Book Review: Love in the Balance by Regina Jennings

Molly Lovelace is certainly a passionate girl. And though her heart is completely taken by Bailey Garner, he is poor as a church mouse and so they cannot get married. Sent away to town to get her head about her and her heart under control, Molly meets the man of her family's dreams, Edward Pierrepoint. Rich, handsome and charming, Molly gets caught up a whirlwind romance even though Bailey is always in the back of her mind.

All I can say is you will not believe all the twists and turns this plot takes. It was a refreshing read in that I had no clue what was about to happen. On more than one occasion there was a sharp intake of breath on my part :-) I love how the characters learn about self control, wisdom, and empathy along the way. A good one!

Thank you to Bethany House Publishers for a free copy of this book to review.

Book Review: Stealing the Preacher by Karen Witemeyer

Joanna Robbins is about to get a birthday present she will never forget. She has been praying for a preacher for so long now, she can hardly believe it when her father shows up with one. But then she finds out where he came from and how her father came by him.
Stolen from a train on his way to interview for a church, Crockett Archer can no more believe that he has been stolen than the red headed girl who he was brought to!  He cannot wait to escape and get back to his previous plans, but Joanna's passion for the Lord and her empty church just won't stop coming to mind.

This was a sweet story of finding out that God's ways are not always our ways and when we listen to Him, we often find that what he has in store can be beyond what we ever would have planned for ourselves. This book is definitely a keeper on my shelves. I love the characters and the twists that play out just when you think you know whats going to happen next!

Thank you to Bethany House Publishers for a free copy of this book to review.

Book Review: A Noble Groom by Jody Hedlund

Annalisa Werner's husband is dead. Sad that she should actually feel a kind of relief in that, despite the fact that without a good crop and a husband to bring in that crop, there is little chance of her keeping her home and farm. So her Father sends a letter to the Old Country, asking his brother to send a new groom for Annalisa.
Meanwhile, another man from the Old Counrty appears and agree to help with the farming until the new husband arrives. Though it is plain to see that this former school teacher knows little about the ways of farming, he ways with Annalisa and her daughter are tender and kind and he is willing to work hard to  help her. But they must keep their hearts guarded for the new husband could arrive at any time.

I really loved this story. I tend to enjoy any story with little kids involved and this one will melt your heart. As you follow the plot, watch their hearts grow, and uncover the hidden secrets, you will be turning pages well into the night. I will be re-reading this one for sure!

Thank you to Bethany House Publishers for a free copy of this book to review.

Book Review: Dragonwitch by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Lord Alistair has a terrible secret. Every night he is plagued with awful terrors and vicious nightmares. There is no way he can get married with the torments he faces, but yet that is exactly what is to happen. So Lady Leta arrives at the castle to get to know this prince to whom she is to be wed. But the nightmares are just the beginning of the strange happenings at the castle as all who live there are to find out. Wars that had been fought in hidden kingdoms are about to become very real to the inhabitants of the castle and the regions beyond. Prophecies and stories of old come true as battle must be waged against the dragonwitch!

I am not usually a big sci-fi fan, in books at least, but this seemed like the kind of book my husband would find interesting so I gave it a go. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it actually. This is not the first book in the Tales of Goldstone Wood, but I was able to follow the story very well without having read the others, but I imagine reading the others would give more depth to the tale. If you are into tales of other lands and worlds, I think you would very much enjoy this read.

Thank you to Bethany House publishers for a free copy of this book to review.

Book Review: Perfectly Matched by Maggie Brendan

Anna Olsen is excited at the prospect of a new life with her brand new husband, Edward. After responding to his ad for a mail order bride, the two corresponded and it looked like things would work out well between them.
When the first thing Edward does is hand Anna a list of the chores he expects to be completed, Anna has a sinking feeling in her stomach. And when perfectionist Edward realizes that the beautiful young woman he married is less perfectionist and more free spirit, he also sees that things are not going to be as easy as he planned.
The question is whether opposites really do attract, or if their difference are too great to be reconciled.

This is the third book in the Blue Willow Brides series. I have read the second book, but did not read the first installment and though it's not completely necessary to have read the previous books, I think I would still recommend it to get to know the characters and their background a bit better. I did enjoy this story - I liked that the main guy was not the typical perfect broad shouldered perfect man but a normal guy with quirks and flaws. I think you will especially love the story if you happen to be an animal lover as it goes a bit into the background of the ASPCA.

Thank you to Revell Publishers for a free copy of this book to review.

Available October 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.