Books You Can Feel Good About

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

Where Her Heart Lies by Carolyn Twede Frank

Excellent read. I'm a new fan, even though this isn't the first in the series. Celeste has been sent East to finishing school but returns home to Colorado and her parents after 5 years, because she was asked to leave. The finishing didn't stick. But she liked most of the things in her life from before, including Logan. He is a few years older, and hardly recognizes now her since she's not a little kid anymore. They had been the best of friends before. He's been trying to prove himself and live on his own for many years. He doesn't feel he's good enough for her, so even when they get close, he retreats. Another of her friends come to town from back east, looking to court her. Eventually this wakes Logan up, and the two take turns courting her. This path for them is quite entertaining as they evolve and realize what is really important. Logan has opportunities that open up for him, then messes it all up. Keeps you interested to the very end. Pulls at your heart strings all through the story. Endearing characters, even Logan's horse! Isn't that the most gorgeous cover too?

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.

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A Portrait of Loyalty by Roseanna M. White

A masterpiece of mystery, danger and intrigue. In 1918 WW1 London, Lily is a talented photographer who can alter photographs by hand, way before Photoshop was even thought of. Zivon is a Russian codebreaker who escaped from his country, barely, with his life. He was separated from his brother by a train wreck and accidentally exchanged bags. Bags with very important information for all sides of the war. Very tense, deeply loving and heartbreaking story with a satisfying ending. Christian lessons and life's wisdom throughout, with astute sight and clarity. Beautifully done! Riveting, very hard to put down, especially in the last quarter as everything moves so fast. If I wasn't already a fan of Roseanna's, I would be now. Needs more than a 5 star rating.

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.

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The Spanish Daughter by Lorena Hughes

Interesting story of love, family love and struggle, murder and mystery. Puri's father died and she had an inheritance from him in Ecudor. She had always wanted to visit him. Now that both her parents were gone, she could go. She convinced her husband to sell their chocolate shop and go. On the way sailing there someone tried to kill her and did kill her husband. He and the killer both went overboard. She left the ship at shore dressed as her husband, not knowing who had wanted to kill her, suspecting why. She had not known that her father had another family there on the plantation. While in disguise she got to know her sisters, brother and their friends. Slowly the mystery unfolds and the story builds. Jealousy and complicated relationships unravel, and Puri learns more about herself as she can act in ways differently as a man, with rights, and is treated differently than she would have been. But she also sacrifices the true relationship with her family. She is legitimate, they are not, and their father didn't let them forget it, yet he lived with them, not with her. It's interesting that an area that grows cocoa beans does not make them into chocolate. Puri brings that knowledge there with her grandmother's invention. An intricate story with an interesting conclusion.

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. #TheSpanishDaughter #NetGalley

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Beyond the Lavender Fields by Arlem Hawks

1792 early in French history, shortly after the revolution, there was another uprising in Paris that physically removed the king. It pulled revolutionaries from all over the country, including Marseilles where this story is set. Giles works in a soap factory and is friends with the owner's son. They are fellow revolutionaries with his brother and are major flirts as well as dedicated to the cause. His employer is a monarchist, although he keeps it low key. The employer's daughter returns home since it is becoming unsafe in Paris. She does not believe this revolutionary movement is good since there is so much violence and killing. One of the mottos is that they are ridding the country of impure blood - one similar to what Hitler would promote many years later. She is beautiful and a strong woman, easily putting Giles to shame when he tries to kiss her on a dare. As the story moves along, they try to be friends, each learning from the other. The situation becomes more and more dangerous. Interesting story and characters, looking into different perspectives of this time in history and what the people were trying to accomplish as well as just plain live. Gives you depth of feeling from both sides. The danger and story become more fast paced, as does their relationship. Pulls on the heart strings! I'm hoping there is another to follow.

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.

#BeyondtheLavenderFields #NetGalley

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Sunday, January 23, 2022

The Paris Children by Gloria Goldreich

Based on the life of Madeleine Levy, the granddaughter of Alfred Dreyfus and a heroine of the French Resistance movement. Hers was a normal French Jewish family of a proud WW1 hero. They didn't believe that their world could change so much when Hitler came into power. But none of them hesitated to do whatever they could to help others. Madeline cared for children and worked tirelessly to free as many as she could and get them to safety. Her sister was a forger who helped as well. They gathered as a family as often as they could and were strengthened by each other. Incredible courage and deception saved many, many lives. An amazing family, an amazing girl of strength, compassion, selflessness. They found love throughout it all. Beautiful read - brings their story to life.

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.

#TheParisChildren #NetGalley

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A Bride of Convenience by Jody Hedlund

British Columbia in 1863. Third in The Bride Ships series, this ship is women who had lost their jobs in the mills of England, taking place after America's Civil War and the gold rush in Victoria. The story gently builds until you can't put it down. Both feeling unworthy for entirely different reasons, Zoe and Abe grow closer, perfectly matched. God's plan for them puts them on a path, but it isn't easy to see. Neither would logically think they would end up together. Abe had been sent there by the Church of England. He's not the uppity type, and makes himself part of the community, not above spreading God's word to everyone who lived there. He was beloved by them, but the Church disapproved of his actions. Beautiful story of people who are looked down on for being who they are, yet God perfectly uses just such people and makes the world a better place for all of us.
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.
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Saturday, January 22, 2022

Stitching a Life, An Immigration Story by Mary Helen Fein

1900 mostly biographical of Helen Fein. Helen and her family are from Lithuania. They are a Jewish family. The Germans have begun to take 12-year-old Jewish boys into service for many years, where they are treated badly. Helen's family devises a plan for them to all move to New York. Her father goes over first and gets a job, then sends for Helen, who also has a job lined up. They both work hard and earn the money for the rest of their family. They're all a hard-working bunch. The separation, then having to learning new trades was daunting, but they learned quickly their new jobs in the new world.

Good read.
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.
#StitchingaLife #NetGalley

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