As Love Blooms

Since I really liked the other books in The Gregory Sisters series, I was really excited to read As Love Blooms, which is the third book in the series. This book looks at Tessa Gregory, the youngest sister who is interested in becoming a horticulturalist at Como Park in Saint Paul. When she is denied the position she has dreamed about just because she is a girl, she finds a way to hide her true identity as she works with Reese King, a gardener at Como Park.

 

Tessa Gregory was a very likeable character, and I was rooting for her throughout the entire book. I really enjoyed getting to read all three books in this series, and Lorna Seilstad is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I really liked the historical aspects that were included in the book. Also, the amount of romance between the two main characters was just enough to keep me entertained throughout the entire story. Although this is the third book in the series, I think you can easily read it as a stand-alone story.

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book free from Revell. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Chance of Loving You

I always enjoy reading a good romance book, so I was excited to get to read Chance of Loving You. This in an anthology by three bestselling romance authors, including Terri Blackstock, Susan May Warren, and Candace Calvert. Each story looked at a different couple, and I equally enjoyed each of these short stories. I liked that they were quick reads, so I could pick up the book and finish an individual story in a day or two.

For Love of Money by Terri Blackstock looked at Julie Sheffield and Blake Adock. When Blake gave her half of a lottery ticket instead of a tip, their lives changed in ways they never thought possible. This story showed some of the difficulties money can cause in relationships, while also showing two different perspectives on how you should react if you find yourself with more money, $10 million dollars each! Julie is convinced she should save her money to spend on her clothing line, while Blake seems to want to spend all of his money in order to see the reactions and happiness it gives to others. Throughout their experience trying to handle their new found financial freedom, and their new media attention, they also begin to have feelings for one another.  

The Recipe by Candace Calvert focuses on Aimee Curran, who is currently working in a hospital as a dietary assistant. She has dreams of attending culinary school because she thinks her mother, who passed away 10 years earlier, would be proud of this decision. As Aimee finds herself becoming closer to a patient’s grandson, Lucas Marchal, she must look at the motivation behind her desire to win the Vegan Valentine Bake-Off. Is she focused on the things her mother would have wanted her to be focused on? Throughout the story, Lucas and Aimee form a friendship and relationship. I liked that these characters were both caring toward Lucas’ grandmother, and they were perfect examples of how we should strive to care for those in our lives, rather than always looking forward to “what’s next” in our career path.

The last story, Hook, Line, and Sinker, is written by one of my favorite authors, Susan May Warren. I always enjoy her books, and I also enjoyed this short story she wrote about Abigail Cushman. Abigail enters a fishing contest, with no knowledge about fishing, in order to win the contest to raise funds for her Bible Club. Abigail soon finds out that a person from her past also entered the contest, Ross Springer. They both have feelings for one another, but neither of them wants to admit to the other person about their feelings. As you can imagine, this causes some problems for both of them! I liked the characters in this story, and I felt like their relationship was really realistic.

I enjoyed all three of these short stories, and I will definitely keep these authors in mind when I am looking for books to read in the future.

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book free from Tyndale. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

No Place to Hide

No Place to Hide by Lynette Eason keeps you on the edge of your seat from the first page to the last. When Ian Lockwood is accused of being a terrorist, his friend from childhood, Jackie Sellers, knows it cannot be true. She sets out to find him, and inadvertently puts herself in the middle of a plot involving killers trying to get rid of her and Ian, and the FBI trying to arrest Ian for a crime he says he didn’t commit. While her faith has been lacking over the past few years, it’s clear that Ian has held onto his faith, as he turns to God as he is running for his life. Throughout many different twists and turns, Jackie and Ian work to solve the mystery as to why Ian thinks he is being framed and what the terrorists have planned.

 

This book is full of suspense, and I really enjoyed it. Although I typically read romance books, I did find myself drawn into Ian and Jackie’s story. I liked that there were personal things about them included in the story, like what happened to them between their teenage years and the current situation in which they find themselves. The author didn’t solely focus on the action aspect of their new relationship, rather she wrote about their backstory. I think any fans of suspense or romance will enjoy reading this book as much as I did.

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book free from Revell. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Heart of the Amish

Since I live close to a large Amish community, I am always interested in reading more about them and learning about their culture. I recently read The Heart of the Amish: Life Lessons on Peacemaking and the Power of Forgiveness by Suzanne Woods Fisher, and I really enjoyed it. The book had a few short stories that tell stories of forgiveness that actually happened in the Amish or Mennonite communities. This book had very compelling stories that really make you think about your own life and capacity for forgiveness.

Since there are Bible scriptures mentioned after each story, I think this would be a great book to read as a type of Bible Study with friends or family. It would be something that you could discuss with others, and they are short enough stories that they could easily be ready on a weekly basis. I am definitely planning to share this book with some of my family members so they can enjoy it as much as I did.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book free from Revell. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Every Bride Needs a Groom

I’ve just recently started reading some of Janie Thompson’s books, so I was really excited when I saw her new book Every Bride Needs a Groom. This story was a cute, quick read about Katie Fisher. She lives in a small town in Texas and has always dreamed of and planned her perfect wedding. She cannot pass up the chance to win the wedding dress of her dreams, even though she and her boyfriend are not engaged. She is sure that he will be proposing to her at some point in the near future. When Katie wins the contest and the dress, it doesn’t exactly work out how she planned. Her boyfriend dumped her and is moving to another state! Now, in order to claim the dress, Katie must face the dress designer, and her son who owns the bridal boutique, the handsome basketball player named Brady. She really questions if she should get the dress or not, as she feels like she is being deceitful toward Brady and his mother, since she does not have a fiancé.

 

I liked all of these characters, and I felt like Katie could be someone I know personally. She was funny and seemed to be like people I know in real life who are always planning their weddings, no matter how far off they may be. I cannot wait to read the future books in this series, and I am excited to share this series with my sister, who loves anything and everything that has to do with weddings!!

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book free from Revell. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Legacy

I’m a big fan of Dan Walsh, so when I saw the last book in The Restoration Series, The Legacy, came out, I was really excited to read this book by Dan Walsh and Gary Smalley. All of Dan Waslsh’s books are the type that you can’t put down, and this book was no different. When Doug Anderson goes to college, he begins to fall away from his family and the faith that had been a part of his life growing up. Doug’s friend Christina went through a similar situation in the past, and she is trying to help him leave behind the bad environment he got himself into.  

 

I enjoyed reading about the Anderson family again, and Doug was a really interesting character to read about. Although I didn’t face the same type of temptation he did when he went to college, I think it was interesting to read about the struggles some people face when leaving their families so I can better understand and empathize with them. I’m sad to see this series end, and I would definitely recommend it to someone who is looking for a new book series to enjoy.

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book free from Revell. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Creole Princess

      The Creole Princess by Beth White is the second book in the Gulf Coast Chronicles, and it kept me as entertained as the first book. While this book focuses on the same family as the first book, the series takes place many years later with later generations of the same family during the Revolutionary War. Although history was always my favorite subject, I don’t remember learning about this time in history and the British, French, and Spanish people living in the Gulf area.

      Lyse Lanier is a young Creole girl living at the Gulf Coast with a father who spends a large majority of his time drinking after the death of his first wife. Lyse soon meets Don Rafael Maria Gonzales de Rippardi, who is a well-known merchant, but is he really who everyone thinks he is? I really liked reading about their growing relationship, even though I wasn’t the biggest fan of Dan Rafael at the beginning of the book due to his seemingly cocky nature. I ended up really liking the two of them together by the end of the book.

      I think this is a great book for anyone who is interested in history, and there are a lot of different facts that are included in this series. Although you don’t need to read the first book in the series to follow what is happening in The Creole Princess, I am glad I read the first book so I was familiar with the Lanier family history when they mentioned it in the book.  

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book free from Revell. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”