Jayne's Endeavour (The JOY Series, #1) by Lauren Compton -- Review

About the Book

Life in 19th century Australia overflows with hardship . . . Will Jayne have the courage to hold onto her parents’ legacy?

Mysterious strangers, a Scripture verse, and a threat.

“Reids never give up.” The words once held so much truth. But at eighteen, Jayne Reid is beginning to wonder if she can live up to that standard.

When puzzling strangers appear and odd things start to happen, Jayne and her two younger sisters must find a solution—or lose everything.

What mystery lurks in the shadows of the Australian bush? Who is the man in town who thinks he can buy and bully anyone he wishes? And is it all somehow connected to their new farmhand?

Journey with Jayne as she struggles to change fear into boldness and boldness into a trusting relationship with her Heavenly Father. What adventures lie ahead?

“A Father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in His holy habitation.” Psalm 68:5

The JOY Series follows three sisters on a quest to keep their parents’ legacy and dreams alive. Loaded with 19th century Australian adventure, it’s a series full of intrigue for ages 12 and up!

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About the Author

Lauren Compton lives in Australia on a sheep farm—surrounded by mountains and plenty of Aussie wildlife! From a young age she has loved books and writing-related things (yep, that includes spending ages in the writing supplies department!). Now she has embarked on a mission to write books that both entertain AND encourage. Her desire is to weave stories that point readers to her Heavenly Father while at the same time being a whole lot of fun! 

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Author Interview

Check out the interview with the author HERE.

Excerpt

To her right some of the underbrush swayed. Fighting her rising feelings of terror, Jayne looked up to see if the leaves above her still moved in the wind. To her relief they were being tossed back and forth in much the same way as the bushes. Breathing deeply to calm her nerves, she told herself to quit being so jumpy. 
Resolved to head back to the house as soon as possible, Jayne hastened to finish investigating her discovery. She crouched, ready to flee at the smallest indication of danger, and rummaged around in the dirt and leaves until her fingers found what she was looking for. Beneath a layer of plant matter and earth sat a mound of coals. She laid a hand on the rough pile. The coals felt like they were still warm. 

Desperately wanting to be wrong, Jayne pressed her other hand to the pile. To her cold fingers the warmth, though slight, was unmistakable. Unwilling to let on to whoever had lit the fire that it had been discovered, Jayne scooped up dirt and piled it back in place. Fingers trembling, she scattered leaves and twigs around to hide all signs of meddling. Unsatisfied with her attempts, she moved sideways, trying to get away from the soft dirt to a spot where a low-growing branch sheltered the ground from dampness. From this position, her feet didn’t sink into the ground so much.

The toe of her shoe knocked against something, and it rolled away with a metallic ring. She drew in her breath as the sound pierced the silence. Her heart thumping, she crouched down, glad for the shelter of the leaves, and felt around in the hollow beneath the branches. She touched something cold and rough, and as she pulled away, another ting rang out. All her nerves screamed at her to flee, but she had to find out what lay in the shadows. 

--Chapter 11, Jayne's Endeavour

Review

Jane’s Endeavour is author Lauren Compton’s debut novel.  It is a sweet story about a young woman and her sisters.  It focuses on a strong bond of family and hope for the future, especially in the legacy of their family’s farm and keeping it intact.  The story is a little slow to get into, as well as no romance in the story, which is a bit different.  This is a light and fairly quick read that readers will enjoy.
 
Series: The JOY Series
Genre: mystery, fiction
Publisher: Long Gully Press
Publication date: June 1, 2020
Number of pages: 276
 
Disclosure statement: A complimentary review copy of this book was provided from tour groups, publishers, publicists, and authors, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, Or borrowed from Kindle Unlimited OR pre-ordered/purchased for review.  A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own.

Giveaway

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