Mary's Blessing
By Lena Nelson Dooley
Series: McKenna’s Daughters Series, Book 2
ISBN: 978-1-61638-617-7
Realms/Charisma House
May 2012
“Lena Nelson Dooley paints a vivid picture of all the tragedies and triumphs of nineteenth-century life. The charming characters, godly themes, and tender love story will leave you wanting more and eagerly awaiting her next book.” —Margaret Brownley, New YorkTimes best-selling author of Brides of Last Chance Ranch
When her mother dies, Mary Lenora must grow up quickly to take care of her brothers and sisters. Can love help her to shoulder the burden?
Mary Lenora Murray knows she is adopted. As she was growing up, her mother called her “God’s blessing.” But now that she’s gone, Mary no longer feels like any kind of blessing. Her father, in his grief, has cut himself off from the family, leaving the running of the home entirely in Mary’s hands.
As she nears her eighteenth birthday, Mary can’t see anything in her future but drudgery. Then her childhood friend Daniel begins to court her, promising her a life of riches and ease. But her fairy-tale dreams turn to dust when her family becomes too much for Daniel, and he abandons her in her time of deepest need.
Will Daniel come to grips with God’s plan for him? And if he does return, can Mary trust that this time he will really follow through?
I really enjoyed this story and read it quickly. The writing was good and the style easy to follow, yet rich with language that evoked emotion. The prologue alone was enough to choke me up. Then the story launched into various dramatic situations that made me think about a few Little House on the Prairie episodes. Daniel was a sweetheart, but he had some maturing to do. I couldn't help pitying Mary's situation and how much responsibility she had, but at the same time I could see how much she needed her family to help fill that gap in her life that couldn't seem to ever be filled.
The spiritual and emotional ARC was well done for a number of characters including Mary's younger sister. I liked seeing her growth and also watching Daniel mature into a young man that could be trusted. The situation with Mary's dad was sad, but there was a lot of truth in what he said about our days being numbered. It's easy to forget that we won't all live to a ripe old age, but there is nothing we can do about that. Anyway, I liked watching this couple slowly rebuild their relationship, and witnessing Mary learning to trust Daniel again. It was a heartwarming story with a sweet ending. The best part was it never bored me but kept me reading. These days I am easily bored, so that's a clear sign that this novel is a good book.
--Michelle Sutton,

Maggie's Journey
By Lena Nelson Dooley
ISBN 978-1616383589
Realms/Charisma House
October 6, 2011
McKenna's Daughters Series, Book 1
Maggie's Journey grabs you on page one with characters and events that reflect real-life joys and heartaches that change the characters forever. Make room on your "keepers" shelf! —Loree Lough, best-selling author of 80 award-winning books, including From Ashes to Honor.
A girl who’s been lied to her whole life…
Near her eighteenth birthday, Margaret Lenora Caine finds a chest hidden in the attic containing proof that she was adopted. The daughter of wealthy merchants in Seattle, she feels betrayed both by her real parents and by the ones who raised her.
Maggie desires a place where she belongs. But her mother’s constant criticism and reminders that she doesn't fit the mold of a young woman of their social standing have already created tension in their home. With the discovery of the family secret, all sense of her identity is lost.
When Maggie asks to visit her grandmother in Arkansas, her father agrees on the condition that she take her Aunt Georgia as a chaperone and his young partner, Charles Stanton, as protection on the journey. Will she discover who she really is and, more importantly, what truly matters most in life?
Lena Nelson Dooley is an award-winning author with more than 650,000 books in print. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers—where she received the Mentor of the Year award in 2006—DFW Ready Writers, and Christian Authors Network. She lives in Hurst, Texas, with her husband of over 45 years.
Maggie's Journey, received 4 stars from Romantic Times Magazine.
Winner of the Selah Award for historical fiction at Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference