Deep Trouble by Mary Connealy

Deep Trouble by Mary Connealy

Published: 2011

Publisher: Barbour Books 

Series: None

Goodreads Summery:

less and Wandering. . .

Gabe Lasley left his ranch in Wyoming because of his strong feelings for a married woman, wanting nothing other than to be left alone. Then he finds a treasure hunter stranded in a mountaintop cave and offers to help her.

Fearless and Fixated. . .

A determined Shannon Dysart is on a quest to prove her father’s research isn’t the work of a madman and that he really did find treasure in the Wild West. Then she finds herself stranded with an aimless wanderer her only way out.

Now the unlikely pair is out to find a city of gold. . .together. . .with trouble hot on their trail.

When a band of villains threatens to steal Shannon’s map, will she be able to see past the gold that colors her every decision, and will Gabe accept his surprising need to protect a woman who doesn’t seem to have a lick of common sense? Or will they discover that a true treasure rooted in love and faith has been within their reach all along?

Shannon is on the search for a city of gold that her father told her about with his dying breath. She wants to find it to prove that her father was not crazy like everyone thought. She hires a team to go with her but soon finds out they are not to be trusted and she is left to die high up on a mountain.

Gabe is heading to his brothers ranch and just happens to hear Shannon scream. He saves her from the mountain and soon finds himself along for the ride as she searches for the lost city. Gabe soon finds himself losing his heart to this woman. Will they find love deep in the grand canon?

This was a good book. I love how the author makes the characters interact in this book. I found myself laughing and smiling a lot as I read. The description of the grand canon made me want to be there and see it for myself. The mixture of romance and adventure with some suspense thrown in made for a fun read.

There where parts that got a little long like when they where riding at times through the canon when I just wanted it to hurry up and see what was going to happen next.

The book also tells the side story of Buck who was Shannon’s intended back in Saint Louis and Tyra who has plans to marry Gabe. I felt this side plot fit well into the main story line and did not take away from the book at all which always worries me when more then 2 characters are telling the story.

I did not love this book as much as some of her other books but it was a fun read.

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.

A Time to Love by Barbara Cameron

A Time to Love by Barbara Cameron

Published: 2010

Publisher: Abingdon Press

Series: Quilts of Lancaster County(Book 1)

Goodreads Summery: War correspondent Jennie King thinks she’s just a temporary guest in her grandmother’s Amish community while she recuperates from the devastating injuries sustained in a car bomb attack that changed her world. But when she meets Matthew Bontrager, the man she had a crush on as a teenager, she wonders if God has a new plan for her. Jennie has emotional and physical scars and though she feels she has come home to this man and this place, she's not sure she can bridge the difference between their worlds.

Jennie heads to her Amish Grandma’s house to heal after being overseas as a war correspondent where she was hit in a car bomb attack. She has not been back to her grandma’s house since she was a teenager. The last summer she had been there she had a crush on an Amish boy.

Matthew is all grown up and raising his three children alone since his wife died of cancer a few years ago. His sister Hannah has been living with him and helping him with the kids. As soon as he see’s Jennie the feelings of his youth returns and he is right there to help Jennie heal from her injury’s. Will the difference between these two keep them from finding true love or will love and faith over come all?

I have not read this author before and I enjoyed this book quite a bit. She does a great job explaining the beliefs of the Amish and this would make a great first time Amish fiction read since it explains things very well. I liked all the characters. Both Jennie and Matthew where well developed. I also enjoyed Matthew’s children and I felt they where well fitted in this book. Jennie’s grandma is also a great women and your given some hints in this book that she will play a bigger part in coming books of this series.

I have a few things about this book that made me take pause. I felt the idea of a English person turning Amish came across as way to easy. I have read other books that deal with this subject and this just did not seem as realistic as others I have read. I know Jennie’s grandma is Amish but I would think there would be more of an uproar over an Amish man falling for a English lady then happened in this book. I also felt Matthew did not seem to really think about that side of it very much which seemed a little odd.

Over all though a fun book which I enjoyed. I am looking forward to the other books in this series as well. The characters are so likeable you can’t help but to want to read more about them!

Book Rating

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Disclosure: I got this book for free as a Kindle Freebie from Amazon.com

Lady in the Mist by Laurie Alice Eakes

Lady in the Mist by Laurie Alice Eakes

Published: 2011

Publisher: Revell 

Series: The Midwifes(Book 1)

Goodreads Summery: By virtue of her profession as a midwife, Tabitha Eckles is the keeper of many secrets: the names of fathers of illegitimate children, the level of love and harmony within many a marriage, and now the identity of a man who may have caused his wife's death. Dominick Cherrett is a man with his own secret to keep: namely, what he, a British nobleman, is doing on American soil working as a bondsman in the home of Mayor Kendall, a Southern gentleman with his eye on a higher office.

By chance one morning before the dawn has broken, Tabitha and Dominick cross paths on a misty beachhead, leading them on a twisted path through kidnappings, death threats, public disgrace, and . . . love? Can Tabitha trust Dominick? What might he be hiding? And can either of them find true love in a world that seems set against them?

With stirring writing that puts readers directly into the story, Lady in the Mist expertly explores themes of identity, misperception, and love's discovery.

This book is set in 1809 in Virginia. Tabitha is a midwife. Her grandma and her mom where midwives to before they died. Tabitha is still unmarried though which makes it a little harder for her. She wishes for love and dreams of passing down her talent to her own daughter some day. She had been engaged at one point but he left her right before they where to be married. She meets a strange man in the mist one morning after a bad lying in.

Dominick is a bondsman working for the mayor due to his own secrets from his past. He finds himself drawn to Tabitha even though he should stay away. Will these two be able to over come a lot of hurtles to find true love?

I enjoyed this book. I liked learning about midwifery of the early 1800’s. I found it interesting it was called a lying in and how a midwife was not very high in society. Tabitha was a fun character. She loves her job and even when she is threated she pushes forward. Her old boyfriend shows up and wants to win her back but she finds even though she wants to get married she is not sure he is the right one for her anymore. Plus he seems to be hiding something about his past from her. She finds herself drawn to Dominick but he is only going to be around for 4 years and then he will leave and go back to England and she does not want o have another broken heart.

Dominick finds himself falling for her but must deal with his past and his current orders. He at first befriends Tabitha to try and get information out of her but soon realizes his feeling are running deeper then he expected. He is also feeling like he has to redeem himself due to his past and through out the book he learns that God is the only one who can redeem him for his sins. It was a neat way to work it into the story.

There is plenty of mystery to go with the romance plot and I liked how well the author equally told the mystery side of the plot with out over shadowing the romance and vise versa. I felt like I was on the end of my seat towards the end of the book and that made it a fun read. There where a few places the book felt kind of slow but over all a good read.

Book Rating

 

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Disclosure: I bought this book from Amazon.com 

The Search by Suzanne Woods Fisher

The Search by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Published: 2010

Publisher: Revell

Series: Lancaster County Secrets

Goodreads Summery:

Fifteen years ago, Lainey O'Toole made a split-second decision. She couldn't have known that her choice would impact so many. Now in her mid-twenties, she is poised to go to culinary school when her car breaks down in Stoney Ridge, the very Amish town in which her long-reaching decision was made, forcing her to face the shadowed past.

Bess Reihl is less than thrilled to be spending the summer at Rose Hill Farm with her large and intimidating grandmother, Bertha. It quickly becomes clear that she is there to work the farm--and work hard. The labor is made slightly more tolerable by the time it affords Bess to spend with the handsome hired hand, Billy Lapp. But he only has eyes for a flirty and curvaceous older girl.

Lainey's and Bess's worlds are about to collide and the secrets that come to light will shock them both.

Beautifully written, The Search is a skillfully woven story that takes readers through unexpected twists and turns on the long country road toward truth. Fans both old and new will find themselves immersed in this heartwarming--and surprising--tale of young love, forgiveness, and coming to grips with the past.

Lainey finds herself once again in Stoney Ridge. She still harbors a secret that could tear a family apart. She soon finds herself friends again with Bertha who unknown to Lainey has a plan of her own as well. Bertha’s granddaughter Bess comes to spend the summer and before long her father Jonah comes as well due to Bertha’s medaling.

Will the secret destroy this family or will the truth set them free?

I will be honest this book is deep. There are so many characters I am not sure where to start. Lainey’s choice when she was but a child holds many challenges. With in a few chapters you soon learn that Lainey’s secret has many branches. I don’t want to give away any  of this book so I feel limited in how much to tell.

I loved the idea of an Englisher becoming Amish I always wondered how that might work and how the community would except it. Bess is a teenager who is at first scared of her grandma but soon finds herself loving her. She get s crush on the local boy Billy who works for her grandma. I will be honest that this part of the story could almost have been left out. I felt the ending for these two left you going Wait what?? I thought at first maybe there would be another book to properly close that story but from what I have researched that is not the case.

Bertha is so much fun she seems scary at first but you soon find yourself loving her and laughing at some of her ideas to get things done her way. The love story between Lainey and Jonah was sweet and they had a lot of challenges and you wonder up to the end if they will over come them to be together(I will let you find that out for yourself!).

The downside to this book for me was how many characters there where. I know this is the writers style and she does it very well but this book had a lot of twists and turns and with so many angles at times it just felt a little to much at times.

Over all it was a great book and the series as a whole is wonderful and I would highly recommend these books to others!

Book Rating

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Over all Series Rating

Source: I bought this book from Amazon.com 

Menu for Romance by Kaye Dacus

Menu for Romance by Kaye Dacus

Published: 2009

Publisher:Barbour Books

Series:Brides of Bonneterre(Book 2)

Goodreads Summery: Cater to your craving for fabulous fictional fare with Menu for Romance, where a party planner finds herself torn between the contractor and the cook. After eight years of unrequited love, Meredith Guidry makes a New Year's resolution to find someone new and end her single status before the year's over. And when she meets a handsome contractor on New Year's Day, it seems like her prayers have been answered.Executive Chef Major O'Hara has forsworn relationships, knowing he could never saddle the woman he loves with a family situation like his. But when it seems he's about to lose Meredith Guidry to another man, he realizes he must concoct a menu for romance to win her back.

Meredith is 34 years old and has never had a boyfriend or been on a real date. She has been in love with Major for 8 years and finally vows to get over him and move on. She meets Wade and they start to date. But has hard as she tries she still loves Major. Will she finally move on or will a spark finally ignite with her one true love?

Major has cherished Meredith for so many years but because of his hidden secret of his schizophrenic mother he has not acted on his feeling for her. When she starts to date he finds himself jealous. Will he let her go or finally share his secret with her and find the love he craves?

I read the 3rd book in this series a few months ago and was not sure if I was going to like this book but I am glad I read it. It started off a little slow but once I got into it I had trouble putting it down. I always like a book that has two characters who love each other but don’t act on it at first.

Dealing with the disorder of Schizophrenic was a interesting topic and I felt it fit well into the book. Meredith also dealt with the emotions of feeling like no man wanted her as well as not feeling appreciated by her family for all the work she does. Also reading the 2nd book helped me to get a better understanding of the main male character in the 3rd book. At some point I would like to go back and read the first book. Talk about reading a series backwards!  

Over all I enjoyed this book. It has a great romance story as well as dealing with honoring ones parents and self. You might want to grab the first book and read it. You can read this book with out it but that book is talked about some in this one. If you want a good romance book then this is a great choice!

Book Rating

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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 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

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Source: I bought this book from Amazon.com

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.

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

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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.

Save the Date by Jenny B. Jones

Save the Date by Jenny B. Jones

Published: 2011

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Series: None

Goodreads Summery: Former NFL star Alex Sinclair is a man who has it all--except the votes he needs to win his bid for Congress. Despite their mutual dislike, Alex makes Lucy a proposition: pose as his fiancée in return for the money she desperately needs. Bound to a man who isn't quite what he seems, Lucy will find her heart on the line--and maybe even her life. When God asks Alex and Lucy to scrap their playbook and follow his rules, will they finally say, "I do"?

Lucy has worked hard to build and run a girls home for young ladies who have aged out of the foster care system. But with the economy in a nose dive she finds herself losing her biggest donor. With out the money her girls will be back on the streets in months.

Alex is a former NFL star who is now running for congress. He is behind in the race and looking for the key to help him win. One night at a benefit dinner, Lucy is trying hard to get her money back and Alex is asked to keep her at bay. The two soon find themselves engaged. She is the ticket to Alex’s win and he is her check for her girls home. Will these two find real love as the election draws near?

This was a fun book to read. I enjoyed the way these two characters interacted. I found the idea of the engagement a little far fetched but loved the idea. I liked how Lucy did not care he was rich she had been burned by the rich growing up and Alex was not quite used to not getting his way with the ladies all the time. He soon learned that Lucy was special. There is a side story about Lucy and her family that was interesting but felt a little weird. Lucy never knew her dad and thought he had been someone he was not. She finds out who he really was and even though it was an interesting side story I just was not that interested in it. The character that was Lucy’s grandma was a riot and she had me laughing a lot.

The whole book had lots of great humor and that helped to make it a book that was hard to put down. This is the kind of book that would make a great romantic comedy movie. This is also a inspirational romance and the characters also dealt with some faith issues which added to the greatness of the book. This is definitely a book that leaves you feeling all warm and fussy inside.

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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.

 

Surrender the Heart by MaryLu Tyndall

Surrender the Heart by M.L. Tyndall

Published: 2010

Series: Surrender to Destiny

Goodreads Summery: Relive the rich history of the War of 1812 through the eyes of Marianne Denton and Noah Brenin, who both long to please their families but neither one wishes to marry the other. Noah is determined to get his cargo to England before war breaks out, and Marianne is equally determined to have a wedding so that her inheritance can be unlocked and her destitute family saved. When their stubborn games get them captured by a British warship, can they escape and bring liberty to their country—and growing love?

Marianne is a young woman who finds herself engaged to be married to a man she does not love in order to claim her inheritance so that her mom can buy her medicine. She has known Noah since he was a child but only has bad memories of him. Marianne also sees herself as plain and figures no one will ever love her because of it.

Noah is not happy about the engagement himself but follows along with his fathers wishes.  He soon embarrasses Marianne at their engagement party. She is so upset with him that she follows him to his ship where she accidently ends up a unwilling passenger. Will these two find love on the dangerous seas or will the impending war of 1812 pull them apart?

I was not sure if I was going to like this book. I tend to read book era’s from the mid-1800’s and up but I am so glad I read it because I really enjoyed it. The author is a wonderful writer. I found myself pulled in and loving the characters right away. The other thing I loved about this book was the history lesson it provided. She takes the history of the 1812 war and gives it life. I learned a lot about how the war came to be from this book and adding a romance story to it make it so much fun in the process!

The only down side to this book for me was I felt the middle was just a little slow. It was interesting but seemed to drag on until the last 3rd of the book picked back up with the intensity and excitement once again. I also enjoyed the way she wrote God into this story. Sometimes it can feel thrown into the story like it does not really fit but she intertwines it so well in this book it fits perfectly.

By the end of the book I was cheering the American Navy on and feeling proud to have such a wonderful nation and marveling at what my country went through all those years ago to get its freedom. I am looking forward to reading more from this author.

Book Rating

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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.

Wrangler in Petticoats by Mary Connealy

Wrangler in Petticoats by Mary Connealy
Published: 2010
Series: Sophie's Daughters
Goodreads Summery: Ride into the Rockies where love peaks between a tough Texas tomboy and a passionate artist. On her way to Montana, Sally McClellan’s party is attacked and robbed. But then artist Logan McKenzie saves the badly wounded cowgirl who has been left for dead. Can this landscape painter tame the tomboy without breaking her spirit? Sally doesn’t know much about ribbons and lace, but Logan’s presence makes her want to connect with her feminine side. Will this fractured female discover a way to capture the artist’s love—or find herself captured and killed by outlaws?

Sally is the younger sister of both Beth and Mandy. She is the tomboy of the three. She loves to ride beside her dad and wear man’s cloths when she rides etc. The book opens with her being escorted ,riding with a big group heading to Montana to help her sister Mandy out since she is close to having a baby. An unfortunate situation takes place as they are traveling and it leaves Sally badly injured. She is found by Logan and he takes her back to his cabin to heal. Will these two total opposites find love? Will Sally make it to her sister in time for the baby? Read to find out!
After reading the first book Doctor in Petticoats I could not wait to read this book. I admit to being slightly disappointed. I did enjoy it very much but I found the story to be boring(to me) just a little. Logan is artist and the author spends a lot of time talking about paintings and art and I found it hard to follow and found myself skimming over it at times. I also felt Sally was really not a great fit for the guy and to me they just never meshed. But it was well written and I found the description of Yellowstone easy to see in my head and made me wish I was there with the characters.
I also enjoyed the suspense of the book relative to Sally being sought after due to what happened to cause her injuries. Also in this book we also are still following the story of Mandy and I found myself just wanting to get through this book so I could read the ending to her story. Over all I give it high marks and recommend if your reading the series to not skip this book because you would miss a lot and that would make the 3rd book a little harder to get into.
Book Rating

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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.

A Billion Reasons Why by Kristin Billerbeck

A Billion Reasons Why by Kristin Billerbeck

Goodreads Summery: He's a handsome billionaire. She's not impressed.
Katie McKenna has never loved any man but one; billionaire Luc DeForges. He was her first love. But there are a billion reasons why she's engaged instead to Dexter Hastings, a solid and stable man who wants the same things she does; marriage and a family but all of the things that she wants without the deep-seeded pain and fear of being abandoned that Luc brings.
Dexter and she have worked an arrangement that's akin to faith without action, love without deeds -- a dead faith. Going home to New Orleans to sing for her childhood friend's wedding, Katie must search her heart to find out if any of her reasons for being with Dexter are stronger than love. Only when Katie steps fully into faith and jumps off the cliff of life into the arms of Luc does she understand the fullness of God's grace.

Luc broke Katie’s heart and humiliated her in her home town years ago. She is now a Special Ed teacher and almost engaged to Dexter who is safe. Out of no where Luc shows up at her school and demands she come home to sing at his brothers wedding. Katie has vowed to move on and not let him get to her again. Will a trip home to New Orleans cause her billion reasons why to evaporate under the hot New Orleans sun or will she find true love once again?

This was a fun book I enjoyed it a lot. It’s the kind of romance novel that makes you feel all warm and fussy inside. I enjoyed seeing Katie who starts out kind of dead inside just living day to day return home and find herself again. There are parts of this book that seem a little hard to believe but the book is kind of magical almost a Cinderella feel which makes it fun to read. I did not feel though like I got to know Luc as well as Katie his feelings seemed more of a mystery and it took a while to understand his side of things. Over all a fun book with a good Christian base. This is a book I could see myself picking up and reading again just because it brings out the romantic in me!

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.

Lydia's Charm by Wanda E. Brunstetter

 Lydia’s Charm by Wanda E. Brunstetter

Goodreads Summery: Visit Amish Country during the fall as Lydia King attempts to make Charm, Ohio, feel like home after losing her husband. But is her heart ready to open back up to love when gifts appear on her porch from a mystery source? Could it be from the widowed father of four energetic boys, or is it from the man who has rejected romance to be his family’s caregiver? When life hands Lydia another challenge, will the gift giver be there to support her?

Lydia moves back to Charm Ohio with her young son to live with her mother. Lydia’s husband has died a year ago and she has lost her job. She has a strained relationship with her mother and she is hoping by moving in with her mother and helping her take care of her ailing grandfather they will build a better relationship. She soon catches the eye of two Amish men. Menno who is a widow with 4 active boys and Levi who’s whole family has dwarfism except him.  Tragedy soon strikes Lydia. Will she be able to over come it and find true love again?

I liked this book a lot and I wanted to love it and I would have if it had not been for one of the tragedies in the book. I don’t want to give it away but I felt it was not needed and it really ruined my enjoyment of the book. I felt after finishing this book that the ending could have easily been reached without it. That said it was a great read. I enjoyed the suspense of who Lydia would choose and guessing who the mystery giver was.  It was also heart warming to see the relationship between Lydia and her mother change. I am looking forward to reading more books by this author.

Book Rating

 

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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 Cinderella List by Judy Baer

 The Cinderella List by Judy Baer

Goodreads Summery: Since she was a child, Marlo Mayfield has kept a list of traits her Prince Charming must possess. After a series of bad relationships, Marlo's beginning to lose hope that her ideal man exists. But when she caters a party for Jake Hammond, Marlo realizes he could be the man she's been waiting for. There's only one problem: Jake is super wealthy, and Marlo's not sure she fits into his blue-blooded world. But Jake is determined to show Marlo that with a little faith and a lot of love, he just might be the one.

Marlo is a cook and a cater. She is also a hopeless romantic who uses a prince charming list she made as a child as a check list when she meets a man. She meets Jake when she caters an event at his home. She soon finds he holds many of the quality's she has on her list. Will Jake be her prince charming?

I love the Love Inspired line by Harlequin. These books are on the shorter side which makes them quick reads. They also are a little cheaper to buy. These books have a Christian theme to them as well.

This book was a fun read. There are some side stories about Marlo’s sister which I also enjoyed. You can’t go wrong with these books.

Book Rating

Steamy Rating

An Amish Love: Healing Hearts/What the Heart Sees/A Marriage of the Heart (Inspirational Amish Anthology by Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller, Kelly Long

An Amish Love: Healing Hearts/What the Heart Sees/A Marriage of the Heart (Inspirational Amish Anthology

by Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller Kelly Long

Goodreads Summery:

Two of today's most popular genres--Romance and Amish fiction--together in one volume.
"Healing Hearts" by Beth Wiseman: Levina Lapp and her husband Naaman are alone for the first time in 30 years. When Naaman left to visit cousins in Ohio, Levina wasn't expecting him to be gone a year. Now that he's back, will they be able to move beyond this estrangement and fall in love again?
"What the Heart Sees" by Kathleen Fuller: 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.
"A Marriage of the Heart" by Kelly Long: Rachel Yoder is tired of her Amish lifestyle and her domineering father's ways. When handsome Joseph Lambert comes back from the Englisch, she lies to force a marriage of convenience, providing the perfect means to escape her father's rule. But Rachel never imagined she'd fall in love with Joseph so quickly or irrevocably.  
 

The first story of the book was “A Marriage of the Heart”. Rachel lies to her father saying Joseph was inappropriate with her which leads to a rush wedding. It was a fun read and I really like the characters. It was fun to read as the two first disliked each other and then fell in love.

The second story was “What the Heart Sees”. Ellie was blinded in a car accident years ago and her best friend killed. Christopher was engaged to Ellie’s best friend and he was devastated and left the community and was shunned. He returns to find his sister engaged to the man he blames for his fiancé's death. Ellie helps him to forgive and they both find love along the way.

The third story “A Marriage of the Heart” I did not read. I read the first few pages and skimmed a few more but I was not interested in the story. What I did read of it was well written.

I really enjoyed the two stories I read. I had trouble putting the book down. I tend to not buy books where there are multiple stories because I am not sure I will like them all. But in this case I did enjoy two of the three and the third was just not one that I was interested in(older couple romance).

If you like Amish Fiction you will enjoy this book!


Book Rating

 

Steamy Rating

I received this paperback for free through BookSneeze for this review.

This Matter of Marriage by Debbie Macomber

 

This Matter of Marriage by Debbie Macomber

Goodreads Summery:

The alarm on Hallie's biological clock is buzzing. She's hitting the big three-O and there's no prospect of marriage, no man in sight. Hallie, an organized, goal-setting kind of person, gives herself a year to meet Mr. Knight...In Shining Armor. But all her dates are disasters. (There's the cheapskate and the sex fiend and...well, never mind.)

Too bad she can't just fall for her good-looking neighbor Steve Marris--who's definitely not her type. Anyway, Steve's busy trying to win back his ex-wife, Mary Lynn, who's busy getting married--but not to Steve. Life would be so much simpler if he could fall for someone else. Like...Hallie. They're friends, though--and sometimes friends become lovers. Sometimes friends become more.

This was a fun read. The main character is Hallie and she is about to turn 30 and is still single. She wants the husband and kids so she starts to seriously start to date. She goes on a few disaster dates which in turn leads her to meet her new next door neighbor Steve. He soon becomes her good friend and confidant. Everyone around them see’s they are falling in love but them. It really was a good read. There is a small side story of Hallie’s best friend Donnalee finding love as well.

Steamy scale is a 2. There is no sex but its implied a few times.