Review on Unrivaled by Siri Mitchell

What happens when desperation meets desperation, with a little candy making thrown in? You get Unrivaled, Siri Mitchell’s latest offering; a story about two desperate people. Exhibit A- desperate person- #1-a lovely young woman named Lucy Kendall who has just returned from a tour in Europe where she was hoping to gain inspiration from the fine confectioneries there in order to come home and create a new Pièce de résistance for her Father’s Candy Company-. Regrettably, her Father’s business has been going downhill for a while and Lucy’s great love for her Father and his candy company closing weighs heavily on her heart. Exhibit B- desperate person #2- Charlie Clarke who is new in town and just happens to be the son of a rival Candy company who is systematically running Lucy’s Father’s company out of business. Charlie grew up with a huge burden on his shoulders as his father whom he is now trying to become reacquainted with left him and his mother and sister when he was a young boy. This has created much hurt and many high walls between his Father and him. But now his father is trying to make amends by having Charlie work for him in his Candy business. Charlie is also trying to put his past behind him as he didn’t make the best choices and even had a run in with the law in Chicago before coming to St Louis where this novel takes place.



As this novel progresses, of course we have Charlie meeting up with Lucy and there is an immediate attraction between the two. You might say sparks were flying. However once the pair discovered who their parents were, we go from sparks to full-fledged fireworks! As each person tries their hardest to a) not be attracted to the other and B) try and run the other out of business, things continue to heat up and the back and forth between the two as they try to outmaneuver the other gets pretty intense.


Overall, I would say that I liked this story; I do believe each character goes on their own personal journey and grows as a result which is always what we want our characters to do. Where I had a little trouble with this story is I felt that the hero of the story tended to be more likable than the heroine. That’s a little problematic for me as I always want to be rooting the girl on (sister power!). Honestly I felt that the business dealings with each other got a little too underhanded and their tactics a bit too much and went on a bit too long and as a result, I found it a little unbelievable that all of a sudden at the end Boom!, they magically reconcile. That being said, Charlie is a pretty charming “rogue turned good “character and I greatly enjoyed reading his portions. ( Note, the book alternated first person point of view between Charlie and Lucy, which I did find interesting.)


So again, overall a good Historical Fiction Romance filled with candy making, intense business dealings and a pretty lovable hero to round things out.



3 Stars.



I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange fro an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Review on Roses Have Thorns by Sandra Byrd and a giveaway!

One can’t help but have favorites in life. Favorite coffee places, favorite eateries, favorite desserts and of course favorite people. I have to say that Roses Have Thorns a novel of Elizabeth I by Sandra Byrd will go down as a favorite read of mine for this year. As you read on in this lovely historical fiction account of Queen Elizabeth’s life , you will find that she had favorite’s as well, which is how we meet young Elin von Snakenborg, a lovely young girl from Sweden who journeys to England with her Swedish Princess Cecelia to tend to her on the voyage. Through a series of events, such as a sister who is systematically stealing her fiancé back home in Sweden to the meeting of a very high ranking and very interested Lord Northampton, Elin does not return to Sweden, but remains in England. As a result, she is welcomed onto Elizabeth’s court and becomes, as previously mentioned a favorite of Queen Elizabeth. Elizabeth’s story is told through the lens of Elin’s perspective.

As Elin transitions from her Swedish roots to her new English life, she adopts the name of Helena with the mindset of embracing her new English life. It is rather lonely at first as she is treated by many around her as an outsider. But Helena in her efforts to please Queen Elizabeth uses her Swedish know-how to offer her comfort and help through Herbal fragrances and massage to help with the stress that a Queen carries. After some delay she is finally married to Lord Northampton which immediately elevates her to the Marchioness of Northampton which deems her the highest-ranking woman in Elizabeth’s circle. It’s a rather interesting circle to be a part of I’m afraid as it becomes confusing to find out who can be trusted as loyal to the crown and who cannot. There are Catholic enemies plotting everywhere and the intrigue of the court and the sundry goings on keeps one turning the pages!


As with every one of these Tudor books that Sandra Byrd has written, you can’t help but fall in love with the heroine and her plight there are challenges, a romance (or two) and all sorts of things that keep a Marchioness on her toes. Poor Helena endures much and is sometimes confused about whom she can trust amongst the court and who she cannot and even falls in and out of favor with Elizabeth a time or two, but that adds to the interest of the story. One aspect that I though was especially well done was showing just how attached Elizabeth became to her ladies of the court. They really were her family and so she loathed to part with any of them as it was like parting with her own family. As she was a virgin queen and decided to forego marriage in lieu of her commitment to ruling as the Sovereign of England it gave way to much loneliness on Elizabeth’s part. I thought that was well written and added much understanding to why Elizabeth did what she did. This story also covers the time frame of leading up to the beheading of Mary, Queen of Scots and the very difficult decision that was for Elizabeth.


And so to sum up, yes, I very much enjoyed this read, it was very well done and I think the crowing achievement for these three Tudor books that Sandra Byrd has written. This book was well researched and when good research meets a wonderful storyteller you get a truly wonderful historical fiction account of Queen Elizabeth as well as Helena von Snakenborg. Again as stated above this one goes down in the books as a favorite!



5 stars



I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

   

  And... an exciting Giveaway- I am so excited to offer you all a copy of this wonderful book  Roses Have Thorns , as well as a beautiful necklace of Queen Elizabeth I  being provided by the author herself, Sandra Byrd.  Here is how it works. Please just answer me this simple question if you could slip back in time and have a "tea time" with anyone from Henry the VIII's family tree- who would you pick? King Henry himself,  one of his many wives, (Ann Boleyn, Kateryn Parr, etc)  or his lovely daughter Elizabeth?  Your choice- can't wait to see who you pick! Please leave me your email so that I can contact the winner!    Also if you are new to my blog and become a follower you get an extra entry.  I will choose through random.org.  This giveaway will go for 2 weeks and I will choose on  April 23rd.

Review on The Chance by Karen Kingsbury

Ah, the second chance. Why is it that novels that stress that theme just seem to resonate for so many of us? Maybe it’s because we all know that we need them, right- a second chance, or in my case, third and fourth chances as well. You know what I mean- a second chance on a relationship that you thought was long over, or a chance to have a do-over on a job you messed up pretty well the first time. We are human, we are fallible and we all need a second chance. So if you take the concept of the second chance, throw in a large measure of forgiveness, grace and faith in God, you have the story line for The Chance - Karen Kingsbury’s latest offering from Howard Books.


As the novel opens we meet the 2 main characters Nolan Cook and Ellie Tucker living in Savannah, Georgia-. Two 15 year old best friends, on the verge of being something more, are torn apart by the broken relationship of Ellies’ parents Alan and Caroline. Because of this broken relationship, Alan takes Ellie away to San Diego to a new job and what he is hoping for is a new life away from his wife. That doesn’t go so well as when we try to run away, our troubles usually follow us. On the night before Ellie is whisked away from Nolan and her mother, Nolan and Ellie meet in the park, their usual place to go and talk and decide to write each other a letter telling each other how they really feel about one another and bury it in an old tackle box. The plan was to return in 11 years, dig up the box and read what the other person wrote. Neither one thought that they would be separated from each other for that time period. Even with Ellie’s move, they could write each other, call each other, etc. Unfortunately through some unforeseen circumstances, they were separated for that long, but still in the back of their minds was returning to that tree as promised all those years ago.

Their lives each took very different directions- Nolan’s in the world of professional basketball living out the dream he had had for himself for many, many years. And Ellie, her journey was the complete opposite- she didn’t reach the dreams that she had for herself, which included writing the perfect novel and being a part of Nolan’s life. His faith had grown, hers had shrunk. How could this work out?

This story, as most of Karen Kingsbury’s stories do, resonated with me. I love the second chance- the beauty from ashes story lines. They just always make me want to stand up and cheer. This one did as well. The heart string pull was pretty strong for me and I appreciated the journey this novel takes you on. When God is allowed in the middle of relationships, there is forgiveness, grace and restoration. And this is portrayed beautifully in several of the story lines. So if you feel like reading a novel that makes you stand up and cheer both at the basketball portions as well as the relationship journeys, I recommend you pick up Karen Kingsbury’s novel The Chance.

4 stars

I was provided a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Review on The Tutor's Daughter by Julie Klassen

The Tutor’s Daughter is Julie Klassen’s  latest offering in the Regency Historical Fiction genre, a genre that she simply excels at. Verging on a gothic romance with her sweeping landscapes and mysterious moments of “things that go bump in the night”, she brings home a story full of secrets, romance and some pretty suspenseful scenes as well.  

  We see her main character Emma Woodhouse, who is extremely prim, proper and structured, show growth in this story as her faith grows and her relationships with others as well.  She truly learns to let go of the control she desperately tries to hold onto and surrender her life to God’s control.  This story is reminiscent of Jane Eyre as it takes place in a grand sweeping house named Ebbington Manor in Cornwall, England.  There lives the Weston family- the older sons, Henry and Phillip Weston- former pupils of Emma’s father-, their father Sir Giles, their stepmother Lady Weston and half brothers Rowan and Julian.  Add in Lizzie a ward of Lady Weston’s and you have a houseful of people that add to the mystery and suspense that unfolds at Ebbington Manor. Who of these people is sneaking in to Emma’s house late at night leaving mysterious messages in her room, stealing her journal and playing music downstairs in the wee hours of the night?

   Julie Klassen crafts  a fun, mysterious and lovely historical fiction novel  in The Tutor’s daughter.  She is quoted as saying that she loves “all things Jane”- I do too!  So for those that love to see the influence of Jane Austen, “Jane Eyre” and some well researched history of Cornwall thrown in, placed in a faith based novel, I am sure that you will enjoy this journey to Ebbington Manor in the form of The Tutor’s daughter.

 

4 stars

 

I was provided with a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions expressed are my own.

 

Review on Iscariot by Tosca Lee

Brave, passionate and fearless are three words that I would choose to describe both the author Tosca Lee and her new novel Iscariot, A Novel of Judas.  I think it takes a true master and someone who is willing to take a major risk to write a novel like this.  And take risks she did. But I think unequivocally the risk paid off as Iscariot is an amazing literary work that takes us on Judas’ journey with Jesus in a way that was so heartfelt and yes, heartbreaking, I mean, how can it not be?  Personally I think it’s very tough to take a story where everyone knows the ending and the ending is not a good one, but still make it a compelling read. Tosca Lee does this so well and I really appreciated the journey and feel that everyone who reads this book will look at Judas a little differently.

  Judas is portrayed as someone who was always searching- searching for a true messiah. And with much heartache and tragedy to show for this search, his story unravels in an intricately done way. He loses vastly important people to him, and his grief and guilt play a major role in shaping him as a man.  His search for a messiah and search for love draw him to this person of Jesus. Along with Tosca’s portrayal of Judas, I loved how she wrote Jesus as well. His amazing love for his disciples and the people around him showed through beautifully, as well as the absolute desperation for why he came to us.  I think the thing I most loved about this portrayal of Judas though, is the fact that he loved Jesus, but still even with that love there was  his constant battle between what he grew up knowing as the law versus what he saw before him in the person of Jesus. 

Another aspect of this novel that I found utterly compelling was Judas’ “fall”- so different from how I have ever pictured it, I think that most of us have just left Judas as a 2 dimensional character- “he’s the bad guy who betrayed Jesus”, but Tosca brings him alive and we can see him and understand him and empathize with him and yes, even see ourselves in him.  He like so many of us was a man deceived and with that deception came ultimate destruction.

Finally, I would like to urge you to read the author’s note at the end of the book- it is fascinating to read Tosca’s journey as she wrote this book. I loved the questions that she wrestled with to bring this character of Judas to life; especially with regards to grace- are there no limits? Truly this last bit of the book puts a period at the end of the story, which is why I mention it- I always feel that if we get a further look into the heart of the author with regards to their work that it broadens our understanding.  In the usual Tosca Lee style she brings beautiful prose to this book as well as an intense realness to the situations.  I found it to be masterful, compelling storytelling and a story that I will remember for a long time.

 

I was given a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions expressed are my own.

 

Review on The Bridge by Karen Kingsbury

Heartwarming, Inspirational, Romantic and reminiscent of  “It’s a wonderful life”, are just a few descriptors that come to mind as I reflect on “The Bridge” by Karen Kingsbury.  This charming Christmas novella completely satisfies the inspirational Christmas “feel good” novel that we are all craving during the Christmas season. 

   As the novella opens, we meet the lovely Molly Allen and are introduced to her simple and a little lonely live in Portland, Oregon where she heads up an animal rescue shelter.   It is the day after Thanksgiving, a day that she reserves for thinking on an old friend and one she hoped would be more- Ryan Kelley. Ryan is a guitar player who had just been touring with a popular country band, but as things happen in the music business, he is currently unemployed and looking for a new gig.  Molly and Ryan, years ago were inseparable in their college days in Franklin, Tennessee, and although they were never technically dating per se, they had a very strong connection with each other.  Because Molly’s overbearing father did not want Molly forming any attachments while she was off at college, (He wants her to come home and learn the ropes of running the family business) Molly and Ryan needed to keep up appearances that they were not involved.  And so they would meet secretly in the upper room of a charming little book shop called “The Bridge”.  The Bridge was run by a wonderful couple named Charlie and Donna Barton who in many ways became surrogate parents to both Molly and Ryan.  Charlie and Donna poured their heart into their bookstore and especially into all their customers who entered their doors, offering help and love anyway they could. Molly and Ryan love and respect the Barton’s immensely and it is at The Bridge where their relationship continues to grow.

   Sadly, because of misunderstanding and miscommunication Molly and Ryan part ways and now 8 years later they still think of each other with longing and regret.  Tragedy strikes the Barton’s in a way that draws both Molly and Ryan back to the small town of Franklin to come to the Barton’s aid.  Old feelings are rekindled and grace, friendship and love are prevalent in a very satisfying ending that all will enjoy. 

    As always Karen Kingsbury gives us great character’s that we can cheer on to overcome their obstacles through God’s love and grace.  If you are in the mood for a Christmas miracle sort of story, where second chances come to life, friends rise up and come to each other’s aid and God is the author of it all, then do pick up “The Bridge” by Karen Kingsbury, you won’t be disappointed.

 

4 stars

 

I received a complimentary copy of The Bridge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Review on Hidden in Dreams

There is a reason that Davis Bunn is an award winning author with national bestsellers to his credit- he’s just plain good.  And not only is he good, he  is also diverse in his writing which is kind of fun as a reader to get different genres for the price of one.  In his new sequel to The Book of Dreams, Davis Bunn brings  Hidden in Dreams with the ever controversial Dr. Elena Burroughs once again at the center of things trying to pick up the pieces of her life that has somewhat spiraled out of control.  As she is trying to rebuild her professional reputation, heal from a romance gone wrong and move forward in her life, she finds herself in the middle of yet another controversy involving dreams.

  This time the controversy revolves around a nightmare that is very vivid and real and quite specific and is a warning in nature as several people around the globe are having the exact same dream.  Elena herself is one of the “dreamers” and a real sense of foreboding and the need to share the news with the world,  is present in every single person that dreams the dream.  As Elena is trying to follow God’s lead on the whole dream phenomenon and what it might mean, she learns a lot along the way, about who God is, how he operates and who exactly He has brought into her life and for what purpose- that’s a lot for a girl to learn!  Also present in this story is her arch nemesis Dr. Jacob Rawlings who all but ruined her professional reputation through a debate in which he dressed her down quite soundly with regards to her dream interpretation.  However because of his own journey and situation with a client having the “dream” he is forced to re-think his stand on dreams himself, and as a result in working together, the two forge a friendship.

This story was very interesting to read and its pacing was picture perfect as the mystery and different parts to the story unfold.  It was that book that kept you reading for sure to find out in the end what was going on and what it meant for all the people involved, end of the world stuff, or…?  Very well done.

If you enjoy a page turner with great characters, a spiritual journey and a bit of mystery, I think you should pick up Hidden in Dreams by Davis Bunn.  It’s a great read.

4 stars

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions expressed are my own.