Review: Hope in the Mountain River by Misty M. Beller

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis


This epic journey is not at all what she expected. 
 
Joel Vargas can’t believe he’s lost his older brother in the wilds of the Rocky Mountains after surviving their harrowing voyage across the Atlantic. And he can’t shake the feeling that Adam—his only living relative—is in dire trouble. No matter what the cost, he and his band of friends won’t stop until Adam is found. He’s not sure if two Indian women they meet on the way will be a help or hindrance.

After the devastating loss of her daughter and husband to a sickness that swept through their Nez Perce camp, Elan is desperate to find an escape from her grief. As she and her friend journey through the mountains toward the great river, a band of white men is the last thing she expects to find, especially as winter blows in full force.

When the dangers increase, accomplishing Joel’s mission becomes the only hope for all their survival. If the elements don’t consume them, Elan has a feeling life will never be the same for any of them.


My Review

Another trademark wilderness adventure from this author that kept me glued to the pages as Joel and his friends team up with Elan and her friend Meksem to hunt down Adam and the elusive spotted horses. There is a strong spiritual thread with both Adam and Elan character arcs, as well as themes of grief, loyalty, friendship, and purpose. Each character is vibrant and I loved how the story came to life. The pace is steady throughout with a good balance between moments of introspection and exciting danger.

There was only one part that didn't make sense to me- that Adam, as a recent convert to God and faith, would have such a strong determination that Elan must also be a believer in order to have a relationship with him. While I understand the concept, it didn't ring true to his character and I would have thought that he would have more grace and allow her the time to learn and grow as he did. So that part seemed a little like the author inserting her own philosophy into the story rather than letting the characters develop organically.

Overall, I loved the setting, adventure, romance, and characters! I recommend reading the books in order for the best understanding of the group of men that the series centers around, but it can also be read on its own.

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

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Don't miss the other books in the Call of the Rockies series . . .

Review: The Earl's Winning Wager by Jen Geigle Johnson

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

Lord Morley's life will change forever when he wins a game of cards and a family of sisters to go along with it.

Miss Standish in none too pleased to have become the responsibility of yet another Lord, even if he is full of charm and goodness. Her responsibilities are to her sisters first.

With the repairs on the castle moving forward nicely and concerted efforts in a season in Bath made to find suitors for them all, Miss Standish and Lord Morley must determine where duty stops and matters of the heart take over.

Read this warm tale of family, sisters, loyalty and love to get a huge dose of the best part of a regency romance fans of Jane Austen or Georgette Heyer would enjoy.

My Review

This is a sweet Regency romance that kept me entertained as Morley generously cares for the castle and Standish sisters, while June tries to resist falling in love with him. Morley reminded me of Laurie from Little Women where he can't help but cherish the familial closeness and the way he feels a part of their sisterhood- but as an honorary brother. He's a true gentleman and even though June resents that he feels responsible for them, she also appreciates all he has done to bring them back into society and provide for their future. I loved the dynamic with June and her sisters, and look forward to the rest of the series where each sister will find her own happily ever after.

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

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Don't miss the other books in the Lords for the Sisters of Sussex series . . .

Review: Rakes and Roses by Josi S. Kilpack

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

A Mayfield Family Romance

Lady Sabrina endured an abusive marriage, a miscarriage, and early widowhood to emerge as a smart, successful, confident woman who found a way to make her mark in a man’s world. She has friends and purpose, but cannot hide from the emptiness she feels when the parties are over and the friends have gone home to families she will never have.

Harry Stillman may be charming and handsome, but he’s a gambler and a rake who has made a mockery of his privileges. He turns to the mysterious Lord Damion for financial relief from his debts, but still ends up beaten nearly senseless by thugs and left in an ally.

When Lady Sabrina comes upon Harry after the attack, she remembers the kindness Harry once showed to her six years ago and brings him to her estate to heal. Though their relationship begins on rocky footing, it soon mellows into friendship, then trust. But Lady Sabrina needs to keep Harry at a distance, even if he is becoming the kind of man worthy of her heart. After all, she is keeping a secret that, if exposed, could destroy everything she’s so carefully built.

My Review

Rakes and rogues are not my favorite type of hero in the Regency genre, but this author did a wonderful job of exploring the redemption of a young man from a life of dissolution. The lifetime of choices Harry made in response to his harsh upbringing and negative experiences eventually brought him to rock bottom, where he was more than desperate to escape his debts and dangerous lenders. The second chance he receives might have been wasted, but Lady Sabrina rescues him in more ways than one. The transformation of Harry was the most fascinating part of the book for me, and even though I wasn't really feeling the romantic chemistry, I loved his friendship with Sabrina and her housekeeper Therese. I think because Harry was in such an early state of transformation, it was hard for me to trust him and his feelings of attraction. Maybe a longer timeline on the latter side of his sobriety would have helped me, but I think the pacing of the plot was right with respect to the intrigue of Sabrina's secret and Lord Damion's involvement. I thought the ending was done rather well and appreciated how Harry's character came full circle. This is the third book in the series but can easily be read on its own or out of order.

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

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Praise for Rakes and Roses

"Uplifting...Kilpack flips the typical Regency romance script, with the heroine rescuing the hero. Kilpack's strong, upright heroine who finds a way to claim her power in Regency society sets this love story apart. This magnetic tale will appeal to fans of emotional romance." — Publisher’s Weekly 

 “Kilpack takes traditional regency roles and challenges them. She shows how one person can make an impact in the world. I found the story and premise unique.” — Heather Gardner, Fire and Ice

“This is a story of redemption above all else…the ending was perfect.” — Lucinda Whitney, author of Rescuing the Prince

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Don't miss the other books in the Mayfield Family series . . .

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About the Author

Josi S. Kilpack is the bestselling author of several Proper Romance and Proper Romance Historical series and a Cozy Culinary Mystery series. Her books, A Heart Revealed and Lord Fenton's Folly; were Publishers Weekly Best Romance Books of the Year. She and her husband, Lee, are the parents of four children. 

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Review: The Mischief Thief by Johnnie Alexander

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

Two wrongs don’t make a right . . . except when they do.

For con artist Chaney Rose, life hasn’t been easy. In desperate need of cash, she readily accepts a gig from an unethical attorney to recover Mischief, a stolen racehorse. Hunting for clues, she breaks into the suspected thief’s home only to be caught—with a few pilfered items in her pockets—by the police detective who’s tailing her.

By-the-book Adam Thorne was fired from his church ministry because of his father’s involvement with the valuable racehorse. He arrives home to find a detective arresting the young woman who broke into his house. In a burst of Les Miserables-inspired charity, he claims he gave Chaney the stolen items.

Adam needs Chaney’s help to find his father who has disappeared along with Mischief. But when Chaney learns that Mischief’s owner intends to kill the horse, she needs Adam’s help to expose the cruel plan before it’s too late.

Can a con artist with a conscience and a minister without a ministry team up to do the wrong thing for the right reason?

My Review

This was an interesting story! I didn't know quite what to expect since I haven't read this author before, and I was pleasantly surprised. The character development was great, and the plot was exciting. The only thing I missed was a romantic thread and a spiritual thread. Adam sees Chaney as a younger sister, but because she's portrayed as only a few years younger than him, I was waiting for a romance to develop, which never did. They had a genuine friendship though, and Adam feels protective of street-smart Chaney who allows her vulnerability to peek through. Adam shows her how compassionate and kindness are not weaknesses but admirable qualities. She feels guilty for her deception as they work together to solve the mystery of the missing horse, but is motivated by more than meets the eye. While about one half to two-thirds of the book is focused on discovering the hiding place of the horse and Adam's father, a big chunk is also about what happens after, with plenty of twists and turns. I was engaged the whole time I read and was satisfied with the ending... even though there was no kissing ;)

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

Review & Giveaway: A Proper Charade by Esther Hatch

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

Lady Patience Kendrick was born to a life of privilege, and with the London Season looming, she finds herself facing unprecedented pressure to adhere to the rules of society. Unfortunately, the free-spirited young woman is anything but proper. Patience's elder brother, a former military man, bemoans his sister's antics - but when he accuses her of incurable frivolity, it is simply more than she can bear. Determined to prove her brother wrong, Patience undertakes a drastic experiment: she will disguise herself as a maid and demonstrate her ability to work as hard as anyone.

Taken on as household staff by her brother's former general, Patience soon learns that willingness and ability are two very different things. While her plan sounded promising in theory, the reality is that she is out of her depth - and the irresistibly charming son of the house isn't helping matters. Patience soon finds herself embroiled in a charade far more complicated that she imagined. With both her pride and her heart at stake, she is determined to prove her brother wrong - even as her plans spiral delightfully out of control.

My Review

A Proper Charade is full of delightful characters with endearing mannerisms. Patience is a character I can't help but like. She's impulsive and adventurous, but with a good heart that wants to please her brother and I think prove it to herself that she can be more than what society expects of her.  I most enjoyed that Anthony and Patience were genuine, especially with each other. They are sincerely seeking to find their place in the world without compromising their true selves or being forced to change for someone else or society. Their personalities complement each other- she appreciated how he grounded her, and found her  liveliness engaging. I thought it was admirable that she was not fooled by the other charming and frivolous men in higher society, but saw clearly Anthony's superior character. And the first kiss scene is so fun- definitely not the generic kisses that are often found in the genre. I found it inventive and felt that it also demonstrated their personalities in a creative way.

One thing I really appreciated in the story was that Miss Morgan, who plays the role of villainess, wasn’t overdone. She was portrayed with just the right balance of unlikeable while still being believable that Anthony would be pursuing her for so long without suspecting her true motives. The personalities of the family members and their dynamics were complex without being complicated, and added depth to the story and aided in showing more layers of Anthony and Patience. Overall this story was highly entertaining and had such a satisfying resolution and happy ending. One of my favorites of the year and I'll definitely be re-reading it in the future. Highly recommend!!!

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

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Don't miss the first book in the series . . .

Connect with Author Esther Hatch

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Book Tour Scavenger Hunt with Excerpt & Giveaway: Alaskan Dreams by Beth Carpenter #ADPrism

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Welcome to my tour stop! The author is also running a scavenger hunt with an additional giveaway. Grab a clue from each stop on the tour (including mine below) and enter it here.

Alaskan Dreams

(Northern Lights #6)

By Beth Carpenter

Contemporary Romance

Paperback & ebook, 368 Pages

May 1st 2020 by Harlequin Heartwarming

The dream she wants

The love she found

Lauren Shepherd has traded her hectic office job for a quiet life working on an elderly friend’s farm. Risking everything to move to Alaska might just be the perfect opportunity for her—if Lauren can convince handsome and fiercely protective Patrick O’Shea that she’s not swindling his grandmother. But when financial troubles threaten her dream, Lauren and Patrick unite in a hunt for a legendary treasure…only to discover something between them more precious than gold.

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Excerpt

Patrick went to claim the denim jacket he’d left hanging on a fence pole near the goats’ pen. Spritz raised up on her back legs to greet him. He gave her a pat before turning to join Lauren on the path to the farmhouse.

 

They passed the old cabin on the way. Lauren smiled. “It must have been a blast, you and Bonnie searching for treasure together when you were a kid.”

 

“It was,” Patrick admitted. “Even then I didn’t really believe there was treasure, but it was fun to pretend. Gran and Rowan were all in. And then when we found that pyrite—we thought we were rich. Even though it didn’t turn out to be real, it was exciting.”

 

“You were lucky.”

 

“We were.” Patrick smiled at some memory. “I still am. Gran and Grandy were the reason I moved to Alaska and went the electrician route rather than college. My parents weren’t too happy, but I knew this is where I wanted to be. Besides, they had my sister, Rowan, to follow in their footsteps. I like my job, and I love the life here.”

 

“You live in Anchorage?”

 

“Yes, I have a house—well, a duplex. My renter keeps an eye on things and mows my lawn, which works out well while I’m on the slope. So how about you? Did you grow up in Oregon?”

 

“Not exactly. We moved around a lot.”

 

“Oh yeah? Me too. My parents were in the diplomatic corps.”

 

Lauren gave a short laugh that even to her own ears sounded forced. “My mother was...not.” Not unless she was some sort of ambassador of short-lived romance. Her mom must have fallen in love with a dozen different men by the time Lauren graduated from high school, and every time it meant a different school in a different place.

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About the Author

Once upon a time ...

when Beth Carpenter was a little girl, she read everything she could get her hands on, and entertained herself on the school bus by making up stories in her head. Not a lot has changed. She's still consuming books like M&Ms, and spends her days creating happily-ever-afters for her imaginary friends.

She lives in Alaska and Arizona with her husband and an aggressively affectionate fifty-pound lap dog. She loves to hear from readers.

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Tour Schedule

Tour Giveaway

One winner will receive a signed print copy of An Alaskan Proposal and a $25 Amazon Gift Card

US only

Ends May 20, 2020

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Don't forget to also enter the author's scavenger hunt giveaway by grabbing clues from each stop on the tour and entering them HERE.

Treasure Hunt Clue #14: A female goat.