Review: "The Orphan's Wish" by Melanie Dickerson

Ah, Hagenheim. I absolutely love every chance I get to visit Melanie Dickerson's medieval kingdom! When I learned that her latest Fairy Tale Romance would be about Aladdin, well, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. You see, Aladdin is my favorite Disney movie, so I already knew I loved the basic story—I just didn't know how Dickerson would adapt it!

Review: "Unbreakable" by Sara Ella

I finally found time to dig into Unbreakable, the final book in Sara Ella's Unblemished trilogy. What a wild ride!

Review: "Unraveling" by Sara Ella

When it comes to sequels—especially ones so closely connected to their predecessors—I'm often at a loss when it comes to writing a review. How can I talk about the book without spoiling book one? Really, I can't. So consider this your spoiler alert: If you haven't read Unblemished yet, go ahead and skip this review.

Review: "Unblemished" by Sara Ella

I've wanted to read Sara Ella's Unblemished ever since I first heard about it. I always had great intentions of reading it, but other novels took precedence ... even when I got book two, I still wasn't ready to give it a go.

Flash forward to last Saturday, when I received the third and final book from the Fiction Guild. Suddenly, it was time. I picked up the book Saturday evening, decided to skip the new Hallmark movie in favor of reading (this is practically unheard of for me 🤣), and finished the book Sunday night. I've had pressing review books to read this week, but I can't wait until I can continue Eliyana's story!

"The Silent Songbird" by Melanie Dickerson

Author Melanie Dickerson continues her tradition of adapting classic fairy tales with The Silent Songbird, based on The Little Mermaid.

"A Royal Christmas Wedding" by Rachel Hauck

I have loved (loved, loved!) Rachel Hauck's Royal Wedding series. I thought it was finished after the third book, How to Catch a Prince, so I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Hauck had written a new Christmas novella, A Royal Christmas Wedding, that serves as the fourth book in the series.

"Just a Kiss" by Denise Hunter

I waited a long time for Just a Kiss ... at least it feels that way! I fell for Paige and Riley in Denise Hunter's Falling Like Snowflakes, and I couldn't wait to read their story ... but I did have to wait, as Riley's brother Zac's story came first! Turns out, the wait was totally worth it.

"the brontë plot" by katherine reay

Several years ago, I read Katherine Reay's debut novel, Dear Mr. Knightley, and I was completely charmed—so much so that I named it my favorite book of 2013. While I still haven't read Reay's second book, Lizzy & Jane, solely due to time and an insane review schedule, I must admit that I did a little happy dance when I opened a package from The Fiction Guild and found The Brontë Plot inside!

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Lucy Alling makes a living selling rare books, often taking suspicious measures to reach her goals. When her unorthodox methods are discovered, Lucy's secret ruins her relationship with her boss and her boyfriend James—leaving Lucy in a heap of hurt, and trouble. Something has to change; she has to change.

In a sudden turn of events, James's wealthy grandmother Helen hires Lucy as a consultant for a London literary and antiques excursion. Lucy reluctantly agrees and soon discovers Helen holds secrets of her own. In fact, Helen understands Lucy's predicament better than anyone else.

As the two travel across England, Lucy benefits from Helen's wisdom, as Helen confronts the ghosts of her own past. Everything comes to a head at Haworth, home of the Brontë sisters, where Lucy is reminded of the sisters' beloved heroines, who, with tenacity and resolution, endured—even in the midst of change.

Now Lucy must go back into her past in order to move forward. And while it may hold mistakes and regrets, she will prevail—if only she can step into the life that's been waiting for her all along.

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Written in Katherine Reay's unique style, The Brontë Plot is an intriguing story. Set in Chicago and England, the bulk of the story involves Lucy and Helen's shopping and redemption trip around England. I absolutely loved the concept of the book; however, a few things kept me from wholeheartedly enjoying it.

Lucy isn't exactly a likable main character, though she does go through much growth and change throughout the novel, and she ends up much more sympathetic than she was in the beginning. Still, I had trouble rooting for her or for her romance with James. The romance is definitely not the main thrust of the book, which is fine; I do wish that as I reader I had been able to watch more of Lucy and James' early romance, as that may have helped me to actually care if Lucy and James reunited.

Much of the novel teases Lucy's reunion with her father, and when it happened, I felt a little let down—though it definitely did explain a lot about Lucy. I'm sure the way things played out was more realistic than the "happily ever after" reunion I'd hoped for, but I still was disappointed.

By far, my favorite aspect of the novel was Helen's story. Not only was her back story fascinating, but her quest to right previous wrongs definitely struck a chord with me. I loved the way she interacted with Lucy and her family members, the way she owned her actions, and the way she gently guided those she loved.

I know that I'm making this book sound worse than it is. It is solidly a 4 star novel. It's just that I'd hoped for more, for something that moved me in the way Dear Mr. Knightley did. Perhaps that's not fair to Reay, and I definitely want to read whatever she writes next. I'll just be sure to keep my expectations a bit lower next time.

Buy the novel.
Read my review of Reay's Dear Mr. Knightley (5 stars).

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Katherine Reay has enjoyed a life-long affair with the works of Jane Austen and her contemporaries. After earning degrees in history and marketing from Northwestern University, she worked as a marketer for Proctor & Gamble and Sears before returning to school to earn her MTS. Her works have been published in Focus on the Family and the Upper Room. Katherine currently lives with her husband and three children in Seattle.
Learn more about Katherine at http://katherinereay.com/.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through The Fiction Guild. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"the wedding chapel" by rachel hauck

After taking a much needed break from reading over Christmas vacation, I decided to begin 2016 with Rachel Hauck's latest release. I thought I'd read for an hour or two ... and five hours later, I turned the final page of this wonderful book.

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A lonely wedding chapel built as a tribute to lost love just might hold the long-awaited secret to hope and reconciliation.

For sixty years, the wedding chapel has stood silent and empty. Retired football hall-of-famer Jimmy “Coach” Westbrook built the chapel by hand, stone by stone, for his beautiful and beloved Colette Greer, whom he lost so many years ago. The chapel is a sanctuary for his memories, a monument to true love, and a testament to his survival of the deepest pain and loss.

Photographer Taylor Branson left her hometown of Heart’s Bend, Tennessee to make a new life for herself in New York. Taylor had lots to run away from, not least of all a family history of broken promises and broken dreams. Love catches Taylor off guard when she falls for Jack Forester, a successful advertising executive, and their whirlwind romance leads to an elopement – and then to second guesses. Jack, in spite of his very real love for Taylor, is battling his own demons and struggles to show her his true self and the depths of his love for her.

When Taylor takes a photography assignment in Heart’s Bend, she is thrown back into her own past and encounters family secrets buried deep beneath the sands of time. And when Taylor and Coach’s journeys collide, they each rediscover the heartbeat of their own dreams as they learn that the love they long to hold is well worth waiting for.

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From beginning to end, I was completely engaged in The Wedding Chapel. When I realized it would be a dual timeline story, I became a bit uneasy—often in these stories, I care far more for one timeline than the other. Not the case here, possibly because Jimmy's and Colette's stories ran through both timelines, providing a unifying factor. Plus, the stories were just so good!

Somehow, though the main characters were not always likable, I was very invested in each of their stories, and I never minded the shift from one character's point of view to another's. While I enjoyed each of the four main characters, I especially loved Jack's story (though he received less page time than some of the others). His journey, which led him to the father's love he so craved, also represented the strongest faith thread of the novel.

Hauck wove multiple twists and turns into this engaging story—the kinds of twists that I didn't fully anticipate, yet they made perfect sense once revealed and caused the story to take on new meaning.

While Hauck's recent releases (the Royal Wedding series, which I loved) have been a bit on the fluffy side, The Wedding Chapel has much in common with her wonderful The Wedding Dress. There's a depth and realism to The Wedding Chapel that I found wholly satisfying. This is a beautifully romantic and compelling novel about secrets, sin's consequences, family, and redemption that will stick with you beyond the final page. 5 stars.

Buy the novel.
Read my reviews of Hauck's The Wedding Dress (4-1/2 stars), Once Upon a Prince (5 stars), Princess Ever After (5 stars), How to Catch a Prince (5 stars), A Brush with Love (5 stars), and A March Bride (4 stars).

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Rachel Hauck is an award winning, bestselling author. Her book The Wedding Dress was named Inspirational Novel of the Year by Romantic Times, and Once Upon A Prince was a Christy Award finalist. Rachel lives in central Florida with her husband and two pets and writes from her ivory tower. Visit her online at rachelhauck.com, Facebook: rachelhauck, and Twitter: @RachelHauck.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook blogger program and The Fiction Guild. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"whispers in the reading room" by shelley gray

If you're looking for historical fiction full of danger and intrigue with a touch of romance, then Whispers in the Reading Room is just your style.

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Lydia's job at the library is her world—until a mysterious patron catches her eye . . . and perhaps her heart.

Just months after the closure of the Chicago World's Fair, librarian Lydia Bancroft finds herself fascinated by a mysterious dark-haired and dark-eyed patron. He has never given her his name; he actually never speaks to a single person. All she knows about him is that he loves books as much as she does.

Only when he rescues her in the lobby of the Hartman Hotel does she discover that his name is Sebastian Marks. She also discovers that he lives at the top of the prestigious hotel and that most everyone in Chicago is intrigued by him.

Lydia and Sebastian form a fragile friendship, but when she discovers that Mr. Marks isn't merely a very wealthy gentleman, but also the proprietor of an infamous saloon and gambling club, she is shocked.

Lydia insists on visiting the club one fateful night and suddenly is a suspect to a murder. She must determine who she can trust, who is innocent, and if Sebastian Marks—the man so many people fear—is actually everything her heart believes him to be.

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Whispers in the Reading Room is one of those novels that you just can't put down. I should know, as I read it far into the night (and paid for it the next day). From the beginning, I was intrigued by Lydia, a quiet librarian who set aside her own wants to please her mother, even agreeing to marry a man she didn't love in hopes of securing her mother's financial security.

I also loved Sebastian, though perhaps I shouldn't have! Sebastian is not your typical Christian romance novel hero ... and that's probably why I liked him so much. He drinks, he owns a bar, he fights, he runs an illegal gambling club ... yet he is also fiercely protective of those he loves, he is generous to a fault, and he despises those who would take advantage of a woman in any way.

The novel's action moves at breakneck pace, as Lydia finds herself in one scrape after another and murders on Camp Creek Alley, the seedy area of Chicago where Sebastian's club is located, become all too frequent. There is also a delightful subplot featuring Sebastian's maid Bridget and his club manager Vincent. In essence, it's two love stories for the price of one!

For the first 90 percent of this novel, I was reading one of the best books of the year. At the very end, however, the novel faltered a bit. By that point, much, but not everything, had been resolved. Then the action jumped forward nine days, and the reader only finds out in passing who was behind the murders on Camp Creek Alley. Then the action jumps forward another week, and the reader learns that Sebastian has stepped in to help with Lydia's financial situation. It just seemed an odd narrative choice to me, as in the majority of the novel, the reader is completely involved in the action, so it was a letdown to find out about these two major events after they happened.

My disappointment in the end of the novel does not change the fact that it is a great book. It is so different from most of what is available in the inspirational market, and it is such a gripping story that, although let down a bit by the end, I still highly recommend it. 4 stars.

Note: Whispers in the Reading Room is the third book in Shelley Gray's Chicago World's Fair Mystery series. It functions as a stand alone novel, but characters from the first two novels do make an appearance. I read it just fine without having previously read the first two books, and now they are on my wish list!

See what others are saying.
Buy the book.
Read my review of Gray's The Outlaw's Heart (3 stars) in the Among the Fair Magnolias anthology.

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Shelley Gray is the author of The Heart of a Hero series. Her Amish novel (written as Shelley Shepard Gray), The Protector, recently made the New York Times best seller list. A native of Texas, she earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in Colorado and taught school for ten years. She and her husband have two children and live in Southern Ohio.

Connect with Shelley: website, Twitter, Facebook

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group and The Fiction Guild. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"all is calm, all is bright" by colleen coble

I've been a longtime reader of Colleen Coble's novels. Some I've loved (The Inn at Ocean's Edge), most I've liked, and I few I've not connected with. So I wondered where I'd fall with these novellas. I'm happy to report that both fall into the "like" category ... though one is very close to "love."

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Return to two of Colleen Coble’s most beloved settings—Bluebird Ranch and Hope Beach—for holiday romance and mystery!

All Is Calm

It’s going to be an unexpectedly romantic Christmas at Bluebird Ranch.

Brendan Waddell has always considered Bluebird Ranch a little piece of heaven: an idyllic ranch that pairs abused children with abused horses, run by one of his Marine buddies. Now, it seems just the place to spend Christmas recovering from an on-the-job injury.

Lauren Everman first came to the ranch as a foster kid, but now knows it’s the perfect hideout. As the witness to a murder, Lauren needs somewhere to lie low. Her beauty immediately catches Brendan’s attention—but so does her secretive behavior. This Special Ops Intel man knows a woman on the run when he sees one. Can he trust her, or is she putting the ranch at risk? One thing is certain: he’s going to do everything he can to keep her safe so he can see what magic Christmas brings.

All Is Bright

A romantic Christmas wedding at Tidewater Inn gives Delilah’s unique gifts a chance to shine. But will her light be snuffed out before the bride and groom say “I do”?

As manager of the Tidewater Inn, Delilah Carter has been planning a spectacular Christmas wedding for her friend, Elin Summerall. But when Delilah’s car is forced off the road and into the ocean, she finally has to admit that the strange phone calls she’s been receiving lately may be more than just pranks.

Sheriff Tom Bourne has always had a soft spot for Delilah, and he’s determined to protect her. He hopes to win her heart by giving her the surprise gift of a lifetime . . . but first he has to make sure nothing happens to her before Christmas Day.

It’s the season of miracles. But will both Elin and Delilah get the ones they need this holiday season?

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All Is Calm marks a return to Bluebird Ranch (Lonestar series). Lauren, who stayed at Bluebird Ranch as a foster child, returns on the run with her beloved horse after becoming a person of interest in a murder investigation. When Marine Brendan agrees to help her clear her name, sparks fly.

I enjoyed this novella, though the "love at first sight" nature bugged me a bit. (Nothing against Coble—it's a personal preference that I've talked about before.) Also, what I thought would be a major plot point (Lauren buying but not really buying her horse) never turned into anything—it just felt like a dropped thread. Still, I found the novella enjoyable; it's a great holiday read. 3-1/2 stars.

I came into All Is Bright without having first read Coble's Hope Beach series, so I felt like I had a bit of a disadvantage. I didn't know the back stories of any of the characters and had trouble keeping them straight at times. (I don't think readers will encounter the same trouble with All Is Calm—it's a much more self-contained story.) But the romance between Tom and Delilah? Loved it. Theirs was definitely not a case of insta-love; the two had known each other for a few years and shared many friends—just the kind of romance I like. I also loved the subplot of Delilah's missing brother, which had a sweet resolution. Overall, I loved All Is Bright, and now I'd like to read the Hope Beach novels. 4-1/2 stars.

Readers of Coble's Lonestar and Hope Beach novels will enjoy this return to the beloved settings, and new readers who get a taste of the characters will surely want to go back and read the series. These novellas are perfect for a cold winter evening. 4 stars.

Buy the book.
Read my reviews of Coble's Inn at Ocean's Edge (5 stars), Lonestar series (Lonestar Secrets; Lonestar Angel, 3 stars), Under Texas Stars series (Blue Moon Promise, 3-1/2 stars; Safe in His Arms, 3-1/2 stars), The Lightkeeper's Daughter, the Journey of the Heart series (A Heart's Disguise, 4 stars; A Heart's Obsession, 3 stars; A Heart's Danger, 4 stars; A Heart's Betrayal, 3 stars; A Heart's Promise, 4 stars; and A Heart's Home, 3-1/2 stars).

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Colleen Coble has sold over 2 million novels worldwide. Seagrass Pier, the third installment in her acclaimed Hope Beach series, marks a new highpoint for emotion and complexity in Coble's addictive brand of romantic suspense.

Find Colleen online: website, Facebook, Twitter

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through The Fiction Guild. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"the girl from the train" by irma joubert

When I picked up The Girl From the Train, I wasn't sure I'd like it. Normally, I enjoy World War II fiction, but something about the description didn't interest me (though I immediately loved the cover). I'm glad I didn't let my hesitance deter me, as I ended up absolutely loving this novel!

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Six-year-old Gretl Schmidt is on a train bound for Aushwitz. Jakób Kowalski is planting a bomb on the tracks.

As World War II draws to a close, Jakób fights with the Polish resistance against the crushing forces of Germany and Russia. They intend to destroy a German troop transport, but Gretl’s unscheduled train reaches the bomb first.

Gretl is the only survivor. Though spared from the concentration camp, the orphaned German Jew finds herself lost in a country hostile to her people. When Jakób discovers her, guilt and fatherly compassion prompt him to take her in. For three years, the young man and little girl form a bond over the secrets they must hide from his Catholic family.

But she can’t stay with him forever. Jakób sends Gretl to South Africa, where German war orphans are promised bright futures with adoptive Protestant families—so long as Gretl’s Jewish roots, Catholic education, and connections to communist Poland are never discovered.

Separated by continents, politics, religion, language, and years, Jakób and Gretl will likely never see each other again. But the events they have both survived and their belief that the human spirit can triumph over the ravages of war have formed a bond of love that no circumstances can overcome.

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Spanning more than a dozen years, The Girl From the Train tells the story of an orphan and the man who rescued her. When Gretl and Jakób aren't together, the action goes back and forth between them, though the majority of the novel focuses on Gretl.

One thing that surprised me about The Girl From the Train was its positivity. Yes, Gretl's life was hard—even horrific—before Jakób took her under his wing, and Jakób's life was not easy, either. But rather than focusing on the bad, Joubert found a way to bring light to the story. As I read, I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop—for Gretl's life to become unbearable. But that never happened; instead, Gretl's life changed for the better when Jakób decided to send her to South Africa. I loved following along on Gretl's journey.

The novel contains a touch of romance near the end (and it's a romance the reader will see coming long before it materializes), but overall, The Girl From the Train is about a little girl's search for belonging, which she finds in a diverse South African family. Gretl's new family is one of the highlights of the book. I especially loved Grandpa John, who understood Gretl perhaps better than anyone else.

The Girl From the Train is an international bestseller that was originally published in Afrikaans in South Africa. The only indication that this is a translation is that sometimes, conversations seemed a bit awkward—like something got lost in translation. But that could just have to do with the way different cultures communicate, too.

Overall, I loved The Girl From the Train. It is absolutely fascinating, and it lends itself to discussion, making it a great book club selection. (In fact, it's Target's November 2015 Book Club pick!) I highly recommend it. 4-1/2 stars.

Buy the book.

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International bestselling author Irma Joubert was a history teacher for 35 years before she began writing. Her stories are known for their deep insight into personal relationships and rich historical detail. She's the author of eight novels and a regular fixture on bestseller lists in The Netherlands and in her native South Africa. She is the winner of the 2010 ARKV Prize for Romance Novels. Follow her on Facebook.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through The Fiction Guild. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."