Showing posts with label 2 stars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2 stars. Show all posts

Thursday, March 7, 2024

Review: While Love Stirs by Lorna Seilstad



My rating: 2 stars / It was okay



Synopsis

After graduating from Fannie Farmer's School of Cookery in 1910, Charlotte Gregory is ready to stir things up. She is thrilled to have the opportunity to travel, lecture, and give cooking demonstrations on the very latest kitchen revolution--the gas stove--and certainly doesn't mind that the gas company has hired the handsome Lewis Mathis to perform at her lectures. Lewis encourages her work, especially her crusade to introduce fresh, appetizing, nutritious food to those convalescing in hospitals. But young hospital superintendent Dr. Joel Brooks is not convinced any changes should be made--especially by this outspoken young woman.

When Charlotte and Joel are coerced into planning a fund-raising gala for the hospital, will this combustible pair explode?


My Review

This book has an interesting plot and plenty of historical details, but the main characters were difficult for me to connect with. Charlotte is passionate about the craft and science of cooking, and is single-minded in meeting her goals. Her purposes are to benefit others in need, but her methods, personality, and inner thoughts come across as self-absorbed, entitled, unyielding, and judgemental. After the manner she continued to treat Joel, it didn't seem natural that he would have a friendly or romantic interest in her, especially when he is so arrogantly dismissive of her ideas. I suppose it was meant to be an enemies-to-lovers trope, but I didn't feel that the shift made sense amid their fighting and patronizing that fell short of banter. It was also disappointing the way she treated Lewis. I was most intrigued by the era of moving from wood stoves to gas lines in homes and communities.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.


Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Review: Blind Trust by Sandra Orchard



My rating: 2 stars / It was okay



Synopsis

Kate Adams had no idea she was carrying counterfeit money, and she can't believe that it came from her sweet neighbor. Or that it lands her in the middle of another one of Detective Tom Parker's investigations. Determined to prove her neighbor's innocence, Kate stumbles into a pit of intrigue that is far deeper than a two-bit counterfeit operation--and strikes too close to home for comfort. As family secrets come to light, her world--and her budding romance with Tom--begin to crumble. To Kate, it's clear that she won't be safe until she uncovers all of Port Aster's secrets. But is it too late for her and Tom?

My Review

I made the mistake (again) of starting in the middle of a series. Usually it's not a big deal, but this is a continuity series that follows the same main characters, each book leading right into the next, ending with cliffhangers. This second book of the Post Aster Secrets series began without much introduction to the personalities of the characters and included an overwhelming info dump. Once I worked my way past that and got to know Kate, Tom, and others, the pace evened out. There are a few different mysteries Kate is mixed up in- local counterfeiting, neighbor issues, family issues, and community issues. Her warm-cold relationship with Tom surfaces on occasion but it definitely takes a backseat to the investigation and I wasn't feeling much chemistry. The threads of each plot wove together and I was confused along with Kate as to how or if they were related. She and Tom get them untangled by the end, but the overarching mystery that continues through the whole series made the book end on a cliffhanger. I'm glad this type of series is no longer the trend- I don't enjoy waiting a whole year for the publisher to release the next book because by that time I've lost interest.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

Port Aster Secrets Book One


Port Aster Secrets Book Three

Wednesday, October 4, 2023

Review: The Beginner's Guide to Hand Building by Sunshine Cobb


My rating: 2 stars / It was okay



Synopsis

Join the home pottery revolution!

Whether you have access to a communal studio or not, hand building projects can travel just about anywhere. Take your clay outside or work at the kitchen table, with instruction from best-selling ceramics author Sunshine Cobb. In this book, you’ll find all the necessary fundamentals, including a thorough discussion of clay as well as helpful tips for keeping your body and mind in top shape. Then pick the path that’s right for you in the chapters that follow.

Develop new skills and unlock your own creativity as you explore:
- Sculptural projects like miniature animals and plants.
- Functional items like scoops, a citrus reamer, and a coffee pour-over vessel.
- Mixed media projects including a candlestick holder, mobile, and a soap dish. 
 
All along the way, skill-building is front and center, with conversational instructions and tips to help you make pieces you’re proud to show off. Gallery work from some of today’s top artists are sure to inspire potters of all levels. What will you make first?

For beginners and those returning to ceramics, the Essential Ceramics Skills series from Quarry Books offer the fundamentals along with fresh, contemporary, and simple projects that build skills progressively.

My Review

This book was interesting, but not what I was expecting. The artist's approach in the Body and Mind section at the beginning was a bit negative, and didn't bring a great vibe for the rest of the book. The technical information was helpful and accurate to what I had learned in my college ceramics classes many years ago. I appreciated the refresher and this part will be the most helpful to beginners. I found the artist's style rough and ready, and her examples and tutorials didn't inspire me with my own ideas. I liked that there are some pages with creations from other artists, and the variety helped showcase a wider range of styles.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.


Friday, April 21, 2023

Review: Her Amish Country Valentine by Patricia Johns



My rating: 2 stars / It was okay



Synopsis

Can a wedding-date deception
Become true love?


Tired of being seen as a lonely workaholic, advertising exec Jill Wickey promises to bring her “casual boyfriend” to her sister’s Valentine’s wedding. Too bad he doesn’t exist! Then Thom Miller, a carpenter working at her aunt’s Amish B&B, offers to be Jill’s fake boyfriend— if they turn the lie into truth. But dating Thom in idyllic Amish country makes Jill wish their temporary arrangement could last…


My Review

I love reading Amish fiction and was disappointed in how Jill's type-A worldly personality contrasted with the more humble characteristics I enjoy in the genre. "Amish Country" may be the setting, but the lifestyle played a small role in the story. She and Thom are definitely opposites-attract, and I wasn't feeling any chemistry between them. I usually find fake-dating schemes entertaining but sadly the elements of the plot could not keep me engaged in the book. I was missing the connection and emotion that pulls me in. While other reader friends had good reviews for this book, it wasn't my cup of tea and I gave up at 40%.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.


Sunday, March 19, 2023

Review: Scotland's Melody by Katie Stewart Stone



My rating: 2 stars / It was okay



Synopsis

Melody Foster has been granted every luxury available save one: the ability to love whom she chooses. When her father reveals that she is to marry a wild Scot she’s never met, Melody defies him and declares she will never marry without affection. Her choice to marry Richard, a footman in her father’s household, prompts her family to disown her, and she goes to London to risk everything for love. But she is blindsided. Without a penny to her name, her love is worthless to Richard, and he decides to change tactics. Perhaps she could still serve a purpose—after all, her family can’t sit idly by while she is held for ransom . . .

Desperate to escape the man she thought she loved, Melody finds allies to aid her: first, her old governess and then Cameron Findlay, a handsome stranger who is startled by the distraught young woman who catapulted into his life. Cam finds himself sympathetic to the young woman’s plight, so he and his sister agree to take her on as a servant in their household. Cam and Melody are powerfully drawn to one another, but can Melody ever trust her heart when it was so terribly wrong before?


My Review

Such an impetuous main character! My head was spinning as she jumps from one fire into the next. She has learned to mistrust due to her betrayal from the footman, but her immaturity continues to lead her into situations she can't control. I admired her work ethic when staying with her former governess in London, but marveled at her idiocy in not being able to keep herself safe. Cam and his sister Elise were much more likeable, but I struggled to understand what he sees in Melody. The element of danger and hidden identity kept the pace moving forward, but I felt that Cam and Melody's relationship made jumps that didn't feel natural to the characters, especially Cam. I decided to put the book down about halfway through when I felt the discord was overshadowing my reading experience. Other reader friends with similar taste as me really enjoyed the book, so I wouldn't discourage anyone from reading it; it just happened to not be my cup of tea.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.


Monday, March 6, 2023

Review: Safe in His Arms by Colleen Coble



My rating: 2 stars / It was okay



Synopsis

Sometimes it takes a stranger to see you as you really are.

Born and raised on sprawling Texas land, Margaret O’Brien prides herself on her competence as a rancher. But her father believes she’s made for more than just dawn-to-dusk work. He wants her to have the love of a good man, to raise children, to build a life. But Margaret gave up such dreams years ago. She’s convinced no man would have her, that the ranch is her life now.

So when Margaret’s father hires Daniel Cutler as a new foreman, she’s frustrated and suspicious. Then an overheard conversation links him with a gang of bank robbers, and she’s downright worried. Daniel swears he’s not involved, but Margaret’s not convinced. She knows the man still has secrets. But would a criminal be so kind and talk so convincingly of his faith? As a series of tragic “accidents” threatens all she holds dear, Margaret must decide what to trust: her own ears, her best judgment . . . or what her heart keeps telling her.


My Review

Historical westerns are one of my favorite genres, but this one was a miss for me. I didn't connect with the characters or find the plot very engaging. I felt like the motives and personalities shifted in ways that were not part of a character arc but seemed incongruous. Margaret's father especially did not make much sense and he seemed more like a plot device. I missed the layers I usually enjoy discovering in the characters.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.


Tuesday, August 23, 2022

Review: A Daddy for Christmas by Linda Ford



My rating: 2 stars / It was okay



Synopsis

Cowboy to the Rescue

Summoned by two little girls to help their mother in distress, Blue Lyons rushes to rescue widow Clara Weston. When the cowboy discovers the fatherless family has nowhere to go, he offers them food and shelter. But widower Blue won't get too close to the needy trio. He's lost too many people he's cared for, and he isn't about to set himself up for loss again.

For Clara, any dangers she may face on the frontier are preferable to staying with her controlling father. Although she's determined to keep her independence, Blue's kindness and tenderness are hard to resist. Can two pint-size matchmakers help Clara and Blue open their guarded hearts in time for Christmas?


My Review

I was intrigued in the beginning of this story, with Blue rescuing a stubborn mother and her two precocious daughters. The character development was promising, but then slowed as Clara repeatedly refused help or only accepted if she could prove to herself that she is contributing, even when it's encroaching on Blue's work. Blue's thoughts also stalled on his guilt and remorse, not allowing himself to feel worthy of happiness. The secrecy go old as well, and I eventually lost interest in seeing how it would all play out. I think it would have helped me for there to be more connection and revealing of layers earlier on in the book.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

Check out the other books in the Christmas in Eden Valley series . . .
 


 
 
 
 
 

Tuesday, August 9, 2022

Review: Wagon Train Reunion by Linda Ford



My rating: 2 stars / It was okay



Synopsis

Second-Chance Courtship

Abigail Black had no choice but to break Ben Hewitt's heart years ago. Her parents had picked another, wealthier groom. Now widowed and destitute, she's desperate to leave her old life behind. The wagon-train journey to Oregon is full of dangers, but she'll face anything--even Ben--for a fresh start.

Ben knows better than to trust Abby again. Between her family's snobbery and his family's protectiveness, avoiding her should be easy. Yet he's still moved by Abby's sweetness and beauty…along with a sadness and strength he never noticed in her before. Forgiving past wrongs would be a struggle--but the hardest struggle would be letting Abby go once more.

Journey West: Romance and adventure await three siblings on the Oregon Trail 

My Review

I typically enjoy wagon train stories- I love the pioneering spirit of those who crossed the plains in search of new opportunities. The characters in this book are strong, but conflicted. Ben is one of the leaders of the wagon train, but finds himself distracted by his former love and her family. He rehashes over and over again in his mind why she rejected him and how he is over her and needs to avoid her. His sister Rachel worries about him being hurt by Abby again- and is extremely repetitive on this point. Abby seems to know her own mind but feels guilt over her twin brother's death, and punishes herself by bowing to her tyrant mother's demands. She constantly thinks about her regret for rejecting Ben and obeying her mother to marry for money, only to discover the cruelty of her husband. I liked the characters, but the repetition of their thoughts and narrative bogged down the pace and made me lose interest.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.


Friday, July 1, 2022

Review: An Angel by Her Side by Ruth Reid


My rating: 2 stars / It was okay



Synopsis

Katie has lived through tragedy and heartache. But with the angel Elias by her side, the best years of her life are just ahead.

When Katie Bender's fiance died in a tragic accident, so did her hope of finding love. Though heartbroken, Katie is also practical. In the years since the accident she has discovered her gift for teaching. But when a tornado destroys her small Amish settlement, including the schoolhouse, Katie doesn't know how she will provide for herself.

Seth Stutzman arrived in Hope Falls days before the storm. And when he helps usher Katie and the children to safety, sparks fly. But Seth is only in town to help his brother, Amos, get back on his feet following the death of his wife. He can't afford to have feelings for Katie.

Rebuilding the community is a huge task, and soon, Katie and Seth are working side by side. As they privately wrestle with their feelings for each other, another silent--and ultimate--battle for their hearts rages unseen.

Sworn to protect what God has ordained, the mighty angel Elias appears to them as a mysterious visitor. And with his guidance, Katie and Seth find the courage to take the first small steps toward the life, and love, they were destined for.


My Review

The first scenes of the book were exciting with the tornado- Katie rescuing the children and ensuring their safety in the schoolhouse cellar, aided by Seth as he joined them from a nearby field. The heavenly help from the angel Elias was lovely and I liked the way he provided guidance and promptings. When the stress of the aftermath descends, Katie and Seth are snappy and rude to each other, and somehow it doesn't let up, even though they are both attracted to each other and keep feeling the need to help one another. I wasn't feeling their chemistry at all. It was over a third of the way into the book that we learn Elias isn't the only otherworldly character influencing the members of the community- enter the demon Razzen. This is where I began to lose interest. I continued reading to see if the relationship between Seth and Katie would begin to develop past immature jabs, but the plot continued to be hijacked by the paranormal battle between angel and demon with the Amish characters as their pawns. There are some spiritual lessons to be learned but the storytelling style just wasn't my cup of tea.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.