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.

A Fragile Hope by Cynthia Ruchti

A Fragile Hope
Cynthia Ruchti 
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Abingdon Press (April 4, 2017) 
Language: English 
ISBN-10: 142679150X 
ISBN-13: 978-1426791505



Back Cover: 

Josiah Chamberlain's life's work revolves around repairing other people's marriages. When his own is threatened by his wife's unexplained distance, and then threatened further when she's unexpectedly plunged into an unending fog, Josiah finds his expertise, quick wit and clever quips are no match for a relationship that is clearly broken.
Feeling betrayed, confused, and ill-equipped for a crisis this crippling, he reexamines everything he knows about the fragility of hope and the strength of his faith and love. Love seems to have failed him. Will what’s left of his faith fail him, too? Or will it be the one thing that holds him together and sears through the impenetrable wall that separates them?

Review:

Cynthia Ruchti is one of the authors I am compelled to read. She writes deep characters and adds settings that richly paint heart wrenching scenes. A Fragile Hope was the first book I've read of hers that has a male point of view. And what a point of view it is. As a marriage expert Josiah Chamberlain is sought out, his books sell, his wisdom changes lives. But one day he types "the end" on his latest manuscript, emerges from his comfortable home office and discovers that his own life is upside down and inside out. Josiah's "wisdom" turns out to be worthless in light of his new and uncharted territory. His theories leave him empty and his fragile hope only returns when he turns to God and gets real with his responsibility and failures. If you love powerful fiction, Cynthia Ruchti or novels that force you to look inward and assess your own choices and beliefs then grab a copy.

Reviewed by Kelly Klepfer

Disclaimer: A review copy of this book was provided. My review is not favorable because of this. I honestly liked the book and recommend it. If you click on the Amazon link and purchase this book I may get a portion of the price. 

An Uncommon Courtship by Kristi Ann Hunter ~ Reviewed

An Uncommon Courtship (Hawthorne House)
by Kristi Ann Hunter
Series: Hawthorne House
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (January 3, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0764218263

Description: 

"Engaging Regency romance to sweep you away."--USA Today Happy Ever After Blog
Life for Lady Adelaide Bell was easier if she hid in her older sister's shadow--which worked until her sister got married. Even with thepressure of her socially ambitious mother, the last thing she expected was a marriage of convenience to save her previously spotless reputation.

Lord Trent Hawthorne couldn't be happier that he is not the duke in the family. He's free to manage his small estate and take his time discovering the life he wants to lead, which includes grand plans of wooing and falling in love with the woman of his choice. When he finds himself honor bound to marry a woman he doesn't know, his dream of a marriage like his parents' seems lost forever. 

Already starting their marriage on shaky ground, can Adelaide and Trent's relationship survive the pressures of London society?

Review: 

An Uncommon Courtship follows Lord Trent Hawthorne. He is definitely happy not to be the eldest son in the family, as he in no way wants to be a duke, however, he is still having trouble finding out where he fits in society and what he should be doing. When he finds himself forced into a marriage with Lady Adelaide Bell, a woman he hardly knows, he tries to find the positive in the situation, knowing the Lord is in control, yet he can't help wishing the circumstances were different. Adelaide, on the other hand, is caught off guard just as much as him. Being the second daughter, and always overlooked, she has no idea how to be a wife and take care of a home, especially to someone she barely knows.

I love the books in this series, and this one is no exception. I love both Trent and Adelaide's characters. They are forced into a difficult situation, and while they have ups and downs, they are also open to letting the Lord work in their marriage so that, hopefully, love will grow. I highly recommend this book!

Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers

Chris Fabry's War Room ~ Reviewed

War Room: Prayer Is a Powerful Weapon
by Chris Fabry
Paperback: 424 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (August 4, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1496407288
Description:

Juggling motherhood and her job as a real-estate agent, Elizabeth Jordan wishes her husband could help more around the house. But Tony’s rising career as a pharmaceutical salesman demands more and more of his time. With a nice home in the suburbs and a lovely young daughter, they appear to have it all―yet they can’t seem to spend time together without fighting.

Hoping for a new listing, Elizabeth visits the home of Clara Williams, an elderly widow, and is both amused and uncomfortable when Clara starts asking pointed questions about her marriage and faith. But it’s Clara’s secret prayer room, with its walls covered in requests and answers, that has Elizabeth most intrigued . . . even if she’s not ready to take Clara’s suggestion that she create a prayer room of her own. As tensions at home escalate, though, Elizabeth begins to realize that her family is worth fighting for, and she can’t win this battle on her own. Stepping out in blind faith, putting her prayers for her family and their future in God’s hands, might be her only chance at regaining the life she was meant for.

Review: 

I've seen most of the Kendrick brothers' films and am a big fan of their ability to deliver important messages through humor and charming characters.

In the War Room novelization adapted by Chris Fabry, I found the Kendricks' wit intact. The quick moving plot line is all about fighting. The fleshed out characters of Tony and Elizabeth Jordan are experts in war and the proof is in quick flare ups and scars left behind. But, on some level, the life they've created, where they are miles apart, is normal. Elizabeth takes on the selling of a home for a feisty little prayer warrior who won't let Elizabeth rest in her cold war of a marriage. Instead she helps fan the flame in Elizabeth to put the armor on and battle for her family

Heart warming and challenging reading, highly recommended to anyone who loves a good story.

When I closed the book for the last time on this story I came away remembering that all is not as it seems. Material success, fame, beauty, glory are often just smoke and mirrors that don’t fool others, more likely we are only fooling ourselves. And sometimes God's best work is to rip down what we've built. God is in the business of retooling, reframing, reimagining and repairing our lives when we get out of the way and stop fighting His every move.

Reviewed by: Kelly Klepfer

Sarah Sundin's On Distant Shores ~ Reviewed

ON DISTANT SHORES
Sarah Sundin
Series: Waves of Freedom (Book 1)
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Revell (August 4, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0800723422

Description:

War is coming. Can love carry them through the rough waters that lie ahead?
It is 1941 and America teeters on the brink of war. Handsome and outgoing naval officer Ensign Jim Avery escorts British convoys across the North Atlantic in a brand-new destroyer, the USS Atwood. On shore, Jim encounters Mary Stirling, a childhood friend who is now an astute and beautiful Boston Navy Yard secretary. 

When evidence of sabotage on the Atwood is discovered, Jim and Mary must work together to uncover the culprit. A bewildering maze of suspects emerges, and Mary is dismayed to find that even someone close to her is under suspicion. With the increasing pressure, Jim and Mary find that many new challenges--and dangers--await them.

Review: 

On Distant Shores is about Georgiana Taylor, a young flight nurse in World War II. She left a comfortable home and a loving fiance to serve her country, against the wishes of both her family and her fiance. John Hutchinson is a 2^ndgeneration pharmacist who has enlisted to help his country, but finds that he is the low man on the totem pole, and neither him nor his profession receives the respect he feels he deserves. John and Georgiana meet, and while there is an instant chemistry, they both have someone waiting for them back home, and they are determined to be faithful. Throughout the war, they endure some very trying difficulties, not only due to the circumstances of the war, but due to ways in which the lives they left back home in the states are changing.

I really had a hard time putting this book down. It was so interesting to me. I love history, and haven't read a lot of books during this time period, but I thought it was very well done, not only the characters, but the historical aspect of it. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers

Susan May Warren's Heiress ~ Reviewed

Heiress
By Susan May Warren
Published by Summerside Press
ISBN-13: 978-1-60936-218-8

Description

The beautiful heiress daughters of newspaper magnate August Pierce have been given everything their hearts desire. But what if they want only to be loved—without an enormous price tag attached?

When one daughter pursues a desirable marriage, she secures for herself a comfortable and glamorous life. But among the duties of privilege, will she find the happily-ever-after she seeks? Her sister rejects the trappings of wealth, choosing instead to build a new life on the still-untamed frontier. Will independence bring happiness, or has she left her heart behind in New York's glittering society?

Set in the opulent world of the Gilded Age, each woman discovers that being an heiress just might cost her everything—including the chance for true love.


Review:

Susan May Warren took a bold step with this novel and one I applaud. Gripping, this imaginative tale will leave you turning pages without pause. With unexpected twists and masterful storytelling, Warren has penned one of her best novels to date.

Reviewed by: Ane Mulligan, editor & V.P.
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