Elinor by Shannon McNear

 

I love historical fiction when it is well done! Shannon McNear did an excellent job with Elinor, postulating what might have been. Elinor is the story of Elinor White Dare and her time as a settler of the Lost Colony of Roanoke. Ms. McNear has written an intriguing story mixing the small amount known about Roanoke with what might have happened. I really enjoyed the storytelling, and her descriptions were enthralling. This is the first book by Ms. McNear that I have read and I hope it won't be the last!

Pour up a glass of peach tea, grab a throw, and settle in for a tale of what might have been...

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley with no expectations. All thoughts are my own.

From Amazon:

A Journey Full of Hope...
Escape into a riveting story based on the mystery of the Lost Colony of Roanoke.

Author Shannon McNear portrays history with vivid authenticity.

In 1587, Elinor White Dare sailed from England heavy with her first child but full of hopes. Her father, a renowned artist and experienced traveler, has convinced her and her bricklayer husband Ananias to make the journey to the New World. Land, they are promised, more goodly and beautiful than they can ever imagine. But nothing goes as planned from landing at the wrong location, to facing starvation, to the endless wait for help to arrive. And, beyond her comprehension, Elinor finds herself utterly alone. . . .
The colony at Roanoke disappeared into the shadows of history. But, what if one survived to leave a lasting legacy?

About the author:

Shannon McNear loves losing herself in local history. A Midwestern farm girl who lived in Charleston, South Carolina, for more than two decades before being transplanted to North Dakota, she's a military wife, mother of 8, and a member of ACFW and FHL. When not cooking, researching, or leaking story from her fingertips, she enjoys being outdoors, basking in the beauty of the northern prairies.

Joy To The World : A Regency Christmas Collection by: Carolyn Miller, Amanda Barratt, and Erica Vetsch

 

I know it's not Christmas, but sometimes it just feels good to settle in with a Christmas tale or three. Joy to the World is a set of three Regency Christmas stories about three unlikely couples. These are sweet tales that are just right for a cozy day of reading. So brew up some tea and grab a few scones, then settle back to enjoy your day.

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley with no expectations. All thoughts are my own.

From Amazon:

Christy Award-winning Inspirational Regency romance with a Christmas twist from three best-selling authors

In Joy to the World, three popular romance authors come together to offer a heartwarming collection of holiday Regency romance. Based on lines from a beloved Christmas carol, these three novellas have depth, faith, and satisfying stories all packed into the perfect length for readers to curl up and take a brief break from their holiday busyness.

“Heaven and Nature Sing” by Carolyn Miller
Two music lovers, deeply devoted to each other, were on the brink of engagement when family circumstances drove them apart. How can they ever overcome both their obligations and their fears to find their way back into each other’s arms?

“Far as the Curse Is Found” by Amanda Barratt
One winter night, a woman struggling to provide for her illegitimate child encounters a scarred veteran of the Napoleonic Wars on the streets of London. Can love conquer the darkness of two broken pasts?

“Wonders of His Love” by Erica Vetsch
A Scots portrait painter finds work at a noble manor house over the holidays. He never imagined he’d fall in love with the emotionally frozen widow there. Now he wants nothing more than to thaw her heart.

About the author:

Carolyn Miller is a bestselling Australian author of historical and contemporary romance. A longtime lover of romance, especially that of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer’s Regency era, Carolyn holds a BA in English Literature and loves drawing readers into fictional worlds that show the truth of God’s grace in our lives. Her Regency novels include the nine books of the Regency Brides series and the Regency Wallflowers series. Her contemporary novels include those in the Independence Islands series and the Original Six hockey romance series.

Her stories have been described by Publishers Weekly as "a winsome exploration of life, love and faith" and witty "with snappy repartee that rockets off the page" (Library Journal). Readers enjoy these books that are humorous yet also deal with real issues, such as dealing with forgiveness, the nature of really loving versus 'true love', and other challenges. Her novels can be considered 'inspirational', and may appeal to readers of Christian fiction, who want stories of hope and redemption - with a twist of Aussie humour.

ECPA best-selling author Amanda Barratt fell in love with writing in grade school when she wrote her first story—a spin-off of Jane Eyre. Now, Amanda writes romantic, historical fiction, penning stories of beauty and brokenness set against the backdrop of bygone eras not so very different from our own. She's the author of over a dozen novels and novellas including The White Rose Resists: A Novel of the German Students Who Defied Hitler and My Dearest Dietrich: A Novel of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Lost Love.

Amanda lives in the woods of Michigan with her family, where she can be found reading way too many books, plotting her next novel, and jotting down imaginary travel itineraries for her dream vacation to Europe.

Connect with her on Facebook and visit her online at amandabarratt.net.

Best-selling, award-winning author Erica Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. She’s a transplanted Kansan now living in Minnesota, and she married her total opposite and soul mate! When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum and cheering on her Kansas Jayhawks and New Zealand All Blacks. You can connect with her at her website, www.ericavetsch.com where you can read about her books and sign up for her newsletter, and you can find her online at https://www.facebook.com/EricaVetschAuthor/ where she spends way too much time!

Life Flight By Lynette Eason Audio version

 This review is for the audio version of LifeFlight by Lynette Eason. It is narrated by Sara Scheckells. I love this audio edition of Life flight. Ms. Sara Schececkells brings the pages to life. She manages to consistently give each character their own voice. I look forward to listening to more of Ms. Scheckkell's audio renditions. 

Here is my review of Life Flight:

A fast-paced romantic page-turner from the mistress of suspense Lynette Eason. Penny is definitely a strong woman and she has found her match in Holt. The story moves along quickly sucking you in, until wow...it's over. I loved the plot and all of the characters. After reading Life Flight I will probably never look at tea the same way again! I loved the theme of Faith in God that is prevalent throughout the book. If you are looking for a fantastic read look no further than Life Flight available  January 4, 2022. [book:Life Flight|58211240]

From Amazon:

"A heart-stopping, breath-stealing masterpiece of romantic suspense!"-- Colleen Coble, USA Today bestselling author

***

EMS helicopter pilot Penny Carlton is used to high stress situations, but being forced to land on a mountain in a raging storm with a critical patient--and a serial killer on the loose--tests her skills and her nerve to the limit. She survives with FBI Special Agent Holt Satterfield's help. But she's not out of the woods yet.

In the ensuing days, Penny finds herself under attack. And when news reaches Holt that he may not have gotten his man after all, it will take all he and Penny have to catch a killer--before he catches one of them.

Bestselling and award-winning author Lynette Eason is back with another high-octane tale of close calls, narrow escapes, and the fight to bring a nefarious criminal to justice.

About the author:

 Award-winning, best-selling author, Lynette Eason writes for Harlequin's Love Inspired Suspense line and for Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Her books have hit the Publisher's Weekly, CBA and ECPA bestseller lists and have won numerous awards such as the prestigious Carol Award, the Selah, the Daphne, the IRCC award and more. Lynette is married, has two children, and lives in Greenville, SC.

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When The Day Comes (Timeless #1) by Gabrielle Meyer

 

I love time travel and I love dual time novels, When The Day Comes combines both of those genres into a fantastic read! This book will definitely make my best 10 of the year! I loved the way Libby lived 2 lives. The settings and historical facts were described in great detail. I loved Libby and her mother's faith in God. The plot is unique and drew me along. I was pleasantly surprised by the ending as I thought it would go a different way. I am so fond of these characters that I contacted Gabrielle Myers to see if there will be a sequel and she said there are two more books coming! I can't wait. This book will definitely be on my keeper shelf!

So grab a pot of tea and settle in for a great read. 

I was given a copy by the author with no expectations. All thoughts are my own.

From Amazon:

How will she choose, knowing all she must sacrifice?

Libby has been given a powerful gift: to live one life in 1774 Colonial Williamsburg and the other in 1914 Gilded Age New York City. When she falls asleep in one life, she wakes up in the other. While she's the same person at her core in both times, she's leading two vastly different lives.

In Colonial Williamsburg, Libby is a public printer for the House of Burgesses and the Royal Governor, trying to provide for her family and support the Patriot cause. The man she loves, Henry Montgomery, has his own secrets. As the revolution draws near, both their lives--and any hope of love--are put in jeopardy.

Libby's life in 1914 New York is filled with wealth, drawing room conversations, and bachelors. But the only work she cares about--women's suffrage--is discouraged, and her mother is intent on marrying her off to an English marquess. The growing talk of war in Europe only complicates matters.

But Libby knows she's not destined to live two lives forever. On her twenty-first birthday, she must choose one path and forfeit the other--but how can she choose when she has so much to lose in each life?

About the author:

Gabrielle Meyer lives in central Minnesota on the banks of the upper Mississippi River with her husband and four children. As an employee of the Minnesota Historical Society, she fell in love with the rich history of her state and enjoys writing fictional stories inspired by real people, places, and events. You can learn more about Gabrielle and her books at www.gabriellemeyer.com.

Find Gabrielle on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/AuthorGabrielleMeyer, Pinterest at www.Pinterest.com/gabriellemeyer/, Twitter at www.twitter.com/MeyerGabrielle, Goodreads, and her Website at www.gabriellemeyer.com.

#WhenComesTheDay #GabrielleMeyer  #Netgalley

The Baxters: A prequel by Karen Kingsbury

 

I love the Baxter family books! The Baxter's is a prequel to Redemption the first of The Baxter books. This book tells the story of how the Baxters came to be a broken family that God heals through the rest of the books. Soon to be a television series, I love all of the characters. The Baxter house sounds like a wonderful place to raise a family. The only thing I did not care for was the amount of introspection/ remembering each character did and that was the only reason I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5.

So grab a pitcher of tea, and some yummy snacks and settle in for a wonderful read!

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley with no expectations. All thoughts are my own.

This book will release on April 26, 2022.

From Amazon:

This warmhearted and moving prequel to the “heart-tugging and emotional” (RT Book Reviews) #1 New York Times bestselling Baxter Family Series follows the family members as they face rising tensions during a wedding and a colossal storm.

A terrible storm builds in the early morning sky over Bloomington, Indiana, as Elizabeth Baxter prepares to celebrate her daughter Kari’s wedding to Tim Jacobs. It’s supposed to be the happiest of days, but Elizabeth can’t shake a growing sense of dread. Is the storm a sign? Something bad is about to happen. Elizabeth knows it.

Indeed, there are dark currents of conflict and doubt coursing through the Baxter family. In the midst of them, Kari Baxter is starting to panic. Is marrying Tim a mistake? And what about her family? Her brother Luke is angry and resentful of their sister Ashley, who has recently returned from Paris, a single mom with a son she too often leaves with their parents. At the same time, Ashley and their sister Brooke have lost the faith that is the family’s glue. Against all this, Kari sees Ashley rejecting her longtime love, Landon Blake, who clearly cares for her, no matter what happened in Paris.

When the storm reaches a terrifying crescendo, a shocking moment of danger brings important truths to light. At the end of the long day, can the Baxters remain a family, tested but stronger?

From an author who “writes with seemingly effortless poetic elegance” (Booklist), The Baxters is an unforgettable testament to the power of love, family, and faith.

About the author:

Read less

Karen Kingsbury, #1 New York Times bestselling novelist, is America’s favorite inspirational storyteller, with more than twenty-five million copies of her award-winning books in print. Her last dozen titles have topped bestseller lists and many of her novels are under development with Hallmark Films and as major motion pictures. Her Baxter Family books are being developed into a TV series slated for major network viewing sometime in the next year. Karen is also an adjunct professor of writing at Liberty University. In 2001 she and her husband, Don, adopted three boys from Haiti, doubling their family in a matter of months. Today the couple has joined the ranks of empty-nesters, living in Tennessee near five of their adult children.