The Heart of a Vicar (The Jonquil Brothers #6) by Sarah M. Eden book review

The Heart of a Vicar

(The Jonquil Brothers #6)

by

Sarah M. Eden

 

Young love is all too fleeting, as Harold Jonquil painfully discovered years ago when Sarah Sarvol, the niece of a neighboring landowner, captured his heart. After an idyllic few weeks in the throes of blossoming love, reality intervened. They could have no future. Following their disastrous parting, Harold attempted to push aside thoughts of love and regret, but Sarah has never left his heart. Now, years later, he has achieved his lifelong aspiration of becoming the local vicar. However, the role proves more difficult than he imagined. He feels hollow and uninspired—until the most important person in his past returns, challenging him as no one ever has.

When Sarah’s ailing uncle summons her back to the family estate in England, there is only one person from her past she is reluctant to see again: Harold Jonquil, the only man who has ever claimed her heart. But when she comes face-to-face with her former beau, she hardly recognizes the aloof and dull man before her. She is determined to help Harold rediscover the passion he once felt toward his chosen profession. Soon, despite their exasperation with each other, they cannot deny the stirring of feelings long buried—but is it too late for second chances?

 

  

My Review: 8/10

 

I've been looking forward to "Holy Harry's" story for quite a while now. My favorite thing, as with all in this series, is the family dynamic. I loved the updates for some characters and regular commentary of others. Oh how I wish I belonged to a family like this one. Large and super close. Knowing that one piece of an amazing family felt like (and was treated like) a misfit was so sad, even if it was realistic. So I've been looking forward to uncover hidden depths and mending and strengthening relationships.

I liked his character development of Harry for the most part.
* SPOILERS *
 My only real complaint is that things seemed unnecessarily difficult. Philip's explanations at the end seemed flimsy. No matter how much his brother irritated him, I would have thought he'd take his role as head of the family more seriously than to just assume his education at school had been sufficient. Never once in all of these years did he not drop in or check in on his brother? Not even through other people like the housekeeper? Why didn't Mater check in on her son or try to mend bridges sooner? And if Harry thought his economic education was lacking, why not reach out to ANY of his brothers, even casually ("asking for a friend... ;) " kind of thing), for a contact with a solicitor, estate manager, anything?

It just reminded me too much of The Big Misunderstanding plot point, that blows out of proportion while people continue not speaking about it, for no good reason.

And I was also sad that Sarah (nor anyone else) did not ever confront her uncle. I get that there would have been repercussions. And he likely would not have changed his mind. But there were growing repercussions anyway and he grew more and more unhinged. Never speaking up did him a disservice. He clearly had never healed and the wound of his daughter's death was left to fester and turn septic. Someone needed to tell him what they were all thinking: that Bridget left on her own and it was a good decision for her, regardless of how things turned out, that she had been so happy. That her death was no one's fault. That she loved her father, despite everything, and that the rest of his family loved him as well, even if they weren't on good terms, even if he couldn't or wouldn't forgive them or himself. That they were praying for him. It didn't have to be wrapped up in a tidy bow, but I felt a major opportunity was wasted here. And no matter what he had done, the concept just hanging around waiting for him to die so they didn't have to deal with him anymore was cold-hearted and mercenary.


*END SPOILERS *

These couple of things aside, I really did enjoy the story. Especially the resolution with some other key characters. I'm happy to imagine my Jonquils the way they were left in their world.

Promised by Leah Garriott book review

Promised

by

Leah Garriott 

Margaret Brinton keeps her promises, and the one she is most determined to keep is the promise to protect her heart.

Warwickshire, England, 1812

Fooled by love once before, Margaret vows never to be played the fool again. To keep her vow, she attends a notorious matchmaking party intent on securing the perfect marital match: a union of convenience to someone who could never affect her heart. She discovers a man who exceeds all her hopes in the handsome and obliging rake Mr. Northam.

There’s only one problem. His meddling cousin, Lord Williams, won’t leave Margaret alone. Condescending and high-handed, Lord Williams lectures and insults her. When she refuses to give heed to his counsel, he single-handedly ruins Margaret’s chances for making a good match—to his cousin or anyone else. With no reason to remain at the party, Margaret returns home to discover her father has promised her hand in marriage—to Lord Williams.

Under no condition will Margaret consent to marrying such an odious man. Yet as Lord Williams inserts himself into her everyday life, interrupting her family games and following her on morning walks, winning the good opinion of her siblings and proving himself intelligent and even kind, Margaret is forced to realize that Lord Williams is exactly the type of man she’d hoped to marry before she’d learned how much love hurt. When paths diverge and her time with Lord Williams ends, Margaret is faced with her ultimate choice: keep the promises that protect her or break free of them for one more chance at love. Either way, she fears her heart will lose.

 

 

My Review: 9/10

 

I loved this story. The strongest thing about it was something I have been searching for for ages: one point of view. I loved that this story was only told through the eyes of Margaret. Add Lord Williams arrogance and occasional coldness and you have understandable suspicion, frustration and a need to protect oneself. This made the story, the characters' emotions and actions, make sense in a way that many similar novels fall short.

Some of the scenes had me laughing out loud and some had me cringing - as was intended, I'm sure. I love characters that are willing to change, that grow over time. And I love an author that allows her characters to make mistakes and be better for them.

I definitely picked up some Jane Austen vibes, and they were well done. Yet the story was still its own.

It's always so exciting to discover a new author, but a little disappointing when they are not just new to you, and you don't have a collection of previously published works waiting to be enjoyed. I can't wait for more from this author!

A Pursuit of Home (Haven Manor #3) by Kristi Ann Hunter book review

 

A Pursuit of Home

(Haven Manor #3)

by

Kristi Ann Hunter 

 

When she learns the family she thought dead might be alive and in danger, Jess Beuchene knows her secrets can only stay buried for so long. Desperation brings her to Derek Thornbury, an expert in history and artifacts, to help her decipher the clues in an old family diary. Will their search to uncover the truth of the past lead to a future together?

 

 

 

 

My Review: 10/10

 I have wanted this story since book #1... ages ago. Jess was certainly interesting and unconventional and embodies a lot of qualities I wish I had. So I was THRILLED when I discovered her tied up in the next series and I patiently waited until her time came. I was not disappointed.

But I have to admit that when I saw Derek being set up as her romantic interest, I was a little let down. I found him awkward, stuffy and boring in A Return of Devotion - everything Jess is not and he just didn't hold my interest. It seemed Jess agreed with me. But he won her over (and me too, in the process).

SPOILERS
One thing I didn't like was a small moment when Jess reunites with Ryland and household. She makes him promise that he will put his wife and child ahead of her and not get so personally involved. While the sentiment is nice, I felt offended on Miranda's behalf that it implied that Ryland would put Jess first, that he needed to be reminded, let alone swear an oath. Maybe it's my jealousy coming out, but I wouldn't have appreciated that implication if I were Miranda.

I did love just about every mention of all previous characters, Ryland and Miranda especially.

And the end of the book was one of the best I've read in a while. I won't give everything away, and I can't even give quotes, because I loved so many lines that I basically highlighted the last few chapters of the book. Let's just say, things aren't wrapped up like a fairy tale. They are hopeful, but more realistic. There is still struggle and hard work ahead. Loved that picture. The disappointment of a years (or decades) long fantasy falling short of expectation is real and hard and certainly introduces doubt at the very least. Very relatable, despite the extreme circumstances.

Loved this book!

The Lady and the Highwayman by Sarah M. Eden book review

The Lady and the Highwayman

by

Sarah M. Eden  

 

Elizabeth Black is the headmistress of a girls’ school and a well-respected author of “silver-fork” novels, stories written both for and about the upper-class ladies of Victorian society. But by night, she writes very different kinds of stories—the Penny Dreadfuls that are all the rage among the working-class men. Under the pseudonym Mr. King, Elizabeth has written about dashing heroes fighting supernatural threats and dangerous outlaws romancing helpless women. They contain all the adventure and mystery that her real life lacks.

Fletcher Walker began life as a street urchin, but is now the most successful author in the Penny Dreadful market, that is until Mr. King started taking all of his readers--and his profits. No one knows who King is, including Fletcher’s fellow members of the Dread Penny Society, a fraternity of authors dedicated to secretly fighting for the rights of the less-fortunate.

Determined to find the elusive Mr. King, Fletcher approaches Miss Black. As a fellow-author, she is well-known among the high-class writers; perhaps she could be persuaded to make some inquiries as to Mr. King’s whereabouts? Elizabeth agrees to help Fletcher, if only to insure her secret identity is never discovered.

For the first time, Elizabeth experiences the thrill of a cat-and-mouse adventure reminiscent of one of her own novels as she tries to throw Fletcher off her scent. But the more time they spend together, the more she loses her heart. Its upper-class against working-class, author against author where readers, reputations, and romance are all on the line.

My Review: 8/10

This book was more off the beaten track for this author and this genre. I enjoyed the more gothic feel of the excerpts of the penny dreadful novels and it was a neat way to tie multiple characters and stories together.

Side note: loved that cover!!!

The Candy Cane Caper (A Culinary Mystery) by Josi S. Kilpack book review

The Candy Cane Caper

(A Culinary Mystery)

by

Josi S. Kilpack 

The theft of a friend’s priceless, family-legacy Christmas ornaments brings amateur detective and culinary expert, Sadie Hoffmiller, back on the case in a new standalone cozy mystery.

In the latest chapter to the Culinary Mystery series, amateur detective Sadie Hoffmiller continues combining her sleuthing with her cooking and baking to connect with people and gain information she might otherwise not have access to. Moreover, now that Sadie is married to Detective Pete Cunningham, she has a street-savvy husband to test out her crime-solving theories.

With Christmas approaching, Sadie is preparing for a large blended-family gathering—including many new grandchildren—in their home in Fort Collins, Colorado.  Even with the festive chaos, Sadie drops everything when word gets out that her friend, Mary, is the victim of a holiday robbery.

At ninety-four years old, and nearly blind, Mary knows this is may be her last Christmas and the last year to enjoy her family heirloom Christmas tree ornaments. She wants just one more holiday to display her ornaments and following Christmas Eve Mass, she’ll pass them on to her great-granddaughter, Joy. Though priceless to the family, the collection has been valued at $40,000, and the Christmas tree in the care facility has never looked so good. But before the ornaments can be retrieved by Mary, eleven of the most expensive ornaments are stolen.

A holiday Christmas caper might be new to Sadie, but she’s ready to mix in her seasoned crime-solving skills with a pinch of new holiday recipes.

My Review: 9/10

 

Let me start by staying I don’t typically read crime mystery novels because I don’t like violence/gore and the suspense gives me anxiety while I’m reading. But I LOVE this author - one of my absolute favs - so I decided to step outside of my comfort zone.

As someone late to the Sadie scene, I can say this book stands alone well. I loved all the recipes mixed in, and the contrast of Sadie’s homey personal life gave me some relief when the intensity was building in the mystery. I thought the story was great, the layers to the characters as well as the plot, were so well done. And I really loved the faith and relationship aspects. These were delicate subjects and I felt they were dealt with beautifully.

I enjoyed this book so much that I’m eager to start at the beginning and read the rest of the series!

More Than Words Can Say (Patchwork Family #2) by Karen Witemeyer book review

More Than Words Can Say

(Patchwork Family #2)

by

Karen Witemeyer 

After being railroaded by the city council, Abby needs a man's name on her bakery's deed, and a man she can control, not the stoic lumberman Zacharias who always seems to exude silent confidence. She cant even control her pulse when she's around him. But as trust grows between them, she finds she wants more than his rescue. She wants his heart.

 

 

 

 

My Review: 10/10

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I did not know that it was a sequel or immediately remember Zach and his family, but a couple of chapters in, my memory was jogged and I was excited to get to know Zacharias better. I thought his portrayal was one of the most realistic male perspectives I’ve read in quite some time. I loved Abby too. I wished she wouldn’t focus on her weight so much, but that was probably realistic as well. I loved the way they worked together as a team and the solutions they found to their problems. I liked the little ways they cared for one another. And I thought their personal challenges were really well done ( for Abby- prioritizing, family vs career, and trusting God with the outcome. For Zach- responsibility vs integrity, trusting God to make a way. ) This was such a sweet story, with a lot to relate to and a lot to inspire. Loved it.

Flight of the Raven (The Ravenwood Saga #2) by Morgan L. Busse book review

Flight of the Raven

(The Ravenwood Saga #2)

by

Morgan L. Busse  

Exiled and on the run, Selene Ravenwood is in search of the real reason her family was given the gift of dreamwalking but first she must adapt to her marriage with the man she was originally assigned to kill. With war impending and a dark being after her gift, she finds herself at a crossroads but time is running out and soon her choice will be made for her.

My Review: 7/10

This was a great middle book. The first book went out on a BANG and this second book hits the ground running.

I loved the way marriage was represented and I enjoyed the exploration of and growth through faith.

Can't wait for the last book!

Mark of the Raven (The Ravenwood Saga #1) by Morgan L. Busse book review

 

Mark of the Raven

(The Ravenwood Saga #1)

by

Morgan L. Busse  

 

Lady Selene is the heir to the Great House of Ravenwood and the secret family gift of dreamwalking. As a dreamwalker, she can enter a person's dreams and manipulate their greatest fears or desires. For the last hundred years, the Ravenwood women have used their gift of dreaming for hire to gather information or to assassinate.

As she discovers her family's dark secret, Selene is torn between upholding her family's legacy--a legacy that supports her people--or seeking the true reason behind her family's gift.

Her dilemma comes to a head when she is tasked with assassinating the one man who can bring peace to the nations, but who will also bring about the downfall of her own house.

One path holds glory and power, and will solidify her position as Lady of Ravenwood. The other path holds shame and execution. Which will she choose? And is she willing to pay the price for the path chosen?

My Review: 6.5/10


This is a stretch from the genres I usually frequent- fantasy with a gothic feel and religious themes. I enjoyed the story, though I wouldn't recommend reading it before bed.

Initially I thought, I don't know why she's beating herself up; they're only nightmares, it's not like she's actually doing the things in the dreams. Then I thought about some nightmares I've had that caused lingering anguish and the fact that the damage from emotional and mental abuse can oftentimes last longer than physical abuse. And that's what is repeatedly happening in these dreams- mental and emotional abuse. So now I get it.

I enjoyed the world that was built and am intrigued by the mystery. And I like what I've read so far about the religious themes, good vs evil, etc. I'm invested. I want to uncover the history, see this world put back together, families and friendships restored, and I want to see the gifts working the way they were intended.

It felt like Selene and Amara needn't have the animosity between them if Selene made an effort to reach out or show affection, etc. And I wish that Selene was a bit more determined to find a new way rather than give in to feeling trapped and just go along with things. But I think she has potential.

Looking forward to the next book!

If You Love Me: A Mother's Journey Through Her Daughter's Opioid Addiction by Maureen Cavanagh book review

 

If You Love Me: A Mother's Journey Through Her Daughter's Opioid Addiction

by

Maureen Cavanagh  

 

Maureen Cavanagh’s gripping memoir If You Love Me is the story of a mother who suddenly finds herself on the frontlines of the opioid epidemic as her daughter battles—and ultimately reckons with—substance use disorder.

Fast-paced and heartwarming, devastating and redemptive, Maureen’s incredible odyssey into the opioid crisis—first as a parent, then as an advocate—is ultimately a deeply moving mother-daughter story. When Maureen and her ex-husband Mike see their daughter Katie’s needle track marks for the first time, it is a complete shock. But, slowly, the drug use explains everything—Katie’s constant exhaustion, erratic moods, and all those spoons that have gone missing from the house. Once Mike and Maureen get Katie into detox, Maureen goes to sleep that night hoping that in 48 hours she’ll have her daughter back. It’s not that simple.

Like the millions of parents and relatives all over the country—some of whom she has helped through her nonprofit organization—Maureen learns that recovery is neither straightforward nor brief. She fights to save Katie’s life, breaking down doors on the seedy side of town with Mike, kidnapping Katie outside a convenience store, and battling the taboo around substance use disorder in her picturesque New England town. Maureen is launched into the shadowy world of overcrowded, for-profit rehabilitation centers that often prey on worried parents. As Katie runs away from one program after another, never outrunning her pain, Maureen realizes that even while she becomes an expert on getting countless men and women into detox and treatment centers, she remains powerless to save her own daughter. Maureen's unforgettable story brings the opioid crisis out of the shadows and into the house next door.

My Review: 11/10

This book is certainly gripping. It sucks you in right away and refuses to let go. It had me sobbing repeatedly. While that may not sound like a recommendation, it is. It affected me deeply and it is so important to get this information out there.

I could do without most of the language, especially as it makes it harder for me to recommend to some people. But it really should be required reading, especially in school, arming kids with knowledge and putting them on their guard to what drugs and addiction really are.

Addiction runs in my family, generation after generation. So much of this was like reading clips of my own life, and yet there were still things I didn't know.

I've always hated hearing that addiction is a disease, because regardless of what happened afterward, you made those poor choices initially, with no regard for yourself or anyone who loves you, and saying it's a disease seems to take the responsibility off of you and makes you a victim. That frustrated me. Despite that, I never felt like ignorance or a bad decision for whatever reason deserved a life sentence of misery and suffering and bondage.

But Ms. Cavanagh educated me on the biology behind addiction: "'... drugs cause unnaturally high spikes in dopamine (a chemical that's released when a person does something that their brain judges to be beneficial, and the release makes them feel good),' she explains, 'which causes the brain to adjust to produce less dopamine, and drug users eventually continue their use just to feel normal again , because their baseline level of dopamine has become very low.'" This shook me.

She goes on to talk about addiction being a game of "Russian Roulette: Genetics Edition" and how she got the empty chamber. Me too. I have never been so humbled and so grateful. And also so terrified for my kids, knowing the genetics that have been passed on to them. At least I'm informed and can try to be proactive.

She talks about how often it starts with unsuspecting kids with sports injuries getting prescriptions for pain meds. I was horrified. I can't tell you how many of these stories had me in tears, but the one that left the deepest wound on my soul was reading about a person addicted to drugs being acutely aware of just how much the were taking and how close to the edge they were. I always thought of overdoses as ignorance- one time too many, overestimating what their body could handle, or just being so out of their minds that they had no idea what they were doing. It never occurred to me that it was suicide. That it was misery and they desperately wanted escape and could find no other way. My heart is permanently broken.

This book is SO important. To end the stigma, to spread awareness, resources, compassion, and hope. Read this book and recommend it to every you know. I know I will.

Searching for You (Orphan Train #3) by Jody Hedlund book review

 

Searching for You

(Orphan Train #3)

by

Jody Hedlund 

Despite years on the run, Sophie Neumann is determined to care for two young children. She won't abandon them the way she thinks her older sisters abandoned her. But times are growing desperate, and when she falls in with the wrong crowd and witnesses a crime, she realizes fleeing 1850s New York is her only option.

Disappearing with her two young charges into a group of orphans heading west by train, Sophie hopes to find safety and a happy life. When the train stops in Illinois for the first placement of orphans, Sophie faces the most difficult choice of her life.

Reinhold Weiss has finally purchased his own small farm. With mounting debts, a harvest to bring in, and past scars that haunt him, he's in no position to give his heart away . . . but can he say no when his long-lost friend shows up on a nearby train pleading for his help?

My Review: 7/10

Overall, I enjoyed this story, though I did have mixed feelings.

Some things really made sense to me. Sophie has compromised her character and done things she's embarrassed by; she wants her life put back together before seeing her sisters. But at the same time, I think she knows it's not nearly as bad as it could have been and I would think the love, desire for resolution and even curiosity would be stronger.

Also, I found it kind of weird that Reinhold has been passed around from story to story.

And while it didn't bother me, it seems that 90% of their relationship is formed on attraction. It's a constant and heavy companion, so if that bothers you, you might want to pass on this one.

Without giving things away, I really enjoyed the background, the supporting characters, the history and development of the orphan trains and seeing different paths unfold. Though I found it unlikely that Sophie could have managed to stay fairly untouched since she seems to be a blinding beacon of beauty, I liked her and Reinhold together and the way they took care of each other.

Sophie's personal struggles with Olivia and Nicholas was a great piece of the story. And I loved (Loved!) the Duffs. We all need a Euphemia in our lives.