An Elegant Facade

An Elegant Facade

Hawthorne House #2

Kristi Ann Hunter

Lady Georgina must have everything perfect for her coming out. She has carefully crafted every detail and planned for three years so that nothing fails. Her secret could ruin her and she must take every precaution to ensure it stays hidden. Only her best friend and maid knows that Georgina must have the perfect man to marry if she wants to avoid ruin. Colin is just the type of man who could ruin everything and expose her darkest secrets. 

I have definitely found a new favorite author. I've loved all three of her books so far. The author is able to create a feeling in the book that draws the reader in. The characters are authentic and relatable. The story line is entertaining, but also has some thoughts to ponder. I love the way she seamlessly weaves faith into a genre that rarely sees it. The romance is clean, sweet, and definitely romantic with hints of comedy. The writing was good, the plot was well done, the characters were great. But really - this book was just plain fun. I loved it and can't wait to read the next one. If you enjoy regency romance then you'll fall in love with this author.

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

Land of Silence

Land of Silence

Tessa Afshar

Elianna's past is marked with tragedy and sorrow. She makes the ultimate sacrifice to save the life of her fiance, but looses him in the process. Now she's years into a debilitating disease the robs her of strength and human contact. She's tried every doctor and has almost completely exhausted her resources. Her last hope is this strange man reported to heal people. Elianna knows that she is unclean. But if she can just touch Him, she hopes that she'll be relieved of her physical burden.

Afshar is a gifted writer. She takes a character from the Bible and weaves a story that captivates and enthralls the reader. The reader will be drawn in to the story and will come away with not only a deeper understanding of Jewish history and customs, but with a sense of the love the Savior has for His children. I'm not usually a fan of Biblical fiction, but this author is definitely an exception. I think even readers who tend to not enjoy Christian fiction would enjoy this novel for it's historical depth and expert story telling. Overall, this was an amazing book that I will be sharing with friends and would highly recommend.

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

Stand-In Rancher Daddy

Stand-In Rancher Daddy

Lone Star Cowboy League: The Founding Years Book 1

Renee Ryan

CJ is a rancher, not a dad. But when his widowed brother abandons his twins, CJ is left with no choice but to step in and be a father. He's incredibly thankful for the young widow Molly who has been helping out since the death of his sister-in-law. Everyone in town thinks the two should get married. It would solve so many problems. But CJ thinks he isn't worthy of Molly because of his family's past and Molly can't have children and knows that CJ wants a big family. Nothing short of a community tragedy will bring them together.

This was a sweet, fun book to read. The characters were real and likable. The author wove faith, the importance of family, forgiveness, and trust into a clean, romantic story that was both enjoyable and thought provoking. I liked the elements of small-town that the plot was wrapped around. I think the author did a great job with the secondary characters as well and I can see several of them in the next book. Overall, this was a great story that readers of historical fiction or Christian romance will enjoy.

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

Between Us Girls

Between Us Girls

Walks & Talks for Moms & Daughters

Trish Donohue

It seems like such a long time ago that I was a young pre-teen girl. Sometimes, as mothers, we aren't sure how to relate to our young daughters. The author has taken her personal experience and faith to write a resource for moms who want to relate to their daughters and have conversations with them that mean something; conversations that go beyond the surface and connect in a meaningful way.

The book is small and compact, but filled with lots of fun and useful information. The author begins with the idea of a walk between mother and daughter as they talk and share. Each chapter is based on this idea. They begin with a devotional or thought on the chapter's subject. There are questions for the mom and daughter to answer, Bible passages to read, and thoughts to ponder. Each one covers a topic that needs to be addressed, a learning experience, or a subject that is connecting in regards to relationships. I loved the concept and can't wait to try these out with my daughter. I think we will both enjoy working our way through the book. I also appreciated the care that went into the chapter in the back on sexual abuse and ways to avoid or work through it. This is definitely a book I would recommend to any mother who has a daughter.

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

Silence in the Dark

Silence in the Dark
Logan's Point Book 4

Patricia Bradley

 Bailey left Logan Point after she told Danny she couldn't marry him. Two years later finds her in Mexico and ready for a short trip home. She is supposed to accompany a little girl home for a visit to her grandparents. But someone is out to get either Bailey or maria, the little girl. Bailey has to decide quickly who she can trust with their lives as they flee back home to Logan Point.

This was an incredibly fun book. The action and suspense were fast paced and kept me on my toes. The characters were well fleshed out and added to the plot. The story was, while part of a series, could be read alone. The book mentions characters from previous books, but there is enough descriptions that a new reader wouldn't be left out. I liked how the author brought in faith, but wove it into the story instead of presenting it in a preaching form. It was subtle, but impacting. There was a little bit of romance between a couple of the characters, but it wasn't the main part of the story. Overall, this was a great book if you enjoy suspense with a touch of romance. I look forward to the next book by this author.

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

Becky Wade!!!

Congratulations to Becky Wade 

and her novel

Her One and Only

for taking home this month's Clash crown!

PURCHASE

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

About the book:

After ten years in the NFL, super star Gray Fowler is accustomed to obsessive fans. But when Gray starts receiving death threats from a stalker, his team hires an executive protection agency to guard him until the culprit is caught. Dealing with bodyguards 24/7 is a headache, especially when one of them is a young, beautiful woman. How can a female half his size possibly protect him better than he can protect himself?

Dru Porter is a former Marine, an expert markswoman, and a black belt–none of which saved her from disaster on her last assignment. In order to rebuild her tarnished reputation, she’s determined to find Gray’s stalker and, since relationships between agents and clients are forbidden, avoid a romantic attachment between herself and the rugged football player with the mysterious past.

Yet every secret that leads Dru closer to the stalker also draws her closer to Gray. As the danger escalates, they’ll survive only if they can learn to trust their lives — and their hearts — to one another.

Becky also has a FREE book sale going on RIGHT NOW!

Undeniably Yours

Free on Amazon

What Becky's voters had to say:

~I have read and loved Becky Wade's books for awhile now! She is talented and brilliant. I love having the option to read romantic fiction that is Christian based and clean for the soul. It's wonderful! Thank you!!
~I wouldn't even need a beach to want to read your book, Becky Wade!
~LOVE Becky Wade!! Loved the conclusion to the Porter Family Series!! Perfect book poolside or other Summer destination or really any place any time!! :)
~Even though I have only read one of the books on this list (I look forward to checking some more of these out) i want to thank all the authors for doing what they do. I believe God uses you to help others. I love reading because it can just help me escape sometimes and than start fresh and go forward. Also encouraging our relationship with God through seeing your characters growing in faith. Thank you for writing even when it toughs because it makes a difference and matters to people like me!!!
~I just received a whole set of Becky Wade's books and can't wait to read them
~Becky Wade, I love your books. Keep up the great work
~I have loved all of Becky Wade's books! I am never disappointed with any of her books - I look forward to each next one. They are always on my to purchase list as soon as they come out - one of my new favorite authors! :)

Wedded for His Royal Duty

Wedded for His Royal Duty

The Princes of Xaviera Book 2

Susan Meier

 Alex Sanchos is the spare prince for Xaviera. So he spends his time chasing women and gambling. Not that he has to chase, he has no problem just choosing from the swarm of women that are attached to his wealth, good looks, and princely title. So when he's forced to marry the woman that was originally intended for his older brother, he's not exactly happy. After meeting Eva, a future queen, he decides that he'll go alone with the mandate - for now.

This was a sweet story, that was surprisingly clean. I liked the whole reason for their forced marriage, but parts of it felt forced or unrealistic. I also wished that more time was given to their relationship instead of the rushed part at the end. But overall, this was a fun story to read and I am interested in checking out more books by this author.

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