"Bride by Necessity" by Linda S. Glaz

About the Book

JONATHAN LAMBRICK NEVER PLANNED TO MARRY AGAIN

But when the master of Kent Park takes in the orphaned daughter of a tenant, Jonathan doesn't expect his young charge to be a stunning woman. Or for a predatory relative to lay claim to her. Marriage may be the only way to protect Payton from an unthinkable fate.

Payton Whittard knows her marriage to Jonathan is about safety, not love. But the feelings that soon arise during their arrangement are anything but safe. Still, there's something about her handsome protector that makes her trust him with her life. Can Payton trust him with her heart, as well?

 Please visit Linda S. Glaz's website

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This book was released in June 2014

This was a well loved library book that was reviewed

My Book Review Disclaimer

My Review

“Bride by Necessity” by Linda S. Glaz is a Heartsong Present set in England during the Regency period.

The good things about this book is that there is a lot of action for a Heartsong Presents book to where it was not easy to put the book down. The character's are written in such a way that their inner character is visible though maybe not to their full extent, though they were well fairly rounded characters. I was able to feel for the character's without any problem and even had to laugh at them a few times for it seemed as they were a little over the top at times. The beliefs, strength and determination of each of the character's come through without a problem. I couldn't help but cheer for the good guys and hope that the bad guys would see the error of their ways and maybe reform some. The ending was interesting in that context that is for sure.

The conflict within the story was one that was refreshing for it was not a battle within one or both of the character's about how they should not fall in love with the other. The conflict is pretty much completely external, and though the bad guys are pretty easy to spot, it wasn't easy to see who exactly was doing what and to what extent. I needed to suspend my belief of reality to fully enjoy the book, for it seemed to me that there was just too much happening for it to be believable to me, but once I suspended my belief of reality, then it became enjoyable. There is plenty of action from almost the start of the book and stayed moving in fast forward through the entire book without much rest, but there was also time enough for the love to develop in a unique way.

I hope that all who read this book enjoy it for the light read of a book that this is. A perfect book to kill a few hours out on the beach, under a blanket during a storm or anywhere else for that matter. 

 

"Blue Ridge Reunion" by Mia Ross

About the Book

Building A New Start

Chelsea Barnes never expected to see her high school rival, golden boy Paul Barrett, again. But when Paul applies for a loan to renovate his family's historic mill, it's Chelsea who the bank sends to her tiny hometown to assess the property—and Paul. It's her chance to prove herself to her boss, and Chelsea won't let Paul stand in her way. Paul would do anything to restore the mill for his ailing grandfather. Even allow the lovely Chelsea to help. Together, they just might build something beautiful…a happily-ever-after.

Barrett's Mill: In the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a family legacy leads to love.

Please visit Mia Ross website

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This book was released in August 2014

This was a well loved library book that was reviewed

My Review

“Blue Ridge Reunion” by Mia Ross is the first book of her “Barrett's Mill” series and I am already looking forward to the rest of the series.

This is a story of growing up, not in the sense that this is Young Adult and those growing up pangs that all teenagers go through, but more of how people grow up from when they were in High School. Cheerleaders, Jocks, Bookworms and everyone in between grow up in different ways and this shows just how people do grow up. That message was so unique that I still smile when I think about it. Though there are a lot of noticeable changes that happens to people from High School years, sometimes it takes some unique circumstances to help people grow into who they were meant to be as well.

Chelsea and Paul are rivals from High School and now they are forced to work with each other for the entire summer. Things are really interesting with their first meeting for there is some new discoveries, both good and bad, made on both ends and things don't get all that much easier as the story progresses. The only thing that does change, is how they work with each other which is interesting to watch change.

Chelsea is a woman who is determined to do what is expected of her by her father. Though she is not sure exactly how she can make him happy with what he is wanting, she is willing to do it against her judgment because there is something more important that is on the line. To watch this uptight woman change into something else throughout the story was interesting and so believable for it was not an overnight change, but a slow and steady change.

Paul is a man who seems to have a wandering foot and is back for a very special reason. It seems that Paul has always led a pretty carefree life but we see something different even from the beginning of the story. Paul is a man who might know how live in the moment there is something so much more to him. Paul is the type of man that would make for a wonderful friend and more for the right person, like Chelsea.

To watch how both Paul and Chelsea somehow manage to work together in order to restore something so important to someone who is important to one of the characters, not to mention the whole town, was a wonderful thing. Yes there was tension between Paul and Chelsea but it was a different type of tension and when that tension started shift some what there was something special about it. It was a slow progression and I think that is what helped for there is no way it could have happened faster and it still being realistic.

I hope all who read this book enjoys it as much as I did.

"The Cattleman Meets His Match" by Sherri Shackelford

About the Book

Galahad in a Stetson
Cowboy John Elder needs a replacement crew of cattle hands to drive his longhorns to Kansas—he just never figured they'd be wearing petticoats. Traveling with Moira O'Mara and the orphan girls in her care is a mutually beneficial arrangement. Yet despite Moira's declaration of independence, the feisty beauty evokes John's every masculine instinct to protect, defend…marry?

  

Moira is grateful for John's help when he rescues her—and she can't deny that his calm, in-control manner proves comforting. But she is determined not to let anything get in the way of her plans to search for her long-lost brother at journey's end. However, can John show her a new future—one perfect for them to share?

Please visit Sherri Shackelford website

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This book was released in August 2014

This was a well loved library book that was reviewed

 

My Review

“The Cattleman Meets His Match” by Sherri Shackelford is about another one of the Elder brothers that we only heard about but never meet until now. There is some connections to Ms. Shackelford's prior books “Winning the Widow's Heart” and “The Marshal's Ready-Made Family”, but they are loose connections which means that this book is the perfect stand alone book with connections to the past books.

Jack is a man who is trying to find his own way in the world finally, and yet when things go way off course then he has to make some pretty some hard choices. Throughout the story Jack shows his honor and protective instincts regardless what he wants to do. At times there are moments where I could just imagine him wanting to pull his hair out because something that is happening. Though it is obvious that things are not going his way or the way he thinks they should be going, he shows that though he doesn't like it, he can go with the flow with little complaints. Hey he is a typical alpha male so of course a few grumbling moments is to be expected. Jack learned a few lessons along the way about himself.

Moira is a woman on a mission even with the side trip of trouble that she finds herself in. At times she is obsessive about her mission of finding her brother, but she is not willing to just dump her responsibility either. When things seem to be hitting an impossible roadblock, she decides to do something she figured was the only thing she could do, even though she had no clue on how to accomplish her plan. We watch Moira change in little ways through the whole story and maybe mature some.

The four young ladies who Moira feels so responsible for each have their own personality that is easy to see as the story progresses to where their names didn't always need to be mentioned to know who was who. Actually all of the characters, both major, secondary and minor characters had been written so well that they all seem to come to life.

The adventure that Jack, Moira and the girls goes on is not easy but wow what they all have to endure is both tiresome and at times down right hilarious. I found myself laughing out loud at some spur of the moment comment or one of the situations that was beyond funny. The adventure also one that stripes away pride and independence helping to create humility in some, while helping others mature into someone worth reading about later (I hope anyway) and strength in ones own self worth.

This book is worth the time it takes to read it for it was such a wondrous read that with lessons that each reader might come away with something different. I hope all who read it enjoy it as much as I did.

"A Bride in Store" by Melissa Jagears

About the Book

Impatient to meet her intended groom and help him grow his general store, mail-order bride Eliza Cantrell sets out on her travels a week early. But her plan goes sadly awry when her train is held up by robbers who steal her dowry and Axel, her groom-to-be, isn't even in town when she finally arrives.

Axel's business partner, William Stanton, has no head for business and would much rather be a doctor. When his friend's mail-order bride arrives in town with no money and no groom in sight, he feels responsible and lets her help around the store--where she quickly proves she's much more adept at business than he ever will be.

The sparks that fly between Will and Eliza as they work together in close quarters are hard to ignore, but Eliza is meant for Axel and a future with the store, while Will is biding his time until he can afford medical school. However, their troubles are far from over when Axel finally returns, and soon both Will and Eliza must decide what they're willing to sacrifice to chase their dreams--or if God has a new dream in store for them both.

Please visit Melissa Jagears website

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This book was release in September 2014

I received this e-book from "Netgalley.com" for free,

in exchange for a honest opinion and review of this book.  

No other compensation has been received.

My Review

“A Bride in Store” by Melissa Jagears is the second book in her 'Unexpected Brides' series but other than meeting Will Stanton again, this is a completely stand alone book. This is a book that is kind of hard to put into words what I think of it other than I truly enjoyed reading the book.

Since it is hard to put into words let me describe my journey through the reading of the book: couldn't believe the beginning, aww how sweet, oh man this can't be good, why doesn't the character speak up, NO that can't be happening, WHAT WAS THAT, shaking my head, roll my eyes, aww that was so sweet, really now, ok saw that coming, didn't see that coming, when are they going to learn, and about time. I would say that mostly covers the emotions that I found myself experiencing reading this story along with a few other things repeating. I found it hard to put the book down.

Will Stanton is now a young man who has a dream and is trying to work that dream come true. His heart is so soft and tender not to mention very large. He can't seem to say no, unless it is to Eliza funny enough, to anyone when they are asking for help regardless what the time might cost him. Will has some lessons to learn for himself which he does slowly throughout the story which could be easy to overlook if one wasn't looking for them, until suddenly the lessons are fully learned. Will knows what his problems are, or at least a couple of them, and works on trying to improve those problems if not outright fix them.

Eliza is a woman who seems to have blinders on for she is determined to see her desire come true. She is a woman who is learning a whole lot throughout the story, but she is also a woman who has a warm heart and is sometimes too honest. That honesty though got her in trouble a couple of times, also endeared her to a few people as well. Though Eliza does have some flaws, she is also a woman who is willing to overlook people who others shun and sees them for who they are. There is also a reason why she holds back the way she does and when she learns her lesson it is so unique in how she handles things, that I couldn't help but smile.

This story takes on so many twists and turns that honestly if I try to explain it all, then I would be giving away way to much of the story, so please refer to the paragraph talking about my journey through the story. That is the best I can do other than say it kept me on the edge of the seat the entire time I read the book. I must say that Ms. Jagears writing seems to be improving with each book and honestly I think she is now becoming only the third author I will consider buying her book without reading it first through the library.

I found that there is a couple of conflicts going on in the story. There is an external conflict that is always there but not the main focus of the story and resolved by the end of the story. The resolution of that conflict was interesting for there was both good and bad that came from that. The internal conflict was more of the main focus. The internal conflict is more in front because of everything that is happening but it helps shows the character's true inner character in their morals and beliefs. These really helped make the story go that extra mile in my humble opinion.

I hope all who read this book enjoy it as much as I did.

Other Books in the Unexpected Brides series 

by Melissa Jagears

Love by the Letter

A Bride for Keeps

 

"A Bride for Keeps" by Melissa Jagears

About the Book

A Tender Tale of Love on the Prairie Perfect for CBA Readers

Although Everett Cline can hardly keep up with the demands of his homestead, he won't humiliate himself by looking for a helpmate ever again--not after being jilted by three mail-order brides. When a well-meaning neighbor goes behind his back to bring yet another mail-order bride to town, he has good reason to doubt it will work, especially after getting a glimpse at the woman in question. She's the prettiest woman he's ever seen, and it's just not possible she's there to marry a simple homesteader like him.

Julia Lockwood has never been anything more than a pretty pawn for her father or a business acquisition for her former fiance. Having finally worked up the courage to leave her life in Massachusetts, she's determined to find a place where people will value her for more than her looks. Having run out of all other options, Julia resorts to a mail-order marriage in far-away Kansas.

Everett is skeptical a cultured woman like Julia could be happy in a life on the plains, while Julia, deeply wounded by a past relationship, is skittish at the idea of marriage at all. When, despite their hesitations, they agree to a marriage in name only, neither one is prepared for the feelings that soon arise to complicate their arrangement. Can two people accustomed to keeping their distance let the barricades around their hearts down long enough to fall in love?

Please visit Melissa Jagears website

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This book was release in October 2013

 This is a Kindle book that I own in my collection

My Review

“A Bride for Keeps” by Melissa Jagears is the first novel in her 'Unexpected Brides' series and her debut novel, and what a story it is. This is the second time I have read “A Bride for Keeps” and cried, laughed and enjoyed it as much as the first time through if not more so. Though this is part of a series it a complete stand alone book. Sure it might help to read “Love by the Letter” but really it is not necessary as there is an 18 year time gap between the story, and we meet up with the characters from “Love by the Letter” but those character's stories are told in a way that one is not lost.

We first meet Everett in “Love by the Letter” for he was connected to Rachel from that story. Everett's run of luck when it comes to brides is something that has become the town joke over the years sadly, and as a result has taken a toll on his pride and self-esteem when it comes to women. No matter what though Everett is an upstanding, hardworking, honorable man who though tries to protect himself, realizes his mistakes and does what he can to correct them. The lessons he learns through the story is something worth watching for he learns a lot about patience.

Julia is a woman with a secret, and not a little one either. She uses this secret as a way to protect herself to prevent the secret coming out or getting hurt with it. Her heart though is so large that she just wants to do the best that she can for all those around her. She took in people who needed a safe place with Everett's help, and gladly without thought gave away things she had. To watch Julia grow from who she was at the beginning of the story to who she was at the end was amazing and so glad that I got to watch it all over again.

The beginning is a little slow but frankly I think it is worth it for it sets up for so much that happens in the other parts of the book. This time around I understand a little bit better the need to go slower because frankly anything else and it just would have seemed as if things were happening just for the sake that Ms. Jagears could write it that.

The conflict is mostly an internal conflict that must be battled on two fronts, and battled it is. It was at times hard to watch the battle going on but then again I think that is part of the reason I enjoyed the story so much. There is an external conflict, though extremely small, and really never settled either oddly enough. I did keep expecting one thing to happen and then something else happened or never did. So this book is one that will keep people on their toes that is for sure.

I really enjoyed the character development on all the character's and felt as if they were so alive. I felt their fears, the angst that would over come them, the jealousy and even the love as it bloomed. These character's seemed more like friends in the real world instead of character's that are on paper.

I hope all who read this book enjoy it as much as I did.

Other Books in the Unexpected Brides series 

by Melissa Jagears

Love by the Letter

A Bride in Store

 

"Love by the Letter" by Melissa Jagears

About the Book

2014 Carol Award Finalist

Dex Stanton has never had much time for book learning. He's been too busy helping to provide for his family. Now that he's heading west, Dex is hoping to start a family of his own. However, his attempt to acquire a mail-order bride fails miserably when the lady writes back ridiculing his terrible spelling. Rachel Oliver may be the last person he wants to know what a dunce he is, but she's also the smartest woman in town--and it's clear he needs her help.

Rachel Oliver has lingered in town for three years secretly mooning over Dex Stanton, but now she's done. If the fool wants to write to a mail-order bride company, so be it. Once she begins giving Dex lessons, however, Rachel realizes she may not be prepared to give up just yet.

As their time together runs short, can two of the most stubborn people in town set aside their pride long enough to find love?

Please visit Melissa Jagears website

Get "Love by the Letter" from Amazon

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This book was release in September 2013

 This is a Kindle book that I own in my collection

My Review

“Love by the Letter” by Melissa Jagears is a short novella that kicks off her 'Unexpected Brides' series and what a kick off. I downloaded this short novella over a year ago and it made me impatient to read “A Bride to Keeps”, and now I am rereading both books in preparation for “A Bride in Store”.

This is a wonderful little story with a great message of stop judging oneself and start speaking up for when some people don't take a chance they risk loosing out on something really important. I could understand the secret that was kept, but when it came out so many things could have been resolved if honesty was a part of it as well.

The time is 1858 and we are meeting numerous people who are getting ready to move into Kansas from Missouri, several family members and friends, courting couples and married, all to settle some place together in Kansas. Dex has been planning the trip for a while and is all ready and even tried to find a mail-order bride. Things don't go the way the he hopes and swallows his pride when he looks for help from Rachel while trying to keep an even bigger secret just that a secret.

Then there is Rachel whose parents have a plan for her even if it is not something she wants to do for she has a secret herself that she has been fighting for years. Her heart is warm and so big for she is helping everyone who needs it even if it cost her something personal. She knows her dream but isn't sure what she should do.

I hope all who read this novella enjoys it and the rest of the books in the series.

Other Books in the Unexpected Brides series 

by Melissa Jagears

A Bride for Keeps

A Bride in Store

 

"A Love Undone" by Cindy Woodsmall

About the Book

A husband and son abandoned to forge a path alone.

A young woman who sacrificed her dreams.

How will the God of grace and hope help them find their way?

At nineteen years old, Old Order Amish Jolene Keim was on the brink of happily-ever-after when everything changed, stealing the future she expected and burdening her with an unbearable decision. For the next ten years, Jolene throws herself into family life—and then she meets Andy Fisher. The horse trainer and father to a sweet nine year-old challenges her and holds up a mirror to issues Jolene has been unwilling to face.

Andy is cautious about his deepening friendship with Jolene, but he believes she knows the truth about him – that he is a grass widower. As a man whose wife has abandoned him six years past, he is unable to divorce or remarry according to the Amish ways. Andy has wrestled with God concerning his reality, and he had found peace with the solitary future facing him…until he met Jolene.

As Andy and Jolene find themselves confronted by difficult choices, will they trust in God's guidance—or will the allure of their deepening friendship only lead to further temptation?

Please visit Cindy Woodsmall website

Buy "A Love Undone" from Amazon

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This book was released in September 2014

I received this book from "Blogging for Books" for free,

in exchange for a honest opinion and review of this book.  

No other compensation has been received.

 

My Review

“A Love Undone” by Cindy Woodsmall is a book that just didn't play fair right up until the end. I do admit that I am emotional reader, so it doesn't take much for me to cry, laugh or ache for the characters, but with this book it went so much deeper. My heart broke for the characters, and I got mad at how unfair everything was turning out to be. This book played havoc on my emotions more than any book I have read in the last couple of months that is for sure, and I loved the book dearly.

Here is a great book that seems to shout that life is not fair but we are never alone regardless what trouble we are facing. If we continue to follow God's path and stay within what we believe to be the right path, trouble is still going to be there, forbidden love may come to us, but we can find peace in what is denied us, through holding onto our faith in God, for there is a reason for everything we must go through.

Jolene is a woman who had to make a tough choice between what she wanted and what was best for her family. Choices between dreams and family is sometimes hard to choose between but she never second guessed herself or regretted her choice. Outwardly she appears to be one way but inside things seem to be different, and her secrets seem to be many. Some secrets she is not sure how to bring them to light while others she keeps for self-preservation. Regardless Jolene is a woman whose heart is pure as gold and she is a pretty easy going as well, while staying in the confines of the rules of her Old Amish district, for the most part anyway.

Andy is a man who is caught between a rock and a hard place, for he is not free to move on in life but he wants to do. Andy is also an honorable man who is willing to do what must be done in order to protect those he cares about, regardless the cost to himself, and so that he can remain in his Amish order district. Andy is patient and caring for people and animals which is so obvious with the way he trains horses and deals with those around him.

Beside this book being a great way to show that sometimes life is not fair to us but we are not alone, it is a wonderful example of love and patience. Not exactly the love and patience between a man and woman but the love and patience needed when dealing with siblings. Jolene showed such patience when she dealt with her siblings, even when they seemed to be rebelling against her. Then there is the love and patience one must need in dealing with those around us, even when it is killing us on the inside because of hurt and/or anger that is on the inside.

There are plenty of twists and turns within the book, and I was on the edge of my seat until just about the very end wondering what was going to happen. This is a book that is so different from most Amish books that I found that it was hard to put down even when I needed to get another tissue. I would be so sure that things were going to work one way and then suddenly I wasn't so sure, to the point where I skipped to the last page to read the last two paragraphs. Well all I can say about that, is when I finished those two paragraphs, I was more frustrated for I didn't get the answers I was looking for, which meant I knew that a happy ending was coming I just didn't know with who and how it came about.

This is a book that I highly recommend to anyone who is interested in Amish books that are a little different. If there are other emotional readers out there then I would strongly suggest a box of tissues close by, and everyone else I would say a few tissues for the emotions are powerful throughout the book.

Enjoy the book.

"The Widower's Second Chance" by Jessica Keller

About the Book

Learning To Love…Again 

Idyllic Goose Harbor, Michigan, offers a fresh start for broken-hearted Paige Windom. In addition to securing a teaching job at the high school, she'll fulfill her dream of helping at-risk teens in a nearby inner-city mentoring program. But Caleb Beck, a handsome yet overprotective widower and the center's founder, doesn't want Paige anywhere near the place. He's afraid she'll get hurt—just like his late wife. Paige knows she can do a lot of good—for the kids and Caleb himself. If only she can show him how to let go of his fear, maybe they'll both find a way to reopen their wounded hearts. 

Goose Harbor: Love is in big supply on the shores of Lake Michigan.

Please visit Jessica Keller website

Buy "The Widower's Second Chance" from Amazon

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This book was released in August 2014

This was a loved library book that was reviewed

 

My Review

“The Widower's Second Chance” by Jessica Keller is the first book in her “Goose Harbor” series and it was a wonderful start to the series. I really hope that the future books are settled around Amy, Maggie and Shelby. Those three young ladies really touched me even as the simple secondary characters that they were.

This is a story that deals with guilt and past hurts, hurts so deep that they are almost crushing of the spirit. These hurts are different for both Paige and Caleb and it is how they both react to those hurts that makes these two so interesting. Though each have been hurt in different ways, there is one common thing they have which is the fear to trust and that fear holds them back in so many ways.

It is not often that I actually quote from the book, but there was a statement made that was so beautiful that the image that was created, created such a warmth within myself, that it will stick with me for sometime. The statement can be found on page 222, “[...] I like to picture God as my dance partner leading me in all sorts of new and fun steps. Sometimes I mess it up, but He's right there to catch me in the midst of those stumbles.” I have always known God is there for me, no matter what I do, but to think of this life as one big dance with the greatest dance partner who will always catch me when I fall is just another wonderful reminder that I am always caught when I fall.

Paige is a woman who frankly is a mess in the opening scene and that was so refreshing for too many times the heroine or hero is well past the point where they are that kind of a mess, but not this time. To watch her to work through that pain to the point where she is at the end of the story was so beautiful for she was a work in progress the entire story and some of that progress was done subtly while some progress was forced out in the open.

Caleb is a man who is carrying the world on his shoulders it seems like and because of that people treat him a certain way, that bothered him but he wasn't sure how to change it. Caleb also was a typical stubborn character for he didn't want to listen to those around him even when what was said needed to be said until things got to the point where he was about to loose so much. Regardless of his flaws this is a man who was so caring and only wanted to help and protect those who he cares about.

There is conflict within the story but in the end the conflict was actually a benefit more than just helping Paige and Caleb to realize they are meant for each other, but the conflicts (yes there are a couple going on) are used to improve the characters and strengthen them. Truly the story with all that was going on, was not overwhelming with just interesting enough to keep me turning the page to see what was going to happen.

I hope all who read this book enjoy it as much as I did.