Showing posts with label Miralee Ferrell. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Miralee Ferrell. Show all posts
Thursday, May 26, 2016
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Review: 12 Brides of Summer Collection #3 by Margaret Brownley, Miralee Ferrell, Pam Hillman
My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it
Love Is Buzzing in the Good Old Summertime! Spend the sunny days of summer relaxing with an ice cold glass of lemonade and revel in the dreams of twelve brides who are a bit surprised by how the men of their dreams come into their lives. Journey to the Old West, stay on the prairie, and visit quaint small towns. . . without leaving the comfort of your own front porch!
The dog days of summer are here, but love is still in full bloom with Novella Collection #3:
Dog Days of Summer Bride by Margaret Brownley
Music teacher Miralee Davis and blacksmith Tom Colbert don’t realize they’ve been sharing the same dog until. . .it digs up a stash of stolen loot. The reward will go to the dog’s owner—if only that can be decided.
The Dogwood Blossom Bride by Miralee Ferrell
Gracie Addison is a tree-climbing tomboy, and practical Will Montgomery objects to her unladylike influence on his niece. Will his judgmental attitude come back to bite him?
The Lumberjack’s Bride by Pam Hillman
Chicago transplant, Lucy Denson cooks for a logging crew in the Mississippi backwoods until she can return to her idea of civilization. Can Eli Everett help her rethink her ideals?
My Review
These are some sweet novellas to read on a hot summer day! It starts out strong with Dog Days of Summer, a humorous tale of the frustrations of two strangers who unknowingly share custody of a dog, who switches households partway through the week. Tom's bulk and dustiness starkly contrast Miralee's prim and cultured tidiness. They butt heads over the dog, but form a friendship despite their differences. Some small-town drama intervenes, however, and the road to romance is not smooth. (3 stars)
The Dogwood Blossom Bride also had a couple with a love-hate relationship, this time disagreeing over Will's headstrong niece. Grace and Will struggle with giving each other the benefit of the doubt, jumping to conclusions, and unrealistic expectations. Not much depth to their characters though. (3 stars)
My favorite of the collection was The Lumberjack's Bride, the sequel to The Evergreen Bride from the 12 Brides of Christmas Collection. Lucy is a city girl who grows to love the forest and a particular lumberjack who not only is sweet on her but rescues her from various mishaps. Even though she is completely out of her element, she reaches out to others and pitches in to help with a compassionate nature. (4 stars)
(Thank you to Barbour Publishing for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Free e-books! Raptor 6, Blowing on Dandelions, and Sixty Acres & a Bride
Check out three awesome e-books that are free for download!
(Be sure to double check the price before buying since e-book sales are for a limited time)
Captain Dean Watters keeps his mission and his team in the forefront of his laser-like focus. So when Dean’s mission and team are threatened, his Special Forces training kicks into high gear. Failing to stop hackers from stealing national security secrets from the military’s secure computers and networks isn’t an option. Zahrah Zarrick is a missionary teacher to Afghan children in Mazar-e Sharif. And a target. When Zahrah is captured because of her expertise in quantum cryptology, compromising the US military, Dean is forced to crack the lockbox around his heart—a move that might come at the highest cost.
Sixty Acres and a Bride by Regina Jennings
(I rated this one 5 stars!)
Synopsis
With nothing to their names, young widow Rosa Garner and her mother-in-law return to Texas and the family ranch. Only now the county is demanding back taxes and the women have only three months to pay.
Though facing eviction, Rosa falls in love with the countryside and the wonderful extended family who want only her best. They welcome her vivacious spirit and try to help her navigate puzzling American customs. She can't help but stand out, though, and her beauty captures attention. Where some offer help with dangerous strings attached, only one man seems honorable. But when Weston Garner, still grieving his own lost love, is unprepared to give his heart, Rosa must decide to what lengths she will go to save her future.
The first book in the series, Blowing on Dandelions is $1.99 on e-book, and the third book in the series releases today, October 1st!
Synopsis
She’d kept her secrets safely hidden—those from her past, and those in the present. Some things, Beth Roberts knows, a lady simply doesn’t share, even in the 1880’s West. The townspeople would never understand. No one ever has. Jeffery Tucker, a handsome young writer, has kept his own secrets. He doesn’t have a right to pry into Beth’s affairs but finds himself strangely drawn to her and intrigued by the whiff of mystery surrounding her. Beth knows that one day someone will unravel the threads of her past. And when two men from her past arrive, the truth might just hurt . . . Beth’s future and her heart. As shadowy memories surface, Beth sketches the scenes she sees and is shocked by what—and who—her illustrations reveal. Dare she risk her heart again?
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Review: Forget Me Not by Miralee Ferrell
My rating: 2 stars / It was okay
Synopsis from goodreads.com
Seven years ago, Julia McKenzie rejected the man she loved, wanting to experience more of life. Now, at the age of twenty-four, she regrets that decision. What will Seth think of her, when they encounter one another hundreds of miles from home? Will the man she cared for understand the direction her life has taken and love her in spite of her choices?
Pastor Seth Russell has never completely forgotten the girl he once courted. When she shows up in his new home of Baker City, all those feelings return. But why is she sneaking around town late at night? Even more important, will she reject him and break his heart again, or can God heal the breach between them?
This novella is part of the Love Blossoms in Oregon series which I have enjoyed (see my review of Wishing on Buttercups). Pastor Seth makes appearances in the first two books of the series and I was so excited to read his story. I had a hard time relating to Julia- the introduction of her backstory was vague about why she jilted Seth and the intensity of her regret was inconsistent throughout the book. She ran hot and cold with him as their relationship began to redevelop, and could only see her situation in black and white- either isolate herself from society in order to serve the Chinese immigrants, or give up her charitable endeavor altogether if she ever wants a normal life. While she wanted to make a difference and fight prejudice, she was also judgmental of others who weren't as passionate as she. I liked the scenes where the characters from the previous novels get to know Julia and help her overcome her internal struggles and find peace. The "villian" in the story was Mrs. Evans, a busybody from Seth's church who didn't approve of Julia. I thought she was portrayed very over the top; she became a caricature. It bothered me that both Seth and Julia used the phrase "Mrs. Evans and her ilk" during their inner dialogues. Seth and Julia are both repetitive as they agonize over the choices in front of them which prevented the story from flowing smoothly for me.
I've read wonderful reviews from others who really enjoyed this novella, so please don't let my hang-ups prevent you from reading it if you are a fan of the series! I am looking forward to the third book, Dreaming on Daisies, which releases later this year.
(ARC provided by the author for unbiased review)
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Review: Wishing on Buttercups by Miralee Ferrell
My rating: 4 stars
Synopsis from Goodreads.com
Can Love Survive When Secrets Collide? She’d kept her secrets safely hidden—those from her past, and those in the present. Some things, Beth Roberts knows, a lady simply doesn’t share, even in the 1880’s West. The townspeople would never understand. No one ever has. Jeffery Tucker, a handsome young writer, has kept his own secrets. He doesn’t have a right to pry into Beth’s affairs but finds himself strangely drawn to her and intrigued by the whiff of mystery surrounding her. Beth knows that one day someone will unravel the threads of her past. And when two men from her past arrive, the truth might just hurt . . . Beth’s future and her heart. As shadowy memories surface, Beth sketches the scenes she sees and is shocked by what—and who—her illustrations reveal. Dare she risk her heart again?
My Review
This is the sequel to Blowing on Dandelions. I'm glad I read them in order since the characters from this book are introduced in the first, but it could be read as a stand-alone as well. I enjoyed reading about characters living in a boardinghouse, since it put everyone in closer proximity. The drawing talent of Beth added an interesting element to her personality, as well as the mystery surrounding her childhood. I was surprised when there were two "villains" introduced, but each had a separate role to play. Jeffery and Beth's friendship suffered from lack of communication at times, but the ending was sweet.
(ARC provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)
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