by Crystal Caudill | May 10, 2016 | Book Reviews
The Liberator Series Book One
This book is a must read for those who love historical fiction set in the Civil War Era. Mrs. McGee does a marvelous job of interweaving the historical facts of the John Wilkes Booth’s conspiracy to assassinate President Lincoln and “what if.”
If you struggle with Civil War novels not having a fair view of Southerners or sometimes Northerners, this novel does a fantastic job of balancing both. There is no strictly good guy or back guy when it comes to Confederates and Yankees, although this book is distinctly written from the Southern perspective. Both sides have very realistic evil qualities and very real honorable qualities.
Annabelle is a strong female character with very human faults who manages to get herself entangled in a scheme of national proportion as she tries to save her plantation from the greedy fingers of a step-grandfather. As a reader, you love her spunk and level-headedness. The woman is a survivor and has the spunk to endure the realities of a devastated South.
Captain Matthew Daniels is a man whose loyalty and honor are admirable but also lead him into his own entanglement with those of less than honorable intentions. He is a hero a head above the rest (and if you read the book, you will get my little pun). His fierce loyalty to his brother and his determination to rescue the older brother whom he looks up to are qualities which will make you admire him.
This first book of the series is mainly focused on the entanglement of both the hero and heroine into Booth’s conspiracy and the unfolding of the first attempt on Lincoln’s life. The story is action packed, moves a good clip, and is completely satisfying in the adventure aspect. The budding romance between Annabelle and Matthew is slow and acts more as a subplot to the action around it. It is believable and something the reader looks forward to in the next book of the series.
If you are into history and a realistic Southern view of the Civil War this is a great series to pick up. It has a mixture of everything desired in a novel. I, for one, loved the detail and the Southern view realistically applied. I highly recommend you purchase this book.
*I was given a free copy of this e-book in exchange for my honest opinion, which you have read above.*
To purchase your own copy, visit:
Amazon Barnes and Noble
Visit the author at: http://www.stepheniamcgee.com/
“All we have to do is kidnap their President….”
Four years of war have reduced the South to near annihilation. Homes lay smoldering and men become desperate. Amid the shadows of fear, a clandestine group waits for an opportunity to change the course of history.
Harlot, liar, spy…
On the threshold of losing her plantation, Annabelle Ross finds a cryptic letter on a dying soldier and seizes the opportunity to get out a message of her own. She never dreamed her plan would brand her a suspected spy… or worse, an unwilling conspirator.
Deserter, traitor, accomplice…
When Matthew Daniels’s brother is taken captive, he finds himself caught up in a plot to gain leverage on the Union. The lines are drawn in blood, and the risk is there for the taking. But will his reckless gamble cost him the woman he had determined not to love?
She wants to save her home. He wants to save his brother. Together, they may just save a nation.
Part one of three in The Liberator Series, a trilogy of full length novels following the adventures and romance of Annabelle Ross and Matthew Daniels as they play a part in the dramatic conclusion of Abraham Lincoln’s life.
– Blurb from Amazon
by Crystal Caudill | May 3, 2016 | Book Reviews
Book three in the Undercover Ladies Series
Margaret Brownley has done it again! I can always count on her to provide a completely satisfying romance blended with mystery, crime, and adventure. This final installment of the Undercover Ladies series is definitely my favorite from her so far.
Katie is a wonderful Pinkerton operative, different from any of the other “Pink” women in her series. Her own set of observation skills paired with the handsome sheriff, and reluctant love interest, is perfect for the hunt of the Harvey Girl Killer. While her observation skills were envious, they were human.
As a woman, she has a strong personality, but with the vulnerable undertone we all try to hide. She is a character who draws you in and molds you into her. Her emotions, thought patterns, and uncertainties are complex and real. She is my absolute favorite character developed by Margaret Brownley thus far.
Sheriff Branch Whitman is his own strong character with a past that emotionally attaches you to him. His is the tall, strong hero who is not really intimidated by an equally strong-minded woman. He is wounded, yet gentle. He is intelligent, but a complete buffoon at times. I love him to no end as a character.
There is a restrained passion that emerges and evolves naturally as the story progresses. Honestly, it made me want to curl up in my husband’s arms and feel that strong connection Katie and Branch have but fear to acknowledge. It is a love that feels real and not just the pat on the back, superficially love found in a lot of romance novels.
The plot is fantastic with several twists, turns, and added layers which hold your attention from beginning to end. While the murder does seem to drag on, it was a realistic drawing out of how murders are not solved in an hour. I don’t wish to give anything away, but let me assure you every layer is addressed satisfactorily, and all loose ends are tied up.
I highly recommend picking up Calico Spy if you like historical crime solving mixed with romance. Margaret Brownley is a master.
If you would like to order your own copy visit:
Amazon Barnes and Noble
If you would like to learn more about Margaret Brownley visit:
http://margaret-brownley.com/
Pinkerton operative Katie Madison’s newest case takes her to Calico, Kansas, where two Harvey House restaurant waitresses were murdered in mysterious circumstances. Calico s sheriff, Branch Whitman, has never met a Pink he liked and is stunned to learn the pretty redhead s true identity as she works undercover as a Harvey girl. A tornado hits town, and a past deception puts Branch s eight-year-old-son in danger. Now the Sheriff has no choice but to work with Katie or chance losing everything he holds dear.
– Blurb from Amazon.com
by Crystal Caudill | Apr 26, 2016 | Book Reviews
This was the first novel I have read by Angela Couch. It was an enjoyable romance and a quick read.
Elizabeth is under the impression that Axel’s father stole money from her father’s business and was the source of the complete ruination of her family and future. All blame lays squarely on his shoulders.
Revenge is the motive of all her actions. She must make them hurt as much as she has and retrieve all the money that is rightfully hers in the process. Her real target is the father, but Axel will do fine as collateral damage. Through a series of disasters, mostly of her creation, she reestablishes her relationship with God and discovers forgiveness. But is it too late to make amends with Axel, the man she has grown to love?
Elizabeth is a character whom you can relate with but makes you want to thunk her on the head and say “You should have had a V-8.” Axel is a man caught in the middle of a feud he didn’t know existed and suffers the consequences. You ache for him and hope for love and reconciliation.
While the book wasn’t what you would call deep or complex, it was an enjoyable read that helped you escape from reality for a few hours. I hope Axel and Elizabeth’s story develop and grow in perhaps future books. There are certainly many areas of growth they both could still experience and difficulties they could face together. They are a good pair and you won’t regret the time you spend reading it.
*I received a free copy for my honest review, which you have read above.*
Elizabeth Landvick knows of one man to blame for her family’s loss of fortune and her parents’ deaths. Now, she will stop at nothing to take her revenge and recover their wealth. Even travel across the country to marry the man’s son.
With his focus on his sprawling Arizona ranch, Axel Forsberg has little time for wooing a woman, so when his father finds him a bride from the east, he trusts he won’t regret the convenience. Until horses go missing, barns burn to the ground, a range war begins…and he loses his heart.
To purchase your own copy, visit:
Amazon
Visit Angela’s website by clicking on the following link:
https://angelakcouch.com/
by Crystal Caudill | Apr 19, 2016 | Book Reviews
Where do I start with this novel? First let me say I bought this as a clearance audiobook to listen to on a lonely drive. Now I will be purchasing a hard copy to reread.
Michelle Griep masterfully plunks you down into the world of London in such a way you never realize you are not actually there. It is as if you are the one interacting with the setting, not some fictional character. I have never seen that done is such a masterful way.
The characters of Nick Brentwood and Emily Payne are so true to life you feel as if they are living, breathing people whom you are intimately familiar with. Their emotions are you emotions. Their thoughts, yours.
I have a knack for seeing twists before they happen, but I certainly did not see the many twists inserted so skillfully into the plot. If you want suspense, justice, and romance mixed with a whole lot of history, there is no better book out there.
The immersion into Brentwood’s and Emily’s world was so complete I would sit in my car for over an hour waiting for a point when I could break free of my trance. Only the knocking on the window by my concerned children forced me to hit the pause button. When the flu kept me from driving, I snuck out to my car, grabbed the disc, and played it in my bed until it had reached its more than satisfying ending.
Brentwood’s Ward is historical fiction at its best. You would be grievously robbed of an unforgettable experience if you don’t read it! Beware though, it is like a potato chip – you can’t just have one… chapter that is. Once you pick it up, you will never want to put it down.
Thank you, Michelle, for a fantastic book. I cannot wait to read more of your work.
If you wish to visit Michelle Griep’s website go to: https://michellegriep.com/
Place an unpolished lawman named Nicholas Brentwood as guardian over a spoiled, pompous beauty named Emily Payne and what do you get? More trouble than Brentwood bargains for. She is determined to find a husband this season. He just wants the large fee her father will pay him to help his ailing sister. After a series of dire mishaps, both their desires are thwarted, but each discovers that no matter what, God is in charge.
– Blurb from Barnes and Noble
by Crystal Caudill | Apr 17, 2016 | Book Reviews
This is the second book of a series released by Love Inspired, but it can be read as a stand-alone.
Jill Lynn does a fantastic job of creating characters you love and can connect with. I loved how natural and three-dimensional all the characters were, experiencing true-to-life emotions, growing as human beings, and growing in their relationship with God.
Lucy is spunky, independent, and determined to help others have fun. Her personality is one that draws you in and bonds you to her as if she were a living breathing woman. I absolutely loved her energy for life and the fact you never knew what she was going to do next.
Graham is a wonderful, attentive father with a sweet insecure side that tugs at your heart strings. He is handsome and easy to fall in love with. Mattie is a darling five-year-old girl who warms your heart as you watch her bloom into a carefree existence.
The story moved at a natural pace and kept you hooked from beginning to end. As a reader, you experience the struggles of each character as if they were your own, growing with them as they discover God’s will and His ability to overcome any situation.
The romance was just what every romance reader wants: a dance of denying feelings, the tug of attraction, kisses that make you sigh in complete contentment.
I highly recommend Her Texas Family for any romance reader. In fact, I loved it so much I sought out the first book in the series Falling for Texas. You won’t regret purchasing this great read.
Moving to a small Texas town, Lucy Grayson is looking to live life on her own terms. When she agrees to take a job in Doctor Graham Redmond’s office, the two instantly clash. The same can’t be said for the widower’s daughter. They quickly form a bond when Lucy begins teaching the little girl to dance. Graham soon realizes how good Lucy is for his daughter—and for him. Yet his late wife’s parents don’t agree. Their ultimatum to choose between them or Lucy fills Graham with despair. He can’t let his daughter lose her grandparents…but he also can’t lose the woman who could complete their family.
– Amazon Book Blurb
To purchase your own copy, visit:
Amazon Barnes and Noble Harlequin.com
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion, which you have just read.*
