The Sheriffs of Savage Wells by Sarah M. Eden
Summary from Goodreads:
He's the most fearsome sheriff in the West. A force to be reckoned with. The stuff of legend.
So is she. . . . May the best sheriff win.
Paisley Bell knows the eccentric people of Savage Wells. From the absentminded shopkeeper who always thinks she's been robbed to the young man who has returned shell-shocked from the war, Paisley has compassion for them all. When the sheriff up and leaves town, Paisley steps up and assumes the responsibility, partly because she loves the work, but also because she needs the income to take care of her sick father. So when the town council decides that the position of sheriff should really go to a man, Paisley finds herself fighting to prove that she's the perfect candidate for the job, even though she wears a skirt.
Cade O'Brien is heartily sick of shooting people. In his many years as a lawman, Cade has seen his share of blood and violence. So when he answers an advertisement for a sheriff job in the sleepy town of Savage Wells, he believes he's found the peace and quiet he's always desired. But when he discovers that his biggest competition for the job is a woman, he begins to question his decisions.
Tension between the two begins to sizzle when both Cade and Paisley realize the attraction they have for each other, but when Paisley's former beau shows up in town, along with a band of bank robbers, the blossoming relationship between the two sheriffs is tested. They will have to work together to thwart the bank robbers and keep the town safe.
5 Stars
Received an ebook in exchange for an honest review
My Review:
I will read ANYTHING by Sarah M. Eden. I absolutely love her books. When I saw that she had a new book coming out I was so happy. Yay! Another Sarah M. Eden book!
This book is yet another great book by Sarah M. Eden. She creates such great stories and her writing brings you right in to the story. I fall in love with the setting, the characters, the plot.
The characters are incredible in this story. I love the back stories on both of the main characters. In addition, there are fantastic secondary characters. There are many quirky characters, but also some that I wish I could know more about. The doctor in particular is a character that I would love to have his own book. I really appreciate the story of the war veteran. His character added another layer of interest.
The romance in the book is just the right amount for me. There is attraction and tension. There is also respect for one another and their abilities as Sheriffs. That adds another dimension to the romance. They truly are equals, no damsels in distress here.
Which brings me to one of the most wonderful parts of this book. Paisley is awesome. Sarah M. Eden has created a strong woman who is completely capable. She is also kind and friendly. She has a heart. Being strong and capable does not make her a hard woman. I love reading about women with these qualities.
This is a great historical story with a great old west setting, conflict and competition, romance, and wonderful characters. I loved it!
Warnings: None
I would let my 18 year old read this book.
This book is due out in September.
You can purchase this book:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Love is Come by Heather B. Moore
Summary from Goodreads:
Nelle Thompson lives a life of privilege during the turn of the century New York City. When her parents are killed in a terrible accident, she’s forced to live with her aunt’s family in a small town in Connecticut, and treated as a poor relation with no financial independence. Broken hearted and riddled with insomnia, Nelle’s health begins a downward spiral. When a locked part of her heart blossoms around her cousin’s fiancé Mathew Janson, Nelle doesn’t know if she can endure one more heartbreak. Miss Pearl, owner of the local apothecary shop, becomes a mother figure to Nelle, but a fateful summer day has Nelle questioning everything she's ever believed and wondering if she’ll ever love again.
4 Stars
Received ebook from author in exchange for an honest review.
My Review:
This is the 4th book in the Power of the Matchmaker series. One book will be released each month during this coming year. Each book can stand alone. The common thread through the series is "The Matchmaker". Miss Pearl, the matchmaker, appears in each book.
The fun thing about this series is that there is no specific time or place for the story. Some are historical, some are contemporary. This is historical which is probably my favorite genre. I love being transported to a different time.
I like this story. I tend to like happy stories and this one is actually pretty sad to me. The main character has so much disappointment and heart ache in her life. I so desire for her to be happy, but it takes the entire book to get to that point.
In the Power of the Matchmaker books that I've read so far, Miss Pearl is a bright spot. She is positive, helpful, and her interactions with the characters are just wonderful. Her role in this one has some of that, but she also lets the main character flounder a bit. It upsets me that Miss Pearl isn't perfect. For some reason I like to think of her as not making any mistakes. I feel like she did make mistakes in this story.
I really like this series and plan on reading each one and seeing how Miss Pearl affects the lives of people across time and setting.
Warnings: None
I would let my 18 year old read this book.
You can purchase this book at:
Amazon
A Timeless Romance Anthology: Mail Order Bride Collection by Stacy Henrie, Kristin Holt, Annette Lyon, Sarah M. Eden, Heather B. Moore, and Sian Ann Bessey
Summary from Goodreads:
Six Award-Winning Authors have contributed new stories to A Timeless Romance Anthology: Mail Order Bride Collection. Six historical romance novellas set in the Old West.
WRITTEN IN HER HEART, a charming novella by Stacy Henrie, Georgeanna is getting desperate. She can’t fund her favorite orphanage unless she marries and secures the rest of her inheritance left by her father. But her father’s financial planner, Clay, can't understand why she's not content with her current situation. Georgie determines to send out a notice as a mail order bride to attract suitors who won’t know her financial situation. Little does she know, Clay takes up the pen and sends her letters of his own under an assumed name. After years of working for Georgie’s father, Clay realizes he isn’t ready to watch her marry another, not when his heart is already claimed by her.
In Kristin Holt’s delightful novella WANTED: MIDWIFE BRIDE Dr. Naomi Thornton thinks she has it all: a beautiful house, a loving husband, and a fulfilling career. But when everything she holds dear is ripped away, Naomi has no choice but to start over. What will she find in the wild and untamed Wyoming Territory? Dr. Joe Chandler has waited years for a wife with the knowledge, skills, and tender heart he yearns for in a medical colleague and lifetime companion. When a midwife arrives with more expertise and secrets than he counted on, Joe quickly discovers there’s more to love and marriage than a simple mail order contract.
In THE SOUND OF HOME, a captivating novella by Annette Lyon, Marilyn is given the choice of either marrying the despicable Victor or being charged with a murder she didn’t commit. Refusing to believe that either is her fate, she finds a third option: she answers a mail order bride advertisement and boards a train to Wyoming to wed a man named Harry. Moments after her arrival, she learns that Harry isn’t who he seemed to be, and the advertisement turns out to be a giant mistake. Harry’s brother Thomas agrees to let her stay until she can figure out what to do next—after all, she simply cannot return to New York—but Marilyn quickly finds herself developing feelings for Thomas.
In Sarah M. Eden’s endearing novella FOR BETTER OR WORSE Gerald Smith, on the advice of his well-meaning neighbors, has decided it’s time to change his lonely existence. Mary Hill, on the advice of her empty pocketbook and non-existent roof over her head, has decided it’s time to secure herself a future. A mail-order marriage, they both realize, is no guarantee of happiness, but it is a risk they are willing to take. However, coming face to face on the train platform, the hapless couple discovers an unexpected truth: marriage to a perfect stranger is sometimes far preferable to the prospect of a lifetime with someone you used to know.
Heather B. Moore’s sweet novella THE INCONVENIENT BRIDE sees Carmela traveling from Boston to Colorado, eager to meet the man she’s been corresponding with and will soon marry. Her brother’s new marriage leaves little room for Carmela in her old life. Upon arrival in Leadville, she faces a rude awakening, and the only one who can understand her predicament is her fiance’s brother, Samuel. But Samuel can’t possibly help her out of an awkward situation, can he? It would be better for all if she returns immediately to Boston and pretends she never traveled to Colorado in the first place.
THE PRICE OF SILVER, an engaging novella by Siân Ann Bessey, Katie leaves New York for Idaho to marry Jake, a man she’s written to a couple of times. But when she steps off the train, his brother Caleb is there to greet her. Jake has gone to take a mining job he couldn’t pass up. Caleb takes Katie back to the family ranch to wait for Jake’s return. The more Caleb gets to know Katie, the more he envies his brother, but he can’t let his heart overrule his head unless Jake changes his mind about his intended bride.
5 Stars
Received ebook in exchange for an honest review
My Review:
It is fun to read an entire collection of Mail Order Bride stories. I think it is a fascinating part of our country's history. There is potential for adventure, love, a new start, and of course, the potential for disaster as well.
With many Mail Order Bride stories, there is a formula: Man advertises, Woman responds and travels to Man's location. Man and Woman meet and get married, and then fall in love.
This collection mixes that formula up. With misunderstandings, heartbreaks and abandonment, desperation, loneliness and stupidity, somehow these stories find a way to bring 2 people together. There isn't a simple formula. Each has some sort of twist to keep the reader interested. With that being said, this is the Timeless Romance Anthologies, so each story does have happiness within all of the mix ups.
Warnings: None
I would let my 18 year old read this collection.
You can purchase this book at
A Timeless Romance Anthology Blog
Barnes and Noble
Kobo
Not Always Happenstance by Rachael Anderston
Summary from Goodreads:
From the Power of the Matchmaker series
Lani has lived in Hana, Hawaii for five years. She's learned to surf, fish, dive, and manage her grandmother's bed and breakfast. She's also learned to take one day at a time the way it should be taken--relaxed and unrushed, savoring every moment.
But, like a large wave on the brink of breaking, her life is about to crash out of control. A proposal of marriage, a conniving grandmother, a cryptic Asian woman, and a handsome guest, and suddenly everything calm begins to churn, everything clear becomes confused, and all that was normal segues into peculiar.
As Lani struggles against the current to hold her ground, she realizes that she can either continue to fight and eventually lose, or take a take a leap of faith, hold her breath, and ride the wave wherever it takes her.
4.5 Stars
Received an ebook for an honest review.
My Review:
This is the next story in the Power of the Matchmaker series. Each story is stand alone, they just have the common thread of Miss Pearl, the Matchmaker. She appears in each story.
In Not Always Happenstance, Miss Pearl plays an important role, not just as a matchmaker, but also in life lessons. Miss Pearl becomes a good friend to the characters in the story and I enjoy reading about her.
Lani is at a crossroads in her life. She doesn't want to face it though. What was meant to be a temporary situation has become a wonderful part of her life. She doesn't want to leave. With experiences and talks with her grandmother, Miss Pearl, and the new guest at her Bed and Breakfast, Lani is able to see what she truly wants and she is willing to face what may come with that decision.
As much as this story has romance, and I like it, what I truly like about this story is that both main characters, Lani and Easton (the man who becomes her love interest), come to know themselves better and what they want in their lives. Sometimes each of us has those times that we do what we think we are supposed to do. Or we do what we have always done, without giving it much thought. These 2 characters become more deliberate in their decisions and figuring out what they want in their lives and who they want to be. What a wonderful thing to be able to find that in your life and find love at the same time.
Warnings: None
I would let my 18 year old read this book.
Three Little Words by Jennie Hansen, K.C. Grant and Aubrey Mace
Summary from Goodreads:
The road to true love never did run smooth, but a few bumps along the way make it all the more thrilling. This timeless truth is showcased in Three Little Words, a charming compilation of short stories written by a trio of popular LDS romance novelists. Readers are invited to follow the journeys of three young women as they encounter love where they least expect it.
Rescuing Bailey by Jennie Hansen
For as long as she can remember, Bailey has loved the boy next door. But despite her feelings, his schedule and his little brother keep getting in the way. Will her childhood crush finally blossom into something real, or will she discover that true love is waiting just around the corner?
Three Little Words by K.C. Grant
The bet is simple: Elizabeth, a speech therapist, has three days to teach a country bumpkin with a drawl as thick as molasses how to speak like a gentleman. But as she gets to know her charming student, it soon becomes clear that there may be more to him than meets the ear.
A Crying Shame by Aubrey Mace
Cassidy is in love with the idea of love, though after her most recent breakup, the possibility of finding Mr. Right seems hopeless. But when she meets a handsome classmate in her painting class, she may end up learning more about chemistry than about art.
4 Stars
Received ebook in exchange for an hones review.
My Review:
I enjoy reading compilations of short stories. I like the length of the stories and I like to get to know new authors through the collections. I have read another short story by Aubrey Mace. I also like happy stories. With a title like "Three Little Words" I hoped I was getting a clean and happy collection.
And, the stories are all that I hoped for. The stories are stand alone, they do not connect to each other. They do each have scenes where "three little words" are spoken. In some cases, saying those words is the start of a deeper relationship. In others, it has the opposite effect. Each story leaves me feeling like there is hope found in love and sharing that love with the right person for you.
Warnings: None
I would let my 18 year old and my 14 year old read these stories. (Ugh, my teenagers are growing up!)
I can't possibly make a list of my top 10 books this year. But I would like to point out some authors that I have grown to love this year and look forward to reading more of their work. (This doesn't include authors I've loved for years, just ones I've grown to love this year.)
Check out their wonderful books!
Links below are to their blogs/websites.
Michele Paige Holmes
Jennifer Moore
Josi S. Kilpack
Jennifer Peel
Donna K. Weaver
Broken Things to Mend by Karey White
Summary from Goodreads:
***This book is part of the Power of the Matchmaker series that features one recurring character—the match maker—but it is a STAND-ALONE novel.***
Celia is in desperate need of a change--a change of scenery, a change of pace, and a complete redo of all relationships. Not knowing what else to do, she opens a map, closes her eyes, and lets fate decide her future. Then she packs her meager belongings and buys a one-way ticket to a little town on the fringes of Oregon's Deschutes National Forest called Sisters. She's wanted a family for years. Will she find one in Sisters?
What Celia doesn't plan to find is a strange Chinese woman whose meddling ways keep throwing her in the path of a handsome, but reserved, forest ranger. But no matter how kind or dependable Silas seems to be, there are some things in Celia's past that neither of them can escape, and this time, the damage might be too much to mend.
4.5 Stars
Received ebook in exchange for an honest review
My Review:
I have really grown to love Karey White's books. Most recently I read her The Husband Maker Series. It's excellent!
As soon as I found out about the Power of the Matchmaker Series, I couldn't wait for the first book. I have read books by many of the authors writing in the series, but not all of them. I was so glad that Karey White was writing the first release because I was familiar with her work.
The Power of the Matchmaker Series is a set of 12 Novels, one released each month during 2016. A Prequel sets the stage by introducing us to Mae Li AKA Miss Pearl, The Matchmaker. Each of these 12 Books is a stand alone novel. However, Miss Pearl, The Matchmaker, appears in all of them.
As Broken Things to Mend begins, we get a back story of the male main character, Silas. This introduction to Silas helps us understand who he is and some of the experiences that have shaped him as an adult. However, we know little of the female main character, Celia. Her story unfolds in bits and pieces. The two characters are brought together by The Matchmaker, but it is up to them to decide whether to pursue their attraction or not.
These two characters are both in "broken" places. At times it is very hard to read about their troubles. I ache for each of them. They feel inadequate and unlovable. I enjoy reading about their healing, both individually and together.
I was slightly surprised by the outcome of this story. In some ways I predicted how it would end, but I wasn't sure how the author would get there. The ending was a bit abrupt, but also resolved.
Spoiler in the warnings.
Warnings: Rape, not graphic
I would let my 17 year old read this book.
