The Writing Desk - A Review

Published - July 2017, Thomas Nelson
Author - Rachel Hauck
Title - The Writing Desk
Format - ebook, paper, audio
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Tenely Roth is basking in the success of her first book. She's been awarded the prestigious Gordon Roth award. Yet now she's struggling. She's under pressure from her publisher to produce her second novel, and Tenley is struggling to even put the words on paper. When her estranged mother contacts her asking for Tenley's help as she goes through cancer treatments, Tenley reluctantly agrees to head to Florida. After all, a change of scene just may inspire her, right?Once there, Tenley discovers a writing desk that seems to have a story of its own. Birdie Shehorn is living in the Gilded Age. She's the daughter of of old money and is expected to make a good match. Yet Birdie's heart longs for other things. She longs to be recognized for her own merit and not the match she can make. She longs to have her words published for all to read. Two women. Connected by one writing desk. Both with a longing to write, but are trapped by who society expects them to be. Can one lost manuscript bring both women the healing and closure they need?

My Thoughts:
This book was amazing. I can't say enough about it. I absolutely adored it.

There is something about the way that Rachel Hauck writes that just pulls me into her books. I get lost for hours. As much as I've loved her Royal Wedding series, her stand alone novels are probably the ones that stay with me. I love the depth of the past meeting the present. I love how the main character, Tenley in this case, has to make a decision that is similar to the one Birdie is forced to make. I love how each woman makes her choice for certain reasons, but was it necessarily the right one?

I love the depth that is Tenley and Birdie's characters. Both are not shallow characters. I love how they each either learn or not from the circumstances that they are presented with.

Some authors can draw a reader in. Others can make the story linger long after the book has ended. Ms. Hauck is one who has managed to do both with this book.

I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher in order to share my honest opinion. My thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not required to like the book, only honestly give me honest opinion.

Recommended to fans of women's fiction, Karen Kingsbury, Lisa Wingate, Rachel Hauck

Rating - 5 stars

Wedding Shop - A Review

Published - August 2016, Thomas Nelson Books
Author - Rachel Hauck
Title - The Wedding Shop
Format - ebook, paper
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Summary from Amazon:

Two women separated by decades. Both set out to help others find their dreams when their own have crumbled. It's the early 1930s, but Cora Scott is walking in stride as a career woman, after having inherited her great aunt's wedding shop in Heart’s Bend, Tennessee, where brides come from as far away as Birmingham to experience her famed bridal treatment. Meanwhile, Cora is counting down the days until her own true love returns from the river to make her his bride. But days turn into months and months to years. All the while, Birch Good continues to woo Cora and try to show her that while he is solid and dependable, he can sweep her off her feet. More than eighty years later, former Air Force Captain Haley Morgan has returned home to Heart's Bend after finishing her commitment to military service. After the devastating death of her best friend, Tammy, and discovering the truth about the man she loved, Haley is searching for her place in life. When Haley decides to reopen the romantic but abandoned wedding shop where she and Tammy played and dreamed as children, she begins a journey of courage, mystery, and love. As Cora’s and Haley's stories intertwine through time in the shadow of the beloved wedding shop, they both discover the power of their own dreams and the magic of everyday love. 

My Thoughts:

I don't think I've yet to read a book of Rachel Hauck's that I didn't love, and this one was no exception. This one is in the style as the Wedding Dress and the Wedding Chapel. 

There are two stories - a modern one involving Haley, and Cora's story from the 1930's. I loved this book. It was beautifully written, and captured me from the first page. I don't know for sure which story I enjoyed more, but both were wonderful. 

I can honestly say that this was one of my highly anticipated books for this year. If you've never read any of Rachel's books before, why not start with this one? There are some minor characters from the Wedding Dress and the Wedding Chapel, but I honestly don't think that this book is technically part of a series. 

I received the Kindle copy of this book for free from Booklook Bloggers for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of Laura Frantz, Rachel Hauck, Karen Kingsbury, women's fiction

Rating - 5 stars

Red Door Inn - A Review

Published - March 2016, Revell Books
Series - Prince Edward Island Dreams Book 1
Author - Liz Johnson
Title - The Red Door Inn
Format - ebook, paper
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Marie Carrington left Boston to escape bad memories and her father. She has no money and no place to go. When she meets Jack Sloane, he sees in her a hurting soul and offers her a place to stay in exchange for helping him and his nephew renovate a bed & breakfast. Seth Sloane thinks his uncle is crazy for bringing a woman they know nothing about home. Seth's hurting himself and was hoping that the island could bring healing to his heart. Yet as he attempts to get close to Marie, he finds that she's very skittish around him. Can his persistence wear her down? Will both of these two hurting hearts find healing?

I loved this book. First it was set of Prince Edward Island and had a lot of references to Anne of Green Gables. Second, the characters gripped me from the first page.

As I read, I found myself falling in love with the townspeople and hurting for Marie. I wanted to shake Seth once or twice, but even when he acted incredibly stupid, I found myself rooting for him.

The characters in this book were very deep. I discovered that each one had many layers to them, and I am looking forward to revisiting the island in the next book.

I received this book for free from Revell Books for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of women's fiction, Karen Kingsbury, Denise Hunter, Colleen Coble

Rating - 5 stars

Where She Belongs - A Review

Published - January 2016, Revell Books
Series - Misty Willow Book 1
Author - Johnnie Alexander
Title - Where She Belongs
Format - ebook, paper
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Shelby Kincaid returns to her ancestral farm hoping to raise her two daughters in the same sort of environment she was raised. She's hoping that the move will allow for both her and her daughters to put aside their grief over the loss of their husband and father. She knows that the Sullivans, who bought the farm from her family, have done nothing to it, and she hopes to make it into what she remembers. AJ Sullivan never wanted Misty Willow. His grandfather left it to him as punishment, and AJ's let it fall into ruin. When Shelby contacts him, he hopes to make a clean break from the farm. At least that's his plan until he meets Shelby and her adorable daughters. Perhaps both of these two wounded hearts can find a second chance together?

This is the first book I've read by Johnnie Alexander and I loved it. I loved the detail that pulled the story together from the minor characters (AJ's dog, Shelby's daughters, the neighbors) to the dynamics between the major characters.

Shelby is hurt by the events of her life. She's not looking for new love. She just wants to start over. But I love how she comes to realize that maybe God's plan includes more than just a new home. And I loved AJ. When he is made aware of something from his past, he steps up.

AJ's cousins need some work. Since the next book is about his cousin Brett, I'm hoping to see him change even more than he has started to in this book.

I received this book for free from the publisher for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of women's fiction, Rachel Hauck, Susan May Warren, Denise Hunter

Rating - 5 stars

A Reason to Stay - A Review

Published - October 2015, Revell Books
Series - Texas Gold Book 3
Author - Kellie Coates Gilbert
Title - A Reason to Stay
Format - ebook, paper
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Faith Marin is going places. She's the morning anchor for one of Houston's news stations, has her own program, and a husband she loves. Yet though she shows her viewers the truth of their products, she doesn't let anyone find out the truth about her. Her family's past is painful. When she is shot while covering a story out at NASA, Faith's foundation is shaken. As her journey to survive and overcome what happened to her, she learns that the one person she has been shutting out may very well be the one person she can't afford to lose.

I've read the others in this series and they were just ok. This one though, is the best in the series so far. It still deals with very heavy topics like the other two, but this one felt much more personal. Not personal to me. But personal in that the characters felt more real.

On the outside, Faith has it all put together. But on the inside, she's falling apart. I loved the way that her husband Geary refused to give up on her. Even when she wanted him to. Sure their marriage was in trouble. But she had to come to the point where she could even listen to him. She literally hits rock bottom in the book. And Faith's struggle to overcome what happened to her, felt so real.

I received this book for free from Revell Books for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of women's fiction, contemporary fiction, Karen Kingsbury, Deborah Raney, Denise Hunter

Rating - 4 stars

The Wedding Chapel - A Review

Published - November 2015, Thomas Nelson Publishers
Author - Rachel Hauck
Title - The Wedding Chapel
Format - ebook, paper, audio
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A wedding chapel that has never seen a wedding. The football coach who built the chapel stone by stone as a tribute to his lost, but never forgotten, love. The elderly actress with past regrets. A newlywed couple with communication problems. "Coach" Jimmy Westbrook poured his heart and soul into building a chapel for the wedding he hoped to have with his high school sweetheart, Collette Greer. For over sixty years, the chapel has stood vacant. It's a place where Jimmy's memories live. Photographer Taylor Branson left her hometown of Heart's Bend, Tennessee to make a name for herself in New York. She doesn't believe in love based on the track record of her family's failed marriages. When she's swept off of her feet by Jack Forester, also from Heart's Bend, Taylor opens her heart a bit to love. Jack's got his own demons that are hurting his relationship with Taylor. Despite his very real and deep love for Taylor, he struggles to share his heart. When Taylor is asked to photograph a wedding chapel in the hills of Tennessee, she reluctantly returns home. The beauty of the chapel, and Coach's obvious love for the woman he built it for, touch something deep inside Taylor. The longer she's in town, the more she discovers that she doesn't want to give up on her marriage. She's captivated by the beauty of the chapel and Coach's story. Yet Taylor also discovers that her own family is connected to both Jimmy and the chapel in a way that she never imagined. Will Jimmy live in the past or be willing to move on? And can Jack and Taylor build a strong marriage despite their rocky beginnings? And for Taylor's elderly aunt, Collette Greer, will she be able to finally gain the peace she longs for from the past that haunts her?

Wow. That's really all I can say about this book. Having read several others of Rachel's books including The Wedding Dress, I had a good idea as to what to expect with this one.

She has seamlessly woven the past with the present and four differing viewpoints to make this a novel I really couldn't put down. Even though the book is told from Taylor, Jack, Jimmy, and Collette's perspectives, I wasn't lost at all. Each piece just peeled back another layer of this remarkable story.

Why did it capture me so much? First of all, the story telling. My heart hurt for Jimmy and for Collette. I wanted Jack and Taylor to talk to each other. Needless to say, I was enthralled by the characters and their lives.

While this one is very different than the Royal Wedding Series, I still loved it. It was similar in style to the Wedding Dress.

I received this book for free from BookLook Bloggers for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of women's fiction, Rachel Hauck, Julie Lessman, Karen Kingsbury, Jody Hedlund, Denise Hunter, Irene Hannon, Susan May Warren, contemporary fiction.

Rating - 5 stars

Note - The review will be posted on Amazon on or around November 17, 2015. 

Five Brides - A Review

Published - May 2015, Tyndale House Publishers
Author - Eva Marie Everson
Title - Five Brides
Format - ebook, paper
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With five single women sharing an apartment together in the early 1950's Chicago, they each live their own independent lives. They rarely see each other let alone all have a day off at the same time. One rare occasion all five roommates were home on the same Saturday, and they spy a bridal gown in the window of the famous Carson, Pirie, Scott & Co. Each of the girls fell in love with the dress. They immediately ask to try on the dress - all five of them - though none of them have a date let alone a boyfriend. The girls decide to pool their money and purchase the dress. Yet how can one dress be shared among five completely different women? And which woman will end up with the dress?

I'll admit that I was intrigued by one dress being shared among five different women and the stories they would tell. So I requested to review this book. I wondered how the concept would work. I was impressed. This is the first book I've read by this author. And I enjoyed it immensely.

I think that the story line that intrigued me the most was Betty's story. While it appeared that Joan really was the main character, I actually liked Betty the best. Though I'd have still liked to have discovered what happened to the other girls AFTER their weddings. Betty, though, we kinda of found out what happened. And then of course we discover which of the girls ended up with the dress.

I'd be interested in reading more books by this author. I found the book to be a rather quick read, once I started it that is.

I received the Kindle version of this book for free from Tyndale via NetGalley for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of historical fiction, women's fiction, Susan May Warren, Deborah Raney, Katie Ganshert,

Rating - 4 stars

Where Rivers Part - A Review

Published - February, 2015, Revell Books a division of Baker Publishing Group
Series - Texas Gold Collection Book 2
Author - Kellie Coates Gilbert
Title - Where Rivers Part
Format - ebook, paper
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Dr. Juliet Ryan has worked hard to get where she is at. She's a scientist who is committed to providing millions with safe drinking water, and she is the quality assurance director at a top firm in Corporate America where she enjoys much prestige in that role. Her father is another story. He and Juliet don't get along, despite them both being brilliant scientists. Juliet can't trust him. Or forgive him. A harmful viral outbreak becomes linked to contaminated drinking water, and Juliet soon finds herself in the midst of a huge corporate scandal. With lives at risk, Juliet frantically searches for answers and discovers that she must figure out a way to trust the one man who has hurt her more than any other in order to bring down the parties involved.

I have to be totally and completely honest and say that I enjoyed this book much more than the author's previous book. While I still didn't care for the main character, at least at first, I found the subject matter in this book to be much more interesting than that of the first book.

I actually kinda liked Juliet's father. Sure he'd made mistakes. But he also recognized that fact. I thought it showed how much he had changed with his efforts to reach out to Juliet.

What really caught my attention was seeing Juliet struggle with her role in the scandal. As she uncovered more and more, she was encouraged to be silent. I thought that she should have figured out what was right and stuck by it no matter what.

The action regarding the scandal was fast paced and rather fascinating. I kept turning pages to find out how much worse it was going to get.

While the book was good, it's not a favorite of mine. I'm glad I gave the author a second chance after not really caring for her previous book.

I received this book for free from the Revell Books for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of women's fiction, legal thrillers

Rating - 4 stars

Woman of Fortune - A Review

Published - June, 2014, Revell Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group

Series - Texas Gold Collection, book 1

Title - A Woman of Fortune

Author - Kellie Coates Gilbert

Format - ebook, paper

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Claire Massey is living the life that others dream about. Her family is worth billions, and she is every bit a socialite. Yet her perfect world comes crashing down around her in one instant. Her husband is accused of fraud, and he's guilty of it. Claire is soon thrust into a media circus, a flurry of lawyers, trials, and seeing her home and possessions sold off. Left with very little, she has to start over. But who will take a chance on the wife of a thief?

This is the first book I've read by Kellie Coates Gilbert. I like her writing style. But I didn't really connect with any of the main characters.

I found Claire to be self-centered and really not very likeable. At least at first. She did grow on me, but I still didn't connect with her until the end. Daughter Lainie is a selfish spoiled brat. Through the entire book, she was focused on one thing - herself. Son Garrett wanted to disassociate himself from his family at the expense of his mother. Son Max seemed to be the most down to earth. While I did find him to be a bit more of a cynic, I did kinda of like him. Claire's husband, Tuck, kept saying he was sorry and he didn't know how he let things get the way that they did. For me, his redemption  came in the letters he wrote Claire. Those were pretty good.

The one character I adored was Claire's best friend Jana Rae. This is a friend who not only lost her retirement savings because of Claire's husband, but she wasn't afraid to tell Claire the truth. She didn't sugarcoat anything. Yet she was the one friend who also stood by Claire and was there for her through everything.

Overall, this was a fast read for me. I didn't really care for the characters, but I did enjoy the author's writing style. I'll probably read the next in the series. But for me, this one isn't a keeper.

I received this book for free from Revell Books for the purpose of reviewing. I was not required to like the book, only give my honest opinion. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of women's fiction, contemporary fiction

Rating - 3 stars

The author has created a YouTube video about the book. Watch it here.

Bridge to Haven - A Review

Published - April, 2014, Tyndale House Publishers

Author - Francine Rivers

Title - Bridge to Haven

Format - hardcover, ebook, audio

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This is probably one of the best books I've read so far this year, if not the BEST! Anyway. Moving on with my summary/review. :) There are slight spoilers to follow.

Summary (my words): Abra Matthews was abandoned as a baby under the bridge in Haven. Though she was soon placed into the home of a loving family and then later adopted, she grows up guarded and wary. When a handsome LA playboy arrives in town, she throws her upbringing aside and runs away. Soon Abra realizes that the price she's paid isn't worth the Hollywood glamour of the 1950's. Given a new identity, Lena Scott, she soon becomes the newest thing on the silver screen since Marilyn Monroe, and few know her real name or the price she's paid to be somebody. Those who love her back home have prayed for her everyday in the hopes that someday, someway, somehow, Abra will find her way home. With God on her tail, her life disillusioned, she doesn't know who she is anymore. Can Abra bring herself to return home to those who love her - her family, her pastor, the young man who has been the best friend she's ever known?

My thoughts: It has been a long time since I read a Francine Rivers book. I've read all of hers. While my personal favorite is (and still remains) Atonement Child, this one gripped me from the first page. I started this book late Monday night, brought it to work on Tuesday and finished it Tuesday night. Not since the times I read older Kingsbury novels, Joanne Bischoff's Cadence of Grace series, and Katie Ganshert's Broken Kind of Beautiful has a novel tore my heart out like this one did.

Rivers has written the characters in such a way to cause the reader to feel for them. I found myself wanting to shake Abra while at the same time I was weeping for her. And Joshua. Yes, he was honorable. Yes, he was "perfect." I loved his struggle in learning to trust. Pastor Zeke. I loved how he also struggled with letting go. For me, one of the most touching scenes was when Abra came home and runs into Pastor Zeke's waiting arms. Talk about a beautiful showing of forgiveness and redemption right there!

Other reviews are saying that this may not be Francine's best. That's their opinion. In mine, this is going to fast become a favorite. Still, don't just take my word on how much I loved this book, read the opinions of others and make your own decision.

I rented this book from the library and read it for pure pleasure (that and it's been on my reading list for ages and fit a Scattegories category on Goodreads). My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of Francine Rivers, Joanne Bischoff, Katie Ganshert, Karen Kingsbury, Nora Roberts, Susan May Warren, Lynn Austin, Denise Hunter, women's fiction

Rating - 5 stars

Blossom Street Brides - A Review

Published - March 25, 2014, Ballantine Books

Author - Debbie Macomber

Series - Blossom Street

Title - Blossom Street Brides

Format - ebook, hardcover, audio

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Lydia Goetz is the owner of A Good Yarn. Her shop is a popular one on Blossom Street. Lauren and Bethanne are just a couple of the customers who come in to purchase the yarn for the baby blanket in the window. Lauren's younger sister has excitedly announced that she's pregnant. Lauren is happy for her sister but also feels that her life isn't going the way she'd planned it. When she gives her long time boyfriend an ultimatum and he stands her up again, Lauren decides to cut herself free from him. Meeting a man that she thinks she has nothing in common starts to bring new hope to her heart. Will her happily ever after be on the horizon? For newlywed Bethanne, she is struggling to balance a long distance marriage and an ex-husband who wants her back. The news that she'll soon be a grandmother has her in the shop buying yarn. But will this news draw her back to her ex or will she remember that her marriage is worth fighting for? As the lives of Lauren and Bethanne intersect in the yarn shop, Lydia also realizes she's got some problems that need the care of these women. Lydia's adopted teenage daughter is having traumatic nightmares and doesn't want to talk about them. Plus who is responsible for all of the baskets of knitting projects showing up around town? Lydia seeks the answers to those questions and finds more than she thought.

For some really strange reason, I believe that this is the first Debbie Macomber novel I've read. I seriously don't know why it's taken me this long to find her, but after having read this book, I can easily see how she is so popular.

I really enjoyed this book. And while it is a part of the Blossom Street Series, it stands alone. Other characters from other books are mentioned, but what I loved about this book was the relationships. The relationships between the women and the relationships that extended into their families and work lives. My overall favorite character was Rooster, the man that Lauren happens to meet. I loved the depths to each of the main characters. I also loved how this book split perspectives from one character to another. Yet those transitions didn't allow for the reader to get lost. Instead it allowed for a rich reading experience.

I received the Kindle copy from Random House via NetGalley for free for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of women's fiction, Debbie Macomber, Irene Hannon, Robyn Carr, Fern Michaels

Rating - 5 Stars

Readers, if you are like me and have never picked up one of Debbie's novels, I highly recommend this one. True it is not Christian Fiction, but there was nothing in it that would be considered "questionable."