Review: Forever Safe by Jody Hedlund

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

Will she ever be able to stop running, even when she believes she’s finally safe?

Heiress to a vast fortune, Victoria Cole has everything she wants, including the perfect fiancé. Having left two other men at the altar, Victoria is sure that now she’s found her true love and will finally live happily ever after. As her wedding draws near, however, Victoria’s life is threatened. To keep her safe, Victoria’s father hires a bodyguard.

Tom Cushman’s number one priority is protecting his clients, which means no personal entanglements. But he’s never guarded someone as beautiful and winsome as Victoria. After a near-kidnapping, the wedding is cancelled, and Tom hides Victoria at Cape Cod’s Race Point Lighthouse until her attacker can be found. Appointed as assistant light keeper with Victoria posing as his wife, Tom believes the isolation of the lighthouse will keep her safe.

As Victoria struggles to live without familiar luxuries, her heart betrays her with growing feelings for her protector. Determined to help Tom stop fleeing from his haunted past, can the runaway bride learn to face her own fears? With the attacker closing in, will both of them ever be able to stop running and find the safety they long for?

My Review

Once again I was enthralled by the historical setting and vibrant characters in Jody Hedlund's latest lighthouse story! I loved seeing the journey of the inspiring driftwood cross and its accompanying letter come full circle. Victoria is a gently bred socialite, unaccustomed to life's hardships, but there is a deep measure of compassion in her from the love of her parents (the main characters in the series' prequel novella, Out of the Storm). Even though she was somewhat spoiled by wealth, she doesn't allow her attitude to remain so as she is exposed to the struggles Tom's parents deal with in their life at the lighthouse. I appreciated seeing her growth as she serves and tries her hardest to make the best of the situation. Even though Tom has vowed to keep things strictly professional, it's easy to see why he falls for her, despite his efforts to avoid it. Tom's parents bring an element of humor to the book with their "encouragement" aka meddling. Victoria and Tom both experience angst with their rising passions and reflections on life, seeking to support each other but knowing that their time together is temporary. The novel is also suspenseful with the thread of mystery woven in as to who could be after Victoria and why. Finding true safety in God and His grace is a powerful spiritual theme that is well represented in the lives of Victoria and Tom. I highly recommend Forever Safe and the entire Beacons of Hope series! Read them in order if you can, but each story also does well as a stand alone.

(Thank you to the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

Be sure to check out the other wonderful books in the Beacons of Hope series:

Out of the Storm (FREE prequel novella)

Love Unexpected (book 1)

Read my review here

Hearts Made Whole (book 2)

Read my review here

Undaunted Hope (book 3)

Read my review here

Kindle Paperwhite Giveaway!

Welcome to the Kindle Paperwhite Giveaway Event!

I absolutely love my Kindle Paperwhite! It makes reading on the go so easy and convenient. It's lightweight and the illuminated screen is my favorite feature. Buh-bye annoying booklights! And since there are so many great deals on e-books, I feel like using an e-reader has allowed me to read more books than I normally would be able to afford. It makes a great gift for the reader in your life (especially if that's you!) :) I highly recommend getting a case for it to protect the screen from pressure and scratches.

The Giveaway!  

Hosted by: Lil' Blog and More, Life, Naturally, & Your Strong Tower

and Co-hosted by: Utah Explore, and Deliciously Savvy.

1 lucky winner will receive a Kindle Paperwhite. Open to Worldwide entries. Ends 7/2. Enter using the GiveawayTools form, below:

Entry-Form

 

 Disclosure: The bloggers involved in this giveaway were not compensated, and are not responsible for prize fulfillment. Lil' Blog and More will be sending the prize out. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter this giveaway. This giveaway starts June 10th, 2016, and will end on July 2nd, 2016 at 11:59 pm. The winner will be emailed, and have 48 hours to respond, or a new winner will be chosen. Once a winner is drawn and confirmed, the name will be announced on the GiveawayTools form.

Review: Love Unexpected by Jody Hedlund

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

All she's ever wanted was a home. But stranded at Presque Isle port after their steamboat sank, Emma Chambers and her brother, Ryan, couldn't be farther away from security. While Ryan at least can find work, Emma can't even find a place to stay. An unlikely solution arises when the lighthouse keeper, who recently lost his wife and is struggling to raise his young son, arrives in town. A traveling preacher believes they might be the answer to each others' problems, and after a hasty marriage, Emma is headed back to the lighthouse with this handsome but quiet stranger.

But nothing in her wandering life has prepared her for suddenly being asked to raise a child and keep a house. Struggling at every turn, Emma also suspects Patrick may be keeping something hidden from her. In town she hears whispers about strange circumstances surrounding his previous wife's death, and it seems as though Emma's answered prayer for a home and family may actually be something much more dangerous.

My Review

Seriously loved this first book in the Beacons of Hope series! I have a new favorite to add to the "marriage of convenience" list. Emma is so humble and so sweet. As a mother to a precocious toddler, I completely related to her struggles with Patrick's son Josiah. I felt the author realistically portrayed the joys and hardships of motherhood. Emma's trust and faith in Patrick humbles him and heals many past hurts and betrayals. I loved their developing relationship as they worked together and supported one another. There is an underlying feeling of tension and suspense with pirates on the loose, disturbing the communities along the shore and threatening ships on the great lake. The plot steadily progresses to a climax of dangerous action and with Patrick's past finally revealed, Emma's choices affect more than one life on the island. The main spiritual themes of choosing to follow God and accepting His forgiveness are thoughtfully portrayed. Once again I read the series out of order so it was a real treat to see Emma's brother Ryan more carefree before the war and the trials he faces in book two, Hearts Made Whole. Highly recommend this book and the entire series!

(Thank you to Bethany House Publishing for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)


Be sure to check out the other wonderful books in the Beacons of Hope series:

Out of the Storm (FREE prequel novella)

Hearts Made Whole (book 2)

Read my review here

Undaunted Hope (book 3)

Read my review here

 

Forever Safe (book 4)

currently reading- review coming soon!

First Line Friday: No Other Will Do by Karen Witemeyer

So I came across a meme that appeals to me, First Line Friday's at Bookworm Nation! Grab the book you're currently reading and share the first line. A great first line is intriguing and compels you to keep reading! Feel free to share yours by posting on your blog and commenting with the link, or comment with your book and it's first line here and/or at Bookworm Nation.

"Malachi Shaw made the arduous climb back into consciousness with great effort." - No Other Will Do by Karen Witemeyer

Synopsis

Men are optional. That's the credo Emma Chandler's suffragette aunts preached and why she started a successful women's colony in Harper's Station, Texas. But when an unknown assailant tries repeatedly to drive them out, Emma admits they might need a man after all. A man who can fight--and she knows just the one.

Malachi Shaw finally earned the respect he craved by becoming an explosives expert for the railroad. Yet when Emma's plea arrives, he bolts to Harper's Station to repay the girl who once saved his life. Only she's not a girl any longer. She's a woman with a mind of her own and a smile that makes a man imagine a future he doesn't deserve.

As the danger intensifies, old feelings grow and deepen, but Emma and Mal will need more than love to survive.

Review & Giveaway: A Daughter's Dream by Shelly Shepard Gray

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

Rebecca Kinsinger has always dreamed of being a teacher. But when she’s given the opportunity she’s been waiting for at Charm Amish School, she’s dismayed to discover that teaching is hard work—work she’s afraid she’s not very good at.

That is, until Lilly Yoder joins the class. A thirteen-year old who’s just lost her parents, Lilly is in need of someone like Rebecca. For the first time since starting her new job, Rebecca feels a sense of purpose. But when she meets Lilly’s uncle, Jacob, his good looks and sweet, easy-going temperament are hard to ignore. How can she even entertain romantic thoughts of Jacob when his niece is her student?

Suddenly becoming Lily’s sole caregiver, Jacob Yoder never thought he’d be a single parent—or a farmer. Having been living in Florida as a carpenter, Jacob feels more at home wielding a hammer than a backhoe. The only bright spot in his life is Rebecca Kinsinger. As Lily and Rebecca develop a bond, Jacob’s fondness for the pretty teacher grows, too.

But when a fateful accident brings them together, Rebecca and Jacob must choose between duty and desire. Will they follow the path before them? Or set out to find true happiness…and true love?

My Review

I enjoyed this second book in the Charmed Amish Life series. It can be read as a stand alone as an explanation of what happens in the first book is included in the narrative, but I recommend reading A Son's Vow first if you have it so the story isn't spoiled (I rated it 5 stars- it was excellent!). A Daughter's Dream is definitely more laid back than its predecessor. Rebecca's journey along the path of life is one she took willingly, and as she explores other options for her future, she keeps a positive attitude when things don't go as she imagined. Her blossoming friendship and romance with Jacob is so sweet and void of tension, it developed quite naturally with special moments that were a pleasure to read. Lilly is the character that I felt was portrayed with the most angst, yet even her path seemed to smooth out quickly with the support of her family and friendship with Peter. Some of the story is also told from the perspective of Rachel, the schoolteacher, but I didn't feel that it added much to the plot. The themes of healing and seeking God's will for one's life were heartfelt and I loved being back in the Amish community of Charm. Something that stands out to me about this series is the noticeable lack of interaction with church leadership. I don't think it's a bad thing, just very different from other Amish fiction I've read. The characters seem more independent and willing to handle their own problems, and there isn't the feeling of pressure to conform to standards a particular bishop sets. I recommend this series to fans of family sagas and Amish fiction.

(Thank you to Avon Inspire and Litfuse Publicity for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

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