by Crystal Caudill | Jan 29, 2019 | Book Reviews
Ladies of Intrigue by Michelle Griep
This was the only book from Michelle Griep that I was hesitant to buy. Why? Because I already own the three novellas separately in the collections they originally showed up in. However, I am glad I ended up doing it anyway. It was so much nicer to just be able to pick up this collection and know that all the stories I love from her on in one place and easy to find.
Although I owned all of them previously, I’d only actually read one of the collections. So by having it all in one place, I was able to read the other two without feeling guilty about not reading all the other books in the collections. (Reader’s guilt is a real thing, ya’ll. Either that or I’m just so OCD that I can’t not finish an entire book–and that is an even more likely explanation.)
Genre: Historical Romance, 1815 England, 1862 Minnesota, and 1890 Minnesota
Plot Overview:
The Gentleman Smuggler’s Lady
Cornish Coast, 1815
When a prim and proper governess returns to England from abroad, she expects to comfort her dying father—not fall in love with a smuggler. Will Helen Fletcher keep Isaac Seaton’s unusual secret?
The Doctor’s Woman (A Carol Award Winner!)
Dakota Territory, 1862
Emmy Nelson, daughter of a missionary doctor, and Dr. James Clark, city doctor aspiring to teach, find themselves working side by side at Fort Snelling during the Dakota Uprising. That is when the real clash of ideals begins.
A House of Secrets
St. Paul, Minnesota, 1890
Ladies Aide Chairman, Amanda Carston resolves to clean up St. Paul’s ramshackle housing, starting with the worst of the worst: a “haunted” house that’s secretly owned by her beau—a home that’s his only means of helping brothel girls escape from the hands of the city’s most infamous madam.
What I loved: I loved having all three books in one easy place to grab. It has been especially helpful as I’m studying how to craft a novella, and who better to study but one of my favorite authors? The writing is as magnificent as ever, the stories engaging and gripping, and the heroes swoon-worthy.
Favorite Character: The female characters are all spunky. I love their vitality and grit. It is hard to pick a favorite. Hero-wise, Isaac Seaton stuck out as my favorite. Call me a bad girl, but I love the dark, rugged characters with hearts of gold that grow and change.
Who would like this: If you love stories with romance, great historical details, and a dash of mystery, you’ll love these stories. They are especially great for those who need a quick read.
Rating and Why: Five-stars because the writing and stories are still great, even though they are novellas. It’s hard to have a novella feel complete and satisfying in just around 100 pages each story.
Which novella would you choose as the most intriguing to read?
by Crystal Caudill | Jan 22, 2019 | Book Reviews
A Bound Heart by Laura Frantz
It’s already started out as another year of incredible busy-ness, so I picked up this audiobook from my library to enjoy while cleaning house and running errands. Let me tell you, this is one book you definitely want to hear on audio! Oh my goodness, I know reading it in print, as good as it was, would not have had the same impact as listening to the AWESOME narrator do all the Scottish voices and songs. AMAZING. I found myself even picking up a bit of the accent and rephrasing my speech to match for several hours after each listening session. Definitely, definitely get the audio.
Genre: Historical Romance, 1750’s – Scottland
Plot Overview: Though Magnus MacLeish and Lark MacDougall grew up on the same castle grounds, Magnus is now laird of the great house and the Isle of Kerrera. Lark is but the keeper of his bees and the woman he is hoping will provide a tincture that might help his ailing wife conceive and bear him an heir. But when his wife dies suddenly, Magnus and Lark find themselves caught up in a whirlwind of accusations, expelled from their beloved island, and sold as indentured servants across the Atlantic. Yet even when all hope seems dashed against the rocky coastline of the Virginia colony, it may be that in this New World the two of them could make a new beginning–together.
What I loved: Honestly my favorite part was the audio narration. As far as the book itself, I loved Laura’s way of describing things and creating tension throughout the story, and of course the amazing ending which had me literally biting my fist as I anticipated when things might occur. She has such an amazing way about her writing that transports you to a different land and time. The historical details are phenomenal.
Favorite Character: Magnus. Definitely Magnus. I loved Lark, but Magnus was a mand who is not without faults but is a man that makes you swoon. His faith, encouragement, and protect are dreamy.
Who would like this: Anyone who loves stories with amazing historical details, romances wrought with tension and surprises, and those who are looking for something different from the typical romance.
Rating and Why: Five-stars because of the emotional rollercoaster and the voice narration. Seriously, I can’t say that enough. Get this book on audio.
If you’ve read it, what did you like best about it?? (And label spoilers, please.) If you haven’t read it, what intrigues you about this story?
by Crystal Caudill | Dec 11, 2018 | Book Reviews
12 Days at Bleakly Manor by Michelle Griep
I cannot believe I have been so remiss in posting my review of one of my favorite Christmas stories! And since I am planning my semi-annual Christmas tea theme around the Once Upon a Dicken’s Christmas series, it is time to correct this error.
Michelle Griep has never written something I did not thoroughly enjoy, and this series is no exception. So sit down, snuggle in, and prepare to have your appetite whet, because this book and next week books are not to be missed!
Genre: Historical Romance, London 1850
Overview of Plot:
When Clara receives an invitation to stay twelve days at Bleakly Manor, it comes with a handsome reward, enough money to support herself and her aunt. The catch is, she must stay the entire twelve days. What could be so bad about staying at a country manor?
But when she arrives, a handful of odd guests have been invited, including the man who left her standing at the altar and ran off with her family’s fortune.
Benjamin Lane was falsely accused of embezzlement and rushed through a trial that couldn’t be called just. Just before he is to be shipped off to Australia, he is given a shot at freedom, but he must stay twelve days at Bleakly Manor and never set foot off the grounds under the threat of death. Desirous to have the chance for justice he arrives, only to find Clara, the woman who betrayed him.
Not everything is as it seems. As Clara and Benjamin begin to make sense of what happened to them, dangerous accidents begin to occur. Can they survive Bleakly Manor long enough to have a second chance at life and love?
Favorite Character and Why:
This one is so hard, but as much as I adore Clara and Benjamin as the main characters, Miss Scurry is my absolute favorite secondary character. She is quirky and wise, yet a vulnerable soul. I’ve had a Miss Scurry type figure in my life, and all I can do is smile in remembrance every time I read her character.
What I liked:
What don’t I like? Michelle Griep is one of my absolute favorite authors. She has an incredible ability to pull you into the story and draw you so deep you become the character. But it is not that gift alone. Her stories always have an intensity about them that draws me in. The danger, the real characters, and even the quirky ones. This story, in particular, was filled with great surprises and nods to Charles Dickens himself, and I absolutely loved the mystery behind it all. *sigh* A Christmas story at its very best. Oh, yes, and I can’t forget all those wonderful historical details. *swoon*
Who would like this:
Anyone who loves stories of redemption and second chances or stories with mystery, danger, and love set to a Christmas theme. I think almost anyone would love this story, but you’ll have to read it to find out.
Amazon blurb:
A mysterious invitation to spend Christmas at an English manor home may bring danger…and love?
England, 1851: When Clara Chapman receives an intriguing invitation to spend Christmas at an English manor home, she is hesitant yet feels compelled to attend—for if she remains the duration of the twelve-day celebration, she is promised a sum of five hundred pounds.
But is she walking into danger? It appears so, especially when she comes face to face with one of the other guests—her former fiancé, Benjamin Lane.
Imprisoned unjustly, Ben wants revenge on whoever stole his honor. When he’s given the chance to gain his freedom, he jumps at it—and is faced with the anger of the woman he stood up at the altar. Brought together under mysterious circumstances, Clara and Ben discover that what they’ve been striving for isn’t what ultimately matters.
What matters most is what Christmas is all about . . . love.
Links for purchase:
Amazon.com Barnes and Noble Christianbook.com
by Crystal Caudill | Nov 20, 2018 | Book Reviews
The Tory’s Daughter
by Angela K. Couch
If you love a marriage of convenience stories set in the background of war, you will love the emotional tension of this story. I’m a huge American Revolution fan purely for the complexities that come from families and neighbors whose loyalties are divided. Angela does a great job delving into all the facets of living through these complexities and finding love during hardship and personal struggles.
Genre:
Historical Romance – American Revolution, Mohawk Valley
Overview
of Plot:
Six
years after her father’s Tory leanings resulted in their home being burned to
the ground, Hannah—part Mohawk, part Englishwoman—is determined to find her
brothers who were conscripted into the Continental Army. Striking out on her
own has unintended consequences which result in her marriage to one of the men
who participated in the attack on her family.
After
the loss of his wife, Joseph just wants to protect his home and his children
from the constant raids on their valley from the Native people. When he catches
one of them trying to steal his horse and escape a skirmish, it is a woman—not
a warrior—he finds.
When things grow out of control and they are forced to marry, will promises made last a lifetime?
Favorite Character and Why:
The
hero Joseph really captured my attention. I loved watching the internal
struggles develop, grow, and then change him into a better man. He struggled to
be the father his children needed, the husband he was supposed to be to a wife
he initially didn’t want, and to be the faithful man God called him to be.
What I liked:
Although this story was a
marriage of convenience story, it felt different than most I have read. It held
a depth I love to see as characters struggle to grow and love each other. I
also love/hate how good Angela Couch is at putting her characters through one
struggle after another. Just when you think they are going to get a break, more
happens.
Who would like this:
Those who love wartime stories
where loyalties are tested, love struggles and then blooms under adversity, and
the struggles are the characters are relatable and applicable to contemporary
times.
*Iwas provided a copy of this book by the author/publisher. The above opinion ismy own and by no means was influenced.*
Amazon blurb:
Burying his wife is the hardest thing Joseph Garnet has ever done—until he’s called to leave his young son and baby daughter to fight Iroquois raiders. When one of the marauders tries to steal his horse, the last thing he expects is to end up tussling with a female. The girl is wounded, leaving Joseph little choice but to haul her home to heal—an act that seems all too familiar.
Though Joseph doesn’t appear to remember her, Hannah Cunningham could never forget him. He rode with the mob that forced her two brothers into the Continental Army and drove her family from their home—all because of her father’s loyalties to The Crown. After five years with her mother’s tribe, the rebels and starvation have left her nothing but the driving need to find her brothers.
Compelled by a secret he’s held for far too long, Joseph agrees to help Hannah find what remains of her family. Though she begins to steal into his aching heart, he knows the truth will forever stand between them. Some things cannot be forgiven.
– Amazon.com
Links for Purchase:
Amazon.com Barnes and Noble Christianbook.com
by Crystal Caudill | Nov 13, 2018 | Book Reviews
A Perfect Weakness
By Jennifer A. Davids
Sometimes while in the throes of a terrible family crisis, you just have to escape into the pages of a good book to survive. A Perfect Weakness was the escape I needed during such a time and so much more. It was not only a pleasure to read, but helped me to process what my own family was enduring. I highly recommend this book, especially for those who are scarred by the consequences of their past failures or mistakes. (And if you’re breathing, then that is more likely than not, you.)
Genre: Historical Romance, Victorian England, 1868
Overview of Plot: Penelope Howard has been caring for the tenants of her uncle’s estate for years, but after his passing a new Lord must take his place and could remove her from her position, especially if he, or anyone else, discovers her secret. When she learns the heir is an American doctor, she hopes and prays he will care for the people as much as she and help tend the country hospital.Dr. John Turner served in the War Between the States as a surgeon, but the horrifying memories drove him to the bottle. Continuing to practice medicine while drunk had dire consequences, so when the chance to flee to England arrives, he takes it, vowing to never practice medicine again. But everyone knows he is a doctor and the beautiful and heart-filled sister of his estate agent seems to keep pushing him to help the community with his skills and not just his monetary support. When he is needed most, can he once again take up healing the sick and broken Or will their secrets and weaknesses destroy them and all those around them?
Favorite Character and Why: Penelope is such a strong woman, who had risen above her past mistake and clung to God through it all. I could really connect with her passion for the tenants and helping women who faced similar mistakes and consequences. I also loved how she pushed John Turner to become a better man. What I liked: History… always the history. I love all the details that connected the American Civil War to Victorian England. I also loved the story-line itself. The characters were rich and deep, the problems relatable and real.
Who would like this: Those who love historical fiction, Victorian romance, and stories of redemption, overcoming past mistakes, and love that goes beyond the pain of the past.
*Warning: Penelope’s backstory deals with the difficult loss of a child. It is integral to the development of the story, but I don’t feel it is enough to keep one from reading it. But if you are especially sensitive, you may want to skim through the book first.*
Amazon blurb:
The Civil War left its mark on Dr. John Turner. He turns his back on medicine and sees his unexpected inheritance in England as an opportunity to start over. But he never imagines how God intends to use his new role as lord of Ashford Hall — or the beautiful woman he finds there — to ease his troubled soul.
A tragic loss led Penelope Howard to bury her heart and dreams in her work for the Hall and the village of Woodley. But the arrival of the new heir stirs not only her discarded longings but her compassion as well. What burden does he carry that he can’t accept that grace covers the darkest of sins?
A deadly epidemic sweeps through Woodley revealing secrets which threaten everything. The doctor faces a choice: leave or dare to believe what the Lord whispers through the woman John has come to love.
No one is beyond redemption.
Links for Purchase:
Amazon.com Barnes & Noble
by Crystal Caudill | Aug 28, 2018 | Book Reviews
A Dangerous Legacy by Elizabeth Camden
This is my first book from Elizabeth Camden, though my friend has suggested her for years. Since my library had the audiobook, I listened to it during the driving portions of a writing conference road trip.
Let me say it was everything I expected and more. Elizabeth’s Camden’s attention to historical detail is phenomenal and makes me want to go back and better enrich my own writing with that sort of details. I learned so much just through reading the story.
The plotline was believable, exciting, and kept twisting and turning. I can’t tell you how many times I squealed aloud in my car. Drivers around me were probably wondering what had gotten into me.
The spiritual elements in A Dangerous Legacy were quieter than you find in a lot of Christian fiction, but they were still profound.
Overall, I am looking forward to exploring more of her books.
Genre: Christian Historical Romance, New York City, 1903
Overview of Plot:
Lucy Drake is the third generation of Manhattan Drakes to fight a legal battle with the Saratoga Drakes over a plumbing valve that allowed tall buildings to have pressurized water all the way to the top of the buildings. But the Saratoga Drakes don’t play fair. Lucy is a top telegrapher for the Associated Press and in a dangerous game to stay on top of the lawsuit, plots and schemes unfold that have a national importance.
Sir Collin Beckwith works for the AP’s rival and reluctant partner, Reuters. He and Lucy are brought together through circumstances and form a partnership that puts them both in danger of losing their lives and their hearts.
Favorite Character and Why:
Lucy was a determined woman who doesn’t give up no matter the odds and the heart behind her actions makes all that she does so much more important. She makes hard decisions and grows so much. My favorite part about Lucy is her spunk.
What I liked:
I love complex stories and this plot definitely had multi-layers of complexity. The rich historical details were above and beyond amazing.
Who would like this:
Anyone who loves stories with great historical detail, suspense, love, and complexity.
Amazon blurb:
“Lucy Drake’s mastery of Morse code has made her a valuable asset to the American news agencies as a telegrapher. But the sudden arrival of Sir Colin Beckwith at rival British news agency Reuters puts her hard-earned livelihood at risk. Newly arrived from London, Colin is talented, handsome, and insufferably charming.
Despite their rivalry, Lucy realizes Colin’s connections could be just what her family needs to turn the tide of their long legal battle over the fortune they were swindled out of forty years ago. When she negotiates an unlikely alliance with him, neither of them realizes how far the web of treachery they’re wading into will take them.”
Links for Purchase:
Amazon Barnes and Noble Christianbook.com
