Member Reviews

Worthy of Legend is the final installment in Roseanna M. White's The Secret of the Isles trilogy, and it ended up being my favorite of the three. While I had thoroughly enjoyed the first two books, a few weird inclusions that seemed out of place in Christian fiction titles hindered my enjoyment a bit. However, I was happy to see that this was much less the case in this one, and I thought that the author did a fantastic job of concluding the series in such a way that tied up loose ends, and gave satisfactory explanations for all the questions raised throughout. I don't personally recommend reading this one without having read the first two, as I think it would be hard to follow along since the character arc is quite large, and a lot of the backstory is not truly explained outside of those two books.


Of the entire series, I can wholeheartedly proclaim that Bram and Emily were my definite favorite couple. I loved seeing Oliver and Libby have to struggle to win Bram's favor in the previous books, and I was looking forward to him getting his own story. In this one, when it's revealed that's he's long harbored a secret obsession with the legend of King Arthur, I loved how much more authentic and realistic that made him come across to the reader. He definitely meets his match in Lady Emily, and I loved how their romance starts out as a mutual friendship that grows into more when Emily's father and brother up their antics that continue to put her into harm's way. We were able to see a protective streak in Bram, and how that grew into general affection for this wonderful gal that caught his eye, and I loved how their romance blossomed slowly and naturally, and how well they complimented one another.

One of my all time favorite book tropes is when the main characters stumble upon something from history that helps them to solve a mystery in the present, so the mystery angle in this one was definitely up my alley. Pirates, King Arthur, local island lore, and long shared familial stories make up the bulk of the developing mystery, and it ended up going in a direction I wasn't expecting which was a definite plus.

While I loved the characters, the setting, the romance, and the mystery, my most favorite part of all was the faith element, and the way the story shone a light on the notion that God's way is always the best way, no matter how we may feel about it in the moment.

All in all, this was a wonderful wrap up to the trilogy, and was definitely my favorite of the three.

I definitely recommend this one, and I'd love to see a spin off series in the future to get another glimpse of these characters and where they'll be in their lives a few years later.

Final Rating: 5/5.

Thanks so much to Bethany House for allowing me to advance read and review this one!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Bethany House) via NetGalley. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and this is my honest review.

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Roseanna M White takes expectant readers on another delightful romp through the Scillies, seeking out treasure as foretold by the locals. Oliver, Sheridan and Bram continue their alliance; supporting each other while standing against the schemes of the Schofields.

I love series that continue to have a group of characters woven in and out of the storyline. This series gives you characters you can love and learn from and some you want to hate, but the lessons within this story call us to give grace and mercy, especially when it is not earned. Isn’t that what God does for us?

Amongst a backdrop of King Arthur’s legend, emerges a want-to-be knight with a name, title and upstanding character that makes for a perfect hero! Bram Sinclair, Earl of Telford, seeker of right, trusted friend has his doubts about faith and future, yet through his compassion, he unearths the pain that Emily Schofield has been trying to keep to herself. It always seems to bubble over as tears when Bram Scinclair asks how she is doing…here is part of an underlying theme exploring worth and what makes one worthy.

I am at a disadvantage since I have not had the chance to read the first two books in this wonderful series. A lot of characters and family relationships were introduced within the first chapters of the book so already knowing them would definitely be beneficial. I imagine that the first part of this book would have been even more enjoyable had I already been vested in the MC lives. That said, this book is still 5* and I absolutely must go back and finish books 1 and 2.

This book is suitable for older teens with no inappropriate intimate scenes and no bad language. There is an assault storyline, but without graphic descriptions. The story does not spell out what happened, just the aftermath as brief conversation discusses the emotional result of giving away one’s virtue, or worse, having it taken from you.

I received this book from the author/publisher free of charge, with no expectation of a positive review.

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Wonderful wrap-up to the series!!

"Bram Sinclair, Earl of Telford, despised a bully."
"Lady Emily Scofield needed someone to protect her, to champion her, especially now that her father and brother were on the islands. And Bram seemed to be the only one available for the job. Which was fine— he had plenty of practice, both with fending off bullies and nursing back to health the puppies they tended to kick."

I really enjoyed Bram. In fact all 3 heroes in the series were exactly what I would hope for, each in their own way.
The villains are appropriately villainous 🤭 and the sub-plots/characters add extra depth to the story. Lady Emily finds strength and courage as the story develops and she IS grace.

I was REALLY moved by the secret that Bram unlocked (no spoilers).


This book had plenty of faith elements that I quite appreciated and the scenery was great.

I also look forward to comedy in a book:
“My lord, if you don’t stand still, I’m going to throttle you with this bow tie instead of tying it—and it’ll be purely accidental, I assure you.”

Highly recommend entire series for those who both enjoy historical fiction as well as an elevated writing style.

I received an eVersion of this book for my honest opinion. All thoughts are mine alone without expectation or compensation.


Review posted to GoodReads, B&N & will also be posted on Amzn, Kobo, and released to my blog 8/15/22

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First of all, I have to say I love Bram. He wasn’t my favorite at first, but in To Treasure an Heiress, I fell in love with his wit and morning grumpiness. I also loved how protective he was of Emily. Worthy of Legend provides more layers to his character, and I am here for it! Sheridan is still my favorite hero of the trilogy, but Bram is a close second.

I also loved seeing Emily grow, though. She really comes into her own and becomes a strong woman without sacrificing her gentle and loving spirit. Her arc is my favorite of the series.

I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention Briggs and Enyon, though. I’ve been wondering about him, but seeing him get a story made me happy. And she does it so well.

The spiritual arc about loving others and having deep faith in God provides a lot of food for thought.

Overall, Worthy of Legend is a sweet romance historical fans will love, especially those who love a bit of adventure in their books.

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Worthy of Legend is the third book in the Secrets of the Isles series. You must read book one, The Nature of a Lady, and book two, To Treasure an Heiress, before you read this novel to really get follow the complete arc of the story.

I always enjoy Roseanna White’s novels, but this series was very much my favorite. The introduction of humorous characters like Sheridan and the addition of a treasure hunt were gems within the midst of beautiful writing, excellent character development, themes of growth, transformation, love and forgiveness set within the delightful community of the Isles of Scilly.

I highly recommend this series.

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I was so excited to see the next book in the series was available so that I could find out what was going on with the characters that have become more than words on a page but friends that you don't want to say goodbye to. Roseanna has brought to life the most amazing characters that you will come to love them. The story line is strong and you will come to love the Scillies Islands and almost feel the briny breeze blowing through her pages. Try this book series. You won't be sorry.

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Delightful! I so enjoyed this lovely conclusion to the Secrets of the Isles series by Author Roseanna M. White. The kindhearted Lady Emily Scofield, and the noble-hearted Bram Sinclair, Earl of Telford have quite the continuing treasure hunting adventure with their friends on the Isles of Scilly (which is now firmly on my bucket list of places to visit). Lady Emily has been treated horribly by her brother and father, and finally takes a stand. Bram and his chivalrous heart see more of the situation than most. While set in the beautiful islands, with an excellent cast of characters, a wonderful storyline, laced with humor, and theological questions, Worthy of Legend also beautifully and adeptly handles difficult issues with forgiveness and mercy, and has you rooting for all, even hoping for the conversion of her cruel and sinful brother.

"And that was the story of Lady Emily Scofield's family life, in a nutshell. Nigel could do no wrong, and her only important task was to keep from shaming her father." "Being a Scofield was a burden under which she feared she'd break. But she'd never met anyone else who understood that. Not until she read Elizabeth Mucknell's diary." "Did she love her father like that? Enough to beg the Lord to use her somehow-to show her some way to reach him? Did she love her brother like that?"

"There's something about her-the way she sees the world and her place in it. The way she's trying so hard to love her father and brother, even though they don't deserve it in the least. That takes a special kind of heart. To love where hatred would come so naturally and so deservedly."

"This whole collection of people didn't need to know that he'd never quite outgrown his fascination with Arthurian legends." "Bram had been enamored. Not just with tales of nobility and honor, but with the peace of a quiet night." "He'd inherited a legacy, but that wasn't the one he wanted to be remembered for-to be just one more in a long line of earls. He wanted his legacy to be the championing of those who needed it, righting a few wrongs, charging boldly ahead to slay whatever dragons awaited him." "And maybe that was what he was to do with Emily too. Show her she was priceless. That just because her father didn't see her, didn't mean that she wasn't worth seeing."

The sweet secondary characters of Lady Emily's maid Thomasina, and Oliver's best friend Enyon have their own story. "When I first met you, I thought 'Now there's a bit of hidden treasure.' You were trying to be invisible behind Lady Emily, yet you were all sunshine and smiles in the kitchen. Brightness hidden in shadow." "Whatever haunts you, you needn't be haunted alone."

"How did mercy and justice meet? With pain and sacrifice. And beauty beyond anything he'd ever seen." "Some people, it seemed, would always seek their gain at the expense of their souls."
"And as for Nigel....we can only extend the hand of mercy. We cannot make him take it."

Sigh. You need to read this series!! It's so good!

I highly recommend The Secrets of the Isles series, and the delightful conclusion in Worthy of Legend! Thank you to the author, publisher, and net galley for allowing me to read an early copy. All opinions are my own.

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I have come to trust Roseanna White's work, so I know that time spent with her engaging characters is time well spent. However, had I not read other books by White, I may not have stuck with this one. I think my main problem was that I had not read the first two books in the series. Many characters were introduced early in this book and I had a hard time keeping them straight. My suggestion? Read the other two books first and then sit back and enjoy a tale well-told!

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Thrilling finale to the series. I just can’t decide which couple’s story I liked best. Roseanna M. White's stories are always masterfully told!

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Worthy of Legend is the perfect way to top off your summer! As the third book in the Secrets of the Isles series, you could read it as a stand alone. But this summer of adventure started in book one and you will miss out on two thirds of the fun if you don't read The Nature of a Lady or To Treasure an Heiress first. Of the three, the last book ended up being my favorite. I adore a good chivalrous gentleman and a damsel in distress story and this one was so romantic. Although Sheridan was hilarious in the second novel and you just can't help but love Beth and Oliver in the first. The ongoing search for treasure and the perilous situations these characters are continually finding themselves a part of kept me engaged, eagerly turning pages and rooting for the "right side" to triumph. I loved the message of loving those who are difficult and seeing them as Jesus would, dearly loved and worthy of mercy. Also the encouragement to "walk worthy of His calling", to live out the legacy He has given us. This entire series will definitely be one I will read again and again!

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I absolutely loved this book! I did not realize it was the third in a series which is on me, and it didn't affect my reading experience. There were some references to the first two books, but they never confused me, just made me want to read the first two even more. This book was part adventure, part mystery, part treasure hunt, part romance, part friendship, all highly enjoyable. I read the book quickly as I never wanted to put it down. Emily's story was heartbreaking, and as her story is revealed, Bram is simply there for her. His presence never wavers and for every moment she doubts, he plants a seed of truth. Such a wonderful story. I am looking forward to reading the first two, and more books by this author.

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"She’d made her wonder if she really understood what love was. Made her question whether its truest form wasn’t in giving it to those who deserved it... but in loving each person however they needed, whether they loved one back or not. She’d never loved anyone like that. But what would change if she could?"

A fitting conclusion to the Scilly trilogy. There are so many characters that even in the third book, I was always forgetting who was related to whom. As with the other books, there were 2+ romances in the story, which means at least 4 POVs, so lots of explanation, backstory, and telling, but consistent with the series.

I liked Bram and Emily though, and liked their arcs. I didn't feel sizzling chemistry, but I could see how they fit together.
There were some really good lessons and thoughts on real love and mercy, but the deeply disturbing and theologically and period-incorrect catchphrase "you are worthy" had a moment, which always leaves me highly uncomfortable as the book of Revelation makes it pretty clear that God alone is worthy, while we sinners deserve nothing but judgment apart from Jesus. It's just so odd when this thought pattern shows up in historical fiction. But that aside, there were some other good takeaways to chew on.

The characters in this trilogy are fresh and unique, with a great range of supporting characters who always surprise you. I was super happy when I saw who Briggs' love interest was.

"How did mercy and justice meet? With pain and sacrifice. And beauty beyond anything he’d ever seen."

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own

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Roseanna White never fails to disappoint me. She is one of the few Christian fiction authors that I can pick up with confidence, and so I love receiving ARCs of her newest books.

My absolute favorite thing about her writing style is her characters. They are so three-dimensional and real, and their dialogue (external or internal) consistently makes me laugh. We had already met Bram and Emily in the first books of this series, but since they were in the spotlight, we got to really get to know them on a deeper level. I loved how their relationship progressed, and they were just genuinely darling characters.

This was a beautiful conclusion to The Secrets of the Isles series. The overarching plot was wrapped up nicely, I loved getting to see how all of the relationships progressed throughout the series. Roseanna did such an amazing job describing the Isles of Scilly, and I learned so many things about cairns and King Arthur and the isles in general, and now I'm absolutely dying to go and experience it myself. I will say that Beth and Sheridan were my favorite couple (he had so many truly iconic lines, and I spent half of the book laughing), so To Treasure an Heiress was probably my favorite of the series, but this one was delightful too.

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"Worthy of Legend" is a Christian romance set in 1906 in the Isles of Scilly (Britain). It's the 3rd book in a series. You don't need to read the previous novels to understand this one, and this novel didn't spoil the whodunit of the previous novels. However, there were a lot of characters to keep track of if you just jump in at this point.

Emily tries to show God's love to her father and brother even though they want nothing to do with her. Or, rather, they're set on punishing her until she submissively does whatever they ask. Bram soon comes to see the great value of this honorable, loving woman. He's always loved Arthurian legend and would love to be her knight, but he's afraid that his desire to be her rescuer may not be enough to sustain a marriage later. He built her up and helped her to stand on her own, and she helped the group discover the Arthurian weapon hidden on the Isles.

All of the characters were complex, realistic people, and I cared about what happened to them. Historical details were woven into the story. Suspense came from the race to secure the treasure and the danger they faced as Emily's brother became increasingly violent. The characters grew in their faith and learned that mercy is most needed by the ones who least deserve it. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable historical romance with a mystery.

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Worthy of Legend is the exciting third part of Roseanna M. White's Secrets of the Isles book series. I have enjoyed reading the previous two works in Ms. White's series; however, Worthy of Legend excels the previous two books, in my opinion. This third book of the series includes some very exciting adventures, mysteries, dangerous attacks, and even the mystical and almost fairytale treasure hunt that relates to pirates, nobles, and possibly even King Arthur. Can you imagine a more fascinating adventure?!
I enjoyed the fresh perspectives and new insights into some of the well-known characters from the previous books, specifically that of Lady Emily Scofield and Bram Sinclair. I had always only seen the outer gruffness as all there was of Bram Sinclair in his role as the Earl of Telford as well as being Libby's protective older brother. From the previous works in this series I had also seen Lady Emily as a quiet, submissive, and somewhat frivolous character, which is far from the truth. Both Emily and Bram have deeper characters that are hidden behind their appearances and quiet personalities.
Worthy of Legend brings the treasure-hunting to a conclusion as Lady Emily and her friends must keep their discoveries from being found out, to protect themselves from the attacks of Emily's family. Emily had to make a difficult choice in the previous book to stand with her friends, thus standing against her treasure-obsessed and often violent family. Emily has never enjoyed loving family relationships, but when her family utterly cuts her off, she is still very broken. Bram Sinclair secretly still loves the tales of King Arthur and his knights and has maintained an expert level of research on the subject. When the treasure hunt leads the group of friends and family to the legends of King Arthur, Bram learns that he may be able to help them piece the clues together to find the treasure.
As the group searches for the treasure, they face many attacks and opponents, including Emily's family. Can they discover the truth behind the legends and clues? Can Emily find her place among her friends even without her family and her previous social standing? Can Bram discover what it means to truly have faith in God? Can Emily forgive and show mercy and love to her family? Can Bram learn what it means to truly be a hero? Can Bram and Emily discover each other's true characters? Will they be able to discover the treasure? Will they discover that not all treasures are things or possessions? Read Worthy of Legend to discover for yourself. I absolutely enjoyed this exciting and wholesome tale of adventure and love. I highly recommend this book and hope that you have the chance to read Worthy of Legend for yourself. Happy readings!
Disclaimer: Bethany House Publisher graciously provided me with a copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and part of an unbiased review.

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A thoroughly satisfying conclusion to The Secrets of the Isles series. Finally! Bram and Emily get their turn to shine in this adventure. I love that you can pick it up and enjoy it as a standalone, but if you’ve been reading the series, you will absolutely love how the other characters continue to share their story as the drama unfolds. There is something to be said for saving the best for last.
Bram has a persona as a big brother that makes it difficult for others to see his heart and his passions. I love that they really start to come out in this story. The Arthurian legends weave seamlessly into this tale and ties together so many loose ends.
Emily has had so much heartache and in this season of her life, her friends see her. Truly see her and show her genuine love and friendship. I was blessed by her faith journey and the relationships that grew as a result.
As always, Roseanna M. White’s writing is flawless and inspiring. My imagination stayed in overdrive while I kept up with the story and traversed the Isles of Scilly with this wonderful group of characters. My own faith was challenged, and my heart blessed. White does not back from difficult topics while maintaining a redemptive reminder of God’s presence in all things. There may be some triggers for those who have suffered from abuse, but again, please know, everything is handled in an honoring manner.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

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I have to admit to being less immersed in this book. Perhaps because you need to have read the previous titles in the series. It seems a lot of characters return.

Fans of the previous titles will definitely want this. Though fairly well-written, unfortunately it’s not for me.

3 stars.

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I am someone who loves a good story, and I enjoy a good series, but this latest series "Secrets of the Lakes," by Roseanna White, who is one of my favorite authors, goes on the "great series" list for me.  I have read the entire series and love it, but this review is on book 3 of this series "Worthy of Legend". I am a person who loves books, and I love the Christian historical fiction genre and that is the genre of this book! But what really sets this series apart is the excitement of a pirate treasure mixed in with a set of Islands and a group of people who are real, who treat each other as they want to be treated, love and care for one another in a way that is so refreshing, but there are some with unshakeable faith, and some whose faith in the Lord grows through hardship that in the end turns out to be blessing! In this book you will see a love that is definitely " other-worldly" meaning that the example of the love I saw in this book, I find in another Book called the Bible, which is about the Lord's love for us! The love in this book touched me to my core, but I don't want to spoil it for you, but this one spoke to me in huge volumes, and made me do some reevaluation of my own actions!!! So please take time to read this whole series, as you must start at book 1 to understand this book, but this book I am reviewing is exciting, funny, romantic (but not too much), and at times hearts stopping, so please take time to read it as I am sure you will really enjoy it! I own all the books this author has written, and again she knocked my socks off writing another series of hers that I absolutely loved!!! I have to rate it 5 out of 5 again!!!

Here's a bit about this story, but I will try to not spoil the series. This story begins in the Scilly Islands, a real place, off the coast of Cornwall, England. It involves a man named John Mucknell, who worked for the crown of England, but also worked as a pirate, who stole lots of treasure over his years on the sea, and hid much of that treasure all over the Scilly Islands, but and the first 2 books explain more about him, but this is his wife Elizabeth's story, which is told in 1651. She was an island girl who grew up and spent her lifetime on the Scilly Islands. She loved the Lord, her homeland, and her husband John. She knew he loved her, and tried very hard to provide for her with all the treasures he brought home, but Elizabeth couldn't accept stolen items. She saw what happened to those who got rich at the expense of others, and that the Lord wanted such a different life for her and her family, so she rejected all the "loot" John brought and hid, and all she wanted was for him to accept Jesus as Lord, and live a life worthy of Him, an honest life with her! There was one particular item of treasure that Elizabeth finds, and has to hide ftom her husband, because this piece is so priceless and valueable that if it fell into John's hands, it had the potential to destroy him, so she must hide it so he will never find it...but maybe it will be found...you must read to find out!

Now years later, in 1906, a group from the Scilly Islands are searching for Mucknell's treasure, and it has already cost one life, and more danger than Lady Emily Scofield ever wanted or imagined, and the sad thing is most of the danger has been caused by her father, and her brother Nigel who will do anything have fame and fortune that they believe is their due because they are of the English Aristocracy, and what greater way to get it than finding Mucknell's treasure! They have no regard for Emily, and she has sought refuge from her family with her friend Beth, who grew up on the Scilly Islands, and whom Emily had became best friends with at boarding school, and who now has come back home to the Scilly Islands to search for Mucknell's treasure as well. (book 2 is Beth's story) Beth helps Lady Emily find a place to stay on the Scilly Islands, and Lady Emily finds herself literally dragged into the treasure hunt, but not because of wanting treasure, but because her father and her brother Nigel are dangerous, and she gets involved in the process to help keep her friends safe from them! She believes she is unloved by her family, but God has a way of shining brightest when we feel unloved, and in the story, He sends Emily love that she never thought she was worth, and even though she has to go through some very hard times, we find that He had planned all along to bring her through this trouble, and even had always had plans to send people to her that would love her for who she us, not for what she could do for them! Her faith is strong at the beginning, but thru hardship it becomes unshakable!

Another character in the story is Bram. He is a friend to Sheffield, one of the "Scilly Islands" group, which you will meet in bks 1-2, and I don't want to spoil anything so read those to find out more! Bram is a part of the aristocracy as well, and he gets caught into the treasure hunting too, but he isn't excited about Mucknell, but his passion is King Arthur! Bram seems rough and grumpy on the edges, but he's what I call a diamond in the rough! He is a chivalrous knight at heart, saving unwanted animals, and loves helping damsels in distress. He seems to think he is insignificant compared to everyone else in the group, but he ends up being one who ends up saving the day, and he's one with faith that grows throughout the story! In the story he will have some hard questions about God to face, and will receive some powerful answers, and will be tested beyond what he can bear, but you have to read the story to find out what happens! Its powerful!!!

Then there is the character Tommie, Lady Emily's lady's maid. She finds herself following Lady Emily to the Scilly Islands because of employment, but she really is running from a ghost in her life that has hurt her deeply. She performs her duties as a good servant does, and does not become overly friendly with Lady Emily at first because that is how it was back then. But again, through hardship, the class system will go out the window, and these two will have to help each other, rely on each other, which will eventually lead them down a road they never thought possible. Tommie finds out that God does see her, wants to heal her, and sends people in her path to show her just that!

So a few things I loved about this book...I loved the relationship of this hodgepodge of people, some of which were aristocracy, but the class lines were able to come down as they all worked together, and found love, friendship, and a camaraderie that was exactly what the Lord intends for all of us! They helped each other, fought for each other, and even fought sometimes among themselves, but they stayed together and loyal to one another because of the love God has shown each of them!

Second I loved learning that the Scilly Islands were real, and all the true history that was woven into a fictional story! I loved the King Arthur spin in the story, and the treasure hunt literally kept me on the edge of my seat.

But the greatest part of the book is the power of forgiveness, and the call to love the broken and unlovable that I saw throughout this book, plus God wants to heal the broken hearted and the hurting! This story isn't all roses and butterflies, but it deals with real pain - gut-wrenching, unfair pain, but you will see the love and grace of God on display as well through relationships! Bram will ask God what is the difference between His justice and His mercy, and you will be able to see an answer to this through this story, as Bram did! So I really enjoyed this book, and I hope you will read it, and that the Lord will reveal a bit more about His love for you! Thanks!!

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Worthy of Legend, by Roseanna M. White, tells of a group of young adults running about the isles of Scully after they have located what they think is the cache of a long departed pirate!

However, in the midst of finding secure hiding places for these valuable discoveries, Bram Sinclair, Earl of Telford, decides to step in and act as a “big brother” to Lady Emily Scofield. Emily has actually been cut off by her father and left without a penny to wrap up her summer excursion!

You will not believe all the situations Bram and Emily find themselves in by the end of this tale!

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The chemistry is off the charts, their story is emotional, there are obstacles, this story will have you hooked from the start and you will not be able to put this down. Great read, loved it.

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