Diamond in the Rough

Diamond in the Rough (American Heiresses # 2)
By Jen Turano
Published by Bethany House

In order to help her family's financial situation, Poppy Garrison has agreed to a New York Season under her grandmother's supervision. When her grandmother thinks she needs tutoring in proper behavior, Poppy finds herself being taught by proper Englishman Reginald Blackburn, who is accompanying his cousin in New York as his cousin looks for a wealthy bride. While Poppy agrees to the lessons, she frequently finds herself in the middle of unusual situations that test Reginald's abilities to make look proper--and the more he is around Poppy, the more he starts to wonder if he really wants anything about her to change in the first place.

This book was just so much fun to read. Poppy is a terrific character, who finds herself in the funniest of situations--made all the funnier by the fact that proper English gentleman Reginald is trying to get her to behave properly. Poppy is a strong, determined character, who isn't afraid to stand up to the bullies in society, which made her a terrific leading character, while Reginald isn't as stuffy as he'd have people believe, and I loved getting to see his true nature come through as he helped Poppy and her friends. Secondary characters were also great. The pacing was quick and the story was engaging. All in all, just a lot of fun to read!

4 stars.

Although this is the second book in the series, it could be read as a stand-alone (but the first book is just as much fun so you should read it, too!)

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

All Hearts Come Home for Christmas

All Hearts Come Home for Christmas
Publisher: Covenant Communications

What a terrific collection of Regency Christmas stories! Even reading it well before the Christmas season, I found it to be captivating and highly enjoyable.

Christmas at Falstone Castle by Sarah M. Eden
It has been years since the Dowager Duchess of Kielder spent Christmas with her son Adam and his family. Although their relationship has been improving slowly, Harriett knows she still has work to do before Adam realizes how much she has always loved him. As she sets out to heal her relationship with her son, the local vicar provides his assistance—and he and Harriett find a connection of their own.
I was thrilled to be able to see some of my favorite characters from Sarah M. Eden's Lancaster family. I absolutely love them, so I was eagerly anticipating this story, and it was wonderful. It has all my favorite elements of a good story--snappy dialogue, laugh-out-loud moments, characters you wish were real, and a good romance. Just a fantastic story! 

The Heart of Christmas by Anita Stansfield
When Theo, a widowed banker offers her a chance to leave her demanding and underpaid seamstress job to work in his household, Addie jumps at the chance and quickly finds herself coming to care for him, his daughter, and his elderly aunt, all of whom have wounds that she hopes to help heal during the Christmas season.
This one was more of a sweet story about family and healing with a dash of romance thrown in than a true romance. While Anita Stansfield isn't a favorite author of mine (I tend to like more dialogue and action, rather than the longer descriptive passages that she writes), this story fits well with her style and her fans will be quite happy with it. I still enjoyed it; it just isn't the style I personally prefer.

’Tis the Season to Be Daring by Esther Hatch
In an attempt to escape her mother’s rather embarrassing matchmaking endeavors, Elizabeth Davenport decides to damage her reputation just enough that her mother will withdraw her from the season. In order to do so, she enlists the help of Lord Charles Hawthorne, who has never cared what society thought of him. Although their arrangement is supposed to be temporary, Elizabeth soon finds that her heart doesn’t want their time together to end.
Oh, my gosh. I loved this story! Starting this story, I expected to have a clear favorite (Sarah M. Eden's contribution, since she’s my favorite author), but this one at least tied for favorite. I absolutely loved the plot; Elizabeth and Charles kept me laughing and I just loved all of their interactions. It was just so much fun to read--and I already want to go reread it.

The Christmas Dress by Joanna Barker
Nell Addington has worked as a seamstress ever since the death of her father, a vicar, and has tried to make the best of her lowered position. When Jacob Hammond, a childhood friend, commissions a new wardrobe for his sister, Nell is happy to reconnect with him.
This was a sweet story with a gentle romance between former childhood friends. I liked how Jacob and Nell, both with struggles of their own, came together and brightened each other's lives. It has a great opening scene, and I love the ending, too.

All in all, a great collection with unique stories that I highly recommend! 5 stars!

 I read a review copy provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Deborah: Prophetess of God

Deborah: Prophetess of God
By H.B. Moore
Published by Covenant Communications

Deborah, a shepherdess, lives a fairly simple life—but that is turned upside down when encounters with the Canaanites lead her, as well as others, to realize that God is working in her life, for her sake and for the sake of His people. Although she is told by the Third Judge of Israel that she will be the next judge of Israel, when that becomes reality, Deborah must summon all her faith to face the challenges ahead, as the time has come for her, along with her husband’s cousin, Barak, who has been training the Israelites in battle, to lead the Israelites against the Canaanites to end their oppression.

I always enjoy reading H.B. Moore’s Biblical fiction because they make me think about people from the Bible in a totally different way. While this is a work of fiction, the setting is highly researched and it really brings to life how the ancient Israelites lived.
The plot of this book is really interesting—the first part focuses a lot on Deborah and her future husband, Lapidoth, and their love story, while setting the stage for the eventual battle between the Israelites and Canaanites, while the second part moves fifteen years ahead to when Deborah becomes the Judge of Israel and the imminent battle looms large. I thought both parts were really interesting—I loved the romance of the first part but also really liked seeing how Lapi continued to believe in and support Deborah in her sacred calling in the second part. I also liked Barak’s character and seeing his worries, which were so realistic, as he was supposed to lead the Israelites, and how he had to push through them. This was just a pleasure to read!
4.5 stars.
I read an ARC provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Always and Evermore (Lost Princesses series)

Always (Lost Princesses 0.5)
By Jody Hedlund

As their enemy Ethelwulf invades their country, Lady Felicia and Lance, one of the true king’s elite guards, must save the now-orphaned newborn twin princesses and their three-year-old sister from the invaders. Although Lance initially thinks of Felicia, a noblewoman used to a pampered life, as a liability, he soon comes to admire her; however, as an elite soldier, he has made a vow of lifelong celibacy. With the lives of three young princesses in danger, will Lance and Felicia’s growing feelings distract them from their mission—or prove to be exactly what gives them the strength to fulfill their vows to their deceased monarchs?

This novella is a great kickoff to Jody Hedlund’s new series; it was full of fast-moving adventure and sets the stage for the next book, leaving me eager to find out how things play out for the princesses and their guardians. Lance and Felicia were a really cute couple. I like how the author incorporated the back story of the kingdom and why Ethelwulf wants to take over the kingdom.
4 stars.

Evermore (Lost Princesses #1)

As Adelaide's "aunt," who has raised her since she was a small child, lays dying, she tells Adelaide she is really Constance, the true heir to the throne of Mercia, which taken over by the invading Ethelwulf when she was a child. Now aware of who she truly is, Adelaide must figure out how to find her two sisters, also hidden away as children, as well as Solomon's lost treasure, which is supposed to help her regain her rightful place. With her dear friend Mitchell and his brother Christopher, recently returned from neighboring Norland, where he has made a name for himself as a mercenary knight, she sets out to claim her birthright--but quickly finds Christopher claiming her heart as they work together to thwart Ethelwulf.

This is an exciting book with a bit of a fairy-tale type feel to it--except it's cooler than most traditional fairy tales because the princess isn't sitting around waiting for a happily ever after. Adelaide isn't your typical princess; she's tough and has trained like a knight, even secretly competing in jousts, while being very compassionate and tender-hearted at the same time, which made her a really interesting character. I liked how Christopher was a good balance for her--he respected her but also worried about her and wasn't afraid to tell her when he thought she was wrong. This book was a lot of fun to read, and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
4 stars.

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

A Lady's Maid

A Lady's Maid
By Jen Geigle Johnson
Published by Covenant Commuications

Molly O’Malley, enjoys being a lady's maid to Lady Amanda Halloway, but she also wants to further the cause of suffrage for women. When she sees firsthand the terrifying existence for many in the slums, where children are abducted and forced to work in factories and women are forced into brothels, Molly wants to do more for them. Focused as she is on her missions, she can't help but notice how the Halloways' footman, Thomas Flaherty, supports her in all her efforts. Having lost a man she loved once before, can she open her heart to love Thomas?
Chloe Wetherton has always felt shy and awkward among the ton, but as she gets involved in the suffrage movement, she begins to find her voice. She also finds herself more and more drawn to her childhood friend, Lord Annesley. As her confidence grows, however, she can't help but notice that Annesley doesn't seem as supportive of her efforts in the suffrage movement as she expected.

I liked the two different female characters--bold, headstrong Molly was a good contrast to the more timid Chloe, who is just beginning to find her voice. There's a lot going on in this story--two romances, plus the suffrage movement (including trying to figure out who is working so hard against the movement) plus the efforts to clean up the slums., which makes for an interesting read. I really liked seeing the suffrage efforts in Regency England, as it's a topic I definitely haven't seen explored in other books (other than the first book in this series.
4 stars.
I read a copy of the book provided by the publisher, Covenant Communications, via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The Spice King

The Spice King (Hope and Glory #1)
By Elizabeth Camden
Published by Bethany House
Release Date: September 3, 2019

Annabelle Larkin needs to somehow turn her temporary position at the Smithsonian into a full-time position, so when she's assigned to contact Gray Delacroix, a successful businessman whose spice empire and the plant collection that supports it are legendary, to try to gain access to his plants, she pursues the assignment wholeheartedly.
Gray has no intention of letting the Smithsonian anywhere near his plants--but Annabelle turns out to be a different story. He's quickly enamored by her and beings courting her. Little does he know how letting her into his life will change everything--but not in the ways he anticipated.
Annabelle cares for Gray, but she's also a loyal American, and when she's approached by government officials who insist they need her help to keep her country safe, rooting out spies who could hurt their country in the delicate situation following the Spanish-American war, she can't say no--even if it means ruining her chance for love to do so.

This was a really unique piece of historical fiction. It was really interesting to see Gray's business pursuits and the development of spices that we take for granted in our day, particularly alongside the government aspect, with the Smithsonian wanting information and the Department of Agriculture wanting to start regulating the growing business. Saying a book talks about the beginning of the fight for food safety and ingredient labels, that might not make it sound very appealing, but it was really fascinating, which I think shows Camden's talent for taking a unique part of history and making it engaging so that readers find themselves totally caught up in something that they didn't think they'd ever find that interesting. (I expected the "spice" aspect of the book to be the thing I liked least, but I really enjoyed it!) The political setting, with the brief look at the aftermath of the Spanish-American war, was also something Camden made me want to know more about. The plot was good, with suspense and action and family dynamics, and moved along well. I definitely want to read the next book in the series to see how things play out for certain characters.

What didn't work quite as well for me was the romance, particularly on Annabelle's side. I just didn't see her feelings being developed enough. Gray's feelings were shown more than hers were, but I just didn't ever get a good sense of chemistry between them. They worked well on projects--sometimes because they antagonized each other!--but I would have liked a stronger romantic feel.
The other thing that fell a little short for me was the Christian aspect. There was very little that came through about Christian beliefs (and the biggest part of that was very close to the end of the book), to the point that I actually double-checked to make sure this really was being put out by Bethany House.
So, with that said, if you're mainly interested in historical fiction, this an excellent choice. If you're looking for a great romance or a book with overt Christianity, this might not be the best choice. For me, it's interesting enough that I'll give it 3.5 stars and I want to continue with the series.

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

The Lady and the Highwayman

The Lady and the Highwayman
By Sarah M. Eden
Published by Shadow Mountain
Release date: September 3, 2019

As the headmistress of a girls' school, Elizabeth Black needs to be all this is prim and proper in order to maintain support for her school. Her job as a "silver-fork" author, writing for the upper classes in Victorian society--is acceptable. Her secret career as the author Penny Dreadfuls--cheap, sensational stories--is not and must remain a secret or it will threaten everything she has worked for.
When Fletcher Walker, another successful Penny Dreadful author, starts sniffing around, trying to find out who the mysterious author "Mr. King" is, Elizabeth figures "helping" him with his search will enable her to guarantee he never finds out that she is Mr. King. She quickly becomes interested in more than just keeping her secret, however; rumor has it that Fletcher belongs to a secret group of penny dreadful authors, the Dread Penny Society, who work to fight for the poor and working-class and whose ideals seem in line with Elizabeth's own, and Elizabeth is intrigued by the possibility that such a society exists. More than that, though, she's intrigued by Fletcher himself--and he seems equally interested in her.

I read an ARC of this novel in July; just over halfway through the year, I"m going to say not only is this one of my picks for the Best Books of 2019, but it's my personal favorite out of everything I've read this year. I have read a lot of terrific books this year, but there is something about this one that just captured my heart beyond what any other book has done.

So, what did I love about it?
Fletcher, for starters. Oh, how I love a good romantic hero, and I've got a special spot in my heart for a rough-around-the-edges-with-a-heart-of-gold hero, which Fletcher totally is. Having risen from the gutters, he doesn't try to be something he's not, and I love it. He's genuine and gritty while also being compassionate and smart and frankly, pretty stinking sexy!

What else? Elizabeth, of course! I love that she's smart and strong and capable. I love that she doesn't shy away from danger but follows her heart and her conscience and helps those around her. I also really liked that she's confident. And I love that she holds her own with Fletcher and that, despite being "higher class" than he is, never, ever treats him that way but genuinely sees him and his worth.

I also love the secondary characters--Elizabeth's fellow teacher Ana and various members of the Dread Penny Society were great characters and I really, really hope that this book is the first in the series and we'll get to know these characters on a deeper level in future books.

What else did I love? The writing! I am NOT one for long (especially flowery) descriptions. I love snappy dialogue (particularly if it makes me laugh!) and Sarah Eden is a master of that style. The dialogue was terrific and moved the story along well. There were many times when I laughed--I'm smiling now as I write this just thinking about some of those great moments! (Ah! I loved the flirting between Fletcher and Elizabeth! So much fun!) The plot was fun and moved along well and kept my interest the entire time.

I also really liked the setting. I don't read many Victorian novels, but I'll definitely read more if Sarah Eden is the author! I liked seeing more about the society, how it was still very, very divided but there were some pushes toward more equality and educating the poor and things like that.

Something else that was neat was that included in the book were two Penny Dreadfuls--one written by "Mr. King" and one written by Fletcher. It was cool having two extra stories worked into the larger story and was a clever way of showing aspects of Victorian society.

So, basically, I loved the entire thing. With several months left in the year, there is the possibility that another book could steal the "favorite book of the year" title from this one, but it's going to take one heck of a book to be able to do that because I absolutely adored this book.

5 stars and one of my picks for the best books of 2019!

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