Carol Moncado

Witness as Shiloh’s new life in Virginia crumbles around her. The house she inherited from her mother is much more than a place to live—it represents Shiloh’s changed life and what little financial security she has. But her half sister is contesting their mother’s will and the IRS is threatening to take it for back taxes. She’s also discovering God’s ideal when it comes to love and romance. When Mr. Right shows up will she recognize God’s hand or let circumstances and prejudices blind her heart to the love of her life?

This is my first book by Ms. Spinola and the second book in the Southern Fried Sushi series.

It seems like many series these days are such that you don’t need to read book 1 to enjoy book 2, etc. A minor character or set of characters take the lead in the next book, and so on.

That isn’t the case with this series. I’d not read book 1 and I think that would have been crucial for my enjoyment of it. I felt a bit out of sorts as I read it, like trying to start a TV series in the middle of season 4.

I tried to sort it all out, but mostly I just accepted what Ms. Spinola said and just sort of went with it.

The characters were creative and lovable. I’m not quite sure how to write this without spoilers – for some reason, it’s escaping me this time. Shiloh’s new friends at her new home, including Adam, could have come off as caricatures but didn’t. Her friend from Japan was the same way.

I did enjoy the book, but felt I would have enjoyed it more if I’d read book 1. My TBR pile is insanely tall, but I will keep book 1 on my list of books I want to read when I have time, or when the mood strikes.

Overall Rating: 7 out of 10 [though it probably would have been more like 8.5 or 9 if I’d read book 1]

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

Today we took the kids to the National Cemetery not too far from here – to remind them why… This is a regular post, with a few reminders of why Memorial Day is Memorial Day. Not waxing poetic on the heroes, but living my life, because “all gave some, some gave all” so we could have the freedom to live as we choose.

Thank you to the Soldiers, Airmen/women, Marines, Coast Guard and Sailors. Those two words are so inadequate but they are all I have.

On to regularly scheduled programming…

First and foremost, the Bell’s Palsy is completely gone!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!

That’s huge!

Second, I went back to the doc who did the first surgery on my nose and he gave me some tips for making it feel better. More yay!!!!!!!!!! Because it’s still tender since the lasering over a month ago :).

Third… My 8yo is having six teeth removed next month :(. We’re going to an oral surgeon because we’re removing all 6 at once.

Egads! All that sounds so stiff and formal… but I haven’t actually blogged in eons. I’ve posted a bunch of book reviews [and the rest of the week will be filled with them, too, as I get caught up on a few – so I can request more ;)] but not an actual blog post.

So what’s going on around here?

Nothing too major but good things. Had a manuscript final in Faith, Hope, Love’s Touched by Love Award contest :). That was a roller coaster couple of days for a variety of reasons – had very, very good reason to think I hadn’t finaled which was hard. I hadn’t finaled in another contest the week before and it seemed to be “confirmation” that this writing thing wasn’t working for me and I should give up.

Several good friends [including NovelSistas Jess and Kristy] helped me through and I was already “okay” when word came in that I had finaled after all.

According to one set of information, the Genesis finalists were supposed to be notified today [there were 20 semi-finalists in my category], but another set of information said the scores were due today and notifications would be in the next couple days.

Friday is the Frasier announcement and next Monday is Duel on the Delta and then I’m DONE with contests until much later this year :).

So things are promising, but nothing OUTSTANDING [like say an agent or contract ;)] just yet.

In other news…

The 4yo starts summer school Kindergarten tomorrow!!! He’ll be 5 before school starts in August but still just 4. I’ll post a pic on my Facebook page [so yes, that means you should go ‘like’ my page if you don’t already ;)]. He’s soooooooooooo excited!!!!! I’m off this week still, but start summer school myself next week :). Need to do a bit of stuff to get ready but mostly plan to write this week [or do edits on the Genesis entry on the off chance it finals].

I tried to write something geared toward Love Inspired, but it Just. Wasn’t. Working. So I quit it and went back to the Bell’s Palsy thing. Loving it and the characters so far – only about 6000 words in and still getting to know them, but this is the part I adore.

Right now? Back to reading a review copy of a book – then write the reviews that will post this week. Look for reviews of:

Like Sweet Potato Pie by Jennifer Rogers Spinola
Harvest of Rubies by Tessa Afshar
Wish You Were Here by Beth K. Vogt
Cooking the Books by Bonnie S. Calhoun [currently reading]

Next week should include reviews for:

Double Exposure by Susan Sleeman
End of the Trail by Vickie McDonough

Think I’m going to do reviews on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting next week – either books I have to review because I signed up to [though I only offer to volunteer to read books I think I’ll enjoy] or ones I’ve read just for fun :).

Hope everyone has had a wonderful Memorial Day and that we remember why…

My husband’s best friend deploys next month. Prayers for him, his fellow soldiers, and his family would be much appreciated.

Tia Morales is used to calling the shots. She’s the director of the popular sitcom Stars Collide, and her life on set is calculated and orderly. Well, most of the time. But her life outside the studio is another matter. If only she could get her family to behave as well as her stars do! When she starts butting heads with handsome camera operator Jason Harris, it’s enough to send a girl over the edge. Will she ever learn to let go and take life–and love–as it comes?

Full of the humor and crazy family dynamics Janice Thompson fans have come to love, this colorful story gives readers an inside look at Hollywood and a healthy dose of romance.

When I went to the mailbox Monday, there were two packages in it. The bigger of the two was from Baker Publishing. I thought what on Earth are they sending me? And then I opened it.

And had to stop myself from jumping up and down right there on the driveway – there were construction workers next door, after all.

I had other things I needed to do, but we all knew I’d crack it open as soon as I had a chance.

And so. both before and after a trip to Chick-fil-A with the kids to celebrate the end of school, I read The Director’s Cut. And incidentally, I discovered yesterday Janice also loves CFA :D.

The Director’s Cut is the third [and sadly, final] book in Ms. Thompson’s Backstage Pass series. It began with Stars Collide and continued with Hello, Hollywood. All three center around the Stars Collide television sit-com. In the first book it was the lead actor/ress. The second book revolved around two of the writers and this one is about Tia Morales, the director, and Jason Harris, one of the cameramen.

As always, Janice creates a cast of unforgettable characters, mostly Tia’s family, in this case. Characters from the other books abound – including one or two that originally showed up in her excellent series Weddings by Bella, particularly superstar Brock Benson. Rex and Lenora are a shining example of what love can be like. And the humor is Trademark Thompson.

Ms. Thompson uses her knowledge of Hollywood to show all of us the world most of us will never see. She also brings us into different parts of the LA area, bringing them to life.

There’s a couple… criticisms certainly isn’t the right word… things I would have liked to see done a bit differently maybe? I would have liked to see a bit of the church with Jason and a bit more of the HEA.

I’ve mentioned it before [and I believe I even used Janice’s Weddings by Bella as an example], but I’m a sucker not just for the HEA [that’s Happily Ever After for those of you unfamiliar with the abbreviation ;)], but for a tidbit or slice of life afterwards. Not just the wedding, but a bit of a view into their lives in the future. A day, a week, a month, a year, whatever, after the wedding [or the kiss or the proposal or the… whatever].

It doesn’t detract from the book, though, and I thoroughly enjoyed it and it will make its way onto my shelf [after my sister takes it home tonight to read it] and onto my annual ‘to reread’ list.

Overall rating: 9.5 out of 10 stars

Thanks to Janice and Revell for an influencer copy of this book. The opinion, however, is my own.

Sixteen-year-old Carmen Castillo prays that her parents will patch things up so she can return to her once-lavish life. Trapped by resentment and anger, she heads to Diamond Estates hoping to find some healing for her embittered soul. Desperately homesick, Carmen concludes there is no such thing as ruby slippers. . .but is there still a chance she’ll get what her heart longs for?

 

I first heard about Ms. O’Dell on the Seekerville blog [we all know it’s one of my favorite places to hang out online]. I requested the first book in the Diamond Estates series, The Wishing Pearl, from my library – they purchased it and I checked it out.

The series is YA, something I’d like to write someday – as a spin-off from one of my adult series – and my husband works with kids like these. His employer is a facility for boys, but there are many of the same kinds of issues. I was scrolling through the NetGalley books available and found book 2 in the series available. I’ve requested it for my library, but this copy was provided by NetGalley and the publisher.

The Embittered Ruby is the story of Carmen Castillo. Her family recently moved from a posh neighborhood to one where gangs and drugs are an ever-present threat. Her choices lead to her move to Diamond Estates, a residential facility for girls in the Colorado mountains.

Ms. O’Dell did a wonderful job portraying Carmen’s life – both back in the posh neighborhood with her father and in the new area with her mom. Granted, I’ve never lived in either place, but it was believable to me.

The characters sometimes frustrated me, but they’re teenagers. That’s a big part of it. I wish they’d learn the lesson an easier way ;). The romance thread worked well for me until the very end. I understand why Ms. O’Dell made the decisions she did with regards to the storyline, but I still hope the characters may show up in later books with a bit more… closure? I’m not sure that’s the right word, but maybe more development of life after ‘the end’. Given that the characters from The Wishing Pearl showed up in this work, it seems likely Carmen and others may appear in the next works.

Though this is a YA, I think I would reserve it for 15-16 year olds, with conversation from the adults in their lives. That said, younger teens may benefit from reading it as well, but I’d recommend Mom or Dad read it first and judge for themselves. Again, conversations with parents would be a good way to help ensure the lessons learned are the ‘right’ ones and to answer any questions the teen may have.

Overall rating: 8.5 out of 10

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

I know I’ve posted lots of book reviews lately and no other posts, but I promise one will be coming soon :).

When a teenager goes missing from the Beacon of Hope School, Texas Ranger Wyatt Sheridan and school director Kate Winslow are forced into a dangerous struggle against a human trafficking organization. But the battle brings dire consequences as Wyatt’s daughter is terrorized and Kate is kidnapped.     

Now it’s personal, and Wyatt finds both his faith and investigative skills challenged as he fights to discover the mastermind behind the ring before evil destroys everyone he loves.

This was my first read from Margaret Daley and I enjoyed it. I have to be in the right mood for romantic suspense, and I wasn’t too sure I was, but Ms. Daley sucked me right in with the story of Rose. Rose is a teenager, living at Beacon of Hope – a residential facility for girls, mostly coming out of the prostitution life. Most of them had been forced into for one reason or another. Rose disappears and Kate Winslow makes it her mission to find out what happened.

While some of the authorities think Rose just took off, Kate convinces Texas Ranger Wyatt Sheridan to help her.

The two search for Rose and unexpectedly connect with each other.

Daley does a wonderful job keeping the suspense at a good level without overdoing it. I almost always want more romance and this was no exception but this is my thing. The romance aspect was just about right. [Honest – I always want more romance – she really did do a great job with it, I’m just demanding ;).]

The characters are well-rounded. None are *just* good guys or *just* bad guys. They’re more real than that [with one possible exception – and even then there’s a redeeming quality or two –you just have to look really hard to find them].

I look forward to more books by Ms. Daley and hope to see these characters in her next Men of the Texas Rangers book.

Overall rating: 8 out of 10 stars

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

Destiny Brought Them Together. Will Tragedy Draw Them Apart?

Amelia Gladstone’s mind is filled with promise as she gazes at the marvelous new ship, ready for its maiden voyage. The Titanic holds the promise of a reunited family. . .and of possible love waiting on American shores. Nothing could mar Amelia’s joy, until she sees a ragged stowaway being escorted down the gangplank.

Down-and-out after squandering his fortune, Quentin Walpole thought his voyage to America ended on the Southampton pier. Then a sweet lady—his angel of mercy named Amelia—secured his passage with a spare ticket. Now he’s headed to America, eager for a second chance.

But once the voyage begins, the past confronts Quentin when he discovers that his wealthy railroad tycoon father and older brother Damien are also on board. As Amelia tries to bring about reconciliation between father and son, she suddenly finds herself the center of both brothers’ attention with a choice to make: Who can she trust with her heart?

Then the fateful night arrives, and one brother faces a greater choice.

Will Amelia’s fate ultimately be one of love or loss?

One thing I love about reviewing is that it allows me to get books by authors I’ve never read before with little investment. No money, just some time. I’m still careful to pick books I’m fairly certain I’ll like, but I can find new authors to fall in love with.

This book is set on the Titanic. I’ve seen and read enough to have a pretty good idea what first and third class were like, though second class is a bit more of a mystery. But still, having been to one of the traveling exhibits a few months ago, I could see it in my mind’s eye as well.

Though today we’d look and see the disparity in the classes, which was quite real, my understanding is that the second and third accommodations on the Titanic were better than most during that time period. In fact, I’ve heard the second class passengers thought they’d mistakenly been shown to the first class dining room when they went to their first meal on board ship.

But I digress.

Quentin and Amelia are traveling second class, though Amelia makes some connections in first class allowing us to see more of that world [sort of like Jack did in the movie]. Quentin is more comfortable in third class and Amelia befriends one of the maids [who knew Amelia’s mother many years earlier]. This allows us to see bits and pieces of all parts of the ship, not just the second class.

One of the things I struggled with while reading the book [and this isn’t a bad thing per se] is that I had to remind myself they were on the Titanic. Every time I got attached to a character [and there were a lot of characters I adored], I had to remind myself there was a chance this person wouldn’t survive.

Even Quentin, and to a lesser extent because of her gender, Amelia. With well over half of the people on board the ship dying [yeah – don’t tell me that’s a spoiler! You knew this!], there’s a good chance any of them could go down with the ship. And if you don’t think it could be Quentin or Amelia – well, I have three words for you, “Come back, Jack!”

Er, right. Tricia’s book.

But even knowing that there was a good chance a number of the characters I came to care deeply about would meet their bitter end in the N. Atlantic, I cared anyway. I hoped [and maybe even prayed just a bit] that all of my favorites would survive, even though I knew it was highly unlikely to be the case.

This is quite a tribute to Tricia’s writing ability. To make me care about characters who had a less than 50% chance of survival is quite the feat. She did it quite well.

Quentin and Amelia are the most prominent characters but the romance isn’t quite a given. In fact, I wasn’t sure who Amelia would end up with until she actually did. Her suitors include Quentin [of course], First Class Passenger Damian and the man who paid for her passage on board the Titanic – a friend of her cousin’s, who she has been corresponding with for some time and intends to court with their eyes toward a fairly quick marriage.

The resolution to the prodigal son portion of the plotline was very well done and I loved the way things played out with Quentin and his father/brother. This is, far and away, one of the best books I’ve read in quite a while [and that’s saying something because I read a lot of REALLY good books!].

Overall rating: 9.75 out of 10 stars

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

Four brides. One Dress.

A tale of faith, redemption, and timeless love.

Charlotte owns a chic Birmingham bridal boutique. Dressing brides for their big day is her gift . . . and her passion. But with her own wedding day approaching, why can’t she find the perfect dress…or feel certain she should marry Tim?

Then Charlotte discovers a vintage dress in a battered trunk at an estate sale. It looks brand-new-shimmering with pearls and satin, hand-stitched and  timeless in its design. But where did it come from? Who wore it? Who welded the lock shut and tucked the dog tags in that little sachet? Who left it in the basement for a ten-year-old girl? And what about the mysterious man in the purple vest who insists the dress had been “redeemed.”

Charlotte’s search for the gown’s history-and its new bride-begins as a distraction from her sputtering love life. But it takes on a life of its own as she comes to know the women who have worn the dress. Emily from 1912. Mary Grace from 1939. Hillary from 1968. Each with her own story of promise, pain, and destiny. And each with something unique to share. For woven within the threads of the beautiful hundred-year-old gown is the truth about Charlotte’s heritage, the power of courage and faith, and the timeless beauty of finding true love.

I had a hard time reading this book. I know it was a pdf version [or something] and not the final, cleaned-up Kindle version, but the punctuation, especially capitalization, was beyond horrible. I can see a few mistakes here and there, but I absolutely cannot believe it’s the way Rachel turned it in or just ‘pre final edit’. Sentences, names, all sorts of things were screwy.

I know it’s not Rachel’s fault and for that reason, I stumbled through it and I won’t hold her responsible in the least, but it was still beyond annoying.

Charlotte and Tim are getting married. Soon. But he hasn’t picked out his tux. She hasn’t picked out a dress [and she owns a bridal shop!] and neither one of them has finalized their guest lists, much less sent out invitations.

When Charlotte is sucked into a fundraiser auction at a local historical site, she somehow ends up buying a trunk. One that’s been welded shut. With money she really doesn’t have.

She finally gets it open [with help from now ex-fiance Tim], she finds the most beautiful dress she’s ever seen with a history that she’s nearly desperate to find out.

Told mostly in two time periods, the book tells the story of how the dress came to be and Charlotte’s search for answers. She may not realize it, but she’s searching for answers to far more questions than just those brought by the dress. Three other women have worn it. Their stories will dramatically impact her life as well as Tim’s. Not all of the women who wore the dress are deceased. Charlotte’s search will impact the lives of those surrounding all of the women who wore it.

The setting and characters came alive and I can’t think of one character I didn’t like [with the possible exception of a couple now-deceased characters who I probably wasn’t supposed to like ;)]. Hauck sucked me in [despite the aforementioned punctuation/capitalization issues] and didn’t let go.

By the time she has her answers, Charlotte knows more about herself and her place in this world than she had at the beginning.

This is my second book of Hauck’s but won’t be my last. The ending to the last one I read left me unsettled and dissatisfied. It made me a bit leery but I’d heard such good things I went ahead and requested this one and I’m so glad I did.

Hauck drew me into both time periods and had me rooting for both Charlotte and NAME to find true love – no matter who it was with.

The one thing I would have liked to see is a bit more resolution to the situation with Tim’s sister-in-law, but I can live with it the way it is.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and look forward to Hauck’s next one.

Overall rating: 8.5 out of 10 stars

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

Join attorney Alanna Stone as she returns home despite her determination to never set foot on Mackinac Island again. Once again in close proximity to Jonathan Covington, her first love, she vows to protect her privacy and her heart from the man who still makes her pulse race. But when her worst fears are realized and history repeats itself—landing her in the midst of a murder investigation—Jonathan may be her only hope. Will they be able to lay aside the past and let God heal their hearts, or will reconciliation come too late?

This is the first contemporary novel I’ve read by Putman. Set on Mackinac Island, the setting becomes a character in itself.

I’ve never been and didn’t know much about the island [other than it exists], but Putman did a wonderful job of making it come alive.

Alanna Stone left Mackinac after a cloud of suspicion follows her brother – and by extension, her – following the drowning death of a classmate. She’s moved on and vowed never to return, but she has to and the first person she runs into, literally, is Jonathan – her high school sweetheart. The “one who got away”.

But he has a new woman and a small child in his life.

The secrets of the past won’t stay buried long. New mysteries arise before the old ones are solved. Alanna and Jonathan are forced to work together to figure it all out and protect herself, her family and her heart. Jonathan finds himself torn between the past, the future he’d imagined for himself as a teen and the future he saw before Alanna reappeared.

Putman kept me guessing whodunit until nearly the last minute. I did suspect, but the motive escaped me until she revealed it. Looking back, I can see the hints strewn throughout but I wasn’t quite smart enough or with it enough to put them all together.

If you like your romance with a dollop of mystery and suspense, this is the book for you.

Overall rating: 8.5 out of 10

Thanks to Cara and Barbour for a free influencer copy of this book.

The only man pragmatic Lilly Hart needs in her life is a six year old. Widowed two years ago, Lilly leaves the shelter of her intrusive in-laws’ home to stand on her own and provide for her young son by working for the summer as a cook at Lake Manawa. However, her in-laws find that life utterly unsuitable for their grandson, and when a row ensues, a handsome stranger–who designs roller coasters, of all things–intercedes on her behalf. Still, Lilly is not about to get involved with any man, especially this cocky (though charismatic) gentleman. Little does she know she is about to begin the ride of her life.

Filled with delightful characters and the romance of summer, The Ride of Her Life is another supremely entertaining story from the witty Lorna Seilstad. Readers will laugh out loud and sigh contentedly as they spend the summer of 1906 in Lake Manawa.

This is the third in Lorna’s Lake Manawa Summers series. I won the first one off Casey Herringshaw’s blog [it’s how I first met the lovely Casey :)]. The second I won somewhere else though I forget where. This one, I volunteered to influence for. [At least in part because then I’d have to make time to read the second one which kept getting pushed further down the to read list by other review/influence books ;)].

Lilly Hart is a widow with a six-year-old boy. And rich former in-laws who think it’s their responsibility to raise the boy “right”. Their right and Lilly’s right are very different.

She takes Levi and strikes out on her own – as a cook at a diner serving the crew building the new roller coaster.

And the head of that crew is Nick Perrin. Too handsome for her own good and taking an interest in both her and Levi. The interest is mutual. At least on Levi’s part. Lilly tries harder to deny the attraction, feeling it’s disloyal to her late husband’s memory.

The characters from the first two books are back and as full of life as ever. It’s wonderful to see the happily ever afters being played out by the couples from Making Waves and A Great Catch. The new characters are priceless – especially Eugenia.

A lesson in learning to trust – and love – again is one that bears repeating and Seilstad does so in a wonderfully entertaining style.

Though this brings the Lake Manawa Summers series to a close, I’ll be looking forward to more books by this lady.

Overall Rating: 8.5 out of 10 stars

Beautiful, three-year-old twins Kara and Lizzie Holbrooke live a charmed life with their widowed but doting father, Jack. When Jack finds love and marries again, it seems all their lives will finally be “happy ever after.” That new life shatters when Jack and his wealthy parents are killed in a plane crash. Jack’s new wife, Amanda, inherits the family’s estate but fails to gain custody of the twins.

Devastated but bound by her covenant to care for the girls, Amanda manages the estate, hopeful she’ll be able to return it to Kara and Lizzie one day. Meanwhile, the twins grow up in an abysmal home environment with distant family members and become hard-drinking, shoplifting, promiscuous teenagers.

After years of trying to reach them, Amanda is finally able to offer them love, comfort, wealth–the life they have always wanted. But when all you’ve known is deprivation, how can you believe a gift of grace? When you’ve been lied to for so long, how can you ever know the truth?

Intensely involving, emotionally charged, and infused with hope, Covenant Child is an inspiring story that challenges us to embrace the life God holds out to us.

I’m not sure if this is my first book by Blackstock or not, but it won’t be my last.

Lizzy and Kara are twins – heirs to a fortune of near Bill Gates-like proportions. But their young lives are marred by tragedy from the beginning. Their mother died when they were but a few weeks old. Their father eventually remarried a lovely woman named Amanda but before she could officially adopt the girls, he was killed, along with their paternal grandparents, in a plane crash. Their father’s will stipulates that Amanda is to raise the girls but…

She has a fight on her hands.

Enter the maternal grandparents. After only the inheritance, they fight Amanda for the girls.

And win.

Though the maternal grandparents are given the means to provide for the girls from the estate of their deceased paternal grandparents, the girls are raised in a home that most of us would do well to survive, much less thrive, in. Finding their worth in meaningless relationships and cheap thrills, the girls believe that once they turn eighteen, they’ll regain what’s rightfully theirs.

Then they learn the truth.

And like many of us, when it comes to accepting what is rightfully ours as joint heirs with Christ, they have a hard time believing the truth. Especially when it runs so counter to everything they’ve been told since they went to live with their maternal grandparents.

Blackstock does a wonderful job of making us care about Kara [the book is told in first person, present tense, from Kara’s POV], Lizzy, Amanda, some of the boys/men they encounter and even the maternal grandparents. At least somewhat.

It’s not a light, fluffy read but I did smile at times. And cried at others.

The lesson is invaluable and one that I, along with many others, need to learn.

I’ll be looking for the next Blackstock book when it becomes available.

Overall rating: 9 out of 10 stars

Thanks to BookSneeze for a copy of the book in exchange for my unbiased review.