Review: Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay

My Rating: 5 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads.com

Dear Mr. Knightley is a contemporary epistolary novel with a delightful dash of Jane Austen.

Samantha Moore survived years of darkness in the foster care system by hiding behind her favorite characters in literature, even adopting their very words. Her fictional friends give her an identity, albeit a borrowed one. But most importantly, they protect her from revealing her true self and encountering more pain.

After college, Samantha receives an extraordinary opportunity. The anonymous “Mr. Knightley” offers her a full scholarship to earn her graduate degree at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. The sole condition is that Sam write to Mr. Knightley regularly to keep him apprised of her progress.

As Sam’s true identity begins to reveal itself through her letters, her heart begins to soften to those around her—a damaged teenager and fellow inhabitant of Grace House, her classmates at Medill, and, most powerfully, successful novelist Alex Powell. But just as Sam finally begins to trust, she learns that Alex has secrets of his own—secrets that, for better or for worse, make it impossible for Sam to hide behind either her characters or her letters.

My Review

I'm going to gush a little here- I *loved* this book. So, so good. I have to admit I judged the book by its cover and thought it would be chick-lit fluffy, but it was deep and compelling and emotional. All in good ways, though. Several times I found a tear creeping out the corner of my eye, but it wasn't because I was sad, it's because I was so touched. 

I didn't instantly connect with the main character Sam. As more of her personality and background was revealed, I became more invested in the story. The voice of the novel is very personal since it reads almost like a journal, but the author did a great job of being able to portray both the thoughts of Sam and the scenes and interactions with others. While the book is based on the classic Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster, the grittiness of the foster care system and hardships Sam endured made things more real and less fairy-tale. 

I enjoyed the relationship between Sam and Alex. Their friendship then romance developed and deepened slowly which worked well for the pacing. The relationships she developed with other characters were just as satisfying to read about. The part I liked best was that she was introduced as such a flawed person, but as she became aware of her shortcomings and unhealthy coping mechanisms, she focused on the difficult task of changing and improving. It was refreshing and interesting to watch her character progression, as well as others in the book.

(ARC provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)

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Review: A May Bride by Meg Moseley

My rating: 2 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads.com

She’s prepared for her wedding all her life… but she forgot a few things.
Ellie Martin, a country girl in Atlanta, often de-stresses from city life by tending the flower beds of a church near her apartment. She has dreamed of a traditional wedding all her life, a wedding like the one her younger sister is planning back in their hometown. Their single mom will pay for Alexa’s wedding, but Ellie started her own wedding fund years ago. She only needs to find a groom.
She bumps into a man who’s a guest at a wedding on the church grounds. She’s noticed him around the neighborhood, but today he introduces himself as Gray Whitby. They embark on a whirlwind romance, but her mother doesn’t trust freewheeling men like him. Standing up to Mom leads Ellie to stick up for Alexa too. When Ellie risks her own plans for her sister’s sake, Gray feels betrayed. Will he always play second fiddle?
Will Ellie and Gray reconcile their differences so her dream wedding can come true, or will the romance they’ve begun come crashing down?

My Review

This novella started out great, with how the characters meet and start their relationship. However, once the relationship starts to progress, the feelings and chemistry between the characters is non-existent. Any emotion Ellie portrays is about her issues with her mother. I felt there was such potential since the characters were introduced well and likeable, but the connection I felt with them went flat when the author began to tell and not show how they fell in love... and it was brief at that. I don't think the heart of the story needed to be sacrificed because it was a short story, but instead Ellie's issues with her family were the focus and Gray played second-string not only to Ellie's family but also in the plot.

(ARC provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)

Review: An April Bride by Lenora Worth

My rating: 3 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads.com

War changes everything . . . even their love.
Bride-to-be Stella Carson can’t wait to marry her longtime sweetheart Marshall Henderson. But Marshall has been away serving his country and after suffering a head wound and being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress syndrome, he has distanced himself from Stella by asking her not to visit him in a Washington, D.C. hospital.
Marshall returns to Louisiana just four weeks before the wedding, but as the big day draws near, Stella wonders if the man she’s loved for most of her life still wants to marry her.

My Review

I thought this was a great plot. I enjoy stories of soldiers who serve their country and the women who support them. The amnesia angle was interesting, especially as they began to connect again and Marshall began regaining his memories. The countdown to the wedding was a stress factor for the couple, but it also hindered the development of the relationship in the story since Stella's thoughts and scenes were for the majority focused on whether or not to continue with the wedding, postpone, or call it off. The characters seemed to be stuck in limbo which became a little repetitive. I loved the ending, but I don't want to give anything away!

(ARC provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)

Review: A March Bride by Rachel Hauck

My rating: 2 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads.com

Susanna has found her true prince, and their happily ever after is just around the corner. But when Nate asks her to give up something precious to her, Susanna can’t help but wonder if it’s a sign that their love is not meant to be.
Susanna Truitt (Once Upon A Prince) is three weeks from royalty. She’ll soon marry King Nathaniel II of Brighton Kingdom. But when the government insists she renounce her American citizenship before the wedding, coupled with the lack of involvement by family and friends, her heart begins to doubt whether this marriage is God’s plan for her.
Nathaniel would do anything for his bride-to-be. But he knows his position requires that she give up a lot to be with him. Her life will never be her own — right down to her very identity. When she travels home to St. Simon’s Island, Georgia, right before the wedding, Nathaniel fears she won’t return. Gathering his courage, he devises a plan to win his bride all over again, and together they seek out a kingdom to treasure above all.

My Review

This novella would probably be great for someone who had read the full-length novel the characters are from. As a stand-alone, it threw the reader into the chaos of the royal wedding plans and doubts of the characters without establishing any relationship, chemistry, or romance. I felt like an outsider who had walked into the end of a movie, and I didn't have a connection to the characters because I missed 90% of the story.

(ARC provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)

Review: An Amish Kitchen by Beth Wiseman, Kelly Long, and Amy Clipston

My Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads.com

Fern has a green thumb for healing herbs and flowers, but longs for love to bloom in her life. The next-door neighbor's oldest son Abram comes running into Fern's kitchen seeking help for his little sister. The crisis soon leads to a promise of romance until an incident threatens to end their growing attraction.

Nearby, Hannah runs her parents bed and breakfast, Paradise Inn but her life feels nothing like Paradise. She longs for a man of integrity to enter her life, but never expected him to knock on the front door looking for a room. Will she be able trust Stephen with her future once she discovers his mysterious past?

When a storm blows a tree onto Eve's farmhouse, she has little choice but to temporarily move her family into her parents home. Outside of cooking together in the kitchen, Eve and her mother can't agree on anything. But this may be just the recipe for hope in healing old wounds.

My Review

I so enjoyed reading these novellas. They were all so sweet, fun, and entertaining. My favorite was the first story by Kelly Long since the romance was wonderful.

(ARC was provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)

Review: Perfectly Matched by Maggie Brendan

My Rating: 2 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads.com

Anna Olsen knows it's time to leave her sister's increasingly crowded house and start a life of her own. Following her sisters' examples, she becomes a mail-order bride, and after a short correspondence with clock maker and jeweler Edward Parker, she moves to Denver to become his wife. Almost immediately it's painfully apparent that Anna and Edward are very different. Anna is a free spirit who would rather be painting and enjoying the company of friends than cleaning house. Edward is a consummate perfectionist who, on their wedding day, hands Anna a list of chores that need to be done around the house daily.
Can this mismatched couple see past their differences to a harmonious future? Or will their disparate passions create obstacles neither is willing to surmount?

My review

I usually enjoy mail-order bride stories, but this one didn't keep my interest. The pacing was slow, bogged down by boring details. The plot was not compelling and the characters seemed two dimensional.

(ARC was provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)

Review: Love's Awakening by Laura Frantz

My Rating: 3 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads.com

In the spring of 1822, Ellie Ballantyne leaves finishing school and returns to the family home in Pittsburg only to find that her parents are away on a long journey and her siblings don't seem to want her to stay. Determined to stand her ground and find her place in the world, Ellie fills her time by opening a day school for young ladies.
But when one of her students turns out to be an incorrigible young member of the Turlock family, Ellie knows she must walk a fine line. Slaveholders and whiskey magnates, the Turlocks are envious of the powerful Ballantynes and suspicious of their abolitionist leanings. As Ellie becomes increasingly entangled with the rival clan--particularly the handsome Jack Turlock--she finds herself falling in love with an impossible future. Will she betray her family and side with the enemy?

My Review
This was a well-written book- lots of rich historical details during a turbulent era. I enjoyed reading about the two main characters, but felt as if there was a huge backstory that was only hinted at... but those hints made me wish I had the missing information needed to understand the relationship. I also felt that because the details of the previous history between Jack and Ellie were not shared, it was hard to feel the connection between them or understand their falling in love, or even trusting each other.

(ARC was provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)

Review: A December Bride by Denise Hunter

My Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads.com

What started as a whim turned into an accidental - and very public - engagement. Can Layla and Seth keep up the facade in Chapel Springs this holiday season - for the sake of her career . . . and his heart?

Under normal circumstances, Seth Murphy, the best friend of Layla O'Reilly's ex-fiance would be the last person she'd marry. But the news of their upcoming (and phony) nuptials convinces a big client that Layla may be high-society enough to work for his agency, a coup that would put her fledgling home-staging business on the map. Seth has secretly loved Layla for years, even when she was dating his best friend. Maybe she'll never forgive him for the way he hurt her back then, but he has to try. And Layla is willing to keep up their engagement farce until she's landed her client. For Layla, it's the chance to save her career. But for Seth, it's his last chance to win her heart.

My Review

Wow, the chemistry and tension is great in this sweet novella! It was nice to read from both characters' perspective. Layla does have a strong/stubborn personality, and it was a nice moment when she released the hurt and blame she was harboring towards Seth. Their interactions and dialogue were fun and witty. The predicament was a little contrived, but it was easy to look beyond that since the author made it so fun. The reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is that the beginning is kind of choppy and disjointed, and Layla's bitter thoughts became repetitive, but the story smooths out later on, and Seth's perspective was much more compelling.

(ARC provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)

Review: A January Bride by Deborah Raney

My Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads.com

Who can work in a house that's overrun by contractors and carpenters? Not Madeleine Houser, a successful novelist who gladly accepts the help of her octogenarian friend, Ginny, to arrange for a temporary office in the charming bed and breakfast owned by Ginny's friend, Arthur. Maddie’s never met the innkeeper––but a friendship grows between them as Maddie and Arthur leave messages for each other each day. To Maddie’s alternate delight and chagrin, she seems to be falling for the inn’s owner––a man who's likely many years her senior––and who she’s never even met.

My Review

I completely enjoyed this sweet story! The friendship established through letters, the misunderstanding, and their "meet-cute" made this a wonderful novella. The only thing I felt was lacking was the chemistry between the main characters, but the friendship was very well depicted.

(ARC provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)