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My ReviewTracie Peterson was one of the first Christian Fiction authors I ever read, and I have enjoyed reading most of her books since. And I must say that with Beloved Hope, the second in her “Heart of the Frontier” series, Ms. Peterson has written another great book. It centers on Hope, a survivor of the Whitman Massacre, who is struggling to overcome what happened to her there when she’s asked to testify against her Indian attackers at their trial. She harbors anger and a desire for revenge toward them for what they did to her and the others. Hope is a great character. She’s determined to put it all behind her but she can’t, not even once the trial is completed. Hope struggles with leaning on God in the wake of this traumatic event and it is something that I deeply empathize with. I also appreciated that none of the secondary characters, especially Hope’s two sisters, felt her feelings were necessarily wrong in and of themselves. They worried about the damage to Hope herself with her inability to move on from the tragedy by keeping a hold on those feelings. Lance is the other main character, and he’s also a good character, though his development isn’t quite as noticeable as Hope’s is. He’s a soldier at the beginning of the book, tasked with making sure the Indians on trial for the massacre are kept safe during it. He and Hope develop a friendship that eventually blossoms into love. Lance’s main struggle is trying to forgive the man who engaged in a duel with his brother, and to learn to lean on God. The journeys that Hope and Lance take throughout the book are thought provoking and believable. The secondary characters, especially Hope’s sisters, Mercy and Grace, are excellently drawn. None of them feels as if they are a mere plot point. Grace is the heroine of the first book, and Mercy the heroine of the next one. I am definitely picking up both stories. Though they are a series, each book works perfectly well as a standalone. Ms. Peterson always does an excellent job of setting the scene, and this one is no exception. You can definitely see Oregon City through the eyes of the characters. I give this book 4/5 stars and recommend it to lovers of Christian Historical Romance who appreciate tough topics being handled deftly. There is one part of Lance’s forgiveness story that feels contrived, but it doesn’t distract from the overall themes and didn’t lessen my enjoyment of the story. **I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, Bethany House. All opinions are my own.** About the Author
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When Permilia overhears a threat against the estimable Mr. Rutherford, she’s determined to find and warn the man. Disgruntled at a first meeting that goes quite poorly and results in Asher not believing her, she decides to take matters into her own hands, never realizing she’ll end up at risk as well. As Asher and Permilia are forced to work together and spend time away from the spotlight of society, perhaps there’s more going on behind the scenes than they ever could have anticipated. . . . My ReviewI rarely read books set during the Gilded Age, so I was excited to try Behind the Scenes, the new release by Jen Turano. The back cover sounded like something I would enjoy and Ms. Turano is an author I have never read before. And I am disappointed that I did not enjoy this book, though some parts of it worked for me. The romance is very low-key but enjoyable. You can see the characters beginning to respect and like each other and it is believable when they fall in love. I can see this couple making it after the end of the book and I don’t always see the couple that way at the end of a romance! The characters are done well, as both Permilia and Asher are fully realized and have believable positive traits and flaws. Asher is a little more relatable to me because I understand his desire to change after the realization he had become someone he didn’t want to be. Permilia is a little too outlandish for me. Every time she would commit a societal faux pas or insert her way into the action in a way that was often unsafe and over the top, I became embarrassed for her! The back cover makes it seem like the mystery of who is trying to kill Asher is a big part of the book, but it feels as if that plot thread goes away in the later portion of the book until the reveal. The mystery was convoluted though I was genuinely surprised by who was trying to kill Asher. I’m rarely surprised by a book’s outcome so that was nice! The characters’ faith felt like an afterthought and I would’ve appreciated more of it. There are a few scenes where the characters talk about learning God’s plan for their life but I just didn’t feel as if the characters truly lived their faith. The book itself felt light and frothy (even with a murder plot) and I enjoy my stories a little darker and more serious, so I did not enjoy the tone of the book. I’m not sure I would read any of Ms. Turano’s work in the future, simply because of the style. I give this book 2/5 stars. The characters are nice, the setting is unusual and imagined well, but I just can’t recommend it as I do not appreciate this specific type of humor and found Ms. Turano’s writing extremely wordy—the ball where Permilia finds out about the murder plot takes over half the book! People who enjoy light and frothy romances and do not have an issue with over the top humor and extremely talkative characters will enjoy this book more than I did. **I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through CelebrateLit. All opinions are my own.** About the Author
Interview with Jen TuranoWhat is the funniest thing that has ever happened to you personally? Amusing things happen to me all the time, but I think my favorite was back in college when I was a lifeguard. You see, there’s a lifeguard code – You will be cool at all times, especially when you’re sitting in a lifeguard chair, twirling your whistle exactly so, and, you know…looking cool. So, there I was, in my black lifeguard bathing suit – swinging my whistle. It was an unusually hot day, so I’d angled my umbrella exactly right as I watched the diving-board section. Now, I know this might come as a surprise, but being a lifeguard at the neighborhood pool isn’t exactly thrilling. It’s rare that anything exciting happens, and that particular day was no exception…until a large gust of wind came out of nowhere and the umbrella took it upon itself to close – right over me. And because it was now really gusty, the umbrella then lifted up, taking me with it right off the chair and into the depths of the deep end of the pool. From all accounts, it was quite the sight. First, there I was, swinging my whistle and looking groovy. Then all you could see were my legs flailing about as the umbrella covered the rest of me, and then…I was plummeting toward the pool, hit the water with the umbrella over me, and promptly sank. Obviously I managed to get out of the umbrella, but in the process, part of my bathing suit came off, and…well, that’s a story for another day. What is your favorite book from your childhood? “Andrew Henry’s Meadow.” It was actually my little brother’s book, gotten from one of those book of the month clubs, but I loved it. I recently found a copy on an e-site and ordered it, and it’s just as delightful today as it was back in my childhood. Who does the cooking and cleaning in your house when you are on a deadline? I don’t actually cook much even when I’m not on deadline, so that’s not really an issue. Al and I do a lot of salads or throw some chicken on the grill. We also have a lot of grocery stores that have wonderful deli and gourmet foods, so we get a lot of things there. As for cleaning, I’m one of those neurotic people who can’t work without everything being in place, so I do a lot of tidying up before I go to bed. And, because I do some of my best thinking when I clean, I’ve been known to abandon my writing when I get stuck and pick up a mop or cleaning rag, which means my house is rarely a disaster since I need to get unstuck a lot. Where is your favorite place to write? I do the majority of my writing in my office, although I will occasionally take a pad of paper and a pen outside to handwrite when I get bored of my office or it’s a really nice day and I don’t feel like being trapped inside. It’s not that my office is my favorite place to write, it’s more that my writing is my job and I’m more focused on that writing when I approach it as such. What is your favorite part of the writing process? I really like when characters and new story ideas begin to fester. That normally happens when I’m in the midst of another series. By the time I’m done with whatever series I’m working on, the next series is pretty firmly set in my mind, which means I can jump right in as I wait for edits on recently completed work. My absolute favorite part of writing, though, is when I turn in the very final edit on a book and don’t see it again until it comes out in print. Although, I must admit, I’ve never, not once, read one of my books after it has gone to print. Seems rather pointless since I do always know how the book is going to end. Why did you choose the timeframe or setting this book is written in? I’ve been wanting to set a book during Alva Vanderbilt’s famous costume ball of March, 1883, for years. Since I decided to slowly travel through the Gilded Age, I just reached 1883 on my plot timeline, so knew I was finally going to get to throw some characters into the very midst of Alva’s ball. It was a blast to write, loved going back to all my books on this particular ball and seeing the pictures, and only wish the Vanderbilt house at 660 Fifth Avenue was still standing so I could visit it in person to visualize the splendors located inside a little more clearly. What inspires you? I think like most writers, I simply get inspired by the world around me. I love to people watch, and I love to imagine all sorts of outlandish scenarios as I do that watching. I also get inspired by reading the headlines of the daily papers, and by the research books I read. I also love to look through old photographs of the Gilded Age, and became intrigued with Alva Vanderbilt’s ball when I saw a picture of a young lady, Miss Kate Strong, with a stuffed cat on her head and wearing a choker necklace with the name Puss engraved on it. That was all it took for me to investigate the Vanderbilt ball further, delighted to discover it truly was a ball that only comes along every blue moon. Blog StopsApril 27: Reading Is My SuperPower April 27: The Scribbler April 27: Genesis 5020 April 27: These Splendid Sentences April 28: Back Porch Reads April 28: Smiling Book Reviews April 28: Fiction, Faith, and Fun April 28: Just the Write Escape April 29: Bookworm Mama April 29: Book Reviews From an Avid Reader April 29: Books. Books. AND More Books. April 29: Karen Sue Hadley April 30: Lighthouse Academy April 30: Radiant Light April 30: Bigreadersite April 30: Lane Hill House May 1: Faithfully Bookish May 1: Counting Pinecones May 1: Blogging With Carol May 1: Moments Dipped in Ink May 2: inklings and notions May 2: Blossoms and Blessings May 2: Book Bites, Bee Stings, and Butterfly Kisses May 2: Neverending Stories May 3: For The Love of Books May 3: Singing Librarian Books May 3: Book by Book May 3: Pause for Tales May 4: A Baker’s Perspective May 4: Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner May 4: cherylbbookblog May 4: Rachel Scott McDaniel May 5: With a Joyful Noise May 5: Baker Kella May 5: A Reader’s Brain May 5: Southern Gal Loves to Read May 6: A Greater Yes May 6: Christian Bookaholic May 6: Connie’s History Classroom May 6: Splashes of Joy May 6: Just Commonly May 7: A Simple Life, really?! May 7: D’S QUILTS & BOOKS May 7: Daysong Reflections May 7: The Power of Words May 8: Ashley’s Bookshelf May 8: Eat, Read,Teach, Blog May 8: Giveaway Lady May 8: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations May 9: Bibliophile Reviews May 9: History, Mystery & Faith May 9: I Hope You Dance May 9: Simpleharvestreads May 10: His Grace is Sufficient May 10: History, Hope, Laughter & Happily-ever-after May 10: Raining Butterfly Kisses May 10: Reader’s Cozy Corner GiveawayTo celebrate her tour, Jen is giving away a $25 Barnes and Noble Gift Card and the four books: After a Fashion, In Good Company, Playing the Part, Behind the Scenes!! Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!
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Ryan thinks he may have finally found a solution to his impossible situation, but he needs Jenny's help. While her loyalty to her country compels her to agree, she was too badly hurt to fall for Ryan again despite his determination to win her back. When an unknown threat from Ryan's past puts everything at risk--including his life--can they overcome the seemingly insurmountable odds stacked against them in time? My ReviewI have never read any of Ms. Camden’s previous books. And based on reading To the Farthest Shores, I am not sure I will attempt another one. I wanted to love this book. It’s written well (Ms. Camden has a lovely prose style), full of excellent details and research, and the characters had both attributes and flaws. In the end, though, I just couldn’t relate to the characters or connect with them in any way, and so the book fell flat for me. The setting, just after the Spanish-American War in the early 1900s, is one rarely seen in historical romance, and featured Jenny Bennett, a nurse heroine from a rough upbringing, and Lieutenant Ryan Gallagher, whose service to his country includes dangerous and secret missions. I liked Jenny well enough, though only at some parts in the story. Though she’s “respectable” at the beginning of the story as a hard-working nurse, her backstory as a child growing up in rough conditions made it seem as if the respectableness was a veneer. I didn’t truly believe she changed as much as Jenny thought she did, and she had issues that I did not feel were resolved satisfactorily. Ryan is calm. Seriously, he’s so calm I wanted to shake him to make sure he was still alive. And because he is also fairly unobservant (which I found hard to believe as he’s done undercover work in the past), it makes him appear dumber than he is. He’s a perfectly capable character, especially when he’s talking about oysters, but other than that there wasn’t much emotion from him. I also think it suffered that the majority of the story was told from Jenny’s point of view. Because she was so untrusting I kept wanting to yell at her that she needed to listen to what the other characters were telling her. Ryan was trying to protect her and so he avoided telling her things about his past, which made her lack of trust worse. Lack of communication is a big issue for me in romance and these two hardly talk about anything deep or important. I know at that time in history, promises to be married were rarely broken and considered nearly as sacred as marriage itself, but I did not interpret Ryan being with, marrying Akira, and having a child with her as “infidelity” and each time Jenny referred to it as such I was thrown a little out of the story. It was definitely a part of what they needed to discuss and work through, but I do not believe I would classify it as such because they weren’t married or even together when those events happened. I loved the descriptions of oyster farming and the story itself was excellently researched. Unfortunately, my inability to connect or relate to the characters, along with the lack of communication between them, means this is a story that I cannot recommend for romance fans. Lovers of oysters and pearls will enjoy the details Ms. Camden provides. I give it 2/5 stars for the lovely prose, excellent historical detail, the beautifully detailed setting, and the unusual timeframe. **I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House, the publisher. All opinions are my own.** About the Author
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My ReviewAn Uncommon Courtship is the first book I've read by Kristi Ann Hunter, and it definitely won't be the last. And I will be buying the rest of the Hawthorne House series. Marriage of conveniences are one of my favorite tropes in fiction, and I especially love them when the characters don’t know each other well. Trent and Adelaide are thrown into marriage after spending a completely innocent night stuck in a crumbling ruin. Adelaide is a great character. Due to an upbringing where she is ignored unless her sister needs something, and an overbearing social climber mother, she is very reserved and doesn’t always know how to express her needs or wants. Watching her break out of this shell and become more assertive and aware of her needs is one of my favorite parts of the book. I adore Adelaide. Trent is also a great character. He is honorable in marrying Adelaide to prevent her reputation from being destroyed, and his relationship with his brother is one of my favorite aspects of the book, though it didn’t overshadow the romance. When he realizes he may have feelings for her and how uncertain Adelaide feels in her new life as his wife, he decides to court her to win her affection. Ms. Hunter is a very capable writer. The setting is so detailed I could picture every scene perfectly and it’s excellently researched. A pet peeve of mine is when titled characters aren’t addressed correctly, so I was glad to see it done perfectly in this book! The secondary characters are also well-done and aren’t merely there to move the plot along. This book is part of a series but can stand alone. I do, however, recommend you read the rest of the series simply because I think this author has written an amazing story and I hope the others are just as good. I can’t wait to read the rest of them. I give this book 5/5 stars and recommend it to readers who enjoy a sweet romance with rich historical detail, main characters who live their faith, and excellent secondary characters. **I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, Bethany House. All opinions are my own.** About the Author
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Sherriff Clay Dalton is grimly fighting several battles of his own as he stays on at the Albright farm to work off his debt to the family that has saved his life and taken him in. He is torn between his past commitments in the South and his unlikely present among this quiet Quaker community in the North. Almost against his will, he begins to ponder the impossible idea of a future with Rebecca.… When tensions between North and South escalate, Rebecca and Clay find themselves propelled on a journey to discover just who God has called them to be, and they soon realize that each holds a key to the other’s answer. My ReviewI do not know much about the Quakers or the time where this story takes place. I mostly read Regency historical romance so it was exciting to read a book taking place in a different time. Summer on Sunset Ridge is set in the mid-1850s in Pennsylvania. Summer on Sunset Ridge is the first book I’ve read by Sharlene MacLaren, and I’m happy to say it won’t be my last. Her characters drew me straight into the book, and the lovely descriptions of setting and everyday life among the Quakers is interesting while also informative. Rebecca is the heroine, and she’s wonderful. At twenty-one, she’s technically an adult, though unmarried and still living at home. Rebecca is kind and helpful, and she also feels God calling her to help with the Underground Railroad, which her father already does. Rebecca’s struggles with honoring her parents as she is torn between duty and a growing love for the hero, Clay, and unsure of how to know which of her own dreams and thoughts are part of God’s plan. Clay, the hero, is a sheriff who loses his memory during a scuffle trying to catch an escaped slave. He stays with Rebecca’s family while he recuperates, and begins to fall in love with Rebecca. Clay’s a great hero and a wonderful complement to Rebecca. Because of his amnesia, he is unsure of who or what he is and so becomes uncertain of the path he’d been following before. Watching him realize his previous life held little appeal is an encouraging journey for all of us who struggle with what we’ve done in our pasts. Ms. MacLaren has researched thoroughly and I was fully immersed in the setting and lives of these characters. All of the characters are people with concerns and desires of their own, but the focus doesn’t waver from Clay and Rebecca’s story. Each of the other characters complement the story without being cardboard. I enjoyed reading about the Quakers, a group I have never studied before. I recommend this book to anyone who appreciates a pre-Civil War romance with excellently researched historical detail, compelling characters who drive the story rather than the story driving them, and give the book 4/5 stars. **I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through CelebrateLit. All opinions are my own.** About the Author
Her novels include the contemporary romances Through Every Storm, Long Journey Home, and Tender Vow; the beloved Little Hickman Creek series (Loving Liza Jane, Sarah, My Beloved, Courting Emma, and Christmas Comes to Little Hickman Creek, a novella), and three historic romance trilogies: The Daughters of Jacob Kane (Hannah Grace, Maggie Rose, and Abbie Ann); River of Hope (Livvie’s Song, Ellie’s Haven, and Sofia’s Secret); Tennessee Dreams: Heart of Mercy, Threads of Joy, and Gift of Grace. Blog StopsJanuary 19: Reading Is My SuperPower January 19: Giveaway Lady January 19: A Reader’s Brain January 20: Books. Books. And More Books. January 20: The Power of Words January 21: Bigreadersite January 21: just the write escape January 22: Moments Dipped in Ink January 22: For The Love of Books January 23: Book Bites, Bee Stings, and Butterfly Kisses January 23: Genesis 5020 January 24: Pause for Tales January 24: His Grace is Sufficient January 25: Book by Book January 25: A Simple Life, really?! January 26: A Greater Yes January 26: Connie’s History Classroom January 26: A Baker’s Perspective January 27: Christian Author: A.M. Heath January 27: Splashes of Joy January 28: D’S QUILTS & BOOKS January 28: Christian Bookaholic January 28: History, Mystery & Faith January 29: Stuff & Nonsense January 29: Bibliophile Reviews January 30: cherylbbookblog January 30: Daysong Reflections January 31: Blossoms and Blessings January 31: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations February 1: Reader’s cozy corner February 1: Rhonda’s Doings GiveawayTo celebrate Sharlene’s tour, Whitaker House is giving away:
Grand Prize Brown and tan fashion purse with cross, multiple interior and exterior pockets and Five Sharlene MacLaren titles: Summer on Sunset Ridge (Forever Freedom #1); Heart of Mercy (Tennessee Dreams #1); Livvie’s Song (River of Hope #1); Hannah Grace (Daughters of Jacob Kane #1); Loving Liza Jane (Little Hickman Creek #1) Second Prize “Keepers of the Light” Orange/Cinnamon/Clove candle from www.acheerfulgiver.com and Summer on Sunset Ridge Third Prize Summer on Sunset Ridge Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post to earn 9 extra entries in the giveaway! https://promosimple.com/ps/af21 Click here to purchase your copy. About the Book
Abbie tends the wounded stranger in her home only to realize he assumes they’re married. Although she knows she needs to correct Nathaniel’s mistake, his presence calms Gramps and provides a way to prevent eviction from the lighthouse. The longer the charade continues, the harder it gets for Abbie to tell Nathaniel the truth, more so as she begins to fall in love. Everyone she’s ever loved has abandoned her. Will Nathaniel leave her too, once he discovers he’s not really her husband? My ReviewMistaken identity and amnesia stories can be tough to read, though I do enjoy them. It is imperative that the reveal of the true identity is handled correctly and that the character who recovers from the amnesia receives time to process it. For me, how it is handled can break my enjoyment of a book. And Jody Hedlund handles it wonderfully in Never Forget. I won’t spoil when or where it happens, but both the hero and heroine are given appropriate reactions and time to come to terms with it. Never Forget is the story of Abbie and Nathaniel, both wounded souls, though in two very different ways. Abbie is struggling to keep her home on the island as lighthouse keeper as she worries what will happen to her Grandfather, who has a form of dementia, if they are forced to leave. She has a husband who’s gone missing and is trying to run the lighthouse herself. She is also working through feelings of abandonment over her mother and husband, and wondering why people she loves won’t stay for her. Abbie is a great character. She is busy and so her time with God and her faith have become almost an afterthought in her daily routine. She also feels guilty she’s lying to Nathaniel about the fact they aren’t husband and wife. Abbie’s growth from beginning to end is a logical progression of the events in the story. Nathaniel is a wealthy young man who drinks and sleeps with women. It doesn’t actually happen in the book (it is only mentioned) but if you don’t like that in your heroes you may not like this part of Nathaniel’s character. He is in a yacht accident and loses his memory, and through a series of circumstances thinks he is Abbie’s husband Nate. It’s obvious once he becomes “Nate” that he actually is a good person, as he helps Abbie and her grandfather around the island and with the lighthouse, but he knows he wasn’t a good person before his accident. It’s absolutely wonderful how Nathaniel grows in this story into the person he’s supposed to be instead of burying grief and anger through his prior actions. The setting is fantastic. It is so well drawn that the bay where the lighthouse stands almost becomes its own character. Abbie’s love for the lighthouse, the area, and the water shines through so clearly. The secondary characters, including Abbie’s sister and brother-in-law and Nathaniel’s mother and brother, do not appear much in the story but create impact through their own actions. I’ve never read any books my Ms. Hedlund, but I will be buying her other books. I truly enjoyed this one and it will be going on my keeper shelf. I give this book 5/5 stars and recommend it to people who like Christian Historical Romance, lighthouses, water, and stories of redemption over guilt and grief. **I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through CelebrateLit. All opinions are my own.** About the Author
Guest Post From Jody HedlundWhich Do You Prefer: Series or Standalones? By Jody Hedlund Readers usually have strong opinions about whether they like series or standalones. Some readers refuse to read books that are inter-related. Others can’t get enough books about their favorite characters. I see the pros and cons of both. For series, I don’t like feeling lost as I try to wade through previous characters along with their backstory. I recently started a series by a well-known author and was disappointed to realize the first book was connected to a previous series she’d already published. From the get-go, I felt left out as though I didn’t quite know who all the characters were or their significance. On the other hand, for standalones, I sometimes feel as though I would like the story to continue. I’ve invested in the setting and characters and so enjoy when I can return to that place and continue to glimpse the characters I’ve fallen in love with—even if from a distance. My favorites are books that fall in the middle between standalone and series. I like to think of them as standalones within a series. Becky Wade’s Porter brother series is like that. Each of the books centers around one of the brothers (and a tomboy sister). While characters from other books make an appearance in the stories, each plot is separate and complete without any reliance upon another book. My Beacons of Hope lighthouse series falls in the middle too. The books are related in that they all take place at lighthouses and share a symbolic “cross of hope” that is passed on from one book to the next. A minor character in a previous book becomes the hero or heroine in the next book. But each book can be read by itself without having read any of the others. In other words, readers can pick up my newest release, Never Forget, which is the fifth and final book in the series, and they wouldn’t be confused about who the characters are or what their history is. The plot starts with a bang and ends with a satisfying sigh. It is complete story unto itself. And yet, for those who’ve read other books in the series, they’ll get to see the happily-ever-after of a character from a previous book. And they’ll also get to find out where the cross of hope finally ends. If you’re not a fan of series, I encourage you to give the Beacons of Hope series a try. It might satisfy the need for standalones and series all in one neat little package. To that end, I’m giving away all FIVE books in the series as part of the Celebrate Lit blog tour to one lucky winner! Tell us: What is your preference: Standalones, Series, or Standalones within a Series? Blog StopsJanuary 10: Reading Is My SuperPower January 10: Karen Sue Hadley January 10: Bookworm Mama January 11: Faithfully Bookish January 11: Inklings and Notions January 11: Blossoms and Blessings January 12: Smiling Book Reviews January 12: Genesis 5020 January 12: Christian Chick’s Thoughts January 13: God’s Little Bookworm January 13: The Scribbler January 13: Bibliophile Reviews January 14: Daysong Reflections January 14: Blogging With Carol January 14: Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner January 15: Moments Dipped in Ink January 15: Books. Books. And More Books. January 16: A Greater Yes January 16: Bigreadersite January 17: Connie’s History Classroom January 17: D’S QUILTS & BOOKS January 18: Book by Book January 18: Jeanette’s Thoughts January 19: Carpe Diem January 19: A Bakers Perspective January 19: Splashes of Joy January 20: Christian Bookaholic January 20: Stuff and Nonsense January 20: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations January 21: Radiant Light January 21: cherylbbookblog January 21: His Grace is Sufficient January 22: Neverending Stories January 22: A Path of Joy January 23: History, Hope, Laughter & Happily-ever-after January 23: Henry Happens January 23: Onceuponatime GiveawayTo celebrate her tour, Jody is giving away the entire Beacons of Hope series. Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/ad6d
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Sheriff Rex Truett doesn’t trust Ruby and doesn’t care who knows it. The keeper of Fairplay’s law and order makes it his business to find out why a stranger—especially a beautiful, rich, female stranger—would set up businesses, donate to schools, hire workmen to rebuild houses, and provide access to the best medical care. But when a cholera epidemic sweeps through the city, he is forced to reconsider. Will Ruby have the courage to tell Rex her family secret? And will love or justice win in Rex’s heart? My ReviewI first read a Loree Lough book in my late teens or early twenties, when I was subscribed to Barbour’s Heartsong Presents line. I still have one of them, The Wedding Wish, on my shelf, in fact. So I was excited to read Healing of the Heart, one of her more recent releases. And while I enjoyed it, there were a few decisions regarding the resolution of the story and the characters’ actions that made me unable to give this book as a high a grade as I wanted to. I want to be clear that I am recommending Healing of the Heart to those who like Christian historical romance despite a few personal nitpicks! Healing of the Heart is centered on Ruby McCoy, whose father is a bank robber who is hanged early in the book. She spends the next few years spending all the money he left her and her mother in the towns he robbed, in order to assuage her guilt over her father’s actions. She has now come to Fairplay, Colorado, which is to be their last stop before she can move on with her life. The hero is Sherriff Rex Truett, and he is a good hero. He’s smart, and initially has suspicions about Ruby and her mother because of their frequent traveling and ability to pay cash for a huge mansion in Fairplay. But eventually he realizes that behind Ruby’s money is a genuinely good heart and he begins to fall for her. This is one of my problems with the book. Ruby is spending her father’s money to help people and while she thinks it’s to help others who have been hurt by her father, it’s actually because she’s a good person. Ruby, when the entire town and your family is telling you you’re a good person, listen to them! She spends a large majority of the book ignoring that her actions are motivated by her good heart, not guilt. It may have started as guilt, but years later it is because she genuinely enjoys helping people. And her insistence that she’s not good enough for Rex (because of her father’s career and what her father did to his), is one of my biggest pet peeves in fiction. Ruby was a little too self-sacrificing in my opinion. Rex was a little too perfect and I felt he forgave two big secrets more easily than I expected for how he’d been presented as a character in the majority of the book. The romance had plenty of conflict between the hero and heroine so I felt the outer conflict of the cholera epidemic was a little tacked-on to try to make the story more exciting but I do not feel it was necessary. The story was interesting and enjoyable without it. The city of Fairplay feels like a real place, with the setting excellently drawn and doesn’t merely serve as a backdrop for the action. The secondary characters are not simply there to prop up the main characters but all have motivations and desires of their own. I especially love Silas, who is Ruby’s “scout” and has become a part of the family. I give this book 4/5 stars for the excellent writing, the detailed setting, the secondary characters who are not merely caricatures or cardboard, and the message of who is responsible for someone else’s sin. I took away one star for the lateness of the reveal between Ruby and Rex about what her father did to his and for how I disliked a few major aspects of both the hero and heroine. If a quick resolution or the characteristics mentioned above as part of Ruby and Rex do not bother you, you will enjoy the ending of this book more than I did. Healing of the Heart is the third book in a series but they are all standalones. I will most likely try more books in this series and others available by Ms. Lough. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a romance that has a wonderful message about guilt and family, great secondary characters, and an excellent setting. **I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through CelebrateLit. All opinions are my own.** About the Author
Blog StopsNovember 22: Bibliophile Reviews November 22: Jeanette’s Thoughts November 23: Neverending Stories November 23: Lane Hill House November 24: Reviewing Novels Online November 24: Christian Bookaholic November 25: Christian Author: A.M. Heath November 25: Redeemed Hope Dweller November 26: A Simple Life, really?! November 26: Moments Dipped in Ink November 27: inklings and notions November 27: Splashes of Joy November 28: Ashley’s Bookshelf November 28: Daysong Reflections November 29: Black ‘n Gold Girl’s Book Spot November 29: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations November 30: Bigreadersite November 30: Singing Librarian Books December 1: Pause for Tales December 1: Smiling Book Reviews December 2: A Greater Yes December 2: Genesis 5020 December 3: Reader’s cozy corner December 4: Book Bites, Bee Stings, and Butterfly Kisses December 4: Karen Sue Hadley December 5: A Baker’s Perspective December 5: Rhonda’s Doings GiveawayIn honor of her tour, Loree is giving away her books: Secrets on Sterling Street series, Prevailing Love (3 in 1), Pricilla Hires a Husband, Lone Wolf, and Emma’s Orphans, a KJVER Study Bible, and an Abba pillar candle in a wicker basket! Click the link below to enter; be sure to comment on this post to claim your nine bonus entries for this giveaway! https://promosimple.com/ps/a81c
This is one of my favorite historical romances ever. I read, on average, 75-100 books a year and I've been reading historical romance for almost twenty years, and this one has remained near the top of my list. It’s the book I give to friends who are interested in reading historical romances.
First off, I adore the hero, Kit. He is my favorite type—a “happy-go-lucky” façade covering deep emotional hurt. Kit is charming, yes, but he is also deeply scarred from his time as a soldier and his guilt over his brother’s death (no spoilers about what happened between them, as it’s an important part of Kit’s story in the books). I spent four years in the US Army and deployed to Iraq. Kit has a quote near the end of the book that perfectly encapsulates my own feelings about what happens after war and it remains one of my favorite pieces of dialogue. I’m not going to quote it below as it’s rather long and I think a bit of a spoiler regarding Kit’s actions for much of the book, but it occurs near the end. It took me a little longer to warm up to Lauren, but once I did, she is perfectly wonderful character as well. She had an embarrassing encounter in the previous book in front of the entire ton (her fiancé’s presumed dead wife shows up on the wedding day) and she is scared that she will never find love. Her composure after these events plays nicely off Kit’s charm and humor. Of course, Lauren’s humor and “fun” side of her personality is exposed as she spends more time with Kit and his family, who are at odds with each other. The premise of the book is that Kit and Lauren agree to pretend to be engaged for the benefit of both of both. Kit’s parents are trying to arrange a marriage for him with Freyja Bedwyn, a next-door neighbor who he previously engaged in a relationship with even though she was promised to his (now dead) brother. Lauren wants to escape society and live a quiet life, and having two failed engagements will make her scandalously unmarriageable and she’ll retire to a country cottage. Watching the relationship turn into friends and then as they fall in love is a delight. They complement each other perfectly and I fully believe the feelings between them. Kit falls for her quickly and it takes Lauren longer but the resolution between them is wonderful. Lauren is also an integral reason why Kit and his family begin to repair what had fractured with his brother’s death and his younger brother’s injuries from war. I would recommend this story to anyone who wants a quiet, character-driven romance with a few surprises as the couple fall in love. The amount of outer conflict is minimal (though there are some attempts by other people to break the engagement) and this is a story that features real internal conflict for both of our main characters. But it never seemed to drag despite all the introspection, and in fact, that is one of the reasons I enjoy this book and this author. Mary Balogh is one of my favorite authors and she is one of the few I automatically buy new releases for. I haven’t liked everything she has written but I believe this is one of her best and give this book 5/5 stars. |
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August 2022
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