Review: Rebellious Heart by Jody Hedlund

My rating: 5 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads.com

Because she's a woman, higher learning was always closed to Susanna Smith. But her quick mind and quicker tongue never back down from a challenge. And she's determined to marry well, so she'll be able to continue her work with the less fortunate.

Growing up with little to his name, poor country lawyer Benjamin Ross dreams of impacting the world for the better. When introduced to the Smiths he's taken by Susanna's intelligence and independent spirit, but her parents refuse to see him as a suitor for their daughter.

When the life of a runaway indentured servant is threatened, Susanna is forced to choose between justice and mercy, and Ben becomes her unlikely advisor. But drawing closer to this man of principle and intellect lands her in a dangerous, secret world of rebellion and revolution against everything she once held dear.

My Review

What a fabulous book that is rich in historical detail, compelling characters, suspense and romance! The emotions of the characters were portrayed in a way that made it easy to connect with them and their struggles, and I loved that Susanna and Ben brought out the best in each other. Susanna was facing dilemmas on several fronts- her relationship with her mother, political controversies, sacrificing love for wealth, law versus compassion, and the undeniable chemistry she has with Ben. The mystery of the murdered young women adds an element of suspense that kept me reading straight through until I was done. It was satisfying to see Susanna's perspectives and opinions develop as her eyes are opened up to the world outside her household and her discovery that making the right choice doesn't always have easy consequences, but it is worth it. I'm looking forward to reading more by the author!

(ARC provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)

Review: A Home for My Heart by Anne Mateer

My rating: 3 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads.com

Sadie Sillsby works as the assistant to the matron at the Raystown Home for Orphan and Friendless Children and dreams of the day she'll marry her beau, Blaine. But when the matron surprises everyone by announcing her own engagement, Sadie is suddenly next in line for the job. For a young woman who was once an orphan herself, a shot at such an esteemed position is a wish come true.

But the matron of the Home cannot be married. Is Sadie willing to give up her dreams of a life with Blaine and a family of her own? Is she prepared to forgo daily involvement with the children as she instead manages the financial, legal, and logistical aspects of the orphanage? And when it's revealed that the Home is spending a lot more money than it's taking in, can Sadie turn things around before the place is forced to close forever?

My Review

I enjoyed the behind-the-scenes look at running an orphanage and the constant struggle to bring in donations and funding. Sadie was far from perfect, but her vulnerabilities made her easy to relate to. She took on a big job that she thought she was prepared for, but had her eyes opened to how an administrative job has different challenges. I felt that the romantic chemistry was lacking with her and Blaine. I would have liked to see more background about how their relationship developed in order to have a deeper understanding of their present behavior and choices. The author focused much more on some of Sadie's personal and work-related obstacles. Her character development by the end of the novel was gratifying and led to a sweet ending.

(ARC provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)

$1.99 ebook of To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer

 

Aaaaah! This is my absolute favorite Karen Witemeyer book, and it is easily in my top 10 favorite books. I just love the characters and the chemistry and little moments between them are great. Definitely worth full price, but a discount is even better :) The sale is only Feb 17-23.
Get it at Amazon here

Free e-book *2 days only* Five Days in Skye

February 17th and 18th Five Days in Skye will be free for download! I really enjoyed this book and gave it 4 stars. You can read my review here.

Get it at Amazon or go to David C Cook eBooks for links to other retailers

Review: The Promise Box by Tricia Goyer

My rating: 4 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads.com

Every year, young Amish men descend on the cozy little town of West Kootenai, Montana, arriving in the spring to live there for six months and receive “resident” status for the hunting season in the fall. They arrive as bachelors, but go home with brides!
In The Promise Box, the second book of best-selling author Tricia Goyer’s Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series, Lydia Wyse, a book editor from Seattle who grew up Amish, returns to the small community of West Kootenai to give comfort to her father after her mother’s death. She is drawn back to the familiar Amish ways after finding her mother’s most precious possession, a Promise Box of prayers and scripture. What her publisher sees, though, is an opportunity for a sensational “tell-all” book about the Amish.
Lydia soon finds herself falling in love with Amish bachelor Gideon Hooley. She wants nothing more than to forget her past and look forward to a future as an Amish bride. But will the pain of her childhood---and her potential betrayal of her community---keep her from committing her whole heart?

My Review

This book was so much more than a sweet Amish romance. The powerful themes of grief, remorse, faith, adoption, unconditional love of a parent, and community brought a depth of emotion to the story. As one who doesn't enjoy being brought down by heavy themes, I'm appreciative that there was an underlying message of hope and promise throughout.

(ARC provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)

e-book sale - My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade

This one is on my to-read shelf, but I wanted to share the great deal with you- it's on sale through February 22nd for only $2.99! Get it at Amazon here.

Synopsis from Amazon.com

Kate Donovan is burned out on work, worn down by her dating relationships, and in need of an adventure. When Kate's grandmother asks Kate to accompany her to Redbud, Pennsylvania, to restore the grand old house she grew up in, Kate jumps at the chance.

Yet, she discovers a different kind of project upon meeting the man hired to renovate the house.  Matt Jarreau is attractive and clearly wounded -- hiding from people, from God, and from his past.  Kate can't help but set her stubborn heart on bringing him out of the dark and back into the light... whether he likes it or not.

Review: The Invention of Sarah Cummings by Olivia Newport

My rating: 2 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads.com

Sarah Cummings has one goal in life--to break into Chicago's high society. Desperate to stop serving dinner and to start eating at society tables, Sarah alters cast-off gowns from the wealthy Banning women to create lustrous, flattering dresses of her own. On a whim at a chance meeting, she presents herself as Serena Cuthbert, weaving a fictitious past to go with her fictitious name. But as she gets closer to Simon Tewell, the director of St. Andrew's Orphanage, Sarah finds that she must choose between the life she has and the life she dreams of. Will she sacrifice love to continue her pretense? Or can Simon show her that sometimes you don't have to pretend for dreams to come true?

My Review

The main character Sarah was materialistic, self-absorbed, deceptive, judgmental, and thoughtless. I'm sure we all can be at times, but it didn't make her much of a heroine, since I was rooting the whole time for her to be discovered and wanted to warn Simon away from her. Her change of heart would have been more redemptive had it not happened after her other options ran out. Too little, too late.

(ARC provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)

Review: Swept Up by the Sea by Tracy & Laura Hickman

My rating: 2 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads.com

Determined to seek his fortune, Percival Taylor leaves behind his sleepy hometown and sets out to become a legendary pirate. The only problem is, no one at the rough-and-tumble seaport of Blackshore will allow him anywhere near a ship!

Percival must find other means to win the heart of the beautiful Tuppence Magrathia-Paddock, who has mistaken him for a pirate rogue out of one of her romantic books. She is entirely willing to swoon into his arms if he can prove his buccaneer soul—and she will even arrange her own kidnapping to prove it.

Percival eventually find himself captain of a broken-down ship, complete with a crew of reluctant pirates, a jilted fiancee, a reclusive master shipwright, and an old professor with a magical secret that could kill them all. Join the strangest assortment of characters you'll ever meet on the Nine Seas as they set sail for treasure and romance!

My Review

This book would be probably be enjoyed by fans of The Princess Bride. For me, the descriptions were overwhelmingly wordy and trying so hard to be charming and clever, it detracted from the story and I didn't feel any connection to the characters. It was a struggle to maintain interest.

(ARC provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)

Review: Traces of Mercy by Michael Landon Jr. and Cindy Kelley

My rating: 4 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads.com

At the war’s end, a young woman suffers an accident that leaves her unconscious and alone. Waking with amnesia, she takes the name Mercy and wants more than anything to find out the truth of her past. But then a handsome stranger arrives, who may hold the key to everything she has forgotten. What he knows could devastate her future, and even end her life. 

My Review

The beginning of this book is very compelling- giving the last scene from Mercy's now-forgotten memory. Waiting for the moment she would remember her past kept me in suspense. I didn't feel there was much chemistry between her and Rand, although they were supposed to be in love. It was interesting to see her try to adjust and make a new life for herself. Her actions in the last part of the book I thought were totally out of character for her new identity, but it sure did give the story a much-needed adrenaline shot. I thought the ending was fabulous- except for the fact that it was just when the story got good! I'm so looking forward to the next book in the series, but I think one year between publishing dates is too long to ask readers to wait or maintain interest. Since it's supposed to be a trilogy I hope there won't be as long of a wait for the third book.

(ARC provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)

Review: When Mountains Move by Julie Cantrell

My rating: 4 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads.com

It is the spring of 1943. With a wedding and a cross-country move, Millie’s world is about to change forever.  If only her past could change with it. Soon after the break of day, Bump will become Millie’s husband. And then, if all goes as planned, they will leave the rain-soaked fields of Mississippi and head for the wilds of the Colorado Rockies. As Millie tries to forget a dark secret, she hasn’t yet realized how drastically those past experiences will impact the coming days. For most of Millie’s life, being free felt about as unlikely as the mountains moving. But she’s about to discover that sometimes in life, we are given second chances, and that the only thing bigger than her past … is her future.

My Review

This is the sequel to Into the Free, but I decided not to read that book first since it sounded pretty heavy. I read several reviews about it so I could feel that I knew enough of the storyline to start with the second book. The author did a great job of incorporating important details from the first book in a subtle way that was natural to the characters' thoughts. Some of the themes in this book are unpleasant and gave Millie hard things to overcome which enabled intense character growth. The setting sounded amazing- in the wilderness of the Colorado mountains. I appreciated that Millie and Bump are such strong yet vulnerable people and choose each other to have this adventure with. The writing is so evocative, the story and words stayed with me for a few days after. Without giving anything away, I thought the resolution for the villain was awesome.

(ARC provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)