Lori Copeland has a penchant for writing some rootin', tootin', rip-roarin' books and each one is a gem in its own right. I just finished a trilogy of Wild West Brides and I thoroughly enjoyed all three of them.
Three Claxton brothers are returning home from the uncivil Civil War, and each one encounters love in a significantly different way. Wynne Elliot is on her way to River Run, Missouri, to find Cass Claxton to do him a serious injury because he took her money and left her standing at the altar. While on her journey, she is overrun by the Beeson gang and robbed of her last bit of money to finance her trip. Cole and Beau Claxton happen on the stage just moments after the robbery occured, and offered to take her into town and help her out for a bit. What Wynne doesn't know is that they are Cass's brothers. When she finds out, she decides to strike out on her own to find Cass and do him in. Cole can't let that happen, so he follows her and from there, all kinds of sparks fly.
Beau comes home from the war to marry his high school sweetheart, Betsy. About a year later, Bets is bitten by a rattlesnake that kills her and their unborn child. After the funeral, Beau leaves River Run--in an effort to run from his grief. His running leads him to Cherry Grove, Kansas, and into the mouth of an angry, injured wolf--which does him a great injury itself. Charity Burk sees what happens and drags him to her house and takes care of his injuries until he gets better. In the meantime, her best friend, Letty, dies in childbirth and her husband leaves the baby in Charity's care. In order for Charity to keep her claim and keep the baby, she needs to marry Beau, it's just getting Beau to come around to her way of thinking.
On his way home from Kansas City, Cass drops in on Beau--the day he marries Charity--and helps him prove up Charity's land. On a trip to town, he and Beau encounter Leviticus McCord and his daughter Susanne. Susanne is rather spoiled and not afraid to throw a major hissy fit in public in order to get her way. She ends up hitting Cass in the face with her purse and later comes to Charity's house to try to talk Cass into taking her to St Louis. When her original plan doesn't work, she resorts to blackmail to force Cass to marry her and take her to St Louis. When Cass drops her off, he demands that she get the marriage annulled. Six years pass by and now Susanne needs a place to run her orphanage and house "her" nine children, and the place she finds to fill her needs is owned by Cass Claxton. When he won't lease the place to her, she decides to move the children back to Cherry Grove to live with her father. She manipulates Cass by sending a telegram to him "from" Beau telling him he needs Cass's help. On the way to and after they reach Cherry Grove, Susanne does a lot of growing up, especially in her spiritual life. This one of the three novels had me crying for more than half an hour.
Lori has done a tremendous job with these three novels. There was a bit of repetition in SOME of the elements of the books--Charity and Susanne both do a bit of manipulation to get their way and their man. Both of them retreat from their manipulation, but not until they have done some serious damage to their relationships. That is the only real criticism I have for these books or for Lori's writings. Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and a wagon train ride west.
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Monday, May 11, 2015
A Gentleman's Kiss
This is a collection of nine novellas where a single kiss seals the deal between a single man and a single woman, written by nine incredible authors. As I was reading through the stories, I kept finding that I liked each one better than the previous one, with a couple of exceptions.
The problem with these collections is that there isn't space enough to give the characters the depth they need to make a good story, but these authors seem to make it work within the constraints. There are a couple of novellas out of sequence in the galley I read, but for the most part, all nine stories stand alone. I feel that some of them have been previously published in other collections, but what caused the them to make the cut in this collection is the fact of a mind-bending kiss between the protagonists. The settings vary from story to story but adds to the spice of the whole anthology. Two of the stories revolve around music, several of them revolve around former loves moving back home, but all of them revolve around Jesus Christ. One, in fact, uses the story as a tool to point out the gospel in such a way that every reader MUST make a decision for or against Jesus.
The book's list of novellas and authors can be found on Amazon by clicking on the picture of the book and then the table of contents. Each is listed in the order it appears in the book. It was such a pleasure to read this book. Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and a kiss to knock your socks off.
My thanks to Barbour Books for allowing me to read and review this anthology.
The problem with these collections is that there isn't space enough to give the characters the depth they need to make a good story, but these authors seem to make it work within the constraints. There are a couple of novellas out of sequence in the galley I read, but for the most part, all nine stories stand alone. I feel that some of them have been previously published in other collections, but what caused the them to make the cut in this collection is the fact of a mind-bending kiss between the protagonists. The settings vary from story to story but adds to the spice of the whole anthology. Two of the stories revolve around music, several of them revolve around former loves moving back home, but all of them revolve around Jesus Christ. One, in fact, uses the story as a tool to point out the gospel in such a way that every reader MUST make a decision for or against Jesus.
The book's list of novellas and authors can be found on Amazon by clicking on the picture of the book and then the table of contents. Each is listed in the order it appears in the book. It was such a pleasure to read this book. Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and a kiss to knock your socks off.
My thanks to Barbour Books for allowing me to read and review this anthology.
Undercover Bride
Once again, I have jumped into the middle of a series, but once again, it doesn't really matter. The characters stand alone and the reader does not feel that she is missing something.
Maggie Cartwright, aka Maggie Taylor is Garrett Thomas' mail order bride, but in reality, Maggie is a Pinkerton agent out to prove that Garrett was the Whistle-Stop Bandit. Once Maggie meets Garrett, she begins to doubt that Garrett actually WAS the Bandit. Still it's her job to find the evidence to prove the charges one way or the other. In the meantime, Maggie falls in love with Garrett's two children, and then falls in love with Garrett himself.
While Margaret Brownley did follow the accepted romance formula, she did it in a most entertaining way. Her books are always marked with humor and light-heartedness and this one is no different.
Maggie has had to take on many roles in her job as a Pinkerton, but she's never really learned the homemaking arts--especially the essentials like cooking, so she hides her discrepancies as best as she can. She uses a cookbook but she doesn't let anyone else know about it by hiding it after she uses it.
I have loved every one of Margaret Brownley's books that I've read. I recommend this one to anyone who likes light-hearted historical romance. Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and a Pinkerton Agent who'll find all your secrets.
My thanks to Barbour Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book.
Maggie Cartwright, aka Maggie Taylor is Garrett Thomas' mail order bride, but in reality, Maggie is a Pinkerton agent out to prove that Garrett was the Whistle-Stop Bandit. Once Maggie meets Garrett, she begins to doubt that Garrett actually WAS the Bandit. Still it's her job to find the evidence to prove the charges one way or the other. In the meantime, Maggie falls in love with Garrett's two children, and then falls in love with Garrett himself.
While Margaret Brownley did follow the accepted romance formula, she did it in a most entertaining way. Her books are always marked with humor and light-heartedness and this one is no different.
Maggie has had to take on many roles in her job as a Pinkerton, but she's never really learned the homemaking arts--especially the essentials like cooking, so she hides her discrepancies as best as she can. She uses a cookbook but she doesn't let anyone else know about it by hiding it after she uses it.
I have loved every one of Margaret Brownley's books that I've read. I recommend this one to anyone who likes light-hearted historical romance. Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and a Pinkerton Agent who'll find all your secrets.
My thanks to Barbour Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book.
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Sand in My Sandwich
Sarah Parshall Perry has written a memoir describing her life with her two autistic sons and her neurotypical daughter. This was an intriguing book to read because I know parents of autistic children, I have an autistic nephew, and I have known some autistic people.
What I have brought away from reading this book is that there is no manual for raising children, but even more so for raising autistic children. One of the more poignant things that Sarah has said in this book is that if you've met an autistic child, you've met ONE autistic child. There is no "typical" autistic child, each one exhibits his brain synapses differently. I have a friend with seven children, three with sensory processing disorders (but not the same ones), two with autism, and these five neuro-differences encompass only three of her children. One thing that my friend is vocal about is that autistic behavior is not always a spoiled child acting out, it is a matter of sensory overload and the inability to process what all the senses are saying. Sarah Perry says this too.
At one time, autism was a rare and baffling condition, but now, while it's still baffling, it's not rare, about 1% of all children have some form of autism. With no known cause, there is no known cure--not that an autistic child needs to be cured, but it is in some cases a debilitating disease that prevents the sufferer from having a normal life or even normal human interaction. I have a degree in Elementary Education which means I don't know much about a lot of subjects, and what little I do know is incomplete. I thank Sarah for writing this book that gives a glimpse into her day-to-day life with two autistic children, and into her desire to raise them to be followers of God. It's a hard thing she does, even with the help of her husband and I hope that her children will rise up and call her blessed.
For mothers everywhere, this is a five star book!
I thank Revell for allowing me to read and review this book. You have done a great service by publishing it.
What I have brought away from reading this book is that there is no manual for raising children, but even more so for raising autistic children. One of the more poignant things that Sarah has said in this book is that if you've met an autistic child, you've met ONE autistic child. There is no "typical" autistic child, each one exhibits his brain synapses differently. I have a friend with seven children, three with sensory processing disorders (but not the same ones), two with autism, and these five neuro-differences encompass only three of her children. One thing that my friend is vocal about is that autistic behavior is not always a spoiled child acting out, it is a matter of sensory overload and the inability to process what all the senses are saying. Sarah Perry says this too.
At one time, autism was a rare and baffling condition, but now, while it's still baffling, it's not rare, about 1% of all children have some form of autism. With no known cause, there is no known cure--not that an autistic child needs to be cured, but it is in some cases a debilitating disease that prevents the sufferer from having a normal life or even normal human interaction. I have a degree in Elementary Education which means I don't know much about a lot of subjects, and what little I do know is incomplete. I thank Sarah for writing this book that gives a glimpse into her day-to-day life with two autistic children, and into her desire to raise them to be followers of God. It's a hard thing she does, even with the help of her husband and I hope that her children will rise up and call her blessed.
For mothers everywhere, this is a five star book!
I thank Revell for allowing me to read and review this book. You have done a great service by publishing it.
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
A Hope Remembered
I don't always choose to read World War I era books--my understanding of the history of the war is that the whole era was depressing, but for some reason this book made it to my reading list. And, it made it to the top of the queue, so yesterday, I read it, and I loved it. I didn't realize that A Hope Remembered was part of a series until I started writing this review.
I've not encountered Stacy Henrie in my reading forays yet, but I am glad I stumbled upon her writing now. She is talented in the way she puts a plot together with romance and a bit of suspense, and she develops her characters to make the reader believe they are real people.
Colin and his brother, Christian, are pilots in the Royal Flying Corps (as it was called during WWI) and often fly their missions together. In one of their conversations together, Christian makes Colin promise to go back to their home in Elmthwaite if anything happens to him, and in the next mission, Christian is shot down. Colin goes home, not because he wants to, but because of his promise.
Nora has inherited a sheep farm just down the lane from Elmthwaite and since her parents died unexpectedly in the influenza epidemic, she sells the family farm to move to England where her sheep farm is. She shows up on the doorstep of Elmthwaite to get the key to her cottage. They begin to develop a friendship that grows beyond just friendship. When the neighbor's son, Jack Tuttle, starts spending time with Nora, Colin feels the green-eyed monster grow in his heart.
In the midst of all this, Colin's father wants him to encourage Nora to sell him her place so he can build a hotel on her field--all in the name of helping the family coffers. And in the meantime, someone is vandalizing Nora's place and creating havoc for her--even to the point of stealing her puppy.
This book does follow the generally accepted romance formula (first mentioned here), but it doesn't detract from the sweetness of the plot. The setting and the time work together to make this a quiet read--and I am not sure how to explain it except to say this isn't a loud, gonging plot, but it moves along quietly with a few bumps and hiccups here and there.
Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and a sheep to shear.
My thanks to Grand Central Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book.
I've not encountered Stacy Henrie in my reading forays yet, but I am glad I stumbled upon her writing now. She is talented in the way she puts a plot together with romance and a bit of suspense, and she develops her characters to make the reader believe they are real people.
Colin and his brother, Christian, are pilots in the Royal Flying Corps (as it was called during WWI) and often fly their missions together. In one of their conversations together, Christian makes Colin promise to go back to their home in Elmthwaite if anything happens to him, and in the next mission, Christian is shot down. Colin goes home, not because he wants to, but because of his promise.
Nora has inherited a sheep farm just down the lane from Elmthwaite and since her parents died unexpectedly in the influenza epidemic, she sells the family farm to move to England where her sheep farm is. She shows up on the doorstep of Elmthwaite to get the key to her cottage. They begin to develop a friendship that grows beyond just friendship. When the neighbor's son, Jack Tuttle, starts spending time with Nora, Colin feels the green-eyed monster grow in his heart.
In the midst of all this, Colin's father wants him to encourage Nora to sell him her place so he can build a hotel on her field--all in the name of helping the family coffers. And in the meantime, someone is vandalizing Nora's place and creating havoc for her--even to the point of stealing her puppy.
This book does follow the generally accepted romance formula (first mentioned here), but it doesn't detract from the sweetness of the plot. The setting and the time work together to make this a quiet read--and I am not sure how to explain it except to say this isn't a loud, gonging plot, but it moves along quietly with a few bumps and hiccups here and there.
Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and a sheep to shear.
My thanks to Grand Central Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book.
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
A Promise of Grace
Belinda was killed in an accident about a year ago and now Silas and the children are moving to Pinecraft, near Sarasota, Florida. Living in Pinecraft is Rochelle Keim, once a girlfriend of Silas. They have a past together that they have to get through before they can have a future together. When Silas' daughter has an acute attack of appendicitis, some hidden truths have to come out that should have been revealed a long time ago.
Lynette Sowell has written an engaging Plain novel in a series taking place in Pinecraft, Florida. I was introduced to the Plain peoples living in Pinecraft in novels by Anna Schmidt and thoroughly enjoyed them. There are Mennonites, Old Order Amish, and other Plain people in between living in Pinecraft.
I will get the worst criticism out of the way first. Silas' daughter, Lena, needed a blood transfusion, and her blood type was O-, which the nurse is telling Silas that the blood type is very rare. Silas is quoted as having AB blood type. I googled blood types by percentages and found this information:
The approximate distribution of blood types in the U.S. population is as follows:
O-positive: 38 percent.
O-negative: 7 percent.
A-positive: 34 percent.
A-negative: 6 percent.
B-positive: 9 percent.
B-negative: 2 percent.
AB-positive: 3 percent.
AB-negative: 1 percent.
I don't always remember things I learned in high school, but I did learn that O- is the universal donor--O- blood is often used when the blood type is unknown because it is least likely to cause a reaction in the one needing the transfusion. AB+ is the universal receiver, least likely to have a reaction from the wrong blood type given. I found Lynette's description just a bit off, or maybe because of my own health issues, I have enough medical knowledge to be dangerous. This is the WORST criticism I have for the book.
Silas is a sympathetic main character who is finding his way after losing his wife. His primary desire after his family is to go back to Africa and be Mission Aviator. Even though it has been twenty years since seeing Rochelle, he still loves her, but he has to settle some of their history before he can truly re-enter into a relationship with her.
Rochelle is a dedicated woman who wants to finish her nursing degree and go into missions herself. Right at the beginning of the book, her two nieces live with her while they prepare for their weddings. They encourage her relationship with Silas, and she still has feelings for Silas, but again, their history has to be dealt with.
Lynette has put together a great story that sets roots down in your heart and brings dessert with it.
Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and dessert.
Lynette Sowell has written an engaging Plain novel in a series taking place in Pinecraft, Florida. I was introduced to the Plain peoples living in Pinecraft in novels by Anna Schmidt and thoroughly enjoyed them. There are Mennonites, Old Order Amish, and other Plain people in between living in Pinecraft.
I will get the worst criticism out of the way first. Silas' daughter, Lena, needed a blood transfusion, and her blood type was O-, which the nurse is telling Silas that the blood type is very rare. Silas is quoted as having AB blood type. I googled blood types by percentages and found this information:
The approximate distribution of blood types in the U.S. population is as follows:
O-positive: 38 percent.
O-negative: 7 percent.
A-positive: 34 percent.
A-negative: 6 percent.
B-positive: 9 percent.
B-negative: 2 percent.
AB-positive: 3 percent.
AB-negative: 1 percent.
I don't always remember things I learned in high school, but I did learn that O- is the universal donor--O- blood is often used when the blood type is unknown because it is least likely to cause a reaction in the one needing the transfusion. AB+ is the universal receiver, least likely to have a reaction from the wrong blood type given. I found Lynette's description just a bit off, or maybe because of my own health issues, I have enough medical knowledge to be dangerous. This is the WORST criticism I have for the book.
Silas is a sympathetic main character who is finding his way after losing his wife. His primary desire after his family is to go back to Africa and be Mission Aviator. Even though it has been twenty years since seeing Rochelle, he still loves her, but he has to settle some of their history before he can truly re-enter into a relationship with her.
Rochelle is a dedicated woman who wants to finish her nursing degree and go into missions herself. Right at the beginning of the book, her two nieces live with her while they prepare for their weddings. They encourage her relationship with Silas, and she still has feelings for Silas, but again, their history has to be dealt with.
Lynette has put together a great story that sets roots down in your heart and brings dessert with it.
Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and dessert.
Sunday, May 3, 2015
Beyond the Ashes
It seems that lately I am jumping into series of books in the middle of the series, and with Beyond the Ashes by Karen Barnett, I did it again. I have to say that the book stands well alone. While some of the characters were featured in the previous book in the series, it didn't feel as though I was jumping into the middle of a conversation, and I didn't feel as though I was missing something.
Recently, I watched a Ken Burns series called, "Cancer, the Emperor of Maladies." The series went back to the early ages of radiation therapies for cancer and the dangers the early pioneers faced in using radiation. I have cancer. I don't talk about it much because I don't wish to bore the populace about it. I will gladly answser questions about my condition, my treatments, and how my condition places limits on me. Just ask!
Ruby is a widow and a nurse needing a change of scenery, so she moves from Sacramento to San Francisco where her brother is soon to be married, and where the city is suffering the after-effects of the earthquake that tore it to shreds. She finds her brother and his fiancee, Abby, living with his partner in his medical research. His partner, Dr Gerald Larkspur, shuffles things around in his home to make room for Ruby, and at the same time shuffles his heart around to make room for her too. Ruby begins working at the hospital with her brother and Gerald, and accompanies Abby to the shanty-town area to treat the homeless because of the earthquake. Abby's mother and Gerald's mother are also living in the house and spend their time in the kitchen trying to outdo each other in the sweets making department.
Ruby is estranged from God when she arrives in San Francisco, but Gerald's gentle ways re-introduce her to God and helps her faith to grow. In the meantime, Patrick shows up on the scene with his own interest in Ruby. He's the minister to the shanty-town people and it's easy for him to fall for Ruby's generous, servant's heart. Ruby has to decide which man truly holds her heart.
There are moments in this book that make you want to cry, moments that make you laugh, and moments that make you just say, "Awwwwwww." This is definitely a five star, two thumbs up, and a piece of cake kind of book.
My thanks to Abingdon Press for allowing me to read and review this book.
Recently, I watched a Ken Burns series called, "Cancer, the Emperor of Maladies." The series went back to the early ages of radiation therapies for cancer and the dangers the early pioneers faced in using radiation. I have cancer. I don't talk about it much because I don't wish to bore the populace about it. I will gladly answser questions about my condition, my treatments, and how my condition places limits on me. Just ask!
Ruby is a widow and a nurse needing a change of scenery, so she moves from Sacramento to San Francisco where her brother is soon to be married, and where the city is suffering the after-effects of the earthquake that tore it to shreds. She finds her brother and his fiancee, Abby, living with his partner in his medical research. His partner, Dr Gerald Larkspur, shuffles things around in his home to make room for Ruby, and at the same time shuffles his heart around to make room for her too. Ruby begins working at the hospital with her brother and Gerald, and accompanies Abby to the shanty-town area to treat the homeless because of the earthquake. Abby's mother and Gerald's mother are also living in the house and spend their time in the kitchen trying to outdo each other in the sweets making department.
Ruby is estranged from God when she arrives in San Francisco, but Gerald's gentle ways re-introduce her to God and helps her faith to grow. In the meantime, Patrick shows up on the scene with his own interest in Ruby. He's the minister to the shanty-town people and it's easy for him to fall for Ruby's generous, servant's heart. Ruby has to decide which man truly holds her heart.
There are moments in this book that make you want to cry, moments that make you laugh, and moments that make you just say, "Awwwwwww." This is definitely a five star, two thumbs up, and a piece of cake kind of book.
My thanks to Abingdon Press for allowing me to read and review this book.
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