Waiting on Wednesday: Dauntless

Hosted weekly by Breaking the Spine 
to spotlight eagerly-anticipated upcoming releases.

Goodreads | Amazon

Title: Dauntless

Author: Dina Sleiman

Publisher: Bethany House

Expected Publication Date: 3 March 2015

Though once a baron's daughter, Lady Merry Ellison is willing to go to any lengths to protect the orphaned children of her former village. Dubbed "The Ghosts of Farthingale Forest," her band of followers soon become enemies of the throne when they hijack ill-gotten gold meant for the king. 

Timothy Grey, ninth child of the Baron of Greyham, longs to perform some feat so legendary that he will rise from obscurity and earn a title of his own. When the Ghosts of Farthingale Forest are spotted in Wyndeshire, where he serves as assistant to the local earl, he might have found his chance. But when he comes face-to-face with the leader of the thieves, will he choose fame or love?

Why I'm Waiting: A female Robin Hood character? Of course I want to read it.

Love Never Fails by Martha Rogers

★★★★✩
Goodreads | Amazon

At odds over their beliefs and separated by the war, Molly and Stefan must learn to depend of God.

In book three of the Homeward Journey series, Daniel and Sally Delaney’s daughter Molly finishes school and returns to her home to teach. When old friends of her parents come for a visit with their son, Stefan, Molly is attracted to the young man, but all he is interested in is talking about his position in the army. When he leaves to rejoin his regiment, Molly is both relieved and saddened. Can they overcome their differences and find love?

The third novel in Martha Rogers’ Homeward Journey series, Love Never Fails is another enjoyable historical romance. It easily follows the previous two novels, telling the story of two characters who must reconcile their desires for the future with their growing love for each other. Once again, within this story, Rogers offers peeks at the lives of previous characters - Manfred and Sally, Micah and Hannah. It’s a delightful and heartwarming romance - and my only problem was the repetitive comments about their need to contain and deny their feelings. But all in all, Love Never Fails is a great read for fans of the previous novels and I would recommend it.

Thanks to Booketeria, I received a copy of Love Never Fails and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

The Beekeeper's Son by Kelly Irvin

★★★★★
Goodreads | Amazon

A strange, mystical place allows Deborah and Phineas to see themselves and others with new eyes.

When Deborah Lantz arrives in Bee County, Texas, she expects to find a great oasis of citrus groves and olive trees. Instead, she finds a tiny Amish district struggling to make ends meet on a barren, drought-stricken land.

Deborah longs to go home to the lush, green countryside of Tennessee, but she wants her mother, a widow with six children, to be happy again. Even if that means accepting Stephen as her future stepfather. She can’t believe God created such an ugly place filled with strange animals, twisted, stunted trees, and not a drop of rain for months.

Then she meets the beekeeper’s son. Phineas King’s face is disfigured by scars from an accident that killed his mother and destroyed his trust in God. Through their encounters both begin to realize the beauty in all of God’s creation. Deborah walks through the strange land of figs, Mexican squash, and wild cucumbers to see Phineas, who finds solace in his work keeping the bee hives and harvesting honey for his father. Both are rarely alone, but always lonely. Deborah begins to see Bee County through Phineas’s eyes and Phineas learns to see himself through hers.

I keep finding delightful Amish fiction and Kelly Irvin’s The Beekeeper’s Son definitely fits in that category for me. Deborah and her family relocate and slowly acclimate to their lives in Texas, and the ensuing events and circumstances within their new community had me at times hopeful and happy, at others (momentarily) frustrated and disappointed. Irvin’s novel is a journey with plenty of ups and downs and I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it all the way to the end. With this uniquely placed Amish community, filled with complex characters and relationships, Irvin’s novel kept me hooked and entertained and I would certainly recommend it to fans of Amish fiction.

Thanks to BookLook Bloggers, I received a copy of The Beekeeper’s Son and the opportunity to honestly review it. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. (I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”)

About the Author

Kelly Irvin is the author of the Bliss Creek Amish series and the New Hope Amish series. She has also penned two romantic suspense novels, A Deadly Wilderness and No Child of Mine. The Kansas native is a graduate of the University of Kansas School of Journalism. She has been writing nonfiction professionally for thirty years, including ten years as a newspaper reporter, mostly in Texas-Mexico border towns. She has worked in public relations for the City of San Antonio for twenty years. Kelly has been married to photographer Tim Irvin for twenty-five years. They have two young adult children, two cats, and a tank full of fish. In her spare time, she likes to write short stories and read books by her favorite authors.

Out of the Ruins by Karen Barnett

★★★★★
Goodreads | Amazon

While her sister lies on her deathbed, Abby Fischer prays for a miracle. What Abby doesn’t expect, however, is for God’s answer to come in the form of the handsome Dr. Robert King, whose experimental treatment is risky at best.

As they work together toward a cure, Abby’s feelings for Robert become hopelessly entangled. Separated by the tragedy of the mighty San Francisco earthquake, their relationship suddenly takes a back seat to survival. With fires raging throughout the city, Abby fears for her life as she flees alone through burning streets. Where is God now? Will Robert find Abby, even as the world burns around them? Or has their love fallen with the ruins of the city?

Karen Barnett’s Out of the Ruins provides a fascinating look at both cancer treatment in the early 1900s and the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Against this backdrop, Barnett creates interesting and relatable characters who must determine how God fits among their circumstances. I really enjoyed this historical read with its action, drama and romance and cannot wait to read the following Golden Gate Chronicles novel, Beyond the Ashes.

Thanks to Goodreads First Reads, I won a copy of Out of the Ruins. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

The Wishing Season by Denise Hunter

★★★★★
Goodreads | Amazon

Living side-by-side, a fledgling chef and a big-hearted contractor find a delicious attraction. Trouble is their chemistry could spoil their dreams.

Spirited PJ McKinley has the touch when it comes to food. Her dream of opening her own restaurant is just one building short of reality. So when a Chapel Springs resident offers her beloved ancestral home to the applicant with the best plan for the house, PJ believes it’s a contest she was meant to win.

Contractor Cole Evans is confident, professional, and swoon-worthy – but this former foster kid knows his life could have turned out very differently. When Cole discovers the contest, he believes his home for foster kids in transition has found its saving grace. All he has to do is convince the owner that an out-of-towner with a not-for-profit enterprise is good for the community.

But when the eccentric philanthropist sees PJ and Cole’s proposals, she makes an unexpected decision: the pair will share the house for a year to show what their ideas are made of. Now, with Cole and the foster kids upstairs and PJ and the restaurant below, day-to-day life has turned into out-and-out competition – with some seriously flirtatious hallway encounters on the side. Turns out in this competition, it’s not just the house on the line, it’s their hearts.

Denise Hunter’s The Wishing Season is such a cute read. After reading Barefoot Summer and Dancing with Fireflies, I could not wait to revisit Chapel Springs and the McKinley family - and I was not disappointed. PJ McKinley takes the leading role in this novel and I loved getting to know her character better and seeing her interact with the attractive and likeable Cole Evans. Their combined story, as they work under the same roof, is sweet and funny, though each is haunted by bits of their past that much be overcome. I really enjoyed this newest story from Hunter and cannot wait to visit again with Married til Monday.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley, I received a copy of The Wishing Season and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. 

Churched: One Kid's Journey Toward God Despite a Holy Mess by Matthew Paul Turner

★★★★★
Goodreads | Amazon

Churched details an American boy’s experiences growing up in a culture where men weren’t allowed to let their hair grow to touch their ears (“an abomination!”), women wouldn’t have been caught dead in a pair of pants (unless swimming), and the pastor couldn’t preach a sermon without a healthy dose of hellfire and brimstone.
 
In 1978, when Matthew Paul Turner was five, his family became sold-out members of an independent Baptist church, joining without any firsthand knowledge of Christian fundamentalism, only his parents’ sincere desire to follow God. In Churched, with wit and careful observation, he reveals the tenderness and grace that managed to seep through the cracks and a young man who, amidst the chaotic mess of religion, falls in love with Jesus.

Churched by Matthew Paul Turner is an entertaining and amusing memoir about his experiences growing up in the culture of a fundamental Baptist church. While it is not as much of a “journey” as I expected, given the title, it is an interesting read nevertheless. With each chapter, Turner provides a series of astounding and slightly crazy experiences and beliefs from his childhood. Turner is an excellent storyteller and I thoroughly enjoyed this quick and easy read. I would recommend it for those readers who enjoy memoirs.

Thanks to Blogging for Books, I received a copy of Churched and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

In the Field of Grace by Tessa Afshar

★★★★★
Goodreads | Amazon

Destitute, grief-stricken, and unwanted by the people of God, Ruth arrives in Israel with nothing to recommend her but Naomi's, love. Her loftiest hope is to provide enough food to save Naomi and herself from starvation. But God has other plans for her life.

While everyone considers Ruth an outcast, she is astounded to find one of the most honored men of Judah showing her favor. Long since a widower and determined to stay that way, Boaz is irresistibly drawn to the foreign woman with the haunted eyes. He tells himself he is only being kind to his Cousin Naomi's chosen daughter when he goes out of his way to protect her from harm, but his heart knows better.

Based on the biblical account of Ruth, In the Field of Grace is the story of a love that ultimately changes the course of Israel's destiny and the future of the whole world.

The Book of Ruth is one of my favorite parts of the Bible, so I love when I have the chance to read novelized versions of it - and after reading Harvest of Rubies and Harvest of Gold, I knew that Tessa Afshar would do a fantastic job in bringing the story and its characters to life. In In the Field of Grace, Afshar beautifully tells the familiar story with fresh perspective, highlighting themes and historical details I hadn’t before considered. I loved this retelling and would certainly recommend it to anyone who enjoys biblical fiction. It is an enjoyable, emotional and entertaining read.

Thanks to Moody Publishers, I received a copy of In the Field of Grace and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

Waiting on Wednesday: Whenever You Come Around

Hosted weekly by Breaking the Spine 
to spotlight eagerly-anticipated upcoming releases.

Goodreads | Amazon

Title: Whenever You Come Around

Author: Robin Lee Hatcher

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Expected Publication Date: 12 March 2015

Just when Charity's wild imagination failed her, a flesh-and-blood hero walked into her life.

Best-selling author Charity Anderson returns to her hometown of Kings Meadow to defeat a bad case of writer's block. She imagines she'll spend a lonely summer writing and then return to her home in Boise. She soon finds herself caring for Buck Malone, a wilderness guide – and the object of her unrequited teenage crush. But what else can she do? Her dog Cocoa caused the accident that left Buck with a broken ankle and wrist, taking him off the trail for weeks of prime tourist-season work.

Buck and Charity have gone different ways since high school, and at first it seems they have little in common. Buck loves the simple, low-key life he's made for himself in the mountains of Idaho, and she's a woman accustomed to the faster, bustling pace of the city. But spending so much time together has Buck hoping to change her mind about staying in the small town she thought she'd left behind for good.

It's a summer for discovering that young love is a spark not soon extinguished.

Why I'm Waiting: I really like Love Without End, so I want to see what happens next in Kings Meadow.

A Thing of Beauty by Lisa Samson

★★★★★
Goodreads | Amazon

It's a wonder to behold what happens when love moves in…

Former child star Fiona Hume left the biz a decade ago, after she left rehab. She retreated to Baltimore and bought an old mansion downtown with dreams of restoring it into a masterpiece – maybe creating an artist's studio for herself. And living an artist's life.

That was the plan.

Ten years later, Fiona's huge house is filled with junk purchased at thrift stores, yard sales, or picked up from the side of the road. Each piece was destined for a project, but all she's got so far is a piece of twine with some antique buttons threaded down its length.

Her money has almost run out. She will soon lose her house and will be forced back into acting.

So it is that Fiona comes to rent out a room to a local blacksmith, Josiah. Little by little, Josiah magically transforms Fiona's home into something beautiful. She comes to life again. Her relationships heal and she experiences, perhaps for the first time, what it means to be human, what it means to be loved, and what it means when we let go and allow the wondrous workings of forces far bigger than we are to take over.

Lisa Samson’s A Thing of Beauty is a quirky, delightful story, containing so much more than the boy-meets-girl love story I assumed from reading the synopsis. Fiona Hume is a stubborn, opinionated, broken protagonist and despite her problems, I liked rooting for her. Watching her grow in her relationships and view life with a fresh perspective makes for a fun and rewarding reading experience. A heartfelt novel of love and forgiveness with plenty of witty cultural references, A Thing of Beauty is a highly enjoyable read and I would recommend it. I can’t wait to read more from Lisa Samson in the future.

Thanks to BookLook Bloggers, I received a copy of A Thing of Beauty and the opportunity to honestly review it. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. (I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”)

About the Author

Lisa Samson is the beloved author of the award-winning novels Quaker Summer and The Sky Beneath My Feet. Publishers Weekly recently compared her style to that of Anne Tyler.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Bringing This Year

Hosted weekly by The Broke and the Bookish.

The Secret of Pembrooke Park by Julie Klassen

★★★★★
Goodreads | Amazon

Abigail Foster is the practical daughter. She fears she will end up a spinster, especially as she has little dowry, and the one man she thought might marry her seems to have fallen for her younger, prettier sister. 

Facing financial ruin, Abigail and her father search for more affordable lodgings, until a strange solicitor arrives with an astounding offer: the use of a distant manor house abandoned for eighteen years. The Fosters journey to imposing Pembrooke Park and are startled to find it entombed as it was abruptly left: tea cups encrusted with dry tea, moth-eaten clothes in wardrobes, a doll's house left mid-play…

The handsome local curate welcomes them, but though he and his family seem acquainted with the manor's past, the only information they offer is a stern warning: Beware trespassers drawn by rumors that Pembrooke Park contains a secret room filled with treasure.

This catches Abigail's attention. Hoping to restore her family's finances – and her dowry – Abigail looks for this supposed treasure. But eerie sounds at night and footprints in the dust reveal she isn't the only one secretly searching the house.

Then Abigail begins receiving anonymous letters, containing clues about the hidden room and startling discoveries about the past. 

As old friends and new foes come calling at Pembrooke Park, secrets come to light. Will Abigail find the treasure and love she seeks...or very real danger?

I have yet to be disappointed by one of Julie Klassen’s novels. She always manages to craft an addictively engaging story, filled with mystery and romance. In The Secret of Pembrooke Park, the intrigue of the abandoned and neglected setting, the circumstances and backgrounds of the characters and the suspense of how everything would tie together held me captive until the very last page. This fantastic tale of secrets and treasure is highly enjoyable and I would recommend it to anyone who likes historical mystery and romance. Now, I can’t wait to read more from Klassen in the future.

Thanks to Bethany House, I received a copy of The Secret of Pembrooke Park and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. 

The Patmos Deception by Davis Bunn

★★★★★
Goodreads | Amazon

An ancient island holds an ancient secret…

Nick Hennessy, a young Texas journalist yearning for his big break, finds himself in Europe – his assignment, to investigate the alarming disappearance of invaluable Grecian antiquities. Nick has the credentials – and cover ID – to unearth the truth. And he knows just the researcher to help him...
 
Carey Mathers, fresh from her studies in forensic archeology, has accepted a job with the prestigious Athens Institute for Antiquities – a dream come true, really, particularly when the Greek isle of Patmos, where the Apostle John received his vision of the Apocalypse, was a particular focus of her research.
 
Dimitri Rubinos, for whom the Greek islands represent his life, holds on by his fingernails to the family charter boat business. But his country's economic chaos isn't the only thing that has turned his world on its head…

The Patmos Deception by Davis Bunn was a nice change of pace from the romance I have been reading recently. With a mystery to solve, a crime to stop, an investigation to complete, this novel had me intrigued from start to finish. Each of the main characters fits nicely into the novel’s premise with unique passions and pursuits and I enjoyed seeing them crossing paths and interacting to figure out what was really happening. Additionally, the peeks into Greece’s past and present, rich in detail and culture, fascinated me and I learned quite a bit. Overall, The Patmos Deception is a fantastic read and I would recommend it.

Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley, I received a copy of The Patmos Deception and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

Sugar Plum Season by Mia Ross

★★★★★
Goodreads | Amazon

In the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a family legacy leads to love.

Amy Morgan is determined not to let her injury affect her love for dance. Moving to the tiny town of Barrett's Mill, she takes over her aunt's dance studio and begins to organize a children's Christmas ballet recital. She just needs a little help from handsome lumberjack Jason Barrett. Charming and an all-around good guy, Jason volunteers to build the stage sets. Working together with the pretty ballerina forges a connection he never expected. But is Amy really ready to leave the limelight behind? It'll take a few dancing candy canes – and a whole lot of faith – to bring them together in joy and love.

Sugar Plum Season by Mia Ross is the second sweet story in her Barrett’s Mill series (following Blue Ridge Reunion). (Luckily for me, Sugar Plum Season can easily be read on its own.) A feel-good holiday romance, this book offers likable characters, fun interactions and challenging choices, and I had a good time reading it. It is a light and quick read, so anyone looking for a bit of sweet romance in the remainder of this holiday season might want to pick up Sugar Plum Season.

Thanks to Goodreads First Reads, I won a copy of Sugar Plum Season. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

The Song by Chris Fabry

★★★★★
Goodreads | Amazon

Jed King’s life has been shaped by the songs and mistakes of his famous father. He wants to sing his own song, but the words and melody are elusive. Haunted by the scars inflicted by his broken family, Jed’s dreams of a successful music career seem out of reach...until he meets Rose.

As romance quickly blooms, Jed pens a new song and suddenly finds himself catapulted into stardom. But with this life of fame comes temptation, the same temptation that lured his father so many years ago.

Set in the fertile mid-South, this quest for success leads Jed and Rose on a journey that will force them to deal with the pain of loss, failure, and the desire to be who God created them to be.

Lyrical and deeply honest, The Song asks the hard questions of love and forgiveness. When even the wisest of men are fools in love, can true love persevere?

I loved Chris Fabry’s The Song so much more than I anticipated. This story transports the experience of Solomon, as well as his biblical writings of Song of Solomon and Lamentations, into a modern-day setting and explores his themes of love, faith and relationships. From the beginning, I really cared about the characters of Jed King and Rose Jordan and enjoyed seeing their relationship develop. But their journey isn’t an easy, happily-ever-after one. Though they have their share of joy and happiness, they also come to many points that are painful and frustrating to read. My heart broke for these characters and I found myself scrambling to remember how Solomon’s story ended, so I could best guess what would happen next. Overall, The Song is a beautiful story and I would definitely recommend it.

Thanks to Tyndale BlogNetwork, I received a copy of The Song and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

Price of Privilege by Jessica Dotta

Goodreads | Amazon

Having finally discovered the truth of her birthright, Julia Elliston is determined to outwit Chance Macy at his own game. Holding a secret he’d kill to keep, however, is proving more difficult than she imagined.

Just when Julia thinks she’s managed to untangle herself from Macy’s clutches, he changes tactics with a risky ploy. As the scandal of the century breaks loose, drawing rooms all over London whisper what so far newspapers have not dared to print: Macy’s lost bride is none other than Lord Pierson’s daughter - and one of the most controversial cases of marital law ever seen comes before Victorian courts.

Though Julia knows Macy’s version of events is another masterful manipulation, public opinion is swaying in his favor. Caught in a web of deceit and lies, armed only with a fledgling faith, Julia must face her fiercest trial yet.

I really, really wanted to enjoy Jessica Dotta’s Price of Privilege, but had to put it down after a few chapters. Because I have not read the two previous novels in the series, Born of Persuasion and Mark of Distinction, I did not understand a lot of what happen. I kept hoping my guessing and assuming could pull me easily through the book, but I quickly realized there were just too many references to recent events and backstory for me to truly understand the characters and their circumstances.

However, from the first chapters, I gleaned enough to make me eager to start the series from the beginning, just so I can enjoy this third novel. Price of Privilege continues the story started in and carried through the previous two novels. I loved the writing style Dotta uses, smooth and lyrical, with plenty of foreshadowing. With what seems to be plenty of romance, drama and danger, Dotta’s series is exactly what I love to read and I think other fans of historical fiction will enjoy it - just be sure to start with the first book.

Thanks to Tyndale BlogNetwork, I received a copy of Price of Privilege and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

Waiting on Wednesday: Spy of Richmond

Hosted weekly by Breaking the Spine 
to spotlight eagerly-anticipated upcoming releases.

Goodreads | Amazon

Title: Spy of Richmond

Author: Jocelyn Green

Publisher: River North

Expected Publication Date: 1 February 2015

Trust none. Risk all.

Richmond, Virginia, 1863. Compelled to atone for the sins of her slaveholding father, Union loyalist Sophie Kent risks everything to help end the war from within the Confederate capital and abolish slavery forever. But she can't do it alone.

Former slave Bella Jamison sacrifices her freedom to come to Richmond, where her Union soldier husband is imprisoned, and her twin sister still lives in bondage in Sophie's home. Though it may cost them their lives, they work with Sophie to betray Rebel authorities. Harrison Caldwell, a Northern freelance journalist who escorts Bella to Richmond, infiltrates the War Department as a clerk – but is conscripted to defend the city's fortifications.

As Sophie's spy network grows, she walks a tightrope of deception, using her father's position as newspaper editor and a suitor's position in the ordnance bureau for the advantage of the Union. One misstep could land her in prison, or worse. Suspicion hounds her until she barely even trusts herself. When her espionage endangers the people she loves, she makes a life-and-death gamble.

Will she follow her convictions even though it costs her everything-and everyone-she holds dear?

Why I'm Waiting: I just love Jocelyn Green's Heroines Behind the Lines series. She writes historical fiction so well, and Spy of Richmond sounds like it will be quite a story. 

A Woodland Miracle by Ruth Reid

★★★★★
Goodreads | Amazon

Grace feels like she can't measure up to those around her, and Ben could use a good dose of humility.

In their small northern Michigan district, where women outnumber men three to one, Grace doesn't believe she will ever attract a husband, especially with her limp. Tired of struggling both emotionally and physically, Grace is ready to see the specialist in Ohio, even if it means going against everything she's heard about God's grace being sufficient.

Ben Eicher is a young man from Pinecraft, Florida, whose carefree ways have caused him to lose his father's respect – again. According to Ben, though, life shouldn't be so serious that it suffocates all the fun. When he is sent to Michigan's Upper Peninsula to get his life back on track, he never thought it would mean working alongside a woman – especially a hardworking one like Grace. The last thing Grace wants is another friendship with a man who pities her.

Meanwhile, the Amish community becomes entangled with two potentially dangerous men on the run. When Ben discovers Grace has been kidnapped, he sets out to find the woman who has captured his heart and risks his own life when he attempts to lure the captors away.

Grace must learn that God's love is sufficient, and Ben is left to ponder whether he belongs back in Florida, or in the northern woods – with Grace.

Ruth Reid provided me with yet another unique perspective on Amish culture - in locations, jobs, etc. - within the communities she represents in A Woodland Miracle. The differences between the Florida and Michigan communities enhance the differences between Grace Wadler and Ben Eicher when they initially meet and add to the witty banter that passes between these two. I loved watching their developing relationship, seeing how they interacted and changed. Both Grace and Ben have their own particular challenges to deal with, and as they do, they begin to see and accept God’s work in their lives. It’s a great read - and Reid really kept me on the edge of my seat until the end, waiting to see how the relationship between Grace and Ben would play out. I look forward to reading more from Ruth Reid in the future, and I think fans of Amish fiction will enjoy this newest novel from her.

Thanks to BookLook Bloggers, I received a copy of A Woodland Miracle and the opportunity to honestly review it. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. (I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”)

About the Author

Ruth Reid is a CBA and ECPA best-selling author of the Heaven on Earth series. She's a full-time pharmacist who resides in Florida with her husband and three children.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Read in 2014

Hosted weekly by The Broke and the Bookish.

Masterpiece Marriage by Gina Welborn

Don’t miss the newest Quilts of Love book, Masterpiece Marriage by Gina Welborn. December’s QOL release celebrates the ebb and flow of marriage. Enter to win a Kindle HDX!

One winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• Masterpiece Marriage by Gina Welborn
• Swept Away by Laura V. Hilton and Cindy Loven
• Quilted by Christmas by Jodie Bailey

Enter today by clicking the button below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on January 18th. Winner will be announced on the Quilts of Love blog January 19th.


{NOT ON FACEBOOK? ENTER HERE.}
Enter today and spread the word - tell your friends about the giveaway via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chance of winning.

About the Book

★★★★★
Goodreads | Amazon

He wants to save his business. She wants to be a professor. But are they asking for more than they can really have?

After a flood damages the looms at Zenus Dane's Philadelphia textile mill and the bank demands loan payment, Zenus turns to his aunt for help repurposing his textiles. Trouble is… his aunt has already been hired by the lovely yet secretive Englishwoman Mary Varrs.

Eager to acquire his aunt's quilt patterns, Zenus attends the summer Quilting Bee, a social event his aunt has uniquely designed with the secret purpose of finding Zenus a wife. However Zenus only has eyes for Mary, but Mary has no such desire for him.

Though his aunt is determined to design a masterpiece marriage, both Zenus and Mary will have to overcome their stubborn ways. Can he realize that love requires stepping out of his routine? And will she recognize that following her heart doesn't mean sacrificing her ambition?

Once again, I was not disappointed by a Quilts of Love novel. As I read Gina Welborn’s Masterpiece Marriage, I loved how the historical setting added a unique flavor to the story and influenced the character interactions. It’s such a fun read - I loved it. Zenus Dane and Mary Varrs, the central characters, both have strong, stubborn personalities and find themselves immediately at odds. Then throw Aunt Priscilla and Arel Dewey into the mix, with plenty of quilting, romance and discussions of women’s societal roles and God’s calling, and the result is highly entertaining. Masterpiece Marriage fits well into the Quilts of Love series and I definitely recommend. Fans of the series won’t be disappointed.

Thanks to LitFuse Publicity Group, I received a copy of Masterpiece Marriage and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. To read other opinions, be sure to check out what other reviewers think here.

About the Author

Gina Welborn is the author of several novels and novellas, including The Heiress's Courtship. Gina now lives in Cache, Oklahoma, with her pastor husband and their five children. 

Connect with Gina at her website, Facebook, and Twitter.

About the Series

Quilts tell stories of love and loss, hope and faith, tradition and new beginnings. The Quilts of Love series focuses on the women who quilted all of these things into their family histories. A new book releases each month and features contemporary and historical romances as well as women's fiction and the occasional light mystery. You will be drawn into the endearing characters of this series and be touched by their stories.