Lady of a Thousand Treasures ~ Sandra Byrd ~ Reviewed

Lady of a Thousand Treasures (The Victorian Ladies Series) Paperback
by Sandra Byrd

• Series: The Victorian Ladies Series (Book 1)
• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (October 9, 2018)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9781496426833

Description:
Miss Eleanor Sheffield is a talented evaluator of antiquities, trained to know the difference between a genuine artifact and a fraud. But with her father’s passing and her uncle’s decline into dementia, the family business is at risk. In the Victorian era, unmarried Eleanor cannot run Sheffield Brothers alone.

The death of a longtime client, Baron Lydney, offers an unexpected complication when Eleanor is appointed the temporary trustee of the baron’s legendary collection. She must choose whether to donate the priceless treasures to a museum or allow them to pass to the baron’s only living son, Harry—the man who broke Eleanor’s heart.

Eleanor distrusts the baron’s motives and her own ability to be unbiased regarding Harry’s future. Harry claims to still love her and Eleanor yearns to believe him, but his mysterious comments and actions fuel her doubts. When she learns an Italian beauty accompanied him on his return to England, her lingering hope for a future with Harry dims.

With the threat of debtor’s prison closing in, Eleanor knows that donating the baron’s collection would win her favor among potential clients, saving Sheffield Brothers. But the more time she spends with Harry, the more her faith in him grows. Might Harry be worthy of his inheritance, and her heart, after all? As pressures mount and time runs out, Eleanor must decide whom she can trust—who in her life is false or true, brass or gold—and what is meant to be treasured.

Review: 

Sandra Byrd creates stories that are full of fascinating history and mysterious details. If a cover has her name on it I'm certain I'm going to find that I'm cancelling plans or leaving chores undone so I can spend free time reading. 

She doesn't disappoint in Lady of a Thousand Treasures. Characters who are or are not whom they seem to be. Situations are twisted and mysteries unravel as the heroine finds herself between cliffs and jagged valleys. Eleanor Sheffield is gifted with a skill set best suited for men, or rarely, a married woman, valuing and finding antiquities for clients. Unfortunately, her father has passed leaving her with an uncle who seems to be losing his skill and mind. The male clerk/assistant sends mixed and confusing signals, and his behavior feels anything but safe. Eleanor is tasked with evaluating a treasure trove and deciding the fate of the wealth and antiquities of the estate. Will her work shows the treasure belongs to the son of the deceased? Or in the museum? One minor complication is that the son of the deceased is her childhood best friend and the very man who recently crushed her heart. 

If the plot sounds intriguing you owe it to yourself to get a copy. And don't make any social plans around delivery because you won't want to do much more than curl up with a warm beverage and the Lady of a Thousand Treasures for the next couple of days.

*An advanced reader copy was provided by the publisher for an honest review. The provided copy did not require a positive review. 

Reviewed by: Kelly Klepfer

Jane of Austin Hillary Manton Lodge ~ Reviewed

Jane of Austin
Hillary Manton Lodge
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: WaterBrook (June 13, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1601429347

Description:

“Know your own happiness. You want nothing but patience - or give it a more fascinating name, call it hope.” ― Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility

Just a few years after their father’s business scandal shatters their lives, Jane and Celia Woodward find themselves forced out of their San Francisco tea shop. The last thing Jane wants is to leave their beloved shop on Valencia Street, but when Celia insists on a move to Austin, Texas, the sisters pack up their kid sister Margot and Jane’s tea plants, determined to start over yet again.

But life in Austin isn’t all sweet tea and breakfast tacos. Their unusual living situation is challenging and unspoken words begin to fester between Jane and Celia. When Jane meets and falls for up-and-coming musician Sean Willis, the chasm grows deeper.

While Sean seems to charm everyone in his path, one person is immune – retired Marine Captain Callum Beckett. Callum never meant to leave the military, but the twin losses of his father and his left leg have returned him to the place he least expected—Texas.

In this modern spin on the Austen classic, Sense and Sensibility, the Woodward sisters must contend with new ingredients in unfamiliar kitchens, a dash of heartbreak, and the fragile hope that maybe home isn't so far away.

 Review:

I love Jane Austen. And I tend to enjoy the creative tweaks her ideas have spawned. Traditionalist, classic Austen lovers who don't want her stories trifled with might not find this novel as endearing as I did.

Hillary Manton Lodge stays close to the story but builds it into a believable modern twist. Jane, Celia and Margot are displaced after a family scandal leaves them without a protector of sorts. They move far away from their beloved home to start fresh.

There Jane is rescued (or at least her tea plants are) by a knight in shining armor who then woos Jane's heart. While living in the carriage house on a cousin's property, they rebuild their lives and look for a new, perfect location for a tea shop. They struggle together to make sense of all the difficulties they've faced, in a way. Jane, though distracted by Sean and the search, is concerned that Celia won't even talk about the most important thing she left behind, her love. Distance grows between the sisters. And then a handsome friend of their cousin's enters the picture. Captain Callum Beckett traded his leg for a load of nightmares while serving his country. Burdened and coming home to face a mess his father and brother left behind, he discovers he is concerned about Sean Willis, and the damage he might do to Jane's heart.

The author included quite a few recipes and a satisfying conclusion. I definitely recommend this one.

Reviewed by: Kelly Klepfer


Disclaimer: A review copy of this novel was sent to me for the purpose of reading and reviewing. I was not obligated to give a favorable review. My opinions were not swayed by the free copy. If you purchase a copy through the provided link I will receive a small percentage of the sales.

The Devoted by Suzanne Woods Fisher ~ Reviewed

Back Cover Copy:

The Amish life is all she's ever known--but will it satisfy her soul?
Restless and adventurous, Ruthie Stoltzfus is right on the cusp of leaving her Amish home. Secretly, she's earned her GED, saved her money--but she can't quite set her journey into motion. Just as everything falls into place, along comes Patrick Kelly.

Patrick is a young man on a journey of his own. He's come to Stoney Ridge to convert to the Amish and has given himself thirty days to learn the language, drive a buggy, and adapt to "everything Plain." Time is of the essence and every moment is to be cherished--especially the hours he spends with Ruthie, his Penn Dutch tutor.

Ruthie's next-door neighbor and cunning ex-boyfriend, Luke Schrock, is drawn to trouble like a moth to a flame. Rebellious, headstrong, defiant, Luke will do anything to win Ruthie back--and Patrick Kelly is in his way.

Bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher invites you back to Stoney Ridge for a story of dreams deferred--and the promise of hopes fulfilled.

 Review:

The Devoted is book three in the series, The Bishop's Family. In this book, we follow Ruthie Stoltzfus. She is finding that she is restless with the Amish life, and is wondering if she wants to follow in her Aunt Ruth's footsteps to leave the Amish life and become a doctor or some other “worthy” profession. Just as she thinks she has things figured out, a young man named Patrick Kelly arrives in town. He is determined to join the Amish faith, and enlists Ruthie's help to teach him Penn Dutch in 30 days. In the meantime, we are also learning more about her Aunt Ruth, also known as Dok, who has taken over the practice of the town doctor. David, on the other, hand, is still settling into his role as bishop, trying to figure out how to deal with the change in the townspeople since oil was discovered on the town's land. I think my favorite character in this book was Patrick. As an outsider, he came in with all of these ideas of what the Amish life was like, and jumped right in. Not only was he sincere, but he was able to point out some observations from an outsiders point of view that shed light on many issues going on in the town.

Review by Sarah Meyers

DISCLAIMER: A copy of the book was provided for review purposes. A favorable review just means the reviewer liked the book, not that there was expectation of a good review. In addition, if you purchase through our provided link we may get a small percentage of the price paid.

Book Lover Alert

Brick and mortar seems to be merging and meshing into something a little more cloud like. As an author for a small publisher I am just fine with Amazon and the other on-line outlets. Honestly, the only book store I know that carries my book is Once Upon a Crime in Minnesota. (I highly recommend you go there for the smells and the squeaks and creaks, the delicious ambiance you can only find in an old building that is full of books! Someone needs to make an air freshener and call it old library!) 

Which brings me to my point. There is just something soul satisfying about an old book store or library. If you feel the same way, keep reading. You could become the new owner of a piece of fabulous history. 

If you are a book lover. Antique, vintage furniture lover. Word nerd.  You are going to want to start clicking.

Do you recognize this book cart? It is an antique book cart from the New York Public Library.  

Out of Print, the literary apparel and lifestyle brand based in New York, had fun refinishing it--cleaning it up without stripping it from its character.  Founders Todd Lawton and Jeff LeBlanc did some research on the cart and contacted the manufacturer--still in business

Out of Print is hosting a giveaway: an antique book cart, nine galleys from Penguin Random House and a $100 gift card to shop at www.outofprintclothing.com.

Go here and win a piece of the library for your home! 

https://www.outofprintclothing.com/pages/library-book-truck-giveaway