Welcome to another First Line Friday, hosted by Hoarding Books. I’ve chosen to showcase the first line from Kimberly Duffy’s debut novel, A Mosaic of Wings. When I featured this cover some months back in a cover art post, I was delighted not only with the discovery of a new author, but a story set in a fascinating and underrepresented location when it comes to Christian Fiction. I fell in love with India reading stories Linda Chaikin’s Heart of India series and Patty Metzer’s Lights of the Veil. More recently I’ve enjoyed Christine Lindsay’s and Mimi Matthews’ forays there. I’m looking forward to the experience with Kimberly!
Be sure to enter the giveaway below, thanks to Bethany House Publishers.
First Line
This line conjures up all sorts of imaginings! I’m so excited about this story and that it is set in India. I can’t wait to experience all the sights and sounds of 1880s India. Anyone else love interesting locations for their stories?
The Book
It’s 1885, and all Nora Shipley wants, now that she’s graduating from Cornell University as valedictorian of the entomology program, is to follow in her late father’s footsteps by getting her master’s degree and taking over the scientific journal he started. The only way to uphold her father’s legacy is to win a scholarship, so she joins a research expedition in Kodaikanal, India, to prove herself in the field.
India isn’t what she expects, though, and neither is the rival classmate who accompanies her, Owen Epps. As her preconceptions of India–and of Owen–fall away, she finds both far more captivating than she expected. Forced by the expedition leader to stay at camp and illustrate exotic butterflies the men of the team find without her, Nora befriends Sita, a young Indian girl who has been dedicated to a goddess against her will.
In this spellbinding new land, Nora is soon faced with impossible choices–between saving Sita and saving her career, and between what she’s always thought she wanted and the man she’s come to love.
Kimberly Duffy is a Long Island native currently living in Southwest Ohio, via six months in India. When she’s not homeschooling her four kids, she writes historical fiction that takes her readers back in time and across oceans. She loves trips that require a passport, recipe books, and practicing kissing scenes with her husband of twenty years. He doesn’t mind. You can find Kimberly at www.kimberlyduffy.com.
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Buy at Amazon: A Mosaic of Wings or Koorong
April 24, 2020 at 11:06 pm
This book sounds quite interesting! What a unique setting too, Happy Friday!
April 25, 2020 at 2:12 am
My first line is from chapter 6 of One Hundred Valleys by Bonnie Leon:
The Indians had kept moving, but Emmalin held on to the rifle.
April 25, 2020 at 3:01 am
This sounds like a really intriguing story!
Today on my blog I’m featuring The Traitor’s Pawn by Lisa Harris. I’m currently reading Just the Way You Are by Pepper Basham: “One step into the massive, glass-walled waiting area was all it took.”
Have a great weekend! Happy reading! 🙂
April 25, 2020 at 3:32 am
Happy Friday! My first line is from “Collateral Damage” by Lynette Eason:
“Sergeant First Class Asher James stared at Captain Phillip Newell, sure that he’d heard wrong.”
April 25, 2020 at 4:30 am
this book is on the top of my TBR. I actually had the privilege of meeting Kim Duffy in person a few years back at CFRR…I’m so excited about her beautiful new book!
exotic places I love to visit in books…I just read The Enchanted April (an old book) by Elizabeth Von Arnim in which I got to visit Italy in April. I fell in love, and would absolutely LOVE to see those beautiful sights!!
My first line today is from Secrets She Kept by Cathy Gohlke
“A summons to the principal’s office had the same effect on me at twenty-seven as it did when I was seven, and seventeen.”
Happy Friday!
April 25, 2020 at 4:44 am
On my blog, I’m sharing Lady at Arms by Tamara Leigh. Here, I will share the first line from Chapter 21 of my current read, Kisses in Keystone by Kari Trumbo. “Hugh pulled his hat low to keep the sun off and shrugged on his black coat. The badge Bullock given him was buried in the bottom of his shaving kit. He hadn’t looked at it in a week.” I wish you a healthy and enjoyable weekend!
April 25, 2020 at 7:24 am
I’m currently reading Sweet As Honey by Jennifer Beckstrand and the first line is “Dan Kanagy stopped his open-air buggy in the middle of the deserted road and turned on his flashlight.” I hope you have a nice weekend!
April 25, 2020 at 10:46 am
Happy Friday!
On my blog I’m sharing from Being Known by Robin Jones Gunn. It’s such an EXCELLENT story. Currently, I’m reading Hadley Beckett’s Next Dish by Bethany Turner. I’m just getting into chapter 2 so I’ll share a line from there.
“Meemaw? Are you home?”
Hope you have a great weekend. Happy reading! 🙂
April 25, 2020 at 9:34 pm
Beautiful cover! Can’t wait to read this book. My first line comes from Becky Wade’s Stay With Me — Like Papa Bear in the Goldilocks story, Sam Turner had discovered a strange woman sleeping in the bed of a home he owned.
Have a wonderful weekend!
April 25, 2020 at 10:31 pm
I love traveling to places in books. I remember when I read The Good Earth by Pearl Buck and loving it. I now enjoy traveling to ancient Biblical times especially in Connilyn Cossette books. Thank you for the chance to read this beautiful book. Blessings
April 26, 2020 at 9:33 pm
I like interesting locations for some books, depends on the characters in the book.
April 27, 2020 at 12:14 pm
I love exotic settings!
April 28, 2020 at 10:48 am
I do like those type of settings. Love the cover.