Playing the Part by Jen Turano

A complimentary review copy was provided to me.

I recently finished reading Playing the Part by Jen Turano, I didn't realize it when I started but quickly came to discover that some of the characters that I had first met in In Good Company the first book that I had read by Jen Turano. Even before I discovered that it was next book in the series, I was looking forward to reading this book, as I like the style of Jen Turano and enjoy the historical fiction set in America.

Playing the Part has a great balance of romance, mystery, and humor. The author did a great job bringing the eccentric characters to life and it was hard not to fall in love with all the characters (well except for Silas and Nigel). I love the way that the author presented the characters and their quirkiness and then through the telling of the story starts to reveal what makes them who they are. As Bram and Lucetta begin to learn more about the other, they discover that first impressions are not always so reliable. Almost to the final page, the reader continues to learn more about the characters. I love that Millie returned in this story, even if only for a short portion of the story, with her dictionary and 'big words'. Every time she used a big word and then proceeded to tell her friends what it meant, it made me chuckle.

The setting for this story is primarily at Bram's castle, which is in part it's own 'character' with it's motley crew of staff, animals, unique structures, the suspicion that it is haunted and even a dungeon. The castle makes a perfect backdrop for this story, helping to move the story along and allowing us to get to know the real side of the characters.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more by Jen Turano.

About the book:

Playing the Part (Bethany House, March 2016)

Can they accept who they are behind the parts they play in time to save the day?

Lucetta Plum is an actress on the rise in New York City, but is forced to abandon her starring role when a fan's interest turns threatening. Lucetta's widowed friend, Abigail Hart, is delighted at the opportunity to meddle in Lucetta's life and promptly whisks her away to her grandson's estate to hide out.

Bram Haverstein may appear to simply be a somewhat eccentric gentleman of means, but a mysterious career and a secret fascination with a certain actress mean there's much more to him than society knows.

Lucetta, who has no interest in Abigail's matchmaking machinations, has the best intentions of remaining cordial but coolly distant to Bram. But when she can't ignore the strange and mysterious things going on in his house, it'll take more than good intentions to keep her from trying to discover who Bram is behind the part he plays.

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About the author:


Jen Turano, author of the Ladies of Distinction series and the A Class of Their Own series, is a graduate of the University of Akron. She is a member of ACFW and lives in a suburb of Denver, Colorado.

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No compensation was received for this review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. A complimentary review copy was provided to me.

The Hearts We Mend by Kathryn Springer

A complimentary review copy was provided to me.

Sometimes you find love when and where you least expect it. In The Hearts we Mend by Kathryn Springer we meet several characters, including Evie and Jack. This modern day love story unfolds as Evie prepares for her son's wedding and the next phase of her own life. With the janitor at the church takes an unexpected leave, Evie's and Jack's lives start to cross paths more frequently. She has a strong first impression of Jack, but the more she gets to know him, the more she realizes that there is a lot more to Jack than is visible on the surface.

The story was well written, it felt like I was right there with the characters. Although this was the second story in the Bannister Falls series, I felt that nothing was lost in jumping in with book two.

The characters were revealed with time, through backstories and current events. I'm sure that if I had read Dandelion Field, the first book in the series, I would have likely known more about the characters going in, but certainly got to know them well through this story. In fact, the more I got to know the characters the more I loved them and the more I cheered them on for things to go 'right' for them. The characters and story are heart-warming - a feel good story that makes you appreciate the diversity of those around you.

I would recommend this book and plan to read the first book in the series to learn more about the backstory.

About the book:

The Hearts We Mend (Zondervan, March 2016)

Planning and Post-It notes are the epitome of Evie's life. But when she meets Jack, her life gets more than a little complicated.

Thirteen years ago, Evie's firefighter husband was killed in the line of duty, leaving her to raise their young son, Cody, alone. Now, Cody is marrying the love of his life, and as he packs up his belongings, the house feels as empty as Evie's heart. But for all her planning and mad organizational skills, Evie could never have anticipated the dramatic shift her life is about to make.

Tattooed, rough-around-the-edges Jack raises quite a few eyebrows in the tight-knit community of Banister Falls. Where Evie's life is stream-lined, Jack's approach to living is moment-by-moment. But as Evie gets drawn into Jack's world---a world that isn't as safe or predictable as the one she's worked so hard to create---he challenges her to open her eyes to the problems outside the walls of the church.

Jack doesn't make Evie feel comfortable, but he definitely makes her feel something. Something she hasn't felt since Max passed away---or, maybe ever. Because even though Jack isn't anything like her late husband, he just might be everything she needs.

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/21Zw8Tk

About the author:

Kathryn Springer is a USA Today bestselling author. She grew up in northern Wisconsin, where her parents published a weekly newspaper. As a child she spent many hours sitting at her mother's typewriter, plunking out stories, and credits her parents for instilling in her a love of books --- which eventually turned into a desire to tell stories of her own. Kathryn has written nineteen books with close to two million copies sold. She lives with her husband and three children in Marinette, Wisconsin.

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No compensation was received for this review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. A complimentary review copy was provided to me.

Debra Clopton's Kissed by a Cowboy

A complimentary review copy was provided to me.

I took a break from historical fiction and recently read Kissed by a Cowboy by Debra Clopton. Set in the wide open spaces of the small town of Wishing Springs, Texas, the story follows Cassidy Starr. Having recently been divorced and returning to her roots to the home that her great aunt left her. Once there, she quickly crosses path with her new neighbor, Jarrod Monahan, who she had met and spent time with as a child. It's the third book in the Four of Hearts Ranch Romance series. I haven't read the other two, but I don't feel like that detracted from the enjoyment of this story. That being said, I'm pretty sure that the prior books are about Jarrod's brothers and it would be fun to read those books for more of the back story.

Cassidy returned to Wishing Springs in hopes of a clean start, away from her failed marriage. She hopes to revitalize the farm that she inherited and turn the farmhouse into a bed and breakfast. She wants to achieve these goals on her own, not dependent on anyone else for help. Unfortunately (or is it fortunately) for her, Jarrod and the community are naturally helpers and come to the aid of neighbors and community. I was very pleased with the way the story developed and unfolded, eventually being brought to a conclusion, and as with most good stories, found myself wanting to know what will happen next and wishing that there was at least one more chapter to keep the story going.

I really enjoyed getting to know the characters from Wishing Springs. The story drew me in from the start, flowed smoothly, and was easy to read, even when I found myself reading for short periods of time. This story of second chances was an enjoyable read. I look forward to going back and reading the first two books and getting to know more about the residents of Wising Springs.

About the book:

Kissed by a Cowboy (Thomas Nelson, February 2016)

Cassidy was looking for a home and a place to belong . . . not for a cowboy to steal her heart.

Having lived through her parents' endless string of "matrimonial bliss gone wrong," Cassidy Starr knows when the odds are not in her favor. Divorced and humiliated, her faith on rocky ground, Cassidy is through with love. She's been bucked off that horse far too many times. Instead, she returns to Wishing Springs, Texas, and the rundown farm she's inherited from her great aunt Roxie. She'll reopen the strawberry farm and a bed & breakfast and follow in her aunt's footsteps, remaining forever-independent, happy . . . and single.

Rancher Jarrod Monahan's hands are full running the ranch, looking after his ailing grandfather, and chasing down a group of rustlers on the loose. He's pushed his longing for a family to the bottom of his list of priorities. Besides, he was in love once but ran scared and lost his shot at happiness. But suddenly, the biggest regret of his life has moved in next door with a wounded heart, determined to become a spinster . . . and that's a challenge that Jarrod can't pass up.

Jarrod sets his mind to breaking down the walls around Cassidy's stubborn heart. How can he show her that a cowboy's kiss lasts forever? For the good folks of Wishing Springs, falling in love has never been so much fun to witness.

Purchase a copy here.

About the author:

Debra Clopton is a multi-award winning novelist and has written more than 22 novels. Along with writing, Debra helps her husband teach the youth at their local Cowboy Church. Debra's goal is to shine a light toward God while she entertains readers with her words.


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No compensation was received for this review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. A complimentary review copy was provided to me.