Short Review ~ Dear Henry, Love Edith by Becca Kinzer

 

About the Book

After a short and difficult marriage, recently widowed Edith Sherman has learned her lesson. Forget love. Forget marriage. She plans to fill her thirties with adventure. As she awaits the final paperwork for a humanitarian trip to South Africa, she accepts a short-term nursing position in a small Midwestern town. The last thing she needs is a handsome local catching her eye. How inconvenient is that?

Henry Hobbes isn't exactly thrilled to have Edith, who he assumes is an elderly widow, dumped on him as a houseguest for the summer. But he'd do almost anything for his niece, who is practically like a sister to him given how close they are in age. Especially since Edith will be working nights and Henry works most days. When he and Edith keep missing each other in person, they begin exchanging notes--short messages at first, then longer letters, sharing increasingly personal parts of their lives.

By the time Henry realizes his mistake--that Edith is actually the brown-eyed beauty he keeps bumping into around town--their hearts are so intertwined he hopes they never unravel. But with her departure date rapidly approaching, and Henry's roots firmly planted at home, Edith must ultimately decide if the adventure of her dreams is the one right in front of her.

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My Review 4 STARS!!!

I thoroughly enjoyed binging on this contemporary rom-com!! Lots of fun to read with engaging characters, captivating plot twists, and amusing dialogue. Complete delight in this debut novel!!! 

A friend loaned me the book. I was under no obligation to write a review.

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Has anyone else read this one? If so, let me know in the comment section. And offer a recommendation if you've read a good book this spring!

New Release from Mimi Matthews!!!

Tomorrow is the DAY!!!

Return to Satterthwaite Court 

releases from highly acclaimed author Mimi Matthews.

I pre-ordered my copy from Audible because narrator Alex Wyndham is one of my favorite narrators.

Do you enjoy audio books? I had to train myself to listen to them during the "year no one wants to remember" took place and we were all told to stay shut up in our homes. No library access, and publishers weren't mailing books for such a long time that it was excruciating for this avid reader. So I signed up for Audible and I think one of the first books I bought was by Mimi Matthews. I was hooked right then and went through every one of her books she had published at the time. Long days of sitting on porch with a sewing project in my lap and a historical novel in my ear was just about perfect in spite of the chaos going on in the world.



If you haven't read any of Matthews' books, I highly recommend them. They are considered clean Victorian Romances and quite intriguing, especially her Parish Orphans of Devon series. I've listened to the third book, A Convenient Fiction, about 5 or 6 times. 


My Review on Goodreads:


"Excellently done!!!
A Convenient Fiction is a beautifully romantic story with fabulous narration!! It was a pleasure to listen to. I loved it."






But if you aren't an audio book fan, that's ok! They're published in traditional print and e-book as well. 


I don't get any revenue from you using any links on this blog. I'm just sharing because it's easy and quick to get to Matthews' profile on Goodreads. And from there, you can decide for yourself! 
 
I sincerely hope your spring is off to a good start! I've been very busy tending to my chickens, grandbaby and family.




I love the color variations from light cream to reddish brown to blue to green to olive. Life is better with chickens!! 

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Rebecca Reviews ~ The Maid of Ballymacool by Jennifer Deibel

 

352 pages, Paperback, First published February 21, 2023

About the Book

Brianna Kelly was abandoned at Ballymacool House and Boarding School as an infant. She has worked there since she was a wee girl and will likely die there. Despite a sense that she was made for something more, Brianna feels powerless to change her situation, so she consoles herself by exploring the Ballymacool grounds, looking for hidden treasures to add to the secret trove beneath the floorboards of her room.

When Michael Wray, the son of local gentry, is sent to Ballymacool to deal with his unruly cousin, he finds himself drawn to Brianna, immediately and inescapably. There is something about her that feels so . . . familiar. When Brianna finds a piece of silver in the woods, she commits to learning its origins, with the help of Michael. What they discover may change everything.

Fan favorite Jennifer Deibel invites you back to the Emerald Isle in the 1930s for this fresh take on the Cinderella story, complete with a tantalizing mystery, a budding romance, and a chance at redemption. __________________________________________________________________________

Rebecca's Review ~ 3.5 STARS

More to her story? If you were to ask Brianna, her story was rather short and simple. Orphaned as an infant, dropped off in a basket at Maureen Magee's front door, assigned the role of a house servant at the Ballymacool House and Boarding School for Girls as soon as she was old enough to contribute to the needs of the household, Brianna worked nearly night and day handling endless tasks with little time to dawdle. And yet . . . . was there an "and yet"?

Michael Wray, a local gentleman, arrives at Ballymacool to aid in the oversight of his young cousin, whose unladylike behavior has caused quite a stir among her fellow students. On the other hand, his encounters with the lovely housemaid are surprisingly refreshing, Brianna has a certain charm about her, coupled with a hint of something else . . . familiarity? It's obvious how terribly Mistress Magee is treating the young woman, but for what reason? Michael has many questions for which there seem to be very few answers.

This politely predictable story has a certain allure about it that even its "cinderella" setting cannot deny is appealing. The author has written in just enough intrigue (for who doesn't love a good secret) to keep the reader tip-toeing around the pages, eagerly awaiting the next clue. As it turns out, that "more to the story" could be a fairy tale all its own.

"Just remember, tis no secret that's known to three."

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and also purchased a copy. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.

GIVEAWAY - Husband Auditions by Angela Ruth Strong

Published 2021

I have an unread extra paperback copy of Husband Auditions by Angela Ruth Strong I'm giving away. This book was on my Top Reads in 2021!! Just a snippet from my review -- "Rom-com between the pages is a great way to describe the story and it would definitely make for a hilarious movie."

You can read the full review here at

Author Interview & Review ~ Husband Auditions by Angela Ruth Strong + GIVEAWAY

Leave a comment letting me know what you've been doing these final weeks of winter, or summer if you're that far away ;) And please follow this blog. It's much appreciated!

This giveaway is US ONLY (48 contiguous states). Sorry, postage is a bear!

I'll pick a winner on March 3rd. Don't forget to leave an email so I can contact you if you win!!! No email, no entry.

Side note: My blog has sat unattended once again for several weeks as I have been dealing with a health issue. It's an ongoing one but I am now feeling quite a bit better. I do hope to share soon several books I've read (none of them for official review, just ones I've found on Kindle Unlimited) while resting and gaining the upper hand on this condition. I also hope to get back to regularly visiting some of my dear online friends! I have certainly read your newsletters and blog posts in my email and enjoyed them. I just didn't have the stamina to get around to commenting. ~May the Lord be with you always,

Review ~ I'm Not Charlotte Lucas by Kasey Stockton

Paperback, 240 pages

Expected publication: February 7th 2023 by Covenant Communications

Northern California girl Charlotte “Charlie” Lucas has two great loves: Diet Coke and Pride and Prejudice. But her passion for Regency classics is tempered by a very real fear: Charlie is terrified of having to endure the fate of her namesake—spinsterhood. Despite her best attempts to maintain a modern sensibility, she can’t say no when an elderly neighbor asks Charlie to attend a charity ball with her grandson. Blind date or not, Charlie is powerless to resist the allure of a real-life ball. Soon it’s clear that she will struggle to resist the charms of her blind date too.

Liam Connell is every bit the swoon-worthy leading man, straight out of Charlie’s daydreams. But he’s completely unattainable—his last girlfriend was a gorgeous actress and a far cry from Charlie’s world. So after a magical evening with Liam, Charlie is ready to get back to reality, even if her best option right now is a former boyfriend who wants to give it another shot. Unfortunately, despite imagining she’ll never see Liam again, he seems to be everywhere. How is a lady to move past a fantasy when life suddenly seems to be imitating fiction to an alarming degree?

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My Review 4 STARS

Charlotte (Charlie) Lucas is filled with insecurities so at almost age 27 she is feeling much like one of the characters in Pride and Prejudice that she is named after. Charlie has only ever dated a "Mr Collins" so with no hope of finding her own "Mr Darcy", she agrees to a blind date with her neighbors grandson, Liam. Low and behold he is tall, dark, and handsome, and she figures with his job and connections in Hollywood he is out of her league. But she sure feels a spark of attraction to him and much to her surprise, he feels the same way toward her. Working through feelings of inadequacy leads Charlie on an enlightening discovery about self with her own "Mr Darcy" by her side.

Fans of Austen will undoubtedly enjoy this delightful rom-com from Stockton. She is a talented wordsmith. I'm Not Charlotte Lucas is a clean contemporary romance that makes for a fun and diverting afternoon read. 

I received an electronic copy from the publisher through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

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Have you read any of Kasey Stockton's books? I've read most of her Regency's and loved them. I was delighted to find that she is just as talented writing contemporary romance. Click over to her book list in case you want to go in search of a good, clean read. https://kaseystockton.com/bookshelf.html

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I know I've been off the radar for a while but the holidays proved to have many distractions, mostly a grandbaby that many of y'all know about. He is 10 months old now and walking!!! He spends a lot of time with us but I hope to have a better handle on time management this year so I can have more time to sew, craft, read, etc.