Thursday, June 30, 2016

All Summer Long by Melody Carlson

She considered pinching herself, Was this really her life? Or was she simply caught up in one of her favorite romantic comedies... or just dreaming? - Tia D'Amico,  All Summer Long by Melody Carlson.


I cannot believe that Summer is almost over! It is already July and I feel like Summer just started. Well about that Summer reading that I was supposed to have done, Unfortunately I have been so busy that I have not read as much as I wanted but I did just finish a great new book by Melody Carlson.
 All Summer Long by Melody Carlson is the story of Tia D’Amico, An Italian girl who has a passion for cooking. When she was 16 years old, she went to a Sailing Camp in San Francisco. During her time at camp she spent most of the time cooking in the Galley ( Boat talk for Kitchen. There is a lot of Boat Talk in the book)  but the one thing she remembers most about the camp was this boy that she met named Leo.  He was kind, caring and of course, absolutely adorable. On the last day of camp, they both were standing on the deck and Leo leaned over and gave her a kiss. Now 10 years later she still thinks back that day and remembers the boy who gave her, her first kiss.  Tia now has the opportunity to move to San Francisco to work on her Aunt’s new “floating restaurant” that was being constructed within a fancy old yacht.  Tia is ecstatic!   She cannot wait until she arrives. But unfortunately once she arrives she finds out that her Uncle is in the hospital and has to have a major life or death surgery.  Since her Aunt could not pick her up at the airport, Her Aunt sends the Boat’s Captain to take Tia home.  When Tia meets the captain she cannot believe her eyes! The Captain is the boy from the Sailing camp, Leo!  The two of them have a wonderful car ride together reminiscing about camp and how their lives have been since then. During the conversation Tia  finds out that before her Uncle got sick, Her Aunt had made reservations at a fancy restaurant for them and did not want Tia to miss out, so Tia and Leo would be going instead.  Sounds like the perfect romantic evening. Tia feels like she is in a dream. Then Leo tells her that they will be meeting someone for dinner and it turns out to be Leo’s FiancĂ© Natalie. 
Tia knows that she has to work with Leo but it is so hard to work with someone you love but can never be with.  Especially when he is charming and has that cute smile. So Tia decides that she is going to dislike Natalie. But as Tia gets to know Natalie, she finds that she really likes her. She is pretty, smart and seems perfect for Leo... Why then does she have such a bad feeling about her? Is she being jealous?
While at Natalie and Leo's Engagement party Tia overhears Natalie discussing plans for Leo's future. Tia is shocked at what she hears! The only problem is that she cannot tell Leo without admitting that she was eavesdropping.  Will Tia tell Leo what she overheard or will she let him make what could be the biggest mistake of his life.
Guess you will have to read it to find out!

What did I think of the book?
Well, first of all Contemporary romance novels aren't really "my cup of tea". I like Historical, Mystery, Criminal fiction, Western Romance etc... but most of my books do have a bit or more of romantic content. Anyway, I thought the book was well written. all of the characters were likable, even Natalie. This is book 2 of the Follow Your Heart Series but I read it as a stand alone It was definitely a romance novel but it did have other parts of the story as well, like Tia's Uncle being in the hospital. I thought that reading the book was like watching a Hallmark movie, You know that the story is going to end well and you "sort of" know what will happen at the end of the story.  Overall I did enjoy reading the book and I look forward to her next book that is coming out next year. I rate the book 4 out of 5 stars ****.
I recommend this book for anyone looking for a heartfelt slightly funny, Romance novel. 


Hey, Don't forget to check out Mrs. Carlson other books!  She has several amazing books for both adults and Young adults.
Here is the link: 
http://www.melodycarlson.com/women.shtml



Happy  Reading :)

I would like to thank Revell , A division of Baker Publishing Group for allowing me to review this book in exchange for a free copy, I was not required to write a favorable review, just an honest one.



 

Saturday, June 25, 2016

No Other Will Do by Karen Witemeyer

"Harper's Station is my Dream and my Responsibility... I refuse to be run off my property!" - Emma Chandler, No other will do by Karen Witemeyer.


In Karen Witemeyer’s latest novel No Other Will Do, We are introduced to Emma Chandler, A strong young women who is determined to be who she wants to be no matter what anyone tells her.
The Year is 1894, Women are told they are to help around the house and watch children, etc.  But in Harper’s Station things are a bit different. Emma and her Suffragette Aunts have established this colony to be a women’s only colony that would allow women who are in need to have a fresh start. They all had specific jobs like gardening, raising chickens, sewing, selling quilts, running a store and running a bank. Also it was a safe place for them to live. Everything was going well until someone starts threatening the Colony. The women find several notes telling them to leave the Colony or else. Then during a meeting, a masked man comes into the Church and starts shooting! Thankfully all of the shots were above the women’s heads and no one was hurt. But this latest attack has Emma worried.  They all decide that they need someone to help guard the Colony and help them fight against the assailant. Emma immediately writes her old friend Malachi Shaw. Malachi was an orphan who was saved many years ago by Emma’s kindness.  When Malachi receives Emma’s Telegraph, He immediately boards a train and comes to her rescue. When he arrives in Harper’s Station, he is shocked at how much she has grown into a beautiful young woman, because he has not seen her since they were both kids.  Malachi is determined to protect the women at all costs but during his very first night there, someone sets the church on fire!  When they finally were able to put out the fire they notice they someone carefully burned a message on the wall that said “LEAVE OR DIE” .Emma feels like she has failed the people she cares about but Malachi convinces her that she is doing a great job and that she must continue leading the women or else the assailant will win. Malachi knows that he is in love with Emma but he feels like he is not worthy of someone like her and Emma finds herself falling in love with Malachi but she thinks that he just sees her as an old childhood friend. So they try to avoid being alone together because it is hard for both of them to hide their feelings from the other. Several more events take place during the story involving the assailant and now it appears that there is a traitor among them. When Emma disappears, things really escalate. Malachi receives a note that says to have everyone out of Harper’s Station before Sunset or else Emma dies along with anyone in the town.  Will Malachi and the others flee or will they be able to save Emma before it is too late?       Will Malachi and Emma finally tell how they feel or will they just ignore the other until Malachi has to leave?  
Well, Towards the end of the book....

Oops,I can’t tell you! You will have to read the book to find out!


What did I think of the book?
I LOVED  reading this book! Karen Witemeyer is one of my favorite authors and I highly recommend her books. This book specifically was amazing. the Prologue was one of my favorite parts. I love how the author describes the relationship between Emma and Malachi, How they both had fallen in love with the other but were too afraid to say anything. ( But the readers see that they are an absolute perfect couple.) I love the  faith that Emma shows during the trials they were facing.  The author threads a lot of humor within the story and within each character and there is a bit of suspense and danger threaded in the story as well. This book is the first of the Ladies of Harper Station series and I cannot wait until the rest of the series!
Overall I rate the book 5 out of 5 Stars!


Check out all of her other books on her website! 
Here is the link:
http://www.karenwitemeyer.com/books.html


Happy Reading :) 

  I would like to thank Bethany House for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy. I was not asked to write a favorable review, Just a Honest one.






Saturday, June 18, 2016

The Quieting by Suzanne Woods Fisher

         "When you dig into the past, it's like you're finding genealogical layers that tell a story."            - Abigail in The Quieting by Suzanne Woods Fisher.







Hooray, for Summer reading!!! I love that I have a little extra time for reading in the summer, especially when it is stormy outside. So on to the book that I just finished reading. The Quieting by Suzanne Woods Fisher  is the story of an Amish girl named Abigail Stoltzfus who loves to research people’s origins and family histories because she believes that history repeats itself.  For the last few months she has been helping her father with his genealogical research in an attempt to help him out of his slight case of depression.  When her family sends both her and her sister Laura to help their Uncle David, She is excited because her Uncle lives in the same place as the client they are helping. But what she did not realize was that her Grandmother has a different reason for bringing her to help her Uncle. Her Grandmother wants her to find a husband because there has to be several eligible bachelors there... Right?  Nope, there is only one and his name is Dane Glick. (AKA Dane like rain) Dane is smitten with Abigail from the moment he first hears her voice. He decides right away that this girl was the one God had sent for him. However Abigail is not interested in Dane at all , not because of anything he did but just the fact that she prefers  the company of books, old newspapers and old Bibles instead of boys. It could also be because she gets so nervous around boys and when she gets nervous she starts to sneeze, a lot. Oh, and one other thing. Dane is related to a Minister who did something wrong at the church and is at odds with Abigail’s Uncle David.  As the conflict at the church gets worse.  Abigail’s Uncle decides that they may have to resort to a Quieting, which is when a Minister has his ordination revoked.  Abigail is puzzled by the way Dane treats her. It is not possible that he could like her, I mean really like her... right?  She is boring (or so her sister says) She has no sense of humor , is honest to a fault ( really,  She just says whatever is on her mind no matter what it is ) and is fascinated with the past not the future.  When Abigail finds information that could help resolve the matter at the church but in the process may hurt her fragile relationship with Dane, Will she use that information to settle the issues at the church or will she keep quiet about what she learned?  Will Dane be able to convince her that she is who God made her to be and that he loves her for the way she is?
Well, I guess you will have to read to the book to find out!


What did I think about the book?
It was a really good book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.  I loved the characters, especially the relationship between Abigail and Dane. This is a book 2 in the Bishop's Family series but I read it as a stand alone.  The book contains a bit of seriousness as you read about the issues in the church but there are also the moments where Abigail and Dane interact or the moments that Abigail decides to help around  her  Uncle’s house ( you will have to read the book to understand what I mean.) and it brings a bit of humor to the overall story, that being said, I think the author balances the seriousness and the humor very well so  that neither overwhelms the story.  I recommend this book to anyone is looking for a Amish book with slight bit of romance and an intriguing story line.  Overall I give the book 4 out of 5 stars ****

Hey, Don't forget to check out her other books!!!
 http://suzannewoodsfisher.com/books/



Happy  Reading :)

I would like to thank Revell , A division of Baker Publishing Group for allowing me to review this book in exchange for a free copy, I was not required to write a favorable review, just an honest one.



Thursday, June 16, 2016

Sea Rose Lane by Irene Hannon


 Love has crashed into BJ Stevens...              
Literally.
                                                 
In Irene Hannon’s latest novel, Sea Rose Lane, BJ Stevens was driving to an elderly friend’s home when she is rear ended by Eric who was talking on his cell phone. She is furious that he would be so careless and not pay attention to the road. She decides not to press charges since there is substantial damage to his car and virtually none on her beloved pickup truck.    
 Eric is having a bad day, a world class, “This day could not get any worse” kind of day. He lost his job that he thought was secure because it was one of the largest firms in the state and now he has crashed into a pickup truck and messed up his expensive BMW.  And then he has another surprise because as he enters his father’s driveway,   he notices  the pickup truck is parked at the top .Eric discovers that the driver, BJ Stevens is an architect and she is the one who is overseeing his father’s dream of turning the family home into a Bed and Breakfast.   At first BJ and Eric  CANNOT stand each other. even thought they both feel this ”electric attraction” to each other, neither wants to see what it is or where it goes because BJ has been in a bad relationship before and Eric has always prioritized his job before dating. When Eric accidentally insults Luis, A man from Cuba who works on BJ’s team, he discovers how depressed Luis is and by the grace of God is able to stop him from doing something foolish. Eric finds out that Luis is very discouraged because he lost his wife on the way to the United States and he cannot practice medicine here even though he was a doctor in Cuba and though he is grateful to BJ for giving him his job and teaching him the trade but he is depressed about his circumstances.  BJ has a dream to help elderly people who are alone by providing a companion that would be paid by room and food but the Helping Hands board ( the charity where BJ volunteers) tells BJ that her project has too much liability risks. When everything looks hopeless for her project God puts Luis and BJ’s elderly friend Eleanor on her heart and she decides she would like them to test her project. With the Board Members permission, they try to get Luis and Eleanor together but Eleanor is not comfortable with having a stranger live with her and Luis does not want charity. Will BJ be able to convince them to try this out or will they continue to be stubborn and miss this opportunity?
 As BJ and Eric work together to  find a solution to some problems they are facing they find themselves growing closer to each other. But then Eric gets a job offer that is even better than his previous job, will he take the job and leave BJ heartbroken or will he turn down this prestigious job for a chance on love?
Guess you will have to read it to find out!

What did I think of the book?
I thought that the book was well written, The characters were likeable and the story line was good. I did not like how many different elements there were in the story but it was cool how the author brought the multiple characters and stories together at the end of the book.  I know that it is contemporary romance but I did not like the "New Age" references like, "Positive energy". Oh, one other thing that I did not care for was Charley. I know his tacos sounded good but the way he knew things that had just happened was creepy, like if he was an angel or something. This is book 2 in the Hope Harbor series but like all of  Mrs. Hannon's novels you can read it as a stand alone.  ( which is a awesome thing since I did not read the first book )
Overall if you are looking for a romance novel that has a lot of twists and turns, I recommend this one.  I rate the book 3 out of 5 stars***


I did not care much for this book but I LOVE her Romantic Suspense novels!!! Check out all of books by clicking the link below!
http://www.irenehannon.com/books.html




 Happy Reading :)

 I would like to thank Revell , A division of Baker Publishing Group for allowing me to review this book in exchange for a free copy, I was not required to write a favorable review, just an honest one.