Review: Becoming Bea by Leslie Gould

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

Beatrice Zook knows God wants her to learn patience toward others. When assisting a family overwhelmed by triplets proves surprisingly successful, her confidence in dealing with others, both young and old, grows.

One person she’ll never be able to find peace with though is Ben Rupp. They’ve known each other forever, and Ben understands precisely how to antagonize her. What neither she nor Ben will admit is that beneath all their bickering, attraction awaits. When friends decide to try and bring the couple together, will the pair be able to find true love? Or will they damage their relationship beyond repair?

My Review

Leslie Gould's characters are far from perfect, but that's what makes them so realistic and easy to relate to. I had a hard time understanding Bea in the previous books in this series, so I was glad to read her perspective and watch her grow as she chose to go outside her comfort zone and serve others in need. Her love/hate relationship with Ben wasn't overly emotional since she would repress her feelings and avoid acknowledging them, which made it difficult as a reader to clue in to what her true emotions were. A cute quirk is their habit of spelling words out to each other and defining them since their rivalry stems from the schoolhouse spelling bees :) Much Ado About Nothing is one of my favorite Shakespeare works so it was fun to keep an eye out for scenes and themes based on the play.

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

Review: A Lady at Willowgrove Hall by Sarah E. Ladd

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing!

Synopsis

Willowgrove Hall is full of secrets, but soon everything hidden is brought to light.

Cecily Faire has a secret—and she intends to keep it. But when she arrives at Willowgrove Hall to serve as a lady’s companion, she comes face-to-face with the only person who knows the truth about her past.

As the steward of Willowgrove Hall, Nathaniel Stanton is dedicated to serving those around him. Nothing escapes his notice—including the beautiful new lady’s companion. He is certain the lovely Miss Faire is hiding something, and he determines to uncover it. But Nathaniel has a secret of his own: he is the illegitimate son of Willowgrove’s former master. Falling in love was not part of his plans . . . until he meets Cecily Faire.

When Willowgrove’s mistress dies, everything changes. Fear of exposure forces Cecily to leave under the cover of darkness, embarking on a journey to finally find her long-lost sister. When the will is read, Nathaniel’s inheritance makes him question his future plans. Cecily and Nathaniel are forced to make decisions that will change the course of their lives. Is their love strong enough to survive?

My Review

This book not only has a beautiful cover, but it is a beautiful story. I loved so much about it, but especially Cecily's insights and perspective. She is a strong character in unfortunate circumstances, but that does not hinder her compassion, courage, and loyalty. I think that is why she is a perfect match for Nathaniel since he exhibits the same qualities. The social restraints of the time period are definitely felt as they affect the circumstances of each character's past, present and future. It was interesting to see how each individual accepted the hand that they were dealt and made the best of their situation. Mrs. Trent was an enigmatic character as she is viewed by several as a bitter recluse, but through Cecily we  learn more of her life's experience and witness the sweet theme of forgiveness.

(Thank you to Thomas Nelson Publishing and LitFuse Publicity for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

Extras

Read an interview with main character Cecily Faire at the Litfuse blog!

Connect with author Sarah E. Ladd:

Blog

Facebook

Twitter 

Gratitude Giveaway Hop! Enter to win The Daughter of Highland Hall!

One of the things I am grateful for this holiday season is the wonderful people who follow this blog! It has been a fun year of reading amazing books and finding fabulous deals on e-books! I love interacting with you all :)

So this giveaway has only one requirement- be a follower of Heidi Reads... and let me know your favorite way of following! Enter for a chance to win a copy of The Daughter of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky, which I really enjoyed- you can read my review here.

Entry-Form

Follow the Gratitude Giveaway Hop hosted by I Am a Reader, Not A Writer for more book related giveaways!

Free e-book: Trouble in Store by Carol Cox

Freebie alert! Get Trouble in Store by Carol Cox on e-book for free!

(Sale price is scheduled to end on Saturday November 15th)

Synopsis

Fired from her most recent governess position, Melanie Ross must embrace her last resort: the Arizona mercantile she inherited from her cousin. But Caleb Nelson is positive he inherited the mercantile, and he's not about to let some obstinate woman with newfangled ideas mess up all he's worked for. He's determined to get Melanie married off as soon as possible, and luckily there are plenty of single men in town quite interested in taking her off his hands.
The problem is, Caleb soon realizes he doesn't want her to marry up with any of them. He's drawn to Melanie more every day, and he has to admit some of her ideas for the store unexpectedly offer positive results.

But someone doesn't want the store to succeed, and what used to be just threatening words has escalated into deliberate destruction and lurkers in the night. When a body shows up on the mercantile steps--and the man obviously didn't die from natural causes--things really get dangerous. Can Melanie and Caleb's business--and romance--survive the trouble that's about to come their way?