Caught by Surprise (Apart From the Crowd #3) by Jen Turano

Title: Caught by Surprise (Apart From the Crowd #3)

Author: Jen Turano

Pages: 359

Year: 2018

Genre: Historical Romantic Comedy

Publisher: Bethany House

Format: Paperback (also available in eBook)

About the book:

     After years of hiding her true nature, Miss Temperance Flowerdew is finally enjoying freedom outside of the shadow of her relations, so the last thing she expected on her way to work was to be grabbed off the street by a stranger and put on a train bound for Chicago.

     When Mr. Gilbert Cavendish is called upon to rescue a missing woman, he follows the trail to Chicago only to discover that the woman is his good friend, Temperance. Before they can discover who was behind her abduction, they’re spotted alone together by a New York society matron, putting their reputations at risk.

     Even though Gilbert is willing to propose marriage, Temperance is determined not to lose her newfound independence. But when the misunderstanding in Chicago escalates into a threat on her life, accepting Gilbert’s help in solving the mystery may lead to more than she ever could have dreamed.

My review:

     This is a wonderful historical romantic comedy!

     I love the variety of quirky characters that this author has created for this series. It was so much fun looking in on them all again and catching up with the main characters from both of the earlier books. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Miss Temperance Flowerdew and Mr. Gilbert Cavendish take center stage in this final book in the series.

     Temperance has come out of her shell and is letting her natural character traits shine forth for all of New York to see. She gets into the most amazingly hilarious situations that kept me laughing. At times it was laugh-out-loud funny and had people giving me very strange looks.

     Gilbert has his own peculiar traits that he is working hard to tame so that he can connect with Temperance better. His efforts are just as funny as Temperance’s situations. He is steady and by her side throughout the story.

     They find themselves in many dangerous situations which seems to be typical of this author’s writing style. They are surrounded by a number of staunch friends and supporters that are willing to step in and help immediately.

     Jen Turano is one of my very favorite authors. I find that, as with each of her previous books, I have to give this marvelous book a rating of 5 stars. I don’t think that you can go wrong in picking this one up. I highly recommend it.

The Christmas Prayer by Wanda E. Brunstetter

Title: The Christmas Prayer

Author: Wanda E. Brunstetter

Pages: 176

Year:  2018

Genre: Historical Christmas

Publisher: Shiloh Run Press

Format: eBook (also available in paperback)

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. I was not required to give a positive review. All of the opinions expressed are my own.

About the book:

     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 dance 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?

My review:

     This is a wonderful historical Christmas story.

     The character list is very small in this book but they are each presented very well. Their personalities are extremely varied and as the story progresses we find that even the hardest to get along with can be the person that connects the most with someone.

     The tale takes this small group through a very trying journey and they have to learn how to work together and trust in God. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing how a group of strangers can become close friends going through a very difficult trial together.

     I truly enjoyed this short novel length Christmas story. I am definitely recommending it. It gets a 5-star rating from me.

Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*