Category: Book Reviews

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Famous for a Living, by Melissa Ferguson, 2023, Thomas Nelson

Famous for a Living by [Melissa Ferguson]
Famous for a Living

Fame and Fortune

Cat Cranwell is famous for a living. That is, until disaster strikes. She and her business partner Bobby Braswell are launching Club, a new social media app. Bobby promises it will soon outdo Instagram and Facebook.

The extravagant celebration party is held on Cat’s 30th birthday, in her newly acquired posh Manhattan apartment. As it’s about to begin, her woodsy park ranger Uncle Terry and his assistant ranger Zaiah turn up at the door. Just as her best friend Selena sets off a calamity with the caterer. In the middle of Bobby urgently trying to convince her to sign an international contract written in several different languages.

Fast Paced

Yes, Melissa Ferguson really knows how to move a story along at a breakneck pace. The whole story is written in first person. At first, I felt uncomfortable in Cat’s skin, as she’s not much like me. But when she was compelled to leave the city and take refuge in the mountains of Montana with her uncle, I began to feel there might be hope for her.

Will Cat be able to remain famous for a living? Or will she even want to? I won’t spoil the story by telling you. There are a few twists and turns. I had to go back and re-read the beginning before writing this review. The first time I skimmed and missed the details that launched Cat into dire straits. You have to read slowly enough to take in everything going on in those first few paragraphs because it’s all important in the story.

This is the second book by Melissa Ferguson that I’ve read. I recommend it to readers who like a fast pace with humor and some underlying serious thought. Thanks to Net Galley for providing me the ARC to review. This is my honest opinion.

Famous for a Living is due to be published May 16, 2023, but is available now to pre-order at https://amzn.to/3JDF3Zp. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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the ROSE and the THISTLE, by Laura Frantz, 2023, Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

The Rose and the Thistle
The Rose and the Thistle

The Rose and the Thistle is an intriguing romantic fiction of Scotch and English history in 1715.

Times were changing. The Jacobite Catholic Stuart clan had been ousted in favor of a Hanoverian Protestant King–a foreigner who spoke German rather than English. The Stuarts fled to France, but Catholic Jacobites in Scotland and northern England rose up to fight.

Blythe’s life is in danger, as the devout Catholic daughter of an activist Jacobite Duke of Northumbria. Her father sends her to the safest place he can–Protestant supporters of the king who are family friends in a castle in Scotland.

Friendship trumps politics and religion, at least in this case. The fathers scheme for their heirs to marry, but Everard wants nothing of it. “Tis a Scots lass I seek, Faither. Not a sassenach. Not an Englishwoman.” Haha! What will happen between these two opposites–a refined English rose forced to take refuge with this wild Scotch thistle?

This is the second novel I’ve read by Laura Frantz. She’s a lover of words, especially ancient colloquialisms, and she uses them well. I referred often to the glossary of eighteenth-century Scottish terms at the beginning of the book. She also paints fascinating word-pictures describing settings and characters.

I enjoyed learning this meticulously researched history that ultimately helped shape the British Empire. Thanks to Revell for sending me the Rose and the Thistle, with its gorgeous cover, for the purpose of an honest review. I loved it and would choose another Laura Frantz novel any day.

Visit the author’s website at www.laurafrantz.net.

Order the ROSE and the THISTLE in Canada by clicking the below link to Amazon.ca. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

https://amzn.to/3ZLMMtZ

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HONOR’S REFUGE, by Hallee Bridgeman, 2022, Revell (Baker Publishing Group

Honor's Refuge
Honor’s Refuge

Honor’s Refuge is the third book in the Love & Honor series. Personally, I liked it even better than the first one, Honor Bound, by Hallee Bridgeman, 2022, Revell (Baker Publishing Group). I didn’t read the second book, but they work as stand-alone novels too, so you don’t have to read them in order.

Whereas Honor Bound focuses on tribal warfare in Africa, Honor’s Refuge is all in America and focuses on a shelter for abuse victims. That’s a topic of special interest to me because I have both stayed in one and worked in one.

I appreciate the way the author skillfully balances suspense, better times, and romance. Important things happen during those better times between adrenaline and other hormone arousals. Things like other kinds of relationships, realizations, and God’s goodness.

This story continues with the life of Phil Osbourne, one of the characters in Honor Bound, and introduces Melissa Braxton, who runs the shelter. Melissa has been wondering where her younger sister ended up ever since they were tragically separated at an early age. I don’t want to give away spoilers, but trust me, the story is good. It kept me reading till I finished it, way past my bedtime.

At the end of the novel, there are thought-provoking questions to discuss with other readers or just think through yourself. And tasty recipes to try.

Connect with the author at HALLEEBRIDGEMAN.COM. Find this and other Revell books at www.revellbooks.com.

I chose and received this book from the publisher to give my honest review. Thank you, Revell.

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the SECRETS of EMBERWILD, by Stephenia H. McGee, 2022, Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

Horses, women’s rights, love and marriage in 1905 America.

Horses, women’s rights, love and marriage in 1905 America. A young woman and her horse. Family expectations, loyalties, needs and desires. Secrets brought to light.

Horses, women's rights, love in 1905
the SECRETS of EMBERWILD

What will become of Nora and her dearly loved horse now that her father has died? Her uncle takes charge, but something doesn’t seem right.

At the same time, Silas turns up, asking questions about his father’s death 15 years ago and the horse that went missing.

A series of suspicious accidents occur. Something is wrong, but what is really going on, and why? And who is the culprit?

In 1905, women’s roles and men’s roles were distinct. Men took care of horses. Women cooked and kept the house. But Nora’s horse is all she loves.

Bringing history to life

Horses, women’s rights, love and marriage in 1905 America. Stephania McGee brings to life the difficulties of an independent woman of the era. It wasn’t easy to step out and make choices. Women were expected to obey and fit into the lives cut out for them. Nora had to consider her mother, the reputation of her family, and her own needs for protection and provision. But what about the needs of her heart?

McGee has put a lot of research into the writing of this novel. We learn about horses and racing at the time, as well as the lives people lived. I particularly enjoyed the way she describes places, horses and people. The mystery combined with threads of romance is reminiscent of Agatha Christie’s style, with the real culprit revealed at the end.

Thank you, Revell, for sending me a beautiful copy of this book to review. I’m glad I chose it. I recommend it to horse lovers and readers of historical women’s fiction.

This book can be purchased at Chapters.indigo.ca, by clicking here.

Check out Goodreads reviews here.

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Honor Bound, by Hallee Bridgeman, 2022, Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

First in Honor series by Hallee Bridgeman
Honor Bound

Medical Missionary meets Captain

Medical missionary meets special forces captain in an African jungle. He kills to save her from a terrorizing warlord. That’s the mix.

Cynthia Myers, the missionary doctor, is first repeled by, then attracted to Captain Rick Norton. They’re on opposite sides of the fence; her side being love and mercy, his killing the enemy.

The author successfully explores the boundaries between the two. Must they stay on opposite sides, or is there a way they can meet in the middle? Is killing ever justified? Is there a place for Christian warriors to kill enemies?

Hallee Bridgeman, via the soul-searching heroine, clarifies these issues in the minds of readers. She speaks from first-hand knowledge as the wife and daughter of warriors. I personally found it helpful in sorting out my own stance.

Are they just too different?

Bridgeman also brings out the dichotomy between values and ways of thinking in different cultures and classes of people. The heroine struggles to find a place to fit in when she returns to America. Will this medical missionary resolve her own prejudices and acknowledge her love for Captain Rick Norton?

At the back of the book, the author provides a list of thought-provoking questions for a book club. This will surely lead to interesting discussions.

She also shares recipes for delicious-sounding home made hamburgers and potato chips, the favorite foods of the main characters.

I’m glad I chose this thought-provoking novel from the ones Revell offered me to review. Beautiful cover, too. Thank you, Revell.

Meet Hallee Bridgeman at HALLEEBRIDGEMAN.COM.

My Canadian friends can buy the book at indigo.ca. Click here.

See my review and others on GoodReads.

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when the morning glory blooms, by Cynthia Ruchti, 2013, Abingdon Press

when the morning glory blooms

when the morning glory blooms isn’t about morning glories. But they do thread through this novel. The morning glories represent life and seeds of life.

It’s about Single Mothers

The novel centres around unwed mothers from the 1890s to present times. Starting from the point of view of the mother of a teen mom in 2012, it jumps back and forth between that family and their friends, a young pregnant single woman in 1951, and an elderly woman telling her story of starting a home for unwed mothers in the 1890s. It’s interesting to see what has changed over time and what has stayed much the same.

The author

Cynthia Ruchti is an acclaimed author and speaker, and is now an agent with Books & Such Agency as well. I met her online a year ago when I attended the American Christian Fiction Writers Zoom conference, and I asked for an interview regarding the novel I’ve been working toward getting published. I didn’t know at the time that she had also written a novel centred around a teen mom. I’ve been meaning to read it ever since she told me about it. What a privilege and honour to have had that opportunity to communicate with her. Of course my first-time, as yet unpublished novel cannot compare with hers. But I so appreciate her feedback and tips, and am glad now to have read her novel along the same theme.

Sort of the same, but not exactly (as the saying goes)

when the morning glory blooms portrays lives of single mothers over three eras, whereas my novel sticks to the contemporary experiences of one particular teen mom. Both include the mother of the teen as one of the ‘pov’ (Point of View) characters, but in her novel the teen mother is not a pov character, whereas in my novel she is the Main Character. Both of our books portray the stress the family goes through, and the sometimes hypocritical reactions of the church.

While my novel begins with the Main Character as an adult reflecting back on her teen years, then goes back to tell her story, when the morning glory blooms jumps back and forth between three time periods and stories throughout the book.

I love desciption in a novel. Cynthia Ruchti uses many similes in this story to make the writing vivid. I’m not so adept at that; my description is pretty straightforward. Perhaps I need to use more similes, but they tend to throw my thoughts off the storyline.

We all got here through pregnancy

Since the beginning of time, pregnancy has been how the earth is populated, whether within the parameters of marriage or not. Every one of us has made mistakes and needs God’s grace. Unwed mothers and their babies particularly need the help and support of the church and their families. I recommend reading when the morning glory blooms to gain an inside view of such situations.

If you live here in Nanaimo and attend First Baptist Church, you can borrow when the morning glory blooms from the library. I asked if they had it, so they ordered it. Thank you Juanita.

To learn more about Cynthia Ruchti, visit www.cynthiaruchti.com.

Visit www.AbingdonPress.com to sign up for their fiction newsletter, read author interviews, and post a comment about when the morning glory blooms.

See my review and others on Goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4970713366.

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The Last Way Home, by Liz Johnson, 2022, Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

A Hockey Player Returns Home

The Last Way Home
The Last Way Home

The Last Way Home tells the story of Eli Ross, an NHL hockey player who returns home to Prince Edward Island after more than a decade away.

It’s complicated. Why had he never returned, even for a visit, before now? I don’t want to spoil it for readers by giving away reasons.

Will his brothers and mother accept him? He doesn’t expect them to, but he has nowhere else to go.

And then there’s Violet Donaghy, a young lady who, he finds, his family has taken under wing as a family member. She’s cold to him, and extremely secretive. Which he can’t blame her for. After all, he’s not telling anyone his own secrets either.

No sooner does he arrive home, than a disaster occurs, and he decides to prove his integrity by pitching in to help. Helping Violet is like trying to help a snarling cat. But he ignores the snarling and persists. You’ll have to read it to see how that goes.

Plot and Writing Style

The plot seems to fit into a Prodigal Son trope. Both Eli and Violet carry a lot of angst resulting from years of hidden guilty feelings.

Despite his unrelenting efforts, Eli seems to be stuck on a train headed for doom. Will he be able to ditch it in the end?

The story is compelling, but it took me reading on a ways before I began to really like it. Revell asked me for an honest review, so here you have it. To be honest, I’m wondering whether authors these days are trying so hard to ‘show’ rather than ‘tell’, or to stay in a ‘deep point of view’, that the reader is left feeling a bit boggled at times. For example, instead of simply saying that a character felt anxious, we read that her stomach hit the floor. The first time this happened in the book, it took me a while to figure out whether it was literal or a figure of speech. And that was just the start. Both main characters really had problems with their stomachs dropping, hitting the ground, sinking or twisting.

The Last Way Home causes one to rethink secrets along with Eli and Violet. Is divulging them the best thing to do? Or could it cause more harm than good?

Learn more about the author and her books at LizJohnsonBooks.com.

Read other reviews of The Last Way Home on Goodreads by clicking here.

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a complicated kindness, by Miriam Toews, 2004, Vintage Canada (Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto)

A Teenager in a Mennonite Community

a complicated kindness
a complicated kindness

This kindness is definitely complicated! Miriam Toews, in first person narrative, describes the life of a teenage girl in a Canadian Mennonite community.

Please don’t assume all Canadian Mennonite communities are like this one. It’s not at all the same as the small prairie town that my mother grew up in, which is largely composed of Mennonites.

A Bit of History

The Mennonites are a people group with an interesting history. Basically, they are followers of Menno Simons, who, in 1536 broke away from the Catholic church during the Protestant Reformation. He lived in Friesland, an area around the border of Holland and Germany. The Mennonites later migrated to Russia (now Ukraine), and later escaped as refugees to Canada and other parts of North and South America.

Canada has many Mennonite communities, and churches. The different communities have evolved in various ways–some are very strict in resisting change, while others embrace change just like any other Christian group.

The Mouth is a Power-hungry Cultish Leader

a complicated kindness depicts a small prairie community dominated by one cultish leader of their one Mennonite church. This man, who the main character Nomi Nickel calls The Mouth, controls the people of the town. At least so it appears.

The book reads like a diary written by Nomi. We learn from it that although The Mouth manages to control much of what goes on, he cannot control people’s hearts and minds. Rather than this cultish control creating a peaceful community isolated from the rest of the world, it rips apart families and hearts and lives.

I noticed years ago that deception is most effective when mixed with truth. That’s how people get caught up in cults. Lured in by truth and goodness, they find themselves entrapped by power-hungry leaders. The Mouth is this kind of a leader. Please know that not all Mennonite groups or churches have this type of leaders. Menno Simons did not start a cult.

Underneath it all Lies a Complicated Kindness

Nomi, as a teen, realizes and resents the trap she lives in. Her dream is to escape to New York. However, as her teen years progress through the depressing gradual loss of everything meaningful to her, she also realizes the undercurrent of a complicated kindness that also exists here. Maybe she’ll stay after all.

Click on this link to connect to reviews and discussion on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13374.A_Complicated_Kindness?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=kU3AHS20aR&rank=1

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THE EXTRAORDINARY DEATHS OF MRS. KIP, by SARA BRUNSVOLD, 2022, Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

Inspiring and Thought-provoking

The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip
The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip

The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip features an indomitable woman, who through her generous spirit of love, instigated and inspired many others.

Woven into the story is the poignant history in the late 1970s of the immigration of a large group of Laotian refugees to Kansas City.

The author cleverly pieces into this novel the points she is trying to get across through the life-changing experience of reporter Aidyn Kelley as she interviews Clara Kip.

Reading it will cause you to ponder many things about life. How turning your desires over to God can open doors to unexpected blessings for yourself and others. How death is only a step in the continuation of life. And much more.

Personally Relatable

I can personally relate to most everything in this book. I’ll just share a few instances. As a writer I can relate to Aidyn. And I can relate to many of Mrs. Kip’s experiences.

She, in the process of her own death, showers God’s love on another person in the hospice. The detailed descriptions of the end of life in the book brought to mind the same things my late husband went through. He passed into heaven exactly two years ago today. Like Clara Kip, he was quite a character, also refusing a wheelchair and walking around on his own until he fell so many times that he was confined to his bed. He joked with staff and friends, and even had me bring his guitar so he could entertain them with hymns. Sadly, his ability to do so only lasted a couple of days.

Clara Kip inspired the immigration and integration of Laotian refugees. In the 1980s the church I was a member of sponsored refugees from Viet Nam. Now in 2022, my church is in process of sponsoring refugees from war-torn Ukraine. We are gearing up to help them with housing and provisions as well as English and spiritual nourishment.

Hopefully I’ve given you enough of a taste of what The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip is about to interest you, without giving away too many spoilers. My thanks to the publisher for sending me the paperback version to review. I’m glad I chose it.

Click on the Links

Revell has an on-line book club now, called Beyond the Book, where you can discuss books with authors and readers. Find it at facebook.com/groups/RevellBeyondtheBook.

Connect with the author at SARABRUNSVOLD.COM.

Buy the book here:

The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip

This website is a participant in the Indigo Affiliate Program which allows it to earn commissions from Indigo if you make a purchase on indigo.ca after linking through this website.

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The Paris Library, by Janet Skeslien Charles, 2021, Simon & Schuster Canada

Authentic History Portrayed in a Dual Timeline Novel

The Paris Library

The Paris Library is based on the actual American Library in Paris. The author worked there as Programs Manager in 2010. She now divides her time between Paris and Montana, the other setting in the book.

The story is effectively written as a dual timeline novel. Young Lily, growing up in smalltown Montana, is fascinated by the mysterious Odile, the widow next door. They become fast friends, and Odile’s story of working in the Paris library during WWII emerges. Amazingly, the dedicated staff and volunteers kept the library open throughout the war. The Author’s Note at the end of the book fills in more details about the real people she based the characters on, plus other facts about the library that she didn’t include in the story.

The Personal WWII Within Each of Us

The Paris Library is about so much more than history, though. It’s about relationships–family, friends, lovers. Coworkers and community. Betrayal and forgiveness. The power of the tongue, for good and for evil. Most of us reading The Paris Library have not lived in the centre of a major war. Although the blatant evils of war are obvious, we often fail to see the evil in ourselves, caused by just a few words of betrayal that slip out of our mouths unintentionally. The war opened Odile’s eyes to her own guilt, and she is able to pass on the awareness to Lily before she ruins her own relationships.

I was lucky to find The Paris Library in a little free library on the roadside. Thank you to whoever left it there. Such a worthwhile read.

This website is a participant in the Indigo Affiliate Program which allows it to earn commissions from Indigo if you make a purchase on indigo.ca after linking through this website. Get the book here https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/home/search/?keywords=the%20paris%20library#suggest=1&internal=1 by clicking on the link.

Learn more about the author at JSkeslienCharles.com.

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where the ROAD BENDS, by Rachel Fordham, 2022, Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

Follow where the Road Bends

"...follow where the road bends. You can have a different life."
where the ROAD BENDS

Follow where the road bends. You can have a different life. That’s the advice Norah gave Quincy, but could she do that herself? Here she was, engaged to someone she wasn’t in love with, in order to save her farm. It was all she knew, and she loved it there. It held happy memories of her parents. But alone, she found it impossible to maintain.

This is the first book by Rachel Fordham that I’ve read, and I’ll definitely read more. The characters are well defined; the main characters are refreshingly human and likeable, the villains despicable. The plot twists and turns and bends like the road in the title.

The characters, plot, and setting would lend themselves to a series. I wonder what happens next in the lives of secondary characters, and in the growing establishments in the setting of the book.

Thought-provoking

As I read, I found myself rehashing the choices I’ve made at the twists and turns in my own life. As the characters struggle between secrecy and honesty, holding back and being forthright, I wonder how my own life might have been different had I shared from my heart rather than putting up fences. The path of life is very tricky, isn’t it?

At the end of the book there’s a list of questions for readers that would make an interesting discussion for a book club. Even just by myself, I found them thought-provoking. Could I be brave enough to change my life by following where the road bends?

Thank you to Revell for sending me this beautiful book to give my honest review. I’m so glad I chose it. Be the first to hear about new books from Revell. Sign up at RevellBooks.com/SignUp.

Meet author Rachel Fordham at RachelFordham.com.

Get your copy here. This website is a participant in the Indigo Affiliate Program which allows it to earn commissions from Indigo if you make a purchase on indigo.ca after linking through this website.

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The Associate, by John Grisham, 2009, Dell (Random House)

An Associate in a prestigious New York law firm.
The Associate, by John Grisham

An Associate in a prestigious New York law firm, Kyle isn’t where he wants to be. He followed in his father’s footsteps to become a lawyer. But his father practices in a small town and chose the career because he had a heart for helping ordinary people. He’s generous with his time and charges only what his clients can afford.

Kyle wants to even take a low-paying position with a charitable organization for a year or two.

But past mistakes now have him caught in a trap. Basically just too much ‘partying’ as a college student. Suddenly he’s being accused of rape. Not only him, but several of his college room mates as well. It’s not the young woman herself holding threats over him, but a group of thugs who seem to be FBI. The intrigue starts there, but I won’t spoil it for you by telling you any more.

An associate position in a prestigious New York law firm may make Kyle rich, but what about his soul?

John Grisham’s books are always interesting and full of intrigue. Plus readers learn a lot about the workings of the American legal system. Possibly a lot you’d rather not know. Hidden failures and corruption. Learn, be aware, and use caution! Grisham writes from the standpoint of being a former lawyer himself. His books are an entertaining education for the general public.

Check out his website at www.jgrisham.com

This website is a participant in the Indigo Affiliate Program which allows it to earn commissions from Indigo if you make a purchase on indigo.ca after linking through this website.

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A Man Called Ove, by Fredrik Backman, 2014, Sceptre

A Man Called Ove
A Man Called Ove

Deep inside of the grumpy old man called Ove is a very sad heart. Bit by bit, over a lifetime of disappointments, he’s grown a thick crust. He’s not up for any more hurts–all he wants is to die in peace.

Yet it seems he cannot even do that. Because the people around him can’t do anything right and he must help them. Sonja would want him to. And that’s the kind of people he and his father before him are.

And his neighbours, including a stray cat, expect his help. Begrudgingly he starts by doing the least he can, accompanied by swearing and complaining. You’ll have to read the book to find out how that works out.

I found this book in the little give-one-take-one library in our complex. It was originally written in Swedish, and was translated to English. But the sentiments of the man called Ove could likely be found in any country. I know I could relate to him myself. Yes, I can easily get quite grumpy. After many disappointments in life, a person can grow a crusty exterior to insulate themselves, and use word-swords to strike out at the stupid people all around. I’m sure many people would sometimes just rather die in peace than deal with any more ****.

But magic happens. It happens in this story and it happens in life. Even opening your heart a tiny crack to help someone just a little, whether they deserve it or not, changes you deep down inside.

This Contemporary Fiction, written from the Point Of View of Ove, mostly, except for some Omniscient comments from the author, is not racy or romantic, but somber and darkly humorous. I’m not sure younger adults could relate much to Ove, but as I come from his generation, I definitely could. The first line, “Ove is fifty-nine,” immediately tips off potential readers as to the age category of the Main Character. In the first paragraph we find out that the type of car he drives is important to him, and that he’s uncomfortable and grumpy in a store that sells iPads because he doesn’t even know how to talk to the sales clerk about what he wants. Haha, I’ve certainly had that experience! A Man Called Ove was a bestseller, so perhaps I’m not the only reader that relates.

Find out more about the author at www.fredrikbackman.com.

This website is a participant in the Indigo Affiliate Program which allows it to earn commissions from Indigo if you make a purchase on indigo.ca after linking through this website.

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Abi of Cyrene; The Girl Who Loved Simon, by Mary Lou Cheatham, 2015

Who Were Abi and Simon of Cyrene?

Simon of Cyrene carried the cross of Christ. Who was he? Mary Lou Cheatham weaves a tale of his life as seen through the eyes of his wife, another obscure Bible character.

Abi of Cyrene

A beautiful woman from Nubia, Abi accompanies Simon, her betrothed, on a long journey via camel and boat to Cyrene, her new home in North Africa. Both are descendants of King David and Solomon. Abi is also a descendant of the Queen of Sheba. They proudly follow their Jewish traditions.

Simon is a trader, and travels far and wide. Abi stays home with his family, managing the estate and raising their sons, until the day comes when Simon takes them to celebrate Passover at the temple in Jerusalem.

The Passover Lamb

Abi hopes to sacrifice a Passover lamb for the forgiveness of her sins. But what is all the commotion going on when they arrive? Some sort of horrible rebellion, with people shouting for the King of the Jews to be crucified. Who is this man, and what has he done?

From the beginning of Abi’s tale, I was drawn in. What would become of her? Her experiences and thoughts became mine as I read.

Mary Lou Cheatham gives us a glimpse into the lives of the people at the time, personalized through the eyes of Abi. We learn how it may have been that Simon of Cyrene came to be the one to carry the cross of Christ, and the dynamic effect of the crucifixion and resurrection on this little family. What will it mean to them?

Visit Mary’s author page on Amazon.com to find this and other books by Mary Lou Cheatham.

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The Spark of Love, by Amanda Cabot, 2022, Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

1957 Small Town Texas

1857 small town Texas with a mix of charming and nefarious characters. Alexandra arrives from New York and must keep her wits on alert. Having escaped from a threatening suitor, she has come to be with her father. Sadly, she is not welcomed by him.

The Spark of Love

However, Mesquite Springs is a very friendly community. As is the guardian angel, in the form of Gabe, who feels compelled to protect her. He takes her under his wing, but all isn’t as it seems.

Who Can She Trust?

He happened to travel on the same coach, and both were surprised to find the hotel still under construction. The townspeople immediately find them lodging and befriend them. But they aren’t the only newcomers, and some are not to be trusted.

My Favourite Kind of Story

This is the third in the Mesquite Springs series. I read the first book, Out of the Embers, but missed the second one. It was nice to run into some of the characters again. I wish the series could carry on.

Amanda Cabot has a very likable writing style. I love her use of words. The characters are charming and the plot intriguing. The setting makes me wish to live in a place like that.

Visit AmandaCabot.com to learn more about the author, sign up for her newsletter, and see what other books she is writing.

Thanks to Revell for sending me this beautiful paperback to review. I’m so glad I chose it–it’s my favourite kind of story.