The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest by Melanie Dickerson

Oh I needed that! What a pleasant book to read. This is a Medieval Fairy Tale that is Christian Romance. Could I figure out what was likely to happen? Yes. It's loosely based on Swan Lake and Robin Hood. But I very much enjoyed the way it was told and has its own plot twists.

Odette was orphaned when little and later taken in by her Uncle. Because she can identify, she becomes a huntress at night in the Margrave's forest, thinking she is taking deer to feed the poor. As it turns out the meat is actually being sold on the black market instead, but she doesn't know it. She does feel badly though when she meets Jorgen, the Forester and begins to care for him. He's charged with finding the poacher - whom he thinks may have killed his adoptive father. (Jorgen was orphaned around the same time as Odette had been.)

Get this book for a pleasing way to relax and just be entertained. One of those books that makes you go ahhhh.  I really enjoy Melanie Dickerson's writing style. And you have to love that cover! I'll be first in line when the next book comes out.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the Thomas Nelson Publishers - 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 “Guides Concerning the Useof Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”. 

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London Tides by Carla Laureano

  

I loved the cover and the quick review and was eager to read it. This was the second book in the series, but I didn't know it until just now. It works as a stand alone but I think it would have been a better experience to have read book one first. It's a Christian romance, but if you're a strict Christian you may not appreciate the references to when the characters had slept with others (although in this story they do not sleep together). It turned me off.

Grace and Ian have a past - in fact Grace left Ian just before their wedding. She's an Irish girl who's a photographer in war-torn and poverty stricken areas, so she has PTSD. But she's come back to London to see Ian and her best friend, and has an exciting new job offer.

Ian never talked her down after she left, but has not found anyone else. He's not quite sure he can trust Grace not to leave him again though.

This is a steamy off again, on again relationship. I felt that it was very interesting, but in the third quarter I was ready for everyone to make a decision and stick with it - sick of Grace's issues. I actually got to the point where I was going yada yada yada and skipping over paragraphs. I wonder if that happens all too much in the lives of those who have PTSD? I consider myself compassionate, but I just didn't want it dragged out anymore. Maybe that was the point you were supposed to get and it was pretty realistic. I didn't make a personal connection with the characters, so I didn't feel for them. That being said, in the end everything was wrapped up beautifully with a wonderful Christian lesson.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the David C Cook - 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 Useof Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”. 

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Until the Harvest by Sarah Loudin Thomas

This is book two in the series. A Christian Historical romance set in West Virginia, 1975.  This picks up several years later, with a death in the family that stretches the faith of a young man.  He's of college age and looking to find himself, sometimes going down the wrong path to find the right one. 

There's also a girl who's his age with parents who aren't very loving, and a sister who needs special care.

Similar to the first book, there's a person with a special gift who helps others in the community.

They find life on a farm is an answer in the right direction, and that an extended family can be a wonderful thing. We all need to be loved and appreciated, and it doesn't have to be by family. A family is people who love you. God's love and the people He sends to us make life worth living.

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 inAdvertising”. 

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A Stranger's Secret (Cliffs of Cornwall series Book 2) by Laurie Alice Eakes

One of the most suspenseful books I've read. It keeps you wondering from beginning to end.

A Christian Historical Romance set in 1813. I think it would have been helpful to have read the first book. You can read it as a stand alone, but I think it would have been a richer experience to have had the full background from the first book. Lady Morwenna Trelawny Penvenan is a widow wanting to hang onto her husband's impoverished estate for her son's inheritance. She won't accept help from her overbearing, wealthy Grandparents and tries to handle everything on her own. But her scandalous past and that of her husband holds her back.

David washes up on Morwenna's beach after wreckers lure the ship to unsafe waters along her shore. The wreckers are setting her up to make it look like she is doing it. But there was a reason he was on that ship. He was looking for answers about his father's death and the significance of the Trelawny medallion that his father had. The medallion that David had until Morwenna left him to get help.  They both are seeking answers from each other, and both keeping secrets.

There's lots of "romantic tension" throughout. There were some parts that seemed more like "formula" writing to me. Like the scene where Morwenna goes for a horse ride with others, only to turn back and fall off her horse. Unless I missed something, it seemed the only point was that her clothes were too tight, popped open and became too revealing when she fell.

Other than that, it was a very good read and grabs your attention from the first paragraph. There are good Christian lessons here and there throughout the book about pride, honoring parents and trust in others and in God.  The characters become endearing.  I would like to know what becomes of everyone as time goes on! Love the cover. Zondervan seems to have a lot of great books.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Zondervan Publishers  and BookLook Bloggers. 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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Now and Forever (Wild at Heart Book #2) by Mary Connealy

Adventure and suspense from the beginning to the end!

A new Christian Historical Romance from Bethany House. This is not your girly girl regency style romance - not at all. Of course the setting in the Dakota/Idaho Territory in 1866 might give you a clue to that. As would the great cover of the book with the cute girl who has a short haircut and cowboy hat on.

The girls in this story, folks, all served in the Civil War pretending to be men. That must have been a great story. This is one of the few books that I think I would have been better off reading the previous book first. It took me a bit of perseverance to stick with the explanations at the beginning of the book, and then as the earlier story is revealed bit by bit along the way things start to make more sense. 

This is the story of the middle sister, Shannon, who connects with mountain man Tucker. It's full of adventure right from the beginning, blended with a great deal of humor and biblical & faithful lessons.  You hear these days about people who come back from serving in the military and the issues they deal with. You don't hear as much about those who fought in the Civil War and what it was like when they returned. How they coped. Usually you read about how those left at home survived.  You truly feel for Shannon who was forced to sign up for the war and then had to do things during it that none of us would want to do, let alone a young girl. And a tough girl can still only take so much. And then you wonder if a mountain man is a good match or a bad one. This is a good read with lots of adventure and mystery to keep you page-turning until the end!

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”. http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html

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