Author: sandramervillehart

The Element of Love by Mary Connealy

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Book 1 in The Lumber Baron’s Daughters series

Three beautiful sisters are running away from their stepfather’s plans to marry them off to his money-hungry friends whom they are all certain will mistreat them—possibly worse than their stepfather mistreats their mother. Their mother sends them off to find husbands and then return. She remains to face her husband’s wrath, but at least her strong, intelligent, beautiful daughters will be safe.

Laura, the youngest, meets a parson at the train station. Caleb heads a mission team heading to remote area of California. She convinces him to take her and her companions—she hides her relationship to her sisters to maintain secrecy. Then the real adventure begins.

Laura soon decides she must convince Caleb to marry her so that she can claim her third of her inheritance out of the clutches of her violent stepfather. But Caleb has secrets of his own…

This novel leaps from one dangerous adventure to the next so that I could barely put down the book. The characters are realistic and the relationship between the sisters is believable. Their mission—to choose their own husbands, take charge of their inheritance, and rescue their mother—drives the story.

Danger follows all four women, making this a page-turner.

One caution—the ending will leave you wanting to read Book 2!

Recommended!

Christianbook.com

The Story Equation by Susan May Warren

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Subtitle: How to Plot & Write a Brilliant Story from One Powerful Equation

This is a wonderful book to help authors plot and write a story that grips the emotions of reads.

The author shares practical tips for authors to use The Story Equation in creating a powerful story.

Tips for creating unforgettable characters that resonate with readers are especially helpful. If readers don’t care about the characters, they quickly lose interest. Warren devotes a whole chapter to building a sympathetic character.

Warren suggests writing the book as a Four-Act Story, which she explains in an understandable manner.

I read this book while still researching my next novel. I found the wisdom and practical tips helpful as my imagination explored the journey my characters were about to take.

Definitely recommend this book to authors!

Amazon

Hamburger Mac Recipe

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by Sandra Merville Hart

One of the dishes my husband makes has become a comfort food to me. Maybe it’s because of the macaroni and cheese. Maybe it’s because it’s a filling supper with a side vegetable or salad. Or maybe it’s because my husband takes over the preparation for supper!

It could become a comfort meal for your family too so I’m sharing my husband’s recipe that he created long before we met as a quick and easy meal.

Ingredients

1 lb. Ground beef

1 box of macaroni and cheese

1 cup of shredded cheese, divided

Prepare the macaroni and cheese per the box’s instructions.

Brown the ground beef in a skillet. Turn off the heat. Drain it and then return the cooked ground beef to the skillet.

Sprinkle about ¼ cup of shredded cheese over the cooked meat and stir.

Add about 1/3 of the prepared macaroni and cheese and combine. Then add the rest in increments, stirring to combine the mixture.

Sprinkle ½ cup of shredded cheese over the top. Turn the burner on low, cover, and heat the mixture until the cheese melts—about 3 to 5 minutes.

Pour the mixture into a bowl. My husband adds more shredded cheese at this point to the top, up to ¼ cup.

This is a kid-friendly meal. Little ones who like macaroni and cheese but shy away from eating a hamburger often enjoy this meal. It’s more filling that macaroni and cheese alone and they get some protein.

Most of the adults in our family also enjoy this dish.

It’s easy to prepare—and can be ready in under 30 minutes on those nights when the children have dance or soccer practice or swim lessons. 😊

Coming Soon! A Second Chances Novel Release!

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by Sandra Merville Hart

I wanted to share some exciting news with you—my next series will soon begin releasing! A Not So Convenient Marriage, Book 1 of my new “Second Chances” series, will release November 8, 2022!

This series begins a dozen years after the end of the Civil War. The first book is set in 1877 in three Ohio locations: Hamilton, Harrison, and the train town of Bradford Junction.

The second book is set in Cincinnati in 1883—84. (It was fun to share a few recognizable locations in this novel.)

I will soon begin writing the third book, so stay turned for details!

Here’s a bit about A Not So Convenient Marriage:

A spinster teacher…a grieving widower…a marriage of convenience and a second chance with the man she’s always loved…

When Samuel Walker proposes a marriage of convenience to Rose Hatfield so soon after the death of his wife, she knows he doesn’t love her. She’s loved him since their school days. Those long-suppressed feelings spring to life as she marries him. She must sell her childhood home, quit her teaching job, and move to a new city.

Marrying Rose is harder than Samuel expected, especially with the shadow of his deceased wife everywhere in his life. And he has two young children to consider. Peter and Emma need a mother’s love, but they also need to hold close the memories of their real mother as they grieve her loss.

Life as Samuel’s wife is nothing like Rose hoped, and even the townspeople, who loved his first wife, make Rose feel like an outsider. The work of the farm draws the two of them closer, giving hope that they might one day become a happy family. Until the dream shatters, and the life Rose craves tumbles down around them. Only God can put these pieces back together, but the outcome may not look anything like she planned.

Available on Amazon, Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, and Books 2 Read.

A bit about Sandra

Sandra Merville Hart, award-winning and Amazon bestselling author of inspirational historical romances, loves to discover little-known facts from American history to include in her novels. In fact, many of her stories are inspired by visits to historical sites such as battlefields. Sandra treats all her vacations with her husband as an adventure for she never knows where inspiration for a story willarise. Her desire is to transport her readers back in time. Sandra is also a blogger, speaker, and conference teacher.

Buried Cold Case Secrets by Sami A. Abrams

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Melanie Hutton accepts a job as a forensic anthropologist back in her home town. Her parents have moved away—not that they supported her when she needed them most anyway. No, it’s the kidnapping she endured with her best friend that she can’t recover from, especially since Melanie escaped and Allie’s remains were never found.

Detective Jason Cooper isn’t happy to see Melanie return. She had escaped and left her best friend—his sister—at the mercy of that monster. The fact she can’t recall what happened makes matters worse. He had once imagined dating Melanie, marrying her. No longer. He couldn’t trust her. Too bad they have to work together.

But someone is trying to kill Melanie. Does it have anything to do with the kidnapping? They both must work together to discover the truth before someone else dies.

This story gripped my interest from the beginning. The characters face real danger throughout and the action builds as the story escalates.

A multi-layered story that was a page turner for me!

Recommended for readers of contemporary suspense.

Amazon

Antique Dreams by Amber Stockton

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

A young man’s dying wish grabbed my attention in reading this novel—especially as he was on a lifeboat. Aaron watched as his friend and business partner died while the Titanic sinks into frigid waters. To accomplish his friend’s request, he must visit the man’s family.

Lillian mourns the death of her brother on the Titanic and is slow to build her trust in Aaron, who was with him when he died, yet is drawn to him.

Aaron had recently been pushed out of the family business by an uncle who raised him after the death of his parents. He’s grateful that Lillian’s father gives him a job.

There are some mysteries in this story that initially grabbed my attention—not to mention the connection with the Titanic.

However, the story moved slowly. What initially snagged my interest ended up as a handful of scenes rather than the bigger part I imagined.

The characters are likeable, especially a couple of the secondary ones. It had a nice ending.

Amazon

Last Day for Byway to Danger eBook Sale!

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by Sandra Merville Hart

This is the final day for BookBub’s Featured Deal sale for Byway to Danger, Book 3 in the “Spies of the Civil War” series!

This means that Byway to Danger eBook version will only be available for 99 cents one more day!

Here’s a bit about the book:

Everyone in Richmond has secrets. Especially the spies.

Meg Brooks, widow, didn’t stop spying for the Union when her job at the Pinkerton National Detective Agency ended, especially now that she lives in the Confederate capital. Her job at the Yancey bakery provides many opportunities to discover vital information about the Confederacy to pass on to her Union contact. She prefers to work alone, yet the strong, silent baker earns her respect and tugs at her heart.

Cade Yancey knows the beautiful widow is a spy when he hires her only because his fellow Unionist spies know of her activities. Meg sure didn’t tell him. He’s glad she knows how to keep her mouth shut, for he has hidden his dangerous activities from even his closest friends. The more his feelings for the courageous woman grow, the greater his determination to protect her by guarding his secrets. Her own investigations place her in enough peril.

As danger escalates, Meg realizes her choice to work alone isn’t a wise one. Can she trust Cade with details from her past not even her family knows?

Buy your copy today!

The Chisholm Trail Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

The Daughters of the Mayflower series

The story opens with Eliza Gentry at 12 and Wyatt Creed at 14 on a cattle drive on the Chisholm Trail. She loves watching the stars and he watches them with her—when he can avoid a beating from his drunken father. Eliza’s own father is the trail boss and he owns the cattle being driven north to Kansas.

Something terrible happens on the cattle drive. Wyatt is there when Ben Barnhart kills Wyatt’s father. It’s Wyatt’s word against Ben’s. The trail boss’s word is law on the Chisholm Trail. It’s swift justice when a single gunshot rings out into the night.

The story picks up again nine years later and the feisty Eliza still misses Wyatt, her friend who watched stars with her on the cattle drive.

The characters in the book drew me into the story right away. I loved the western setting and the story had plenty of twists to keep me guessing the outcome.

I loved seeing Texas cities, Galveston and Austin, and New Orleans, Louisiana, through the novel’s action. A page-turner for me.

Recommended for readers of inspirational historical romances.

Christianbook.com

Announcing Byway to Danger eBook sale!

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by Sandra Merville Hart

BookBub has selected Byway to Danger, Book 3 in the “Spies of the Civil War” series, for a Featured Deal!

This means that the eBook for Byway to Danger will be available on all retailers from September 19 – 22 at 99 cents—a great deal!

Here’s a bit about the book:

Everyone in Richmond has secrets. Especially the spies.

Meg Brooks, widow, didn’t stop spying for the Union when her job at the Pinkerton National Detective Agency ended, especially now that she lives in the Confederate capital. Her job at the Yancey bakery provides many opportunities to discover vital information about the Confederacy to pass on to her Union contact. She prefers to work alone, yet the strong, silent baker earns her respect and tugs at her heart.

Cade Yancey knows the beautiful widow is a spy when he hires her only because his fellow Unionist spies know of her activities. Meg sure didn’t tell him. He’s glad she knows how to keep her mouth shut, for he has hidden his dangerous activities from even his closest friends. The more his feelings for the courageous woman grow, the greater his determination to protect her by guarding his secrets. Her own investigations place her in enough peril.

As danger escalates, Meg realizes her choice to work alone isn’t a wise one. Can she trust Cade with details from her past not even her family knows?

Buy your copy today!

Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, and Books 2 Read.

Every Day Filled with Hope by Shelia Stovall

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

A Weldon Novel, Book 2

I have read other books by this author set in the town of Weldon, Kentucky, and I looked forward to reading this newest release. I wasn’t disappointed, even though much of the story takes place in Niger.

Casey was a famous model for many years before returning to her home in Weldon. Shoppers travel to buy clothing from her boutique and meet her. She dreams of marrying Daniel, whom she has dated for about a year. However, she has a secret.

Daniel had planned to propose to Casey before his doctor tells him the reason for his headaches is a brain tumor. He may not survive surgery. How can he propose now? Nor can he tell her. Their church’s mission trip to Africa may be the last time he can share with her.

Casey’s past reaches out to her in this multi-layered story that kept me turning pages.

Secondary plots involving foster children drew me in as much as the main story.

There are many unexpected twists and turns in this novel that changed where I imagined it to be heading. The author grabbed and held my attention.

Recommended for readers of inspirational contemporary romances.

Amazon