Every time I open a book by MaryLu Tyndall, I am reminded of just how much I love them. “Charity’s Cross” definitely reinforces that sentiment. From the opening paragraph to the very end, I was held captive by the dynamic characters and the fast-paced plot.
Despite her innocence in her abusive husband’s accidental death, Charity Westcott know she will be held responsible. Her desperate flight places her in the path of Elias Dutton who decides to help her even though he knows she is hiding something. If you have ever read one of Marylu’s books, you know that this is where the adventure begins. Beautiful tropical destinations, storms at sea, pirates, danger, treachery, and (did I say pirates?) are all entwined in a story that would not let me put it down.
One thing I really love about MaryLu’s books is that I can always expect to find a story filled with the Holy Spirit – filled with redemption, restoration, and miracles. “Charity’s Cross” had them all and I felt so blessed to be one of its reviewers. Character connections with two of Tyndall’s earlier series made it all the more enjoyable.
A digital copy of this book was provided for review by Celebrate Lit Publicity.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Suspected of killing her husband, Charity Westcott flees on the first ship out of Portsmouth, England heading for the colonies. Loathing all men after her abusive marriage, she hopes to reunite with her family in Charles Towne, but the ship ends up in Nassau. When she spots her husband’s brother, who is intent on seeing her hang, boarding her ship, she jumps overboard.
Elias Dutton, preacher and son of the famous pirate, Rowan Dutton, must get to Barbados as soon as possible. His sister is in danger, and his parents have charged him with her safety. He cannot let them down—again. But after rescuing a madcap woman from the bay, he now finds himself tricked into masquerading as her husband so they both can procure passage to Barbados.
Pirates, storms, shipwreck and betrayal threaten to delay the couple in their journey even as sparks fly between them. With her brother-in-law in fast pursuit, the last thing Charity wants is help from a man, especially a religious one, but she has no choice. After Elias’ heart was broken by a sordid woman who nearly ruined his life, he seeks a godly woman pure as the virgin sands of the Caribbean. He believes he has found such a woman in Charity. Until he discovers she is a murderer and is now faced with two choices: letting her go or turning her in to the authorities.
Award-winning author MaryLu Tyndall dreamt of pirates and sea-faring adventures during her childhood days on Florida’s Coast. With more than seventeen books published, she makes no excuses for the spiritual themes embedded within her romantic adventures. Her hope is that readers will not only be entertained but will be brought closer to the Creator who loves them beyond measure. In a culture that accepts the occult, wizards, zombies, and vampires without batting an eye, MaryLu hopes to show the awesome present and powerful acts of God in a dying world. A Christy award nominee and Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award winner, MaryLu makes her home with her husband, six children, two grandchildren and several stray cats on the California coast.
I have always enjoyed Sandra Bricker’s novels with their humorous and sometimes quirky twists as well as their spiritual content. This particular series seemed to me to be a tad less humorous than previous books but I found each of the three books of the serious to be excellent.
“From Bags to Riches” is the final installment of Bricker’s Jessie Stanton series and I am so sorry to see the series end. I have loved reading about Jessie and Danny’s relationship ups and downs from the very beginning and can happily say I thought things ended well for them. I also liked watching Jessie’s values change over the course of the three books and was quite pleased with some decisions she made in this one.
Emotions ran high in “From Bags to Riches” – from joy one minute to grief the next. I’ll admit I shed a few tears a time or two. Overall the entire series was enjoyable and gratifying to read. I eagerly look forward to Bricker’s next novel.
This book was provided for review by Amazon Vine.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Jessie Hart worked so hard to put her Louisiana roots in the rear view mirror and her Adornments boutique on the map. So when renegade “husband” Jack turns up again, the new and improved Jessie catches his attention. As he fights through his residual legal battles, he makes every effort to win her back and marry her for real this time… before Danny gets the chance.
When a celebrity stylist with her own reality show makes Adornments a hot spot, Jessie’s hard work is finally paying off. But amid award shows and photo shoots, Jessie’s beloved grandfather is diagnosed with cancer and she’s nudged back to the Louisiana roots she worked so hard to escape. Now, in her quest to find the success, true love, and faith that has always eluded her, will God really lead her right back home?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Sandra D. Bricker was an entertainment publicist in Los Angeles for more than 15 years, where she attended school to learn screenwriting and eventually taught the craft for several semesters. She is now a best-selling, award-winning author of Live-Out-Loud Fiction for the inspirational market, best known for her Emma Rae Creation series. As an ovarian cancer survivor, she gears time and effort toward raising awareness and funds for research, diagnostics, and a cure. Sandra resides in Toledo, Ohio, and online at SandraDBricker.com.
If I had my way, Amanda Cabot’s Texas Crossroads series would continue for several more volumes. The Rainbow’s End Resort is such a special place – not only for romance but for emotional healing. How wonderful would it be to be able to escape there for awhile!
What an unexpected romance! Who would ever think to pair a scruffy loner on a motorcycle with a former concert pianist – especially a pianist with such a strong aversion to motorcycles? But somehow it worked beautifully even if both Gillian and TJ had tons of excess baggage to sort through before they could admit and act on their true feelings.
Amanda Cabot is able to capture the true essence of her characters and bring them to life for her readers. Every nuance is important and I was able to experience both joy and pain, trust and doubt, right along with Gillian and TJ. “On Lone Star Trail” is a beautiful romance with a redemptive message for us all. I truly hate to see this series come to an end.
This book was provided for review by
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
A woman without a future. A man running from the past.
One enchanting place where broken dreams are mended.
If there’s one thing Gillian Hodge never wants to see again, it’s a man on a motorcycle. Her last encounter with one left her right hand crushed, ending her promising career as a concert pianist. Unsure about the next phase in her life, she heads to Rainbow’s End Resort for some R&R when a sudden thunderstorm causes a motorcycle to crash right in front of her.
When TJ Benjamin’s wife died, he lost more than his best friend; he lost his faith. He has spent the past year wandering the country on his motorcycle, trying not to think about the future. When he finds himself stranded with a busted bike and a reluctant rescuer, he has to wonder about God’s sense of humor.
As these broken people collide, they find that a bright future is still ahead–it just might not be the one they imagined for themselves.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Amanda Cabot is the bestselling author of the Texas Dreams series, the Westward Winds series, Christmas Roses, At Bluebonnet Lake, and In Firefly Valley. Her books have been finalists for the ACFW Carol Awards and the Booksellers’ Best. She lives in Wyoming. Learn more at www.amandacabot.com.
A sucker for historical romance with a western setting, I have always enjoyed novels by Maggie Brendan. As expected, I found myself escaping for a few hours to old west Montana withing the pages of “A Sweet Misfortune”.
Although this novel might never win awards for serious literature, it certainly had its strong points. From the exciting “kidnapping” scene at the beginning until the conclusion, both Rachel and John’s characters grew on me. Although Rachel was fiercely independent, she had a compassionate heart and did whatever she could to help those around her, sometimes to the disapproval of others. John was overly ambitious and focused on building a small kingdom for himself in Montana. There was no time for involvement with Rachel, even if she was his best friend’s sister – not to mention the fact that there was just something about her that captured his heart.
I enjoyed “A Sweet Misfortune” with its steady plot and intriguing characters. I found just the right blend of drama, humor, and romance to make it worth my time. I am in hopes that I will find some of the secondary characters with primary roles in future books in this series.
This book was provided for review by
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Rachel Matthews isn’t one to rely on others to take care of her. Homeless and alone, she still wants to make her own way and her own money to buy back the family ranch–even if she’s forced into the life of a dance hall girl. Horrified by her circumstances, Rachel’s brother, who is away mining for gold, sends a friend to rescue her.
Cattle baron John McIntyre is focused on acquiring as much land as possible in Montana and has little time to deal with a dance hall gal. Rachel isn’t sure she can take one more day in John’s home–especially once she discovers that he’s the one who holds ransom the key to her family’s future.
Sparks fly between this spunky, independent heroine and the ruggedly handsome hero as they navigate the snarled terrain of pride, greed, faith, and love in Maggie Brendan’s delightful series set in the Old West.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Maggie Brendan is the CBA bestselling author of the Heart of the West series and The Blue Willow Brides series, as well as The Trouble with Patience. Her books have received the Book Buyers Best Award from the Orange County Chapter of Romance Writers of America and the Laurel Wreath Award. A member of the American Fiction Writers Association, Romance Writers of America, Georgia Romance Writers, and Author’s Guild, Maggie lives in Georgia.
Julane is first of all a child of God. She is also a wife to Bob, mother to two living sons,Kip and Rob, two daughters in heaven, two wonderful daughters-in-law, Becky and Tami, and grandmother to six perfectly wonderful grands, as well as an additional three ‘other grands’. She lives with her husband in a wee cottage by a small lake nestled in the beautiful Flint Hills of Kansas.
Though encouraged by many to pen the story of raising two daughters with an incurable disease, she has chosen to incorporate the lessons learned into the lives of her not-too-perfect characters. Her passion is to present the promises and hope found in God’s Word in down-to-earth, everyday experiences through her stories.
Julane loves reading, decorating, junking, antiques, and chocolate! No particular order, but one would be safe to insert chocolate between all other interests.
ABOUT THE BOOK
In 1877 the Wenghold sisters inherited an overwhelming debt with their father’s passing. An uncle they’ve never met offers a solution—come help on his Kansas cattle ranch. The oldest sister, Robin, agrees to go.
Ty Morgan has suffered through a year of misery after being jilted by the town beauty a few months before their wedding. But a tornado whirls an unexpected breath of hope into his heart when he rescues Robin, his neighbor’s newly arrived niece, and a small boy who was orphaned by the storm.
Robin’s crippled leg prevents her from being a real help to Uncle John, but she seems to be exactly who Ty needs to heal his broken heart. Until his former fiancée returns and a mysterious, elusive stranger casts worry over the entire community.
A woman determined to honor her obligations, a man entangled in a long ago-made commitment, an orphaned child in need of security . . . Can God guide these three souls to peace and fulfillment together?
If you would like to read the first chapter of Robin, go HERE.
MY REVIEW:
I had never read a book by Julane Hiebert and was unsure what I would find when I opened the cover of “Robin”. It was not long at all before I found myself captivated by the story and finished reading it within a day.
Robin had been born with a crippled leg but that didn’t stop her from living life to its fullest. Her inner beauty and caring spirit drew others to her and they couldn’t help loving her. In fact, before the book was over she had two men wanting to marry her. I loved all the other characters, especially rancher/preacher Ty Morgan, Uncle John, Emma, and little Jacob.
With plenty of action, drama, humor, romance, and even a bit of mystery, “Robin” moved along at a good pace and also contained a strong message of faith. I thought the series title “Brides of a Feather” was clever and look forward to reading Wren and Lark’s stories.
“Room for Hope” is a powerful novel that I could not put down. Sawyer is an author who is not afraid to tackle tough issues and always manages to handle them beautifully. In this particular story set during the depression, a young mother learns of her husband’s death and at the same time also learns that he had another wife and children in another town. Not only must she deal with his betrayal and loss but she is also expected to take in his other three children to raise.
Filled with emotion, the story illustrates how Neva and her twins deal with the aftereffects of Warren’s death and the impact Neva has on the lives of others in their town, especially two men, Arthur Randall and Jesse Caudel. I’ll admit that I was rooting for Neva and one of the men to marry but by the end it seemed that she may have chosen the other one. I am still hoping for things to turn around in the next book of this series. I can’t wait to find out.
I really loved “Room for Hope” and its characters. Neva’s generosity was inspirational in the way she gave and gave of herself despite her own problems. Jesse’s wisdom, protectiveness, loyalty, and love of children made him special and Arthur’s gradual change of heart was endearing. Then there were the children, each unique in his or her own way and each added depth to the story.
“Room for Hope” is an uplifting story of forgiveness and faith, love, mercy, and grace. I strongly recommend this book.
This book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
In a desperate time, can Neva find forgiveness for a grievous wrong—and make room for hope?
Neva Shilling has a heavy load of responsibility while her husband travels to neighboring communities and sells items from his wagon. In his absence, she faithfully runs the Shilling Mercantile, working to keep their business strong as the Depression takes its toll, and caring for their twins.
When a wagon pulls up after supper, Neva and her children rush out—and into the presence of the deputy driving a wagon carrying three young children. The deputy shocks her with the news that Warren and his wife have died, insisting it was their last request that the three children go live with “Aunt Neva.”
Neva’s heart is shattered as she realizes that Warren’s month-long travels were excuses for visits with his secret family. She wants nothing more than to forget Warren, but can she abandon these innocent children to an orphanage? Yet if she takes them in, will she ever be able to see them as more than evidence of her husband’s betrayal and love them the way God does?
Kim Vogel Sawyer is a best-selling award author with more than one million copies of her books currently in print. Awards include the ACFW Carol Award, the Inspirational Readers Choice Award, and the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence. Sawyer lives in central Kansas, where she and her retired military husband, Don, run a bed-and-breakfast inn with the help of their feline companions. She savors time with her daughters and grandchildren.
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Sandra D. Bricker was an entertainment publicist in Los Angeles for more than 15 years, where she attended school to learn screenwriting and eventually taught the craft for several semesters. She is now a best-selling, award-winning author of Live-Out-Loud Fiction for the inspirational market, best known for her Emma Rae Creation series. As an ovarian cancer survivor, she gears time and effort toward raising awareness and funds for research, diagnostics, and a cure. Sandra resides in Toledo, Ohio, and online at 
Amanda Cabot is the bestselling author of the Texas Dreams series, the Westward Winds series, Christmas Roses, At Bluebonnet Lake, and In Firefly Valley. Her books have been finalists for the ACFW Carol Awards and the Booksellers’ Best. She lives in Wyoming. Learn more at 
Maggie Brendan is the CBA bestselling author of the Heart of the West series and The Blue Willow Brides series, as well as The Trouble with Patience. Her books have received the Book Buyers Best Award from the Orange County Chapter of Romance Writers of America and the Laurel Wreath Award. A member of the American Fiction Writers Association, Romance Writers of America, Georgia Romance Writers, and Author’s Guild, Maggie lives in Georgia.
Kim Vogel Sawyer is a best-selling award author with more than one million copies of her books currently in print. Awards include the ACFW Carol Award, the Inspirational Readers Choice Award, and the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence. Sawyer lives in central Kansas, where she and her retired military husband, Don, run a bed-and-breakfast inn with the help of their feline companions. She savors time with her daughters and grandchildren.
