Into The Whirlwind by Elizabeth Camden

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I will buy one of this author's books before even reading the back cover blurb. So when the opportunity came to review Into The Whirlwind, I rushed to choose it. I mean, come on, look at the cover!

The Plot

I've never studied the Chicago Fire--or watchmaking-- but this story thrusts you into history. Action begins on the first page with a preview of a scene that occurs not long after. The plot is unique, unlike anything I've read. Including the romantic aspect. I admit, I didn't love how hurried that part seemed in the beginning. . .then it dwindled. I wouldn't want to spoil anything though.

For me, this one didn't grab me, force me to keep turning the pages. That's part of the reason I took longer to read it. I would read a couple of chapters, set it aside for a little while.

Don't misunderstand--your experience reading it may be different. And I still enjoyed the plot.

A plus was that I did not guess the ending.

The Characters

Mollie Knox, the heroine, frustrated me. Some of her choices, I didn't understand. I found myself thinking, "What? Why are you doing, saying, etc. that?" It felt almost like a tactic to lengthen the book. I appreciated her loyalty to her company though, and her treatment and thoughts of Sophie were comical. 

Zack Kazmarek, on the other hand, was my type of hero because he knew what he wanted and he worked for it. Even when slighted--harshly!

I can't say much more without ruining the story, but I recommend you read it if you like historicals. Not my favorite, but I'll certainly look for the next one by this author.

Backcover Blurb:

As owner of the 57th Illinois Watch Company, Mollie Knox's future looks bright until the night the legendary Great Chicago Fire destroys her beloved city. With her world crumbling around her, Mollie will do whatever it takes to rebuild in the aftermath of the devastating fire.

Zack Kazmarek, an influential attorney for one of Chicago's finest department stores, is a force to be reckoned with among the city's most powerful citizens. Bold and shrewd, he's accustomed to getting exactly what he wants--until he meets Mollie Knox, the beguiling businesswoman just beyond his reach.

As the people of Chicago race to rebuild, Mollie comes face-to-face with the full force of Zack's influence. Zack believes this may be his chance to win her, but can Mollie ever accept this man and his whirlwind effects on her life, especially with her treasured company on the line?

***

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

  

 

Adoring Addie by Leslie Gould

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Leslie Gould is a new favorite author of mine, and Adoring Addie is the second book in her Courtships of Lancaster County series which I'm loving.

I seem to remember saying awhile back that I was not a fan of Amish fiction, but that has changed. Now it seems to be a running joke with everyone who knows me--I love Amish/Mennonite stories. (Not all of them, mind you. A story has to be well-written, no matter the genre.)

So Adoring Addie is all things that I enjoy: Amish, interesting cover (I barely even mind the people's faces being shown), well-written, and a purposeful story. It could be described as a retelling of Romeo and Juliet, but I believe it is better because 1) I always did have trouble understanding what on earth Shakespeare was trying to say, 2) I could relate to it, and 3) SPOILER! It had a happy ending.

If you enjoy the Amish genre...or even if you don't think you do...try this book.

It's one of those I will reread.

Backcover Blurb:

Not since Romeo and Juliet has a couple faced odds this long. The Cramers and Mosiers have been angry with each other for as long as anyone can remember. Things had cooled to a simmer...until Addie Cramer and Jonathan Mosier fell head over heels for each other. Now old tensions are renewed, and Addie's parents insist she marry stolid and uninspiring Phillip Eicher.

Distraught at a future apart, the two decide their best hope is to reconcile the two families...but that means digging into the past to see what tore them apart. Will their love be enough to keep them together or will long-held secrets ruin their chance at happiness?

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

A Noble Groom by Jody Hedlund

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Whoever designs Mrs. Hedlund's covers is doing an excellent job! I already reviewed Unending Devotion, so I needed the next one. I'm all about following an author if I really enjoy one of her books.

I'd never read a story with this type of plot involving European immigrants, but I'm so glad I chose it from the Bethany House review list. Rarely is there something so satisfying as discovering a book that you don't want to stop reading. The characters were unique, meaning they actually felt like real people. The author chose a fresh setting, a failing farm in Michigan in the 1880s.

Carl was a dynamic character as was Annalisa.

I loved the spiritual thread.

And I didn't guess the ending. Not at all. I found it realistic and definitely interesting--and of course, happy.

Go ahead and buy this one. And the next one from this author.

Backcover Blurb:

Annalisa Werner's hope for a fairy-tale love is over. Her husband failed her in every way, and now his death has left her with few options to save the family farm. She needs a plentiful harvest. That, and a husband to help bring it in. Someone strong, dependable. That'll be enough. A marriage for love. . .that's something she's given up on.

So her father sends a letter to his brother in the Old Country, asking him to find Annalisa a groom.

Then a man appears: Carl Richards, from their home country of Germany, and a former schoolteacher--or so he says. He's looking for work and will serve on the farm until her husband arrives.

With time running out, she accepts Carl's help, but there's more to this man than he's admitting. He's also gentle, kind, charming--unlike any man she's ever known. But even as he is shining light into the darkness of Annalisa's heart, she knows her true groom may arrive any day.

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

Swept Away by Mary Connealy

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Have I mentioned that Mary Connealy is one of my most favorite authors? That I have read almost all of her books? That she has a hysterical distinct voice and has captured the attitude of a cowboy?

How about this first line: The sharp crack of a cocking pistol brought Lucas Stone's head around.

Gotta love the action!

This is the first of a new series, but I liked the fact that Luke is still connected to a previous series through his sister. The plot was interesting, though not my favorite. If not for Connealy's jolting voice, it might have dragged a bit.

The other characters in the story will obviously be stars in their own books in the future. Actually, I found myself more interested in Dare's story than Luke and Ruthy's. I'm still not sure why Luke and Ruthy fell in love so quickly.

Some parts seemed a bit unbelievable, but I can forgive that because it made for a fun read. And I love happy endings!

I'll be looking for Fired Up, Dare's story, when it is released.

Backcover Blurb:

Swept away when her wagon train attempts a difficult river crossing, Ruthy MacNeil isn't terribly upset at being separated from the family who raised her. All they've ever done is work her to the bone. Alive but disoriented, she's rescued by Luke Stone...so unfortunately, there are more chances to die in her immediate future.

Luke is on a mission to reclaim the ranch stolen from his family. But the men currently on the property won't let it go without a fight. Luke plans to meet up with friends who will help him take back the land, and since he can't just leave Ruthy in the middle of nowhere, she's going to have to go with him.

But the more time Luke spends around the hardworking young woman, the more he finds himself thinking of things besides revenge. Will Ruthy convince him to give up his destructive path and be swept away by love?

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





Firefly Island by Lisa Wingate

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 This was my first book by Lisa Wingate, and it was just okay. I received the book free in order to review it, or else I might not have bothered finishing it. The beginning was a tad unbelievable (know someone a month, marry them, and move across the country???). Then we're given all this backstory, and it was just boring. I think the story could've been improved a lot if it hadn't been written in first person. The rest of the characters weren't fleshed out enough, especially Daniel considering he was her husband.
But, I will say it picked up eventually. Lisa Wingate is AWESOME at describing environments. I think I would enjoy her style if the story wasn't in first person. Also, it finally gets really interesting....and then it's over. Way too rushed ending. I was like, "Huh? That's it?".
Overall, it's an okay read. I might read another one from this series if I find it cheap.
I'll still give this author another shot.

Backcover Blurb:

Mallory Hale's life quickly veers off course when she falls hopelessly in love. After a whirlwind romance, Mallory finds herself leaving the bustle and action of Capitol Hill for the remote town of Moses Lake, Texas--with husband, stepson, and a U-Haul in tow.

A sweet, mishap-filled journey into marriage, motherhood, and ranch living ensues, and Mallory is filled with both the wonderment of love and the insecurities of change. But what she can't shake is the unease she feels around her husband's new boss, Jack West. Jack's presence--and his mysterious past--set her on edge, and when hints of a scandal emerge, Mallory finds herself seeking answers . . . and comes to realize that the middle-of-nowhere home she wasn't sure she wanted is the very place she'll risk everything to save.

The Tutor's Daughter by Julie Klassen

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 I have read all but one of Julie Klassen's books, and her latest is my favorite. The Tutor's Daughter has the perfect mix of suspense and romance. The setting is incredible. Have you ever read Northanger Abbey? This story reminded me of that one.

It tells the tale of Emma Smallwood, the tutor's daughter, who only wanted to help her father by moving with him to the home of two boys who need education. But the home also belongs to two men, one who plagued her childhood...

I loved the mystery of this book.

I loved Emma.

I'll probably reread this one soon.

Backcover Blurb:

Emma Smallwood, determined to help her widowed father when his boarding school fails, accompanies him to the cliff-top manor of a baronet and his four sons. But soon after they arrive and begin teaching the two younger boys, mysterious things begin to happen. Who does Emma hear playing the pianoforte at night, only to find the music room empty? And who begins sneaking into her bedchamber, leaving behind strange mementoes?

The baronet's older sons, Phillip and Henry Weston, wrestle with problems--and secrets--of their own. They both remember the studious Miss Smallwood from their days at her father's academy. But now one of them finds himself drawn to her. . .

Filled with page-turning suspense, The Tutor's Daughter takes readers to the windswept Cornwall coast--a place infamous for shipwrecks and superstitions--where danger lurks, faith is tested, and romance awaits

***

Courting Cate by Leslie Gould

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I LOVED this book! And I'm not even normally a fan of this genre or Shakespeare.

Leslie Gould based her story off of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, but that was a chore for me to read in college and this book most definitely was not!

Cate isn't your typical heroine in women's fiction. She isn't a giggly, man-obsessed, super-shopper that is cute for a time but leaves no lasting impression. No, Cate is a woman who struggles with her attitude and dealing with the expectations of others. I could relate so much with her.

But Cate isn't unlikeable -- she just has many layers to her character. I wanted to cry when she was hurt. I was angry when she was angry. I felt her emotions and wanted justice for her. I'd love to read more stories with women like her.

And Pete -- wow! I don't want to give anything away, but his dealings with Cate were so much fun to read. He also has multiple dimensions to his character.

Even though I knew how Shakespeare's play ended, this story was not in the least boring. It was full of intrigue and will keep you wondering what exactly is going on...

Read it! I know you'll love it!

*I received this book free from the publisher. This review is my honest opinion.