Favorite Books of 2023!

I did a lot of rereading over the course of the year, as well trying out a number of quasi-classics that I've neglected (Daphne du Marier, Georgette Heyer, Mary Stewart). But of the books published this year, there were definitely some outstanding ones (I even re-read The Rose and the Thistle midway through the year):  

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 The Rose and the Thistle by Laura Frantz (Revell)

Fairest of Heart by Karen Witemeyer (Bethany House) - Texas Ever After, book 1

The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theatre by Jaime Jo Wright (Bethany House)

The Vanishing at Castle Moreau by Jaime Jo Wright (Bethany House)

Memory Lane by Becky Wade (Indie) - Sons of Scandal, book 1

Wedding at Sea by Melissa Tagg (Indie) - Muir Harbor, book 3

A Winter by the Sea by Julie Klassen - On Devonshire Shores, book 2

When the Duke and Duchess of Kent rent neighboring Woolbrook Cottage for the winter, the Summers sisters are called upon to host three of the royal couple's male staff in their seaside house. But they soon realize they've invited mysterious secrets and the sweet possibility of romance into their home. Meanwhile, Emily Summers approaches a local publisher in hopes of fulfilling her dream of becoming an author. When he turns her down, his dashing competitor promises to consider her novel if she will first write a new Sidmouth guidebook for him. Emily accepts and begins researching with the help of the Duke of Kent's handsome private secretary. But a surprise visitor from her past shows up at Sea View, leaving Emily torn between the desires she used to hold dear and her budding dreams for the future.

In a time of stress and busyness, I just really appreciated this gentle romance. I really liked both Emily and James. The book series reminds me of a British television mini series, with small town excitements and small town problems (though the the historical addition of the royal visit is perhaps more grand than one's usual small-town excitements). I really enjoyed how much location-specific history Klassen manages to weave into story, from the royal visitors to the inhabitants to the buildings and natural areas around Sidmouth.

I look forward to book 3 and hope it is about Claire! And that Sarah gets a happily ever after as well.

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 Seaview
2. A Winter by the Sea

The Love Script by Toni Shiloh

Hollywood hair stylist Nevaeh Richards loves making those in the spotlight shine but prefers the anonymity of staying behind her stylist chair, where no one notices her. But when a photo of Nevaeh and Hollywood heartthrob Lamont Booker goes viral for all the wrong reasons, her quiet life becomes the number-one trending topic. Lamont Booker's bold faith has gained him a platform, and the authenticity of his faith is well known . . . until the tabloids cause the world to question everything he claims to be. With his reputation on the line, he finds himself hearing out his agent's push for a fake relationship--something he never thought he'd consider in a million years. With their careers at risk, Nevaeh and Lamont have to convince the world that their scripted romance is more than just an act. But when fake seems to turn into something real, can Nevaeh trust her heart in a world where nothing is ever as it seems?

In spite of the fact that Hollywood and movie stars really are of no interest to me, Toni Shiloh wrote an intriguing story centered on precisely that, and it was really hard to put down. To my knowledge (not that I'm necessarily one to go by per this subject), it takes a realistic view of Hollywood style fame and how hard it is to be a person of integrity within it, even in a case where the temptation of the flesh isn't much of an issue; there's still paparazzi, internet trolls, and cancel culture just waiting for the appearance of a misstep, and the consequences of one person's fame can easily hurt innocents.

The story is generally light-hearted, but it definitely has depth. I love how Shiloh works solid spiritual content into the story, with exploration on church-going and deception. The characters were all great. I loved Rosie, and I really hope there will be books about Tuck and Piper and Chris!

To Spark a Match by Jen Turano - The Matchmakers, book 2

After five unsuccessful Seasons on the marriage mart, Miss Adelaide Duveen has resigned herself to the notion that she's destined to remain a spinster forever--a rather dismal prospect, but one that will allow her to concentrate on her darling cats and books. However, when she inadvertently stumbles upon Mr. Gideon Abbott engaged in a clandestine activity during a dinner party, Adelaide finds herself thrust into a world of intrigue that resembles the plots in the spy novels she devours. Former intelligence agent Gideon Abbott feels responsible for Adelaide after society threatens to banish her because of the distraction she caused to save his case. Hoping to return the favor, he turns to a good friend--and one of high society's leaders--to take Adelaide in hand and turn her fashionable. When danger surrounds them and Adelaide finds herself a target of the criminals in Gideon's case, the spark of love between them threatens to be quenched for good--along with their lives.

This is Jen Turano at her Turano-est: wacky social situations, adorable animals, a full cast of quirky characters, and very wordy (yet very funny) dialogue. I will confess a bit of jealousy toward Adelaide--I would really love to play with a grapple cannon, just for an afternoon. Adelaide has won the jackpot in Gideon. Granted, there's a lot more to him than just his extremely cool weapons stash; he's very considerate, chivalrous, and a man of unexpected talents (who'd have guessed embroidery?). But Adelaide is also perfect for him. They are neither complete opposites nor carbon copies--they land somewhere in the middle, and are very complimentary. Entertaining, as usual!

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 Matchmakers

1. A Match in the Making

2. To Spark a Match

The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater by Jaime Jo Wright

Barlowe Theater stole the life of Greta Mercy's brother during its construction. Now in 1915, the completed theater appears every bit as deadly. When Greta's younger brother goes missing after breaking into the building, Greta engages the assistance of a local police officer to help her uncover the already ghostly secrets of the theater. But when help comes from an unlikely source, Greta decides that to save her family she must put the threat of the phantoms to rest. Decades later, Kit Boyd's best friend vanishes during a ghost walk at the Barlowe Theater, and old stories of mysterious disappearances and ghoulish happenings are revived. When television ghost-hunting host and skeptic Evan Fisher engages Kit in the quest to identify the truth behind the theater's history, Kit reluctantly agrees to work with him in hopes of also finding out what happened to her friend. As the theater's curse begins to unravel Kit's own life, she sets out not only to save the historical building and her friend, but to end the pattern of evil that has marked their hometown for a century.

Wright consistently writes dual timeline novels better than anyone else I've read. Both timelines are fast-paced and filled with suspense--there's never one timeline that seems boring compared to the other. Instead, the timelines alternate from suspenseful moment to suspenseful moment. I also appreciate that no matter how weird events get, there is always a real-world explanation. Sure, there might be a psychic trailing Kit around with knowledge she shouldn't have, and Greta might be facing doubts to her sanity because she saw something no one else saw or believes, but there's always an explanation that doesn't rely on the supernatural. Always.

I love how the setting--Barlowe Theater--is nearly a character in its own right, hiding secrets in the past and present. The creepy old theater ties the two storylines together with its history of disappearances and aura of mystery. But it isn't only the setting that connects the timelines--Wright also does an excellent job with connecting them on a thematic level. A fear or reality in Kit's timeline is echoed in Greta's, and vice versa, increasing the sense that the two stories are intertwined. 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 Laws of Attraction by Mary Connealy - Wyoming Sunrise, book 2

If widowed town seamstress Nell Armstrong has to make one more pair of boring chaps for the cowboys in her tiny Wyoming town, she might lose her mind. So meeting Brand Nolte, a widower father struggling to raise three girls, seems like her dream come true. Brand has no idea how to dress the girls, and Nell finally has a chance to both create beautiful dresses and teach the girls to sew. But Nell is much more than a seamstress, and the unique legal and investigative skills and knowledge she picked up alongside her late lawman husband soon become critical when a wounded stagecoach-robbery survivor is brought to town. As danger closes in from all sides, Nell and Brand must discover why there seems to be a bull's-eye on their backs.

The opening of the book, Nell's desperation to sew something pretty instead of making chaps, cracked me up. As one who did alterations for a jeans store, I have felt the desperation to do ANYTHING besides hem or patch one more pair of blue jeans. I feel for her. I really do.

More than that, I really liked the contrasts in Nell. She's an elegant lady who loves sewing pretty things, but she has the mind of a detective and can lend a hand to any problem, be it teaching motherless girls about feminine things or digging out bullets. I think just about everybody has unexpected skills that don't fit a first impression of a personality, but it's not so often seen in literature. The romance took more of a back seat in this one, but I enjoyed the story.

Wyoming Sunrise
1. Forged in Love
2. The Laws of Attraction
3. Marshaling Her Heart

Brandon Sanderson's "Skyward"

Spensa's world has been under attack for decades. Pilots are now the heroes of what's left of the human race, and becoming one has always been Spensa's dream. Since she was a little girl, she has imagined soaring skyward and proving her bravery. But her fate is intertwined with that of her father's—a pilot himself who was killed years ago when he abruptly deserted his team, leaving Spensa the daughter of a coward, her chances of attending Flight School slim to none. No one will let Spensa forget what her father did, yet fate works in mysterious ways. Flight school might be a long shot, but she is determined to fly. And an accidental discovery in a long-forgotten cavern might just provide her with a way to claim the stars.

I'm much more of a fantasy person than sci-fi, but really, who doesn't love Star Wars? So occasionally a space opera sounds like fun, and I figured a young adult one by Brandon Sanderson was worth a read. And I was supremely pleased I did!

I don't generally care for the spunky, bad-attitude-type heroines, especially those who are exceptionally defiant (as it were*), but Spensa surprised me. She made me laugh. And she might have a bad attitude and definitely wants to stick it to the man, but she isn't stupid about it. For someone as reckless as she is, she's actually got a fair amount of sense and a sense of honor. Ultimately, she's a well-rounded, complex individual, and I ended up really liking her. And I liked that she learned to see past her flight-mates' masks and recognize what was inside each of them, even (or especially) Jerk-Face.

One thing I can count on with a Brandon Sanderson novel is that things are rarely as they seem, and I am pleased to announce that this is yet again the case, in a way that is exciting, a bit heart-breaking, and far out of the realm of possibilities I had considered. It's clean, thrilling, and a delight. I'm glad there is a sequel!

*inside joke for those who've read the book

Skyward
1. Skyward
2. Starsight