A Matter of Heart warms the soul.

  A Matter of Heart by Tracie Peterson warms the soul with adventurous characters and a hint of mystery.

Jessica Atherton is a spoiled, rich girl who is concerned only with herself.  She begins to take a good look at herself when her almost fiancee marries someone else.  The girl was not as pretty as Jessica, and this confuses her.  Taking a look at herself and finding out the truth sets her on a quest to change her inside beauty to be as beautiful as her outside beauty.  This quest is not an easy one as everyone thinks that Jessica is only concerned with surface things.  As time goes by, and her actions prove her desires to change, people see Jess's heart and warm to her changes.

Austin Todd is a haunted man.  He recently moved to Texas to get away from his tragic past.  He worked for the Treasury Department and enjoyed his job, but when tragedies struck, he took on a different position working for the Texas Rangers.  This position keeps him moving and rarely home to be haunted by memories.  Through the love and kindness of neighbors, Austin finds that he wants to be home.  He is fascinated with Jessica and her forthright manners.  Can he leave his past behind and fall in love again?

Peterson has once again created characters that you care about.  This is her third book in her Lonestar Brides Series.   I haven't read the previous books, but didn't feel confusion or loss for not having read them.  This is a great stand alone title. The journey that Austin has leaving a painful past and starting a new life was beautifully written.  Jessica's journey of self discovery was also fun to read.  The mystery and intrigue with the safety deposit box was a great surprise in the middle of the story, but one that I enjoyed.  Peterson does an outstanding job with her storyline.  Her pacing is never rushed, and her attention to detail draws the reader in.  The reader cares for the characters and then the mystery comes along to keep you reading.  There are some cliffhangers that will leave you turning pages quickly to find out what really happened.  This is a great read with a touch of sweet romance.  Once again Peterson has hit her mark.

My thanks to Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley for providing me with a free ebook to read and review.

Miracle in a Dry Season will give hope to weary souls

  Miracle in a Dry Season is a hopeful novel that was introduced with the novella Appalachian Serenade.  I was glad I had read the novella, but you do not need to have read that story.  Each book will stand on its own merits.  This touching story tells how a small town learns the true meaning of forgiveness.

Perla is a quiet mother to a captivating five year old, Sadie.  Perla left her home to return to the small town of Wise, West Virginia.  This is where her aunt and uncle live, and Perla lived there for a short time as a small girl.  In order to feel useful, Perla offers to cook for her aunt and uncle who run the town's mercantile.  Perla has a gift that when she cooks the food seems to multiply and everyone is filled.

Drought has come to Wise and we soon discover that peoples' souls are affected by a spiritual drought as well.  The land waits for the rain, while people's souls wait for true forgiveness to break their hardened souls.  This comes in some surprising ways.  Renewal comes once there is rain and forgiveness.  Some people are quick to forgive, while others take a bit more time.

This book was very insightful.  I kept putting myself in place of the characters wondering if I would be quick to forgive.  Thomas puts in some common struggles we all share and if you stop to ask yourself  if you would forgive, you might be surprised to discover your answer.  I know that I was taken by surprise.

The romance of the book is hinted at in the story and heats up to a quick resolve at the end of the story.  I would have liked the romance to have had a bit more prominence in the story, but yet the lessons that I learned in the story about myself made this a story that was well worth my time.  I look forward to reading more from this author.

My thanks to Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley for the e-book to read and review. 

Brilliant Biblical Fiction

   In the Field of Grace by Tessa Afshar is brilliant.  An enticing blend of biblical history and spectacular imagery make the familiar story of the book of Ruth come alive.

While this story is a well known story, Afshar brings in her unique perspective and practical wisdom to weave a story that will resonate with you long after you have read the final page.  These things combine to make this a must read for Christian women.  In reading this story, you, the reader come away with  a better understanding of life.  Life doesn't always turn out the way you plan for, but God wants us to trust Him enough to leave things in His hands.  This wasn't an easy lesson for Ruth, Naomi or Boaz to learn.  Yet we see that they did surrender things to God and He did some amazing things.  As Naomi told Ruth, "You want what you want, not what He is willing to give.  It's an awkward spot.  In my experience, He usually wins.  Try to remember, daughter, time does not work the same in the hands of the Lord as it would in ours.  Sometimes, out of the delays of life, He calls forth a blessing."

We  see the blessings God bestowed on Ruth, Naomi and Boaz.  It is much harder to hang on in our own lives, but a book like this helps me to hang on and believe that God knows what He is doing in my life.

My thanks go out to Moody Publishers and Netgalley for providing me with a free ebook to read and review.  I also want to thank Ms. Afshar for her gift in writing biblical fiction.  I know that I will learn something about myself through her books and I eagerly await her next book.

Captured by Love by Jody Hedlund

  This is an intriguing historical novel.  Hedlund ties in her fictional characters with historical figures to give an authentic feel to the story.  Angelique Mackenzie lives on Mackinaw Island.  The year is 1814 and the British occupy the fort, but it has been a long winter with little food for anyone. This book takes off very quickly and is filled with spies and soldiers fighting, islanders trying to survive, and two brothers who love the same girl.  Will Angelique choose to love the quiet, steady Jean Durrant the one she is promised to, or will she follow her heart and continue to love Pierre?  Hedlund's opening scene is intense and hooks the reader immediately.  You quickly learn who Angelique and Pierre are and their shared history.  You hope that Pierre will stay on the island to help out his mother and continue to build the friendship with Angelique, but there is always the question of when he will have to leave to fulfill his spy duties.  I enjoyed this book, and the ease with which I was pulled into the story.  I was quickly transported back to 1814, I worried for Angelique as her life wasn't easy.  She is wrongfully punished, but didn't have a voice back then, which makes me thankful I live in the era I do.  I love how Hedlund didn't change historical facts, while I wanted the Americans to win the battle for the island, that didn't happen in the story or in real life.  The American's messed up, and this story shows how it might have had an effect on the people of Mackinaw Island.  This is a fun story that gives you a glimpse into life on an island.

My thanks go to Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley for providing me a free e-book copy to read and review.

Truth be Told by Carol Cox

Delightful, enjoyable read.

Carol Cox delivers another historical mystery that is easy to read.  Amelia Wagner heads back to her childhood home.  Upon her arrival, Amelia finds that her father is about to die.  Instead of folding up the town's newspaper and heading back to Colorado, Amelia stays to run her father's newspaper.  Her father also left some intriguing clues about the business that seems to be buying up all the land around town.  Amelia sets out to find out the truth and along the way discovers a friendship with someone who works for the "enemy".

I enjoyed this story.  Cox pulls you in immediately with the drama of Amelia's father passing away. Amelia's commitment to continue to run her father's newspaper with the same commitment to truth that her father has pulls at your heart strings.  The grit and determination of this character jumps off the page.

Ben works for Great Western Union.  He looks for potential land to buy.  He is happy to have a job, but this is not his passion.  As he befriends Amelia, he learns he has a love for the truth and will do what needs to be done to reveal it.

I like the conflicts in this story and how each character learns how to deal with their flaws in honest and truthful ways.  You feel their pain and struggle.  There are delightful moments in the story as you read about the time consuming way papers were printed back in the 19th century.

Take a trip back in time and enjoy a good mystery.

My thanks go to Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley for the free e-copy of this book to review.

Undetected by Dee Henderson

An enticing blend of Military action, romance and national security.

Henderson's characters once again,  walk off the page and into your heart.

This book is the second book about the Bishop family.  You do not have to have read the first book in order to understand this book.  Each book stands by itself.

While this book is filled with complex science, it doesn't bog down the reader or leave you feeling confused.  The glimpse into the submarine warfare and its complexities was enlightening as well as intriguing.  You walk away with a new respect for the "Bubbleheads".

Henderson also gives us a fascinating glimpse of the unique trials in the life of a genius.  Gina Grey is the genius.  Her brother gave her the nickname, "Gina the genius".  While I have come across geniuses in school, I have never thought what life is like for these people once they hit adulthood.  Gina takes complicated thoughts and dreams up simple ideas.  Her discoveries are both helpful and harmful to the military.  How does a person deal with ideas that are on one hand helpful and on the other hand highly threatening?  Do you hide your genius or let it play out?

I loved this book, it is an instant classic.  The characters walk off the page straight to my heart.  I feel like I could sit down for coffee with these characters and talk like old friends.  I love that Henderson paints a realistic picture of military life.  She doesn't sugarcoat it.  Life isn't easy for those at home or those at sea.  The ideas of how to handle the absences touch the heart.  I also love the conversational faith that is woven into the story.  The lessons I learn from the characters about their questions of faith help me in my own walk.  I look forward to the next book with great anticipation.

My thanks to Bethany House Publishers for providing me with a copy of this book to review.

Wildwood Creek by Lisa Wingate

  A story of history and mystery rolled into one.  This story has a slow start that builds to a satisfying conclusion.  Two stories that slowly combine into one.  A haunting, historical past come to life in a docudrama television show that tries to re-create the past.

Ally Kirklund has a dream to be a Hollywood producer.  Her family has more realistic dreams for her. Ally's big break comes in a summer job working behind the scenes on a television show or so she thinks.  After working behind the scenes for a couple of weeks, Ally gets offered the role of playing the historical character of Bonnie Rose because she looks just like her.  Ally decides to take on this role.  Ally becomes the school teacher Rose in the 1860s.  Ally learns that living in a time warp is hard work. Ally is torn between following the rules and finding out what really happened to Bonnie Rose.  In trying to solve this mystery, her life is changed and she is challenged in ways she never thought were possible.

I wasn't sure if I would like this book.  The two story lines were confusing to start out.  As the storylines converged it became clear and I look forward to learning more about each character's story.  I was intrigued by Ally's mystery men.  I wanted to know more about them and how they fit into the story.  My guesses as to where the story was going were proven wrong.  I was pleasantly surprised by some of the twists in Ally's story.  Rose's story of struggle was captivating.  I enjoyed learning how Rose would deal with adversity in a town that hated her.  Rose's tenacity to care for her students was shown in how they eventually trusted her with their problems.

Wingate's complex story unraveled into a spell binding mystery that was fascinating and surprising.  I liked how the two stories melded into one.  I was pleased that every storyline came to a satisfying conclusion.  The reader can close the book and smile because you know that Ally is headed toward her future in the film industry, and Rose's mysterious life comes to a joy filled conclusion.

If you like to learn a bit of history while solving a mystery this is the book for you.

My thanks to Bethany House publishers and Netgalley for providing me with a free e-copy to read and review..

The Dancing Master by Julie Klassen Classic Jane Austin

This is a charming, easy to read story that starts out simple and builds to a complex story.

Alec Valcourt is a displaced Dance master.  He lives with his uncle in the village of Beaworthy, Devonshire.  Alec needs to provide for his mother and sister.  His profession is frowned up-on in this village.  Julia Desmond is a girl desperate to get away her overbearing mother and boring village.  Will the Dancing Master tame Julia's flirtatious heart or will he have to leave town under a cloud of suspicion once again?

The Dancing Master piqued my interest because of the Victorian England setting.  This era always seems so romantic.  The story starts out as a sweet, easy to read story.  About two thirds of the way into the story, the reader learns of an intriguing twist in Julia's life.  Klassen does a masterful job of foreshadowing.  The reader starts to question and think which character could be involved in this new twist.  Alec also has a surprising twist in his life as well.  Both story-lines compliment one another as if they are following the stpes of a country dance.

I appreciated how Klassen dealt with the issue of adopting.  Being adopted myself, the sense of abandonment is something adoptees have to deal with at some point in their life.  The reassurances of love from the other characters is also an important part of life.  Klassen got this story-line correct.

This is a great story for people who love Victorian England.  Be forewarned you get more than a sweet story, you learn about the intricacies of families and a happy ending.

My thanks to Bethany House Publishers for providing the free e-copy to review.