When the Morning Comes

WOODSMALL, CINDY

WHEN THE MORNING COMES

Her relationship with fiance Paul Waddell in tatters, Hannah Lapp has fled her Old Order Amish community in hopes of finding a new home in Ohio with her shunned aunt. Hampered by limited education and hiding her true identity, Hannah struggles to navigate the confusing world of the Englischers. Back in Owl's Perch, Pennsylvania, Paul is wracked with regret and wants to search for his love. Will the opportunities in her new life persuade Hannah to stay among the Englischers, or will she give in to her heart's call to return home?

THIS IS THE SECOND BOOK IN THE THREE-PART SISTERS OF THE QUILT SERIES AND I RECOMMEND THAT YOU START WITH BOOK 1 (WHEN THE HEART CRIES).

IN SOME WAYS, I FEEL LIKE WHEN THE MORNING COMES IS A BRIDGE BETWEEN THE FIRST AND THIRD BOOKS. I THINK 1 AND 2 COULD STAND ON THEIR OWN (IF YOU READ THE AUTHOR'S CHARACTER NOTES ), BUT BOOK TWO HAS A TRANSITIONAL FEEL TO IT. IT IS A NECESSARY TRANSITION THOUGH AND BRILLIANTLY WRITTEN.

WOODSMALL IS BACK IN FULL FORM -- GRABBING MY HEART AND SQUEEZING THE LIFE OUT OF IT FROM THE VERY FIRST CHAPTER! SHE DIDN'T SPARE MY NERVES OR EMOTIONS AND I WAS CLOSE TO BASKET-CASE STATUS WHEN I FINALLY CLOSED THE BOOK AT MIDNIGHT. I COULDN'T GO TO BED WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT HAPPENED AND NOW MY NOSE IS BURIED IN BOOK THREE SO I CAN FIND OUT WHAT TRULY FINALLY ABSOLUTELY HAPPENS!

WHEN THE MORNING COMES SPANS TWO YEARS OF HANNAH'S LIFE AFTER SHE LEAVES HER OLD ORDER AMISH COMMUNITY. WE GET TO BE BY HER SIDE AS SHE TAKES BABY STEPS TOWARD AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE. THERE'S SO MUCH I LOVED ABOUT HER JOURNEY AND SO MUCH THAT I'M STILL ACHING OVER.

I'M PROUD OF HANNAH FOR THE STRIDES SHE TAKES TO OVERCOME HURTS FROM HER PAST AND TO LATCH ONTO NEW DREAMS. I LOVE THAT SHE KEEPS HER 'PLAIN' HEART -- DOESN'T LET THE ENGLISCHER WORLD CHANGE THE FUNDAMENTAL PARTS OF HER. SHE TRANSFORMS INTO A CONFIDENT, CAPABLE WOMAN IN THIS BOOK BUT THE STORY IS ALSO PEPPERED WITH TALES OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS BACK IN OWL'S PERCH, PENNSYLVANIA WHICH BUILDS TO A DRAMATIC CONCLUSION AND CALL FOR HANNAH'S RETURN.

YOU KNOW A BOOK IS REALLY GOOD WHEN YOU DREAM ABOUT IT IN RESTLESS FITS ALL NIGHT LONG AND THE CHARACTER'S PREDICAMENT IS YOUR FIRST CONSCIOUS THOUGHT COME MORNING. IN AN ATTEMPT TO SHAKE MY 'BOOK TWO MELANCHOLY', I DIVED INTO BOOK THREE AND AM STILL IN THE THROES OF ANGST. THANK GOODNESS IT'S THE WEEKEND AND I'LL BE ABLE TO FINISH IT QUICKLY.

That Certain Spark

Hakes, Cathy Marie

That Certain Spark

Gooding, Texas is about to gain a double blessing -- a veterinarian and a doctor. But when siblings Enoch and Taylor Bestman arrive, the discovery that Taylor is a lady doctor has the town up in arms. Especially Karl Van der Vort, the town blacksmith, who becomes the first patient...against his will.

Though hesitant to believe in Taylor's doctoring skills, Karl finds himself oddly protective of this surprising woman who dares to drive about town on her own, wearing the colour red, for heaven's sake! Taylor, on the other hand, wants only to prove that doctoring is her life's calling, despite the town's opposition. The result? Pride meets attraction head-on, and sparks begin to fly.

THIS IS SUCH A FUNNY BOOK FULL OF TWISTS AND TURNS AND LOADS OF COMEDY. HAKE EXCELS AT WITTY REPARTEE! SARCASM FLIES BETWEEN TAYLOR AND HER TWIN BROTHER, ENOCH. EVERY TIME SHE'S WITH KARL THEY ENGAGE IN A BATTLE OF WITS. HER QUICK TONGUE EVEN WAGS LOOSE IN THE MOST DIRE OF CIRCUMSTANCES. THAT CERTAIN SPARK WAS SUCH A FUN READ!

KARL AND TAYLOR ARE SUCH OPPOSITES THAT AT FIRST I DIDN'T KNOW HOW HAKES WAS GOING TO GET THEM TOGETHER BUT SHE DID IT EXPERTLY WITH LOTS OF HUMOUR AND A BIT OF DRAMA ALONG THE WAY.

ENOCH STOLE THE ROMANTIC LEAD, THOUGH, IN A HEARTBREAKINGLY BEAUTIFUL DECLARATION TO THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE...IN MULTIPLE SCENES, IN FACT. HIS MORE SERIOUS SIDE STORY PROVIDED A TENDER BALANCE TO THE TURMOIL IN HIS SISTERS LIFE AND THE COMEDY THROUGHOUT THE BOOK.

THE INFURIATING, SMALL-MINDED, PIG-HEADED MEN OF GOODING, TEXAS HAD ME RANTING OUT LOUD! TAYLOR'S FIGHT TO WIN THE RESPECT OF THE TOWNSPEOPLE AND EARN THE RIGHT TO PRACTICE MEDICINE DEFINITELY HAD AN AIR OF AUTHENTICITY. I LOVE HOW KARL SLOWLY COMES AROUND -- THE INNER BATTLE THAT RAGES AS HE TRIES TO RECONCILE HIS IDEAS OF WHAT A PROPER WOMAN SHOULD AND SHOULDN'T DO WITH THE REALITY OF WHAT THE WOMAN HE IS FALLING IN LOVE WITH ACTUALLY DOES.

GREAT BLEND OF HUMOUR AND DRAMA -- AND I SO WISH I HAD HAKE'S ABILITY AT SNAPPY COMEBACKS AND ARTFULLY FUNNY CONVERSATIONS. I BET IT'S NEVER DULL AROUND HER DINNER TABLE!

A Matter of Character

HATCHER, ROBIN LEE

A MATTER OF CHARACTER

It's 1918 and Daphne McKinley, heiress to a small fortune, has found contentment in the town of Bethlehem Springs, Idaho. But Daphne has a secret.

A series of dime novels loosely based on local lore and featuring a nefarious villain known as Rawhide Rick has enjoyed modest popularity among readers. Nobody in Bethlehem Springs knows the man behind the stories -- except Daphne.

When newspaperman Joshua Crawford comes to town searching for the man who sullied the good name of his grandfather, Daphne finds herself at a crossroads, reassessing the power of her words, re-thinking how best to honour her gifts and reconsidering what she wants out of life.

THIS IS THE THIRD IN THE SISTERS OF BETHLEHEM SPRINGS SERIES, THOUGH IT STANDS FINE ON ITS OWN. IF YOU'VE READ THE OTHER TWO THOUGH, YOU'LL BE PLEASED TO CATCH UP WITH GWEN AND MORGAN AND CLEO AND WOODY.

I LOVE THE WAY ROBIN LEE HATCHER WRITES. SHE KNOWS HOW TO FLESH OUT A CHARACTER UNTIL THEY TAKE ON A LIFE OF THEIR OWN WHICH MAKES ME A COMMITTED READER RIGHT FROM PAGE ONE.

I REALLY LIKED THE POST-WORLD WAR ONE TIMELINE. THIS TRANSITIONAL PERIOD IN HISTORY WITH ALL ITS 'MODERN' ADVANCEMENTS WAS A GREAT BACKDROP FOR THE PERSONAL TRANSITIONS BOTH THE HERO AND HEROINE GO THROUGH.

JOSHUA CRAWFORD IS A HERO DREAMS ARE MADE OF -- EXCEPT FOR A FEW MINOR FLAWS . HIS TEMPER AND ALMOST HERO-WORSHIP OF HIS DECEASED GRANDFATHER ARE WHAT GIVE HIS CHARACTER AN EDGE AND DEPTH AND PROPELS HIM THROUGH THE STORY. I LOVED HIS GROWTH IN THE BOOK -- I COULD FEEL HIM STRETCHING OUT OF HIS COMFORT ZONE, WRESTLING WITH THE TRUTH, STRUGGLING WITH HOW TO LIVE GOD'S COMMANDMENTS WHILE FACING SO MANY CHANGES IN HIS LIFE.

DAPHNE MCKINLEY IS, ON THE SURFACE, THE PERFECT HEROINE. SHE HAS EVERYTHING -- MONEY, LOOKS, A VIABLE CAREER, THE RESPECT OF A WHOLE TOWN AND THE LOVE OF FAMILY. BUT THERE'S SOMETHING VULNERABLE ABOUT HER TOO. SHE'S ON THE CUSP OF DISCOVERING TRUTHS ABOUT HERSELF AND WHAT SHE REALLY WANTS OUT OF LIFE...AND MORE IMPORTANTLY WHAT GOD WANTS FROM HER LIFE. IT IS WHEN SHE FACES THE ROOT OF HER DISSATISFACTION AND LETS GO OF HER DEFENSIVE BEHAVIOUR THAT SHE REALLY COMES INTO HER OWN.

BOTH JOSHUA AND DAPHNE ARE STRONG, BELIEVABLE CHARACTERS AND THERE IS AN UNDERLYING CONNECTION EVEN WHEN THEY ARE AT ODDS WITH ONE ANOTHER. THERE ARE SOME CLASSICAL ROMANTIC SCENES IN THIS BOOK AND A KISSING SCENE THAT'S GUARANTEED TO CURL YOUR TOES.

HATCHER DOES A WONDERFUL JOB OF INTERWEAVING A POWERFUL MESSAGE ABOUT THE WEIGHT OF WORDS AND THE EFFECT THEY CAN HAVE ON PEOPLE. AS DAPHNE STRUGGLES OVER WHAT DIRECTION SHE WANTS HER WRITING TO TAKE, I COULDN'T HELP BUT WONDER IF THIS WAS SOMETHING CLOSE TO HATCHER'S HEART. THAT SHE HAD COME TO THE SAME TURNING POINT IN HER CAREER WHICH ADDED A NEW DIMENSION TO MY READING ENJOYMENT.

The Cubicle Next Door

MITCHELL, SIRI L.

THE CUBICLE NEXT DOOR

Jackie Harrison is a civilian who loves her job at the U.S. Air Force Academy. That is, until she is forced to divide her office into cubicles and share the space with a new history instructor, Lt. Col. Joseph Gallagher. A charmer in a flight suit, Joe wants to explore both Colorado and a growing relationship with his new cubicle mate. The office was bad enough, but Jackie's beside herself when Joe shows up in her home and church, even turning her grandmother's weekly bridge game into poker night!

Jackie goes online to vent, but she eventually finds herself admitting her conflicted feelings about this office neighbour who drives her crazy and makes her heart flutter. But when her blog -- The Cubicle Next Door -- is featured on TV, everyone begins to read it, including Joe. Will he figure out the anonymous confessions and frustrations are written about him? And how will Jackie ever express her heart offline?

This tale of limited work space, hidden identity, and cyber confessions is for anyone who has ever longed to be herself and to find a life beyond cubicle walls.

THIS FANTASTIC ROMANCE IS DELIVERED IN A UNIQUE FORMAT THAT MAKES IT FRESH AND EXHILARATING. THE COMBINATION OF FIRST PERSON NARRATIVE AND BLOG ENTRIES ALONG WITH RAPID-FIRE DIALOGUE MAKE THE CUBICLE NEXT DOOR AN INCREDIBLY MEMORABLE READ.

THE HILARITY IS THE BEST I'VE READ. SIRI L. MITCHELL HAS A TALENT FOR THE SUBTLETIES OF TONGUE-IN-CHEEK HUMOUR AS WELL AS BITING SARCASM AND SHE USES BOTH TO MAKE THIS STORY FLY. AT THE BEGINNING, I THOUGHT I WAS IN FOR A CLASSIC COMEDY READ, BUT BIT BY BIT, MITCHELL GIVES US INSIGHT INTO WHAT'S BEHIND THE HUMOUR.

JACKIE HARRISON IS HURTING AND SHE HAS NURSED THAT HURT FOR A LIFETIME UNTIL IT HAS EMOTIONALLY PARALYZED HER. JOE GALLAGHER IS THE MOST ANNOYING, OUTGOING, NEVER-TAKE-NO KIND OF GUY. OF COURSE THEY CLASH -- HOW COULD THEY HELP IT ? ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY SHARE AN OFFICE WITH ONLY A CUBICLE WALL TO DIVIDE THEM.

JOE WON ME OVER FROM THE VERY START. HE SAW A NEED IN JACKIE THAT NO ONE ELSE HAD BOTHERED TO NOTICE AND SET ABOUT TRYING TO FILL IT -- DESPITE JACKIE'S AT TIMES BELLIGERENT RELUCTANCE. I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT I REALLY CONNECTED WITH JOE AS THE ROMANTIC HERO SINCE THE ENTIRE BOOK IS WRITTEN FROM JACKIE'S POINT OF VIEW. SEEING HIM JUST FROM HER PERSPECTIVE -- AND MAYBE SEEING HIM IN SPITE OF THAT PERSPECTIVE -- MADE FOR A RIVETING HERO.

THE ROMANCE IS PALPABLE -- AT FIRST AS UNDERCURRENTS THAT JACKIE SO CAREFULLY TRIES TO KEEP BELOW THE SURFACE -- BUT THEY GAIN MOMENTUM AS THE STORY PROGRESSES, THROWING HER COMPLETELY OUT OF HER COMFORT ZONE. HER BLOG, WHICH STARTED OUT AS A SCATHING COMMENTARY ON HER CUBICLE MATE EVOLVES INTO AN UNCONSCIOUS PLEA FOR UNDERSTANDING AS SHE TRIES TO MAKE SENSE OF HER INNER TURMOIL. BUT WHEN THE ROMANCE FINALLY SPARKS IT REALLY SIZZLES -- NOT WITHOUT ANGST, OF COURSE.

IN FACT, FOR ALL THE LAUGHING I DID READING THIS BOOK, I HAD TEARY MOMENTS AS WELL. SIRI MITCHELL DID A MASTERFUL JOB OF DELIVERING LOVE AND HEARTACHE IN AN AMAZINGLY DIFFERENT PACKAGE. LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!!

Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart

PATTILLO, BETH

MR. DARCY BROKE MY HEART

Claire Prescott doesn't understand Mr. Darcy's appeal. She's been uncomfortably dating Neil, a nice -- if a bit negligent -- sports fanatic. But when she agrees to stand in for her sister at a Jane Austen seminar in Oxford, England, she finds herself holding a lost version of Pride and Prejudice. Scholars thought Austen's original manuscript was destroyed centuries ago, but as Claire reads the beloved author's first draft, she discovers that Austen didn't always have Darcy in mind for Lizzie Bennet.

And when a tall, dark, and dashing stranger crosses Claire's path, will she suddenly discover her inner Lizzie Bennet? Neil's unexpected arrival in Oxford complicates Claire's journey to finding her true romantic lead, and she discovers that finding the right hero can be more difficult than she ever imagined.

TRUE CONFESSION: I'VE NEVER REALLY UNDERSTOOD ALL THE FUSS OVER MR. DARCY. HE WAS JUST SO STUFFY AND OVERBEARING AND SNOBBISH. I KNOW, I KNOW HE WENT THROUGH A TRANSFORMATION BY THE END OF THE BOOK, BUT FRANKLY, I WOULDN'T HAVE GIVEN HIM THE CHANCE. MIND YOU, I'M MORE INTO THE SALT OF THE EARTH KIND OF GUY -- GIVE ME A GARDENER OR A CARPENTER ANY DAY. ANYWAY, THAT'S WHY I COULDN'T RESIST THE LURE OF A HEROINE WHO DOESN'T UNDERSTAND MR. DARCY'S APPEAL.

BETH PATTILLO STUDIED IN LONDON FOR ONE SEMESTER IN COLLEGE AND I THINK SHE DREW ON THAT EXPERIENCE TO BRING AUTHENTICITY TO CLAIRE'S WEEK LONG STAY AT OXFORD. I FELT LIKE A WIDE-EYED TOURIST AS I SAW ENGLAND THROUGH CLAIRE'S EYES.

I LOVED THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF A LOST JANE AUSTEN MANUSCRIPT -- AND THE EXCERPTS CLAIRE GOT TO READ. PATTILLO DID A GREAT JOB OF INTERWEAVING THE PROBLEMS IN CLAIRE'S LIFE WITH THE PASSAGES FROM 'FIRST IMPRESSIONS'. VERY CLEVERLY DONE. THE WHOLE CONCEPT IS GENIUS.

A FRESH, WHIMSICAL, HEART-TUGGING STORY THAT CAPTURED MY FANCY AND HAD ME READING IT FROM COVER TO COVER IN ONE SITTING .

To Love Anew

LEON, BONNIE

TO LOVE ANEW

Hannah Talbot has no one. Forced to leave the only home she's ever known, she works for a cruel employer who brutally takes the only thing she has left -- her dignity. When she is banished to an Australian prison, she is certain God has turned his back on her. How could he -- or anyone else -- ever love her again?

John Bradshaw is a successful businessman, but his untamed spirit wants more. Little does he know what he will have to endure to find the adventure he seeks. Betrayed by those closest to him, he loses everything, even his freedom. There is no returning now. His life is not his own.

Now aboard a ghastly prison ship, John and Hannah are about to cross paths. What will happen when two hearts filled with pain discover how to love anew? The first book in the Sydney Cove series.

BONNIE LEON MANAGES TO PLUNGE HER READERS INTO THE GRITTY -- AND OFTEN SHOCKING -- REALITY OF THE EARLY 1800'S RIGHT FROM THE FIRST PAGE OF TO LOVE ANEW. THIS IS DICKENS' WORLD, WHERE INJUSTICES ARE HEAPED UPON THE INNOCENT WHILE THE WICKED GO FREE AND A MAN (OR WOMAN) CAN BE JAILED FOURTEEN YEARS FOR STEALING A LOAF OF BREAD.

THE HISTORICAL DETAIL IS AMAZING, THOUGH LEON DOES SUCH A GOOD JOB WITH IT THAT I FELT LIKE I WAS RIGHT THERE WITH HANNAH AT THE MOST DESPERATE OF TIMES. WHAT STRUCK ME MOST AS I READ THIS BOOK, WAS THE FACT THAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY SUFFERED THE HORRORS HANNAH DID...AND SURVIVED!

TO LOVE ANEW DEALS WITH THE HARSHER REALITIES OF LIFE AND COULD HAVE FELT OVERWHELMING IF IT WEREN'T FOR A CAST OF SECONDARY CHARACTERS WHO MANAGE TO BUOY HANNAH UP AND GUIDE HER WAY BACK TO A GOD SHE THOUGHT HAD FORSAKEN HER.

WHILE HANNAH STRUGGLES WITH FEELINGS OF SELF-WORTH, JOHN BATTLES BITTERNESS AND LEON WEAVES AN UNDERLYING MESSAGE OF FORGIVENESS THAT BRINGS THEM BOTH HOPE. BUT WILL THAT HOPE LAST? THOUGH TO LOVE ANEW ENDS ON A HIGH POINT I FEEL A SENSE OF FORESHADOWING OF THINGS TO COME IN THE SECOND BOOK OF THE SYDNEY COVE SERIES. CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!

Sisters Red

PEARCE, JACKSON

SISTERS RED

The wolf opens its long jaws, rows of teeth stretching for her. A thought locked itself in Scarlett's mind: I am the only one left to fight, so now I must kill you.

Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris -- the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister, Rosie, from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and a blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead.

Rosie March once felt that her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts ferociously alongside her. But even as more girls' bodies pile up in the city and the Fenris seem to be gaining power, Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves. She finds herself drawn to Scarlett's only friend, Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax. But does loving him mean betraying her sister and all that they've worked for?

THIS STUNNING TAKE ON RED RIDING HOOD IS AN INCREDIBLY GRIPPING READ, BUT BEWARE -- YOU WON'T WANT TO STOP ONCE YOU'VE STARTED. PEARCE KNOWS HOW TO BUILD TENSION WITH A TIGHT PLOT AND PLENTY OF ACTION. SISTERS RED IS VIOLENT AND PRETTY GRAPHIC IN PLACES (I FOUND MYSELF WINCING A TIME OR TWO) BUT IT ISN'T OVERLY DONE.

HOWEVER, THIS BOOK ISN'T ALL ABOUT FIGHTING WEREWOLVES. THERE IS A WONDERFUL ROMANCE WOVEN INTO THE PAGES AS WELL. PEARCE DOES A GOOD JOB OF CONVEYING THE EXCITEMENT, NERVES AND WONDER OF A NEW LOVE. THE ROMANCE BOTH SOFTENS AND INTENSIFIES THE TALE, ADDING AN ENTIRELY NEW DIMENSION.

EACH CHAPTER ALTERNATES POV BETWEEN THE SISTERS -- A GREAT TECHNIQUE TO DEVELOP CHARACTERIZATION AND IT DEFINITELY BUILDS SUSPENSE IN THE PLOT. BOTH SISTERS ARE BOUND TOGETHER BY A PAST TRAGEDY. THEIR DESIRE TO RIGHT THAT WRONG IS WHAT LEADS THEM TO HUNT AND KILL THE FENRIS. BUT IT IS THE DEPTH OF THAT DESIRE IN ONE OF THE SISTERS THAT NEARLY SEVERS THEIR RELATIONSHIP.

PEARCE HAS BUILT A VERY CLEVER LEGEND OF HER OWN AROUND THIS FAMILIAR FAIRY TALE AND HAS ARTFULLY PLACED IT INTO A MODERN SETTING. SHE CREATES IMAGERY WITH HER WORDS AND CUTTING DIALOGUE. CHARLES PERRAULT WOULD BE PROUD.

NOTE: SOME OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE

Lonestar Secrets

COBLE, COLLEEN

LONESTAR SECRETS

Five years ago, Shannon Astor left the beautiful high-mountain country of West Texas as a single mother. She was desperate for a fresh start...and a way to keep the secrets of her past buried. It almost worked.

Until a chance to make a better life for her daughter leads her right back home. To the very place of the past betrayals.

But it also leads Shannon to horse-trainer Jack MacGowan -- her handsome high-school nemesis, now a widowed father. His daughter looks so startlingly like her own that Shannon can't help but question the circumstances surrounding her daughter's birth. Wary of each other's intentions, Shannon and Jack reluctantly join forces to untangle a deep mystery that swirls around Shannon's parents, a lost Spanish treasure, and a legendary black stallion.

If Shannon can learn to entrust her secrets to the man falling in love with her, the truth just might set her free.

COBLE CERTAINLY PACKS A LOT INTO THIS BOOK WHICH MAKES FOR A PAGE TURNING READ AS YOU TRY TO KEEP UP WITH ALL THE SUB-PLOTS. LOTS OF ACTION AND DRAMA BUT THERE WERE TIMES WHEN I JUST WANTED TO SMACK SHANNON FOR HOLDING ONTO A HIGH SCHOOL GRUDGE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN LET GO A LONG TIME AGO. BUT THEN LESSONS IN FORGIVENESS ARE MESSY ONES AND I LIKED THE GROWTH IN SHANNON BY THE END OF THE BOOK. HER ABILITY TO FORGIVE BROUGHT HER THE ABILITY TO TRUST (PRACTICALLY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HER LIFE) AND THAT ENABLED HER TO LOVE.

Simple Secrets

MEHL, NANCY

SIMPLE SECRETS

Graphic designer Gracie Temple wants it all: the big city lifestyle and a successful job in advertising. And it looks like her life is on the right track when she takes a job at a struggling midszie firm in Witchita.

But when Gracie inherits a house from her unknown uncle in the mostly Mennonite town of Harmony, Kansas, she's not sure what God is trying to tell her. Especially oncer she discovers the hosue comes with a dark legacy and a cast of eccentric neighbours. Will Gracie shake off the dust of this town, or will its secret charms pull her in to stay?

All Sam Goodrich wants is to get married and start a family...and he thought he'd do it with his fiancee. But he can't bring himself to agree to a wedding date. When he meets Gracie Temple, Sam discovers she's everything he doesn't want. He loves his fruit farm, and he loves Harmony. So why does he feel so drawn to an outsider?

When something tries to keep Gracie from discovering the truth behind the town's collection of secrets, will Sam and Gracie cling to their faith to help them decide what's most important -- before it's too late?

WOW...SIMPLE SECRETS IS SIMPLY AMAZING!!!! I PRETTY MUCH READ IT IN ONE SITTING, COMPELTEY DISREGARDING ALL THE CHORES I HAD PLANNED TO GET DONE TODAY BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSE. I KEPT TELLING MYSELF 'JUST ONE MORE CHAPTER...I'LL READ TO THE END OF THIS SCENE...OKAY...REALLY, JUST ONE MORE PAGE AND I'LL PUT THIS BOOK DOWN...' BUT I JUST COULDN'T LET IT GO.

MEHL HAS CREATED A MASTERFUL MYSTERY/SUSPENSE. THE CLUES ARE EXPERTLY PLANTED DEEP WITHIN THE LAYERS OF PLOT AND ROMANCE. AS YOU'RE READING, YOU KNOW YOU'VE JUST BEEN GIVEN A CLUE BUT YOU CAN'T QUITE FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH IT YET. I'M USUALLY REALLY GOOD AT FIGURING OUT MYSTERIES BUT MEHL MANAGED TO DISTRACT ME WITH ENOUGH RED HERRINGS TO MAKE MY HEAD SPIN. I LOVED IT!!!!!!!!

THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE MENNONITE FAITH AND CUSTOMS WERE FASCINATING AND THIS BOOK IS UNIQUE IN THAT NEITHER THE HERO OR HEROINE ARE OF THE MENNONITE FAITH. THE TOWN OF HARMONY IS AN INSPIRING BLEND OF FAITHS AND BELIEFS WHERE NEIGHBOURS MEET EACH OTHER ON THE COMMON GROUND OF LIVING THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT -- 'LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR'. THEY STRIVE, BUT AS THE STORY PROGRESSES YOU DISCOVER THAT NOT ALL SUCCEED.

THERE ARE WONDERFUL FAITH PROMOTING CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN CHARACTERS WHICH FLOW NATURALLY INTO THE PLOT MAKING THIS AN UPLIFTING AND THOUGHT-PROVOKING READ.

MEHL'S CAST OF CHARACTERS ARE SO DIVERSE AND CLEVERLY CRAFTED THAT THEY CAME TO LIFE FOR ME, AS DID THE FICTIONAL TOWN. I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED TO DISCOVER THAT IT DIDN'T EXIST EXCEPT IN THE AUTHOR'S IMAGINATION...AND NOW MINE. I AM ACTUALLY FEELING BEREFT NOW THAT I AM FORCED TO TAKE MY DEPARTURE FROM A TOWN AND PEOPLE I'VE GROWN TO LOVE. I FEEL AS MELANCHOLY AS IF I'M LEAVING A FAVOURITE VACATION SPOT. EVEN THOUGH I KNOW I'LL GET TO GO BACK SOMEDAY, IT CAN'T BE SOON ENOUGH FOR ME! ALAS, THAT WON'T HAPPEN UNTIL DECEMBER 2010 WHEN THE SEQUEL, SIMPLE DECEIT COMES OUT. I CAN'T WAIT!!!!

Doctor in Petticoats

CONNEALY, MARY

DOCTOR IN PETTICOATS

When nurse Beth McCallen survives a stage coach accident, she soon realizes the derelict traveling alongside her is a doctor, and she forces him to help tend the injured. Alex Buchanan, arm deserter, finds he can only care for the patients as long as Beth is right beside him, giving him courage...by yelling at him.

Beth thinks he's a lunatic when he proposes that they marry and work together in her hometown. But there's no denying his skill, and she can see the emotional price Alex pays to help hurting people. Besides, she owes the guy for saving her own sister.

So she agreed to marry him.

And that's when the real trouble begins. A murderous bounty hunter is on Alex's trail. Alex only has to live long enough to turn himself in, and then may face a firing squad. Not exactly the honeymoon of Beth's dreams.

Alex may find the faith he lost while surrounded by the horrors of war, but will doing the right thing by facing his past cost him his wife...and his life?

MARY CONNEALY IS WELL ACQUAINTED WITH THE WILD WEST AND THE WOMEN WHO CARVED OUT A NICHE FOR THEMSELVES IN IT. SHE HAS CAPTURED THE ESSENCE OF THEIR PIONEERING SPIRIT, ADDED A LIBERAL DOSE OF COMEDY TO COUNTER THE INTENSE ACTION SCENES AND SPRINKLED IT WITH ROMANCE IN ORDER TO CREATE ANOTHER RUNAWAY BEST-SELLER.

HER ZIPPY DIALOGUE AND TONGUE-IN-CHEEK HUMOUR LEAP FROM THE PAGE, CONNECTING SCENES WITH AN ECONOMY OF WORDS THAT STILL PACK A PUNCH AND CREATE AN EMOTIONAL CONNECTION WITH THE READER.

I LOVE HOW SHE TAKES FLAWED CHARACTERS AND APPEALS TO HER READERS' COMPASSION. SHE HAS CREATED SOME OF THE MOST UNLOVABLE HEROES THAT I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF FALLING FOR. ALEX BUCHANAN IS ONE SUCH HERO. HIS STORY SUPPLIES THE DRAMA IN DOCTOR IN PETTICOATS AND CONNEALY DOES AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB OF FOLLOWING THAT THREAD WITH COMPASSION AND DIGNITY.

I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA HOW SHE PLANNED TO SAVE POOR ALEX'S HIDE AND CHEERED OUT LOUD WHEN SHE SUCCEEDED. I HADN'T SEEN THAT COMING AT ALL! AND IF YOU'RE A CONNEALY FAN (AND WHY WOULDN'T YOU BE?) YOU'LL BE THRILLED TO MEET A FEW OLD FRIENDS DURING YOUR READ. IT JUST CAN'T GET BETTER THAN THAT!

The Apothecary's Daughter

KLASSEN, JULIE

THE APOTHECARY'S DAUGHTER

As Lilly toils in her father's apothecary shop, preparing herbs and remedies by rote, she is haunted by memories of her mother's disappearance. Villagers whisper the tale, but her father refuses to discuss it. All the while, she dreams of the world beyond -- of travel and adventure and romance.

When a relative offers to host her in London, Lilly discovers the pleasures and pitfalls of fashionable society and suitors, as well as clues about her mother. But will Lilly find what she is searching for -- the truth of the past and a love for the future?

I SLIPPED INTO LILLY'S WORLD THE MOMENT I OPENED THE APOTHECARY'S DAUGHTER. KLASSEN'S VIVID DESCRIPTIONS COMBINED WITH A RIVETING PLOT AND A MULTITUDE OF EQUALLY AS INTRIGUING SUBPLOTS KEPT ME IMMERSED IN THE EARLY 19TH CENTURY FOR THE DURATION OF THE READ.

LILLY IS BOTH A VEXING AND ENDEARING CHARACTER WHO GROWS INTO WOMANHOOD THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE BOOK . THERE WERE TIMES WHEN I GREW A BIT VOCAL IN MY PROTESTS AS I FOLLOWED LILLY'S 'ESCAPE' TO LONDON, KNOWING THAT SHE WOULDN'T FIND WHAT SHE WAS SEEKING THERE AMONGST THE PRIVILEGED AND WEALTHY.

AND SHE KEPT ME ON EDGE AS SHE DEVELOPED FRIENDSHIPS WITH VARIOUS GENTLEMEN. WHICH SUITOR WOULD SHE CHOOSE? AND WOULD HE BE THE BEST CHOICE FOR HER? KLASSEN DID A WONDERFUL JOB OF FLESHING OUT THESE FRIENDSHIPS, DEVELOPING VIABLE RELATIONSHIPS THAT EACH HAD MERIT. IT KEPT ME ON MY TOES TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO SHE'D END UP WITH...AND THEN WORRYING OVER IT WHEN I'D MADE MY DECISION BEFORE LILLY DID!

IN FACT KLASSEN EXCELS AT CREATING MEMORABLE CHARACTERS THAT EASILY CARRY THE STORY...AND THE CONFLICT. THERE WERE SO MANY SURPRISES...AND ONE MOMENT OF STUNNED DISBELIEF ON MY PART (WHICH HAD ME SCANNING EARLIER PAGES FOR CLUES TO A MONUMENTAL DISCOVERY...I FOUND THEM AND SCOLDED MYSELF SOUNDLY FOR NOT NOTICING THEM THE FIRST TIME ROUND.)

KLASSEN INCLUDES FASCINATING DETAILS ON THE APOTHECARY TRADE AND METICULOUS HISTORICAL DETAILS WHICH ENHANCES THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE TIME PERIOD. DEFINITELY HIGH ON MY RECOMMENDED LIST.

Trouble in Paradise

HATCHER, ROBIN LEE

TROUBLE IN PARADISE

Her aunt's bequest was the answer to Shayla Vincent's prayers. The rustic, secluded cabin was the perfect spot to start her long-deferred writing career. Ian O'Connell was her new neighbour -- a rugged rancher caring for his two adorable nieces. Yet Shayla had already helped bring up her siblings. Raising another family when her career goal was within her grasp was the last thing she wanted, even as the brown-eyed cowboy had quickly become the first.

ANOTHER GREAT CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE BY ROBIN LEE HATCHER. SHE DOES A WONDERFUL JOB OF CAPTURING ALL THE NERVES AND SECOND-GUESSING OF A BURGEONING ROMANCE -- THE COMPLICATIONS, MIS-COMMUNICATIONS, WORRIES ABOUT LOSING ONESELF IN THE FACE OF BEING A COUPLE. AN INTERESTING TWIST TO THE STORY IS SHAYLA BEING AN ASPIRING AUTHOR. THERE ARE SOME GREAT SCENES WHERE SOMETHING OR SOMEONE SPARKS HER IMAGINATION AND SHE LOSES TOUCH WITH REALITY AS SHE 'WRITES' IT INTO HER BOOK. MAKES FOR SOME FUNNY MIX-UPS.

Highland Blessings

TAYLOR, JENNIFER HUDSON

HIGHLAND BLESSINGS

Kidnapped on her wedding day:

Scotland, 1473. Highland warrior Bryce MacPhearson kidnaps Akira MacKenzie on her wedding day to honor a promise he made to his dying father. When he forces Akira to wed him, hoping to end a half-century old feud between their clans, she struggles to overcome her anger and resentment. Her strength in the Lord becomes a witness to Bryce. She learns to forgive, and he begins to trust. How will God turn a simple promise into a beautiful Highland blessing?

But there is a traitor in their midst and murder is the ultimate weapon...

THIS DEBUT AUTHOR TOOK ON THE CHALLENGE OF WRITING A MEDIEVAL ROMANCE FOR THE CHRISTIAN MARKET AND SHE DID A FANTASTIC JOB! BRAWNY, BOLD AND SLIGHTLY UNTAMED HIGHLAND WARRIORS ARE A STAPLE OF THE SECULAR PUBLISHING MARKET, BUT RARELY FOUND IN THE CBA TRADE. I LOVED THE UNIQUE SETTING AND THE COURAGE OF BOTH THE AUTHOR AND PUBLISHER (ABINGDON PRESS) TO GIVE CHRISTIAN READERS SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO READ.

BRYCE IS A DROOLWORTHY CANDIDATE FOR A ROUGH AND TUMBLE HERO, BUT IT'S HIS TENDERNESS THAT STOLE MY HEART FROM THE VERY FIRST CHAPTER. WHAT A LETHAL COMBINATION!!!

AND AKIRA IS SUCH A CONTRADICTION OF GENTLE CHRISTIAN AND FIERY WARRIOR WOMAN. SHE KEEPS BRYCE ON HIS TOES, CONSTANTLY DELIGHTING (AND INFURIATING) HIM WITH HER SURPRISING BEHAVIOUR. OF COURSE HE FALLS HARD, AND SHE DOESN'T REALIZE IT UNTIL TRAGEDY STRIKES AND THEN, JUST WHEN YOU THINK THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO BUILD A LOVING LIFE TOGETHER, SOMETHING SINISTER CREEPS INTO THEIR MIDST.

TAYLOR DOES A MAGNIFICENT JOB WITH THE TIME-PERIOD AND I ESPECIALLY APPRECIATED THE AUTHENTICITY SHE GAVE THE SCOTTISH DIALOGUE. IT WASN'T OVERDONE SO READING IT WAS EASY BUT IT HELPED IMMERSE ME IN THE SETTING, ADDING FLAVOUR TO A RICH READING EXPERIENCE.

Calculated Revenge

NELSON, JILL ELIZABETH

CALCULATED REVENGE

It’s been eighteen years since Laney Thompson’s sister was abducted and killed, but the pain Laney feels has never faded. And now the murderer is back, taunting Laney with mementos of her sister and threatening Laney’s young daughter. School principal Noah Ryder is her best hope for protecting her daughter—if she can convince the former investigator to take the case. As the threats accelerate, a string of clues leads Laney to uncover old secrets. Unless Noah steps in with his expertise, how can she piece together the puzzle before her child—like her sister—is lost to a killer’s revenge?

NELSON'S DISTINCTIVE VOICE KEEPS THIS LOVE INSPIRED SUSPENSE BOOK FRESH. THE MYSTERY IS SOUND AND KEPT ME GUESSING RIGHT TO THE END -- I WAS HALF RIGHT LOL. THE CONNECTION BETWEEN LANEY AND NOAH IS IMMEDIATE AND THE ROMANTIC DEVELOPMENT DOESN'T TAKE A BACK SEAT TO THE SUSPENSEFUL PLOT. RATHER, THEY MIRROR EACH OTHER AND GROW TO EQUALLY PAGE-TURNING CONCLUSIONS. I THINK NELSON MANAGED TO PACK A LOT INTO THIS SHORTER WORD COUNT LINE AND CALCULATED REVENGE LEFT ME A HAPPY AND SATISFIED READER.

Thanks to Amber at http://seasonsofhumility.blogspot.com/ for gifting me with this Rose Award. It's presented to bloggers that encourage and support up and coming blogs.

This is a gift that keeps on giving and I'd like to pass it on to http://hcprojectjournal.blogspot.com/ Hannah exudes joy and excitement and her enthusiasm for books is contagious. She also manages to ferret out the neatest reading challenges -- a bibliphile after my own heart!

When the Heart Cries

WOODSMALL, CINDY

WHEN THE HEART CRIES

Despite being raised in a traditional Old Order Amish family, seventeen-year-old Hannah Lapp desires to break with custom, and marry outside the cloistered community. She's been in love with Mennonite Paul Waddell for three years, and before returning to college for his senior year, Paul asks Hannah to be his wife. Hannah accepts, aware that her choice will change her relationship with her family forever.

On the evening of their engagement, tragedy strikes and in one unwelcome encounter, all that Hannah has known and believed is destroyed. As she finds herself entangled in questions that the Old Ways of her people cannot answer, Hannah faces the possibility of losing her place in her family, in her community -- and in the heart of the man she loves.

CINDY WOODSMALL HAS A KNACK FOR CREATING CHARACTERS THAT YOU REALLY CARE ABOUT FROM THE VERY FIRST INTRODUCTION...HOWEVER SHE ALSO HAS A KNACK FOR TWISTING THEIR LIVES INTO A COMPLICATED MESS THAT WRECKS HAVOC WITH YOUR EMOTIONS.

I FEEL POSITIVELY GUTTED AFTER JUST FINISHING WHEN THE HEART CRIES. THE COMPLEXITY OF THE PLOT, THE AGONIZING DECISIONS SOME OF THE CHARACTERS MAKE, THE INJUSTICES THAT AREN'T RIGHTED, THE ILL-FATED TIMING....ACK! I WAS ALTERNATELY SPEED READING AND PUSHING THE BOOK ASIDE IN ORDER TO CATCH MY BREATH.

BUT THROUGH THE DESPERATION WE CATCH A GLIMMER OF HOPE AND THIS FIRST BOOK OF THE SISTERS OF THE QUILT SERIES READS LIKE THE PROLOGUE OF A JOURNEY JUST BEGINNING . POSITIVELY RIVETING AND MIGHT I SUGGEST HAVING ALL THREE BOOKS IN THE SERIES ON HAND SO YOU DON'T HAVE ANY LAG TIME IN BETWEEN? THE WAITING IS UNBEARABLE AND IT'S ONLY BEEN A HALF HOUR SINCE I FINISHED WHEN THE HEART CRIES!

Love Lessons

DALEY, MARGARET

LOVE LESSONS

Homeschooling his daughter is new to devoted single father Ian Ferguson. To ensure his child gets a good education, the busy CPA hires a temporary tutor. Twenty-three-year-old college student Alexa Michaels is too young -- and too pretty -- to be right for the job. Yet his daughter is coming out of her shell and learning. Still, Ian is traditional, and sweet Alexa -- who graduated from the school of hard knocks -- is challenging some of his old-school ways. Can this dad learn some valuable lessons about love, family and faith from the least likely teacher?

First in the Helping Hands Homeschooling series.

MARGARET DALEY HAS WRITTEN A THOUGHT-PROVOKING, HEART-FELT STORY ABOUT OVERCOMING ADVERSITY AND LEARNING TO TRUST -- AND LOVE -- AGAIN DESPITE PAST HURTS. I FOUND THE UNIQUE HOME SCHOOLING ANGLE REFRESHING. GREAT SUMMER READ.

Chalice of Roses

BEVERLEY, JO

PUTNEY, MARY JO

HARBAUGH, KAREN

SAMUEL, BARBARA

CHALICE OF ROSES

From the bestselling and award-winning authors of dragon lovers comes an anthology of fantasy, romance, and eternal love. In these four new novellas, history and destiny spark passion, and all depends on the fate of one mystical cup: the Holy Grail.

A man must marry and summon the Grail to bring peace to England. A Regency lady must keep it safe from Napoleon's spies. A modern sorcerress must keep the Grail from falling into Nazi hands, and an American must put the chalice at risk to rescue her one true love. These are four passionate and enchanting stories of desire and destiny inspired by one of our most powerful legends.

FANTASTIC, FUN READ. EACH NOVELLA STANDS UNIQUE EVEN THOUGH THEY EACH HAD TO WEAVE IN SOME OF THE SAME STORY ELEMENTS. LOVELY MIX OF FANTASY AND REALITY AND THE ROMANTIC THREADS ARE ALL VERY SATISFYING. PLEASE NOTE: NOT INSPIRATIONAL FICTION SO THE LOVE SCENES ARE MORE 'FLESHED OUT' :-) BUT TASTEFULLY DONE. A GREAT ESCAPE READ.

Anna Finch and the Hired Gun

Y'BARBO, KATHLEEN

ANNA FINCH AND THE HIRED GUN

When an aspiring reporter and a Pinkerton detective get tangled in Doc Holliday's story -- and each other -- sparks can't help but fly.

Despite her father's attempts to marry her off, Anna Finch dreams of becoming a reporter. A chance encounter with legendary gunslinger Doc Holliday gives her the opportunity of a lifetime, but Pinkerton agent Jeb Sanders is about to ruin everything.

Though her father hired Jeb to keep her out of mischief, Anna's inconvenient attraction to her hired gun only multiplies her troubles. She doesn't realize Jeb has a score to settle with Doc Holliday, or that her association with the famous outlaw will affect more than just her marriage prospects. Between her father's desperation to see her wed and Jeb shadowing her every move, getting the story and fulfilling her journalistic ambition just got far more complicated than she ever imagined.

I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING MORE ORIGINAL THAN 'DELIGHTFUL' BUT THAT SUMS UP THIS BOOK PERFECTLY. FUNNY, WITTY AND CLEVER, I HAD A SMILE ON MY FACE THE WHOLE TIME I WAS READING. ANNA FINCH AND THE HIRED GUN IS PURE ROMANTIC COMEDY, FULL OF ONE LINE ZINGERS, COMICAL SITUATIONS AND BRILLIANT DEADPAN HUMOUR -- EVEN IN THE FACE OF DANGER. THE ACTION SCENES ARE RIDDLED WITH DRY HUMOUR AS WELL. ROLLICKING, HYSTERICAL AND JUST PLAIN FUN TO READ.