FREE ebook!!! Untethered by Marcia Lynn McClure

FREE on Amazon today!! I really enjoyed this western clean romance by the "Queen of Kissing" author, Marcia Lynn McClure. Get it before the price goes up!!

Book Review: A Change of Fortune (Ladies of Distinction Book #1) by Jen Turano

****--4 Stars.
Publication Date: November 1, 2012
Length: 320 pages
 Amazon Blurb: Rollicking Debut from an Exciting New Author Lady Eliza Sumner is on a mission. Her fortune was the last thing she had left after losing her father, her fiance, and her faith. Now, masquerading as Miss Eliza Sumner governess-at-large, she's determined to find the man who ran off with her fortune, reclaim the money, and head straight back to London. Mr. Hamilton Beckett, much to his chagrin, is the catch of the season, and all the eyes of New York society--all the female ones, at least--are on him. He has no plans to marry again, especially since his hands are full keeping his business afloat while raising his two children alone. Eliza's hapless attempts to regain her fortune unexpectedly put her right in Hamilton's path. The discovery of a common nemesis causes them to join forces and, before she knows it, Eliza has a whole retinue of people helping her. Eliza's determination not to trust anyone weakens when everyone's antics and bumbling efforts to assist her make her wonder if there might be more important things than her fortune and independence. When all of Hamilton's and Eliza's best-laid plans fall by the wayside, it will take a riot of complications for them to realize that God just might have had a better plan in mind all along.

My Review: What a witty story!! I liked how the characters found themselves in the craziest scrapes that kept me laughing.

Eliza is new to New York, as a governess. She is really a lady of society from England, but is searching for the couple who stole her fortune, therefore, she is in disguise as the governess. Two brothers get mixed up in the mess and it's a recipe for even more mixups and confusion.

I thought Eliza was quite brave to be traipsing all over a strange country in order to complete her mission. I like the easy relationship the two brothers share both with one another, and with the women. Hamilton's kids were great too--Biting Ben and Precocious Piper.

There were some mild Christian themes, but it never came off across as too preachy, in my opinion.

Content: clean.

To buy this book, click here.

Book Review: A Secret Fire by Deborah McBride Hathaway

****--4 Stars
Publication Date: May 2, 2012

Amazon Description: Emma Marchant leads an uneventful life, but when cowboy Thatcher Deakon walks into the Marchant Inn that she runs with her family, she fears she may never be the same. Can Emma gain confidence in herself and realize that she has the right to be in love? Only Thatcher can help her overcome her insecurities, but he has his own fears to surmount. This heartwarming, clean romance novel reveals that when the love between two people is real, it can exceed all obstacles.

Excerpt:

The door to the Marchant Inn swung open behind them, causing the bell to ring above it, and Emma turned around to welcome their unexpected guest. A broad-shouldered figure appeared in the doorway and stole her attention entirely. His spurs clanged against the wooden floor as he walked into the room, and Emma couldn’t help but notice his long, thick legs matching his barreled chest. The thin white shirt he wore clung to his biceps that bulged with each movement he made, and his shoulders stretched the fabric to what looked like ripping point.

The handsome man’s deep brown eyes met with Emma’s light blue as she looked back at him, her heart flipping. The solid square jaw that framed his face was shadowed with scruff, having no doubt grown during one afternoon, and his mouth, though not in as friendly a grin as the first man’s, was turned up in a slight smile.

Never had she seen a man more attractive.

 

My Review: It's been awhile since I've read a kindle book that I absolutely love!! I thought the dialogue was very real and flowed well; the interactions between characters was realistic as well. I felt like I could see inside the characters and understand them and what made them tick, yet I got a great story in the process.

I don't believe we're given a time period, but I believe it's probably 1800s western (telegraphs, horses, words used, etc). Emma's parents have passed away and she is living with her best friend and sister-in-law, Eliza, and her brother, Seth. They run an inn in town and when two handsome cowboy brothers show up looking for a room, Emma is thrown into a world of confusion and love.

Emma and Thatcher both have insecurities that threaten their relationship. It was nice to see even a manly man feel those kinds of feelings, instead of being all tough and almost feelingless. Emma had a lot going for her, yet she refused to see and believe that someone like Thatcher could possibly be interested in her. Sometimes those types of heroines are annoying, but Emma wasn't.

I loved it from beginning to end and look forward to more of this author's works.

Content: clean. This book is a great deal right now on Amazon--$2.99!! To buy, click here.

The Problem Child (Book 3 of the Sisters Grimm Series) by Michael Buckley

****--4 Stars
Publication Date: April 22, 2011 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

 From Amazon: In book three of the series, Sabrina and Daphne Grimm tackle their most important mystery: Who kidnapped their parents more than a year ago? Sabrina enters the hideout of the Scarlet Hand, the sinister group of Everafters who are keeping her parents prisoner. She has a chance to rescue her mom and dad but is foiled by the most famous fairy-tale character in the world. With the help of her little sister (who might be tougher than Sabrina realizes) and a long-lost relative, Sabrina finds a powerful weapon for fighting her enemies, and discovers that magic has a high price.

 

Series Order:

1--The Fairy Tale Detectives

2--The Unusual Suspects

3--The Problem Child

4--Once Upon A Crime

5--Magic and Other Misdemeanors

6--Tales From the Hood

7--The Everafter War

8--The Inside Story

9--The Council of Mirrors

My Review: I read this book aloud to my kids, since my son's teacher had read the first couple to their class and he liked that. They really enjoy this series and I think these books really cater to a child's imagination. I haven't read the first two books, but didn't feel too lost. The author mentions some of the back story in a few different places, but it was in a sentence or two and not recapping the whole entire series thus far.

Sabrina and her sister, Daphne, are on the search for their missing parents and have to fight off Red Riding Hood and her "kitty." They also discover an uncle--one they never knew they had--and his introduces them to a whole new world--magic. Magic is powerful and to try and not let it rule ones life if tougher than it seems.

I thought it was fun that these young girls were able to have so many adventures. Realistically, I doubt they would really be able to pull of the things they did, but I think it's great for kids to imagine that someone their own ages could have experiences like this. 

 

A fun series that we will keep reading.

 

Content: some fantasy-type violence.

 

To buy this book, click here

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FREE e-book!! Dusty Britches by Marcia Lynn McClure

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Book Review: Slammed by Colleen Hoover

Amazon blurb: Falling in love can feel like poetry. Or it can feel like a slam to the heart. Colleen Hoover’s romantic, emotion-packed debut novel unforgettably captures all the magic and confusion of first love, as two young people forge an unlikely bond before discovering that fate has other plans for them. Following the unexpected death of her father, eighteen-year-old Layken becomes the rock for both her mother and younger brother. She appears resilient and tenacious, but inside, she's losing hope. Then she meets her new neighbor Will, a handsome twenty-one-year-old whose mere presence leaves her flustered and whose passion for poetry slams thrills her. Not long after a heart-stopping first date during which each recognizes something profound and familiar in the other, they are slammed to the core when a shocking discovery brings their new relationship to a sudden halt. Daily interactions become impossibly painful as they struggle to find a balance between the feelings that pull them together and the forces that tear them apart. Only through the poetry they share are they able to speak the truth that is in their hearts and imagine a future where love is cause for celebration, not regret.
My Review: This is another one where I had to step back and separate my values from the actual content.

That said, this was a heart-wrenching story!! And I really enjoyed it. The characters were so real and raw and I felt like I was a part of the story.

Layken (Lake) is so mature at times and so much like the teen she is at others. The way she dealt with her mom was one of the teen moments and being a mom myself, I couldn't help but feel awful about that way she treated her mother.

I loved the instant connection that Will and Lake had with one another. Sometimes those sparks just fly and there's no rhyme or reason to it.

Will was quite a guy! Shouldering so much responsibility and trying to prioritize his life, all while raising his younger brother--that's a tough job to do and he did quite well at it.

I loved Eddie!! She has no qualms about anything. What a great best friend.

The poetry slams were great! What a fun way to express feelings and emotions.

Content: Technically, it's clean, but there's some talk of intimate acts, although there aren't really any details given; there's a near attack; there's quite a lot of language, but not the extremely offensive word (I could have done without it); kissing. Everyone has different tolerance levels and definitions of clean, so I hope these cautions help a reader decide if this book is for him/her.

So...if I take my personal beliefs out of the equation and base this solely on the actual story, I'd give it ****--4 stars.

To purchase, click here.