Serendipity

HAKE, CATHY MARIE

SERENDIPITY

The only remaining woman in Carver's Holler, Maggie Rose has cared for a ragtag of old men for years, bartering for a living and making soaps, lotions and perfumes from a special recipe passed down for generations. She hasn't wanted to marry...at least that's what she thought. But when a strapping young man arrives on Maggie's doorstep, searching for a doctor for his ailing mother, life suddenly changes for the dark-haired beauty.

Todd Valmer is in a desperate situation. His mother needs a caretaker, and he's barley hanging on to his Texas farm. Maggie seems to be the obvious solution. She can cook, care for Ma, tend his house while he works the fields...and she's comely, as well.

But instant attraction does not a marriage make.

As a clash of cultures and a battle of wills ensues, is there any hope that true love will blossom between a free-spirited woman and her uncompromising husband?

BRILLIANT AND FUNNY. MAGGIE IS A CAPTIVATING HEROINE AND TODD THE PERFECT BEFUDDLED LOVE INTEREST. THEIR ROMANCE IS TOE-CURLING FUNNY, IF YOU CAN IMAGINE SUCH A COMBINATION.

THERE ARE SO MANY GREAT ONE LINERS -- DELIVERED AMIDST SMOLDERING LOOKS. HAKE'S PACING AND DELIVERY IS SUPERB AND THIS IS THE KIND OF FEEL-GOOD BOOK THAT WILL PUT A SMILE ON YOUR FACE FOR A LONG TIME AFTER YOU FINISH READING.

LOVELY CAMEOS OF SOME OF MY FAVOURITE CHARACTERS FROM GOODING, TEXAS ARE THROWN IN FOR AN ADDED BONUS. THIS IS AN ALL-ROUND ROLLICKING GOOD READ AND ONE YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS.

Reminder: If you would like a chance to win a copy of Serendipity by Cathy Marie Hake, leave a comment below. A draw will be held on Sunday April 10 for all the books I read between April 1 - 10. For more information about the Giveaway check out the April Showers Bring Reading Hours blog posted on March 31.

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!

Letter Perfect

HAKE, CATHY MARIE

LETTER PERFECT

If her own two feet don't end up tripping her, Ruth Caldwell's mouth is likely to get her into equal trouble. But Ruth has the best of intentions. Truly. It's just that her attempts to live up to her mother's expectations of how a lady should act have often yielded...well, less than impressive results.

Josh McCain is speechless when he sees Ruth step off the stage in Folsom, California. Sure, it looks like she's been sleeping in her gown for the past week, but with a crown of riotous curls and those deep green eyes, she's certainly the most beautiful woman he's ever met.

But attraction is not all that causes sparks between Ruth and Josh. With Ruth's legitimate claim to an inheritance, the Broken P Ranch's future is suddenly precarious. And when Ruth's 'accidents' -- going beyond even her normal bumbling ways -- seem to take a sinister turn, Josh must decide where his loyalties lie.

CATHY MARIE HAKE HAS THE GIFT OF CREATING STRONG, INDEPENDENT AND INTELLIGENT FEMALE CHARACTERS -- AND THEN SHE TURNS THEIR WORLD UPSIDE DOWN AND THE RESULT IS ALWAYS A CAPTIVATING READ! AND YET, NONE OF HER BOOKS (I'VE READ THREE -- ALL HISTORICALS) ARE IN ANY WAY REPETITIVE.

I WAS CAPTIVATED BY RUTH CALDWELL FROM THE VERY FIRST PAGE AND WAS QUICKLY IMMERSED IN HER STORY -- ESPECIALLY WHEN IT TURNED SURPRISINGLY SUSPENSEFUL.

JOSH MCCAIN DIDN'T STAND A CHANCE AND IT WAS FUN TO WATCH HIM REACT TO RUTH'S ANTICS BUT HAKE GAVE HIM A SENSE OF HUMOUR AND READING DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE TWO HAD ME LAUGHING OUT LOUD.

THE SUSPENSE WAS SOLID AND BROUGHT TO A STAND-UP-AND-CHEER CONCLUSION AS TRUTH COMES TO LIGHT. FANS WHO LOVE A BLEND OF HUMOUR AND MYSTERY ALONGSIDE A SWEET ROMANCE WILL LOVE LETTER PERFECT.

Forevermore

HAKE, CATHY MARIE

FOREVERMORE

There is no one quite like Hope Ladley. A veritable dandelion in the wind, she blows from one farm to the next, roaming the Texas countryside as an itinerant cook. When she rides her mule, Hattie, onto the Stauffer farm, Hope knows this is the place the Lord wants her to be.

Jakob Stauffer, though grateful for a cook to assist his pregnant sister and young daughter through the harvest, is baffled by Hope's unconventional methods as she gets things done around the farm. Yet he can't deny the way her sunny disposition and unstinting love make changes of a different kind...even within his own heart.

HOPE HAS TO BE ONE OF THE MOST INNOVATIVE AND CHARMING CHARACTERS I HAVE EVER MET!!!!! SHE CAPTIVATED ME FROM THE FIRST PAGE AND HELD ME ENTHRALLED RIGHT TO THE END. AND ALL THE WHILE I READ, I MARVELED AT CATHY MARIE HAKE'S INCREDIBLE IMAGINATION.

HOPE MANGLES IDIOMS AND HER SPEECH IS PEPPERED WITH THEM. IT'S INCREDIBLE THAT CATHY CAME UP WITH SO MANY, BUT THEN SHE FINDS A WAY TO TWIST THEM INTO HILARIOUS FAUX PAS THAT IRONICALLY MAKE SENSE AND LETS HOPE BLITHELY SPEW THEM THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE BOOK. BRILLIANT. BRILLIANT. BRILLIANT. NOT ONLY FUNNY AND ENDEARING, BUT SUCH A CLEVER WAY FOR THE READER TO CONNECT WITH A CHARACTER.

I LOVE THE WHOLE PREMISE OF HOPE BRINGING A HEALING CHANGE. SHE'S A MAGICAL CHARACTER -- KIND OF LIKE A MARY POPPINS ON A GRANDER SCALE...AND MAYBE A FAIRY GODMOTHER WITH COMMON SENSE...NOT TO MENTION AN AMELIA BEDELIA FOR THE OLDER SET. I DON'T THINK MY DESCRIPTIONS CAN DO JUSTICE TO HOPE. SHE'S EXCEPTIONALLY UNIQUE. PERIOD.

THIS IS A DEFINITE MUST-READ FOR HISTORICAL LOVERS -- AND IF HISTORICALS AREN'T YOUR THING -- MAKE AN EXCEPTION. YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED.

Whirlwind

HAKE, CATHY MARIE
WHIRLWIND

As a nanny, Millicent Fairweather poured her energy and talents into the two young charges under her care – only to have them suddenly and without explanation sent to a boarding school. Bereft and unsure of where life will lead her, she agrees to accompany her sister and brother-in-law to America. They board the Opportunity, confident a better life awaits.

Widower Daniel Clark determines to begin life anew in Gooding, Texas, operating a mercantile. But when his nanny leaves him stranded aboard the ship with his young son, he finds himself in dire need of assistance. Obtaining temporary help from steerage, Daniel is initially taken aback by the pretty bundle of energy who takes over his suite. Yet Miss Fairweather’s unique child-rearing techniques and tireless devotion to his son win him over.

When tragedy ensues and a whirlwind decision is made, Daniel and Millicent’s lives irrevocably intertwine. Will love soon follow?

THIS IS THE FIRST BOOK I’VE READ BY CATHY MARIE HAKE AND I’M ECSTATIC TO FIND THAT SHE IS THE AUTHOR OF OVER TWENTY NOVELS BECAUSE IF THEY’RE ALL AS CAPTIVATING AS THIS ONE I HAVE HOURS OF READING ENJOYMENT AHEAD OF ME!

DANIEL IS PARTICULARLY APPEALING IN HIS EARNEST ENDEAVOR TO ORGANIZE EVERYTHING – INCLUDING POOR, FREE-SPIRITED MILLICENT. HIS INTENTIONS ARE SO GOOD, BUT HIS DELIVERY LEAVES A LOT TO BE DESIRED WHICH CREATES PLENTY OF HUMOROUS SITUATIONS.

MILLICIENT IS REFRESHING AND FUN AND AN INNOVATIVE NANNY. I LOVE HOW SHE KEEPS DANIEL IN A FLUMMOXED STATE AND HOW BLUNDERING HE IS IN THAT STATE. BUT THERE’S ALSO HIS DETERMINATION TO WOO MILLIE THAT MAKES HIM SO ENDEARING.

THIS IS A LOVELY HISTORICAL READ.