A TRUE WOMAN OF COURAGE!

For a long time, I have been resistant about reading a serial because I like every thread in a book tied up nicely by the last page. That’s before my friend and critique partner Geri Foster decided to write a serial called WOMEN OF COURAGE: LOVE RELEASED. Geri’s serial/series hooked me on the first page! This series is so great I can’t overemphasize how wonderful it is!

Here are Geri’s words about her journey with this series:

For all the years I’ve been writing, not once did I consider writing a Historical Romantic Suspense. I’ve always leaned toward danger and suspense, but more in the contemporary world with spies, special agents and lots of action.

As I continued to write these books, in the back of my mind was a very frightened, weary young woman begging me to tell her story. I ignored her for over a year, with my critique partners, writer friends and even my editor telling me to go for it. I believed that Women of Courage simply wasn’t my kind of story and not what people had come to expect from me.

What would my readers and fans say, I asked myself. Would they cross over? Going from Action Adventure to Historical Romantic Suspense is a wide gap. It was a gamble. What if no one liked that era? Was it too soon to write a post-World War II book?

I would be stepping out of my comfort zone as a writer and I was very leery.

Another thing that frightened me was that this story would be an extremely emotional story of true love and I didn’t know if I was up to that. I would have to write raw, gritty and heartbreaking scenes. That’s so difficult for a writer to settle into. But, the story also had its rewards. There were other touching scenes of tenderness of loving a child, heartwarming reunions, true bonds, and happy ever after.

No longer able to keep the story inside, I set out on this daunting journey with the idea I’d write one book and see how it goes. I learned in the writing world it doesn’t pay to make plans. Every story has a life of its own and Women of Courage would not allow me to stop until the story was finished.

I set the story where I was familiar, my great grandmother’s hometown. My hometown is twelve miles away. So much of the story is set in a fictional place that’s a blend of both places.

My character’s name is Cora and so was my grandmother’s, and that’s just a hint of how much of the story parallels things I’m comfortable with.

I hope you will try this serial. While I’d meant it to be one, maybe two books, it’s grown much larger and even as I write this, it continues to grow.

If you like to immerse yourself into the lives of fascinating people facing the difficulties of life after the Second World War, people forgiving the past and finding true, deep, abiding love then you’ll enjoy Women of Courage.    

Thank you,

Geri Foster

Bestselling Author Geri Foster

Now here’s my review of Geri's new series:

Cora Williams is a woman each of us can admire. Unjustly sentenced to prison, she’s seen and experienced things no one should.  Though she’s been pounded down by life, she is not completely broken. Damaged, yes, but determined to make a good life for her nephew Jack. Cora comes to Gibbs City, Missouri to live in the cottage left by her late Aunt Rose, and where she hopes to make a happy home for Jack and herself. 

Disowned by her wealthy parents, Cora has no cash, no way to make repairs on the home, but she has backbone and isn’t afraid of hard work. All she needs is a chance to fit into the community—and a job. Jobs are scarce, and she has to take a position working for an odious man who owns the local dry cleaner/laundry.  

Virgil Carter is the Gibbs City Sheriff—the kind of official every town or city needs. As a WWII veteran, war nightmares haunt him. As a lawman, Virgil is strict but fair. As a Gibbs City resident, he is a compassionate man who tries to help all those in need.

When he meets Cora, he senses her desperation and fear. His curiosity is aroused, but that soon turns to admiration, then to love. But Cora is afraid to trust a man—any man—and is evading true evil. She will protect Jack at any cost but she can’t risk harm coming to him or letting anyone close to her. All she wants is to be left alone and get on with her life. But there are those who want Cora dead because she knows their secrets.  

Truthfully, this is a continuing series more than a serial. You know how the old movie serials stopped each segment with a cliffhanger? WOMEN OF COURAGE: LOVE RELEASED does not do that. Most threads in each volume are tied up, but one or two continue through all five books before being resolved.

Geri is working on more of the LOVE RELEASED series as well as more of her Falcon Securities series. That woman is a genius and one hard-working and versatile writer. No wonder she is a NYTimes and USAToday bestselling writer.

Here’s the blurb for WOMEN OF COURAGE:LOVE RELEASED, book one.

EMOTIONAL, HONEST, ENDURING

He stands on the other side of sorrow and despair with a love so vast and strong it reaches into her soul and sparks the courage to become the woman waiting for her.

She’s running from her past and he’s duty-bound to protect her.

Cora Williams is an ex-con exiled to Gibbs City, Missouri. A small town where she hopes to remain undisturbed and unobtrusive. With her nephew Jack, her wants are simple, to hide from the horrors of her past.

Sheriff Virgil Carter is a WW2 veteran with demons of his own, but Parker County is his to protect. That includes a young, beautiful woman newly released from prison who longs to be left alone.

Love often comes like sleep, softly, quietly and unexpectedly. You just have to close your eyes. 

On a scale of 1 for bad and 5 for great, I give this series a wholehearted 5. I’m sure you’ll agree! 


The first volume is free everywhere except at Amazon, where it’s 99 cents. 

Here are the buy links:

Amazon=99 cents    FREE@ Apple      Nook        Kobo         Google Play                   

Thanks for stopping by!