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Category Archives: Romance
A Breath of Fresh Air–very tangled family relationships
A Breath of Fresh Air
by Jessica Redland
I have really enjoyed Redland’s books; they are clean romances. I had many interruptions as I was reading this one, but I was always eager to pick up where I left off. My one warning is that A Breath of Fresh Air ends with a very large and surprising hook—big enough that I will be revising my reading queue to move on quickly to the third book in the series. At the end, I turned the page to learn who the mysterious “C.” is only to discover that this person’s identity is still hidden. Several of the main characters have been working for a number of months to bring this person’s name to light, but as the book closes it is still a mystery to the reader.
A Breath of Fresh Air is the story of Rosie who manages the stable on a large, but run down, property. She cares for the horses and gives riding lessons to groups and individuals with the help of her mother. Mam is emotionally crippled by a very serious accident and can not make herself leave the estate grounds. Mam has raised Rosie on her own and has never disclosed to Rosie, or anyone, who Rosie’s father is.
There is a lot of heavy baggage that the characters have to carry. Rosie was badly bullied in school, but the most painful break was with her long time friend, Ollie. What in his background would cause him to join with the “Populars” in making fun of her?
There are a lot of themes that the author explores including dysfunctional families composed of tortured people. Bullying is a huge issue as well as secrets that hurt but are supposed to protect. Paternity issues and the treatment of unwed mothers play a major role in this book. The novel includes second chance romances and recovery from PTSD. In the midst of all of these negatives are folks of good character, a supportive friend, and people who dream and work to make their dreams a reality.
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: #2 in the Escape to the Lakes series, but could be read as a stand alone.
Publication: January 10, 2024—Boldwood Books
Memorable Lines:
Confidence could be such a funny thing. If I was at the stables, I could happily chat to anyone—any age or walk of life, but being surrounded by horses was my comfort zone, my domain, my safe space. This couldn’t be further from that.
“Your capacity to forgive is astonishing, you love your friends and family with a ferocity that’s so touching, and you inspire me every day to want to be a better person.”
Things happened—unexpected, horrendous, life-changing things—but what was important was how we picked ourselves up after them, made our peace and moved on.
Meadow Falls–trusting again
Meadow Falls
by Carolyn Brown
Angela Marie Duncan inherits the largest peanut farm in Texas from her father. That might be overwhelming to some, but Angela Marie has been working the peanut farm since she was a child so she knows everything there is to know from planting to harvesting to accounting.
Meadow Falls recounts Angela Marie’s blossoming after her indifferent father passes away. She depends on Mandy her 95 year old nanny and Mandy’s granddaughter Celeste for support as makes choices to shed her old life and rebuild. Celeste has been Angela Marie’s close friend from childhood. Celeste is reeling from a divorce, and Angela Marie has learned that men can be attracted to her for her money. Both have understandable trusts issues with men. Devon enters her life at just the time she needs someone to handle the many mechanical issues that arise on a peanut farm. He brings along his cousin Jesse who is an excellent carpenter who is hired to remake much of the large home. Tongues are wagging in the little town with a big gossip mill. Angela Marie and Devon encourage the rumors to keep unwanted attention away from her. This fake boyfriend trope works, but boundaries can blur.
I enjoyed the characters, plot twists, and romance in this clean novel. Mandy and her friend Polly add a welcome multigenerational vibe. If I had one criticism of this book, it would be that the characters “giggle” and “chuckle” too much. Laughing is great, but let’s pull out the thesaurus and vary the words a little! Otherwise, it was a good read, and includes a mystery of sorts—possible relationships that are suspected based on timeline and photos. It takes DNA samples to suss out the truth.
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
Publication: January 9, 2024—Montlake
Memorable Lines:
My thoughts kept running around and around in my head like young squirrels chasing each other around and around the tree.
“You don’t forgive to make the other person feel better. You do it to get that hard spot out of your heart. Hate and love cannot abide together. Hate is darkness, and love is light. Love produces peace. Hate eats away at you until there’s nothing left but a dark hole inside your chest that nothing will cure.”
I sat down on the top step and savored every flirty moment and every nuance. I held onto the vibes between us like I would a Fourth of July sparkler and loved every minute.
Fragile Designs–valuable history
Fragile Designs
by Colleen Coble
I woke up in the middle of the night and continued my reading of Fragile Designs. Unfortunately it did not make me sleepy as I had hoped. Instead I finished the book. I wanted to “help” put all the loose ends together, and it was worth the lost sleep time. What a good read!
The main character Carly is a really nice person, always putting others’ needs ahead of her own. Family circumstances made her take on a mothering role for her sisters, but they ended up resenting her and expecting life on a silver platter. Part of the book revolves around family drama. Several of the characters have breakthroughs and get a new perspective on life and love of all kinds.
When she becomes a widow with a new baby three years into her marriage, Carly is taken in by her grandmother Mary and offered an opportunity along with her sisters to refurbish the huge family home and transform it into a bed and breakfast with Carly as the manager giving Carly a flexible schedule with her baby and perhaps the opportunity to explore writing as a career.
Along the way, Carly becomes reacquainted with the two handsome brothers next door. The murder of her husband who was in law enforcement was never solved, but Carly discovers clues, a Fabergé egg, and a huge secret her husband had been hiding. There is a slow burn, clean romance. Carly’s neighbor Lucas is a law enforcement officer who shows a protective streak for the whole family next door, but especially for Carly and her adorable son Noah, when they are endangered by an intruder, thief, stalker, and murderer. What is worth killing over and who is doing it?
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, Mystery, Romance
Notes: standalone
Publication: January 2,2024—Thomas Nelson
Memorable Lines:
What she’d wanted to do since she was a teenager was to write historical novels. Selling collectable items had seemed a good option instead of putting a toe in the craziness of the publishing world, but the itch to create her own novel had blossomed lately. Maybe was finally ready to try.
She might have been beautiful with the perfect skin that needed no makeup, but the petulant twist of her mouth and the angry slant of her eyes erased anything attractive in her angular face.
She eased down two steps and paused to listen. The headlamps went out, and the bottom of the stairs went dark. With the bat in one hand and her phone in the other, she slipped down two more steps.
When the Waters Came–flood, fire, and disease
When the Waters Came
by Candice Sue Patterson
Often, works of historical fiction focus on a famous character, a war, or a period in history. This book has as its subject the Johnstown, PA, flood of 1889 which resulted in two thousand deaths. Add to that the destruction of most structures, thousands of animals, and deep mud everywhere. Families were torn apart, and basic services of electricity and water disappeared. Transportation came to a standstill. The stench of decomposition was overwhelming, and typhoid fever was a concern resulting from the unclean water. The government sent in resources, and Clara Barton brought medical help along with her organizational aid in arranging temporary housing and providing food.
The early part of the story focuses on Monty, a likable, handsome pastor with a secret in his background. He loses everything in the flood as most people do. Annamae is a Red Cross nurse in Washington, D.C., who travels to Pennsylvania to help in the tragedy. She had a very difficult childhood, and following the death of her father in a factory accident she is left to her own resources. She manages to become a nurse and because of her skills attracts the attention of Clara Barton. Monty and Annamae’s paths cross, and they gradually reveal their interest in each other.
Annamae and Monty both have lessons to learn about forgiveness. Annamae has a deep-felt need for revenge, and has to come to grips with acknowledging a trust in God and His justice in dealing with wrongs. While I felt for the people who lost all in this flood and were terrorized by the powerful waters, I never really connected with the protagonists. I did learn a lot about the devastation of floods and this one in particular. The descriptions of the natural occurrences and their aftermath are powerful.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 3/5
Category: Christian, Historical Fiction, Romance
Notes: 1. #1 in the six book series A Day to Remember featuring disasters in American history written by six different authors.
2. The author includes details explaining which parts of her work were taken from actual sources and which are fictionalized.
Publication: January 1, 2024—Barbour
Memorable Lines:
He looked in the direction the man had come from, and fear pierced his heart. Black mist rolled into the air. Then Monty saw a wall of water as tall as any building, devouring everything in its path. The dam had broken.
This had been no judgment day or act of God. Not in the biblical sense. The truth was that this had happened from the selfishness and indifference of the industrial kings who ran the country and spent summers recreating at the top of the mountain. But proving it would be no easy task.
“Here we are, a hundred and thirteen years after the revolution, ruled by a different tyrant. The tyrant of greed and monopoly, where payment for backbreaking work is given in company scrip that can only be used at the company stores where prices are higher than anywhere else. After years of sacrificing health and family, the reward is death.”
I’m Glad I Found You This Christmas–Romance in Scotland
I’m Glad I Found You This Christmas
By C.P. Ward
I found a Christmas story that would truly be good at any time of the year just because it is sweet and contains some “magical” charm—perhaps it was dusted by Christmas elves. The setting is Hollydell, Scotland, a minimally advertised winter resort that can only be reached by an old fashioned coal train. In fact, it is located literally at the end of the line! Renee tries to help out her long time best friend Maggie whose boyfriend of four years, Dirk, has moved to London in an important new job and seems to be distancing himself from Maggie, a lowly shopkeeper. At least that is the way she thinks of herself. Renee thinks that if Maggie invites Dirk to a romantic Christmas, he will show his true colors by either pulling a no show or asking her to marry him.
The locals and tourists are all amazing people, friendly and welcoming to Maggie introducing her to all the fun Christmasy activities. As Dirk keeps postponing his arrival, Maggie’s new friends insist that she participate in all of the events and foods that make Hollydell the only place they would want to be during the Christmas season. Henry is the very handsome, kind reindeer keeper who takes a special interest in Maggie, but as they grow closer he shares that he doesn’t do “holiday romances.” The area has some beautiful snowfalls despite Scotland not normally experiencing much snow. The setting is magnificent.
You just have to read this book to see if any romances develop and if they include Dirk. More importantly, you’ll want to find out if Santa makes an appearance.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Women’s Fiction, Romance
Notes: 1. This is #1 in the Delightful Christmas series. My research tells me the books in this series would read like standalone, because the characters and locations of these books do not overlap. The connection seems to be solely Christmas.
2. This is my first read by this author, but there are 9 books in this series and there are other seasonal books by C.P. Ward. I’ll be returning for more sweet, clean novels..
Publication: September 30, 2018—AMMFA Publishing
Memorable Lines:
“We don’t get many visitors these days, but that’s intentional. We like to keep Hollydell special for those people who need it most.” She looked up and met Maggie’s eyes. “You see, those who really need us will always find us.”
“Nothing wrong with a good, honest job,” Emma said. “We can’t all be painting church ceilings. If you love what you do, you’re sorted. Money is just a number. Happiness is uncountable.”
“Things will work out, or they won’t, but one way or another, you’ll survive.”
A Whyte Christmas–a wintery tale
A Whyte Christmas
by Michele Brouder
Taking a little break from my Advance Reader Copies and my Book Club books, I got wild and crazy as February turned to March and read a Christmas book. I’m glad I did. A Whyte Christmas is clean; no need to worry about language or open bedroom doors. The main characters have lots of misunderstandings during their slow burn romance. Both of them work hard to NOT be attracted to the other, but as you might guess, that doesn’t work well. Kate O’Connor is an extremely likable protagonist. Originally a copywriter for an advertising firm, she is demoted to receptionist during a downturn for the company. Gavin Whyte is close to the top of his pharmaceutical company in Ireland and is sent to supervise the ad campaign for their latest drug.
Kate and Gavin are thrown together in multiple situations that always seem to end up with humorous to hilarious endings. Sometimes involving police authorities. Both had bad luck in their previous relationships and neither is particularly happy in their jobs. It does not seem inevitable that an American who gets herself into situations from falling off a ladder to being stuck in a snowstorm with no place to spend the night and an Irishman, unaware of his good looks and delicious Irish accent, will end up together. But can it happen?
Rating: 4/5
Category: Romance, Fiction
Notes: #1 in The Happy Holidays Series that is comprised of standalones.
Publication: September 30, 2021
Memorable Lines:
“Dieting is the only thing where losing is everything.”
Butterflies flew around like kamikaze pilots in her stomach and she still had no idea what she was going to say.
Jumping to conclusions was the only exercise she got.
Mrs. Mike–survival in the Canadian wilderness
Mrs. Mike
by Benedict and Nancy Freedman
When sixteen year old Katherine Mary (Kathy) O’Fallon leaves Boston in the early 1900’s to travel to Calgary, Alberta, she begins the adventure of a lifetime. She lives briefly with her uncle hoping to improve her health, but she falls in love with Mike Flannigan, a sergeant in the Canadian Mounted Police. He is kind, courageous, and handsome. They marry and live in the wilderness of “the North” in very difficult and dangerous conditions—overwhelmingly cold in the winter and slushy wet in the summer with mosquitoes bent on driving them crazy.
From both Mike and the natives, Kathy learns hard lessons about survival in the wilderness. It is a time and place when women undergo difficult pregnancies and childbirths without medical intervention. Families are wiped out by plagues, fire, and hunger. Although Kathy was treated well, that was not the case for many women. Their status was low, especially if they were native or half-breeds. Their languages and customs were different from her own, but she cultivated friendships based on common suffering and aid.
Mrs. Mike is historical fiction, but it is based on the life of Katherine Mary Flannigan. Full of adventure, history, and romance, Mrs. Mike is well written with great descriptions of the hardships of travel and the beauty of the northern wilderness. The reader experiences the tragedies of life and death along with people who endure the cold and scarcity of necessities, but have the moral fortitude to share and help their neighbors.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Historical Fiction
Publication: 1947—Berkley Books
Memorable Lines:
These big things, these terrible things, are not the important ones. If they were, how could one go on living? No, it is the small, little things that make up a day, that bring fullness and happiness to a life.
I couldn’t stand so many people so close to me. I was overpowered by the noise, the perfume, the decorations, and by the glare of the electric lights. After the soft glow of candles, everything seemed harsh and artificially bright.
The heart is a resilient thing, capable of enduring great pain and still finding joy.
An Amish Mother for His Child–family love
An Amish Mother for His Child
by Patricia Johns
What a difficult situation! Adam’s wife passed away. He has been raising his daughter Amanda Rebecca on his own, but now feels he needs a mother for his daughter and a “proper wife” for himself. Verna is an Amish woman of thirty. The community matchmaker decides they could fulfill each other’s needs and perhaps come to love each other in time. Without much more than meeting each other, the two are united. Adam promises to move from Oregon to Pennsylvania, and they set up housekeeping in a rented house. Amanda Rebecca is a sweet almost five year old, and Verna is so happy to be her new mamm. Likewise, Amanda Rebecca takes to Verna quickly as Verna makes the child feel comfortable with the new relationship.
The couple starts out with separate bedrooms and both work to please the other, but it is hard to get communication going. Adam and his first wife had difficulties with that too, and Adam had several traumas in his childhood that hold him back. Verna is fairly independent for an Amish woman, and she insists as part of their agreement that she will continue to teach court ordered knitting lessons to teenagers. The young people have tattoos, piercings, and good hearts in spite of some bad choices. On most things, however, Verna submits to Adam’s leadership in the family as she wants to please him and have a good marriage.
An Amish Mother for His Child details the struggles and successes they have along the way and one big family crisis that occurs. Will they come to a compromise or have to separate? Will they ever be united by love? This is a good story, and I enjoyed it.
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: Christian, Romance
Notes: #4 in the Amish Country Matches Series, but although I have not read any of the others in the series, they don’t seem to have character overlaps and so this worked well as a standalone.
Publication: December 26, 2023—Harlequin
Memorable Lines:
As an Amish woman, I stand out all the time when I go into the city. People stare at me. It might not be a tattoo, but my clothing shows that I’m different, and I won’t change it to blend in.
If there was one thing she’d learned from teaching that class, it was that she couldn’t change anyone. She couldn’t even make them into decent knitters. All she could do was love them as she found them.
“And you think this is a wise choice?” Adel’s tone said that she thought it was dumber than a bag of rocks.
Cooking up a Valentine’s Proposal—Sweet, clean romance
Cooking up a Valentine’s Proposal
by Daisy Flynn
When Jane’s bakery and apartment go up in flames, she and her daughter get out with their lives and not much else. They move in temporarily with Augustine who is a top rated chef and the brother of Jane’s best friend.
This is a novella so there is not a lot of opportunity for character development, but it is a nice, short read for Valentine’s Day—especially if you like characters who are not elderly but are “later in life.”
Rating: 3/5
Category: Romance, Fiction
Notes: If you like clean romances, this might appeal to you.
Publication: January 23, 2024
Memorable Lines:
I knew I didn’t want to go home after work. It wouldn’t be the calming oasis I’d thought it was before. Now it’d be an empty, echoing chamber that might just swallow me whole.
Her Secret Hope–Amish friendships
Her Secret Hope
by Shelley Shepard Gray
In the course of reading the Amish trilogy, A Season in Pinecraft, the reader is taken on a trip to Pinecraft, Florida, where a lot of Amish visitors like to go during the cold winter months. Englisch tourists come as well, but with so many Amish, the Amish stand out less and have more accommodations for their lifestyle. Three girls who don’t have friends among their hometown peers, end up together in Pinecraft where they develop a strong friendship with each other. Her Secret Hope focuses on Lilly Kurtz who moves to Pinecraft two years later to be with her friends and begin a new independent life working in the Marigold Inn cleaning rooms.
There she meets Eddie and his grandmother who becomes friends with everyone she meets. Eddie has taken her to Disney World, but after that adventure she is ready to rest, have meals brought to her, and (gasp!) watch DVD’s in her room. She is quite taken with the hardworking, kind Lilly and tries to do a little matchmaking. There is already some attraction between Eddie and Lilly. In trying to make conversation and get to know Lilly, Eddie pushes too hard as Lilly has a secret that she doesn’t want to share for fear it will cause Eddie to reject her as she has been looked down on so often in the past.
When there is a traumatic accusation at the inn, Lilly’s friends and co-workers stand up for her, but unfortunately her boss does not. This dramatic twist brings climactic change for Lilly and Eddie. Secrets are shared and hard decisions are made. Read this novel to see if all of the friends remain in Pinecraft and if love can survive the worst of times.
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, Fiction, Christian
Notes: # 3 in the Season in Pinecraft trilogy, but could be read as a standalone.
Publication: November 7, 2023—Revell
Memorable Lines:
Lilly was beginning to feel like she’d asked for a hot fudge sundae and had been served a scoop of vanilla ice cream instead. The treat was good and she appreciated it, but it wasn’t what she’d hoped for.
Everything didn’t need to have a reason or be a big deal. She really did need to stop overthinking every little thing. All that mattered was that she was making a friend, and she’d learned that one can never have too many of those. It was better to count her blessings instead of worry so much.
No, she still wasn’t falling in love, but what she was experiencing was really good. She was making friends and gathering great memories. Both were things to be grateful for.
education pathways 