Come, Sweet Day: Thoughts and Poems from Hard Times to Hope: A Writer's Journey by Julianne Donaldson book review

Come, Sweet Day: Thoughts and Poems from Hard Times to Hope: A Writer's Journey

by

Julianne Donaldson 

Bestselling romance author Julianne Donaldson has written deeply emotional, sweeping love stories in Edenbrooke and Blackmoore, often commenting that her characters were a reflection of what she wanted a woman’s life to be: happy, secure, unconditionally loved, and fulfilled. But in reality her own life was far more marked by difficult challenges and disappointments. In her new book, Donaldson reveals her thoughts and feelings from that unsettled time of despair and suffering so women can know they are not alone and that there is hope even in the hard times.

Compiled from years of inspirational words of encouragement to herself on social media—and even bits and pieces of random musings written on scrap paper, this is a unique writer’s journey through a life passage marked by cancer, a bitter divorce, legal battles with her ex-husband, mental illness, and persistent feelings of rejection and abandonment which also rendered her unable to pick up her career as a writer to support herself and her family. Overwhelmed by sadness and almost paralyzed into inaction by despair, she slowly finds her way back to her writer’s toolbox, unpacking the pain and sharing her innermost feelings as if revealing a character’s thoughts in a novel. In her writing she begins to find rays of understanding and acceptance and eventually finds strength from knowing that God’s love and His grace and guidance give greater meaning to our suffering and light the way to hope.

 

 

My review: 9/10 

A quick read full of encouragement. Julianne Donaldson is one of my favorite authors. I am so sorry to hear, through this collection, a bit of what she has been going through these past years. But I am so so happy she is writing again, and encouraged by the faith she has clearly leaned on and bravely shared. The story about the garage is perhaps my favorite, so poignant and relatable. 

Finding Quiet: My Journey to Peace in an Anxious World by Jamie Grace book review

Finding Quiet: My Journey to Peace in an Anxious World

by

Jamie Grace

Many of us live in between two extremes when it comes to mental health. On one side, we are told to embrace anxiety as a part of our being. The best we can do is medicate and live with it. On the other side, we're told that freedom can be found if we believe hard enough, and that we're at fault if we can't get over the thoughts that hold us back.

But what if there is another way? A way to acknowledge the struggles and learn how to manage the things that trigger us while believing in the promises and goodness of God?

This is the tension that Jamie Grace has lived in for most of her life. Known as a singer with a vibrant personality, Jamie has spent the last decade touring and speaking about her faith on stages and in front of the camera. But behind the scenes she was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome, OCD, ADHD, and an anxiety disorder as a preteen. Since then she has faced inner battles that have included panic attacks and self-harm. In Finding Quiet, Jamie shares what she has learned about managing the negative effects of her diagnoses, harnessing the positive outcomes, and leaning into the journey God has led her on.

 

My review: 9/10

 I've been a fan of Jamie Grace since Hold Me. I knew a little about her struggles with Tourettes and occasionally checked in to see about new music since I love her style. I was so excited to see her book pop up under one of my favorite publishers.

There is a pretty good balance between relevant personal anecdotes and advice / reflection on anxiety and peace. And as someone who does not struggle with anxiety, I still found plenty of useful information - after all, worry and noise can seep into anyone's life. And it helped me to understand and have compassion for those I know who do struggle with these things. I'm glad to have a Godly resource to share. Great book!

A Bride of Convenience (The Bride Ships #3) by Jody Hedlund book review

A Bride of Convenience

(The Bride Ships #3)

by

Jody Hedlund 

Unemployed mill worker Zoe Hart jumps at the opportunity to emigrate to British Columbia in 1863 to find a better life and be reunited with her brother, who fled from home after being accused of a crime.

Pastor to miners in the mountains, Abe Merivale discovers an abandoned baby during a routine visit to Victoria and joins efforts with Zoe, one of the newly arrived bride-ship women, to care for the infant. While there, he's devastated by the news from his fiancee in England that she's marrying another man.

With mounting pressure to find the baby a home, Zoe accepts a proposal from a miner of questionable character after he promises to help her locate her brother. Intent on protecting Zoe and frustrated by his failed engagement, Abe offers his own hand as groom. After a hasty wedding, they soon realize their marriage of convenience is not so convenient after all.

 

My Review: 6.5/10

This story shared a unique perspective for this genre (a man struggling with lust), however it really rendered the celibate aspect unbelievable. Marriages of convenience were not uncommon, but rather the norm. Keeping the relationship chaste after marriage was unusual (and yet that's 99% of the representations I read). I could see a man giving his new bride a week or two to adjust and be more comfortable, but that's about it, and even that would be the exception. So again, considering everything, I found this premise unrealistic.

Zoe is a strong woman with a natural pull toward abandoned children. She's forthright and outspoken. Abe was a little less admirable, as he tries to serve two masters, but I found that relatable; it's easy to think you're serving God when trying to please/obey religious leaders, but Zoe makes an excellent point, reminding him that no man has the power to truly take away what God wills. And though the Bishop is set up as an obstacle, I appreciated his character. It was easy to see what drove him and why he said/did what he did and I thought he was well represented.

The plot (confrontations and declarations) became a bit dramatic and predictable toward the end, but it was an enjoyable read overall. 

A Reluctant Bride (The Bride Ships #1) by Jody Hedlund book review

A Reluctant Bride

(The Bride Ships #1)

by

Jody Hedlund 

After facing desperate heartache and loss, Mercy agrees to escape a bleak future in London and join a bride ship. Wealthy and titled, Joseph leaves home and takes to the sea as the ships surgeon to escape the pain of losing his family. He has no intention of settling down, but when Mercy becomes his assistant, they must fight against a forbidden love.

My Review: 8.5/10

Jody Hedlund takes you right into the pit of the suffering of the slums in A Reluctant Bride. It was brutally honest at times and I was grateful and eager for Mercy to get a ticket out. It was interesting reading about the experience of women who signed up for Bride ships - what they came from, why they were chosen, what it was like on the ship, and what they could hope and expect waiting for them when they arrived. I loved the ways faith and integrity were woven into the story. Loss and healing too. And I thought the portrayal of characters like Mr. Scott and Mrs. Robb was just; they may not have been soft and likeable, but their motives and actions were understandable, especially given the time period.

These are the kinds of stories that make me love historical novels - the way they transport you to another time with different realities and challenges, so that strength, creativity and perseverance look different too. Thoroughly enjoyed this story.

A Castaway in Cornwall by Julie Klassen book review

A Castaway in Cornwall

by

Julie Klassen 

Laura Callaway daily walks the windswept Cornwall coast, known for many shipwrecks but few survivors. She feels like a castaway, set adrift on the tides of fate by the deaths of her parents and left wanting answers. Now living with her parson uncle and his parsimonious wife in North Cornwall, Laura is viewed as an outsider even as she yearns to belong somewhere again.

When ships sink, wreckers scour the shore for valuables, while Laura searches for clues to the lives lost. She has written letters to loved ones and returned keepsakes to rightful owners. She collects seashells and mementos, and when a man is washed ashore, she collects him too.

As Laura and a neighbor care for the castaway, the mystery surrounding him grows. He has abrasions and a deep cut that looks suspiciously like a knife wound, and he speaks in careful, educated English, yet his accent seems odd. Other clues wash ashore, and Laura soon realizes he is not who he seems to be. Their attraction grows, and while she longs to return the man to his rightful home, evidence against him mounts. With danger pursuing them from every side, will Laura ever find the answers and love she seeks?

 

 

 

My Review: 8/10 

 

 One of the best things about Ms. Klassen's works is the way they transport me to another time and place. This book was no exception. The story is rich in language, customs and details unique to the location (Cornwall) and time (early 1800s). The snippets from supporting works at the beginning of each chapter were a great touch and so interesting!

Reading from the point of view of a Captain fighting for Napoleon was a unique experience; as most of the books I read have the benefit of knowing how history played out, they typically align their characters with the winning side. I appreciated the different perspective.

On a side note, as usual I am one of the few that *doesn't* appreciate the nods, or rather direct quotes from Pride and Prejudice/Jane Austen worked into the story.

Would definitely recommend!

The Duke Meets His Match by Karen Tuft book review

The Duke Meets His Match

by

Karen Tuft  

 

At thirty years of age, Susan Jennings has long been considered a spinster. Exceptionally intelligent, she has little tolerance for London and the dreaded Season—if that’s how one is expected to find love, it’s not for her. But when an invitation arrives that cannot be ignored, Susan leaves her comfortable life in the country and enters the fashion and frivolity she most despises. She quickly discovers, however, that there is more to loathe in London—and his name is George Kendall.

George, Duke of Aylesham, has learned to keep his distance from cloying females chasing the title of duchess. Susan Jennings, however, proves an entirely different challenge—a woman who has pushed him to the limit of his patience with their every encounter. But their simmering hostility is disrupted by a thoughtless slip-up: to avoid a marriage of political strategy, George claims he is already betrothed. And when pressed for the name of the lucky woman, only one name comes to mind: Susan’s. Their forced betrothal proves advantageous, but when their verbal sparring must change in order to be convincing, the line between fact and fiction becomes blurred by something neither expected: love.

 

 

 

My review: 6/10

  Susan and George got off on the wrong foot and so did I. They had an accidental meeting that left them hating each other, which felt like an extreme overreaction. And Susan finds herself attracted to him despite her loathing, which made my own initial opinion of her rather low.

Some things seemed too unconventional for the time (flashing ankles, abruptly ending a dance and walking off, etc), so I'm not sure how historically accurate it was, but the complicated problem with the Prince Regent was interesting. I appreciated that there was a foundation of honesty between the two main characters and was pleasantly surprised at how the situation was resolved with some unexpected talents.

Isabelle and Alexander by Rebecca Anderson book review

 

Isabelle and Alexander

by

Rebecca Anderson

London, 1850

Isabelle Rackham knows she will not marry for love. Though arranged marriages have fallen out of fashion, hers has been settled for some time to combine the upper-middle-class wealth of her father’s coal mines with Alexander Osgood’s prospering Northern country textile mills. Though not a man prone to romantic gestures, Alexander is well-known as an eligible bachelor. His good looks have turned more than one head, so Isabelle is content to think of herself as Alexander’s wife.

However, her marriage is not what she expected. Northern England is nothing like her home farther west in the lake country. Cold, dreary, and dark, the soot from the textile mills creates a gray hue that seems to cling to everything in the city of Manchester. Alexander is distant and aloof, preferring to spend his time at the mill rather than with her at home. Their few conversations are brief, polite, and lacking any emotion, leaving Isabelle lonely and desperately homesick.

Sensing his wife’s unhappiness, Alexander suggests a trip to his country estate. Isabelle hopes this will be an opportunity to get to know her new husband without the distractions of his business. But the change of scenery doesn’t bring them any closer. While riding together on horses, Alexander is thrown from his and becomes paralyzed. Tragedy or destiny? The help and care that Alexander now needs is Isabelle’s opportunity to forge a connection and create a deep and romantic love where nothing else could.

 

 

 

My Review: 9/10

 

Despite the fact that this is about a marriage, I would say it's a Historical novel, rather than Historical Romance. I think if you are looking for the typical regency romance, you will be disappointed; this is not a light and fluffy story and there is not much typical romance.

That said, the book was excellent. It is told from entirely one perspective (hurrah!) which makes Isabelle's confusion, frustration, and insecurity a lot more relatable. There is a lot that is presented from a historical point of view (marital roles, communication, medical treatments,  social dictates, mental illness, etc.) which was so interesting. It's a bit slow at times, but that is to be expected given the circumstances. Every success is hard won, but there is personal change as well as relationship growth that give this story a lot of depth.

Would definitely recommend.

His Accidental Bride by Carolyn Twede Frank book review

His Accidental Bride

by

Carolyn Twede Frank 

Dorothy Bednar is living a life she despises. Forced to work as a double-dealing saloon girl, Dorothy has finally had enough. The next train out of town is her ticket to freedom, and Dorothy jumps aboard without a thought for where she’s going—until she meets a kind woman aboard the train. Her fellow passenger was originally traveling to Colorado to marry a man she’d never met, but her cold feet offer Dorothy the perfect opportunity to set up roots somewhere new. Dorothy soon finds herself posing as the mail-order bride—after all, marrying a stranger can’t be worse than what she left behind.

Young Colorado lawyer Ronald Smith is astonished when he spies the lovely woman who comes to greet him—the woman who is to be his wife. Dorothy is beyond Ronald’s wildest dreams, a kindhearted partner eager to be a homemaker and mother. To Dorothy, Ronald is the most gentlemanly man she’s ever met—a man who makes her feel safe and cherished. What begins as a deception soon deepens into true love, but too soon, Dorothy’s secret past threatens the beautiful life she’s built—a life that feels truer than anything she’s ever known.

My Review: 7/10

The premise for this book filled me with anxiety for a good 1/3 to 1/2 of the book, as there seemed to be unnecessary deceit. I said to myself, this is a love story. So I already know how it's going to end, in general. And this is obviously building to be a problem they have to overcome. So accompanying Dorothy in the downward spiral of lies was not fun. However, I was wrong. Things shifted sooner and differently than I had expected and that made the second half of the book all the better for me.

The characters in this story were great. Wilhelmina was goodness personified, rising to aid ("a person in need is family indeed!") - loved it. Ronald had some OCD tendencies, making his character refreshingly different from the typical hero mold, and I loved the way Dorothy grew to love, appreciate, and respect those qualities.

The ending was by far the best. I don't want to give anything anyway, but let's just say that it was exactly what I had been craving after a reading drought of intelligent, resourceful women.

Courting Misfortune (The Joplin Chronicles #1) by Regina Jennings book review

 

Courting Misfortune

(The Joplin Chronicles #1)

by

Regina Jennings 

Calista York needs one more successful case as a Pinkerton operative to secure her job. When she's assigned to find the kidnapped daughter of a mob boss, she's sent to the rowdy mining town of Joplin, Missouri, despite having extended family in the area. Will their meddling expose her mission and keep Lila Seaton from being recovered?

When Matthew Cook decided to be a missionary, he never expected to be sent only a short train ride away. While fighting against corruption of all sorts, Matthew hears of a baby raffle being held to raise funds for a children's home. He'll do what he can to stop it, but he also wants to stop the reckless Miss York, whose bad judgment consistently seems to be putting her in harm's way.

Calista doesn't need the handsome pastor interfering with her investigation, and she can't let her disguise slip. Her job and the life of a young lady depend on keeping Matthew in the dark.

 

 

 

 

 

My Review: 9/10

I so thoroughly enjoyed Calista's story that for possibly the first time ever, I was disappointed that it was a love story, since that would mean her personal story changes.

Calista's family was an excellent addition to the mix - very "can't live with em, can't live without em." They were sufficiently frustrating, interfering... and protective, helpful and loyal. And hilarious. Honestly, if I could it my way, this story/series would have taken after The Gresham Chronicles, covering many years and multiple family story lines, all woven together, so we could read about the antics the cousins get into over the years and I could have had more of Calista as a Pinkerton.

There was so much to appreciate in this story. The subject matter was surprisingly heavy (kidnapping, human trafficking, prostitution, alcoholism, etc), but balanced with levity at just the right times and in just the right ways. There were moral disagreements between characters without a clear "right" answer, which was a healthy departure from the way moral dilemmas are typically handled. Characters exercised restraint in challenging or tempting situations. Faith, prayer, provision, waiting on answers from God were all present themes and well-applied.

*SPOILERS*
The plot was pretty clear and I felt disappointment simmering under the surface, knowing that Calista's unique and interesting path was going to be coming to a close. Her work as a Pinkerton agent was an original tale and I was so bummed that it was over already. She may have been lacking in a few areas as an operative - putting herself in obvious danger without adequate defense and missing some necessary skills (her fabrication and evasion needed some work, haha) - but reading about a young, resourceful, independent, intelligent female agent in historical times was fascinating.

I was also disappointed in Robert Pinkerton's decision at the end. I'm not sure if this was done to give Calista one clear path, but such an attitude by a pillar of justice was certainly a let down.

My only solace is that this is the first in a series that just HAS to involve more Kentworth cousins, which is a guaranteed good time.

 

A Hopeful Christmas: A Regency Romance Collection by Anneka R. Walker , Sian Ann Bessey Carla Kelly, Krista Lynne Jensen book review

A Hopeful Christmas: A Regency Romance Collection

by

Anneka R. Walker  ,

Sian Ann Bessey 

Carla Kelly,

Krista Lynne Jensen 

Kindle the spirit of the season as four of your favorite storytellers weave tales of love and hope in this charming yuletide collection.

LORD BLAKELY’S GIFT

When Miss Ivy Hunt and Lord Curtis Blakely establish a secret acquaintance, neither can deny that their feelings extend beyond friendship. But as the children of bitter rivals, it will take a Christmas miracle for this star-crossed pair to reach their happily ever after.

A SEASON OF HOPE

Following the death of her father, Amelia knows Christmas will be lean. But when circumstances become dire, it is the unexpected arrival of a childhood friend that renews Amelia’s hope—both for the future and for love.

CHRISTMAS BY THE SEA

After two years at sea with the Royal Navy, surgeon Will Crenshaw longs for a quiet Christmas with his family. But when unrest at home threatens to ruin the holidays, it takes the kindly intervention of a mysterious house sitter to remind them of the true meaning of the season.

EXPECTATIONS AT CANTERWOOD

Marina Rowley is a spinster, Richard Stanhope a war-weary military man. A case of mistaken identity throws them together, but the unexpected stirrings of their hearts lead to an unforgettable holiday romance.

 

 

 

My review: 7/10

A thoroughly enjoyable collection of quick, easy reads that are full of Christmas charm.

LORD BLAKELY’S GIFT
I thought Ivy was a little too trusting and didn't exhibit propriety well (getting into a strange man's carriage and frequently spending time alone with him! Gasp!) but she an admirable character who really does bring out the best in the people around her. She is insightful and can see to the heart of how other people actions (even well intentioned) can have a negative effect. In that respect she is fair. I understood why Lord Blakely was drawn to her. It was a sweet story and had a great theme of generosity of spirit and action.

A SEASON OF HOPE
I related a bit more to Amelia's slightly less charitable nature; it IS hard to be kind toward people who are actively harming you. This story was a sensory delight. Sights, sounds, smells, all of it is described in such vivid imagery that it really came alive for me. I especially appreciated some of the descriptions of things that aren't as commonplace today, such the scents of different things used to "deck the halls" at that time.

CHRISTMAS BY THE SEA
I loved reading a sweet story about a married couple for a change. I loved Megs' strength and kindness. I appreciated the difficult family dynamic and loved the application of scripture. The only thing I didn't like was implied supernatural aspect. Just not my cup of tea. But an otherwise lovely story.

EXPECTATIONS AT CANTERWOOD
The beginning was a bit of a stretch to me. Given the time period, the circumstances should really not have been THAT much of a shock, but even if they were, a lady would have enough decorum not to pour everything out to a random servant. Thankfully, things improved from there. There is a good amount of dry humor shared among the characters, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I got the impression that the vicar Tom and his wife may have been a prior story. I'll have to look into that because I found Tom especially entertaining. Marina was a bit dramatic at times, but Richard,  steady and good humored, balanced her out.