Under a Blackberry Moon (Michigan Northwoods #2) - Serena Miller

After much searching, I think I've finally figured out what is going on with this series.  I also found a name for it.  Apparently it's called Michigan Northwoods.  Book 1 is called The Measure of Katie Calloway, book 2 is Under a Blackberry Moon and book 3 is A Promise to Love.

Moon Song is Chippewa and doesn't feel welcome in the white man's world anymore and is determined to return to her people.  Her friends convince her to let Skypilot accompany her.  Even though she wants to walk the entire way, they convince her to board a steamboat to save time.

On the way, a tragic accident leaves Skypilot and Moon Song stranded in the wilderness with a grieving mother.  They struggle against the elements, wildlife, and occasionally, each other.  Each day that passes, Skypilot's admiration for Moon Song grows, but he can't see a future for them.  He's a Christian and she values the beliefs of her people.

Eventually, they make it to safety and Skypilot has no desire to leave.  Moon Song doesn't trust white men that promise to stay.  Skypilot realizes that without a shared faith, they can't have a future and wonders what God has in store for his life.

This book was pretty good, but I didn't like it quite as much as the other two.  Even though this is the third book released, the author has labeled it as the second book in the series. I do believe it is safe to read these out of order and not miss too much.  If you want a deeper understanding of the feelings between Skypilot and Moon Song, you might want to read The Measure of Katie Calloway first, but there are mentions of that time together in this book, so you're good either way.  Good Book!

Ismeni (Prelude to The Legend of Sheba) - Tosca Lee

This little freebie is related to Tosca Lee's upcoming release, The Legend of Sheba: Rise of a Queen.

This eshort is the story of Ismeni, who ends up being the mother of the queen.  She is born under the Dog Star, but it is murky which is a bad omen.  As she grows, she meets Wahabil, and they become friends.  She also ends up catching the eye of the youngest son of the king.  War changes her plans for her future and she has to protect what's important to her.

As always, Tosca Lee uses her talent with words to make vivid descriptions and really make you care about Ismeni.  It was a great little story and it's definitely worth picking up. The story itself only takes up about 60% of the whole thing.  The rest is an excerpt from the upcoming novel.

The Legend of Sheba: Rise of a Queen is due out on September 9th.  Good Story!

A Bride in Store (Unexpected Brides #2) - Melissa Jagears

This book is the second in the Unexpected Brides series.  I've read the novella, Love by the Letter and also the first book, A Bride for Keeps.  This one is about Will, Dex and Rachel's son.  You can read their story in the novella, Love by the Letter.  As of now, it's still free.

Eliza is on her way to meet her groom.  He owns a store and that's the only thing she's really ever wanted.  When she gets to town, she meets his partner, Will, and discovers that her intended has had an accident and won't be back in town for a while.  When he gets back and his true nature is exposed, Eliza is faced with possibly accomplishing her dream on her own.  When that happens, will she choose that dream over the chance for love?

Will is attracted to Eliza, but she's meant for his partner, Axel.  He is always thinking of others and offers his "doctoring" services for little to no money.  Eliza can't understand how he can do that and isn't shocked he's in financial trouble.  Will would like to go to school to be a doctor, but circumstances seem to work against him.  When his store is in trouble, will he lose any chance to make his dreams come true?

I liked reading the interactions between these two.  They seem to have such different personalities, it doesn't seem like they're ever going to find a way to be together.  Eliza is strong-willed and ambitious while Will seems to be more easy going.

While there are links to the other books in the series, you'd be okay reading them out of order.  As stated above, the novella is about Will's parents.  The main characters from A Bride for Keeps, Everett and Julia, make a short appearance as neighbors to Dex and Rachel.  The third book in the series is going to be called A Bride at Last, but I'm not sure when it's due out.  I'll be on the lookout for it, though!  Good Book!

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

Talon (A Breed Apart #2) - Ronie Kendig

I finally finished this series!  It took me a while, but here we are.  The first book in the series is Trinity and the third is Beowulf.

Aspen has never given up that her twin brother, Austin, is still alive.  Even though the military has written him off as dead, she just knows he's out there.  She's willing to put her life on the line to get answers, but everyone tries to protect her.

Cardinal has agreed to find the man he trained to be a spy, but he needs the help of his former combat dog, Talon.  When he finds out that he'll have to be working with Aspen, he wants to back out.  He doesn't work with women.  Threats are handed out and he agrees.

Working with Aspen begins to get under Cardinal's skin.  That's not even his real name. He has to push her away for her own safety, but she keeps trusting him when times get tough.  Cardinal knows he doesn't deserve her love and tries to focus on the mission.

This book was very well balanced between action and romance.  There's just enough of both to keep the pages turning.  I have to be careful picking up a book by this author because it ends up being hazardous to my eyes!  Finished in two days.  And that's only because I needed to sleep...

Great series.  I read Beowulf first, then Trinity.  After Beowulf, I thought it would be okay to read them out of order, but wasn't as sure once I'd finished Trinity.  Overall, I think it's possible to read them out of order, but you're going to get a much more complete picture if you read them in order.  For instance, we see quite a bit of interaction between Candyman and Timbrel in this book.  Their rocky relationship is the basis for the third book and you'd understand them better.

This entire series was a great read and I would recommend any and all of the books. Great Book!

Within My Heart (Timber Ridge Reflections #3) - Tamera Alexander

Wow, I really had to wait a LONG time to read this book!  I read the first two so long ago, I had to look up who the main characters were so I could determine which characters had been highlighted in previous books.  The first two books in this series are From a Distance and Beyond this Moment.

Rand is the town's doctor and has been through a lot.  He's had his eye on Rachel Boyd for a long time, but she's made it clear that she doesn't want to have anything to do with him.  When one of their friends begins to have heart troubles, they need to team up to try and make him better.

Rachel's husband died and she's unwilling to risk her heart again.  She looks at Rand through glasses that are tainted by memories of her father.  While it's unfair, the more time she spends with him, the more she has to admit that he may not have as much in common with her father as she believed.

These two both have fears they keep close.  Rand is deathly afraid of the dark, and with good reason I might add, and Rachel doesn't want to go through the pain of losing a spouse again.  They're going to have to overcome their fears to be together, especially Rachel.

The first book, From a Distance, was about Daniel and Elizabeth.  They both pop up in this book, as well as the characters from the second book, Beyond This Moment.  James and Molly are the main characters in that one and show up a lot as well, especially James since he's Rachel's brother.  You can read these out of order, but there are hints of things that have happened in the other books that I didn't remember.  Good Book!

Perfectly Matched (Blue Willow Brides #3) - Maggie Brendan

I've read a few of this author's books in the past and always enjoyed them.  This is the third book in this series.  The first two are Deeply Devoted and Twice Promised.

Anna has agreed to be a mail-order bride and is starting her new life with Edward.  They didn't exchange many letters before marrying, so she has quite a bit of adjusting to do. When she discovers that Edward is very particular and even has a list for her, she wonders what she's gotten herself into.

Edward might be particular, but he makes a lot of progress with Anna's help.  He starts out wanting everything to be perfect, but soon has a slightly messy house, animals everywhere and a wife who seems to have priorities other than him.

I'm torn on how I feel about this book.  I liked Edward's character and thought he worked hard to be a good husband and adjust to Anna's personality.  On the other hand, I don't feel that Anna changed at all or even tried to compromise on anything.  She brings home stray animals without consulting him, even spends $100 to buy an ailing horse, then gets mad at him when he's upset about it!  She seemed to get everything she wanted without giving anything to Edward.  I don't count making apple dumplings.

Also, being the prude that I am, I was a little surprised at all the "intimate" moments.  While it's nothing graphic, there was too much of it in there for me.

Anyway, the book was pretty good, but it's probably my least favorite of the series.  You can easily read any of these out of order and not miss anything.  My final decision is 3.5/5 stars.

The Heart's Pursuit - Robin Lee Hatcher

Robin Lee Hatcher is one of the wonderful authors that I enjoy reading.  I'm drawn to stories of life in the early west, so after reading the description for The Heart's Pursuit, I couldn't wait to read it!

Silver has been left at the altar by a thieving liar.  Now her father's home and business are on the line and she has to do something.  Her stepmother wants to avoid a scandal and send her away until the talk dies down.  Instead, Silver decides to pursue the man who stole from her father.

Jared is awaiting payment for a bounty when the opportunity to chase Silver's ex-fiance lands in his lap.  He doesn't stand a chance convincing Silver to stay back while he tracks the man down.  As time passes, he comes to appreciate her strength and spirit.  He's on the trail of the man who murdered his family, but when he has the chance, will he abandon Silver's quest for his own?

I basically read this book in two days.  I couldn't put it down!  The story line was unique and entertaining and the characters wonderfully written.  Good Book!

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

"What If..."

Today, I'm not reviewing a book.  I've had some thoughts swirling around my head and feel compelled to get them down.  Yesterday I did something that I knew would probably upset me.  I'm still not sure why I did it, but since then, I've had some deep thoughts.

"What If..."  I believe that these can be two dangerous words, especially when it comes to the past.  When I was 14, a friend of mine was raped and murdered.  The circumstances of it were so senseless that I struggled to make sense of it.  Sometimes I still do.  I had lost contact with her, so I almost felt guilty for caring.  She was the sweetest, nicest person I'd ever met.  My first daughter is named after her.

The boy who killed her was a classmate.  The last thing I remembered was that he was to be tried as a juvenile and would, at the most, be sentenced to 10 years.  For years I've believed that he's out on the street while the sweetest person I'd ever met was gone.  I was wrong.

I don't know what prompted me to look up the case on the internet yesterday, but I was shocked at what I saw.  He's still in jail.  Apparently, about a year after the murder, he was tried as an adult and sentenced to 30 years to life.  A woman had come forward and another rape charge was added.  I should have felt satisfaction that he's still incarcerated. Instead, the "what ifs" started to swirl.

What if she had come forward sooner?  Would my friend still be alive?

I know that it's not my place to judge this woman, but I couldn't control the track of my thoughts.  I noticed she was 32.  The boy was probably 14 at the time of the attack, 15 at the time of the murder.  Why didn't this woman come forward sooner?  Does she feel responsible?

Unfortunately, as I look at my life, I see the places where this senseless murder has affected my life.  Now that I'm a mother, I worry for my kids.  My friend was murdered while her mother ran a quick errand.  I made my children go everywhere with me, whether they wanted to or not. They're at the age where they're okay at home alone, but I'm not.  I have a security system and strict instructions about not answering the door.

My mind still slips to "why didn't God save her?"  I won't get a satisfactory answer this side of heaven, but the question haunts me.  I can't see any purpose in her death, but I also can't see His plan.

I wonder, where is my trust?  "Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart..." (Prov 3:5). I admit I'm guilty of holding back a piece of my heart.  My trust ends up being in my security system or my presence in the home.

Understanding that control is an illusion, I still struggle to make sense of it all.  But I can try to change the "what ifs"

What if I turned the health and safety of my children over to God?  He has control anyway, but what if I TRUSTED Him with their health and safety?  What kind of freedom could I experience?

I still struggle with forgiving this man.  He never showed any remorse for his crimes, but I have the greater power.  I know that hating someone is like taking poison and expecting the other person to die.  I want to change my "what ifs" from dangerous to liberating.  I know I can't do it without God's help and I know I'll stumble, but I'm ready to try.

Lonestar Angel (Lonestar #4) - Colleen Coble

After catching up on some NetGalley titles and dealing with a few days of headaches, I was able to get back to my Kindle and pick one of the zillion books awaiting me.  I read the rest of this series a few years ago and waited a long time for this one to drop in price.  The first three books in the series are Lonestar Sanctuary, Lonestar Secrets and Lonestar Homecoming.

Eden's daughter was taken and killed when she was only six weeks old.  Eden ran away from her husband and tried to put her life back together.  Now that she's about to receive a proposal of marriage, her ex-husband shows up and tells her they're still married.  Not only that, but there's hope that their daughter is still alive.  Dropping everything, she chases the possibility.

Clay never wanted Eden to leave.  He's received a photograph showing where his daughter might be, but he needs Eden's help.  The ranch where she's supposedly at has a job opening, but it's for a couple.  He's hoping for a happy ending where he finds their daughter and they're able to put their relationship back together.

There's more than meets the eye.  Four of the girls could be their daughter and they need to find a way to find the truth.  In the meantime, someone is threatening Eden and making attempts on her life.  She still loves Clay, but she's  afraid to try again with Clay.

I loved this book.  It's been a while since I've read a really good romantic suspense and Coble is always a safe bet.  Her characters are believable and the personalities she portrayed for some of the children were cute.  Looking back, all the main characters from the other books show up.  You can read them out of order and not miss much.

I was SO glad to finally finish this series.  While looking up the names of the previous books, I found out that there is going to be a Christmas novella associated with this series. It comes out in November and is called All Is Calm.  I hope to get my hands on it and read it!  Great Book!

SIDE NOTE: You ever see a situation where you know something is wrong and it really irritates you?  I've seen parents at the zoo incorrectly identify animals to their small children.  I bit my tongue.  Also, a koala is NOT a bear.  It's a marsupial.  For some reason, that really bugs me.  What does that have to do with this book?  Well, there was a moment where they were headed to the buffalo ranch.  While at the National Bison Range last year, we learned that "buffalo" refers to a water buffalo, while the brown, shaggy creatures in North America are called "bison."  I thought it was super cute that a five-year-old corrected the adults in this book.  It really made me smile...

A Reluctant Courtship (The Daughters of Bainbridge House #3) - Laurie Alice Eakes

This is the third book in this series.  The first two books are A Necessary Deception and A Flight of Fancy.

Honore hasn't had the best of luck when it comes to choosing men.  First, she was in love with a traitor and then a murderer!  Though she has repented of her behavior, she feels that her family and acquaintances are still punishing her for her mistakes.  The one person that really seemed to love her, her father, is dead.  Honore meets the man her father had picked out to be her husband in a dramatic fashion, but he's come to break off the deal. He seems to have no intention of marrying someone like her.

Meric is a man who now finds himself in the position of an English lord.  He's interested in what it can do for his family in America, but he also wants to clear his father's name. Associating with Honore could jeopardize everything he's been working toward. Someone is helping Frenchmen escape and he's already under suspicion.  While he wants to be with Honore, her reputation won't help his cause to provide for his family.

When Honore's brother arrives at the family home, it becomes clear to her that she has to do something to help herself.  Eventually, she determines the only way she can be with Meric is to solve the mystery to clear his father's name.  She doesn't give Meric much choice in the matter.

This was a good book.  Honore seems to be a writer, but her pursuits are overshadowed as she tries to understand where she belongs and how she really feels about Meric.  Most times, you can either read a series out of order, or you can't.  In this case, I would recommend that if you're going to read all 3, make sure you read the first two before this one.  You get a better understanding of what's happened to Honore and why she acts and feels the way she does.  Otherwise you can read it alone.

I enjoyed this series and was glad to finally get the time to finish it up.  I've got this author's most recent release, A Lady's Honor, on my watch list and look forward to reading more. Good Book!