John leaned against the edge of the divan and scratched his trimmed gray beard.
Connor uncrossed his arms and wiped both hands over his face. Revel hadn’t seen him this agitated since the night Bailey and her crew came ashore. That event had been everything Connor trained Revel and the rest of the security team for.
Still, nothing could have prepared Revel for what happened. The burst of gunfire; the sweat dripping into his eyes as he raised his bow and aimed; a split-second decision. The wrong decision. The heaviness of guilt that pierced his heart when he saw what he’d done…
Revel’s breath burned in his lungs as he awaited John’s response. Not only was John the head of this house and kindly boarding Revel while he sorted out what he was going to do with his future, he was also the village overseer, and as such his wise decisions were promptly obeyed.
Bailey didn’t move an inch, but a strand of sable hair hanging in front of her amber eyes vibrated with her elevated pulse. Revel wanted to trace it off her face.
Finally, John leaned away from the divan. “Bailey may use the radio until Mr. Van Buskirk is located. I trust she will keep her conversations to a minimum and try not to give details that someone outside the Land might use against us. Pack your bag tonight too, Bailey, and be ready to ride out with the men at sunrise.” He looked at Connor for a long moment as if that made his word final, then his shoulders relaxed. “All right, everyone. We have preparations to make.”
…
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A Note from the Author
Thank you for reading my book! I’m so glad you went on this journey with me.
Everyone who read this story in its early stages warned me that when I published it I’d better write the next book fast. Don’t worry, friends! Uncharted Destiny (#7) is available now in the Kindle store here.
I love hearing from readers. Feel free to email me at [email protected]. I answer every message personally. Be sure to sign up for my New Release Announcements so you will always know when the next Uncharted story is coming.
Many blessings,
Keely
P.S. If you enjoyed this story, please consider leaving a review at your favorite online retailer.
More Books By Keely Brooke Keith
The Land Uncharted
Book One in the Uncharted series
A hidden land settled by peaceful people
The first outsider in 160 years
Lydia Colburn is a young physician dedicated to serving her village in the Land, an undetectable island in the South Atlantic Ocean. When Lt. Connor Bradshaw’s parachute carries him from the world war to Lydia's hidden land, his mission could expose her simple society.
As Connor searches for a way to return to his squadron, his fascination with life in the Land makes him protective of Lydia and her peaceful homeland, and Lydia’s attraction to Connor stirs desires she never anticipated. But will they be able to keep the Land hidden?
Uncharted Redemption
Book Two in the Uncharted series
Mandy Foster spends her days building musical instruments and her nights avoiding the discontent that plagues her after sundown. She’s learned how to guard her heart with skillfully played songs and flirtatious smiles.
Levi Colburn is building his house outside the village—across the road from Mandy to be exact. Though he’s been in love with Mandy since childhood, she rejected him once and has been unattainable to every man in the village ever since.
When Mandy’s life is in danger, it’s up to Levi to rescue her.
But will she accept the tender care of the one man who truly loves her?
If she does, her secret would be exposed.
Uncharted Inheritance
Book Three in the Uncharted series
As Bethany Colburn completes her apprenticeship and dodges unwanted suitors, a mysterious man arrives in her village. He brings charm Bethany has never encountered and illness the Land has never known. She will need more than her heightened intuition to uncover the truth about life in the Land.
Just when Everett Foster finds the courage to confess his love for Bethany, a stranger threatens his future with her—and their whole society. Everett must protect the Land, run a farm, and win back Bethany’s heart.
Christmas with the Colburns
Book Four in the Uncharted series
It’s Christmastime in Good Springs, and Lydia Bradshaw is eager for the light at the end of her year—the Colburn family’s big holiday gathering. When she discovers none of her siblings are coming back to the village this year, she believes Christmas will be ruined. As Lydia faces a gloomy holiday in the Colburn house, an unexpected discovery brightens her favorite season. Will it be enough to rekindle the light of Christmas?
Spend Christmas with the Colburns in this inspirational holiday novella. Holiday recipe included!
Uncharted Hope
Book Five in the Uncharted series
Sophia Ashton’s new medical assistant job comes with the perks of living on the Colburn property, which include being surrounded by a loving family—something she’s never known. During the job’s trial period, a patient puts Sophia in a questionable position. Now she must prove her competence or lose her job and home.
Nicholas Vestal is working on a sheep farm to earn a starter flock, but before his contract is up, he inherits a house in the village. While fixing up the old house, he pursues Sophia Ashton, believing she is the woman God wants him to marry. But when Sophia’s difficult past blocks Nicholas’s plan, he must find a way to her heart.
Meanwhile, outside the Land...
When plant biologist Bailey Colburn is offered a research job, she knows Justin Mercer is playing her somehow. Working for the former naval flight officer sounds better than her other options in post-war Norfolk, even though Justin says he once met her long lost relatives. But when Justin introduces Bailey to the mysterious gray leaf tree, his unbelievable claims change her world.
Uncharted Journey
Book Six in the Uncharted series
Young widow Eva Vestal assumes loneliness is God’s permanent plan for her life. She keeps busy by raising her son and co-managing the Inn at Falls Creek with her elderly father, but her heart yearns for more.
Solomon “Solo” Cotter has spent his life working with horses, but he secretly wants to write a book of the children’s stories his grandfather told him as a boy. He barters with Eva’s father for a 40-night stay at the inn, a needed respite from work to get his stories on paper.
Once Eva discovers the barter, she believes Solo is taking advantage of her father’s failing memory. But when tragedy strikes and Solo works hard to save the inn, Eva sees his true nature. As her heart stirs with feelings for Solo, she wrestles with the guilt of loving someone new.
Meanwhile, outside the Land...
Bailey Colburn arrives at the coordinates of the Land on the autumn equinox and finds nothing but ocean. The sun sets, ending Bailey’s dream of a safe and simple life with the family she’s never known. Just when she decides Justin Mercer lied about visiting a hidden land in the South Atlantic Ocean and meeting Bailey’s distant relatives, the atmosphere around the boat changes and ushers her into an uncharted world, but her entrance into the Land comes at a devastating price.
Uncharted Destiny
Book Seven in the Uncharted series
Bailey Colburn is safe in the Land, but her father figure, Professor Tim, never made it to Good Springs. When Bailey discovers Tim is lost in the Land’s dangerous mountain terrain and out of his life-saving medication, she sets out to rescue him. Even with the help of intriguing native Revel Roberts, Bailey faces an impossible journey to save Tim. The mountains are shrouded in dark folklore and full of deadly surprises.
Revel Roberts never stays in one place too long. No matter where he travels in the Land, he avoids the Inn at Falls Creek, his boyhood home and the business he will inherit. But when fearless newcomer Baile
y Colburn needs Revel’s help to find her friend, he joins the mission and is forced to return to the place he’d rather forget.
Bailey and Revel’s friendship strengthens as they need each other in ways neither of them imagined. But nothing can prepare them for what awaits in the Land’s treacherous mountains.
Uncharted Promises
Book Eight in the Uncharted series
Sybil Roberts uses the warmth of delicious meals to lift the spirits of road-weary travelers at The Inn at Falls Creek. Her life at the inn would be perfect if she could just get her brothers and mother to move back home.
And if she could see Isaac Owens again.
He visited the inn once when he interviewed for the farm manager job, and she’s dreamed of his return to Falls Creek ever since.
Isaac Owens knows how to run a farm. His family might not have faith in him, but if he succeeds at Falls Creek, he’ll prove them wrong. He arrives at the inn thinking the job is his, but the inn’s senile owner offered the position to another man too. Isaac must spend the winter competing if he wants to win the job… and Sybil’s heart.
It will take more than warm meals on cold nights for Sybil and Isaac to find love while working at the isolated inn.
The Uncharted Beginnings Series
Aboard Providence
Book One in the Uncharted Beginnings series
In November 1860, Marian Foster joins a group of Virginia families who are sailing away from America to form a new settlement off the coast of Brazil. As an amateur botanist, Marian eagerly anticipates exploring a new land. During the voyage, her heart is drawn to Jonah Ashton, the ship’s handsome physician.
When family obligation forces Jonah Ashton to escort his family to their new settlement, he plans to return to medical school in Philadelphia immediately. But while sailing, he is beguiled by Marian’s optimistic spirit and finds himself in uncharted waters.
And soon an uncharted land.
The mysterious island is all Marian has ever dreamed of.
Soon Jonah makes a startling discovery that changes everything, but will it change his heart?
Above Rubies
Book Two in the Uncharted Beginnings series
It’s 1863, and Olivia Owens believes education should be a top priority in the new settlement of Good Springs. Between planning lessons and helping on her family’s homestead, Olivia doesn’t have time for Gabriel McIntosh’s charming advances. When the council denies her request to build a schoolhouse, Olivia must challenge their ruling while hiding frequent bouts of word blindness (dyslexia).
If the council knew the new teacher couldn’t always read, they wouldn’t allow Olivia to teach anymore.
As a carpenter, Gabe McIntosh is working hard to help build the settlement of Good Springs, and once his land is granted, he begins constructing his own house. When Olivia discovers he plans to share it with her, she guards her heart from him. But Gabe is determined to win her affection and to discover what she’s hiding.
All Things Beautiful
Book Three in the Uncharted Beginnings series
He is the last person she wants reading her story…
And the first person to awaken her heart.
It’s 1868 in the settlement of Good Springs, and Hannah Vestal is passionate about writing fiction and keeping her stories to herself. By lantern light she slips into her story world and dreams the adventures she’ll never experience. When her father asks to read her work, she decides to have it printed secretly for his 50th birthday. Hannah tries to arrange the printing with the settlement’s pressman, but the witty and dapper Henry Roberts won’t make it easy for her to prove her writing is worthy of his ink.
If Henry Roberts did nothing else for the rest of his life but print and bind books, he would die a satisfied man. In order to secure settlement support for his printing press, the elder council says Henry must print an error-free copy of the New Testament before the settlement’s 8th anniversary celebration. He is determined to meet their challenge, but when the enigmatic Hannah proves to be a beguiling distraction, Henry longs for something more than a life at the letterpress.
You’ll love this inspirational romance because everyone dreams of finding love.
Acknowledgements
My sincere thanks to…
Marty Keith for recording encouraging videos on my phone so I would have pep talks at the ready, and for reading every one of my stories no matter how busy you are making your music.
Julie Gwinn for helping me brainstorm what was next and for encouraging me to continue with the Uncharted story.
Christina Yother for chatting with me whenever I needed to get my bearings, for being a faithful critique partner through this whole series, and for lending your farmhouse photo for the cover.
Rachel Keith for helping me give Zeke the perfect puppy, and for all that help with the horses.
Pam Heckman for reading early drafts that no one but a mother could love.
Rod Heckman for always finding the flaw in the slaw.
Megan Easley-Walsh for lending her gifts as the manuscript whisperer.
Annalise Hulsey for enthusiastically giving feedback on, well, everything. You were the first person to mark-up a draft of my writing, and I still wonder what you will think of every story I write.
To the expert voices who generously answered my questions on what to do with this series: Victorine Lieske, Carrie Schmidt, Ane Mulligan, Brenda Anderson, and Heather Gilbert.
About the Author
Keely Brooke Keith writes inspirational frontier-style fiction with a slight Sci-Fi twist, including The Land Uncharted (Shelf Unbound Notable Romance 2015) and Aboard Providence (2017 INSPY Awards Longlist).
Born in St. Joseph, Missouri, Keely was a tree-climbing, baseball-loving 80s kid. She grew up in a family who moved often, which fueled her dreams of faraway lands. When she isn’t writing, Keely enjoys teaching home school lessons and playing bass guitar. Keely, her husband, and their daughter live on a hilltop south of Nashville, Tennessee.
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