Newton and Polly: A Novel of Amazing Grace

by Jody Hedlund

Overview

Uncover the true love story behind the famous hymn that stirs the hearts and ignites the faith of millions around the globe.

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now am found…

Now remembered as the author of the world’s most famous hymn, in the mid-eighteenth century as England and France stand on the brink of war, John Newton is a young sailor wandering aimlessly through life. His only duty is to report to his ship and avoid disgracing his father—until the night he hears Polly Catlett’s enchanting voice, caroling. He’s immediately smitten and determined to win her affection.

An intense connection quickly forms between the two, but John’s reckless spirit and disregard for the Christian life are concerns for the responsible, devout Polly. When an ill-fated stop at a tavern leaves John imprisoned and bound, Polly must choose to either stand by his side or walk out of his life forever. Will she forfeit her future for the man she loves?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781601427649
Publisher:	The Crown Publishing Group
Publication date:	09/20/2016
Pages:	400
Sales rank:	801,499
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Jody Hedlund is a CBA best-selling and award-winning author of more than a dozen books. Among a variety of genres, she especially loves bringing long-forgotten women of history to life. She is the author of Luther and Katharina, which was awarded the ECPA Book of the Year Award in Fiction. Her other novels have won the Carol Award, the INSPY Award, and the Christy Award. She resides in Midland, Michigan, with her husband and five busy children.

Read an Excerpt

December 1742 
(Continues…)

---

Excerpted from "Newton and Polly"
by .
Copyright © 2016 Jody Hedlund.
Excerpted by permission of The Crown Publishing Group.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

---

Editorial Reviews

Amazing Grace, indeed! Newton and Polly is one of the most powerful love stories I have ever read, wrenching the heart and waking the soul. If you read one book this year, this should be it.
—Julie Lessman, award-winning author of The Daughters of Boston, Winds of Change, and Heart of San Francisco series

“A powerfully moving account of one man’s epic journey from doubt and despair into a world of radiant faith. Newton and Polly is impeccably researched and punctuated with glints of genuine humor… I loved it!”
—Elizabeth Camden, RITA® and Christy award-winning author

“A sweeping tale rife with adventure, love, and God’s relentless pursuit of his own. With her signature depth and detail, Jody Hedlund plunges her readers into a fascinating and powerful story that has gone untold—until now. Set sail with Newton and Polly and become anchored in amazing grace.”
—Jocelyn Green, award-winning author of the Heroines Behind the Lines Civil War series

“In this story of the lives of John Newton and Polly Catlett, author Jody Hedlund skillfully weaves together the history, romance, and Christian faith that inspired the world’s best-loved hymn. Evocative and illuminating.”
—Dorothy Love, author of Mrs. Lee and Mrs. Gray: A Novel

“Jody Hedlund’s historical detail is immaculate, and her storytelling will bring you to tears. Newton’s conversion was truly remarkable, sparking a legacy that has impacted millions of lives. Newton and Polly invites readers into that powerful experience.”
—Sigmund Brouwer, award-winning author of Thief of Glory

Praise for the Christy and ECPA Novel of the Year
Luther and Katharina

“Jody Hedlund’s Luther and Katharina is an absorbing and deeply researched look into the life and ministry of a figure in church history I’d previously known only from a few dusty facts. Jody breathes life into those facts with this fascinating and intimate portrayal of Martin Luther’s life. Luther and Katharina is a compelling tale of tested faith, tumultuous church history, and incredible courage against daunting odds—and one of the most unique love stories I’ve read in ages.”
—Lori Benton, author of The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn and The Wood’s Edge

“Complex and emotionally rich, Luther and Katharina gripped me from the very start and never let go. Not even when the final page was turned. The history, the love story, the depth of faith in this novel is masterfully woven by Jody Hedlund.”
—Tamera Alexander, USA Today best-selling author of To Win Her Favor and A Lasting Impression

From the Publisher

In this historical novel, Hedlund imagines the lives of John Newton, best known for penning the hymn “Amazing Grace,” and Polly Catlett, the childhood friend who eventually became his wife. Narrator Saskia Maarleveld speaks at a quick tempo with a voice that is so soft and breathy that words often become inaudible. The story begins at the couple’s first meeting when Polly was 15 and John was a 17-year-old sailor, and moves over several years of John’s tribulations amid the harsh life of the slave trade on the high seas. The sentences and dialogue, mostly short declarative sentences, give the story more of the feel of a romance novel than a serious piece of historical fiction. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine

FEBRUARY 2017 - AudioFile