Yours Truly, Thomas by Rachel Fordham

Every once in awhile an author introduces their readers to a village so charming and wonderful you wish you could stop by and visit. Sometimes, if you're lucky, the author will give you a chance to visit once again.

In Yours Truly, Thomas, Fordham takes readers back to the little town of Azure Springs. While not what I would call a traditional sequel to The Hope of Azure Springs, Yours Truly, Thomas  still features the same landscape and cast of characters that were so endearing in the first novel with it's own host of mysteries and romance. 

However, this novel feels more like a "summer read". The writing not quite as crisp, the plot a little more familiar. This novel is a comfortable read for a hot summer afternoon and a chance to revisit old friends more than be challenged or engaged by deep plots. The old friends though . . .

Personally, I was thrilled to see the return of Margaret and her boarding house. Margaret was one of my favourite characters in Fordham's other outing to Azure Springs and I loved seeing her character get some more time to shine. It was also interesting to see how life had played out for both Em and Eliza in the years that had passed. Fordham certainly doesn't forget the characters of her past which I appreciate as a reader, the town's moved forward but not forgotten and the continuity of Azure Springs felt honest. I also appreciate Fordham's willingness to let characters live with the consequences of their actions within the plot, for better or for worse. It felt respectful of the secondary characters and allowed them their own moments of importance.

As far as new characters go, Penny is a lovely lead. I enjoyed having her backstory at the dead letters office and how it allowed letter writing to become so important to the plot. She is a wonderful mix of romantic and seeker of wisdom wrestling to find her place in life.  Both Penny and the male lead Thomas really help emphasize a theme of new beginnings and second chances that just seems at home in Azure Springs.

As I mentioned earlier, the plot wasn't especially surprising, that said it was the perfect level of engagement for a lazy summer afternoon with a satisfying resolution of the main stories by Fordham at the end and I certainly wouldn't hesitate to visit again should Azure Springs pop up once more.

3.75 stars out of 5

I received this book as part of the Revell Reads book tour in exchange for my honest opinions

A Reluctant Bride (Bride Ships #1) by Jody Hedlund

Jody Hedlund has done it again. A Reluctant Bride is, by far, my favourite read this summer and I'm so excited for book #2 in March 2020.

Following the Tynemouth, a ship chartered to bring 60 women to 1860's British Colombia and help establish the settlement under British rule through marriage, Hedlund chooses to focus readers through the eyes of Mercy and Joseph.

Mercy is an amazing protagonist and really highlights Hedlund's skill as both author and researcher. While Mercy is definitely a character readers can empathize with and root for, Hedlund is respectful of the social and economic setting Mercy would have grown up in and the effects it would have on her worldview. This adds layers of drama and tension that, I felt, gave the book a much stronger rhythm and urgency when appropriate. I appreciated that Mercy has to wrestle through her long established views on worth, class, and self while reminding readers just how difficult it can be to break free from those old perspectives.

Adding to the strength was Joseph, who provided his own contrast and similarity to Mercy as he wrestled with the expectations of class and upbringing affecting how he approached and interacted with his world. I particularly enjoyed how Joseph's greatest rival is his own worldview and the chance that gave Hedlund to allow the character to grow over the course of the book.

I was also impressed with how Hedlund worked faith into her plot and into the characters lives. Unlike some  stories, the inclusion of faith felt natural and the questions the characters had about faith and God felt real given the struggles they had been facing and the mentors or lack thereof they had to guide them. I appreciate when faith is a natural outcome of character development in the genre.

Honestly, I cannot recommend this book. When I look back at some of my favourite fiction in the last five years Jody Hedlund is always near the top for her deep and heartfelt characters and willingness to focus on the historical areas that are often overlooked in the genre. 

4.5 out of 5 stars.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc."

A Reluctant Belle by Beth White

Joelle Daughtry is not your typical southern belle facing life after the civil war. She's a business women, a writer, and a teacher for the local freedmen. She's also, perhaps, my favourite female protagonist I have encountered this year.  

I cannot figure out how Beth White has managed to stay under my radar before this point. Her ability to weave plots left me on the edge of my seat.

Between the rising violence with the klan, the tug of war for Joelle's heart, and the twisting turns surrounding the death of Schuyler's father the story had this sense of chaos and urgency that made the characters spring to  life. It felt less like a linear plot at times and more like exploring the lands and lives of those connected to Daughtry House.

I also appreciated the way White respects the characters she's created. While no one could deny the growth evident in the characters they stay true to themselves. As an introvert, it can be so frustrating to see introverted protagonists suddenly "find their courage" and turn extroverted  to save the day. There is certainly no denying Joelle's capability but at the same time there was a respect for her abilities and allowing the character to flourish within those characteristics. 

Now for those of you, like myself, who are coming into this series on book two, take heart. A Reluctant Belle can easily stand alone. Any plot points that carry over from A Rebel Heart are explained within the context of the story. This does give the feeling of major spoilers for those of us coming in late, however, with White's skill at bringing together her plot and characters I will definitely be looking for A Rebel Heart  to dive into the details of Selah and Levi's story.

4.5 out of 5 stars

I received this book through the Revell Reads Book tour in exchange for my honest opinion.

When You Are Near by Tracie Peterson

When You Are Near has mystery, murder, and romance, that said, it doesn't read like a normal Christian fiction/historical romance. I was surprised that central character Lizzy Brookstone's potential love triangle became more focused on her personal grieving journey adding  layer of interest and depth I wasn't expected from the summary. This shift, I felt, allowed for more character development with the other female characters which was a refreshing change. Having the interactions with Mary, Ella, and Rebecca made the book more enjoyable and really sets up potential focuses for the later novels in this series.

Truly, this reads much more as a historical fiction than a romance with Peterson investigating grief's expressions through Lizzy, Rebecca, Mary, Wes, and Oliver's individual stories. I appreciate how while they all shared the varying losses the expressions were unique to the characters established personas.

That said, I'm not sure how to give a full review of this novel as it feels very incomplete. When You Are Near is book one of the Brookstone Brides series and it very much feels somewhere between incomplete and an excellent groundwork novel for what's to come. 

The mystery of August's death, the challenge for Lizzy's heart, the future of the Extravaganza all felt like they were just starting to pick up as I closed the last page. I was left wishing I could grab the next book. Thankfully, it appears that Peterson has anticipated this desire in other readers with book 2 slated for June of 2019 and book 3 possibly slated for October, a blisteringly fast  pace for most series release and lends to the possibility that Peterson has purposely interwoven the three books to function more as a single narrative over three books.

Either way, I'll be looking forward to seeing if this series lives up to its strong start in When You Are Near.

4 out of 5 stars.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc."

Loving My Actual Neighbor by Alexandra Kuykendall

As Christians, we know we are called to love our neighbor. We may even grasp that "neighbor" encompasses more than just the people living next door or down the street. But what we too often don't know is how to begin. How do we love our neighbor? Where do we start? What does this look like in our increasingly isolated world?

(quote from back of book)

Honestly, I have a strong interest in books on community. As an introverted geek I love being involved in community but tend to rock the awkward person in the corner or frazzled mom look over coherent person.

In Loving My Actual Neighbor Kuykundell presents 7 practices to help people learn  how to embrace the community they naturally encounter in their everyday lives and there's even a chapter that specifically addresses being awkward (talk about a book that speaks to my heart.)

When I read Kuykendall in the past, I did struggle  to find her central message amid her storied, train-of-thought writing style. Here, Kuykendall takes a far more direct approach to her topic presenting one chapter on each of her practices followed by some practical application appendices to start brainstorming application when you're finished reading. I was surprised and impressed by these changes as I could still see the central heart Kuykendall's style within a more readable structure.

Overall, I was really impressed with the practicality and ease of application of Kuykendall's book. I, honestly wish this was available when I was in college as she takes concepts such as active listening and makes them accessible. There's nothing overly groundbreaking in these pages as far as information goes. Common sense reigns here with topics such as humility, quietness, giving, or lightening up. 

But it's in this common sense and structurally conversational tone that Kuykendall finds her strength. Community should flow out of the natural and sometimes awkward encounters in our lives, there isn't usually a lot of time for complexities in the everyday and this book reflects the everyday reality it's meant to find its life in.

4.5 out of 5 stars

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc."

First of all, it's worth noting that Joyful Surrender is a re-publishing of Discipline first released by Elliot in 1982. So perhaps I am caught in a generational gap when reading theses pages and trying to find some point of connection (although Elliot does not seem big on relevance either).

Honestly, I did not and will not finish this book. She talks of grace and love but leaves no room for diversity. Night owls do not belong to the kingdom they are merely undisciplined. Physical illness/mental illness you need to connect with God not man. I'll be honest our family is filled with amazing friends and family with special needs many since birth. 

I read Elliot's words and see her passion for the church. I recognize her desire for the necessary place of discipline in a believer's life. However, when that discipline ignores scriptures which tell us of God's plan or tries to stamp out the uniqueness of the body for a unified organism I start to wonder how isolating her gospel was.

2 out of 5 stars

I received this book through the Revell Reads Book tour in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Governess of Penwythe Hall by Sarah E Ladd

Delia Greythorne has been followed by tragedy and what an interesting premise she makes for a main character. Ladd has given readers two solid main characters around which her story gravitates through widowed governess Delia and her charges guardian Jac Twethewey. You can tell where Ladd has done her research with Delia fitting in well with her era and locale. I appreciated the acknowledgements of her unique space as governess and the consideration of her place in life, fleshed out in her conversations with her brother, regarding how her experiences had changed her views from the common goals within her family.

Jac, himself, was the typical male lead as the well-liked underdog attempting to save the family land. Fans of the genre will probably find Delia, Jac, and Penwythe pleasantly familiar company as they ferret out the trauma of Delia's past and try to save their future. There really aren't any twists and turns for those readers who want a nice comfortable afternoon escape.

As far as concerns go, I did find the pacing a bit slower on this novel compared to Ladd's other works. Admittedly, my own health and mental space may have added to this but the pacing just felt off with all the drama and tension of Delia's past, the current grief, and the growing affection with Jac falling aside to many moments of contemplation and reflection. Now, don't get me wrong, these all still showed Ladd's gift for the English language with her strong command of words and grammar, I just yearned for a little more adventure.

I also felt like the role and presence of the children were underutilized. The children were a natural bridge and connection for Delia and Jac and, I confess, only Sophy's name came easily to me memory.

Overall, this was a solid read thanks to its strong concepts and Ladd's obvious skill within the English language. However, it fails to be as memorable  as some of Ladd's previous offerings with its odd pacing and under incorporated characters and emotions.


3.5 stars out of 5

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.