Review

Whispers of Fortune by Mary Connealy

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Golden State Treasure, Book 1

Dr. Brody MacKenzie arrives at the Two Harts Ranch in California, determined to find his younger brothers and, if necessary, rescue them. Instead, he is relieved to find them in school and learning trades. No matter what their teacher, Ellie Hart, says, Brody is in a hurry to take them back East where he has a job waiting. His brothers are more interested in searching for their family’s hidden treasure.

Ellie immediately hires Brody as the ranch’s doctor, hoping to keep the man who has snagged her attention in California. Instead, she finds herself caught up in helping the brothers to follow a treasure map.

Unfortunately, they are not the only ones interested in the treasure.

Connealy has woven a multi-layered historical romance that kept me turning pages. Long-time readers of this author will recognize characters from another series within these pages.

My interest was snagged early, and I read the book quickly. I’ve read other books by this author, and they’ve always ended with a significant cliff-hanger. This one did the same. Readers are left with questions about upcoming events.

I liked the book, and can’t wait to read the next one.

Christianbook.com

Windswept Way by Irene Hannon

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

A Hope Harbor Novel

Ashley Scott yearns for a substantial change after her job and a promising relationship come to an end. She becomes part-owner of a beautiful Oregon home in Hope Harbor where she and the reclusive other owner intend to turn it into a wedding venue. The owner of a local landscaping business, Jonathan Gray, intrigues her.

Jonathan’s significant battle scars are only partially visible. His girlfriend at the time of the battle left the former male model. Wearing a mask, he keeps to himself and his dog. But Ashley makes him long for more.

The setting, the amazing historic home, and the characters drew me into the story. Hope Harbor is a place where I, as a reader, wanted to vacation with a book on the beach. Authentic characters with real struggles kept me turning pages.

The story is told from multiple viewpoints. Readers will find several interesting characters in Hope Harbor, possibly from other novels in the series.

A heartwarming series in a beautiful setting. I look forward to reading more of Hannon’s books.

Christianbook.com

The Ragpicker by Pegg Thomas

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Salem Village, Book 1

Eight-year-old Verity Manton is whisked away after her uncle’s funeral by a widow who takes in orphans. Her possessions are sold for food. Cold and hungry, she must beg for rags from the townspeople.

She’s told to stay away from the Quakers. Her uncle had been a Puritan, and they don’t like Quakers. Verity fears them.

The story opens in 1691. The widow’s shack is in Salem Village, where strange stories and chanting in the forest frighten Verity.

This heart-wrenching story snagged my attention from the first page, the first sentence. My heart broke for the little girl who lost her family and now is losing her only relative. She must rely on the kindness of strangers, but not everyone treats her kindly.

The story’s historical setting in the backdrop of the Salem Witch Trials drew me to the series.

Characters I grew to love pulled me into their plight under the author’s skillful storytelling. I can’t wait to read the next book!

This historical fiction story is a page-turner. Highly recommend. 

Amazon

Grave Consequences by Debra DuPree Williams

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Charlotte Graves is the new director of the local historical and genealogical society. She’s back in Loblolly after eight years but old hurts die hard. Or are murdered.

Before she knows what’s happening, Charlotte is arrested for the murder of Boopsie Sweets, an old enemy from her childhood. Worse, she’s arrested by Roan Steele, the man who’d broken her heart back in high school.

There’s mystery afoot that only a genealogist can decipher!

Lovable, realistic characters invited me into a small Alabama town in the 1960s. Williams weaves an authentic feel with details such as music, clothing, decorations, and furniture. The characters seem to step off the page from an era 50 years ago.

The story drew me in immediately. It was a page-turner for me!  

The story is well-written with escalating tension that kept me turning pages. I’ll look for more books by this author. Recommend!

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A Token of Love by Carrie Turansky

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

This time-slip novel deals with the topic of child trafficking in 1885 and in modern-day London. That made it a tough read for me yet it was also a page-turner.

In 1885, Lillian Freemont has just reunited with her ailing sister. She quickly discovers she has a niece who was left at the Foundling Hospital in infancy. Alice is now eight. Lillian sets out to claim her niece. Unfortunately, the little girl had been whisked away in the night. She enlists the help of Matthew McGivern, an investigative reporter, to find Alice.

In the present day, Janelle Spencer takes over running the Foundling Museum for a few months when her boss’s twins are born early. Jonas Conrad is documenting the museum’s history on film, but he discovers a dark past that he and Janelle probe together. Olivia, a teen volunteer, helps with the research.

Many twists and turns kept me turning pages. I couldn’t put it down even though the plight of the girls deeply troubled me.

This is a well-written novel. I was concerned about what happened in each era. The Author’s Note explains the parts of the story that are based on history.

https://www.christianbook.com/a-token-of-love-softcover/9780764241062/pd/241062

A Storm of Doubts by JPC Allen

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by Sandra Merville Hart

A Rae Riley Mystery

This young adult novel plunges right into the mystery and suspense from the first page.

Rae Riley,20, is just getting used to the idea of having a dad for the first time in her life. She’d lost her mother two years before with only clues to her father’s identity. Now she lives with her father, who is the sheriff, and has a whole slew of relatives.

But there are plenty of folks who want to cause trouble in the small Ohio city, relatives included. Rae’s desire to help others gets her in hot water over and over again until she runs the risk of ruining her new-found relationship with her dad.

There were plenty of twists and turns that led to unexpected outcomes in the story to keep me turning pages. The author does a good job building the suspense.

The story has many characters apparently introduced in earlier books. The author included a two-page chart in the beginning for readers to understand family relationships. However, it was still difficult to ascertain the major characters when there were so many named minor ones.

Even with that, the story held my attention. I believe that reading the Rae Riley Mystery books in order will benefit readers.

A page turner!

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A Season at the Grand by Sherri Wilson Johnson

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Book 2 in Romance at the Gilded Ages Resorts

1905, Grand Hotel at Point Clear, Alabama

Photographer Amelia Harris is at the seaside resort on an assignment from her employer. The Photographic Times expected over 2,000 photos of the resort and its elite guests. It would occupy her entire summer.

Titus Overton, the general manager of the Grand Hotel and a bachelor handsome enough to make Amelia’s heartbeat quicken, longs to leave this job behind. His dream job of documenting migratory birds awaited in his future. In his immediate future, he have to avoid matchmaking mamas who pushed their daughters on him. Amelia was different. She catches his attention from the first day.

Her independent spirit, his past grief, and a common enemy bent on revenge threaten to keep them apart. There were lots of twists and turns that kept me turning pages.

I enjoyed this story. I look forward to reading more books in the collection!

Amazon

Jesse Sings by Victor Hess

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Searching for Family, Book 1

Jesse Hall, 8, is devastated when his pregnant mother moves the two of them out of the apartment they had shared with his father. His dad had beaten her up for the last time—and this time he’d almost made her lose the baby.

They end up renting the second floor in the nicest place he’d ever lived right across from the school. But some in the community turn away from Jesse and his mom when they discover his dad is in jail. Someone gives him a New Testament Bible. He has lots of questions as he begins reading it. He’d only attended church once.

This middle-grade story quickly snagged my attention and didn’t let go. The characters in this story tugged at my heart. There were many obstacles, twists, and turns for the struggling family. The way certain folks helped one another inspired me.

The ending left me hanging with looming changes for the characters that are likely the beginning of Book 2.

I enjoyed this story by this author and look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Amazon

His Grace’s Governess by Jackie Killelea

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Saving the Spinsters, Book 1

Eleanor Clairbridge has no choice but to take a job as governess to support her widowed mother and herself. She puts any hope of a husband and family and travels to accept a position at the Duke of Albemarle’s estate.

Edmund Colhampton, the Duke of Albemarle, has shielded his heart from loving anyone new since the death of his family. His sweet niece Rosie is all that’s left of his family. He certainly doesn’t expect to fall in love with Rosie’s governess.

The characters in this story tugged at my heart. The growing love between the hero and the heroine has many obstacles. I especially loved the little girl, who had lost her parents while still an infant. Eleanor’s mother’s strength of character was inspiring.

I enjoyed this story by this author and look forward to reading the next book in the series.

I received a copy of the book from the author or publisher and was not required to leave a positive review. The thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Worth Fighting For by Pegg Thomas

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Part of: Christian Historical Romance Novellas

With her husky brothers scaring off any man coming near, Meg McCracken despairs of finding a husband. But now she has a new fear. Trouble is brewing in the Colonies. Her father and brothers plan to fight on the side of the Patriots but plenty of folks in Philadelphia are loyal to the Great Britain—Loyalists. 

Alexander Ogilvie isn’t looking to remain a blacksmith like his pa and brothers. His plans to forge a trail Westward are misunderstood as cowardice by his family…and by Meg.

The characters in this story tugged at my heart. Their love story kept me turning pages to glimpse those turbulent days leading up to the American Revolution. I felt the fear and tension as if I were there.

I’ve read several books by this author and will look for more. Recommend!

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