Review: Never Forget by Jody Hedlund

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

Rose Island Lighthouse, Rhode Island
June 1880

Will she betray his trust to stay on the island she loves?

Abbie Watson is content to spend her days clamming, crabbing, and tending Rose Island Lighthouse. Her grandpa is the head light keeper, but his senility may lead to their eviction. Since leaving the island would kill her beloved Gramps, Abbie will do anything to keep him in the one place he knows and loves.

Wealthy Nathaniel Winthrop III’s wild living has gained him a reputation as the ‘bad boy’ among the elite social circles of Newport. After a blow to the head in a yachting accident washes him up on Rose Island, Nathaniel has no memories of his past.

Abbie tends the wounded stranger in her home only to realize he assumes they’re married. Although she knows she needs to correct Nathaniel’s mistake, his presence calms Gramps and provides a way to prevent eviction from the lighthouse.

The longer the charade continues, the harder it gets for Abbie to tell Nathaniel the truth, more so as she begins to fall in love. Everyone she’s ever loved has abandoned her. Will Nathaniel leave her too, once he discovers he’s not really her husband?

My Review

Boy, does this story give its characters quite a dilemma! I was initially disappointed in Abbie's choice to deceive Nathaniel, and was surprised that she easily dismissed any concern for his family. However as she got to know Nathaniel she started exhibiting more feelings of conflict over her decision and taking his happiness into consideration. I admired Nathaniel's thoughtful insights and determination to use his second chance at life to become a better man. He developed a relationship with Abbie's Gramps and treated him compassionately, which spoke to his true character. There was strong romantic chemistry between Abbie and Nathaniel; he appreciated Abbie's strength and inner beauty, while Abbie realized that the goodness and kindness of Nathaniel showed how different he was from her former husband. The threats from a rival lightkeeper and a looming deadline kept the tension high as Abbie is desperate to find a way to prove that she can manage the lighthouse so she can keep Gramps on the island, all the while dreading the day she would have to reveal the truth to Nathaniel. Some of the twists kept me guessing how the story would end, but don't worry, this amazing series dedicated to female lighthouse keepers ends with a happily ever after in its final book.

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

Review & Giveaway: Petticoat Spy by Carol Warburton

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

Colonial Massachusetts, 1775

Abigail Stowell is a rarity for her time. The comely young woman is educated, outspoken, and attuned to the charged political climate around her. She is a staunch Patriot. In short, she is a rebel. So when Gideon Whitlock, an avowed Tory, rides into her village, Abby is not only put off by his politics and arrogance but is also annoyed by her undeniable attraction to him.

When she observes a clandestine meeting between her Patriot father and Gideon, Abby soon realizes that in a world divided by loyalties, not everything is as it seems. Soon she is drawn deeper into political intrigue than she ever dreamed possible. And just as feelings begin to heat up between Abby and Gideon, the shot heard round the world ignites the beginning of war between the colonists and the British redcoats. There is no time for hesitation, and Abby finds herself thrust into a world of intrigue, treachery, and terror. Lives hang in the balance, and Abby will stop at nothing to support the Patriot movement—but will her allegiance to the cause mean losing the man she loves?

My Review

Whenever I read a good book set in Colonial times it makes me feel patriotic and humbled by the men and women who lived during such a turbulent and important era, participating in the formation of our country and fighting for liberty. Petticoat Spy has a strong heroine who is passionate for the cause, and learning to balance speaking out for her convictions with maintaining a ladylike demeanor and schooling her mind to bring honor to her family name. Although Abby has an impetuous nature, she is intelligent and grows throughout the story from her experiences. I liked Gideon from the start and how he admires Abby even when she is at odds with him. There is a suspenseful tension as the danger increases, yet the author weaves in a sweet romance between the two patriots, however inopportune the circumstances. I really loved the historical details that enhanced the setting and gave me a feeling of being there with the characters. Highly recommend to fans of historical fiction and those who enjoyed the books of Amber Lynn Perry and Ann Rinaldi!

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

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Pre-order Perfectly Imperfect by Annette Lyon!

Only 99 cents to pre-order this sweet romantic novella by Annette Lyon!

Synopsis

From USA Today bestselling author Annette Lyon comes a captivating historical novella. In 1905 Shelley, Idaho, Della Stafford hates being a farm girl in a tiny town. She’ll do anything to live in a big city and experience real city life. Her only regret is that leaving town also means leaving Joseph behind, the young man who makes her heart flutter. But she's convinced that moving away is for the best; her dreams and Joseph's dreams are too dissimilar. So Della takes a job as a maid in Los Angeles, where she learns that what she thought would make her happy and what really will are totally different things.

PERFECTLY IMPERFECT originally appeared in the best-selling and award-winning Timeless Romance Anthology series's OLD WEST collection, under the title A SWEETEST TASTE.

Can't Wait Wednesday: A Stranger at Fellsworth by Sarah E. Ladd

I'm looking forward to Sarah E. Ladd's upcoming book, A Stranger at Fellsworth, releasing in May of this year!

Synopsis

Could losing everything be the best thing to happen to Annabelle Thorley?

In the fallout of her deceased father’s financial ruin, Annabelle’s prospects are looking bleak. Her fiancé has called off their betrothal, and now she remains at the mercy of her controlling and often cruel brother. Annabelle soon faces the fact that her only hope for a better life is to do the unthinkable and run away to Fellsworth, the home of her long-estranged aunt and uncle, where a teaching position awaits her. Working for a wage for the first time in her life forces Annabelle to adapt to often unpleasant situations as friendships and roles she’s taken for granted are called into question.

Owen Locke is unswerving in his commitments. As a widower and father, he is fiercely protective of his only daughter. As an industrious gamekeeper, he is intent on keeping poachers at bay even though his ambition has always been to eventually purchase land that he can call his own. When a chance encounter introduces him to the lovely Annabelle Thorley, his steady life is shaken. For the first time since his wife’s tragic death, Owen begins to dream of a second chance at love.

As Owen and Annabelle grow closer, ominous forces threaten the peace they thought they’d found. Poachers, mysterious strangers, and murderers converge at Fellsworth, forcing Annabelle and Owen to a test of fortitude and bravery to stop the shadow of the past from ruining their hopes for the future.