The Sea Keeper's Daughter by Lisa Wingate

Hey everyone,  I have just finished reading the Sea Keeper's Daughter by Lisa Wingate, and I loved it!  It is the story of Whitney Monroe who is desperate to save her restaurant the  Tazza  2.  She is having financial trouble and Tagg Harper, a competitor in the Italian restaurant business is trying to make her go out of business. After dealing with Mr.Harper she heads home and her neighbor/landlord meets her before she gets in the house and tells her that there is a message for her about her stepfather,  Which is strange, because she NEVER talks to her stepfather because she blames him for her mother's death ( her mom had cancer and she never knew about it, She thinks that he is the reason that her mom never told her about her illness) She finds out from one of his neighbors that he was taken to the hospital because he had fallen in the bathroom and no one knew about it until someone found him four days later. So Whitney heads over to Manteo in the Outer Banks NC to assist her stepfather and to retrieve and hopefully sell some of the items that were her inheritance from her parents that is currently in her stepfather's hands, so that  she can use the money for her restaurant. When she arrives at the Excelsior ( a old hotel that had been in her father's family for years, currently  where her stepfather lives ) she discovers her stepfather Clyde is missing. After about a day Clyde returns and is angry that Whitney is there because he believes she wants to kick him out of the Excelsior and sell it,but reluctantly he agrees to allow her to look through some items left  from earlier generations of her family that have been stored on the 2nd floor. While cleaning up and looking through the mess of items, looking for things that she can sell, Whitney comes across a letter by her grandmothers sister, Alice. The letter tells of the struggles Alice faced and a new job that gave her the opportunity of a lifetime, the chance to interview people that in the mountains and to write their story. Curiosity holds Whitney captive as she tries to find the pieces of Alice's letters so that she can learn more of her story while trouble for her restaurant is still brewing at home.  Whitney and Clyde relationship improves ( they can stay in the same building and not scream at each other, they can have a nice civilized conversation) and Whitney starts to feel a strange attraction to Mark , the store owner downstairs ( Mark owns the Rip Shack, A little surf shop on the bottom floor of the Excelsior building) But suddenly disaster strikes!
Whitney betrays (not intentionally) all of her new friends including Mark and then Whitney's restaurant burns down due to suspicious circumstances.  Will Whitney be able to restore her broken relationship with Mark and Clyde after she betrayed them?  Will she be able to save her restaurant?
Guess you have to read the book to find out!

I was very surprised by this book, This is the first book I have ever read by this author and I loved it. It was a little rough getting into the story but about half way through the book I just did not want to put it down. The author wrote the book in such a way that the character almost seems like a friend telling you what happened on her trip to the Outer Banks last year.  The plot did not have a lot of action  but it had enough drama to hold your attention until the end of the book. And suprisingly it did not have a lot of romance in it. (Sorry, lately I have read several books that are WAY too romantic) My favorite part was the end, it showed that Whitney is the ...
Sorry, I can't say what happened because then I would spoil the whole story.
I give it 4 out of 5 Stars ****

I will definitely be checking out her other books, Want to check them out too? Just click on the link below.
http://lisawingate.com/blog3/lisas-bookshelf/


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

Brentwood's Ward by Michelle Griep

Hey Everyone , I just read a book by Michelle Griep called Brentwood's Ward. It is the story of Nicholas Brentwood, a Bow Street Runner (They were a Police officer in the early nineteenth century) who is assigned to watch Miss Emily Payne. When Nicholas was offered the job to watch "young" Miss Emily, He thought that she was a little girl and all he would have to do was sit in the study and read the "Times" , while she played around the house or was taken care of by her governess, so he was more then surprised to find out that she was in her twenty's! Nicholas was reluctant at first and only agreed to take the job because he needed money to move his dying sister Jenny to the country, hoping that the fresh air would help her to get well.

Emily longed for love, especially from her father but all she has is the undivided attention of her sweet, spoiled little pug named Alf, and a very distant father who never spends time with her. When she meets Nicolas, she finds him to be the most annoying, bossy and somehow dangerous man she's ever met. To her horror,  Nicholas decides that the best way to ensure her safety , is to her stick to her side like glue, which can be very trying for both of them since it involves hat-shopping, social calls and a ball.  At one dinner with Emily's friends, Emily and Nicholas are eating oysters, which Nicholas is finding repulsive and is really trying not to be sick , So Emily, (trying to be funny) watches and every time Nicholas would start to put one near his mouth, would say something to draw everyone's attention to him which  made it where he had to eat all of his oysters ( because everyone was watching) . Which would cause him to glare at her and her to smile a smug grin at his discomfort..This is a funny glimpse into their relationship throughout the book, On a more serious note, things take a turn for the worst as they are called to the scene of a crime where they find her "Uncle" Reggie, shot and beaten and on deaths door. Sadly, He dies just after they arrive but they are given one clue, his last words which were a warning for Emily . A few days later Nicholas discovers Emily's father is dead, He vows that he will find out who murdered him and will protect Emily at all costs because he fears that she is next .  A few days after that discovery, as Nicholas and Emily are on their way home from lunch , Their carriage is ambushed!  As the glass breaks, someone distracts Nicholas and another person snatches Emily and pulls through the carriage window. The thief puts a gag on Emily's mouth and starts to run down an a alley when Nicholas finally catches up with  him, He manages to save Emily from getting shot or being kidnapped by wounding her kidnapper's leg..
Now they are both on alert,  because they know whoever is after Emily, won't stop until they have her. As they both work together to solve the murder of her father and to ensure her safety , they sense there is a growing attraction between the two of them But as the threat to Emily gets closer and Jenny's health gets worse, Will Nicholas and Emily put their trust in God and remember that He is in control?
 I guess you will have to read it to find out.

I loved this book, I love the humorous relationship between Nicholas and Emily. I love the strong faith in God that Nicholas and his sister Jenny have. The plot was good, it kept me guessing about how the book would end ( except for one part but I can't say what it is)  I will definitely have to check out other books that this author has written.
Well I hope you enjoy this book and keep on reading!



Hey! Don't forget to check out her books, Just click on the link below

http://michellegriep.com/books/

Drawing Fire by Janice Cantore

Just finished reading another awesome book Called Drawing Fire by Janice Cantore. This is the first book in the Cold Case Justice series. It is the story of Abby Hart, a detective for the Long Beach Police Department. She is working on a homicide case that seems to have run cold ( has no leads, has no clue how to solve the case) when she receives a call that another homicide just took place that is eerily similar to the one she is working on. She suspects that there could be a serial killer that is murdering elderly ladies, though she is not she why.
There is only one lead, The irritating Private Investigator Luke Murphy saw the murderer but did not catch him. When Abby finds out that the lady murdered was the governor's aunt, she is very anxious to talk to the governor, not just about his aunt but about a case that he was involved in, a case that was never solved, The murder of her parents.
Luke is also interested in the murder of Abby's parents because his uncle died that day in the fire that burned down her parents home and restaurant. 28 years prior to the story, Abby's parents were shot and kerosene poured all over both property's in an attempt to destroy everything that belonged to them, including their 6 year old daughter who was sleeping in the office of their restaurant.  Luke's uncle found the child and rescued her but later died of smoke inhalation. Abby teams up with Luke to try and get some answers about her parents but they are warned by several people that they should leave the case alone, All they both want is to find some answers to the case that has defined both of their lives, The more they uncover, the more questions they have. As they both feel a growing attraction towards each another, they shrug it off as just a common interest the Triple 7 case ( her parents murder) . After a failed murder attempt on Luke, a break in at Abby's house and Luke's daughter and parents threatened, they began to wonder if they should just let the case remain unsolved. Will Abby and Luke find peace and justice for the murders of their family members or will they let the case control how they live their lives, Should they continue to investigate the case or should they put it in God's hands and let Him take control?
Guess you will have to read the book to find out!


I thought the book was excellent. I was not really anxious to read this book, because I normally do not read law enforcement suspense stories. but now that has changed! I loved the book so much, I thought that the plot was intriguing and the characters believable. I have read books where you read something and roll your eyes while thinking, "Police would never do that!" or "What kind of FBI agent would leave the victim at the scene!" but her characters were very professional, were diligent at their work and though they wanted to investigate just the Triple 7 case, life did not stop for them, they still had responsibilities like their families  and work . You can tell that the author had a job in law enforcement before by the way she describes Abby's job at LBPD .  Overall I will definitely read the sequel. The only bad thing about the book? I have to wait until next year to read the sequel !!!
I rate the book 5 stars

Oh well, I guess I will just check out her other books until the sequel comes out . You can check what other books she has wrote by clicking on the link below:

http://www.janicecantore.com/books/

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

                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Stealing Jake by Pam Hillman

Hi Everyone , I just finished reading Stealing Jake by Pam Hillman. It is the story of Livy O'Brien, A pick-pocketing street kid from Chicago who was taken in by Mrs Brooks, a few years before. All she wants is to leave her past behind her and to help out with the orphanage that her and Mrs Brooks opened in Chestnut, Illinois. When she spies a boy bump into Deputy Jake Russell and discreetly steal his pocket watch. She intervenes by "bumping" into the boy and discreetly removing the pocket watch from his pocket. As she turns around to return it to the Deputy, she is nearly run over as he had started to run after the boy. While seeing if Livy is all right after he nearly ran her over , Jake reaches in his pocket and removes the pocket watch that he had thought was stolen. Glad that he did not chase a kid down and accuse him falsely, he focuses on the curly haired lady in from of him. Jake takes her home and is surprised that she lives and works at the Orphanage. He tries to stop thinking about her but he still cannot seem to get her out of his mind, He wants to get to know her better but she does not seem willing to trust any man. Livy senses the growing attraction between herself and Deputy Jake but will not let her guard down, Not after what happened to her sister, besides a Lawman would never be attracted to her if he knew that she used to be called "Light-fingered Livy". After a string of robberies start occurring in their small town, everyone blames the street kids that have taken residence in "shantytown" a small section of town filled with buildings that should have been condemned and empty crates that serve as shelter for the street kids . As the town tries to get rid of the street kids, Livy is determined to get them to trust her so that she can take care of them at the Orphanage. She is convinced that it is not the street kids that are stealing items from the local businesses, but can she convince everyone else that they are innocent? After someone attempts to murder both Livy and Jake, They have to race against the clock to save the lives of several street kids. Will they be able to rescue the kids and clear there names or will the events of Livy's past cloud the towns judgment? 
I guess you will have to read the book to find out    :)



 First, I Loved this book! I thought that the book was very well written. This is the first book that I have read from Mrs Hillman and I love her writing style. The story was very easy to follow and the plot was so engaging that I finished the book in a matter of hours, I just did not want to put it down!  I love the character Livy and her compassion and determination to help the street kids and I like that we also get a glimpse into a street kid's point of view.  The ending was definitely the best part, with so much going on in the last 100 pages it is impossible to put the book down.

Overall I would give it 5 Stars.  






Now I need to find her book that she wrote last year  Claiming Mariah,  It looks amazing!  I will let you know how it is when I read it.  For now check out her other books that she has written by clicking on the link below

http://www.pamhillman.com/books/






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

More Exciting News!!!

Hey,  I am very excited to tell you that I just received news that I will be able to review books for Tyndale House Publishers,  They have some amazing authors like Pam Hillman and Beth Moore, So keep a look out for their symbol which will be at the bottom of any reviews done for them and hopefully you can find some awesome new books to read,
Don't forget to let me know what you think of any of the books that I have reviewed or or any books that you have read by leaving a comment   :)

Stealing the Preacher by Karen Witemeyer

Here's a new book just in time to read before the end of summer. It's called Stealing the Preacher by Karen Witemeyer. It is the story of Crockett Archer, A young cowboy who dreams of being a preacher. He is on his way to an interview to became the preacher of a Church in Brenham Texas. When suddenly the train he is on gets held up by a band of robbers! He is shocked when the train robbers come on board and only demand one thing, That they will not leave the train without the preacher. Crockett is sure that they are looking for someone else though he finds their demands strange, however when they hold up a paper about the interview he is supposed to be attending, He realizes that he is the one that they came for. Roughly tied up, He is presented to the head train robber's daughter, Joanna Robbins who asked for a Preacher for her birthday. When she realizes what her Father did, she is horrified and quickly unties him and lets Crockett go, Her only request of him , That he recommend someone for their small local church that was abandoned. She tells him that she prayed for a Preacher for her birthday to help her reach her Father and her local community ,She has been praying for her Father to come to the saving knowledge of the love of Jesus Christ ever since her Mother passed away due to illness. Crockett prays with her and then goes on to his interview, but he is intercepted by one of the people that were conducting his interview and was informed that he did not get the position. At first he is angry that he did not get the position because he was kidnapped but then Crockett feels the hand of God tell him to go back to Joanna's little church and become their Preacher. As Crockett and Joanna go about trying to restore the church and the community, Things appear to be going well until someone (Can't say who ... It could ruin the story) gets shot accidentally by one of the main characters and it will take a miracle from God's own hand to save that persons life. Will this event be enough to break through the icy exterior of Joanna's Father's heart. or will he continue to run from God like he has done for his entire life? 
You have to read it to find out

This book is absolutely now one of my Favorites!!! It was a blessing to read such a awesome book. Joanna's faith is amazing and the way she and Crockett witnessed several times to her Father and he never even realized that they were preaching to him is fantastic. I loved how the plot kept you interested from Chapter 1 until the very last page. And the end of the book was the best, Of course I can't tell you what happened but it is definitely the best part of the book!  And I just want to say that the title of the book is Awesome, absolutely eye-catching, I was reading it on my break at work and everyone kept asking me about the cover because they could not believe someone would try and steal a preacher. :)

 So If you check it out, Please let me know what you think, You can click on the "Post a comment button" and leave a comment as a long as you like! I would love to hear what you think.  

Also, Don't forget to check out other books by Karen Witemeyer, Just click on the link below.


http://karenwitemeyer.com/books.html

In Good Company by Jen Turano

I was just given the opportunity to read In Good Company by Jen Turano and I LOVED IT!!!  It is the story of Millie Longfellow who grew up as an orphan and all she wants is to become the best nanny in the East Coast. Sadly her enthusiasm and playfulness gets her fired from several positions and at the beginning of the story you find that she is yet again fired from her latest job. Everett Mulberry who has become the guardian for three kids, Rebecca, Rose and Thaddeus  who scare off every nanny that he hires for them with mischief. and silly pranks. When the employment agency pairs Millie and Everett together as their last resort, They both agree that there is no way that would work. Millie finally agrees to be the nanny to Everett's kids after he begs on his knees and gives her flowers ( you have to read the story to find out why he did that) As Millie watches the kids, She falls in love with each of them. While Millie watches the kids, Everett attempts to climb the social ladder by going out with Miss Caroline Dixon, A wealthy debutante. As Everett grows closer to the kids,  he starts to wonder about the mysterious circumstances surrounding their parents death.  As a visitor from out of town tries to take the kids from Millie and Everett. Everett's life starts to unravel as everything he thought was important does not seem to matter anymore and the person he thought loved him, turned out to be the exact opposite of who he thought she was. Were the kids parents killed by accident or was it murder? Will Everett ever find the one that God wants him to be with for the rest of his life?  I guess you will have to read the book to find out.

 This is the sequel to After a Fashion also by Jen Turano. It can be read as a sequel or a stand alone book. The book was very well written and has a fantastic plot, The book contains humor, love, mystery and suspense . I love the humor that Mrs. Turano put in this book, That she puts in all of her books. ( all her books make me smile)  I found the character named Millie amazing.  I like her love for learning and for the kids, I love her determination not to allow the circumstances of her past to define her.  I was so intrigued by the story that I stayed up almost all night so that I could finish the book and I was not disappointed with the ending. At the end of the book, Mrs Turano seemed to hint that she might make another book about Lucetta who is Millie's best friend next, I hope that she does because I cannot wait for her next book!!!

Hey, Check out other books by Jen Turano. Just click on the link below.

http://jenturano.com/category/books/


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