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

Take A Moment...

I'm so behind on my reviews, I'm doing several today. Take a moment and check out these recent releases. I hope you enjoyed them as much as I did. :)

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Mail Order Man by Heather Gray pleasantly surprised me. Sometimes I'm quite hesitant when I pick up a book by an unknown author, at least unknown to me. This novel exceeded my expectations and I look forward to reading more of Ms. Gray's work.

Mail Order Man made me laugh, cry, and laugh again. So many misunderstandings, so many men, and then comes trouble. Sarah doesn't know what to make of it, or of the man who saves her from being accosted by several other men new in town. I could relate to Sarah's hesitancy to trust any of the new men in town, including Samuel, whom she knows is not telling her everything.

Back cover:

Some people get a mail order bride. She got a mail order man.

A well-meaning friend places an ad to find a mail order husband for Sarah, the proprietress of Larkspur’s stage and mail office. Sarah, who is generally quiet and reserved, doesn't know about the ad and has no idea what to do with all the people that are showing up in her community. Before long, the town is overrun with men and mail alike. Sarah is trying to avoid some men who have accosted her on the street when she stumbles into Samuel. Through long days spent together at the stage office, some very adventurous pots of coffee and a shared faith, the two become friends. Sarah knows that Samuel is hiding something from her, something important, but that doesn't stop her heart from leaping wildly into love. Lacking the confidence to trust her heart, Sarah wars with herself over the feelings she can no longer deny. When some of the men who have come to town show their true intentions, a shootout follows. Sarah finally gets answers to many of the questions circling through her mind. One question remains, though. 

Where will her mail order man go when the dust settles?

Rating: 4 roses

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Wow, just wow. Katie Ganshert has done an excellent job with Wishing on Willows. The writing is excellent, and pulls you into the story with little effort on your part.

It is a heartwarming story of grief and second chances at love. Sometimes a dry, empty desert becomes our familiar place and no matter how good the alternative is, making a change is scary. Taking a chance on love, for a second time, can be even scarier, but Ms. Ganshert has done an excellent job of showing us that it can work.

Back cover:

A three-year old son, a struggling café, and fading memories are all Robin Price has left of her late husband. As the proud owner of Willow Tree Café in small town Peaks, Iowa,  she pours her heart into every muffin she bakes and espresso she pulls, thankful for the sense of purpose and community the work provides.

So when developer Ian McKay shows up in Peaks with plans to build condos where her café and a vital town ministry are located, she isn’t about to let go without a fight.

As stubborn as he is handsome, Ian won’t give up easily. His family’s business depends on his success in Peaks. But as Ian pushes to seal the deal, he wonders if he has met his match. Robin’s gracious spirit threatens to undo his resolve, especially when he discovers the beautiful widow harbors a grief that resonates with his own.

With polarized opinions forming all over town, business becomes unavoidably personal and Robin and Ian must decide whether to cling to the familiar or surrender their plans to the God of Second Chances.

Rating: 4 stars

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Another Wow book. Wholly satisfying. Stealing the Preacher by Karen Witemeyer will make you chuckle, stare at the page in disbelief, and even bring a tear to your eye. Well, that last one might just be me, but it is highly emotional in a few places.

I stand in awe of Karen Witemeyer's ability to pull me into a story and refuse to let me go. She did it with Short-Straw Bride, and she's done it again with Stealing the Preacher. Kudo's to Ms. Witemeyer for an excellent novel.

Back cover:

On his way to interview for a position at a church in the Piney Woods of Texas, Crockett Archer can scarcely believe it when he's forced off the train by a retired outlaw and presented to the man's daughter as the minister she requested for her birthday. Worried this unfortunate detour will ruin his chances of finally serving a congregation of his own, Crockett is determined to escape. But when he finally gets away, he's haunted by the memory of the young woman he left behind--a woman whose dreams now hinge on him.

For months, Joanna Robbins prayed for a preacher. A man to breathe life back into the abandoned church at the heart of her community. A man to assist her in fulfilling a promise to her dying mother. A man to help her discover answers to the questions that have been on her heart for so long. But just when it seems God has answered her prayers, it turns out the person is there against his will and has dreams of his own calling him elsewhere. Is there any way she can convince Crockett to stay in her little backwoods community? And does the attraction between them have any chance of blossoming when Joanna's outlaw father is dead set against his daughter courting a preacher?

Rating: 5 roses

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That's all the reviews for today.

Blessings,
Ginger

Review: "Short-Straw Bride" by Karen Witemeyer

I've read some truly awesome books lately. One of them is "Short-Straw Bride" by Karen Witemeyer.

I found myself relating to Meredith in her struggle to do the right thing, but having it somehow go all wrong. Karen did an excellent job of showing the difficulties Meredith encountered with the Archer men, Travis in particular. Chapter after chapter begs you to continue reading until it's way past time to do something else (sleep, for example).

I highly recommend any and all of Karen Witemeyer's books.

Blurb:

No one steps on Archer land. Not if they value their life. But when Meredith Hayes overhears a lethal plot to burn the Archer brothers off their ranch, a twelve-year-old debt compels her to take the risk.

Fourteen years of constant vigilance hardens a man. Yet when Travis Archer confronts a female trespasser with the same vivid blue eyes as the courageous young girl he once aided, he can't bring himself to send her away. And when an act of sacrifice leaves her injured and her reputation in shreds, gratitude and guilt send him riding to her rescue once again.

Four brothers. Four straws. One bride. Despite the fact that Travis is no longer the gallant youth Meredith once dreamed about, she determines to stand by his side against the enemy that threatens them both. But will love ever be hers? Or will Travis always see her merely as a short-straw bride?

 "Short-Straw Bride" is available at Amazon. By clicking this link, you help support this blog.

Blessings,
Ginger