Della and Darby

After I started reading this book, I hopped on Goodreads to read some reviews of other readers.  It was a mixed bag of opinions.  Some gushed about how wonderful the book was and others about how slow the plot moved, how the characters were bland, etc.  I found points of agreement with several of the reviewers.  

This is the second book I have read by Susannah B Lewis, and I have a mixed bag of emotions about the book myself.  I did feel the plot was too slow, the characters were caricatures, exaggerated beyond believability, but there were parts I could relate to all too well.  

Della and Darby are twins raised by their grandmother after their alcoholic mother killed herself drinking and driving.  After that episode, they were bullied all the way through school.  Della wanted nothing more than to fit in, while Darby just crawled into herself and hid there.  Their thirtieth birthday is coming up and their Grandma Birdie wants to throw them a party.  At first they resist, but Della comes on board and wants to show the town they aren't the no-accounts they've always been presumed to be.  

Della works with the doctor in town and believes herself to be in love with him.  The fly in her ointment is that the two nurses who work with her take on the role of "mean girls" in her life.  She wants so much to befriend them and knows she's quirky (at best), but they seem to get their jollies by tormenting her.  

Darby works at the local prescription bottle factory and stays to herself as much as she can.  Cliff tries to talk to her every single day, in spite of her rebuffs. 

It's not until the birthday party that everything seems to fall into place for Della and Darby, and it's not until the birthday party that I gained a real interest in the book.  It just wasn't my favorite.  Three Stars. 

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

The Wedding Ranch

I have read a couple of Nancy Naigle's books and I find them to be utterly charming.  When I've read something disheartening, a Nancy Naigle book is a great way to get my mind in a happier place.  The Wedding Ranch is no exception.  Nancy does tackle real life struggles but in a way that is not dispiriting.  

Lorri Walker is a graphic designer who works from home for most of her assignments.  She designs logos, website graphics, t-shirt graphics, and other advertising materials.  After her husband gifts her with a mastiff puppy and divorce papers, she moves to a small town outside Raleigh, North Carolina, where she meets Ryder Bolt.  

She's not looking for love and Ryder is still mourning losing his wife and son seven years ago.  But their friendship is something that is welcome in both of their lives until a buried connection between them threatens even a tenuous friendship.  

Nancy has used the romance formula for this book, but it feels organic and natural.  Ryder's twin niblings (niece and nephew) run the wedding ranch as a venue for weddings, of course, and other events. A high-profile wedding at the ranch creates a fly in the ointment of Ryder's and Lorri's friendship when he accuses Lorri of leaking photos of the wedding to the internet.  He doesn't know that Lorri has known the groom for years and that she was invited to the wedding.  His mistrust of Lorri makes her question if she even wants his friendship.  

The settings in rural North Carolina sound breathtaking, the characters are relatable, believable, and natural.  Nancy has a way of bringing her characters to life and bringing them together that doesn't feel forced.  It's a great read and well worth the time.  I'd like to read it again just for the fun of it.  

Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and a mastiff named Mister to keep you company.  

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

 

Famous for a Living

I loved the first book I read by Melissa Ferguson.  It was witty, funny, and intriguing.  The second book I read by her was also quite entertaining.  But this one was a bit out of my league, out of my depth, and out of my generation.  Cat Cranwell has built a life on  Instagram, touting brands, influencing her followers, and generally making a name for herself by the pictures she takes with her camera and posting them on Instagram.  I do use social media myself, but I am not out to influence anyone.  I am there for the giggles and encouragement I can get from the groups I follow.  I also use it to keep up with friends, but I am not out to influence them in any capacity.  So that part of social media is beyond my ken.  

The plot has a few kinks in it, but overall, makes sense.  The one issue I have with the book is that Melissa has gone overboard with her super-hyphenating.  Because I read a galley on  an  e-reader, it made the reading tedious when hyphens were left out, and when there were too many hyphens in a row.  They  were distracting at best and aggravating at worst. 

The premise of the book is that Cat is charged unlawful collecting of data through an app she promoted through her social media.  In order to find a haven, she goes across the country to Montana to stay with her uncle in the Kannery National Park.  He needs her social media expertise to help keep  Kannery from becoming absorbed by Glacier National Park.  His right hand man, Zaiah, draws Cat into life at the park through the various contests held throughout the season Cat is there.  He doesn't like what she does, with good reason, but he is falling for her in spite of it.  

The settings in northwestern Montana and in New York City are as diverse as the characters themselves, but create an impressive backdrop for the plot.  This alone helps keep the book up to a three star read.  

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

 

Holding the Line

When I saw the title, I immediately assumed the book was going to be about the early days of the telephone.  I was wrong. It wasn't so much about telegraphy as it was about having the characters' eyes opened to what was true and what was fantasy.  The telegraph played such a minor role in the book that it could have been left out without much difficulty.  BUT, Jennifer Delamere has woven a compelling novel that begs the reader to keep turning the pages regardless of the reader's schedule, deadlines, or bedtimes. 
 

Rose Finlay is a widowed young woman working for the postal service in Piccadilly Square in London.  She is the assistant manager of the office and works diligently at her post.  She takes care of her underlings, works efficiently, and cares for her customers.  When she overhears a conversation between a young miss and a known rake of the town, she can't help but get involved.  The girl, Sophie, is too young to understand what men like Sandy Deveaux are truly after.  Rose doesn't want to see Sophie hurt or her reputation damaged because of her association with Sandy, but doesn't quite know what to do about it.  

Sophie's mother, Pearl, is oblivious to what Sophie is doing and because of her sister-in-law's approval of Sophie's actions.  Marjorie, Pearl's sister-in-law, thinks that Sophie would make a fine match with Sandy and doesn't discourage the relationship.  When John, Pearl's brother, finds out what Sophie is doing he enlists Rose's help in showing Sophie what Sandy's true motives are.  

What gives this plot some humor is that Marjorie wants to marry John, Pearl is in favor of it, and John wants to see where his relationship with Rose will go.  Pearl and Marjorie disapprove of Rose, when, in fact, Rose isn't out to secure a husband.  When the blinders fall off all of their eyes, they see who Rose is, what her true motives are, and how truly well suited for John she is.  

This isn't an over-the-top rollicking read, the humor is subtle, which makes it all the more interesting.  When Rose is demoted and moved to a less desirable position because of a false accusation, the reader is able to empathize with Rose and understand her disappointment.  She got moved from a pleasant work environment to one that would qualify as toxic by today's standards.  Rose's motives and actions prove her character even when others cannot see it.  Those who can see it love her all the more because of it.  Those who can't will not accept her, no matter what.  

This is a five star book, with two thumbs up, and a current bun with tea. 

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

Her Heart's Desire

Mary Margaret is seeking an escape.  With the money she has made from her greeting card-making business and a little bit of money her parents give her, she goes to Pinecraft, Florida, for a vacation.  On the bus ride there, she meets Lilly and Betsy, two other Amish girls also on vacation. Once she gets to Pinecraft, she finds out that her arch-nemesis from grade school on is coming to Pinecraft as well, and is staying at the same Bed and Breakfast.  Mary Margaret has had to overcome years of bullying at Esther's hands and is not exactly excited to see that she will be staying in the same place.  

Shelley Shepard Gray has written a book about forgiving the hard things, the deepest hurts, and the betrayals people inflict on one another. This isn't an easy book to read, and it differs from most Amish fiction in that it isn't over-the-top syrupy sweet.  Those are things I really liked about it.  The characters are flawed which make them all the more believable and relatable.  The setting of Pinecraft is one I've read about with other authors too and seems as familiar as being home, so understanding the surroundings is very easy to do.  

Both Mary and Esther meet young men whose eyes they catch, so there is a bit of romance for those die-hards who require it.  What Shelley has done well is show that even Amish have their difficulties and flaws.  One of the most compelling quotes Shelley has included in this book is by Esther, when she asks when it became okay to be mean on purpose instead of gently teasing. 

Five Stars, two thumbs up, and an ice cream cone by the ocean. 

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

 

Sadie on the Rocks

If you don't read the synopsis of the book, the title sounds like a new drink you'd order at a bar--"I'd like a Sadie on the Rocks, please." But that's not what this book is about.  It's about defining life in your own terms, about taking a hard look at yourself and seeing  who is really there, and about finding adventure wherever you go.  

Sadie lives in Gunnison, Colorado, and writes articles on dating life for a magazine, but the fly in the ointment is that Sadie hasn't been dating for quite a while.  She really wants to branch out with her articles to include dealing with the single life instead of ways to just look for a partner.  

Sadie was also feeling some discontent with her status quo in that she wanted some adventure, or something new in her life.  When she went to the outdoor outfitters store, she happened upon a man who was setting up a display about the new rock climbing wall business that offered one free lesson for newcomers.  She decided to try it.  

This isn't a book about romance, although there is a little bit of that included, but it's a side issue to the plot.  This is a book about finding a purpose and filling a need within one's own life.  This isn't about looking at externals, but looking deep within oneself and finding one's personhood and being comfortable in one's own skin.  Friendships old and new play a huge part of this book and Joanne Bischof takes a light-hearted look at life with friends, family, and adventures.  I am coming to appreciate Joanne's writings the more I read her books and I look forward to the next book in the series.  

This is the kind of book you take to your hammock on a sunny day and just enjoy the afternoon breezes while you read.   Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and a gold medal in a climbing competition. 

Mason Jar Books provided the copy I read for this review.  All opinions expressed are solely my own.