Like a Flower in Bloom by Siri Mitchell

Title: Like a Flower in Bloom

Author: Siri Mitchell

Pages: 368

Year: 2014

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers

Note: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

About the book:

     He stole the work she loved. Will she let him steal her heart as well?

     It’s all her uncle’s fault. For years Charlotte Withersby has been free to pursue her love of plants and flowers by assisting her botanist father. But now that she’s reached the old age of twenty-two, an intrusive uncle has convinced her father that Charlotte’s future – the only proper future for a woman – is to be a wife and mother, not a scholar.

     Her father is so dependent on her assistance that Charlotte believes he’ll soon change his mind…and then Edward Trimble shows up. A long-time botany correspondent in the South Pacific, Trimble arrives ready to step in as assistant so that Charlotte can step out into proper society – a world that baffles her with its unwritten rules, inexplicable expectations, and confounding fashion.

     Things aren’t perfectly smooth between Trimble and her father, so Charlotte hatches a last gasp plan. She’ll pretend such an interest in marriage that the thought of losing her will make her father welcome her back. Only thing go quickly awry, and she realizes that the one man who recognizes her intelligence is also the person she’s most angry with: Edward Trimble, her supposed rival. Suddenly juggling more suitors than she knows what to do with, Charlotte is caught in a trap of her own making. Will she have no choice but to leave her beloved flowers behind?

My review:

     A delightful “fish out of water” novel!

     I absolutely love the characters that Siri has created for this novel. When she introduces Charlotte it is very easy to understand who she is and what her focus for her life is. Then we are introduced to her uncle and her whole existence is turned upside down. The journey she embarks on to try and learn all that she feels is now expected of her is a joy to go on with her. There are multiple times throughout the book that I found myself laughing outright.

     The other characters are equally well developed and a lot of fun to get to know and try to understand. After meeting most of the characters it is a wonderful surprise to realize who is able to give her the best advice as she tries to transition to her new role.

     I personally don’t know what most flowers are, or the different parts of them, so I really can’t speak to the accuracy of the botanical terms used. I am sure that the research Siri did to write clearly about this very detailed subject was intense. I must applaud her attention to research and presenting the topic so thoroughly.

     I really enjoyed this book and I’m giving it 5 stars. I highly recommend it.

A Soft Breath of Wind by Roseanna M. White

Title: A Soft Breath of Wind (Stand alone sequel to A Stray Drop of Blood)

Author: Roseanna M. White

Pages: 353

Year: 2014

Publisher: White Fire Publishing

Note: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

About the book:

     A gift that has branded her for life.

     Zipporah is thirteen when the Spirit descends upon her, opening her eyes to a world beyond the physical goings-on of the villa outside Rome she has always called home. Within hours, she learns what serving the Lord can cost. Forever scarred after a vicious attack, she knows her call is to use this discernment to protect the Way. She knows she must serve the rest of her life at Tutelos, where the growing Roman church has congregated. She knows her lot is set.

     Yet is it so wrong to wish that her master, the kind and handsome young Benjamin Visibullis, will eventually see her as something more than a sister in Christ?

     Samuel Asinius, adoptive son of a wealthy Roman, has always called Benjamin brother. When their travels take them to Jerusalem for Passover, the last thing he expects is to cross paths with the woman who sold him into slavery as a child – the mother he long ago purged from his heart. His sister, Dara, quickly catches Benjamin’s eye, but Samuel suspects there is something dark at work.

     When Dara, a fortune-teller seeking the will of a shadowy master determined to undermine the Way, comes into the path of Zipporah, a whirlwind descends upon them all.

     Only the soft wind of the Spirit can heal their scars… with a love neither divination nor discernment could foresee.

My review:

     This novel is absolutely amazing!

     There are a lot of wonderful characters that are incredibly well developed. The way that they interact with each other whether they are a part of the family of land owners or their slaves is a joy to read. They all work together for the good of them all. When conflict arises it is clearly shown who is on which side and yet they are still able to work together in spite of the conflict.

     I really love the way the story progresses. I didn’t really notice any filler material in the novel. Everything works together to move the story forward or to help to define one of the characters and what makes that individual “tick”. The climax of the story is very well presented. Yet at the same time there is an opening left for another novel to be written with some of these fantastic characters.

     I have to give this wonderful book, looking at the 1^st century church in Rome, 5 stars. I highly recommend it.

Tears of the Sea by MaryLu Tyndall

Title: Tears of the Sea

Author: MaryLu Tyndall

Pages: 260

Year: 2014

Publisher: Ransom Press

Note: I received a free eBook copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

About the book:

     Doomed by the evil warlock Forwin to wander the ancient seas as a mermaid for all eternity, Perdita longs for the release death would bring. Every ten years she has a chance to break the curse when she emerges from the sea fully human for one month. The catch? She must find a man willing to die for her. After 200 years, her failures have left her heartbroken and alone.

     Savion Ryne wants nothing to do with beautiful women. It was one such woman whose betrayal sent him far away to battle Natas’ rebellion. He longs to return to his father’s kingdom in Nevaeh but must first complete an unknown mission.

     After Savion falls off his ship during a storm, he wakes on the shores of an island with visions of a dark haired mermaid tending his wounds. When a woman similar in appearance begs for his protection, he is suspicious.

     Perdita has never met anyone as honorable as Savion. Even though he shuns her every advance, she falls for him. But as the end of her time on land approaches, she faces the hardest decision of all, save Savion and remain cursed for all eternity or break the curse and watch the man she loves die.

My review:

     WOW! It sucked me in!

     If you want a wonderful romantic novel to take you away, this book is perfect.

     If you want a book that will draw you in and give you a deeper meaning to search for while reading it, this book is perfect.

     When I started reading this book I was feeling like I needed to read it quickly and just be amused by it. What I found instead was a very deep story that I found I needed to take my time with it and just absorb all the nuances that it contains. There are many points that can just be taken at face value as an entertaining read. But they can just as well be applied to mankind today and how we live our lives and treat other people.

     The characters are so well written that the attitude each one has towards other people is very clearly presented. There are greedy, money hungry people. There are power hungry people. There are those who are only wanting their needs met. Then there are some who are just looking for how they can help others. Just like all the different types of people that we all run into in our own lives.

     The way the romance develops and grows is fantastic. As the romance builds the question is will the characters grow in emotional maturity and become better people because of it. I couldn’t put the book down until I found the answer to this very important question.

     The one additional thing that really captured my interest was in trying to identify different situations and draw the parallel to a time period or situation in the bible. This is a difficult thing to present in a novel and yet MaryLu has done a fantastic job of it.

     I absolutely LOVE this book. Standard rating systems have 5 stars as the maximum but here on my own blog I’m going to take the liberty of doubling it for this book because it is just THAT WONDERFUL! I’m giving it 10 stars and I don’t care whose mind that messes with. I cannot stress my recommendation of this book enough! Get a copy! Read it once, twice, or a dozen times! I know I will be reading it again!

Surprised by Love (The Heart of San Francisco #3) by Julie Lessman

Title: Surprised by Love (The Heart of San Francisco #3)

Author: Julie Lessman

Pages: 416

Year: 2014

Publisher: Revell

Note: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

About the book:

     She can turn the head of the man who spurned her – but can she turn his heart?

     When Megan McClare left San Francisco to study in Paris, no one would accuse her of being poised and pretty. But on the other side of the Atlantic, this wallflower blossomed into a beauty with big dreams. When she returns to California and accepts an internship at the district attorney’s office, she’s thrilled that her life is taking shape. But the exciting opportunity quickly loses its glow when she discovers she’ll be working alongside Devin Caldwell, who mercilessly mocked her at school – and with whom she was hopelessly enamored.

     Bram Hughes is the best friend to whom Megan has always turned for support and advice. But when she seeks his counsel about working with Devin Caldwell, Bram’s vision is clouded by his sudden unwelcome attraction to a girl he had always thought of as a little sister. He advises forgiveness, but can he forgive himself for pushing the woman he loves into the arms of another man?

My review:

     Incredible Christian historical romance.

     Julie has again crafted a wonderful story. She has done a masterful job of developing not one but two love triangles for this book.

     As with the first two books in this series we spend a lot of time in the McClare household in early 20^th century San Francisco. We venture out from there with the main characters to see what life was like in this time and place.

     The characters are beautifully described and superbly developed. With such a large cast of characters I’m amazed at how each personality is built up and then each one stays true to themselves throughout the story.

     I loved seeing how many of the individuals grow in their relationship with God throughout the story. The calm strong believer is willing to help direct others to God and yet he doesn’t shove his belief down other people’s throats. I really like that.

     As soon as I saw that this story takes place in San Francisco in 1904, my mind jumped ahead to the earthquake of 1906. As I fell more and more in love with these wonderful characters I couldn’t help wondering how they would fare when the earthquake struck. I would love to see more books in this series so that this question can be answered.

     This is a fantastic book and I give it 5 stars and highly recommend it.

Silent Night Standoff (First Responders #1/Love Inspired Suspense) by Susan Sleeman

Title: Silent Night Standoff (First Responders #1/Love Inspired Suspense)

Author: Susan Sleeman

Pages: 224

Year: 2014

Publisher: Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense

Note: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

About the book:

     When armed robbers strike her bank, hostage negotiator Skyler Brennan’s life is on the line. Rescue comes from the last person she thought she could count on; the ex-boyfriend who chose his job over their relationship. FBI agent Logan Hunter knows how much is resting on this case. The promotion of his dreams; and the safety of the woman he’s never been able to forget. But when an unexpected twist in the case pulls Logan in two separate directions, he’ll have to make an impossible choice. Will he manage to have it all by Christmas; a career and love; or will he lose them both?

My review:

     Incredible suspense and heartwarming romance.

     Susan Sleeman has created a wonderful cast of characters for this book. The two main ones for this novel are Skyler Brennan and Logan Hunter. They are so well developed and have so many layers to them that are gradually revealed it is an ongoing adventure to discover what makes each of them tick.

     Skyler is part of a team of First Responders and each of her teammates are introduced and enough about them is revealed that I can’t wait to read their stories and learn more about them. I’m hoping that each of them gets their own book.

     The plot line for the suspense is intricately woven and held my interest throughout the book. Skyler and Logan both have emotional baggage from years past that hinders their romance. It was fascinating to me to see how they worked through their own problems as the story progressed.

     I absolutely LOVED this book. In my mind 5 stars isn’t enough. But since that is the standard “high score” I will only give it the 5. I definitely recommend this wonderful book!

The Covered Deep by Brandy Vallance

Title: The Covered Deep

Author: Brandy Vallance

Pages: 400

Year: 2014

Publisher: Worthy Publishing

Note: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

About the book:

     Some dreams are worth searching for.

     Bianca Marshal is looking for a man who can quote both Jesus and Shakespeare. Not surprisingly, that man is hard to find in the small Appalachian town where she lives. Her mother insists that Bianca lower her standards. On the eve of her twenty-fifth birthday, even Bianca wonders if her mother is right.

     Still set on experiencing love, or at least a little adventure, Bianca wins an essay contest that propels her into a whirlwind search for the perfect romantic hero. Via the opulence of London and the mysteries of Palestine, Bianca’s true love will be revealed – but not without a price that might be too heavy to pay.

My review:

     An incredible debut novel!

     The premise for this story caught my attention immediately. The development of the plot did not let me down. The main character, Bianca Marshal, is beautifully presented. She has a high standard set for the man she will marry. Will she truly find someone to meet those standards or will she have to relax them?

     There are a number of other characters who are just as well developed. Some are masters at manipulation, while others are open and forthright. I thoroughly enjoyed the interactions between them all. I was intrigued by the buildup and revelation of the motivation behind the planning of the trip and the contest to see who would be going on it. The bottom line for this story, as I see it, is that there is always the need to forgive others.

     Brandy Vallance has written a wonderful debut novel. I’m looking forward to seeing what she will write next. I highly recommend this book and give it 5 stars.

Mr. Miracle by Debbie Macomber

Title: Mr. Miracle

Author: Debbie Macomber

Pages: 256

Year: 2014

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Note: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

About the book:

     Harry Mills is a guardian angel on a mission: help twenty-four-year-old Addie Folsom get her life back on track – and, if the right moment strikes, help her find love. Posing as a teacher at a local college in Tacoma, Washington, Harry is up to the task, but not even he can predict the surprises that lay in store.

My review:

     A light, entertaining Christmas story.

     Debbie Macomber once again develops quite an array of characters. Addie Folsom displays her maturity throughout the story as she deals with a difficult situation and a difficult neighbor. Harry Mills is a guardian angel on his first mission to earth. I really enjoyed Debbie’s ideas on what it is like for an angel to take on a human body.

     There is only one thing that did disappoint me in this novel. I’ve read a number of other Christmas stories by Debbie. Each of them had multiple riotous comedic scenes in them. I only found a few amusing scenes in this story and I missed being able to let loose with laughter.

     I enjoyed this book and am giving it 4 stars. I’ve grown to expect more comedy from Debbie’s Christmas stories. I do highly recommend this book.