Anita Higman's Marriage in Middlebury ~ Reviewed

Marriage In Middlebury 
By Anita Higman
Pages 304
Binding Softcover
Release Date Nov 5, 2013
Publisher Abingdon Press
ISBN 1426733879

Description:
Charlotte Rose Hill has been serving up country delicacies, uniquely blended teas, and matchmaking advice for her quirky but beloved customers for more than 10 years. But for her, marriage seems like an elusive butterfly, always out of reach. At 18, Charlotte fell in love with a young man, Sam Wilder, but his family convinced her to walk away from their relationship. She did, and then became engaged to another man, who later died before they were married. Now, more than a decade later, Charlotte finds that she still has feelings for her first love. Initially thrilled to learn that Sam has come home to Middlebury, Texas, Charlotte is devastated to learn that he s brought someone with him: his fiancee. But all is not lost when the townsfolk decide to get involved. Will Charlotte and Sam find their way back to each other?

Review:

A Marriage in Middlebury tells the story of Charlotte Rose Hill.  She lives in a small town, and is loved by everyone.  She is the owner of Rose Hill Tea Room, and takes pride in knowing her customers enough to make them their own special blends of tea.  She is content, but when she hears that her high school sweetheart is returning to town after being gone for nearly 20 years, she’s not sure what to think.  In the meantime, Sam Wilder has come back to Middlebury due to the failing health of his father.  He seeks Charlotte out right away, but only to tell her of his engagement to a woman named Audrey, who ironically, ends up asking Charlotte to cater their wedding.  Though Sam and Charlotte try to fight it, it becomes obvious to everyone around them that they still have feelings for each other.

This was a very nice, light hearted book.  I sympathized with Charlotte’s character.  I got married later than most, and can remember feeling like I would never be married and would always be alone.  I was definitely rooting for her through the whole book.  And I really liked the ending, and how everything worked out for everyone!

Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers

Bonus Review: 

I’m thankful for the review copy that introduced me to a sweet quaint town called Middlebury where arrays of colorful and fun people live.  I also enjoyed reading about Charlotte Hill owner of The Rose Hill Cottage. It’s a tea house filled with teas of all kinds, a beautiful atmosphere and a restaurant filled with love. It’s a place I’d like to go in person and felt like I was virtually there by reading this novel. “Charlotte felt that this cottage was a sanctuary for her and for all of Middlebury.”

It’s a place where everyone knows your name and your business. Grin! It reminded me of the Andy Griffith show and their town of Mayberry. Alls well in Middlebury until Sam brings his bride to be Audrey, back to this hometown to live. Charlotte thought she had forgotten her first love and their plans to be married until she sees Audrey and Sam Wilder together.

“Charlotte reached for her apron to feel the river stone, something she’d kept…It was a reminder of smooth things in life that brought delight and in the hard times – those potentially sanctifying moments that tumbled off rough edges and turned humans into real people. Poor Edith was being tumbled and so was she.”

Middlebury was a town full of fun loving hard working people. The cast of characters were fun to hang out with and most frequented The Rose Hill Cottage. My heart went out to young Obdie. He has it rough and when things get scary he hides in a decorated outhouse in Charlottes’ garden in back of the tea house. He pretends it’s a time machine, fun!

Meredith an antique shop owner whose nickname was cricket says, “I’ve had the nickname all my life. As you know crickets are noisy and pesky, but in some parts of the world they’re considered the most delightful creatures.”

Meredith reminded me of Aunt Bea in Mulberry. She loved everyone, up in their business and loved match-making.  She made me smile, and laugh as she also had a conscious that got the better of her match making plans!

Then there’s Audrey who’s new in town. She’s from a big city and doesn’t get this small town thing. Audrey says, “Maybe I am jealous…of how treasured Charlotte is by everyone who meets her. I don’t get it. How does one person become so beloved by so many people? A champion to widows and orphans.  I’ll bet she even befriends every stray dog in town.”

Charlotte has been asked to cater Sam and Audrey’s wedding.  It’s hard on all of them. Audrey hadn’t a clue how serious Sam’s relationship with Charlotte was when she asked her services. It’s uncomfortable for them all. It makes for fun feel good reading.

“Everything we do, every tiny or big choice we make follows us into our future.”

That’s the theme of this book wrapped together with fun loving quirky characters that have clothed themselves in God’s love and naturally and honestly apply his principles for themselves. It’s not preachy but real.

This story has a predictable yet surprising ending that will definitely satisfy.  Millbury and the tea house are places I’d like to go and hang out with the people that go there. This story shows a fun humorous side to this authors writing I loved.  It’s a great book club pick because there is so much in there to talk about. The main focus is not just on Sam and Audrey. She lets each group shine and fits them neatly together for great fun. The characters and their situations will make you laugh out loud in parts. Every time you think of Millbury and The Rose Hill tea house it will bring a smile to your face I highly recommend this book for book club and for your enjoyment.

Reviewed: Nora St.Laurent

TBCN Where Book Fun Begins

Katherine Reay's Dear Mr. Knightley ~ Reviewed

Dear Mr Knightley 
By Katherine Reay 

Pages 336
Binding Softcover
Release Date Nov 5, 2013
Publisher Thomas Nelson
ISBN 140168968X


Description:

Samantha Moore has always hidden behind the words of others--namely, her favorite characters in literature. Now, she will learn to write her own story--by giving that story to a complete stranger.

Sam is, to say the least, bookish. An English major of the highest order, her diet has always been Austen, Dickens, and Shakespeare. The problem is, both her prose and conversation tend to be more Elizabeth Bennet than Samantha Moore.

But life for the twenty-three-year-old orphan is about to get stranger than fiction. An anonymous, Dickensian benefactor (calling himself Mr. Knightley) offers to put Sam through Northwestern University's prestigious Medill School of Journalism. There is only one catch: Sam must write frequent letters to the mysterious donor, detailing her progress.

As Sam's dark memory mingles with that of eligible novelist Alex Powell, her letters to Mr. Knightley become increasingly confessional. While Alex draws Sam into a world of warmth and literature that feels like it's straight out of a book, old secrets are drawn to light. And as Sam learns to love and trust Alex and herself, she learns once again how quickly trust can be broken.

Reminding us all that our own true character is not meant to be hidden, Reay's debut novel follows one young woman's journey as she sheds her protective persona and embraces the person she was meant to become.

Review:

Katherine Reay’s Dear Mr. Knightly follow’s Samantha Moore’s struggle to create the life she wants for herself. After failing to make it on her own, Sam is forced to return to Grace House, the charity that took her in as a child, and ask for help once more – something she swore she would never do. Through Grace House, she is given the opportunity to go to grad school and achieve what she perceives to be a “normal life.” However, the grant comes with one string attached: Sam must write letters to the head of the foundation and keep him updated on her progress. For her comfort, he decides to keep it all anonymous, giving her a pseudonym and promising to never reply to her letters. Told through Sam’s correspondence, Dear Mr. Knightly chronicles Sam’s attempt to achieve her dreams.

I absolutely loved this book! It started slowly, but the hesitant way the narrative unfolded is totally natural to Sam’s guarded personality. As the plot progressed, I watched Sam struggle and fail, only to come to a place of total honesty that allowed her to start over again with fresh hope. Through defeat, disappointment, grace, and tough love, Sam shed her carefully constructed exterior and opened up to the people around her. As she learned how to be vulnerable with others, Sam found a way to be comfortable with her own voice and write with an honesty that had always eluded her. Though the story doesn’t end with a perfectly tied bow, Sam has grown enough to be secure in herself, even when facing a revelation that would previously have sent her burrowing deeper behind her protective walls. Watching Sam unfold throughout the novel was an absolute joy, and I can’t wait to give Dear Mr. Knightly a second read.

Reviewed by: Shea Nolan

Lynette Sowell's Tempests Course ~ Reviewed

Tempests Course (Quilts Of Love)
By Lynette Sowell

Pages   240 
Release Date   Dec 1, 2013 
Publisher   Abingdon Press 
Series  Quilts Of Love   
ISBN  1426752768  

Description

Kelly Frost, a textiles conservator, is invited to the Massachusetts coastal town of Fairhaven to restore the centuries-old Mariner's Compass quilt. But there is one stipulation: she must live and work in Grey House, a former whaling captain's home, where the quilt is stored. There she meets Tom Pereira, the caretaker of Grey House, whose heart seems as hard as the rocky Massachusetts coastline. Over the long-lit months as Kelly works to restore the quilt, she is buoyed by occasional afternoon visits from Tom and other Fairhaven town members, and is drawn into their lives. And each night, as she reads stories in a daily journal penned by Mary Grey, she learns details about her newfound community members that help her see that their lives are as vivid and interwoven as the quilt pieces she is working to restore. But, when Kelly discovers a truth about Tom's heritage hidden in the journal, she must decide if keeping the past to herself is the only way to ensure the hope of a future with Tom.

Review: 

Tempest’s Course is another book in the Quilts of Love Series. This story revolves around Kelly Frost, a textiles conservator, who is invited to a small town in Massachusetts to restore a quilt that is over one hundred years old. In order to get the job, she has to agree to live in the Grey House, where the original maker of the quilt resided back in the 1800’s. In the meantime, she meets Tom Silva, who is the caretaker of the home’s yard. In the midst of working hard to restore a quilt that’s falling apart, as well as getting to know Tom better, she discovers the diary of the woman who made the quilt. As time goes on, more and more mysteries are revealed about the home and the quilt.

This was a great book. In fact, I read it in two days! It had just enough suspense to keep you reading to find out what was going to happen next. I found myself admiring Kelly’s character. I never thought about the work it goes in to restoring old quilts and tapestries.

Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers

Michael Landon Jr's and Cindy Kelley's Traces of Mercy~ Reviewed

Traces Of Mercy (Mercy Medallion Trilogy V1)
By Jr. Landon Michael (Author) & Cindy Kelley (Author)
Binding Softcover
Release Date Oct 1, 2013
Publisher David C. Cook
ISBN 0781408695

Description

From Michael Landon Jr. and Cindy Kelley, authors of "The Silent Gift" and creators of the hit television film "Love Comes Softly," comes an exciting historical romance set in post-Civil War, and filled with suspense and faith-building values. At the war's end, a young woman suffers an accident that leaves her unconscious and alone. Waking with amnesia, she takes the name Mercy and wants more than anything to find out the truth of her past. But then a handsome stranger arrives, who may hold the key to everything she has forgotten. What he knows could devastate her future, and even end her life. Written by two proven storytellers, "Traces of Mercy" is perfect for anyone who loves historical fiction, prairie-based tales, or just a good romance.

Review:

Traces of Mercy is takes place during the Civil War.  We are introduced to a young woman who has been in an accident and can’t remember who she is or where she came from.  She is nursed to health by kind doctor and taken in by an order of nuns.  With no name to speak of, the nuns call her Mercy.  In the meantime, she is introduced by the town’s eligible bachelor, Rand.  They begin to have feelings for each other, but Mercy is hesitant as she is afraid that one day she will remember that she is not free to marry him.  Eventually, they do become engaged, but before they can proceed with the wedding, someone from Mercy’s past shows up and tells her who she is.  When she decides to flee to spare Rand, things get more complicated than she expected.

This was a very good book, and as I came to the end, I was saddened to see that it ended with a cliffhanger, meaning I have to wait for another book to find out what happens next!  I really enjoyed it.  This is one of my favorite time periods to read about.  I’m looking forward to book two!

Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers

Jessica Dotta's Born of Persuasion ~ Reviewed

BORN OF PERSUASION

By Jessica Dotta

Published by Tyndall

ISBN#978-1-4143-7555-7

427 Pages

Back Cover:  The year is 1838, and seventeen-year-old Julia Elliston’s position has never been more fragile. Orphaned and unmarried in a time when women are legal property of their fathers, husbands, and guardians, she finds herself at the mercy of an anonymous guardian who plans to establish her as a servant in far-off Scotland.

With two months to devise a better plan, Julia’s first choice to marry her childhood sweetheart is denied. But when a titled dowager offers to introduce Julia into society, a realm of possibilities opens. However, treachery and deception are as much a part of Victorian society as titles and decorum, and Julia quickly discovers her present is deeply entangled with her mother’s mysterious past. Before she knows what’s happening, Julia finds herself a pawn in a deadly game between two of the country’s most powerful men. With no laws to protect her, she must unravel the secrets on her own. But sometimes truth is elusive and knowledge is deadly.

Review:

All right. I’ll admit it. I LOVE the villain in Born of Persuasion. Mr. Macy is the most suave and endearing creepy character I’ve ever met…hence my honorary title of President of the Macy Fan Club. No, really. When you’ve finished reading the book, check the acknowledgements.

Author Jessica Dotta has penned quite a memorable novel debut—not a light and fluffy read. The writing is exquisite, with danger and intrigue shadowing every scene. A strong undercurrent of who to believe and what to believe runs throughout. This is the kind of book to curl up with on a dark, windy evening with a cup of tea and candlelight.

Julia is the heroine. Sometimes you’ll ache for her, other times you’ll want to shake some sense into her. Either way, she will evoke emotion in you. Hers is a haunting story, sad and forlorn, yet glimpses of love and hope are sprinkled in at times.

Other characters step directly off the pages of an Austen novel or appear to be from Downton Abbey. Nancy, the say-it-like-it-is lady’s maid. Mrs. Windham, a Mrs. Bennett wannabe. Lady Foxmore, conniving and underhanded. All of them are an unforgettable cast. The settings are just as spectacular, think Bleak House mixed with Jane Eyre.

Do not expect all your questions to be satisfactorily answered by the end of this first book. In fact, you’ll likely have just as many questions as when you start—which will make it all the more exciting to devour books 2 and 3 when they come out. This is a series that has earned a permanent place on my bookshelves. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by: Michelle Griep

Bonus Review:  I’m thankful for a review copy of a book that plunged me into the middle of the Victorian Era and captivated my mind, and emotions. I agonized with main character Julia Elliston’s challenge. Her world turned upside down by the death of her mother. “She is orphaned and unmarried in a time when women are legal property of their fathers, husbands and/or guardians, Julia would soon discover she is at the mercy of an anonymous guardian, one who planed to establish her as a servant in far-off Scotland.”

 Julie goes to Am Meer to be with her Aunt and cousin. The only family she had. There she meets a woman who’s a match maker. She tells Julie she can find her a husband before she’s shipped off to Scotland for a nice price, decisions, decisions.

I hung on every word as the drama unfolded for the reader at the same time the main character learned her fate. Just when I thought I had things figured out the tale would morph into something I hadn’t expected. I was drawn into this authors’ world through her writing style, description, and emotion, I lost all track of time.

Julie thinks after she arrives at Am Meer, “Secrets I had kept. Lies I had told. All to protect two people who had ended up betraying me in every possible manner. My very flesh recoiled at the thought of being considered a frivolous youth, and it wrought a change in my countenance.

You gravely mistake me, then.” I said in a hard voice, ready to gather my shirts and leave.” Later on in the story Julie says,

“…I realized how much we’d lost over a simple misunderstanding. I have found that those who try to shield us from the truth, regardless of the reason, end up doing the greatest harm. Truth alone sets you free, not lies and omissions.”

I was hooked from the first page, you will be too. It says, “Later, when I allowed myself to confront the memories, to dwell on the particulars, I realized my arrival at Am Meer marked the beginning.

Not the mysterious letter that drained the life from Mama. Not her suicide….For those happenings were not my story. I was sinless there. They were the end result of events set in motion long before I arrived at the cottage. I could no more have stopped their unfolding than I could have prevented my own birth.”

This book is absolutely entertaining and brilliantly written, with lovable flawed characters. Full of witty dialogue that opened windows into a world of intriguing mystery as this author explores love, faith and honor. Jane Austen fans will love this instant classic that dropped me into all the richness of the Victorian Era. I highly recommend this book for a great read and it’s a definitely book club pick. You’ll have to leave extra time to talk about all the drama inside these pages. Jessica Dotta’s debut novel is a must read and this author is one to watch.

Reviewed by: Nora St.Laurent

TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!

Yet Another: 

Jessica Dotta has clearly invested heart and soul into her debut novel. The historical richness shines through her skill as a storyteller giving me a peek into a very different time and place. A place when women were at the mercy of the men in their lives. A time when a young girl could find herself without resources, a future, kindness or hope. 

Julia finds herself exactly there. Her mother has died and Julia carries a horrible secret about her mother's death. A guardian has stepped in, but anonymously, and with plans for her to away to Scotland to serve as a hired hand. Julia had other plans for her future that included the handsome young Edward who's parents could not consider her as a worthy match. As Julia discovers she can possibly have one more chance to claim his heart she finds that he has betrayed her by becoming a clergyman. Her father had been anti-religion and anti-God. Julia can't marry a man of the cloth. And Edward, knowing full well that she won't embrace his God won't have her after all. 

A dashing wealthy man offers protection to Julia and a way for her to avoid Scotland. But at what cost?

As Julia agonizes over the choice she must make, and make quickly as her departure to Scotland looms, pieces of a very bizarre puzzle began to fall all about her. Each decision she ponders and ultimately makes ends up turning over more pieces until she has no hope of picking one that won't leave her in a difficult situation and might very harm the very few dear ones she has left in her life. 

Dotta's writing is an artist's brush and with it she paints murals. I think she works in oils because the work is pungent with realism and all sense awakening descriptions. A heavy melancholy hangs over the work like an anemic British sun that fights to bring light through the shroud of doom. Those who love the works of the greats of the time period such as Austen should find much to love in this novel. 

Reviewed by: Kelly Klepfer

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Jan Watson's Tattler's Branch ~ Reviewed

TATTLER’S BRANCH 

Jan Watson

Binding  Softcover 
Release Date   Sep 15, 2013 
Publisher   Tyndale House Publishers 
ISBN  1414339151

Description:

Lilly Corbett Still has grown to love her life as the small-town doctor of Skip Rock, a tiny coal community in the Kentucky mountains. Though her husband, Tern, is away for a few months at a mining job, Lilly has her hands full with her patients and her younger sister visiting for the summer.Lilly turns to her good friend and neighbor, Armina, to help keep things in order--until a mysterious chain of events leaves Armina bedridden and an abandoned baby on her doorstep. Lilly works to uncover the truth, unaware of what a mess she's found herself in until a break-in at her clinic puts her on high alert. As she struggles between what is right and what is safe, Lilly must discover the strength of her resilient country neighbors, her God, and herself.


Review:

Tatler’s Branch follows a young doctor, Lilly Corbett Still. She is the doctor for the small town of Skip Rock, a small coal mining community in Kentucky. Her husband, Tern, is a doctor as well, but travels frequently to different mining towns. She is keeping herself busy with her patients and friends, as well as her sister, who is visiting her for the summer. Everything seems to be running smoothly until her good friend, Armina, is discovered ill and unable to move in her home, with no memory of what happened. To make matters more complicated, she is found with a baby that is not hers. As the story unfolds, we learn more about the turn of events that led to her memory loss and the baby.

This was a nice story. I believe it is the second book in a series, so I wish I had read the first one to get some of the back story, but I didn’t have a difficult time following this one. It was an enjoyable storyline and as always, I loved the time period. I would very much like to read the first book in the series to see how Lilly got to where she was in this book.

Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers

Tessa Afshar's Harvest of Gold ~ Reviewed

Harvest of Gold: (Book 2)
By Tessa Afshar

Release Date Jul 1, 2013
Publisher Moody Publishing
Edition New
ISBN 0802405592 

 

Description: 

The scribe Sarah married Darius, and at times she feels as if she has married the Persian aristocracy, too. There is another point she did not count on in her marriage-Sarah has grown to love her husband. Sarah has wealth, property, honor, and power, but her husband’s love still seems unattainable.

Although his mother was an Israelite, Darius remains skeptical that his Jewish wife is the right choice for him, particularly when she conspires with her cousin Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Ordered to assist in the effort, the couple begins a journey to the homeland of his mother’s people. Will the road filled with danger, conflict, and surprising memories, help Darius to see the hand of God at work in his life-and even in his marriage?

A hidden message, treachery, opposition, and a God-given success, will lead to an unlikely bounty.

Review:

Tessa Afshar has taken my breath away with the beauty and depth of her latest novel, Harvest of Gold. Continuing the story of Sarah and Darius, whose marriage got off to such a rocky beginning in Harvest of Rubies, Tessa parallels their marriage journey with the rebuilding of Jerusalem under the direction of Sarah’s cousin, Nehemiah.  Tessa peels back the layers of Biblical history to provide a fascinating account of the fate of Jerusalem and her people as they struggle to take back what they lost following the destruction of their city. As fear and strife interfere with Nehemiah’s progress, Darius and Sarah experience the same damaging effects in their own marriage. While Darius has come to value his Jewish wife he cannot return her deep love and devotion, which wears on Sarah and leads to unspeakable heartache for them both. Tessa exposes the frailty of Darius’ heart, an otherwise courageous, honourable, and compassionate man, penning some tender and evocative scenes between husband and wife. This is a gripping story of loss, love, and forgiveness with many an arresting moment that caused me to think deeply about my own marriage as well as my devotion to God. Despite the serious subject matter, Tessa infuses the tale with tender romance and light-hearted humour. Minor characters, Lysander and Roxanna, stole many of their scenes and would suit a story of their own! Harvest of Gold is simply captivating and I recommend it not only for the beautiful storytelling but also for the incisive lessons to be learned. Tessa has cemented her place as one of my most favourite authors.

Reviewed by: Rel Mollet

Heather Day Gilbert's God's Daughter ~ Reviewed

GOD'S DAUGHTER

Book I Vikings of the New World Saga

by Heather Day Gilbert

Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

• ASIN: B00GAJKV8G

Back Cover:

One Viking woman. One God. One legendary journey to the New World.

In the tenth century, when pagan holy women rule the Viking lands, Gudrid turns her back on her training as a seeress to embrace Christianity. Clinging to her faith, she joins her husband, Finn, on a voyage to North America.

But even as Gudrid faces down murderous crewmen, raging sickness, and hostile natives, she realizes her greatest enemy is herself--and the secrets she hides might just tear her marriage apart.

Almost five centuries before Columbus, Viking women sailed to North America with their husbands. God's Daughter, Book One in the Vikings of the New World Saga, offers an expansive yet intimate look into the world of Gudrid Thorbjarnardottir--daughter-in-law of Eirik the Red, and the first documented European woman to have a child in North America.

Review:

A Hearty Viking War Cry For This One!

A lot of people love history, but not many are patient enough to slog through a thousand-year-old Icelandic saga. Guess what…you don’t have to anymore! Author Heather Day Gilbert did the homework for you and wrote a hard-hitting action-packed adventure in her debut novel, GOD’S DAUGHTER.

I admit I am somewhat of a Viking history snob, but this girl did her work. There’s not one horned helmet or sight of a shield on the side of a ship amid high sea. This is the kind of accurate historical read that I can whole-heartedly recommend.

The story centers around the life of a young wife and mother, Gudrid, who’s traveled to the new world with her husband. Life is primitive in this land, and they eventually trek back to Greenland, her previous home where Leif Erickson is master—yes, the Leif-who-discovered-America fella.

Woven into the adventure is a love story that leaves you wondering who will end up with Gudrid’s heart. She struggles with an attraction to several other men besides her husband, but finally realizes she loves her husband more than any other man—quite a refreshing message in this day and age.

While the Viking peoples of the time often mixed their religions, melding old guard gods with Christianity, Gudrid stands firm in her faith. This is handled in a manner that is not overtly preachy, though, and is very well done.

There are only a handful of Viking novels that I recommend. This is one. Buy it. Don’t make me come over there with a battle axe.

Reviewed by: Michelle Griep