"A Dance in Donegal," by Jennifer Deibel

"A Dance in Donegal," by Jennifer Deibel

All her life, Boston-born Moira Doherty has relished her mother's descriptions of the Emerald Isle. When her mother dies unexpectedly in the summer of 1920, Moira is compelled to fulfill her dying wish--that she become the teacher in Ballymann, the beloved village in Donegal, Ireland, she's heard so much about.

After an arduous voyage, Moira begins a challenging new job in an unfamiliar and ancient country. Though a few locals offer a warm welcome, others are distanced by superstition and suspicion. Rumors about Moira's mother are unspoken in her presence but threaten to derail everything she's journeyed to Ballymann to do. Moira must rely on the kindness of a handful of friends--and the strength of Sean, an unsettlingly handsome thatcher who keeps popping up unannounced--as she seeks to navigate a life she'd never dreamed of . . . but perhaps was meant to live.

This book took me a while to get immersed into.  Once I did though I loved how descriptive the book was about living in Ireland in the 1920's. You could almost smell the peat burning in all the fireplace's.  How the author mixed Gaelic language into the book made it very authentic.

There were enough twists and turns in the book to keep it interesting.  Just when you thought you figured it out, something else happened.  One of the main themes running through this book was forgiveness.  Also how living in a small town, things take on a life of their own in a blink of an eye.  Which I could relate too, coming from a small town in Britain.

Stars out of 5 : 3.5  Not the best book I have ever read, but once I got into it, I really enjoyed it.  Just took a bit longer than normal for me.  If you love anything Irish, you'll love this 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".

"All That We Carried," by Erin Bartels

 "All That We Carried," by Erin Bartels

Ten years ago, sisters Olivia and Melanie Greene were on a hiking trip when their parents were in a fatal car accident. They haven't seen each other since the funeral. Olivia coped with the loss by plunging herself into law school, work, and a materialist view of the world--what you see is what you get, and that's all you get. Melanie dropped out of college and developed an online life coaching business around her DIY spirituality--a little of this, a little of that, whatever makes you happy.

Now, at Melanie's insistence (and against Olivia's better judgment), they are embarking on a hike in the Porcupine Mountains of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. In this remote wilderness they'll face their deepest fears, question their most dearly held beliefs, and begin to see that perhaps the best way to move forward is the one way they had never considered.

This book makes you think.  Right from the very beginning you know you're in for a roller coaster of a ride with this book.  Not only through all the trials and tribulations they encounter while hiking, but also the emotional ups and downs of each of the girls.  Both these things brings out the best and the worst in each of these sisters and you are brought along for the ride.

if you have siblings, this book will make you think about your relationship with your own siblings.  I, like Melanie am a believer that things happen for a reason, so enjoyed that about her.  

Stars out of 5 : 4 I loved all the descriptions about the hike.  Starting out at the beginning of the book, it even got me dreaming about going hiking.  The more I got into the book, the more I realized how naive I was about hiking in the woods.  

The ending of the book was confusing for me and I ended up having more questions than answers.  So much so, I messaged the author for clarification on a couple of things.  She was very generous in messaging me back and cleared up the things I had questions about.  I cannot reveal what confused me, but if you read the book, I would be more than willing to discuss it with you.

 "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".

"A Cowboy for Keeps," by Jody Hedlund

 "A Cowboy for Keeps," by Jody Hedlund

Greta Nilsson's trip west to save her ailing little sister, Astrid, could not have gone more wrong. First, bandits hold up her stagecoach, stealing all her money. Then, upon arriving in Fairplay, Colorado, she learns the man she was betrothed to as a mail-order bride has died. Homeless, penniless, and jobless, Greta and her sister are worse off than when they started.

Wyatt McQuaid is struggling to get his new ranch up and running and is in town to purchase cattle when the mayor proposes the most unlikely of bargains. He'll invest in a herd of cattle for Wyatt's ranch if Wyatt agrees to help the town become more respectable by marrying and starting a family with Greta. But when old insecurities and surprising revelations arise, can a union born out of desperation survive?

Really enjoyed this book.  There was plenty of action right from the start.  Although Greta and Wyatt were the lead character's, I think my favourite had to be Greta's sister Astrid.  What a firecracker she was.  I think she stole the show.  When you think of a cowboy, the rugged, quiet, handsome type comes to mind, and Wyatt fit the bill perfectly.

Greta had a heart of gold and such a tough spirit, she was willing to sacrifice everything for her sister.  You know what's going to happen with Greta and Wyatt, but what happens in between is what makes the story. 

This is the first book in the "Colorado Cowboy's," series, the next one being released in October of this year.  Looking forward to reading about Wyatt's brother Flynn.

Stars out of 5 : 5 Loved the book, read it in a full day.  Plenty of things in this book to keep you interested.

"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".

"When Twilight Break's, by Sarah Sundin"

"When Twilight Break's, by Sarah Sundin"

Munich, 1938

Evelyn Brand is an American foreign correspondent determined to prove her worth in a male-dominated profession and to expose the growing tyranny in Nazi Germany. To do so, she must walk a thin line. If she offends the government, she could be expelled from the country--or worse. If she does not report truthfully, she'll betray the oppressed and fail to wake up the folks back home.

Peter Lang is an American graduate student working on his PhD in German. Disillusioned with the chaos in the world due to the Great Depression, he is impressed with the prosperity and order of German society. But when the brutality of the regime hits close, he discovers a far better way to use his contacts within the Nazi party--to feed information to the shrewd reporter he can't get off his mind.

As the world marches relentlessly toward war, Evelyn and Peter are on a collision course with destiny.

I don't normally read books about World War II and Nazi Germany, but I am glad I got to read this.  This book was based on American's working in Germany at the time.  It showed you how people were deceived into thinking how the Nazi regime was a good stabling effect on Germany at first, then their true colours showed through.

This book brought up how it was one rule for women and another rule for men, and how hard women had to fight for their places in the workforce and to be recognized for their achievements.

The book moved at a fast pace with many twists and turns.  It was a page turner as you had to know what was going to happen next.  The love story between Evelyn and Peter was good, as it didn't happen overnight.  The book allowed both character's to develop feelings for one another, without jumping in head first.

Stars out of 5 : 4.5  I thought the ending a bit weak.  Everything seems to fall in place and "they lived happily ever after."  If you are a fan of books set in this time period, this is a book for you.

 "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".

"The Moonlight School," by Suzanne Woods Fisher

 "The Moonlight School," by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Haunted by personal tragedy, Lucy Wilson arrives in Rowan County, Kentucky, in the spring of 1911 to assist her cousin, Cora Wilson Stewart, superintendent of schools. A fish out of water, Lucy is appalled by the primitive conditions and intellectual poverty she encounters.

Born in those very hills, Cora knows the twin plagues of illiteracy and poverty. So does Brother Wyatt, a singing school master who travels through the hills. Involving Lucy and Wyatt, Cora hatches a plan to open the schoolhouses to adults on moonlit nights. The best way to combat poverty, she believes, is to eliminate illiteracy. But will the people come?

As Lucy emerges from a life in the shadows, she finds purpose, along with something else she hadn't expected: love.

Inspired by true events, this novel from bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher brings to life the story that shocked the nation into taking adult literacy seriously.

I LOVED this book, this had everything I enjoy in a book.  Great storyline, super characters, and set in a part of the world I love to read about.  It was also based around a true part of history, "The Moonlight School's of Kentucky."  I had never heard of them until I read this book.

This book also showed you how despite having very little in life these folk were very rich in other ways.  It also show's how first impressions never tell the full story.  I loved the twist in this story also, and the important decision Lucy had to make regarding this.  I can't say what as it would spoil it for you, if you decide to read the book.

If I had to find fault with the book, I thought it would have been more about the Moonlight Schools.  It was more a love story of Lucy and Wyatt.  However the details of life in Kentucky at that time was woven seamlessly into the story.

Stars out of 5 : 5 So well worth the read.  If you had never heard of the Moonlight Schools, here is an interesting link about them. 

"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".

"A Castaway in Cornwall," by Julie Klassen

 "A Castaway in Cornwall," by Julie Klassen

Set adrift on the tides of fate by the deaths of her parents and left wanting answers, Laura Callaway now lives with her uncle and his disapproving wife in North Cornwall. There she feels like a castaway, always viewed as an outsider even as she yearns to belong.

While wreckers search for valuables along the windswept Cornwall coast--known for its many shipwrecks but few survivors--Laura searches for clues to the lives lost so she can write letters to next of kin and return keepsakes to rightful owners. When a man is washed ashore after a wreck, Laura acts quickly to protect him from a local smuggler determined to destroy him.

As Laura and a neighbor care for the survivor, they discover he has curious wounds and, although he speaks in careful, educated English, his accent seems odd. Other clues wash ashore, and Laura soon realizes he is not who he seems to be. Despite the evidence against him, the mysterious man might provide her only chance to discover the truth about her parents' fate. With danger pursuing them from every side, and an unexpected attraction growing between them, will Laura ever find the answers she seeks?

If you like Poldark, you'll love this book.  It had plenty of mysteries and twists and turns in it to keep you interested, with an added helping of romance!  Love how little clues are dropped into the pages, that make no sense to start with but as they keep piling up and you start to put two and two together it all then falls into place.

Laura and Alexander are perfect lead characters, but I have to admit my favourite character was Treeve.  The way the author described him, made he a cheeky chap that everyone would love regardless.  I also had a soft spot for Jago, you just wanted to protect him. All the characters in this book were well thought out in my opinion.

I am not overly familiar with the Cornish coast, but after reading this book, it's on my to do list to visit.

Stars out of 5 : 4.5 Great book, read it in one day (all day mind you!) and it kept me interested, which is always a good thing.  I enjoy Julie Klassen's book and this is one of her best one's yet.

"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 Haven for Her Heart," by Susan Anne Mason

"A Haven for Her Heart," by Susan Anne Mason

Upon her release from a woman's reformatory in 1941 Toronto, Olivia Rosetti wants nothing more than to forget the horrors of her time there and return to normal. But with her family unwilling to forgive and employers wary of hiring her, she quickly ends up desperate and homeless--until a chance encounter with well-to-do widow Ruth Bennington. The two discover they share a painful history and together decide to open a maternity home for troubled women.

Greek widower Darius Reed is determined to protect his daughter from the prejudice that killed her mother and hopes to marry into a prominent Toronto family. But when his employer orders him to persuade Ruth Bennington to sell them her property, Darius soon becomes conflicted over his feelings about the home and his attraction to Olivia.

Despite finding fulfilment in her work, Olivia must fight not only bitter memories and the community's negative reaction to their mission, but also feelings for the man who is trying to close her home. Can love prove stronger than prejudice and societal pressures, or will past mistakes destroy her chance at true happiness?

The inspiration for this book is as interesting as the book itself.  The lead character in the book is released from a woman's reformatory called the Mercer Reformatory for Women.  I added a link as you will not believe what happened there.  Although I live in Ontario, I had never heard of it.  This book although a work of fiction, highlight's the injustices that happened with women who were incarcerated there.  It shocked me to think there was a law that could be used to incarcerate women for being pregnant out of wedlock, while there was no same law for men from 1896 - 1964.

The story itself of Olivia and Darius was a rollercoaster of emotions.  You feel the sadness and pain that Olivia is going through. The part with Olivia and Abigail, will pull at your heart for sure. Although this story has a happy ending, getting to that point means going through many trials and tribulations.  It's a well thought out book.

Stars out of 5 : 4 I enjoyed this book and it is well worth the read.  The Note from the Author at the beginning of the book sets the tone for this book and I am glad this was added to the front of the book and not at the back like a lot of books.  This book is the first in a series.  I look forward to reading the other's in the series.

 "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".