Big Sky Daddy

Big Sky Daddy

Montana Marriages #2

Linda Ford

Caleb feels like he's let his son down. Now Teddy can't walk and Caleb is working for a rather unpleasant guy to try to earn the money for better doctors. Sow when they find a wounded dog, Caleb finds himself asking the "enemy" for help in healing both of them. What he doesn't expect is to find the family he's wanted from the very beginning.

I've enjoyed a few books by Ms. Ford before and I love historical fiction. This book did not disappoint. The flawed, but loving family that was portrayed really set the tone for the book. My favorite character was the little boy, but I enjoyed all of them. The little bit of suspense that was woven throughout the story was intriguing. The author set the book up to end well, but leave a bit of intrigue for the next book in the series. I wasn't able to get my hands on the first book before reading this one. Although it was clear that there was a previous story, this book could definitely work as a stand alone. But I made sure to purchase the other books in the series, since I didn't want to miss any more of the story.

Under a Summer Sky

Under a Summer Sky

Melody Carlson

Nicole, a high school art teacher, is a bit exasperated when her mother agrees to a summer job for her. Nicole will be house sitting for her mother's friend, and managing her art gallery. But the quiet summer job that Nicole is anticipating is anything, but calm. Restless teenagers, disgruntled employees, and two childhood friends make for an adventure that Nicole didn't see coming.

This was a fun book. It was light and had very little deep sustenance. But since I was reading it while traveling and had to put the book down multiple times, it was perfect. The two main characters were sweet and seemed to fit well together. Their communication wasn't great, but they worked it out in the end. This was a interesting story that was light on depth, lacked some tied up endings, and was a tad unrealistic. But since I anticipated this type of story, it was fine. I would classify it was a clean read, but not necessarily Christian. Overall, nice beach/rainy day read that served the purpose of what I was looking for while traveling.

Full Steam Ahead

Full Steam Ahead

Karen Witemeyer

Nicole might not be the son that her father always dreamed of, but he loves her deeply. So when Nicole hears that her father is gravely ill, she rushes home to see him. Once there he asks that she find a husband among his friends to give him an heir to the shipping company. Once Nicole is married her father will pass on the job of managing Renard Shipping and gift him with the Lafitte Dagger. Darius isn't remotly what her father had in mind for her. And when he learns her secrets he might not be interested as well. But Nicole trusts him and will ultimately own him her life.

This was a fun, exciting, and adventurous plot. The characters fit well with the time period and the story. I loved the interaction between Nicole and Darius, as well as the members of his house. The author did a great job of making the story come alive with her descriptions. I enjoyed the small elements of faith that were woven into the story. She made flawed, yet agreeable characters that meshed well together. Witemeyer is one of my favorite authors for a fun, clean, romantic story and this one was no exception.

Exit Strategy

Exit Strategy

Mission: Rescue #3

Shirlee McCoy

 Lark knows that her husband was murdered. It might have been explained away as a suicide, but she knows that her husband would never leave her like that. So she returns to the commune where they lived before his death. But now she's being held captive and a stranger is telling her to trust him to get them both out. Lark isn't sure if she can trust Cyrus, but for now, he's her only hope.

This book was very suspenseful. The author did a great job of creating tension from the very beginning and continuing it throughout the book. This is book #3 in the series, but I didn't feel like I was missing anything by not having read the previous books, so I would definitely say it can be read as a stand alone. But there were a few things that I didn't understand or weren't clarified by the time I'd finished reading so either the author was paving the way for the next book in the series or I did actually miss something from a previous book. Overall, I enjoyed the suspense and drama, the relationship and the chemistry was good between the two main characters, and the author left me wanting to read more.

I received a copy of this book. All thoughts expressed are my own.

A Family for the Rancher

A Family for the Rancher

Louise M. Gouge

Edmund, a rancher, has been a loner his entire life. In his childhood, it was forced on him. But now he enjoys the solitude. But when he feels God nudging him to check on widow Lula May and her five children, he obeys. His obedience lands him right in the middle of a bustling family and all of the joys and problems that go with it. Edmund now needs to decide which is more important - solitude or love.

This was such a sweet story. The author did a great job of creating warmth, tension, or frustration as the scene warranted. There were a lot of characters, but each of them stood out and didn't blend into each other. I loved the interaction between the siblings and their mother. The suspense was just enough to make the story interesting, but didn't detract from the romance. The author did a great job of weaving faith and the importance of family into the story without it being preachy. I especially liked how she showed that family is who you choose to love, not the ones who share your genetics. Overall, this was a clean romantic story that readers of Christian fiction or historical romance will love.

Mail Order Mommy

Mail Order Mommy

Boom Town Brides #2

Christine Johnson

Amanda, an orphan, is taken in by a foster family. But she isn't treated like family. She's just another servant working in their home. When the son makes inappropriate moves on her and blames her for his advances she flees with a friend as a mail order bride. But upon her arrival she realizes that the children of the man wrote the advertisement and Garrett has no intention of getting married again. His wife was not faithful and upon her death Garrett vowed to remain a widow. But Amanda falls in love with his children and he needs a nanny and a housekeeper.

I've read the first book in this series and really enjoyed it. So I was excited to see what happened next. This book was part sweet and part frustrating. I wanted to give the main male character a good swat upside the head for being so stubborn. But that just means the author did a great job of creating a likeable character that had flaws. Because in the end, the reader and the main female character forgive him. The author does a great job with the characters. They all stand out and the secondary characters play a big part in the plot as well. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

The Coincidence of Coconut Cake

The Coincidence of Coconut Cake

Amy E. Reichert

Lou's dream has been to own a restaurant. Her boyfriend pushes her to open a french restaurant, instead of the one that she had in mind. He feels that it is more "the thing". Her place is doing okay, but could use some good publicity. On the day that a anonymous critic arrives to try out the restaurant, Lou finds out her boyfriend is cheating on her. The bad review is going to sink the restaurant, but Lou is torn between despair and happiness. She has found a man who seems to understand her very soul. They don't discuss their work, they just have fun and tour the city learning more and more about each other. But what will happen when Lou finds out that her new man, Al is a restaurant critic?

For some reason, the cover and description didn't grab me. Took me forever to pick up this book and get started. Thankfully my first impressions were wrong. My attention was captured during the first few pages and I stayed glued the entire book. I loved the two main characters, but the secondary characters were just as integral to the story. They added so much flair and depth. I haven't read anything by this author before, but I'm definitely adding her other books to my list.

Until Harvest

Until Harvest

Appalachian Blessings #2

Sarah Loudin Thomas

Henry is in college when his father dies. He makes the decision to stay home for a while and help his mother, despite the fact that his mother wants him to go back to school. Henry's grief causes him to make some poor choices. But the friendship of Margaret brings some introspection into his life. And Margaret's little sister Mayfair tugs at his heartstrings.

I was super excited to read this book. I've loved the other two books by this author and wanted to revisit the characters. She didn't disappoint. The characters are deep and complex. The vivid descriptions pull the reader into the story and make it come alive. The theme of faith and the supernatural are strong, but tastefully written. I love the cover, the content, and the pure entertainment value I get when I read one of her stories. But I also like the heavier subject matter injected that makes me stop and think. The ending felt a little rushed and didn't have the same feel as the rest of the book, but overall, I enjoyed this book and I can't wait to get my hands on the next book in the series.

Reservations for Two

Reservations for Two

Two Blue Doors Book 2

Hillary Manton Lodge

 

Juliette is getting ready to head to Provence to try and find out more answers to the clues her grandmother left her. When Neil offers to join her on the trip, she almost expects him to call and cancel. Their relationship hasn't been the easiest. But the two find themselves enjoying the French and Italian countryside with each other as they meet Juliette's family and learn more about her grandmother and each other. But back at home, life with a long distance relationship isn't easy or uncomplicated.

It was wonderful to reconnect with the two main characters and the author's beautiful writing. This isn't one of those fast paced suspense novels or a sweet romance. It is complicated, sad, happy, full of food, family, and life's issues. Very much like real life, but written so well and so captivating that I was swept along for the ride. The plot is actually the telling of two stories - Juliette and her grandmother Gabrielle. As Juliette lives her life, she also spends time trying to find out her grandmother's secrets. Mostly these are revealed as she reads letters her grandmother wrote to her sister and husband. The book was wonderful, but ended in such a way that I was incredibly thankful that I had book 3 and could begin reading immediately. I would highly recommend this series. But first make sure you have all three books in hand before starting.

A Season to Love

A Season to Love

Love in Lenox Book 2

Nicole Deese

Willa wants desperately to be brave. But after losing her husband and then going through a cancer diagnosis with her daughter she's used up all of her courage. But Willa promises her daughter Savannah, that she'll try to live again. When she meets Dr. Patrick he challenges her to look at herself and the world around her differently. Willa finally begins to feel like she's living again. But the date for Patrick's departure from Lenox is rapidly approaching. Can Willa still be brave without her friend?

I read the first book in this series and really enjoyed it. So I was excited to pick up the second book. The author didn't disappoint. These characters are real and authentic. The characters, while sometimes deeply flawed, are so likeable and relatable. The author wove faith, trust, and sweet romance. I loved the relationship between the two main characters. The author created a friendship and wove the love into it. I also really liked the secondary characters too. They fit well with the plot and rounded out the story. Overall, this was a sweet Christian romance that I really enjoyed.

Jesus Calling

Jesus Calling

Enjoying Peace in His Presence

Sarah Young

I received this book this book in the mail the other day with a note that it was a gift. But it didn't say who the gift was from. Still trying to figure that out. But I wanted to review it since I've been enjoying it so much.

The beautiful turquoise leather cover is etched with the title and a floral design. It has a ribbon book marker. The book begins with an introduction from the author and then moves into the devotionals for the month of January. Each month has a scripture verse that the devotionals seem to follow. Each day has a short thought and then two or three verses to look up. 

I've only read a few of the devotionals since I just received the book. But each of them are thought provoking and inspiring. I think the first word that comes to mind when thinking of this book is comforting. I adore the cover and would have probably liked the book based on that alone, but the devotionals are right on target and fit well with my crazy, busy life. This would make an excellent gift, but I highly recommend getting one for yourself as well. So a huge thank you to the person who gave me this wonderful book.

Alaskan Sanctuary

Alaskan Sanctuary

Teri Wilson

Piper is in desperate need of funds for her wolf sanctuary. So when she gets the opportunity to talk to a reporter about her beloved wolves she jumps at the chance. But the reporter, Ethan, has an agenda. And soon Piper finds herself fighting for not only her wolves, but also her home. The sparks fly, in more ways than one, whenever these two are together.

 This story is primarily emotion driven. There isn't really a lot of plot and what is there is predictable. The two main characters start the book with some glaring differences and don't really resolve them until the book is almost completed. Because of this, the romance felt a little rushed to me. But I didn't really get a sense of time, so perhaps it was longer than I thought. Overall, it was a nice story that I enjoyed, but it didn't grab me or keep me wanting to read until the last page.

I received this book free of charge from in exchange for my honest review.

The Widow of Saunders Creek

The Widow of Saunders Creek

Tracey Bateman

Corrie has lost her husband Jarrod in Iraqi. Six months later she returns to the home he inherited from family in the Missouri Ozarks. She's hoping by moving into his family home that she'll feel closer to him. She still can't fathom a life without him. There is a feeling she has whenever she's in the home that gives her the feeling that Jarrod is there with her. Jarrod's cousin, Eli, is helping her with the renovations and isn't comfortable with this feeling. He knows what she is sensing and doesn't like how close she's getting to spiritualism. He continues to talk to her in hopes of convincing her that Jesus is the only one who can heal her heart.

This book was incredibly hard for me to get in to. I'm not sure if it was the darkness of the subject or the topic of spiritualism. But it took me over halfway through the book before I got interested. It was well written with deep characters, detailed descriptions that placed you in the settings, and a well thought out plot. I think it was just my interest level in the subject matter. But I would still recommend this book because of the faith, romance, and well written plot.

A Practical Partnership

A Practical Partnership

Lily George

John has been living the carefree and easy life until his father dies. Now duty calls. John must return to the family estate and take over his father's duties. One of those duties is getting his sister, Jane, ready for her season in London. While visiting a friend, John and Jane meet a bonnet maker named Nan. Nan is running the hat business that kept her and her two older sisters from poverty. But now that the sisters are married, Nan must find a way to keep the business alive. She's sure that she'll never marry, so she needs this business to keep from being dependent on her sisters. John thinks Nan would make the perfect person to convince his sister to change her wardrobe and have a season in London. Neither of them intend to marry so the arrangement should be perfect.

This was a sweet, enjoyable story. While the ending was predictable, as is often the case in romances, it was a pleasant journey to get to that ending. The characters were well fleshed out and relatable. The interaction between the family members was sweet. The two romances woven throughout the plot were sweet, clean, and with some humor. Overall, I enjoyed the story and will definitely read more by this author.

The Heiress's Homecoming

The Heiress's Homecoming

The Everard Legacy Book 4

Regina Scott

Samantha has a bit of a predicament. She has only one option to save her family home. She must marry by the time she is twenty-five. And that date is only weeks away. Not only does she not have a fiance, she doesn't even have any prospects. At least not prospects that she has any intention of spending her life with. She's rather lose her family home then subject them and herself to the past that she brings with her. But her neighbors, a father and son, seem to have different plans and have inserted themselves into her house party to try to change her mind.

This was a fun story. Somehow I missed the first three books in the series. While this didn't detract from the story, it was obvious that there was more to the secondary characters that I'd missed. The main characters were flawed, engaging, relatable, and enjoyable. I thought the author did a great job of capturing the scenery without giving too many details. There were definitely elements of faith woven throughout the story and I enjoyed that part of it. There were some places in the plot that felt overdone or not really fitting with the time period. But overall, I really enjoyed this book and intend to go back and read the first three in the series.

13 Weeks to Peace

13 Weeks to Peace

Jennifer Jill Schwirzer

We often experience guilt for things that happened in the past. But is this how God wants us to feel? The author uses thirteen chapters to show how God loves us, heals us, and nurtures us. He wants us to find peace in Him. Each chapter contains stories from the author's personal experience or the experiences of her clients. She ties in scripture to illustrate her points. Scattered through each chapter are exercises or worksheets that can be found in the back of the book. These worksheets give a better idea of the concept the author is trying to present. Each chapter ends with discussion questions that relate to the topic.

I picked this book because I'd heard about the author. The title and description sounded like it would be a good fit for our small group at church. The book was very heavy on the psychology and light on scripture. The author talked a lot about herself and gave very few practical insights that the every day person could use. It really felt like she was making the assumption that everyone was severely damaged and wrote the book accordingly. It was incredibly boring to those of us without a mental health degree. We only made it five chapters into the book before my group rebelled and chose another book.

Claiming His Brother's Baby

Claiming His Brother's Baby

Helen Lacey

Cassie fell in love with Doug when he purchased her childhood home and allowed her to stay on as a tenant. Several years later and she's pregnant with his son and he's been killed in Iraq. His younger brother inherited the home and now Cassie is afraid of being a single mother without a place to live. What she doesn't expect is to find out how different Tanner is from how Doug described him. The secrets that Doug had are overwhelming and change her entire prospective on not only their relationship, but how she views her life.

Well written, emotionally driven plot, interesting characters. Very romantic in the "hero to the rescue" sort of way. I enjoyed the characters and the setting. The secondary characters helped to round out the story. Because of the emotional aspect, it wasn't a favorite for me, but readers who thrive on the drama in a relationship will love this book. Although it didn't say anywhere in the description or on the book, I felt like this was in a series and I stepped into the middle. It can be read as a stand alone, but it would be nice to fill in the gaps by reading the other book(s) first. Overall, it was a nice story, but had a bit too much emotional drama for me.

Raising a Modern-Day Princess

Raising a Modern-Day Princess

Inspiring purpose, value, and strength in your daughter

Pam Farrell and Doreen Hanna

It is incredibly difficult to raise a daughter in todays times. Parents and children are faced with difficulties from every angel. Our daughters are special and important, because they are the daughters of their heavenly Father the King. The book is designed around the concept that little girls want to be a princess and need affirmation from their fathers (or respected male in their life) to feel like a princess. Using this idea, the authors created a program to honor the daughters and truly make them a princess.

I was expecting to find a book full of encouragement and ideas on how to raise my daughter. While I did find a tiny bit of that, it felt like it was mainly a book promoting the ceremony that one of the authors designed. I like the concept of the affirmation ceremony, but I wanted more than must a one day idea. The ceremony seems to be 12 weeks of work for mom and then a blessing ceremony that dad participates in. I wanted something that gave me Biblical thoughts on how to raise my daughter as a child of the King, not steps on how to have a blessing ceremony. Since the idea of the book is based on the concept that all girls want to be a princess (they don't) and that all girls need that public affirmation from their father (if getting every day at home they don't) then this book will only fit a small group of people. And sadly, my daughter and I are not in that group. I definitely wouldn't have purchased the book had the title and description been more clear about the topic.

A Cliche Christmas

A Cliche Christmas

Nicole Deese

Georgia is known in Hollywood as the Holiday Goddess. She's famous for her screen plays of sentimental Christmas love stories. She's from a small town in Oregan, but hasn't been back for seven years. Every year for Christmas she takes her grandmother on a warm vacation. But when her grandmother calls and asks for a favor for a sick little girl, Georgia can't say no. So she returns to the small town where she was raised. And to the guy who she was in love with, but humiliated her. Can she forgive or will her past dictate her future?

This author was recommended by a favorite author friend of mine and so I had to check her out. I'm so glad I did. This book was sweet, romantic, and enjoyable. The characters, while flawed, had depth and were likable. The author did a great job of painting the surroundings so that I felt a part of the story. There was a thread of faith woven throughout the story, but it fit perfectly with the plot. The title fit the book well since it seems so full of cliches. But for some reason this was cute and didn't annoy me. Now I'm off to read her second book which takes a secondary character from this book.

A Match Made in Texas

A Match Made in Texas

A Novella Collection

Karen Witemeyer, Mary Connealy, Regina Jennings, Carol Cox

There is someone sticking their nose into other people's business, by providing help when needed. The little Texas town is being blessed with an anonymous angel. There are three couples that she somehow entwines together to help each other. Now it's time for some of that love to be returned. Each story was tied together by the anonymous donor and ends with the donor being matched herself.

I knew this was going to be a great book when I picked it up because I've enjoyed everything I've read by these authors. I really enjoyed all of the stories, although if I had to choose the story by Jennings was my favorite. Each story fit well with the theme and the other stories. They all had romance, faith, and humor. I think these stories are a great peak into the authors if you haven't tried one of their books before.