Saturday, April 28, 2018

Review: Road to Rosewood by Ashtyn Newbold


Heidi Reads... Road to Rosewood by Ashtyn Newbold

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.comhttp://www.barnesandnoble.comhttps://deseretbook.com/p/road-to-rosewood?ref=Grid%20%7C%20Search-1&variant_id=158545-paperbackhttp://www.bookdepository.comhttp://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

Lucy Abbot longs to return to the country estate where she spent the best days of her childhood with her cousins and their charming neighbor Nicholas. Her protective parents, however, have other plans for her. When she finally dares to escape, her carriage is besieged by highwaymen with a familiar man leading them. Could this mysterious outlaw be exactly the person Lucy has been searching for?

My Review

The book begins with scenes from Lucy's childhood and she is a happy eleven year old with a fun personality. As an adult, however, she is sullen and depressed, even though she has attempted to be content in a dreary climate on the north coast. Her desperation to return to her memories of the beautiful south and her cousin's estate of Rosewood drives her to defy her parents and embark on the journey on her own. Her new feelings of independence brought light back to her heart and personality, although I didn't understand some of the rather ridiculous choices she made. The plot takes twists and turns and I didn't know what to expect next as I read. Nicholas is a bit of an enigma and there are so many secrets that are alluded to, but everyone keeps Lucy in the dark. I was as frustrated as she until the layers of mystery began to be revealed. Lucy's personality is easily flustered, somewhat contradictory, and her thoughts seem to go a million miles a minute as she loses some of her naïveté and has her eyes opened to the reality of the what has changed in Rosewood and her family. Even though I didn't quite connect with the characters, the pace of the story is swift and kept me entertained.

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


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Thursday, April 26, 2018

Review: Beneath a Prairie Moon by Kim Vogel Sawyer


Heidi Reads... Beneath a Prairie Moon by Kim Vogel Sawyer

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.comhttp://www.barnesandnoble.comhttp://www.bookdepository.comhttp://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

Abigail Brantley grew up in affluence and knows exactly how to behave in high society. But when she is cast from the social registers due to her father's illegal dealings, she finds herself forced into a role she never imagined: tutoring rough Kansas ranchers in the subjects of manners and morals so they can "marry up" with their mail-order brides. Mack Cleveland, whose father was swindled by a mail-order bride, wants no part of the scheme to bring Eastern women to Spiveyville, Kansas, and he's put off by the snooty airs and fastidious behavior of the "little city gal" in their midst. But as time goes by, his heart goes out to the teacher who tries so diligently to smooth the rough edges from the down-to-earth men. How can he teach her that perfection won't bring happiness?

My Review

This is a gentle story set in the Midwest, and despite its slower pace, I was intrigued by the premise of a mail-order bride matchmaker attempting to improve the manners of the rough and tumble bachelors of a small ranching town. The story is told from the third-person perspective of four main characters, which I think contributed to the slow pace. I actually enjoyed most of all the perspective of Mrs. Helena Bingham, the owner of the mail-order bride service. She had wisdom and humor that Abigail was lacking for most of the book, and I appreciated her patience in training Abigail while Abigail trained the men ;) Abigail's attitude definitely improved over time and it was nice to see her grow and stretch and meet the challenges before her, including learning to look beyond the surface and judging a person by their character. Mack was just such a gentleman, and even though he has a tender heart, he also has a backbone. It was fun to see how his interactions with Abigail change as time went by. They become loyal friends that support each other, and I would have liked to see their romance heat up a bit... but it remained as tepid as their manners are proper. The sheriff made up the fourth perspective, but I really didn't feel like it added much to the story to tell his point of view. Battling the elements and solving a mystery added conflict and tension to the plot, and overall it was an entertaining read.

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


Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Love in Bloom Spotlight, Sale, & Giveaway: Author Becky Monson

 


   

Speak Now: or Forever Hold Your Peace by Becky Monson  

Speak Now is the latest hit from the author of the hit Spinster Series, Becky Monson. In this Readers’ Favorite Book Award Winner (Bronze Medal) novel, Bridgette Reynolds needs to stop a wedding, but can she do it? If there’s one thing that Bridgette Reynolds has learned recently, it’s that the perfect shoes, the perfect hair, and the perfect dress do not make for the perfect proposal. In fact, sometimes they make for the not-so-perfect breakup. Now, Bridgette must do everything in her power to win Adam back. She knows they are meant to be. And nothing will stand in her way—not her friends, not her grandmother, not even the fact that Adam is now engaged to Serene after a whirlwind romance. Focused on her plan to win Adam back, Bridgette isn’t expecting Ian—her college best friend, her love, her big regret—to come back into her life. They sink back into their comfortable friendship as if no time has passed at all, making Bridgette start to question her feelings for Adam. But Ian has a few secrets of his own . . . secrets that could shatter their friendship once and for all. Bridgette has to make some major decisions—should she speak now? Or forever hold her peace? 

 


   



After some channel surfing, and a vain attempt to catch up with The Young and the Restless (I couldn’t watch the Ian and Heather and Jessica drama—a bit too close to home), I decide to drag myself upstairs to Margie’s place where Gram and the girls are playing bridge. I need something to get my mind off everything. I doubt it will work, but it’s worth a try.
 
“Is Gram here?” I ask Margie when she answers the door.
 
“Sure is,” she says, opening the door wide. She ushers me in with a sweep of her hand.
 
I walk into Margie’s apartment, which is set up a lot like Gram’s. And just as old-fashioned as well. But, like Gram’s place, it has a homey feel to it. I will say that there are doilies. Lots of doilies.
 
“Look who’s here, ladies,” Margie says as we walk into the living room.
 
Gram and two other ladies, Evelyn and Barbara, all turn to see who it is. Once they see me they all start talking in unison. Saying hello and asking me question after question. I try to field each query, but they keep talking over each other.
 
“Well, Bridgette, what brings you here?” Gram asks, after the chatter has settled. She looks slightly concerned. She wasn’t expecting me. Likewise, I was not expecting to come up here, but here I am.
 
“I thought I would come and see what you ladies are doing.” I knew they were playing cards, so that was kind of a dumb comment. “And also to check up on Gram,” I say, pointing to the wine glass sitting to her left. That was not something I was expecting to find, but I’m glad I did.
 
She looks down at the glass and then back up at me, a sheepish just-been-caught look on her face.
 
“Oh, that’s mine,” Evelyn declares, and I roll my eyes. Evelyn isn’t even sitting next to Gram.
 
“Gram, you’ve got to be kidding. Does she drink every time she’s playing cards with you?” I ask, looking around the room.
 
“Not all the time,” Barbara pipes in. “Just . . . most of the time.”




   



 "Speak Now grabbed me from the beginning! This is the perfect escape/beach read - light and fun, amusing with some tearful moments." -Reviewing in Chaos 

"By the end of the book I felt like Bridgette was a real life friend of mine and I was actually sad when the book ended." -Divine Books Blog 

 "Can I give this book a 10? It was so fantastic!" -Taking Time for Mommy 


 

Author Becky Monson 

 

By day, Becky Monson is a mother to three young children, and a wife. By night, she escapes with reading books and writing. An award-winning* author, Becky uses humor and true-life experiences to bring her characters to life. She loves all things chick-lit (movies, books, etc.), and wishes she had a British accent. She has recently given up Diet Coke for the fiftieth time and is hopeful this time will last… but it probably won’t.   








 
 





Giveaway Details Ends 5/16/18 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via Paypal or gift codes via Amazon.com. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.