Book Review

Yuletide Angel by Sandra Ardoin

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Violet Madison has a secret. After everyone is tucked inside their cozy beds for the night, Violet delivers food to the needy during the Christmas season. She is dubbed the Yuletide Angel.

No one knows the identity of the Yuletide Angel—except her neighbor, Hugh Barnes. The confirmed bachelor worries for Violet’s safety and follows her to protect her.

Raised to believe herself plain, Violet has little confidence in herself though people do praise her baking. She dreams of owning a bakery yet women don’t own businesses in Meadowmead, despite it being the 1890s.

She also dreams of changing Hugh’s mind about remaining a bachelor.

This book captured my attention from the first page. It’s a gentle story set during the Christmas season. It transported me back in time. I loved it.

This is exactly the kind of story I love to read during the Christmas holidays. I will look for more novels by this author!

-Sandra Merville Hart

Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas – Use coupon code SandraMHart for a 20% discount on Lighthouse Publishing books!

A Groom for Mama by Catherine Castle

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This contemporary romance is a definite page-turner! I had a hard time putting down this novel.

Given the title, the story seemed like it would be about a son or daughter finding a suitable husband for their mother. It’s the opposite.

Allison had dated Jack in a long relationship a few years ago. She broke off the relationship and moved away. Jack maintained a friendship with Mama, Allison’s mom.

Now Mama is sick, dying from a rare form of cancer. She is determined to see Allison married before she dies and enlists Jack’s dating service to set her up with dates to find “Mr. Right.”

Allison suddenly finds herself on a whirlwind of dates with several “Mr. Wrongs” with the occasional “nice guy, just not for me” men while Mama undergoes further testing.

Those dates torment Jack, who has never stopped loving Allison.

Castle writes with humor. The author excels at building romantic tension and also at touching the hearts of readers with family drama. The characters are likeable and believable.

There are many twists that kept me turning pages when I should have been doing other tasks.

Definitely recommend this novel and this author!

-Sandra Merville Hart

 

Anna’s Crossing by Suzanne Woods Fisher

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This novel is the first book in the Amish Beginnings Series.

The story is set in 1737. A small group of Amish embark on the ship, Charming Nancy, on their way to the colonies where a member awaits their arrival.

Anna doesn’t want to go to the New World where William Penn has made land available to her church members. She wants freedom to worship God just as her members do, but she’d rather stay with her grandparents.

Bairn, the ship’s carpenter, isn’t pleased when his captain agrees to transport so many passengers. Half the number of passengers would be crowded below deck, but the little boy, Felix, refuses to stay below. Anna comes after him. She’s beautiful but is also one of the ‘Peculiars.’ Bairn fights his growing feelings for her.

There are many layers to this story. Bairn is a man with a past. Readers are given glimpses of it throughout the novel.

There isn’t a lot of dialogue in this novel. The main characters are believable. One is a character readers will love to hate.

There are many surprises in the action-packed drama. I had a hard time putting it down.

Anna’s strong faith in God is her anchor when things go terribly wrong.

Full of twists and turns, this novel is a definite page-turner!

Recommend! Will look for more by this author.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Christianbook.com

 

 

The Caretaker’s Son by Yvonne Lehman

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I enjoyed this novel!

Annabelle Yarwood has been in multiple beauty pageants and now teaches young girls what she’s learned, especially how to find their beauty in God’s eyes. Her fiancé, Wes, works long hours building his career in a law firm.

Annabelle is intrigued by the return of Symon Sinclair, the caretaker’s son, to her Aunt B’s home. She remembers him from her childhood. Symon’s an author and she enjoys his company while Wes is working.

Symon longs to reconnect with Aunt B, the woman who had been like a mother to him after his own mom abandoned him.

Aunt B seems to understand pain and suffering all too well.

The contemporary romance is multi-layered. There are many twists that kept me turning pages. I enjoy stories that have depth, and under Lehman’s expertise, this one does.

Realistic characters each have their own goals, making this an interesting read. This story drew me in immediately.

Recommend!

-Sandra Merville Hart

Amazon

 

 

 

 

Dance Over Me by Candee Fick

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I enjoyed this contemporary romance!

Danielle Lefontaine, actress/dancer, longs for a part in a Broadway musical. Hard work finally pays off when a local theater offers her a contract. Now she can concentrate on her career and finding her brother. Separated as children, she hasn’t seen him in years and is desperate to find him. After that, she may be able to focus on the band leader, Alex Sheridan, who has snagged her interest.

Alex is skittish about starting a relationship with another actress. His last dating relationship ended when his girlfriend left him for a bigger stage. Dani is talented. Will she also leave him?

A jealous star makes Dani’s life miserable. And how does her adoptive mom feel about her search for her brother?

This story drew me in immediately. I kept reaching for the novel to find out what happened next even when I needed to be doing other things. The characters are realistic and believable.

Recommend!

-Sandra Merville Hart

Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas – Use coupon code SandraMHart for a 20% discount on Lighthouse Publishing books!

America’s Star-Spangled Story by Jane Hampton Cook

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Celebrating 200 years of Our National Anthem

This short non-fiction book traces the history of our national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner, the poem written by Francis Scott Key.

Many may not know that this poem was based on a battle at Fort McHenry during the War of 1812.

Washington and the White House had already been burned by the time of this historic battle. Americans feared that worse was coming yet prepared to fight.

Cook added quotes, scriptures, and photos to her book that enhance the story.  The author also takes one line from the familiar song and explains the events that inspired the words.

This book could easily be used in schools to help explain the background to the song and the War of 1812.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas   – Use coupon code SandraMHart for a 20% discount on Lighthouse Publishing books!

Tidewater Inn by Colleen Coble

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A Hope Beach Novel

Libby learns that the father she’d thought was dead since her early childhood had only recently died. He actually married and had two children. Not only that, but Libby has inherited beach property. Nicole, Libby’s friend and business partner, is on Hope Beach and tells Libby how to watch live feed from a camera so that she can see her half-sister. The Libby watches in horror as Nicole is drugged and snatched from the beach by two men.

Libby immediately travels there to talk to local authorities and search for Nicole, but finds herself a suspect instead. Her siblings don’t trust her.

Alec Bourne, the handsome captain of the Coast Guard, has searched for Nicole to no avail and doesn’t know if he can trust Libby.

Worse, Nicole is still missing. How can Libby find her friend in time to save her life?

This story drew me in immediately. It is a story of forgiveness and second chances. The characters are realistic and believable.

This novel cost me a few hours of sleep!

-Sandra Merville Hart

Cassia by Susan F. Craft

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The adventure begins on the first page and doesn’t stop!

The author drew me into this action-packed love story immediately.

This historical novel is set on the high seas on the East Coast of America in 1799 where flashbacks to the American Revolution, kidnappings, rescuing a young woman from a slave ship, danger from pirates, and more leave the reader wondering just what will happen next.

The story is told entirely from the viewpoint Lilyan, a brave wife and mother. Because of this, when the family is separated readers wonder and worry what is happening to the others as we can only see the situation from Lilyan’s perspective. This actually adds to the tension and drama of the story.

The characters are amazingly brave and strong yet believable. Their faith in God is an anchor they cling to when danger threatens at every corner.

Full of twists and turns, this novel is a definite page-turner! It robbed me of sleep and kept me from a few chores because I had to know what happened.

Recommend! Will look for more by this author.

-Sandra Merville Hart

LPC Books          Use coupon code SandraMHart for a 20% discount on Lighthouse Publishing books!

 

 

 

 

Grace’s Pictures by Cindy Thomson

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Part of Ellis Island Series

Grace McCaffery emigrates to America in 1900. Her stepfather, a policeman—or peeler as they are called in Ireland, paid for her passage to New York City, but she resents leaving her mother at his mercy. Grace plans to save money to send for her mother—when she is able to get a job.

Owen McNulty has rejected his parents’ desires to follow in his wealthy father’s footsteps. His desire is to serve his city as a policeman. The corruption among some on the police force create problems for him.

Owen meets the lovely Grace soon after her arrival, but she won’t accept his help.

Grace vows not trust any peeler.

This historical fiction novel shows the struggles of Irish immigrants at the turn of the last century. I didn’t know much about this part of American history and learned a great deal. The author did a wonderful job on her research to bring their difficulties and the corruption in the police departments to light.

The characters are multi-layered, believable, and likeable. The well-written story drew me in immediately and I kept turning pages.

Great novel! I will look for more by this author.

-Review by Sandra Merville Hart

Christianbook.com

Cowboy Competition by Becca Whitham

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Nia Lindley is gun-shy about men since making a couple of poor choices. Though she longs to find a good man to marry, she focuses on helping her father run their successful Texas ranch.

Toby Lane lives in the shadow of his father’s mistakes. Unfortunately, those sins cast a long shadow and Toby finds himself looking for another job. Again.

An advertisement for a foreman catches his interest. The Double L Cattle Ranch will hold a Cowboy Competition to find the best candidate for the job.

The Double L Ranch—should Toby risk returning?

I thought the author did a great job piquing the reader’s interest about Toby’s past. It added a bit of mystery to the story.

I loved learning about the cowboy competitions. I didn’t know these were held in the Old West to search for the best employee.

I enjoyed this novella, part of The Cowboy’s Bride Collection published by Barbour.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Christianbook.com