Review: The Newcomer by Suzanne Woods Fisher

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

In 1737, Anna Konig and her fellow church members stagger off a small wooden ship after ten weeks at sea, eager to start a new life in the vibrant but raw Pennsylvania frontier. On the docks of Port Philadelphia waits bishop Jacob Bauer, founder of the settlement and father to ship carpenter Bairn. It's a time of new beginnings for the reunited Bauer family, and for Anna and Bairn's shipboard romance to blossom.
 
But this perfect moment cannot last. As Bairn grasps the reality of what it means to be Amish in the New World--isolated, rigid with expectations, under the thumb of his domineering father--his enthusiasm evaporates. When a sea captain offers the chance to cross the ocean one more time, Bairn grabs it. Just one more crossing, he promises Anna. But will she wait for him?
 
When Henrik Newman joins the church just as it makes its way to the frontier, Anna is torn. He seems to be everything Bairn is not--bold, devoted, and delighted to vie for her heart. And the most dramatic difference? He is here; Bairn is not.
 
Far from the frontier, an unexpected turn of events weaves together the lives of Bairn, Anna, and Henrik. When a secret is revealed, which true love will emerge?

My Review

I absolutely loved the first book in the Amish Beginnings series, Anna's Crossing. I was thrilled when I learned that it would become a series and we had two more books to look forward to, continuing Anna and Bairn's story. The Newcomer picks right up where Anna's Crossing left off, so I highly recommend reading Anna's Crossing first in order to get to know the characters and especially to understand Anna and Bairn's relationship. In The Newcomer we also get the point of view from Bairn's mother Dorothea and his little brother Felix. I appreciated that as some members of the church become separated we are able to see what is happening with each smaller group. Felix adds plenty of humor to the story with his curiosity and talent for getting into scrapes; he was one of my favorites in this book! Dorothea and Bairn's journeys were far apart in miles but paralleled in spirituality. They both did quite a bit of soul-searching and I loved the theme of drawing closer to God in order to find peace in the midst of tribulation. Anna endured the complaints and uncertainty of the church members at the homestead with grace and compassion, which is what I love most about her character. Henrik's optimism helped her during this anxious time when Bairn was absent, but the foreshadowing woven in had me feeling anxious and I just wanted to quickly read to see how the book would end, how Anna would choose between these two men. I missed the interaction between Anna and Bairn that made me love the first book, so I'm hoping that the next book will offer more in the romance department ;)

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

Review: At the Pulpit: 185 Years of Discourses by Latter-day Saint Women edited by Jennifer Reeder & Kate Holbrook

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

At the Pulpit showcases the tradition of Latter-day Saint women's preaching and instruction by presenting 54 speeches given from 1831 to 2016, with selections from every decade since the founding of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The discourses, given by women both well known and obscure, represent just some of the many contributions of women to Latter-day Saint thought. In addition to being a scholarly history, At the Pulpit is intended as a resource for contemporary Latter-day Saints as they study, speak, teach, and lead. These discourses allow readers to hear the historical and contemporary voices of Latter-day Saint women--voices that resound with experience, wisdom, and authority.

My Review

I loved reading and studying the important words of women from our church history and present day. Recently a friend mentioned that she thought it would be wonderful if one year the lesson manual for Relief Society and Priesthood classes was a compilation of talks from the female general auxiliary presidents. I agreed, and soon after I was presented with the opportunity to review this book, which is just what we had been thinking about, but even better since it also includes women who are not well known but have an interesting history and poignant testimony. It strengthened my own testimony to read such a wide variety of talks, rich with gospel principles, gratitude for the Relief Society, and strong examples of enduring and overcoming hardship. Each individual's brief background is set forth before their address and I especially appreciated it for the historical context as well as instilling a feeling of admiration for the woman whose words I was about to read. Each discourse is significant in some way and I felt edified by each.

One of my favorites was "An Elevation So High Above the Ordinary" given by Eliza R. Snow in 1872, where she encourages the women in regards to both spiritual and intellectual edification, as well as the necessary development of domestic skills as a foundation for daily life and upon which to build "finer accomplishments". Another that stood out to me was "Drifting, Dreaming, Directing" by Ardeth G. Kapp in 1980 about the importance of standing immovable in matters of principle and making choices based on motivation from a relationship with the Savior and personal revelation, instead of drifting with the crowd, our faithfulness simply based on practices and tradition, existing on "borrowed light".

At the Pulpit is an amazing book that is perfect for personal gospel study and as a resource for teaching lessons or devotionals in the home and church. I highly recommend it to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and those who want to learn more about the history and spirituality of Mormon women.

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

Extras

Be sure to visit churchhistorianspress.org/at-the-pulpit, where you can learn more about the book, view photos, explore chronology, and read twelve of the talks in their entirety including three bonus discourses not included in the print volume. (I highly recommend Bonus Chapter 7: Gaining Light through Questioning by Julie Willis)

Check out a collection of four video stories from the editors on YouTube.

 

About The Church Historian's Press

The Church Historian’s Press was announced in 2008 by the Church History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Joseph Smith Papers was the first publication to bear the imprint. The press publishes works of Latter-day Saint history that meet high standards of scholarship. For more information, visit the Church Historian’s Press website.

Review & Giveaway: Sophia's Leap-Year Courtship by Kristin Holt

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

Union Pacific Station Agent Chadwick Hughes has everything in a state of readiness to welcome his mail order bride…everything but the bride. The woman he’s corresponded with for a year didn’t change her mind or miss her train in Omaha—she never existed. Chadwick’s mortified to discover he’s been swindled by a fraudulent matrimonial agency in Chicago. He needs a lawyer if he’ll ever recover a dime of the fortune he spent on worthless membership fees and the nonexistent bride’s transportation west.

Sophia Sorensen, Attorney at Law, is a spinster on the edge of propriety. The good people of Wyoming Territory are open to a lot of things, including Lady’s Privilege during Leap Years, but some aren’t fond of her day-to-day behavior. Why, the woman rides her bicycle hither and yon, showing her petticoat ruffle and ankles. She might be the least ladylike specimen beneath Wyoming skies, but it’s entertaining to watch her court the U.P. Station Agent, Chadwick Hughes, the most-eligible bachelor in the county.

My Review

This was a fun story with strong characters who are hiding vulnerabilities when it comes to romance. I felt so badly that Chad faced another setback in his goal when the fraud was uncovered. It only made him even more hesitant and uncertain when his relationship with Sophia gets serious. Sophia feels unwanted because of her profession and unconventional ways, and is fine with spinsterhood until it threatens her career. Chad and Sophia get along so well and have a great camaraderie and respect for each other (not to mention chemistry!), but when a meddling newspaper reporter takes things too far, they have a hard time recovering. The romance is sweet and I loved the setting and community, as well as their friends Doc Joe and Doc Naomi. The ending gets a little syrupy but wraps everything up with a wonderful happily ever after :)

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

Connect with Author Kristin Holt
  
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Tour Schedule

Feb. 27 Heidi Reads... / Bookworm Lisa / Donna Fasano

Feb. 28 Singing Librarian Books / Peggy Urry / Shanna Hatfield

March 1 Wishful Endings / LDS Writer Mom / Getting Your Read On

March 2 My Book a Day / Milou Koenings / Mel’s Shelves / Literary Time Out / Margaret Daley

March 3 Katie’s Clean Book Collection / Smiling Book Reviews / Magdalena Scott /

Melanie Sniter / Bubble Bath Books

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Review: A Season in London (Timeless Regency Collection) by Elizabeth Johns, Heather B. Moore, Rebecca Connolly

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

From the publisher of the USA TODAY bestselling & #1 Amazon bestselling Timeless Romance Anthology series in Clean Romance, comes A SEASON IN LONDON.

Three brand new Regency Romance novellas by Elizabeth Johns, Heather B. Moore, and Rebecca Connolly.

POOR RELATIONS by Elizabeth Johns
As a ‘poor relation,’ Emma Standrich has already pre-empted her dismal Season by applying for a governess post. Her aunt and cousin are kind enough to sponsor her, but in truth, Emma is just waiting for it to all be over. Emma’s grief over the death of her brother while in military service casts a pallor on everything else in her life. When Colonel Shelton, the man who was her brother’s superior, asks her to dance at her first ball, Emma is more surprised than anyone. But she has questions for him, and soon she’s caught up in an intrigue she wasn’t expecting—both of the heart and the mind.

EDWARD & EMILY by Heather B. Moore
As a second son, Edward Blackwood never anticipated becoming heir to his family estate, or the need to find a wife and secure that inheritance. But with the death of his older brother, Edward is thrust into a life he never wanted. When his mother encourages him to be kind to his long-time neighbor Emily Foster, a girl he’d hardly paid attention to while growing up, Edward realizes that returning home might not be such a set-back after all.

A SPORTING SEASON by Rebecca Connolly
Daphne Hutchins is no simpering female who aims for a husband with a fortune. In fact, she’d be more than happy to live her life free of the heartache that men seem to bring. So when she sets out to play the fool in front of the ton during her first Season in order to send all eligible men running, she’s quite unprepared for James Woodbridge. Bored, but with a sense of family duty, James arrives for the Season, anticipating going through the expected motions befitting any gentleman. What he isn’t prepared for is Daphne Hutchins and the way she completely upends his heart.

My Review

I get so excited when there's a new Timeless Regency Collection! Thank goodness they release so often ;) I love that they are a bit longer than your average novella so the stories get a good wrap up. This one was fun because two of the authors are new to me.

The first story "Poor Relations" by Elizabeth Johns is very plot focused, and although I was interested at first, I didn't form a strong connection to the characters so my attention waned as the mystery became more drawn out. There is a strong Regency setting and I think the story will be enjoyed by many. (3 stars)

"Edward & Emily" by Heather B. Moore was amazing and definitely one I'll read again in the future. I loved how Edward and Emily's acquaintance quickly develops into friendship then more over a longer period of time and correspondence. The admiration and encouragement they share for each other's secret hobby creates a bond of understanding. They also join forces to unite star-crossed lovers which gives them more opportunities to be together and their sweet romance was just lovely to read. (5 stars)

There are lots of fun scenes in "A Sporting Season" by Rebecca Connolly as Daphne does her best to repel any and all potential suitors. It showed just how desperate she was to avoid marriage and risk having her trust broken again, which stemmed from a heartbreak in her past. Fortunately James sees through her charade and finds her fascinating for it, and withstands her efforts to push him away. He launches a mission of his own, to make Daphne see that there are other desirable options (such as himself) and help her overcome her fears. I loved the way they interacted and that Daphne was able to finally process her hurt in a healing way and come out triumphant. (5 stars)

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