Henry Happens and other tales of life in the wilderness
Welcome to Henry Happens! This blog contains reviews of books I have read mainly consisting of Christian fiction. I hope you enjoy my reviews!
Me
Sunday, May 31, 2026
Desert's Edge: A Jack Cross Novel by Dante Lupinetti
I have been a fan of Dante Lupinetti's books for a while so I was excited to be given an ARC of Desert's Edge: A Jack Cross novel. This book is a quick read but very good. It takes place after an EMP attack. Jack Cross leads a ragtag group of people from Pheonix to a Mountain compound. I enjoyed the characters and their interactions. There is a decent amount of suspense and drama. All said and done this is a good read.
So fix something good to drink and settle in for a good read!
I was given a copy of Desert's Edge with no expectations. All thoughts are my own.
From Amazon:
The grid is down. Phoenix has 72 hours. And the only way out is through 200 miles of desert.
Former Army Ranger Jack Cross hasn't spoken to his father in three years. Hasn't been inside a church. Hasn't let himself believe in much of anything since nineteen firefighters trusted him and didn't come home.
But his father has been broadcasting on emergency radio every night since the EMP hit.
Come north. There's room. Come anyway.
Jack has 210 terrified strangers, one missionary doctor running from her own ghosts, and a wooden cross he can't bring himself to throw away.
The desert doesn't care about any of that.
Neither does the clock.
When an electromagnetic pulse kills every electronic device in Phoenix during a 118-degree heat wave, Jack faces an impossible choice — stay in a city of 1.7 million people as the infrastructure collapses, or lead more than two hundred terrified strangers two hundred miles north through the Sonoran Desert to Camp Kadesh — his father's off-grid Christian retreat in the Prescott mountains.
The father he hasn't spoken to in three years. The refuge the old man spent five years building while everyone called him a fool.
Joining him is Dr. Faith Morrison — missionary physician, Haiti veteran, and a woman whose faith has been ground down by years of watching children die of treatable diseases while her prayers went unanswered. Together they'll lead a caravan of families, elderly couples, frightened children, and one man hoarding water while others go thirsty — through crashed planes, contaminated water sources, rattlesnake strikes, and triple-digit heat that turns every mile into a question about whether God is still in any of this.
Jack's father has been broadcasting on emergency radio every night. Come north. There's room. Come anyway.
The wooden cross is still in Jack's pocket.
Some things you can't throw away. Some debts can't be balanced. And some refuges are built by people who believed — long before anyone else did — that the day would come when you'd need somewhere to run.
Desert's Edge: A Jack Cross Novel is a post-apocalyptic survival thriller about what it costs to keep walking when everything in you says stop — and what grace looks like when you finally arrive.
Especially for readers of Kyla Stone, Jamie Lee Grey, and William Forstchen.
Series: A Jack Cross Novel, Book 1 Genre: Post-Apocalyptic Survival Thriller / Christian Fiction Content: Clean read. No profanity. No explicit content.
Dante Lupinetti has lived in the greater Washington, DC area for fifty years. Assimilated by the Washington DC universe, he has not tried to escape it like so many others. He relishes the richness of its music, culture, artistry, sports, industry and political scene. He writes in a refuge located in Frederick, MD, fifty miles North of DC on the way to Camp David.
Dante retired from coding after 45 yrs. commuting the DMV (D.C., Maryland, Virginia) as he worked in high tech. Dante is a dedicated follower of Jesus Christ and has been an elder in his church. He and his wife, Sue, are very active in local church life. They have five grown children and fourteen grandchildren. Dante is also a jazz enthusiast.
Saturday, May 30, 2026
To Love A Lady (Dollar Princess Series: Five Gilded Age Stories Inspired by Movie Musicals Book 1) by Gabrielle Meyer
To love A Lady is a very enjoyable novel based on the historical women called Dollar Princesses. They were the daughters of the newly wealthy Americans who longed for the prestige of being included with the ultra rich old money families of New York. The girls were trained and then wed to titled but poor Europeans. They brought large dowrys which propped up the nobilty and brought titles to the girls families therefore allowing them entrance to society. This is the first of five novels and I loved it!
So I suggest you fix your favorite beverage, silence your phone, and settle in for a great read!
All thoughts are my own.
From Amazon:
She was never meant to be a lady. But love has a way of rewriting the rules. For fans of My Fair Lady.
New York City, 1883. Keira O’Day has spent her life scraping by in the tenements, haunted by the mystery of her parents’ abandonment. When wealthy widow and social climber, Maude Hill, offers her a daring proposition—to be adopted, polished, and presented as a society bride for an English lord—Keira sees an opportunity she can’t pass up.
Maude’s nephew, Alexander Paxton-Hill, is skeptical from the start. Tasked with teaching Keira the art of charm and flirtation, he soon finds himself captivated by her honesty and warmth as she challenges everything he thought he knew about love—and about himself.
After navigating the glittering, treacherous world of New York society, Keira arrives in England and catches the eye of the elusive Duke of Severton. She’s poised to win everything until a lavish ball, a long-buried secret, and one reckless act of love threaten to unravel it all. Now Keira must choose: the role she’s been prepared to play—or the woman she’s become, daring to believe she's worthy of love.
About the Author:
Gabrielle Meyer is the Christy Award-winning, bestselling author of over 45 books, including her popular Timeless Series. She lives in central Minnesota on the banks of the Mississippi River with her husband and four children. As an employee of the Minnesota Historical Society, she fell in love with history and enjoys writing fictional stories inspired by real people, places and events.
Tuesday, May 19, 2026
The Targeted (secrets To Keep, book 3) by Cara Putman
I loved The Targeted, book 3 in Cara Putman's Secrets To Keep trilogy. I enjoyed the interaction between the characters as they solved a case going back 14 years to when a group of gymnasts trained at a small gym. One girl is missing, one had a child, one is dead and many are left traumatized. Ms. Putman does a great job of keeping the suspense flowing. I highly recommend reading the series in order, starting with The Vanished, then The Accused and finally The Targeted,
So I hope you grab a favorite beverage, find a quiet reading spot and enjoy a great series.
All thoughts are my own.
From Amazon:
Can she protect her gym students before her past catches up?
When Chloe Ainsworth's older sister reappears after fourteen years, she brings with her the news that Chloe's abuser is back in town. Chloe is a coach at her childhood gym and fiercely protective of her young gymnasts. She won't allow them to suffer the way she did, but she's desperate for an ally—one who can help her make her case.
Law student Dare Shepherd works at the local legal clinic, where he meets Chloe and hears her out. He believes her case but can't get the clinic director on board. As he learns more about her story, he finds himself bound by a deepening personal care for Chloe.
They band together in search of answers, and suddenly the stakes skyrocket. It's clear they're onto something, but will they be able to find the answers before it's too late?
Friday, May 15, 2026
The Peasant Queen: An Esther Retelling (The Royals of Acuniel) by Ashton E. Dorow
I love the story of Queen Esther in the Bible and am always on the look out for a good retelling. Ashton Dorow did a great job of keeping the spirit of the story but changing the setting. I enjoyed the story and thought she did great job with her characters and creating a plausible tale that held my attention. I will be placing this book among my collection of Queen Esther books.
So grab your favorite beverage and settle in for a good book.
All thoughts are my own.
From Amazon
A king haunted by memories of his past... A young woman fighting against her future... Torn from her home and all that is familiar, Arabella of Caelrith finds herself as the unwilling bride of King Rowan of Acuniel--the man whose vengeful war stole her family. Bitter and confused, Arabella struggles to find her place in this new life. That is, until someone tries to kill the king. Despite repeated warnings to stay out of the matter, Arabella investigates the attempt on Rowan’s life, and his parents’ long ago murder, unconcerned with the potential cost of her interference. But when tragedy strikes, the seriousness of the situation becomes all too clear. Is the price of knowing the truth higher than she is willing to pay? When the fate of the kingdom and all that she holds dear is at stake, will Arabella have the courage to stand against the evil endeavoring to destroy them all? Did God really abandon her when He left her to this fate? Or was she put in the king’s palace… for such a time as this?
Ashton has loved books for as long as she can remember, and at age fourteen, that love became a passion when she began writing her first novel. She currently resides in Conroe, TX, with her hubby and spoiled-rotten furbabies. When not writing, Ashton can be found reading, spending time with family, or serving at the church she grew up in. Her greatest desire as a writer is to point readers to the ultimate Author—Jesus.
Sunday, May 10, 2026
Into A Golden Era, Timeless series book 8 by Gabrielle Meyer
Gabrielle Meyer has created another steller book! I loved Into A golden Era, book seven in her Timeless series. Ally travels back in forth between 1849 and 1929 in California. The story is well done with both parts holding my attention and fitting together seemlessly. I am seriously impressed with the amount of research Ms. Meyer has done for this series. I am anxiously stalking the websites to pre order book 8!
I believe the following quote is applicacable to the whole series:
“It’s the theme of all our lives. We do what we can with the understanding we have, and then we choose to trust God with the rest. It’s not always easy, or without pain and suffering, but He has been faithful and will continue to be so.”~ Ally.
So grab your favorite beverage, curl up in your best reading spot and settle in for a fantastic story!
All thoughts are my own.
From AmazonTwo eras. One future. An impossible choice that will determine the course of history.
As a time-crosser, Ally lives in two worlds. In 1849, in an attempt to secure her family's future during the California Gold Rush, she finds herself penniless and stranded in San Francisco. Forced to take shelter in a dangerous boardinghouse owned by an infamous gang member, Ally is desperate to escape. But when she discovers that history has changed around her, and it now claims she will do something unthinkable, she must use her time-crossing knowledge to find answers.
In 1929, Ally is an up-and-coming starlet during the Golden Age of Hollywood, but her family's film studio is on the brink of ruin, and their remaining resources are invested into a production of Little Women. If the endeavor fails, Ally's family will lose everything. To ensure their success, she agrees to stage a fake romance with a notorious Hollywood heartthrob in hopes of using his fame for their movie, but she risks her heart in the process. When history doesn't play by the rules, Ally must decide if she will throw all caution aside and risk everything for the people she loves. But which path will be worth sacrificing to save the other?
"Meyer vividly reanimates bygone eras with rich historical detail. Readers will be hooked."--Publishers Weekly on Through Each Tomorrow
"Meyer brilliantly blends her sparkling creativity with cinematic-grade historical drama and suspense."--Booklist starred review of Every Hour until Then
Bestselling and Christy Award-winning author Gabrielle Meyer weaves a spellbinding, clean historical romantasy of fate and love that fans of Christian romance, time travel, and dual-timeline stories will savor.
About the author
Gabrielle Meyer is the Christy Award-winning, bestselling author of over 45 books, including her popular Timeless Series. She lives in central Minnesota on the banks of the Mississippi River with her husband and four children. As an employee of the Minnesota Historical Society, she fell in love with history and enjoys writing fictional stories inspired by real people, places and events.
Wednesday, May 6, 2026
In honor of nurses week, Some of my favorite nurse books
From Amazon:
Sue Barton 7 Book Set (Sue Barton Series) Paperback – Black & White, 2008
by Helen Dore Boylston (Author) Format: Paperback
The Sue Barton 7 Book Set includes: Sue Barton, Student Nurse;
Sue Barton, Senior Nurse;
Sue Barton, Visiting Nurse;
Sue Barton, Rural Nurse;
Sue Barton, Superintendent of Nurses;
Sue Barton, Neighborhood Nurse;
Sue Barton, Staff Nurse.
A seven volume story that follows the life of vivacious, red-headed Sue Barton through her exhilarating training and career as a nurse. Sue's humor and great heart see her through the rigors of her profession as well as the trials of her personal life. Her determined struggle to maintain her independence gives her the strength to weather the occasionally bumpy road of a young woman seeking a life long dream of a nursing career.
Coming from rural New Hampshire, Sue enters the large city hospital nursing program where she befriends Katherine Van Dyke (Kit) and Connie Halliday. Sue and her friends are dedicated to their training yet manage to stumble into hilarious mischief from time to time. Their clever dialogue is a continuous thread throughout the stories which is certain to leave readers in stitches. Romance manages to find Sue in the hospital when she meets handsome surgeon, Dr. Bill Barry. Sue's many career choices as a nurse conflict with Bill's idea about their relationship leaving Sue in a dilemma as she plans her future. Through it all, it is Sue Barton's gift for understanding people and seeing the good in all that provides her the direction she needs in finding the right path to follow.
From Amazon:
Cherry Ames Set, Books 1-4 (Cherry Ames Nurse Stories)
by Helen Wells (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars (222) 4.5 on Goodreads 147 ratings
Collects books from: Cherry Ames Nurse Stories
See all formats and editions
The first boxed set, Cherry Ames Boxed Set 1-4, introduces our beloved heroine in her four earliest adventures: Student Nurse, Senior Nurse, Army Nurse, and Chief Nurse!
With a heart of pure gold and a true yearning to make a difference in the world, eighteen-year-old Cherry Ames leaves her hometown and enters nursing school, embarking on a lifetime of adventures. Follow Cherry through the introductory four-book set as she grows from student nurse to chief nurse, all the while making friends, pushing the limits of authority, leading her nursing colleagues, and sleuthing and solving mysteries. Smart, courageous, mischievous, quick-witted, and above all, devoted to nursing, Cherry Ames meets adventure head-on whereever she goes.
Wednesday, April 29, 2026
The Bachelor Spy (A Freddie and Grace mystery book 5) releasing Wednesday July 1, 2026
Pepper Basham is one of my go to authors. Her books are on my auto buy list and when I got a chance for an ARC of The Bachelor Spy I jumped on it! If you haven't read any of her Freddie and Grace books be sure to start with The Mistletoe Countess. Pepper's books are full of adventure sprinkled with humor. So many people have lost sleep or missed events that #BlameItOnBasham is a popular saying among her loyal readers! This series of books follows the adventures of Frederick Percy, Lord Astely and his red headed American wife Grace in the early 1900s. The Bachelor Spy may focus on Freddie's cousin Blake but Grace definateley contributes to the excitement. I highly recommend the whole series!
So grab an ice tea and settle into you favorite reading spot for a fantastic read!
I was given a copy os The Bachelor Spy with no expectations. All thoughts are my own.
Pepper Basham is one of my go to authors. Her books are on my auto buy list and when I got a chance for an ARC of The Bachelor Spy I jumped on it! If you haven't read any of her Freddie and Grace books be sure to start with The Mistletoe Countess. Pepper's books are full of adventure sprinkled with humor. So many people have lost sleep or missed events that #BlameItOnBasham is a popular saying among her loyal readers! This series of books follows the adventures of Frederick Percy, Lord Astely and his red headed American wife Grace in the early 1900s. The Bachelor Spy may focus on Freddie's cousin Blake but Grace definateley contributes to the excitement. I highly recommend the whole series!
So grab an ice tea and settle into you favorite reading spot for a fantastic read!
I was given a copy os The Bachelor Spy with no expectations. All thoughts are my own.
From Amazon: Join Lady Grace Astley at her new home of Havensbrooke Hall as she welcomes convalescing soldiers from the Great War and the dashing detective Stephen Blake, who was sent to root out a German spy. Their teamwork just may uncover more than one destructive plot against England. . .and Grace’s family.
About the author:
Pepper Basham is a best-selling author who writes romance “peppered” with grace and humor. Writing both historical and contemporary novels, she loves to incorporate her native Appalachian culture and/or her unabashed adoration of the UK into her stories. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the wife of a fantastic pastor, mom of five great kids, a speech-language pathologist, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus. Her twentieth book, The Cairo Curse, came out in February. Next up is Positively, Penelope, the sequel to her bestselling novel, Authentically, Izzy. She loves connecting with readers and other authors through social media outlets like Facebook & Instagram.
You can learn more about Pepper and her books on her website at www.pepperdbasham.com
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