No One Ever Asked

No One Ever Asked
By Katie Ganshert

When the South Fork school district loses its accreditation, the school district has to provide solutions--one of which is busing students to the Crystal Ridge district, a top-tier district in an affluent community.

Camille Gray, PTA supermom in Crystal Ridge, is worried about how having students with low academic performance and troubled backgrounds will affect her three kids and the other kids in the Crystal Ridge district--but she insists it's not about race. At the same time, her marriage of twenty-plus years is falling apart. All Camille wants is what's best for her family.

Jen Covington, who has recently adopted a daughter from Africa, wants to make sure her daughter has a diverse class and despite living in the Crystal Ridge district is considering enrolling her daughter in South Fork. When South Fork kids are allowed to enroll in Crystal Ridge, Jen sends Jubilee to a Crystal Ridge school, but just getting her daughter a black teacher isn't enough to help her navigate the ins and outs of being a new mom to a daughter who is different, and taking a job as the high school nurse doesn't fill that gap in her heart that she thought being a mom would fill.

Anaya Jones wanted to follow in her father's footsteps and teach at South Fork, but with the district a mess, she accepts a position teaching second grade and coaching high school track in the Crystal Ridge district., knowing all the while that parents like Camille Gray don't want her people--including her high school age brother--in their district. As their lives intersect, all three women will come to see that they have much to learn about life and about each other.

DANG! This is the first book I've read by Kaite Ganshert and it blew me away. This book is so thought-provoking and heartwrenching. I loved seeing how each woman made good and bad choices; they just felt so real and so very human. I loved the message that they (and others) are more than just one bad choice and that learning and changing are possible. This book serves as a great reminder that we need to be really careful about judging people and situations because there are usually so many more factors and details than we realize. I read this by myself but I will definitely be recommending it to my book club because this is the sort of book you definitely need to talk about with others.
 This is one of my picks for the best of 2018. 5 stars.

 I read an ARC via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Night at the Opera--review and giveaway!

Night at the Opera
by Stacy Henrie

Goodreads Summary: From USA Today bestselling author Stacy Henrie comes Night at the Opera, American Heiress Book 1 (1908).

When American Heiress Gwen Barton aids an injured gentleman in an opera box in London, she shares a kiss with the stranger that changes her life. More determined than ever to be herself in spite of the limp she's sustained since childhood, she will marry for love and not a title. She also resolves to learn the identity of the man she helped--and kissed. Surely he can't be the irritating Avery Winfield, though. But as circumstances continue to throw Gwen and Avery together, she begins to wonder if there is more to this man than she first thought.

While most of London only knows him as the nephew of a duke, Avery Winfield is actually working for the Secret Service Bureau to ferret out German spies from among the ton. It’s a profession that gives him purpose and a reason to remain a bachelor. But the more he interacts with Gwen Barton, an heiress from America, the more he begins to question his plans and neglected faith. Then he learns Gwen is the young lady from the opera box who helped him. Now his most important mission may have nothing to do with saving Britain from danger and everything to do with risking his heart for the woman he met that night at the opera.


My thoughts: This is an engaging story. I really liked Gwen; I love seeing how she has used a trial in her life to become more compassionate toward and aware of others. I also loved how she and Avery didn't hit things off at first and she had to change her initial opinions as she got to know him better. I also liked seeing Avery fall in love against his will; the backstory of why he was reluctant to marry was well-developed, but I always enjoy seeing the heart win out. This is a great choice for those looking for a clean, well-written historical romance. 4 stars.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stacyhenrie.author

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

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

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

Amazon purchase link: http://a.co/d/h8zwC5F

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/night-at-the-opera-stacy-henrie/1129610891?ean=2940161597118

Tour schedule

Oct. 15 - Books are Sanity / Heidi Reads

Oct. 16 - Literary Time Out / Why Not? Because I Said So

Oct. 17 - Min Reads and Reviews / The Bibliophile Files

Oct. 18 - Katie’s Clean Book Collection / Getting Your Read On / My Book a Day

Oct. 19 - Singing Librarian Books / Wishful Endings

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Healing Hearts

Healing Hearts
by Sarah M. Eden

Gideon MacNamara has been unlucky in love, but as the doctor of Savage Wells and the surrounding areas, he needs help in his medical practice, so he has sent for a mail order bride who is a nurse. When she arrives, however, Miriam becomes the third woman to shy away from marrying him, insisting she was only told about the nursing position, not about the marriage part. His love for the people he serves prompts Gideon to swallow his pride and ask Miriam to stay--as his nurse only. Miriam is a good nurse but she's running from her past--and Savage Wells just might be a place where she can make a home, if she can convince the townspeople, who are fiercely loyal to their doctor, that she isn't a terrible person for not wanting to marry Gideon. As they work together, Gideon is drawn to Miriam, but he also realizes she's hiding something and has to figure out if he can really trust her to help him with his patients.

Gideon is a total sweetheart; I love seeing how he cares for his people and how they care about him in return. Miriam is a sort of prickly, but understandably so, but also really wants to help people, and her backstory is so interesting and opened up some really fascinating (and sad) insights into medical treatment for women in the 1800s. The secondary characters are great, too; I love how Sarah Eden always gives us so many people to care about.

If you've read the first book in the Savage Wells series (which you don't have to do before reading this one; it can stand alone), you might expect a lighter tone than this book has; the first book was funnier and had a lot of banter and stuff. This book still has funny moments but it has a darker tone (which is totally appropriate to the story).

Great plot, snappy dialogue, and realistic, well-developed characters are hallmarks of Sarah Eden's writing, and they're all here. Another great book from a terrific author.
4.5 stars.
I read an ARC via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The Roses of Feldstone

The Roses of Feldstone
by Esther Hatch

Rose Davenport used to enjoy going to Feldstone Manor, where she and William, the earl's youngest son, enjoyed a fond friendship. The past two years, however, have changed William, who is arrogant, disdainful, and nothing like the kind young man she used to know. Once his older brother was disinherited and William became the heir, he has done all that he can to show how much he dislikes Rose. Determined to aggravate him as much as he does her, Rose enjoys getting under his skin--but when she manages to catch a few glimpses of the old William, she can't help but wonder if things could be as they once were. When William, in an attempt to drag his mother out of her doldrums, promises to find a bride within six months, Rose knows it's time to put hopes of a renewed friendship behind her and decides it's time for her to make a match as well. Upon returning to London, though, she finds herself crossing paths with William once more, and he doesn't seem to like her choice of beau.

This a fun, light-hearted Regency, where it's obvious to the reader that William is being dreadful to Rose because he's trying to distance himself since he loves her but can't marry her and that Rose loves him just as much and is trying to shield her wounded heart. There were a few times it got a little tedious that Rose couldn't seem to figure that out, but since she's the vested party and not a bystander like the reader, I guess that's understandable. I really liked William, with his kindnesses that he just can't hold back even though he's trying to distance himself and the little ways Rose tortures him without even realizing it. Nice choice for those looking for a gentle but somewhat humorous Regency.
4 stars.

I read an ARC via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The Shipbuilder's Wife

The Shipbuilder's Wife
by Jennifer Moore

Lydia Prescott's future seems bright despite the War of 1812 waging not far from her; as the daughter of a wealthy plantation owner, she has received a proposal from her beau, who owns a plantation not far from her home. However, a British raid on her family's property leaves Lydia wounded and scarred, and her fiancé cries off.
Jacob Steele, a shipbuilder and a spy for the American forces, rescued Lydia from a burning building, and when he finds out her fickle fiancé has ended their engagement, he convinces Lydia's father to allow him to marry her instead.
Although Lydia's plans have taken a drastic turn from what she expected, as she sets out on a new life with Jacob, she tries to make the best of it--but Jacob works long hours and doesn't seem to want to open up to her at all.
Jacob is drawn to Lydia, but at the same time, he can't bring himself to trust her--after all, lives are at stake and someone is clearly giving the British information. With the fates of their country and their marriage at stake, can Lydia and Jacob learn to trust one another?

I love Jennifer Moore's books; she always introduces me to aspects of history that are so fascinating. I haven't read many books about the War of 1812, so I loved getting the chance to read about that era and what life was like for the Americans at that time. I also thoroughly enjoyed the espionage angle; it moved the plot along quickly and was very interesting. I really loved Jacob's character--he's one of those super good guys with a strong moral compass who can't really face his feelings. He's both realistic and endearing. Lydia starts out seeming like she's spoiled and flighty, but it doesn't take long to see she has more depth and goodness than it initially appeared.

Another terrific read from Jennifer Moore--a great choice for fans of gentle romances and historical fiction.

I read an ARC of #TheShipbuildersWife via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

One House

One House by Sarah MacNeill

This adorable board book features animal friends building a new home for a friend. This rhyming countdown features toucans making plans and bears building stairs, as well as a bunch of other cute animals. This is such a fun book! Kids will enjoy the cute creatures, the countdown, and the construction.

I read a copy from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

4 stars.

Shelter of the Most High

Shelter of the Most High
by Connilyn Cossette

Eitan has spent eleven years in a Kedesh, a City of Refuge, and more and more, he wants to be able to leave, to be able to protect his family and his people and to do more than just make weapons as a blacksmith. When Sofea and Prezi, the sole survivors of a raid on their Sicilian village, are brought to Kedesh, Eitan is immediately drawn to Sofea, even though they don't speak the same language. Eitan is determined to be patient as Sofea learns about his language and his religion and hopes that once she does, she will care for him in return, even when he tells her about the secrets of his past.

Sofea is the daughter of a pagan priest, so she initially wants nothing to do with the Hebrew God; she knows He must be just another blood-thirsty god to whom priests offer human sacrifices; in fact, she's afraid she and Prezi will be the next sacrifices. However, as she spends more time with Eitan's family, she comes to see that Yahweh is vastly different--and that with Him and with Eitan, perhaps she can find peace like she never has before. Before she can truly find out, though, Sofea and Eitan are betrayed and their very lives are threatened.

I love how Connilyn Cossette can take a little bit from the Bible (the refuge cities) that I've never given a second thought and make it completely fascinating. It's so fascinating to see how she portrayed life in one of those cities--and the desire to be able to escape. I also loved seeing, through Sofea, the contrast between the pagan gods and Yahweh and His love; it was sweet (but not at all sappy) seeing Sofea's realizations about Yahweh and her own worth and seeing both her and Prezi heal. The plotline was really interesting--twists and turns and excellent pacing--and I loved the characters. This book was just beautiful; I really loved it.

Although you probably don't have to read the first book in the series before you read this one, you totally should because it's a fantastic book as well.
5 stars. One of my picks for best of 2018.
I read an ARC via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.