Love in the Balance by Regina Jennings - Review of the second book in the Ladies of Caldwell County

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Molly Lovelace dreams of being a society leader in 1879 Lockhart, Texas, but being smitten with handsome wrangler Bailey Garner doesn't seem the quickest route. If only he would settle down so he could support a family.

Bailey imagines doing great things for God, but his greatest obstacle is Molly. As long as he thought they'd be married, he excused their stolen kisses, but when she keeps refusing, he vows to earn her love. In town, he tries his hand at several different trades, but everywhere he turns he runs into the mysterious stranger Edward Pierrepont. No surprise that Molly's always making calf eyes at the wealthy adventurer.

As pressure from Molly's parents grows she is forced into a hasty decision. Had she weighed all her options and will she find love in the balance?

MY  REVIEW

Regina has done it again, I loved this book! She just pulls you right in with her writing and yanks at your heart strings. I would find myself so upset with Molly's parents, oh yes, both of them, that I wanted to set them down and have a good heart to heart talk about how they could treat their only daughter that way, and the things they would say to her! I read "Sixty Acres and A Bride" quite some time ago and I'm sorry I didn't read this one sooner, but now I can go right on to the next one in the series, "Caught in the Middle", oh yeah! I highly suggest this series to readers that like to read Historical Christian Romance Fiction, you will be glad you did.

Huckleberry Hill by Jennifer Beckstrand - Review of the first book in The Matchmakers Of Huckleberry Hill

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Lia Shetler is resigned to being a spinster. She's too tall and sturdy to ever be marriageable--so says her overbearing dat. Instead, she's helping her pretty, spoiled sister Rachel secure the perfect husband--the Helmuths' grandson, Moses Zimmerman. But the more Lia sees of Moses' gently teasing ways and quiet understanding, the more she wishes he could be hers alone...

Moses knew his grandparents couldn't resist trying to find him a wife. But he never expected it would be the graceful, sensible Lia--a woman who is tall enough to look him in the eye, and honest enough to make him question a promise holding him to his past. Now both will need the kind of miracles only faith and courage can bring to finally reach for a lifetime of happiness...

MY  REVIEW

I've had this book for a while and kept passing it up when I would look at my stacks and shelves of books to read, and now I am very sorry for that. While reading Jennifer's book I found myself laughing, crying and really really angry all the way through to then end, from one emotion to another. I must say that this is one of the best books I've read in a while and I'm really looking forward to reading "Huckleberry Summer", already out, and "Huckleberry Christmas" due to be out in October, then "Huckleberry Spring" should be out in February, 2015. I would like to encourage you to get a copy of this book, I don't think you'd be disappointed. Fantastic job Jennifer!

hopeful by Shelley Shepard Gray - Review of the first book in the Return To Sugarcreek series

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Miriam Zehr has worked at the Sugarcreek Inn longer than she cares to admit. The restaurant is a favorite of town residents as well as the many tourists who come to taste the famous Amish fare. Though she always tries to have a smile for every customer, deep down Miriam knows something's missing: a family of her own.

Miriam has never felt particularly beautiful, especially because she's always been a bit heavier than other girls her age. When Junior, the man she's pined for all her life, suddenly seeks her out, she's thrilled to be noticed . . until she realizes he's onlly asking her to help get the attention of Mary Kathryn Hershberger, her pretty friend.

If Miriam helps Junior court Mary Kathryn, shell get to spend a lot of time with him, but she might lose him in the process. Are these few stolen moments worth a lifetime of sacrifice? Is Miriam right to even hope for the life she dreams of?

MY  REVIEW

Shelley did a good job of showing what true love really means. This isn't a long book but it is a very good one. It's nice to be drawn in to a story so quickly and you can only pray that you would be as good a person as Miriam is. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series, "thankful" is already out and "joyful" is due to come out in September.

Claiming Mariah by Pam Hillman - Review

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After her father's death, Mariah Malone sends a letter that will forever alter the lives of her family. When Slade Donovan, strong willed and eager for vengeance, shows up on her front porch, Mariah is not ready to hear his truths: her father's farm, the only home she's ever known, was bought with stolen gold. With Slade ready to collect his father's rightful claim and force Mariah and her family out on the streets, Mariah must turn to God for guidance. Though Mr Frederick Cooper, a local landowner, promises to answer her financial woes if she agrees to be his bride, Mariah finds herself drawn instead to the angry young man demanding her home.

With the ranch now under Slade's careful eye, he unearths more than he ever imagined as a devious plot of thievery, betrayal, and murder threatens the well-being of the ranch, endangering those who hold it dear. As the days dwindle until the rest of the Donovan clan arrives at the Lazy M ranch, Mariah and Slade must rise above the resentment of their fathers and see their true feelings before greed changes their futures forever.

MY  REVIEW

This is the second book of Pam's that I've read, both have been e-books, and I must say that I enjoy her writing. Pam pulls you into the story and you are feeling the anger, love and faith as if you were one of the characters. I don't see any new books coming out by Pam but I will surely be on the lookout for more. I would highly recommend this book as a good read.

A Season Of Change by Lynette Sowell - Review of the first book in Seasons in Pinecraft series

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Stranded at a Sarasota hospital at the bedside of his ailing daughter, Amish widower Jacob Miller is wary of his unfamiliar surroundings--including the strange curiosity of Englischer Natalie Bennett. Natalie, an aerial silks artist whose career in the circus ended before it began, has just uncovered a secret her mother kept hidden for years. Her mom--or rather, mamm--was once Amish.

A hundred questions suddenly surface. Why did Natalie's mother keep this secret for so long? Does Natalie still have Amish relatives? How can she learn more about her heritage? Can Jacob trust Natalie's piqued interest in his family and their simple ways, or will their clashing cultures thwart their hopes for finding the love of a family?

MY  REVIEW

I found this book pretty interesting, from the start it has a catchy storyline. Amish and circus performers in one story, now that is a strange mix. It reminds you about how children see people and can build relationships when you don't have your 'adult' guard up. Lynette came up with a good idea for a book and I'm anxious to see what the next book in the series will be about. Ohhhh, I just looked on her blog (http://lynettesowell.blogspot.com/p/coming-soon.html) for the second book in the series and boy does it sound 'yummy', "A Path Made Plain", and it looks like it will be out in November of this year!