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Een sluier van parels
Als de waarheid boven tafel komt, zal dat hun beide levens ruïneren In 1811 is Charleston, West Virginia, een stad vol immigranten. Een van hen is Adalia, een weggelopen slavin. Haar huid is zo licht dat niemand haar werkelijke afkomst vermoedt. Als ze valt voor de knappe en gefortuneerde Morgan en hij haar meetrekt in zijn wereld vol glamour, zijn veel vrouwen jaloers en achterdochtig. Adalia is doodsbang dat haar geheim ontdekt wordt. Wat zal Morgan doen als hij erachter komt dat de vrouw van wie hij is gaan houden een weggelopen slavin is?
336 pages, Unknown Binding
First published July 1, 2012
92 people are currently reading
2018 people want to read
About the author
MaryLu Tyndall
57 books987 followersA Christy Award finalist and winner of two Inspirational Readers’ Choice awards, MaryLu Tyndall dreamt of tall ships and swashbuckling heroes during her childhood years on Florida’s Atlantic Coast. She holds a degree in Math and worked as a software engineer for fifteen years before she penned her first novel. Now, with more than twenty-five books published, she makes her home in California with her husband, six children, four grandchildren and various stray cats. Her hope is that readers will not only be entertained but will be brought closer to the Creator who loves them beyond measure. For more information, visit her website at marylutyndall.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 235 reviews
June 28, 2012
Oh my! Seldom has my heart ached more at the turn of a last page. MaryLu Tyndall is simply one of the best in Christian romance today and Veil of Pearls, her finest work yet. A pearl beyond compare, this is a love story that transcends era and class to race your heart and soothe your soul, leaving you breathless and longing for more. Absolutely one of my favorite reads ever!
April 22, 2012
Sadly in America, Freedom is something we all tend to take for granted. But in the book “Veil of Pearls” by MaryLu Tyndall we meet a young woman named Althea who knows the true value of freedom as she fights tooth and nail to gain hers. She escapes her Barbados plantation prison from a cruel slave master by sneaking away and gaining passage on a ship bound for Charleston, South Carolina. It is here that she reinvents herself and changes her name to Adalia and seeks to help in a local orphanage with the ill children as she has abilities with natural healing remedies. As she is so light-skinned that no one guesses her to be a runaway slave, she starts her new life with her slave status going undetected by those around her. She does however manage to catch the eye of a local young man coming from one of the most prominent and wealthy families in town, Morgan Ruteledge. Adalia’s initial meeting with Morgan is one filled with ire and she definitely puts the rather bold and spoiled young man in his place.
Adalia’s skills as a young healer catch the attention of a local Dr. in need of a young assistant willing to take care of the local “Negro’s” in need of care, especially for the slaves in the local plantations. This provides Adalia with the fresh start she needs with room and board with the Dr. It also causes her to cross paths with Morgan as Adalia is summoned to his family’s plantation to help with the ill slaves. Morgan is captivated by Adalia and wears her down with his constant attention. Adalia is finally swayed by his constant attention, good looks and charm and agrees to accompany him on several occasions to parties, the theatre, etc. She definitely begins to be wooed by his lifestyle and by Morgan as well as she gets to know Morgan and see how he is influenced by her. The Dr. with whom she is staying is not a fan of the Ruteledge family and so tries to strongly discourage Adalia from the attentions paid her by Morgan. But the heart wants what the heart wants and Adalia ignores the Dr.’s counsel. Of course Adalia’s past catches up to her, but how will Morgan respond to the knowledge that the woman he is falling in love with is a former slave?
My thoughts on this book are that MaryLu Tyndall writes with a lot of passion and brings a storyline that is compelling and romantic. You truly do root for Adalia as she has so many past struggles and things she has overcome, along with past convictions. I appreciate it though that the author didn’t make her incapable of falling a bit- sort of getting caught up in the whole rich, glittery lifestyle of Morgan and sort of became drawn in by it all. Morgan had so much growth to do as well with his stand on slavery, the out of proportion importance of his wealthy lifestyle, etc. I also really liked the Dr’s storyline and background as well which made you understand his over-protective nature concerning Adalia. I thought there were many layers to the story. I would say the only thing that caught me off guard a bit were some of the romantic scenes. They seemed just slightly overdone at times- Just my 2 cents. Overall, a very enjoyable and heartfelt read.
4 stars
I graciously received a free copy of this book through the Net galley program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own
Adalia’s skills as a young healer catch the attention of a local Dr. in need of a young assistant willing to take care of the local “Negro’s” in need of care, especially for the slaves in the local plantations. This provides Adalia with the fresh start she needs with room and board with the Dr. It also causes her to cross paths with Morgan as Adalia is summoned to his family’s plantation to help with the ill slaves. Morgan is captivated by Adalia and wears her down with his constant attention. Adalia is finally swayed by his constant attention, good looks and charm and agrees to accompany him on several occasions to parties, the theatre, etc. She definitely begins to be wooed by his lifestyle and by Morgan as well as she gets to know Morgan and see how he is influenced by her. The Dr. with whom she is staying is not a fan of the Ruteledge family and so tries to strongly discourage Adalia from the attentions paid her by Morgan. But the heart wants what the heart wants and Adalia ignores the Dr.’s counsel. Of course Adalia’s past catches up to her, but how will Morgan respond to the knowledge that the woman he is falling in love with is a former slave?
My thoughts on this book are that MaryLu Tyndall writes with a lot of passion and brings a storyline that is compelling and romantic. You truly do root for Adalia as she has so many past struggles and things she has overcome, along with past convictions. I appreciate it though that the author didn’t make her incapable of falling a bit- sort of getting caught up in the whole rich, glittery lifestyle of Morgan and sort of became drawn in by it all. Morgan had so much growth to do as well with his stand on slavery, the out of proportion importance of his wealthy lifestyle, etc. I also really liked the Dr’s storyline and background as well which made you understand his over-protective nature concerning Adalia. I thought there were many layers to the story. I would say the only thing that caught me off guard a bit were some of the romantic scenes. They seemed just slightly overdone at times- Just my 2 cents. Overall, a very enjoyable and heartfelt read.
4 stars
I graciously received a free copy of this book through the Net galley program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own
July 4, 2019
Knowing from the book description that Adalia was a runaway slave made me wonder how Tyndall was going to handle the racial prejudices of the period.
I worried for nothing. =)
The sweeping grandeur of the world to which Morgan introduces Adalia was breathtaking and beautiful. No wonder she was tempted to hide who she was in order for a chance at it all. Still I liked that she remained nervous around her new acquaintances and never felt completely at home. As an introvert who likes to people-watch, Adalia's feeling out-of-place instead of becoming this socially competent debutante made me like her a lot more.
And Morgan! I really enjoyed how he handled himself with decorum at all the social events, only because he had never known different. His growth throughout the book was compelling. Watching him go from looking down on other people to experiencing compassion and seeing them as people was very interesting to me.
Okay, I didn't really like how Adalia held onto her deceit until the last possible moment. I mean, I knew there had a be a grand reveal because that would be the most interesting, but it still bothered me a bit that she never told the truth willingly. I think I might have been a little more forgiving of her dishonesty, however, if Morgan hadn't reacted as he did. I thought he was farther along than that! For the sake of trying not to spoil the book for anyone, I won't go into any more detail. Yet I must say that the way Adalia and Morgan recovered from that great "fall" scene was well-done.
Tyndall's traditional history-rich drama ascends to new heights in Veil of Pearls. Not only are there characters who have life-or-death decisions to make, there are duels and chains to break in this book!
I worried for nothing. =)
The sweeping grandeur of the world to which Morgan introduces Adalia was breathtaking and beautiful. No wonder she was tempted to hide who she was in order for a chance at it all. Still I liked that she remained nervous around her new acquaintances and never felt completely at home. As an introvert who likes to people-watch, Adalia's feeling out-of-place instead of becoming this socially competent debutante made me like her a lot more.
And Morgan! I really enjoyed how he handled himself with decorum at all the social events, only because he had never known different. His growth throughout the book was compelling. Watching him go from looking down on other people to experiencing compassion and seeing them as people was very interesting to me.
Okay, I didn't really like how Adalia held onto her deceit until the last possible moment. I mean, I knew there had a be a grand reveal because that would be the most interesting, but it still bothered me a bit that she never told the truth willingly. I think I might have been a little more forgiving of her dishonesty, however, if Morgan hadn't reacted as he did. I thought he was farther along than that! For the sake of trying not to spoil the book for anyone, I won't go into any more detail. Yet I must say that the way Adalia and Morgan recovered from that great "fall" scene was well-done.
Tyndall's traditional history-rich drama ascends to new heights in Veil of Pearls. Not only are there characters who have life-or-death decisions to make, there are duels and chains to break in this book!
July 3, 2012
The plot and writing style of Veil of Pearls reminds me of authors such as Jamie Carie, Linda Chaikin and Lori Wick, so I’m sure that fans of these authors will love this book.
Unfortunately, I didn’t. I wanted to, but I didn’t.
Veil of Pearls heaps formula upon platitude upon cliché – Adelia, the beautiful young girl, orphaned and forced into slavery yet with a faith in God and a strong desire to make her world a better place, escaping and meeting Morgan, the rich young man who doesn't want to fulfil the destiny his father has dictated. He is intrigued by the girl, who initially rebuffs him because she detests everything he stands for, then accepts his invitations with a view to missionary dating (1811 style), in the hope that she can reform the rake and convert him to Christianity. Veil of Pearls also features Emerald, the Other Woman with insides “splattered … the color of her name”, and Doctor Langston Willaby, the misguided protector, who hides mail from Morgan to Adelia. How very original.
Adalia is one quarter Negro, and pale-skinned enough to pass as white, yet identifies strongly with 'her people' (whether this is because of her racial background or her seven years as a slave is unclear). It got old quickly, because it seemed that every reference to her background was merely an excuse to include yet another sermonette on the evils of slavery or the sufferings of the poor Negros. There were also allusions to Morgan, the poor little rich boy, being a slave to the expectations of the rich, which I found rather distasteful in the light of actual slavery, both in the past and in the present day.
I got annoyed by the anachronisms, factual errors and some very strange uses of the English language, all of which served to pull me further out of a story that I was finding it hard to get in to in the first place. There was also a fair sprinkling of cringe-worthy words and phrases, including 'she spat the words' and ‘he ground out’. I can only conclude that I’ve grown out of this kind of writing.
Thanks to Barbour Publishing and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.
Unfortunately, I didn’t. I wanted to, but I didn’t.
Veil of Pearls heaps formula upon platitude upon cliché – Adelia, the beautiful young girl, orphaned and forced into slavery yet with a faith in God and a strong desire to make her world a better place, escaping and meeting Morgan, the rich young man who doesn't want to fulfil the destiny his father has dictated. He is intrigued by the girl, who initially rebuffs him because she detests everything he stands for, then accepts his invitations with a view to missionary dating (1811 style), in the hope that she can reform the rake and convert him to Christianity. Veil of Pearls also features Emerald, the Other Woman with insides “splattered … the color of her name”, and Doctor Langston Willaby, the misguided protector, who hides mail from Morgan to Adelia. How very original.
Adalia is one quarter Negro, and pale-skinned enough to pass as white, yet identifies strongly with 'her people' (whether this is because of her racial background or her seven years as a slave is unclear). It got old quickly, because it seemed that every reference to her background was merely an excuse to include yet another sermonette on the evils of slavery or the sufferings of the poor Negros. There were also allusions to Morgan, the poor little rich boy, being a slave to the expectations of the rich, which I found rather distasteful in the light of actual slavery, both in the past and in the present day.
I got annoyed by the anachronisms, factual errors and some very strange uses of the English language, all of which served to pull me further out of a story that I was finding it hard to get in to in the first place. There was also a fair sprinkling of cringe-worthy words and phrases, including 'she spat the words' and ‘he ground out’. I can only conclude that I’ve grown out of this kind of writing.
Thanks to Barbour Publishing and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.
June 24, 2012
Marvellous!
I think MaryLu Tyndall gets better with each book I read. I was really blown away by this awesome story!
Adalia is young woman with a quarter Negro blood. Although she looks 100% white, she's considered a slave. She has been planning to escape her abusive master for years. One day she actually runs away and starts a new life in Charleston.
She finds a position with a local doctor. The doctor sends her to the Rutledge Plantation to tend their slaves. There she meets the two Rutledge brothers—wealthy, spoiled and bored men.
The youngest brother, Morgan, is attracted to Adalia and is trying to woo her. Adalia tries to keep him on a distance, because she knows who she is and she doesn't belong to Charleston society. Morgan doesn't give up and finally she agrees to come with him to a party. More parties and social events will follow and the two are falling in love.
One jealous lady—who has her sights on Morgan—is trying to ruin Adalia. She's starting to dig in Adalia’s past. Will she find out who Adalia really is?
Morgan's father doesn't agree with a courtship of Morgan and a common woman. He's threatening to disown Morgan. What is more important to Morgan—his wealth or Adalia?
This was an awesome read. It had me in tears and smiles at times—it's my condition for a good book! It was so touching and well written I hated to see it end. I highly recommend this book. Well done, MaryLu!
*Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my review copy.*
I think MaryLu Tyndall gets better with each book I read. I was really blown away by this awesome story!
Adalia is young woman with a quarter Negro blood. Although she looks 100% white, she's considered a slave. She has been planning to escape her abusive master for years. One day she actually runs away and starts a new life in Charleston.
She finds a position with a local doctor. The doctor sends her to the Rutledge Plantation to tend their slaves. There she meets the two Rutledge brothers—wealthy, spoiled and bored men.
The youngest brother, Morgan, is attracted to Adalia and is trying to woo her. Adalia tries to keep him on a distance, because she knows who she is and she doesn't belong to Charleston society. Morgan doesn't give up and finally she agrees to come with him to a party. More parties and social events will follow and the two are falling in love.
One jealous lady—who has her sights on Morgan—is trying to ruin Adalia. She's starting to dig in Adalia’s past. Will she find out who Adalia really is?
Morgan's father doesn't agree with a courtship of Morgan and a common woman. He's threatening to disown Morgan. What is more important to Morgan—his wealth or Adalia?
This was an awesome read. It had me in tears and smiles at times—it's my condition for a good book! It was so touching and well written I hated to see it end. I highly recommend this book. Well done, MaryLu!
*Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my review copy.*
February 10, 2015
This novel combined two of my favorite things... historical fiction and Charleston!!! So, of course, I loved it!!! Strong character development and strong story... highly recommend!!!
February 26, 2013
Althea escapes slavery on a Barbados sugar plantation, and uses the advantage of her light skin to establish a new life in Charleston under the guise of "Adalia Winston". A local plantation owner's spoiled son won't accept her constant "no" to his party invitations and social calls, and when he finally cracks through her armor and garners a "yes", Adalia is swept into a glittering world of status, finery and show. A world she does not belong to.
Whenever I pick up a Marylu Tyndall book, I know there's going to be adventure on the seas, life-like characters, food for thought, and great setting descriptions that take my five senses right into the story. This Historical Romance is no different, and takes place in early 19th century America, just before the war of 1812.
"Veil of Pearls" is slower paced than others I've read by the author, but no less entertaining, and the action does pick up near the last quarter. Marylu Tyndall is unmatched in heart-stopping sea battles and duels! I predicted the plot and ending early on, and while the romance was a little much at times, it was still very charming and enjoyable. I loved the idea of a rich playboy and a woman of black heritage falling in love, in a time when marriage between people from such different worlds was unthinkable. The evil of slavery and the pricelessness of one's freedom was a theme masterfully woven onto every page, and I appreciated how Tyndall showed that even the hero and his friends were shackled to the expectations of their class and breeding.
Overall, cute Cinderella story that was very entertaining, from beginning to end.
Whenever I pick up a Marylu Tyndall book, I know there's going to be adventure on the seas, life-like characters, food for thought, and great setting descriptions that take my five senses right into the story. This Historical Romance is no different, and takes place in early 19th century America, just before the war of 1812.
"Veil of Pearls" is slower paced than others I've read by the author, but no less entertaining, and the action does pick up near the last quarter. Marylu Tyndall is unmatched in heart-stopping sea battles and duels! I predicted the plot and ending early on, and while the romance was a little much at times, it was still very charming and enjoyable. I loved the idea of a rich playboy and a woman of black heritage falling in love, in a time when marriage between people from such different worlds was unthinkable. The evil of slavery and the pricelessness of one's freedom was a theme masterfully woven onto every page, and I appreciated how Tyndall showed that even the hero and his friends were shackled to the expectations of their class and breeding.
Overall, cute Cinderella story that was very entertaining, from beginning to end.
August 2, 2012
I have been a fan of MaryLu Tyndall since I picked up the first title I found by her. Since that moment I’ve rejoiced each time her new novel hits my hands and this time was far from an exception.
Veil of Pearls combines so much into a solid novel. Historical controversy (in this case the plight of slaves pre-Civil War), strong characters that aren’t afraid to grow and learn to embrace change. A love story that moves the depth of my heart with impassioned precision. And writing that completely grips me, painting word pictures upon my mind that only make me want to stop and savor the impact of their words.
Tyndall’s novels have progressively improved to where I do believe, she is even better than when she started, though not to detract from her previous titles. The power of each word to build a story complex in emotion and plot is carefully built until at the end of the story I was disappointed to leave these characters behind.
Adalia and Morgan’s love story is one that the reader can never escape from knowing it possibly cannot succeed. Adalia has come from a slave’s descent and bears the marks on her very back. Knowing this the entire time I was reading the book kept an element of unease waiting to break lose.
Spiritual threads, romantic elements, wordsmithing! I truly adored this title. It’s unique and different. Yet entertaining and compelling. Tyndall’s latest is not to be missed!
This review is my honest opinion. Thanks to the author for my copy to review.
Veil of Pearls combines so much into a solid novel. Historical controversy (in this case the plight of slaves pre-Civil War), strong characters that aren’t afraid to grow and learn to embrace change. A love story that moves the depth of my heart with impassioned precision. And writing that completely grips me, painting word pictures upon my mind that only make me want to stop and savor the impact of their words.
Tyndall’s novels have progressively improved to where I do believe, she is even better than when she started, though not to detract from her previous titles. The power of each word to build a story complex in emotion and plot is carefully built until at the end of the story I was disappointed to leave these characters behind.
Adalia and Morgan’s love story is one that the reader can never escape from knowing it possibly cannot succeed. Adalia has come from a slave’s descent and bears the marks on her very back. Knowing this the entire time I was reading the book kept an element of unease waiting to break lose.
Spiritual threads, romantic elements, wordsmithing! I truly adored this title. It’s unique and different. Yet entertaining and compelling. Tyndall’s latest is not to be missed!
This review is my honest opinion. Thanks to the author for my copy to review.
May 7, 2020
An interesting story, but it didn't quite appeal to my tastes enough to earn a spot on my rapidly shrinking bookshelves 😅
June 24, 2012
Okay, this book was completely amazing from start to finish. In fact, of the eight novels of Marylu Tyndall's that I've read, this is my absolute favorite. Not only was there plenty of realism and romance, but there were a lot of insightful comments about faith, slavery, surrendering to God, the meaninglessness of worldly riches, etc. But you could also see how difficult it was for some of the characters to forsake the physical comforts in life.
The lure of wealth is powerful and can snag the hearts' of even the best of people. Not to mention that when you have things of the world filling your heart, there is no room for a close relationship with God. But like a true Gentleman, God steps back and waits for us to see that we miss Him and need Him in our lives. Sometimes He sends a messenger to us, or He speaks in that still, small voice. There were so many deep and profound spiritual truths in this story I could go on and on. This story totally wow'd me.
I am a sucker for a good historical romance as well. Not only does the author deliver a satisfying read with plenty of historical content to bring you to another time and place, but she skillfully shows how love can develop and grow in the most unlikely situations, and how this can change a person's world, literally. I was feeling the depth of their love in this book and it was beautiful to experience with them. Not to mention those kisses they shared were heart-melting and powerfully written. The self-sacrifice of the heroine really moved my heart as well. More than once I got that familiar lump in my throat and wanted to sigh.
I was totally enraptured by the story and fell in love with the characters. One of the points I really loved in this story was how manipulating to win a man's heart often drives him further away. At least that's true if he is a good man. This is especially true if the person doing the manipulating has no concern for those she hurts. That true beauty coming from the inside of a person was a powerful theme in this book. It was evident by a woman's actions, not just her outward appearance.
The authors conclusion at the end was pretty profound and I loved it! I also loved how the author showed that loving the unlovely as Christ loves us tends to confound evil people. It may not make them change, but it does make an impact on them.
Anyway, the romance was scorching hot (for an inspirational novel) because I felt their passion for life and for each other. That was very well done. I truly cared about what happened to them. And true to the author's style, she kept me hanging on to the end. I didn't skim a single page of this book, but savored it all. I highly recommend it.
The lure of wealth is powerful and can snag the hearts' of even the best of people. Not to mention that when you have things of the world filling your heart, there is no room for a close relationship with God. But like a true Gentleman, God steps back and waits for us to see that we miss Him and need Him in our lives. Sometimes He sends a messenger to us, or He speaks in that still, small voice. There were so many deep and profound spiritual truths in this story I could go on and on. This story totally wow'd me.
I am a sucker for a good historical romance as well. Not only does the author deliver a satisfying read with plenty of historical content to bring you to another time and place, but she skillfully shows how love can develop and grow in the most unlikely situations, and how this can change a person's world, literally. I was feeling the depth of their love in this book and it was beautiful to experience with them. Not to mention those kisses they shared were heart-melting and powerfully written. The self-sacrifice of the heroine really moved my heart as well. More than once I got that familiar lump in my throat and wanted to sigh.
I was totally enraptured by the story and fell in love with the characters. One of the points I really loved in this story was how manipulating to win a man's heart often drives him further away. At least that's true if he is a good man. This is especially true if the person doing the manipulating has no concern for those she hurts. That true beauty coming from the inside of a person was a powerful theme in this book. It was evident by a woman's actions, not just her outward appearance.
The authors conclusion at the end was pretty profound and I loved it! I also loved how the author showed that loving the unlovely as Christ loves us tends to confound evil people. It may not make them change, but it does make an impact on them.
Anyway, the romance was scorching hot (for an inspirational novel) because I felt their passion for life and for each other. That was very well done. I truly cared about what happened to them. And true to the author's style, she kept me hanging on to the end. I didn't skim a single page of this book, but savored it all. I highly recommend it.
July 14, 2012
Plot Summary:
It is 1811, and the prosperous port city of Charleston is bustling with immigrants like Adalia. But she has a secret: her light skin belies that she is part black and a runaway slave from Barbados. She lives in terror that her owner will come looking for her. Instead Morgan, the son of a plantation owner, finds her. He is handsome, charming, bored--and enamored of the beautiful Adalia. Soon she is swept into his glamorous world, a world in which the truth about Adalia's heritage would ruin her--and Morgan. This epic romance reveals the beauty and tragedy of the Old South.
---
Going Deeper - Book Themes:
At first Adalia only craves freedom from her bondage. When she escapes to freedom, though life is hard, she finds contentment. Then she receives more than she could have dreamed and she is grateful. But it doesn't take long for her to lose her focus and even forget the webs of deception that she has woven to establish her new life.
Suddenly respected in a way she has never known, Adalia craves more. But what is she truly after? Is it position, power, influence, respect? Or is it love? She must look to the Lord and into the depths of her own soul to answer these questions.
Will the love that she hopes for be destroyed by her lies or will she trust in truth to refine and prove a love that is real?
---
My Opinion:
I can't honestly say that I loved this book. There were rich themes to be uncovered, but I personally never connected with Adalia's character. I couldn't relate to her actions, how she went from running for her life to happily being the belle of the ball assuming that she could become a plantation owner's wife all the while hiding her past. Morgan was the character that seemed the most believable, but even he wasn't fully able to draw me into the tale.
Because I didn't connect with the novel's characters, I saw the deeper themes, but wasn't able to relate deeply to them in the context of the story. If I hadn't agreed to review this book I would have set it aside and forgotten about it. Actually, even though I agreed to review this book, I very nearly forgot to do so. I was simply underwhelmed with the novel as a whole. It was just OK and not the standout that I hoped. I'm sorry to say it, because I have been moved by other novels by Tyndall, but this book did not measure up to my expectations.
---
I received a free digital copy of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.
It is 1811, and the prosperous port city of Charleston is bustling with immigrants like Adalia. But she has a secret: her light skin belies that she is part black and a runaway slave from Barbados. She lives in terror that her owner will come looking for her. Instead Morgan, the son of a plantation owner, finds her. He is handsome, charming, bored--and enamored of the beautiful Adalia. Soon she is swept into his glamorous world, a world in which the truth about Adalia's heritage would ruin her--and Morgan. This epic romance reveals the beauty and tragedy of the Old South.
---
Going Deeper - Book Themes:
At first Adalia only craves freedom from her bondage. When she escapes to freedom, though life is hard, she finds contentment. Then she receives more than she could have dreamed and she is grateful. But it doesn't take long for her to lose her focus and even forget the webs of deception that she has woven to establish her new life.
Suddenly respected in a way she has never known, Adalia craves more. But what is she truly after? Is it position, power, influence, respect? Or is it love? She must look to the Lord and into the depths of her own soul to answer these questions.
Will the love that she hopes for be destroyed by her lies or will she trust in truth to refine and prove a love that is real?
---
My Opinion:
I can't honestly say that I loved this book. There were rich themes to be uncovered, but I personally never connected with Adalia's character. I couldn't relate to her actions, how she went from running for her life to happily being the belle of the ball assuming that she could become a plantation owner's wife all the while hiding her past. Morgan was the character that seemed the most believable, but even he wasn't fully able to draw me into the tale.
Because I didn't connect with the novel's characters, I saw the deeper themes, but wasn't able to relate deeply to them in the context of the story. If I hadn't agreed to review this book I would have set it aside and forgotten about it. Actually, even though I agreed to review this book, I very nearly forgot to do so. I was simply underwhelmed with the novel as a whole. It was just OK and not the standout that I hoped. I'm sorry to say it, because I have been moved by other novels by Tyndall, but this book did not measure up to my expectations.
---
I received a free digital copy of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.
August 2, 2012
Is the content of our character really decided by the color of our skin? It was back in 1811 Charleston. In VEIL OF PEARLS, author MaryLu Tyndall body-slams into this sensitive topic...and comes out the victor!
Adalia is a runaway slave, but her skin is so light, no one guesses she's got a black heritage. She settles in a town where no one knows her and begins a new life. A good life. And it works...for awhile. Enter the dashing hero, Morgan, who's a wealthy plantation owner's son. Conflict fireworks erupt. Will Adalia be discovered for who she really is? And more importantly, will she be loved for who she really is?
You'll have to read this one to find out!
Adalia is a runaway slave, but her skin is so light, no one guesses she's got a black heritage. She settles in a town where no one knows her and begins a new life. A good life. And it works...for awhile. Enter the dashing hero, Morgan, who's a wealthy plantation owner's son. Conflict fireworks erupt. Will Adalia be discovered for who she really is? And more importantly, will she be loved for who she really is?
You'll have to read this one to find out!
September 8, 2013
Just to warn the would be reader, this book is very religious so if that is off putting to you this book is not for you. Aside from that it is a well written story about a girl with three quarters black blood who escapes her owner, ends up in Charleston and falls in love with the son of a wealthy family who owns slaves.
Morgan Rutlege is not happy with the prospect of running a plantation. He is more at home on the deck of a ship. Then he meets Adalia, assistant to a doctor in town and falls head over heels.
In the meantime Emerald wants to marry Morgan so her main goal is to get rid of Adalia no matter how underhanded it is.
Morgan Rutlege is not happy with the prospect of running a plantation. He is more at home on the deck of a ship. Then he meets Adalia, assistant to a doctor in town and falls head over heels.
In the meantime Emerald wants to marry Morgan so her main goal is to get rid of Adalia no matter how underhanded it is.
November 13, 2012
This book was incredibly entertaining while also being moving and thought provoking. In fact, I'm still grappling through one of the themes. I'm not sure I completely agree with the author on one issue, but that's okay, because great fiction makes us think and come to our own conclusions. Overall, I would highly recommend this book.
August 2, 2012
GENRE: HISTORICAL ROMANCE
PUBLISHER: BARBOUR
PUBLICATION DATE: JULY 01, 2012
RATING: 4.5 OUT OF 5 – VERY GOOD
PROS: Great presentation of the power of prayer and the Holy Spirit; excellent chemistry between the characters; once the action gets started this book is very hard to put down
CONS: Slow start with very little action; hero is initially very unsympathetic
Adalia Winston knows that her fair skin will make it easy for her to blend into the crowd after escaping from the Barbados sugar plantation where she has been enslaved for the last eight years. But it’s not so easy to forget what she’s running away from, especially when she’s frequently called to attend to the slaves owned by the Rutledge family. Although Adalia is relieved to have found employment with a kind, fatherly doctor, she cannot overlook the way that he treats his own slaves, or the way that the most of Charleston treats those of her race. Adalia isn’t looking for love and acceptance – merely employment and safety from her former master – but her frequent visits to care for the slaves owned by the Rutledges bring her into contact with Morgan Rutledge, who has taken a liking for Adalia. Despite her convictions, Adalia slowly lets herself be taken in by the luxury and excitement of Morgan’s privileged life, even if his friends are more reticent towards her. But when it becomes evident to society that Morgan is keen to formally court Adalia, a spurned lover sets out to uncover something from Adalia’s past that she can use to sabotage their relationship. When news reaches Charleston that Adalia is a Negro, and an enslaved one at that, how will her beau, her employer and all of her new friends react? Will Adalia’s desire for luxury and frivolity cause her to lose her freedom? Or could all of this have been avoided if she’d never lied about her heritage in the first place?
MaryLu Tyndall is another of those authors that I missed out on because I didn’t truly discover Christian fiction until 2010. By the time I read The Red Siren in early 2011, she already had a massive back catalogue of books for me to catch up on, and she never stops pumping out more books that I want to read. I never really thought I’d be a pirate girl (besides drooling over Captain Jack from Pirates of the Caribbean, like every other teenage girl on the planet) but I do love the mixture of romance, action and spirituality that appears in MaryLu’s books. Initially, I thought that Veil of Pearls was going to be a bit of a disappointment in terms of the action and suspense, as the start of this book seemed rather slow. Adalia was settling into life in Charleston and paying visits to slaves with her herbal medicines, and although she ran into Morgan fairly early on in the book, it didn’t feel like much was happening to begin with. Thankfully, the story really got going around one-third of the way into the book and at that point I was gripped, but this is definitely a slower start compared to the other books that I’ve read from this author.
While it was the concept of a slave who could pose for a white woman that drew me to this book in the first place, I actually found myself more interested in Adalia’s descent into desiring after the privileged life of the wealthy, and I kept forgetting about the possibility of someone discovering Adalia’s race. Some reviewers have commented on how unlikely it is that Adalia would want to court a slave-owner and fall for his wealthy life so easily, but the way it was written in this book came across as very believable. Adalia flaws and susceptibility to temptation make her a very relatable character, and I’m sure that plenty of readers will find themselves sympathising with her dilemmas. Adalia did make a lot of mistakes over the course of the book, and the fact that her entire life in Charleston is built on a deception is a bit of a conundrum – is it right to lie in order to escape a sinful life? Should she tell the truth even if it means returning to her lecherous master? These are issues that make Veil of Pearls all the more intriguing to read.
Morgan was a much less sympathetic character, in my eyes at least. I’m just not a fan of the self-assured, confident Alpha Hero, although I know that he is fairly prevalent in MaryLu’s novels. Morgan’s pompous attitude and belief that every woman should want his attention just because of his family name was a major turn-off for me, as it was also for Adalia. While he gradually became more sympathetic over the course of the novel, I wasn’t really particularly fond of him until the end of the book when he finally realised that he could be happy without his family’s wealth and name. I’m sure that this won’t be an issue for all readers, but those of us who prefer our heroes to be Betas rather than Alphas may take a while to warm up to Morgan. Again, he is flawed character, much like Adalia, but his flaws made him more annoying than sympathetic to begin with.
That said, I did love the chemistry between Morgan and Adalia. Even if Morgan didn’t make me swoon, I did enjoy reading about the progression of his relationship with Adalia. After reading several novels where the characters didn’t even kiss until the last page of the book, I appreciated the physical chemistry between Adalia and Morgan. A physical connection does often appear long before an emotional and spiritual one, although plenty of Christian authors try to shy away from this fact, and I’m glad that this is something that MaryLu chose to feature in her novel. It showed how easy it is for a flawed human being to be tempted into a relationship with someone despite their best intentions – and also made for a slightly more sizzling romance!
Veil of Pearls wasn’t all romance and chemistry; it also included an excellent portrayal of the power of prayer and the Holy Spirit. Manifestations of the Holy Spirit are something I’ve rarely seem presented in Christian fiction, particularly in the historical genre, perhaps because some denominations have different views on how it manifests itself and how powerful it is in today’s day and age. This is an issue that is discussed in Veil of Pearls; when Adalia prays for healing for a sick girl and she makes a rapid recovery, some believe she’s used witchcraft, others find it to be a coincidence, and only a few truly believe that God healed the child. I loved how MaryLu was able to bring a discussion of prayer and healing into her novel without making it too preachy or forceful. There are also several times throughout the novel when Adalia is approached by an angelic presence giving her guidance during the times when she’d fallen away from talking to God due to the distractions of high society. While this isn’t something I’ve ever had a personal experience of, I did think it was approached very well considering the context.
Although I had my initial hesitations regarding the slow start to the story and the slightly unsympathetic character of Morgan, Veil of Pearls turned out to be an incredibly engaging novel. While MaryLu is most known for her action and suspense, I’d have to say that it was the flawed nature of the hero and heroine and their romantic chemistry that really made me enjoy this book. The combination of the characterisation, chemistry and action – not to mention the spiritual dimension of the novel – made it very hard for me to put this book down, even for a second. Fans of MaryLu Tyndall are sure to be pleased with this new addition to their collections, and as a standalone novel, Veil of Pearls would make a great introduction to her writing for new readers.
Review title provided by Barbour.
PUBLISHER: BARBOUR
PUBLICATION DATE: JULY 01, 2012
RATING: 4.5 OUT OF 5 – VERY GOOD
PROS: Great presentation of the power of prayer and the Holy Spirit; excellent chemistry between the characters; once the action gets started this book is very hard to put down
CONS: Slow start with very little action; hero is initially very unsympathetic
Adalia Winston knows that her fair skin will make it easy for her to blend into the crowd after escaping from the Barbados sugar plantation where she has been enslaved for the last eight years. But it’s not so easy to forget what she’s running away from, especially when she’s frequently called to attend to the slaves owned by the Rutledge family. Although Adalia is relieved to have found employment with a kind, fatherly doctor, she cannot overlook the way that he treats his own slaves, or the way that the most of Charleston treats those of her race. Adalia isn’t looking for love and acceptance – merely employment and safety from her former master – but her frequent visits to care for the slaves owned by the Rutledges bring her into contact with Morgan Rutledge, who has taken a liking for Adalia. Despite her convictions, Adalia slowly lets herself be taken in by the luxury and excitement of Morgan’s privileged life, even if his friends are more reticent towards her. But when it becomes evident to society that Morgan is keen to formally court Adalia, a spurned lover sets out to uncover something from Adalia’s past that she can use to sabotage their relationship. When news reaches Charleston that Adalia is a Negro, and an enslaved one at that, how will her beau, her employer and all of her new friends react? Will Adalia’s desire for luxury and frivolity cause her to lose her freedom? Or could all of this have been avoided if she’d never lied about her heritage in the first place?
MaryLu Tyndall is another of those authors that I missed out on because I didn’t truly discover Christian fiction until 2010. By the time I read The Red Siren in early 2011, she already had a massive back catalogue of books for me to catch up on, and she never stops pumping out more books that I want to read. I never really thought I’d be a pirate girl (besides drooling over Captain Jack from Pirates of the Caribbean, like every other teenage girl on the planet) but I do love the mixture of romance, action and spirituality that appears in MaryLu’s books. Initially, I thought that Veil of Pearls was going to be a bit of a disappointment in terms of the action and suspense, as the start of this book seemed rather slow. Adalia was settling into life in Charleston and paying visits to slaves with her herbal medicines, and although she ran into Morgan fairly early on in the book, it didn’t feel like much was happening to begin with. Thankfully, the story really got going around one-third of the way into the book and at that point I was gripped, but this is definitely a slower start compared to the other books that I’ve read from this author.
While it was the concept of a slave who could pose for a white woman that drew me to this book in the first place, I actually found myself more interested in Adalia’s descent into desiring after the privileged life of the wealthy, and I kept forgetting about the possibility of someone discovering Adalia’s race. Some reviewers have commented on how unlikely it is that Adalia would want to court a slave-owner and fall for his wealthy life so easily, but the way it was written in this book came across as very believable. Adalia flaws and susceptibility to temptation make her a very relatable character, and I’m sure that plenty of readers will find themselves sympathising with her dilemmas. Adalia did make a lot of mistakes over the course of the book, and the fact that her entire life in Charleston is built on a deception is a bit of a conundrum – is it right to lie in order to escape a sinful life? Should she tell the truth even if it means returning to her lecherous master? These are issues that make Veil of Pearls all the more intriguing to read.
Morgan was a much less sympathetic character, in my eyes at least. I’m just not a fan of the self-assured, confident Alpha Hero, although I know that he is fairly prevalent in MaryLu’s novels. Morgan’s pompous attitude and belief that every woman should want his attention just because of his family name was a major turn-off for me, as it was also for Adalia. While he gradually became more sympathetic over the course of the novel, I wasn’t really particularly fond of him until the end of the book when he finally realised that he could be happy without his family’s wealth and name. I’m sure that this won’t be an issue for all readers, but those of us who prefer our heroes to be Betas rather than Alphas may take a while to warm up to Morgan. Again, he is flawed character, much like Adalia, but his flaws made him more annoying than sympathetic to begin with.
That said, I did love the chemistry between Morgan and Adalia. Even if Morgan didn’t make me swoon, I did enjoy reading about the progression of his relationship with Adalia. After reading several novels where the characters didn’t even kiss until the last page of the book, I appreciated the physical chemistry between Adalia and Morgan. A physical connection does often appear long before an emotional and spiritual one, although plenty of Christian authors try to shy away from this fact, and I’m glad that this is something that MaryLu chose to feature in her novel. It showed how easy it is for a flawed human being to be tempted into a relationship with someone despite their best intentions – and also made for a slightly more sizzling romance!
Veil of Pearls wasn’t all romance and chemistry; it also included an excellent portrayal of the power of prayer and the Holy Spirit. Manifestations of the Holy Spirit are something I’ve rarely seem presented in Christian fiction, particularly in the historical genre, perhaps because some denominations have different views on how it manifests itself and how powerful it is in today’s day and age. This is an issue that is discussed in Veil of Pearls; when Adalia prays for healing for a sick girl and she makes a rapid recovery, some believe she’s used witchcraft, others find it to be a coincidence, and only a few truly believe that God healed the child. I loved how MaryLu was able to bring a discussion of prayer and healing into her novel without making it too preachy or forceful. There are also several times throughout the novel when Adalia is approached by an angelic presence giving her guidance during the times when she’d fallen away from talking to God due to the distractions of high society. While this isn’t something I’ve ever had a personal experience of, I did think it was approached very well considering the context.
Although I had my initial hesitations regarding the slow start to the story and the slightly unsympathetic character of Morgan, Veil of Pearls turned out to be an incredibly engaging novel. While MaryLu is most known for her action and suspense, I’d have to say that it was the flawed nature of the hero and heroine and their romantic chemistry that really made me enjoy this book. The combination of the characterisation, chemistry and action – not to mention the spiritual dimension of the novel – made it very hard for me to put this book down, even for a second. Fans of MaryLu Tyndall are sure to be pleased with this new addition to their collections, and as a standalone novel, Veil of Pearls would make a great introduction to her writing for new readers.
Review title provided by Barbour.
January 29, 2023
Adalia was what I think they used to call being able to 'pass' ( as a Caucasian).
She was 1/4 black, and looked totally white...
Nevertheless she was considered 'black ( if and when), people found out she was part black..
.But they could NOT tell by looking at her....not even a smidgen!
However, if they found out in some nefarious way,
(which they did..by someone 'green' (with jealousy),
she was once again deemed slave material.
What caught my eye about that, is we have 2 grandchildren that are 1/4 black.
Our granddaughter is a super blond, blue eyes, peaches and cream complexion, and grandson also except...for his 'do' ( as in hairdo)... which looks suspiciously like a afro...
but he could have also 'passed' back in those days of slavery.
That just kind of hit home!
Anyway, all the characters were so well done, with their flaws, and all!
The gospel message, was of course, THE best part!!
Also, the application of scriptures, albeit a struggle for some of the characters, from time to time.
One major struggle is being a strong Christian, loving the Lord,
but,
at the same time, being mesmerized by opulence, the arts, the high society etc. the world was offering Adalia. ( I think many have that same struggle in our day)!
The romance was well done also,
again the struggles with being accepted, and acceptable, being 'loved',
over,
real 'true love of God', and others.
God's message of true love shines in the dark, and wins in the end.
She was 1/4 black, and looked totally white...
Nevertheless she was considered 'black ( if and when), people found out she was part black..
.But they could NOT tell by looking at her....not even a smidgen!
However, if they found out in some nefarious way,
(which they did..by someone 'green' (with jealousy),
she was once again deemed slave material.
What caught my eye about that, is we have 2 grandchildren that are 1/4 black.
Our granddaughter is a super blond, blue eyes, peaches and cream complexion, and grandson also except...for his 'do' ( as in hairdo)... which looks suspiciously like a afro...
but he could have also 'passed' back in those days of slavery.
That just kind of hit home!
Anyway, all the characters were so well done, with their flaws, and all!
The gospel message, was of course, THE best part!!
Also, the application of scriptures, albeit a struggle for some of the characters, from time to time.
One major struggle is being a strong Christian, loving the Lord,
but,
at the same time, being mesmerized by opulence, the arts, the high society etc. the world was offering Adalia. ( I think many have that same struggle in our day)!
The romance was well done also,
again the struggles with being accepted, and acceptable, being 'loved',
over,
real 'true love of God', and others.
God's message of true love shines in the dark, and wins in the end.
November 30, 2020
LOVED this book. Its been on my kindle for a year but I forgot about it! I didn’t read the cover blurb before starting it so it took a while for me to get into in, but I liked going in blindly.
I loved the exploration of complex issues of slavery and faith in God throughout the book- it gave characters depth and added importance to the plot. Honestly felt like I didn’t know how things were going to play out - a nice break from more predictable Christian romance novels.
I loved the exploration of complex issues of slavery and faith in God throughout the book- it gave characters depth and added importance to the plot. Honestly felt like I didn’t know how things were going to play out - a nice break from more predictable Christian romance novels.
July 31, 2022
Spannend, prikkelend, romantisch. Einde was enigzins voorspelbaar maar de weg er naar toe vol onverwachte wendingen.
October 29, 2013
Veil of Pearls was my first read by Marylu Tyndall, and sadly I couldn’t really get on with it for the most part. Yes, it had a sound and challenging Christian theme about slavery, both spiritual and physical, but I found that in many ways the story was lacking. It seemed very clichéd (and at times a little predictable), and I think I for one could never really warm to Adalia’s character.
Even though her whole life in Charleston was based on essentially a lie, she just came across as very self-righteous and sanctimonious, especially in her treatment of Morgan when she believed him to be dishonest, or the way she seemed to respond to every difficult situation they faced with platitudes.
Whilst her condemnation of racial prejudice and slavery might have been commendable, she was incredibly prejudiced herself towards the upper classes in society, which seemed like rank hypocrisy. Admittedly her prejudice could be seen as arising from her circumstances and background, I did not think it was ever really challenged or questioned.
Quite the contrary, the almost universal depiction of the upper classes as arrogant, lazy, pampered fops, and the men as lechers, alongside that claim that such behaviour was ‘expected’ of their class seemed to me to be a reflection perhaps of the opinion and viewpoint of the author, and not just of the characters.
Perhaps it is a view common to Americans, I don’t know, but I for one find it difficult to believe that there would not have been any ‘bad eggs’ amongst the lower classes in any society, or any good Christians amongst the upper classes and gentry.
Also, I didn’t think that Morgan’s father expecting him to learn how to run his family’s plantation, and his demanding this as conditional to accepting Morgan’s request to marry Adalia was unreasonable.
Why shouldn’t he expect his son to learn how to run the estate? Just because Morgan found it boring or taxing because he wanted to be a sailor did not make it bad or evil. Really he could be seen as the selfish and immature one in that scenario.
On a historical level I also had a number of problems with this work-I only spotted one major inaccuracy, the reference to a ‘Victorian’ item of furniture in 1811, before Victoria came to the throne, but there may have been others as some have mentioned. I don’t know much about slavery, or the legal technicalities of this period, but I don’t think I found it entirely plausible that a woman who was three-quarters white could be kept as a slave, or even that Sir Walter could have had a legal title to her, as she was freeborn, and he essentially kidnapped her rather than buying her legally.
Finally, there was the historical setting itself- shortly before the war of 1812, and the blame for causing it was laid squarely on the shoulders of the wicked British. Perhaps this is to be expected in a novel written by an American, but I have an issue with this, and the way that no mention was made of the actions of the American government, nor their role in starting the war- such as the ambition to invade Canada.
As far as I know, Impressment seems to have essentially just an excuse and the war was not all the fault of the British. Nor am I convinced that the blaming of the British is simply representing the view of people at the time as I don’t think everyone in America would have been ignorant of the actions of their leaders.
Overall, Veil of Pearls was not a book I enjoyed, or would particularly recommend. I understand where the author might have been coming from with the theme, but perhaps there was too much clichéd romantic mush, typecasting, prejudice and nationalistic Brit-bashing for my liking.
Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to have a free copy for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Even though her whole life in Charleston was based on essentially a lie, she just came across as very self-righteous and sanctimonious, especially in her treatment of Morgan when she believed him to be dishonest, or the way she seemed to respond to every difficult situation they faced with platitudes.
Whilst her condemnation of racial prejudice and slavery might have been commendable, she was incredibly prejudiced herself towards the upper classes in society, which seemed like rank hypocrisy. Admittedly her prejudice could be seen as arising from her circumstances and background, I did not think it was ever really challenged or questioned.
Quite the contrary, the almost universal depiction of the upper classes as arrogant, lazy, pampered fops, and the men as lechers, alongside that claim that such behaviour was ‘expected’ of their class seemed to me to be a reflection perhaps of the opinion and viewpoint of the author, and not just of the characters.
Perhaps it is a view common to Americans, I don’t know, but I for one find it difficult to believe that there would not have been any ‘bad eggs’ amongst the lower classes in any society, or any good Christians amongst the upper classes and gentry.
Also, I didn’t think that Morgan’s father expecting him to learn how to run his family’s plantation, and his demanding this as conditional to accepting Morgan’s request to marry Adalia was unreasonable.
Why shouldn’t he expect his son to learn how to run the estate? Just because Morgan found it boring or taxing because he wanted to be a sailor did not make it bad or evil. Really he could be seen as the selfish and immature one in that scenario.
On a historical level I also had a number of problems with this work-I only spotted one major inaccuracy, the reference to a ‘Victorian’ item of furniture in 1811, before Victoria came to the throne, but there may have been others as some have mentioned. I don’t know much about slavery, or the legal technicalities of this period, but I don’t think I found it entirely plausible that a woman who was three-quarters white could be kept as a slave, or even that Sir Walter could have had a legal title to her, as she was freeborn, and he essentially kidnapped her rather than buying her legally.
Finally, there was the historical setting itself- shortly before the war of 1812, and the blame for causing it was laid squarely on the shoulders of the wicked British. Perhaps this is to be expected in a novel written by an American, but I have an issue with this, and the way that no mention was made of the actions of the American government, nor their role in starting the war- such as the ambition to invade Canada.
As far as I know, Impressment seems to have essentially just an excuse and the war was not all the fault of the British. Nor am I convinced that the blaming of the British is simply representing the view of people at the time as I don’t think everyone in America would have been ignorant of the actions of their leaders.
Overall, Veil of Pearls was not a book I enjoyed, or would particularly recommend. I understand where the author might have been coming from with the theme, but perhaps there was too much clichéd romantic mush, typecasting, prejudice and nationalistic Brit-bashing for my liking.
Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to have a free copy for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
September 1, 2012
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Veil of Pearls by MaryLu Tyndall, c2012
An unlocked door. A chance to move. Chains.
Each step she took toward freedom loosened the fetters enslaving her soul until they began to slip away, one by one. --Veil of Pearls, page 7
Leaving one perilous situation to come to another? Has a change of name not changed her servitude? Althea Claymore, now known as Adalia Winston, is offered and takes a position as a physician's assistant under Doctor Langston Willaby. Is she to be tossed right back into a life she had known for seven years previously? Only... she now is on the opposite side of the role as she arrives at Rutledge Hall. With her knowledge of healing herbs, Adalia is sent to the plantation by Dr. Willably to care for a sick child. Compassion. She knows the ill service others are given and desires to correct it. But how can she? Meeting the two Rutledge sons, Hadley and Morgan, she is convinced they are unequal to the task.
Provision of her needs beyond what she has known, Althea becomes a distant past as Adalia is given good physical care with food and shelter. Is it enough to rise above the terror of discovery? Historical fiction is my very favorite! Come and join this adventure and discover for yourself, Veil of Pearls!
It is 1811, and the prosperous port city of Charleston is bustling with plantation owners, slaves, and immigrants. Immigrants such as the raven-haired Adalia Winston. But Adalia has a secret: her light skin belies that she is part black and a runaway slave from Barbados. Skilled in herbal remedies, Adalia soon finds employment with a local doctor, and settles into a quiet life, thanking God every day for her freedom. Still, she lives in terror that her owner will come looking for her.
Born into one of Charleston’s prominent plantation families, Morgan Rutledge is handsome, charming, bored—and enamored of the beautiful Adalia, who spurns his advances. His persistence, however, finally wins, and soon Adalia is swept into the glamorous world of Charleston high society, a world of luxury and opulence she never knew existed.
But her new life comes at a high price—that of denying her heritage and her zeal for God. How far is Adalia willing to go to win the approval of society and the heart of the man she loves? And when her secret is discovered, will that love be enough or will the truth ruin Morgan and send Adalia back into slavery?
Can she ever be truly free? Meeting society contacts soothes the soul for awhile, but then becomes empty again; void of meaning. As the young future slave-owner prospect becomes enamored, will he be truly free to love and follow the lead and tug of his heart?
Come and meet the author of Veil of Pearls, MaryLu Tyndall. You will be glad you did! Swashbuckling Romances Anchored in Faith ~ www.marylutyndall.com, at her blog www.crossandcutlass.blogspot.com, and Facebook www.facebook.com/pages/MaryLu-Tyndall... where you will find the sea tugs at her heart, and to you in the adventure it brings! Thank you to Barbour Publishing for a copy of Veil of Pearls in exchange for this review in my own words.
Veil of Pearls by MaryLu Tyndall, c2012
An unlocked door. A chance to move. Chains.
Each step she took toward freedom loosened the fetters enslaving her soul until they began to slip away, one by one. --Veil of Pearls, page 7
Leaving one perilous situation to come to another? Has a change of name not changed her servitude? Althea Claymore, now known as Adalia Winston, is offered and takes a position as a physician's assistant under Doctor Langston Willaby. Is she to be tossed right back into a life she had known for seven years previously? Only... she now is on the opposite side of the role as she arrives at Rutledge Hall. With her knowledge of healing herbs, Adalia is sent to the plantation by Dr. Willably to care for a sick child. Compassion. She knows the ill service others are given and desires to correct it. But how can she? Meeting the two Rutledge sons, Hadley and Morgan, she is convinced they are unequal to the task.
Provision of her needs beyond what she has known, Althea becomes a distant past as Adalia is given good physical care with food and shelter. Is it enough to rise above the terror of discovery? Historical fiction is my very favorite! Come and join this adventure and discover for yourself, Veil of Pearls!
It is 1811, and the prosperous port city of Charleston is bustling with plantation owners, slaves, and immigrants. Immigrants such as the raven-haired Adalia Winston. But Adalia has a secret: her light skin belies that she is part black and a runaway slave from Barbados. Skilled in herbal remedies, Adalia soon finds employment with a local doctor, and settles into a quiet life, thanking God every day for her freedom. Still, she lives in terror that her owner will come looking for her.
Born into one of Charleston’s prominent plantation families, Morgan Rutledge is handsome, charming, bored—and enamored of the beautiful Adalia, who spurns his advances. His persistence, however, finally wins, and soon Adalia is swept into the glamorous world of Charleston high society, a world of luxury and opulence she never knew existed.
But her new life comes at a high price—that of denying her heritage and her zeal for God. How far is Adalia willing to go to win the approval of society and the heart of the man she loves? And when her secret is discovered, will that love be enough or will the truth ruin Morgan and send Adalia back into slavery?
Can she ever be truly free? Meeting society contacts soothes the soul for awhile, but then becomes empty again; void of meaning. As the young future slave-owner prospect becomes enamored, will he be truly free to love and follow the lead and tug of his heart?
Come and meet the author of Veil of Pearls, MaryLu Tyndall. You will be glad you did! Swashbuckling Romances Anchored in Faith ~ www.marylutyndall.com, at her blog www.crossandcutlass.blogspot.com, and Facebook www.facebook.com/pages/MaryLu-Tyndall... where you will find the sea tugs at her heart, and to you in the adventure it brings! Thank you to Barbour Publishing for a copy of Veil of Pearls in exchange for this review in my own words.
April 1, 2017
This is the longest I’ve had to wait to read a MaryLu Tyndall book. But, with a very hectic summer, prior commitments, and family matters, I wasn’t able to pick up VEIL OF PEARLS until yesterday. And as always, I couldn’t put it down.
Adalia Winston has escaped slavery in Barbados and has begun a new life in the port city of Charleston. Her light skin allows her to hide her heritage, and she quickly finds herself putting her knowledge of herbal medicines to use as a doctor’s assistant. When she catches the eye of Morgan Rutledge, she thinks nothing of quickly dispatching of him and his persistent advances. Though he is quite handsome, he is one of the wealthy elite and travels amongst the upper crust of society, a circle she will clearly never be a part of.
Rutledge Morgan can’t get Adalia Winston out of his mind or thoughts. Though he knows she is not in the same station as he and his prominent family, it does little to quell his interest. He pursues her relentlessly, and all the more when he sees her defenses waning.
Adalia and Morgan continue to fool themselves into thinking they can rise above the many obstacles plaguing their relationship. Adalia knows she will have no future with Morgan once he finds out about her heritage and that she is nothing more than a runaway slave. Morgan knows his powerful father will never allow him to court a commoner like Adalia.
But somehow, they continue to fall farther in love. A love neither of them will admit. A love that will never be fulfilled when Adalia’s identity is discovered, and her wicked owner comes to claim her as his own. Morgan must decide for himself what it is he wants. Adelia and the freedom to pursue his passion of sailing, or wealth and his family name.
Like all of MaryLu’s books, I absolutely loved VEIL OF PEARLS. MaryLu’s writing is so smooth and fluid, you can’t help but turn page after page. Her characters are so well fleshed out, and her imagery so tangible, your heart breaks with the circumstances that befall Adalia and Morgan, and you can almost feel the spray of the ocean mist as Morgan turns to the sea for solace.
Another favorite in my library.
Adalia Winston has escaped slavery in Barbados and has begun a new life in the port city of Charleston. Her light skin allows her to hide her heritage, and she quickly finds herself putting her knowledge of herbal medicines to use as a doctor’s assistant. When she catches the eye of Morgan Rutledge, she thinks nothing of quickly dispatching of him and his persistent advances. Though he is quite handsome, he is one of the wealthy elite and travels amongst the upper crust of society, a circle she will clearly never be a part of.
Rutledge Morgan can’t get Adalia Winston out of his mind or thoughts. Though he knows she is not in the same station as he and his prominent family, it does little to quell his interest. He pursues her relentlessly, and all the more when he sees her defenses waning.
Adalia and Morgan continue to fool themselves into thinking they can rise above the many obstacles plaguing their relationship. Adalia knows she will have no future with Morgan once he finds out about her heritage and that she is nothing more than a runaway slave. Morgan knows his powerful father will never allow him to court a commoner like Adalia.
But somehow, they continue to fall farther in love. A love neither of them will admit. A love that will never be fulfilled when Adalia’s identity is discovered, and her wicked owner comes to claim her as his own. Morgan must decide for himself what it is he wants. Adelia and the freedom to pursue his passion of sailing, or wealth and his family name.
Like all of MaryLu’s books, I absolutely loved VEIL OF PEARLS. MaryLu’s writing is so smooth and fluid, you can’t help but turn page after page. Her characters are so well fleshed out, and her imagery so tangible, your heart breaks with the circumstances that befall Adalia and Morgan, and you can almost feel the spray of the ocean mist as Morgan turns to the sea for solace.
Another favorite in my library.
July 21, 2012
This book has everything I've ever longed for in a story of the Old South. Romance is a given--Tyndall's writing is as steeped in flirtatious repartee and breathtakingly beautiful sweet romance as sun tea brewing on a Southern veranda. Candlelit soirees, moonlit strolls along Charleston's cobblestone streets, and the opulence of the landed gentry will sweep you off your feet.
But beyond the charm of the social season lies an undercurrent. A secret, a potential scandal. In a society where appearance and acceptance is everything, a young lady's true identity could spoil her fairy tale and repulse her prince.
Adalia Winston has come to Charleston to escape a terrifying past. Her pale complexion and position as Doctor Willaby's assistant belie the fact that she is an escaped plantation slave from Barbados. Her intelligence, audacious wit and indomitable spirit captivate Morgan Rutledge. Her stunning beauty steals Morgan's undying affections, despite being the son of a wealthy planter, expected to make a match with one of Charleston's elite.
Social conscience themes in this book transcend slave and master dynamics. The decimating power of cliques and social elitism translate to every arena and time period. Prejudices, strictures, and counterfeit values perpetuate a sense of enslavement in each character, and at times, it is hard to distinguish who is master and who is slave. Only the surpassing freedom of Christ, the power of unconditional love, and the confidence in one's calling end the cycle of enslavement.
Tyndall accomplishes a moving, believable tale of forbidden love and social angst. Few do homage to the Old South the way this seasoned writer can, and for that alone, this book has stirred my heart and left me breathless. With passages that hearken to Francine Rivers' classic Redeeming Love, and a masterful command of research and voice, Veil of Pearls is, in this reader's opinion, the historical romance of the year.
But beyond the charm of the social season lies an undercurrent. A secret, a potential scandal. In a society where appearance and acceptance is everything, a young lady's true identity could spoil her fairy tale and repulse her prince.
Adalia Winston has come to Charleston to escape a terrifying past. Her pale complexion and position as Doctor Willaby's assistant belie the fact that she is an escaped plantation slave from Barbados. Her intelligence, audacious wit and indomitable spirit captivate Morgan Rutledge. Her stunning beauty steals Morgan's undying affections, despite being the son of a wealthy planter, expected to make a match with one of Charleston's elite.
Social conscience themes in this book transcend slave and master dynamics. The decimating power of cliques and social elitism translate to every arena and time period. Prejudices, strictures, and counterfeit values perpetuate a sense of enslavement in each character, and at times, it is hard to distinguish who is master and who is slave. Only the surpassing freedom of Christ, the power of unconditional love, and the confidence in one's calling end the cycle of enslavement.
Tyndall accomplishes a moving, believable tale of forbidden love and social angst. Few do homage to the Old South the way this seasoned writer can, and for that alone, this book has stirred my heart and left me breathless. With passages that hearken to Francine Rivers' classic Redeeming Love, and a masterful command of research and voice, Veil of Pearls is, in this reader's opinion, the historical romance of the year.
March 14, 2013
Review on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/review/R73K6FVY...
Review on my blog (to be posted 3/18): http://christianbookshelfreviews.blog...
I'm not that familiar with MaryLu Tyndall's novels - in fact, Veil of Pearls is the first book of hers I've finished. I really enjoyed it and found the theme/message of the book great - slavery, of all kinds, and being free; prejudice; etc.
Adalia and Morgan, the main characters, were wonderful - I especially liked how they both had struggles and things weren't resolved instantly. There were a few unsavory characters that I didn't like, but that's to be expected since they were so mean.
There were two things I didn't personally care for in Veil of Pearls. A few times in the story a character would pray and hear from God - actual replies - that's one of my pet peeves and I just thought I'd mention it. The second thing I can't say much about without possible spoilers, but it has to do with a white-robed man - I just didn't personally care for that aspect of the story.
There were quite a few suspenseful moments in Veil of Pearls which was a pleasant surprise! I love when books get my blood pumping and this one definitely did that at times. The opening chapter grabbed my attention (it was so tense) and I thoroughly enjoyed the entire book.
Overall, Veil of Pearls was a very good read that I recommend if you enjoy books with romance, a good message, and some tense scenes. I look forward to reading more of MaryLu's books in the future - especially her newly released book, Forsaken Dreams.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book for my review. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*
Review on my blog (to be posted 3/18): http://christianbookshelfreviews.blog...
I'm not that familiar with MaryLu Tyndall's novels - in fact, Veil of Pearls is the first book of hers I've finished. I really enjoyed it and found the theme/message of the book great - slavery, of all kinds, and being free; prejudice; etc.
Adalia and Morgan, the main characters, were wonderful - I especially liked how they both had struggles and things weren't resolved instantly. There were a few unsavory characters that I didn't like, but that's to be expected since they were so mean.
There were two things I didn't personally care for in Veil of Pearls. A few times in the story a character would pray and hear from God - actual replies - that's one of my pet peeves and I just thought I'd mention it. The second thing I can't say much about without possible spoilers, but it has to do with a white-robed man - I just didn't personally care for that aspect of the story.
There were quite a few suspenseful moments in Veil of Pearls which was a pleasant surprise! I love when books get my blood pumping and this one definitely did that at times. The opening chapter grabbed my attention (it was so tense) and I thoroughly enjoyed the entire book.
Overall, Veil of Pearls was a very good read that I recommend if you enjoy books with romance, a good message, and some tense scenes. I look forward to reading more of MaryLu's books in the future - especially her newly released book, Forsaken Dreams.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book for my review. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*
August 20, 2012
MaryLu Tyndall has written 10 wonderful seafairing adventures over the last several years & her 11th "Veil Of Pearls" is by far her best work to date! There is not one bad thing that can be said about this book.... (but who am I kidding, there never is when u read one written by MaryLu Tyndall...lol!). "Veil Of Pearls" is the story of a beautiful runaway slave named Adalia. Trying to escape her past & the abuse she has suffered, Adalia leaves her home in Barbados & boards a ship bound for Charleston. Tho she is a negro, Adalia is so light skinned she secures herself employment without question & is able to put her past behind her to begin a new life. Along the way she meets the younger son of one of Charleston's most prominent families & is swept into a world of which she never dreamed. While trying to keep her identity a secret Adalia struggles with many different emotions, feelings, & human weaknesses which really endeared this character to me more than any other one MaryLu has written (including Hope, from her book "The Blue Enchantress", who, till now, has always been my favorite). Beautifully written, this story will cause you to feel many different emotion, you will laugh & cry, as well as enjoy an adventure on the high seas (I mean who doesnt enjoy a good sea batttle?). Truly, throughout the entire book I felt as if I could be Adalia, at so many different points in the story; like her struggles with keeping God as a prority even when things in life seem to be going great! Ms. Tyndall has such a talent for writing tales such as this, & reaching the heart, that I never want one of her books to end! (& believe me I have read them ALL!) If you want to enjoy a wonderful tale of adventure, love, & human growth then this book is right up your alley! I promise you will not be dissappointed!
June 12, 2012
Charleston in 1811 was not the best place for an escaped slave to try and start a new life. Adalia, who is one-quarter "Negro"--as they referred to it back in the extrememly-prejudiced 19th-century--ran away from her owner who took her at a very young age and was not kind to her at ALL.
Adalia comes to Charleston with the clothes on her back and a faith in God that leaves me inspired. Bit by bit there are pieces of Adalia's past that we get a peak at. A past so heart-breaking that I had a hard time thinking about the reality of what people had to deal with and live through in those days.
All Adalia wanted was a happy, peaceful, FREE life to serve God and her fellow man. And then she meets Morgan Rutledge.
I will say that Veil of Pearls contained the very-standard "good-girl-instantly-hates-what-she-PERCEIVES-as-pompous-boy" formula that I find in a LOT of Christian romances. But, I feel like Ms. Tyndall makes it refreshing with instantly likeable characters. Characters that made the story original and memorable. Wrap all of that up with a message about accepting yourself for who God made you, and you have a strong story.
Oh, and I kind of fell in love with the cover.
Christy @ Captivated Reading
Adalia comes to Charleston with the clothes on her back and a faith in God that leaves me inspired. Bit by bit there are pieces of Adalia's past that we get a peak at. A past so heart-breaking that I had a hard time thinking about the reality of what people had to deal with and live through in those days.
All Adalia wanted was a happy, peaceful, FREE life to serve God and her fellow man. And then she meets Morgan Rutledge.
I will say that Veil of Pearls contained the very-standard "good-girl-instantly-hates-what-she-PERCEIVES-as-pompous-boy" formula that I find in a LOT of Christian romances. But, I feel like Ms. Tyndall makes it refreshing with instantly likeable characters. Characters that made the story original and memorable. Wrap all of that up with a message about accepting yourself for who God made you, and you have a strong story.
Oh, and I kind of fell in love with the cover.
Christy @ Captivated Reading
July 8, 2012
I just finished reading Veil of Pearls by MaryLu Tyndall. I was swept away from the very first page! MaryLu has a way of bringing her characters to life. As I read this book, I found myself being transported to the year 1811. The details are so vivid, that you can actually picture the people, places and events. This is a very inspiring story about a young slave girl, who finds her freedom, yet she is not completely free. She finds herself in a world she’s never experienced before, one she only dreamed of having. The relationships are wonderfully written with two main characters that will steal your heart away, Adalia and Morgan. In each of MaryLu’s novels, you find yourself not only enthralled with the story, but you also learn some history along the way. In school, I hated history, did my best to avoid it. But, now I am enchanted with this era, thanks to MaryLu’s influence. If you enjoy Christian Historical Romance, you need to check out all of MaryLu’s novels. You will not be disappointed. Like me, you will find yourself wondering why her novels have not been turned into movies yet.
March 27, 2017
I picked this up as a Kindle Daily Deal, thinking the story of an escaped slave and a plantation owner's son had to be interesting. And it was, especially for this type of romance. What I wasn't anticipating was the overly mystical preachiness.
I've read some Christian authors who don't rub your face in it, but this one got to be too much for me. Too much prayer, rationalizing events to fit them into a certain idea of faith, and even worse - magical divine intervention all over the place, including disembodied voices telling characters what to do and a mysterious ghost (I mean vision) that keeps appearing and quoting scriptures. This was simply too much for me.
So I'm not the target audience, obviously. I feel it could have been a stronger story without miraculous intervention, and I'm glad to be done with it. Thankfully my list of books bought this way is getting smaller.
I've read some Christian authors who don't rub your face in it, but this one got to be too much for me. Too much prayer, rationalizing events to fit them into a certain idea of faith, and even worse - magical divine intervention all over the place, including disembodied voices telling characters what to do and a mysterious ghost (I mean vision) that keeps appearing and quoting scriptures. This was simply too much for me.
So I'm not the target audience, obviously. I feel it could have been a stronger story without miraculous intervention, and I'm glad to be done with it. Thankfully my list of books bought this way is getting smaller.
January 2, 2013
I have been wanting to read this for so long and it was worth the wait. This was an excellent book! Taking place in 1800's Charleston, SC, it had a lot to do with slavery. A hard subject to tackle but Ms. Tyndall handled and delivered it with grace.
As with most, if not all, of her books, many lessons were learned and souls were changed by accepting the Lord as their savior. Of course there was an incredibly sweet romance plot that I think may be one of my favorites. It was a hard one to read, thinking about how the southern culture existed before slavery was abolished, but like I said, she did a great job with this book!
As with most, if not all, of her books, many lessons were learned and souls were changed by accepting the Lord as their savior. Of course there was an incredibly sweet romance plot that I think may be one of my favorites. It was a hard one to read, thinking about how the southern culture existed before slavery was abolished, but like I said, she did a great job with this book!
March 25, 2012
Started out strong and went downhill fast. The writing is all over the place and many cliches regarding the villains. More like 1.5 stars. What could have been a very poignant and emotional read, was dumbed down with one-dimensional characters and a major lack of tension and overall plot.
A pass.
A pass.
July 23, 2012
Oh my goodness! What a fantastic book. My heart just feels so complete after reading the author's afterword. I thought this story was well thought of. ML Tyndall just does such a great job of writing about being a slave to the things of this world. I loved the story of Adalia and Morgan. I haven't felt so giddy when reading a book in a long time.
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