Review: Murder in the City of Liberty by Rachel McMillan

Ah, yes. And Rachel McMillan does it again! I will freely admit that I picked up this story because of Hamish. And he is as delightful as ever! While mysteries aren't usually my first choice of genre, for Ms. McMillan and Hamish I am willing to make an exception. Because what adventures doth await the one who is willing to journey alongside of these characters! :)

The characters are certainly worth getting to know, yet half of my enjoyment of this story also came from the clear love of the era and the city that Ms. McMillan has. It's like finding yourself inside one of those noir-type movies of old. Where every little description of alleyways and outfits just draw you in further, along with all the details lovingly scattered about throughout the chapters. The atmospheric feel of the story is quite a lot of fun.

I will have to admit that Reggie frustrated me several times. I just wanted to make her be honest with herself! And stop hurting my poor Hamish. But since she does finally learn to understand her own heart, I can forgive her. :) And Nate! I couldn't believe where his part of the story took him. What a lot of uneasiness followed by glorious bliss! Just you read and find out for yourself, friends.

Mystery! Adventure! Romance! And Luca. Every bit of happiness is always underscored with reminders of Luca and all the uncertainty he tends to bring to everyone. I'll just be over here anxiously waiting for the next book of the series in order to find out more about him! Because he's most certainly a curious one. So you should run out and pick this one up, reader friends. You know you want to be part of all the fun too! :)

**I received a complimentary copy via Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Hamish was following the story so intently, Reggie's appearance startled his glasses down his nose.

Review: Royally in Trouble by Jenny B. Jones

How is it I forget just how much fun it is to read a Jenny B. Jones book until I read another one? The lady has such talent for making me laugh! I admit I was a bit concerned that having not read the first book of the series I wouldn't get as caught up into the story right away. I should never have doubted! Ms. Jones is amazing, y'all. :)

From the crazy-awesome chemistry between our main couple to every unforgettable side character, there is pretty much something for everyone here. At least for those who love a good laugh! And a good mystery. Kudos to Ms. Jones for keeping me hooked on trying to figure out whodunnit! I am becoming a bigger fan of these cozy mysteries that are getting more popular these days and this is an excellent addition to the genre.

Oh, and the ex-CIA grandmother? And the book club? And witty banter everyone's got going on? Seriously. How does Ms. Jones do it? Every time I stopped giggling and got serious, there I'd go all over again! Have I mentioned this book is just a lot of fun? I loved Paisley! I loved getting inside her head and completely understood all the crazy going on in there. She's a woman after my own heart! I just got all the worry and doubt she had to push through. But what's so amazing about her is that she pushes through no matter how hard it is! She's determined to keep moving forward and figure out this life she's been given. And the Renaissance Faire she's heading up is just the icing on the cake!

Okay, so all I've done is gush a bunch of exclamation points. Sorry folks, but that's pretty much all I've got today. I just really loved this little story! Even if mystery or romance isn't really your thing, I feel very confident that Ms. Jones is able to change your mind. Trust me. It's a ride worth taking, my friends! :)

**I received a copy via the author. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Review: Murder at the Flamingo by Rachel McMillan

I confess to it! I will give up and admit that I was not expecting to fall so very much in love with Mr. Hamish Deluca. But oh my stars!! He is a delight from the first pages to the last and by the time I closed the book, I was thoroughly convinced that I wished he were real. He and Reggie both, of course! And the atmosphere that surrounds them, the city of Boston itself, is very like a secondary character in the book. I was so utterly swept up into the glittering magic of Ms. McMillan's clear love of this city which permeates every aspect of the story. Decadent, delightful, and so wonderfully filled with quirky, extraordinary, likable (and unlikable!) characters, this is a feast for the reader who dares! :D

Firstly, can I just repeat? HAMISH IS AWESOME.

Okay. Now that I've gotten that off my chest, let me just give you a few short reasons why I think so. (At least, I promise I will try to keep my gushing short! ;) It's his properness, mixed with a bit of an adventurous side that struck me at first. And watching him struggle through dealing with his anxiety and panic just further endeared him to me. He is like a shy little puppy, who has all this amazingness inside of him just waiting for someone to notice and encourage it. He's unlike any other character I've ever met, but I mean that in all the BEST ways! I think what it really boils down to is that he's attempting to find himself. He has all this awesome inside, yes, but he's very unaware of it, especially in the beginning. This beautifully written story is his journey to discovering all the amazing parts of himself and realizing that the flaws he'd imagined he has were just that, his imagination. He simply has to learn that for himself though, no amount of telling him so will suffice. It must be experienced! And watching his gradual awareness and growth, as he finally begins to trust himself, brings such glorious moments! I am unashamed to tell you that he's my favorite. (As you, no doubt, have already figured out, right? ;)

Oh, but then there's Reggie! She has quite the journey herself and it's not any easier for her either. Watching the two of them work through their struggles (while dipping and dodging the crackling chemistry between them! *swoon*) and come through to the other side so much stronger...ah, it does my heart good. But it's not just their individual journeys that take center stage, Ms. McMillan has quite the murder mystery for them to solve! This is where the city truly comes alive. As the two circle around everywhere, searching out their answers, the mix of unconventional secondary characters who cross their path makes for so much fun. (Especially Luca and Nate, both of whom are quite unforgettable themselves!) Life in 1930s Boston is full of excitement and secrets, some of which are easily found out and others not so much. This setting is so lovingly described that I could easily picture every building and back alley, kudos to Ms. McMillan for that! One gets so swept up inside the time period that, when real life intruded while I was reading, I was much frowny-faced!

Oh! And I shouldn't forget the awesome little callbacks to Ms. McMillan's first series, Herringford & Watts. So many mentions that made me grin, yet so many questions I'm still anxious to figure out!

From beginning to end, this story was a delight to my senses. So full of charm and fun, I could not read fast enough. And I closed the last chapter with a heart full of Hamish and Reggie! Excited for book two, yet quite satisfied to go back and be enchanted all over again. And it's a good thing too, since I have such a long wait for the next one! Humph. :D  Read it, friends! I promise you won't regret meeting Hamish. (But just remember, I totally saw him first! Well, after Ms. McMillan and Reggie, of course. ;)

**I received a complimentary copy from the author via Thomas Nelson & Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

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"Sometimes stories are in the people whose life's pages no one thinks of turning," his father once told him.

Women were a crossword puzzle: the seemingly perfect word was met with too many letters.

There was a dead girl at the bottom of the stairwell and Hamish had mystery in his blood.

My Favorite 2017 Reads

Well now, here I am again. With one more list! This particular one is always a bit of a doozy to choose. Because I love stories and choosing just a few top favorites is HARD! (Also, with the way that my reading moods were so persnickety this year, I started and stopped so many books simply because I just couldn't get into them. That's not the books' fault, for the record! Totally me.) So if it made this list, you can bet that I LOVED the story enough to get swept up in the storyline and forget real life for a bit. :)

(Also, these are in the order that I read them, NOT listed as most favorite to least favorite or anything of that nature. It was easier for me to pick them as I went down my list from the beginning of the year until now...)

Life After

by Katie Ganshert

I have gushed SO many times about this story, so I won't bore you with more of the same. Suffice it to say that I LOVED this book. It hit at a moment when I needed the beautiful reminder to hope.

When Death Draws Near

by Carrie Stuart Parks

When a mystery captures my attention this thoroughly, it's worth a notice! Because I'm not a big mystery fan in general. It takes a special story in that genre to keep me reading. So this one? The synopsis sounds exactly like NOT my cup of tea, but somehow Ms. Parks drew me in and my poor heart was on pins and needles until the very end. And I loved it! :)

True to You

by Becky Wade

Because it's by Becky Wade, of course! Do you need any other reason to read this one? No! But if you insist, then just know that Nora is an avid reader herself and her romance with John is just...*swoon* PLUS Nora is a huge fan of period dramas! Seriously, this girl and I are kindred spirits. I just know it! ;)

Then There Was You

by Kara Isaac

Because Kara Isaac is now on my list of favorite authors ever! And this one is super cute and adorable. Enough said. Go read it!

The Night Circus

by Erin Morgenstern

I was blown away by the sheer vividness of the descriptions in this story. Ms. Morgenstern clearly has a gift for detailing a world so intricately that the reader can smell the popcorn, venture inside each circus tent, and simply immerse themselves completely! And now just thinking back on my lovely reading experience makes me immediately ready to listen to the audiobook again.

Hometown Girl

by Courtney Walsh

"I especially loved that Drew was this quiet, taciturn type of hero. His inability to express his thoughts would make him seem like not a very romantic sort, but oh let me tell you!! He knows how to make a girl swoon! And poor Beth never even stood a chance. ;) Yet more than just the swooniness of their romance charmed me, it was the way they innately understood each other and how they became such safe places for the other. I absolutely LOVED that all the parts of themselves that they struggled to accept and love were so very easily accepted, loved, and make perfectly imperfect in the other. They complement each other so beautifully! So how could I do anything but love the two of them like crazy in response?" 

(from my review)

The Esther Paradigm

by Sarah Monzon

This one is different than anything else I've ever read. But in the BEST way possible! It needs to be read to be experienced. So go read it!

Speak Easy, Speak Love

by McKelle George

Oh readers friends, this book is SO, SO GOOD AND AMAZING. I haven't yet written an official review of it, but rest assured it's not because I didn't like it. I struggle to find the words to describe the sheer awesomeness of a retelling of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing set in the Roaring 20s! All I can say is this: read it, read it, read it!! Leave everything else and just go read it right now. Immediately!

The Austen Escape

by Katherine Reay

You knew this one was coming, right? Because I will always read a Katherine Reay story! She seems to only get better and better with each new book she writes and this one is almost perfection. Of course, it does help that I'm a huge fan of Jane Austen, so I loved all the nods to her stories naturally! But it's not just the Austen aspect, it's the story as a whole, and especially Mary herself. "One of the most fascinating things about Ms. Reay's writing is her innate understanding of people. I always seem to relate to her characters, even when we have completely different tastes and opinions! .... I can say nothing else but that you should read it immediately! Don't wait, don't hesitate, just read it. I can't imagine you being disappointed." :)

Sense and Sensibility

by Jane Austen

It's a Jane Austen, so it's guaranteed to be on my list of favorites! You shouldn't need any other reason than that one. :D

Review: Distorted by Christy Barritt

What is it about Christy Barritt's stories that keep me coming back to them again and again? I'm not normally a fan of mysteries! But Ms. Barritt continues to hook me in every single time and I can never say no to one of her books. :) Per my usual, this one is no different. I was a goner from the first chapter until the last, every pulse-pounding minute of it!

First, let's talk about Mallory. I cannot even imagine going through a tenth of what this girl has endured! The sheer terror of her life before the story begins permeates everything in her present day. Which is only to be expected, because I don't think one just "gets over" that sort of thing. Human trafficking is a terrible and awful evil, but I absolutely loved her determination to survive despite it all. She is so fiercely driven to live, as well as make sure no one else experiences what she did. To face all the emotions and "stuff" she has to in order to become hope for someone else? That takes a tremendous lot of strength, of which Mallory has in spades. Can you tell I liked her? I really, really wanted to jump in her story (at the very end, of course, after all the action, because hello, I'm a wimp! ;), hug her tight, and give her someone else to lean on. Not that Tennyson isn't enough for her though. Because wow, that man!

Tennyson is certainly hero material. I loved how he knew just the right amount of caring and encouragement that Mallory needed. Plus he's just really good at keeping an eye on her. For more reasons than one. He's not perfect, but goodness is he ever perfect for her! For all the tension due to the constant threats, Ms. Barritt also created some serious chemistry between these two people, I swooned fairly often as they grew closer. Her ability to keep both the romantic tension and the whodunit balanced is so well done! Definitely a big reason I'm a fan of her writing. :)

There's simply no way to sit down with this story and not devour it all in one sitting. I read much too late in the night (jumping at all the creaking noises in my house, so....not recommended for late night reads if you're a scaredy-cat like me! ;), and closed the final pages with a happy sigh. A thrill ride from start to finish, I remain a huge fan of Ms. Barritt's after this story! And happily anticipate her next one, whenever it comes out...

**I received a complimentary copy from the author via Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Like water, love had the power to sustain life or to devastate it.

Darkness can blind you, but one flicker of light drives away the night and changes everything. The smallest flame can help us see what we couldn't see before.

Someone once told me you can't be a victor and a victim at the same time. I choose to be a victor.

No matter how painful, it's only after you face the truth that you can find healing.

Review: A Lesson in Love and Murder by Rachel McMillan

Such fun! Once again, Ms. McMillan has taken me on an adventure right from page one and kept me fully invested in these characters lives. Y'all know how characters make or break a story for me, and this entire cast are some of the most frustrating yet charming! I love the friendships, the romances, all the relationships between them. They're quirky, and sometimes make terrible decisions, but isn't that true of real life? And I love how they care for one another, Jem and Merinda especially. Their interactions and how they always tend to go flailing into danger keep me turning the pages. Their friendship is my favorite! I really enjoy seeing them do whatever it takes for each other. In book one, it felt like most of that was being done by Jem, I was so pleased to see Merinda step up a little more in this one. (Only, with that ending now I'm terribly worried what's going to happen in book three. *bites nails*)

Jem and Merinda are a delight together, as always. But I have to admit, Benny is a really nice addition to this circle of friends. Mounties can be awfully swoony! (Clearly Merinda thinks so. I had to laugh at her awkwardness around him! ;) But poor Jasper, I wanted to hug him a few times. I surely do love that man. (Book three better give him some happiness, is all I'm saying!) I really enjoyed getting to spend more time in his head this go round. He has to balance his friendships and how much he wants to truly help people with the trickiness of keeping those he works under happy. Especially since there's obviously stuff going on with the higher ups at his job. It's not easy and when the woman he loves starts falling for someone else? Well.... (Although I was glad to see that she's realizing her heart is capable of that. Hopefully that bodes well for Jasper in book three...? Here's hoping!)

Ah, my poor Ray-and-Jem-loving heart! Those two....if only I could have knocked their heads together in a few instances! Communication is not nearly as hard as they make it. Their relationship is sorely tested, much to my sadness. Yet as their romance happened so quickly in book one, it only makes sense that there would still be things they're learning about each other. Likewise for the other relationships. We get to know all of the characters much more in this book, as they get to truly understand one another. Things don't always go as they plan (naturally), but this is just the sort of things I was looking forward to, prior to reading this. Perfect happiness isn't possible, life takes hard work just as the characters find out. And I actually really love that things happen at a pretty quick pace. Since it's a series, we have three books (plus novellas) to see these characters grow and change, which gives us time to enjoy the mysteries they're all trying to solve, as well as the romances. All the details don't have to be explained, the characters are able to just be themselves and we don't get bogged down with any slow chapters. Yay! :)

The mystery is suitably intriguing and dangerous, but I have to be honest. I'm not here for the mystery, I'm here for the characters. More Jem and Merinda please!

**I received a complimentary copy via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

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"You're a woman!"
Merinda Herringford's eyes were magnetic. He kept hold of her hand as she studied him. She didn't immediately pull away, but looked intently at him. "This is my colleague and particular friend, Jemina DeLuca."
"A-and where's Watts?" Benny asked, looking at the newspaper clipping.
"Oh, that's me!" the brunette said in a light voice. "At least, it was. I'm married now."
"But your advertisement..."
"Yes! No problem too great or small!" Merinda said.
"Herringford and Watts. Detectives. But you're women!" he said again.
"Perceptive. We're also detectives." She narrowed her eyes. "Come, have a seat and tell us what brought you so far from the Force."
Benny gaped. "How did you know?"
"Your hair. It's cut with military precision, but there's a decided line running at the back of it, embedded just behind the ear line. Clearly not from one of the berets worn by soldiers. Rather, a stetson. Of course, you could be a cowboy, but then you wouldn't stand with your feet just slightly apart and your hands behind your back."
"A Mountie!" breathed Mrs. DeLuca, blue eyes aglow.
Benny was visibly impressed. Perhaps this lady detective would be the solution he was looking for. "Benfield Citrone, Royal Northwest Mounted Police, late of Ford Glenbow. I'm here because my cousin knows how to blow things up."

Review: Disillusioned by Christy Barritt

I've been a fan of Ms. Barritt's for several years now and she's one of the few mystery writers that can get me to read her stories. I'm not usually a fan of mysteries, but somehow she's convinced me otherwise with her books! :) It's always the characters that draw me in. As well as the edge-of-your-seat tension going on. I've found that it's usually wiser for me to read her books during the day rather than at night because otherwise I'll never get to sleep. And this one is no exception to that rule! We jump right into the action on page one and things never really slow down.

The characters and their relationships and interactions with one another is where Ms. Barritt's writing shines. Her ability to keep the tension building, while Nikki and Bobby navigate who they are and how life's circumstances have changed their brother-sister relationship, not to mention Kade and Nikki balancing their attraction with their desire to protect themselves from each other and the bad guys, comes together to create just enough edginess to keep you off-balance and turning pages. Learning to trust again, falling in love, protecting those we love, all these emotions came into play, as they do in real life, and I loved it! Forced into situations not of their own making, each of the three have to make choices that aren't easy and sometimes have to think pretty fast. Together, though, they are so much stronger and I loved it when they each began to realize that. We need our friends and family around us when things are hard, so I especially appreciated how Nikki strove to do all she could for her brother. No matter what.

The romance was, of course, a very enjoyable part of the story for me. :) There were several very sweet and tender moments that helped break a bit of the tension (which I appreciated, believe me!). And while there were bits that didn't flow as well for me, I was overall quite happy I read this! Ms. Barritt will definitely remain a mystery writer that will always keep me coming back for more. Which is an excellent accomplishment, if I do say so for myself! :D

**I received a complimentary copy from the author via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

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In an instant, Bobby's elbow snapped back and slammed the rib cage of the man beside him. The man dropped to the ground holding his stomach. Bobby grabbed his gun and, in one fluid motion, pulled the trigger. The man cried out in pain and clutched his knee.
Then Bobby turned toward Nikki.
He pointed the gun at her.
The air left her lungs.
No...She started to say something, but the words lodged in her throat. Beg for your life. Talk some sense into your brother. Buy some time.
Before she could say any of those things, Bobby fired.

Review: The Bachelor Girl's Guide to Murder by Rachel McMillan

After enjoying the pleasurable read that was A Singular and Whimsical Problem, I was so ready to spend an entire book with Jem and Merinda. And what a ride it is! I surely do love these ladies, with all their quirkiness, confident posturing (Merinda), and doubtful wonderings (Jem), as they go barreling headlong into trouble. They are determined to make a go of their detective business, but it's 1910 and lady detectives are simply unheard of! This does, of course, not deter them. (Naturally.) Which means we get a fun adventure with a side note of mysterious goings-on and clever villains.

Jem and Merinda, ah what can be said of these two? Merinda....I'm not so sure I have any words for her yet. She's such an intriguing mix of perfect manners and nonexistent tactfulness, with a brain that is constantly spinning with thoughts and ideas. Meanwhile, the "normal" things of life seem to never even occur to her! You know, like making sure she and Jem have food on the table and perhaps double-checking that they don't get caught by the Morality Squad...? Thank goodness for Jem! We spend much of the book in her head and she's quite a delight. By far the more sensible (and romantic) of the two, she's the one holding a steady job and keeping Merinda's ideas from getting too out of hand (most of the time). And she's the one fighting the doubts about where her life is going. Much as she loves Merinda (and loves detective work!), she still has her hopes and dreams of getting married some day and having a family. And that's where a certain someone comes in....

Dear, dear Ray, how I loved him! He's so sweet to his sister, which just endeared him to me. Because he's got such a gruff exterior and doesn't like to let anybody know about his soft heart inside. But once he begins to spend more time with our ladies....that protective and tender heart just can't be hidden. He and Jem were too adorable with all their awkward attraction. And Jasper! We didn't get to spend near enough time with him. I'm expecting more Jasper awesomeness come book two, Ms. McMillan! Especially of the "trying to woo Merinda" sort. I have a feeling those two are going to have quite a long road ahead of them. Poor Jasper. ;)

The Morality Squad and general deplorable conditions for women back then makes for several bits of frustration and scary moments for our two detectives. I loved how all the seemingly different mysteries came together and created quite a hullabaloo that just needed Merinda's brilliant mind to sort it all out. A big mystery is solved by the final page, but there is still much corruption and deviousness to be dealt with so I've no qualms that there is ever so much more to Jem and Merinda's story!

Take two awesome lady detectives, dump them in the middle of mayhem and murderous villains, give them two handsome gentlemen determined to cause their hearts a bit of havoc, add in all the little "footnotes" that were hilarious and great for helping us to understand particular moments, don't forget the sarcastic and witty tone of Ms. McMillan's writing, and you have the makings of a fantastic book one! It definitely needs to be added to your TBR pile as near to the top as possible. Then read it, fall in love with these characters, and look forward to book two! :)

**I received a complimentary copy from Harvest House through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

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"I'm trying to get the perspective of the street people. Especially in contrast to big parties like this."
"Oh, rats!"
"Do you find that you make more money with that disguise?"
"I am not a woman!"
"I don't believe you!" He reached up and yanked off her hat, and a pile of brown hair fell around her shoulders. "You're the oddest hobo I've ever met. If we could just get that grime off your face. Now, Miss...Miss..."
Jem buried her face in her hands. This was awful. "Watts."
"Excuse me? You're muttering."
"Miss Jemima Watts."
"Ready for your interview, Miss Watts?"
"No!" Jem leaped to her feet, almost leaving her pants behind. She hitched her fingers into the belt loops, pulled them high over her bloomers, and strode away.

Review: A Singular and Whimsical Problem by Rachel McMillan

I had been excitedly anticipating Rachel's series for months prior to this little novella getting published! After reading (and loving) her blog for several years, I knew her fictional writing could only be more awesome. She simply has a way with words. A fellow blogger called it endearing and I have to agree that's the perfect word for it!

This world she's created is simply a delight to be introduced to, even with its Morality Squad and murder mysteries yet to be solved. As for Jemima and Merinda? Oh my, what characters these ladies are! I loved Jem immediately, but Merinda had to grow on me. Considering this series is based on Sherlock Holmes though, it's understandable that Merinda would be a bit difficult to get a handle on. She intrigues me and I shall look forward to getting to know her better!

The gentlemen connected to these ladies are just as quirky in their own ways and certainly make an impression. We don't get tons of time with them, as this is only a novella and therefore the amount of page time has to be limited, but what little we get makes it abundantly clear that these men are NICE. Yay for nice guys! Literature could use more of those.

The murder mystery is sufficiently compelling and while I slowly put the pieces together, naturally Merinda was far ahead of me. But she could stand to be a bit more quick on the uptake, especially for poor Jem's sake! ;)

A wonderful introduction to the series that only whets my appetite for more time with these characters.

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The blade was at Merinda's neck.
I had a revolver in the pocket of my trousers. We were clad in men's clothes, three steps ahead of the Morality Squad and legions away from feminine propriety. My shaky fingers felt for and slowly extracted the pistol.
"You're sure taking your time, Jem!" Merinda cried.
"Quiet, or I'll finish the job." A dark voice echoed between the surrounding walls.
"All right, all right!" I held the gun out. "There! Consider yourself threatened!" I cocked the pistol as Merinda had taught me, and though perspiration trailed into my eyes and my hand was far from steady, I aimed it just above her shoulder blade and at the breast of her captor. He was larger than she and far taller too.
"Don't shoot me!" Merinda pleaded. "Cracker jacks, Jem! Do you want him to slice me in two?"

In Honor of Valentine's Day...

I read several of the Top Ten Tuesday posts last week which featured your favorite couples from literature, favorite quotes, favorite romances, etc. And though I was unable to join in on Tuesday I was hoping I'd have time to do a post before Valentine's Day was over. So here I am! :)

I've listed a few of my favorite couples on here before {part 1} {part 2}, but as I keep reading more books, I keep finding more couples that I love! Hence I'm going to do another list. And perhaps introduce you to some wonderful characters and their love stories. These couples just made my heart *happy dance* and I grin every single time I read their stories again. Don't you just love when books do that for you?


Margaret Hale & John Thornton ~ North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

Come now, you knew I'd mention them someday, right? Because y'all know how much I love these two!! :D I love so very many things about them, but I think what I love the most is how they understand one another. Once they both get over their initial dislike and frustration, they are very equal in intelligence. Their minds are constantly whirring with ideas, and when those ideas come together, they create quite a powerhouse! They challenge and learn from one another, they change for one another, and once they start loving each other...well. But their journey to finding that connection and love is so wonderfully well done! Kudos to Ms. Gaskell. :)


Puck & Sean ~ The Scorpio Races by Maggie Steifvater

Oh how I fell for these two! Their story is quieter and their journey to find each other is expressed more in what they don't say than by what they do. Both carefully choose their next steps (well, Puck can be impulsive, but for good reasons! :) and watching them slowly dance their way around one another.....*swoon* Seriously, friends! Ms. Steifvater excels at letting the chemistry between these two fill the pages, almost without any talking between them at all! Oh, they talk, but they say so much more with just their awareness of each other. And how they care for one another. It's a delight to read!

Sasharia & Zathdar ~ Sasharia En Garde by Sherwood Smith

I don't know what to say about these two other than you really must meet them! Their chemistry is fantastic and their story....let's just say that this heroine refuses to take anything lying down. She's feisty, heroic, will fight her own battles thankyouverymuch, and her interactions with Zathdar are fraught with feelings. Which she may or may not appreciate, depending on the situation! ;) Let's just say that they both have a journey to take and we readers get the privilege of riding along and enjoying!


Essie & Dane ~ Stitching Snow by R.C. Lewis

Take two characters who don't trust each other, add a dash of scifi/space dramatics where lives hang in the balance, have one character kidnap the other against their will, and then have them fall for each other against the backdrop of a time of possible war. And there you have it! A fabulous, chemistry-filled, romance for your consumption! I loved the banter between these two and watching them very, very slowly come to trust one another.


Ava & Keegan ~ While You're Awake by Amber Stokes

Keegan is the sweetest! He takes such good care of Ava and her fears. He's quite simply a nice guy. And I, for one, adore nice guys in literature! #NiceGuysFTW :D I loved these two enough that I wish this wasn't only a short story, but a full length novel so I could have more time with them.

Lucy & James ~ The Bronte Plot by Katherine Reay

This book is not a romance by any means, but the meet cute between these two had me at hello anyway! James, himself, doesn't get a lot of page time, but I still loved their interactions. For all that he spends a great deal of the story angry and frustrated with Lucy (and rightly so!), as she slowly came to understand herself and started to change her bad habits, so too their conversations began to change. Theirs is a slow journey and we end with them barely beginning, but something about their story just resonates with me.


Flossie & Reeve ~ Tiffany Girl by Deeanne Gist

I loved these two! I know I keep saying that, but it's true every time! The time period, coupled with the chemistry between the characters and the way they slowly came to understand one another, all adds together to make a wonderful journey. You really should get to know them! :)

Alice & Paul ~ The Pepper in the Gumbo by Mary Jane Hathaway

If you take a bookstore-owning heroine who dislikes technology and give her a technology-savvy hero determined to love her, you have this fabulous, chemistry-laden story! Alice and Paul's interactions practically sizzle with their awareness of each other. But it's so much more than just chemistry, they understand one another. And I love how Paul desires to help Alice in whatever ways he can. His heart is so good and who can withstand a nice guy? :)


Willa & Patrick ~ A Season to Love by Nicole Deese

Oh my heart, I love these two!! I love how Patrick understands Willa's fears and seeks to help her conquer them. He's another nice guy with such a good heart. When a good guy consistently showers you with care and concern, how is a girl to resist? Willa can't and as they come together...*happy sigh*. Their story makes me so happy, I'm grinning right now as I type this! :D

Catherine & David ~ The Thorn Keeper by Pepper D. Basham

I just finished reading about these two the other day and oh my goodness how I love them! Their story comes out in a couple weeks and you really need to meet them. I loved how David realized how special and awesome Catherine is, even when she didn't believe it herself. And Catherine! She's an amazing woman whose mind never stops working to solve all the myriad of problems that are constantly making themselves known. These two are SO good for each other! Put this book on your radar!



Happy Valentine's Day, my lovelies! I hope you're showered with love today.

Review: A Respectable Actress by Dorothy Love

This was my first time reading a book by Dorothy Love. I wasn't sure what to expect, but the synopsis intrigued me. I mean, a protagonist who's a popular actress in the 1870s? Not your usual type of heroine! Especially in Christian Fiction. So I opened to page one and started in, only to get sucked into a murder mystery unlike any I'd read before.

Miss India Hartley is quite the lady. Accused of a crime she didn't commit, she struggles with the desire to defend herself, yet is limited by the laws of the time. Someone generously pays for a lawyer for her defense and voila, Philip and India meet and proceed to have quite the adventure trying to suss out the true criminal! I liked Philip and enjoyed watching he and India open up to one another. Their slow-building romance was very sweet.

The mystery was well written and as each clue was uncovered, I kept wondering where the next one would take us. Kudos to Ms. Love for keeping me turning pages! Overall, this is an intriguing story. While I didn't absolutely love it, I still enjoyed the chemistry between the characters and watching all the clues come together. I closed the book happy to have read it! :)

**I received a complimentary copy from Thomas Nelson Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

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Her heart hammered. Her worst fear was realized. The play, or at least the first act, was ruined. And Mr. Philbrick would accuse her of deliberately sabotaging it.
"Pray tell, has a cat stolen your tongue?" Mr. Sterling abandoned the script and was improvising his lines now, stalling for time.
No, but someone had stolen her prop. Quivering with humiliation and anger, India bent down to peer more closely at the table. And found the gun at last.
Just as she lifted it there was a deafening explosion and a quick flash of fire. An anguished scream.
Mr. Sterling crumpled onto the stage.

My 2014 Favorites List

I mentioned this post would be coming and here it is! My favorite reads from 2014. Looking back over the 44 books I read this year I anticipated struggling to limit my list of absolute favorites. But I surprised myself! I guess it turns out that I read several enjoyable-but-not-fabulous-beyond-reason books this year. I still read some pretty amazing stories though. So the criteria I used to pick this list was pretty simple: the book had to draw me in right from the beginning and keep me anticipating turning the pages, as well as had to be a story that I didn't forget once I closed the final chapter. Some books are fun, but once I finish I kind of forget a lot of the details. The books I've listed are unforgettable! They made me *happy sigh* many, many times and left me wishing the stories would continue forever. The authors all had the knack for sweeping me off my feet and depositing me inside their worlds for a few hundred pages, letting me forget reality even existed. Which is happiness indeed! :)

Blackmoore by Julianne Donaldson - I absolutely fell in love with Edenbrooke, so my anticipation for this book was very great. I was so happy when it met my (admittedly high) expectations!


Tap & Gown by Diana Peterfreund - After having heard so many good things about this series, I was beyond thrilled to devour all four books. This one is my favorite though because everything comes to their expected yet hard-won happy ending. I DO love my happy endings! ;)


The Pursuit of Mary Bennet by Pamela Mingle - I have been searching high and low for a sequel that would do justice for my inexplicable love of Mary Bennet from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and I'm quite happy to say that this one snuck up on me. I wasn't expecting much, mainly because I'd been disappointed time and again. But this Mary is sweet and feisty and finding her way, just as I'd imagined her. And her romance is cute, which is a definite plus!


It Had to be You by Susan May Warren - My heart, it swoons! Eden and Jace's story is so wonderful and lovely and swoonworthy. These two had me at hello and refuse still to let me forget them. I just now realized that I never reviewed this one, but suffice it to say that it is definitely worth reading! Which you totally need to do, if you haven't yet.


When I Fall in Love by Susan May Warren - The same could be said about this one too! Grace and Max's friendship is one of my favorite relationships of this year.


Random Acts of Murder by Christy Barritt - I don't read many mysteries, so when one catches my attention and keeps me up half the night I know I've found a keeper (either that or I need to stop reading murder mysteries late at night ;). I am decidedly a big fan of Ms. Barritt's!


The Headmistress of Rosemere by Sarah E. Ladd - Ms. Ladd's first novel was fun, but it didn't quite meet all the expectations I'd had. So I was a little leery of trying this one. Oh how happy I am that I gave it a chance! And now I am eagerly anticipating book three. :) I love when books surprise me like that.


The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien - An epic and sweeping adventure which left me longing for more! What else could a reader ask for?


A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd - Of course you knew this one would be here, right? I've only raved over it a few hundred times. And my happiness with the story is only intensified by the wonderfulness of getting to meet Ms. Lloyd in person! :)


The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab - To quote my review "Resonating with sounds and tastes and feelings, it is wonderfully expressive.....It's such a curious mix of so many different things. And it does them all well! When I closed the last page, I immediately turned the book over and started reading my favorite parts again." I absolutely love Ms. Schwab's writing!


Lizzy & Jane by Kathine Reay - This book! So full of relationships and emotions and all the messy chaos that comes with that. And SO wonderful a read. Ms. Reay has risen straight to the top of my list of authors who I'll read anything they write. Which is kind of crazy as this is only her second book! But what a story. I mean, who else could combine food, Jane Austen, and classic literature so well? This one is a must read!!!


Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge - Saved the best for last! This story swept me away and refused to let me go for days after I read it. I couldn't stop thinking about it. I'd rush home right after work and devour my favorite scenes all over again. And I did this for at least a week or more! I have no words to tell you how phenomenal this book is. All I can tell you is READ IT!


Honorable Mentions: How a Star Falls by Amber Stokes and The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn by Lori Benton - Both are wonderfully written stories!


12 favorites out of 44 possibles is pretty great, I must say. I tried to scratch two so I could get the perfect 10, but I just couldn't figure out which two to leave off. So 12 it is! Now tell me. What were some of your favorites from this year?