Behind Love's Wall (Doors to the Past) by Carrie Fancett Pagels

 

This was a fun story centered at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. (Lake Huron) .  Willa is a modern day interior designer whose roots are in this area.  Lily is a singer who is hired by the Hotel  back in its heyday and she too had roots in this area.  What they have in common is a desire to figure out who their living relatives are.  Willa is also intrigued with Lily's story as  she finds historical references and documents that start to tell the story.   The story goes back and forth between the two time periods as they work out their genealogies.  

I have been a genealogist for many years and frankly the relationships that were mentioned in the book were somewhat confusing to me.  I would never have figured it all out from the narrative if I hadn't diagrammed it out.  I'd prefer not to work that hard to get the details when I am reading for entertainment.  In addition, it seemed like pieces were missing. It suddenly jumped from one day to another with no transition.  I was wondering how they changed their mind about things so quickly when in the last section they had a totally different point of view about what was happening and I wasn't privy to how they made that decision. That said, I still enjoyed this book and would pick it again if I had a do-0ver . 

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

 

Little Souls by Sandra Dallas

 

Originally from Iowa, Lute and Helen are sisters who live in Denver since their parents died and left everything to them. Lute is a fashion ad artist for a local department store and Helen is a nurse. Lute is engaged to a divinity student who has gone to France in the war (WWI). Helen's fiance is Gil, a local physician. The city is plagued by the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918 in addition to the war effort going on on the home front.

This book expertly expresses the culture and angst of the time period. It is well researched and informative as well as a riveting story. I couldn't put it down. Put it at the top of your reading list!

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews

 

This book was surprising and fun!  Ivy is a divorcee from Atlanta who has decided to move where the living is slower and easier.  She has purchased a farmhouse and two acres through the internet has come ready to move in.  Ezra is the realtor who handled the sale. He meets her with the keys and introduces her to the house she has purchased.  The house belonged to a couple who for many years had been the local Santa and Mrs. Santa for all the towns Christmas celebrations.  Their home was famous for the lights and decoration.  As it turned out, everything had remained with the house when their descendants sold it.  Ivy finds lots of surprises in the house and finds friends and becomes part of the local culture almost immediately.  I highly recommend this story.  It was very enjoyable.

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley.  All views expressed are only my honest opinion. 

A Season on the Wind by Suzanne Woods Fisher

 

Penny Weaver and her brother Micah run a small birder retreat on their deceased Grandmother's farm.  Ben Zook, famous world bird explorer and author of best selling bird books, comes to find a very special bird that Micah has sighted.  This bird is way out of its normal territory and this is exciting to avid birders.  Ben was Amish once and grew up very close to this farm, but he had never planned to come back to this area until he heard about the sighting of this rare bird.  Penny had visited her grandmother's farm when she was a young girl and made friends with Ben and passed on all her bird knowledge and enthusiam to him.  There are some subplots too that are interesting and the story is strong.  A highlight is also all the birding knowledge that is passed along.  Please read this book!  You will be so glad you did.

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

An Unexpected Amish Christmas (Surprised by Love #3) by Rachel J. Good

 

Jacob Zook is in rehab recovering from a horrible accident that took his mother. He decides to send condolences to others who have recently lost family members. Keturah Esch is struggling with running the family business (a pretzel stand in the local farmers market ) and help her 3 younger sisters deal with their grief after their parents are killed in an accident. Jacob sends his condolences anonymously but it helps Keturah so much that she continues to correspond with him even though she doesn't know his identity.

I loved this story and enjoyed learning about the innerworkings of the pretzel business. I also enjoyed revisiting characters and setting from earlier in the series. Recommend!

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

The Amish Baby Finds a Home (Hearts of Lancaster County #2) by Barbara Cameron

 

Gideon Troyer and his twin brother own a farm together but Gideon has a toy shop in town and his twin is in charge of the farm.  Gideon's girlfriend, Hannah Stoltzfus, owns a quilt shop down the street from Gideon's.  She is eating lunch with him at his shop when she discovers an abandoned infant in his shop.  There is a note telling Gideon that it is his turn to take care of the baby for a while.  Gideon's twin brother is the father and Gideon is anxious for him to step up and take the responsiblity.  This is an interesting story and all of the characters are people you wouldn't mind having for a friend.  Anyone who loves this genre will enjoy this story very much.

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

An Amish Baby for Christmas (Indiana Amish Brides #8) by Vannetta Chapman

 

Thomas Albrecht is an Amish man who is saving up to buy a farm. He is working as a property manager to do farm work for people who are unable to do their own. The bishop has asked him to help a young widow, Abigail Yutzy, whose husband died suddenly and left her alone on her farm and expecting a baby.

This is a very interesting story with engaging characters. I enjoyed reading it and recommend it to anyone who likes to read this genre.

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Labyrinth of Lies (Triple Threat #2) by Irene Hannon

 

Cate is a police detective who fits perfectly for an undercover operation to an exclusive girls school.  She is investigating the disappearance of a girl and her boyfriend.  When she arrives she sees someone from her past who could easily blow her cover.  Zeke is a federal agent investigating a drug ring and he too is undercover at the school.  They know each other well so they help each other with information they find.  There are lots of twists and turns here and it was a page turner.  The characters were well developed and interesting.  I always enjoy Irene Hannon books and this one was no exception.

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

After She Falls by Carmen Schober

 

This is a wonderful, emotional, heartfelt story. Adri is a mixed martial artist whose career got sidetracked when she got pregnant. After a few years of marriage to an abusive ex fighter she escapes to her hometown where the love of her life is running a gym where they train future athletes. I loved every bit of this story and highly recommend it. 

I have one little problem with the story. All of the characters “smirked” at each other multiple times in each chapter. Other than the names of the characters I think this was the most repeated word in the text. 

According to wordhippo.com these are synonyms for smirk :

“grin, simper, beam, leer, sneer, smug smile, smug look, smile, broad smile and grimace. “

I also feel like the characters could have had 

a wider range of emotions and reactions than just constant smirking.

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

An Amish Flower Farm: An uplifting romance from Hallmark Publishing by Mindy Steele

 

Belinda grows flowers to sell to local florists and other businesses.  Her neighbor across the street, Adam, raises bees and sells the local honey to businesses in town.  They strike up a deal to help each other.  Belinda has experience with bees and she will help Adam with the bees and Adam will take the flowers into town and sell them for her.  Belinda and Adam have know each other all their lives but their partnership heightens their awareness of each other and causes enough soul searching to solve some of the issues they have had in the past.  This was a fun story.  

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

An Amish Quilting Bee: Three Stories by Amy Clipston, Kathleen Fuller, Shelley Shepard Gray

 

This is three short stories, all involving Amish women who love to quilt. One takes place in Pennsylvania, one takes place in Florida and the other takes place in Ohio. Having an interest in quilts in general, I loved the discussion of the various quilt patterns and the piecing and quilting methods used. Beyond that they are typical Amish romances, written by really great authors from the genre. I like these books of short stories because when I sit down to read if I get into the story at all I don't want to put it down till I'm finished. These short stories make for shorter "down time." I highly recommend this book to those that enjoy the genre.

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

A Warrior's Heart (Brides of Laurent, #1) by Misty M. Beller

 

Brielle Durand is a warrior. She is in charge of protecting her sheltered community from outside invasion. The location is the mountains in Canada where they live in a town carved out of the mountain. It is the time of the war of 1812 between the United States and the British. The British are the ones who have invaded this colony in the past. Evan MacManus, an American working for the US Government is looking for some special mineral that will help the US win the war. When he stumbles upon the hidden colony, he is taken for British and taken prisoner. This is a very interesting story and I couldn't put it down. The historical research is impeccable and the characters are fascinating. I can't wait to read the next book in this series!

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

To Write a Wrong (The Bleeker Street Inquiry Agency #2) by Jen Turano

 

This is the second book in Ms. Turano's Bleeker Street Inquiry Agency series.  It is just as funny and quirky as the first book and involves the same cast of characters with the addition of Mr. Howard Henderson, a mystery writer who needs the agency's help finding out who is trying to do him in.  Daphne, a mystery writer herself and working under a male nom de plume is the one who steps up to help him.  They get into some crazy fixes and all the other eccentric members of the boarding house inquiry team make the story even more engaging.  

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

The Hunted (Bane Island Trilogy #2) by Lisa Childs

 

Sheriff Deacon Howell is the Sheriff of the small, remote Bane Island off the coast of Maine. Deacon grew up on this island and his father was the Sheriff before him. When he was a child the large estate on the island was a mental hospital. Now it has been reborn as an exclusive spa for wealthy people who need to get away for a while. Deacon is now a widower with a teenaged daughter who is working at the Spa where all kinds of things have happened that Deacon is trying to get to the bottom of. Olivia Smith, a pop star who is seeking a break from it al, is residing there and Elliott, his childhood friend / nemesis is in charge of the facility. This is an action packed whodunit and well worth the read. It gets a little weird at times and I can't figure out the reasoning of any of the characters most of the time,.but it is overall an enjoyable page-turner.

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Hidden (Lost and Found, #1) by Fern Michaels

 

Siblings Cullan and Luna Bodman are joining forces to open a new business in a local artisan center. Cullan is a furniture restorer. Luna is an old soul with psychic powers who is opening a coffee shop across from Cullan's business. Luna is attracted to the Marshall she has done searches with in the past and all of them get together to solve a mystery that involves an item in Cullan's shop. This is a twisting and turning mystery and has a lot of suspense and action. This was fun to read.

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Riverbend Gap by Denise Hunter

 

Katelyn Loveland is on the way to her new town where her boyfriend lives when she has a near disastrous car accident.  The local sheriff's deputy, Cooper, rescues her and there is instant attraction.  Cooper is her boyfriend's brother and that causes all kinds of complications.  Cooper is running for Sheriff in the next election and Katelyn is trying to get over her brother's death and her parents' neglect.  Katelyn is drawn to Cooper's family but the circumstances are causing all kinds of ripples.  This was a very compelling story and I had trouble putting it down.  

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

One Last Kiss (Blood Ties #0.5) by Kat Martin

Sam Bridger is a Colorado rancher who offers guests ranch and mountain adventures during the summer months. His friend and past guest has recently died and had asked Sam as a favor to host his ward, Libby Hale for the summer so she could get a taste of a different lifestyle. Libby has been raised in New York among wealthy people and going to the country is the last thing she had in mind. All I can say without giving away the story is that this is a fun book, a page-turner and a can't skip for your reading list. I love Kat Martin's books!

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Carved in Stone (The Blackstone Legacy, #1) by Elizabeth Camden

 

Gwen Kellerman is a widow who is also one of the heirs of the Blackstone fortune. The Blackstones are a power family in New York banking along with the Rockefellers and the Carnegies at the turn of the last century. Patrick O'Neill is an Irish attorney in the rougher part of New York and he is representing an individual that the Blackstones don't want dredging up old scandal in the book he is writing. The past and the present collide for all involved. This is a great story with lots of action and suspense and some happy circumstances. I highly recommend this book. The period is well researched and the characters are real and engaging. The story is riveting.

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

The Memory Quilt by Lenora Worth

 Abigail and her family run an Inn near Lake Erie. One day as she and her sisters were walking on the beach they found a man who had been shot and hit over the head and nearly drowned. They took him back to the Inn and nursed him back to health but he had lost his memory.

This was an interesting book and had a lot of suspense in it as well. If you like Amish romances and suspense, this is the book for you. Well plotted.

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Since You've Been Gone (Restoring Heritage #3) by Tari Faris

 

Leah is back in her hometown and she is anxious to reopen the store she inherited from her grandfather.  Jon is back in town and taking over the business which his father left him.  His business directly affects the business that Leah wants to restart.  Jon and Leah have history from High School when Jon was infatuated with Leah but Leah never noticed because she was too gun shy about relationships.  This is a wonderful story with interesting characters and interaction.  I'm now curious about the first two books in this series.  I will definitely put this author on my list of favorites.  

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley.  All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Woman in Shadow by Carrie Stuart Parks

 

This book started out a little strange and it took me a couple of chapters to figure out what was going on and that I liked the story.  Once into it I couldn't put it down.  It is a great whodunit and there is lots of action and suspense.  Interpersonal relationships were kind of strange but I guess that is acceptable with all the mental issues most of these folks had along with PTSD for the main character.  

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

The Last Goodnight (Blood Ties #1) by Kat Martin

 

Kade Logan is a rancher whose wife was murdered.  He hires a private detective, Ellie Bowman, to try to figure out who killed her.  Ellie lives undercover at the ranch as the cook.  As she begins to uncover suspects, there are new incidents taking place on the ranch and at the nearby mine.  This is a fast paced story that held my attention throughout.  I can't wait for the next story by this author!

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Hitched to the Gunslinger by Michelle McLean

 

Mercy is in a bad situation, trying to hold onto the property she inherited when her father died. A neighbor is willing to do anything to get the property and he doesn't have any scruples about how he will accomplish that. When Gray Woodson, aka Quick Shot, happens along on his way to find a nice spot to retire, Mercy soon pulls him into the situation for some protection. The again gunslinger doesn't want to do any more shooting, he just wants to take a nap.

This is a funny story and very interesting as well. This author is going on my "must read" list. She is as entertaining as another great author that writes with this style. How fun to have two authors writing the kind of stories I like!

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

A Season of Change (Amish Inn #3) by Beth Wiseman

 

This is another installment in the story of Lizzie and Esther, the elderly innkeepers that like to play matchmaker. This time their focus is Rose, their assistant at the inn. All the old characters are around too, include Gus, the crotchety renter. This, as always, is an entertaining story. Beth Wiseman tells a funny and poignant tale each time and it's a delight to get the next installment.

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.