The Kissing Tree by Karen Witemeyer, Regina Jennings, Amanda Dykes, & Nicole Deese

The Kissing Tree is a four novellas written by four different authors but it centers around the same tree spread over a hundred years apart. Four stories of different women who carved their names into the tree. I couldn't really get into this book like I have in past collections of novellas. The first book starts in the 1800s and the last one ends with modern time. I would have to say that the last one is my favorite.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.




 

Until I Met You by Tari Faris

Second in the Restoring Heritage series Until I Met You is about two brothers at odds with each other. Austin is considered to loyal brother who never gave his parents any trouble and is trying to save the family business. Nat is currently a pastor but in his youth sowed his wild oats causing his parents a great deal of money to bail him out. Austin has always been resentful of Nat. Austin develops a love interest with Libby, a librarian new to the town but is related to Luke from the previous book. Olivia is in love with Nat but he doesn't seem to want the relationship to progress. He lets his past get in the way. I didn't care for Austin too much. I thought he was too harsh and unforgiving but toward the end I knew that this story was a retelling of the prodigal son. In the biblical story of the prodigal son the son who stayed home and did everything right was resentful of the son who squandered all his money but came home and immediately got forgiveness from the father. This is exactly what happened in this story. I highly recommend this book. Thanks to the Early Reader program at LIbraryThing for allowing me to read and review this book

The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus by Jaime Jo Wright

Like all of Jaime Jo Wright's book the latest one has a dual timeline. The first one starts in the 1920s and involves a serial killer. The heroine is Pippa Ripley and she wants answers to her past. She wants information on who her real parents were. The woman who raised her is okay but the man who raised her as his adopted daughter is very cold and harsh to her. The watchman may have clues to who she is but is he the killer? The second timeline is in the current time period and that character is Chandler Faulk. Chandler is a single mother raising her son. She doesn't even know who the father is but that doesn't really factor into the story. She is doing her best to raise her child as a employee doing historial preservation but what she uncovers may put her life in danger. It is linked to what happened 100 years previously. All the people from that time period are deceased so who could possibly want to do her harm? This novel does not really have romance in it. If you want a good mystery without a lot of romance this is the book for you. I think I was more involved with Chandler's storyline for reason I cannot state because it would give too much away.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Candy Cane Crime by Amanda Flower

Candy Cane Crime is book 5.5 in the Amish Candy Shop Mysteries. Most of the stories are told from the viewpoint of Bailey but this one is told from the viewpoint of her Amish cousin Charlotte. Charlotte is on the fence on whether or not she wants to join the church. I like it that her Bailey and Bailey's Amish grandmother Clare are very supportive of her. All the quirky characters from the previous books are included in this book. An appearance by Jethro the pig is always a hoot. Unlike the other books no bodies turn up but there is a mystery involving Charlotte. She is in charge of attaching the notes to the candy canes and a couple of the notes are addressed to her only as a secret admirer. She racks her brain as to who could it possibly be. In the end she does discover who it is and I'm looking forward to seeing what she does with the knowledge.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kensington Books. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Two Reasons to Run by Colleen Coble

Two Reasons to Run is the newest thriller by Colleen Coble and the second in the Pelican Harbor series. Each book in the series has its own mystery but each one has the same mystery that starts in the first book in the series and involves Jane Hardy's brief time when her family was part of a cult. If you have not read the first book in the series and wish to do so I would advise you stop reading this review now. There are things that happen in the first paragraph of this novel that would spoil the first book's story for you. I really do not think you would regret reading this first book in the series.

The book starts off with Jane in shock after learning that her newborn son did not die at the cult compound. He is alive and so is the father of her son who has raised him from a teenager. Jane is resentful that the father did not reveal who he was when he first came to town but Jane has to get over that resentment and distrust in order to save her son's life from a stalker. She will have to work together with the father of her son to keep her son alive. This book kept me in suspense and I can't wait until the third book Three Missing Days is released in 2021!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Truly, Madly, Deeply: A Novel by Karen Kingsbury

Truly, Madly, Deeply is another Baxter novel written by Karen Kingsbury. This is book 31 of the Baxter, yes 31 but you don't have to read the previous books to follow what is going on in this book. The good thing about reading this book is that you don't have to read all those books. She does a good job of summarizing who the characters are and how they relate to each other. There were five Baxter siblings and this one feature's Luke Baxter's son Tommy. If you want to read about Tommy's parents story it is included in the book Return (Redemption Series) published in 2009. Tommy is in his senior year of high school. All is well with him. He has found a gal he really likes. After visiting the 911 memorial with his family he decides he wants to be a law enforcement officer. This does not go well with his mother Reagan. As a mother I can understand her feelings. She fears for the safety of her son. I am happy that Karen Kingsbury tackled this subject. Law enforcement officers have not gotten very much respect lately. Because of the actions of one corrupt police officer people treat law enforcement officers with disdain. I liked it that the author portrayed them as heroes and as people that we need to respect.

The main part of the story dealt with Tommy's decision to become a law enforcement officer but the other part of the story dealt with someone close to him getting a health diagnosis that will affect their life. I loved how Tommy stood by this friend. I kept reading hoping for the best outcome possible. Don't want to say too much more. Not going to spoil it for you. I think this will be an enjoyable read.

In accordance with FTC guidelines, this ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Autumn Skies by Denise Hunter

Autumn Skies is book and probably the last in the Bluebell Inn Romance series. This series is about the Bennett siblings who try to keep an inn running smoothly after the tragic death of their parents. Grace was still in high school when we first met her. In this book she has graduated high school but opted not to attend a university. Instead she sets up her own business which is Blue Ridge Outfitters. The siblings have decided to sell the inn so Grace has to find a new location for her business which is fine for her. In the meantime Levi is getting married so we get to catch up on Levi and his bride which was fun. Her sister Molly is in charge of showing the inn to potential buyers we also get to catch up on Molly and her husband Adam.

Wyatt Jenning comes and stays at the inn and he and Grace become friends. Both have baggage from the past that they must deal with and overcome. I can't tell you much more or it will spoil the story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Piecing It All Together by Leslie Gould

Piecing It All Together is book 1 is the Plain Patterns series. The story centers around two different women in a family generations apart. Savannah Mask is living out west and all plans are set in place to be married. Her fiance suddenly calls off the wedding. Savannah decides to visit her Amish grandmother in Nappanee, Indiana. Savannah takes her grandmother to a quilting circle held at Jane Berger's shop. Jan Berger is a distant cousin of Savannah's and tells the story of their ancestor Emma Gingrich. Emma had a sad story in the beginning. I won't reveal what she went through. Don't want to spoil it for you but Emma had to be strong to endure what she went through. I admired Emma's character on how she dealt with people who were different from her. I like both Savannah and Emma. I am not sure whose story I liked better. Savannah reconnected with Tommy Miller who was a childhood friend. He was unjustly being accused in the disappearance of an Amish woman and she helped in the investigation to prove his innocence.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley and Bethany House. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Someone Like You by Karen Kingsbury

Someone Like You is yet another Baxter novel. I think I would have liked the story better had it not been a Baxter novel. Book managed to make me cry within the first quarter of the book. A character dies and you don't really get fully invested in the character but you feel the pain of the character's loved ones who have to say goodbye.

All and all it was an enjoyable book but a couple of things bothered me. Book featured Maddie West, daughter of Brooke Baxter West and granddaughter of the Baxter patriach John Baxter. Maddie finds out some news that her parents have kept from her all her life and she is not able to forgive them. I thought she kept unforgiveness in her heart way too long. Sure her parents should have told her but why keep bitterness in your heart that long. Another thing that bothered me was that she got engaged to Connor Flannigan and was so in LOVE with him and quickly fell out of love with him and another boy when she made a visit to Oregon.


I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Dead Silence by Robin Caroll

Dead Silence had me hooked from the first few pages when single mom Elise was able to read lips of men plotting to "take care" of the senator. Elise works in the court system as a sign language interpretor. She is good at her job since she son is totally deaf. She is distracted from telling what she witnessed to the police when she gets a call that her son has broken his arm and is in the hospital. Before she is able to tell what she knows the unthinkable happens to the senator. A series of events happens that put her and her son't life in danger. It doesn't help that the FBI is not helpful to her, one of them a female FBI agents that is always making snide remarks. I loved the dedication that Elise went through to protect her family. Loved that she had the support of her sister-in-law.
I read another reviewer who said she guess who the murderer was by the middle of the book. I did not guess and only knew when it was revealed to the reader.

Thanks to Barbour Publishing and Netgalley for providing me a digital copy of this book to read and review.

Unveiling the Past: A Novel by Kim Vogel Sawyer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Unveiling the Past is a sequel to Bringing Maggie Home. This book can be read as a standalone but I would suggest reading Bringing Maggie Home first. You get acquainted with the characters that appear in the first book on a more deeper level. There were three different storylines in this book. You have Hazel and her daughter Diane were in Las Vegas. Diane reconnects with Kevin the father of her child who had abandoned her some 30 plus years ago when she informed him she was pregnant. I didn't like Kevin at first. He was a jerk and he didn't improve with age either but as Hazel and Diane witnessed to him I grew to like him. God does that to people. He takes someone who is broken and fixes them. Then you have Meghan and Sean who work at a detective agency. Meghan is the daughter that Diane raised as a single mother. Meghan and Sean are involved in two separate cases and those cases are resolved by the end of the book. I don't know how the author managed to pull off three storylines in one book but she did it very well. I absolutely loved this book. I thought the first book in the series was my favorite by the author but this one may beat it out.


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At Love's Command by Karen Witemeyer

At Love's Command is first in the Hanger's Horsemen series. This one featured Josephine, a doctor and Matthew who is leader of the Hanger's Horsemen. I did not enjoy this book as much as I have previous books by this author. Part of the reason was I had a hard time connecting with Josephine. It did get suspenseful toward the middle of the book when Josephine's life was in danger by some evil men. I look forward to reading this rest of the series.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bethany House for providing me a digital copy of this book to read and review.

Standoff by Patricia Bradley

I am loving this new series by one of my favorite authors. The book starts out with someone being murdered and the murders don't stop with the first one. I had no idea who the murderer was and if one person was involved or more than one person involved. Loved the characters of Luke and Brooke. She handlled some shocking news very well. I am not sure I would have handled what she learned in the same way.  I look forward to keeping up with them in future books. There is a preview at the end of the book and the next book will feature Brooke's best friend Emma.

Thanks to LibraryThing and Revell Books  for providing me an ARC of this book to read and review.

Colors of Truth by Tamera Alexander

Colors of Truth is the second in the Carnton series. While the McGavock family were actually people some of the people in this story were fictional characters. I'm not sure if Catriona O'Toole is based loosely on a real person. I know that the heroine in the first in the series is based on a real person. The bloody Civil War has ended and the South is picking up the pieces.
Catriona O'Toole and her younger sister Nora have come from Ireland in search of Ryan, her twin brother. She hopes to find him in Franklin, Tennessee. Catriona and her sister have suffered great losses in Ireland and hope life will be better once they find Ryan. That Nora was a handful. She added some spark to the novel with her antics. When they arrive in town they are met with people who consider them dirty Irish.

John and Carrie McGavock along with their surviving two children live at Carnton house. I loved the history part of this story where the McGavocks decided to dedicate a section of their plantation to reinter the bodies of the fallen Confederates into a final resting place.

Wade Cunningham comes to Franklin. He has secrets that he is keeping. At first I really didn't like his personality but he grew on me.

One thing I did not like about this novel is that it made it sound like slavery was the only issue that the war was about. Slavery was only one part. One of the reasons the South went to war was over states rights.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Marshmallow Malice by Amanda Flower

Another fun cozy mystery by Amanda Flower. Again Bailey finds a dead body and again it is at the church but this time on the church steps. Aiden always wants her to keep out of police business but she just can't help herself. She and her best friend Cass who is visiting from New York City set out to find out who did it.

In this book Juliet, Aiden's mother finally marries the preacher.  Juliet always manages to crack me up with her pet pig that she treats like her baby. Nevermind that everyone in the town thinks she is crazy for giving a pig that much attention. She simply does not care.  Bailey is left to babysit Juliet's pig while she is on her honeymoon.

I had no idea who was responsible for the murder. It kept me guessing until the end.  I like it when a mystery author keeps me guessing. With some mysteries I am able to figure it out but not with this one.

Marshmallow Malice is due to be released on May 26. Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for allowing me to read an ARC of this book.

Botched Butterscotch by Amanda Flower.

Of all the cozy writer out there Amanda Flowers is one of my favorites. She has a knack for adding in humor in her books. Botched Butterscotch is in the Candy Shop Mystery series but it's a novella but that does not mean it is not enjoyable. Bailey doesn't find a body like she has in the previous books but some money raised for a charity goes missing and the person running the charity asks Bailey for her help. You see Bailey has gotten the reputation in the village for solving crimes and she does just fine solving the crime.

Botched Butterscotch is due to be released on May 1, 2020 by Kinsington Books.

Stay With Me by Becky Wade

Stay with Me is the first full length novel of A Misty Romance series. This books features Sam Turner and Genevieve Woodward. There was a prequel novel in which we meet Sam's best friend Eli but reading the prequel in not necessary to read Stay With Me. This book features three storylines. Genevieve was part of a group of church youth who survived a tragic event in South America. In this book there are short blips of each of the characters which I assume will be the basis for future books. Genevieve's older sister Natasha was also one of the miracle five. Genevieve is hiding a secret from her family, a secret that Sam quickly finds out when she accidentally crashes his guest house and takes a nap. Sam is not sure he can deal with her since it reminds him of something painful that happened to him in the past. You will quickly find out her secret that she is dealing with in the first few pages of reading this book. Genevieve's parents are also keeping a secret so Genevieve and her secret set out to find out what it is. This was my favorite part of the story since my favorite gene is suspense/mystery.

The reason I am not giving this novel five stars is because Genevieve annoyed me in much of the book. I just didn't like her personality but in the end I liked her better because she was able to be honest with everyone.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own. Thanks to Netgalley and Bethany House for providing me a copy. Watch for May 5 for publication of this novel.

Dead End by Nancy Mehl

When I saw this book was available on Netgalley I jumped at the chance to read it. Nancy Mehl's books always keeps me in suspense and this series has been exceptionally good. Kaley Quinn has a lot of baggage to deal with. Who wouldn't if you had a serial killer as a father. In the latest case a body is discovered in a shallow grave. The way she was murdered lines exactly with Ed Oliphant's method of operation. A few other bodies were discovered that were done by the same person but a few older that were definitely the work of Ed Oliphant. What they are dealing with is a copycat killer but how in the world did the newest killer learn about Ed Oliphant's methods. These were details that were not revealed in the press so he must be getting the scoop directly from Ed Oliphant who is in prison. Kaley and Noah go on a quest to find answers.

There are some reviewers who said they guess who the copycat killer was but I thought it was someone else and I was wrong. Sometimes I guess but this time I did not. In this book Kaley was able to achieve healing. Here friendship with Noah developed into something more but was not the main focus in this book. I look forward to any new series this author will write and I'm sure she has more in the works.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bethany Publishers for providing me an ebook of this book to read and review. Dead End is due to be released on March 31, 2020

Carolina Breeze by Denise Hunter

Carolina Breeze is the second in the Bluebell Inn series by Denise Hunter. The series follows three siblings who take over the family inn after their parents tragically died. They have their challenges running the inn mainly the lack of funds. Levi Bennett takes the burden of the finances not even telling his siblings the problems they are having with the finances. This causes him mental stress.
The female heroine is this story is Mia Emerson, an up and coming actress who comes to the inn as an escape from scandal. All of what happened is untrue but the media is quite ruthless in painting the scarlet letter on her. The week at Bluebell Inn was supposed to be her honeymoon but her finance broke off the engagement earlier.

I like both the characters of Levi and Mia. Levi was not quick to believe the lies about Mia. He went out of his way to protect and in the process fell in love with her. His only shortfall was taking the burden of the inn on himself. I loved Mia. She was a Hollywood star but she was down to earth and did not put on airs. No wonder Levi fell in love with her. She was a such a sweet loving person.

I highly recommend this book and look forward to the next book in the series which I presume will focus on the youngest Bennett sibling.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Carolina Breeze is due to be released on April 19, 2020.

Rock that Quilt Block

Rock that Quilt Block by Linda J. Hahn & Deborah G. Stanley is a wonderful collection of quilts building off one patter which is the Country Crown Block. I love to collect quilt books that catch my eye and this one does with the beautiful photographs of the quilts. Clear and concise instructions are very important in a quilt book and this one fits the bill.

Thanks to Netgalley and Fox Chapel Publishing for allowing me to review this book.  Expected publication date is April 7, 2020.

Keeping Guard by Christy Barritt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Loved this suspense book that keep me reading from page one. She thought she was getting a reprieve when she left her home to get temporary refuge with her brother's friend but it seems like the stalker has found her? I had no idea who the stalker was until the end.


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One Little Lie by Colleen Coble

I always find Colleen Coble books suspenseful and jump on the chance to read one of hers and this one fits the bill. It starts off with Button, a young girl in a cult giving birth to a baby boy. Almost immediately her baby is snatched from her arms and she is later told the baby died. The story jumps 15 years in a small town, Pelican Harbor which is in the Mobile, Alabama area.. Jane Hardy has been recently appointed as sheriff there. Almost immediately a gruesome torso is found on a boat, Another woman in the town is found shortly after that. Jane has her hands full trying to solve the murder. Reid Bechtol, a well-know journalist breezes into town with his son but Reid is harboring a secret. Does the secret have to do with the recent murders or does it have to do with the events that had happened 15 years prior? I figured out Reid's secret pretty early in the book but I had no idea who the murderer was. I never did figure out the mystery until the end. I had no clue. This murder was solved but the repercussions of Reid's secrets will continue in the next book which will be released in the summer of 2020. I can't wait to read this book! One Little Lie is to be released on March 3, 2020.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.