Book 2 of the Fairlawn series and just as good as book 1! Can't wait for book 3!
Book 2 picks up where book 1 leaves off.. and that makes writing the review difficult because there are so many things that happen in book 1 that would spoil it if I shared.. but they are pivotal to book 2. (Got all that!?)
Let's see.. Jennifer and family are still in FL and the funeral home is up and running. Jennifer is making a life / career change.. the kids are adjusting.. and romance is in the air.. but then so is formaldehyde! Jennifer is in need of a friend and she finds one in McLane. A pregnant young woman waiting for her soldier husband to return from overseas... hopefully before the baby arrives. As Jennifer and McLane's friendship grows, Jennifer learns a truth that shakes her to the core and McLane is faced with a life or death decision.
Another beautiful story by Hunt. Real life.. real faith.. and a bit of fun tossed in.
This is an excellent series! Review of number 3 coming soon! (got to read it first!)
Showing posts with label Christian Fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christian Fiction. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Doesn't She Look Natural by Angela Elwell Hunt
The title and synopsis of this book caught my attention of a Kindle freebie / bargain list and so I snatched it up. It was not what I expected at all and yet I loved it. So much that I immediately borrowed the 2nd one in the series through the Prime Lenders Library and am anxiously waiting to borrow the third one next month. Really fun series.. really strange subject matter!
This is book 1 of Hunt's Fairlawn Series which includes:
Doesn't She Look Natural
She Always Wore Red
She's in a Better Place
In Natural, we meet Jennifer Graham. Jennifer is a hard working, no nonsense senior staff member for a U.S. Senator. Fully entwined in the political game until her husband leaves her for another one. How did she not see that coming? Now Jennifer and her boys are living with her mother while she searches for a new job (how could she continue to work in the same arena as her ex and his new friend?) and a new place to live. Her faith is a fragile as tissue paper. And then her uncle dies leaving her, his only relative, everything.
Jennifer, her boys, her mom and their jack russel terrier head south to Mt. Dora, FL to see what treasure awaits them. What she finds is far from the treasure she expected. Yes, she knew there was a large home.. a big Victorian that she feels certain she can sell for a song. But no she was unaware that Fairlawn is the local funeral home and in no condition to be sold.
Jennifer also finds the need to get to know her boys.. to be in their lives.. and she finds that life in Mt. Dora offers her that opportunity. And so a temporary change of plans is in order. or so she thinks until God sends the biggest unexpected her way.
This is book 1 of Hunt's Fairlawn Series which includes:
Doesn't She Look Natural
She Always Wore Red
She's in a Better Place
In Natural, we meet Jennifer Graham. Jennifer is a hard working, no nonsense senior staff member for a U.S. Senator. Fully entwined in the political game until her husband leaves her for another one. How did she not see that coming? Now Jennifer and her boys are living with her mother while she searches for a new job (how could she continue to work in the same arena as her ex and his new friend?) and a new place to live. Her faith is a fragile as tissue paper. And then her uncle dies leaving her, his only relative, everything.
Jennifer, her boys, her mom and their jack russel terrier head south to Mt. Dora, FL to see what treasure awaits them. What she finds is far from the treasure she expected. Yes, she knew there was a large home.. a big Victorian that she feels certain she can sell for a song. But no she was unaware that Fairlawn is the local funeral home and in no condition to be sold.
Jennifer also finds the need to get to know her boys.. to be in their lives.. and she finds that life in Mt. Dora offers her that opportunity. And so a temporary change of plans is in order. or so she thinks until God sends the biggest unexpected her way.
A bit of Historic Fiction....
These are all in my "read" (as in already read not to read) folder on my Kindle. And when I look at them, I know I read them and I remember whether I liked them or not. I don't, however, remember all the details and to scan the summaries and bring those back to mind would take a lot of time.. SO here are some of the books I read this Spring with a bit of review for each.
Paper Roses by Amanda Cabot - Book 1 in the Texas Dreams trilogy. This was a nice read. Sarah has left Philadelphia for the wide open spaces of Texas where she will be married to her beloved Austin. Sarah and Austin have never met.. they have been exchanging letters and she has accepted his marriage proposals and finds herself a mail-order bride. Full of hope for the future, Sarah's heart is broken when she gets to San Antonio and learns Austin is dead. What is she to do? She cannot go back East and it appears Austin's brother wants nothing to do with her. Can she find a place for herself in Texas and in Clay's heart?
Tall Dark and Determined by Kelly Eileen Hake -- I have loved every book I have read by Hake.. until this one. I tried several times, but never could get interested in it. It is the 2nd book in a series and I fear that it is just a filler to connect the first too.
The Midwife's Legacy by Rhonda Gibson, Pamela Griffin, Jane Kirkpatrick & Trish Perry -- This is part of the Romance America books and is a compilation of 4 novellas. I loved how they all link together going from one generation to the next connected by an journal. And how they follow the evolution of midwifery even into the modern day. And I love that the desire to be a midwife skips a generation along the way.. a very realistic touch. The stories wind their was from early Wisconsin settlers and the Oregon trail to present day America. Very enjoyable and a bit enlightening about the calling to be a midwife and how it is viewed in our nation.
Paper Roses by Amanda Cabot - Book 1 in the Texas Dreams trilogy. This was a nice read. Sarah has left Philadelphia for the wide open spaces of Texas where she will be married to her beloved Austin. Sarah and Austin have never met.. they have been exchanging letters and she has accepted his marriage proposals and finds herself a mail-order bride. Full of hope for the future, Sarah's heart is broken when she gets to San Antonio and learns Austin is dead. What is she to do? She cannot go back East and it appears Austin's brother wants nothing to do with her. Can she find a place for herself in Texas and in Clay's heart?
Tall Dark and Determined by Kelly Eileen Hake -- I have loved every book I have read by Hake.. until this one. I tried several times, but never could get interested in it. It is the 2nd book in a series and I fear that it is just a filler to connect the first too.
The Midwife's Legacy by Rhonda Gibson, Pamela Griffin, Jane Kirkpatrick & Trish Perry -- This is part of the Romance America books and is a compilation of 4 novellas. I loved how they all link together going from one generation to the next connected by an journal. And how they follow the evolution of midwifery even into the modern day. And I love that the desire to be a midwife skips a generation along the way.. a very realistic touch. The stories wind their was from early Wisconsin settlers and the Oregon trail to present day America. Very enjoyable and a bit enlightening about the calling to be a midwife and how it is viewed in our nation.Friday, July 26, 2013
Blue Moon Promise by Colleen Coble
Book 1 of the Under Texas Stars series
If you scan my blog, you will find that I am hooked on Coble's works and have yet to read one I did not like. Her books combine all the things I love... a bit of history (most of her books are historical fiction), a taste of intrigue and mystery (everything is never quite what it seems) and a touch of romance. And as expected Blue Moon Promises delivers it all and includes Texas a cowboys too boot! :-)
Lucy Marsh is a young determined woman caring for 2 younger siblings in the face of destitution and danger. As she learns that they are to loose their home and that her father's death may not have been an accident, a old friend of his shows up and offers her a way out. A proxy marriage to his son. Lucy would prefer to know the man and to marry for love, but time and circumstances don't allow for that luxury and so she takes the offer... marries the man sight unseen.. and heads to Texas with her brother and sister in tow.
Nate Stanon plans to settle down and marry one day, but in his time and with the woman of his choice. So he is less than amused or pleased when his father shows up with a ready made family in tow. What on earth is Nate supposed to do with these cushy city folks as he tries to run and build up his ranch?
But over time Lucy proves to be more than meets the eye. Her determination and strength surprise Nate and he finds that God's truly does work in mysterious ways.
If you scan my blog, you will find that I am hooked on Coble's works and have yet to read one I did not like. Her books combine all the things I love... a bit of history (most of her books are historical fiction), a taste of intrigue and mystery (everything is never quite what it seems) and a touch of romance. And as expected Blue Moon Promises delivers it all and includes Texas a cowboys too boot! :-)
Lucy Marsh is a young determined woman caring for 2 younger siblings in the face of destitution and danger. As she learns that they are to loose their home and that her father's death may not have been an accident, a old friend of his shows up and offers her a way out. A proxy marriage to his son. Lucy would prefer to know the man and to marry for love, but time and circumstances don't allow for that luxury and so she takes the offer... marries the man sight unseen.. and heads to Texas with her brother and sister in tow.
Nate Stanon plans to settle down and marry one day, but in his time and with the woman of his choice. So he is less than amused or pleased when his father shows up with a ready made family in tow. What on earth is Nate supposed to do with these cushy city folks as he tries to run and build up his ranch?
But over time Lucy proves to be more than meets the eye. Her determination and strength surprise Nate and he finds that God's truly does work in mysterious ways.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Finally a Bride by Vickie McDonough
The third and finally book of the Boardinghouse Brides series. I have reviewed book 1 ( The Anonymous Bride ) and book 2 (Second Chance Brides )
As with the other books in this series, I was hooked immediately and enjoyed every word! McDonough does a great job of bringing everything together in this final installment. And one of the things I love best about book 3 is the return of 2 characters who had "fallen from grace" and are restored. While Finally a Bride is a fun romance with some very laughable moments, it also shows how we are NEW creations in Christ. How our past.. no matter how hurtful or wrong.. can be wiped away with our salvation. It is a story of grace hidden in the midst of this light hearted story.
I cannot say enough about this series. I read fiction is relax and get away a bit from the pressures and stress of life. So I look for something that is a bit light and fun, but I like there to be a bit of meat.. something to learn or of which to be reminded. All of that is found in this series.
As with the other books in this series, I was hooked immediately and enjoyed every word! McDonough does a great job of bringing everything together in this final installment. And one of the things I love best about book 3 is the return of 2 characters who had "fallen from grace" and are restored. While Finally a Bride is a fun romance with some very laughable moments, it also shows how we are NEW creations in Christ. How our past.. no matter how hurtful or wrong.. can be wiped away with our salvation. It is a story of grace hidden in the midst of this light hearted story.
I cannot say enough about this series. I read fiction is relax and get away a bit from the pressures and stress of life. So I look for something that is a bit light and fun, but I like there to be a bit of meat.. something to learn or of which to be reminded. All of that is found in this series.
Friday, July 19, 2013
The Harmony Series by Nancy Mehl
I discovered Mehl a couple of years ago when I bought this book Cozy in Kansas on sale at a local store. Such a fun, quirky cozy mystery. A year later I read Mehl's Missing Mabel -- another quirky cozy mystery. So I had mixed feelings when I started hearing about her Harmony Series. There is a bit of mystery to them, but that is the only similarity to the earlier books. This trilogy is set in the Mennonite Town of Harmony, Kansas and while there are things that were "foreign" to me (since I am not a Mennonite), it is far from quirky. But oh my, this is one of the best series I have ever read. I just loved them! You definitely want to read them in order, as they build on each other centering around the same focal character, Gracie, in each book.
Book 1 -- Simple Secrets -- finds Gracie living the life.. going for the gusto.. working as a Graphic Designer for a firm in Wichita and planning to move up the ladder to great success. And then, she learns that she has inherited a house from an uncle she has never met. She knew of him... her father's brother. They had a falling out when her father left the Mennonite church and ways and moved with his bride, his parents following soon after. All these years Gracie knew there was an Uncle Benjamin, but nothing more.
She sets out to look over the house... retrieve family treasures for her father.. and get the place ready to sell. What she never expects to is find a house full of secrets and mysteries and a town that seems so simple and backwards at first, but slowly become a refuge of peace and rest.
Book 2 -- Simple Deceits -- Gracie has grown to love Harmony and the people there and so she decides to work as a freelance designer, while making her life there in her "new" home. Now that she has electricity and air conditioning, she can survive!
Things change when a baby is left at a local church and an anonymous note is sent saying Gracie is the mother. The people who she thought loved her begin to look at her suspiciously. Gracie has to find out who the real mother is and fast before she looses the most precious thing in life.. love.
Book 3 -- Simple Choices -- Gracie just wants to help Hannah. She never dreams by taking her for an art course in the city, she would be feeding into the girl's desires to leave her faith and community. Hannah disappears shortly after their return and Gracie is blamed. Certain she has run away, the police do little to look for Hannah. But Gracie knows better.. in her gut. Hannah wouldn't just leave.
And so she sets out again to solve the mystery and the day. Only this time she gets a little to close and invites the danger home.
Excellent Series!
Book 1 -- Simple Secrets -- finds Gracie living the life.. going for the gusto.. working as a Graphic Designer for a firm in Wichita and planning to move up the ladder to great success. And then, she learns that she has inherited a house from an uncle she has never met. She knew of him... her father's brother. They had a falling out when her father left the Mennonite church and ways and moved with his bride, his parents following soon after. All these years Gracie knew there was an Uncle Benjamin, but nothing more.
She sets out to look over the house... retrieve family treasures for her father.. and get the place ready to sell. What she never expects to is find a house full of secrets and mysteries and a town that seems so simple and backwards at first, but slowly become a refuge of peace and rest.
Book 2 -- Simple Deceits -- Gracie has grown to love Harmony and the people there and so she decides to work as a freelance designer, while making her life there in her "new" home. Now that she has electricity and air conditioning, she can survive!
Things change when a baby is left at a local church and an anonymous note is sent saying Gracie is the mother. The people who she thought loved her begin to look at her suspiciously. Gracie has to find out who the real mother is and fast before she looses the most precious thing in life.. love.
Book 3 -- Simple Choices -- Gracie just wants to help Hannah. She never dreams by taking her for an art course in the city, she would be feeding into the girl's desires to leave her faith and community. Hannah disappears shortly after their return and Gracie is blamed. Certain she has run away, the police do little to look for Hannah. But Gracie knows better.. in her gut. Hannah wouldn't just leave.
And so she sets out again to solve the mystery and the day. Only this time she gets a little to close and invites the danger home.
Excellent Series!
Labels:
Christian Fiction,
cozy mystery,
Kansas,
mennonite,
Romance Mystery
Second Chance Brides by Vickie McDonough
Book 2 in the Boarding House Brides Trilogy.
Book 1 reviewed here: The Anonymous Bride
I have been waiting for Second Chance Brides to become available on PaperBack Swap! And it finally did (and I will be posting this one back there for someone else to enjoy!)
Such a fun series. There are a number of kinds of books I love.. my 2 favorites are cozy mysteries and historic fiction. I especially love historic fiction set in pioneer or cowboy times. I guess I am a sucker for the Marlboro Man! LOL! This series doesn't let me down... and if you like rugged manly men books, they won't let you down either. But I also prefer my female leads to be strong women... not weak and wimpy damsels in distress. Again, this series delivers the goods.
In Second Chance Brides, Leah and Shannon are stranded in Lookout, TX not sure where the next step will lead nor even what the next step should be. Neither can return home.. Shannon has no home, no family.. Leah would be forced to marry a man old enough to be her father just to provide security for her family.
So they set out to find either employment or husbands. Employment isn't easy to find, but candidates for husband are! The men in Lookout know the story.. that they are "leftover" mail order brides.. and they come calling not to court, but to marry. Sadly most want a housekeeper and cook, not a true wife. Is it too much for these girls to expect love before marriage?
Book 1 reviewed here: The Anonymous Bride
I have been waiting for Second Chance Brides to become available on PaperBack Swap! And it finally did (and I will be posting this one back there for someone else to enjoy!)
Such a fun series. There are a number of kinds of books I love.. my 2 favorites are cozy mysteries and historic fiction. I especially love historic fiction set in pioneer or cowboy times. I guess I am a sucker for the Marlboro Man! LOL! This series doesn't let me down... and if you like rugged manly men books, they won't let you down either. But I also prefer my female leads to be strong women... not weak and wimpy damsels in distress. Again, this series delivers the goods.
In Second Chance Brides, Leah and Shannon are stranded in Lookout, TX not sure where the next step will lead nor even what the next step should be. Neither can return home.. Shannon has no home, no family.. Leah would be forced to marry a man old enough to be her father just to provide security for her family.
So they set out to find either employment or husbands. Employment isn't easy to find, but candidates for husband are! The men in Lookout know the story.. that they are "leftover" mail order brides.. and they come calling not to court, but to marry. Sadly most want a housekeeper and cook, not a true wife. Is it too much for these girls to expect love before marriage?
Friday, May 10, 2013
The Lightkeeper's Bride by Colleen Coble
Book 2 in the Mercy Falls series. Another great book by Coble.
Katie Russell loves her job as a telephone operator in Mercy Falls, but her family has plans for her.. plans to better her life and theirs... an advantageous marriage. So they are thrilled when Bartholomew Foster proposes and Katie accepts. But then life takes a twist... while working, Katie accidentally hers an ominous exchange. And then the lady she heard goes missing leaving behind an infant with no one to care for her.
Will Jepperson, the new lightkeeper, lays claim to the child.. believing her to be his niece. But Katie has other ideas and is not keen on Jepperson taking the baby. Eventually they call a truce and form an unlikely alliance in a quest to find Eliza and learn the truth behind the exchange Katie heard.
Another wonderful intriguing story with adventure and romance mixed in for good measure. Looking forward to the final book in this series.
Without a Trace by Colleen Coble
This is Book 1 of the Rock Harbor Series
I am on a Coble kick... reading through this series and her Mercy Falls books. I really am enjoying her writing.
These books are contemporary fiction set in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. And what a plot! Bree Nicholls is a search and rescue specialist who finds lost individuals with her dog, Samson. In her spare time... every moment of her spare time... it becomes personal. Bree's husband and son have been missing for a year from a flight home. Bree is certain they went down somewhere near home, but nothing has been found.. no bodies.. no plane parts.. nothing.. it is as if they disappeared into thin air.
So when a current search and rescue brings up clues that seem to connect back to her family, Bree begins to dig deeper without realizing the danger she is in. Can she find her family and peace and closure along with it? Can she move on with life in order to open her heart up for love again? Or is she destined to live in a constant state of searching?
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
The Lightkeeper's Daughter by Colleen Coble
Addie Sullivan grew up in northern California in a lighthouse. It was a quiet and uneventful life until a stranger shows up and tells her she is not who she thinks she is. Addie's world and identity is turned upside down as she is introduced to her "real" family.. the Eaton's. Well known in high-society, the Eaton's are wealthy and powerful and like no family Addie has ever seen or imagined. How on earth will she begin to fit it? And as she begins to try, tragedy strikes. It seems someone is not happy to have Julia Eaton back from her watery grave and is determined to end the happy reunion.
An intriguing and exciting tale that draws the reader in and takes him/her on a roller coaster ride with emotional highs and gut wrenching drops.
This is book 1 in the Mercy Falls series by Coble. I am picking up book 2 at my local library today!
An intriguing and exciting tale that draws the reader in and takes him/her on a roller coaster ride with emotional highs and gut wrenching drops.
This is book 1 in the Mercy Falls series by Coble. I am picking up book 2 at my local library today!
Friday, March 15, 2013
Through the Fire by Diane Noble
Yes, I started yet another cozy mystery series.. I am addicted!
This is book one of the Mystery and the Minister's Wife series. This series is written by different authors and the books are considered stand-alones (not building on one another), but they all revolve around the same community and the same main characters. I did read online that the publisher suggests reading the first 2 or 3 in order to get the lay of the land. I am not over OCD about much in life, but I am with books. I like to read series in order ... no matter how "stand alone" the books are. So I started with book one and am now reading book two.
Kate and Paul Hanlon has left everything... their thriving church, their home, friends, children to follow God's lead which takes them from San Antonio, TX to Copper Mill, TN. Paul is the new pastor of Faith Briar Church and Kate, the minister's wife. They roll into town to discover their new church home a blaze and so the questioning begins. Who would want to burn down their church and why?
As Kate adjusts to life in a small town and a small house, she gets caught up in the mystery and drawn to investigate a bit herself. Along the way she makes friends (and a few enemies)... discovers secrets...receives death threats... inherits a "grand-dog"... and learns a great deal about herself and trusting the Lord as He leads.
Fun, light, entertaining read. I am looking forward to following this series and hope the rest are as delightful as this one.
This is book one of the Mystery and the Minister's Wife series. This series is written by different authors and the books are considered stand-alones (not building on one another), but they all revolve around the same community and the same main characters. I did read online that the publisher suggests reading the first 2 or 3 in order to get the lay of the land. I am not over OCD about much in life, but I am with books. I like to read series in order ... no matter how "stand alone" the books are. So I started with book one and am now reading book two.
Kate and Paul Hanlon has left everything... their thriving church, their home, friends, children to follow God's lead which takes them from San Antonio, TX to Copper Mill, TN. Paul is the new pastor of Faith Briar Church and Kate, the minister's wife. They roll into town to discover their new church home a blaze and so the questioning begins. Who would want to burn down their church and why?
As Kate adjusts to life in a small town and a small house, she gets caught up in the mystery and drawn to investigate a bit herself. Along the way she makes friends (and a few enemies)... discovers secrets...receives death threats... inherits a "grand-dog"... and learns a great deal about herself and trusting the Lord as He leads.
Fun, light, entertaining read. I am looking forward to following this series and hope the rest are as delightful as this one.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Dying to Read by Lorena McCourtney
Book 1 in McCourtney's Cate Kincade File series.
I have read McCourtney's Ivy Malone series a few years ago and enjoyed them immensely, so felt certain this book would be worth reading. It was. McCourtney has a quirky sense of humor that comes out in her books without overshadowing the plot.
In Dying to Read, Cate Kincade is after a fresh start and as part of this change, she is working for her uncle, who is a Private Investigator. A simple assignment to locate a woman for her family, turns into a tangled mess when Cate finds a dead body (not the woman she was after). Determined to leave the murder alone and stay of the search for Willow, Cate finds herself tripping over clues left and right and unable to stop her mind from "supposing". This job was to be temporary.. just something to do until the right career came along.. but maybe, just maybe this is the right career.
Now if only Cate can discover did the killing and why... before getting herself killed in the process!
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Secretly Smitten by Colleen Coble, Denise Hunter, Kristen Billerbeck & Diann Hunt
This is the 2nd book set in the town of Smitten, Vermont. Book 1 was released last year and was a fun read. Check out my review of it.. Smitten
So when I found out there was a second book, I popped it on my Kindle and started to read. Secretly Smitten picks up where Smitten left off. Like book 1, Secretly Smitten is a collection of 4 novellas each connected but each focusing on a different resident of Smitten.
From the discovery of a set of old dog tags in an attic to the hiring of a new city manager, sisters Tess, Claire and Zoe have their hands full. Add into the mix their mother and a handsome visitor and the plot thickens! Romance and secrets abound as this group tries to piece together the past while moving into the future.
Loved this one as much as the first and would hope to visit Smitten, Vermont again!
Labels:
Christian Fiction,
Contemporary Fiction,
Romance,
Smitten,
Vermont
Saturday, February 16, 2013
A Match Made in Heaven by Colleen Coble
I have read other books by Coble, so when this popped up in a Kindle Bargains list it caught my eye. Add to it that the male lead is an architect and I am hooked. (I am married to an architect) This is one of Coble's older novellas that is now available in digital form.. fairly quick to read and very fun.
Callie is an interior designer who is tired of guys being more interested in her money than in her. How can she know for sure their "love" in genuine. Her grandmother, the family matchmaker, tricks her into a one more date... with an architect! The last thing Callie wants is to date someone in the business, but she has to admit there is an attraction between her and Nick.
That attraction soon turns to rivalry as Callie is hired by one of Nick's clients. Their visions for the client's home are on complete opposite ends of the spectrum and an all out "I'm in charge" tug of war begins. Not the way to start a relationship!
Fun and entertaining read.
Callie is an interior designer who is tired of guys being more interested in her money than in her. How can she know for sure their "love" in genuine. Her grandmother, the family matchmaker, tricks her into a one more date... with an architect! The last thing Callie wants is to date someone in the business, but she has to admit there is an attraction between her and Nick.
That attraction soon turns to rivalry as Callie is hired by one of Nick's clients. Their visions for the client's home are on complete opposite ends of the spectrum and an all out "I'm in charge" tug of war begins. Not the way to start a relationship!
Fun and entertaining read.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
A Beauty to Die For: A Spa Mystery by Kim Alexis and Mindy Starns Clark
Clark's Million Dollar Mysteries is one of my favorite mysteries series.. and I thoroughly enjoyed her Smart Chicks Mysteries, so as soon as I saw her name on this book I snatched it up! Then I realized I knew the other author.. Kim Alexis.. she was once a super model... which totally fits since this new series is set in the world of beauty and glamor.
Juliette Taylor was a supermodel.. but she walked away from it all while on top to start a new career creating her own line of beauty products for spas and salons. She and her partner head to a glamorous spa for a weekend pampering Christian women who give more of themselves than to themselves.
But as in all good mysteries there's a surprise (or two) along the way... former rival in the modeling world, an old flame and a dead body to start.. and Juliette's product may be the murder weapon.
Determined to clear her name and stop a killer, Juliette takes matters in her own hand and places herself in harms way.
This is a lovely cozy mystery. I did have an inkling of whodunit but not until late into the book.. and the why took a bit longer to figure out. There is plenty of intrigue and twists to keep the reader happy with a splash of romance tossed in for good measure.
Looking forward to book 2 in the series.
Juliette Taylor was a supermodel.. but she walked away from it all while on top to start a new career creating her own line of beauty products for spas and salons. She and her partner head to a glamorous spa for a weekend pampering Christian women who give more of themselves than to themselves.
But as in all good mysteries there's a surprise (or two) along the way... former rival in the modeling world, an old flame and a dead body to start.. and Juliette's product may be the murder weapon.
Determined to clear her name and stop a killer, Juliette takes matters in her own hand and places herself in harms way.
This is a lovely cozy mystery. I did have an inkling of whodunit but not until late into the book.. and the why took a bit longer to figure out. There is plenty of intrigue and twists to keep the reader happy with a splash of romance tossed in for good measure.
Looking forward to book 2 in the series.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Christmas Books
Each year from Thanksgiving to New Year's I read only books that are Christmas themed. A personal tradition I started some years ago and continue to love. I rarely read a Christmas book any other time of year.
I read 11 books this year... 2 or 3 were Novellas... 2 were collections of Novellas.. all were good... some better than others. :-)
Here is a run down of what I read and a very short review of each.
Blue Christmas by Diane Moody
This is book 1 of the Moody Blue Trilogy
Hannah is a college senior working late on Christmas Eve and having a full blown pity party when a customer invites her to a Christmas Eve service. As a result Hannah meets Jason McKenzie, the lead singer of her favorite band and her teen idol. Life gets complicated and surreal as Hannah tries to mesh normal life with the world of celebrity.

A Victorian Christmas (Anthology) by Catherine Palmer
4 Novellas about love and joy at Christmas: A Victorian Christmas Quilt, A Victorian Christmas Tea, The Victorian Christmas Cottage and A Victorian Christmas Keepsake. Each one a delightful and lovely read.
Christmas Under Western Skies: A Prairie Family Christmas / A Cowboy's Christmas by Anna Schmidt and Linda Ford
2 in one... Both wonderful Historic Fiction set in the American West. Both books center on someone determined to just pass through, but who learns that God has other plans.
One Imperfect Christmas by Myra Johnson
I admit that this one was a bit of a downer at times, but worth reading. Natalie is facing a horrific Christmas. Her beloved mother has been an invalid for a year as a result of a stroke and no one seems to believe she will recover. Natalie is determined she will.. she has to! Her obsession is costing her everything... her job, family, faith, life. Natalie is determined to make this Christmas one of miracles no matter what it takes!
Christmas at Barncastle by Susan Paige Davis, Darlene Franklin, Janelle Mowery, Lynette Sowell
This is part of the Romancing America series and contains 4 stories in one book.
Each story centers around a lovely bed-and-breakfast called Barncastle Inn in Vermont. Their specialty is a week at Christmas in whatever time and theme you want. Made me want to go visit. While the stories are stand alones, they all center around the same location and characters reoccur from story to story. Very fun read!
The Christmas Shoppe by Melody Carlson
I don't believe I have ever not liked a book by Carlson and her Christmas Stories are my favorites. This one is no exception. It is quirky and fun and takes a hard look at human nature and skepticism in light of God's love and forgiveness.
Home for the Holidays by Christine Lynxwiler
A Christmas Novella
Last year I read Lynxwiler's novella My True Love Gave to Me. It is still one of my favorite Christmas reads. So i looked forward to this one and was not the least bit disappointed. In Home, Lauren realizes her life long friendship with Jeffrey is no longer a friendship where she is concerned. But alas, he is searching for the perfect wife and Lauren knows she is not it. So off she goes to St. Louis to provide Jeffrey with the break he needs to find that wife and the space Lauren needs to soothe her heart.
All I Have to Give: A Christmas Love Story by Melody Carlson
If you have ever read The Gift of the Magi, then this book will ring familiar. But please don't let that keep you from reading! Anna and Michael have been trying to have a baby for years and are both facing the reality that the day will never come. Each strives to give the other the perfect Christmas and along the way both make wrong judgment calls about each other. Fortunately love covers a multitude of sin and this Christmas there is an abundance of love surrounding them.
A Biltmore Christmas by Diane Ashley, Sylvia Barnes, Rhonda Gibson, Jeri Odell
This is part of the Romancing America series and contains 4 stories in one book.
Set back in time shortly after Biltmore was constructed, each story focuses on the grand house and a set of orphaned sisters seeking a new life there. In each case, they find that new life but not in the way they expected. Wonderful stories about an age in our country where the barriers of Class and Status were being challenged.
A Simple Amish Christmas by Vannetta Chapman
I enjoy Amish fiction and have just recently discovered Chapman's writings. Annie Weaver left her Amish roots with full intention of returning one day. But one day came later than she had planned. Now a trained nurse, Annie is called to return home and care for her father after an accident. Is she home for good? Will she join the church.. find a husband.. return to the life waiting for her? And how will she use her skills among a people who see it as prideful? Her Simple Amish Christmas is not as Simple as she thought it would be.
Bah, Humbug! by Heather Horrocks
A Romantic Comedy Novella
This was probably the most fun read of all the books this season. Too cute! Lexi Anderson is a single mom who has her own television show and has been touted as the next Martha Stewart. So she finds it ironic when she moves next door to Scrooge. No sign of Christmas anywhere! And to add insult to injury, he is the author of her favorite series of books! What's a girl to do? In Lexi's case, step in and save the man from himself and bring Christmas and love back into his life.
There are my Christmas reads from the 2012 season. If you read Christmas throughout the year, then grab one of these and read away. You won't be disappointed! Or start saving them up for the 2013 Christmas season and start a Christmas books only tradition like me! I already have some in my closet and loaded on my Kindle for next year!
I read 11 books this year... 2 or 3 were Novellas... 2 were collections of Novellas.. all were good... some better than others. :-)
Here is a run down of what I read and a very short review of each.
Blue Christmas by Diane Moody
This is book 1 of the Moody Blue Trilogy
Hannah is a college senior working late on Christmas Eve and having a full blown pity party when a customer invites her to a Christmas Eve service. As a result Hannah meets Jason McKenzie, the lead singer of her favorite band and her teen idol. Life gets complicated and surreal as Hannah tries to mesh normal life with the world of celebrity.

A Victorian Christmas (Anthology) by Catherine Palmer
4 Novellas about love and joy at Christmas: A Victorian Christmas Quilt, A Victorian Christmas Tea, The Victorian Christmas Cottage and A Victorian Christmas Keepsake. Each one a delightful and lovely read.
Christmas Under Western Skies: A Prairie Family Christmas / A Cowboy's Christmas by Anna Schmidt and Linda Ford
2 in one... Both wonderful Historic Fiction set in the American West. Both books center on someone determined to just pass through, but who learns that God has other plans.
One Imperfect Christmas by Myra Johnson
I admit that this one was a bit of a downer at times, but worth reading. Natalie is facing a horrific Christmas. Her beloved mother has been an invalid for a year as a result of a stroke and no one seems to believe she will recover. Natalie is determined she will.. she has to! Her obsession is costing her everything... her job, family, faith, life. Natalie is determined to make this Christmas one of miracles no matter what it takes!
Christmas at Barncastle by Susan Paige Davis, Darlene Franklin, Janelle Mowery, Lynette Sowell
This is part of the Romancing America series and contains 4 stories in one book.
Each story centers around a lovely bed-and-breakfast called Barncastle Inn in Vermont. Their specialty is a week at Christmas in whatever time and theme you want. Made me want to go visit. While the stories are stand alones, they all center around the same location and characters reoccur from story to story. Very fun read!
The Christmas Shoppe by Melody Carlson
I don't believe I have ever not liked a book by Carlson and her Christmas Stories are my favorites. This one is no exception. It is quirky and fun and takes a hard look at human nature and skepticism in light of God's love and forgiveness.
Home for the Holidays by Christine Lynxwiler
A Christmas Novella
Last year I read Lynxwiler's novella My True Love Gave to Me. It is still one of my favorite Christmas reads. So i looked forward to this one and was not the least bit disappointed. In Home, Lauren realizes her life long friendship with Jeffrey is no longer a friendship where she is concerned. But alas, he is searching for the perfect wife and Lauren knows she is not it. So off she goes to St. Louis to provide Jeffrey with the break he needs to find that wife and the space Lauren needs to soothe her heart.
All I Have to Give: A Christmas Love Story by Melody Carlson
If you have ever read The Gift of the Magi, then this book will ring familiar. But please don't let that keep you from reading! Anna and Michael have been trying to have a baby for years and are both facing the reality that the day will never come. Each strives to give the other the perfect Christmas and along the way both make wrong judgment calls about each other. Fortunately love covers a multitude of sin and this Christmas there is an abundance of love surrounding them.
A Biltmore Christmas by Diane Ashley, Sylvia Barnes, Rhonda Gibson, Jeri Odell
This is part of the Romancing America series and contains 4 stories in one book.
Set back in time shortly after Biltmore was constructed, each story focuses on the grand house and a set of orphaned sisters seeking a new life there. In each case, they find that new life but not in the way they expected. Wonderful stories about an age in our country where the barriers of Class and Status were being challenged.
A Simple Amish Christmas by Vannetta Chapman
I enjoy Amish fiction and have just recently discovered Chapman's writings. Annie Weaver left her Amish roots with full intention of returning one day. But one day came later than she had planned. Now a trained nurse, Annie is called to return home and care for her father after an accident. Is she home for good? Will she join the church.. find a husband.. return to the life waiting for her? And how will she use her skills among a people who see it as prideful? Her Simple Amish Christmas is not as Simple as she thought it would be.
Bah, Humbug! by Heather Horrocks
A Romantic Comedy Novella
This was probably the most fun read of all the books this season. Too cute! Lexi Anderson is a single mom who has her own television show and has been touted as the next Martha Stewart. So she finds it ironic when she moves next door to Scrooge. No sign of Christmas anywhere! And to add insult to injury, he is the author of her favorite series of books! What's a girl to do? In Lexi's case, step in and save the man from himself and bring Christmas and love back into his life.
There are my Christmas reads from the 2012 season. If you read Christmas throughout the year, then grab one of these and read away. You won't be disappointed! Or start saving them up for the 2013 Christmas season and start a Christmas books only tradition like me! I already have some in my closet and loaded on my Kindle for next year!
Head in the Clouds by Karen Witemeyer
I have reviewed another book or 2 by Witemeyer here before. I found a book she wrote (Tailor-made Bride) in a clearance section of a store a year or so ago. The cover caught my eye and the book peaked my curiosity. I have never regretted purchasing that book and the others by this author I have snatched up since. And I look forward to future works.
I love a light hearted fun bit of fiction that entertains and helps the reader escape a bit from the craziness of life BUT I also like there to be a bit of meat there too... a lesson to be learned. Witemeyer delivers.
Adelaide Proctor has it all figured out.. her life that is.. right down to the man who will be her husband. When he is promoted and transferred, Adelaide takes it on herself to pursue and obtain said husband-to-be... but when he is found, well... Adelaide finds that things are not as she thought. Stranded in a new town with no money and no job would unhinge most women. Not Adelaide. She sets a course to find new employment. Her no nonsense persona lands her a position as governess to a young girl, Isabella, who lives in an isolated part of Texas on a sheep ranch.
Being raised by a guardian, Isabella is heiress to a fortune in England and wanted by an unscrupulous uncle for the money and title. Gideon, her guardian, hopes to keep her hidden away and protected. But as is often the case, evil seeks and finds what it wants.
When Isabella's uncle comes to take her, Gideon and Adelaide find themselves trusting God on a deeper level. Not only with Isabella, but also with their hearts.
I love a light hearted fun bit of fiction that entertains and helps the reader escape a bit from the craziness of life BUT I also like there to be a bit of meat there too... a lesson to be learned. Witemeyer delivers.
Adelaide Proctor has it all figured out.. her life that is.. right down to the man who will be her husband. When he is promoted and transferred, Adelaide takes it on herself to pursue and obtain said husband-to-be... but when he is found, well... Adelaide finds that things are not as she thought. Stranded in a new town with no money and no job would unhinge most women. Not Adelaide. She sets a course to find new employment. Her no nonsense persona lands her a position as governess to a young girl, Isabella, who lives in an isolated part of Texas on a sheep ranch.
Being raised by a guardian, Isabella is heiress to a fortune in England and wanted by an unscrupulous uncle for the money and title. Gideon, her guardian, hopes to keep her hidden away and protected. But as is often the case, evil seeks and finds what it wants.
When Isabella's uncle comes to take her, Gideon and Adelaide find themselves trusting God on a deeper level. Not only with Isabella, but also with their hearts.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
The Glory of Green by Judy Christie
Book 3 in the Green series.. which I love! The Green series revolves around a small town newspaper in Louisiana owned by a young woman named Lois. I have always loved to write and started my college career as a Journalism major (change to English Lit later). I am a Southern girl. So the combo of a newspaper and Louisiana greatly appeals to me. Hence, I love this series.... which is very well developed and written.
The problem with review books in a series comes in not giving the surprises away. So I can safely say this book continues to entertain the reader with tales of the quirky folks in Green, LA and yes, Lois has a crisis of faith. I will share more below but take this as a spoiler alert... there will be surprises revealed.. so stop here if you want!
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Lois and Chris are merging households, preparing for their wedding.. which is the social event of the year in Green.. and in the midst of it all they are thrown a tornado, a never-ending collection of catfish (ceramic, stuffed, woven etc.), a homelessness, and grace beyond compare.
You will not be disappointed in The Glory of Green.
The problem with review books in a series comes in not giving the surprises away. So I can safely say this book continues to entertain the reader with tales of the quirky folks in Green, LA and yes, Lois has a crisis of faith. I will share more below but take this as a spoiler alert... there will be surprises revealed.. so stop here if you want!
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Lois and Chris are merging households, preparing for their wedding.. which is the social event of the year in Green.. and in the midst of it all they are thrown a tornado, a never-ending collection of catfish (ceramic, stuffed, woven etc.), a homelessness, and grace beyond compare.
You will not be disappointed in The Glory of Green.
Labels:
Christian Fiction,
Green Series,
journalism,
Louisiana,
newspaper,
southern life
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Lone Star Trail by Darlene Franklin
Book One of the Texas Trail Series. There are 6 books in this series that follows the Morgan family. And 3 authors who wrote 2 books each: Darlene Franklin, Susan Page Davis and Vickie McDonough
Jud Morgan has lived in Texas most of his life... all that he can remember. His father lived and died for the land and he is not about to let any "foreigners" come in and take over. But when a family of German immigrants breaks down and his mother invites them to stay until they are able to travel again, Jud has no choice but to welcome them to the family home.
Try as he might to dislike the Fleishchers, Jud finds himself drawn to Wande and taken with the character and work ethic of the entire family. Maybe he has been wrong in his thinking. Maybe Texas is big enough for them all.
Wonderful start to what I feel sure will be a great series! Looking forward to following the Morgan saga.
Jud Morgan has lived in Texas most of his life... all that he can remember. His father lived and died for the land and he is not about to let any "foreigners" come in and take over. But when a family of German immigrants breaks down and his mother invites them to stay until they are able to travel again, Jud has no choice but to welcome them to the family home.
Try as he might to dislike the Fleishchers, Jud finds himself drawn to Wande and taken with the character and work ethic of the entire family. Maybe he has been wrong in his thinking. Maybe Texas is big enough for them all.
Wonderful start to what I feel sure will be a great series! Looking forward to following the Morgan saga.
Labels:
1800s,
American West,
Christian Fiction,
Historic Fiction,
Old West,
Texas
Saturday, November 17, 2012
The Bride Blunder by Kelly Eileen Hake
The final book in the Prairie Promises Trilogy
Gavin Miller is set to settle down and take a wife... and he knows just the woman he want. Marguerite Chandler. When Marge steps off the stagecoach, Gavin realizes his error. 2 cousins with the same name.. Marguerite.. one called Marge .. the other Daisy, his Daisy.. only she didn't respond to his letter of proposal, Marge did. What is Gavin to do?
When Marge discovers the truth, she refuses Gavin's offer of marriage and sets out to start a new life for herself in Buttonwood. As she makes friends and becomes a part of the town, Gavin grows to see Marge as much more than Daisy's plain cousin. But is it too late to turn her heart towards him?
As with the other 2 books in this series, this was a wonderful story with fun and fascinating characters.
Previous books in the series:
The Bride Bargain http://bookaholicconfessions.blogspot.com/2012/05/bride-bargain-by-kelly-eileen-hake.html
The Bride Backfire http://bookaholicconfessions.blogspot.com/2012/05/bride-backfire-by-kelly-eileen-hake.html
Gavin Miller is set to settle down and take a wife... and he knows just the woman he want. Marguerite Chandler. When Marge steps off the stagecoach, Gavin realizes his error. 2 cousins with the same name.. Marguerite.. one called Marge .. the other Daisy, his Daisy.. only she didn't respond to his letter of proposal, Marge did. What is Gavin to do?
When Marge discovers the truth, she refuses Gavin's offer of marriage and sets out to start a new life for herself in Buttonwood. As she makes friends and becomes a part of the town, Gavin grows to see Marge as much more than Daisy's plain cousin. But is it too late to turn her heart towards him?
As with the other 2 books in this series, this was a wonderful story with fun and fascinating characters.
Previous books in the series:
The Bride Bargain http://bookaholicconfessions.blogspot.com/2012/05/bride-bargain-by-kelly-eileen-hake.html
The Bride Backfire http://bookaholicconfessions.blogspot.com/2012/05/bride-backfire-by-kelly-eileen-hake.html
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)





























