Author: kentuckybooklover

Weddings at Promise Lodge (Promise Lodge #3) by Charlotte Hubbard

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weddings promise lodge

Pages: 368

Publisher: Zebra (Kensington Books)

Published: June 27, 2017

Could Promise Lodge sound any more perfect? Do they have problems? Yes, but the perfect part of it is they solve it as a neighborhood family.

Christine Bender, one of the founding sisters of Promise Lodge has fell in love with the new Bishop. Until, Leola, a young woman from Bishop Monroe’s home community comes to live at Promise Lodge. She claims she loves him and he has to marry her since “he ruined her”. No one can put their finger on it but something seems very off with Leola and her claims. Will the truth come out and set Bishop Monroe free to marry Christine?

I enjoyed this Amish novel for the different aspect it provided. Most Amish novels I have read frown up a Mennonite and Amish furthering their relationship to possible marriage and this one did not. The people of Promise Lodge let Mennonite and Amish live within the same community. Very well done. Acceptance at its finest.

I have not read the previous two novels in this series but that did not slow me down one bit. I was able to follow along and understand who was who. You can bet I will be running to the library to get the first two as soon as I can. This series has piqued my interest big time. I am already looking forward to the next one and this one has yet to publish.

Charlotte Hubbard has provided peace and feelings of acceptance with the Promise Lodge community. Sometimes we all just need a little of that in our lives.

Thank you to NetGalley and Zebra (Kensington Books) for an ARC of this book. Any and all opinions are my own.

An Amish Summer by Shelley Shepard Gray, Amy Clipston, Kathleen Fuller and Kelly Irvin

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an amish summer

Pages: 400

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Published: June 6,2017

The four stories are separate but intertwine in that they all deal with the hardships of young adulthood and merging your life with another in marriage.

In A Reunion in Pinecraft by Shelley Shepard Gray we learn that just because something is not what we expected, doesn’t mean it is bad. This was the perfect story to keep the Pinecraft series going.

In Summer Storms by Amy Clinton we learn you protect those that you love most but sometimes you also hurt those you love the most.

In Lakeside Love by Kathleen Fuller it shows outside beauty doesn’t always ensure happiness. One must look past physical beauty to the inner beauty to really know someone.

In One Sweet Kiss by Kelly Irvin you are taught that letting go is sometimes the best way to find love. This story has made me want to read the other books that take place in Bee, Texas.

These short stories are perfect for a summer day at the pool or beach. They allow you to stop and start very easily.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for an ARC copy to read and provide a review based on my own honest opinion.

 

Amish Brides by Jennifer Beckstrand, Molly Jebber and Amy Lillard

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amish brides

Pages: 352

Publisher: Kensington

Published: May 30, 2017

All three stories are wonderfully written and very enjoyable. I have found a new author to start reading in Amy Lillard.
My favorite of the three stories is The Reluctant Groom by Jennifer Beckstrand, of course, as we venture back to Huckleberry Hill. How can you stay away from Anna and Felty? I think we all wish we had them in our lives at one time. Suvie is quite a pip and is a prefect friend for quirky Anna. With those two in charge you never know what is going to happen.  Tighten your seat belts because you are in for a ride!
In Joshua’s Bride by Molly Jebber, I was able to visit with the Amish of the 1800’s which is not something I do very often. Your heart will go the sweetest of highs and the saddest of lows as Madeline tries to love her fiancé’s family as they despise her at every turn.
Finally, in A Summer Wedding in Paradise by Amy Lillard we join feisty, independent Reba as she becomes the teacher for the last few weeks of school. A mishap that leaves her breathless is not just because she lands in the muddy ditch. It is a case of “those dastardly dimples”. (My favorite line in the entire book). Will Reba succumb to the dimples or will she be able to wipe them right off Abel’s face?
This book is perfect for the summer nights that you only have a few minutes here and there to read due to kids ball schedules, camps and etc. as the chapters are short and the stories are as well. Also a great book to wean your way into the Amish reading world if you have not done so.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington for a free ARC for me to read and post a review based on my own honest opinion.

Return to Huckleberry Hill by Jennifer Beckstrand

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return to HH

Pages: 352

Publisher: Kensington

Published: May 30, 2017

 

A delightful return to visit with Anna and Felty at Huckleberry Hill, Wisconsin.

Anna and Felty are joined by their grandson, Reuben as he flees his hometown of Sugarcreek, Ohio after being jilted by his fiancé for his best friend. Soon to follow is Fern, his best friend’s little sister. Whatever is he going to do to make her see that he cannot forgive the two people he loved the most? Will Anna be able to work her magic on these two with her knitting or has she finally met her match?

From book one I have absolutely loved the wisdom that Anna and Felty share with the young’uns. My favorite passage in this book is: “The measure of a man isn’t how popular he is with friends, but how he treats those who have nothing to give him.” A lesson I think we all can be reminded of time and time again.

I appreciate that Beckstrand doesn’t feel the need for bible verses every other page. She gets the point across of living a Christian life through your actions to others and how you view the world.

Jennifer Beckstrand has done a wonderful job in making the characters come alive in the heart of the reader. You find yourself cheering, being angry and even crying when her characters do in the book. I am looking forward to another visit to Huckleberry Hill in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington for an ARC of this book for my own honest opinion.

 

 

 

Uniformly Dead (A Stitch in Time Mystery) by Greta McKennan

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uniformly dead

Pages: 206

Publisher: Kensington Books

Published: May 16, 2017

A wonderful page-turning debut cozy mystery by Grate McKennan.
The book starts with Daria dealing with a difficult Civil War reenactor who turns her already topsy-turvy life into more chaos. At the same she is dealing with a horrid mother of the bride on an antique wedding dress and the return of her long-lost brother. An innocent trip to the local Civil War museum turns into a theft and eventual murder. Will Daria survive long enough to clear her brother’s name?
I was hooked from the first sentence. Ms. McKennan uses imagery very well without getting bogged down by to using too many words to describe what is happening in the scene. I even learned what a Farb was in the historical reenacting world.
Daria is a well-rounded likeable character with gumption. She felt very real to me. A little gun-shy in the love department after a disastrous four relationship with a jerk. I think most of us know how that feels. Her renter, Aileen, is a hoot. We all need an Aileen in our corner.
Uniformly Dead is full of action from page one to the end. I could not flip my Kindle pages fast enough. I am already looking forward to the second book in the Stitch in Time series. I can’t wait to see where we go next.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an ARC of the book for my own. honest opinion in the form of a review.

Killer Characters (A Books by the Bay Mystery by Ellery Adams

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killer characters
Pages: 282 (Kindle Edition)
Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime
Published: May 2, 2017
As we join Olivia, Chief Rawlings and the rest of the Bayside Book Writers for their final murder to solve it turns personal. Laurel has been arrested for the murder of her husband’s lover. Did she do it? Can Laurel’s marriage be fixed? Will it destroy the Bayside Book Writers? For these answers you need to stop what you are doing and read this book immediately.
Tissue warning: my emotions were everywhere during this book and I found myself reaching for the tissues several times but none more so than the ending. Ellery Adams did a perfect job in making you feel the character’s emotions deep in your soul. I am still reeling from the ending but it was the perfect way to end the series.
If you have not read the series I suggest getting them all for vacation and spending the entire vacation in Oyster Bay, you will not be disappointed. The growth of Olivia as a caring individual who learns to open her own heart up to the impossible is hope for all mankind. Tragedy and grief affects us, some when we are little, some not until we are old, and some more times than it should but we can pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and learn to live a good life.

The Farmers Market Mishap by Wanda and Jean Brunstetter

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the farmers market

Pages: 208

Publisher: Barbour Publishing

Published: June 1, 2017

You always know you will enjoy what you are reading if the book is written by Wanda E. Brunstetter. One reason is she uses real places as the settings for her books. I’ve been lucky enough to have visited Topeka, Shipshewana and surrounding Amish communities in Northern Indiana and it draws me into the story more. It is a very friendly group of Amish communities. Brunstetter does a great job in conveying their friendliness.
This is the second book to feature the twins Thelma and Elma. The focus is more on Elma and her journey to finding last love. The first book had me in stitches at times and this book had some funny dialogue but I found it a bit more serious.
The Brunstetters are pros when it comes to using descriptive words without being overwhelming. I can picture Elma as if she was a real person. When an author succeeds in doing so I am a devoted fan.
Personally I don’t think you have to read The Lopsided Christmas Cake before reading The Farmers Market Mishap but you might appreciate Elma and Delbert’s friendship more if you do. I hope to see another book in the future featuring the twins Elma and Thelma.
Thank you to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for an ARC to read and review with my honest opinion.

You always know you will enjoy what you are reading if the book is written by Wanda E. Brunstetter. One reason is she uses real places as the settings for her books. I’ve been lucky enough to have visited Topeka, Shipshewana and surrounding Amish communities in Northern Indiana and it draws me into the story more. It is a very friendly group of Amish communities. Brunstetter does a great job in conveying their friendliness.
This is the second book to feature the twins Thelma and Elma. The focus is more on Elma and her journey to finding last love. The first book had me in stitches at times and this book had some funny dialogue but I found it a bit more serious.
The Brunstetters are pros when it comes to using descriptive words without being overwhelming. I can picture Elma as if she was a real person. When an author succeeds in doing so I am a devoted fan.
Personally I don’t think you have to read The Lopsided Christmas Cake before reading The Farmers Market Mishap but you might appreciate Elma and Delbert’s friendship more if you do. I hope to see another book in the future featuring the twins Elma and Thelma.
Thank you to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for an ARC to read and review with my honest opinion.

The Beloved Hope Chest by Amy Clipston

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the beloved hope chest

Pages: 320

Publisher: Zondervan

Published: May 9, 2017

Join Mattie, the mom of the three Fisher sisters from The Forgotten Recipe, The Courtship Basket and The Cherished Quilt as she tells her story of losing a husband and son.

You will not have a dry eye while reading this book. Amy Clipston has outdone herself with this series and especially the last book. I took my time reading, The Beloved Hope Chest, as I knew it would be my last first time visit with the Fishers. Yes, I plan on re-reading this series again as it was that good.

Faith abounds in the love story of Leroy and Mattie Fisher. Christian Faith, faith in each other and faith in true love. Through this book we learn we have to trust that God knows our path before we do as he is the one who set us for it. As the wall hanging in the book states: “Happiness is like a butterfly. Don’t go chasing it.” God will make sure everything happens in the time it is to happen. Some of the happiest times are after the worst times.

You can read any of the four books as stand alones but I recommend reading in order so you can get the build up and excitement for The Beloved Hope Chest. Grab some tissues and plenty of free time. You will fight yourself to put this wonderful book down.

Thank you to NetGalley and Zondervan for providing an ARC for my own, honest opinion.

Brew or Die by Caroline Fardig

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brew or die
Pages: 352
Publisher: Alibi (Random House)
Published: April 25, 2017
We join Juliet as she works on her first case after she has earned her PI license. Maya, her PI boss, has asked her to investigate a company called Wonder-Gen after one of the owners hired them to figure out if his partner is swindling money from the company. At the same time, her boss at the coffee shop Java Jive has asked her to look into the death of one of the employees fiancé. Did she really die of an apparent drug overdose or was she murder by a jealous co-worker. Both cases take Juliet on a wild ride. Will she survive both emotionally and physically?
Even though I started this series in the middle it did not affect being able to follow along. Sometimes when you start in the middle of the series you are lost in trying to figure out who is who and the connections. Caroline Fardig did a great job in introducing everyone and their connections very early on and without overdoing so.
I like the spunkiness of Juliet as she is a sleuth that is not afraid to get out there and get in the middle of a case to solve it. My biggest let down was her waffling on who she was in love with. Is it Stafford, Hamilton or Pete? Do all female sleuths have to have a love triangle or quadrangle to make them successful? I think not. Maybe in the future we will see Juliet take a break from trying to fall in love.
This was my first introduction to the Java Jive series and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It will definitely be a series I add to my reading list.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing a free copy for my honest review.

What the Bishop Saw by Vannetta Chapman

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what the bishop saw
Pages: 352
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
Published: May 1, 2017
I enjoy knowing I will learn something new when I read a Vannetta Chapman book.
We join Henry and his community while they are trying to figure out who killed one of their own in a suspicious fire. Henry has a special talent in being able to draw a scene and see things he does not consciously remember.
You will come to love Katie Ann who holds a special place in so many hearts.
It was pleasing to read about an Amish community in a not so familiar setting. I didn’t know there was an Amish community in Colorado.
This is a great novel for Amish and mystery fans alike.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harvest House Publishers for a free copy to read and review with my honest opinion.