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Bridal Veil Island #1
To Have and to Hold
When Audrey Cunningham's father proposes that they move to Bridal Veil Island, where he grew up, she agrees, thinking this will help keep him sober and close to God. But they arrive to find wealthy investors buying up land to build a grand resort on the secluded island—and they want the Cunninghams' acreage.
Contractor Marshall Graham can't imagine why the former drinking buddy of his deceased father would beckon him to Bridal Veil Island. And when Boyd Cunningham asks him to watch over Audrey, Marshall is even more confused. He has no desire to be saddled with caring for this fiery young woman who is openly hostile toward him. But when Audrey seems to be falling for another man—one who has two little girls Audrey adores—Marshall realizes she holds more of his heart than he realized.
Which man will Audrey choose? And can she hold on to her ancestral property in the face of overwhelming odds?
Contractor Marshall Graham can't imagine why the former drinking buddy of his deceased father would beckon him to Bridal Veil Island. And when Boyd Cunningham asks him to watch over Audrey, Marshall is even more confused. He has no desire to be saddled with caring for this fiery young woman who is openly hostile toward him. But when Audrey seems to be falling for another man—one who has two little girls Audrey adores—Marshall realizes she holds more of his heart than he realized.
Which man will Audrey choose? And can she hold on to her ancestral property in the face of overwhelming odds?
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
310 people are currently reading
1237 people want to read
About the author
Tracie Peterson
250 books3,128 followersTracie Peterson is a bestselling author who writes in both historical and contemporary genres. Her novels reveal her love for research as well as her strong desire to develop emotionally meaningful characters and stories for her readers. Tracie and her family live in Montana.
pen name: Janelle Jamison
pen name: Janelle Jamison
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
March 30, 2014
Pros: The book kept me somewhat interested and I kept reading... I did like the very brief witty remarks from Aunt Thora and the book was proper and appropriate.
Cons: The author made the heroine seem dumb, moody, stubborn, and anything but admirable. I kinda felt like she was a young woman hater...even though the author, um, is a woman. The romance...when it happened was kind of a big surprise, like "Surprise! So and so really does like so and so...even though you had no idea!" I was not a fan of that style of writing.
I am still perplexed by this book and it might take me a few days to sort through my confused and disappointed feelings. For now I give it two stars because of the lack of respect for the heroine in the story...
P.S. Does anyone else hate it when the hero (some, magically) finds himself in love and there is absolutely no solid evidence as to how or why that happened? Good grief.
Cons: The author made the heroine seem dumb, moody, stubborn, and anything but admirable. I kinda felt like she was a young woman hater...even though the author, um, is a woman. The romance...when it happened was kind of a big surprise, like "Surprise! So and so really does like so and so...even though you had no idea!" I was not a fan of that style of writing.
I am still perplexed by this book and it might take me a few days to sort through my confused and disappointed feelings. For now I give it two stars because of the lack of respect for the heroine in the story...
P.S. Does anyone else hate it when the hero (some, magically) finds himself in love and there is absolutely no solid evidence as to how or why that happened? Good grief.
June 25, 2020
This book was a disappointment. I rarely give a book less than 4 stars, but this one is an exception, and I couldn't find a reason to rate it more than 2 stars. Tracie Peterson is a great author and I was looking forward to reading this series, but I'm not going to read the other 2 books in this series right away. I actually feel I need a break from the characters. I may not read them at all.
There was potential at the beginning of the story, but it quickly fell flat...at least for me. The main character, Audrey, was hard for me to like. She came across as shallow and rather bitter. Aunt Thora annoyed me to no end. She ranted and raved about the Yankees being awful, and even took to shooting at them. It was simply too much! Marshall was the only likeable character, but even his character was never developed to my liking. The setting was lovely, but the story was not. It was a book to forget.
There was potential at the beginning of the story, but it quickly fell flat...at least for me. The main character, Audrey, was hard for me to like. She came across as shallow and rather bitter. Aunt Thora annoyed me to no end. She ranted and raved about the Yankees being awful, and even took to shooting at them. It was simply too much! Marshall was the only likeable character, but even his character was never developed to my liking. The setting was lovely, but the story was not. It was a book to forget.
August 29, 2014
I wasn't really into the story line from the beginning. I kept getting annoyed with the heroine because she kept jumping to conclusions about people and couldn't make up her mind. Also, I was sick of Audrey and Marshall kissing all the time. I highly doubt that would have happened during that time period.
November 6, 2014
Audrey Cunningham and her father Boyd have returned home to Bridal Veil Island where they have not lived since the Civil War. The war changed everything, making it difficult to find work in the South. The Cunninghams enjoy the serenity and beauty of her new home but Audrey's grandmother failed to pay the back taxes and now their home is threatened. Audrey is eager to go to work to support her father as she did in Pittsburgh. She liked working for the Morelys and became almost one of the family. Boyd is determined to find a way to save Bridal Veil because it's his hard drinking life that got them in this mess in the first place. He believes in a life devoted to God now and thinks God will lead him down the right path; a path that will spare Audrey more pain. Aunt Thora, Audrey's grandmother's friend, believes the d***n Yankees are to blame and she's determined they won't ever set foot on the island again. When a group of wealthy Northern investors, including Mr. Morley, want to create a leisure resort on the island, the Cunninghams refuse to sell their land. Mr. Morely and Mr. Cunningham come up with a compromise that will help. Marshall Graham comes to Bridal Veil at the request of Boyd Cunningham. Marshall is the son of Boyd's old drinking buddy who was killed in a barroom brawl. Audrey distrusts Marshall straight away. Marshall knows he's a good man and is determined to follow the path the Lord has laid out for him. Boyd knows Marshall is a good man too which is why he asks Marshall to look after Audrey. Audrey can look after herself but Marshall is hurt that Audrey can not see him for who he really is. She seems to prefer the company of Dr. Wahler and his two young daughters. He wonders if they will ever be friends. Marshall is determined that Audrey shall come to know the Lord as he does and accept what God has in store for her. In the meantime, he's hired on as the project manager and must deal with deliberate sabotage to his work site. His job and even his life are on the line.
This book is one of the most boring novels I have ever read. I had a hard time getting into it. The plot moves very very slowly. Not much happens in most of the book. The second to last chapter contains most of the action! I figured out some of the villains because it was so obvious. I thought certainly I must be wrong but sadly I was not.
I didn't really care for any of the characters. Audrey is a well-rounded character - she has her flaws but sometimes she's too good to like. Boys is likewise flawed and I care mostly about him aside from his deep religious convictions that to me, made him seem a bit lazy. I did not like Marshall. He is too good to be true. Again I found his religious beliefs a bit too much to handle. There's no chemistry between Marshall and Audrey and the romance is mostly played out off screen or told in passing. Most of the secondary characters are fairly two-dimensional. Aunt Thora provides the comic relief but she's also a stereotype of the steel magnolia.
My biggest beef with this story is that the characters don't sound nineteenth century. Aside from Aunt Thora's comments about the Yankees and the war, this book could take place at any time. I'm not a Christian so I failed to appreciate all the religious sentiment and found it to be a bit too much for my taste. I won't be reading more books by these authors and the gorgeous setting isn't enough to make me want to read any more of the series.
This book is one of the most boring novels I have ever read. I had a hard time getting into it. The plot moves very very slowly. Not much happens in most of the book. The second to last chapter contains most of the action! I figured out some of the villains because it was so obvious. I thought certainly I must be wrong but sadly I was not.
I didn't really care for any of the characters. Audrey is a well-rounded character - she has her flaws but sometimes she's too good to like. Boys is likewise flawed and I care mostly about him aside from his deep religious convictions that to me, made him seem a bit lazy. I did not like Marshall. He is too good to be true. Again I found his religious beliefs a bit too much to handle. There's no chemistry between Marshall and Audrey and the romance is mostly played out off screen or told in passing. Most of the secondary characters are fairly two-dimensional. Aunt Thora provides the comic relief but she's also a stereotype of the steel magnolia.
My biggest beef with this story is that the characters don't sound nineteenth century. Aside from Aunt Thora's comments about the Yankees and the war, this book could take place at any time. I'm not a Christian so I failed to appreciate all the religious sentiment and found it to be a bit too much for my taste. I won't be reading more books by these authors and the gorgeous setting isn't enough to make me want to read any more of the series.
September 7, 2011
"Them there Yankee's are overrunning the island again!" shouts an elderly woman holding a loaded shotgun, while keeping an eye out over the grove of oak trees just off the porch of the house.
Not knowing what is causing the commotion, Audrey Cunningham comes running from the house only to see her elderly housekeeper, Thora, getting ready to fire again as a poor young man attempts to wave a white handkerchief from behind a tree.
Taking the shotgun away from Thora, Audrey reminds her that the war between the North and the South has been over for quite some time. Still mumbling to herself, Thora heads back into the house.
Now that Bridal Veils island is undergoing a huge renovation to complete with another renovation going on at Jekyll Island, across the river, there will be a lot of construction crews coming and going from the property her father still owns. A wealthy developer, Mr. Morley is working with other investors to build a clubhouse and hotel to rival that one being built on Jekyll Island. Audrey is hoping along with her father that this will help pay the years of back taxes her family owes on the house and 20 acres of property. Without it, they will be forced to sell the home that has been in her family for generations.
Her ailing father, Boyd is hoping to last long enough to see Audrey through the start of the process before his illness from many years of drinking takes its toll. His goal is to see her use faith in God to get her through this trying time and to hope that Marshall Graham can use his own experience in dealing with his father's death to help Audrey when the time comes.
I received, To Have and To Hold by Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller, compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review. Set in the late 1800's in the deep south, we get to see a struggling relationship between Audrey and her father Boyd, come to an understanding and a renewal of faith before her father's death, while he hopes that he can find a way to provide for her and save the land she has come home to save.
I would rate this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars. It took me a few chapters to get into the story before I was really hooked but once I was, I couldn't put it down. While I was reading, I was hearing the dialogue between Audrey and Marshall, like Rhett and Scarlett would have had. The relationship at the beginning has the volatility of two enemies but later you can see the softening as they learn to work out their differences and become friends.
Not knowing what is causing the commotion, Audrey Cunningham comes running from the house only to see her elderly housekeeper, Thora, getting ready to fire again as a poor young man attempts to wave a white handkerchief from behind a tree.
Taking the shotgun away from Thora, Audrey reminds her that the war between the North and the South has been over for quite some time. Still mumbling to herself, Thora heads back into the house.
Now that Bridal Veils island is undergoing a huge renovation to complete with another renovation going on at Jekyll Island, across the river, there will be a lot of construction crews coming and going from the property her father still owns. A wealthy developer, Mr. Morley is working with other investors to build a clubhouse and hotel to rival that one being built on Jekyll Island. Audrey is hoping along with her father that this will help pay the years of back taxes her family owes on the house and 20 acres of property. Without it, they will be forced to sell the home that has been in her family for generations.
Her ailing father, Boyd is hoping to last long enough to see Audrey through the start of the process before his illness from many years of drinking takes its toll. His goal is to see her use faith in God to get her through this trying time and to hope that Marshall Graham can use his own experience in dealing with his father's death to help Audrey when the time comes.
I received, To Have and To Hold by Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller, compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review. Set in the late 1800's in the deep south, we get to see a struggling relationship between Audrey and her father Boyd, come to an understanding and a renewal of faith before her father's death, while he hopes that he can find a way to provide for her and save the land she has come home to save.
I would rate this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars. It took me a few chapters to get into the story before I was really hooked but once I was, I couldn't put it down. While I was reading, I was hearing the dialogue between Audrey and Marshall, like Rhett and Scarlett would have had. The relationship at the beginning has the volatility of two enemies but later you can see the softening as they learn to work out their differences and become friends.
August 14, 2017
I found To Have and to Hold to be predictable and tiresome with a plot resolution you can anticipate early on. The main character, Audrey Cunningham, never seems to learn from her mistakes, continuously jumping to conclusions about others (notably about Marshall Graham) and ignoring reliable warnings which then places her in dangerous (or not) situations. I felt mostly like I was watching a bad movie where the heroine is always doing dumb things and then some strong man comes to rescue her.
I also found that the authors repeated their themes and information excessively. In addition, while "Aunt" Thora did provide some color and humor, she also came across as a stereotype which undermined the novel further. I did appreciate Audrey's relationship with her father Boyd and his deep love and concern for her. However, as a Southern gal, I had higher hopes for this post-Civil War novel set in Georgia and was disappointed.
I also found that the authors repeated their themes and information excessively. In addition, while "Aunt" Thora did provide some color and humor, she also came across as a stereotype which undermined the novel further. I did appreciate Audrey's relationship with her father Boyd and his deep love and concern for her. However, as a Southern gal, I had higher hopes for this post-Civil War novel set in Georgia and was disappointed.
March 8, 2014
This book was slow in starting,and I knew where the plot was headed right away, but there were also some very interesting and exciting parts. Christian Historical Fiction is my favorite genre, and I found several things about this novel pleasurable. The character of Aunt Thora was a funny, whimsical addition that added humor. The depiction of Georgia shortly after the end of the civil war seemed realistic, and helped keep my interest. I will definitely give the rest of this series a try.
May 8, 2014
This story had potential but I feel like the characters were underdeveloped and the plot was lacking. It seemed like a book just sort of thrown together. I wished we had been given more in the way of plot and that the characters had developed in a believable way. It was just an okay book I don't think I will be continuing on in this series.
March 13, 2014
Tracie Peterson normally never disappoints me, so it saddens me to have to say that I would not recommend this book, I couldn't even get through it. The mystery that was involved was very obvious about who was doing what, also it was a very slow moving story. I was very disappointed and truly wish I didn't have to give this book a one star.
March 27, 2015
I would actually give this 2 1/2 stars, but since I can't do that I decided to be generous. It was a good story, but had some really slow parts through out the book.
October 4, 2016
The setting was beautiful, and this story had a happy ending. The story was boring, and the characters were unlikable.
January 7, 2019
Hard to believe
Not so good. Impossible to believe the lead character. Her inability to learn from her own mistakes made me want to skip passages that seemed all the same mistakes.
Not so good. Impossible to believe the lead character. Her inability to learn from her own mistakes made me want to skip passages that seemed all the same mistakes.
March 29, 2018
There were some parts of this book that I enjoyed very much because I lived in Georgia for 2 years and visited both Jekyll Island and St. Simon's Island which is what I think Bridal Veil Island compares to. St. Simon's Island has a resort which primarily only the wealthy go to although it is not on the scale of Jekyll Island. The descriptions of the island brought back vivid memories of a weekend stay on St. Simon's Island. Aunt Thor's complaints and comments about the Civil War and the Yankees was very accurate for Georgia especially at that time. Even in the 20th century, people in the South were still upset about the effects of the Civil War or as they called it The War of Northern Aggression.
There is a strong Christian message in the novel which was meaningful to me. This was shown by Audrey's father, Boyd, and Marshall Graham, the young man who comes to play a major role in the novel. However, I did not like the main character, Audrey Cunningham, and she certainly didn't promote Christian values. Although she had gone through very difficult times as a result of her father's alcoholism, I felt she acted like a spoiled brat at times.
I have enjoyed other novels by Tracie Peterson more than this one.
There is a strong Christian message in the novel which was meaningful to me. This was shown by Audrey's father, Boyd, and Marshall Graham, the young man who comes to play a major role in the novel. However, I did not like the main character, Audrey Cunningham, and she certainly didn't promote Christian values. Although she had gone through very difficult times as a result of her father's alcoholism, I felt she acted like a spoiled brat at times.
I have enjoyed other novels by Tracie Peterson more than this one.
July 18, 2020
While I haven't read many of Tracie Peterson's book, they always feel very rich. It's like having a Dove chocolate instead of a Hershey chocolate. Both tasty, but one is more delectable. This story was like that. The luscious writing is in a league of its own.
Audrey has moved back south after the "war" concluded. She's trying to help her ailing father keep the family island estate. However, northern developers want to build resorts. Apprehensive at first, her father reluctantly agrees and with the funds can pay the back taxes on the home. However, he passes. Left only with Aunt Thora (no relation), Audrey continues with the plans laid out by her father.
Marshall is a construction worker who came from the north to help Audrey's father. However, there's discord among the builders and saboteurs. After being a victim of malicious intent, Marshall, with the help of the lead on the project, concoct a well set trap. Unfortunately, Audrey gets in the middle of it!
This was a wonderful read. I only had a couple of "ah!" moments. Those came when Aunt Thora ranted and raved about the Yankees invading again. And then when Audrey kept falsely accusing people of drunkenness.
This happily ever after read was quite satisfying!
Audrey has moved back south after the "war" concluded. She's trying to help her ailing father keep the family island estate. However, northern developers want to build resorts. Apprehensive at first, her father reluctantly agrees and with the funds can pay the back taxes on the home. However, he passes. Left only with Aunt Thora (no relation), Audrey continues with the plans laid out by her father.
Marshall is a construction worker who came from the north to help Audrey's father. However, there's discord among the builders and saboteurs. After being a victim of malicious intent, Marshall, with the help of the lead on the project, concoct a well set trap. Unfortunately, Audrey gets in the middle of it!
This was a wonderful read. I only had a couple of "ah!" moments. Those came when Aunt Thora ranted and raved about the Yankees invading again. And then when Audrey kept falsely accusing people of drunkenness.
This happily ever after read was quite satisfying!
July 28, 2021
In reading other reviews, I see that some readers did not care for the heroine, Audrey Cunningham. I did not have that problem. Having lived with an alcoholic for many years (thankfully that’s no longer the case), it is quite believable that Audrey jumps to the conclusion that someone has been drinking. I believe it’s a form of PTSD and very understandable to me. That said, I enjoyed the witty remarks from Aunt Thora and the unflinching faith in God of both Boyd Cunningham and Marshall Graham.
There is also a mystery to solve, but not in a frightening way. There were just enough questions to keep my mind going, trying to figure out whether certain characters were trustworthy or not. Some were obviously shady, some were not. The concept of building a resort for the wealthy off the coast of Georgia is more than plausible and furthered my interest in the book.
I have always enjoyed reading books written by Tracie Peterson and by Judith Miller. This book lived up to my expectations.
There is also a mystery to solve, but not in a frightening way. There were just enough questions to keep my mind going, trying to figure out whether certain characters were trustworthy or not. Some were obviously shady, some were not. The concept of building a resort for the wealthy off the coast of Georgia is more than plausible and furthered my interest in the book.
I have always enjoyed reading books written by Tracie Peterson and by Judith Miller. This book lived up to my expectations.
April 3, 2019
Tracie Peterson has gained a spot on my list of faves! This is my third series of hers. Land of the Shining Water and ugh I know one book was A Matter or Heart but the series name escapes me. I actually got this on Prime Reading waiting Sarah Ladds newest and thought it was actually a stand alone. I still have days left so I’m headed for book 2! I wasn’t quite sure with this one. It was a slow start but I came to love Thora,Audrey and Marshall and loved to see how their story culminated! I am an audiobook fan but I have yet to like her narrators and leave it to Alexa. Being a southerner the accents haven’t been very believable. Julie Klassen (Regency) and Laura Frantz have spoiled me with great narrators. I don’t let that stop me from enjoying the story.
November 7, 2020
This was a book I picked up a while back for free on my kindle and I read it because it fulfilled one of my reading categories, a book with more than one author. I'm a little conflicted about this book because I usually like most everything Tracie Peterson writes! I struggled a bit to read it; the story was good at times and had some potential but the main character of Audrey annoyed me. She seemed spoiled, could make dumb decisions and was fearful and maybe sure her father would return to his alcoholic ways. I don't mind a predictable story with nice endings but the character of Audrey just didn't click with me. I have the other books in this series available on hoopla to read but it may take a while before wanting to read them!
April 17, 2025
I actually read this book within a few hours but it felt like it took months. It was such a slow moving book for the majority. The characters were void of most chemistry. If a movie had been made from this book...with proper casting, the movie would have fared better reviews. The characters were a mixture of one-dimensional, immature, shallow, naive, unintelligent, predictable, and insipid. This novel is supposed to be a start to a series and I'm not sure which characters they could develop more that would entice me to read the next one. So I think I'll skip it. I usually give the authors more credit than 2 stars but when I found I wasn't the only person to share the same thoughts on this book, I decided 2 stars was appropriate. It's unfortunate, since I really wanted to like the story.
June 5, 2022
Delightful Read
This book was very amusing. The setting of the book made the story even more interesting. I think many people would enjoy reading this Christian Romance/Fiction book. The mystery was more of a subplot, but it still excited me. The romance in the book was so sweet! I did not think it was inappropriate. I'm fact, I thought it was mostly respectable. The Christian aspect of the book was sprinkled beautifully throughout the story. The author did a good job pointing to God as the answer to all of our problems. I would certainly recommend this book to everyone who is looking for a good Christian fiction book.
This book was very amusing. The setting of the book made the story even more interesting. I think many people would enjoy reading this Christian Romance/Fiction book. The mystery was more of a subplot, but it still excited me. The romance in the book was so sweet! I did not think it was inappropriate. I'm fact, I thought it was mostly respectable. The Christian aspect of the book was sprinkled beautifully throughout the story. The author did a good job pointing to God as the answer to all of our problems. I would certainly recommend this book to everyone who is looking for a good Christian fiction book.
July 3, 2025
This one was just okay. It definitely had some good/cute moments. But both Audrey and Marshall got on my nerves a lot, the way they would both jump to conclusions, over and over again just got a little old. And Aunt Thora got on my nerves as well, with her instant dislike/distrust of anyone who was from the North. It did end well, I was happy once everything was resolved and that Audrey and Marshall finally get together. But this is definitely a one time read for me.
March 26, 2024
Silly women, slaves to making assumptions and acting like fools. Aunt Thora needs locking up. Hardly an advertisement for Christian living. A good enough story without the unintelligence and foolishness of prejudiced women. Not recommended for its heroine, but has a good feel for other aspects of the life of the times.
June 30, 2018
Beautiful!
This book took me to the island and I truly felt I knew the people! I felt that I was there with them. We were in Savannah and on St Simons Island several years ago and loved all of it. I could definitely picture the scenes. Loved it!
This book took me to the island and I truly felt I knew the people! I felt that I was there with them. We were in Savannah and on St Simons Island several years ago and loved all of it. I could definitely picture the scenes. Loved it!
December 13, 2019
This is a pretty good read and it kept my attention fairly well. Another one of Tracy Peterson’s good books that isn’t overly preachy but at the same time has good moral values embedded in a good plot.
April 30, 2022
I was disappointed with this book. The characters were not terribly interesting with exception of Thora and the plot wasn't very good either. I will read the other two in series but not terribly interested in it.
September 10, 2025
It is always wonderful to find a book you have missed by a couple favorite authors - a series is even better this is the first in Bridal Veil Island series takes place on island off Georgia coast shortly after that Late Unpleasantness Between the States
June 14, 2019
Audrey is a jerk, the workers wouldn't have lasted, vague characters and plot. One of my least favorite and I love Tracie Peterson. Not sure if I want to finish the series..
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 8, 2020
3.5 stars. Easy read.
March 15, 2020
I tried but I couldn’t finish it. I just got bored. The main girl was so annoying. I just kept thinking, “Dude, you don’t want this chick. She’ll make you miserable. Find someone else.”
June 8, 2021
Falling in love with the old south
The island holds a way of life that every person should be able to enjoy no matter where they live.
The island holds a way of life that every person should be able to enjoy no matter where they live.
August 28, 2021
Disappointed
Tracie Peterson is my favorite writer but this book was slow moving, shallow plot, not so interesting characters. I will not buy the rest of the series.
Tracie Peterson is my favorite writer but this book was slow moving, shallow plot, not so interesting characters. I will not buy the rest of the series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews