A Simply Enchanted Life

Queen of the Waves by Janice Thompson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

RMS Titanic sank on April 15, 1912. She was on her maiden voyage—departed from Southhampton, Uk and was on route to New York when she hit an iceberg that pulled Titanic and 1517of her passengers to their watery graves. The exact number of those that died that day has been a topic of debate for years but I went with the number listed on the Titanic Historical Societies website. Regardless of the number of lives lost—we still carry this tragedy in our hearts. Though the last survivor has now passed away—their stories and lives still touch the hearts of many! Janice Thompson retold this well-known story but in a unique way that showed the work of God and a promise of hope in the midst of a great tragedy. I am so glad that I won a copy of this book from the author party hosted by Litfuse. This book was one of the best books that I’ve read this year—everything from the storyline down to the gorgeous cover was a hit!

Jacquie Abingdon is a well-to-do lady that is being forced into a marriage with a man she does not love. The true object of her affection is a young man named Peter, the family gardener. Such a relationship would never be permitted but opportunity presents itself when Jacquie’s mother obtains two tickets to board the highly-anticipated maiden voyage of the Titanic. When Jacquie learns that Peter has a sister, Tessa who has been greatly abused by their father—she devises a plan for Tessa to take her place aboard the ship which will leave her free to marry Peter in secret.

Once aboard—Tessa (under the guise of Jacquie) struggles to fit into high society and also with the guilt of her deception. She carries the weight of her past in her heart and though she is now “free” her heart is anything but. It doesn’t help that the girl that has agreed to accompany her holds certain contempt for her. But Titanic is a symbol of hope for many and a new life in America is both frightening and promising. Hope also presents itself in the form of new friends—friends that can introduce Tessa to a loving and faithful God. She must learn that God is our refuge and our strength and that we can put all our trust in Him.

I won’t ruin the conclusion to the story for those of you that haven’t read it—let’s just say that you will shed some tears, with a tragedy of this magnitude it is nearly impossible not to feel the tugging on your heartstrings. Unlike so many other tragic retellings though—this one holds a message of hope and I am SURE that you will be pleased with the resolution of this tale.
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Janice Thompson also writes under the name Janice Hanna. She got her start in the industry writing screenplays and musical comedies for the stage. Janice has published over eighty books for the Christian market, crossing genre lines to write cozy mysteries, historicals, romances, nonfiction books, devotionals, children's books and more. In addition, she enjoys editing, ghost-writing, public speaking, and mentoring young writers. Janice currently serves as Vice-President of CAN (Christian Authors Network) and was named the 2008 Mentor of the year for ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers). She was thrilled to be named the 2010 Barbour/Heartsong Author of the Year, with three books on the top ten list for that house. Janice is active in her local writing group, where she regularly teaches on the craft of writing. Her online course, "Becoming a Successful Freelance Writer" (www.freelancewritingcourses.com) has been helpful to many who want to earn a living with their writing. Janice is passionate about her faith and does all she can to share the joy of the Lord with others, which is why she particularly enjoys writing. She lives in Spring, Texas, where she leads a rich life with her family, a host of writing friends, and two mischievous dachshunds. She does her best to keep the Lord at the center of it all. You can find out more about Janice at www.janiceathompson.com or www.freelancewritingcourses.com. Her Facebook page can be located here: https://www.facebook.com/JaniceHannaT...

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through an author’s party on Facebook which was hosted by a fabulous program called Litfuse. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255