Tag: Book

Book Reviews, Revell Reads

~Book Review~ “While Love Stirs” by Lorna Seilstad

Jenna Evans

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Good Reads Synopsis:

After graduating from Fannie Farmer’s School of Cookery in 1910, Charlotte Gregory is ready to stir things up. She is thrilled to have the opportunity to travel, lecture, and give cooking demonstrations on the very latest kitchen revolution–the gas stove–and certainly doesn’t mind that the gas company has hired the handsome Lewis Mathis to perform at her lectures. Lewis encourages her work, especially her crusade to introduce fresh, appetizing, nutritious food to those convalescing in hospitals. But young hospital superintendent Dr. Joel Brooks is not convinced any changes should be made–especially by this outspoken young woman.

When Charlotte and Joel are coerced into planning a fund-raising gala for the hospital, will this combustible pair explode?

Fan favorite Lorna Seilstad is back with a breezy, lighthearted love triangle that will keep readers guessing. Attention to historic detail adorns the timeless story of a young woman looking for true love and making her way in a rapidly changing world.

My Review:

This book is a must read. Lorna Seilstad took the characters of Charlotte and Joel and made them feel like real people. There were real situations in this book unlike some books where it is all fairytale and no reality. I like fairytales, but sometimes its nice to see more of real life. From the love triangle to the scene with the tornado to all of the fights, I was captured. I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review from Revell Reads.

Book Reviews, Revell Reads

~Book Review~ “One Perfect Spring” by Irene Hannon

Jenna Evans

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Claire Summers is a determined, independent single mother who is doing her best to make lemonade out of the lemons life has handed her. Keith Watson is a results-oriented workaholic with no time for a social life. As the executive assistant to a local philanthropic businessman, he’s used to fielding requests for donations. But when a letter from Claire’s eleven-year-old daughter reaches his desk, everything changes. The girl isn’t asking for money, but for help finding the long-lost son of an elderly neighbor.
As Keith digs reluctantly into this complicated assignment, he has no idea how intertwined his life and Claire’s will become–nor how one little girl’s kindhearted request will touch so many lives and reap so many blessings.
Through compelling characters and surprising plot twists, Irene Hannon offers readers this tenderhearted story of family connections that demonstrates how life is like lilacs–the biggest blooms often come only after the harshest winters.

My Review:

One Perfect Spring makes for one perfect story! The little girl Haley stole my heart from the very first chapter. Once I started reading it, I couldn’t wait to get home and read some more! Keith and Claire and David and Maureen are great characters and Irene Hannon intertwined their stories in such a way that was amazing. Irene Hannon’s books have always been some of my favorite books and this one goes right in the pile with the others! I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review from Revell Reads.

Bethany House, Book Reviews

~Book Review~ “A Match Made in Texas” by Karen Witemeyer, Mary Connealy, Regina Jennings, and Carol Cox

Jenna Evans

matchmadeintexas

Goodreads Synopsis:

“In the small town of Dry Gulch, Texas, a good-hearted busybody just can’t keep herself from surreptitiously trying to match up women in dire straits with men of good character she hopes can help them. How is she to know she’s also giving each couple a little nudge toward love?

A Cowboy Unmatched
Neill isn’t sure who hired him to repair Clara’s roof–he only knows Clara desperately needs his help. Can he convince this stubborn widow to let down her guard and take another chance on love?

An Unforeseen Match
Hoping to earn an honest wage on his way to the land rush, Clayton ends up on Grace’s doorstep, lured by a classified ad. He may have signed on for more than he expected though–and he may have found the one woman who can keep him from moving on.

No Match for Love
Andrew can’t fathom how refined Lucy ended up as the caretaker to his dotty aunt, and somehow her arrival has prompted even more bizarre occurrences around the ranch. When they join forces to unearth the truth, will the attraction between Andrew and Lucy develop into more?

Meeting Her Match
When the tables are turned and a tenderhearted meddler becomes the beneficiary of a matchmaking scheme, her world is turned upside down. As her entire life changes, will she finally be able to tell the banker’s son how much she cares for him?”

My Review:

I have read many novella collection books and they are always good including this one. The person that keeps setting the couples up in the first 3 novellas makes for one tale twisting collection linking everything together. Then in the 4th novella, the tables turn and the matchmaker gets the romance. I liked that twist. Neill and Clara, Clayton and Grace, Andrew and Lucy, and the matchmaker and the banker, are all couples that make you want to find that special match of your own. I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review from Bethany House.

Book Reviews, Revell Reads

~Book Review~ The Pelican Bride by Beth White

Jenna Evans

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Goodreads Synopsis:

It is 1704 when Genevieve Gaillain and her sister board a French ship headed for the Louisiana colony as mail-order brides. Both have promised to marry one of the rough-and-tumble Canadian men in this New World in order to escape religious persecution in the Old World. Genevieve knows life won’t be easy, but at least here she can establish a home and family without fear of beheading. But when she falls in love with Tristan Lanier, an expatriate cartographer whose courageous stand for fair treatment of native peoples has made him decidedly unpopular in the young colony, Genevieve realizes that even in this land of liberty one is not guaranteed peace. And a secret she harbors could mean the undoing of the colony itself.

My Review:

This book captured me with the names Genevieve and Tristan. I always look at the names of the characters on the back of the book to make my choice of what to read. I really liked this book. I learned about the Huguenots and the French colony that is now Louisiana. I don’t normally see books with a time period of the 1700s so this really struck me. It was different, but I really liked it. The way that the women were treated made me sick, but that is the way it happened back then so I understood. The characters Marc-Antoine, Commander Bienville, La Salle, Dufresne, Mitannu, Nika, Father Mateiu, Genevieve, and Tristan all work together to make this story one I will not forget. I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars.

I received this book from Revell Reads in exchange for my honest review.

Book Reviews, Revell Reads

~Book Review~ “What Follows After” by Dan Walsh

Jenna Evans

what follows after

Goodreads Synopsis:

“In October 1962, Colt Harrison and his little brother, Timmy, hatched a plan. They would run away from their Florida home, head for their aunt’s house in Savannah, Georgia, and refuse to come home until their parents got back together. But things go terribly, terribly wrong. Colt’s mother and father must come to grips with years of neglect and mistrust in order to recover their beloved sons, their love for one another, and their broken marriage.
In this emotional story, Dan Walsh takes readers on a journey to rediscover the things that matter most in life–love, truth, and family.”

My Review:

When I seen this book, I did not know if I was going to like it or not. I normally read books with a pretty girl on the front because it is normally a hopeless romantic story. This book might not have drawn me in because of the cover, but once I started reading this I could not stop. It drew me in and kept my interest until the end. Scott, Gina, Colt, and Timmy were characters that I loved to read about and couldn’t wait to here more about. I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review from Revell Reads.

Book Reviews, Revell Reads

~Book Review~ “In the Shadow of Jezebel (Treasure of His Love)” by Mesu Andrews

Jenna Evans

Jezebel

Goodreads synopsis:

“Princess Jehosheba wants nothing more than to please the harsh and demanding Queen Athaliah, daughter of the notorious Queen Jezebel. Her work as a priestess in the temple of Baal seems to do the trick. But when a mysterious letter from the dead prophet Elijah predicts doom for the royal household, Jehosheba realizes that the dark arts she practices reach beyond the realm of earthly governments. To further Athaliah and Jezebel’s strategies, she is forced to marry Yahweh’s high priest and enters the unfamiliar world of Yahweh’s temple. Can her new husband show her the truth and love she craves? And can Jehosheba overcome her fear and save the family–and the nation–she loves?”

My review:

Mesu Andrews is definitely an amazing writer. She knows how to take biblical stories and turn it into a great fiction story. I loved reading about Princess Jehosheba and her family members. Someone asked me about the title and why would I want to read about Jezebel. The story of Jezebel is in the Bible so why not read about it. I have to confess about one thing. This book had a lot of names that started with J and the writing was a little more advanced than I normally read. Put these together and confusion sets in. I had to read this book a lot slower than most books. This is why I gave the book a 4 out of 5 stars.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review from Revell Reads.

Book Reviews, Revell Reads

~Book Review~ “Rachel” by Jill Eileen Smith

Jenna Evans

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Goodreads synopsis:

“Can true love overcome a legacy of betrayal?

Rachel wants nothing more than for her older half sister Leah to wed and move out of their household. Leah wishes her father would find a good man who would love her alone. Unbeknownst to either of them, Jacob is making his way to their home, trying to escape a past laced with deceit and find the future God has promised him.

But the past comes back to haunt Jacob when he finds himself on the receiving end of treachery. The man who wanted only one woman ends up with sisters who have never gotten along and now must spend the rest of their lives sharing a husband. In the power struggles that follow, only one woman will triumph . . . or will she?

Combining meticulous research with her own imaginings, bestselling author Jill Eileen Smith not only tells one of the most famous love stories of all time but will manage to surprise even those who think they know the story inside and out.”

My Review:

I love to read books about characters in the Bible. The story of Rachel, Leah and Jacob is probably one of my most favorite stories from the Bible. Jacob would do anything to be with the love of his life and to make her happy although Rachel’s father does everything to go against that. Jill Eileen Smith did a great job of portraying the story of Rachel. It is always neat to hear someone’s view of the story. There were a few things that I didn’t think would happen, but overall the story was great. I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review from Revell Reads.

Book Reviews, Revell Reads

~Book Review~ “You’re Going to be Okay” by Holley Gerth

Jenna Evans

youre going to be okay

Goodreads Synopsis:

“Sometimes it feels like life’s falling apart at the seams. Sometimes you’re completely worn out by stresses that never seem to end. For every woman who has been disappointed, who has watched a dream die, whose life isn’t what she imagined it would be, bestselling author Holley Gerth has a heartfelt message of hope–you really “are” going to be okay. And it “is” possible to live with joy, resilience, and strength in both the good times and the bad. In fact, she says, that’s what God desires for us.
With her trademark positive encouragement and probing questions for self-reflection, Holley encourages women to spend less of their lives regretting and more of their lives truly living. She shows them how to guard their hearts against despair and look to the future with confidence, remembering that they are part of a greater plan and “nothing “can stop God’s purposes for them.”

My Review:

Holley Gerth took a simple subject of how many women feel in today’s society and made it into an inspiring novel. Women sometimes just need a little push and encouragement to know that it is going to be okay in life. She brings tips for every woman to live with joy, resilience, and strength. I like the activities throughout the book to help think about your own life and how you will know everything is going to be okay. I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review from Revell Reads.

Book Reviews, Revell Reads

~Book Review~ “With Autumn’s Return” by Amanda Cabot

Jenna Evans

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Goodreads Synopsis:

“Elizabeth Harding arrives in Cheyenne, Wyoming, to establish her medical practice thanks to the wooing of her two older sisters who extolled the beauty of the land. She’s certain she’ll have a line of patients eager for her expertise and gentle bedside manner. However, she soon discovers the town and its older doctor may not welcome a new physician. Even more frustrating, the handsome young attorney next door may not be ready for the idea of a woman doctor. For his part, Jason Nordling has nothing against women, but he’s promised himself that the woman he marries will be a full-time mother.

Despite their firm principles, Elizabeth and Jason find that mutual attraction–and disdain from the community–is drawing them ever closer. And when the two find themselves working to save the life and tattered reputation of a local woman, they’ll have to decide how far they’re willing to go to find justice–and true love.”

My Review:

I read the back of this book and immediately thought that it was somewhat along the lines of “Dr Quinn Medicine Woman”, which of course is one of my all time favorite television shows. Elizabeth is similar to Michaela in that they were both women doctors who had schooling but that no one took them seriously as a doctor. Everyone is against them! I loved the interaction between Elizabeth and Jason. You could tell there were sparks from the beginning. I also loved the theme of a woman trying to decide between her career and a family. This relates to so many women in the world today. I loved this book and I give it a 5 out of 5 stars!

I received this book in exchange for my honest review from Revell Reads.

Book Reviews, Revell Reads

~Book Review~Dare to Love Again by Julie Lessman

Jenna Evans

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Goodreads Synopsis:
She’s a sassy socialite burned by love. He’s a jaded cop burned by the upper class. When sparks fly…will love catch fire again?

Spunky Allison McClare is determined to be a fearless, independent woman. But when she takes a notion to explore the wild Barbary Coast, she quickly discovers she’s no match for the unsavory characters that haunt the dark streets.

Detective Nick Barone would rather do almost anything than teach this petite socialite self-defense, but it seems he has little choice. Sparks fly every time the two meet until a grudging friendship develops into something deeper. But is he just a fraud like all the rest of the men Allison’s cared for? Or is he the one who will let her dare to love again?

My Review:
So I LOVED this book! The wittiness and sassiness of this book just captured me! Alison McClare made me laugh from the beginning and Nick Barone, with a long e, was just breathtaking! I could have fallen in love with him too if he was always around! I am wanting to read more of this series about the McClares because they are a great family and Julie Lessman makes you feel like you are right there with the characters! I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review from Revell Reads.