Like Moonlight at Low Tide: Sometimes the Current Is the Only Thing That Saves You by Nicole Quigley

★★★★★
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When high school junior Melissa Keiser returns to her hometown of Anna Maria Island, Florida, she has one goal: hide from the bullies who had convinced her she was the ugliest girl in school. But when she is caught sneaking into a neighbor's pool at night, everything changes. Something is different now that Melissa is sixteen, and the guys and popular girls who once made her life miserable have taken notice. When Melissa gets the chance to escape life in a house ruled by her mom's latest boyfriend, she must choose where her loyalties lie between a long-time crush, a new friend, and her surfer brother who makes it impossible to forget her roots. Just as Melissa seems to achieve everything she ever wanted, she loses a loved one to suicide. Melissa must not only grieve for her loss, she must find the truth about the three boys who loved her and discover that joy sometimes comes from the most unexpected place of all.

I thoroughly enjoyed Nicole Quigley’s first novel, Like Moonlight at Low Tide. As a story geared toward young adults, it provided a welcome change of pace from all the inspirational romance I have been reading lately. (Of course, I very much enjoy inspirational romance, but every now and then, something a bit different is great.) Quigley creates a genuine and enthralling set of characters that captured my imagination, exploring themes of bullying, peer pressure, tragic loss and redemption. As Missy struggles to better her life, my heart, at times, broke and at others, soared, as I felt the emotions with her. I would definitely recommend this novel to anyone with an interest in inspirational young adult fiction. As usual, I thank BookSneeze for providing me with a free copy of this book 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.”)

A February Bride by Betsy St. Amant

★★★★★
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Allie left the love of her life at the altar – to save him from a lifetime of heartbreak. When a Valentine’s Day wedding brings them back together, she struggles against her family’s destructive history. Can Allie ever realize that a marriage is so much more than a wedding dress?

History repeats itself when Allie Andrews escapes the church on her wedding day – in the same dress passed down for generations and worn by all the women in her family – women with a long history of failed marriages. Allie loves Marcus, but fears she’s destined to repeat her family’s mistakes. She can’t bear to hurt Marcus worse. Marcus Hall never stopped loving Allie and can only think of one reason she left him at the altar – him. When the two are thrown together for his sister’s Valentine’s Day wedding, he discovers the truth and realizes their story might be far from over. Can Allie shuck expectation and discover who she is as a bride and in the Bride of Christ? And if she ever walks down the aisle, what dress will she wear?

As the third installment of A Year of Weddings, Betsy St. Amant’s charming “A February Bride” is another delightful afternoon read. Fast-paced due to its novella format, this story kept me wondering how the couple would return to the altar. With a sweet and sentimental conclusion, I couldn’t help but shed a couple tears. As with “A January Bride,” this novella can be read on its own, and again, I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in inspirational romance and another free afternoon. I greatly appreciate Booksneeze for providing me with this free copy and the opportunity to write an honest review.

A January Bride by Deborah Raney

★★★★★
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What will happen when novelist Madeleine Houser’s “pen pal” friendship with a lonely widower takes an unexpected turn?

Who can work in a house that's overrun by contractors and carpenters? Not Madeleine Houser, a successful novelist who gladly accepts the help of her octogenarian friend, Ginny, to arrange for a temporary office in the charming bed and breakfast owned by Ginny's friend, Arthur. Maddie's never met the innkeeper – but a friendship grows between them as Maddie and Arthur leave messages for each other each day. To Maddie's alternate delight and chagrin, she seems to be falling for the inn's owner – a man who's likely many years her senior – and who she's never even met.

The second novella in Zondervan’s A Year of Weddings – a collection of wedding-based novellas by best-selling inspirational romance novelists – “A January Bride,” by Deborah Raney, is an enjoyable and light read. By no means is the plot a surprise (with the giveaways in both the title and the collection’s premise), but the story does have its quirks. The character interaction and misconceptions are delightful and I thoroughly enjoyed my chance to read this novella. Though it’s part of a collection, it can definitely be read without the other novellas, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone with an interest in inspirational romance and a free afternoon. Again, I greatly appreciate BookSneeze for providing me with this free copy and the opportunity to review it honestly.

Carolina Gold by Dorothy Love

★★★★★
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The war is over, but at Fairhaven Plantation, Charlotte's struggle has just begun.

Following her father’s death, Charlotte Fraser returns to Fairhaven, her family’s rice plantation in the South Carolina Lowcountry. With no one else to rely upon, smart, independent Charlotte is determined to resume cultivating the superior strain of rice called Carolina Gold. But the war has left the plantation in ruins, her father’s former bondsmen are free, and workers and equipment are in short supply.

To make ends meet, Charlotte reluctantly agrees to tutor the two young daughters of her widowed neighbor and heir to Willowood Plantation, Nicholas Betancourt.  Just as her friendship with Nick deepens, he embarks upon a quest to prove his claim to Willowood and sends Charlotte on a dangerous journey that uncovers a long-held family secret, and threatens
everything she holds dear.

Inspired by the life of a 19^th-century woman rice farmer, Carolina Gold pays tribute to the hauntingly beautiful Lowcountry and weaves together mystery, romance, and historical detail, bringing to life the story of one young woman’s struggle to restore her ruined world.

Dorothy Love’s Carolina Gold caught my attention, since the story is told from the perspective of a Southern female rice planter. Born and raised in what would be considered the North, throughout my years of education the focus tended to be on the Northern perspective of life during the Restoration, post-Civil War, and I never truly learned how the Southerners dealt with the experiences and challenges of the time. Without focusing too much on the politics of the characters, Love does a great job of exploring the different roles and interactions of Southern society at the time and I greatly appreciated the change in perspective. Though the story started off a bit slowly, I would definitely recommend this novel to anyone with an interest in the post-Civil War era, looking to experience it from a new perspective. As always, I greatly appreciate BookSneeze for providing me with yet another free copy of a novel and the opportunity to review it honestly.

The Governess of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky

★★★★★
Don't wait to start chapter one. Find it here.
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Worlds lie between the marketplaces of India and the halls of a magnificent country estate like Highland Hall. Will Julia be able to find her place when a governess is neither upstairs family nor downstairs help? 
 
Missionary Julia Foster loves working alongside her parents, ministering and caring for young girls in India. But when the family must return to England due to illness, she readily accepts the burden for her parents’ financial support. Taking on a job at Highland Hall as governess, she quickly finds that teaching her four privileged, ill-mannered charges at a grand estate is more challenging than expected, and she isn’t sure what to make of the estate’s preoccupied master, Sir William Ramsey. 
 
Widowed and left to care for his two young children and his deceased cousin Randolph’s two teenage girls, William is consumed with saving the estate from the financial ruin. The last thing he needs is any distraction coming from the kindhearted-yet-determined governess who seems to be quietly transforming his household with her persuasive personality, vibrant prayer life, and strong faith. 
 
While both are tending past wounds and guarding fragile secrets, Julia and William are determined to do what it takes to save their families – common ground that proves fertile for unexpected feelings. But will William choose Julia’s steadfast heart and faith over the wealth and power he needs to secure Highland Hall’s future?

As an avid watcher of Downton Abbey, I jumped at the opportunity to explore Carrie Turansky’s depiction of early-twentieth century England in The Governess of Highland Hall. While I definitely found the storyline predictable and it easily wrapped neat and tidy, I thoroughly enjoyed the novel nonetheless. It was fun to see different interactions between the characters, upstairs and downstairs, and I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the time period of Downton Abbey or just romantic historical fiction. As usual, I received a copy of this novel from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group and I greatly appreciate the opportunity from them to read and honestly review it.