Surprised by Love by Julie Lessman

About the Book

★★★★★
Goodreads | Amazon

She can turn the head of the man who spurned her - but can she turn his heart?

When Megan McClare left San Francisco to study in Paris, no one would accuse her of being poised and pretty. But on the other side of the Atlantic, this wallflower blossomed into a beauty with big dreams. When she returns to California and accepts an internship at the district attorney's office, she's thrilled that her life is taking shape. But the exciting opportunity quickly loses its glow when she discovers she'll be working alongside Devin Caldwell, who mercilessly mocked her at school – and with whom she was hopelessly enamored.

Bram Hughes is the best friend to whom Megan has always turned for support and advice. But when she seeks his counsel about working with Devin Caldwell, Bram's vision is clouded by his sudden unwelcome attraction to a girl he had always thought of as a little sister. He advises forgiveness, but can he forgive himself for pushing the woman he loves into the arms of another man? 

Author Julie Lessman draws a romantic triangle that will touch your heart in this glittering Gilded Age tale of transforming love.

I absolutely love family sagas, so revisiting the McClare family in San Francisco in Julie Lessman’s Surprised by Love was a real treat. And even though I haven’t yet had the chance to read Dare to Love Again, I thoroughly enjoyed and understood this third Heart of San Francisco story. Overall, Surprised by Love is a sweet story with great insight into previously secondary characters, Meg McClare and Bram Hughes, as well as peeks into the happenings in the lives of other family members. It has plenty of Lessman’s usual heartwarming romance and purposeful characters and circumstances. I think any fan of historical romance will want to take the time to read this latest novel by Julie Lessman. It certainly made me eager to go back and read Dare to Love Again.

Thanks to Revell Reads, I received a copy of Surprised by Love 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.

About the Author

Julie Lessman is an award-winning author of The Daughters of Boston series, the Winds of Change series, and The Heart of San Francisco series. The recipient of seventeen Romance Writers of America and other awards, Lessman was chosen as the #1 Romance Fiction Author of the Year in the Family Fiction magazine 2011 and 2012 Readers' Choice Awards. She resides in Missouri with her family. Learn more at her website.

Proof of Angels by Mary Curran Hackett

★★★★✩
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From the critically acclaimed author of Proof of Heaven comes an unforgettable novel about hope, renewal, and the gift of angels among us – friends, family, lovers… and even mystical others – sure to touch your heart.

Sean Magee is a firefighter – a hero who risks his own life to save others, running into dangerous situations few have the courage to dare. While fighting a horrific blaze, Sean becomes trapped by flames and is nearly overcome by smoke. Just when it seems that all is lost, he’s led to a window – by what he swears is divine intervention. And then he jumps…

…into a new life. For years, Sean has shut down his feelings, existing in a state of emotional numbness. Coming through that fire, he knows that he can no longer be that man whose his heart is closed to the world. But before he can face his future, he must confront his past and everyone in it: the family, the friends, the woman – and the love – he carelessly left behind.

Upon reading the back-of-the-book blurb for Mary Curran Hackett’s Proof of Angels, I was intrigued to see how Sean Magee’s transformation would manifest after his life-changing accident. Though a bit predictable, his story was a satisfying and encouraging one to read. I really enjoyed the various characters and their interactions regarding the idea of angels, as they dealt with second chances, healing and redemption in the face of tragedy and addictions. Admittedly, reading Proof of Heaven first would help to better understand Sean’s past, but Proof of Angels is still an inviting and delightful read on its own. I think readers looking for a quick and easy contemporary read will be pleased to pick up this second novel from Hackett.

Thanks to TLC Book Tours, I received a copy of Proof of Angels 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 of the novel, click here.

Waiting on Wednesday: Like a Flower in Bloom

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

Goodreads | Amazon

Title: Like a Flower in Bloom

Author: Siri Mitchell

Publisher: Bethany House

Expected Publication Date: 6 January 2015

For years Charlotte Withersby has worked as an assistant to her father, an eminent English botanist. As she approaches the old age of twenty-four, her father pushes her out into society, swayed by an uncle who believes God's only two roles for women are marriage and motherhood. When one of the Withersbys' colonial correspondents, Edward Trimble, returns to England, he's drafted as the new assistant so Charlotte is free to marry. This suits Edward's plans quite well, since the last thing he wants to do is reunite with the family he is ashamed to call his own.

Though Edward proves himself vexingly capable on the job, Charlotte won't surrender the job without a fight, and schemes with her best friend to regain her position. Perhaps if a proposal seems imminent, Charlotte's father will see his error and ask her to return. Charlotte tries to make headway in her town's social life, but reveals herself to be unaware of all the intricacies of polite society. Though Edward pitches in, tutoring her in society's expectations, she just seems to make things worse. And the more she comes to know of her father's assistant, the more trouble she has imagining life without him. Caught in a trap of her own making and seeing the hopelessness of her prospects, will Charlotte get to keep her work or will she have to cede her heart?

Why I'm Waiting: I really like this cover - it's so colorful - and the plot sounds delightful, full of stubborn scheming and societal mishaps.

A Matter of Heart by Tracie Peterson

★★★★★
Goodreads | Amazon

Texas born and raised Jessica Atherton is a wealthy young woman whose heart was broken when the man she intended to marry wedded another. But her world is upended when two new men come into her life, and both manage to stir her heart.

Harrison Gable is a successful young lawyer with ambitions that match Jessica's dreams. His warm, attentive manner and thoughtful gifts make her feel special.

Austin Todd, a former Secret Service agent, enjoys working now as a Texas Ranger cattle inspector. But after learning of forged gold certificates and missing printing plates, he's drawn back into the world of intrigue and agrees to help solve the case. Jessica is drawn to his kind nature and the unspoken pain she sees in his eyes. 

If Jessica follows her heart, where will it lead?

Tracie Peterson’s A Matter of Heart is definitely a story full of heart, as the fairly spoiled Jessica Atherton confronts her self-centered ways. Determined to change her ways and perhaps find love, Jessica experiences great character development over the course of the novel and I loved watching it. (I would imagine readers of the Lone Star Brides, more familiar with her starting character, would be even more astonished with her growth, knowing the character she was previously.) Add a love triangle to the spiritual growth and this story is both entertaining and inspirational. Fans of Tracie Peterson’s historical romance will definitely enjoy this one.

However, I need to note that with the Lone Star Brides, it is best to start at the beginning with A Sensible Arrangement. I have not read the previous two novels in the series, so I didn’t have all the information that would have helped me understand the backstory of some of the characters and the central conflict. While I still completely enjoyed A Matter of Heart and look forward to reading the other two novels in the series, I would definitely recommend readers to experience these books in order.

Thanks to Bethany House, I received a copy of A Matter of Heart 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.

Motherless by Erin Healy

★★★★★
Goodreads | Amazon

Guilt may be the most dangerous motive of all.

On a rainy night seventeen years after his wife's presumed suicide, Garrett Becker sees her walking down the street. A car accident snatches him away from this world before he can reach her.

Marina has spent her whole life mothering her brother, who suffers from an anxiety disorder. After their father's accident, they face losing their home – the only place Dylan's fears are held at bay.

Crushing debt is just one of their father's secrets. Old keepsakes lead Dylan to believe their mother is alive and lives nearby. Sara Rochester is a successful chocolatier who doesn't dwell on her past and never expected the resurrection of its ghosts. But after Dylan confronts her, Sara consents to parent the only way she knows how: with money, chocolate, and a gross deficit of experience.

Sara's hesitant presence divides Marina and Dylan. Marina doesn't believe that Sara is their mother. The woman's paper-thin lies suggest she might even be responsible for their mother's death. When Marina's suspicions spark an investigation, no one is prepared for the tragic truth or the powerful redemption that Marina's actions expose.

Narrated by a storyteller with more to lose than any other character, Motherless is a richly layered mystery about the power of perception – and deception – among people seeking forgiveness for irreversible sins.

Motherless by Erin Healy is one of those novels that gripped and intrigued me from the start and I couldn’t put it down. Packed with plenty of drama, suspense and mystery, this novel follows a tragically fractured family through secrets, guilt and lies to find the truth and hope. The story is well-paced and surprising, and in all the events of the novel, the narrator provides a unique perspective and insight. A powerful, compelling and touching story, Healy’s Motherless is an interesting read and I highly recommend it. I can’t wait to read more from Erin Healy in the future.

Thanks to BookLook Bloggers, I received a copy of Motherless 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

Erin Healy is the bestselling coauthor of Burn and Kiss (with Ted Dekker) and an award-winning editor for many bestselling authors. She is a member of ACFW and Academy of Christian Editors. Her novels include such thrilling stories as Never Let You Go, The Baker's Wife, Stranger Things, and Motherless. She and her family live in Colorado.