against any threats from the French and local Native American Indians. At first, Jacob’s initial presence is seen as an intrusion to Sabine Van Der Berg, a young woman living with her parents near the fort and the Iroquis tribe the family has befriended. Sabine is fearful that the young lieutenant’s ambition in protecting the fort and extending its walls will cause ill-will among the Iroquis and as a result cause mistrust and disrupt trade. But the more time Sabine spends with Jacob to teach him the ways of the Native American people and the wild frontier, the more their feelings grow for one another,.

A Promise of Tomorrow by Amanda Barratt tells the story of Fort Boonesborough in 1778 and the fight of the first Kentuckians for independence. When Rosina Whiting comes home from foraging in the woods she finds her husband dead, scalped and their cabin burned to the ground. Several months pregnant she takes her only possessions, the clothes on her back and her rifle and heads out to Fort Boonesborough for safety and protection. Although her husband had not been liked, the residents of the fort welcome her and take her in as long as she wants to stay. One such resident is Silas Longridge, the man she loves and had hoped to marry. When the peace of the fort is disturbed by the British together with the neighboring Native American Indians, it's an all out battle for survival. While Silas and Rosina along with Daniel Boone and the residents of Fort Boonesborough fight for their lives only one question remains. Can Rosina trust her heart to tell Silas the truth before it's too late?

I enjoyed all four of these novellas. They were so well written and easy to read. They all contained interesting historical information done in a very entertaining way and wonderful characters, both real and fictitious. Combined they made great storytelling. My two particular favorites were A Promise of Tomorrow because I loved Rosina and Silas’s characters and their story and Virginia Company Bride because my husband and I visit Virginia often and one of the places we love to frequent is Jamestown. I was able to picture the whole story in my head and all the descriptions in the story just came to life before my eyes. All in all, if you love historical fiction and you love sweet romances, you will love The Heart’s Stronghold. Four great novellas in one book, similar themes, but each a beautiful but different story of their own.

I want to thank Barbour Publishing and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of The Heart’s Stronghold, 4 Historical Stories by Amanda Barratt; Angie Dicken; Gabrielle Meyer; Kimberly Woodhouse. “Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.''

The Heart's Stronghold
by Amanda Barratt; Angie Dicken; Gabrielle Meyer; Kimberley Woodhouse
Sadly I did not enjoy this collection. Although the novellas were well written I did not enjoy the characters and plots. It was a personal preference.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Great stories of brave women in a brave new world! Lots of action, Faith, and sweet romance. The stories are surprisingly fleshed out while still able to read in a sitting. Recommend!

I love having the opportunity to sample authors unfamiliar to me by reading this set of historically based novels. Each contain a heroine who influences those she encounters, to propel them to compassion, to learn truth, or to allow themselves a chance at love perhaps.
My favorite story was of Anne, in Virginia Company Bride. I just felt connected to her and her plight of not belonging, but she was steadfast in servanthood.
A close second was Rosina's story. From the arrows piercing her husbands body I was turning pages to find out what happens. And who could resist a story where Daniel Boone exists?
I will be looking for these authors in future purchases.

The Heart's Stronghold contains four very well written stories that take place between 1608 and 1778. The stories do not depend on each other. Each is a well researched piece of American history in a different that gives insight into the struggles our forefathers (and mothers) faced. Each story was my favorite as I read it. I loved some of the characters, did not trust others and really wanted to get rid of a few.
One of my favorite quotes comes from "A Promise for Tomorrow." "'Twould not be an easy task, and there was no guarantee they'd not encounter danger. But the steps that made history were never trod with gossamer slippers. Strong backs and determined hearts were needed to carve out a future worth having." And that they did. If you are a fan of historical romance, I recommend this book to you.

I received an ARC copy of this ebook from Barbour Publishing through NetGalley and am under no obligation to leave a review.