Review: From the Start by Melissa Tagg

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

Kate Walker used to believe in true love and happily ever after. While her own love life may have left her brokenhearted, it hasn't kept her from churning out made-for-TV romance movie screenplays...until a major career slump and a longing to do something meaningful send her running back to her hometown of Maple Valley.

Permanently sidelined by an injury, former NFL quarterback Colton Greene is temporarily hiding out in a friend's hometown to avoid the media and the reminders of all he's lost. Maple Valley seems like the perfect place to learn how to adjust to normal life. The only trouble is he's never really done normal before.

While Kate plays things safe and Colton is all about big risks and grand gestures, they both get what it's like to desperately need direction in life. An unexpected project gives them both a chance to jumpstart their new lives, but old wounds and new dreams are hard to ignore. Starting over wasn't part of the plan, but could it be the best thing that's ever happened to them?

My Review

I enjoyed getting to know the family we were introduced to in the free prequel novella to start off the Walker Family series, Three Little Words. The strong family theme in a contemporary setting is one of my favorite trends in a series. The small town community is easy to envision and provides a great secondary cast of characters. Each member of the family plays a role in subtly influencing Colton and Kate while they are temporarily staying in Maple Valley to help in the wake of a natural disaster. The circumstances that they find themselves in and their opportunity to re-imagine their futures are the focus of the novel, and I was disappointed to find that while reading I always felt aloof from the romantic emotions of the characters- it was more observing rather than feeling along with them. The light-hearted nature of the writing might have played a part in that, it made the story fun but didn't delve deeper. Kate and Colton did friendship so well and I loved their banter, but missed the romantic tension and chemistry. Overall this was a pleasant reading experience and I look forward to reading more of the series.

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

Showers of Books Giveaway Hop!

Welcome to the Showers of Books Giveaway Hop! I'm giving away a print copy of The New England Romance Collection as well as two surprise books from Harlequin's Love Inspired line! Enter in the Giveaway Tools widget below and visit the other blogs in the hop to enter some more great giveaways!

Synopsis
New England is not just colorful in autumn but throughout the history of its states—including Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Through the trials and triumphs of the early years of American history, to the turbulent 1930s, enjoy five stories laced with history, faith, and romance. Will these couples find a place to call home among the northeastern states?

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Review: An Amish Market by Amy Clipston, Kathleen Fuller, Kelly Irvin, Vannetta Chapman

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

All the color and variety of a quaint Amish shop in a charming collection of novellas by four of your favorite authors. Feel free to come in and browse!
 
Love Birds by Amy Clipston
While Ellie Lapp and her mother are still mourning the loss of her brother, Seth, Ellie starts working at one of the gift shops in town. Seth’s friend Lloyd is talented at carving wooden birds, but his father disapproves and expects him to take over the family farm someday. Ellie sees the beauty in Lloyd’s creations and insists Lloyd sell the birds in the gift shop where she works. As Ellie and Lloyd spend more time together, they begin to develop feelings for one another, but she accidentally betrays his trust. Will she lose any hope of a future with him?
 
A Bid for Love by Kathleen Fuller
Every week, Hannah Lynne brings her home-churned butter to the local market. And every week Ezra stops by to purchase some. Hannah Lynne knows not to read too much into it—Ezra is a confirmed bachelor and barely even glances her way, despite any hope to the contrary. But when Ezra bids an exorbitant amount to win the quilt she had her heart set on, Hannah Lynne can’t stop her heart from taking over her mind. Could Ezra finally be in the market for love?
 
Sweeter Than Honey by Kelly Irvin
Shattering a jar of pickled beets wasn’t the impression Isabella hoped to make on her first trip to the local Combination Store of Bee County, Texas. But as embarrassed as she was by the accident, she didn’t think it warranted the frosty reaction from the handsome manager of the store, Will Glick. As she soon learns, though, Will’s heart has been broken one too many times. And now, for some reason, Isabella finds herself determined to be the one to repair that broken heart and renew his faith in love.
 
Love in Store by Vannetta Chapman
Stella Schrock works at the Old Mill in Nappanee, Indiana, with new employee David Stoltzfus, a recent widower. When strange happenings begin occurring around town, it appears as if someone wants to close the mill. Stella and David have to work together to solve the mystery of what is happening at the Old Amish Mill, and in the process they might just find that God has more in store for their future than they would ever have dreamed possible.

My Review

I enjoyed each of these novellas by some of my favorite authors of Amish fiction- the variety of characters, settings, and plots. It was interesting how some used the Amish market theme more than others, but all were well-rounded stories that didn't feel rushed or lacking in development. I especially enjoyed the theme of unexpected love in A Bid for Love and Sweeter Than Honey. A wonderful collection of simple and pleasant stories that can be enjoyed several times.

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

Review: The {Re}Model Marriage by Maria Hoagland

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

From the outside, Kirk and Jamie appear to have a beautiful home and the perfect marriage. Inside, the aging Craftsman is falling apart, their marriage is crumbling from neglect, and Jamie Royce wants out! Kirk, on the other hand, isn’t ready to give up on either the house or their relationship.

With their divorce scheduled for the day after their daughter’s high school graduation, Jamie and Kirk have to fix the home’s problems to lift their selling price out of the basement. Working to renovate the home together, they discover secrets—in the home, in their marriage, and in the fertility clinic that helped give them their daughter—and find themselves questioning what true love really is.

My Review

I don't read many romance books with a troubled marriage as the focus, but this one did it right. It was sad and disheartening to see how insecure and defensive Jamie and Kirk were, and how they let pride prevent them from being honest with each other. That was balanced out by the author skillfully weaving in pieces of their falling-in-love story to illustrate not only why their relationship was worth saving, but also the root of some of their issues. Communication, or the lack thereof, is the biggest hurdle they need to overcome. It's too easy as a reader to want to yell at them, "just say something!!!" but also recognizing that the difficult emotions they are feeling are all too realistic. I kept on reading quickly, trying to hurry to the point where they turn things around, but also found myself fascinated by the home renovations they undertake originating with demolishing a leaky bathroom. I found it to be a good metaphor for how they needed to fix their marriage- strip down the "quick fixes" until the true problem under the surface is revealed, and start over from there, building things carefully and correctly. Each chapter has a helpful tip about various aspects of home renovation, several of which I want to remember for the future!

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