Into the Whirlwind by Elizabeth Camden

Set against the Great Chicago fire, this book blazes from start to finish.  Mollies runs a watch company and Zack is a lawyer for the famous Harman's Department Store in Chicago.

Mollie grew up learning how to make beautiful watches from her father, when he passed away she took over the company.  The 57th watch company employs about 40 people, most of whom are Civil War Vets suffering from various forms of PTSD.  Mollie is proud to provide work for the men who would otherwise be unemployed.

Zack is a no nonsense lawyer who has secretly admired Mollie for 3 years.  He wanted to date her, but because of their work relationship he felt he couldn't mix the two worlds.  His boss also had some rules against mixing business and pleasure.

The fire brings Mollie and Zack together in a way that only a disaster can and helps them to form a friendship.  As Chicago begins to rebuild, Mollie and Zack work at rebuilding their personal and professional lives.  This couple discovers that their personal lives do not mesh as well as they first thought.  Read Into the Whirlwind to find out if Mollie and Zack will ever be more than business associates.

The opening scene of the book is Chicago burning down to the ground and the action and pace of the book doesn't slow down until you finish it.  Mollie and Zack learn about business, life and love.  This is a great adventure.  You learn a little bit of Chicago's history and there is a touch of God.  I enjoyed the adventure, but was hoping for more than a hint of God in the book.  I love learning about history through stories, so this book hit the spot.

Stealing the Preacher by Karen Witemeyer

  Crocket Archer  is on his way to a preaching engagement to land his first church.  Archer is on a train when it is held up and he is taken prisoner!  The elderly train robbers take Archer back to a young lady for her birthday.  Joanna Robbins told her dad she wanted a preacher, but little did she know that her father would resort to kidnapping.

Witemeyer weaves a delightful tale about the life of a preacher and a reformed train robber.  Archer's life is altered by circumstances that are out of his control, but he trusts God to work out the details of this new twist in life.  Through this story we can grab onto the same hope that Archer has that God is in control.  We see how God can change the direction of someone's life and bring about good.  Archer gets a church, falls in love with Joanna, and helps to bring about a change in his kidnapper's life. 

I enjoyed this book because I could relate to how God sometimes changes our life plan.  When He does this we can accept the twist and trust that He knows best or we can get mad and complain.  Witemeyer keep the story light.  Her love triangle was humorous and not overly drawn out.  The dramatic confrontation came at the end of the story and was not overly drawn out.  This was an enjoyable read and a great getaway on a summer afternoon.

Thank you to Bethany Books for providing me with the free e-book to read.

Jennifer An O'Malley Love Story by Dee Henderson

A missing piece to Jennifer's story was filled in.  Reading this short book will make you want to read the rest of the O'Malley series once again.

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Harvest of Gold by Tessa Afshar

All that glitters is Tessa Afshar's newest book Harvest of Gold. This is a continuation of Sarah and Darius's love story that began in Harvest of Rubies. The story begins with a summons to the King's court. Darius and Sarah rush to arrive on time to the King's summons. During their travel they are set up by thieves. Darius barely escapes with his life, and Sarah discovers a man with tattoos on his head that reveal instructions about an upcoming attempt to assassinate the King. Sarah's uncle, Nehemiah is granted his wish to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem. Darius is charged with finding who wants the King dead. Sarah doesn't wish to be separated from her husband for more than a year, so she keeps a secret from her husband. Keeping secrets from her husband was something she had promised to never do again, but her fears win the battle. When Sarah's secret is discovered through a tragedy, Darius once again shuts her out of his life. We see God's amazing grace in a strange twist of fate for Sarah, but will this be enough to bring Darius back to Sarah? Will Darius learn how to take down his walls protecting his heart and open it fully to his wife? Will Nehemiah be able to overcome the opposition to having Jerusalem's walls rebuilt?

I am so grateful that I was granted the privilege of reading an advanced e-copy of Harvest of God through Netgalley. I loved the continuation of Sarah and Darius's story. Afshar has a unique talent for weaving together a story that makes Biblical history come alive. Harvest of Rubies focused on the female psyche, while Harvest of Gold gives insight in the male psyche. Many marriages could learn a few things from this story on how fears can take over and bring problems without it being someone's original intent. The baggage each of us carry is shared with such care and insight. All of us need a Nehemiah in our life to help us see the walls we have built that need to be taken down, while learning which walls need to be built to protect us. This is why this book belongs on everyone's favorite shelf. I know that I will read this book again and again.

A Nobel Groom by Jody Hedlund

A Nobel Groom is a story about a German immigrant settlement in Michigan in 1881. A young widow, Annalisa Werner, has a daughter to care for another baby on the way and six months to raise the funds to pay off her land debt. These are overwhelming tasks for someone so young. Annalisa's father knows that she needs a husband, so he sends for a distant cousin from the old country to come and marry his daughter. When Carl shows up with a letter in hand, people think she is the long awaited cousin. Carl has to scramble to avoid being forced into marriage. The community finds out that he isn't the long awaited cousin, but someone from the "Old Country" that is willing to help out until the cousin arrives. Carl carries a secret that he is not a poor teacher, but a nobleman. He had to leave his homeland after escaping from prison. He was falsely accused of murder. After a life of ease, the life of an immigrant proves there are many things to learn and some secrets to keep. Will the crops get in on time, will the land go to the evil man, Ward, who threatens Annalisa on different occasions?

This book captured my attention from the beginning. I wanted to find out about Annalisa and her little girl. Could they survive alone in the frontier on their own? The book has some german sprinkled throughout the book that add to the flavor of the story. I only wish I knew German to understand the words. The struggle of farming in the 1880s came alive under Hedlund's pen. I found myself holding my breath--- hoping the next page would bring the long awaited rain for the crops. The murder mystery brought about a surprising resolution. I am so glad that Hedlund continued the story after the murder was solved. It was a complete story that comes full circle and ends with a satisfying resolution.

Thank you to Bethany House Publishers for this free e-book to read.