The Chapel Car Bride by Judith Miller

I didn’t know that there were Pullman chapel cars. They only stayed in an area for a short time bringing God's message to isolated areas that did not have a resident preacher.  Hope is a good name for this character. After living apart from him for some time, she convinces her father to let her go with him to extend missionary services to small communities. They travel in the chapel car, where they live and hold church services. Two men come into her life. Only one genuinely cares for her but she has a hard time seeing them clearly – not realizing the situation she’s being put in.  Engaging characters, very well written tale that keeps you on the edge until the end. Good lessons in faith, learning who you are and caring throughout. Another fabulous book from Judith Miller!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the Bethany House Publishers - Netgalley 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 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”.

Description from the Publisher
With her penchant for seeing the best in everyone, Hope Irvine sees a world full of good people in hard places. When her father accepts a position traveling in a chapel car as an on-the-rail missionary, she is determined to join him in his efforts and put her musical skills to good use by serving the mining families of West Virginia, saving their souls, and bettering their lives.

Luke Hughes shares Hope's love of music and her love of God, but as a poor miner he knows he can offer her no future. Still, the notes she sings resonate in his heart. When she begins to travel with a young mine manager to neighboring counties, Luke can hardly suppress his jealousy. It isn't until he begins to suspect these missions of mercy might be the mine manager's cover for illegal purposes, though, that Luke feels justified in speaking up. But how can he discover the truth without hurting Hope or, worse, putting her in danger?


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Dawn at Emberwilde by Sarah E. Ladd

Christian Historical fiction – England early 1800’s

As a young child, after her mother died Isabel was left at the Fellsworth School. She was still there when her father died and her sister joined her. Later a teacher, she never expected to leave unless as a governess. One day a visitor comes to tell her that she has an Aunt, who brings her and her sister to live with them at their mansion. But all is not as it seems.

Her Aunt and Uncle expect her to enter society and marry well. Isabel isn’t even used to talking to men, and now has two she interacts with. Quite a different life than what she had expected. Still it is exciting with all the dresses and parties. Always fond of gardens and outdoors, there’s a forest alongside the estate, but even though she is drawn there she’s been warned to stay away. Conflicting advice from her Aunt, Uncle, Cousin and suitors makes things difficult, and as time goes by she uncovers more secrets and realizes how little she really knew about her mother.  Lessons in self-worth and faith in God’s influence and guidance throughout.  

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the Thomas Nelson Publishers and The BookLook Bloggers Team. 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 “GuidesConcerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”. 

Description from Publisher

Isabel Creston never dared to dream that love could be hers. Now, at the edge of a forest filled with dark secrets, she faces a fateful choice between love and duty.

For as long as she can remember, beautiful and free-spirited Isabel has strained against the rules and rigidity of the Fellsworth School in the rolling English countryside. No longer a student, Isabel set her sights on a steady yet unexciting role as a teacher at the school, a safe yet stifling establishment that would provide her a steady environment to care for her younger sister Lizzie, who was left in her care after her father's death.

The unexpected arrival of a striking stranger with news of unknown relatives turns Isabel's small, predictable world upside down, sweeping her and her young charge into a labyrinth of intrigue and hidden motives.

At her new family's invitation, Isabel and Lizzie relocate to Emberwilde, a sprawling estate adjacent to a vast, mysterious wood rife with mysterious rumors and ominous folklore—along with whispers of something far more sinister. And perhaps even more startling, two handsome men begin pursuing Isabel, forcing her to learn the delicate dance between attraction, the intricate rules of courtship, and the hopes of her heart.

At Emberwilde, Isabel will discover that the key to unlocking the mystery of her past may also open the door to her future and security. But first she must find it—in the depths of Emberwilde Forest.

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Embroidered Garden Flowers, Botanical Motifs for Needle and Thread by Kazuko Aoki

Beautiful book. Great photos and detailed information about the basics of embroidery. So many flowers with excellent detail. I like the way that the patterns are given, with a picture of the flower and the type of stitch near each area. The thing I would change is to have the picture of the embroidered flower next to the pattern so that you don’t have to flip back and forth.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher Roost Books and Netgalley 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 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Description from the Publisher:
Featuring 63 plants, this collection of embroidered flower motifs was inspired by a year of studying the garden. Beginning with the spring and going through the late autumn, the flower varieties presented here are presented with care and realistic detail. With beautiful color combinations, wonderful texture, and a studied but artful expression, this is an exquisite guide for those who love flowers and embroidery, and for those who want to share in the pleasures to be found with fabric and needle.

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