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. 

Everything's Coming Up Rosie

 Rosie wants to be a successful actress on the stage, but she is in a place of stagnation.  Her roommate kicks her out of the apartment for nonpayment of rent on the same day she loses her job.  In desperation, she moves back to her parents' home--but she was going to be going there for a baby shower for one of her best friends. She hasn't been totally honest with her friends about how life has been in New York.  When she gets an offer from one of her blind applications for the summer she takes the offer without thinking.  She finds out she's taken a job in a retirement center to direct their summer musical. 

Rosie's summer gets off to rousing start when she sinks her golf cart into the mud. Life at the senior community has its charm and its mishaps. It also has Booker Hayes, a physical therapist and handyman who is called on to help out in a myriad of ways. 

There is a romance that brews between Booker and Rosie, but it develops slowly and organically.  I liked the way Rosie's dreams developed.  I really appreciated the way Courtney Walsh pulled that part of the story together. This is the kind of book that readers will not want to put it down and will lose sleep to finish the novel.  Four Strong Stars.  

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

What Not to Do on Vacation

 This is a fun read, it has the classic romance novel formula with a few twists thrown in for good measure.  Savannah, Cora, and Bianca are sisters who are meeting at their favorite beach house they visited as children in order to fulfill a wish their dead mother had.  Bianca comes with the news that she is getting married to a man she met online but not in real life.  Savannah has her own secrets that she's bringing to the sisters' vacation.  Cora isn't bringing a secret but she's not totally buying what Bianca is selling.  

It is through Bianca's machinations that Cora meets Jax and eventually they become an item.  Cora never really wanted the relationship to work to prove a point to Bianca.  That it did become a relationship surprised Cora. Where the romance novel formula breaks down is that Jax is not the one who throws a spanner into the works, but someone else who had nothing better to do than gossip.  

Rachel Magee has written a cute rom-com that gives her readers the escape they need for an afternoon or to take to the beach for a vacation read.   Strong Four Stars

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

Welcome to the Honey B&B

Melody Carlson writes books with a light-hearted hand, but this one is a bit more serious and true-to-life.  At the end of the book she tells her readers that this comes from a place in her heart that makes the story more real and deeper than some of her others.  This depth creates a thoughtful story that touches the soul. 

At the heart of this novel is CT, a man suffering from Frontotemporal Dementia.  It's a devastating illness because the sufferer knows something is wrong but can't do anything about it. CT's hobby has been keeping bees and when his daughter and granddaughter came to help his wife, his granddaughter picked up his hobby of keeping bees. 

Welcome to the Honey B&B really delves into some real-life situations and gives them a humane treatment.  While the book is promoted as a romance, what little romance there is, is understated and quite quiet.  

This is the best Melody Carlson book I've read.  It presents real struggles with real personalities. This is  a five-star book, with two thumbs up, and a honeybee hive. 

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

 

Second Chance at Sunshine Inn

I have liked the books that Amy Clipston has written because they are not too heavy for the reader.  Her books are great entertainment for a mental escape. 

Everleigh has inherited half of a B&B with a handyman her godmother had hired to do odd jobs around the Inn.  Everleigh wants to sell it and start a non-profit to help parents with critically ill babies.  Cade, the handyman, wants to keep the B&B and run it.  He comes to a compromise with Everleigh that if she can sell it to someone who will run it as a B&B instead of tearing it down and developing it he will consider selling it. She cannot use a realtor, nor sell it to a developer, and he has ultimate veto power on which offer she accepts.  AND there is a time limit on the sale. There are shady folks who make offers or ingratiate themselves to Everleigh as a way to get past her defenses. The people she thinks are friends are actually sheep in wolves' clothing.  The more Everleigh and Cade work together, the closer they become.  

This is a feel-good book once you get past all of the villains who wish to destroy what Everleigh's godmother has built up.  A gamut of emotions rolls through the book and reels the reader in from the beginning to the end.  A strong Four Star book.

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

 

The Collector of Burned Books

 Corrine Bastien lives in the building next to the library of books that Germany has the books consigned to be burned by Hitler.  Christian Bauer has been sent by Goebbels to oversee the library and secure the books that are missing from the shelves. While Christian does not adhere to Hitler's beliefs, he is still somewhat a person to be feared in Corrine's eyes.  

Roseanna M White has cobbled together a group of characters who add small sparks of life here and there, but the book still falls a bit flat for me.  The plot moved a bit too slowly for me and it wasn't until the last quarter of the book that the pacing finally hit its mark.  Some of the characters were easy to dislike--maybe, even hate. Some of the characters were so very likable, and some were just space fillers while others were there just to bully people around. Corrine did develop depth throughout the book, which I appreciated.  Christian had a heart from the beginning but didn't show it until later on in the book. 

This wasn't my favorite book but it did give a glimpse into life in Paris under German rule during World War II. This is something we need to be reminded of so that we don't repeat history.   Four Stars.

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