Review - Once Upon A Prince

Once Upon a Prince
The Royal Wedding Series
By Rachel Hauck
Publisher: Zondervan
Pub. Date: May 7, 2013
ISBN: 978-0310315476
Pages: 352
Buy Link: http://ow.ly/kFb0Y
Blog Tour: http://litfusegroup.com/author/rhauck

Review:

Cinderella type fairy tales have never been my thing, but I watch the television series Once Upon a Time, so I thought I would give Once Upon a Prince a try, which I received free of charge through the Litfuse Publicity and Zondervan in exchange for my honest review.

For the past twelve years, Susanna Truitt has been in love with the marine Adam Peters, who she has dreamed of marring him, but life has unexpected turns for her. It seems her so-called love had met another woman seven years ago and he plans on marrying this woman! Susanna heart is crushed along with all of her dreams.

Prince Nathaniel is taking once last holiday (aka - a vacation) to the St. Simons Islands. His father's health is failing fast and it is just a matter of time before Nathaniel will take over as king. When he returns home, he'll have to marry a complete stranger in an arrange marriage, something he wishes to avoid. By chance, he aids a beautiful woman, Susanna.Instead of giving her his real name, he tells her his name is Nate as he doesn't want her to know he is a prince. Sparks fly between the two, but his secret may ruin everything.

Review - Not Quite Mine

Not Quite Mine
By Catherine Bybee
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Pub. Date: May 7, 2013
ISBN: 978-1611099515
ASIN: B00A3ZA598
Pages: 302

Review:

The sequel to Not Quite Dating centers on the Katelyn "Katie" Morrison, while her brother Jack marries Jesse from the first book, Not Quite Dating. Katie has been the typical rich heiress with her tough girl attitude, tight clothes, and the habit of hopping from one guy to another, all of which ends up in the tabloids.

Katie gets a big surprise on her penthouse doorsteps, an infant girl with a note attached stating the girl's name is Savannah. The mother wants Katie to take care of the baby and not to get the social services involved. She is even more in shock when she sees her name on the birth certificate as the mother of the baby. Katie would love to keep the baby. But is she ready for motherhood?

She plans on keeping the baby until she finds out who the mother is, but keeping the baby a secret from the tabloids and her family may be a difficult thing to do, especially when her brother’s best-friend, Dean Prescott, discovers the baby in her penthouse. Dean and Katie had a fling awhile back that resulted in a miscarriage and Katie breaking Dean's heart. Dean knows he shouldn't help Katie, but a part of him still loves her.

Review - Sweet Sanctuary

Sweet Sanctuary
By Kim Vogel Sawyer
Publisher: Bethany House
Pub. Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-0764207891
ASIN: B00AHY0UFY
Pages: 352
Buy Link: http://ow.ly/jRdKJ
Blog Tour: http://litfusegroup.com/author/KSawyer 

Review:

I've been a big of fan of Kim Vogel Sawyer's books, especially the Mennonite books, so I eagerly signed up to review Sweet Sanctuary courtesy of Litfuse Publicity and Bethany House in exchange for my honest review.

Set in 1944, Dr. Micah Hatcher's world is suddenly changed when out-of-the-blue he receives a mysterious letter from his ex-girlfriend's (Lydia Eldredge) father. It seems that Mr. Eldredge has somehow gotten the idea that Micah is the father of Lydia's son, Nicky. The man is forcing legal troubles if Micah doesn't take responsibility of being the boy's father. Of course, this is all a mistake? Right?

Dr. Hatcher arrives at the Eldridge household to unravel the confusion, where he meets the young Nicky playing in the yard. Nicky instantly befriends Hatcher, calling him Micah-my-friend. Old sparks rekindle when Dr. Hatcher catches a glimpse of the lovely Lydia.

Review - Unrivaled

Unrivaled
By Siri Mitchell
Publisher: Bethany House
Pub. Date: March 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-0764207976
ASIN: B00AHY0T00
Pages: 400
Buy Link: http://ow.ly/jiUA3
Blog Tour Link: http://litfusegroup.com/author/smitchell

Review:

It is 1910 and Lucy Kendall has returned to her home town of St. Louis, Missouri after touring Europe. She was looking forward to spending time with her friends and family, but her friends are now married and father has become ill. To make things worse, she learns that her mother has put up the family candy business, City Confectionery, up for sale. Lucy is sadden by this as she had tried many different candies in Europe and was going to suggest her father to stock the store with them, so the City Confectionery could offer the St. Louis residents the best European candies.

Charlie Clarke has had a rocky life, leading him to be sent to live with his estranged father in St. Louis and to take a job at the Standard Manufacturing. He hates his father for abandoning him, but part of him wants to make his father proud. His life changes when he meets the lovely Lucy Kendall.

Lucy Kendall is not going to let the City Confectionery be sold, especially to the St. Louis biggest competitor, Standard Manufacturing, the company that stole her father's prize recipe. She will stop at nothing to unravel the mystery and to create a recipe that will save the candy business, but her plans may come to a halt when she starts to fall in love with the Standard Manufacturing's new promotions manager, Charlie Clarke.

Review - Swept Away

Swept Away
By Mary Connealy
Publisher: Bethany House
Pub. Date: March 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-0764209147
ASIN: B00AHY0T0A
Pages: 320
Buy Link: http://ow.ly/iwbMo
Blog Tour: http://litfusegroup.com/author/mconnealy

Review:

After enjoying the Kincaid Brides, I eagerly signed up to review Mary Connealy's first book in the Trouble in Texas series from Litfuse Publicity Group and Bethany House in exchange for my honest review.

Luke Stone fought during the Civil War and now four years later he is returning to claim his family's ranch, S Bar S, but there is a slight problem ahead of him as his father had sold the ranch years ago to Flint Greer, or so he claims to. Greer's story has many holes in it as Luke has the deed to the ranch. He starts to wonder if Greer had anything to do with his father's death.

Ruthy MacNeil is traveling with her family to California by wagon and she isn't looking forward to it as she is informed that she'll be forced to marry her step-brother, Vernon. The family is already working her to death and being married to Vernon will probably kill her, so the only out is for her to leave. While she tries to make her escape, she is swept away at a river crossing, but out of nowhere, Luke rescues her.

Review - Grave Consequences

Grave Consequences
The Grand Tour Series
By Lisa T. Bergren
Publisher: David Cook
Pub. Date: March 1. 2013
ISBN: 978-1434764324
ASIN: B00B4KPN8E
Pages: 448
Buy Link: http://ow.ly/i8ZWs
Blog Tour: http://litfusegroup.com/author/lbegren

Review:

A majority of the romance sequels I read are about a different character in the same town as the first book or has a similar plot. I was happy to learn that the sequel to 2012's Glamorous Illusions titled Grave Consequences features the return of Cora Kensington as she continues the Grand Tour with her newfound siblings. Their father, Mr. Kensington, eventually joins them as he fear there may be danger ahead of them.

Cora's romance with the tour guide, Will, has several obstacles ahead of them as her father doesn't want her to be involved with someone that is from a poorer class. He demands that she will date and marry a man of his choosing, presumably someone who is rich. She wants to make her own decisions on whom she is suppose to love, but her father’s health is failing and she doesn’t want to disappoint him.

Will is the love of her life, but he get himself kidnapped, jeopardizing his future with Cora.

Review - Secretly Smitten

Secretly Smitten
By Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Huntand Denis Hunter
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Pub. Date: January 8, 2013
ISBN: 978-1401687137
ASIN: B00AA0TLF0
Pages: 400
Buy Link: http://ow.ly/gM679    
Blog Tour: http://litfusegroup.com/author/Smitten

Review:

In this sequel to last year's Smitten, authors Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt, and Denise Hunter gives us four romantic and sometimes mysterious tales set in the fictional town of Smitten, Vermont. The plots centers on the three Thomas’s sisters, Tess, Clare, and Zoe, along with their mother, Anna, and their grandmother, Rose.

Love Between the Lines is the first story and is written by one of my favorite authors, Colleen Coble, who once again adds a bit of mystery to her story. While Tess was in her grandmother's attic, she stumbles upon a pair of dog tags belonging to David Hutchins. Who was this man? Well, she quickly learns that he was her grandmother's first love, but he died during the war. If he died during the war, then how did his dog tags get into the attic? As Tess investigates the mystery, she may accidentally find love.

Zoe Thomas is opening a matchmaking business in Make Me a Match by Kristin Billerbeck. Cupid’s Matchmaking Services is put on hold when the new city manager, William, begins tossing codes and regulations at her. As Zoe struggles to start her business, the real cupid may have other plans for her.

Review - An Angel by Her Side

An Angel by Her Side
By Ruth Reid
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
ISBN: 978-1595547903
ASIN: B008GVYY8Y
Pub. Date: January 1, 2013
Pages:368

Review: 

The third novel in A Heaven on Earth series centers on an Amish woman Katie Bender who lost hope of getting married when her fiancé died in a sudden accident. Through the grieving process she found that she loved teaching and has spent the last few years teaching the kids at a local schoolhouse, which is until her Amish community of Hope Falls is hit with a tornado. Out of nowhere, Seth Sutzman, rushes to save Katie and her students before the storm hit.

Seth had recently returned to Hope Falls to aid his brother, Amos, who had recently lost his wife. When he didn't expect was to fall in love with the schoolteacher Katie Bender. He volunteers to help rebuild the community and of course the schoolhouse.

Katie is instantly attracted to him, but she fears of letting anyone near her heart again. Mysteriously, the angel Elias comes down from heaven in a mission to help guide Katie and Amos.

Review - Not Quite Dating

Not Quite Dating
By Catherine Bybee
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Pub. Date: November 13, 2012
ISBN: 978-1612187143
ASIN: B008J2IS0K
Pages: 258

Review: 

Typically, I like my romance reads to be either historical or paranormal, but after I saw that the story was set at Christmastime, I thought I would give it a chance, so I signed up to review Not Quite Dating courtesy of Bewitching Book Tours and Montlake Romance in exchange for my honest review.

Jessie Mann grew up not having much. She works the midnight shift as a waitress, struggling to make a living as she is caring for her son and her younger sister. Her family is the most important thing in her life and she has no time to dwell on a man. That is until Jack Morrison steps into the diner and into her life.

Jack is more than financially stable as he is the heir to the Morrison luxury hotel empire. You would think someone with his money, charms, and good looks would find it easy to find a woman, but he is tired of women wanting him just for his money. Late one night, along with his buddies, Jack goes into the diner and runs into Jessie, whom he is instantly attracted to. Now all that Jessie sees is another Texas with big dreams and she is instantly not attracted to him.

Despite being slightly rejected, Jack befriends Jessie and her family, but he doesn't tell her that his is wealthy. To find out, Jessie really does want to find love, but all the men she meets are never her type. Jack takes it upon himself to help Jessie with her money woes and he eventually plays matchmaker in the hope of finding her the perfect man. But the more time he spends with her, the more he loves everything about her.

Review - A Home in Drayton Valley

A Home in Drayton Valley
By Kim Vogel Sawyer
Publisher: Bethany House
Pub. Date: October 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0764207884
ASIN: B008B9HLV8
Pages: 352

Review:

I have the majority of Kim Vogel Sawyer's novels, so naturally I was eager to sign up to review her newest book courtesy of Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review. I'm also a fan of historical novels, so I adored the beautiful cover with the young woman sitting in the grass with the steamboat floating down the river in the background.

Twelve years ago, Tarsie Raines arrived in New York from overseas to start a better life. It is now 1880; the only family she has is her best friend Mary Brubacher and her children. And then there is Mary's good for nothing husband Joss, an alcoholic and gambler. Mary's health is failing and Tarsie helps take care of her and the kids, when she isn't too busy dreaming of moving to Drayton Valley that she read about in James Redpath's Handbook of Kansas.

Joss's gambling debts leads to trouble for them; therefore they must flee the city, along with Tarsie. They travel by wagon, heading to the state of Kansas. Mary's health turns for the worst. Before Mary dies, Tarsie promises to care for her children and help Joss find faith in the Lord.

Review - Whispers in the Wind

Whispers in the Wind
Wild West Wind book 2
By Lauraine Snelling
Publisher: Bethany House
Pub. Date: August 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0764204166
ASIN: B0073UPPAK
Pages: 352

Review:

Cassie Lockwood returns in book two of the Wild West Wind series from author Lauraine Snelling. Cassie had traveled in the Wild West show that her father co-owned. With her shooting and riding skills, she became a major attraction for the show. After her father died, ticket sales declined and the show was cancelled. Before the bank investors could repossess her wagon and horse, she discovered a land deed belonging to her father. It seems he owned some land in North Dakota. Cassie packs her belongings and heads to the land of her father's dreams.

Whispers in the Wind continues Cassie's journey to North Dakota, where she finally arrives at the hidden valley, only to discover that someone else has already built a ranch on the land. The family includes Mavis Engstrom and her three children, who may now lose their home because Cassie is the rightful land owner.
Cassie learns a startling discovery that Mavis’s husband had co-owned the land with her father. Now she must try and share the land with these strangers.

Mavis's oldest son, Ransom, doesn't trust Cassie. Her daughter, Gretchen, is more accepting of Cassie as she has always wanted an older sister. The youngest son, Lucas, more than accepts Cassie, as he has fallen madly in love with her.

ARC Review - Crossing on the Paris

Crossing on the Paris
By Dana Gynther
Publisher: Gallery Books
Pub.Date: November 13, 2012
ISBN: 978-1451678239
ASIN: B007EDOL9M
Pages: 314

Review: 

I received an advanced copy of Crossing on the Paris a few months ago courtesy of Gallery Books in exchange for an honest review. Normally I don't read many books that are set during the early twentieth century, but I was intrigued by the cover art and thought that I would at least give it a try.

In the debut novel from author Dana Gynther, set sail aboard the ocean liner the Paris on its maiden voyage from Le Havre, France to New York during the year 1921. The plot centers around three women from different backgrounds.

Julie Vernet has suffered many losses during her lifetime. She lost her brothers during WWI and is still grieving. She is spent all of her life in poverty in France and when she got a chance to work in the steerage class (3rd class) as a maid, she eagerly took it. Her expectations for the life aboard a liner were high, but she was in for a shock as to how the 3rd class lived. Just when she is at her lowest, she begins a romance with a handsome engineer.

Two Lost Souls Find Each Other on Christmas Eve

A Wreath of Snow
By Liz Curtis Higgs
Publisher:WaterBrook Press
Pub. Date: October 2, 2012
ISBN: 978-1400072170
ASIN: B007SYQ4K6
Pages: 215

Review: 

Several years ago, I read Thorn in My Heart by Liz Curtis Higgs, mainly because it was set in Scotland where my ancestors are from. When I saw A Wreath of Snow was up for review on Blogging for Books from WaterBrook Press, I eagerly signed it to review it in exchange for an honest review. With Christmas approaching, I was definitely in the mood for a good Christmas story.

Set in 1894, twenty-six-year-old Margaret Campbell (or as everyone calls her, Meg) dreaded going back home to Stirling, Scotland to visit her family for the holidays. Nearly twelve years ago, her younger brother, Alan, was injured in a curling accident, crippling him for life. Over the years, her parents waited on him hand and foot, giving him anything he wanted. Alan has grown to be a bitter person with a short temper, one that Meg would like to avoid.

Meg has a good life as a school teacher in Edinburgh and she resides in her late aunt's house, which she inherited. She is more than eager to return to her home on Christmas Eve, but Mother Nature may have other plans for her as the falling snow is delaying her train ride home. Her fate collides with a handsome newspaperman from Glasgow named Gordon Shaw.

Review - Dark Light of Day

Dark Light of Day 
Noon Onyx Book #1 
By Jill Archer 
Genre: Urban Fantasy 
Publisher: Ace 
ISBN: 978-0-425-25715-9 
Number of pages: 384 
Word Count: 123,000 
Buy Links: Barnes & Noble, Amazon 

Book Description: 

Armageddon is over. The demons won. And yet somehow…the world has continued. Survivors worship patron demons under a draconian system of tributes and rules. These laws keep the demons from warring among themselves, the world from slipping back into chaos.

Noon Onyx grew up on the banks of the river Lethe, daughter of a prominent politician, and a descendant of Lucifer’s warlords. Noon has a secret—she was born with waning magic, the dark, destructive, fiery power that is used to control demons and maintain the delicate peace among them. But a woman with waning magic is unheard of and some will consider her an abomination.

Noon is summoned to attend St. Lucifer’s, a school of demon law. She must decide whether to declare her powers there…or attempt to continue hiding them, knowing the price for doing so may be death. And once she meets the forbiddingly powerful Ari Carmine—who suspects Noon is harboring magic as deadly as his own—Noon realizes there may be more at stake than just her life.

Review:

In book one of the new exciting Noon Onyx series, a battle between good and evil had occurred on Earth over two-thousand years ago, leaving Lucifer and his demon followers in victory. Now, the demons rule over the humans as either rules or tributes.

Review - A Merry Little Christmas

A Merry Little Christmas
By Anita Higman
Publisher: Summerside Press
ISBN: 978-1609366889
ASIN: B009CCG1F0
Pub Date: October 1, 2012
Pages: 256
Buy Link: http://ow.ly/eyLJH
Blog Tour: http://litfusegroup.com/author/AHigman

Review: 

Franny Martin has been taking care of her family's two-hundred-and-fifty acres Oklahoma farmland ever since her parents died during a thunderstorm fifteen years ago. She is now thirty-three, single, having financial trouble, and facing the fact that she will once again spend the holidays by herself. That is until a handsome stranger, Charlie Landau shows up at her doorstep.

Charlie is from the big city, single and is just looking for something more meaningful in his life, in which he wants to buy Franny's farm even though he knows nothing about farming. He has always been a disappointment to his father and he is hoping that he can be successful at farming so his father can finally be proud of him.

Franny is more than eager to sell the farm as she had put it on the market twelve years ago! Before her parents' untimely deaths, she had dreamed of moving to the big city to follow her passion for music. Now, maybe her dreams can finally come true, but before that can happen, she decides to stay at the farm to help Charlie learn the farm life ways. Despite their different backgrounds and differences, there is a deep connection between the two.

Review: Broken Build

Broken Build
By Rachelle Ayala
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN: 978-1480010512
ASIN: B0099MLND8
Pub. Date: October 5, 2012
Pages: 330

Review: 

From the author of Michal's Window comes a new suspenseful thriller titled Broken Build, set in the high-tech world with backstabbing and deception around every corner. The author, Rachelle Ayala, had sent me a free copy to review after I had previously reviewed her biblical romantic tale, Michal's Window. Honestly, I had no idea what to expect since this book is set in modern times.

The main character, or should I saw heroine, is Jennifer Cruz, a woman with a rocky criminal past, who has now gone to great manners (plastic surgery, etc) to disguise herself into a new identity, Jen Jones. She takes a job as a computer techno whiz for David Jewell, a software CEO, a man she deeply hurt six years ago in her past life. Of course he doesn't recognize her now. As she spends time with David, their old romantic feelings start to resurface, but she can never erase her past.

Review - The Memory Jar

The Memory Jar
By Tricia Goyer
Publisher: Zondervan
ISBN: 978-0310335108
Pub. Date: October 23, 2012
Pages: 352
Buy Link: http://ow.ly/esMtx
Blog Tour Link: http://litfusegroup.com/author/TGoyer

Review:

Two years ago, Sarah Shelter watched her English best friend, Patty, drown in a nearby lake. She has been haunted by her friend's death ever since that dreadful day and has withdrawn herself from her family and friends that live in the mountain town of West Kootenai, Montana.

Every spring, many single young Amish men from other communities stay in Kootenai for six months for the hunting season that fall. Jathan Schrock arrives to town looking to earn some money to send back home to his folks. He is also there to enjoy some hunting and reflect on what the future may hold for him.

While Sarah Shelter isn't baking goodies for the hunters, she is storing her most precious memories in mason jars or what she calls 'memory jars'. Everyone she knows is either married or about to get married. She believes that the older she gets, the less chance that she will have in finding a husband that is until she meets the handsome Jathan!

Review - The Witch's Dream

The Witch’s Dream 
The Order of the Black Swan #2 
By Victoria Danann 
Genre: Paranormal Romance / Paranormal Adult Fantasy / Urban Fantasy 
Publisher: 7th House 
Date of Publication: October 14, 2012 
ISBN: 978-1-933320-56-4 
ASIN: B009LXOKQW
Pages: 260 (5×7 book) 
Word Count: 97,000 
Purchase Links: Amazon  Smashwords 

Book Description: 

He was left behind when Elora Laiken made her choice. Now he’s had it with love, but a transplanted witch who happens to be the world’s best tracker hopes she can change his mind.

The Witch’s Dream begins with B Team on loan for temporary assignment to Black Swan headquarters in Edinburgh where they are supposed to fill in for stretched-thin resources and assist with a werewolf issue. They’ve been given permission to stop in Ireland for a few days and help Ram and Elora celebrate their handfasting at the palace in Derry.

When they reach Edinburgh, the afterglow of an elftale wedding quickly turns all business. A simple werewolf sanction becomes a diplomatic issue requiring the one thing Elora doesn’t have – finesse. A missing person report turns into a demon abduction. From New York to Ireland to Edinburgh to Siena to the Texas Hill Country to Napa Valley. From promises to rages to hunts to epiphanies.

This is a story that proves that love can find you when you’re least expecting it – even when you’re far, far from home.

Review:

Sometimes sequels can be a bit of a disappointment, but Victoria Danann has written an intriguing sequel that surpasses My Familiar Stranger. In this sequel, Elora Laiken is planning on marrying the elf Rammel Hawking (who are both part of The Order of the Black Swan) in Ireland. She may think that life is going to be easy for them, but situations occur, the paranormal kind, that changes her plans as it seems that werewolves are howling about.

The B Team (I guess the A-Team are busy. lol!) are assigned to eliminate the problem, but it isn't as easy as they hoped it would be. Poor Storm is still pining over losing Elora to Rammel for the first half of the book, but then he meets a lovely witch named Lithia. Here's a shocker, Lithia's father just happens to be an incubus!

Review - Smitten Image

Smitten Image
By Pam B. Morris
Publisher: Crimson Romance
ASIN: B008DVLINQ
Pub. Date: July23, 2012
Pages: 233
Buy Links: Amazon, B&N, iTunes


Review: 

Set in the year 2039, Lily Barnett is a skillful (but ditzy) painter when she is not searching for her keys or whatever she has misplaced. She fears that she'll never find true love in the great city of New Chicago. Lily desperately wants to find love. She day dreams about the man in her painting jumping off the canvas and sweeping her off her feet.

One day she stumbled into a magic shop looking for something to cure her aching heart. She sets her eyes on a love potion and eagerly guzzles it down without even learning about the side effects.

Lily's neighbor and best-friend, Daniel Harris - who is also the building manager, desperately falls for her quirkiness. He has been in love with her for years, but has never told her because he is hiding a dark magical secret of his own.

Review - His Love Endures Forever

His Love Endures Forever
By Beth Wisemen
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
ISBN: 978-1595548887
Pub. Date: October 2, 2012
Pages: 336

Review:

In the third book of the A Land of Canaan series, Danielle Kent is your typical teenager in love with her boyfriend, Matthew Lapp, who happens to be of the Amish faith. Her future plans are put on hold the moment she found out that she was carrying Matthew's child.

It seems that Matthew has plans of his own. He wants to leave his Amish traditions and live in the modern world. Danielle tells him that she is carrying their child, but Matthew doesn't want a child or a wife. In fact, he never really loved her at all.

Heartbroken and scared to death, Danielle has no idea what to do, until her childhood friend Levi, who is Amish, offers to marry her and raise the baby as his own.