A Dazzle of Diamonds by Liz Johnson

 

I generally love Liz Johnson's books  (for a sweet contemporary series go check out her Red Door Inn!) but A Dazzle of Diamonds felt like a mixed bag for me.

As usual, Johnson focuses readers through the primary female character, in this case, Penelope Hunter an event planner with more than she could have planned for. Her job is in trouble as she attempts to plan her ex fiances wedding while helping best friend Tucker Westbrook run for Sheriff. The problem is that Tucker's family has been accused of being traitors in the war and now Penelope's only route to clear his name is helping him find the missing treasure from centuries past.

All in all, this novel had all the components I like in a summer romance. Old friends who don't realize they're in love (I'm a sucker for those as it mirrors my own romance), missing treasure, ties to the past, and an absolutely amazing supporting character.

So, why the mixed feelings, looking at the cover Penelope looks like ever other female lead, pretty and young. Tucker's inner monologue more than once appreciates her legs, her lips, and her curves. However, there was extra attention to mention Penelope's eating her feelings in brownies or wedding cake, the way her corset dug into her ribs, the special ordered size for her wedding gown. The dialogue in the book was written as a woman uncomfortable with her weight but the cover contrasted that greatly. The way her appearance and weight was addressed just felt uncomfortable and out of place in the way it was addressed and how Penelope was portrayed in the art.

Now that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy part of the book. Honestly I'm a firm, firm believer Aunt Shirley needs her own book. Honestly she was wise, intelligent, and loads of fun. Her sections of the book shone and I want more Aunt Shirley!

I also quickly found myself more engrossed in Caroline and Josiah's story. The way Johnson unraveled their tale with the old letters gave their story a great sense of pacing and I quickly became more invested in their story than the main characters. I actually confessed to my husband I would read the whole book just for their Civil War romance and intrigue.

3 stars out of 5

I received this book as part of the #RevellReads summer tour, all opinions are my own.

A Life Once Dreamed by Rachel Fordham

Aggie Pratt has a secret that has shaped her adult life, pushing her to the frontier, and away from those she loves. I thoroughly enjoyed A Life Once Dreamed and was even more impressed at how Fordham not only wove Aggie, James, and the town of Penance into life but also managed to keep me guessing on Aggie's secret until half way through the book.

I appreciated how well Fordham wrote Aggie as part of her small town. As some one who also moved out west to a small town for a time, her interactions brought back so many memories. From the neighbours who seem to nose into the details of life, to the community that grows, to the beauty of the landscape Penance and Aggie's experience of it read true. Additionally, Aggie's growth and struggles as a young woman felt real and believable as Fordham built up the small details within the character and her environment.

Fordham's writing feels so inviting, in part, due to her attention to detail. While I would put her novels as more character centered over world building she doesn't ignore Penance as merely setting but makes it its own character. The people themselves have quirks and personality (McHenry was a particular favourite in Penance for myself).Fans of her work with keen eyes will notice a shout out to her previous novels adding some continuity within her library that brought a smile to my face.

Let's not forget the plot. While the romance one expects from this genre was definitely front and center, Fordham also took the time to explore other more serious issues. Illness, fire, child loss, class divide, and illegitimacy are all touched upon in varying degrees. The handling always feels gentle (honestly the whole book including the epilogue does to a point but after the way 2020's been I kind of need/like that) which did leave me wishing for more depth at times but I overall I felt that Fordham stayed true to he writing style and the story's feel.

4 out of 5 stars.

I received this book as part of the #RevellReads book tour. All opinions are my own.

An Appalachian Summer by Ann H Gabhart

An Appalachian Summer is just what this summer calls for. Now I admit, I may be biased. Ann H. Gabhart has slowly worked herself into my absolute favourite authors thanks to her ability to craft relatable characters, engaging plots, and a setting that leaps off the page to invite you home and An Appalachian Summer is no exception.

This time readers are invited into the life of Piper Danson, a debutante who dreams of a life with purpose and an old friend who disappeared from her life following the stock market crash.Swearing off her debut season for something more meaningful, Piper volunteers as a courier for the Frontier Nurses. I really enjoyed this on two fronts. First for those who have read These Healing Hills, An Appalachian Summer  feels like revisiting a friend as Mrs. Breckinridge and the frontier nurses come back again this time through the lens of a courier. Second Piper is a great lead character as she learns life outside her father's house and away from many of the conveniences and  distractions. It's easy to root for Piper as she chases chickens, navigates the hills, and muddles through what her life should look like.

Gabhart helps give Piper life by placing her in a setting that thrives all on it's own. She infuses life and in a summer like this one it's nice to have a book so inviting it whisks you away to another time and place. I will admit some of the slang the characters used felt a little modern but, I'll confess, my knowledge of thirties slang is fairly scant. Otherwise it was refreshing to imagine walking along swing bridges and up and down the mountains.

For the romantics in the crowd Gabhart delivers on that front two as Piper finds herself facing two opposite paths with her father's choice of Braxton Crandall and her heart's wonderings regarding her childhood friend Jamie and Piper's Aunt Truda also faces down her own regrets from her past. 

Honestly, An Appalachian Summer  was the at home escape I needed thanks to Gabhart's consistent ability to spin a world that invites you to get lost in it. I would definitely recommend this and it's predecessor These Healing Hills.

4.5 out of 5 stars.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group

A Reckless Love by Beth White

Sometimes I'm almost nervous to pick up the end of a trilogy. Will the ends be tied up, will the writing stay consistent? I'm so happy that I took a chance as White delivers a thrilling end to The Daughtry House Series that is sure to keep readers engaged to the last page.

Now, confession, I still haven't gotten my hands on book 1 and honestly, while Aurora holds her own as the female lead, White has delivered such an exciting and intricate plot that I'd definitely recommend reading through all three books to get the full impact.

In A Reckless Love readers get a chance to follow Aurora's journey as the youngest of the Daughtry girls trying to find her own place amid her changing family and town life. Aurora really is the perfect sister to finish out this trilogy with her mix of sunny outlook and spitfire personality, her newly realized maturity fits well into a world that was trying to find it's feet. 

Aurora certainly has a lot to sort out too as she helps her sisters establishing their hotel, inherits a saloon (complete with saloon girls), and finds herself in the middle of increasing tensions in her hometown as the klan's web effects continue to throw the town into strife.

I'll admit, given recent events the plot lines surrounding postwar racial tension was a bit sobering. Themes like justice, racism, and revenge are explored throughout the trilogy but the feel more prominent here as White seeks to bring the Daughtry sisters story to a close. I felt for the most part they were handled well as they were mostly presented to the readers through the sisters eyes.

Zane also provides a strong male lead throughout the story as he wrestles with his desire to see justice done after a years long man hunt. I have to admit well a quicker romantic plot than I usually enjoy, White does such a wonderful job writing the interaction and inner wrestlings of both Aurora and Zane that their story line was absolutely delightful to read and possibly my favourite pairing of the series.

For fans of historical fiction of this era, White's trilogy is a perfect balance of romance and intrigue.

4.5 out of 5 stars

I received this book as part of the #RevellReads summer tour. All opinions are my own.

Stay by Anjuli Paschall

Stay is a mix of wisdom and vulnerability, conversations over coffee and life earned lessons.

In Stay Anjuli Paschall shares the lessons she's learned over her life about the beauty and growth that can come from staying and meeting with Jesus in the moments that would typical kick us into fight or flight.

Paschall covers a variety of topics throughout these pages with some more lighthearted reflections like engagements that don't match our expectations and decades old Christmas traditions while other reflections may touch on fears or even triggers as Paschall talks about helping friends through addiction, the realities of aging and death, or even pregnancy trauma. The theme tying these together is Paschall's willingness to stay in her vulnerable truth and point herself and her readers back to Jesus in the middle of life's chaos.

Although Paschall has a notable online presence I wasn't familiar with her or the mom's we love club before reading this book. There were moments when the writing style felt too conversational as thoughts trailed more than I expected but that's also more a personality thing than a quality thing (and I read late at night when my patience isn't at it's peak).

I did, however, appreciate the obvious love and earnestness with which Paschall shares not only the biblical truths she has obviously wrestled with her whole life but the journey it took to get her there and I think that's what makes this book worth reading, Paschall's willingness to acknowledge the journey of learning and living with Jesus. She doesn't just tell her readers to stay with Jesus in the middle she shows them how she's repeatedly found him there when she looked. I love leading by example.

4 out of 5 stars.

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

A Mosaic of Wings by Kimberly Duffy

A Mosaic of Wings  by Kimberly Duffy is a historical romance/coming of age tale centered upon Nora Shipley, a young entomology graduate struggling to find the next step in her life.

Duffy was a new author to my bedside table and I was interested to see what her style would bring. Duffy creates a wonderful world for readers to explore. Her descriptions were vivid and engaging and the world easily leapt of the page as Duffy leads her readers through Ithaca New York to the jungle in India. I appreciated her ability to world build and her attention to little details felt authentic and well researched.

The story itself also was well presented. Duffy has broken the story into three separate sections which is helpful as they all have distinct feelings, settings, and supporting characters. I found her plot line following Nora on her quest for a resolved direction in life after her father to be well constructed and the plot lines were all wrapped up to varying degrees by the time the last chapter closes.

As far as characters go, Sita was a joy to read and easily the highlight of the story. Duffy gave a well balanced story line between Sita's joy and talent in contrast to the serious issues she was faced with despite her young age.

There were, however, two personal sticking points I encountered while reading.

First, while Duffy's use of scientific names for the different insects was completely within Nora's character, I found it to be jarring to my engagement as I would leave the story mentally and attempt to remember what particular bug was being hunted this time (and to be fair that wasn't a unit I paid much attention to in science). While it added authenticity it just disrupted the story's flow for me.

Secondly, I had a hard time connecting with the characters until the introduction of Sita. While Nora and Owen were well written and you could see the care and detail Duffy crafted into their personalities, I struggled to find any emotional investment with them until their interactions with and regarding Sita.

While this isn't a book I would reread, Duffy has a clear skill and love for her craft and characters that leaves me confident A Mosaic of Wings will find its way into the hearts of many readers.

3.75 stars out of 5

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

Starfish Pier by Irene Hannon

There's something comfortable and familiar about Hope Harbor and its residents that welcomes readers, new and old, into her stories.  This was my third foray into the lives of Hope Harbor's residents and I was thrilled to be reintroduced to some of my old favourites while following along with some more serious discussions Hannon presents through the lives of Holly, Steven, and those closest to them.

As someone previously introduced to this town I was thrilled to see Hannon has maintained the continuity and charm I hoped for in this novel. I loved finding Charley and his seagulls at the taco stand, reading about Eleanor's fudge cake, and seeing familiar names like the clergy on the streets. It adds so much to the book's small town feel when these little things naturally flow into the story. Hannon's a master at making Hope Harbor feel like a character all of its own. 

As a disabled person, I also appreciate Holly's character as a story lead and Hannon's willingness to show Holly as multidimensional, independent, while still being aware of where accommodation was needed within the needs of her disability. It's rare to see the disabled character in a lead plot instead of  the plucky encouragement (a stereotype that gets old). It also provided a reasonable foundation for Holly's beliefs on sanctity of life to contrast with Steven's own past. 

Aside from the obvious central attraction between Holly and Steven, Hannon spends much of the book exploring issues of sanctity of life through various issues including: abortion, assisted suicide, warfare, etc. This does give the book a more political feel then previous novels in the series. Some of the plots also touch on depression and finding meaning in life again adding an unexpected heaviness. That said, while it was a lot to put into a single novel I didn't find it overwhelming as everything still felt like it tied into those overarching themes of life and meaning. It also felt very true to small town, everything looking great on the outside but people working through a plethora of life altering situations behind closed doors. I think, to a degree, seeing those struggles have endeared Hope's Harbour to me even more.

While this isn't the light summer romance I was expecting, this may be the Hope Harbour outing that I find myself returning too.

4 out of 5 stars.

I received a copy of this book as part of the #revellreadsbooktour in exchange for my honest opinion.