A Noble Groom: A Hidden Identity Marriage of Convenience Historical Romance with a Widow Heroine

Didn't want to stop reading this one, so much family drama and heartache in this historical read. I've lived in Michigan the first half of my life and never heard of the Forestville fire in 1881. Loved the history lesson, can't wait to read more from this author.

I found this book a fascinating account into late 1800s life for German immigrants that lived in a neighboring county to my ancestors. These immigrants came from Saxony, a neighboring state to Bavaria, where my ancestors emigrated from during this same time period. After re-reading "Unending Devotion" I purchased "A Noble Groom" and enjoyed this book as much as the first in the series. The books have no cross-over; they simply are set in Michigan in the late 19th century. The story moved with purpose, although the author does tend to move the story slowly. I don't mind this habit because I get engrossed in the lives of the characters.I found the lack of warmth from Annalisa's parents to be true to the German culture, as I still see signs of it in both sides of my family. Carl's backstory was fascinating to me as my ancestors were peasants, not nobility.Just like with "Unending Devotion" I spent time after I was finished reading to do some historical digging of my own. I had no idea of the fires of 1871 and 1881, or that the Great Chicago Fire happened the same night as the Port Huron fire of 1871. The Thumb Fire of 1881 might have come close to the farms of my ancestors who lived in Tuscola County. The details of these fires were alarming and fascinating, and I'm grateful this book gave me a peek into a part of history I knew nothing about.My only quibble with the book is the names of the characters. I have spent 100s of hours researching my family tree, and in the 2311 names on it, there is not one Annalisa, Uri or Idette. Hans was not the way "John" was spelled during the 1800s. The 34 men named Hans on my family tree lived between 1587 and 1763. There are 106 men on my family tree named Johan or Johann that lived between 1721 and 1938. This is a minor quibble, but it did take away some of the authenticity that I admired in the rest of the book.I am eager to let some time pass and reread this delightful book soon.

German noble Gottfried Charles von Reichart III, falsely accused of dangerous scientific experiments, assumes the name Carl Richards and seeks refuge in a German-American farming community. He never expects to develop feelings for the daughter of his father's arch-enemy. With a price on his head, a secret identity to maintain and a land-greedy villain threatening the farmers, Carl has enough to do without constantly guarding his heart against the beautiful widow Annalisa Werner.Annalisa's childhood dreams of true love died the day she married her lazy, abusive husband Hans Werner. Now with Hans dead and no husband to help work in the fields, her hopes to pay her farm debt and earn money to send her girls to school perish as well. Her father sends away for a new husband for Annalisa, her distant cousin Dirk. Before her new groom arrives from the Old Country, Carl Richards appears and agrees to work her fields until Dirk comes. But each day Annalisa spends with Carl sprouts new hope in her heart that all men aren't the same, that true love is possible. With all that keeps them apart, will the kind but haughty nobleman and the disillusioned widow find their way to a fairy-tale ending?Like Jody Hedlund's other novels, this story is strong in unique characters, description and plot twists. As heroes go, Carl doesn't have any horrific emotional wounds from his past, but his scientific inventor quirks, his protective, gentle nature and prince-like qualities make him a hero worth sighing over.As you journey with these characters through their joys and heartaches, you find a certain hope for the future and a glimpse at the nature of God. He is ever present, always in control, and he loves His children.After reading this book, I only have one question. What happened to Uri?

Let me start by saying I can tell how time and research Jody Hedlund put into this story. I started the book knowing next to nothing about German immigrants in Michigan during this time period and the author did a wonderful job of informing without taking away from the beautiful story. This was my first read by this author and now I cannot wait to dive into her previous three novels.A Noble Groom is the story of Annalisa Werner, a young widow with a lot on her plate and Carl von Reichert, an entitled nobleman with secrets to keep. When her husband is found murdered, Annalisa is left with a infant daughter to raise, crops to be planted and a short amount of time to pay off the large loan on her farmland. Carl is sent by her uncle to help keep the farm afloat while hiding from false murder charges.To say Carl is unused to manual labor would be an understatement! He starts the novel with a great deal of pride in his status and feels as though farm work and these people are beneath him but, he grows so much during his time with Annalisa.Annalisa has always been meek and obedient, everything she thinks a woman ought to be. She may tell her daughter plenty of fairytales but she's given up on real love. Carl's views on women and his treatment of her and her daughters are completely different from anything she's ever known. She grows a great deal as a character as well and eventually finds the strength to stand up for herself and open herself up to love.This is an absolute must read and just may find itself on my best reads of 2013 list!*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.*

Ahem, first of all I have a confession to make. The rather delicious cover somewhat caught my eye when searching for my next book. But I am so pleased it did. This is my first Jody Hedlund book and I did enjoy it. It centres around Carl and Annalisa. Carl arrives in her community in the German/American Christian area as an unknown. Annalisa loses her husband in an apparent accident and faces extreme hardship, as the owner of the non Christian industrial plant is right by her farm and wants her land to expand his business. And, to make matters worse, she finds out shortly after her husbands death that her second child is on the way.This is a Christian, God filled story, but it isn't soppy and wishy washy as some I have tried to read. The characters developed through the book and I grew to care about the main ones. Theirs was a day to day faith in God who comes alongside us and is in the midst of the muck life sometimes chucks at us, bringing us through it, stronger.Now the problem I have is, what do I read after enjoying this so much?

It was an interesting read, but did fathers really start trying to marry their daughters off to another man the same day they buried her husband? He seemed so aggressive in marrying off his daughters, even though their husband might be abusive or indifferent or whatever, but the daughter must be married. I didn't like the father at all. I did like the young widow and her little girl, and the gentlemanly young man that came to he help her, and in the end loved her.