Summer Reading {Book Reviews}

While we’ve been busy with school (we school year round), trips, gardening and canning, etc. I always make time for reading! And this Summer, I have read some great new books that I’m glad to share with you!

The Heart’s Pursuit by Robin Lee Hatcher

Book Review The Hearts Pursuit

So, I know you shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover, but this one is beautiful! And, since I’m a big fan of the author, Robin Lee Hatcher, I felt pretty comfortable choosing to read it :)

The Heart’s Pursuit is a story of redemption.

A jilted bride desperate to save her family from ruin.
A bounty hunter seeking vengeance for a ravaged past.
An arduous trek toward justice–or redemption.

I love reading stories of characters going through the worst moments of their lives, and seeing how those moments can be redeemed. It is just so inspiring to me. The characters are well-rounded, and very real. Robin Lee Hatcher has a gift for being able to tackle very serious and difficult issues without coming across as trite, and she does that well in this book, as Jared (the bounty hunter) is looking for someone guilty of some very heinous crimes. She deals with these issues respectfully while also meeting them head on. She also deals with the issues of revenge vs. justice, showing this through her characters, in a non-preachy way.

Although Robin Lee Hatcher does tackle some tough issues, the book is still lighthearted and enjoyable, while being encouraging and inspirational to the reader.

Four Weddings and a Kiss

Book Review Four Weddings and a Kiss

I have been loving novellas lately. It’s so convenient for a busy mom to be able to read the whole story in one sitting without staying up until 3 am. *ahem* not that I’ve ever done that or anything.

So, when 4 of my favorite authors come together with a collection of stories, it is just irresistible! Four Weddings and a Kiss offers four related stories that are each distinct. (PS–if you are purchasing the kindle version, you’ll save a couple bucks by purchasing the stories individually.)

“Spitfire Sweetheart” by Mary Connealy
Maizy Place is an unruly tomboy. When she causes an accident, injuring neighbor Rylan Carstens, she becomes his unlikely caregiver. Rylan has never noticed how pretty his infuriating neighbor is, and he never expected to fall in love.
“Love Letter to the Editor” by Robin Lee Hatcher
Molly Everton is the outspoken daughter of the town newspaper’s owner. When her father brings in an outsider to be editor, she tries to drive him out of town. But Jack Ludgrove is not intimidated. He’s resolved to change Molly’s mind about him–as an editor and as a man.
“A Cowboy for Katie” by Debra Clopton
Katie Pearl is uninterested in men and love. But she needs help on her ranch and hires Treb Rayburn, a wandering cowboy looking to make a buck. Will Treb change Katie’s mind?
“Courting Trouble” by Margaret Brownley
Grace Davenport is either the unluckiest woman alive–or a killer. When her third husband is found dead, Grace is arrested. Attorney Brock Daniels isn’t interested in the case–until he meets Grace. Only a miracle will prove her innocence, but the joining of two lonely hearts may be their saving grace.

Each story is well thought out and developed, despite being a novella, and each one displays the best qualities of the author’s particular voice and style. Well worth the read!

A Match of Wits by Jen Turano

I just love the cover of this one, too! The model does a great job of portraying how sassy and feisty the heroine of the story is! A Match of Wits was such a fun book to read!

A bit about the book:

After his departure from New York two years ago to meet up with his almost-fiancée, Zayne Beckett is the last person Agatha Watson wanted to stumble upon in her travels as a reporter with the New York Tribune. Quite pathetically bedraggled, he clearly needs to be taken in hand and sent back East to his family. Although she no longer has feelings for him, Agatha realizes, by hook or by crook, she’ll have to be the one to get the obstinate man home.
Zayne has no desire to be taken anywhere and is prepared to drag his heels all the way home… until he finds himself slipping back into the familiar banter of his former friendship with Agatha. Once they arrive in New York, Zayne realizes Agatha’s determined nose for news has earned her a few enemies, and he hopes to repay her help with some help of his own. When she rebuffs all his attempts to prove himself a knight in shining armor, the lengths to which they’ll go to win this battle of wills lead to some memorable antics.

Like I said above, this was a very fun book! I love Jen Turano’s sense of humor and found that element of this book very refreshing. She captured me as a reader from the very first sentence! The book contains an element of suspense, but is still a lighthearted and inspiring read. She really has a unique way of creating lovable, but well-rounded characters. They aren’t without their (sometimes humorous!) flaws, but they captured my heart just the same.

A great read for anyone who enjoys historical inspirational romance!

Full Steam Ahead by Karen Witemeyer

It’s no secret that I am a HUGE fan of Karen Witemeyer, so I was very excited to review her latest book, Full Steam Ahead.

A bit about the book:

Nicole Renard returns home to Galveston, Texas, to find her father deathly ill…Vowing to find a suitable husband to give her father the heir he desires before it’s too late, Nicole sets out with the Renard family’s greatest treasure as her dowry: the highly coveted Lafitte Dagger. But her father’s rivals come after the dagger, forcing a change in Nicole’s plans.After a boiler explosion aboard the Louisiana nearly took his life, Darius Thornton has been a man obsessed….Nicole is determined not to let her odd employer scare her off with his explosive experiments, yet when respect and mutual attraction grow between them, a new fear arises. How can she acquire an heir for her father when her heart belongs to another? And when her father’s rivals discover her hiding place, will she have to choose between that love and her family’s legacy?

Although I am a big fan of this author, I wasn’t incredibly interested in the subject matter, so it took me a while to get started on this one. I should have known better than to doubt Karen Witemeyer! She drew me in from the very first page, and kept me interested in the characters and their dilemmas throughout the book. I loved reading about the guilt Darius Thornton battled with, and seeing how God could redeem that situation. His gruff ways really drew me in and it was fun to see him soften up a bit under Nicole’s care.

With a lot of books I read, I find myself annoyed with the way the author does this or that, but with Karen’s books, that is never an issue for me. Nicole is a strong heroine, without being too headstrong in most ways. Darius is a strong hero, but with real flaws that need to be worked on, and Karen Witemeyer deals with all that beautifully. In addition to the wonderful love story, the faith element is strong in this book, as in all of her others that I’ve read.

Her books always leave me wanting more!

With Every Breath by Elizabeth Camden

Book Review With Every Breath

I have to admit that I am not very familiar with Elizabeth Camden as an author, but Bethany House Publishers is one of my favorite, so if they publish a book, I am immediately ready to take a chance on it and I’m glad I did so on With Every Breath.

In the shadow of the nation’s capital, Kate Livingston’s respectable life as a government worker is disrupted by an encounter with the insufferable Trevor McDonough, the one man she’d hoped never to see again. A Harvard-trained physician, Trevor never showed the tiniest flicker of interest in Kate, and business is the only reason he has sought her out now.

Despite her misgivings, Kate agrees to Trevor’s risky proposal to join him in his work to find a cure for tuberculosis. As Kate begins to unlock the mysteries of Trevor’s past, his hidden depths fascinate her. However, a shadowy enemy lies in wait and Trevor’s closely guarded secrets are darker than she ever suspected.

I loved these characters! I loved their intellectual banter, and the fact that Kate is a strong, intelligent woman while still being feminine. I found myself falling for the intelligent, dedicated, rough-around-the-edges Trevor, and was thrilled to be a part of their unique “courtship,” as they worked together. The medical suspense and the plot twists will keep readers intrigued and wanting to know what comes next.

Because the book deals with such a serious subject matter, it is sad at times, but still inspirational and lighthearted, which I think is impressive on the part of the author. She does really well at dealing with such a serious subject matter.

$10 Great Dates

Book Review Great Dates

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know that I am very passionate about marriage, and also frugal living, so I was very excited to see both of those topics wedded (<–pun intended!) together in one great book– $10 Great Dates: Connecting Love, Marriage, and Fun on a Budget.

Tired of the usual dinner-and-a-movie dates? Looking for new ways to connect with your spouse?

Energize your marriage by getting out of your normal routine with the help of these 52 creative date ideas. From outdoor dates to out-on-the-town dates, you and your spouse will have no trouble finding the perfect date that fits your mood–all on a $10 budget!

See for yourself how new experiences can help you bond together and nurture your relationship.

This book has some fun and creative date ideas, all on a budget…what could be better? This book offers 52 great, unique date ideas–one for each week of the year. And, there are some great thoughts about marriage included as well. Overall, recommend this for married couples.

Continue reading here: Making Apple Cider {A Homeschool Field Trip}

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