Wednesday slipped by me. I don’t know about you all, but so much staying at home during this pandemic has me sometimes having to think twice about what day it is. Then, I did have final edits show up for my upcoming book, Along a Storied Trail, releasing June 1st, that also knocked me off schedule. I know, excuses, excuses. But it’s never to late to share with you here.
The memories showing up on Facebook the last few days has reminded me that nine years ago I was celebrating the release of Words Spoken True. This story is perhaps my most romantic Christian novel and the one with some very dramatic history. That history proves that election conflicts are not new to our country. 1855 was a year of many election riots. One in Louisville was called “Bloody Monday.” When I was researching and came across this history that was new to me at the time, I decided to come up with characters to drop down into this drama filled era. Since newspapers were the way people got their news in that time, I let one of my character be the daughter of a newspaper editor and the other to be an up and coming new editor of a rival newspaper.
So for fun on what is sometimes called Throwback Thursday, I checked out some Amazon reviews to see what readers have liked about the book. For full disclosure, I only checked out the reviews with lots of stars. 
First here’s the book blurb if you haven’t read the story and want to know what it’s about.
One woman stands ready to defend her newspaper . . . even if it means losing out on love
Adriane Darcy was practically raised in her father’s newspaper offices. With ink in her veins, she can’t imagine life without the clatter of the press and the push to be first to write the news that matters. Their Tribune is the leading paper in Louisville in 1855.
When Blake Garrett, a brash young editor from the North with a controversial new style of reporting, takes over a competing newspaper, the battle for readers gets fierce. After Adriane and Blake meet at a benefit, their surprising mutual attraction is hard to ignore. Still, Blake is the enemy, and Adriane is engaged to the son of a powerful businessman who holds the keys to the Tribune‘s future. Blake will stop at almost nothing to get the story–and the girl.
Set against the volatile backdrop of political and civil unrest in 1850s Louisville, this exciting story of love and loyalty will hold you in its grip until the very last page.
“I’ve come to expect wonderful books from Ann Gabhart, and her latest doesn’t disappoint. She weaves a story that is a page-turner from beginning to end. This is one you’ll highly recommend to friends.”–Judith Miller, author, Daughters of Amana series
Now I can share a few reviews. Authors love to have readers review their books on Amazon, Goodreads, B&N, Christianbook.com, BookBub, their personal blog posts, you name it. Reviews make a big difference in whether books find readers out there in the big world of the internet. Things have changed from the time when you went into bookstores to find your books. While I still love being in those bookstores and seeing all the books, the shelves there are limited. The internet shelves can hold all those books, the new ones and the ones published ages ago.
One of the ways books catch a reader’s interest is the cover, and the cover of Words Spoken True, has always been one of my favorites. Adriane’s hat and dress are perfect and I love the Louisville skyline scene of 1855 behind her. So it’s fun to see reviewers agreeing that it’s a great cover.
Can I just point out the beautiful cover! Oh my goodness it’s simply breathtaking. Alright on to the story….If you love a good romance with mystery and suspense you will love Words Spoken True. … This is pre-civil war so there are quite a few debates on slavery, women’s rights, and immigrants. I found it extremely fascinating and being the researcher I am, I wanted to know more about this time in the United States history. A good author will do that for me, create such an image in my mind that I’ll search the web, or go to my library to check out books on that subject. ~JesusBookGirl, Amazon Reviewer
It’s also good that some readers do appreciate historical research and want to find out more after reading a historical novel. Sometimes a reader will already know about the history but often reading a fictional account will make the history come to life. I’ve had that happen often when I’m reading historical stories.
Having read the 1855 newspaper accounts of the Louisville Riot, I was eager to see how author, Ann Gabhart, dealt with it. She lit the torches, picked me up, and dumped me right into the fray….Leslie, Amazon Reviewer
Of course, it was neat having readers enjoy the newspaper history too. With so many ways to get the news these days, we might have a hard time imagining the days before telephones, radios, television news, internet, but in that era the newspapers were the way to find out about what was happening in the world. Plus the editors of those newspapers were often fiery writers who did their best to sway people to their way of thinking. Some of those editors and newspapers were blamed for the 1855 election riots.
I do seem to like including newspapers in my stories. This one with Adriane claiming ink in her blood. The Hollyhill stories with David the small town newspaper editor along with being a preacher of a country church. The Hidden Springs mysteries that had Hank, the local editor, as a major secondary character. But Words Spoken True had the most newspaper history.
This book combines intriguing characters with the day to day of early 19th century newspaper business – fascinating in and of itself. Readers won’t want to put this one down til its conclusion. …Joanna, Vine Voice
I had to love the reviews of the readers who simply loved the story. Even if one of them didn’t quite get my name right. 
A wonderful story full of love and intrigue with faith and prayer intertwined throughout. Looking forward to reading other books by Ann Barnhart. ~Amazon Reviewer
Wonderful story! Most of the book is a sweet and witty romance then at about 75% it turns into a thriller and I couldn’t put it down! …Whitney, Amazon Review
I do also have to admit that I enjoy it when guys read one of my stories and decide it wasn’t so bad even if it did have some romance. Who says guys aren’t romantic?
Very well written historical fiction. Romance is not usually my thing but I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Interesting historical backdrop and a great story with mystery and a twist. ~John, Amazon Reviewer
I can honestly say I picked up this book expecting to read a gentle “historical romance” in the vein of dozens of other similar historical romance books I’ve read. What I found, instead, was a book with unique characters who refuse to bow to convention, thrown in with suspense and murder and political tension broiling over into riots. The historical setting of the book is absolutely captivating, especially with the “Know Nothing” party that is determined to trample the rights of immigrants, such as by physically barring them from voting. The world of warring newspapers is equally interesting to read about. But my favourite part of the book is the character of Adriane, whose actions cannot help but scandalize the gentle upcrust society. Adriane seems determined to prove wrong the popular sentiment of her day that “too much thinking on serious matters was reputed to be injurious to the female brain,” a line that I read out loud to my wife and which caused her eyebrows to raise significantly. My, how times have changed! The villain in the story is deliciously creepy (if you love stories with suspense, in any case), and although I figured out early who the murderer was due to the author’s well-paced clues, the journey to his eventual unveiling is an exciting one. ~ChristianFictionAddiction, Amazon Review
You might be sick of reading reviews by now, but I’ll close with this dream of a review from Noelle the Dreamer. And I loved the raised lettering on the cover too. Haven’t had that on many of my books, but it does set off the cover.
The very first thing that comes to mind about ‘Words Spoken True’ is the raised lettering on the cover (a feature I dearly love and miss in the mass produced paperbacks published these days!) swiftly followed by the interesting historical note published in the forefront of the story! Once spotted, I was rubbing my hands together with glee. This is my kind of historical fiction!
With a rich historical setting, enticing plot, flowing dialogues betwixt the protagonists, colourful descriptive and just the right amount of romance ‘Words Spoken True’ is sure to captivate readers!
Here is no amateurish historical fiction! Ann H. Gabhart is a well published author and she writes a warm story complete with romance, faith and intrigue about ‘The Herald’ and ‘The Tribune’, two warring newspapers in Louisville, Kentucky, circa 1850’s.
As the plot unravels you find yourself engrossed in its drama, and wishing with all your might for a great ending for both Adriane and Blake. Never fear, weaving her magic wand, Ann H.Gabhart will not disappoint and you will soon discover that no matter what, the press must go on!
On a quick note, I was startled to learn the existence of the ‘Know Nothings, and the dramatic events of Bloody Monday on 6 August 1855 which reflects in this story!
Readers should know this is a page turner…Hence warning to husband/children: Mum is certain to be so engrossed, dinner will soon be forgotten! A wonderful story certain to leave you daydreaming... ~Noelle the Dreamer, Amazon Reviewer
There were other reviews. A few that weren’t as complimentary, but who wants to read those. One reader said I didn’t get the clothes Adriane wore right. Maybe I didn’t. I’ve never been a great costumer, but I do try to dress my characters as they might have dressed in their time. With my Frontier Nursing stories, These Healing Hills and An Appalachian Summer, that was easy. They had to dress in uniform ways that let the mountain people know they were part of the Frontier Nursing Service.
Do you ever write reviews for books you read?
Have you read Words Spoken True? If not, would these reviews convince you to give it a try?