Four Weddings and a Kiss

My Rating: 4 Stars

Description: In 1885 five western preachers sit around a campfire talking about unlikely couples they've seen God bring together.

“Spitfire Sweetheart” by Mary Connealy

Maizy MacGregor's reckless ways injured rancher Rylan Carstens, endangering his livelihood. So she signs on as his caregiver--but just until he's well enough to run his ranch. Maizy's tender care soon has Rylan falling hard and fast. Can these two willful souls give up their solitary ways to embrace love?

“A Love Letter to the Editor” by Robin Lee Hatcher

Molly Everton writes the most popular features in her town's newspaper. When newcomer Jack Ludgrove is named the new editor, Molly is flabbergasted. She wants the position for herself and will do what it takes to get it. But Jack is not easily intimidated. He’s determined to change Molly's mind about him--and win her heart too.

“A Cowboy for Katie” by Debra Clopton

After the tornado, Katie Pearl must rebuild her ranch. But she can't do it on her own. Treb Rayburn is a cowboy with a serious case of wanderlust. He signs on to help Katie so he can afford a new horse. But once Treb gets to know Katie, will his desire to stay drown the call of the open road?

“Courting Trouble” by Margaret BrownleyGrace Davenport is a young widow in a heap of trouble. When her son asks attorney Brock Daniels to take on her case, Brock plans to say no. But then he meets the lovely Grace. As Brock and the boy work to free Grace, Brock discovers that her arrest may be the best thing that's ever happened to him.

My Thoughts:Four Weddings and a Kiss was a delightful read. The frame style is one that I have only seen once before, but I thought it worked really well for this collection of stories. I found Spitfire Sweetheart to be funny and cheered for Maizy when she stood up for herself. A Love Letter to the Editor was completely Hatcher's style and a great sample of her work. A Cowboy for Katie turned out to be truly sweet, while Courting Trouble had a good sense of danger for such a short read.

This collection held great themes, as well as the over arching theme that God can bring together the most unlikely of people and use them to his glory. I look forward to reading the next collection by these four authors (hopefully they will write another).

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Unlikely Debut of Ellie Sweet- Stephanie Morrill

My Rating: 4 Stars

Description: For once, Ellie Sweet has it all together. Her hair now curls instead of fuzzes, she’s tamed the former bad-boy, Chase Cervantes (she has, right?), and her debut novel will hit shelves in less than a year. Even her ex-friends are leaving her alone. Well, except for Palmer Davis, but it can’t be helped that he works at her grandmother’s nursing home.

Life should feel perfect. And yet, it’s not that easy. Ellie’s editor loves her, but the rest of the publishing biz? Not so much. And they’re not shy about sharing their distrust over Ellie’s unlikely debut.

Ellie has always been able to escape reality in the pages of her novel, but with the stress of major edits and rocky relationships, her words dry up. In fiction, everything always comes together, but in real life, it seems to Ellie that hard work isn’t always enough, the people you love can’t always be trusted, and the dream-come-true of publishing her book could be the biggest mistake she’s made yet.

My Thoughts: This book answered questions left from the first book, The Revised Life of Ellie Sweet. Does Ellie get away with the things she wrote about her classmates? Does she end up with Chase?

Just as with the first, I was drawn into Ellie's story and her dramatic high school career. I just was not able to connect with her as much as in the first. I am not published, nor have I dealt with much of the same things as she did in this novel.

Yet I still enjoyed reading it. If there happens to be a third, I will be sure to read it and get lost in another Ellie Sweet adventure.

Elusive Hope- MaryLu Tyndall

My Rating: 4 Stars

Description: In a colony named New Hope, while their friends are seeking a southern utopia...

Hayden is seeking revenge. Relentlessly.

After years of all but selling his soul to track down his scoundrel of a father, Hayden Gale discovers his search must continue in South America, where his father is reported to be helping colonize Brazil. Hayden has nothing more to lose, certainly not a good reputation, and vows to keep pursuing--at any cost--the vile man who he believes killed his mother.

Magnolia is seeking a way out. Desperately.

She's in the jungles of Brazil against her will, but what choice does Magnolia Scott have? Her father insisted on uprooting their family to escape the uncertainty of Southern life after the Civil War. But how will she survive without all she holds dear--wealthy suitors, beautiful clothes, summer balls, and slaves waiting on her every whim? She vows to find a way to get back home--and attaches herself to handsome Hayden Gale.

As they journey toward Rio de Janeiro, they each seek to use the other for their own purposes. Deceptively. Falling in love was never part of their plans....

My Thoughts: Amazingly, I have never read a novel set in the jungle before. I wish that I had. All of the flora and fauna made for a unique setting. I also enjoyed the supernatural elements, which have not played much into any of MaryLu's other series. I can't wait to see how that continues to unfold in the next book. The only thing I would have changed would have been to have the supernatural take more of a part in Hayden and Magnolia's story.

And speaking of their story, might I just say that it was rife with tension. There was bickering, attraction, and betrayal. What made it all the more interesting was that their fatal flaws were the other's most loathed vice. Hayden uses people, Magnolia has been used all her life and is tired of it. Magnolia lies to get what she wants, Hayden hates being lied to because it reminds him of his own faults. The conflict kept me enthralled and I could not put it down until I knew the end.


I received this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Cress- Marrissa Meyer

My Rating:  5 Stars

Description: Rapunzel’s tower is a satellite. She can’t let down her hair—or her guard.

In this third book in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker—unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can.

My Thoughts: Soo, I read it in a day. That's right, all 560 pages of it, because it was that amazing.

Usually, I am not much a fan of many different plot lines. However, Meyer managed to pull all of them together in a way that I loved. The plot lines did not feel like different stories, but parts of the same story perfectly woven together.

Cress was a great addition to the cast of characters, even though I do not know much about Rapunzel. And the end of the book! I did not want it to be the last page. I was far too into the story and things were going wonderfully. But then it ended, and now I must wait for Winter... At least I did not need to wait for February for Cress. ;)

Harvest of Rubies- Tessa Afshar

My Rating: 5 Stars

Description: The prophet Nehemiah's cousin can speak numerous languages, keep complex accounts, write on rolls of parchment and tablets of clay, and solve great mysteries. There is only one problem: she is a woman.

In her early childhood years, Sarah experienced the death of her mother and her father's subsequent emotional distance and she came to two conclusions: that God does not care about her, and that her accomplishments are the measure of her worth - the measure of her self.

Sarah, the talented scribe and cousin to Nehemiah, is catapulted into the center of the Persian court, working too many hours, rubbing elbows with royalty, and solving intrigues for the Queen. Ironically, it isn't failure but success that causes Sarah to lose her only source of external validation.

Sarah soon learns that she has something of worth to offer beyond her ability with languages and sums - her very being proves to be a blessing to others particularly the aristocrat, Darius, she was given to in marriage.

Sarah and Darius' story continues in Harvest of Gold. Darius may be able to learn to love his wife, but can he ever learn to trust Sarah and her Lord?

My Thoughts: This is my second time reading this novel, which just shows how much I love it. Sarah is one of the most relatable characters I have ever read. So many often, I have felt just as she does, that the only thing that makes me worth anything is what I can do for other people, not who I am. That people would only want me around if they could get something from me. So when Sarah worries about being good enough at her job, and then being good enough as a wife, I understood what her fear felt like.

Sarah's encounters with others through out the book, and particularly Darius, are hilarious. Both times reading it, I found myself laughing out loud and had wave off questions from my family as to what was so funny.

I am glad that I now have this book for my collection, because I will be reading it many times in the future.

I received this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Burning Sky- Lori Benton

My Rating:  4.5 Stars

Description:  Abducted by Mohawk Indians at fourteen and renamed Burning Sky, Willa Obenchain is driven to return to her family’s New York frontier homestead after many years building a life with the People. At the boundary of her father’s property, Willa discovers a wounded Scotsman lying in her path. Feeling obliged to nurse his injuries, the two quickly find much has changed during her twelve-year absence—her childhood home is in disrepair, her missing parents are rumored to be Tories, and the young Richard Waring she once admired is now grown into a man twisted by the horrors of war and claiming ownership of the Obenchain land.

When her Mohawk brother arrives and questions her place in the white world, the cultural divide blurs Willa’s vision. Can she follow Tames-His-Horse back to the People now that she is no longer Burning Sky? And what about Neil MacGregor, the kind and loyal botanist who does not fit into in her plan for a solitary life, yet is now helping her revive her farm? In the aftermath of the Revolutionary War, strong feelings against “savages” abound in the nearby village of Shiloh, leaving Willa’s safety unsure.

Willa is a woman caught between two worlds. As tensions rise, challenging her shielded heart, the woman called Burning Sky must find a new courage--the courage to again risk embracing the blessings the Almighty wants to bestow. Is she brave enough to love again.

My Thoughts:  I absolutely love books with Indians, so you can imagine how excited I was to see this book up for review. And completely met my expectations. Willa is a woman who spent twelve years with the Mohawks and during that time, she learned the good and the bad of both the reds and whites. Neil is a man who has suffered at the hands of the Indians, but still finds it in him to forgive. And Joseph...he won me over in the beginning just by being full blooded Indian and a possible love interest. I am shocked by how rarely that happens.

This book was beautifully depicted and immediately captivating. If not for school and work, I probably would have finished it in only a couple of days. You could feel the seasons and the dirt on Willa's skin. You felt her pain and the men's frustration. Lovely is the only way that I can describe it.

Toward the end I felt that it took a little too long to get to the resolution, but I loved it enough to continue on. Hopefully, Lori will have another book like coming soon.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review from the publisher.

A Bride for Keeps- Melissa Jagears

My Rating: 3 Stars

Description: Although Everett Cline can hardly keep up with the demands of his homestead, he won't humiliate himself by looking for a helpmate ever again--not after being jilted by three mail-order brides. When a well-meaning neighbor goes behind his back to bring yet another mail-order bride to town, he has good reason to doubt it will work, especially after getting a glimpse at the woman in question. She's the prettiest woman he's ever seen, and it's just not possible she's there to marry a simple homesteader like him.

Julia Lockwood has never been anything more than a pretty pawn for her father or a business acquisition for her former fiance. Having finally worked up the courage to leave her life in Massachusetts, she's determined to find a place where people will value her for more than her looks. Having run out of all other options, Julia resorts to a mail-order marriage in far-away Kansas.

Everett is skeptical a cultured woman like Julia could be happy in a life on the plains, while Julia, deeply wounded by a past relationship, is skittish at the idea of marriage at all. When, despite their hesitations, they agree to a marriage in name only, neither one is prepared for the feelings that soon arise to complicate their arrangement. Can two people accustomed to keeping their distance let the barricades around their hearts down long enough to fall in love?

My Thoughts: I had thought for sure, by the description that I would love this novel. Mail-order bride stories always enthralled me, and this one had really good conflict between the characters, but nothing else. Everett and Julia had a lot to work through from their pasts in order to love each other. They both had fears and hurts to deal with.

Yet there was almost no outward conflict. From the first chapter, I thought there was a hint at a reappearance of Julia's past, but that never happened. And their current problems never boiled over. If either of these had happened, the novel would have been easily four stars, if not five. There were some other issues I wish had been addressed (like Rachel's meddling), but were of lesser importance.

Those who prefer a sweeter romance, with little external conflict, this book would be a keeper. The main characters were contently at odds and Everett was one of the most patient men I have ever read about.

I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Beloved- Robin Hatcher

My Rating: 3.5 Stars


Description:  Diana Brennan came west on the orphan train and was given a home with a loving couple who cherished and spoiled her. At 17, she fell hard for Tyson Applegate, the son of a wealthy mine owner. After a whirlwind courtship and marriage, Tyson took off for adventures around the world, including fighting with the Rough Riders in Cuba. Receiving no word of him for seven years, Diana's infatuation with her dashing husband died an ugly death, and she is ready to move past the old pain and marry again, just as soon as Tyson is declared legally dead.

But when her husband returns, supposedly a changed man, he wants to reunite with his wife and run for the senate. While Diana suspects the election is his real reason for wanting her by his side, she agrees to maintain his home and to campaign with him, but when it is over, win or lose, she wants her freedom. He agrees with one condition----she must give him a chance to change her mind about him.

My Thoughts:  This was a sweet read. Tyson and Diana had a cute reunion. Really, everything was cute, from their parents to the pets. I kept reading because the relationships were beautiful. However, their was little excitement.

Of everything that happened, I continuously envisioned something grander. The villains and love rivals could have caused so much more damage to the main characters. If the situations had lived up to their potential, this novel could have been riveting, rather than cute.

I would still suggest this novel to anyone looking for an adorable romance. The writing was beautiful and I loved the characters. I just wish that their had been more of the adventure promised in the back cover copy.

I received a copy from Litfuse in exchange for an honest review.


Robin Lee Hatcher is celebrating the release of her latest novel, Beloved, with an iPad Mini giveaway! 

 
  One winner will receive:

• An iPad Mini
• Beloved by Robin Lee Hatcher

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on November 15th. Winner will be announced November 16th at Robin's blog.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to stop by Robin's blog on the 16th to see if you won. (Or, better yet, subscribe to her blog and have the winner announcement delivered to your inbox!)!

Gunpowder Tea- Margaret Brownley

My Rating: 5 Stars


Description:In a case that could change her career, Miranda uncovers a love that will change her life.

When Miranda Hunt sees the classified ad for an heiress to the legendary Last Chance Ranch, she knows assuming the identity of Annie Beckman is the perfect cover. As one of the finest agents for the Pinkerton Detective Agency, Miranda has been tasked with apprehending the Phantom – an elusive and notorious train robber thought to be hiding on the sprawling ranch.

But she isn’t the only one there with something to hide. Wells Fargo detective Jeremy Taggert is working the scene undercover as well. And although their true identities are a secret, it is impossible for Jeremy and Miranda to hide the spark that flares between them.

But neither is about to let romance interfere with such a huge case. Besides, Miranda hasn’t removed Jeremy from her list of suspects yet. The closer they come to uncovering the identity of the Phantom, the more dangerous he gets – and no one on the ranch is safe.

But neither are their hearts – the longer Miranda and Jeremy spends working together, the harder it becomes to keep their feelings in check. Their careers – and their lives – depend on solving this case. Love will have to wait.

My Thoughts: I do not know just how to tell how much I loved this book. This novel had some of the best situational irony I have ever read. Two detectives who continuously get in each others way because they do not know the other is a detective. It was too funny.

Not only that, but the cast of characters was great. Everyone had their own personality, even the rarely mentioned ranch hands. And behind every character and suspicion lies a beautiful theme: "I once was blind, but now I see."

Annie and Branch are blinded by their assumptions and pasts. It keeps them from seeing what is right under their noses and what the future could bring. For private eyes, being blind can cost them their jobs... and their lives. But worse, it can cost them the plans God has for them.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

Margaret Brownley's latest release, Gunpowder Tea, is receiving high praise, and she's celebrating with a Kindle Fire giveaway and a "Tea with Margaret" Facebook party!

  One winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• Gunpowder Tea by Margaret Brownley

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on November 7th. Winner will be announced at the "Tea with Margaret" Facebook Author Chat Party on the 7th. Connect with Margaret and friends for an evening of book chat, prizes, and get an exclusive look at Margaret's next book!

So grab your copy of Gunpowder Tea and join Margaret on the evening of November 7th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today by clicking JOIN at the event page. Spread the word — tell your friends about the giveaway and party via FACEBOOK or TWITTER. Hope to see you on 11/7!

Glittering Promises- Lisa Bergren

Sorry about this being late, I did not have time to write it on Halloween.

My Rating: 3 Stars

Description:America’s newest heiress must decide if her potential fortune is rationale enough to give up her freedom and all that God is leading her toward. And when her newly-discovered siblings are threatened with ruin, her quandary deepens. Then as Cora nears Rome, more journalists are track the news story of the decade—“Copper Cora,” the rags-to-riches girl—and want to know more about her family and the men vying for her attention. Meanwhile, a charming Italian countess decides that if Cora isn’t going to claim Will’s heart, she might just try...

My Thoughts: I don't know if this book was any different than the last two, but it seemed a lot slower. I liked the writing and the description, but there was not much that happened through most of it. I noticed that I only found something gripping about every hundred pages. What did interest me, brought me back to keep reading, I just wish there had been more adventure with the pretty words.

Cora and Will's relationship continued to have a lot of conflict. Which upset me. I am not one for love triangles and this book had two. TWO. It was a large part of the conflict, Cora's money being the other part. While this worked in the first two books, I had hoped it would be over in this one.

I can't say that I disliked this book. There were some really sweet moments, some that were emotional, and a bit of adventure. But the drama and love triangles kept me from loving it.

The Miner's Lady- Tracie Peterson

My Rating: 4 Stars

Description:When Chantel Panetta's younger sister claims to be in love with Orlando Vittorio, Chantel knows there is no hope. The Panettas and Vittorios have been sworn enemies for decades, and young love cannot heal the deep wounds between the two iron-mining families. Yet, unable to resist Isabella's pleas, Chantel agrees to help her sister spend time with Orlando...only to have a run-in with Dante, Orlando's brother. The older, more handsome one. 

Chantel can't deny the attraction that flares when she's with Dante. But when a tragedy occurs at the mine, is there any hope that the hatred that has simmered between these two families might be resolved? Or will Chantel's hope for love be buried amidst decades of misunderstanding?

My Thoughts: After a string of terrible reads, this book came as a relief. It was truly enjoy able. I loved the characters and their interactions. Dante was a great hero and his struggle between family and forgiveness was believable. As was Chantel's.

 The only thing that I would have liked better would have been to know more of Marco's story. His subplot seemed to end abruptly without anything leading up to it. And it had been a few chapters since the last time the story was in his POV when it ended.

I have not read anything my Tracie in years, but I plan to ratify that mistake. Since I just learned this was the third in the series, I will have to read the first two.

Topaz Heat- Hallee Bridgeman

My Rating: 3.5 Stars

Description:The very moment Derrick meets Sarah, he realizes he has a reason to live. Sarah sees only an unshaven tough kid covered with tattoos and shuts down every advance.

Sarah Thomas has no memory of her broken young life leading up to the tragic murder of her mother. Her memory begins the morning she wakes in the home of her loving adoptive parents. She doesn't even know her sisters exist until her 15th year. She learns to love her siblings, but always feels a little out of place in their presence.

A benevolent billionaire offers Derrick DiNunzio a home and an education. Fresh off the streets and rescued from a criminal future, Derrick sheds his old life. He trades his ripped leather jacket for silk suits; dealing drugs for mentoring "at risk" youth; lock picking and back door jobs for the rigors of mountain climbing and hotel management.

Sarah cannot seem to see beyond the past Derrick left behind … until one day she does. When they finally come together, an indictment threatens their future. Now the heat is on. Will Sarah finally set aside her prejudices and open her heart to true love or will the long forgotten past tear them apart forever?

My Thoughts: I still liked this book, though it was not as good as the second. Derrick and Sarah are a cute couple, but Sarah's opinion of him had seemed like an about face. If it had been a little more drawn out, then I might have believed her change more.

Still, I thought they made a great couple and loved to read about their relationship. Because I got the second too books before the first, I shall have to go read it now that it is on my kindle!

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

Emerald Fire- Hallee Bridgeman

My Rating: 4 Stars

Description:A terrifying past imprisoned Maxine Bartlett all her adult life, shackling her with fear anytime a man even touched her.

In a spontaneous weekend, she unintentionally elopes with an unlikely groom. After a magical wedding night filled with love and passion, "Maxi" finally discards her dreadful chains.

She doesn't know that her new husband has turned his back on God. Worried over how the world might see the completely unexpected – and some would certainly say inappropriate – marriage, in his pride he promises Maxine a quiet annulment.

Unwilling to let their marriage disappear as if it never happened, Maxine refuses to cooperate. Seeking God's will, she moves in with him and informs him that when he decides to act like her husband again, he will find his loving wife waiting for him right there in their home. As the days stretch into weeks, the newlyweds slowly begin to trust and even love each other.

Then, just as they begin to live the "happily ever after" love story that neither of them ever dreamed could come true, a sudden and nightmarish catastrophe strikes that could wreck everything. Will her husband realize that he must trust God once more? Can he find peace and strength enough to carry them through the flames?

My Thoughts: I truly liked this book. Barry and Maxine were relatable and I enjoyed their path to forgiveness. I had a hard time putting it down when I needed to work on something else and ended up finishing it in a day. The one thing that I had not cared for was that the first chapter began with the characters married and then the next was before they were. It confused me, though I did figure it out by the next chapter.

And now, the second book, Topaz Heat, calls to me....


I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

If The Shoe Fits- Sandra D. Bricker

My Rating: 4 Stars

Description: Julianne used to believe in fairy tales; she's been watching for Prince Charming to come charging in on his white steed ever since the day her mother read her Cinderella for the first time. But she's never come close to finding the perfect man-instead she's always tripping over her childhood best friend, Will. And who finds their Prince Charming on a 10-speed bicycle on the other side of the cul de sac? Well... Julianne does. Only she doesn't have a clue.

She and Will are attorneys now, and they've joined up in private practice in a beautiful Cincinnati office building that overlooks the Ohio River. And then one day Julianne is on her way to court, and runs right smack dab into Prince Charming. But when she looks again, all she finds is a metaphoric sign she is certain came straight from Heaven: The Prince's toolbox has fallen off the back of his truck, and a work boot along with it. What better way for God to grab the attention of a Cinderella-in-training than to show her a glass slipper...errrr, work boot?...waiting to be reunited with its owner?

So she sets out to track down the mysterious Prince Charming. He's the most gorgeous guy she's ever seen...and a caring animal rescuer, too. Surely he must be the soul mate God has prepared her for.

But, Julianne's prince is starting to look less and less charming all the time. No matter how she tries to romanticize him, he just keeps tumbling down off that dumb pedestal. And with the Bar Association dinner coming up that will honor her for her outstanding charity work over the year, Julianne wants so much for her friends and colleagues to see her with someone besides her best friend Will. To make matters worse, Prince Charming has no designs on wearing a penguin suit and attending a stuffy old dinner. With her pride pressing in on her like sticks from a cactus, Julianne sinks to the bottom of the proverbial barrel and actually offers to pay Paul to be her date.

Julianne is on a collision course with God's perfect plan for her life...if only she could open her eyes and see it before it's too late.

My Thoughts: So, I have never been one to believe in fairy tales, but Will a prince among men. Seriously, he is so kind and selfless, if a but fearful. Julianne was a fool to miss that he was right there.

Will was my reason for reading this. All that he goes through for the people he loves, particularly Julianne- would have gone crazy. And I understand his fear to tell her how he feels about her. It is terrifying to risk a safe relationship for an uncertain one. Not only that, but he tried to tell her, she just didn't listen.

The one downside, my pet peeve in all stories of unrequited love, is that no one else steps in and tells Julianne how Will feels until the end of the book. Come on! If you are going to tell her at all, you might as well tell her right off the bat. Put us all out of our misery. But then I guess there would be no story.


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The Champion- Carla Capshaw

 So, did anyone try last weeks bingo? If you don't remember, it was dog. This week was weapon, and this was the book I chose:

My Rating: 3 Stars

Description: A Warrior without Equal, a Woman without Options.
Triumphs in the Coliseum--and society bedchambers-- made gladiator Alexius of Iolcos famous for his brutal skill and womanizing ways. Yet the only woman who intrigues him is Tiberia the Younger, who now needs his help. Protecting Tiberia places Alexius in the greatest danger he has ever known--from her vengeful father and his own heart...

Becoming a temple priestess may be an honor, but Tibi can't bear to surrender her freedom or her newfound faith. Alexius's solution stuns her. Marriage...to a gladiator! Scorned by her noble family, Tibi always felt unworthy. But with her champion by her side, can she accept--and give--a love strong enough to vanquish their enemies?

My Thoughts: Alexius is amazing. Just saying... While I did not really experience the unsavory side of him, I still saw the fallout of his past actions in a way to make his struggles believable. That he was willing to take in Tibi even though it could cost him his fortune made him a hero in my eyes. He did everything to protect her and to encourage her to be herself.

Tibi was a bit more confusing to me. She had a brutally abusive father yet was uncowed and was beautiful yet did not know it (as many heroines are). I guess I would have preferred that she had been more unique.

The tension and struggle through the first half of the book kept me staying up late to read as much as I could. This was where I loved Alexius the most and enjoyed the Greek side of him. However, toward the end, I began to loose interest. It seemed to mirror the end of The Gladiator too much. I wish that Capshaw could have come up with a better way to end the conflict than them to end up in the arena as in the other novella.


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Honor Redeemed- Loree Lough

Last month I signed up for Book Cover Bingo on one of my goodreads groups that began last Friday. The element called was 'dog' and I searched all over, though my TBR and recommended pile, for a book with a dog on the cover. At last, I found Honor Redeemed on my kindle. If you want to try the challenge, you can start with 'dog' and next week I will tell you the next element.

My Rating: 3 Stars

Description:Highly skilled Search and Rescue (SAR) team leader, Honor Mackenzie, works almost as hard at guarding the dark secrets of her past as she does when training SAR dogs. As for widowed Sun reporter Matt Phillips, not even his former SAR work is as important as protecting his ten-year-old twin boys. When a jumbo jet crashes outside Baltimore one cold night, their respective jobs put them face-to-face at the grisly scene--and force Matt and Honor to reconsider the difficult decisions that resulted in their long-standing "single forever" status. As Matt tries to come to terms with his feelings for Honor, he gets word that she hasn't reported in since starting the search for a missing child. Reverting to his SAR training, Matt leads the search team as a vicious winter storm bears down on the area. Will he find her in time? And if he does, will they find their way back to each other or go back to living life alone

My Thoughts: Ahhhhh! The ending of the books in this series break my heart. I am going to need time to recover...

What upsets me about this book is that there was little plot. Most everything that happened was only conversation. I understand that this book was more about working through the mental and emotional issues of being a first responder, but I wish there had been more responding. If there had been, I definitely would have rated it higher.

Lough has this way of making her characters real, like I could sit down and have coffee with them or bump into them at the grocery store. I liked that and it kept me reading even though I often wanted the characters to stop talking and do something.

Also, there was something (I wont tell you what) that was finally resolved from the first book. It was a nice turn of events. Still, I have yet to decide if I am going to read the next book. I might.

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Rugged and Relentless- Cathy Marie Hake

My Rating: 3.5 Stars

Description: Roll into Hope Falls, Colorado, where three women are seeking mates to help them establish a sawmill. Evelyn Thompson never dreamed their husbands-for-hire ad would bring so many bachelors to their tiny town. How will she ever figure out which feller to choose? Jacob Granger, a logger-turned-bounty hunter, is hot on the trail of his brother’s killer. When a clue leads him to Hope Falls, he has no choice but to pretend to court Miss Thompson while waiting for the killer to show his hand. Will Jacob’s unexpected adoration of this sweet cook prompt him to speak vows before getting vengeance?

My Thoughts: This book was funny through out most parts. The characters were amusing and likable. For everything, I would have given this book a four if not for the fact that the characters were often re-discussing things that I already knew. There were also arguments that lasted through out multiple chapters, which bothered me.

Still, I loved Jake and Evie and their interactions. I will probably read the next books to find out who the other girls marry. Plus those should (hopefully) have everyone on the same page and not need the discussions.

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The Heiress's Homecoming- Regina Scott

My Rating: 4 Stars

Description:To keep her cherished childhood home, Samantha Everard must marry by her twenty-fifth birthday. Yet she refuses to marry on a whim, not even to save her fortune. When she returns to Dallsten Manor to say goodbye, the last person she expects to see is her handsome, disapproving neighbor William Wentworth, Earl of Kendrick.

Will is certain the scandalous Everard family is nothing but trouble. He shouldn't care about Samantha's predicament, but her feistiness and kindheartedness intrigue him—as does her refusal to wed. He wants to help, especially when he perceives the threat that surrounds her. Soon his greatest wish is to persuade Samantha that her true home is with him.

My Thoughts: This was by far my favorite of the The Everard Legacy books. The Earl of Kenrick was a great hero was consistent through out the story. It the past books I felt like some of the heroes tried to pretend they were something that they were not. Samantha was also the most relatable of the heroines. I felt her pain in searching for love.

My one drawback was Jamie. I did not understand his character. He is supposed to be seventeen yet he acted more like a thirteen year old with an attitude problem. Sometimes I liked him, but most of the time he was definitely not my cup of tea.

I hope to read more by Regina Scott in the future. More reads like this are perfect for the weekend.


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The Heiress of Winterwood- Sarah Ladd

My Rating: 2 Stars

Description: Pride goes before the fall . . . but what comes after?

Darbury, England, 1814

Amelia Barrett, heiress to an ancestral estate nestled in the English moors, defies family expectations and promises to raise her dying friend’s infant baby. She'll risk everything to keep her word—even to the point of proposing to the child’s father, Graham, a sea captain she’s never met.

Tragedy strikes when the child vanishes with little more than a sketchy ransom note hinting to her whereabouts. Fear for the child’s safety drives Amelia and Graham to test the boundaries of their love for this infant.

Amelia’s detailed plans would normally see her through any trial, but now, desperate and shaken, she examines her soul and must face her one weakness: pride.

Graham’s strength and self-control have served him well and earned him much respect, but chasing perfection has kept him a prisoner of his own discipline.

Both must learn to accept God’s sovereignty and relinquish control so they can grasp the future He has for planned for them.

My Thoughts: I had to force myself to finish this. Nothing really ever happened. Constantly, I was told that something happened (Graham was injured in a battle, Lucy was kidnapped, they are searching for her, there was a fight), but you never really see any of it. It was more like watching a movie that keeps skipping in the player. The description of a fight was truly, "With every muscle still tense and alert from the previous skirmish, fresh fire surged through his veins. Within moments, fists were once again flying...". It continues but still does not say what is happening, and then we are expected to believe that he is stiff and bruised from the blows he suffered.

I found that so much happened which was unrealistic. They repeatedly say that they must marry as soon as possible, and obtain a license that makes it so they can, yet never make any real move to do so. This is even though they have almost constant companions in vicars and witnesses. All so that we can get to this moment, spoiler, "'Marry me, Amelia. Not for Lucy. Not for your inheritance. But for me.'"

While the description was often beautiful, I felt cheated by characters who could not make up their minds or act like someone of their age and station.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com® <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

For followers of my blog, that is why I have posted a review of a book that I do not back.

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The Healer's Apprentice- Melanie Dickerson

My Rating: 4 Stars

Description: Two Hearts. One Hope.

Rose has been appointed as a healer's apprentice at Hagenheim Castle, a rare opportunity for a woodcutter's daughter like her. While she often feels uneasy at the sight of blood, Rose is determined to prove herself capable. Failure will mean returning home to marry the aging bachelor her mother has chosen for her—a bloated, disgusting merchant who makes Rose feel ill.

When Lord Hamlin, the future duke, is injured, it is Rose who must tend to him. As she works to heal his wound, she begins to understand emotions she's never felt before and wonders if he feels the same. But falling in love is forbidden, as Lord Hamlin is betrothed to a mysterious young woman in hiding. As Rose's life spins toward confusion, she must take the first steps on a journey to discover her own destiny.

My Thoughts: This was a good retelling. I liked that it was set in Germany rather than England or some other expected country. I did prefer the first one, The Merchant's Daughter, however this was still enjoyable.