The Haunting At Bonaventure Circus

1928
The Bonaventure Circus is a refuge for many, but Pippa Ripley was rejected from its inner circle as a baby. When she receives mysterious messages from someone called the "Watchman," she is determined to find him and the connection to her birth. As Pippa's search leads her to a man seeking justice for his murdered sister and evidence that a serial killer has been haunting the circus train, she must decide if uncovering her roots is worth putting herself directly in the path of the killer.

Present Day
The old circus train depot will either be torn down or preserved for historical importance, and its future rests on real estate project manager Chandler Faulk's shoulders. As she dives deep into the depot's history, she's also balancing a newly diagnosed autoimmune disease and the pressures of single motherhood. When she discovers clues to the unsolved murders of the past, Chandler is pulled into a story far darker and more haunting than even an abandoned train depot could portend. 

My Rating: 4 Stars

This is another spellbinding tale from Jaime! She writes the most unusual stories and this may be the most unusual yet. I really enjoyed the circus angle, that made for fun reading and then to incorporate all the mystery threads made this book IMPOSSIBLE to put down. I HAD to know how all the threads came together. Jaime did a masterful job at weaving the threads of this story. It was so good!


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

How Sweet It Is

He lost his brother. She lost her dream. Together, they might find what they're really looking for. 

Holly Stanford is doing the best she can with the restaurant she inherited from her late uncle. But after her fiancé abandons her and the business, Holly regrets having given up her dream of becoming a pastry chef. Now a few bad financial decisions might cost her everything, including her hope for the future.

Jed Henning has done well with his new company despite his prodigal brother’s behavior. When Jed‘s father , the controlling member of the board of directors, temporarily suspends operations until his sons work out their differences, Jed resentfully chases his brother, Chris, to Boise. There Jed rents a basement apartment from Holly and hopes to convince Chris to get his act together before their company collapses.

Unaware that Holly is the one person who can help him get through to Chris, Jed starts the tough work of reconciliation armed with little more than a few family photographs, a stack of old letters, and a Bible that belonged to his great-grandfather, Andrew Henning. And as romance blossoms between Holly and Jed, the story of Jed’s great-grandfather highlights the power of God across the generations and the legacy of a family’s courageous faith.



My Rating: 5 Stars

I loved this story and this series! The thread of the Great Grandpa's Bible being passed down to his great grand children and how his faith helped shaped theirs was the COOLEST story line ever. This finale to the series was a fun one with great characters and a family rift that needs mending. Can Great Grandpa's Bible help? Read it and find out. I am sorry this series is over, it was truly wonderful!!

A Life Once Dreamed

Six years ago, a shocking secret sent Agnes Pratt running in search of a new start. She found it in Penance, a rugged town of miners and lumberjacks in the Dakota Territory, where she became Miss Aggie, respected schoolteacher and confirmed old maid. But the past has a way of catching up with people.

When childhood friend and former sweetheart James Harris accepts a position as the town doctor, Aggie's pleasantly predictable days suddenly become anything but. James wants to know why Agnes left behind the life they had dreamed of creating for themselves--but he is the one person who can never know.

In the shadows of the Black Hills, can a healing light be shed on the past? Or will the secret Agnes can't seem to outrun destroy her chance at happiness?

Fan-favorite Rachel Fordham brings to life the dusty streets of an 1880s frontier town in this story that affirms where you come from matters far less than where you're going.

My Rating: 5 Stars
What a great story! I have come to really love Rachel's stories. I have read all three of them and they are just wonderful solid Historical Christian Fiction stories. I particularly loved the characters in this one. Aggie, James and the town of Penance made for a satisfying read. The story itself was very well done and kept me invested in the characters lives-so much so that I hope we see more of them(and one character in particular!)again. The ending was good and overall I enjoyed the book very much. Looking forward to more historical adventures with Rachel's stories.

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

Almost A Bride

Always close, but never a bride.

Longing to find true love, Kate Millington arrives in British Columbia on a bride ship. With countless men waiting to snag a bride, Kate has no trouble getting engaged. It’s staying engaged that’s the problem. After traveling to the remote mining town of Williamsville to marry her newest fiancé, she finds herself single again.

As the prosperous owner of a gold mine, Zeke Hart has everything he’s ever wanted except for a wife. At Kate’s arrival, he takes it upon himself to protect his childhood friend from the men clamoring to court her. The more he renews her friendship, the more he wants to win her for himself. But as much as Kate admires Zeke, she’s resolved not to marry someone who doesn’t share her faith.

When Zeke begins receiving anonymous threats, he unwittingly puts them both in grave danger. In the midst of peril, the past rises up to haunt them both, and Zeke realizes the fight for Kate’s affection may be his biggest challenge yet.

My Rating: 4 Stars

What an exciting conclusion to Jody's Bride Ships series! After reading book 3 and meeting Zeke(Zoe's twin brother) I was excited to read his story and that of old friend Kate. I really liked the character of Kate, her artistic talent was a cool addition and I loved what came of that talent. Her background reminded me a bit of one of my favorite movies "Runaway Bride"  with her history of broken engagements. So that was a fun tie in for me. There was an exciting mystery as well in the story that made for an eagerness to see who was behind the attempts on Zeke. All in all, this story was super fun and I am sorry to see the Bride Ships series end. Great read!

I received this book as part of the launch team and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own. 

A Dazzle of Diamonds

Best friends Penelope and Tucker have faced their share of challenges. But finding a lost treasure in time to clear his family's name and win him an election may uncover something they never expected.

My Rating: 4 Stars

What a fun story! Penelope and Tucker made for a charming pair and their relationship and the mystery kept me invested in the story. I liked the reading the letters of Tucker's ancestor and wondering how they would find the treasure. It's a quick, easy and very enjoyable read. If you like a good romance with a bit of mystery(a treasure hunt always gets my vote!) then definitely pick up this one(and the rest of the series too!)


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

Vying For The Viscount

When a strange man appears to be stealing horses at the neighboring estate, Bianca Snowley jumps to their rescue. And when she discovers he's the new owner, she can't help but be intrigued--but romance is unfeasible when he proposes they help secure spouses for each other. Will they see everything they've wanted has been there all along before it's too late?

My Rating: ALL the Stars...for Goodreads purposes: 5 Stars

This story gets ALL the stars!! I absolutely adored Vying For The Viscount and I can not wait for the rest of series. This story has so many great characters from Bianca, Hudson, Aaron, Rigsby, and even cameos from beloved characters from Kristi's earlier books which helped make the book so so good. Another favorite element for me was the humor, Kristi's known for her humorous books but in this one the humor was some of Kristi's best!(and I say that as a reader who has laughed her way through ALL of Kristi's books.) This is truly one of Kristi's best books and it's going to rank at or very near the top of my favorite Kristi books. The story moved well and was exciting and interesting with the hose racing angle and Hudson trying to acclimate to England after being raised in India. What a unique and fun story line. Yep, this book has it all and it ranks up there with the first couple Hawthorne stories as my favorite Kristi books. Do not miss out on this one!!

I received this book as part of the launch team and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.
*I did purchase the Audible version and the narration is lovely.

Set The Stars Alight

Lucy Clairmont's family treasured the magic of the past, and her childhood fascination with stories of the high seas led her to become a marine archaeologist. But when tragedy strikes, it's Dashel, an American forensic astronomer, and his knowledge of the stars that may help her unearth the truth behind the puzzle she's discovered in her family home.

Two hundred years earlier, the seeds of love are sown between a boy and a girl who spend their days playing in a secret sea cave, while the privileged young son of the estate looks on, wishing to join. As the children grow and war leads to unthinkable heartbreak, a story of love, betrayal, sacrifice, and redemption unfolds, held secret by the passage of time.

As Lucy and Dash journey to a mysterious old estate on the East Sussex coast, their search leads them to a community of souls and a long-hidden tale that may hold the answers--and the healing--they so desperately seek.


My Rating: 5 Stars
My goodness, what a story! When I had the pleasure of reading "Whose Waves These Are" last year, I was struck by the lyrical quality to the story, it had such a unique storytelling feel to it. I am happy to say this new book by Amanda also retains this quality. She is truly a gifted storyteller the way she weaves her stories-it's a quality I haven't seen in any other books I have read. I adored this story. Lucy and Dash were spectacular characters and I loved Juliette and Frederick as well. Honestly, I can't say enough good things about this story. The story gripped me from the beginning and it did not let up once. I really can't do the story justice in this review. All I can say is read it for yourself-I highly doubt you will be disappointed. This one is going to stay in my heart for a loooong time to come!

I received this book as a member of the launch team and was not required to post a positive review. I also purchased a copy for my keeper shelf because it was wonderful.