Beauty on the Backroads

Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns

new fiction releases

The story behind the song: Review of Newton & Polly

Even if you haven’t been in church in ages, you probably know the song “Amazing Grace.” You probably know the tune, even if you can’t remember the words.

This beloved hymn of the church has an interesting backstory, and Jody Hedlund is just the author to tell it.

In her latest historical fiction, Newton & Polly, Hedlund recounts the forbidden romance between John Newton, the composer of Amazing Grace, and the woman who would become his wife, Polly Catlett. Theirs was a relationship that almost wasn’t, and the novel takes us on the up-and-down journey of their relationship and the spiritual work that takes place in each of their lives. (I could stare at that gorgeous cover for days!)

Hedlund goes so far to say that if not for Polly, Newton might never have written “Amazing Grace.” What a loss that would have been! (Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for my review.)

I remember watching a movie years ago called “Amazing Grace,” and Newton plays a part in that story, but this story is all about his troubled youth, his distance from God, and his infatuation with Polly Catlett. It give us the historical background for not only the song but for Newton’s later involvement in the abolitionist movement in England.

In typical Hedlund fashion, the book is chock full of actual historical events (which are listed in the back of the book) woven into a story that kept me turning page after page. Hedlund’s storytelling style is one of my favorites and always makes me more interested in historical happenings after I’m done reading.

As extra material to the book, Hedlund offers some quotes by Newton, and this one ties well with the book:

If you’ve ever wondered about the story behind the song, or you’re curious about what exactly the author meant by “amazing grace,” or you’re just a huge fan of well-written historical fiction, then this book is for you!

 

Page-turning CSI-style adventure: Review of Cold Shot by Dani Pettrey

Dani Pettrey’s writing hooked me from book one of her Alaskan Courage five-book series, and the first story in her new Chesapeake Valor series sets the scene for another hard-to-walk-away-from lineup of characters.

cold shotCold Shot introduces us to a group of friends working in the Chesapeake Bay area, who are brought together on a crime investigation when a body is discovered in Gettysburg National Park. (Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book in exchange for my review.)

Ranger Griffin McRay interrupts what he thinks are opportunistic grave robbers but soon discovers the body is a more recent death. He calls on attractive forensic anthropologist Finley Scott to help with the investigation. Griffin is soon reunited with childhood buddies Declan Grey, now with the FBI, and Parker Mitchell, a crime scene investigator. The three friends used to be an inseparable foursome, but they’ve been driven apart by a circumstance no one talks about and the disappearance of the fourth friend, Luke Gallagher.

That all sounds complicated, but Dani peppers the murder investigation with the friends’ history in a palatable way, so readers aren’t overwhelmed with the setup of a new series.

If you’re a fan of crime scene investigation shows on TV, I think you’ll like this book. I personally don’t watch them, but I read this book in less than 7 hours. It’s fast-paced adventure and I already look forward to the next one. (If there’s any downside, it’s that I finished so quickly and now have to wait!)