Full of Wonder

 

About the Book:

Everything changed because of one crazy girl…

Roofer Marco Mendez always thought there was only one woman for him: his high school crush, Lillian Harrison. But when he receives her wedding announcement in the mail, he must accept his loss and move on. Following his best friend’s advice, he meets Jose’s cousin and asks her to pretend a temporary relationship and attend the wedding as his plus-one. With a charade so simple, nothing could ever go wrong…yet little does he know what a mess he is getting himself into.

Rosalina Torres has zero interest in a relationship at present. She has enough on her plate keeping her growing dog-grooming business running, without the added distraction of a man in her life. Despite that, when her cousin asks her to go on a dinner date with his best friend, she agrees, with the peace of mind nothing will come of it. But when a conversation gets out of control, she finds herself stuck in a most incredulous ruse.

With each fake date, the lie starts to feel a little more like truth. But when the agreement comes to an end, what will it take for Marco and Rosalina to admit their true feelings? How can they overcome the obstacles created by their deception? And in the end, can God take their mess and turn it into something good, eventually filling their hearts with wonder?

My Review: 

This is a really cute fake dating story with Marco Mendez and Rosalina Torres. At first you think they are never going to make it to the three week “dating” period in order to attend the wedding of Marco’s longtime friend and secret crush Lillian. But, something wonderful happens as they get to know each and realize that letting down your guard and trusting can lead to love.

My favorite part of the story was when Marco helped Rosalina with her dreams of owning her own business. Marco was such a sweetheart and showed her how much he cared.

I received a complimentary copy of the book. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.

Man of Shadow and Mist

 About the Book: 

“The world seems full of good men--even if there are monsters in it.”

-Bram Stoker, Dracula



England, 1890

 

Vampires are alive and well in North Yorkshire, leastwise in the minds of the uneducated. Librarian Rosa Edwards intends to drive a stake through the heart of such superstitions. But gossip flies when the mysterious Sir James Morgan returns to his shadowy manor. The townsfolk say he is cursed.

 

James hates everything about England. The weather. The rumours. The scorn. Yet he must stay. His mother is dying of a disease for which he’s desperately trying to find a cure--an illness that will eventually take his own life.

 

When Rosa sets out to prove the dark gossip about James is wrong, she discovers more questions than answers. How can she accept what she can’t explain--especially the strong allure of the enigmatic man? James must battle a town steeped in fear as well as the unsettling attraction he feels for the no-nonsense librarian.

 

Can love prevail in a town filled with fear and doubt?

My Review: 

I love this series of books that Michelle Griep has written that are based upon classic Gothic tales. This particular story is based upon Bram Stoker’s Dracula in which superstitious villagers are so easily swayed to believe the worst about Sir James Morgan due to the power of suggestion and unexplained events. 

Rosa Edwards is a fearless heroine and a loyal and fierce defender of Sir James. She had me cheering for her throughout the story as she refused to give into fear or rumors about him and his family. Seeing her love for the people of the town and the need for everyone to enjoy reading hit a soft spot in my heart. She went well beyond just being a librarian when she chose to find patrons for those who couldn’t afford a subscription.

While I at first did not like Albin Mallow and the tactics he employed to try and turn circumstances to fit his needs, I was happy to see he redeemed himself and chose to share the truth. I actually felt sorry for him and felt better things would be in the future for him. 

I highly recommend this to readers who enjoy Gothic romance stories with a thread of faith throughout the story. While it is the second on the series, it can be read as a standalone if you so choose. 

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive comment. All opinions are my own. 

Counterfeit Faith

 

About the Book: 

She's losing her faith in mankind. He's lost his faith in God. Can working together restore them both?

As matron of Final Chance House of Refuge, Gwendolyn Ellison has dedicated her life to serving the children deemed delinquents by society. She'll protect them with everything she has. So when she suspects someone is using Final Chance for criminal deeds, she's determined to investigate and put a stop to it. But villains don't like to be crossed--and they're willing to kill to get their way.

Gwendolyn knows she can't quit fighting. More than her own life is on the line if counterfeiters go free. She must find someone she can trust to help her expose the criminals and protect the children under her care.

Charming and chivalrous Secret Service operative Josiah Isaacs has never been able to turn his back on a woman in trouble--and capturing counterfeiters is his job, after all. The danger he's truly worried about is his growing attraction to Gwendolyn when his heart wants to remain faithful to his deceased wife.

As both peril and interest grow, he begins to consider whether a second love may be possible--if they can live through this case. At the same time, he's put off by her faith in a God he no longer trusts. How can a future together even be possible when their beliefs are at odds?

My Review: 

I love a strong heroine who champions the cause of those who are less fortunate, and Gwendolyn Ellison is the epitome of one when she investigates what is happening at the Final Chance House of Refuge. She is determined, fearless, courageous, compassionate, and she trusts God to help her when the opposition threatens her and the children in the home. 

With the fast paced storyline and the threat of the unknown, I found myself hurriedly reading and turning the pages to see what else Gwendolyn and Josiah Isaacs, the Secret Service agent, would uncover. The danger was palpable as it was all around them and I wondered who was friend or foe.

As far as the romance between Gwendolyn and Josiah was concerned, I felt like she did in the timetable of their relationship. I thought it was a good idea that they decided to lengthen their courtship. It was so sweet when Gwendolyn told Josiah, “I am yours for as long as God allows. "

I highly recommend reading this book, and the others in the series. If you like romantic suspense with a strong faith element throughout it, you will love this book. 

I was given a complimentary copy from the publisher, and a positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.

Counter Attack

 

About the Book: 

No sooner has Alexis Stone been sworn in as the interim sheriff for Russell County, Tennessee, when a serial killer dubbed the Queen's Gambit Killer strikes again--this time in her hometown. Pearl Springs is just supposed to be a temporary stop along the way to Alex's real dream: becoming the first female police chief of Chattanooga. But the killer's calling card--a white pawn and a note with a chess move printed on it--cannot be ignored.

Pearl Springs chief of police Nathan Landry can't believe that his high school sweetheart Alexis (he refuses to call her Alex) is back in town, and he can't help wanting to protect the woman he never stopped loving. But as the danger mounts and the killer closes in, can Nathan come through on the promises he makes to himself to bring a killer to justice before it's too late.

My Review: 

Video games on the dark web, a chess game, and a past fatality all come together to create a suspenseful story that will keep you turning the pages. While I was able to figure out who the killer was, I didn’t see the twists that the story took to provide some great surprises. Alex stone was great in her new role as police chief and it will be interesting to read more books in the series.

You will enjoy reading this if you have read books by similar authors such as Elizabeth Goddard or Lynette Eason. I was given a copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All options are my own.

A Heart Worth Stealing

About the Book:

Sowerby, England, 1802

Miss Genevieve Wilde—a magistrate’s daughter and independent heiress—is determined to meet life’s challenges all on her own, just as her late-father had taught her. So when her father’s pocket watch is stolen, she will do anything to get it back, especially when the local authorities prove incompetent.

Upon reading an advertisement in the paper, she takes a chance and contacts a thief-taker to find the watch. It’s a choice Ginny regrets when former Bow Street officer Jack Travers arrives on her doorstep. He is frustratingly flirtatious, irritatingly handsome, and entirely unpredictable, and Ginny wonders if she’ll be able to resist such a man.

But after Ginny discovers that the missing watch is just a small part of a larger, more frightening plot against her, she needs Jack’s help more than ever. To protect her home and her reputation, the two enter into a risky charade—pretending Jack is her cousin so he can begin his investigation, starting with the household staff. As they work together to unravel the mystery, Ginny finds herself falling fast for her charismatic thief-taker, leaving her heart in just as much danger as her life.

 My Review: 

A beloved stolen watch of her late father causes Ginny Wilde to hire Jack Travers to help her track down the thief. As Jack learns more details about the estate, he realizes that Ginny is in danger of much more than a robber. Are the incidents connected, or does Ginny have more enemies than she realized? 

  

Ginny is a young lady who I was rooting for the entire time!  She is so incredibly determined to prove herself capable of keeping the estate going. She has a strong need to continue her father’s legacy and prove she is capable, even using unconventional means such as hiring a thief taker. She has little time for herself and seems like she had to grow up quickly

Jack was a great lead man. He is caring, compassionate, and a fierce protector. He’d be a man that I’d definitely want on my side if I had trouble. “I’ll always be there for you.” is the quote that perfectly describes Jack.

I loved Jack’s family and his shady assistant, Wily. Seeing their relationship to him gave me a more complete picture of what kind of man he was like. I really hope we get to see more of them in future books. It would be so fun to see the Wily and Jack unusual crime solving team in more cases.  

Romance, plot twists, danger, suspense, and mystery make this a book that I am certain I will read again. I highly recommend reading this book. A bonus is there are discussion questions for book clubs, which I really appreciate. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book through the publisher and NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Wait for Me

 

About the Book:; 

When the darkness closes all around,
Beauty is still there just waiting to be found.

Dawson Huxham blames himself for his sister’s death . . . until he briefly crosses time and discovers she’s alive in the Middle Ages. Hoping to reconnect with her, he searches for the holy water that will help him visit the past for a longer duration. But he realizes he’s not the only one looking for the miraculous water. Terrorists are threatening him and watching his every move.

As Dawson locates holy water from an unlikely source, he crosses fully into the past where he meets a beautiful noblewoman, Philippa Neville, who is desperately trying to escape her uncle’s plans for an arranged marriage. When danger closes in, Dawson agrees to wed her in an effort to thwart her uncle’s schemes. As forces in both the present and past conspire against the newlyweds, will they find a way to be together before the swiftly moving waters of time separate them forever?

My Review: 

Dawson Huxham was an angry, embittered man who was in need of a miracle, not only physically, but emotionally and spiritually. At the beginning of the story you see him as a person who only true friends could stand to be around. Acey and Chloe were saints to see him through his tough times. It wasn’t until he hit rock bottom that he realized something had to be done. I loved seeing him change and being given a second chance at life and his relationships in this story. 

Phillipa was truly the person Dawson needed. Her optimism and perspective was restorative and life giving for him. I loved how she showed him to be grateful, to enjoy what is around you, to find beauty in the moment, and to thank God for the little things. What she had experiences was not easy for her, but she chose joy and sharing with Dawson helped him to heal. 

I loved the ending of the story and I don’t think it could have been more perfect. I did have some questions about the pharmaceutical company and also the Hamin that I felt were not answered, but I think this also leaves possibilities for another book or two (please) in the series. 

This is the fourth book  in the Waters of Time series. I’d advise you to read the other three books beforehand in order. The characters from the other stories are in this book and events that have happened in the past will be better understood. 

I was given a copy of this book and was not expected to write a positive review. All opinions are my own. 

The Swindler's Daughter

 

About the Book: 

A surprise inheritance. A cache of family secrets. A choice that will change her life forever.

Lillian Doyle has lived her entire high-society life with her widowed mother, believing her father died long ago. But when news arrives that her estranged father only recently passed away--in jail--Lillian is startled to find that the man has left a business and all of his possessions to her, making her a rather unusual heiress.

When she goes to take possession of her father's house in a backwoods Georgia town, the dilapidated structure is already occupied by another woman who claims it was promised to her son, Jonah. In her attempts to untangle the mess, Lillian will discover not only a family she never knew she had but a family business that is more than meets the eye--and has put a target on her back.

To discover the truth and take hold of the independence she's always dreamed of, she'll have to make friends with adversaries and strangers--especially Jonah, the dusty and unrefined cowboy who has secret aspirations of his own.

My Review: 

Can you imagine the surprise you would have if you received a letter that your recently deceased father has left you his home and business when you thought he had died long ago? Lillian Doyle is given the task of seeing to the details instead of her mother whose primary concern in life is being a part of the socially elite in Atlanta.

Things I loved about the book and think you will too:

    Melanie’s optimism, faith, and her plans for a bakery

    the book store

    hidden items in the inherited house

    the mystery

    extended family

    Jonah’s fierce loyalty and protectiveness of those he loves

    Smushing faces

What I wish I had seen was Lillian asking her aunt about her father. I was curious to know some details about him. What was he like? I was surprised that she didn’t ask because I would have wanted to know all about him if it were me.

I recommend this book and would enjoy seeing what happens with the store, Melanie and her daughters and Lillian's extended family.

I was given a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher and NetGalley and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.