Carol Moncado

What if she never came home . . . ?

When Mitchell Brannon’s beloved wife sets off for home after a conference, he has no idea that his life is about to change forever. Mitch returns from work early that evening, surprised that Jill’s car isn’t in the garage. But her voice on the answering machine makes him smile. “Hey, babe, I’m just now checking out of the hotel, but I’ll stop and pick up something for dinner. Love you.” Hours later, Jill still hasn’t returned, and Mitch’s irritation turns to dread.

When the police come up empty, Mitch enlists the help of their next-door neighbor, Jill’s best friend, Shelley, to help search. As hours turn into days and days into weeks, Mitch and Shelley’s friendship grows ever closer—and decidedly more complicated. Every lead seems to be a dead end, and Mitch wonders how he can honor the vows he made to a woman who has seemingly disappeared from the face of the earth.

I’ve read a number of Deb Raney’s books, though not nearly all of them, and have had the privilege of meeting her several times. She’s as sweet as everyone says ;). Promise.

I’d heard scuttlebutt about this book – how it’s one of her best, if not the best. I’ll admit to being a bit scared that it would disappoint, but /whew/ it didn’t.

Deb delves into a question most of us [thank God] will never have to face. What if your spouse just… disappeared? No trace. Implausible, but possible, reason she might have just left on her own, without any word to anyone. As days, weeks, months, pass – when do you give up hope? When do you say “okay, she’s probably dead and if not, she obviously doesn’t want to be found” and get on with your life? How many months makes “presumed dead” a real option [Elizabeth Smart, anyone?] rather than a worst-case, can’t-let-myself-believe-it scenario?

And what if you have a growing attraction to your wife’s best friend [or your best friend’s husband, as the case may be] who is willing to go to the ends of the earth with you to find her?

And then, what if your wife [or best friend] comes back after you both have admitted to feelings for each other?

Another review I read said the reviewer had a problem with Mitch even contemplating moving on six months after Jill’s disappearance. I didn’t have a problem with that – there’s no hard and fast rules to moving on – some will move on quickly [and should, for the right reasons – others shouldn’t or do for the wrong reasons] and others will never “move on” in the sense that they’ll never find their second true love.

Deb has dealt with many different scenarios in other books:

• Moving on quickly after the death of a spouse, perhaps too quickly – Yesterday’s Embers
• When your fiance dies, leaving only her children, and an ex who wants them back – A Nest of Sparrows
• When your spouse is physically present but mentally, emotionally, spiritually already gone – A Vow to Cherish*
• When your missionary husband is reported killed in a neighboring village and you mourn, move on with your life and remarry, then discover he’s not really dead after all – Beneath a Southern Sky
  and After the Rains*

Overall, I was happy with how she dealt with the situation, though I did wonder what would happen if/when Jill came home. Once Mitch and Shelley admit their growing feelings [MONTHS after the disappearance], what would their relationships with Jill be like upon her return?

I’ll not get into the ending here [it doesn’t get into that aspect – whether because Jill doesn’t return or it ends with her return, I won’t say], but I was left relatively satisfied but wishing for more – perhaps in a sequel set in the same town.

I would have liked to know more about what was going on with Jill and Mitch’s son [particularly as it related to his on-again-off-again relationship with Shelley’s daughter], but overall Deb knocks it out of the park once again.

Overall rating: 8.5 out of 9 stars

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ecopy in exchange for my honest opinion.

*I’ve not read Vow to Cherish for no particular reason. I’ve not read Beneath a Southern Sky and After the Rains because the back cover of After the Rains spoiled the ending of Southern Sky. Now, granted, this was years after their release but I didn’t realize Rains was the sequel or I wouldn’t have read it. I may still some day because I’ve heard they’re quite good, but I haven’t at this point.

Gambling everything—including the family farm—Cullen McNamara travels to the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair with his most recent invention. But the noise in the fair’s Machinery Hall makes it impossible to communicate with potential buyers. In an act of desperation, he hires Della Wentworth, a teacher of the deaf, to tutor him in the art of lip-reading.

The young teacher is reluctant to participate, and Cullen has trouble keeping his mind on his lessons while intently watching her lips. Like the newly invented Ferris wheel, he is caught in a whirl between his girl back home, his dreams as an inventor, and his unexpected attraction to his new tutor. Can he keep his feet on the ground, or will he be carried away?

As always, Deeanne plops us right into the middle of the action and gives us a view of something wonderful that none of us were able to experience.

Poor Cullen, sufferer of allergies that would drive most of us to our knees – or at least inside to the air conditioning – toughs it out on his family’s cotton farm. His father, believer that Cullen is made for greatness, sacrifices everything to send Cullen and his invention to the Fair.

With her trademark style, Deeanne gives us a glimpse into the world of small cotton farmers in the 1890s, the world of deaf children and those who love them, the world of the Fair, the world of inventors and firefighters, the world spiraling into the greatest depression until the Great Depression, and so many others.

She draws on the rich environment to give us a setting and tugs at our heartstrings as Cullen wonders about the girl he left behind and the one who’s with him now. What choice will he make? For what reason? And at what cost?

Can he be a success when it seems everything is stacked against him, including partial [and increasing] deafness in a time when those with disabilities were often locked away in asylums?

All of this and more [including a passing mention of the Biltmore Estate from Maid to Match] as she weaves a tale of love and secrets and marvels beyond the wildest dreams.

Overall Rating: 8.75 out of 10 stars

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ecopy in exchange for my honest review.

The scribe Sarah married Darius, and at times she feels as if she has married the Persian aristocracy, too. There is another point she did not count on in her marriage-Sarah has grown to love her husband. Sarah has wealth, property, honor, and power, but her husband’s love still seems unattainable.

Although his mother was an Israelite, Darius remains skeptical that his Jewish wife is the right choice for him, particularly when she conspires with her cousin Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Ordered to assist in the effort, the couple begins a journey to the homeland of his mother’s people. Will the road filled with danger, conflict, and surprising memories, help Darius to see the hand of God at work in his life-and even in his marriage?

A hidden message, treachery, opposition, and a God-given success, will lead to an unlikely bounty.

[Warning: May include some spoilers for the first book in the series, Harvest of Rubies.]

I have been eagerly awaiting this release since I finished Harvest of Rubies (link to my review) last year! The continuing saga of Sarah and Darius has drawn me back several times, despite my [quite large] stack of “new” to be read books. I’ve read at least part of Rubies four or five times in the last year.

Gold picks up quite soon after Rubies ended. The mystery and intrigue with a backdrop of rebuilding Jerusalem were all quite interesting, but at the heart of it Gold continues the love story begun in Rubies.

My heart still ached for Sarah as she loved Darius but he was unwilling or unable to allow himself to truly love her back. Through their trials as they want to start a family. As he tries to decide if he can really trust her after that trust was thoroughly destroyed on their wedding day. As Darius struggles with his new post while trying to understand the people of his mother and his wife.

I devoured the preview ecopy I received and did not even contemplate canceling my preorder of the paper version. I have not had a chance to reread it yet, but you can bet I will.

Most of characters are fictional, but a few are not, including the prophet [and the cousin to fictional Sarah] Nehemiah. Most of it is filled with supposition and “fill-in-the-blanks” but those things are based on Tessa’s meticulous research and are well-grounded.

I was both happy and sad to see the saga of Sarah and Darius come to an end, but I am very much looking forward to her next release based on the story of Ruth [I’ve been asking for SOMEONE to write this for several years now :D]. Sadly, it won’t come out for a while.

In the meantime, I’ll have to find time in my reading schedule to read Rubies and Gold again – back-to-back this time.

Overall rating: 9.25 out of 10 stars

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ecopy in exchange for my honest review.

It’s a summer of change for Jennifer O’Malley.

The busy physician has a pediatrics practice in Dallas, Texas, and meeting and falling in love with surgeon Tom Peterson is adding a rich layer to her life. She’s sorting out how to introduce Tom to her family–she’s the youngest of seven–and thinking about marriage.

She’s falling in love with Jesus too, and knows God is good. But that faith is about to be tested, and in a way she didn’t expect. The results will soon transform her entire family.

 

 

[Warning: This may contain some spoilers for the O’Malley series. I don’t think they’re big ones and I tried to avoid them as much as possible, but there are a few in here, with the biggest being the outcome of Jennifer’s diagnosis. It shouldn’t be a huge surprise by about halfway through the first book in the O’Malley series, but there ya go…]

I have mixed feelings about this novella… It’s short, only 12 chapters. The paper copy [my sister has it] is hardback with a dust cover and everything and not very big. At 160 pages, it’s shorter than even most of those published by Harlequin [which I usually like, but tend to wish were longer].

I didn’t expect to learn anything new in this book – it is a PREQUEL, after all – and I didn’t. Not really. It was nice seeing Tom and Jennifer meet and fall in love, but all along I was waiting for both shoes to drop [you know how people say they’re “waiting for the other shoe to drop”? Yeah – they dropped at the same time here]. There also wasn’t enough… meat? to it for me. I would have liked a full length novel as a prequel [like Danger in the Shadows does for The Negotiator, though it wasn’t originally intended that way].

Another thing I would have liked, if instead of a full novel leading into The Negotiator [the first in the O’Malley series], would be to see some of the events through Jennifer and Tom’s eyes. Their wedding for instance. What led to  Tom’s conviction that there would never be anyone else for him. Or their life after.

Something I’d like to see in the future? Tom. I know what he said, but I’d love to see him fall in love again someday. To see how the O’Malleys deal with and support him moving on [or not] and so on. I realize it may be difficult since Dee is now with a different publisher, but surely there’s some way around it…

Anyway, did I enjoy it? Yes. Was it a quick, light read without any of the suspense usually found in Dee’s full length novels? Yes. Am I glad I have a review copy rather than paying for it? Maybe. I don’t know that I’ll pick up a paper copy unless I find it on good sale somewhere. It does have my itching to read the O’Malley series again, but I don’t know that I will for a couple of reasons.

1. I have a million books already in my TBR stack
2. I bawl like a baby at the end of book 5 [book 6 if you count Danger in the Shadows] and then I never read the last book.

Overall, it wasn’t bad and was a pleasant diversion from staring at the bar on a download very late one night. I’m very much looking forward to more of Dee’s books and the “eh” factor of this one won’t change that.

Overall Rating: 7 out of 10 stars [and part of me feels bad about that number, while another part feels like it’s being a bit generous – guess it depends on what you were expecting and what you hope to gt out of it]

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ecopy in exchange for my honest review.

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 parson 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?

I’m a big fan of Karen’s books and have been looking forward to this sequel to Short Straw Bride since I heard it was on it’s way!

I loved Travis as a hero in Bride and adored all the brothers – including Crockett. Here he’s just what every [Christian] girl wants. A man strong enough to stand up to an outlaw [even if said outlaw is your father], gentle enough to take care of you [even if you don’t really need taking care of], a hard worker, and absolutely positively in love with his Savior.

As always, Karen weaves a tale that sucked me in and ended way, way too soon. Joanna and Crockett are meant for each other, despite the obstacles life throws in their way.

The twists and turns are believable and the outcome of some of the situations are, well, divinely inspired. And the resolution absolutely sigh-worthy.

Karen does have a novella coming out later this year with the fourth Archer brother – as part of a collection with a number of other authors I love – including Mary Connealy. Yay!

Though I did thoroughly enjoy Stealing the Preacher, I did like Short Straw Bride better – mostly because it’s my favorite kind of plot – sudden marriage :D.

Overall rating: 9 out of 10 stars

Thanks to the author and publisher for a free influencer copy in exchange for my review.

Claudia’s life did not start easily. The illegitimate daughter of Julia, reviled and exiled daughter of Caesar Augustus, Claudia spends her childhood in a guarded villa with her mother and grandmother. When Tiberius, who hates Julia, takes the throne, Claudia is wrenched away from her mother to be brought up in the palace in Rome. The young woman is adrift–until she meets Lucius Pontius Pilate and becomes his wife. When Pilate is appointed Prefect of the troublesome territory of Judea, Claudia does what she has always done: she makes the best of it. But unrest is brewing on the outskirts of the Roman Empire, and Claudia will soon find herself and her beloved husband embroiled in controversy and rebellion. Might she find peace and rest in the teaching of the mysterious Jewish Rabbi everyone seems to be talking about?

This is the second book I’ve read by Ms. Wallis Taylor and the second book I’ve read this year dealing with the crucifixion of Christ with a character typically vilified used as the protagonist. The first, Iscariot by Tosca Lee, had Judas and this novel features the wife of Pilate as the main character with Pilate a strong second.

I was immediately drawn into the world of Rome and the intrigue in Tiberius’s household. Even though I knew Claudia would end up marrying Pilate, I hoped she wouldn’t end up married to some old dude first ;). Or that Pilate wasn’t [I’ll be honest – have no clue how old I thought he was prior to this]. Tiberius’s right hand man has it out for Claudia and they are sent to govern the unruly Jewish people.

Life is both easy – she is a wealthy Roman noblewoman – and hard – her husband can be a hard man and seems to have been promoted above his ability at that time. Claudia learns about the Jewish faith from several around her and, eventually, hears of a new prophet, from Galilee – Jesus.

The perspective of Pilate, given what happens with Claudia and her encounter with Jesus, gives new theoretical insight into his rationale and maybe, just maybe, what he did wasn’t as unforgivable as many might think. Was he backed into a corner? He was a piece of a greater plan leading the salvation of the world.

Though a much lighter read than Iscariot, both bring fresh perspective to the crucifixion of Christ – something ordained before the foundations of the earth.

I especially enjoyed the ending. I won’t spoil it but it was happier than I’d anticipated.

Claudia was a pleasant read and I’ll be looking for more by Ms. Wallis Taylor.

Overall rating: 8.75 out of 10 stars

Available June 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Thanks to the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange of my honest review.

Julianne used to believe in fairy tales; she’s been watching for Prince Charming to come charging in on his white steed ever since the day her mother read her Cinderella for the first time. But she’s never come close to finding the perfect man-instead she’s always tripping over her childhood best friend, Will. And who finds their Prince Charming on a 10-speed bicycle on the other side of the cul de sac? Well… Julianne does. Only she doesn’t have a clue.

She and Will are attorneys now, and they’ve joined up in private practice in a beautiful Cincinnati office building that overlooks the Ohio River. And then one day Julianne is on her way to court, and runs right smack dab into Prince Charming. But when she looks again, all she finds is a metaphoric sign she is certain came straight from Heaven: The Prince’s toolbox has fallen off the back of his truck, and a work boot along with it. What better way for God to grab the attention of a Cinderella-in-training than to show her a glass slipper…errrr, work boot?…waiting to be reunited with its owner?

So she sets out to track down the mysterious Prince Charming. He’s the most gorgeous guy she’s ever seen…and a caring animal rescuer, too. Surely he must be the soul mate God has prepared her for.

But, Julianne’s prince is starting to look less and less charming all the time. No matter how she tries to romanticize him, he just keeps tumbling down off that dumb pedestal. And with the Bar Association dinner coming up that will honor her for her outstanding charity work over the year, Julianne wants so much for her friends and colleagues to see her with someone besides her best friend Will. To make matters worse, Prince Charming has no designs on wearing a penguin suit and attending a stuffy old dinner. With her pride pressing in on her like sticks from a cactus, Julianne sinks to the bottom of the proverbial barrel and actually offers to pay Paul to be her date.

Julianne is on a collision course with God’s perfect plan for her life…if only she could open her eyes and see it before it’s too late.

After I requested this book via NetGalley [but before I had been approved], I “applied” for a position on Sandie’s Launch Team for this book and I am so glad I did.

It wasn’t quite what I expected, but nonetheless and wonderful read. Julianne and Will are simply perfect and I love the chemistry between the two of them.

The only problem?

Julianne seems to cut off her nose to spite her face when it comes to Will. She simply can’t let herself believe there could be a future for them – no matter how many times God seems to give a sign.

Instead, she does her best to turn the rescuer of a poor dog into her Prince Charming, but it simply isn’t to be. He does bring “Charming” into her life, but this man? He’s a poor substitute for the real thing.

This is the first in Sandie’s series of modern fairy tale retellings and I’m looking forward to the next one. While I agree – completely – of Julianne and Will’s perfection for each other, I’d love to see Mr. Not-So-Charming get a story of his own – wherein his “faults” are “fixed.” Or at least he finds his own Ms. Right. I’ve not got a clue what Sandie has planned, but I’d guess that’s not it.

Even so, I loved this Cinderella retelling and can’t wait for the next one.

Overall rating: 9 out of 10 stars

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ecopy in exchange for my honest review.

If Molly Hatfield’s purple attire doesn’t blind you, her dazzling smile will.  She doesn’t just sing to the cattle, she puts on a whole show. If only she wasn’t so stubborn about her brother’s care.  Or so distrustful of a certain handsome doctor…

There is nothing Molly wouldn’t do for her teenaged brother, Donny. Blaming herself for the accident that left him wheel-chair bound, Molly has dedicated her life to his care. But in 1896, gainful employment for a woman is hard to come by. So when Molly learns that an eccentric rancher in Cactus Patch, Arizona, is looking for an heiress–someone to take over management of the ranch in exchange for future ownership–she jumps at the chance to provide a real home for her brother. 

If she proves to have a knack for ranching and agrees to remain single for life, the ranch can be hers. Neither stipulation worries Molly. She’s resourceful and hardworking. And she gave up dreams of marriage long ago when she dedicated her life to her brother’s well-being.

However, Molly didn’t bank on meeting Dr. Caleb Fairbanks, the town’s handsome and charismatic young doctor, whose backfiring automobilie almost gets him killed when Molly thinks she’s being shot at and fires back. 

But it’s how he is with her brother that really alarms her. Caleb sees past the wheelchair and genuinely likes Donny, but Molly fears he’s putting unrealistic ideas into her brother’s head. Falling in love with Caleb would threaten everything she’s worked for, even her brother’s future happiness.   It’ll take an act of congress to convince her otherwise–and maybe even a little help from above.

I believe this is my first book by Margaret Brownley. I have several but haven’t had the chance to read them.

Though I haven’t read the first book, I didn’t feel lost or like I needed to read it to understand this one. Having grown up in Phoenix, this had extra appeal for me.

Molly is spunky and resourceful – and admirable for sticking next to her brother even if it costs her a chance at happiness.

Caleb and his dog, Magic, are wonderful. If only his new automobile wouldn’t put him on the other end of Molly’s shotgun.

All in all, this is a great read and I’ll be sure to pick up more of Margaret Brownley’s books as the opportunity arises.

Overall rating: 8.25 out of 10 stars

Thanks to BookSneeze and the publisher for an ecopy in exchange for my honest review.

Susanna Truitt never dreamed of a great romance or being treated like a princess—just to marry the man she has loved for twelve years. But life isn’t going according to plan. When her high-school-sweetheart-turned-Marine-officer breaks up instead of proposing, Susanna scrambles to rebuild her life. The last thing Prince Nathaniel expects to find on his American holiday to St. Simons Island is the queen of his heart. A prince has duties, and his family’s tense political situation has chosen his bride for him. When Prince Nathaniel comes to Susanna’s aid under the fabled Lover’s Oak, he is blindsided by love. Their lives are worlds apart. He’s a royal prince. She’s an ordinary girl. But everything changes when Susanna receives an invitation to Nathaniel’s coronation. It’s the ultimate choice: His kingdom or her heart? God’s will or their own?

 

 

This is the third book [I think] I’ve read by Ms. Hauck and definitely my favorite. In fact, I can’t wait for my hard copy to arrive so I can reread it ;). [By the time this posts, it may well be in hand :D.]

I absolutely loved Susanna and Nathaniel. I loved the royal background of his country and the pomp and circumstance that goes along with having a prince around.

But I completely adored how well he fit in with her family when no one knew who he was! Loved, loved, loved that!

The problems, as in most romances, seem insurmountable, and, as in most romances, they are overcome. But Ms. Hauck does an absolutely masterful job keeping us in suspense about how exactly they’re going to sort it all out.

I think I know who the heroine of book 2 in this series is going to be and I can’t wait until it comes out. Yes, I’m getting a bit ahead of myself as I read this one about two months before its release, but hey, a girl can be an insatiable reader.

Overall rating: 9.5 out of 10 stars

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ecopy in exchange for my honest review.

Successful career gal Kendall Haynes is tired of wishing on stars for a home and a family. Can God’s dreams for her be even better than her own?

What does a girl do when life doesn’t go according to her plan? At thirty-six, Kendall Haynes has seen some of her dreams come true. She’s a family physician helping kids with severe allergies and asthma achieve more fulfilling lives—a childhood struggle she knows all too well. But are Kendall’s dreams of having it all—a career, a husband, children—nothing more than a childhood fantasy? God says He knows the plans He has for her—why can’t Kendall figure them out and be content with her life?

Griffin Walker prefers flying solo—both as an Air Force pilot and in his personal life. But a wrong choice and health problems pulled him out of the cockpit. His attempts to get out of “flying a desk” are complicated by his parents’ death—making Griffin the reluctant guardian of his sixteen-year-old brother, Ian. How did his life get so off course? Can he get his life back on track…or has there been a divine plan all along?

Catch a Falling Star reminds readers that romance isn’t just for twenty-somethings and that sometimes letting go of your “wish I may, wish I might” dreams is the only way to embrace everything God has waiting for you.

Anyone who knows me knows I adore Beth Vogt. She was one of my greatest encouragers last year when half my face suddenly stopped working and such a wonderful friend.

Last year, when her debut novel released, I mentioned I was scared to death [or at least a bit worried] that I wouldn’t like it. Of course, I needn’t have worried [and in fact loaned Wish You Were Here to my sister just this weekend – er, the weekend before I wrote this post anyway ;)].

And I didn’t need to worry about her sophomore offering either.

I loved Kendall and pulled for her as she struggled with trying to have it all – as her best friends seemed to be doing just that. Griffith is a man’s man but struggling when the thing he loved more than anything was taken away from him.

Their mutual love of Jeeps and concern over the health of Griffith’s allergy stricken little brother bring them together time and again, as they both struggle with God’s plan. Is it the “other man” who keeps popping up in Kendall’s life? And what about the professional accusations streaming her way?

Beth keeps the pages turning – or the arrow of the Kindle clicking anyway – and she weaves a wonderful tale of God’s love, redemption, and Jeeps.

I cannot wait to see what Beth has next for us.

[But I did miss the llamas… ;)]

Overall rating: 9 out of 10 stars

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ecopy in exchange for my honest review.