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Monday, December 30, 2019

My Top 20 Reads of 2019

After MUCH deliberation, I have somewhat painfully managed to create a list of my top 20 2019 reads. There are several more I DEARLY loved!! Here is my list, check out these fantastic titles as well as the titles in my other top 2019 reads blog posts for books you are sure to love!
1) Things Left Unsaid by Courtney Walsh
2) The Secrets Of Paper And Ink by Lindsay Harrel
3) Flights of Fancy by Jen Turano
4) At Home In Wishing Bridge by Ruth Logan Herne
5) Then There Was You by Kara Isaac
6) The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
7) My Heart Belongs In The Blue Ridge Mountains by Pepper Basham
8) Driftwood Bay by Irene Hannon
9) In The Shadow Of Croft Towers by Abigail Wilson
10) Whose Waves These Are by Amanda Dykes
11) Sweet On You by Becky Wade
12) Becoming Us by Robin Jones Gunn
13) Now And Then And Always by Melissa Tagg
14) More Than Words by Karen Witemeyer
15) A Lake House Holiday by Megan Squires
16) Marilla of Green Gables by Sarah McCoy
17) Mending Fences by Suzanne Woods Fisher
18) I'll Be Yours by Jenny B. Jones
19) A Pursuit of Home by Kristi Ann Hunter
20)Memory House by Rachel Hauck

My Favorite 2019 Reads: Cozy Mysteries and Love Inspired Suspense

Trying to pic my favorite reads of 2019 was NOT an easy process!! I will finish the year at reading just shy of 350 books and of those 350, 136 received a 5 star rating from me. I read a few different types of books regularly: Christian Fiction, Cozy Mysteries. Children's and Non Fiction are the bulk of what I read. With those genres in mind, I have compiled an overall favorite list(narrowed down to 20!), a top 5 cozy list, a top 5 Love Inspired Suspense List, a top 5 Non-Fiction and a top 6 Christmas list. Books will be in no particular order within their lists. This post shares my favorite Cozy Mysteries and Love Inspired Suspense reads.



Top 5 Cozies






Top 5 Love Inspired Suspense












My Favorite 2019 Reads Christmas & Non Fiction

Trying to pic my favorite reads of 2019 was NOT an easy process!! I will finish the year at reading just shy of 350 books and of those 350, 136 received a 5 star rating from me. I read a few different types of books regularly: Christian Fiction, Cozy Mysteries. Children's and Non Fiction are the bulk of what I read. With those genres in mind, I have compiled an overall favorite list(narrowed down to 20!), a top 5 cozy list, a top 5 Love Inspired Suspense List, a top 5 Non-Fiction and a top 6 Christmas list. Books will be in no particular order within their lists. I will be sharing my non fiction and Christmas favorites in this post.


My Top 5 Non Fiction Reads
























My Top 6 Christmas Reads








Saturday, December 28, 2019

Braver Stronger Smarter


As a parent, you can use certain strategies to help your elementary-aged daughter when she struggles with worry and anxiety. But it is also important that she learn how to work through her emotions on her own.

This illustrated guide--created for girls ages 6 to 11, the stage when anxiety issues often surface--will help your daughter see how brave, strong, and smart God made her. Through easy-to-read stories and writing and drawing prompts, she will learn practical ways to fight back when worries come up. She will feel empowered, knowing she is deeply loved by a God who is bigger than her fears. This level of trust is the spiritual antidote to anxiety and the path to feeling capable and confident in any situation.



My Rating: 5 Stars
This is an excellent book for young girls that have anxiety and worry issues. I liked how this book is laid out in a kind of a workbook style so that those reading it can write stuff down and really get even more out of the book. Sissy writes in an easy to understand style which makes a perfect compliment to the topic. My 6 year old daughter is already starting down the road of anxiety(due in part to some special needs)and you can bet, I will try this book with her when she is a bit older.

I received this book from the publisher and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

Friday, December 20, 2019

Christmas Stitches: A Historical Romance Collection: 3 Stories of Women Sewing Hope and Love Through the Holidays



3 Talented Seamstresses, 3 Christmas Romances
Return to Christmases of yesteryear with three seamstresses who use their talents to succeed in the late 1800s. But can love also be stitched into their lives?
 
A SEAMLESS LOVE by Judith Miller
1894 – Pullman, Illinois
Hannah Cushman possesses a special talent for embroidered fancywork and design which secures her a position in the Dressmaking and Millinery Shop in the Pullman Arcade near Chicago where she encounters childhood friend Daniel Price. Daniel is disappointed to learn Hannah is being courted by a detective with the Pinkerton Detective Agency. With two men vying for her attention, will Hannah seek God’s direction or ignore the warning signs He sets before her?
 
MENDING HEARTS by Stephanie Grace Whitson
1899 – Nebraska
Rachel Ellsworth expects her stay with two maiden aunts in a conservative Mennonite village to be temporary—until a letter breaks her heart. Raised Methodist and encouraged to pursue fashion, design, and watercolor painting, Rachel finds temporary solace in quilting and in helping care for two motherless children. But when she and the children’s widowed father begin to notice one another, Rachel must face the idea that giving her heart to Levi Herr will mean giving up the arty things that have always defined her.
 
PIN’S PROMISE by Nancy Moser
1900/1906 – Summerfield, England
Penelope (Pin) Billings and Jonathan Evers have loved each other since they were children, promising to one day get officially engaged. Both have distinct talents: Pin for sewing dresses and teaching others to sew and Jonathan—a doctor right out of school—in helping the people of the village. As adulthood nears and the time to fulfill their promise seems right, a tragic event pulls them apart, making both question their future. Will they discover they are stronger together than apart?

My Rating: 3 Stars
Cute collection of Christmas romances. I liked the sewing angle in each of the stories. A clean easy read perfect for a winter's night with a good cup of tea.

I received this book from NetGalley and wasn't required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Silent Days, Holy Night

The sounds of Christmases past echo through a silent house . . .  

Everyone in town knows Emerald Crest, the green granite mansion atop the highest hill: the legendary, lavish Christmas festivities that used to light up the nights— and the silence that followed when the parties abruptly stopped many years ago. And everyone has heard whispers about the reclusive, mysterious master of the manor, Henry Lafferty the Second . . . 

When eleven-year-old Julia Russell steps into the great house for the first time and meets Mr. Lafferty, the entire course of her life is altered. She meets a man who is nothing at all like the rumors she’s heard from neighbors and classmates. He’s kind and extraordinarily talented—he also happens to be deaf and uses a wheelchair. And when she overhears a secret about him, Julia decides it’s time for the town to bring Christmas back to Emerald Crest—an act that will change them all forever. 

My Rating: 5 Stars
This is a sweet adorable Christmas story! I loved the premise and the characters, especially H. The story simply made my heart smile.  A story that shows what is most important at Christmas. I would love to see another story featuring these characters. A pretty perfect Christmas read, and a gorgeous cover!

I received this book from NetGalley and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

Monday, December 9, 2019

Above The Fold


After losing the love of her life to a big city journalism job, Elissa Tillman pours herself into the suffragette movement and her secretarial work helping keep her father’s Pittsburgh newspaper afloat.

Cole Parker returns to the steel city with the phantom failures of his past nipping his heels. All he asks of the future is a second chance with the woman he once spurned.

The murder of a millionaire offers the perfect chance for Elissa to prove to her father and the world that she’s a serious journalist. But there’s a catch—she has to compete for the story. Against none other than Cole Parker, the very man who shattered her heart.


My Rating: 5 Stars
This is a stunning debut! Rachel has penned a solid story with great characters. Cole and Elissa were fantastic characters and the secondary characters add much to the story as well. The newspaper business and the mystery kept me entertained and invested to see how it would all play out in the end. I had a suspicion that proved to be correct but other elements that surprised me as all the pieces came together and everything was revealed. This story was fantastic and I can not wait for more from Rachel. I would love to see a story featuring Sterling, just saying...

I received this book from the author and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Echoes Among The Stones

After Aggie Dunkirk's career is unceremoniously ended by her own mistakes, she finds herself traveling to Wisconsin, where her grandmother, Mumsie, lives alone in her vintage, though very outdated, home. Aggie didn't plan for how eccentric Mumsie has become, obsessing over an old, unsolved crime scene--even going so far as to re-create it in a dollhouse.

Mystery seems to follow Aggie when she finds work as a secretary helping to restore the flooded historical part of the town's cemetery. Forced to work with a puzzling yet attractive archaeologist, she exhumes the past's secrets and unwittingly uncovers a crime that some will go to any length to keep hidden--even if that means silencing Aggie.

In 1946, Imogene Grayson works in a beauty salon but has her sights set on Hollywood. But coming home to discover her younger sister's body in the attic changes everything. Unfamiliar with the burgeoning world of forensic science and, as a woman, not particularly welcomed into the investigation, Imogene is nonetheless determined to stay involved. As her sister's case grows cold, Imogene vows to find justice . . . no matter the cost.


My Rating: 5 Stars
This book is spellbinding! Jaime Jo weaves stories unlike any I have ever read and they are impossible to put down. Echoes is probably my favorite of hers so far. The mystery in this one pulled me in from the very first page and kept me guessing throughout, just when I thought I had it figured out, the next scene would change everything. If you like dual time stories and a fantastic mystery, give this one a try! You won't be disappointed!!

I received this book from the author and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

The Piper's Pursuit

A plague of rats. Children going missing. A giant beast attacking just outside the walls of Hamlin. And one young woman determined to save her town.

Katerina’s stepfather, Hennek, is neither a good father nor a good husband, but he is the mayor of Hamlin. Could he somehow be causing the misfortunes that have befallen her beloved town? The evidence points to a beast of unusual size—a wolf, perhaps, or a large dog—killing people who venture too far from town. But does that explain the disappearance of so many children, many of whom seem to have gone missing from inside the town walls?

Steffan knows he must reconcile with his father, the Duke of Hagenheim, but he’s not sure he’s ready. In the meantime, he roams from town to town seeking adventure and reward. When he hears of a giant beast terrorizing the town of Hamlin and an equally giant reward that includes gold, money, and the mayor’s daughter in marriage, he heads to Hamlin. Steffan plans to kill the beast, rid the town of its rat infestation, and take the reward—everything except the girl in marriage. However, when he meets Katerina, he’s not so sure. Perhaps his plans need changing.

Katerina is hunting the Beast of Hamlin for herself, determined to win liberation from her conniving and controlling stepfather. When she finds one of the children who has been missing for many months, dirty and wandering around the woods, the mystery only seems to deepen. Katerina will have to team up with Steffan, the handsome but brash duke’s son who infuriates her—he’s the only one in town who isn’t controlled by the mayor. Danger dogs them from both man and beast. Can Katerina and Steffan stop the “Pied Piper” from stealing every last child from Hamlin? Or will their interference create an even worse fate?
 

My Rating: 5 Stars

There is a reason Melanie Dickerson is one of my most favorite authors, it's because she writes stories I can NOT put down. As evidenced by the fact I read this one in less than 12 hours, this story is another winner from Melanie! From romance, humor, mystery and many suspenseful moments, this story has them all in spades. It was a treat to finally get Steffan's story and to see him finally "grow up." Katerina is a perfect match for him in every way. The mystery of the missing children and the "beast" had me devouring this book to find out what was going to happen. The ending was perfect with even a twist or two that surprised me. If you like Fairy Tale stories, or great stories in general, check this one out. I highly recommend it!

I read an early ARC copy of this provided by the author. All thoughts expressed are my own.

Silent Night Suspect


Suspected of a crime she knows she didn’t commit…

All she wants for Christmas is to remember.

Blood on her blouse. A gun in her hand. A cartel leader’s dead body in front of her. Widow Asia Stratton can’t remember what happened—just that she’s been framed. The only way to prove her innocence is to work with her ex-sweetheart, Nebraska state trooper Slade Jackson. But can they clear her name before this Christmas turns even deadlier?


My Rating: 3.5 Stars
This an exciting ride (literally!) trying to figure out who is trying to frame Asia and what exactly her deceased husband was up to. The mystery kept me guessing and the bad guys were a bit surprising. I had a bit of trouble with Asia, her anger at Slade seemed a little misplaced given the fact that her husband was not husband of the year material(or even close). I would have also liked a little more of the backstory of how Asia ended up with Zander over Slade. This was an interesting story and I really liked the Christmas setting/timing of the story. All in all, the story held my attention and was an enjoyable read. Looking forward to Sharee's next story, I would love to see Trey get his own book!

I received this book from the author and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Apple Cider Slaying

Apples are at the core of the family business run by Winona Mae Montgomery and her Granny Smythe. But this year's crop is unseasonably ripe with murder . . .

ONE ROTTEN APPLE

Blossom Valley, West Virginia, is home to Smythe Orchards, Winnie and her Granny's beloved twenty-five-acre farm and family business. But any way you slice it, it's struggling. That's why they're trying to drum up business with the "First Annual Christmas at the Orchard," a good old-fashioned holiday festival with enough delicious draw to satisfy apple-picking locals and cider-loving tourists alike--until the whole endeavor takes a sour turn when the body of Nadine Cooper, Granny's long-time, grudge-holding nemesis, is found lodged in the apple press. Now, with Granny the number one suspect, Winnie is hard-pressed to prove her innocence before the real killer delivers another murder . . .


My Rating: 4 Stars
A good debut to what looks to be a new promising cozy series. I enjoyed the setting of the apple orchard and the cider business Winnie is trying to get off the ground. The mystery was good with a surprising villain. I liked the supporting characters especially the sheriff. Excited for book 2!

I received this book from NetGalley and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own. .

Saturday, November 30, 2019

Serving Up Love


Bestselling novelist Tracie Peterson joins Karen Witemeyer, Regina Jennings, and Jen Turano in this collection of four novellas, each featuring a Harvey Girl heroine. From Kansas to Texas, the Grand Canyon to New Mexico, the stories cross the country with tales of sweet romance and entertaining history.

In Karen Witemeyer's "More Than a Pretty Face," a young woman works her hardest to escape poor choices from her youth. Tracie Peterson offers "A Flood of Love," where reuniting with an old flame after more than a decade offers unexpected results. Regina Jennings's "Intrigue a la Mode" delights with a tale of a young woman determined to help support her family, despite warnings of danger nearby. And Jen Turano's "Grand Encounters" heads to the Grand Canyon with a tale of a society belle intent on finding a new life for herself.
 

My Rating: 5 stars
A Flood Of Love

I loved this sweet story of lost loves reunited. Katiann was a perfect addition to the story as a precocious little girl wanting a mama. The flood made for an exciting element and the ending was perfect. Great paced novella. 

More Than A Pretty Face 
I had been looking forward to Rosalind’s story since meeting her character in Karen’s “More Than Words Can Say” from earlier this summer. This story was a perfect happy ending for Rosalind. Caleb was such a strong hero and just what I would have picked for Rosalind’s happily ever after. 

Intrigue A La Mode
What a fun mystery! This story was neat since it had a mystery element, an undercover Pinkerton detective as well as another undercover player. I really liked Willow and Graham and I hope to see Calista get her own story. Fun read!

Grand Encounter
My favorite story in the set! The  humor in Jen’s stories never fail to deliver and that is always my favorite thing about a Jen story. This one has it in spades! The story was sweet and moved well. Jack and Myrtle are great characters and I also enjoyed Walter and Ruthann and the rest of the supporting characters. Perfect story. 

I received this book from one of the authors and was not not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own. 

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Deadly Deceit

Independent and tenacious journalist Vivian DeMarco is back in Walton, Georgia, for one reason -- to do her job and get out. When her boss suddenly dies under suspicious circumstances, Vivian's only hope for finding the truth -- and the next big story -- is small-town law enforcement's lanky poster boy, Deputy Ryan Frost. But the deeper they dig, the more twisted the truth becomes. False leads, incriminating emails, and someone called the Watcher force Vivian to fight for answers -- and her life.


My Rating: 4 Stars
Wow, what an exciting book! This mystery was really good and kept me guessing. I loved all the Marvel references, they made for a fun added bonus to the story. I also enjoyed getting to know Frannie better. I would love to see her story!! Looking forward to book three!!

I received this book from the author and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Stitches In Time


Detachment had worked well as a life strategy for horse trainer Sam Schrock. Until he met Mollie Graber . . .

New to Stoney Ridge, schoolteacher Mollie has come to town for a fresh start. Aware of how fleeting and fragile life is, she wants to live it boldly and bravely. When Luke Schrock, new to his role as deacon, asks the church to take in foster girls from a group home, she's the first to raise her hand. The power of love, she believes, can pick up the dropped stitches in a child's heart and knit them back together.

Mollie envisions sleepovers and pillow fights. What the 11-year-old twins bring to her home is anything but. Visits from the sheriff at midnight. Phone calls from the school truancy officer. And then the most humiliating moment of all: the girls accuse Mollie of drug addiction.

There's only one thing that breaks through the girls' hard shell--an interest in horses. Reluctantly and skeptically, Sam Schrock gets drawn into Mollie's chaotic life. What he didn't expect was for love to knit together the dropped stitches in his own heart . . . just in time.

Suzanne Woods Fisher invites you back to the little Amish church of Stoney Ridge for a touching story of the power of love.


My Rating: 5 Stars
What an enjoyable story! I have been waiting for this 2nd book in the Deacon's Family series, since reading and loving the first book in this series. This was an excellent follow up. I loved the role that Luke is given in this book. What a fantastic story idea to thrust Luke into that role and see how he grows. I also loved the foster kids and their coming to Stoney Ridge. I hope we see more of that in the rest of the series. The next book can't come soon enough for me!

I received this book courtesy of Baker Publishing Group/Revell through Interviews & Reviews.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Protecting Tanner Hollow

Four nail-biting novellas in one!

Lethal Homecoming
Nolan Tanner never got over Kallie Ainsworth's sudden, unexplained departure. Now when he comes to her rescue after an attempt on her life, all the old feelings come rushing back.

Lethal Conspiracy
When professional fundraiser Lillian Maloney sees her father's campaign manager commit murder, she goes on the run from the men he hires to kill her. A close call brings firefighter Jason Tanner to the rescue, but the killer is closing in . . .

Lethal Secrets
Someone wants Honor McBride dead. When Eli Murphy helps her change a flat tire and discovers the danger Honor is in, he longs to help--but Eli has secrets of his own that could get them all killed.

Lethal Agenda
When Detective Derek St. John rescues a woman he's met only once before--and has never been able to forget--he finds himself falling for her. But he'll have to keep Claire Montgomery alive if they're to have a future together.
 


My Rating: 5 Stars
I really enjoyed this collection of stories from one of my favorite authors. These stories have been previously released but were new to me as I hadn't gotten to the individual stories before. My favorite of the collection was the 2nd story. I really liked the mystery in that one and there were a couple of massive surprises in that one. I also loved that Derek St. John finally had his story told as well. All in all, a fantastic collection of stories! Recommended!

I received this book from NetGalley and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

A Match For Emma



Emma Mitchell may enjoy sprinkling romance into the lives of others, but her own plans involve a single first-class ticket to culinary school in Europe.

When her best friend, Jon Noble, suddenly moves back to Ransom, Emma’s fairly certain her life can’t get any better…until her matchmaking schemes nosedive, her culinary future falls flat, and a life-long friendship begins to teeter on the brink of something unexpected.

With a little inspiration from Jane Austen’s classic and a touch of Blue Ridge charm, will Jon and Emma discover that what they need the most may be the last thing they’re trying to find?
 

My Rating; 4 Stars

What an adorable story! I am new to this series but it was an easy jump in. Jon and Emma are fantastic characters that jump off the page. I really want to be a part of this town and the lives of these characters!! This romance was fun to read and it would make a great Hallmark movie(just sayin!), it even has a mystery angle as well. I laughed out loud multiple times and the humor was a perfect addition to the story. The sparring Emma and Jon do is a hoot! I will be backtracking and reading the first two books in this series super soon and I hope there is a book 4 in my future as well(hint,hint!)

I received this book from the author and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own. 

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

With You Here

Holy Roman Empire, 1527
In the wake of Martin Luther’s religious reforms, Princess Christyne von Heidelbraum is compelled by her sense of duty to help ease the burden of her people. When she stumbles upon a dying man in the woods, she vows to aid him—even when she discovers the arrow shot in his leg was put there by a heretic hunter. With both her physical and spiritual well-being in danger, she must choose between conscience or adhering to the laws of the Empire.

Present Day
Doubting her calling to become a hospital chaplain, Amber Carrington takes time off from her theology studies to volunteer with refugees in Germany. Working with children, making a difference, reconnecting with the conviction that once drove her—these were her expectations. An instant attraction to a professional soccer player wasn’t a part of the plan…and she can’t let him distract her from her purpose.
As a new Christian, Seth Marshall is determined to put his popularity as a world-renowned footballer to good use. Unfortunately, old habits and public opinions are hard to overcome. When he falls hard and fast for Amber Carrington, his former life—and her no-dating policy—may block his perfect shot for the woman he loves.



My Rating: 4 Stars
This was such a fun read! Sarah's books have been on my radar for quite awhile but I hadn't read one before this one and if all her books are as good as this one, I am ALL in! I really enjoyed the dual time periods in this book, Sarah wove them together well and tied the story lines together in a cool way. I loved the character of Seth, anyone that calls himself a daft cow when trying to impress a girl is one of my people! This was a quick and easy read(I read it in less than 24 hours) and it's WELL worth it! I will be going back and catching up on Sarah's other books soon.

I received this book from the author and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.


Friday, November 15, 2019

A Pursuit Of Home

When she learns the family she thought dead might be alive and in danger, Jess Beuchene knows her secrets can only stay buried for so long. Desperation brings her to Derek Thornbury, an expert in history and artifacts, to help her decipher the clues in an old family diary. Will their search to uncover the truth of the past lead to a future together?
My Rating: 5 Stars

We FINALLY have Jess's story!! Insert "squealing" here! I have been needing Jess's story for several books now and am so excited it's finally released! I could not put this one down. Derek is a perfect match for Jess in every sense of the word and I adored him and his growth in the book. Jess's backstory was one I wouldn't have thought up but it was perfect the way Kristi wrote it. We are reunited with several characters from the Hawthorne House set and that was a favorite part of the story for me. The humor I have come to expect from Kristi's books was there in spades and made the story even better for me. I know that I am gushing but Kristi has been a favorite author of mine since reading her first book(I have read them all) and she never disappoints. From great characters, tons of humor and a fantastic setting and time period, Kristi's books are always instant favorites for me and I devour them as soon as they are released. Her books are firmly on my keeper shelf!

I received this book from the publisher and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

A Distance Too Grand

When a spunky photographer wrangles her way onto an 1871 survey crew of the Grand Canyon she thinks nothing can stand in her way. But her mind changes when she finds out she'll be working alongside the one man she doesn't want to fall in love with.

My Rating: 4 Stars

I very much enjoyed this historical novel set just after the Civil War that takes place at the Grand Canyon. The author does an amazing job at describing the beauty of the Grand Canyon, painting vivid pictures in my imagination as I read the story. The book has a lovely blend of romance, mystery and a breathtaking setting. The mystery aspect kept me engrossed the growing romance between Meg and and Ben was sweet. I am definitely looking forward to the next book in this new series, and I hope Ben’s sister, Diana gets her own story!

I received this book courtesy of Baker Publishing Group/Revell through Interviews & Reviews.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Royally Yours

Tinsel, Vermont is known for its no-paparazzi policy and Christmas decorations that are fit for a queen. This holiday season, join four royals on a stroll through town square as they each find their Christmas wishes for a happily-ever-after...tiaras optional.



My rating: 5 Stars


This is the sweetest collection of Christmas novellas. Set in an adorable town(that I wish was real!) with a fun quirk-no media allowed so celebrities and royalty can have a vacation spot free from media/paparazzi was such a cute premise. ALL of these stories would make great Hallmark Christmas movies. My personal favorite of the collection was Melissa's. I loved that the town's library was a major part of the story and all the bookish elements Melissa added. That was so fun and charmed my love of all things bookish heart. The other three stories are also charming and full of romance, humor and all things Christmas. If you like Hallmark movies, all things Royal, or sweet Christmas novellas, then this is the collection for you!

I received this book from the author and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

An Old-Fashioned Texas Christmas

An Archer Family Christmas

It’s Christmas Eve, 1893, and the entire family has gathered to celebrate the holiday. This day is always bittersweet for Jim and Cassie, who lost a child on Christmas Eve three years earlier. Cassie has devoted herself to being the favorite aunt of the Archer children, whisking her nieces away to a nearby schoolhouse to create decorations for the Christmas tree that the men and oldest boys are venturing out to chop down.

When an unexpected knock at the schoolhouse door reveals a desperate pregnant woman on the run from a dangerous outlaw, it’ll take a Christmas miracle—and the entire Archer clan—to make sure no danger befalls the child born on this beloved holiday.

Gift of the Heart

A widow and her young daughter move to Hope Springs for a fresh start, but with no money to secure a home, Ruth must convince a wealthy resort owner to accept her heirloom brooch as collateral. Will the pin that brought love to three generations soften the heart of a wounded recluse and give Ruth a second chance at love as the holidays draw near?

My Rating: 5 Stars

This is a perfect Christmas novella collection! Of course, Karen is my favorite author so it's possible I may be slightly biased, but these stories are top notch. in the first, we get a new visit with the beloved Archer family. It's a fast paced and exciting Christmas Eve story with a couple of sad bits but a happy ending. I loved getting to see the Archers again! The second story is actually one that released last year as part of a novella collection with three other authors. I read and loved it as part of that collection. With an adorable little girl and a spunky cat, it is a lot of fun and full of Christmas spirit. If you enjoy sweet Christmas novellas, check out this set! 

Hidden In Amish Country

Can she unlock her memories…so she can stay alive?

Find out in this Amish Country Justice page-turner

There’s a bull’s-eye on her back, and Englischer Sadie Standings can’t remember why…but she’s sure she can trust Amish widower Ben Mast. With the single dad’s help, she’ll hide in Amish country while trying to figure out why someone is after her. Because unless she uncovers the secrets of her past, both their lives will be forfeit.
 

My Rating: 5 Stars
This was a FANTASTIC mystery! I really enjoyed this read about Sadie and who is after her and her brother with the added twist of Sadie having amnesia after a car wreck. There was an added layer of mystery about Sadie's past and her memories that made this read extra intriguing for me. Simply put, once I started this book, I did not want to put it down! Very, very well done!

I received this book from the author and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.