Love Finds You in Miracle Kentucky by Andrew Boeshaar

Boeshaar is a well-known often read Christian Fiction author, so I was not surprised to find her among the Love Finds You In series.  The premise to Miracle is a unique one and very intriguing to me.  The main character, Meg, has been reared by her single mother all over the U.S. traveling from city to city, guy to guy. The book opens with Meg living with someone in Chicago.  But life has taken its toll and Meg is ready for some rest and a new start. She moves to Miracle, Kentucky to live with her grandmother... a grandmother whom she loves but really doesn't know.  She will also be near her father and his second family.. the one that works.  Can Meg make peace with her dad... her mom... herself... and more importantly with God.

My one negative with this book and it happens in other Christian Fiction is the lack of pointing the reader to Jesus. Meg starts going to church and cleans up her life, but there really is no mention of Jesus or of her working through her life and hurts with Him. It is like she is just all fine after she starts hanging out with church folk.

Love Finds You In Lahaina Hawaii by Bodie Thoene

The Love Finds You series is a wonderful collection of love stories set all over the U.S. and written by different Christian Fiction authors.  Bodie Thoene is well known and loved and this is the first book written by her that I have ever read. It very likely will not be the last.  I know so very little about the History of Hawaii and Thoene is so thorough in her research.

Lahaina provides a story within a story.  It is 1973 and Sandi Smith is trying to live a life in limbo while her husband is MIA in Vietnam. She becomes involved with a project to write a history of each state and is sent to Hawaii to do research and find her story.  Sandi meets Aunt Hannah, a dear friend of the last princess of Hawaii who has written out the entire tale in great detail.  Sandi is drawn back in time as Princess Kaiulani, Hannah and others watch the Hawaii they know and love be swallowed up by the United States and the monarchy placed on a shelf along with much of their heritage. As Sandi delves into Kaiulani and Hannah's stories, she finds herself also drawn into her own story.  She comes face to face with the truth and need to let go and move forward.

Previous books in this series (I have only read 2 prior to this one) were fun and light-hearted, not so Lahaina. There is a depth here that spoke to my heart and made me feel as if I were there watching everything unfold.  A truly wonderful book!

Touching Stars by Emilie Richards

Touching Stars is book 4 in Richards Shenandoah Album series.  (A delightful series!)  Gayle Fortman is a single mom teenage boys.  Her ex is a hot shot journalist seen all over the world reporting the latest crisis or scandal or other big news item.  They bought an inn together when the boys were you, but Eric quickly realized he was not meant to stay in one place... and so he left.  He has been in and out of his boys lives over the years, never really taking time to get to know them. Now he is recovering from a near-death experience in Afghanistan and he needs a place to rest.  Gayle opens her home, the Daughters of the Stars Bed-n-Breakfast to Eric hoping that while he is there he and the boys will make peace and connect.   What she doesn't expect are all the emotions that will resurface with Eric there.  The anger.. hurt.. love.. from days gone by.  Gayle finally realizes what everyone else has known, that she needs to step back in time and deal with her divorce and the feelings that have been pushed down all these years. Then and only then can she move forward with her life and love.

Death by Cashmere by Sally Goldenbaum

I am hooked!  I have fallen in love with Sea Harbor and the characters who live there... and I cannot wait to read the other 2 books out in this series and hope there are more to come!

Death by Cashmere is book 1 in Goldenbaum's Seaside Knitters Series.

Izzy Chambers has left the corporate world to return to the quieter pace of life in Sea Harbor where she opens a knitting shop and forms a small group called the Seaside Knitters. No doubt they thought they would spend their time together knitting and talking certainly not trying to solve a murder!  Izzy rents the apartment above her shop to Angelina Archer, the town bad girl, who shows up dead.  The authorities feel it is a random act by a stranger passing through, but the Seaside Knitters know better and are determined to find the truth.

If you like cozy mysteries and rich eccentric true to life characters, this book is for you!

Family of the Heart by Dorothy Clark

What a sweet story.... Sarah Randolph has left her family home in the lap of luxury to travel to Cincinnati, OH to serve as a nanny for an orphaned little girl.  Her family is in no way pleased, but Sarah is determined to make a life for herself after the death of her finace'.  Clayton Bainbridge is not what she expected to meet. One minute soft the next harsh.... refusing to call his daughter by name or have her in the same room.  What is Sarah to do?  She sit by and watch Nora grow up without her Father's love and yet she could be dismissed and sent away if she interferes.  Circumstances arise that throw the three together and slowly God is able to heal hurts and brokenness and bring renewal.

Very sweet heart-tugging story from Love Inspired Historicals.

The Manning Sisters by Debbie Macomber

This is a 2 for one read... 2 of Macomber's older books republished together in one.

The Cowboy's Lady is a super fun read!  I have a friend who reminds me so much of the leading lady in this story and she is married to a cowboy!  Taylor Manning is running away to find herself... to reinvent her life after a relationship disaster. Her plan... to hold up in a Montana town and teach for 1 year.. isolated from the rest of the world.  What this city girl didn't expect was a man like Russ Palmer. From the first time they meet there is friction and chemistry. These 2 can't decide if they love or hate each other and neither knows how on earth they will survive when Taylor moves back to Seattle.

The Sheriff Takes a Wife is the 2nd book in The Manning Sisters and is set in the same Montana town as The Cowboy's Lady. Christy Manning has come to visit her sister, Taylor, and while there she meets newly elected sheriff, Cody Franklin. Sparks fly and Christy is thrown into a turmoil of confusion. Recently engaged to a long time boyfriend, Christy has to decide where her heart belongs and who determines its fate.

Really fun stories! Macomber never lets me down.

The Law and Miss Mary by Dorothy Clark

The Law and Miss Mary is part of a relatively new line of books -- Love Inspired Historical.  I have purchased Love Inspireds over the years and will continue to do so, but also like that our local library has started stocking them.

The Law and Miss Mary is set in St. Louis in 1840. While I am not from that area, I did grow up on the Mississippi River and love tales that revolve around it and steamboats and such.  It was quite easy for me to picture the setting for this story... the boats and the scoundrels that frequent the docks.  But the foe Miss Mary, new to St. Louis, finds herself fighting is not on the docks... he's in the mayor's office. It seems the "fine" people of St. Louis don't like seeing the orphan children on the streets... much like "fine" people today who complain about the homeless. They want them to go away, but are unwilling to do anything to help their plight.

Mary steps in to rescue a young lad named Ben and before she knows it she has a house full of children, but there are still many more who need help. The Captain of the police feels for the children and Mary, but he has plans... to advance politically and socially... and being a do-gooder will not help his efforts... in fact, it may hinder them.  When the mayor passes a law that any child under the age of 12 found on the streets without an adult shall be arrested, the Captain realizes he has to reevaluate his dreams and goals.

The Law and Miss Mary is a nice read, especially for those of us who enjoy Historic settings.  This was my first encounter with the author, Dorothy Clark.  I look forward to reading more of her works in the future