book review

Filled with page-turning suspense, The Tutor‘sDaughter takes readers to the windswept Cornwall coast-a place infamous for shipwrecks and superstitions-where danger lurks, faith is tested, and romance awaits.

When Dylan Taylor, a single, flirtatious cowboy begs for help with his blind horse, Annie makes a deal:  she’ll help train Braveheart if he helps her answer the letters.  Annie doesn’t expect problems on every homefront, however, especially not to have feelings for Dylan, an “unreliable cowboy.”  Can Annie overcome her past hurts and find love with this cowboy?

I’ve always liked to read books that have meaning and importance to them.  Ones that have drama and suspense and emotion and really tie you to your chair until you’ve turned the last page.

All that intensity, however, can be a little hard to handle – and now that I’m a busy mom, I appreciate switching up my reading style more than ever.

That’s why I loved The Trouble with Cowboys so much.  It’s a love story involving a cowboy (read: fun) and while there is action and drama and emotion, it’s more of the variety that any of us might face.  We all have to deal with childhood hurts and to face the fear of trusting our hearts to another, and Denise Hunter gives these issues the weight they deserve; at the same time, because you can see into each character’s heart, you have information that makes you omniscient, which keeps the tension resting solely on the characters’ shoulders and off of your own.

Besides all of that, the characters in this book have fun.  They ride horses.  They pretend their lives are Jane Austen novels and they mentally shop for Batman capes and have water battles.  They cry, but they laugh.  This book is just plain enjoyable.

Order a copy here.

 

This series has opened my eyes to an issue within Irish history that I’ve never heard of before.  It’s a fascinating, controversial, political time, and Ludwig portrays it well.

That political unrest sets the stage for intrigue and suspense throughout, and Ludwig doesn’t disappoint there, either.  Between the Irish politics, Tillie’s guilt, the murderous villains, and the budding romance, your pulse will be raging with every turn of the page.

You’ll turn them quickly, too, because as the suspense builds, you’ll fall deeper and deeper into the magic scene that Ludwig has painted.  With sights, smells, and tastes described vividly and smoothly, it feels as if you’re really there, walking the streets with Tillie and Keondric.

That makes it impossible to wait to find out what happens.  I certainly couldn’t.  This was a one-sit read for me – I couldn’t put it down.

If you have any interest in love stories, mysteries, or Irish history, definitely pick up Tide and Tempest.

I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.

Iran has just tested their first nuclear weapon – and it worked better than they imagined. With eight more unidentified nuclear warheads and a team of Iranian scientists struggling to attach them to missiles, Israel wants to attack before their country is destroyed.  The United States government still believes that peace can be achieved through negotiations, and with the Twelfth Imam already building his world-wide caliphate, there’s no time to lose. CIA agent David Shirazi is sent back into Iran with the task of finding all of the nuclear warheads – but can he find them before the world as he knows it is completely destroyed?

Beginning only moments after The Twelfth Imam ended, Rosenberg fans will love this book.  Complete with a continuation of Shirazi’s saga with both Marseilles Harper and his mother’s illness, Rosenberg crafts a story full of intense personal emotion mixed in with the fictionalized fulfillment of Muslim prophecy.  This book answers the question, “What would happen if Iran became nuclear?” and the answer is chilling.

Joel Rosenberg has worked as a communications strategist in Washington DC and is the New York Times’ bestselling author of The Twelfth Imam and The Last Jihad series.  Rosenberg’s coworkers reads like a list of Who’s Who  in international government, and his vast political experience, coupled with his unique faith background, puts him in the perfect position to write political, faith-based thrillers.  This book will not disappoint.

Though topping out at over 450 pages, I devoured The Tehran Initiative in a single day – and I can’t wait for the next one to release.  I’m about as political as a slug; I understand only the basics of political events, but Rosenberg takes the reader straight to the heart of the matter and relates current events through his fictionalized “what-ifs” and makes it all easy to understand.  More information at the back of the book and on his blog clarifies what is real and what isn’t – but all too often more of the story is true than what meets the eye of the general American public.

Still undecided?   Watch this clip from Jerusalem as Rosenberg explains his motivation for writing The Tehran Initiative.

Find a copy.  Read it.  You’ll be hooked, too.


To read the first chapter online now, click here.

I received a free copy of The Tehran Initiative from Tyndale House in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a cut above your ordinary historical romance.  Having barely survived an abusive marriage, Carissa isn’t interested in trusting her life – or that of her daughter – to a man ever again.  Living on the Texas frontier, only years after the Civil War ends, complicates this decision, especially when the local Native Americans begin to rebel against the United States Army.  All of these issues affect Carissa’s decision, making it less about a romantic, starry-eyed emotion and one more about a true choice.  Can she trust God’s leading and give up control of her life?  

Tyler Atherton faces similar decisions.  Having lost his father to tragedy and then the family ranch soon afterwards, he’s angry and wants revenge.  He can’t pursue both Carissa and vengeance, however, and while his emotions lead him toward the beautiful woman, circumstances force him to make a conscious choice.

Many romance novels today portray love as nothing more than tummy-contained butterflies and  rosy glasses, happy emotions and happily-ever-afters.  True love, however, is more than pretty insects and demands staying power when life gets rough.  While those fluffy books can be fun and entertaining to read, they don’t stick in your mind or write lessons on your heart the way that Taming the Wind will. 

 Peterson’s portrayal of the Texas frontier is well researched and lively.  The action is strong enough to keep the plot moving along rapidly, while the depth of emotion pulls you into the story.  These elements work together to make Taming the Wind a true winner.

*This is the third book in Peterson’s Land of the Lone Star series.  I have not yet gotten to read the first two novels in this series, but Peterson does a fantastic job of filling in the background and getting the reader up to speed.  That being said, I think the beginning of Carissa’s story sounds just as fascinating as the ending, and I look forward to reading both previous books.

To read other reviews on this blog tour, click here.  If you’re ready to purchase your copy right now, you can do so here.

Tracie Peterson is the award-winning author of over eighty novels, both historical and contemporary. Her avid research resonates in her stories, as seen in her bestselling Heirs of Montana and Alaskan Quest series. Tracie and her family make their home in Montana. Visit Tracie’s Web site atwww.traciepeterson.com and her blog at www.writespassage.blogspot.com

I received a free copy of Taming the Wind from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.

When a cowboy focused on revenge encounters a woman determined to distract him, there’s going to be trouble in Texas!

Mary Connealy writes fun and lively “romantic comedy with cowboys” for the inspirational market. She is the author of the successful Kincaid Brides, Lassoed in Texas, Montana Marriages, and Sophie’s Daughters series, and she has been a finalist for a Rita and Christy Award and a two time winner of the Carol Award. She lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her husband, Ivan, and has four grown daughters.

I received a free copy of Swept Away from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.

It’s 1855 and Kate Winter is about to graduate from Otterbein College when she fails to pass the speaking requirement.  Given a second chance, Kate is forced to obey her mother’s edicts and entertain a wealthy suitor.  Frustrated with her family and longing to live a meaningful life, Kate plans to run away.  Before she finds the opportunity, however, she is thrown into a dangerous situation with Ben Hanby, soon-to-be preacher and friend of the Underground Railroad.  Ben and Kate hit it off and want to get married, but a preacher doesn’t fit into Kate’s mother’s plans.  Will they find forever love, or will their family situations and politics keep them apart?

I expected this book to be a fluffy Sunday afternoon read, but that wasn’t quite the case.  With the Underground railroad, alcoholism, honoring parents, choosing career paths, and forgiveness all thrown into the mix, ‘shallow’ does not describe this book.  In fact, I was excited to learn that Ben’s character was actually based on a real person.  His story is fascinating and definitely makes me want to read more about this period in history. I love the way that Elliot uses Ben’s real history and creates this fictionalized version for the book, using what facts are known and creating much of the rest.

Sweeter Than Birdsong is an excellent work of fiction.  Fast-paced and personal, full of action and heart and drama, it is a sweet story of forgiveness, redemption, and honor.  I can’t wait to read Elliot’s other books – and the sequel to Birdsong can’t be released fast enough.

I received a free copy of Sweeter Than Birdsong from Thomas Nelson in exchange for an honest review.