Hope O’Neal travels west to take her friend’s place as a mail-order bride for Patrick Eastland. Emigrating to the United States from Ireland had led to drudgery. She prays that marrying a stranger will finally be the answer to her dreams of a happy life.
Patrick Eastland’s friend had advertised for a nanny for Patrick’s two nephews, but Hope isn’t to blame for his friend’s mistake. He marries her with the promise to annul the marriage after harvesting all the fruit from his apple orchard. That has to be his focus, or he will lose the house and land he inherited from his grandfather.
This short, satisfying story can be read in about two hours. There are hurdles on the path to paying off the hero’s mortgage. The heroine’s attitude won me over early in the story and had me pulling for her and the hero.
I look forward to reading another book by this author.
Beth Miller, horticultural therapist, takes on a lion’s share of the work at her family’s garden center after the deaths of her father and brother two years before. She hasn’t completed her internship for certification and has put her life on hold for her family. Her oasis is renting an apartment from Agatha, who almost feels like a grandmother to her.
Tyler Sharp, Agatha’s nephew, moves in with his great aunt while searching for a home. His job as the new social worker at the local women’s correctional facility is temporary because he and his friend plan to minister to juveniles and children of incarcerated parents in Colorado. He can’t afford to fall in love with Beth, who lives in Washington.
The story captivated my attention from the beginning with a lovable hero and heroine. The author includes several secondary characters in difficult situations that I found myself championing. We know from the beginning that the hero doesn’t plan to stay in Washington, keeping my attention as the story unfolded with unexpected turns.
I look forward to reading the next book in the series!
Sarah Robinson leaves behind her successful job to purchase a bookstore in Trinity Falls, a place she’s dreamed of returning to since her family left when she was a child. Of the many places her family lived during her childhood, Trinity Falls was the only town that felt like home. She’s thrilled to return, even after finding the bookshop hasn’t been kept up.
Brody Webb feels sorry for the city girl who bought his uncle’s shop. How long would it be before she gave up on the small-town bookstore and returned to the big city? Brody’s own wife had divorced him and left him, his farm, and their children to pursue a brilliant career. Brody can’t allow himself to fall for Sarah, no matter how much his avid-reading daughter loves her.
Sarah’s growing friendship with Brody and his children blossoms into more, but there’s no sign that the confirmed bachelor returns her feelings.
This book was a page-turner for me! The children definitely made the story more poignant for me. Neither the hero nor the heroine has a high opinion of their own appeal to the opposite sex, which adds to the story’s tension.
This well-written book is a feel-good story.
I will look for more books by this author. Recommended for readers of contemporary romances.
Matthias Bjork searches for his sister in the rugged Wyoming Territory. Both his Viking heritage and family are vital to him, and he hasn’t seen his sister in twenty years.
Opal Boyd’s experiences with men have led her to steer clear of them. That’s why she’s so grateful to have found a job and a home with an older German couple in the Wyoming Territory. Meeting with Matthias, whom her boarding family considers an adopted son, doesn’t change her mind initially, yet the strong man soon captivates her thoughts.
Matthias is equally mesmerized by Opal, yet continues to follow all clues to his sister. Once he finds her, he vows never to live far apart from her again. That promise becomes difficult to keep.
This book was a page-turner for me. The author weaves lots of twists and turns into the story that kept me guessing to the end. Lovable characters touched my heart in this poignant story.
This isn’t the first novel I’ve read by this prolific author, nor will it be the last. Recommended for readers of historical romances.
After the death of her husband, Elizabeth Campbell spends all her money on a train ticket to the Colorado Territory in search of her brother. Upon learning that he’s in California with his new bride, Elizabeth takes a job as a waitress at the hotel her brother built.
In dread of his next job, Landon Cooper stops at a fine hotel for the night. His waitress at the lunch counter captivates him, but he’s not worthy of a good woman—especially after he completes his new job. Still, he can’t forget her. When she enlists his help in decorating the hotel for Christmas, he extends his stay.
Elizabeth’s marriage had not been a good one. It wouldn’t be wise to marry another cowboy, yet Landon stirs her heart. But what secret is he keeping?
The story captivated my attention from the first chapter as believable characters drew me into their plight. The hero’s decision kept me wondering as the story unfolded.
Characters from earlier novels are introduced seamlessly into the story, making me want to read the whole series.
The main reason Macie Newman accepts a job at a ranch in the small town of Hidden Veil is to give Alex, her nine-year-old son, a country setting to heal from witnessing his father drown. Her chef skills might be wasted on Lane Becker and his uncle, but she will do anything to help her traumatized son to heal.
Lane’s focus is on establishing his equine therapy center that will open in a few months. He soon discovers Alex’s trauma. Unfortunately, the boy’s feisty mother tends to be overprotective. Macie doesn’t take it well when he gives her his opinion. Lane’s friendship with both of them grows along with Alex’s interest in the ranch’s horses. Yet Lane can’t allow himself to dream of a relationship with Macie because of lingering guilt due to his brother’s death.
Lovable characters quickly pulled me into their plight. Both the hero and heroine have believable past emotional issues that made me care about their journey, especially as it affected the boy.
I enjoyed the North Carolina small-town setting. Townspeople whom we may see again in future books make me want to continue reading the series.
My husband loves chocolate eclairs. He enjoys this treat from a local bakery two or three times a year. I was thrilled to find a no-bake recipe for chocolate éclair cake. I made it for a family Christmas party.
After reading several recipes that used instant vanilla pudding mix, I finally found one that gave an option to prepare the cake using pastry cream. The recipe I followed used whole milk, egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, salt, and vanilla extract. You can find that here.
I made chocolate buttercream frosting from scratch, or you can use a 16-ounce container of chocolate frosting.
I used a container of whipped topping, but it is easy to make your own, if you prefer.
Because I prepared the pastry cream and frosting from scratch, this whole cake took about an hour to prepare
Ingredients
Pastry cream (link to recipe above)
3 cups whipped topping, thawed
1 16-oz. package Graham crackers
2 cups of chocolate frosting
In a medium mixing bowl, gently fold the whipped topping into the prepared pastry cream until well blended to create a thick, creamy pudding.
Depending on the size of your serving dish, you may not use all of the Graham crackers. I chose a 9×13-inch glass dish and had a few crackers left over.
First layer: Arrange a single layer of Graham crackers on the bottom of the dish. Break apart some crackers if necessary to create a whole layer.
Second layer: Cover the Graham crackers with half of the pudding. Spread evenly.
Third layer: Arrange another layer of Graham crackers over the pudding.
Fourth layer: Cover with Graham crackers with the remaining pudding.
Fifth layer: Top with the final layer of Graham crackers.
Sixth layer: Frost the top layer of Graham crackers with the chocolate icing, taking care not to dislodge them.
Cover the dessert with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight before serving, as the crackers soften when chilled.
I served this cake at a holiday gathering alongside two other delicious desserts, and it was nearly gone at the end of the evening. My family loved it.
Epiphany is a word that some Christians use to describe the day that the Magi from the East found Jesus. The meaning of epiphany—a sudden, striking realization.
The Twelve Days of Christmas begin on December 25th, with a celebration of Jesus’ birth, and end on January 6th, which is traditionally celebrated as the day the Magi visited.
In the Middle Ages, Epiphany was also known as Twelfth Night or King’s Day.
In the mid-nineteenth century, Prince Albert and Queen Victoria of England transformed Epiphany into a family occasion that celebrated the Magi’s wonder at finding the Christ child.
In earlier times, the holiday season was celebrated beginning Christmas Eve to the Eve of Epiphany, when families sang songs and took down decorations. They attended church services on the Eve of Epiphany. Aromas from baked or simmered herbs reminded Christians of the Magi’s gifts.
Children left food for the wise men and hay for their camels that night. The food was usually gone the next morning, replaced by gold coins. This gift-giving was gradually replaced by Santa Claus in the United States and Father Christmas in England late in the 1800s.
Children in Germany dress up as Magi on January 6th and follow a child holding a star to find baby Jesus.
Epiphany is called “King’s Day” in parts of Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and Argentina. Wise men leave gifts on the Eve of Epiphany. “King’s cake” is often served as part of the meal on Epiphany.
Children fill shoes with barley for the Magi’s livestock in Italy and Spain.
A ship sails into many Spanish seaports on the morning of Epiphany with the Magi on board. These wise men give candy to children lining the sidewalks.
It’s fun to discover the different traditions associated with the 12 Days of Christmas.
Sources
Collins, Ace. Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas, Zondervan, 2003.
Bear Glover shares the ownership of a thriving Texas ranch with his cousin. The ranch is large enough to support his adult siblings and cousins. He loves his job yet he’s lonely. Sammy Benton caught his eye three years and he’s finally worked up the courage to ask her out.
Sammy runs her own shop in addition to raising her sister’s son, Lincoln. Her parents are getting older, requiring her help. Bear’s invitation thrills her. Unfortunately, their date doesn’t go well.
A tornado that wreaks havoc on their community brings them together. Sammy has been raising Lincoln on her own so long. Can she accept help without feeling weak?
This story was a page-turner. Our strong hero was so sweetly awkward about asking Sammy out that he drew me in immediately. Our heroine would do anything to keep from appearing weak.
The Texas community setting invited me in and made me want to stay a while. The families of the main characters were equally lovable, making me eager to read the next story in the series.
When I was a little girl, my dad insisted that I eat at least one spoonful of black-eyed peas for good luck on New Year’s Day. I didn’t like them. Eating even a spoonful seemed like a high price to pay for good luck in the new year.
Each year in December, I buy black-eyed peas to supplement our New Year’s meal—that is, when the grocery store doesn’t run out of them. That’s happened several times. Apparently, others are looking for the same good luck. I guess I’m just superstitious enough after hearing the saying year after year to worry when I don’t get them. We all need a little luck, after all.
Folks from the southern United States eat black-eyed peas on January 1st. Cornbread is another favorite in that section of the country. Eating green, leafy vegetables, supposed to resemble money, brings prosperity.
Citizens in Spain eat 12 grapes at midnight. Each grape represents one month of the year. If the fifth and sixth grape taste especially bad, May and June might be a little difficult.
Germans, Austrians, and Hungarians are among those who eat pork on New Year’s. Pigs signify progress. Roast pork, pig’s feet, and sausages are a few of the meals prepared.
Ring-shaped or round cakes are another tradition. Those who find a tiny treat baked inside will have good luck in the new year.
One of the foods to avoid on New Year’s Day is lobster. Eating these is thought to bring setbacks because they move backwards. Chickens scratch backwards. The superstition here is that eating chicken on January 1st may cause the diner’s thoughts to linger on the past.
It’s fun to look at our habits of celebrating the coming year in our meals. There are a lot of choices, but I think I will continue the tradition of black-eyed peas for our meal.
Sandra Merville Hart 