The Promise of Palm Grove by Shelley Shepard Gray

The Promise of Palm Grove (Avon Inspire, January 2015)

Leona must decide: Does she follow the path set out before her? Or take a chance with only the promise of what could be to guide her?

A young Amish woman finds herself torn between the man she’s pledged to wed and the man her heart desires in this heartwarming story of chance, duty, and choice in the face of love—the first volume in the beloved New York Times bestselling author’s new Amish Brides of Pinecraft series.

Amish bride-to-be Leona is thrilled to be in Florida, on a mini-vacation in the pretty town of Pinecraft. Her girlfriends think she’s happy because she’s away from the stress of wedding planning. They have no idea that Leona’s real joy is in being away from her fiancé.

Edmund is a good man, and will make a decent husband . . . just not for Leona. The more time she spends with him and his overbearing ways, the less she wants to be his wife. Her cousins are sure Edmund is the right man for her-and their certainty makes Leona begin to doubt herself. But when a chance encounter with a wayward cat brings her face-to-face with a handsome, fun-loving Amish man named Zachary Kauffman, Leona’s faced with two vastly different futures.

My opinion: This was another delightful Amish fiction read from the prolific author, Shelley Gray. She is one of my favorite Amish fiction writers and this book had enjoyable characters, an engaging story line and was an easy read. It was a bit predictable but was still a fun  read. I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

How to Catch a Prince by Rachel Hauck

How to Catch a Prince (Zondervan, February 2015)

She caught her prince once. Can she catch him again?

American heiress Corina Del Rey’s life was devastated by war. Every thing she loved was lost. But after five years of grief, she’s shed her grave clothes and started over in the sunshine along the Florida coast.

But some things are not so easily forgotten. When a secret from her past confronts her face to face, she realizes she must follow her heart. Even if it cost her everything.

Prince Stephen of Brighton Kingdom is a former Royal Air Command lieutenant turned star rugby player, trying to make sense of his life after the devastation of war.

When his brother, King Nathaniel, discovers Stephen’s pre war secret, he must deal with an aspect of his life he longed to forget. But how can he do so without exposing the truth and breaching national security?

Yet, true love has a destiny all it’s own. As the cathedral bells peal through Cathedral City, Corina and Stephen must chose to answer the call of love on their hearts.

Or let it be lost forever?

My thoughts: So far this series has not been my favorite, they are cute and whimsical but I am more into real world stories and not fairy tales, that being said the author is a decent write and if you are into that sort of thing then it is enjoyable. The characters were engaging at times and it was an easy read.I received a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Wood's Edge by Lori Benton

Lori Benton is becoming one of my favorite historical fiction authors and this book was amazing! I love how Ms. Benton meshes the world of the Indians with the Whites who inhabited the same areas. This story tells of lies and the devastating ripples that are the consequence of ones actions.
I highly recommend this book and cannot wait to read her next book.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Patmos Deception by Davis Bunn

As always I absolutely loved the latest book from Davis Bunn. Full of mystery and intrigue this book has it all. Nick and Carey are young Americans in Greece who get dragged into danger and mystery meshed in world of religious treasures. I really enjoyed getting to know each of the characters and loved how the mystery built up and kept one guessing until the end.
As always Davis Bunn is a master storyteller and keeps one of the edge of ones seat, engrossed in the story until the very end.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Dauntless by Dina Sleiman

A fascinating read from an exciting new author. It was a fun twist to the Robin Hood idea, with a female as the lead who is a likable, interesting character. Lady Merry is a Baron's daughter but is taking care of a ragtag team of orphans trying to help them survive. When a man from her past shows up bent on trying to catch the mysterious ghost of the forest will it change her life forever?
I really enjoyed the characters interaction, dialogue and spirit. This was a very enjoyable read and I highly recommend it to anyone who appreciates history fiction,
I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

On Shifting Sand by Allison Pittman

I have read some of Ms. Pittman's previous works and was excited to try the latest novel by her. I have to say it was not my favorite of her works and it was hard getting through it at times. Nola is not a very likable protagonist and it is hard to sympathize with her. The story was overall rather dry, it was pretty predictable as to what was going to happen. The only character I really liked was Russ and one really felt bad for him.
When one looks at how often God forgives us and how often we are like Nola and turn back to our sins, it really does get you thinking, so from that aspect I like that it got one thinking, but it was not my favorite book.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Salad love by David Bez

What a delightful book! I had so much fun looking over the recipes and planning out which ones I want to try. David Bez is inspiring with his recipes of delightful and the photography for them were breathtaking. Being that I am into salads right now this book was right up my alley and I highly recommend it.
I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Twisted innocence by Terri Blackstock

Holly Cramer’s past choices have finally caught up to her, but she never expected them to endanger her baby.

Though Holly’s stumbled through most of her adult life as a party girl, she longs to live a more stable life for her daughter. Then police show up to question her about the whereabouts of Creed Kershaw, Lily’s father. She has kept his identity a secret from friends and family—she never even told him about the pregnancy. Now he’s a person of interest in a drug-related murder case.

Determined to keep him out of their lives and turn him over to police, Holly uses her private investigating skills to search for him. But her bravado backfires when he turns the tables and takes her and the baby hostage. As desperate hours tick by, Holly realizes his connection to Leonard Miller—the man who has gunned down several members of her family. Creed claims he’s innocent and that Miller is after him too. His gentleness with Lily moves her, but she can’t trust a man who has held her at gunpoint . . . even if he reminds her so much of herself.

Dangers old and new threaten Holly and her baby, and lives are demanded as sacrifices for love. Through a complex web of mistakes and regret, redemption is the one hope Holly has left to hold on to.

My opinion: I am a huge fan of Ms. Blackstock's and I particularly love this series so I was utterly delighted to read the thrilling conclusion to the trilogy. I really liked the character of Holly, she was flawed and yet very likable. It was nice to see her grow up and become more responsible as she learns to care for her child. I also really liked how you finally got to see a satisfying conclusion to the whole mess with Leonard Miller. The mystery was interesting. the characters enjoyable and the romance was just the right amount. I highly recommend this book and the series in general. I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Betting on hope by Debra Clopton

A bet gone wrong. A small town’s meddling. And a cowboy intent on saving his ranch.

Maggie Hope is an advice columnist whose background leaves her with little advice to give . . . and it’s beginning to show. When Maggie fills in at an interview with champion horse trainer Tru Monahan, the on-camera chemistry between them is undeniable. Maggie’s bosses know this is the opportunity she’s been looking for to launch her career—and their bank accounts. In order to save her column, Maggie takes Tru up on the bet that he can teach her to ride a quick-stepping cutting horse like any cowgirl, despite the fact that she has never been on a horse. And in the meantime, she can get the scoop on the man under the cowboy hat.

Tru has been on the competition circuit for longer than he’d like, but he knows it’s the only way he can afford to keep the Four of Hearts Ranch that means so much to his ailing grandfather. So when his sponsors see the opportunity for Tru’s fans to get to know the star on a more intimate level, he knows he must oblige. To his dismay, Maggie not only invades his small town of Wishing Springs, but she also invades his heart, and that is something he cannot let any woman do—for her own good.

In Wishing Springs, Maggie finds what she has always been looking for: a community and a home. But when her past catches up to her, it threatens everything, even the tender hope that this town holds all of her heart’s desires.

My opinion: This was a pretty sweet, simple story although it was very predictable and didn't have a whole lot going on. That being said if you are a fan of modern cowboy stories then this book would be right up your alley. It was well written but overall was just not something that I really got into. I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.