“Beloved Author Lawana Blackwell Returns With a Charming and Memorable Tale!” I couldn’t agree with this tagline more if I had written it myself… “A Haven on Orchard Lane” was published by Bethany House in the summer of 2016, and certainly is both a charming and memorable tale.

Set in the Victorian England countryside, the story is revealed through the eyes of a variety of primary characters, including: famed former actress Charlotte Ward, her estranged but loyal daughter Rosalind, a young man named Jude whose life is forever changed with the arrival of the mother-daughter duo, and two young brothers named Danny and Albert who hold a horrible secret in their hearts. In addition to these lifelike individuals, numerous secondary characters also add an abundance of depth and interest to the story. In fact, one of my favorites was a sweet little dog named Jinny who was a three-dimensional and necessary character all on her own!

As a gently meandering, character-driven story, “A Haven on Orchard Lane” holds many delightful elements that are necessary to comprise truly excellent Christian Historical Fiction. My favorite features were the sweet and clean romance, a heartwarming story-within-the-story, a touch of mysterious suspense, and the perfect epilogue set several years later and revealing delightful happily-ever-afters for most of the characters. As a final touch, the “icing on the cake” you might say, this story is built on a foundation of Biblical truths and wisdom-based character development. With all this to recommend the book, you really can’t go too far wrong…except for a few little insinuations that are less than admirable, but are treated appropriately. Overall, I highly recommend this charming story. Don’t hesitate to find your own copy of “A Haven on Orchard Lane”, and be transported back in time to a cozy little cottage in the English countryside, where hearts and relationships are healed, mysteries unraveled, and love blooms once again.

“Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.”