Refining Fire (Brides of Seattle #2) - Tracie Peterson

This is the second book in the series.  The first book is called Steadfast Heart.

Militine is haunted by her past.  She lives at the Bridal School, but she’s not looking for a mate.  She ran away from a violent father and believes that she’s damaged beyond help.  She keeps her past to herself and God at a distance.

Thane is from a past he’s not proud of either.  His father was a murderer and he fears that he’ll follow in those footsteps.  He cares greatly for Militine, but proving that to her is going to be a challenge.

The relationship between Wade and Abrianna that started in the first book progresses through this book as well.  Wade councils Thane to follow his heart, all while pushing his heart’s desires deep inside.  When Abrianna starts courting the town scoundrel, he wonders if he’s lost his chance.

I believe that Militine and Thane were supposed to be the focus of this book, but it felt like just as much, if not more, attention was paid to Wade and Abrianna.  There were a few times I found Abrianna to be a little arrogant in her faith, but overall, she’s a good character.  I did feel that I knew these two better than Militine and Thane.

The story of the villainous smuggler continues through this book and doesn’t get resolved.  On the other hand, Lenore and Kolbein show up in minor roles in this book, so if you aren’t concerned about the smuggler, you could read this one without reading the first one.

I did like this book, but I was somewhat disappointed that more attention wasn’t paid to Militine, since she was supposed to be the main character.  I feel that Abrianna overshadowed her character and since she irritated me, I found myself annoyed at times.  We should find resolution for Abrianna and Wade in the next book, Love Everlasting.  It comes out October 6, 2015.  Good Book!

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

A Bride at Last (Unexpected Brides #3) - Melissa Jagears

This is the third book in the series.  The series starts off with a novella called Love by the Letter, then follows up with the first two books, A Bride for Keeps and A Bride in Store.

Kate’s been taking care of a young man and his mother for some time.  When the mother dies, she meets a man who she’s heard a great deal about.  Unfortunately, none of it was good.  When the boy’s alleged father shows up, the newcomer looks to be a better choice for the boy, but Kate is determined to do what it takes to make sure the boy doesn’t have to go back to his life of crime.

Silas is shocked to learn he has a son, but with another man claiming that role, he works with Kate to find evidence that the boy is actually his.  And when the boy runs away, they end up spending even more time together.  Even though he’s drawn to Kate, everyone in his life has abandoned him.  With his past, he believes it’s what he deserves.

Spending all that time together is dangerous to Kate’s reputation and there will be consequences.  When their pasts collide, these two have more issues than they could have imagined.  They’re going to have to put aside their pasts and trust God with their future.

This was a pretty good book, just not my favorite of the series.  The story just didn’t flow as well as the others.  While characters from the other books appear in this book, you can read them out of order without feeling lost.  Decent Book!

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

In Good Company (A Class of Their Own #2) - Jen Turano

This is the second book in the series A Class of Their Own.  The first one is After a Fashion.

Millie’s been dismissed from yet another nanny position until she runs into Everett in front of the employment agency.  He’s not keen on hiring her, knowing that she’s somewhat peculiar and doesn’t think she’d be suited to taking care of his rambunctious wards.  Unfortunately, those same children have run off yet another nanny and he has little choice.

Millie ends up taking the job after some prodding and finds herself in a battle of wits with the three children.  Add to that the woman Everett is intended to marry finds Millie’s presence unbearable and Millie finds herself in an uphill battle to try and keep her job.  She knows the children needs her, though, so she does her best to stick it out.  She’s attracted to Everett, but he’s a horrible snob and would never consider her as anything more than the nanny, so she’s determined to resist her feelings.  Also, Everett is starting to question his choice in ladies, but he tells himself that Caroline is the logical choice.

This book is definitely worth reading.  I don’t remember laughing out loud this much while reading a book in quite a while.  Millie is a wonderful character and the kids and the schemers are a hoot.  Yes, I said a hoot.

Next up in the series, we’ll get to find out what happens to Lucetta in Playing the Part.  The characters from the first book are mentioned, but they’re in England, so you can read this one alone if you want and won’t be lost.  I look forward to reading more and heartily recommend this book.  Good Book!

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

The Governess of Highland Hall (Edwardian Brides #1) - Carrie Turansky

I've been watching this author's books for quite a while before I saw this one drop in price. The description of the book made me think it would be something I would enjoy.  It also counts toward my 2015 challenge as one of my new authors.

Julia has returned to England after 12 years on the mission field in India.  Her father is ill, and she takes a position as a governess to help support her family.  After accepting the position, she learns that she not only has care of two children, but she's been tasked with preparing two young ladies for a London season.  She meets the master of Highland Hall in a very "Jane Eyre" way and her outspokenness gets her noticed.

William's wife has passed away, but her betrayal has tainted his view of women.  He feels like he can't trust his feelings and even though Julia intrigues him, he's out to guard his heart.  He's only recently inherited Highland Hall and the fees associated with that are putting a real strain on his wallet.  It seems like the only way out is to find more money, but he isn't sure where it's going to come from.  He ends up confiding in Julia and listening to her ideas with interest.

I mentioned Jane Eyre before, and the similarities are there.  It's not exactly the same story, but if you know that story, you won't miss the parallels.  It's still a great story and I enjoyed it.  The author's writing style was easy to follow even though you're reading from numerous points of view.  I wondered if that would end up being confusing, but it was well done.

The second book in the series is called The Daughter of Highland Hall and is the story of Katherine Ramsey.  She's in this story, and you get to see a lot of her personality.  It looks like it's set more in London, so it might be okay to read these out of order/alone, but I can't say for sure.  The third book in the series, A Refuge at Highland Hall, comes out October 20, 2015 and is the story of Penny, Katherine's sister and another character that appears in this book.  I look forward to more by this author.  Good Book!

Songbird Under a German Moon - Tricia Goyer

This book takes place after WWII in Germany, a time that I hadn't read about before.

Betty is on her way to perform in a former opera house.  She believes the tunes she sings are God's will for her life, but she's going to have to prove herself.  A bumpy plane ride into Germany causes her to second guess herself, but she catches the eye of a young GI and she hopes to see more of him.

Frank is a combat photographer who has been assigned to the performers.  To some, this seems like a step down, but he has another assignment: someone is threatening the singers and he needs to discover if the threat is real.  When there's an apparent suicide, it may or may not be related and he needs to discover the truth.  He's forced to hide things from Betty, but he wishes he could be honest with her.

Overall, this book was okay, just not one of my favorites.  I didn't feel the suspense, and I didn't understand Frank.  He didn't seem like an undercover agent, and that part of his life was never mentioned to Betty.  He seemed more worried about her opinion of his education than whether or not his past missions could be a danger to those he loved.  The end was also a little strange.  The story had potential, I just don't think it got there.

Playing for Love (Summer Beach Vets #1) - H. Y. Hanna

This book is on the shorter side, around 200 pages.  To be perfectly honest, I have no idea how it ended up on my Kindle.  I do know that I got it for free, so that combined with the fact that it has Australia and a dog in it could have won me over.

Sara has come to Summer Beach, Australia, to escape the gossip following her around L.A.  She plans on spending some time with her cousin and just forgetting her failed relationship with a celebrity.  The man was just using her to further his career and when Sara found out the truth, the backlash crushed her.

Craig is an attractive vet that Sara meets when she brings a stray Beagle into his busy vet practice.  Their first encounter isn't exactly all fireworks and music, but they are attracted to one another.  Sara begins to question whether or not it's a good idea.  Not only because she isn't going to be in Australia long, but she also finds out that Craig is a star on a TV series about vets.

Being on the short side, I don't want to give too much of the story away.  The problems facing these two are predictable and the story isn't really all that unique.  It was a nice little read with some minor issues.  I didn't really get the end, it seemed a bit of a stretch, but if you're in the mood for a light, romantic read, this might be up your alley.

Other than a few bits of language, there's some passionate kissing and that's about it.  I was afraid there was going to be some sex in there, but it was clean in that respect. There's more in this series, but I don't plan on reading more.  It wasn't bad, it's just not the type of thing I enjoy reading.

Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor - Melanie Dobson

The cover to this book drew me in.  The description made me pick it up to read it.

Heather has returned to England to clean up her father’s cottage and get it ready to sell.  She’s left a painful past there, and she’s about to find out that the past isn’t done with her yet.  Her daughter has come with her and the mystery of what happened to the young man next door causes her to dig a little deeper.  She was told that her sister died around that time, but now she wants to know what exactly happened.

While reading through this book, you’re following mainly four people.  Normally, I don’t like that, it makes it hard to keep track of people, but it was well done in this book.  In addition to Heather, we also see the past through the eyes of her family: Maggie, Walter and Libby.  Not everyone is who she’s always believed them to be, and she learns how important the truth can be.

There are a lot of twists and turns in this book, and I had no problems keeping track of what was going on.  Libby’s character had a lot of my sympathy, she was such a beautiful spirit that just wanted to fly.  It’s a complex tale, but one that’s unique and will stay with you.  I can’t really say too much about the storyline, because telling too much would be revealing too much.  I’m glad that I had the chance to read this book and recommend it.  Good Book!

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

The Sanctuary - Ted Dekker

Let me start off by clarifying that this is a sequel to The Priest's Graveyard.  In it, you'll read how and why Danny ends up in prison.  This book wasn't really listed as part of a series, but I think it's nice to know these things ahead of time.

Danny has been transferred to a "special" prison called Basal.  In it, the inmates are called members and the warden is God.  Any slight infraction is dealt with swiftly and with great force.  The warden has made his own little sanctuary, but it's anything but for its prisoners.  He's also determined to break Danny by any means necessary, even through the suffering of others.

Renee is also dealing with her own version of hell.  When a severed finger is delivered and a threat made to Danny's life, she knows she will sacrifice anything to get to Danny. He saved her, so she will save him.  Enlisting the help of a former sheriff, she plays the game of a man she names "Sicko."  He asks her to do the impossible or Danny is dead.

This book is dark and disturbing.  The things both Danny and Renee have to endure are not a Saturday walk in the park.  Danny's tortures are horrifying.  I got wrapped up in wanting to see what would happen.  There seemed to be no possible way for the end to resolve to my liking, but I wasn't disappointed.

In theory, you could read this without reading The Priest's Graveyard.  There's enough details from Danny's past to make this a complete story on its own, but I think you'd understand Danny and Renee's characters much more fully if you read that one first.  The truths at the end about how everyone has their own prison had me tearing up.

For the subject matter and the darkness of the writing I give it 4 stars.  For the profound truths and excellent storytelling, it's easily a 5 star book. Just be warned that the darkness is there, but the light will push it back in the end as it always does.  Good Book!

The Inn at Rose Harbor (Rose Harbor #1) - Debbie Macomber

I chose to read this book for part of my 2015 challenge.  This book is set in the fictional town of Cedar Cove, Washington.  I'd been watching a few different books set in my state and this was the first one to drop that I felt I wanted to read.  If Cedar Cove sounds familiar, it's a series on Hallmark Channel.  I've watched a few episodes and it wasn't too bad.

The Inn at Rose Harbor is a place of healing.  In this book, you're following the stories of three individuals: Jo Marie, Josh and Abby.

Jo Marie is the new owner of the inn and is hurting.  Her husband was tragically killed and she's having trouble moving on.  She's making decisions based on her heart and feels like her husband is guiding her steps.  When she meets her two guests, she sees their pain and hopes they'll find the peace she seeks.  She's afraid that fitting in will be hard in Cedar Cove, but she's pleasantly surprised.

Josh is in town to tie up some loose ends with his stepfather.  The man was cruel to Josh in the past, but when childhood friend, Michelle, tells him the man is dying, he feels obligated to go and do his duty.  His stepfather hasn't changed any, but Michelle has words of wisdom for Josh that can help his heart heal and let him open his heart.  He just has to let her in...

Abby has avoided Cedar Cove like the plague.  She's carried the burden of guilt for her best friend's death and thinks that everyone else hates her as much as she hates herself. Being in Cedar Cove allows her to make peace with her demons and find the strength to move forward with the life she put on pause that fateful night.

At first, I was afraid I would get confused with three distinct story lines going back and forth all the time, but it was masterfully done and I didn't have any problems.  Jo Marie is the only one to be written in the first person, so it's easy to know when it's her story. Transitions between the other two are well done and each character is fully developed.  It was a good job on the author's part!

The other two books in the series are called Rose Harbor in Bloom and Love Letters. While I enjoyed reading this book, I didn't feel compelled to continue on with the series. Not because I didn't like the story but because, in the end, this just isn't the type of book I choose to read on a regular basis.  Also, at the end of the book was a short story called When First They Met, which is the story of Jo Marie and her husband, Paul.  I chose not to read it because it would have just been heartbreaking to read their of their wonderful love and know that he dies shortly thereafter.  It's the sentimental side of me, I suppose...

Overall, this was a well written book and I commend the author.  I think fans of the Cedar Cove series would enjoy this book and they'll see a few return names from that series as well.  Good Book!

Undercover Bride (Undercover Ladies #2) - Margaret Brownley

After reading the first book in this series, Petticoat Detective, I was pleased to have the chance to read this book.

Maggie is an undercover operative for the Pinkerton Detective Agency.  Her goal is to gather evidence against Garrett Thomas, proving that he was part of a deadly train robbery.  Her cover is that she’s Garrett’s mail-order bride.  They’ve been writing letters to each other, and now she’s going to have the chance to put the man away.

Unfortunately, everything she’s written has been a lie.  From her fabricated family to her desire to marry him and take care of his children, she’s in deep.  The more she gets to know Garrett, the harder it is for her to believe that he is capable of what she’s trying to prove.  Her heart is getting involved and that’s dangerous for an operative.

I did enjoy this book.  It was a light, and the kids and aunt were adorable.  There’s a bit of an imbalance with getting to know the characters, and I felt like I barely knew Garrett at the end.  Most of the book is told from Maggie’s point of view, and there’s much less from Garrett.  You can read these out of order with no problems.  Good Book!

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