The Lacemaker by Laura Frantz ~ Review

My Review:

Lady Elizabeth Lawson lives comfortably in the colonies, the belle of many balls, and engaged to marry Miles Roth a wealthy landowner with good social standing. But when revolution breaks out she finds herself town between the two sides, and her engagement broken. Mile's Welsh cousin and Independence Man, Noble Rynallt, comes to her rescue offering her protection and a arrangement to save her reputation and help her to start anew.

With the dawn of the Revolution, love blooms, and hearts find a home.

Elizabeth "Liberty" or "Libby" is a talented lacemaker, taught by her mother. When her father and her fiance abandon her, she takes her life in her hands and decides to try to make her own way, doing what she can to fight for liberty. I admired her strength and growth throughout the book, stepping out in faith, seemingly alone she was willing to face a very different life than the one she was raised in.

Noble is a man worthy of his name, he believes in the cause of freedom, and is willing to put everything on the line for its cause, he bravely declares his loyalties early on. Noble admires Libby's decision to break from her father, and try to make her own way using her lacemaking skills to support herself. He admires her character, and longs to be the protector that she needs, but will the arrangement that he can offer ever be one of love?

A well-crafted read, that brings to life the turmoil of an uncertain future in the early days of the Revolution. Liberty is a lady, with very little responsibility, she is naive, and her change in situation isn't easy, but she is stronger than she thinks and leans on her faith during troubled times. I like how Ms. Frantz brought Libby's plight to life, in this well researched historical read. Tingling with romance, Libby and Nobles lives are changed as they fight for freedom and love in a brave new country.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

A Borrowed Dream by Amanda Cabot ~ Review

Lucie's Review:

Cimarron Creek school teacher, Catherine Whitfield, doesn't trust doctors. She recently lost her mother, and blames the town doctor. So when one of her students gets hurt, she treats them herself using her library of medical books.

Austin Goddard and his 6 yr old daughter, Hannah, are new to town. Austin is worried about Hannah, she is quiet and withdrawn, not the happy child that she used to be before they moved. He hopes that going to school will help her adjust.

I like that Catherine welcomes Hannah, she encourages her to participate without forcing her into things. She and Austin work together to try and find ways to help her. Catherine helps Hannah open up, and they bond. Austin also helps Catherine with other students that she is worried about.

Catherine has a big heart, opening her home to strangers and her students. She is smart and capable, with a passion for helping everyone, but she has her reservations about Austin. I admired her faith and calm in stressful situations.

Austin is a man of faith, he is a good man and is a terrific father to Hannah.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It has great characters, and intriguing storyline with secrets and twists, as well as an action packed ending. The interaction is great, and Hannah is just precious. A fantastic read for fans of western romance.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

Rodeo Standoff by Susan Sleeman ~ Review

Lucie's Review:

Deputy Tess McKade finds herself trapped in an arena with an angry bull when Braden Hayes comes to her rescue.

Braden is in Lost Creek doing PR for the rodeo, he is a former PBR champion, and he instantly recognizes her as one of the barrel racers even though they have never talked. Tessa and Braden both now work in law enforcement, as she is a deputy and he is a homicide detective.

Tessa works with her family, her father is the sheriff, her brother is an investigator, and her sister works with them too, she doesn't want her family to know how much danger she is in. Tessa is cool in a tense situation and she welcomes Braden's support as they work to unravel who is targeting her and wants her dead.

Tessa and Braden get to know each other while working together on the weekend, Tessa discovers that Braden isn't tha shallow flirt that she had him pegged as. Braden is determined, hardworking, kind, and too charming for his own good.  Braden admires her drive and dedication to see the case out to the end, and is impressed by her knowledge of forensics.

The McKade's welcome Braden to stay with them, and treat him like one of the family, which includes some matchmaking. Tessa and Braden are both believers, but they struggle with trust, a result of pain from the past. As they work together, they learn to trust each other in dangerous circumstances, and wonder if they might be able to give love a chance.

Overall, fantastic. It has a quick hook, lots of action, and great characters. Tessa is a strong resilient woman. Braden is a man of integrity, and is very quick thinking. Fantastic book I couldn't put it down. Full of twists  and turns with a suspenseful ending!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

A Bouquet of Brides: Romance Collection by Mary Davis, Kathleen E. Kovach, Paula Moldenhauer, Susanne Norquist, Donita K. Paul, Donna Schlachter, Pegg Thomas ~ Review

Lucie's Review:

In this new novella collection, each of these women have a flower name and find love.

Holly and Ivy
Holly accompanies her sister Ivy to try and dissuade her sister from marrying a man that she hasn't met, on a train ride to meet Ivy's mail-order groom. Rancher Nick sees them being harassed on the train and sits beside them, and gives them a place to stay when Ivy's intended doesn't show up.  Nick is kind and protective.
Will they find love on the range?

Periwinkle in the Park
Peri loves the beauty of God's creation and wants to share it with others, which is why she works as a trail guide at Estes Park and wants it to be protected as a National Park. While Clay is a rancher and hunter, and doesn't like the idea of a National Park, when he comes across Peri with a sprained ankle he helps her out, and challenges her to come hunting with him to see his side of the conflict. Clay is a good man, and he shares Peri's love of God's creation though expressed a little differently.

At Home with Daffodils
Dilly works with her mother in the general store, she is protective of her nephew who is often a target of town bullies. When a childhood friend from the past steps up to help her nephew, she is surprised as she has been awaiting his return for years. Will Dilly and Jace get a second chance at love?

A Song for Rose
This story was one of my favorites, with humor, great characters, and excellent dialog. Rose dreams of the opera and being a star, while Patrick wants to protect her from the dangers and disappointments of life on the stage. Patrick is the manager of the opera house, so he knows firsthand what it is like. Rose is determined and knows how to care for herself, she is resourceful and he likes the challenge of learning her ways. Rose comes from a big family that welcomes Patrick. Will they be able to find common ground for love to grow?

The Beauty of Tansy 
When Tansy's uncle dies, her aunt sells the farm and buys a store in Pierre, SD. Much of the work falls to Tansy to make the disheveled store presentable. Art owns the store next door, he makes furniture and musical instruments. Art rushes to her rescue when he hears a crash, and helps her to the doctor. Art helps Tansy with the store, and helps her come out of her shell.

A Prickly Affair
Lily and Peter are an unlikely pair. Lily runs her own ranch in Arizona, and writes romance novels for a New York magazine under a pen name. Peter is a City Slicker sent by his uncle to convince Lily to come to New York. Peter doesn't understand right away the beauty that she finds in life on the range, but he determined to get to know the woman behind the stories.

In Sheeps Clothing
This story is probably the most different, set in 1702 during the Wool Act that restricted colonists from selling wool outside their own colony. Yarrow is a skilled spinner and weaver, and she must turn to secretly selling it through a peddler to her customers. Peter is training to be a master fuller, he admires Yarrow's skill, and he encourages her to teach other ladies her skills to help her earn a legal income and it give him better cloth to work with.

I loved the variety of this collection, full of strong women, and the good men who love them.




Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

First Impression by Debra White Smith ~ Review

Lucie's Review:

Mrs. DeBloom moved to London, TX 3 years ago with her nephew Dave Davidson, and she is determined to bring culture and appreciation of the arts to town, so they will be putting on the play Pride and Prejudice. Eddie Bowick is new to town and hopes that taking part in the play helps her meet more people in the community.

A full cast of characters in this contemporary retelling of Jane Austen's classic.

Calvin Bardclay is the town vet, and he is a good friend of Dave's, he is excited about being in the play, unlike Dave who is doing it to pacify his aunt. Calvin teases Dave about Eddi, but he says many unfavorable thing about her which Eddi happens to overhear.

Jenny is Eddi's sister, she's a coach at the community college and she comes with Eddi to practice, where she meets Calvin.

Meanwhile Eddi's mother is very motivated to marry off her daughters to rich men, so she is constantly involved in trying to arrange her daughter's love lives. Eddi's younger sister, Linda, bring home Rick Wallace who has disparaging things to say about the mysterious Dave.

Overall, it is pretty obvious that this is a retelling of Pride and Prejudice, and any fan will immediately be able to figure out who is who and so on, in fact reading this review you've probably got a pretty decent idea. But I think it might have been so close to the original storyline in ways that it was a difficult transition to modern day culture, and there were parts with Linda and Rick that were more PG-13 and hard to read.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

Baby on Her Doorstep by Rhonda Gibson ~ Review

Lucie's Review:

Widowed school teacher Laura Lee is surprised when she finds a child on her doorstep, with a not asking her to care for 1yr old Hope. Laura has always wanted children, but it just never happened, she is excited at the thought of being able to raise a child, but she is cautious.

Meanwhile widowed rancher, Clint Shepard, is a single father to 2yr old Grace. He is a good father, but he could use some help, is housekeeper convinces him to go to town and ask Laura to help out with Grace.

As Clint and Laura get to know each other they wonder if God is giving them a second chance at love?

Grace and Hope instantly become friends, Grace is very outgoing and excited to have a friend. Hope is more shy, but Grace encourages her to try new things.

Laura sees Clint and how kind he is to her and the girls, treating Hope just like his own daughter. I love how their relationship grows as they care for the girls together, picnicking, fishing, rising horses, the communicate well, and admire each other's character.

Laura has a big heart, and she welcomes Hope with open arms. She is a woman of faith, compassion, and determination.

Clint is a good man who lives his faith, he is brave and rushes to the rescue, but fears that his mistakes will keep him from finding love again.

I love the characters in this book from Clint and Laura to the girls and the persnickety housekeeper, there is great interaction, and I love how the plot comes together. Enjoyable read!



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

The Rancher's Secret Child by Brenda Minton ~ Review, Blog Tour, and Giveaway

Lucie's Review: 

Marcus Palermo returns to Bluebonnet Springs after the death of his father, he is shocked when Lisa Hart shows up with a boy who she claims is his son.

Marcus doubts that he can be the kind of father that Oliver needs, but he agrees to get to known him and try.

Lisa is the foster sister of Oliver's mother, and the only parent like figure that Oliver has known. She is a nurse, and wants what is best for Oliver. As she gets to know Marcus she is surprised to find that he is nothing like she thought he would be.

Marcus has changed a lot over the last few years but he worries that he won't be able to connect with Oliver, and that he isn't a good example for a young boy. But once he gets more comfortable with Oliver it gets easier, and he finds himself wanting to be a part of Oliver's life forever.

Oliver is a clever boy, he is very outgoing and is good at putting things together. He thinks that Marcus is the coolest, and loves to spend times with Marcus.

I like how Lisa sees the person that Marcus has become, and admires his loyalty and is willingness to go out of his way to help those that he loves. She is a caring woman, who puts others before herself, and loves Oliver like her own. She is a go-getter, and cool is a stressful situation.

Overall a great story about love, family, and second chances. Lisa steps out in faith, trusting God to help her do what is right for Oliver.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

Feel comforted and at peace when you read these uplifting romances of faith, forgiveness and hope from Love Inspired. There are 12 new books each month! 6 from Love Inspired for those who love contemporary romance and from Love Inspired Suspense who like some danger with their romance stories.

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Primary Suspect by Laura Scott ~ Review, Blog Tour + Giveaway

Lucie's Review: 

Fire Investigator Mitch Callahan is shocked to uncover the body of his ex-girlfriend at a crime scene, he is attacked from behind, and when he wakes up he is the prime suspect in a murder case.

ER Nurse Dana Petrie is witness to a second attempt on Mitch's life and is swept into a high stakes conspiracy and now their lives are on the line.

Dana is a nurse, and ever since her husband died two years ago she's just been existing in the routine of her life, still trying to get back to the world of the living. When Mitch comes into her life and needs her help to unravel the reasons why he is being targeted by would-be killers, she awakens to the challenge. Dana is quick thinking, and cool in a tight situation. Mitch comes to rely on her by his side, and they make a great team.

Mitch is a good man, he loves his family, and like his brothers would like to settle down and ave a family of his own. He is passionate about his work, he is a man of action and with his good name on the line, sitting on the side lines is the last thing he wants to do.

This is a fast paced read, well balanced between plenty of action and surprising twists and revelations as the plot thickens and the intrigue increases. Mitch is a great guy and his lives his faith, he encourages Dana to trust God and re-examine her faith. A great read from beginning to end that I didn't want to put down, great energy throughout that carried the urgency and suspense.



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

Feel comforted and at peace when you read these uplifting romances of faith, forgiveness and hope from Love Inspired. There are 12 new books each month! 6 from Love Inspired for those who love contemporary romance and from Love Inspired Suspense who like some danger with their romance stories.

Also enter to win a $100 Visa gift card!




Love Inspired Blog Tour Sweepstakes!

The Wedding Quilt Bride by Marta Perry ~ Review, Blog Tour + Giveaway

Lucie's Review:

Rebecca Mast returns to Lost Creek after the death of her husband. The last few years were rough but she is determined to make it on her own for the sake of her 6 yr old son, Elijah. Rebecca dreams of opening her own quilt shop, but the building needs some fixing up first.

Daniel King is a carpenter, he's happy to help his childhood friend out. Daniel reaches out to her son, giving him simple jobs to do to help with the building. Daniel works to earn his trust, Lige is a quiet and careful boy.

Could Daniel and Rebecca find a second chance at love?

I like that Daniel and Rebecca get to know each other again while working on the shop. Rebecca feels comfortable with Daniel, and they can laugh about the past. I really liked how supportive Rebecca's family was, they all are encouraging and want her to succeed and her quilt shop brings people together.

I loved both of the main characters, Daniel is kind and thoughtful, he is great with Lige and is very supportive of Rebecca. Rebecca finds the courage to pursue her dreams. A sweet and enjoyable love story.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

Feel comforted and at peace when you read these uplifting romances of faith, forgiveness and hope from Love Inspired. There are 12 new books each month! 6 from Love Inspired for those who love contemporary romance and from Love Inspired Suspense who like some danger with their romance stories.

Also enter to win a $100 Visa gift card!

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Bound by Duty by Valerie Hansen ~ Review, Blog Tour + Giveaway

Lucie's Review:

Single mom and flight instructor, Sergeant Zoe Sullivan finds herself under surveillance and suspicion when her half-brother, The Red Rose Killer, escapes. Strange things have been happening to her, and she fears for the safety of her son, Freddy.

Sergeant Linc Colson as been assigned to watch her every move, wit his K-9 partner, rottweiler Star. Linc is far from thrilled to be assigned to guard Zoe, he believes that she is guilty and is eve more suspicious when she slips away from him and comes back claiming to have seen a shooting.

Will Zoe be able to trust the man who doesn't even believe her innocence?

I like how Linc bonds with Freddy, and teaches him to pet Star. Star is a clever working dog, but she loves the extra attention from Freddy. Linc is a good man, he is respectful of Zoe even though he thinks that she is guilty just like everyone else. Linc is surprise by how much he likes hanging out with Zoe and Freddy, and as they work together he wants to do everything he can to protect them.

Zoe's faith is very important to her, as well as her integrity and devotion to the Air Force. She has a strong moral compass, and believes in doing what is right no matter the personal cost.  I like how she encourages Linc to revisit his faith, and move past his mistakes. Zoe makes the best of a bad situation, she is a good mother, and fight instructor, and I really admired her.

A fast paced read with great characters, and alot going on. There was a great plot, I really liked the dialog between Zoe and Linc. A wonderful read, full of suspense, with a strong heroine who leans on her faith in the hardest times.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

Feel comforted and at peace when you read these uplifting romances of faith, forgiveness and hope from Love Inspired. There are 12 new books each month! 6 from Love Inspired for those who love contemporary romance and 6 from Love Inspired Suspense who like some danger with their romance stories.

Also enter for a chance to win a $100 Visa Gift Card!


Love Inspired Blog Tour Sweepstakes!