A Choice Considered

 I generally enjoy Tracie Peterson's books, but this one left me wanting a bit more.  Melody McGregor lives in the railroad tent village in Cheyenne, Wyoming.  Her Da, Clancy McGregor, has been off work because of a back injury.  What she doesn't know is that her father has been hiding a more grave illness.  She knows the railroad will soon be moving to the next stop but she wants to settle down.  Her father says he will allow this as long as she chooses a husband before the railroad moves.  What he really wants is for her to find a husband before he dies.  He decides to set her up on a series of blind dates that were disastrous from the very outset.  The man he really wants her to marry is someone else entirely.  

I enjoyed reading A Choice Considered for the most part, but it fell a little flat--it was overly sweet, predictable, with not a lot of activity in the plot.  It is clear from the beginning who Melody's husband will be, who the bad guy is, and while the bad guy is easily discerned before he shows his true colors, his actions are tame compared to other books I've read. Even though I didn't care for this book as much as others, I will continue to read Tracie's books.  She is usually a good author.  This one was just a miss for me.   

Three Stars

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

Love on a Whim

I first became acquainted with Suzanne Woods Fisher through her Amish fiction, but I have come to love her contemporary fiction possibly even more than her Amish books. The Cape Cod Creamery series is fun to read and takes the reader on a whirlwind of emotions. 

Brynn, a civil engineer, was at a conference in Las Vegas when she meets TD, who is attending the same conference.  He talks her into skipping the rest of the day's meetings and really seeing some of the sights within driving distance.  They spent the day talking and getting to know each other, and then on a whim, get married before going back to the hotel.  The next morning, Brynn panics and leaves TD asleep while she flies back home.  She calls her friend, Dawn, who convinces her to come to Cape Cod to figure things out.  Dawn is a fixer and she loves nothing more than fixing people's lives, but she can't jump in and fix Brynn because a wedding is due to happen in a week and she needs to get the ice cream prepared. At the last minute, the baker opts out making the wedding cake, the bride's mother wants individual mini cakes for each guest at the wedding. Brynn volunteers to bake the cakes, but every time she turns around, the bride's mother wants to change something else.  

In Love on a Whim, Suzanne hits on hurts of various kinds, healing, forgiveness, generosity, and people who aren't afraid to take advantage of others just for the sake of it.  Even though it is a rather light read, it has its depth that brings the readers into contemplation of their own lives.  

Four Strong Stars

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

 

Into the Starlight

 Into the Starlight is the third and final book in the Sweetwater Crossing series.  Joanna has come back home after being in Europe for a year.  She is heartbroken in more than one sense: she's been widowed, she has returned home after both of her parents died, and she has lost her capacity to play the piano for long periods of time.  To top it all off, she's pregnant.  The day she arrives back home, Burke Finley and his "aunt" Della have come to Sweetwater Crossing to get some answers.  Della was supposed to marry Burke's uncle, Clive Finley, and he disappeared without a trace.  

There is a fairly large cast of characters roaming through this novel, making up the warp and woof of the town.  It is not hard to keep track of the characters because they have shown up in other books in this series.  

There is a bit of mystery and a couple of romances brewing in this final offering from Sweetwater Crossing. The mystery surrounds Clive's disappearance and who the last people were who saw him.  The pastor finds a fondness for Della and Burke quickly finds himself falling for Joanna.  The love of the three sisters is something I could only wish for my own children. 

Amanda Cabot has a realism in her characters that evoke feelings of comradery and friendship.  Even though her characters live in a bygone era, they are real in the sense of having faults and foibles as well as qualities of genuineness.  I would love to have those sisters as friends.

The only thing that I didn't like in the book is that some of the issues were tied up too neatly as a vehicle to pull the series together.  

A Strong Four Star Book.  

Revell Publishing provided the copy I read for this review.  

Another Beauty and the Beast Rendition

 

So this book is another look at the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale, but Rachel Fordham has done a masterful job in bringing all the bits and pieces of the tale to life.  She put the characters in the early 1900s, so while it is historical, it is also a bit more modern.  

Sadie West has been working at the feather duster factory in Monticello, Iowa, when she is turned out of her boarding house for someone who will pay more.  She finds an abandoned factory to shelter in, and bathes in a freezing cold creek, but it is the only water available to her.  She is found out and then given a position at the Taylor mansion to help clean it up and get it ready to sell.  This is in addition to her job at the duster factory.  She is sending money home to pay for her father's doctor bills after he had an accident on the farm.  She is also paying the mortgage on the farm so that her family doesn't lose their home. 

Otis Taylor is the only remaining Taylor alive and comes back to Monticello to settle his brother's estate.  He'd been sent away because he was scarred and disfigured and his father didn't want to look at him.  Otis has quite a chip on his shoulder for the way his family treated him, but he eventually finds that his chip is too heavy to carry. 

Alta is one of the lesser characters but she plays an important part in the movement of the plot.  She so wants to be the one that Otis courts when he returns to town.  She's a little bit of a gold digger and a bit entitled, and plays the parts well.  When she finds that Sadie has been working for Otis for a while, she throws a temper tantrum worthy of a two year old.  

Beyond Ivy Walls has everything a reader could desire--a little bit of romance, a little bit of mystery, hard decisions, and a coming to terms with circumstances. I love the Beauty and the Beast type stories I've read and other than one written by Robin McKinley, this is the best one I've read.  Robin's is an extremely well-done rendition of the tale, while Rachel's is a more modern retelling.  It is still a five star book with two thumbs up and a beast who cares about family troubles.  

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

The Song of Sourwood Mountain

Almira Dean has just found out that her teaching position has been eliminated.  That bit of news comes right after she finds out her landlady wants her room to give to a niece. A former classmate has come to town to promote the mission back in the Appalachians where his church is.  He asks Mira to marry him and come back into the hills with him to teach at the mission school.  

Ann H Gabhart has created a lovely story about the backwoods people of the Appalachians and their  lives in the early 1900s.  This particular novel is one that is one of the more enjoyable books I have read this year.  What begins as a marriage of convenience becomes a truly loving union.  Some of the children in the book are favorite characters.  The feels I had for Ada June were just too much at times.  She was alone in the world and was moved from pillar to post.  She spent most of her time outside in the woods or in a cave.  When Mira and Gordon offer her a bed to sleep in and regular meals, she begins to blossom in ways that are most rewarding.  Mira has a loving touch for all the children in the area and wants only the best for them--even the most misbehaved ones. 

The Song of Sourwood Mountain is populated with the churchy busy-bodies and the recalcitrant husbands who go through life just trying to live.  Most of these people don't have two pennies to rub together, but somehow they make life work.  These people are not afraid to work hard and keep goods stored up for the lean times.  The one telling point in their lives was the way they cared for others in need.  It was a beauty to watch the way they worked together.  

The book is easy to read and digest, but more importantly it is engaging to the reader.  Five Stars, Two Thumbs up and a bluebird of happiness to sing outside your window. 

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

 

These Tangled Threads

These Tangled Threads is an interesting novel about the Biltmore Industries, specifically the weaving industry.  Lorna Blankenship is the master weaver at the Biltmore, and she has been tasked with weaving a special fabric worthy of a wedding dress for Cornelia Vanderbilt.  The problem is that Lorna hasn't made an original weaving ever.  She has bought some patterns for weaving her cloth from a young girl, Gentry, who was working under her supervision and passed them off as her own.  Because she hadn't had a fresh idea in a while, she was tasked with making one more weaving--suitable for a wedding--and then she was being fired. She heads out into the back country of the Appalachians to find a specific weaver. 

Arthur is a friend Lorna has known for years and carves wooden items that the Biltmore sells to tourists who come and tour the mansion.  He finds that his parents have died and that he has a brother who has been in and out of trouble almost his whole life.  He wants to do his best for his brother and bring him to sobriety.  While both Lorna and Arthur travel, their paths cross frequently and Arthur has cared for Lorna for a long time,  He's just waiting for her to return his feelings.  

This is a time swap type novel but the times are so close together that it is confusing at times to figure out which era things are happening.  It might have been a bit more cohesive if Sarah Loudin Thomas had just made the book a narrative instead of jumping back and forth between times.  At least it would have been easier to read for me.  For this reason alone, I give the book four weak stars.  I wish I could do half stars, but the sites where I post won't allow half stars. 

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

Sandcastle Inn

This was an enjoyable book, but it has its drawbacks.  Irene Hannon has written a series taking place in the fictional seaside town of Hope Harbor. 

Matt's sister, Kay, has bought a Bed and Breakfast Inn that needs a lot of work to put it in usable order.  Vienna is visiting her mother and offers her skills as developer for inns and hotels in lieu of room and board at the end.  Matt finds a contractor who needs work and part of his pay is a room for the contractor and his wife.  

Much of the book deals with refurbishing the Inn and setting it up as a high-end romantic getaway rather than the interpersonal relationships.  The romance between Matt and Vienna really didn't develop through the vast majority of the book.  It wasn't until the latter portions of the book that romance bloomed.  I have read other books in this series and I wish that Charley had a larger role in this book.  He is the glue that holds the series together.  His role was underplayed, almost to the point of being non-existent.  

This is a four star book that doesn't reach the same heights as the other books in this series.  Pretty soon, though, Irene will have the whole town of Hope Harbor populated and developed. 

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

 

Their Second Chance at Love

Erin wants to buy Aunt Betty's Victorian house, but it needs work.  At the same time, Erin needs work to earn the money to buy the house where she and her children are living.  She has been commissioned to make a wedding cake, and her dreams fall apart when the handyman, Logan, Aunt Betty has hired and Erin's son throw a football inside the house and topple the cake.  Erin falls on her own sword to right the wrong she is ultimately responsible for, but ultimately it costs her the money she needs to buy Aunt Betty's house.  

Logan has been gone from town for several years because he had unresolved feelings that came up when his best friend and Erin's husband died of cancer.  He couldn't come to terms with the feelings he was having, so he thought the better choice was to leave.  

Kayla Tirrell has woven together a novel that explains how God is at work even in the background of our lives.  She also shows what second chances are like in God's family.  Their Second Chance at Love is a bit of a light-hearted book with some depth to it.  It moves the heart in ways that are unexpected.  This is a strong four star book.   

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

 

Just for the Summer

Ginny has messed up big time.  She double booked the hotel's event room with an anniversary celebration and a wedding reception.  The fact that the bride's family is friends with Ginny's boss makes the situation even worse puts Ginny's job on the line.  So Ginny signs up for a job swap for the summer.  

Jacqueline is a fish out of water, running her grandfather's fishing lodge.  Needing a change of scenery, she signs up for the same job swap as Ginny, and the plans are made.  

Ginny hits the ground running making some changes here and there that enhance the ambiance of the lodge and entices more clientele to the lodge.  Jacqueline very nearly destroys the hotel and enrages the owner in a way that Ginny never did. So the owner cancels the contract for Jacqueline and sends her home with her tail between her legs.  

While at the lodge, Ginny has made inroads with Jacqueline's grandfather and his summer fishing guide, while Jacqueline has attempted the same with the hotel owner's son with not as stellar results.  

Melody Carlson has built a most enjoyable book with places I know and believable characters who are real in the sense that they have real strengths and weaknesses.  This gives them an honest touch in how they come across throughout the book.  There is the man who continually seeks what he cannot have and is unwilling to accept what is offered.  There is the couple who are falling in love without even realizing what is happening to them.  There is the woman who wants to come across as stronger than she really is. All of these characteristics are part of the charm of the book that makes it all the more readable. Four Strong Stars.  

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

 

The Divine Proverb of Streusel

Nikki's father left her mother, married within three months of the divorce being final, and now wants back into Nikki's life.  With all the upheaval in Nikki's life, she decided to leave town for a few days to get her thoughts in order and get her head on straight. The place she runs to is her uncle's house and finds refuge as well as meaning and purpose to her life.  She offers to help her uncle refurbish his old farmhouse that has been in the family for many generations and with the summer off from her teaching job, she's got the time to do the work to help her uncle out.  In working with him, she finds a notebook full of her great-grandmother's recipes, along with some words of wisdom great-grandmother found along the way.  In choosing recipes to try and reading the wisdom that each recipe holds, Nikki comes to find that forgiving is a great burden reliever and healer for her soul.  In learning this, she passes the wisdom on to her Uncle Wes.  

The romances in this story are secondary to the depth of spiritual knowledge included, and secondary to the plot development itself. Sara Brunsvold has woven a depth into this book that makes it hard to read, but that is not a bad thing,  Sometimes hard is exactly what is needed by the reader.  It is far more rewarding because there is so much more substance to this novel.  

This is a five star book with two thumbs up and a homemade streusel for dessert. 

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

 

If the Boot Fits

This is the second novel in the Texas Ever After series.  I found it was a more enjoyable read than the first one.  If the Boot Fits is a Texas retelling of the Cinder"fella" fairy tale.  Karen Witemeyer has done a great job in relating the story.  A couple of differences between this story and the fairy tale we all know and love is that even though there is a stepmother, she's loving and nurturing.  Mama Bess, as she is called brings out the protectiveness in her stepson, Asher.  

Mama Bess has been evicted from her house on Three Cedars land after her husband died and she could no longer pay the increased rent.  Asher wants to find out why.  He sneaks into a ball being given for the daughter of the Three Cedars owner, Eli, to go through Eli's books to see if there were any underhanded dealings in the situation with his mother.  

During his getaway, Eli's son falls into a pond and his daughter yells for help because Clint can't swim.  Asher cannot let the boy drown, so he shucks his boots and coat and jumps into the pond to rescue Clint. As Asher makes his getaway, he drops one of his boots.  Sam, Eli's daughter, finds the boot and hides it in her room.  Then Sam goes on a hunt to find who might fit the boot. 

In this book, there is a bit of mystery, a bit of secretiveness, and a whole lot of love exhibited by the main characters.  One of the best things that happens in this book is the forgiveness Eli extends to Asher for riffling through his papers.  He understood the motivation, he respected Asher's willingness to stand up and take responsibility for his own actions without making excuses, and he knew that his daughter was falling in love with Asher. Karen has woven quite a bit of depth into her characters.  Asher's desire to take care of his stepmother and little brothers is not often seen in real life.  Sam is not just a flibberty-gibbet, but cares about people around her.  She desires to learn more about the world around her on the ranch.  Eli wants to see Sam settled, and goes about it the wrong way, but he comes to realize his mistake.  He begins to understand his daughter's desire to find her own husband and her ability to see the character of the men around her.  

The only part of the book I didn't like was the rattlesnake.  I would not have kept my cool in that situation.  I would have been a hazard to my own health and well being.  

This is a five star book, with two thumbs up, and a pair of cowboy boots that have been embellished to the nines. 

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

 
 

A Season of Harvest

It's Lark's turn to find happiness, but she seems bound and determined to push it away.  She wants to seem content to find her happiness in loving her sisters' families and working her farm.  Isaac McTavish has fallen in love with Miss Lark, but she doesn't feel she can depend on him and pushes him away.  

In the meantime, Lilac has gone back to Ohio to see their brothers, help her oldest brother reopen his store after the fire, and possibly bring Jonas back with her to help with the harvest on the farm.  While there, she reconnects with Sam, an old school mate.  He lost his arm in the War Between the States, but he has a teaching credential, so Lilac convinces Sam to apply for the teaching job in her town in Nebraska.  Sam sees the opportunity as a godsend and a way to get some distance from his mother's hovering.  She means well, but Sam feels suffocated by her ministrations.  

There is one anachronism in the book that kind of took me aback.  When Sam begins his new school year, he begins his day by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.  That wasn't written until about twenty years later.  That is the only thing I feel I can criticize about the book.  I THINK it was customary in those days to recite the Lord's Prayer, or possibly a Psalm to open the school day.  The book reads as a slice of life for the frontier farmer.  There is a bit of excitement here and there in the plot of the book, but it reads more as a narrative of daily life--almost like a journal.  This doesn't mean that the plot is too slow, it means that there is more time to delve into the thoughts of the characters and get to know them even better.  It's a fitting wrap up to the series.  Lauraine Snelling and Kiersti Giron have done a masterful job with the series and I look forward to see what they come up with next. 

Four Strong Stars.

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

 

Loyally Luke

I've been waiting for Luke's story to come out and I was excited to read it once it did.  Of the three books in the series, Luke's story was not as compelling as Authentically, Izzy or Positively, Penelope, but it did bring the series full circle.  Luke's love interest was not what I expected, but the twists and turns throughout the book keep the reader engaged, and admittedly, Luke is a swoon-worthy leading man.  Pepper Basham has pulled the series together and tied it up in a neat package that will entertain readers for hours.  Some of her books provoke deeper thought and contemplation, but this one is pure enjoyment.  

Luke is in Skymar to help with a remodel on an orphanage, as well as remodels on a couple of cabins.  He is there for three months, staying through until Izzy's wedding.  Then he's going back home.  He meets Ellie in the airport when their coffee orders get switched and it's all downhill from there.  

Ellie is trying to overcome a past that no one wants to let go.  She goes to some lengths to hide her identity, but it still comes out when she least expects it.  Now she has to deal with Luke finding out about her past and making corrections for the future.  

As with the other books in the series, much of the plot is moved by text messages among Luke, Izzy, and Penelope.  The only thing I didn't like in this book was that Penelope became a bit vapid in her interactions with Luke.  Luke, overall, was unassuming and quiet, and he spent his time doing his work.  

It's still a good read and is great for whiling away a few hours snuggled under a blanket with a cup of tea on the side. Four Strong Stars.

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