"The Accidental Guardian," by Mary Connealy

"The Accidental Guardian," by Mary Connealy

She's the Only Witness to a Wagon Train Attack. Keeping Her Safe, Though, Means His World Is about to be Turned Upside Down.
When Trace Riley finds the smoldering ruins of a small wagon train, he recognizes an attack by the same group who left him as sole survivor years ago. Living off the wilderness since then, he's finally carved out a home and started a herd--while serving as a self-appointed guardian of the trail. He'd hoped the days of driving off dangerous men were over, but the latest attack shows otherwise.
 
Deborah Harkness saved her younger sister and two toddlers during the attack, and now finds herself at the mercy of her rescuer. Trace becomes an accidental guardian when he offers the only shelter for miles around and agrees to take them in until they can safely continue their journey. His simple bachelor existence never anticipated kids and women in the picture and their arrival is unsettling--yet enticing.
 
Trace and Deborah find themselves drawing ever closer as they work together to bring justice to the trail and help the group survive the winter--but every day closer to spring means a day closer to leaving the mountains forever.

This is the first book in the "High Sierra Sweethearts" series and what a good start.  Loved all the characters and and the story line for this book.  How Trace and Deborah met had you rooting for them right from the start.  The small details that Mary added just made the story even more believable.  At times you felt as though you were right with them going through what they were going through.

There were a number of ups and downs and a couple of little surprises interspersed in among it all.  I learned a little about the Lake Tahoe, Nevada area; an area I am not at all familiar with.  One thing I really enjoyed was Trace's total bewilderment with all things female.  Made for a number of rolling your eyes moments.

Stars out of 5 : 5 Really enjoyed this book, managed to read it in one day, when I had set aside to read, it was that good.  The second in the series will be released in October of 2018 and I for one will be reading it.  Great book and well worth reading; and funnily enough I am not a huge Western/Cowboy fan.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. 

Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

"A Most Noble Heir," by Susan Anne Mason

"A Most Noble Heir," by Susan Anne Mason

When stable hand Nolan Price learns from his dying mother that he is actually the son of the Earl of Stainsby, his plans for a future with kitchen maid Hannah Burnham are shattered. Once he is officially acknowledged as the earl's heir, Nolan will be forbidden to marry beneath his station.

Unwilling to give up the girl he loves, he devises a plan to elope--believing once their marriage is sanctioned by God that Lord Stainsby will be forced to accept their union. However, as Nolan struggles to learn the ways of the aristocracy, he finds himself caught between his dreams for tomorrow and his father's demanding expectations.

Forces work to keep the couple apart at every turn, and a solution to remain together seems farther and farther away. With Nolan's new life pulling him irrevocably away from Hannah, it seems only a miracle will bring them back together.

I enjoyed this book.  Loved how the author made the characters come alive and feel very real.  I enjoyed the back story of Nolan and Hannah.  My only criticism is the way the "miracle" was written in, not making it very believable in my opinion.  

The relationship between the father and son was written well.  There was enough drama in the story to keep it interesting.  I enjoy the Victorian time period and I enjoyed how the author added all the extra details to the story to make it even more true to life.

Stars out of 5 : 4.5  For the most part the story was great and you ended up rooting for Nolan and Hannah.  It's not a mystery as to how the book will end.  It's a great book to read while on vacation, as the story is easy to follow.


"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. 

Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

"A Chance at Forever," by Melissa Jaegars

"A Chance at  Forever," by Melissa Jaegars

Determined to protect the children of Teaville, Kansas, from the bullying she experienced as a child, Mercy McClain finds fulfillment working at the local orphanage and serving on the school board. When Aaron Firebrook, the worst of her childhood bullies, petitions the board for a teaching position, she's dead set against his getting the job.

Aaron knows he deserves every bit of Mercy's mistrust, but he's returned to his hometown a changed man and is seeking the forgiveness of those he wronged. He doesn't expect Mercy to like him, but surely he can prove he now has the children's best interests at heart.

Will resentment and old wounds hold them back, or can Mercy and Aaron overcome the past in time to battle the threats against the future of the town's orphans?

This is the third book in the Teaville Moral Society series and like the others was an entertaining book.  The main characters, were realistic and you could feel their pain and worry throughout the book.  It was one of my "shopping list" type of books where, it didn't require you to have to concentrate really hard to understand the story; making it a great book to take on vacation.

Stars out of 5 : 3 I enjoyed reading the book, but I am afraid I won't remember it in a couple of weeks.  It needed more depth to it and more of a plot line.  Some books I have a lot to write about when I have read them, this isn't one of those.  Well worth borrowing it from the library if you have a couple of free afternoons set aside to do some light reading.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. 

Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

"Beneath The Surface," by Lynn H. Blackburn

"Beneath The Surface," by Lynn H. Blackburn

After a harrowing experience with an obsessed patient, oncology nurse practitioner Leigh Weston needed a change. She thought she'd left her troubles behind when she moved home to Carrington, North Carolina, and took a job in the emergency department of the local hospital. But when someone tampers with her brakes, she fears the past has chased her into the present. She reaches out to her high school friend turned homicide investigator, Ryan Parker, for help.

Ryan finds satisfaction in his career, but his favorite way to use his skills is as a volunteer underwater investigator with the Carrington County Sheriff's Office dive team. When the body of a wealthy businessman is discovered in Lake Porter, the investigation uncovers a possible serial killer--one with a terrifying connection to Leigh Weston and deadly implications for them all.

This is the first book in the "Dive Team Investigations,"series.  This had me hooked right from the first page.  What a story, it put's you through a roller coaster of emotions.  You think you have it all worked out then something else happens, which puts you right back at the beginning.  Add to that a whole slew of great characters and a bit of romance and this book is just about as perfect as it gets.

In fact I will say this is one of the best books I have read in a long time.  The detail is great and you are constantly thinking how did the author come up with that part of the plot?  I REALLY want to read the rest of the books in this series, as if they are half as good as this one, they will be great.

Stars out of 5 : 5 I don't have a negative thing to say about this book; well other that I couldn't put it down as I HAD to know what happened next.  A super book.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

"In Places Hidden," by Tracie Peterson

"In Places Hidden," by Tracie Peterson

Camrianne Coulter's brother Caleb is a successful San Francisco attorney. But when three months go by without a word from the usually communicative Caleb, Camri boards a train to the booming West Coast city to find out for herself why he hasn't written. When she arrives at his home, nobody seems to know where he is, or what has become of him.

Camri's search for her brother leads her deep into the political corruption of the city--and into the acquaintance of Patrick Murdock, who Caleb successfully defended from a false murder charge. Getting to know this handsome Irish contractor challenges all of Camri's privileged beliefs, but Patrick is unshakably loyal to her brother, and he seems to know more about what happened to Caleb than anyone else. As the two edge closer to the truth behind Caleb's disappearance, they risk angering the powerful forces that control the city. Can Camri trust Patrick to protect her from the dangers that lie hidden in San Francisco's backstreets?

This is the first book in the "Golden Gate Secrets" series.  The other two books in the series will be released in July and September of 2018, so not long to wait for them.  I did enjoy this book and the overall story, but there was one aspect I was disappointed with and that was the brother.  I can't really go into it without spoiling the ending.  However I am guessing it had to be written in the story that way for the rest of the story to make sense.

The characters were well thought out, and one thing the story stressed you never stop learning from other people and what your thoughts and ideals are may, and are probably not the same as everyone else out there, but that's how you grow and learn as a person.

Stars out of 5 : 3.5  Although a big fan of Tracie's this was not one of her best I am sorry to say.  It's one of those books that I probably won't remember.  I would however like to read the series to see what happens to the other characters mentioned in the book.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. 

Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

"Keturah," by Lisa T. Bergren

"Keturah," by Lisa T. Bergren

In 1772 England, Lady Keturah Banning Tomlinson and her sisters find themselves the heiresses of their father's estates and know they have one option: Go to the West Indies to save what is left of their heritage.

Although it flies against all the conventions, they're determined to make their own way in the world. But once they arrive in the Caribbean, conventions are the least of their concerns. On the infamous island of Nevis, the sisters discover the legacy of the legendary sugar barons has vastly declined--and that's just the start of what their eyes are opened to in this harsh and unfamiliar world.

Keturah never intends to put herself at the mercy of a man again, but every man on the island seems to be trying to win her hand and, with it, the ownership of her plantation. She could desperately use an ally, but even an unexpected reunion with a childhood friend leaves her questioning his motives.

To keep her family together and save the plantation that is her last chance at providing for them, can Keturah ever surrender her stubbornness and guarded heart to God and find the healing and love awaiting her?

This is the first book in "The Sugar Baron's Daughters" series and it does pave the way for the other books in the series.  I learned a thing or two about the sugar plantations of Nevis; as I knew nothing about any of that.  The depth of character that the author gave Keturah was very realistic and made you want to help her with all the problems she encounters along the way.

It's no real surprise to see how this book ends, it's an entertaining book and one with plenty of ups and downs.  It was a pleasant book to read over a couple of afternoons, but will I remember it in the next month or so; probably not.

Stars out of 5 : 4 Interesting book where I learned something new.  I would like to read the others in the series when they come out, just to see what happens with Keturah's sisters.  This would make a great book to read when relaxing on the beach or by the pool.  A nice light read.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. 

Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

"I will not fear," by Melba Pattillo Beals

"I will not fear," by Melba Pattillo Beals

In 1957, Melba Beals was one of the nine African American students chosen to integrate Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas.

But her story of overcoming didn't start--or end--there.
While her white schoolmates were planning their senior prom, Melba was facing the business end of a double-barreled shotgun, being threatened with lynching by rope-carrying tormentors, and learning how to outrun white supremacists who were ready to kill her rather than sit beside her in a classroom. Only her faith in God sustained her during her darkest days and helped her become a civil rights warrior, an NBC television news reporter, a magazine writer, a professor, a wife, and a mother.

In I Will Not Fear, Beals takes you on an unforgettable journey through terror, oppression, and persecution, highlighting the kind of faith we all need to survive in a world full of heartbreak and anger. She shows how the deep faith we develop during our most difficult moments is the kind of faith that can change our families, our communities, and even the world.

Encouraging and inspiring, her story offers hope that faith is the solution to the pervasive hopelessness of our current culture.

This was such an interesting book.  Something that I thought about time after time while reading this was how could all this happen to her and how had she the strength not to give up.  Her faith was so solid that it almost didn't seem real at times, but it was.  I kept thinking to myself, how I wish my faith was that strong.

I was surprised at how much racism she is still experiencing, especially when trying to rent a house.  I did not know about the Little Rock nine, and so that was also an eye opening experience to learn about.

This book is an easy read, a bit lacking in details in some areas, but overall a book that shows you what God can do if you have faith, and Melba has faith an inordinate amount of faith.

Stars out of 5 : 4 An enjoyable book, where you will learn a lot of things.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".