A Hopeful Heart by Amy Clipston - Review of the first book in Hearts of the Lancaster Grand Hotel series

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Hannah Glick lost her husband a few years ago but continues to live on the farm where he and his brother Joshua raised horses. She is the mother of 16 year old twin girls and a 10 year old son. The family is getting along well but she still misses her husband and has gone to work at the Grand Hotel in Paradise to help supplement the business so they can hire Joshua some help. The property actually belongs to her in-laws and she has to pay them rent to live in the house.

Joshua has loved Hannah since the were youngsters, even though she married his brother he never found another woman he wanted to make his wife. He feels like he's gotten closer to her since Gideon has died and he loves his nieces and nephew as if they were his own. He sees Hannah daily and eats many meals with her family and he's falling more in love with her every day.

While Hannah is working at the Grand Hotel she meets Trey Peterson, a very nice and handsome man, but he's an Englischer. Trey lost his wife and teenage daughter about a year ago so they have a lot in common. When Andrew, Hannah's son, falls while she's at work and is bleeding profusely, Trey offers to drive her home. He waits until he knows Andrew is okay to leave and when Hannah walks him to the car he comforts her with a hug.

Rumors are soon running rampant and not only affecting Hannah, but her children also. After talking to the Bishop she agrees to stay away from Trey, she has to for the sake of her family. Will she ever find out who started the rumors, will she be able to stay away from Trey, or will she agree to marry Joshua for her family's sake? Hannah spends a lot of time in prayer and crying, she even takes a leave from work, she really doesn't know what to do.

I found my heart beating in sympathy for Hannah and the decisions she has to make, it is heartbreaking. Amy kept my blood pressure up and I was praying right along with Hannah, thanks Amy, I already have high blood pressure, haha! I hope the choice she made is the right one and that she and her children will be happy.

Short-Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer - Review

When Meredith Hayes hears the man she is being pushed to marry tell his hired hand to burn down the Archer's barn she knows she has to warn Travis Archer, the man of her dreams for the last 12 years, that there is danger coming. Now mind you, she has only seen the man once in her lifetime and that was 12 years ago, he rescued her from a trap when she was trespassing on his property and she has dreamed about marrying him ever since.

She has been living with her father's brother, his wife and her cousin Cassie for the last few years and now that her uncle's business is failing they are trying to force her to marry to save their business. The man they want her to marry is trying to force the Archer's to sell their land to him and he will do anything to get both pieces of land, hers through marriage and the Archer's by any means necessary.

When Meredith runs off to warn Travis she ends up getting kicked in the head by a mule and is alone with the four Archer brothers for several days before her uncle finds her. This changes the whole marriage plan but the 'weaselling' doesn't end.

This story is pretty action packed in places for such an innocent sounding title. I couldn't wait for the next paragraph, page, chapter to find out what was going to happen next. Meredith is a spitfire who is not afraid of anything and seems to have a habit of doing just the opposite of what she's told to do.

Another winner for Karen! I am finding that every one of her books I read, I like it better than the previous one. I love the characters she puts in her stories.

To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer - Review

Levi Grant has a past, he's killed a man and spent time in prison, now he's trying to start over. He found the Lord in prison, should I say he found him again since he was raised with the Lord in his life. The only one in Spencer, Texas that knows of his past is the preacher who is helping him get started as the new blacksmith for the town.

Eden Spencer has a past that the whole town knows about, a town named after her family, and has turned from looking for a husband to running a library. She has to approve the new blacksmith but isn't sure about him because of his hesitant way of talking. Finally after he offers a one month trial period, Eden agrees to let him take over.

The sheriff 'considers' himself engaged to Eden, Eden shuns him every time he tries to act possesive. Levi is beginning to be a thorn in the sheriff's side. Eden refuses to let Levi borrow books from the library because she doesn't want him coming in regularly to exchange books. He won't even say her name, calls her Ma'am even after she insists he call her Miss Spencer because Ma'am makes her feel decrepit. Her plan backfires though because he comes in daily so he can sit and read, I mean, if you can't take the book home and you want to read that is the only way, but she can't take back the two week residency requirement now.

When the sheriff begins to feel really threatened by Levi's presence and he has found out about his past, his plan to bring Levi down is soon set into motion, will it work to get him to leave town or be reincarcerated?

I really liked this book, and would recommend it to others. I have read other books by Karen and started a new one already, Short-Straw Bride and I have Stealing the Preacher in my stack of to read books.

Though My Heart Is Torn by Joanne Bischof - Review of the second book in the Cadence of Grace series

Lonnie and Gideon O'Riley with their son Jacob are finally very happy where they are in their lives. Gideon has changed his life around, he and Lonnie are truly in love and they have their handsome son to complete the happy family. Things couldn't be better for them.

When Lonnie receives a letter from her Dad telling her that she needs to return home as soon as possible because her Mother is very ill and he doesn't know how long she has left to live, the small family hurriedly leaves with plans to return as soon as possible to Elsie and Jebediah who have helped them become the people they are today.

Arriving at her parents house, Lonnie hears her Mother's voice as she's approaching the door, she sounds fine. Curious she rushes in to find her Mother very healthy. They soon discover that her Father outright lied in the letter just to get them home, why? Their happy life will by turned upside down the next day when Gideon's past comes back to hit them in the face. Will their marriage survive this bump in the road or will Lonnie and Jacob be returning to Elsie and Jebediah alone?

It seems like this is how life is for a lot of people, some are able to struggle through and try to make the best of things for a bright future anyway and others seem to give up and return to the old life or give up altogether and end their lives after something devastating/heartbreaking happens. If you have faith in the Lord you know that things happen for a reason and there is something better ahead of you, just try not to lose that faith.

Joanne did a wonderful job of pulling you even further into Gideon and Lonnie's life with this second book and leaves you hanging at the end so you are anxious for the next one in the series, My Hope is Found, due out in October of 2013. I really don't want this year to go any faster, maybe we could jump to October then come back to June, haha.

The Promise Box by Tricia Goyer - Review of the second book in the Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series

Lydyia Wyse left the Amish to live in the Englisch world because once she was told the truth about how she was conceived, she just didn't feel like she belonged. She called her parents some and visited them even less but when her mem passes away she returns for her funeral and is soon feeling like this is where she needs to be. She can feel God in her life again, some of that is because of her mem's promise box.

Gideon Hooley is a bachelor who has come to Montana to establish residency so he can hunt and when he sees Lydia taking pictures of an Amish home from the road, he runs over and demand she stop immediately. Little does he know that she is taking a picture of her own parents home.

Lydia and Gideon both have pasts that are troubling them. Lydia knows what happened in her past but is having a problem dealing with it. Gideon knows what happened to him but is looking for the secret that his parents are keeping from him. They are fast becoming friends but she's Englisch and he's Amish, his family would never approve. He's honest with her but she just can't tell him her true feelings about what she's doing.

By the end of the story you may need some tissues, yes, depending on how emotional you get, it can be a tear jerker. I found this book more enjoyable than The Memory Jar but would recommend both to you. Tricia did a wonderful job here, read and enjoy!

The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club by Wanda E Brunstetter - Review of the first book in the Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club series

In an effort to support herself widow Emma Yoder decides to teach quilting so she posts signs and advertises for students. She accepts six students and oh what a mixed group of students they are, three women and three men including one couple trying to save their marriage, a pastors wife, a biker who lost his drivers license and has to ride a bicycle, a widower with a young baby and a very troubled young girl who's grandmother actually signed her up for the class before she died.

Emma misses her husband terribly and has no interest in remarrying but she is being pursued by Lamar, a widower who doesn't want to live the rest of his years alone. When Emma gets shingles, Lamar fills in for her one Saturday and shares his interest in quilting with the students. Emma continues to brush him off though.

While they are learning quilting the students are all going through their own personal turmoil, will the quilting club students ever finish their wall hangings? Emma finds herself wondering if this was a good idea when she finds personalities clashing more than she feels comfortable with.

This was a pretty interesting story. With the differences in the students personalities, even the couple, you wonder if they will all continue to the end of the course and will they every find peace for themselves.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the NetGalley  <http://www.netgalley.com/> book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

A Place to Belong by Lauraine Snelling - Review of the third book in the Wild West Wind series

Cassie Lockwood is recovering from her gunshot wound on the Engstrom ranch, which she co-owns. She is learning what it's like to have a home, how to cook and how to take care of a home. Lucas Engstrom declared his love for her before he even met her, he'd seen her in town and fell in love then found out she was a co-owner of their ranch since her father had passed on years ago.

Cassie knows she isn't in love with Lucas but doesn't refuse him, just asks for time to think. She is also learning to have faith in God and asks if she is supposed to marry Lucas. Her feelings are more like brother-sister love not like husband-wife but she does know that a lot of couples actually fall in love after being married for some time. When Cassie finally tells Lucas she'll marry him, it seems like he's acting funny, won't even help to plan the wedding, just keeps saying anything she wants is fine with him.

The wedding is set for New Years Eve and things are falling into place. The morning after a wonderful Christmas it is discovered that Lucas has disappeared and no one knows where he's gone. When he isn't found and doesn't return the wedding is called off.

Now what is Cassie going to do? Will she depend on her arm getting better so she can win some shooting matches, will she find a travelling show to join up with, or will she continue to live in the Engstrom home with no Lucas, feeling like Ransom hates her but Mavis and Gretchen love her and want her to stay?

Lauraine came through again with a great book that you don't want to put down. I love Lauraine's writing style and look for her books whenever I'm online or in a book store. You won't be disappointed with this one at all. Wonderful job Lauraine!

Thank you to Bethany House for providing this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255