Timebound (Chronos Files #1) - Rysa Walker

I picked this up as my monthly free read. I like time travel stories, especially when they're well handled. A few that immediately come to mind are the River of Time series by Lisa T. Bergren abd Timeline by Michael Crichton (the book - NOT the movie). I didn't get to see all the "Kindle in Motion" bits in this title, but I wasn't really interested in them anyway.

Kate meets her grandmother and is intrigued by a glowing medallion. She later finds out she can use it to travel through time.  She's going to need it - the past is being changed and Kate is supposed to make it right.

I was interested in the story at first, but then it seemed like the plot slowed down. The potential problem with time travel novels is that it creates natural questions that need to be addressed. This book seemed to want to answer every one of those questions in an exhaustive manner, and it was too much explanation and not enough action.

I made it about halfway in before giving up. It may have gotten better later on, but I had no interest in going farther. It just wasn't for me.

The Lost Lady of Hathaway Manor - Anne Knoll (DTB)

Okay, you might be wondering: why in the world am I reading this?  Well, my hubby was out of town for a week and I let him borrow my Kindle.  All my new books are on that, so I was stuck with my bookcase of DTBs that stare at me sadly every time I pick up a digital book.

Back in the day, I loved these books.  I ate 'em up.  Every one has the same "theme."  A mysterious castle/man and the damsel in distress.  I hate to say it, but I don't think you'll be giving any of these women awards for common sense and/or their powers of deduction.  India/Katherine isn't much different.

India and her father are on the run from creditors and have taken the ship from America to England, hoping to find some way to change their situation.  And then they meet Katherine.  The two young women look strikingly similar, but Katherine has no desire to spend the time until her birthday in the boring old country.  And since India thinks the country sounds wonderful, the two decide to switch places.  What could go wrong?  Just about everything.

India soon discovers that Katherine's family is afraid she'll remember something about the death of a servant.  Her "aunt" and "cousin" see her as competition for a suitor, and India's time in the country is not very relaxing at all.  The man she's drawn to seems to burn hot and cold, and India sees things that make her think he might be behind all the things that are frightening her.

I'll admit, this was a nostalgia read.  This was also one of the racier ones I have, but nothing too graphic.  A slight blush here and there.  Reading this was a bit hard at times.  Sometimes India's inner thoughts are in quotes, so at first I thought she spoke those out loud.  The weird thing was, not all her thoughts were like that.

I have say, the older I get, the more I appreciate a woman that can take charge, at least a little bit.  India was the very definition of a damsel in distress, and it makes her slightly irritating to me.  Would I have chosen to read this if it weren't for the nostalgia?  No, but it's nice to be able to pull out a book once in a while and know exactly what I'm getting.  It's like traveling down a familiar road when you're worn out and don't want to explore new territory.

Freedom's Light - Colleen Coble

This is an early work by Coble that she's just now publishing.  While the Revolutionary War isn't one of my favorite time periods to read about, I was willing to give this one a shot.  The author and the lighthouse pulled me in.

Hannah lives in a lighthouse.  Her husband is wrongly hung for being a colonial spy, and she's left on her own with in-laws that dislike her and a job she's not fond of.  She leaves the light off one night when she thinks there might be an attack, but then a ship crashes, and she ends up saving a man from the wreckage.

Birch is that man, and he's an actual spy.  Hannah lets him heal in her home, even though she believes he's a British soldier.  They're attracted to each other, but there's a few things standing in their way.  First, they're on opposite sides of the war (or so she thinks), and the second is Birch is determined to seek revenge for his brother's death.

There's also Lydia, Hannah's sister, who is a bit blind when it comes to a certain British officer, Galen.  Hannah wants to stay far away from Galen, but once he knows where she is, he'll say anything or do anything to get close to her.

I liked this one.  Was it my favorite?  No, but it was still enjoyable.  I was worried that with Birch having to leave for the war that it would end up being unbalanced, but I was pleasantly surprised.  While I don't give spoilers, I will warn you to have a hanky ready near the end.  It was a Good Book!

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

White Rose, Black Forest - Eoin Dempsey

This was one of my Kindle First books that I picked up.  Lately, I haven't been getting many of them, I've been disappointed one too many times.  This title interested me, and I decided to give it a shot, even though I wasn't overly find of the cover.

Franka is on her way to die when she comes across a man with two broken legs.  Being deep in the Black Forest of Germany, she isn't happy to see he's part of the Luftwaffe, but she's a nurse and can't turn her back on him.  While he's recovering, she hears him cry out in English and wonders who he really is.  Once he wakes up, he's not willing to reveal his secrets, but he's stuck until his legs heal.

Overall, I really did like this book.  I have one issue with it, and that's the backstories.  Franka decides to reveal her past to the man she's rescued, but it isn't a seamless story.  Instead of making it part of a conversation between the two, the author changes it so it's more third person storytelling.  The author does the same with the man's story.  It was pretty annoying and a HUGE missed opportunity.  Those stories could have been pared down and given me enough backstory without breaking the flow of the book.  It saddened me, but once I was past that part, I was able to wrap myself up in the lives of those two people, and the book finished strong.

Other than that, it was a great tale.  Based on a true story, I wish the author had included some additional information at the end.  How much of it was true?  I'll probably never know, but stories like that interest me.  I would've loved to know more about the people it was based on. 

As a Kindle First book, this was a major win.  I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to someone interested in that time period.  A surprising find that definitely gets a Good Book! rating.

Follow the Heart (Great Exhibition #1) - Kaye Dacus

This is the first book in the series.  I've already read the second one, An Honest Heart.

Kate's family is ruined.  At 27, she's now the only hope of bringing some cash into the family.  Her father sends her to England, where she'll stay with her uncle. hoping to catch a wealthy suitor.

It isn't in her nature to be flirtatious and have meaningless conversations and remember the names of countless people, but Kate puts on a brave face and tries to ignore her feeling for the landscape architect, Andrew.  He shares her love of plants, but he'll never be able to provide her with the money she needs to save her family.  She's attracted the attention of a viscount, but she can't make herself stop thinking about Andrew.

Christopher, Kate's brother, has also come to England.  He's hoping to either find a wealthy heiress or a job to support himself.  Instead, he falls in love with the governess.  While the book is mainly about Kate, I liked the additional story of Christopher and Nora.  I also liked that it was developed enough that it didn't feel crammed in there for no reason.

This book was a treat.  It has a nice message of learning to listen to God and not just asking for things all the time.  It wasn't overly preachy, and I liked it a lot.  Caddy (from book 2) is briefly mentioned, but I still believe you can read these out of order and be just fine.  I seemed to be a bit on the fence about An Honest Heart, but I have no qualms giving this a Good Book! review.

Side note: I found it interesting that, in the back of the book, the author describes what drew her to write about the Great Exhibition.  Mention is made of my favorite miniseries, North and South (BBC, not the Civil War one).  She loved the scene of the Great Exhibition, and it's one of my favorites as well.  It was just one of those things that enhanced my enjoyment, knowing I had a kindred spirit out there.

Ross Poldark (Poldark Saga #1) - Winston Graham

I'm a big Poldark fan.  I've watched the first 3 seasons on PBS, and you'll find me tsking at characters when I think they're misbehaving and shouting at others I don't like.  I also love listening to the soundtrack, especially the songs that Eleanor Tomlinson (Demelza) sings.

I used to say I won't watch the show/movie and also read the book.  Well, I might have to stop saying that.  This isn't the first time I've broken that rule, and it probably won't be the last.  When there's a show or movie I just can't get enough of, I can't help myself.  I have to read the book.

If you're familiar with the show, you'll get more depth to characters you already know and love.  While point of view changes can sometimes be abrupt, I found it didn't bother me.  I also didn't mind the changes or omissions between the show and the book.  A small timeline change with Demelza makes sense and doesn't affect the overall story.

The most surprising thing for me was the writing.  I found the descriptions to be detailed, but not boring.  The images Graham painted in my mind gave me a greater appreciation for him.  I really did enjoy his style.  For example, one of my favorite descriptive moments was: "he rode straight home, reaching Nampara as the first threads of daylight were unpicking the clustered clouds of the night."  But there's also moments that make you think: "But one cannot turn one's back on the truth.  One cannot wish it away, or pray it away, or even live it away."  Just love his way with words.

My one complaint (and it's so small as to be insignificant) was Polly Choake.  Oh my goodness, trying to decipher her speech was a real test of my puzzle-solving abilities!

Be warned, that there's 12 books in this saga, so it's going to be a long-term commitment.  Now that I'm hooked, I'll definitely be keeping an eye on them.  Demelza is the next one in the series, and I can't wait for more Cornwall.  Great Book!

Thirst of Steel (Tox Files #3) - Ronie Kendig

Make sure you read these in order.  It's what I would consider a continuous series.  This is the third and final book of the series.  There's a novella to start off with, The Warrior's Seal.  Then we have the other two books, Conspiracy of Silence and Crown of Souls.

The sword of Goliath is the new threat facing the team.  But Tox isn't at the helm this time, he's undercover.  There's lots of twists and turns, and it's difficult to talk about what's going on without revealing spoilers.  To sum it up, it's a well written book and up to par with Kendig's other books.

I really wasn't fond of Tzivia in this book, and she's a main character.  It made it harder to get through the book since I didn't sympathize with her.

Talking about the series as a whole, I wasn't a fan of the supernatural aspects of these books.  Also, the flashbacks to the past interrupted the flow of the story, but since it wasn't all the time, I was able to deal with it.  Overall, not my favorite series, but still well written.  3.5 stars.

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

Caught by Surprise (Apart From the Crowd #3) - Jen Turano

This is the third book in the series.  First is a novella, At Your Request.  Then the first two books of the series are Behind the Scenes and Out of the Ordinary.  This book wraps up the series in a neat little bow with an epilogue at the end, so if you’ve read the first two, you’ll get resolution for everyone.  If you haven’t read the other two, you’ll still be able to read this one and not feel lost.

Temperance Flowerdew has been abducted.  Trapped in a coffin, she discovers that her bumbling kidnappers have the wrong Flowerdew.  Apparently, her cousin has taken it upon herself to trap Temperance’s good friend, Gilbert, into marriage.  Now that Temperance and Gilbert have been thrown together again, and in such circumstances, Gilbert insists that they need to be married.

Gilbert doesn’t just want to marry Temperance to save her reputation.  His feelings for her are growing, but she keeps insisting they aren’t suited and would kill each other within a few weeks if they married.  Lives are in danger, and unraveling this mystery will involve not one, but two, families.

I liked this book.  As usual, the characters are quirky and lovable.  If I had to pick a favorite for this series, I’d have to say it was Out of the Ordinary.  I just really loved the tale of Harrison and Gertrude.  Back to this one, it’s a good tale and definitely worth reading.  Good Book!

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

Dead Drift (Chesapeake Valor #4) - Dani Pettrey

This is the fourth, and final, book in the series.  The first three are Cold Shot, Still Life, and Blind Spot.  If you read her Alaskan Courage series, you might remember that series had a total of five books.  I'm not sure why this one had only four, but I'm always excited to read something by Pettrey.

In this book, Griffin and Finley are on their own, chasing down a serial killer.  The rest of the team is working together to try and stop Ebeid for good.  Luke is going to have to do something he hasn't done for quite some time: work on a team.  He's also trying to win back the love of his life, Kate, all while dodging explosions, bullets and death.

You're definitely going to want to read these in order.  I think you'd be more than a bit lost if you started the series here.  It hadn't been that long since I'd read Blind Spot, but I needed those little reminders in there of "previously, in the Chesapeake Valor series..."

I enjoyed this one, but I almost wish is had been possible to break up the two main drama story lines so that things didn't feel so rushed at the end.  It is what it is, though, and I did like the book.  I'll still be on the lookout for the next series, Coastal Guardians.  Not my favorite, but still a good book.

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

Formula of Deception - Carrie Stuart Parks

Dakota “Murphy” has been in hiding.  She’s pretending she knows about law enforcement so she can make a few bucks, but she gets wrapped up in a series of seemingly unrelated events and murders.  She has the feeling they’re all connected, but she doesn’t know how.

Between Murphy trying to stay hidden from her sister’s killer and the mystery surrounding the past, she’s constantly on the run.  She’s not sure who she can trust, and everyone around her ends up injured or dead.  Everything points to a connection with WWII, but she just can’t figure out why it’s important.

This book confused me for the most part.  There’s memories mixed in with the present, but without any transition or indication I’d jumped to the past/dream, I was left feeling lost and confused.

The writing was good, but I didn’t connect with Murphy.  Had I been able to do that, I think I would’ve liked the book better.  The ending was unexpected, which is good, but it was also a bit confusing as well.

The end was my favorite part, but it felt a bit rushed.  There were a lot of coincidences that came together at the same time.  I’m used to that in the suspense novels I read, but this one had a ton of things happen at once.

I seriously wanted to like this book.  I’ve loved the Gwen Marcey series and was so excited to read this.  In the end it wasn’t for me, and I’m saddened by it.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The House at Saltwater Point (Lavender Tides #2) - Colleen Coble

This is the second book in the series.  The first one was called The View from Rainshadow Bay.  When I read that one, I wondered if the series would have something to do with Shauna’s siblings (Shauna is the heroine from the first novel whose siblings disappeared when she was a child).  I was right.  Probably the third one will be about Brenna, the final sibling.

Grayson is trying to find a dangerous man named Nasser.  His long-lost sister shows up and turns his life upside down and coincidentally, exploring his childhood home brings him closer to catching his nemesis.  If you’re familiar with Coble’s work, you’ll recognize where he’s been living, Hope Beach.  And there’s mention of Rock Harbor as well with regards to Brenna (the third sibling).  Anyway, he meets Ellie and their lives become intertwined.

Ellie’s sister is missing, presumed dead.  All the evidence points to her being up to no good, but Ellie refuses to believe it.  She’s lived with guilt and shame for years about the death of her other sister, and tries her best to prove herself worthy.  She even wears glasses as a shield though her eyes are perfectly fine.  She’ll do what it takes to clear her sister’s name, even working with Gray.  He seems to think Ellie refuses to accept the truth about her sister, and Ellie accuses Gray of not keeping an open mind.

I didn’t enjoy this one as much as most of Coble’s other books.  I wasn’t able to connect with these characters much, especially Ellie.  She didn’t seem to grow as a character at all.  At the end, she’s basically the same person she was at the beginning: plagued with low self-esteem and insecurity.  The plot was a little too out there for me as well.  It reminded me of a James Bond film, complete with incompetent villains.  You know, the ones that claim to want people dead but refuse to actually do anything about it – even when given the opportunity.

I wanted to like this one.  As it was, I put it down more than once and left it for quite some time before picking it back up.  Don’t get me wrong, Coble is one of my favorite authors, and this is the first semi-dud I’ve read from her in a while.  I believe most other people won’t have the issues I did with it, but I just didn’t enjoy it as much as I’d hoped.  I’m still looking forward to the third book.  I want to know about Brenna.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Orphan's Wish - Melanie Dickerson

If you’re keeping track, this book has ties to the Hagenheim series of books.  I’ve been trying to keep track of all the tie-ins, and you can see my full post about it HERE.  The quick version is: Wilhelm and Rose (The Healer's Apprentice) are the parents of Valten (The Captive Bride), Gabe (The Fairest Beauty), Margaretha (The Princess Spy) and Kirstyn (The Orphan's Wish). Gerek (The Golden Braid) is a knight of Duke Wilhelm.

In this book, we’re following the story of Aladdin.  Taken from the streets, he’s given a chance to prove himself in Hagenheim.  He quickly makes friends with the Duke’s daughter, Kirstyn.  After he rescues her from a bear, they become closer.  This friendship grows as they get older.  Aladdin comes to realize that he’ll never be good enough to marry the duke’s daughter by working as a steward and decides to leave Hagenheim to find his riches in another city.

While he’s gone, Kirstyn is abducted and held for ransom.  When the kidnappers have a falling out, she’s held captive for a much longer period of time than she’d hoped.  Thoughts of how her family and Aladdin will never stop looking for her keep her going, and she tries more than once to get away.  Once she’s free, things aren’t quite the way she’s imagined, and she has a lot to sort out.

I liked this one.  I was a little bummed at the very beginning when the author was using Ala ad’din for the main character’s name.  I was just saying Aladdin in my head, but it was quickly changed.  I was happy when his name was Aladdin for the rest of the book.

Something I do want to mention: the characters spend a lot of time apart in this book.  Usually that’s a negative for me, but I think it was well done in this case.  The characters weren’t just thinking about each other, they were reliving memories of times they had together.  It made the distance seem not as far and helped me focus on how they felt about each other.

And here’s why I gave it four stars instead of five.  The sappiness at the end.  Don’t get me wrong, I love a good romance.  But the emotions flowed a bit too long for me at the end, and I ended up skimming a lot of it.  It’s still a good book.  If you’ve read any of this author’s retold fairy tales, I don’t think you’ll want to miss this one.  And if you’re considering this one and it’s your first one, go ahead and do it.  You won’t be lost since each of these tales can be read alone without feeling lost.  Good Book!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Captain's Daughter (London Beginnings #1) - Jennifer Delamere

This is the first book in the series.  The second one is called The Heart's Appeal.  The series follows the lives of three sisters who are orphans.  Their mother died, and their father disappeared at sea.  Thus, The Captain's Daughter.  I suspect there will also be a third one to tell the story of the third sister, Cara.

Rosalyn is on the run.  Put in an impossible position by her employer, she rushes off and ends up in London.  She initially plans on heading to her sister's home, but a bad decision takes her position from bad to worse.  Eventually, she ends up on the doorstep of a theater and gets herself a job.

Nate is an army man, and he's only filling in at the theater until his brother's broken leg heals.  He's determined to put all thoughts of women far from his mind and focus on getting back to the army.  He feels guilty and plans to make up for his faults by going back to India.  His fascination with Rosalyn seems doomed to fail.  She's enamored with the bright lights of the stage, and he won't stray from his plan to head back to India.

This is the first book I've read by this author, and I was impressed with her characters and story.  I thought Rosalyn a little too innocent at times, considering what she went through when she first arrived in London, but overall, it was a light read that I enjoyed.  I look forward to reading about Julia, Rosalyn's sister, in the next book.  She appears in this one, but I think overall it's going to be safe to read them alone/out of order without too much trouble.  Good Book!

A Place in His Heart (Southold Chronicles #1) - Rebecca DeMarino

This is the first book in the series.  The other two are To Capture Her Heart and To Follow Her Heart.

Mary's getting pressure to agree to a marriage with someone she's known since childhood.  She resists and sees a way out when she becomes reacquainted with the baker, Barnabas.  He's lost his wife and has two small children to raise.  He needs a mother for them but feels like he'll never stop loving his dead wife.  Mary knows this but agrees to the marriage anyway.  She's fallen in love and hopes he'll love her eventually.

Barnabas plans to take his family to the colonies, a detail he fails to mention to his soon-to-be wife.  He is also critical of the way she does things and harasses her about getting pregnant.  He wants to start a legacy in the colonies, complete with an ornate headstone that he plans to ship over from England.

The book is full of descriptions about early life in the colonies.  At times, these can get long, but if you're interested in that subject, you'll probably enjoy it.  For me, it became a bit tedious.

"Poor Mary."  That was my thought while reading this.  She spends the entire book trying to please Barnabas while he spends the entire book taking her for granted, comparing her to his dead wife and asking her if she's pregnant.  Sure, he takes care of her basic needs, but it's clear that Mary longs for his love.  Even though she knew what she was getting into, it was still heartbreaking to see what she had to put up with just to get what she wanted at the very end.  I disliked 'Barney' a LOT, so the end wasn't satisfying for me.

From the descriptions, I didn't recognize any of the characters from the second book, but the third one has Patience Terry and Barney's brother, Jeremy.  While Jeremy was hands-down my favorite character, I'm not enthusiastic about continuing the series.

Mind Over Magic (Psych #2)- William Rabkin

It's been a while since I read the first book in this series, A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Read.  I enjoyed that one.  I felt it captured the characters and it was like "reading" an episode of Psych.  It's one of our favorite shows.

Shawn is sent to deliver a present at the Fortress of Magic.  Instead, he witnesses a murder during a controversial magician's act.  The man is supposed to disappear from a tank of water and reappear somewhere else.  Instead, the magician disappears, and a dead man appears in the tank.

Since they're dealing with magicians who don't like to give up their secrets, the case is harder than normal.  The government's even involved. 

I didn't really like this one, and I ended up slogging through it.  The characters didn't seem to be acting as they normally do, and the story didn't interest me.  It took me a long time to finish this one.

It wasn't just me - my daughter read this as well.  She loves Psych as much as I do, and she didn't like it either.  Something about the way the characters were portrayed seemed "off."  Some TV shows can pull off these novels, and Rabkin has showed that he can do it.  This time, it just didn't meet my expectations, and I ended up being disappointed.

A Daring Venture (Empire State #2) - Elizabeth Camden

This is the second book in the series.  The first one was called A Dangerous Legacy.

Rosalind had a rough past.  After dealing with her parents’ death from cholera, moving to Germany and then having to leave in disgrace, she wants nothing more than to conduct her research in peace.  She believes putting a small amount of chlorine in the city’s water supply could help prevent people from dying of waterborne diseases, but not everyone agrees.  A lawsuit puts her in a place where she has to choose between her life’s work and her newfound attraction for a witness on the other side: Nicholas Drake.

When Nick meets Rosalind, he wishes they were on the same side.  She’s pretty as a moonbeam, but he believes she wants to poison everyone with chlorine.  She offers him research to back up what she says, but he’s skeptical and just wants the court case over with so he can court her in earnest.  He’s also dealing with feelings of regret about a part of the family and wants to mend fences with someone who has hated him in the past.

I didn’t like the first book in this series, but Nick was my favorite character, so I was more than willing to read this one.  I ended up liking this one SO much better.  Both Nick and Rosalind were likable characters, and I could appreciate the struggles they faced.  I also liked the little historical note at the end.  Those always seem to appeal to me.

I’m wondering if the next book will be about Eloise, Nick and Lucy’s cousin, but I’ll have to wait and see.  As is it, I enjoyed this book and devoured it in just a few days.  Good Book!

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

More Than Meets the Eye (Patchwork Family #1) - Karen Witemeyer

I grew up in the 80s, so this title makes the Transformers cartoon theme to get stuck in my head, but don’t worry, there’s no transforming robots in this book.  It’s the start of a new series by Karen Witemeyer!  She’s one of my favorite authors, so I was excited to read this book.

It starts out pretty sad, so have a hanky ready.  Four children on an orphan train.  One rebel, a sickly boy and two siblings.  Evangeline has two different color eyes, and that makes everyone reject her.  Her brother loves her, so he refuses to let them be split up.  A train crash is what separates the siblings, but the rebel and the other boy become her new family.

Years later, Evangeline feels like she can only be herself when she’s home.  People are still suspicious of her unusual eyes.  One day, she meets a man who sparks an attraction in her.  He’s something of a mystery, and she’s determined to find out more about him.

Logan has come for one purpose: to regain the land that was cheated from his father.  He initially uses Evangeline as a way to get information about her brother, the one who stole everything from him.  As time passes, he sees her as more than a mine of information.  He also finds out that her brother isn’t as fiendish as he’d imagined.  But he can’t turn back now, can he?

I liked this book a lot and read it in two days.  I love the way Witemeyer writes her characters.  I think my favorite was Evangeline with her quirky attitude and soft heart.  After that, it has to be her brother, Zach.  He’s her opposite with a gruff manner and the walls around his heart.  I look forward to hearing more about this family.  Good Book!

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

Hidden Currents (Lantern Beach #1) - Christy Barritt

This is the first book I've read by this author.  I was looking for a new author and saw that I could borrow this from Amazon for free.  This series is four books at the time I'm writing this review, but the book summary says it's going to be six total.  So far there's Hidden Currents, Flood Watch, Storm Surge, and Dangerous Waters.

Cassidy's cover has been blown.  She's taken out the head of a gang in Seattle, but now she's in hiding on the other side of the country.  With a bounty of a million dollars on her head, she has to stay out of the spotlight.

Easier said than done.  She's supposed to be selling ice cream to the tourists (since none of the local will buy from her), but she soon gets bored.  A murdered man on the beach has her detective instincts tingling, and no matter how many times she tells herself to keep her nose out of things, she finds herself involved.

There's also some romantic tension going on between Cassidy and her neighbor, Ty.  They definitely get off on the wrong foot, but the more they learn about each other, the more they want to know.  But Cassidy's got a man waiting for her when she comes out of hiding, and she tells herself she can't be interested.

We read from both Ty and Cassidy's point of view, and I liked that.   I was also able to connect with both characters, especially Cassidy.  My only gripe was the two chapters that took the story out of the present and put it into the past.  These two chapters could've easily been incorporated into the flow of the story as a memory or flashback.  I'm not a fan of skipping around time-wise in novels, but it was only twice, so I'll give that a pass.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to more.  This one ended a bit abruptly, and potential readers be warned that Cassidy is still in hiding at the end of the book.  You're going to want to keep going, and I have the feeling you may want to read these in order.  I can't wait to read about the continuing relationship between Ty and Cassidy.  Good Book!

The Weaver's Daughter - Sarah E. Ladd

Kate is torn between two worlds.  Her brother works at a mill while her father is a weaver.  Loyalty is important to her father, and she doesn’t dare upset him.  He won’t allow Kate to have much say in the business, even though she feels like it will be hers one day.

Henry has come back from the war, and his homecoming isn’t quite what he was hoping for.  Arguments with his grandfather and an intriguing woman he can never have bring him down.  When tragedy strikes, the gap between them grows.  And it continues to grow as things in town get worse.

This is very North and South (Richard Armitage and Daniela Denby-ashe) meets Romeo and Juliet.  The warring families, the mill owners under attack – it all felt familiar to me.  Fortunately, it doesn’t end as tragically as Romeo and Juliet.

At the time of this review, I didn’t see this book linked to a series, but I hope to see more from this world.  I’d like to find out what happens to Charles or Mollie.  Even Frederica.  All in all, a good book that I enjoyed.  Now I’m off to watch North and South – it’s one of my favorites!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Gathering Shadows (Finding Sanctuary #1) - Nancy Mehl

This is the first book in a three-book series.  The other books are called Deadly Echoes and Rising Darkness.  This is the first book I have read by this author.

Wynter is using her job at the news station to investigate a lead in her brother's disappearance.  He's been gone for years, and her parents have accepted that he's dead.  Wynter refuses to believe it.  She sees him in her dreams, and he's calling for her to find him.

She ends up in the quiet town of Sanctuary, a place where people are suspicious of her and will do anything to keep their secrets safe.  Her photographer, Zac, suspects there's more to their visit to the town and ends up wanting to help her

The mayor, Reuben, makes her feel welcome.  Someone wants her to leave, and mysterious things keep happening.  She's hoping to find out if the young man from the picture is her brother, but she's not going to be able to figure it out on her own. 

I really enjoyed the relationship between Zac and Wynter, almost more than I did the romantic relationship that was supposed to be blooming between Wynter and Reuben.  Once they get past their initial dislike of each other, Zac isn't afraid to confront Wynter with the realities she needs to hear at times. I just liked the comfortable relationship they ended up having.

My eyes won't thank me tonight, but I read this in one day.  It was a great read and well worth it.  I'll definitely be on the lookout for the other two books in the series.  The main characters in the next book are introduced in this book, but in such a way that I believe these will be okay to read alone or out of order.  Even though I was disappointed not to see Zac as a main character in the other books, I'll hold out hope that he still shows up.  Fingers crossed!  Good Book!

The Pirate Bride (Daughters of the Mayflower #2) - Kathleen Y'Barbo

This is the second book in the Daughters of the Mayflower series.  It is made up of 6 books written by six different authors.  From what I saw, it will look like this:

The Mayflower Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse – set 1620 Atlantic Ocean (February 2018)

The Pirate Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo – set 1725 New Orleans (April 2018)

The Captured Bride by Michelle Griep – set 1760 during the French and Indian War (June 2018)

The Patriot Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse – set 1774 Philadelphia (August 2018)?

The Cumberland Bride by Shannon McNear – set 1794 on the Wilderness Road (October 2018)

The Liberty Bride by MaryLu Tyndall – set 1814 Baltimore (December 2018)

Maribel is a 12-year-old girl who has been told her mother and grandfather are dead.  She’s now with her father on her way to Cuba to make a new life for herself.  On the way, their ship is overtaken by a privateer with a vendetta.  Maribel’s father was responsible for the death of Jean’s mother and brother.  After a fight, Maribel ends up on the privateer’s ship asking for a job.  The captain isn’t keen on the idea of having a child on his ship, but he finds out that Maribel can talk her way into anything.  Later, a battle at sea separates them, and they each have no idea if the other is alive or dead.

I had some issues with this book.  First, Maribel is 12 and Jean is 24 when they meet.  At that point, he compares her to his young sister.  He then describes how she’ll grow to be a great beauty.  I have a 13-year-old daughter, and if a 24-year-old man uttered “Oh, but those eyes,” I would want to do some serious damage to that man (to be clear, he doesn't say the words out loud, but he thinks them).  It reminded me of the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie where they show Norrington with Elizabeth on her crossing as a child, and she’s supposed to consider him as a suitor later.  Just creepy.  The age difference wouldn’t be as big of a deal if Maribel hadn’t been a child for about half the book and then continue to act like a child when she’s 23.

The way the romance pops up close to the end also bothered me.  Maribel and Jean don’t even meet back up until there was about 20% left in the book.  After that, there was the matter of Maribel being in danger to cope with and all the little mysteries get wrapped up in a very rushed way.

If less time had been spent on Maribel’s childhood and more time on Jean and Maribel toward the end, it might have worked better.  As it is, I’ve enjoyed this author in the past, but sadly this one is a major pass for me.

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

A Chance at Forever (Teaville Moral Society #3) - Melissa Jagears

This is the third book in the series.  First there's a novella, Engaging the Competition.  Then there's the first two novels, A Heart Most Certain and A Love So True.  For some reason I missed reading the second book.  Not sure what happened there.

Mercy might only have one arm, but she fought for her position on the school board.  When her childhood tormentor shows up trying to get a teaching position, she has to decide whether or not to reveal who he is.  She also works at the orphanage with her brother and sister-in-law, but she wonders if they're the right people for the job.

Aaron may be going by a different name, but Mercy sees right through him.  He's been trying to make amends for being a heartless bully, and Mercy was one of the people he was the most horrid to.  She agrees to keep his identity secret for now, but he still wants to earn her forgiveness.

There's a particularly trying young man at the orphanage, and though both of them try to get through to him, it's rough going.  Mercy and Aaron work together to earn his trust, but they don't make much headway.  There's more going on than meets the eye and finding out what's really going on will be dangerous.

While there's mention of the characters from the previous books, you can read these alone or out of order and not be lostl.  I liked the characters and enjoyed the book.  Forgiving a bully isn't easy, but I enjoyed reading Mercy's journey.  Good Book!

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

Stranger Things - Erin Healy

When this popped up in the donations for the church library, I was interested.  I'd read a bit of this author in the past, but it was a few of the books she wrote with Ted Dekker.  I wasn't as fond of those as I was when I read Dekker alone, so I wanted to read one of Erin Healy's books to see if I liked her better on her own.

Serena's life comes crashing down one day when she's accused of sexual misconduct with one of her students.  She tries to get away from the accusations only to end up witnessing a shooting.  After that, she ends up involved with human trafficking and there doesn't seem to be a way out.

This book does a good job connecting you to the characters, which is good and bad at the same time.  Getting connected to a character who ends up murdered was sad, but it wasn't as tough as reading the parts about the abused women.  Those were just rough.

While I would consider this a page-turner, it was a relief when I finished it.  The older I get, the more invested I seem to get in my fiction.  I understand that it's not real, but knowing the trafficking is a real problem colors my view of the book as a whole.  It had a "happy" ending, but this kind of story was so hard to read.

Healy has great style, and I appreciated the depth to the characters.  It was a well-written book, just not one I enjoyed.

Raven's Gate (The Gatekeepers #1) - Anthony Horowitz

Matt has been in trouble for years.  Up till now, it's been petty stuff, but one night changes everything.  Now, his aunt doesn't want him, so his options are jail or a new program called LEAF.  Matt decides to try LEAF, but little does he realize that the woman taking him in has chosen him and has plans for him.  Matt doesn't know what those plans are, but one thing he knows for sure: they're not good.  Anyone who tries to interfere with Mrs. Deverill's plans or help Matt ends up dead.

This one left me feeling...uncomfortable.  The black magic, the Lord's Prayer backwards, the upside-down cross - all these things made me cringe, but the main issue I had with it is that evil seems to have the upper hand for almost the entire book.  There never seems to be a victory for the good guys, and if there is one, it's a hollow victory that is soon taken back by evil.  Also, a fair number of people die in this book, all in horrible ways.  The descriptions of those deaths aren't what I would call graphic, they were more...grisly.

You're led into the next book, but this is a complete story.  Amazon has Raven's Gate listed as grades 5-8 (the book has ages 10+ on it), and I have to disagree on that.  I think it would be more appropriate for older kids, I'd say 15+.  Maybe it's the prude in me, but even though I made it to the end, I don't feel the need to go farther.  I've read books in the past where evil is conquered, but this was too dark for me.

The Sea Before Us (Sunrise at Normandy #1) - Sarah Sundin

This is the first book in a new series about three brothers: one in the Navy, one in the Army Air Corp and one a Ranger.  This first book is about Wyatt, who is part of the Navy.

Dorothy is part of the Women’s Royal Naval Service, helping prepare for D-day.  Her childhood crush walks back into her life, and she’s determined to be the woman she knows he wants.  Even though she’ll have to change just about everything about herself to be that person, she’s determined to do what it takes to win his affections.

Wyatt is an American on the run, from his past and his mistakes.  After a tragic accident, he disappeared from his family’s life and took his brother’s college money with him.  Feeling like he’ll never be forgiven, he throws himself into his work.  When he meets Dorothy, she convinces him that he should reach out to his family.

Both characters are dealing with home troubles.  Wyatt refuses to contact his family until he’s collected enough money to repay his brother, and Dorothy is worried about her father, even though the man doesn’t seem to notice, or appreciate, her presence.  Wyatt is truthful about his past and becomes a friend to Dorothy and her father, but Wyatt is attracted to her.  Unfortunately, she’s only got eyes for that childhood crush.

As usual, Sundin seamlessly adds well-researched details to an engaging story.  I read this in two days, it was so enjoyable.  And I have to say, I always love when there’s a shout out to the B-26 Marauder.  My grandfather flew one of those, and it seems to be an overlooked aircraft in most WWII novels I read.

On the horizon (literally), Adler’s story will be told in The Sky Above Us in 2019.  Then, Clay’s follows in The Land Beneath Us in 2020.  I can’t wait!  Great Book!

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

Keturah (Sugar Baron's Daughters #1) - Lisa T. Bergren

Keturah is a broken woman.  After her failed marriage to her abusive husband, she’s vowed never to be under the control of a man ever again.  She’s decided to travel from England to Nevis to turn around the family’s sugar cane plantation.  Her two sisters make the decision to travel with her, and they leave their old lives behind.

Once they arrive at Nevis, things are much harder than Ket anticipated.  She’s been offered help from her childhood friend, Gray, but she’s reluctant to let any man have any control in her life.  She’s also made an unexpected discovery at the plantation, and she doesn’t have enough slaves or even a foreman.

This book was a bit of a roller coaster for me.  It’s definitely a journey of healing for Keturah, but there’s some hard moments in there.  The treatment of the slaves and abuse of them, while accurate to the time period, are hard to read.  Also, there’s recollections of the abuse Ketrah suffered at the hands of her husband and some of the things the sisters have to deal with as females trying to run their own plantation can be troubling.  There’s beatings and attempted rape.  Just something to be aware of if those things bother you.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, but I had a problem with the pacing.  For the first third of the book, I was reading about Keturah’s journey on board the ship.  It just seemed like she’d never get off the ship.  The thing that redeems it for me is the characters.  I want to find out what happens to Verity and Selah, Keturah’s sisters.  I want to read more of this family and look forward to the next book.  Good Book!

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

The View from Rainshadow Bay (Lavender Tides #1) - Colleen Coble

This is the first in a new series.

Shauna lost her husband a year ago and is trying to put her life back together.  She wants nothing to do with Zach, the man she blames for her husband’s death.  Her young son needs a father figure for an upcoming nature hike, and as much as she hates the idea, she breaks down and asks Zach for help.

Zach lives with the guilt of what he’s done, but he’s also had to grieve alone.  When Shauna asks him for help, he readily agrees, hoping it will lead to a renewal of their friendship.  After a mutual friend is murdered, Zach fears for Shauna’s safety and asks her to move in with him for safety.  As the danger increases, Zach fears he won’t be able to keep Shauna and her son safe.

This was a good book, with plenty of little twists and turns in there.  I liked the characters, and the story line was interesting.  I didn’t enjoy it as much as some of Coble’s other works that I’ve read recently, but I can’t quite pinpoint why.  I was able to put this one down and I wasn’t anxious to get back to it.  Don’t get me wrong, I liked it a lot, it just wasn’t 5 stars to me.

I have a feeling the rest of the series may have something to do with Shauna’s long-lost siblings.  If it doesn’t, it will be somewhat disappointing, since I’m curious to know what happened to them.  I look forward to the next one.  Good Book!

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

Keep the Home Fires Burning: The Complete Novel - S. Block

If you've watched the show Home Fires, the cliffhanger of season 2 coupled with the cancellation of the series probably frustrated you.  I know it did that to me.  When I heard the creator of the series planned to keep going, I was intrigued.  The thought was, if books can turn into shows, why can't it go the other way around?  I promised myself I would read this, if only to find out what happened after the Spitfire hit the village.

This book has all four short stories in it (around 100 pages each) that make up the first installment of the continuing story of the women of Great Paxford.  The stories can each be bought separately and are called: Spitfire Down!, A Woman's Work, Strangers Among Us, and A Soldier Returns.

The writing style is what I expected of someone used to dealing with actors and scripts.  The point of view will switch from one person to another and back again without warning or transition.  In the beginning, I think I was just so glad to find out what happened, I didn't care.  After that, I seemed to get used to it.

I think a lot of my enjoyment of this book hinged on the fact that I already loved the characters.  Later in the book, I was getting a little disappointed that I didn't get more Steph, Sarah and Claire.  There was way more of Pat and Teresa than I was expecting (and they were repetitive) , and after a while I skimmed/skipped their chapters.  The other two that seemed to get the most exposure were Erica and Frances.  Overall, I liked Erica's story line the best.

Something to be aware of - there's a bit of language and a few sexual descriptions.  Nothing graphic, but more detail than I wanted.  Personal preference.

Unfortunately, there's also a bit of the cliffhanger at the end of the book, but there's another book planned for October 2018.  For myself, I enjoyed finding out what happened and wish more cancelled shows were able to pull this off (I'm talking to you, Mercy Street!).  Thinking over the book as a whole, I would've been satisfied had I read Spitfire Down! and stopped after that.

*The cover here is different from the one I have.  Not sure why...