3/5 Outspoken spinster daughter desires the independence to run the family horse farm and train a young horse. A young man with an open mind looking to uncover history helps give her the wings to come into her own.

Honestly I wanted to like this book more based on the premise: I love horses and historical fiction is a preferred genre, but the protagonist vacillates between being a stubborn woman fighting for what she believes in and being a wilted flower who abides by the rules set to her by a disapproving mother and crotchety uncle. Seemed out of place to so meekly give in when it opposed her own path.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this story from a new-to-me author. I really enjoyed the focus on the horse, Arrow, and the training methods both Nora and Silas applied. This almost had a bit of a Heartland feel – if you know and enjoy that series, you will enjoy this story.

I also enjoyed how Silas was different than the other men in Nora’s life, who saw the real her and wanted her to thrive and not control her.

The author also provided me with a character to really dislike. One of those wolves in a sheep’s clothing type of character and I got impatient with Nora not seeing their true character.

The title made me expect that I would discover quite a few secrets while reading this story. Though there were secrets to discover, it felt a lot lighter than what I was expecting.

I did enjoy this story and would recommend it to fans of historical fiction.

The Secrets of Emberwild by author Stephenia H. McGee is a Christian historical novel that includes something for everyone. If you love horses and history along with mystery, adventure, danger, romance, inspiration, or twists and turns, you will not want to miss this fabulous book. It also will give you a taste of southern hospitality.

This is the story of Nora, an independent, sassy young lady that resides on a horse farm. Her desire is to race and train horses. It is also the story of Silas, a horse trainer looking for his father's killer from fifteen years ago.

Set in 1905 at Mississippi’s Emberwild Horse Farm, the story focuses on Nora and her family. She has a passion for horses, but her family believes she should be a proper lady and leave the training and racing of horses to men. Nora loves her family, but disagrees with them on this. She is excellent with the horses and the only one that can handle the spirited one named Arrow.

At the beginning of this novel, Nora’s father tells Nora a secret as he is dying. Her Uncle Amos goes to them and announces that everything has been left to him so that he can take care of her mother. Things are changing and confusing so Nora decides to find out what the truth really is.

The author has done an excellent job with this story. The characters are relatable and easy to like. There are some surprises that will keep readers on their toes. The information on southern horse farms and horse racing was very well written. It is obvious the author did her research well.

For me, I thought the insight into what was allowed women during this era was eye-opening. I loved Nora’s grit and determination. It was fun learning about harness racing. Living near Louisville, Kentucky with Kentucky grandparents, I have an appreciation for beautiful racehorses. It was nice to glean more information on them. My only complaint is that the Christian inspirational message was very weak and skimpy. I like Christian books to have the inspirational message strongly present.

I was invested in the story and characters within the first couple of chapters. The more I read, the faster I turned the pages. I was eager to see what could happen next. It is a very good book, and I highly recommend it. I give it a 5 star rating. A copy was provided by the publisher and Net Galley, but these are my honest words.

Rebel women in historical times are hardly anything new in the fiction world–so it’s refreshing when the rebellious character in question is Nora Fenton. There are plenty of times when her confidence wavers and she gets trampled on by the men who are tasked with planning her life, yet she forges ahead with the desires of her heart–to save Emberwild and its horses, especially Arrow.
When the search for answers in his father’s death leads Silas to Emberwild, he encounters more than simply training a tempestuous trotter. He meets Nora who is determined to help train Arrow for racing so Emberwild can once again be a profitable endeavor. Accidents happen and suspicions rise in the midst of family turmoil and unearthed secrets. With so many decisions hanging in the balance, this story mixes intrigue with romance, resulting in a page turner until the very end.
If you’re in the mood for a combustible combination of danger, romance, strong characters, willful horses, and family drama–The Secrets of Emberwild is a must-read!

The Secrets of Emberwild
Stephenia H. McGee
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Much to her parents displeasure, Nora Fenton prefers horses to potential suitors. When her father dies, Nora becomes determined to save the family's struggling horse farm by training her prize colt to run in the harness races at the state fair. Winning would offer her a chance at the independence she craves.
Nora's plans are upended when a stranger is hired to train Arrow while she attends to more ladylike pursuits.

Silas Cavallero is looking for answers to finally solve the mystery of his father's mysterious death and the disappearance of their prize stallion. When Silas is hired on at Emberwild and begins to ask questions about the past, it becomes evident that someone is trying to silence him and the woman he is growing to care for.

We were drawn to the idea of a mystery on a horse farm and how the truth would unfold with two conflicting points of view. It was a bit disappointing to anticipate how the book would end after only one or two chapters into the book. It deflated our anticipation of a true mystery. However, we were pleasantly surprised by the character development between the two main characters and how the writing kept us engaged in the story. It was a period appropriate romance that was enjoyable to read with a pleasant ending.

We received an advance copy from the publisher. This is our honest review.

This review is freely given and I did receive an ARC of this book from Revell Reads program.

The story is basically a Christian book but not much is mentioned about being a Christian. The main male character embodies being a Christian best. This is not a preachy book.

The book is part mystery and part love story. I have to admit I did figure it out about 2/3 of the way through but there were still twists that I didn't see coming. The story is unique and well-told. The main characters are very well-developed and the main supporting characters are fairly well-developed. It's a book I truly enjoyed and really didn't want to put down. I would definitely recommend this book.

I give this a 4 out of 5 star rating. I have never read a book by Stephenia McGee but look forward to reading more.

Beautifully written. Wild and nature bound women are my favorite kinds of heroines. She is good at what she does and knows what she wants. Throw in some romance AND mystery? It is the set up for an excellent book that you will think about for weeks to come!

After his mother dies, Silas leaves Texas to return to Mississippi to find his father’s killer. He gets a job as a horse trainer at Emberwild Farm where he meets fiesta Nora. Together they uncover the secrets of what happened the night Silas lost his father.

I really liked the chemistry between Silas and Nora. They were a perfect match. They shared a connection through their passion for horses. They also complimented each other. Nora knew how to keep Silas on his toes and Silas knew how to get Nora to help without being totally in charge. I also liked how well they worked together; not only with the horses but also with solving the mystery of Silas's father's death. This is a charming romance with lots of family drama thrown in which keeps the story interesting.

Thank you NetGalley and Revell Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Loved it! In 1905 young women in the south did not have much freedom but spirited Nora Fenton wants to train racehorses! I loved how Nora was determined to work with her colt even when her uncle gave her all kinds of trouble after her father's death. Silas Cavallero was a special young man who seeks to find the truth about his father's death ten years ago. I admired both of these protagonists. Secrets from the past cause lots of problems but Nora and Silas learn that only God makes us complete. Stephenia McGee has done a wonderful job in writing this book. I recommend The Secrets of Emberwild to others. I received complimentary advance copies of the book from Net Galley and Revell. This is my honest opinion.

If you love horses and a good southern story, you will really enjoy The Secrets of Emberwild by Stephenia H. McGee. This story has romance, mystery and family drama. While I did really enjoy many aspects of this story and was really interested in how it ended as I closed to the end, the story overall was not as unique to me as other books I have read, and I just wasn’t as connected to it as much as I hoped to be. 3.5 stars

This story is set in 1905 Mississippi at the Emberwild Horse Farm, so immediately I was excited about a southern setting. I really appreciated the details of the southern setting and discussion surrounding women’s roles in the early 1900s. Our main character of Nora is an independent horse trainer – her family, farm and horses are her life. However, she struggles with everyone else thinking she doesn’t need to be training the horses as she should be a “sophisticated lady in society” instead.

The story starts off with Nora’s father passing away and telling her with his dying breath that “everything we have is a lie” and to not tell their mother what he has said. During their grief in his loss and trying to figure everything out by what her father meant, her Uncle Amos comes in and says her father left the farm, horses, and everything to him to take care of her mother. Things don’t seem right to Nora, especially when Silas Cavallero comes to town, so she sets out in her own investigation. With her Uncle Amos trying to change life as she knows it and tear everything apart, Nora is the strong independent woman who decides to take her own life back.

Meanwhile, Silas Cavallero comes in and we see his story where his father died 15 years ago when he was 12 in a tragic accident – but was it truly an accident? His father’s death never did feel quite right to him so when his mother passes away, her wish is for Silas to go out and live his life and he leaves to return to Mississippi in an effort to track down the past and figure out the details surrounding his father’s mysterious death. While looking for work, he manages to get work at Emberwild Farm. He meets Nora and when Nora hears details surrounding his father’s death she begins to wonder….did her family have anything to do with it? Things take off from here as Nora and Silas start to build a sweet relationship, while unraveling details from the past.

I had a good time with this story and was interested to continue but there were times the story dragged for me – I think since I am not a very big horse lover, that’s part of while the detail surrounding the horse training dragged for me. I like horse stories, but the training parts were not as interesting as the family drama and mystery.

The romance between Silas and Nora was sweet to see and the storyline with Uncle Amos and Nora’s mother was wild.

Overall, I liked how this book ended and enjoyed many aspects as mentioned above, but feel it was a bit cliché in the story compared to other books I have read before, and it just didn’t grip me. I also wish we had a bit more faith content that was more in depth, there wasn’t much faith content throughout the story as I would have liked. Thank you to Baker Publishing for providing an advanced reader copy of this book to honestly read and review. I will be checking out future books by this author.

"The Secrets of Emberwild" is a romance set in 1905 in Mississippi. Silas was a skilled trainer and understood horse behavior. Despite growing up around horses, Nora was very ignorant about basic horse safety and was trying to train her first horse by learning from a book. Worse, the first horse that she wanted to train was a young stallion, which aren't easy to train because they're more unpredictable and prone to challenge you for dominance. The author showed all of this, but I just couldn't get passed Nora saying foolish things like the stallion would never hurt her. Especially as she often said this after the horse came very close to hurting her.

Silas saw the danger and kept saving her from harm. Nora didn't listen very well and had unrealistic expectations, so maybe she had been told horse and barn safety but thought she knew better than the despised men who kept trying to tell her what to do. She had no respect for men until Silas took the time to listen to her, explain why he did things, and tried to include her in safe ways. As an employee, Silas was respectful to the family, including Nora, so tried to gain her cooperation. He did his best to support Nora's ambitions even though she stubbornly took foolish risks that not only endangered her but the horse and others. I understand why she liked him, but I don't understand why he was attracted to her except maybe he liked that she suddenly kissed him.

There was no sex or bad language. While I appreciate that the author knows horses and worked that into the story, I just didn't like Nora and didn't feel like she grew up even if her skills increased.

I grew up reading a steady diet of horse books like the Heartland series, Saddle Club series, and Phantom Stallion series, so reading The Secrets of Emberwild felt a little bit like returning to my reading roots! Stephenia H. McGee was a new-to-me author, and I enjoyed the story she crafted centered around a horse farm in the early 1900s. Nora's colt, Arrow, really made the story shine - he had just as much personality as any other character!

While this is a horse story, it is also so much more. It's the story of Nora, a gifted, feisty heroine constrained by the cultural expectations of her time. It's the story of Silas, the kind, patient hero she never knew she needed. It's the story of a mother and daughter finding their voices and independence after the man they trusted betrays them. And of course, there is enough mystery mixed in to keep you on the edge of your seat! I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy historical fiction.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

If you love horses, historical romance and some mystery, this book is absolutely going to be one you'll want to read. It is quite heavy on the horse content and knowledge. I must admit I'm not a huge fan of horses, so this didn't necessarily appeal to me. I do however appreciate a story that is well researched and feels like the author truly knows what they are talking about and this certainly had that. I know that those readers who ARE particularly interested in the subject are going to appreciate that all that much more as well.

Beyond that though, it was a good story with well written characters that drew the reader into the story. It had a good romance, and I enjoyed the balance between these two characters. I also find that I tend to enjoy headstrong heroines, particularly in historical reads and Nora certainly was that.

If you enjoy historical romance, this is certainly one worth checking out.

**I received a complimentary copy for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

Nora Fenton is a gifted horsetrainer who dreams of racing her horse. She has no use for men, but she loves horses. Just before his death, Nora's father starts to confess a wrong he had done years before. But he dies just as he starts to confess to Nora. After the death of her father, their horse ranch is failing. So to make money to save their horse ranch, Nora decides to race her horse in the upcoming Mississippi fair horse race.

Silas Cavallero is distraught at the death of his mother. He discovers a letter from his mother who urges her son to leave immediately upon her death. So immediately following burying his mother, Silas packs his belongings and leaves his home. His mother tells her son about his father being wronged years earlier. She tells him to go right that wrong against his father.

What is this wrong? Who is responsible for it? Read this book to find out. Is Nora's family involved? If so, how are they involved? How can everything be resolved? Read this exciting book to find out.

Even though I was given a copy of this, it in no way influenced my opinion and this is my honest review.

Personally, 2 stars. Not because of any major content (it was actually on the cleaner side for Historical CF), but because I wasn't a fan of the main girl and the cliche plot line. :(

About this book:

“A gifted trainer in a time women are not allowed to race, Nora Fenton prefers horses to men. They're easier to handle, they're more reliable, and they never tell her what to do. After her father's passing, Nora is determined to save her struggling horse farm, starting with entering her prize colt into the harness races at the 1905 Mississippi Fair. If she wins, she may have a chance at independence. But when a stranger arrives and starts asking disconcerting questions, she suspects he may have other motives than unseating her in the training job that is rightfully hers.
Silas Cavallero will do whatever it takes to solve the mystery of his father's death--even if it means training an unwieldy colt for Nora, who wants nothing more than to see him gone. But when mysterious accidents threaten their safety and circumstances shrouded in secrets begin unlocking clues to his past, Silas will have to decide if the truth is worth risking ruining everything for the feisty woman he's come to admire.”


Series: As of now, no.


Spiritual Content- Psalm 115:1 at the beginning; Prayers; Mentions of God (including a couple men who have been unkind to Nora saying that she doesn’t have the sense God gave a sow and another saying that an accident was God’s own hand of getting her to mind her own business); Mentions of prayers, praying, & blessings over food; Mentions of churches, church going, services, & preachers; A few mentions of Bibles & Bible reading; A few mentions of sins (including Nora’s father telling her mother than Nora’s wayward behavior is a punishment for her sins); A couple mentions of those in the Bible; A couple mentions of Heaven; A mention of a miracle;
*Note: Nora calls a fire “Hades’ breath”.


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: two ‘idiot’s, seven forms of ‘what in the heavens’, and eight ‘stupid’s; Mentions of curses (said, not written, including Silas holding one back); Being trapped in a fire & Pain (up to semi-detailed); Fighting, Pain, & Passing out (up to semi-detailed); Very close calls with horses & both human and horse nearly being injured or killed (semi-detailed); Seeing someone kicked by a horse & dying (barely-above-not-detailed); Seeing the final breaths of a parent & some grief; Nora fights the feeling of bitterness and resentment towards her parents and uncle; Silas faces some prejudice about his Spanish heritage (such as some men sneering at him and calling him “Mex”); Many mentions of a horse trampling it’s owner, if it was provoked, & the culprit/murderer (Silas’ father, border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Mentions of a man’s plan to kill someone (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of illnesses & deaths (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of sabotage & close accidents; Mentions of a fire, pain, injuries, & blood/bleeding (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of fights, fighting, & violence; Mentions of stealing & stolen items; Mentions of a bar, alcohol, drinking, gambling, gamblers, & bets/betting (Silas says he doesn’t play gambling card games); Mentions of tobacco; Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of people grieving (a father, a mother, a husband); Mentions of a horse crying in pain & its injuries (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of manure; A few mentions of a war & plantations; A few mentions of the deaths of horses; A few mentions of throwing up; A couple mentions of nightmares; A couple mentions of rumors; A couple mentions of jealousy; A mention of a death from a work accident; A mention of the possibility of a horse being killed by coyotes; A mention of a wreck that could have caused a horse to be put down.


Sexual Content- A cheek kiss, a top-of-the-head kiss, an almost (semi-detailed) kiss, two border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kisses, and two semi-detailed kisses; Recalling a kiss & an almost kiss (semi-detailed); Wanting to kiss & Wondering about being kissed (barely-above-not-detailed); Touches, Embraces, & Hand holding (up to semi-detailed); Blushes; Noticing (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of blushes & winks; A few mentions of a man hinting to doubting that a child is actually his offspring (the mother was faithful to her vows, though); A mention of love “blooming between the intimacies of husband and wife”; A mention of a woman having to leave the area because she was “in the family way” (hinted out-of-wedlock); A mention of seeing a man forced a kiss upon a woman (barely-above-not-detailed); A mention of wondering if a man stayed the night at a widow’s home (he did not);A mention of a man not having a lecherous look towards a woman; A mention of Nora thinking that what man wouldn’t find a woman acting like a wanton alluring; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: Nora kicks a man in his groin; Nora wonders why she couldn’t have been born a boy, then she could do as she pleased and no one would be expecting her to get married (we see a lot of comments from Nora at the beginning about being married is similar to giving up her freedom); Mention of comments from men towards women that would be deemed sexist in today’s society (such as a her father believing that women should listen to orders without comment and daughters should be seen more than heard, her uncle berating her for wearing trousers, her father calling her ideas “foolish notions of an addle-minded female”, her father saying that she lacks the wits God gave a sow, etc); Mentions of breeding horses, mares being in season, & studs; Mentions of Nora’s uncle pushing her to marry a man seventeen years her senior; A few mentions of undergarments & blushing around the opposite gender’s ones; A mention of Nora thinking that she thought her uncle was more progressive (in regards to her wearing trousers).

-Nora Fenton, age 28
-Silas Cavallero, age 29
P.O.V. switches between them
Set in 1905
352 pages

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Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Two Stars

{Add a full star for older girls who like horses}

This was a wildcard book for me. I had never read a book by this author before so I didn’t know what I would be expecting, particularly in the regards to content found in the book.

In that regard, it was on the cleaner side; nothing major for me to note, which I appreciate because that always makes a review easier.

It should be noted, though, that I’ve never been a horse girl. You know those little girls that have posters of horses on their walls and collective horse figurines? That’s never been me. I don’t dislike horses or am afraid of them, I think they’re beautiful animals, but I have no extreme fondness for them. This book is very heavy on the horse aspect. Which shouldn’t have been as shocking as it was, but I would venture to say that there was more horse content than romance content. A positive for those who like horses, yes. Just not my personal thing.

I think my main issue with this story was Nora. She was a little too “woe is my life” of being a woman in the early 1900s and had some anti-men thoughts because in her eyes, marriage means your freedom is taken away and nobody understands her. Until a new employee walks into her life, of course. I won’t lie and say that it felt cliché because of such elements. There was a lot of “Men.” and “Women.” comments from the two of them that I frankly got tired of fast.

So, for me personally, it was an okay read, but not one I really enjoyed reading.






*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Revell) for this honest review.

What a page turning read the author has given us. As the story opens Nora's father is taking his last breath, what will happen to her and her mother. They live in Mississippi on a beautiful horse farm called Emberwild, love the name, but could just picture the place!

We are given a strong willed young woman, Nora Fenton, a woman who doesn't know the word "no", and sneaks off to the barns to work with horses! She even owns some trousers!

We also have a hurting young man who has just buried his mother, and is now on a quest to find out whom murdered his father and stole their horse. Silas Cavallero, is journeying for answers , but he ends up at Emberwild, and he is a gifted horse trainer.

I loved the training of Arrow, although there are scary times, and then things get even more dangerous, what is going on? Then there is Uncle Amos, will he prevail with his demands?

This is such a great read, and yes, answers come, maybe not like you guessed, but this is a journey with surprises!

I received this book through the Publisher Revell, and was not required to give a positive review.

I enjoyed reading this well-written and thought-out story. Nora is a woman before her time, living in the early 1900s when arranged marriages kept families prosperous and women in the home. Instead of marriage, Nora has her heart set on training horses and running the family farm. Silas, a man who loved and lost his parents is out to find out what happened when his dad died. Nora’s Uncle Amos is determined to fight against them both. The story has mystery, romance, secrets, and an amazing horse. The Secrets of Emberwild will take you on an adventure into the early days of horse racing. I’m a fan of Heartland, so this book was a great read for me. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A Heartfelt and Tender Historical Romance

This southern-set historical novel was charming. Nora was an endearing heroine. Her doubts about self-worth and struggles to assert herself as an independent woman are relatable. I appreciated how women’s roles in society at the time of the novel’s setting were highlighted, shining a light on the inequities women faced. Silas was a delightful hero. The strong and silent type, he is a beta male that gives Nora the room she needs to be herself, while being very much present in her life. Readers will enjoy reading about this lovely couple.

The author’s passion for horses is evident throughout the book. Meticulous research was obviously a part of the writing process in this book, and readers who have interest in the subject will certainly appreciate this inclusion. Reading as family secrets unfolded created a nice reading experience.

Readers that love sweet and tender Christian historical romance will want to try The Secrets of Emberwild.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

I enjoyed this book, the first I had read by this author. Nora has to unravel family mysteries and fight for a day in her future in this story set on a horse farm in early 20th century Mississippi. She finds that her family mysteries may intersect with those of a horse trainer looking for temporary work as he tries to make sense of his own past. The characters are well drawn, and the setting is really effectively conveyed. The family relationships resonate even as one character is revealed to have done terrible things for what he thought was love. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book is an amazing ride. It's a bit different than what I usually read. I read a lot of historical fiction and it is that but a good deal of it focuses on the majestic Arrow, a horse of the finest caliber.
Taking place is 1905 after her father's passing Nora is determined to do whatever it takes to save her struggling horse farm. Her idea is to race the very spirited Arrow and she has some other possible ideas but will concentrate on racing first. Racing in this time period is not allowed by women. Her idea is to train Arrow for the harness races at the 1905 Mississippi Fair. No one else but her can calm the horse but she needs a male trainer and jockey to race him. There are many setbacks as a trainer is found but not approved of her her high faulting family . Silas Cavallero is not in Philadelphia,Mississippi just for horse training he is there to solve the mystery of his father's death.
Nora's uncle steps in to help the family run after her father's death. All things seem to be going well with the training until dangerous and mysterious things start happening . Will it jeopardize the family and the horses? When secrets about Silas are uncovered will being seen in a new light taint his integrity? There are so many twists and turns in this book, a little romance,some suspense. This book will keep you glued to it.The pacing was excellent I just couldn't put it down. The characters were spot on too. Very interesting learning about the harness racing of the early nineteen hundreds too. I highly recommend this book and would love if there was a continuation of this book. I'm not sure if it's a standalone or not.

Pub Date 04 Oct 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.