Review: Summer Campaign by Carla Kelly

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

Miss Onyx Hamilton is about to make what everyone agrees is a perfect marriage—until handsome Major Jack Beresford comes galloping into her life. But with his fortune and connections, Onyx knows he’d never ask for her hand, would he? New and longtime fans alike will relish this delightful romance from Carla Kelly. Charming, sweet, and full of fun, it’s simply impossible to stop reading.

My Review

The synopsis of this book makes it sound more light and fluffy than I found it to be. Onyx is an illegitimate child, being bullied by her foster mother into a loveless marriage with an obnoxious reverend- who could give Mr. Collins from Pride and Prejudice a run for his money. I rather pitied Onyx as she woodenly gives in and goes along with plans that others make for her life. My interest in the book was dwindling until Onyx experiences independence from her family as she travels to her future home and begins to realize the value of the person she really is. She meets Jack through a harrowing experience that tests her mettle and establishes her as the strong and spunky female lead I always enjoy reading about. Jack is a wounded soul, just trying to get home and recover from the nightmares of war, but Onyx brings joy and laughter into his heart again- I found his wicked sense of humor a fun element to their relationship. For a regency romance, this book is a little more gritty than the norm, which I appreciated as the author explores themes of death, sickness, grief, war, societal bounds, and family loyalty. Highly recommend to fans of Jane Austen, Julie Klassen and Julianne Donaldson.

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

Review: The Boardwalk Antiques Shop by Julie Wright, Melanie Jacobson, Heather B. Moore

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

Tangerine Street is a must-see tourist stop with a colorful mix of one-of-a-kind boutiques, unique restaurants, eclectic museums, quaint bookstores, and renowned bed-and-breakfasts. The Boardwalk Antiques Shop is an exclusive shop where every antique has a story, and each story possesses the gift to match true love. The customer who buys an antique also buys its story and soon discovers that its story unites the past with the present, creating an unexpected romantic future…

“Where Every Antique has a Story”

MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE: Jennifer is newest owner of The Boardwalk Antiques Shop, inherited from her aunt. When Jennifer arrives in Seashell Beach, her first priority is to meet with a realtor to sell the place. She laughs out loud when she discovers the realtor’s name is Mr. Studly. But the more Jennifer gets to know Paul Studly, the more she finds reasons to stay and run the antiques shop herself.

SOLVING FOR X: Abbie is only a little bit obsessed with antiques, okay, a lot. So when Holden, an out-of-town business executive, tries to purchase the tin soldiers that Abbie’s had her eye on, Abbie refuses to back down. The antiques shop owner issues a challenge: whoever comes up with the best story for wanting the soldiers, will become the new owner. Abbie isn’t about to let some fancy executive beat her out, no matter how charming he is.

A STITCH IN TIME: When Cate learns that antiques dealer Henry Lancaster has purchased the sewing machine left to her by her grandmother, Cate is determined to get it back. What she isn’t counting on is that Henry has just as much claim as Cate. And it doesn’t help that Henry is good-looking and apparently single. Getting to know Henry becomes an unexpected surprise, sending her life into a sudden detour.

My Review

It was a pleasure reading these three stories that tie together in a subtle way. The characters are vibrant, the setting is interesting, and the plots are well-rounded. I don't think I could choose a favorite of the three since I liked them all equally! I love antiques so that theme especially appealed to me. I would love to be in Jennifer's shoes- running an antique shop where every piece is special and has a story behind it :) As soon as I finished reading this book I immediately bought the first book in the series- The Fortune Cafe, which I also loved! I'm looking forward to more fun stories from these talented authors.

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

The first book in the Tangerine Street Romance series: 
The Fortune Cafe by Julie Wright, Melanie Jacobson, Heather B. Moore

 

Review: Somebody Like You by Beth K. Vogt

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

In this beautifully rendered, affecting novel, a young widow’s world is shattered when she meets her late husband’s identical twin—and finds herself caught between honoring her husband’s memory and falling in love with his reflection. Haley’s whirlwind romance and almost three-year marriage to Sam, an army medic, ends tragically when he is killed in Afghanistan. As she grapples with widowhood and the upcoming birth of her son, her attempts to create a new life for herself are ambushed when she arrives home one evening—and finds her husband waiting for her. Did the military make an unimaginable mistake when they told her that Sam had been killed?

After a twelve-year estrangement, Stephen hopes to make things right with his brother—only to discover Sam died without revealing Stephen’s existence to Haley. As Haley and Stephen struggle to navigate their fragile relationship, they are inexorably drawn to each other. Haley is unnerved by Stephen’s uncanny resemblance to Sam, and Stephen struggles with the issue of Haley loving him as Stephen—and not as some reflection of his twin. How can Haley and Stephen honor the memory of a man whose death brought them together—and whose ghost could drive them apart?

Somebody Like You reminds us that while we can’t change the past, we have the choice—and the power through God—to change the future and start anew.

My Review

The theme of grief is the front and center theme of this novel. It's not depressing, though, I was touched more than anything. Even with the unique plot, the characters and their interactions with each other felt very realistic. Haley and Stephen both explore their regrets with their relationship with Sam and life up to the point they are at, since they are both at a crossroads. The writing is sweet and tender, raw and real. A perfect balance between hurt, healing, and hope. Highly recommend.

(Thank you to Howard Books for providing a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

Review: Murder Simply Brewed by Vannetta Chapman

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

Spring has arrived in Middlebury, Indiana, and Amber Wright can see profits in sight for her collection of Amish artisan shops—until she receives a call that Ethan Gray is dead. Hurrying over to A Simple Blend, she finds a single hole in the front window and Mr. Gray dead from an apparent heart attack. All the money is still in his register. Hannah Troyer takes over the shop’s duties, and she and Amber become fast friends as well as amateur sleuths. The police believe Gray’s death to be a by-product of vandalism, but Amber and Hannah aren’t so easily convinced.
Old Testament clues that don’t add up, a neighbor who is pulled into the midst of the investigation, a town with secrets to hide, and blossoming romance—all will combine to push Amber and Hannah into unfamiliar roles in order to solve a mystery and bring peace to the Amish community.

My Review

This was a good book. I liked the characters. I liked the setting. The mystery was mysterious. The drawback for me was that the pacing was just so slow. There doesn't seem to be any urgency to the investigation which I'm not used to in a murder mystery. Each clue that moved the story forward came between leisurely description and details from three different points of view- Amber's, Hannah's, and the neighboring farmer Tate. The three perspectives do give variety to the story and show how the Amish and English communities interact and form friendships. The romance between Amber and Tate is especially enjoyable to see develop.

Murder Simply Brewed is the first in the Amish Village Mystery series and is currently on sale for e-book for only $1.99! The second book Murder Tightly Knit is available now, and the third, Murder Freshly Baked, will release early this summer. In each novel Amber and Hannah are the main characters solving the mysteries.

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