All of You by Sarah Monzon

All of You is book 2 in the Carrington Family series. Like the first book it involves a dual timeline which are 1944 and the present. The heroine in the modern timeline is Jack aka Jackie but don't call her Jacqueline. The heroine in the 1944 timeline is Alice. Both of these women are involved in jobs that are typically held by men. Jack is a restorer of vintage airplanes and Alice flies airplanes.

We met Trent Carrington in the first book and in this book we meet his brother Michael. Michael was in the military and recovering from a loss of two of his limbs. Jack has a problem with a former boyfriend stalking her so her brother who was in the military with Michael ask Michael to watch over her. This says a lot about Michael's character that even though he is disabled Jack's brother thinks he is fully capable of watching over Jack.

I liked both storylines but the modern one is the storyline that stood out for me. I loved the development of the romance between Michael and Jack. Jack accepts and loves him as he is but Michael feels he is not good enough because he doesn't have all his limbs. This is the way our Lord sees us. Of course we are not perfect. None of us are whole but he loves us just the same. We need to accept the love that he is willing to give to us freely

I was pleased with the ending. You will not regret reading this book. I look forward to future books in the Carrington Family series.

My Daughter's Legacy by Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould

This is the third and final book in the Cousins of the Dove series. Like the previous books in the series this one involves a dual timeline. There is Nicole Talbot who lives in the modern timeline. Nicole was the one who was suffering from drug addiction mainly as a result of what she witnessed as a child. Her sister and cousins were witnesses to the same thing but it affected her more deeply. She started her recovery in the second book and in this book she is on solid ground and trying to make something of her life. 

The historical timeline involves Therese Jennings in Virginia in 1864, in the American Civil War period. Therese is very passionate against slavery and thinks Michael Talbot betrayed her just because he joined the South in fighting the war. This story bothered me a little because slavery was not really the main thing why the South was fighting. It was for states rights and many other things. Slavery although an evil thing to do was only one of the reasons.

There was a little romance in this book but not a lot. The historical portion was more focused on events in Therese's life. She is involved with two Talbot men so you don't know until the end who she winds up with. Nicole also had a romance in the modern timeline but that was not all that developed although I was pleased with the end.

The mystery was finally solved in the modern timeline with some twists and turns.

Thanks to Harvest House Publishers for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book.

The Backyard Homestead Seasonal Planner: What to Do When to Do It in the Garden, Orchard, Barn, Pasture Equipment Shed by Ann Larkin Hansen

Book is ideal for the small time farmer or if you are wanting to get into homesteading. Ann Larkin Hansen has written a series of excellent  books dedicated to the backyard homesteader. Lots of useful tips. This one deals with planning according to the seasons.

To Wager Her Heart by Tamera Alexander

To Wager Her Heart is third in the Belle Meade Plantation series. With most series I like to read them in the order they were released but it is not necessary with this series. Each book can be read as a stand-alone novel. There is nothing in the book that would spoil it in case you wanted to read the earlier books in the series.

This book takes place in 1871. The Civil War has long ended but the scars remain. The heroine of the story Alexandra Jamison has suffered a great loss when her betrothed died in a train wreck at Dutchman's Bend where over 100 people lost their lives. The tragic train wreck that killed 101 people and injured many more actually occurred in 1918, some 47 years after the fictionalized account in this story. The heroine of the story acquires a position teaching at Fisk University against the wishes of her overbearing father. Her father was trying to force her into a loveless marriage and her mother went along with it. As a native Nashvillian I knew very little about the history of Fisk University and the Jubilee singers so I enjoyed reading about them in this story. The hero of the story was Sylas Rutledge. He was a wealthy railroad man who came to Tennessee to clear his father's name. His father may or may not have been responsible for the tragic train wreck. He meets Alexandra and slowly develops a friendship with her.

Being from the Nashville area I have enjoyed both Tamera's Belle Meade Plantation series and her Belmont series. I have always enjoyed historical novels and look forward to reading historical novels she writes in future.

Thanks to Netgalley and Zondervan for providing me a digital copy of this book to read and review. To Wager Her Heart will be released on August 8, 2017.

Statistically Improbable by Jennifer Peel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I liked this book even more than the first one in the series. All the characters from the first book are back. Like the first book in the series this one had me laughing. I loved Zander and Meg together. It took him long enough to get over some of his hangups. Zander was so a womanizer. Only sweet Meg could make him change his ways. His family background was a little sad. We met his less than conventional booze drinking mama in the first book who saw no need of wearing foundation garments for her well endowed figure. She's back and she still does not care to wear a bra. Zander loved his parents but was a little embarrassed by their behavior.

Loved seeing the Nanettes again. They kept me laughing. And I absolutely loved Kenadie's mother who was like a second mother to Meg. I hope we see her and her friends again in the next book in the series. Read this book. You won't regret it.


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His Personal Relationship Manager by Jennifer Peel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a delightful romance. It had me laughing all through the book. Her co-worker and best friend since Xander had me laughing at some of his inappropriate comments and also the Nannettes, her mother and her mother's two best friends.

I have read several of Jennifer Peel's book and I have noticed that the male character usually has a moment when you just want to slap him because he is a jerk. These moments do not last long and you grow to love the character because of his devotion to the female in the story. Not so with this story. Jason was a sweetheart of a guy from the get-go. Everyone could tell he was sweet on Kenadie. Even her mother and the Nanettes noticed but she was oblivious to it all.

I highly recommend this entertaining story if you want something to read that will make you smile and laugh out loud.


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When the Bishop Needs an Alibi by Vannetta Chapman

When the Bishop Needs an Alibi is a cozy mystery. I enjoyed revisiting with the people we met in the first back. I loved the Bishop. He not only cared and loved the people in his flock but showed concerned and sympathy for those outside the Amish faith. Like in the previous book he uses his skills at drawing from his subconscious mind to solved a mystery. This mystery involves a woman he befriended and was murdered and he is the main suspect. All his family and friends and even some of his non Amish friends know he is innocent but how does he prove it? This book kept me turning the pages to see who did it. If you are looking for a book heavy on romance this book is not it. There is a developing friendship with an Amish widow woman close to his age that is turning into a sweet romance but no public display of affection in this book.

This book kept me engaged and I look forward to the next in the series which will be released in the Spring of 2018. Thanks to netgalley and Harvest House publishers for providing me a digital book to read and review. When the Bishop Needs an Alibi is due to be released on September 1, 2017.

Always by Jenn Faulk
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Always by Jenn Faulk is a little different than most of her writings. The romance is still there but this novel is a little darker and deals with subjects you don't find often in Christian romance novels. This would be a good novel for the girl in her late teens to read before heading off to college. Maybe she can afford some of the heartache that the heroine went through.


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Crushed by Jenn Faulk
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sweet romance. I just love Jenn Faulk books and I just had to read the last one on one of the Lucas brothers. I've read them all now and all were good. I can't say which one is my favorite. This one had some humor thrown in.

Hayley had low self esteem. She always felt like she was ugly and fat and it didn't help that her so called current best "friend" Amber reinforced those negative feelings. I would have dumped Amber as a friend a long time ago had I been Hayley. Who needs that kind of negativity in your life? Issac Lucas was so sweet. He always saw the beauty in her inside and outside. He lifted her up where her so called friend tried to tear her down. So happy that Hayley had her happily ever after ending with Issac.


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Christmas at Carnton by Tamera Alexander

Christmas at Carnton is a prequel to Tamera Alexander's Carnton series which will start being released in 2018. I love her series of historical books set in middle Tennessee which is where I was born and raised. I've been to several historical sites in Tennessee but Carnton is not one of them. After reading this prequel I have decided this is one of the sites I would like to visit.

In this book Aleta is a fresh widow with a young son and a baby on the way. You feel her heartbreak as she is about to lose her home. You really do feel the heartbreak when other women in the story get the heartbreaking news that their husbands perished in this terrible war. I loved the character of Jake. Only thing that bothered me in this book was that the romance was a little too soon after getting the news that her husband was killed. 

I am grateful that the author stuck to the historical facts and did not try to be politically correct as some authors try to do these days when writing books. 

I'm looking forward to reading more books in this series. Christmas at Carnton will be released on October 3, 2017. Thanks to Netgalley and the Thomas Nelson Company for providing me a digital copy of this book to read and review

Love Held Captive by Shelley Shepard Gray

Love Held Captive is the third the Lone Star Hero's Love Story series. This one is a little more intense than the other three and deals with topics not frequently addressed by Christian romance writers. Because of the issues addressed this might not be a good read for the younger reader. It deals with such heavy subjects like abuse, hunger during wartime, rape, and women doing degrading stuff just to be able to keep from starving. The author was able to write this novel and at the same time kept it clean.

This book actually covered two love stories and one book but the author was able to pull it off smoothly without the reader getting confused. This story focused on the last two brotherhood of men, Ethan Kelly and Devin Monroe. Ethan was interested in Lizbeth, a woman scarred during the war and Devin was interested in Julianne VanFleet, a beautiful woman with a checkered past.
Ethan and Devin must call on the rest of the brotherhood of men to help take down a man who means harm to the women they love.

Thanks to Netgalley and Zondervan Fiction for providing me a digital copy of this book to read and review. Love Held Captive will be released on October 1, 2017.

His Guilt by Shelley Shepard Gray
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

His Guilt which was book 2 in The Amish of Hart County was even better than the first book. Even though it is part of a series it can very easily be read as a stand alone book. I loved the characters of Mark and Vaneta and how they grew in this series. And I loved all the secondary characters in this book such as Henry, Vanetta and Mark's boss who gave Mark a job when nobody else in that community still looked at Mark with distrust. Love the loving support of Vaneta's parents. At first like others in the community they looked at Mark with distrust but decided to trust him after listening to a sermon by their preacher.

There is a mystery backstory. Women are being attacked in the community and all eyes point to Mark. Vaneta and Henry believe in his innocence but does anybody else? There was a possibility of two different people who could have been the attacker and I was happy at the one it turned out to be. I'm looking forward to reading more books in this series.


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