Robin E. Mason's Blog: Robin's Book Shelf, page 192
May 17, 2016
BOOK REVIEW – THE BEAUTIFUL PRETENDER
BOOK REVIEW – THE BEAUTIFUL PRETENDER by MELANIE DICKERSON
The Beautiful Pretender
Three rival regions in the kingdom, and the Duke of Geitbart intends to control them all. The Earl of Plimmwald will do what he must to ensure he maintain his earldom. Including sending a servant girl to pose as his daughter.
The king has ordered the Margrave of Thornbeck to marry, and given him a list of prospective brides, and two weeks to make his choice.
Will the servant girl, Avelina, pass as the Duke’s daughter? Can a servant girl truly be believed to be a noble woman? Most importantly, can Avelina divert the Margrave’s attentions away from her? For regardless of what her heart begins to feel—or his—she knows a noble man can never marry her, a mere servant.
Ms. Dickerson has woven a masterful tapestry of Medieval intrigue. Secrets in the first chapter, obstacles, conflict. And wolves.
I felt for the Margrave as he struggled with his injury, doubly so as it was “suggested” he marry, and soon. I felt Avelina’s insignificance at her mistress’ harsh and critical words. And her dread when expected to deceive the Margrave.
I felt this was not Ms. Dickerson’s strongest writing, but the story speaks for itself, and I did enjoy it. One conflict after another, disaster after disaster, and people dying—this book keeps the reader turning the pages. I know I did.
I was given a copy of this book in return for my honest review.
Melanie Dickerson
Melanie Dickerson is the author of Historical Romances, and her two favorite time periods are Medieval, which she has combined with her love of fairy tales, and Regency England, which stems from her enduring love of Jane Austen. She is a 2-time Christy Award finalist, a 2-time Maggie Award winner, winner of The National Reader's Choice Award for 2010's Best First Book, and winner of the 2012 Carol Award in Young Adult fiction. She earned her bachelor's degree in special education from The University of Alabama and has taught children with special needs in Georgia and Tennessee, and English to adults in Germany and Ukraine. Now she spends her time writing, hanging out on facebook, and taking care of her husband and two daughters near Huntsville, Alabama.
http://www.melaniedickerson.com
https://www.facebook.com/MelanieDicke...
https://twitter.com/melanieauthor
https://plus.google.com/1086298428315...
http://www.amazon.com/Melanie-Dickers...
The Beautiful Pretender, Melanie Dickerson, Book Review, Tuesday Reviews-Day, Medieval Fairy Tales, The Captive Maiden, The Princess Spy, The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest
The Beautiful Pretender
Three rival regions in the kingdom, and the Duke of Geitbart intends to control them all. The Earl of Plimmwald will do what he must to ensure he maintain his earldom. Including sending a servant girl to pose as his daughter.
The king has ordered the Margrave of Thornbeck to marry, and given him a list of prospective brides, and two weeks to make his choice.
Will the servant girl, Avelina, pass as the Duke’s daughter? Can a servant girl truly be believed to be a noble woman? Most importantly, can Avelina divert the Margrave’s attentions away from her? For regardless of what her heart begins to feel—or his—she knows a noble man can never marry her, a mere servant.
Ms. Dickerson has woven a masterful tapestry of Medieval intrigue. Secrets in the first chapter, obstacles, conflict. And wolves.
I felt for the Margrave as he struggled with his injury, doubly so as it was “suggested” he marry, and soon. I felt Avelina’s insignificance at her mistress’ harsh and critical words. And her dread when expected to deceive the Margrave.
I felt this was not Ms. Dickerson’s strongest writing, but the story speaks for itself, and I did enjoy it. One conflict after another, disaster after disaster, and people dying—this book keeps the reader turning the pages. I know I did.
I was given a copy of this book in return for my honest review.
Melanie Dickerson
Melanie Dickerson is the author of Historical Romances, and her two favorite time periods are Medieval, which she has combined with her love of fairy tales, and Regency England, which stems from her enduring love of Jane Austen. She is a 2-time Christy Award finalist, a 2-time Maggie Award winner, winner of The National Reader's Choice Award for 2010's Best First Book, and winner of the 2012 Carol Award in Young Adult fiction. She earned her bachelor's degree in special education from The University of Alabama and has taught children with special needs in Georgia and Tennessee, and English to adults in Germany and Ukraine. Now she spends her time writing, hanging out on facebook, and taking care of her husband and two daughters near Huntsville, Alabama.
http://www.melaniedickerson.com
https://www.facebook.com/MelanieDicke...
https://twitter.com/melanieauthor
https://plus.google.com/1086298428315...
http://www.amazon.com/Melanie-Dickers...
The Beautiful Pretender, Melanie Dickerson, Book Review, Tuesday Reviews-Day, Medieval Fairy Tales, The Captive Maiden, The Princess Spy, The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest
May 10, 2016
BOOK REVIEW – LOVE’S RECKONING by LAURA FRANTZ
Love's Reckoning
In a Cinderella-esque twist, Eden Lee is the reserved, quiet sister, doing what she is told and bearing more than her share. The elder sister, Elpeth, however, is brash and bold, and will get her way. And she doesn’t care who she has to step on to get it.
When the handsome apprentice arrives, he is unaware of the clause in his contract that the girls’ father, Liege Lee, insists on—that the younger man marry the eldest daughter.
But Silas Ballantyne has his own plans, to go west and stake his claim. Without a bride.
Written brilliantly, Love’s Reckoning draws the reader into the intrigue of the Lee household, Liege’s outbursts of rage, his wife’s distant countenance. What are the secrets this family hides? What are the secrets Silas carries with him? And how can a young couple in love overcome the seeming insurmountable obstacles that come their way?
Ms. Frantz has won a new fan in this reviewer. Her skill and mastery of the verbiage of the day lends credence and authenticity to the story. The twists in the story, the deception, the agony pull the reader in and keeps you there. In a 21st century world, it’s hard to imagine a time when women had no say in their lives, their futures; my heart longed for Eden to be free of her father’s tirades and her sister’s taunts. I felt the yearning as the west pulled Silas ever nearer his dream, and the conflict at leaving love behind. My heart broke, as time and again, young love was thwarted. Does Silas build his dream? Will Eden ever be free her self-imposed prison? Will Elspeth be snared in her own webs of deceit?
I will surely read the others in this series.
Laura Frantz
Award-winning author Laura Frantz is passionate about all things historical, particularly the 18th-century, and writes her manuscripts in longhand first. Her stories often incorporate Scottish themes that reflect her family heritage. She is a direct descendant of George Hume, Wedderburn Castle, Berwickshire, Scotland, who was exiled to the American colonies for his role in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, settled in Virginia, and is credited with teaching George Washington surveying in the years 1748-1750. Frantz lives and writes in a log cabin in the heart of Kentucky.
According to Publishers Weekly, "Frantz has done her historical homework." With her signature attention to historical detail and emotional depth, she is represented by Janet Kobobel Grant, Literary Agent & Founder, Books & Such Literary Agency of Santa Rosa, California.
Readers can find Laura Frantz at www.laurafrantz.net
Laura Frantz, Love’s Reckoning, Love’s Awakening, Love’s Fortune, The Mistress of Tall Acre
In a Cinderella-esque twist, Eden Lee is the reserved, quiet sister, doing what she is told and bearing more than her share. The elder sister, Elpeth, however, is brash and bold, and will get her way. And she doesn’t care who she has to step on to get it.
When the handsome apprentice arrives, he is unaware of the clause in his contract that the girls’ father, Liege Lee, insists on—that the younger man marry the eldest daughter.
But Silas Ballantyne has his own plans, to go west and stake his claim. Without a bride.
Written brilliantly, Love’s Reckoning draws the reader into the intrigue of the Lee household, Liege’s outbursts of rage, his wife’s distant countenance. What are the secrets this family hides? What are the secrets Silas carries with him? And how can a young couple in love overcome the seeming insurmountable obstacles that come their way?
Ms. Frantz has won a new fan in this reviewer. Her skill and mastery of the verbiage of the day lends credence and authenticity to the story. The twists in the story, the deception, the agony pull the reader in and keeps you there. In a 21st century world, it’s hard to imagine a time when women had no say in their lives, their futures; my heart longed for Eden to be free of her father’s tirades and her sister’s taunts. I felt the yearning as the west pulled Silas ever nearer his dream, and the conflict at leaving love behind. My heart broke, as time and again, young love was thwarted. Does Silas build his dream? Will Eden ever be free her self-imposed prison? Will Elspeth be snared in her own webs of deceit?
I will surely read the others in this series.
Laura Frantz
Award-winning author Laura Frantz is passionate about all things historical, particularly the 18th-century, and writes her manuscripts in longhand first. Her stories often incorporate Scottish themes that reflect her family heritage. She is a direct descendant of George Hume, Wedderburn Castle, Berwickshire, Scotland, who was exiled to the American colonies for his role in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, settled in Virginia, and is credited with teaching George Washington surveying in the years 1748-1750. Frantz lives and writes in a log cabin in the heart of Kentucky.
According to Publishers Weekly, "Frantz has done her historical homework." With her signature attention to historical detail and emotional depth, she is represented by Janet Kobobel Grant, Literary Agent & Founder, Books & Such Literary Agency of Santa Rosa, California.
Readers can find Laura Frantz at www.laurafrantz.net
Laura Frantz, Love’s Reckoning, Love’s Awakening, Love’s Fortune, The Mistress of Tall Acre
April 19, 2016
A FLIGHT OF ARROWS by LORI BENTON
A Flight of Arrows
William Aubrey is not who he was raised to believe he was—the European son of an American British officer. When he discovers that not only is he half Oneida Indian but that he has a twin, his world crumbles and he flees in rage and confusion.
Reginald Aubrey has lived in a prison of self-condemnation these twenty years, and cannot accept the love of those around him. Nor, even, the forgiveness of Stone Thrower, the father of the boy he took.
As the war escalates, William enlists and finds himself ensconced in the aggressive attack that is descending on the very ones he loves most. Conscience torn, he can neither bring dishonor to his name by desertion nor can he engage fully in the battle, knowing he could kill the man he called father for twenty years. Or, the father he has never known.
As William marches against them, both Reginald Aubrey and Stone Thrower have one objective in mind—to get to William and bring him home.
Will the war prevail against a family so divided? Will Reginald or Stone Thrower find William unscathed? Can they convince to return to his home—either the European settlement he has called home, or the Oneida village where his mother awaits him. Will he make peace with the truth of who he is?
Once again, Ms. Benton has tangled a web of horror in the midst of war and unraveled it for the characters in it. My heart thrummed with the firing of muskets, ever wondering, hoping that both fathers and both twins would come face to face. I longed for the restoration of family, even as each character cried and prayed to Creator for the same. Real and raw emotions on every page, love and heartache and fear as the story unfolds. Once again, Ms. Benton has brought characters so believably to life, and crafted a powerful and profound ending, this reviewer is rendered breathless – and in tears.
I was given a copy of this book in return for my honest review.
#loribenton, #aflightofarrows, #thewoodsedge, #pathfindersseries, #historicalfiction, #OneidaIndians, #mohawkvalley, #fortstanwix, #oriskany, #burningsky, #pursuitoftamsenlittlejohn
William Aubrey is not who he was raised to believe he was—the European son of an American British officer. When he discovers that not only is he half Oneida Indian but that he has a twin, his world crumbles and he flees in rage and confusion.
Reginald Aubrey has lived in a prison of self-condemnation these twenty years, and cannot accept the love of those around him. Nor, even, the forgiveness of Stone Thrower, the father of the boy he took.
As the war escalates, William enlists and finds himself ensconced in the aggressive attack that is descending on the very ones he loves most. Conscience torn, he can neither bring dishonor to his name by desertion nor can he engage fully in the battle, knowing he could kill the man he called father for twenty years. Or, the father he has never known.
As William marches against them, both Reginald Aubrey and Stone Thrower have one objective in mind—to get to William and bring him home.
Will the war prevail against a family so divided? Will Reginald or Stone Thrower find William unscathed? Can they convince to return to his home—either the European settlement he has called home, or the Oneida village where his mother awaits him. Will he make peace with the truth of who he is?
Once again, Ms. Benton has tangled a web of horror in the midst of war and unraveled it for the characters in it. My heart thrummed with the firing of muskets, ever wondering, hoping that both fathers and both twins would come face to face. I longed for the restoration of family, even as each character cried and prayed to Creator for the same. Real and raw emotions on every page, love and heartache and fear as the story unfolds. Once again, Ms. Benton has brought characters so believably to life, and crafted a powerful and profound ending, this reviewer is rendered breathless – and in tears.
I was given a copy of this book in return for my honest review.
#loribenton, #aflightofarrows, #thewoodsedge, #pathfindersseries, #historicalfiction, #OneidaIndians, #mohawkvalley, #fortstanwix, #oriskany, #burningsky, #pursuitoftamsenlittlejohn
April 12, 2016
BOOK REVIEW – THE SALARIAN DESERT GAME
BOOK REVIEW – THE SALARIAN DESERT GAME by J.A. MCLACHLAN
The Salarian Desert Game
On Salaria, the Desert Game is a rite of passage for fifteen year old girls. For Kia Ugiagbe, just being on the planet is a deadly game.
When Select Agatha is assigned to a mission on the desert planet of Salaria, Kia is called to serve as her interpreter. Kia has her own reason for going to Salaria, to rescue her sister, and agrees to go. There’s just one catch—she must go disguised as a Salarian, and play the desert game with the other “fifteens.”
Caught up in her own objective, and separated from Agatha, Kia becomes entangled in the life and death game. Can a sixteen-year-old posing as a “fifteen” survive the desert game? Is she a match for the headstrong Kama who dislikes her from the start? Can she keep up her alias and not compromise Agatha’s mission, or her sister’s life?
Ms. McLachlan has created yet another story world with characters and customs and unbearable climate. The tension crackles from the first page, and builds through to the end. Filled with suspense and danger, the pages of The Salarian Desert Game kept me on the edge of my seat. I felt Kia’s hopelessness and helplessness as she is caught up in a world of female hierarchy, a world of distinct class separation, and a subculture denied citizenship. I would be happy to read another in this series.
I was given a copy of this book in return for my honest review.
J. A. McLachlan was born in Toronto, Canada. She is the author of a short story collection, CONNECTIONS, published by Pandora Press and two College textbooks on Professional Ethics, published by Pearson-Prentice Hall. But science fiction is her first love, a genre she has been reading all her life, and Walls of Wind is her first published Science Fiction novel. Her new science fiction novel is The Occasional Diamond Thief. She is represented by Carrie Pestritto at Prospect Agency.
You can learn more about J. A. McLachlan and her books on her website at: http://www.janeannmclachlan.com
Connect with Jane Ann on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/janeann.mcla...
#thesalariandesertgame, #janeannmclachlan, #theoccasionaldiamondthief
The Salarian Desert Game
On Salaria, the Desert Game is a rite of passage for fifteen year old girls. For Kia Ugiagbe, just being on the planet is a deadly game.
When Select Agatha is assigned to a mission on the desert planet of Salaria, Kia is called to serve as her interpreter. Kia has her own reason for going to Salaria, to rescue her sister, and agrees to go. There’s just one catch—she must go disguised as a Salarian, and play the desert game with the other “fifteens.”
Caught up in her own objective, and separated from Agatha, Kia becomes entangled in the life and death game. Can a sixteen-year-old posing as a “fifteen” survive the desert game? Is she a match for the headstrong Kama who dislikes her from the start? Can she keep up her alias and not compromise Agatha’s mission, or her sister’s life?
Ms. McLachlan has created yet another story world with characters and customs and unbearable climate. The tension crackles from the first page, and builds through to the end. Filled with suspense and danger, the pages of The Salarian Desert Game kept me on the edge of my seat. I felt Kia’s hopelessness and helplessness as she is caught up in a world of female hierarchy, a world of distinct class separation, and a subculture denied citizenship. I would be happy to read another in this series.
I was given a copy of this book in return for my honest review.
J. A. McLachlan was born in Toronto, Canada. She is the author of a short story collection, CONNECTIONS, published by Pandora Press and two College textbooks on Professional Ethics, published by Pearson-Prentice Hall. But science fiction is her first love, a genre she has been reading all her life, and Walls of Wind is her first published Science Fiction novel. Her new science fiction novel is The Occasional Diamond Thief. She is represented by Carrie Pestritto at Prospect Agency.
You can learn more about J. A. McLachlan and her books on her website at: http://www.janeannmclachlan.com
Connect with Jane Ann on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/janeann.mcla...
#thesalariandesertgame, #janeannmclachlan, #theoccasionaldiamondthief
April 5, 2016
BOOK REVIEW – COUNTED WITH THE STARS by CONNILYN COSSETTE
Counted With the Stars
He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.: Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
Genesis 15:5
When an aristocratic young woman in ancient Egypt is sold into slavery to cover her father’s debt, her whole world crumbles, her whole life perspective shifts. And as the plagues of Moses beset her land, her faith in her gods fails her as well.
Kiya finds herself working alongside a Hebrew slave, Shira, who befriends her. This unlikely friendship further disrupt Kiya’s view of life. And saves her life as well.
Not only is Kiya now friends with a Hebrew—something she never thought possible—but with her own life in peril, she joins with them on their exodus from Egypt.
With her lifelong trust in Ra and the gods of her people in ruins, will she be able to embrace the invisible God? Or will she remain captive to her past forever?
Ms. Cossette has produced a sparkling debut novel. I was riveted from the first page. She is thorough in her study and research, and her characters tugged at my heartstrings. I felt the crushing blow when Kiya received the news of her change in status, the devastation of her heart when her intended turned away. I hoped against hope with her as she tried and wanted to put her trust in the unseen God. A skillfully woven tapestry, Counted with the Stars, is a story that adds depth and dimension to the Biblical truth of the plagues of Egypt.
“If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.” – Rudyard Kipling
Ms. Cossette has accomplished this with Counted with the Stars.
I was given a copy of this book in return for my honest review.
“She is too fond of books, and it has addled her brain.” – Louisa May Alcott
“I was that girl. The one with her nose in books all the time. The one with a stack of library books up to her chin. The one who got caught reading under her desk in school.
I have always been a voracious reader, a reader with a secret desire to someday see my own book on those library shelves. A secret desire of my heart that, for a long time, I honestly did not give God enough credit to grant to me.”
But God is bigger than my lack of faith.
Her debut novel, Counted with the Stars, will be followed by two more books in the same series. Although technically labeled "Biblical Fiction" this first series is from the perspective of "outsiders" to the Biblical narrative. Ms. Cossette’s passion is to write stories of timeless grace that draw readers into the rich world of the Bible, to personalize the history found there, and to spark a curiosity that will lead to digging deeper into the truth of the Word.
Now go, and read a book!
#countedwiththestars, #connilyncossette, #outofegypt, #shadowofthestorm
He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.: Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
Genesis 15:5
When an aristocratic young woman in ancient Egypt is sold into slavery to cover her father’s debt, her whole world crumbles, her whole life perspective shifts. And as the plagues of Moses beset her land, her faith in her gods fails her as well.
Kiya finds herself working alongside a Hebrew slave, Shira, who befriends her. This unlikely friendship further disrupt Kiya’s view of life. And saves her life as well.
Not only is Kiya now friends with a Hebrew—something she never thought possible—but with her own life in peril, she joins with them on their exodus from Egypt.
With her lifelong trust in Ra and the gods of her people in ruins, will she be able to embrace the invisible God? Or will she remain captive to her past forever?
Ms. Cossette has produced a sparkling debut novel. I was riveted from the first page. She is thorough in her study and research, and her characters tugged at my heartstrings. I felt the crushing blow when Kiya received the news of her change in status, the devastation of her heart when her intended turned away. I hoped against hope with her as she tried and wanted to put her trust in the unseen God. A skillfully woven tapestry, Counted with the Stars, is a story that adds depth and dimension to the Biblical truth of the plagues of Egypt.
“If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.” – Rudyard Kipling
Ms. Cossette has accomplished this with Counted with the Stars.
I was given a copy of this book in return for my honest review.
“She is too fond of books, and it has addled her brain.” – Louisa May Alcott
“I was that girl. The one with her nose in books all the time. The one with a stack of library books up to her chin. The one who got caught reading under her desk in school.
I have always been a voracious reader, a reader with a secret desire to someday see my own book on those library shelves. A secret desire of my heart that, for a long time, I honestly did not give God enough credit to grant to me.”
But God is bigger than my lack of faith.
Her debut novel, Counted with the Stars, will be followed by two more books in the same series. Although technically labeled "Biblical Fiction" this first series is from the perspective of "outsiders" to the Biblical narrative. Ms. Cossette’s passion is to write stories of timeless grace that draw readers into the rich world of the Bible, to personalize the history found there, and to spark a curiosity that will lead to digging deeper into the truth of the Word.
Now go, and read a book!
#countedwiththestars, #connilyncossette, #outofegypt, #shadowofthestorm
March 29, 2016
BOOK REVIEW – BERRY ON TOP by VALERIE COMER
BOOK REVIEW – BERRY ON TOP by VALERIE COMER
Berry on Top
What happens when something so devastating drives a young girl from home? Around the globe, even. And defines her life from that moment forward.
And what happens when that life that has kept her as far away from home crumbles around her.
She returns home, even if only to regain her bearings and leave again.
Liz Nemesek’s world caved in on her when she was seventeen. And now, eleven years later, her lifestyle has left her with no place to go but home. To Galena Landing, Idaho. A far cry and miles from her years in Thailand.
Mason Waterman was the cool-dude-bad-boy in high school. Years of partying have left him with five-year-old twins to raise on his own. And he, too, has returned to Galena Landing, to reclaim his footing and bearing in life.
The difference is, Mason has changed, and repented before God. He is a new man, set to live life by the straight and narrow.
And when Liz and Mason’s paths cross? Sparks fly. Liz is more determined than ever to leave Galena Landing, and sooner than later. Is her heart so cold, even to God, that she can never open herself up to love again? Can she bide her time with Mason around until a job offer comes through? Or will she run again, and fall further down the depths of despair?
Or can she forgive Mason, after all? Are the feeling stirring for him just another train wreck waiting to happen? Or will Liz’s life get back on track after all?
Ms. Comer has written a delightful story with very real characters and situations that echo life all too well. Her style is witty and enchanting, enticing me back for more. I did not read these stories in order, but was not lost without that established sequence; each story stands well on its own, and yet, weaves beautifully with each of the others. Each subsequent book adds layers to the story Ms. Comer has established, and I look forward to reading many more from this author.
Be sure to read the first five in the Farm Fresh series.
See my reviews on these books at
https://robinsnest212.wordpress.com/2...
I was given a copy of this book in return for my honest review.
Valerie Comer's life on a small farm in western Canada provides the seed for stories of contemporary Christian romance. Like many of her characters, Valerie grows much of her own food and is active in the local foods movement as well as her church. She only hopes her imaginary friends enjoy their happily ever afters as much as she does hers, shared with her husband, adult kids, and adorable granddaughters.
Her debut novel, Raspberries and Vinegar: A Farm Fresh Romance, won the 2014 Word Guild Award for best contemporary romance by a Canadian author. She injects experience laced with humor into her tales of farm living in this farm lit series that includes Wild Mint Tea, Sweetened with Honey and Dandelions for Dinner. Valerie also writes fantasy as Valerie R Comer.
Find out where food meets faith and fiction at http://valeriecomer.com, where you can sign up for her newsletter, follow her on Twitter, or like her on Facebook.
Connect with Valerie at:
http://valeriecomer.com/
https://www.facebook.com/valeriecomer...
https://twitter.com/valeriecomer
https://www.pinterest.com/valeriecomer/
https://www.youtube.com/user/valerierco
#berryontop, #valeriecomer, #framfreshromance, #raspberriesandvinegar, #wildminttea, #sweetenedwithhoney, #dandelionsfordinner, #plumupsidedown
Berry on Top
What happens when something so devastating drives a young girl from home? Around the globe, even. And defines her life from that moment forward.
And what happens when that life that has kept her as far away from home crumbles around her.
She returns home, even if only to regain her bearings and leave again.
Liz Nemesek’s world caved in on her when she was seventeen. And now, eleven years later, her lifestyle has left her with no place to go but home. To Galena Landing, Idaho. A far cry and miles from her years in Thailand.
Mason Waterman was the cool-dude-bad-boy in high school. Years of partying have left him with five-year-old twins to raise on his own. And he, too, has returned to Galena Landing, to reclaim his footing and bearing in life.
The difference is, Mason has changed, and repented before God. He is a new man, set to live life by the straight and narrow.
And when Liz and Mason’s paths cross? Sparks fly. Liz is more determined than ever to leave Galena Landing, and sooner than later. Is her heart so cold, even to God, that she can never open herself up to love again? Can she bide her time with Mason around until a job offer comes through? Or will she run again, and fall further down the depths of despair?
Or can she forgive Mason, after all? Are the feeling stirring for him just another train wreck waiting to happen? Or will Liz’s life get back on track after all?
Ms. Comer has written a delightful story with very real characters and situations that echo life all too well. Her style is witty and enchanting, enticing me back for more. I did not read these stories in order, but was not lost without that established sequence; each story stands well on its own, and yet, weaves beautifully with each of the others. Each subsequent book adds layers to the story Ms. Comer has established, and I look forward to reading many more from this author.
Be sure to read the first five in the Farm Fresh series.
See my reviews on these books at
https://robinsnest212.wordpress.com/2...
I was given a copy of this book in return for my honest review.
Valerie Comer's life on a small farm in western Canada provides the seed for stories of contemporary Christian romance. Like many of her characters, Valerie grows much of her own food and is active in the local foods movement as well as her church. She only hopes her imaginary friends enjoy their happily ever afters as much as she does hers, shared with her husband, adult kids, and adorable granddaughters.
Her debut novel, Raspberries and Vinegar: A Farm Fresh Romance, won the 2014 Word Guild Award for best contemporary romance by a Canadian author. She injects experience laced with humor into her tales of farm living in this farm lit series that includes Wild Mint Tea, Sweetened with Honey and Dandelions for Dinner. Valerie also writes fantasy as Valerie R Comer.
Find out where food meets faith and fiction at http://valeriecomer.com, where you can sign up for her newsletter, follow her on Twitter, or like her on Facebook.
Connect with Valerie at:
http://valeriecomer.com/
https://www.facebook.com/valeriecomer...
https://twitter.com/valeriecomer
https://www.pinterest.com/valeriecomer/
https://www.youtube.com/user/valerierco
#berryontop, #valeriecomer, #framfreshromance, #raspberriesandvinegar, #wildminttea, #sweetenedwithhoney, #dandelionsfordinner, #plumupsidedown
March 22, 2016
BOOK REVIEW – MISTAKENLY MARRIED by VICTORINE LIESKE
Mistakenly Married
A young woman who doesn’t fit the mold—but tries to conform to please her family. Disaster in the making. And Penny Ackerman has tried, truly tried, to be what’s expected of her.
Now, she stands in the Chapel-O-Love, waiting for William to arrive. To finally meet him face to face. Their two year online relationship is love, she just knows it is.
Harrison Williams’ brother has found a debutante who has agreed to marry Harrison—for a price of course—and Harrison goes along. It’s the only way he can have his trust fund money.
Only there’s a mix-up. William is a no-show, and Harrison winds up in his place.
And Penny and Harrison end up married.
How, oh how, is Penny going to explain this to her family? Harrison is ready to bail as soon as he realizes the mistake—but he can’t if he wants his trust fund money.
What happens when two people who have never met, who weren’t supposed to get married in the first place, find that they are married to their soul mate? But Penny doesn’t fit in Harrison’s elitist world, nor does he exactly fit in her homey upbringing. And yet…
This is my first read by Ms. Lieske, and I found it to be quite entertaining. The characters are well written, and real, even in the unlikely circumstance. The emotions are strong, and Ms. Lieske has conveyed these on the page. I felt Penny’s frustration as her affection for Harrison grew, I longed for her to tell him her feelings. And yet I understood her hesitation. I connected with the characters, and in the most curious of circumstances, they were real. I was drawn into the story and thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Victorine enjoys commercial success through her writing, thanks in part to her ability to analyze and adapt to the constantly changing trends in today's publishing environment. She self-published her first book, Not What She Seems, in April of 2010. In March of 2011, Not What She Seems began its 6 week run on The New York Times best selling eBook list. By May 2011 she had sold over 100,000 copies. Victorine's first romantic comedy novel hit the USA Today Best selling books list in January 2015. Victorine has also helped countless other authors through her involvement and outreach. As immediate past president of the Nebraska Writers Guild, she helped modernize the 90-year-old organization and educated members about the changes occurring in the publishing industry due to the eBook revolution and ease of self-publishing. She is active in many writing groups and forums and has given dozens of interviews for TV, radio and print media and has been a panel member and keynote speaker at several major events, including The Business of Writing International Summit. Her candor as a blogger and guest has made her a favorite with audiences worldwide. Victorine also served as a judge for the 2015 Whitney Awards. Because of her selfless service to fellow authors through assistance with critiquing, beta reading and graphic design, she was chosen as the inaugural recipient of the CIR Strong Award, named for late Clean Indie Reads forum member Jessica Strong. Victorine and her husband have raised their four children in Nebraska. Along with Victorine's writing and graphic design work for the publishing industry, she and her husband manufacture rubber stamps and wall vinyl for the craft industry. Victorine is represented by literary agent Jason Ashlock of Movable Type Literary Group. Her book, How to Find Success Selling eBooks, details how she found success, and gives advice to other writers wanting to sell eBooks in the genre fiction market.
Victorine’s website: http://victorinelieske.com/
https://www.facebook.com/victorinelie...
http://victorinewrites.blogspot.com/
#victorinelieske, #mistakenlymarried, #accidentallymarried, #reluctantlymarried
A young woman who doesn’t fit the mold—but tries to conform to please her family. Disaster in the making. And Penny Ackerman has tried, truly tried, to be what’s expected of her.
Now, she stands in the Chapel-O-Love, waiting for William to arrive. To finally meet him face to face. Their two year online relationship is love, she just knows it is.
Harrison Williams’ brother has found a debutante who has agreed to marry Harrison—for a price of course—and Harrison goes along. It’s the only way he can have his trust fund money.
Only there’s a mix-up. William is a no-show, and Harrison winds up in his place.
And Penny and Harrison end up married.
How, oh how, is Penny going to explain this to her family? Harrison is ready to bail as soon as he realizes the mistake—but he can’t if he wants his trust fund money.
What happens when two people who have never met, who weren’t supposed to get married in the first place, find that they are married to their soul mate? But Penny doesn’t fit in Harrison’s elitist world, nor does he exactly fit in her homey upbringing. And yet…
This is my first read by Ms. Lieske, and I found it to be quite entertaining. The characters are well written, and real, even in the unlikely circumstance. The emotions are strong, and Ms. Lieske has conveyed these on the page. I felt Penny’s frustration as her affection for Harrison grew, I longed for her to tell him her feelings. And yet I understood her hesitation. I connected with the characters, and in the most curious of circumstances, they were real. I was drawn into the story and thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Victorine enjoys commercial success through her writing, thanks in part to her ability to analyze and adapt to the constantly changing trends in today's publishing environment. She self-published her first book, Not What She Seems, in April of 2010. In March of 2011, Not What She Seems began its 6 week run on The New York Times best selling eBook list. By May 2011 she had sold over 100,000 copies. Victorine's first romantic comedy novel hit the USA Today Best selling books list in January 2015. Victorine has also helped countless other authors through her involvement and outreach. As immediate past president of the Nebraska Writers Guild, she helped modernize the 90-year-old organization and educated members about the changes occurring in the publishing industry due to the eBook revolution and ease of self-publishing. She is active in many writing groups and forums and has given dozens of interviews for TV, radio and print media and has been a panel member and keynote speaker at several major events, including The Business of Writing International Summit. Her candor as a blogger and guest has made her a favorite with audiences worldwide. Victorine also served as a judge for the 2015 Whitney Awards. Because of her selfless service to fellow authors through assistance with critiquing, beta reading and graphic design, she was chosen as the inaugural recipient of the CIR Strong Award, named for late Clean Indie Reads forum member Jessica Strong. Victorine and her husband have raised their four children in Nebraska. Along with Victorine's writing and graphic design work for the publishing industry, she and her husband manufacture rubber stamps and wall vinyl for the craft industry. Victorine is represented by literary agent Jason Ashlock of Movable Type Literary Group. Her book, How to Find Success Selling eBooks, details how she found success, and gives advice to other writers wanting to sell eBooks in the genre fiction market.
Victorine’s website: http://victorinelieske.com/
https://www.facebook.com/victorinelie...
http://victorinewrites.blogspot.com/
#victorinelieske, #mistakenlymarried, #accidentallymarried, #reluctantlymarried
February 23, 2016
BOOK REVIEW – THE THORN KEEPER by PEPPER D. BASHAM
The Thorn Keeper
“My dear Catherine, could you reach beyond your shame and see what I see? What God sees?”
God dreamed bigger dreams for her than she ever could. (excerpted from The Thorn Keeper.)
When a person feels worthless, what hope is there for their life? When life has crushed a person’s spirit, what hope is there of recovery? When a person has ruined their reputation and tarnished their name, what cost to restoration? Is there any redemption?
This is the struggle Catherine Dougall must overcome. Her past was colorful, and her future—she can’t grasp it. Her past is gone, she’s a changed woman. She is devoted to living her life for Christ, walking out her newfound faith. She doesn’t, she believes, deserve anything good and lovely. Least of all the love of a good man.
Dr. David Ross is polished, high society, keeps tenuous control on his heart and emotions. His attraction to Catherine—it’s a fluke, it can’t be. His focus and priority is the war hospital and patients, soldiers wounded on the front lines of war. His distraction is Catherine Dougall, who has applied herself to God’s service. In his hospital. In his daily routine. And in his heart.
Oh! how this reviewer can relate to Catherine’s feelings of unworthiness. How I know the sense of duty to repay Father’s kindness toward me. How I feel I can never “earn” or have the beautiful things in life. Even if they are gifts freely given. Oh! how wrong I was.
Will Catherine—can Catherine—ever let go her shame? Will she learn to embrace the love Father gives? Freely gives? Can she ever understand her debt is gone and she has been made new? Can she ever allow herself to love the man her heart yearns for? Will she—and David—be able to “…learn to trust in a God who never forgets his children and fashions beauty out of the most broken things?”
Ms. Basham has done it again. Written such characters I felt as if I were there in the Derbyshire countryside with them. I felt the strain of the tension as she so deftly wove it, building it to the point of breaking. I cried as Catherine felt the weight of her past, a burden she no longer bore. I longed for love’s first touch—pure love’s first touch—as surely as she did. I fought her internal struggle to follow her shame and run away. Or embrace the new life that could be hers.
As surely as I loved the first book in this series, The Thorn Keeper has secured me as a forever fan of Ms. Basham’s writing. I look forward to devouring her next story, and taking the journey with her characters as they come to life on the page.
“Oui, je comprends.” She nodded. “You fix things. I fix things. We do not like the unfixable things, non. But God is in them, changing us sometimes more than changing the wounds.”
#thethornkeeper, #pepperdbasham, #blueridgemountains, #derbyshireengland, #worldwarI, #thethornbearer
“My dear Catherine, could you reach beyond your shame and see what I see? What God sees?”
God dreamed bigger dreams for her than she ever could. (excerpted from The Thorn Keeper.)
When a person feels worthless, what hope is there for their life? When life has crushed a person’s spirit, what hope is there of recovery? When a person has ruined their reputation and tarnished their name, what cost to restoration? Is there any redemption?
This is the struggle Catherine Dougall must overcome. Her past was colorful, and her future—she can’t grasp it. Her past is gone, she’s a changed woman. She is devoted to living her life for Christ, walking out her newfound faith. She doesn’t, she believes, deserve anything good and lovely. Least of all the love of a good man.
Dr. David Ross is polished, high society, keeps tenuous control on his heart and emotions. His attraction to Catherine—it’s a fluke, it can’t be. His focus and priority is the war hospital and patients, soldiers wounded on the front lines of war. His distraction is Catherine Dougall, who has applied herself to God’s service. In his hospital. In his daily routine. And in his heart.
Oh! how this reviewer can relate to Catherine’s feelings of unworthiness. How I know the sense of duty to repay Father’s kindness toward me. How I feel I can never “earn” or have the beautiful things in life. Even if they are gifts freely given. Oh! how wrong I was.
Will Catherine—can Catherine—ever let go her shame? Will she learn to embrace the love Father gives? Freely gives? Can she ever understand her debt is gone and she has been made new? Can she ever allow herself to love the man her heart yearns for? Will she—and David—be able to “…learn to trust in a God who never forgets his children and fashions beauty out of the most broken things?”
Ms. Basham has done it again. Written such characters I felt as if I were there in the Derbyshire countryside with them. I felt the strain of the tension as she so deftly wove it, building it to the point of breaking. I cried as Catherine felt the weight of her past, a burden she no longer bore. I longed for love’s first touch—pure love’s first touch—as surely as she did. I fought her internal struggle to follow her shame and run away. Or embrace the new life that could be hers.
As surely as I loved the first book in this series, The Thorn Keeper has secured me as a forever fan of Ms. Basham’s writing. I look forward to devouring her next story, and taking the journey with her characters as they come to life on the page.
“Oui, je comprends.” She nodded. “You fix things. I fix things. We do not like the unfixable things, non. But God is in them, changing us sometimes more than changing the wounds.”
#thethornkeeper, #pepperdbasham, #blueridgemountains, #derbyshireengland, #worldwarI, #thethornbearer
December 17, 2015
Book Review – WHEN FALL FADES
BOOK REVIEW – WHEN FALL FADES by AMY LEIGH SIMPSON
Crushed dreams leave scars. Just ask Sadie Carson. When one dream was lost, she cast another one aside along with it. And settled for a life that, while satisfying, was not complete, was not true. Was not really her.
FBI Agent Archer Hayes has his life tightly under wraps, aka control. And for him, it’s all about the job.
When Sadie’s next door neighbor is found murdered, the connection between her and Agent Hayes is unexpected and unwelcome. And undeniable.
Can Archer Hayes let down the neatly constructed walls that have provided a haven of safety—and isolation—for so many years? Will Sadie let go of one broken dream—and her broken heart and embrace a new dream? Or are the obstacles too much for them to overcome?
Ms. Simpson writes with fiery realism, characters I could easily sit down and chat with. The fears and desires and longings are tangible in Ms. Simpson’s words, vivid, drawing me into the middle of the action. Into the angst. And the internal struggles both characters face. As they unravel the mystery behind her neighbor’s death, will they also unravel the cage that has kept both their hearts prisoner?
Bravo for a finely crafted debut novel! I await many more by this talented new author!
Amy Leigh Simpson writes romantic mysteries with honesty and humor, sweetness and spice, and gritty reality covered by grace. When she's not stealing moments at naptime to squeeze out a few more adventures in storyland, she's chasing around two tow-headed miscreants (Ahem)--boys, playing dress up with one sweet princess baby, and being the very blessed wife to the coolest, most swoon-worthy man alive. Amy is a Midwestern-girl, a singer, blogger, runner, coffee-addict, and foodie. Her Sports Medicine degree is wasted patching up daily boo boo's, but whatever is left usually finds its way onto the page with fluttering hearts, blood and guts, and scars that lead to happily ever after.
Amy would be delighted to connect with you on Facebook, at her blogging home www.thewritersalleyblog.com, or at her homepage on wildbluepress.com
#whenfallfades, #amyleighsimpson, #newauthor, #debutnovel, #romanticmystery
Crushed dreams leave scars. Just ask Sadie Carson. When one dream was lost, she cast another one aside along with it. And settled for a life that, while satisfying, was not complete, was not true. Was not really her.
FBI Agent Archer Hayes has his life tightly under wraps, aka control. And for him, it’s all about the job.
When Sadie’s next door neighbor is found murdered, the connection between her and Agent Hayes is unexpected and unwelcome. And undeniable.
Can Archer Hayes let down the neatly constructed walls that have provided a haven of safety—and isolation—for so many years? Will Sadie let go of one broken dream—and her broken heart and embrace a new dream? Or are the obstacles too much for them to overcome?
Ms. Simpson writes with fiery realism, characters I could easily sit down and chat with. The fears and desires and longings are tangible in Ms. Simpson’s words, vivid, drawing me into the middle of the action. Into the angst. And the internal struggles both characters face. As they unravel the mystery behind her neighbor’s death, will they also unravel the cage that has kept both their hearts prisoner?
Bravo for a finely crafted debut novel! I await many more by this talented new author!
Amy Leigh Simpson writes romantic mysteries with honesty and humor, sweetness and spice, and gritty reality covered by grace. When she's not stealing moments at naptime to squeeze out a few more adventures in storyland, she's chasing around two tow-headed miscreants (Ahem)--boys, playing dress up with one sweet princess baby, and being the very blessed wife to the coolest, most swoon-worthy man alive. Amy is a Midwestern-girl, a singer, blogger, runner, coffee-addict, and foodie. Her Sports Medicine degree is wasted patching up daily boo boo's, but whatever is left usually finds its way onto the page with fluttering hearts, blood and guts, and scars that lead to happily ever after.
Amy would be delighted to connect with you on Facebook, at her blogging home www.thewritersalleyblog.com, or at her homepage on wildbluepress.com
#whenfallfades, #amyleighsimpson, #newauthor, #debutnovel, #romanticmystery
December 2, 2015
Book Review – THE CHRISTMAS BELLS OF CAVAZZALE
BOOK REVIEW – THE CHRISTMAS BELLS OF CAVAZZALE by MARIAN P. MERRITT
The Christmas Bells of Cavazzale
What happens when a woman who plans every detail—and who has lost her job and lost her fiancé, and has inherited a cottage in Italy—repeatedly crosses paths with a bohemian workaholic on family-forced vacation?
At loose ends, Charly travels to her grandmother’s cottage to sort out her future. And against his better judgment, André travels to the same village to spend the holidays with his family. Charly’s cool demeanor sends her intended signal to André—NOT INTERESTED.
But she continues to bump into him. And try as she might, her heart won’t be stilled. When a mysterious woman appears at her cottage gate, and as Charly reads her nonna’s diary, her tight hold on her plans begins to loosen, and her heart begins to hear God’s plan for her life.
But André? Does God’s plan for Charly’s life really include a handsome Cajun? Can she really trust her heart again? And can she really hope that love, true love, has finally found her?
A lighter read than other stories I’ve read by Ms. Merritt. Charly and André are every bit real and complex characters, their struggles genuine. I felt Charly’s indifference to romance, her need to escape the harsh reality that life had just handed her. I sensed André’s drive to stay with his job, his gallery, to oversee every detail. (I have written a similar character.) And I felt as the attraction stirred the first time Charly and André met. And I sensed her hesitancy and his disappointment. As always with stories by Ms. Merritt, very well done. A thoroughly well-written story, genuine, authentic. Already a favorite author of mine, I am pleased to say this story did not disappoint.
Marian P. Merritt
Marian P. Merritt grew up in South Louisiana in a small community south of New Orleans. Her love for the written word began while sitting on her grandparent's front porch swing reading books.
The stories allowed her to meet interesting people, took her to far away places and made her think beyond her own world. Her desire to write Southern Women's fiction keeps her grounded in her roots and the hope that one day she can do for someone what many of the authors of her childhood did for her.
Marian has a Bachelor of Science degree in physical therapy and an accounting certificate from the University of South Alabama. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Women's Fiction Writers Association. She hones her writing skills by attending writer's conferences and reading many books on the craft of writing.
Marian writes Inspirational Women's Fiction and Romance from her home in Texas which she shares with her husband and a Labradoodle, named Chili.
#theChristmasbellsofcavazzale, #marianpmerritt
The Christmas Bells of Cavazzale
What happens when a woman who plans every detail—and who has lost her job and lost her fiancé, and has inherited a cottage in Italy—repeatedly crosses paths with a bohemian workaholic on family-forced vacation?
At loose ends, Charly travels to her grandmother’s cottage to sort out her future. And against his better judgment, André travels to the same village to spend the holidays with his family. Charly’s cool demeanor sends her intended signal to André—NOT INTERESTED.
But she continues to bump into him. And try as she might, her heart won’t be stilled. When a mysterious woman appears at her cottage gate, and as Charly reads her nonna’s diary, her tight hold on her plans begins to loosen, and her heart begins to hear God’s plan for her life.
But André? Does God’s plan for Charly’s life really include a handsome Cajun? Can she really trust her heart again? And can she really hope that love, true love, has finally found her?
A lighter read than other stories I’ve read by Ms. Merritt. Charly and André are every bit real and complex characters, their struggles genuine. I felt Charly’s indifference to romance, her need to escape the harsh reality that life had just handed her. I sensed André’s drive to stay with his job, his gallery, to oversee every detail. (I have written a similar character.) And I felt as the attraction stirred the first time Charly and André met. And I sensed her hesitancy and his disappointment. As always with stories by Ms. Merritt, very well done. A thoroughly well-written story, genuine, authentic. Already a favorite author of mine, I am pleased to say this story did not disappoint.
Marian P. Merritt
Marian P. Merritt grew up in South Louisiana in a small community south of New Orleans. Her love for the written word began while sitting on her grandparent's front porch swing reading books.
The stories allowed her to meet interesting people, took her to far away places and made her think beyond her own world. Her desire to write Southern Women's fiction keeps her grounded in her roots and the hope that one day she can do for someone what many of the authors of her childhood did for her.
Marian has a Bachelor of Science degree in physical therapy and an accounting certificate from the University of South Alabama. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Women's Fiction Writers Association. She hones her writing skills by attending writer's conferences and reading many books on the craft of writing.
Marian writes Inspirational Women's Fiction and Romance from her home in Texas which she shares with her husband and a Labradoodle, named Chili.
#theChristmasbellsofcavazzale, #marianpmerritt
Robin's Book Shelf
The people I meet, the worlds I get lost in and long to return to. And the authors who create these worlds and the people who inhabit them.
- Robin E. Mason's profile
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