Fire and Ice Review

Saddle Up for a Wildly Fun Ride 

in Mary Connealy's Latest

Bailey Wilde is one of the best new ranchers in the West. She's been living disguised as a man for a while, but when Gage Coulter comes to drive her off her homestead, he quickly realizes he's dealing with a woman--a very tough, very intriguing woman at that.

Gage is an honest man, but he didn't make his fortune being weak. He won't break the law, but he'll push as hard as he can within it. Five thousand acres of his best range land is lost to him because Bailey's homestead is located right across the only suitable entrance to a canyon full of lush grass. Gage has to regain access to his land--and he's got to go through Bailey to do it.

Spending a winter alone has a way of making a person crave some human contact. In a moment of weakness, Bailey agrees to a wild plan Gage concocts. Can these two independent, life-toughened homesteaders loosen up enough to earn each other's respect--and maybe find love in 

the process?

Fire and Ice by Mary Connealy is the last book in the Wild at Heart series and features oldest sister Bailey Wilde. Overall I really loved this book, it has everything I can always count on in a book by Mary Connealy. Romance, humor, adventure, intrigue. What more could you ask for?! Bailey and Gage make for a fun couple who will definitely keep each other on their toes! I loved getting to know more about both of these characters history. Fire and Ice is the perfect book to end this series. (Though I wouldn't mind one bit if there were more!) 

5 out of 5. An adventurous Afternoon Snack!

 I got a free review copy of Fire and Ice from Bethany House Publishers in return for my honest review.

The Imposter Review

Katrina Stoltzfus thought she had life and love all figured out: she was going to marry John and live happily ever after. Those plans started to crumble when her father moved the family to Stoney Ridge, then completely collapsed when John decided to marry someone else. Katrina is devastated. How could she have felt so loved, yet been so deceived?

As she struggles to face a future without him, a widow asks for her help to start a new business and Katrina quickly agrees. She needs time to heal her broken heart, to untangle her messy life, to find a purpose. What she doesn't need is attention from Andy Miller, a farm hand who arrives at the widow's farm just when help is most needed--and who always seems to say the right thing, and be in the right place, at the right time. Is Andy
for real, or too good to be true? Deceived once before, Katrina is determined to keep her feelings in check. 

When a cascade of events is set in motion by some surprising information, the little Amish church is turned upside down. Soon, everyone has a stake in the outcome, and the community struggles to find the best response to an impostor in their midst. Can they forgive even the most deceitful deeds?

The Impostor by Suzanne Woods Fisher was lovely read. I enjoyed this first book in the Bishop Family series. Each character brought something to the story that I enjoyed and I really can't wait for book two in this series. Some might say that the pacing of The Impostor was slow but I found it to be just right. It's the perfect book to take your mind off of whatever crazy things are going on in your life. So grab The Impostor and get cozy as you let the characters pull you into their world.

5 out of 5. A cozy Afternoon Snack just right for this time of year! 

I received a copy of this book from Revell in exchange for my honest review.

A Reluctant Bride Review

She never wanted to marry. He hopes to make amends for past wrongs. Can love find a way to heal both of their hearts?

Sadie Schrock swore she would never marry. All of her other Amish friends could court and marry—she was content to manage the family business and eventually take it over when her parents are ready to retire. But all of that changes when a reckless driver kills both of her parents and seriously injures her younger sister. With mounting hospital bills adding to the pile of debt her parents left behind, Sadie is left with no choice: she must marry. And not just any man—the man who saw her at her weakest and walked away.

Aden knows what his brother did to Sadie years ago was inexcusable. And every day since that incident, Aden has lived with the guilt for not intervening sooner. When he is faced with the chance to protect Sadie once again, he can’t let her down—even if it means living with the scorn of the woman he loves for the rest of his life.

Working alongside Aden at the store, Sadie realizes he isn’t the same boy who once betrayed her. Just when Sadie starts to let her guard down and perhaps develop feelings for her new husband, dangerous secrets are revealed. Now everything Sadie has worked so hard to protect is threatened, and she must find a way to save her family—and herself.

A Reluctant Bride by Kathleen Fuller was a really wonderful read. I really loved Aden because of the quiet strength I saw in him. To go through what he did and not turn into an angry man shows how much inner strength he had. He was my favorite character. I also enjoyed Sadie's character. The only problems I had with A Reluctant Bride was the fact that the story only took place in like a week. I felt like everything that happened between the character happened too quickly, I would have found the story much sweeter if Aden and Sadie had spent more time together. I also felt like there were some unanswered questions. But otherwise I really enjoyed the writing and story telling.

5 out of 5. An amazing Amish Afternoon Snack.

I received a copy of this book from BookLook in exchange for my honest review.

Luther and Katharina Review

More Info

Author Bio

She was a nun of noble birth. He, a heretic, a reformer…an outlaw of the Holy Roman Empire.  

In the 16th century, nun Katharina von Bora’s fate fell no further than the Abbey. Until she read the writings of Martin Luther.
 
His sweeping Catholic church reformation—condemning a cloistered life and promoting the goodness of marriage—awakened her desire for everything she’d been forbidden. Including Martin Luther himself. 
 
Despite the fact that the attraction and tension between them is undeniable, Luther holds fast to his convictions and remains isolated, refusing to risk anyone’s life but his own. And Katharina longs for love, but is strong-willed. She clings proudly to her class distinction, pining for nobility over the heart of a reformer. They couldn’t be more different. 
 
But as the world comes tumbling down around them, and with Luther’s threatened life a constant strain, these unlikely allies forge an unexpected bond of understanding, support and love. 
 
Together, they will alter the religious landscape forever.

Luther and Katharina by Jody Hedlund was A-MA-ZING! I have loved her other historical fiction like the Preacher's Bride and the Doctor's Lady but this one was a little different, it used the real names of the people that it was based on! I was super excited to get my hands on this book and I was so impressed. Luther and Katharina were so interesting to read about. Going into this I of course knew who Martin Luther but I loved learning some more about of the historical details of the time. Luther and Katharina is a great historical novel that I suggest you pick up right away if this is your kind of thing.

5 out of 5. A wonderful historical Afternoon Snack. 

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Last Chance Hero Review

What happens when your heart is intercepted before you even know it's in play?

The inhabitants of Last Chance, New Mexico, could not be more pleased. Dr. Jessica McLeod has opened an office right on Main Street. Andy Ryan, the best athlete the little town ever produced, has ended his short career in the NFL and has come home to coach the mighty Pumas of Last Chance High. Unfortunately, Dr. Jess immediately gets off on the wrong foot when she admits that she's never seen a football game, isn't really interested in doing so, and, in fact, doesn't know a first down from a home run. Meanwhile, Coach Ryan is discovering that it's not easy to balance atop the pedestal the town has put him on. When this unlikely pair is drawn together over the future of a young player--whose gifts may lie in the laboratory rather than on the football field--they begin to wonder if they might have a future together as well.

Last Chance Hero by Cathleen Armstrong was a cozy read. At times I felt like it was going to slowly and got bored but I loved the characters so that kept me interested. Last Chance Hero is a predictable light romantic read that I feel is all about the characters. The ending was a little too abrupt for me but overall I enjoyed Last Chance Hero and its wonderful cast of characters. If you're looking for a cozy romance to read while snuggle up tight with a hot cup of coffee (or tea) then this is the book for you.

4.8 out of 5. An enjoyable Afternoon Snack. 

I received a copy of this book from Revell in exchange for my honest review.

The Mistress of Tall Acre Review

A marriage of convenience.

She is in love with someone else.

He has no wish to love again.

What could possibly go wrong?

There can be only one mistress of Tall Acre . . .

The American Revolution is finally over, and Sophie Menzies is starved for good news. When her nearest neighbor, General Seamus Ogilvy, finally comes home to Tall Acre, she hopes it is a sign of better days to come. But the general is now a widower with a small daughter in desperate need of a mother. Nearly destitute, Sophie agrees to marry Seamus and become the mistress of Tall Acre in what seems a safe, sensible arrangement. But when a woman from the general's past returns without warning, the ties that bind this fledgling family together will be strained to the utmost. When all is said and done, who will be the rightful mistress of Tall Acre?

The Mistress of Tall Acre by Laura Frantz was a lovely break from the real world. I easily found myself deep into the story of these characters. I loved the time period it was set in and the historical detail was great! Sophie was a character that I found easy to understand and I loved getting to know her and all the other characters. The twists and turns in The Mistress of Tall Acre are sure to have every reader not wanting to put this book down. 

5 out of 5. An Afternoon Snack that was a big win for me!

I received a copy of this book from Revell in exchange for my honest review.

The Memory Weaver Review

Eliza Spalding Warren was just a child when she was taken hostage by the Cayuse Indians during a massacre in 1847. Now the young mother of two children, Eliza faces a different kind of dislocation; her impulsive husband wants them to make a new start in another territory, which will mean leaving her beloved home and her departed mother's grave--and returning to the land of her captivity. Eliza longs to know how her mother, an early missionary to the Nez Perce Indians, dealt with the challenges of life with a sometimes difficult husband and with her daughter's captivity.

When Eliza is finally given her mother's diary, she is stunned to find that her own memories are not necessarily the whole story of what happened. Can she lay the dark past to rest and move on? Or will her childhood memories always hold her hostage?

The Memory Weaver by Jane Kirkpatrick was a very heavy read. I found myself putting it down often and waiting awhile before picking it up again. There was a lot of historical details which I enjoyed but I just didn't connect with Eliza like I would have liked to. I really wanted to love The Memory Weaver but I personally couldn't connect with the characters. If you love historical novels based on real people then this would be a great book for you.

3 1/2 out of 5. This Afternoon Snack just wasn't for me.

I received a copy of this book from Revell in exchange for my honest review.