Review of An Hour Unspent

Title:  An Hour Unspent

Author: Roseanna M White

Series: Shadows Over England book 3

 

Chapters: 33 plus Epilogue

Pages: 416

Genre: Christian Historical fiction, Christian Historical Romance

Rating: 5 stars  

An Hour unspent is the third and final book in the Shadows Over England series by Roseanna M White.  It's Barclay's story, the story that I've been waiting for since I read the first book in the series.  Barclay's the "older brother" of Rosemary and Willa and the rest of the rag tag group of orphans. He's a reformed thief who now uses his skills for the good of England.   

Evelina Manning is the daughter of a clockmaker who just may have the key to helping England win the war against German.  Barclay is sent to steal the secrets any way he can. But what he doesn't count on befriending both Evelina and her father. But he doesn't' feel like he would ever fit into Evelina's world.  But on that same note Evelina who walks with a limp do to a polio like disease as a child doesn't think any man can love her for herself.  She knows her former fiance didn't not really.  Can these two misfits find a place together. 

Out of the three books in this series, An Hour Unspent was my favorite, I loved Barclay and Evelina did finally grow on me after a while.   I enjoy books set during WWI but I haven't found many of the Christian fiction market.  So I was thrilled to discover that Roseanna had this series especially this year being the hundred anniversary of   the end of WW I.   

Evelina and Barclay are both flawed characters but they both grow throughout the book especially in their faith. I loved the ending especially when Barclay was able to "steal" the thing that his sister challenged him to steal.   Got a love an honorable reformed thief.  This was my favorite book of the series to me Roseanna saved the best character for last, but I am sad that this series is over. Barclay has been added to my list of favorite book heroes.  I look forward to the next book or hopefully next series from Roseanna M. White. 

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction. WWI history especially if you want stories about the home front and the social aspects of the war like I do.  Not only I am a book nerd, I'm a history nerd. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Review of Premeditated Peppermint

Title:  Premeditated Peppermint

Author: Amanda Flower

Series: Amish Candy Shop mystery book 3

 

Chapters: 38 plus epilogue

Pages: 341

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Rating: 4 stars

Premediated Peppermint is the third book in the Amish Candy Shop Mystery series by Amanda Flower.  Bailey King's favorite time of year just happens to be Christmas time. Especially now that's she back home in Ohio helping run her grandparents Amish candy shop.  This Christmas is bitter sweet as it's Bailey's first without some close to her.  She's growing to a certain deputy sheriff. Whom his mother and her pet pig are trying to play matchmaker. However what Bailey didn't count on her ex-boyfriend showing up with a TV crew in tow. But then when the producer is found murder her ex-boyfriend becomes the prime suspect.  Bailey is determined to clear his name so she can get home out of her town.

Since Christmas is also my favorite time of the year I enjoyed this Christmas cozy mystery.  I think it may be my favorite of the series so far. Gotta love Jerto the pet pig 

Bailey is one of my favorite cozy mystery sleuths.  I can also relate to part of what Bailey is going through in the book of getting through that first holiday season without a loved one.   This book is perfect for fans of cozy mysteries. Christmas mysteries and Christmas books in general.  This book is a fairly quick read perfect to read in either November or December. Or anytime if you want that Christmas feeling say in July.   

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Review of Whiskey in a Teacup

Title:  Whiskey in a Teacup: What Growing up in the South Taught me about life, love and Baking Biscuits

Author: Reese Witherspoon

 

Chapters: 17 plus epilogue

Pages: 304

Genre: Memoir

Rating: 4 stars

I'm not going to lie I picked up this book for the name alone, Whiskey in a Teacup. But I have also enjoyed quite a few of Reese Witherspoon's movies, my two favorites being Walk the Line and Sweet Home Alabama.  This book was part memoir of growing up in the south and grandma's recipe book.  I enjoyed it. To the point of I finished it in a day. I hardly ever do that with non-fiction.  

As someone who also grew up in the south I know for a fact holidays like Reese said in the book are a big deal especially to your mom and grandmother. Like Reese I grew up a tomboy but every Easter and Christmas I was in church in a new dress. 

This is a great book to read if you’re looking for something quick and slightly light hearted and with some recipes thrown in.  You won't be disappointed. 

Review of Alaskan Holiday

Title:  Alaskan Holiday

Author: Debbie Macomber

Chapters: 16 Plus Epilogue

Pages:  256

Genre: Christmas Chick lit

Rating:  3.5 stars

Alaskan Holiday is the new Christmas book by Debbie Macomber.  One of the things that you can count on is that Debbie Macomber almost always has a new Christmas book out every year. It's just something that she does, and this year is no different. Alaskan Holiday is at least her second Christmas book set in Alaska.  The first being Starry Night. 

In Alaskan Holiday Josie Avery having missed the last ferry leaving the remote Alaskan town of Ponder believes that she's going to be stuck in Alaska through the winter.  Which will lead to her losing her dream job in Seattle.  Though she loves the community and the people especially Palmer Saxon a quiet swordsmith and Jack Corcoran a wilderness guide who has an uncle like quality.  

Palmer who has fallen in love with Josie during the summer and loves his small Alaskan town can't understand why anyone would want to leave.  But when Josie finds a way out he lets her go.  But once in Seattle working at the restaurant she realizes her dreams aren't what she thought they were.  That maybe what she is looking for is somewhere else. 

I enjoy Debbie's Christmas books and Alaskan Holiday is no different.  I enjoy these Hallmark movies like books. That read just like a Hallmark movie.  Her books are great for people who like Christmas romances and Hallmark movies. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Review of The Cumberland Bride

Title: The Cumberland Bride

Author: Shannon McNear

Series: Daughters of the Mayflower book 5

 

Chapters: 35 plus epilogue

Pages: 256

Genre: Christian Historical fiction with a hint of romance

Rating: 5 stars

The Cumberland Bride by Shannon McNear is the fifth book in The Daughters of the Mayflower series, and my favorite of the series so far.  Shannon McNear is a new to me author as I haven't read anything else by her before. But The Cumberland Bride won't be the last.  She has three novella's I can't wait to dive into.    This book is set in 1794 on the wilderness road the war for independence has been won and Kentucky is officially a state going on two years when the Gruener family travels from Tennessee to land in Kentucky led by guide Thomas Bledsoe. Kate Gruener's father has warned her away from the handsome scout.  Kate a writer and storyteller at heart, wants to know Thomas story. That leads them both to find themselves in a dangerous situation on the Kentucky frontier.  

After living with the Shawnee for two years Thomas Bledsoe doesn't feel like he fits in either world. Has plans to never fall in love because he doesn't want to "leave another woman to cry over him."  But then he meets Kate Gruener and his plans start to fall apart. I was glad to see that the author showed how the Shawnee were, that a lot of their captives were actually adopted into the tribe.  That just like with the settlers some were good and some not so much. Very few novels I've read take this approach. 

  As I said this was my favorite of the series so far, I think part of the reason is the time period and the setting of my beloved Kentucky. But also unlike most colonial novels the story and characters reflex on my family's journey from the east to Kentucky in the 1700s.  On my mother's side an ancestor was captured by the Shawnee at least according to family legend. However on my father's side we had a German soldier who fought on the side of the Patriots and for his service was given a land grant in western Kentucky. So a bit of the story was personal for me.  I have to say that Thomas Bledsoe has found his way to my favorite book heroes list. 

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction with hints of romance, fans of Laura Frantz's books as well as fans of Lori Benton's books and Michelle Griep. 

I won a copy of this book from the publisher through goodreads. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Review of Love in Three Quarter Time

Title:  Love in Three Quarter Time

Author: Rachel McMillian

Series: Three Quarter Time

 

Chapters: 7 plus Epilogue

Pages: 109

Genre: Contemporary

Rating: 4 stars

Evelyn Watt ends up working in Vienna Austria for four months helping Rudy Moser prepare family heirlooms for auction all because she fell in love with him at first sight.  The auction will be held on the same night as the Opera Ball on Valentine's Day.  But once in Vienna Evelyn starts to fall in love with the city, the music, the antiques and the Einspanner coffee at Cafe Mozart where she meets Klaus Bauner mainly because she had stolen his table at the Cafe. Whom Evelyn kind of compares to Professor Friedrich Bhaer from Little Woman.

The more Evelyn spends time with Klaus and falls in love with the city of Vienna the more she starts to see Rudy for who he really is. When an old secret comes to light involving Ruby's family as well as the family of a friend of Klaus, Evelyn is thorn on what to do. But in the end she makes the right choice, but at a cost to her. But what she ends up gaining is so much more. 

Reading Love in Three Quarter Time its easy to fall in love with the city of Vienna Austria.  It's also apparent that Rachel did her research on the city.  I have to say that it took me a bit to warm up to Evelyn but l loved Klaus from the start.  This is Novella is the first Contemporary    novel from Rachel and the first in a series of three. But it is not the first book I've read by her. I enjoyed her Herringford and Watts Mysteries series and well as the first book in the new Van Buren and DeLuca mystery series.   I've come to enjoy Rachel's writing style and know that she puts a lot of research into her novels, starting with trips to those cities for in person search.  Rachel her are a clean enjoyable read, and I look forward to reading the next book in this series. Rose in Three Quarter Time. 

November Wrap Up

November  Wrap Up

Started this month with 29 books on my TBR pile. I received my Owlcrate book for the month. I read two owned books some my TBR totals is at 28. Now. I read a total of 22 books and 5989 pages. My average rating was 3.6

Marilla of Green Gables by Sarah McCoy

A Black Night for the Bluegrass Belle by Ian Punnett

I am Actually a Penquin by Sean Taylor

One is a Feast for Mouse: A Thanksgiving Tale by Judy Cox

When God Calls the Heart: Devotions from Hope Valley by Brain Bird (owned)

NCIS New Orleans: CrossRoads by Jeff Mariotte

Murder by the Book by Lauren Elliott

Yes, Carol…It’s Christmas by Cindy Vincent (owned)

The Christmas Star by Donna VanLiere

Spider Woman’s Daughter by Anne Hillerman

Alaskan Holiday by Debbie Macomber

The Christmas Heirloom by Karen Witemeyer

The Lighthouse Keeper’s Daughter by Hazel Gaynor

 Hearts Unbroken by Cynthia Leitich Smith

‘Twas the Knife Before Christmas by Jacqueline Frost

 Look Alive Twenty-Five by Janet Evanovich

 Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young (owned)

 Six Cats a Slayin’ by Miranda James

 The Cumberland Bride by Shannon McNear (owned/kindle)

A Scandal in Scarlet by Vicki Delany

 Reunited with the Rancher by Brenda Minton

 Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan