Ashes and Lace (Song of Erin #2) [Paperback]

B. J. Hoff (Author)

Book Description

Series: Song of Erin | Publication Date: September 1, 1999

Value priced!

B. J. Hoff, the best-selling author of the highly acclaimed Emerald Ballad series, continues her inspiring Irish-American saga begun in Cloth of Heaven with this epic sequel--a story of two unlikely families joined by suffering and secrets, virtue and violence, courage, faith . . . and the mysterious hand of God. Along with Cloth of Heaven, this book will draw readers with its attractive cover and larger-than-normal size, celebrating B. J. Hoff as the premier writer of historical fiction in CBA today.

Song of Erin #2: Ashes and Lace

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Hoff ("The Emerald Ballad" series) continues her tale of the Irish struggling to survive at home and in the prejudicial atmosphere of 1840s America. Terese Sheridan, pregnant with Brady Kane's illegitimate child and suffering a crisis of faith, endures steerage passage to New York City. Jack Kane, Brady's older brother and a newspaper publisher, struggles with his feelings for Samantha Harte and his shaky faith. Meanwhile, in Ireland, Brady transfers his affections to a deaf girl and plots to win her by any means necessary. For series readers only.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 421 pages
• Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers (September 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0842314792
• ISBN-13: 978-0842314794
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #446,803 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

BJ Hoff's writing is known for her historical settings, her unforgettable characters, and her lyrical prose. She is the bestselling author of numerous historical fiction series, including the Riverhaven Years, the Mountain Song Legacy, the Song of Erin saga, the American Anthem series, and An Emerald Ballad series.

Her five-volume Emerald Ballad series was the first major work of fiction to bring the Irish immigration experience to the CBA marketplace-and the work that first brought BJ an international reading audience.

Her readers know they can expect to meet some memorable people in her novels and also know that many of those people will be immigrants-Irish immigrants particularly but not exclusively.

BJ admits to a passion for "building worlds." Whether her characters move about in small country towns or metropolitan areas, reside in Amish settlements, secluded mansions, or coal company houses, she creates communities where people can form relationships, raise families, pursue their faith, and experience the mountains and valleys of life.

She's intent on making her historical novels relevant to the present by developing characters and settings that, while staying true to the history and culture of their times, reflect many of the spiritual trials and social problems faced by contemporary readers. Her novels are meant to be "stories that build a bridge from the past to the present."

Her literary awards include the Christianity Today's Critics Choice Book Award for fiction; a Gold Medallion Award finalist; and a number of Excellence in Media Silver Angel awards. Her books have been translated into many foreign languages, and she frequently hears from her international readers in countries such as Ireland, England, Norway, and Germany.

A former church music director and music teacher, BJ is a member of the Authors Guild, the Irish American Cultural Institute, and the Appalachian Writers Association.

She writes from her home in a small town in east central Ohio. She and her husband share a love of music, books, and time spent with their family: two married daughters, three lively young grandsons, a loopy Golden Retriever, and a cunning, incorrigible but lovable cat.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars At last, another quintessential BJHoff historical!, November 18, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Ashes and Lace (Song of Erin #2) (Paperback)

This sequel to Cloth Of Heaven is worth the wait. Well thought out plot, compelling spiritual depth. Jack Kane is one of BJ's strongest, most well-layered heroes, and I particularly appreciated those layers. Two scenes stand out,both a testament to this fine writer's incomparable skill with character and words--the scene when Jack confronts Terese about her baby, showing his darkness, and the fire scene, showing his redemption. Nobody does it better than BJHoff. This book reflects the skill of a genuine craftsman of words, a writer with heart and soul. I'll read anything she writes, no matter how long before it appears in print.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Great Read!, October 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Ashes and Lace (Song of Erin #2) (Paperback)

If only B J Hoff could write faster! But at long last, I read this sequel to Cloth of Heaven, and it was great! Her characters always reach out and grab you by the throat! And what an ending! A real surprise, and a breathtaking one, too.

What's next, B J?

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Expect the unexpected, October 4, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Ashes and Lace (Song of Erin #2) (Paperback)

I can't tell how excited I was to finally get to read the long awaited book two in B.J. Hoff's Song of Erin series. I don't want to sound negative but it wasn't my cup of tea. I absolutely loved Cloth of Heaven but the sequel just wasn't what I expected. If you are anxious to find out more about Brady and Terese, then this isn't your cup of tea either. The two never meet again in the book at all. The book is filled with Jack and Samantha's lives, so if you enjoyed that then you'll definitly love it. The book was well written and I have to commend Hoff for once again, stretching all boundaries and allowing the readers to expect the unexpected.