When Love Calls

Title: When Love Calls
Series: The Gregory Sisters
Author: Lorna Seilstad
Publisher: Revell
Published: March 18, 2013
Pages: 352
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Hannah Gregory is good at a lot of things, but following rules isn’t on that list. So when she’s left as sole provider for her two sisters, she takes an unlikely job as a switchboard operator. She knows it isn’t going to be easy. The Hello Girls must conduct themselves according to strict, and often bewildering, rules. She thinks the easiest one will be the rules involving gentleman callers, until she meets a man that could change everything.

Lincoln Cole finds himself attracted to the spunky and stubborn older Gregory sister from the moment he meets her, even if it is under bad circumstances. Lincoln must show Hannah that he isn’t the guy that repossessed her family home but a man who cares. He’s given that chance when her family friend is arrested for arson and she has no one else to turn to but him. As he shows her who really is, he must combat her stubborn ways and need to be self-sufficient to get to who she really is.

As their attraction grows, so does Hannah’s desire to not lean on anyone even someone that would make her life easier and Lincoln has to decide if his choice of going into politics is what he wants or what his dad would’ve wanted. They also have to work together to clear Hannah’s friend and find out who is really sending all those fires.

Will Hannah be able to give up her stubborn ways for Lincoln or will her determination to do everything her way be the death of their relationship? Will Lincoln decide to go into politics despite the fact that it’s most likely not his dream or will he decide to stay just a lawyer and focus on building a life with the woman he loves? Will Hannah be able to keep her job as a Hello Girl or will she lose it because of her propensity to disobey the rules?
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The one thing I like about this author is her ability to put humor in her books. This is the second one I’ve read by her and just like the last time I smiled at every joke or hilarious quirk in the novel. I loved the humor but also I liked the flow of the novel and the romance in this one was great. I look forward to seeing what else the Gregory sister have for me in the future.

The romance in this one was great. It was slightly different than what I normally read, but it was also very well written. I never felt shocked or surprised by the characters’ revelation in the book and I felt like the romance took main priority over every other secondary storyline, which made this book an awesome romance.

My favorite part of this book is definitely the colorful characters in this book. Being the oldest sister I relate most to Hannah and her protective nature. Charlotte reminds me of a milder version of my sister and Tessa was by far my favorite. She had some amazingly hilarious lines and her quirky nature was just too endearing for words. Because I loved all of the sisters I can’t wait for each one of their romance novels. I particularly can’t wait to see who Tessa ends up with.

The idea for this novel is unique and fascinating. How many books do you know of that involve a switchboard operator? Obviously, I wanted to dig into this one immediately and it didn’t disappoint me. This is definitely a unique and great read that will make you smile and will definitely touch your heart. I loved this read and look forward to what else I will learn and who will make me smile next. This is a book that’s definitely worth reading.

This author gave me a taste of her potential last time but now, I’m officially hooked. I look forward to reading every humor tinged book she throws at me. I think this author is great and she shows it in this book. I loved this novel and I’m sure I’ll love every book in this series. This book comes highly recommended from me as does this author.

Overall, a really good book and a great romance. It’s perfect for lovers of historical romance and people who like their romances with a little uniqueness. This book is probably best for teen and adult readers. I give this book a four out of five.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.*

A Noble Groom

Title: A Noble Groom
Author: Jody Hedlund
Publisher: Bethany House
Published: April 1, 2013
Pages: 368
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Annalisa Werner’s hope for a fairy-tale love is over. Her husband failed to save her in every way, and now his death has left her in dire straits. Without a husband to plant and harvest their crop, she has little hope of saving her family farm without a man to help her. In order to pay off her loan she needs a plentiful crop and a husband to bring it in. So her father sends a letter to his brother in the Old Country, asking him to find her a groom.

Carl von Reichart is on the run from the law. He was falsely accused of a bombing and has had to flee to America under a false name, Carl Richards. He promises his servant that he will watch over his niece until her groom arrives. Being a nobleman’s son, he is completely unprepared for the farming lifestyle. However, he is determined to help the beautiful widow and her lively daughter. He never felt the need to settle down or stay in one place before but now he doesn’t want to leave the farm or the widow who is trying to save it.

The more Carl helps Annalisa the closer they get. Annalisa starts to see the difference between the husbands around her and Carl and she realizes that love and kindness isn’t too much to ask for in a marriage. Carl can start to see himself spending the rest f his life with Annalisa and her daughter but is reluctant to enter into a marriage where love isn’t involved. But Carl knows that even if love was there he couldn’t marry her not when she doesn’t even know who he really is.

Can Annalisa marry a strange man or will he realize that it’s her life as she deserves a say in it? Will Carl realize that he loves Annalisa or will he walk away and let her marry someone else? Will Carl tell Annalisa who he is or will he leave her wondering? How will Annalisa react when she finds out who he is? Will true love be able to conquer the most difficult struggles or will life destroy what they feel for each other?
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I have never read a book by this author before but this cover dragged me in and I couldn’t resist requesting this one. When I got it in the mail, I was even more excited because of its size and because of its back cover synopsis. But when I started reading it, I was even more hooked. I actually finished this one in two days and thoroughly enjoyed it. This is one of the first historical fiction that I’ve truly enjoyed in a while. This book makes me want to find this author’s previous works and devour them too.

The romance in this book is perfect. I felt like it progressed nicely and had a perfect amount if passion and restraint. I liked how the romance ended and I felt like the struggles that were roadblocks to it were reasonable and understandable. I loved how Carl was able to show Annalisa that a marriage doesn’t have to have a lack of kindness and respect. This is one the most well developed romances, that were set in this century, that I’ve read.

This storyline, though not terribly unique, is special. It touched a chord with me and drew me in. At first I didn’t love it. I felt that Annalisa was too meek and jaded about marriage and that Carl was too snooty, but as the story progressed I saw both characters grow and soften and it captured me. It also captured me with its smooth storyline progression and its unique problems.

Most of the characters in this book aren’t too likable. The men were too aggressive and the women too meek, but some characters just stuck out and captured my heart as well as my attention. A part of me hopes for a sequel so I can see Annalisa’s sister get a husband that loves her, but another part thinks this book is fantastic on its own and doesn’t need a sequel. Even though some characters were too extreme for me to like, the ones that were likable made the story into a fantastic read.

This author is a new one for me but if this book is any indication, I will be reading her books for years to come. This book captured my heart and I absolutely loved it. This author has created a new fan in me and I fully intend to read anything else she writes. Like I said, this book was so good I almost want to track down and read anything else she’s written. This author and book come highly recommended.

Overall, a great book. It had a great romance but some of the characters were unlikable. This book is perfect for those who like historical fiction set in the 19th century. I don’t really think this book is good for younger readers or young teens but adults and older teens will definitely enjoy this one. I give this book a four out of five.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.*

When A Secret Kills

Title: When A Secret Kills
Series: Deadly Reunions
Author: Lynette Eason
Publisher: Revell
Published: May 1, 2013
Pages: 352
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Jillian Carter has spent the last ten years on the run from a murderer. When the man’s accomplices find her all the way across the country with a new name, she knows it’s time to put the past to rest. She’s tired of looking over her shoulder, letting a killer go free. Jillian is no longer the scared kid who changed her name and disappeared, and she’s ready to fight and find the truth and expose it.

Colton Brady has spent the past ten years trying to get over Jillian and thought he had done so successfully until she comes back into his life. But the reasons why she’s here are dangerous and he doesn’t want to believe that his uncle, Senator Frank Hoffman, committed a murder. What he can’t deny is that whoever did commit the murder wants her dead and he’s going to help her stay alive and get proof. He needs to prove his uncle’s innocence or step aside and let someone else arrest him. But the road to get there won’t be easy.

As Colton and Jillian struggle to stay alive and gather enough evidence to prove someone guilty of murder, they’re confronted with countless murder attempts, doubt, and the past. And the more they’re shoved together, the more they begin to realize that they never really stopped loving each other. However, a past mistake as teens means Jillian has news to share that will be hard to swallow and Jillian wonders whether he will think the result is a mistake too.

Will Jillian be able to prove that Frank Hoffman committed the murder or will new evidence prove otherwise? Will Colton find that his uncle is innocent of murder and isn’t trying to kill Jillian or will he find shocking evidence to prove that he was involved after all? Will Jillian’s news tear a rift between them that can never be repaired or will it draw them even closer together? Will they be able to survive murder attempt after murder attempt or will the killer succeed burying the truth forever?
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When this book was given to me to review I jumped at the opportunity, because I had read the previous two and was more than anxious to finish this series but also because of the fact that this author has given me incredible books every time I’ve picked one up. This is another incredible one. In fact this is my favorite in the series not just because it’s the conclusion and all my questions are answered but also because this one was an incredible suspense. This book is a huge hit for me and I loved every second.

The storyline of this book is tightly knit together with the first two but can be read as a stand-alone though I don’t really recommend it. The tension was so thick in this story that I literally couldn’t put it down and I actually finished this book in about six hours total time, which for me is incredible. I loved the never ending suspense and tension as well as the questions about who is involved and how much. It kept me guessing and I just couldn’t put it down.

The romance was pretty good. The problem with romantic suspense is that one subject has to be the add-on and take a backseat. In this case, fortunately it was the romance. However, because there was some past history between the two characters and a few other added details I won’t divulge, it didn’t feel too out of place. Also, the suspense distracted me for most of the book so my main concern wasn’t the romance but the killer. It was a pretty good romance particularly for a suspense novel.

For over a year now I have been not so patiently waiting for this book and the conclusion to a trilogy that has ended on a cliffhanger every time. In my review of the first book in this series I expressed that I hoped that the end would be worth the wait and let me tell you that it was completely worth the wait. Not only was this a fantastic conclusion to this trilogy but it was just an overall great suspense and it was completely worth the long wait to see it become published.

Lynette Eason hooked since the first book of hers that I’ve ever read. That happens to be the first book in this series. I’m a huge fan of her ability to write nail-biting suspense blended with good romances and a smooth storyline. I look forward to what’s coming next and will be wondering if it will be a continuos series like this one or a standalone series like most series’. Either way I want to read it. This author, series, and book come highly recommended.

Overall, I loved this book. It was well developed and is definitely one of my favorite’s of all time. This book is perfect for fans of romantic suspense, suspense, or this author. I highly recommend that you read the other two first, I think you’ll appreciate this one more if you do. This book is perfect for adult and maybe teenagers but I don’t recommend it for younger readers. I give this book a five out of five.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.*

Poison

Title: Poison
Series: Bloodlines Trilogy
Author: Jordyn Redwood
Publisher: Kregel Publications
Published: January 23, 2013
Pages: 312
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Keelyn Blake is still haunted from the tragedy five years ago when her stepfather took her family hostage, raving about Lucent, a being who forced him to commit unspeakable acts. Some of the family made it out alive, the rest didn’t. Now, Lucent is back and this time he’s no hallucination. He kidnapped Keelyn’s niece and despite the fact that she’s estranged from her sister, Raven, she feels compelled to save what little family she has left. If only that was the end of it.

Lee Watson was there the day Keelyn’s life changed forever and even being the best hostage negotiator the FBI has couldn’t stop a madman from taking the lives of his family. For years he’s lived with the guilt of not being able to stop the standoff that day and trying to bury his past as deep as he can. He now must also protect his fiancé and face the possibility of having a ready-made family, something he never wanted. All while trying to keep his past buried when it seems like someone’s determined to dig it back up again.

As people who were involved in that fateful day start dying under mysterious circumstances, Keelyn and Lee fight to stay alive and together, but Keelyn knows lee’s hiding something and that secret could be the very thing that tears them apart. Also, with Raven missing and Keelyn targeted by a killer, Raven’s daughter faces foster hood and Lee faces losing the woman he loves. But in order to keep her he may just have to tell her his deepest secret.

Will Keelyn be able to forgive her stepfather for what he did? Will Lee tell her his secret or will he lose her? Will Lee end up loving Raven’s daughter or will he give up everything to not have a ready-made family? Where is Raven? Who is killing everybody and why? What are they using? Will Keelyn and Lee be able to solve this before the body count rises too high?
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Having read Jordyn Redwood’s first novel, the first in this series, and not loving it, I started this book not quite knowing what I would get. I was hoping for a better suspense than I got last time and I got it. This suspense is actually really good. It seems like this author took the constructive criticism to heart and jumped leaps and bounds ahead of what I thought was coming. This book is an amazing second novel and a really good well-rounded suspense novel.

The best part about this book was the fact that it kept me on my toes. I never knew, until the end, who really did it because a character was innocent or manipulated one chapter and the next completely ruthless and a murderer. It was exciting and gave this novel an edge. This author is great at surprising me and her medical expertise shines through in the snippets of hospital scenes we get. This book was significantly better than her first and is actually one that I can say is a favorite.

Because of this author’s struggle to establish a solid romance and mystery in her novel last time, I appreciated the fact that this was already an established relationship and instead of seeing this couple fall in love we get to see them grow stronger from the trouble they go through. That was a nice refreshing change from the normal suspense novel. I think this style suit her right now and I think she will do fantastically next time with a romance.

The concept of this book is amazing, yet completely believable. It seems like given the right circumstances something like this could happen. I also gained some knowledge about a horrible little bug that seems to thrive where I live, the black widow spider. Her use of them was genius and the reasons the characters had were just plain maniacal at some points and misguided in others. The characters that were suspects were realistic and had many facets to their character adding much to this story.

This author caught my attention with her first book and captured my heart with this one. This was a great suspense not just for a beginner but for any suspense author. I look forward to reading more from her and am excited to see how she’s going to end this series. This author’s improvement astounded me and solidified my belief that she is a fantastic author and is going to be here for a long time. This book comes highly recommended.

Overall, this is a fantastic book. The suspense is unique and keeps you on your toes. The improvement this author showed amazes me and makes me a huge fan. I highly recommend this on to people who love suspense novels. This book probably isn’t best for younger readers, but adults definitely and teens maybe. I give this book a four out of five.

* I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.*

Love At Any Cost

Title: Love At Any Cost
Series: The Heart Of San Francisco
Author: Julie Lessman
Publisher: Revell
Published: April 15, 2013
Pages: 416
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Cassidy McClare is a spunky Texas oil heiress without fortune who just got jilted by a fortune hunter. Because of that she just as soon hogtie a man than look at him and she hopes to stay as far away from men as possible while she spends the summer with her cousins in San Francisco. She hopes her wealthy family will be able to keep her kind off her broken heart and distract her from any men. Little does she know that one man will do anything to turn her head.

Jamie McKenna has spent his life in the slums of San Francisco and he wants to bring his mom out of poverty and pay for a much needed surgery for his sister. But to do that he has to marry well. Jamie will do anything to do better for his family even give up love, but when he meets the captivating Cassidy he starts to believe that maybe he can get love and money.

Cassidy refuses to give her heart up to another handsome man, but when she loses her heart she must make the choice to take the leap or lose what could possibly be the love of her life. When Jamie finds out that Cassidy is broke he must make a choice between love or money. As they fall harder they have to combat fears and pasts and past mistakes to try and find that love that neither thought was possible.

Can Cassidy trust Jamie or will she get hurt again? Will Jamie pick Cassidy or money? Is he willing to give up love for a life filled with shallow relationships and money? Will Cassidy get her heart broken again or will she find the love she always wanted but could never find? Is love enough to conquer money and stubbornness? Can Cassidy show Jamie that God’s love covers all and will give him what he needs with less effort on his part?
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This is Julie Lessman’s seventh novel and the seventh novel of hers that I’ve read. After saying goodbye to the O’Connors, I knew that her next was going to be a change, but thankfully she made the transition easier by making each character lovable and by making me excited for who will be next to fall in love. This author has another hit on her hands and she has grown into her niche even more than her previous. Though I miss the O’Connors, I think I’ll love this new Irish family as much as the ever lovable O’Connors.

The romance in this novel is, I think, the perfect mixture of passion and purity. Her style has mellowed out a bit from her first trilogy, in a good way, you no longer blush while reading these books but you still get an understated heat that makes girls dream. I loved the story of Cassidy and Jamie. I liked how Cassie fell in love with the man she wanted to avoid and I loved the decision Jamie made for love. This one made me dream of a dark haired Irish man with stubbornness and passion abundantly.

The storyline of this one is top-notch. It’s not really unique yet it is somehow. I liked how the story progressed, though I do feel like some important issues were passed over a little too quickly, overall I loved this storyline and how she hated him then fell in love with him. The twists have gotten better, story development has gotten better, her passionate stories has gotten better. Everything has gotten better. In fact, for years A Passion Most Pure has been my favorite, but this one may have dethroned that one. GASP. This author should be extremely proud of this one.

The characters are really well developed. Each one has their own personality and I can’t wait to see each one paired up with someone who matches them perfectly. Who will be next? I hope it’s Allison or Blake. They seem like their story will be the most dramatic. This might sound crazy but I actually hope to see Lydia again. I feel sorry for her, she grasps for love so hard that she hurts people around her. Call me crazy but, dare I say it, Bram would be a great match for her. That’s just me.

I have been behind Julie since her first book was published. She captured me with the O’Connor family and now she, I, and any other fan of her novels is going through a new faze or chapter, if you will and I’m extremely excited to continue on with her. She still holds the position as my favorite romance author and I don’t think that’s going to change anytime soon. This author and any of her novels come highly recommended.

Overall, another fantastic hit from a fantastic author. This book is perfect for romance lovers of all shapes and sizes. I’d probably keep this away from kids and maybe teens but adults, have at it. I give this book a five out of five.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.*

Secrets

Title: Secrets
Series: The Glenbrooke Series
Author: Robin Jones Gunn
Publisher: Waterbrook Multnomah
Published: February 16, 2010
Pages: 288
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Jessica Morgan wants desperately to forget the past and begin a new life. She chooses a small, peaceful town tucked away in Oregon’s Willamette Valley as the place to start over – Glenbrooke. Jessica wants a fresh start so much that she conceals her identity from everyone she meets including the handsome compassionate paramedic that seems interested in more than friendship.

Kyle Buchanan has had his share of heartbreak and loss. He wants to start moving on but doesn’t know how to, but when he meets Jessica, he starts to consider what life might be like without grief weighing him down. If only she trusted him enough to share her secrets with him. He’s willing to protect her from whatever she’s running from if only she would tell him what it is.

The closer Kyle and Jessica get, the more Jessica struggles with keeping her identity a secret and her past behind her. She wants to trust Kyle with her past but trust isn’t something that comes easily for her. The last thing Jessica wants is to lose him because of her past but she has to decide if it’s worth the risk to fall in love with an amazing guy. Her choices don’t just affect her anymore and she’s scared it might all com crashing down with one utter of he past.

Will Jessica be able to trust Kyle with her secrets or will she remain untrustworthy about everything? How will Kyle react to Jessica’s secret? Will he stick by her through it or will he abandon her when she needs him most? Can Jessica start over in Glenbrooke or will her past’s tentacles reach even to Oregon?
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This author is a best seller and sold a ton of copies, so when I got the opportunity to review a book by her, combined with the synopsis, I jumped at the chance. However, I’m afraid the story fell short of my expectations and left me wanting. This book had great potential but the storyline ended up being a huge miss for a great book. This is this author’s firs adult fiction so I’m hoping that maybe her next ones will be better.

The storyline premise is amazing, but the execution wasn’t. Most of the stuff in the book wasn’t realistic. For one, I don’t live in a really tiny town but last time I checked day old bread doesn’t cost 69 cents. Two, I highly doubt that a church would let a woman who doesn’t go to their church or even have a solid relationship with Christ chaperone a mission trip. Three, her secret was horrible and her reasons for leaving were okay but the way she let was just uncalled for and an over exaggeration of the situation. Four, if you leave home and have access to money wouldn’t you use some of it? She only uses 300 dollars and then only has like 14 dollars for three weeks worth of food. Not happening. I think this book could’ve been executed so much better.

The romance wasn’t the best either. Kyle was so perfect and was willing to take care of a perfect stranger, which is noble just not practical. Jessica was full of secrets, secrets that weren’t even worth keeping. Besides most of this “romance” was taken up with watching our protagonist almost starve to death and being too proud to even ask to borrow a little money from her friend. This romance wasn’t the best but I’m sure it wasn’t the worst either.

Even the spiritual transformation Jessica goes through isn’t very climactic. I’m not saying that every transformation has to be but she gave her life to Christ and it’s not really mentioned again, other than to inform her friend and Kyle. That was extremely disappointing because I feel like this book would’ve been better if we could’ve seen her grow in Christ and seen her grow after her giving her life to Christ, but it was not to be making to the list of disappointments.

This was this author’s first adult book and I feel like maybe her more recent novels are better but this book wasn’t up to my standards, which admittedly are high. I love this author and her take on teens, but if this is the best she’s got, though I highly doubt it is, I think she needs to stick to teen books. I do intend to read more from this author but I won’t be quite as excited next time. This book isn’t really recommended.

Overall, this wasn’t a very good book. It’s this author’s first adult book an it shows. This book is best for those who are looking for a good story and aren’t looking to analyze it, like I have to. This book could be read by mature tween and teens but it’s probably best for adults. I give this book a two out of five.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.*

Harvest Of Rubies

Title: Harvest Of Rubies
Author: Tessa Afshar
Publisher: Moody Books
Published: April 20, 2012
Pages: 384
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Sarah, cousin of the prophet Nehemiah, has always had a gift for languages and scrolls. When she’s offered a position as the queen’s scribe, she accepts but she never imagines how it will alter her future. She was always the quiet girl that no one understood. She is past the age of marriage and has had little interest for her, but when the queen gives her a husband her plans of being single for life is shattered.

Darius Pasargadae is a wealthy admires aristocrat that will only marry a Jewish girl. When his father finds out, he rushes to find a girl suitable. The girl that’s picked for him is quiet and seems to can’t stand him. Not to mention she embarrassed him in front of their entire wedding party. Because of this, he doesn’t trust her or really like her. But he’s drawn to her nonetheless and he doesn’t know why.

The more time that passes in their marriage, the more their drawn to each other, but trust issues and an independent streak could be the end of any hope of a happy marriage. Sarah doesn’t like him as he doesn’t trust her, but maybe trust and love can come with time and knowledge of each other. Maybe just maybe this marriage of convenience can become a marriage of love and maybe a marriage that got off on the wrong foot can turn into a happy one after all.

Can Darius learn to trust Sarah and her mistake was just that or will he forever hold it against her? Can Sarah learn that Darius isn’t a bad guy and is very caring or will she forever think he’ll be a bad guy? Can the past mistakes be put aside for a happy marriage or will it be an elephant in the room for a while? Are past mistakes too much for a happy future or will forgiveness and love conquer the mistakes?
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I’ve had the pleasure of reading A Pearl In The Sand by this author and it was one of the best debut novels I’ve read before or since. Naturally, when this book was offered to me, I jumped at the chance to review it. However, this book was a but of a let down. Though, the story was great, there was some aspects that I feel took away from this story. I love this author, but I wasn’t a huge fan of this book.

This romance was disappointing and one of the reasons why this wasn’t my favorite book. I found the conclusion of the book to be a huge letdown and quite disappointing. Though I appreciated the author’s attempt at uniqueness, I would’ve preferred her stick to the classical route with this one, but her development of the romance was good and kept me reasonably interested.

The characters were another flaw if this book. Because the story was told in first person and only from the point of view of Sarah, Darius’s character lacked depth and, for the majority of the story, came off as a complete jerk, though he swears to the opposite. I would’ve loved to have had it from Darius’s point of view to give him some depth and given the reader the opportunity to see why he was the way he was and how he hanged during the course of the book. The only one that I really got to see change was Sarah and I would’ve loved to have added to that.

However, the storyline was great. I loved the premise and execution and because I didn’t love the romance I liked how the story involved more of the change Sarah went through and a touch of suspense then the actual romance. I liked the suspense-like quality the author infused in and I loved the progression this story took. The story wasn’t too slow or too fast it was just right.

This book wasn’t my favorite ever, but I liked the storyline and the author’s attempt at uniqueness. I didn’t like the first-person viewpoint, the fact that I didn’t get to really “know” Darius, or the overall romance. I will read the sequel to this one and everything else I can from this author but this book will be just another book on the “okay” list.

This author captured me with Rahab’s story and her’s, but this book wasn’t a hit with me. I love her work and encourage to keep going. She still has a fan in me but not in this book. I hope her next, the sequel to this one, will be better. I look forward to reading it and seeing what will happen between Darius and Sarah. Maybe just maybe I’ll get the ending I want for these two. This author is recommended this book only for those who want different.

Overall, not my favorite, but the storyline developed well. This book is perfect for those who like different endings to their romances or who like books set in biblical times. Not a great book for your children but great for adults and maybe late teens. I give this book a three out of five.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.*

Love In A Broken Vessel

Title: Love In A Broken Vessel
Author: Mesu Andrews
Publisher: Revell
Published: March 1, 2013
Pages: 448
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Hosea has been given a difficult command from God, marry a prostitute in order to show God’s people the nature and depth of His love for Israel. He goes to Israel to proclaim the Lord’s message to them, he meets his childhood friend, who is now a prostitute. He’s determined to follow God’s command even if it means that he has to marry a woman that will only bring him heartache.

Gomer was sold at twelve to advance her father’s political position and has spent next years bitter and unwilling to trust anyone. After an almost deadly incident with the commander of Israel’s army, Gomer is broken and useless as a prostitute. When Hosea’s proposal becomes her only means of escape, she does what she does best, she survives.

As the tension thickens between Israel and its enemies so does the marriage of Hosea and Gomer. Hosea wants to follow the Lord but what He’s asking seems impossible. Gomer struggles with trust and wanting to escape and in her desire to escape a husband who’s never there and a God that seems too cruel, she does the unthinkable, goes back to prostitution.

Will Hosea be able to keep the Lord’s commas or will he fail his hardest task? Will Gomer ever be able to trust and love or are whores really beyond redemption? Can Hosea show Goner that God isn’t a God of punishment but of love or will he lose her to a piece of clay? Will Gomer realize that love isn’t found in the arms of many men but the God who created her?
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I’ve read this author’s previous book and loved it bittersweet ending and all. So, I was extremely excited to get to review this one as well, but I never expected to get the kind of book that I got. Her previous was emotional and you felt for Arielah as she struggled with sharing her husband. This one is slightly different. In this one you feel for Hosea as he struggles with loving someone who doesn’t want to be loved and keeps throwing that love in his face. This book was so much more emotional than the last and I loved it so much.

The romance in this book is more of a progression of Gomer learning that love exists and isn’t what she thinks. It isn’t a pretty romance and definitely isn’t one that makes girls swoon, but it is one that has purpose and shows clearly the unconditional of God. I know this author struggled with making it seem realistic and let me tell you, she succeeded. This book broke my heart and lifted it too. I don’t think I’ll ever forget about Gomer ever again.

The storyline of this book is a mixture of Scripture, history and plain imagination. It’s a concept that is hard to swallow yet believable somehow. I found myself thinking the entire book “I wonder if that happened like that or is she even close.” Not in a bad way though. I want it to have happened like that but I don’t know. What I do know though, is that this book is amazing and so much better than her previous and that or was fantastic. This author should be greatly proud of this one.

The characters of this book are lovely. I loved the side characters and their insight and love of someone with a less than sparkling past. I found myself wanting Yuval to exist and I wanted her to be in my life with her wit and wisdom. I felt great compassion for Hosea because I know no man would have been able to overcome an adulterous wife without the Lord’s help. For the majority of the book I didn’t like Gomer at all but a little after halfway through the book my viewpoint changed to one of pity and about three chapters from the end changed to complete happiness and wonder. Gomer, despite her flaws and awful antics throughout the book, is the one who grows the most in this book and is, believe it or not, my favorite character, after Yuval.

This author captured my heart with Arielah and Solomon story (not to mention gave me my new favorite female name) and she recaptured me with Hosea and Gomer’s tale. I love
how her romances aren’t the usual and are filled with drama and spiritual growth. I have found my new favorite biblical fiction writer and it looks like she’s going to stay there for a long time. This book and author come with the highest recommendation.

Overall, an incredible book that is filled with drama and wonder and grace. It’s not an easy or light read but one worth reading and I can guarantee that you can find some of yourself in Gomer. This book is perfect for biblical fiction lovers or for those who want a romance of a different nature. I think this one is best kept for the adults. I give this book a five out of five.

* I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.*

Moonlight Masquerade

Title: Moonlight Masquerade
Author: Ruth Axtell
Publisher: Revell
Released: March 1, 2013
Pages: 352
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Lady Celine Wexham seems like the model British subject. Born in France but enjoying life as a widowed English countess, she’s in the unique position to help those in need or to spy for the notorious Napoleon Bonaparte. She knows what she’s doing is dangerous and could potentially be deadly, but she believes in the cause she’s fighting for. Trusting no one but her maid and chef used to be easy until she gets a very handsome new butler and her whole world is sent into a tailspin.

Rees Phillips spent the past decade of his life decoding messages with little hope of moving up in the British Foreign Office. When he’s given an opportunity to potentially move up, he jumps at the chance even if it means he must don the garb and persona of a butler and spy on a woman who seems to be nothing more than a beautiful socialite. Determined to find where her true loyalties lie, his staunch loyalty to the Crown begins to fall when he starts to fall for the captivating widow.

The more they spend time with each other the more they try and fight the attraction sizzling between them, but with each of them on different sides of the war it seems unlikely that they will be able to stay together. Celine must decide if her cause is worth her freedom or, worse, her life and whether she really believes that Bonaparte is best for France. Rees must decide if his loyalty to the Crown is above his newfound loyalty for Celine or whether he will lie and give up everything for her.

Will Celine’s spying pay off or will Rees’s spying catch her? Will Rees and Celine be together despite the odd or will circumstance and viewpoints tear them apart? Will Rees give up England for Celine or will he turn her in despite his feelings for her? Will Celine find out I’d her butler is a spy or will se be caught unawares by his antics? Is Celine’s loyalties and spying worth her freedom or life or will she decide that it’s not as important as she thought?
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I haven’t had the pleasure of reading any previous books by this author until now and, frankly, I intend to remedy that. Particularly if she has anymore books involving spies. It’s a subject that’s not used too often and is a glorious treat when found. Though this book wasn’t perfect, it perfectly displays this author’s experience and passion for her topic, making this an enjoyable read.

This romance was one of the best I’ve ever read. It had the right amount of passion and discretion. It sizzled but you never forget or wonder whether this book is in the Christian genre. Very few authors do that successfully and this author was one of them, making this romance more than enjoyable and an unexpected treat. I do wish that there could’ve been more overtly romantic moments throughout the book, but despite that this romance flowed really well, didn’t really lag and was near perfect.

The storyline of this is amazing, in premise. The first chapter of this book was amazingly nail-biting and nerve-wracking, but the chapters after that were a bit of a let down as they didn’t exactly hold to their suspenseful predecessor. I expected an action packed, nail-biter and I got it but only in the first chapter. Unfortunately, the rest of the book wasn’t as exciting, but the storyline did flow well and was a good story, it just wasn’t what I expected.

Every aspect of this book flowed together really well showing this author’s experience and talent. The cover of the book is incredible and is just eye catching on its own add a spy story as you have readers hooked, however, the actual content of this book doesn’t really live up to the cover or synopsis. It’s a little disappointing, but it’s still an enjoyable read and is a story that is a little off the beaten path and isn’t something that’s seen everyday. That alone makes this book a good one.

This author, though new to me, isn’t new to the published book world and it shows in every page of this book. Though this book wasn’t what I originally expected and hoped for, her attention to detail and the flow of her books makes her an author that I fully intend to read more from and look forward to her next book. I recommend this author and this book.

Overall, this is a good book, by if your looking for an intense nerve-wracking book, look elsewhere. This book is perfect for people who love regency fiction, historical fiction, romances, or just books that are slightly different. I think this book is best kept to the adults. I give this book a three and a half out of five.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.*

Wishing On Willows

Title: Wishing On Willows
Author: Katie Ganshert
Publisher: WaterBrook Multnomah
Published: March 19, 2013
Pages: 320
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Robin Price is the single mother of a three year old son, the proprietor of a struggling cafe, and all that plus fading memories are all she has left of her late husband. Being the proud owner of Willow Tree Cafe, she pours her heart into every muffin she makes and espresso she pulls. She loves the sense of purpose and community her cafe brings. But the cafe that represents her and her husband’s dreams is threatened when a condo is proposed where her shop and a vital town ministry are.

Ian McKay is the developer in charge of building the condo and his plans for an easy buyout and build is thrown a monkey wrench by none other than the beautiful owner of Willow Tree Cafe. She doesn’t plan on selling or giving up without a fight and neither does Ian. He’s determined to get her to sell and make his father proud and maybe make up for his past mistakes. With the future of his family’s business on the line he has a lot to lose if he fails.

As time passes and Robin still refuses to sell and Ian refuses to give up, Ian starts to wonder if he’s met his match and Robin tries to hold onto her husband’s memory and fight the attraction growing between her and Ian. Ian’s resolve weakens further when he finds out her grief resonates with his and with opinions separating the town, Robin and Ian must decide whether to cling to the familiar or give up their plans for God’s.

Will Robin save her cafe or will she lose it all for growth? Will Ian get his condos or will he lose to his beautiful headache? Or is there a way they can both get what they want? Will Robin choose her husband’s memory or will she choose a second chance at love? Will Ian decide to take another chance at love and risk getting his heart ripped out again or will he choose to live with his regret? Will they choose their plans or God’s?
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When I read this author’s first book I wasn’t expecting much out of it, but I found out pretty quickly that this author has an uncanny ability to portray grief in a believable way. This book is no different, in fact it’s even better. The storyline, grief, and romance are the caliber of someone who’s been published for years and that alone makes me a fan. This author amazed me with her ability and the fact that she hasn’t been published before now.

The romance is subtle and takes more of a backseat to the healing in this book and usually that makes me dislike a book but somehow it worked in this one. I also liked that this romance revolved around two people with completely different visions for the town. This romance broaches a lot of subjects that many authors have tried to broach, some succeeding and some not and this author definitely falls under succeeding. She nailed this romance.

The storyline of this novel is simple yet there’s a complexity to it that only appears with great characters with emotions and problems that make you think and feel along with them. I loved how each character has many different facets and is definitely more than one dimensional. The emotions that were spun into the story were portrayed so well that I saw myself feeling what the characters felt. This mountain of a feat is one of the main reasons why I’ve fallen in love with this author’s work.

The idea of this book is great too. A widow with a struggling cafe fights against and falls in love with a developer who’s determined to build a condo where her cafe stands. The execution was great too. I don’t really have a complaint about this book. Everything flowed together perfectly and the flow of the story never felt too slow or fast. If this is how this author’s stories are on her second novel how are they going to be on her sixth or twelfth? I can’t wait to find out.

Though this author is a new author, don’t write her off. She is a rare gem that captures your attention and won’t let it go. I love this author and she has made it onto my favorite author list with this book. If there’s one thing I know, it’s that I fully intend to get my hands on as many of her books as possible. If you only read one new author, let it be this one. Her books are more than worth the time.

Overall, this is a great book especially for a second novel. It will capture you and make you feel with the characters. This book is perfect for emotional fiction lovers or romance lovers. I think it’s best for adults only on this one. I give this book a four out of five.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through The Christian Manifesto in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.*