book review

Mattie Diener can barely keep it together. A young Amish widow and mother of two young children, she faces the lingering heartbreak of lost love, her son’s mysterious illness, and a torrent of accusations that threaten to undo her.

Bo Lambright is a fast-rising social services investigator whose high-society mother won’t rest until she finds his Mrs. Right. Despite Bo’s worldly success, the raw ache of a shadowy past and a series of unsettling dreams have left him reeling.

When Mattie and Bo cross paths, all signs point to disaster. Yet as they face a crucible of trials and tragedies together, longings begin to stir that seem destined only to end in more heartbreak. Is a miracle possible—not only of healing but of forbidden love? What secrets lie in Bo’s dreams? And will Mattie find the courage to face her uncertain future . . . or will she simply run away?

Ruth Reid’s newest book will restore your faith in miracles.  A fantastic story of faith and restoration, I enjoyed the way the many plot twists made it possible for big fanfare finish – in a simple Amish way, of course. 

Throughout the story Bo and Mattie both face adversity of many kinds.  Reid expertly foreshadows some of it while keeping other events a surprise to the reader, but none of these things would be easy for most adults to handle.  The way that each of these characters face their problems differ, but I most enjoyed the way that Bo stood up for what he believed to be right despite the potential for problems in his own future.  His stance is particularly inspirational in this day and age of lawsuits and so-called ‘intolerance.’

The beginning of the story was not an easy read for me, but not because Reid’s writing was less than excellent.  Instead, she wrote so realistically that I grew quite angry on Mattie’s behalf and wasn’t sure I wanted to continue to read about the unfair injustice I could see coming her way.  Having grown up in the same county as one of the largest, most traditional Amish communities in the world, I could see the writing on the wall – and it wasn’t spelling out a pretty message.

That message was an important one to us all, though, maybe exactly because of our lawsuit-hungry society:  don’t judge on first impressions or appearances.  I don’t in any way mean for this to have anything to do with bathroom laws or who-makes-whose cake; but how often do we assume that the person over there is that kind of person based solely in a single word, look, or incident?  We may never know the damage we can do with that kind of  assumption, but Mattie’s story stands as a testament to it.

Fortunately for the reader, it doesn’t end there.  We also see the redemptive love that God has for us and the power that has to change relationships through the events that both Bo and Mattie live through.  We find in this story that not everyone is whom we were led to believe, and that second chances are important.  We learn that we can make a difference – whether it’s one word or one act or one person at a time.

Reid drew me in thoroughly to A Dream of Miracles in the very first chapter, and I couldn’t put it down.  Find a copy and pick it up – I’m sure you’d enjoy this Dream, too.

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

In 1910 Toronto, while other bachelor girls perfect their domestic skills and find husbands, two friends perfect their sleuthing skills and find a murderer.

Inspired by their fascination with all things Sherlock Holmes, best friends and flatmates Merinda and Jem launch a consulting detective business. The deaths of young Irish women lead Merinda and Jem deeper into the mire of the city’s underbelly, where the high hopes of those dreaming to make a new life in Canada are met with prejudice and squalor.

While searching for answers, donning disguises, and sneaking around where no proper ladies would ever go, they pair with Jasper Forth, a police constable, and Ray DeLuca, a reporter in whom Jem takes a more than professional interest. Merinda could well be Toronto’s premiere consulting detective, and Jem may just find a way to put her bachelor girlhood behind her forever–if they can stay alive long enough to do so.

The Bachelor Girl’s Guide to Murder is a most unique ride to love.  Well written, Rachel McMillan immerses the reader in the changing culture of Toronto at a time when immigrant and gender equality is all up in the air.  I had no idea that some of these problems ever existed, and it made for a fascinating story.

I thoroughly enjoyed the characters of Jem and DeLuca – probably DeLuca a bit more.  I enjoyed his dedication to his family and his willingness to roll up his sleeves and ball his fists to defend his those he loves. 

McMillan’s writing style is a new one to me.  Asides are written in using asterisks and placed at the bottom of the pages and are often used to provide the reader with more information.  Having thought this was the first in a series – and being mistaken – I appreciated the extra detail even though it came in an unconventional form.

The Bachelor’s Girl’s Guide to Murder is quirky.  It’s not like any other love story I’ve ever read.  If you find yourself in the mood for a realistic historical mystery romance, give this book a try.

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

Take one abrasive professional athlete, a quirky out-of-work schoolteacher, and an overweight geriatric dog, and you’re ready for a lesson in love…Tippy style.

Pro baseball pitcher Cal Crawford is not a dog guy. When he inherits his deceased mother’s elderly dog, Tippy, he’s quick to call on a pet-sitting service.

Gina isn’t thrilled to be a dog sitter when her aspirations lie in the classroom. Furthermore, she can’t abide the unfriendly Cal, a man with all the charm of a wet towel. But with no other prospects and a deep love for all things canine, she takes the job caring for Tippy.

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…

Discover the charming story of Tippy, the dog who brought a family together.

At the beginning of Sit, Stay, Love I wasn’t sure how much love I’d be offering to Tippy’s handler and owner – but this furry ball of fun soon changed my mind.

Gina is a colorful woman with big dreams.  Life hasn’t always gone her way, and learning difficulties stemming from her troubled birth still give her problems today.  Despite her issues, she’s passionate about animals and people and as big of a dreamer as she is a hard worker.  She always sees the best in the people she meets.

Cal isn’t quite so perky.  After losing his mother, he’s hanging onto his love for baseball even harder – only he’s not playing as well as he used to and he’s all alone.

Tippy is a rather zany dog with a penchant for doing what’s least expected.  Somehow she’s always in the center of trouble, and that means a circus for the humans in her life.  While most people would set her aside, Gina’s caring and Cal’s pain create opportunities for relationship amidst the craziness of caring for Tippy.

That’s one of the best lessons about the book – about the importance of people.  Gina takes people as they come and enjoys the best parts of them.  She prioritizes relationships and works hard to keep them that way.  Cal is the exact opposite but comes to realize just how lonely that life is.  Our busy modern lives keep us separate and apart.  Too often we’re like Cal when we should be living like Gina.  Tippy reminds us of this.

Gina’s big heart is the other.

I love how she opens her heart and her life to everyone.  She doesn’t keep a barrier between her self and those who appear different from her, opening herself only to those who are ‘like’ her.  Instead, she seems happy to hang out with anyone, and isn’t that the message of the Gospel?  That no one of us is better than another?

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

It’s been a long time since Colt Stafford shrugged off his cowboy legacy for shiny Manhattan loafers and a promising career on Wall Street. But when stock market manipulations leave him financially strapped, the oldest son of legendary rancher Sam Stafford decides to return to the sprawling Double S ranch in Gray’s Glen, Washington. He’s broke, but not broken, and it’s time to check in with his ailing father, and get his legs back under him by climbing into the saddle again.
 
He doesn’t expect to come home to a stranger pointing a loaded gun at his chest— a tough yet beautiful woman that Sam hired as the house manager. Colt senses there’s more to Angelina Morales than meets the eye and he’s determined to find out what she’s hiding…and why.
 
Colt’s return brings new challenges. Younger brother Nick has been Sam’s right-hand man at the ranch for years and isn’t thrilled at having Colt insert himself into Double S affairs. And the ranch’s contentious relationship with the citizens of Gray’s Glen asks all the Stafford men to examine their hearts about what it truly means to be a neighbor.  And as Wall Street recovers, will Colt succumb to the call of the financial district’s wealth and power—or finally the courage to stay in the saddle for good?

Ruth Logan Herne’s new book will have you wishing you could jump Back in the Saddle.  The ranching life is painted in a hard but glorious light by everyone in the story.  Although full of hard work and tough choices, Herne shares the benefits of life in a slow pace where you’re responsible for your own business.  A small community that allows you to build relationships and work together is held up as an ideal place to raise a family, and this country girl definitely agrees.

I’ve always wanted to go on a real trail ride, so I could definitely identify with the kids in the story who longed to learn to ride.  I appreciated Colt’s story, too – being knocked down by business isn’t easy, but his love for the land helped him come to grips with the new direction in his life.

There’s more to Angelina than meets the eye, as well, and her backstory definitely adds some excitement to the plot.  I would’ve loved if that had been a thread that got tugged during the events of the story, but Angelina was a fascinating character nonetheless.

These characters are not the only interesting ones in the story.  Colt’s family adds several smaller sub-plots and foreshadowing to the next book in the series.  I love the way that Herne mixed the characters and the plot lines all together into a realistic jumble of people and problems.  They feel like the loveable family next door, and I wish I could go meet them.

The Colt you meet at the beginning of the story has a lot of growing to do, and I loved reading his journey.  His journey to faith, love, and maturity is a fascinating one to take.  He’s my favorite kind of character – he’s protective, strong, and doesn’t shy away from hard work, whether it’s physical or spiritual.  If you like reading about hard-working characters, Colt’s the man for you.

How’s the book overall, though – really?  It’s expertly written in a dramatic, modern style that will keep you turning page after page.  It’s definitely a cowboy romance, but with deep, interesting characters and an ongoing plot, it’s a cowboy story of the highest caliber.

Learn more and purchase a copy.

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

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Booknificent Thursday

 

Lucetta Plum is an actress on the rise in New York City, but is forced to abandon her starring role when a fan’s interest turns threatening. Lucetta’s widowed friend, Abigail Hart, is delighted at the opportunity to meddle in Lucetta’s life and promptly whisks her away to her grandson’s estate to hide out.

Bram Haverstein may appear to simply be a somewhat eccentric gentleman of means, but a mysterious career and a secret fascination with a certain actress mean there’s much more to him than society knows.

Lucetta, who has no interest in Abigail’s matchmaking machinations, has the best intentions of remaining cordial but coolly distant to Bram. But when she can’t ignore the strange and mysterious things going on in his house, it’ll take more than good intentions to keep her from trying to discover who Bram is behind the part he plays.

Playing the Part is a rollicking good read for historical fiction fans.  With the zaniest tide of events rolling into Lucetta’s life, I don’t see how Turano can make this stuff up.  It’s completely unpredictable and hilarious all at the same time.

Turano ends nearly every chapter with one of those wacky events.  She puts her characters in crazy situations which, while they advance the plot, they also add brevity to the story.  Lucetta and Bram do deal with real life issues and take an emotional journey during the pages of the book, but it’s never heavy.  The crimes are serious but when surrounded by such light-hearted fun, it’s impossible to be weighed down by the danger.

Those serious events I could predict partway through the story, but I had to read into Turano’s work first, and even then, while I guessed one of her twists, I never could’ve guessed the others.  At first, I found it hard to take the story seriously, but as events unfolded, I could see how expertly Turano pieced the wild and the wonderful together. 

If you’re in the mood for a fun and lighthearted story, definitely check out Playing the Part.

Click here to read other reviews on this bloggy hop or here to purchase your own copy now.

 

 

Jen Turano, author of the Ladies of Distinction series and the A Class of Their Own series, is a graduate of the University of Akron. She is a member of ACFW and lives in a suburb of Denver, Colorado.

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

 

I love getting to review new books – and Tracie Peterson’s books never fail to enthrall me.

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?

Emily Carver captured my attention from the very first page of Peterson’s new A Treasure Concealed (Sapphire Brides)‘>A Treasure Concealed down.  I’m not ready to leave Emily or Caedon yet.  There is so much to know about their futures, as well as people only touched upon in this story, like Jake Hoover and Millie and Uncle Jasper.  They were fascinating in their own rights, and perhaps their sideline status made them even more so.  In fact, I was so determined not to leave their story that I did some research – and the second book in this series will be released in July, but it doesn’t appear to have any character connections.  Maybe, if they don’t make a future appearance in the sequel, they’ll pop up again in another Peterson book.

Please?

I received a free copy of A Treasure Concealed in exchange for an honest review.

 

One of my favorite authors has released a new book.

 

In college, Griffin McCray and his four best friends had their lives planned out. Griffin and Luke Gallagher would join the Baltimore PD. Declan Gray would head to the FBI and Parker Mitchell would go on to graduate school as a crime scene analyst. But then Luke vanished before graduation and their world–and friendships–crumbled.

Now Griffin is a park ranger at Gettysburg, having left life as a SWAT-team sniper when a case went bad. The job is mostly quiet–until the day he captures two relic hunters uncovering skeletal remains near Little Round Top. Griffin just wants the case to go away, but charming forensic anthropologist Finley Scott determines that the body is modern–a young social justice lawyer missing since spring–and all evidence points to the work of an expert sniper. When FBI agent Declan Gray takes over the case, past and present collide. Griffin soon realizes he’ll need to confront some of the darkest days of his life if he–and those he cares about–are going to escape a downward spiral of murder that crosses continents.

If you like the hit TV show Bones, you’re going to love Dani Pettrey’s new book Cold Shot (Chesapeake Valor)‘>Cold Shot.  Pettrey mixes up past issues with the current forensic case and keeps you guessing until the very end about the story’s resolution.  I like that she keeps me guessing.

As always, Pettrey nails the setting.  She’s a master of description and is able to paint word pictures of long-quiet battlefields and salty harbor waterfronts.  She maximizes travel, as she does with all of her stories, and shows off the beauty of the region.