If you're looking for a Bible for a pre-teen girl, the Beautiful Word Coloring Bible for Girls could be just what you need. How do I know? I asked my 8-year-old cousin to help me review it!
12 years ago
Showing posts with label zondervan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label zondervan. Show all posts
Sunday, November 8, 2020
Review: "Beautiful Word Coloring Bible for Girls"
If you're looking for a Bible for a pre-teen girl, the Beautiful Word Coloring Bible for Girls could be just what you need. How do I know? I asked my 8-year-old cousin to help me review it!
Friday, December 6, 2019
Review: The Beautiful Word Coloring Bible for Girls
Christmas seems like the perfect time to give someone a new Bible (at least Christmas is when I received all of my new Bibles as a kid!), and The Beautiful Word Coloring Bible for Girls is perfect for that girl who enjoys coloring!
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
Review + Giveaway: NIV Adventure Bible Polar Exploration Edition
When I was in the third or fourth grade, I desperately wanted The Adventure Bible. My parents gave it to me for Christmas that year (I mean, were they really going to deny my wish for a Bible???), and I loved it and used it for years.
Thursday, July 6, 2017
"If I'm Found" by Terri Blackstock
The sequel to Terri Blackstock's (INSPY Award-winning) If I Run is just as compelling as its predecessor—it's a thrill-ride from start to finish!
Thursday, March 23, 2017
"The Healer's Apprentice" by Melanie Dickerson
The Healer's Apprentice begins Melanie Dickerson's excellent Fairy Tale Romance series. These books can be read in any order; I didn't start until The Princess Spy, book five in the series, so now I've decided to go back and read the ones I missed!
Saturday, March 4, 2017
"For Love and Honor" by Jody Hedlund
Jody Hedlund delivers the third (and presumably final) book in her medieval YA romance series with For Love and Honor, and it's her best yet.
Monday, October 10, 2016
"The Wedding Shop" by Rachel Hauck
Thursday, July 7, 2016
"kiss the bride" by mcclone, hatcher, and springer
Three of the novellas in Zondervan's Year of Weddings series are brought together in this collection that makes a great beach read.
Meet the people who make it all happen—the planners, the photographers, the musicians who have helped orchestrate the perfect day for countless couples—as they find their own happy endings in the second Year of Weddings novella collection.
Picture Perfect Love: A June Wedding Story by Melissa McClone
When image becomes everything, it’s up to love to refocus the heart.
Photographer Jenna Harrison wants every bride and groom to look picture perfect on their special day. But her own heart is still broken, the unworn wedding dress hanging in her closet a reminder that relationships aren’t always as perfect as they look through her camera lens.
Attorney Ashton Vance is the one that got away, but he wrongly blamed Jenna for ruining his political aspirations. Even if Jenna can forgive him, dare he hope for a second chance at her love?
I Hope You Dance: A July Wedding Story by Robin Lee Hatcher
Can two left feet lead to one perfect romance?
Grant Nichols is a genius in the kitchen and a klutz on the dance floor. But his friend’s wedding is shaping up to be a shindig the likes of which Kings Meadow has never seen—including dancing. Lots of dancing.
Former rodeo queen Skye Foster is offering dance lessons for the wedding party. Grant and Skye are no match on paper. But when they step onto the dance floor, they create a melody all their own.
Love on a Deadline: An August Wedding Story by Kathryn Springer
MacKenzie “Mac” Davis returns to her hometown of Red Leaf, Wisconsin, and takes a job at the weekly newspaper writing about social events.
When Hollis Channing, Mac’s high school nemesis, returns to Red Leaf to marry her celebrity fiancé, the editor asks Mac to cover all the festivities for the newspaper. The last thing Mac wants to do is reconnect with the person who made her life miserable when she was a teenager . . . unless it’s spending time with Ethan Channing, the bride’s older brother—and Mac’s first crush.
As is the case with most novella collections, I enjoyed some of the stories more than others. My favorite by far is Springer's Love on a Deadline. Of the three novellas, it felt the most complete and featured my favorite romance. I also really enjoyed returning to Red Leaf, Wisconsin, the setting of Springer's A September Bride. 5 stars.
I Hope You Dance, which is part of Hatcher's Kings Meadow series, was also enjoyable to read, though the conflict keeping Grant and Skye apart was resolved a bit too easily and conveniently. 3-1/2 stars.
Picture Perfect Love was the one novella that missed the mark for me. I didn't enjoy the romance at all, which is a key component of a romance novel! I did appreciate Jenna's journey—except the part where she ended up with Ashton. 2-1/2 stars.
Overall, this collection is enjoyable, and it's nice to have these novellas in print when they were previously only available digitally. 4 stars for the collection.
Buy the book.
Read my full reviews of each novella: Picture Perfect Love, I Hope You Dance, and Love on a Deadline.
Read my reviews of the other Year of Weddings and Year of Weddings 2 novellas.
Melissa McClone has published more than thirty novels with Harlequin and Tule Publishing Group. She has also been nominated for Romance Writers of America's RITA® award. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, three school-aged children, two spoiled Norwegian Elkhounds and cats who think they rule the house.
Best-selling novelist Robin Lee Hatcher is known for her heart-warming and emotionally charged stories of faith, courage, and love. The winner of the Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction, the RITA Award for Best Inspirational Romance, two RT Career Achievement Awards, and the RWA Lifetime Achievement Award, Robin is the author of over sixty novels.
Kathryn Springer is a USA Today bestselling author. She grew up in northern Wisconsin, where her parents published a weekly newspaper. As a child she spent many hours sitting at her mother's typewriter, plunking out stories, and credits her parents for instilling in her a love of books --- which eventually turned into a desire to tell stories of her own. Kathryn has written nineteen books with close to two million copies sold. She lives with her husband and three children in Marinette, Wisconsin.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook blogger program. 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."
Saturday, June 25, 2016
"love on a deadline" by kathryn springer
In recent years, Kathryn Springer has become one of my favorite authors. I've absolutely adored her Bannister Falls series (especially book 2, The Hearts We Mend), and I also enjoyed A September Bride, her entry in Zondervan's first Year of Weddings series. This, of course, meant that I also wanted to read Love on a Deadline, her entry in the second installment of the Year of Weddings.MacKenzie thought writing wedding stories was beneath her journalistic abilities. Until one love story rekindled an old flame and opened her heart to love once more.
MacKenzie “Mac” Davis left her hometown of Red Leaf, Wisconsin, ten years ago, and she never looked back. But when her father, beloved Coach Davis, suffers a mild heart attack, she returns home for an extended visit. It means taking a job at the local newspaper, where the biggest news story is the return of Hollis Channing to marry her celebrity fiancé, but Mac would do anything to make sure her dad takes care of himself. She just didn’t know that would include spending extended time with her high school crush, Ethan Channing, brother of the bride and the boy who broke her heart.
When Ethan Channing offered to help his sister plan her fast wedding, he had no idea what a big production it would be. Nor what a dilapidated state their old family home would be in. But when he catches Mac trying to take pictures of the house for an article she’s writing, he ropes her in to helping him. It’s hard to believe the tomboy coach’s daughter he remembers from high school has turned into this beautiful fire ball of a woman. And he has to admit he doesn’t mind needing her help in planning the wedding of a lifetime.
It’s been ten years since they’ve seen each other. And ten years is a long time. But is it long enough to repair broken hearts and turn old high school crushes into love?
Oh my goodness, this novella was a delight from start to finish! I've mentioned before that sometimes it's difficult for an author to tell a complete story in a novella, but Springer had no problem here, perhaps because Ethan and Mac already had a history. Their past was revealed slowly, and I enjoyed seeing how it affected their present. I also really loved the romance—a plus when you're reading a romance novel! Overall, this novella is simply fantastic, and it lives up to what I've come to expect from Springer. 5 stars.
Buy Kiss the Bride, which contains the novellas I Hope You Dance, Picture Perfect Love, and Love on a Deadline.
Read my reviews of Springer's The Dandelion Field (5 stars), The Hearts We Mend (5 stars), and A September Bride (4 stars).
Read my reviews of the other Year of Weddings and Year of Weddings 2 novellas.
Read my reviews of the other Year of Weddings and Year of Weddings 2 novellas.
Kathryn Springer is a USA Today bestselling author. She grew up in northern Wisconsin, where her parents published a weekly newspaper. As a child she spent many hours sitting at her mother's typewriter, plunking out stories, and credits her parents for instilling in her a love of books --- which eventually turned into a desire to tell stories of her own. Kathryn has written nineteen books with close to two million copies sold. She lives with her husband and three children in Marinette, Wisconsin.
Website | Facebook
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook blogger program. 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."
Monday, June 20, 2016
"i hope you dance" by robin lee hatcher
Author Robin Lee Hatcher takes readers back to the beloved setting of Kings Meadow for this novella in Zondervan's second Year of Weddings series.
Can two left feet lead to one perfect romance?
Grant Nichols is a genius in the kitchen and a klutz on the dance floor. But his friend’s wedding is shaping up to be a shindig the likes of which Kings Meadow has never seen—including dancing. Lots of dancing. Then he learns that a local dance teacher, Skye Foster, is offering dance lessons for the wedding party. The lessons are free, so what does he have to lose?
A former rodeo queen, Skye Foster teaches children ballet and tap during the day, but with the popularity of ballroom dancing and her own love of Country Swing, she’s been teaching adults in the evenings.
Grant comes from a family of ten siblings. He was the second oldest and believes he's had his fill of little rug rats. He’s happy with his bachelor state, despite the fact that he’s given up his ladies’ man lifestyle. Even he admits to his wilder nature and has been trying to clean up his act, with God's help.
Skye, on the other hand, loves being around kids. She would love to find the right guy and settle down to have half a dozen children of her own.
Grant and Skye are no match on paper. But when they step onto the dance floor, they move to a love song all their own.
Skye, on the other hand, loves being around kids. She would love to find the right guy and settle down to have half a dozen children of her own.
Grant and Skye are no match on paper. But when they step onto the dance floor, they move to a love song all their own.
Novellas can be difficult. Because they're short, sometimes the author has to leave things out or rush things in order to tell a complete story. Unfortunately, that's what's happened with I Hope You Dance. I loved the set up of Grant and Skye meeting and falling in love, and I could even buy a quick proposal—after all, that does happen in real life. But the big hindrance to their happily ever after—Skye's desire for a big family contrasted with Grant's determination to not have children—is resolved so quickly and rather improbably, and it just didn't ring true.
I have loved Robin Lee Hatcher's Kings Meadow series, and I Hope You Dance is a charming return to that world. I just wish that it could have been slightly longer to allow for a touch more believability. 3-1/2 stars.
Buy the novella.
Buy Kiss the Bride, which contains the novellas I Hope You Dance, Picture Perfect Love, and Love on a Deadline.
Read my reviews of Hatcher's other Kings Meadow stories: A Promise Kept (5 stars--not "officially" a Kings Meadow novel, but set there), Love Without End (4-1/2 stars), Whenever You Come Around (4-1/2 stars), and Keeper of the Stars (4 stars).
Read my reviews of the other Year of Weddings and Year of Weddings 2 novellas.
Connect with Robin: website, Twitter, Facebook
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook blogger program. 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."
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
"a daring sacrifice" by jody hedlund
When I read Jody Hedlund's An Uncertain Choice last year, Lord Collin Goodrich was my least favorite of the knights vying for Lady Rosemarie's hand. He just seemed too carefree and immature. I guess what he needed was a woman who would challenge him and would bring out the best in him—and that's exactly what Juliana Wessex does!
In a reverse twist on the Robin Hood story, a young medieval maiden stands up for the rights of the mistreated, stealing from the rich to give to the poor. All the while, she fights against her cruel uncle who has taken over the land that is rightfully hers.
Forced to live in the woods and hide with the poor people she's grown to love, she works to save and protect them, but she never anticipates falling in love with the wealthy knight who represents all she's come to despise.
Though she spend her idyllic early years as the daughter of a wealthy lord, Juliana lost her land—and her father—to her uncle's treachery. She turned to stealing to provide for the peasants who became her family. When she robs Lord Collin Goodrich, she comes face to face with the boy who long ago mocked her hair ... and to whom she finds herself strangely attracted. As the two get to know one another, Collin begins to have sympathy for those not as privileged as himself, and Juliana comes to realize that all lords are not evil.
I absolutely devoured this novel! It's full of adventure, danger, and romance—oh, the romance! The chemistry between Juliana and Collin is palpable, and I loved watching their relationship develop. The novel is written in first person, and it's pretty equally divided between Juliana's and Collin's perspectives, so I felt like I got to know both characters very well, and I came to like them both very much.
A Daring Sacrifice is a great young adult romance that both teens and adults will love—and in a genre that seems to focus more and more on sexual and/or edgy content, it is one of those rare novels that promotes faith and morality. Fans of Melanie Dickerson's Fairy Tale Romances and Dina Sleiman's Valiant Hearts series will want to check out this series. 4-1/2 stars.
Note: A Daring Sacrifice is the second book in Jody Hedlund's YA series, but you can easily read it without first having read An Uncertain Choice. If you have read the first book, you should know that A Daring Sacrifice doesn't begin directly after the cliffhanger at the end of the first book—instead, it begins prior to those events. (I spent the first couple chapters expecting an explanation and didn't find one; later, I figured out that Hedlund was leading up to the events of An Uncertain Choice's epilogue.)
Buy the book.
Read my review of Hedlund's An Uncertain Choice (5 stars) and The Vow (4 stars), a prequel novella. Read my reviews of Hedlund's adult titles Hearts Made Whole (5 stars), Undaunted Hope (4 stars), A Noble Groom (5 stars), Unending Devotion (5 stars).
Jody Hedlund is an award-winning and bestselling historical fiction author. She won the 2011 Inspirational Reader's Choice Award, the 2011 Award of Excellence from the Colorado Romance Writers and was a finalist for Best Debut Novel in the 2011 ACFW Carol Awards. Currently she makes her home in central Michigan, with her husband and five busy children. She loves hearing from readers on Facebook and on her blog.
Find Jody online: website, Twitter, Facebook
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free for review as a member of Jody Hedlund's A Daring Sacrifice influencer team. 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."
Sunday, March 20, 2016
"the hearts we mend" by kathryn springer
Early last year, I picked up Kathryn Springer's The Dandelion Field and read the whole thing in one evening. I knew then that the world and characters Springer had created were special. So when the second book in her Bannister Falls series released, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it!Planning and Post-It notes are the epitome of Evie's life. But when she meets Jack, her life gets more than a little complicated.
Thirteen years ago, Evie's firefighter husband was killed in the line of duty, leaving her to raise their young son, Cody, alone. Now, Cody is marrying the love of his life, and as he packs up his belongings, the house feels as empty as Evie's heart. But for all her planning and mad organizational skills, Evie could never have anticipated the dramatic shift her life is about to make.
Tattooed, rough-around-the-edges Jack raises quite a few eyebrows in the tight-knit community of Banister Falls. Where Evie's life is stream-lined, Jack's approach to living is moment-by-moment. But as Evie gets drawn into Jack's world---a world that isn't as safe or predictable as the one she's worked so hard to create---he challenges her to open her eyes to the problems outside the walls of the church.
Jack doesn't make Evie feel comfortable, but he definitely makes her feel something. Something she hasn't felt since Max passed away---or, maybe ever. Because even though Jack isn't anything like her late husband, he just might be everything she needs.
Evie Bennett's life hasn't always been easy—she lost her firefighter husband when their son was very young; her son fell in love his senior year of high school and soon announced his girlfriend was pregnant and they were getting married—but it has always been safe. She lives in an upper middle class neighborhood, she works as the women's ministries director at her church, and she is surrounded by friends who stepped in to fill the gap after her husband's death. When Jack Vale enters her life, he challenges her to step outside the safety of the church walls and "love your neighbor as yourself." As Evie is drawn into Jack's world, she begins to really experience life in all its messiness for the first time since her husband's death.
I honestly don't think I can say enough good things about The Hearts We Mend! Because of my love for the first novel in this series, I knew I wanted to read the book—but I did wonder if author Kathryn Springer could match the quality, depth, and realness of The Dandelion Field. Well, she did; in fact, I think I actually liked The Hearts We Mend better!
Not only did I love the romance between Evie and Jack, but I also enjoyed Evie's transformation into a strong, independent woman who began pursuing the dreams God placed on her heart.
Ultimately, while I enjoyed The Hearts We Mend, it also challenged me to get out of my Evie-like comfort zone and look for opportunities God has given me to impact the world outside the church doors ... and it did it without coming across as preachy. The Bannister Falls series is a must read for anyone looking for faith-filled, realistic romance. 5 stars.
Note: The Hearts We Mend can be read as a stand-alone title, but I'd recommend reading The Dandelion Field first, as Evie's journey really begins there.
See what others are saying.
Buy the book.
Read my reviews of Springer's The Dandelion Field (5 stars) and A September Bride (4 stars).
Kathryn Springer is a USA Today bestselling author. She grew up in northern Wisconsin, where her parents published a weekly newspaper. As a child she spent many hours sitting at her mother's typewriter, plunking out stories, and credits her parents for instilling in her a love of books --- which eventually turned into a desire to tell stories of her own. Kathryn has written nineteen books with close to two million copies sold. She lives with her husband and three children in Marinette, Wisconsin.Website | Facebook
Sunday, January 24, 2016
"if i run" by terri blackstock
Terri Blackstock is known for writing page-turning suspense, and her latest novel, If I Run, is a great addition to her catalog.
Casey knows the truth. But it won't set her free.
Casey Cox's DNA is all over the crime scene. There's no use talking to police; they have failed her abysmally before. She has to flee before she's arrested . . . or worse. The truth doesn't matter anymore.
But what is the truth? That's the question haunting Dylan Roberts, the war-weary veteran hired to find Casey. PTSD has marked him damaged goods, but bringing Casey back can redeem him. Though the crime scene seems to tell the whole story, details of the murder aren't adding up. Casey Cox doesn't fit the profile of a killer. But are Dylan's skewed perceptions keeping him from being objective? If she isn't guilty, why did she run?
Unraveling her past and the evidence that condemns her will take more time than he has, but as Dylan's damaged soul intersects with hers, he is faced with two choices. The girl who occupies his every thought is a psychopathic killer . . . or a selfless hero. And the truth could be the most deadly weapon yet.
If I Run is fascinating, fast-paced suspense. It is written in first-person, present tense, alternating between Casey's and Dylan's point of view. While this perspective took a bit to get used to, once I did, I felt like I was right there with Casey and Dylan, experiencing the action as they did.
Casey's journey is particularly compelling, as she runs for her life and tries to stay out of anyone's notice but can't help caring for those she meets who are in need. Her quest to set things right—both in her own life and in a missing persons case she finds herself mixed up in—puts her in grave danger, yet she simply cannot walk away.
When the novel ends, some things are wrapped up, but Casey's story isn't resolved, giving me hope for another book in the future. I've never before read a book quite like If I Run, which is suspenseful without being grisly. I highly recommend it! 4-1/2 stars.
Watch the book trailer:
See what others are saying.
Buy the book.
Read my reviews of Blackstock's Distortion (5 stars) and Twisted Innocence (4-1/2 stars).
Terri Blackstock has sold over seven million books worldwide and is a New York Times bestselling author. She is the award-winning author of Intervention,Vicious Cycle, and Downfall, as well as such series as Cape Refuge, Newpointe 911, the SunCoast Chronicles, and the Restoration Series.Connect with Terri: website, Twitter, Facebook
Casey Cox doesn’t fit the profile of a killer . . . but her DNA is all over the crime scene, and she's now a fugitive. Don't miss Terri Blackstock's next page-turner, If I Run. Unraveling her past and the evidence that condemns her will take more time than Dylan has, the war-weary veteran hired to find Casey. But as Dylan’s damaged soul intersects with hers, he is faced with two choices. The girl who occupies his every thought is a psychopathic killer . . . or a selfless hero. And the truth could be the most deadly weapon yet.
Join Terri in celebrating her new book with a Fitbit giveaway and a special $4.99 digital pre-order deal!
One grand prize winner will receive:
- A copy of If I Run
- A Fitbit One™ or a Fitbit Flex (winner's choice)
Plus don't miss out on the special $4.99 digital pre-order pricing, now through February 15. Pre-order the book through your favorite e-book retailer; details here.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. 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."
Wednesday, January 6, 2016
"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.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.
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).
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."
Saturday, December 12, 2015
"whispers in the reading room" by shelley gray
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.
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.
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."
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
"love in the details" by becky wade
Holly ended things to give him a better life, but she was the future he’d always dreamed of.
Eight years have passed since Holly last saw her high school sweetheart, Josh. Now the wedding of Josh’s best friend has brought him back to Martinsburg, Texas. His duties as best man and Holly's as the church's volunteer wedding coordinator link them together. As they work behind the scenes to plan a beautiful November wedding for their friends, they're forced to confront painful reminders of what might have been.
Holly broke up with Josh all those years ago in an attempt to ensure his future success. However, she never told him the true reason behind her actions and now must decide whether to keep her secret hidden. She's terrified of letting herself fall for him because she barely managed to piece her life back together after losing him the last time.
Not a day's gone by since Josh parted from Holly that he hasn't thought about her. The pain of the past eight years has been too much to bear and he doesn't want to make himself vulnerable to her again. But the more time he spends with her, the harder it is to deny the love he still has for her. Will Josh and Holly risk their hearts on the hope that God's timing really can be best?
Love in the Details is a sweet "second chance at first love" novella that features characters not connected to Wade's other novels. Holly and Josh are both incredibly likable characters, and, in a departure from Wade's most recent heroes, Josh is fairly undamaged and really borders on perfection. Normally, I don't like "too perfect" heroes, but in this case, with this short novella-length time to get to know Josh, it works.
I loved watching Holly and Josh's relationship develop from the first awkward "nice to see you again" moment through the sigh-inducing happily ever after. And I may have giggled a few times along the way, too!
If you've never read a Becky Wade novel, Love in the Details will give you a nice introduction to her writing. And if you're a longtime fan like me, this novella is just what you need to hold you over until her next novel releases! 5 stars.
Read my reviews of My Stubborn Heart (5 stars) and the Porter Family Series: Undeniably Yours (5 stars), Meant to Be Mine (5 stars), A Love Like Ours (5 stars).
Read my reviews of the other Year of Weddings and Year of Weddings 2 novellas.
Find Becky online: website, Facebook, Twitter
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received an influencer copy of this book free from the author. 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.”
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
"the perfect arrangement" by katie ganshert
Amelia Woods is a small-town wallflower and the proud owner of Forget-Me-Nots, a quaint flower shop that once belonged to her mother. Despite her success in business, her love life has always been a bit lackluster. Until she spies on her ex-boyfriend's wedding and ends up in horrifyingly embarrassing fender-bender with handsome wedding guest, Nate Gallagher.
Meanwhile, Amelia's younger brother, William, has proposed to his girlfriend. Amelia would be excited except she has evidence that the fiancée is not who she says she is. How can she be supportive and yet be the protective big sister too? It seems Nate is the only one available for any advice-giving, and he's good at it—and pretty fun to talk to, too. Amelia and Nate strike up an online relationship, but always lingering in Amelia's mind is the fear that he'll realize she's not nearly as appealing in real life.
As Amelia works to craft the perfect flower arrangements for other people, she begins to wonder if real love is better than the dream. And if it is, will Nate still be interested when he learns who she is?
Prior to reading The Perfect Arrangement, I'd read two Katie Ganshert novels and one novella, and I gave them all five stars (I would have given A Broken Kind of Beautiful more stars than that if I could have). Her writing has a way of gripping me emotionally, and the stories stick with me long after I've turned the final page. So when I picked up The Perfect Arrangement, I expected it to be great. What I didn't expect? Laughter and tears, but this novella produced both in abundance!
Amelia, a shy cat owner who had only ever dated one guy and had a bit of a Cinderella backstory, was such a likable and relatable character. I absolutely loved watching her relationship with Nate grow through emails (which were so witty and fun), and I adored her interaction with George, her elderly customer. George's story is the one that so touched my heart.
While Amelia and Nate do fall in love (this is a romance, after all), some aspects of the story are left unresolved, which I actually found to be refreshing. In real life, sometimes you just have to let things go and see how they play out, and that's what Amelia had to do. I would definitely love to visit this town with Ganshert again and learn what happens to Amelia and her family! 5 stars.
Buy the novella.
Read my reviews of Ganshert's An October Bride (5 stars) and Wildflowers from Winter (5 stars).
Read my reviews of the other Year of Weddings and Year of Weddings 2 novellas.
Katie Ganshert was born and raised in the exciting state of Iowa, where she currently resides with her family. She likes to write things and consume large quantities of coffee and chocolate while she writes all the things. She's won some awards. For the writing, not the consuming. Although the latter would be fun. You can learn more about Katie and these things she writes at her website www.katieganshert.com.
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
"love takes the cake" by besty st. amant
Meet the people who make it all happen—the planners, the photographers, the musicians who have helped orchestrate the perfect day for countless couples—as they find their own happy endings in the second Year of Weddings novella collection.
She’s known for her delicious cakes, but there’s no recipe for dealing with the new man in her life. Charlotte owns the best bakery in Louisiana, and clients come from near and far for her renowned wedding cakes. And while the wedding scene is Charlotte’s place to shine, her own love life is more dull than ever. After a string of failed relationships—and men who actually were too good to be true—she has decided to throw herself into her craft and leave love and marriage to her clients.
Will is a successful entrepreneur but devotes much of his spare time to caring for his sister. He deeply regrets his past mistakes, so he has done everything he can to guard his heart from relationships. And what girl would understand that he needs to spend all his time with his sister? But when his best friend calls in his help for his September wedding, Will can’t refuse. He's always been there for those closest to him. And when he finds out they don’t have a wedding cake yet, he knows exactly where to go—the bakery owned by the beautiful, mysterious young woman he buys treats from.
Charlotte assumes Will is just another party boy who flirts with all the bridesmaids. But is Will hiding something that explains his behavior? And despite their reservations, will they be able to deny the chemistry between them?
In Love Takes the Cake, Charlotte and Will sort of stutter-step toward a relationship. She swore off charismatic, attractive men after being duped by her ex. He doesn't feel worthy of a good relationship, due to his past mistakes.
While Charlotte and Will's holdups could become annoying, St. Amant wrote the characters in such a way that their reservations were perfectly understandable. And the two certainly had chemistry, which made the novella that much more fun to read!
Sometimes novellas feel rushed or incomplete, but Love Takes the Cake was really the perfect length. The leads are well developed, and many of the supporting characters feel fully fleshed out, as well. (And can we please get a story about Will's sister Melissa next? I would absolutely love to read her love story!)
Love Takes the Cake is the fourth Besty St. Amant novel or novella that I've read, and I've enjoyed each one. She's definitely become a must-read author for me! 4-1/2 stars.
Buy the novella.
Read my reviews of St. Amant's A February Bride (4 stars), All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes (5 stars), and Love Arrives in Pieces (4-1/2 stars).
Read my reviews of the other Year of Weddings and Year of Weddings 2 novellas.
Find Betsy online: website, Facebook
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
"picture perfect love" by melissa mcclone
When image becomes everything, it's up to love to refocus the heart.
Photographer Jenna Harrison wants every bride and groom to look picture perfect on their special day, putting her heart into every wedding to give the couple memorable images of their love. But her own heart is still broken, the unworn wedding dress hanging in her closet a reminder that relationships aren't always as perfect as they look through her camera lens. But Jenna has faith that she will find true love. Until then, she must be patient and trust in God's plan and His perfect timing.
Attorney Ashton Vance is the one that got away. When an embarrassing Photoshopped picture of put an end to his political aspirations, he blamed Jenna. So what if the photo led to his being offered a dream job and changing his life for the better? Jenna betrayed his trust, and two years later, Ashton's heart still hasn't recovered.
It was me. His younger sister's three words turn Ashton's world upside down. He must ask Jenna's forgiveness, but can he risk his heart a second time? Even if Jenna can forgive him, dare he hope for a second chance at her love?
I've very much enjoyed many of the Year of Weddings novellas, and I wanted to like Picture Perfect Love. I liked Jenna a lot, and I wanted her to find her happily ever after. The problem? I didn't like her ex-fiance, Ashton, at all. He was spiritually immature and made the same mistakes repeatedly. At two points in the novella, other men were introduced, and I thought that maybe one of them would be Jenna's true love. But no, it's Ash that she belongs with. Sometimes, I don't particularly "buy" a couple in a romance novel, but rarely do I actively root against them—and that's what happened in this case.
While I didn't enjoy the romance, I did like other aspects of the novella. I loved seeing the difference that good friends, a great church, and strong faith made in Jenna's life. As I said before, I liked her a lot, and she was interesting enough that I would have enjoyed reading about her life sans romance. The novella is written well, but I just couldn't get behind the romance. However, while this novella wasn't my cup of tea, I'm sure many romance lovers will really enjoy it. 2-1/2 stars.
See what others are saying (hint: my opinions are in the minority).
Buy the novella.
Read my reviews of the other Year of Weddings and Year of Weddings 2 novellas.
Melissa McClone has published more than thirty novels with Harlequin and Tule Publishing Group. She has also been nominated for Romance Writers of America's RITA® award. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, three school-aged children, two spoiled Norwegian Elkhounds and cats who think they rule the house.Find Melissa online: website, Twitter, Facebook
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. 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."
Monday, June 29, 2015
"love arrives in pieces" by betsy st. amant
Still reeling from a divorce she never wanted, Stella's past comes back to haunt her when her ex-boyfriend Chase reappears. Is Chase yet another reminder of everything wrong in Stella's life, or does God have bigger plans?
For so long, Stella was known for her beauty. Now, with her heart stripped bare, she must discover who she really is.
Former pageant queen Stella Varland doesn't trust beauty anymore after her divorce. Her appearance betrayed her and led to brokenness, so instead of being beautiful, now she tries to make beautiful things, but she always falls short. So she keeps her passion for art to herself and focuses on her interior design work. But if she doesn't get another job soon, she'll be stuck living with her parents.
Contractor Chase Taylor is determined to live a life of no regrets after losing his fiancée. Now he lives life at full speed, striving to see how much he can accomplish. He knows if he slows down, he'll fall apart. So he returns home to Bayou Bend to renovate the town's old theater and is shocked to discover that the designer for the project is his old flame, Stella.
Forced to work together, Chase and Stella battle their chemistry and past as they struggle to compromise and work together on a vision for the theater. Their wills clash as they attempt to hide their brokenness---and their unresolved feelings for each other-until Chase discovers the hidden parts of Stella, while losing her trust in the process.
A near catastrophe, a fire, and a small-town gossip mill finally force Stella and Chase to realize that they have a choice---to hold on to the shards of their pasts, or surrender their fragmented pieces to the One who makes a beautiful masterpiece from their brokenness.
Ever since I read All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes, the story of how Kat Varland fell in love with her best friend, I've been anticipating Love Arrives in Pieces. This novel focuses on Kat's sister Stella—a woman who was largely unlikeable in All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes. I was interested in whether Betsy St. Amant could make Stella sympathetic ... well, from page one, I just wanted to give Stella a big hug! Interestingly, in this book, it's Kat who doesn't come across so well—which shows how, just like in life, it all depends on perspective.
While Stella and Chase have great chemistry and a compelling romance, Love Arrives in Pieces is more than a love story. It's also a redemption story, showing how God can take the broken pieces of our lives and knit them together into a new story, a better story than we could have imagined.
I also loved the subplot with the Stella's homeless friend Dixie. Her story resolved in a way I never saw coming, and it absolutely touched my heart.
Dealing with real-life issues like divorce, death, and family approval, Love Arrives in Pieces is a compelling story that kept me flying through the pages, and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes romance that's grounded in reality. 4-1/2 stars.
See what others are saying.
Buy the book.
Read my reviews of St. Amant's All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes (5 stars) and A February Bride (4 stars).
Find Betsy online: website, Facebook
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