Category: Book Reviews

Book Reviews, Gifts/Purchases

Book Review! “Brides of Alaska” by Tracie Peterson

Jenna Evans

Goodread’s Synopsis:

My Review:

I received this book from my Mom for Christmas and I was super excited to read it! I have a soft spot in my heart for books with 3 novellas! I dove right in and immediately fell in love with the characters. I found myself reading this book on my lunch at work and basically anytime that I could find a spot to read, you would find me reading this book. You find out that Julie, August and Rita are all related which is awesome considering that the first novella starts off 40 years earlier. I really liked seeing how the roads evolved and how things were much different in Alaska in the first novella from the last. This book is a very easy read and you will fall in love with all of the characters!

I chose to review this book on my own and these are my own opinions. I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars!

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Book Reviews, Revell Reads

~Book Review~ “A Moonbow Night” by Laura Frantz

Jenna Evans


Goodreads Synopsis:
“After fleeing Virginia, Temperance Tucker and her family established an inn along the Shawnee River. It’s a welcome way station for settlers and frontiersmen traveling through the wild Cumberland region of Kentucke–men like Sion Morgan, a Virginia surveyor who arrives at the inn with his crew looking for an experienced guide. When his guide appears, Sion balks. He certainly didn’t expect a woman. But it is not long before he must admit that Tempe’s skill in the wilderness rivals his own. Still, the tenuous tie they are forming is put to the test as they encounter danger after danger and must rely on each other. With her signature sweeping style and ability to bring the distant past to vivid life, Laura Frantz beckons readers to join her in a land of Indian ambushes, conflicting loyalties, and a tentative love that meanders like a cool mountain stream.”

My Review:

As I have been reading “A Moonbow Night”, I keep thinking that it’s going to get better. I am going to like the book. It’s like the little blue engine saying “I think I can”. I keep reading and sometimes I feel as if I am going nowhere. Looking at the cover and then reading the back of the book made me really want to read this book. I believe that this book is really a good book. I am just having a hard time reading the language that is used throughout. It could be that I am reading on my lunch at work and my brain is so tired that I don’t have much energy to even make the words make sense. I don’t know at this point, but I am going to continue reading until I finish. I have been reading this book now for 3 weeks and for some reason the language of this book just is not getting through to my brain. I have read other books by Laura Frantz and liked them a lot, but for some reason I just am having a hard time with this book. The storyline is really good and I will continue reading it, but because of me having these issues I am going to give the book a 3 out of 5 stars.
I received this book in exchange for my review from Revell Reads. 

BookLook

~Book Review~ “Just a Kiss” by Denise Hunter

Jenna Evans

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Synopsis from Book Look Bloggers:

Riley Callahan’s plans to reveal his secret feelings for his best friend are derailed when his life is drastically altered in Afghanistan.

Watching the love of his life fall for his brother was enough to send Riley straight to boot camp. But over a year later, he’s officially a marine, and Beau and Paige are no longer an item. When Riley’s tour in Afghanistan is up, he intends to confess his feelings to Paige and win his best friend’s heart once and for all.

But all that changes when an IED takes the life of a comrade and leaves Riley an amputee. Now he’s heading home, injured and troubled. His plans to win Paige are a distant dream. She deserves so much more than the man that’s left. All he can do now is put some healthy distance between them. But upon his return he discovers his family has arranged for him to stay with Paige.

Paige is a nurturer at heart and happy to take care of her best buddy. By all appearances Riley is adjusting miraculously well to his disability. But as the days pass, Paige begins to see that the smiles and laughter are just a mask for the pain he’s hiding. To make matters worse, her job is in serious jeopardy. The animal shelter that she’s poured her heart into has lost its funding, and she has three months to come up with the money needed to save it.

As the weeks wear on, Paige’s feelings for Riley begin to shift into uncharted territory. Why is she suddenly noticing his arm muscles and the way his lips curl at the corners? Will she be able to deny her feelings for another Callahan brother? And will Riley let his heart heal so he can let Paige in?

My Review:

This book was another great one! I’ve always liked reading Denise Hunter’s books and this one was no exception. The cover caught my eye and then the story drew me in. i had already read a story about Riley’s brother Zac earlier this year which is what also led me to want to read this story. Being that Riley always had feelings for Paige hits home for me because I have had feelings for someone for a long time and have never acted on it. I wanted to know more about this story and the more I read the more I couldn’t put it down. There were a lot of great moments, a lot of funny moments and even some sad moments throughout this book. Once I got closer to the end, it seemed to lose something that the rest of the book had. It wasn’t drastic so it didn’t make the book bad, but it did disappoint me. I ended up giving this book a 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.

I received this book in exchange for my review from Book Look Bloggers.

BookLook

~Book Review~ “The Goodbye Bride” by Denise Hunter

Jenna Evans

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Following a concussion, Lucy Lovett can’t remember the last seven months of her life. She doesn’t remember leaving her fiancé Zac Callahan weeks before their wedding or moving to Portland, Maine. And she sure doesn’t remember getting engaged to another man. All she remembers is loving Zac more than life itself.

It’s taken Zac months to move on after Lucy left him with no explanation. He’s thrown himself into his family’s farm and his restaurant business in Summer Harbor. Now Lucy’s back, vulnerable, homeless, and still in love with him. She needs his help putting the pieces together, but letting her back into his life is a risk—and the stakes are high. If he follows his heart he’ll win back the love of his life. But if her memory returns he’ll lose her all over again.

My Review:

From the moment that I started reading this book, I knew that it was going to be a book that I liked and would remember for a long time. I thought that having Lucy not being able to remember what had happened to her and her ex fiance Zac was genius. This gave the book a major hook and kept me entertained throughout the whole book. It was nice seeing the tension between Lucy and Zac although they had not been together. Zac still cared about Lucy and it showed in this book. It did not take me very long to read this book as it was a very fast reading book. I am a fast reader, but sometimes books take me a long time to get into if the plot line is not active enough. This book definitely had a good plot line and kept me hooked. The characters were great, the setting was great and the twists were great. It might seem a little redundant, but this book was one of my favorites.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review from BookLook Bloggers.

I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars.

Blogging for Books, Book Reviews

~Book Review~ “I Said Yes” by Emily Maynard Johnson

Jenna Evans

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Goodreads Synopsis:

When her high-profile search for romance led Emily Maynard to dead end after dead end, real love finally found her.

Millions know Emily Maynard Johnson from her unprecedented double appearances on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. Millions also know that neither of the relationships from those shows lasted much longer than a commercial break.

Overcome with embarrassment following her nationally televised failures at romance, Emily finally committed her heart to the only one she knew would never leave her empty and alone. Abandoning her desire to be chosen by men and finding peace in the fact that she was already chosen by God, Emily found the joy she had been looking for in serving God.

In I Said Yes, Emily tells the story of her life before and after reality TV fame, describing the profound new reality she discovered when she forsook fame in favor of the Lord. At the end of a long, fruitless search for a man, this courageous young woman found the truest love of all waiting right in front of her. To that love, Emily said yes.

My Review: 

I have been an avid Bachelor and Bachelorette fan since the very first season of the Bachelor when Alex broke Trista’s heart and then Trista went on to find love with Ryan in the first season of the Bachelorette. I don’t agree with the way that they go to “find love”, but it is great entertainment. Many seasons later, I remember seeing Emily Maynard on the show and her and Ricky stole my heart. The way that Emily and Ricky interacted was so sweet. Her story captured the hearts of many people and this book just helped me understand more about the reasons why she went on the show. The story was heartbreaking and made me cry at times, but it was a great story about overcoming anxiety and fear about falling in love after having heartbreak. It only took me a couple days to read this book because I wanted to know more about this person I had seen on TV. I tend to like to read books about people who were previously on reality TV. This one had writing that was not as developed as I would have liked which one of the few reasons why I gave this book a 4 out of 5 stars and not a 5 out of 5 stars. I received this book from Book Look Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.

Book Reviews, BookLook

~Book Review~ “The Hearts We Mend” by Kathryn Springer

Jenna Evans

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Thirteen years ago, Evie’s firefighter husband was killed in the line of duty, leaving her to raise their young son, Cody, alone. Now, Cody is marrying the love of his life, and as he packs up his belongings, the house feels as empty as Evie’s heart. But for all her planning and mad organizational skills, Evie could never have anticipated the dramatic shift her life is about to make.

Tattooed, rough-around-the-edges Jack raises quite a few eyebrows in the tight-knit community of Banister Falls. Where Evie’s life is stream-lined, Jack’s approach to living is moment by moment. But as Evie gets drawn into Jack’s world—a world that isn’t as safe or predictable as the one she’s worked so hard to create—he challenges her to open her eyes to the problems outside the walls of the church.

Jack doesn’t make Evie feel comfortable, but he definitely makes her feel something. Something she hasn’t felt since Max passed away—or, maybe ever. Because even though Jack isn’t anything like her late husband, he just might be everything she needs.

My Review:

Jack, Evie, romance, kids and more helped to make this book a great book that grabbed my attention throughout the whole book. I was reading this book every chance I got! I loved the concept of Jack and how he had an open house and helped everyone in the department building. He just had a great concept around him and I felt like that was the heart of the book. I felt for all the characters when they went through all the twists and turns in this book. Evie and Jack had such great chemistry and make me want to continue reading the book. Jack’s niece was such a doll! She was so cute and was a great addition. Overall, this book was really good and I would recommend it to anyone. I give this a 4 out of 5 stars. I received this book from Book Look Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.

Book Reviews, BookLook

~Book Review~ “Kissed by a Cowboy” by Debra Clopton

Jenna Evans

Kissed by a Cowboy cover

Goodreads Synopsis:

Cassidy was looking for a home and a place to belong . . . not for a cowboy to steal her heart. Having lived through her parents’ endless string of “matrimonial bliss gone wrong,” Cassidy Starr knows when the odds are not in her favor. Divorced and humiliated, her faith on rocky ground, Cassidy is through with love. She’s been bucked off that horse far too many times. Instead, she returns to Wishing Springs, Texas, and the rundown farm she’s inherited from her great aunt Roxie. She’ll reopen the strawberry farm and a bed & breakfast and follow in her aunt’s footsteps, remaining forever-independent, happy . . . and single. Rancher Jarrod Monahan’s hands are full running the ranch, looking after his ailing grandfather, and chasing down a group of rustlers on the loose. He’s pushed his longing for a family to the bottom of his list of priorities. Besides, he was in love once but ran scared and lost his shot at happiness. But suddenly, the biggest regret of his life has moved in next door with a wounded heart, determined to become a spinster . . . and that’s a challenge that Jarrod can’t pass up.

My Review:

This book is so good! I just finished it and decided to go ahead and write my review.

Cassidy Starr is a stubborn red head who doesn’t want to relive her past. Jarrod Monahan is a handsome cowboy who lives next door. Jarrod kissed Cassidy a long time ago and then ran and Cassidy just got through a divorce. These 2 characters were great staples in this wonderful romance novel by Debra Clopton.

What drew me to this book was the cover. A few horses and a handsome cowboy kissing a girl made me want to read this book and I mean, who wouldn’t with a title like “Kissing a Cowboy”! I have always liked books that have to do with Cowboys and horses and this one was no different. While I was reading, it was like I was taken to a different world. I love when a book can take me out of my current situation and transport me to someone else’s story. I want to feel as though it is a movie in my head. This book did that from the first page. I felt as though I could see every laugh, cry, heartache, and lovely moment that happened throughout this book. The story between Jarrod and Cassidy made me root for them as much as if I knew this couple. There were a few twists in the story which made it more fun to read.

I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars. I received this book in exchange for my honest review form Booklook Bloggers.

*image courtesy of Booklook Bloggers*

Book Reviews, Revell Reads, Uncategorized

~Book Review~ “The Christmas Joy Ride” by Melody Carlson

Jenna Evans

  
Goodreads Synopsis:

Miranda did not put adventure on her Christmas list, but thanks to her eighty-five-year-old neighbor Joy, that’s exactly what she’s getting this year. When Joy tells Miranda that she plans to drive an old RV decked out in Christmas decorations from their Chicago neighborhood to her new retirement digs in Phoenix–in the dead of winter, no less–the much younger Miranda insists that Joy cannot make such a trip by herself. Besides, a crazy trip with Joy would be more interesting than another Christmas home alone. Unemployed and facing foreclosure, Miranda feels she has nothing to lose by packing a bag and heading off to Route 66. But Joy has a hidden agenda for their Christmas joyride–and a hidden problem that could derail the whole venture.
No one captures the heartwarming fun of the Christmas season quite like Melody Carlson. Fasten your seat belt, because it’s going to be an exciting ride!


My Review:

I really enjoyed reading this book. Christmas is a big thing in my family so with Christmas in the title, I knew it was a book I was going to like. Christmas Joy is a sweet elderly lady who loves to blog and give to people. This is a story of giving, selflessness, and companionship with a sweet side of romance added in. Like a lot of books, romance is not the main subject in this book which was kind of refreshing. I still enjoy my romances, but sometimes a breather is a good thing! Reading about Miranda and Joy made me think that it would be fun to take a road trip in a motor home. The story was so funny and lighthearted. I laughed, cried, and smiled all throughout this book. If you like Christmas or just want to hear a story about an 85 year old lady driving a motor home, you should read this book. It is only about 165 pages so it only took me a couple hours to read!


I received this book from Revell Reads in exchange for my honest review. I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars.

Book Reviews, BookLook

~Book Review~ “The Nesting Place” by Myquillyn Smith

Jenna Evans

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Synopsis on Goodreads:

Perfection is overrated.
Popular blogger and self-taught decorator Myquillyn Smith (The Nester) is all about embracing reality—especially when it comes to decorating a home bursting with boys, pets, and all the unpredictable messes of life.In The Nesting Place, Myquillyn shares the secrets of decorating for real people—and it has nothing to do with creating a flawless look to wow your guests. It has everything to do with embracing the natural imperfection and chaos of daily living.Drawing on her years of experience creating beauty in her 13 different homes, Myquillyn will show you how to think differently about the true purpose of your home and simply and creatively tailor it to reflect you and your unique style—without breaking the bank or stressing over comparisons. Full of easy tips, simple steps, and practical advice, The Nesting Place will give you the courage to take risks with your home and transform it into a place that’s inviting and warm for family and friends.There is beauty in the lived-in and loved-on and just-about-used-up, Myquillyn says, and welcoming that imperfection wholeheartedly just might be the most freeing thing you’ll ever do.

My Review:

This book was a book I chose to review based on the cover. I know that people say to not judge a book by its cover, but the cover had a beautiful white chair perfect for reading which made me want to read the book. At first, when I started reading this book it did not catch my interest, but that was not because of what the book was about but because of the format of the e-book. This put my reading of this book on hold because I just could not get into this book. I recently seen it again when I was checking for what books I need to review and I thought that I would give it another chance. I read this book in about an hour and a half. I really liked Myquillyn’s concept of accepting that everything is not going to be perfect in your home. This really hit me because I would love to have a home like I see in magazines, but I know that it won’t happen because those home’s are not really lived in. They are staged to make them look perfect which people want, but in all reality fatigue from work sets in and no one really wants to hang up the clothes that they just took off to put on their pajamas. This book has many great tips on how to not worry about what is going to be “messed up”, but instead try things out so that you do not wonder about the “what-ifs”. One example she mentioned was the people that always tell you about “good wood” and how if you paint that wooden piece of furniture that it won’t work and it will just ruin that piece of furniture. I knew exactly what she was talking about because this is my Dad’s side of the family. They are always worried about ruining the wood so when she mentioned this it hit home. Myquillyn helps teach in this book about how not to worry about the little stuff and to take risks with that $5 table that has been sitting in the garage for 2 years.

This was a great book and I give it a 5 out of 5 stars. I received this book in exchange for my review from BookLook bloggers.

Book Reviews, Revell Reads

~Book Review~ “Surprised by Love” by Julie Lessman

Jenna Evans

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Shy and unattractive as a child, Megan McClare has always been teased by her classmates. But when she returns home from her senior year in Paris, the wallflower has suddenly blossomed into a beauty. With ambitions to become a lawyer or doctor, Megan accepts an internship at the district attorney’s office only to discover that she will be working with Devin Caldwell, a boy who mercilessly mocked her at school–and with whom she was hopelessly enamored. She turns to her dear friend Bram Hughes for support and advice. But Bram’s vision is clouded by his sudden unwelcome attraction to a girl he had always thought of as a kid sister. He advises forgiveness, but can he forgive himself for pushing the woman he loves into the arms of another man?

My Review:

Another amazing book from Julie Lessman! All of the characters in these books are just so well written and I feel as if I am actually watching a movie in my head when I am reading her books! I have been in a reading slump for the past couple months so I have been making myself read. This book took me out of that slump and now I want to read all the time. Meg McClare became a beautiful woman in this story from the shy girl that she had been in the rest of the series. Bram definitely became the hero of the book! The conflicts between Logan and Andrew and then Amelia and Devin helped make this book the amazing read it was.

I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars. I received this book in exchange for my honest review from Revell Reads.