Look Before You Leap

 

This is a reverse of the normal romance novel formula.  Instead of boy meets girl, etc., it's girl meets boy, girl loses boy, girl gets boy back.  

Lottie is capricious and unrestrained.  She rides horses with wild abandon and has an unfortunate accident with a Viscount.  That specific ride gets her fired from her nanny position, and now she is looking for new employment.  When she is hired to be a companion to a crotchety older lady, her life takes an unexpected turn in ways that no one ever anticipated. 

Guy Harrowby is the man who gets thrown from his horse because of Lottie's wild ride through the park. While he is incensed because she came out of nowhere, he can't fault her horsemanship. The next hurdle he has to master is his thirtieth birthday, which his mother wants to celebrate in a big way.  

The lady Lottie is employed by is the sister of Guy's mother.  They engage Lottie in their schemes to throw a week-long party for Guy.  Every social climber shows up for the party and plagues Guy until he can hardly stand it anymore.  When he finds out that Lottie was involved in planning the party, he frosts her out in spite of the growing feelings he has for her.  

This is my first book to read by Virginia Heath and while it does have its rather steamy parts, there are some really funny parts to the book. The plot flows pretty seamlessly, and even though it is the second in a series, it reads well as a stand alone. I truly enjoyed reading Look Before You Leap--four strong stars. 

St Martin's Press provided the copy I read for this review.  All opinions expressed are solely my own.

Capture the Moment

“Most of what makes a book 'good' is that we are reading it at the right moment for us.” - Alain de Botton

 I chose this book because of the author.  I have read many of her books with great enjoyment.  This one fell short of the mark even though it is set in one of the most beautiful places in the United States.  There were too many subplots for me to navigate. It could be that it just wasn't the right time for me to appreciate the nuances of the book.  

Kate has been a zoo photographer, but her boyfriend convinced her to go to the Grand Teton National Park to photograph Grizzley 399.  He told her that National Geographic will publish the best picture of the bear coming out of hibernation.  Coop is the ranger who works the part of the park where 399 lives.  He encounters Kate and finds a way to help her out.  Wade is a poacher who wants the pelt of 399 and infiltrates the National Park Service as a way to get into the park to hunt for the bear. Tim is a senior ranger and Sally is the managing ranger.  Tim's granddaughter, Maisie, is a boy-crazy teen, and she's often in the way of whatever action is going on. All of these people are cast in roles that are too close to main characters.  That's too many.  Trying to keep all these people straight while reading the book was overwhelming. 

Suzanne Woods Fisher usually writes very readable books. I generally like what she writes, but I found this one to miss the mark.

Three stars.  

Revell Publishing provided the copy I read for this review.  All opinions expressed are solely my own. 

Sunrise Reef

Irene Hannon has written a novel that departs a bit from the normal romance formula but in the sweetest way.  

Bren's house has had a fire in the walls because of a storm, so she has to move out of her house for a couple of months.  Fred has a guest cottage that he allows Bren to move into while her house is being repaired.  On her first night, she hears someone enter the house, so she douses him with pepper gel. Thus was her inauspicious meeting of Fred's son, Noah.  

Noah and Bren get off to a rocky start, but it evolves into a friendship and then to something more. 

On the side, Emma comes to town and her car breaks down.  She's trying to find a job so that she can gain custody of her brother from their step-father. Bren offers to let Emma stay with her until her car is fixed. Emma goes on an extensive job hunt and finally finds a temporary job that will pad her resume.  Noah has an initial objection to Emma because no one knows anything about her.  Once she passes the background check, he acquiesces to her living with Bren. 

Sunrise Reef is a novel more about how a town comes together to help one another out, than a true romance, although it does figure into the story--just not the main focus until much later in the book.  In fact, the Hope Harbor Novels are all written in much the same way.  It is a strong Four Star book that is so hard to put down.  

Revell Publishing provided the copy I read for this review.  All opinions expressed are solely my own. 

 

Sometimes You Stay

I wanted a light-hearted read and I got it with this book.  Liz Johnson knows how to bring readers in and take them for a light-hearted ride through Prince Edward Island in Canada. 

The major players are Cretia--a travel blogger who lives out of her suitcase (and all she owns is in that suitcase), and Finn--a dog breeder who takes in stray animals who need a place to light and land, but we also cannot forget Joe, Jr. the Newfie who rescues Cretia from the harbor.  

There are lessons learned by both of the main characters, but the relationship grows organically and even though the romantic novel formula was followed--to a point, it didn't feel forced. There were inner conflicts to overcome, friendships to forge, and a litter of puppies to whelp. 

There is a lot of humor, some angst, but a lot of longing on Finn's and Cretia's parts.  Finn's biggest issue is getting Cretia to stay, and Cretia's is not wanting to be a burden to her new friends at the Red Door Inn or Finn. There are times you just gotta reach out of your comfort zone and Liz made this a book that reaches that point with these characters. 

This is a strong Four-Star Book. 

Revell Publishing provided the copy I read for this review.  All opinions expressed are solely my own. 

 

This Dog Will Change Your Life

This book will change your perception of dogs. I have loved seeing Elias Weiss Friedman talking to dog owners and photographing dogs, getting only their best sides.  Throughout the book, he describes how dogs make such a huge impact on their human families, from service dogs to family pets.  He is transparent with the stories he tells about his friends, the people he meets along the way, and even himself.  

Elias has travelled the world and encountered dogs in all kinds of situations.  His heart is easily discerned through his stories and through his pictures.  When he talks of his friends and their dogs, the love shines through.  When he encounters street dogs his heart breaks for them. His anger burns at puppy mills, his love shines through when dogs are obtained through reputable breeders or adopted from a rescue agency.  He applauds fostering--even when it fails and the foster becomes the pet adopter. 

This book may not change your life, but it will give insight into dogs and dog owners. I loved it.  

Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and a dog to love you forever. 

Random House Publishing Group provided the copy of this book for me to read.  All opinions expressed are solely my own. 

 

This Promised Land

This book has a depth in the plot that really makes the reader think.  Ginnie Dee has found out that she has inherited the family Christmas tree farm.  Her nephews were thinking that they had inherited it, but her mother had willed it only to her.  Her brother had kept her from seeing their mother out of pure spitefulness.  He raised his sons to think that the farm was theirs when he passes away.  Luke is the son who stayed around to work the farm and Mark went out, served in Viet Nam, got married, had three children, delved into alcoholism, and came back to the farm because he was homeless. The truth of the of the matter is the farm is in serious danger of going to the bank to be sold to the highest bidder.  The family needs a stellar profit year in order to save the farm.  It will take all of them working together to make it work.  

Of course, there are obstacles, bad guys, vindictive people, and mayhem included in the book; but not in a slapstick way. This Promised Land is a serious look at life in the eighties that brings home the difficulties of a family who have been through some tough times. They do come out on top and even thrive in spite of their difficulties.  The church comes together to help them out and keep them around. It is a picture of God's love in action and one of the things that make the plot and main characters endearing. Cathy Gohlke has done a masterful job of bringing the characters to life on the page and to connect the characters to the reader.  She has painted a picture with her words of life in a small southern town--the town gossip, the judgmental biddies, the older men who want to feel useful again, and the people who help from the depths of their hearts.  

This is a five star book, with two thumbs up, and a decorated Christmas tree for a shut-in.  

Tyndale House provided the copy I read for this review.  All opinions expressed are solely my own.  

 

To Light the Way Forward

 I first met Nancy Naigle's writings when I read The Shell Collector and she became one of my favorite authors.  Her writings have a depth to them that is not often encountered in other authors. 

To Light the Way Forward continues The Shell Collector with some new characters introduced, as well.  At the beginning of the book Hurricane Edwina is on her way toward Whelk's Island, North Carolina. In Pennsylvania, Rosemary is at loggerheads with her daughter who is playing the role of a helicopter parent to her mom. Rosemary has reconnected with a high school friend who has invited her down to visit her in Whelk's Island. So Rosemary packs up her car and goes south.  When Rosemary stops for gas, she runs into Amanda, Hailey, and Jesse.  Hailey and Jesse pretend they are British Royalty and thus begins Rosemary's first friendship on Whelk's Island. Soon after arriving on the Island, she meets a plethora of Island folk and forges relationships with many that she meets.  

When the hurricane comes, the devastation it brings is heartbreaking, especially for Tug, the diner owner.  It's been all he's done for most of his life. He's at loose ends and doesn't quite know what to do with himself, his time, or his skills.  

Nancy Naigle has written a book that takes friendships to a whole new level, throws in a touch of elder romance, and gives the reader a lot to think about.  Life is a lot more than just working a job or dealing with family drama.  It's about relationships that build and make us better people. This is a strong four star book that hits all the feels for the reader. 

WaterBrook and Multnomah provided the copy I read for this review.  All opinions expressed are solely my own.