The Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow

The Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow is the second book I’ve read in the Avenue of Dreams series by Olivia Newport, and I really liked the continuation of this series. This book focuses on Charlotte Farrow, who is a maid for the Banning family who lives in the wealthy Prairie Avenue section of Chicago. In the first book, Lucy Banning became friends with Charlotte, and helped her find a woman to take care of her young newborn. In The Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow, Charlotte’s son is brought back to the Banning family. She must decide what is the best way to have her son Henry taken care of while remaining in her position so she can earn money to take care of him.

 

In addition to being a romance, this book also had many historical aspects, as it took place during the 1893 World’s Fair and also looked at the lives of servants during this time. Archie Shepard is another character who works in the Banning household, and the relationship between him and Charlotte is another reason I enjoyed this book so much. Archie was very understanding and was a great counterpart for Charlotte as he tried to show her to rely on others and God when she faces obstacles in her life. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I can’t wait to hopefully read more books in the Avenue of Dreams Series.   

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell Books. 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."

 

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

Choices of the Heart

Choices of the Heart by Laurie Alice Eakes is the third book in the Midwives series, and it looks at Esther Cherrett. Esther was trained by her mother as a midwife, but her career quickly changes when a scandal emerges that she is in the center of. She soon moves to Virginia and begins teaching to leave her past behind. Although she is hiding from her past, she finds herself involved in entirely new problems. Two feuding families have intentions of Esther marrying their sons, despite the fact that the two men, Griff Tolliver and Zach Brooks, have pledged to end their family feud.    

 

I really liked the focus of this book, and the fact that it showed you don’t have to run away from your past since it’s possible to find redemption. I also liked the romance part of the book and the dedication Griff showed to ending the cycle of feuding which existed between his and Zach’s family. I’m glad I had the chance to read all 3 of the books in the Midwives Books Series!!    

 

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

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received 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.

Waiting for Spring

In Waiting for Spring, the second book in the Westward Winds Series by Amanda Cabot, Charlotte Harding finds herself hiding many secrets about herself: who her husband was, why she is hiding, where she grew up, her previous career, and the fact that her son is blind. She never expected to meet someone like Barrett Landry. He is a wealthy cattle baron who is contemplating a run for political office. Although their attraction to one another is apparent, Barrett’s advisors are pushing for him to marry the daughter of an influential newspaperman. These is also some suspense and mystery, as the “bad guy” is after money he assumes Charlotte is in possession of.  

 

I loved the romance aspect of this book, as well as the characters. I was really rooting for Charlotte and Barrett, as well as the secondary characters. Although I read the first book in this series, it’s not necessary to have read it to understand what is going on in Waiting for Spring.

 

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

 

*I received a complimentary copy of this book for review from the publisher. 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.*  

The Lesson

 

The Lesson tells the story of Mary Kate Lapp, the last daughter in the Lapp family who have their stories told in the Stoney Ridge Seasons of books. Mary Kate, M.K., is the youngest daughter in her family, and she is definitely the most precocious of all the children. No matter what she tries to do, there always seems to be some type of disaster following the 19 year old.

 

M.K. dreams of travel, and she wants to leave her Amish community. Her plans for travel are put on hold when she causes an accident which leaves the school teacher out of commission for 10 weeks. M.K. finds herself with a new position in her community as she becomes the substitute teacher. In addition to her new job, M.K. can’t help but let her imagination wander when she decides the newest resident of her town is a thief and murderer. Obviously, this creates many interesting moments for M.K.    

 

I really enjoyed this book, and as I read the other books in the series, I could not wait to learn about M.K. since she was always entertaining in the other books. I thought this book tied in nicely with the others in the series, but you don’t necessarily have to read the first 2 in order to enjoy this book. I’m sad to see this series come to an end, but I will be looking forward to more books by Suzanne Woods Fisher.

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell Books. 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."

 

“Available January 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”


Suzanne Woods Fisher is holding a contest in celebration of the release of The Lesson. Suzanne is giving away TWO iPads and iTunes gift cards!

Contest details on Suzanne's site: http://suzannewoodsfisher.com/contest

Contest dates: Jan 3-20, 2013

Two winners will receive:

• A brand new iPad

• A $15 gift certificate to iTunes

Still Lolo

I remember hearing the story of Lauren Scruggs on the news initially after she was involved in the accident which took her arm and eye, but I did not know the whole story and the great role that her faith played in her life and her reaction to the accident. In Still Lolo: A spinning propeller, a horrific accident, and a family’s journey of hope I heard the whole story of not only the accident, but also the recovery Lauren went through.

 

The terrible accident happened when Lauren went for a flight with a friend who was a pilot in December of 2011; during the flight she had a premonition that something was going to go wrong. When they landed safely, Lauren was relieved, but she still felt that something was not right. As she was leaving the plane, she stepped onto the propeller which caused the terrible accident most of America heard about. In addition to telling about Lauren’s accident and recovery, her childhood and family matters are detailed in the book.

 

Each chapter in this book is told through the perspective of a different family member, and I liked the way this allowed me to see how they experienced the different stages in their life and Lauren’s recovery. I was able to read this book in the span of a few days, and I really liked that the book was written in a way that most ages would be able to enjoy the book. I’ll definitely be giving this book to my teenage sister to read!!

 

If you want to read more about this book before you buy it, visit this link!! http://mediacenter.tyndale.com/downloads/press_kits/StillLoloCh1.pdf

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book at no cost from the Tyndale House Publishing Company for review purposes. 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."

Christmas Roses

Since everywhere I look everyone seems to be in the Christmas mood, I was really excited to read Christmas Roses by Amanda Cabot. This was a cute, short story that looked at Celia Anderson and her daughter Emma in the year 1882. Celia recently lost her husband, and she seems to be the most eligible bachelorette in her small community in Wyoming. As the local boardinghouse owner, she gets the opportunity to meet new people in the town. Unfortunately, there aren’t too many residents at her business, so she serves dinner to some local bachelors and takes care of a young child to earn money.

When Mark Williams comes into town looking for his father, he saves Emma’s life with his quick-thinking after she contracts Croup. He quickly becomes a part of their family. As Mark and Celia’s friendship grows, Celia receives marriage requests from two men who are interested in marriage for practical reasons. She thinks it would be best for her daughter to have a family, but she does not want to give up the notion of finding true love: a kind of love where someone would bring her Roses for Christmas. Mark, meanwhile, continues on his mission of finding his father who left him at a young age.

I really liked this book, and thought it was the perfect read for a cold winter night! I liked seeing the relationship between Celia and Mark grow, and I also liked the focus on Mark coming to terms with his past and reconnecting with his faith. The connection Mark and Celia’s daughter Emma had was also great to read about. Although Mark was not Emma’s birth father, he truly cared for her and was concerned about her health and well-being.

“Available September 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell as part of their Blogger Review Program. 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 Christmas Pony

 

The Christmas Pony by Melody Carlson follows Lucy Turnbull during Christmas in 1937. Her father is no longer living, and her mother made their home a boardinghouse as a way to provide for her young daughter. When Lucy meets a young couple in town and hears about their car breaking down, she believes it is an answer to prayer as a way to help her family earn money through their rental of rooms at their home. She is also hopeful for the fulfillment of two other prayers: a pony and to have her mother’s smile return. As Lucy spends time with the young man, George, and woman, Veronica, she learns more about their true character.

 

This was very quick read, and it was a cute book that got me ready for Christmas! I think this would be a good book for a family to read together before the Christmas Season. The book focused on the real reason for the holidays, and the Christmas play at the local Church was a perfect way to focus on Christ’s birth rather than just presents. I’m glad I had the opportunity to read the book, and I can’t wait to share it with others.

 

Available September 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

 

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell as part of their Blogger Review Program. 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."