Monday, July 30, 2018

Funeral Potatoes by Joni Hilton

This book about someone in the Relief Society presidency, is a tongue in cheek, and definitely humorous view of the life of many an LDS woman, balancing family, church, and activities to make it all work.  Imperfectionists, as she says, trying to be perfectionists while working hard to achieve their goals.  It was a fun book to read and a light, enjoyable read. Included a recipe of the infamous "funeral potato" dish which so often appears at church functions, not just the funeral.


Saturday, July 28, 2018

This Freedom Journey by Misty M. Beller Heart of the Mountains Series #3

Misty M. Beller is really becoming one of my favorite writers.  In this novella she draws you right in as Adrien Lockman finds his way in a horrible blizzard to a shack where he finds strong-willed Mary, a pregnant, half starved and nearly frozen woman all alone in the wilderness.  It's an exciting book and you won't want to miss reading this.  All the books that I have read from this writer are top-notch.  I will be reading a lot more!

I received an ebook copy from the author.  All thoughts are my own.

Thursday, July 26, 2018

The Scarlet Wedding by Lorana Hoopes Sage Creek Saga Book 1

It was fun to read this clean historical and Christian fiction carrying forth the story of Emma and William.

It was a book sharing that life doesn't always go as planned, but God is there to help when matters are beyond our control.  I liked the Christian themes and the family oriented book.

I am looking forward to the continuation!

I received an ebook copy from the author for my review.  All thoughts are my own.

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

The Hope Jar by Wanda E. Brunstetter

This book was the first in The Prayer Jars series.  I really enjoyed the story of two young women, one a women from an unhappy home and an abusive relationship and the other raised by her formerly Amish mother and a step father. 

As Michelle steps into the role of Sara, somewhat unplanned, her life fills with one lie after another as she keeps the "real" Sara from contacting her grandparents.  It's a pretty interesting book and I will be looking forward to the next book in the series!

I received a complimentary vopy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

Wednesday, July 18, 2018

River of Redemption by Ann H. Gabhart

I have truly enjoyed this author's writings.  This one grabs you from the first and keeps holding your attention to the very end.  What a moving story about a very sweet little girl.  Her story is remarkable.  It's very touching.  You will love how the historical events give you an understanding of the life of many people of that time period.  Each time period has it's own hardships and Cholera definitely was a frightening disease.  The book is so good you won't be able to put it down.

I highly recommend this!

I received an ebook copy of this book from NetGalley.  All thoughts are my own.

Sunday, July 15, 2018

Amish Celebrations by Beth Wiseman

Beautiful cover for a beautiful book.  There are four novellas included in this book and they are all written by Beth Wiseman.  I have enjoyed many of her Amish books in the past and this was another to add to the list of why I enjoy reading books by this author.

All clean and interesting stories that hold your attention and show interesting situations, which were believable and interesting.  I could envision the twin sisters as they found themselves interested in the same guy and how things got a bit rivalous between the two.

I think anyone interested in Amish fiction will enjoy these stories of love of family and friends.

I received an ebook copy from NetGalley.  All thoughts are my own.

Wednesday, July 11, 2018

Minding The Light by Suzanne Woods Fisher

This is book 2 of the Nantucket Legacy Series.  I loved book 1 but book 2 is just amazing.  Such a great book!  Suzanne's books just keep getting better and better.  This story is one that grabs you from the beginning and then you wish you had nothing else to do so that you didn't have to stop reading.

So well written and since I have an ebook, I ran across some historial words that I could readily look up the meaning for.  There is a lot of research that would have had to go into this book.

It's a romance as well as historical and the story of Daphne and Ren is really wonderful.

I am so hoping that this series continues for quite some time!

Good job, Suzanne Woods Fisher!

I received an ebook copy from NetGalley.  All opinions are my own.

Monday, July 9, 2018

The Fashion Designer by Nancy Moser

I believe that this was book 2 of this set of books by Nancy Moser.  It took place in a period of time when women were beginning to try their ways in business, supporting their families and themselves.  Having already read The Pattern Artist from the same author, I was pretty certain that I would also enjoy this book, as well.  And I definitely did.

The women become good friends and well as co-workers despite some large set-backs as they try to forge ahead and get their business started and functioning whikle also maintaining their personal lives, as well.

This was a very good book and I highly recommend it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

Saturday, July 7, 2018

Bear Lake Family Saga Guest Post And Giveaway by Linda Weaver Clarke


Today I am so happy to once again have author Linda Weaver Clarke as a guest on my blog.  This is an author whose books I love to read.  I think the Bear Lake Family Saga Series is probably my favorite of all!  If you haven't had a chance to read this series, I would highly recommend it!

Who is Author Linda Weaver Clarke?

I was raised among the Rocky Mountains of southern Idaho and live in Color Country in southern Utah. I am the author of 23 books. I have several genres that I write in—a Historical Romance series: Bear Lake Family Saga, a Mystery Suspense series: The Adventures of John and Julia Evans, a Cozy Mystery series: Amelia Moore Detective Series, and a Period/Adventure Romance: The Rebel Series. I am also a missionary at the FamilySearch Center. I help people find their ancestors and learn about their heritage.

What draws readers to this historical romance series: Bear Lake Family Saga?

This series has strong female characters who have a destiny to fulfill. Each woman wants to make a difference in someone’s life. No matter the trial that comes her way, she is ready to fight for what she believes. I love the male characters. Even though they are strong and masculine, they have their tender moments that can melt your heart. Bear Lake Family Saga has plenty of adventure along with a tender love story.

What was the inspiration for this series?

My ancestors were my inspiration. I was writing their histories so my children would learn to appreciate their heritage. Their stories were intriguing and full of adventure. When I was done, I decided to write a historical romance series and give these true experiences to my fictional characters.

Give us a brief description of each story in this series?

Melinda and the Wild West (Book 1): Melinda is a schoolteacher. She has many challenges but it’s a rugged rancher who challenges Melinda with the one thing for which she was least prepared—love.

Edith and the Mysterious Stranger (Book 2): Edith is a nurse. When a mysterious stranger starts writing to Edith, she gets to know a man's inner soul before making any harsh judgments. Whoever he is, this man is a mystery but is he as wonderful in person as he is in his letters?

Jenny’s Dream (Book 3): Jenny is an aspiring author. She has a dream to fulfill, but the only thing standing in her way is an unpleasant memory, which has haunted her since childhood. She must learn to forgive before she can follow her dream.

Sarah’s Special Gift (Book 4): Sarah is a beautiful and successful dance teacher but she is not an average young woman. Sarah is deaf, but this does not stop her from living life to its fullest. And it does not stop her from falling in love with a man who needs her help.

Elena, Woman of Courage (Book 5): The Roaring Twenties was a time of great change, when women raised their hemlines and bobbed their hair. As Elena fights to prove herself as the town’s first female doctor, the town’s most eligible bachelor finds it a challenge to see if he can win her heart.

Are your books in audiobook form?

Yes. I have a narrator who is narrating them for Audible. I have one narrator for Melinda and the Wild West, and then changed to a different narrator for the next four. Carolyn Kashner actually sings in Edith and the Mysterious Stranger, and she has such a lovely voice.

Who is the most intriguing character in this series?

I love all my female characters, but I feel that Elena from Elena Woman of Courage is the most interesting. She has to endure a lot of prejudice from the town bully who feels that women doctors have no right to practice medicine. But that isn’t all. This story takes place during the roaring twenties, and Elena has decided to be a part of this new generation by bobbing her hair and raising her hemlines. That takes a lot of courage. Of course, the town’s most eligible bachelor finds her most intriguing. He actually admires her tenacity. I admire Elena, as well.

(For history buffs: Bobbed hair caused a lot of commotion. A teacher in Jersey City was ordered to grow her hair back by the school board or she would be fired. Women with bobbed hair were fired from prestigious department stores without any warning. A preacher pounded the pulpit, saying that a “bobbed woman was a disgraced woman. The raising of hemlines had its problems, as well.)

They developed a new vocabulary during the roaring twenties. What were some of the words you discovered while writing this story?

This was the fun part of writing Elena Woman of Courage. During this time period, they spoke a language foreign to their parents.  Here are some examples.

If you were excited about something, you say: Cat’s pajamas!
If you didn’t agree with someone, you say: Ah, horsefeathers!
If you were a feisty woman, you were referred to as: a bearcat.
If you were an attractive woman, you were referred to as: a doll.
Women were also referred to as: a tomato.
When John wanted to “spoon” with Elena, she said: The bank’s closed.
A woman’s body was referred to as a chassis and her legs were gams.

Where can readers find you?

My website has sample chapters to read: www.lindaweaverclarke.com



To enter the contest, tell me why you love historical romances in the comment area.  Please state in your comment, as well, whether you would prefer an ebook or Audible audiobook.  We will have a winner for both an ebook and an Audible!  The contest will run from now till July 14th, 2018.  Please leave your email address in a safe format so that we can contact you if you are the winner!










Tuesday, July 3, 2018

An Amish Family by Kathleen Fuller

An Amish Family is a book with four novellas by Kathleen Fuller.  These stories are all clean, interesting and relaxing to read.  I enjoyed all four of them!

The individual titles are Building Trust, Surprised by Love, A Gift for Anne Marie and A Heart Full of Love.

Lots of fun and enjoyable reading is packed into each of these stories.  If I was to choose a fave, it would be Surprised by Love.  It was just a really fun story and the characters were really amazing.  You will enjoy all the stories!

I received an ebook copy from NetGalley.  All thoughts are my own.