Because You're Mine by Colleen Coble

Most of you who follow my blog know that I love books by Colleen Coble. Her newest release is Because You're Mine, and it may have been previously released as the book is dedicated to her dear friend in heaven Diann Hunt and it states it was Diann's favorite of all the books Colleen had written. Personally, I would have to agree. I loved this book.

The book takes place predominantly in Charleston, South Carolina and is the story of a singer named Alanna, who is in a Celtic band named Ceol. Shortly after the story begins, her husband, Liam, is killed when a bomb explodes under the car he and his best friend are in. His best friend Jesse survives. But, is it really Jesse or is it Liam as they both looked so very much alike.

Alanna is pregnant with Liam's baby and her father-in-law is wanting custody. She agrees to a marriage of convenience to the band manager in order to stay in the United States so her baby won't be taken away. But her new husband, Barry, is, well, different. He takes her to his family home which, while it is a mansion, it is a decaying one and strange things begin to happen.

Per a note on the back of the book, "A mysterious painting, a haunting melody, and a love stronger than death leave Alanna questioning where darkness ends and light begins."

I loved the characters of Alanna, Liam, Jesse and the rest of the band. I loved the way Ms. Coble brought a lot of the Irish culture to life within the book as well as the dialect. I could actually hear the Irish brogues in my head as I read the book.

If you enjoy clean romantic suspense I would highly recommend picking up a copy and reading this wonderful novel.

On a 5-Star Scale - 5 HUGE Stars!!!!!

I would like to thank BookLook Bloggers and Thomas Nelson for my copy of Because You're Mine.  I received my copy for free in order to read it and give my honest review.

Smiles & Blessings,

Twilight at Blueberry Barrens by Colleen Coble

I am a huge fan of Colleen Coble. Her newest book, Twilight at Blueberry Barrens is, in my opinion, her best book yet. It is the third book in her "Sunset Cove" series. The first book in the series is Inn at Ocean's Edge (read my review here) and the second book in the series is Mermaid Moon (read my review here). You really don't need to read either of these books before Twilight at Blueberry Barrens as they can all read as stand-alone books. However, I believe reading them all will make your reading more enjoyable.

The heroine of this book is Kate Mason who cares for her family's blueberry barrens. However, as the story begins, the fruit is not producing and she is forced to finding another way to make a living. She ends up renting out a cottage across from where she lives. Her new tenants are entrepreneur Drake Newham and his two orphaned nieces. 

Drake has came to town to learn more about his brother's and sister-in-law's deaths. He doesn't believe it was a murder suicide as law enforcement would have him believe. He has every intention to prove the police wrong, but will he succeed?

Kate learns her uncle, who was in prison for murder has escaped. So, when someone begins to stalk her she believes it is her uncle...but is it? Or is someone else scaring her with their threats?

Ms. Coble has created a very suspenseful story that has several twists and turns throughout. She holds the reader captive from the very first page and I can honestly say I was kept engaged until the very end trying to figure out who was responsible for all that was taking place. I love it when I can read a book and it engages my mind in trying to discover "who-dun-nit".

The story is set on the coast of Maine and it is quite obvious Ms. Coble does her research. Her words paint beautiful pictures of the settings and allows the reader to experience the setting through her words.

I would highly recommend picking up a copy of Twilight at Blueberry Barrens. The characters are believable and they are perfectly woven into the setting. There is also a very nice love story woven in the mix.

On a 5-Star Scale - 5 Stars!!!!!

I would like to thank Booklook Bloggers and Thomas Nelson for my copy of Twilight at Blueberry Barrens. I received my copy for free in order to read it and give my honest review.

Smiles & Blessings,

To Love a Stranger by Colleen Coble

I am an avid fan of Colleen Coble's work. When I was given the opportunity to read a book from her early works as an author I jumped at the chance. To Love a Stranger was previously published prior to me having ever read any of her work. I love it when publishers bring out books that are out of print, dust them off, and package them in pretty new covers.

Book Blurb from the Back

Traveling to a rugged country to meet her new husband for the first time, Bessie wonders, Can love truly conquer fear?

Bessie Randall is shocked to discover that, thanks to her sister's meddling, she is married by proxy to Jasper Mendenhall, a man she's never met. Believing she has no choice but to honor the marriage, Bessie travels from Boston to Jasper's military quarters in Fort Bridger, Utah Territory.

Jasper Mendenhall is equally shocked when he meets his wife at the stagecoach and realizes she is not the beauty from the picture he holds. But Jasper has orders to move to Arizona Territory, and he has no choice but to take Bessie with him.

Bessie and Jasper's mutual distrust is hard enough, but snakebites, Apache raids, and food shortages present even ore challenges as they head to the Southwest. A story of quiet commitment despite the odds, To Love a Stranger explores how love can grow in the most difficult land.

My Thoughts

I loved this book. It was simple yet it touched on so many feelings that it pulled me into the story and I felt like I was right there in Indian territory. I could smell the dust, hear the war cry of the Indians, feel the uncertainty Bessie and Jasper both felt of their situation. Ms. Coble has a true gift of creating characters that can draw the reader into their world and through that the reader is blessed.

I loved the spunk of Bessie and I cried when she cried about Ruthie (you'll have to read the book to find out who Ruthie is and what made Bessie cry). While most would think she was a frail young woman she proved that to be a false belief. She was strong when it counted. I loved her character.

As for Jasper, who doesn't love a man in uniform who chooses to do what is right even though his heart tells him otherwise. I truly loved his character as well. He has a sensitive side that is slowly revealed and I must say, there were times when I cried over him as well.

This is a wonderful book which let me see why I fell in love with Colleen Coble's writing. I would highly suggest this book to anyone wanting a good clean romance to read.

On a 5-Star scale = 4 1/2 Stars.

I would like to thank BookLook Bloggers and Thomas Nelson for my copy of To Love a Stranger. I received my copy for free in order to read it and give my honest review.


Smiles & Blessings,

Mermaid Moon by Colleen Coble

Anyone who knows me, is well aware of my love for Colleen Coble's books so when I had a chance to read her newest book I jumped at the chance. Her newest book, Mermaid Moon, is the second book in her "Sunset Cove" series.

Mermaid Moon is the story of Mallory Davis, a single mother who finds herself returning to her hometown after fifteen years of being away.  After receiving a mysterious call from her father, she contacts her old boyfriend, Game Warden Kevin O'Connor and asks him to go check on her father. Kevin finds her father dead and lets Mallory know, prompting her to return to her hometown. The question is, did her father die by accident, or was it murder?

Mallory wants to find out what really happened to her father against Kevin's suggestion that she leaves the investigation alone. Kevin, i part s trying to protect his heart from the pain Mallory inflicted upon it fifteen years before.

Ms. Coble takes the reader on an emotional ride filled with twists and turns keeping the reader on the edge of their seat throughout the book. Just when I thought I might have things figured out something happened and I would have to change my mind.

The one thing I really enjoy about Colleen Coble's books is her characterizations. Not only do the people appear very real, her setting is a character in itself. I found myself feeling like I was right there amidst the characters and by the time the book was over, I wished I didn't have to leave. This is definitely a book for my keeper shelf.

I would highly recommend Mermaid Moon to anyone who enjoys a clean story filled with non-stop suspense.

On a 5-Star scale = 5 Stars!!!!!

I would like to thank LitFuse Publicity and Thomas Nelson for my copy of Mermaid Moon. I received my copy for free in order to read it and give my honest review.

Smiles & Blessings,

All is Bright by Colleen Coble

Okay, Christmas is still a little more than two months away, but reading about Christmas for me could be an everyday occurrence. I love Christmas, I love Christmas movies and I love to read Christmas books. 

My newest venture into reading a Christmas story was reading All is Bright by Colleen Coble. This is a wonderful novella that tells the story of Delilah Carter, who manages the Tidewater Inn and Tom Bourne, the Sheriff of Hope Beach. 

All is Bright begins when Delilah is ran off the road into the freezing waters of the Atlantic. Thankfully some locals saw her car plunge into the water and come to her rescue. So starts the twists and turns of this wonderful novella.

I love being able to pick up a book and read it in one sitting. I did just that with All is Bright. The fact that I was sitting on the edge of my seat the entire time added to the suspense for me.

Since novellas are shorter than a novel, I sometimes close the book wishing I knew what happened next. Ms. Coble gives the reader a nice closer with the Epilogue which happens three years after the story begins. Thank you for this gift Ms. Coble.

I would highly recommend All is Bright to anyone who loves a quick read, a story set during Christmas or a fan of Colleen Coble. I promise you won't be disappointed.

On a 5-star scale - 4 Stars!!!!

I would like to thank BookLook Bloggers and Net Galley for my e-copy of All is Bright. I received my copy for free in order to read it and give my honest review, which I have done.

Smiles & Blessings,

A Heart's Home by Colleen Coble

For those of you who follow my blog, then you know I have been reading books in Colleen Coble's six book series, "Journey of the Heart". These short books are a reprint of Ms. Cobles' first two novels, Where Leads the Heart and Plains of Promise. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this series but alas I have reached the end. The final book in the series, A Heart's Home, is the sixth and final book in the series.

In this book, we continue to follow the story of Emmie Croftner and Lieutenant Isaac Liddle at Fort Phil Kearny in the Wyoming Territory. When things look bleak for the two, things tend to get even worse. 

This book touched my heart more than any of the other's. I was saddened at one point and happy during another. I love it when a story can stir up my emotions.

One thing I have always enjoyed about Ms. Coble's writing is her believable character's. In this series, there was actually one character I would have loved to see a little more of and that person showed up in the fifth book, A Heart's Promise. Her name was Maggie O'Donnell, a laundress, who was no more than 16 years old and had been raising her two year old sister since she was just six days old. This character captured my heart and I had hoped to see more of her in A Heart's Home but she didn't appear.

I would highly recommend the "Journey of the Heart" series to anyone who enjoys reading clean historical novels set during the settling of the old west.

On a 5-Star scale = 5 Stars

I would like to thank Litfuse Publicity and Thomas Nelson for my copy of A Heart's Home. I received my copy for free in order to read it and give my honest review, which I have done.


Smiles & Blessings,

A Heart's Promise by Colleen Coble

For those of you who follow my blog, then you know I am currently reading books in Colleen Coble's six book series, "Journey of the Heart". These short books are a reprint of Ms. Cobles' first two novels, Where Leads the Heart and Plains of Promise. If I had to guess, A Heart's Danger is the end of her book Where Leads the Heart as everything seemed to tie up nicely. The fourth book in this series, A Heart's Betrayal is actually the first part of her original book Plains of Promise. This month's release is the fifth book, A Heart's Promise.

This book continues the story of Emmie Croftner and Lieutenant Isaac Liddle. They now are at Fort Phil Kearny in the Wyoming territory where the Sioux Indian nation is at war with the white man.

I love Colleen Coble's work and while the "Journey of the Heart" series isn't as detailed as her current books today, her talent was apparent even in her early days of publishing.

I am really enjoying this series. The characters are believable and Ms. Coble paints a picture of life in the old west that the reader can visualize and have a sense of being there. I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves to read a sweet historical set in the old west.

On a 5-Star scale = 5 Stars

I would like to thank Litfuse Publicity and Thomas Nelson for my copy of A Heart's Promise. I received my copy for free in order to read it and give my honest review, which I have done.


Smiles & Blessings,

A Heart's Betrayal by Colleen Coble

For those of you who follow my blog, then you know I am currently reading books in Colleen Coble's six book series, "Journey of the Heart". These short books are a reprint of Ms. Cobles' first two novels, Where Leads the Heart and Plains of Promise. If I had to guess, A Heart's Danger is the end of her book Where Leads the Heart as everything seemed to tie up nicely. The fourth book in this series, A Heart's Betrayal is actually the first part of her original book Plains of Promise.

A Heart's Betrayal, is the story of Emmie Croftner, the sister of Rand Campbell's nemesis, Ben Croftner. If you read the first three books of this series you will recognize the name. As this segment of the series opens, we meet Emmie Courtney who has just became a widow and has now learned that her husband of three months was a bigamist. When her husband's 'real wife' shows up requesting everything that belonged to her husband be turned over to her, Emmie finds herself homeless. 

This story begins on a sad note. Imagine finding out that the man you loved wasn't who you thought he was and the home you live in doesn't rightfully belong to you. What would you do? Emmie decides to go out west to Fort Laramie, Wyoming to find her friend Sarah Montgomery Campbell. The journey is rough but when she arrives she is happily embraced by Sarah who is expecting her first child with her husband Rand.

Emmie soon meets Isaac Liddle, a soldier at the Fort. He takes a liking to her but she is on guard after having gone through a relationship and marriage of lies. Will Emmie open her heart up to Isaac? Will she share the secret she has just learned with him or keep it to herself? The answers can be found in this short little book of 96 pages.

I love Colleen Coble's work and I'm really enjoying this series. The characters are believable and Ms. Coble paints a picture of life in the old west that the reader can visualizw. I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves to read a sweet historical set in the old west.

On a 5-Star scale = 5 Stars

I would like to thank Litfuse Publicity and Thomas Nelson for my copy of A Heart's Betrayal. I received my copy for free in order to read it and give my honest review, which I have done.

Smiles & Blessings,

A Heart's Danger by Colleen Coble

For those of you who follow my blog, then you know I am currently reading books in Colleen Coble's six book series, "Journey of the Heart". These short books are a reprint of Ms. Cobles' first two novels, Where Leads the Heart and Plains of Promise. If I had to guess, A Heart's Danger is the end of her book Where Leads the Heart as everything seemed to tie up nicely.

A Heart's Danger will be releasing in May. It continues the story of Sarah Montgomery and Rand Campbell who are now at Fort Laramie, Wyoming. Relations between the soldiers and Indians are beginning to heat up and Rand finds himself in all kinds of trouble in this book.

Rand's fiance, Jessica Dubois begins to show her true colors and collaborates with Ben Croftner to try and keep Sarah away from Rand. Will they succeed in keeping Sarah and Rand apart or will it backfire on them. 

Ms. Coble is a masterful storyteller and even though this book is part of her very first book you can see the talent has been there all along. Packed with twists and turns, Ms. Coble treats the reader to a breath-holding journey in the Old West.

I am enjoying reading this series and can hardly wait for book four, A Heart's Betrayal, to hit my mailbox. It will be releasing in June and will be followed up with A Heart's Promise in July and then the conclusion, A Heart's Home in August.

If you enjoy reading clean historical fiction set in the Old West I would highly suggest picking up copies of the books in this series. They have been fun and quick to read.

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

I would like to thank Litfuse Publicity and Thomas Nelson Publishers for my copy of A Heart's Danger. I received my copy for free in order to read it and give my honest review, which I have done.

Smiles & Blessings,

The Inn at Ocean's Edge by Colleen Coble

I am such a fan of Colleen Coble and always love it when she releases a new book in a new series. Her newest series "Sunset Cove" starts off with a bang with The Inn at Ocean's Edge.

Imagine what you would do if one day you found out that your life was a total lie. That your name never really was yours and that your mother was not your biological mother. What would you do?

What if you made new friends only to find out that their mother was murdered years ago and it was linked to who you were back then.

Colleen Coble is a master at creating strong believable characters that drive her novels through twists and turns that keeps the reader on the edge of their seats. The Inn at Ocean's Edge was no exception. Ms. Coble's characters, Claire Dellamare and Luke Rocco fill the pages as believable and almost palpable people that forge a bond while looking for answers about both of their lives.

There is so much I could say about this book and would love to do so but it would ruin your reading experience if I shed light on any other aspect of the book. Just know that The Inn at Ocean's Edge is Colleen Coble at her best.

If you are a fan of Ms. Coble's work or a fan of clean suspense novels this is definitely a book for you. The second book in the series, Mermaid Moon will be releasing in December 2015 and I can hardly wait.

On a 5-Star Scale - 5 HUGE Stars!!!!!

I would like to thank BookLook Bloggers and Thomas Nelson Publishers for my review copy of The Inn at Ocean's Edge. I received my copy for free in order to read it and give my honest review, which I have done.

Smiles & Blessings,

A Heart's Obsession by Colleen Coble

For all of you who enjoy reading books by Colleen Coble you must pick up copies of her books in the Journey of the Heart series. The first book, A Heart's Disguise (read my review here) was released in March and was an excellent book. Please keep in mind that this is a continuity series which means that book two, A Heart's Obsession, picks up where the first left off and so on. There will be a total of six books in the series and they were originally published as two books, Where Leads the Heart and Plains of Promise. Both books have been out of print for almost ten years.

A Heart's Obsession picks up where the first book left off. Lieutenant Rand Campbell says goodbye to his family and Sarah and moves on to his next post at Fort Laramie in Wyoming. In the last book, he asked Sarah to go with him but with her father near death she tells him she can't. So Rand leaves and shortly after arriving at Fort Laramie he, along with some other troops, is sent to escort Major DuBois, his wife and daughter to the fort. When he meets Jessica DuBois he feels something about her reminds him of Sarah.

Back in Wabash, Sarah's father passes away. A few days after the funeral her best friend Amelia marries Rand's brother Jacob and they are due to set out for Fort Laramie as Jacob has also been assigned there. Sarah asks if she and Joel can join them on their journey so she can reunite with Rand. However, Sarah's brother Wade is convinced that he is responsible for her and therefore tells her she is to marry Ben Croftner. When she tells him "no" he locks her in her room. The next day she convinces her brother that she now sees things his way but once he leaves, she and her younger brother Joel sneak out and go over to Jacob and Amelia's and soon find themselves on a rough journey traveling across five states in order to reach Wyoming. 

When they finally arrive Sarah can hardly wait to find Rand. But when she finally sees him he is with Jessica who she soon learns is engaged to Rand. While Sarah's heart is breaking she decides Rand's happiness is more important than anything. Not really knowing what she should do, she begins teaching the area Sioux children how to read and speak English. 

I could go on and on but then it would spoil the entire book for you. Just know that Ben Croftner hasn't given up and Jessica hasn't begun. I can't say anymore at this time.

I really enjoyed this book and can hardly wait to read book three, A Heart's Danger, which is due out in May. I would highly recommend picking up all the books in this series if you are a Colleen Coble fan or if you are a fan of historical fiction.

I only have one minor issue that I found with the series so far, in book one, the first page states it is October 1865 and in book two it states it is September 22, 1865. A minor detail to say the least. 

On a 5-Star scale - 5 Stars!!!!!

I would like to thank Litfuse Publicity and Thomas Nelson for my copy of A Heart's Obsession which I received for free in order to read and give my honest review, which I have done.

Smiles & Blessings,

A Heart's Disguise by Colleen Coble

Colleen Coble's work holds a special place in my heart. When I heard an interview with Colleen several years ago, I went to the library and started reading her books voraciously. I haven't stopped since. I was ecstatic to hear that her publisher was going to re-release her first published series, "Journey of the Heart". The first book in the series is A Heart's Disguise and I absolutely loved it.

A Heart's Disguise is the story of Sara Montgomery and Rand Campbell and is set in Wabash, Indiana in October 1865. The Civil War has ended and Sara has been mourning the loss of her one true love, Rand Campbell for over five months. Her father has been told he doesn't have long to live and it is his wish that his daughter Sara be married before he dies.

Ben Croftner has had his eyes on Sara for some time and is trying to convince her to marry him. Sara doesn't love Ben but she loves her family and wants to make them happy. Will she say 'yes' to Ben? Or will she stay true Rand? Is Rand truly dead or was his notice of death false? The answers are all within this wonderful little book.

The series is to be issued over a period of six months. A Heart's Disguise will be issued in March and then each month there after another book in the series will be released. I can hardly wait for book two, A Heart's Obsession to be released. 

I would highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys clean historical fiction and especially fans of Colleen Coble. The book is a really quick read as it is only 90 pages long. But it is well worth your time.

On a 5 Star Scale - 5 Stars!!!!!

I would like to thank Litfuse Publicity and Thomas Nelson 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.

Smiles & Blessings,

  

A Heart's Disguise by Colleen Coble

Colleen Coble's work holds a special place in my heart. When I heard an interview with Colleen several years ago, I went to the library and started reading her books voraciously. I haven't stopped since. I was ecstatic to hear that her publisher was going to re-release her first published series, "Journey of the Heart". The first book in the series is A Heart's Disguise and I absolutely loved it.

A Heart's Disguise is the story of Sara Montgomery and Rand Campbell and is set in Wabash, Indiana in October 1865. The Civil War has ended and Sara has been mourning the loss of her one true love, Rand Campbell for over five months. Her father has been told he doesn't have long to live and it is his wish that his daughter Sara be married before he dies.

Ben Croftner has had his eyes on Sara for some time and is trying to convince her to marry him. Sara doesn't love Ben but she loves her family and wants to make them happy. Will she say 'yes' to Ben? Or will she stay true Rand? Is Rand truly dead or was his notice of death false? The answers are all within this wonderful little book.

The series is to be issued over a period of six months. A Heart's Disguise will be issued in March and then each month there after another book in the series will be released. I can hardly wait for book two, A Heart's Obsession to be released. 

I would highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys clean historical fiction and especially fans of Colleen Coble. The book is a really quick read as it is only 90 pages long. But it is well worth your time.

On a 5 Star Scale - 5 Stars!!!!!

I would like to thank Litfuse Publicity and Thomas Nelson 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.

Seagrass Pier by Colleen Coble

As an avid fan of Colleen Coble, I could hardly wait to read her newest release Seagrass Pier. This book is the third in the Hope Beach series. The first in the series is Tidewater Inn (read my review here) and the second is Rosemary Cottage (read my review here). Both were excellent books to read. I must admit that Seagrass Pier is excellent as well.

The story of Seagrass Pier takes place at Hope Beach in North Carolina and is the story of Elin Summerall who works in organ procurements and FBI agent Marc Everton.  Elin and Marc had known each other in the past and what Marc doesn't know is that he is the father of Elin's daughter, four year old Josie.

Elin had to have a heart transplant due to a life-threatening virus and now she is experiencing dreams and vision's of the woman who's heart is now hers. This woman was brutally murdered and because an article was done on how Elin is remembering bits and pieces of her donor's life, Elin's life is now in jeopardy.  

Elin has moved out to Seagrass Pier with Josie and her mother Ruby. Her mother is suffering from early onset Alzheimer Disease and this makes things a little more difficult for Elin to cope with in her life. She finally tells Marc that he is Josie's father and although he is furious at first he soon finds himself enjoying being Josie's daddy and getting closer to Elin.

Packed with twists and turns that take the reader on a fast paced suspenseful ride, Seagrass Pier is probably my favorite book in Ms. Coble's "A Hope Beach Novel" series. She has a knack for creating strong-willed, believable characters that once they pull you in, they never let go. Not even after you turn that last page.

I would highly recommend Seagrass Pier to anyone who enjoys a good clean suspenseful read. Ms. Coble always delivers well plotted and captivating novels that allows the reader to escape into a fast paced suspenseful world.  This book reads as a stand-alone book but characters from the previous books are mentioned or have bit parts in this book. Go out an pick up a copy. I guarantee you, you will not be dissatisfied

On a 5-Star scale = 5 HUGE Stars!!!!!

I would like to thank Litfuse Publicity and Thomas Nelson for my Advanced Reader's Copy of Seagrass Pier. I received my copy fo free in order to read it and give my honest review, which I have done.. 

Smiles & Blessings,

  

Butterfly Palace by Colleen Coble - a review

As a huge fan of Colleen Coble, I always jump at the chance to review one of her books. I have to say that when I first began reading Butterfly Palace it seemed to move slower than most novels by Ms. Coble. In fact, I wasn't so sure I was going to like it and almost gave up on it. But, I told myself I couldn't give up because after all it was written by Colleen Coble and it was worth the read. I was so glad I continued reading as once it grabbed me and pulled me into the story I was in for a wonderful suspenseful and somewhat dark ride.

The story begins in Larson, Texas in 1900 when Lily Donaldson and Andy Hawkins are in love and find they have to sneak around in order to spend time together. One fateful night they are together while their fathers are doing business in the livery stable which is connected to Lily's house. When they smell smoke they run out to see that the livery stable is on fire and there is nothing they can do to save the lives of their fathers. Andy leaves that day never to return and without telling Lily goodbye. 

Four years later, after Lily's mother passes away, she finds herself in need of work and journeys to Austin, Texas where she was hired in as a servant at the Butterfly Palace. During her first night, while serving dinner, she sees Andy dining with the guests as if he were of their stature. When he spies Lily he knows he owes her answers so he looks for the chance to take her aside to talk with her. He tells her he goes by Drew Hawkes now and begs her to keep his secret. What he eventually tells her is that he is working undercover as part of the Secret Service.

There are several suspenseful threads woven within Butterfly Palace. There is a serial killer on the loose killing blond servant girls within the city, there is a counterfeit ring that Drew it working on bringing down and there is a conspiracy to assassinate the new Senator Elect and possibly the President of the United States. Ms. Coble does an outstanding job of creating twists and turns and then tying everything up quite nicely. I must admit she had me guessing until the very end.

I have always found that Ms. Coble creates such believable characters that they stay with you long after you finish reading the last page. I will admit that one character grabbed me from the first moment we met on the page, that would be Belle Castle.  I loved seeing this 'somewhat of a brat' grow within the covers of the book. Watching her transformation was like watching a butterfly emerge from a caterpillar's cocoon. Simply beautiful.

I would highly recommend Butterfly Palace to mature readers who love a great suspense novel.

On a 5-Star Scale = 5 Stars!!!!!

I would like to thank Thomas Nelson and BookLook Bloggers (formerly BookSneeze) for my review copy of Butterfly Palace. I received my copy for free in order to read it and give my honest review, which I have done.

Smiles & Blessings,

Smitten Book Club by Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt and Denise Hunter

Smitten Book Club is a romantic anthology written by best friends Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt and Denise Hunter.  It is the third book in the "Smitten" series and was just as wonderful to read as the first two books in the series, Smitten, and Secretly Smitten (read my review here.) 

Colleen Coble started the book out with Love by the Book. This is the story of Heather DeMerritt and Paul Mansfield but all four stories involve Molly Moore who has just lost her husband in a tragic fire. The town of Smitten has come together to show Molly support and the Smitten book club has come together at the Smitten library to go through boxes of donated books to sale to help Molly during her time of need. 

Heather began digging into one box and found a large tome entitled The Gentlewoman's Guide to Love and Courtship which just happened to be written by the deceased local author, Pearl Chambers. Rumor has it she discovered gold on her property. Rumor or fact?  Her book may have the answers to that question. In fact, Heather believes she has found some clues to it's location. She also knows it has helped her in the love department when it comes to Paul.

The second helping in this delicious book is Shelved Under Romance by Kristin Billerbeck. This is the story of Abby Gray and Wyatt Tanner, Heather has passed Pearl's book on to Abby to see if she can find any clues to the lost treasure of gold. The third helping, A New Chapter was written by the late Diann Hunt. It was the story of Elliana Burton, who goes by Lia, and her childhood friend Joey Oliver. Abby has passed Pearl's book to Lia to see if she can discover any clues. The fourth and last helping, is Happily Ever After by Denise Hunter and it tells the story of Molly Moore and Gage Turner. Molly is now the recipient of Pearl's book and it takes her on an adventure.

All four novellas were written so well that together they read as one voice, as if they had been written by one author. These talented authors worked together to weave a wonderful story of sisterhood, love, hope and forever afters.  I thoroughly loved this book and would highly recommend it to anyone wanting a fun, feel-good, reading experience.

By the way, about the gold... Oh, no. You can't make me tell you if they find it or not.  This is a fun read that has a bit a mystery that will keep you wanting to read more to see if there really is a treasure to be found.

On a 5-Star scale - 5 Stars!!!!!

I would like to thank Litfuse Publishing and Thomas Nelson for my review copy.  I received my copy for free in order to read and give my honest review, which I have done.

Smiles & Blessings,

Rosemary Cottage by Colleen Coble - my review

Those of you who have been following my blog, you know that I am a HUGE fan of Colleen Coble. It because of Ms. Coble that I started reading again. When I was given the opportunity to read her newest book, Rosemary Cottage, I jumped at the chance.  Rosemary Cottage is the second book in Ms. Coble's Hope Beach series. The first book was Tidewater Inn and you can read my review here.

The one thing that I most appreciate about Colleen Coble's books is that her characters come to life on the written page.  I have yet to encounter any of her characters that seem one dimensional.  From the moment I began reading Rosemary Cottage I knew I would love the two main characters, Amy and Curtis.

The story begins with the death of Curtis Ireland's sister Gina. She left her brother Curtis Ireland custody of her baby girl Raine and along with his aunt they accepted the challenge of raising a one year old.  Curtis, who is a member of the Coast Guard, is told his sister was killed in a tragic boating accident that happened before his eyes, but does he believe it? Amy Lange is a mid-wife who has just learned that her brother Ben has died in a surfing accident either by drowning or a shark attacked him. She idolized her brother and returns to Hope Beach to grieve. Hope Beach is where they use to spend vacations together at their family home, Rosemary Cottage. Before she arrives in Hope Beach she receives a cryptic message leading her to believe Ben wasn't killed by accident and that foul play may have had a hand in it.

Will Curtis find out what really happened to his sister Gina? Will Amy learn the truth about her brother? Were their deaths somehow related? These are questions masterfully revealed throughout the pages of this wonderful novel. Just when you think you know the answer something else happens to make you rethink everything.  I love the way Ms. Coble takes you along as she unveils her stories to the reader.  It's masterful!

I would highly recommend Rosemary Cottage to anyone who enjoys a good, clean, romantic suspense that has been crafted by a master storyteller.

On a 5-Star scale - with out a doubt, 5 BIG STARS!!!!!

I would like to thank Litfuse Publishing and Thomas Nelson Publishers for my review copy of Rosemary Cottage.  I received my copy for free in order to read it and give my honest review, which I have done.

Smiles & Blessings,

Secretly Smitten by Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt & Denise Hunter - my review

Secretly Smitten is a romantic anthology by Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt & Denise Hunter.  It is the second in the "Smitten" series and an enjoyable page turner.  By page turner I don't mean nail biting suspense, but there is a little suspense thread woven within each of four novellas centering around four single women in the Thomas family.  This was just enough suspense to keep me turning the pages.

The town of Smitten, once a struggling mining town is now a town that proclaims to be the Love Capitol of the country.  The four authors have painted the town of Smitten as the central character and woven five beautiful love stories throughout the book.

Book one, Love Between the Lines by Colleen Coble begins the journey.  It is the story of Tess Thomas and Ryan Stevenson's blossoming love story.  The suspense thread begins here when the dog tags of David Hutchins are found in a crack in the attic.  Tess soon finds out that they belonged to her grandmother's first love who was killed in the war....or was he?

Book two, Make Me a Wish, by Kristin Billerbeck is the story of Zoe Thomas, the town matchmaker.  When she meets William Singer, the new city manager fireworks happen.  Will she be able to make herself a 'match'?  And what about David Hutchins?

Book three, Knit One, Love Two, by Diann Hunt is the beautiful love story between Anna Thomas (the mother of Tess, Zoe & Clare) and Michael Connors, a retired Marine.  Anna owns her own knitting shop and with a little coaxing from Michael, starts raising sheep and offering wool spinning classes.  Will their romance unravel before it can be knit together?  And what about David Hutchins?

Book four, Love Blooms, by Denise Hunter is the cute love story between nursery manager, Clare Thomas and what one perceives a 'bad boy' Ethan Foster.  Can finding him lurking in the shadows of the nursery shed bring a light into her life?  And what about David Hutchins?

I truly enjoyed reading Secretly Smitten and hope that these four amazing authors continue the series.  I found as I read this book that if I didn't look up at the page header I wouldn't have known where one author stopped and the other began.  They were so in tune with each other on this book that it seemed as if it was all written by one person.  Amazing!

I would highly recommend Secretly Smitten to anyone wanting to read a sweet entertaining romance.  Oh, and also if you want to find out about David Hutchins.

On a 5-Star Scale - 5 Stars!!!!!

I would like to thank Thomas Nelson Publishers and the BookSneeze program for my copy of Secretly Smitten.  I received my copy for free in order to read and give my honest review which I have done.

Smiles & Blessings,

Tidewater Inn by Colleen Coble - a review

Every time I finish a book by Colleen Coble I let out a very deep sigh.  Because her books are just that good.  They are exciting enough to keep me turning page after page as quickly as possible and they are so good I hate to finish them.  Tidewater Inn was no different.  It was a page turner that that kept me in suspense until the very, very end.  

Tidewater Inn is the first book in Ms. Coble's new Hope Beach series.  It is the story of Libby Holladay, a restorer of historical buildings and Alec Bourne, a Coast Guard lieutenant.  Their story takes place in the Outer Banks and it is a story filled with suspense and a very sweet romance.  There are twists and turns in the story that will keep you guessing right up until the very end. I must say I was totally surprised at the end of the book.

There are several things that keep drawing me back over and over again to Ms. Coble's books.  Her characters, settings and the suspense that she weaves into most all of her books are beyond compare.  She has a knack of creating warm, caring and very believable characters.  I find one thing that she does with each leading character that I always look forward to learning.  They all have a quirk about them.  In her Rock Harbor series, Bree, had a passion for pistachio nuts.  In Tidewater Inn Libby has a passion for jalapeno jelly beans.  Oh, and not to create a spoiler, but if you are a fan of Bree and Samson, from the Rock Harbor series, you must read this book.  

I would highly recommend Tidewater Inn to anyone looking for a good Christian book that offers romance, suspense, forgiveness and renewing family ties.  In my humble opinion, you can never go wrong in reading a book by Colleen Coble.

On a 5-Star scale - 5 BIG wonderful stars!!!!!

I would like to thank BookSneeze and Thomas Nelson books for my copy of Tidewater Inn.  I received my copy for free in order to read and give my honest review which I have done.

Smiles & Blessings,

Winner of Colleen Coble's Blue Moon Promise!

to 

Merry 

the winner of Colleen Coble's Blue Moon Promise.

I have emailed Merry & she has 48 hours to respond with her snail mail address or a new winner will be chosen.  Thank you all for stopping by and entering the contest.  

For those who didn't win, you really should pick up a copy of Colleen Coble's Blue Moon Promise.  It really IS that GOOD!

Smiles & Blessings,