Secrets in the Castle Library by Ann Swindell Review

 

Secrets in the Castle Library is an awesome conclusion to Ann Swindell's In the Castle Library series. I only wish it wasn't the last book. I have loved visiting the fictional European country of Lethersby. What a wonderful set of modern princess stories. Throughout this series more and more discoveries have been made regarding the life of Queen Alma, the queen who disappeared a hundred years earlier during the Great War. It was thought that they had discovered all they could, but there was still more that needed to come to light. 

Melanie is the friend of Ellie, the woman who was the FMC of the first book. She is in Lethersby to accept a job at the university in teaching American History, one of her passions. However, she also desires to delve into the Queen Alma mystery, being sure that there is still more to learn from the diaries that had been found, determined to find another hidden code or clue to lead them to further truths. However, our MMC, Eddie, who is the curator of the museum and part of the team studying the journals, is not happy to have this outsider try to tell him that he and his team in essence have missed something. So, their relationship was off to a rocky start.

I loved seeing their relationship evolve while working together. Loved seeing their perspectives change and both of them grow as characters. Melanie was searching for a sense of self, a sense of identity and belonging. But through her life she had always been looking in the wrong places. Eddie had been striving for accolades and self-importance. He was a new Christian while she had put up walls and didn't see a need for religion. Christianity was a central theme in this book, with the plan of salvation brought up multiple times, Scripture was read, characters prayed, the Lord's will was sought, and truth was shared. Through Alma's journals we also saw how faith was important in her life.

I loved watching Melanie and Eddie scouring the journals for clues, and I loved when inspiration struck. I loved the new twists in this story, but also I loved getting to see all the main characters from the previous books. I loved that all these characters were important in this story, and we got to see them interacting. 

Definitely an emotional read, but oh, so, so good. I've loved each book in this series and can't pick a favorite. They each contained sweet romance, intriguing mysteries, and truths brought to light. Highly recommended.

I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to write a favorable review. There are my own honest thoughts.

Ghosts We Unmask by Chelsea Michelle Review

 

Ghosts We Unmask is another awesome book in the Watson Twins mystery series by Chelsea Michelle. In fact, it might just be my favorite in the series. This one was the fourth mini mystery, though I think it would have been even more awesome if it was one of the full length mysteries. As with the other books in the series, there is the main mystery that is presented and then solved in the course of the book. All nicely tied up. However, there is still a separate mystery that has been continuing through the series. So, this is one reason I would recommend reading this series in the recommended order. Additionally, the friend group keeps expanding and evolving, so it would be spoilerish to read this most recent book and realize everyone who is in this group, because then you would know too much about them.

As this story begins, Michelle comes to the aid of a lady who they discover has just purchased a farm that is rumored to be haunted. Michelle and Chelsea befriend her and, along with the rest of their friends in the Dinner Detectives group, they agree to help prove that the house is not really haunted by staying there overnight. And, as you can imagine, stuff begins to happen. Are they dealing with the famed "ghost" or is it some teenagers pranking the occupants of the house, or is it something even more sinister? But, not too sinister of course because this is a cozy mystery. But there was definitely a creep factor.

So, I went into this, knowing it is a Christian book, so ghosts aren't real. However, as it is mentioned in the book, there is a spiritual world and there are angels and demons, so could there be something supernatural? Or would they eventually unmask a human villain like the gang from Scooby Doo did in every episode. I loved all the references to Scooby Doo, from them choosing who was going to be who from that classic show, to certain snacks and famous expressions. 

There were multiple human suspects, even though Hazel, the supposed ghost, kept getting brought up too. I could definitely see how all of these suspects could be behind what was going on. In fact, I had started suspecting a certain person before our friends brought it up. But were our thoughts going in the right direction? Anyway, I wasn't entirely surprised when the mystery was solved, but I was definitely intrigued when everything came to light. Definitely lots there to keep you guessing.

And, as always, faith is an important part of this story, which I always appreciate.

Definitely highly recommended. 

I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts. 

In Fairy Tales & Fraud by Heather Tabers Review

 

Oh my goodness! In Fairy Tales & Fraud by Heather Tabers is an awesome, un-put-downable Christian historical romance. Literally, I was walking through Walmart reading it because I didn't want to stop. And I have to say, as much as I loved book one of the series, In Books & Battlefields, this one was even better! And yes, you do need to read these books in order. The events take place almost directly after those of book one. And reading book two first will give you all sorts of spoilers for what happened in book one. Additionally, though the main plot of book one wrapped up quite nicely, there were little things that still need resolved.

So, yeah, like I tend to do, I'm going to let you know that if you haven't read book one, you will probably not want to read this review any further as there will be things that I will mention that will be spoilers for book one.

You've been warned.

Nathaniel Steele is the MMC of In Fairy Tales & Fraud, and he was one of the main characters in book one. He is trying to get over the fact that the woman he loved chose the other guy. On top of that, danger that had followed him from Denver in the previous book, is still a concern. Plus, he is still healing from the gunshot wound that he received at the end of the first book, seeing as it's only been a matter of weeks. And suddenly, on Christmas morning, he finds a woman and her daughter hiding out in his barn. 

Willa is one of the FMCs in this story. She has been on the run with her daughter Marigold for a few weeks. It is clear that she is in danger, though it takes quite a bit of time to get the full, true story. As Nate takes her and Marigold in to his home, agreeing to hide them, she learns that there are people she can trust, even though her life has been full of heartache and disappointment. I really liked the idea of Nate and Willa together and was really rooting for them, even though Willa wasn't planning on staying around. 

The other FMC in this story is Sophie, the woman Isabella had set him up with in book one. So, yes, there is a love triangle. Sophie is a driver for the Women's Motor Corps, providing rides for soldiers in need. However, we can now see how ambitious she is, the dreams she has, her confidence and talents. I love seeing her pursue her dreams and not letting the little fact that she is a woman in a man's world in the early 1900's during WW1. I wasn't sure I wanted to see her end up with Nate even though I liked her as a character. 

Obviously I'm not going to tell you who Nate ended up with, but I will say, there was so much more to this story that the romance. I mentioned that there was danger following two of the characters, and it definitely kept following them, leading to some intense suspenseful moments, and not just for those characters. And whoo-ee were there some twists, twists I definitely did not see coming. 

Faith is definitely important in the characters' lives. We see the importance of forgiveness and trust, and see that broken trust is heartbreaking. 

I absolutely love this book and can't wait to read the next one. Plus there is a Christmas prequel novella that I hope to read soon.

I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to write a favorable review. there are my own honest thoughts.

The Marquess's Masked Archer by Abbey Downey Review

 

The Marquess's Masked Archer by Abbey Downey is an amazing start to her Headliners and Heartstrings series. It drew me in from the first page and if I hadn't had responsibilities to tend to, I would have finished this book in just a couple of days. I did NOT want to put it down. 

Sylvie Bryce is a young woman who just wants the chance to prove to her parents, mostly her overbearing mother, that she can make important decisions on her own. Especially the decision of who she wants to spend the rest of her life wed too. But she also wants to have some independence, and has decided to spend some of her summer participating in something she loves to do, archery. Which, is an acceptable past time for women of her station back in the beginning of the 20th century. However, having a job, making a spectacle of herself, using her archery in a show at a resort, is NOT something that is acceptable. So, she is doing so in disguise. 

Miles Wentworth is the marquess who she meets at one of the events she is obligated to attend. A man her mother wants to pair her up with because of his title. So, of course Sylvie wants nothing to do with him, as he is her mother's choice for her. He is sought after by many of the young ladies; however, his eye is set on Sylvie. And he wants to prove to her that he is worth falling for, even though it would mean giving her mother the satisfaction of being right. But, he too has a secret he is keeping from everyone. 

I loved watching Sylvie and Miles get to know each other better, even though they were doing so without both of them realizing it. They struggled with not knowing how the other was feeling while trying to keep secrets from each other. But as they got closer, and their feelings became clearer to themselves, they both desired to clear the air, so to speak. However, there were other circumstances going on that twisted things even more, including some blackmailing which really got under my skin.  

I was 100% rooting for them in every aspect of what they desired. I loved this glimpse into high society off on their summer vacation in a real historic setting. And though there were secrets and deception, it was obvious that it was wrong, and I loved that Sylvie and Miles were seeking for God's will in their lives, even through heartache and difficult times. 

I absolutely loved this book and I am looking forward to the next book in the series. I highly recommend this Christian historical romance. 

I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.

The One I Didn't Expect by Sara R. Turnquist Review

 

The One I Didn't Expect by Sara R. Turnquist is a wonderful conclusion to the Fox Grove series. Each book in this series focuses on one of three friends, their upcoming ten-year high school reunion, and their potential love interests. We are introduced to all three of the friends in the first book mainly through the FMC, Tilly, texting them as she plans the reunion. In the second book we got Gracelyn's story. And now, we finally got to read Jo's story. 

Jo is in vet school down in Florida and has been keeping to herself the fact that she is struggling with her studies and her clinicals. She is not sure what her future looks like, but for now she wants to head to her ten-year class reunion. However, she doesn't have a way to get there because she doesn't have a vehicle. Enter our MMC, Ethan, brother of Tilly, Zoo Educator, and guy with a secret crush on Jo since they were in school. He happens to be on his way home from a zoological conference down in Florida, so he agrees to bring her back to Fox Grove in time for the reunion. 

Or, at least they hope they will be in time. Things keep happening that delay them, causing them to be in close proximity for even longer than they had planned. And they hadn't gotten off to the greatest of starts when he arrived to pick Jo up. I loved watching their relationship evolve as they dealt with the delays and they spent more time together. There was humor but also some serious discussion going on, and dealing with struggles, anger, and grief. . 

I loved this quote: "So much of life is outside of our control and pulls us forward whether we like it or not. Why not take some joy when and where it comes?"

And I loved seeing faith play an important role in their lives and learning to trust God.

All in all, this was a great book, though I really wish there was another book upcoming so we could see more of these three couples, how their relationships are developing, plus more of their other friends and family members. I do wish some things had been wrapped up a bit more as well. 

I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.

Fatal Finale by Nancy Mehl Review

Fatal Finale was an awesome conclusion to Nancy Mehl's Erin Delaney Mysteries series. I loved the way it came full circle back to her original Kaely Quinn Profiler series, as that is my favorite series of hers, the series where we first become acquainted with Kaely Quinn and her unique way of profiling a murderer. 

I love that Erin is friends with Kaely in this series and that Kaely isn't just a side character. This story is told from multiple characters' points of view, including side characters and the bad guy. I love being able to get in the head of the criminal and see where he's coming from. Usually this adds to the suspense for me, but with this book I found that it lessened the suspense, and I really started having sympathy for this character, even though he had kidnapped Kaely and had given Erin six days to find her before he kills her. 

Against the kidnapper's warning, Erin is working with the police chief, who she might just being admitting to herself she has feelings for, and Kaely's husband Noah, who happens to be an FBI agent. They were actually confused on how the kidnapped expected Erin to keep this information from the police and FBI to work alone when the police and FBI are so close to this case. 

I enjoyed reading each of the clues that the kidnapper gave to Erin and watching them try to decipher them as quickly as possible. Having the countdown did give this story a decent amount of suspense, but it definitely wasn't very intense. The reader learns a lot from the bad guy before the good guys have a chance to figure it out, and we know his identity quite quickly plus we know what his motive is. Even though it wasn't over-the-top suspenseful, I still could not put this book down and finished it in about a day. I needed to know how Kaely would be saved and what would happen to the kidnapper. There was also concern for the side characters that were introduced. 

Faith in God is a huge part of this story. I appreciate the way the characters lean on Him, pray to Him, trust in Him, share Scripture, and talk about salvation. There was an aspect that seemed a bit controversial until the truth of what was happening was revealed. 

I enjoyed this book more than the second book in the series, though I again felt that there were mistakes that should have been caught in editing. 

All in all, I loved this book and this series and can't wait to read more from this author. I was so excited when this book arrived at the library I just had to set the other book aside that I was reading. 

 

Song of the Khan by J.J. Fischer Review

 

Song of the Khan by J.J. Fischer is an awesome third book of the Painted Wind series. I had a bit of trouble getting into it at first, but that was only because I was struggling to remember who everybody was, where we had left them all at the end of the last book, and what exactly was going on. As I continued in the story, my memory was constantly being jogged and I was sucked deeper into the world of the twin kingdoms. 

The story is told from multiple points of view, the main ones being Rigan and Corcoran, and Isel and Soren. There are so many awesome characters surrounding the main characters, plus downright evil and traitorous characters trying to bring them down on multiple fronts. 

The story has grown darker, starting with the first chapter, and it continued to grow darker still. There is war and prophecy, death and new life, and faith in the Divine Will. There are the two main love stories, plus other couples and families who become beloved as well. There are creatures of evil and of good. Plus fantastical fantasy creatures that come to the aid of our heroes. Including one that I didn't quite see coming until it was revealed and then I was like, oh yeah, that makes sense. Let's just say, this series has everything that I love in a fantasy story. 

I am very curious about how the author is planning on working out this huge prophecy. There are biblical connections that have me a bit confused and maybe a tiny bit concerned with how she might be playing it out. And reading the prophecy it sure seems like there is going to be some heartbreak in the characters' future, which means there will be the need for tissues in the next book. I'm very much looking forward to the fourth and final book of the series, but I have a bit of trepidation as well.

I highly recommend this book, along with the rest of the series. And yes, you really do need to read this series in order.

I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to write a favorable review. There are my own honest thoughts.

The Accident by A.M. Heath Review

 

The Accident by A.M. Heath is cute yet cautionary short novella written completely in text messages and journal entries. I thought this was such a unique idea and was very well done. Who would think you could tell a story successfully this way. But A.M. Heath did it. 

The story starts off with a text message from Chris to Danielle. Only he had texted the wrong person, a complete stranger, by mistake. And to make it even more complicated, it wasn't Danielle who answered the text. It was her teenaged daughter Ashlyn. Danielle wasn't well, and didn't notice that her daughter had been texting back and forth with this stranger. Thankfully this is not a suspense story (seeing as I could definitely see things heading south in a suspense story), and we see the texts going back and forth between Chris and Ashlyn, plus we see Ashlyn's journal entries which help to expand upon the story, with her feelings, with events that are happening, the struggles she is dealing with. 

The reader can see that their conversations are innocent, but woo-ee, watch out when the truth comes to light and Danielle realizes that her daughter was been texting a stranger. And when Chris realizes he's been texting a teenager thinking he was talking with an adult.Then things become even more interesting and complicated because Danielle is the one texting Chris and we get to see her point of view, and are only seeing Ashlyn's thoughts through the journal entries. 

I love how biblical truths are woven into this story, along with warnings when it comes to social media safety. 

This story was a quick read. I started it in the afternoon and finished it the next morning. Definitely a unique story and one I recommend. 

Everlasting Love by Latisha Sexton Review

 

Oh my goodness, what an emotional read. So many tears, for multiple reasons. Everlasting Love by Latisha Sexton is an awesome book. It is the sequel to Neverending Mercy which released back in 2023. I wish I would have been able to have had time to re-read the first book again so I could remember more details, but I definitely got the gist of the first story as I read this new book. It jogged my memory just enough to remember who everyone was and what had happened. I do have plans on rereading both books so I can remember the details. I'm just not sure when I will get to that. However, definitely a series that warrants a reread. 

Before I continue, just a warning, some of what I write will give spoilers for the first book.

Everlasting Love features Nora, who was just a child in the first book, and Kip, her best friend since they were kids. In fact, the story begins from her point of view when she was just ten years old. Her birth mother, Haley, was one of the main characters in the first book, along with her adoptive parents, Ruth and Crosby. Sadly, her mother had passed away, but she had written letters for Nora to open and read every year on her birthday. 

The story alternates between Nora's child/teen years and present day, plus we also get to see the story from Kip's point of view, also from the past and present. Additionally, we have the past and present point of view of one other person, who I will not disclose, but we also get to learn more about Haley through this person's point of view.

Nora has spent years with a deep desire to know who her birth father is. With each birthday letter her hopes would raise just to be dashed. She wondered if her mother would ever tell her who he was, or if she even knew. Having lost a mother at such a young age, and never knowing her father, she felt a sense of abandonment which also made it hard for her to stay in a relationship. Which was fine with Kip, because he was desperate to let her know that he saw her as much more than just a best friend. Will he ever succeed in getting up the courage to tell her? And what will her response be? 

I was so invested in this story, in the search for Nora's birth father, in Kip's desire to be more than just a best friend, in seeing their relationship grow but wondering if they would ever go beyond just friends. I zinged through the last half of the book, needing to find answers. And boy were tissues needed. And just for the record, I am not one that cries easily when reading a book.

Faith in God was a huge part of the characters' lives. There was the reminder of His love and forgiveness and mercy. The power He has to change the lives of those who trust in Him. I really loved this passage:

"'Listen, even if those relationships were a mistake, you have to trust that God used them to help you grow. When we fail to do what God wants for us, all we can do is ask forgiveness, then take what we learned from that and move on. When He forgives, He doesn't hold a record. So we shouldn't either. Otherwise, we'd stay bogged down by our past sins and failures instead of moving on to what God is calling us to do next.'"

So, yes, this was an awesome book and one that I highly recommend. You really do need to read Neverending Mercy first to understand the relationships though. And yes, I highly recommend that book as well. As much as I loved that book, I loved this one even more. 

I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.

Deadly Schemes by Penny Zeller Review

 

Deadly Schemes is another Christian romantic suspense page-turner from Penny Zeller. We return to the small town of Lake Radford with another Close Proximity series murder mystery. This second book focuses on the best friends of the main characters from the first book, Deadly Secrets. 

Kennedy Olohan works at the local senior center and Trace Ridgely is a detective at the local police department. They first meet at the scene of a tragedy where Kennedy is one of two women who come across a dead body. Unbeknownst to them, their best friends Harper and Kade have set them up on a blind date, so they get to spend more time together. And when Kennedy becomes the victim of some threatening and stalker-ish behavior, they end up meeting up even more. But now that he is working on a case that she is involved in, they aren't quite sure if they will be able to have relationship beyond that of friends. 

Like the first book in this series, we also get to see the story through the POV of the villain. We can see his planning and crazy reasoning and how unhinged he is, even though Kennedy has no clue why someone is coming after her. All she wants is do her job planning activities for the seniors she has come to care for at the senior center, helping them with errands as well, plus helping them to avoid scams. And that is what puts her in the killer's crosshairs. Because she has become an obstacle in his relator fraud scheme. 

So much danger surrounding her makes it unclear whether all the different attacks are related, or if there is more than one person out to get her. There are quite a few possible suspects, but Trace is determined to get to the bottom of these crimes before Kennedy gets hurt worse, or even killed. I loved how he was dedicated to his job, but also, I loved how they started caring for each other through all that was going on. There were definitely some sweet moments between them.

I have to say, knowing that seniors were being targeted by the villain really gripped my emotions. I felt so bad for them and was hoping Trace would get to the bottom of these crimes before any more of them got hurt.

As with all her books, the author weaves faith throughout the story. Kennedy and Trace are both Christians who pray to God, go to church, and lean on Him. And we can see Kennedy reaching out to those who are not Christians and praying for them, sharing her faith, but not in a pushy way. You could see that she truly cared for people and showed Christ's love. Even in times of danger she was bringing to mind God's Word and trusting in Him.

Deadly Schemes is very much a faith-filled romantic suspense page-turner. And one I highly recommend.

I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.

Murder Goes Flying by Malissa Chapin Review

 

Murder Goes Flying by Malissa Chapin is a wonderful Christian cozy mystery. It is book four in her Piper Haydn Piano Mystery series and I was so glad to be able to visit with Piper and her best friend Rosie again. Though, of course, another book means poor Piper is dealing with another mystery she would rather not be dealing with. Which also means Rosie is again going to be pulling Piper into trying to solve the mystery, even though they have repeatedly been told to let the police handle it. . . 

In this book Piper's brother has purchased an old war plane and is planning on entering a competition. Which has Piper all worried because he isn't the most responsible of people. But her cousins arrive to help get the plane in tiptop shape and there are plenty of people reassuring Piper that her brother Chase will be just fine, also reminding her to trust in the Lord. And then the unthinkable happens even before it is time for the competition. What exactly caused the accident that put multiple people in the hospital? Was there sabotage? Of course Rosie wanted Piper to help her figure out what had happened. 

As the reader, I would say there was a clue that was quite obvious, though I did have to wonder if it was there to lead us astray. The biggest mystery was trying to figure out WHY someone would sabotage Chase's dream, and endanger other people. I enjoyed following Piper and Rosie as they tried to figure out what was going on. At the same time we got to see friends rally around them because of this tragedy. I loved getting to see more of each of the women from the different businesses in Cranberry Harbor. I loved the small town love. 

I admit, there were times I was frustrated with Piper when it came to her attitude toward Police Chief Maxwell. I had hoped to see their relationship continue in a positive way, but she was dealing with some insecurities and there were definitely barriers to their relationship in this book. I'm hoping to see more of their relationship in the next book. 

All in all, I loved this book and highly recommend it, especially if you are a fan of faith filled cozy mysteries. I would also recommend reading the previous books first. Yes, each books' mystery is a stand alone story, but you will miss the progression of the relationships in the series, plus there are mentions of events from past books which could be spoilerish. 

I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts. 

Watched by Jerusha Agen Review

 

Oh my goodness, another awesome book by Jerusha Agen! I have been loving her Christian romantic suspense series, Windy City Westons, a series where each book focuses on one of five siblings. And finally it was time to read about Robert. Like the other books in the series it is dual point of view, so we get to see the story from the FMC's POV too. Monty Montgomery is also part of a family with several siblings (and I have to say, I'm sort of hoping the author will write a series for these siblings as well, because I loved getting to know them along with the Weston family siblings). 

Robert Weston is a psychiatrist who is very proud of his mental capabilities and his job of being able to help others. However, he is currently the defendant in a medical malpractice suit because one of his clients tried to commit suicide. Additionally, he is suddenly questioning his own mental faculties because of little things that are happening that he doesn't remember doing, appointments he's missing or late to, among other things. 

Monty is the attorney who is representing him, though at first she wishes she didn't have to, seeing as she can't stand him. Also, due to a past failed relationship, she is also unsure if she can trust him, especially when he keeps doing weird things. When it seems like they might be getting closer, obstacles keep appearing. Of course, it also doesn't help that Robert is not a Christian while Monty is. 

Of course, this is a romantic SUSPENSE book, so of course there is suspense, and plenty of it. Not only do strange things keep happening to Robert, which as a reader I figured couldn't be what he was afraid of, but Monty starts getting threats because she is representing him. Threats that continue to escalate as the story progresses. I mean, I was already drawn in and invested in this book because of Robert being falsely accused of malpractice, but the danger and twists kept me glued to the book, zinging through the pages.

One of the biggest questions was whether the weird things happening to Robert were being committed by the same person who was threatening Monty. Were they connected or not? There were so many suspects, some that seemed a lot more likely than others. I was definitely surprised by the reveal. 

As with her previous books, the author has written a book where faith is very important in the characters' lives. We see how Monty leans on the Lord, though, I appreciate that we see, that yes, she is human, and has struggles. With Monty, I was hoping that Robert would learn that their is a mind that he needed to rely on that was way more powerful than his. 

I was definitely invested in this book and these characters' lives. I loved getting to see the siblings from both families, and get an update on the main characters from the first two books. And I can not wait to read Treese's story in book four.

Highly recommended!

I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.

The One Who Felt Like Home by Tammy Karasek Review

 

The One Who Felt Like Home by Tammy Karasek is another great book in the Fox Grove series of novellas. This series is comprised of three novellas, written by three different authors, focusing on one of three friends, their ten-year high school reunion, and the men they meet up with. 

We had briefly met the FMC, Gracelyn Cooper, in the first book, mainly through text messages with Tilly, the FMC of The One I Never Forgot. Gracelyn is a flight attendant, a job she loves; however, she doesn't get a lot of chances to get home to Fox Grove and see her family. However, she has every intention of making it back for the reunion, which the reader does already know if they read the first book. 

On the flight that she is on as the story begins she comes face to face with someone from her hometown, someone she didn't even recognize. However, this person, our MMC Brent Marshall, has had a crush on Gracelyn since they were in school. He's just always been too shy and nervous to approach her, and feels like he is invisible. Now, however, he has decided to get up the nerve to approach her and talk to her. Thus begins a tentative relationship that may or may not work out because they are both always on the move.

This book was more about the relationship between Gracelyn and Brent, plus time with their families, and obstacles they needed to overcome, than it was the reunion. The first book focused on the reunion a lot more because Tilly and Walker were in charge of the reunion. However, we do get to see plenty of great characters in Fox Grove, I especially loved meeting Grams and the young nieces. There were definitely some emotional moments, times of laughter and tears and concern, but faith in God was important to the characters as was praying.

I really enjoyed this book, which is the first fiction book that the author has written. I hope she plans to continue writing. 

I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.

The One I Never Forgot by Mandy Boerma Review

 

The One I Never Forgot by Mandy Boerma is a great first book in the Fox Grove series. There are three novellas in this series and each one is written by a different author. In this first story, we are introduced to one of three friends who will each be the FMC in these books. 

Tilly grew up in Fox Grove and is now the vice principal of the high school she used to attend. The story begins with her suddenly being assigned to organize the upcoming ten-year reunion. While this already adds to her stress because of how little was prepared beforehand, she also discovers that she is going to have to work with Walker, football coach, history teacher, and breaker of her heart back in high school. And to make matters worse, he barely acknowledges her when they meet in the principal's office. 

We do also get to see this story from Walker's POV, so we see how much he still cares for Tilly, plus as the story continues, we learn the reason for why he ghosted her at homecoming and broke up with her. 

I loved seeing how they reconnected as they worked together on planning the high school reunion, dealing with all sorts of obstacles along the way. I was rooting for this couple and really hoping they could work things out. I also loved getting to know family members, friends, and other characters. 

This is a wonderful story of faith, forgiveness, and second chances. I couldn't wait to get to meet Tilly's friends, so I actually started book two right away, even though I had other books I was supposed to be reading first. 

I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.

Braving Red Waters by Sarah Hanks Review

 

Braving Red Waters is another awesome book in the Time Sailors series by Sarah Hanks. I have been enjoying this intriguing take on time travel very much. Like the first two books there is time travel, plus we get a dual timeline story as we get to see the story through the eyes of the characters in the time that the FMC traveled to, plus we get to see the point of view of the characters that were left behind. And each of these books has been connected through different characters who show up in previous books. 

Phoebe and her mom are in Mexico for a relaxing whale-watching vacation when Phoebe suddenly gets transported to Civil War era Saint Louis, arriving on a boat that is being fixed up to be a hospital boat. As with the other books, the time sailor has to complete a mission to be able to return home, but she has to figure out what it is. She figures it has something to do with the hospital boat, seeing as she is a nurse. As with the other books, there is a Mr. Duncan who can help answer questions. However, she also meets up with Miles, a fellow time sailor who we met in the previous book, Braving Fiery Waters. I admit, I had forgotten about poor Miles, though when I reread my review of the book, I realized that I had written that I was excited to see more of his story. What can I say, I'm forgetful these days.

Miles has found work on the docks, but also has another job which is discovered on the first page. He is also a spy. So, of course, he has his secrets, so he can't be completely honest with Phoebe, which leads to mistrust on her part. I really liked them together, so I was rooting for them to be able to figure out their relationship. Though, it was even more complicated because if she completed her mission, she'd have to go back to her time. Especially because she wouldn't want to abandon her mother. How was the author going to work this out? 

Back in modern times, Phoebe's mother Erica has her own Mr. Duncan to help her come to grips with her daughter's sudden disappearance. Will she be able to relax and enjoy this whale-watching excursion that her daughter planned for her? 

I loved getting to know Phoebe and Miles, and also Erica and Rodney Duncan. I loved seeing their relationships evolve, and was really invested in finding out whether each couple would end up together, and what kinds of obstacles they would have to overcome. I also loved learning more about whales during the whale-watching cruise and learning about the hospital boat during the Civil War. Plus some other interesting little historical tidbits. But, most of all, I loved the lessons about faith that were learned by the characters, learning to lean on God's strength and listen for His voice. 

I loved this quote: 

"'Yes, you can't see Him, but you can hear Him in the depths, in the secret place. He speaks to us in a way that rattles our very core. We only have to get quiet enough to listen.'

Interesting. That hadn't been her line of thought, but it was a good one. She hadn't heard God speak to her on a soul-deep level for a long time. Maybe her spiritual hydrophone was too weak to pick up His frequency."

I also love how it is brought up that we can look at nature and see how it is designed by God. 

I absolutely loved this book, and I can't wait til book four, especially because the author sort of ended the book leading into something I wanted to see happen in this book. Waiting patiently, waiting patiently. . . 

The Island Bookshop by Roseanna M. White Review

 

The Island Bookshop  is another awesome book by Roseanna M White. I'm so used to reading historical fiction from her, and more recently Christian fantasy, so when I learned she had released a contemporary romance, I was intrigued. To be honest, for the longest time contemporary romance wasn't my go-to when choosing a book to read. But I am definitely starting to love this genre as well. And, well, with this book, I'd have to say Roseanna White can write contemporary fiction just as well as historical, and fantasy. I loved this book. I also went into it not realizing "secrets from the past and present," as mentioned on the back cover, meant we were going to get a dual timeline story. 

The main story is about Kennedy Marshall and Wes Armstrong, two characters who were friends as children, but had gone on to live their own lives hundreds of miles apart, but now because of certain circumstances, have found themselves in close proximity again for longer than planned. Is there a chance that there may be a future for them? 

One of my favorite parts of the book is discovering the identity of who truly owns the bookshop that Kennedy and her sister Lara inherited from their grandmother. And finding out how this all relates to the story about Ana Horvat from 1938. Ana, who is an immigrant from the area around Italy, who has come to America to give her unborn child a better, safer life, coming to join her husband who had already been living here. 

I also love the importance of books in this story. From Kennedy working with rare books in the Library of Congress, to cherished well-loved books owned by Ana, to the setting revolving around the importance of this family owned bookstore.

Faith is important to the characters in this book, which is always important to me as the reader. The characters love the Lord, and we also see the importance of going to God in prayer and seeking His will. 

Definitely a book I highly recommend

Where We Belong by Kim Vogel Sawyer Review

 

Where We Belong by Kim Vogel Sawyer is an awesome, amazing book!

Usually if I'm zinging through a book and needing to know what happens next it is a suspense or thriller. But I was so invested in these characters I could not put this book down. I finished it in a day! This is not my first book by this author, but it is now my favorite.

I was captivated from the very first page. I could feel Callum Holbrook's excitement and his desire to get to his children, two girls who he had no choice but to put in an orphanage when he was destitute and unable to care for them. However, now he was exhilarated, planning to pick them up because he had employment and housing. However, his hope was shattered when he learned that his children had been sent out west on an orphan train. 

And then we switch points of view to Hester Haak, a childless widow living in Kansas who desires the love and companionship of a little girl, a daughter, so she heads out to meet the orphan train. I mean, you can see where this is going, right? How can we not have compassion for both Callum and Hester?

And we also get the point of view of one of the girls, the teenager Evelyn, or Evvie. The reader can feel her determination and her confusion. Wondering why her and her sister Winnie have been sent out west, when she KNOWS her father is still alive and is supposed to be coming for them. So, when this strange woman wants to be her momma, she wants nothing to do with her. Yes, I admit I understand her attitude, but there were times I felt she went a little overboard. I loved seeing the way she changed throughout the story.

The other point of view is that of Scotty, an older man who had been a drifter, yet was now living in the storeroom of Hester's store and helping out with fixing and loading and such. Their relationship was close to that of father and daughter, and you could see that they cared about each other. 

I love the way this found family grew to love and care for each other. All the while wondering what would happen when the "real" father, Callum, found his children. 

I loved the way the town rallied around this family, welcoming the children, supporting them and Hester, caring for them in times of need. The younger children were wonderful characters. I loved Winnie and Guy and another little boy that found his way to them. I loved the way God placed people in their lives and in the life of Callum. I loved the spiritual truths that are shared in the book, and the faith that the majority of the characters had, while also seeing the way God was working to draw others to Himself, even through their anger and pain. And the reminder that God's will is not always what we think it's going to be. God answers prayer. God is there for us, even in our darkest times. But He is sovereign and He knows best, even if we can't see it at the time. 

Here is a quote that spoke to me:

"'Mr. Holbrook, I can't speak to this particular situation, but I can share my experiences. In the past when I felt as though God threw a barrier into my path, I eventually discovered He had something else - something better - in mind for me.' The man's solemn yet kind tone held Callum's attention. 'Maybe God is protecting you from something or is guiding you in a new direction.' He put his hand on Callum's shoulder. 'You see, God is always working on behalf of His children. I don't always understand His ways, but I've learned that I can always trust His heart.'"

Very inspiring, very emotional, very heartwarming. I can't really say anything else besides - I just loved this book and highly recommend it. 

My only disappointment is having to say goodbye to these characters. I wish their story could continue. Thankfully the author wrapped everything up perfectly. 

When the Silence Breaks by Elizabeth Goddard Review

 

When the Silence Breaks is the first book in Elizabeth Goddard's Mercy Ridge series. Sarah is an ex-intelligence analyst who has come to the small town of Mercy Ridge to uncover a secret that seems to have had something to do with the death of her brother. She is determined to get justice for him and keep her other family members safe. Ryder is the former Navy SEAL who she want to hire to take her up Blackspire Mountain in the Cascades to uncover this secret.

Ryder does not jump at the opportunity of taking this job. He has reasons he does not want to go up the mountain, but there are circumstances that help him change his mind. 

I did enjoy this book. Though I wish there was a bit more suspense. That said, when the suspense came, it was quite intense at times and brought quite a bit of danger. However, there were things that I just couldn't get to make sense. Though, yes, some of it was explained toward the end of the book, there are some things I'm thinking back on and just can't get them to make sense in my mind. And there were times when the characters seemed to contradict what was just said or done. 

I do tend to prefer my romantic suspense with more suspense and less romance, so this was perfect for that. Sarah and Ryder took a while to warm up to each other, but I loved the way their relationship developed. And I loved that they had a connection that neither of them realized. And of course, because of their backgrounds and circumstances they had to keep secrets from each other, so that made it hard for them to really trust each other for quite a bit of the story. 

And I love books that have twists I didn't see coming, and this one had a whopper. I had foreseen some of what was going to happen. But I was not prepared for one reveal. 

Additionally, not only do Sarah and Ryder have bad guys on their heals as they try to uncover this secret, they are also dealing with the mountain and the weather. So, quite a bit of tension and suspense in this race-against-time book.

I loved the idea that a crashed plane from way back during WWII would carry some sort of secret that some wanted found while others did not. But the question was, who was who in this situation. And it was intriguing to read the real-life event that inspired the author to write this story. 

And of course, I appreciated the faith content in the book. The characters were both Christians who trusted in and prayed to God. And there is the reminder to trust in God's timing.

Now, if next February would just hurry up and get here so we can read book 2!

I received an e-copy of this book through NetGalley plus a physical ARC from the publisher and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.

Into a Golden Era by Gabrielle Meyer Review

 

I absolutely LOVE the Timeless series by Gabrielle Meyer. It has come to a point that I really can't pick a favorite book. They are all just awesome, including her most recent release, Into a Golden Era. I love the way she pairs up such appropriate eras for each of these books. In this story, Ally lives during the time of the Gold Rush and also the Golden Age of Hollywood. Perfection. 

We had already met some of the characters in this book, some briefly, some as main characters in their own books.  So, if you haven't read the previous books, I highly recommend not reading this review as their will be some spoilers from those books.

The main character in Into a Golden Era, Ally, is the daughter of Grace and Hope's mother from the third book, For a Lifetime, except she is the birth mother they never knew from their one path. So, yes, she is Grace and Hope's sister, sort of. Ally was briefly introduced, along with her two other sisters, toward the end of For a Lifetime, though I can't remember if they had names back then. I love that Tacy is an important character in this book, as we knew very little about her. I also love that Grace and her daughters, especially Kathryn who was the main character in book 5, Every Hour Until Then, are a part of this book. However, Into the Golden Era takes place before the events of Kathryn's book. 

Okay, yes, I admit, it sounds confusing. I find myself looking back at the other books and at the family tree just to keep everyone straight in my head. But, these books are so worth the read. I loved the concept as soon as I learned about it in the first book, When the Day Comes. And the author has expanded this world so awesomely. 

In Into a Golden Era I felt like Ally did. I couldn't decide which time period I wanted her to choose to live in after her 25th birthday. I loved both of her time periods. She has a loving father and sister in 1849, both of whom she is trying to support after her father becomes ill. They find themselves in a dangerous section of California after they travel there because of her plan to find gold to help her family. Here she meets Sam, who is supposed to be a notorious criminal, but there just might be more to his story. 

In her 1929 life time she is an actress working for her family's studio. A studio that is struggling due to the rise of the big studios. They have one last chance to try to save the studio with their upcoming production of Little Women. She suddenly finds herself in a contract which has her fake dating a famous actor who has been caught up in a scandal. The thing is, will she be able to help his reputation, or will her associating with him ruin her reputation?

The thing I found most intriguing about this story when I first learned about it, was knowing that events that she had read would happen suddenly change around her when she wakes up one morning. And she then learns that her future, along with someone else's, is in peril. But, she knows she will forfeit that path if she tries to change things. 

I was glued to the book, needing to know how the author would work everything out. She threw in awesome twists and, once again, I wasn't sure which time Ally would ultimately choose. I loved the historical details that were included, though the author does share specifics in her Author's Note at the end of the book, so the reader can see what was read and what was fictionalized. 

Yes, this book was wonderful and I loved it and the ending was just perfect. The only bummer is that she is now only releasing one Timeless book a year, instead of two. So, I have a year to wait to read the next book. 

I highly recommend this book and, yes, this series. Make sure to read them in order though.

The Spy Keeper of Marseille by Roseanna M. White Review

 

So, I absolutely LOVE both of Roseanna M. White's series that take place during WWI. Her Shadows Over England series made me a fan, and I was thrilled when I learned that her Codebreakers series included beloved characters while introducing new ones. I loved that the reader would go from the beginning of WWI through the end of WWI by reading both series. And then last year I read The Collector of Burned Books which takes place in Occupied France during WWII. So, yes, when I learned that she had a new book that takes place during WWII, I was excited. And I am so glad I had a chance to read it, because I loved it. 

The Spy Keeper of Marseille takes place mostly in Free France, though at the beginning of the book our FMC, Zelie Bellarose is crossing the Demarcation Line into Occupied France. It is here that she meets our MMC, Marcel Laurent who had just been freed from a POW camp. Marcel is a well known musician whose friend is introducing him to Zelie in hopes he can help with the Resistance. 

I love how the Youth Orchestra that Marcel heads is used to help the Resistance, and also how much the beauty of music played a part in this story. But there is so much more to this book and all the different things the Resistance is doing. There is quite the cast of characters coming and going. There is intrigue, and suspense, and betrayal, and sacrifices, and a blossoming love as our characters work toward freeing France and helping defeat Germany and the Axis powers. 

I loved how I learned more about WWII. And I was intrigued to learn that Zelie is based on a real life woman who led a spy ring during the war. I loved the relationship that grew between Zelie and Marcel. They had so many obstacles to overcome, but I was definitely rooting for them. Through all they were dealing with, Zelie also needed to learn to turn to the Lord who she'd long been ignoring. I loved seeing her faith growing. And I think I caught a little nod to the Codebreakers series, which is so cool.

Though the beginning of the book was a bit slower, from the middle through the end of the book I was zinging through the pages. It definitely got quite intense at times, which I love. 

This was another great book from an awesome author. I highly recommend it. 

I received an e-copy of this book through NetGalley and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.