Posted in Uncategorized

Carol Cox’s Trouble in Store

About

Fired from her most recent governess position, Melanie Ross must embrace her last resort: the Arizona mercantile she inherited from her cousin. But Caleb Nelson is positive he inherited the mercantile, and he’s not about to let some obstinate woman with newfangled ideas mess up all he’s worked for. He’s determined to get Melanie married off as soon as possible, and luckily there are plenty of single men in town quite interested in taking her off his hands.
The problem is, Caleb soon realizes he doesn’t want her to marry up with any of them. He’s drawn to Melanie more every day, and he has to admit some of her ideas for the store unexpectedly offer positive results.

But someone doesn’t want the store to succeed, and what used to be just threatening words has escalated into deliberate destruction and lurkers in the night. When a body shows up on the mercantile steps–and the man obviously didn’t die from natural causes–things really get dangerous. Can Melanie and Caleb’s business–and romance–survive the trouble that’s about to come their way?

Review

I found Trouble in Store to be a delightful book to read! Melanie Ross was a terrific, no nonsense kind of heroine who makes reading a book a pleasure.Throughout the novel, I admired her spirit and the way in which she got things done. Caleb was an interesting hero, particularly because he did not necessarily play by the rules. At times he was stodgy and interfering, and yet there was something about him that I just liked. I thought Ms. Cox did a fabulous job with his character. He stayed true to who he was the entire novel. I will say, though, that the romance seemed a bit lacking in the story. I could see it, but it just didn’t come together for me the way it should have. I wouldn’t have changed anything about the book, except to maybe have one more chapter added to it. As far as secondary characters go, Levi was a dear. And that’s surprising because I am not terribly fond of children in novels. The mystery was not intense, but it provided another reason to turn the pages. I also liked that the novel took place in Arizona and that the author provided tidbits that could only arise from that location. Spiritually, you see Melanie and Caleb turn to God in their troubles and their faith arises naturally out of their circumstances. Overall, it was a very good read. 

**I received a copy of this novel from BethanyHouse. My opinion was not affected in any way.**

Posted in Uncategorized

Monday Musings…Cover Love!

Spunky Allison McClare is determined to be a fearless, independent woman, resorting to a mammoth hat pin for protection on her way to and from the school where she teaches. But when she takes a notion to explore the wild Barbary Coast she quickly discovers she is no match for rum-soaked brute strength. 

Detective Nick Barone would rather do almost anything than teach this petite socialite jiu-jitsu, but it seems he has little choice in the matter. Sparks fly every time the two meet until a grudging friendship develops into something deeper. But when Nick suddenly leaves town, Allison realizes he’s a fraud just like all the rest of the men she’s cared for. Does she dare love again?

The lushness of the glorious Gilded Age beautifully showcases Lessman’s passion as a writer in this engaging love story written with humor and heart. From the glamour of San Francisco’s Nob Hill to the seedy gambling dens of the Barbary Coast, Dare to Love Againis a journey to find a love that never fails. Fans will love revisiting the world of the cousins McClare, and new readers will seek more of Julie’s passion-filled novels.

Beowulf—a hulky, brindle-coated bullmastiff—is the only “boy” for Timbrel Hogan. And she has a history to remind her why. But when Timbrel, a handler at A Breed Apart, embarks on a mission to detect WMDs in Afghanistan, she reunites with Tony “Candyman” VanAllen and her no-other-man philosophy is challenged. While tension mounts between Timbrel and Tony, the team comes under fire after Beowulf gets a “hit.” When tragedy threatens Tony’s career and Timbrel’s courage, they must maneuver through an intricate plot and a mission like no other. . . .

Dutiful Jessamine Barry is tired of waiting patiently for a man to decide her future. So even though Lancelot Marfleet, second son of an aristocrat, is taking an interest in her during the London season, she refuses to consider him as a suitor. Instead, she’s ready to take fashionable society by storm–and finds a rakish young man all too willing to help her do it. When things go too far, Jessamine will learn that the man who is faithful through thick and thin is more worthy than the one who speaks pretty words. But will her disgrace keep Lance from reconsidering her as a wife? And when tragedy strikes and Lance becomes his father’s heir and a titled gentleman, will he think she only wants him now because of his title?

Fans old and new will love this lush Regency London story of discovering one’s true self and finding one’s true love.

It is 1704 when Genevieve Gaillain and her sister board a French ship headed for the Louisiana colony as mail-order brides. Both have promised to marry one of the rough-and-tumble Canadian men in this New World in order to escape religious persecution in the Old World. Genevieve knows life won’t be easy, but at least here she can establish a home and family without fear of beheading. But when she falls in love with Tristan Lanier, an expatriate cartographer whose courageous stand for fair treatment of native peoples has made him decidedly unpopular in the young colony, Genevieve realizes that even in this land of liberty one is not guaranteed peace. And a secret she harbors could mean the undoing of the colony itself.

Elizabeth Harding arrives in Cheyenne, Wyoming, to establish her medical practice thanks to the wooing of her two older sisters who extolled the beauty of the land. She’s certain she’ll have a line of patients eager for her expertise and gentle bedside manner. However, she soon discovers the town and its older doctor may not welcome a new physician. Even more frustrating, the handsome young attorney next door may not be ready for the idea of a woman doctor. For his part, Jason Nordling has nothing against women, but he’s promised himself that the woman he marries will be a full-time mother.

Despite their firm principles, Elizabeth and Jason find that mutual attraction–and disdain from the community–is drawing them ever closer. And when the two find themselves working to save the life and tattered reputation of a local woman, they’ll have to decide how far they’re willing to go to find justice–and true love.

This exciting and adventurous romantic spy novel is the third book in the Culper Ring series from Roseanna M. White. Circle of Spiescombines fascinating cloak-and-dagger secrets with a tale of love and intrigue at the end of the Civil War.

Baltimore, 1865–Marietta Hughes never wanted to be a spy…but espionage is thrust upon her as the War Between the States rolls on. Unbeknownst to her, a Confederate secret society bent on destroying the Union she loves has been meeting in her basement. When she discovers the plots and papers covering her walls, she feels as though she is losing her world.

Shade Osborne, an undercover Pinkerton agent, is determined to do whatever is necessary to help end the conflict between the North and the South. When he infiltrates this secret cell, it isn’t just their inner workings that baffle him–it’s the beautiful woman who seems to be a puppet for the new leader and yet…somehow not an enemy of the Union.

Can he trust her? Will she trust him? Will their shared faith sustain them? And can Mari and Shade stymie the enemy long enough without being discovered to see their beloved country reunited?

 

 

Who is excited? Me! Is there any novel that you are especially looking forward to reading?

Posted in Fantasy/Sci-Fi

Patrick Carr’s The Hero’s Lot

About

When Sarin Valon, the corrupt secondus of the conclave, flees Erinon and the kingdom, Errol Stone believes his troubles have at last ended. But other forces bent on the destruction of the kingdom remain and conspire to accuse Errol and his friends of a conspiracy to usurp the throne.

In a bid to keep the three of them from the axe, Archbenefice Canon sends Martin and Luis to Errol’s home village, Callowford, to discover what makes him so important to the kingdom. But Errol is also accused of consorting with spirits. Convicted, his punishment is a journey to the enemy kingdom of Merakh, where he must find Sarin Valon, and kill him. To enforce their sentence, Errol is placed under a compulsion, and he is driven to accomplish his task or die resisting.

Review

I have been waiting for this book since I put the first one down! And it was well worth the wait. This novel picks up right where the last one ended…and sends Errol on another adventure. Unlike the first novel, however, you get more than Errol’s point of view. Normally, I would have wanted to skim the other person’s point of view, but their story, in my opinion, was equally as fascinating. I found that this novel shed more light on the past, allowing you to get a clearer picture of everything that had happened up until Errol. This novel also had a wee bit more romance than the last one, which I found to be particularly nice. Errol, as usual, was a character that I could empathize with. He learns some crazy things and goes through some dangerous situations and you can’t help but love him. And yet, all of the mysteries were not solved, and in fact, the book ended on such a note that I almost screamed when I finished. Sigh. I must wait some more (but fortunately the wait isn’t too long!). We lose some people along the way and gain some new faces on this adventure and  I am highly interested to see how Mr. Carr will work everything out. Spiritually…well, I kind of don’t want to give it away, but you begin to see Errol develop his own faith in God. Great follow-up! Didn’t suffer from book twoism and highly recommended!

** I received this novel from Netgalley. My opinion was not affected in any way.**

Posted in Historical

Tessa Afshar’s Harvest of Gold

About

The scribe Sarah married Darius, and at times she feels as if she has married the Persian aristocracy, too. There is another point she did not count on in her marriage-Sarah has grown to love her husband. Sarah has wealth, property, honor, and power, but her husband’s love still seems unattainable.

Although his mother was an Israelite, Darius remains skeptical that his Jewish wife is the right choice for him, particularly when she conspires with her cousin Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Ordered to assist in the effort, the couple begins a journey to the homeland of his mother’s people. Will the road filled with danger, conflict, and surprising memories, help Darius to see the hand of God at work in his life-and even in his marriage?

A hidden message, treachery, opposition, and a God-given success, will lead to an unlikely bounty.

Review

First off, I LOVED the first book in this series and book two did NOT disappoint. Never have I read a more character driven novel than this one. I didn’t care about anyone else except Sarah and Darius. Nehemiah got a few pages of his own in his point of view, but I’m not going to lie, I quickly flipped those pages because, hey, I’ve read the book of Nehemiah, so I didn’t feel like I missed much. Sarah was still her usual brilliant self, though she does make a mistake that kept me on the edge of my seat. And Darius is hands down one of my favorite male characters ever. In this novel, you begin to see why he is the way he is, as you learn more about his background. Spiritually, we begin to see Darius’ need to know God and Sarah ‘s relationship with God getting deeper. I loved this book and I’ve already reread it twice!

**I received this novel from Netgalley. My opinion was not affected in any way.**

Posted in Uncategorized

R.J. Larson’s King

About

Against his wishes and desires, Akabe of Siphra has been chosen by his people to be King. But what does a warrior know of ruling during peacetime? Guided by the Infinite, Akabe seeks to rebuild the Temple in the city of Munra to give the sacred books of Parne a home. But dangerous factions are forming in the background. To gain the land he needs, Akabe must forsake the yearnings of his heart and instead align himself through marriage to the Thaenfall family.

Meanwhile, Kien Lantec and Ela Roeh are drawn still closer together…while becoming pawns in a quest to gain power over the region. As questions of love and faith become tangled with lies and murderous plots, each must seek the Infinite to guide them through an ever more tangled web of intrigue and danger.

Review

Reading this book was bittersweet because it brought resolution, but it was also the last book in I think, a fabulous series. Ela is back and though she is completely obedient to the Infinite, you can see that she still has some trust issues going on. Kien, who is my absolute favorite character, still manages to shine in this novel despite some harsh things he goes through. This novel actually focuses less on Ela and Kien and more on Akabe. Akabe is really interesting, but I did miss Ela and Kien, and at times, I wished for the novel to slow down when they were together. Too often, time passed too quickly for them. That said, I enjoyed the political intrigue, the Infinite showing up and showing out, and watching people develop and change over the series. This series does a fantastic job of showing the importance of obedience to God and the benefits of following Him. So enjoyed it. Highly Recommend the series!

**I received this novel from Netgalley. My opinion was not affected in any way.**

Posted in Uncategorized

Monday Musings…Rating Scales

Lately I’ve been thinking about the way that I rate the books I blog. When I first started blogging, I did not set up any kind of rating scale. Initially, I had decided when I started blogging that I would not review a book I did not like….but then I started reviewing books for Netgalley and BethanyHouse and I realized that I may have to blog about a book that didn’t quite strike my fancy. I have spent some time perusing other blogging websites and some have rating scales and others don’t. To be perfectly honest, I do appreciate the rating scale more often than not. What do you think? Should I start a rating system? Or is the review simply enough?

Posted in Uncategorized

Michelle Griep’s A Heart Deceived

About

Miri Brayden teeters on a razor’s edge between placating and enraging her brother, whom she depends upon for support. Yet if his anger is unleashed, so is his madness. Miri must keep his descent into lunacy a secret, or he’ll be committed to an asylum-and she’ll be sent to the poorhouse. Ethan Goodwin has been on the run all of his life-from family, from the law … from God. After a heart-changing encounter with the gritty Reverend John Newton, Ethan would like nothing more than to become a man of integrity-an impossible feat for an opium addict charged with murder. When Ethan shows up on Miri’s doorstep, her balancing act falls to pieces. Both Ethan and Miri are caught in a web of lies and deceit-fallacies that land Ethan in prison and Miri in the asylum with her brother. Only the truth will set them free.

Review

I was so excited to pick up this book because a) I love the author and b) I love regency. I thought I had read just about every plot that could happen in a regency novel, but I was mistaken. In fact, I would say that this novel probably slipped more into gothic with creepy characters, middle-of-the-night happenings, and an interesting mystery. While reading this novel, I found that I sympathized with Miri’s character. She is so likeable. She has the weight of the world on her shoulders and she handled it as best she could. Ethan was another favorite of mine. His story of redemption was powerful and moving. I will say, that this novel probably moved way faster than most gothic/regency novels that I have read and I think the pace of the book was a bit distracting. Everything seemed to happen so quickly. Overall, I found it to be a fascinating read and quite the look into how the criminal society in London worked and how they deal with mental illness back then. Spiritually, Miri has to learn to trust God even when it looks like He isn’t moving (and boy did she go through) and Ethan has to learn to stay steadfast. The novel wasn’t quite what I expected, but I found it to be entertaining.

**I received this novel from Netgalley. My opinion was not affected in any way.**

Posted in Contemporary

Carla Laureano’s Five Days in Skye

About

Hospitality consultant Andrea Sullivan has one last chance to snag a high-profile client or she’ll have to kiss her dreams of promotion good-bye. When she’s sent to meet Scottish celebrity chef James MacDonald on the Isle of Skye, she just wants to finish her work as efficiently as possible. Yet her client is not the opportunistic womanizer he portrays himself to be, and her attraction to him soon dredges up memories she’d rather leave buried. For James, renovating the family hotel is a fulfillment of his late father’s dreams. When his hired consultant turns out to be beautiful, intelligent, and completely unimpressed by his public persona, he makes it his mission to win her over. He just never expects to fall under her spell. Soon, both Andrea and James must face the reality that God may have a far different purpose for their lives-and that five days in Skye will forever change their outlook on life and love.

Review

Please do not let the cover fool you! When I first saw the cover of this book, I thought it would be…boring. But I began to hear some good things about this novel and had to read it myself. So glad I did! This novel starts off by introducing you to Andrea Sullivan, a woman who is wounded and yet lovable. I really liked how the author slowly unraveled Andrea’s past and you could really see how it had impacted her life now. And Jamie. He’s a great hero. Flawed, yet wonderful. And the man can cook! I like how the novel doesn’t actually clear up everything in his past (and that of his family’s). Those little mysteries added depth to his character. I found the novel to be very romantic and I enjoyed watching Jamie and Andrea fall in love. I also liked that the novel took place in Scotland. The land became a character itself. Spiritually, I like the revelation Jamie gets about appearances and how he should be careful to reflect God more. I also enjoyed watching Andrea return to the faith of her youth. Good novel. This is an author to watch!

** I received this novel from Netgalley. My opinion was not affected in any way.**

Posted in Historical, Uncategorized

Julie Lessman’s Love At Any Cost

About

Jilted by a fortune hunter, cowgirl Cassidy McClare is a spunky Texas oil heiress without a fortune who would just as soon hogtie a man as look at him. Hoping a summer visit with her wealthy cousins in San Francisco will help her forget her heartache, Cassidy travels west. But no sooner is she settled in beautiful California than Jamie McKenna, a handsome pauper looking to marry well, captures her heart. When Jamie discovers the woman he loves is poorer than he is, Cassidy finds herself bucked by love a second time. Will Jamie discover that money can’t buy love after all? And can Cassidy ever learn to fully trust her heart to a man?

With delectable descriptions and a romantic sensibility, bestselling author Julie Lessman brings the Gilded Age to life in this sumptuous new series. Readers will faithfully follow Lessman to the West Coast for more romance, passion, and surprising revelations found in Love at Any Cost.

Review

I was hesitant about picking up this novel because I wondered how Ms. Lessman could move on from the O’Connors and still keep me thoroughly vested…with fabulous storytelling that’s how! I found her characters to be well-developed and completely engaging. I will say that though Cassie’s Texas colloquialism was a bit….much, I did not find her character silly or annoying. I was able to empathize with her and completely understand where she was coming from. I loved her relationship with God, and though at times flawed, very real. I also liked Jamie. If you considered his background it was easy to understand why he was the way he was. My favorite secondary characters were Cait and Logan and that surprise at the end? Totally wasn’t expecting it. Now, just to be forewarned Ms. Lessman writes about passionate people, so her characters are not run of the mill “Christian fiction characters.” If that’s okay with you, than you’ll really like this book. I was sorry when the novel finished, but with a Julie Lessman book you know it’s never the end, merely the beginning because her characters more often than naught come back for a visit. Spiritually, I loved the theme of surrendering to God. Ms. Lessman adequately portrayed the difficulty and the payoff. Loved it! Looking forward to the next one!

*I received this copy from Netgalley. My opinion was not affected in any way.**