The Last Year of the War by Susan Meissner

"We do not become different people as we age; we just add layers of experience onto who we already are."

Deeply interesting story of a young girl of German descent who is sent with her family to an internment camp in Texas when WW2 starts. She meets a Japanese girl there who is the same age, and it's fascinating to learn about them both. They are now both many years older, having lived separate lives, not connecting again until now. Elise recounts her life as it unfolded, in incredible detail.

More than eleven thousand German American and German Latin American legal residents and citizens were interned during World War II at the camp in Crystal City, Texas, and in other similar detention facilities. They were encouraged and sometimes forced to repatriate to their country - used in exchange for Americans. The thing is though, people like Elise were born here and Americans too, their parents living as Americans, but it didn't matter that they were innocent of any crime. I can identify a little bit, as my Grandmother's parents came over from Belgium in 1905, but that was well before WW1. My Grandmother was born here. I'm sure their German heritage and accents stood out. This story has very real accounts of bombing in Germany and what it was like to live there even if you didn't agree with what Hitler did and didn't want to be there. Fabulous read, gently woven with present day.

". . . the past is nothing you can make friends or enemies of. It just is what it is. Or was. It is this day you are living right now, this very day, that is yours to make of it what you will. So make it beautiful, if you can."

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.”
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Whispering Pines by Scarlett Dunn

(The Langtry Sisters)
Whispering Pines, Colorado 1876. A real shoot 'em up Western that takes place after the Civil War. Rose is travelling home from back east when her stagecoach comes upon a group of men, headed up by a man she had feared for years, about to hang her brother. She doesn't realize what kind of person her brother had turned into, and gets him out of the hanging. But that was only the start of her troubles. Nonstop upset for Rose and her sweet grandmother as they try to deal with so many things. Rose begins to see the Ranger in a completely different way. Intricate and interesting mystery that pulls on your heartstrings throughout. Good read!

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.”
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Thimbles and Threads

4 Love Stories Are Quilted into Broken Lives

by Mary Davis; Grace Hitchcock; Suzanne Norquist; Liz Tolsma

 “I don’t deserve forgiveness.” “None of us do. But the Lord freely gives His forgiveness to us.”

No surprise, there's an enchanting sewing and quilts theme throughout the book, Christian Historical Romance.  With these authors you can't go wrong. Lovely stories with depth of character and interesting variety. Texas 1884, Charleston, South Carolina Summer 1886, Rockledge, Colorado 1884,  Regent, Colorado 1885. Strong talented women, special men. Some broken lives ready for mending. Good read!

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.”
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More Than Meets The Eye by Karen Witemeyer

". . .a soul’s sore spots didn’t really disappear. They could be buried, defended, and denied, but until they were loved, they wreaked havoc with a person’s peace."

1879 Texas. Christian Historical. First in a new series. There were four orphans on a train that crashed, three escaped, forming their own family, taking care of each other, each with their own strengths. The girl, Eva, has two different color eyes which are off-putting to others, one of the reasons she hadn't been adopted. They struggle to find what they need to eat, with the oldest boy, Zach, taking on the responsibility. After it gets harder and harder he runs out of options, and gets a farm for them in an uncommon way, never expecting repercussions.  Logan wants revenge and restitution for his family. When he searches out the person he believes responsible, he's surprised at what he finds. Interesting story of survival and love in an unconventional family whose bonds are tighter than many normal families. Throw in some mystery and danger. You won't be bored.

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.”
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The Reluctant Brides Collection

6 Historical Stories of Love that Takes Persuasion
by Rosey Dow; Cathy Marie Hake; Susannah Hayden; Yvonne Lehman; Colleen L. Reece; Janet Spaeth

"Our lives always need to be tended as if they were growing things, because they are, in fact, just that. In silence we can hear the most clearly. We must, however, prepare ourselves for what we might hear."

Christian historical. Quite a reading experience! Simple, complicated, and very deep. All very different stories of women and men put in situations that they didn't plan. Each is special in its own way. Nice long read. None of the stories go too fast or cut off too quickly. Entirely enjoyable. Some authors are new to me. I'm grateful to read their works and be able to add them to my favorites!

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.”
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More Than Words Can Say by Karen Witemeyer

1896 - Honey Grove, TX Christian Historical Romance
"Satan is the one who wants to increase our burden, to weigh us down with shame and despair, to steal our joy and the strength of the Lord that goes with it. Believing his lies instead of God’s truth makes us weak."

Two young people of few words unexpectedly come together. Now that her father has died, Abigail owns their bakery, and the Mayors wife wants to punish her. Abby is told that she must sell the store because no single women are allowed to own a business in town. She turns to Zach,  her first choice, to marry her. Zach carries over from the last book (not necessary to enjoy this). Marriage, a threat to his valuable freedom, was not on his horizon. This is a situation that neither of them would choose, yet since it's done with prayer, we see that God's plan is always the best. The story unfolds as they grow together, learn more about one another, find how much alike they are, and help each other to cope with their own trials and learn to love. Excellent unfolding of characters and depth of story. Now we need to know what happens to the other characters. You'll want to read the first book if you haven't already, just because I'm sure you'll enjoy that too.

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.”
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Hazelanne by Linda Carroll-Bradd

Widows of Wildcat Ridge book 15
1884 Utah Territory
"in order to survive, on occasion they [women] had to be more practical than romantic."
The name of the series gives a lot away. The story of Hazelanne is very interesting. She grew up taking care of her large family, but left to take some of the financial burden off by becoming a mail order bride. Not expecting what she got herself into. Her new husband had a farm, but wasn't pleasant at all. She was very adaptable - she was raised in a city, but learned quickly how to care for the animals and try to please her demanding, unloving husband. She'd only been married a short time when the Gold King mine blew up and most of the town's men were killed.
Brice was the "shotgun messenger" on the Wells Fargo stagecoach she had ridden to her new home in. He had been quite taken with her, so he went to the mass funeral, then impulsively married her afterwards just to give her his name. He returned to his job, only getting back to town long enough for dinner every Saturday. Engaging story of a woman who set out alone for a better life and did what she had to do, learning as she went.

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.”
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