Kissing Kate: A Sweet Regency Romance (Hearts of Cornwall Book 4) by K. Lyn Smith

 

"Benedick Kimbrell attempted to steal his first kiss from Miss Catherine Parker in the perfectly imperfect spring of 1808. But his hopes, then and since, were larger than fact."

Very sweet Historical Regency romance. Part of a wonderful series, this is the town that has more men than women, and there's a published list of bachelors that brings in women from all over. What's not to like about Kate who is both very proper with the height of etiquette, yet has spunk? And she likes plants, botany, which are close to my heart. Even though they're best friends, she's unsure of Ben and doesn't know why he goes to London, appearing to be a bit of a rogue. They're working through issues of self-doubt, holding yourself to higher standard, being a perfectionist, grief and misplaced guilt as well as peer pressure. They have close family and friends who see them for themselves and help them to discover their own feelings and strengths. Ben has to be the most devoted friend ever. Sweet, fulfilling read with lots of depth and beauty.

I received this book free from the author and Book Sirens book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#KissingKate #BookSirens #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #DavenwoodPress #HistoricalFiction #KLynSmith

Purchase on Amazon (I don't get anything from this)

About the book

“Benedick Kimbrell attempted to steal his first kiss from Miss Catherine Parker in the perfectly imperfect spring of 1808. But his hopes, then and since, were larger than fact.”

A LADY’S UNSPOKEN LONGING

Kate Parker is resolute in her quest for marriage, seeking a dependable match among Newford's eligible bachelors. But behind her composed demeanor, Kate’s heart holds a stubborn affection for her less-than-dependable friend and an unspoken longing for a kiss that was never claimed.

A ROGUE’S LOST AMBITION

Years ago, Ben Kimbrell harbored ambitions, chief among them a kiss from Miss Kate Parker. Fate, though, had other plans. Now, his heart is weighted by family tragedy, his pain concealed behind a carefree charm. His reputation as an aimless rogue is well-earned, but beneath the façade lies a man who yearns for more.

AND A HEART WELL-GUARDED

When Kate sets her sights on Ben's dependable cousin, a man who fits her expectations if not her heart, Ben can no longer stand idly by. His efforts to save her from a loveless match find the two of them paired together in a village production of Much Ado About Nothing. Tasked with crafting the enchanting sets for their town's inaugural performance, their undeniable affection finds the perfect stage to blossom.

But for their love to flourish, Ben must reveal his true self and confront the shadows of his past. Can he find the courage to unlock his heart before it's too late?

Kissing Kate is a heartwarming best-friends romance about finding the courage to choose happiness and the healing power of love. Set in the charming seaside village of Newford, each book in the Hearts of Cornwall series stands alone.

About the author

K. Lyn Smith lives in Birmingham, Alabama, where she writes sweet historical romance about ordinary people finding extraordinary love. Her debut novel, The Astronomer’s Obsession, was a finalist for the National Excellence in Romantic Fiction Award, while many of her other titles have been shortlisted for awards such as the American Writing Award, the Carolyn Reader’s Choice Award, the HOLT Medallion and the Maggie Award.

When she’s not reading or writing, you can find her with family, traveling and watching period dramas. And space documentaries. Weird, right?

Follow K. Lyn so you don't miss any new releases!

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Finding Us by Tracie Peterson

 

Very similar to the first book yet entirely different. You don't think of the evil people who attend events like the Expo in Seattle 1909. This continuation is a wonderful story of Eleanor who is there to work with a camera at the Expo until the event is over, but loves botany. She meets a botanist also working there, who had been living in Alaska and had recently been on a ship that sank getting to Seattle. There the plot thickens and it's hard to put it down. Characters you'd like to know. Strong lessons of faith. Excellent story. 

I received this book free from the author, publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#FindingUs #NetGalley #TraciePeterson #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #BethenyHouse #ChristianHistoricalFiction #FiveStarHistorical 

Synopsis

One candid photograph will change the lives of four people forever.

While taking photographs at an exposition in Seattle in 1909, Camera Girl Eleanor Bennett snaps an image of a woman in widow's clothes with deep sorrow etched in her expression and a young infant in her arms.

Eleanor longs to study botany at the University of Washington and soon becomes fast friends with botanist Bill Reed, but she can't stop thinking about the widow in the photograph. She is stunned to learn Bill recognizes the woman as the sister-in-law he believed lost in a shipwreck.

As Eleanor and Bill hunt for Amelia Reed to reunite her with her grief-stricken husband, they must stand together to face the danger that follows and learn to trust that God will direct their paths. 

About the author

Tracie Peterson is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than one hundred books. Tracie also teaches writing workshops at a variety of conferences on subjects such as inspirational romance and historical research. She and her family live in Montana.

Visit Tracie's web site at: http://www.traciepeterson.com

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The Spice King by Elizabeth Camden

"The world was a good place. She needed to look for it, even when life was full of pain."
New book in the "Hope and Glory" series.
1900 Washington DC. Christian Historical. I was all in on the first page. 
This is intense.
Annabelle is from a farming family in Kansas. Her father was able to put her and her sister through college, which is quite a thing now, even more so back then. She and Elaine move to Washington, DC, she at the Smithsonian (later Department of Agriculture), her sister at the Library of Congress. Elaine is blind, and this seemed to be a great opportunity for her to learn and to grow, so despite the financial strain on the family, off they went.
Annabelle is a botanist (something I very much had wanted to be so I can relate). Her boss wanted a rare plant that Gray Delacroix was rumored to have, and told her that a permanent position depended on her getting in to Gray's property to see if it was there. She is pleasantly pushy (I pictured June Allison) and actually manages to get in to see him. Gray is from a wealthy family, built on hard work, and it takes more hard work to keep the fortunes going. Their family has earned their reputation by providing the best quality products. Not every company was that way. These were the early days when there was a lack of safety standards in the food industry, so companies could get away with putting out a product that was not what it seems. (Doesn't seem possible now, does it?) The story unfolds interesting information about Good Housekeeping in it's early days - what they did and why - and how important to our country it was. The story takes off from there, seeming to put Annabelle on one side of things and Gray on the other. Gray's brother never really wanted to work for the family - or so it seemed. Politics, secrets, money, mystery and life all play a part in this book. Choices made, right from wrong, scruples and personal standards are reviewed and explored. Integrity - or lack of it. Nothing boring here - all together an excellent read! Don't you just love that cover? Can't wait for the next in the series.
"The world was a huge, wide-ope landscape bursting with opportunity, and it was up to her to choose how she would live in it."
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher 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.”
#TheSpiceKing #NetGalley #ElizabethCamden #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout

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Under the Midnight Sun by Tracie Peterson, Kimberley Woodhouse

Wealth. Society. Greed. Taylor wanted to get away from them and her family. She had grown up camping and hiking with her father, brother and his friend. A girl after my own heart, she went to college and earned a degree in Botany, then went to work at Yellowstone park as a guide. After her father died, her mother pushed her to marry her brother's friend to unite their fortunes. Since she'd learned the true nature of the man, and her mother was unrelentless, Tylor jumped on an opportunity to go to Curry, Alaska to work. She is perfectly suited for the job, but they were expecting a man. If you read the previous book, you're familiar with the family of the Curry Hotel. You wouldn't need to read the other book first, but you'd be glad that you did. They're a group of special people, centered in their faith in God and Jesus in their lives. A great story of self discovery and forgiveness.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher 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.”

#UnderTheMidnightSun #TraciePeterson #KimberleyWoodhouse #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #NetGalley

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Wynn in the Willows by Robin Jansen Shope

Wynn is a girl after my own heart. She loves botany – plants, the woods – more than cities. She has been to college and has a grant to study the plants where she is from as a child and where her Aunt still lives on Willow Island. I don’t envy her mixed up life though. After her father died, her mother left for overseas. She was taken in by her Uncles and raised in a happy environment, but she still has a lot of unresolved mysteries – how her father died for example. She loves the island and small town atmosphere but is surrounded by murder and mystery shortly after getting to her Aunt’s guesthouse. She is drawn to the local handyman, but he soon becomes part of the mystery surrounding the town, making her more confused. Her Aunt’s bible study group takes Wynn in, and they all have something to contribute and learn. Life lessons and faith play a part in their daily lives, and they find ways to support and help each other. Interesting story about personal growth and family.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the Publisher. 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.”

From the Publisher:
Wynn Baxter returns to Willow Island to study rare plant life and welcomes the opportunity to investigate the mysterious circumstances of her father's death. But the truth gets complicated as twenty year-old memories begin to surface. What Wynn learns will shake her emotional foundation. A haunting story of forgiveness, science, murder, and other matters of living.

#WynnInTheWillows #NetGalley

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Like a Flower in Bloom by Siri Mitchell

This Christian Historical Romance starts out in 1852 Cheshire, England. Love the cover, don't you? Our main character Charlotte is a botanist, from a long family of botanists, but is not accepted as an author or illustrator in her own right because she is female. So she assists her father (who is published) and submits her work under his name.

They are joined by Edward, a sheep farmer, who is quickly put to work as her father's assistant so that Charlotte can pursue a husband - something he and her Uncle have decided she must do. The thing is, even though he's excellent at the job, Edward is not quite what he seems.

It's not easy for Charlotte to go out in society, as she's never learned social graces. Thankfully she is befriended by another girl who helps her through.  In the process, she learns some valuable lessons and in turn touches the hearts of those she becomes close to - like a flower in bloom.

I struggled with reading this, as the eclectic nature of Charlotte and her father became somewhat frustrating. But by the same token I think this would be an excellent movie because their eccentric habits would be easier to watch and not have to be explained. And with the subject of botany, there is an opening for beautiful photography. There was subtle humor throughout the book that would be much more effective acted out.

In some ways I resonated deeply with the main character in this book. When I was younger I very much wanted to be a botanist. From the age of 10 I got books out of the library on biology and botany every summer and poured over them, nearly memorizing them. I was given a microscope for Christmas when I was 11. When I finally got to biology class in 10th grade, I was ecstatic. My first test for that class I got a 95 - for which I was singled out by the teacher and accused of cheating as everyone else had failed it. My deepest hurt. As time went on, he continually singled me out and ridiculed me in front of the class, and as a result I gave up on my greatest love as far as school went. I did continue to take books out from the library on weeds and wildflowers and had a sketchbook. After reading this book I think perhaps one of the reasons my teacher treated me so is that I was female, and a great love of the subject was not typical of girls, so he doubted that I could have done so well without cheating. But he never bothered to talk to me. It did change the direction of my life, left deep scars and I gradually wandered away from it down other paths. God had other plans for me. So I'm glad that Charlotte was able to continue to be a botanist and stay true to herself.

In reading the Author's notes at the end I also felt a deep connection with her. I almost enjoyed them more than the book. By her description, I too am an introvert.  I can be an extrovert for awhile, and am too self  aware. I prefer deep conversations with those I get close to as opposed to small talk. I have always felt that if I just try hard enough I'll be able to be like everyone else and often question/doubt my worth. I'm glad that Siri Mitchell has decided to write and offer her stories as she has a talent to be envied. In her I feel a kindred spirit and feel better that she shared that part of herself. It's nice to know someone of her recognition and success shares something with me. 

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”.

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