Carol Moncado

Amy came to Rosemary Cottage to grieve, to heal, maybe even find love. But there’s a deadly undertow of secrets around Hope Island . . .

The charming Rosemary Cottage on the beach offers Amy Lange respite she needs to mourn her brother, Ben. She’s even thinking of moving her midwife practice to the Outer Banks community. It’s always been a refuge for her and her family. She also wants to investigate Ben’s disappearance at sea. Everyone blames a surfing accident, but Amy has reason to wonder.

Coast Guard officer Curtis Ireland has lost a sibling too. His sister, Gina, was run down by a boat, leaving him to raise her infant daughter. If anyone knew who little Raine’s father was, Curtis could lose his beloved niece. Yet he can’t help being drawn to Hope Beach’s new midwife, Amy. He even agrees to help her investigate what happened to both Ben and Gina.

Can two grieving people with secrets find healing on beautiful Hope Island? Or will their quest for truth set them at odds with each other…and with those who will go to any length to keep hidden things hidden?

Well, I thought for sure I’d reviewed Tidewater Inn but after looking at the link I’m not sure I READ it but am instead thinking of one of Denise Hunter’s Nantucket Love Story books – specifically Driftwood Lane. Regardless, I’m glad I read Rosemary Cottage.

After reading several books that don’t quite fall into the true romance genre, I was glad to read this one, which does. There’s a bit of suspense and a surprising bad guy, which I loved. And a guy-you-thought-was-a-good-guy-but-really-isn’t [actually, there’s more than one, but one in particular].

Ms. Coble kept me turning figurative pages as I sped through the book, wanting desperately to figure out what was going on and whodunit. I’d love to see another book set here to follow some of the other characters, particularly some of the SAR folks.

Curtis and Amy find their way together over seemingly insurmountable odds. The way they overcome those odds and the way the figure out the mystery will likely bring me back to Rosemary Cottage again someday soon.

Overall rating: 8.75 out of 10

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

Savvy, determined Ivy Marshall discovers that her husband has cheated on her on the very same day her sister’s perfect boyfriend proposes on national television. When Ivy’s mother asks her to return to her family’s beach home to plan her sister’s upcoming wedding, she decides to use the excuse to escape from the pain of her broken heart. When her return to Sunset Beach, North Carolina, brings Ivy face to face with her former fiance, old feelings are rekindled and she wonders if there is a future for them. However, when Ivy refuses to talk to her husband, he resorts to tweeting to her, expressing his remorse and making it clear he doesn’t want to give up on their marriage. As she helps prepare the wishing tree for her sister’s wedding, she must examine her dreams for her own future and what true love should be.

 

 

 

 

This is my second book by Ms. Whalen. The first, The Guest Book, was good and I looked forward to this one. Though the other one wasn’t a true romance in the traditional sense of the genre, it had definite romantic elements to it, much stronger, IMO, than this one did.

I did enjoy The Wishing Tree, but it left me… hmm… something. I’m not quite sure what. I’m not sure whether I expected her to fight for her marriage and work things out with her (cheating) husband or end up with her childhood sweetheart, but I could have gone either way by the end. While I didn’t disagree with the choice Ms. Whalen made, I’m not sure it’s the one I – as an author – would have made.

But with both relationships – regardless of the eventual romantic finale – there needed to be forgiveness and grace and this is ultimately a story that sees Ivy going through those steps with both her estranged husband and ex-fiance.

I wanted to love this, but just didn’t. It wasn’t bad and anyone who enjoys Ms. Whalen’s books will surely enjoy this one, but I felt… I dunno. Nothing bad, but nothing I can really define either…

Ugh. I hate not being able to put my finger on it and share what it is that’s bugging me, but I can’t. I do hope the other fellow gets a happy ending in another book. I’d read it.

And I really did love the wishing tree. And wish we’d had one.

Edit in response to Mary’s comment below to clarify about how I could have gone either way:

Initially, I could have gone either way. I’ve read and enjoyed books with both premises. The husband wasn’t SOOOOOOO awful I couldn’t see him changing (he didn’t beat her half to death regularly and wasn’t a serial cheater with no remorse, etc.) and the ex fiancé wasn’t SOOOOOOOO good she had no choice. Does that make sense? By the end I did have a clear preference, and it surprised me which one.

Part of it, and I meant to mention this earlier, could well have been that I read it in the middle of the night when I wasn’t feeling great.

Overall rating: 8 out of 10

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

Gideon O’Riley has two wives—but he doesn’t know it. 
   
Settling into a simple life in the majestic Blue Ridge mountains, Lonnie and Gideon O’Riley have finally found happiness after the rocky start to their marriage. The roguish bluegrass musician has fallen in love with his gentle wife and the God she serves, and Lonnie rests secure in his tenderness for her and their young son. A heartless ruse interupts their peace, bringing them back to Rocky Knob—and forces them to face the claims of Cassie Allan, a woman who says she is Gideon’s rightful wife.
 
As Gideon wades into the depths of his past choices, Lonnie is stunned by the revelations. She has no choice but to navigate this new path, knowing that surviving the devastating blow will take every ounce of strength  she has.
 
While Gideon’s guilt  and his bitterness towards Cassie threatens to burn up his fledgling faith, Lonnie wrestles to find the courage to trust the God who brought them together in the first place. Will their hard-earned love be able to conquer all? 
 
Lonnie only wanted her husband’s love. Now that he belongs to another, can she surrender Gideon to a God with a bigger plan?

When I read Be Still My Soul, I didn’t get quite what I expected. Nothing bad, just not what I thought I was in for. But I enjoyed it and jumped at the chance to review Though My Heart is Torn and see what Gideon and Lonnie are up to! [Plus, I end up singing the title every time –  I will praise you in this stooooooorm  – which is one of my ringtones for a few select friends ;)].

After everything Lonnie and Gideon went through to sort out their relationship in book 1, I hated they would go through such trials in book 2. And I have to admit, after reading the whole thing, I’m a bit torn too. Fingers are itching to get on book 3 and find out how it all turns out.

Gideon honestly believed his first marriage had been dissolved, but when the truth comes to light that it hadn’t. things get difficult. Lonnie and their son are alone. She prays to be pregnant again, for one more piece of Gideon to hold on to. And she has a new suitor after she returns to their home with the farmer and his wife from book 1.

Gideon has to deal with his new-old wife, with a relationship he doesn’t want and thought was long over, and with missing both Lonnie and their son.

How can it all be reconciled?

Ah. A question for book 3. Coming soon ;).

Overall rating: 8.5 out of 10

Thanks to Blogging for Books and the publisher for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

An inside look at the faith that guides the all-stars.

The St. Louis Cardinals have long been one of the most successful franchises in the major leagues. They have won 11 World Series titles and some of the most famous players in the history of the game have worn the storied “Birds on the Bat” uniform.

While that on-field success has been well documented, Intentional Walk is the first book which goes beyond the story of what happens on the field to take an in-depth look at the men inside the Cardinal uniforms, and examine how their strong Christian faith is one of the driving forces behind their success.

Intentional Walk features the stories of Adam Wainwright, David Freese, Lance Berkman, Matt Holliday, Carlos Beltran, Jason Motte and other members of the 2012 Cardinals, written as those players and the rest of the team tried to repeat the 2011 world championship. The book talks about how they became Christians and offers their testimony about what it means for them to have God play such a prominent role in their lives.

Playing for first-year manager Mike Matheny, a strong Christian as well, these men talk about their success and failure, about the challenges that come from playing baseball at the highest level, and how thankful and blessed they are to have that God-given ability. In the end, however, what is far more important to them is their life-long relationship they have established with Jesus Christ.

When I saw this book available on BookSneeze, I jumped at it. My husband is a life-long Cardinals fan [both of his parents grew up in St. Louis and he still has family there]. I’m a more recent convert, but still well over a decade. I grew up in Phoenix, before there was baseball there. We lived in St. Louis during the 1998 home run craze. Despite later revelations, it was impossible not to get caught up in the excitement.

Since then, I’ve been a fan – more rabid at times than others – and insanely jealous when hubs gets to go to playoff games [or All-Star Games at Busch Stadium] with a friend who has connections to the local AA team here in Springfield, MO. You know. When he sat and watched one of the greatest comebacks in World Series history with a rally squirrel between them.

Sigh.

I sit at home and watch. And yell at the television. And at the phone when I can’t get through because 40-50 thousand people are all trying to use their phones at the same time.

So… I’d known for years that many members of the Cardinal family are also men of faith. Seeing their stories written here had little to do with baseball and more to do with the men behind the baseball [or the microphone as the case may be] and their faith in the One who gave them their abilities.

I’ve long been a Mike Matheny fan and it’s nice to see his leadership extends beyond behind the plate and in the dugout. One of the catching greats [particularly as it related to handing his pitchers] now coaching inarguable one of the greatest catchers in today’s game in Yadi Molina [I <3 Yadi!].

Each chapter focuses on a different member of the Cardinals organization and their journey through life and baseball and what God has asked of them. One recurring theme is that God’s plans and our plans aren’t always the same but, in the end, God only has our best interests in mind.

I don’t often review non-fiction, but this is the first of several to come in the next few months.

Overall rating: 9.5 out of 10 stars – it’s easy to pick up and read a chapter here and there, and inspiring to say the least

Thanks to the publisher and BookSneeze for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

So… it’s been about a million years since I posted anything but a book review… And there’s more of those coming… August is, after all, Romance Awareness Month. I’m shooting for a review every weekday of the month, starting with Joanne Bischof’s Though My Heart is Torn on Thursday.

In other news, we spent a week in Florida – 5 days at Disney, 1/2 a day at the beach, 1 at Sea World and 1 at Islands of Adventure where my oldest two girls and my sister spent about 4 hours in Harry Potter World.

They had a blast and rode the Harry Potter ride multiple times. They did the walking tour of the castle [I have no clue what any of this stuff is… ;)] then went into the single rider line which had a 10 minute wait instead of a 90 minute one. You can’t see the people you’re riding next to anyway [I rode it later]. Then the guy let them all ride together anyway ;). More souvenirs from there than just about anywhere.

While they all hung out at Hogwarts, me and the little two kiddos went to Dr. Seuss world. There are no straight lines and everything rhymes. Great fun!!!

 

 

 

 

It was a very long, very tiring 10 days but I’m so glad we went. There were moments of great stress.

And moments of great fun.

And memories that will last a lifetime.

My kids fought Darth Maul [pics another day] and one wimped out of fighting Darth Vader [who can blame her?!], we met Mickey Mouse, we drove 2500 miles together [with my sister who joined us].

Phineas and Ferb. They remind me of my friend Amy. I’ve mentioned her before as a blog you should be following [she hasn’t posted in quite some time thanks to a busy summer] over at Potentially Lovely, Perpetually Human.

And I got to see Amy! We went to school together from 1st-12th grade [except maybe 4th?] and I’ve only seen her twice in 20 years. Thank God for Facebook!!!

But as we drove through the Atlanta area, I stopped to hang out with one of my oldest friends [not that neither of us are OLD mind you!] for Five. Whole. Hours!

Not nearly enough.

Not even close. But we talked and ate and talked some more. I didn’t get to our hotel [about an hour further down the road] until about one in the morning. I slept part of the way in the car the next day ;).

Some time soon, I need to post pics of the rest of our summer. Two kids on swim team. Two taking swim lessons. A now-6yo [as of last week!] who refused to even bob [go under and back up] in water an inch too deep on a Tuesday but was going off the diving board by the next Wednesday. And not just any diving board. The high dive!!!

But for now… I have eight scenes left to write in an expansion of last year’s NaNo project [taking it from 56K words to 85K words]. Four today. Four tomorrow. Doable, yes? I sure hope so! I’m ready to be done with this part of it! I even /gasp/ plotted!!!

I leave you with one of my favorite pics of the trip:

 

Dear Bride-To-Be…  

Troy Lee has been writing letters to his future bride since he was a boy. Still, she’s never been more than words on a page…until now. When he meets Destiny Porter, he thinks he may have finally found the woman he’s been waiting for. But Destiny came to Claremont with a single purpose—to get Troy’s permission to print his letters in her magazine. Yet once she lays eyes on the handsome Southern man, Destiny knows she’s in trouble. She can’t help dreaming about being Troy’s bride. But will he still want to be her groom when he finds out who she really is?

 

 

 

I believe this is my first book by Ms. Andrews and I enjoyed it very much. It was a quick, easy read – like most Love Inspireds are – but just what I needed while sitting by the pool.

Destiny [what an appropriate name] has a secret, and it’s one of those books where you just KNOW that when the hero – the extra yummy Troy – finds out, it’s all going to hit the fan. And you know she should tell him but she doesn’t and you can’t turn away and in a sense it’s like a watching a train wreck, but at the same time you hope and pray [even though they’re fictional – because you care just. that. much.] that this time the hero will react the way you HOPE he does, even though it wouldn’t be very real if he did.

So which way does he react?

You really think I’m gonna tell you that here ;)?

I loved Destiny and Troy. And I ADORED the town of Claremont and I hope there are more books set there. There were several secondary or cameo characters who would make wonderful heroes or heroines and I really, really hope there will be more to come!

Overall rating: 8.25 out of 10 stars

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

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.