A Hopeful Christmas

A Hopeful Christmas 

Published by Covenant Communications 

Publication Date: October 1st, 2020 

Description:

Lord Blakely's Gift by Anneka R. Walker 

When Miss Ivy Hunt and Lord Curtis Blakely establish a secret acquaintance, neither can deny that their feelings extend beyond friendship. But as the children of bitter rivals, it will take a Christmas miracle for this star-crossed pair to reach their happily ever after. 

A Season of Hope by Sian Ann Bessy 

Following the death of her father, Amelia knows Christmas will be lean. But when circumstances become dire, it is the unexpected arrival of a childhood friend that renews Amelia’s hope—both for the future and for love. 

Christmas by the Sea by Carla Kelly 

After two years at sea with the Royal Navy, surgeon Will Crenshaw longs for a quiet Christmas with his family. But when unrest at home threatens to ruin the holidays, it takes the kindly intervention of a mysterious house sitter to remind them of the true meaning of the season. 

Expectations at Canterwood by Krista Lynne Jensen 

Marina Rowley is a spinster, Richard Stanhope a war-weary military man. A case of mistaken identity throws them together, but the unexpected stirrings of their hearts lead to an unforgettable holiday romance.

Review:
This entire collection was delightful! I enjoyed each story and can't even pick a favorite.

Lord Blakely's Gift: I loved how Ivy and Curtis first bumped into each other, and I loved seeing how Curtis opened up not just to Ivy but to others as he and Ivy worked together to try to find the owner of a lost purse. This was a sweet and funny story.

A Season of Hope: I liked reading about Phillip's return home and how Amelia's family kept their spirits up even during hardships--and how that in turn helped both Phillip and his father. 

Christmas by the Sea: Will Crenshaw and his family stole my heart. I love how this story is from Will's perspective and we get to read his thoughts about his wife and children. It was just so endearing. It wasn't what I was expecting from a Regency story, since it focuses on the everyday life of a common family, rather than the balls and house parties of the ton, but it was excellent. I smiled so much while I was reading this story.

Expectations at Canterwood: I loved this story as well! Like the first story, there was a cute meeting. Marina felt so real to me--her fears and worries just really came through in the writing. Richard was dashing and kind and it was terrific how he got to know Marina and pursued her even though she had built up walls around herself. 

This was such a great collection! I already want to go back and reread the stories!

5 stars and one of my picks for the Best Books of 2020.

I read an ARC provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own.

 

A Heart of Gold by Stacy Henrie Blog Tour and Giveaway!

A Heart of Gold 

By Stacy Henrie 

Published by Mirror Street Press 

Publication Date: September 15th, 2020 

Description:

 After months of silence from her father in the Klondike, Tava Rutherford finally receives word from him. Only the outdated letter reveals that her father is ill and may be dying. Desperate to discover his fate, Tava resolves to make the journey to the wilds of northwestern Canada. But Jess Lawmen, her ranch foreman and the man who broke her heart, insists she doesn't go alone. Jess intends to keep his promise to look out for her—even if that means traveling thousands of miles with Tava, the woman he claims to feel just friendship for but has never stopped loving. 

 With their own ragtag group of travelers in tow, Tava and Jess confront one challenge after another as they join the hundreds of stampeders scrambling to reach the goldfields. But as the two of them come face to face with their past hurts and mistakes in their race to reach Tava’s father, they will have to decide whether to cling to safety or risk their hearts for something even greater.

Review:

I liked seeing all the details of how to travel to the goldfields; it was really really interesting seeing how they traveled by various means and what the regulations were regarding being able to go. I didn't connect with the characters quite as much as I'd like; I did appreciate Jess's struggle to deal with his past and how it will impact his future. 

 3.5 stars. 

I read an ARC provided by the author/publisher. All opinions are my own.

Connect with Stacy here:

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/stacy-henrie

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Stacy-Henrie/e/B008ESZ46U

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5778153.Stacy_Henrie

Check out all the stops of the tour: 

9/21 - Heidi Reads / Mom With a Reading Problem

9/22 - Wishful Endings / LDS and Lovin It

9/23 - Literary Time Out / Julie Coulter Bellon / My Book a Day / Singing Librarian Books

9/24 - Katie’s Clean Book Collection / Bookworm Lisa / Empower Moms

9/25 - The Bibliophile Files / Kellie Dickes / Books are Sanity  

And enter to win a paperback copy of A Heart of Gold:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

An Ivy Hill Christmas

An Ivy Hill Christmas 

By Julie Klassen 

Published by Bethany House

Publication Date: September 1st, 2020 

Description:

 Richard Brockwell, the younger son of Ivy Hill's most prominent family, hasn't been home for Christmas in years. He prefers to live in the London townhouse, far away from Brockwell Court, the old family secret that haunts him, and the shadows of his past mistakes. But then his mother threatens to stop funding his carefree life--unless he comes home for Christmas. Out of options, he sets out for Ivy Hill, planning to be back on a coach bound for London and his unencumbered bachelor life as soon as the festivities are over. 

But Christmas in the country presents unforeseen surprises, including encounters with an orphaned apprentice, the first love he disappointed years ago, and Arabella Awdry, a young lady who is far more appealing than he recalled . . . and determined to have nothing to do with him. 

Will Christmastime in Ivy Hill, with its village charm, kissing boughs, joyous songs, and divine hope, work its magic in his heart . . . and hers as well? Review: I liked this story, but I didn't find it as gripping as the other books in the series. It didn't feel as polished as the other books. However, I did enjoy seeing Richard's transformation and growth throughout the book. 

3.5 stars. 

I read an ARC provided by the publisher via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The Paper Daughters of Chinatown

The Paper Daughters of Chinatown
By Heather B. Moore
 Published by Shadow Mountain

Description:
When twenty-six-year-old Donaldina Cameron arrives at the Occidental Mission Home for Girls in 1895, she intends to stay for only one year to teach sewing skills to young Chinese women. Within days, she discovers that the job is much more complicated than perfect stitches and even hems. San Francisco has a dark side, one where a powerful underground organization—the criminal tong—buys and sells Chinese girls like common goods. With the help of Chinese interpreters and a local police squad, Donaldina works night and day to stop the abominable slave and prostitution trade.
Mei Lien believes she is sailing to the “Gold Mountain” in America to become the wife of a rich Chinese man. Instead, she finds herself sold into prostitution—beaten, starved, and forced into an opium addiction. It is only after a narrow escape that she hears of the mission home and dares to think there might be hope for a new life.
The Paper Daughters of Chinatown throws new light on the age-old scourge of human trafficking. The heroes who fought this evil and the victims who triumphed over it more than a hundred years ago offer a bright example of courage and determination for anyone wishing for a better world.

Review:

I love learning about new-to-me aspects of history, so getting to read about Donaldina Cameron's work as portrayed in Heather B. Moore's excellent writing style was a pleasure. While thinking about the women and girls who suffered so horribly was painful, the look at Dolly's efforts to help as well as the way the girls and women who were rescued grabbed onto fresh hope, was inspiring and uplifting. The research that Moore did for this book clearly shows, and a difficult topic is written about so skillfully. This is an eye-opening book that would be particularly good for book clubs, as there is much that could be discussed.
4.5 stars.
 I read an ARC provided by the author/publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

#Netgalley. #Heather Moore #paperdaughters

Beholden (The Fairest Maidens #1)

Beholden (The Fairest Maidens #1)

By Jody Hedlund

Published by Northern Lights Press

Publication Date: September 22nd, 2020
 

Description:

In a land where being the fairest maiden is a curse...

Upon the death of her wealthy father, Lady Gabriella is condemned to work in Warwick’s gem mine. As she struggles to survive the dangerous conditions, her kindness and beauty shine as brightly as the jewels the slaves excavate. While laboring, Gabriella plots how to avenge her father’s death and stop Queen Margery’s cruelty. 

Prince Vilmar of Scania enslaves himself in Warwick’s gem mine as part of a royal test to prove himself the most worthy of three brothers to become the king’s successor. Amidst the hardships, he doesn’t anticipate his growing compassion for the other slaves, especially tenderhearted Gabriella. 

As the annual summer ball looms nearer, Gabriella sets into motion her plan to end Queen Margery’s evil. When Vilmar learns of Gabriella’s intentions, he resolves to come to her aid and fight against Warwick’s queen. But doing so may require him to give up his chance of becoming Scania’s next king, perhaps even cost him his life.

Review:

I love fairy retellings in general, and when you throw in an awesome author like Jody Hedlund, it's no surprise that this book is fantastic. The characters are great; I really liked seeing Gabriella's kindness and Vilmar's growth as he became more humble and focused on others more than himself. I love the setting--having Gabriella and Vilmar meet in mine was definitely unique--and the plot was totally captivating. I can't wait to see what happens in the next book in the series--and luckily for me, Beguiled will be released on October 20th and Besotted on November 17th, so the wait isn't too bad. 

4.5 stars.

I read a copy of the book provided by the author/publisher. All opinions are my own.

Otherwise Engaged

Otherwise Engaged

By Joanna Barker

Published by Covenant Communications

Publication Date: October 1st, 2020

Description: 

She’s never been afraid of breaking the rules—until she risks breaking her heart.

Constantly stifled by the rules of Society, spirited Rebecca Rowley enjoys finding ways to quietly—or not so quietly—rebel. But riding bareback and avoiding nosy neighbors are nothing compared to the thrilling secret she is keeping from her family. When Rebecca’s quick thinking saves the life of a young girl, she unwittingly attracts the attention of the child’s dashing brother, Lieutenant Nicholas Avery. As that attention turns flirtatious, Rebecca is forced to tell him the truth: she is secretly engaged—to the one man her family would never approve of. Fortunately, Lieutenant Avery is a navy man with no wish to marry, or so they both assume as they enter into a friendship. Rebecca hopes to change her family’s mind about her betrothed, but the more she comes to know the handsome lieutenant, the more she wonders if she promised her hand too hastily. 

After all her carefully laid plans are shattered during a family crisis, Rebecca must force her heart to decide. Should she stay true to the promise she made or fight for the future she’s only just begun to imagine? 

Review: 

This book just made me smile SO much. I loved Nicholas. Oh man, oh man, he is pretty dreamy! I loved Rebecca; she had some growing and self-realization she needed to do, but that made her all the more realistic. I loved how she's spunky and brave and always trying to push the boundaries--and I loved how Nicholas didn't try to reign her in but instead supported her. They were so good for each other! I loved the banter--oh, I love a story with good banter and there was some excellent banter in this book! I loved Nicholas's and Rebecca's first kiss (and the other ones, too, of course). I kept wishing I could read Nicholas's POV on so many scenes--but I also loved seeing them all from Rebecca's POV, so that's an indication of how good it is, not a criticism. 

This book was just so much fun to read. This is easily one of my favorite books of the year and one of my picks for one of the best books of 2020. Definitely add this to your to-read, to-buy, and to-share lists ASAP! 

5 stars. 

I read an ARC provided by the publisher via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.