The Anonymous Bride by Vickie McDonough

The Anonymous Bride by Vickie McDonough

Published: 2010

Publisher:Barbour Books

Series: Texas Boardinghouse Brides(book 1)

Goodreads Summery: Check yourself into the Texas Boardinghouse Brides series by Vickie McDonough, where you’ll meet Luke Davis, marshal of Lookout, Texas, who flippantly tells his cousin he’d get married if the right woman ever came along. When three mail-order brides are delivered to Luke a month later, he’s in an uncomfortable predicament. How will he ever choose his mate? Rachel Hamilton’s long-time love for Luke is reignited with his return to town. So when three mail-order brides appear, she panics. Will she find the courage to tell Luke that she loves him? Or take an anonymous part in the contest for his hand?

Ten years earlier Rachel had broken Luke's heart and married another man. Luke left town and joined the Calvary. Now he is returning to Lookout to be the towns marshal. Rachel is now widowed and has a 10 year old daughter. Her daughter is running all over town dressing like a boy and getting into trouble. Luke’s cousins think getting Luke a mail order bride will help him get over his past feelings for Rachel but the plan back fires when 3 brides not 1 come to town. Will Luke pick one of them or will his old feeling for Rachel relight? Will Rachel tell Luke the secrets of her past so they can move forward together or will she lose Luke forever?

I enjoyed this book. I really like series like this where you get to know quite a few characters and then get to read the stories of some of the side characters in other books in the series. In this book the main story is between Rachel and Luke. We also get to see the romance from Rachel's 10 year old daughters eyes which I thought was kind of fun. I found myself really liking Jack even though she was causing so much trouble.

The only down side was I felt the first book told the story from a few to many of the future book characters. All 3 of the mail order brides and both the cousins where told in this book and I found myself at times wanting to get back to the main story.

I found it interesting this book touched on rape, spousal abuse as well as child abuse. Lots of issues but the author did a wonderful job of working it into the story line. The ending was a good one but also left me wanting to read the next book in the series. Over all a great start to the series!

Book Rating

Steamy Rating

Source: I bought this book from Amazon.com

May Cooler Heads Prevail by Teri Dunnegan

May Cooler Heads Prevail by Teri Dunnegan

Published: 2010

Publisher:Barbour Publishing

Series: None

Goodreads Summery:

The last time Dixie’s Aunt Connie saw her fiancé was the night before their wedding.

Now, forty years later, he’s wrapped in pink cellophane and lying in Connie’s flower cooler…

Psychologist Dixie Tanner has been recruited by her uncle to help prove her aunt’s innocence in the murder of Aaron Scott. But when Dixie arrives home in Kenna Springs, she finds her loyal-but-whacky relatives have taken matters into their own hands and are determined to find the killer before anyone misses the victim. There are just two little problems. . .that pesky body in pink and the real murderer—who soon decides that Dixie and her aunts and uncle know too much for his own good.

Dixie Tanner is a therapist and one night she gets a call from her uncle that her aunt is in trouble and they need her to come home to Kenna Springs right away. At first she blows her uncle off but once she find out there has been a murder she packs her bags and heads home. You soon meet her family and find out her aunts ex fiancée is dead and they are working to figure out who did it before the sheriff figures out what is going on. Also throw into the mix is a young man who lives in the same building as Dixie’s aunt. He is soon helping them to solve the mystery.  Will they figure out who done it before they end up six feet under as well?

This book has a lot of humor in it and in my option made it a book I could read. This book is only told from Dixie’s view point and I really don’t enjoy a book that is only told by one character. It also seemed a bit far fetched. I kept thinking to myself how do they keep getting away with this stuff? I did enjoy the love of this family and how they stuck together and worked together to figure out who killed the guy.

There was a very small romance story between Dixie and her aunts neighbor. Being a fan of romance novels I was hoping for a little more of a story there but the ending was happy at least.

Over all if you like a funny quick reading mystery novel then I think you will enjoy this book.

Book Rating

Steamy rating

Does not apply no one even kissed in this book!

DISCLOSURE: I was provided a free copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley to review it. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own.

Love on Assignment by Cara Lynn James

Love on Assignment by Cara Lynn James

Published: 2010

Publisher: Thomas Nelson 

Series: Ladies of Summerhill(Book 2)

Goodreads Summery: While Charlotte is focusing on uncovering sordid information on columnist Daniel Wilmot, her heart leads her into uncharted territory.During the summer of 1900 Charlotte Hale, a native Newporter and secretary for the Rhode Island Reporter, accepts an undercover assignment as temporary governess to Daniel Wilmont's children in order to secretly gather evidence against him. As he helps her rediscover God, Charlotte learns that Daniel is an honorable man.They unexpectedly fall in love despite their different backgrounds and social positions. Charlotte soon realizes she must defend Daniel against the forces set against him-a willful student with a romantic crush and the newspaper editor determined to destroy his reputation.

Charlotte is a secretary working at a news paper. She wants to be a journalist. Her boss calls her into his office and gives her a opportunity she can’t pass up. She will go undercover as a governess to get the goods on Daniel. Daniel is a professor at a Christian college. He also writes a column in the rival news paper that many business men don’t like and they want him to stop at any cost. Will Charlotte follow through to bring Daniel down or will she find out the truth and will she be willing to risk it all to tell it? Will Daniel’s faith be strong enough to get him through this challenge or will he give in to social pressures?

I liked this book a little better then the first one in the series. I found the story was interesting and I kept holding my breath to see if Charlotte was going to be found out. I did feel the climax was kind of drug out. She would start to tell Daniel but something would happen and she would not. By the time he finally did find out it had lost its punch. I also found the ending to be a little unbelievable. I liked the happy ending but it seems to just all suddenly work out.

Over all it was a good book and I enjoyed reading it. I look forward to the 3rd book due out this summer.

Book Rating

(3.8)

Steamy Rating

 

DISCLOSURE: I was provided a free copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley to review it. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own.

Love on a Dime by Cara Lynn James

Love on a Dime by Cara Lynn James

Published: 2010

Publisher: Thomas Nelson 

Series: Ladies of Summerhill(Book1)

Goodreads Summery:

In age of elegance and excess, Lilly Westbrook longs for a love both true and eternal.

Newport, Rhode Island, 1899, is a place of shimmering waves, sleek yachts, and ladies of leisure. Of opulent mansions that serve as summer cottages for the rich and famous. Home of railroad magnates and banking tycoons--dashing young men and the women who aspire to marry them.

But it's not the place for lady novelists. Especially not those who pen disreputable dime novels. This poses a problem for Lilly Westbrook, because that's exactly what she does.

No one in Lilly's social set knows she pens fiction under the nom de plume Fannie Cole. Not her family or the wealthy young man about to propose to her. And especially not Jackson Grail, the long-lost beau who just bought her publishing company...and who stirs her heart more than she cares to admit.

But Lilly must put aside her feelings and follow the path that will maintain her family's social stature and provide the financial security that everyone is depending on.

Now Lilly faces a double dilemma. Can she continue to protect her secret identity? And will she have the courage to choose the man who will risk it all just to win her heart?

Lilly and Jackson fell in love and planned to marry when they where young adults but Jackson ended up breaking the engagement off and leaving Lilly with a broken heart. Six years later Jackson returns to win Lilly back but is it to late?

The story line of this book sounded interesting to me. Lilly writes dime novels that have a bad reputation among the upper class that she is a part of. So she writes in secret. The difference is her books have a good message with Christian principles. She feels God is calling her to spread his good news through her books and she also helps supports a Christian ran woman’s home with her books income.

Jackson has spent the last six years trying to make enough money so that he can come back and finally ask Lilly to be his wife. The problem is when he shows up she is almost pledged to be married to another. To make matters more interesting he also purchases the publishing house that sells Lilly's books.

The story line was interesting but for me I started to have trouble staying focused about half way through it just seemed to drag on some. Lilly had to deal with her pen name and whether to tell her family and Jackson. Jackson seemed to already know so when she finally told him it seemed almost like a mute point. Also her engagement to another guy was a really week story line. One minute her family was so excited and then they seemed indifferent when it was over.

Over all I did enjoy reading it and look forward to reading the 2nd book in the series.

Book Rating

Steamy Rating

Source: I got this book as a Kindle freebie from Amazon.com.

Lilly's Wedding Quilt by Kelly Long

Lilly's Wedding Quilt by Kelly Long

Published: 2011

Publisher: Thomas Nelson 

Series: Patch of Heaven(Book 2)

Goodreads Summery:

She isn't looking for love. He's mending a broken heart. It will take divine intervention for these two to get together.

Local Amish schoolteacher Lilly Lapp is tired of weddings, afraid of horses, and immersed in caring for her depressed mother. But when Jacob Wyse, a handsome horse breeder from her small community rescues her from a dangerous accident, Lilly discovers a renewed interest in life and the possibility of love.

Yet Jacob has lost the one true love of his life to another man and doesn't care to expose himself to the vulnerabilities of loving again.

God works to bring this unlikely pair into a sweet romance to produce a pattern of faith, which leads to the creation and comfort of Lilly's Wedding Quilt.

Lilly is heading to Sarah and Grants wedding when a sudden rain storm hits and she seeks cover in a barn where Jacob is hiding out recovering from being shot after he stole a English mans horse. From here the adventure begins. Will Jacob over come his past feeling for Sarah and find true love? Will Lilly be able to deal with her depressed mother as well as becoming a wife? Read this great book to find out!

I loved this book! I had trouble putting it down. I love when a book starts out strong and just keeps going. With in 5 pages I was sucked into the lives of both Jacob and Lilly. There are lots of surprised in this book that I did not expect which made it even more interesting and this made it a page turner.

This book deals with a side story of Lilly’s mom who is suffering from depression. I thought the author did a great job of not letting that story line over shadow the main but at the same time it gave a interesting look into how it would be handled in the Amish community. I already can’t wait for the third book and wonder who’s story the author will tell next. I would highly recommend you go back and reading the first book of this series first. Sarah’s Garden is also a great read. You could read this book with out going back but reading the first one will better help you to understand Jacob and his broken heart.

This book will be released March 29th 2011!

Book Rating

Steamy Rating

DISCLOSURE: I was provided a free copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley to review it. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own.

What the Heart Sees: A Collection of Amish Romances by Kathleen Fuller

What the Heart Sees: A Collection of Amish Romances by Kathleen Fuller

Published: 2011

Publisher:Thomas Nelson 

Series: None

Goodreads Summery:

Together for the first time, three Amish romances from Kathleen Fuller.

 

"A Miracle for Miriam" from An Amish Christmas

Miriam fell for Seth, but he broke her heart. Years later, after he's nearly killed in an accident, Miriam sees him at a Christmas party and notices something is different about him-not just how he looks, but how he acts. When Seth pursues her, she must decide whether to guard her heart or accept his love.

"A Place of His Own" from An Amish Gathering

When Josiah left Paradise the first time, he didn't even say good-bye. Now he's back, ten years later, and he's changed. Why is he so distant and bitter? Where is the boy who used to be Amanda's best friend? Amanda is learning that there are things even a capable Amish girl can't fix. But can she stand there and watch him walk away...again?

"What the Heart Sees" from An Amish Love

A tragic accident rocks a peaceful Amish community, leaving Ellie Chupp blinded and Christopher Bender's future shattered. But they find love and forgiveness in a place they least expect.

I enjoyed all three of these stories. In the first one

A Miracle for Miriam I found it interesting to read of a Amish young lady dealing with body image. Reading as these two young people fell in love was heart warming and a good reminder to be proud of who we are. Seth was learning to see everything different after an accident scared him for life and Miriam learned to love herself as she is. A great story.

A Place of His own was a little slower for me I did not feel like the characters got fully developed but it still was a fun read. Josiah had to forgive his father for the way he was treated after his mother dies and it also touched on tempers and control which is another subject one would not expect to read about in an Amish book. Amanda was a sweet girl but to me her character was kind flat. I did not feel like I really got to know her that well and the ending left me going that’s it? But I did enjoy the story over all.

I read What the Heart See’s in another collection a month or so ago. I loved is story. Ellie was blind and feared she would never marry. Christopher is still getting over the death of his girlfriend. Together they both come to better understand who they are and learn to put the past behind them and move ahead together.

Over all a great book. I enjoyed all three stories and if you enjoy Amish Romances then you should grab this book! This author is one of my favorites and I look forward to reading more of her books.

Book Rating

Steamy Rating

DISCLOSURE: I was provided a free copy of this book from the publisher through BookSneeze to review it. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own.

Montana Rose by Mary Connealy

Montana Rose by Mary Connealy 

Published: 2009

Publisher: Barbour Books

Series: Montana Marriages(Book 1)

Goodreads Summery: Fire up your love of romance with Montana Rose, where Cassie Griffin, a seemingly spoiled pregnant woman, is widowed one day and wedded the next. Marrying handyman Red Dawson seems the only alternative to Cassie’s being hitched to a brutal rancher. But can this “china doll” bear exchanging smooth silk for coarse calico? Red was reluctant to be yoked to an unbeliever, but sometimes a man has no choice. Will Red change Cassie’s heart by changing her name? Wade Sawyer is obsessed with saving Cassie from a marriage of convenience. How far will he go make her his own?

Cassie husband dies and leaves her broke and pregnant. All the men of her small town want to marry her since there are not a lot of women around. Red saves her from having to marry her neighbor so he can have her land. Cassie soon finds out how broke her husband was and the town’s people soon realize Cassie is not the spoiled rich girl they thought. Red has admired Cassie from a far since she had first moved to the area and now he is learning there is more to her then he first thought. Will these two find a true marriage or will Cassie’s lack of self esteem keep them apart?

I enjoyed this book a lot but there where parts of the book that moved a little slow. The underlying subject of this book was a little hard to swallow. Cassie’s first husband had “made” her obey and Red works to get her to understand that what he did was not okay and that she is allowed to be her own woman and that he would never hurt her. It was fun to see Cassie come out of her shell and start to take charge of her life.

As is the authors style she also starts to introduce the main characters of the other books in this series. Wade who will be the main character in the 3rd book is one of the men who wanted to marry Cassie before Red stepped in. He is a scary man but you start to see there is a good man under all the hurt. I had trouble with the huge turn around this character took as well as how fast he went from a scary villain to a friend. I have read the whole series that follows this one and when I realized who Wade was my mouth fell open.

We also get to know Belle who will be the main character in the 2nd book. It was a little hard in the first book to read about all 3 characters, but the author did a good job and I did not feel the main story of this book was over shadowed. You definitely need to read this series in order or you will miss part of the story.

Over all another great book by Mary Connealy! If you have not read any of her books your missing out!

Book Rating

Steamy Rating

 

DISCLOSURE: I was provided a free copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley to review it. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own.

The Blue Enchantress by Marylu Tyndall

The Blue Enchantress by M.L. Tyndall

Published: 2009

Publisher: Barbour Books

Series: Charles Towne Belles (Book 2)

Goodreads Summery:Get swept away in a high-tide of romance and adventure from acclaimed author M. L. Tyndall. Attempting to forget about a painful past, Hope Westcott plunges into Charles Towne society trying to find love and acceptance. Captain Nathaniel Mason is determined to build his shipping business and doesn’t need a romantic entanglement—especially with a woman like Hope. When Hope’s adventure-seeking puts her freedom—and her life—in jeopardy, will Nathaniel turn his back or follow God’s voice and sacrifice everything to save her?

The book starts off with Hope on the auction block to become a slave. She had chased after a man who did not want her. Nathaniel buys her, having to sell his ship to save her. Nathaniel has had his eyes on Hope for many years but she is from high society and he is a not. Nathaniel plans to escort Hope safely home and be done with her but much adventure awaits. Will Nathaniel see how much Hope has changed and risk everything to save her? Will Hope be able to become the true Lady she want so desperately to be?

This is book two of the series. I have not read the first one but plan to soon. I loved this book. This author is fast becoming one of my favorites. I just can’t put her books down. Hope and Nathaniel start out not getting alone very well. Hope wants to be a lady but has trouble turning away from male attention. But God soon shows her there is another way.

Nathaniel does not believe he is good enough to bring God’s word to others but after a few interesting events he finds himself being drawn to it. He also has to over come some instances of events that look different then what really is going on and this also helps to bring him closer to God.

The one character I wish we could have gotten to know more or to know the rest of her story was Abigail. I was disappointed to just see her story end so early in the book with no real closer. I went looking at the authors website hoping maybe there was a book just about her but there was not.  

Over all I loved this book. I plan to go back and read the first one soon and also read the 3rd book as well. I can not praise this author enough she is such a talented writer. I plan to read all her books at some point!

I would recommend you going back and reading the first book The Red Siren. The main character of that book(Hopes sister) shows up at the end of this book and will leave you wanting to know more about her so just start there. You can read this book with out going back but your going to have a few questions at the end.

Book Rating

Steamy Rating

 

DISCLOSURE: I was provided a free copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley to review it. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own.