Review: An Amish Family by Kathleen Fuller

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing 

Synopsis

In An Amish Family, beloved author of Amish romance, Kathleen Fuller, invites readers into the lives of four Amish families.

Building Trust
Grace Miller and Joel King are in love. They’ve dated secretly for the past year and when he proposes marriage, Grace eagerly agrees. But when she tells her parents about the wedding, she’s shocked when her father tells her she can’t marry Joel. Can Grace get to the bottom of her father’s animosity toward Joel so they can have the happily ever after she’s always dreamed of?

A Heart Full of Love  (also in An Amish Cradle)
Ellie’s mother hasn’t stopped meddling in her personal life since Ellie lost her sight—and she’s taken it up a notch now that Ellie’s pregnant. When Ellie gives birth to twins, her mother insists on moving in to care for them. But when her mother’s behavior becomes unbearable, Ellie is forced to take a stand . . . and finally find out why Mamm can’t let go.

Surprised by Love
In a desperate move to evade her match-making mother, Emily Shwartz announces that she’s already seeing someone: Reuban Coblentz. The trouble is, Reuban is barely even a friend. Seeing how desperate she is, Reuban plays along. But when the past sneaks up on them, will this temporary arrangement turn into everlasting love?

A Gift for Anne Marie  (also in An Amish Second Christmas)
Anne Marie and Nathaniel have been best friends since they were kids. Now things are evolving . . . in ways everyone else predicted long ago. But when her mother suddenly decides to remarry in another state, Anne Marie’s new chapter with Nathaniel looks doomed to end before it begins.

My Review

Building Trust

This is a story with themes of forgiveness and compassion. When Grace realizes that her father is holding a secret grudge, she expects quick forgiveness so she can marry Joel, but it takes compassion on both sides to heal the hurt from long ago. I liked Joel's contrition and patience with Grace's father as he seeks to prove himself worthy of Grace.

A Heart Full of Love

Ellie is a fascinating character, blind and pregnant with twins with a husband who has to work long hours. She has adjusted to her lost eyesight and enjoys her independence and marriage, so accepting help with her new babies is a struggle. Compounding the difficulty is her overprotective and controlling mother. As frustrating as Edna was, I appreciated that the author delved deeper into the mother/daughter relationship and we learned why Edna had her own struggles with trust and letting go. 

Surprised by Love

This was my favorite of the collection. Emily is clumsy, wears thick glasses, and is more interested in astronomy than dating. What I loved about her is that she accepts herself and is cheerful and friendly. Rueben is also a friendly guy, and the circumstances they find themselves in give him the chance to get to know Emily better and their friendship quickly deepens even though they both try to ignore the attraction that flares between them. A sweet and lovely romance!

A Gift for Anne Marie

I loved this sweet story of friends who become more when they realize they will be separated. There are other conflicts besides the impending move, including a friend of Anne Marie's who decides to pursue Nathaniel. The friendship they share is lovely, but when new feelings begin to develop confusion and hesitation enters in and disrupts the harmony they had enjoyed. I love when friends fall in love since they have a great foundation and know each other so well. It was funny to see just how well Nathaniel knew Anne Marie and her moods ;)

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

Unforgettable Love Event: Author Janette Rallison, Sale, & Giveaway

 

   

My Fair Lacey & A Perfect Fit by Janette Rallison 

"My Fair Lacey" is the story of Lacey, who has dreamed of opening a restaurant for years - but first she needs a loan. When Garrett Halifax, her roommate's Harvard-educated brother, offers to help her clean up her appearance and manner to impress the bank manager, she jumps at the chance - but will she be able to keep up appearances without falling for the sexy Garrett? 

In "A Perfect Fit" Rallison Jojo Halifax believes that winning Echo Ridge's float competition is just what her fledgling art career needs. And if that means giving her ex-boyfriend, Anthony, a second chance so she can be a designer on his team, well, she's willing to make the sacrifice. But when a lost bet leads to a blind date with her brother's friend, Wyatt, she begins to have second thoughts about second chances. Wyatt is handsome and charming and just might have been paid to make her forget about Anthony. Is falling for his charm worth the risk or should she take Anthony back again?

AMAZON

Read for FREE with KINDLE UNLIMITED

   

   

  

Excerpt from My Fair Lacey

Lacey glanced over her shoulder at him. “I was only mentioning that Tatum was interested in you in case you didn’t realize it. I mean, those sorts of details seem to slip by you.”

“No, they don’t.” His fingers caressed the muscles at the bottom of her neck, making her sigh at the touch.

“Yes, they do,” she said. “Apparently there are a few things they didn’t teach you in college.”
His voice came nearer her ear. “I know Tatum is interested in me. I’m just not interested in her.”

Good. “Why not?”

“She’s not my type.”

“What, your type isn’t successful, beautiful, educated women?” She glanced at him in an attempt to read his expression. He was so close to her. This felt intimate, but it wasn’t really. This moment was like the time he took hold of her hand and she thought it meant something.

“She’s not all that interesting,” he said.

“Your type is interesting women?” Lacey couldn’t even begin to guess what sort of thing he considered interesting. Maybe women who traveled the world or fought crime. She faced forward again and his fingers worked their way across her skin in lazy circles.

“Interesting and unaffected,” he said.

Unaffected by what? It was obviously one of those words that had more than one meaning. “Hand me my phone so I can use the dictionary app.”

“No,” he said. “I’m busy helping you relax.” His finger kneaded the muscles at the base of her neck. It sent a chill of pleasure through her. “I’m going to keep this up until you’re no longer discouraged.”

“Okay,” she said. “You’re really good at massages, so I might be discouraged for a while.”

He laughed and his face came closer to her ear. “And that’s another thing. My type is women who make me laugh.”

   

Excerpt from A Perfect Fit

Wyatt didn’t move away. But he also didn’t lean down and kiss her. He was watching her, weighing her. Deciding. “I didn’t expect you to be this forward. Your brother told me you were the innocent sort.”

“I am the innocent sort.” Jojo had never thrown herself at a guy before, never been this bold. “I’m only being forward because I’m never going to see you again after this weekend. And suddenly being reserved seems like wasting an opportunity.”

“Oh,” he said. “I’m a revenge fling.”

“You make that sound like a bad thing.”

 

 

I always always love Rallison's stories and characters and this was no exception. I look forward to reading the book over and over again! --Kathy at Bookworm Nation

Janette always hits it out of the park with fun character voices, hilarious situations, and delightful romance. This is another great addition to her collection of books that I'd recommend anyone read and enjoy! --Five Star Review

Such a great read! It had many laugh out loud parts and I don’t use lol lightly. --A Reader

   

   

Author Janette Rallison 

USA Today, bestselling author, Janette Rallison/ CJ Hill writes books because writing is much more fun than cleaning bathrooms. Her avoidance of housework has led her to writing 28 novels that have sold over 1,000,000 print copies and have been on many reading and state lists. Her books are fantasy, sci-fi, and romantic comedy because hey, there is enough angst in real life, but there’s a drastic shortage of humor, romance and hot guys who fight dragons. She lives in Chandler, Arizona with her husband, kids, and enough cats to classify her as eccentric. 

 

     

   

Giveaway Details Ends 7/9/18 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via Paypal or gift codes via Amazon.com. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.   

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Review: Light My Fire by Susan May Warren

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

Former bad-boy Tucker Newman has learned his lesson—as the temporary team leader of the Jude County Smokejumpers, he’s all about following the rules to keep his team safe. Especially when he has to partner with a group of local low-security prisoners to knock down the raging fire. But the prisoners are not who they seem, and when they stage a break, kidnapping one of his teammates, he’ll have to break every rule he knows to get her back.

US Marshal Stevie Mills knows that to get the job done, she must work alone. She simply can’t risk another person getting hurt because of her. When she discovers that a wanted fugitive accused of rape and murder has not only been set free to fight the fire—but is now on the lam with a hostage-- the last thing she needs is a zealous smokejumper getting in the way of her pursuit.

Whether they like it or not, Tucker and Stevie must join forces if they hope to save lives, and in the meantime, they just might discover a new definition for the word teamwork, in book 1 of the Summer of the Burning Sky.

My Review

A fast pace and non-stop action made this book one I couldn't put down! I was thrilled when I heard the author is writing more stories about the smokejumpers and hotshots that fight wildfires. Tucker comes from a difficult background, but has learned that following the rules keeps people from getting hurt- most of the time. He feels responsible for those under his leadership, and struggles with his faith when things go south.

Stevie has a past full of regrets that she hasn't forgiven herself for, and thinks those she lives the most and hurt the most can't either. She has a tough exterior and a dogged determination to work hard and get the job done, characteristics that attract Tucker, but it's the vulnerable side that she shares with him that bring them close together.

Mix firefighting with fugitives in the run and it's a recipe for high stakes danger. The escalated tension brings emotions to the surface and as struggles are revealed, Tucker, Stevie, and team member Skye provide much-needed encouragement and support in the midst of their trials. The end of this book provides a great lead-in to the next, and I can't wait to continue the adventure!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

Review: A Defense of Honor by Kristi Ann Hunter

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

When Katherine "Kit" FitzGilbert turned her back on London society more than a decade ago, she determined never to set foot in a ballroom again. But when business takes her to London and she's forced to run for her life, she stumbles upon not only a glamorous ballroom but also Graham, Lord Wharton. What should have been a chance encounter becomes much more as Graham embarks on a search for his friend's missing sister and is convinced Kit knows more about the girl than she's telling.

After meeting Graham, Kit finds herself wishing things could have been different for the first time in her life, but what she wants can't matter. Long ago, she dedicated herself to helping women escape the same scorn that drove her from London and raising the innocent children caught in the crossfire. And as much as she desperately wishes to tell Graham everything, revealing the truth isn't worth putting him and everyone she loves in danger.

My Review

My favorite thing about this book is the contrast of personalities between Kit and Graham. They both have so much to learn from each other and both bring a new and fresh perspective to their friendship and relationship. Graham's cheerful and light-hearted nature brings joy to the children and the women who care for them. Kit's mission and purpose shows Graham a serious side to the consequences of society's dictates and he admires her determination to work towards solutions. There is some danger and suspense as long-held secrets come to light, and Kit learns over time to do the right thing and trust God to provide solutions as she turns her cares over to Him. There is conflict that comes between Kit and Graham, but I loved what ultimately brings them together as they continue to pursue ways to help those in need. Loving this new series!!!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

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Don't miss the FREE prequel novella in the Haven Manor series . . .

Synopsis

Margaretta Fortescue desperately needs to disappear from London society, and her only hope is to follow the rumors of another young woman who recently made a life for herself away from the glare of society. Her search leads her to the market town of Marlborough where, in spite of her efforts to avoid attention, she can’t seem to elude local solicitor, Nash Banfield.

All Nash wants is a quiet, sedate life—no risks or surprises. When Margaretta, clearly on the run and unwilling to answer questions, interrupts his solitude, his curiosity and his principles won’t let him leave this determined woman without assistance.

But will the truth of what Margaretta is running from be worth finally opening his heart up to a chance at love?