The Ride of Her Life by Lorna Seilstad - a review

The Ride of Her Life by Lorna Seilstad is a fun, frolicking, feel-good story about widow and single mother Lilly Hart and roller coaster designer and builder, Nick Perrin.  The story begins with Lilly cooking at a diner in the Lake Manawa Park a month before the tourist season starts.  Her customers are the men who are building the new roller coaster in the park.

Lilly is trying hard to fight her feelings that are starting to grow for her son's new best friend, Nick.  She's been a widow for three years and she feels that any feelings she has for another man will mean she's cheating on her husband.  Her friends try to convince her otherwise.

Lilly's young son Levi becomes an interest of her dead husband's parents.  So much so that they plan on doing everything they can to take Levi to live with them.  It doesn't matter that he doesn't want to leave his mother or live with them.  The author treats this situation very well and ties it up quite nicely.

All in all, this was a fun book to read and I found Ms. Seilstad's characters quite charming and believable.  The Ride of Her Life is the third book in the Lake Manawa Summers series.  Unfortunately, I haven't read the first book in the series Making Waves or the second book, A Great Catch, but after reading The Ride of Her Life I have added them to my must read list.

If you would like a fun-filled, laugh-out-loud Christian love story then The Ride of Her Life is a book for you.

On a 5-star scale - 4 stars!

I would like to thank Donna Hausler of Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group for my review copy of The Ride of Her Life.  I received my review copy for free with the understanding that I would read it and give an honest review, which I have done.

*Available May 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group*

Smiles & Blessings,

A Love Forbidden - a review

When I come across a book that I can't wait to finish but then am sad as I turn the last page I know I have found a wonderful read.  That is exactly what I found in Kathleen Morgan's book, A Love Forbidden.  From page 1 to page 308 I was held captive as Ms. Morgan unveiled a beautiful love story between the young white girl, Shiloh and the half-breed, Jesse.  Their story was so poignant that I want to know more.  Since this is the second book in the Heart of the Rockies series, I'm hoping that in the next book of the series the author will include these two wonderful characters and let us readers peak into their lives once again.  There was plenty of conflict between the characters and I found myself rooting for them throughout their story.  I have always loved a book with good characterization and Ms. Morgan definitely created two very wonderful characters in Shiloh and Jesse.

A Love Forbidden begins when Shiloh Wainwright is 12 years old and Jesse Blackwater is 17 years old.  The reader is given the foundation of their early friendship and how their bond was severed.  By chapter two we are transported nine years into the future where Shiloh and Jesse find each other once again.  While they both struggle with their feelings for each other they are also facing struggles with the Ute Indians and the 'white man' wanting to push the Utes off of their land.

What I found was quite interesting about this book is that it was based on historical fact.  Ms. Morgan tied her characters into a story surrounding the Meeker Masacre of September 29, 1879.  She explains this in her Author's Notes in the back of the book.  It makes me want to delve into this period in history and learn more.

Anyone wanting to read a good Christian love story with plenty of tension and conflict A Love Forbidden  is a book I would highly recommend.

On a 5-star scale - 5 Stars!!!!!

*Available May 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group."

I would like to thank Donna Hausler of Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, for my review copy of A Love Forbidden.  I received my review copy for free in order to read it and give an honest of review which I have done.

Smiles & Blessings,

The Pursuit of Lucy Banning - a review

I always enjoy reading books by debut novelists and I wasn't disappointed with Olivia Newport's debut novel.  The Pursuit of Lucy Banning.  The story is about Lucy Banning, the privileged daughter of a wealthy Chicago family during the 1890's.  Lucy befriends Charlotte, the new kitchen maid who is hiding a secret and Lucy has one of her own.

Lucy is expected to marry the son of her parent's best friends.  However, Lucy doesn't want to become just someone's wife.  She wants a life of her own doing what is near and dear to her heart.  Along the journey,she meets Will, a friend of her brother, and she finds herself falling in love with him, a man that her parents would not consider worthy enough for their daughter as he is beneath their economic and social status.

Ms. Newport opens up a world of Chicago high society and depicts what i must have been like for women, during that time, as they tried to break the economic and social standings they had to endure during that time period.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Pursuit of Lucy Banning and I look forward to reading Ms. Newport's sophomoric novel once it hits the shelves.

On a 5-star scale - 4 stars.

I would like to thank Donna Hausler, Revell, and Baker Publishing Group for my review copy.  I received my copy for free so that I could read it and give my honest review, which I have done.

*** Available May 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group ***

Smiles & Blessings,