Sunday, September 27, 2015

Falling Like Snowflakes (By: Denise Hunter)

Falling Like Snowflakes

By: Denise Hunter
Denise Hunter has become one of our favorite authors because any of her books are almost a sure guarantee of an entertaining read! And with this newest novel, the first book in the Summer Harbor series, she has hit another home run.

Storyline
Eden Martelli is on the run from dangerous men who want to take her life and the life of her son, Micah. When her car breaks down and her cash is stolen, they become stranded in Summer Harbor, Maine and must find a way to make a living but stay hidden from those who would destroy them. When she meets the Callahan family - three grown brothers and their aunt - it seems God is providing not only a place to stay and a job for her, but a family to call her own as well. Beau Callahan slowly learns of the danger Eden is in and wants nothing more than to protect her and her son. But how can he do so when she is determined to keep hiding and running? 

This book captivated us from the first page and never stopped pulling us in. We were completely swept away into the story, so much so that we didn't want the book to end! Author Denise gave us her usual intriguing characters and dynamite romance, but she also ventured into the world of mystery and suspense and nailed it!

Depth
Eden faces a lot of fear in the wake of her past and the danger now at her door. She has to learn to let go of the fear in order to open herself up to a new life, but it isn't easy and takes some painful lessons to learn how. Beau is struggling with the loss of his parents and the responsibility of the family now that it's their first Christmas alone. Family relationships are complicated at times but they always come back to each other, despite the conflicts. We loved the way Denise writes families - flawed, funny, lovable and real.


Faith
"When you can't trust others, and you can't trust yourself, you can always trust God. He'll carry you through whatever comes your way." Faith is an important part of the character's lives, and they have to learn many things: giving fears to God, trusting the Lord, letting go at times, learning His character and knowing the Bible.

Squeal Factor
Eden does not feel she can ever trust a man again. But when she and Beau can no longer deny their strong attraction to one another, she lets her guard down just a little - and the chemistry they share is like fireworks! Denise is so good at writing deep, clean, passionate romance!

Overall
This book felt like a hot buttered roll right out of the oven. We savored every bit of it as it tantalized our taste buds and settled warmly into our bellies! We are putting this book on our Golden List because it was just that enjoyable. Now we are eager for the rest of the Summer Harbor series!

Find it on Amazon: Falling Like Snowflakes


Note: We were given this book in exchange for our honest review 

Friday, September 25, 2015

The Mistress of Tall Acre (By: Laura Frantz)

The Mistress of Tall Acre

By: Laura Frantz

Storyline
This book takes place following the revolutionary war. Times are hard as soldiers are getting back to life, and tension still remains between Tories and Patriots. General Seamus Ogilvy is now a widower and heading home to parent his young daughter, Lily Cate. His estate, Tall Acre, is in need of attention and so is his daughter! 

Sophie Mezies is all alone after losing her mother. Her father, who fought in the war, betrayed their country and family, and has returned to Europe. Even living with the bad reputation he left, Sophie is determined to stay in her home and make her life in America. When her neighbor, General Ogilvy, returns home, she hopes to at least have company from him and his daughter. Sophie quickly befriends Lily Cate and the two create a special bond. 

Seamus knows his daughter is in desperate need of a mother; he also knows Sophie is in need of a husband and home. Sophie agrees to marry Seamus out of convenience, but her heart longs for more from this man she has always been fond of. As the three become a family, mysterious happenings occur and they must bond together as they are threatened to be torn apart.

Depth
Laura Frantz did a great job writing about the struggles many faced after the Revolutionary War. Two sides - a General and a daughter of one who betrayed his country. Both have different wounds and heartaches. Some mystery in the second half of the book adds to the depth of the story and keeps you guessing until the end.


Faith
Sophie has great faith and it has sustained her through many hard times. Seamus' heart is hardened from the war and he has given up on prayer and trusting in the Lord. He eventually comes to realize he must turn back to the Lord, but we found his growth to be a bit lacking. More story seeing his need for the Lord would have been nice. However, we still appreciated what faith was present in the book.

Squeal Factor
Sophie and Seamus have a great deal of romantic tension as they become attracted to the other, but both fear it may be one sided. As their feelings start to present themselves, something always distracts them. When they finally profess their love for one another they share some intimate and sweet scenes together. br />
Overall
This book was enjoyable and we appreciated the original storyline, although we felt it dragged on at a few parts. Overall, however, it was an entertaining read and we look forward to trying out some of the author's other books!

Find it on Amazon: The Mistress of Tall Acre

 
Note: We were given this book in exchange for our honest review 

Friday, September 4, 2015

Crazy Little Thing Called Love (By: Beth K. Vogt)

Crazy Little Thing Called Love

By: Beth K. Vogt
It is always a pleasure to write a review on an author for the first time. It's an added bonus when that book is excellent and hard to put down! We were completely wrapped up in it and had many late nights reading!  
 
Storyline
Vanessa is busy planning a destination wedding in Destin, FL, but this is not her first marriage. Ten years ago, she eloped with her boyfriend Logan when they were just 18, but it ended after only two years. Moving on from what her mother calls "her biggest mistake" has not been easy the past eight years but she is ready for the new life that awaits her with her fiancĂ© Ted; or so she thinks! 

Logan is a highly regarded professional storm chaser. When he comes home to Florida for a vacation with his team for a much needed break, he never expects to run into his ex-wife, Vanessa. It knocks him off his game and brings back all the memories of what he lost eight years ago. But the worst part about it is when he finds out she is engaged to be married. Is there any way God would give him a second chance with his first and only love, his ex-wife who is about to marry someone else? Will she at least forgive him for past mistakes? His heart longs for her but he must trust the Lord in whatever path He has for each of them. 

Beth Vogt does a fabulous job writing flashbacks from Vanessa's and Logan's pasts and having them flow nicely into what is taking place in the present.

Depth
Vanessa grew up in a military home and moved around a lot. Because of this she has always struggled with getting "close" to others and maintaining lasting, loving relationships. She claims she is good at saying "hello" and "goodbye," but not at the relationship in between. Marrying Logan was a relief to her as she craved stability and a place to call home. This book is packed with emotion and has honest, loving, flawed characters who learn about loss, forgiveness and second chances.


Faith
Through this read, the faith is subtle but intensifies near the end and finishes strong. Vanessa blames God for much of the loneliness in her life. She has given up on trusting Him and doesn't know what a strong and giving relationship looks like with others, much less with Him. She is encouraged greatly in her faith by a friend who has chosen to love her, even when there is no love given in return. Logan wrestles with feeling guilty and unworthy to come before the Lord. Both Vanessa and Logan grow in their faith and love for the Lord and we found much joy in reading about it; it was simply beautiful near the end. The lesson throughout the book is that it's always better to go through any stage of life with God and others by your side, rather than alone.

Squeal Factor
In the flashbacks we get a front row seat as Vanessa and Logan fell in love and shared many sweet, tender moments. The present scenes are filled with passionate discussions, and a longing for what once was. However, we especially love the author's realistic portrayal of how hard it is to remain in purity before marriage. We were hooked and kept turning the pages to see what would happen next!

Overall
The main question Beth Vogt had us pondering through the book is this: What if what you thought was your worst mistake was actually the right choice all along? You may find the book starts off a little slow, but hang on because soon you'll have a hard time putting it down! We kept telling ourselves, "Just one more chapter!" It was a delight to read!

Find it on Amazon: Crazy Little Thing Called Love