Starfish Pier

...from the publisher...
A year ago, ex-Delta Force operator Steven Roark left the rigors of combat behind to run fishing charters in Hope Harbor, decompress, and talk some sense into his kid brother. Business is good--but making peace with his past is more challenging than he expected.
First-grade teacher Holly Miller leads a quiet, low-profile existence--until she's recruited to advocate for a cause that's dear to her heart. When she solicits Steven's assistance, sparks fly--especially after they find themselves on opposite sides of an issue that disrupts their placid seaside community.

As these two seemingly incompatible souls search for common ground, might they discover a deeper connection--and find that love can banish darkness and light the way to a future filled with promise?

Bestselling and award-winning author Irene Hannon invites you back to Hope Harbor--where hearts heal . . . and love blooms.

...my thoughts...
I have been enjoying the Hope Harbor series by Irene Hannon since reading Hope Harbor, book one in the series. I have been watching for Starfish Pier to become available since I finished reading the previous book, Driftwood Bay.  Irene Hannon is a wonderful author, whether she is writing a series such as Hope Harbor or suspense filled novels with high intrigue.  I have become a steady fan over many years.

Hope Harbor is just the place you want to come to for relaxation, a view of the ocean and small town camaraderie at Charley's Fish Taco truck.  It is not the place you come to if you want to be removed from all human contact.  Holly Miller encounters just such a man when her new neighbor Pete moves next door. Meeting him soon after encountering an abrupt Steven Roark surprised her when everyone else in her new town were so friendly. At times I wondered how this would all tie together, but that is part of what makes Hannon's books so good to read. There seemed to be so many roadblocks for Holly and Steven, yet I couldn't help but wonder "why not?" Each had reasons they couldn't let go of that would hinder a loving relationship. 

Letting go of the past can be difficult in order to live in the present.  Sometimes that very idea of community can be stifling when we encounter the same people wherever we go.  But sometimes that is the very thing that can heal the heart.  This book touches on some of the issues many face in our society today.  They are not sugar coated but bring a message of hope where these wonderful characters are facing a challenge.  They are all fictional, of course, but each serves a purpose to bring the story together in the end.  Characters and locations from the previous stories are woven into the story and mesh with this new set of characters.

I appreciate receiving an advance copy of the book for review from NetGalley.   The opinions expressed are my own, but I do recommend this book with 5 stars.  It is like visiting one of your favorite locations and visiting with good friends. 

New Series for Wanda Brunstetter Begins With The Crow's Call

...from the publisher...
When Vernon King, his son, and son-in-law are involved in a terrible accident, three women are left to cope with their deaths, as they become the sole providers of the family they have left. The women’s only income must come from the family greenhouse, but someone seems to be trying to force them out of business.

Amy King has just lost her father and brother, and her mother needs her to help run the family’s greenhouse. It doesn’t seem fair to ask her to leave a job she loves, when there is still a sister and brother to help. But Sylvia is also grieving for her husband while left to raise three children, and Henry, just out of school, is saddled with all the jobs his father and older brother used to do. As Amy assumes her new role, she also asks Jared Riehl to put their courtship on hold. When things become even more stressful at the greenhouse, will Amy crumble under the pressure?


...my thoughts...

Wanda Brunstetter's new Amish Greenhouse Mystery series  is off to a rousing start with The Crow's Call.  As the story unfolded, an ominous wind was in the air so when Amy King heard the sound of a crow calling she knew it wasn't a good day to celebrate her mother's birthday.  She shouldn't be superstitious but every time she heard a crow call, something always seemed to go wrong. Then, later that evening, tragedy times three changed her family's life forever.  The chilling dynamics of grief are as varied as the person who is suffering.  Picking up the pieces for her family wasn't going to be easy but Amy seemed to let the responsibility rest on her shoulders.  As she pitched in to help her mother run the family greenhouse, she assumed much more than the duties required to help the business continue.

Mysterious things began to happen that seemed to be coincidences until they began to happen more often.  Who could possibly wish to undermine their family business?  Her brother Henry resented helping out in the greenhouse.  He also didn't want to do chores on the farm and didn't understand why he couldn't go enjoy a bit of fun with his friends.  Was he pulling pranks on the family? Or was it Sylvia, who, as a young wife and mother couldn't raise her head above the daunting task of raising her small children alone, let alone live without her beloved husband. 

The cast of characters in this story are as complex as the mystery surrounding the greenhouse.  Amy and her mother seemingly manage to get through each day by running their business and learning the ropes that Vernon so effectively handled before his death.  Now, though, with so many upsetting random acts of vandalism, they are wondering just who is doing this and why.

Could it be teenagers on their rumpspringa?  The new English neighbor who has made it plain she doesn't care to live near the Amish?  The homeless lady who shows up at odd times or someone else?   Only one situation was resolved in this book, so maybe the culprit will be discovered when I read the next book of the series.  I do like a good mystery, and The Crow's Call kept me guessing.  I recommend this one to anyone who enjoys a good mystery. Thanks to Barbour Books and #NetGalley who provided me a copy of this book for an honest review.  My opinions are mine.

Reviewing: More Than We Remember by Christina Suzann Nelson

...from the publisher...
One night changes everything for three women. . . .

When Addison Killbourn's husband is involved in a car accident that leaves a woman dead, her perfectly constructed life crumbles apart. With her husband's memory of that night gone and the revelation of a potentially life-altering secret, Addison has to reevaluate all she thought she knew.

Emilia Cruz is a deputy bearing a heavy burden far beyond the weight of her job. Her husband is no longer the man she married, and Emilia's determined to prevent others from facing the same hardship. When she's called to the scene of an accident pointing to everything she's fighting against, she's determined to see justice for those wronged.

Brianne Demanno is hiding from reality. She was thriving as a counselor, but when tragedy struck a beloved client, she lost faith in herself and her purpose. When her neighbors, the Killbourns, are thrown into crisis, Brianne's solitary life is disrupted and she finds herself needed in a way she hasn't been in a while.

As the lives of these women intersect, they can no longer dwell in the memory of who they've been. Can they rise from the wreck of the worst moments of their lives to become who they were meant to be?

...my thoughts...
More Than We Remember was an incredible mystery.  At first glance, it seemed like a run of the mill accident that ended in tragedy.  However, with Emilia's persistence in making sure justice is served in a wrongful death case, everything seems to unravel.  She is up against the world when the accident involves the town's beloved coach.  Her own world has been upside down since a terrible accident has left her husband disabled and her middle school daughter is looking to assert her independence.  It may not make her popular to press charges in the case, but her conscience won't let it be.

Caleb has no memory of the accident.  He recently moved his family in with his mother in order to build the home of their dreams.  Dutiful wife Addison is wary of this new life.  Her mother-in-law lapses between the past and present and with her husband's mysterious whereabouts the night of the accident she struggles to keep her family together to face whatever happens as the case is investigated. It is her friendship with Brianne, their nearest neighbor that helps her juggle all the balls in the air that she has to deal with. 

Often, we read stories in the news and at first glance they seem cut and dry.  An accident where the driver seemingly is impaired paints the picture of someone guilty on so many levels.  Add a small town into the mix and soon there are many versions of what happened, who did it and why aren't things happening quicker.  Each character in this book has a lot going on in their lives.  They intertwine in such a way that the reader stays engaged to the end, where things are solved.   One can go from sadness, to elation, to being puzzled in the span of a half hour.   I enjoyed this book.  The characters are compelling and the ending is a surprise.  I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a good mystery without all of the cookie cutter trappings one often finds on the mystery shelves.  This is the first book I have read by Christina Suzann Nelson and it will not be the last!

Many thanks to Bethany House, who provided me with an advanced copy to review.  Opinions expressed are my own. 

The Ruaway Bride by Jody Hedlund A Captivating, Historical Novel

...from the publisher...

Wealthy Arabella Lawrence flees to British Columbia on a bride ship still wearing the scars of past mistakes. One of the few single women in the boomtown, she immediately has suitors, but she is determined not to find herself trapped again by a poor choice.

Vying for her hand are two very different men. Lieutenant Richard Drummond is a gentleman in the Navy and is held in high esteem. Peter Kelly is the town's baker and has worked hard to build a thriving business. He and Drummond not only compete for Arabella's affections, but clash over their views of how the natives should be treated in the midst of a smallpox outbreak.

As Arabella begins to overcome her fears, she discovers someone in dire need--a starving girl abandoned by her tribe. Intent on helping the girl, Arabella leans on Peter's advice and guidance. Will she have the wisdom to make the right decision or will seeking what's right cost both her and Peter everything?

...my thoughts... 
The Runaway Bride  is one of those books that hooked me right away. This is book 2 in Jody Hedlund's Bride Ship series and while you can read this one on its own, you may want to consider reading the first book in the series, The Reluctant Bride. Both of these books are very good. I have been waiting for this book because I wanted to read more about Arabella, who was introduced in The Reluctant Bride.  I have lived in the inland Pacific Northwest all of my life yet never knew about the bride ships from England until I started this series. 


Arabella is a lady who escaped the conventions of her class when she boarded the ship for a life unknown waiting in British Columbia. She only knew it had to be better than what she left behind. Once on board, she put the future on hold until that final day when she left the ship to face her new surroundings. Imagine her surprise when she and the other brides disembarked and found the shore lined with men gaping and ogling at them. This was nothing like England.  Her lodgings were beneath anything she had been exposed to at home.  She no longer had the comfort of her trusted servant Hayward, who cared for her since the death of her mother.  It was Hayward who saw Mr. Major for what he was and firmly put Arabella on that ship so she would be free from a deadly match. She landed with both feet on the ground and though she was on that bride ship, she wasn't sure she was truly ready for marriage.  Her thoughts lead her down a path full of self doubt that was carefully crafted by people who didn't have her best interests at heart.  Conventions, thought processes and the false idea that she was not good at anything.  All wrong.


It took just one look at her to capture the hearts of two very different men.  Dashing Lieutenant Drummond, who could offer her the lifestyle she was accustomed to in England.  Peter Kelly, handsome and bold, a self made man set on his goals.  Both set their sights on Arabella but only won would win her hand in marriage.  But in this new world, filled with possibilities, this young woman began to learn that many things were open to her that were denied back home.  She began to see the things with new eyes and once granted the opportunity to become her own person, things shifted for her.  It was good to see how she grew from the timid girl who shrank from notice to the woman who could make things happen.

I enjoy historical fiction, especially if it leads me to look for more beyond the story.  Jody Hedlund made this story come alive.  Her research, as always, is thorough and she engages her readers in part because of this. The characters are complex and believable.

I received a copy of this book from the author for an honest review.  My opinions, however, are my own.  I recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction with a twist of romance. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐