Brandy Vallance's The Covered Deep ~ Reviewed

The Covered Deep 
by Brandy Vallance
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Worthy Publishing (October 14, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 161795375X

Description:

SOME DREAMS ARE WORTH SEARCHING FOR

Bianca Marshal is looking for a man who can quote both Jesus and Shakespeare. Not surprisingly, that man is hard to find in the small Appalachian town where she lives. Her mother insists that Bianca lower her standards. One the eve of her twenty-fifth birthday, even Bianca wonders if her mother is right.

Still set on experiencing love, or at least a little adventure, Bianca wins an essay contest that propels her into a whirlwind search for the perfect hero. Via the opulence of London and the mysteries of Palestine, Bianca's true love will be revealed—but not without a price that might be too heavy to pay.

Review:

The Covered Deep is a very well written piece of fiction. A winner of Operation First Novel, author Brandy Vallance put a daunting amount of research into this one. Not only did she have to study late 1880’s Appalachia, she had to study London, ships, and the Middle East.

Her characters are well-read and studied and the knowledge they have is a fun way Ms. Vallance shares some of her historical tid bits.

Often, a book’s first chapter is the polished and best written section of the entire book, but I found that the further I traveled with Bianca Marshal, the more I enjoyed the smoothness of the prose.

As I said, this novel is historically rich including customs, apparel, social interactions and events. Several museums factor in and there is a wealth of great historical material covered. Spiritually, the novel is rich without being too preachy.

Even better than the history is the plotline and characters. This novel is full of some cat and mouse intrigue. One of the characters is a bit of a game player and the intensity of the simple story that could have been is ramped up with tension. My favorite character is the male lead and there were moments where I grew a little frustrated with Bianca as she struggled with him.

I’d love to see a sequel and I hope there is one in the works. There are situations I’d love to follow up on and think there is plenty of material to build on and come up with even a third book. I don’t want to drop any spoilers so I feel like I’m being vague. So here’s my bottom line. This is definitely a great read, a terrific Christmas present for a historical fiction fan, and I recommend it to those who love historicals.

Reviewed by: Kelly Klepfer

Serena Miller's Fearless Hope ~ Reviewed

Fearless Hope: A Novel Paperback
by Serena B. Miller (Author)
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Howard Books (April 8, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1451660375

Description:

When an Amish woman falls for the New York crime writer who buys her family farm, she must decide whether to follow the longings of her heart or the rules of her faith.

When Hope Yoder loses her husband, she is left trying to support her two small children—and one on the way—however she can. She ends up taking a job as a part-time housekeeper for the Englisch man who has bought the farm that once belonged to her family. 

Logan Parker is a bestselling crime fiction writer from New York City who accompanies his fiancée on a trip to Holmes County, Ohio, but the trip takes a strange turn when he sees an Amish farmhouse for sale. Intrigued by a strong sense of familiarity, he enters the house and is overcome with a feeling of deep peace. He’s never been to Ohio before, but something in this house feels right, and he purchases the farm to use as a retreat. Something about the peacefulness of the house frees him from the crippling writer’s block that threatens to ruin his career, and something about the quiet Amish woman who comes to clean his home makes him less and less excited about returning to New York and the woman he is supposed to marry. 

Slowly, Logan and Hope are drawn together, and when they discover that they share a strange past, they must decide how that affects their future. Will Hope overcome her fear of embracing love again?

Review: 

Fearless Hope tells us about a young Amish woman named Hope Yoder. Her husband is tragically killed by a bull, leaving her with two young children and one on the way. Not wanting to take Alms from the community, she puts out an advertisement as a housekeeper. Meanwhile, Logan Parker, a bestselling fiction writer from New York, is going through a dry spell, and after a visit in Holmes County, buys a home that used to belong to Hope's family, hoping to find rest from the hustle and bustle of New York, and hopefully to overcome the writer's block he has been experiencing. After a chance meeting, he hires her as his housekeeper, and they settle into a routine. Obviously, they begin to develop feelings for each other. Even more strangely, Logan keeps having a sense of deja vu, on top of a strange sense of peace, like he's been to this community before. As they begin to grow closer, pieces of the puzzle begin to fall into place, revealing secrets that have been kept from Logan for most of his life.

I had a hard time putting this book down. I believe it was part of a series, and I had not read the previous books, however, that didn't make it difficult to get into this story. At times, I would get caught up in the everyday parts of the story and forget that there was an underlying mystery to be solved and that would pique my interest anew each time. I really enjoyed this book and how it ended, and the tone of forgiveness by the people in it.

Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers

Julie Klassen"s The Secret of Pembrooke Park ~ Reviewed

The Secret of Pembrooke Park

By Julie Klassen

Bethany 2014

ISBN 0764210718

BACK COVER:

Abigail Foster fears she will end up a spinster, especially as she has little dowry to improve her charms and the one man she thought might marry her--a longtime friend--has fallen for her younger, prettier sister. 

When financial problems force her family to sell their London home, a strange solicitor arrives with an astounding offer: the use of a distant manor house abandoned for eighteen years. The Fosters journey to imposing Pembrooke Park and are startled to find it entombed as it was abruptly left: tea cups encrusted with dry tea, moth-eaten clothes in wardrobes, a doll's house left mid-play . . . 

The handsome local curate welcomes them, but though he and his family seem to know something about the manor's past, the only information they offer Abigail is a warning: Beware trespassers who may be drawn by rumors that Pembrooke contains a secret room filled with treasure. 

Hoping to improve her family's financial situation, Abigail surreptitiously searches for the hidden room, but the arrival of anonymous letters addressed to her, with clues about the room and the past, bring discoveries even more startling. As secrets come to light, will Abigail find the treasure and love she seeks...or very real danger?

MY REVIEW:

Warning: stock your freezer with frozen pizzas because you won’t be feeding your family until you’ve finished this book.

THE SECRET OF PEMBROOKE PARK is by far the finest to date of author Julie Klassen’s novels. Danger. Love. Intrigue. A mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end. You’ll find all the ingredients of a historical romance with a gothic flair in this latest release.

Heroine Abigail Foster struggles with feelings of self-worth, magnified by her younger sister’s beauty. When an opportunity presents itself for her to depart from family for awhile and prepare a country home for their residence, she jumps on it. In the process, she discovers a house full of mystery. . . and a very handsome curate to help the solve the puzzle.

William Chapman is everything a hero should be. Compassionate. Trustworthy. Big biceps. More than that, though, he truly cares about the souls of his parish, Abigail’s included. 

Which makes it even harder for Abigail to choose when the former love of her life shows up. Don’t worry. I won’t give anything away. You’ll have to wonder like I did until nearly the end of the story.

PEMBROOKE PARK is a fantastic tale, sure to make you drop all your responsibilities and hole up on the couch for a few days. Plan ahead and have plenty of tea and scones available, because seriously, you will NOT put this one down.

Reviewed by: Michelle Griep

Rachel Mullel's Letters from Grace ~ Reviewed

Letters from Grace (Love and War Book 1)
Rachel Mullel
Print Length: 348 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1500847089

Back Cover:

Is loving a man in uniform worth the risk? 

Scarred from the death of her fiancé in World War II, Grace Campbell must learn to love again. Lieutenant Luke Brady could make falling in love easy...except he's going to war. There's one thing that can keep a thread tied between them--letters. But the suave Dr. William Keller enchants Grace with his charm and proposes marriage. She must choose between them. Will she settle for comfort and safety or risk losing everything on the Normandy beaches?

Review:

As World War Two comes to its climax, two people discover the meaning of loving and letting go during a time when far too many hearts were broken by the ravages of war.

World War Two continues to fascinate historians and readers alike for a plethora of reasons. People love hearing about the triumphs of those who were a part of the Greatest Generation. The drama, romance, and bravery of those who fought for freedom across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans are compelling on their own…bring in a talented author whose sincere love of the time period shines through the pages and the stories just come to life.

Debut author Rachel Muller has been obsessed with World War Two since she was a teenager. Her love for this period is obvious in the multiple stories that make up Letters from Grace; her exquisite writing and attention to detail accentuate the gift she has for combing her passion with her talent. Letters from Grace is a novel that all readers will enjoy—World War Two aficionado or otherwise—because Muller knows how to pen a tale with exciting storylines and believable characters that bring the Greatest Generation to life.

Luke and Grace are in their twenties when World War Two begins—young enough to feel the excitement of love but old enough to know the heartbreak of war and death. Both of Muller’s protagonists fear the pain of opening up their hearts to love after they experience devastating losses in the early 1940s. Grace struggles to move past her loss and never loses her faith in God, despite a rapidly changing future with no concrete answers. Luke, meanwhile, falls prey to the pull of darkness and gives up all hope that his loving God has a plan for him. Grace and Luke’s friendship develops over the series of letters that helps keep him sane as he prepares for the crucial battle in the war—a battle that could bring freedom to many people but also the risk of death, injury, and more broken hearts. Months and many letters later, Grace and Luke have to decide if they will put their potential relationship in the hands of God or leave fate—and one disastrous war—to decide the future for them.

Readers of World War Two fiction have numerous extraordinary authors to choose from for their chosen genre of books. Sarah Sundin, Tricia Goyer, Cara Putnam, and Kristina McMorris all have penned tales of love, loss, and war during the 1940s. Some potential authors could be intimidated by the success rate of these authors—how could a new author begin to compete with these ladies’ novels? Not Rachel Muller! She’s written a story just as beautiful and compelling as any other author of World War Two fiction has come out and, if the early posted five-star reviews are any indication, she will rapidly join the ranks of her contemporaries.

Letters from Grace is told from third-person point-of-view that alternates primarily between Grace and Luke but occasionally brings in their two best friends, Maggie and Danny. These alterations allow readers to experience the war and home-front from many angles. Each character is lively and fully developed in ways that challenge readers to understand the perspectives of the various people who fought at home and across the seas. Grace, devoted to her work at the Ladies and Liberty and grieving for love; Maggie, cheerful and driven to bring God to sick and wounded soldiers on the front lines; Luke, lost over his absent family and finding solace in the Army; and Danny, love-stricken and determined to come home from the war a hero. Each storyline brings to life different struggles that were unique to the Greatest Generation; however, the emotions that Muller shows from her characters are so well written that the happiness, sadness, and desperation are easily felt when reading Letters from Grace. I found the friendship between Luke and Danny and Maggie and Grace honest and open. The love these characters had for each other and showed to those around them exquisitely exemplifies why those who lived during World War Two are known as the Greatest Generation.

An avid reader of World War Two historicals, I jumped at the chance to review Letters from Grace because I never pass an opportunity to read another story set in my favorite time period. As a bonus to my already excited disposition at finding this new novel, I knew that if authors Sarah Sundin and Cara Putnam were assisting Muller with her book that Letters from Grace was bound to be an excellent story. My assumption was correct—a five-star novel from a debut author, readers of World War Two fiction will have a new favorite author to add to the already stellar collection of those who tell stories of the Greatest Generation. From the gorgeous cover, to the thick binding and paper, to the historical details and symbolism front and back, Letters from Grace is just as beautiful on the outside and its story comprises the inside. This novel is one to keep on your shelves for re-reading and display purposes. It is in all truth that I say I looked immediately to the back of the back for information on future novels from Muller. Without even reading the story, I smiled widely upon finding the release date for Maggie’s Mission. January 2015 can’t come soon enough!   

Reviewed by: Marisa Deshaies

Kristine McGuire's An Insider's Guide to Spiritual Warfare ~ Reviewed

• An Insider's Guide to Spiritual Warfare
• Kristine McGuire
• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Chosen Books (October 7, 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0800796020

Description: 

Having spent years as a medium, witch and ghost hunter before reclaiming her identity in Christ, Kristine McGuire has been on both sides of the battle lines. In her new book, An Insider’s Guide to Spiritual Warfare, she offers unique insight, revealing Satan’s 7 favorite battlefields (such as fear and gossip) as well as the most effective tactics he employs in the battles we face every day. 

McGuire also shares 30 battle-tested strategies for victory based on her firsthand experience with the occult and the paranormal. Some of the topics she covers include: 

• how to walk in God’s authority
• using spiritual armor
• how to recognize and avoid the influence of the occult in our culture 
• whether the Bible supports the existence of ghosts

Review:

I have made a whole lot of mistakes in my life. I really don't like learning things the hard way. So, it's always refreshing to be able to learn from someone else's journey.

Enter Kristine McGuire. McGuire spent years immersed in the Occult and even transitioned herself into a unique blend of Christianity and witchcraft. God actually opened her eyes to the choice she needed to make between Him and evil while she was knee deep in ghost hunting.

McGuire even has toxic legalism in her background as well so she has spent time in the religious realm, darkness and now has a deep understanding of grace.

An Insider's Guide to Spiritual Warfare includes a grace-filled approach to spiritual warfare. There is a lack of fear, terror and looking for a demon in every bush and an abundance of truth. The biggest element of truth running throughout the handbook is the reality that living in Christ is the answer. However, there are so many details that McGuire gleaned from her journey that paints a picture of what that might look like in various situations. From things that permeate our culture that are open doors into evil, to our provided spiritual armor, to the destructive attitudes that are open doors for self and demonic deception.

With questions for self-assessment and consideration at the end of each chapter and plenty of help on handling different scenarios, I think this would be a terrific book for independent or group study. Overall, even though McGuire shares some detail of her dabbling the overall glorification is of God and His power and character. A curious teen should probably have a parent or another trusted adult go over the study and details of the book with them.

Reviewed by: Kelly Klepfer

Gina Holmes's Driftwood Tides ~ Reviewed

Driftwood Tides
by Gina Holmes
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (August 15, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1414366426

Description:

He made himself an island until something unexpected washed ashore.
When Holton lost his wife, Adele, in a freak accident, he shut himself off from the world, living a life of seclusion, making drifwood sculptures and drowning his pain in gin. Until twenty-three-year-old Libby knocks on his door, asking for a job and claiming to be a friend of his late wife. When he discovers Libby is actually his late wife’s illegitimate daughter, given up for adoption without his knowledge, his life is turned upside down as he struggles to accept that the wife he’d given saint status to was not the woman he thought he knew.

Together Holton and Libby form an unlikely bond as the two struggle to learn the identity of Libby’s father and the truth about Adele, themselves, and each other.

Review:

Gina Holmes has produced her best novel yet. I love escaping into fiction where the author's voice enhances the story but doesn't intrude. Holmes has done this with Driftwood Tides. I didn't think about her previous books and compare. I was pulled into the story of a young woman who discovers a shocking secret and who's life gets turned upside down. 

Holmes tackles heavy subjects and produces deep characters. Her debut was a woman coming home to die and to find a family for her daughter. Her second novel was about the destruction and tentative rebuilding of a marriage, her third domestic violence. So, those who prefer inspirational escapism aren't likely to find Gina Holmes an easy author to read. But for those who want reality, even ugly, and to see the ever hopeful evidence of God's character find so much to love in Holmes's novels. 

Driftwood Tides dives deeply into human dysfunction and deception. The characters have chosen so many unhealthy different ways of coping with life's disappointments. But hope wins. If you have loved any of Gina Holmes previous work you should love Driftwood Tides.

Reviewed by: Kelly Klepfer

Stephanie Fowers's Jane and Austen ~ Reviewed

Jane and Austen

By Stephanie Fowers 

2014 

Triad Media and Entertainment

1500233110

BACK COVER:

Meet Jane and Austen. First there's Jane - an impractical, starry-eyed wedding planner; if love can't match what she's read in a book, she doesn't want it. And then there's Austen - a pragmatic, logical-to-a-fault financial consultant; even if he were interested in someone, he wouldn't know.

The two have one thing in common: they can't leave each other alone. Jane believes that if Austen could just experience a fairy tale romance, he would secretly love it. And Austen's pretty sure thats  if one of Jane's beloved heroes escaped from the pages of her dog-eared novels, she'd run and hide.

Both are about to be proven right.

When the rivals are called on to help a friend plan the biggest wedding of the year, an entire resort full of colorful wedding guests descends upon them -- many sharing uncanny similarities to characters in a Jane Austen novel. It doesn't take long before Jane gets everything she thinks she wants. After all, too much of a good thing can't be all that bad, right?

But when Jane's life turns upside down, the only one she can turn to is Austen; though he's got his own troubles of the heart . . . and she's afraid he's enjoying them more than he should.

MY REVIEW:

Light-hearted. Somewhat cheesy. Super fun. Any of these descriptions make your heart beat faster? If so, check out Jane and Austen. 

The story centers around Jane, an event coordinator at North Abbey (yeah, a total play on Northanger Abbey). Her boss is getting married to a Brit and it's quite the huge event, with guests bearing names and attributes to most of Jane Austen's beloved characters. 

Jane is easy to love, though sometimes I did want to slap her. Mostly, though, I wanted to slap Austen, who spends most of the first half of the book being an idiot. Don't worry. He comes to his senses later on.

Jane and Austen is a quirky play on Jane Austen's works. If you're a purist, it will probably annoy you, but if not, you're going to love this fun little love story.

Reviewed by: Michelle Griep

Cindy Thomson's Annie's Stories ~ Reviewed

Annie's Stories (Ellis Island Novel V2)
By Cindy Thomson (Author)
Pages 402
Binding Softcover
Release Date May 1, 2014
Publisher Tyndale House Publishers
Series Ellis, Island

Description


The year is 1901, the literary sensation "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" is taking New York City by storm, and everyone wonders where the next great book will come from. But to Annie Gallagher, stories are more than entertainment--they're a sweet reminder of her storyteller father. After his death, Annie fled Ireland for the land of dreams, finding work at Hawkins House.But when a fellow boarder with something to hide is accused of misconduct and authorities threaten to shut down the boardinghouse, Annie fears she may lose her new friends, her housekeeping job . . . and her means of funding her dream: a memorial library to honor her father. Furthermore, the friendly postman shows a little too much interest in Annie--and in her father's unpublished stories. In fact, he suspects these tales may hold a grand secret.Though the postman's intentions seem pure, Annie wants to share her father's stories on her own terms. Determined to prove herself, Annie must forge her own path to aid her friend and create the future she's always envisioned . . . where dreams really do come true.

Review:

Annie’s Stories tells us about Annie Gallagher in the time when The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was beginning to take the nation by storm.  She is a recent immigrant from Ireland.  She was raised by her father, but when he died suddenly, she found herself forced into a woman’s asylum by her uncle, who did not want her.  She is rescued by a priest, who sends her to America to live with his sister in a boarding house, where Annie earns her keep working for her board.  Her belief God has long since passed due to the trials she’s endured, but she finds comfort in The Wizard of Oz, as it reminds her of her storytelling father.  She has some of her father’s stories that he used to tell her written down, and as she begins to share them, people begin to get interested.  When the stories disappear, she fears they have fallen in the wrong hands.  
          
Annie has such a hard time trusting people, and most of all, God, due to what she’s been through.  So much so that she can’t see the caring people that are right in front of her face.  She has an ideal in her head of what love and home are and can’t seem to get past that.  But it’s fun to see her start to open up.  She’s such a lovely character.  This story was a lot better than I expected it to be when I first read the synopsis.  I was pleasantly surprised.

Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers

Jan Karon's Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good ~ Reviewed

Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good: The New Mitford Novel 
By Jan Karon
Pages 670
Binding Softcover
Release Date Sep 2, 2014
Publisher Penguin Group USA
Series Mitford Years
ISBN 0399172211


Overview
After five hectic years of retirement from Lord's Chapel, Father Tim Kavanaugh returns with his wife, Cynthia from a so-called pleasure trip to the land of his Irish ancestors. While he is glad to be a t home in Mitford, something is definitely missing: a pulpit. But when he's offered one, he decides he doesn't want it. Maybe he lost his passion. His adopted son, Dooley, wrestles with his own passion--for the beautiful and gifted Lace Turner--and his vision to become a successful country vet. Dooley's brother Sammy, still enraged by his mother's abandonment, destroys one of Father Tim's prized possessions. And Hope Murphy, owner of Happy Endings Bookstore, struggles with the potential loss of her unborn child and her hard-won business.

Review:

Father Tim is back! Those who have visited Mitford before will be excited. It has been a long time since Father Tim was in Mitford. I love the Mitford series by Jan Karon (10 novels published between 1994 and 2014 with two other novels called the Father Tim novels)! Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good (don’t you love the title) is the first book published in the Mitford series since 2005. I love the Mitford Series for many reasons but the main reason is the town and the people are so real to me. I know that Mitford exists somewhere and that Father Tim and Cynthia must be real people. I feel like I know all the people in Mitford. Jan Karon is a master at creating believable characters and at creating many characters who each have distinct personalities. Another thing I love about Mitford is it is a place where people care about each other and where God’s wisdom is shared openly. There are always both laughter and tears in these novels. If you have read the series before and loved them or even just liked them, you will love this new one. The author manages to pay homage to all the characters and stories in the series without it feeling like a review or a summary. But if you have never read any of the books and there is any chance at all you will read them, I strongly encourage you to read the books in order. If you are a reader who has no intention of reading any of the other novels, I do believe you would still enjoy this book just not on the same level as someone who is familiar with the characters, the inside jokes and all the nuances of the relationships. If this were the first book I read, there would be a lot of references I wouldn’t understand and I probably would be a little frustrated. For me, there where times in this book where I laughed (as always) and one time in particular when I burst into tears (I won’t tell you which part). I believe it is the best one of the series. I love the characters, I love the story lines and I love that Father Tim’s relationship with Jesus is shown so clearly and is real not pretentious and not making him look like he is perfect. This novel (and series) is great for someone who wants to read inspirational stories about people that include all the daily challenges of life and family told with humor and truth. (If you have never read any of the books and aren’t sure you want to read all ten, at least read the first book At Home in Mitford before you read this one and it will increase your enjoyment of the story.)

Reviewed by: Susan Aken

Jennifer AlLee's Last Family Standing ~ Reviewed

Last Family Standing
By Jennifer AlLee (Author)
Binding Softcover
Release Date Sep 16, 2014
Publisher Abingdon Press
ISBN 1426768095

Overview

Twenty-five years ago, Monica Stanton gave up a baby girl for adoption. Now, the thing Monica didn't dare hope for has happened: Jessica has reentered her life . . . and brought a little drama and competition with her. Jessica is willing to meet her birth mother, but she wants the reunion to air on a reality TV show. Monica would rather chew glass than appear on TV. But she'll swallow her pride-and a few other unsavory items-if that's what it takes to reconnect. As if getting to know her grown daughter while competing on a remote island isn't hard enough, Monica is further confused when Jessica's long-lost birth father shows up, complicating both her relationship with her daughter and the attraction Monica has to the hunky reality show host. The fruit-basket upset of emotions, accusations, and regrets might make for good TV, but will it destroy the family in the process?


Review:

With all the competition and obstacles of a reality TV show, Last Family Standing by Jennifer AlLee will have you turning page after page to see who wins. AlLee does an excellent portrayal of emotions in this book. They snap with electricity and are anything but stereotypical. Novel Rocket and I give it a high recommendation. It's a perfect Spring or Summer read.

Reviewed by: Ane Mulligan, president

Novel Rocket

Ane Mulligan's Chapel Springs Revival ~ Reviewed

Chapel Springs Revival

• Ane Mulligan
  Paperback: 274 pages
  Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas (September 8, 2014)
  Language: English
  ISBN-10:1941103413

Description:

With a friend like Claire, you need a gurney, a mop, and a guardian angel.

Everybody in the small town of Chapel Springs, Georgia, knows best friends Claire and Patsy. It's impossible not to, what with Claire's zany antics and Patsy's self-appointed mission to keep her friend out of trouble. And trouble abounds. Chapel Springs has grown dilapidated and the tourist trade has slackened. With their livelihoods threatened, they join forces to revitalize the town. No one could have guessed the real issue needing restoration is their marriages.

With their personal lives in as much disarray as the town, Claire and Patsy embark on a mission of mishaps and miscommunication, determined to restore warmth to Chapel Springs —and their lives. That is if they can convince their husbands and the town council, led by two curmudgeons who would prefer to see Chapel Springs left in the fifties and closed to traffic.

Review: 

I am always a little apprehensive when someone I know offers me a book for a review. 

I've known Ane Mulligan for years and she has been a staple and mentor in my writing and blogging journey. 

Ane's new book Chapel Springs Revival is a long time coming. Mulligan has worked the craft and networks involved in writing. If anyone deserves to be published just because she has given so much to other writers it would be Ane. 

But Mulligan isn't just a good writing citizen, she's a good writer with stories to tell that only she can. 

Ane introduces us to Claire and Patsy and their lives in a sleepy little village. But even sleepy villages often have underlying currents and pleasant, tranquil settings sometimes need a little  shot of passion and life. Chapel Springs is exactly there, and Patsy and Claire are treading in marital currents. 

Both women discover that their long marriages have begun to look a lot like the formerly charming town square. Used-to-be, lackluster, dull and barely functional. The ladies, along with some friends and frenemies, set out to refurbish pretty much everything. 

Claire, unfortunately, has a special knack for getting into hot water, so as the clean-up and self-improvement campaigns begin, Claire finds herself getting a little too immersed into the projects. My visual of Claire while reading about her antics is a mental merge of Lucille Ball in a panic, Tomb Raider's Lora Croft on a mission, and Mrs. Doubtfire with Mr. Mom on their learning curves. Let's just say that if something could go wrong and Claire is there it will go wrong in the worst way. My favorite scene in the book is at the end when she innocently has a mishap that lands her in an all dressed-up-and-no-way-out pickle. 

This story is sweet escapism but there are teaching elements that I appreciated as well. After all, I'm at a certain age and been married for a long while and have struggled with some of the same concerns discussed by Patsy and Claire. I mean, reality isn't a romance novel, it's a whole lot more like working late, worrying about family members and different interests most of the time. So while I loved the escapism and the fact that the book is very well written, I also appreciated the depth and realistic issues faced by the characters. 

I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. 

Reviewed by: Kelly Klepfer

Susan May Warren's Evergreen ~ Reviewed

EVERGREEN
Susan May Warren
Pages 192
Binding Hardcover
Release Date Jul 1, 2014
Publisher Tyndale House Publishers
Series Christiansen Family
ISBN 1414394012

Description

An empty nest has Ingrid Christiansen dreading the upcoming holidays, but her husband, John, couldn't be more excited about this new season of life. He even has a surprise trip abroad planned. He's sure she'll love it. What's more romantic than Christmas in Paris?Before he can stop her, however, Ingrid agrees to spearhead a major church project. Then their faithful dog, Butterscotch, needs emergency surgery, draining their savings. And then--because disasters strike in threes--an unexpected guest arrives, dredging up old hurts.As a beautiful blanket of snow transforms the north woods into a winter wonderland, a deep chill settles over John and Ingrid's marriage. With the holidays fast approaching, their only hope of keeping their love evergreen depends on turning the page on the past and embracing a new chapter of their future.                 Evergreen is a Christiansen Winter Novella.  It’s much shorter than the others in the series, but just as good.  This book focuses on the parents, Ingrid and John.  With all of their children out of the house and Christmas approaching, Ingrid is feeling down and out.  John decides to surprise her with a trip to Europe, only to find she volunteered them to head up the committee for the live Nativity seen that Christmas.  On top of that, an emergency surgery for the dog takes up most of their savings, and a surprise visitor shows up at their doorstep, for who knows how long.  While John is finding himself frustrated that he can’t have the perfect get-away and enjoy life as empty nesters, Ingrid is harboring a lot of anger and bitterness towards John over past issues.                   This book was great, though I was sad not to see much of the kids in it.  It was nice to see a focus on the parent’s, though, and the struggles they were going through.  The characters were very real.  The only thing that bothered me was that there was a point in the book where one of the unsaved characters was very curious about Jesus and John’s character didn’t really spell out the gospel for him.  The touched on trusting in God and such, but didn’t really dig in and explain to him that we are sinners that need a Savior, and that Savior is Jesus.  I wish the author would have taken the time to explain it more thoroughly. Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers

A Light in the Wilderness ~ Jane Kirkpatrick ~ Reviewed

A Light in the Wilderness
Jane Kirkpatrick
Pages 308
Binding Softcover
Release Date Sept. 2014
Publisher Revell
ISBN 1401687652

Description:

Letitia holds nothing more dear than the papers that prove she is no longer a slave. They may not cause white folks to treat her like a human being, but at least they show she is free. She trusts in those words she cannot read--as she is beginning to trust in Davey Carson, an Irish immigrant cattleman who wants her to come west with him.

Nancy Hawkins is loathe to leave her settled life for the treacherous journey by wagon train, but she is so deeply in love with her husband that she knows she will follow him anywhere--even when the trek exacts a terrible cost.

Betsy is a Kalapuya Indian, the last remnant of a once proud tribe in the Willamette Valley in Oregon territory. She spends her time trying to impart the wisdom and ways of her people to her grandson. But she will soon have another person to care for.

As season turns to season, suspicion turns to friendship, and fear turns to courage, three spirited women will discover what it means to be truly free in a land that makes promises it cannot fulfill. This multilayered story from bestselling author Jane Kirkpatrick will grip readers' hearts and minds as they travel with Letitia on the dusty and dangerous Oregon trail into the boundless American West.

Review:

Though Letitia’s been freed, she can’t truly leave the cruel reality of slavery behind her. She cringes at the harsh life many others, still enslaved, face each day. But more than that, she carries with her the crippling fear that her newfound freedom will be ripped from her. All she has to prove her status, after all, are papers she can’t even read. Papers that can be taken from her, destoryed, or lost, sending her back into bondage. Besides, even those don’t guarantee her freedom, not when hateful patrollers are about, looking for someone to beat down. But if she could get to Oregon, then she could truly be free.

Couldn’t she?

This was one of the most gripping, heart-wrenching, thought-provoking novels I’ve read in some time. Ms. Kirkpatrick did a masterful job with each of her characters, but the one I loved most was Letitia. Oh, sweet, strong, frightened, weak Letitia! There were so many times I wished someone would help you! Shield you from the hatred swirling all around you.

When we first encounter this sweet woman of faith, she’s beaten down, muted by her fear. But holding tight to her papers, she fights for the confidence deserving of a freed woman. Regardless if others accept her or her status. But so long as her confidence rests on those papers—which she can’t even read!—she will never truly be freed from her terror.

In Letitiia we see an authentic mix of fear and courage, of conviction and insecurity, coupled with a determination that propels her forward. And with each step forward, she fights to leave her bitterness behind, dropping it down before it even has a chance to take root. For hatred is a type of slavery she refuses to embrace.

Then there’s Davey, the man who shows her kindness and maybe even something more. When we first met Davey, I wasn’t sure what to think of him. He was quite kind and gentle, considering his times. But even so, he held a fair amount of male chauvinism, at least early on. But then again, characters without flaws, even those that infuriate us on occasion, fall flat. And yet, even with his flaws, for the most part Davey was an honorable man who strived to do what was right. Not that he always knew what the right thing to do was!

Though he did lie and hide the truth on more than one occasion, internally justifying his behavior when he did so. This angered me on more than one occasion, and yet, in many ways, it was his irksome behavior that made him most authentic.

If you enjoy deep, authentic, and historically rich novels, you’ll love A Light in the Wilderness. But keep a box of tissues handy, for this one’s a tear-jerker!

Reviewed by: Jennifer Slattery

Eva Gibson's A Stitch and A Prayer ~ Reviewed

Stitch And A Prayer (Quilts Of Love)
By Eva J. Gibson
Binding Softcover
Release Date Feb 1, 2014
Publisher Abingdon Press
Age 1-17
Series Quilts Of Love
ISBN 1426772521


Description:

After her fiance returns from the Klondike gold rush in 1897, Florence Harms sets about building a new life in her new marriage even though the lingering effects of illness have left her weak and vulnerable. She and her young husband, Will, work tirelessly to clear the land around their Northwest cabin, content with their modest life.

But then a stranger comes knocking and Florence suddenly senses a restlessness in Will s spirit that she had never seen before. When he leaves her with only a note that tells her he will return before their baby s birth, she is devastated, and the illness that stiffened her joints returns. Counting the days until Will walks back through her door, Florence busies herself with a Tree of Life quilt displaying a map of the farm they call home. Doubts claw at her heart as Florence struggles to believe Will s promise to return to her. Will her labor of love and faith in God sustain her as she waits to see her beloved once again?"


Review:

A stitch and a Prayer is about a newly married woman named Florence Harms, and takes place shortly after the Klondike gold rush in 1897. Her and her husband, Will, are trying to set up a new life for themselves. Florence has been battling terrible bouts of arthritis for some time, which makes it hard for her to be the wife she wants to be for Will. When she finds out she is pregnant, despite her joy, there is some nervousness, and too, wondering how she will cope with the other illness she is dealing with. In the meantime, a strange visitor shows up at their door, and shortly after, Will leaves without an explanation, promising to return in time for the birth of the baby.

This book ok, but it took a while to get in to. I couldn’t tell if it was a sequel to another story or not. It seemed to talk about things like I should have already known about them, which was very confusing to me. I did enjoy how the story unfolded, though, and the other supporting characters in the story made it fun as well.

Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers

Laura Frantz's Love's Fortune ~ Reviewed

Love's Fortune

By Laura Frantz

2014

Revell

9780800720438

BACK COVER COPY:

Sheltered since birth at her Kentucky home, Rowena "Wren" Ballantyne has heard only whispered rumors of her grandfather Silas's vast fortune and grand manor in Pennsylvania. When her father receives a rare letter summoning him to New Hope, Wren makes the journey with him and quickly finds herself in a whole new world--family members she's never met, dances she's never learned, and a new side to the father she thought she knew.

As she struggles to fit in during their extended stay, she finds a friend in James Sackett, the most valued steamship pilot of the Ballantynes' shipping line. Even with his help, Wren feels she may never be comfortable in high society. Will she go her own way . . . to her peril?

MY REVIEW:

From the wilds of Kentucky to the grand mansions of Pittsburgh, Love's Fortune takes the reader on a grand adventure of intrigue and romance. Join the dashing James Sackett and the sweet yet independent Wren Ballantyne in a sweet and educational story.

One of the things I love most about author Laura Frantz's writing is her attention to historical detail. I always learn tidbits I didn't know, and while reading, actually feel like I've been taken back in time. I had no idea that steamboats were so horrifically dangerous or that there's such a thing as an ice cream fork.

What most surprised me was the elegance of Pittsburgh. Admittedly, it's described as a dirty town, but high society lived and acted as though they were proper British folk.

Though Love's Legacy is the third installment in the Ballantyne Legacy, it can be read as a stand-alone. I'm living proof of it since (dare I admit?) I haven't read the first two in the series. After devouring this one, however, I'll be sure to pick up the first titles. Do yourself a favor and buy all three. You won't be sorry.

Reviewed by: Michelle Griep

Angela Breidenbach's A Healing Heart ~ Reviewed

A Healing Heart: Quilts of Love Series [Paperback]
By Angela Breidenbach (Author),
Studio: Abingdon Press
Pages 236
Binding Softcover
Release Date Apr 1, 2013
Publisher Abingdon Press
Series Quilts Of Love
ISBN 1426752695




DescriptionMara Keegan is an uber-successful mother and a widow of three years. She's been chasing success and all the "good things in life" for her family to make up for the cruel whim God played on them by taking her husband. In an effort to be the perfect mom, she decides to make a photo memory quilt, a graduation present for her daughter, Cadence.

She s not yet finished when she experiences a heart attack. While Mara recuperates, she revisits the choices she's made that led to this physically and spiritually broken heart. The memory quilt must be finished in time for Cadence's big day, but Mara struggles with her burgeoning feelings for the man who must keep Mara's business going during her recovery, Joel Ryan. Can Joel find his way into Mara's heart and onto Cadence's quilt?"

Review: 

A Healing Heart is about Mara Keegan.  Being a widowed mother of three children, along with running the business her husband left behind, leaves Mara with little free time for her family or her own hobbies and interests. After a heart attack and a broken ankle force her to slow down, she also comes face to face with having to trust someone else with her business.  Joel Ryan, her new business coach, wastes no time stepping to help out in any way he can, until he finally works his way into the hearts of Mara’s children, and herself.  However, she’s not sure she can let herself trust this man with everything, especially when he has such a strong faith in the Lord and her faith is so broken at the moment.

                

I did enjoy this book.  I liked Joel’s character.  Initially, when Mara had met him a few years before, he was not a Christian and tried to pull some unfair business dealings.  He has since become a believer and has to work really hard to earn Mara’s trust, but he doesn’t balk from the job.  His actions and love towards her and the family show the work that the Lord has done in changing him.  I think he was my favorite character.

Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers

Mary Ellis's Quaker and the Rebel ~ Reviewed

Quaker And The Rebel (Civil War Heroines V1)
By Mary Ellis (Author)
Pages 346
Binding Softcover
Release Date Jan 1, 2014
Publisher Harvest House Publishers
Series Civil War Heroines
Series Number 1
ISBN 0736950508

Publishers Description

Bestselling author Mary Ellis presents The Quaker and the Rebel, Book 1 of her brand-new Civil War historical romance series, which tells the stories of brave women in times of testing and the men who love them.

Emily Harrison's life has been turned upside down. At the beginning of the Civil War, she bravely attempted to continue her parents' work as conductors in the Underground Railroad until their Ohio farm was sold in foreclosure. Now alone, she accepts a position as a governess with a doctor's family in slave-holding Virginia. Perhaps she can continue her rescue efforts from there.

Alexander Hunt is the doctor's handsome nephew. While he does not deny a growing attraction to his uncle's newest employee, he cannot take time to pursue Emily. Alex is not at all what he seems--rich, spoiled, and indolent. He is the elusive Gray Wraith, a Quaker leader of Rebel partisans. A man of the shadows, he carries no firearm and wholeheartedly believes in Emily's antislavery convictions.

The path before Alex and Emily is complicated and sometimes life threatening. The war brings betrayal, entrapment, and danger to both of them. Amid their growing feelings for each other, can they find faith in God amid the challenges they face and trust in the possibility for a bright future together? 

Review:

The Quaker and the Rebel is about Emily Harrison, a young woman who is alone in the world during the Civil War.  She is a Yankee, through and through, and a Quaker.  She takes a job with a Southern family, the Benningtons, to be a governess to their daughters.  At the same time, she plans to get involved in the Underground Railroad to help slaves escape to freedom.  In the meantime, she meets the Benningtons’ nephew, Alexander Hunt.  She perceives him to be an arrogant aristocrat who cares nothing for the plight of the slaves, yet she can’t help feeling an attraction to him, much to her frustration.  What she doesn’t know is that Andrew is the famed Gray Wraith, who leads raids on Union Army in order to provide provisions for the Confederates with no personal gain for himself.  As they begin to fall in love with each other, they also start to learn more secrets about each other’s loyalties, and are unsure how to handle their growing feelings for each other along with their loyalties to their cause.

                

This book was excellent.  It kept me on the edge of my seat, and I had a hard time putting it down, as I kept wanting to know what would happen next.  I actually really liked Alexander’s character.  While he kept his identity hidden, he was real about himself.  Emily, on the other hand, came off as self-righteous, yet she was lying to the very people that took her in and came to love her, instead of trusting them to help her. You won’t be disappointed in this book.

Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers