Category: The Thorn Healer

Swoony Saturdays – August Reinhold

Published on by BookwormMama149 Comments

Welcome! Welcome! Swoony Saturdays are your opportunity to be introduced to a book hero who fits high quality hero characteristics. (okay, so he just makes us weak in the knees for all kinds of reasons, but you get the point)

The photos involved are chosen as the most representative of the heroes featured, so IF they look like someone you’ve seen before, that’s almost entirely accidental.

August

Branson..will he be next heart throb when Dan Stevens (Matthew) exits in Christmas episode in Season Three:
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Who? August Reinhold

Where can we find this dreamboat? The Thorn Healer by Pepper Basham (released April, 2016)

Personality summary: Oh my! If you like a gentle, caring hero with a quiet strength, determined spirit, and a wonderful sense of humor, August is your man. With a past that left him wounded and a present that has left him a prisoner, August faces his life with an optimism born through trial. His easy confidence and observant nature gives him an advantage with fiery and furious Jessica Ross in a way that totally knocks down the steel-guard she has around her heart. With patience and kindness, along with some great skills on the badminton court, his steady pursuit tends her wounds and her spirit, helping her look beyond her pain to the beautiful opportunity he presents.

What makes us swoon?Aviary Photo_131236339965708023

His steadfastness

His gentleness

Proficient in swoon-worthy letter writing

His relaxed personality

His compassion

Quiet strength

Confident

Excellent with kiddos

A man of few words, but the ones he wields are powerful

Loyal heart

Allen Leech, Tom Branson....doesn't really matter I just LOVE HIM!:
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There’s such a kindness to him that makes him beautifully attractive

Along with a dashing smile, the fresh scent of pine is with him wherever he goes

Author Barbara Brutt says this about our swoony hero, “I like how patient and gentle he was, especially with a fiery and headstrong woman…where most men might try to ‘tame’ her by force. He never did that.”

Kissing level of such swooniness: August is definitely a #4 kisser and by the end of the book, you get the sense he can quickly move to a #5 when given ample opportunity.

Downton Abbey: Tom Branson (Allen Leach) ,daddy and Baby Sybbie. Heart explodes <3 <3 <3:
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Basic hero type: August’s gentle, easygoing personality meets all the expectations of our Knightley hero with a little Wentworth thrown in. His letter writing skills and depth of feeling exhibit more of Wentworth’s and his humor, gentleness, and overall likeability (with a good dose of directness) matches our Knightley. His steadfast devotion to those he loves, particularly to wooing Jessica Ross’ wound-hardened heart into a malleable offering he longs to cherish. With his patience and perseverance, there’s a good chance he’ll win the desire of his heart…and end up transforming hers in the process

How can I meet this swoony mister? The Thorn Healer is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Christianbook

Kissing Levels & Hero Types

History Tidbits – The Thorn Healer

Published on by pepperbasham6 Comments
nckenilworth1
click on photo for reference

I love history – particularly certain time-periods. What about you?

 

Of course, there are certain eras I don’t care to read-up on as much, but as a whole  I really enjoy the discovery true events and places in the past.

As I researched for The Thorn Healer, it was amazing to visit the places that showed up in my book.

Today I’m going to introduce you to The Kenilworth Inn – but in The Thorn Healer (and in 1918) it was called U.S. General Hospital # 12 – a facility taken img_4128over by the army to be used as a hospital.

Before the owner of The Kenilworth Inn could use it for its designed purpose, the army swopped into Asheville with the distinct need of a convalescence hospital for soldiers, (while their primary hospital was being constructed in nearby Azalea). In 1918 the army opened the hospital to treat wounde
d soldiers, particularly those suffering from tuberculosis.

Biltmore Hospital, as it was locally called, shows up in The Thorn Healer as the place our hero, August Reinhold, is transferred after the German internees leave Hot Spring
s. It was a beautiful facility, still is – with a indoor bowling alley vimg_4137ery similar to the one at the nearby Biltmore Estate.
Though the hotel saw some great days after the army returned it to its owner, the stock market crash of 1929 killed the owner’s dreams for the Inn and the facility began a slow shift from one owner to another until present day (again, used as a military hospital in WW2)

Now the building is an apartment building complex, but the beauty of the ‘Inn’ is still apparent.

img_4138August Reinhold, a other german internees like him, would have stepped down this very rug in the lobby of Kenilworth or sat by the fire and chatted here.

So….do you enjoy reading books where you can actually visit the places in the story?

Thanks to the lovely manager at The Kenilworth Inn Apartments who took me on a tour of the historical building. 

Overwhelmed by Reader’s Responses!

Published on by pepperbasham2 Comments

tth-rt-reviewpromoIt’s true. The past two days I’ve been on the verge of tears from the absolutely BEAUTIFUL reviews that have come in about The Thorn Healer.

Why?

Well, because this story has been the hardest one to write to date (just as Julie Gwinn or Carrie Schmidt). Writing the hero wasn’t difficult, but ‘finding’ my heroine in the middle of all her pain (under deadline) nearly broke me! 🙂 Maybe that’s pretty appropriate since the book is about how God mends broken things.

More than that… this process and the readers’ responses have reminded me all the more that this story is God’s inspiration – not mine. Somehow, like in The Thorn Healer, God took my broken attempts and blubbering to piece together something beautiful.

I’m truly humbled.

the-thorn-healer-finalSo…to get back to those amazing readers?!? Here are a few quotes from the reviews that have come out so far. WOW!

“The Thorn Healer is my favorite book of the series, as it focuses on how God brings restoration to broken and hurting people. In the words of August Reinhold, “Nothing is too broken that it cannot be restored with the proper care.” – Angi Griffs

“The beauty of Pepper Basham’s writing is that you really live the transformation with her characters.  You feel their struggles, you share those moments when the light breaks through the cracks, and you experience the release when the truth finally breaks through and settles into their soul…You simply cannot read this series without having its characters take up residence in your heart. Do yourself a favour and read the whole series!” – Fiction Aficionado

“The heroine’s largest obstacle in her path to true love comes in the form of the great enemy of WWI— a German! The main pesky, problem with this German is—- nothing. He is perfect. August Reinhold, our hero, is so wonderful I just smile thinking about him. This man has an upbeat, loving, stable personality. He is a breath of fresh air in the middle of all the dark, moody, brooding heroes of some other Christian fiction novels I have read. August is witty in his own way, and loves to laugh. He spreads joy wherever he goes. I love that. We need more heroes like him in Christian fiction.” – Sylvia Miller

“Pepper Basham continues to write stories that sneak in and take up residence in my heart. The power of her words moves my soul. Make sure you grab your tissues before you crack the pages of this one!” – Rachel Dixon, Bookworm Mama

“It takes a truly God-touched author to so poignantly and truthfully deal with loss, the bitterness and anger that comes with it–and weave a story of redemption. Of God restoring to Jessica Ross what she thought she’d never have. Of August Reinhold walking out the love of Christ in every step of the story to Jessica. This story left me changed, and I am eternally grateful.” – Meghan Gorecki, NorthernBelleMeg

“The hope that permeates every single page makes this a beautiful story of grace and any bit of happy is hard-won, even from the wonderful side characters. (I personally really loved Cliff and Anna especially! 🙂 And per Ms. Basham’s usual, there are twists I was so not prepared for, yet her ability to draw me into her story so far that I struggle to come back to real life again is exceptional! I can but applaud her skills and only dream of writing so excellently myself because she goes far beyond the shallow romance here, there are depths of insight to be searched out if you’ll only begin with chapter one. Trust me, friends! It’s worth it. SO worth it. :)” Kara from Flowers of Quiet Happiness

“Ms. Basham is a wordsmith that has taken the genre of historical romance and turned into an art form to be savored for many years to come. Poignant and intense, this character driven story takes you into the heart of pain, deliverance, and healing.  There is humor, intrigue, and moments that had me on the brink of tears.  This book is very moving; staying with you long after the last page is turned and the back cover closed.” – Stacey from Beechtree Hollow

I plan to share more as I can, but I’m still marinating in such a sweet response to this release!! It can be read as a stand-alone or as part of the series!

Want to know more?

To get a sense of this story, check out the book trailer here 🙂

Or check it out on Amazon 

Thanks so much for being on this journey with me!!