The Secret to Happiness by Suzanne Woods Fisher
The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club by Wanda E. Brunstetter
About the Book
My Review 4 STARS
I had just finished this book when monster tropical storm Helene hit our area of WNC so I apologize to the author and publisher for being late with my review.
I haven’t read all the books in this series but I didn’t feel like I missed out on anything. Whitney and Garrett are engaging characters. The author kept my attention with their merrymaking and snappy dialogue along with a few side character shenanigans.
Meddling with Mistletoe has all the feels and fun and snow that any ardent Christmas novel reader will be sure to enjoy!
I received a copy from the publisher. My opinion is my own.
Whitney Garrett is
preparing to enter culinary school in the spring, but first she has to sell
enough homemade pies at the local Christmas markets to pay her tuition. When
her oven breaks, Whitney asks Marie Sloan, proprietor of the Red Door Inn, if
she can use the inn's kitchen to keep up with her orders. Marie agrees, with a
Whitney has to watch the three Sloan children and cook breakfasts for the Red
Door in return.The inn is busy with holiday guests--including Aretha Franklin
Sloan's perpetually single nephew Daniel and Ruby, a businesswoman in town to
purchase Aretha's antiques store. Intent on making a Christmas match for the
two, Aretha enlists Whitney's help in her schemes. But the deeper Whitney gets,
the more she realizes that Ruby is definitely not the right woman for
Daniel--and the more she thinks that she just might be his perfect match. Cuddle
up for some warm holiday cheer as New York Times bestselling author Liz Johnson
explores the unforeseen consequences of meddling with mistletoe when love is on
the line.
Rebecca’s Review 4.5 stars
"The entirety of their interaction had been a
bruised nose and an overflowing pie."
Sugar and spice and everything nice aside, Daniel
Franklin's Aunt Aretha has romantic intentions up her sleeve during Daniel's
holiday stay at the Red Door Inn; securing his future happiness by playing
matchmaker . . . . not with the whimsical, joyful, full of sunshine pie baker
taking up residence in the inn's kitchen, but with someone else. And the
catch???? Aretha has dangled culinary school tuition assistance in front of
Whitney Garrett's (the before mentioned pie baker) nose, much like the
mistletoe hanging in the hallway . . . . if Whitney will assist in her scheme.
Can you guess what happens next? Of course you
can. The joy is in reading all about it in this delightfully entertaining and
romantic holiday story which involves a lot of pie tasting, Christmas lighting,
sledding, kissing (under that meddlesome mistletoe) and remembering . . . .that
we are never alone, for God sent "Ee-man-ee-al" .. . . kid talk for
Emanuel.
P.S. - Plus, a ridiculous turkey hat thrown in for
good measure!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of
this book from the publisher.
Senior Reviewer, Rebecca Maney
Isley:
Three things I love—quality food, eighties rom coms, and my custom-made planner.
Three things I loathe—internet trolls, traveling, and Walter Paxton.
Anita runs our online news site DFW Daily, and she’s dangling my dream job like the proverbial carrot. Now my weekend getaway to finally meet my online almost-maybe-sort of-boyfriend in LA has become a work trip with the man who irritates me most. So why do I find myself relying on him with every bump in the road (literally and metaphorically)? And why does he smell like a moonlit forest waterfall? Before this trip, my life was all planned out, but now I’m not so sure.
Pax:
Three things I love—stargazing, coffee, and pushing Isley’s buttons.
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My Review ~ 4 STARS
Weaver is a go-to author for charming and witty romantic comedies. Sure About You is a must-read for any fan of contemporary rom-com. It kept me highly entertained!
Isley and Pax are definitely misunderstanding each other in the beginning but as they are forced to spend a few days together, they come to realize their misconceptions about the other and from there the romance is pretty amazing. The faith element isn't overdone by any means, yet brings a calming flow to their sometimes stormy waters. I think the biggest drawback for me was some of the slang and the 80s references. And I guess that says I'm old. LOL
I received an electronic copy of the book from the author.
The opinions stated above are entirely my own.
A one-night stand. An unwanted pregnancy. A life-changing experience.
Zane Spencer can't hide from his mistakes anymore, so tail tucked between his legs, he returns home to Shiloh for a fresh start. He'll swallow his pride, go back to working on the farm he never should have left in the first place, and maybe one day he'll deserve to find a sweet girl to marry and raise a family of his own. No one will ever find out that instead of chasing his dreams with his band, he’d spent most of his time away as an Elvis impersonator. But a surprise that will change his life forever awaits him back home.
Lily Puckett lived a careful life. She never meant to follow in her mother’s footsteps. But when her so-called friends celebrate her twenty-first birthday with a trip to the beach, all her inhibitions go out the window. Weeks later, she's faced with an unwanted pregnancy and nowhere to go. A chance meeting with Zane's brother brings Lily face-to-face with the man she never thought she'd see again. When Zane proposes marriage, Lily's offered a life she's never imagined and is too afraid to hope it’s real.
Come along on the journey of Zane and Lily in the final book of the Spencer family series.
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My Review ~ 3.5 STARS
Rebecca and I thought we'd share a few of our favorite Christian fiction books (not all are published in 2023) that we think might make excellent Christmas gifts for the avid reader in your life. It's not too late to order them and receive them before Christmas, but hurry! Don't delay. :-)
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My
Review ~ 3 STARS
As much as I wanted to love this contemporary
rom-com, I just didn’t. Julia grated on my nerves. Her behavior toward Sam was
too much like a resentful and grudge-filled middle school girl. He was a
genuine repentant grown man being
constantly judged for past behavior. There are plenty of one-liners that are
notable but they just didn’t make up for how I felt about Julia. I’m definitely
in the minority on this one so don’t take my word. Read it for yourself.
I appreciate the publisher allowing me to review the book through Netgalley. My opinion is my own. No compensation received.
Beekeeper Beckett
Walsh is living her dream, working alongside her father in their apiary, until
his untimely death sends her world into a tailspin. She suddenly finds she must
deal with a new part owner of the family business--one who is looking to sell the
property. Beck cannot fathom why her father would put her into the position to
lose everything they built together.
When Callie Peterson is named in the trust of a
man she's never heard of, she's not sure what to do. Her fledgling business has
just taken wing and her mother has reentered her life asking for help getting
into rehab for her lifelong substance abuse issues, making Callie's financial
situation rather . . . precarious. She's sure she has no right to someone
else's farm, but the money from the sale could solve her problems and give her
the stability she's always craved.
As these two women navigate their present
conundrum, they will discover a complex and entangled past full of secrets--and
the potential for a brighter future for both of them.
My Review 4 STARS
I was 100% drawn to the cover since my husband is
a beekeeper!
I was hoping for a more upbeat story, and less
about the psychology/trauma that shadowed every main character in this story.
It is heavy, indeed. Some will find it infinitely appealing, and that’s fine. I’ve
read some terrific reviews on the book and can agree with most of what is
highlighted. It certainly has its place in literature and will undoubtedly be a
conduit or starting place for healing to some. Cox is an excellent writer and
brings her counseling experience to the forefront in He Should Have Told the Bees, although I could not figure out why
it was titled so. LOL
I’m giving it four stars because I know that
psychology this heavily presented doesn’t interest me but I am well aware it
does others. So in that, I am biased, but I won’t let it get in the way of
recognizing this authors talent in weaving an intricate plot and showing each
characters growth. That made it worth reading. If you are a fan of heavy women’s
fiction, then I recommend this book to you unabashedly. J
I saw a *trigger* warning in another review and
wholeheartedly agree that this book could be a trigger for some women BUT the
author goes about these hard topics in a graceful and sensitive manner.
I received a copy from the publisher. My opinion
is my own.
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.
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!
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.
