Bookish Thoughts: More Than Words Can Say

Description:

After fulfilling a pledge to a dying friend, Zacharias Hamilton is finally free to live life on his own terms. No opportunities to disappoint those he cares about, just the quiet bachelor existence he's always craved. Until fate snatches his freedom away once again when the baker of his favorite breakfast treat is railroaded by the city council. As hard as he tries to avoid getting involved, he can't turn a blind eye to her predicament . . . or her adorable dimples.

Abigail Kemp needs a man's name on her bakery's deed. A marriage of convenience seems the best solution . . . if it involves a man she can control. Not the stoic lumberman who oozes confidence without saying a word whenever he enters her shop. Control Zacharias Hamilton? She can't even control her pulse when she's around him.

Once vows are spoken, Abigail's troubles should be over. Yet threats to the bakery worsen, and darker dangers hound her sister. As trust grows between Zach and Abby, she finds she wants more than his rescue. She wants his heart.

About the Author:

Winner of the HOLT Medallion and the Carol Award and a finalist for the RITA and Christy Award, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer writes historical romance to give the world more happily-ever-afters. Karen makes her home in Abilene, Texas, with her husband and three children. Learn more about Karen and her books at www.karenwitemeyer.com.

My Thoughts:

I confess, I haven’t been keeping up with Karen Witemeyer’s books like I had been. Not because I wasn’t enjoying them, just that life got busy and my reading time reduced drastically. I’m definitely a sucker for marriage of convenience tales, though, and when I saw the cover for this one, I knew I had to read it! Especially after reading the first book, “More Than Meet the Eye” and getting just a small glimpse into Zacharias Hamilton and his quiet, stoic ways. Like its predecessor, this book was a quick, thought-provoking, entertaining read that I would happily pick up again!

What makes or breaks any story for me is the characters and I definitely enjoyed getting to know these new additions! Mrs. Witemeyer has a knack for creating intriguing characters that wrap around your heart and draw you into their story.  I was super excited that this book would be Zacharias’ story and was curious to see where it would go. I was immediately drawn in from the very first page and didn’t want to put it down! (unfortunately, real life tends to intrude) He’s a character not particularly known for effusive ways and is running from a past he can’t erase. I always so appreciate the spiritual truths this author shares and the encouragement found within her books. 

"Guilt leads us to confession and repentance, she told me, but after we take it to the cross,

 we're supposed to leave it there, not carry it around with us.  

Jesus's burden is light.  Guilt is heavy.   Satan is the one who wants 

to increase our burden, to weigh us down with shame and despair, 

to steal our joy and the strength of the Lord that goes with it.  

Believing his lies instead of God's truth makes us weak."  

- Abigail Kemp 

This one focuses on trusting God and finding His forgiveness is always there, waiting for us to accept it. I found Abby to be an excellent counterpart for him, with her no-nonsense ways and independent streak. I loved that he saw her beauty, when she wasn’t so sure. And the kisses! There’s definitely quite a bit of sparks and flirting, which I adored! I also loved getting to know Rosalind and am really hoping the next book is hers! My only mild negative is that I found part of the story to be a bit anti-climatic. And felt something of it was left unfinished. Though if the next book follows the character I’m hoping it will, then I’m assuming that will be cleared up in it.

Overall, I greatly enjoyed this book and would have raced through it in one sitting, given the chance!

*My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my copy of this book! I was not required to write a review, positive or otherwise, and have not been compensated for it in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to read my review!  If you'd like to learn more about the book or possibly consider purchasing a copy, links are below, as always!

Have a lovely day! 

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Bookish Thoughts: Now, Then, And Always

Can we start out by just taking a moment and appreciating how beautiful this cover is?  Truly, if I didn’t already adore Melissa Tagg’s books, this cover alone would have had me scooping it off the shelf and into my collection!

Description:

“It was just a house. Just a weathered old house in a hidden grove, shuttered and still . . . ”

Last year, after traumatic circumstances forced her from her job as a nanny, Mara Bristol finally found a place to belong—the winsome Everwood Bed & Breakfast at the edge of Maple Valley, Iowa. For months, she’s helped its owner, Lenora, maintain the ramshackle property despite their shortage of guests. But when Lenora fails to return from a month-long trip and the bank threatens foreclosure, Mara worries she’s once again alone . . . abandoned . . . about to lose the only true home she’s ever known.

Detective Marshall Hawkins is no closer to whole today than he was two years ago . . . the day his daughter died. Between his divorce, debilitating migraines, and a dependence on medication, his life is falling apart. And when a reckless decision on the job propels him into administrative leave, he has no other plan but to get in his truck and drive. A one-night stay at the Everwood was supposed to be just that. But there’s something about the old house—or maybe its intriguing caretaker—that pulls him in.

Together, Mara and Marshall set out to save the Everwood. But its secrets run deeper than they could’ve imagined. As they renovate the house and search for its missing owner, they’ll each confront the pain that brought them to the Everwood in the first place . . . and just maybe discover a faith and love to help them carry on.

About the Author:

Melissa Tagg is the award-winning author of the popular Walker Family series, the Where Love Begins series and the Enchanted Christmas Collection. She’s a former reporter, current nonprofit grant writer and total Iowa girl.
Melissa's recent releases include a 2018 ACFW Carol Award Winner (One Enchanted Noel), an RT Book Reviews TOP PICK (All This Time) and a Publishers Weekly Spring Top Ten Pick (Like Never Before).
Melissa has taught at multiple national writing conferences, as well as workshops and women’s retreats. When she’s not writing, she can be found hanging out with the coolest family ever—not that she’s biased—watching old movies, and daydreaming about her next book. Melissa loves connecting with readers at www.melissatagg.com and on Facebook and Instagram.

My Thoughts:

This book is beautiful, in ways beyond the cover, though it is lovely . . . the depth of story exceeds it by far.  I’ve been a huge fan of Melissa Tagg’s books for a while now and I’ve long since fallen in love with the small town of Maple Valley, Iowa.  Though her other books have standing homes on my keeper shelf, I do have to say that this one is quite possibly my favorite to date!  The characters, the story, the mystery, the quirky town all come together to make this a book that I indubitably had a book-hangover from. 

Ms. Tagg has a way with writing that I can’t easily describe.  Her words flow like poetry, painting the pages with colorful descriptions that bring her characters and their homes to life.  I love the dialogue and banter that flows, inspiring more than one couldn’t-hold-it-back laugh and curious looks from others sitting nearby.  I couldn’t resist the mystery within the pages, either.  I was intrigued from the first paragraph and found myself rushing to get as much reading time as possible.  I had to know what was going to happen with the Everwood and it’s occupants and where the story would go next!  

"But I don't want to spend my life letting my pain 

be the lens through which I see the world." - Mara Bristol 

Of all of this, I would have to say that my absolute favorite thing about this story is the heart behind it.  There are so many great lines I could share, though they surely wouldn’t do justice to all that is found in this tale of pain, of grief and brokenness, but also hope and healing.  This novel that encouraged laughter, but also had tears slipping down my cheeks at the honest questions asked and the difficult answers given.  These characters touched my heart with their authenticity and the exceptional grace with which the author handled such sensitive subjects.

"But when I was in my deepest pain, God came for me. 

 He didn't leave me in an injured pile on the sidewalk, 

nor did he stand around waiting for me to get up and move.  

He came running for me." -  Penny

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to everyone!  Whether this is your favorite genre or you’re not sure if a rom-com is quite what you’re looking for, I believe you’d be more than pleasantly surprised.

There are so many more quotes I'd love to share, but I don't want to spoil the fun of finding them yourself!  So I shall refrain. . . . If I have to. . . . I guess.  ;)

Thank you so much for stopping by and taking the time to check out this space!  As always, if you'd like to learn more about the book, or maybe add it to your GoodReads shelf, links are below! 

Have a beautiful day! 

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Bookish Thoughts: The Number of Love

"She was worth waiting for.  Worth seeking hour by hour, day by day, month by month.  Year by year.  Even if it took him a decade to convince her to be his, it would be worth it.  And the wait would only make him appreciate her all the more."  (pg 249)

Description:

Three years into the Great War, England's greatest asset is their intelligence network--field agents risking their lives to gather information, and codebreakers able to crack German telegrams for hints of the enemy's plans. Margot De Wilde thrives in the environment of the secretive Room 40, where she spends her days deciphering intercepted messages. But when her world is turned upside down by an unexpected loss, she discovers for the first time in her life that numbers aren't enough.

Drake Elton returns wounded from the field, followed by an enemy who just won't give up. He's smitten quickly by the quick and brainy Margot, but soon the dangers of the war draw ever closer. Margot and Drake will have to team up to save themselves from the very secrets that brought them together.

About the Author:

Roseanna M. White (www.roseannamwhite.com) is a bestselling, Christy Award-nominated author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she's homeschooling her two kids, designing book covers, editing, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books . . . to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary.

You can find Roseanna online at the following places:
Facebook
Blog
Website
Twitter
Instagram
Pinterest

My Thoughts:

There are so many things I want to say about this story, but I’m not entirely sure where to start . . . . I’ve been a big fan of Roseanna M. White’s since first reading her Culper Ring series and have been hooked ever since!  I so enjoy how she writes different time periods and the elements she draws into her stories.  I can’t fully describe it, but her books draw me in and leave me wishing they were at least another hundred pages longer.  And this one is certainly no exception to that rule! 

I’ve been anxiously awaiting this book for months, intrigued by the coderbreakers concept and the storyline in general.  All that waiting and curiosity and I somehow totally missed that one of the main characters in this story, Margot De Wilde, was first introduced as Lukas’ De Wilde’s little sister in “A Song Unheard.”  While this series is technically separate from the previous ones, I was super excited to have some of the characters return, even just briefly.  As always, Ms. White has done an excellent job crafting a story that both intrigued me and also almost brought me to tears a time or two.  I loved the characters and getting to know the people in Room 40.  Margot is such a unique character, with her intelligence and straight-forwardness.  I so enjoyed getting to see the world from her perspective, with numbers involved in everything, including prayer.  And who doesn’t love Drake Elton?  Truly, he is such an excellent hero for this story and for Margot!  I so appreciated his quick wit, insightful questions, and care of both Margot and his sister, Dot.  The mystery is also written in such a way that kept me guessing through most of the book and turning pages as quickly as my mind could absorb.

"She didn't know how to reach Him now, when it wasn't easy anymore.  

She didn't know how to find Him when He wasn't just right there.  

She didn't know how to know Him when the numbers were silent."  (pg 238)

The author also handled the topic of grief exceptionally well.  Not to spoil anything, but it is key in this story, especially with war raging around them.  This part of the novel hit home with me in more ways than one and as something that can be extremely hard to talk about in general, I so appreciated how it was broached and the kindness within the words.

Overall, this is definitely a book that will be finding a home on my keeper shelf!  I highly recommend it if you enjoy historical fiction, mysteries, and characters that seem more like family by the end!

*My thanks to the author and publisher for my copy of this book!  I was not required to write a review, positive or otherwise, and have not been compensated for it in any way.  All opinions expressed are my own. 

Truthfully, I found some parts of this book hard to read.  Really hard.  Especially when one of the characters is wrestling with something that I still don't know how to answer, even more than a year later.  But it was so good, too!  And I love how God uses fiction to show us or maybe just remind us of things.  Even difficult things. 

Thank you for taking the time to stop by and read my review!  If you'd like to learn more about the book, of course, links are below.  

Have a lovely day! 

Amazon

Barnes & Noble 

Christian Book

Good Reads