Favorite books of 2022!

 

 

Written on the Wind by Elizabeth Camden (Bethany House); Blackstone Legacy, book 2

To Treasure an Heiress by Roseanna M White (Bethany House); Secrets of the Isles, book 2

 

In Honor's Defense by Karen Witemeyer (Bethany House); Hanger's Horsemen, book 3

Engaging Deception by Regina Jennings (Bethany House); Joplin Chronicles, book 3

 

A Seaside Wonder by Melissa Tagg (Indie) - Muir Harbor, book 2

 

The Souls of Lost Lake by Jaime Jo Wright (Bethany House)

Dangerous Beauty by Melissa Koslin (Revell)

The Sisters of Sea View by Julie Klassen

When their father's death leaves them impoverished, Sarah Summers convinces her sisters to open their seaside home to guests to provide for their ailing mother. Emily and Georgiana agree, but Viola, who wears a veil to cover a scar, detests the idea. Determined to stay together, the sisters begin the new venture. Instead of the elderly invalids they expect, however, they find themselves hosting eligible gentlemen. Sarah is torn between a growing attraction to a mysterious Scottish widower and duty to her family. Meanwhile, the new situation exposes Viola's scars--both the visible and those hidden deep within--and her cloistered heart will never be the same.

I've seen some people liken this book to Little Women, and I think it's a fair comparison. The setting is different, of course, and the Summers sisters have distinctly different personalities from the March sisters. But the spirit is similar; it's a family of women shifting for themselves, with all the love and squabbles to be expected amongst sisters. It's a relaxing read, where it never feels like the stakes are too high, but it's also comforting in its stark contrast from our anxiety-inducing world of today.

The point of view follows three of the sisters, though I would say the focus is more on Viola. I don't think I've ever encountered a heroine with a cleft lip (though I've known both men and women with it in real life), but it was heartening to see her come into her own as she learns to give of herself (though I also enjoyed it when she and Major Hutton would spar and push each other over their respective scars). I look forward to seeing what happens with Sarah and Emily in future books, and I hope we get to meet Claire!

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.

On Devonshire Shores
1. The Sisters of Sea View
2. Winter by the Sea

All the Lost Places by Amanda Dykes

Discovered floating in a basket along the canals of Venice, Sebastien Trovato wrestles with questions of his origins. Decades later, on an assignment to translate a rare book, Daniel Goodman finds himself embroiled in a web of secrets carefully kept within the ancient city and in the mystery of the man whose story the book does not finish: Sebastien.

One thing that can't be disputed, Amanda Dykes has a beautiful, lyrical writing style, and it's exceptionally suited to this almost fairy-tale-like book of stories within a story. Straightforward it is not, especially the translation of the Book of Waters (aka the past timeline of this dual-timeline book), but given that Venice--a tangled web of canals and streets, islands and bridges--is nearly a character in and of itself, it seems fitting that the story would reflect the setting. 

Of the two timelines, at first I preferred Daniel's story, which, even with his complex task, is the simpler one. He's relatable; a man who has messed up, who's trying to reclaim a lost part of himself, and who, prodigal that he is, is ashamed to go home. Vittoria is a delightful whirlwind that blows into his life and turns it upside down.

However, at about halfway through the book, I was thoroughly hooked into the past storyline, once it focused on Sebastian and Mariana. It becomes a little more linear, as well as a lovely romance.

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.

In Love's Time by Kate Breslin

In the summer of 1918, Captain Marcus Weatherford arrives in Russia on a secret mission, with a beautiful ballerina posing as his fiancée. Marcus searches for the Romanov Tsarina and her son--who both allegedly survived the murdering Bolsheviks--and the information behind an allied plot to assassinate Lenin. But Marcus's sense of duty battles his desire to return home to Clare--his actual love. Hospital orderly Clare Danner still suffers from Marcus's betrayal and now fears losing her daughter to the heartless family who took Daisy away from Clare once before, but only Marcus can provide the critical proof needed to save her daughter. Faced with danger and unexpected circumstances, can Clare trust Marcus, or will he shatter her world yet again?

This had a bit of a fairytale element to it--the old trope of the "true bride." Usually the hero promises his love to one woman, but then is ensorcelled (often with a memory-wipe) to trick him into marrying another, at which point the heroine must rescue him. 

Though I enjoyed all the author's other books, this one was a struggle for me. Clare has a big chip on her shoulder, which all the misunderstandings do nothing to diminish, and I just didn't like her all that well (she also tends to make poor decisions). It didn't help that thanks to amnesia, Marcus isn't really himself for most of the book; I was really looking forward to getting to know this super clever spy, but he's lost the last decade of his memories. Everyone is always deciding to not tell people things, which means misunderstandings grow out of proportion, and problems that could have been avoided entirely blow up instead.

I did like how Clare helps Marcus reconnect with his memories and family, and the way they essentially fall in love a second time is sweet. But I think I would have liked it better as a Jason Bourne-type story from Marcus's perspective, as he's figuring out and piecing back together his memories just in time for the end.

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.

Related novels:

Not by Sight
High as the Heavens
Far Side of the Sea
As Dawn Breaks

"The Blackout Book Club" by Amy Lynn Green

An impulsive promise to her brother before he goes off to the European Front puts Avis Montgomery in the unlikely position of head librarian in small-town Maine. Though she has never been much of a reader, when wartime needs threaten to close the library, she invents a book club to keep its doors open. The women she convinces to attend the first meeting couldn't be more different--a wealthy spinster determined to aid the war effort, an exhausted mother looking for a fresh start, and a determined young war worker. At first, the struggles of the home front are all the club members have in common, but over time, the books they choose become more than an escape from the hardships of life and the fear of the U-boat battles that rage just past their shores. As the women face personal challenges and band together in the face of danger, they find they share more in common with each other than they think. But when their growing friendships are tested by secrets of the past and present, they must decide whether depending on each other is worth the cost.

I highly enjoyed the fact that out of the first four members of the Blackout Book Club, only one person really likes books. Avis is just trying to keep the library open for the sake of her brother (and only reads magazines if she can help it), Louise attends out of a sense of obligation as reluctant library owner (not that Louise dislikes all books, just anything fictional outside of Wooster & Jeeves), and Ginny mostly wants the free food. Only Martina, the single-parent-working-mother immigrant, legitimately loves reading. And the only person mentioned to love Pride & Prejudice is Louise's crotchety, deceased father. I just really appreciate how the love of books is turned on its head in this story. And yet it still is a celebration of books, be it mystery, nonfiction, comedy, poetry, or even picture books. And the stories within the books help them process life better: Martina uses one of the books to help explain the truth to her children about their father, while another book forces Louise to confront her buried past.

I do love learning new facts through historical fiction. Of course, I've heard all about the blackouts in Britain to protect against air raids. But I'd had no idea that the blackouts on the East Coast were not so much for safety of the cities, but rather for the ships that were illuminated by the lights on shore and thus easy targets for the German subs. 

I generally prefer books with only one or two main characters (as opposed to four), but I can see how a book about the strength of community is more powerful from multiple viewpoints. The minutes from the meetings were my favorite parts.

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.

"A Seaside Wonder" by Melissa Tagg - Muir Harbor, book 2

In one evening, Indi's world falls apart. Enter the shy professor her family mistakes for her fiancé...make that ex-fiancé. Professor Philip West never wanted to return to Maine . . . or his grandfather’s miserable old house. But after his mother’s death, he’s now the guardian of a resentful teenage half sister he barely knows. More than a decade has passed since Indi Muir made the heartbreaking decision she’s never recovered from. If she can just stay busy, she’ll keep her hurt and regret at bay. But when her ex-fiancé returns to Muir Harbor, he brings news that shatters her carefully built walls. The one bright spot amid Indi’s turmoil is the shy stranger who wandered into her shop months ago and his moody but lovable sister. As she confronts her past, she’s intent on helping Philip win over his sister. He just might win over Indi, too, if they can overcome old secrets and wounds, outrun rising peril . . . and take a chance on love.

Melissa Tagg is an expert at the meet-cute. They are always the perfect combination of funny (though perhaps mildly embarrassing for the characters) and memorable. I reread over half of Tagg's backlist in anticipation of this book. The Wardrobe-Break-up Incident fits right in.

Indie is so busy trying to make up for the messes she's made of her life that she is frequently inadvertently making new ones--and now she doesn't trust herself not to keep on rushing headlong into messes of her own making. Nonetheless, she is fun and delightful. But Philip is the best. He's so genuine; his life isn't and never has been what he would have chosen, yet he still chooses joy and faith. He just might be my favorite.

I have enjoyed all of Melissa Tagg's books, but the Muir Harbor books are the best yet (granted, I previously said that about the Maple Valley Romances. But it's a rare author who can continually not only meet my already high expectations, but surpass them). They are funny, the romances are swoony and heart-warming, the mystery thread is fantastic, but most of all, there are really hard things the characters are dealing with, and these books offer hope in a meaningful way. They may have humor, but there is nothing trite about these stories.

I greatly look forward to Lilian and Wilder's story! (Because it absolutely must be Wilder. It MUST.)

Muir Harbor
1. Autumn by the Sea
2. A Seaside Wonder
3. Wedding at Sea

"The Premonition at Withers Farm" by Jaime Jo Wright

In 1910 Michigan, Perliett VanHilton is a self-proclaimed rural healer, leaving the local doctor, George Wasziak, convinced she practices quackery. It doesn't help that her mother, Maribeth VanHilton, is a Spiritualist who regularly offers her services to help others speak to their dearly departed. But when Perliett is targeted by a superstitious killer, she relies on both George and an intriguing newcomer for help. In the present day, life has not developed the way Molly Wasziak dreamed. Facing depression after multiple miscarriages, Molly is adapting to her husband's purchase of a new farm. A search for a family tree pulls Molly deep into a vintage web of deceptions, made more mysterious by the disturbing shadows and sounds in the old farmhouse. Perliett fights for her life, and Molly seeks renewed purpose for hers as she uncovers the records of the dead. Will their voices be heard, or will time silence their truths forever?

This is definitely one of Wright's eerier books. One thing I can count on with Wright's novels--no matter how supernatural events might seem at the beginning--there will be an explanation proving it decidedly is NOT supernatural. There were moments in this one where I wondered how she was going to pull it off, but looking back, there is a trail of breadcrumbs to follow before the big reveals. I know the spiritualist movement was big in the beginning of the 20th century, and it makes for some disconcerting subject matter. Thank goodness for dear George and his interjections of truth into the matter!

In some ways, this book is an exploration of grief: Perliett for her father, Molly for her miscarriages, Glenna for her sister, Mr. and Mrs. Withers for their daughters; all react to death in different ways, some more healthily than others, but none in a neat and tidy way. I enjoyed reading about a married couple, even though Molly and her husband are out of step in their grieving processes and must work to keep their marriage. Excellent as always!

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.

"The Lost Melody" by Joanna Davidson Politano

When concert pianist Vivienne Mourdant's father dies, he leaves to her the care of an adult ward she knew nothing about. The woman is supposedly a patient at Hurstwell Asylum. The woman's portrait is shockingly familiar to Vivienne, so when the asylum claims she was never a patient there, Vivienne is compelled to discover what happened to the figure she remembers from childhood dreams. The longer she lingers in the deep shadows and forgotten towers at Hurstwell, the fuzzier the line between sanity and madness becomes. She hears music no one else does, receives strange missives with rose petals between the pages, and untangles far more than is safe for her to know. But can she uncover the truth about the mysterious woman she seeks? And is there anyone at Hurstwell she can trust with her suspicions?

There's something horrifyingly intriguing about stories of insane asylums. One just can never be sure if what is presented is true, or if it's delusions that lead one to thinking it's true, or if it's deliberate manipulation. Vivienne certainly encounters her share, and sorting the truth from the rest is enough to make anyone feel crazy.

While I was hooked for the first half or more of the story, the feeling of allegory was so strong that it pushed me out of the story in the latter part. The metaphor of light in the darkness feels too heavy-handed (I'd have appreciated significantly more subtlety to it), but unquestionably it's a good and timely message. I just didn't like the feeling of manipulation from the figures of authority in her life--namely Marcel and the music therapist--who push her into being that light, with no regret for their actions. She eventually embraces the role, but it just feels like she was manipulated into it and had no other choice (save despair).

It was still a riveting story, full of suspense, but as happens with stories focusing on insanity, it left me feeling unsettled.

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

"Dangerous Beauty" by Melissa Koslin

Liliana Vela hates the term victim. She's not a victim, she's a fighter. Stubborn and strong with a quiet elegance, she's determined to take back her life after escaping the clutches of human traffickers in her poor Mexican village. But she can't stay safely over the border in America--unless the man who aided in her rescue is serious about his unconventional proposal to marry her. Meric Toledan was just stopping at a service station for a bottle of water. Assessing the situation, he steps in to rescue Liliana from traffickers. If he can keep his secrets at bay, his wealth and position afford him many resources to help her. But the mysterious buyer who funded her capture will not sit idly by while his prize is stolen from him.

I really liked this book; it was balanced really well with suspense and character growth. Though there moments of suspense interspersed throughout the story, it wasn't constant danger all the time--there was enough downtime to give Liliana a chance to breathe, and a chance to heal; time to get to know Meric and to figure out how to live again after what she'd been through. And more, she is given agency--part of it is how Meric lets her choose her own path at her own pace, but the greater part is how she steps out to help others who were in her position. She could have safely hidden away from all threats in Meric's penthouse apartment, but she chooses to step back into that fear to rescue others.

Meric is a tough nut to crack; he's the sort that doesn't share his emotions, and he doesn't want to say or do anything that could interfere with Liliana's healing. I did really respect how careful he was of her at the beginning, that he knew how to be as safe as possible around a woman who'd been sexually assaulted and had no reason to trust any man, let alone one that understands violence. And it becomes clear why he doesn't share everything he does, but it also becomes clear just how wounded he himself is from his--or more importantly, his mother's--past.

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

"Worthy of Legend" by Roseanna M White - Secrets of the Isles, book 3

After a summer of successful pirate-treasure hunting, Lady Emily Scofield and her friends must hide the unprecedented discoveries they've made, thanks to the betrayal of her own family. Horrified by her brother, who stops at nothing to prove himself to their greedy father, Emily is forced to take a stand against her family--even when it means being cut off entirely. Bram Sinclair, Earl of Telford, is fascinated with tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table--an interest he's kept mostly hidden for the last decade. But when a diary is unearthed on the islands that could lead to a secret artifact, Bram is the only one able to piece the legends together. As Bram and Emily seek out the whereabouts of the hidden artifact, they must dodge her family and a team of archeologists. In a race against time, it is up to them to decide what makes a hero worthy of legend. Is it fighting valiantly to claim the treasure . . . or sacrificing everything in the name of selfless love?

This was an exciting conclusion to the Secrets of the Isles series; it makes a fun progression from focus on a pirate to an exiled pirate prince to none other than a knight of the Round Table (with treasure hidden accordingly). I'm fairly familiar with Arthurian legends (Gerald Morris's young adult series The Squire's Tales informed me of some of the more obscure ones, and gave me an appreciation for how ridiculous they can be), but Tristan and Iseult is not one I've spent a lot of time pursuing--I'm just not one for doomed romance (or poor life choices). But this story redeemed Tristan a bit for me.

Not that the story was that heavily about Arthurian legend; the focus is, of course, on Bram and Emily, and trying to keep ahead of her odious brother in all the treasure hunts. They have  sweet love story, a bit slower than the others. Bram impressed me with his insight into people, such as truly seeing Emily and her struggles that not even her best friend totally picked up on. It certainly felt like the whole island chain was coupling off by this book, but I would absolutely accept a follow-up story about Millie--I mean, Millicent--and the American Dutchman (to be honest, they had more chemistry than the leads. Granted, it was leaping off the paper from the very first scene they are together).

This book did have a really solid point about mercy--that those who need mercy most are those who deserve it the least. But, as a scene reminiscent of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade proves, you can't force people to accept it. (There's really a nice allegory here for those who question why a loving God doesn't save everyone from hell; it's not spelled out as such in the story, but it's very present). 

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.

Secrets of the Isles
1. The Nature of a Lady
2. To Treasure an Heiress
3. Worthy of Legend

"To Win a Prince" by Toni Shiloh

As a fashion aficionado and best friend of the queen of the African island country Oloro Ilé, Iris Blakely dreams of using her talent to start a business to help citizens in impoverished areas. But when she discovers that Ekon Diallo will be her business consultant, the battle between her desires and reality begins. Ekon Diallo has lost everything: his princely title, his material possessions, his friends, and the respect of his countrymen. To pay for his actions against Oloro Ilé, he's forced to assist the charismatic Iris Blakely--but he can't allow his heart to distract him from regaining his status. As Iris strives to get her business off the ground while keeping her heart intact, will her dreams of happily ever after survive the challenges she faces?

The Ekon of the first chapter doesn't elicit much sympathy from me, but the Ekon who receives blow after blow (primarily at the hands of his own family) and is forced to reexamine his life and heart--that is a man worth rooting for. He's still not perfect, but it's no wonder Iris falls for him so hard. His story of redemption is captivating. Iris is delightful; she knows her flaws (namely, letting her emotions and imagination carry her away before reality is ready to follow), so she's on the roller coaster of learning how to find balance. The two work together really well, and I'm glad that Ekon has skills that are vitally important to Iris's company as they start up; it's one of the few things that can't be taken from him (though I think if his dad had the power to scoop the knowledge out of his head, he would.)

It's a solid romance in a refreshingly different setting, and a great follow-up to In Search of a Prince. I would enjoy reading more books set in Oloro Ilé!

Christy Award winner for best contemporary romance in 2023!

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.

Related novels:
In Search of a Prince

"To Win Her Heart" by Karen Witemeyer

Having completed his sentence for the unintentional crime that derailed his youthful plans for fame and fortune, Levi Grant looks to start over in the town of Spencer, Texas. Spencer needs a blacksmith, a trade he learned at his father's knee, and he needs a place where no one knows his past. But small towns leave little room for secrets... Eden Spencer has sworn off men, choosing instead to devote her time to the lending library she runs. When a mountain-sized stranger walks through her door and asks to borrow a book, she steels herself against the attraction he provokes. His halting speech and hesitant manner leave her doubting his intelligence. Yet as the mysteries of the town's new blacksmith unfold, Eden discovers hidden depths in him that tempt her heart. Levi's renewed commitment to his faith leads Eden to believe she's finally found a man of honor and integrity, a man worthy of her love. But when the truth about his prodigal past comes to light, can this tarnished hero find a way to win back the librarian's affections?

Levi Grant stands out as one of Witemeyer's best heroes. While he reminds me of John Wayne's character in The Quiet Man, Levi is even better. He's humble, he's firmly committed to the promises he made before God, and he's willing to volunteer the truth of his past, knowing it must be shared, while realizing that it could cost him his new life and love. Eden takes some warming up to, though. By the end, I'm rooting for her just as much as Levi, but it takes a while to get her off her high horse of self-righteousness. I love how young Chloe helps her in her journey. This book also has one of Witemeyer's most vile villains: one who doesn't seem bad at first--just a jerk--but the things he does in the end . . . It's his cruelty, though, that proves before one and all Levi's transformation into a child of God.

This definitely isn't one of Witemeyer's funniest books, but it's still one of my favorites, with a powerful message both for those who have become a new creation in Christ and for those who have forgotten the Holy Spirit's power of transforming hearts.

"Meet Me in the Margins" by Melissa Ferguson

Savannah Cade is a low-level editor at Pennington Publishing, a prestigious publisher producing only the highest of highbrow titles, but she has a secret: she’s writing a romance novel. After leaving her manuscript behind one afternoon in her secret room off the ARC room, she returns to the nook only to discover someone has written notes in the margins. Savannah’s first response to the criticism is defensive, but events transpire that force her to admit that she needs the help of this shadowy editor after all. As the notes take a turn for the romantic, and as Savannah’s madcap life gets more complicated than ever, she uses the process of elimination to identify her mysterious editor—only to discover that what she truly wants and what she should want just might not be the same.

This was an entertaining rom-com--my favorite story by the author so far. It's perfectly predictable, but it didn't detract from the fun. I did disagree with editor's recommendation of putting Savannah's story (and, for that matter, this actual book) in present tense; it always takes me a few chapters to get used to it, but at least the story was fun enough that I pushed through. It's cute, clean, and humorous. Nothing heavy about it, and the Nashville setting was fun and different, especially without a music focus (not that country music was completely neglected).

"Shadowed Loyalty" by Roseanna M White

Sabina Mancari never questioned her life as the daughter of Chicago’s leading mob boss until bullets tear apart her world and the man she thought she loved turned out to be an undercover Prohibition agent. Now she sees how ugly the underworld can be. Ambushes, bribes, murder, prostitution—she thought her beloved Papa was above all that, but clearly he isn’t. What does that mean, though, for her and their family? Maybe Lorenzo, the fiancé who has barely paid her any attention in the last two years, has the right idea by planning to escape their world. Despite his morals, Lorenzo knows at the core he isn’t so unlike his father and brothers, which terrifies him. Has he, in trying to protect Sabina from his flaws, in fact harmed her? It sure seems that way when he realizes he all but forced her into the arms of the Prohibition Agent now bent on tearing her family apart. But how can they rebuild what has so long been neglected…and do it in the shadow of the dark empire of the Mafia? 

This was an interesting romance set between two people trapped by familial bonds and cultural heritage within the mafia. I know that the early 1920's were quite a bit different than the mid- and late 20's, but I hadn't realized that applied to the mafia too, particularly in the codes they followed. It was very interesting to learn how the Italian mafia once worked and why it developed as it did, before it evolved with the rise of crime syndicates that refused to play by the rules (Al Capone).

The lines between good guys and bad guys are really blurred in this story, reflecting how messy real life can be. Roman, the prohibition agent, is ostensibly on the side of good, trying to take down crime and uphold the law. But he's hypocritical (and delusional) as all get out, and obsessed with his mission. You want to love Manny, Sabina's father, who adores his family and will do anything for them, yet he's also a crime boss with very little conscience when it comes to everything outside that nucleus (and almost nothing is too low for him). Do you hope--for Sabina's sake, and because Roman is such a jerk about it all--that Enzo can acquit Manny of his crimes? Or hope that he gets put away forever, but would mean the antagonist (Roman) wins and hero (Enzo) fails?

I enjoyed the complexity of the relationships, and Enzo was wonderful. It was quite a bit shorter than I was expecting, and it didn't feel as full and intricate plot-wise as some other books by the author, but it was an entertaining and thoughtful read.

"The Italian Ballerina" by Kristy Cambron

Rome, 1943. With the fall of Italy’s Fascist government and the Nazi regime occupying the streets of Rome, British ballerina Julia Bradbury is stranded and forced to take refuge at a hospital on Tiber Island. But when she learns of a deadly sickness that is sweeping through the quarantine wards—a fake disease known only as Syndrome K—she is drawn into one of the greatest cons in history. Alongside hospital staff, friars of the adjoining church, and two Allied medics, Julia risks everything to rescue Italian Jews from the deadly clutches of the Holocaust.

Present Day. With the recent loss of her grandfather—a beloved small-town doctor and WWII veteran—Delaney Coleman returns home to help her parents, even as she struggles to pick up the pieces of her own life. When a mysterious Italian woman claims she owns one of the family’s precious heirlooms, Delaney is compelled to uncover what’s true of her grandfather’s hidden past. Soon, everything Delaney thought she knew about her grandfather comes into question as she wrestles with the possibility that the man she’d revered all her life had unknown ties to Rome and may have taken noble secrets to his grave.

Sometimes book descriptions don't paint an accurate description of the story. This one isn't wrong per se, but I feel like the description neglected the main character: Court Coleman, Delaney's grandfather. Both Julia and Delaney feel like secondary characters next to Court--I'd say about half the novel is from his viewpoint, and only a quarter each for Julia and Delaney. And I'm not positive the title refers to Julia--I'm more inclined to think it's about Calla, the little girl Court rescues, and who has a role in the present-day story.

I did really enjoy the novel. Kristy Cambron knows how to write a captivating story, and she incorporated a piece of history that offered a fresh perspective on WWII. But that said, I think the story would have been stronger if it had only followed Court. The contemporary timeline was fine, but it didn't add much, and I really wanted to delve more into the fascinating history of the Italian hospital and their Syndrome K. I had never heard about it before, and I'd have loved a deeper focus on it, especially through Court's eyes. 

The timelines jump around a bit (Court's present, Court's past, Julia's timeline, and Delaney in the modern day). I didn't find it too difficult to follow, once I caught onto the rhythm, but it's a bit different from the norm. There was a significant plot twist I didn't see coming.

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

"Long Way Home" by Lynn Austin

Peggy Serrano couldn't wait for her best friend to come home from the war. But the Jimmy Barnett who returns is much different from the Jimmy who left, changed so drastically by his experience as a medic in Europe that he can barely function. When he attempts the unthinkable, his parents check him into the VA hospital. Peggy determines to help the Barnetts unravel what might have happened to send their son over the edge. She starts by contacting Jimmy's war buddies, trying to identify the mysterious woman in the photo they find in Jimmy's belongings. Seven years earlier, sensing the rising tide against her people, Gisela Wolff and her family flee Germany aboard the passenger ship St. Louis, bound for Havana, Cuba. Gisela meets Sam Shapiro on board and the two fall quickly in love. But the ship is denied safe harbor and sent back to Europe. Thus begins Gisela's perilous journey of exile and survival, made possible only by the kindness and courage of a series of strangers she meets along the way, including one man who will change the course of her life.

This book has two excellent stories in it. I especially enjoyed Peggy's story as she's trying to reconstruct what happened to Jim in the war and bringing Jim's veteran friends to come help him, all the while--without realizing it--she's helping each one of them, too. She's sweet and relatable. Gisela's story tells a bit of history I had never heard before--about a luxury liner full of Jews that legally left Germany for Cuba, only to be turned away at Havana, rejected by America and Canada, and sent back to Europe, where the Jews were largely spread back across countries that Germany would soon conquer. Gisela is a strong heroine, whose friends and family and comforts keep being whittled away.

I love how the title fits both storylines: Gisela and her people, after being chased from Germany, are just looking for a home, be it in Cuba, Ecuador, Belgium, the US, or--ultimately--Palestine. And it's a long time coming. In Peggy's storyline, the GI's have returned home physically, but so many of them lost their faith and hope overseas. With PTSD, it's a long, long road home for many of them.

The one thing that bothered me (and this is a common complaint of dual timeline books) is that it could have been published as two separate books--one about Gisela, one about Peggy--and you could read one without reading the other and still have a complete story without losing much impact. They intersect, of course, near the end, but Gisela's story didn't really have an impact on Peggy's, and vice versa. Only because they both know Jimmy do the heroines ever cross paths. I prefer a dual timeline where the two stories are so intertwined that to separate one ruins the other, and that definitely wasn't the case with this book.

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

"In Honor's Defense" by Karen Witemeyer - Hanger's Horsemen, book 3

Luke Davenport has been fighting all his life--for respect, for country, and most recently, for those unable to fight for themselves. But now that his Horsemen brothers are domesticated, he's left alone to battle the wildness within. When an opportunity arises to take a job on his own, he jumps at the chance. Damaris Baxter has mastered the art of invisibility. Plain and quiet, she hides in books and needlework, content to be overlooked. Until her brother dies suddenly, leaving her custody of her nephew. She moves to Texas to care for Nate, determined to create the family for herself that she never thought she'd have. When Nate stumbles into the path of the rustlers Luke is tracking, Luke acts to protect him and winds up gravely injured. Feeling indebted, Damaris nurses Luke back to health. But suspicions grow regarding the death of her brother. And the more questions they ask, the more danger appears, threatening the family Luke may be unable to live without.

This was an excellent book. Not as funny as some of the others by Witemeyer, but I really enjoyed the depth to the characters and the journeys they go through. Damaris is one of the most relatable heroines I've seen; not terribly pretty, not outstanding in any field, out of her depth in violence and danger--mostly just normal. But she's also tenacious and smart, and she doesn't give in to evil. Luke is a bit of a paradox, but in a very realistic way (a lot like some people I've known); he can quote bible verses from sunup to sundown, and he has no trouble relying on the Lord, but he still struggles with feelings of unworthiness. Finally--and most impressively--Nate is a believable kid; he's not cute and precocious, he's not easy to fix. He's just an angry young teen who's rebelling out of grief and anger. Having known kids with similar attitude problems, I can sympathize with Damaris's helplessness in his situation. It's hard to wield authority when the person you're trying to guide won't allow you to have any. 

It was fun to see the Horsemen back together in the end. I enjoyed the series, but this book especially!

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.

Hanger's Horsemen
1. At Love's Command
2. The Heart's Charge
3. In Honor's Defense

"When the Day Comes" by Gabrielle Meyer - Timeless, book 1

Libby has been given a powerful gift: to live one life in 1774 colonial Williamsburg and the other in 1914 Gilded Age New York City. When she falls asleep in one life, she wakes up in the other without any time passing. She has one conscious mind but two very different lives and bodies. In colonial Williamsburg, Libby is a public printer for the House of Burgesses and the Royal Governor, trying to provide for her family and support the Patriot cause. The man she loves, Henry Montgomery, has his own secrets. As the revolution draws near, both their lives--and any hope of love--are put in jeopardy. Libby's life in 1914 New York is filled with wealth, drawing room conversations, and bachelors. But the only work she cares about--women's suffrage--is discouraged, and her mother is intent on marrying her off to an undesirable English marquess. The growing talk of war in Europe further complicates matters and forces her to make sacrifices she never imagined. On her twenty-first birthday, Libby must choose one path and forfeit the other forever--but how can she possibly choose when she has so much to lose in each life?

In spite of the fantastical dual-timeline/dual-body concept, I wouldn't call this book a fantasy; it would be better described as a dual timeline historical, with a bit of a fantastic twist. It flirts with some of the time travel problems (like changing the future), but manages to bypass some of the bigger controversies (if you enjoy time travel fiction, you know how it can be; all those paradoxes, splintering realities, etc). Libby isn't really time travelling so much as occupying two different bodies in two different times, which simplifies matters.

This book did not go in the direction I was expecting. Before beginning, I assumed that Libby would eventually have to decide between two good options (probably falling in love in both, that sort of thing), but that's not it at all; she knows from the start where she wants to end up, but the circumstances of her dual lives puts her desires in jeopardy. And from that point on I had no idea where the story was going (a most enjoyable circumstance). It could have had several different endings, and the one it did have I didn't give serious consideration to until about a page before it was actually revealed. 

I enjoyed it and look forward to the next book.

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.

Timeless
1. When the Day Comes
2. In This Moment

"Written on the Wind" by Elizabeth Camden - Blackstone Legacy, book 2

Natalia Blackstone is a rarity in Gilded Age America. As a trusted analyst for her father's bank, she is helping finance the legendary Trans-Siberian Railway. From her office in New York City, Natalia relies on a charming Russian aristocrat to oversee the construction of the railroad on the other side of the world. But while overseeing the work, Count Dimitri Sokolov witnesses the deadly result of the Russian Monarchy's will to see the railway built. To silence him, the state has stripped Dimitri of his title, his lands, and his freedom . . . but Dimitri has a key asset the czar knows nothing about: his deep and abiding friendship with Natalia Blackstone. From the steppes of Russia to the corridors of power in Washington, Natalia and Dimitri will fight against all odds to save the railroad and share the truth of what happened, but how can their newfound love survive the ordeal?

I really liked both Natalia and Dimitri from the snapshot of their relationship in Carved in Stone, and Written on the Wind did not disappoint! Dimitri would have been merely an amusing fop if he hadn't had the tenacity to cross the Russian taiga on foot and the drive to fight against some of the highest powers in the world to see that the atrocities of the Russian-Chinese border were never repeated. Which is to say, he was wonderful. And Natalia is smart and practical with a dry wit--the perfect balance to Dimitri's flamboyant nature. 

Having taken numerous courses in Russian studies in college, I love it when I come across books with a focus on Russia. A lot of novels focus on the Russian Revolution and afterward, but this one takes place in the lead-up to the 1905 revolution (a precursor to the more significant 1917 revolution). One thing that always impresses me about Camden's books is her research, and it definitely concurred with what I learned, both the cultural and historical aspects. But I also loved having learned something new, and I hadn't known about the Blagoveshchensk Massacre, the atrocity that propels this story.

Highly enjoyable!

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.

The Blackstone Legacy

1. Carved in Stone

2. Written on the Wind
3. Hearts of Steel

"Turn to Me" by Becky Wade - Mist River Romance, book 3

Guilt has defined Luke Dempsey's life, but it was self-destructiveness that landed him in prison. When his friend and fellow inmate lay dying shortly before Luke's release, the older man revealed he left a string of clues for his daughter, Finley, that will lead her to the treasure he's hidden. Worried that she won't be the only one pursuing the treasure, he gains Luke's promise to protect her until the end of her search. Spunky and idealistic, Finley Sutherland is the owner of an animal rescue center and a defender of lost causes. She accepts Luke's help on the treasure hunt while secretly planning to help him in return--by coaxing him to embrace the forgiveness he's long denied himself. As they draw closer to the final clue, their reasons for resisting each other begin to crumble, and Luke realizes his promise will push him to the limit in more ways than one. He'll do his best to shield Finley from unseen threats, but who's going to shield him from losing his heart?

4.5 stars  Luke is definitely the star of this book. He was perfectly broody and intense, though his stern complaints could be quite amusing, especially when they ran contrary to his actions (particularly with a certain non-housebroken puppy). He's still very broken from the loss of his brother, for which he blames himself. I liked the consideration the author put into him as a recent convict, with things like his struggles to fill his time after a super-regimented stint in prison, his need for a regimented schedule. Both Luke and Finley are well fleshed-out. I enjoyed that while they are in most things wildly different, Luke and Finley are markedly similar in their response to grief and loss.

The treasure hunt was a fun part of the book, with a treasure I was not remotely expecting. I'm glad Ben finally gets a happy ending, though I'd have preferred it if Ben could have had his own book (and then we could have gotten to know Akira a lot better).

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.

Misty River Romance
0.5: Take a Chance on Me (prequel novella)
1. Stay With Me
2. Let It Be Me
2.5: You and Me (novella)
3. Turn to Me

"The Souls of Lost Lake" by Jaime Jo Wright

Wren Blythe has long enjoyed being among the Northwoods, helping her father with programming at a youth camp. But when a little girl in the area goes missing, an all-out search ensues, reviving the decades-old campfire story of Ava Coons, the murderess, who still roams the woods. Joining the search, Wren stumbles upon the Coons cabin ruins and a rotting porcelain doll. But even more terrifying is seeing her name etched on the doll's foot like a sinister omen. In 1930, Ava Coons has spent the last ten years carrying the mantle of mystery since she emerged from the forest as an eight-year-old girl, spattered with blood, dragging a logger's axe. She has accepted she'll never remember what happened to her family. When a member of the town of Tempter's Creek is murdered, rumors spread that Ava's secret is more malicious than previously imagined. Both women discover that to save the innocent, they must face an insidious evil.

I don't know anyone who can craft a creepy, suspenseful novel like Jaime Jo Wright, and the fact that she manages it with two different--yet wholly intertwined--story lines makes it all the more impressive. This book is no exception. Everything is so perfectly balanced between the two story lines, and I love how they so often mirror each other below the surface. 

I enjoy Tolkien, and this has a surprising--and creepy and fun--Lord of the Rings twist that I never saw coming. There are numerous references to the stories as well, thanks to Wren's (aka Arwen's) Tolkien-obsessed father. I found Ava herself, though she has been accused of murder and is in danger herself, to be a source of humor in the past timeline. She has a very direct way of speaking with Preacher Pritchard that tends to shock him, yet made me smile. Both the preacher and Eddie (modern timeline) were wonderful.

It's a spectacularly creepy suspense, but with highly moving moments and hints of romance. Highly recommended!

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.

"The Master Craftsman" by Kelli Stuart

In 1917, Alma Pihl, a master craftsman in The House of Fabergé, was charged to protect one of the greatest secrets in Russian history--an unknown Fabergé Egg that Peter Karl Fabergé secretly created to honor his divided allegiance to both the people of Russia and the Imperial Czar's family. When Alma and her husband escaped Russia for their native Finland in 1921, she took the secret with her, guarding her past connection to the Romanov family. Three generations later, world-renowned treasure hunter Nick Laine is sick and fears the secret of the missing egg will die with him. With time running out, he entrusts the mission of retrieving the egg to his estranged daughter, Ava, who has little idea of the dangers she is about to face. As the stakes are raised, Ava is forced to declare her own allegiance--and the consequences are greater than she could have imagined. This modern-day treasure hunt transports you into the opulent and treacherous world of the Russian Revolution to unearth mysteries long buried.

I love the subject matter--a treasure hunt related to the Russian Revolution? Super exciting! And the author has really done her research for this book. I kept pausing my reading to look up images of the Fabergé eggs described and fact-check about Alma Pihl and Fabergé's lives. It's stunning the research that went into the historical aspects of this novel (though the missing egg is presumably fictional). The past timeline is more about Fabergé himself and the eggs than Alma, but it was a unique aspect of the end of imperial Russia and the revolution that I hadn't heard about (and I took a class devoted solely to the Russian Revolution in college).

As much as I enjoyed learning new bits of history and the treasure hunt aspect, I struggled to like Ava. I just didn't relate to her personality or what drove her. Her mom is great, though, and I love that she got to take part in the treasure hunt too.

A few notes for those looking to get a better handle on the story:

• It's not a romance in either timeline
• It's not heavily suspenseful, but it increases in the latter part of the book
• There isn't actually any faith thread to the story, though I could see an argument for allegory (there's a fair amount of discussion on what makes art valuable, and the role of a master craftsman; I honestly expected it to be applied to God, as there was an easy comparison there, but it didn't go that far).

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

"In Search of a Prince" by Toni Shiloh

Brielle Adebayo is fully content teaching at a New York City public school and taking annual summer vacations with her mother to Martha's Vineyard. But everything changes when her mom drops the mother of all bombshells--Brielle is a princess in the kingdom of Ọlọrọ Ilé, Africa, and she must immediately assume her royal position, since the health of her grandfather, King Tiwa Jimoh Adebayo, is failing. Distraught by her mother's betrayal, Brielle is further left spinning when the Ọlọrọ Ilé Royal Council brings up an old edict that states she must marry before assuming the throne or the crown will be passed to another. Uncertain who to choose from the council's list of bachelors, she struggles with the decision along with the weight of her new role in a new country. With her world totally shaken, she must take a chance on love and brave the perils a wrong decision may bring.

I'm not big on contemporary royalty fiction, but this one was really well written. Superficially, the story is like The Princess Diaries, but I'd say it's a thoughtful, faith-filled, grown-up version. Brielle isn't worried about looking and acting like a perfect princess--she's concerned with learning about the country, honoring the people, and choosing what's best for them, even when it doesn't feel like it's what's best for her. It means giving up her life for something she never dreamed she'd have to prepare for. She has her flaws, but she's a very steady, responsible person (not bad characteristics for a middle school teacher). I was feeling anxiety on her behalf as her timeline kept getting cut shorter and pressures kept piling on her. I wouldn't want to be in her shoes!

It was wonderful to read a story set in Africa. While the country itself is fictional, the culture and history are based on the countries surrounding it. Ọlọrọ Ilé might be tropical rather than edge-of-the-Sahara, but it still definitely evoked memories of Dakar, Senegal for me (especially discussion of the gorgeous fabrics--I totally agree with Iris's passion on that front). Speaking of Iris, I'm glad to see there is a story her coming next! She makes a great best friend, and I'm excited to see her get her own happy ending.

Christy Award winner of the Amplify Award in 2022!

"The Debutante's Code" by Erica Vetsch - Thorndyke & Swann Regency Mysteries, book 1

Newly returned from finishing school, Lady Juliette Thorndike is ready to debut in London society. Due to her years away at school, she hasn't spent much time with her parents, and sees them only as the flighty, dilettante couple the other nobles love. But when they disappear, she discovers she never really knew them at all. They've been living double lives as government spies--and they're only the latest in a family legacy of espionage. Now Lady Juliette is determined to continue their work. Mentored by her uncle, she plunges into the dangerous world of spy craft. From the glittering ballrooms of London to the fox hunts of country high society, she must chase down hidden clues, solve the mysterious code her parents left behind, and stay out of danger. All the while, she has to keep her endeavors a secret from her best friend and her suitors--not to mention handsome Bow Street runner Daniel Swann, who suspects her of a daring theft. Can Lady Juliette outwit her enemies and complete her parents' last mission? Or will it lead her to a terrible end?

I enjoyed that this book is a set-up for a series about Juliette and Daniel, not just a stand-alone. This is Juliette's introduction to the spy world, and it's a lot to take in for a debutante freshly home from abroad. She's no only navigating her first season, being on hand to support her best friend, and after years abroad at school, STILL not getting to see her beloved parents, but also doing nightly cryptography work, spy training, art theft, and being hounded by a handsome Bow Street Runner. She's got a pretty full plate.

It was fun to Daniel come into his own as he fights for his place among the Bow Street Runners. Lots of mystery remains about his past and anonymous patron. I'm glad we get more books to get to know him! And I have to say, I adored Uncle Bertie. I hope we get more of him in the future! I'm looking forward to the next book and what exciting mystery will cross over between the criminal underworld and international espionage--and toss Juliette and Daniel back together.

Thorndyke & Swann Regency Mysteries
1. The Debutante's Code
2. Millstone of Doubt 
3. Children of the Shadows

"Enchanting the Heiress" by Kristi Ann Hunter - Hearts on the Heath, book 3

Harriet Hancock likes to make the lives of those around her better whether they like it or not. So, she is surprised when her friend Sophia Whitworth has ideas of her own on how to make Harriet happier--by throwing her together with Sophia's brother, stable hand Jonas Fitzroy. When Harriet discovers his natural way with words, she hatches a plan that would benefit them both. Holding a grudge against Harriet for her meddling in Sophia's life, it is only because of his sister that Jonas agrees to approach Harriet about a possible artistic project. What he doesn't expect is for her to request his help writing a book. As they work together, they start to see each other in a different light, but when the truth of Harriet's schemes is revealed, she'll find her good intentions for once have gone too far.

I have enjoyed every one of Kristi Ann Hunter's novels, and this one no exception. There's plenty of humor, a sweet romance, lots of growth, and possibly the most bible references I've ever read in a single novel (which I enjoyed--they're even listed out in the author's note!). I was looking forward to getting to know Harriet after the previous two books, and I never expected her pairing up with Jonas--they are definitely a case of opposites attracting. But he's strong and stubborn enough stand up to her machinations, which she needs. There is a fine line between subtle help and manipulation, and Harriet wobbles between the two. She always has good intentions, and the results are often quite good, but Jonas does have a point that she goes a bit too far. 

I'm still hoping for a book about Lord Rigsby. 

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

Hearts on the Heath
1. Vying for the Viscount
2. Winning the Gentleman
3. Enchanting the Heiress

Related series: (Chronologically Hawthorne House comes first, Haven Manor second, and then Hearts on the Heath)

Hawthorne House
0.5 "A Lady of Esteem" - a free novella introduction to the Hawthornes and friends!
1. A Noble Masquerade
2. An Elegant Facade
3. An Uncommon Courtship
4. An Inconvenient Beauty

Haven Manor
0.5: "A Search for Refuge" (free prequel e-novella)
1. A Defense of Honor
2. A Return of Devotion
3. A Pursuit of Home 
3.5: "Legacy of Love" (published in The Christmas Heirloom novella collection)

"The Do-Over" by Bethany Turner

When McKenna Keaton walks into the boardroom of Wallis, Monroe, and Burkhead, she expects to be named senior partner. Instead, she learns she’s being investigated for embezzlement. To wait out her unpaid leave, McKenna sublets her apartment and goes home to North Carolina to save money. Saving face is going to be another thing entirely, but she assumes her problems will blow over soon. While living in her childhood hometown, McKenna learns about a family curse that—if real rather than imagined—could suggest she has less than a year to live. This information is troubling (of course!), but it’s the reunion with former classmate Henry—Durham’s favorite son—that flips her world upside down. Henry is now a celebrated documentarian, back in town to premiere his latest masterpiece. As she waits out the results of the investigation and wonders if her literal life is hanging in the balance, McKenna debates her future and questions her past. She might survive it all in one piece—but a new love and a newly-examined life might be the only things that can save her. 

It's an entertaining romantic comedy that would fit in well with classic 90's rom-coms, like You've Got Mail, Runaway Bride, and While You Were Sleeping. Lots of funny moments, some tender moments, and some wonderfully cathartic ones when McKenna finally does the right thing. McKenna is definitely flawed--particularly when it comes to her relationships with her family. I vastly disagree with some of her choices--burying the truth about something as significant as an embezzlement investigation is not . . . ideal, and every little lie one tells to hide it just digs the hole deeper. However, I do like how she grows closer to her tag-along little sister (as well as her close relationship with her older sister), and how she reprioritizes her family. I wouldn't have minded a bit more about the embezzlement scandal, but to be fair, it was a rom com, not a legal thriller.

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

"To Treasure an Heiress" by Roseanna M White - Secrets of the Isles, book 2

Beth Tremayne has always been drawn to adventure. During her childhood, she fed that desire by exploring every inch of the Isles of Scilly. Now, stumbling across an old map on her family's property, she's found more adventure than she ever craved in the hunt for pirate treasure. Unfortunately, Beth can't escape the attentions of her family's guest, Lord Sheridan. Sheridan has spent years pursuing whatever archaeological interests caught his imagination. And when he discovers that Beth's search connects with one of his favorite pirates of history, he can't help getting involved. Plus, he finds her irresistible, even though she insists he stole a prized possession of hers. As they work together following different clues and drawing closer to danger, they start to piece together a story of tragic love and piratical adventure. But the true surprise is the treasure they discover in each other.

 This book picks up immediately where The Nature of a Lady leaves off, so it would probably be helpful to read book one first (which, incidentally, is the start of the treasure hunt continued in this book). 

Sheridan definitely makes the book. He's extremely amusing, even if most of his thoughts never leave his head. Except for when they accidentally do, of course (with highly amusing results). He and Beth make an excellent pair, with their mutual love of adventure. I was glad that this book shows Telford in a better light than he came off in in the previous book--I'm looking forward to the next book featuring him and Lady Emily.

Secrets of the Isles
1. The Nature of a Lady
2. To Treasure an Heiress
3. Worthy of Legend

"Until Leaves Fall in Paris" by Sarah Sundin

As the Nazis march toward Paris in 1940, American ballerina Lucie Girard buys her favorite English-language bookstore to allow the Jewish owners to escape. Lucie struggles to run Green Leaf Books due to oppressive German laws and harsh conditions, but she finds a way to aid the resistance by passing secret messages between the pages of her books. Widower Paul Aubrey wants nothing more than to return to the States with his little girl, but the US Army convinces him to keep his factory running and obtain military information from his German customers. As the war rages on, Paul offers his own resistance by sabotaging his product and hiding British airmen in his factory. After they meet in the bookstore, Paul and Lucie are drawn to each other, but she rejects him when she discovers he sells to the Germans. And for Paul to win her trust would mean betraying his mission.

I enjoyed learning more about Paris in early WWII; I hadn't realized what a large community of Americans there were in the city at the time, or what freedoms they retained, at least for a short while. The story gives a hint at how much messier reality was than we like to think; Paul and his German overseer are fellow graduates of Harvard, with much in common, except that they choose opposite sides. Lucie's roommates are sliding the slippery moral slope of trying to survive while making compromise after compromise in the process. Some Americans heartily buy into Nazi rhetoric, while others immediately begin secretly aiding the Allies.

I struggled to like Lucie at first, mostly because of her bohemian attitude (you can't operate a business if you're going to ignore distasteful things like finances. It just doesn't work. And being smart with finances doesn't make one a capitalistic jerk.) But I appreciated that she comes to like Paul even when she believes he is a collaborator, before learning of his true leanings, and that she never imputes her initial disgust with Paul on his daughter. Paul was wonderful. Not perfect, as he had to work to understand his grieving daughter, but a good man, doing his best to be faithful to his country, family, and employees, even at the sacrifice of his reputation.

Christy Award winner for best historical romance in 2022!

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

"To Disguise the Truth" by Jen Turano - Bleeker Street Inquiry Agency, book 3

When Arthur Livingston arrives out of the blue at the Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency, anxious to hire the agency to seek out a missing heiress, Eunice Holbrooke realizes her past has finally caught up with her. Having fled from the scene of her grandfather's murder seven years before, Eunice is a lady with secrets--the most important that she is the missing heiress Arthur is seeking. She has no intention of allowing him to learn she's been disguising herself, especially when she has reason to believe Arthur could hold her responsible for her grandfather's death. In order to avoid Arthur and conceal her real identity, Eunice takes on another case that requires her to go deep undercover. With secrets from the past--and Arthur--appearing wherever she looks, she wonders how she will ever uncover the truth behind her grandfather's murder. Will what she discovers set Eunice free or place her in peril's way?

Jen Turano's books are always fun, but the Bleeker Street Inquiry Agency has made room for all sorts of zany adventures. Eunice has always been a fascinating character (one we knew had secrets--why else would she hide behind layers of mourning veils?), so it was delightful to discover her story. From the very first page, where it introduces our hero as the man Eunice shot the last time she saw him, it was a fun romp as Eunice reconciles with her past and paves the way for her future.

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.

Bleeker Street Inquiry Agency
1. To Steal a Heart
2. To Write a Wrong
3. To Disguise the Truth

"A Heart Adrift" by Laura Frantz

It is 1755, and the threat of war with France looms over colonial York, Virginia. Chocolatier Esme Shaw is reconciled to life alone after a decade-old failed love affair from which she's never quite recovered. But she longs to find something worthwhile to do with her life. Captain Henri Lennox has returned to port after a lengthy absence, intent on completing the lighthouse in the dangerous Chesapeake Bay, a dream he once shared with Esme. But when the colonial government asks him to lead a secret naval expedition against the French, his future is plunged into uncertainty. Will a war and a cache of regrets keep them apart, or can their shared vision and dedication to the colonial cause heal the wounds of the past? 

And the sailor said, "Esmee, you're a fine girl. What a good wife you would be . . . But but my life, my lover, my lady is the sea." (To slightly misquote a song that was running through my head at the beginning of the book). 

Frantz does an excellent job setting the scene and exploring new aspects of colonial life. The chocolatiering was completely new for me, as with life in Virginia at the start of the French and Indian War--all I'd known before of the war took place farther north, primarily in New York. I really enjoyed the privateering aspect of the book; it's not a subject one sees often, especially as authorized by the colonial government (and technically king of England). I hadn't realized it played a significant role in the French and Indian War. Aspects of the story reminded me of the swashbuckling classic Captain Blood, which I have long enjoyed.

This was a solid, faith-filled story, besides being a lovely example of a second chance at love. I would have preferred more tension , particularly nearing the end. It could have used a little more lead-up to the final conflict; not that it came completely out of the blue, but there hadn't been any major tension leading up to it, so it didn't feel particularly necessary to the plot. I did like the scene, however, especially for Eliza's character arc, but some foreboding and tension in advance would have made it a really solid ending rather than a tacked-on, last-minute conflict. 

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

"Her Darling Mr. Day" by Grace Hitchcock - American Royalty, book 2

Jilted in front of all New York, Theodore Day decides to lose himself in his family's luxury riverboat business in New Orleans and compete against his brother to become the next company head. The brother with the most sales by summer's end will win the position. It took Flora Wingfield's best work to convince her family to summer in New Orleans, but with Teddy Day a bachelor once again, she's leaving nothing to chance. Desperate to stand out from all the clamoring belles, Flora attempts a bold move that goes completely awry, only to find it's her interior design skills that finally catch his notice. But when Flora learns her father has matchmaking schemes of his own, Teddy will have to decide where his happiness truly lies and what he is willing to sacrifice for it.

As the second book of the series, this one is easier to follow if one has read book one (the contest Teddy participated in is referenced quite a bit), but even so, it stands on its own decently. I think it has more humor than book one, which I enjoyed. There are hints of a mystery indicated by uncharacteristic actions by Flora's father, though Flora (and consequently, the reader) is kept in the dark. I assumed the Wingfield family was actually bankrupt, but I was wrong! Aspects of Flora's relationships with her sisters reminded me strongly of the Bennet sisters in Pride and Prejudice (as, for that matter, did some of the socialites of New Orleans). 

Over all, it's an entertaining story; sometimes over-the-top, but if you're in the mood for a light-hearted romance, this fits the bill.

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.

American Royalty
1. My Dear Miss Dupree
2. Her Darling Mr. Day
3. His Delightful Lady Delia

Most Anticipated Christian Fiction 2022!

 Here are my most anticipated Christian fiction reads for 2022! (To be updated as fall books are announced)

  

January: A Heart Adrift by Laura Frantz (Revell)

January: To Disguise the Truth by Jen Turano (Bethany House); Bleeker Street Inquiry Agency, book 3

January: To Treasure an Heiress by Roseanna M White (Bethany House); Secrets of the Isles, book 2

  

March: Enchanting the Heiress by Kristi Ann Hunter (Bethany House); Hearts on the Heath, book 3

April: The Souls of Lost Lake by Jaime Jo Wright (Bethany House)

May: Turn to Me by Becky Wade (Bethany House); Misty River Romance, book 3

 

May: Shadowed Loyalty by Roseanna M. White (Chrism Press)

May: Written on the Wind by Elizabeth Camden (Bethany House); Blackstone Legacy, book 2

October: A Seaside Wonder by Melissa Tagg (Indie); Muir Harbor, book 2

  

September: Worthy of Legend by Roseanna M. White (Bethany House); Secrets of the Isles, book 3

October: The Premonition at Wither's Farm by Jaime Jo Wright (Bethany House)

December: Engaging Deception (Bethany House); Joplin Chronicles, book 3