Wednesday, March 14, 2018

A Refuge Assured by Jocelyn Green book review

35069159 A Refuge Assured

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Vivienne Rivard fled revolutionary France and seeks a new life for herself and a boy in her care, who some say is the Dauphin. But America is far from safe, as militiaman Liam Delaney knows. He proudly served in the American Revolution but is less sure of his role in the Whiskey Rebellion. Drawn together, will Liam and Vivienne find the peace they long for?
 
 
 
My Review: 6.5/10


This book is definitely a page turner and it is so rich in detail- it really transports you. It takes place during the French Revolution and I never thought about the relationship between events taking place in France so soon after our American Revolution and how that affected things. The political representation was really well done, making historical figures come alive. Though it does take time for information to cross the ocean, it does make it eventually and I cannot imagine witnessing the horrors committed or feeling so trapped.

That being said I took issue with Vivienne's character. It just didn't seem realistic to me that someone who had been through what she had would be so naive and trusting. I would think it would make a person paranoid. **SPOILERS** Without giving too much away, let's just say that she ends up knowing something that could make her a serious political threat. Instead of being proactive and having explanations ready or being very guarded about revealing information, she carelessly has candid conversations in public areas (multiple times), confides in people left and right, and ignores red flags. If I had been her, I would have relocated pretty much immediately to some remote, unrelated place, perhaps multiple times. I would have given myself a new history and started over. From scratch. It just didn't make any sense that she would be so unaware of the constant serious threat to herself and others, which made it frustrating to read, when I kept thinking, "How did you not see this coming?!"  

Friday, March 9, 2018

Hearts Entwined: A Historical Romance Novella Collection (Hearts Entwined Collection) book review


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Hearts Entwined: A Historical Romance Novella Collection (Hearts Entwined Collection)

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The ways of love can be complex. Sometimes a relationship full of unexpected twists and unlikely turns leads to a bond that's strong and secure. Join Karen Witemeyer, Mary Connealy, Regina Jennings, and Melissa Jagears for novellas that follow the winding path of romance in stories that celebrate a love that lasts forever.

The Love Knot - When Claire Nevin's troubled younger sibling sends her an unexpected package by rail, the gift and the man who delivers it--an unexpected face from the past--threaten to upend Claire's life forever. Fighting to hold on to all she has built, will she lose what matters most?

The Tangled Ties that Bind - Connor Kincaid returns home determined to win the hand of the woman he was too young for when he left. But Maggie is training to be a doctor in a distant town, while Connor's about to settle on a ranch. Will either be willing to give up their dream? Or will they both have to give up the love of a lifetime?

Bound and Determined - As punishment for his recklessness, Private Bradley Willis is sent on an errand to help a retired cavalry officer move a herd across Indian Territory. No one told him the herd would be camels instead of cattle, nor that the officer's headstrong daughter, Ambrosia Herald, would seem to be trying to undermine the whole enterprise. He's definitely been saddled with more than he's bargained for.

Tied and True - Wealthy Marianne Lister is in love with business assistant Calvin Hochstetler, but he can't see past the difference in their social status. When Marianne takes a job to prove that she is prepared for a life of hard work alongside the man of her dreams, will it be enough to convince Calvin to risk it all for love?


 

My Review: 7.5/10
This was a collection of 4 sweet, short reads. I believe they are all picking up supporting characters from previous works, but I can't say for sure because I only follow two of the authors. A couple of times, I felt like I would have enjoyed the stories a lot more if I had read the connected novels. Unlike the first collection of novellas, these characters do not intertwine- the stories are actually set years apart.

#1 The Loveknot
After Claire's history was revealed, I felt frustrated with her for making such a huge decision so impulsively. On the whole, I didn't really connect with this story or their choices. But I did love the theme of knots in relationships.

#2 The Tangled Ties That Bind
This one felt like there was a lot of history between the characters. I think it probably reads better if you're familiar with the Kincaid novels- there are a lot of offhand references made to other characters and what they're doing that were lost on me. The opening scene is rather long, but once the story gets going, it really pulls you in. I really loved Maggie's character and the frankness between her and Conner. Things were dealt with openly and honestly, which was like a breath of fresh air as a reader. I liked Connor's determination and the way they worked through things.

#3 Bound and Determined
As always, Ms. Jennings blends humor and sweetness well. The unique details made this story interesting and despite it being a shorter story, the character's are able to undergo realistic growth, which gives the story depth.

#4 Tied and True
I think this might have been my favorite story (though it was close)! My initial reaction was annoyance because Marianne Lister was internally bemoaning her wealth and lack of skills beyond social niceties; characters with low self esteem (especially when they are described as abundantly blessed with good looks, wealth, excessive kindness, generosity, intelligence, etc) are not my cup of tea. However, in this case, they both had an understandable reason. And Marianne had me unexpectedly laughing out loud just pages in. It's unusual in this genre for the woman to be pursuing the man and it made for a unique story full of heart and humor. I loved her tenacity and relentless hope and forthrightness.