Sea Glass Cottage

 

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Christi Reece is desperate. The onetime golden girl's life has tarnished, and a cascade of setbacks has left her reeling. She needs help, and she's certain Jack Colby is in a position to provide it.

When she shows up in Hope Harbor, however, Jack wants nothing to do with the woman who betrayed him. He's built a new life on the Oregon coast - and there's no room in it for Christi, even after she takes refuge in a charming but mysterious cottage nearby. Yet it soon becomes apparent his opinion of her may need revising...especially when he ends up needing her help.

Can these two hurting souls open their hearts to a new beginning?

Review

There's a reason Irene Hannon is a three-time RITA award winner. I love her roller-coaster romantic suspense fiction, and her contemporary romances are simply timeless. When I pick up a Hope Harbor novel, I know I'm in for a sweet story full of hope, love, faith, and second chances. 

Sea Glass Cottage explores how people can truly change - and for the better. It's not easy to trust someone who betrayed you. Not to mention, trusting them with your heart? This is Jack's battle as he can't erase how Christi deeply hurt him. And on the flip side, Christi desperately wants her past to be left there - in the past - and to be known by who she is today. Irene Hannon does an incredible job fleshing out these struggles between Jack and Christi in the lovely seaside town of Hope Harbor. This is a story not to be missed by lovers of Christian contemporary fiction!

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

 

The Master Craftsman

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In 1917, Alma Pihl, a master craftsman in the House of Faberge, was charged to protect one of the greatest secrets in Russian history - an unknown Faberge Egg that Peter Karl Faberge secretly created to honor his divided allegiance to both the people of Russia and the Imperial tsar's family. When Alma and her husband escaped Russia for their native Finland in 1921, she took the secret with her, guarding her past connection to the Romanov family.

Three generations later, world-renowned treasure hunter Nick Laine is sick and fears the secret of the missing egg will die with him. With time running out, he entrusts the mission of retrieving the egg to his estranged daughter, Ava, who has little idea of the dangers she is about to face. As the stakes are raised, Ava is forced to declare her own allegiance - and the consequences are greater than she could have imagined.

Review

I felt like I was stepping into a National Treasure movie! This was quite the adventure story - or should I say, treasure hunt? I had heard of the Fabergé Eggs before, but the history Kelli Stuart fleshes out about Peter Karl Fabergé and the stories behind the famed eggs was beyond fascinating. Be sure to search the internet for photos of the discovered Eggs as they are absolutely breathtaking in beauty and detail. And while we have some Eggs today, there are some known to be lost. And off of this, the author begs the question, "What if there was another Egg?"

The Master Craftsman was an intriguing and thought-provoking story. And don't despair - this book is not just a history lesson about the Eggs.  It's an adventure story full of intrigue and danger with characters in the midst of relationships as complex as the Eggs themselves. An enjoyable read!

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

The Element of Love

 

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With their sharp engineering minds, Laura Stiles and her two sisters have been able to deal with their mother's unfortunate choice in husband until they discovered his plans to marry each of them off to his lecherous friends. Now they must run away - far and fast - to find better matches to legally claim their portion of their father's lumber dynasty and seize control from their stepfather.

During their escape, Laura befriends a mission group heading to serve the poor in California. She quickly volunteers herself and her sister to join their efforts. Despite the settlement being in miserable condition, the sisters are excited by the opportunity to put their skills to good use. Laura also sees potential in Caleb, the mission's parson, to help with gaining her inheritance. But when secrets buried in Caleb's past and in the land around them come to light, it'll take all the smarts the sisters have to keep trouble at bay.

Review

This was a fun adventure story following three quirky and brilliant sisters as they escape a horrid future laid out by their abusive step-father. Laura, Jillian, and Michelle hope to find honourable, God-fearing men to marry quickly in order to rescue them - and their mother - out of a plot by their stepfather to take over their inheritance. A shorter novel, The Element of Love is a quick and easy read and perfect for lovers of Western fiction. It has all the right "elements" (haha): dashing cowboys, strong women, and an evil villain threaded together with themes of romance and faith. Possibly because it was a shorter read, I did struggle a bit with the realism of the romantic connection between Laura and Caleb.  Perhaps a few extra chapters would have aided in that, but I understand given the plot line, quick courtships were necessary! I'm still intrigued about the future books in this new series, "The Lumber Baron's Daughters", surrounding Michelle and Jillian's stories.

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

Shaped by the Waves

 

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Cassie George is barely staying above water as she works to get her doctorate and raise her daughter. But she stubbornly keeps swimming to prove a few bad decisions haven't ruined her forever. Plus, it's all a great excuse to stay away from the small Oregon town she fled in shame years prior. But when she receives a call that the aunt who raised her has had a major health crisis, she knows it's time to return.

Cassie is surprised to be more welcomed by the quirky seaside community than she expected, even if there's still tension between her and her former classmate Nora Milford. But she still can't help feeling unsettled and is mystified by a mysterious package that appears, full of typed pages that tell the story of an anonymous woman's life. As her curiosity sends her on a journey toward truth, Cassie will discover that who she thought she was and what she wants for her life are both about to change.

Review

Moving. Remarkable. Un-put-down-able.  The latter might not be a real word, but it aptly describes Shaped by the Waves, the newest novel by Christina Suzann Nelson. I quickly became a fan of the author upon reading More Than We Remember, and was blown away with The Way It Should Be. 

I was captivated by the story of a single mom struggling to make ends meet and finish post-secondary education, while simultaneously running away from her past. Cassie's past confronts her when she decides to look after her aunt suffering from dementia and discovers that what she knows about her family and past may not be entirely true. The mystery unraveled page over page, and made it extremely hard to put the book down!

This novel is a story that compels you to hold all your family very tightly. It shows that family love grows beyond the biological ties and be shaped differently, but the love can be there all the same. Another excellent book by Christina Suzann Nelson that I will definitely be rereading again and again. 

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

The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water

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When novelist Kendra Brennan moves into her grandfather's old cabin on Hidden Lake, she has a problem and a plan. The problem? An inflammatory letter from A Very Disappointed Reader. The plan? To confront Tyler, her childhood best friend's brother - and the man who inspired the antagonist in her first book. If she can prove that she told the truth about what happened during those long-ago summers, perhaps she can put the letter's claims to rest and meet the swiftly approaching deadline for her next book.

But what she discovers as she delves into the murky past is not what she expected. While facing Tyler isn't easy, facing the consequences of her failed friendship with his sister, Cami, may be the hardest thing she's ever had to do.

Plumb the depths of the human heart with this emotional exploration of how a friendship dies, how we can face the unforgiveable, and how even those who have been hurt can learn to love with abandon. 

 

Review

This novel is not exactly what I was expecting. Erin Bartels is a masterful author and story-teller, and her ability to draw characters that feel real and full-dimensional is amazing. Upon reading two of her previous works, We Hope for Better Things and All that We Carried, I quickly became a fan. However, the content of this book took me by surprise.

I was not expecting the story to be about childhood rape, molestation, and abuse. There was no indication that was what the story was about through the back cover description, so needless to say, I was not prepared for such disturbing, dark subject matter. I found myself skipping over some content that was just too detailed and uncomfortable to read. As you can't "un-see" what you watch, you can't unread what you've read. I struggled to finish the book, even while acknowledging that the story was well-written as it tackles the complexities of emotions within these tragic circumstances. The Girl Who Could Breathe Underwater shows the spiderweb impacts on relationships childhood rape and molestation can have and that not everything in these situations is "clear-cut". The darkness is magnified in the absence of faith and depicting none of the characters seem to have any relationship with Jesus.

I don't like to write a negative review, particularly when Erin reveals in the author's note at the end of the novel that she is drawing upon her own personal tragic experiences in writing this story. I've thought this before with other novels, and believe that perhaps books with such difficult subject matters should have a content warning so a reader can be fully aware and prepared should they begin reading the book. Similar to how movies have ratings systems and content warnings, it would be extremely helpful if books employed a content warning system as well.

That being said, I'm still a huge Erin Bartels fan, and will be keeping an eye open for her next work.

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

In Search of a Prince

 

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It seems like a dream come true...

Until it forces her to question everything.

Brielle Adebayo is fully content teaching at a New York City public school and taking annual summer vacations with her mother to Martha's Vineyard. But everything changes when her mom drops a bombshell - Brielle is really a princess in the island kingdom of Ọlọrọ Ilé, off the coast of Africa, and she must immediately assume her royal position, since the health of her grandfather, the king, is failing.

Distraught by all the secrets her mother kept, Brielle is further left spinning when the Ọlọrọ Ilé Royal Council brings up an old edict that states she must marry before her coronation, or the crown will pass to another. Brielle is uncertain if she even wants the throne, and with her world totally shaken, where will she find the courage to take a chance on love and brave the perils a wrong decision may bring?

Review

First off, what a GORGEOUS cover! I know you're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but as soon as I saw the cover, I knew I had to read this book - without even knowing all that it was about! The cover pulled me in and the entertaining storyline kept me intrigued.

When I was a little girl, I sometimes dreamed of one day becoming a princess and living in a fairy-tale of a kingdom. Toni Shiloh's In Search of a Prince imagines that type of scenario, but with a few added plot twists. Brielle discovers that she is in line to a royal throne, and after thoughtful and prayerful consideration, she decides to take on the responsibility of ruling "her" kingdom. But that gets complicated upon discovering a law whereby she must be married in order to rule. Thus begins her search for the perfect man - her royal prince. 

This was a really entertaining read and I thoroughly enjoyed how the author brought to life the beautiful island setting of the fictional Ọlọrọ Ilé. The characters in the story were well-developed, and I especially appreciated the strong emphasis of faith. Brielle never hesitated to bring her concerns to the Lord and seek His will in her life. It was refreshing to see how deep her relationship was to Jesus and it was an encouraging theme throughout the novel.

Love this novel and looking forward to reading more by Toni Shiloh!

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

Until Leaves Fall in Paris

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When the Nazis march toward Paris, American ballerina Lucie Girard buys her favorite English-language bookstore to allow the Jewish owners to escape. The Germans make it difficult for her to keep Green Leaf Books afloat. And she must keep the store open if she is to continue aiding the resistance by passing secret messages between the pages of her books.

Widower Paul Aubrey wants nothing more than to return to the States with his little girl, but the US Army convinces him to keep his factory running and obtain military information from his German customers. As the war rages on, Paul offers his own resistance by sabotaging his product and hiding British airmen in his factory. But in order to carry out his mission, he must appear to support the occupation - which does not win him any sympathy when he meets Lucie in the bookstore.

In a world turned upside down, will love or duty prevail?

Review

This was a masterful piece of historical fiction that I polished off in a mere two days (and it's a beefy novel). To say I loved it is an understatement. I've read a few of Sarah Sundin's books, and have come to realize she has a knack for crafting highly intriguing and very unique storylines centered around World War II history. In Until Leaves Fall in Paris she brings to light the Nazi occupation of France, the Resistance, and what it meant to be a "collaborator". She captured the strain and stress during one of the most terrible times in history while created meaningful characters that you can't help cheering for. If you haven't read a Sarah Sundin novel, you are greatly missing out! I highly recommend Until Leaves Fall in Paris and will be eagerly waiting for Sarah's next novel.

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