Book Review: A Royal Christmas Wedding by Rachel Hauck

I have a new blog!!  I'll continue to post here until the end of September, 2016.  After that you'll find all of my reviews, plus new content at Not Just a Stay-at-Home Mom.

Some people say that you reach an age where you should stop reading and believing fairy tales.  I believe those people are wrong, and I think Rachel Hauck agrees with me!  I have loved every one of the books in the Royal Wedding series, and I am so sad to see that A Royal Christmas Wedding is the final book.  Somehow Ms. Hauck makes you believe that a prince really can come along and meet an ordinary girl, marry her, and turn her into a princess.  The best thing about this series is that all of the new royal women are Americans!  I, like many Americans, am a royal watcher.  There is just something a bit magical about a king and queen. dukes, duchesses, princes and princesses.   The idea of a small-town southern girl running into a prince, falling in love with him and going to live in his faraway kingdom is definitely my idea of a fairy tale!
A Royal Christmas Wedding brings the series full circle, as Susanna Truitt (the main character of the first novel, who is now married to King Nathaniel) invites her mother, and sister, Avery, to visit Brighton Kingdom for the holidays.  Avery was once in love with Nathaniel's cousin, Prince Colin, but after a whirlwind romance, he abandoned her with no explanation.  It's been five years and Avery has moved on.  She's graduated college and is looking for a job coaching girls' volleyball.  She knows that she will run into Colin if she visits Brighton, but she's willing to go for her mother and sister's sake.  Colin regrets that he walked away from Avery to please his father.  When Avery shows up at the Harvest Ball, Colin realizes that he still loves her.  With the help of two lovable TV show hosts, a long-forgotten tradition and an old rusty bell, Colin will do all that he can to win Avery's heart again.  But once lost, trust is a hard thing to regain, especially when Colin's father hasn't given up trying to ruin his relationship with the American girl.  Can Colin and Avery find happily every after in spite of it all?
I really, really hate to see this series end, but I guess even fictional Brighton Kingdom can only have so many princes available for marriage.  I have loved getting to know all of the characters in this series.  Each story is different and unique, the characters are both diverse and authentic.  The ending of A Royal Christmas Wedding, is probably my favorite so far!  The Christmas morning wedding so beautifully described!  Also, the epilogue that told what happened to the couples from all the books was the perfect way to wrap up a great series.  If you only read one book this Christmas season, this is the one it should be!
A Royal Christmas Wedding will be available on October 18.  If you have read any of the books in this series, I'd love to hear your thoughts!  Leave me a comment below!

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for this review.  All opinions are my own.

Book review: The Candidate by Lis Wiehl

Erica Sparks is back for the second book in Lis Wiehl’s Newsmakers series, and if you thought it couldn’t get any more twisted than the first book, you haven’t seen anything yet!  In The Candidate, Erica, who is the anchor of “The Erica Sparks Effect” on the GNN news network turns her focus to the upcoming presidential election.  During an interview with candidate Mike Ortiz and his wife, she notices some odd behavior.  Her journalistic mind is intrigued and she tries to find out more.  Is it possible that Mike Ortiz’s wife, Celeste, has some sort of hold over him?  The more that Erica investigates the deeper she advances into something darker than she could have ever imagined.  In her characteristic fashion, Erica ignores the danger to herself and her family and continues her search.  This time Erica’s investigations will lead her across the country and around the world as the bodies pile up in her wake.  But when Erica disappears and her car is found in the ocean, everyone assumes she’s dead and the bad guys—whoever they are—have won.  Can Erica make it out alive, and make it back in time to expose the people responsible for some of the most heinous acts in American history?    

This book involves everything you could ever want in a thriller, and some things you probably never knew you wanted.  It’s one of those books that I read at every possible moment, and stayed up way too late to read.  It’s full of all those plot twists and turns that make Lis Wiehl one of my favorite authors.  (And if you’re like me and can’t get enough make sure you follow her on Twitter!)  I dare you to read it without wondering “what if?” just a little bit!

Happy Reading!

Lyndsie

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.  Look for The Candidate on or around October 4.

Book Review: Twilight at Blueberry Barrens by Colleen Coble

I have read many of Colleen Coble’s Christian romance novels, but she truly shines when she writes suspense.  The Sunset Cove series has been creepy and twisted from the very beginning, but reaches new heights in the latest book, Twilight at Blueberry Barrens.  I love Ms. Coble’s writing style.  She doesn’t shy away from topics that are generally taboo in religious fiction.  That’s certainly the case here.

Kate Mason was sick and about to die when she found her long-lost twin, Claire.  Claire gave Kate her bone marrow and she’s healthy now, and maybe ready for some changes in her life.  Her mother and uncle are both in prison, and she’s looking for a fresh start.  Her families’ blueberry barrens aren’t doing well, so she decides to fix up her mother’s old house and rent it out for the summer.  Drake Newham has had custody of his two nieces since his brother and sister-in-law were killed a few months earlier.  When someone breaks into his Boston home, he decides to take the girls to Sunset Cove for a visit.  He hopes to be able to investigate his brother’s death more thoroughly while he’s there.  He rents Kate’s cottage, and also hires her to be his nieces’ nanny for the summer.  The two begin to develop feelings for one another, but someone doesn’t want that to happen.  Someone is peeping at women, and leaving scary messages for Claire and following Kate. When Kate’s uncle escapes from prison, he is the likely suspect.  But there is something more sinister lurking.  Is the person who killed Drake’s brother connected to Kate’s stalker?  Is Kate’s uncle responsible for breaking into Kate’s house?  When Kate is in danger, will Drake and Luke find her in time?

As someone who has read most of Ms. Coble’s suspense novels, I figured out very early on who the stalker was, but there was enough mystery and suspense left that I still loved this book.  I read it in less than a day, and absolutely could not put it down.  While I figured out the stalker, I could not guess who killed Heath and Melissa, and the answer did surprise me.  I also enjoyed the romance that developed between Kate and Drake, and her decision to be brave and give herself a chance to live.  It’s obvious that she had a lot of pain and heartache in her life, and was emotionally abused by her guilt-ridden mother.  It was great to see her begin to put all of that behind her and learn to live her own life. 

I loved the characters in this book.  I like that the author has further developed the relationship between Kate and Claire, showing how great it is that they found each other, but also some of the difficulties that arise in such situations.  I loved that Luke was so supportive of his new wife and her twin.  Kate is such a great character, too.  I loved when she took the iPads from the girls at the dinner before Drake had even hired her.  She was so feisty and pulled no punches with Drake or the girls.  I also loved the cameo appearance by a character from Denise Hunter’s Summer Harbor series, which is another of my favorites!

I LOVE this book, but also this whole series.  You will need to read the first two Sunset Cove books before this one to really understand the story.  Trust me, it’s worth your time to read them all!

Happy reading!

Lyndsie

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for this review.  All opinions are my own.  Look for Twilight at Blueberry Barrens at your favorite bookseller on or around September 2o, 2016.    

Book Review: They Danced On by Carre Armstrong Gardner

Have you ever come to the end of a book or a series and felt like you were saying goodbye to a friend?  That’s how I felt when I realized that They Danced On is the final book in The Darling Family series.  This has been one of my favorite series of all time, and I eagerly waited for the release of each new book.  It’s hard even to describe why the Darling family is so appealing.  These books aren’t full of mystery, suspense or even romance.  They’re basically just the tale of a family. They love each other, but are far from perfect.  Throughout the series we’ve seen them struggle, fight, fall in love, deal with disappointment and heartache, and ultimately triumph with the care and support of each other.  They Danced On brings the story full circle as they face their hardest battles yet.

Jane Darling is the matriarch of this big, crazy family and she has loved Leander for most of her life.  When he faces a serious illness, Jane can only cling to faith that he will be miraculously healed.  But her denial his condition only hurts Leander.  It takes all of her children working together (and perhaps a little Divine Intervention) to help her see that her husband needs her support now more than ever.  Meanwhile, Laura is fighting her own battles in her new home in Arizona.  She went there for a fresh start after dealing with substance abuse, but when her new life begins to crumble, Laura has no one to turn to, and her old addictions come calling again.  Only a tragedy will bring her to her knees.  Nick and Ivy are also having problems with their adopted son, Hammer, and some new anger issues that have arisen with him.  Amy and Mitch are slowly building a friendship until the day he’s been one-year sober and they can begin dating.  Justice and Sephy are happily serving in Africa as a veterinarian and a nurse/midwife, but they have trials of their own ahead, too.  The Darlings will face all of these problems head-on with the same courage and determination that they’ve always had—and with the love and support of family.

While I hate to see this series end, I think this book was the perfect way to complete the Darlings’ story.  And even though we thought some of the characters got their happy ending in the precious books, they aren’t finished yet.  Real life doesn’t always have happy endings, and some of the Darlings will find that out.  I guess that’s part of the appeal of this series.  The Darling family could be your family, or your neighbors, or people from your church.  None of them are perfect, but they’re always there for each other.

This book has a lot of happy and sad moments, and even some heartbreaking ones.  The epilogue is literally one of the best endings I’ve ever read.  I actually closed the book and cried.  The only negative thing I can say is that I wish this book had more of Sephy, since she’s my favorite character, but that’s just personal preference, and not a true negative.  I dare you to read The Darling Family series and not fall in love with their family.  However, definitely don’t start here!  You absolutely MUST begin with All Right Here and Better All the Time.  Fortunately for me, I love the cover art on all of these books, so they earned a place on my physical shelf instead of the digital one!

Even though The Darling Family has ended, I truly hope that Carre Armstrong Gardner will write many more books in the future.  I plan to read them all!  I love her style, and how she writes about every day, ordinary things in a way that makes them seem extraordinary. I highly recommend this wonderful series.

Happy reading!

Lyndsie

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for this review.  All opinions are my own and a favorable review was not required.     

Book Review: You're the One That I Want by Susan May Warren

I have only read two novels and one novella in this series, but from these small peeks into the Christiansen family I think I have a good grasp on them.  These are some of the story lines I've found: two unwed pregnancies, multiple fistfights--one at a family wedding and one where one brother nearly lost his eye, a sister who married the man who nearly cost her brother his eye, at least two brothers who left home and told no one of their whereabouts, a brother who wants to marry his brother's girlfriend and raise his child, a near divorce between the parents, and now a brother who is accused of murder.  So, not exactly a picture-perfect family by any means.  But somehow their stories, no matter how unlikely, draw you in and make you want to know them more.

The final Christiansen Family novel, You're the One That I Want, follows Owen Christiansen, who left home after nearly losing his eye in a fight and ending his NHL career at the same time.  His family doesn't know where he is, but his older brother, Casper, has gone searching for him.  (For his own selfish reasons, in my opinion.)  Owen has been working on a crab boat off the coast of Alaska, and has fallen in love with the owner's daughter, Scotty McFlynn.  One night in the middle of a terrible storm, Scotty is tossed overboard and Owen jumps in to save her.  As they huddle in a life boat, nearly freezing to death, Owen proposes.  When they are rescued Scotty has second thoughts about her hasty answer when Casper shows up in the hospital leveling terrible accusations at his brother.  Scotty walks away from Owen to return to her job as a police officer.  Then she is asked to accompany a man accused of murder back to Minnesota.  Casper is shocked to learn that he is suspected of the murder of Monte Riggs back home, but Scotty agrees to travel with him and Owen and ultimately to prove his innocence.  The relationship between Owen and Casper is strained, and as the evidence mounts against Casper for Monte's murder, the family faces its greatest test yet. 

I have not read the book that contains the story of Casper, Owen and Raina, so maybe that was the reason I felt so negatively towards Casper in this book.  I loved Owen and Scotty, and felt they were treated very unfairly by Casper.  I hated Casper's attitude that he was trying to do the right thing by denying Owen any chance to know his daughter, and his feelings that he was the hero for bringing the "prodigal son" back home.  I think the situation between Owen, Casper and Raina was very odd and I have no idea what the answer for such circumstances could be.  I was, however, disappointed that the author didn't seem to know, either, so she just let the matter drop.

Now that I've made you think that I hated this book, I need to convince you that I really did love it.  I loved that Owen wasn't backwards about his feelings for Scotty from the very beginning. He saved her life and proposed so sweetly even while he was nearly dying in the boat.  When Casper told him about Raina and his daughter, he was so torn, wanting to do the right thing by Raina, but knowing that he loved Scotty.  I loved Scotty's character also.  She was tough and hard on the surface, but underneath she really loved Owen.  She didn't think she would be a good wife, but she couldn't deny that she wanted to try for him.  I loved the scene when she let his sisters dress her up to flirt with him.  I admired her determination to prove Casper's innocence, even when he was unkind to her.   The title turned out to be perfect when both Casper and Owen chose the "one" they wanted to be with. 

One day I really do plan to go back and read about Grace and Max, Eden and Jase, Casper and Raina and Derek and Ivy.  Even though the Christiansen family is extremely flawed, they always come through for one another in the end and that makes this series worth reading!

Happy Reading!

Lyndsie

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for this review.  All opinions are my own and a favorable review was not required.  You're the One That I Want is available now. 

Book Review: Dressed for Death by Julianna Deering

Dressed for Death, Julianna Deering’s fourth installment in the Farthering Mystery series may be the best one yet.  Drew has spent the last year solving cases with his friend, Nick, and his fiancé, Madeline, but now he’s faced with his hardest case yet.  It’s enough to make him doubt whether he’s cut out to be a detective at all.

Drew and Madeline Farthering have been invited to attend a week-long party with a Regency theme. They spend the week dressed in old-fashioned clothes, playing Regency era lawn and card games and performing outdated dances.  Drew’s old friend, Tal, is the son of the hosts, and he’s proud to introduce his new fiancé, Alice, to his friends.  But Alice has been acting strange all week, and reveals that she has a terrible secret she must tell Tal.  But the secret is not to be told, when Alice suddenly dies at a party.  The cause of her death is a cocaine overdose.  The situation only gets worse when Tal’s father is arrested for distributing the illegal drug.  Tal asks Drew to investigate the murder, and Drew reluctantly agrees.  But as the bodies continue to pile up, Drew questions if he’s doing more harm than good, and a surprising twist may be the final straw for the whole group.

I have to say that I truly enjoyed reading this novel.  I think that this case was the one that Drew needed to solve.  As people close to him were killed by some unknown assailant, he lost his cocky, self-assured attitude, and began to wonder if he was doing more harm than good.  There were a few surprises along the way, some that I expected and some that I didn’t.  I have to say that I guessed who was the guilty party fairly quickly, but there were a few other twists that I didn’t see coming.  I liked the other books in this series that I have read, but this one was my favorite.  Once again I felt a little disappointment that the murderer wasn’t brought to justice, but killed themselves in the end.  That seems to be a trademark of this author.  I like the slightly new dynamic between Drew and Madeline now that they’re married, although I miss some of their past disagreements.  It would seem from the ending that there will be more books to come in this series, and I’m really looking forward to reading them.  I hope that the next book will bring Nick and Carrie together for good, too!

This mystery novel is a good “whodunit” that will leave the reader feeling satisfied and a little nostalgic.  Overall, it’s a good read that I recommend to lovers of Christian mysteries. 

Happy Reading!

Lyndsie

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my review.  All opinions are my own, and a favorable review was not required. 

Book Review: If I Run by Terri Blackstock

Can a book written by a best-selling Christian author that begins with a girl covered in blood running from a murder scene be anything but wonderful?  When that book is If I Run by Terri Blackstock, the answer is, “NO!”  You may be tired of hearing me say how great all the books I’ve been reading this year are, but I promise you, I have read some of the best fiction I’ve ever read in just the past couple months.  Terri Blakcstock has written some incredible suspense novels in the past.  Those that top my list are Predator, The Last Light Series, Downfall, Double Minds and Covenant Child—just to name a few!  I will definitely be adding If I Run to that list.

Casey Cox is running away from her friend Brent’s murdered body.  She’s covered in blood, and she knows her DNA and fingerprints are all over the scene.  She also knows that if she’s caught, she will not be able to prove her innocence, if she’s even given the chance.  She goes to her apartment and packs a few things in a bag, takes all of her savings, and runs away.  She begins a new life for herself, determined to find enough evidence to find Brent’s killer—and the people who murdered her father thirteen years ago.  Brent’s isn’t the first body that Casey has discovered.  When she was only twelve years old, she found her father hanging from the ceiling fan in their living room.  Her family isn’t convinced it was suicide, but the local police ignored all evidence to the contrary.  Brent was trying to help her find the truth, and he paid the ultimate price.  Brent’s family is determined find Casey, so they hire an old family friend to chase her.  Dylan Roberts is a retired CID officer, struggling with demons of his own.  As he digs into Casey’s past, he can’t seem to reconcile the friendly, outgoing girl with the one the police say brutally murdered a friend.  As he follows Casey across the country, he realizes that he must first find out the truth about Casey’s father before he can find the truth about Brent. 

If you’re looking for a good read that will have you biting your nails before you reach the end, this is it!  I literally could not stop reading this.  Casey is a compelling character, and you will really feel like you know her.  Her friendly personality and helpful nature get her in trouble along the way.  I found myself begging her not to help every needy person she met, but her kindness got the best of her.  She definitely made some wrong choices, and these nearly led to her capture several times, but she decided that saving others was more important than saving herself.  Dylan’s battles with PTSD and his determination to find the truth about his friend’s death are another highlight of this novel.  His struggles are real, and at times heartbreaking.  As his research begins to reveal a sinister plot, he isn’t sure that he can trust his instincts, and he’s no longer sure what’s real.  He prays for God’s will and guidance, while Casey, who isn’t a Christian, is learning that there is a God, Who does hear and answer prayers.

I can’t recommend this book highly enough.  Murder, dirty cops, intrigue and deception combine for a fast-paced thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat.  I was shocked when I turned a (digital) page and realized it was over!  I don’t know how I will wait until Ms. Blackstock writes the next book in this series.  I laid awake half the night just thinking over it all again.  I promise you that If I Run belongs on your “best books ever” shelf, too!

Happy Reading!

Lyndsie

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for this review.  All opinions are my own, and a favorable review was not required.  Look for If I Run on sale on or around February 16.

Book Review: The Wonder of You by Susan May Warren

One of these days I will stop requesting books to read without first checking to see if it’s in a series.  I will stop getting a book just because it has a nice cover.  But until then I will continue to read stories that seem like they’re starting in the middle.  Sometimes this just doesn’t work out well for me, but in the case of The Wonder of You I was able to read and enjoy the story without reading any of the previous books in the series.  Now, though, I must go back and read all the others!  Judging from this one book, the whole series is great.  I did read and review a novella, Evergreen, from this series around Christmas time.  I didn’t really enjoy it at the time, but I think I would have liked it more if I’d read the others.

The Wonder of You is the fourth book in the Christiansen Family series.  It’s about Amelia, who is the youngest of the Christiansen brood.  After graduation she took a trip to Prague, where she met a man, and quickly fell in love with him.  Rourke St. John  is dashing, handsome and everything a European playboy should be.  When Amelia saw him in the arms of another woman, she ran back home in shame and embarrassment.  Now her high school boyfriend wants to convince her that they really do belong together.  She nearly convinced when Rourke shows up to try to win her back.  She decides to give him another chance, but only if he promises never to lie to her again.  Rourke is determined to keep the promise, but does not telling the whole truth count as a lie?

It’s been several years since I’ve read any of Susan May Warren’s books, but I was glad to see that her style is one that I enjoy reading.  Her characters are great, and very relatable and easy to like.  I’m so curious now that I’ve “met” them all.  I can’t wait to go back and read about each individual one.  I like how she manages to weave the stories of multiple family members together into one great book.  There was a part of the book that seemed almost insignificant, that led to a major cliffhanger at the end!  Even though I haven’t read the first three books (yet), I can promise you that I will be reading the fifth one!  I absolutely recommend this book to lovers of Christian fiction.  While there are love stores included in the series, I think at its heart, it’s really about family, the mistakes they make and unconditional love.  You don’t want to miss this one!


Happy Reading!
Lyndsie


I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for this review.  All opinions are my own and a favorable review was not required.

Book Review: Wings in the Dark by Michael Murphy

In case you don't know this from my past reviews, I am a huge fan of Michael Murphy's Jake and Laura Mystery series! I had a feeling the third one was going to be good when it's prequel indicated that Jake and Laura would be taking a trip to Hawaii and meeting up with Amelia Earhart.  And it didn't disappoint!

In this third installment Jake and Laura are married and honeymooning in Hawaii.  Their days are filled with leisurely bike rides and trips to the beach.  While dining out one night in a fancy club they receive an emergency phone call from Laura's friend Amelia, asking them to please come to the hangar where her plane is stored awaiting her trans-Pacific flight in just a few days.  When they arrive they find a local businessman, Hank Kalua, lying dead on the floor.  He's been shot twice, and Amelia seems to be the lead suspect.  Amelia and her husband, George Putnam, ask Jake to investigate.  He initially refuses, but when George applies pressure through Jake's publisher, he reluctantly accepts.  Jake and Laura, along with Putnam's private secretary, Billy, head out to try to find a murderer.  The police make a quick arrest in the case, but Jake isn't convinced they've found the right person.  When he visits a bar frequented by Royalists (Hawaiians who want to return the islands to a monarchy), he hears about a Japanese spy and assassin named Katsune, and he's even more sure there's more going on than meets the eye.  He meets an old friend who introduces him to George Patton, who's been hot on Katsune's trail for several years.  But with no physical description of the spy, and no positive evidence that he's even in Hawaii, Jake and Laura will have a hard time finding him before it's too late for Amelia.

To be honest, I thought the Katsune storyline was a bit predictable, but that didn't make the journey to finding him any less enjoyable, and there was a twist at the end that I really didn't see coming.  I love Jake Donovan because he reminds me of my favorite old time radio detectives.  I like that the cases always involve Laura, and that she helps him solve them.  That aspect makes the series a little different than your average detective stories.  My favorite part is how Mr. Murphy weaves these tales with true historical events and characters.  This one of course gives a little peak into the life of Amelia Earhart, but also shows indications of the political unrest with Japan. 

This is a great series.  There's just something exciting about stories filled with gumshoes, dames and secret agents.  After the final chapter of Wings in the Dark, I'm expecting Jake and Laura to tangle with J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI in future books.  All I can say is, "Bring it on J. Edgar!  You and your goons can't hold a candle to Jake Donovan and Laura Wilson!"

Happy Reading!

Lyndsie   

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for this review.  A favorable review was not required, and all opinions are my own.  Look for Wings in the Dark at your favorite bookseller on or around July 15.   

Book Review: Love Arrives in Pieces by Betsy St. Amant

The sequel to Betsy St. Amant’s adorably fun novel, All’s Fair in Love and Cupcakes, is finally here!  I really loved reading that book last year, but I wasn’t aware that it even needed a sequel.  I was wrong!  A major point of Love and Cupcakes was the relationship that Kat had with her sister, Stella, and her ex-boyfriend, Chase.  Chase had cheated on Kat with Stella, thus crushing Kat’s heart and destroying her faith in men in general.  Her relationship with Stella was also nearly destroyed.  However, the Cupcake Combat competition with Lucas as her helper has restored Kat’s faith, in at least some men and resulted in her wedded bliss to Lucas.  I don’t know about most readers, but I didn’t have very good feelings for Stella in Love and Cupcakes, so it’s nice to get her side of things in this second book, Love Arrives in Pieces.

At least two years have passed since the end of the first book, maybe more.  I wasn’t sure of the timeline.  Stella and Kat have patched things up and are closer now than they’ve ever been.  Kat and Lucas are expecting their first child, and all seems to be going well for them.  Not so much for Stella.  She has always been beautiful and a pageant queen, but when her husband left her, she felt stripped of everything.  She has become a shadow of her former self—she doesn’t wear makeup, wears loose, baggy clothes and has very little confidence in herself.  Her greatest fear is that she will be forced to move back in with her parents.  When her mom lands her a job decorating a renovation job in Bayou Bend, Louisiana, she jumps at the chance.  However, she has no idea that Chase is the contractor of the job, and they’ll be working closely together.  Even though they both say they want to put their past behind them and start over, they still have feelings for each other.  But both of them have secrets, that may change things when they’re revealed. 

I actually didn’t like Love Arrives in Pieces as much as I did Betsy St. Amant’s past books.  Don’t get me wrong, it was a great read, and is perfect for summer, but it just didn’t grab me like All’s Fair in Love and Cupcakes.  I have always found Ms. St. Amant’s books to be funny, but this one did seem to be lacking a little in the humor department.  I liked the characters, although at first it was hard for me to switch my loyalties from Kat to Stella.  By the end of this book I liked both equally well. 

Love Arrives in Pieces is a lot of fun, and the reason for the title didn’t hit me until near the end of the book.  I’m still a big fan of Betsy St. Amant, and will definitely read anything new that she writes.  I love her scenes, and the deep-south setting.   I could definitely see myself sitting in the sand or beside the pool and reading this one.

 

 

Happy Reading,

Lyndsie

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for this review.  All opinions are my own and a favorable review was not required.  Look for Love Arrives in Pieces for sale on or around June 9.

Book Review: Million Dollar Baby by Amy Patricia Meade

I love a good historical crime novel, and Amy Patricia Meade's first one has rocketed to the top of my list!  While it has the classic elements of my favorite old-time detectives, it has a modern twist as a woman takes the lead.  Marjorie McClelland is smart, sassy, stylish and independent, but that doesn't mean she isn't on the lookout for Mr. Right!  Her antics as she tries to catch him kept me giggling all the way through this book.

The Depression is still raging in America, but Marjorie is surviving by writing mystery novels.  She's a twenty-something single woman living in a small town in Connecticut.  Even though the whole town seems to think she should go out with a local doctor, she's holding out for someone tall, dark and handsome.  When she meets Creighton Ashcroft, it's love at first sight--for him.  He determines to try to win Marjorie's affections, but she isn't swayed by his English accent, good look his fortune.  He agrees to help her write her next book as a way to get closer to her.  Creighton has just bought the biggest house in Ridgebury, not knowing about the man who committed suicide there five years earlier.  When he takes Marjorie to the slightly run-down mansion to show it off to her, she discovers a skeleton in the backyard.  When she and Creighton are interviewed by the local police, Marjorie meets Detective Robert Jameson.  He is exactly what she thinks a man should be.  So she talks Creighton into going with her to the police station to volunteer their services to Detective Jameson to help find the murderer.  Creighton sees through her plan and makes it is goal to keep Jameson and Marjorie apart. 

But while this book does have it's share of funny, romantic moments, it also has a classic "whodunit" written a style similar to Agatha Christie.  Marjorie, Creighton and Detective Jameson work together to reopen an old case, prove that it wasn't suicide and then connect it to the body they recently found.  This plot has a lot of twists and turns and is much more sinister than you'll believe at first.  The reason for the title isn't obvious, but it works in pretty smoothly without feeling forced.

This book is charming and funny and has everything I like in a good crime story.  I loved the funny lighthearted moments, and the banter between Marjorie and Creighton.  I like that there's a sweet love story (or two) brewing under the surface.  But the author doesn't allow the fun and romance to detract from a complex mystery.  I felt like there was something the detectives were missing, but couldn't figure out what it was.  There is a really great ending here.  I love the characters, and feel like they're realistic for the time period.  The dialogue feels real, too, and isn't over-the-top or cheesy.  I absolutely loved Marjorie's attempts at playing the femme fatale to catch Jameson's attention, but I'm still holding out hope for her and Creighton in the next book, which I've already started reading!  This is a series I'm really excited about!

Happy Reading!

Lyndsie

I was given a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for this review.  All opinions are my own, and a favorable review was not required.   

Book Review: A Heart's Danger by Colleen Coble

If you've been reading Colleen Coble's Journey of the Heart series, A Heart's Danger is the one you've been waiting for!  When Ben Croftner and Jessica DuBois come up with a plan to keep Sarah away from Rand, the results may not be what either had hoped for.  Both Sarah and Rand end up in terrible danger, and fear for their lives.  However, as they fight to be reunited, each will realize that their feelings may not be as changed as they hoped.

Once again the pace of this book is so fast.  Several days or even weeks worth of time are passed in just a few sentences.  While the characters, plot and dialogue definitely don't measure up to Ms. Coble's more recent works, the story itself still remains enjoyable.  Reading this series feels a bit like a guilty pleasure, since it has so many of the things we love to read, including a scheming fiancé, an ex bent on revenge and a daring rescue.  This book ends with Rand and Sarah finally tying the knot, so I'm curious to see what will happen in the fourth book in the series. 

Happy Reading!

Lyndsie 

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for this review.  A favorable review was not required and all opinions are my own.  Look for A Heart's Danger at your favorite bookseller on or around May 5.

Book Review: A Heart's Obsession by Colleen Coble

Book number two in Colleen Coble's Journey of the Heart  series was much like the first one.  While I really enjoy the basic story line, there are things about it that drive me crazy!  Everything seems to happen incredibly fast.  Papa is dead. They're leaving in two days.  They've suddenly arrived.  Rand is engaged, although he thought only two months ago he could never love anyone else.  Whether or not he loves Jessica still remains to be seen.  Ben Croftner is on his way to the fort almost before Sarah herself can arrive there.  I wish that the story could stretch just a little further.  However, these books have so many things that we love to read in a good love story: a true love like Sarah's for Rand, a fiancé who is mean and horrible and needs to be exposed, men in uniform, multiple suitors and parties with fancy dresses.  

I will continue to read this series, because I really do want to know what's going to happen to Sarah and Rand, as well as Ben.  But if I buy all of these books, I will wait until they are released as series.  Otherwise it would be too frustrating to wait from one to the next. 

Happy Reading,

Lyndsie

I was given an advance copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my review.  All opinions are my own, and a favorable review was not required. 

Book Review: Dreaming Spies by Laurie R. King

I admit that today's review is long overdue, as this book was released a few weeks ago.  I have had it on my "currently reading" list for a while, but it was slow going.  You see, when I first saw this book on NetGalley I was excited to read a new Sherlock  Holmes series.  I requested it, and then decided to check to see if there were previous books in the series.  I was surprised to find that this book is number thirteen in the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series.  Since I had a little time before the release date, I purchased the first book The Beekeeper's Apprentice just to test the series to see if I liked it.  I bought this book through Audible and really enjoyed how the narrator, Jenny Sterlin, read the book and the different parts.  While the story stretched out really, really long, it did have a good mystery in it, so I decided to go ahead and purchase the second book, (also on Audible) A Monstrous Regiment of Women.  After reading the first two books in the series, I felt ready to tackle reading book number thirteen, and hoped I wouldn't be too out of the loop to like it.

When the release date for Dreaming Spies rolled around, I was not quite half way through the book.  Even though the story was getting interesting, it was really hard for me to follow it.  So, I used my Audible credit for March, and let Jenny Sterlin guide me through the pages again.

This book tells of Sherlock and Mary's trip to Japan and what happened there.  Apparently that has been a bit of a mystery to readers for a while.  While onboard a ship traveling between England and the United States, Mary and Holmes meet a young woman named Haruki.  She claims that she has been in the West, studying to help out her family's business in Japan.  They are the owners of a small hotel in the mountains there.  But while sneaking around the ship one night after dark, Mary and Homes discover that there is more to this young woman than meets the eye.  What's more, she knows who they are, even though they are traveling under assumed names.  She asks them to come to her home and meet her family, and then perhaps she will tell them what her mission is, and why she sought them out.  Upon arriving in Haruki's village Holmes and Mary are introduced to a very important person, and asked to help recover a important document that has been stolen by a blackmailer.  Things don't go exactly as planned, but in the end Holmes and Mary return to England believing that all is well.  They promptly put their time in Japan behind them until a few months later when Haruki shows up at Mary's home...and she's bleeding.  Thus they set off on another adventure and a dangerous search.  In the end the Holmes' are left wondering what part they played in this great intrigue, or if they were really just bystanders all along.

To me, Jenny Sterlin makes this series what it is.  While the books are good, it is her narration that makes them shine.  Maybe I just got spoiled by listening to her, and that's why I struggled to read them on my own.  It is strange to read about someone who is just as smart as Sherlock Holmes, and whose mind works as fast as his.  It does make for great adventures and takes less time to tell a story since Holmes isn't always trying to explain himself.  In each of these books that I have read, I have come to a point where I decided that I didn't want to read the next one and was just going to give them up.  But by the end I'm so impressed with how Holmes and Russell solved the case, that I decide to read another one.  Sometimes I get annoyed with all the wordiness.  I think Ms. King could use fewer words and her stories would be just as good.  I got bogged down sometimes with all the descriptions and philosophical ramblings.  And that's saying a lot since I generally like a lot of descriptions.  

This is a refreshing look at Sherlock Holmes, where he isn't painted as some kind of superhero.  Dr. Watson does make appearances in some of the books, as does Holmes' brother Microft.  It's strange to hear them refer to "Doyle" who is credited with writing Holmes' stories and over-embellishing them.  While it's odd to thing of Holmes as man of sixty being married to a twenty-something young woman, it works somehow, although I have to admit that their sleeping arrangements are a source of curiosity for me.  Overall, I think this series is worth reading if you're a Holmes fan who doesn't take Holmes too seriously.  If you're open to seeing a new, and older, side of the great detective--along with some great new adventures in a whole new century--give this series a try.  I do recommend though, that you try to read them in order!

Happy Reading,

Lyndsie

I was given a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my review.  All opinions are my own and a favorable review was not required.        

Book Review: A Heart's Disguise by Colleen Coble

In case you're new to this blog, I'll let you know first off that Colleen Coble is one of my favorite Christian authors.  The Journey of the Heart series is a re-release of her first books.  It is obvious in the reading that she hadn't yet honed her writing skills, but the basics aspects that make her later books are there.  While the writing isn't up to her current standards, the story is a good one.  Even though it's very short--really just a novella--it held my attention and interest.  The story will be told in multiple parts, and thankfully we won't have to wait long from part to part! 

It's the story of Sarah and Rand, who were engaged to be married before he left to fight in the Civil War.  When it's reported that Rand has died in a prison camp, Sarah is heartbroken.  Added to the burden of her father's poor health and impending death, is the attention of Ben Croftner.  Even though she doesn't really like him, she decides to marry Ben, because he seems to love her, and she needs security and a home.  But Sarah and her family don't know that Rand is not only alive, but he's on his way home to her.  What will happen when Rand comes home and finds Sarah about to be married?  Will he forgive her?  Would she be willing to leave her family to travel away with him after all? 

The questions aren't all answered by the end of this book, and it actually ends rather abruptly.  But it leaves the reader anxious for the next installment.  The characters in this book are a little one-sided, and the language used is sometimes unnatural and awkward.  I did enjoy reading it, though, even if it was just to see how Ms. Coble's writing has developed over the years.  And I for one can't wait to read A Heart's Obsession which is due to be released in early April.  I believe there are six books in this series, and they should all be available by the end of summer.  It's a fast read, and overall very enjoyable.

Happy Reading!

Lyndsie

I was given an advance copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for this review.  All opinions are my own, and a favorable review was not required.

Book Review: Lethal Beauty by Lis Wiehl

I was so excited when Lethal Beauty, the sequel to A Deadly Business, became available for review!  I am was a big fan of the second book in the Mia Quinn series, and really do need to go back and read the first book.  The second and third books are still enjoyable without reading the first, but I think some things would make more sense.  However, I don't think you could read the third book without reading the second one. 

Mia Quinn's husband was recently killed in a car accident (in book one I think) and she discovered that there was more to his death than met the eye (in book two) and now she's about to find out about one of those dark, twisted parts of life that most people don't know.  As an assistant prosecutor in Seattle, Mia is trying a case in which a rich, white man murdered a young, Asian prostitute in a "massage parlor."  He's claiming self-defense and the prosecution's only witness has disappeared.  In the middle of it all, Mia's son Gabe has started using steroids, and the body of a man who was searching for her has washed up in the sound.  Things grow more confusing when a church pianist is murdered in front of the congregation on a Sunday morning.  Mia, along with homicide detective Charlie Carlson, and defense attorney Eli Hall, must figure out how all of these things are connected before more lives are lost. 

This is a nice wrap-up for the mystery that's been building in the first two books, but a little disappointing overall.  I found Mia's character to be a little clueless and shallow in this book.  Was she really so absent that when her son started using illegal drugs she didn't even notice?  Her job keeps her so busy that she leaves her daughter at home with a woman struggling through chemo treatments most of the time.  After coming home one night and finding that the kids have made chocolate chip cookies for dinner, Mia throws away all of the junk food out of the house, and decides to eat only healthy foods from now on.  This just seemed to come from left-field and didn't really fit in the plot.  When I take into consideration that Mia is a single mother trying to work to support her family, these issues become more reasonable, but still are annoying for me.   

As for the plot, it had just the right amount of complexity that I've come to expect from Ms. Wiehl.  She really brings the whole mystery to a close very nicely, if rather quickly.  I liked how it all ended, and I'll tell you that there was an unexpected hero who saved the day, and that was a nice touch.  I know that this is not a romance series, but part of me just wants Mia to choose between Charlie and Eli already!  Okay, so I really just want her to choose Charlie.  I also think this series is a great way to inform people about modern-day slavery in the United States.  I did know that it existed before reading this book, but not to what extent.  I hope that enough people become away of this problem, and that ways can be found to end it.

Although the big mystery has been solved, I really hope this is not the last Mia Quinn book.   Ms. Wiehl's stories are so interesting and diverse.  Her plots are always twisted in such a way that it's hard to know which side of the fence you are on.  She can take a character who does something wrong, and show you their motive and you truly feel bad for them.  Since life is often the same way, I think that adds a realistic element to her books.  I hope to read more of her books in the future, but I'm really hoping for more Mia Quinn!

Happy Reading!

Lyndsie

I was given an advance copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my review.  All opinions are my own and a favorable review was not required.  Look for Lethal Beauty at your favorite bookseller on or around March 3, 2015.   

Book Review: Twisted Innocence by Terri Blackstock

Terri Blackstock has brought another great series to a close with Twisted Innocence, the third book in the Moonlighters series.  This series has followed the lives of three sisters, Cathy, Juliet and Holly, as they take moonlighting jobs as PIs in order to find the man who murdered Cathy's fiancé, and kidnapped Juliet's children.  In this third book, drug dealer Leonard Miller is back, with the third sister, Holly in his sights this time.  Holly has just given birth to a baby daughter when she finds out that the father of her child is wanted for questioning in the murder of a local drug dealer.  In order to protect  her baby, Holly will stop at nothing to help the police find Creed Kershaw and bring him to justice.  But when Holly does find Creed, he's not what she expected.  He promises that if the sisters will help him prove his innocence, he'll help them find Leonard Miller.  The women agree, and along with Michael Hogan (who is still in jail following his felony charge) and his brother Max, they set off to find this man who has caused them so much grief.  Once again, it's a race against time to find Leonard before he kills Creed, Holly and baby Lily.  In the middle of it all, Holly and Creed will search for redemption, and find so much more.

This series has been great, and I'm pretty satisfied with the ending, although I do wish things had turned out a little happier for Juliet.  I liked the message in this book that past mistakes don't have to define us, and that God has a bigger and better plan than we could imagine.  I like the way that Ms. Blackstock writes.  She doesn't take long to get into a story, and there's usually some kind of action in the first chapter.  This one was missing some of the surprise factors of the first two, but it was still exciting and hard to put down.  I was surprised to find out that I liked Holly (the rebel) and even Creed and was cheering for them by the end. 

Any Christian thriller lover is sure to enjoy this book, but I definitely think you should read the first two Moonlighters books first to really love it.  It's a really great series.

Happy Reading!

Lyndsie

I was given an advance copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my review.  All opinions are my own.  Look for Twisted Innocence by Terri Blackstock from your favorite bookseller on or around February 3.     

 

Book Review: Love at Mistletoe Inn by Cindy Kirk

I set some pretty lofty reading goals for 2015, and I'm sad to say that I'm already a little behind if I'm going to reach it.  So this little novella was a good way to get a quick read under my belt without a huge time commitment.  You may know that I started out last year reading the Year of Weddings series from Zondervan publishers.  I reviewed one a month until June when the publishers stopped making them available for some reason unknown to me.  I wasn't too upset by it, though, since the last one I read was a real disappointment to me.  Zondervan did eventually make the rest of the series available, but I decided they just weren't for me anymore.

Then came the second Year of Weddings and I decided to give it another try.  The first book in the series Love at Mistletoe Inn had some high points and low points for me.  I really liked the story of Hope and John.  I like when authors put a twist on the basic boy meets girl story line, and this author did a great job of that.  Hope and John skipped their senior prom and ran away to get married, but immediately after the ceremony, Hope got cold feet.  The "minister" who performed the vows felt sorry for her and promised not to file the papers, and informed her that the marriage wouldn't be legal.  John left town soon after and Hope has only seen him a few times since.  It's been ten years and John has walked back into Hope's life to stay.  To make matters worse, Hope has just discovered that they are legally married even without the papers being filed.  She and John decide (after consummating their relationship, ah-hem) that they are going to give their marriage a try before divorcing.  This is where the story got a little weird for me.  Hope's Aunt Verna, who is also John's foster mother, decides to plan a secret wedding for someone at Christmas time.  The two people she's planning for are named Luke and Laura--of General Hospital fame--and they are out of the country because they are both deployed.  They have given Verna total freedom in all aspects of the wedding, from the dress to the invitations.  So of course she needs John and Hope to help with all the details.  And wouldn't you know that Luke and Laura are the exact same size and build as John and Hope?  John and Hope plan a whole wedding and never suspect it might not be for some mysterious couple named after soap opera stars.  I just found that a little hard to believe.  My other problem came with the issue of the never-filed marriage license.  I used to work at the County Clerks Office where I issued, filed and recorded marriage licenses.  I'm not sure how the author concludes that a marriage is still legal if the paperwork isn't filed, since filing paperwork is what makes it legal.  How can you prove a marriage is legal with no paperwork? 

This was a nice book to start out the year with, even if it had some problems.  I think maybe I expect too much from these novellas sometimes.  It's important to remember that the author only has a few pages in which to build the plot and develop the characters.  Sometimes that just isn't enough for a great story, but Cindy Kirk has written a pretty good one here.  I think I'll read some more of this year's Year of Weddings series after all.

Happy Reading!

Lyndsie

I was given an e-copy of this book by the publisher through NetGalley.  A favorable review was not required and all opinions are my own.  Love at Mistletoe Inn is on sale now.  

Book Review: Deceived by Irene Hannon

I have waited a long time for the third and final book in the Guardians of Justice series--and it was worth the wait! Deceived was just as good as Vanished and Trapped.  I'm only disappointed that Phoenix only has three PIs instead of five or six, because I can't get enough of them.

Just like his partners, Cal and Dev, before him, Connor Sullivan is about to find love while working on an investigation.  It's one of the strangest investigations that the Phoenix investigators have had.  Kate Marshall buried her husband three years ago after he drowned while fishing with their four-year-old son, Kevin.  Kevin's body was never found, but the police concluded that he died along with his father.  Kate has finally managed to move on with her life, and she's gotten a new job in St. Louis, helping battered women find jobs.  While riding an escalator in a shopping mall, she spots a boy who looks just like her son.  Startled, she calls out his name, and he turns to look at her.  Before she can get closer to him, his father rushes him out of the mall.  Knowing she'll never be able to forget the incident, Kate hires to Connor to find out if "Todd" is really her son, or if her mind is playing tricks on her.  As both the summer weather and the investigation heat up, a new relationship between Kate and Connor seems to be heating up as well.  Connor has made some mistakes in love in the past, and he's determined not to do it again.  He makes up his mind that as soon as this investigation is over, he will pursue a more personal relationship with his client, but he has to get there in time to save her life first...

As usual, I love Ms. Hannon's characters!  I've loved the stories of each of the PIs and how they found their true loves, all the while side-stepping the company policy about no personal relationships with clients.  Ms. Hannon's plots are always unusual, and this one was no different.  It was really interesting to see what steps Connor took to figure out if Todd was really Kevin.  Somehow I even found myself feeling sorry for Greg Sanders, even as I hoped that Connor could prove that Greg was a murderer and kidnapper.  My one problem with this book was the dialogue between Todd and adults.  I've never heard any seven-year-old who talked that well.  His vocabulary was much too advanced in my opinion.  But, besides that, this story was perfect in every way.  There was also a sneak peak of Irene Hannon's next book Buried Secrets at the end.  It's not due out until March, but I already can't wait to read it! 

Irene Hannon is one of my favorite Christian authors, and in my opinion, her suspense novels are among the best.  Read the Guardians of Justice series for yourself, and I think you'll agree.

Happy Reading,

Lyndsie 

You can read my review of Trapped  here and my review of Vanished here.


I was given a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my review.  All opinions are my own.

Book Review: Buttermilk Sky by Jan Watson

I hate to admit this, but I've been in sort of a reading slump lately.  It's not that I'm not reading anything good, but nothing much has captured my interest.  Then I got Buttermilk Sky by Jan Watson in the mail from Tyndale House.  I love this book!  It was an easy, feel-good kind of read.  It is part of a series, but can stand alone.  I haven't read any of the others, but it didn't hinder me in reading this one.

It takes place in 1913 in Kentucky.  Mazy Pelfrey has left behind her small, mountain town to move to Lexington to enter secretarial school.  She left behind her beau, Sheriff Chanis Clay.  Chanis is in love with Mazy, and has been since the first time he set eyes on her.  Mazy, however, wants to experience more than life in a small town.  Lexington, though, is all new to her.  Her studies at the secretarial school are harder than she thought, and friendships aren't as easy to come by in the city.  Then she meets Loyal Chambers.  He's the dreamy young man that all the girls have their hearts set on.  His heart seems to be set on Mazy.  When Chanis pays her a visit in the city, Mazy will be forced to decide which direction she'll choose for her life.  Facing a possible rejection from the girl of his dreams, Chanis must look at his own life to decide what it is he really wants to do.

This book is light and fun and I really enjoyed it.  The characters aren't deep or complicated, but they were likeable.  I did feel like there were some small story lines that didn't seem to fit into the plot.  For instance, there were some parts about Eva that I thought could have been explored a little more deeply.  The resolution seemed to come too quickly, without as much conflict as I would have expected.  These things didn't detract from the story for me, and there was a little surprise at the end that I enjoyed very much.   

This is my first book by Jan Watson, but I hope it won't be my last!  I did a quick search on Amazon and found all of the other books by Jan Watson that preceded this one.  Now I want to read them all!  If you'd like to read something that just makes you feel happy, I think you'll enjoy Buttermilk Sky as much as I do!

Happy Reading,

Lyndsie

I was given an advance copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for this review.