Book Review

A Certain Man by Linda Dindzans

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

A Certain Future Series, Book 1  

One finds it difficult to believe this is a Debut Novel. Dindzans has written a mesmerizing story that immerses readers into the dangerous New Testament days when a father’s whim held more sway over whom a woman would marry than she did herself.

Readers of the Bible will note specific events in the life of Jesus and even His parables are woven into this well-written story.

Mara, the daughter of a drunkard, is only important to her father for the money he will receive from the bridegroom. Mara wants to marry her neighbor Samuel in two years when he has saved the bride-price. She’ll be fifteen then. Yet events take a terrible turn.

Dindzans’s depth of research transports readers back to Biblical days. Jewish traditions and culture enrich the storytelling.

The book is edgier than I normally read. There is violence and rape but it’s not explicitly shown. There are characters readers will love and others they definitely will not.

I could not put the book down.

I highly recommend this novel to lovers of Biblical fiction.

Julia’s Joy by Susan G. Mathis

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Love at a Lighthouse, Book 2

Terms in her grandmother’s will send Julia Collins to Sister Island on the St. Lawrence River. Julia is accustomed to an active social life. The island only has two residents when she arrives, the lightkeeper and his mother. Before she arrives, she is certain her grief won’t required this much solitude.

William Dodge, the lightkeeper, is recovering from his fiancé ending their engagement, who broke up with him over his occasional bouts with pleurisy. Julia’s lack of faith troubles him and he gives her room to make that journey.

Surprising twists kept me turning pages. Loveable, believable characters drew me into their story. Their heartache tugged at my emotions.  

This gentle, well-written love story is highly recommended for those who love to immerse themselves in another time with a great book!   

I was given a copy of the book by the author. A positive review was not required.

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Finding the Dog Groomer’s Soulmate by Cindy Ervin Huff

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Dog Groomer’s Love Stories, Book 2  

Former Air Force Captain Cassie Quinn lost her arm in a roadside IED. To escape her nightmares and panic attacks, she applies for a job at a Dog Groomer’s. She’s surprised when the family-run business hires her. She sees it as a step toward healing.

Aaron Willis is part owner of a thriving Dog Grooming business. The animal loving bachelor has a hard time saying no to anyone who needs him. Before long, Cassie has captured his attention. They begin dating but his need to help her overwhelms Cassie.

She’s getting more comfortable with her prosthetic arm physically but inside she feels emotionally broken. Who will want to marry her?

Believable, loveable characters had me rooting for them. The tension increased as the story went on, drawing me into the story. Some surprising twists caused me to wonder how the hero and heroine could resolve their conflict.

This novel will appeal to animal lovers and dog lovers. Cassie needs an emotional support dog and it was inspiring to see how her pet helped her deal with her nightmares and her panic attacks.

I recommend this contemporary romance novel, and dog lovers will especially enjoy it.

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Point of Danger by Irene Hannon

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Triple Threat Series, Book 1

Eve Reilly discovers a package on her porch—and it’s ticking. She’s received threats before due to her honesty on hard-hitting topics as a radio show host but this scares her.

The police detective assigned to the case is Brent Lange. The sheer volume of threats from callers into Eve’s radio program have him on edge. As danger escalates, so does the danger to his heart. His past will keep him from pursuing a relationship but he has enough on his plate trying to protect her.

Characters are likeable, relatable, and realistic. Escalating danger at every turn kept me on the edge of my seat.

A page turner! Plan on staying up late to finish this one.

Highly recommend for readers of suspense!

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A Deep Divide by Kimberley Woodhouse

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Secrets of the Canyon, Book 1

Heiress Emma Grace McMurray hopes her job as a Harvey Girl will disguise her from those seeking her hand in marriage—and her life. She never feels safe, even in the remote Grand Canyon location.

Ray Watkins arrives in the Grand Canyon with several of his father’s employees. He will inherit his father’s business, yet he yearns for another career. The great wealth his father has amassed only leaves him hungry for more riches, an attitude that worries Ray. He’d love to court his waitress, Emma Grace, but her reserved manner discourages him.

Emma Grace doesn’t trust men—with good reason. Ray doesn’t seem like her father and his employees. Five years is a long time to run. She must trust someone. Can she trust Ray?

I was immediately drawn into the story by a gripping Prologue. Emma Grace’s plight grew worse with each twist and turn. The characters are likeable and believable. Attitudes fit the time period.

There are many surprises in the action-packed drama. I couldn’t put it down.

A definite page-turner!

Recommend! I will look for more by this author.

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Crinoline Cowboys

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

4 Southern Women Head West to Crinoline Creek, Texas

In A Cowboy of Her Own by Patty Smith Hall, Madalyn Turner wants nothing more than to run her own ranch in Crinoline Creek, but she doesn’t realize that the male ranchers in town would be so set against a female rancher. Luckily, Carter Wilbanks needs help with his sister in exchange for lessons in ranching.

In Josephine’s Dream by Cynthia Hickey, Josie Montgomery accepts a job as housekeeper and nanny for Parker Owen’s four children with no prior experience. The widower desperately needs her help but is reluctant to trust her. He sure didn’t expect to fall in love with her.

Marilyn Turk’s Love’s Lookin’ at the Cowboy Café finds Sarah Beth Taylor in town to claim her restaurant that her uncle gave to her—only he neglected to mention the establishment used to be a saloon. Emery Wright, the president of the bank, doesn’t want to get involved in the sweet Southern belle’s problems, but Sarah Beth doesn’t take ‘no’ for an answer.

Kathleen Y’Barbo’s Bea Mine finds Bea Wilson coming to Crinoline Creek to claim her aunt and uncle’s land only to find they have no claim to it. In fact, shady dealings connected to the claim get her arrested and temporary Sheriff Gil Hollis must guard her. But the two have a history neither one suspects…  

I enjoyed these stories. All four heroines are determined to make a new life for themselves despite being ill-equipped for the challenges demanded by their new positions. They were all from the South and had all suffered great losses during the recent Civil War, an aspect of the stories that snagged my interest.

Love’s Lookin’ at the Cowboy Café may have been my favorite because the heroine had no clue how to cook for herself, much less cook for customers.

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Protected by Paula Peckham

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

San Antonio Series, Book 1

Illness claims the lives of all the adults in a small wagon train headed to Texas. At 18, Abby is the oldest, and the weight of leading the surviving children lands on her shoulders.

There is plenty of danger that accompanies the small band of children. Abby is not even certain of the way. Her parents and brother are gone, leaving her without family. Only one family of children have relatives in Texas. Still, she struggles to lead her crew—until two men kidnap her and fourteen-year-old Sarah.

Manny and his friend Jonathan are heading back to Texas when they find the orphans. They can’t turn their backs on them. Manny tries to hide his face, scarred from a fire, so the little ones won’t fear him.

The setting drew me into the story as did the danger. Abby has to learn nearly everything about cooking and establishing a ranch, giving readers a glimpse of the hard work those early settlers endured.

I enjoyed the story and many sections were page-turners for me. I look forward to reading the whole collection.

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I Love Mom, Our Hero by Bettie Boswell

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

In this children’s picture book, the little girl and her mother have to move because her daddy has been hurt in the war. He lost his foot and he has to heal and learn how to walk with a new foot.

The little girl’s hero is her mother. She wants to grow up to be just like her and help others. Then they have an idea that will bless the whole community—but they’ll need help to accomplish it.

The book is recommended for children 3 – 8, and is a great book for parents to read to their children at bedtime.

I will look for more books by this author.

I was given a free copy of the book by the author. A positive review was not required.

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What I Would Tell You by Liz Tolsma

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

This split-time story is set during World War II and modern day. Mathilda’s story begins in 1941. She’s a Sephardic Jew living in Salonika, Greece, with her husband, Asher, at the beginning of the book. The Germans are coming. Everyone fears that the Germans are doing to Jews in other parts of Europe will happen to them. Mathilda believes her newspaper will stir her community’s courage. She continues to write her articles against the Germans in secret even after they occupy Greece.

Tessa is a college student in contemporary Pittsburg. The results of her genealogy tests shock her because they show her Sephardic Jewish heritage, something her mother had never shared. Even more shocking is that her cousin’s test isn’t even similar. It’s not difficult to leave behind strained family relationships on summer break. She travels to discover her roots in Salonika, Greece, where a handsome curator at a Jewish Museum helps her trace her ancestry. He gives her Mathilda’s diary to give her insights about the horror faced by the Jews in the area.

Tessa is not prepared for what she learns.

This book was a page-turner for me. Characters face impossible choices in the WWII story. It’s heart-wrenching to read. Difficult family relationships and old scars tug will readers’ emotions in the contemporary story. The overall desire to learn what happened to Mathilda and her family kept me glued to the story. A compelling read that makes you think about the story after the last page.

I enjoyed this poignant story that held surprising twists. I knew little about what had happened in Greece during WWII before picking up this book.  

Recommended for readers of inspirational historical and split-time stories.

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The Greenbrier Heritage by William Olcott

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

The Greenbrier Heritage: White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia

This book begins with the early history of The Greenbrier and the surrounding area, showing its humble beginnings.

Many famous visitors stayed at The Greenbrier over its rich history, including United States Presidents Millard Fillmore, Andrew Jackson, James Buchanan, Martin Van Buren, John Tyler, Franklin Pierce, and James K. Polk.

I enjoyed the many pictures and photos of paintings in the book that depicted scenes at The Greenbrier and its many visitors.

I purchased this book to discover the history for The Greenbrier, the beautiful resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. I was researching the background for my book, A Spring at The Greenbrier, Book 7 in Romance at the Gilded Age Resorts Series. Not only does my heroine work there in the new Bath Wing but also her younger sister needs to bathe in the spring waters to possibly help her.

Recommended for readers of American history and those interested in learning about The Greenbrier.

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