To Love Anew (Sydney Cove Series #1) [Paperback]

Bonnie Leon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2007

Hannah Talbot has no one. Forced to leave the only home she's ever known, she works for a cruel employer who brutally takes the one thing she has left--her dignity. When she is banished from London, she is certain God has turned his back on her.

John Bradshaw was a successful businessman whose untamed spirit sometimes wanted more. When he is betrayed by those closest to him, he loses everything--his wife, his business, even his freedom. John's and Hannah's paths are about to cross. Aboard a ghastly, nineteenth-century prison ship from London to Australia, John and Hannah must keep hope alive and trust God's unconditional love.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

A heart-gripping journey toward forgiveness and love

Hannah Talbot has no one. Forced to leave the only home she's ever known, she works for a cruel employer who brutally takes the one thing she has left--her dignity. When she is banished to an Australian prison, she is certain God has turned his back on her. How could he--or anyone else--ever love her again?

John Bradshaw is a successful businessman, but his untamed spirit wants more. Little does he know what he will have to endure to find the adventure he seeks. Betrayed by those closest to him, he loses everything, even his freedom. There is no returning now. His life is not his own.

Now aboard a ghastly prison ship, John and Hannah are about to cross paths. What will happen when two hearts filled with pain discover how to love anew? This first book in the Sydney Cove series will capture your heart.


"Hannah's predicament hooked me on the first page and kept me turning pages through the entire book. This may be Bonnie's best book yet."--Jeannie St. John Taylor, author, illustrator, speaker

"Bonnie Leon has masterfully written another moving story full of page-turning excitement. I love her ability to write life onto a page in a way we all can relate to."--Maxine Marsolini, author of Raising Children in Blended Families and Blended Families

"Bonnie's fans will love cheering for her characters. No protagonists more deserve a happy ending."--Bette Nordberg, author of A Season of Grace

About the Author

Bonnie Leon is the bestselling author of more than ten historical fiction novels. She stays busy teaching women's Bible studies and speaking at writing seminars and conventions. She and her husband, Greg, live in Glide, Oregon.

Product Details

• Paperback: 297 pages
• Publisher: Revell; Reprinted edition (August 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 080073176X
• ISBN-13: 978-0800731762
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #385,821 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Storytelling has always been an integral part of Bonnie Leon's life. From childhood, she cherished the legends and family history handed down through her Aleut ancestors.

Throughout the ensuing years, Bonnie dabbled at writing but didn't seriously consider becoming a professional author. Instead, as a young woman, she happily stepped into the full-time profession of homemaker and mother. Pollywog hunting, finger-painting, blackberry picking, and creating fun messes in the kitchen with her children are some of her most precious and irreplaceable memories.

When her youngest child was nine years old, Bonnie decided it was time to return to the working world. She took a position in her hometown, working with the elderly and handicapped.

Then on June 11, 1991, her world was shattered when a log truck hit the van she was driving. The accident left her unable to work, and after months of rehabilitation she was told by physicians that she would never return to a normal life. Facing a daunting fight to reclaim her life and feeling as if she had nothing to offer the world, she asked God to give her something to do that mattered.

His answer came when she received a scholarship to attend the Oregon Christian Writer's Summer Conference. That conference ignited Bonnie's passion for literature and for writing, and she has been writing ever since.

Her first book, The Journey of Eleven Moons was released by Thomas Nelson in 1994 and made the CBA bestsellers list.

Since that time, she has written and published sixteen historical novels. Two of her series, The Sydney Cove Series, and The Queensland Chronicles, published by Revell, were published in Dutch-language editions by Ultgeverij De Banier bv, an organization based in The Netherlands. Her books are truly being read across the globe!

And with each book she writes, her love for the craft and the challenges of writing grows. "The learning never ends," she says, "But I relish the challenge of becoming a writer known for quality storytelling."

In addition to her work as a writer, Bonnie has a passion for teaching of all kinds, especially on the art and intricacies of storytelling. She teaches at conferences and workshops and says, "There's nothing more thrilling than to see a student's eyes light up with understanding as she grasps the concepts of the writing craft and begins to believe she can tell stories someone else will want to read."

Bonnie is also a regular speaker at women's church groups, writing groups, and business organizations. For more information on Bonnie's speaking topics and schedule, please click here.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Part of me LOVED it the other parted just WANTED to., January 4, 2008

By 

R. Stoddard (Colorado) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: To Love Anew (Sydney Cove Series #1) (Paperback)

Let me preface this by saying that, despite the 3 stars, this was a very good book and, while I wouldn't rave about it, I would tell my friends it was worth reading. It seemed well researched and I learned alot while reading it. I loved the plot.

The basic premise is this: After her mother dies, Hannah is left to fend for herself... alone. She is hire as a housekeeper where she is raped by the master of the house (the judge). She flees and later gives in to hunger and steals. She is caught and who presides over her trial? Her angry ex-boss. She is sentenced to work in Australia. Meanwhile, John kills a man in self defense WHILE defending his cousin (who steals his money and flees with Johns wife while John in prison). He is also sentenced to Australia.

Alright, so... I don't know how it happened but John fell in love with Hannah at first sight while aboard the prison ship. While in Australia, John falls deeper in love and Hannah also gains feelings for John.

The biggest flaw with this book is that I DON'T KNOW HOW ANY OF THIS HAPPENED!!! When did this love-falling happen? They never spent any TIME together in the book!!

I really liked Hannah. Her character was developed very nicely and you knew her feelings (excepting how she managed to fall in love with a man I thought she had contact with a mere handful of times!). You knew why she felt her guilt and why she couldn't overcome it.

John seemed likeable enough. It's just... well, I really didn't gain any insight into his character. I felt bad for him. I understood his rage. I didn't understand how he fell in love... and I don't know his feelings.

So, to sum up: I loved the plot. I loved the history. I liked Hannah and the secondary characters. I didn't DISLIKE John... I liked him the way I like the smiling cashier at the grocery store- for a stranger-- seems nice enough but beyond the nametag I don't know a whole lot more. I would have given this 5 stars had I just understood or believed the love connection.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bonnie Leon succeeds again., August 20, 2007

By 

A. K. Shorey (OREGON, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: To Love Anew (Sydney Cove Series #1) (Paperback)

To Love Anew is a heartwarming story of a life renewed from ashes. Hannah's circumstances spiral downward after her mother's death. When she's sent on a prison ship to Australia, she faces dreadful conditions. As a reader, I loved how Bonnie Leon showed so many details of life aboard convict ships, and what faced the survivors when they reached Australia. The book is filled with memorable characters and situations. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Real Life Fiction, January 1, 2012

By 

Bonnie Leon "Unveiling Truth Through Fiction" (Oregon, USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: To Love Anew (Sydney Cove Series #1) (Kindle Edition)

As an author, I've never reviewed one of my own books, but I feel a need to defend this story. I'm certainly no Tolstoy or Steinbeck, but I am committed to creating stories about real people with their flaws as well as their strengths. When I started my research and went to work on the Sydney Cove series, I was astounded at the harsh world of 1804 London and the treatment of prisoners, including those who were transported to New South Wales. I was inspired by stories of prisoners (most of them found guilty and transported over trivial crimes) who helped to found the continent of Australia. I wanted to tell their story . . . the way it really was. They faced horrendous circumstances with courage and determination.

One reviewer said it was just too much--that one bad thing after another happened to the characters in To Love Anew. That is true because that is how it was in 1804. But God was in the midst of the harsh conditions and was, as he still is today, in the business of redemption.

To Love Anew is also a love story. Hannah and John meet on a prison ship bound for New South Wales. During the crossing I record only a few of their encounters, but it was a six month journey, and it is assumed that they had several encounters. And once they arrive in New South Wales they are housed in the same prison for some time. Prisoners were not kept locked away from each other all the time. And they worked off the premises, so their paths would sometimes cross.

This book isn't for everyone. I did my best to display a true-to-life tale, which means some scenes are a bit gritty. It is also about discovering a greater love than mankind is capable of possessing. Even when we feel we're unworthy of God's mercy, His love is big enough to cover every sin.

If you like history, true to life tales and a love story, you might want to give To Love Anew a chance.