Friday Reviews - Coffee, Correspondence, and Coming Home

It's been a few weeks since I've posted reviews, so here is a variety for your perusal.

Murder Simply Brewed was a great romantic suspense. Vannetta Chapman outdid herself by giving us not one but two romances. I enjoyed reading about Amber and Hannah as they grow in their unusual friendship, as they solve the Village mystery, and as they each fall in love (not with each other LOL).

You don't have to be a coffee drinker to enjoy the book. :)

Blurb:

Spring has arrived in Middlebury, Indiana, and Amber Wright can see profits in sight for her collection of Amish artisan shops—until she receives a call that Ethan Gray is dead. Hurrying over to A Simple Blend, she finds a single hole in the front window and Mr. Gray dead from an apparent heart attack. All the money is still in his register. Hannah Troyer takes over the shop’s duties, and she and Amber become fast friends as well as amateur sleuths. The police believe Gray’s death to be a by-product of vandalism, but Amber and Hannah aren’t so easily convinced.

Old Testament clues that don’t add up, a neighbor who is pulled into the midst of the investigation, a town with secrets to hide, and blossoming romance—all will combine to push Amber and Hannah into unfamiliar roles in order to solve a mystery and bring peace to the Amish community.

Rating: 5 roses

Available at Amazon and other fine retailers.

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Sincerely Yours is a romance novella collection from four great writers-Jane Kirkpatrick, Amanda Cabot, Laurie Alice Eakes, and Ann Shorey. Within its pages you will find four love stories each instigated by a letter, which takes each heroine of a journey of a lifetime. Each reminds us that things are not always as they seem, and God ALWAYS has a plan. I especially loved the carousel horses.

Blurb:

In this collection of brand-new historical novellas from four outstanding storytellers, four young women find their lives altered after each receives a letter that sets her on a new path toward a changed life--and perhaps lifelong love. From a Hudson River steamboat to a lush drawing room, from a carousel carver's workshop to a remote and controversial hospital, readers will love being swept into the lives of four young women who are making their way in the world and finding love where they least expect it.

Rating: 5 roses

Available at Amazon and other fine retailers.

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I've long enjoyed Mary Ellis's books, and A Plain Man is no different. Caleb's story is a touching story of a wayward son coming home. Except it's not an easy transition. With a little help from his sister's best friend, Josie, Caleb discovers some things about himself that threaten his future. I hate spoilers, so I won't tell you more; you'll have to read it to find out the good stuff.

A Plain Man is a quick look into the life of an Amish man who stepped away from his upbringing and has much to regret about his life. Upon returning to his roots, he is determined to do the right thing.

Blurb:

Bestselling author Mary Ellis offers an engaging new standalone Amish romance about a prodigal seeking to find his way home.

Though Caleb Beachy lived in the Englisch world for some years, he is a Plain man at heart. When he decides to return to the Amish lifestyle, he moves back home and goes to work for his father. Soon these two strong-willed men find themselves at odds. Caleb discovers there's more to embracing his faith and reconnecting with the community than merely driving a horse and buggy and giving up Levis.

Josie Yoder was just a girl when he left. All grown up now, she gives Caleb hope for the future. She soothes his frayed temper and is determined to remind him that while his faith may have wavered, God never left his side. Caleb is tempted to return Josie's feelings, but the choices he made while away are a heavy burden on his conscience. Will past mistakes end up destroying their fledgling romance? Or will she be able to break through the wall around his heart?

A Plain Man is more than just a sweet romance centered in Amish beliefs. It's the ever-fresh story of a wounded heart finding joy, health, and healing in God's infinite grace. 

Rating: 5 roses

Available at Amazon and other fine retailers.

I hope you found something to read and enjoy.

Blessings,
Ginger

Weekly Reviews: Autumn, Beginnings, and Balance

Blurb:

Elizabeth Harding arrives in Cheyenne, Wyoming, to establish her medical practice thanks to the wooing of her two older sisters who extolled the beauty of the land. She's certain she'll have a line of patients eager for her expertise and gentle bedside manner. However, she soon discovers the town and its older doctor may not welcome a new physician. Even more frustrating, the handsome young attorney next door may not be ready for the idea of a woman doctor. For his part, Jason Nordling has nothing against women, but he's promised himself that the woman he marries will be a full-time mother.

Despite their firm principles, Elizabeth and Jason find that mutual attraction--and disdain from the community--is drawing them ever closer. And when the two find themselves working to save the life and tattered reputation of a local woman, they'll have to decide how far they're willing to go to find justice--and true love.

Review:
I loved this book from the beginning. The characters were real and invited me into their lives and one by one, I became invested in the outcome of their story. Elizabeth, the tough as nails doctor, soon becomes Elizabeth, the vulnerable woman. We watch her grow into her own as she suffers trials and tribulations that go along with being a woman doctor and starting a practice in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

5 Roses

With Autumn's Return

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Blurb:

It wasn't Cassie Haddon's fault that she had managed to reach the age of twenty-five without possessing any useful skills. Until the war, she had always had servants to wait on her. Since then, she and her widowed mother had moved from place to place, relying on family to care for them. Now she's forced to find work to support them both. What isn't in her plans is falling for Jacob West, a local restaurateur and grocer. She needs a job and he needs help. But what they both need is love.

Review:
I loved Cassie's growth into a woman with her own mind, and her willingness to learn new things in order to provide for herself and her ungrateful, overbearing mother.

I'm sad to say I didn't really care for this novel. It seemed slow to me at the beginning, and I had a hard time getting into the character's lives.

I did find the writing to be excellent. I didn't get stuck wondering what was going on, and while it won't be one of my most loved books, I did finish it, which is more than I can say for some other books I've read recently.

I found the end to be quite satisfying. I just love a good HEA (happily-ever-after).

4 Roses
Love's Sweet Beginning

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Blurb:

Working at home while raising kids and juggling a career and family responsibilities is no easy feat. Author and homeschooling mom Tricia Goyer shares her tips for finding balance among all your many hats as a mom.

Review:
Ms. Goyer has definitely given me something to think about. My schedule is out of balance, and not in a good way. This is one book that I'll be reading over and over as a reminder that my husband and my children are far more important than clean windows or a little dust. God and I have a lot to discuss. *smile*

I highly recommend this book if you are a mom/dad and work from your house (or attempt to). While Ms. Goyer applies her theories to being a writer, the basic premise works for anyone.

5 Roses
Balanced: Finding Center as a Work-at-Home Mom


Enjoy and blessings,
Ginger