Stuck Together by Mary Connealy

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It's official--my favorite kind of book is one that makes me laugh.

Mary Connealy's novels undoubtedly meet that goal.

Her talent places her at the top of my Buy-All-These-Authors'-Books list. Her sarcastic wit is unbeatable. You will never be bored reading one of her historicals ( I've read more than one historical rich in detail but lacking in intrigue. Not Connealy's though!).

 

In Stuck Together, we get to hang out in the minds of Vince Yates and Tina Cahill, two people who are secondary characters in the previous novels in this series. Vince was the hero I most wanted to read about, so I couldn't wait to delve into Stuck Together. Tina fits him perfectly. I LOVED her spunk. I'm sure she and I would be friends (if she weren't fictional and I were alive in the 1860s).

 

Also, I enjoyed learning how mental diseases were viewed in the past. My grandma suffers from dementia, and although she still recognizes me, I saw her in Vince's mother. Connealy deals with tough issues in a comedic yet respectful way.

 

Are you familiar with Mary Connealy's novels? If not, you need to remedy that. Click here to buy Stuck Together.

 



Backcover Blurb

 

Now that she's settled in town, Tina Cahill is determined to get Broken Wheel's saloon closed for good. To that end, she pickets outside the place every afternoon. Unfortunately, so far no one has paid any attention.

Vince Yates earned the nickname "Invincible Vince" because of his reputation for letting absolutely nothing stop him. But Vince is about to face his biggest challenge yet: his past has just caught up with him. His father, mother, and the sister he didn't know he had show up in Broken Wheel without warning. His father is still a schemer. His mother is showing signs of dementia. And his surprise sister quickly falls for one of Vince's best friends. Vince suddenly has a lot of people depending on him, and Tina doesn't approve of how he's handling any of them.

With nearly every other man in town married off, Vince finds himself stuck with strong-willed Tina over and over again. Of course, Tina is the prettiest woman he's ever seen, so if he could just get her to give up her crazy causes, he might go ahead and propose. But he's got one more surprise coming his way. Tina's picketing at the saloon has revealed a dark secret that could put everyone Vince loves in danger.

 

*I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.



Until I Found You by Victoria Bylin

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I wanted to read this book because of the cover. It is possibly my favorite ever. If characters are going to be on a cover, this is exactly how I'd want it done. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.
Another amazing part of this novel is the spiritual thread--probably the best I've read in a looong while. Any book that mentions the blood of Jesus within the first sixteen pages is one that I respect. Salvation is the absolute most important thing that could be spoken or written about, and I loved how Nick lived his faith and shared his testimony with Kate who wasn't even sure there is a God.
This story starts with a load of action and continues with a sweet story that readers are sure to enjoy.
Kate's grandma is adorable, my favorite secondary character.

The one negative is that the writing style, at times, felt more like "telling" than "showing." But that's a small detail compared to the plot.

I'm looking forward to more contemporaries from Victoria Bylin.

You can buy the book here!  

 

 



Backcover Blurb

 

When Kate Darby swerves off a mountain road to avoid hitting a California condor, she ends up trapped in her car, teetering on the edge of a cliff. Terrified, she breathes a prayer that changes her life.

 

It's Nick Sheridan who comes to Kate's rescue. Nick is handsome and confident, and he seems to develop a habit of rescuing her, but Kate is in town only until her grandmother recuperates from a stroke. She's not planning to get involved with one of the locals.

 

Nick is a reformed veteran of life in the fast lane, a new Christian, and a travel writer. When he sees a car dangling on the edge of a cliff, the daredevil in him jumps into action. He doesn't expect to be swept off his feet by the car's occupant. He's made a vow--no dating for a year--but keeping that vow is going to be a lot more difficult now that he's met Kate Darby. . .

 

*I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.*



Meant To Be Mine by Becky Wade

Such a happy cover, don't you think?

Meant To Be Mine is the second book in the Porter Family series. It follows Ty Porter, a confident bull rider, and Celia Porter, the wife he hasn't spoken to in five and a half years. Oh, and their daughter who Ty knows nothing about. Secret baby story, anyone?

I expected to enjoy this book...but I didn't. I LOVED it. Celia seemed like a real woman, not just your typical romance heroine. She has struggles and faults and unfulfilled dreams. She carries the pain from Ty's rejection while trying to give her daughter the best life possible. My respect for Celia grew more and more as the story continued. Her frustrations became mine.
Ty was a humongous jerk. In the beginning, anyway. But I highly doubt anyone would consider him a jerk by the end ;0)

I'm sure I'll reread this one since I didn't want the story to end.

There were a few things that did bother me though. Multiple times Ty "swore under his breath." I understand that some guys do this, but I cringed each time. Also, some of his jokes were a little too risqué for my taste.

But the strength of God's forgiveness is a beautiful message that Wade weaves throughout the novel. Absolutely beautiful.
I'm ALREADY craving the next book in this series!!!

 

Backcover Blurb:

 

Ty Porter has always been irresistible to Celia Park. All through high school--irresistible. When their paths cross again after college--still irresistible. This time, though, Ty seems to feel exactly the same way about Celia. Their whirlwind romance deposits them at a street-corner Las Vegas wedding chapel.

The next morning they wake to a marriage certificate and a dose of cold reality. Celia's ready to be Ty's wife, but Ty's not ready to be her husband. He's a professional bull rider; he lives on the road, and he's long planned to settle down with the hometown girl he's known since childhood.

Five and a half years pass. Celia's buried her dreams so that she can afford to raise her daughter. Ty's achieved all of his goals. Or thought he had, until he looks again into the eyes of the woman he couldn't forget and into the face of the child he never knew he had.

How much will Ty sacrifice to win back Celia's trust and prove to her that their spontaneous marriage can still become the love of a lifetime?

 

 

Love Comes Calling by Siri Mitchell

 

Absolutely FIVE stars!

 

 

Let me start with the obvious: The cover is gorgeous. I am one of those people who cringe when models' faces are shown on book covers, but I LOVE this cover.

 

And the heroine...oh my, Ellis Eton has become one of my favorite characters of all time. The way Siri Mitchell writes Ellis' thought process is hilarious. If she lived in modern times, Ellis would be diagnosed with ADHD (according to Mitchell), but I loved her energy. She is relatable, abundantly interesting, and fun. 

Griff, her long-time friend who wants to be more, is sweet and charming also. Even without his POV included in the story, I still felt like I got to know him. 

 

 The plot lacked nothing. It supplied just enough suspense and romance to keep me turning the pages. I read this book in two days, despite work and other obligations, because I had to know what happened.

Even with the hilarity, serious topics are discussed such as Prohibition, insecurity, and the fact that God is the only One who can change hearts.

This book was a blast to read. I truly cannot recommend it enough.

Go ahead and buy this one! 

I hope Mitchell writes twenty other novels like this one.

 

Backcover Blurb:

 

When a look-alike friend asks Ellis Eton to fill in for her as a telephone operator, Ellis jumps at the chance. For her, the job will provide not only acting practice but the funds to get Ellis a start in the movies. She's tired of always being a disappointment to her traditional Boston family, and though she can't deny the way he makes her head spin, she knows she's not good enough for Griffin Phillips, either. It's simple: avoid Griff's attentions, work, and get paid. But in typical Ellis fashion, her simple plan spirals out of control when she overhears a menacing phone call...with her very own Griff as the target.

 

*I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.*

A Beauty So Rare by Tamera Alexander

 

Tamera Alexander is an author that I trust to pull me into the past. Her stories are rich, thick, and filled with history. When I was given the chance to review A Beauty So Rare, the second in the Belmont Mansion series, I rushed to accept.

Set in 1868 Nashville, this story involves beautiful gardens, an insane asylum, Austrian royalty, and the admirable Adelicia Acklen. The heroine, Eleanor Braddock, is Adelicia's niece. I wanted to love Eleanor, but she did strike me as...plain--and I don't simply mean her appearance.

While I've always loved Alexander's writing style, A Beauty So Rare did not keep my attention as well as her other novels. The plot progressed too slowly. I longed for more action.

 

Of course, your reading experience might be completely different from mine. Alexander possesses extreme talent, and she handles historical detail with excellence. This particular novel simply wasn't my favorite.

 

I encourage you to read this one, especially if you are a fan of Nashville.



Backcover Blurb:

 

Plain, practical Eleanor Braddock knows she will never marry, but with a dying soldier's last whisper, she believes her life can still have meaning and determines to find his widow. Impoverished and struggling to care for her ailing father, Eleanor arrives at Belmont Mansion, home of her aunt, Adelicia Acklen, the richest woman in America--and possibly the most demanding, as well. Adelicia insists on finding her niece a husband, but a simple act of kindness leads Eleanor down a far different path--building a home for destitute widows and fatherless children from the Civil War. While Eleanor knows her own heart, she also knows her aunt will never approve of this endeavor.

 

Archduke Marcus Gottfried has come to Nashville from Austria in search of a life he determines, instead of one determined for him. Hiding his royal heritage, Marcus longs to combine his passion for nature with his expertise in architecture, but his plans to incorporate natural beauty into the design of the widows' and children's home run contrary to Eleanor's wishes. As work on the home draws them closer together, Marcus and Eleanor find common ground--and a love neither of them expects. But Marcus is not the man Adelicia has chosen for Eleanor, and even if he were, someone who knows his secrets is about to reveal them all.

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.*

Tattered Innocence by Ann Lee Miller

Tattered Innocence is not the type of book I normally read, but the story instantly grabbed my attention. This novel is from the New Adult genre, and I'm aware that there are differing opinions on that genre.

As the title suggests, this is a gritty novel. The author deals with issues such as adultery and fornication. I wouldn't describe this story as cozy, but it does grab the reader's attention. The themes are ones that I'm sure many people confront at some point in their lives.

 

I loved Ann Lee Miller's writing style--sharp, tight, and descriptive. She stays away from clichés and makes you feel as if you are sailing along with the characters. I would've rather not had those detailed descriptions in certain scenes, however. Especially ones that contained flashbacks to Rachel's affair. Those scenes made me uncomfortable. The book's content, in my opinion, is only for mature readers. I have to caution you that there are a few curse words and vulgar terms sprinkled in.


However, the life lessons in Tattered Innocence are definitely important. The world makes sin look pleasurable and, in fact, innocent, but that pleasure never lasts. God's plans are always best. His Word is full of commandments meant to protect us, not keep us from fun. I loved that Rachel and Jake both suffered the realistic consequences of their sins while also learning that God's grace and mercy are sufficient. The Lord can turn a terrible, hopeless situation into one full of blessings.

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." I John 1:9   

   



 

Description from Amazon.com

A tale of passions indulged, denied, and ultimately forgiven: On the verge of bagging the two things he wants most—a sailing charter business and marrying old money—Jake Murray’s fiancée/sole crew member dumps him. Salvation comes in the form of dyslexic, basketball-toting Rachel Martin, the only one to apply for the first mate position he slapped on cragslist. On a dead run from an affair with a married man, Rachel’s salvation is shoving ocean between her and temptation. Rapid fire dialogue and romantic tension sail Jake’s biker-chick of a boat through hurricanes, real and figurative. A cast of wannabe sailor’s, Rachel’s ex, Jake’s, a baby—go along for the ride. The many-layered story weaves together disparate strands into a seamless cord. Mother and daughter look eerily alike—down to their lusts. Their symbiotic bond, forged in the blood of childbirth on the kitchen floor and cemented by their secrets, must be cracked open. A son must go home. Sin must be expunged. Tattered innocence is for anyone who’s ever woken up sealed in a fifty-gallon drum of their guilt.

*I received this book free from the author in exchange for my honest review.



Minding Molly by Leslie Gould

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Leslie Gould is another one of my favorite writers. True, I used to be one of those people who never read Amish stories, but I love hers.

Minding Molly is the third in the Courtships of Lancaster County series, and I recommend you read the entire series. Each has an imperfect heroine with a lesson to learn. You might have certain ideas about the Amish, but Leslie's depiction makes them so easy to relate to. Oftentimes, we seem to have this idea that the Amish life is super simple, but this book will change your mind. They are normal people, same as us. I'd love to visit an Amish community now. And go camping.

 

Molly, the book's heroine, has a control problem. She bosses others around because she believes they need her direction to do things the right way. This is a problem that many women--and men, I'm sure--deal with.

Molly's sister, Beatrice, was hilarious, and I'm looking forward to her having her own story, Becoming Bea, soon.

I did not know how this book would end. There were plenty of obstacles in the heroine's way of finding love, and I wondered if she would truly have her happy ending. Of course, I won't spoil the ending, but you won't be disappointed. :-)

Are you a fan of Amish fiction? If you are or even if you aren't, I recommend you give Leslie's stories a try. She bases each one of her novels on one of Shakespeare's plays. Minding Molly is based on A Midsummer Night's Dream, a play I've never read. Maybe now I will.

 

So, head over to Amazon and start enjoying Leslie Gould's latest.

I highly recommend it!

 

 

From the Back Cover

 

 Molly Zook's always liked being in control, so she's struggling with her mother's wish that, to save the family farm, she marry Mervin Mosier. Especially after Molly meets Leon Fisher. He's from Montana but is training horses at a nearby ranch. He's tall and muscular and confident--Molly has never met anyone like him and she's sure he feels the same about her.

 

  Determined to let nothing get between them, Molly tries to coax Mervin into falling back in love with Molly's best friend Hannah. A weekend camping trip in the Poconos could be just the place...but things quickly go awry, and it seems Leon and Hannah might be falling for each other instead! Will Molly keep struggling to control everyone and everything around her? Or will she learn to let God handle the twists and turns of her life?

 

*I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.