The Things We Knew (By: Catherine West)

The Things We Knew

By: Catherine West

Storyline

Lynette Carlisle's mom passed away 12 years ago. Since then she has watched her family unravel and the worst part is she cannot remember what really happened the day her mom died. She has spent years trying to sort out what really took place. She was there that tragic day but her memories are suppressed. Now she is the only one left to care for her dad who is starting to show signs of Alzheimer's and to top it off, the house is falling apart. It's time for her to start calling her siblings home to tackle some tough decisions together. Little does she know, her siblings are each dealing with their own drama and hardships. This homecoming will either push them farther apart or be a time to come together and remember the importance of family. 

Enter Nick Cooper, another main character in this story is and Lynette's neighbor and past crush. Key word being PAST. Nick Cooper comes home to live with his father and help out with the family business. Nick remembers a time when the Carlisle family was more of a family to him than his own. Five years ago that changed when he had a falling out with his best friend, Gray Carlisle. Should he keep the past in the past? And what about the feelings he still has for Lynette? Will he help her remember what truly happened the day her mother died, or will that just push her away?

Depth

This story is definitely not lighthearted. It dives into tough family dynamics and struggles in life. There are five Carlisle siblings and all but one is living with lots of heartache and pain. Each one is dealing with their own grief but have kept it to themselves. When they all come home and the stories start to unravel it's evident that it's time they start relying on one another and working together to rebuild their family.

Faith

Lynette, Nick and the housekeeper are the main characters who profess to having faith in this book. With the three of them it was nice to see themes of grace and forgiveness. Dealing with so much pain from the past it was good to see those themes in parts of the book. However, this story is one that should have been wrapped tightly and bubbling with faith elements. Sadly, it lacked in this area. With all of the heartache and trials this family is going through we would have liked to have seen more growth in walks with the Lord and even started to see more evidence of faith in some characters.

Love Story

Lynette and Nick have a very sweet yet sometimes complicated relationship. They have a lot of heartbreak and unspoken bitterness between their two families to work through. We loved Nick's character and enjoyed watching him love and care for Lynette. These two have some sweet moments that you are sure to enjoy.

Overall

It was hard to not want to give this book more than three stars. Catherine is a very talented writer and tackles some very tough subjects in this story. However, too much drama and not enough redemption or faith built in to support all that took place had us longing for more at the end.

Find it on Amazon: The Things We Knew

The Silent Order (By: Melanie Dobson)

The Silent Order

By: Melanie Dobson

Storyline

It's 1928 in Cleveland and Detective Rollin Wells has one goal in life: to bring down the powerful Cardano mob family and put a stop to their decades of illegal activities and shady business. When he is nearly gunned down by the family's henchmen, Rollin takes refuge in an unlikely place: an Amish community. There, he is aided by a simple young woman, who reminds him so very much of the girl he once loved. 

Katie Lehman wants nothing to do with the world outside her community but taking care of Rollin forces her to face the secrets from her past. She must decide whether to pledge her life to the church or return to her roots outside of the Amish town. 

This book had us turning pages late into the night! It hummed along at the perfect pace as characters were developed beautifully and plot twists kept us hooked. Certain mysteries and secrets kept us guessing until the very end, where all the loose ends were tied up and answered skillfully. 

Depth

The reader is treated to a peek inside two vastly different worlds. The Cardano family's underground operations are dark and murderous, and author Melanie doesn't shy away from the grim reality of what life must have been like for those under their control. On the other hand, we explore the life of an Amish community that thrives on peace, forgiveness and simplicity. It's a sad and intriguing contrast all at the same time.

Faith

Rollin has spent the last decade cursing God and vowing revenge for the tragic loss he suffered at the hands of the Cardano family. But once immersed in the Amish community, he is confronted with issues of God's justice and blessing the Lord in any circumstance. The faith of his new friends is strong and lived out well, and it really rubs off on him.

Love Story

Rollin and Katie have an immediate connection that slowly builds into a deep, genuine love for each other. While their romance didn't necessarily get our hearts racing, it certainly made our hearts sigh with satisfaction as these two share tender and sweet moments!

Overall

This was the first novel we read by Melanie Dobson and you can be sure it won't be our last! She is a masterful storyteller, weaving plots together with action-packed excitement, realistic struggles and deep, touching interactions between characters. Excuse us, while we go choose another of hers to read!

Find it on Amazon: The Silent Order

Her One and Only (By: Becky Wade)

Her One and Only

By: Becky Wade

The conclusion to the Porter Family Series is finally here and it's a winner! We finally witness the story of Dru, the youngest Porter sibling and the only girl. Her three older brothers - Bo, Ty and Jake - all got their own stories in the first three books. Dru's story is a perfect conclusion!

Storyline

Wowza! This book grips the reader from the first sentence and doesn't let up until the last. Suspense, mystery and romance clip along at an excellent pace and the reader gets lost in the story, making it hard to put down. Dru Porter has always been trying to catch up with her three older brothers in life. A former marine, she is now a bodyguard - and has just been assigned to protect an NFL player, Gray Fowler, who has been receiving death threats from a stalker. Gray is not happy when he finds out that a girl half his size will be protecting him. He is also not happy that Dru is immune to the charm that thousands of other women fall for. As these two reluctantly work together, they slowly learn to trust one another with their hearts and lives.

Depth

At first glance, this book doesn't appear to be terribly deep - it could even be considered a lighthearted read. However, author Becky isn't content to just let the mystery and romance play out. She expertly weaves in real relationship problems and the deeper issues behind them needing to be worked out. The issues are hard, but necessary for deeper relationships and intimacy with other people. She visits the effects of child abuse, the emptiness of wealth and fame, and the purposes of life.

Faith

Forgiveness is a central theme in this book, and makes us realize we are never truly free until we forgive - and are forgiven. There is a big difference between being a Christian in name versus being a Christian in action  as a result of true, real faith.  Author Becky uses the characters' growth to shine a light on what it looks like to have a disconnect between you and God.

Love Story

Grey and Dru really don't like each other at first, which, in our humble opinion, always makes for a good love story just around the corner. This one doesn't disappoint! Their relationship is full of chemistry on the surface, but gets deep and authentic as it turns into love. Many swoon worthy moments in this story!

Overall

Very satisfying conclusion to this great series!!! We are sad to say good-bye to the Porter family, but just might have to start the series all over again to keep visiting them.

Find it on Amazon: Her One and Only

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

Anchor in the Storm (By: Sarah Sundin)

Anchor in the Storm

By: Sarah Sundin

Storyline

Anchor in the Storm is the second book in the Waves of Freedom series. It picks up where book one left off and quickly grabs your attention. The attack on Pearl Harbor has just happened and America is now at war. Lillian Avery has finally been offered a pharmacist position at a drug store in Boston where her brother Jim and his best friend are stationed in the Navy. However, Lillian has two strikes working against her: she is a female and has a prosthetic leg. She refuses to let anyone think either of those will hold her back. She is determined, independent and will prove she is the best for the job! 

Archer Vandenberg is used to women falling for his looks, his charm and mostly for his wealth. He longs to find one who will love him for who he is, not for his family's money. He is instantly intrigued by Lillian (mostly because she won't give him any attention). When Arch starts noticing strange behavior in his crew mates on board, he seeks advice from her and the two start to investigate a possible drug ring. As they dig deeper and deeper they find themselves wrapped up in a dangerous mystery. Twists and turns keep the book flowing well.

Depth

Lillian has a hard time showing her true self to anyone. She never wants to be viewed as weak so in turn comes off as hard-hearted. Having been hurt before, she has built a wall around her heart and won't easily let others in. Honestly, it was a bit hard to connect with her in this story. It took awhile for even us as readers to see into her heart. 

Arch has tried to escape his wealthy upbringing and longs to live away from the affluent society. He fears what comes with living that lifestyle and doesn't want to be liked because of his affluence. He wants real, honest relationships but is so suspicious of others that he must learn to trust those who love him for who he is on the inside. 

We learn a lot about what the Navy would have looked like fighting from American soil and the waters nearby during WWII. Also woven throughout the story are problems many naval soldiers must have faced during this time. Sarah Sundin has definitely done her history homework for this book!

Faith

The theme in this book is Jesus needs to be your anchor and hope in any storm you face in life. We love how it ties into the title. Lillian and Arch both search their hearts to see what they are putting their trust and hope in. They both have weaknesses, whether they be physical or emotional. Will they be able to let go and let God work through them despite their weaknesses? Will they let His strength be enough?

Squeal Factor

The romance part of this book is quite sweet and enjoyable. As mentioned above, these two characters have quite a bit to overcome for either of them to open up their heart to another. Once the walls start to come down it is a satisfying journey, but be careful because it's easy to let those walls go back up! We loved how Arch truly tried to encourage Lillian to be the best version of herself. There are definitely a few sigh worthy moments between these two!

Overall

Anchor in the Storm was a great addition to the Waves of Freedom series. The depth and number of naval history tid-bits made parts a little slow for us, but we still recommend reading it. However, if you are a history buff, you may very well love this aspect of the book! We enjoyed revisiting characters from the last book and being introduced to the main characters of book three. We are looking forward to finishing up the series next year.

Find it on Amazon: Anchor in the Storm

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

Land of Silence (By: Tessa Afshar)

Land of Silence

By: Tessa Afshar

Tessa Afshar is one of the best at Biblical, historical fiction! She's at it again, this time telling the story of the woman who bled for 12 years. Little is known about her, except she was considered "unclean," and therefore an outcast, from this bleeding disease. Her faith is rewarded by Jesus and she is healed simply by touching the hem of his garment, as told in three of the four gospels in the Bible. Jesus actually thought it significant enough to stop what he was doing to pay attention to her extraordinary faith.

Storyline

Tessa Afshar tells this woman's (fictional) story in Land of Silence, and as usual, does an amazing job weaving real people, fiction and history together. Her writing flows and engages the reader right from the beginning, with well-developed characters and deep, realistic storylines. 

The woman's name is Elianna: a young Jewish maiden in a happy family and betrothed to a man she has loved all her life. But in an instant, her family's lives are devastated, and thus begins a season of (seemingly) never ending loss and heartache. When her life is finally stripped down to almost nothing, it is only then that she begins to experience who God really is. Can she trust God to be all he says he is? And what about this new prophet, Jesus, everyone is talking about? Rumors are he heals the sick and the lame. Could he actually be the long awaited Messiah? What's more... could he really be the answer she has needed all along?

Depth

As in all Tessa's books, she never shies away from exploring the deep, soul wrenching realities of life. Issues of guilt, bitterness, grief, sorrow and betrayal are all shaken to the core. This story dives pretty low into despair and heartache, but surfaces with satisfaction into redemption, forgiveness and hope.

Faith

It's a rare thing for these two chicks to give a five star rating for the faith category! In this book, God is most definitely a main character. The Jews follow the old law to the best of their abilities, and Tessa takes great care to respect it and show the need for a Savior all at the same time. A wise Pharisee (who in real life secretly became a follower of Jesus) says that we do not understand who God really is in our times of happiness, but rather in our times of suffering and sickness. He prays for Elianna, but advises her that even if she is not healed physically, her heart can begin mending and her soul can begin preparing for the plans God has yet to unfold in her life. 

Tessa's vast knowledge and understanding of Jewish and Christian history blows us away with each of her books we open!

Squeal Factor

Elianna has loved Ethan her whole life and assumes she probably always will. They share a few tender scenes, but mostly we are just witness to their traditional - albeit, unpredictable - betrothal.

Overall

If you are looking for a deep, faith-filled read, this book is for you! Tessa's excellence as a historical fiction writer, based on true accounts, is supreme. We would have loved to give this read a five star, but we felt the first half of the book was a little too drawn out. However, like usual, Tessa ties everything together beautifully at the end and makes this a solid, wonderful read.

Find it on Amazon: Land of Silence

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

The Reluctant Duchess (By: Roseanna M. White)

The Reluctant Duchess

By: Roseanna M. White

Storyline 

Once again, author Roseanna introduces many characters, but as you get them all down you will find yourself swept up in this new storyline! Lady Rowena Kinnaird is heiress to a Highland earldom, but wants nothing to do with her current situation or title. Formerly smart and confident, she is now but a shell of who she used to be. After she suffers a dreadful attack, Rowena will now do what she must to flee her home in Scotland - even if it means starting over where she won't fit in. 

Brice Myerston, the Duke of Nottingham, has always been a notorious, flirty bachelor, happily remaining single. But when he is confronted with a lady in a desperate situation, he follows his instinct to rescue her. On top of this, Brice is now in possession of the fire eyes - the cursed jewels from book one. Rowena is trying to escape threats from her homeland, only to find out she is now mixed up with Brice and the danger the jewels bring with them. Can these two strangers learn to trust, love and respect one another? Will the past and present dangers bring them together or tear them apart?

Depth 

This book does captures that real life can be messy, painful and even hopeless at times. Author Roseanna does not offer quick fixes, but takes the characters on journeys they must travel, even if painful. Rowena, especially, has been dealt some very hard blows in life and a simple change of scenery does not allow her to outrun the past. She has a lot to learn but allows the Lord to free her from the hurt and pain. The depth of human emotion and consequences for actions make up a large part of the story, bringing it deeper than a lighthearted read.

Faith 

Brice's faith is inspiring and vibrant. He continually seeks the Lord about everything, and acts on what he feels the Lord puts on his heart. It is rarely easy, but he stands firm. Rowena, coming from Scotland, has a much different background and has struggled with the balance between good and evil, light and darkness. Curses and superstitions are a part of her ancestral history, so she fears the present evil in this world. She learns that the Lord is the LIGHT, and can be relied upon to conquer evil. Characters learn that often times, trials are what lead us to the place the Lord wants us.

Squeal Factor 

This book teaches us about real love - not easy, but always worth it. Brice and Rowena learn that love must be a choice, rooted deeply in the Lord and cannot be based solely on feelings and emotions. Roseanna did a phenomenal job with Brice and his willingness to love beyond what he is capable of - he chooses to rely on the Lord for that strength. This portrayal of love was inspiring and was one of our favorite components in the book.

Overall 

This second installment in the series is well written and will continue in the next book! Readers will stay engaged as the story unfolds. Mystery, danger, drama and romance fill the pages wonderfully! The only drawback to our overall rating is that fact that these two chicks had a hard time connecting with and relating to Rowena until the end. However, we eagerly await book three to wrap up some of the story we have grown attached to.

Find it on Amazon: The Reluctant Duchess

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