The Seeker (Shaker, Book 3) [Paperback]

Ann H. Gabhart (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2010

When well-laid plans go awry, can she still make her dreams come true?

The man Charlotte Vance planned to marry joins the Shakers--a religious group that does not allow marriage. So when her father brings home a new wife who is young enough to be Charlotte's sister, it is more than she can bear. To avoid her new stepmother and win back her man, Charlotte joins the Shaker community at Harmony Hill. Little does she know that this decision will lead her down a road of unforeseen consequences.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

When Charlotte's father suddenly marries Selena, everything changes. Charlotte, accompanied by Mellie, a slave, decamps from their luxurious Kentucky plantation and heads for a nearby Shaker community, where Charlotte hopes to persuade new-convert Edwin to reconsider and marry her, uniting their properties. Correspondence with illustrator Adam Wade, of Harper's Weekly, currently assigned to cover developments in the War between the States, becomes her only link to her past and the outside world, but Adam faces his own trials. Gabhart's absorbing coming-of-age Christian historical novel deftly juxtaposes Adam's and Charlotte's internal faith journeys against a backdrop of unusual settings. Charlotte is an overly responsible woman of action, who now must learn unquestioning obedience and rigid discipline, while Adam struggles to reconcile his natural inclination to remain a detached observer with his need to alleviate some of the suffering he encounters on the various battlefields. Also recommended for Civil War buffs and Shaker aficionados. --Lynne Welch

Review

“Ann H. Gabhart takes us on a remarkable journey into the lives of the Shakers and their community. With a compelling style, she weaves a story of love, compassion, and a young woman’s determination to find God’s truth. From cover to cover, The Blessed captivates and challenges—an absolutely wonderful read.” 
—Judith Miller, author of A Bond Never Broken

“When you step into the world of Ann Gabhart’s The Blessed, you’ll find it inhabited by a truly delightful cast of characters. Theirs is a multileveled love story . . . between a man and a woman, yes, but also between a woman and a child not her own. Certainly, a tender and inspiring read.” 
—Ann Tatlock, award-winning novelist

“Ann Gabhart has written a fine and fair rendering of the Shaker ways and how the beliefs of this communal society touched the lives of those within the community and those without.” 
—Jane Kirkpatrick, award-winning author of The Daughter’s Walk

--This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 411 pages
• Publisher: Revell; Reprinted edition (July 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0800733630
• ISBN-13: 978-0800733636
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #262,019 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ann H. Gabhart started writing when she was ten and has been writing ever since. Her first published writings were personal experience pieces, youth stories, and poems in church periodicals such as HomeLife. Her first novel, a historical romance about the settling of Kentucky, was published by Warner Books in 1978. Since then, she's published numerous books for both adults and young adults. The Scent of Lilacs, her first inspirational novel, was chosen as one of the Top Ten Books in Christian Fiction in 2006 by Booklist magazine. Her first Shaker book, The Outsider, was a finalist for Christian Fiction Book of the Year in 2009 and was a Top Pick by Romantic Times Book Review Magazine.

Ann lives on a farm in Kentucky not far from where she was born. She and her husband, Darrell, a bass singer in the Patriot Quartet, have three children and nine grandchildren. Her website is www.annhgabhart.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Seek and You Shall Find, June 30, 2010

By 

Auntie Em (Union City, TN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Seeker (Shaker, Book 3) (Paperback)

The story of Charlotte Vance, the seeker, reminds me a little of Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind. But, Charlotte is a much more believable character. She's strong and capable without the air of caricature that defined the GWTW characters.

The story is set in Kentucky in 1861. Charlotte is heir to a plantation and daughter of a prominent state-level politician. She's a planner, but her plans come unraveled. First, the man she intended to marry runs off to join the Shakers, a religious community that does not believe in marriage. Next, her father brings home a "gold-digging" new wife who's not much older than Charlotte. About the same time, Charlotte meets a portrait painter and journalistic artist who takes an interest in her. With war on the horizon, her position in the family threatened, and her father blind to the manipulations of the new wife, Charlotte runs away to the Shakers herself. She learns about the simple life, but she also turns to prayer to help her chart her future.

Gabhart artfully weaves historical events into the story while allowing her readers to experience the turmoil of the times through her characters. From the politicians and planters to the soldiers and slaves affected by the events of the time, Gabhart presents them all in a non-political and non-judgmental manner. I think the highest compliment you can pay a fiction writer is to say, "I was there." That's how I felt as I read.

Visit Gabhart's Web site at [...]

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Enlightening Title, July 22, 2010

By 

Kristina J. Petrella "Kristina" (NY) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Seeker (Shaker, Book 3) (Paperback)

Charlotte Mayda Vance is the only daughter of Charles Vance, a prominent Kentucky Senator. Raised in a life of luxury and leisure, she has been the head of the Grayson household since her father became more preoccupied with politics and her mother died. However, her entire world is flipped upside down when her powerful hold over the plantation is threatened by her new stepmother, Selena. As her betrothal goes awry, and her plans begin to slip through her fingers, Charlotte takes matters into her own hands and escapes to a nearby Shaker village.

The opening few chapters of this book are compelling and drew me into the story--especially the romance between Charlotte and Adam. Unfortunately though, the book becomes quite dry through the middle areas and this is a long novel; close to 400 pages. I felt that many of the details regarding the Shaker way of life were repetitive and while I understand that the Shaker belief influenced the loss of Charlotte's individuality, I feel that her character was lost amongst the detailed explanations of daily Shaker life. I was happy when the author resorted to letters between the lovebirds to bide the time instead of the day-in-day-out descriptions of the monotony of the Shaker life. I also think that the romance stalled out too much in the middle of the book. Rather than Christian historical romance fiction, I think this should just be historical fiction. I wish the romance would have continued with the intensity it was introduced with in the first few chapters. I give this book three stars.

Available July 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

A copy of this title was provided by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group for review purposes.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The Seeker, August 4, 2010

By 

Tiffany C. "Sunshine" (Highlands Ranch, CO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Seeker (Shaker, Book 3) (Paperback)

The Seeker by Ann H. Gabhart is a book centered around the Shaker community at the brink of the Civil War. Charlotte is a young woman who had her life planned out perfectly. One thing after another happened which muddled her perfectly constructed life. She ended up joining a Shaker community and learned to let go. Although she realizes the Shakers have God misconstrued, she discovers authentic faith and learns to lean on Him for her life.

This book was really, really long. And I'm not talking about the number of pages. The story took forever to get going and keep going. It was also extremely predictable. The facts about the Shaker community were interesting, however. And Gabhart did a pretty good job with the distressing issues relating to the Civil War. However, I don't think I'd recommend this book because the story surrounding it was so sluggish.

This book was given to me to be reviewed by the Baker Publishing Group. I was not paid to review this book.