Fiction Friday Reviews A Bride At Last!

 Melissa Jagears can tell a story that will leave you asking for more. A Bride to Last is no different. I have to say I enjoyed this book and was so sad to put it down. I met Silas Jonesy, the hero of our story before and was surprised to find him to be the handsome man on the street at the beginning of this story. He was an angry man who took to the bottle when his mail-order bride left him after a short 7- month stay on the homestead.

Kate Dawson, a young school teacher is tending young Anthony's dying mother. When Lucinda passes, Anthony believes Kate will take him in. Lucy had written to his Pa...both of them!  Only one is his flesh and blood but also a stranger.

Arriving too late, Silas hadn't the chance for Lucy to tell him that in their brief time together, he fathered a son. Richard kept Lucy as his mistress for a time and Anthony knew him as Pa. He shuddered to thing he would have to live with either man. He heard nothing but bad things about Silas and Richard was cruel and abusive.

Kate has difficulties as a single woman who made her way teaching school and living as a boarder to a family of one of her students. She is held to unreasonable standards and scrutiny. She loves Anthony as if her were her own child and yet, the school board makes it difficult for her.  She can't bear to lose him to either man yet she can't keep him and her position as a teacher. What follows is a story of love and healing that will warm your heart in the end. There are many struggles in the lives of Kate, Anthony and Silas.

Getting to know Silas and his trials will give you a glimpse into a man used to living a rugged life. The lengths he goes to to build a life for his son could make any man give up and retreat to  his former way of life.  But he has faith.

The characters in this book are complex. The scenery is vivid and I can almost hear the coming of the trains at the depot. If you are like me  you will feel emotional as the story progresses.  I love American History and novels with an historical bent are a standard on my bookshelves. The great migration west in the 1800's was an incredible part of the history of our country.  People survived or they did not. Melissa has a gift for capturing the heart of that era. I recommend this book with 5 stars. Pick up your copy at your favorite local book store or online bookseller.

Fiction Friday: Hearts Made Whole

Hearts Made Whole is a story of courage, trust and finally love. The second in the Beacon of Hope series by Jody Hedlund will capture your heart from page one until you turn the last page. Our story unfolds at Windmill Point Lighthouse in Michigan. The lightkeeper and the doctor are leaving the shores of Lake St. Claire as a storm brews. Afraid for her father, Caroline Taylor wills him to come back but all her pleading cannot convince him to abandon a trip that will bring much needed medicine for her invalid sister Sarah. As he set course, she watched in horror as his rowboat sinks, sending him to a watery grave. Her two sisters and young twin brothers depend on her skills developed as her father's lighthouse assistant to support them. Her one  hope is that her skills will convince Mr. Finick the district supervisor to give her the job full time.

Set just after the Civil War at a time when men were returning home to rebuild their lives, The lighthouse districts will hire returning veterans as thanks for their service. Ryan Chambers is one such veteran and arrives to begin his new position as new keeper of the Windmill Point Lighthouse. Badly injured in the war physically and spiritually, he believes this job is his last chance. He surprises the Taylor's, who believed they had a full week to pack up and find a new livelihood. As he comes to quickly realize their dire circumstances, he agrees to give them their full week to prepare for the move. He hadn't dreamed that this capable young woman lost her job and he was the one who was taking it!

What follows is a story full of second chances for people who would not have met for the tragic events that unfolded at the start. It is brought them together. The characters are well developed and the story is very engaging.  I recommend Hearts Made Whole and the Beacons of Hope series. the books are good as stand alone books, but if you are like me, when you find an author you like you want to keep reading more.

Reviewing No Place To Hide

I enjoy a good, suspenseful mystery so when the opportunity to review No Place To Hide by Lynette Eason came along I couldn't pass it up. The story begins with Jackie Sellers breaking into a home. Once inside Ian Lockwood's darkened home....the story unfolds and the reader begins to guess what and who is behind a sinister plot to instill terror.  I couldn't put the book down until I finished it. I have read Lynettte's novels before and this one lived up to my expectations. I was surprised by the ending and pleased with how well the puzzle went together. Lynette weaves a tale so well that I can't find any cracks in the plot. As the story grows, so does a love story that seems impossible for all the unresolved emotions and surrounding deception. If you are looking for a good mystery, pick up a copy of No Place to Hide today! 

Review: In Firefly Valley

For fans of Amanda Cabot the wait is over! Book 2 in  the Texas Crossroads series is available now. I enjoyed reading At Bluebonnet Lake so I was really looking forward to reading In Firefly Valley. Kate and Greg welcome new guests to Rainbow's End and each new member will warm your heart as much as the characters in the first book.

Beautiful Marisa St. George is swept off her feet by Blake Kendall, a financial planner from California. She believes he is perfect in every way until she discovers he is covering his real profession as an author of suspenseful, fast paced fiction that she loathes.

He thinks she is the one woman who can make him happy until she shows a lack of forgiveness to those who don't measure up to her standards. First on her list of  unforgivable people is the father who abandoned her and her mother Carmen on the day of Marisa's high school graduation.

The story is very centered on forgiveness and it delivers a powerful message by Amanda. Believing people cannot change makes life difficult for Marisa. Can she love people who have made mistakes she disapproves of?   Can anyone live up to the standards of perfection she exacts?

The characters are developed, the story is engaging and perfect for your summer reading list.  Pick up a copy of In Firefly Valley and if you haven't read At Bluebonnet Lake yet, I recommend you read it first to get the history of Rainbow's End.

The Heart of the Amish A Treasure for Study

If you would like a good book on renewal and forgiveness, I have one you can't miss. I enjoyed reading The Heart of the Amish by Suzanne Woods Fisher, It is not one of her captivating novels but rather a collection of stories on forgiveness. The power of forgiveness is that you do not know how wide its path will be but as sure as the sun comes up the impact is beyond imagination. I was compelled to limit myself to one story a day so that I could  savor the lesson learned. Imagine giving beyond measure to those who have wronged you and see them turn over time from trouble to good neighbors. Or how about wild teenage boys who could easily be sent away for the trouble they cause only tho have the innocent party intercede on their behalf. I shook my head more than one but the legacy of the Amish and wish that we had more of this type of peaceful living in our society today.

Suzanne Woods Fisher has a wealth of knowledge on the Amish and her books are favorites on my shelves. I look forward to her next book.

Every Bride Needs A Groom A Nice Addition To Your Library!

As our spring weather gives way to summer sunshine and June brides, young readers will start turning pages of romantic fiction under the shade of the big oak tree. Every Bride Needs A  Groom is a sweet story of a young small town woman who has dreamed of and planned her wedding for years. Set in the small Texas town, everyone including Katie Sue expect wedding bells between her and Casey. With the certainty of his proposal coming any day, she enters Cosmopolitan Bride's contest for a dream dress designed especially for her by none other than Nadia James, famous upscale wedding boutique owner.


Life, as it would happen, takes a turn. Katie Sue leaves small town life for the big city. Her dreams for the perfect wedding in the perfect dress lead her to a whirlwind of decisions and people she would never have dreamed of back home. Enter Nadia's son Brady, a handsome basketball player who is recovering from a major sports injury who gives Katie Sue new feelings how a man should treat his gal.

Janice Thompson can weave a dream through a young girl's heart inside the pages of her books.This is a lighthearted Christian romance is filled with warm values and strong faith. Perfect for that summer reading list for young women and some, who are simply young at heart.

Reviewing The Legacy

Two men collaborating on a work of fiction resulting in The Legacy by Dan Walsh and Gary Smalley was a different experience for me.  Book number 4 in the Restoration series this collaboration is a wonderful glimpse into a normal American family with two parents and three children. Normal from the outside at least, this family has its own share of challenges. Jim and Marilyn Anderson, parents of three grown children are facing challenges with their youngest son Doug, who is away at college and pulling further away from the family values.  Doug is enjoying the fruits of independence and ready to cut the family purse strings when his father issues a choice to abandon his relationship with a coed or support himself. Will his choices be worth his decision?

Doug is a gifted artist and is planning to enter a contest worth a $75,000 prize. This will be his ticket to paying his own way for the remainder of his college expenses and set him up as  a graphic novelist when he graduates. He is so confident he will win but is he over confident?

Read this compelling novel about a son and his loving parents who must meet in the middle to gain back their trust in each other.

The Creole Princess:A Review

I spent the weekend at my favorite place reading an advance copy of The Creole Princess by Beth White for review.  Set in Mobile Alabama in 1776, the author reeled me in like a fish off the bayou.  I love American history and this setting is a new perspective in that war for independence in the deep south. Major players were the Spanish and the British.

Our heroine is Lyse Lanier of French Creole descent and incomparable beauty. The story is first and foremost a romance with some intrigue along the coast to aid the American cause. Lyse's best friend Daisy Redmond is the daughter of the Commander of Fort Charlotte. The fort plays an important part in the story as unrest after sentiments the Declaration of Independence spreads, forcing Major Redmond to seek the Oath of Loyalty to the crown from the townspeople.  

In the midst of the building tension a young Spanish dandy named Rafael Gonzales (Rafa) has immersed himself into the society of Mobile and  most of all the confused heart of Lyse Lanier. Rafa is not taken seriously by Lyse who believes him to be insincere.  He flirts openly and seems to disappear only to resurface in unlikely places. She is torn by the excitement when Rafa is near and the safe attentions of a young British officer of a rather staid nature.  Is it better to marry someone just because he is safe or love a man who is handsome, exciting and living on the edge?

Rafa has his reasons for disappearing and it is not because he is toying with Lyse. It all comes out in a plot that shows us what risks Spain took to support the American cause. In the midst of some dangerous plots, we experience the cruelty of slavery, prejudice, jealousy and deception.  Things are definitely not as they seem. I recommend you take some tea and begin this book for some down time that will keep you guessing what will happen next to our Creole Princess. I think you will agree, she is one courageous, inspirational woman.

Sand In My Sandwich: An Impartial Review!

When I began reading Sand in My Sandwich by Sarah Parshall Perry it reminded me of hearing my mother reading to us at night. Her humor was entertaining and she got a lot of joy from reading about the mishaps that happen in homes with small children.  I enjoyed reading how Sarah began her journey as a law student on the recommendation of a Grad Student in the college career center based on what she would like to wear to work: "Um. A Suit."  "Well, there you go! I think your answer is Law School."  This is how as shy introverted young woman pursued her career in law. It was great learning how she met her husband at a church youth leader retreat that she nearly didn't attend.

Motherhood brought many of the usual mishaps we expect but Sarah and her husband Matt are parents of two boys on the autism spectrum. Her middle child, a daughter truly adds dimension to the family. Sarah speaks like it is and I admire her seemingly unflappable approach to raising her family. Her normal day is about as routine as any young mother's in that there is no routine and it is about being flexible, caring and keeping it your cool as much as possible.

I have worked in the classroom with children on the autism spectrum and it was a very rewarding experience. I love their approach to learning and their intelligence. I applaud Sarah for sharing her life with us in such a way that is inspiring and entertaining. I respect the challenges and hoops that are part of her family's life that we cannot imagine. She brings new awareness to living with autism. Yes it is a challenge but one that she and her husband Matt believe is a good life with many blessings.  Thank you to Revell for the advance copy. It has been an inspiration to read.

Reviewing: Buried Secrets

If you like suspense, Buried Secrets by Irene Hannon is for you!  Take a 24-year old cold case, a skull unearthed at a construction site and you have the beginnings of one good mystery.

Carson Police Chief Lisa Grant and former Navy SEAL turned Detective Mac McGregor are on the scene and ready to dig deeper into the identity of a victim left buried and forgotten in an unmarked grave.  With few clues to go on except old missing person reports, they get one small break that sets in motion several discoveries that rattle a sinister mind that will stop at nothing to block discovery of the truth.

The plot thickens a plenty when accidents begin to pick off key players from the past. Dangerous plots make strange bedfellows when it comes to trust. The story is a good mystery that hooked me from the prologue. I am not going to allow any spoilers but highly recommend that you pick up a copy of Irene's latest book. Buried Secrets is book one of her new series, Men of Valor.

Irene Hannon is a bestselling author of suspenseful romantic Christian fiction that will keep you at the edge of your seat without excessive violence or graphic love scenes. The secret to me is writing a good story to begin with. I was happy to receive another book of Irene's to review from Revell Publishing as I have enjoyed all of her books that I have had the pleasure to read.  I am already looking forward to the release two in this series.

Review: The Decision

Sometimes learning God's plan for us is through a series of disappointing events. Jonah Miller left Pennsylvania behind for a fresh start in Illinois. He built a successful carriage repair business and works hard to forget the woman who left him alone on his wedding day.

Once in Illinois and getting his business established, Elaine Schrock catches his heart and he dares to open his heart to her.

The story is one of devotion and loyalty with a great deal of patience. Imagine believing in a love so strong that you are willing to put everything on hold in order to give space to the one you want to spend the rest of your life with. Top that off with selfless acts of kindness to make things easier for them in their great time of need and have it brushed aside like yesterday's dust.  Jonah loves Elaine and will do anything for her when her grandmother's health is threatened. Can she share her burdens with him to make their life together? The dynamics of the story are complex and I found myself engaged in the story to the point where I was so surprised with the ending. I won't spoil the ending but if you want to read a good story about love, faith and sacrifice, pick up a copy of Wanda E Brunstetter's book The Decision. Please let there be a sequel.....

Please see the preview for this moving story below:

https://youtu.be/8lllGqfeuj8