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Friday, April 29, 2016

Book Review: A Treasure Concealed by Tracie Peterson

A Treasure Concealed (Sapphire Brides #1)

Book Description:

Emily Carver wants a home where she can put down roots instead of following her gold-hungry father from one mining camp to another. She also longs for tenderness and love, both of which are missing in her life. Yet when she realizes she's losing her heart to the intriguing new man in camp, she fiercely fights her feelings, afraid that love will only result in disappointment and heartache.

Caeden Thibault, a young geologist, comes to Montana to catalog minerals indigenous to the state. He's a serious and guarded young man trying to escape the pain of his past. He has avoided all romantic entanglements, fearing he might become like his abusive father. But something about Emily Carver has caught his attention, something he never expected. . . .
Will these two broken souls allow God to bring healing and hope to their hurting hearts?


Book Review:

It has been a long time since I've picked up a Tracie Peterson novel. A Treasure Concealed helped me to remember that I've enjoyed what I have read of hers.

My immediate reaction after finishing this 336 page novel was one of contentment. I like it when I read a story and at the end I'm satisfied with what I've read. There were no unanswered questions. There were no cliffhanger endings, and everything was resolved in a way that made me happy to have invested time into reading it.

Some people are going to complain about Emily's father and his choices. I'll admit I had some negative thoughts about him of my own, but thinking about him further I realized that he really (in a fictional way of course :) ) believed that he was doing what God had planned for him to do. It didn't make sense to most people, even those he loved, but he was trying to follow God's plan for him, and hey, you got to admire him for that. That's a minor part of the story, but that's where I got the most hung-up, and since I resolved it in my mind, I thought I'd share.

So in conclusion, A Treasure Concealed has a beautiful cover, was well written and engaging, and was a clean Christian Historical Fiction. 

A Treasure Concealed (Sapphire Brides #1)
Title: A Treasure Concealed
Author: Tracie Peterson
Publisher: Bethany House
Published: March 2016
ISBN: 0764213245
Source: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Book Review: Sister Dear by Laura McNeill

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Book Description:


All Allie Marshall wants is a fresh start.  But when dark secrets refuse to stay buried, will her chance at a new life be shattered forever?

Convicted of a crime she didn’t commit, Allie watched a decade of her life vanish – time that can never be recovered. Now, out on parole, Allie is determined to clear her name, rebuild her life, and reconnect with the daughter she barely knows.

But Allie’s return home shatters the quaint, coastal community of Brunswick, Georgia. Even her own daughter Caroline, now a teenager, bristles at Allie’s claims of innocence. Refusing defeat, a stronger, smarter Allie launches a battle for the truth, digging deeply into the past even if it threatens her parole status, personal safety, and the already-fragile bond with family.

As her commitment to finding the truth intensifies, what Allie ultimately uncovers is far worse than she imagined. Her own sister has been hiding a dark secret—one that holds the key to Allie’s freedom.


Review:

I can't even imagine going back to the town you used to live in after getting out of prison, especially if you know you're innocent, but no one else believes that you are. It would be so difficult to get back to a semi-normal life with all of the hatred and judgement thrown your way. But Allie is a strong person, and she decides to do whatever she can to clear her name, and regain her relationship with her estranged daughter, instead of just running away and starting a new life somewhere else.

As this book goes on, you come to find out that there are a few people in town who are not only bad, but downright psychotic. It becomes a game of cat and mouse to see who can win in the end. Can the real murderer hide the evidence and turn everyone completely against Allie, or will Allie persevere and uncover the real story in the end?

This book does have some sex scenes in it, so I don't know that I would classify it as clean fiction.

About the Author:

Laura McNeil is a writer, web geek, travel enthusiast, and coffee drinker. In her former life, she was a television news anchor for CBS News affiliates in New York and Alabama. Laura holds a master’s degree in journalism from The Ohio State University and is completing a graduate program in interactive technology at the University of Alabama. When she’s not writing and doing homework, she enjoys running, yoga, and spending time at the beach. She lives in Mobile, AL with her family. 

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Title: Sister Dear
Author: Laura McNeill
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Published: April 2016
ISBN: 0718030923
Source: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for a review.


 

Monday, April 25, 2016

Blog Tour: Loving Leah by Lynne Larson

Reviews * Giveaway
 Loving Leah by Lynne Larson

Book Description:

“Promise me, Ethan, no matter what, you must stay here! You can’t make a sound! Promise me you won’t!”
 
Caught in the middle of a massacre in Lawrence, Kansas, during the Civil War, Leah Donaldson, a twenty-year-old Mormon governess, must risk everything to save two children in her care—and she lives to pay dearly for the decision. Young Ethan Pace loves Leah and can hardly stay still as she is taken away by the enemy for refusing to reveal where he and his sister are hiding.

Five years later, Ethan desperately searches for her, trying to reconcile all that has happened and grappling with his feelings for her. Still idealizing Leah, he hopes she has survived and that he can help her get to Zion and her people. But after everything she’s been through since they last met, will Leah overcome her regrets and allow love into her life? Will she come to see Ethan as the caring man he has become rather than the lovesick boy she once knew?

Rorie's Review:

This book started out a bit choppy and slow for me. It took a few chapters, but eventually I found myself drawn in to the story. I really came to like Ethan, Toe and Leah. The massacre in Lawrence was heartbreaking, even more so when I found out that it really happened. I could really understand Ethan's need for vengeance and his strong desire to find out what happened to Leah. It was interesting to see how Ethan changed and matured after the massacre and even more so during his journey to find and help Leah.

The ending didn't happen the way I was hoping it would, but even so, I felt that the story was nicely resolved.

Andrea's Review:

I wasn't sure what to think about Loving Leah when I read the book description, but I enjoy historical fiction so I decided to accept the opportunity to review it.

I was pulled in right away by the characters and the intriguing historical aspects. Leah was such a great person, and you couldn't help but like her as seen through Ethan's adoring eyes. It is hard to imagine living during the Civil War, but I thought the author did a good job portraying the attitudes abounding during that time.

I was expecting a bit more to the story (the bulk of the book is given away in the description). I thought it was well written, but the ending wasn't what I expected (or hoped for). That isn't necessarily a bad thing-often it makes for an excellent story. However, I really like a solid resolution, and I felt that I'd become quite invested in the main character's life, but was left hanging about him and his future.

Tarah's Review:

This book starts out with Ethan as a child, and introduces the premise of the story. It was good, and interesting (especially the historical aspect of it), but honestly, it lasted way too long. It would have been better had it been a few chapters.  I kept feeling like I was waiting for the story to really start, and I was more than half-way through the book.  And I can't say anything about the end without spoilers, but I felt like it would have made for a more interesting middle of the book instead of an ending. I was left unsatisfied after finishing this book, mostly because I still can't decide on what the purpose of it was supposed to be. Is it a romance? Is it historical fiction? I know those can go together (they are some of my favorite novels) but this book really had me questioning what the author was trying to accomplish with this one. The characters and the writing and the descriptions are all solid, it was just the main idea that had me floundering.

Tour Schedule:


Tour Giveaway:

 
Loving Leah
Title: Loving Leah
Author: Lynne Larson
Publisher: Covenant
Published: April 2016
ASIN: B01DMY9DSA

Source: We received copies from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

Purchase: Amazon Deseret Book

Friday, April 22, 2016

Join Becky Wade for a Facebook Party May 5

wade event promo - fb 

A female bodyguard plus her star NFL client plus danger equals a great recipe for romance! Her One and Only, book four in Becky Wade's Porter Family novels, releases May 3. To celebrate, Becky is hosting an author chat party on her Facebook page on May 5 at 5 PM PDT/8 PM EDT. Join Becky for an evening of book chat with other bookworms and prizes.

Plus a portion of all pre-sales and sales the release week of Her One and Only will be donated to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. For more details on how to purchase a copy, click here.

wade 400 - fallen heroes

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.

Learn more and purchase a copy.

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Blog Tour: Royal Brides by Traci Hunter Abramson


Book Description:

In this eagerly anticipated companion novel to Royal Target and Royal Secrets, readers are invited back to the shimmering Mediterranean paradise of Meridia, where two royal weddings in a year are more than stressful—they’re deadly . . .

Lovely Meridian native Noelle Saldera yearns for adventure, but as the daughter of palace servants, working at Prince Stefano’s royal wedding may be as exciting as her life will get. But her options change drastically when she finds herself in the unlikely position of diffusing a bomb at the ceremony and being enlisted as the newest member of Meridian Intelligence—another wedding is in the works, and there can be no more close calls when Prince Stefano’s brother, Garrett, walks down the aisle.

The bombing attempt at the first royal wedding leaves few clues as to the assailant’s identity. Desperate for answers, Meridian officials enlist CIA agent Jeremy Rogers to prevent a repeat occurrence at the upcoming nuptials. The beauty of the plan: the bride is Jeremy’s sister, so his cover is foolproof. What no one could anticipate is the instant connection between Jeremy and Noelle. Now, with their hearts on the line, the pair must work together to stop a seemingly unstoppable enemy before time runs out.


Book Review:

I'm the type of person that doesn't mind reading the same book again and again. I also like my series books to continue on with other characters so I feel like I'm part of the "family". I think because of those reasons I really enjoyed Abramson's newest novel Royal Brides.  If you are familiar at all with her work, you are getting what you will expect to get. And if you like it, that's not a bad thing. If you are expecting something different this might not be the book for you.  Because of past characters playing a huge role in this book, I'm not sure I would classify it as a stand alone novel. It would be best to be familiar with the other two novels in the series before starting this one.

Those disclaimers aside, it was a fun book to read, and the mystery portion wasn't obvious and made for a "oh!" moment. Noelle and Jeremy are great, but the secondary characters really made this book for me. They are the ones that make it feel like family, and I love that when I read my books :)

If you are a fan of Traci Hunter Abramson you will like this book, and I'd recommend you give it a try. It was a fast, clean, enjoyable read.

Blog Tour Schedule:



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Royal Brides
Title: Royal Brides
Author: Trace Hunter Abramson
Publisher: Covenant
Published: April 2016
ISBN:  1524400076
Source: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  

Monday, April 18, 2016

Blog Tour: Change of Heart by Jennifer Moore

Change of Heart  
Change of Heart by Jennifer Moore 

Book Description:

This summer, Nathaniel Cavanaugh vacations in Lobster Cove to spend quality time with his kids after his estranged wife’s tragic death. Successful and well-connected, he is on the fast-track to the highest legal positions in the country, but his family life suffers. After an accident throws Val nearly into his lap and costs her a job opportunity, Nathaniel surprises himself by overlooking her outlandish appearance and lack of qualifications to offer her a job as his nanny for the summer. Valdosta McKinley wishes for an internship at a Paris Art Institute to use her newly acquired art-history skills. She knows Nathaniel could never develop feelings for a girl from a trailer in a rural West Virginia holler—a lesson she learned the hard way years earlier. Will pursuit of their professional goals require Nathaniel and Val to give up the dream of being a family?

 amazon add to goodreads 

Review:

I've read and enjoyed several books by Jennifer Moore, so I jumped at the chance to review her latest novel, Change of Heart. The modern setting is different from most of what I've read from Moore, but she did a great job with likable characters and an intriguing story. Lobster Cove was also a great setting for Nathaniel and Val to meet.

I really enjoyed Val's character. She didn't fit the mold (either in Lobster Cove and with Nathaniel's people or with the stereotypical West Virginian trailer born and raised people). She was very interested in art and got a degree. She had goals and dreams, and also a very good heart.

This was a Cinderella, rags to riches type story. It was clean and an enjoyable, fast read. I'll definitely read more by this author.

About the Author:

JenniferJennifer Moore is a passionate reader and writer of all things romance due to the need to balance the rest of her world that includes a perpetually traveling husband and four active sons, who create heaps of laundry that is anything but romantic. She suffers from an unhealthy addiction to 18th and 19th century military history and literature. Jennifer has a B.A. in Linguistics from the University of Utah and is a Guitar Hero champion. She lives in northern Utah with her family, but most of the time wishes she was on board a frigate during the Age of Sail.


 
$25 Blog Tour giveaway 

Blog Tour Giveaway:

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 5/1/16
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.   
a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
Blog Tour Schedule:

April 18th:
I Am A Reader - Spotlight
Julie Coulter Bellon - Review
Literary Time Out - Review
Cuzinlogic - Spotlight
Literary Chanteuse - Spotlight
Susan Heim on Writing - Spotlight

April 19th:
Getting Your Read On - Review
Tifferz and her Sisterz - Review
Heidi Reads... - Spotlight
Why Not? Because I Said So! - Spotlight
beck valley books - Spotlight
Coffee Books & Art - Spotlight

April 20th:
My Book a Day - Review
Reading List - Review
Katie's Clean Book Collection - Review
Bunny's Review - Spotlight
LeahSay's Views - Spotlight

April 21st:

Wishful Endings - Review
Simple Wyrdings - Review
Kindle and Me - Spotlight
My Creatively Random Life - Spotlight
Queen Of All She Reads - Spotlight

April 22nd:

Books Are Sanity!!! - Review
Bookworm Lisa - Spotlight
Hearts & Scribbles - Spotlight
Mel's Shelves - Spotlight
BookHounds - Spotlight

April 26th: 

Singing Librarian Books - Review
Rockin' Book Reviews - Spotlight
Min Reads and Reviews - Spotlight
Rebecca Belliston - Spotlight
Diana's Book Reviews - Spotlight

Friday, April 15, 2016

Blog Tour: First Light by Michele Paige Holm


Book Description:

Seventeen-year-old Adrielle doesn’t believe in magic; she merely possesses it. When Adrielle starts a fire that burns down the family home, she must deal with both her grief and rejection. Forced out of her village, she journeys to far away Tallinyne in search of her older, estranged sister—the only relative who might take her in. Thrust into a dangerous and unfamiliar world, Adrielle struggles to navigate a world of magic she never imagined where she is forced to make a choice no girl should ever have to—satisfying her own heart or saving the kingdom.

Book Review:

Right off the bat you should know that this isn't like anything else this author has written (at least not that I've read of hers).  This is a fractured fairy-tale and because of that if you are trying to make all the fairy-tales that you recognize fit into the box that they are 'supposed' to fit in, you might find yourself frustrated. Let it go, people. Let it go. Enjoy the journey that you are taken on as each fairy tale is changed and morphed into a wonderful story and will take you to places that you weren't expecting to go. Honestly when I thought the story was wrapping up I looked at my kindle and saw I had more story to go, and then I was taken on another journey. Normally that bothers me, but it didn't in this story.

The fairies were a hoot. I loved their personalities and the ways they got around certain things. I even liked the princes friend Henrie and how disapproving he was of Adrielle.  Obviously there are things about the story I didn't love. It did take me a little bit to get into the story, and I didn't love some of the choices made, and I didn't love how long it took people to figure things out, etc. But those are all minor things that didn't ruin the flow of the story or make me not want to read it again.

If you enjoy fairy-tales I'd definitely give this one a try. I know I'll be rereading it again, and I can't wait for the next book to come out telling more of the story. The blurb at the end of the book sounded really good :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

First Light (Forever After Series, #1)
Title: First Light
Author: Michele Paige Holmes
Publisher: Mirror Press
Published: February 2016
ASIN: B01AZPBCCO
Source: I received an eCopy in exchange for an honest review. 

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Blog Tour: Lady Helen Finds her Song by Jennifer Moore

Reviews * Giveaway


 Lady Helen Finds Her Song by Jennifer Moore

Book Description:

Spring 1813
 

The exotic splendors of India are legendary, and the colorful sights of her new home in Calcutta immediately captivate eighteen-year-old Lady Helen Poulter. Whereas many of her fellow British expatriates despise the culture they see as barbaric, Helen sees excitement in the unusual locale. It is in this vibrant, bustling city that she finds a kindred soul in Captain Michael Rhodes, an Englishman whose lifelong love of India runs deep. Their friendship quickly grows, yet despite their undeniable connection, she could never think of Captain Rhodes as more than a dear friend.

Her love, in truth, has been captured by dashing British Lieutenant Arthur Bancroft. This handsome soldier represents the embodiment of all she's dreamed of in a husband. Preoccupied by her growing affections, Helen never dreams that beneath the glamor of the city, hostilities are reaching a boiling point. When battle ultimately threatens both of the men in her life, she must make a choice: pursue the man who symbolizes her British past, or let herself love a man who promises an unknown future in the land she loves. But amid the casualties of war, will her declaration of love come too late?


Andrea's Review:

This was such a sweet story! I loved it and read it very quickly. I liked that the main characters weren't typical and how this probably helped them be at ease with each other immediately. The Indian setting was definitely new for a Regency novel and it really added a lot to the story. The idea that two couples truly loved each other and didn't care for titles or money made the story heartwarming. That along with Michael's personality and that he would do anything for Helen even though he felt that she didn't love him.

Lady Helen Finds Her Song is a great story that I would read again.

Rorie's Review:

I loved this story, from start to finish. Helen is such a good, genuine person, you just can't help but like her. I loved her fascination with all of the new things she was seeing in India, especially in spite of the attitudes of the other British people there. I enjoyed Michael's character as well. He is noble almost to a fault, especially when it comes to his feelings for Helen. Some of the other characters were like nails on a chalkboard - which is exactly how they were supposed to be, I think. :)

The author gives a great description of what it was like living in India in that time period - I am so very, very glad for air conditioning and that it only gets humid where I live a few weeks out of the year.

All in all, a very enjoyable book. This was one that I finished in only a few days, and will definitely recommend to anyone.

Tarah's Review:

This book was my "treat" book. I told myself that I couldn't read it until I got certain unpleasant things finished first. It was totally worth the wait :)  Beautiful cover, great author, and another winner (although I will admit that I think the book description is a tad misleading.  I read it and I thought, "Oh dear, a love triangle" but happily it wasn't like that at all.

After finishing this book I immediately went back and re-read Ms. Burton Unmasks a Prince where we first meet Helen. She didn't play a huge role, so I was curious about her, but honestly, it was her step-father that made me want to go back and reread it. I loved his relationship with Helen's mother. He makes for a great minor character.

How can you not fall a little bit in love with Michael? He was wonderful, even if I did want to slap him a couple times for not seeing what was in front of him and believing in himself.

I would definitely read this again, and recommend it to a friend.

Tour Schedule:


Tour Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Lady Helen Finds Her Song Title: Lady Helen Finds Her Song
Author: Jennifer Moore
Publisher: Covenant
Published: April 2016
ISBN: 1680478931
Source: We received copies from the publisher in exchange for a review.

Purchase: Amazon | Kindle | Deseret Book

Monday, April 11, 2016

Book Review: 523 Ways to be Awesome by Kathryn Thompson

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Book Description:

Have you ever wanted to write a symphony, explore the galaxy, or save a life? With 523 Ways to Be Awesome, a gift book based on Kathryn Thompson s viral blog post Drops of Awesome, you will learn how you are already doing those and other amazing things . . . a bit . . . and how you can do them a bit more.

Book Review:

I hadn't ever seen Kathryn's "Drops of Awesome" blog or the journal that came out of it, but this book sounded intriguing to me. It can't be considered a story by any means, it's more like a 197-page long list. Don't let that deter you from looking at this book though. The author starts off by listing 20 Feats of Awesome that she would love to accomplish and then has a chapter for each topic where she gives you several ideas (or drops) that are much more attainable. For example, under the "Earn a College Degree" chapter, one of the drops is "Don't be afraid of your faults. They just give you obstacles to overcome." 
Along with that great advice, the author also uses humor to get her point across. For example, in the "Raise a Happy Family" chapter, one drop is "Ask the kids to help around the house. You mean you get Drops of Awesome for enforced child labor? Yes. Yes, you do."

At the end of each chapter, the reader is given a few pages worth of blank lines to fill in their own "Drops of Awesome." 

This is a fun book that I can come back to over and over again to either pick something that I can work on, or, if I'm having a really bad day, pick a few things that I've already done to help cheer me up. :) I also think this book will be fun to work on with my children.

About the Author:

Kathryn Thompson is a freelance writer and stay-at-home mom who lives outside Seattle with her computer-genius husband and three frequently delightful kids. Her blog DaringYoungMom.com has been featured everywhere from The Today Show to the Seattle Times and she was a founding blogger at The Parenting Post, an award-winning blog run by Parenting Magazine

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Title: 523 Ways to be Awesome
Author: Kathryn Thompson
Publisher: Familius
Published: April 2016
ISBN: 1942934394
Source: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for a review.


 

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Book Review: Forever and Forever by Josi S. Kilpack

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Book Description:

It's 1836, and nineteen-year-old Fanny Appleton, a privileged daughter of a wealthy, upper-class Boston industrialist, is touring Europe with her family. Like many girls of her day, she enjoys the fine clothes, food, and company of the elite social circles. But unlike her peers, Fanny is also drawn to education, literature, and more intellectual pursuits.Published author and poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is also touring Europe, but under much different circumstances. Recently widowed, he is gathering research for a new publication that he hopes will secure his professorship at Harvard College.Befriended by the Appleton family while visiting Switzerland, Henry is introduced to Fanny and sees in her a kindred spirit, a lover of language and literature and high ideals. He is in love. Fanny, however, is uncertain. He is from a much lower social class and is older than she is. How could such a relationship ever thrive?Could a book of Henry's poetry, personally delivered, persuade Fanny to believe in a love that lasts forever and forever?

Rorie's Review:

I am not a fan of poetry at all, so when I saw that this book was about Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the idea of it didn't really excite me, but I have enjoyed all the other proper romance books I've read, so I decided to give this one a try.

When you're writing a historical novel, there are only so many liberties you can take with the story. Sadly, there's just not a whole lot that happens in this book. There's a whole lot of talking. And more talking. And, yes, even more talking. Maybe rich people back then just didn't have much else to do. The beginning of the book, when they were touring Europe was more interesting, because I enjoyed reading about the different locations, but once Fanny and Henry returned to Boston, things slowed way down. Because of that, this story kind of dragged on for me. I didn't dislike it, it just wasn't something that kept my attention for a very long time. I did find the time line at the end of the book fascinating though.

Andrea's Review:

I was unsure what to think about this new Historical Proper Romance line when I heard about it. I'm somewhat familiar with Longfellow's writing, but I haven't ever considered his inspiration or the relationships he had.

It took me awhile to start reading, but once I did I read fairly quickly. The European Tour was interesting. It's hard to imagine a family traveling for such a long time, especially when you consider work back home. The lifestyle is definitely not one I can relate to. 

The relationship is quite drawn out and Fannie's attitude made her somewhat unlikeable. It ended quite sweetly though, so be patient (and perhaps consider ignoring the timeline-that was a downer).

Kilpack is a very good author and I thought she did this story justice. I learned a lot.


Tarah's Review:

I'm very happy that they are continuing with the proper romance line. Good clean romances are sadly hard to come by, so I'm glad Shadow Mountain is continuing with this.

Writing a Historical romance must be very very difficult because there is only so much you can deviate from actual history. And while Henry Longfellow appears to have had a hard life fighting depression and things, sadly it doesn't make for the type of story that you want to pick up and devour.  All that being said, the writing is solid, and the characters are well done. Honestly I can understand Fanny's choices from the very beginning and whether or not she made those choices for the reasons the author had her making them, it definitely makes sense to me :) 

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Title: Forever and Forever
Author: Josi S. Kilpack
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Published: April 2016
ISBN: 0764213512
Source: We received copies from the publisher in exchange for a review.

Purchase: Amazon Deseret Book

 

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Book Review: Sit, Stay, Love by Dana Mentink

Sit, Stay, Love
Book Description:

What do you get when you add one abrasive professional athlete, a quirky out-of-work schoolteacher, and an overweight geriatric dog? A lesson in love—Tippy style—in Dana Mentink's new book, Sit, Stay, Love. As Gina travels through Cal’s world with Tippy in tow, she begins to see Cal in a different light. Gina longs to show Cal the God-given blessings in his life that have nothing to do with baseball or fame. When her longing blooms into attraction, Gina does her best to suppress it. But Cal is falling in love with her too. . . .

Join Dana in celebrating the release of Sit, Stay, Love with a blog tour and a Travels with Tippy prize pack giveaway!

sit stay love-400 

One grand prize winner will receive:
  • A copy of Sit, Stay, Love
  • A basket filled with Tippy-themed goodies
    • Travel-themed decorator box
    • Reading dog statue
    • Dog journal
    • Poems for Dog Lovers
    • Snuggle Paws fleece blanket from Animal Rescue Site
    • Pawprint scarf
    • Doxie desk pen
    • Pupmobile auto magnet
tippybasket 

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry! The giveaway ends on April 25th. The winner will be announced April 26th on Dana's blog.

sit stay love-enterbanner

Book Review:

Looking for a light, fun, quick read? Look no further. Sit, Stay, Love is a cute story that you will breeze through in no time.

Apparently I have a thing for sports romances, and animal romances (which confuses me since I'm not athletic at all, and even though my husband is a vet, taking care of animals really isn't my thing). So when you combine them they really bring out the fun.

Gina is just a funny, sincere character. I loved how she was honest and friendly to everyone. One of my favorite lines in the book from her is, "Imagine all those people paying good money to go and stare at some guys trying to hit a ball with a stick. Maybe it was all about the snacks." I got a good laugh at that since that's pretty much how I feel about baseball :)

My heart just ached for Cal. Can you imagine that you are only valuable to anyone because of the job you do? Seriously it makes me sad that he felt all his worth was tied up in baseball. That people only liked him because of what he could do on the field and that without baseball he was nothing.

While the book is a little slower (more a personal development story) , there is a mystery thrown in, which is kind of take or leave...doesn't really add anything to the story, but doesn't really detract from it either.

Really, there is just something about Tippy :)

Sit, Stay, Love
TitleSit, Stay, Love
Author: Dana Mentink
Publisher: Harvest House
Published: April 2016
ISBN: 0736966072
Source: I received a copy from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review. 

Friday, April 1, 2016

Review: The Reluctant Duchess by Roseanna M. White

The Reluctant Duchess by Roseanna M. White

Book Description:

Lady Rowena Kinnaird may be the heiress to a Highland earldom, but she has never felt good enough—not for her father, not for the man she thought she’d marry, not for God. But after a shocking attack, she’s willing to be forever an outcast if it means escaping Loch Morar and the men who have jeopardized her life.

Brice Myerston, the Duke of Nottingham, has suddenly found himself in possession of a rare treasure his enemies are prepared to kill for. While Brice has never been one to shy away from manor-born ladies, the last thing he needs is the distraction of his neighbor, Lady Rowena, who finds herself in a desperate situation. But when the moody Earl of Lochabar tries to trap Brice into marrying Rowena, Brice finds he’s not as opposed to the idea as he expected to be.

Rowena wanted to escape the Highlands, but she’s reluctant to resort to marrying a notorious flirt just to gain his English home. And when she learns that Brice is mixed up in some kind of questionable business with a stolen treasure, she fears she’s about to end up directly in the path of everything she was trying to avoid.


Review:

I'm torn on this one. It held my attention, but it also had quite a few soap opera moments that took attention from Brice and Rowena (although it all came back to them). I'm not sure how else the story would have been told, but the chapters from the bad guys perspective weren't my favorite.

Brice's faith seemed so unusual for a Duke (can't say I remember reading any books about Dukes that included more than just attending church), but it really helped him and Rowena to get through their trials.

I would have loved for the epilogue to have gone further into the future, but I enjoyed the happy ending.

This is a tough book in that in includes talk of rape, other physical abuse, along with violence. It wasn't overly graphic, but it is a major part of the story.

Some of the Scottish words were hard to read/understand. The stopped holding me up after awhile though.

This is a story about love and honor and the faith that worked to make a new family.

Title: The Reluctant Duchess
Author: Roseanna M. White
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Published: April 2016
ISBN: 0764213512
Source: I received an eCopy from via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Purchase: Amazon | Kindle