Once Upon a Prince by Rachel Hauck

★★★★★
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Susanna Truitt never dreamed of a great romance or being treated like a prince – just to marry the man she has loved for twelve years. But life isn't going according to plan. When her high-school-sweetheart-turned-Marine-officer breaks up instead of proposing, Susanna scrambles to rebuild her life.

The last thing Prince Nathaniel expects to find on his American holiday to St. Simons Island is the queen of his heart. A prince has duties, and his family's tense political situation has chosen his bride for him. When Prince Nathaniel comes to Susanna's aid under the fabled Lover's Oak, he is blindsided by love.

Their lives are worlds apart. He's a royal prince. She's an ordinary girl. But everything changes when Susanna receives an invitation to Nathaniel's coronation.

It's the ultimate choice: His kingdom or her heart? God's will or their own?

Rachel Hauck’s Once Upon a Prince caught my attention from the get-go. In a society fascinated with royal weddings, it’s hard to resist a plot in which a prince falls for an ordinary woman. Although it is fairly reminiscent of the movie, The Prince and Me, Hauck’s modern day fairytale was a delightfully addictive novel to read. I couldn’t put it down. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a light, relaxing read full of drama and romance. I greatly appreciate BookSneeze for providing me with yet another free copy of a novel and the opportunity to review it. 

Gone South by Meg Moseley

★★★★★
Take a peek into chapter one of Gone South here.
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The charm of the South drew her back to her family’s roots. But when the town’s old resentments turn the sweet tea bitter, can Tish find a welcome anywhere?
 
Leaving frosty Michigan for the Deep South was never a blip in the simple plans Tish McComb imagined for her life, dreams of marriage and family that were dashed five years earlier in a tragic accident. Now an opportunity to buy her great-great-great-grandparents’ Civil War era home beckons Tish to Noble, Alabama, a Southern town in every sense of the word. She wonders if God has given her a new dream – the old house filled with friends, her vintage percolator bubbling on the sideboard.
 
When Tish discovers that McCombs aren’t welcome in town, she feels like a Yankee behind enemy lines. Only local antiques dealer George Zorbas seems willing to give her a chance. What’s a lonely outcast to do but take in Noble’s resident prodigal, Melanie Hamilton, and hope that the two can find some much needed acceptance in each other.
 
Problem is, old habits die hard, and Mel is quite set in her destructive ways. With Melanie blocked from going home, Tish must try to manage her incorrigible houseguest as she attempts to prove her own worth in a town that seems to have forgotten that every sinner needs God-given mercy, love and forgiveness.

Meg Moseley’s Gone South had me intrigued from the beginning. Intertwining the McCombs’ double-edged family legacy with Tish’s tragic history, Mel’s desperate pursuit of truth and redemption, and a bit of unplanned romance, Moseley kept me flipping page after page until I reached the end. Upon completion of the novel, my only complaint was that the narrative of Nathan and Letitia seemed a little incomplete to me. However, as a whole, the novel – with its multitude of situational problems and complications – leads to a satisfying conclusion, leaving me content. I would definitely recommend this novel to anyone who has an interest in Christian fiction and enjoys rooting for the underdog.

As usual, 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, and I always enjoy a fresh, new book experience.

A Bride for All Seasons by Margaret Brownley, Debra Clopton, Mary Connealy & Robin Lee Hatcher

"It all started with an ad in a mail-order bride catalogue..."

★★★★★
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It's 1870. Reminders of the Civil War remain littered throughout the country. Scarred by the past, like the slowly healing land, four women seek a better future. Turning to the Hitching Post Mail-Order Bride Catalogue and its altruistically scheming editor, Melvin Hitchcock, to facilitate a new beginning, each woman finds herself headed West, full of happiness and hope for a fresh start with her unfamiliar groom-to-be. As the couples meet for the first time, they find that behind-the-scenes embellishments and purposeful miscommunications have left them unprepared, and sometimes unwilling, for what lies ahead. As the four individual novellas, each written by one of the authors and then compiled in A Bride for All Seasons, follow the both humorous and heartbreaking moments that result, each woman discovers that love and second chances often come in ways unplanned and unexpected.

"And Then Came Spring" by Margaret Brownley: When mail order bride Mary-Jo Parker arrives in town she receives the shock of her life; not only is her fiancé dead, he left behind an eight-year-old son he neglected to mention. But the biggest challenge of all is the boy's way-too-handsome uncle.

"An Ever-After Summer" by Debra Clopton: Widower Matt McConnell wrote his ad with no room for misunderstanding – Bible believers need not apply. But then Bible-thumping Ellie shows up on his doorstep. Matt's so desperate for her help that he accepts.

"Autumn's Angel" by Robin Lee Hatcher: Luvena Abbott's privileged childhood didn't prepare her for the hardship she now faces as an adult, especially when it comes to being the guardian of her nieces and nephew. Marriage seems the only answer to her dilemma. Clay Birch hopes to change the hurdy-gurdy house he won in a poker game into the finest opera house in the Northwest, but he'll need help to do it. Could this unlikely couple actually be the perfect match?

"Winter Wedding Bells" by Mary Connealy: David Laramie is looking for a woman to care for his children. In exchange he'll make her financially comfortable for life. But no woman wants to marry a dying man. Then Megan responds to his ad. It seems his "edited" letter contained no mention of him dying.

In this nostalgically whimsical approach to mail-order brides, A Bride for All Seasons did not disappoint. At first, I was a bit wary of its novella format, as I am a lover of long novels, full of engaging characters, dramatic histories and unexpected turns of events. But once I started reading, my wariness faded. The form of the novella did not preclude all of this things I have grown to love about novels - it simply condensed them into a shorter amount of pages, making each story all the most addicting and hard to put down. Story after story, I was hooked from the get-go, lost in the unique style of each author, and found myself reaching the end sooner than I was ready. Needless to say, I would recommend this collection to anyone looking for a quick and compelling read, with an interest in historical romance. I am truly grateful to BookSneeze for providing me with a free copy of this novel and the opportunity to review it honestly.

Fortress of Mist by Sigmund Brouwer

★★★★★
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The throne is redeemed, but the battle is just beginning.
 
In the dark corners of an ancient land, evil lurks in the shadows. Powerful druids haunt the spaces of their lost territory. Double-minded noblemen fight for domain and influence. Invaders from the north threaten the kingdom of Magnus. This land of promise and redemption is mired in deceit and corruption. 
 
The Orphan King, once victorious in conquest, appears to be losing his grip on his seat of power. Thomas rules Magnus, but does not know whom he can trust. His enemies anticipate his every move, thwarting him at each turn. Something is not right.
 
Under attack, both in the supernatural and natural worlds, Thomas must reach back into the secret layers of his past to find the strength and wisdom to fight his battles. When the mist clears, who will stand with him?

Intertwining the natural with the supernatural, the historical with the fantastical, Brouwer’s narrative is an addicting read, filled with unexpected twists and heart-stopping turns. Geared towards young adults, this is exactly the type of book I love to read, albeit a tad simplistic, when I am in the mood for a light and easy read. I would definitely recommend this novel to anyone with an interest in the genre of young adult fantasy and light reading. However, I would advise reading The Orphan King first - as the first novel in the Merlin's Immortals series, it provides the necessary background needed to truly understand the plot. And again, 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 and I always enjoy a fresh, new book experience.

So Shines the Night by Tracy L. Higley

★★★★★
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In a city teetering at the brink of anarchy, Daria finds hope among people of the Way.

She escaped a past of danger and found respite in beautiful Ephesus, a trading center on the Aegean coast, serving as tutor to Lucas, the wealthy merchant who rescued her.

But the darkness she fled has caught up with her.

The high priests of Artemis once controlled the city, but a group of sorcerers are gaining power. And a strange group who call themselves followers of the Way further threaten the equilibrium. As Daria investigates Lucas’s exploits into the darker side of the city, her life is endangered, and she takes refuge in the strange group of believers. She’s drawn to Paul and his friends, even as she wrestles with their teachings.

When authorities imprison Lucas for a brutal crime, Daria wonders if even Paul’s God can save him. Then she uncovers a shocking secret that could change everything – Lucas’s fate, her position in his household, and the outcome of the tension between pagans and Christians. But only if she survives long enough to divulge what she knows.

With danger and uncertainty lurking at every page turn, Tracy L. Higley’s So Shines the Night dares to take an imaginative look at events in Acts 19. Bringing classic biblical characters to life, like Paul and Timothy, Aquila and Priscilla, Higley’s vivid and well-researched narrative explores the beginnings of Christianity as it confronts a pagan city head-on and turns the characters’ lives upside-down. This combination of real, historical events with the conflict-ridden storylines of Daria and Lucas is exactly what I love about historical fiction novels. Challenging me to consider the day-in, day-out reality of the early church and its effect on the lives of ordinary people, this novel is definitely a recommendation to anyone with an interest in biblical fiction. And as usual, I truly appreciate BookSneeze for providing me with a free copy of this novel and the opportunity to review it honestly.