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. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Indigo Tea Shop Serves Mystery One Cup at a Time

...from the publisher...
Tea maven Theodosia Browning and her tea sommelier Drayton Conneley are guests at a bird hunt styled in the precise manner of an English shooting party. Which means elevenses (sloe gin fizzes), gun loaders, the drawing of pegs, fine looking bird dogs, and shooting costumes of tweed,
herringbone, and suede.

But as gunshots explode like a riff of Black Cat firecrackers, another shot sounds too close for comfort to Theodosia and Drayton. Intrigued but worried, Theodosia wanders into the neighbor's lavender field where she discovers their host, Reginald Doyle, bleeding to death.

His wife, Meredith, is beside herself with grief and begs Theodosia and Drayton to stay the night. But Theodosia awakens at 2:00A.M. to find smoke in her room and the house on fire. As the fire department screams in and the investigating sheriff returns, Meredith again pleads with Theodosia for help.

As Theodosia investigates, fingers are pointed, secrets are uncovered, Reginald's daughter-in-law goes missing presumed drowned, and Meredith is determined to find answers via a séance. All the while Theodosia worries if she's made a mistake in inviting a prime suspect to her upscale Lavender Lady Tea.


...my thoughts...
A good mystery is delicious, especially if it is served at the Indigo Tea Shop.  Set in historic Charleston, South Carolina, the Lavender Blue Murder is elegance right alongside of murder. Theodosia Browning and her faithful tea expert Drayton Conneley are two wonderful characters who run a not so quiet tea shop where one can count on good tea, delicious food and of course savory characters. When crime strikes, the tea shop is the place to be all who want to be in the know.

I enjoyed this book because the plot kept me thinking from the moment Theodosia heard a gunshot while attending a shooting party on an old country plantation.  The plot got thicker as things went from murder to arson to kidnapping.  Were they connected or random acts?  In the end, the solution seemed easy but took me on some winding roads to get there.  For a fun mystery and good recipes, look no further!

The Brightest of Dreams by Susan Anne Mason is Full of Hope and Inspiration

...from the publisher...

Quinten Aspinall is determined to fulfill a promise he made to his deceased father to keep his family together. To do so, he must travel to Canada to find his younger siblings, who were sent there as indentured workers while Quinn was away at war. He is also solicited by his employer to look for the man's niece who ran off with a Canadian soldier. If Quinn can bring Julia back, he will receive his own tenant farm, enabling him to provide a home for his ailing mother and siblings.
Julia Holloway's decision to come to Toronto has been met with disaster. When her uncle's employee rescues her from a bad situation, she fears she can never repay Quinn's kindness. So when he asks her to help find his sister, she agrees. Soon after, however, Julia receives some devastating news that changes everything.

Torn between reuniting his family and protecting Julia, will Quinn have to sacrifice his chance at happiness to finally keep his promise?

...my thoughts...
Susan Anne Mason's The Brightest of Dreams is an incredible story.  With incredible odds, one young determined man, Quentin Aspinall undertakes to reunite his two brothers and sister.  His goal was to restore them to his mother, who, in poor health and dire straits, gave their care temporarily over to Dr. Bernardo's Homes.  Little did she know that they would be put on a boat for Canada.

I can't imagine how difficult this situation would be. Although this is a work of fiction, the children in this story could have been a handful of over one hundred thousand children shipped off from Dr. Thomas Bernardo Homes. The British Home Children were sent to Canada and worked under contract on farms, as housemaids or other jobs as indentured servants. Many, as in the case of Quinn's brothers Cecil and Harry, who were sent to separate farms, were ill treated and especially, like little Harry, malnourished.

The plight of the young, who don't have the resources to stand up for themselves in poor conditions is an unfair fight. Not only children, but also young women, like Julia Holloway, who was preyed upon unethically, had little voice when people in authority could determine their future at will.

Julia's faith helped her endure the difficult circumstances she found herself in with grace and dignity.  Quinn, who became a constant in her life also possessed a strong faith.  He trusted God as  he forged ahead with his plans that at times were so difficult.  Yet, he was stalwart, patient and loved his family fiercely for one so young. I liked this book.  The elements of faith woven throughout made this poignant story all the richer. The characters were well developed, coming alive as the story unfolded.

If you enjoy historical fiction, I recommend The Brightest of Dreams for your reading list. The children who became the British Home Children, along with the children in America who were sent on Orphan Trains became a part of the history of North American.  For when they grew up and out of their situations, they emerged, after all, as the men and women who helped settled North America.

I was pleased to receive an advance copy of this book for review.  Although I have enjoyed other books by this author, my opinions are mine.

The Land Beneath Us by Sarah Sundin Destined to Be Bestseller

...from the publisher...
In 1943, Private Clay Paxton trains hard with the US Army Rangers at Camp Forrest, Tennessee, determined to do his best in the upcoming Allied invasion of France. With his future stolen by his brothers' betrayal, Clay has only one thing to live for--fulfilling the recurring dream of his death.

Leah Jones works as a librarian at Camp Forrest, longing to rise above her orphanage upbringing and belong to the community, even as she uses her spare time to search for her real family--the baby sisters she was separated from so long ago.
After Clay saves Leah's life from a brutal attack, he saves her virtue with a marriage of convenience. When he ships out to train in England for D-day, their letters bind them together over the distance. But can a love strong enough to overcome death grow between them before Clay's recurring dream comes true?


...my thoughts...

The Land Beneath Us is the third book in Sarah Sundin's Sunrise at Normandy series.  Each book in the series follows  a Paxton brother and their lives after a fateful night where life in a warm, loving family changed for good. Angry words, feelings of revenge and unthinkable behavior.  Each young man was a time bomb full of anger and, remorse.

Sarah Sundin is a renowned author in the Christian fiction world.  Her research on the complex theater of World War II is amazing.  Her characters come alive amid battles the reader may have seen distant descriptions of yet in reading Sarah's books find themselves in the midst of the story.  I have long been a fan of her work.  It makes me appreciate all the more, the brave men and women who served our country in dark times.

Clay and Leah's story is one beautiful love story.  Both have baggage that could upset the perennial apple cart. They are both courageous beyond their young ages.  I believe that could be said of many young people faced with the challenges of a war that caused so much uncertainty in the world.  Their faith yielded a strength of character that kept them going.  From Leah's upbringing in an orphanage to Clay's bitter feelings toward his brothers, this book came alive and has a strong message of forgiveness and difficult choices. This is a book that historical fiction readers will enjoy.  It is engaging, entertaining and full of compassion.  Yes, even a few tears showed up.  I am sad to see this series end, but I am confident that Sarah Sundin has more stories to write.

The Everything Mediterranean Instant Pot Cookbook Deliscious and Simple

...from the publisher...
The Mediterranean diet is celebrated all over the world for its fresh and healthy ingredients, vibrant flavors, and complex recipes. Following this diet can help you reduce inflammation, avoid disease, and lose weight, making it popular for anyone looking to live a healthier lifestyle.

The Everything Mediterranean Instant Pot Cookbook shows you how to recreate classic Mediterranean meals in under an hour using the much-loved multi-cooker, the Instant Pot. With more than 300 recipes for delicious meals, snacks, and even desserts, you’ll have everything you need to create healthy, fresh, and fast meals every day of the week.

...my thoughts...

Up until I purchased my first Instant Pot, my experience with pressure cooking was confined to canning fruits and vegetables.  My daughters were enjoying a whole new approach to feeding their families with the Instant Pot.  We got to experience that excitement while our kitchen was being remodeled and they each treated us to home cooked dinners.  It was amazing to see how this amazing appliance became an integral part of their kitchens.  Needless to say, we purchased an Instant Pot too. 

The Everything Mediterranean Instant Pot Cookbook by Kelly Jaggers is chock full of recipes that will please anyone who is striving to live the Mediterranean way, employing this game changing appliance.  The recipes we have cooked using  this cookbook have been easy to put together quickly, and resulted in tasty meals we're planning to fix again. Our favorites so far include Stuffed Acorn Squash, Almond Date Oatmeal, Creamy Thyme Polenta and Chicken Breasts stuffed with Feta and Spinach. 

I am impressed with this cookbook.  Like most cooks who are learning to cook with a a new appliance I was searching online for recipes and tips to make the most of my Instant Pot. This cookbook is good for beginners as it includes very good how-to information to start cooking right away. Within a few months of getting our 6 quart pot I ordered a 3 quart (mini) Instant Pot. I have used both pot sizes in preparing the recipes, sometimes simultaneously.  This is a book I will use again and again because I like it that much.

I received an advance copy of this cookbook for review from Netgalley.com.  The opinions expressed are solely mine. 

Two Steps Forward

from the the publisher...
Back and broke in Stoney Ridge, Jimmy Fisher has coasted as long as he could through life on charm, good looks, and deep-set dimples. They always worked just fine for him--until they didn't. His smile has no effect on the violet-eyed beauty he met at the Bent N' Dent, the one with that stunning horse. She's offered him a job, but nothing else.

The last thing Sylvie Schrock King needs around Rising Star Farm is a grown boy working for her, especially her neighbor Edith's son. The woman holds a serious grudge against Sylvie and her son, and hiring Jimmy Fisher will only fan the flames of Edith's rancor. But Sylvie is desperate for help on the farm, and Jimmy understands horses like no one else.

While Jimmy's lazy smile and teasing ways steal Sylvie's heart, Edith is working on a way to claim her land. Has Sylvie made another terrible mistake? Or is it too late to outfox the fox? More importantly . . . just who is the fox?

Writing with both wit and warmth, Fisher delivers a supremely satisfying conclusion to the popular Deacon's Family series.

my thoughts...
Two Steps Forward is one of those books that will keep my thoughts captive for many days and when I reread it I will enjoy it just as much.  All of the characters in Stoney Ridge are like old friends.  You see them again from book to book as another member of the community's story unfolds.  So it is with Two Steps Forward Jimmy Fisher returns from being an Amish Cowboy in Colorado.  He was an incorrigible lad when he was introduced in The Keeper, book one of the Stoney Ridge Series.  What he didn't think of for mischief, nobody else could imagine.  Now he was home and life would never be the same. His dogged determination to prove what he can do is just the opposite of what anyone expected.
 Suzanne Woods Fisher is a master story teller.  She has a way of hooking you into a story from the moment you turn the first page.  Her characters, like Jimmy Fisher, are entertaining but have a lot of lessons to give us all. In Suzanne's books a lot of difficult topics are intertwined into the story.  While reading Stitches In Time Suzanne introduced the topic of foster care in Amish homes.  Luke Schrock, newly appointed deacon wished to fulfill beloved Amos Lapp's wish to empty the system by finding homes for those children.  Knowing the impact of that system on his own wife, Luke has been diligent in keeping his promise.  While Two Steps Forward is focusing on Jimmy and Sylvie, there is a larger issue at hand.  Luke and his wife Izzy are championing the cause of unwanted babies.  Recent issues out in the English world seem remote yet closer than one would suspect.  Rather than sitting back and being passive about the issue of unwanted babies, the community is united in finding ways to help one baby at a time.

This book is funny, it is entertaining and it leaves the reader something to think about before the book is closed.  Things are never what they seem and people will surprise you when you least expect it.  I could wax on about this book for a long time, but then, why give the story away when you can enjoy it yourself?  It will put your mind on things that are happening in the world today that impact all of us, no matter where we live.

5 stars for this book and the entire Deacon's Family series by Suzanne Woods Fisher!  Many thanks to Netgalley.com and Revell for the opportunity to review this book.  The opinions offered regarding this book are mine alone.

Seconds To Live by Susan Sleeman - Fast Paced and Heart Pounding Suspense`

...from the publisher... 

When cybercriminals hack into the US Marshals' Witness Protection database and auction off witnesses' personal details to the highest bidders, the RED Team led by FBI Agent Sean Nichols begins a high-stakes chase to find the hacker. But before he can even get started, the first witness is targeted and barely escapes with her life. Sean believes Phantom, an obsessed hacker who previously outwitted the top minds in the field, is behind the attack, and Sean needs this witness's help, as she's the person who has come closest to discovering Phantom's identity.

Trouble is, she's a witness under the care of US Marshal Taylor Mills, and Sean is reluctant to work with the captivating marshal who knows his deepest secrets. But Phantom claims he knows where the witness is hiding and will kill her, so to stop the hacker, Sean and Taylor must work through their personal pain and learn to trust each other. . . . The seconds are ticking down before someone dies.
 
...my thoughts...
From the moment I opened Seconds To Live I was hooked.  I haven't read anything by Susan Sleeman before and believe me when I say that I was pleased to find this author.

Cybercrime hits the  U.S. Marshal's Witness Protection Database in a big way. It is a race against time to capture a high profile hacker who is out for revenge.  There are no second chances for his victims and he seems to see anyone who has had the slightest encounter with the RED team of experts assigned to bring him in. These are the things I enjoy about suspense novels.  It is edgy and keeps the reader coming back for just a few more pages.  A few more leads to another chapter and pretty soon it is after 1:00 in the morning!

The main characters are pretty closed off at first and as the story unfolds, so too does the character development of Sean and Taylor.  I liked this book for the story and the team who worked so hard together, under difficult circumstances.  It gave me an even greater respect for those members of law enforcement who are honest, hard working and dedicated to their jobs. 

I was given a copy of this book  for an honest review from Bethany House Publishers but the opinions expressed here are mine.  Seconds To Live is Book One in the Homeland Heroes series.  I am already looking forward to Book Two.

Of Literature And Lattes, An Up and Coming Hit for Spring 2020

...from the publisher...
Katherine Reay returns to the cozy and delightful town of Winsome where two people discover the grace of letting go and the joy found in unexpected change.

After fleeing her hometown three years earlier, Alyssa Harrison never planned to return. Then the Silicon Valley start-up she worked for collapsed and turned her world upside down. She is broke,

under FBI investigation, and without a place to go. Having exhausted every option, she comes home to Winsome, Illinois, to regroup then move on as quickly as possible. Yet, as friends and family welcome her back, Alyssa begins to see a place for herself in this small Midwestern community.
Jeremy Mitchell moved from Seattle to Winsome to be near his daughter and to open the coffee shop he’s been dreaming of for years. Problem is, the business is bleeding money—and he’s not quite sure why. When he meets Alyssa, he senses an immediate connection, but what he needs most is someone to help him save his floundering business. After asking for her help, he wonders if something might grow between them—but forces beyond their control soon complicate their already complex lives, and the future they both hoped for is not at all what they anticipated.
With the help of Winsome’s small-town charm and quirky residents, Alyssa and Jeremy discover the beauty and romance of second chances.

...my thoughts... 
At first, I wanted to read this book because the title intrigued me.  Katherine Reay is a new author for me and I have to admit I enjoyed her style.  Of Literature and Lattes is a wonderful story of how one truly can come home again, but it won't be easy.  Alyssa is a complex character who had her world turned upside down when her job seemed to dissolve like a cube of sugar in her latte.  Silicon Valley was supposed to help her make her mark in the world.  It was only coming home and resisting that ever abundant humble pie when she found all of the things she longed for when she left this life behind.  Stripped of all her layers, she had to begin again.

Jeremy's dream of opening a premier coffee shop in Winsome seemed an opposite journey than the one Alyssa experienced.  Everything was going to right itself.  When his grand re-opening didn't wow the town, he regrouped and made some improvements to get to that next level.  Sometimes, we have exactly what we need in front of us although we often just can't see that.

I enjoyed this book for several reasons, first and foremost, the characters are complex, just like real life.  They had some things to work out and I felt their pain.  I also soared along with them on the good days.  Both Jeremy and Alyssa exemplified how difficult relationships can be.  They also prove that it is what you do about those complications that matter.


I can easily recommend this book for anyone who likes well written fiction with believable characters.  The ending will be so worth the read. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Add Forever Hidden by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse to Your Reading List

...from the publisher...

For Havyn Powell, growing up on her grandfather Chuck Bondrant's dairy outside the 1904 gold-rush boomtown of Nome, Alaska, offered all she needed. She had the love of her mother, two sisters, and grandfather. But now, at 23, Havyn realizes the stability of her life may soon vanish. Havyn is determined to find a way to keep the family together, but her grandfather's health is declining and everyone seems to be holding secrets from each other, including the handsome, dark-haired stranger who recently arrived.

John Roselli arrives in Nome looking for a steady, consistent job. He has grown tired of the promises of getting rich quick and just wants an honest job with honest pay. His grandfather once knew a Chuck Bondrant, and so when John arrives at the dairy, he's quickly offered a job--and a path to more if he wants it.

Havyn's plan for helping out the family means using her beautiful singing voice and her sisters' musical talent at a local roadhouse. They're an immediate hit, and it looks like her plan will be a success. But the spotlight brings with it dangerous eyes that covet Havyn and are jealous as she and John grow ever closer. But will they realize the peril before it's too late

...my thoughts...

Fans of Tracie Peterson will enjoy Forever Hidden, because of her experience writing rich novels set in Alaska.  Collaborating with Kimberley Woodhouse for this new Treasures of Nome series enriches the story with her musical background.  The book is filled with the three Powell sisters who are woven together as a musical tapestry that plays an integral role in the family's survival when their grandfather has a stroke. 

Moving to Alaska after the death of their father meant something different to everyone in the family.  The  impact was profound, as forgiveness and trust are woven throughout this story.  As a reader, one has the privilege of seeing and understanding each character.  In fiction, as in life, we react to things because of our life experiences.  It is when we are open to seeing situations with fresh eyes that we begin to understand, forgive and trust.  

I recommend this book to readers who enjoy well written historical Christian fiction.  I particularly liked the setting in the Alaska gold rush heyday.  This book begs for a sequel or two, because every sister has a story to tell!  

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."