Review: A Heart Sufficient by Nichole Van

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

 

Synopsis

Tristan Gilbert, the autocratic Duke of Kendall, has a clear plan for his future—destroy his father’s memory, obliterate his enemies, and become Prime Minister. Fortunately, he can accomplish all three goals by convincing Parliament to prosecute the Scottish Earl of Hadley. Once Hadley is vanquished, surely the Queen will recognize Kendall’s readiness for the role of Prime Minister.

But in order to succeed, Kendall must first conquer his own unnerving attraction to Hadley’s hoyden of a daughter—Lady Isolde Langston. No matter his efforts, Lady Isolde lingers in his blood, a sort of love-potion madness Kendall struggles to suppress.

Lady Isolde Langston knows impulsivity will be her downfall. Case in point, her heedless actions triggered the Duke of Kendall’s current vendetta against her father. Isolde needs to right the wrongs she caused and force the duke to surrender before Hadley ends up jailed. To do this, she decides to torment Kendall at every turn—at balls and musicales and even in his own library. The arrogant Sassenach will rue the day he crossed her.

But when an unfortunate accident fractures both their lives, Kendall and Isolde unexpectedly face a future neither of them wished. Adrift, they are forced to call a truce. As their romance deepens, can Kendall change his heart sufficiently and Isolde forgive past hurts in order to form a love all their own?

My Review

Oh my heart! Tristan is quite the villain in the previous book, but through his sister's eyes we see how his past changed him and the boy deep inside. In this book Allie continues her assault to break down his walls, and I love the twin sibling bond that is returning to their relationship. It is his fascination-obsession-weakness for Isolde however that is his ultimate downfall and subsequent redemption. They are both so full of passion, but his is repressed and restrained to guard against her antagonism. They are so good at getting under each other's skin! The author takes the enemies-to-lovers trope to new depths as their first impressions and later interactions rise and dip on a rollercoaster of humor and angst. The captivating experiences they share are transformative, and Tristan's surrender to emotion, repentance, forgiveness, love, acceptance, and reconciliation is powerful and brought tears to my eyes. An absolutely epic conclusion to the series! I would recommend reading the whole series in order for maximum understanding of each character's backstory, and every book earned five-stars from me- don't miss any of them!

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.

Don't miss the previous books in The Penn-Leiths of Thistle Muir series . . .

Review: Undetected by Dee Henderson

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

When asked what he does for a living, Commander Mark Bishop is deliberately low-key: "I'm in the navy."

But commanding the ballistic missile submarine USS Nevada, keeping its crew trained and focused during 90-day submerged patrols, and being prepared to launch weapons on valid presidential orders, carries a burden of command like few other jobs in the military. Mark Bishop is a man who accepts that responsibility, and carries it well. And at a time when tensions are escalating in the Pacific Rim, the navy is glad to have him.

Mark wants someone to come home to after sea patrols. The woman he has in mind is young, pretty, and very smart. She's a civilian, but she understands life in the navy. And he has a strong sense that life with her would never be boring. But she may be too deep in her work to see the potential in a relationship with him.

Gina Gray would love to be married. She has always envisioned her life that way. But a breakup she didn't see coming has her focusing all her attention on what she does best--ocean science research. She's on the cusp of a breakthrough, and she needs Mark Bishop's perspective and help. Because what she's told the navy she's figured out is only the beginning. If she's right, submarine warfare is about to enter a new and dangerous chapter...

My Review

Ever since seeing The Hunt for Red October I've enjoyed submarine stories. This book is thick with technical information that still reads smoothly along with the plot and characters. I appreciated that the men in Gina's life encouraged and supported her in her inventions and endeavors instead of being intimidated or competitive like some boyfriends in her past. She has two great guys to choose between, and it didn't seem quite realistic how easygoing they were about that. The tension comes as she keeps developing technology that gives the US an advantage at sea, but the powers that be understand that it will become dangerous when espionage makes it available to the enemy as well. Mark helps her keep things in perspective, that her talents should not be suppressed but built upon. The pace is somewhat slow but steady with not much suspense until the very end, when the culmination of her projects are used in a way nobody could foresee. The romance was a bit tepid with Gina's insecurity, resistance, and indecision, definitely a slow burn.

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.

Review: Gathering Shadows by Nancy Mehl

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

Wynter Evans is a promising young reporter for a television station in St. Louis, but even a bright future doesn't take away her pain over the disappearance of her brother nine years ago. So when she stumbles across a photograph of a boy with an eerie resemblance to him, she can't pass up the chance to track him down. With research for work as her cover, she sets out with one of the station's photogs for the place where the picture was taken: the town of Sanctuary.

Almost as soon as she arrives, she meets the town's handsome young mayor, Rueben King, and together they begin to uncover long held secrets that could tear the small town apart and change everything Wynter thought she knew about her life. As the truth of her family's past hides in the shadows, it's clear someone will stop at nothing to keep the answers she's searching for hidden forever--even if the cost is Wynter's very life.

My Review

Wynter has been through some trauma that never goes away. It was interesting to discover her past as the story unfolds, and all the secrets that are revealed. Sanctuary sounds idyllic, but it's also the perfect place to hide. Rueben sees the good sides of the people in his community, and is very protective of them. The varying degrees of Mennonite made it difficult to know who would be open for an interview and photography, and Reuben was an invaluable help to Wynter's journalism. There was such a focus on the plot and Wynter's search for her brother, that the romance between her and Reuben seemed like an afterthought, and there were little to no descriptions of her feelings for him, which was disappointing. The story of finding her brother and healing her complicated family dynamics was full of unexpected twists, and culminated in a suspenseful resolution. Adoption is close to my heart so it's devastating to think about the painful ways it goes wrong due to mistakes or selfish plans, when its ultimate purpose is to be a loving solution.

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.

Review: Protecting the Mountain Man's Treasure by Misty M. Beller

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

In the wild mountains of the Montana Territory, the Coulter ranch is a place of family, loyalty, a hidden fortune…and a bride he can’t remember marrying.

Jude Coulter is far more comfortable in his family’s sapphire mine tucked in the Montana mountains than on the bustling streets of New York City, where he’s been sent to deliver a shipment of gems. His relief at boarding the train for the first leg of his journey home is short-lived when an accident renders him unconscious.

Angela Larkin worked hard to earn this assignment for the Treasury—an undercover mission to determine the source of the sapphires brought each year for auction in the city. When an accident causes her target to lose his recent memory, Angela jumps at the opportunity to create the ideal ruse. Jude seems surprised to learn the two of them had married and were returning from a glorious wedding trip, but his severe head injury keeps him from protesting…for now.

But the accident is far from the worst threat they face. When enemies close in, Angela and Jude must depend on each other to survive the treacherous journey home. As the danger mounts, so too does an attraction neither of them anticipated. But can their love withstand the revelation of their tangled beginnings?

From a USA Today bestselling author comes a mountain family saga filled with a pretend marriage, amnesia, undercover agents, and a love worth treasuring far more than riches.

My Review

This story took some unexpected twists and turns! Poor Jude, losing his memory made him lose his confidence, and the things Angela tells him about their relationship that are out of character for him throw him even more. He's in the middle of a long trip, far away from home, and it must have felt almost blind, to be working his way back without the benefit of seeing his memories or what he did. Angela was definitely working off the cuff when she made up the impromptu marriage story, not thinking through the dangers and consequences to come. She is so focused on doing her job right and accomplishing her task, but her heart is in the right place, which we discover along the way. Jude's faith and high standards of behavior intrigue Angela as they are in close proximity and trying to make their way to the ranch amid opposition and returning memories. Trust is a major theme in their story as secrets are revealed and choices need to be made. An exciting adventure!

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.

Don't miss the other books in the Brothers of Sapphire Ranch series . . .

 

 

 

Book Tour & Review: Chasing the Horizon by Mary Connealy

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

Her only chance at freedom waits across the horizon

Upon uncovering her tyrannical father's malevolent plot to commit her to an asylum, Beth Rutledge fabricates a plan of her own. She will rescue her mother, who had already been sent to the asylum, and escape together on a wagon train heading west. Posing as sisters, Beth and her mother travel with the pioneers in hopes of making it to Idaho before the others start asking too many questions.

Wagon-train scout Jake Holt senses that the mysterious women in his caravan are running from something. When rumors begin to spread of Pinkerton agents searching relentlessly for wanted criminals who match the description of those on his wagon train, including Beth, she begins to open up to him, and he learns something more sinister is at hand. Can they risk trusting each other with their lives--and their hearts--when danger threatens their every step?

My Review

There's something about this story that really resonated with me. I feel like the author was intentional and thoughtful with the themes and difficulties of the characters and the era. The railroads have made travel to the West more accessible and swift, and the wagon trains are tapering off. It provides Beth and her mother an opportunity to hide in plain sight as her father assumes they would escape via rail travel. I enjoyed the people they meet and become close to on their journey, and loved the way Oscar, a former employee, showed his loyalty and decency by aiding Beth in her plans and supporting them on the trail. Jake and Beth have great chemistry, and their relationship and romance developed slowly and naturally as they work together through all the obstacles along the way. There is anticipation of an impending altercation as Beth's father closes in and we have some passages from his villainous perspective. Overall, the pace is steady and I appreciated the character growth as well as the details of the journey. I look forward to continuing the story with the next book, following Sebastian, a mysterious inventor they rescued and brought on the trail, and Kat, who escaped the asylum with Beth's mother.

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 next book in A Western Light series . . .

About the Author

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedies with cowboys. She is independently publishing a contemporary romantic suspense series called Garrison’s Law, book one is Loving the Texas Lawman. Her new historical series, High Sierra Sweethearts begins with The Accidental Guardian. She is also the author of these series: Kincaid Brides, Trouble in Texas, Wild at Heart, Cimarron Legacy, Lassoed in Texas, Montana Marriages, and Sophie's daughters, and has many other books.

She is a two-time Carol Award winner and has been a finalist for the Rita and Christy Awards. She’s a lifelong Nebraskan and lives with her very own romantic cowboy hero. She’s got four grown daughters and four spectacular grandchildren.

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PRAISE FOR CHASING THE HORIZON

"Mary Connealy’s Inspirational Western Romances have long been on my radar to try, but the new Western Lights series opener, Chasing the Horizon, was my first opportunity. Imagine my chagrin when I started reading and didn’t want to stop. Oh yes, dear friends, I’d waited too long to discover a gem of a writer."— Sophia Rose, The Reading Frenzy

5 STARS "What an incredible book! It kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time I read it.” — Camille Dayton, Fostering Literacy

 

5 STARS “Loved this story! I was intrigued right from the beginning.”— Melissa Goss, Christian Books and Coffee

Review: Something Borrowed by Rebecca Connolly

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

Forsaking all others...

Gage Trembath is getting married. He is the only one who knows it, but the statement is true nonetheless. The woman he had once loved has been married elsewhere for a time, and he can put off his own marriage no longer. The woman he has chosen to marry, without love, is sensible, quiet, musical, and amenable, which should enable him to have a good marriage and a content life. That is all he wants now, and Honora Berkeley makes the most sense.

Honora cannot believe that a handsome and wealthy man like Gage has any interest at all in marrying her, even without love. She has certainly very little to recommend her, but escaping her life of criticism and abandonment is something she cannot resist. But what about the woman Gage had once loved? The one who was perfect for him and the one who made him determined to abandon love? Are his feelings for her truly gone? Will Honora ever have his affection along with his respect?

My Review

I was so happy to see these two make a match, but disappointed that Gage went into the marriage with unresolved baggage from his previous experience. This is a bit of a marriage of convenience for Honoria since it gets her away from her abusive family, but her feelings naturally grow swiftly for such a considerate gentleman. Their individual hangups provide the conflict in their relationship- Gage thinking he will never love again, and Honoria completely insecure about his affections. I was glad they had the support of their friends and family- the characters from the previous books- that helped them along their bumpy road to happily-ever-after.

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.

Don't miss the previous books in the Cornwall Brides series . . .

Review: Secretly Smitten by Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt, Denise Hunter

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

There’s a secret in Grandma Rose’s attic—a forgotten set of dog tags belonging to her first love. But David Hutchins was killed in action and never returned to Smitten. How did the dog tags end up in the attic?

The mystery intrigues Rose’s three granddaughters—Tess, Clare, and Zoe—and they decide to investigate, though their mother, Anna, warns against meddling. But as the seasons turn and the mystery unravels, the three young women and their mother encounter some intriguing mystery men of their own. Has a sixty-year-old puzzle sparked something new for this close-knit family of women?  

 

My Review

I enjoy collections where each story builds upon the previous. Tess, Clare, Zoe, and Anna each play a role in uncovering the mystery of the military dog tags and reuniting Grandma Rose with David. Not before some serious sisterly drama plays out, however, and makes the granddaughters worry that things will never be the same. The first three stories were okay, I didn't really mesh with the authors' writing styles. The interactions between the main characters were awkward and I wasn't feeling the chemistry. The last story by Denise Hunter made up for it, and I found myself looking forward to her contribution as I read. She brings a spark to her romance and I connected more fully with the emotions of 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.

Check out the other books in the Smitten series . . .

Review: Cocoa Kisses by Melanie Jacobson

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

Two old friends, a snowed in cabin, and a mission to save Creekville’s Christmas…

Taylor Bixby is content running her café and watching her customers fall in love. She wouldn’t mind a little Cupid magic herself, but the last kiss to curl her toes was from an old friend--a rum-fueled mistake. It’s a good thing he hasn’t been around for the last four years.

She’s got her hands full overseeing the town’s most beloved annual tradition, and she’s fine leaving Levi Taft—and the night they don’t speak of—in the past.

Until he walks into her café without warning.

Levi Taft is back in Creekville to fix what he broke four years ago. He misses his best friend too much to let their friendship fade, and he sees his chance to make things right when catastrophe threatens Taylor’s ambitious winter festival plans.

It’s simple. They just need to outrun the blizzard of the decade and escape a snowbound cabin in a forest riddled with absurd amounts of mistletoe. Oh, and stay out of the clutches of their scheming moms.

Creekville needs rescuing, but is Taylor willing to try when it means risking her secrets for the only man to ever break her heart?

Revisit charming Creekville in this standalone Christmas novella full of the angst and hilarity that only happens when two best friends fall in love...

My Review

I have grown to love the fictional town of Creekville as I've read the books in this series! I appreciate that they can be read in any order, and I can revisit when the next book comes out without needing an info dump or rehashing the other plots. It's fun to see the previous characters pop up in cameos as friends or community members. Friends-to-more is one of my favorite tropes, but Taylor and Levi drove me a little crazy! I was glad when Taylor got out of her own head and gave in to the magic ;) The plot is charming and fun- rescuing the Christmas parade by procuring some last-minute reindeer, meddling moms, and unexpected time alone in a cozy cabin- this story has all the makings of a sweet Hallmark movie with the bonus of snappy banter.

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.

Don't miss the other books in the Creekville Kisses series . . .