Jaime Jo Wright's "Echoes Among the Stones"

Mystery begins to follow Aggie Dunkirk when she exhumes the past's secrets and uncovers a crime her eccentric grandmother has been obsessing over. Decades earlier, after discovering her sister's body in the attic, Imogene Flannigan is determined to find justice. Two women, separated by time, vow to find answers . . . no matter the cost.

Something about the story reminded me of the WWII film Mrs. Miniver . . . the era, of course, though this story takes place a year after WWII ended rather than during it (and in Wisconsin, not England). But there's also the unexpected and devastating death of not the soldier, but rather one on the home front who should be safe.

There's a strong theme about grief, and no hard and fast answers. But though there is no cure offered for getting over the death of a loved one, the author does offer hope for joy, even alongside sorrow.

Wright (as always) does a perfect job balancing the two timelines and keeping each one as enthralling as the other. It helps that they're pretty intimately intertwined, with the past timeline physically affecting the present timeline.

If you like the movies Casablanca and Mrs. Miniver, with their bittersweet endings, I'd encourage you to give this book a try. It might be a generations-old murder mystery rather than straight drama, but the 1946 timeline would have fit well with those films, and the present timeline completes it. Highly recommended!

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

"The Dating Charade" by Melissa Ferguson

Cassie Everson, after three years of terrible first dates, is ready to give up on marriage--and children--altogether. But when firefighter Jett Bentley reaches out, having remembered her from high school, she gives in to one more try at dating. No one is more surprised than Cassie when her first date with Jett is a knockout. But when they both go home and find three children dropped in their laps—each—they independently decide to do the right and mature thing: hide the kids from each other while sorting it all out. What could go wrong?

This is a story worthy of a comedy film. It's filled with all sorts of shenanigans and misunderstandings, with some pretty funny scenes first in Cassie's dating life, and then when both Cassie and Jett become guardians of three children each. It put me in mind of the hilarious but heart-warming movie Mom's Night Out (if you've seen it and enjoyed it, read this book!).

As fun as the story was, there was a lot of depth to the story too. Foster care is a big part of the story, and the author doesn't gloss over how challenging it can be--be it with toddlers or teens. And it isn't just the challenge for the adult doing the fostering, it's things that I wouldn't have thought of, like kids who eat sparingly and hoard leftovers for fear of going without, siblings not handling separation well at everyday functions (like church), or a bone-deep fear of abandonment that would push them to be the first to leave rather than be the one left behind. This is fiction, so it may still be prettier than what many foster families experience, but it was also eye-opening for me, who has no experience at all.

If you like books by Bethany Turner, Becky Wade, or Melissa Tagg, be sure to check this one out!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Related novels:

The Cul-de-Sac War

Elizabeth Camden's "Christmas at Whitefriars" - an Empire State novella

Mary Beckwith lives in a magnificent English castle during the twilight years of the gilded age. With the help of an American millionaire, she has succeeded in renovating her beloved Whitefriars castle into a splendid estate just in time for Christmas. Everett Wooten has spent a fortune propping up Whitefriars to add modern conveniences and rebuild crumbling old walls. Even though he’s never met Mary, they have enjoyed a lively business correspondence over the nine years they have been working toward a renovation. Now he has finally come to see Mary and the castle in person, but nothing is as he was led to believe. Can a Manhattan business tycoon and an English lady come to an accord, or will their joint venture in Whitefriars result in heartbreak for them both?

Something about the name Whitefriars had seemed familiar, but it wasn't until I started reading the story that I realized the novella was connected to the Empire State books. At last! We find out what is happening to Colin's sister in their moldering old castle in England, and how she has felt to be essentially abandoned in their ancestral home.

It's impressive how the characters shine, even in so short a story. Both Mary and Everett are complex--she loves people but cannot leave her reclusive home, and he's uncomfortable with people, yet he lives in one of the world's busiest cities. It was fun to discover Everett's hidden depths (and quirks), and to see Mary's heart for all her quirky (and next to useless) tenants. It was lovely to have a brief glimpse into the continued lives of Colin and Lucy, and Nick and Rosalind.

Empire State
1. A Dangerous Legacy
2. A Daring Venture
3. A Desperate Hope
3.5 "Christmas at Whitefriars"

"A Pursuit of Home" by Kristi Ann Hunter - Haven Manor, book 3

Jess has spent most of her life in hiding and on the move in an effort to leave the past behind her, finding a haven--if not outright a home--at Haven Manor. But when it turns out family she thought long dead might be alive and in danger, her secrets can only stay buried for so long. Desperation brings her to Derek Thornbury, the world's most annoying expert in history and art, to help her decipher the clues in an old family diary. Will their search to uncover the truth of the past lead to a future together?

Finally we find out the backstory of the mysterious Jess! My guesses regarding her history were woefully shy of the reality. With Jess's ties to the Duke of Marshington, I was not surprised when he and other characters from A Noble Masquerade made appearances. I will admit, Ryland, when not the hero of the story, can be exasperating. But it was fun to finally tie the Hawthorne House and Haven Manor series together, and to find out how Jess moved from one to the other.

It amused me highly that Jess, the highly efficient master of disguise and rather blood-thirsty former spy, is forced to work with the one person in this world who annoys her more than any other. And that Derek, so oblivious to the world and so obsessed with art, is able to catch her out when she's up to her tricks. It's pretty sweet justice. Of course, once they quit fighting so much, they balance each other beautifully and form a great partnership.

I really like how the romance played out. Enemies to lovers is a pretty popular trope, but the author keeps it believable with a slow change of opinions, a gradual softening toward one another, working toward friendship and then attraction (none of that getting-into-a-fight-that-ends-in-passionate-kissing nonsense). Come to think of it, I'm not sure they ever did kiss on page. But it was a delightfully satisfying conclusion regardless.

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 (November 2019)

3.5: "Legacy of Love" (published in The Christmas Heirloom novella collection)

Related Series (takes place chronologically before Haven Manor):
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

Related Series (takes place chronologically after Haven Manor):
Hearts on the Heath
1. Vying for the Viscount
2. Winning the Gentleman

"The Bridge to Belle Island" by Julie Klassen

When one of the senior partners in their London firm is found murdered, Attorney Benjamin Booker is sent to a remote island in the Thames to investigate the dead man's wards. Though evidence suggests spinster Isabelle Wilder had a role in the murder, her crippling anxiety about leaving the island-such that she claims to have not crossed the bridge in over a decade--is a puzzling contradiction. As numerous individuals with ample reason to see the man dead convene on the island, Benjamin and Isabelle will have to decide whom they can trust.

This is unquestionably a murder mystery, complete with all the trappings: red herrings, lies, sketchy alibis, and an abundance of suspects and motives, but set firmly in Regency era England. The mystery is definitely what drives the plot, and I didn't feel it had the emotional depth and impact of some of the author's other novels, but the constant spiritual thread about anxiety and placing one's trust in God was certainly timely for me!

While I preferred Klassen's Gothic stories (The Tutor's Daughter, The Secret of Pembrooke Park) to this one, it was an enjoyable foray into the classic mystery genre. If you're a fan of cozy mysteries, you won't be disappointed!

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.

Splickety: Buckle Up

Writing flash fiction is a challenge (700 words makes for a mighty short story), but it's a lot of fun too. The September 2016 issue of Splickety was a contest issue, and I had the honor of submitting the winning story!

Transportation is so much more than how to get somewhere. It’s about speed, danger, near-misses, and thrilling journeys. Our Buckle Up issue packs it all, from elephants to gondolas, rollercoasters to buggies.

The winning story, “The Dewey Road” by Rachael Koppendrayer, is sure to transport you to another time in a way you’ve never experienced. Add a feature piece by Kristy Cambron and it’s an issue on the road to epic.

For those who aren't familiar with Splickety, it is a flash fiction magazine (also available digitally), full of short stories 1,000 words long or less. Each issue is on a specific theme, and stories can be submitted by anyone and are hand-picked by the editors. Unfortunately, as of December 2018, Splickety closed its doors, but Havok (formerly part of Splickety--the fantasy/sci-fi edition) emerged from Splickety's ashes in January 2019, with more opportunities for writing and publishing flash fiction. Check it out!

"Rondo Allegro" by Sherwood Smith - a classical-style story of the Napoleonic wars

Trading secrets for security, Anna Maria Ludovisi's dying father marries her to the British fleet's sacrificial lamb, Captain Henry Duncannon, known as the Perennial Bachelor. Mere minutes after the wedding, he sets sail. When French invasion threatens, Anna flees to Paris, where she becomes a professional singer in order to survive. Years later, Anna's opera company is traveling through Spain when events bring the long-missing Captain Duncannon and his forgotten wife back together again, as the English, Spanish, and French fleets converge for battle off the Cape of Trafalgar. For Henry Duncannon as well as Anna, everything changes: the demands of war, the obligation of family, the meaning of love, and the concept of home. Can they find a new life together?

One of my favorite books from my early teen years was Sherwood Smith's Crown Duel/Court Duel duology, and between that and her Wren books, it cemented her in my mind as a fantasy author. Thus it was a bit of a surprise to recently come across a historical romance for adults by said author.

She has absolutely captured the writing style of the classic authors a century and more ago--I would have expected someone of the generation of Baroness Orczy (The Scarlet Pimpernel) or Rafael Sabatini (Scaramouche and Captain Blood) to have authored this book. The story is told in third person omniscient, a point of view that I don't care for in modern literature, but it suits the time period and that classic writing style. Word choice, sentence construction, the use of foreign language without explaining every last phrase--it is all perfectly on point.

Another reviewer described this as more of a coming-of-age story than a romance, and that is a perfect description. There is romance (and clean romance at that), but it's far more the story of how Anna grows into a woman and, eventually, a true wife. Our hero has some growing to do as well, though he has already experienced much of the world by the time he is forced into marriage at the beginning of the novel. The book was longer than I expected, but I really enjoyed it for the detail that the author was able to capture.

And it isn't just drawing-room romance: there's a clear depiction of ever-changing post-terror France and her not-precisely-respectable musical scene. And it's the start of the Napoleonic wars, with naval battles and the threat of spies, and even some gore in the heat and wake of battle. There are clear contrasts and similarities between the countries Anna spends time in; it's interesting to see the ways Italy,  France, Spain, and England were the same and where they greatly differed.

Apparently this beloved fantasy author of my youth can still speak to adult me through her writing! Highly satisfactory.