Becoming Bea by Leslie Gould

Becoming Bea is the 4th novel in The Courtships of Lancaster County series by Leslie Gould. Beatrice Zook has been rivals with Ben Rupp since the grade school spelling bees they competed in year after year.  Ben seems to know just what to say to put Bea on the defense. Only once did Bea start to think they could have a courtship but then Ben broke her heart. When her mom, sister and brother-in-law talk of selling the family farm and moving to Montana, Bea feels pressured to go, but can't shake the feeling that Lancaster County is where she is meant to live. Unexpectedly a family in the community has newborn triplets to take care of, and hire Bea as a temporary helper.  Not knowing anything about babies, Bea at first feels clumsy and scared in her new responsibilities. Yet as time passes, Bea develops a confidence in herself and her duties.  When Ben returns home and their paths cross again, Bea must search for God's will in her life and discover if there is a place for Ben in her heart. This is a first time reading a Leslie Gould novel and I found it hard to get involved in the story.  Maybe it was because I had not read the first novels in the series, but even so there were too many characters at the beginning and I didn't have enough background story of them to get a true idea of who they were. The story moved slowly for me; I tried to read some daily and each time after about 2 chapters I was falling asleep. I had to make myself finish the book.  Normally I enjoy reading about the Amish and I can't wait to see how a novel ends but this was not the case this time.  I honestly cannot recommend this book to my friends.  Thanks Bethany House Publishers for providing me a free copy to review.

Tried & True by Mary Connealy

Mary Connealy has a new series called Wild At Heart.  Set in Idaho Territory in 1866, the series centers around the Wilde Sisters who have served their time in the Civil War and now they have applied for a homestead using their Union Soldier Exemption.  Their father had convinced them to enlist as soldiers after their brother was killed in battle, and now has each of his three daughters on their own homestead. Book 1 begins with Kylie the youngest of the three sisters.  She only wants to stay out west long enough to fulfill her homesteading contract.  While dressing like a man has some benefits when it comes to building her cabin, and helping care for her sister Shannon's sheep, she longs for the day of attending tea parties and balls wearing beautiful gowns back East.  When local land agent Aaron Masterson rescues her from a potential fall off her roof, he realizes Kylie's true identity. Now his conscience is torn between reporting her for fraud or protecting her from the single men in town that either want to marry her or run her off her land. 
This novel has all the action of a western romance as well as some comedy.  I enjoyed the banter between Kylie and Aaron and the closeness of the three Wilde sisters. Mary Connealy has intertwined the historical facts of the time period too so that I learned about the ways of western homesteading. Mary Connealy has an excerpt from Book 2 available at the close of this book.  I look forward to reading Shannon's story in Now and Forever. Thank-you Bethany House Publishers for providing me a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Four Weddings and a Kiss by Margaret Brownley, Debra Clopton, Mary Connealy, and Robin Lee Hatcher

If you love a western romance from the 1880's, you need to read Four Weddings and a Kiss.  It's a collection of 4 novellas by some of Thomas Nelson's best selling authors. Although the characters in each story are not from the same town, the prologue begins with 4 traveling preachers sitting around a campfire giving relationship advice to a new preacher. They each tell a love story about a couple from New Mexico, Wyoming, Texas and Colorado that has met with obstacles on their path to true love, before settling down with their life partner. In Spitfire Sweetheart, Maizy finds herself in love with neighboring rancher Rylan, who only sees her as a pest. Yet when he is injured and Maizy becomes his nurse, he finds he can't live without her.  A Love Letter to the Editor centers around the story of Molly, an independent writer for her Dad's newspaper.  When Jack comes into town as the new editor, Molly is determined to make his life miserable until he moves on to another town and her Dad will give her the editor job that she deserves. However, it's hard to "run someone out of town" when you are falling in love with them. A tornado destroys the only home Katie has ever known in A Cowboy for Katie. Trapped under her house for 3 days would make anyone crazy and fearful!  Even though the townspeople avoid "Crazy Katie", Treb needs a job and a horse.  Katie can provide that and then he can move on to explore the places he has only heard about. So why does Katie make him feel like putting down roots in Texas?  Margaret Brownley ends the Western Bride Collection with the story of Grace, also known as the "Black Widow".  She has had 3 husbands die and attorney Brock Daniels is the only one who believes she is innocent. She can't stay in jail because her son needs her, so Brock prepares for the most challenging court battle of his life as Grace battles for her life.  I have read novels by Brownley and Connealy, so I was immediately interested in this one.  I love this time period and some nights I have limited time to read. This collection was perfect because I had just enough time to finish one story each night.  They were quick and to the point, but still told a sweet love story.  Thanks Thomas Nelson Publishers for sending me a free copy in exchange for a honest review!

Stuck Together Book 3 By Mary Connealy

The Trouble in Texas series concludes with the story of Vince Yates. The lone Regulator that is still single has fallen into the position of the lawman of Broken Wheel, TX.  Raised in Chicago, he had everything money could buy except the love and acceptance from his father. After Andersonville, he returned home to recover, but doesn't want to work with his father and his mother is showing signs of dementia.  Now in Texas his friends have all married, and he is thrown together with Jonas's sister Tina who feels it is her duty to make Broken Wheel into a "dry town". She stirs up the men in the saloon and Vince is stuck rescuing her.  Just when he thinks nothing can get worse, his parents and step sister show up in town.  Before Vince has a chance to convince his father that TX is not the place for them, he finds that his father has left town, and the care of the ladies is dependent on him.  He can't help but be attracted to Tina, but caring for his mom is a full time job.  Vince has always been invincible but this will put his character to the test.
I thought Connealy did a great job "tying up loose ends" from the previous 2 books.  The characters are all part of the storyline and the reader can see how their lives have been changed when each of the other Regulators has allowed God complete control. Connealy also gives a true depiction of caring for someone with dementia-the constant watch care needed, how to handle the loved one when they don't know you anymore, and the stress and helplessness that the caregiver feels. I enjoyed the time period as well as the humor of the band of brothers from Andersonville.   Thanks to  Bethany House for providing a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Until I Found You by Victoria Bylin

Kate Darby's life is spinning out of control!  Her grandmother Leona, her only living relative, has just had a stroke and needs someone to care for her, along with running the town's weekly newspaper.  Leona helped raise Kate when her own parents died, so Kate doesn't think twice about taking a leave of absence from her own career to go stay with Leona.  What she doesn't count on is having a near death experience on a mountainous road and have Nick Sheridan come to save her.  For someone like Kate who has constant worries and fears, Nick carefree attitude intrigues Kate.  Add that to the fact that he is a famous author as well as a lover of the near extinct condors, and Kate can't help but be attracted to him.  But Nick is a new Christian and has made a deal with God that he will take a year off from dating.  He knows how important it is to get one's heart right with God first before getting involved in a dating relationship. Can Nick lead Kate towards God and still keep his vow with God?  Kate has always been alone and has depended on herself for success in life.  Can she give God control of her life?  This was the first novel I have read by Victoria Bylin.  I felt she did a great job telling the struggles a new Christian goes through with temptations from one's old life and how a person learns to trust God in life's many decisions.  It has a modern day setting and easy to relate to characters especially if you are a career minded person or someone who has to care for an aging parent/grandparent.  It made a lot of references to a career as an author and/or a newspaper editor that I can't relate to, nor do I know much about condors, but it was still a likeable novel.  It would be a useful tool in helping an unsaved friend find the path to Christ if they were to read this novel.  Thanks to Bethany House Publishers for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review. 

A Sensible Arrangement by Tracie Peterson

How sensible is it to leave your home state of Texas to marry a man you have never met?  That's what Marty asks when she finds herself on a stagecoach headed to Colorado to be a "wife in name only" to banker Jake Wythe in 1892.  As a widow, Marty is ready to leave the memories of Texas behind. She vows to never again go through the hurt of losing someone she loves, so a "paper marriage" sounds perfect to her.  What she finds in Colorado is a life of luxury- servants to meet her every need, unlimited bank account and too much free time on her hands.  Knowing only the ways of ranching, going to society balls takes her way out of her comfort zone. Yet that is Jake's only request, to play the role of his wife to please his boss.  Jake's ultimate goal is to get back to his home state of Texas and run his own ranch, but first he must fall in line with everything his boss says to earn enough money to buy his own land. Life isn't easy at first for newlyweds especially ones that are just getting to know each other.  Along the way they must depend on each other, and Marty comes to realize that God never left her alone even after going through the death of her husband.  If you love Christian Historical Romances this one is your typical novel. Though slow in parts, Peterson brought the historical detail of the 1890's into her story.  The ending was sort of abrupt and left me wondering if there will be a sequel because the story didn't seem to end.  I have read other books by Tracie Peterson when she co-authored another series.  This one didn't keep my interest like I thought it would.  Peterson included a lot of the main characters' thoughts, but there wasn't enough communication between Marty and Jake.  Thanks Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group for sending me a free copy to read and review!

Dancing with Fireflies by Denise Hunter

Denise Hunter "hit another one out of the ball park", with her latest novel Dancing with Fireflies. This is Book #2 in the Chapel Springs Romance Series.  Thomas Nelson was kind enough to send me a free copy to read in exchange for a honest review.  The series continues with the McKinley family of Chapel Springs, Indiana.  Free spirit Jade McKinley has returned home from Chicago broke, unemployed and pregnant. She is hiding secrets and fears that she is keeping to herself.  Mayor Daniel Dawson is her older brother's best friend. Jade has always been "squirt" to him.  A Harvard grad from a well-to-do family is just happy to be living back in Chapel Springs and honorary member of the McKinley family since his home life growing up was non-existent.  He has had more than brotherly feelings towards Jade since high school, and they quickly resurface when she returns home. Is he crazy for wanting to help her find an apartment and a job?  Should he really go to Lamaze classes with her?   Can either of them ever been honest with themselves and each other? 
Oh, how I loved this book!  I couldn't put it down until it was finished!  I felt like I was a member of the McKinley family.  I love Hunter's writing style and believable characters. I had read Book #1 in this series over 8 months ago, but Hunter quickly gets you back into the characters lives right from where the previous book ended.  Now I have to wait until December for Book #3! 

Princess Ever After by Rachel Hauck

Doesn't every little girl dream of being a princess someday- to wear a tiara, have a closet full of ballroom gowns, live in a castle, and run a country?  Regina Beswick remembers her grandmother's fairy tale stories, but never imagined they were about a country named Hessenberg and she is the princess the country is looking for to end the 100 years entail.  She is content living in Florida with her father and step-mom and busy starting her own classic auto restoration business.  Then Tanner Burkhardt shows up on a mission for the Grand Duchy of Hessenberg.  Although he has proof that she is the long-lost princess, Regina is unsure of her identity.  She questions herself...how could she have lived for 25 years and not known her true identity?  Add that to the fact that she has no idea how to run a country! Throw in a little political opposition from the governor who wants to rule the country himself and you have Rachel Hauck's latest novel in the Royal Wedding Series.  I have read the first novel in the series and some reference is made to King Nathanial and his fiancée Susanna, but you don't have to be familiar with the first book to enjoy the second.  There are references to history in the early 1900's, before World War I, in some of the letters that Regina finds from her grandmother, so it made the fairy tale story seem more real.  And with all the interest in America of the royal family of England with Princess Kate and Prince William,  Rachel Hauck portrays a modern day fairy tale that most American young women would enjoy!  Zondervan provided me with a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

A Match Made in Texas- A Novella Collection by Witemeyer, Connealy, Jennings and Cox.

If you like Historical Christian Romance, this collection of 4 novellas is for you. Set in Dry Gulch, TX in 1893, each story involves the work of an anonymous matchmaker.  How else you can explain how handy man Neill just shows up to help widow Clara fix up her homestead? Or Grace, a young schoolteacher that is losing her sight as well as her job, but still wants to be independent on her ranch.  Cowboy Clayton shows up on her doorstep in response to a classified ad that Grace never wrote.   Then there is Andrew who needs someone to stay on his ranch with his elderly aunt while he travels for work, and city girl Lucy is sent to him by an unknown source.  In the final story Hannah has known Mark since grade school, but he is too tongue tied around her to make the first move. Only a matchmaker can give them a little push in the right direction!  At first I wasn't sure if I would like the novellas, because they seemed too short.  Yet, I loved the novels I had read by Karen Witemeyer and Mary Connealy. I found I like the short stories because some nights after work and getting the kids to bed I only had a short time to read and I could read the whole novella in one sitting.  I love historical fiction and these authors didn't disappoint!