The Sound of Sleighbells–Christmasy romance
The Sound of Sleighbells
by Janet Dailey
Are you looking for a clean romance with good characters in complex situations? The Sound of Sleighbells is all of that in a Christmas setting that is essential to the plot.
In the little town of Branding Iron, Texas, Ruth is trying to recover from a relationship that 16 years earlier left her a single mom disowned by her family. She found stability a few years later with a kind hearted man who loved her son Skip as his own. After his untimely death, she married Ed who revealed his true self as an abusive, mentally disturbed husband. Fortunately he did not abuse Skip or the two precious girls that he fathered with Ruth.
Judd went to prison for five years for defending a friend in a motorcycle gang fight. He has changed his ways and has become a responsible and successful rancher and leather craftsman specializing in custom saddles. Skip looks just like him.
Ruth has kept Skip and Judd apart to protect Skip, but when they meet she is terrified that they will both discover the secret she has worked hard to hide. Also, both Ruth and Judd feel sparks, but Ruth tries to distance her family from him to protect them from hurt.
There are other good characters in the story and many examples of people helping others. A conflict arises, however, when Digger, the man Judd saved so many years ago arrives fresh from prison with dreams of quick drug money on his mind. He becomes a danger to several of the characters.
For me, this was a quick read, and I enjoyed this Christmasy tale. It had many special moments handled with charm. The three kids and their friends help us see Christmas through children’s eyes. Butch, a massive shaggy brown dog who looks like a small bear, is one of the heroes of this novel.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Romance
Notes: #6 in The Christmas Tree Ranch Series, but I read it as a standalone with no problems.
Publication: September 26, 2023—Kensington
Memorable Lines:
She knew she should be grateful. But she could feel her stung pride lashing like the tail of an angry cat.
A hush fell over the crowd as the prerecorded piano music began the introduction to “Silent Night.” Voices joined in the beloved old song. Slowly, the magic began to happen—Christmas lights blurred by falling snowflakes, the sigh of a breeze passing through snowy branches, the fresh scent of pine on the chilly air.
To the children who waited, watched, and cheered, this Santa was absolutely real—not just because Abner was round and jolly by nature, but because the living spirit that surrounded him like an aura wasn’t an act. It was genuine.
Christmas at the Cat Café–in spite of fibromyalgia
Christmas at the Cat Café
by Jessica Redland
Author Jessica Redland slowly builds a captivating romance in the Yorkshire setting she is so familiar with. Tabby, with the nickname of Tabby-cat, is an ailurophile, a cat lover, whose dream is to own a cat café. I had to do an Internet search and discovered that there are examples of this kind of business all over the world, played out in various ways. In general the idea is to have a place for patrons to relax and enjoy being around cats. A baker by trade, Tabby quits her job at a restaurant to establish her special world in a multistoried building with an inheritance from her grandmother who has always encouraged her to follow her dreams. Her boyfriend Leon is also a chef and the intention is for him to run the café with her.
There are multiple problems in the execution of this plan from romance to health issues. I don’t want to insert too many spoilers, but I will reveal that Tabby has fibromyalgia. I learned so much about this condition that I did not know. In some ways it was difficult to read about Tabby’s struggles, but it was fulfilling to see her determination.
Initially I labored to visualize all of the different cats and remember their types and names. I have rescued a few cats over the years, but have spent more time and energy on dogs. I really don’t know all of the different breeds of cats. I soon realized that all of that background knowledge is not necessary to understand the plot, appreciate the characters’ motivations and enjoy this book.
There is a mystery woven into the plot of Christmas at the Cat Café when someone tries to ruin the café in various ways. The other shop owners on Castle Street are welcoming, and Tabby’s family is very supportive. I like Tabby so much as she tries to learn her limits with unpredictable fibromyalgia. Another main character, Tom-cat, was fostered by her grandmother, is a partner in her parents’ business, and has always seemed like a brother. He is handsome and likable and he and Tabby-cat have always been good friends.
Read this book to learn about cats and cat cafés. Read this book to become more aware of fibromyalgia and how you can help those who have it. Read this book because it has a fantastic plot with believable complications and great characters!
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Romance, Women’s Fiction
Notes: clean other than a very few expletives
Publication: September 15, 2023—Boldwood Books
Memorable Lines:
I realised that if I didn’t get to grips with my fibro, this could be me—angry, bitter, hating the world and everyone in it. That scared me more than a lifetime of pain…
“Fibromyalgia is so unpredictable that it’s not worth investing any energy into worrying about a flare-up. Fibro flares can be triggered by so many things such as stress, over-exertion, illness, changes in the weather and temperature, but sometimes those things don’t trigger a flare, and other times you can have a flare and none of those things are present.”
My heart was pounding and the nervous butterflies in my stomach were chasing each other and doing somersaults. I was excited, but also terrified.
Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas–Rudolph, a tourist destination
Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas
by Vicki Delany
I am disappointed when I read an apparently Christmas themed book that has little to do with Christmas. Sometimes the only Christmasy aspect is a beautiful cover. Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas is NOT in that category! From start to finish the book depends on a Christmas theme because its setting is Rudolph, New York, a town that aspires to be known as “America’s Christmas Town.” In a show of unity, the business owners specialize in shops with cute names and sponsor town-wide Christmas events.
The protagonist, Merry, owns Mrs. Claus’s Treasures, located on Jingle Bell Lane. The community theater group decides to produce a musical version of A Christmas Carol. It is an amateur group with the exception of Merry’s mother, a retired opera singer. There are a number of ego-driven conflicts among the performers, but Merry, not a part of the cast, is drawn into the undercurrents of discord when a cast member is killed in her shop. Is the death somehow related to the play? Merry just can’t let it go!
Merry’s mother is a diva, but Merry is down-to-earth. Her kind father plays Santa Claus at various events and looks the part. Her boyfriend Alan is a talented woodworker creating furniture and children’s toys. He also is “Santa’s head toymaker at public events.” Merry has a lumbering Saint Bernard, and Alan has a Jack Russell; both dogs have important roles in this cozy mystery.
It’s probably hard to write a mystery with strong Christmas vibes, but Vicki Delany is very successful in doing just that. With good characters, a mystery that offers a true puzzle and numerous motivations, and a little danger thrown in, this cozy had me turning pages and ended for me with a gentle “aww!” reaction.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: General Fiction, Mystery
Notes: #6 in the Year-Round Christmas Mystery Series, but could definitely be enjoyed as a standalone. I had not read any others in the series, but now I would like to.
Publication: September 19, 2023—Crooked Lane Books
Memorable Lines:
“A Christmas Carol, however,is not to be trifled with. It, more than most works, is firmly locked in time and place. That is what people expect. That is its appeal. The tradition of the Christmas season and the emotions it arouses.”
“Jackie O’Reilly, of all people, has asked to stay for a private lesson once the chorus practice has finished. Making silk purses out of sows’ ears comes to mind.”
Ranger leapt up and down, yipping in an excess of excitement. He’s a Jack Russell and excess excitement is his entire nature. He sniffed my boots, ran in circles around my legs, and then headed toward Mattie for more greetings. Mattie woofed in warning; Ranger decided discretion was the better part of valor and he hurried to sniff at the wheels of my car.
Advent–Hope and Repentance
Advent: The Season of Hope
by Tish Harrison Warren
I have almost finished reading Advent by Tish Harrison Warren for the second time this season. It is a small book that packs a powerful punch and is worthy of a reread.
In the Protestant churches of my childhood and most of my adult years, “advent” was a word I rarely heard. The focus was on Christmas and making sure the cultural aspects of the celebration (e.g. decorations, gifts, and parties) did not take prominence over the spiritual foundation: “Jesus is the reason for the season.” In more recent years, I have worshiped in Protestant churches that follow the liturgy found in the Book of Common Prayer. Warren’s book has helped me unravel the church calendar year which begins with Advent and to understand Advent itself.
This tiny book explains the three comings or advents of Christ. We celebrate His birth in Bethlehem at Christmas and look forward to what we refer to as “His Second Coming” when He will reign as King of Kings. Warren says there is a third coming which we currently experience when He dwells in our hearts as we are filled with the Holy Spirit.
There are many themes of Advent discussed in this book, but the ones that impact my heart the most are “repentance and hope” and “darkness and light.” Warren refers to four prayers composed for the Advent season in the Book of Common Prayer. In addition to talking to God, these prayers or collects lead the reader to a deeper understanding of Christian theology and what we believe as Christians. She explains eight practices of Advent for those who want to use this season to meet with God and draw closer to Him during the course of the four weeks of Advent that lead up to Christmas.
Perhaps my favorite chapter in the book Advent is entitled “Crying Out: Two Prophets of Advent.” Who prophesied most about the advent or coming of Jesus? Isaiah in the Old Testament and John the Baptist in the New Testament. It is a good beginning place if you want to learn more about prophecies from the Old Testament that were fulfilled in the New Testament and prophecies that are yet to be fulfilled when Jesus comes again, not as a baby in a manger, but as the Messiah who returns to banish Satan and evil and rule on Earth for eternity with justice, peace, and love.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Christian, Theology
Notes: 1. “Each volume in the Fullness of Time series invites readers to engage with the riches of the church year, exploring the traditions, prayers, Scriptures, and rituals of the seasons of the church calendar.” These are standalone books, each written by a different author: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pentecost.
2. This is a choice for my book club and lends itself well to group discussion, but it is also perfect for devotion, study, and meditation for individual readers.
Publication: 2023—InterVarsity Press
Memorable Lines:
Advent comes each year and quietly asks me to pause, to remember that we do not bring the kingdom of God to the world through our own effort or on our own timeline. We wait for one outside of us and outside of time. We wait for our coming king.
Advent is training in hope because this season tells us that when things lie fallow they do not lie in waste; things that seem dormant are not dead, and times of waiting are not without meaning, purpose, or design. God is working, sometimes almost imperceptibly, deep beneath the surface of time. Waiting is part of his redemption. It is part of his gift to us. It is part of his grace.
The love of God is the blazing fire that purifies us, remakes us, and sets right all that is broken in us and in the world. The love of God brings us to repentance. The love of God sets the oppressed free and makes all things new. The love of God insists on truth and justice. The love of God reveals every hidden thing. And it is this love that is coming for us.
A Cowboy Worth Waiting For–Rodeo Matchmaking
A Cowboy Worth Waiting For
by Melinda Curtis
Why are cowboys so appealing? I think it is because their job is a tough one requiring strength and endurance and is embedded in the natural world, the outdoors. Cowboys are by their very nature high on the masculinity scale. That includes Wade, a bareback bull rider and his family of non-biological brothers who are former fosters on the D Double R ranch. These young men faced tough times in their pasts, but were successfully guided by Mary and Frank Harrison through the hurts that landed them in the foster system. The men view Mary and Frank as parents and have chosen to stay on working the ranch that supplies horses and bulls for rodeos.
Wade lost his wife Libby to a brain tumor. He continues to isolate himself from hurt by distancing himself from people. The exception is his foster family and his tweenage daughter Ginny. Ronnie, who was Libby’s best friend, promised Libby that she would find a new wife for Wade who was also a longtime friend of Ronnie’s. Her means to accomplish this end (while disguising it) is starting a matchmaking business for cowboys, cowgirls, and all who enjoy rodeo. Ronnie, known for her kind heart, also has a reputation for messing things up—from the businesses she starts to navigating the physical world.
All the characters are likable, and young Ginny is realistic as she bounces back and forth between being a little girl and wanting to be “grown up.” The brothers have different strengths and strong bonds; they enjoy a lot of good natured ribbing. Ronnie is a fun character; she has resolved not to fall in love and can’t see the romance right in front of her while she successfully matches up other couples.
If you like clean romances and cowboys or are just intrigued by the cowboy life and lifestyle, I think you will enjoy A Cowboy Worth Waiting For. Knowing author Melinda Curtis’ expertise with series that revolve around families, I would expect this to be only the first of some good stories about each of the brothers.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Romance
Notes: #1 in The Cowboy Academy series, a Harlequin Heartwarming book
Publication: March 28, 2023—Harlequin Digital
Memorable Lines:
There was the Ronnie in her head, the one who planned romantic picnics. And then there was Ronnie out there in the world, spreading her picnic blanket over a fire ant mound. After her last date had called her a menace and was trying to sue her for damages, she’d come to a decision. Men were safer without her.
Ronnie’s cheeks heated until they felt hot enough to sizzle bacon.
In a nearby chute, a cowboy lowered himself on the back of Hustle Train, a beefy Brahman mix who delighted in turning on a dime to rid himself of pesky cowboys with dreams of grandeur.
Earth’s the Right Place for Love–young love and friendship
Earth’s the Right Place for Love
by Elizabeth Berg
I have read several novels by Elizabeth Berg. She excels at writing character driven novels. The first book I read by her was The Story of Arthur Truluv. I was enchanted by the character of Arthur, a kind, nonjudgemental, gentle, elderly man. In Earth’s the Right Place for Love, Berg returns to the character of Arthur as a sixteen year old. We learn that Arthur was the kind of person you could trust even as a teenager. He was always different from his peers. Never interested in sports, Arthur loved nature, especially plants. Most of the book follows his love for Nola who was cute, popular, and enjoyed Arthur’s friendship. Arthur wanted more, but never pushed for more from Nola who was very interested in Arthur’s older brother Frank.
I almost stopped reading the book during the first part because of physical abuse that happened when Arthur’s father was drunk. Those passages are not graphic but recognizing the occurrences is unavoidable. They ended about one-third of the way into the book. I was glad I just pushed on through as the rest of the book was so good. There is sadness to the book, but is is also a hopeful book with the main character mostly optimistic and patient.
Besides Arthur and Nola, Frank is another likable main character. He is bold, good at sports, and appeals to women. A sounding board and mentor for Arthur, Frank’s goal is to become a writer. The brothers’ relationship and Frank’s story are important parts of this novel. Their mother models love based on commitment. At times her actions make her seem weak, but actually she is strong and determined to keep her family together.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: General Fiction, Literary Fiction, Women’s Fiction
Notes: 1. Although the protagonist, Arthur Moses, is the same Arthur as found in The Story of Arthur Truluv, this novel is about Arthur as a boy and young man. The stories are not dependent on each other.
2. The setting of the story is the small town of Mason where Berg has set three other novels.
3. Warning of potential trigger for some readers: references to physical abuse.
Publication: March 21, 2023—Random House
Memorable Lines:
If nothing else, Arthur had learned this: love came in without knocking and stayed without your permission. And when hard times came between you and the one you loved, you didn’t run away. You stayed. His mother had told him that. His mother had demonstrated that.
“Remember, Pop was an orphan. And he didn’t get adopted until he was ten.” “Yeah, so?” “So it makes a difference, Arthur. Pop’s got a hole we won’t ever fill.”
The natural world was better than anything. He couldn’t say in words what it gave him, but he could feel it the minute he stepped outside: a kind of expansiveness and peace.
Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus: A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity
Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus
by Nabeel Qureshi
Nabeel Qureshi was an intellectual raised in a Muslim home who devoted years of study and fellowship with his best friend David, a Christian intellectual. They argued, researched, prayed, and maintained their friendship as Nabeel sought the Truth. Was he to find it in Jesus or in the teachings of Islam? This book is perfect for anyone who wants to:
—approach the Bible analytically
—prove or disprove the claims about Jesus Christ
—learn more about the beliefs of Muslims, their culture and how the two are related
—learn about the history of Islam
—understand the difference in approaches to Islam in the East and in the West
—learn some basic Islamic terminology
—witness a true Christian/Muslim friendship
—see how a Christian can share Jesus with others by example as he lives out his beliefs in Jesus through his actions
—learn how to disagree respectfully
—understand the Trinity
—gain an understanding of what a Muslim gives up when he converts to Christianity and the consequences of a conversion
—comprehend the claims and arguments against and for the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus
—read truths about Muhammad and the Quran that imams don’t share with their followers.
The Foreword of Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus summarizes the book quite well: “This is the riveting story of one man’s quest to set aside his preconceptions and pursue answers to the most pressing issues of life and faith, despite enormous pressure to maintain the status quo.”
Rating: 5/5
Category: Memoir, Christian, Religion and Spiritual
Notes: The author describes the book as a “narrative biography,” and one of the contributors to the lengthy appendix which expands on the topics in the book calls it Qureshi’s “spiritual autobiography.”
Publication: August 21, 2018—Zondervan
Memorable Lines:
The culture clash of immigrant parents with their Western-born children is especially common during the emotionally stormy teenage years, and it serves to illustrate a vital fact: Muslim immigrants from the East are starkly different from their Muslim children born in the West.
Effective evangelism requires relationships. There are very few exceptions.
Because of hadith and tradition, Muslim religion, culture, heritage, and identity all find their core in the person of Muhammad. This is why Muslims see an attack on his character as equivalent to a personal attack on them and everything they stand for.
These are the costs Muslims must calculate when considering the gospel: losing the relationships they have built in this life, potentially losing this life itself, and if they are wrong, losing their afterlife in paradise. It is no understatement to say that Muslims often risk everything to embrace the cross.
The Last Party at Silverton Hall–historical and contemporary story lines
The Last Party at Silverton Hall
by Rachel Burton
Isobel inherits a large five-bedroom mansion from her grandmother Vivien. She is guilt ridden over not visiting her grandmother as much as she could have. After all, Vivien had raised Isobel, keeping her in their beloved Silverton Bay and out of British boarding schools when Isobel’s parents moved to America.
This is a family riddled with secrets. Isabel’s mother Gina and Gina’s mother Vivien never seem to have gotten along, and Isabel is not sure why. She never knew her grandfather Max, but he is a powerful presence in The Last Party at Silverton Hall. Many people in the town were aware of the family’s secrets which amazingly they guarded for years.
This work of historical fiction is told in a dual timeline. In this way the backstory of the family is gradually introduced as Isobel discovers it for herself by talking with long-time residents and unearthing pertinent documents.
Isobel is helped in her search for the truth by an old flame Nick with whom she shared an unforgettable kiss eighteen years prior, Neither is currently married and neither has achieved their original career goals. Nick, a trained physician, has a knack for restoring and flipping houses, and he offers his skills to Isobel as her large house is badly in need of a variety of repairs and renovations.
As secrets come to light, Nick and Isobel confront the past and prepare themselves for a future that they hope will include both of them and Silverton Bay.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Historical Fiction, Romance, Women’s Fiction
Publication: March 2, 2023—Aria
Memorable Lines:
“Life never works out the way we think it will when we’re young. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be proud of what we achieve. Just because things turn out differently doesn’t mean they aren’t worthwhile.”
Secrets have a habit of being revealed, she knew that. But at the same time, when they were, they could blow a life into pieces.
Perhaps we all feel as though we have all the time in the world, and then, when that time inevitably runs out, it takes us by surprise.
A Novel Proposal–one more chapter!
A Novel Proposal
by Denise Hunter
I have read other books by Denise Hunter. I have read other clean romances. A Novel Proposal, however, is one of my favorites from both perspectives. The format of the book appeals to me so much. The author tickles my writing and reading sensibilities with her plot dilemma in which the protagonist Sadie, a budding author, has written several good western novels at a time when no one is buying westerns. Her contract is cancelled, and she will owe the advance money she received. Her publisher likes her writing, however, and gives her a chance to redeem her career with a romance. Romances are totally out of the comfortable range for Sadie, both in her personal life and in her writing experiences and goals. So, what makes A Novel Proposal unique? Each chapter begins with a quote from Romance Writing 101. These quotes summarize the steps in romance writing and reflect what is happening in each chapter. For example, Chapter 2 begins with “A meetcute is a charming encounter between two characters that leads to the development of a romantic relationship.” In this chapter Sadie meets the handsome, apparently broody Sam who shares half of a beach duplex with her when she travels from NYC to South Carolina to write a romance. She is gifted a stay there by her best friend’s mom. Sam is staying there to escape from a romantic disaster while continuing his job working for the family landscaping business. Supporting characters that you will enjoy include Caroline, Sadie’s best friend, and Rio, Sadie’s Maltipoo and constant companion. Hayley, Sam’s teenage sister, and the rest of his extended family add depth to the novel.
Sadie and Sam both have trust issues that hinder their relationship. Sadie is fun loving and blossoms in South Carolina where she starts a Free Library on the property and discovers something valuable in one of the books. She exchanges time as a “plus one” with Sam for his help in tracking down the owner. With publishing deadlines pressing, Sadie begins to write her novel based on her developing relationship with Sam using the old adage “write what you know.” Sadie and Sam are both characters with reader appeal. The reader knows that, as a romance, there will be a happily ever after, but how will the characters arrive at that end? Going along on the journey and watching the characters develop is such a fun reading experience. I had trouble putting the book down as each chapter led into the next in such a way that my mind kept say “One more chapter, one more chapter…”
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Romance
Notes: standalone, clean
Publication: March 21, 2023—Thomas Nelson
Memorable Lines:
A jet went streaking over their heads, reminding her of her noisy apartment, just a stone’s throw from LaGuardia with thin walls and thinner windows. Not to mention the construction project that had been going on next door since the Revolutionary War.
She was using a saw. A circular saw if his ears hadn’t failed him. What in the world was she doing? The ear-shattering noise stopped as she finished the cut—or sliced off a finger. He had a hard time believing a woman who couldn’t navigate porch steps might be handy with tools.
Maybe he needed space to figure things out. Just because her day had lasted eight decades didn’t mean his had too.
Strike Out 4 Murder–softball themed cozy
Strike Out 4 Murder
by J.C. Eaton
The husband and wife team who write the Sophie Kimball Mysteries, as well as several other cozy mystery series, are on their eleventh book in this series with Strike Out 4 Murder. If you have read other books in this series you will find this one fits into the comfortable, predictable pattern of the rest. Sophie Kimball is a bookkeeper/accountant for a private detective agency in Sun City West, Arizona, where her retired mother, Harriet, lives. Newly married to one of the detectives in the agency, Sophie continues to get involved in investigations. Over time she has gotten more comfortable with searching for clues and putting together the pieces of a mystery puzzle. Sometimes she disregards the questionable legality of her actions.
The reader knows only too well Sophie’s eating habits and her need for caffeine and a good swim. Despite being a little too predictable, this cozy mystery does offer up a good plot—very complicated. It is actually too involved for even the most astute reader to be able to predict the outcome. Several times Sophie thinks she can solve the crime only to discover a missing piece of information that changes everything. Her mother’s dog Streetman, a Chiweenie, and the inclusion of a new dog character Thor, a Great Dane, both add humor, interest, and excitement. Harriet’s book club friends and the men’s pinocle club have major roles in Strike Out 4 Murder with some amusing threads involving Paul and his passion for fishing and Herb who takes up softball.
At this point in the series, I think I enjoy the books more as a reunion with characters than as a captivating mystery. It is fun and well written, but the series probably needs to draw to a close soon.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: #11 in the Sophie Kimball Mystery Series and probably should not be read as a standalone.
Publication: March 21, 2023—Beyond the Page Publishing
Memorable Lines:
“I can’t be deciphering initials all day long. I blame it on texting. No one can write a full word anymore that’s longer than four letters.”
Intelligence information? Is that the new euphemism for gossip-mongering?
“She can pick up gossip faster than a Hoover vacuum on full speed.”
education pathways 