Playing the Part by Jen Turano

 Bittersweet is the perfect word to describe how I felt after reading through this book. Playing the Part by Jen Turano is the final book in the Ladies of Distinction series.  It is the story of Lucetta Plum, a rising actress in New York City.  When her stepfather Nigel barges into the hall to her dressing room, she discovers that he bet and lost Plum Hill, her family's plantation in Virginia in a game of cards with Silas Ruff. The problem? Lucetta has the deed and it is legally hers and she is not giving up her family's home . So to honor the debt that he owes, Nigel decides to give Lucetta instead of the plantation to Silas Ruff so that he can honor the gambling debt.  Lucetta is FURIOUS! He is not her father and he has no right to bet her away in a game of cards. Knowing that what happened is not legal and that she does not belong legally to Silas, Her bodyguard, Mr Skukman decides for her safety that she needs to secretly leave the city, because Silas is known to be insane. Silas has been obsessed with Lucetta for years, watching almost all of her shows and trying to get her to go out with him, ( he is one of the reasons that she employed a bodyguard) So Lucetta and Abigail ( who is the elderly lady that has been taking care of her) disguise themselves and ride off in search of Abigail's grandson's castle Ravenwood. Now Ravenwood was not a ordinary castle and Abigail's grandson Bram Haverstein, was not a ordinary person.  Outside of Ravenwood's wall there sat a tomb, a giant tomb marking the entrance and inside the grounds of the castle there was actually a moat! Bram liked the mysteriousness of the castle and the grounds, let's just say that it "inspired him" ( I cannot tell you anymore ) but Bram was so tired of ladies and their mothers trying to get in to the castle with the hopes of securing a marriage with him  just because he was wealthy.  Bram was surprised one morning when his servants told him the grounds had been breached and they wanted to bring out the cannon ( Yes, a real working cannon in 1882 ) so he decides he will have a word with the intruders. Unfortunately, someone let the dogs out before he could reach the intruders and the dogs decide to chase one of the intruders and the intruder fell into the moat. As Bram went to save the man , he was shocked to discover that the he was actually a she, and that the intruder was Lucetta Plum, The actress that he has had a crush on forever.
Lucetta and Bram immediately get off on the wrong foot when all he keeps telling her is that he is a huge admirer of hers.
Lucetta gets the wrong opinion of Bram because she thought that when he was saving her in the moat, that he was actually trying to drown her.  The more that Lucetta and Bram are around each other, the more they clash because neither one is who the other thinks they are. Then Lucetta is kidnapped by Silas. Will Bram be able to save her before it is too late?  Lucetta thought that Bram is insane, mysterious and over- chivalrous and Bram thinks Lucetta is who she portrays on the stage, a fragile young lady who has a very delicate nature. But maybe they were both just playing parts?

So what did I think about the book?
I thought that it was the perfect conclusion to the series.  Just to give you a quick overview of the series, The Ladies of Distinction series follows the lives of Harriet Peabody, Millie Longfellow and Lucetta Plum, three unlikely friends who were living in the wrong side of New York City called the Lower East Side and how God was able to put the pieces together and show them the lives he wanted them to live. The series including this book are filled with humor ( like being chased by a dress hating goat or a piece of armor that seems to walk by itself ) and romance ( Of course like any good book the girl should fall in love with the guy.) but they also have a good message behind them.   I think that specifically to this book, that the author did a great job  with the characters and with making the plot so interesting that you do not want to put the book down, seriously, my sisters were beginning to wonder if I would ever hang out with them because I all I wanted to do was read this book :)  Even though this book is part of a series you can read it as a stand alone too, though I would recommend reading the other two because they are great books.
 I would recommend this book to someone who wants a funny, witty romance story with a hint of mystery and danger.   Overall I rate the book Five out of Five stars *****


I definitely suggest checking out Jen Turano's other books, She is one of my favorite authors and I love all of her books! Here is the link below to check them out! 
http://jenturano.com/category/books/

Happy Reading :)

 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. 

The Red Door Inn by Liz Johnson

Oh, How I love to look onto the beach especially during sunrise or sunset, I think it is one of the most beautiful things that God creates and they are all unique.  So I just finished reading The Red Door Inn by Liz Johnson and it is a story based in Prince Edward Island Canada. The author describes the place so well that during some parts you can almost hear the waves and smell the salt in the air ( I could have just been smelling the potato chips that I was eating :) Anyway, The Red Door Inn is the story of Marie Carrington, A 28 year old girl that has run away from her old life. She is the daughter of a  millionaire but after she was mistreated by one of her Father's competitors and her father did not seem to care about what had happened, She left her home in Boston with just a few pieces of clothes and  a little bit of pocket change and headed to a place that she read about in her favorite book,  a place called Prince Edward Island. The only problem? She did not have any money to board the ferry to getto the Island.
Jack Sloane noticed a young girl with a haunted look in her eyes and managed to make conversation with her about paint color, Jack was not sure what made him what to help the young girl named Marie, but after he saw that she did not even have money for food he knew that he had to help her. So he finally convinced her to work for him as a decorator for his bed and breakfast that he was renovating. The bed and breakfast was his late wife's dream, So he was excited that he would have a woman's touch in decorating it. When they finally arrived at the bed and breakfast, He introduced her to his Nephew Seth who was helping with the renovating  and was not surprised at the brisk way that Seth spoke to Marie. If only there was a way to help him get over what his ex-fiance' did to him...
Seth Sloane was immediately suspicious  of the scrap of a girl that Jack brought back. She looked like just the type to weasel in and con a poor unsuspecting man out of all of his life savings. Just like his ex-fiance'. So he decides that he would keep an eye on her so that he could figure out just what was going on...
The event that happened in Boston has made Marie jumpy around people and it has also given her severe panic attacks. She is hoping that by going to Prince Edward Island  she would find the peace and quiet she desperately needs. As Marie and Seth spend more time together they start to feel a mutual attraction which scares both of them. Will them be able to let go of the events of the past so that they can enjoy the future? Or will their stubbornness blind them of the blessings that God has put right in front of them...
Guess you will have to read the book to find out!


 So what did I think about the book? 
I thought that the author did a great job writing this book.  I love all of the heartwarming characters, like Jack, Caden and Aretha. The relationship with Seth and Marie always kept you guessing because their feelings kept getting flip flopped. The book has no action to speak of besides a confrontation with her dad, but the story line kept you engaged until the very last page. The only thing that would have made the story better would have been a bit more information on  Jack and Seth's background. I would definitely recommend the book to someone looking for a good heartwarming story with a  bit of romance.  Overall I rate the book 4 out of 5 stars

 

Don't forget to check out her other books, Here is the link!
http://www.lizjohnsonbooks.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.

Burning Proof by Janice Cantore

I am so excited to be able to read Janice Cantore’s newest book Burning Proof.  I feel like I have been waiting FOREVER for the book to come out, ( well I have been waiting ever since I finished the first book in the series Drawing Fire) Burning Proof is the continuing story of Abby Hart a detective in Long Beach CA.  Her parents died in a mysterious fire when she was little and there was evidence that suggested they were shot before the fire destroyed their restaurant, The Triple Seven. Abby is still trying to get over the fact that someone involved in the murder of her parents confessed to killing her mom but before he could be arrested, He shot himself ( this occurred at the the end of the first book). When Abby and her partner arrive at the Police Department, They discover that the lab finished getting a DNA sample ready and now they were able to get a warrant for an arrest in a case they have been working on for almost a year, it was going well, the suspect was cooperating but then the victim’s father rushed toward them with a gun and started shooting, trying to kill the suspect. Abby reacted as she was trained to do and she shot him, killing the victim’s father.Abby knows that what she did was right, but why did it feel so wrong? Why would God put her in that situation? Abby starts sinking into a dark hole (figuratively) She finds it hard to pray, hard to think,  She cannot even go back to work because her mind will not stop thinking about the shooting. So she decides take some time off and visit her aunt so that she can escape the world around her. 

Luke Murphy is a Private Investigator who is also connected to the Triple Seven Murder. His Uncle was one of the people killed with Abby’s parents. Luke is investing a cold case ( a case that was never solved) involving a young girl who was kidnapped but managed to escape.  When both Luke and Abby's paths cross again, they decide to work together to help Molly ( the girl that was kidnapped) and hopefully catch the culprit. But will Abby be able to handle police work after the shooting or will she decide to go into mission work and marry her friend Ethan, Will Luke be able to solve a 10 year old case? Oh, and there is also someone who has decided that then only way to close the Triple Seven Murder case... Is to eliminate Abby and Luke. 

So what did I think about the book? 
I thought it was great,  The author did a awesome job with the characters. I was a little confused during the first half of the book because she introduces some new characters, like Molly and Gil, and she showed more of the life and attitude of Miss Kelsey Cox. But as a soon as I got to the middle of the book all of the pieces and people started to come together.  The book did have some action in it, like the shooting and there is an explosion but nothing described in graphic detail.
Overall I liked the book and cannot wait until I can read the 3rd book in the Cold Case Justice Series.
I rate the book 5 out of 5 stars *****

If you would like to check out more information on the Cold Case Justice series click on the link below! 

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


Happy Reading :)

 

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.
                                                                   

A Sweet Misfortune by Maggie Brendan

Have you ever lost something that you really needed and you look and look but it is nowhere to be found , but the second that you stop looking for it you find it in the most obvious place?
That is what happened with this book. I thought that I put it on the shelf but when I went to read it, It had disappeared!  After searching my room for it all day, my sister discovered it pushed to the back with the pages toward the front. It was on the book shelf the whole time! I just overlooked it.  Isn't that how life is sometimes? We look everywhere for God's blessings and we never find them but if we stop looking and just sit back then we see his blessings all around us. Our families, job, friends, Church even our food is a blessing. Well anyway I just finished reading my latest must read book called  A Sweet Misfortune by Maggie Brendan. It is the story of Rachel Matthews a homeless girl who has taken a job as a "dance girl" at a Saloon and  John McIntyre who is a Cattle baron. When John gets a letter from his best friend Preston saying that his sister Rachel is in trouble, John sets out to rescue the damsel in distress. However his rescue efforts were almost ruined when he picks up the wrong girl. Finally when John locates Rachel he takes her to his home to live with his Grandmother and himself until she can find somewhere to live . Despite her protests about the way that John "saved" her she is grateful that he wanted to help her even though she is a stranger and finds herself blessed to have a place to live and to be away from that horrible place. She never was comprised or taken advantage  of at the Saloon but it was getting worse and worse to be there every time she came in.  Grandmother Estelle knows that Rachel was sent by God to be the answer to her prayers. Finally if her grandson John can open his eyes, he will see that Rachel is the perfect girl for him to marry, but she is worried that his greed for land and cattle will blind him to what is right in front of him. What follows is craziness. Rachel gets a job at Grandmother Estelle's shop where she has to handle some difficult customer's such as Vera and Bernice Spencer who are rich and spoiled.  John is trying to buy more land and get his cattle herds to grow. Everything seems to be going well until sickness strikes both John and his Grandmother Estelle. With everything on the balance will John survive the severe case of pneumonia he contracted? Or will he finally realize that his treasures should not be stored here but in heaven.  Guess you will have to read the book to find out!


So what did I think about the book? 
I thought that the book was so sweet!  The characters John and Rachel are great. Rachel is very self reliant and does not want to let anyone help her , but she finally learns to trust people again and John is a little greedy, Which was not a bad thing but all he cares about was getting more land and more cattle. But Rachel helped John to see that there are more things in life then wealth or land and John and his Grandmother Estelle show Rachel that even though her family is gone,  God was still there and he cared what happens  to her
The book did not have much action  but the plot and the storyline was enough to keep you engaged in the story until the very end.   It is the second book in the Virtues and Vices of the Old West series but I read it as a stand alone.  Overall I give the book 5 0ut of 5 Stars.  *****



Don't forget to check out some of her other books, I have read a few and they are great! 
http://maggiebrendan.blogspot.com/p/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.

Risen by Angela Hunt

So late August 2015 I went to my local movie theater and I saw a trailer for the movie Risen coming out in February 2016. I was so excited because the trailer looked really good, So when I had the opportunity to review the book for the publisher, I was thrilled!
It is the story of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ ( in the book he is called by his Hebrew name Yeshua ) but as seen through the eyes of two unbelievers. One is Clavius, A Tribune for the Roman army. The second is Rachel,  A Jewish widow who is finding herself wandering from the Jewish faith. One day during the Passover feast Rachel is drawn by a crowd  that were watching something on the street. She managed to elbow her way to the front of the crowd and was shocked to see a procession of three criminals set to be crucified. She looked at the three criminals as they went by and was shocked to see the third man barely alive. He looked to have been almost completely beaten to death, He was so weak that he could not carry the cross beam that would be nailed to form the cross he was to be executed on. What surprised her the most was that when he looked at her, she did not see hate or anger in his eyes like she had seen on the two previous criminals. She saw love and such a raw, shattering pain that moved her heart.  She is not sure what led her but she follow the procession up to a hill called Golgotha where all of the crucifixions are done... Clavius is assigned to oversee the execution of a so called Nazarene king.  He has done many crucifixions before so he did not think this would be any different. When he arrived at Golgotha, The "king" was already dead. Just to make sure that he was indeed dead. Clavius had a soldier stick a spear into the Nazarene's side and  when blood and water flowed Clavius confirmed the Nazarene was dead.  He wanted to make sure that the job was finished so he watched as they took the Nazarene's body off the cross and followed to make sure that it was buried... Rachel knew that she would be stoned if her people knew that she was seeing a Roman soldier, Especially since she was not married to him and he was a gentile. But anytime she saw Clavius she felt loved and cherished. She knew that they would never be able to be together because they come from two different worlds but still, she looked forward to his visits...  Clavius was summoned to Pilate's palace the morning after the crucifixion and told to make sure that the Nazarene's body was in the tomb and to put guards there to stand guard  for about three days because the Pharisee leaders were afraid that Jesus disciples would come and steal the body and claim that he had risen from the dead.
Clavius put guards at the tomb and  verified that Nazarene's body was buried in the tomb.  Three days after he had  crucified the Nazarene, He was summoned by Pilate and was told that the body of the Nazarene had disappeared. The guards said that the body was stolen by the Nazarene's rabid disciples but when Clavius was able to question them further he discovered they were lying about certain details.  Clavius is tasked with finding the body of Yeshua.  As he investigates Yeshua and His followers, he finds himself drawn to find out just what happened... Rachel is intrigued by this man called Yeshua. She watched him die and she has heard that he is alive again... Will Clavius find the body of Yeshua ? Who will Rachel decide to follow, Clavius and his roman gods or Yeshua?  Guess you will have to read it ( or watch the movie) to find out!


So what did I think about the book? 
I thought that the book was good. It was very unique to see the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus through the eyes of people that did not know who he was.  The Bible story parts (The crucifixion, resurrection,  ascension, etc...  were accurate except that they added the main characters to the stories but the Author does include a note in the back of the book that describes what was fiction and what was not.  There is not much violence in the book except the part where they capture Barabbas but there was nothing graphic.   Rachel and Clavius have a secret relationship but there is absolutely nothing said or written besides an occasional kiss and she often is in his arms during their time together ( mostly they just talk). Overall I like the book and would like to go see the movie.  I rate the book  3 out of 5 stars *****


If you would like to check out this book or some of her other writing you can check them out at : 
http://www.angelahuntbooks.com/


Happy Reading :)



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. 

Always Watching by Lynette Eason

Remember that snow that I mentioned in my previous post? Well we did get some of it, we got about 4 inches  :)  So what does being snowed in mean? It means that I have plenty of time to read!  So I just finished reading a thrilling new novel by Lynette Eason called "Always Watching". It is the story of Olivia Edwards who is the owner/operator of a Bodyguard Agency. When Maddy, a Bodyguard and friend of Olivia's is attacked while watching a client (Wade Savage) and is nearly killed, Olivia decides that it is time to step in.
Wade Savage is a popular psychiatrist and radio personality who unfortunately has attracted the attention of a stalker. The Stalker has been sending Wade gifts like his favorite chocolate, concert tickets and expensive jersey's from his favorite baseball team for both him and his daughter, Amy.  The creepy part? They were the exact sizes that Wade and his daughter wear!  When Wade goes on his radio show and angers the stalker, things go from bad to worse. The stalker, who is now angry, targets Wade by attacking him in the parking lot.  When he wakes up in the hospital, unsure of how he got there, he discovers that he was found in the parking lot by his new bodyguard Olivia. Wade does not like the fact that he has a bodyguard but since his father hired them, he can't do anything to get rid of them . As Olivia and Wade spend time with each other, They both begin to feel an attraction toward each other but are both too guarded because of past circumstances to allow the other to get too close. As Olivia is wrestling with the feelings she feels toward Wade,  The Stalker starts getting bolder on her attacks, Wade's radio station is bombed , Amy almost gets kidnapped and Olivia is almost killed in a house fire. Olivia is determined to protect Wade at all cost and capture the one who is threatening him but with the Stalker getting close, Will Olivia be able to protect Wade and his daughter?
Guess you have to read it to find out!


So what did I think about the book? 
I thought that the book was good, Very different from what I have read before. It was like watching a Criminal drama on TV, like Blue Bloods or  Person of  Interest. The plot was so interesting that you eagerly turn the page just to see what will happen. I was a little creeped out by some of the things that the Stalker did but nothing was told in graphic detail. The characters were well thought out and I was surprised by the ending. Overall I enjoyed reading the book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a  nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat  Romantic Suspense novel.  I rate the book 4 out of 5 stars. ****

If you would like to check out any of Lynette Eason's books, Here is the link
 http://www.lynetteeason.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.

Hannah's Choice by Jan Drexler

What's Up?  For me, it is snow ( I hope)  Yes, they are forecasting snow this Valentines Weekend where I live . So if you want to curl up on the couch with a warm blanket and a new book , Here is one you can check out! It is  the newest book by Jan Drexler called Hannah's Choice. It is the story of Hannah Yoder, a young Amish girl who lives on the banks of the Conestoga Creek in Lancaster County.  Her life appears to be calm and peaceful but problems lie under the surface.  Her mother has suffered severe depression ever since an illness took the lives of her three youngest children. Her sister Liesbet is dating ( secretly ) an outsider and is rebelling against the Amish faith, and her father is worried about his children.  Hannah's best friend and neighbor Adam Metzler had been in love with her ever since they were kids and has asked for her hand in marriage , The only problem was she was Amish and he was Mennonite. They did not believe the same thing, And if Hannah were to marry Adam, She would be shunned by her family and her community.  One day some farmers came and told her father about several Amish families who were moving west to Indiana and Ohio. They told them about the communities that were being set up with just Amish families, A place where Outsiders were not your neighbors, A place where Amish children would not be influenced by the ways of  the world.  After much thought Hannah's mother and father decide to move west, They just have to wait until spring. Hannah is torn between staying with her family and staying in her childhood home.  Josef  Bender was one of the two farmers that told Hannah's family about moving west. As soon as he saw Hannah it was love at first sight. He just could not keep his eyes off of her. She was absolutely beautiful and he could see that she had a kind and generous spirit. So he decided that he was going to ask Hannah to marry him and they would go west and start a family.  Hannah is now stuck between her best friend Adam, who is a sweet and caring friend, who will guarantee that she will get to stay by her beloved Conestoga Creek,  but is Mennonite and  involved in some dangerous activities and Josef, who is Amish, seems perfect  (except for a little bit strict) and promises a new life and adventure in the west.  Will Hannah be able to choose between her best friend and the boy she just met?
Guess you will have to read it to find out!


So what did I think about the book? 
I think that the author did a great job writing the book,  She made the characters seem real, You could almost feel the heartbreak that Hannah's mom felt about losing her three children, the guilt that Hannah had hidden in her heart for years and the joy that is felt at the end of the book when Hannah decides who she will marry. ( Yes, Spoiler alert she marries____________) Overall I enjoyed the book very much and will have to check out Book 2 when it comes out later this year.
 I rate the book 4 out of 5 stars****




If you would like to check out more of Mrs Drexler's books, Just click on the link below for more info!
http://www.jandrexler.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.