Eye of the Sword by Karyn Henley

★★★★★
Read chapter one here.
Goodreads | Amazon

Where angels walk the ground and the future is told in song, does a man of low rank have a chance at love with a princess?
 
In Camrithia, a land of shadows and mystical secrets, Trevin lives to serve King Laetham. But his heart belongs to the princess, Melaia. When the King sends Trevin on on a dangerous quest to find the missing comains – captains in the king’s army – he must leave Melaia to the advances of a swaggering Dregmoorian prince. 
 
Challenged to prove his worth, Trevin throws himself into his quest. Striving to prove his love, Trevin undertakes a second mission – find the harps Melaia seeks in order to restore the stairway to heaven. Through fire caves, rogue winds, and murderous threats, Trevin remains steadfastly dedicated to his quest – even when he is falsely accused of a heinous crime. As Trevin’s time runs out, he realizes he must face the shame and horror of his own past and the nightmare that has come to life. Will he have the courage to finish what he has started?

This second foray into the mythical land of Camrithia, where humans find themselves walking among angels and half-angels, is nothing less than an entertaining and addicting read. (The Angelaeon Circle series begins with Breath of Angel.) With the tasteful mix of adventure – feats of strength, epic battles, daunting challenges – and endearing romance, I could not stop reading until the end. I would definitely recommend this novel to anyone with an interest in the genre of fantasy, though I would advise reading Breath of Angel first, since the knowledge of the back story helps to understand the plot.

I would like to thank WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for providing me with a copy of this novel. I greatly appreciate the opportunity to read and honestly review it.

Waiting for Morning by Margaret Brownley

★★★★★
Goodreads | Amazon

If Molly Hatfield's purple attire doesn't blind you, her dazzling smile will.  She doesn't just sing to the cattle, she puts on a whole show. If only she wasn't so stubborn about her brother's care.  Or so distrustful of a certain handsome doctor...

There is nothing Molly wouldn't do for her teenaged brother, Donny. Blaming herself for the accident that left him wheel-chair bound, Molly has dedicated her life to his care. But in 1896, gainful employment for a woman is hard to come by. So when Molly learns that an eccentric rancher in Cactus Patch, Arizona, is looking for an heiress – someone to take over management of the ranch in exchange for future ownership – she jumps at the chance to provide a real home for her brother. 

If she proves to have a knack for ranching and agrees to remain single for life, the ranch can be hers. Neither stipulation worries Molly. She's resourceful and hardworking. And she gave up dreams of marriage long ago when she dedicated her life to her brother's well-being.

However, Molly didn't bank on meeting Dr. Caleb Fairbanks, the town's handsome and charismatic young doctor, whose backfiring automobile almost gets him killed when Molly thinks she's being shot at and fires back. 

But it's how he is with her brother that really alarms her. Caleb sees past the wheelchair and genuinely likes Donny, but Molly fears he's putting unrealistic ideas into her brother's head. Falling in love with Caleb would threaten everything she's worked for, even her brother's future happiness. It'll take an act of congress to convince her otherwise – and maybe even a little help from above.

As with Dawn Comes Early, I thoroughly enjoyed the development of the three central characters and the conflicts that ensue within their relationships. It was a treat to become caught up in the emotion of the pages, eagerly awaiting a hopeful resolution. Though full of new characters and situations, Waiting for Morning contains all the aspects I loved about the previous novel – the western setting, the adventure, the romance. Capable of standing on its own, I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in romantic historical fiction and I greatly appreciate BookSneeze for providing me with yet another free copy of a novel and the opportunity to review it.