Busy, Busy!

Busy, Busy!

Eileen Spinelli

Everyone is very busy doing what God created them to do. Even mommy is busy working. But she always has time to spend with her little on cuddling and giving love. Each page is filled with bright, colorful illustrations that will capture the attention of the young child. Rhyming words tell the story and stand out against the illustrated background. The board book is the perfect size for small hands and fits perfectly with the intended age group.

The story has a sweet message and is great for showing affection to young children and opening up the conversation about how even though we are all busy, we still love our children. The flow of words and  whimsical illustrations will keep the child engaged. I think this would also make a great gift.

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

Would a Worm Go on a Walk?

Would a Worm Go on a Walk?

Hannah C. Hall

Bright, colorful illustrations fill the entire page, while lyrical rhyming words ask silly questions. Children will enjoy the funny questions and parents will enjoy the concepts of God, nature, and His purpose for everything. The book asks if certain animals will do things that are not normal for them such as a worm walking. But it ends with the thought that God has a specific plan for every animal, but more importantly He has a design and plan for us because we are His masterpiece.

My daughter loved the book. The illustrations fit well with the text and helped to "tell the story". The cover is enticing and children will enjoy the artwork. The book would work well for younger children who are learning about God and how He fits in their life. It takes something comical, which children love, and subtly imparts the message that we are important to little children. I could also see this book being a hit in a nursery or children's pre-school.

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

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.

Sweeter Off the Vine

Sweeter Off the Vine

Fruit Desserts for Every Season

Yossy Arefi

Fruit directly off the vine is so much sweeter than using frozen or fruit from cold storage. The author has taken each fruit and created recipes based on when these fruits are found in season and what other fruits might pare well together. The book is full of beautiful photography and each recipe is well laid out and easy to read. The recipes range from simple to the more complicated, but all are delicious desserts that utilize in-season fruit.

I loved the photographs. These really made the book for me. The pros for me would be the pictures, the use of in-season fruit, layout of the book, and the healthy ingredients. The cons would be the use of harder to find ingredients in most of the recipes. While I recognized all of the ingredients, there were quite a few that I am unable to get in my small town. But otherwise, this was a great cookbook that I'll enjoy using over and over.

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

The Firefighter Daddy

The Firefighter Daddy

Margaret Daley

Sarah has only returned home to help her mother with her grandmother. She left town after her husband died in the line of duty as a firefighter. She couldn't handle the memories. She has no intention of staying until she meets some precious girls who rescued her dog after he was found running loose. Now that she's met them and their wonderful uncle she must might want to stay. But he's a firefighter who puts his life on the line and has no intentions of staying in town himself.

This was a super sweet book. The little girls are precious and all of the characters emphasize family and small town connectedness. The author wove inspiration into the story and leaves the reader feeling blessed and encouraged. The two older ladies were hilarious in their matchmaking attempts and added to the depth of the story. I enjoyed reading the book and look forward to more by this author. Hopefully she'll write more about the single dad's group.

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

Want Ad Wedding

Want Ad Wedding

Cowboy Creek Series

Cheryl St. John

Daniel and his two friends have helped start the little town of Cowboy Creek. So when they want the town to grow, they send off for four mail-order brides to help grow the families of the town. They plan to start small and order more if the first four work out. Daniel is in for a shock when he sees his childhood friend step off the train. Leah is now a pregnant widow with no family to help her. She was desperate enough to answer the ad, but a marriage of convenience with her friend Daniel might be the perfect safety net for her and her unborn child.

This was a sweet, well written story. The characters had depth and were engaging. I liked the back story that the author gave the two main characters. She also set several people up to be the main characters in the next book. The secondary characters were interesting as well and added to the whole plot. Overall, it was a sweet, clean romance with just a little drama that I enjoyed reading.

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

Where the Heart Is

Where the Heart Is Romance Collection

Erica Vetsch, Andrea Boeshaar, Carol Cox, Rhonda Gibson, Sally Laity, 

Jane LaMunyon, Claire Sanders, Connie Stevens, Pamela Tracy

 Nine christian fiction authors have come together to share their novellas about love and the journey that it takes us on. Each story is linked by the theme and the historical western setting. They all include romance, faith, family, and the journey to love.

I enjoyed each of these stories. The authors did a great job of bringing the couples together with a little bit of drama. The characters had depth and fit well with the plots. There isn't a lot of drama, but each story was sweet and well written. I enjoyed the elements of faith that each author wove into the story and made part of the relationship. I was pleasantly surprised to see two stories that were part of a mini series that were missing from a novella collection I'd read earlier in the year. This book is perfect for someone who enjoys christian romance, wants a quick read, or needs an escape.

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