Promise of Love: a predictable a la Hallmark romance

Promise of Love is the first book in the Holiday Family Christian Romance series by Tamie Dearen. Noelle Holiday doesn’t feel the magic of Christmas. Everything about the holiday seems to be cursed for her and she would rather avoid the holiday all together. When good things begin to happen for her, she starts to be suspicious. What’s the saying? If something is too good to be true, it probably is. First, she agrees to adopt an injured Golden Retriever, then she meets a guy who seems to like her and cares for her. For the first time in ages, she feels like she could have a family of her own. But when disaster strikes, Noelle feels she has lost the dog and the guy. The curse strikes again, or so she thinks. Is Noelle doomed to be alone? Or can the magic of Christmas find her once again? 

A predictable a la Hallmark romance, Promise of Love is touted as a faith filled romance of a believer who struggles with her faith and finds real love for the first time. While I love a faith based story especially with a believer who struggles with faith, because let’s face it we all have at some point, it irks me when the same old misquoted and misused Bible verses are used. For example, Noelle tells a character that “God says not to judge,” referring to Matthew 7:1 and yet ignores the rest of the chapter that teaches more than that. I didn’t care for Noelle who was so negative that it was hard to root for her. I really disliked that she ignored every warning in her head about a guy and then laments when he turns out to be a jerk. Like seriously!?!? I do not recommend Promise of Love. 

Promise of Love is available in eBook

The Thistle and the Rose: Scottish historical romance with secret missions and secret identities

The Thistle and the Rose is the first book in the MacPherson Clan series by May McGoldrick. Celia Muir escapes into the Scottish Highlands. With only her loyal friends and servants, Celia is determined to protect the infant Kit from enemies lurking in the shadows. To help her hide, she takes a desperate deception and introduces herself to the Campbell clan as the seductive Lady Caithness and Kit is her son. Colin Campbell knows that Lady Caithness is trouble but he can’t help being drawn to her. However, he knows Celia is hiding something and he is determined to find out what as well as his determination to take her into his arms. As the danger closes in, will Celia trust Colin enough to tell him the truth? Will they give in to the desires of their hearts? 

The Thistle and the Rose is more than just a romance. It has secrets, political intrigue and a host of historical figures. I was hooked from the beginning as I tried to figure out the mystery of who Celia really was and who Kit truly is! The Thistle and the Rose reminded me of the romances I used to read as a teen. I loved Celia and her fierce independence. She was not a shrinking flower. She was ready to fight if need be. Colin is the ultimate hero who will fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. As the two clashed, the battle of wits and wills was so entertaining! I also enjoyed all the side characters, especially Colin’s friend, Alec, and I am looking forward to reading his story. If you love Scottish historical romance, you will enjoy this story. I recommend The Thistle and the Rose. 

The Thistle and The Rose is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

His Christmas Wish: rediscovering the joy and magic of Christmas after a loss

His Christmas Wish is the first book in the Mountain Rescue Romance series by Melissa McClone. Carly Bishop loved Christmas until tragedy struck that left her distraught and grief-stricken. Unable to stay in the small town of Hood Hamlet after the deaths of her brother and fiancé, Carly packed up and moved as far away as she could. Now, six years later, her family needs her. She reluctantly returns to help with her niece and nephew, hoping to survive the days until she can leave Hood Hamlet behind once again. Jake Porter is a Bishop family friend and a volunteer mountain rescue climber. He lives with the guilt that he could not save his two friends on that fateful day and the heartbreaking loss that Carly carries. When she returns to town, he is determined to make amends. As Jake and Carly help give the kids the best Christmas ever, can he help her rediscover her love of Christmas? Can he also help her open her heart again to love? 

His Christmas Wish is a sweet, emotional Christmas romance. It is a brother’s friend, second chance romance with hard hitting emotions. Melissa McClone does a beautiful job handling the sensitive topic of grief and guilt as life moves on. One of my favorite quotes sums up the story beautifully, “Life is about taking risks…and love makes those risks worth it even if we end up disappointed or hurt.” I loved Jake and Carly. They have a beautiful history together as they grew up together and have past crushes on each other that they never acted on. I loved their supporting characters, especially the niece and nephew as children can bring the infectious joy and magic of Christmas. There were a few tears as Carly confronted her grief. There are great moments of smiles and heartfelt connection between Carly and Jake. I loved this story and I look forward to reading the rest of the series. If you enjoy a Christmas romance with heart and real emotions, I recommend His Christmas Wish. 

His Christmas Wish is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

A Firefighter's Christmas Gift: a small town Christmas romance

A Firefighter’s Christmas Gift is the first book in the Holidays in Heart Falls series by Vivian Arend. Bradley Ford is the new fire chief in the small town of Heart Falls . He returned to help his father, Patrick, after an accident and what he didn’t expect is to have Hanna Lane catch his eye and his heart. Hanna is a single mom and her only concern is taking care of her eight year old daughter. She is looking to date but something about Brad keeps drawing her in. When a fire destroys their home, Hanna and Crissy are left  homeless weeks before Christmas. Brad offers them shelter on his family’s homestead under the guise that he needs help with his injured father. As they settle into their routines, Brad and Hanna find themselves drawn more and more together. There is no denying their chemistry but can Brad convince Hanna they have a future? 

A Firefighter’s Christmas Gift is a sweet Christmas romance with a happy ending. The chemistry and interaction between Brad and Hanna was sweet. Especially Brad as he seems to understand that she is gun shy and hesitant for a relationship. He is determined to show her he wants a future, not just a fling. There isn’t much drama or tension in the story other than Hanna’s own self doubt. My main issue with the story was Hanna’s daughter, Crissy, is supposed to be eight years old; however, I feel she behaves and speaks more like a six year old. It was a bit distracting. Overall, it is a nice Christmas romance. It was a quick and entertaining read. However, I felt no real connection to the characters and I probably will not be continuing the series. If you love small town Christmas romance, I recommend A Firefighter’s Christmas Gift. 

A Firefighter’s Christmas Gift is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

Christmas at Sleigh Bell Farm: a sweet romance filled with the hope, love and luck of Christmas

Christmas at Sleigh Bell Farm is the first book in the Elliotts of Montana series by Kaylie Newell. Jim “Lucky” Elliott is the ultimate country boy next door. Charismatic, ruggedly handsome and charming, he catches the ladies’ attention wherever he goes. However, the beloved family farm is in trouble, he drops out of vet school to rescue his grandparents’ sleigh ride business and family farm. He needs a plan to drum up business when a flyer catches his eye. Rachel O’Rourke has dreams of making her podcast a full time job. She holds a contest for the best first kiss story to feature on her podcast as well as free advertisement for a local business. When she reads Lucky’s submission for his grandparents’ story, it is exactly the story she is looking for. As Lucky and Rachel begin to spend time together, Lucky revisits a dream he has had for a long time. However, to follow that dream would mean putting another dream aside. 

Christmas at Sleigh Bell Farm is a cute, sweet romance filled with the hope, love and luck of Christmas. It is a quick read, perfect for the holiday season. I loved Lucky as a man who will do anything for his family, even put aside his dreams to help them. But when his ultimate dream could mean a future for the farm, will he have the strength to take that risk? Enter Rachel. I loved Rachel as a woman who has had her share of broken hearts but still believes in love, even if it may not be in the cards for her. Lucky and Rachel together were cute and inspirational as they encouraged each other to take that leap to pursue their dreams. I loved the small town setting with a great cast of supporting characters. I enjoyed this story and will continue the series. If you love small town romance with a Christmas setting, I recommend Christmas at Sleigh Bell Farm. 

Christmas at Sleigh Bell Farm is available in paperback and eBook

The Art of Inheriting Secrets: one woman's journey into her mother's past

The Art of Inheriting Secrets by Barbara O’Neal is a story of discovery of a loved one’s past holds the key to one’s future. After the sudden death of her mother, Olivia Shaw learns she has inherited an English estate and the title of countess. With grief still raw and her head swimming with so many questions, Olivia leaves her home in San Francisco and heads to England, unsure what she will find but determined to unravel her mother’s secrets. Once in England, Olivia learns that Rosemere Priory, a magnificent estate, is in desperate need of repair and holds the secrets to her mother’s past. With personal issues and a job back home needing her attention, Olivia can’t help but fall in love with the English village, its residents and Rosemere itself. Will she return to San Francisco? Will she stay in England? Will Olivia finally understand why her mother kept it all a secret?

The Art of Inheriting Secrets is a great story of a woman’s discovery of her mother’s past and finding a future she didn’t know she wanted. However, where the story fails is that it leaves too many loose ends. The story builds up to this great mystery as to why her mother left and never told her about her life in England. The author is great with the descriptions and yet poor at unfolding the mystery to a satisfying end. The end felt rushed and left me asking WHAT? As I closed the final chapter. I still had questions. The writing is beautiful. I truly felt as if I could experience the weather of the English countryside. The author’s descriptions of the food truly made me hungry! There is a romance aspect that was beautiful and added to the tension. Overall, I did enjoy the story, despite the unsatisfying ending. I recommend The Art of Inheriting Secrets. 

The Art of Inheriting Secrets is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Keeping 13: the exciting conclusion to Binding 13

Keeping 13 is the second book of the Boys of Tommen series by Chloe Walsh. The story begins immediately after the events of book 1 Binding 13 as both Shannon and Johnny face life changing decisions, each with their own fallouts and dire consequences. After a devastating injury, Johnny is sidelined while he recovers and struggles to stay the course for his ultimate dreams. Feeling lost and insecure, he sets his attention to unraveling the mystery and secrets of the only other person who has been able to take his sights off his goals. Keeping secrets is second nature for Shannon as her family life demands it. Traumatized and desperate to protect herself and her little brothers, she finds herself falling into old patterns with cover-ups and walls in place to keep everyone out. However, Johnny is the only one with the ability to climb those walls. Falling in love with each other was the easy part, what they now face will be the test. 

Keeping 13 is a story of friendship, first love, friendship, and horrifying secrets in this love story of two teenagers from opposite sides of the tracks. After reading Binding 13, I couldn’t wait to finish this heartbreaking story and hoping for a happy ending. Picking up right where Binding 13 left off, Keeping 13 was a wild ride that kept going with its dips and turns until the very end. There were a number of surprises especially at the end. Just when I thought the story was over, it wasn’t!  It had heartbreaking moments with sobs and tears as well as heart gripping fear. However, there were side splitting laughter and smiles for miles as the teenagers will be teenagers. As I warned with Binding 13, I will give the warning again. It is written in the Irish teen vernacular with heavy foul language. I loved this story and I can’t wait to finish the rest of the series. I highly, highly recommend Keeping 13. 

Keeping 13 is available in paperback and eBook