WHEN TOMORROW CAME by Hannah Linder
GENRE: Inspirational Historical/Regency Romance
PUBLISHER: Barbour Fiction
RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2023
PAGES: 320
They Waited Their Whole Lives for Their Papa to Return
Nan and Heath Duncan, siblings abandoned by their papa and abused by their guardian, have no choice but to survive on the London streets. When a kind gentleman rescues Nan from such a life, the siblings are separated and raised in two vastly different social worlds. Just when both are beginning to flourish and years have healed some of their wounds, their long-awaited papa returns and reunites them–bringing demands with him. Nan is expected to marry a rich suitor she’s never liked, and Heath is expected to forsake his gentle spirit and become the hardened man his father always was.
Dangers unfold, secret love develops, fights ensue, and murder upsets the worlds Heath and Nan have built for themselves. They’ve waited their whole lives for their papa to return, for tomorrow to come–but now that it has, will they be able to see through to the truth and end this whirlwind of a nightmare before it costs one of their lives?
“Perhaps tomorrow had never been meant for them at all. Perhaps tomorrow belonged to God.”
From the very beginning, I was captivated by the characters in this charming read, and the way we are introduced to them has much to do with that. We first meet Nan and Heath as children forced to live on the streets of London under heartbreaking circumstances. Their mother is dead; their father abandoned them; their guardian abused them. The bond they share as siblings is emotional for the reader, and the moment that separates them, bittersweet. We follow their respective paths from childhood to adolescence and into adulthood, and in so doing we become deeply attached not only to Nan and Heath but also to other characters whose stories entwine with theirs.
The rector. Mr. & Mrs. Stanhope. Even young Charlotte. Each a beautiful picture of grace and security to Nan and Heath, standing in stark contrast to other, more unsavory, characters that also inhabit this plot. However, it’s Gil and Temperance whose POVs are added to those of our intrepid siblings, creating a delightfully different reading experience than we are usually given. To be able to be inside the heads of all 4 protagonists adds so many layers to the story and, particularly in the case of Gil and Nan, ramps up the romantic tension in ways we wouldn’t have seen had we only been granted Nan’s and Heath’s perspectives. And ohhhhh there is some yummy romantic tension as eyes are opened to feelings previously unacknowledged and hearts get all tangled up together.
Bottom Line: When Tomorrow Came by Hannah Linder is poignant and redemptive, with sweet threads of swoony romance and a deliciously Gothic undertone. The unique narrative (in terms of multiple POVs) is skillfully done & kept me invested in the story, while the main characters easily grabbed my heart. (Some of the secondary ones did too!) I loved the Great Expectations vibes with a little bit of Austen thrown in too, but the author has a distinct style all her own. If you’re a fan of Abigail Wilson or Joanna Davidson Politano, make sure you check out When Tomorrow Came!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. In the interest of full disclosure, the company for which I freelance as a blog/review tour coordinator was hired to promote this book with a social media tour. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)
My Rating: 4 stars / loved it!
KissingBook Level: 3+ / will forget to breathe on occasion
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Hannah Linder resides in the beautiful mountains of central West Virginia. Represented by Books & Such, she writes Regency romantic suspense novels. She is a double 2021 Selah Award winner, a 2022 Selah Award finalist, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Hannah is a Graphic Design associate degree graduate who specializes in professional book cover design. She designs for both traditional publishing houses and individual authors, including New York Times, USA Today, and international bestsellers. She is also a local photographer and a self-portrait photographer. When Hannah is not writing, she enjoys playing her instruments–piano, guitar, and ukulele–songwriting, painting still life, walking in the rain, and sitting on the front porch of her 1800s farmhouse.
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Other Featured Books by Hannah Linder
What about you? What makes you want to read When Tomorrow Came by Hannah Linder?
I really loved Beneath His Silence. She does the gothic writing style so well and then adds her own flair. I will be curious as to where she takes us in this story.
I reviewed this one yesterday and I enjoyed it too