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Goyer, Tricia and Mike Yorkey. 2009. The Swiss Courier. Revell. 324 pages.
He hoped his accent wouldn't give him away.
There was so much to love about this one. It's historical fiction. Set during World War II. 1944 to be exact. I've read many books set during this time period, but this one was unique--at least to me. It is set in Switzerland, for the most part, and stars heroes and heroines who are spies. They are men and women going undercover in Germany and risking their lives for the Allied Cause. Our heroine is the young and attractive Gabi Mueller. She's been given a secret mission--well, one big secret mission--she must help smuggle someone out of Germany. Will she succeed? Will her contribution make a difference to the war?
I think this one has much to offer readers. It's an enjoyable read that happens to be historical. If you love this time period, you should definitely seek it out.
Available October 2009 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
© Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
Snelling, Lauraine. 2009. A Measure of Mercy. Bethany House. 368 pages.
"Go or stay." Astrid stared at the daisy in her hand and pulled off two petals. Sitting on the back porch, she was supposed to be hulling strawberries. But somehow that didn't work as well when one had life-altering decisions to make. She pulled another petal. "Go." And watched it drift down to the second of the three steps.
The year is 1903. And Astrid Bjorklund has a decision to make. A big one. Should she go to Chicago or stay in Blessing, North Dakota?
If she goes to Chicago, she can further her medical training. She's been working with Dr. Elizabeth (Bjorklund). And she loves it--for the most part--especially when they're able to save a patient. But when they don't, it crushes her. So if she goes, she can train at a medical school for women. But if she goes, she'll be leaving her family--her big family behind. And she loves her family so, so much. Then there's that oh-so-dreamy boy, Joshua Landsverk, who's just returned to town. If she were to stay, something might happen. He might ask her to marry him. True, he hasn't mentioned marriage. But when these two are together, when they talk, when they dance, she feels a connection. But the medical training wouldn't last forever, it would just be half a year or so. So saying yes to Chicago doesn't mean saying no to marriage. What should she do? Or is there another option to consider?
Though this is the first book in the "Home To Blessing" series by Lauraine Snelling. It is not the first book starring this family. This is the fourth series of books about this family, about this settlement. (The other series are: "Red River Of The North" and "Return to Red River" and "Daughters of Blessing.") Does this make a difference? Can this book stand alone? I admit I struggled at the beginning. I struggled to make sense of all the family connections (and the chart did not help me). But. I stuck with it, and by the middle of the book, I was beginning to make connections and enjoy myself. Still, I know that if I had been familiar with the previous books that this one book would have meant more, much more, to me.
© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
Austin, Lynn. 2009. Though Waters Roar. Bethany House. 430 pages.
It was ironic.
I lay in my jail cell on a squeaky iron bunk, gazing at the stained mattress above me, and I remembered the day I first understood the meaning of the word ironic. I couldn't help smiling at...well, at the irony of it. The meaning had become clear to me ten years ago on the day my grandmother, Beatrice Monroe Garner, was arrested.
I love, love, love Lynn Austin. Granted, I don't love all of her books equally. Some are more amazing (to me) than others. So how did I feel about her latest book? Did it have me at hello? Is it a book I want to rush to put into my mom's hands? Will it top my best-books-of-the-year list?
What do I love most about Lynn Austin? Her characters. They're always so human, so fleshed-out, so imperfect, so real. Her stories matter because they're filled with life--not perfect life, not life as we imagine it or dream it, but real life with real problems. Her characters struggle because we as humans are always struggling.
What is Though Waters Roar about? Well, it's about women, about family, about rights, about social justice, about living life with purpose, having a cause. In Though Waters Roar we meet four women: Hannah Monroe, Beatrice "Bebe" Monroe Garner, Lucy Garner Sherwood, and Harriet Sherwood. It's a story of mothers and daughters and granddaughters and great-granddaughters.
And it's historical fiction. The modern setting (Harriet's present-day-in-jail) is 1919. With flashbacks, we travel back to the nineteenth century, to the 1850s I believe. (We're definitely there for the 1860s and 1870s as well.)
The story's heroine is Harriet Sherwood. When we first meet her, she's in jail. In jail and trying to figure out just how she got there, what led her to be in the place she is. She's a thoughtful character. The narrative is told through memories of her life, her family. But we also get a few flashbacks. That is, we get 'inside' the minds of other characters. For example, we spend a great deal of time with Bebe. We follow her from childhood through grand-motherhood.
I mentioned this one was about causes--and it is. Hannah is part of the Anti-Slavery movement. Bebe is part of the Temperance movement. Bebe and Lucy and Harriet are all Suffragists. (Though Lucy is a new champion of women's rights.) It was interesting to trace these movements through the decades.
So did I love it? Yes. Did I love, love, love it? Not as much as A Woman's Place. Not as much as Until We Reach Home. But I did enjoy it. I do think it's a good book. Well-written. Great characters that you can relate you. A compelling story. So I'm definitely going to be recommending it. And yes, I'm going to see if mom wants to read this one.
My review of Until We Reach Home. My review of A Woman's Place.
© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
Frantz, Laura. 2009. The Frontiersman's Daughter. Revell. 412 pages.
I've been in a bit of a reading slump lately when it comes to Christian fiction. I've not really enjoyed much of anything in several months--most of the summer really. But The Frontiersman's Daughter changed my luck. I just loved--and I do mean loved--this one. It's good historical fiction with a touch of romance.
Set in the 1770s in Kentucke (which is Indian Territory at this time) it is the story of Lael Click, daughter of Ezekiel Click, one of the first frontiersman in Kentucke. When the novel first opens, our heroine is just thirteen. But as young as that is, it's not too young to have caught the notice of Captain Jack. But I'm rushing into things aren't I? Oh well. That can hardly be avoided. The white settlers have an ongoing struggle for peace with their Indian neighbors, the Shawnee. And Ezekiel Click is an interesting case. A white man who was 'captured' (he chose to surrender instead of to fight) by the Shawnee and lived among them several years. He learned their language, learned their ways, earned their respect. Captain Jack is another white man--one captured as a young boy--living among the Shawnee. He is one of them. When the novel opens, a group of Shawnees are visiting the Click cabin. They're speaking with Ezekiel. And at one point, one asks--in English--to see his young daughter, to see Lael. He asks her to let down her hair. She does. And he obviously likes what he sees because he starts leaving presents for her to discover--a necklace of blue beads, a blanket, etc. But her mother has something to say about this! She won't stand for it. Not one little bit. So Lael is sent away--rather quickly--to visit Ma Horn, a woman who knows her herbs and is known as a healer. Lael learns her art, her techniques, something that will prove helpful later on in life.
The novel spans almost a full decade. We see Lael grow up. Lael loves the outdoors. She loves living in this 'wild' and 'uncivilized' place. So she's most unhappy when her father sends her away--sends her to Briar Hill, a school in Virginia that will teach her how to be a lady--a proper lady, civilized. It isn't until her father's death that she is able to return to Kentucke, to the land she loves.
She's strong. She's intelligent. We see her being pursued by several men: Simon (the brother of her best friend), Captain Jack (her father's friend, a white man living as an Indian), and Ian Justus (a young Scottish doctor). Which man is right for her?
What did I love about this one? The characters. The story. The details. I felt a connection with this one almost immediately. It was an absorbing read, one that was hard to put down.
© Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
Hancock, Karen. 2009. The Enclave. Bethany House. 492 pages.
Sometimes books arrive that I don't remember requesting. Such is the case with The Enclave by Karen Hancock. The fault, this time at least, is all mine. This is a blog tour book--apparently I signed up in May for it and forgot all about it! As I said I was surprised when it arrived because it's a genre that I don't really read much in. And there's a reason for that. It's a Christian book. (I don't mind those. That's not where I'm nitpicking.) But it's one of those oh-so-modern-thrillers. In The Enclave it is one of those Evil Institution and Mad Scientists type of thriller.
What is The Enclave about? Who are its stars? We've got two Christian scientists: Lacey McHenry and Cameron Reinhardt. Both are employees at Kendall-Jakes, a research institution under the direction of (the tyrannical and so obviously evil) Parker Swain. The list of 'bad guys' is rather long in this one. But essentially there are plenty of scientists more on the mad side of things who are looking for a way to obtain immortality, to conquer death and the like. One of their schemes includes manipulating genes and human cloning. Employees are encouraged to worship their director and give their all for him. He can be very persuasive. Unfortunately, he can also be very dangerous.
Poor Lacey has quite the time of it. There's a weird "anomalous" creature after her, that is stalking her, who turns murderous when she's transferred out of her department. And then there's the sexual harassment from Swain. She's caught the boss' attention, and he'll stop at nothing to make her one of his girls. He has quite the history, you see. Lacey isn't quite open to all this flirting--she's not stupid exactly--but she's not quite closed to it either. She entertains moments where she thinks he might accidentally be sincere. Moments where she considers that he might be good for her. (Granted, Lacey isn't privilege to all the knowledge readers are. But still, there are moments I wanted to slap her!) Lucky for Lacey, there is Cameron to watch out for her and protect her. Cameron seems to be a bit more aware and open to the idea that his boss is pure evil.
Cameron is prone to having flashbacks. It's written into the story that he has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. He ever so conveniently flashes back a dozen or so times. I suppose these chaotic interruptions in the text--the shifting from now to then without a second's notice--is authentic enough. These flashbacks overwhelm the narrator without warning, so why should readers be spared the chaos of being flung through time, the disorientation and discomfort of it. Still it can be frustrating to the careless reader. (I'll admit that I'm careless at times. If your mind skips out on a sentence or two, you can get lost very quickly.)
Part mystery. Part thriller. Part action.
While I didn't particularly "like" this one--just not my genre--I do think some readers might find it worth their time. There is quite the sub-genre for this in Christian fiction. So it must have a steady audience of folks who love suspense-thrillers with a Christian slant.
© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
"Lacy felt freer than she had in years. Forgiveness wouldn't bring her father back to life, but neither would her bitterness and anger. Nothing could undo the events of the past, but she had the power to change her future by simply yielding her failings to God." - A Dream to Call My Own by Tracie Peterson
A Dream to Call My Own, the 3rd book in Tracie Peterson's Brides of Gallatin County trilogy, tells the story of the stubborn, unpredictable Lacy Gallatin. She's the youngest of the three Gallatin sisters. Together they run the Gallatin House, a roadhouse where they board and feed the stage coach passengers traveling through the Montana frontier in the 1880's. Both Lacy's sisters are married but Lacy is terrified of getting hitched, afraid that she would fail at being a wife. She's convinced herself that she's failed everyone close to her, especially her mother and father. She has made it her personal mission to discover her father's killer and find her revenge.
Lacy is especially hard on the deputy sheriff Dave Shepard, accusing him of not spending enough time working on her father's unsolved case. Despite her attitude toward him, Dave finds himself falling in love with Lacy. When they become trapped alone together during a blizzard, sparks fly (not all romantic.) To top it off, all is not rosy in the Gallatin part of the Montana frontier. When a lowlife by the name of Jefferson Mulholland comes into town and joins forces with local saloon owner Rafe Reynolds, the Gallatin sisters wonder if they would be better off selling their property to escape the dangers in town. Lots of decisions and some suspenseful moments pull the sisters together while, through it all, Dave and Lacy try to make sense of their feelings for each other.
I liked A Dream to Call My Own the best out of all three books in the series. Lacy, my favorite character, is easy to like with her wild ways. I found the romantic tension between Lacy and Dave amusing and heartwarming. Failure, fear and the feeling of inadequacy are common themes in the book. Peterson, an excellent Christian historical fiction author, uses scripture passages and messages through her characters to spread God's word and remind us of His constant presence in our lives.
A Dream to Call My Own (The Brides of Gallatin County, Book 3)
by Tracie Peterson. Bethany House Publishers (June 2009); 365 pages: ISBN 9780764201509
Source: Review copy provided by Bethany House
Related Links:Tracie Peterson - Author websiteA Dream to Call My Own
EXCERPTTwo other books in the series:
A Promise to Believe In (The Brides of Gallatin County, Book 1)
by Tracie Peterson. Bethany House Publishers (September 2008); 368 pages: ISBN 9780764201486
A Love to Last Forever (The Brides of Gallatin County, Book 2)
by Tracie Peterson. Bethany House Publishers (April 2009); 368 pages: ISBN 9780764201493 (My
review)
Mitchell, Siri. 2009. Love's Pursuit. Bethany House. 329 pages.
"Do you never tire of being good, Susannah? Do you never think any rebellious thoughts?"
I turned my eyes from my sister and back to my work in the blueberry canes. "Aye. I do."
Mary gasped, though I detected laughter in the sound. "'Tis not possible."
Poor Puritans. They hardly ever get a good rep in fiction. In Love's Pursuit, readers meet a community of Puritans (Stoneybrooke Towne) living in Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1640s. More specifically we meet two sisters, Susannah and Mary Phillips. We also meet a woman who wears a cloak of invisibility. (Well, she wears her shame and humiliation as a cloak of invisibility.) Susannah is in love with a man, John Prescotte. But he hasn't proposed yet. And he may never get the chance.
Susannah is a beautiful young woman, and there are other men in town--including a visiting Captain (Daniel Holcombe)--that have noticed just how beautiful and wonderful she is. One of her would-be suitors is Simeon Wright a well-respected man in Stoneybrooke. A man who could have his pick of many of the young ladies in town. They all think he's swoon-worthy. Take for example Susannah's own sister, Mary. Mary thinks that Simeon Wright would make a fine husband...for herself. But when Simeon proposes to Susannah instead, then things begin to crumble for Susannah. She does not love Simeon. She loves John. She doesn't appreciate the fact that Mary is angry with her because he proposed to the 'wrong' sister. Susannah doesn't want to wear any blame there. She didn't "steal" him from her because she doesn't want him!
Despite the fact that her father did NOT consent to his proposal--accepting on his daughter's behalf--the Wrights have the banns published in church. An unfortunate event since John had just days before proposed to Susannah with the blessings of both families. But with the announcement that she's to marry Simeon being read publicly in the church assembly, John Prescotte withdraws his offer of marriage and shuns her. Since John is now refusing to marry her, what choice does Susannah have but to marry Simeon? Other than every bone in her body telling her that Simeon is the wrong man for her, that he is not a good man, period, she has no "logical" reason to refuse her father's request to marry Simeon. The captain sure has a few ideas of how to fix the matter. But will she listen to him? There are a few in town who could warn Susannah about Simeon. A few who could tell her that he is not what he seems. That beneath the surface, he's hiding some cruel tendencies. It's looking like they'll never be a happily ever after for Susannah...no matter what she decides.
I'm not sure I "liked" this one. The narration was first person. But here's the odd bit, it had multiple narrators. Each narrator spoke in the first person. And there was no clear separation marking who was speaking. I think if this had been indicated somehow (it is possible, I've seen other books do it) it would have been an easier read. Readers just have to piece together for themselves the narration the best they can. I do think it gets easier as it goes on. But those first few chapters are a bit rough because things are just beginning to unfold.
© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
Gist, Deeanne. 2009. A Bride in the Bargain. Bethany House. 365 pages.
I loved almost everything about this one. To keep all of his land, Joe Denton needs a wife. If he doesn't have a wife--or proof of his first wife's death--by a certain date, he loses half of his claim. Denton is a lumber-man. He lives near Seattle in the Washington Territory in the late 1860s. Women, quite naturally, are scarce. But one man, Asa Mercer, has a plan. A plan to bring women into the territory. For a fee--several hundred dollars, men can buy wives--sight unseen of course. He's selling wives faster than women are volunteering to be quite honest. But he's hoping with the civil war turning everything--North and South--all topsy-turvy, that there will be plenty of widows and orphans and women down on their luck who are looking for new starts. Women who might have lost brothers, husbands, fathers. Women who might have lost their homes. But can he persuade enough of them to come with him? Is he on the up and up?
Anna Ivey thinks she's going west to be a cook. In return for paying her passage, she'll be working off her debt to Mr. Joe Denton, by cooking for him and his lumberjack crew. But when Denton makes a stop at the church, Anna realizes that she's in for more than she bargained for! She has no trouble working for her keep--knowing that she is in fact in debt to this man. But to be his wife?! She didn't sign up for that. She's still grieving the loss of her mother, father, and brother. Everyone she's loved has died. And she's convinced that she's bad luck. To give her heart to anyone means that they'll up and die on her just like her family. So she thinks.
Can Joe Denton persuade the beautifully misguided and oh-so-stubborn Miss Anna to become his wife before time runs out and he loses his land? The attraction is instant. Yes, he needs her to say 'I do.' But the thought of having her as his wife makes him a happy man indeed. And she is drawn to him. Though she's not one to admit it right off. She wants proof that he loves her, that he wants her.
Louise asked, "How well, do you think, that the historical information about Washington State anno 1870's is described? Had this book given you any insights into life in Western USA at that time in history?" I'm not an expert by any means. I'd read books where people are traveling West (usually by wagon) to the Washington area. But I'd not read any where men were ordering wives. It reminded me of a movie I saw as a kid called "
Westward the Women." Of course, in that movie, the women were heading to California by wagon...and in this book we have women traveling by ship to Washington. But the premise--men ordering wives from the East--is the same. There was an
Asa Mercer. And this book did make me curious.
Julie wanted to know what my favorite part is...I like, in a way, how he woos her. How he gets her attention when he's washing up and shaving!
Puss Reboots, this one is my favorite. I can't promise that every reader will love it. It's a historical novel. It's a romance. It's a clean romance. It's by a Christian publisher. But it's not preachy-and-sappy. Yes, there are a couple of scenes where our main character gains some spiritual insight. But it's not over-the-top or anything. I think for readers that are drawn to historical fiction, you'll be pleased with this one.
© Becky Laney of
Operation Actually Read Bible© Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
Smith, Jill Eileen. 2009. Michal. Revell.
Michal ducked as a shard of pottery soared past her head.
I've been looking forward to this one for years. Okay, maybe just one year. But still. I was so excited to get a chance to read this one. Here we have the story of David...from Michal's perspective. Michal has never been presented as a sympathetic character in the biblical narrative. She is one of those that falls more into the 'didn't-quite-get-it' camps. But when you think about it--really think about it. Michal's actions are understandable, all-too-human. Maybe it wasn't easy being married to the guy who had a heart after God's own. Yes, David was a good guy, a good king. But a good husband? It would be hard to prove one way or the other.
What did I like about this one? The novel is from Michal's perspective. And it's a human one. Michal doesn't have the benefit of knowing what we know. Of knowing just how big David was in God's plans. Of knowing that God had a sovereign hand in David's would-be kingdom. The decades where King Saul sought his life. His battle for the throne. His reign. With this novel, perhaps for the first time, I can imagine being in her shoes. Of being in that rock-and-a-hard-place torn between her emotionally unstable royal father and her all-too-absent husband. The two--Michal and David--wed. But within a year (or possibly two) of their marriage, King Saul goes mental. David's on the run for his life. Here. There. Everywhere. In and out of Israel. Always staying a step or two ahead of his father-in-law. Where is Michal? Did he take his wife with him? No. She's back at home. Under her father's control. Saul is so angry, so vindictive, that he annuls his daughter's marriage. Gives her to another man. Now imagine living with him for close to two decades. This second husband. Then imagine the shock of having your father and brother killed. The instability of not knowing who will be king when all is said and done. Would you root for your brother or for your ex-husband? How would you feel after all this time has gone by? Where would your loyalty be? The husband you've been with the longest? Or your probable first love? When King David comes to power, Michal is commanded back into David's life. No longer the only wife. Now she is one of a handful. Still the 'first' wife perhaps. But she's also the daughter of Saul. And that can be dangerous being his kin at this time. Conflicted. Michal is bound to have felt conflicted. Shuffled and passed around...always under the control of someone...either her father, the king, or one of her husbands. No wonder Michal seems to have an attitude problem in scripture.
Recommended for those that like Christian fiction or biblical fiction.
© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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Taylor, Diana Wallis. 2009. Journey to the Well.
Ever been curious about the woman at the well. The Samaritan woman that Jesus spoke to that so shocked his disciples. For those that are clueless--and that's an okay place to be--the story is found in John 4. This novel is inspired by that passage of Scripture. What do we really know about her? Jesus told her that she had had five husbands and the man she was living with then was not her husband. Around these bare facts, Diana Wallis Taylor has woven a richly detailed back story.
When we first meet our heroine, Marah, she is an orphan--a young girl on the verge of becoming a woman. Just thirteen. She's a girl just beginning to think about life, about love, about marriage. But life doesn't always go as planned. Especially when you're an orphan. Especially when you're living in a culture that is all about arranged marriages. Though she hopes Jesse, a young shepherd boy, will one day be her husband. Her kinswoman, Reba, has a different husband in mind for her, the sandal maker, Zibeon, who is rumored to have quite the temper. She returns home from Jacob's well to discover that she is betrothed to a much older man, a man who gives her the creeps. But there is no choice in the matter. Marry him she must. And so it begins...
The book is well written and compelling. Marah's story is tragic in turn (after turn after turn) but it's redemptive as well. I became absorbed in the culture, in the back drop of this one. It was a very enjoyable read.
© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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Samson, Lisa. 2009. The Passion of Mary-Margaret. Thomas Nelson Publishers. 313 pages.
"My sisters, if I began this tale at the end, you would know my heart is full of love even though nothing went as planned. I could tell you God's ways are not ours, but you probably know that already. And I could tell you that his mercy takes shape in forms we cannot begin to imagine, but unless you walked in my shoes for the past seventy years, you could not feel the mercy I have been given."
I'll be honest, I was skeptical about this book right from the start. While it hooked me--intrigued me enough to keep reading--I wasn't sure I was
liking what I was reading. It had this other-ness to it. This off-putting (to me) flavor where I wasn't quite sure what to think of it, what to make of it. It is a roughly told story that is all-a-scramble. Within a chapter, the narrator might have touched upon four different years with little or no transition. She might be seven, fifteen, forty-two, and seventy-three all in the same chapter. Which, as a reader, I just found confusing. But the story, while its framework may have left me desiring something more straightforward, was without a doubt compelling the majority of the time. The story of Mary-Margaret from birth to death was an interesting one, a compelling one. Raised by her grandmother, she knows that her mother was raped and died giving birth to her. She's known from childhood that she wants to be a religious--a sister. She grew up believing that Jesus was her husband. That she was his bride. Her faith in Jesus is one thing that's undeniable. How she goes about it, well, that's up to you to decide. (You see, Mary-Margaret
sees Jesus, hears Jesus, talks to Jesus, has tea with Jesus.) But despite all that otherness about it, part of me liked The Passion of Mary-Margaret. Mary-Margaret was told by Jesus to marry Jude, a drug addict, a prostitute (sleeping with men and women, whoever will pay), a diseased man. A man she more-than-liked as a kid, but a man whom she doesn't trust or respect much since he's taken a different path as an adult. But Jesus tells her he has a plan. She needs to marry this man one way or another. And so she goes about wooing a man who's seen and done it all. What is God's plan in all this? Mary-Margaret finds out one day at a time. What I loved about this one--probably the thing that surprised me most--was how this woman stepped out in faith and chose to see a man as God sees him. Not as all the mistakes he has made, not all the ugliness of his sins, not all the brutality and rawness of his attitude and character. But as a man whom God had chosen to redeem. She saw him through Jesus' eyes. And through Jesus' eyes, he was beautiful. Not that God was done with him, not that God was content to let him stay addicted to drugs, walking the streets, selling his body and soul for a cheap or not-so-cheap fix. But Jesus saw what the man would be. And that is something. So for that alone, I recommend this book. This book looks at hard issues in life--drugs, sex, sexual abuse and molestation, shame, pain, suffering--and it does so as honestly as it can be done.
© Becky Laney of
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Connealy, Mary. 2009. Gingham Mountain. Barbour.285.
Gingham Mountain is the third book in the "Lassoed in Texas" series. The first two are Petticoat Ranch and Calico Canyon. I had not read the two previous books. And I think my reading experience would have been better if I had. That's not to say the book can't stand alone. It can. Mostly. (I didn't even realize it was a sequel to another book until about halfway through.) But I think I would have appreciated the book more if I'd known a little bit more about the characters and story going into it.
The book begins with Grant (just Grant, no last name) adopting two more kids: Charlie and Libby. He's a single man with six kids living in a four-bedroom (plus a kitchen) ranch house in the 1870s. Though she's never met him, Hannah Cartwright is furious with him. Why? She hates the idea that a single man could have adopted a child--let alone so many of them! What could a single man want with so many kids? How could he--on his own--give them a home. She's a bit self-righteous and angry...and suspicious...and stubborn...and downright silly. Having no real reason to be in town...or so you think...she becomes a school teacher because it is really the only job to be had in town.
Grant is a loving father. An orphan himself, he knows what it's like to have no one, to not belong. So he does the best he can to make each and everyone of his adopted kids (some of whom have now grown up and married) feels loved. But this new lady in town--this Hannah--she drives him crazy with her uselessness and foolishness and her attitude. The last thing he wants is to spend time with her. But she's pretty insistent. For a while, at least.
If you've read any historical romances in the past, it doesn't take a genius to figure out where this one is headed. But that is okay. If you know that the premise is about a school teacher falling in love with the father of several of her students...you know what to expect and you love where it's going. The plotting may not be the best--I found the villain and villainess (Horace and Prudence) to be unnecessary to the plot. Completely unnecessary. Minus those elements, the story made for a satisfying read. With the added sub-plots, I just found it middling.
Okay, that makes me sound cranky. I don't want to come across that way. I enjoyed Grant and Hannah's developing relationship--how it shifted from hate to love. And I enjoyed the humor. Hannah's mishaps visiting Grant's ranch--for example. It was cute and funny. I would have kept reading the book for that alone. I didn't need any extra dramatics to draw me in and keep me reading. And the drama, well, to be honest was--for me--of the eye rolling variety.
© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
Gunn, Robin Jones. 2008. Engaging Father Christmas.
Engaging Father Christmas is the sequel to Finding Father Christmas. Both are holiday novellas set in England. I've not read the first one; however, my mother has read it and adored it. Can the second one stand alone? Yes and no. I think it could stand alone. I read it without having read the first one in the series. And I was able to get enjoyment from the reading of it. But there were just a few teeny tiny things that I got confused about. Questions that would have been answered--I suppose technically questions that would never have been asked--if I'd read the first book.
Engaging Father Christmas is a romance. Miranda Carson is in love (with Ian) and visiting her family (and his family) for the Christmas season. Their relationship is strong, and she knows that he is going to proposing...it's just a matter of when and how. Miranda's life hasn't been easy--she never knew who her father was, her mother was an actress. This holiday season could be a lonely one for her--both her parents being dead-but she has sought refuge with her father's family. (In Finding Father Christmas, she set out to discover just WHO her father was. She learned who he was--a married man, a rather famous man too--but she discovered it too late to have met him. He was already dead. She did find her father's wife and her half-brother and his family.)
The novella was cute enough I suppose. And I imagine I would have enjoyed it more if I'd read the first book before reading this one.
Also, I think it comes down to a matter of taste. My mom just loves, loves, loves to read holiday novellas--little short books with pretty covers. In fact, she'll read them in July. She was SO excited that I was getting a chance to review this one. So for the right person in your live--this one will be a great addition.
© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
Gist, DeeAnne. 2008. Deep in the Heart of Trouble.
Set in Texas in the 1890s, Deep in the Heart of Trouble is the sequel to Courting Trouble (2007). In the first novel, we meet Essie Spreckelmeyer. We learn that she is known round town for three things: wearing crazy, elaborate hats, riding her bicycle and unseemly showing her ankles, and being an old maid or spinster. At the end of the first novel after having been bitterly disappointed by love, Essie comes to accept with grace and dignity her singleness. The second novel begins several years later--three or four years later, if memory serves. Essie is still as much trouble as she ever was. Playful and spunky and sassy and vibrant. Very take-charge.
I really can't describe how wonderfully delightful and enjoyable this novel is. It's just a joy to read. Essie is just a fun heroine. Our hero, Tony Bryant Morgan, is enjoyable as well. He's the disinherited son of a successful oil man. His older brother, his half-brother, inherited it all. His mother and younger sister, were well provided for as long as they abided by the rules set in place by the stepson/half brother. So Tony decides to make his way from Beaumont to Corsicana. Decides to start in on the oil business from the ground up. To get his hands dirty if you will. If Sullivan Oil will have him that is. Tony definitely NEVER thought he'd be working for a woman. Yet Essie is in charge of the fields. He'll have to find some way to deal with her, to get along with her, or else his career may be over before it gets a chance to start. If only she wasn't so attractive...even if she is wearing bloomers while she rides...
I loved this book. Loved the little details. Loved all the characters. Especially especially Mrs. Lockhart, a widow woman who takes a liking to Tony and wants to *help* him win the girl.
Light mystery and definite romance.
© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
Food, romance, and some great Christian faith makes for one awesome book. In Camy Tang's first book, Sushi for One, we are introduced to one very cool woman, a large, somewhat...um...nosy family, and a great deal of Asian cuisine. When you meet Lex Sakai, you'll want to not only be her friend, but also sit down to an expansive meal with her!
Poor Lex. A twenty-something Asian-American that is somewhat obsessed with volleyball, truly loves her culture and the Lord, and is completely fed up with her meddling family. Her grandmother, nosy as can be, insists that Lex find a boyfriend before her cousin’s summer wedding, or else she will stop sponsoring the junior high volleyball team that Lex is passionate about coaching. What Lex really wants to concentrate on is finding a new job, moving out of her dad’s house, and getting a spot on a prestigious volleyball team where she can finally showcase her skills. Her grandmother’s ultimatum has put her in an incredibly tight spot. Lex doesn’t want to fail her girl’s volleyball team, but she also doesn’t want to fail herself either or God either by rushing into something she just isn't ready for.
Suffering through several hilarious (though miserable, I’m sure) dates and mishaps all along the way, Lex is determined not to let the girls down. Romance is somewhat difficult for her, due to a secret in her past, but if she shows fear, Lex knows she’ll run the potential man of her dreams off, exactly what she does not want to do. Through disasters, injuries, and backstabbing family members, Lex Sakai never forgets her connection to God and that He is truly the one she needs to make happy in her life.
Is it weird that my favorite part of this book is the food descriptions?! Ok, maybe not my favorite, but you have no idea how delicious and tantalizing the dishes sound! It seemed like every page I turned I was craving something else yummy. By the end, I didn’t care what it was; I needed some Asian cuisine in my life! Unfortunately, the crazy pregnancy-induced high blood pressure is putting a hold on all things salty, so I just had to dream. A little less than 4 months and I’m going back through this book and finding a restaurant that serves these dishes!
Camy Tang truly has a knack for awesome description and not just with the food. Her descriptions of each of Lex’s relatives and their hilarious antics was right on the ball, as was her subtle influx of Christian beliefs. The book is very much a Christian fiction novel, but in no way was it preachy or “too much,” which I loved. I know that all the readers of this book were really rooting for Lex, not only in finding a man that would love her for exactly who she was, but also for all the other positives that Lex really has in her life. I loved this book and can’t wait to get my copy of Only Uni, the second of the series.
Take a peek at Sally Jean's website to see her creations. Her collage work, jewelry and Don't forget to check her links too. I am hooked....going to go back and visit soon.
I've read all the books in this series. Glad to see other one out.