Review: Now & Forever by Mary Connealy

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

Matthew Tucker survives a grizzly attack by jumping over a cliff into a rushing river. Unexpectedly, Shannon Wilde takes the plunge with him. Going through a series of waterfalls and rapids turns into a bonding experience.

By the time they battle their way back to civilization, Shannon has been thoroughly compromised, and only a wedding will do. A mountain man who loves to wander in the wilderness far from other people finds himself hitched to a young woman with a passel of relatives, a homestead, and a flock of sheep to care for.

As they learn to live with each other, strange things begin to happen on Shannon’s land. Someone evil clearly wants to drive them off, but whoever it is apparently didn’t count on Tucker. Trying to scare Matthew Tucker just makes him mad–and trying to hurt the woman he’s falling in love with sets off something even Matthew never expected.

My Review

Adventure, humor, and romance. The Mary Connealy triple threat delivers again! Shannon is devoted to her sheep, and Tucker becomes quickly devoted to Shannon, sheep and all. It's adorable how fast and hard he falls for her. He is a fascinating character as a mountain man who shuns society yet still treats Shannon with gentleness and respect. Since she never received that from her own father and was believed to be a man while serving as a medical assistant on the front lines of the Civil War, it's no wonder she falls in love with Tucker just as deeply. There are plenty of humorous and heartwrenching moments as they struggle to communicate, disagree and compromise, and fight for the safety of their farm and family. I can't wait to read the story of the third sister Bailey next!

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

E-book sale: $2.99 for So Fair a Lady by Amber Perry

Celebrate Independence Day by reading So Fair a Lady by Amber Lynn Perry! It's only $2.99 for the e-book, a fabulous deal! I rated it 5 stars, you can read my review here.

Synopsis


Boston, MA 1773: Shards of Eliza Campbell's life crash to the ground when she discovers a devastating secret: her father was a spy for the Sons of Liberty. Determined to uncover the truth--at any cost--not even a marriage proposal from the dashing British Officer Samuel Martin can dissuade her. When rescued from British capture by handsome patriot Thomas Watson, Eliza discovers what her father risked his life for and yearns to know more. But will her budding attraction to this courageous patriot damage her already wounded heart?

After years of being blackmailed by Officer Martin, Thomas plans to start a new life in the small town of Sandwich. However, when his actions place Eliza and her sister in danger, he must act quickly to protect them from falling into enemy hands. If the three of them are discovered, their lives will never be the same. Now, not only must he protect Eliza, he must protect his heart from a love that is sure to wound him far greater than any British soldier ever could.

Freedom to Read Giveaway Hop! Enter to win Betting on Hope by Debra Clopton

It's past time for another giveaway here at Heidi Reads... celebrate Independence Day by entering to win a print copy of Betting on Hope by Debra Clopton! Then follow the giveaway hop for more chances to win books and other prizes...

Synopsis

A bet gone wrong. A small town's meddling. And a cowboy intent on saving his ranch.

Maggie Hope is an advice columnist whose background leaves her with little advice to give . . . and it's beginning to show. When Maggie fills in at an interview with champion horse trainer Tru Monahan, the on-camera chemistry between them is undeniable. Maggie's bosses know this is the opportunity she's been looking for to launch her career--and their bank accounts. In order to save her column, Maggie takes Tru up on the bet that he can teach her to ride a quick-stepping cutting horse like any cowgirl, despite the fact that she has never been on a horse. And in the meantime, she can get the scoop on the man under the cowboy hat.

Tru has been on the competition circuit for longer than he'd like, but he knows it's the only way he can afford to keep the Four of Hearts Ranch that means so much to his ailing grandfather. So when his sponsors see the opportunity for Tru's fans to get to know the star on a more intimate level, he knows he must oblige. To his dismay, Maggie not only invades his small town of Wishing Springs, but she also invades his heart, and that is something he cannot let any woman do--for her own good.

In Wishing Springs, Maggie finds what she has always been looking for: a community and a home. But when her past catches up to her, it threatens everything, even the tender hope that this town holds all of her heart's desires.
 

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Review: Love Arrives in Pieces by Betsy St. Amant

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

For so long, Stella was known for her beauty. Now, with her heart stripped bare, she must discover who she really is.

Former pageant queen Stella Varland doesn't trust beauty anymore after her divorce. Her appearance betrayed her and led to her brokenness so instead of being beautiful, now she tries to make beautiful things, but always falls short. So she keeps her passion for her secret art to herself and focuses on her interior design work. But if she doesn't get another job soon, she ll be stuck living with her parents.

Contractor Chase Taylor is determined to live a life of no regrets after losing his fiancee in a car crash. Now he lives life at full speed, striving to see how much he can accomplish. He knows if he slows down, he ll fall apart. So he returns home to Bayou Bend to renovate the town s old theater, and is shocked to learn former flame Stella is the designer for the project.

Forced to work together, Chase and Stella battle their chemistry and their pasts as they struggle to compromise and come together on a vision for the theater. Chase doesn't understand why Stella is such a subdued version of herself, while Stella doesn't get Chase's constant need for productivity and speed. Their wills clash as they attempt to hide their brokenness and their unresolved feelings for each other until Chase breaks through Stella's walls and convinces her to enter her mosaic tile art in a contest.

A near catastrophe, a fire, and a small-town gossip mill finally force both Stella and Chase to realize that they have a choice to hold on to the shards of their pasts, or surrender their fragmented pieces to the One who makes a beautiful masterpiece from the broken.

My Review

I had mixed feelings about this book. It's definitely well-written, but it was hard for me to relate to and feel the chemistry between the main characters. In the beginning the history between Stella and Chase was alluded to as scandalous, but details were not shared which kept me guessing... and then later in the book it was only ever referred to vaguely, leaving me unsatisfied. Stella is recovering from anxiety and still experiencing some symptoms which she attributes to her dysfunctional marriage and divorce, but again, the details of her history are vague and it made it more difficult for me to fully connect with her. Perhaps it would have slowed the pacing down to include too much, but for me it was not enough.

My favorite thing about the book is Stella's secret talent as an artist and how she relates her emotions to this outlet. When she isn't a falling apart mess she and Chase do have some fun banter and friendship, but both allow the past and the animosity of Stella's family to prevent a romance from developing again. The project of renovating the movie theater was a great setting- it provided a unique backdrop and challenges for the characters to deal with. I loved the insights of Dixie, a local homeless woman in tune with some spiritual realm, who shares little nuggets of wisdom with Stella.

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