If I rated the book solely on the first half, this book would have only earned three stars. The first half was very slow to me. This was due in large If I rated the book solely on the first half, this book would have only earned three stars. The first half was very slow to me. This was due in large part to my not being able to connect with the main character of Aidyn, who seemed exceptionally incompetent and naïve in the career of journalism. For a person wanting to be a great reporter, she held none of the markers of an inquisitive person. She wasn’t overly curious, she didn’t ask lots of questions, and she wanted to simply rush through the job and skip straight to the top.
However, Mrs. Clara Kip was intriguing from the outset. She’s the one who hooked me in and refused to let me stop reading through those slower chapters. I wasn’t exactly sure why I should care about the thread set in the 1970s since Aidyn wasn’t, but Clara had a way of tugging my heart in even when the leading lady couldn’t care less.
I’m glad I kept reading, because at the halfway point, things picked up quite nicely. Aidyn then found herself getting curious about Mrs. Kip’s past, and from there was built a beautiful friendship. The second half completely earned a fourth star, especially after that final cluster of chapters. What a finale! It’s always an exquisite experience to discover an intimate beauty in bittersweet sorrow infused with incredible faith. Besides, I couldn’t stop the tears from spilling over. To me, that’s always a good sign that my emotions were well involved in the story, and being an emotional reader, that’s key for me. So I finished the book much more satisfied than expected after that first half.
I like that Mrs. Kip’s personality popped so well, particularly in the present-day thread. She was a force to be reckoned with. The faith thread was, in large part due to Mrs. Kip, rich and deep—just the way I like it. I was disappointed that there was one profane word and one expletive, but the rest of the faith journey was amazing.
The presentation of the entire story felt very atmospheric. That helped me feel welcome in this book’s world long before I ever connected with Aidyn. The scenes came alive because of the word choices and author’s voice. The history involved felt well researched and was beautifully presented in a way that brought the journey to life for me. I was glad to see that the author's note confirmed the research was thorough and the story written as an homage to those who lived through this time period and the events on display in this story.
There was one situation in which I was not sure what to think. It was unclear to me for many chapters if Mai Khab and her family were coming to America legally or illegally. Since they were refugees, I think it was legal through a refugee asylum policy. I wish it were made clearer from the beginning of her arriving that that was the case, because it was easy to misunderstand and think she was coming over illegally, which would have seemed like liberal propaganda with a particular line of Mrs. Kip’s. Even if Mai was legal through asylum, it was quite a rude generalization that Mrs. Kip made when she said, “I have never seen the vast smallness of American minds until I’ve attempted to get them to wrap around the concept of hospitality toward outsiders.” This line made me so mad, because it has not been my experience in my own community or in traveling throughout all 48 contiguous states that the vast majority of Americans are as heartless as that. Most of the thousands of people I’ve met in my life have been sweet, generous-hearted souls who are eager to make people feel welcome in their community. Sure, I’ve met some folks who are brash, rude, or downright cruel and bullyish, but they are few and very far between. I definitely wouldn’t look to generalize all of America in a negative light because of them when the majority of people have been polite and nice and happy to be of help or to chat for a few moments, if not a while. That was the one beef I had with Mrs. Kip. In all other moments, I really enjoyed her.
There were many lines I truly adored in this book. Here are a few of them.
“[The Lord] was always up to something good, even if she couldn’t see it.”
“Honey, I’m only dying. I’m not an invalid.”
“The grave is not my final home.”
“We don’t stay long in each other’s lives—that’s the crux of our humanness. You have to be the friend people need while they are there with you, because it’s the only chance you’ll get.”
“Loss is hard no matter how many times you’ve been through it.”
“I was still a mother, Miss Kelley, just not by the world’s definition. I mothered people whether they liked it or not. And I was endlessly blessed by it.”
“I wish I had listened better from the beginning.”
“Seek [H]im with everything you have … Follow [H]im even if it means you have to do weird things…”
Content: replacement expletives, tobacco, alcohol, crude sexual term, one profane word, one expletive ...more
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. These are my honest thoughts.
I loved the mother/daughter spy angle. That was incredibly FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. These are my honest thoughts.
I loved the mother/daughter spy angle. That was incredibly fun and the reason why I selected this book to read. Another thing I ended up enjoying was that each woman had to find their way in a new city with a new circle of acquaintances. New jobs, friends, opportunities… they faced them all and learned a lot.
The patriotism in the leads was superb. In an era when patriotism is scoffed at (early 2020s), it’s refreshing to see a book that shows it in a good light, where it was the main proponent to the plot, that it was not looked down upon but looked up to and aimed for. I loved to see the stand against violence-inducing propaganda. And it was fantastic to witness leading ladies who stumbled into Nazi circles—and daring to do something to combat the anti-American rhetoric!
A drawback for me was that history was adjusted to cater to the story rather than the other way around. Another one was the excessive and very unnecessary negative content (listed below).
If there hadn’t been some bad language in this book, it would have easily been a five-star read for me.
Madeline Martin sure knows how to spin a good If there hadn’t been some bad language in this book, it would have easily been a five-star read for me.
Madeline Martin sure knows how to spin a good WWII tale that wrenches the heart and shows the depth of humanity in the midst of terrible circumstances. Though this is only my second of her novels, it certainly won’t be my last. Her voice and storytelling style are right up my alley and keep me flipping pages long into the night.
The plot in this one was intricate and detailed and filled with intriguing twists. The depth of the tale added to the richness of emotion involved. Every heartbreaking scene built on the one before until I was completely wrapped up in Ava’s and Elaine’s stories and their journeys at saving Jews’ stories and documents before it was too late as well as hiding and rescuing Jews before they could be killed by the Hitler regime. It was interesting to see how the French Resistance and Underground Railroad worked together in this fight for morality. The dangers involved were completely realistic and kept me on the edge of my seat.
I can hardly wait to discover the next Martin story that I’ll want to add to my collection of WWII books.
Content: expletives, alcohol, tobacco, suicide, nudity mentioned but not dwelt on, profanity ...more
This story featured siblings who cared about each other as well as a community going through hard times. That was a good mix for a solid story. I loveThis story featured siblings who cared about each other as well as a community going through hard times. That was a good mix for a solid story. I loved that there were good twists and high emotion but also that the story featured a theme of carving life from the ground.
The faith thread was pretty good, focusing on gratefulness. That’s something lacking in today’s society, so this book served as a reminder to pause and express thanksgiving to God for the gifts He brings into one’s life.
Another good theme was having respect for other people. This was well on display in the way a character curbed another’s poor word choices.
I was surprised to see an opium addiction made its way into the narrative, but it was handled well.
The child abuse in this story was a heartrending aspect that heightened the emotional toll of the tale.
If it weren’t for the sex, nudity, and bad language, this would have been a keeper for me.
I adored the leading lady’s obsessions with the Dewey DecimaIf it weren’t for the sex, nudity, and bad language, this would have been a keeper for me.
I adored the leading lady’s obsessions with the Dewey Decimal System and the history of libraries. They were woven into the story well. Her journey in Paris in the early 1940s was amazing, particularly how she sought to save books and letters as well as make and maintain friendships with fellow library workers and volunteers and the “subscribers” (which we Americans would label as “patrons”) of the library.
Another pet peeve was that the historical timeline was altered for the sake of the story rather than the other way around. I don’t understand why some authors insist upon “adjusting” history to fit their whims.
Content: tobacco, expletives, crude talk, Catholicism, sexual innuendo and sensuality, marital affairs, profanity (French and English), alcohol, explicit sex, nudity (including public nudity), derogatory terms...more
This story had one issue that really bugged me, but the story was fantastic.
I loved the way this story wrapped up the various loose threads in the triThis story had one issue that really bugged me, but the story was fantastic.
I loved the way this story wrapped up the various loose threads in the trilogy. Obviously, I can’t talk about those things, but they came to satisfactory ends for me.
The thing that bothered me was the excessive sexual innuendo layered in throughout. It felt awkward and inappropriate. I understand these characters were married, but it still felt like entering the bedroom with them. They weren’t the types to flirt so overtly in company, so why were they doing it in mine? If not for that, this book would have easily been a five-star read for me.
The engineering, turning bridge, and familial drama were all sorts of happy for me. I loved how these aspects were all intertwined and overlapping. The faith thread was woven well among it all, and that was definitely the icing on the cake. The sisters and their mom were still the highlight and center of the story, but I loved how the fellows the girls chose were added in naturally and brought depth and extra spunk to the adventure.
Content: alcohol, sexual innuendo (excessive) ...more
What a spectacular story! From the scalawag renegade with a grudge to the estranged sisters trying to rediscover a healthy relationship to a man with What a spectacular story! From the scalawag renegade with a grudge to the estranged sisters trying to rediscover a healthy relationship to a man with a heartrending past and hesitant hopes for the future, this story whisked me away to 1910s New Mexico and entertained me well for many hours.
The theme of domestic abuse as well as one of neglect were well written in a way that showed the faults yet revealed how grace can come alongside and sweep the wrongs into the past in order to give people a completely fresh start. It was special to see how certain characters were attempting to break those negative cycles that can so easily carry down through generations.
The faith journey was so rich! It was strong and instilled hope in the characters and reader alike. It was wonderful to see the characters yearning to right the wrongs of their pasts. Sometimes it isn’t possible to do so, but it’s great when it is. The highlight on forgiveness was fantastic, because it wasn’t a pat thing. It was heart-deep and sincere—a true example of how living out God’s love through forgiveness can look.
Outside and in, this story was a beautiful concerto to the soul.
My heart sang while absorbing Ava’s and Gil’s journey through broken hopes, shattered Outside and in, this story was a beautiful concerto to the soul.
My heart sang while absorbing Ava’s and Gil’s journey through broken hopes, shattered dreams, and misunderstandings. Each chapter brought forward fresh opportunities and plot twists that surprised and delighted me, as well as delicious treats I could practically smell as the characters snarfed them down.
Themes involved in this novel’s plot were numerous and beautiful, yet the one that outshone them all was that of discerning and following God’s direction in one’s life. The other themes underscored this exquisitely.
It was wonderful to see a character stepping into his mentor’s shoes until he could find footing of his own. Even more fun was that cousins were featured as rivals. The musical aspects of this story were written with detailed flourish and provided the backbone for the sweet-as-honey romance. It was neat to see participants of all ages within the community.
The complex and charming characters fit perfectly with the author’s trademark style. Even the one I loved to hate grew on me, as Mrs. Sawyer is so skilled at doing in her stories. As per usual, her cast carried regrets and hopes, flaws and talents, dreams and faith as they journeyed together.
The narration by Barbara McCulloh was fantastic. She’s one of my favorite narrators, and I was glad to see (and hear) that she’d signed up to do the reading for Mrs. Sawyer’s latest novel. Very great choice! ...more
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. These are my honest thoughts.
I adored this story! It was deliciously melodramatic and feFTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. These are my honest thoughts.
I adored this story! It was deliciously melodramatic and featured a twist on the love triangle trope. This time, it was two women vying for the man’s affections, and on top of that, the guy had amnesia. Talk about intriguing! I liked that the leading lady was a female orderly and caretaker for the leading man. That was a creative way to create forced proximity so they had plenty of time to get to know one another.
The grandparents’ rights angle infused the story with tension, high stakes, and emotional depth in Clare. I love that this added so much richness to her love for her child and showcased how far a parent would go to save their child from being yanked from their grasp.
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. These are my honest thoughts.
This was the most atmospheric, immersive book I’ve read allFTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. These are my honest thoughts.
This was the most atmospheric, immersive book I’ve read all year. It held a Gothic overtone throughout, which lent a creepy harmony to compliment the Victorian melody of the tale set in Hurstwell Pauper Lunatic Asylum. The musical aspects of the story played well against the madness within. It was a beautifully intricate tale that was exquisitely discordant in all the right places. I was mesmerized from the early pages and even felt myself going a bit mad right alongside Vivienne in certain moments.
There were plenty of shocking twists that kept me guessing and flipping pages quickly. Even the one thing I thought I foresaw from early on was flipped on its head eventually, which delighted me to no end. This was one of those books that had me wishing I had no other obligations than to read, for I was easily lost to its charms and dramatics and the trap that was Hurstwell. If not for work and some post-Wuhan-Virus symptoms I’m still dealing with, I would have easily swallowed this story whole in a single day rather than having it dragged out over a month’s time. I suspect my first reread of it will be one large, satisfying gulp.
The leading lady, Vivienne, was one of the best unreliable narrators I’ve ever read. I cherished her point of view for that very reason. This very much felt like a psychological thriller in certain respects, Vivienne’s unreliability being the key one and the setting of Hurstwell Pauper Lunatic Asylum being another. I would love many, many more books like this one—ones that keep me off-kilter, on the edge of my seat, and deliciously unsettled until the final page.
Bridget was quite the conundrum for me. I truly wanted to love her. In some ways, I absolutely did. She was thoughtful, kind, encouraging… many traits I try to apply to my own persona. Yet, in a couple of other respects, she felt estranged from her own upbeat, inspirational personality.
In the first, she stated, about melancholia (depression) that it “doesn’t matter what you believe about the Almighty or anything else. You can’t climb out. No one can pull you out. [The wave of it] just has to roll over you till it passes, then you stand up and keep going. Until the next one.”
I disagreed with this outlook, because my personal experience has shown me that God does still perform miracles where depression and melancholia are concerned (as well as in other areas of life). I have lived in the midst of debilitating depression that was as dark as a moonless night. If not for God Almighty, I would have drowned in it. Yet, He held my face above the waves and eventually drew me up out of the stormy waters entirely, setting my feet back on the Rock of Salvation (Jesus Christ) and showing me that even in those dire circumstances I faced, I could be content and joyful and happy rather than depressed and sinking in melancholia. Jesus once said that we should “be of good cheer,” because He has “overcome the world” (John 16:33 NKJ). Overcoming the world includes beating depression—Jesus beat it! There is hope that God can help a person overcome their melancholia and depression, because our God is still a God of miracles; He is “the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8 NKJ), which means if He did miracles in Bible times, He’ll still do miracles today. I stand as a witness to many already in my life and am always on the lookout for more, because where God is, His miracles tend to follow; one just has to look for them. God can and does help people beat depression. I know; I’ve lived that experience; He beat my depression—without aid of any medication—and it has not returned in over a decade. I am living proof of Jesus’s words in John 16:33 and of Paul’s words in Philippians 4:11-12, in which he states that contentment may be found no matter how much or little we have or which situation we find ourselves in. My depression has been replaced by true contentment, thanks in full to God Almighty and His compassionate, healing touch, and that keeps joy in my heart—and the darkness of depression out.
The second of the outlooks that contradicted Bridget’s core personality was that she implied at least twice that Apostle Paul was her husband with wording such as “me dearest Paul” and by speaking of him with the fondness of a beloved spouse rather than with the brotherly respect due an apostle of Jesus Christ. It felt awkward and disrespectful that Bridget had spoken of Apostle Paul in such a way that Vivienne mistook him for Bridget’s personal friend—and I, as a reader, mistook him for her husband. And rightly so, as she referred to her actual husband as “my Michael”—not so dissimilarly as to how she referenced Paul.
I rather enjoyed Bridget’s positivity in such a depraved setting as the asylum, so there were definitely perks about this character. I feel like she would have been my favorite if she were more consistent in her belief in these lines: “… nothing happens without the Almighty’s say-so” and “Alls I know is the dark has lasted far too long here.”
Her backstory did lend itself perfectly to melancholia, but I was unable to follow the logic that she’d find sudden optimism in an asylum with absolutely zero healing taking place at that point. I would have liked to see either more consistency in her perspective or a more clarified explanation for her healing from melancholia in such a dreary, darkness-laden place.
Another small oddity of the book was that among the famous musicians quoted to begin each chapter, there were seven quotes included by the leading lady of the book. Now, she was entirely fictional, so this felt like the leading lady quoting herself rather than using another classic quote from a real historical person, such as Beethoven or Rossini.
The final thing I didn’t like was that the only noted historical figure in the book had his name altered simply because the author didn’t want to use his true middle name of “Kill,” as noted in the Author’s Note. One cannot help the name one is saddled with, but to accurately represent history, it’s crucial that one’s name is recorded correctly. This was very disappointing.
Those few negatives about this book were mere hiccups in the midst of an excellent symphony of heartache and loss, broken people and healing souls, and music and hope all strung together into the beautiful tapestry of a journey well traveled for the sake of following wherever God led, however unusual the destination.
The switches upon switches upon switches in this book was one of my favorite things, and they made this quite the memorable story. The romance in the latter chapters that especially had to do with those switches won back the fifth star in my rating. I also adored how exquisitely the music and faith threads were so naturally woven into the story and characters, creating such beautiful life to this story.
I would love another book in this series (this book is the sequel to A Midnight Dance, even though they were marketed as stand-alones, as they have three or four characters in common). I would love to find out what happens to Bridget and Rosamond and how they continue to blossom in the light of God’s movement in their lives.
The cover of this book is one of Lynette Eason’s best to date. The yellow tone is gorgeous, and I love that tree-packed landscape too.
A hostage negotiThe cover of this book is one of Lynette Eason’s best to date. The yellow tone is gorgeous, and I love that tree-packed landscape too.
A hostage negotiator was featured, and that job, when well written, is a huge magnet that draws me in. This one was spectacularly done. I especially enjoyed how many times the negotiation came up throughout the novel. It did not feel glossed over in the least; instead, it was presented in a way that made it feel like the author had personally experienced such events. That’s the sign of a great writer, if you ask me.
While this book was packed with action and suspense, there were some sweet moments that allowed me to catch my breath too. The sock-tossing scenes were entertaining, and the moments between the sisters were some of my favorite of the calmed-down scenes.
As with most, if not all, of Mrs. Eason’s previous books, this one was family oriented. The leading lady was the guardian of her little sister, which is a familial experience not typically highlighted in Christian fiction. It was handled so well here that the bar has been moved higher for those sibling-guardian books that will be written from here on out.
School shootings were featured but not in the typical way. One was in memory form, while the other was not a mass shooting event but rather more targeted. It was interesting to see this take on this type of social tragedy, because it presented very personal cases of what it can look like to see cries for help before these sorts of events happen as well as different ways in which they may be resolved.
It was fantastic to see how Dottie dealt with a bully during a crisis. I can’t really say more than that without spoiling anything, but my heart melted and tears gushed to the surface so that I had to blink fast and hard to be able to continue reading. That moment near the end of the book was a prime example of how a caring heart can make a huge difference in the lives of those around us.
The insanity one character was immersed in was so well written that it gave me chills and made me check my own mind after reading certain scenes. I loved how exquisitely this character was written, and this added a richness to the story in a different sort of way. It was perfect for this book’s plot and definitely made it one to remember.
There was one point of view that felt completely random. However, I felt like that was on purpose even as I was confused by it, because Mrs. Eason doesn’t do random. She always has a design in play, and I knew that would be the case here. I’m so glad I reserved judgment until the end, because when I figured out the connection on the page before the final chapter, my brain exploded and every moment of foreshadowing flashed through my mind. I kept thinking, “You foreshadowed it here… and there… and again here!” I loved that moment! This is a book I will read again with the intent to study how Mrs. Eason so exquisitely layered in the foreshadowing so that I didn’t see that big revelation coming. Hopefully this is something I can learn to apply in my own writing as well, because it was something I really enjoyed about this book.
I can hardly wait for the next two books in the Extreme Measures series!
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. These are my honest thoughts.
This book had me constantly amazed and baffled and shocked FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. These are my honest thoughts.
This book had me constantly amazed and baffled and shocked by turns. So much good information! I love learning about true crime and how criminals were caught and such, and methodology as well as psychology are fascinating to me. This book was right up my alley.
The great thing about it was that the author presented it in a way that I could easily understand it. A lot of texts like this one are way above my head to where I feel like I need to hold at least five or six PhDs to understand half of it. Not so with this book. The language was easily comprehended and written almost like a novel. It was very engaging and kept me riveted to the pages, though I had to pause many times to digest (pun intended) each new shocking thing that was revealed.
This is a great book for murder mystery writers to have on hand. I’m a writer of a different genre at the moment, but I will definitely be keeping this book in mind if I every dive into writing murder mysteries.
Content: nudity, expletives (few), mythology, alcohol, drugs, bars/pubs, brothels, marital affairs, prostitutes, abortions, unwed pregnancies, substance abuse, alchemy, teen use of drugs, teen use of alcohol, teen use of tobacco, Catholicism, premarital sex ...more
This book was different, unusual. Once I got used to the style, I was hooked on the story. I didn’t realize it was book one in a series, so now I’m prThis book was different, unusual. Once I got used to the style, I was hooked on the story. I didn’t realize it was book one in a series, so now I’m pretty sure I’ve got to get the next one to find out what happens next with Edward, because that ending… Yep, definitely going to find out what happens next.
(I loved the ending so much!)
I adored that Perfect Strangers and Balki were mentioned! I adored that television show back in the 1990s. (Still do.)
I like that this story was focused on a father-son relationship and that there were some pretty big shocks along the way that felt very organic. There was one particular twist I didn’t see coming and was stunned by. It was definitely unexpected but not entirely as terrible as I first supposed. I see what the author was doing with it, and I ended up enjoying that turn of events for what it meant for Edward and how it forced him to grow in a new and different way.
There were a lot of inappropriate things in this book. Crude talk, sexual content, cursing, etc. Cursing is immature and NOT funny in the least, no matter what Edward claimed to the contrary. Those aspects disappointed me.
Content: profanity, expletives, nudity, replacement expletives, crudity, alcohol, crude sexual terms and discussion, teen drug use, crude restroom talk ...more
Oh, I am utterly disappointed. I love the memoir genre, but I’m getting burned out of trying them for how many turn out to be completely trashy.
The coOh, I am utterly disappointed. I love the memoir genre, but I’m getting burned out of trying them for how many turn out to be completely trashy.
The cover of this book was so charming, so light and hopeful. The blurb was right up my alley, as I love a good road-trip story.
The book was saturated with drugs and sex, and the road trip didn’t come into the picture until around the sixty-five percent mark. That aspect felt nearly like an afterthought to the rest of the story.
My heart ached for Suleika throughout her journey with cancer and hospitals and symptoms.
The medical stuff was written very realistically. Sometimes this felt graphic and was difficult to read.
Excepting the poor choices in words at times and the plethora of explicit intimate moments, this book held many quotable lines. Some of my favorites were…
“We were learning that sometimes the only way to endure suffering is to transform it into art.”
Annie Dillard quote: “Write as if you were dying.” Suleika Jaouad’s reaction: “We are all terminal patients on this earth—the mystery is not ‘if’ but ‘when’ death appears in the plotline.”
“I’m listening more to what the whole thing has meant.”
Content: alcohol, pre-marital sex (excessive and explicit), drugs, expletives, tobacco, profanity, tattoos, bars, gambling, sexual immorality, crude gestures, psychics, suicide, nudity, skinny-dipping...more
This was a great story with a gorgeous cover. The remorse directly after sin was so realistic and naturally woven into the story. That made it feel veThis was a great story with a gorgeous cover. The remorse directly after sin was so realistic and naturally woven into the story. That made it feel very engaging and as if it could have been about any person in my community. I loved how complex the plot was. There were just enough threads and subplots to keep my ADD mind fully engaged and busy trying to sort everything out along with the characters.
Some important themes in this story were broken relationships, poor choices, remorse, compounding one’s problems, realistic mindsets, hope, new beginnings, and second chances. These aspects all played well together, fully showcasing a beautiful story of redemption.
Some plot points were predictable and felt overly common in the unwed-pregnancy trope. I would love to see this trope with more unpredictability in the future. Shake things up and give me something fresh, please.
Lillian was the character I struggled with the most, as she was manipulative, selfish, and cruel.
I absolutely loved the “unseen guy” romances in this book. Those were written beautifully.
Content: replacement profanity, alcohol, drunkenness, premarital sex, underage smoking, tobacco, unwed pregnancy, expletive, misquoted Bible verse (“pride goeth before a fall” should actually be “pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall,” according to Proverbs 16:18 KJV) ...more
This book would easily be a favorite if it weren’t for two profanities and one expletive used. Those bad-language words were completely unnecessary anThis book would easily be a favorite if it weren’t for two profanities and one expletive used. Those bad-language words were completely unnecessary and ruined an otherwise immersive reading experience for me.
Other than those three words, this story was completely charming, utterly delightful, and deliciously mysterious. I love stories like this one that pull me in and hardly ever let me catch my breath for how page-turning good they are. I especially enjoyed how the mystery was made better by the complex characters and intricate plot that held lots of sweet and spicy twists that kept me guessing throughout. It was fun to see this story include a murder mystery among it all! The charged familial drama and sweet romance were highlights I enjoyed as well.
I loved this book! The sisterly love was right up my alley, as was the road trip (via covered wagon!). I liked that it was a western featuring orphaneI loved this book! The sisterly love was right up my alley, as was the road trip (via covered wagon!). I liked that it was a western featuring orphaned siblings trying to carve out a new life for themselves on the wagon train and beyond. Very entertaining and enjoyable, and I liked the family of siblings. I’m hoping to read more in the series very soon.
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. These are my honest thoughts.
This was an important book. It provides support for first rFTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. These are my honest thoughts.
This was an important book. It provides support for first responders and their families. It promoted solid, Bible-based marital advice. And it encouraged the reader to continue helping people even when it’s hard.
Sadly, there was a double-standard on swearing. On the one hand, it was claimed that “There is zero point in having foul language come out of your mouth. It doesn’t make you look smart, it doesn’t make your point come across any better than appropriate words.” But on the other, it was said that “Sometimes I know these words just come out or it happens, and that’s not the profanity I am talking about.” However, according to the Bible, “no foul language” should come out of our mouths (Ephesians 4:29 HCSB). It doesn’t say that it’s conditional on what we’re feeling or experiencing, so this line was definitely disappointing.
It felt like at least a fourth of the book talked about needing a break from one’s kids. This was very difficult for me to understand, as I grew up in a home where my parents never complained about raising my sister and me and never whined about needing a break from us. They treasured having us and wanted to spend as much time with us as their respective jobs allowed. To have so much of the book focus on this aspect really broke my heart.
There were so many quotable moments! Here are just a few of the lines that caught my attention.
“when we stop comparing, we start to appreciate”
“I felt this pull that I wanted to do more, I wanted more from church. This is what God was stirring in me, I felt this emptiness that needed to be filled.”
“Surrendering your life to Jesus doesn’t mean all of your problems and trials will go away and that you will be filled with prosperity, wealth, and all the riches that you desire. That is the prosperity gospel preached by false teachers and is completely opposite of what Jesus taught.”
“I sought after the one person that I knew could give me peace, Jesus.”
“The only thing that lasts is the Word of God and His promise that He will never leave you nor forsake you.”
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. These are my honest thoughts.
The theme of loving one’s neighbors was well expressed. It FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. These are my honest thoughts.
The theme of loving one’s neighbors was well expressed. It was neat to see how the leading lady and her neighbors created a sense of community even when it meant stepping outside of their comfort zones. It was encouraging to see how they invited each other into their lives, and I especially loved that food was intrinsically involved.
I really struggled with the faith aspect of this book. So much of it ignored the teachings of Jesus that instructed people to stop sinning, to turn away from those wicked ways, and to live a more righteous life. It was very discouraging that those who were supposed to be more spiritually mature didn’t set a better example of living a morally sound life. I particularly found it discouraging that tossing out curse words seemed to not bother anyone whatsoever—even though Ephesians 3:29 clearly says that “no foul language is to come from your mouth” (HCSB). The drinking of alcohol came across as excessive too, which seemed in contradiction to Titus 2:3.
The book ended quite abruptly.
I am sure this book will be highly encouraging to many readers. It showcases how to create community with one’s neighbors, and that is definitely something we need a whole lot more of in today’s society.
The codebreaking and asylum threads were the most interesting and enjoyable, but they were buried in filth.
I was especialWell, that was disappointing.
The codebreaking and asylum threads were the most interesting and enjoyable, but they were buried in filth.
I was especially disappointed in how disrespectful this story was toward the British monarchy. To feature a fictional, tawdry affair with Prince Philip prior to his marriage to Princess Elizabeth seemed utterly inappropriate and unnecessary as well as disrespectful to both Philip and Elizabeth.
Content: profanity, expletives, alcohol, gambling, tobacco, war violence, excessive sexual content (including pre-marital sex, gang rape, and an “open” marriage), marital affairs, pubs ...more
Loading...
