Blog Tour: His Saving Grace by Sharon Cullen (Review + Giveaway)

I'm so pleased to welcome Sharon Cullen and her book, His Saving Grace, to Love Saves the World. I'm one of the final stops in this blog tour, but, if you'd like to track back and read more information about this wonderful book, click here to visit Sharon's other stops.

For this blog tour, Loveswept is hosting a Tour-Wide Giveaway for a $25 eGift Card of Winner's Choice Bookseller and Loveswept Mug & Tote. (Enter via Rafflecopter below.)

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About the book:

Blurb:

Perfect for fans of Mary Balogh, Sharon Cullen’s captivating novel tells the deeply emotional tale of two devoted lovers facing the ravages of war.

For months now, Lady Grace Ashworth has mourned the death of her beloved husband -- until the day a very-much-alive Michael arrives at her front door. It’s nothing less than a miracle. However, Grace soon realizes that this Michael isn’t the same man who left for the Crimean War. She’s stunned to learn that he has suffered a devastating head injury. Putting all her own desires aside, Grace resolves to devote herself to Michael’s recovery and to love him no matter what troubles may come.

Convinced that his wife is wasting her time on a broken man, Michael attempts to shield Grace from a life of inconvenience by driving her away. But Grace will have none of that. Despite every obstacle Michael throws in her path, she stubbornly soldiers on, fighting not only for their marriage but for the love they once shared. In the end, will her determination alone be enough to save Michael from the darkness that threatens to consume him?

To read more about the book, visit Goodreads.

Buy Links:

Amazon
B&N
iTunes
Kobo
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My Review:

Grace and Michael have had a fairy-tale story with a fairy-tale ending, except that Michael goes off to war shortly after their marriage and has vanished and is presumed dead by everyone. After nearly a year, Michael returns home to Grace. Michael's return is a miracle, and both of them should have celebrated their happy reunion, but Michael isn't the same man anymore -- the new Michael is a mystery to Grace: Who is Tarik? How did Michael learn Russian? Why does he keep pushing her away and keeping her at a distance?

Sharon Cullen's His Saving Grace takes a look at what happens to a marriage when things don't go as planned. Marriage has become a terrible battlefield for Michael and Grace: Michael has shored up his defences and fortified the walls to his heart, but Grace is determined to make things work. I have to admire Grace for her steadfast devotion to Michael and for her faith in their love. I can understand Michael's need to withdraw -- he knows he has changed and his flaws are greater now and he feels he doesn't deserve what Grace is offering him.

For so long, all he'd thought about was coming home to his Gracie. He'd just known that if he could be with her, everything would be fine. That thought kept him company through horrendous pain, nights when he was positive he wouldn't see the sun again and had so many doubts that he couldn't count them.
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Cullen's use of flashbacks, showing us of the couple's happier times served to make their current challenge even more heartbreaking -- and the need to make things right more meaningful and urgent. There is no doubt that Grace and Michael love each other -- the question that faces them now is how do they live with the changes that has happened in their lives. This story is very emotional and honest about the struggles that any married couple face -- it's also very candid about the darkness that threatens to engulf us when we are at our most vulnerable.

"What do you need me to do?"

He wanted to hug her. Just hug her. Take her in his arms and feel her body next to his. They used to hug all the time. It had been one of the greatest joys of his life to hold his wife. He refrained. The old Michael would have done that, but the new Michael was still feeling his way and unsure of everything around him.
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His Saving Grace celebrates love's power to overcome any and all difficulty. It's inspiring to see Michael and Grace weather through their problems and see them work towards a new happily-ever-after for themselves.

Disclosure: I received this review copy for this blog tour. Thank you to Sharon Cullen and Loveswept for the opportunity. Yes, this is an honest review.

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About the author:

Sharon Cullen is the author of the historical romances The Notorious Lady Anne, Loving the Earl, and Pleasing the Pirate, as well as many novels of romantic suspense, paranormal romance, and contemporary romance. If you’d like to find out more about the author and her books, you can visit her blog or her website. She is addicted to social networking so you can find her on Facebook and Twitter. Friend her! Like her! Follow her! She’d love to hang out with you and talk about her passion: books.

Author Links:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

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Giveaway!

Loveswept is hosting a Tour-Wide Giveaway for a $25 eGift Card of Winner's Choice Bookseller and Loveswept Mug & Tote. To visit Sharon's other stops, click here
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