Joanne Bischof's "Sons of Blackbird Mountain"

When Aven Norgaard leaves Norway to become a housekeeper to her dead husband's kin in Appalachia, she is expecting to care for three young boys, not three grown men. While Aven finds a brother in the eldest and friendship with youngest, it is Thor, isolated by his deafness and addicted to the fruits of his craft, that tugs at her heart. But the fight to sobriety is a hard one, as Aven has seen and Thor has experienced.

This was a beautiful love story. Heart-wrenching at times, and a bit bittersweet, but very tender and moving.

I loved how the author was able to convey a deaf character so well, both in how Thor communicates and his frustrations in not being able to always understand and be understood, even amongst those who know him best. And it's made all the harder with alcoholism and the process of breaking that addiction.

The brotherly love--and rivalry--is also very well done. Their relationships are complex, especially as Aven comes between Thor and Haakon, while Jorgen tries to be supportive and keep the peace. It's really easy to root for Thor, who desperately wants to change, but knows all too well the pain of failure. Haakon definitely has some growing up to do. I wouldn't call his gesture at the end redeeming, but at least he makes an expression of his love and regret, imperfect though it is. I'm glad to see Haakon will have his chance at true redemption in the sequel!

Aven is altogether a lovely character; I loved that she makes an effort to communicate with Thor, to get over the awkwardness of not knowing how to deal with a deaf person. And it is awkward at first, but she is good at looking past man's outward appearance and instead looking at the heart. Pretty much the entire secondary cast was spectacular; I especially loved the bravery shown by certain ones in spite of ties to the Ku Klux Klan.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Blackbird Mountain
1. Sons of Blackbird Mountain
2. Daughters of Northern Shores

Cathy Marie Hake's "Letter Perfect"

Ruth Caldwell always has the best of intentions in whatever she does, no matter many finishing schools she's been kicked out of. When she is handed off the stage into Josh McCain's hands, he's astounded first by her beauty, and then aghast when he discovers she has a legitimate claim to half his ranch. Though he's worked hard to bring the ranch to where it is, he knows he has to do the honorable thing, so he offers her shelter in his home. Ruth certainly livens up the ranch and makes instant friends his lonely sister, but when her accidents go beyond her usual bumbling to something potentially sinister, Josh has to decide where his loyalties lie.

I'm pretty sure this is the fourth time I've read this book, and I still love it.

Sweet, lively, and accident-prone, Ruth is such a fun heroine. She knows how to laugh at herself, and she's never down for long. I love how she embraces Laney as her best friend. Their friendship is another part of what makes the book great, as they each build the other up and encourage each other. At the same time, I also really appreciate their relationship with Mrs. O'Sullivan, who is a wonderful, Godly mentor to them, fulfilling the biblical admonishment for older women to teach the younger.

Ruth and Josh's relationship develops beautifully, first into friendship and then into love, as they each observe God-honoring attributes in the other. I love the humor and also the bits of wisdom that Hake slips in throughout the story. It's one of my favorites!

California Historicals
1. Letter Perfect
2. Bittersweet

"A Daring Venture" by Elizabeth Camden - fascinating historical controversy

Rosalind Warner has made it her life's work to eradicate water-borne diseases, while Nickolas Drake, new Commissioner of Water for New York, has fought his whole life to bring water to even the poorest tenements of Manhattan. However, the two land on opposite sides of a lawsuit involving water filtration. Rosalind's new technology could mean safe water for New York, but in spite of his attraction to the scientist, Nick is unconvinced by her arguments. But not even Nick can stand aside when someone systematically sets out to destroy Rosalind.

One thing I can always count on in opening up a book by Elizabeth Camden, it will be so much more than I expect; there will be twists and turns such that the plot will end up in a totally different place than the book blurb implies, and I love it. (Not to call the blurb inaccurate--it isn't. The story is just so much more than the blurb.) While this is far from the most faith-filled of her novels, it is a fascinating story, full of controversy that's not unlike what we go through today with modern strides in science.

The title is apt--it truly was a daring venture to chlorinate the water system in the middle of a lawsuit and without permission (a historically accurate portion of the story, even if Rosalind and Nick are fictional). On the one hand, it's easy to approve of the chlorination project knowing what we do now and having a century of successful chlorination history. Rosalind was right that something had to be done to eliminate deadly water-borne disease that was so prevalent up until chlorination. But on the other hand, like Nick, I wouldn't have wanted my family to be the lab rats in testing the long-term consequences of chlorination, not when it was new. And I really wouldn't have been happy to find out it had been done without my knowledge and without giving me a choice in the matter; it's a major betrayal of trust. In this case it all worked out, but I'm not convinced they did right in going about it in secret.

I have never seen an author to compare with Elizabeth Camden for putting two people on opposite sides of an issue and having them both be right; it makes for a fascinating and thought-provoking read.

For the record, it's not all science and politics; besides a roller coaster of a romance, there's also a strong tie with the previous book in the Drake family issues that make for some additional suspense. I appreciated Nick's attempts to reconcile the families, and his ability to show compassion to someone who didn't deserve it. And I like the glimpse of where the next book in the series is going, and how Nick's job (and subsequent actions) in this story will have such an impact on the next.

Thank you Bethany House and NetGalley for the complimentary e-book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.

Empire State
1. A Dangerous Legacy
2. A Daring Venture
3. A Desperate Hope

"More than Meets the Eye" by Karen Witemeyer

Seeking justice from the gambler who destroyed his family, Logan Fowler is doing everything he can to learn the man's weaknesses before confronting him, until he encounters the man's sister, Evangeline Hamilton, who is sunshine personified. Evie might have mismatched eyes that kept her from being adopted, but she doesn't let it stop her from loving her equally unwanted brothers or their closed-off new neighbor with a soft heart that he can't hide. Will Logan be able to hold his resolve with Evie--and God--working on his heart?

Though even she has her moments of pain and discouragement, Evangeline a marvelous heroine, sweet and full of hope--the perfect tonic for a man who is being eaten alive by the desire for revenge. There are a lot of good, thought-provoking quotes in this book, and she says most of them. One of my favorites was, "Trusting the wrong person might lead to temporary heartache, but trusting the right one provides a strength that can fuel you for a lifetime." How often do we hold back from trusting or being vulnerable because we're afraid they'll hurt us? It's the difference between living in fear and living in love, and we are not called to live in fear.

I enjoyed the turns the plot took--not where I was expecting! The bit of mystery was fun, as was the pet pig (the cause of some of the funniest moments in the story). In some ways it reminded me of the Archer brothers books, with the Hamilton family being isolated the way they are (though less by desire for isolation). I loved how the author was able to pull in different physical flaws (or in Zach's case, his disagreeableness) and turn them into something worth loving. I'm really looking forward to Zach's story--I think he has a ways to go yet in accepting grace for himself, and I want to see him get there!

Another wonderful story by one of my favorite authors!

Patchwork Family
1. More Than Meets the Eye
2. More Than Words Can Say
2.5: "More Than a Pretty Face" (originally published in the Serving Up Love novella collection)

"A Rebel Heart" by Beth White

Five years after the end of the Civil War, Selah Daughtry is running out of options for saving her family plantation. Pinkerton Agent Levi Riggins is investigating a series of robberies and sabotage that seem to be leading back to the Daughtry plantation. Posing as hotel management for the railroad, he convinces Selah to turn her home into a fancy hotel for the railroad. Selah will do almost anything to save her home, but can she trust the slick-talking Yankee?

I really enjoyed the complexity of the characters in this story. Selah is a very strong and intelligent woman, but still very feminine. Maybe the best way to describe her is that rather than denying some aspect of her personality or looks, she's always pushing to become more of herself. The secondary characters are very well drawn too--whether it's the former slaves that Selah is hoping to employ in her hotel, or the boy she brings home from the train wreck, they all have distinct personalities, and none are perfect, not even the wise old mammy who half-raised Selah. Along with their good qualities, they have prejudices and fears, making them feel very real. I hope we get to see more of them in the future books! And I really like how the author portrays Selah's father; he's very broken, but he's not a monster; he's still her father.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that liars in fiction will be found out, generally at the worst possible moment--even (or especially) if the liar is a good man who has to withhold certain facts due to his job a Pinkerton agent. Selah's inevitable misunderstanding during that revelation aside, I thought the story has a unique plot as Levi helps the Daughtry girls set up business for themselves, while at the same time untangling the case he's investigating. The story shows the good that comes of a community working together, and how it can revitalize a place.

I thought it was really interesting with the varying racial tensions the author brings to the story--not just between black and white, but even within the black community. She brings up points that I never would have thought of but that make sense for the Reconstruction time period.

Thank you Revell for the free book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.

Daughtry House
1. A Rebel Heart

Becky Wade's "Falling for You"

Willow Bradford is content to take a break from modeling to watch after her parents' inn, until she runs face to face with NFL quarterback Corbin Stewart--the man who broke her heart. When they end up working together on an ancient missing-persons case, they have to decide if they can risk their hearts working together again.

Becky Wade is talented at writing stories that make me both smile and cry.

In no other realm but the eyes of a child would a model and a football player make an ideal investigative team, but for all their inexperience and lack of authority, Willow and Corbin do a great job (justifying Charlotte's faith in them). The mystery was a fun touch to the story, and I liked that they were able to call on Nora's expertise in research. I really liked Corbin's niece Charlotte; she reminded me of a friend of mine at that age: bright, mature, not afraid to reach for dreams that should be beyond her grasp, and a lover of questionable boy bands. She's an authentic middle schooler (rather than the bratty kind of stereotypical middle schooler).

I really liked how the author dealt with Willow's past. I get Willow's position when it comes to her and Corbin's pre-book break-up, yet I really respect her for eventually owning up to her part in it. It would be so easy to blame it all on Corbin and push her part under the rug, but the truth is she did make mistakes. Turning her back on her beliefs--even so briefly--spiraled quickly into a disaster of her own making, and their relationship suffered because of it. I love how authentic each of the characters are--not just Willow and Corbin, but Charlotte, Corbin's dad, Willow's grandma, even the gardener. They all feel like real people.

And you know a series is good when it keeps winning awards . . . Not only was book 1 True to You the winner of the 2018 Christy Award for both Contemporary Romance and Book of the Year, but Falling for You is the winner of the 2019 Christy Award for Best Contemporary Romance!

Thank you Bethany House for the free book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.

Bradford Sisters Romances
0.5: "Then Came You" (prequel novella)
1. True to You
2. Falling for You
2.5 "Because of You" (published in The Christmas Heirloom Novella Collection)
3. Sweet on You