FOREVER ASHLEY by Lori Copeland

What a lively and fun story; it had me laughing out loud and smiling through a major part of this story.  The story line was very different and I  thoroughly enjoyed myself all the way through.

Boston Museum guide Ashley Wheeler suffers a head injury at the beginning of the story, and is transported back in time to revolutionary America. She suddenly finds herself accused of being a Tory spy, and is under the watchful eye of Dr. Aaron Kenneman,  who is determined to find out what she knows, and soon finds himself fascinated and attracted to a lady who is acting and making no sense.

The interaction between the men of the revolutionary America and Ashley from the 1900 century was quite amusing.  Ashley had a mind of her own and a mouth that couldn't seem to be tamed.  I wasn't sure how this story line was going to end, but must say it finished well and kept me quite entertained.  Just thinking about the story even now, days later, brings a smile to my face.  Enjoy!

LOVE FINDS YOU IN BRIDAL VEIL, OREGON by Miralee Ferrell

I enjoyed this story for many reasons.  One, I liked how the author took historical places and events in this lumber town set in the early 1900's and used them to make this story more interesting.  I liked how she used the determination and love of a young girl to protect her older brother with learning problems and the love and closeness of these two characters.  I also enjoy a story that surprises me and doesn't take me in the direction I am assuming it will go.  It was a pleasure to read and picture in my mind the beautiful Oregon country.

Margaret Garvey is a young lady who has spent her whole life there in the timber country of Oregon.  She has lost her mother at a young age, the man she was willing to run away with and marry left without a word to her years ago and now she finds herself alone when her father passes away.  She becomes the town's school teacher and finds she can handle things on her own, but her father before he passed away, asked a young man, Andrew, to watch over Margaret and see she was cared for.  Daniel sets out to do that and finds out he isn't just doing it as a duty, but because he is learning to really care for this woman.  Then Nathaniel, her long lost first love shows back up in town, along with two stray children who end up at Margaret's door to care for.  It makes for a very interesting plot, along with a murder and devastating fire.  Margaret has many important decisions to make and she needs to learn to rely upon the Lord for answers.  But that is harder for her than she realized.  What does the future hold for her and who will she end up with in life?  I suggest you read this story and find out.  I don't think you will be disappointed.

YOU CAN'T HIDE by Wendy Davy

Give yourself a couple of hours of uninterrupted time, because once you start this book, you are not going to want to put it down until you are done.  I tried, but came right back to it.  This is a fast paced, intense story that has a great romantic side to it.  Wendy Davy never fails to impress me with her writing skills.

Cara Dalton finds herself being dragged by her brother to a remote island off the coast by her brother, to be kept safe by a friend, Gage McKenna (who is recovering from a very bad leg injury).  Neither Cara nor Gage are happy with this situation.  Cara is finding out her brother has been involved in something other than "mission" work and her life is now at risk.  Gage is finding out that being alone and feeling sorry for himself doesn't compare to protecting feisty little Cara.  Can they all survive the deadly cartel when their remote location is discovered.

Thoroughly enjoyed myself reading this story.  It was a page turner and the chemistry between Cara and Gage was just right.  I also liked how the story kept switching from them, to the situation in South America where Cara's brother Jonas was.  This can easily be read in an evening, so get yourself curled up on the couch and get ready to enjoy!

Publisher: White Rose Publishing
Year: 2013
Pages: 168
ISBN-10: 1611163234
ISBN-13: 978-1611163230

DEEP TROUBLE by Mary Connealy

Another fun loving, wild west wedding by Mary Connealy.  Her books are always an enjoyment to read.  This is book two in her "Wild West Weddings" series and as always the book starts off with a situation that grabs you right from the beginning and doesn't let you go until you have finished the story.

Shannon Dysart is a young lady out to prove her father's research into the City of Gold was not the work of a "madman", but that he really had discovered treasure in the Wild West before he died.  And nothing is going to stand in her way; not villains who try to steal her map and leave her for dead, or her "protector" who tries to change her mind, nor heat, lack of water and perilous trails down through the Grand Canyon.  (And having been to the Grand Canyon myself, I can truly understand the awe these folks experienced when they see the grandeur of this place.)
Gabe Lasley (who you might remember from a previous story) has left his ranch in Wyoming and is meandering around and on his way to visit his one brother when he hears a gunshot and a scream and tracks down where it came from.  He finds Shannon stranded on a cliff and seeks to rescue her.  They are an unlikely pair from the very beginning but opposites do attract.  Gabe will find his hands full of trying to protect and keep Shannon safe.  Will they discover this city of gold?  Only time will tell.

I liked the chemistry between Gabe and Shannon.  You know exactly how this story will end, with these two getting together, but it sure is a lot of fun watching it all come together.  There are villains and danger and exploring to do in the great Grand Canyon and it makes the story that much more interesting.  You will also meet Shannon and Gabe's "perfect" matches(?) as a little side story, which was interesting.  Saddle up, hang on tight and get ready for another great adventure by Mary Connealy.

THUNDER VOICE by S.W. Brouwer

This was a first for me I think.  First in that I read book one in this series, "Morning Star" and then skipped right to the last book in the series, this one.  (I would have read books 2 and 3 if I had owned them, but I only owned these two.)  I must say this author certainly can write an authentic western story and packs it full of mystery and intrigue.  I had to keep reading to figure out who were the ones to be trusted and who weren't.  And it was very difficult to decide with some of the characters in this story.  This is a story that would appeal to the guys and the gals.  There was a hint of romance in it, but the story wasn't centered around it.

Marshal Samuel Keaton finds a town drunk dead in a shack.  That in itself wouldn't be surprising except for the guy was shot in the back and then what they did to the body afterwards was shocking.  But when folks start to show up in town and asking questions about the gentleman, Sam starts to get really suspicious.  An Eastern lady comes to town and wants to employ Sam to help her solve the mystery of this gentleman and how it all ties in to her sister be murdered back East.  So Sam finds himself leaving the rugged Wyoming   territory he has come to love and getting a glimpse of city life and its charm and its perils.  He finds more mysteries than he does answers and has a hard time knowing who he can trust.  But in the end it will all become clear and Samuel will get the best surprise of all.

I would highly recommend these two books in the series.  I appreciated the way the author writes and his ability to put you  in back in time and have you understand and feel how it was to be a part of the year 1876.  You got to see what Samuel Keaton was feeling and thinking and tried right along with him to figure out the big mystery.  I am glad I read the first and last because I got  to know all the characters and then see how the author brought them to completion at the end.  Saddle up and get ready for a ride that will keep you guessing until the very end.

MORNING STAR by S.W. Brouwer

This book took me by surprise.  It is one of those books that has sat on my shelf for years and I finally decided to "give it a try".  I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed myself as I got into this story.  It was a good, authentic western novel that would appeal to men and women (yes there is a hint of romance, but it is not the theme of this story).  It did a good job of giving you a feel for how it really was in the West in 1874 and I was reading a little history in fiction form.

It was not easy living in the Wyoming Territory in 1874 and life had never really been easy for Samuel Keaton.  But when he rides into Laramie to enjoy himself after having been on the trail for days, he wasn't expecting he would be defending a dirty "Injun", killing a man in self-defense, running for his life and ending up in jail.  The mystery really begins when that same Injun and the Sheriff help him escape.  Why? and who is behind it all?  This story will keep you wondering what will happen next to Samuel Keaton and the "Injun".  You will slowly learn about both their pasts and wonder about their future.

I really enjoyed the realistic view of how things really were in the West and felt these characters did a good job of showing you how rough and dangerous life could be then.  There is treachery, killing, Indians, and a whole lot of mystery that will slowly unravel as you continue on your journey through the wild West.  Well worth the time to explore and enjoy the people in "Morning Star".

HEALING HER HEART by Laura Scott

This was book one in the Crystal Lake Series and it was a good story that for me was way to short.  I was just getting to know the characters and appreciate where they were coming from and then all of a sudden the story ends.  I did read the first chapter in the next book in this series (which was at the back of this story) and it is encouraging to know that hopefully this story and characters will continue on in book two and three.

Dr. Gabe Allen is an ER doctor at Hope County Hospital in Wisconsin.  He has a rule that he doesn't date colleagues.  But Dr. Gabe wasn't counting on meeting and working with the delightful Larissa, a nurse at Hope County, who began work there 6 months ago.  When an abused lady comes into the ER Larissa and Gabe will suddenly get more involved in her situation than they ever imagined.

This was a story of forgiveness, letting go of past hurts and letting oneself fall in love.  I enjoyed myself, but just wish it would have been a longer story as I felt it seemed to end too suddenly.  A good romance, but I just wish there was more.  I will enjoy reading more about the folks in Crystal Lake and those that work at Hope County Hospital.  The next story is called "A Soldier's Promise" and I look forward to reading it soon.

ON THE WINGS OF LOVE by Nina Stone

If you want to read a really good Alaskan adventure story then this book is one you will enjoy.  If you are looking for a clean romance that leaves you feeling good about having read it, then this book is for you.  There really isn't anything about this story that I didn't like, which is why I am giving it 5 stars (something I just don't do very often).  I enjoyed myself all the way through and hated to see it end. I will definitely be looking for more stories by this author!

Wiley Hart (short for Wilhelmina) runs an Alaskan Charter business and is known as one of the best pilots in the business.  When she flies businessman Dexter Sweeney into the interior of Alaska on business things seem to go as planned.  But on the way back they detour around a storm and end up crashing and stranded in the middle of nowhere.  Now they must find there way down to the river and try to find their way to the nearest village.  It is a risky and life endangering  trek and both Wiley and Dexter will come to learn things about each other and themselves that they never took the time to realize before.  They are both "take control" type people, but Wiley is all about living in the wilderness and Dexter is a strictly "city boy", so they both will come to realize that "risk-taking and trust often go hand-in-hand".

I enjoyed the way this author took these two characters and let us see who they were, what they were thinking and feeling and where they were coming from.  Opposites do attract and these two prove that.  I loved the way they interacted with each other and especially the way Dexter never backed down from Wiley, even when she tried to build walls around her feelings.  It was a special blend of their personalities that kept this story interesting and enjoyable. One review put it this way, "Ms. Stone provides a tangible example of how a person can live out the Word of God in a real and practical way".   That was clearly seen in this story.  So climb aboard for a flight that will get your adrenaline flowing and your heart pumping as you fly on the "wings of love".

You can go to:  www.ninastone.net to learn more about this author.

SAVED BY GRACE by Amy A. Corron

This was a hard story to put down once I started it!  It had mystery and romance and included the people you will come to love from the first three books in this series (which I recommend you read in order, although they can each be enjoyed as  a stand alone story).  This dealt with the issue of being able to forgive someone who has done a horrible deed, been sent to prison for it, did his time, has become a changed person and now wants to come back home.  Can the town accept his being a changed man since coming to believe that God has washed away his sins and he is a new believer?  The person he hurt has forgiven him and given him a job in her restaurant.  The pastor of the town stands behind him, knowing he is a new creation in Christ.  But can Grace Ellerton every really trust him, while her heart says one thing, the strange things coming up missing in town all point to this man, Adam Pearson.  I was thoroughly caught up in this story from the beginning when Grace and her friend pick up Adam along the road and offer him a ride, to the very end, where you wonder if Adam will once again have to go back to prison.  It got the heart a pumping a few times near the end.

Excerpt from the book: "He knew he had gained redemption of his sins through Jesus Christ, but until Jesus came to take him home to heaven, Adam had to find a way to redeem himself in the eyes of Atlanta's citizens.  In the eyes of his mother,  He had been such a disappointment to her his entire life and now that he wanted to make it up to her, he didn't know how he could."  You will find Adam dealing with this very issue all the way through this book.  I found myself understanding why the folks would be very skeptical to trust Adam, but also found myself knowing it was the right thing to do.  A very thought provoking and difficult situation to find oneself in.  But as the title says, we are all "Saved by Grace".  I highly recommend this whole series by Amy A. Corron.  You will come to enjoy the Northwoods and the people who live there, (although I must say that the Sheriff Nate Sweeney started to bother me a bit by his harsh treatment of Adam; in the other stories he was not nearly so "annoying").

If you want more information about this series or about this author, visit   https://amyacorron.wordpress.com/

THE HONEYMOON HOUSE by Grace Livingston Hill

This is a book with 10 short stories.  It is an excellent example of the kind of writer Grace Livingston Hill is and why I enjoy and appreciate her writings.  She writes each story with a message or lesson she is trying to convey and she is not afraid to share the gospel or what God is trying to teach us in His word.  I thoroughly enjoyed each short story, from start to finish.  It made me think how I am living my life and the difference I can make to those around me.  We often say one thing and live another and some of the stories dealt with that topic.  I just appreciated what this author was trying to get across in each of these short stories.  She will continue to be one of my favorite authors.

ROCK OF REFUGE by Donna Westover Gallup

This author's desire is "to convey God's love through fiction":  I feel she does a great job of accomplishing this in her stories.  This is book two in the Mysterious Ways series and it takes place 7 years after book one,  "White as Snow".  We are now in the Colorado Territory in the year 1871 and Charlie and his gramps are still working their ranch.  Charlie though is now 17 and his friends are leaving the area and beginning new adventures and Charlie feels the need for an adventure in his life.  Grandpa will come to see Charlie as a man and is about to send him on an adventure that will  take up most of the story line.

Many of the same characters that you met in book one you will find in book two also.  I highly recommend you read these in the order they are written.  The author has a unique way of thinking and writing.  She does a great job of giving you a western feel, along with a bit of history and in this story just a touch of romance.  She weaves the gospel message into her stories and gives great life lessons and weaves interesting characters into her books.  I find myself intrigued with this series and wanting to keep reading.  "In Green Pastures" is the next story in this series and I look forward to reading it.  The more I read, the more "hooked" I become.  I will say near the end of this story, after Grandpa's "accident" the story took a turn that was a little hard to wrap my thoughts around, but kept my interest all the way through.

This story will show how God is in control and we won't always "see everything the way He sees it, but  He can see the beginning, the ending and everything in between. He doesn't ask that we try to see the situation, or understand it; He only asks that we trust Him on the journey".  There will be heartache, sorrow, evil and goodness as you read this story.  There will also be the hardest lesson of all for some of us, letting go of those things we cling to the most and letting God have first place in our life.  So saddle up, sit back and be prepared to enjoy this western adventure.