A Quaker, a dog and a bunch of matches

What do a Quaker, a dog, and a bunch of matches have in common? They are part of the next three books on my review list.

First the Quaker:

Blurb:

Emily Harrison's life has been turned upside down. At the beginning of the Civil War, she bravely attempted to continue her parents' work as conductors in the Underground Railroad until their Ohio farm was sold in foreclosure. Now alone, she accepts a position as a governess with a doctor's family in slave-holding Virginia. Perhaps she can continue her rescue efforts from there.

Alexander Hunt is the doctor's handsome nephew. While he does not deny a growing attraction to his uncle's newest employee, he cannot take time to pursue Emily. Alex is not at all what he seems--rich, spoiled, and indolent. He is the elusive Gray Wraith, a Quaker leader of Rebel partisans. A man of the shadows, he carries no firearm and wholeheartedly believes in Emily's antislavery convictions. 

The path before Alex and Emily is complicated and sometimes life threatening. The war brings betrayal, entrapment, and danger to both of them. Amid their growing feelings for each other, can they find faith in God amid the challenges they face and trust in the possibility for a bright future together?

Review:
It took me a few chapters to get into the story, but once I connected with the characters, I enjoyed reading about the escapades of Emily and Alexander as they each did their part to help in the Civil War.

I'm not usually a fan of war era books, no matter the war, but this one was interesting. I don't know much about historical accuracy, but Ms. Ellis did an excellent job of keeping me enthralled in the goings on in the Bennington and Hunt households as they dealt with their heritage and the war the best they could.

4 Roses

The Quaker and the Rebel: 1 (Civil War Heroines Series)

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Next is the matches.  LOL

Blurb:

In the small town of Dry Gulch, Texas, a good-hearted busybody just can't keep herself from surreptitiously trying to match up women in dire straits with men of good character she hopes can help them. How is she to know she's also giving each couple a little nudge toward love?

A Cowboy Unmatched

Neill isn't sure who hired him to repair Clara's roof--he only knows Clara desperately needs his help. Can he convince this stubborn widow to let down her guard and take another chance on love?

An Unforeseen Match

Hoping to earn an honest wage on his way to the land rush, Clayton ends up on Grace's doorstep, lured by a classified ad. He may have signed on for more than he expected though--and he may have found the one woman who can keep him from moving on.

No Match for Love

Andrew can't fathom how refined Lucy ended up as the caretaker to his dotty aunt, and somehow her arrival has prompted even more bizarre occurrences around the ranch. When they join forces to unearth the truth, will the attraction between Andrew and Lucy develop into more?

Meeting Her Match

When the tables are turned and a tenderhearted meddler becomes the beneficiary of a matchmaking scheme, her world is turned upside down. As her entire life changes, will she finally be able to tell the banker's son how much she cares for him?

Review:
Four of my favorite authors in one book.

A Cowboy Unmatched by Karen Witemeyer - the last Archer brother. I am so sad to see the end of this serious, but it's finishing with a great story. My only complaint, which is not really a complaint at all - Neill didn't get a full-length novel to call his own. LOL  I loved his interaction with Clara and his protective instinct.

An Unforeseen Match by Regina Jennings - I loved the play on words in the title. The story was heartwarming as Grace struggles with her reality and the need to rely on others. I, too, would struggle as I hate asking others for help.

No Match for Love by Carol Cox - Ghosts and ghouls and things that go bump in the night...oh, sorry, it's not a ghost story, more like a comedy. I love the way Ms. Cox added a touch of suspense and intrigue to this romance.

Meeting Her Match by Mary Connealy - The helper finally gets the tables turned on her in a most unsuspecting way. After years of taking care of others in one capacity or another, this heroine (you have to peak within the pages to know her name) is shoved face first into her own romance, but she doesn't go without some struggles and a lot of misunderstandings.  LOL

5 Roses - every single one of these stories deserves a 5

Match Made in Texas, A: A Novella Collection

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And finally, the dog.  *smile*

Blurb:

Former Navy handler Timbrel Hogan has more attitude than her Explosives Detection Dog, Beowulf, but she’s a tough woman who gets the job done. Green Beret Tony “Candyman” VanAllen likes a challenge and convincing the hard-hitting handler they belong together might just get him killed.

When tragedy strikes and Tony’s career is jeopardized, Timbrel must re-evaluate her priorities—and fast! A terrorist plots to unleash a weapon of mass destruction on American soil. Can Timbrel and Beowulf track the chemicals in time? Will Tony surrender everything to save the woman nobody believes in?

Review:

I say this a lot when referring to Ms. Kendig's books, but it's worth repeating -- this was great. The main problem I had with Beowulf was that it ended. Not how it ended, but that it did. I wanted to keep reading, and reading, and reading. It's destined to be one of the better books released in 2014, well, until Raptor 6 releases because her books keep getting better and better.

5 Roses

Beowulf: Explosives Detection Dog (A Breed Apart)

I hope you enjoy these books as much as I did.

Blessings,
Ginger

Wednesday Review: Romantic Suspense, & Historical Fiction

Yes, I know I'm posting this on Thursday. It should have been done yesterday, but I forgot it was Wednesday since I had Monday "off".  LOL  I know ya'll will forgive me though. :)

I'm reviewing three books today: Lifeline by Christy Barritt, a romantic suspense; Trouble in Store by Carol Cox, and Into the Whirlwind by Elizabeth Camden, both Historical Fiction with hints of romance.

I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

PS. I'm also adding decimals to my rating system. Some books deserve 4's but may not be as interesting as others, so I needed to add a way to differentiate the almost 5's from the barely 4's. :)

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Lifeline by Christy Barritt was so good I stayed up until I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore. When I woke the next morning, after only a few hours of necessary sleep, I had to finish it.

Ms. Barritt rolled all the suspense and romance you could want into one excellent story. The question of who-done-it is left hanging throughout, and you're never quite sure if you have the answer or not. At least I wasn't.

How many ways can I say I loved it?

Back cover:

"I did it for you."

The chilling words in the text message have Julianne Grace fearing for her life. She's sure that her abusive ex-fiancé has killed two people—and that she's the next target. But will anyone believe that her presumed dead ex is really alive? The only man who can help Julianne is cool, aloof security specialist Bradley Stone. Not only does she need his protection, but he's also the link to finding answers about her ex-fiancé's death. And the closer Bradley and Julianne get to the truth—and to each other—the angrier the madman after Julianne becomes. One wrong move and they could both fall prey to the killer's deadly scheme.

Rating: 5.9 Roses (since 5 is the highest I can go, LOL)

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Carol Cox brings us another wonderful story. Trouble in Store takes us back to the 1880's when women had few choices. So what did feisty women like Melanie Ross do? They winged it, and sometimes managed to land in an excellent situation that also allowed for love.

From page one, I enjoyed this novel. The story line kept me riveted to my seat and the banter between Caleb and Melanie made me smile on more than one occasion.

Back cover:

Fired from her most recent governess position, Melanie Ross must embrace her last resort: the Arizona mercantile she inherited from her cousin. But Caleb Nelson is positive he inherited the mercantile, and he's not about to let some obstinate woman with newfangled ideas mess up all he's worked for. He's determined to get Melanie married off as soon as possible, and luckily there are plenty of single men in town quite interested in taking her off his hands.

The problem is, Caleb soon realizes he doesn't want her to marry up with any of them. He's drawn to Melanie more every day, and he has to admit some of her ideas for the store unexpectedly offer positive results.

But someone doesn't want the store to succeed, and what used to be just threatening words has escalated into deliberate destruction and lurkers in the night. When a body shows up on the mercantile steps--and the man obviously didn't die from natural causes--things really get dangerous. Can Melanie and Caleb's business--and romance--survive the trouble that's about to come their way?

Rating: 4.5 Roses

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While I thoroughly enjoyed Into the Whirlwind by Elizabeth Camden, it was a bit slower paced than I typically prefer. Ms. Camden did an excellent job of showing us the fear and confusion generated by the Chicago fire. I'm thankful I wasn't there. She also did a wonderful job of portraying the difficulties of women doing business in that time frame. Having a man in her life, whether a friend, brother or husband, allowed greater access to many necessities. I'm glad times have changed so much--thanks to the many people like Mollie Knox.

Back cover:

As owner of the 57th Illinois Watch Company, Mollie Knox's future looks bright until the night the legendary Great Chicago Fire destroys her beloved city. With her world crumbling around her, Mollie will do whatever it takes to rebuild in the aftermath of the devastating fire.

Zack Kazmarek, an influential attorney for one of Chicago's finest department stores, is a force to be reckoned with among the city's most powerful citizens. Bold and shrewd, he's accustomed to getting exactly what he wants--until he meets Mollie Knox, the beguiling businesswoman just beyond his reach.

In the tumult as the people of Chicago race to rebuild a bigger and better city, Mollie comes face-to-face with the full force of Zack's character and influence. Zack believes this may finally be his chance to win her, but can Mollie ever accept this man and his whirlwind effect on her life, especially with her treasured company on the line?

Rating: 4.2 Roses


Blessings,
Ginger

Review: "Love in Disguise" by Carol Cox

Want to laugh, cry, wonder, and wander through the streets of 1880's Arizona? Then this is the book for you. Ms. Cox took me back to dusty streets, gallant men, rough cowboys, devious desperadoes, and proper ladies, and then added a twist.  From the very beginning, I fell in love with Ellie, and worried about her.

When the miners sent for a Pinkerton agent, I wondered if one of them could be the thief. Was it Steven or one of the others, or someone else entirely?

The story was told in such a way as to not give away the answer, but to give enough clues that one might could guess.

"Love in Disguise" is a delightful story that will engage your imagination, and your intellect.

Blurb:

When costume-maker Ellie Moore suddenly finds herself out of a job in the middle of a bleak Chicago winter, she uses her knowledge of theatrical disguise to secure a position as an undercover operative with the Pinkerton Detective Agency. Her assignment: find the culprit behind the theft of silver shipped from the mines near Pickford, Arizona.

Disguised as Lavinia Stewart, a middle-aged widow, Ellie begins her investigation. Soon she finds she must also pose as the dazzling young Jessie Monroe, whose vivacious personality encourages people to talk.

Mine owner Steven Pierce is about to lose his business after the theft of several bullion shipments--until hope arrives in the unlikely form of Lavinia Stewart, who offers to invest in Steven's mine. In his wildest dreams, Steven never expected to be rescued by an inquisitive gray-haired widow...or to fall head over heels for Lavinia's captivating niece, Jessie.

But then the thieves come after both Lavinia and Jessie. Ellie isn't safe no matter which character she plays! Will she be forced to reveal her true identity before the criminals are caught? What will Steven do when he discovers the woman he loves doesn't exist?

Available at Amazon. Clicking here will help support this blog and get you a wonderful book too.

You can find more books from Carol Cox by checking out her website.

Blessings,
Ginger