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An Amish Cinderella–sweet focus on family
An Amish Cinderella
by Shelley Shepard Gray
Levi Beachy is humble, but he has achieved fame as a blacksmith and a welder, His sculptures are valuable and sought after. He takes on Clayton as his apprentice, a young man who spent most of his years as an orphan in a children’s home. Levi has not thought through the details of the apprentice’s stay—food, lodging, etc. His sweet adult daughter Heart refuses to have Clayton stay in a small unheated attic room over the workshop with spiders, mice, dust and no bathroom facilities. Levi and Heart have been on their own for four years since Heart’s mom Katie passed away. Heart reminds Levi that his wife would never have allowed his treating the young man that way.
Although Levi is physically large and strong and his demeanor is gruff, he actually has a soft spot for children and animals. Levi is patient with his apprentice who works hard and appreciates all Heart does for him. Another important character is Mary who lives close by. She is a widow who helps take care of people in their final days, as she did for Katie Beachy, and those recovering from injuries and sickness. She involves the Beachy family in taking care of a white pet “fancy” rat and also her dog Virginia with five new pups.
An Amish Cinderella displays the trust the characters have in God even during hard times. It shows that God is not a magic genie to deliver wishes, but He does have a plan for our lives and we can count on Him. There are two gentle romances within this tale that is both pleasing and a page turner. This book showcases Amish and English being able to interact to pull together and help others.
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, Christian
Notes: #3 in The Amish of Apple Creek series, but perfect as a standalone because, judging by the publisher’s summaries, the characters do not overlap—just the setting. In fact I thought it was a standalone until I was finished and did a little research.
Publication: September 26, 2023—Kensington
Memorable Lines:
That was the thing about Levi Beachy. He was a mess of contradictions. He was the biggest man she knew and twice as gruff, but never harsh. Actually, she’d never heard him raise his voice to anyone. Likely, it was because he had no need to. Between his size and his continual scowl, most people in the area were anxious to do what he wanted and get out of his way.
Though most people’s childhoods were the same, it was different in a home. There were two realities that permeated every waking hour. One was that his parents hadn’t wanted him, and the other was that no one else seemed to want him, either.
Why hadn’t he ever let go of his control enough to feel such joy?…Laughter felt good. It felt cleansing. Hopeful, even. The Lord sure worked in amazing ways.
Rebecca–fascinating classic with dark vibes
Rebecca
by Daphne du Maurier
First published in 1938, Rebecca has been republished multiple times and continues to gain new audiences. I read it as a young adult and remember being fascinated by it, but could no longer remember the details. When our book club decided to read it, I was excited to revisit this dark classic, and I was not disappointed.
The author’s technique is to begin the book with the situation of the characters at the end of the story. Then she deftly switches to current actions as she describes how the protagonist, who is never named, comes to meet Maxim de Winter, the owner of the magnificent Manderley estate. She is a shy young lady with less nobility in her background than Maxim. This suspenseful story is told from her point of view.
Manderley is almost a character in this book, not just a backdrop. The other important character is Rebecca, the dead wife of Maxim. Her presence is palpable to the new Mrs. de Winter as her touches are evident throughout the house in decor and in the general management of the household. Mrs. Danvers, Rebecca’s former maid and the current household manager, revered her first mistress who could do no wrong in her eyes. She is a leader among the servants in making the new Mrs. de Winter feel like an unworthy interloper.
Much mystery surrounds Manderley as the newlywed couple try to settle in. They have to endure proper welcoming visits from the locals who encourage them to host a costume party as Rebecca used to do. As the story progresses, the reader can feel the evil and sadness that has taken root in Manderley, but it is not obvious why.
Rebecca is certainly worth a reread. It has a complex plot with characters with hidden motivations. Secrets are gradually revealed as tension mounts. The climax is a gripping surprise. As an unusual twist for me, I found myself returning to the first two chapters to study how the author set the reader up for the rest of the book. Impressive craftsmanship!
Rating: 5/5
Category: Classic novel, Gothic, Suspense, Mystery
Notes: Goodreads refers to 864 editions!
Publication: 1938—Doubleday
Memorable Lines:
Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.
Describing Maxim’s sister Beatrice: She belonged to another breed of men and women, another race than I…If it had been Beatrice who had done this thing instead of me, she would have put on her other dress and gone down again to welcome her guests. She would have stood by Giles’s side, and shaken hands with people, a smile on her face. I could not do that. I had not the pride, I had not the guts. I was badly bred.
I wondered how many people there were in the world who suffered, and continued to suffer, because they could not break out from their own web of shyness and reserve, and to their blindness and folly built up a great distorted wall in front of them that hid the truth.This was what I had done. I had built up false pictures in my mind and sat before them. I had never had the courage to demand the truth.
The Silver Ladies Do Lunch–a story of friendship
The Silver Ladies Do Lunch
by Judy Leigh
Join me in Middleton Ferris in Oxfordshire to enjoy a story of friends.
Meet the Silver Ladies—four ladies of a certain age: Josie, a widow of only one year; Lin, married to Neil who is devoted to her regardless of her lack of culinary skills; Minnie, the Doc Martin wearing, single, retired professor; and Cecily, their former teacher who taught them the importance of friendship.
Look in on all their childhood friends who still, along with many of their children, populate the little town.
Listen in on their opinions.
Cheating men: “all men who cheat are pigs.”
Charred food: “It’s burned to a cinder.” “I like my food well done. It’ll be all right—with ketchup.”
Unwed mother: “When will people learn that a pregnant woman is not a target for gossip? It’s a baby we’re talking about here.”
Passage of time: …everyone was so much older now, yet time had passed so quickly and she felt no different. It didn’t make sense.
Aging: “I hate getting older…there’s so much prejudice about aging—and so many problems.”
Friendship: “A good friend is like a four-leaf clover; hard to find and lucky to have.”
Relish the way their attitudes about friendship overflow the little group to affect so many other likable characters in the small town from Odile who runs the café to Dangerous Dave, the accident prone mechanic and his daughter Florence who was deceived by a charmer.
The Silver Ladies Do Lunch has a lot of characters, but the important ones rise to the top. Relationships and circumstances tie them to the more minor characters as various threads emerge. When the author switches to a different thread, the reader becomes anxious to find out what happened to the characters in the previous thread. Never fear! Author Judy Leigh will not leave you hanging for long. I love the way she skillfully provides tension by alternating storylines.
This is my first read of this author who has written many books about women of a certain age. I will return for more of her stories that provide both depth and humor.
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
Notes: Standalone
Publication: 6/2/2023—Boldwood Books
Memorable Lines:
Miss Hamilton read clearly, her voice comforting, and all around the classroom eyelids grew heavy, faces puckered with smiles as everyone drifted into a wonderful world of imagination and hope, where friendship was everything.
The first scent of dusty pages and old tomes or the inhalation of a crisp new book made her heart race, and she was ready to delve inside and fill her head with the knowledge stuffed between the pages.
The sight of the Thames twisting into the distance always thrilled her. Minnie liked unfathomable depths; it was like knowledge, it intrigued her, there was always more waiting to be plumbed, to be discovered beneath the smooth surface.
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.”
Healing the Rancher–making a family
Healing the Rancher
by Melinda Curtis
The story of the Mountain Monroes in Idaho continues in Healing the Rancher with a focus on Kendall Monroe, a city-girl with a knack for twenty-first century PR through social media. Needing employment, she decides to try to land a contract with a Texas ranch, but she needs to prove her cowgirl credentials to the owners. The problem is that she never really took to ranch life when she visited Grandpa Harlan in Idaho as a child. She returns to the little town of Second Chance where most of her cousins have relocated and agrees to intern on a ranch owned by Finn McAfee, a handsome but scarred ex-Marine. Besides his physical scars, he is weighted by the death of his young wife and his own cancer diagnosis.
Sparks fly when Kendall meets her tough new boss Finn who views her as a “princess.” She shows him how strong she is while keeping a smile on her face. The back and forth between the two will keep the reader smiling as will Lizzie, Finn’s adorable four year old daughter and their collection of “misfits,” animals dropped off at the ranch because their owners didn’t want them.
All kinds of problems arise as Kendall tries to become a cowgirl, but she owns up to her mistakes. Other difficulties have to be faced up to as well, things that are not her fault—cattle rustling and financial issues for both of them.
Several of the Monroe cousins play supporting roles and for those readers who have followed the Monroe saga, it is fun to see how those cousins’ lives are progressing. As with all the books in this series, the conclusion is more than satisfactory and will leave you with smiles just thinking about the future for Kendall and Finn.
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: 5/5
Category: Romance
Notes: 1. While Healing the Rancher (#11 in the Mountain Monroes series) could be read as a standalone, I recommend reading the whole series in order.
2. All the books in this series are clean romances.
Publication: May 24, 2022—Harlequin
Memorable Lines:
“I feel like my grandfather wasn’t afraid to reinvent himself. Or afraid of failure. That’s what makes people succeed, I think. They want something more than they fear going belly-up.”
The grand Sawtooth Mountain range was just as imposing here as it was in Second Chance. The jagged mountains were as hard as she imagined the life here was. Or maybe that was just her perception as someone from the city.
“Boo, this is why I need to learn how to be a ranch boss and move on. The man is more irresistible than chocolate to me. And I’m like day-old bread to him.”
A Dog’s Perfect Christmas–meeting life’s challenges
A Dog’s Perfect Christmas
by W. Bruce Cameron
I have discovered an author I was unfamiliar with, but now I want to read more of his works. W. Bruce Cameron specializes in dog/people stories and knows how to combine some humor with tough reality. His A Dog’s Perfect Christmas could be labeled as a “feel-good Christmas story,” but it is so much more.
This is the tale of an imperfect family doing their best to survive the everyday struggles and big disasters. By the conclusion of this book, you’ll like all of the characters. Hunter loves his family but devotes himself to his job. His wife Juliana gave up her job to raise their children but struggles with inner conflict about her role. Ello (short for Eloise) is their thirteen year old daughter caught in a hurricane of hormones and middle school relationships. Her two younger brothers are three year old twins who excel in wreaking havoc and rely on Ello to be their translator to the rest of the world. Grandpa Sander is a widower whose beloved wife passed away from cancer. Her care drained their financial resources requiring Sander to move in with his son’s family. Completing the family is Sander’s faithful canine retainer Winstead.
I devote so much of my review to the characters because the characters and how they interact with each other and meet life’s challenges is the focus of A Dog’s Perfect Christmas. Everyone in this book has specific needs to be met. The family undergoes a major crisis that could have thrown them all into despair, but as they work to stand strong together through the big problem confronting them, there is healing and a renewing of family and spirit.
Dogs play a part in this story that dog lovers will enjoy, especially the thinking process in Winstead’s brain as he reacts to his “daddy” Sander’s moods and actions. If only there were a puppy, this would be a perfect Christmas story…
I would like to extend my thanks to NetGalley and to Forge for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: General Fiction
Publication: October 10, 2020—Forge
Memorable Lines:
He saw the tidal forces of rage fighting for control of Ello’s face. As a little girl, she had been able to charm her grandfather into reading her one book after another after another. Now, though, she’d morphed into this hideously unpleasant creature, spitting acidic venom.
Winstead and Ruby had already incorporated park visits into their bill of rights, and now gazed at Sander expectantly whenever he stood up out of his chair. They tracked him with eager intensity as he fetched their leashes, then bounded joyfully into the minivan, wrestling all the way to the park.
When Hunter released her, Ruby darted off with crazed energy, racing around the room in celebration, because puppies know how to celebrate everything.
Broken Heart Attack–good series
Broken Heart Attack
by James J. Cudney
The best way for me to describe the beginning of Broken Heart Attack is “hyperactive,” a label which is meant to be descriptive, not positive or negative. Author James J. Cudney packs a lot into the first several chapters as he brings readers up to speed on the events in the first book of the series and introduces a complex plot with a lot of characters.
The main mystery of Broken Heart Attack centers around the Paddington family, murder, and a missing will. Unfortunately, the Paddington family is quite dysfunctional, and there is not one member of the family that I could relate to or invest myself in. In other words, by the end of the book, I really didn’t care who the murderer was.
A side issue to the murder is a paternity case. Other stories that affect the main character, Kellan, continue from the first book but make little progress: the reappearance of a presumed dead wife, conflict with co-worker Myriam, a potential love triangle involving friends Connor and Maggie, and a possible softening in his relationship with Sheriff Montague.
I purchased this book; it was not an advance copy. Therefore, I was surprised to see a number of errors. Some were obviously a case of autocorrect gone wrong, some were spelling, and some were, more egregiously, pronoun usage. This is particularly startling because the author rarely has errors in his posted book reviews.
On the positive side, Nana D continues to provide humor and Kellan is a likeable character. Would I read another book in this cozy mystery series? Absolutely! I would particularly like to see what happens as Kellan is pressured by his wife’s mob family, the Castiglianos. I would urge the author to write the next book at a less frenetic pace with more character development. He has the beginnings of a good series with interesting plots and a college setting that provides a background with multiple possibilities. The Braxton Campus Mystery Series definitely has a lot of potential.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: #2 in the Braxton Campus Mystery Series. It could be read as a standalone, but would be more fun in sequence.
Publication: November 25, 2018—Creativia
Memorable Lines:
I loved my nana, but her friends were harder to handle than standing upside down catching a greasy pig in a mud slide.
Eustacia and Nana D had some sort of symbiotic relationship where they often couldn’t stand to be around one another but if ever two days went by without time for tea or gossip, the world might’ve come to an end.
I woke up Thursday morning with a hangover so painful my head had put out a foreclosure sign.
The Rancher’s Homecoming–inspiration on a Montana ranch
The Rancher’s Homecoming
by Anna J. Stewart
What a great final book in the Return of the Blackwell Brothers series! Anna J. Stewart has the job of continuing the story and finalizing this series in her book The Rancher’s Homecoming. Stewart does a fantastic job with both tasks.
Chance Blackwell considers himself the black sheep of the Blackwell family because he never enjoyed riding horses (blasphemy on a ranch!), he loves music, and he eloped with the foreman’s daughter, hoping never to return. Life is full of surprises, however, and Chance’s wife, Maura, passes away from cancer leaving him with a hole in his heart and an adorable preschooler, and without an inspiration for his songs. His grandfather, Big E, continues to manipulate behind the scenes, and Chance is forced to return to Falcon Creek to cast the deciding vote on the sale of the ranch.
The story moves quickly ahead while the reader gets glimpses into the past to see reasons for various characters’ actions. The relationship between Chance and Katie, his wife’s sister, who is also the acting foreman of the ranch, becomes complicated. The always likable sister-in-laws band together to try to make things better on several fronts. Will Big E ever explain himself? Has he changed? What influence does he have over Katie? Can the Blackwell brothers trust her? Should Chance vote to sell, hurting Ethan and Ty, or vote to retain the property, hurting Ben and Jon? Life is complicated, and so is the plot of The Rancher’s Homecoming.
This book is another in the series that lives up to its “heartwarming” moniker. Interesting characters, beautiful Montana setting, and a nice balance between introspection and action combine to make this a great read. If you haven’t read this series yet, I strongly recommend you put it on your TBR list for 2019!
I would like to extend my thanks to the author, Anna J. Stewart, for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Romance
Notes: #5 in Return of the Blackwell Brothers but will work as a standalone because of brief explanations of characters and past events as the book progresses
Publication: December 1, 2018—Harlequin Publishing
Memorable Lines:
There was nothing for him here. Nothing except bitter memories of a place where he never belonged and a family he’d never fit into. Forget being a square peg in a round hole. For Chance, he’d always felt like a banjo in an orchestra.
The melody found itself, as it always did, skipping and hopping its way through his mind like stones across a still lake.
The late-summer air brushed over them, warm and welcoming, as the river rushed beyond them and meandered through Blackwell land as easily as a bee to its hive.
“Don’t ever let anyone tell you libraries aren’t important. It’s where our dreams wait to be discovered.”
Academic Curveball–knocking this cozy out of the park
Academic Curveball
by James J. Cudney
Academic Curveball is the first cozy mystery in the newly created Braxton Campus Mystery Series by James J. Cudney. Although not alone in having a male author and a male protagonist, this book is outside the norm for the typical cozy. He effectively flips the scenario from female main character, either supported or opposed by a male law enforcement figure, to a male character standing in opposition to a female sheriff. He also has a mixed relationship with his former best friend who is currently director of security at Braxton college.
Academic Curveball has a very complicated plot. The reader must attend closely to all potential clues as Kellan, assistant director of a TV reality show, evaluates them and follows the leads to discover the murderer in a case that involves secrets of all kinds from romantic to political. He does his amateur sleuthing while trying to reestablish family ties and old friendships, working his primary job, filling in for a murdered professor, and doing some long distance single parenting.
With interesting characters and tangled motives galore, Academic Curveball is set in a college town. His father is the president of the college and his mother is in charge of admissions. A favorite character for most readers will be sassy Nana D whose repartee with Kellan provides humor, but she is lively and sharp and should not be overlooked as fluff. There is a baseball theme along with focuses on politics, both in the town and at the college. Just when you think all the balls have been recovered, there is one last curveball that will surprise you and make you wish January and the publication of the second book in the series, Broken Heart Attack, would come quickly.
I would like to extend my thanks to author James J. Cudney and to Creativia for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: #1 in the Braxton Campus Mystery Series
Publication: October 15, 2018—Creativia
Memorable Lines:
Nana D indicated she’d rather spend an afternoon with her mouth crammed full of lemon wedges, her fingers pricked by a thousand tiny needles, and her feet glued inside a bumblebee’s nest than attend another Braxton event for my father.
It would be an interesting discussion with my father when he graciously stepped off his high horse and spoke to me again.
Wisps of gray shot out in all directions underneath a furry blue hat three-sizes too big on her frail and wrinkled head.
A Bridge for Christmas–rescuing with love
A Bridge for Christmas
by William Schwenn
The first part of A Bridge for Christmas is fairly easy going, setting the stage for a novel about a widower who shuffles through life a day at a time, apparently without purpose or direction. Dave finds himself adopting two dogs, and that one action changes his life. The plot progresses to include a low water bridge destroyed by flood, almost isolating Dave and a small group of his neighbors. There is also an introduction to several people with various approaches to animal rescue work.
Background set, the author William Schwenn picks up the pace, and Dave finds himself in the midst of a mysterious, secretive transport network for rescue dogs. Is the traditional North Carolina mountain community of Calvert County attracting a criminal element focused on dangerous drugs and horrible animal abuse? Will the Bear Creek Bridge be finished in time for Christmas relieving the residents of a one hour dangerous ride to get supplies and conduct business? Can Dave open up his heart to love again?
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Brighton Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Literary Fiction
Notes: This book contains a number of instances of swearing.
Publication: August 6, 2018—Brighton Publishing
Memorable Lines:
Dave knew and loved the nature of dogs—they’d forget all about this in a day or two, and move on. Life for them was a fresh adventure every day. Win some, lose some, get confused by some, but no worries—tomorrow will be another day.
Tough mountain boys, Dave thought, and smiled gently. They’ll go through women and wives with the wind, reluctantly trade in trucks, but give up their dogs?
He always found it necessary to remind rookies in his department after their first encounter with particularly nasty elements of the human race, “Don’t think about it too much. Let the Almighty take care of His job, and let’s concentrate on doing ours. We’ll be busy enough with just that.”
education pathways 