The Mistress of Tall Acre by Laura Frantz - a book review

I really liked this book.  It is set in the aftermath of the Revolutionary War, a period in time that I love to read about.  This is a clean romance with lots of excitement, mystery and emotion.  The author opens the story introducing us to Sophie, a once-upon-a-time southern belle, who now is struggling to keep her home.  The British army had taken over her home of Three Chimneys and left her with no food or supplies.   Her father fled because of his alliance with the British and her borther has disappeared while fighting in the Patriot army.  Sophie, along with two aging servants, is left to manage the estate.

This is what the publisher says:

“There can be only one mistress of Tall Acre . . .

The American Revolution is finally over, and Sophie Menzies is starved for good news. When her nearest neighbor, General Seamus Ogilvy, finally comes home to Tall Acre, she hopes it is a sign of better days to come. But the general is now a widower with a small daughter in desperate need of a mother. Nearly destitute, Sophie agrees to marry Seamus and become the mistress of Tall Acre in what seems a safe, sensible arrangement. But when a woman from the general's past returns without warning, the ties that bind this fledgling family together will be strained to the utmost. When all is said and done, who will be the rightful mistress of Tall Acre?”

This is a Christian romance and the faith of the characters plays an important role in the story. However, it is not at all preachy and I think any lover of historical novels would enjoy reading it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell and Baker
Publishing Group through their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

A Heart's Promise by Colleen Coble - a book review

I'm woefully behind on my book reviews, hence, the double posts today......

A Heart’s Promise by Colleen Coble

Colleen Coble’s books , in my mind, are always great!  This is a small portion of what was originally published as two complete novels and I would love to get my hands on a copy of the complete books.  I’ve read two of the small “books”  but not in sequence.  While it is possible to follow the story (there is enough information to allow you to follow it), it would be more enjoyable to read them all in order.  This is book five of six.

I love the characters that the author invents.  They are always interesting and often comical. The historical settings are always interesting and her descriptions bring them vividly to mind. 

From the back cover:

 “Emmie makes a promise to her friend that, if fulfilled, could mean the end to her dreams of a future with Isaac.
Emmie Croftner let Isaac Liddle go to avoid telling him about her past. But Isaac remains determined to win Emmie’s heart and hand. Though Emmie resolves to keep her heart in check, it hurts when she sees that another woman has set her bonnet for Isaac.
Then Emmie’s dear friend extracts a costly promise: if anything happens to her in childbirth, Emmie will marry her widower and raise the baby herself. And it seems Emmie may have to fulfill that promise. But can she live happily without Isaac?”

The story is set around the time of the Civil War in Wyoming.  The ruggedness and danger of the setting is very well portrayed and makes for an exciting, if not, short read. 
If you are looking for a fast, short read, these “books” will be just right for you.  And if you’re fortunate enough to collect all six, even better!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson and BookLook through their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Sea Keeper's Daughters by Lisa Wingate - a book review

I’m probably one in a million reviewers who didn’t give this book 5 stars.  It started very slowly for me and

while there were portions that were interesting enough to make me want to keep reading, they were too spread apart.  I’d give it 3.75 stars if I could but ratings being what they are, I’ll give it a 4.  There are basically two stories running simultaneously and both are fairly interesting.   There is the contemporary story of the main female character, Whitney.  Then there is the historic story concerning her grandmother. The author has done her homework concerning the historical aspect of the back story.  She introduces many of us to a program long forgotten called the Federal Writers Program.  There are many mysteries and questions that, by the end of the story, she answers beautifully. 

This is from the back cover:

“From modern-day Roanoke Island to the sweeping backdrop of North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains and Roosevelt’s WPA folklore writers, past and present intertwine to create an unexpected destiny.

Restaurant owner Whitney Monroe is desperate to save her business from a hostile takeover. The inheritance of a decaying Gilded Age hotel on North Carolina’s Outer Banks may provide just the ray of hope she needs. But things at the Excelsior are more complicated than they seem. Whitney’s estranged stepfather is entrenched on the third floor, and the downstairs tenants are determined to save the historic building. Searching through years of stored family heirlooms may be Whitney’s only hope of quick cash, but will the discovery of an old necklace and a Depression-era love story change everything?”

I usually confine my reading to Christian romance and I can’t honestly say that this book fits that category but it is a clean novel and there was nothing objectionable in it.  For those readers who really like to work at reading, this book would be a good choice.  For those of us who prefer a light-hearted, fast paced romance, one that we can start and finish in a few days,  this is probably not a good fit.

Go here to read an excerpt....

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers through their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Not by Sight by Kate Breslin - a book review

The World War 1 era has always intrigued me.  It was the period my grandparents lived through and I love reading about what life may have been like for them.  This novel is set in this time period.  I wish I could say that I loved it, but it didn’t hold my interest like I expected it to.  It’s a typical ‘beauty and the beast’ story with a very predictable ending.  There is some mystery involving uncovering traitors and spies but it the author didn’t go deep enough to make it interesting for me.  The romantic aspect develops very slowly and again, is very superficial.  I wish there had been more about the actual war.  The only in-depth descriptions seem to be when the female main character, Grace, is describing the landscape to the main male character, Jack, who is blind.  There were some humorous moments involving escaping livestock, sewing mishaps and ditch digging.

As always, I encourage you to make your own determination.  You might really like this book. I hope you do!

You can read an excerpt here.

This is the blurb from the back cover: 

“In the spring of 1917, all of Britain's attention is on the WWI war front and the thousands of young men serving their country on the front lines. Jack Benningham, dashing heir to the Earl of Stonebrooke, is young and able-bodied but refuses to enlist despite the contempt of his peers.

A wealthy young suffragette, Grace Mabry will do anything to assist her country's cause. Men like Jack infuriate her when she thinks of her own brother fighting in the trenches of France, so she has no reservations about handing him a white feather of cowardice at a posh masquerade ball.

But Grace could not anticipate the danger and betrayal set into motion by her actions, and soon she and Jack are forced to learn the true meaning of courage when the war raging overseas suddenly strikes much closer to home and their fervent beliefs become a matter of life and death.”

You can learn more about the author on her website.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House and Baker
Publishing Group through their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

       Photo Credit: ©Samantha Panzera Photography

Lost posts

Blogger seems to have deleted all of my posts from July 2014 through now.  They sent me some complicated instructions on how to repost them but not being very tech savy, I couldn't figure it out.

I'm not sure why they can't just fix it but that isn't an option, at least, they aren't offering.

You might be able to see a short blurb for each lost post on Bloglovin'.

Hopefully any new posts will stay posted.  I'm sorry for the inconvenience.  As you can tell, this is a very frustrating situation.

This situation has prompted me to revisit an idea I have been thinking of for a couple of years.  This blog is the blog that is associated with the book publishers that I review books for.  I have been advised by several other bloggers to use a different provider.  I am considering starting a personal blog with word press for any posts other than book reviews.

What do you think?

The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn by Lori Benton - a book review

This book has it all!  It has romance, adventure, intrigue, suspense, and mystery.  As the title states, Tamsen Littlejohn is being pursued.  As you read the story your first thought might be that she is being pursued by a scourned suitor.  As you read the story you realize that she is also being pursued by a man who loves her and by God.  Jesse offers her protection and through his strong faith in God, he shows her how her faith can be strengthened.

This is one book that I had trouble putting down.  I couldn’t wait until I could pick it up again to read. 

This is from the publisher’s  website:

“In an act of brave defiance, Tamsen Littlejohn escapes the life her harsh stepfather has forced upon her. Forsaking security and an arranged marriage, she enlists frontiersman Jesse Bird to guide her to the Watauga settlement in western North Carolina. But shedding her old life doesn’t come without cost. As the two cross a vast mountain wilderness, Tamsen faces hardships that test the limits of her faith and endurance.

Convinced that Tamsen has been kidnapped, wealthy suitor Ambrose Kincaid follows after her, in company with her equally determined stepfather. With trouble in pursuit, Tamsen and Jesse find themselves thrust into the conflict of a divided community of Overmountain settlers. The State of Franklin has been declared, but many remain loyal to North Carolina. With one life left behind and chaos on the horizon, Tamsen struggles to adapt to a life for which she was never prepared. But could this challenging frontier life be what her soul has longed for, what God has been leading her toward? As pursuit draws ever nearer, will her faith see her through the greatest danger of all—loving a man who has risked everything for her?”

The story takes place in the late 1700’s, a time of political upheaval and uncertainty and conflict among Indian tribes.  The characters are very believable and the author does a great job of keeping them interesting.  She also does a wonderful job of describing the landscape and surroundings.  You really feel that you are standing right there watching it all unfold.

If I have one criticism  it would be the choice of the heroine’s name.  Maybe it’s just me but I would frequently confuse it with ‘Tasmen’ . It is a very unusual name.

You can read an excert here:   http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?work=222107

If you like historical Christian romances, you won’t be disappointed with this one.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from WaterBrook Press through their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

A Shining Light by Judith Miller - a book review

 

 

I had never heard of this particular group of people before, so reading about the Amana community was very interesting. You can tell the author did alot of research. 

It is written in the first person narrative, which for me, was a little hard to follow at first. Once I got used to it, it made the story much more interesting. 

 There are many twists and turns in the plot and sometimes I wondered how much more this little family could take.  God provides for them in ways they would never have expected.  This is definately a faith based novel but not at all preachy. 

 
The characters are very engaging and ‘real’.  Throughout the story of this family’s journey there a many characters that at times can be hard to keep track of.

Overall, I liked this book. I can’t say it is one of my favorites but it is well written and interesting. 

Here is a synopsis from the publisher’s website:

 “The kind people of Amana have been her guiding light, but her greatest trial is yet to come...

 West Amana, Iowa, 1890

After Andrea Wilson receives the devastating news that her husband has been lost at sea, she returns home to Iowa with her young son, Lukas. But what she finds there causes more heartache: The family farm has burned and her father has died, leaving Andrea with nothing.

Andrea must rely on the kindness of the people from the nearby Amana village who invite her to stay with them for a time. She discovers much generosity and contentment among the Amanans--especially from the tinsmith, Dirk Knefler, who takes her son under his wing. But is the simple, cloistered life in Amana what Andrea wants for Lukas's future? Is she willing to give up the comforts and freedom of the outside world? And when yet another round of shocking news comes her way, will Andrea ever be able to find the serenity and hope that have eluded her for so long?”

 

I encourage you to read this book and learn about a very interesting group of people.

 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House through their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”