In Carolina Gold, Love crafts a beautiful tale of hope and determination

The refining power of difficult circumstances

In Carolina Gold, Love crafts a beautiful

tale of hope and determination

“Spiritual restoration often comes when we are able to move from desperation to delight, from fear to faith,” shares Dorothy Love. In Love’s newest release, Carolina Gold (Thomas Nelson/December 10, 2013/ISBN: 978-1-401687618/ $15.99), the characters find themselves clinging to vanishing dreams. Readers learn with the characters the importance of letting go and finding joy in what has been provided for them — not what they long to happen.

Inspired by the life of a 19th-century woman rice planter, Carolina Gold continues Love’s winning tradition of weaving together mystery, romance and rich historical detail, bringing to life the story of one young woman’s struggle to restore her ruined world.

Independent and strong-willed Charlotte Fraser returns to her late father’s rice plantation in hopes of bringing it back to its once-thriving state. She is determined to continue growing a special kind of rice called Carolina Gold, but Fairhaven Plantation is in ruins, and hope seems small. Despite her efforts, Charlotte questions whether she can keep her father’s dream alive.

To make ends meet, Charlotte reluctantly accepts a position to tutor the young daughters of Nicholas Betancourt, heir to the neighboring plantation. Nick is set on proving his ownership of Willowood — no matter the cost. Nick’s quest to secure his future sends Charlotte on a dangerous journey to uncover long-buried family secrets. Will the answers to her questions threaten all she holds dear or save her from ruin?

Like Charlotte, we are quick to rely on our own plans for happiness, and when they come crumbling down, we are left empty-handed. “Charlotte hopes to restore her land and her way of life somehow, but her journey teaches her that the truer meaning of restoration lies in the acceptance of circumstances that can’t be changed — taking joy not in what we long for, but in what has been provided for us,” Love explains.

As gold is refined by fire, so are we refined by the trying times we face. Love has encountered several of those hard, unavoidable times herself. “I’ve tried to maintain some perspective on the situations, knowing that everything is a season and these present circumstances won’t last forever,” she advises. “Take one day at a time. Try to get some rest. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.”

Readers are invited to join Dorothy Love on January 14, 2014 at 8:00 PM EST for a live Facebook chat. More details will be available soon on her Facebook page (Dorothy Love Books).

Advance Praise

“Loosely based on the life of a 19th-century female rice farmer in the South Carolina Lowcountry, this novel has romance, family secrets and an element of mystery for readers to uncover.  The historical details are not heavy-handed, keeping the novel from being bogged down.  Characters are fresh – not stereotypical – and charming, gutsy and determined to make something beautiful of the horrors of the American Civil War.  Love is an author beloved by many, and she does not disappoint in her latest novel.”

           

~ RT Book Reviews

“Carolina Gold is a beautifully written story of love rising from the ashes of war. Readers will instantly warm to Charlotte, a courageous young woman set on restoring her family’s rice plantation after the ravages of the Civil War, and they will marvel at Love’s unerring eye for detail as she brings the historical Lowcountry — with all of its wonder and mystery — to life.”

~ Beth Webb Hart, best-selling author of Moon Over Edisto

“Lovers of historical fiction and the South Carolina Lowcountry will enjoy the world of Carolina Gold. Dorothy Love's well-researched tale reflects of one woman's steadfast determination to rebuild a life among the ashes of the post-war South.”

~ Lisa Wingate, best-selling author of The Prayer Box and The Sea Glass Sisters

About the Author

A former journalist, free-lance writer and college professor, Dorothy Love explores the intersection of history and human relationships to create novels that speak to the hearts of women everywhere. She is the author of the acclaimed Hickory Ridge novels set in her native state of Tennessee.

After earning a masters degree and Ph.D, she authored dozens of magazine articles before breaking into book publishing with a number of award-winning novels for preteens and young adults. The Hickory Ridge series marked her adult fiction debut. Currently she is working on several stand-alone historical novels set in the South.

When she isn’t busy writing or researching her next book, Love enjoys hiking, traveling, and hanging out with her husband Ron and their rambunctious golden retriever. The Loves make their home in the Texas hill country.

To keep up with Dorothy Love, visit www.dorothylovebooks.com, become a fan on Facebook (Dorothy Love Books) or follow her on Twitter (@writerDorothy).