Saturday, November 10, 2018

The Christmas Heirloom

Delightful set of Christmas novellas by four master storytellers. These four stories are connected by a brooch that legend has it brings true love to the owner. From Regency England to contemporary America four ladies discover the magic of Christmas and true love. I love Christmas and happy ever after stories and it is neat to see these two themes combined. So grab some Christmas cookies and hot chocolate and curl up in front a roaring fire and enjoy these sweet tales.

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

From Amazon:

In Kristi Ann Hunter's "Legacy of Love," Sarah Gooding never suspected returning a brooch to an elderly woman would lead to a job . . . and introduce her to the woman's grandson, a man far above her station.

In Karen Witemeyer's "Gift of the Heart," widow Ruth Albright uses the family brooch as collateral for a loan from the local banker. But the more she comes to know the man behind the stern businessman, the more she hopes for a second chance at love.

In Sarah Loudin Thomas's "A Shot at Love," Fleeta Brady's rough-and-tumble childhood means she prefers hunting to more feminine activities. She never expected her family's brooch might be how a fellow hunter turns her attention from competition to romance.

In Becky Wade's "Because of You," Maddie Winslow has spent years in love with a man whose heart was already spoken for. When a church Christmas project brings them together and she stumbles upon an old family brooch, might it finally be her turn for love?

About the authors:

Karen Witemeyer is an award-winning, bestselling author and lives in Texas with her family. Find her online at www.karenwitemeyer.com.

Kristi Ann Hunter is the award-winning author of five books, and she lives with her family in Georgia. Find her online at www.kristiannhunter.com.

Sarah Loudin Thomas is an award-winning author, and she and her husband reside in Asheville, North Carolina. She can be found online at www.sarahloudinthomas.com.

Becky Wade is the award-winning author of seven books and lives in a suburb of Dallas with her husband and three kids. Find her online at www.beckywade.com.

Monday, November 5, 2018

The Roses Of Feldstone by Esther Hatch

The Roses of Feldstone is a sweet novel set in Victorian England. Rose Davenport has admired William for years. As the second son William may have been attainable as a husband, but when his older brother marries for love all thoughts of marriage between Rose and William are ended.
I enjoyed this book, the settings were beautiful and the characters well developed. I gave it 4 stars because the plot was too predictable. If you are looking for a light read, grab a cup of tea and a plate of biscuits and settle in for a pleasant afternoon or two.

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

From Amazon:

Standing before Feldstone Manor, site of so many happy memories, Rose Davenport feels nothing but dread. Her family’s annual visit to the stately home was once brightened by her friendship with the earl’s youngest son, William, but everything changed the day his elder brother was disinherited and William became heir to his father’s earldom. From that moment, William made it clear he has no interest in continuing an acquaintance with Rose. Heartbroken, she sets out to prove that she will simply not be ignored—or outdone—by the arrogant future lord of the manor. When his elder brother marries for love, William’s entire life changes in an instant. He does not have the same option to marry whom he chooses, and he must let go of the feelings he has harbored for his dear friend, Rose. He steels himself against her annual visits, determined to keep his feelings for her a secret. But when he makes the hasty promise to marry within six months, he never dreams that his actions will lead Rose to impulsively undertake the same challenge.

About the author:

Biography

Esther Hatch grew up on a cherry orchard in rural Utah. After high school, she alternated living in Russia to teach children English and attending Brigham Young University in order to get a degree in archaeology. She began writing when one of her favorite authors invited her to join a critique group. The only catch was she had to be a writer. Not one to be left out of an opportunity to socialize and try something new; she started on her first novel that week. Visit her at estherhatch.com.

Sunday, November 4, 2018

The Bridge To Terabithia by Katherine Patterson

This was a book I read with the kids at school. Not my favorite. Some of the kids enjoyed it, others thought it lacking in action. I preferred her book Jacob Have I Loved.

From Amazon:

The 40th anniversary edition of the classic Newbery Medal-winning title by beloved author Katherine Paterson, with brand-new bonus materials including an author's note by Katherine herself and a foreword by New York Times bestselling author Kate DiCamillo.

Jess Aarons has been practicing all summer so he can be the fastest runner in the fifth grade. And he almost is, until the new girl in school, Leslie Burke, outpaces him. The two become fast friends and spend most days in the woods behind Leslie's house, where they invent an enchanted land called Terabithia. One morning, Leslie goes to Terabithia without Jess and a tragedy occurs. It will take the love of his family and the strength that Leslie has given him for Jess to be able to deal with his grief.

Bridge to Terabithia was also named an ALA Notable Children’s Book and has become a touchstone of children’s literature, as have many of Katherine Paterson’s other novels, including The Great Gilly Hopkins and Jacob Have I Loved.

About the author:

Katherine Paterson is the internationally acclaimed author of over 35 books for children and young adults.

She has twice won both the Newbery Medal and the National Book Award. She received the 1998 Hans Christian Andersen Medal as well as the 2006 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award for the body of her work, and was the National Ambassador for Children's Literature for the Library of Congress.

Two of her best-selling books have been made into feature films - "The Bridge to Terabithia" and "The Great Gilly Hopkins". An active promoter of reading, education and literacy, she lives in Barre, Vermont. She has four children and seven grandchildren, and her beloved dog, Pixie.

Visit Katherine Paterson on her web site at www.terabithia.com

Saturday, October 27, 2018

A Season of Grace by Lauraine Snelling

Nilda Carlson is trying to get over an attack she suffered at the hands of Dreng Nygaard. She hopes to start a new life in Blackduck MN but as she settles in she discovers that Dreng has also settled there. Nilda tries to give him a second chance as she establishes herself in a new life as the assistant to a wealthy woman.
I really enjoyed this book as it is set about 100 miles south of where I live. The characters are real and the plot is fast paced and entertaining. So grab a cup of coffee, as all the Norwegians I know, love their coffee and settle in for a lovely read.

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

From Amazon:

In 1910 Minnesota, Nilda Carlson's dreams are coming true. Though her first few months in America were difficult, her life now resembles the images that filled her daydreams in Norway. She and her younger brother Ivar live in their own house, just a short distance from her older brother and his family. Together they work the farm and fell trees for lumber. They plan to grow a dairy herd, weave rugs out of their own wool, and make skis to sell. Everything is going right.

The only thing missing from Nilda's life is love. But though she has two suitors--a quiet schoolteacher and a handsome lumberjack--Nilda feels hesitant. A terrifying experience in Norway has made her cautious where men are concerned. When she thinks she sees the man in question, all her fears come flooding back. Is it possible the danger has followed her across the Atlantic? If Dreng Nygaard is truly in Minnesota, all of her dreams for the future could come crashing down around her.

About the author:

Biography

Award-winning and best selling author Lauraine Snelling began living her dream to be a writer with her first published book for young adult readers, Tragedy on the Toutle, in 1982. She has since continued writing more horse books for young girls, adding historical and contemporary fiction and nonfiction for adults and young readers to her repertoire. All told, she has over eighty books published with more than 4 million copies in print.

Shown in her contemporary romances and women’s fiction, a hallmark of Lauraine’s style is writing about real issues of forgiveness, loss, domestic violence, and cancer within a compelling story. Her work has been translated into Norwegian, Danish, and German, and she has won the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award for Inspirational Fiction, the Silver Angel Award for An Untamed Land and a Romance Writers of America Golden Heart for Song of Laughter.

As a sought-after speaker, Lauraine encourages others to find their gifts and live their lives with humor and joy. Her readers clamor for more books more often, and Lauraine would like to comply ... if only her paintbrushes and easel didn’t call quite so loudly.

Lauraine and her husband, Wayne, have two grown sons and live in the Tehachapi Mountains with a watchdog Basset named Winston. They love to travel, most especially in their forty-foot motor coach, which they affectionately deem “a work in progress”.

An Unfinished Death by Dee Henderson

An Unfinished Deathby Dee Henderson is quite different from her other books. Although classed as a novel it reads more like a Bible study. I took my time reading and absorbing this book. The premise is that we as Christians should be seeing the same miracles in our lives that first century Christians did. We should be raising people from the dead and healing the sick through the powerful name of Jesus Christ. I am not sure on my part if it is a lack of faith or what. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever, Hebrews 13. I do think it is a book that should be read with a prayerful heart. So grab a pot of tea and plan to spend a bit of time absorbing this book.

From Amazon:

Connie August, a Christian combat medic, one who had experienced healings and miracles on the battlefield similar to those in scripture, wasn’t looking to make waves back home now that she was retired from the service. She opened Connie’s Pizza and settled into her chosen community, wanting to be herself, content to lead a small group of paramedics, doctors, nurses and chaplains who were studying the scriptures and sharing their experiences from across the Chicago area. Ryan Cooper, CEO of a religious-affiliated private hospital, had seen too many of Chicago’s children die from gun violence, young mothers die from cancer, and random illness take both the young and old. He wanted the vibrancy of God’s healing to be a predictable experience again. A friend introduced them at a party. He wanted to understand what she’d experienced. She wanted him to give a chaplain friend a job when he retired from the service. They struck a deal that would change both their lives and soon begin to reverberate across Chicago. This is Ryan’s story, Connie’s, but mostly it’s God’s story, a God who is still amazing in his goodness.

Dee Henderson is the author of numerous novels, including Taken, Undetected, Unspoken, Full Disclosure, and the acclaimed O’MALLEY series. Several titles have appeared on the USA Today Bestseller list; Full Disclosure has also appeared on the New York Times Bestseller list. Her books have won or been nominated for several industry awards, such as the RITA Award, the Christy Award, and the ECPA Gold Medallion.

About the Author:

Biography

Dee Henderson is the author of numerous novels, including Immortality, An Unfinished Death, Taken, Unspoken and the acclaimed O’MALLEY series. Several titles have appeared on the USA Today Bestseller list; Full Disclosure has also appeared on the New York Times Bestseller list. Her books have won or been nominated for several industry awards, such as the RITA Award, the Christy Award and the ECPA Gold Medallion. Visit her at www.deehenderson.com.

Tuesday, October 16, 2018

A Most Noble Heir by Susan Anne Mason

Susan Anne Mason's A Most Noble Heir is a delightful book with lovely characters. Nolan Price, a stable hand, discovers his father is the Earl of Stainsby. This throws all of his plans to marry scullery maid Hannah and settling in as farmers in jeopardy. I enjoyed the plot twists woven into the story. The settings are lovely I honestly wouldn't mind if Ms. Mason would write a sequel. So grab a cup of Black Assam tea and settle back with a tray of biscuits for a great read!

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

From Amazon:

When stable hand Nolan Price learns from his dying mother that he is actually the son of the Earl of Stainsby, his plans for a future with kitchen maid Hannah Burnham are shattered. Once he is officially acknowledged as the earl's heir, Nolan will be forbidden to marry beneath his station.

Unwilling to give up the girl he loves, he devises a plan to elope--believing that once their marriage is sanctioned by God, Lord Stainsby will be forced to accept their union. However, as Nolan struggles to learn the ways of the aristocracy, he finds himself caught between pleasing Hannah and living up to his father's demanding expectations.

At every turn, forces work to keep the couple apart, and a solution to remain together seems further and further away. With Nolan's new life pulling him irrevocably away from the woman he loves, it seems only a miracle will bring them back together.

About the author:

Biography

Susan lives in a suburb near Toronto, Ontario, Canada, where she works part-time as a church secretary. She is a wife and the mother of two amazing kids, and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and Romance Writers of America (RWA). In addition to writing, she likes to scrapbook and to research her family history on-line. You can connect with her on Facebook or on her website www.susanannemason.net.

Sunday, October 14, 2018

A Tale Of Two Hearts by Michelle Griep

`Michele Griep's A Tale of Two Hearts is every bit as delightful as her first Christmas story Twelve Days at Bleakley Manor. She fills her stories with charming characters in interesting settings. Ms. Griep's books always teach a lesson but in a way that entertains. I loved the characters Mina and William. They are from different classes but meet at Mina's family's pub. Set at Christmas time the story definitely has a Dicken's feel to it. I read this during one of the hottest weeks of summer, so I turned the AC on high, curled up in a blanket and drank hot tea LOL.
So grab your mug of tea and enjoy a good read!

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

A Tale of Two Hearts Kick-Off Package

About the Book

Book Title: A Tale of Two Hearts

Author: Michelle Griep

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: September 1, 2018

Innkeeper’s daughter Mina Scott will do anything to escape the drudgery of her life. She saves every penny to attend a finishing school, dreaming of the day she’ll become a real lady—and catch the eye of William Barlow, a frequent guest at the inn.

William is a gentleman’s son, a charming rogue but penniless. However, his bachelor uncle will soon name an heir—either him or his puritanical cousin. In an effort to secure the inheritance, William gives his uncle the impression he’s married, which works until he’s invited to bring his wife for a visit.

William asks Mina to be his pretend bride, only until his uncle names an heir on Christmas Day. Mina is flattered and frustrated by the offer, for she wants a true relationship with William. Yet, she agrees. . .then wishes she hadn’t as she comes to love the old man. And when the truth is finally discovered, more than just money is lost.

Can two hearts survive such a deception?

Click here to purchase your copy!

About the Author

Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. She is the author of historical romances: The Captured Bride,The Innkeeper’s Daughter, 12 Days at Bleakly Manor, The Captive Heart, Brentwood’s Ward, A Heart Deceived, and Gallimore, but also leaped the historical fence into the realm of contemporary with the zany romantic mystery Out of the Frying Pan.

Guest Post from Michelle

VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS FOODS

So, it’s September, and you know what that means? It’s back to school. Pumpkin spiced everything is just around the corner. And it’s nearly time for cardigans and colored leaves. But besides all these autumn staples, it’s also time to start thinking about Christmas, because it will be here before you know it. How about this year you plan ahead to serve some traditional Victorian food?

In my newest release, A Tale of Two Hearts, the heroine’s father is known for his annual oyster stew that he serves on Christmas Eve. Here’s a bit of the background on that tasty soup.

Victorian Oyster Stew

Oysters have been savored in Britain since the days of the Romans. By Victorian times, industrialization cheapened oysters to the point of them becoming a staple of the poor man’s diet and were a frequent fare served in public houses. This, however, depleted their abundance, and by the mid 1800’s, the natural oyster beds became exhausted, making it harder to find good oysters. While other foods were served as well on Christmas Eve, oyster stew was as common as goose or turkey.

Another Victorian favorite that goes great on a crisp evening is good ol’ hot chocolate, though in Dickens’ England, it would’ve been called something else.

Drinking Chocolate

What we now call cocoa or hot chocolate was called drinking chocolate in the mid 1800s. This beverage was a favorite among Victorian ladies. You can find recipes for it even from the Regency era (early 1800s) and here is one for you to make at home.

And last, but not least, who hasn’t heard of Christmas pudding? To our American ears, that sounds like a tasty dish that you’d eat with a spoon and slap a little whipped cream on top. Actually, it’s more like a fruit cake.

Christmas Pudding

Christmas pudding is quite a production, one that begins well before Christmas Day. In fact, it begins on Stir-Up Sunday, the last Sunday before Advent (which is five weeks before Christmas). This is why when Mina, the heroine in A Tale of Two Hearts, returns home from dinner at Uncle Barlow’s, and though it’s not yet Christmas, she sees the pudding moulds on the kitchen table.

If these tastes and the accompanying smells still aren’t quite enough to get you in the Christmas spirit, then snatch yourself up a copy of the second book in the Once Upon a Dickens Christmas series. A Tale of Two Hearts is sure to get you in the mood.