Review: The Dancing Master by Julie Klassen

My Rating: 3 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads.com

Leaving London, dancing master Alec Valcourt moves his mother and sister to remote Devonshire--but is stunned to discover that dancing is prohibited! He finds an unlikely ally in Miss Julia Midwinter, but her questions about his past are becoming harder to evade. Together, can they bring new life to this quiet village--and heal long-kept-secret scars?

My Review

I had high hopes for this novel and perhaps high expectations. I enjoyed the plot and there was some mystery involving the ban on dancing that was revealed in bits and pieces throughout. I had a hard time relating to Julia, and I found myself wanting to know more about several of the secondary characters who had the potential to be more interesting than the main characters- their friends and peers who seemed to be there for convenience, but not developed. I didn't feel any romantic chemistry between Alec and Julia- they made better friends in my opinion.

(ARC provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)

Review: Merry Humbug Christmas by Sandra D. Bricker

My Rating: 2 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads.com

In "Once Upon a Jingle Bell," A Bah! Humbug cruise to the Mexican Riviera is Joss Snow’s answer to this year’s quest to avoid the holidays completely; at least until she’s rebooked on a different kind of cruise altogether. Candy canes, holly wreaths, reindeer and ornaments seem to be stalking her on the 12 Days of Christmas holiday cruise extravaganza. An escape back to land is her only goal . . . until she meets a kindred spirit in rugged Irishman Patrick Brenneman, and then the game is on! Avoid Christmas festivities at all costs . . . except maybe for that one stop under the mistletoe.

In "It Came Upon a Midnight Deer," Reese’s guilt over abandoning best friend Joss on their holiday tradition of avoiding all things Christmas is trumped by the joy of her recent engagement. Meeting Damian’s family for the first time on idyllic Sugarloaf Mountain is about as far from that Bah! Humbug cruise as she can get, and Reese can hardly wait to get there. But from the moment they hit that deer in the road just two miles from the cabin, everything seems to go wrong. There are no drummers drumming or pipers piping this particular year! And once she sets her future in-laws’ family cabin ablaze, she’s pretty sure there won’t be even ONE golden ring in her future.

My Review

I couldn't get into these stories. The main characters came across self-centered and shallow. The plotlines seemed contrived and hokey. The emotion and angst the girls were supposed to be feeling was explained, but never felt. I usually enjoy Christmas novellas but these weren't my cup of tea.

(ARC provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)

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)