ACR: Evergreen: A Christiansen Winter Novella by Susan May Warren

Evergreen: A Christiansen Winter Novella Author - Susan May Warren Time It Took for to Read - 3 Days Rating - 4 out of 5 Stars Would I Recommend: Yes

An empty nest has Ingrid Christiansen dreading the upcoming holidays, but her husband, John, couldn't be more excited about this new season of life. He even has a surprise trip abroad planned. He's sure she'll love it. What's more romantic than Christmas in Paris? Before he can stop her, however, Ingrid agrees to spearhead a major church project. Then their faithful dog, Butterscotch, needs emergency surgery, draining their savings. And then--because disasters strike in threes--an unexpected guest arrives, dredging up old hurts. As a beautiful blanket of snow transforms the north woods into a winter wonderland, a deep chill settles over John and Ingrid's marriage. With the holidays fast approaching, their only hope of keeping their love evergreen depends on turning the page on the past and embracing a new chapter of their future.

What I Loved...

Its a winter novella so Christmas is woven in. I love Christmas. However more than that, I love that Susan creates such realistic characters. While I am a long ways away from being an empty nester (I have a 4 month old) Ingrid and John remind me so much of a couple that I am friends with. The wife I know was grieving her recently wedded daugher and grown son moving on from home, while her husband was planning cruises and other vacations.

I felt like I really know the characters. That's great stoy writing.

What I Liked...

Without giving the story away, the storyline of Romeo and Ingrid is one that I can relate to in many ways. I found it heartwarming and again realistic. I really liked Romeo's genuine character.

Other...

I am a book coveraholic. Admitting it is the first step.

Evergreen's cover is pretty and simplistic - I really like it. However, it doesn't capture the book at all. I don't even recall ice skating in the book at all and if its in there, it wasn't memorable enough to constitute being the cover design.

I do realize that this book is part of a series and while I have only read one other book in the series, It Had To Be You, I am not familiar enough with the characters to know if the ice skates is significant for Ingrid and John's relationship. However, for this book that can stand alone from the series, the cover just doesn't make sense to me.

Giveaway...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: This book was provided by the publisher through Tyndale. The opinion of this book, is my own and I was not paid or compensated for for my review.

Review: Love Finds You in Romeo, Colorado by Gwen Ford Faulkenberry

Love Finds You in Romeo, Colorado Author - Gwen Ford Faulkenberry Time It Took for to Read - 3 Days Rating - 4 out of 5 Stars Would I Recommend: Yes

Claire Caspian is a first-rate professor, teaching even the most cynical student to find beauty in literature. But with her own personal story, she isnt as successful. Having recently lost her husband, Claire returns with her young son to the tiny desert town of Romeo, Colorado, where she grew up. There she settles in with her feisty old Abuelita, the richest woman in the county and attempts to rebuild her life. But love comes searching for Claire in the form of attractive local doctor Stephen Reyes. Will another tragedy prevent her from accepting love the second time around? Or will she embrace her new Romeo and finally find a happy ending?

What I Loved...

I have never read a book, within the genres that I love to read, where there is a Puerto Rican hero (I am of Puerto Rican descent) and Spanish spoken throughout. Never say never. Although I had no clue based off the back cover, I was so pleasantly surprised as I read it.

I loved the Spanish spoken throughout and although I am not from Colorado or of Mexican descent, I still felt like I had better understanding and deeper connection to the characters than I usually do.

What I Liked...

This was a nice love story and I really enjoyed most of the characters. I think they were written well and I could see them as real people. I think my favorite character was a tie between Stephen Reyes and Abuelita who were boht sincere and funny. They were easy characters to like.

Other...

There were many times throughout the first half of the book that I felt the author was a novice author. I found myself wishing she would have worded things differently. The sad part was that I didn't go into reading it that way, but it seemed so obvious to me. After a few chapters of being distracted by some of the writing, I looked and found that the author does not have many novels (I admit that I did not do a thorough search) and can only attribute some of the quirks to being a novice author.

The book does get better later on and I found myself more and more into the story and in the second half can't recall being distracted by the writing style at all. I don't know if it was due to the
storyline or improved writing style.

The one character that was a bit disappointing was the son Graeme. He was five years old and spoke like a ten year old. While the story did mention him as smart, it didn't say much after that and I just couldn't see a 5 year old having such conversations just because he was "smart." he was not a believeable character. This story needed a kid, even a 5 year old kid to make the story work, but it was forced. It just didn't flow.

The end of the book was clever but disappointing for me. I felt cheated.

Having said all that, there were a few funny moments and swoon moments, so I gave this one a 4 out of 5 stars and I would read Gwen Ford Faulkenberry again. She redeemed herself in the second half of the book, even if I particularly didn't like the ending.

Review: A Trusting Heart by Mary Anderson

A Trusting Heart Author - Mary Anderson Time It Took for to Read - 3 Days Rating - 4 out of 5 Stars Would I Recommend: Maybe

WILL THE HORRORS OF THE PAST EVER ALLOW HIM TO TRUST HER WITHOUT RESERVE?

The untimely death of Susannah Smith’s dear husband left her fumbling to pick up the pieces and mend her broken heart. With her financial situation growing increasingly desperate, Susannah finally determines to sell her late husband’s candle shop. Never could she have anticipated what she would find within its walls when she entered the abandoned building. Nor could she erase from her mind the image of the stranger’s dark, haunted eyes staring back at her. Will he prove to be the answer to her prayers, or the cause of her complete and utter destruction?

Josiah Richards is a man with a past. The horrors he has seen and endured shadow every step he takes. When a vibrant, young widow tries to heal his wounds and his black heart, the pain is nearly unbearable. Will he ever be able to trust her with his darkest secrets? Or will his past catch up to him and end his only chance at happiness and love?

Why I Decided To Read This...

I am a member of Goodreads and found this wonderful game named Scattegories. Its all about finding and reading books with a certain criteria. I decided to read A Trusting Heart because the heroine's name is Susannah Smith and our categories criteria was Female Main Character Name and the letter S. So I get two points baby!

Yep, thats the reason I'm reading it. Nothing to do with the cover, athough I like it. Nothing to do with the back cover description, although it sounded like a good read. Nope, none of the typical things most readers look for in a book. Sorry if that diappoints you.

What I Loved...

I loved how deep and profound Susannah loved. She was a wonderful heroine to read.

What I Liked...

This love story is so touching and real. I hurt when they hurt. I was happy when they were happy. I wanted to cry when they cried. It is a really nice heart warming story. I have never read a Christain Historical Fiction of Colonial era (not that I recall anyway) and I was a little skeptical, but I was pleasantly surprised and I plan to read more by author Mary Anderson and this era.

Other...

I realize that the more I read, the pickier I become. I used to be so easy to please. I wish it weren't so. I liked reading almost anything and being content. I always try to find the best in every book I read but lately its been harder finding the things that I love in book. I can like a book plenty, but finding what I love has become like digging for gold on the East Coast of the US. (For some reason I pictured the animated movie Pocahontas when the settlers are digging for gold and not finding any.) Forgive my ranting, I am usually a night writer and its only 10 am.

Anyway! I didn't read the first book in the series and I should have. I always feel like I am the new kid in school when I read a book in a series and didn't read the one prior. I feel like I am missing some important information that happened last year in school when I didn't attend.

This book most certainly does that. While the main characters are minor characters in book 1, their story began there and leaves you wanting to know what happened.

So my advice is read the first book in this series first. I know its common sense to do so, but I thought I'd mention it anyway, in case there is any one out there like me. =)