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Book Review — A Shadow in Moscow

12 Oct

Complex plotting, an intriguing premise, and unforgettable characters all combined for a unanimous thumbs up for A Shadow in Moscow by Katherine Reay. It certainly got my book club’s stamp of approval!

In the thick of the Cold War, a betrayal at the highest level risks the lives of two courageous female spies: MI6’s best Soviet agent and the CIA’s newest Moscow recruit.

Vienna, 1954

After losing everyone she loves in the final days of World War II, Ingrid Bauer agrees to a hasty marriage with a gentle Soviet embassy worker and follows him home to Moscow. But nothing within the Soviet Union’s totalitarian regime is what it seems, including her new husband, whom Ingrid suspects works for the KGB. Inspired by her daughter’s birth, Ingrid risks everything and reaches out in hope to the one country she understands and trusts—Britain, the country of her mother’s birth. She begins passing intelligence to MI6, navigating a world of secrets and lies, light and shadow.

Moscow, 1980

A student in the Foreign Studies Initiative, Anya Kadinova finishes her degree at Georgetown University and boards a flight home to Moscow, leaving behind the man she loves and a country she’s grown to respect. Though raised by dedicated and loyal Soviet parents, Anya soon questions an increasingly oppressive and paranoid regime at the height of the Cold War. Then the KGB murders her best friend and Anya chooses her side. Working in a military research lab, she relays Soviet plans and schematics to the CIA in an effort to end the 1980s arms race.

The past catches up to the present when an unprecedented act of treachery threatens all agents operating within Eastern Europe, and both Ingrid and Anya find themselves in a race for their lives against time and the KGB.

Katherine Reay is a national bestselling and award-winning author of several novels and one work of nonfiction.For her fiction, Katherine writes love letters to books, and her novels are saturated with what she calls the “world of books.” They are character driven stories that examine the past as a way to find one’s best way forward. In the words of The Bronte Plot’s Lucy Alling, Katherine writes of “that time when you don’t know where you’ll be, but you can’t stay as you are.” Katherine holds a BA and MS from Northwestern University, and after several moves across the globe, lives outside Chicago.

Please visit Katherine on social media, on FB at Katherinereaybooks, Instagram @katherinereay, or visit her website at http://www.katherinereay.com.

My Impressions:

I have been a long time fan of Katherine Reay. Her books always contain that something extra special that elevates them to the top. But her book A Shadow in Moscow . . . now it is in a class all its own. I thought The London House was the best of the best, until I read her latest offering. The stories of Ingrid and Anya begin in two different time periods in the Soviet Union. This is the time of the Cold War, and through meticulous research Reay peels back the layers of Soviet society and the underworld of spies. This is a spy book! Ingrid and Anya make their choices for different reasons, but they both work to undermine the plans of the regime. The tension of the complex plotting kept me on edge. I just knew they would be exposed at any minute! And while the spy story is intriguing, Reay’s characterization is what makes this novel exemplary. Ingrid and Anya are real — flawed, yes, but ultimately noble and sacrificing. I flew through this book, but I probably should have taken my time. It is one to be savored. And talked about. My book club loved A Shadow in Moscow. We discussed the character dynamics, the historical setting, the structure of the novel — basically everything you could talk about a book. A Shadow in Moscow is also going to make you Google to find out the stories behind the story. There was a lot we just didn’t know.

If you want an excellently written and researched novel, then don’t hesitate to pick up A Shadow in Moscow. It receives my rare Very Highly Recommended rating.

Very Highly Recommended.

Great for Book Clubs.

Audience: Adults.

(I purchased this book at a local bookstore. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

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Book Review — Facing The Enemy

4 Oct

I am a long time fan of DiAnn Mills‘ romantic suspense. She has upped her game with her latest offering, Facing The Enemy. This book really kept me guessing!

For the past five years, FBI Special Agent Risa Jacobs has worked in the violent crimes against children division of the Houston FBI. She’s never had reason to believe there’s a target on her back . . . until now.

When the long-awaited reunion between Risa and her brother, Trenton, ends in tragedy, Risa is riddled with guilt, unable to cope with the responsibility she feels over his death. On leave from the FBI, Risa returns to her former career as an English teacher at a local college, only to see her past and present collide when one of her students, Carson Mercury, turns in an assignment that reads like an eyewitness account of her brother’s murder, with details never revealed publicly. 

Alarmed by Carson’s inside knowledge of Trenton’s death, Risa reaches out to her former partner at the FBI. Special Agent Gage Patterson has been working a string of baby kidnappings, but he agrees to help look into Carson’s background. Risa and Gage soon discover their cases might be connected as a string of high-value thefts have occurred at properties where security systems were installed by Carson’s stepfather and children have gone missing. There’s a far more sinister plot at play than they ever imagined, and innocent lives are in danger. 

For fans of romantic suspense comes a heart-pounding thriller about loss, betrayal, and finding the strength to trust again.

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She combines unforgettable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels. DiAnn believes every breath of life is someone’s story, so why not capture those moments and create a thrilling adventure?

Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests. You can download a list of her published titles by clicking here.

DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a former director of Blue Ridge Christian Writers, and a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. She shares her passion for helping other writers be successful by teaching writing workshops around the country.

DiAnn has been termed a coffee snob and roasts her own coffee beans. She’s an avid reader, loves to cook, and believes her grandchildren are the smartest kids in the universe. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas.

DiAnn is very active online and would love to connect with readers on any of the social media platforms listed at diannmills.com.

My Impressions:

Facing The Enemy is long time favorite DiAnn Mills’ latest romantic suspense offering. Filled with unexpected twists, this book kept me guessing! That’s a big plus for me. Featuring FBI agents Risa and Gage, their usual professional demeanor is put to the test when crimes become much too personal. That aspect kept the story interesting and begged the question how does law enforcement keep an objective mind when elements of a case come too close to home? I felt Mills developed both of the characters in realistic ways. Their growing romantic relationship was put to the test as well — but that ending satisfies too. 😉 There are tough issues explored — human trafficking, child endangerment — that, unfortunately, keep this novel relevant. We live in an evil world and confronting and exposing that is hard. But Facing The Enemy is not a book without hope. There is a strong faith element that runs throughout the book. We may not always understand or agree with God’s plans, but He is faithful and loving in spite of our doubts.

I enjoyed the fast-paced action, the realistic characters, and the plot that made me suspect just about everyone. If you’re a fan of romantic suspense, put Facing The Enemy on your TBR list.

Recommended.

Audience: Adults.

(I received a complimentary copy through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

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Book Review — Roots of Wood And Stone

27 Sep

Roots of Wood And Stone was Amanda Wen‘s debut novel, but you sure couldn’t tell. At least that is what members of my book club thought. They were blown away by this dual timeline novel that focuses on identity and the power of family connectedness. They said it was the best book they have read in a long, long time. I highly recommend it!

This historic home holds the keys to their destiny . . . and their hearts.

Abandoned at birth, her family roots a mystery, historical museum curator Sloane Kelley has dedicated her life to making sure others know theirs. When a donor drops off a dusty old satchel, she doesn’t expect much from the common artifact . . . until she finds real treasure inside: a nineteenth-century diary. Now she’s on the hunt to find out more.

Garrett Anderson just wanted to clean out his grandmother’s historic but tumbledown farmhouse before selling it to fund her medical care. With her advancing Alzheimer’s, he can’t afford to be sentimental about the family home. But his carefully ordered plan runs up against two formidable obstacles: Sloane, who’s fallen in love with both the diaries and the house, and his own heart, which is irresistibly drawn to Sloane.

A century and a half earlier, motherless Annabelle Collins embarks with her aunt and uncle on the adventure of a lifetime: settling the prairies of Sedgwick County, Kansas. The diaries she left behind paint a portrait of life, loss, and love — and a God who faithfully carries her through it all. Paging through the diaries together takes Sloane and Garrett on a journey they never could have planned, which will change them in ways they never imagined.

This warm, beautifully written split-time novel will resonate with readers looking for stories that reveal the beauty of God’s plan for our lives, and how our actions ripple for generations.

Amanda Wen is an award-winning writer of inspirational romance and split-time women’s fiction. She has placed first in multiple contests, including the 2017 Indiana Golden Opportunity Contest, the 2017 Phoenix Rattler Contest, and the 2016 ACFW First Impressions Contest, among others. She was also a 2018 ACFW Genesis Contest finalist.

In addition to her writing, Amanda is an accomplished professional cellist and pianist, frequently performing with symphony orchestras, string quartets, and her church’s worship team, and accompanying high school and middle school choirs. A lifelong denizen of the flatlands, Amanda currently lives in Kansas with her patient, loving, and hilarious husband, their three adorable Wenlets, and a snuggly Siamese cat.

My Impressions:

Roots of Wood And Stone, the debut novel by Amanda Wen, was on my TBR shelf way too long. I finally read this excellent novel with my book club — we were blown away by just how good it is! It’s dual timeline tells the story of Annabelle (beginning in the mid-1860s) and modern-day Sloane. Both struggle with identity and abandonment. They become connected when Sloane discovers diaries written from Annabelle’s childhood through her adulthood. What is revealed is a faith that survives and thrives through the hard things of life. Wen does a wonderful job of making weaving both stories together.

There’s a lot to like about Roots of Wood And Stone. The characters are complex and true-to-life and offer the reader insights into their own stories. The history of the settling of Wichita and its environs was fascinating, and Wen adds wonderful details to bring it to life. Spiritual truths are woven naturally through the narrative, and I loved that Annabelle’s diaries continued to speak across the generations. And did I mention not one, but two great romances? I loved that the love stories developed naturally, with obstacles to be overcome for sure, but in very realistic ways.

This novel provided a wealth of topics to discuss — my book club talked and talked. There was so much to unpack. There’s a handy discussion guide in the back of the book to get the conversation going. We all loved this book — it was declared one of the best books we have read in a long time. Plus there’s a sequel! Everyone is excited about that! So grab some book buddies and get to reading!

Highly Recommended.

Great for Book Clubs.

Audience: Adults.

(I purchased the Kindle version of this book. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

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Book Review — The Best Summer of Our Lives

31 Aug

My book club chose The Best Summer of Our Life by Rachel Hauck as its August selection. We had a lot to talk about, though not all positive. We generally liked the book, but there were some things that we wanted more of . . . and less of. 😉 My thoughts are below.

Twenty years ago, the summer of ’77 was supposed to be the best summer of Summer Wilde’s life. She and her best friends, Spring, Autumn, and Snow–the Four Seasons–had big plans.

But those plans never had a chance. After a teenage prank gone awry, the Seasons found themselves on a bus to Tumbleweed, “Nowhere,” Oklahoma, to spend eight weeks as camp counselors. All four of them arrived with hidden secrets and buried fears, and the events that unfolded in those two months forever altered their friendships, their lives, and their futures.

Now, thirtysomething, Summer is at a crossroads. When her latest girl band leaves her in a motel outside Tulsa, she is forced to face the shadows of her past. Returning to the place where everything changed, she soon learns Tumbleweed is more than a town she never wanted to see again. It’s a place for healing, for reconciling the past with the present, and for finally listening to love’s voice.

Rachel Hauck is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author.

She is a Christy Award Winner and a double RITA finalist. Her book The Wedding Dress was named Inspirational Novel of the Year by Romantic Times Book Club. She is the recipient of RT’s Career Achievement Award.

Her book, Once Upon A Prince, was filmed for an original Hallmark movie.

Hauck has been acclaimed for her split time novels and royal romances.

A graduate of Ohio State University with a degree in Journalism, and a former sorority girl, Rachel and her husband live in central Florida. She is a huge Buckeyes football fan.

In other news, she’s recently learned how to hard boil an egg. She’s quite proud.

Visit her at http://www.rachelhauck.com or http://www.facebook.com/rachelhauck.

My Impressions:

I feel that The Best Summer of Our Lives is a bit of a departure from what you would expect from a novel by Rachel Hauck. The book centers around four long-time best friends who are embarking into adulthood. Having graduated from high school and caught pulling an over the top prank, they are sentenced to work as camp counselors in Tumbleweed, Oklahoma. The Four Seasons as they are known to family, friends, and classmates grow up a lot during the 8 weeks they spend in the isolated camp, but that is only the beginning of this coming-of-age story.

I have to admit that I did not like the names of the 4 girls — Spring, Summer, Autumn (aka Fall), and Margaret “Snow” Snowden. You see why they are dubbed the 4 Seasons. But, for me, the names really got in the way of getting to know the characters. I kept getting confused on who was who. It took me about half the book to become comfortable with who they were. The book really is Summer’s story, with side plots of her best friends. My book club wished there had been more Summer and less the other characters. We really liked the Prodigal aspect of the book, and Summer’s encounters with The Preacher presented some powerful scenes. But there were other times when the book seemed like a soap opera (I won’t share specifics because that would reveal spoilers) involving the other members of the Seasons. I also really liked that most of the men in the book were generally good guys. Reconciliation, grace, and forgiveness are strong themes.

The Best Summer of Our Lives has gotten really great reviews, so I urge you to look at those. Reviewing is subjective and a lot of things can influence how someone feels about a book. While I am glad I read it, it is not a favorite of mine from Hauck.

Audience: adults.

(Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

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Mini-Review — The Second Mrs. Astor

24 Aug

My book club read The Second Mrs. Astor in August. The author, Shana Abe’ admits that there wasn’t a lot to go on with John Jacob Astor’s young wife, Madeline Force. She did have newspaper accounts, which seemed to be as accurate then as today. 😉 The novel is subtitled, A Novel of The Titanic, and I did like the details of the ship itself and the tragedy that occurred. It is appalling the hubris of the White Star Line, failing to prepare for a disaster they deemed impossible. But this book left me feeling that there should be more. It just felt shallow in its subject matter and in its depiction of the times. I’m sure you can guess that I didn’t like it very much.

Since that’s about it for my review, I thought I would share 3 novels I did like — 2 written about the Titanic and a 3rd that shares the story of another maritime tragedy.

If your views are different than mine, I’d love to know what you thought about The Second Mrs. Astor.

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Echoes of The Titanic by Mindy Starns Clark And John Campbell Clark

Kelsey Tate comes from sturdy stock. Her great-grandmother Adele endured the sinking of Titanic and made it safely to America, where she not only survived but thrived. Generations later, Kelsey works for the firm Adele founded nearly 100 years ago.

Now facing a hostile takeover, the firm’s origins are challenged when new facts emerge about Adele’s actions on the night Titanic sank. Kelsey tries to defend the company and the great-grandmother she has long admired, but the stakes are raised when Kelsey’s boss is murdered and her own life threatened. Forced to seek help from Cole Thornton, a man Kelsey once loved—and lost, thanks to her success-at-all-costs mentality—she pursues mysteries both past and present. Aided by Cole and strengthened by the faith she’d all but forgotten in her climb up the corporate ladder, Kelsey races the clock to defend her family legacy, her livelihood, and ultimately her life.

Hearts That Survive by Yvonne Lehman

In April 1912, Lydia Beaumont is on her way to a new life with a boundless hope, against all that Craven Dowd desires for her and himself. Her friendship with Caroline Chadwick deepens as they plan Lydia’s wedding on board the “grandest ship ever built.” Then both women suffer tragic losses when the “unsinkable” Titanic collides with an iceberg and there are only 20 lifeboats for 2207 passengers. They struggle to keep their families and dreams together.

Decades later, Caroline’s granddaughter, working at the museum in Halifax, Nova Scotia, plans for the 50th memorial for the sinking and contacts survivors and descendants of survivors. Alan Morris feels like a failure until he discovers he is the descendant of an acclaimed novelist who lost his life when the Titanic sank. He becomes caught up in finding his identity in the past and must come to terms with his present and the meaning of true success.

Characters struggle to answer whether love is more powerful than the pain of loss and learn what it means for a heart to survive.

Surviving Savannah by Patti Callahan

It was called “The Titanic of the South.” The luxury steamship sank in 1838 with Savannah’s elite on board; through time, their fates were forgotten–until the wreck was found, and now their story is finally being told in this breathtaking novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis.

When Savannah history professor Everly Winthrop is asked to guest-curate a new museum collection focusing on artifacts recovered from the steamship Pulaski, she’s shocked. The ship sank after a boiler explosion in 1838, and the wreckage was just discovered, 180 years later. Everly can’t resist the opportunity to try to solve some of the mysteries and myths surrounding the devastating night of its sinking.

Everly’s research leads her to the astounding history of a family of eleven who boarded the Pulaski together, and the extraordinary stories of two women from this family: a known survivor, Augusta Longstreet, and her niece, Lilly Forsyth, who was never found, along with her child. These aristocratic women were part of Savannah’s society, but when the ship exploded, each was faced with difficult and heartbreaking decisions. This is a moving and powerful exploration of what women will do to endure in the face of tragedy, the role fate plays, and the myriad ways we survive the surviving.

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Book Review — The One You’re With

26 Jul

The One You’re With by Lauren K. Denton made more than one of my book club members to break out in singing. 😉 While this novel doesn’t strictly follow Steve Stills’ song, it does detail the long term consequences of decisions in the romance department. What I would term women’s fiction, this novel got my group talking — always a big plus. We all liked the book, but the characters were another thing. Read all about the book, author, and our thoughts below.

Written in Lauren K. Denton’s signature Southern style, The One You’re With tells the story of a seemingly perfect marriage rocked by secrets from the past.

High-school sweethearts Mac and Edie Swan lead a seemingly picture-perfect life in the sleepy-sweet community of Oak Hill, near Mobile, Alabama. Edie is a respected interior designer, Mac is a beloved pediatrician, and they have two great kids and a historic home on tree-lined Linden Avenue. From the outside, the Swan family is the definition of “the good life.” And life is good—mostly. Until a young woman walks into Mac’s office one day. A young woman whose very existence threatens all Mac and Edie have built and all they think they know about each other.

Nineteen years after a summer apart, with a family and established lives and careers, the past that Mac and Edie thought they left behind has come back to greet them. For the first time, constants in their lives are called into question: their roles as parents, their reputation as upstanding members of the community, and the very foundations of their marriage. As they wade through the upheaval in both their family and professional lives, they must each examine choices they made long ago and chart a new course for their future.

Born and raised in Mobile, Alabama, Lauren K. Denton now lives with her husband, two daughters, and one fluffy dog in Homewood, just outside Birmingham. In addition to her fiction, she writes a monthly newspaper column about life, relationships, and how funny (and hard) it is to be a parent. On any given day, she’d rather be at the beach with her family and a stack of books.

Find her at LaurenKDenton.com or on Facebook (LaurenKDentonAuthor) or Instagram (LaurenKDentonBooks).

My Impressions:

The One You’re With by Lauren K. Denton was my book club’s selection this month. Women’s fiction, this novel explores secrets kept and revealed over the course of a marriage. Main characters Edie and Mac have been together longer than their 17 years of marriage, having been sweethearts from an early age. What they think of as perfect comes under pressure when a young woman shows up at Mac’s office with very shocking news — she’s his daughter. The ripples of that disclosure spread wide and quickly.

It was interesting to see how each character reacted to the news of Mac’s heretofore unknown child. Mac steps in as protector while Edie views their whole marriage as based on lies. Truth telling is a big theme in the novel. But truth and its importance in being shared takes on different meanings for the characters. I liked Mac and his willingness to fulfill not only obligations, but to provide a place for Riley in his life and in the life of his family. I disliked Edie — she accused Mac of deliberately lying to her, while she kept many things secret in her own life. There’s a contrast of thinking about things versus acting on them. That part of the story created the most discussion with my group. It is interesting that out of 6 women present at our meeting, we all sided with Mac! We all felt that the reactions from Edie and Mac’s family and friends were realistic. We felt sorry for Riley, and wished her mother Kat could have had a different life. We were thankful for an epilogue that showed a hopeful future.

The One You’re With wasn’t our favorite of Denton’s books, but we liked it overall and felt it was worth reading. It sure made for a lively book club meeting! And that’s several points in its favor.

Recommended.

Audience: Adults.

(I purchased this book from Amazon. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

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My Friend Carrie Reviews — When Tomorrow Came

20 Jul

Today marks the last review by my book buddy Carrie for the Summer of 2023. She is a very busy wife, mother of 2, and a super teacher, so we will have to wait for more of her insightful reviews next summer. Thanks, Carrie, for helping a girl out!

Today Carrie shares her thoughts on When Tomorrow Came by Hannah Linder.

Nan and Heath Duncan, siblings abandoned by their papa and abused by their guardian, have no choice but to survive on the London streets. When a kind gentleman rescues Nan from such a life, the siblings are separated and raised in two vastly different social worlds. Just when both are beginning to flourish and years have healed some of their wounds, their long-awaited papa returns and reunites them—bringing demands with him. Nan is expected to marry a rich suitor she’s never liked, and Heath is expected to forsake his gentle spirit and become the hardened man his father always was.

Dangers unfold, secret love develops, fights ensue, and murder upsets the worlds Heath and Nan have built for themselves.

They’ve waited their whole lives for their papa to return, for tomorrow to come—but now that it has, will they be able to see through to the truth and end this whirlwind of a nightmare before it costs one of their lives? 

Hannah Linder resides in the beautiful mountains of central West Virginia. Represented by Books & Such, she writes Regency romantic suspense novels. She is a double 2021 Selah Award winner, a 2022 Selah Award winner, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). In way of career, Hannah is a Graphic Design Associates Degree graduate who specializes in professional book cover design. She designs for both traditional publishing houses and individual authors, including New York Times, USA Today, National, and International bestsellers. She is also a local photographer and self-portrait photographer. When Hannah is not writing, she enjoys playing her instruments—piano, guitar, and ukulele—songwriting, painting still life, walking in the rain, and sitting on the front porch of her 1800s farmhouse. To follow her journey, visit hannahlinderbooks.com. 

Carrie’s Thoughts:

I really enjoyed Hannah Linder’s When Tomorrow Came. In this Regency novel, love, family, and restoration are common themes brought together with characters that are realistic and lovable from the start. Linder devoted time to developing the characters from an early age and on before diving into their lives as adults. I was invested from the beginning and wanted the very best for them.

The story begins in the early 1800s in London with siblings Nan and Heath Duncan and shows what life on the streets was like for them after their father disappeared. With an unfortunate accident, one act of kindness shows how it can change a life. Nan goes with a wealthy family while Heath chooses to stay behind on the streets. Linder fast-forwards several times to show how the siblings are faring in their different lives now separated, but keeps you interested and wanting more. Eventually, the siblings are reunited but struggle to connect, since they were raised so differently and had vastly different lives. Then their father returns, bringing with him turmoil for both their lives. He insists Nan marry for riches to someone she doesn’t like, let alone love. The why is mysterious. He tries to get Heath to leave the rectory life to take on a trade to become a man. With their father bringing turmoil to both of their lives, the story really begins and has many twists and turns that aren’t fully revealed until the end. You might think you know what is going on, but you also might be as surprised as I was too.

I love how When Tomorrow Came shows the power of trusting others and how it can affect your life. It also shows how not trusting can also impact a life. Family and what you will do to protect them is a theme throughout the book. Linder brings it all together in a wonderful way, leaving you feeling fulfilled with the book’s ending. I would read other books by her.

Recommended by Carrie!

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Mini-Review — Meet Me in Monaco

19 Jul

This month my book club read Meet Me in Monaco by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb. It reminded me a lot of The Gown, which we read last year, in that the book’s foundation is the marriage of Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier of Monaco. Like The Gown, the novel focuses on fictional characters on the periphery of the wedding — Sophie, a French perfumer chosen to create a bespoke fragrance for Grace Kelly and James, a British photographer charged with capturing an iconic image of the movie star and her prince. This novel is a lighter read with a slow-building romance and not as many dark elements. But there were themes to talk about — the emerging independence of women in the 1950s and the importance of preserving family legacies. I liked the main characters a lot, and Grace Kelly’s appearances added much to the narrative. The settings of southern France and Monaco are beautifully depicted, and our group was unanimous in wanting to travel there! I was starting to get mad at the authors very close to the end of the book, but they redeemed themselves. 😉

If you are a fan of The Gown, Grace Kelly and/or her movies, or just like a well-written historical romance, then check out Meet Me in Monaco. Please note: this is a general market offering and there are some adult situations. However, the book is overall a clean read.

Recommended.

Audience: Adults.

(I purchased the audiobook from Audible. All opinions are mine alone.)

Set in the 1950s against the backdrop of Grace Kelly’s whirlwind romance and glamourous wedding to Prince Rainier of Monaco, New York Times bestselling author Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb take the reader on an evocative sun-drenched journey along the Côte d’Azur in this page-turning novel of passion, fate, and second-chances.

Movie stars and paparazzi flock to Cannes for the glamorous film festival, but Grace Kelly, the biggest star of all, wants only to escape from the flash-bulbs. When struggling perfumer Sophie Duval shelters Miss Kelly in her boutique, fending off a persistent British press photographer, James Henderson, a bond is forged between the two women and sets in motion a chain of events that stretches across thirty years of friendship, love, and tragedy.

James Henderson cannot forget his brief encounter with Sophie Duval. Despite his guilt at being away from his daughter, he takes an assignment to cover the wedding of the century, sailing with Grace Kelly’s wedding party on the SS Constitution from New York. In Monaco, as wedding fever soars and passions and tempers escalate, James and Sophie—like Princess Grace—must ultimately decide what they are prepared to give up for love.

Hazel Gaynor is an award-winning New York Times, USA Today, Globe and Mail and Irish Times bestselling historical novelist. Her debut novel, THE GIRL WHO CAME HOME, was awarded the 2015 RNA Historical Novel of the Year, and her novels have since been shortlisted for the 2016 and 2020 Irish Book Awards, the 2019 HWA Gold Crown Award, the 2020 RNA Historical Novel of the Year and the 2021 Grand Prix du Roman Historique. Her latest novel, WHEN WE WERE YOUNG & BRAVE/THE BIRD IN THE BAMBOO CAGE was a national bestseller in the USA. Hazel’s co-written novels with Heather Webb have all been published to critical acclaim, winning and being shortlisted for several international awards. Hazel was selected as a 2015 WHSmith Fresh Talent pick, and by Library Journal as one of Ten Big Breakout Authors. She is published in twenty-five territories and her books have been translated into eighteen languages. Originally from Yorkshire, England, she now lives in Ireland with her husband and two children and is represented by Michelle Brower of Trellis Literary Management, USA.

Heather Webb is the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of historical fiction. In 2015, Rodin’sLover was a Goodread’s Top Pick, and in 2018, Last Christmas in Paris won the Women’s Fiction Writers Association STAR Award. In 2019, Meet Me in Monaco was selected as a finalist for the 2020 Goldsboro RNA award in the UK, as well as the Digital Book World’s Fiction prize. To date, Heather’s books have been translated to fifteen languages. Up and coming, her next solo novel, THE NEXT SHIP HOME, is inspired by true events and reveals the dark secrets of Ellis Island as two unlikely friends challenge a corrupt system, altering their fate and the lives of the immigrants that come after them.

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My Friend Carrie Reviews — The Reluctant Belle

13 Jul

It’s time for another review from my friend Carrie! Today she shares her thoughts on A Reluctant Belle by Beth White. This historical romance takes place during the Reconstruction period in Mississippi. Thanks, Carrie, for helping me out!

Impoverished Southern belle Joelle Daughtry has a secret. By day she has been helping her sisters in their quest to turn the run-down family plantation into a resort hotel after the close of the Civil War. But by night and under a male pseudonym, she has been penning articles for the local paper in support of the construction of a Negro school. With the Mississippi arm of the Ku Klux Klan gaining power and prestige, Joelle knows she is playing a dangerous game.

When childhood enemy and current investor in the Daughtry house renovation Schuyler Beaumont takes over his assassinated father’s candidacy for state office, Joelle finds that in order to protect her family and her home, she and Schuyler will have to put aside their longstanding personal conflict and develop a united public front. The trouble is, what do you do when animosity becomes respect–and even love–if you’re already engaged to someone else?

Beth White (also known as Elizabeth White) has written contemporary and historical romances with a Christian worldview for Baker/Revell, Zondervan, Tyndale House and Steeple Hill/Love Inspired. She is currently working on a historical romance series set during World War II.Beth’s foray into the world of publishing began with a young adult romance written while her son was a baby. Twenty books later, she continues to dream up happy endings with faith, warmth and a golden glint of humor (pronounced with a distinct Southern drawl). Look for her on the Web at http://www.bethwhite.net. Beth usually sets her stories in either her native Mississippi or her current home, Alabama. Though she has spent most of her life studying, performing and teaching music–she plays piano, flute and pennywhistle and sings lyric soprano–she has always been in love with the written word. With a Masters degree in Creative Writing, she has also taught middle school Language Arts, high school English, and college Freshman composition. Recently retired from teaching chorus and piano at an inner city public school on the Gulf Coast, she now considers herself a full-time writer.

Carrie’s Thoughts:

A Reluctant Belle by Beth White is the second book in the Daughtry House Series. Joelle Daughtry is the main character in this post Civil War era novel. She is opening a hotel with her sisters but more than anything wants to open a school for the freed slaves. This will be more difficult as a preacher’s wife since she’s just agreed to marry Gil Reese. Although Gil has asked multiple times, he is as surprised as everyone else when Joelle agrees, even though she agrees only to make Schuyler Beaumont, the boy she has known most of her life and who has terrorized her just as long, mad.

Schuyler has just figured out his feelings for Joelle when his dad is assassinated. As he tries to find the murderer, he finds himself trying to infiltrate the local KKK to bring his father’s murderer to justice and take down the group that is wreaking havoc on his town.

The story has several surprising twists and turns and shows how recovery in the South was still divided and hostile. Beth White gives a realistic story about life after the Civil War and how it was difficult for all involved: the freed slaves, the southern sympathizers, the northerners, and the southerners who were angry about losing the war. She shows that bad things happened even with good intentions, but how people worked and came together for those they loved. Even though she claims to be a romance writer, you can clearly see she did her research on this time period and was as accurate as she could be.

If you like Civil War era or historical fiction romance, then this book is for you.

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My Friend Carrie Reviews — The Key to Love

6 Jul

Everyone needs a little help from their friends some times! And this summer that someone is me. 😉 I have had and will continue to have a very, very busy summer. Reading for reviewing is kind of on the back burner right now, but I hate not to feature any reviews at all. So I enlisted my friend Carrie to read books that are languishing on my shelf and then share with you her thoughts. We have similar tastes, and I trust her opinions.

Carrie and I became book buddies a long time ago. We have since connected on multiple levels, but books brought us together and continue to enrich our friendship. Carrie read The Key to Love by Betsy St. Amant. Her thoughts are below.

The only thing Bri Duval loves more than baking petit fours is romance. So much so, she’s created her own version of the famous Parisian lovelock wall at her bakery in Story, Kansas. She never expects it to go viral–or for Trek Magazineto send travel writer Gerard Fortier to feature the bakery. He’s definitely handsome, but Bri has been holding out for a love story like the one her parents had, and that certainly will not include the love-scorned-and-therefore-love-scorning Gerard.

Just when it seems Bri’s bakery is poised for unprecedented success, a series of events threaten not just her business but the pedestal she’s kept her parents on all these years. Maybe Gerard is right about romance. Or maybe Bri’s recipe just needs to be tweaked.

Novelist Betsy St. Amant invites you to experience this sweet story of how love doesn’t always look the way we expect–and maybe that’s a good thing.

Betsy St. Amant Haddox is the author of over twenty romance novels and novellas. She resides in north Louisiana with her hubby, two daughters, an impressive stash of coffee mugs, and one furry Schnauzer-toddler. Betsy has a B.A. in Communications and a deep-rooted passion for seeing women restored to truth. When she’s not composing her next book or baby-talking her dog, Betsy can be found somewhere in the vicinity of an iced coffee. She writes frequently for iBelieve, a devotional site for women, and offers author coaching and editing services through Storyside LLC.

Carrie’s Thoughts:

The Key to Love by Betsy St. Amant is a surprising mix of romance and discovery. Bri Duvall is a baker. She loves everything about her life: her small town of Story where she grew up, the Pastry Puff bakery where she is following in her mother’s footsteps, and the Love Lock wall that started it all with Bri’s parents’ lock starting the tradition after their tragic car accident. Bri is the character everyone loves. She’s kind and thoughtful and puts others before herself. She is determined that one day she will find that perfect romance and live her happily ever after just like her parents and she won’t settle until she finds the perfect guy. At first glance, she seems unbelievable. As you read though, you will discover she has unrealistic ideas on what her parent’s romance was before the accident and how her life should be. Then things start shifting in ways Bri does not like. The Pastry Puff has been struggling and there is someone who continues to give offers to the owners of the bakery. Bri resolves to save the bakery by doing an article on the Love Lock Wall. But the motorcycle riding, tattoo wearing, gruff writer the magazine sent is nothing that Bri is expecting but EVERYTHING she is needing.

Gerard doesn’t see the Pastry Puff as anything special or worth saving but wants the promised promotion after he writes the article on the bakery. In researching for the article, he discovers there is more to Bri than the overly sweet optimistic romantic he first thought her to be. She has many dreams that she is scared to take the leap of faith to see them come true. But writing an article that will save the Pastry Puff will make Bri happy but keep her there and not allow her to soar to the heights he can see she can go.

As a reader, I have never been so unsure of what I wanted to happen for the end of a book. I wanted the Pastry Puff to survive and not be bought out, because as I read I fell in love with the town of Story and all its residents. But in my heart I knew that wasn’t best for the main character. I was so torn about it; I couldn’t put the book down until I had finished. Betsy St. Amant did a beautiful job of weaving personal wants and desires (with a mix of unrealistic expectations) with God’s timing and restoration and trusting in Him that the unknown isn’t always a bad thing. The unknown can bring about greater things that can’t even be imagined. Betsy wrapped up this romantic story in a way that fulfilled everything I wanted as a reader and more that I hadn’t even predicted. This is a great read, but beware you will most definitely want some sweets while reading this delightful book!

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