Showing posts with label 4 stars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 4 stars. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 2, 2019

Review: This Daring Journey by Misty M. Beller


https://amzn.to/2I9UiJB

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

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Synopsis


The only hope to keep her newborn baby alive is to reach the safety of her Indian people… This mountain man is the last person she should trust to get her there.

As a half-Indian raised among her Peigan tribe, Moriah Clark knows better than to trust white people. The tragedy that resulted in her birth is proof enough. But when her trusted grandfather marries her to a white man, she has no choice but to obey and hope this new life isn’t her downfall. Her white husband turns out to be a decent sort, but his unexpected death left her to birth a newborn baby among hostile mountain men. She wants nothing more than to retreat to the safe haven of her tribal upbringing. When a mysterious frontiersman arrives on her doorstep seeking her deceased husband, his offer to escort her and the babe to her people seems like the opportunity she’s been praying to find. But can she trust him?

Samuel Grant has been sent to retrieve Henry Clark for his sister’s wedding, but the sight that greets him at the little cabin in the woods is not what he expected. Not only has the man died, but Henry’s wife is fighting off an aggressive gang of men at gunpoint—while trying to conceal a newborn. He can’t leave the pair unattended, so helping her travel into the mountain country to reach her family seems like the only option. If he can win her trust, that is.

Such a grueling journey with a three-week-old baby will be risky, but the challenges that arise test them far more than either expected. When a devastating surprise increases the danger ten-fold, Moriah focuses all her efforts on keeping her newborn daughter alive. Maybe that’s why she doesn’t realize how much of her heart belongs to the mountain man—until it’s too late.


My Review

I can't imagine traveling in the rugged untamed wilderness on the cusp of winter with a brand new baby! Moriah had so much fortitude to leave behind the home she built with her husband and seek out her mother's people. I came to like Samuel in the previous book that focused on his twin, so it was wonderful to read his story and see him be the hero to Moriah and her baby girl. They are strong together and over time she learns to trust him by witnessing his actions and manner that reflect his inner goodness. The journey is treacherous of course, and they pass through and overcome a variety of trials and obstacles, picking up a Native boy along the way who brings another dynamic to their small group. I love the adventure and sweet romance in this series!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)


Review: Timeless Regency Collection: An Evening at Almack's by Sally Britton, Elizabeth Johns, Sarah M. Eden


https://amzn.to/2YLprZF

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.comhttp://www.barnesandnoble.comhttp://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

THE HEART'S CHOICE by Sally Britton
To keep her family from scandal, Mattie Rayment needs to marry off her flirtatious younger sister before the Season ends. Vouchers for Almack's are her best hope to secure a suitable match. When the Rayments cross paths with Oliver Bolton, the nephew of their steward, his interest in the younger sister threatens all her plans. It is up to Mattie to steer Oliver away, but before long she finds herself losing her heart to him, unsuitable match or not.

MY UNFAIR LADY by Elizabeth Johns
A lost bet. An underestimated country bumpkin. Who will win in this war of wits? Why, love, of course! Rua Postlethwaite has lived a sheltered, content life in the country until she is orphaned and forced to find work or make a hasty marriage. Her neighbors come together to try to help her have a successful Season after she receives an unexpected offer to go to London. Lord Deverell is the quintessential bored aristocrat with too much time, money, and handsomeness. When he loses a wager over a game of billiards, he finds himself doing more than dancing attendance on a nobody from Yorkshire. 

SIX WISHES by Sarah M. Eden
Felicity Bandbury has come to London with one aim in mind: give her dying sister the Season of her dreams. But it is a tall order for a young lady who knows nothing of Town or Society. She enlists the help of their neighbor and childhood friend, William Carlisle. He’s not been home in years, not since the sudden loss of his parents. Felicity’s request offers him the hope of healing from his own grief as well as a connection to home he desperately needs. Can two grieving souls find room in their hearts for love?

My Review

I love the Timeless Regency Collections! Each of the stories has a common element, but they always end up so unique from each other. I love discovering new-to-me authors and always enjoy the stories from my favorites. I felt like these three had great character development and plots that were interesting. I had known about Almack's from other books I've read in the genre, but I learned some new tidbits from this one as well! It is a perfect example of the nuances of the various levels of Society, the ton, and their rules- both known and unspoken.

I especially liked Sally Britton's story, with Oliver being drawn to one sister initially but after a deeper look, realizes who would make the better match. Their mutual admiration brings nice chemistry to their relationship, even while they are each working on an agenda that sometimes puts them at odds.

My Unfair Lady brings elements of humor as Rua enlivens a group of friends with some borderline antics as she and her friend seek to trick the men after learning she is the subject of a wager. It is an entertaining story but the characters were a bit two-dimensional.

Six Wishes by Sarah Eden brought depth with the bittersweet elements of bringing happiness to Felicity's sister and helping William overcome his long held grief for his family. The genuine friendship between Felicity and William develops into something more as they support and encourage each other through their times of emotional hardship.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)


Review: An Uncommon Protector by Shelley Shepard Gray


Book Two in the Lone Star Hero series

 Heidi Reads... An Uncommon Protector by Shelley Shepard Gray

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

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Synopsis

Overwhelmed by the responsibilities of running a ranch on her own, Laurel Tracey decides to hire a convict—a man who’s just scary enough to take care of squatters and just desperate enough to agree to a one year post.

The years following the war have been hard on Laurel Tracey. Both her brother and her father died in battle, and her mother passed away shortly after receiving word of their demise. Laurel has been trying to run her two hundred acre ranch as best she can.

When she discovers that squatters have settled in her north pasture and have no intention of leaving, Laurel decides to use the last of her money to free a prisoner from the local jail. If she agrees to offer him room and board for one year, he will have to work for her to pay off his debt.

Former soldier Thomas Baker knows he’s in trouble when he finds himself jailed because he couldn’t pay a few fines. Laurel’s offer might be his only ticket out. Though she’s everything he ever dreamed of in a woman—sweet and tender-hearted, yet strong—he’s determined to remain detached, work hard on her behalf, and count the days until he’s free again.

But when cattle start dying and the squatters damage a barn, Thomas realizes more than just his freedom is on the line. Laurel needs someone to believe in her and protect her property. And it isn’t long before Laurel realizes that Thomas Baker is far more than just a former soldier. He’s a trustworthy hero who’s survived a terrible past. He needs more than just his freedom, he needs her love and care too.


My Review

I really enjoyed Thomas and Laurel's perspective in this book. There are some flashbacks to times when Thomas was in the POW camp with the other officers that became his brothers, which I appreciated as it solidified their bond and provided insight into Thomas' past and how he has changed over time. He's pretty matter of fact about the trials of his life and how they served him well by preparing him for the war. I was impressed by the way he turned to faith for a source of comfort in his turbulent life. Laurel is so sweet and a bit naive, but she also has grit and determination. I enjoyed reading as the two of them fight to save her ranch from the vandals. The villain was predictable and two-dimensional, and the climax with the take down was rather anti-climactic. The development of the story focused more on the relationship and chemistry between Thomas and Laurel, and I was just fine with that ;)

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)


 
Check out the other books in the Lone Star Hero series...

Book One
http://amzn.to/2cigvDd

Read my review here

http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.comhttp://www.barnesandnoble.comhttps://www.bookdepository.com/The-Loyal-Heart-Shelley-Shepard-Gray/9780310345398http://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

Robert came to Galveston to fulfill his promise to a dying man and look after his widow. He didn’t expect to find love in the unlikeliest of places.

Robert Truax, former Second Lieutenant and Confederate officer in the Civil War, made a promise to his comrade Phillip Markham. If anything happened to Phillip, Robert would look after his beloved wife, Miranda. She was his life, his world, his everything.

After the war, Robert is left to pick up the pieces and fulfill his pact. When he arrives at Miranda's home in Galveston, Texas, things are worse than he imagined. Phillip's name has been dragged through the mud, everyone in town believes him to be a traitor, and his widow is treated as an outcast. Even more disturbing is her emotional well-being. Miranda seems hopeless, lost, and so very alone.

Robert had thought his duty would be simple. He would help Miranda as quickly as possible in order to honor a promise. But the moment Robert laid eyes on her, his plans changed. He's mesmerized by her beauty and yearns to help her in any way he can.

He makes it his duty to protect Miranda, turn her reputation around, and to find some way to help her smile again. But it doesn't prove to be an easy task—Robert knows something about Phillip that could shake Miranda to the core and alter her view of the man she thought she knew so well.

Book Three
https://amzn.to/2VeOVMS

http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.comhttp://www.barnesandnoble.comhttp://www.bookdepository.comhttp://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

After the War Between the States, a Confederate officer longs to heal the heart of a beautiful woman—but first he’ll have to right the wrongs that were done to her.

Major Ethan Kelly has never been able to absolve himself of the guilt he feels for raiding a woman’s home shortly before he was taken prisoner during the Civil War. He is struggling to get through each day until he once again crosses paths with Lizbeth Barclay—the very woman he is trying to forget.

Life after the war is not much different for former Captain Devin Monroe until he meets Julianne VanFleet. He knows she is the woman he’s been waiting for, but he struggles to come to terms with the sacrifices she made to survive the war.

When Ethan and Devin discover that their former colonel, Adam Bushnell, is responsible for both Lizbeth’s and Julianne’s pain, they call on their former fellow soldiers to hunt him down. As the men band together to earn the trust of the women they love, Lizbeth and Julianne seek the justice they deserve in a country longing to heal.


Saturday, March 23, 2019

Review: Timeless Western Collection: Big Sky by Kimberly Krey, Annette Lyon, Cindy Roland Anderson


Heidi Reads... Timeless Western Collection: Big Sky by Kimberly Krey, Annette Lyon, Cindy Roland Anderson

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.comhttp://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

THE COWBOY’S CATCH by Kimberly Krey
When Jason Keller bids on a date with Marlee at the town’s annual fundraising event, she’s quick to turn him down. First of all, an evening with Marlee was never on the table; just dates with each of her younger sisters. Beyond that, Jason Keller—a man with Hollywood ties—is the last cowboy in town she’d go on a date with. Being abandoned because of her own mother’s Hollywood pursuits taught her well. But when the Keller Cowboy offers a hefty sum for the charities in question, in front of half the town no less, Marlee’s compelled to accept. It’s just one date after all, and it’s not like she’d ever fall for a man like him. Or so she thinks.

SELLING HER RANCH, STEALING HIS HEART by Annette Lyon

Teresa adores her job as manager of the J-Bar-D Ranch, which boards horses and offers riding lessons. The owner, Dorothy, has become like a grandmother to Teresa. But when Dorothy passes away unexpectedly, the ranch is put up for sale by none other than Dorothy’s only grandson, Derek. Even with the obvious chemistry between them, Teresa refuses to consider dating the guy who’s going to turn her beloved ranch into a strip mall. Derek wishes more than anything that he didn’t have to sell, but Grandma Dorothy ran the ranch into deep debt, and Derek’s own mother has ongoing medical bills. Without selling the ranch, he can’t pay off the debts or take care of his mother. If only he’d met Teresa had met at in a different time and place, they might have a future.

THE COWBOY’S SECOND GO by Cindy Roland Anderson

When recently divorced Callie Stewart, an aspiring country music artist, confronts the dishonest talent agent who stole her new song, he turns the tables on her, and her world spins out of control. Without proof she composed the hit song, Callie is forced to take her twin boys with her, move out of Nashville and live with her aunt in Montana. Having her dreams shattered leaves her trying to figure out how she will support her little family. Reconnecting with Ty Carter, her long-ago crush from high school and the guy who broke her heart, has her questioning her resolve to leave romance out of her new life. Ty isn’t just a good-looking cowboy, he’s sweet to her boys and makes Callie feel beautiful and alive. As her feelings for Ty grow stronger, the music reawakens inside her, inspiring her creativity and the desire to sing. Giving love a second chance might be the key to a forever love, and the start of a new music career…but can it be both?

My Review

I really enjoy cowboy stories, both historical and contemporary, I think because of the Louis L'Amour books I read as a teen from my dad's collection. All three of these stories embody what's special about the cowboy ideal- tough yet vulnerable, hard working and hard playing.

In The Cowboy's Catch, I liked seeing Marlee try to keep Jason at arm's length, only to discover that her prejudices about him weren't accurate. They had great chemistry, but the author's choice of verbs in a few instances threw me- she used "crooned" and "purred" and "mumbled" to describe the ways Jason spoke to Marlee, supposedly romantically... and it came off very odd to me. I would use "crooned" to describe the way someone sings, "purred" for a sound someone makes while getting a massage, and "mumbled" for something you say under your breath that you don't want the other person to necessarily hear. "Murmured" might have been a better choice in that last case. Other than my verb issues, it was a fun story ;)

The next story by Annette Lyon also has the female lead making unfair assumptions about the male lead. Teresa feels so strongly about the ranch she works at that she doesn't do a good job of listening to Derek, opting to storm off instead of face the situation. It was nice to see Derek prove her wrong as his time reconnecting with the ranch helps him get in touch with his love for the countryside.

My favorite of the three was The Cowboy's Second Go, seeing the journey Callie goes through as she returns to her hometown, faces her unrequited love and finally overcomes the awkward moment of young heartbreak she never forgave Ty for. He is such a sweetheart (now) and I enjoyed the wonderful scenes as he endears himself to her again and her two young boys.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)


Monday, March 11, 2019

Review: The Reluctant Warrior by Mary Connealy


Heidi Reads... The Reluctant Warrior by Mary Connealy

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.comhttp://www.barnesandnoble.comhttp://www.bookdepository.comhttp://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

Union army officer Cameron Scott is used to being obeyed, but nothing about this journey to Lake Tahoe has gone as expected. He's come to fetch his daughter and nephew, and seek revenge on the people who killed his brother. Instead he finds himself trapped by a blizzard with two children who are terrified of him and stubborn but beautiful Gwen Harkness, who he worries may be trying to keep the children.

When danger descends on the cabin where they're huddled, Cam is hurt trying to protect everyone and now finds Gwen caring for him too. He soon realizes why the kids love her so much and wonders if it might be best for him to move on without them. When she sees his broken heart, Gwen decides to help him win back their affection--and in the process he might just win her heart as well.


My Review

This second book in the High Sierra Sweethearts series continues the adventure in the wilds of Nevada. I love the absolute remoteness of the setting, and in winter it's especially isolated. Cam is stuck in the rut of his officer persona, and it's pretty humbling for him to realize that he has to change in order to win the affections of the children. Gwen is the mother figure in the lives of the children, and it's humbling for her to help a difficult man who will soon take them away from her. There is plenty of humor blended in the circumstances, though, and I chuckled every time Gwen literally smacked Cam upside the head to let him know he needed to chill. The danger and suspense continues with Raddo terrorizing the group in order to silence the witnesses to his crimes. I liked that he was a bit more complex and unpredictable in this book, and it was challenging for Trace, Cam, and the others to secure the homestead. The romance that develops between Cam and Gwen is hesitant and sweet, and it was nice to see them find a happy ending together.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)


Friday, March 8, 2019

Review & Giveaway: A Guarded Heart by Heidi Kimball



Heidi Reads... A Guarded Heart by Heidi Kimball

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.comhttp://www.barnesandnoble.comhttps://deseretbook.com/p/guarded-heart?variant_id=173375-paperbackhttp://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

Three years after a shocking scandal destroyed her family and forced her into isolation, Eleanor Hayward finally has an opportunity to put her painful history and dashed hopes behind her. But reentering society is no simple task. In her cousin's glittering ballroom, Eleanor is stunned when she comes face-to-face with the man who broke her heart those years before.

Edmund Fletcher thought he had laid the past to rest until he unexpectedly encounters the woman who so nearly became his wife. Soon to be engaged to another, Edmund knows he must let go of the complicated feelings he harbors for Eleanor. However, when the Hayward scandal resurfaces and the truth behind their parting is revealed, Eleanor and Edmund are left reeling. Tormented by thoughts of what could have been, they realize it is impossible to rewrite history. But is there a future in which they might both find happiness—and true love?


My Review

I loved the creative storytelling in this bittersweet Regency romance, with alternating perspectives of Eleanor and Edward, and also the past and present. It allowed details to unfold gradually and added  elements of suspense and anticipation to the plot. Conflict due to misunderstanding isn't my favorite, but the characters were complex and well-developed, drawing me into their world and emotions. The relationship between Eleanor and Edmund was a pleasure to read, and it was gratifying to see them have a second chance at love after everything went so wrong. So happy to have a new Regency author to follow and read!

Sunday, March 3, 2019

Review: Tomorrow's First Light by Naomi Rawlings


Heidi Reads... Tomorrow's First Light by Naomi Rawlings

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.comhttp://www.barnesandnoble.comhttp://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

Marrying a stranger to keep the woman's siblings out of an orphanage is one thing, but when more children than expected pour out of the stagecoach, what’s a man to do?

Nervous about meeting her fiancé for the first time, Ellie Spritzer’s lifelong hope of finding love is about to end—or rather, begin. She never imagined her quest for love would take her to the other side of the country with all eight of her siblings in tow, but after her mother dies unexpectedly, what choice does she have? At least the man she’s been writing for the past year is still willing to marry her and take in her siblings… or so she thinks until she arrives in the dusty town of Twin Rivers, Texas.

Growing up an orphan, Sam Owens never had a place to call home or a family to love. So if his wife-to-be needs to bring three of her siblings with her, he has no complaints about having a ready-made family. But his mail-order-bride doesn’t arrive with three. She arrives with eight.

Sam can’t make himself turn away children in need. But as a beginning rancher, he doesn’t have the resources to care for so many people. When sinister forces threaten the things Sam and Ellie both hold dear, can they figure out how to keep their fledgling family together, or will they lose the very things they cherish most?


My Review

I'm excited for this new series set in the West from author Naomi Rawlings! It's loosely connected to her Eagle Harbor series, but follows Ellie and her siblings on their new venture to Texas. I admired Ellie for her determination to keep the family together, and Sam is patient and accepting of them all. I enjoyed their sweet relationship, even if it grew slowly because of all their chores and the children preventing them from spending quality time together. The dispute over Sam's ranch land brought tension and a real sense of anxiety to the plot, especially when it became apparent that corruption was at the root of the problems. Sam has a strong group of friends ready and willing to support him, once he figures he can't do it on his own... almost too late. Some scenes were told from the perspective of Daniel, the young sheriff, and I'm looking forward to the coming books telling the stories of Sam's friends.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)