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The Courtship Plan–first love
The Courtship Plan
by Kathleen Fuller
Things aren’t going well for Charity Raber as she looks for a job and a husband in Birch Creek. She was one of many young ladies responding to an ad that said there were a lot of young Amish men in Birch Creek looking for wives. Charity is thin with bright red hair and more freckles than can be counted. Because of a difficult family background, she comes across as…odd. She is too eager, her speech is unfiltered, and she just doesn’t know how to act around her peers. She was even set up with a date as a prank by one brother fooling another. She escapes more embarrassment by moving to Marigold where she is hired as a caregiver to Shirley, a kind English woman. To her dismay, just as she is adjusting well, one of the brothers moves in next door.
Charity wants love and sets out to get a husband with the aid of library books that hold some pretty bad advice and lead Charity into some situations that are very funny. The interactions between Shirley and Charity with their neighbor Jesse are the basis of a good story that is mostly not a fairy tale romance. A fun addition is Shirley’s escape artist dog Monroe. A serious complication is Charity’s relationship with her father and stepmother.
Love and forgiveness are strong themes that move forward an interesting story. Charity is a complicated character with a complicated background. She is the underdog protagonist that you will root for, but a happy ending seems difficult to achieve.
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: Christian, Romance
Notes: #1 in the Amish of Marigold Series. This book references a prank that I had also read about in the last book of the Amish Mail-Order Bride Series, but they are really independent series. The reader will get all the information needed right in The Courtship Plan.
Publication: January 17, 2023—Zondervan
Memorable Lines:
He’d called her weird and a pest. He wasn’t the first one to throw those awful adjectives at her. That honor was reserved for her mother.
When he’d told her Shirley cared, her heart leapt. Someone cared about her. She soaked that in like a dried-up sponge sitting in a saucer of fresh water.
She replaced her kapp with a kerchief and tried to bolster her own spirits, like she always had. but she failed. She was tired, so tired of being her own cheerleader.
Love in Harmony Valley Binge Wrap Up
In A Small Town Romance, Melinda Curtis paints a lovely picture of Harmony Valley, the setting of her Love in Harmony Valley series:
“Harmony Valley could have served as a backdrop for a Norman Rockwell painting. Old fashioned lamps lined Main Street. The buildings had brick fronts and canvas awnings. The wind blew brown and orange leaves down the road listlessly, as if even the elements knew the pace here was slow. The jury was out on whether it was off-the-grid, enjoy-your-time-off slow or bore me to tears slow.”
While A Small Town Romance is the last book I will read during this binge of the Love in Harmony Valley series which I have enjoyed, Melinda Curtis continues to rewrite and re-edit the books in this series. She is publishing one book per month. It appears the original series had 17 books including one novella.
Currently the ones shown on Amazon and Goodreads are:
#8 Finding Family in the Small Town—August 22, 2023
#9 A Small Town Girl with a Big City Secret—September 19, 2023
Thanks to my readers for sticking with me during my unusual binge. It’s probably a lot more fun to read the books than the reviews so your interest and loyalty are appreciated. Now we return to a variety of books just waiting to be read—ARC’s, Book Club reads, and personal choices.
If you missed any of the reviews, you can click on the book cover below for a quick link.
A Small Town Romance–writer of hurtful satire
A Small Town Romance
by Melinda Curtis
As the Love in Harmony Valley series continues, I have been looking forward to hearing more of Tracy’s story. We met her in the first book of the series, Dandelion Wishes. She had been Emma’s best friend and is Will’s sister. She has expressive (speech) aphasia as the result of an accident where Emma was driving. Her speech difficulty is hard enough in daily life, but imagine what it does to a marketing executive. She is currently working as a barista in the local coffee shop.
When Chad is fired from his position as a travel writer and head of company at the Bostwick Lampoon, he heads out to write his own caustic satire on the web starting with little Harmony Valley. The elderly residents are delighted that he is going to draw attention to their town bringing in tourists and new residents but are unaware of his satirical motives.
Tracy is attracted to the real Chad hidden inside the charming but deceptive exterior. He does have a kind heart and helps her with her speech. Unfortunately for their relationship, Tracy has done her research and is aware of the devastation he can bring to the little town and the people she loves in Harmony Valley.
A Small Town Romance provides a great look at these two characters. It shows the importance of self-confidence and helping others, putting their needs above your own.
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: Women’s Fiction, Romance
Notes: 1. #7 in the Love in Harmony Valley Series. It could be a standalone but so many of the previously introduced citizens of Harmony Valley show up in this book that I think the enjoyment is enhanced by reading other books in the series.
2. This book is Tracy and Chad’s story.
Publication: July 18, 2023—Franny Beth Books
Memorable Lines:
Tracy used to love to flirt. She used to be the Queen of the One-Liners, the Princess of Comebacks, the Junior Miss of Verbal Jousting.
“It’s quite round.” Chad swirled the glass again and watched the wine drip slowly down the side. “And it has good legs.” Now he was speaking French. Liquid, people. It’s just liquid.
Mildred was no longer going to seize the day. She was going to walk in Martin’s and survive the day. Because that’s what one did after embarrassment in a small town. You held your head up and carried on.
A Small Town Memory–looking for a past and a future
A Small Town Memory
by Melinda Curtis
Jess shows up in Harmony Valley looking for her past. Specifically her husband or boyfriend. She is pregnant and had been in a car accident and lost her memory—retrograde amnesia. Seeing a newspaper clipping of the staff at the winery in Harmony Valley stirs her memory when she sees a familiar looking man. She meets him and discovers that he is not the baby’s father, Greg, but is his twin, Duffy.
Jess spent her childhood in a variety of homeless situations before her mother abandoned her to foster care, a loveless situation that left Jess longing for family and averse to anything that smacked of charity.
Harmony Valley could use a good bakery and coffee shop and Jess is a talented baker. Quitting her job and relocating to a new town when she is seven months pregnant, however, is a huge step to even consider.
I don’t want to include the many complications to the story that would be spoilers. Author Melinda Curtis does a great job of creating the scenarios and characters in A Small Town Memory. Duffy has good reasons for not wanting to have anything to do with Jess as do his parents. The elderly residents of Harmony Valley range from a curmudgeon with a shotgun to some sweet, nosy women who don’t mind encouraging romance while trying to save their town.
There are valuable lessons about giving and receiving kindness, forgiveness, and strength of character. Trust and family are also prominent themes. The protagonists, Jess and Duffy, are likable characters with hurts in their pasts. Goldie is a cute, spunky little dog that Duffy fosters. She teaches him that there are positives to responsibilities. The ever present silent character is “Baby,” as Jess refers to her unborn little one, saying things like “Baby doesn’t like spicy food.” The author describes the little one’s movements: “Baby bounced eagerly in her belly, ready for a sugar fix.” Duffy even learns to accept his neighbor Eunice with her gifts of odd foods and nosiness.
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: Women’s Fiction, Romance
Notes: 1. #6 in the Love in Harmony Valley Series. It could be a standalone because the focus is on the new characters introduced in the series with previous characters just forming a background
2. This book is Jess and Duffy’s story.
Publication: June 20, 2023—Franny Beth Books
Memorable Lines:
Jessica’s heart wrenched. She would have loved to have been a part of a large family with a business like this one. She longed for such history. For family traditions and favorite recipes. For the simple state of belonging.
They drove to the vet’s office. Goldie rode on the truck’s center console as if she’d been riding in trucks all her life. For such a froufrou-looking dog, she had chutzpah.
Rose had rejection in her tone before the rejection ever came. “We’re so old, we don’t even buy green bananas. Taking in a pet at this point in our lives wouldn’t be wise.”
Forever Family in a Small Town–conquering addiction and the past
Forever Family in a Small Town
by Melinda Curtis
Melinda Curtis takes a lot of hurt and family dysfunction and weaves a story of trauma and secrets that will keep you turning pages. There are good reasons to root for Kathy, an alcoholic mother and Dylan, a horse and people whisper, not to mention Truman, Kathy’s son, and Zach, Dylan’s son. Both Kathy and Dylan are animal lovers, but that is not what pulls them together. As an alcoholic, Kathy is determined to stay sober for her son. Dylan has fallen behind in his child support payments by an injury incurred in a horse accident. When his ex-wife’s new husband sues for complete custody, Dylan has to work through his priorities.
With every book you read in this series, you become more involved in the lives of the people of Harmony Valley. Reading each book makes you feel like you know all of the characters better, not just the ones the focus is on. This is a dynamic series with depth and characters that will find a place in your heart.
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: Women’s Fiction, Romance
Notes: 1. #5 in the Love in Harmony Valley Series. It could be a standalone, but would be enjoyed better if read in sequence.
2 This book is Dylan and Kathy’s story.
3. Wondering how Kathy came to be a part of the Harmony Valley series? Kathy is Flynn’s younger stepsister and was dropped off to live with their grandfather by an alcoholic mother just as Flynn had been.
Publication: May 23, 2023—Franny Beth Books
Memorable Lines:
Zach, with his ready smile and buoyant attitude, was the balm to Dylan’’s spirits. With his son in his life, Dylan could bear any burden and ride out any storm.
Dylan’s hug was like being wrapped in a warm tortilla, surrounded by hearty fillings and double-wrapped in aluminum foil to preserve the heat. His was a hug that wasn’t an obligation, like the one Truman gave her every night. It was accepting. It was endearing. It was safe.
How did Kathy know it was love? Because she felt both calm and discombobulated when he was near. Because he made her feel normal and special all at the same time.
A Small Town Summer–horse whispering vet
A Small Town Summer
by Melinda Curtis
The first three books in the Love in Harmony Valley series focused individually on three young men who are business partners, Will, Flynn, and Slade and their romantic interests. The backbone of the series, the revitalization of the little town of Harmony Valley, continues in the fourth book A Small Town Summer. Work on the winery carries on with the discovery that a wine “cave’ will be needed for storage. The new hire is Shelby who will be the cellar master in charge of aging the wine. She is a former resident of Harmony Valley and is staying with her grandfather, Doc, a retired veterinarian.
A call is put out for the Harmony Valley descendants to come back to harvest the grapes. The winery needs help with picking the grapes, and the aging town residents hope some can be encouraged to settle in Harmony Valley. One of the “helpers” is Gage, a former best friend of Shelby and her deceased husband Nick. Gage is a vet who is known as a horse whisperer of birthing mares, the kind who may produce the next Secretariat.
One of the puzzles in this book is why Gage has not communicated with Shelby since Nick’s funeral. They were such good friends, and she is very hurt by his abandonment. He temporarily commits to work as a vet in Harmony Valley for two months before he moves to Kentucky to continue his specialized equine work.
In addition to the protagonists, the local elderly residents continue to play a role, frequently offering timely advice. Shelby befriends Mae who owns Dream Day Bridal where all the ladies used to buy their prom, bridal, and special occasion dresses. Married six times with three spousal deaths and three divorces, Mae knows a few things about love.
This book also includes a rescued St. Bernard and a number of other animals. Can Shelby be satisfied with taking in animals who need love? Can Gage find happiness across the country doing what he loves without a special someone in his life?
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: Women’s Fiction, Romance
Notes: 1. #4 in the Love in Harmony Valley Series. It is probably not best as a standalone.Although the backstory is explained well, a lot of characters are mentioned that enrich the the story for readers of previous books but would probably just confuse those new to the series.
2. Melinda Curtis, as shown in other series she has written, has a knack for creating a background that unites her characters as they are gradually introduced in each book. This book is Shelby and Gage’s story.
Publication: April 18, 2023—Franny Beth Books
Memorable Lines:
The problem with being a relatively new widow were all the “firsts.”…Firsts were gut-clenching, cold moments. They closed her throat, flooded her eyes, and cut off her breath. It took time to process them. To acknowledge the innocence, to accept things would never be the same again, and to release the melancholy.
The weight of their scrutiny finally broke her. “Sure. Of course. I’ll consider it.” Shelby blurted, feeling as fake as a two-dollar wine paired with a filet mignon.
Mae’s living room walls were a cheerful purple, as were her carpet, couch, and a recliner. She wore a short purple cotton robe, displaying a set of mottled, knobby knees leading down to purple fluffy mules….Mae’s house was purple everywhere. She loved the color. It was powerful and passionate. “I’m a single woman. I can do as I please.”
A New Beginning in a Small Town–overcoming the past
A New Beginning in a Small Town
by Melinda Curtis
Each book in the Love in Harmony Valley series focuses on different protagonists, but the setting is the same small town of about 80 people. There are relationship issues centered around the backgrounds of the characters and around efforts to revive the little town. Characters from one book recur in the next.
In previous books, a trio of young millionaires is introduced: Will and Flynn who are programmers and Slade, the businessman. Each of the friends has difficulties and it takes the right woman to help them sort those problems out. Will has Emma, and Flynn has married Becca. Their stories are in the first two books of the series.
In A New Beginning in a Small Town, the three are finally getting their winery established. As beer drinkers they need to get an excellent winemaker if they want to use the winery to reboot the small town. One of the local councilwomen puts her granddaughter Christine in the competition. Christine has a great reputation, comes from a line of winemakers, and needs a change. She is also a strong woman and looks beautiful whether in a designer evening gown or in her winery “uniform” of shorts and a ratty T-shirt bearing a band logo.
She has to make sure the trio are in this project for the long term. Slide is her immediate boss, and he doesn’t seem very committed. Is Christine the right person to save the winery and Slade who is clearly hurting?
What is it with the expensive silk ties that Slade always wears and fingers nervously even in terrible heat or on manual labor projects? Why does Evy, Slade’s ex-wife suddenly drop off their twins, with Gothic attire, wide-eyed, and totally silent? Melinda Curtis’ descriptions of Slade and the twins are excellent; it is very easy to picture them.
Slade’s neighbor, “old man Takata,” is an interesting, wise character and holds some keys to Slade’s past. With Christine’s help, the twins gradually open up. The ending of the book has some surprising, chaotic scenes that reveal a lot of the various characters’ motivations. Like Christine, the reader will waffle between wanting to shake some sense into Slade and hug away his pain. Kudos to Melinda Curtis on a well executed romance that addresses a very serious subject in a respectful manner.
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: Women’s Fiction, Romance
Notes: 1. #3 in the Love in Harmony Valley Series, but could be read as a standalone because of the excellent summary the author gives of both the town’s and Slade’s situations.
2. Melinda Curtis, as shown in other series she has written, has a knack for creating a background that unites her characters as they are gradually introduced in each book. This book is Christine and Slade’s story.
Publication: March 21, 2023—Franny Beth Books
Memorable Lines:
“When you’re younger than everyone else and smart, earning scores that skew the grading curve, you have to develop survival skills. Like smiling. And when that failed, I became good at blending in with the crowd and being a good listener.”
“Success, for me, became mandatory, the route to proving to my dad that life was worth living.”
“Can’t just means you won’t.”
A Small Town Second Chance–the heart of a caregiver
A Small Town Second Chance
by Melinda Curtis
Becca MacKenzie is a young widow and a caregiver. Her clients love her for her compassionate and caring spirit. She is trustworthy and honorable. Unfortunately, fulfilling a client’s last wishes and following legalities of wills and trusts do not always line up. Becca makes some difficult choices that come back to bite her legally.
She arrives in Harmony Valley to deliver a ring to an aging widow from a former beau. In the process, she is hired to care for Edwin who has just been released from the hospital. His handsome grandson Flynn has earned considerable wealth as a programmer, but is currently living with Edwin to take care of him and to establish a winery with hopes of revitalizing the town of Harmony Valley.
Flynn is a caregiver in his own way, acting as a handyman fixing house problems for the aging residents. Coming from a dysfunctional family, Flynn is raised by Edwin but now finds himself in the middle of lots of issues—familial, business, and relationship—as he and Becca try to not fall for each other.
A Small Town Second Chance addresses serious issues, but it has characters that will make you smile. There is amusing banter among the trio of men building the winery. Rose, Agnes, and Mildred are strong-willed elderly women who don’t try to stay out of everyone’s business. Abby is a sweet, comfort service dog who travels with Becca and is as compassionate as she is. Truman is Flynn’s step-sister’s son who seems to shoulder heavy burdens for an eight year old. As happened to Flynn as a youngster, Truman’s mother drops him off at Edwin’s house. Truman is sad but flourishes under the care of Becca, Flynn and Edwin who work to make him feel needed and loved. Pennies hold a special symbolism in the book, and Becca’s “House Rules,” many of which are created to keep Flynn at a distance, are lots of fun.
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: Women’s Fiction, Romance
Notes: 1. #2 in the Love in Harmony Valley Series, but could be read as a standalone.
2. Melinda Curtis, as shown in other series she has written, has a knack for creating a background that unites her characters as they are gradually introduced in each book. This book is Flynn and Becca’s story.
Publication: July 28, 2023—Franny Beth Books
Memorable Lines:
“It wasn’t easy to stay until the end. The ability to stay says a lot about a person.”
“I can fix things for my mom, and she’ll be happy.” Flynn remembered thinking the exact same thing when he was a kid. He wanted to be indispensable. An insurance policy for any kid who felt disposable.
“Symbols are important. That’s why we cherish wedding rings and family heirlooms.” Her delicate chin jutted out. “They remind us of love, of what’s honorable in the world, and how we’ve made our mark on it.”
Before We Were Yours–stealing and selling children
Before We Were Yours
by Lisa Wingate
This tale is based on actual events at the Memphis Tennessee Children’s Home Society in 1939 where Georgia Tann collected babies and sold them to adoptive parents. Sometimes she had police round them up from the streets. Other times she scammed unsuspecting parents when the groggy mothers of newborns were asked to sign papers which in fact turned the babies over to the state.
In this story, Rill (later renamed May), is 12 years old and given responsibility for her siblings when her mother has to go to the hospital for a difficult delivery. Scary men show up to their shanty boat telling the children lies and forcing them to go to the children’s home where as “swamp rats” they were treated despicably.
This is a dual timeline book, and the protagonist in the present time is Avery, a lawyer from the prominent Stafford political family in South Carolina. She is being groomed to take over her father’s political office if he succumbs to cancer.
In a chance meeting, May takes Avery’s bracelet, a dragonfly bracelet that is a family heirloom given to Avery by her Grandma Judy. In recovering the jewelry, Avery discovers a mysterious connection. Despite Judy’s gradually succumbing to Alzheimer’s, Avery pursues the relationship between the two women.
Before We Were Yours reveals a very sad series of events in U.S. history. Georgia Tann was a ruthless woman who took advantage of poor families during the Depression as well as families hurting from childlessness. The book is complex but Lisa Wingate tells the story with compassion. She researched her topic well and created a fictional tale that is substantiated by reported events and melds the facts into a compelling story.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Historical Fiction
Notes: Random House has an online book club kit that has resources that any reader would find beneficial, whether reading the book individually or with a group.
Publication: 2017—Ballentine
Memorable Lines:
She stops short of repeating the woman’s naughty words. Camellia’s eaten enough soap to clean up the inside of a whale in her ten years. She’s practically been raised on it. It’s a wonder bubbles don’t pour out her ears.
There’s no denying that Magnolia Manor is more upscale than the nursing home May Crandall lives in, but both places face the same underlying challenge—how to provide dignity, care, and comfort as life turns difficult corners.
“A woman’s past need not predict her future. She can dance to new music if she chooses. Her own music. To hear the tune, she must only stop talking. To herself, I mean. We’re always trying to persuade ourselves of things.”
Dark of Night–kidnapping
Dark of Night
by Colleen Coble
This mystery/thriller has it all—suspense, action, Christian values, and some clean romance. It is all tied up with themes of family, loyalty, and honesty.
Annie, Law Enforcement Ranger on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is the protagonist. She has spent twenty-four years dealing with feelings of guilt from her inability as a child to keep her little sister Sarah from being kidnapped. Annie is reigniting a relationship with Jon who, unbeknownst to either Annie or Jon, is the father of her daughter Kylie.
A woman shows up, initially in disguise, and claims to be the long lost Sarah. This woman is vindictive and confused. Meanwhile, there are other major plot threads. One involves Michelle Fraser, a formerly abused wife who has been living in a shelter for a year while she works to restore her confidence. Now she is ready to pursue her dangerous interest in mountain lions. There are three current kidnappings for apparently various reasons. Annie, Sheriff Mason, and an FBI agent along with Bree, her dog Samson, and the local search and rescue team combine efforts to find the victims.
There are too many threads to mention them all, but they are interesting and following them as they intersect with other threads keeps the reader quite involved.
I did have two issues with Dark of Night which kept it from being a five star book for me. As the second book in the series, it is heavily dependent on characters and plot found in the first book. There is just too much background that needed to be carried over and that can cause some confusion for the reader. It is a good read but not a good standalone. Also, I usually like characters who are children, but Kylie was not very appealing to me as a character. While she had been carefully taught personal safety, obedience, and respect, I had trouble empathizing with her because she was the center of everyone’s world. She gets a huge dose of reality in this book, and I will be watching to see if it affects her in the next book which I am looking forward to reading.
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 & Thriller, Romance
Notes: 1. #2 in the Annie Pederson Novels. I recommend it, but not as a standalone.
2. Be sure to followup by reading my review of #3 in the series. That book, the last in the series, changes my opinion of the whole series, which I already liked, in an even more positive direction.
Publication: January 10, 2023—Thomas Nelson
Memorable Lines:
His love for her had never wavered in the nine years he’d been gone. It had just gone underground and erupted the moment he saw her face again.
The discovery of a body was always hard for a search dog, and Samson had an especially tender heart.
Since she’d come here and seen how a real family lived, her rage over what she’d missed had grown.
education pathways 