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.