Book Review

Where Grace Appears by Heidi Chiavaroli

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

The Orchard House Bed & Breakfast Series, Book 1

Josie Martin returns home from college for the summer with a secret. Her relationship with her professor crashed when he asked her to end her pregnancy. Back at home with her family still recovering from the loss of her father the year before, she struggles with whether to give her baby up for adoption or raise him or her as a single mother. Tripp, her best friend who had wanted to date her last year, will be devastated by her news, along with her family.

Tripp Colton has loved Josie for a long time. While he supports her plans to open a Louisa Alcott-themed bed and breakfast, her mother’s dream, he struggles to accept that she only wants friendship from him. And then he hears a rumor…

I loved the bookish theme to the mother’s dream. Josie’s parents had even followed the Little Women theme when naming their children. Josie had turned her back on her dream of becoming a writer to pursue her father’s dream for her. The similarities between the lives of the Little Women sisters and the characters in this series will be plain for all who’ve read the classic novel.

I couldn’t put this book down. What a gripping, multi-layered story! Steadfast love shines in the lives of believable, flawed characters.

Unexpected twists, along with similarities to the much-loved classic novel, kept me turning pages. Recommended!

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Windsowers by Lori Lehman Marett

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

The movie script based on the novel, In Shady Groves by Yvonne Lehman.

I’ve been intrigued with the idea of writing movie scripts for a while. A decade ago, I spent several months digging into how to write scripts. I read scripts for popular movies as part of my study.

So when I discovered Lori Marett’s script for Yvonne Lehman’s, I couldn’t wait to read it. Marett is a talented screenwriter, and I loved that she wrote a script for one of her mother’s novels.

This script did not disappoint. Rather, it kept me turning pages from start to finish.

Windsowers is a story about the Biblical prophet Hosea and his wife, Gomer. I couldn’t put it down. Yvonne Lehman wove a masterful tale of tragedy, betrayal, and brokenness that Marett has captured into a script.

How I hope to see this one day at the movies! Well-done to this talented mother and daughter team. Recommended!

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Down Home Wisdom by Andy Hollifield

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Faith, Freedom, and the Front Porch Way of Life

This wonderful book is filled with stories of hope and reflection.

It is divided into sections by topic. The author includes his own reflections written in first person to introduce each new topic. Each section contains several stories written in third person.

Topics covered include honesty, friendship, hope, judging others, and overcoming adversity.

The author’s conversational style reminded me of sitting around the dinner table as a child, listening as my dad told story after story. We sat long after the meal had been cleared from the table as my dad enthralled us with events from his past. These reflective thoughts took me back to those days.

What a wonderful read. Recommended!

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God Stories by Courtney Dailey

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Renewing Your Faith in the One Who Hears Every Prayer

Hurricane Helene struck Florida on September 27, 2024, and then moved inland to Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and East Tennessee. The storm caused tragic loss of life and terrible devastation. In a recent conversation with friends living in hard-hit North Carolina and Tennessee, I was heartbroken to learn that about four hundred people are still missing.

Dailey’s nonfiction account of the months following the hurricane was a book I couldn’t wait to read. While her home wasn’t affected, she quickly learned that flooding had rendered a friend’s home unlivable.

What could she do to help? The author prayed with her husband for guidance. That was the beginning.

This account of how God used one woman and her family—and hundreds of volunteers—to care for those devastated by Hurricane Helene inspired me.

My heart is full. Page after page is filled with miracles, examples of how God provided for needs before they knew they needed it.

What a wonderful read. Recommended!

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Cake That! by Heather Greer

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Livvy Miller’s dreams of winning the Cake That baking competition will cover her debt on The Sugar Cube, her cupcake food truck, and bring in new customers. The business she’ll lose by shutting down her truck for the show’s duration is a concern. After praying about her decision, she decides to trust God.

Evan Jones wants to win the baking competition so he can give his parents a dream vacation, who have sacrificed so much for their family.

I love to watch cooking competitions, so I was excited to discover one as a novel setting. This book met the marks for culinary lovers and contemporary romance lovers. I loved the unique setting!

Lovable characters—and some not quite so lovable—stole my heart and had me rooting for them. I enjoyed the story.

I look forward to reading more books by this author.

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Waylaid on Whidbey Island by Laurie Herlich

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

A Merry Irving Cozy Mystery

Merry Irving, an itinerant pet-sitter, is glad that her current job has taken her far from the scene of a terrible murder. She knows that she was the intended target. Her job involves three rambunctious dogs to try to distract her worry. When a dead body is found next door, she fears that she has been followed.

Semi-retired police detective Dave Brady has befriended her. He’s among the police officers working the scene. Is she innocent? Why do so many people end up dead when she’s around?

This cozy mystery grabbed my attention. Real, believable characters. The heroine seemed too trusting at times. Sometimes the author allowed scenes with the dogs to release too much rising tension.

Even so, this book was a page turner for me. Surprising twists bring real danger. I was worried for the heroine’s safety and read quickly.

I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

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Average Boy’s Above-Average Summer by Bob Smiley and Jesse Florea

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Adventure of Average Boy

This book is about a boy named Bob. He calls himself Average Boy, or AB for short. He gets into one scrape after another. Often his attention is elsewhere, which gets him into trouble. He maintains a positive attitude no matter what happens, which makes him very appealing.

The story begins on the last day of school before summer break and goes throughout an adventurous summer. His best friend Billy is often with him on his adventures, but he has some fun family occasions too.

He has several goals for the summer. One is to build a treehouse with Billy. Another is to invite everyone in his small town to church.

The author doesn’t mention Bob’s age, but he seems to be in upper elementary. It’s an engaging story that will captivate boys 8-12.

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Manjhi Moves a Mountain by Nancy Churnin

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

I ran across this inspiring true story for children while attending a writers conference.

Manjhi lives in a poor village where the children have a very long walk to school. Families have a long walk to see a doctor, go to the hospital, or shop at the markets.

The village on the other side of the mountain has nice houses, markets, and a hospital.

It didn’t seem fair to Manjhi. If only the two villages were closer together, the families in the poor village would be able to send their children to school.

Then Manjhi has an idea.

This is a delightful and inspiring book for children 6-12.

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Flower Fables by Louisa May Alcott

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

I ran across this book of fairy tales by Louisa May Alcott while researching books for children written in the 1800s.

I hadn’t heard of this book by the beloved author of Little Women, a book I read several times as a teenager.

Flower Fables, published in 1854,is Alcott’s first book. She dedicated it to Ellen Emerson, the daughter of a family friend, Ralph Waldo Emerson.

These stories were probably read to children of the day. They are allegories. The creative, descriptive stories include strong moral messages, such as treating others with kindness.

There are nine stories in the collection. I think children’s imaginations would have been captivated by them.

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