Dangerous Amish Showdown is a high-octane romantic suspense stand-alone by Mary Alford. US Marshal Mason Shetler and his partner, Erik Timmons return Dangerous Amish Showdown is a high-octane romantic suspense stand-alone by Mary Alford. US Marshal Mason Shetler and his partner, Erik Timmons return to an Amish community from Mason’s past to protect a six-year-old witness.
I loved the relationships involving the six-year-old and the different adults. Children often bring out the best in people, and this is certainly true of little Samantha. It is heart-warming to see the interactions between Mason and Samantha, Willa and Samantha, and Beth and Samantha.
I loved the strength portrayed by not only the main characters, but by Beth, who has a huge issue of her own, and by little Samantha. I did think perhaps Samantha was expected to “be strong” a few too many times for a child of her age.
The premise of the novel seemed very realistic as Alford sets it up. This is one romantic suspense story I could envision all too well. My grandfather’s house had a root cellar with a trap door in the kitchen. It was covered by a rug when we were little. This enabled me to live out the action in my head way too well!
One thing I wished for, was some humor to break the tension in a few spots. I felt like I was in a bad dream, playing the same scene over and over again, without resolution for the longest time. This stretched my perception of plausibility.
Alford writes in an easy to read style, and shows growth in her characters. Willa must help Mason deal with his own doubts and guilt before he can consider returning home. I also appreciated the growing role of faith in Mason’s life as he progresses through the standoff.
The resolution is sweet and endearing. If you are a fan of romantic suspense, Amish, or children, this might be a good novel for you to add to your reading list.
I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher through Celebrate Lit. No positive review was required and all thoughts are my own.
Merged review:
Dangerous Amish Showdown is a high-octane romantic suspense stand-alone by Mary Alford. US Marshal Mason Shetler and his partner, Erik Timmons return to an Amish community from Mason’s past to protect a six-year-old witness.
I loved the relationships involving the six-year-old and the different adults. Children often bring out the best in people, and this is certainly true of little Samantha. It is heart-warming to see the interactions between Mason and Samantha, Willa and Samantha, and Beth and Samantha.
I loved the strength portrayed by not only the main characters, but by Beth, who has a huge issue of her own, and by little Samantha. I did think perhaps Samantha was expected to “be strong” a few too many times for a child of her age.
The premise of the novel seemed very realistic as Alford sets it up. This is one romantic suspense story I could envision all too well. My grandfather’s house had a root cellar with a trap door in the kitchen. It was covered by a rug when we were little. This enabled me to live out the action in my head way too well!
One thing I wished for, was some humor to break the tension in a few spots. I felt like I was in a bad dream, playing the same scene over and over again, without resolution for the longest time. This stretched my perception of plausibility.
Alford writes in an easy to read style, and shows growth in her characters. Willa must help Mason deal with his own doubts and guilt before he can consider returning home. I also appreciated the growing role of faith in Mason’s life as he progresses through the standoff.
The resolution is sweet and endearing. If you are a fan of romantic suspense, Amish, or children, this might be a good novel for you to add to your reading list.
I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher through Celebrate Lit. No positive review was required and all thoughts are my own....more
I enjoyed this historical fiction novel, Redeeming the Rake by Lorri Dudley. With a good girl falls for the bad guy trope, we see lots of action, intrI enjoyed this historical fiction novel, Redeeming the Rake by Lorri Dudley. With a good girl falls for the bad guy trope, we see lots of action, intrigue, many faith nuggets, and much character growth in several different characters. Adoption, trying to penalize oneself for mistakes made, rejection, forgiveness for others and oneself are all themes. Although, the biggest theme is that God loves all people He has made and is willing to have even the worst turn to him in repentance and receive forgiveness.
Reading the author notes is always enlightening. It is interesting to learn that part of the story is based on historical legend and rumor.
Some great twists are involved in the story.
My fave secondary character is the vicar. He is so unassuming, yet he appears in the story at critical times to give wise, godly advise.
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“We all have worth. Do you know how I know?” Christian shook his head. “Because Jesus paid a high price for us.” “On the cross?” “Indeed.” Emily slid her fingers down his arms and squeezed Christian’s hands. “You and I are precious to God.”
“Once you’ve tasted purpose, you won’t be satisfied with merely living.”
“You’re a child of God. He created ye special, and God doesn’t make mistakes.”
“Welcome to the upside-down world of Jesus, where the meek inherit the earth and the poor in spirit are the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. Where we forgive those who have wronged us, and where whatever you do for the least of these you do for God.”
“Our sins don’t have to define us. It speaks to a person’s character when they genuinely repent.”...more
Once Upon a Courtship is an anthology of twelve different novellas by different authors. All are Christian-themed, sweet, and clean. They range from tOnce Upon a Courtship is an anthology of twelve different novellas by different authors. All are Christian-themed, sweet, and clean. They range from the Colonial to the Gilded Era. I read a sampling of four authors’ works: MaryLu Tyndale, Regina Scott, Marlene Bierworth, and Chautona Havig.
MaryLu Tyndale’s story, The Privateer’s Prize, was just as enjoyable as her other pirate stories I’ve read. Jilted at the altar by Isaac, Thea encounters him as a hostile privateer as she attempts a journey North as a spy during the Revolutionary War. Attempting to force Isaac to band to her wishes, Thea’s actions cause damage that is hard for Isaac to forgive, even as he attempts to keep her safe. As the two struggle to stay ahead of their pursuers, they begin to see themselves as they had been years earlier, with flaws that would have torn them apart. Even now, God is refining each of them. Isaac regrets the way he treated Thea in the past, “He had not only broken her heart, but he had pushed her away from God, a far worse condition than being jilted.” Even as Isaac realizes a deeper, truer love for Thea( and she for him) he still holds one possession firmly in his fisted hands. “Isaac had turned back to God, had committed his life to Him, but he had never fully given Him everything. He had never put Him first. How could he justify such selfishness when Jesus had given His all, His very life, for Isaac? ***********
“Humility. One more item to add to the list of characteristics Mrs. Dalrymple expected Victoria’s husband to possess, along with patience, faithfulness, fiscal responsibility, kindness to animals, and frequent tithing. He would have to be an absolute paragon among men. She’d never find a groom to match.”
In Leftover Mail-Order Bride by Regina Scott, Victoria Milford has traveled west in 1870s Washington Territory to be the answer to a mail-order bride ad. Upon finding the gentleman already married when she arrives, Victoria must find work or a husband. Her hostess, Mrs. Dalrymple, fancies herself a matchmaker. Will Victoria follow Mrs. Dalrymple’s advice or her own heart? What happens when the gentleman who most appeals, Jack Willets, only wants a wife who will be an assett to the ranch?
***********
In Clara’s Compassion by Marlene Bierworth, a young woman travels West to the Canadian frontier, the Rockies, and the end of the current railroad. By marrying the railroad master there, Clara can still teach like she wants and receive her inheritance that may soon be lost. But will her compassion for all people, no matter their origins, blend with that of her husband-to-be, whose railroad exploits these same people? When confronted about her activities that offend the self-righteous townspeople, Clara avers, “Compassion for the needy holds no boundaries where God is concerned.” What will it take to make these two hearts like-minded and the townspeople willing to accept both Clara and her husband-to-be?
Notable Quotables:
“Does being accepted by the majority make ignoring the minority acceptable?”
“You are like my conscience taking bodily form.”
*************
In Courting Miss Darling, Chautona Havig does it again! She at once amuses me, admonishes me, teaches me, and entertains me. Muriel answers a letter of introduction and begins corresponding with a Dakota Territory rancher. We follow the correspondence of these two lonely people as they slowly reveal who they are on paper. I really admired Muriel for her strength, wisdom, and love she shows teaching the Casper, Wyoming children. Pete also has many good qualities, one being an ability to remember a “conversation” and ask more questions about someone in connection to that. That was one quality that endeared him to Muriel, and it was a real-life quality that endeared my hubby to me as we corresponded for awhile during our long-distance dating.
I enjoyed reading Pete’s mom’s admonition about self-confidence: “you are a son of the King of Kings. That means you are to be humble, for you are not the King Himself, and confident because your Father is the King and will protect you against all manner of things.”
Ms.Havig leads her characters on a very twisted path to matrimony. But, oh, the lessons they and you, the reader will learn as you journey together!
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own....more
“Sometimes, the path to redemption takes some strange turns,” she said softly.
“Brogan, I believe with all my heart God graciously put me in circumsta“Sometimes, the path to redemption takes some strange turns,” she said softly.
“Brogan, I believe with all my heart God graciously put me in circumstances designed to strengthen my faith.”
Where do I start gushing about Delayed Justice by Sarah Hamaker? I totally identified with Melender, the 35-yr-old woman, who claims complete innocence of the heinous crime of which she’s been tried, convicted, and served her complete sentence. I also totally understood the thoughts of the disgraced, reformed investigative reporter, Brogan Gilmore, who agrees to help Melender for his own gain. Yet, as he investigates the past with her, more doubts, dangers, and inconsistencies arise. Is this woman he’s falling in love with, as innocent as she claims?
At times, due to Hamaker’s skillful and honest characterizations, I even felt empathy and sympathy for each of the angry, vindictive family members who want nothing more than to ruin the rest of Melender’s life. What amazed me, though, is Melender’s ability to forgive. Grandmother Sudie, long dead, is a veritable influence for Jesus’s perfect forgiveness that Melender clings to in prison and lives out. “Child, when we allow anger over wrongs done to us to take root in our hearts, we’re saying to God Almighty that crimes committed against us are worse than crimes committed against Jesus. Our crimes against Jesus were nailed to the cross. How can we hang on to unforgiveness when our Savior does not?” I understand these words in my head. I have repeated them, and used them in my own life. But… could I really draw on His power to employ them against such extreme evil done against me by those that should have my best interest at heart?! I am challenged to check my heart against the little foxes, so if there ever is a time when something this extreme were to happen, it will require no big change in my heart.
Life lessons, drama, fear, ( um, terror, should I say) very even pacing of suspense all the way through the novel had me enthralled. I only put down the book when life forced my hand. This was my first Sarah Hamaker novel, but I am thrilled to see it is also the first in its series! Hamaker’s combination of all the above factors with glorious reminders of life-changing truth could easily elevate romantic suspense to one of my fave categories!! Well done, Ms. Hamaker!!
Fave secondary character? The already passed away great-grandmother Sudie for her great wisdom, and spiritual admonitions given with heaping helpings of love and approval!
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Find a young man who loves the Lord more than he loves you, and you won’t go wrong.”
“It was for my good and His eternal glory that I went to prison for a crime I didn’t commit. That didn’t mean I gave up trying to find justice in this world. It meant I didn’t despair when justice didn’t come.”
“life isn’t fair, especially to those who haven’t the ability to ensure an equal playing field.”
“Child, just when you think the Almighty has forgotten about our needs, He sends someone or something to remind us of His provision and His promise to never leave us nor forsake us. You remember that when you feel abandoned by Him.”...more
“We don’t hide our gifts. God gave them to us for a reason. Use it, Izzy.”
K-9 Ranch Protection by Darlene L. Turner has so many elements that make it “We don’t hide our gifts. God gave them to us for a reason. Use it, Izzy.”
K-9 Ranch Protection by Darlene L. Turner has so many elements that make it exciting and fun! I loved learning about hyperthymesia in our female protagonist, Constable Izzy Tremblay. With her perfect memory, she can easily help solve cases. Until the one case closest to her, her father’s murder, officially ruled an accident, again turns into a dead end as Izzy suffers from amnesia.
We also have the male protagonist, Austin Murray, a former crush, who left the force after an important crisis. He has turned to raising and training police dogs on his ranch. I loved his deep connection with his dogs, especially Névé, a beautiful, sensitive Malamute. Izzy doesn’t want to trust Austin again… but no one else believes her father’s death was a murder.
You’ll read this romantic suspense, looking around every object and trying to see past the eyes of every character you meet. Just who could be the mastermind, “Padilla,” who seems to have inside info on Izzy and and Austin’s every move? “They would never be safe from Padilla if they didn’t soon find answers to the missing pieces of her perfect memory. Somehow, they held the key.”
While searching for the killer, Izzy and Austin can only hope and pray to find him or her before he or she takes them or Izzy’s family out permanently. On the run physically, Austin deals with guilt over that long ago event and feels rejected by his birth parents. Izzy is upset with God because He is not clearly laying out His path for her.
Can Izzy and Austin safely find the murderous mastermind and make peace with their pasts and with God?
I did feel one character’s words didn’t line up with their actions timing-wise for me. But overall, a very enjoyable story!
I received a copy of the book from the author and Just Read Tours, plus I bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“It’s just the unknown and I hate the unknown.” She chewed on her lip. “It’s why I’m struggling with God right now. He seems to have hidden His path for me.”
“He was unworthy of love. His biological parents had proven that to him when they gave him up for adoption. They didn’t want him. And neither did any woman.”
“Son, being adopted is a gift. It means God loved you enough to send you into our lives for safekeeping. Until one day, when you grow up and have kids, you can show them how love works. It’s not about the bloodline. It’s about love—pure and simple.”
“It’s hard to see God’s journey for us when we can’t even see around the bend in front of us. He knows the big picture.”
“Austin positioned himself beside Izzy, his woodsy scent wafting into her space. Don’t do that to me. It was getting harder and harder to keep herself from falling for this man a second time.”
“Well, God doesn’t seem to show me His path for me anymore or be listening to my prayers.” “Sometimes God shows us, but our blinders prevent us from seeing His plan.”
”Trusting in Someone you can’t see isn’t easy.”
“I don’t understand why God chooses some circumstances to take longer than others, but what I do know is, He knows best and I trust His timing. I trust in His journey for me. For us.”
“He knew what it was to be judged for the surface of things, for the mistakes and missteps. He knew what it was to need someone to look deeper, to see“He knew what it was to be judged for the surface of things, for the mistakes and missteps. He knew what it was to need someone to look deeper, to see the true heart beneath.”
Misty Beller writes great historical fiction, using the Rocky Mountains and frontier times for her background setting. Winning the Mountain Man’s Love is the fifth book in the Brothers of Sapphire Ranch series and tells Jonah’s story. Because each story builds a little more of the reader’s understanding of the unique occupation and relationship of the brothers, I suggest reading these books in order. You will be happy for the answers found in each new book!
That said, Jonah has lost at life and love…again. To take his mind off this, he volunteers to be the one to leave the Montana territory ranch in search of little Anna’s aunt. All 8-year-old Anna can tell them is that her aunt’s name is “Patsy” and she has very red hair. Plus, her aunt came west to be married.
Little does Jonah realize that in trying to bring healing to a new “family” member, he will bring heartache to himself and many of those he loves. I feel for Jonah. Because he has been unlucky in love, he feels like he is inferior in the eyes of women. Because he is never quite perfect enough in his family’s eyes, and is an easy target for their mocking laughter, great furrows of hurt have been plowed deep into his soul.
When Jonah meets Patience, he quickly recognizes she may be Anna’s aunt. But she has seen so much meanness and abuse from men, she’s not about to trust another, even though Jonah seems so kind. She wants “freedom from the control of any man. Even this one, as tempting as he was right now. He wouldn’t always be like this. No man could be trusted.” Can Jonah convince her he can see past her surface, into her soul, like he himself longs to be seen?
Yikes! The whole social question that is still very alive today- is a child better off with family, because they are related, or might they be better off where they have been placed for a while, and are loved? What is in the best interest of the child? I wanted to shake Patience a few times with her insistence on following her path. Maybe call out the social workers, too!!
Patience having two different names just about drove me crazy. I wanted her to be called one name or the other. But maybe, the way she seems to teeter back and forth on a couple of major decisions, the double name is on purpose?
As always, just when it seems we could be ready for a happy settlement, the “Oregon Trail” music cues, and disaster strikes. This sets us up for more excitement, more chances to forgive, and more chances to restore relationships. This also gives us a headstart on yet another brother’s story.
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“God wants more than anything for us to turn to Him when trials come. He wants us to hide in His protection when it seems nothing can go right. To let Him show us just how much He loves us. He does hate sin, but He’s not a God of punishment. He’s made a way for us to be free, so that when we come to Him and ask His forgiveness, our sin disappears. Then He wraps us in His arms…and loves us.”
“It seems like scratching at a sore again and again for years would make it hard to heal.”
“Don't let fear hold you back from reaching for something better.”
“But just 'cause you're good at something don't mean it's where you belong forever." ...more
“You are not useless. You have felt useless.”…“The difference is in how you see yourself. You’ve allowed others to view you in such a way. It is not t“You are not useless. You have felt useless.”…“The difference is in how you see yourself. You’ve allowed others to view you in such a way. It is not the truth. You are useful, Margherita. God has a purpose for you.”
I have loved every Danielle Grandinetti book I have read, but The Italian Musician’s Sanctuary may be my favorite of hers yet! The novel begins with Margherita, a young woman with a limp, that has put her on the expendable list of pre-WW II Italy and Mussolini’s Black Shirts. We also meet Luke Ferryman, a young Englishman whose two aging grandparents are all he has, other than their separate legacies of being a ferryman or baker.
While Margherita is definitely the one in peril from her jealous ex-fiancé, I didn’t know who to empathize with most. Poor Margherita finds it hard to hide in the small English village when her limp confines her to close quarters with an attentive Luke. Guilt hangs over her head as she has been cruelly labeled and assured she is worthless, undeserving to live. “Why are you not supposed to be alive?” “Because I am incapace … unfit, incapable … there is no use for me in the world.” Poor Margherita, who values peace, feels the stress her stay with the Ferryman family brings. “She prized harmony. Discordant notes were her least favorite within a piece of music. To be that chord here among the Ferryman family was its own thorn of doubt under her skin.” And then.. cue up the suspenseful music as things start going wrong!
I loved Luke, but, wow, is he conflicted! He is drawn rather unknowingly into protecting Margherita, then agonizes over whether it is right to conceal her , breaking the law, or whether it would be right to turn her in, sentencing her to deportation and certain death. He is so gentle, so attentive with Margherita, even though he struggles with the rightness of his actions.
Gotta love Gran and Granddad, they both have formative parts in the story. Well- drawn!
Do yourself a favor, get this book if you like 1930s historical fiction, and swoony romance.(“‘You can tell me anything. Ask me anything. You know that, right?’ Goodness, he might as well hand his heart to her on a platter right here and now.” ) Le sigh! And don’t forget the suspense factor coupled with tested faith and plot twists! Superb! Excuse me while I return to daydreaming about this amazing romance!
I received a copy of the book from the author. I also bought my own copy. No positive review is required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Margherita was as strong as the sea. And as gentle as water. She belonged on the water. A pearl of great price, created through trial and hardship.”
“if my heart is so full of love for Him, there is no room for hate. Loving my neighbor is merely an overflow.”
“Did God collect her every sorrow? Did He write each of them in His book? She was niente, nothing. Why would God deign to bend an ear to someone as … broken … as she?”
“The way he said her name. The sensation wrapped around her like a warm breeze blowing in from the Mediterranean. Like he’d found a beautiful daisy. A daisy, like her name meant when translated from Italian to English. It had been so long since someone saw beyond her deformity.” ...more
“We all have a bone to pick with Reid, so it stood to reason that he would be our first target.”
The third book of the Apron Strings series, The Enchan“We all have a bone to pick with Reid, so it stood to reason that he would be our first target.”
The third book of the Apron Strings series, The Enchanting of Miss Elliot is another great book by Grace Hitchcock featuring the Harvey Girls. With more than a touch of the Old West, fine vistas, fancy hotels, and proper serving girls, plus elements of danger, faith, and romance, you’ll be glad you read this book.
A friends-to-lovers trope, Lorna has become a Harvey Girl on a bet with her brother. She hopes to be placed in a hotel far away from her hometown of Las Vegas, New Mexico, but is placed exactly there instead. How is a girl to get over her childhood crush if she has to see him often? For his part, Sheriff Gaston Reid has grown up as Lorna’s brother’s best friend, but was enamored of another Harvey Girl. When that girl marries another, Reid takes s second look at his old friend… who has built up s wall protecting her heart from interest in him.
However, the leader of The Death Riders, a very dangerous gang, has escaped prison, along with his outlaw wife, and life in the West just got a lot more hairy for both Reid and Lorna. There are some unique twists in this book.
Can Reid keep Lorna safe as he promises? Will she ever see him as more than a friend? The Death Riders are like a bad penny. They keep turning up over and over again, and know one knows just when or where they’re going to appear next. While it actually applies to another character, Lorna easily could have said, “…it is a daily act, giving God my fears…” She certainly is learning to trust God through these times!
Lorna suffers from a lack of friends, which is why Reid’s friendship is so valuable to her. She does make friends with some of the other waitresses at the Harvey House Hotels. One of them, knowing Lorna is working at getting over Reid, reminds her, “Remember your goal, and when you waver, count all the blessings the Lord has given you, and pray that He changes the desire of your heart.”
What will it take for this couple to admit that what they feel for each other is more than friendship and God is directing their course to each other?
In summary, the danger, romance, and twists kept me intrigued from the moment I started the book. I am glad there will be more Harvey House Girl historical romances by Hitchcock!
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“…bitterness and rage only blinded the person holding on to the offense.”
“But wouldn’t an apology like that hurt her and the confession would be more for me than her? Yes. Yes, it would.”...more
“But when my life fell apart, Mirette helped me pick up the pieces and glue them back together. Because that is what we southern women do for one anot“But when my life fell apart, Mirette helped me pick up the pieces and glue them back together. Because that is what we southern women do for one another. We pull up our stockings, forgive one another, and hold our friends close no matter what. Understood?”
Welcome back to the 1950s. It is a time of huge department stores, and women are starting to work outside the home. Still, a majority of women are housewives. Segregation is still in effect. The Women of Wynton’s by Donna Mumma brings all these things into sharp focus.
Four very different women are brought together through Wynton’s department store. Audrey is the secretary to Mr. Wynton, the store owner. Having been away from Levy City, FL for many years in NYC, Audrey is back, in a place of authority, and few of the store employees like her. Gigi is rough around the edges, works in the cafeteria, and feels that she doesn’t measure up to those around her. Mary Jo is a housewife and mother who must work because of her husband’s disabling accident. Her dearest wish would be to stay home with her daughters. And lastly, Vivien is an older woman who has a successful wedding salon inside of Wynton’s. Yet, Vivien is feeling like some may want her replaced with a more youthful salon owner.
When we meet Audrey, she is rich, educated, and traveled, but unliked. However, the interactions we see her have with others like Nelson, Mr. Wynton, and Mary Jo do not match the vicious rumors concerning her that fly faster than super sonic jets around the store. All the gossip going around makes me sick. One can see that there are two diametrically opposed sides in this battle- yet some of the workers can’t seem to decide which side of the fence to land on. I wondered why the women aren’t better judges of character- and then realized that real life is so often like that! Sometimes the truth is hard to ferret out. “People aren’t always what they seem when you’re standing too close.”
Some of the characters I just downright despised. Will poetic justice have its way, and the guilty be caught, or will the schemers be successful? One character surprised me! Plot twist! It was a good one!
I appreciated the look at segregation, though it was painful. To realize that some people couldn’t have the same rights as others based on skin color. Yet, others knew that was wrong, but were afraid to make their voice heard and buck the system.
Mumma does a good job of keeping the mystery going until very near the end. While you may figure out who the culprit is, the question quickly becomes one of suspense, will they be caught in time? I was on pins and needles, trying not to bite my fingernails as we closed out the novel.
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit via NetGalley. I also bought my own ecopy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Sure you made some mistakes in your life, but who cares? God forgives all of us, rich or poor.”
“It’s 1955. Things shouldn’t be that archaic.” “Lotta things not the way they should be right now.”
“Avoiding foolishness doesn’t make it stop.”...more
“Summer …wished she could erase the things that were forever imprinted in her heart, keeping her from experiencing anything close to a human emotion a“Summer …wished she could erase the things that were forever imprinted in her heart, keeping her from experiencing anything close to a human emotion again. But she couldn’t. She was damaged beyond repair. “
Mary Alford. To me, a name synonymous with fast-moving, heart-thumping romantic suspense, generally involving Amish and Englischers. Ambush in the Mountains lives up to Alford’s reputation, but in this novel, Alford is also tackling a very tough social injustice: human trafficking. I loved that there is a trigger warning at the beginning.
I could not imagine! I have lived through a few blizzards in my lifetime, but never have I been in Summer’s position! Running out into a superstorm, 8 months pregnant, knowing that getting caught means certain death. I could imagine every bump and jar as Summer and Axel traversed the blizzard-swept countryside, though! How can Summer and Axel keep looking for alternate ways of escape as each one gets thwarted? How do they have the energy, courage, stamina, and ability to think clearly in those situations? And, because of a very real fear, they have no one else to turn to. “Was Summer right about not trusting the cops? If that was true, who could they go to for help... No one. They were on their own.”
Axel is the perfect foil for Summer. As a former soldier, he, too, knows what it means to be hunted, where one slip-up could cost him his life. Now he is responsible for at least three. Yet, he is so kind and thoughtful, never putting himself first.
Don’t forget the former K-9 soldier! While the Malinois seems very dangerous and dedicated to keeping his master safe at all cost, Camo trusts Summer immediately. God gives animals a sixth sense and it is great to see how this bears out in Alford’s book. I am pretty sure I love Camo just as much as Summer and Axel.
I loved that Axel realizes that one of Summer’s deep needs is to be seen as not only worth, but free from fault in the horrible events that had happened to her. I also loved that Summer isn’t willing to stay a victim. “I hate that word.” She scraped her hair back from her face. “Even though I am a victim, I don’t want to feel like one.” She touched her belly. “This little one needs me not to be a victim.” Such courage! And Alford shows many times where Summer and Axel’s courage comes from. There are many desperate prayers to a God they know and love.
Get your copy of Ambush in the Mountains today! Maybe you’ll be as shocked as I was by one of the twists!
I received a copy of the book from Just Reads. I also bought my own ecopy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own. ...more
“Don’t you go lookin’ for no ghosts, Miss Gracie. Not here. You get on with your own life an’ don’t spend it pokin’ about in the rubble of the past li“Don’t you go lookin’ for no ghosts, Miss Gracie. Not here. You get on with your own life an’ don’t spend it pokin’ about in the rubble of the past like Miss Martha.”
Denise Weimer gives us a beautiful setting of Tallulah Falls, Georgia in the Gilded Age, in this case 1886. It is the time of fancy hotels and resorts attracting the wealthy way from the heat of their regular mansions. I loved the descriptions of the gorge, the waterfalls, the gorge, the mists, and the hiking trails. They made me want to visit the area as it had been back then!
And to see the spectacle of a tightrope walker. Not so sure I would enjoy that, but I’m sure it would add to the crowds, just as it did in the novel.
Against this backdrop, we meet Grace Galveston, a poor, rich girl who must rest her operatic voice if she is to be the next Met Opera diva. Accompanied by her matronly and snobbish Aunt Martha, Grace finds new friends as they stay at the Cliff House resort. Amelia and Daniel become wonderful friends to Grace.
While Grace doesn’t look at the same past for answers as her aunt, she finds she has a huge hole in her heart. Living up the her rich father’s expectations is nearly impossible, and a longing for belonging compels her to dig into her parents’ past.
Weimer uses Daniel’s sermon to show Grace and the reader that without God, everybody has an empty space in their heart. “No possessions, no experiences, no talents, can fill the void created by the Lord. Nothing can but Himself.” Yet, Grace starts to find success with her singing and in her relationships and begins to dream of the future.
I liked Daniel a lot, but I was disappointed in his failure to keep alert. But sometimes we do that, too. We make our plans and close our eyes to anything that may hint that we may not be in God’s will.
This is one of those books that I could readily identify with the hurts of several of the characters. Would each one rise above those hurts and find a way to forgiveness, or would each stay bitter at those who had wronged them? If you love historical fiction based on real geographical locations, and faith-filled romances, this would be a great choice!
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own ecopy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Grace couldn’t imagine having a human father that involved in the details of one’s life, much less a heavenly one.”
“Or do you think God is as distant as your own father?”
“He had let himself drift along, satisfied by surface comments, drawn into a relationship without having a clear sense of her faith when differences between them in this area could prove a far greater obstacle than mere geography.”
“There’s only one Person who will never let you down.”
“It will give you answers…It will show you God loves you and longs to heal your hurts and fill the hole in your heart.”
“my faith is not important to me because I’m a minister. My ministry is important to me because my faith is the core of who I am. It affects everything about my life.”
“They all expected her to show herself worthy. And what didn’t she have to justify? Her father’s money, her mother’s life, Aunt Martha’s wasted years, even her own existence. Yes, all those things she held inside her, and their raw edges scraped when they stirred.”
“…He allows humans a choice. Because of that, there is evil in the world. But difficulties can produce character, if we allow.”...more
“‘As they bury their roots in this giant of the past, all of the goodness and accomplishments of this tree pass on to the next generation—a rich inh“‘As they bury their roots in this giant of the past, all of the goodness and accomplishments of this tree pass on to the next generation—a rich inheritance of nutrients. Everything it worked for in its life now strengthens those that follow.’She glanced at Aunt Marion. ‘One generation, leading the way for the next and giving them the strength and courage to stand tall.’”
This was my first experience reading a Karen Barnett book. I read for her name recognition as an author of national parks novels. After reading Where Trees Touch the Sky, my expectations on out will include not only great scenic vistas, their smells, atmospheric majesty, and history, but the stories of the complex humans involved. I read Where Trees Touch the Sky because it is a dual timeline, and I enjoy seeing an author tie the two times together.
I enjoyed the seventies portrayal, and unfortunately, can remember enough of the era to say, “right on,” Miss Barnett, your depiction there is “so hip!”
I loved that June, a polio victim, works twice as hard to be given a chance at jobs and other opportunities that people without those issues cannot really comprehend. What I loved most about June, though, was that people saw her intense love for nature and the Redwoods in her talks and walks and her enthusiasm transformed her. Do you have a belief, a cause, or a job that transforms you when the topic arises?
A major lesson of the book is that things, whether people or history, are never as straightforward and simple as they seem. Becoming stoked about a foray into the past history of the trees, June and Adam become aware that giant trees can cast giant shadows that are hard to escape.
In summary, I loved Where Trees Touch the Sky. It is by turns historic, romantic, and faith-filled. Its characters are brave, self-sacrificing, ambitious, yet selfish and deeply flawed at crucial times. What a great movie this would make!!
I received a copy of the book from the author and Just Read Tours. I also bought my own paperback for the keeper shelf. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“The trees wouldn’t survive without the web of life in which they reside—fungi in their roots, lichens in the treetops. The big and the small, weak and strong, all relying on one another. Just as the Good Lord intended. Redwoods aren’t strong simply because they’ve got fancy genetics. It’s because they work together, holding tight to the roots of their neighbors.”
“We all fall down; it’s just important that we keep getting back up.”
“‘If you want to understand who God is, you got to whittle away all the added-on stuff that isn’t Him.’ Mr. Wheeler dug the knife in a little deeper. ‘Chip off all the layers of rules and good deeds people have been trying to add for centuries, and you’ll find His grace waiting for you there.’”
“She’d been chosen because of her disability. Just once, she’d like to be chosen because of who she was or what she could accomplish instead of being viewed as nothing more than a girl on crutches. Was that too much to ask?”...more
“By agreeing to travel with him, she had placed herself under his protection. Her body might be petite, but the responsibility of keeping her safe wou“By agreeing to travel with him, she had placed herself under his protection. Her body might be petite, but the responsibility of keeping her safe would be massive. Was he up to the task?”
Trail of Promises by Susan F. Craft is the second Great Wagon Road book ( and second in the series) that I have read. Quick thoughts in this paragraph: These books are great historical standalones , not about the Oregon Trail, but about the Wagon Trail that ran through the colonies from New York usually extending to South Carolina or further. I liked the first. I was definitely hooked by the second. Author notes are very important, and I love the help finding out which events are based on history! The fourth thought- after two of these books, you couldn’t pay me enough to be a part of this exceedingly dangerous wagon trail road!! ( But I will definitely be reading the other books of the series as soon as they release!!)
In Trail of Promises, unexpected tragedy causes a woman, sketcher-portrait artist to travel unaccompanied in 1753 on the trail with an attractive, former British military man and his younger brothers. But they are unmarried without a proper chaperone. Will this do harm to their reputations once they reach any settlements?
Stephen Griffith and Tessa Harris eventually do enter a marriage of convenience, but will that be enough for each of them? ( Note: This is a clean, and faith-based book.)
The trail is arduous not just in its path, but the events that the foursome must pass through. Will they crack under the horrendous strain of their encounter with extreme evil and other difficulties, or will they come out tried and shining as gold?
For those who love pre-Revolutionary times, wagon train stories, faith-filled stories, and great evil vs good.
I received a copy of the novel from the author via Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own ecopy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Even though the soap washed away the scent of death, nothing could ever erase the dark memories that must be lurking in their minds.”
“God walked with her through her valley. His love would sustain her through whatever lay ahead.”
“He made mistakes. We all do. Do not dwell on bad memories, but try to recall some of the good times you had with your father.”
“So, as a man, you feel compelled to hide your emotions?” “They were trained out of us, I’m afraid. Not the emotions themselves, but any display of them.”
“People do many things when their life or the life of someone they love is threatened.”
“Many beautiful things in the wilderness have an ugly side.” ...more
“Why can’t it be normal to be varied and different? In a world full of colors and shapes and backgrounds, who decided we were all supposed to be the s“Why can’t it be normal to be varied and different? In a world full of colors and shapes and backgrounds, who decided we were all supposed to be the same?”
Oh, Rachel Fordham! I don’t know which of your characters in Beyond Ivy Walls I love most!!
I love Sadie because she refuses to gossip meanly, works hard, and is determined to support her family, no matter the cost to herself. She is always putting others first. Whether she is in the feather duster factory or in the big house, she is looking out for others and has a strong sense of duty. Plus, she knows that people are more than meets the eye. “People are much like plants. There is so much more to them that cannot be seen. Ambitions and dreams. Fears and hopes. Buried beneath the soil, overlooked, but vital . . .”
For Otis’s part, I love him for the horrors he endured as a boy, the actions and attitudes that he should have been safe from, occurring in his own home. Yet, he returned. He struggles with staying, but who wouldn’t? And he discovers as he opens up to Sadie and their friendship develops, that he can challenge her in her weak spots, too. And what he does for Sadie!
Leon and Mildred- I love them because they are like catalysts in a slow chemical reaction. Loving Otis, seeing the real man, encouraging both Otis and Sadie as they learn to tolerate each other, making the big house a pleasant place to be.
The mystery is well-played and adds a beautiful counterpoint to the storyline. All in all, I am just plain in love with this Beauty and the Beast retelling. *Sigh*
I highly recommend this Christian historical romance novel. Do yourself a favor and grab a copy!
I received a copy of the book from Just Read Tours via NetGalley. I also purchased my own Kindle copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Unwanted. It was a label no child, no person, should have.”
“Just remember there is more to you than what happened in the past. I’ve seen pieces of your heart—others will too. Come and meet my family and you can see pieces of mine.”
“beside the grief was happiness. Somehow, pain and joy were walking side by side. He did not understand it, but he felt it.”
“Love, acceptance, abandonment, trust. He wanted to run from it all and in the same breath to make sense of the scattered pieces and find peace.”
“It’s a shame, the way we shun when we should rally around those who struggle. And no matter how others behave, in the pit of their stomachs, I think they know it too.”...more
“I want no part of your settlements and civilization.” “Done turned savage herself.” Eyes-Like-Sky is a bitter captive to the pre-Civil War days America“I want no part of your settlements and civilization.” “Done turned savage herself.” Eyes-Like-Sky is a bitter captive to the pre-Civil War days American army. When the Comanches have decided to deter the white men from their territory by sheer terror of raids, the army fights back. In one such retaliation, Eyes-Like-Sky’s husband is killed, and she and her baby are taken captive by the white man. But… Eyes Like Sky vows they will never convert her back to her original Texan roots. “‘I don’t have an English name. I’m Comanche.’ Maggie. The word throbbed in her head. She would never be Maggie again.”
I enjoyed being challenged by this book to remember that sometimes we people think others need to look, think, talk, dress, or act like us to be acceptable. “Those vultures. Trying to change her name. Taking her clothes. They’d take her whole past if they could. Turn her into some pale-face city girl who’d never seen a Comanche.” Shindelar writes in such a way as to show both race’s possible POV’s, and one can better understand the customs and clothing of each, and even the distrust each holds for the other.
This is definitely a slow-burn romance. Very slow! It takes a long time for Eyes Like Sky especially to trust Captain Garrett Ramsey. We wonder whether Ramsey can or will keep her safe. We also wonder whether Eyes Like Sky will stay with the white men long enough to find out.
All of this happens on the Eve of the Civil War. How does the time period add to the unrest of the country and the army camps?
Both Ramsey and Eyes Like Sky have some familiarity with the Bible. How will faith play into their relationship, or will they both even choose to develop a faith? “Why had God allowed her to lose everything, almost everything, again? God loved her. He was a personal God, not just an all-powerful creator beyond the stars. He’d sent His Son for her. The truth had permeated her childhood and embedded itself in her heart. But where was that love now? As cold and distant as the stars.”
And a baby. Add a baby to a story, and there’s bound to be a softening of a character or two. Plus, I personally think that attracts readers to the novel. I can almost imagine holding that little one myself!
Possibly one of the biggest questions the author brings up, is when are we going to stop seeing a group of people as guilty of the wrongs of a few or even some, and judge people on their hearts instead? “A man should be judged for his own actions. Not his people’s.”
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. I also purchased an ecopy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own....more
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