Wednesday, August 22, 2018

On Magnolia Lane (By: Denise Hunter)


On Magnolia Lane
By: Denise Hunter

Story Line: 2 Stars
Depth: 2 Stars
Faith: 3 Stars
Love Story: 3 Stars
Overall: 3 Stars


This is the fourth and final book in the Blue Ridge Romance Series by Denise Hunter, and we finally get a front row seat to witness if anything will blossom between Pastor Jack McReady and Daisy Pendleton, as we've been suspecting for awhile now! Jack has been carrying a secret torch for Daisy for a long time, but hadn't been sure how to cross the pastor/congregant barrier between them. 

Unfortunately, our eager anticipation was met with disappointment. Although the storyline had the right plots for a page-turning, late night read (like secret online identities and mysterious people with shocking revelations), this one just failed to grab our attention until about 75% of the way through, and the story never delved into complexities of life. Hard issues were present in the story like dyslexia, infidelity, and abandonment, but these readers unfortunately didn't *feel* what the characters were supposed to have felt. We didn't feel invested in it. Everything kind of stayed at the surface, followed by quick and easy resolutions. 

If you are looking for a quick, lighthearted, predictable read, this series may entertain you. In fact, we just gave 4.5 stars to the previous book! But unfortunately, one book cannot carry an entire series, and that's what is going on here. Denise Hunter is one of our favorite authors, however, so we would recommend one of her older series to read (check out our list!) and will look forward to the start of her next series.




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

Tuesday, August 7, 2018

The Masterpiece (By: Francine Rivers)


The Masterpiece
By: Francine Rivers

Story Line: 5 Stars
Depth: 5 Stars
Faith: 5 Stars
Love Story: 4 Stars
Overall: 5 Stars


Before you read this review - did you happen to look at the star rating we gave it? If not, look again because these two chicks rarely give five stars

Francine Rivers has always been one of our favorite authors, however it has been some time since we delved into a novel of hers. This one grabbed our attention right from the start and never let go. The Masterpiece - that is precisely what this story is! Francine tackles extremely difficult subjects but does so with knowledge and grace. The characters are so real with their ugly pasts, and we were left hanging on to our seats as we waited for the redemption to unfold. 

Roman Velasco is a highly sought after artist who, from the world's point of view, has everything one could ever want. However, not many are close enough to know how the demons of his past haunt and torture him. He longs to feel more and wants more from this life, but what could that be? His new assistant Grace slowly starts to see the man underneath the rough exterior. But she, not immune from her own difficult memories, just wants to provide for her son - not be more to Roman. But what is God calling her to do? And what will it take for Roman to realize how desperately he needs the love of Jesus? This story was still written on our hearts days after we read the last page - and probably will be for awhile. 

Thank you Francine Rivers for writing this beautiful, emotionally rich tale of redemption and mercy. A story that can only come from being brought into the family of God, regardless of what life has dealt you.




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