Unrivaled

Back Cover

 

Falling in love

could be a recipe for disaster...

 

Lucy Kendall returns from a tour of the Continent, her luggage filled with the latest fashions and a mind fired by inspiration.  After tasting Europe’s best confections, she’s sure she’ll come up with a recipe that will save her father’s struggling candy business and reverse their fortunes.  But she soon discovers that their biggest competitor, the cheat who swindled her father out of his prize recipe, has now hired a promotions manager—a cocky, handsome out-of-towner who gets under Lucy’s skin.

 

Charlie Clarke’s new role at Standard Manufacturing is the chance of a lifetime.  He can put some rough times behind him and reconnect with the father he’s never known.  The one thing he never counted on, however, was tenacious Lucy Kendall.  She’s making his work life miserable…and making herself impossible for him to forget.

 

Review

 

Sassy Lucy Kendall has met her match in the unflappable Charlie Clarke.  Both representing rival candy companies, they each try to out-do the other to make their respective businesses prosper.  Charlie has a head for advertising, and pulls out all the stops to make sure Standard Manufacturing’s name is on every child and adult’s lips.  Lucy is determined to come up with the next delicious candy and works furiously at developing the perfect concoction.  However, Lucy surprises herself at the steps she is willing to go to fight back at Standard Manufacturing.   It doesn’t take too long before Lucy is in over her head, and Charlie has absolutely no idea how to handle Lucy.

 

This was a wonderfully witty novel.  The passionate, strong spark between Lucy and Charlie, combined with dialogue full of sass and humour, and a good plot to hold everything together made the story as irresistible as the candy Lucy and Charlie make.  I had the most difficult time putting this book down and will be looking forward to Siri Mitchell’s next delicious creation!

 

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.

Scent of Lilacs

Back Cover

 

After the summer of 1964,
life for Jocie Brooke will
never be the same.

 

 

Life-changing events rarely happen in quiet Hollyhill, Kentucky, and when they do, they are few and far between.  But for young Jocie Brooke and her family, they happen all at once during the humid summer of 1964.  Though on the surface things are just fine, it seems like everyone in Jocie’s life has something they’re not saying, something they’re hiding from her—and from themselves.  As Jocie digs into her family’s past, she stirs up a whirlwind of discoveries.  Will she find the answers everyone so desperately needs?  Or will her questions lead to truths better left hidden?

 

Combining unforgettable characters, true-to-life struggles, and the perfect dose of humor and nostalgia, this riveting story from bestselling author Ann Gabhart explores the very essence of new life and love.

Review

 

This was an incredibly moving story centered around the “coming of age” of young Jocie Brooke.  Jocie, young and a bit naïve, having lived a fairly sheltered life, is in for a roller-coaster of a summer as one family secret after the other comes to the surface.  It was amazing: just when you thought there couldn’t possibly be another dramatic twist, Ann Gabhart throws out another humdinger. 

 

But the beauty of this story is that it displays the true meaning of family: people pulling together through the ups and downs, encouraging one another, loving one another, and quick to forgive.  I was heartened by the depth of the bond between Jocie and her father.  She looked up to him, he was her hero, and he in return treated her like a princess (but NOT in the spoiled way).  In a world where parents are often torn apart in books and movies, ridiculed, and portrayed as fools and the children are written as spoiled and rebellious, it was lovely to see a strong and good relationship between a parent and child. 

 

And last, but not least, it was encouraging to see the characters leaning on God for the source of their strength, comfort, healing, and peace.  Scent of Lilacs was a beautiful story sure to touch many, many hearts.

 

 

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.

Les Miserables

 

Back Cover

 

Les Miserables is one of the world’s masterpieces.  It enthralled audiences worldwide as a great novel…as a major motion picture…and as a blockbuster musical play.  Now, this mighty drama has been adapted as an epic production starring some of Britain’s finest actors.  True to Victor Hugo’s original novel, this grand production follows the tale of Jean Valjean as he encounters first the savage injustice of the law, and then the gentleness and grace of God.

 

Review

 

When I was kid, I was obsessed with the Adventures in Odyssey cassettes (yes, cassettes; not CDs, but cassette tapes!).  My siblings and I would listen to them over and over again, in the car, while doing chores, or at night before bed.  They were audio-dramas akin to watching a movie, except you had to paint the images in your own mind.  The stories were always exciting, and you really became attached to all the characters. 

 

Les Miserables brought back all those sweet memories of Adventures in Odyssey.  Focus on the Family did a fabulous job in producing this story into radio drama - I absolutely loved it!  All the actors’ voices were brilliant, and the sound effects effortlessly brought the scenes to life.  And of course, the story itself is AMAZING.  It’s a beautiful story of mercy, forgiveness, sacrifice, and love.  If you haven’t listened to radio theatre before, this would be the perfect one to start with!

 

 

Tyndale House Publishers provided me with a complimentary copy of this audio-drama in return for an honest review.
 

Firefly Island

 

Back Cover

 

SOMETIMES LOVE TAKES YOU ON AN
AVENTURE COMPLETELY OFF THE MAP

 

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.

 

Review

 

It only took a few sentences to have me hooked on this book.  Lisa Wingate has a way of grabbing you, and pulling you into her novel, making you a part of the scenes and lives of the characters.  Her writing is impeccable and nearly poetic, as every word could be set to a beat, or a rhythm.  It is something I can’t fully describe, and is completely unlike what I have read before. 

 

Her descriptions are extremely vivid, so you can imagine them in your mind to the smallest detail.  An example is below (found at page 97):

 

“Welcome to Moses Lake!  If you’re lucky enough to be at the lake, you’re lucky enough, the sign at the edge of town read.  Ancient-looking rock pillars supported the weathered wooden timbers, casting a shadow over the words and sheltering a spray of purple wildflowers.  Considering that it had been a fairly mild night, it was hot today.  Downhill from the sign, the waters of Moses Lake glittered in cheery patches between the trees.  Boats crisscrossed the twinkling surface, leaving foamy white trails.  Near the shore, docks of various vintages floated with brightly colored canoes, faded paddle-boats, and pontoon craft tugging at their leashes, eager to be released to the water.”

 

Her characters were rich, and very real.  There were real-life struggles and dramas portrayed throughout the novel, along with the small, sweet success that can be achieved when a family pulls together.  There is also a thread of intrigue woven through the pages, always niggling right below the surface, and never resolved until the final few pages.

 

This was such a beautiful, well-written novel, and I was greatly sorry to see it end.  Without a doubt I will be looking up Lisa Wingate’s other novels, particularly the preceding two novels in the series about Moses Lake, Larkspur Cove and Blue Moon Bay.  I HIGHLY recommend this 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.

Vanished

Back Cover

 

A tenacious reporter.
A skeptical PI.
And a secret that will SHATTER LIVES.

 

Reporter Moira Harrison is lost.  In the dark.  In a thunderstorm.  When a lone figure suddenly appears in the beam of her headlights, Moira slams on her brakes—but it’s too late.  She feels the solid thump against the side of her car before crashing into a tree on the far side of the road.

 

A man opens her door, tells her he saw everything, and promises to call 911.  Then the world fades to black.  When she comes to, she is alone.  No man.  No 911.  No injured person.  But she can’t forget the look of terror she saw on that face in the instant before her headlights swung away.  And she can’t get anyone to believe her story—except maybe the handsome ex-homicide detective turned private eye, who reluctantly agrees to take on the case.

 

As clues begin to surface, it becomes obvious that someone doesn’t want this mystery solved—and will stop at nothing to protect a shocking secret.

 

Review

As the back cover reads, Pulitzer-prize winning reporter, Moira Harrison, is heading back to her hotel on a dark stormy night when she shockingly runs into a woman on the road.  After a witness to the accident assures her he will call for an ambulance and check on the pedestrian Moira struck, Moira falls unconscious.  She wakes up alone, and more confused than ever.  When the police finally arrive, they are skeptical to her story as there is no body or witness(es).  Determined to find out where the woman and man came from (and where they went!), Moira turns to Private Investigator, Cal Burke, for help.

 

The mystery slowly unravels as Moira and Cal run down one lead after the other.  And through their searches, Moira and Cal find themselves drawn to each other in a way they never imagined.  But as the danger level is amped up, it leaves readers wondering:  are Moira and Cal being drawn together only to be drastically separated in their quest for the truth?

Irene Hannon does it again!  She has started off her new series, “Private Justice” with a novel drenched in mystery, suspense and threaded with romance.  The story only shells out one clue at a time to keep you guessing until the end.  The unique and multi-faceted characters flesh out the novel, and are just as interesting as the plot.  I love this new series and will be counting down the days to when the next book is released!

 

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 Tutor's Daughter

Back Cover

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 unexpectedly drawn to her…

 

When suspicious acts escalate, can Emma figure out which brother to blame and which to trust with her heart?

 

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.

Review

Emma Smallwood, teased as a “bluestocking” by her peers, loves her books.  With no means to travel the world, she has her own adventures through the reading of travel diaries, or history books.  She’ll read almost anything, if for nothing else but to gain knowledge on a subject.  She thrives on assisting her father in educating the boys under his tutelage. 

 

One such boy, Phillip Weston, holds a special place in her heart.  He was always so kind to her while he and his brother Henry were attending Mr. Smallwood’s school.  The memory of Henry, on the other hand, only conjures up images of numerous pranks he pulled on her, or the merciless teasing against her and her love of books.

Now staying at the Westons’ residence, Emma is reluctant to realize that her heart has opened to one of the brothers.  She is forced to push that revelation aside, however, not only because she is a tutor’s daughter, and the Westons would never marry someone of her station, but also because of mysterious things that start occurring.  Several members of the household also appear to be withholding secrets, and potentially dangerous ones.  Something is amiss, and Emma is determined to get to the bottom of it.

 

Reading part like Jane Austen and part Liz Curtis Higgs, with a little Nancy Drew mystery thrown in, The Tutor’s Daughter is a winning novel.  It has all the wonderful moments of romance, the tingling sensations of mystery, and descriptions of beautiful scenery to imagine.  There were several twists and turns, and surprises that kept the story alive and exciting.  Many of the secrets I didn't find out until the very end, which inevitably, kept me in suspense for much of the novel!  I greatly enjoyed my own little adventure to the “windswept Cornwall coast”, and will be looking forward to Julie Klassen’s next novel. 

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.

Placebo

Back Cover

 

One man must uncover the TRUTH—
Even when others will stop at nothing to keep it BURIED.

 

While investigating a controversial neurological research program, expose filmmaker Jevin Banks is drawn into a far-reaching conspiracy involving one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical firms.  He seeks answers about the questionable mind-to-mind communication program—and answers to his own family tragedy.

 

Rooted in groundbreaking science, Placebo, explores the far reaches of science, consciousness, and faith.  This taut, intelligent, and emotionally gripping new thriller from master storyteller Steven James will keep you flipping pages late into the night.

Review

This was easily one of the most anticipated novels on my “to be read” list.  I devoured Steven James’ gritty crime drama series, “Patrick Bowers Files” (and if you have not read them – you MUST pick one up!), and was sad to see them come to an end.  Imagine my elation when I found out that Mr. James was writing a new series!  Aptly entitled “The Jevin Banks Experience”, this series follows a former magician, and now exposé filmmaker, Jevin Banks, who seeks to pull the wool from peoples’ eyes regarding false psychics, televangelist con men, and fortune-telling scam artists.

 

Jevin and his faithful compatriots, Xavier, a conspiracy theory buff, and Charlene, a former assistant on his stage shows, are on a mission to blow open the new theory of mind-to-mind communication.  There are many players at work behind this new theory who have invested a lot time and money, so any attempts to dissuade or disapprove the science could be met with deadly force.

 

Given the plot lines for the novel, I have to say that I found it utterly fascinating.  Could two people who are emotionally “entangled” with each other, really affect the one another’s emotions, or even physical feelings?  For example, what is the explanation behind the inherent bond between twins, where sometimes when one feels pain, the other feels it at the exact same time, and in the same area(s) of the body?  How can they often discern each other’s thoughts and feelings – without even being in the same room?  The mysteries and complexities between a bond between twins is nothing new, but what is, is the idea that your thoughts can affect the thoughts of another, particularly those who are in a romantic relationship. 

 

Telepathy has been an interesting and intriguing subject for many years in our culture.  Often, superheroes are given telepathic powers which would ultimately give them an “upper-hand” in fighting the enemy.  Further, the power of the brain has been the topic of many scientific discussions and studies and branches out to the power of positive thinking and visualization, techniques that are often used by professional athletes to help them attain their goals.

 

And on an even different track, recently, evidence has been revealed that suggest that individuals in vegetative states can communicate through measuring their brain activity.  (CBC News, “Canadian in ‘vegetative state’ communicates to scientists”) Whether or not that means we can one day communicate telepathically to one another remains to be seen, and may be an instance of connecting two dots that do not exist. 

 

I apologize for digressing from a review of the novel itself, but needless to say, it provided much food for thought.  Whether or not it is to be taken literally, or just as a work of science fiction, is up to you.  Overall, I really enjoyed this field trip into the area of telepathy and must say that Mr. James has done it again in writing another riveting novel.  Too bad I have to wait nearly a year before the next one comes out…

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.