Review: An Amish Marriage of Convenience by Rachel J. Good

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

About the Book

When widower Stephen Lapp moves his five children from New York State to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, his only plan is to buy his family’s farm stand, Lapp’s Pastured Pork. That way, his brother can move closer to his fiancée and open his own stand. But on Stephen’s first trip to the market, his brave act of kindness nearly ends in catastrophe—until strong-willed Nettie Hartzler saves him—and makes an impression he can’t forget . . .

A widow with private heartaches of her own, Nettie has no interest in getting involved with any man, though she doesn’t discourage their respective children’s new friendships—despite Stephen’s contentious oldest daughter. But when Nettie runs into serious money worries and Stephen proposes a marriage of convenience, she’s distressed and conflicted. She’s come to know Stephen’s gentle heart and generous soul, and she can’t believe he’ll want her if she reveals the sins of her past. God has His own plans for the faithful, however, and this time they may include a second chance at love . . .

My Review

I wasn't a fan of Nettie from the previous book where she tried to interfere with her brother-in-law Gideon's courting, so it was good to see things from her perspective in this book. She's driven by fear- of the security of her future and providing for her children. I admired that she worked so hard and was such a loving mother, even though she has rough edges for everyone else. Stephen is a bit thick-headed and it takes some effort, as well as aid from local Christian philanthropist Mrs. Vandenberg, for these two wounded souls to come to understand each other. Be sure to read the other books in the series to appreciate the cast of characters and the good they do in the community!

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

The Surprised by Love series

 

 

 

 

Review: The Revealing by Suzanne Woods Fisher

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

About the Book

Naomi King, soft spoken, loyal, and easily overlooked, has a gift. She sees what others can't see. Intuition, she calls it. Others in Stoney Ridge don't know what to make of it and dismiss her hunches and inklings altogether.

When a young woman arrives at the Inn at Eagle Hill with a shocking secret about Tobe Schrock, Naomi fears the worst. She can't ignore the feeling that something sinister is at work-- something more than a threat to the tenuous love begun between her and Tobe.

As signs mount, they begin to point to Jake Hertzler, the elusive mastermind behind Schrock Investments' downfall. Soon, events spiral hopelessly out of control and Naomi must decide whether to listen to her head or her heart.

In this riveting conclusion to The Inn at Eagle Hill series, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher pulls out all the stops with a fast-paced tale of deception, revelation, and just the right dose of romance.

My Review

This book is aptly named, as layers of secrets are revealed in a twisty-turvy manner that keeps the reader on their toes. While the previous book can be read as a standalone, I would definitely recommend reading the series in order before completing it with this final book. The characters we've grown to love have more to overcome as all is brought to light and issues that were introduced in the first book come to a resolution. It's more plot-heavy and told from multiple perspectives, and I missed the deeper development of the central romance. I appreciate the storytelling skill of the author and look forward to more from her!

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

The Inn at Eagle Hill series

 

Review: Signed, Sealed, and Smitten by Melanie Jacobson

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

About the Book

The last thing she needs is another off-limits work romance. He’s fine playing the friendly flirt . . . until he falls for real.

Embarrassing breakups at work cost you promotions. Phoebe learned that the hard way. So when a patron’s will names her as the director of a new museum in Serendipity Springs, she jumps at the chance to prove her professionalism.

Her new plan: focus on work. Ignore distractions. Definitely ignore men. Easy peasy.

But then the mailbox in Phoebe’s quirky apartment building starts delivering a series of old love letters written between strangers…sixty years ago.

She can’t afford the distraction, but she also can’t ignore the letters, so she enlists the help of Jay, the flirty heir to her benefactor’s fortune, to help her solve the mystery of who they belong to.

Jay is exactly the history pro she needs, but he’s also the kind of handsome charmer Phoebe always falls for, and since he’s on the museum board, she’s not about to risk her recovering reputation. Despite their sizzling chemistry, she quickly sends Jay to the friend zone.

Until the mysterious letters from the past lead them to surprising discoveries in the present, and serendipity steps in with an irresistible nudge and a memorable, magical kiss.

My Review

This is such a fun series! The magical paranormal parts aren't spooky, but more of a charming device to further the plot. The reader and the characters themselves have to suspend reality for a bit, but the setting is otherwise grounded and it didn't feel too fantastical. The idea of an old building helping couples find love is unique, and each author in the series presents this "interference" in different ways. In this story, Phoebe focuses on her museum work and the letters mystery so well, that I felt like the romance took a backseat to the plot. Jay was lovable in the flirty friend zone, but it was frustrating that Phoebe ran so hot and cold with him. When characters do that it makes me wonder why the other sticks around... unless they can sense the reason for it and help break down the obstacles. Overall it was a fun read and I enjoyed the creativity of the writing.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

Only Magic in the Building series

 




 

Review: Kate Landry Has a Plan by Rebekah Millet

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing!

About the Book

I turned to him, and he winked at me. Winked! We needed clear lines in place between us. We would not be flirty friends. We'd be friends, period. The sooner I made that distinction, the better.

Forty-year-old Kate Landry's carefully planned life has become as messy as the powdered sugar on her famous beignets. Juggling the responsibilities of running her café, raising her teenage niece, and the emotional baggage from her breakup, Kate finds her world once again turned upside down when her first-ever crush, Micah Guidry, returns to town as the hunky local librarian.

As Kate struggles to implement her plans to expand her café amid the New Orleans Mardi Gras madness and the meddling of her conniving ex-fiancé, Micah becomes the unwitting hero of her misadventures, stirring up feelings she thought she'd long buried. How can falling in love in the Big Easy be this hard?

My Review

This book was a joy to read! I loved the setting of New Orleans and the tight community of Kate's neighborhood. She works so much as a business owner and worries constantly about her niece. Her smarmy ex keeps sniffing around, and her parents are society-strict that are unable to be pleased. Micah really shakes up her world in all the best ways (adorable chemistry!), and the new dynamic helps to shift her perspective on the past and align her priorities with the most important things in her life. I especially enjoyed Kate's relationship with her niece and the way Micah connects with her as well. The cast of side characters is amazing as well, with vibrant personalities and mannerisms that bring charm and humor. Once again I started a series out of order, but now I can't wait to read Julia's story in the previous book!

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

Don't miss the first book in the Beignets for Two series . . .

 

 

Review: Beyond Pemberley (Timeless Regency Collection) by Rebecca Anderson, Samantha Hastings, Sarah L. McConkie

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

About the Book

Dear Reader, have you ever wondered what happened after Pemberley?

Playing Miss Bennet by Rebecca Anderson
Twenty-year-old Kitty Bennet, visiting London for a season as a companion to Mrs. Gordon, is simultaneously attracted and repelled by a flirty rake. How would a girl like Kitty respond to his roughish behavior? Impossible to tell when she doesn't even understand herself. She must use their time together to practice being someone else. She's sure when she decides which of her sisters' personalities is the best fit, she'll know both who she is and what she wants. Of course, what she wants couldn't possibly be Augustus Haverford. Not with that wicked smile and that tendency to say scandalous things. Can Kitty convince herself he's all wrong for her? Or does fate have something altogether more romantic in mind?

Sisters and Second Chances by Samantha Hastings
Sixteen years since her own elopement, widow Lydia Wickham saves a young woman from running away with a scoundrel. In gratitude the father, Viscount Kingston, offers Lydia a position as chaperone. Childless and estranged from her sisters, Lydia eagerly accepts. Little did Lord Kingston or his daughter the honorable Chloe know how Lydia would shake up their dull, scholarly existence and turn their trio into a family.

The Colonel's Conviction by Sarah L. McConkie
Shrouded by his military facade and careful in love as the younger son of an Earl, Colonel Fitzwilliam has yet to find his soul-mate. When he's tasked to watch over Georgiana Darcy and her new companion—a striking young widow named Clara—he's instantly drawn in, even if he did make a muck of their first meeting. But Clara has a difficult past and a complicated future, and it will be up to the Colonel to show her that no matter how insurmountable the obstacles, hearts can open...if she's willing to take a chance on him.

My Review

I love retellings, adaptations, vagaries, and spin-offs of Pride & Prejudice! It's so fun to reimagine the beloved characters in a new perspective. The stories in this collection take the minor characters of Kitty, Lydia, and Colonel Fitzwilliam and give them a continuing tale of their own. Colonel Fitzwilliam has always been a favorite since he's so similar to Elizabeth in charm and temperament, and I loved seeing him discover his own happy ending. Kitty is vague enough in the original that the author was able to help her discover her own personality outside of her more vibrant sisters. Can Lydia ever be anything but obnoxious? This author was able to mature the youngest Bennett daughter and turn her flaws into strengths as she livens up a family that needs her vibrancy. A variety of sweet Regency longer-novellas, although I missed the presence of Darcy and Elizabeth!

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

Timeless Regency Collection series

 

Don't miss any of the 20 books in this series!

 

Review: The Calling by Suzanne Woods Fisher

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

About the Book

Twenty-year-old Bethany Schrock is restless. Her love life has derailed, her faith hangs by a thread, and she is spending the incredibly hot summer days wading through a lifetime’s accumulation of junk at the home of five ancient Amish sisters. About the only thing that holds her interest is the spirited and dangerously handsome Jimmy Fisher–and he seems bent on irritating her to no end.
 

When the sly old sisters and a guest at the Inn get Bethany involved in running the local soup kitchen and starting a community garden, she suddenly finds herself wondering, Shootfire! How did that happen? Despite her newfound purposefulness, a gnawing emptiness about a childhood mystery continues to plague her. Encouraged by Jimmy Fisher, she will seek out the answers she craves–and uncover a shocking secret that will break her heart, heal it, and point her to love.
 

Bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher delivers her trademark twists, turns, and tender romance in this delightful and exciting visit to the deceptively quiet community of Stoney Ridge.

My Review

This book surprised me with Bethany's character arc and the layers of depth that were skillfully woven into the story. It had been some time since I read the previous books, but thankfully the author did not resort to an info-dump and I was still able to understand the gist of the relationships and past events that influenced this story. I loved how she reached out to help others even when she had her own struggles. She finds answers to her past and even though it was heartbreaking she was able to find healing in the truth. I enjoyed her relationship with Jimmy and how he brings out her spunkiness, while also providing a safe place for her to share her feelings. My favorite of the series!

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

The Inn at Eagle Hill series

Review: Sometimes You Stay by Liz Johnson

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

About the Book

He was never going to leave the island, and she wasn't going to stay. But if she walked away, she would always wonder . . .

For digital content creator Cretia Martin, home is wherever her carry-on suitcase lands. And it's constantly landing in new places as she travels the world. She's never been interested in settling in one spot--after all, houses are just places that collect junk and tie you down. But when she literally bumps into local dog breeder Finn Chaffey on Prince Edward Island and all the tools of her trade end up in the harbor, she can't exactly leave until she gets things sorted out.

Finn is horrified by the part he played in the accident and offers to help, arranging for Cretia to stay with a friend at the beautiful Red Door Inn. The longer Cretia is forced to remain in one place, the more she discovers what she's been missing with life on the road--and the more she wants to see Finn and his business succeed. But helping him means staying put, the one thing she always swore she wouldn't do, and risking the only thing she's never put on the line--her heart.

My Review

Such a sweet falling-in-love story! Two total opposites grow together in the beautifully remote setting of Prince Edward Island (which is on my bucket list to visit!). Finn and Cretia both have struggles that are proving difficult to overcome, but their developing relationship with each other provides encouragement and support, as well as the local friends that are just as giving as Finn is. At first I didn't really understand why Finn and Cretia were having a hard time, but as layers are revealed, it's easier to have compassion for them and root for them to find a way through the obstacles to make a happily-ever-after together. 

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.