When I Fall in Love by Susan May Warren

About the Book:
Author: Susan May Warren
Publisher: Tyndale House
Source: Publisher Provided ARC
Publication Date: 2014
Find the Review elsewhere:
Amazon ▪ Blogger ▪ Goodreads ▪  Life is Story ▪ Novel Crossing
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Series: The Christiansen Family, book 3
Genre: Fiction; Contemporary Romance
Rating: 5 out of 5

If ever there was an author in the Christian fiction market who consistently did everything but disappoint this girl, it’d be Susan May Warren. I started with her Deep Haven novels way back with Happily Ever After, then later some suspense and historical (did you ever notice that she writes every genre and does each on so very well?) before coming full circle and returning to where it all began: Deep Haven, with a host of new characters to fall in love with. This third novel is all about daughter, Grace of the loving Christiansen family, who is a homebody to a fault. She feels comfortable in her surroundings at the family home and working for the small pizzeria in their hometown. Only that’s all about to change when, shortly after her eldest brother’s marriage, she receives a gift of a Hawaiian vacation from her family – one that involves cooking, which just so happens to be Grace’s passion, so long as it’s merely making pizzas at the local pizzeria. Much to her embarrassment, her almost brother-in-law, Jace, asks his fellow hockey teammate to look out for Grace during the trip he also is taking. Between Grace’s fear of being away from home and Max’s deep-seated fears over his own carefully protected secret, the fun they have in Hawaii may not last once they return to the real world.

Murder at the Mikado by Julianna Deering

About the Book:
Author: Julianna Deering
Publisher: Bethany House
Source: Publisher Provided
Publication Date: 2014
Find the Review elsewhere:
Amazon ▪ Blogger ▪ Goodreads ▪ Life is Story ▪ Novel Crossing
Find the Book Elsewhere:
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Series: A Drew Farthering Mystery, book 3
Genre: Fiction; Mystery, Series
Rating: 5 out of 5

Review: Trouble always seems to find the dashing hero of this series and lest you think otherwise (there wouldn’t be a story if he wasn’t followed by mayhem) there is more in store for Drew Farthering. Again. Drew has finally gotten the answer he wanted from American beauty, Madeline Parker and he isn’t about to let anything stand in the way of their busy wedding preparations and more importantly those “I dos,” which is why he’s dismayed when his former flame sashays back into his life with suspicion hanging over her head – one that involves murder, a death that creates headlines. A popular actor was found murdered in his dressing room and despite Fluer now being married with a small child, no one believes her reformed from the girl she was. It’s going to take Drew, Nick and Madeline to solve this case… and get to the church on time.

Destined for Doon by Carey Corp & Lorie Langdon

About the Book:
Author(s): Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon
Publisher: Blink YA Books, a division of Zondervan
Source: Publisher (ARC Copy)
Publication Date: 2014
Find the Review elsewhere:
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Find the Book Elsewhere:
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Series: Doon, book 2
Genre: Fiction; Young Adult/Teen, Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5

Review: There is something about a contemporary that travels back in time. Maybe its allure first began with the popular Gene Kelly musical Brigadoon (which this YA series is loosely based on) or maybe it’s just the idea that we have the ability to revisit these eras long gone through stories and it’s because of these visual descriptors that many of us have come to one conclusion: we were born to the wrong era. This co-authored series is the sequel to last summer’s inventive novel Doon and it continues the adventures of McKenna Reid and her best friend, Veronica. Living in Chicago pursuing her dream of a career on stage, it’s been nearly a year since McKenna left behind her true love, a native Doonian (what, so that’s not a word… work with me) – not to mention real-life royalty, Duncan, though for Doon, it’s merely been three months and now Doon requires McKenna’s return – or more importantly Veronica needs her best friend. Doon is coming under attack by forces that are ruled by evil witches and would have Doon’s beauty turned into a zombie wasteland. With her new Calling as the Queen of Doon, Veronica is only able to fight the battle so far by herself – her best chance at winning is with McKenna by her side, only McKenna left Doon with broken hearts in her rearview and it’s impossible not to let personal infractions complicating things…

Though my Heart is Torn by Joanne Bischof

About the Book:
Author: Joanne Bischof
Publisher: Multnomah Books
Source: Publisher Provided
Publication Date: 2013
Find the Review elsewhere:
Amazon ▪ Blogger ▪ Goodreads ▪ Novel Crossing
Find the Book Elsewhere:
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Series: Cadence of Grace, Book 2
Genre: Fiction; Historical, Inspirational
Rating: 5 out of 5

Review: Despite being comfortable in the reading habits I have developed over these many years, I’m a girl who can appreciate discovering new books and their authors, but am also a reader who likes to read books that have a high chance of being favorite reads. Anything less and in forcing myself to read a book, the joy of reading vanishes. This particular novel has several attributes and despite my skepticism, it’s fair to say, because of those glowing qualities, I’ve learned that sometimes a risk pays off – in the quietest of ways. Lonnie O’Riley had a rough start to her marriage. It came about after a horrible misunderstanding and now she and her husband, Gideon have found happiness in their small home. Just as the two have finally found each other, they are summoned home again, and Lonnie’s world is shattered when she is told that Gideon is actually married to a girl he grew up with, Cassie Allen. Devastated not just for the loss of her marriage, but also for the sake of their young son, following an unceremonious annulment of their marriage, Lonnie packs up their son and in agreement with Gideon, she returns to the home they made sure that only her faith will give her the courage to build a new life for herself – without Gideon.

In Perfect Time by Sarah Sundin

About the Book:
Author: Sarah Sundin
Publisher: Revell
Source: Litfuse via Publisher
Publication Date: 2014
Find the Review elsewhere:
Amazon ▪ Blogger ▪ Goodreads ▪ Novel Crossing
Find the Book Elsewhere:
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Series: Wings of the Nightingale, book 3
Genre: Fiction; Historical, Romance, Series
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Review: Positive reviews coupled with my appreciation of this era suggested this might be the kind of novel that’d be just my cup of tea. When it popped up in my inbox with an offer to review, no matter my stack of books, I took the chance to review the third and final novel in popular novelist Sarah Sundin’s second WWII series. As a flight nurse, Kay Jobson is happy in her work, not to mention eyeing a promotion and is one of the girls who easily impresses her patients with her knowledge of baseball – she’s fun to be around and lest she find someone to commit to, she’s one who has a fellow in every airport. Shutting out her friend’s attempts to talk about Christ and sensitive to any hint of Christianity after a rough childhood, Kay’s tentative friendship with the quiet Army pilot Lt. Roger “Coop” Cooper comes as a surprise to them both. Firm in his faith- after disastrous teen years, Roger is one guy, who never tries to make a pass on Kay, which makes their friendship blossom – and proves dangerous to Roger’s own past.

Updates + Top Ten Tuesday

Morning, readers! It feels like every time I write a note on this blog, it’s for the purpose of apologizing. But, that’s where I find myself again today. Every time I visit my Reader, I am reminded again how much I miss over here on WordPress, but since my primary goal just now is over on Blogger, I sometimes don’t get over this way as much.

With that being said, I wanted to thank you all for following along, for your comments and for just… being around for these sporadic posts and my even more sporadic visits to all of your blogs.

Something I have fallen behind on posting on WordPress is the Top Ten Tuesday meme, so here are all of the links (from my Blogger blog) of the topics I have participated in.

June 24th: Ten Book Cover Trends (or just elements of covers) I Like/Dislike
(can stick to one or the other or both!)

 July 8th: Top Ten Blogging Confessions

July 15th: Top Ten TV Shows

July 22nd: Top Ten Characters + a Deserted Island

July 29th: Ten Authors I Own The Most Books From

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Also, here are my two most recent “cover candy” blog entries – there are some gorgeous upcoming books to anticipate!

Cover Candy, 1

Cover Candy, 2

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Happy Friday – and welcome August!