About the Book

Book: An Uncertain Road

Author: Abbey Downey

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: February 27, 2024

A female auto racer, and mechanic determined to walk away from the sport, and the race of a lifetime… 

 
When young widow Flora Montfort returns to America, she’s determined to use her training in auto racing to support herself and her French mother-in-law—even if female drivers are rare in 1905. So when the owner of a successful sporting goods store hires her to drive in the Glidden Tour, a ten-day race through New England, she jumps at the opportunity. 

Jensen Gable must be convinced that joining the team as the ride-along mechanic is worth the risk. After losing his best friend in a tragic racing accident, Jensen has vowed never to participate in the sport again. But his promise to protect that friend’s younger brother, also on the tour, is the only thing that outweighs his fear of the dangers. 

As they race through New England, Flora and Jensen find common ground that ignites their interest in each other, but doubts and old enemies come between them. Hazardous road conditions, meddling locals, and competitors who’ll stop at nothing to win—they all conspire to prevent Flora and Jensen from reaching the finish line. As the race of a lifetime heats up, one question rises above all others…can their love find the road that leads to forever?Cick here to get your copy!

My Review:

This was my first book to read by this author and I thought she did a great job with both the characters and the storyline. This Christian historical novel is set in the year 1905.  The main character in the story, Flora Montfort, is a race car driver, which was a very unusual career for a woman during that era.  As she and her race team began a ten-day cross-country race, she knew that she had much to prove before people would take seriously her desire to be a race car driver.  Jensen Gable is her mechanic.  Their relationship had many ups and downs and even though they were attracted to each other, Flora needed to find a way to completely trust Jensen with her heart.

Reading about the race held my interest especially because of all the adversity they encountered along the route. There’s also a thread of faith that runs throughout the story as both Flora and Jensen came to deepen their relationship with God which gave an inspirational aspect to the book.  I’ll be interested to read more in this “Adventurous Hearts” series.

I voluntarily received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit.  All opinions are my own.

About the Author

Abbey Downey started writing inspirational romance stories during naptime when her kids were babies and found she couldn’t stop. She previously published two books with Love Inspired Historical under the pen name Mollie Campbell. She also works with Spark Flash Fiction producing a quarterly digital magazine that contains love stories under 1000 words.

A life-long Midwestern girl, Abbey lives in central Indiana with her husband, two kids, and one rather enthusiastic beagle. She loves watching her kids play sports and fixing up a 1900 farmhouse with her husband.

More from Abbey

It started as a deep dive into the history of women in sports.

While we don’t immediately think of women when we consider the origins of sports and exploration, time and again my research revealed stand-out women participating in the early days of every sport and making history in adventurous endeavors. Females were later barred from these activities by a culture that saw them as fragile, but for those first years, the women who were tenacious enough to try succeeded right alongside the men.

So I set out to bring to life heroines that shined in some of my favorite historical sports and activities. In An Uncertain Road, the heroine, Flora Montfort, was inspired by real-life female race car driver Joan Newton Cuneo. In the early 1900s, Joan was a strong advocate for road safety and women learning to drive. She fought hard for her right to race, just like Flora does.

Jensen Gable is the reluctant ride-along mechanic for Flora’s racing team. He wants to protect those he cares about, even if that leads him to make some wrong choices in the name of their safety. He’s a little grumpy and a lot wounded, but Flora’s presence in his life helps him learn to heal—and smile again.

One of many things I love about writing historical novels is weaving in delightful tidbits that come up in my research. In An Uncertain Road, a fascinating historical detail is before the Glidden Tour begins, when the group visits Coney Island for a day. There’s some fun flirting—over a piece of green cheese in a moon-themed amusement ride.

I also enjoyed getting to research and use real historic locations in this story. My favorite place the team visits is the Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, where the 1905 Glidden Tour stopped for a mid-tour break. It’s still in use today and is stunning, surrounded by mountains and beautifully restored.

But I’d have to say my favorite moment in the book is a nod to my favorite TV show. Yes, I worked a reference to The Office into a historical novel. Let me know if you find it!

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy Flora and Jensen’s story!

Blog Stops

Book Looks by Lisa, March 27

Pause for Tales, March 27

Life on Chickadee Lane, March 28

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 29

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, March 30 (Author Interview)

Devote To Hope, March 30

Texas Book-aholic, March 31

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 1

She Lives to Read, April 2

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 3

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 4

Simple Harvest Reads, April 5 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Inspired by Fiction, April 5

For Him and My Family, April 6

Cover Lover Book Review, April 7

Holly’s Book Corner, April 8

Just Your Average reviews, April 9

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Abbey is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/2aa72/an-uncertain-road-celebration-tour-giveaway