BJ Hoff’s writing is known for her historical settings, her unforgettable characters, and her lyrical prose. She is the bestselling author of numerous historical fiction series, including the Riverhaven Years, the Mountain Song Legacy, the Song of Erin saga, the American Anthem series, An Emerald Ballad series, and her newest book Harp on the Willow.
Her five-volume Emerald Ballad series was the first major work of fiction to bring the Irish immigration experience to the CBA marketplace, and the work that first brought BJ an international reading audience.
Her readers know they can expect to meet some memorable people in her novels and also know that many of those people will be immigrants; Irish immigrants particularly but not exclusively.
BJ admits to a passion for building worlds. Whether her characters move about in small country towns or metropolitan areas, reside in Amish settlements, secluded mansions, or coal company houses, she creates communities where people can form relationships, raise families, pursue their faith, and experience the mountains and valleys of life.
She’s intent on making her historical novels relevant to the present by developing characters and settings that, while staying true to the history and culture of their times, reflect many of the spiritual trials and social problems faced by contemporary readers. Her novels are meant to be stories that build a bridge from the past to the present.
Her literary awards include the Christianity Today’s Critics Choice Book Award for fiction; a Gold Medallion Award finalist; and a number of Excellence in Media Silver Angel awards. Her books have been translated into many foreign languages, and she frequently hears from her international readers in countries such as Ireland, England, Norway, and Germany.
A former church music director and music teacher, BJ writes from her home in a small town in east central Ohio. She and her husband share a love of music, books, and time spent with their family: two daughters and three lively young grandsons.
This is part of a Christian "mystery" series centering on Daniel and Jennifer, a couple involved in multiple nonprofit outreach programs who find themselves routinely in danger. In this episode, they wind up stuck with another couple, their adopted son, and some Mafia runaways at a camp for disabled children during a snowstorm. Things get crazy at the end! For the most part I enjoyed this one; there wasn't anything really earthshattering about it, but the car accident was horrifying and the children and Daniel's service dog taking down the Mafia goons at the end felt a little like Home Alone. I did kind of take issue with one character at the end apologizing for not letting a kid face the big bad with him. Like no, that wasn't necessarily just your resentment of outsiders talking, that was responsibility right there.