Romancing America: Liberty's Promises by Amber Miller Stockton

Liberty's Promise by Amber Miller Stockton

Relive the birth of a new country as three women battle to know who they can entrust their hearts. Raelene is all alone, but is there peace in following the wishes of her dead father? Elanna is intelligent for her young age, but will her love for an older man turn into passing fancy when his integrity is questioned? Margret’s loyalties are torn when the colonists rebel, for how can a relationship with a British soldier built on deceptions survive? Will each woman find her place of freedom to embrace her faith and trust her heart to love?

Available March 1st, 2010 from Barbour Books 

Pre-order by clicking the image at the bottom of my post or search the side bar to CBD.com

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


So very excited about this! I am not a fan of mass market paperback, but I love Amber Miller Stockton (formerly published as Amber Miller) and her creative imagination that she shares in her stories. So when I found out that her Delaware Dawning or Delaware Brides series (depending on who you talk to) from Heartsong Presents was going to be published in one Trade paperback Volume... OH HAPPY DAY!!! If you have not already read the stories as they were, read them now and treasure them in this adorable one volume with a gorgeous cover. I am so excited about the Romancing America line of fiction from Barbour Books, so very excited. *grin*


Promises, Promises
Amber Miller has a great work in this book. The story is just what it needs to be. Starting out with a tragedy that allows one to get their back up and spout all their reasons for not trusting in the Lord and to go through a process of healing and really seeing what the Lord is trying to do for them is so hard to put into words, and she did it. Reading this story of Raelene makes you take the time to look at what is going on in your own life. For me it makes me think about the comparison to English life of Jane Austen-types and the farmers in the early colonies. So many times I gripe about what strife I have, but in the end really none of it does compare to what God provides. Like Gustaf, God sits by silently waiting for us to open our eyes while we continually break his heart over and over again. This story had everything that it needed, and I'm so glad that I crossed over it in my life.


Quills & Promises*sigh* Is it not fabulous when as a reader, you turn the last page of a book and the first thing you do is sigh in complete contentment. Well that is my reaction and I am certain many others experience with the second Promises book from Amber Miller "Quills & Promises". It tells the story of the daughter of the characters from the first book, "Promises, Promises" and is complete on it's own as a stand alone as well. I cannot wait to read more from this author.


The story took me into the time of the French & Indiana war, and I was able to meet people and learn personalities and experiences that I have not had before. It was great. One of my favorite movies is "The Patriot" and even though that was the Revolutionary War, this story reminded me of it, but it was better. In this story we have to characters that write letters through out the course of war and you find out things about the war as well as personalities. The best part that makes the story in the book better than that movie, is the devotion to God and even though the desire for retaliation is there, the act is not. That is something that is so hard, but so full of Christ's love as an example.


I highly recommend the stories from Amber Miller to anyone craving a little romance in a historical setting.


Deceptive PromisesDeceptive Promises is probably my favorite of the three Delaware Brides Series. Maybe it because authors get better with time or just deeper into you heart. Maybe it is because the Revolutionary War is my favorite period of American history. Maybe it is because I cannot imagine falling in love and then being separated for months on end and want to know how the characters can possibly survive it! Either way, this book is fabulous and I loved it.


Margret is not a half bad character name either, if you know what I mean. *grin* The only negative thing I have to say at all is that I do not like the cover. Their position seems so unnatural and she almost looks uncomfortable and as if she wants to run. Yet again, maybe that is just me. Plus I am not a fan of mass markets, but anything from this author Amber Miller, soon to be published as Amber Stockton is worth it.


This is a story that delves into history and tells details of some of my favorite historical players. This is almost a history lesson with some romance thrown in. To really understand some of the other characters I would suggest reading the entire trilogy, but it is very capable of being read alone as well, and highly recommended as a novel as well.


View all my reviews >>

*Thanks to Angie Brillhart of Barbour Books for providing me with a copy for review.* 

Guest Post: Babies Make Their Own Creative Madness from Amber Stockton

Hi! My name is Amber Stockton. Most know me as Tiff, but my middle name is Amber. Many here have followed Margaret’s story and the exciting news in July when she became a mother for the first time. I can relate to that, as I joined the motherhood ranks in April of this year. My beautiful little daughter has been occupying the majority of my time, thoughts and sanity. J Now, I’m supposed to come up with a post about writing with a baby? If attempting to do that doesn’t cause immediate madness, I don’t know what will!

My daughter was born weighing 7lbs and 9oz. and measuring 20in. long. Just 8 months later, she’s nearing 17lbs. and 27 inches long. So, she’s growing like a weed! With that growth comes the need for nourishment, stimulation and lots of attention. Needless to say that doesn’t give me a lot of time for writing. But somehow, I manage.

Besides, before I know it, she’ll be entertaining herself and this precious bonding time will be gone. I need to make the most of it now.

However, books don’t write themselves, and deadlines don’t wait. In fact, just one month after my daughter was born, I had a book due. It was bad enough attempting to write while I was counting down the days to due date. Who can put two coherent thoughts together with a newborn in the house? When you’re doing good if you remember to eat and take a shower?

That’s how I felt back in April into May. I owe a lot to my editor, who was able to get me a much-needed extension. At least I had a smidgeon of my sanity returned. Still, my creativity was all but shot, and the frustration of the ideas not flowing like they once did kept me blocked for days and even weeks on end.

What finally broke the dam?

It was the realization that my daughter would be in my life for many years to come. Life as I knew it would never be the same again. I had to adjust to a new definition of “normal.” I’d heard it said many times by others, but it wasn’t until a fellow author and friend told me she’d written several books with a newborn and eventually two toddlers in the house, when I realized I could do it too. I just needed to prioritize and focus.

And most importantly, I needed to admit that I couldn’t do it alone. I needed help. I also had to be willing to accept the help when it was offered. Pride is often called a “foolish man’s burden.” That’s so true. We aren’t designed to do it “alone.” We’re created to help each other and to work together. Teamwork accomplishes far more than someone attempting to do it alone.

So, I called upon family and my husband, and even a few friends, to spare me for even just an hour or two at a time while I wrote. Eventually, my daughter and I settled into a workable routine where neither one of us felt we were being neglected. Now, I can happily say—although I still have moments of madness when the creativity is clogged—I have managed to be creative in spite of the madness of life. Isn’t that the daily challenge we all face?

Have I fully succeeded? Not by a long shot. But each day gets easier, and with each new challenge, the level of madness decreases.

Today, Margaret is kind enough to feature all 6 of my books that have been released. Proof that it IS possible to write with a baby in the house. In fact, Patterns and Progress just came out this week!

My first series will be repackaged into a collection entitled Liberty’s Promise and release in March 2010. More sales without any additional work on my end. Considering the demands on my time, this sounds like a great deal to me! J The current Michigan series will release around the end of 2010 or early 2011. I’m not sure yet. But you can stay up to date via the books page of my web site (www.amberstockton.com/books.html).

At the moment, I don’t have any further contracts beyond this 6^th book (unless you count the two books that will repackage each 3-book set), but I do have three or four other books circulating with my editor and other publishers. We’ll see if anything happens with any of them. For now, I’m fine with adjusting to this new life as a work-at-home-mom, balancing the many demands and finding time to readjust to the schedule and patterns that are now a part of my everyday routine.

It’s great to still be able to find time to connect with my readers and receive invitations to be featured on my friends’ web sites or blogs. So, thank you, Margaret, for having me here today, and thank you to my readers for keeping me in business. J I wouldn’t be an author without you!

Amber Miller Stockton

An author that is very dear to me, not only because I enjoy her books, but because she also has a baby born a few months older than my AppleBlossom is Amber Stockton, also published previously as Amber Miller. (Her DH is also an author in speculative fiction, while she claims the historical fiction realm). I was blessed and fully entertained in the past to have read her first series, republished as Liberty's Promise (Promises Promises, Quills & Promises, and Deceptive Promises). I now have in my possession *thanks to Tiff (Amber Miller Stockton) for a copy for review* of the first book in her latest series Copper and Candles and I cannot wait until AppleBlossom gives me a few spare hours to read it. *wink* I already know it will be great!

In March 2010, the first series will be republished as an omnibus Liberty's Promise, part of the Romancing America Series from Barbour Books.

Relive the birth of a new country as three women battle to know who they can entrust their hearts. Raelene is all alone, but is there peace in following the wishes of her dead father? Elanna is intelligent for her young age, but will her love for an older man turn into passing fancy when his integrity is questioned? Margret’s loyalties are torn when the colonists rebel, for how can a relationship with a British soldier built on deceptions survive? Will each woman find her place of freedom to embrace her faith and trust her heart to love?

I'm so excited about her new series, I cannot wait until one day it's republished too all-in-one! I'm not sure I'll be able to wait... I do love omnibus books though, and I'm such a bigger fan of trade paperback as opposed to mass market (like the original Heartsong Presents books).



To read excerpts or see the cover image of the third in the Michigan Historical Series out this December go check out the author's website.

And now for some enticement... here are my reviews of the books from the first Delaware Dawning Historical series that makes up Liberty's Promise...

Promises, Promises
Amber Miller has a great work in this book. The story is just what it needs to be. Starting out with a tragedy that allows one to get their back up and spout all their reasons for not trusting in the Lord and to go through a process of healing and really seeing what the Lord is trying to do for them is so hard to put into words, and she did it. Reading this story of Raelene makes you take the time to look at what is going on in your own life. For me it makes me think about the comparison to English life of Jane Austen-types and the farmers in the early colonies. So many times I gripe about what strife I have, but in the end really none of it does compare to what God provides. Like Gustaf, God sits by silently waiting for us to open our eyes while we continually break his heart over and over again. This story had everything that it needed, and I'm so glad that I crossed over it in my life.

Quills & Promises
*sigh* Is it not fabulous when as a reader, you turn the last page of a book and the first thing you do is sigh in complete contentment. Well that is my reaction and I am certain many others experience with the second Promises book from Amber Miller "Quills & Promises". It tells the story of the daughter of the characters from the first book, "Promises, Promises" and is complete on it's own as a stand alone as well. I cannot wait to read more from this author.

The story took me into the time of the French & Indiana war, and I was able to meet people and learn personalities and experiences that I have not had before. It was great. One of my favorite movies is "The Patriot" and even though that was the Revolutionary War, this story reminded me of it, but it was better. In this story we have to characters that write letters through out the course of war and you find out things about the war as well as personalities. The best part that makes the story in the book better than that movie, is the devotion to God and even though the desire for retaliation is there, the act is not. That is something that is so hard, but so full of Christ's love as an example.

I highly recommend the stories from Amber Miller to anyone craving a little romance in a historical setting.

Deceptive Promises
Deceptive Promises is probably my favorite of the three Delaware Brides Series. Maybe it because authors get better with time or just deeper into you heart. Maybe it is because the Revolutionary War is my favorite period of American history. Maybe it is because I cannot imagine falling in love and then being separated for months on end and want to know how the characters can possibly survive it! Either way, this book is fabulous and I loved it.

Margret is not a half bad character name either, if you know what I mean. *grin* The only negative thing I have to say at all is that I do not like the cover. Their position seems so unnatural and she almost looks uncomfortable and as if she wants to run. Yet again, maybe that is just me. Plus I am not a fan of mass markets, but anything from this author Amber Miller, soon to be published as Amber Stockton is worth it.

This is a story that delves into history and tells details of some of my favorite historical players. This is almost a history lesson with some romance thrown in. To really understand some of the other characters I would suggest reading the entire trilogy, but it is very capable of being read alone as well, and highly recommended as a novel as well

Blogoversary Giveaway #12

Giveaway #12 is for two books. Either to one winner or two, depending on the response. Copper and Candles and Hearts and Harvests, book #1 and #2 of the Michigan Historical Series by my friend and author Amber Stockton (formerly published as Amber Miller). I look forward to getting copies of these for myself soon too! To read the first chapter of these or her other books go to her website here.

—A young lady of means discovers that keeping secrets, no matter how noble the intent, demands a price that she and a refinery worker, with all their resources, might not be able to pay.—

"Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts." ~ Proverbs 21:2

Society teas and garden parties, shopping, gossip—

Life as a young lady of means may be fun, but Felicity wants to do more. Unfortunately, she finds that her position and wealth can sometimes hinder her efforts to help those around her in need. Thus, when a charity case falls ill and cannot work, Felicity determines to go to work as a commoner in Detroit's dangerous factory district.

Relationships become complicated, however, and she soon finds herself falling in love with a worker from the copper refinery next door. She knows her family would never accept him as a suitor, but what's a girl to do? What she doesn't know is that Brandt has his own secrets and hides his identity just as carefully as she. Brandt and Felicity soon discover that deception—no matter how noble its intent—demands a price that even they, with all their resources, may not be able to pay.

Can they survive the storm when truth is revealed?

—A destitute young man fights society's mores to win the hand of his privileged sweetheart.—

"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." ~ Galatians 6:9

William's is a true riches to rags story...

Once members of Detroit's elite society, the Berringer family lost everything they had in the financial crash of 1893. From a life of influence and privilege, they now find themselves working a potato patch alongside immigrants and other destitute folk on borrowed land. William's resentment toward his current situation—and mostly toward God for allowing it—simmers barely beneath the surface. All it takes is one charitable visit to the fields from a lovely society darling to burst his façade of acceptance.

Annabelle Lawson, convicted by her pastor's admonishing words, begins delivering food and water to the workers on her father's donated land. But as she learns the stories of the people who work there, she becomes increasingly drawn to their plight. Especially that of the inscrutable William Berringer.

Can Annabelle and William overcome the stigma placed upon his family by a society that once embraced them? Will her parents remember their own meeting or forbid this budding romance altogether?

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