book review

   Paramedic Vanessa Hollister has put her adolescence behind her, including the unwanted label of being the new kid in town over and over again, thanks to her father’s military career. She’s overcome what her mother called “the biggest mistake of her life” and is planning an elegant destination wedding in Destin, Florida with her new fiancé. But will the reappearance of her first husband from her what-were-you-thinking teenage elopement disrupt her dream of an idyllic beach wedding?

As a professional storm chaser, Logan Hollister is used to taking risks. However, a reckless decision during the last tornado season has him questioning the future of his team, the Stormmeisters. Coming face to face with his ex-wife eight years after their divorce compels him to confront his greatest regret: losing Vanessa. Does their past give him the right to interfere with her future?

A fast-moving, powerful hurricane throws Vanessa and Logan together as they evacuate to a storm shelter along with other residents of the Florida Gulf Coast. Forced to spend time together, the pair battles unexpected renewed feelings for each other.

Vanessa and Logan are faced with a choice: Should they accept, once and for all, their teenage marital mistake? Or is God offering them a second chance at happily ever after?

 Vogt takes a romantic mistake and turns it into marital bliss in Crazy Little Thing Called Love, her newest book and first in the ‘Destination Wedding’ series.  Vogt drives home the idea that forgiveness and redemption are possible, no matter the circumstances – and I love how she uses the idea of a youthful marriage to do it. 

Throughout the story, Vogt’s characters talk about going life alone versus being in relationships, whether friendships or of the romantic variety.  They’re tempted in different directions based on the circumstances of their lives, and that’s exactly how Vogt teaches the lesson that commitment is not about circumstances.  It’s deeper than that.  It’s a valuable lesson that both Vanessa and Logan had to learn, and it’s an important one for readers to hear, too.  Superficially, the story is fun, full of action and drama, but there’s a much deeper side to it.  Those deep spiritual lessons are what makes Crazy Little Thing Called Love stand out from other romantic novels.

Love stories are a dime a dozen these days – literally.  You’ll find them everywhere, and their pages are full of the whirlwind emotions that make people want to be together.  Rare, however, is a story that shows the importance and the way to stay together.  To stick it out when times are hard.  To forgive when mistakes are made.  To apologize when in the wrong.  To always, always try again.  That’s what Crazy Little Thing Called Love is, though – rare.  It teaches all these lessons with in an entertaining and fun way.

I can’t wait for Vogt’s next ‘Destination Wedding.’

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Abandoned by his mail-order bride, Silas Jonesey has fought an uphill battle to recover from a pattern of poor choices. Now his prayers for reconciliation have finally come true and his estranged wife has contacted him with her whereabouts.

Kate Dawson was supposed to be a mail-order bride, but upon realizing she’d been deceived about her intended groom, she’s now settled into life as a schoolteacher. When the mother of a student passes away, Kate assumes she’ll take on care of nine-year-old Anthony-until two men suddenly show up in town, claiming to be the boy’s father.

Silas can see Anthony loves Kate, so he enlists her help in reaching out to the boy and attempting to prove his paternity to the court. When a common interest in Anthony leads to an interest in each other and Silas and Kate begin to think they can overcome their rocky start, neither is prepared for the secrets and past hurts that have yet to come to light. Can Silas, Kate, and Anthony’s wounded souls bind them together or will all that stands between them leave them lonely forever?

How far would you go for love?  Kate Dawson has to decide that when her student’s mother passes.  That decision, on the part of Kate, Silas, and Anthony, makes for a great story.  Overcoming a troubled past is not easy, and I love the way that Jagears wrote this spiritual journey.

The book isn’t all serious, though.  Kate’s position as a teacher is threatened by the strict rules of the school board, and her search for the missing Anthony sets the town to gossiping.  My great-grandmother had a few similar stories of defying school board rules, and while these had serious consequences for Kate, time and distance makes them funny.  Jagears did a fantastic job of writing these scenes in a very realistic way.  The mild humor and vivid descriptions made the book come alive for me.

I must admit, A Bride at Last is not exactly suspenseful.  The final outcome is obvious from the very beginning, but there are many twists and turns written into the story, and these, when combined with the important spiritual lessons, make a sweet story.  It’s a perfect summer read.

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Melissa Jagears, an ESL teacher by trade and the author of A Bride for Keeps and A Bride in Store, is a stay-at-home mother on a tiny Kansas farm with a fixer-upper house. She’s a member of ACFW and CROWN fiction marketing, and her passion is to help Christian believers mature in their faith and judge rightly.

Find Melissa online: website, Facebook

I received a free copy of A Bride at Last from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.

“It is not just a ruby, as you say. It is large as a quail’s egg, still untouched and unpolished. And it is rumored to either bless or curse whoever possesses it.”

Camille Iverness can take care of herself. She’s done so since the day her mother abandoned the family and left Camille to run their shabby curiosity shop. But when a violent betrayal leaves her injured with no place to hide, Camille must allow a mysterious stranger to come to her aid.

Jonathan Gilchrist never wanted to inherit Kettering Hall. As a second son, he was content to work as the village apothecary. But when his brother’s death made him heir just as his father’s foolish decisions put the estate at risk, only the sale of a priceless possession—a ruby called the Bevoy—can save the family from ruin. But the gem has disappeared. And all trails lead to Iverness Curiosity Shop—and the beautiful shop girl who may be the answer to his many questions.

Caught at the intersection of blessings and curses, greed and deceit, these two determined souls must unite to protect what they hold dear. But when a passion that shines far brighter than any gem is ignited, they will have to decide how much they are willing to risk for their future, love, and happiness.

The Curiosity Keeper will thrust you deep into history and keep you there until the very last page has been turned.  I love the way that Ladd depicts not only the elegance of the highest social classes in this book, but she also shows how they interact and the imperfections that lie within this system.  It’s easy to romanticize it, and I’m sure that it worked beautifully for those at the very top of the social ladder, but Ladd shows the good that can be found in other classes, too.

Camille makes for a great lead character.  She’s kind and determined but surprisingly naive.  The frustrating thing about her is that you want so much for good things to happen for her, and yet she gets knocked down over and over again.  One of the good things that comes from this, however, is that it gives Jonathan a true chance to shine – and for his kindness to break through. 

The mystery of the Bevoy has high stakes for all involved.  While some aspects of it were not unexpected, it served as a great vehicle for moving along the romance and the spiritual lessons that many characters needed to learn.

My only issue with the book was a statement made on the very last page: that two people may be able to complete each other.  While I think that we can certainly make each other very happy, we were never intended to be everything to another – God is.  In that regard, I think that the lesson fell a little flat, but as it’s a romance, it is understandable. 

Ladd’s writing is smooth and descriptive.  She builds the suspense and tension slowly just as she keeps you reading as fast as possible.  I couldn’t wait to find out how it ended – and you won’t be able to, either.

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When Heather Toulson returns to her parents’ cottage in the English countryside, she uncovers long-hidden secrets about her family history and stumbles onto the truth about a sixty-year-old murder.

Libby, a free spirit who can’t be tamed by her parents, finds solace with her neighbor Oliver, the son of Lord Croft of Ladenbrooke Manor. Libby finds herself pregnant and alone when her father kicks her out and Oliver mysteriously drowns in a nearby river. Though theories spread across the English countryside, no one is ever held responsible for Oliver’s death.

Sixty years later, Heather Toulson, returning to her family’s cottage in the shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor, is filled with mixed emotions. She’s mourning her father’s passing but can’t let go of the anger and resentment over their strained relationship. Adding to her confusion, Heather has an uneasy reunion with her first love, all while sorting through her family’s belongings left behind in the cottage. What she uncovers will change everything she thought she knew about her family’s history.

Award-winning author Melanie Dobson seamlessly weaves the past and present together, fluidly unraveling the decades-old mystery and reveals how the characters are connected in shocking ways.

Set in a charming world of thatched cottages, lush gardens, and lovely summer evenings, this romantic and historical mystery brings to light the secrets and heartaches that have divided a family for generations.

There’s something magical about the European countryside that has so many of us dreaming about it wistfully, and Dobson captures this beauty perfecty in Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor.  The colorful gardens, thatched roofs, and quaint country cottages will leave you longing to hop the Pond.  Dobson excels at much more than just setting the scene, however, although that element is crucial to the believability of this story.

Dobson knows just how much suspense and intrigue a reader can take before clamoring for more, and she’ll have you begging for more stories before you can finish this one.  Although I did predict one twist, there were several more that I never saw coming.  Heather’s history is woven seamlessly into each time period represented in the book, and the reader is transported back and forth without effort.  Always you’ll crave more of the character and more detail than she gives you, and yet it’s not lacking – the story is just that likeable.

Loving both histories and mysteries, I’m a big fan of these books in which a character must solve a puzzle from her past, and Dobson is one of the best.  If you like these two types of stories, don’t miss this one -Dobson is one of the best, and Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor shows that.

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Melanie Dobson is the award-winning author of thirteen historical romance, suspense, and contemporary novels. Two of her novels won Carol Awards in 2011, and Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana won Best Novel of Indiana in 2010. Melanie lives with her husband Jon and two daughters near Portland, Oregon.

Find Melanie online: website, Twitter, Facebook

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

A dying wish alters the course of a young woman’s life.

Life hadn’t been easy for Summer Snow. In acts of selflessness—caring for her ailing parents and running her grandmother’s bookstore—she had forfeited her youth and dreams for the needs of others. And the only tries she had at love . . . didn’t turn out. She had the bookstore, she had her beloved granny, but she was missing something—or someone.

Opportunity strikes when Granny sends Summer on an unexpected adventure with one Martin Langtree, a kind but gangly young man from Summer’s past. A childhood friendship is rekindled, a romance is sparked, and mysteries are solved in one magical Texas summer. Will Summer strike out on love again, or will things finally go her way?

Summer’s List is a quirky and fun look at love.  The characters are refreshing in their honesty, and that’s what made them my very favorite part of the story.  They were honest about their hopes, their dreams, and their own mistakes and fallacies.  Far from perfect but always optimistic, they knew how to look at the sunnier sides of life. 

These quirks are what made the story realistic, too.  It wasn’t a realistic crime drama with lots of acronyms bandied about, but an emotional journey between a group of people.  Death and love aren’t new topics, but Granny’s enthusiasm and Martin’s Hobbit fetish make the story come alive.  Higman does a fantastic job of smoothly writing each character a unique personality and blending them into one vivid story.

I’ve read several of Higman’s other stories, but this is by far my favorite.  I didn’t want to put it down.  Summer’s pain and enduring sunny personality made me want to know her, and I want to be as independent as Martin.  Summer’s List is a winner.

Purchase your own copy here or click here to read other reviews.

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

Head back to 20th-century San Francisco as the city rises from the ashes of the 1906 earthquake and Ruby and Gerald face their fears in book two, Beyond the Ashes, of Karen Barnett’s The Golden Gate Chronicles series. Ruby and Gerald’s fledgling romance is put at risk when Gerald develops symptoms of the very disease they’re striving to cure. Together they must ask—is it worth a second chance at love when time might be short?

Barnett takes readers on an exciting ride through history in Beyond the Ashes!  Set in San Francisco immediately after the earthquake of 1905, Barnett spins a fascinating story of loss, love, and rebirth.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading about this unique time period, and Barnett’s clear descriptions highlight the history of the day.

That historical setting made the story for me, but I became friends with Gerald and Ruby, too.  I like the way that Gerald knew what he wanted and went after it.  I appreciated his attentiveness and generosity with the people around him, too, and these traits made the story more exciting when they were directed at Ruby.  She, too, worked hard to overcome past difficulties and to heal former hurts.  Her strength of character and willingness to step outside of her comfort zone make her a slightly unpredictable but extremely likeable main character.

The science involved in the story also makes it stand out.  Gerald and his partner spend their days doing cancer research, sure that they’re on the verge of curing this horrible disease.  Having never thought about the history of cancer treatment, I enjoyed learning about it in such a natural and fascinating way – and the scientific explanations about x-rays and treatments added depth and detail to the story in necessary ways.  This attention to detail made the whole book sharper and more realistic.

This is the first book by Karen Barnett that I’ve read, but I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more.  Beyond the Ashes is a fantastic historical novel.

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

Minor-but-nagging setbacks continue to sour Grant and Audrey Whitman’s initiation into the world of innkeeping, but larger challenges brew when an innocent flirtation leads to big trouble for the Whitmans’ son-in-law, Jesse. Jesse Pennington’s friendly, outgoing personality has always served him well, especially in a career that has earned him and his wife Corinne a very comfortable lifestyle. But Corinne and Jesse are both restless—and for similar reasons, if only they could share those with each other. Instead, too many business trips and trumped-up charges of harassment from a disgruntled coworker threaten their marriage and possibly put their three precious daughters at risk. With their life in disarray, God is tugging at their hearts to pursue other dreams. Can Corinne and Jesse pick up the pieces of what was once a wonderful life before it all crumbles beneath them?

How much do you trust your husband?  How far will you go to have the comfortable, flashy lifestyle of which you’ve dreamed – and when is it time to trade in the style to follow God’s plan?  These are the questions that form the basis of Two Roads Home. 

Corinne and Jesse aren’t purposely following the world, but they’re not so sure that all is right in their own personal part of it.  The restlessness that plagues them seems minor when compared with the big problems that other people have, but they seem determined to grow.  This angle was my favorite part of this story.  It’s difficult for us to look outside of our own circumstance, and both Corinne and Jesse kept blinders on, even with each other.  Raney did an excellent job of detailing Corinne’s feelings in a realistic way, and I imagine that Jesse’s confusion is just as vivid.  Many ministries, blogs, and websites exist to help stay-at-home moms figure out how to deal with these feelings, and it’s always refreshing to see your frustration confirmed in print.

I appreciate Jesse’s honesty and the revelations he had when he could finally open up with himself.  He and Corinne were both determined, despite their recent tension, to follow their problems through to the end, and I appreciate that about this book.  Raney never really suggested divorce as a viable option, instead showing their stress and stubbornness to work everything out.

On the flip side, Raney wrote in some parenting crises with a somewhat unrealistic reaction.  I can’t imagine that not increasing any marital tension already in existence, and I think that this avenue could have been explored more – especially since trauma with children is a leading cause of divorce.

{Spoiler Alert}

Raney ramps up the suspense in Jesse’s stressful work situation throughout the book.  While it ultimately comes to somewhat of a personal resolution, the situation is never completely resolved.  The reader never learns the ultimate legal end to the problem, nor how it affects the children, the family, or the perpetrator.  I would definitely prefer a more complete resolution – but part of this cliffhanger ending set up the next book well.

{Spoiler Over}

All in all, I enjoyed this second book in the Chicory Inn series much more than the first.  The characters are more developed, and I could relate to their problems in a much more realistic way.  I’m quite interested in finding out what happens next!

I received a free copy of Two Road Home from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.

Researcher Kate Adams has finally pinpointed the supposed “miracle plant” that tore apart her family years ago. She’s certain that discovering its secrets is her only hope of solving the mystery surrounding her father’s disappearance. She’s willing to risk anything to find the truth, including her relationship with Detective Tom Parker. But with so many people in pursuit of the plant, going it alone might be a fatal mistake.

Kate Adams is investigating again – and she’s laying everything on the line in this exciting conclusion to the Port Aster trilogy.  Orchard picks up the storyline with Kate’s research for the “miracle plant,” and as Kate tries to unlock it’s secrets, she finds that too many people know about the plant’s existence.

The best thing about Kate Adams as lead is that she puts her whole heart into whatever she does.  When she decides that a mystery is worth solving, she doesn’t let anything get in her way – even her own inexperience.  Her enthusiasm sometimes takes her down paths without considering the consequences, which throws her into danger, but that ups the excitement level for the reader.

In typical Orchard style, Kate and Tom consider one new suspect after another in short order as the events unfold.  The rapid change-up is very different than most suspenseful stories, but I liked it; the plot advanced quickly and the action was always escalating. 

I loved the way that Orchard wrapped up the details to the Port Aster trilogy.  She doesn’t leave any thread untied, and readers will appreciate the direction Kate’s life is headed.  I’ve enjoyed reading this series, and I’ll be on the lookout for her next book.

I received a free copy of Desperate Measures from the Revell Reads program.