On a bitter December day in 1785, Silas Ballantyne arrives at the door of master blacksmith Liege Lee in York, Pennsylvania. Just months from becoming a master blacksmith himself, Silas is determined to finish his apprenticeship and move west. But Liege soon discovers that Silas is a prodigious worker and craftsman and endeavors to keep him in York. Silas becomes interested in both of Liege's daughters, the gentle and faith-filled Eden and the clever and high-spirited Elspeth. When he chooses one, will the other's jealousy destroy their love? In this sweeping family saga set in western Pennsylvania, one man's choices in love and work, in friends and enemies, set the stage for generations to come. Love's Reckoning is the first entry in The Ballantyne Legacy, a rich, multi-layered historical quartet from talented writer Laura Frantz, beginning in the late 1700s and following the Ballantyne family through the end of the Civil War. "Frantz received much critical acclaim with her 2009 debut, The Frontiersman's Daughter. Since, the praise has kept flowing and she has garnered a loyal audience who appreciate the breathless, poetic beauty of her prose and the devastating ache she creates in a reader's heart... Frantz knows how to use subtle details to craft attraction, romance and even spite. Her words sing a haunting, poetic melody that paint a vivid picture and draw readers into the heart of not only a character, but a place and time. Love's Reckoning is a beautiful start to a new series." ~ USA TODAY 2013 CHRISTY AWARD Finalist 2013 INSPY AWARD Finalist "This was one of the strongest books I read in the past year - Christian or otherwise - laced with faith yet never sacrificing passion or thoughtfulness." Christy Award Judge " Stunning. Heart-wrenching. Breathless. Not since Gone with the Wind have I read an epic novel that has stolen my heart, my breath, my sleep to such a jolting degree. Love's Reckoning marks Laura Frantz not only as a shining star in Christian fiction today but as a shooting star who soars skyward to the glittering heights of Rivers and Higgs."--Julie Lessman, award-winning author of the Daughters of Boston and Winds of Change series On a bitter December day in 1784, Silas Ballantyne arrives at the door of blacksmith Liege Lee in York County, Pennsylvania. Silas is determined to finish his apprenticeship quickly and move west. But because he is a fast worker and a superb craftsman, Liege endeavors to keep him in York by appealing to an old tradition: the apprentice shall marry one of his master's beautiful daughters. Eden is as gentle and fresh as Elspeth is high-spirited and cunning. But are they truly who they appear to be? In a house laced with secrets, each sister seeks to secure her future. Which one will claim Silas's heart--and will he agree to Liege's arrangement? In this sweeping family saga, one man's choices in love and work, in friends and enemies, set the stage for generations to come. This is the Ballantyne Legacy. Laura Frantz is the author of The Frontiersman's Daughter , Courting Morrow Little , and The Colonel's Lady . A two-time Carol Award finalist, she is a Kentuckian living in the misty woods of Washington with her husband and two sons. She enjoys connecting with readers at LauraFrantz.net. Laura Frantz  is a two-time Christy Award winner and the ECPA bestselling author of more than fifteen novels, including  The Indigo Heiress , The Seamstress of Acadie , and The Rose and the Thistle . She is the proud mom of an American soldier and a career firefighter. Though she will always call Kentucky home, Laura lives with her husband in Washington State. Learn more at LauraFrantz.net.