From The Start by Melissa Tagg

Having read one other novel by Melissa Tagg, I couldn't wait to read From The Start.  I enjoyed Kate and Colton's story from the very first chapter.  Kate Walker is a movie screenplay writer that doesn't believe in a fairy-tale ending anymore.  She is busy with her career in Chicago when a tornado strikes her hometown in Iowa and she must go home to help her dad and siblings. Former NFL quarterback Colton Greene is trying to find purpose in his life after his football career abruptly ends with an injury. When his former college roommate, who is Kate's older brother, suggests getting away to Iowa to help the town re-build after the tornado, Kate and Colton's lives collide and the sparks fly!  When they find that others in the town, like a high school boy in the foster system and a struggling coffee shop owner, need help that only they can give, Kate and Colton find their lives going in a new direction. But first they need to let go of the past hurts. 
I absolutely loved this book!  Reminding me of stories by Susan May Warren or Karen Kingsbury, I finished the book hoping there would be others to continue on in the series. The characters, especially Kate's siblings, were so real-life to me that I kept wishing I lived in their town.  I loved how the past hurts that Kate and Colton had experienced helped them assist others with similar trials.  I would definitely recommend this novel to anyone. Thanks Bethany House Publishers for sending me a free copy to review!

Steadfast Heart by Tacie Peterson

Tracie Peterson has begun a new series Brides of Seattle.  Set in Seattle, WA in 1888 Book 1 Steadfast Heart tells the story of Lenore Fulcher who has just discovered her father wants to consider the marriage of her and one of his colleagues as part of a business deal. Lenore isn't an "old maid", she just hasn't found her "one true love yet" and would never want to marry someone so much older than herself .  Being an only child, Lenore's parents tend to overprotect and spoil her. Her best friend Abrianna helps her see what the real world is like. She isn't afraid to be out on the streets helping the poor and homeless, much to the dismay of Wade, her friend since childhood. Abrianna lives with 3 aunts at the Madison Bridal School where mail-order brides are taught basic household skills to make them more "marketable". When Kolbein Booth comes to the Bridal School all the way from Chicago looking for his little sister, Lenore starts to believe in "love at first sight". Can it really be possible and will her parents allow a stranger to court her?
I enjoyed this novel, however the first half seemed to move slowly.  The "preview" on the back cover really didn't match the story line.  While it made Lenore seem like the main character, Abrianna was talked about more, especially in the first half, while Lenore was out of town. I could tell that Tracie Peterson was trying to set up the story line for Book 2, which I am assuming is about Abrianna. Yet Lenore's story seemed to be lacking; it was hard to get to know her character and that of Kolbein. I made myself finish it because I wanted to see what happened with Abrianna.  The dialogue between Abrianna's  aunts reminded me of the Baldwin sisters on The Waltons, with much talk of the past and the husband that had passed away.  An okay read, but not one of my favorites.  Thank-you Bethany House Publishers for providing me a free copy.

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.