About the Book
Book: Behind Love’s Wall
Author: Carrie Fancett Pagels
Genre: FICTION/ Christian/Romance
Release date: November 1, 2021
Two successful women, a hundred-and-twenty-years apart, build walls to protect their hearts. Modern-day Willa, a successful interior decorator, is chosen to consult for the Grand Hotel’s possible redesign. She discovers a journal detailing the struggles of a young woman, Lily—which reveals dark secrets. The renowned singer wasn’t who she pretended to be. As Willa reaches out to Lily’s descendant, a charismatic and prominent landscape artist, she lets down her guard. Should she share the journal with him, or once again erect a wall as she struggles to redesign both the Grand and her life?
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My Review
Every time I travel to Mackinac Island in one of Carrie Pagels’ novels, I find myself going home to the familiar and beloved places. In this time-split installment of Doors to the Past, the adventure threads 1895 with 2020 through a mysterious journal. Accusations buried in the past seep through the walls into the lives of islanders and visitors.
I enjoy journaling. This novel makes me wonder if my words could unlock mysteries of the past. I don’t imagine anyone will care about my simple life though. Journals help the owner express feelings that otherwise go unrecorded. It is an outlet of release, a means to move forward. In this case it is a door to the past. I’m so glad I walked through this one. Thank you for the journey.
About the Author
ECPA-bestselling author Carrie Fancett Pagels, Ph.D., is the award-winning author of over a dozen Christian historical romances. Twenty-five years as a psychologist didn’t “cure” her overactive imagination! A self-professed “history geek,” she resides with her family in the Historic Triangle of Virginia but grew up as a “Yooper” in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Carrie loves to read, bake, bead, and travel – but not all at the same time! You can connect with her at www.CarrieFancettPagels.com.
More from Carrie
Why I Wrote This Novel
I got a chance to write another novel set on Mackinac Island!!!
I’m the author of over twenty published stories. I have many books, both novel and novella length, set at the Straits of Mackinac including Maggie Award winner and Romantic Times Top Pick My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island. In the summer, I go up to the area and I’m blessed to sign books at the Island Bookstore—sometimes hundreds of books which is such an amazing thing I can’t tell you! Now that MHBoMI is out of print, Barbour has been helping by doing limited print runs for while I am up there.
My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island was originally part of a full series that I pitched but it didn’t get picked up for all three stories. MHBoMI got picked up as part of the My Heart Belongs series that Barbour put out a few years ago. The second book in my original Brides of Mackinac series was heroine Sadie’s story, which was published as a novella “His Anchor” in First Love Forever collection. So I had two of my book babies delivered out into the world and Lily’s story sat there for a while.
In the Covid summer of 2020, I arrived in my home state of Michigan and over dinner with a close friend I learned that the folks at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island were having legal trouble with their previous long-time designed Carlton Varney suing them. I’d been disappointed that the Mussers, who’d owned the Grand for generations, had sold the hotel but this new development really bugged me. While I was in the Upper Peninsula, I finished an Indy book, Dogwood Plantation, which only figures since I often write my Michigan stories while I am in Virginia and vice versa! I knew the only other book I wanted to work on was to complete my Brides of Mackinac trilogy (not exactly since they aren’t all in one series!) with Lily’s story. I also had a manuscript about 70% done that was my very first contemporary Women’s Fiction novel. When my agent encouraged me to submit a Mackinac Island story set at the Grand Hotel to Barbour’s Doors to the Past series, I knew immediately that the only story for historical I wanted to write was Lily’s. That meant that I needed, for this dual-timeline series, a contemporary story. That wasn’t just a chance sharing at dinner—I believe the info about the lawsuit was meant to be passed on to me one of those God-incidences. My modern-day heroine then became an established resort designer who had a trunkful of issues just like Lily did.
Was I ever glad that I had finally written my first contemporary Women’s Fiction (Butterfly Cottage) because that skill set came in very handy in writing the modern-day 2020 story of Willa in Behind Love’s Wall! This was the most difficult novel to write that I have done so far as I write in character and going back and forth between the 1895 and 2020 timelines could be draining. I tried to write each character and setting on separate days but that couldn’t always be managed.
I pray that this story will touch readers’ hearts. I pray that someone, like the young waitress I meant on Mackinac Island who had been spiritually moved by My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island (she read her grandmother’s copy after her grandma passed away!), will read this book and feel that connection to our Maker. That’s what Christian Fiction is all about!
Blog Stops
Life of Literature, November 18
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 18
The Meanderings of a Bookworm, November 19
Cats in the Cradle Blog, November 19
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 19
Inklings and notions, November 20
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 20
For Him and My Family, November 21
Mary Hake, November 21
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, November 22
Texas Book-aholic, November 22
For the Love of Literature, November 22
deb’s Book Review, November 23
Betti Mace, November 23
Genesis 5020, November 23
Older & Smarter?, November 24
Remembrancy, November 24
Blossoms and Blessings, November 25
Stephanie’s life of determination, November 25
Connect in Fiction, November 25
Rebecca Tews, November 26
Locks, Hooks and Books, November 26
Through the fire blogs, November 27
Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, November 27
Pause for Tales, November 27
Bigreadersite, November 28
Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, November 28
Tell Tale Book Reviews, November 28
Connie’s History Classroom, November 29
Bizwings Blog, November 29
Labor Not in Vain, November 29
A Modern Day Fairy Tale, November 30
To Everything There Is A Season, November 30
Jeanette’s Thoughts, December 1
Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen, December 1
Where Faith and Books Meet, December 1
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Carrie is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://promosimple.com/ps/137e9/behind-love-s-wall-celebration-tour-giveaway
Thank you for the review.
I enjoyed reading this.
Love books like this and in this setting. Would love to read & review the book in print format for myself. The book cover is fantastic and the excerpt makes me want to take the journey with these ladies and to see what happens.
Really enjoyed the review and meeting a new author(at least for me).
I look forward to reading the book in print and learning more about the author and their books.
Thank you so much for sharing. I love the cover. God bless you.