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About the Book

Name of book: '

Genre: Historical Romance

Release Date: Feb, 2017

A man of abiding honor, tested by a woman of ruinous passion. A woman of unspeakable sins, pursued by a God of unquenchable mercy.

Spanish Florida once sheltered Lillian McGirth from her fears. Now, it feeds them. Mercy is for the deserving; for Lillian, an unwed mother accused of treason, there is only battering and defeat, but her fall breaks softly in the arms of an unexpected arrival, a man too beautiful of soul to stain with her lost character.

Captain Marcus Buck sails in on a pledge to save Miss McGirth from herself and from her child’s father, a ruthless don. All the while, he’s to regard her as virtuous and worthy of protection and to guard said virtue from pilfering. But the terms are flawed since he must first guard her from himself. Regardless, he is determined. He will free her, repair her name—simple labor compared to dodging the army’s noose, mending wounds three years deep, and navigating a host of rebel Natives bent on inflicting more.

Through the steady crumble of his pledge, their friendship becomes a consolation, for she knows his pain as no other can or will. Their scars are one; their paths, however, might irrevocably become two…

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My Review: "Bitter Eyes No More" by April W Gardner is the fourth book in the series, unless you count the "Beneath the Blackberry Moon": the Untold Stories, and then it is the fifth book. I suppose these books all but Beneath the Blackberry Moon": the Untold Stories could be enjoyed as stand alone novels but I haver read all five and once again I say I am glad that I read them in order, because they all have the same characters but each story is a more detail account of a couple's love story and the war with the Red Sticks, which is Indians. " Bitter Eyes No More" is a story about mercy and forgiveness and second chances. " Bitter Eyes No More" is a story that really kept my interest because I just didn't know what was going to happen next. I recommend this book to anyone that likes to read about Indians and anyone that needs a reminder that God forgives and extends mercy to all. These stories have me rethinking my beliefs about Indians and why they did some of the things they did like scalping heads. ( I understand it a little better now). The stories are 5 stars and I was given a complimentary copy by the author and Celebrate Lit. These opinions are my own.

About the Author

APRIL W GARDNER writes history with a Christian perspective and a little imagination. She is a copyeditor, military wife, and homeschooling mother of two who lives in Texas. She writes Christian historical romance with a focus on our Southeastern Native Tribes. In no particular order, April dreams of owning a horse, learning a third language, and visiting all the national parks.

April loves to hear from her readers at: aprilgardnerwrites@gmail.com and at www.aprilgardner.com

Guest Post from April W. Gardner

I’ve never needed one of those spiritual gifts tests to know I score a big, fat zero in the mercy department. When God impressed on me the themes of Bitter Eyes No More—mercy and justice—I figured I was the least qualified person to broach the topic.

However, in His perfect way, He knew exactly where I needed to be stretched, and over the seven months He used me to craft the story, He poked and prodded at my flaws, making them large in my mind and reminding me that no one is deserving of any quantity of mercy, grace, or forgiveness, and that He alone is righteous enough to wield the gavel of justice.

Captain Marcus Buck, the hero in Bitter Eyes No More, learns the same lesson. Because of a horrifying stint of slavery on a British frigate, he drives through life seeking justice—all in accordance with the law, of course, but swift, fierce justice nonetheless. Lillian, the same story’s female lead, knows beyond a doubt she deserves the most righteous justice there is—an eternity apart from God. Mercy is only for the deserving, she says, but there can surely be none for her, an unwed mother with the label “traitor” hovering over her head.

Marcus, a surgeon and splendid swordsman, has engraved his sword with a passage from the prophet Zechariah. “This is what the LORD Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.’” (Zech. 7:9) It’s a beautiful piece of advice, but Marcus is blind to the second half.

What neither of these characters realizes at first is that God doles out mercy and justice as a packaged unit and in bountiful, equal measure. In our finite human minds, we tend to separate these two qualities, but God cannot give one without the other. More than that, He cannot be one without the other. He is all mercy and all justice in one perfect being.

Aren’t you glad? I sure am!