Review: Cowgirl Trail by Susan Page Davis

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

In 1884 Maggie Porter returns to the Rocking P Ranch. The sanatorium was not able to save her mother and now her father's health is failing. When the cowboys walk off the job leaving no one to drive the cattle to market, head ranch hand, Alex Bright, cannot convince the men to stay. How could Alex let this happen?
Maggie is desperate to save the ranch and she turns to the town's women for help. The new cowgirls must herd, rope, and drive the cattle to market. With only two days left, outlaws charge the small band of cowgirls in an effort to start a stampede. The cattle begin to scatter. Will they lose everything? Where will their help come from?

My Review

Talk about female empowerment! Maggie is a strong daughter raised on a cattle ranch stuck between a rock and a hard place. She wants her father to appease the cowhands to prevent a strike, but his pride and hidden financial troubles won't allow him to give in. Alex is also caught in the middle as the ranch foreman, but while Maggie's family loyalty places her on her father's side, Alex strikes with the men and loses not only his job but a chance to win Maggie's heart. Since the cowhands from the surrounding ranches have already left on cattle drives, the only people Maggie can turn to are the women of the community, her friends who are also tough western gals :) Alex and Maggie's friendship suffers from the rivalry of the strike, but I loved that he ultimately places her safety and well-being over any bitter feelings. He completely redeems himself in my opinion. Maggie is completely humbled by her experiences and with some sage advice from her right-hand cowgirl Carlotta, softens her heart and allows forgiveness to bring peace during troubled times. Recommended for fans of Mary Connealy's The Husband Tree.

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

Review: I Hope You Dance by Robin Lee Hatcher

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

Grant Nichols is a genius in the kitchen and a klutz on the dance floor. But his friend’s wedding is shaping up to be a shindig the likes of which Kings Meadow has never seen—including dancing. Lots of dancing. Then he learns that a local dance teacher, Skye Foster, is offering dance lessons for the wedding party. The first lesson is free, so what does he have to lose?

A former rodeo queen, Skye Foster teaches children ballet and tap during the day, but with the popularity of ballroom dancing and her own love of Country Swing, she’s been teaching adults in the evenings.

Grant comes from a family of ten siblings. He was the second oldest and believes he's had his fill of little rug rats. He’s happy with his bachelor state, despite the fact that he’s given up his ladies’ man lifestyle. Even he admits to his wilder nature and has been trying to clean up his act, with God's help.

Skye, on the other hand, loves being around kids. She would love to find the right guy and settle down to have half a dozen children of her own.

Grant and Skye are no match on paper. But when they step onto the dance floor, they create a melody all their own.

My Review

This is a sweet, pleasant story where the characters are nice and fall in love quickly. It's cute how they get along so well, but I missed the sparks that some romantic tension can bring. The plot climaxes when they finally realize they have different plans for children in their future family and it puts their relationship at risk. I liked how Grant turned to men he respected to get their advice and perspective. An easy, light read.

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

Review: I Can Pray Every Day by Catherine Christensen, Illustrated by Corey Egbert

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

“Heavenly Father hears my prayers. I know He listens and He cares.” This adorable picture book is the perfect way to teach your little ones when, where, and how to pray. With colorful illustrations, rhyming text, and simple reminders of eternal truths, it’s bound to become a family favorite in your home.

My Review

This is a sweet, simple book about how prayer can be meaningful and personal. It emphasizes that children can pray anytime, anywhere, about anything. I love the illustrations which have a retro-vintage vibe and a cohesive color theme. Both my 8 and 2 year old daughters love reading it, so it's great for a wide variety of ages. This book would make a great gift!

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

Review: Stealing Jake by Pam Hillman

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

When Livy O’Brien spies a young boy jostling a man walking along the boardwalk, she recognizes the act for what it is. After all, she used to be known as Light-fingered Livy. But that was before she put her past behind her and moved to the growing town of Chestnut, Illinois, where she’s helping to run an orphanage. Now she’ll do almost anything to protect the street kids like herself.

Sheriff’s deputy Jake Russell had no idea what he was in for when he ran into Livy—literally—while chasing down a pickpocket. With a rash of robberies and a growing number of street kids in town—as well as a loan on the family farm that needs to be paid off—Jake doesn’t have time to pursue a girl. Still, he can't seem to get Livy out of his mind. He wants to get to know her better . . . but Livy isn’t willing to trust any man, especially not a lawman.

My Review

There are so many things I like about this novel- the western setting, the steadily building friendship and romance between Livy and Jake, but what really touched my heart was the abuse of child labor and street orphans. Livy's compassion for the orphans and Jake's duty as sheriff's deputy to investigate them as robbery suspects have them crossing paths and butting heads over how the situation should be handled. A few parts are told from the perspective of Luke, one of the boys living on the street, as he seeks to rescue his brother from captivity in a hidden sweatshop. It is astounding how little the lives of the orphans are valued not only by their abusers but defensive members of the growing town. With part of the mystery known to the reader and part of it revealed towards the end, there is an element of tension and suspense. The story includes other facets of frontier life that are woven in seamlessly, including the dangers of coal mining, a judgmental school teacher, and the dynamics of neighbors and friendships in a tight-knit community. I recommend this book to fans of Mary Connealy, Karen Witemeyer, and Regina Jennings.

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

About the Author

Award-winning author Pam Hillman writes inspirational fiction set in the turbulent times of the American West and the Gilded Age.

Born east of the Mississippi and a hundred years too late, Pam still boasts of wrangling calves, milking cows and putting up hay, first as a child, and later with her own personal hero, Iran, on their family farm in Mississippi.

A voracious reader as a child, Pam especially enjoyed stories involving the great Westward expansion, and television shows such as Bonanza, Little House on the Prairie, and Gunsmoke. The western writer, Louis L’Amour, kept Pam mesmerized with his tales of cowboys and Indians, mountain men and outlaws, prim schoolteachers, hot dry deserts, and boom towns.

Pam’s life in the country and her love of the old west bring authenticity to her work and depth to her characters, something that has been recognized many times in the industry through writer’s awards.

Her debut novel, Stealing Jake, was a finalist in the International Digital Awards and the 2013 EPIC eBook Awards. Claiming Mariah, her second novel won the Inspirational Readers Choice. Her latest release, The Evergreen Bride, is set in the heart of Mississippi. Pam lives in Mississippi with her husband and family.

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