Keeping Lucy by T. Greenwood

This was not what I expected and I mean that in a good way! This book is about a mother and the incredible journey she goes on and lengths she goes to protect her daughter. 

The description says that this is based on a true story and I would love to know what story it is based on because I found it fascinating. Ginny has a young and healthy son, Peyton and lives a happy life with her son and husband, Ab (short for Abbott). They are overjoyed to find out Ginny is expecting another child.  

However, when Ginny and Ab's new daughter, Lucy, arrives, she is diagnosed with Down Syndrome. That doesn't sound too hopeless in our day and age, but this story takes place in 1969 when children with different disabilities were whisked away and placed in facilities. 

Lucy remains in the state run facility for 2 years before an artcle in a paper shows the horrid conditions of the home.  Ginny, who has suffered with the guilt of her daughter being placed in the facility, launches into action to rescue Lucy.  With the help of her best friend, Marsha, a whirlwind journey takes place. Ginny is up against her very powerful father in law and in for the battle of her life and that of her daughter. 

This was a book I kept coming back to as soon as I could. I really wanted to find out what happened and how it would all turn out. When I got a copy of this from the publisher and first read the description, I was a little leery. At first, I didn't think that it would be something I would have picked up on my own. But, it turned out that it was a very good read and I highly recommend it.  Second of all, this was my first T. Greenwood book and won't be my last. What  could be better? Good book, new author found! This book will be available August 2019. 

Thank you to the publisher for this opportunity.

The Winter Sister by Megan Collins

This was a pleasant surprise in the way it grabbed me from the beginning! I read A LOT, and unfortunately, many books lately haven't been grabbing my attention, or I feel my interest waning a lot of times before I finish. This wasn't the case with The Winter Sister. 

Sylvie admires her sister Persephone and has a modest, but fun childhood, thinking life is pretty good. Sylvie thinks her mother hung the moon, but Persephone has nothing but a list of complaints about their mom, always saying that their mom treats Sylvie better.  Sylvie doesn't understand why Persephone feels this way and just chalks it up to Persephone's attitude. 

Then, one day, Persephone disappears and her boyfriend, Ben is the prime suspect.  I won't go into a whole lot, to avoid spoilers, but the book then skips to when Persephone is an adult and how she copes, or really doesn't cope with what happened to her sister. And, to make matters worse, has to deal with the fallout surrounding her mother's  trouble in coming to terms with what happened so many years before. 

The book is really about what happens when secrets are kept when they shouldn't be and the havoc they can cause on lives for even years to follow. This book releases in February 2019 and I highly recommend it. I noticed this was the authors first book and I look forward to her next story. 

Thank you so much to NetGalley and to the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy of this. I really enjoyed it. 

The Christmas Remedy by Cindy Woodmsall and Erin Woodsmall

I was so excited to get a copy of this and then I was very excited to write about it because I loved it. This comes out October 23, 2018 and while it is a novella, it will be a FANTASTIC read and gift for over the holidays. 

Holly Noelle is a young Amish woman who has gotten permission from her bishop to work in locally owned and operated Greene's Pharmacy. Holly is driven and committed to bringing knowledge about medications and overall health help to her Amish community. It is also the story of pharmacist Lyle Greene and his son Brandon who haven't always seen eye to eye AND it is also a story of Joshua Smucker who has his eye on Holly.  However, due to Holly's commitment to work and her community, she tells herself to remain focused on her goals and to forget about any relationship with Josh.  Being Amish, Holly knows that if she were to enter a relationship and move on with marriage, she would be forbidden to work outside the home. 

It's also about family and the importance of forgiveness. What better story to read this holiday season?

I wish I could do this story more justice in describing it. As I read, I always "see" the scene before me, but this was SO vivid to me. I kid you not when I said from the first page, I felt that I was IN Greene's Pharmacy. 

Get this book for yourself or a gift for someone for Christmas. I am so happy I got the opportunity to read it. 

Thank you so much to WaterBrook  and to Cindy and Erin Woodsmall for this opportunity! 

Forget You Know Me by Jessica Strawser

Hello, all! 

I was so excited to get an advance copy of Forget You Know Me coming out in 2019. The premise sounded so good. Two friends, Liza and Molly have let life come in between them and are finally making time to have a "girl's night" even though it's just through the computer.  Liza has moved away from her hometown and has a career in Chicago, while Molly has stayed home in the suburbs raising a family. 

While video chatting, Molly goes to see what one of her children want and while Liza waits, she sees a masked man entering the house. She yells at him and he shuts the computer screen down. Frantic, Liza has no idea what is happening to her friend. She contacts the local police and then finally learns that Molly is okay. However, Molly is tight lipped about the encounter and brushes Liza off about it. 

This is what the book promised the story was about but it was about so much more. Liza has a tragedy of her own that forces her to make big changes. Now, she doesn't have Molly to talk to about it since they are kind of on the outs regarding Molly's attitude about the intruder Liza saw. There are also more plots in the story and overall it all tied together nicely. 

In some ways, the story being about more was a good thing, but not when the description made it sound like the intruder part was really going to be the bulk of the story. Also, the title made me think that, too. However, there was a small surprise in the book, which I won't spoil. The only thing is I think the book should be marketed less of a thriller and more of just domestic or women's fiction. That way, it would tell you more of what to expect.

I know I sound let down, but I really wasn't overall. It kept my interest enough to keep going, I am very grateful to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity. 

Priscilla's Escape by Diane Craver

Hello and welcome to my stop on theCelebrate Lit book tour for Priscilla's Escape by Diane Craver. 

About the Book

Book Title: Priscilla’s Escape

Author: Diane Craver

Genre: Amish Romance, Contemporary

Release date: March 23, 2018

When faith and freedom collide, mistakes made in the past may decide the future.

Twenty-year-old Priscilla King is unsure about joining the Amish Church and wants to use her rumspringa freedom to paint beach landscapes. She’s been offered a two-month-long nanny position in Siesta Key, Florida by an author on a tight writing deadline. The opportunities presented are more than a little tempting for Priscilla, even if it means disappointing her parents and leaving her new boyfriend.

Stephen Hertzler grew up in an Amish family, but, like Priscilla, he’s undecided about joining the church. He loves Priscilla and wants to marry her, though he knows she’s not ready to decide about anything other than her summer plans. His biggest worry is that she’ll meet someone else in Florida and forget him.

When Priscilla’s parents sabotage her part-time job at a local fabric store to dissuade her from following a “worldly lifestyle” in taking the nanny position in Florida, Priscilla is distraught. She knows she would regret not taking this chance. Leaving a note, she sneaks out in disobedience of her parents’ wishes.

Free to paint, dreams she’s never fully envisioned before seem within reach…but at what price?

Click here to get your copy: Get your copy of Priscilla's Escape!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

Diane grew up on a farm outside Findlay, Ohio, and she often acted out characters from her own stories in the backyard. In high school Diane would read during classes and hide a novel in front of her in a propped-up textbook. After her high school graduation, she attended Ohio State University. Then Diane became a schoolteacher and play director. She met her husband while teaching at an orphanage, and they married three years later. It took her that long to convince him she was the one for him! While raising their family in southwestern Ohio, Diane started writing nonfiction and was published. Later she decided it would be a nice escape to write fiction. Diane was blessed with five daughters and one son. 

Two daughters were born with Down syndrome and live with Diane and her husband. Their other children live close by in Ohio,  so that’s wonderful. They also have four precious grandchildren. Diane published through a variety of houses. Several years ago, she decided to self-publish her books, so requested the rights back to her previously published stories. From the beginning, she enjoyed self-publishing her Amish romances. Diane gives thanks to God daily for her many blessings. 

Guest Post from Diane

Hello, Reader Friends, 

Priscilla’s Escape is Book 3 in The Bishop’s Daughters Series. This story features Priscilla King, and she is the fourth child born to Amos and Lillian King. You may remember meeting Priscilla in my Dreams of Plain Daughters Series. After I finished writing this series, I decided to continue to write about the Amish and English characters living in Fields Corner, Ohio. They became family and real to me.

The King family have six children with only one son. That is like our Craver family because we have five daughters and one son. Through the years, our family has faced certain challenges with two daughters being born with Down syndrome. Although Priscilla doesn’t have any siblings with special needs, she feels overlooked in her family. It’s like she’s invisible to her parents, especially to her father. He doesn’t understand her passion for painting but favors Molly’s talent for quilting. Everyone needs a cheerleader in their corner at times, and Priscilla is no different. Fortunately, her new boyfriend, Stephen, listens to her dream to paint beach pictures. He even understands her desire to wait to join the church.

All families suffer some type of hardships. It does seem like some more than others. A family’s faith in God gives them hope in their daily lives. Whatever the level of the pain, staying close to God and listening to his voice, gives us the strength to survive. The King family have their share of tragedies, but their faith reminds steadfast. When Priscilla leaves their close-knit unit, they all reach out to her by letter and phone calls. Her siblings even tell their father that he needs to share his secret with Priscilla.

I hope you will enjoy reading Priscilla’s Escape. There is a lot happening in the King family, so you can catch up with your favorite romantic couples in this novel. If you love going to the beach as much as I do, I think you’ll love reading about Priscilla’s beach experiences – some are good, and others are not.

 My review: 

I didn't read the other two books in this series, because this is the first I've heard of it. However, while you don't really need to read the other two, because things are pretty well explained,  I wish I had read them to get more of the backstory. Some of the discussed would have been better known to me had I read the other books. 

I found myself  wanting to know how the story was going to end up for Priscilla. It also made me think about how hard it must be for some young Amish to make the decision to take baptismal instruction and dedicate their life to their faith, family and church, especially when they may have a passion in their life they may not be able to pursue once baptized. 

This was a very fast read and I found that it was a pretty different premise than usual Amish fiction. I always enjoy a good Amish story and this fit the bill. 

I enjoyed this story and really appreciate the opportunity given to me by Celebrate Lit and the publisher! All opinions are my own.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Diane is giving a grand prize that includes a $25 Amazon Gift Card & The Bishop’s Daughters: A Three Book Collection – Amish Baby Snatched, A Plain Widow, and Priscilla’s Escape (paperback or eBook)!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. 

Click here to enter the giveaway: Enter to win!

The Christmas Prayer by Wanda Brunstetter and Giveaway!

About the Book: 

The Christmas Prayer

Author: Wanda E. Brunstetter

Genre: Historical Christmas Romance

Release date: September, 2018

Beloved, bestselling author of Amish fiction, Wanda E. Brunstetter takes readers on a journey in 1850 along the California Trail.

Only the brave—or foolhardy—would attempt a cross-country journey late in the season. Three wagons meet up in Independence, Missouri, in April 1850, and their owners decide to keep forging ahead despite many setbacks and delays. December finds them in the Sierra Nevada Mountains when a sudden snowstorm traps them, obscuring the trail.

Cynthia Cooper is traveling with her mother and the man she has promised to marry. But as Christmas is upon them and they are hunkered down in a small cabin, she is forced to reevaluate her reasons for planning to marry fellow-traveler Walter Prentice. When a widowed father heading to a California ranch and a gold prospector both show an interest in Cynthia, she weighs her dreams for marriage alongside her responsibility to care for her mother. Can love win over her timid heart?

I really enjoyed this story. It was a light read due to the length, due to being a novella, but I found myself wanting to know what was going to happen to the characters. I was also genuinely surprised at one of the events that occurred later in the book. When you read a story like this, you feel more grounded and refreshed. 

You also tend to remember the things that are important in life. I also enjoyed the historical time setting and found myself imagining how hard it must have been to go across the country in the harsh conditions. You can't go wrong with a story like this that is based in faith in this day and age. Mrs. Brunstetter's stories always lift my spirits. 

About the Author

New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Wanda E. Brunstetter is one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre. She has written close to 90 books translated in four languages. With over 10 million copies sold, Wanda’s stories consistently earn spots on the nations most prestigious bestseller lists and have received numerous awards.

Wanda’s ancestors were part of the Anabaptist faith, and her novels are based on personal research intended to accurately portray the Amish way of life. Her books are well-read and trusted by many Amish, who credit her for giving readers a deeper understanding customs.

When Wanda visits her Amish friends, she finds herself drawn to their peaceful lifestyle, sincerity, and close family ties. Wanda enjoys photography, ventriloquism, gardening, bird-watching, beachcombing, and spending time with her family. She and her husband, Richard, have been blessed with two grown children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

To learn more about Wanda, visit her website at www.wandabrunstetter.com.

Try this Exclusive Bonus Recipe Found Inside the Book!

Cynthia’s Fried Apples

Instructions:

Without peeling, quarter as many tart apples as you would like. Lay apples close together, skin side down, in frying pan with salt pork fat or butter. Cover until well steamed then uncover and brown both sides, turning and watching closely to prevent burning.

Blog Stops

Among the Reads, September 18

The Avid Reader, September 18

The Power of Words, September 18

Lighthouse Academy, September 18

Just Commonly, September 19

Carpe Diem, September 19

A Baker’s Perspective, September 19

Blossoms and Blessings, September 20

Britt Reads Fiction, September 20

Random Thoughts From a Bookworm, September 20

Connie’s History Classroom, September 21

Luv’N Lambert Life, September 21

Not Enough Time for Books, September 21

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, September 22

Lis Loves Reading, September 22

Literary Reflections Book Blog, September 22

Babs Book Bistro, September 23

Jeanette’s Thoughts, September 23

Janices book reviews, September 23

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, September 24

Mary Hake, September 24

Two Points of Interest, September 24

Inspiration Clothesline, September 25

Inklings and notions, September 25

Ashley’s Bookshelf, September 25

Fiction, Faith, and Fun, September 26

Girls in White Dresses, September 26

Book by Book, September 26

Splashes of Joy, September 27

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, September 27

The Morning Chapter, September 27

The Mimosa Blossom, September 28

Pause for Tales, September 28

Have A Wonderful Day, September 28

Miss Tina’s Amish Book Reviews, September 29

To Everything A Season, September 29

Cafinated Reads, September 29

Bibliophile Reviews, September 29

Quiet Quilter, September 30

Southern Gal Loves to Read, September 30

proud to be an autism mom, September 30

Texas Book-aholic, October 1

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 1

Bigreadersite, October 1

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Wanda is giving away a grand prize of a $25 Amazon Gift Card and a free copy of The Christmas Prayer with an autographed book plate inside!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d297/the-christmas-prayer-celebration-tour-giveaway

Thank you to NetGalley and to CelebrateLit for an advance copy. All opinions are my own. This book goes on sale on or around September 1st, 2018. 

Ours For A Season by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Happy Release Day to Kim Vogel for her new book, Ours for a Season!

The story centers around Marty and her husband, Anthony who are faithful Mennonites. Marty used to take great comfort in her faith, but she feels God has abandoned her due to the fact that a doctor has told her and Anthony that they cannot have children. This news has really made a divide between Marty and Anthony. Marty can't move past the fact that she will never become a mother. 

When Brooke, Marty's best friend from childhood, offers Anthony, a contractor, an opportunity to come and build a new project of hers located an hour away, Marty really wants to go. One, she misses her best friend and two, she feels a fresh start would be just the thing she and Anthony need to heal their marriage and to help her own devastation at not being able to have children. 

Packing up part of his crew, Anthony and Marty make the trek out to the site and set up temporary homes. When they settle, Marty learns that Brooke is facing a serious medical condition and believes that it is God's timing that they have come when they did. Brooke is alone and Marty is just the person to help take care of her. 

There are more than one ways to become a mother and while Marty's sadness is making her too blind to this fact in the beginning, opportunities arise in the story that may just make her come back to her faith and see that God always has plans to help us, not harm. 

I really enjoyed this story. I thought it had an original premise and I was vested in the characters pretty quickly wanting to find out what was going to happen. Also, I usually don't get teary eyed during books, but the way the author described some of Brooke's struggles really tugged on my heart. This was my first book by Ms. Vogel Sawyer and it won't be my last. 

Thank you to Waterbrook for the advance copy. All opinions are my own. 

Lies by T M Logan

What can I say about this book except, "Buy it when it comes out on 9/11/2018!"  

Joe and his young son, William are out and about when his son sees Joe's wife's car. William wants to see his mother and asks Joe if they can go "surprise" her. Joe follows his wife's car to a hotel. And that's when things start to spiral out of control. 

There is excuse after excuse given, each one sounding plausible but what is the truth and what is a lie?

Well, let me tell you. I thought I knew the ending and I didn't. I don't want to give too much away because you should take this roller coaster ride on your own. There is no filler and the book takes off right away.  But, if you want more, here's the description from Goodreads: 


When Joe Lynch stumbles across his wife driving into a hotel car park while she's supposed to be at work, he's intrigued enough to follow her in.

And when he witnesses her in an angry altercation with family friend Ben, he knows he ought to intervene.

But just as the confrontation between the two men turns violent, and Ben is knocked unconscious, Joe's young son has an asthma attack - and Joe must flee in order to help him.

When he returns, desperate to make sure Ben is OK, Joe is horrified to find that Ben has disappeared.

And that's when Joe receives the first message .



You have to read this book! It was exciting. You won't be disappointed!  Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the advance copy. I really enjoyed it. All opinions are my own.

Road to Paradise by Karen Barnett

So, this blog is about Road to Paradise by Karen Barnett. This is the first book I have ever read by Karen Barnett and it won't be my last. Can we swoon over this cover first? Look how amazing the colors are! And, the picture in general! How great is that? 

This says it is a vintage national parks novel, but I was told they are just fine as stand alones. This one is about Margie, a wealthy senator's daughter who is used to luxury and privilege. However, Margie's heart lies with her faith and with nature. 

With an arrangement from her father, unbeknownst to Margie, she is placed in a position to work in the park overlooked by Mount Rainier. Margie is enthralled with  nature and the mountain. She feels very close to God in the park and takes comfort in being in the presence of God's artistry. 

Her supervisor, Ford Brayden, is skeptical of Margie and feels that she is out of her league in the park. As time goes on and she spends time with Ford, she is alarmed that Ford doesn't share her faith in God, mainly due to a tragedy that happened in Ford's life. Margie wants to change his view, which is turning out to be a lot harder than she had hoped. 

Margie is battling troubles of her own. She is being harassed by Philip Carmichael who thinks that Margie owes him more than she does. He feels that he is entitled to a relationship with her based on their shared past. He also does not take her faith or love of the outdoors and flowers seriously. All Margie wants is to be left alone to work in and enjoy the park. 

Margie is greatly tested when she has to go up against Philip who is threatening the life she loves.  Can Ford and Margie overcome their issues while helping each other and by relying on God?

I really liked this book. First of all, I felt the premise and the setting was very original. And, I have said this multiple times in my other posts, but I so love a book that makes me me want to learn something new, something that makes me want to look up more information on the internet. In this case, this book made me want to know more about national parks. 

I definitely recommend this book if you like Christian fiction. It was original and Ms. Barnett used beautiful imagery to really bring the park to life for the reader. 

 Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy. All opinions are my own. 

Have you read it? Comment below! 

Under My Skin by Lisa Unger

I like Lisa Unger's books and was excited to read this advance copy, thanks to NetGalley. 

Poppy's husband Jack, has been murdered in Central Park. A year later, she still doesn't know what really happened and/or why. She has vivid, sometimes violent dreams where she doesn't really know if they are dreams or memories. 

Poppy just can't move past all the unanswered questions surrounding her beloved husband's death and the more dreams/memories that flash before her, the more frightened she becomes. There are secrets in Poppy's life that she has been kept safe from and ones she may not want to know the truth about. 

I enjoyed this book. I thought it was fast paced and interesting. I really wanted to see what happened! The only part I thought kind of was odd was Poppy's relationship with Noah. Otherwise, I really enjoyed the tie in to The Hollows, the fictional neighborhood seen in other books of Lisa Unger. 

This book releases on or around October 1, 2018. I really do recommend it! Lisa Unger never fails to disappoint! 

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley. All opinions are my own. 

The Hope Jar by Wanda Brunstetter

Mary Ruth and Willis Lapp live a simple live in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Their daughter, Rhoda, however, left the community many years ago and unbeknownst to Mary Ruth and Willis, Rhoda had a baby. 

Sara Murray is grieving her mother, Rhoda at home. Rhoda recently died from an illness and Sara is devastated. While going through her mother's things, she finds a note explaining to Sara that her grandparents, Mary Ruth and Willis live in Lancaster County, grandparents Sara never knew. Sara immediately wants them to know that Rhoda has passed away and hopes for the chance to go and visit to get to know the grandparents she has never met. 

Mary Ruth and Willis are thrilled. They go to the bus station when they think Sara will arrive and see a young woman that Mary Ruth is convinced is their Rhoda's daughter. Unfortunately, that woman is Michelle Taylor, a woman who is down on her luck in more ways than one. Seeing the chance of having a place to stay, Michelle jumps at the chance and starts posing as Sara. 

How long can this charade go on? Won't the real Sara turn up? Well, I won't get into in where I give anything away, but Michelle starts living a life full of love and laughter. This is something she has never had and she finds in difficult to give it up or come clean to the Lapps.  While there, she makes new friends: Ezekiel, a young Amish man, trying to come to terms with his place in the Amish community, Brad, who is driving for the Amish but getting ready to leave for seminary school, and with Lenore, who is actually the real Sara's cousin. 

The reason it is called The Hope Jar, is because Michelle finds two jars on the Lapps' property filled with thoughts, scriptures and words of the heart. She doesn't know who wrote them, but she finds comfort in them, even in the middle of her charade. 

I liked this book. I am a little biased because I automatically read anything by Wanda Brunstetter. She is my favorite author of Amish fiction. I thought this book was a good story of one of the most important things we can offer one another and that is forgiveness. This is book one of a set, and it is a good thing because there were unanswered questions at the end. This book is due out August 1st, so pick it up then! I think you will enjoy this easy flowing story, but also appreciate the lessons in it. 

Thank you to NetGalley for the Advance Reader's Copy. My review and opinions are my own. 

As the Tide Comes In by Cindy and Erin Woodsmall

If you like Cindy Woodsmall, you're in for another treat. I think this book had an original premise. Tara is thrown into a situation that she doesn't want to be in. She has been asked to step in as guardians for her two half brothers, Darryl and Sean, siblings she has never been close to. All three were not close with their mother, who battled drug addiction. 

Tara hesitantly steps into the role of mom to the boys and over the years, realizes that she was meant to do this. Then, just when the boys are leaving the nest, an unimaginable tragedy happens and Tara's world is thrown into upheaval once again. 

Tara, in her grief, takes a trip to Saint Simon's Island, Georgia, where she knows she has some roots. While there, she meets Gavin and his mother, Julep, along with Julep's three other friends who have dubbed themselves the Glynn Girls, after the county they live in. 

Tara can't imagine making a new start after all she's been through. But, she finally allows herself to be helped through her grief by Gavin and the Glynn Girls, who are going through their own troubles. Can they help each other back to a more solid path? 

I won't go too much into the whole link to Saint Simon's Island. I don't want to give too much away. This book is pretty heavy hitting with pulling the heartstrings and some parts are heartbreaking. Haven't we all been through something? Something we don't think we are going to come out the other side of? 

That's one of the things this book is good for. Anyone can really relate to going through personal tragedy. Don't we always ask God sometimes why? Don't we even wonder if HE is doing something TO us when things go bad? Well, one of my favorite conversations in the book is when Gavin tells Tara that God IS love, and if He is love, love doesn't do or cause bad things to people. I took great comfort in that. 

So, all that said, this book comes out August 21, 2018. I was so honored to be part of the launch team for this book from WaterBrook Multnomah. However, all opinions are my own. Thank you to WaterBrook and to Cindy and Erin Woodsmall. 

A Gathering of Secrets by Linda Castillo

Where do I begin with this! First, a recap. 

A young Amish man is found dead in a barn that was on fire. Let me add this: the fire was set on purpose.  Who would want to kill an Amish man and why? It is up to Chief Kate Burkholder to find out what, when, why, what and how. This is the 10th book in a series, but you could really read it as a stand alone. However, it made me immediately want to start book one in the series. 

I am a huge fan of Amish fiction. However, a word of warning. If you like Christian/Amish fiction, you may like this, but be forewarned, it is darker than most Amish fiction. There are curse words and Amish folk that have left the fold and are quite bitter, most for good reason. 

The other interesting aspect of this is the main character, Chief Burkholder used to be Amish herself. So, she sometimes struggles between her current life and her past roots. 

I am so excited that this is a series and I have the opportunity to go back and read 9 other stories in this series. This book is due to release next month, July 2018. I highly recommend it. I read it in a very short time. 

I received an Advance Reader's Copy from Minotaur books (just love them!). No review was required. 

Dreams of Falling by Karen White

I was so happy to win this book from from Berkley Publishers. I have read a few books by Karen White before so  I couldn't wait to dive in. Plus, look at that gorgeous cover! 

Larkin was raised sometimes by her mother, Ivy and sometimes by Ivy's mother's friend, CeeCee. Also a big presence in Larkin's life was another friend of her grandmother, Bitty. Larkin's grandmother, Margaret died before Larkin ever knew her. This book takes place in the Lowcountry, but years prior, Larkin fled to New York to start a new life, dismissing her roots. 

When Larkin is called back to her hometown after her mother, Ivy gets hurt, old wounds are reopened and the past comes calling. Larkin learns about her past, where she came from and has to face relationships she thought she had left behind for good. 

This book claimed to have secrets waiting to be revealed as well, but I didn't feel that this was a mystery. I thought that's what I was getting and was just a tad disappointed when it turned out it really wasn't one. 

However, I saw another reviewer say that it needs to be viewed as a story, not a mystery and when I look at it that way, it became better. There is a HINT of mystery, but I am not a big fan when the reader knows what the "secret" is before the character. I always feel that I am sitting here knowing it and then there is no big "reveal" when the character finds out. 

That aside, this was a good story. Karen White writes with, and gives her characters a depth that is not commonly seen in books today. I would definitely recommend this book. 

No review was required even though I won an Advanced Reader Copy. 

The Heart's Appeal by Jennifer Delamere

Hello! 
Welcome to my post about The Heart's Appeal by Jennifer Delamere. This is a Christian Historical novel and the second in a series. I didn't read the first one but found out that they are linked but not enough to where you can't enjoy this as a stand alone. 

If you like historical fiction, I highly recommend this book. It takes place in London in a time when women are just starting to attend medical school to become doctors. Julia is one of those women. Her dream is to become a physician and travel to Africa to follow her calling. 

A subway accident brings Julia and a lawyer named Michael Stephenson together.  Julia helps Michael and then finds out that he is the lawyer whose client is trying to shut down the medical school Julia wants to attend in a libel lawsuit. 

Julia is undeterred! She approaches Michael a few weeks after the accident to see how he is. He, in turn, is so grateful that she helped him that he wants to repay her somehow. Julia asks for his help in Latin and the two begin weekly lessons. However, will Michael and Julia be able to stay civil in light of the lawsuit?

This sounds like it might be a simple story, but there are side plots and other interesting characters as well. I thought the story was well written and very interesting. It is written with enough but not too much description and, in my opinion, smartly written as well. It definitely made me want to read the first one and, even better, I found a new author I like!  

Thank you to Bethany House for the copy. No review was required.