Review: Paper Hearts by Courtney Walsh

Paper Hearts

Paper Hearts is a romance story between two very broken people.  Abigail Pressman, who is unlucky in love and now about to lose her business to Dr. Jacob Willoughby, who is a widower with a daughter he is trying to raise and to protect.  Growing up in a broken home, Abigail holds on to the one thing her father left for her and that is his book store business.  Jacob is a doctor who has just moved into town, trying to escape the secret that he carries concerning his late wife and he intends to open his new medical building in the same building Abigail’s book store is.  Starting off on the wrong foot, both are having a hard time of letting go of the past and moving on.

Living in a town called Loves Park in which her great, great grandparents are the town founders, Abigail longs for the fairy tale love story.  Until Abigail finds a set of paper hearts that a husband and wife have been writing to each other throughout the year.  Wanting to know more about their love story and commitment, Abigail finds out this is their eighth year in writing them and sending them to the town.  Unfortunately, when more paper hearts are found and then sent, they hint of a tragedy for this couple.  After reading the paper hearts, she realizes more about love than she ever thought possible.  She no longer wants the fairy tale, but the long lasting love she has been reading about.   However, through a series of events:  the town finds out about the paper hearts, sides are drawn between Abigail and Jacob, a quirky group of ladies called the Valentine Volunteers try to fix Abigail’s love life, and her mother pushing  her to get married, Abigail decides not to hate Jacob after all.  In all of this, Abigail is changing and realizing that maybe her dreams were what was holding her back the whole time.  When she decides to let go will she be ready for what is awaiting her?  I enjoyed this bitter sweet, old fashioned love story that dealt with the deepness of love instead of the superficial.   I received this book for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. (TBCN) and the opinions are my own.

Review: Little Seed: A Life by Callie Grant

Little Seed: A Life

This little board book was a cute read with delightful illustrations.  Very colorful and sturdy it tells the story of how one small seed has so much purpose in its life when it does exactly what God made it to do.   A nice story to read to a child that even teaches a basic science lesson.  My little guy enjoyed it and really enjoyed finding all the little bug pictures in it.  I received this book for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. (TBCN) and the opinions are my own.

Review: No Place to Hide by Lynette Eason

No Place to Hide

No Place to Hide by Lynette Eason was a non-stop action thriller from page one.  I had a hard time putting this one down as the characters were in constant danger from everybody and they literally had no place to hide.  Dealing with biological terrorism and being set up by technology, Jackie Sellers and Ian Lockwood really had no chance to regroup and figure out what was happening.  They had to think and think fast while they were on the run from the good guys AND the bad guys.  Reminiscent of the Fugitive, this story had action, suspense, close calls, and a romance thread to tie it all up nicely.  And just when I thought I had everything figured out, Ms. Eason throws in a few surprises of the twists and turns variety.  This was my first read by Lynette Eason and I look forward to checking out her previous books and any future novels she writes.  I received this book for an honest review from Revell Publishing and the opinions are my own.

Review: Akiane Her Life, Her Art, Her Poetry by Akiane and Foreli Kramarik

Akiane her life, her art, her poetry

This book was a lovely look at a very talented young girl and her family.  Told from the viewpoint of her mother, we are taken into this family’s home and given a glimpse of what their lives was like and how Akiane’s talent was allowed to progress and be nurtured.  This family is a lot like any family, with good times and bad times, sickness and financial problems.  I really think it was great that Akiane’s mom held back her mommy impulses of getting angry, especially when her daughter was making such a mess in creating her art.  I am glad she saw such talent in her daughter even though I was cringing myself as I read those parts.  Akiane has a very artistic nature and her mother really showed that in her writing of how her young daughter would act and think.  This is not only this family’s journey but it is a lovely book containing many of Akiane’s paintings and her poetry that goes along with it.  I look forward to seeing how her talent will grow as she becomes a young woman.  I was given this book for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. (TBCN) and the opinions are my own.

Review: Beyond All Dreams by Elizabeth Camden

Beyond All Dreams

Beyond All Dreams is another riveting read by author Elizabeth Camden.  In this one we have Anna O’Brien working as a map librarian at the Library of Congress in 1897.  A bit of a lonely woman, she has one dear friend and an estranged aunt that she visits infrequently.  Having had her voice damaged due to an unfortunate childhood accident, Anna likes to stay quietly too herself working on the requests given to her by the congressmen.  Then one fateful day she is called to sit in on a hearing where she and a certain congressman from Maine, Luke Callahan, have a memorable first meeting.  Luke is a very hard working politician who is dealing with raising his nephew and controlling his anger which has plagued his family line for years.  Determined not to follow in his late father’s footsteps and not to forgive him either, he is instantly intrigued by this quiet librarian with an alluring voice.  Deciding that she is the perfect match for him, he intends to pursue and court her.  She on the other hand has reservations.  But when she uncovers some wrong information concerning the Navy’s records of the ship that her father supposedly sank with, she turns to Luke for help.  Neither of them would ever have guessed what they have begun to uncover.  This was a sweet romance and I really liked Luke’s tenacity and how he would not give up and let Anna go.  The mystery in this story and why exactly the government would go to such great lengths to prevent Anna from knowing the truth about what happened to the ship her father sailed on kept me turning the pages quickly.   Again, I really enjoy Ms. Camden’s books and her very unique characters and their situations.  I have received this book for an honest review from The Book Club Network, Inc. (TBCN) and the opinions are my own.

.

Review: Loving Helen by Michele Paige Holmes

Loving Helen

Loving Helen is the second in the Hearthfire series and is a companion story to Saving Grace where we get younger sister, Helen’s viewpoint.  This novel does not start where Saving Grace leaves off, but rather has a parallel story which I found very interesting.   I quite liked Helen as she is really completely different than her sister.  Not as bold or scheming, Helen is much more of a gentler, quieter nature.  Helen starts off by trying to get Samuel Preston to notice her and perhaps offer for her hand in marriage, however she comes to the conclusion that he is still very much in love with his late wife.   That is until she unwittingly sees him and her sister together and witnesses his affection and obvious feelings for Grace.   Just like in Saving Grace, we have a slow building love story and we are shown a great deal of character growth over the time given in the story.   This is a very romantic and tender read and not only that, but it is a clean read as well.  The ending was perfect and I look forward to the story of their brother, Christopher.  I received an e-copy for an honest review and the opinions are my own.

Here is a link to my review of Saving Grace, the first in the Hearthfire Historical Romance Series:http://pausefortales.blogspot.com/2014/11/review-saving-grace-by-michele-paige.html

Review: Every Bride Needs a Groom by Janice Thompson

Every Bride Needs a Groom

Every Bride Needs a Groom is a cute, often funny story of a young woman named Katie who has been dreaming of her wedding day since she was a little girl.  Growing up in a close knit family and a small town where change is frowned upon, Katie wholeheartedly expects her boyfriend to propose any day.  Going on that assumption, she enters an essay writing contest for the dress of her dreams.  The same day she is notified as the winner, Casey, her boyfriend drops a bombshell.  He is moving out of their small town of Fairfield, Texas and going to Oklahoma.  Not knowing what to do she decides to go ahead and head to Dallas and the bridal shop to let them no she has no groom.  Against her better judgement, she listens to the advice of others to keep the no groom, no wedding a secret and go ahead with the plans of the dress.  What ensues is a hilarious, heartfelt change of heart.  Not just for Katie, but her whole family and even some of the town.  This story had me laughing out loud many times on how hard parents try to hang on to their children and never wanting to go against the norm.  Family is very important, however sometimes it is ok for all of them to let go and follow their dreams, old and new.   And Katie realizes there just may be another one in the running for her groom.  This was an all-around feel good story that had some very poignant moments.   It ended well even and there is a sequel.  Ms. Thompson gives us a little taste of the next one with the first chapter of Every Girl Gets Confused.  I look forward to it.  I received my copy for an honest review from Revell Publishing and the opinions are my own.