Home » Posts tagged 'sisters'
Tag Archives: sisters
The Sisters at the Last House Before the Sea–recreating yourself
The Sisters at the Last House Before the Sea
by Liz Eeles
Heaven’s Cove is tucked away from the hustle and bustle of cities like London. It is a place of peace, calm, and community. The downside is everybody knows everybody’s business. The upside is having people who genuinely care and will help when a neighbor is in need. Isla and Caitlyn are sisters who due to family problems have been shuffled around. Their grandmother Jessie, a resident of Heaven’s Cove, is their last carer. Caitlyn had to fill in the “mother” gap for her ill mom and then her younger sister. She was anxious to escape from Heaven’s Cove and those extra responsibilities and she did, leaving Isla to care for their grandmother.
In The Sisters at the Last House Before the Sea life does not turn out well for either sister, and they do not maintain the close relationship of their youth. When their grandmother, always a riddle and puzzle lover, passes away she gives her granddaughters a final riddle to solve as part of their inheritance. The book includes romances, broken relationships, a dip into history, and teenage angst. Isla, Caitlyn, and Maisie (Caitlyn’s stepdaughter) all have issues to work through from their pasts. Most of the characters are likable. The unlikable ones are intentionally written as mean, narcissistic, and overbearing. Liz Eeles is a good writer, and I hope she will create more books for this series.
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: Fiction,Women’s Fiction
Notes: 1. Heaven’s Cove Book #6 can be a standalone. I have read all of the published books in this series and have enjoyed each one of them. There are a few characters who make cameo appearances in subsequent books, but the town itself is the backdrop that holds the series together. You really can jump into the series at any point.
2. Clean with a little mild swearing.
Publication: October 19, 2023—Bookouture
Memorable Lines:
Once upon a time, they were so close you could hardly have passed a piece of paper between them. Whereas now they were separated by a chasm of difference and resentment.
Paul definitely would not be happy. She usually did what he wanted. To be honest, she usually didn’t mind, and it avoided him sinking into a sulk. He was a champion sulker.
It must be nice being a robin, Maisie thought, watching its bright yellow beak bob up and down: no family dramas to deal with, no scary school, nothing on your mind except finding the next juicy worm.
The Amish Matchmakers–romance for the matchmakers
The Amish Matchmakers
by Beth Wiseman
Two Amish elderly sisters, Esther and Lizzie, own the Peony Inn and two neighboring cottages which they rent out. The sisters have a reputation in their community as matchmakers, but in this story they turn their skills on each other. They love each other so much that neither wants her sister to be alone or lonely if she passes first. When retired Englisch dentist Ben Stotzfus leases one of the cabins for 6 months, each determines to make a match for her sister, but both widowed women are actually attracted to Ben.
Another part of the plot introduces Ben’s granddaughter Mindy. Ben was semi-estranged from that part of his family, but now that she is grown they have reconnected. Gabriel is an Amish young man who works for the sisters at the inn, mainly when they need outside work done. He and Mindy meet when an accident occurs at Ben’s cottage. A spark flies upon their meeting but they wonder if anything can come of it since Amish and Englisch romances often have bad endings.
As older adults, Ben and Esther have medical issues that they try to keep secret. Lizzie is an energetic, feisty woman who is an avid reader of romances. She has decided that the cottage is haunted by the ghost of a previous tenant even though that concept is not part of Amish beliefs. Esther frequently has to rein Lizzie in, suggesting that she get rid of books on ghosts and serial killers and calling her out on some lies.
Depending on the issue, the antics and interactions of Esther and Lizzie can be serious or humorous, but their actions, although sometimes extreme, are always well-intentioned. The setting centers around Thanksgiving and Christmas giving an Amish holiday air to The Amish Matchmakers.
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: Romance, Christian, Religion
Notes: Standalone
Publication: October 17, 2023—Zondervan
Memorable Lines:
“Gott had a plan. I believe that when things fall into place easily, it was meant to be.”
He truly did believe laughter was good for the soul, and he’d seen plenty of instances where a person’s joyfulness had prolonged their life.
He could lie, but she’d see through him. Mothers has a superpower when it came to lying.
The Amish Christmas Promise–twin brothers
The Amish Christmas Promise
by Amy Lillard
Mattie’s husband David was killed in a farming accident leaving her with two precious preschool daughters and another child on the way. She has been grieving for several months when David’s twin brother Samuel appears. He claims that he had promised David that he would take care of his wife and children if anything ever happened to David. He declares that he is there to marry Mattie. Not only is Mattie stunned by his assertion, but there is a major obstacle. Samuel has been out of communication with his family and the Amish church for eight years, and he is under their rules for shunning anyone who has left the church in this manner.
The Amish Christmas Promise is about the secrets Samuel holds and his reluctance to share them and ask forgiveness of God and the church members. He is deep in lies of omission which are hurting his budding relationship with Mattie. She and her two sisters who live with her risk their standing in the church by the acts of kindness they show Samuel. So faith, trust, kindness, and God’s will become major themes in the story.
The children are sweet, and the sisters are supportive. Some humor is brought into the novel in the form of Charlie, a mischievous pygmy goat that Mattie keeps in the house as a pet. It is rather a stereotype, but the bishop’s wife Eleanor Peachey does her best to righteously spread rumors and gossip. Mattie and Samuel are both likable characters. I enjoyed the book, but the resolution seemed like a jump in time and occurred too easily to be believable given the past tragedies in the protagonists’ lives. It was, however, the ending most readers would hope for.
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
Publication: November 28, 2023—Harlequin (Love Inspired)
Memorable Lines:
Mattie wiped tears of mirth from her eyes; at least they had started off that way. These days she could never be certain. One minute she was laughing and the next sobbing. But pregnancy and grief were a terrible combination.
How many people had he grown up with had faked their compliance with the church until true faith came to them? A handful at least. Being Amish wasn’t easy, and that had nothing to do with lack of modern amenities and everything to do with heightened faith. Most had it. All were expected to.
“You may always have doubts. And you may always have to stop yourself from wondering and mulling over all the what-ifs and maybes, but it’s not wallowing in them that makes all the difference.”
Break of Day–Christian suspense
Break of Day
by Colleen Coble
I strongly encourage readers who enjoy Christian suspense to read the three part Annie Pederson series. As a mystery fan, I rarely read thrillers, only reading suspense that I think will be more mystery than psychologically creepy. This series walks the border for me, but the violence is not graphically depicted and evil is called out for what it is. I really liked Edge of Dusk (#1 in the series), but was not as enamored with Dark of Night (#2 in the series). This last book in the series blew me away. There were surprises right and left and lots of character development. Character motivations, both good and bad, were revealed.
Annie’s daughter Kylie, that I didn’t much care for in Dark of Night, was not an active character in this third book, but concern for her and her safety was appropriately inserted. Relationships were fractured and healed. Roadblocks rose up and were gradually dismantled through trust in God.
The focus of the book was the horrible hunting of innocent tourists and hikers as a game. This thread began in the first book, but was central to Break of Day. Annie’s law enforcement skills, outdoor survival tactics, nautical expertise, stamina, protectiveness, and moral character make her a protagonist to be admired and applauded. The themes of forgiveness and trust in God are woven throughout the tale as sisters Annie and Sarah relive past traumas and learn that their love for each other trumps previous hurts and mistakes.
There is beautiful symbolism of God’s faithfulness in a goldfinch he sends to reassure Kylie in a moment of crisis. Other symbolism is found in the darkness of the forest when Annie and Sarah are being hunted. They couldn’t tell which way to go because they couldn’t see the sun. They needed God to shed light on the situation and give direction.
I have to give a shout out to the dogs in the series. Samson is a search and rescue dog whose skills in Edge of Dusk are amazing. In Break of Day Sarah rescues Scout who later provides comfort and help to her. Samson’s pup Milo causes some welcome humorous chaos as this serious series draws to a close.
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: Mystery & Thriller, Romance, Women’s Fiction
Notes: 1. #3 in the Annie Pederson Novels. I recommend reading this series sequentially and close together time wise. Each book is a continuation of the prior book and will be best enjoyed if read as a unit.
Publication: July 4, 2023—Thomas Nelson
Memorable Lines:
“How many times does the Bible say ‘Fear not’? Enough times that we know God doesn’t want us to cower in our homes. And I’m not going to do it. What kind of example would that be for Kylie? I want to model courage not cowardice.”
“There’s room for all of us. Love is like that. It doesn’t matter how many people you love, there is always room for more.”
She found it hard to believe anyone could be so twisted and cruel. Evil was the real word. There was evil in the world, and the three of them faced it right now.
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.
Edge of Dusk–Murder on Lake Superior
Edge of Dusk
by Colleen Coble
I am not a fan of thrillers as the intensity can negate the reading pleasure for me. I have made an exception for Colleen Coble’s suspense books. They are extremely fast-paced, the plots are complex, but they don’t leave me with nightmarish visions. The characters have depth and potential for growth—the protagonists anyway. Coble has previously set a series in Rock Harbor, Michigan, but Edge of Dusk starts a new series, the Annie Pederson novels, using the same setting which has already been proven popular with her readers. I like the main character Annie Pederson; she is a Law Enforcement Officer with the parks services. She has one child, and she recently lost her husband and both parents in an accident. She is trying to maintain the family business, a marina and cabin resort, while keeping her day job.
Annie lives with guilt because of the death of a little sister when they were both young. This novel involves repercussions from that tragedy and revives another cold case in which two teenage girls disappeared. On that backdrop there is a new murder of a camper and an attack on another one in remote areas of the lake. Annie’s life becomes more complicated with the return of her ex-fiancé, now a successful orthopedic surgeon. Their breakup nine years earlier was messy, sudden, and not handled well by either party. They now have to face the past and decide if they have a future together going forward.
The more Annie investigates the murders and disappearances, the more dangerous her life becomes with vandalism, arson, stalking, and other kinds of threats. She will do anything to keep her daughter safe. Fortunately, she has friends who gather round her as things become increasingly dangerous. Annie and her ex-fiancé use these difficulties as opportunities to grow in their faith.
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: Mystery and Thriller, General Fiction
Notes: #1 in the new Annie Pederson Series
Publication: July 12, 2022—Thomas Nelson
Memorable Lines:
Memories pummeled her like a tsunami, and bile burned the back of her throat. That last night here had ruined everything—her purity, her self-respect, relationship with Jon and with her parents.
“I’m not going to sit in judgment over your mistakes. We all make them. That’s between you and God.” And she’d asked God many times to forgive her. She knew he had. The problem was she hadn’t been able to forgive herself, and this new wrinkle brought all her sins out into the light to be examined.
The lake was the embodiment of their relationship: turbulent and calming, exciting and steady. She could look at Lake Superior on a stormy day and remember that last violent argument. She could glide on its glassy surface on a calm morning and remember how his strength would calm her fears.
A Daughter for the Mountain Firefighter–past collides with future
A Daughter for the Mountain Firefighter
by Melinda Curtis
If you’ve been following the tales of the Silver Bend Hot Shot crew from Idaho, you know what a difficult and dangerous job mountain firefighters have. A Daughter for the Mountain Firefighter is the fourth book in this series written by Melinda Curtis. Itfocuses on Cole, also known as Chainsaw because his responsibility is to cut paths through the forest for fire barriers and roadways.
As this fire season draws to a close, Cole is preparing to attend medical school in the Bahamas. To his surprise, his path crosses with an old friend, Rachel, whose sister Cole dated. Rachel has become a mechanic and pilot employed to fly her tanker in support of the firefighters.
Cole and Rachel have complications and issues that go back to their birth families. Cole carries guilt and sorrow. Rachel suffers from PTSD and feels responsible for the well-being of her dad, her niece, Jenna, who has had to grow up too quickly, and her nephew, Matt, who never really knew his mother.
The discovery of the identity of Jenna’s biological dad causes tremors in family relationships. A nearly fatal airplane crash sends Rachel to the hospital and jeopardizes the family’s financial stability. Meanwhile, romance is brewing as Cole begins to wonder if he ever really loved Rachel’s sister, Missy. Rachel, on the other hand, has only ever loved one man. As they stumble through their current, seemingly insurmountable problems, will Cole and Rachel manage to overcome their pasts to find happiness?
I would like to extend my thanks to Melinda Curtis for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Romance
Notes: #4 in the Mountain Firefighter Series, but works well as a standalone.
Publication: June 26, 2020—Purple Papaya
Memorable Lines:
She understood that the callouses on hearts were’t reliable, that they sometimes softened and let the ache of loss back in.
“Every pilot knows they’re defying the laws of nature by taking to the skies. We weren’t born with wings. But every pilot loves to fly more than they fear the risk of falling.”
Rachel had boarded the denial train.
Christmas at Carly’s Cupcakes–Christmas wedding
Christmas at Carly’s Cupcakes
by Jessica Redland
A sweet holiday tale with some sibling troubles, an upcoming wedding, PTSD, and friends who could be so much more. Those are the threads found in Christmas at Carly’s Cupcakes by Jessica Redland, Carly started a cupcake business four years ago. Her much younger sister Bethany has been working for her, but she is klutzy and prone to mistakes that are costly. Carly and Bethany are both wondering if the cupcake shop is a good place for Bethany, but Carly is driven to take care of her sister who is also second-guessing her upcoming marriage. Meanwhile, Carly starts to realize that her very long-term best friend, Liam, on a tour in Afghanistan, is possibly the love she has been denying herself.
There are several unexpected twists as the countdown to the wedding and Christmas draw closer. You’ll enjoy watching the tangled threads unravel as you read this charming story and root for the likable characters to solve their problems.
I would like to extend my thanks to NetGalley and to Boldwood Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4/5
Category: General Fiction (Adult), Women’s Fiction
Publication: August 13, 2020—Boldwood Books
Memorable Lines:
And there it was—the exact moment I realised I’d been in love with my best friend for years. Nobody else I’d met had held my interest because Liam already held my heart and I’d never even realised it.
As I stepped out of the front door, I inhaled the delicious aroma of chimney smoke. I loved that smell. There was something about real fires that was so intrinsically Christmassy. I paused for a moment to look up at the white lights strung between the shops, like stars in the inky sky. It was the beautiful simplicity that made them so enchanting to look at.
I felt a pang of guilt again that I’d worked beside her for months and had been too busy to notice when the laughter had ceased until it became too late.
Montana Wedding–great finale
Montana Wedding
by Cari Lynn Webb
Georgie Harrison has always been singularly focused. She has a plan to honor her mother’s memory by discovering a cure so that other families would not have to experience premature loss of a parent as she and her sisters had. As a medical doctor she has turned her talents to research and has landed the job of her dreams in London. Now she just has to convince her dad and four sisters that this is a positive move. She convinces a friend and work colleague, Colin, to be her pretend date for her sister’s wedding at the Blackwell Ranch. Unfortunately, Colin doesn’t make the flight. Seated next to her on the plane, however, is handsome rodeo star Zach. He would fit right in with the Blackwells, the cousins she is about to meet, but what could possibly motivate Zach to assume the role of boyfriend?
Zach has his own family issues and dreams, but he loyally supports Georgie as promised. Since this is a Harlequin Heartwarming romance, you can be sure the couple will fall in love. The journey down the path to love is what is interesting, and the plot has several surprising twists, as in “I didn’t see that coming!” Author Cari Lynn Webb gives the viewpoint of both Zach and Georgie as they battle their growing attraction, giving the reader empathy for them in a situation neither sought out. The Blackwells are wonderful people who stand by each other with integrity, love, and quite a bit of teasing. They are the family Zach always dreamed of. Montana Wedding’sbackdrop of a Christmas wedding at a Montana working guest ranch will put you in a holiday mood regardless of the season. It is the perfect finish to The Blackwell Sisters series as it includes all the major characters from that series and from The Return of the Blackwell Brothers. It will leave you with that pleasing feeling of closure for the series and a satisfied smile on your face.
I would like to extend my thanks to Cari Lynn Webb and to Harlequin Heartwarming for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Romance
Notes: #5 in The Blackwell Sisters series. It could be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading the whole series.
Publication: December 6, 2020—Harlequin Heartwarming
Memorable Lines:
His mother had offered disregard and indifference as naturally as other mothers offered their children support and reassurance….His mother’s accusations had always been followed by those same two words, given in the same dull, detached tone: Go. Away.
He’d learned the truth during Cody’s final battle. Time refused to slow. There was no freeze button. And minutes were wasted wishing for impossible things. Life had to be enjoyed in the now.
“Hope is a powerful thing.” Every patient, every family member of a sick loved one relied on hope. Hope the medicine would work. Hope the doctors found the right treatment. Hope the surgeons removed every last cancer cell. Hope the damage wouldn’t be permanent. Hope that tomorrow would be brighter, better, pain free.
The Prayer Box–rebuilding after the storm
The Prayer Box
by Lisa Wingate
Decorated boxes and boxes of letters were stacked high in the closet of the old woman who had passed away. The letters told the story of a lifetime of racism, hardship, and misunderstanding contrasted with faith, generosity, and love. Tandi was at the end of her rope when she read these letters written by Iola to her Heavenly Father. They were a lifeline to this single mother trying to escape her past and build a new and better life in a tiny North Carolina coastal town where no one knew her or her dark secrets.
Befriended by kind townsfolk and absorbing the lessons of the letters, she learns how to trust others, herself, and God. The way is not easy, however, as she has always made poor relationship choices with men. She also needs to find a way to financially support herself and her children and establish a good mother-daughter relationship with a teenager who has been left in charge for much too long. Drug addiction born of a painful accident constitutes another hurdle for Tandi.
The sisterhood that welcomes Tandi at Sandy’s Seashell Shop is a delightful group of creative, caring, and wise women. Paul is an unlikely romantic interest, but extremely kind, likable, and reliable. Ross, Tandi’s boyfriend, is very self-centered and manipulative; he assigns Tandi’s children a low place on his metaphorical totem pole. Tandi’s sister, Gina, shows up unexpectedly to do what she does best—stir up trouble. As we get to know all of these characters, we are also watching the character of Iola unfold through the letters in her prayer boxes.
There are forces who want to destroy Iola’s old Victorian home. Some investors in the area are looking at profiting financially. Other locals feel like Iola had no right to the house. No one is aware of Iola’s generosity. In the midst of her own troubles, Tandi makes it her mission to save the house and and honor Iola’s memory. This is a big undertaking, but Tandi is learning to rely on an even bigger God.
Filled with images of water bubbling and flowing and lighthouses standing steadfast and firm, Lisa Wingate’s The Prayer Box tells a cross-generational tale. It is beautifully crafted both in the carefully selected words and in the plot that, through prayer letters of the past, weaves Tandi’s story with that of Iola; both are entrancing. This is a book I didn’t want to put aside to finish another I was reading. The Prayer Box won as I was quickly and thoroughly immersed in the plot, language, and characters.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Women’s Fiction, Romance, Christian
Notes: 1. This is the first book in the Carolina Heirlooms Collection which is a series of three books united by setting, not characters.
2. The end of the book includes “A Note from the Author” and “Discussion Questions.”
Publication: August 16, 2013—Tyndale
Memorable Lines:
He was wearing orange tennis shoes and red-flowered swim shorts, topped off with a lime-green Windbreaker with palm trees and lizards on it….All in all, he looked like he’d raided Jimmy Buffett’s closet and then gotten dressed in the dark.
It felt good to do something good for someone else. To add a few deep-fried droplets of kindness to the world. A little act of service. Is it possible that all service is worship? The words were still in my head.
After so many years of dysfunctional relationships that masqueraded as love, having someone offer real love and ask nothing for it in return was startling, sometimes too much to handle. I wasn’t sure I could trust it or was worthy of it.
education pathways 