Customer Reviews

Maggie Rose (Daughters of Jacob Kane, Book 2)

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Another fantastic book from one of my favorite authors.

Maggie Rose, the second daughter of Jacob Kane, shows a real compassionate and adventure-loving spirit when she leaves small town, Sandy Shores, to travel to New York to work for Sheltering Arms Refuge, a home for abandoned and orphaned children.

MacLaren has me crying along with Maggie Rose as she was exposed to the cruel and poverty stricken lives of the children. This inspiring book opened my eyes to the other side of our world; a world filled with hopelessness and immorality, and left me yearning to reach out to these children of misfortune.

Luke Madison, a hardened and world weary reporter, finds himself doing a human interest story on Sheltering Arms Refuge. Luke had buried himself in a world of bitterness and pain when he lost his fiancée in a tragic accident. When he comes to live at the Refuge his heart was touched by the plights of the children and be Maggie Rose. Struck by her innocence and liveliness, he felt she wouldn't last in the callous and carnal city of New York. Luke was quickly filled with empathy and outrage when he learns of how one child was abandoned and how another escaped from a brothel. He and Maggie Rose help the girl's friend also escape from the brothel and the book quickly turns into an exciting and suspense-filled story of two young people working together to help the orphans find a good Christian home and staying ahead of a mysterious and threatening pursuer.

Laugh and cry along with Luke and Maggie Rose as they learn about the horrifying circumstances of each child at the refuge and how despite what they've been through, they are so full of innocence and hope.

A perfect sequel to Hannah Grace. Packed full of adventure, suspense, and romance. A heart wrenching story of new beginnings and healing hearts.

Sharlene has the nack for writing a GREAT story! And Maggie Rose is no different. Maggie's story will intrigue you from page one all the way to the end. You'll laugh at her refusal to recognize she can't sing. You'll cry with her as she hears the stories of the little orphans in her care. And you'll cheer her on as she falls in love. This book is a must read. Pick it up. You'll be glad you did! :)

REVIEWED BY SHIRLEY CRANSTONE (CHARLESTON, WV), JULY 16, 2009 (I HAVE POSTED THIS REVIEW ON BEHALF OF SHIRLEY CRANSTONE.)

In 1904, mission-minded Maggie Rose leaves the comforts of her West Michigan home and family to take a job at a New York City orphanage, Sheltering Arms Refuge. Here, she gets a dose of "real life" with the influx of homeless urchins into the orphanage, some abused and neglected by alcoholic parents, some orphaned, others simply put out on the streets by penniless, often disease-ridden parents, immigrants who find themselves forced into dirty streets, too impoverished to tend to their families. Not only will Maggie assist in the "placing out" process, finding homes for these children via the "Orphan Trains" that operated from the mid-1800s through 1929, she will also discover unexpected love in a hardnosed newspaper reporter, a man carrying a load of bitterness over the loss of his beloved fiancee to a true life, disastrous paddle-boat fire in the East River. This is a story rife with heartrending emotion, drama, character conflict, hope and healing. As in all of MacLaren's page-turning novels, readers will discover God's love and power amidst heartache and learn that through trusting Christ, JOY truly can abound. ABSOLUTELY WORTH THE READ!

Once again I'm am blow away by Sharlene MacLaren's amazing writing. I loved HANNAH GRACE, so when I'd finished, it had me wanting for the next in the series, MAGGIE ROSE. I was certainly blessed when I'd won a copy of HANNAH GRACE on Sharlene's website. I had yet to read her work and now can't seem to get enough of it.

MAGGIE ROSE was an amazing story, incredibly written. Loved the plot. Love the Characters. Luke's Spiritual journey, and life lessons he encountered. Very powerful, moving, and thought provoking. Maggie and Luke weren't the only ones with tears in their eyes as this wonderful story came to an end. Brilliantly done, I must say.

Now on to the third and final book in this remarkable series, ABBIE ANN. Can't wait to see where Sharlene takes ABBIE ANN...and me, in what is sure to be another great novel.

Warning: Do not start this book unless you want to stay up reading past midnight for two nights like I did!

This book, Maggie Rose, is the second in The Daughters of Jacob Kane series by Sharlene MacLaren. Although I had not read the first book, there are enough bits and pieces of the family history in this book to let you enjoy it without reading the other one first. And, book three, Abbie Ann, about the third daughter of Jacob Kane is slated to be published next Spring, 2010. I look forward to reading it and losing some more sleep!

Maggie Rose is called by God to leave her hometown to travel to New York City to help at the Sheltering Arms Refuge, a short-term home to keep orphans who will be transported across the country for adoption. There she meets a newspaper reporter, Luke Madison, who is assigned the job of writing a story about the home and the orphan trains. Luke has experienced heartache that has shaken his already-weak faith.

Luke and Maggie Rose are attracted to each other, but she will not allow herself to fall for someone who doesn't love the Lord like she does. They accomplish a daring rescue together and are also the targets of some shady characters. Read this book and find out how God keeps them all in His sheltering arms.

Sharlene MacLaren has written a story rich in emotion that will tug at your heart, with characters that will live on long after you reach the final page. If you love historical fiction with a sweet romance beautifully woven into a captivating story, then this book is for you.

I finished reading this book yesterday and didn't want it to end. It was such a delightful read...there was nothing about it that I didn't like. Sharlene's writing style is wonderful...she draws you into the story, helps you relate to each character, and builds to such a wonderfully satisfying end. You won't be sorry if you purchase this book....I'm going to go back and get the first one in the series that I missed, and am anxious to get my hands on the final one when it releases, as well. Great job!!!

Maggie Rose
Daughters of Jacob Kane Book 2
Sharlene MacLaren
2009
Whitaker House
Christian Fiction/Historical

Reviewed by Cindy Loven

Maggie Rose Kane, has a deep conviction that God wants her to go to New York. Convincing her father was another story, but eventually Jacob Kane conceded that he should not stand in the way of the work of the Lord. So, twenty year old Maggie, finds herself on her way to NYC to work in a orphanage, Sheltering Arms Refuge.
Luke Madison, a news reporter was a young man deep in grief and anger. Gaining justice and seeing people answer for their actions was his goal. His aunt, fiancée and her mother had all died in a tragic accidental fire aboard a ship. Negligence was the cause and he was bent on seeing someone pay.
Two people from very different lives, with different view points, and beliefs both wind up at the Sheltering Arms Refuge. Maggie as a new employee, sent on a mission by God. Luke, to do a story for his newspaper, sent there by his boss.
Follow along as they rescue a young orphan girl from a seedy brothel/saloon. Cry as they board the "orphan train" taking their young charges to new families. Stand in awe as God works in each of their lives, and draws them close.
The second book in the Daughters of Jacob Kane Series, Maggie Rose easily stands alone. This book will not require having read the first one, to understand it and enjoy it. Sharlene MacLaren has written a book, a story of love, redemption, faith and hope. A story that will give you insight into the history of the orphan trains. A story that will touch your heart, and make you want to read more about the Kane daughters. Definitely a book to share with friends and family. [...]

I read Hannah Grace, the first book in the three-book series The Daughters of Jacob Kane, and had to force myself to put the book down!

I had the same problem with Maggie Rose. Sharlene has a wonderful gift of bringing the reader into the story. I was captivated from page one as I joined Maggie on her train ride to New York City. The orphans' history was so compelling that I wanted to run to the nearest adoption agency and adopt every child there. Fortunately, my husband is much wiser than I am and in this case, his wisdom prevailed. As every excellent romance novel should be designed to do, I fell in love with the newspaper reporter hero, Luke. Here is a man who has walked through the "valley of the shadow of death." Anger and bitterness rule his heart; slowly but surely, his heart is softened by the love of God shown through Maggie and the orphaned children.

A heart-warming story, this book is one that you will want to read and keep in your library to read again in years to come.

This is the second book in the Daughters of Jacob Kane series. Maggie Rose is both beautiful inside and out. She is such a kind, compassionate person.
Maggie Rose is called by God to go far from home to work at an orphanage, from her home in Michigan to New York. While there she meets Luke a hard, sad man, a newspaper reporter. Find out what makes him so hard and sad.
They both fall in love with the children and the workers at the orphanage and then they even take the children on the orphan train West to find families.
With this add intrigue, mystery and evil people and you have a story worth reading.
I love the characters of this book; also you hear more about the characters from book one in this series, Hannah Grace. You will see what happened with Maggie's family and how they keep moving ahead.
You will read about some of the things orphans had to endure and live through in the 1900's in New York. How the orphanages were a help and an escape for many of the children.
I like the love story of Maggie Rose and Luke. How they each had to put God first and go on with their lives.
I recommend this book Maggie Rose and all of the books in The Daughters of Jacob Kane series. Really excellent books. Sharlene MacLaren really knows how to write. You will love this book as I do.

Thank you to Whitaker House for providing this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255

Ever since Maggie Rose heard the guest speaker at church share about "Sheltering Arms", a New York orphanage, she hasn't been able to shake the feeling that God is calling her there to minister to the cities orphans. Her father finally gives his blessing for her to go, and even though she is only 20 and doesn't know a soul in the city, Maggie Rose boards a train to New York. And so begins this excellent story...

I really enjoyed the different angle this book had on the plight of the NY orphans and the western-bound orphan trains. I've read other books featuring the orphan trains, but it was quite a bit different seeing things though the eyes of an adult (Maggie Rose, and a couple others) rather than from the orphans point of view.

I don't want to give too much away, but I found the stories of orphan Maxine (who escaped from a brothel) and her friend Clara particularly intriguing. It's hard to explain without giving away too many details, but the involvement of Maggie and Luke (a newspaper reporter) in getting them to safety was so intriguing. Their actions had such long lasting effects throughout the story, which caused things to take turns I didn't expect, but thoroughly enjoyed! Bravo for a very interesting and original storyline!! A couple nights I ended up staying up late (til 2am!) just so I could read a few more chapters. Yes, it's that good!

Maggie Rose is the second in the Daughters of Jacob Kane series, although it would work as a stand alone story quite well. However, I do recommend that you read the first book in the series (Hannah Grace) first, not because it is necessary, but just because it is a terrific read as well. Abbie Ann is third in the series, and while I haven't read that one yet, I have high hopes for it as the series up to this point has been excellent!