Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Holding the Fort
    Holding the Fort
    Holding the Fort
    Audiobook12 hours

    Holding the Fort

    Written by Regina Jennings

    Narrated by Amy Melissa Bentley

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Louisa Bell never wanted to be a dance-hall singer, but dire circumstances force her hand. With a little help from her brother in the cavalry, she's able to make ends meet, but lately he's run afoul of his commanding officer, so she undertakes a visit to straighten him out.

    Major Daniel Adams has his hands full at Fort Reno. He can barely control his rowdy troops, much less his two adolescent daughters. If Daniel doesn't find someone respectable to guide his children, his mother-in-law insists she'll take them.

    When Louisa arrives with some reading materials, she's mistaken for the governess who never appeared. Major Adams is skeptical. She bears little resemblance to his idea of a governess-they're not supposed to be so blamed pretty-but he's left without recourse. His mother-in-law must be satisfied, which leaves him turning a blind eye to his unconventional governess's methods. Louisa's never faced so important a performance. Can she keep her act together long enough?
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateAug 28, 2018
    ISBN9781541449121
    Holding the Fort

    More audiobooks from Regina Jennings

    Related to Holding the Fort

    Titles in the series (3)

    View More
    View More

    Related audiobooks

    Christian Fiction For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      TWO DECADES OF HELL EVIL STEPDAD made me HIS WIFE

      Jul 2, 2020

      Acute little girl with bright red hair and a cheeky smile, Rosalynn McGinnis had big dreams. The 10-year-old wanted to grow up and be a veterinarian and teach violin. Rosalynn’s father wasn’t in the picture. But one day, handing out flyers with the n

      3 min read

    • Article

      A Lost Prayer

      Feb 2, 2023

      A Lost Prayer
      10 min read

    • Article

      STEPPING Out

      Feb 26, 2020

      STEPPING Out
      10 min read

    • Article

      A Double Life

      Dec 7, 2020

      Sadie is in the kitchen, already dressed in school uniform, fastening the clips on the violin she chose for her most recent birthday, when Gabriela heads downstairs the following morning. Seven years old: how the hell did that happen? Briefly, she wo

      6 min read

    • Article

      The talking TREMAYNES

      Jul 12, 2023

      The talking TREMAYNES
      9 min read

    • Article

      A Puzzle Of Nostalgia

      Aug 26, 2022

      A Puzzle Of Nostalgia
      5 min read

    • Article

      Life In The past Lane

      Aug 27, 2021

      Life In The past Lane
      5 min read

    • Article

      What Ray Charles Says

      Mar 1, 2024

      The nighttime is the right time to be with the one you love, says Ray,but according to Hamlet, it’s when “churchyards yawn and hell itselfbreathes out contagion to this world. Now could I drink hot blood,”says Hamlet, “and do such bitter business as

      2 min read

    • Article

      When the HEART MELTS

      Feb 23, 2022

      When the HEART MELTS
      8 min read

    • Article

      Dolly’s Star Turn

      Jul 12, 2023

      Dolly’s Star Turn
      7 min read

    • Article

      O Fortuna, Velut Luna

      Sep 15, 2018

      What is Miss Treece’s trouble, according to a popular notion? The man A has failed to show up. Arousing herself at the restaurant, she fixes her lipstick when her solo supper concludes and takes herself down the stairs situated behind the bar. There,

      3 min read

    • Article

      Running Away

      Feb 22, 2021

      Leaving London behind her, Millie drove faster, picturing thousands of crazed fans in pursuit, desperate for what – a lock of her hair? Or Julian; except after the last gig, somehow she knew he wouldn’t follow. She knew from bitter experience that di

      5 min read

    • Article

      Summer Beach Reads

      Jan 10, 2021

      Summer Beach Reads
      7 min read

    • Article

      Blue ICE

      Dec 12, 2023

      Blue ICE
      6 min read

    • Article

      Blue ICE

      Dec 8, 2021

      Blue ICE
      6 min read

    • Article

      The Only Rule

      Jul 13, 2020

      There is only one rule in polite English society, but it is iron clad. Of course, polite English society is a fiction. For one thing, its members are rarely polite. Politeness is for the middle classes rather than those who live off ancestral acres o

      5 min read

    • Article

      Robyn Hitchcock

      Oct 13, 2022

      Robyn Hitchcock
      7 min read

    • Article

      The Sound Of Music

      Apr 3, 2020

      The Sound Of Music
      5 min read

    • Article

      Two Poems by Noah Warren

      Dec 1, 2020

      Some waves came up overnight, though in Norderney, there was no weather.At the commercial wharf, a thin stream of white exhaust rose vertically from the ferry.The first service would depart soon. The puddles lay dark in the stone streetsand in the ga

      3 min read

    • Article

      The talking TREMAYNES

      Aug 2, 2023

      The talking TREMAYNES
      9 min read

    • Article

      A tender THREAD

      Jan 5, 2022

      A tender THREAD
      9 min read

    • Article

      I REMEMBER… Barry Humphries

      Mar 15, 2022

      I REMEMBER… Barry Humphries
      5 min read

    • Article

      Australia Reads At Home

      May 18, 2020

      Australia Reads At Home
      7 min read

    • Article

      Second Language

      Aug 14, 2017

      Second Language
      9 min read

    • Article

      Four Of A Kind

      May 3, 2023

      Four Of A Kind
      4 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Holding the Fort

    4.5/5

    46 ratings9 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      Author Regina Jennings begins her “Fort Reno” series with “Holding the Fort”, an inspirational historical romance in which mistaken identity may be a most fortunate blessing in disguise. Louisa Bell lives the life of a dance hall singer, not by choice, but by the hand that Fate has dealt. When even the saloon singing is lost, Louisa turns to her brother, Bradley, for help. No stranger to misfortune himself, Bradley is stationed at Fort Reno under the stern watchful eye of Major Daniel Adams. A mix-up when she arrives finds Louisa accepting the job as governess for the major’s two young daughters. Louisa is far too pretty and unconventional, but the widowed major is in need of immediate assistance. With Daniel and Louisa working together to manage his daughters, the major may lose some of his starch, and the dance hall singer just might gain respectability. Will they lose their hearts to each other along the way? Regina Jennings is a gifted storyteller who infuses her romantic tales with charm, surprises, and abiding faith.Book Copy Gratis Bethany House Books
    • 4/5
      What a hoot! This book is well written and a lot of fun to read.Louisa Bell comes from questionable beginnings. She feels that she can not make much of herself because of others decisions that affected her life. She doubts God and she doubts herself. A fortunate circumstance fell into her lap and she rose to the occasion and learned and grew as a person. She is a woman of integrity, grit, and intelligence - in spite of what others tell her.I loved watching Louisa grow and see the positive impact she had on the children in her charge. It was because of her upbringing that she was able to see what the girl needed and help them live lives or refinement and fun. Her journey is painful, but inspirational. It is proof that your beginnings do not determine your endings.Major Daniel Adams is a fair man. He comes across as stern, but deep inside he is a man of compassion, fairness, and strength. I loved having part of the story told through his eyes.The two girls, Daisy and Caroline are a treat. Particularly Daisy, she was so much fun to read about. She has a free spirit, and I loved that Louisa encouraged it and helped her temper it for the occasion. I also loved that the story was set in the Old West and dealt with the expansion of the United States in "Indian" territory. Major Adams was wonderful with the tribes and encouraged positive relations. Now I know this is a fictional story, but I would like to believe that there were men and women of integrity who saw the value of the Native Americans and their way of life.This is a fantastic book. There isn't a lot of violence for the setting and time period. There is a little bit of kissing and mention of a lives that were "soiled". I would recommend this book as clean and encourage anyone and everyone to read it. There are Christian themes, but the book is far from preachy.Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Bethany House. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
    • 5/5
      I love Regina Jennings and have read several of her books. I can count on her for a laugh or two. She has written some of my favorite lines of all times. In Holding The Fort after the Major has fallen off his horse riding barefoot, Louisa has his head in her lap. He awakens and thinks he is dreaming or imagining her. He jumps up, gets back on his horse and rides away. "She couldn't shake the image of him riding away, hunched over, barely able to stay in the saddle. What if he'd fallen off somewhere and was even now being carried down a hole by a colony of well-coordinated prairie dogs?" The idea of Lovely Louisa Bell, a former dance hall singer being mistaken for a Mennonite governess is full of crazy adventure. Add to that the Majors uncooperative daughters and things go down hill from there. Major Daniel Adams knows she does not look anything like the type of person he has ordered, but his hands are tied and he has no chose but to give her a chance. I loved this book and would highly recommend it.
    • 5/5
      I liked seeing how Louisa was trying to make the best of things and took the circumstances at hand and made the best of it. She is doing what she can to make a living, but when the chance to step up occurs, she tries to make a go of it, even though she doesn't know anything about being a governess. I enjoyed seeing the things she came up with and how she makes it work. I received the book as a gift, the review is my own.
    • 5/5
      The plot was normally what you would expect in this type of novel. What I really loved about this book was the comedy throughout. I wasn’t really expecting some laughs. It made the book stand out and an enjoyable read. The romance within was also nicely done. There were moments where it tore you up inside but at the same time makes you squeal for joy because you were cheering Daniel and Louisa on. But the ending! Oh my the ending got me all girly and squealing. I’d have to say it was one of the most beautiful endings I have read so far.But my oh my the romance in this book was excellent! The things Daniel does was enough to make you swoon. The chemistry he had with Louisa was also very well done and although there were a few frustrating moments were Louisa could just tell Daniel outright what the truth was, I guess it had to be dragged out to make the story complete (albeit not necessary. You sort of knew what was going to happen once Daniel found out the whole story.)Louisa is also very likable and her willingness to change paths is admirable and fun to read. I was hoping for two hellions for her to deal with (which the two girls were at first) but Louisa didn’t have to do much to get them to like her (which proves how likable and fun going she was.)As a non Christian reader, there are moments of the book where it gets preachy but it’s to be expected and one can gloss over those parts. It’s not extremely central to the book if you’re there to just read for the romance and the characters. I’m looking forward to reading the next few books and I hope they cover the rest of the characters at the fort. I’d love to know more about their stories and hope they find the same happiness Daniel and Louisa did. :)
    • 5/5
      As soon as I turned the cover of this book the author had me walking in Louisa Bell’s shoes, and loving this girl. A big heart filled with compassion, and when she becomes homeless decides to go to her brother who is in the brig in Fort Reno.Be ready for a few chuckles and wonder how she does what she does, but with such a loving way, that faux pas are soon forgotten, but we do see what a great mind she does possess with her chess playing. Can a bar room singer get away with posing as a governess, well your about to see it happen, well kind of, until the mother-in-law goes falling down.Come and see how our lovely Lola Bell perceivers and we get some historical information along the way, and meet Major Daniel, the father of the girls and head of the fort.When the book ended I was ready for more, I wanted to stay here with these delightful folks.I received this book through Bethany House Publishing Blogger Program, and was not required to give a positive review.
    • 5/5
      I am never disappointed by a Regina Jennings book. This story was great as always. I loved Louisa Bell. She was a fantastic character. She may have been a dance hall singer but she is a wonderful person. Major Daniel Adams learns what a great person that Louisa is. This story made me laugh and cry. I received this book from the author for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
    • 5/5
      Holding the Fort by Regina Jennings is like a special dessert, thoroughly enjoyed, yet anticipated at another time. Historical fiction with a side helping of whimsy. "Lovely Lola," a saloon singer, finds herself impersonating a governess for fort commander Major Daniel Adams's two unruly daughters. Louisa's tension is palpable as she carefully avoids each pitfall that threatens to expose her. Can she stay ahead of the Major's questions and concerns, or will she be caught in an intricate web of her own making? Yet the way that she so ably deals with the major's daughters and wins their hearts, will win many a reader's heart. A few of the scenes in the book are just outlandish, which just adds to the merriment thread in the story. This is a feel-good book I hope to return to over and over again, as it will always have that ability to create a few hours of pure reading bliss.The author leaves a note at the end, verifying some events and characters as factual, others a figment of her fertile imagination. I gratefully received a complimentary ebook from the publisher and NetGalley which does not affect my opinions, which are freely offered.
    • 5/5
      It is amazing how much I still learn about the West while reading fiction after all these years. Regina Jennings packed so much history into Holding the Fort, written about the actual military fort, Fort Reno. It is clear she did a lot of research for this book, and yet not a minute of the book was dry or uninteresting.When I read the description of this book, I honestly expected to find the premise a little unbelievable. It seems like mistaking a dance hall singer for a governess is quite a stretch. The author, however, made this work in a very credible (and humorous) manner.I loved how totally out of her element that Louisa was. She knew she was over her head, but tried so hard to act her way through. And quite admirably. I was also touched by the way she felt so little about herself after having been scorned by the “church ladies” back in Wichita. It was heart-breaking to see how she was judged without anyone trying to find out if the accusations against her were true. Sadly, even today we in the church are so quick to judge and so slow to show mercy and lead sinners into grace. I hope at least some of the people reading this book take that message to heart.The attraction between Louisa and Daniel was so sweet and tender. The way that Daniel was so determined to do everything properly was great. I especially loved the way he “took” Louisa on a date and in doing so also showed his daughters the way an honorable man treats a woman.The characters were all delightful. There were some intense scenes when tension between the military and the Indians grew, and there was great humor scattered throughout the story, keeping it lighthearted through the entire book.I will be sure to read more books by this author.This review first appeared on amongTheReads.netI received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.