Four Weddings and a Kiss - Mary Connealy, Robin Lee Hatcher, Debra Clopton and Margaret Brownley

Four Weddings and a Kiss is a novella collection.  Before the stories start, we're sitting around a campfire with four ministers as they begin to tell one of their colleagues stories about their experiences with unlikely love.  Gregory loves a woman that's somewhat unconventional and wonders if he should give her up.

First off is Spitfire Sweetheart by Mary Connealy.  A bear, a bull and some busted bones threaten to make Rylan lose everything and it's all Maizy's fault.  To make up for her mistake, she's vowed to help him get better by trading her britches for a skirt and doing her best to do things women are "supposed" to do.  While she already loves Rylan, his affection seems to be conditional on her new behavior and not who she really is.  Will he appreciate who Maizy really is before it's too late?  Cute story!  I really liked Maizy's determination and dedication to wait for what she deserved.

Next is A Letter to the Editor by Robin Lee Hatcher.  Molly is mad that her father hasn't made her the editor of his paper.  She's more than qualified and deserves it.  Instead, he's hired a man from Iowa and Molly is determined to convince him to move on.  Unfortunately, Jack is likable and Molly is afraid her heart will lead her astray.  While Jack has plans to move on, he might need to rethink that when he starts losing his heart to Molly.  This was a neat story about writing your plans in pencil and giving God the eraser.  Neither Molly or Jack end up where they thought they would.

Third is A Cowboy for Katie by Deborah Clopton.  Katie has lost her home and her father when a tornado ripped through her land.  She was trapped for days under the wreckage and now is suffering from headaches, a fear of the indoors and a need to protect herself from no-good men that want to take over her land.  Katie hires Treb to build her house. She's not looking for a long-term arrangement and neither is he.  He needs to make some quick cash so he can resume his trip to New Orleans.  Neither of them expected to care for each other, but to be together, they're going to have to conquer their fears.  A nice story of conquering the fear of losing the one you love.

Finally, we have Courting Trouble by Margaret Brownley.  Grace has been accused of murder.  With two husbands already in the ground before now, it seems a hopeless case to try and convince people that she's not the Black Widow.  When Brock agrees to talk to her about the case, he doesn't plan on actually helping out.  He feels that he's failed in the past and has stayed away from criminal law as a result.  Grace is determined not to listen to any man ever again.  She's never married for love and it's going to take some convincing to not only clear her name, but also free her heart.  This was a good story about trust.

In the epilogue, we discover what Gregory has decided to do about his love, Elizabeth. After listening to the four stories of love in unlikely places, it's up to him to use that information to create his own destiny.

This was a great book.  Each story is well written and a quick, easy read.  The authors did a good job writing stories that had enough detail so that you cared about each character while also telling a complete story.  It was enjoyable to read and I was thankful to have the opportunity to read it.  Good Book!

* I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Waiting for Spring (Westward Winds #2) - Amanda Cabot

Westward Winds is a series about three sisters.  The first book, Summer of Promise, was a good book that I enjoyed.  Almost two years has passed since I read it, but I had also read Paper Roses quite a while ago and liked it.

Charlotte is making her way in the world as a seamstress.  Her past has her weaving lies around herself to keep her and her son safe.  When her husband died, she was given a warning that a man who calls himself "the baron" would be coming after her and stop at nothing.  When she meets Barrett, she's impressed with his character, but he belongs to her friend, Miriam.

Barrett wants to see Wyoming become a state, and he wants to be in office.  He's also become a successful cattle baron.  He wants to prove to his family that he can be more than a shopkeeper, but are his motives truly as pure as he imagines?  His friends are encouraging him to marry a newspaperman's daughter, but after meeting Charlotte, his thoughts seem to stray to her more than Miriam, who would help his political chances.

Eventually, these two seem to find their way.  Much of the book is them assuming they're on the right path, but then discovering God has something different in store for them. While I enjoyed the book, I was a little confused by Warren's actions at the end.  For someone so consumed with revenge, his actions surprised me.  I don't want to give away more than that.

The third book in the series, With Autumn's Return, is already out.  It's mainly about the third sister, Elizabeth, who has been training to be a doctor.  I believe you could read the first two out of order, but the author's note in the back of this book makes me wonder about the second and third.  The author states that there is more to Gwen's story in the third book, and since we read a lot about her character in this book, I hesitate to say it's okay to read those out of order.  Hopefully, I'll be able to read it soon and make that determination.

I'm still tracking the other books in the Texas Dreams series and I'm also on the lookout for this author's release in October, At Bluebonnet Lake.  It's more contemporary, but I'd like to give it a shot.  Good Book!

Captured by Love (Michigan Brides #3) - Jody Hedlund

I found Jody Hedlund a while back when I picked up the first book of the Michigan Brides series, Unending Devotion.  I finished the second book, A Noble Groom, earlier this month.  When I had the chance to read the third book, I jumped at the chance.  And since I spent my childhood summers on Mackinac Island (the setting for this book), I was even more excited.

This book is set way before the Grand Hotel, the horse drawn carriages and the fudge.  About a century ago, the island was occupied by the British.  The Americans want the island and their attempts to block supplies from getting to the island are impacting the people living there as well as the troops.

Angelique is one of these people.  She lives with her stepfather who is obsessed with making sure she lives a chaste and meek life.  Any minor mistake leads to harsh punishment.  She longs for the day when her betrothed, Jean, will return and take her away from her prison.  Even though she doesn't love him, he loves her.  He's a loyal American and was forced to leave the island when he refused to sign over his loyalty to the British.  When Jean's brother, Pierre, comes back after leaving abruptly five years ago, Angelique questions her choices.  She’s always favored Pierre, but he’ll never quit being a fur trader and she’s unwilling to leave her precious island.

Pierre has come back to spy.  He doesn’t recognize Angelique at first, but once he realizes who she is, he can’t help but think he’s a better match for her than his brother.  He’s played both sides of this war at one point and time, but now he’s chosen his path.  He longs to return to his travels, but his mother needs his help.  And so does Angelique.

This book was great.  I’m not normally a fan of this time period, but I really enjoyed reading the vivid descriptions of what life was like a century ago on Mackinac Island.  I didn’t know the history of the island that far back and it was really interesting.  The characters were also well written.  As I got closer to the end, I was afraid I wasn’t going to get that happy ending, but I wasn’t disappointed. 

The books in this series don’t connect, so you can read them out of order or alone.  They’re all pretty good, though.  Next up for Hedlund is a new series.  Love Unexpected is the first book in the Beacons of Hope series and is due out November 25, 2014.  It’s also set in Michigan and I’ll be keeping my eye out for it!  Good Book!

*I received a copy of this book from Bethany House through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A Match of Wits (Ladies of DIstinction #4) - Jen Turano

Reading the Ladies of Distinction series has been enjoyable for me.  Starting with the novella, Gentleman of Her Dreams, and continuing through the other three books in the series, A Change of Fortune, A Most Peculiar Circumstance and A Talent for Trouble, it’s been a fun ride.  I was happy to have the chance to read this, the fourth book, A Match of Wits.

Agatha is out west trying to elude the person who wants her dead.  After receiving threats, she’s on assignment out west when she makes a new friend (don’t call her a P-I-G).  She also discovers the man who broke her heart, but he looks nothing like she remembers.  He was supposed to be in California and married by now.

Zayne has had a tough time of it.  After dealing with the disappointment of his ‘fiancé,’ he’s now looking at a lifetime of a crippled leg.  Letting Agatha near his mining site turns out to be a disaster and the running he’s been doing comes to an end.

Yep, the men in this series are HORRIBLE at proposals.  Zayne has sworn off women forever and Agatha is getting close to giving up on Zayne.  The poor man really has no idea when it comes to women and there’s also the little problem of someone wanting Agatha dead standing in the way.

This book was great.  Starting with the encounters with Matilda, you’re in for a fun ride.  I think it’s okay to read these out of order, but I recommend you read all of them if you can.  They’re fun and worth the time.  Next up is the next book in a new series, called After a Fashion, and due out next March.  Looking forward to it!  Good Book!

*I received a copy of this book from Bethany House through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Beloved (Where the Heart Lives #3) - Robin Lee Hatcher

I've read many of Robin Lee Hatcher's books, so I won't mention them all here.  Just know that I really enjoy her books and look forward to reading them.  Notably, I've read the first two books in this series: Belonging and Betrayal.  I was looking forward to Diana's story, but unfortunately it got lost in my To Be Read pile.

Diana was abandoned by her husband soon after their marriage.  She loved him but discovered that he only married her to get back at his father and gain access to his inheritance.  He was declared missing on a battlefield and she's now on the verge of announcing her engagement to another man.  Seeing her husband standing in the doorway on the night of the engagement party is something of a shock to her.

Tyson is a changed man.  His years away have opened his eyes to how wrong he's been. She doesn't seem to love him anymore, but he wants to change her mind and become the husband he was meant to be.  Diana isn't ready to open her heart to him, but agrees to a deal that will secure her future and her mother's after six months.  All she has to do is pretend they're a happily married couple until after the election Tyson is running in.  When she suspects that he's really changed, can she forgive the past and truly make the marriage work?

This book was great.  I had to force myself to put it down and rest my eyes for a while, but I basically read it in two sittings.  I found it interesting the way the book was structured. You want to be on Tyson's side - he's a changed man and trying his best - but then you get a flashback of how he treated Diana in the past, and you're understanding of her stance.  It was unusual and I found myself more involved in both Tyson and Diana's transformations.

In regard to the series, I enjoyed it.  The common thread is the siblings trying to find each other, but it's not a large part of the plot.  If you read them out of order, the main stories won't be affected, just the search for the siblings.  I think this was a good series and recommend it.  Good Book!

A Most Unsuitable Match - Stephanie Grace Whitson

In the past, I've read Sixteen Brides and A Claim of Her Own.  They were pretty good, so it wasn't a hard choice to pick this one up.  I was especially drawn to the cover, because it reminds me of a painting I saw while we were on vacation one year.  I posed my girls in front of the painting and it reminded me of the cover for this book.

Anyway, we begin the book with Fannie.  Her mother is dead and she's now on her own. She's never been taught how to take care of a household, so she's unaware of the issues she's going to have to deal with now.  The man in charge of her family's money is encouraging her to marry, but Fannie finds some letters that help her choose her course. She was alone in the world and now she has an aunt.  Not just any aunt, one that's interesting and cultured.

Samuel meets up with Fannie on a steamboat heading up the Missouri River to Montana. He's trying to find his sister.  He failed her one and he doesn't plan on letting it happen again.  Tragedy on the river brings these two closer together, but circumstances in the wilderness threaten to pull them apart.

I liked this book, but I had some issues with it as well.  The story ended somewhat abruptly and the epilogue was a little confusing.  I had the same kind of issue when I read A Claim of Her Own, so I'm not sure I'll be tracking any more of this author's books. Overall, this was a good book, there just seems to be something missing at times.  Even though I'm not planning on reading more, this one still gets my Good Book! review.

And just for fun...

The Victory Club - Robin Lee Hatcher

I've read a lot of books by this author.  I usually enjoy her books and look forward to reading them.  When I found out she had a WWII themed book out there, I was surprised and pleased.  Snatching it up, I was excited to read it.

This book follows the story of four women during WWII.  I was a little worried at the beginning when they were being introduced that I would have issues keeping track of the different story lines, but the author does a good job keeping them straight.

Lucy's husband is a pilot overseas.  She's missing him fiercely and sees an opportunity to help her friends and pray for victory.  Not just victory for the war, but also for the trials the women will be going through. She calls her venture The Victory Club.  They plan on praying for each other and helping needy people in their neighborhood. Lucy misses her husband, and eventually her loneliness starts to affect her decisions and she makes some poor choices.

Dottie's love is also off fighting in the war.  Before he left, they made a decision that will affect both of them forever.  Dottie is expecting a baby, and now it's more important than ever for her man to come back home to her.  She knows that God has forgiven her, but will her mother?

Margo is Dottie's mother and her son is off at war.  Her version of religion involves following the rules and missing the compassionate heart of God.  Haunted by her past, she feels that her past decisions have come back to affect her children.  With Dottie being pregnant, will God require her son's life as well?

Penelope is fed up with her life.  Her husband claims that he can't fight because he hurt his back, but Penelope has her doubts.  She's ashamed of him and it starts to affect her marriage.  She makes some incredibly selfish decisions and risks losing everything.

While this was a good book, it's not all hearts and roses for everyone.  There's not a happy ending for everyone and one character in particular was on my naughty list for the whole book.  I don't want to give away spoilers, so I'll leave it at that.  There were a fair number of typos, especially in the letters between the men and women, but it didn't take away from the story too much.  Overall, it was a good read and I'm glad I found it.  Good Book!

Hacker (Outlaw Chronicles) - Ted Dekker

If you’ve read my blog for any length of time, you’re already aware that Ted Dekker is my favorite author.  I’ve read almost all of his books and have reviews here for The Bride Collector, The Keeper, Forbidden, Mortal, Burn, Immanuel’s Veins, Eyes Wide Open (Identity, Mirrors, Unseen and Seer), Outlaw and Water Walker.

This book is Austin and Nyah’s story.  We met Austin in Eyes Wide Open, but he wasn’t ready to hear the truth.  He is fighting a large tumor in his brain and he’s running out of time.

Nyah is trying to save her mother’s life.  The car accident that damaged her mother’s brain also took the lives of her father and brother.  Hanging on to her mother is vital and she’s willing to do anything.  Risking it all, she hacks into the wrong building and takes some files.  She has a friend in the FBI who gets her out of the building, but she ends up under house arrest.  Escaping isn’t a problem, but finding the answers she seeks won’t be easy.

She goes to Austin for help, but soon discovers that he has no money.  He’s doing experiments that make Nyah think he’s insane until she sees the possibilities of what he’s doing.  It might end up being the only way to save her mother.

This was an awesome book.  It isn’t a book that you can read while doing a bunch of other things.  You’ll be drawn in and if you’re not paying attention, you might miss something important, especially when it comes to the detailed descriptions of the workings of brain hacking.  The characters are wonderful and the descriptions are vivid.  It’s another great book by Ted Dekker.  Great Book!

The best thing about the Outlaw Chronicles is the ability to read them in any order.  For reference, I’ve connected what I can:

Outlaw – the story of Stephen – the man called Outlaw in the books – he is in all of them

Eyes Wide Open – story of Christy, links to Austin in Hacker and Alice in Water Walker

Water Walker – the story of Alice

Hacker – the story of Austin

*I received a copy of this book from Worthy Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Caught in the Middle (Ladies of Caldwell County #3) - Regina Jennings

This is the third book in this series.  The first one, Sixty Acres and a Bride, was a great read.  I just finished the second one, Love in the Balance, and decided to go ahead and finish out the series with Caught in the Middle.  The author also wrote a story in the novella collection A Match Made in Texas.

Nick has worked hard to make the connections with a prominent family in the railroad industry.  On his way to Garber, the train is held up and he ends up being saved by an unlikely source.  Anne has been hunting buffalo and is on the train to retrieve her cook from town.  She finds the cook, but unfortunately, the woman has no desire to return, but she leaves her infant son in Anne's care.

Coming to the end of her rope, Anne reaches out to Nick for help.  She doesn't trust anyone.  There's got to be an ulterior motive - everyone wants something from her.  But there's something about Nick that makes her want to trust again.  When he gives her a job, she sees how her choices can affect him.  Nick is drawn to Anne, but is she willing to trade her buckskins for a skirt?

This book was pretty good.  Anne's reasons for her wariness are heart-wrenching and parts of the book are darker than others.  Overall, sometimes it was hard to imagine a happy ending being possible, but it's in there.  Nick is definitely a city boy and watching him interact with Anne, who is more comfortable on the open range, was amusing at times.

As far as I can tell, this is the end of this series.  You do get a peek of how life is for Bailey and Molly (Love in the Balance), but you'd be okay reading these out of order.  Anne was important in the first book, but her story is retold in this book, so if you missed that one, you're not lost.  I had hoped to find a story about Joel, a minor character, but I don't think my wish will be granted.  Next up for this author is A Most Inconvenient Marriage, due out November 25, 2014.  I'm keeping my eye out for it.  Good Book!

Love in the Balance (Ladies of Caldwell County #2) - Regina Jennings

This author is a fairly recent discovery for me.  She's contributed to the novella collection, A Match Made in Texas, and also the first book in this series, Sixty Acres and a Bride.  I really enjoyed that one, so picking this one up was a no-brainer.

Molly is getting pressure from her family to marry well.  She's in love with Bailey, but he doesn't measure up to her parent's expectations or basically hers.  He's trying to find a job, but when Molly's father gets ill, the pressure becomes great and she's forced to make some tough decisions.  She meets a dashing gentleman who tempts her with a different life.  One where she can travel and save her family at the same time.

Bailey is trying to make himself worthy to court Molly.  He knows that she loves him, but they just can't find the resources to make it happen.  Both of these people are looking at themselves and finding what they see lacking.  Bailey thinks he needs a job and more money.  Molly feels forced to make decisions that will please others and she doesn't consider the consequences before acting.

This was another great book.  For most of it, you think these two are never going to get a chance to be together despite their obvious love for each other.  They go through some tough times that help them grow and realize who they are and what they really want.  I was impressed how they came to own up to their flaws and use them to change and grow.

The third book in this series, Caught in the Middle, is already waiting for me on my Kindle. It tells the story of Nicholas and Anne.  Nicholas is Molly's brother.  Both of these characters are seen in the other books, but their involvement is slight enough that reading these out of order won't affect your enjoyment of the story.  Good Book!

A Noble Groom (Michigan Brides #2) - Jody Hedlund

I spent many vacations in Michigan, so I was drawn to this series.  After reading the first book, Unending Devotion, I was looking forward to reading more.

Annalisa's husband is dead.  Her husband wasn't very good to her.  Stealing her money and treating her like a servant have her questioning why she loves fairy tales and their princes that don't exist in real life.  Now that he's gone, she's stuck with a loan on her land that needs to be paid off by the fall or she'll lose it.  She's also got a baby on the way and doesn't know what to do.

Carl is accused of a crime against the duke in Germany.  To escape a hanging, he escapes and makes his way to America.  He's only supposed to take care of Annalisa's farm until her real groom arrives, but eventually comes to see her in a different light.  He's the son of the baron that has caused her family a great deal of grief, but his lie could cost him everything.

Carl's character is a fairy tale hero all the way, making Annalisa question whether it's actually possible for her to have a storybook love.  She senses that something is holding him back, but circumstances force them together and they can't avoid their mutual attraction.

This was a good book that I really enjoyed.  I didn't see anything relating this book to the first one in the series, making it okay to read these out of order or alone.  The third book, Captured By Love, is due out June 24 and I hope to read it soon.  Good Book!

Full Steam Ahead - Karen Witemeyer

Karen Witemeyer has become one of my favorite authors to read.  In the past I’ve read all of her novels including To Win Her Heart, Short-Straw Bride, Head in the Clouds and Stealing the Preacher.  I’ve also read a novella collection where she contributed called A Match Made in Texas.  The only thing I haven’t read is a novella called A Cowboy Unmatched.  I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve read.

Nicole has come home to find her father very ill.  His shipping line needs an heir and with Nicole being his only hope, he wishes to see her settled to someone who can take over before he dies.  A competing family is threatening Nicole’s family over a dagger that is thought to have superstitious properties.  Taking matters into her own hands, Nicole takes the dagger and flees the city.  Danger forces her to alter her plans and end up as a secretary to an eccentric scientist.

Darius is haunted by the past.  He was on a steamboat when the boiler exploded and saw people die.  In particular, the death of a little girl causes him to obsess over finding a safer boiler.  Explosions at the house have labeled him a madman by the townspeople, but memories push him to move forward no matter the consequences.  Until Nicole comes to his door.

Darius is a wonderful character and one I thoroughly enjoyed.  Reading about how Nicole is able to push past his obsession and start to change his heart really got me involved in the book.  Even the supporting characters: Mr. and Mrs. Wellburn, and Jacob – were well developed.  The story line is interesting and the history surrounding little known facts of the steamboat industry were very interesting to me.  As always, a great book by a great author.  Good Book!

*I received a copy of this book from Bethany House through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Truth Be Told - Carol Cox

Carol Cox is a fairly new author for me.  She’s written some of the Inspirational Romances (I call them Christian Harlequins) and some other novels.  I’ve been able to read some of her more recent releases including Love in Disguise and Trouble in Store.  I’ve also read the novella collection A Match Made in Texas that she contributed to.

Amelia comes home to Granite Springs knowing that her father has been ill but is shocked when she discovers him on death’s door.  Spending his last days with him is important to her, and she is informed of a story he’s been working on regarding the Great Western Company.  After her father passes, she decides to run the newspaper and discover what her father was trying to uncover.  She refuses to publish anything but the truth.

Ben is grateful for the job his father’s friend has given him at Great Western.  He’s run away from God’s call back east and hopes he’ll be able to avoid it in Arizona.  When his boss gives him the task of keeping tabs on Amelia, he feels he’s been given a rare opportunity to impress.  Once he gets to know Amelia, it’s more than a job to him and he comes to care for her.

While they start out on opposite sides of the issue, these two end up working really well together.  Ben begins to question the company, but never sacrifices his morals to go along with anything he finds.  He was my favorite character.

I really enjoyed this book.  Besides Ben, I liked some of the supporting characters as well.  Homer especially was a nice character, and I liked reading his story.  This book is a nice read for those days when you want to read a good romance with that happily ever after.  Good Book!

*I received a copy of this book from Bethany House through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A Moment in Time (Lone Star Brides #2) - Tracie Peterson

Tracie Peterson is a great author and I’ve had the opportunity to read the Yukon Questseries, part of the Land of the Lone Star series (Chasing the Sun and Touchingthe Sky), two of the Land of Shining Water series (The Icecutter’s Daughter and The Quarryman’s Bride), the Westward Chronicles series (A Shelter of Hope, Hidden in a Whisper and A Veiled Reflection) and Shadows of the Canyon.

This book basically follows two couples.  Marty and Jake are the subject of the first book in this series, A Sensible Arrangement.  I haven’t had the chance to read that one, so I wasn’t familiar with their story.  In this book, the economy is bad and Jake has decided the time has come to return to Texas and go back to his passion – ranching.  Marty is dead set against it at first and does her best to change his mind.  When they lose their home, Marty runs out of options and comes to realize that her love for her husband outweighs her fear of Texas.

Alice has been with Marty and helping her out.  She started out as a maid but is more of a sister now.  With her father dead, Alice is threatened by a man claiming Alice has something he wants.  Moving to Texas should free her from him.  She ends up finding something else there as well – love.

Robert is Marty’s nephew and glad she has come back.  When he meets Alice, he wants to know her better.  Unfortunately, there are expectations for him to marry a certain young lady.  She wants different things in life than Robert, but isn’t willing to listen to him.  Robert is going to have to set her straight if he wants to be with Alice.

While I enjoyed this book, I was somewhat confused for much of the first half.  The age difference between Marty and her nephew is only eight years and sometimes I wondered if I had read something wrong.  Maybe this would have been clearer if I had read the first book or I might have missed it, but I think it could have been cleared up with just a sentence or two in the beginning.

Overall, it was a nicely written book and I liked it.  At times, I was annoyed with the selfishness of Marty, but she eventually comes around.  I think my favorite character was Robert with his no-nonsense approach and honesty.  No one seemed to listen to him for a while, but it wasn’t for lack of trying.  I have the first book on my watch list and hope it will drop in price.  The next book in the series is called A Matter of Heart and is due out in October.  It’s about Jessica and Austin – both are characters we meet in this book.  A Moment in Time - Good Book!

*I received a copy of this book from Bethany House through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.