Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours Book Review: Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey

Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey by Abigail Wilson

Publication Date: May 26, 2020

Thomas Nelson

Paperback & eBook; 336 Pages

Genre: Historical/Regency/Christian

In this new Regency romance, Elizabeth knows she must protect her heart from the charm of her new husband, Lord Torrington. She is not, however, prepared to protect her life. When the widowed Lord Torrington agreed to spy for the crown, he never planned to impersonate a highwayman, let alone rob the wrong carriage. Stranded on the road with an unconscious young woman, he is forced to propose marriage to protect his identity and her reputation, as well as his dangerous mission. Trapped not only by her duty to her country but also by her limited options as an unwed mother, Miss Elizabeth Cantrell and her infant son are whisked away to Middlecrest Abbey by none other than the elder brother of her son’s absent father. There she is met by Torrington’s beautiful grown daughters, a vicious murderer, and an urgent hunt for the missing intelligence that could turn the war with France. Meanwhile she must convince everyone that her marriage is a genuine love match if her new husband has any hope of uncovering the enemy. Determined to keep her son’s true identity a secret, Elizabeth will need to remain one step ahead of her fragile heart, her uncertain future, and the relentless fiend bent on her new family’s ruin.

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Review: I want to take a few minutes so just gush about that gorgeous cover, just because it is so flipping beautiful!!!

I have to also add, I love the Regency period. The first adult romances I read were Candlelight Regencies, that I stole off my mama.

This is a wonderful book to escape away from the troubles of the modern world, which is just what I needed, especially as reading as been a challenge for me lately. Adrian and Elizabeth are two wonderful characters. I love that Elizabeth is an unwed mother. It gives a different spin on this genre. Both are keeping secrets from the other as they enter into a marriage of convenience. Elizabeth's secret is a bit more tricky, though not at all dastardly.

If you are expecting a hearts and flowers romance, this is not the book for you. This is really a wonderful regency mystery. The affection that grows between Adrain and Elizabeth as a result of their quicky marriage is more an after thought.

Upon arriving at Middlecrest, Adrian's eldest daughter suffers the loss of her fiance, which turns out to be more than a simple accident.

The story takes off from there as Elizabeth's relationship with Adrian and his two grown daughters, changes and grows. The dynamic of this story was perfect, as Adrain's daughters treat her as you would expect them to treat a step mama.

The ending was a bit of a shocker for me, though I think I saw it coming at some point.

It definitely was a very satisfying read for lovers of regency era fiction and mysteries.

Rating: 5 flowers

About the Author

Abigail Wilson combines her passion for Regency England with intrigue and adventure to pen historical mysteries with a heart. A registered nurse, chai tea addict, and mother of two crazy kids, Abigail fills her spare time hiking the national parks, attending her daughter’s gymnastic meets, and curling up with a great book. In 2017, Abigail won WisRWA’s Fab Five contest and in 2016, ACFW’s First Impressions contest as well as placing as a 2017 finalist in the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense. She is a cum laude graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and currently lives in Dripping Springs, Texas, with her husband and children.

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Blog Tour Schedule

Tuesday, May 26 Review at Bitch Bookshelf Review at The Green Mockingbird Wednesday, May 27 Review at Historical Fiction with Spirit Thursday, May 28 Review at Gwendalyn's Books Friday, May 29 Review at Heidi Reads Review at Amy's Booket List Saturday, May 30 Feature at Journey in Bookland Feature at What Is That Book About Sunday, May 31 Review & Excerpt at Robin Loves Reading Monday, June 1 Review at Probably at the Library Interview at Jorie Loves A Story Tuesday, June 2 Feature at I'm All About Books Feature at Just One More Chapter Wednesday, June 3 Review at Rhodie Girl Reads Review at Rejoice in Reading Thursday, June 4 Review at Jessica Belmont Review at A Chick Who Reads Friday, June 5 Review at View from the Birdhouse Review at Foals, Fiction and Filigree

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, we are giving away 5 paperback copies of Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey! To enter, please use the Gleam form below. Giveaway Rules – Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on June 5th. You must be 18 or older to enter. – Paperback giveaway is open to the US only. – Only one entry per household. – All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspicion of fraud will be decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion. – The winner has 48 hours to claim prize or a new winner is chosen. Middlecrest Abbey

TLC Book Tours Book Review: The Painted Letter Bookshop

About The Printed Letter Bookshop

Paperback: 336 Pages

Publisher: Thomas Nelson (May 14, 2019)

Love, friendship, and family find a home at the Printed Letter Bookshop.

SYNOPSIS:

Love, friendship, and family find a home at the Printed Letter Bookshop.

One of Madeline Cullen’s happiest childhood memories is of working with her Aunt Maddie in the quaint and cozy Printed Letter Bookshop. But by the time Madeline inherits the shop nearly twenty years later, family troubles and her own bitter losses have hardened her heart toward her once-treasured aunt—and the now struggling bookshop left in her care.

While Madeline intends to sell the shop as quickly as possible, the Printed Letter’s two employees have other ideas. Reeling from a recent divorce, Janet finds sanctuary within the books and within the decadent window displays she creates. Claire, though quieter than the acerbic Janet, feels equally drawn to the daily rhythms of the shop and its loyal clientele, finding a renewed purpose within its walls. When Madeline’s professional life takes an unexpected turn, and a handsome gardener upends all her preconceived notions, she questions her plans and her heart. She begins to envision a new path for herself and her aunt’s beloved shop—provided the women’s best combined efforts are not too little, too late.

The Printed Letter Bookshop is a captivating story of good books, a testament to the beauty of new beginnings, and a sweet reminder of the power of friendship.

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Review:  This was a perfect light read for me after some trips down some different genres. It was nice to read a family/friend oriented book for once. This is Christian fiction but there's nothing preachy about it. The main theme, you'll find in this book, however is forgiveness.

When Madeline finds her aunt has left her The Printed Letter Bookshop, she's a bit gobsmacked. She hasn't had much contact with her and she's a lawyer, not a shop owner. Fate has other plans for Madeline though. Her life doesn't turn out quite how she planned it and the bookshop starts to take over her life. She also meets someone that changes things for her.

Its hard to describe some of the things that happen in Madeline's life without giving away the plot, but suffice to say she has some choices to make and she has things to learn.

Then there's Claire and Janet, two very different women that work for her. Both of them come with a unique set of problems too. But isn't that life? I really loved how their life and problems all managed to get entwined with the bookshop. Those problems are heartbreaking to say the least. This book has so many "feels" in it.

There are some happy moments too, especially with Janet at the end and Madeline as she works to find balance as her career isn't quite how it started.

There was a lot of friendship and love in this book, as well as forgiveness...so much forgiveness. I only wish Madeline would have been able to talk to her aunt, because Maddie was definitely a good soul and it had to be heartbreaking to know someone truly loved you, but because of a misunderstanding you pushed them aside.

Its really a sweet touching read that will stay with you for a long time after you finish it.

Rating: 5 flowers

TLC Book Tours Book Review: Secrets at Cedar Cabin

Author: Colleen Coble
Title: Secrets at Cedar Cabin
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Publish Date: Jan 22, 2019
Buy: Amazon
Book Blurb: 
From USA TODAY bestselling author Colleen Coble comes the third book in her beloved Lavender Tides series.

Her mother lied about her identity and her husband wasn’t who she thought he was—can Bailey even trust herself anymore?

Running for her life in the wake of her mother’s murder, Bailey Fleming escapes to the only place she can think of—a remote, dilapidated cabin in Lavender Tides. Intending to finally get to the truth behind the lies of her past, Bailey only finds more questions when bodies are discovered near her cabin hideout along with traces of a dangerous human trafficking ring. In an unlikely partnership with FBI agent Lance Phoenix, Bailey races to understand the mystery surrounding her life and circumstances before the murderer tracks her down.

Meanwhile, Lance is determined to rescue his sister, Ava, who was abducted after running away from home as a teenager. An unexpected lead brings him to the remote cabin, and he wonders if Bailey—with her suspicious past and strange connections to his sister’s case—is really who she claims to be and if she can somehow lead him to Ava.

Review:  This book was the kind that when you start it, you won't be able to put down. I felt much the same way about The House at Saltwater Point which was a pretty amazing book.

In this book a nurse, Bailey Fleming is forced to give up her life when her mother is murdered and that murderer seems to be ready to kill her as well.

The Secrets at Cedar Cabin is book 3 in the Lavender Tides series. If you've followed the series, you'll meet a lot of familiar faces here. Lance, Grayson, Shauna and Ellie are all here as Bailey tries to figure out the mystery of her past, while Lance and company try to break up a human trafficking ring that just may have something to do with the disappearance of his sister Ava 5 years prior.

Bailey figures in with Grayson and Shauna's past who are siblings reunited in previous books.

The suspense builds from the very beginning and as more of the trafficking ring is revealed things really heat up.

The only issue I had with this book was the crazy amount of points of view that Colleen had going on. I understand that it helped tie things together with the story lines from the other books in the series, but it did make things a bit confusing at times.

Bailey's story was definitely an interesting one, even without the parts we know from the other books in this series. She's smart, kind and loyal. Her attachment to Lily really gives the reader the "feels." Though her health diagnosis was a bit unbelievable but necessary for a HEA.

Colleen Coble really is a master of  the Christian thriller. God and faith are important to the characters but faith doesn't carry the story.  This book kept me on the edge of my seat, worrying about what might happen to Bailey and would Ava and her family be reunited.

It was the perfect conclusion to this series.

Rating: 5 flowers

TLC Book Tours Book Review: The House At Saltwater Point

Author: Colleen Coble
Title: The House at Saltwater Point
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Publish Date: July 3, 2018
Book Blurb: Ellie Blackmore is making a name for herself as a young house flipper. But when her sister disappears, she can’t focus on anything but finding out what really happened. Blood on the floor might indicate that MacKenzie was killed and her body was removed.

Ellie is at odds with Grayson Bradshaw, the handsome Coast Guard intelligence officer who thinks MacKenzie faked her own death and is off enjoying her ill-gotten gains: billions of dollars in cocaine.

They both want the truth, but truth—and family—is often more complex than it may first appear.

Purchase Links

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Review: The House at Saltwater Point is a good example of what a Christian Thriller should be like. This was a character driven mystery that was unputdownable. (I love that word)

It wasn't without flaws though. Allow me to discuss those.

1. Ellie takes Grayson to Smokey's which is a BBQ joint and there's a picture of Paul McCartney on the wall, as in this is a place where he's eaten. Uh, erm. NO! I was checking under all the rocks I could find because I'm sure Colleen was living under one, because it's common knowledge that PAUL MCCARTNEY IS A VEGAN and has been that or a vegetarian for 40 years!

2. Ellie was way too good to be true in her feelings about her sister. I don't know how anyone could have that much faith in someone when presented with compelling evidence against her. I couldn't have that much faith in my sister if it looked like she did what Mac did.

3. Grayson having strange recollections of Lavender Tides, when he hasn't been there since he was two years old. I realize that some people can have some memories of their childhood, but this? Uh no, not believable. Of course, his backstory is really out there. Its fantastic, but it is out there.

I'm going to get away from those things now and say, I really enjoyed the story, because I loved Grayson and Ellie. Even though I though Ellie was a bit over the top in her loyalty, that's a trait to be admired. I also loved Grayson's back story as he discovered a family he didn't know he had. I loved how Shauna and her husband Zach were trying to reunite her family. I hope in future books we see Grayson reuniting with all of his family. I hope he finds it in his heart to forgive his adoptive mother at some point.

There was all of this going on with the disappearance of Ellie's sister and some cocaine that was stolen from the Coast Guard. Toss in some terrorists and a bomb oh and tall ships and this is really a book that is a page turner from start to finish.

It wasn't a perfect read, but it was a good one, and I won't hesitate to revisit this author.

Rating: 4 flowers

TLC Book Tour Book Review: The Love Letter

Author: Rachel Hauck
Title: The Love Letter
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Publish Date: June 12, 2018
Buy: Amazon
Book Blurb: Romance has never been actress Chloe Daschle’s forte—in life or on screen. But everyone knows who to call for a convincing death scene . . . and it might be killing her career.

When Chloe is given a peek at the script for an epic love story, she decides to take her destiny into her own hands and request an audition for the lead female role, Esther Kingsley. The compelling tale, inspired by family lore and a one-page letter from the colonial ancestor of scriptwriter Jesse Gates, just might break her out of this career-crippling rut. Jesse would rather write about romance than live through it after his past relationship ended in disaster. But once on-set together, the chemistry between Jesse and his leading lady is hard to deny.

Centuries earlier, in the heart of the Revolutionary War, Hamilton Lightfoot and Esther Longfellow wrote their saga off the silver screen. Esther’s Loyalist father opposes any relationship with Hamilton, but Esther must face her beloved father’s disapproval and the dangers of war in order to convince Hamilton of their future together. Hamilton has loved Esther for years, and on the eve of battle pens the love letter she’s always wanted—something straight from the heart.

Set in stunning upcountry South Carolina, The Love Letter is a beautifully crafted story of the courage it takes to face down fear and chase after love, even in the darkest of times. And just maybe, all these generations later, love can come home in a way not even Hollywood could imagine.

Review: I've read two of Rachel Hauck's previous books, The Wedding Dress and The Writing Desk and both were 5 flower reads for me, so I was excited to read The Love Letter, especially after reading the blurb. I love family sagas with a touch of mystery.

I wish I could say this book impressed me as much as the other two books. The story was told in present day as well as from Hamilton and Esther during the Revolutionary war. That was the part of the story I liked the most.

The story in the present wasn't quite what I wanted. Trying to decide if I could believe in a religious actress was a bit much for me. Of course, when I think of religious people in Hollywood, I get a creepy feeling.

I like my Hollywood stories to be more tough and gritty or more like the Jackie Collins variety. I've never really dealt well with sweet romance and Hollywood types, because we live in a TMZ world where we get to see everyone's dirty laundry at all times. Sure there are people of faith in Hollywood, but they aren't interesting and I think that's what has happened with Chloe. She's not interesting, at least when paired with Hamilton and Esther's story.

What I liked about Rachel's other books was that they didn't come across as preachy, but sadly this book is way too ...I'm not sure what word I'm looking for but it was more than faith based. It was a bit obnoxious, especially at the end. Honeymoon or not when you are up for an award I think most actresses would be present.

Now Esther and Hamilton's story was perfect. Its really the reason to finish this book. My heart broke for these two characters so many times. I loved learning what happened to them, even though the ending was a bit hokey.

Overall this was a good read, but only because I loved Hamilton and Esther so much.

Rating: 3 flowers

TLC Book Tours Book Reviews: A Solace Of Water

About The Solace of Water

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (June 5, 2018)

“Younts has set herself apart with this exquisite story of friendship and redemption . . . I’ll be talking about this book for years to come.” —Rachel Hauck, New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding Dress

In a time of grief and heartache, an unlikely friendship provides strength and solace.

After leaving her son’s grave behind in Montgomery, Alabama, Delilah Evans has little faith that moving to her husband’s hometown in Pennsylvania will bring a fresh start. Enveloped by grief and doubt, the last thing Delilah imagines is becoming friends with her reclusive Amish neighbor, Emma Mullet—yet the secrets that keep Emma isolated from her own community bond her to Delilah in delicate and unexpected ways.

Delilah’s eldest daughter, Sparrow, bears the brunt of her mother’s pain, never allowed for a moment to forget she is responsible for her brother’s death. When tensions at home become unbearable for her, she seeks peace at Emma’s house and becomes the daughter Emma has always wanted. Sparrow, however, is hiding secrets of her own—secrets that could devastate them all.

With the white, black, and Amish communities of Sinking Creek at their most divided, there seems to be little hope for reconciliation. But long-buried hurts have their way of surfacing, and Delilah and Emma find themselves facing their own self-deceptions. Together they must learn how to face the future through the healing power of forgiveness.

Eminently relevant to the beauty and struggle in America today, The Solace of Water offers a glimpse into the turbulent 1950s and reminds us that friendship rises above religion, race, and custom—and has the power to transform a broken heart.

Purchase Links

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Review: I have to admit that the idea of a historical Amish novel really intrigued me. Add an African American family that has experienced a great loss and I'm really intrigued. I've read many novels that have main characters that are Amish, this is the first book where another main character wasn't white. This made this book very different.

Its two very different families, each with their own set of very big problems. The setting is a small town in Pennsylvania in the 1950s.

The story is told in three separate points of view, Emma, the Amish woman, Delilah, the African American woman and lastly, Sparrow, Delilah's daughter. The two families have similarities and differences. Both women's husbands were preachers. Both families also have secrets.

I understood the grief that Delilah was dealing with, but her treatment of her daughter, angered me so much that I really hated this character and I didn't want to. She lost a child tragically and  head her daughter responsible, but I really found Delilah to be unnecessarily cruel to borderline abusive towards Sparrow.

Emma's problems are very different, and the way the Amish were portrayed in this book was different from the shiny happy versions of Amish life that I'm used to reading. There wasn't a lot of talk about faith and the community didn't feel as close knit as what I'm used to reading about. My only issue on Emma's part of the story had to do with her way of avoiding having children. 

Yet through the problems both families are dealing with the two families seem to be coming together in ways neither of them want. 

There's also a matter of racial tensions in small town America that really come to a head, proving that things weren't all great in the north either.

This was a very unique read, full of gut wrenching emotion that's often a little bit uncomfortable in the issues that it deals with, but oh so great a read.

Rating: 5 flowers

About Elizabeth Byler Younts

Elizabeth Byler Younts gained a worldwide audience through her first book Seasons: A Real Story of an Amish Girl and is a RITA nominated writer. She is also the author of The Promise of Sunrise series. She has consulted on Amish lifestyle and the Pennsylvania Dutch dialect two award-winning television shows. Elizabeth lives in Central Pennsylvania with her husband, two daughters, and a cockapoo named Fable.

Connect with Elizabeth

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TLC Book Tours Book Review: Where Hope Begins

About Where Hope Begins

Paperback: 368 pages

Publisher: Thomas Nelson (May 22, 2018)

Sometimes we’re allowed to glimpse the beauty within the brokenness . . .

Savannah Barrington has always found solace at her parents’ lake house in the Berkshires, and it’s the place that she runs to when her husband of over twenty years leaves her. Though her world is shaken, and the future uncertain, she finds hope through an old woman’s wisdom, a little girl’s laughter, and a man who’s willing to risk his own heart to prove to Savannah that she is worthy of love.

But soon Savannah is given a challenge she can’t run away from: Forgiving the unforgivable. Amidst the ancient gardens and musty bookstores of the small town she’s sought refuge in, she must reconcile with the grief that haunts her, the God pursuing her, and the wounds of the past that might be healed after all.

Where Hope Begins is the story of grace in the midst of brokenness, pointing us to the miracles that await when we look beyond our own expectations.

Purchase Links

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Review: Where Hope Begins is a hard book for me to review. I really enjoy Christian fiction when it doesn't feel preachy to me. From the beginning of the book, even though Savannah is struggling with her faith, there's this underlying feeling that things have to be done in the way its intended.

The book opens with Savannah's husband leaving her. He's been having an affair. For me this is an absolute deal breaker, but as you listen to the tone of her friend Beth and later Clarice, you know that the by the end of the book Kevin is likely going to still be her husband.

Thankfully the book is more than just a failed marriage. There's a tragedy that starts the ball rolling at breaking this family and as that story unfolds some of the actions the characters take make a little more sense. It still doesn't make an affair any less forgivable for me, but it makes Kevin's action a little more understandable.

I had a love/hate relationship with Savannah. She went through a lot, more than most could stand, but she was hard for me to like at times.  There is so much drama in this book, including a budding relationship with a neighbor, who is keeping his own secrets.

At times I felt like the drama was for the sake of having something bad happen, because there is just so much that happens. Its really hard to imagine all the bad things that happened to this family.

Yet as this fractured family starts to come back together I really found myself liking the book more. I really loved Brock and Maysie and the strange part they play in Savannah's story. I loved Brock so much and it is his part of the story that just tore my heart to shreds. The ending had me wanting to toss the book across the room, because I wanted EVERYONE to have a HEA. However, I'm glad that the author didn't do something that would be totally unbelievable, well except for the guardian angel thing which was a little bizarre.

This book was an emotional roller coaster from start to finish and it may just have you shedding a few tears along the way.

Rating: 4 flowers

TLC Book Tours Book Review: The Weaver's Daughter

About The Weaver’s Daughter

Paperback: 368 pages

Publisher: Thomas Nelson (April 10, 2018)

Kate’s loyalties bind her to the past. Henry’s loyalties compel him to strive for a better future. In a landscape torn between tradition and vision, can two souls find the strength to overcome their preconceptions?

Loyalty has been at the heart of the Dearborne family for as long as Kate can remember, but a war is brewing in their small village, one that has the power to rip families asunder — including her own. As misguided actions are brought to light, she learns how deep her father’s pride and bitterness run, and she begins to wonder if her loyalty is well-placed.

Henry Stockton, heir to the Stockton fortune, returns home from three years at war hoping to find a refuge from his haunting memories. Determined to bury the past, he embraces his grandfather’s goals to modernize his family’s wool mill, regardless of the grumblings from the local weavers. When tragedy strikes shortly after his arrival, Henry must sort out the truth from suspicion if he is to protect his family’s livelihood and legacy.

Henry has been warned about the Dearborne family. Kate, too, has been advised to stay far away from the Stocktons, but chance meetings continue to bring her to Henry’s side, blurring the jagged lines between loyalty, justice, and truth. Kate ultimately finds herself with the powerful decision that will forever affect her village’s future. As unlikely adversaries, Henry and Kate must come together to find a way to create peace for their families, and their village, and their souls – even if it means risking their hearts in the process.

‘Ladd continues to write refreshing Regency romance with a spotlight on the working-class countryside life as opposed to the ballrooms and bustle of London. . . the Romeo-and-Juliet-esque romance between Kate and Henry is perfectly paced and dimensional. . .’ (RT Book Reviews, 4 1/2 stars, TOP PICK)

Purchase Links

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Review: This was a wonderful Regency era novel. Kate is "The Weaver's Daughter" Henry is the grandson of the mill owner. They are a sort of Romeo and Juliet kind of couple, with both of their families feuding for many years.

Both characters are very well developed and the secondary characters are just as important to the story, from Fredrica Pellington to Henry's sister, Mollie who is having a baby out of wedlock. I love that they are bringing real life issues to a Christian romance.

Now I realize that a child out of wedlock may offend some "Christian" readers, but this is something that happens. Does it make a person bad? No, it does not. It means this character, like many people, have faults and flaws. Why shouldn't Christian fiction deal with things that happen in real life, and why shouldn't Mollie seek forgiveness, though other than the lies she told to protect herself, I didn't see her doing anything terrible.

Both Henry and Kate showed great courage, standing up to people that wanted them to do things that went against their moral code, even if it was someone they cared for, or who was a lifelong friend.

There's a dark underlying current to this story, with tensions running high between the workers and all of the mill owners.

I was really surprised that Frederica didn't cause more problems than she did.

The ending came as quite a surprise to me all the way around, from the uncovering of Henry's grandfather's killer to Kate's father.

This was an absolutely amazing book especially if you are looking for something outside of the usual balls and stories about gowns. 

This is definitely a must read!

Rating: 5 flowers

TLC Book Tours Book Review: Becoming The Talbot Sisters

Author: Rachel Linden
Title: Becoming The Talbot Sisters
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Publish Date: May 1, 2018
Buy: Amazon
Book Blurb: Twin sisters Waverly and Charlie Talbot have drifted far apart as they pursue opposite dreams of stardom and service to the poor. On an astonishing journey across Central Europe, they must come together to face their fears, find their courage and fight for what they love.

Celebrity chef Waverly Ross has built a successful career with her home-entertaining show Simply Perfect. Yet she and her husband, Andrew, have never been able to realize the true desire of Waverly’s heart: to become a mother. Meanwhile Waverly’s twin sister, Charlie Talbot, buries her bitter disappointment and shattered idealism beneath a life spent serving others as an international aid worked in Budapest, Hungary.

When the beloved aunt who raised them passes away, Waverly and Charlie come together in their grief after living years on separate continents. Struck by a fierce desire to bridge the distance between them, Charlie offers Waverly and her husband the selfless gift of surrogacy.

But soon the sisters find they are each in danger of losing their jobs, seemingly putting their dreams on hold once again. When Waverly shows up unannounced in Budapest with a plan to rescue Simply Perfect, the sisters embark on an adventure across Central Europe that could save them both from occupational hazards. Though the twins haven’t had to rely on each other since childhood, an unforeseen dangerous turn in their journey across Europe forces them to stand together to save their careers, the baby, and each other.

Review: I love books about sisters, but if you were thinking you were going to get a pretty family drama full of hearts and flowers, you might be in for a surprise. Don't get me wrong, there's some lovely family bonding in this book, but there's a lot more to it than that going on.

Charlie and Waverly are two very different women and its hard to believe they are twin sisters. Waverly is a Food Network chef who doesn't like the Pioneer Woman. (I have to say I adored that part of her, because I hate the Pioneer Woman too).  A little aside that bugged me, every time Rachael Ray was mentioned, her name wasn't spelled correctly.  Charlie works in Budapest helping women, she seems to be carrying on her late father's work.

When their aunt who raised them passes away, the two have a chance to reconnect after many years. Its when Charlie learns that her sister can't conceive and offers to be her surrogate.

I have to admit, I can't imagine being that selfless for my sister, or for anyone else for that matter. Charlie and Waverly both go through changes during the course of the pregnancy. Charlie learning about the changes in her body and Waverly becoming obsessed with being a mom at last, which puts a strain on her marriage. To make matters worse, both have issues going on in their careers, not to mention the fact that Charlie helped to save some women who were involved in human trafficking.

Things get really.."REAL" when they find themselves kidnapped. So yeah, I wasn't expecting that. All of this happens when Charlie is getting ready to give birth. Oh and in the course of the rescue another child enters Waverly's life. Oh and the thing the kidnappers make Waverly do, is hilarious in the grand scheme of kidnapping.

The ending for me was a little bit hurried. It all happened so fast with the rescue and then Charlie and the baby and Jonah, the doctor that worked with her.

So, yeah, this is not your typical sisterly novel, but its a fabulous book that is, and I hate to use this word, unputdownable.

Rating: 4 flowers

TLC Book Tours Book Review: Hurricane Season

About Hurricane Season

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (April 3, 2018)

From the author of the USA Today bestseller The Hideaway comes another story of families and mending the past.

Betsy and Ty Franklin, owners of Franklin Dairy Farm in southern Alabama, have long since buried their desire for children of their own. While Ty manages their herd of dairy cows, Betsy busies herself with the farm’s day-to-day operations and tries to forget her dream of motherhood. But when her free-spirited sister, Jenna, drops off her two young daughters for “just two weeks,” Betsy’s carefully constructed wall of self-protection begins to crumble.

As the two weeks stretch deeper into the Alabama summer, Betsy and Ty learn to navigate the new additions in their world—and revel in the laughter that now fills their home. Meanwhile, record temperatures promise to usher in the most active hurricane season in decades.

Attending an art retreat four hundred miles away, Jenna is fighting her own battles. She finally has time and energy to focus on her photography, a lifelong ambition. But she wonders how her rediscovered passion can fit in with the life she’s made back home as a single mom.

When Hurricane Ingrid aims a steady eye at the Alabama coast, Jenna must make a decision that will change her family’s future, even as Betsy and Ty try to protect their beloved farm and their hearts. Hurricane Season is the story of one family’s unconventional journey to healing—and t; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.4848px; padding: 10px;">

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Review: Hurricane Season is really a beautiful book and that's not just the cover, I'm talking about. Its a book about two sisters  that are very different.  Jenna was a wild child, now a single mom and Betsy is a farmer's wife, and the more stable of the two.

Each are in very different parts of their lives.

The sister scenario is something I'm seeing a lot of lately in books, especially with sisters that are polar opposites. Neither are exceptionally likable. They are both very human and the reader should feel a certain amount of pity for each of them. Jenna, because her life is not very put together, but she is trying, while having two small daughters to take care of and it seems her dreams of being a photographer are slipping away.

Betsy is the stable one, trying desperately to have a child with her husband, Ty. Because of a photography camp, she finds herself with her sister's kids for the summer. This is both a joy and a trial for her.

I loved experiencing both women as they grow through those months, whether that growth be for career or family. By the end of the book, you will find yourself really caring for both women and their families. I especially loved Ty, Betsy's husband, but its the children in this book that steal the show and are the reason the adults all become better people. Addie and Walsh were perfectly quirky kids. (I would have loved to have a story behind that child's name).

The ending was bittersweet. It wraps things up but leaves things open at the same time. Part of me wants Ms. Denton to revisit these characters somewhere down the line, because I want to know what happens to them. Will Jenna and Sam finally try a relationship? Will she succeed with her photography? Will Betsy and Ty become blessed with a child of their own?

I adored this book. 

Rating: 5 flowers

TLC Book Tours Book Review: Steal Away Home

About Steal Away Home

Paperback: 400 pages

Publisher: Thomas Nelson (January 2, 2018)

“This is a powerful story of grief, love, forgiveness, and holy mystery, and I loved it. Billy Coffey is a master storyteller.” —Lauren Denton, USA Today bestselling author of The Hideaway

Owen Cross grew up with two loves: one a game, the other a girl. One of his loves ruined him. Now he’s counting on the other to save him.

Owen Cross’s father is a hard man, proud in his brokenness, who wants nothing more than for Owen to succeed where he failed. With his innate talents and his father’s firm hand guiding him, Owen goes to college with dreams of the major leagues—and an emptiness full of a girl named Micky Dullahan.

Owen loved Micky from the first time they met on the hill between their two worlds: his middle-class home and her troubled Shantytown. Years later he leaves her for the dugouts and the autographs, but their days together follow him. When he finally returns home, he discovers that even peace comes at a cost. And that the hardest things to say are to the ones we love the most.

From bestselling author Billy Coffey comes a haunting story of small-town love, blinding ambition, and the risk of giving it all for one last chance.

“In one evening, a single baseball game, Coffey invites us into a lifetime. With lyrical prose and aching description we join Owen Cross on a journey of love, loss, faith, the unexpected—and America’s favorite pastime.” —Katherine Reay, author of Dear Mr. Knightley and The Austen Escape

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Review: I'm hard pressed for words to describe this book. There's romance between Owen and Micky, the girl from the wrong side of town. There's family drama with his family and with Micky's as the town is very much segregated between have's and have nots.

We see parts of the story told through Owen's memories as he is playing is likely one time game in the major league.

This book is weird. Its good, but oh is it weird. I often found myself thinking "This is why men don't write much good romance." Then I thought, but this isn't a real romance, at least not in the conventional sense. I

I loved seeing Owen and Micky through the years and how their relationship progressed and what happened after the prom. There's a certain amount of mystery there, as you learn about the events of their prom night and graduation.

I've finished the book, and truth be told, I'm not exactly sure what happened.

This is more than boy meets girl from the wrong side of the tracks. Its more than a book that through some strange turn of events ends up rooted with some sort of spirituality. Its more than a book about a boy that loves a girl and baseball.

Perhaps that's what this book was about, "something more."

This book was beautifully written and an easy read. It left me puzzled more often then not, especially the ending, but I think that was really what Mr. Coffey intended.

Rating: 5 flowers

TLC Book Tours Book Review: The Austen Escape

,.About The Austen Escape

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (November 7, 2017)

Love Jane Austen? Then you’ll adore The Austen Escape.

Falling into the past will change their futures forever.

Mary Davies finds safety in her ordered and productive life. Working as an engineer, she genuinely enjoys her job and her colleagues – particularly a certain adorable and intelligent consultant. But something is missing. When Mary’s estranged childhood friend, Isabel Dwyer offers her a two-week stay in a gorgeous manor house in England, she reluctantly agrees in hopes that the holiday will shake up her quiet life in just the right ways.

But Mary gets more than she bargained for when Isabel loses her memory and fully believes she lives in Jane Austen’s Bath. While Isabel rests and delights in the leisure of a Regency lady, attended by the other costume-clad guests, Mary uncovers startling truths about their shared past, who Isabel was, who she seems to be, and the man who now stands between them.

Outings are undertaken, misunderstandings play out, and dancing ensues as this company of clever, well-informed people, who have a great deal of conversation, work out their lives and hearts.

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Review:  This was such a great book. I can't say that I am an Austen fan, but I am a fan of books that involve books or book lovers, and the thought of an Austen themed escape, well that's awesome. It reminded me of the theme of the film Austenland. 

Mary and Isabel are longtime friends, but they are friends with a history. They aren't perfect BFFs. There are jealousies and hard feelings over things in the past. It is easy to love Mary, who is an all around good person. Then there's Isabel, who isn't quite so nice or well liked. She's actually not very likable at all, but you feel bad for her, because she has had a really bad childhood. By bad childhood,I mean a totally awful one that leaves you scarred for life.

To finish her dissertation, Isabel is going to Bath to an Austen escape at Braithwaite House and she wangles Mary into going as well. Mary is having trouble with her tech job, so getting out of Austin for a little Austen escape is good for her too.

Mary easily makes friends with the other guests as well as Gertrude and Sophia who work at Braithwaite. I love the secondary characters that really bring the story to life. Their love of Jane Austen and her stories makes you want to read her novels again or for a first time if you haven't already.

Soon after arriving Isabel loses her memory. This is what makes the story so interesting. In her mind, as she's dressed in period clothes and taking part in an Austen "escape" she becomes her character, which as you learn more about Isabel is better than her actual life.

Enter the love interests. Grant for Isabel and Nathan for Mary. Nathan is someone that was working at WATT. Nathan is just fabulous in a quiet sort of way. He's perfect for Mary. I liked that the romance was subdued in this book for both characters, yet both men helped them find themselves and helped them with who they are.

The ending was priceless. Just enough misunderstandings and changes that always happen in romances, but with the perfect happily ever after we all want.

This book was about friendship, forgiveness and Austen. It can't get much better than this.

This book was fabulous!

Rating: 5 flowers

About Katherine Reay

Katherine Reay has enjoyed a life-long affair with the works of Jane Austen and her contemporaries—who provide constant inspiration both for writing and for life. She is the author of three previous novels, and her debut, Dear Mr. Knightley, was a 2014 Christy Award Finalist, winner of the 2014 INSPY Award for Best Debut, and winner of two Carol Awards for Best Debut and Best Contemporary. Katherine holds a BA and MS from Northwestern University and is a wife, mother, runner, and tae kwon do black belt. After living all across the country and a few stops in Europe, Katherine and her family recently moved back to Chicago. Visit her on line at katherinereay.com.

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