REVIEW: One of the many blessings in my life is reviewing for some of the best authors around. One of those is Steven Manchester. His new book releasing September 14 is Dad: A Novel. I can’t wait for you to read it! His book The Menu and Dad: A Novel are among some of my very favorite books. 

This book brought me to tears. It dealt with three generations of men from the same family. The oldest man, his son and his grandson and what it means to be a father. Each of these men were in different seasons of their lives. I liked how the grandfather spoke of life being made up of the little moments. Our days are numbered, live life to the fullest and be present.

I love how Steven deals with life, death and our faith in God. He always reminds me of how much my faith means to me and the part it plays in my life. This book also spoke to me about the important men in my life and how they’ve influenced me. I think everyone who reads this book will take something different away from it. It is a very special book and will speak to you no matter what season of life you are in. 

I wouldn’t call this book religious. It is spiritual in nature by describing a life that includes God. It is very moving. I would encourage all my friends to read this book. I would definitely give it more that five stars if I could. There is something unique and inspiring about this story. Try it for yourself and see what I mean.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. 

SYNOPSIS: Three generations of dads, playing traditional roles in each other’s lives, arrive simultaneously at significant crossroads. The decisions they make and the actions they take will directly – and eternally – affect each other.

After a life of hard work and raising children, Robert is enjoying his well-deserved retirement when he discovers that he has an illness he might not be able to beat. At 19, Jonah is sprinting across the threshold of adulthood when he learns, stunningly, that he’s going to become a father. And Oliver – Robert’s son and Jonah’s dad – has entered middle age and is paying its demanding price. While reconciling the time and effort it has taken him to reach an unfulfilling career and an even less satisfying marriage, he realizes that it’s imperative that he keep it all together for the two men who mean everything to him.

When different perspectives lead to misunderstandings that remain unspoken – sometimes for years – it takes great strength and even more love to travel beyond the resentment.

Dad: A Novel chronicles the sacred legacy of fatherhood.

REVIEW: Whoa! I think I may have found a new male author to follow. I usually don’t care for many male authors because let’s face it, most of them don’t know how to write a female character. I read The New Home by Chris Merritt thinking this author was probably female. Nope! This guy knows how to get into the mind of a female character and convincingly put her on paper! 

I really enjoyed this book. Freya is the main character who has a past experience with mental illness. Eight years later she and her boyfriend move to a new town and strange happenings begin. Is her psychiatric problems returning or is it more sinister than that? This book kept me guessing. I couldn’t wait to finish it and see where it was all headed. 

Chris Merritt is new to me and a stand alone Psychological Suspense novel is new to him. I have to say he did a great job pulling it off! There are not a lot of twists, just a gradual climb to the climax. Like I said before, he writes a darn good woman! If you love Suspense and Mysteries, I think you need to give this book a try. I know I’m going to be recommending this book to all my friends. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from #Netgalley/Bookouture. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. 

SYNOPSIS: You never know what’s happening behind closed doors…

Freya loves her new home on a quiet suburban street. And her beautiful neighbour Emily is everything she’s ever wanted in a best friend. Finally, she has somebody to share her secrets with over a glass of wine. But as Freya watches her new friend setting the table for dinner one evening, she sees something shocking that makes her think that Emily’s life might not be as perfect as it seems. Days later, Emily and her daughter vanish…

When you meet Emily’s husband, you will think you know what he’s hiding.

You will ask yourself whether Emily and Freya really did meet by chance.

You will think you know what happened to Emily and her little girl the night they went missing.

But when you discover the truth, it will shake you to your core and you will lie awake at night wondering if you can ever really trust the people in the house next door…

Fans of Claire McGowan, Shalini Boland and Lisa Jewell will love the gripping tension and unexpected twists of The New Home. Once you start reading, you’ll be hooked!

REVIEW:

Susan Schild has received the rights back to Linny’s Sweet Dream List and is re-releasing it on September 15 as Carolina Comforts. It’s the first of a three part series. Can I tell you how much I loved it? Oh my goodness if you haven’t read it yet, like me, you really need to. It’s really something special. 

Susan Schild writes some of my most favorite books. I have several authors that are tops on my list and she is one of them. I don’t even have to know what the book is about to know I want to read it and I haven’t been disappointed yet! 

Carolina Comforts has characters you will fall in love with. The main character Linny is one that many of us women will relate to. She doesn’t have enough faith in herself and doesn’t appreciate how special she is. Her sister has a great marriage but, sees problems rising and takes the bull by the horns and makes some changes. Her mom is a strong woman dealing with her marriage to the girls late father. I love how these women take control and empower themselves. I think there are lessons for us all to learn. 

I can’t wait to read the next two books! Get your name on the pre-order list so you can receive your copy as soon as it releases. I just know you’re going to love this new series. 

I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest review. Thank you! 

SYNOPSIS: Carolina Comforts is a wholesome and sunny Southern novel about charming men, missing money, adventuresome women, sweet dogs, and happily ever afters at any age.

Carolina Comforts (A Second Chance at Love Series Book 1) If you love books by Debbie Macomber, Mary Kay Andrews, or RaeAnn Thayne, you’ll love this small town romance. With older heroines, this sweet and comforting Southern novel will warm your heart.

Thirty-eight-year-old Linny Taylor should have known Buck, a golden boy driving a vintage Caddy, was not good husband material, but she married him anyway. The marriage goes south fast, and Buck steals all her money. Her dreams of a good husband and a happy life dashed, Linny is left to pick up the pieces.

Dottie, Linny’s church lady mama, offers her a rent free trailer on the family farm and though daunted by the run-down condition of the place, Linny is grateful for the reprieve. With her sister and her smart-mouthed best friend rooting for her, she rolls up her sleeves, moves into the fixer upper, and sets to work rebuilding her life from scratch.

Soon, good ole boy veterinarian, Jack Avery, comes into Linny’s life, seeming kind and genuine, but so had her thieving late husband. And then there’s his baggage—an exquisite ex-wife who seems a little too chummy with him and a young son still struggling with his parents’ divorce.

When Neal runs away from home, the entire town launches into action. Linny realizes this quirky small town is full of family and friends and the happy life she dreamed of is right in front of her.
But can Linny learn to trust love again and finally find her happily ever after?

REVIEW: The Grinding Wheel is book number seven in the Jeff Trask Crime Series by Marc Rainer. If you’ve read any of the previous six novels, you should definitely pick up this new addition to the series. You haven’t read any of them yet? Read this one anyway! It is so good! I laughed out loud and I even gasped out loud. Don’t worry about it being number seven because it does very well as a stand alone. Now, I will be on the lookout for the rest of the series. 

Marc Rainer has more than 30 years experience as a government attorney and his expertise shines through. He bases his stories on real-life crimes. The names have been changed (not to ptotect the guilty) and some of the circumstances. You would never know it. His book reads almost like a true crime novel. I don’t read true crime but this book kept me turning the pages until there wasn’t any more. I didn’t lose interest. I was involved with his characters at work and at home. They weren’t just cops and I hated to see the end! 

This book is for anyone who loves true crime, court room procedure or police procedure. Those are not always my favorite genres but, I have to tell you I was practically handcuffed to my tablet. I literally spent my Sunday reading this book. 

Are you still sitting in your chair? What are you waiting for? Go get your copy of this book. Wow, you’re gonna love it! 

SYNOPSIS: Federal prosecutor Jeff Trask is assigned to prosecute WaShaun “Gloomy” Stewart, a street gang leader who has killed five rival gang members by his eighteenth birthday. At the same time, another serial killer—known to the investigators as, “The Butcher”—has begun kidnapping local women, killing them, and leaving their body parts in and around Kansas City.

Working with the Kansas City Police Department’s Career Criminal Unit, a task force made up of both local police officers and federal agents, Trask is surprised as Stewart escapes from custody and the two investigations suddenly merge. When one of the task force’s female detectives is captured and taken by The Butcher, Trask and the CCU investigators must race against time to save her life and end The Butcher’s reign of terror.

Retired federal prosecutor Marc Rainer brings his thirty years of trial and investigative experience into another edition of the Jeff Trask Crime Drama Series, books hailed by attorneys and law enforcement personnel for their realism.

REVIEW: I just had a very different experience with an Amish book by Kathleen Fuller. It was Matched and Married. It was not really what I was expecting. It was still a worthwhile read in my opinion. 

The couple that is the center of the book is not really matched up that I could tell. Maggie told her mother she was going to her aunt’s town to find a husband to get her mother off her back. The man she meets there is Owen. They become fast friends as neither of them feels ready for marriage. 

The author uses a few of Deutch words. Not to many only a few that you can tell what they are by how they are used. I felt like they were an interruption to the flow of the story. I did enjoy hearing a bit about the Amish faith. I used to live in a community with a lot of Amish families. 

I felt the story was a bit slow moving. Since their lifestyle is slower than ours, I might image that could be the reason for the slow pace of the story. This is the second book in the series and I didn’t feel like much ground was covered in the telling of this part of the series. I am interested to go back and read the first book to see how it compares. 

I received a copy of this book from #Netgalley, #Zondervan and #FirstEditions for a fair and honest review. Thank you! 

SYNOPSIS: Neither Margaret nor Owen has any interest in getting married. But in the small Amish town of Birch Creek, where marriage is on everyone’s mind, their plans don’t stand a chance.

Margaret Yoder can’t seem to catch a break. Even though she’s dedicated to her Amish faith, her wild rumspringa won’t stay in the past, and her mother keeps pressuring her to get married. To placate her mother and get away from former “friends”, she decides to return to Birch Creek to visit family—and pretend to find a husband.

Like Margaret, Owen Bontrager isn’t looking for a spouse, something that’s hard to avoid in Birch Creek, where an ad for brides in the local paper has brought a swarm of single women to the thriving town. When he meets Margaret in an unexpected way, they discover they have more in common than they ever expected. In some ways, they are a perfect match.

Margaret struggles to keep her goal of avoiding romance in order to focus on being a faithful member of the Amish church, and it doesn’t help that she finds Owen intriguing. Knowing they don’t have a future together; she returns home and gives in to her mother’s insistence that she get married.

Can Margaret betray her feelings for Owen and become a dutiful daughter and wife to the man of her mother’s choosing? Or will Owen find a way to free Margaret of her past by giving her the future they both are surprised to find they desire?

REVIEW:

The Second Mrs. Astor by Shana Abe’ was not what I was expecting for several reasons. I love historical fiction but, this book didn’t quite hit the mark for me. It was just ok and I found myself taking many breaks and not exactly excited to pick it back up again. 

I have to applaud the author for her diligent research. Because of the depth that she went, she encouraged me to look further into Madeleine’s remaining years. She died rather young. It was reported she died from heart failure at 46 years of age. She went on to have 2 failed marriages after her Jack. 

I found it quite tragic that her parents were supportive of her marriage to a man 29 years her senior. It all boiled down to money and status. She was ripped apart for her marriage and snubbed by high society. Her step son was a year and half older than her and despised her. It was not easy. Jack died during the sinking of the Titanic and left her pregnant, 5 million dollars and his home on Fifth Avenue. She could only keep it if she remained a widow. 

The book went between a letter Madeleine Astor was writing to her infant son and third person narration. There were times when the transition was not as smooth as it could have been. I love the letter and her honesty while writing it. 

I usually lose interest in biographies and maybe this one was closer to a biography than historical fiction. If you love biographies and historical fiction, you’ll love this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you #Netgalley and #KensingtonBooks!

SYNOPSIS: Perfect for fans of Jennifer Chiaverini and Marie Benedict, this riveting novel takes you inside the scandalous courtship and catastrophic honeymoon aboard the Titanic of the most famous couple of their time—John Jacob Astor and Madeleine Force. Told in rich detail, this novel of sweeping historical fiction will stay with readers long after turning the last page.

Madeleine Talmage Force is just seventeen when she attracts the attention of John Jacob “Jack” Astor. Madeleine is beautiful, intelligent, and solidly upper-class, but the Astors are in a league apart. Jack’s mother was the Mrs. Astor, American royalty and New York’s most formidable socialite. Jack is dashing and industrious—a hero of the Spanish-American war, an inventor, and a canny businessman. Despite their twenty-nine-year age difference, and the scandal of Jack’s recent divorce, Madeleine falls headlong into love—and becomes the press’s favorite target.

On their extended honeymoon in Egypt, the newlyweds finally find a measure of peace from photographers and journalists. Madeleine feels truly alive for the first time—and is happily pregnant. The couple plans to return home in the spring of 1912, aboard an opulent new ocean liner. When the ship hits an iceberg close to midnight on April 14th, there is no immediate panic. The swift, state-of-the-art RMS Titanic seems unsinkable. As Jack helps Madeleine into a lifeboat, he assures her that he’ll see her soon in New York…

Four months later, at the Astors’ Fifth Avenue mansion, a widowed Madeleine gives birth to their son. In the wake of the disaster, the press has elevated her to the status of virtuous, tragic heroine. But Madeleine’s most important decision still lies ahead: whether to accept the role assigned to her, or carve out her own remarkable path…

REVIEW: Love, love, loved this book! The Heart of Splendid Lake by Amy Clipston was just the kind of book I love to relax with and get swept away. This is a story of family and friends with a clean romance. 

I loved the characters and could identify with them in many ways. The mom lost her husband to a sudden death and then suffered her own health scare. The daughter had the weight of taking care of mom and the family business on her shoulders. My heart actually ached for them. I fell in love with the man who came along and helped with everything he could out of love. 

I love a book that gives me the warm fuzzies after I’ve read Psychological Thrillers and crime books. Those are some of my favorites but, I find I sometimes need to ease back on that kind of heart pounding fun and find a different kind of heart throb. 

The Heart of Splendid Lake had its share of problems to conquer in the story but Amy Clipston created characters that handled problems with grace, dignity and love. It reminds us in our often stressed out world how to be kind people. 

I recommend this book for someone that needs these reminders or just wants to relax with a good story. I devoured this book. 

I received a copy of this book from #Netgalley/#ThomasNelson for a fair and honest review. Thank you! 

SYNOPSIS: Bestselling author Amy Clipston transports readers to a picturesque lakeside town in this heartwarming contemporary romance.

Brianna is the youngest of the three Porter sisters and the only one who chose to stay in the small town of Splendid Lake, North Carolina. She followed in her father’s footsteps and became an expert boat mechanic, helping him run their small resort with cabin rentals, a convenience store, and a marina. 

When Brianna’s father unexpectedly dies, Brianna is steeped in grief and guilt—then left alone to clean up the mess. To make matters worse, a constant stream of real estate brokers begins marching through her property, offering to buy the family land. In particular, she keeps running into handsome real estate mogul Scott Gibson. 

As Brianna struggles to keep it all together, Scott finds his way into her heart. And as the two fight against their feelings, they just might find themselves forging a surprising and exciting new love at Splendid Lake.

REVIEW: I’m in awe! I just finished a beautiful book by Joanne Bischof called The Gold in These Hills. It is classified as Contemporary Christian Fiction. Please don’t let that scare you away. It is not in your face Christian. Joanne Bischof is a new author for me and as soon as I finished this book, I was looking to see what else she has written that I could read. She did a phenomenal job with this book. 

There were two timelines in this story that took place on the same piece of property. How awesome is that? The first timeline took place a hundred years ago when property was part of a ghost town. The modern timeline includes the house that was built for the town founder that still stands and was recently used as a museum. My only problem with the book was that I loved both timelines and since the each chapter went forward and backward, I found myself not wanting to leave the time period I was reading. I wanted more of each one!  

Bischof’s writing had a nice and easy flow. It was a piece of art. The characters were well developed and not one dimensional. I fell in love more than once with a character or two or four in this book. 

The Christian parts of the book only made you think of blessings and hardships and how all our lives go through them. It made you think a little bit.

I would highly recommend this book to my best friend. It was entertaining and thought provoking. If your looking for a read that will give you all the feels, this book is it. I’m looking forward to reading more from Bischof.

I received a copy of this book from #Netgalley/#FirstEditions/#ThomasNelson for a fair and honest review. Thank you! 

SYNOPSIS: One wild and mysterious ghost town. Two second-chance love stories. And the century-old legacy that binds them together. 

Upon arriving in Kenworthy, California, mail-order bride Juniper Cohen is met by the pounding of the gold mine, an untamable landscape, and her greatest surprise of all: the kind and loving man who awaits her. But when the mine proves empty of profit, and when Juniper’s husband, John, vanishes, Juniper is left to fend for herself and her young daughter in the dwindling boomtown that is now her home.

Juniper pens letters to her husband but fears she is waiting on a ghost. Perhaps worse, rumors abound claiming the man she loves could be an outlaw. Surviving in a ghost town requires trusting the kindness of a few remaining souls, including the one who can unlock the mystery of her husband’s disappearance—and Juniper’s survival depends not only upon these friends but also the strength of heart she must fight to maintain.

Present day. Trying to escape the heartache of his failed marriage, Johnny Sutherland throws himself into raising his children and restoring a hundred-year-old abandoned farmhouse in what was once known as Kenworthy, California, in the San Jacinto Mountains. While exploring its secrets he uncovers Juniper’s letters and is moved by the handwritten accounts that bear his name—and as a love story from the past touches his own world, Johnny might discover yet that hope and resilience go hand in hand.

With The Gold in These Hills, acclaimed and beloved author Joanne Bischof returns with an absorbing masterpiece of faith, perseverance, and love that changes the course of history.

REVIEW:

Lost and Found by J.S. Ellis is my first book by this author. I’ve been following her for quite a while and hadn’t taken the plunge yet. I’m certainly glad I did! She was looking for a few reviewers for the sequel to this book and I answered the call. She graciously provided the first book for my enjoyment and boy did I ever enjoy it. 

Her writing flows well. I was never lost and found the plot easy to follow. Some of her characters were likable and a few (ok… several) were sketchy. Even though the character were a lot younger than I am, they were written as adults and not immature teenagers. I wasn’t bored or uncomfortable reading the book. You know how it is when tons of slang are used and you don’t understand half of the book? That was not the case with this book and I feel like it will lend itself well to many age groups. 

The second book was sent to me at the same time so, I read the books back to back. I was so engrossed in the story. If you have a chance, I highly recommend picking up Lost and Found along with Hide and Seek. You will be in for a few days of exceptional entertainment.

I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest review. Thank you! 

SYNOPSIS: Despite being polar opposites, Phoebe and Adele’s friendship has stretched on for years. One a bubbly blonde, the other raven-haired and studious. They seem to have nothing in common, yet the bond between them is unbreakable.

Or so Phoebe thought. 

She never believed Adele would hide anything from her until she sees her sneaking off with her handsome neighbour. Feeling betrayed, Phoebe begins to see cracks in their friendship she never noticed before. 

Then, Adele vanishes. 

Fearing for Adele’s safety, Phoebe searches for clues about her disappearance. However, the deeper she digs, the more she realizes she didn’t know Adele as well as she thought. Yet as revelations come to light, one mystery remains. What happened to Adele? And how is her 

REVIEW: Here we go! The sequel to Lost and Found. 

I don’t have a lot more to add to my review of Lost and Found. This may just be the shortest review I’ve ever written! Of course you know that this is a continuation of the story. It feels like this wraps up the story line and is the finale. 

If you read The first book you’ll want to read the second. I’ve based my rating on my enjoyment of the books and the writing style. I’ll be on the lookout for more from J.S. Ellis. Luckily, she has more books already published for us to read while we’re waiting for a new book. 

I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest review. Thank you! 

SYNOPSIS: Hope is waning with Phoebe no closer to finding her best friend, Adele. Her suspicions involving her neighbour, Alan, have been cleared, leaving her no other hunches to pursue.

Until the letter arrives.

A message, written in Adele’s hand, paints a picture of a side of her friend’s life Phoebe never knew. Renewed with optimism that she is still alive, Phoebe launches back into the investigation. Among the pages of Adele’s communications Phoebe finds evidence pointing to an unlikely suspect…

And yet another connection to Alan.

He seemed so concerned about the investigation, wanting to help in any way he could. Was the man next door a genuine ally? Or working to protect the real culprit?