Review: Annabel Lee by Mike Nappa

Annabel Lee

I am an avid reader, so when I come upon a book that is very unique from what I have read before I get very excited.  Annabel Lee by Mike Nappa is the first of a new series entitled Coffey and Hill and wow.  I went into this book just having read the back cover blurb, which doesn’t really give us too much of what the story is about.   It turned out to be a suspenseful and at times a little bit creepy read, revealing the plot just little bits at a time.  We are treated to three points of views: Annabel Lee a very smart almost 12 year old girl who has lived a rather unusual life with an unusual uncle, The Mute (a sniper and war veteran), and Trudy Coffey a private investigator, who for this case at least, must work together with her ex-husband Samuel Hill to solve.  All of the characters are unique and I enjoyed getting each of their viewpoints. 

Now the relationship between ex-husband and wife team, Trudy and Samuel, was equally wonderful and painful to watch.  Mr. Nappa gives us their backstory in the pages of his book, and I must say it was sad and heartbreaking for the romantic in me.  However, I have hope for these two who obviously still love each other and work together with ease, giving readers great enjoyment with their back and forth banter.  With Poe references, really sophisticated villains, spies, and the search for “secret treasure” this book was hard to put down.  I suspect the next one in the series Raven will be just as intriguing after the little excerpt we were treated to at the end.  I can hardly wait to find out about the Raven and watch Trudy and Samuel’s relationship grow.  My thanks to Revell Publishing for providing me with a copy for an honest review the opinions as always are my own.

Review: The Red Door Inn by Liz Johnson

The Red Door Inn

The Red Door Inn by Liz Johnson was such a surprising, lovely romantic read.  Surprisingly, as I was drawn to the subject of the interior design: the colors, the going shopping for antiques, for the renovation of the B&B home.  I have enjoyed decorating myself and the descriptions of the colors and the beautiful main pieces for each themed room had me drooling and my creative juices flowing.  Now enough about that as there was so much more to the story.  First and foremost, this is a romance.  We are treated to a couple of romances even.  The characters, all hurting in different ways, were so wonderful to watch grow and come out of their shells, and well to fall in love with each other, not only each other but the Red Door Inn and Prince Edward Island itself.  This is truly one of my favorite contemporary reads of this year.  My thanks to Revell Publishing for providing me with a copy for an honest review and the opinions are my own.  I look forward to more in this series.

Review: The Newsmakers by Lis Wiehl

The Newsmakers

The Newsmakers by Lis Wiehl is actually the first book I have read of hers.  This book was very suspenseful and I was always rooting for our main character Erica Sparks.  Coming from an abusive and backwards childhood, she set up goals for herself to escape the life she grew up in.  Along the way she made some mistakes, some pretty serious, but again she struggled to pull herself out of the gutter of her past.  This was a very interesting take on how breaking news happens and it was a pretty scary look at “what ifs” when powerful, rich men have no one to answer to except themselves and the lengths they will go to too make themselves little “gods”.   I could hardly put this book down and the short concise chapters had me flipping quickly to see what would become of our heroine as she battles personal demons and the ones in the real world.  I honestly did not know for sure if she would be able to survive with all the evil she was confronting and not knowing whom she could truly trust.  This was in parts a haunting and creepy tale with a touch of romance.  I look forward to more in this series and to Ms. Wiehl’s backlist.  My thanks to Thomas Nelson’s Fiction Guild for providing me with a copy for an honest review, and the opinions are my own honest ones as they should be.

Review: Driven to be Loved by Pat Simmons

Driven to be Loved

Driven to be Loved by author Pat Simmons is a romantic story about two people who have come to a crossroads in their lives.  Brecee Carmen, a pediatrician, and Adrian Cole, a luxury car salesman, meet in an unusual way that at first starts them off as being wary of each other.  However, as true love goes, they do work together to find a way through their obstacles.  Brecee’s family is very protective and loving of her, and she and her three older sisters share a very close bond that was refreshing to see.  The Carmen family are very faithful Christians and they live their lives in that regard.  This is also a story of redemption and promises kept, even if it did take generations.  I received a copy of this book for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.

Review: A Fool & His Monet by Sandra Orchard

A Fool and His Monet

A Fool & His Monet by Sandra Orchard was one of the funniest books I have read all year, if not the funniest. Serena Jones is a feisty, clever character dealing with the new adult life (something I can sympathize with), dealing with her job and her singleness. Of course, there are plenty of gentlemen who would help her with the latter, creating a proper love triangle between her, her apartment superintendent, and her old trainer (I’m team Tanner all the way!). As for her job, she gets herself embroiled in a heap of trouble trying to locate a Monet (and, of less and more forgettable importance, a Rijckaert). Then there’s her family…  Well, we all have those quirky relatives- but all her relatives are hilarious, especially her spinster aunt. The story was very enthralling as we followed Sandra in her attempt to unravel the mystery. Who stole the paintings? Who is stalking her? And who will she end up with?! This book is definitely a favorite and I recommend it to everyone. Looking forward to the sequel!

I received a copy for an honest review from Revell Publishing and the opinions are my own honest ones.

Reviewed by Jes

Review: The Firethorn Crown by Lea Doue

The Firethorn Crown

First I’m going to state what I didn’t like with this book and get that over with:  I had a hard time following the story in some scenes, I don’t know if the fault was mine or the author’s but I was a little confused at some parts, and at others simply scratching my head.  Secondly, I had a hard time relating with some of the characters, I like Twelve Dancing Princesses stories because I like how all the sister’s play a part, most of the princesses were splendidly done but a few just didn’t work; namely Ivy.  I just didn’t understand what made that little girl tick.

Now that that is over with I want to say that despite its minor fallbacks I really did enjoy this book.  It’s not my favorite twelve dancing princesses retelling but it is certainly a good one.  The bad guy was masterfully done and I didn’t figure out what motivated him until the very end of the book.  Lily, the main character was great.  I loved her loyalty to her sisters and kingdom.  The hero was great and he and Lily certainly had great chemistry even if they tried to hide it!  I liked Orin, the goose prince… hmm, do I smell a Goose Girl retelling in the future?  However if I had to pick a favorite I would definitely say that it was Holic.  He was just so gallant and nice, and always stepped in to help even if he wasn’t asked.  The plot was quick moving and interesting, and I liked how twelve dancing princesses elements were interweaved everywhere.  I look forward to the next books in this series.

I received this book as a birthday gift and these are my honest opinions.

Reviewed by Nicki

Review: Dawn of Ash by Rebecca Ethington

Dawn of Ash

First I just want to say that I was not a fan of Burnt Devotion. I didn’t like how Ethington brought the book back in time yet again.  This meant that we had to reread the same events that we had read in the last book, the only difference was that this time we were reading from a different point of view.  I didn’t like Wyn’s point of view, it was dark and depressing; I didn’t like Ryland’s point of view, it was too crazy; and frankly there was not enough of Joclyn’s point of view.

Dawn of Ash was a definite improvement.  There was no reliving past events, and I believe that Ethington did a good job with all the different points of views.  I liked it that we toned down Wyn’s point of view some, but didn’t lose her completely; since, underneath all that doom and gloom and that personal little rain cloud that follows her around everywhere  she goes, she really is an amusing character.  I liked it that when you read from Ryland’s point of view you were finally reading from the point of view of a sane person, because Ryland is actually a cool guy when every other word in his vocabulary isn’t “kill”.  We also got some of Dramen’s point of view in this book, so that was a plus; it was nice to finally know what was going on inside of his head.  Personally I think that we still needed more Joclyn, but we certainly had more from her in this book than what we had in Burnt Devotion- much, much more.  I felt that Illyan played a smaller part in this book.  I wish he would have just done more, but it was nice to get his point of view.  I think that Ethington did a good job portraying the baddies and developing their story, but I also think she went a little over the top having so much from their points of view.  About halfway through the book I was sick of reading from Ovailia’s and Sain’s point of view, cause let’s face it, they’re just crackers. I read this book in a matter of days, the plot was fast moving with a few surprise twists and turns here and there.

On a whole I liked this book and I eagerly await the next book because I am a huge fan of this series and I can’t wait to know what happens next, but I’m also a little scared of where this story is headed…

I purchased this book off of Amazon and these are my honest opinions. 

Reviewed by Nicki

Review: I Hope It's Not Hereditary by Jedidiah Hartley

I Hope It's Not Hereditary

I am not a nonfiction person.  I’m not.  I try to avoid nonfiction books at all costs, but when I saw I Hope It’s Not Hereditary’s cover and read the back of the book I decided to give it a shot.  I am not a person who can easily turn down a good funny book whether it be fiction or nonfiction.  That’s what I thought this book was: a hilariously funny story.  The first chapter seemed to fall easily into the mold of a hilariously funny story, but as I progressed further and further into the book I realized that this was not that kind of book.  I had thought the book would be a collection of stories that have nothing really in common except for the main character: Bob Hartley; instead this book takes you through Bob’s journey through the years from when he was a small child earning the nickname Bulldog Bob to his finally accepting Jesus as his savior and God as the ruler of his life.  This was not an easy story for me to read.  I found it extremely heart wrenching at some parts and even found myself crying at one point in the story.  I was extremely shocked that this book was not the light happy read I had expected.  Now with that out of the way I did still enjoy this book and recommend it to others even if it was not as humor filled as I would have liked.   I simply warn you, while there are a few chapters that are simply hilarious; the majority of the book is a young man’s spiritual struggle to come to terms with what he has done in the past and to find God.  It was a deeply moving story and I found the last chapter to be very poignant.  I loved the metaphors that were used, and I hope that someday the author will write another book only this time focusing on Jed Hartley’s story and what it was like growing up with Bob Hartley as a father (the first and twenty-fifth chapters were my favorites in case you didn’t notice).

I received a copy for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.

Reviewed by Nicki

Review: 7 Wealth Building Secrets by De'Andre Salter

7 Wealth Building Secrets

I will admit that I was a bit skeptical when first starting this book.  What I did not want was a book giving me advice on how to get rich quick or a name it and claim it philosophy.  Thankfully, this book was not about any of those.  Author Mr. Salter really gave me some very interesting things to ponder.  Though I may not agree 100% with this book a lot of what he pointed out really gave me some food for thought.  For example, the subject of inheritance and how important it is to God.  I have actually thought about this issue before and how sad that it was that it seems that in our current culture inheritance is a lost gift.  As the author points out, inheritance was very big in Biblical times especially in the Jewish culture.  The earth was an inheritance to Adam and Eve and they were to act as good stewards over creation.  The same can be said with our money.  As he points out in the parable that Jesus told about the servants, we must be trustworthy in the small things and not bury it in the ground like the unworthy servant did.  What he did have was taken from him and given to the one who wisely used his master’s gifts.  We also cannot expect to just have the wealth and keep it to ourselves for our own selfish pleasure.  No, we must use our money and other gifts to further the kingdom of God.  I personally do not believe that poverty is what God wants for His children.  There was so much more in this book and I encourage you to pick it up and read it yourself.  I received a copy for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.  

Review: The Power of God-Given Imagination by Ray McCollum

The Power of God-Given Imagination

The Power of a God-Given Imagination took back the concept of imagination that New Age thinking had run away with, and brought it again into submission to Christ. This book explored the Biblical foundation of imagination, by which God created everything, including us- and since we were made in God’s image, we too possess the power of imagination. Of course, that imagination is a great gift, but it can be corrupted and used to glorify self over God; yet it can also be a great weapon against evil if used properly. This book contained many profound truths that I had never really thought of and opened my eyes to just how important imagination is and how influential it can be. A must read for everyone.  I received a copy for review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.

Reviewed by Jes

Review: Motivate Your Child by Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN

Motivate Your Child

Motivate Your Child is a great practical guide.  I found encouragement in the fact that I was doing some things right, ways to better meet other needs that have been lacking, and the whys of the advice given.  This book really stresses that the parents are the ones that mold and teach the child in everything from relationships, to rules, to faith in God.  Being a parent is hard work and takes most of our time and our biggest job as parents is to train our children to do what is right.  Not for what they can get out of it or some sort of reward.  They are not animals that need to be treated to right behavior.  No, they are living souls that have a will of their own and they need to do what is right even if they don’t want to.  I really liked their chapter titled When Kids Make Mistakes.  This chapter is full of helpful questions to get to the issue at hand: confession (what is the wrong), getting to the heart of the matter (what really is behind the defiance), and the third is developing a plan for the next time (giving them ways to think through the situation and cope).  And my favorite part was giving our children hope that they can do better next time.  This book is very helpful and I recommend it for all parents.  I received a copy for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.

Review: Too Many to Jail by Mark Bradley

Too Many to Jail

Too Many to Jail gives us a look at the Christians in Iran.  Author Mark Bradley tells us that even through severe persecution that the Church in Iran is growing.  The Iranians have an attraction to Jesus and they are ripe to find out who he really is.  I really enjoyed his chapter on the Iranians poetry and we also get five house church stories.  I am both thankful and prayerful after reading, thankful that I live in the USA and enjoy religious freedom and prayerful for the Christian brothers and sisters that live in such difficulty and persecution due to whom they choose to worship.  This was eye opening.  I received a copy for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.

Review: Think Like Heaven by Bob Hazlett

Think Like Heaven

Think Like Heaven was an interesting read about how we view the world as Christians.  Is our focus of life earthly or heavenly?  What are the voices that we listen to the most? Siting examples from the Bible, like David, Peter, and Paul, and using his own life as an example, author Bob Hazlett encourages us to think like heaven.  In other words, listen for God’s voice.  Read your Bible.  Know whose you are, to whom you ultimately belong, and where you are going.  The Bible says God created the heavens and the earth, the seen and the unseen so start thinking about heaven and tune out the disruptions here on earth, or as he calls them the “hitchhikers”.  Thoughts from the atmosphere (background of our world, some to get us to spend more money), the accuser (Satan), and thoughts of adversity (what we fear, or think we cannot accomplish) instead we need to listen the God of heaven, His Son Jesus and His words of Truth.  This book is filled with applications and questions to help our thought processes in that direction.  I received a copy for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.

Review: Change Your Trajectory by Dale C. Bronner

Change Your Trajectory

In his book, Change Your Trajectory, author Dale Bronner writes about change.  Now, like most people, I don’t like change especially if it sneaks up and surprises me.  In his book he gives some much needed advice and wisdom on how to look at changes and how to move on and live joyful lives even in the midst of uncertainty.  He defines the meaning of change and transition for us in a way that makes sense and shows us that it is the internal transition not the outward change so much that what we have to muddle through.  Using scripture and reminding us of our better life in the world to come, he wants us to remember that even though we live in a constant changing world and circumstances of our life, we serve a God who is unchanging and forever remains the same.  We can count on that and have a hope that the changes God is allowing to come into our lives is for our development, which is more important than our happiness to God.  This is a book that I will be keeping for years to come.  I received a copy of this book for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.

Review: Monday Morning Joy by Tia McCollors

Monday Morning Joy

Monday Morning Joy by Tia McCollors was my first read by her.  What a good one it was too.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading about a famous baseball player who comes back home due to a shoulder injury looking for something more in his life.  Malachi Burke is tired of his fast lifestyle and of being a playboy.  So he comes back home to open a baseball camp for a few weekends in the summer.  Here in the bosom of his family, especially his grandmother, he finds the rest and solitude he needs.  He also realizes that his life is empty without the faith he had been taught when he was young.  So like the prodigal son he returns to his senses. 

We also meet writer Rae Stevens who is still nursing a broken heart over her break up with her fiancé, a popular local sports caster.  Trying to move on and promising herself not to fall for another famous guy, she is given a newspaper assignment to interview Malachi.  What transpires is two people getting to know each other and learning to let go of the past for a possible more joyful future.

This story is filled with family drama, close friendships, and a touch of humor that made for a read that was hard to put down.  This is the third and the first one I have read in this series and I look forward to reading more of Ms. McCollors books.  I received a copy of this book for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.

Review: Playing the Part by Jen Turano

Playing the Part

I am an unabashed fan of Jen Turano and so I have greatly anticipated the release of Playing the Part.  Let me just tell you: it did not disappoint.  I have to say that In Good Company and A Talent for Trouble are my favorites of Turano’s works but Playing the Part certainly gave them a run for their money.  The story starts off with Lucetta Plum, a plucky independent actress, receiving news from her stepfather that he owes a powerful man gambling debts- debts that the man is willing to drop if her stepfather gives him Lucetta.  Lucetta’s bodyguard naturally has some qualms with that arrangement and so he packs her up and sends her to Ravenwood, an estate owned by Lucetta’s well-meaning but devious friend Abigail Hart’s grandson Bram Haverstein.  Bram is a mysterious, strange young man happens to be rich, handsome, and very, very single.  Let us also not forget the fact that Lucetta is single - she wouldn’t be in this mess if she weren’t- and that Abigail is a notorious matchmaker.  Can somebody say uh-oh?  Add into the mix the mysterious happenings of Ravenwood- bloodthirsty goats don’t just magically appear in towers that the only way to get up to is to climb several flights of narrow stairs, and suits of armor do not move on their own- and you are sure to have a thrilling story filled with more hilarious situations than you could possibly dream of.

Lucetta is determined not to let Abigail marry her off to Bram.  Bram is determined that no one learns the secrets of his mysterious way of life.  Abigail is determined to match her grandson up with her young friend.  And Silas Ruff is determined to have Lucetta once and for all.  But with all these conflicting wishes who will come out on top?

I received a copy for an honest review from Bethany House Publishers and the opinions are my own.

Reviewed by Nicki

Review: No Higher Call: A Biblical Treatise on Adoption by Bradford Smith

No Higher Call

No Higher Call by author Bradford Smith is quite a powerful little book with a lot of truth in it.  This book mainly deals with adoption and fostering, but ultimately on the whole for the church to take care of the orphan.  This book has given me a lot to think about and to ponder on for a while.  The message here is scriptural and is worth a read even if you are never going to adopt.  Here are some of the things that stood out to me:

-God is not worried about our happiness, but our holiness

-Christians are called to be holy

-Like with Moses and his staff, God has already equipped us with what we need to carry out his will

This book mentions the great missionary father, William Carey, and his call for missions when the rest of the Christians did not believe that was their duty.  So likewise, Mr. Smith calls on the church not to forget the orphan.  He also exhorts fathers to father their children, stating how very important a father is to the life of a child.  I encourage many to read this passionately written book.  I received a copy of this book for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.

Review: Christmas Comes to Little Hickman Creek by Sharlene Maclaren

Christmas Comes to Little Hickman Creek

I had read Sharlene Maclaren’s Little Hickman Creek series a few years ago, so it was nice to go back and visit again.  This was a novella that takes place during the month of December and tells the story of a young widow, Sadie Bennett, who had lost her husband two years prior.  She has closed her heart off and has just been living an existence that just gets her by.  She more or less was becoming a recluse.  However, the handsome livery owner Reed Harris has set his sights on her and with the help of her family and town, he intends to open her heart again.  This was a sweet little story about a woman learning to let go of fear and to love again.  I received a copy for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.

Review: Guardians of the Heart by Loree Lough

Guardians of the Heart

Guardians of the Heart by Loree Lough is a story about two people who have endured a lot during their young life and growing up, and so both have bottled up their hearts.  Two lost souls wandering through life just trying to make the best out of what they have been offered are brought together when Asa needs to hire a housekeeper for his grandparent’s inn that he plans to reopen.  In steps Nell who applies for the job.  Asa and Nell are such a great team together and quickly become very good friends.  However, there is a spark of more if only either one thought they deserved each other.  I stepped back in time for just a little bit with this story in 1883 in Denver, Colorado.  I enjoyed my visit with this town and all of the ups and downs they had to face and waited, albeit a little impatiently to see if Asa and Nell would have a happily ever after.  I received this book for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own. 

Review: Unselfish: Love Thy Neighbor as Thy Selfie compiled by Paul D. Parkinson

Unselfish Love Thy Neighbor as Thy Selfie

Unselfish Love Thy Neighbor as Thy Selfie is a wonderful coffee table book full of photographs and stories of people doing just what the title states.  As we all know, we live in a very “me” world thanks to social media and it was nice to read about people making a difference in others’ lives.  These are stories from all walks of life: rich, poor, sick, healthy, young, old, and everyone in between.  This book made me smile and made me cry and it was a nice alternative to what we hear on the news.  With its catchy title and eye catching cover, I would recommend this book be, not only on every coffee table but also in businesses and offices.  Just a little snippet here or there might have more people thinking and wondering how they too could love their neighbor.  I received a copy of this book for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.

Review: Wait for Me by Jo Huddleston

Wait for Me

Wait for Me is a romance story between Julie, the daughter of the owner of a West Virginia coal mine, and her beau, Robbie, the son of a coal mine worker.  Taking place during 1955, these two young people on the verge of graduating high school are completely in love with each other and must sneak around to be together.  Julie’s mother is very prejudice against the miners and their families and decides for Julie to be sent to college right after graduation, during the summer months instead of waiting for the fall.  Julie’s father reluctantly agrees.  And so begins the biggest deception Julie and Robbie have ever done. 

This story for the most part was sweet and focused on the romance between the two lovebirds, and gives us a peak into what life was like during the 1950’s.  Even though I was bothered by all the deception, which is shown as wrong, I did like watching Julie and Robbie stick together to overcome their obstacles.  There were a few dark issues addressed that frankly surprised me and I do wish the relationship between Julie and her mother could have been better.  However, Julie and her father grow closer together through the trials, which was a joy to watch unfold.  Also this book really had a lovely cover that caught my eye.   I did receive a copy of this book for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.

Review: Drawing Fire by Janice Cantore

Drawing Fire

Drawing Fire by Janice Cantore was a very gripping, suspenseful read.  I was drawn into the story from the spot and was right with our heroine, homicide detective Abby Hart, and her quest to find her parents’ killers twenty-seven years later.  This girl was a great detective and put me in the mind of detective Kate Beckett from the TV show Castle.  It seems everyone has secrets and as she is investigating current cases, this cold case keeps popping up and with it names of some very influential people.  She also finds a comrade in PI Luke Murphy who is also personally staked in the solving of this horrendous crime that left Abby an orphan.  This was a very realistic read and the search for answers lead to a very stunning twist.  This book did not tidy up everything in the end and we are just seeing the beginnings of an undercurrent of romance between Luke and Abby, even though Abby is currently engaged.  This was my first read by Author Janice Cantore and I look forward to continuing the series.  I received a copy of this book for an honest review from the The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.

Review: Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Beth K. Vogt

Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Author Beth K. Vogt explores the “what if’s” of past mistakes in love in her novel Crazy Little Thing Called Love.  We have a story of a couple who have been divorced for eight years, who meet quite unexpectedly a couple of times that leads them both to start questioning their lives and their choices.  Not only do we get to know the couple in their present lives, but we are treated to the beginnings and the ending of their first marriage.  This was a lovely story of second chances and the power of forgiveness.  I thought that it was a neat idea that our leading couple, Vanessa and Logan both shared the same last name of Hollister before their marriage.  I felt the author did an excellent job of showing realistically the parents reactions when they found out their young 18 year olds had gotten married in secret and what that cost everyone.  This was my first read by Author Vogt and I look forward to more of her stories.  I received a copy of this book for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.  

Review: Broken Things to Mend by Karey White

Broken Things to Mend

I have been very excited to read the Power of the Matchmaker stories from twelve different authors and just a reminder, The Power of the Matchmaker novella is about Pearl and her story and how she became the matchmaker.  Author Karey White takes on the first full length novel, Broken Things to Mend, where we are in present day Sisters, Oregon.  We have Celia who is running from her life in Illinois to anything better.  Truly friendless and hopeless, she is shocked to have a stranger, Pearl, waiting for her at the bus station.  Not only Pearl, but Silas Toller as well.  This was a story that dealt with some tough issues but Ms. White handled each issue delicately, and we were able to watch Celia bloom under the growing love of Silas and his Aunt Nancy’s wonderful care of her.  Silas was such a great guy and a hero forest ranger with a stutter, making him lack in the confidence department.   There was a point I wanted to yell at him, but when he came around, well…..  He made me smile.  This was such a lovely and beautiful story.  It started out a little slow at first, but before too long the characters had me wrapped up in their world.  I look forward to more of Pearl’s couples and her matchmaking abilities with almost fairy godmother like qualities.  I received an e-copy from I Am a Reader Not a Writer for an honest review and the opinions are my own.  I actually purchased a physical copy for my bookshelf as that is how much I enjoyed this story. 

Review: On Lone Star Trail by Amanda Cabot

On Lone Star Trail

Amanda Cabot finishes up her Texas Crossroads series with the third book entitled On Lone Star Trail.  I really enjoyed this series; going back to Rainbow’s End resort, visiting with the surrounding town, and meeting up with the previous characters.  In this next chapter we have Gillian Hodge, who is Kate’s best friend, coming up for a vacation and some down time.  She has really been dealt a blow as she was a rising star as a concert pianist until her hand was crushed in a motorcycle accident.  Now, without a career to go back to, she is really trying to reevaluate her life.  As life happens, on her way to the resort she witnesses a motorcycle crash.  She offers to help out the victim by the name of TJ Benjamin.  Taking him to the resort with her, circumstances conspire to keep them at Rainbow’s End for an unexpected period of time.  During this time, they not only grow closer in their new found friendship but also meeting and helping the residents of the town from the young to the old.  TJ, a widower, is having a hard time letting go of his past life and so is reluctant to pursue a relationship with Gillian, even though they both feel the chemistry and make such a great team together.  But the question is, will TJ be able to just step aside when another great guy comes pursuing Gillian?  This was a nice romance filled with friends and a small hometown feeling.  I am very glad I visited Rainbow’s End resort and I still wish it was a real place.  I received a copy for an honest review from Revell Publishing and the opinions are my own.