Review and Giveaway: At Love's Bidding by Regina Jennings

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

After helping her grandfather at their Boston auction house, Miranda Wimplegate discovers she's accidentally sold a powerful family's prized portrait to an anonymous bidder. Desperate to appease the furious family, her grandfather tracks it to the Missouri Ozarks and makes an outlandish offer to buy the local auction house if they promise not to sell anything until he arrives.

Upon their arrival, however, they discover their new business doesn't deal in fine antiques, but in livestock. And its manager, ruggedly handsome Wyatt Ballentine, is frustrated to discover his fussy new bosses don't know a thing about the business he's single-handedly kept afloat. Faced with more cattle than they can count--but no mysterious painting--Miranda and Wyatt form an unlikely but charged partnership to try and salvage a bad situation getting worse.

My Review

I loved the high contrast between the locations Miranda and Wyatt are from, and that they each get to experience the other's lifestyle. Going from Boston to the wilderness of Pine Gap definitely put Miranda at a disadvantage, but she rallies and attributes she felt weak in such as self-esteem, confidence and courage become strengths as she rises to the challenges before her. There is humor in many of the scenes but I think the compassion that Miranda and Wyatt both share is highlighted as they interact with the community and prioritize the needs of others. The mystery unfolds and takes the story in a direction I didn't foresee but complicates the budding romance between Miranda and Wyatt. Their special moments together are well-depicted, I could feel the tension and joy as they discover the thrill of new love.

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

After a cross-country trip to track down a sold painting that could ruin her family's business forever, Miranda Wimplegate forms an unlikely but charged partnership with livestock auctioneer Wyatt Ballentine in Regina Jennings' At Love's Bidding. Miranda and her grandfather discover their new auction house doesn’t deal in fine antiques, but in livestock. And its frustratingly handsome manager, Wyatt, is annoyed to discover his fussy new bosses don’t know a thing about the business he’s single-handedly kept afloat. Faced with more heads of cattle than they can count–but no mysterious painting–Miranda and Wyatt must try and prevent a bad situation from getting worse.

Join Regina in celebrating the release of At Love's Bidding by entering to win her Cozy Winter Night giveaway and RSVPing to her January 5th author chat party!

 

One grand prize winner will receive everything you need for a cozy winter night:

• One copy of At Love's Bidding
• A coloring book for adults
• A pie dish
• Gourmet hot chocolate
• A fuzzy throw blanket
• Warm slippers
• Wintery coasters

 

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on 1/5. The winner will be announced at the At Love's Bidding Facebook party. RSVP for a chance to connect with Regina and other readers, as well as for a chance to win some great prizes!

RSVP today and spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway via FACEBOOK, TWITTER, or PINTEREST and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 5th!

Review: The Brontë Plot by Katherine Reay

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

Lucy Alling makes a living selling rare books, often taking suspicious measures to reach her goals. When her unorthodox methods are discovered, Lucy's secret ruins her relationship with her boss and her boyfriend James—leaving Lucy in a heap of hurt, and trouble. Something has to change; she has to change.

In a sudden turn of events, James's wealthy grandmother Helen hires Lucy as a consultant for a London literary and antiques excursion. Lucy reluctantly agrees and soon discovers Helen holds secrets of her own. In fact, Helen understands Lucy's predicament better than anyone else.

As the two travel across England, Lucy benefits from Helen's wisdom, as Helen confronts the ghosts of her own past. Everything comes to a head at Haworth, home of the Brontë sisters, where Lucy is reminded of the sisters' beloved heroines, who, with tenacity and resolution, endured—even in the midst of change.

Now Lucy must go back into her past in order to move forward. And while it may hold mistakes and regrets, she will prevail—if only she can step into the life that's been waiting for her all along.

My Review

Katherine Reay has a lovely quality of writing. I felt like the stories from classic literature came to life as Lucy applied their quotes and lessons to the situations she found herself in. After a sweet introduction to her meeting James, I really missed the details of their romance as the time skipped quickly ahead to their break up. I would classify this more as women's fiction since the focus is on Lucy and Helen's journey of righting past wrongs and self-discovery. The conflict Lucy feels over the creative aspects of her personality that she inherited from her father which contribute to the poor choices she made really drives her character arc. I liked seeing her make the brave and hard decisions on the path to make things right and how it led her to peace and second chances.

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

Review: The Guise of a Gentleman by Donna Hatch

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

Though her heart longs for adventure, Elise strives to be a perfect English lady living within the stifling confines of society for the sake of her impressionable young son. Her quiet world is shattered when she meets the impulsive and scandalous Jared Amesbury. His roguish charm awakens her yearning for adventure. But his irrepressible grin and sea-green eyes hide a secret. A gentleman by day, a pirate by night, Jared must complete one last assignment from the Secret Service before he can be truly free. Elise gives him hope that he, too, can find love and belonging. His hopes are crushed when his best laid plans go awry and Elise is dragged into his world of violence and deceit. She may not survive the revelation of Jared's past...or still love him when the truth is revealed.

My Review

The scenes in this novel are unique and full of action. The way that Elise and Jared meet is hilarious. They have an instant attraction to each other but as their friendship develops both fight it for different reasons. I liked the contrast of how Elise appreciated her independence as a widow while Jared was seeking freedom from the pressures of his adventurous life. I would consider this a clean romance, with characters full of passion. The Amesbury brothers reveal more of their complicated dynamics and family loyalty which made me pick up the next book in the series as soon as I finished this one :)

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

Review: The Stranger She Married by Donna Hatch

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

When her parents and twin brother die within weeks of each other, Alicia and her younger sister are left in the hands of an uncle who has brought them all to financial and social ruin. Desperate to save her family from debtor's prison, Alicia vows to marry the first wealthy man to propose. She meets the dashing Lord Amesbury, and her heart whispers that this is the man she is destined to love, but his tainted past may forever stand in their way. Her choices in potential husbands narrow to either a scarred cripple with the heart of a poet, or a handsome rake with a deadly secret. Cole Amesbury is tormented by his own ghosts, and believes he is beyond redemption, yet he cannot deny his attraction for the girl whose genuine goodness touches the heart he'd thought long dead. He fears the scars in his soul cut so deeply that he may never be able to offer Alicia a love that is true. When yet another bizarre mishap threatens her life, Alicia suspects the seemingly unrelated accidents that have plagued her loved ones are actually a killer's attempt to exterminate every member of her family. Despite the threat looming over her, learning to love the stranger she married may pose the greatest danger to her heart. And Cole must protect Alicia from the killer who has been exterminating her family before she is the next target.

My Review

Wow. The Rogue Hearts series came highly recommended and this first book did not disappoint! There are vibrant characters who are flawed enough to be realistic but not unlikeable. The difficult circumstances provide impetus to push the action forward in unpredictable ways. I had my suspicions about the mysteries unfolding, but was uncertain enough to be kept guessing. I felt like Cole and Alicia fell rather quickly for each other in the beginning which made their attraction seem superficial or based on physicality, but as the story progresses they are able to appreciate each other for deeper reasons. I thoroughly enjoyed this clean but passionate romance and can't wait to read the next brother's story!

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