Review: Dare to Love Again by Julie Lessman

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

She's a sassy socialite burned by love. He's a jaded cop burned by the upper class. When sparks fly...will love catch fire again?

Spunky Allison McClare is determined to be a fearless, independent woman. But when she takes a notion to explore the wild Barbary Coast, she quickly discovers she's no match for the unsavory characters that haunt the dark streets.

Detective Nick Barone would rather do almost anything than teach this petite socialite self-defense, but it seems he has little choice. Sparks fly every time the two meet until a grudging friendship develops into something deeper. But is he just a fraud like all the rest of the men Allison's cared for? Or is he the one who will let her dare to love again?

My Review

I have mixed feelings about Julie Lessman's books so far. I enjoyed the plot of Dare to Love Again, but the characters are rather dramatic in their actions and feelings with larger-than-life personalities. While I wouldn't say Allison is spoiled, as a wealthy socialite she behaves in an entitled and naive manner. Her eyes become opened as she makes reckless decisions, and fortunately the hero Nick is there to save her bacon. I was surprised that the idea of teaching jiu jitsu as a self-defense strategy existed in the early 1900's and it was a fun part of the novel as Nick enables Allison to protect herself. The characters are full of puns and quips throughout the book and seem to find themselves quite clever.

(Thank you to Revell Publishing for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

Free e-book! Into the Whirlwind by Elizabeth Camden

Download Into the Whirlwind by Elizabeth Camden for free! I just finished her latest novel Beyond All Dreams and like her other books- amazing! 5 star review coming soon...

(Be sure to check the price before purchasing since e-book sales are for a limited time)

Synopsis

After her father's death, Mollie Knox takes over his watchmaking company and uses her head for business to solidify the good name of the 57th Illinois Watch Company. Her future looks bright until the night her beloved city is destroyed in the legendary Great Chicago Fire. With her world crumbling around her, Molly must do whatever it takes to save her company in the aftermath of the devastating fire.

Zack Kazmarek is an influential attorney with powerful ties to the political, mercantile, and ethnic roots of Chicago. His only weakness is Mollie Knox, a woman who has always been just beyond his reach. However, all bets are off after the fire destroys Chicago, and Mollie is in desperate need of assistance. Just as Zack finally begins to pursue the woman he loves, competition arises in the form of a hero from her past who can provide the help she needs to rise from the ashes.

While Mollie struggles to rebuild, the two men battle for her heart. One has always loved her, but the other has the power to save her. In the race to rebuild the city, can she survive with her business and her heart intact?

Review: A November Bride by Beth K. Vogt

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

Sadie McAllister’s clients know how lucky they are to have her: an ultra-fastidious personal chef who leaves behind a spotless kitchen and a week’s worth of mouth-watering meals.

Erik Davis, her best friend since middle school, is content to enjoy Sadie’s culinary skills too while maintaining their “friends only” status. Most of his energy is focused on his just-launched freelance business and casual dates that never come close to a commitment.

But when Sadie is offered a once-in-a-lifetime cooking job across country, Erik realizes maybe he’s taken his best friend for granted. Even more, he’s about to lose his only chance for lasting love.

How can Erik convince Sadie that the well-known adage “Marry your best friend” just might apply to them? With God’s help, can they both move past their assumptions about each other and their future? Should Sadie and Erik risk taking their relationship to the romantic point of no return? If they do, their decades-long friendship is as a good as done . . . unless it ends at the altar.

My Review

The friendship and banter between the main characters in this novella was fun to read. It was interesting to see how complicated it can be moving from a platonic to romantic relationship- the missteps and miscommunication, the hesitance and apprehension. Even though Sadie and Erik aren't always on the same page, they eventually get there and sparks fly!

(Thank you to Zondervan Publishing for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

Free e-book: Undeniably Yours by Becky Wade

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Synopsis

When Meg Cole’s father dies unexpectedly, she becomes the majority shareholder of his oil company and the single inheritor of his fortune. Though Meg is soft-spoken and tenderhearted–more interested in art than in oil–she’s forced to return home to Texas and to Whispering Creek Ranch to take up the reins of her father’s empire.
 
The last thing she has the patience or the sanity to deal with? Her father’s thoroughbred racehorse farm. She gives its manager, Bo Porter, six months to close the place down.
 
Bo’s determined to resent the woman who’s decided to rob him of his dream. But instead of anger, Meg evokes within him a profound desire to protect. The more time he spends with her, the more he longs to overcome every obstacle that separates them–her wealth, his unworthiness, her family’s outrage–and earn the right to love her.
 
But just when Meg begins to realize that Bo might be the one thing on the ranch worth keeping, their fragile bond is viciously broken by a force from Meg’s past. Can their love–and their belief that God can work through every circumstance–survive?

Review: A Bride in Store by Melissa Jagears

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

Mail-order bride Eliza Cantrell is on her way to meet her intended groom and help him grow his general store business when her train is held up by robbers and she loses her dowry. She's further thwarted upon arriving in Salt Flatts only to find Axel, her groom, away on business.
Hoping a wife would push Axel to become a better business partner, William Stanton had encouraged him to seek a mail-order bride. With Axel gone, Will feels responsible for Eliza, so he finds her a place to stay and lets her help in the store.
Working together isn't what they'd expected, and when Axel is further delayed, neither can ignore the sparks that fly. But Eliza is meant for Axel and is set on a future with the store, while Will is biding time until he can afford medical school.
Their troubles are far from over when Axel returns to town, however, and soon both Will and Eliza must decide what they're willing to sacrifice to chase their dreams--or if God has a new dream in store for them both.

My Review

I was so excited to read this book, but it turned out to be somewhat different than I expected. I love mail-order bride stories since it's a fascinating situation for two strangers to enter into. In this case, the delay of Eliza meeting her intended groom allows for her to get to know Will, his business partner. It takes a while for the chemistry to build between Will and Eliza and since they each are focused so much on the store and saving the business I felt like romance just wasn't a priority for them. Not to mention that Eliza is committed to marrying Axel and Will doesn't consider sharing the considerable flaws of his shady and absent business partner. I didn't fully buy into Will's hangups preventing him from pursuing his dream- there was just too much waffling and he came across as a weak character. There are some interesting historical details involving the general store that I enjoyed learning about.

(Thank you to Bethany House Publishers for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

Review: Beneath by H.B. Moore

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

Chalice Stratford's hands won’t stop shaking, and not only is she required to give up her medical practice, but she’s forced to enter the witness protection program since the serial killer who brutally scarred her is still at large. Working in a museum in Bordeaux, France, the last thing she expects is to be abducted in a museum theft gone wrong. Omar Zagouri, the man behind the heist, is not who she expects, and Chalice soon learns he might be the one man who can put her demons to rest.

My Review

Wow. This short story sure packed a punch! It was intense, fast-paced, action-packed, and still introduced the characters in a way that made them easy to visualize and care about. While Chalice's past is somewhat mysterious, there is enough back story shared for the reader to understand how traumatized she still is. I feel like this would be an amazing first chapter and I want to read the rest of the story! I'm definitely going to be reading the other books the author writes in the Omar Zagouri series- as of now Finding Sheba (a full-length novel) is available.

(Thank you to Ebooks For Review for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

Review: An October Bride by Katie Ganshert

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

What if the only way you could make your father’s last wish come true . . . was to marry the man of your dreams?

Emma Tate has just moved on from one fiancé, so when she announces a sudden engagement to her lifelong buddy Jake Sawyer, every busybody in Mayfair goes into high alert. Of course, no one but Jake and Emma know the real reason they’re getting married—so Emma’s dying father will have a chance to walk her down the aisle.

But while Jake and Emma move forward with their plan—and frantically plan an October wedding—it becomes clear that their agreement has a few complications . . . the biggest being their true feelings for each other.

With dubious friends, deliriously thrilled parents, and a town that won’t keep its nose out of their business, Emma and Jake will have a lot to contend with if they’re going to pull this off. The real question is: Who wants this wedding more, Emma’s dad . . . or Emma?

My Review

LOVED it! This novella is well-written, the main characters have amazing chemistry and romantic tension, and the heart-breaking storyline of a dying father is one that always gets me since I can relate to it all too well. It was so enjoyable to see Emma and Jake realize their feelings for each other and the ending is just perfect... definitely my favorite from the Year of Weddings collection!

(Thank you to Zondervan Publishing for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)