The Happy Camper by Melody Carlson

...from the publisher...
Home is the place to heal, right? At least, that's what Dillon Michaels is hoping as she leaves her disappointing career and nonstarter love life behind to help her grieving and aging grandfather on his small Oregon farm. The only problem? Her eccentric mother beat her there and has taken over Dillon's old room. After a few nights sleeping on a sagging sofa, Dillon is ready to give up, until she receives an unlikely gift--her grandfather's run-down vintage camp trailer, which she quickly resolves to restore with the help of Jordan Atwood, the handsome owner of the local hardware store.
But just when things are finally beginning to run smoothly, Dillon's noncommittal ex-boyfriend shows up with roses . . . and a ring.

Full of quirky characters, family drama, and sweet romance, The Happy Camper will have you scouring Craigslist for your own diamond-in-the-rough camper to restore and haunting your local hardware store for a handy guy to help your dreams come true.

...mythoughts... 
Melody Carlson's The Happy Camper follows Dillon Michaels on a journey of self discovery.  Always responsible, she worked hard in her career and was loyal to a relationship she thought would lead to a loving marriage. As the pieces of her plans fall one by one like a juggler's balls, it dawns on her that her that she needs a big change.  Her last straw moment became the catalyst she needed to let Mr. not-so-right-after all and that empty job behind to help her lonely grandfather on his farm.

I enjoyed this book, first because it was written by Melody Carlson.  She has the gift of developing characters who may need a nudge to see just how good life can be if they are if pointed in the right direction. Dillon Michaels is a good example of a young woman who gives all to her job and boyfriend, but forgets to live the life she was designed to live. Starting over is scary but sometimes, looking back one can't help but wonder why they didn't do it sooner.

Secondly, this book is entertaining.  Restoring the vintage Oasis trailer is a metaphor of Dillon's life.  She was tired and feeling a bit neglected.  Underneath all of the dust and old paint was a beauty ready to show how much life was underneath.  Dillon found a gift she didn't expect to find in the middle of this restoration.  She had to leave her Colorado life behind to see that her life was right where she left it behind on her family's farm. 

I will admit that I did not look at Craigslist for a camper, I am a lake girl at heart.  I did, however, scour the net on the subject and the first picture I found showed the exact colors of Dillon's little Oasis, complete with burnt orange appliances. From now on, when I see the vintage trailers on the road, taking the glampers to congregate, I will have a new appreciation for their journey.  I recommend this book without hesitation to anyone who enjoys entertaining, Christian fiction.  Thank you to NetGalley.com for this book in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Celebrate Lit Tour & Giveaway: The Innkeeper's Daughter A Suspenseful HIstorical Novel A Must Read!

About the Book

Title: The Innkeeper’s Daughter 
Author: Michelle Griep 
Genre: Historical Christian Fiction 
Release Date: March 1, 2018

A London officer goes undercover to expose a plot against the Crown
Dover, England, 1808: Officer Alexander Moore goes undercover as a gambling gentleman to expose a high-stakes plot against the king—and he’s a master of disguise, for Johanna Langley believes him to be quite the rogue...until she can no longer fight against his unrelenting charm.

All Johanna wants is to keep the family inn afloat, but when the rent and the hearth payment are due at the same time, where will she find the extra funds? If she doesn’t come up with the money, there will be nowhere to go other than the workhouse—where she’ll be separated from her ailing mother and ten-year-old brother.

Alex desperately wants to help Johanna, especially when she confides in him, but his mission—finding and bringing to justice a traitor to the crown—must come first, or they could all end up dead.

Click here to purchase your copy!

my thoughts...

Michelle Griep has done it again!  Captured a tale by the stroke of her pen. Alex and Johanna definitely share a bond that began when she literally landed in his arms.  No small fete for this couple to meet and fall in love in the midst of a man on a particular mission.  His duty to the crown was foremost on his mind yet this woman and her family captured his heart and he knew he needed to remain focused on his task.

This book has all the elements of a suspenseful thriller rivaling anything that we can see on the big screen.  When I read this book I felt as if I were transported back to England in 1808.  As a woman I felt powerless to try to improve the lot of Johanna and her mother as they worked their fingers to the bone to keep their ramshackle inn afloat.  No matter what they did it was hard to keep up with their rent.  It was a wonder why a classy gent like Alex was commanded to stay at this inn at this time.  Patience, dear reader for all will be told in one neatly tied package at the end.  
I think Michelle  Griep created fascinating characters for this book.  I was surprised to learn the identity of the traitor.  There were, after all, some pretty unsavory characters in this book.  You will go deep into the gaol and gamble with high stakes with a Viscount.  The drudge of day to day life for those without wealth will grip your heart and hopefully make you grateful for all that you have.  Alex had a deep faith and shared that with Johanna in one of her dark moments.  When confronted with seemingly hopeless events, she relied on that faith he helped her reawaken.  It surprised me that Alex possessed such a deep faith with all that he had been through in his life and his current lifestyle.  I appreciated this book all the more with his conviction and how it truly helped them all in the end.  

About the Author

Michelle Griep has been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. She seeks to glorify God in all that she writes—except for that graffiti phase she went through as a teenager. She resides in the frozen tundra of Minnesota, where she teaches history and writing classes for a local high school co-op. An Anglophile at heart, she runs away to England every chance she gets, under the guise of research. Really, though, she’s eating excessive amounts of scones while rambling around a castle. Michelle is a member of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) and MCWG (Minnesota Christian Writers Guild). Keep up with her adventures at her blog “Writer off the Leash” or visit www.michellegriep.com.

Guest Post from Michelle Griep

Celebrating Oak Apple Day

Spring is just around the corner, or maybe it’s in full bloom in your neck of the woods. Regardless, by this time of year, everyone is ready to celebrate. . .and nothing new is under the sun. For centuries people have been eager to welcome budding greenery and warmth.

In my recent release, The Innkeeper’s Daughter, I incorporated a spring holiday that’s been around for over 500 years in England, one you may never heard of.

Oak Apple Day.

This ancient celebration dates back to the year 1651. At the time, Charles II escaped the Roundhead army by taking cover in an oak tree. Everyone loved ol’ Charlie and was glad he lived, so in his honor, a new national holiday was born—one that in some parts of England is still celebrated today.

Another name for this annual event is Royal Oak Day and the festivities occur every May 29^th. Celebration traditions vary from parades to the ringing of bells, but one thing that is standard is that it’s a day to pin an oak leaf on your lapel. If you fail to wear one, you could end up getting pinched.

The hero in my latest release is kind enough to remind the heroine that she forgot to pin on her leaf, thus saving her from untoward pinches. Interested in hearing more about this gallant fellow and the forgetful miss? Here’s a blurb about The Innkeeper’s Daughter…

Tension is high with the threat of a Napoleonic attack in Regency England, but risk from abroad means nothing when there’s danger at home.

Officer Alexander Moore goes undercover as a gambling gentleman to expose a high-stakes plot against the crown—and he’s a master of disguise, for Johanna Langley believes him to be quite the rogue . . . until she can no longer fight against his unrelenting charm.

All Johanna wants is to keep the family inn afloat, but when the rent and the hearth payment are due at the same time, where will she find the extra funds? If she doesn’t come up with the money, there will be nowhere to go other than the workhouse—where she’ll be separated from her ailing mother and ten-year-old brother.

Alex desperately wants to help Johanna, especially when she confides in him, but his mission—finding and bringing to justice a traitor to the crown—must come first, or they could all end up dead.It’s a race against time for them both.

Blog Stops

Just the Write Escape, March 15

Fiction Aficionado, March 15

All-of-a-kind Mom, March 15

The Morning Chapter, March 15

Reflections From My Bookshelves, March 16

Reading Is My SuperPower, March 16

Mommynificent, March 16

Blogging With Carol, March 16

Among the Reads, March 17

Connie’s History Classroom, March 17

Mary Hake, March 17

Blossoms and Blessings, March 17

Karen Sue Hadley, March 18

The Power of Words, March 18

Christian Chick’s Thoughts, March 18

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, March 18

Kathleen Denly, March 19

Faithfully Bookish, March 19

Captive Dreams Window, March 19

Red Headed Book Lady, March 19

The Fizzy Pop Collection, March 20

Remembrancy, March 20

Inklings and notions, March 20

Book by Book, March 20

Moments Dipped in Ink, March 21

Black ‘n’ Gold Girl’s Book Spot, March 21

Singing Librarian Books, March 21

To Everything a Season, March 21

Bookworm Mama, March 22

Two Points of Interest, March 22

Vicky Sluiter, March 22

Carpe Diem, March 22

Pause for Tales, March 23

Have A Wonderful Day, March 23

A Baker’s Perspective, March 23

margaret kazmierczak, March 23 (Interview)

proud to be an autism mom, March 24

Bibliophile Reviews, March 24

A Greater Yes, March 24

Texas Book-aholic, March 25

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 25

Janices book reviews, March 25

A Reader’s Brain, March 26

Jeanette’s Thoughts, March 26

Simple Harvest Reads, March 26 (Mindy Houng Guest Post)

Kaylee’s Kind Of Writes, March 27

My Writer’s Life, March 27

Pursuing Stacie, March 27

Bigreadersite, March 27

Tell Tale Book Reviews, March 28

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, March 28

Pink Granny’s Journey, March 28

The PhD Mamma, March 28

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Michelle is giving away a grand prize of a signed copy of The Innkeeper’s Daughter and a $25 gift card from Barnes & Noble!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/cb72

Get Ready for this Book in 2018!

I am excited to read this upcoming collection  by some of my favorite authors!  Historical Fiction is a genre that has been near and dear to my heart.  

From Amazon's Description:  

Four top historical romance novelists team up in this new collection to offer stories of love and romance with a twist of humor. In Karen Witemeyer's "The Love Knot," Claire Nevin gets the surprise of her life awaiting her sister's arrival by train. Mary Connealy's "The Tangled Ties That Bind" offers the story of two former best friends who are reunited while escaping a stampede. Regina Jennings offers "Bound and Determined," where a most unusual trip across barren Oklahoma plains is filled with adventure, romance, and . . . camels? And Melissa Jagears' "Tied and True" entertains with a tale of two hearts from different social classes who become entwined at a cotton thread factory. 

Pick up your copy when it is released in January and add it to your reading list.

Sheer Determination Prevails in The Proving by Beverly Lewis

Mandy has been away from home for five years.  It is only after learning that her mother has passed that she returns to learn the conditions about inheriting the family's Bed and Breakfast.  She doesn't understand why her mother left her the business instead of her twin, Arie.  If she can keep the business going and turn a profit for a full twelve months, she will receive her full inheritance.  Once done, she plans to sell the place and return to her life among the Englisch with her own florist shop. 

Her plans sound easy but one by one her help leave her to man the business alone.  Never a cook that could offer the sumptuous meals offered by her mother, she needs to get help or lose the business.  Help comes from the most unlikely source and proves that one can never judge a book by its cover. 

This is a heartwarming story of forgiveness and renewal.  Written in a style only Beverly Lewis can give it is a book worth adding to your collection.  You will come to love the spirit with which Mandy grows not only in her heart but also her faith.  The only missing from this book were the recipes to the amazing sounding recipes served up every day at the B and B.

Reviewing: Any Dream Will Do by Debbie Macomber

Shay Benson stepped off the bus in downtown Seattle and realized that she was on her own.  She had a little money but nowhere to go. No family, no home.  Just released from Purdy Corrections Center, the real world was staring her in the face and it was overwhelming. And cold! Without thinking she walked into a church near the bus stop.  Of all the unlikely places to go she found herself in a church and found herself asking God, "You got anything for me?"

As in answer, a man looked over his shoulder and Shay realized she was not so alone after all.  Pastor Drew Douglas was deep in his own prayer as one who felt he was at his wits end.  His wife died from cancer, his church attendance was down and he could use some help with his two children.  Even after three years he couldn't seem to get on with things without her.

This quiet meeting between Shay and Drew sets the tone for a wonderful story of faith, courage, second chances and love.

Any Dream Will Do is the latest novel from beloved author Debbie Macomber. Written with well developed characters, the book is full of hope for those who seem to have lost their hope.  Shay has faced trouble since the death of her mother.  Her father was bitter and abusive and she was responsible for her younger brother Caden.  When she is seduced by the promise of love and escape from her father by her boyfriend Shooter, she finds instead an uglier world with a dangerous gang leader. Her brother is also drawn into this lifestyle and her story begins to spiral out of control.  The love she has for her brother leads her to embezzle money to ward off gang members greedy for him to repay a loan.  Off to prison she went without another word from Caden.

Drew was startled from his prayers by Shay and immediately rose to help her.  With his help she was able to enter Hope Center, a program that was designed for women who needed a second chance. The program had strict guidelines but she worked hard, graduated from the program and was ready for her new life with a new job and a new home.

Shay was grateful to Drew for seeing her as she could be, not as the woman who served time in a prison.  Her life was not easy yet it was better than she could remember. She found her faith and it stood her in good stead when troubles came her way. Life doesn't always prepare you for those times when your past encroaches like an unwelcome guest.  With Drew's help she finds her way.

Drew had faith in Shay and when things threatened to hurt her he was at her side.  As her past came to light to more members of the congregation, doubt reared its head.  Shay's resilience was admirable.  This is a well written story for anyone who has ever doubted their own courage to dream for a better situation in life.  It is uplifting and enjoyable.  When asked what her dreams were, Shay couldn't answer. She was told, "Any dream will do."  These four words were used more than once and were such an encouraging theme.  Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine books for the opportunity to review this book.

Reviewing Trusting Grace by Maggie Brendan

I recently finished reading Trusting Grace, Book three of the Virtues and Vices series by Maggie Brendan.  It is a story of one man's journey to let go of the past and learn to trust again.  It is also a story of a young widow who has all but giving up her dream of becoming a wife once more with the children she longs for. But more than this, it is also the story of second chances at life, love and happiness.

Grace Bidwell's lot in life shifted dramatically when her husband died and her father became disabled.  The farm her husband left behind is her livelihood. She has a potato crop to get in the ground and she can't do it alone.  Posting a help wanted notice in the mercantile seems like her best option to hire a suitable farm  hand.  Taking a chance like this could backfire and net a scoundrel for an employee but Grace had very few options to draw from.

Robert Frasier is stranger in town looking for work.  He needs to support the three children his late wife left behind.  She never told him about the children, nor her illness.  Saddled with this responsibility after losing his wife and then his farm, he and the children roamed the countryside together, living off the land until stopping in the Gallatin Valley in Montana.  His luck begins to change when hires on to help Grace with the crop. Robert promised to stay only until the crop was in but what he found on the farm was much more than he bargained for.

The setting for this book is richly described and the reader can almost reach up and touch the forever blue skies of Montana.  The characters are well developed with thoughts and concerns befitting of a time when the west was getting settled and communities began growing.  From hoeing the fields to unpacking merchandise at the mercantile it feels like you are right there planting the potatoes with Robert or watching Grace bake rhubarb pies with the girls.  Maggie Brendan is a very descriptive writer who keeps the reader interested in her books with colorful narrative and lively characters.

I enjoyed reading Trusting Grace for many reasons. It is set at a time when there were so many possibilities.  Montana was an exciting place to be after the Civil War. There was an air of being in a modern town with cultural experiences and a dashing hoodlum who causes havoc one can expect from the wild west!  Times could be rough when folks relied on the weather for their livelihood but the rewarding ending to this story are encouraging.

Reviewing: Where Two Hearts Meet by Liz Johnson

Prince Edward Island is the setting for Where Two Hearts Meet and I have to admit that is what first caught my attention. After all I am a big fan of the Anne of Green Gables Series so naturally I wanted another glimpse of this beloved place.  It takes more than a lovely setting, however, for a book to hold its own. The characters need to come alive and resonate with the reader.

Caden Holt is the heroine of our story and like many who we encounter in our lives, she could be just that sweet shy young lady who is a fantastic cook.  She is so much more as Adam Jacobs discovers when he arrives at her kitchen door.

Adam is a journalist on sabbatical and is mistaken for the promised visitor from a renowned travel magazine that could fill up the inn for the next year. Caden is charged by her boss Marie to show Adam the island and all its charms. The problem is, Caden doesn't feel she has any charm to charm the journalist. 

I enjoyed this story, not just for the glimpse into the location but for the insight into two lives overcoming challenges that kept them 

This is the first time I have read a book written by Liz Johnson. I received my copy from Revell to provide an honest review and honestly, this was a good story for the message as well as the wonderful characters.  

Reviewing: What Matters Most

Once again Kellie Coates Gilbert tackles a difficult subject in her writing. What Matters Most, book 4 of her Texas Gold series gives us a glimpse of the impact dementia has on the lives the family left behind to face devastating loss of love, income, and the intricacies of managing the web of healthcare.

Leta Breckenridge was working toward a career as a landscape architect. Midway through college her mother is diagnosed with dementia and can no longer care for herself. This forces a new path that has Leta dropping out of school and working two jobs and supporting her mother's mounting costs in an assisted living facility.  She barely has enough to keep her bills paid and juggle the payments for her mother's care. The anguish of providing the best care possible for her mother is the driving force behind her life of work, work and look for more work!

This book is compelling in giving us information on a disease we continue to learn more about.  Nathan Emerson, the man who Leta meets and falls for is a renowned research doctor who has made inroads to cognitive brain studies. He is also a candidate for governor of Texas. After Leta met Nathan, she is drawn to his work on dementia and is impressed with the work he plans to continue in this area as governor.

In a twist of fate she is offered a research job at a prestigious public relations firm.  It isn't long before she is assigned to a special project with the goal of derailing Nathan's campaign. Her company represents the incumbent, a man who has plenty to hide. Although her new job comes with a premium salary she is forced to make a choice between her values and keeping up the payments at her mother's care facility. The decision is a tough one that many in our society face today. It is difficult to leave loved ones in a care facility. In addition to the burden of providing the best care possible, much rides on knowing that the said facility lives up to its promised level of care.

In addition to a good story this book gives us look into the underbelly of political campaigns. What I saw was unexpected. We have seen how campaigns can get dirty and I don't like it. The taste for power drives some to incredible lengths. While this is a work of fiction, the author has written it well enough that I can imagine these things happening. Campaigns come and go and we read of things we would rather not see. Careers can be ruined with the click of a camera or stroke of a pen. The lengths the rival campaign goes to in the effort to win is astonishing.

After reading this story I feel compelled to see more disclosure on how our tax dollars are really spent when used for special programs. Are those little known accounts being used for what they are meant to be used for?

I was pleased to receive this book from Revell to read and review. It is much more than a Christian romance. It is a book that is well researched by a woman who loves to do her homework, no doubt honed by a successful legal career. I wasn't sure how she would tie all this book up into a neat ending but she delivered. If you are looking for a good book to read in this campaign season, pick up Kellie's book What Matters Most.

Fun And Mischief In The Tea Shop Folly

It is a lot of fun to meet an author and even more fun when you discover that by chance you have read her work before but didn't make that connection. This is true of my chance encounter to meet Carrie Fancett Pagels last week. I was lucky enough to have an opportunity to read and review the Tea Shop Folly, A Teacup Courtship Novella.  As luck would  have it I was just wrapping up a good book and was at sixes and sevens for my next selection. I found this story entertaining with a little bit of added history added. Set in Michigan, young Lilly has arrived after inheriting her Great Aunt Lillian's home and fortune.  She left behind a gravely ill mother and  her younger sisters who are in need of much needed hope that Lilly hopes to share upon receiving her bequest. 

What follows is a series of misunderstandings after she meets a handsome young engineer from the Soo Locks, Theo on her first day in town.  As fate would have it, Lilly and Theo meet again when he mistakes her home for Tea Shoppe.  On the hunt for yet another teacup set for his hard to please mother, Theo spies piles of teacups that Lilly is sorting out from her Great Aunt's hoard of treasures.  While she never acknowledges her home is a tea shoppe, he continues to believe she owns a business. When he finally realizes his folly all manner of characters have arrived to make this an even sweeter tale.  Lilly is a treasure and her thoughtful approach to situations thinking about what her mama would do is a testament to proper upbringing and good family values.

I have become a fan of the Novella as a wonderful way to feed my reader for times when I really want to get into the story without committing to a large book. Award winning Carrie Fancett Pagels has not disappointed me with The Tea Shop Folly.  I happily discovered that it was Carrie who wrote the Lumberjack Ball, book 2 of the Christy Lumberjack Series.  If you like a good story with a hint of historical flare, I recommend this novella and other works by Carrie.  

Romance Sizzles In Melody Carlson's All Summer Long

All Summer Long is one of those lighthearted books you enjoy reading when you want to kick the lazy days of summer into high gear.  It is a story about Tia and Leo, two people who met casually at a sailing camp ten years before our story begins. As everyone said goodbye on the last day of camp, Leo planted Tia with a kiss. Years later, with that kiss on her mind, Tia is moving to San Francisco to help her aunt open a boutique restaurant on a luxury yacht.

The excitement of playing a pivotal role restoring the yacht and designing the ultimate galley kitchen and dining room play on her mind as she arrives in San Francisco.  Instead of her aunt, a handsome young man is waiting to pick  her up. Not just any handsome man but an older version of the teenage boy who gave her that memorable kiss all those years ago.

As fate would have it, she and Leo will be thrown together often as they manage the work needed on the Pacific Pearl.  Her uncle's pressing need heart surgery and her aunt's natural desire to stay at his side compels the pair to work together to complete the work.

The work needed is significant but takes second place in the plot to Tia and Leo's story.  We can almost feel the fog roll in and the wave lapping on the side of the yacht, docked in the bay. The author, Melody Carlson is very adept at setting us right in the middle of the story.  From the start Tia enjoyed meeting Leo again, deciding that moving from northern Washington state was the best decision she'd made since graduating from culinary school.  The only bump on the road was Natalie, Leo's fiance.  Naturally, Tia is disappointed but can she work with Leo to oversee all the work needed to turn a 1980's remodel job gone bad into her aunt's vision of the Pacific Pearl?  Can she stand by and watch a man she is falling for marry another woman?  Even if the other woman has also become her friend?

 Read it and find out!  All Summer Long is another good book to add to your summer reading list. And if your vacation plans are on water, all the better to grab your copy of All Summer Long from your favorite local bookseller.  Melody Carlson is an award winning author of more than 200 books.  She was awarded a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market. All Summer Long is book 2 in her Follow Your Heart Series.  For information on Melody and her books check out her website at: http://www.melodycarlson.com

Nothing Is Certain In A Heart Most Certain

This book called me while I was reading another. It was hard to practice self control and finish the first one but you see I have truly enjoyed all of Melissa Jagears books and I knew I was in for a good read.  The problem was I still had that other book I needed to finish first. Does that happen to anyone else?  But as luck, or fate would have it, I was caught with time on my hands without a book so grabbed my phone. Every book lover has the Kindle App on their phone right?  

A Heart Most Certain begins with Lydia King, a lovely young woman of good character challenged with seeking a donation from Mr. Nicholas Lowe, the richest, stingiest man in Town.  She accepted the challenge from Mrs. Little, President of the Teaville Moral Society and mother of her almost betrothed, Sebastian Little. If she can procure the donation, it would be enough to cover the price of two sewing machines to make blankets for those in need. Getting the donation from Mr. Lowe seemed impossible but she was determined. She wanted to help the needy but Mrs. Little declared that she would be deemed worthy to join the Little Family if she succeeded.

   Although she was nervous to take on the challenge, she would do so because a marriage to Sebastian would secure her future and help her dying mother live more comfortably. Of course, her no account father could benefit, but he was the least of her worries. Mrs. Little was a powerful force to reckon with anyway.  She found herself before Mr. Lowe, made her request and was flatly refused.and the man of business left her abruptly with no indication of whether or not he would return. She found herself waiting in his office for him but he ducked out without a word. She decided then that she would get a donation from her and wouldn't rest until she did. It was his Christian duty to donate such a small amount when he had so much. After all, she never saw him tithing at church. He became many evil things in her eye based on rumor and conjecture. She made it  her business to greet him on the street and let him know she would pursue him until he agreed to buy the sewing machines. 

I love to be entertained when I read a book but it is another thing altogether when we are challenged or learn something in the process.  Good works are good in themselves but it is important that we don't get so caught up in the good works that we miss the reason behind the good works. Lydia loved being part of the Moral Society. Her family was not well connected. Her father drank and gambled most of  their money. Her mother was unwell. She wore hand me down clothes from a wealthy family in her congregation. Yet with all her trials she was a cheerful giving woman who had a pure  heart and steadfast convictions. 

Over the course of time, she encountered Mr. Lowe several times and as promised, each time she met him she asked him for the donation. Mr. Lowe agreed, eventually to help her but not in a way that she expected.  The lessons he taught her shook her faith in her church family, led her to places she should never have gone and brought her a richness she couldn't have found by simply being a dutiful member of the Teaville Moral Society under the guidance of Mrs. Little.

The book ventures into the red light district of the era and the difficulties many women had trying to leave that profession. Women and girls often were forced into that lifestyle and treated miserably by the very people who could have  helped them. Today we are still faced with this human trafficking and it is a big problem. I am glad Melissa chose to tackle this issue in her book.  

Throughout the story we see how Lydia influences Nicholas but it is surprising how he influences her. He gives her a voice that was silent for most of her life. He inspires her by showing her how other people live. She learns that you cannot judge others by what you see. While the story has many lessons, it is, first and foremost, a love story.  Love for others, respect for ourselves and love that is tough enough to give strength and build character.  

I heartily recommend this inspiring book worthy of 5 stars! Award wining author Melissa Jagears has a way of telling a story that keeps one turning pages looking for what happens next. Isn't that just what we want out of a book?

  

Look for Love, War and Intrigue In The Magnolia Duchess

Fiona Lanier was riding her horse Bonnie on the beach that August day in 1814 when suddenly the horse stopped in front of a pile of seaweed, refusing to go on. "Wait, not seaweed. Material. Clothing. A body. A roll of surf washed up, stirred by the folds of cloth, but the body did not move.  Dead?"

Our story begins here on the beach where Fiona finds a badly injured young man lying face down in the sand, barely alive.  After a struggle, she manages to get him home where she will ultimately nurse him back to good health.  The mysterious young man, however, is not entirely unknown to Fiona.  He is Charlie Kincaid, whom she met years ago while visiting England.  

When Charlie regains consciousness, Fiona quickly realizes he has lost his memory. What was he, an Englishman, doing at Mobile Point so far from his home?  Set in the midst of the War of 1812, the Magnolia Duchess brings to life fictional characters whose stories intertwined with historical places and events of that era.  The book mentions General Andrew Jackson several times leading up to the Battle of New Orleans and the ultimate surrender of the British that ended the war.  

As the war rages, though, we are still faced with Fiona and Charlie.  As they meet challenges brought about by the war, they both grow in ways unexpected. The Magnolia Duchess is the third book in the Gulf Coast Chronicles, by Beth White. The series follows the Lanier family for over one hundred years where men and women of courage helped shape our country.

Reviewing: Every Girl Gets Confused

For a lighthearted comedy spiced up with a little romance pick up a copy of Every Girl Gets Confused by Janice Thompson.  Katie Fisher is back in book two of the Brides With Style Series. This time she is all settled into her job at Cosmopolitan Bridal and her relationship with handsome Brady James.

Wedding bells would be ringing soon enough for Katie but not before her grandmother Queenie marries Reverend Bradford.  Back and forth trips to Fairfield to plan the bridal shower and a Thanksgiving visit puts Katie back in front of her ex-boyfriend and near fiance Casey.  With Katie in Dallas and Casey back home in Fairfield he seems to have had a change of heart.  Wouldn't Katie just like to go back to the way things were before?

Events don't always just fall into place. Katie grows a lot in this installment of the series and as she grows she learns a lot about love and what true love means.  This book is targeted to the young adult audience and my copy will be passed along to a lovely young lady I know will enjoy it.  I enjoyed reading it myself so I am sure we will have a lot of fun talking about the story!