Tomorrow's First Light: a marriage of convenience romance with faith, hope and drama

Tomorrow’s First Light is the first book in the Texas Promise series by Naomi Rawlings. Sam Owens grew up in an orphanage in the small dusty town of Twin Rivers. All he dreamed about was a spread of land of his own and a family. For a year, he has been writing to Ellie Spritzer, who agreed to come to Twin Rivers and become his wife; however, she was bringing her siblings with her. Sam had no issue with it, looking forward to a ready made family. He wasn’t prepared for the eight young children who arrived with Ellie. As Sam and Ellie start to figure out life together, with a brood of children and limited resources, someone from the shadows tries to steal his land from him. They are now in a fight to hold their new family together on the land they all have come to love. 

Naomi Rawlings is a new author to me and I enjoy mail order bride historical fiction. Tomorrow’s First Light is a great read, fast paced and page turner filled with drama, faith and struggles, filled with love, friendship and support. I loved the struggle with faith and doubt of Ellie as she faced the drama with the land, entering a marriage with a stranger and questioning her decisions. I enjoyed Sam as a young man who knew hardship and the support of friends and held a deep faith in God that he moved forward despite the overwhelming odds in front of him. His friends were great characters and I enjoyed their interactions. Overall, I enjoyed this story and I am looking forward to the rest of the series. If you enjoy marriage of convenience with faith, hope and new beginnings, I highly recommend Tomorrow’s First Light. 

Tomorrow’s First Light is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Wordsmith: can love be stronger than familial duty?

The Wordsmith is the seventh book in the Emerson Pass Historical series by Tess Thompson. Adelaide “Addie” Barnes didn’t want to fall in love with him. He was too old, too English and too much her sister’s best friend. At least that’s what she tells herself as James West arrives in Emerson Pass to spend the summer with the Barnes family. What was worse, James is set to marry another woman at the end of the summer. Addie had grown into a beautiful and ambitious young woman who dreamed of becoming a published author. James must marry the daughter of one of the richest men to save his family from ruin and his own career. Duty pulls him in one direction; but his heart started to pull him in another. He has fallen in love with Addie and yet he knew he could not have her. Would he be able to walk away from the only woman he loves? And would Addie let him? 

The Wordsmith picks up four years after the end of The Musician. Addie is now a young woman with a heart filled with unrequited love. James was hoping the summer with the Barnes family would be his last great time before he married. Of course, summer is a time of change, of hope and courage. Addie and James’ romance was sweet. I felt for Addie as she was willing and ready to let James walk away because she thought it was what he wanted. I enjoyed watching James come to the realization that he loves Addie and yet doesn’t feel worthy of her. There were twists and turns with a few tears and gasps and a happy resolution that brought a smile to my face. I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and it breaks my heart a bit that there is only one book left. If you enjoy clean, sweet historical fiction, you will enjoy the Emerson Pass Historical series. I highly recommend The Wordsmith. 

The Wordsmith is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Color of Hope: the twists and turns of life and second chances for love and happiness

The Color of Hope is the third book in The Color of Heaven by Julianne Maclean. Diana Moore’s life has been near perfect. As the daughter of a wealthy senator, she lived a glamorous life as a lawyer with her handsome live-in boyfriend. But soon her life would be turned upside down as she learns that there is a woman working nearby who looked exactly like her. Compelled to find out who this woman was and how she could look like her. Nadia Carmichael’s life was not so charmed as she has had to struggle all her life. As Diana and Nadia merge their lives, their path would be marred with secrets and betrayals. When Diana meets Dr Jacob Peterson, a brilliant cardiac surgeon, who helps Diana see the resilience of the human spirit and a new sense of hope. Can there be a second chance for love and happiness? 

The Color of Heaven is a series of standalone stories each with life altering events and second chances. The Color of Hope is a fast paced, drama filled story of one woman who learns there is more to life and love than what she thought. Nadia knew only disappointment and pain. When the two meet, they couldn’t be more different than night and day. The drama ensued as their lives intertwined and hearts were broken. Drama that could be seen coming a mile anyway and yet, like life, red flags are ignored. However, I liked that Diana still had a heart for Nadia and would support her in her time of need. I particularly liked Jacob who was the strength and support that Diana was looking for and needed at the right time in her life. Overall, I enjoyed this story with its ups and downs. I recommend The Color of Heaven. 

The Color of Hope is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Mixtape: a story of grief, healing and strength

The Mixtape by Brittany C Cherry is a story of grief, love and the harsh limelight. Being a part of powerhouse duo, Alex & Oliver was a mixed bag for Oliver. When his twin brother died in a tragic accident, Oliver is caught between pleasing their fans and finding himself. Emery is raising her daughter while struggling to hold down her job as a bartender and keep their apartment. Until Oliver walks into her bar. He is determined to drink his problems away but the fans and the paparazzi won’t let him. Emery helps Oliver lose the mob and when they find themselves alone, they learn they are both walking a path of pain and loss. As they find comfort together and find a hope for their future. Can they survive the harsh criticism of the public? Can their newfound love win over any battle in their personal lives? 

The Mixtape was brought to my attention in an “You May Like” recommendation email. I was intrigued by the premise and eagerly read this story. The opening of the book hooked me and I was ready for a great story. This book has everything, grief, angst and drama except romance. I expected a great and sweet romance between Oliver and Emery. They were great characters and a great couple; however, their romance seemed to be lacking something. There was a lot of drama between Oliver and his ex-girlfriend that his romance with Emery was in the backseat. Overall, while The Mixtape did not have the romance I was expecting, however, I still enjoyed the story of Oliver’s healing from grief and finding himself without his twin brother. I also enjoyed Emery’s strength to fight for her daughter, Reese. If you enjoy a story of grief, healing and strength, I recommend The Mixtape. 

The Mixtape is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Seven Days of Christmas: can the magic and hope of the season bring two hearts back together?

The Seven Days of Christmas is a novella book in the Emerson Pass Historical series by Tess Thompson. After the events of The Problem Child, Flynn Barnes and his wife , Shannon, and their idyllic marriage seemingly has been destroyed by a dangerous secret. Shannon is unsure if she can trust him again. With Christmas and Cymbeline’s wedding fast approaching, the Barnes children band together to help Flynn gain Shannon’s trust and win her heart again by using each of the final seven days featuring one grand gesture after another. Flynn fears it is too late. The Barnes family knows how to stick together no matter what but also know that the Christmas season is a time for love, joy and hope. Can Flynn and Shannon find a way back to each other and be stronger than ever? Will Emerson Pass’s favorite tomboy be as magical as the Christmas season? 

The Seven Days of Christmas is a quick and enjoyable read. Flynn is a stubborn man who made a horrible choice and wants to wallow in the aftermath in the implosion of his life. Shannon is a woman scorned, newly postpartum and experiencing a roller coaster of emotions. It seemed to be a tall order for Flynn to win back Shannon’s trust and love. I thoroughly enjoyed Flynn as he worked through the issues he caused and sought forgiveness from not only Shannon but the people of Emerson Pass. The grand gestures were sweet and I loved seeing Shannon’s heart melt again for Flynn. I also enjoyed Cymbeline’s wedding and the events surrounding it. Overall, I loved this short read and I am looking forward to the rest of the series. If you have enjoyed the Emerson Pass Historical series, I recommend The Seven Days of Christmas. 

The Seven Days of Christmas is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Unfinished Gift: a war time Christmas story of faith, hope and Christmas miracles

The Unfinished Gift is the first book in the Homefront series by Dan Walsh. December 1943, Ian Collins is an old man who has lost his beloved wife and is estranged from his only son. Patrick Collins recently lost his mother in a horrible accident and his father is a bomber pilot fighting in Europe. Grandfather and grandson are put together as the only family each other has. Ian isn't prepared to care for the seven year old and Patrick only has three Christmas wishes: he wants his father to come home, he wants to leave his grandfather’s house and he wants the dusty wooden soldier he found in the attic, the one he has been forbidden to touch. As Christmas Day approaches, and with the help of Miss Katherine Townsend, the kindhearted social worker and Mrs Fortini, Ian’s formidable Italian neighbor, can grandfather and grandson come together and find the magic in hope and faith of Christmas? 

Dan Walsh is a retired pastor and now full time writer with The Unfinished Gift is his first novel. The Unfinished Gift is a story of a family in need of forgiveness and hope. The story is an engaging story that the small things can lead to powerful change in our hearts. It is an emotional and heartwarming story of faith, hope and Christmas miracles. Ian is a gruff man who hides a grieving heart. Patrick is a little boy who prays for his father’s return. I also loved Katherine Townsend and Mrs Fortini who fall in love with the little boy and want Ian to love him too. There were many emotional moments where my heart broke and I cried tears of sadness and joy. Overall, I could not put this story down as I wanted to see if Patrick gets his Christmas wishes. I am looking forward to more books in this series. I highly, highly recommend The Unfinished Gift. 

The Unfinished Gift is available in hardcover, paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Marine's Marriage: a grumpy-sunshine romance with faith, hope and healing

The Marine’s Marriage is the first book in the Fuller Family in Brush Creek series by Liz Isaacson. After retiring from the Marines, Tate Benson has arrived in Nowhere, Utah in order to fix up his late grandfather’s house and join the local police department. Wren Fuller has her days filled with running the family’s cleaning company. While Tate calls and needs a maid for that morning, Wren decides to clean the house herself. She discovers that Tate is her new neighbor and behind his rude exterior hides a kind heart and a wounded soul. As Tate keeps his cool exterior, he and Wren can’t help but be drawn to each other. The Marine and the maid seem to be a match made in heaven. Can their new relationship weather the storms of past wounds and look to the hope of the future? 

The Marine’s Marriage is a grumpy-sunshine romance with hope, healing and faith. It is a fast read, fairly short. A perfect book for an afternoon of reading. I enjoyed the introduction of Wren and Tate. Wren is the quirky member of the Fuller clan who wears the shirts that irritate her mother. And Tate is the man carrying more than physical wounds. Their first meeting was funny with great banter as Wren goes toe-to-toe with grumpy Tate. The romance between Wren and Tate was good and I enjoyed their happily ever after. However, the sheer number of secondary characters was overwhelming and keeping track of them all was difficult. Overall, the story was good; however, I was not intrigued enough to read the rest of the series. If you enjoy stories of hope, healing and faith, I recommend The Marine’s Marriage. 

The Marine’s Marriage is available in paperback and eBook. 

The Cypress Maze: a tale of secrets and learning to live again

The Cypress Maze by Fiona Valpy is a tale of secrets and learning to live again. In 2015, Tess is still reeling from the loss of her husband that she is sent to the Villa delle Colombe where her grandmother’s childhood friend, Beatrice is one of the caretakers. She is looking for a place of peace and solace in order to come to grips with her loss. That peace is shattered when the absent owner, Marco, arrives and they discover his plan to develop the land. Beatrice is particularly grieved at this prospect. She tells Tess a story of her time at the villa during World War II and a secret hidden within the villa’s elaborate cypress maze. In order to protect the innocent, Beatrice holds a haunting secret. Could telling her story now set her free? Can Tess convince Marco of the villa’s greater value than just land? 

Fiona Valpy is an author who has been able to blend past and present to tell a story and a lesson of hope and resilience. The Cypress Maze is such a story. However, I found it hard to get into this story. There was a lot of internal monologue, especially with Tess’ point of view. While her internal monologue makes sense in the beginning, it drags on for a little too long. Too much telling and not enough showing. Beatrice’s point of view was heartbreaking. The author’s description of the region, the villa and its grounds were gorgeous and vivid. Overall, I did enjoy the story although some parts dragged a bit. I love reading about the power of resilience and the strength to fight back. I love this story for its theme of grief, hope and resilience. If you enjoy dual timeline stories, I recommend The Cypress Maze.   

The Cypress Maze is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Always You and Me: when a second chance at love explores what could have been

Always You and Me by Dani Atkins is a story of love, hope and second chances. On the eve of her wedding to Adam, Josh, Lily’s childhood best friend, walks back into her life with an unexpected declaration only to walk away once again. After six years of blissful happiness, Adam falls ill and his final wish is for Lily to find Josh and forgive them both. After a year of grief, Lily feels guilty that she has put off fulfilling Adam’s final wish and sets about tracking Josh down. However, finding him proves to be difficult and she forces herself to show up at his remote Scottish cabin unannounced and uninvited. When a fierce snowstorm forces them together, Lily and Josh must untangle their feelings, the past and why Adam sent her on this path in the first place. The reason behind Adam’s wish leaves Lily questioning where to turn next. Can Lily and Josh choose love and find the forgiveness needed for a happily ever after? 

Always You and Me is a love story which reminded me of Nicholas Sparks’ The Notebook as Lily is caught between loving two men and must choose a path. Unlike The Notebook, Lily has a second chance to explore the road not taken. The story was interesting with flashbacks into Lily and Josh’s history as well as her relationship with Adam. Each character is heavily flawed and yet feels very real and relatable. I enjoyed Lily and Josh’s characters even though at times they acted in ways that were frustrating and had me thinking “You idiot!” Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Always You and Me. I had a chuckle at the book’s warning: “Caution: this book may cause you to reach out to exes thinking your life can be like this.” While I do not have exes, I can see how the story can have that effect on someone wondering and exploring “what could have been.” If you enjoy second chance romances, I highly recommend Always You and Me. 

Always You and Me is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

One Good Thing: a World War II story of friendship, hope, courage and the fight to survive

One Good Thing by Georgia Hunter is a World War II story of hardship, hope, courage and resilience. Lili has been friends with Esti since meeting at university. When Esti’s son, Theo, is born, they become as close as sisters. As the war rages in Germany and France, Lili and Esti must deal with Mussolini’s Racial Laws, and while difficult, life seemingly goes on as usual. Until Germany invades northern Italy and life becomes much more dangerous. At first, they flee to a countryside villa to help hide Jewish orphans. Then fleeing to Florence, finding in a convent as nuns and becoming a part of the Underground network of forgers and couriers. When Esti can no longer protect Theo, she asks Lili to take her son and protect him. Now Lili finds herself on a journey through Allied territory, Nazi-occupied villages and finding ways to survive, not only for herself, but for a promise she made to her best friend. 

World War II still fuels amazing stories eighty years after it ended. While most stories take place in France or Germany, I find it very refreshing that authors are finding stories to tell from other areas of the world. One Good Thing is an engaging story from start to finish. I loved the character of Lili. Lili is the worrier at the beginning and while she is filled with doubt at every turn, but her determination to fulfil her promise to Esti, she finds the courage and strength to keep moving forward. I also loved the character development of Esti from a skeptic to a fully committed to the underground resistance. I loved the sister-friendship between Lili and Esti. One Good Thing is a great story of how the love for another person is a reason to keep going despite the darkness and hopelessness. If you love stories of friendship, motherhood and survival, I highly recommend One Good Thing. 

One Good Thing will be available March 4, 2025 in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

Second Chance Sweethearts: a short but sweet and powerful novella

Second Chance Sweethearts by Liwen Y Ho is a novella about two high school sweethearts finding a chance for love. When Missy Clark left her small town of Sun Valley, Texas, she left her first love behind. Five years later, she returns, battered, bruised and harboring a secret that will tarnish her reputation in the small town. Nate Dawson never stopped loving Missy, praying she would return to him. Now that she is back, he sees his prayers as being answered. However, he doesn’t realize that she hides a secret that hinders their reconnection. Nate is determined to show Missy she is worthy of love, despite her mistakes. Can he help her realize that he is willing and able to stand by her side? Can they find hope and healing for their future in the Lord?

Second Chance Sweethearts is a novella, short but very sweet and packed with love, the power of forgiveness and love with the Lord. It is a quick read as I was pulled into Missy and Nate’s story. Missy feels like damaged goods, coming back to her small town a failure. However, she doesn’t realize that one man has been praying for her return. Nate is a true sweetheart who sees the girl he fell in love with in the woman before him. Ms. Ho packs a lot in such a short story. The character development is wonderful. My heart broke for Missy from the first page and I cheered for them as they reconnected. If you are looking for a wonderful story of love and forgiveness for a quiet afternoon of reading, I highly recommend Second Chance Sweethearts. 

Second Chance Sweethearts is available in eBook. 

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

A Wish in the Wind: a fresh start in a town known for granting wishes

A Wish in the Wind by Kay Bratt is the seventeen book in The Wishing Tree series. In the small town of Linden Falls, there stands a tree with wishes tied to its branches. Through magic, divine providence or a random act of kindness wishes are granted. Hunter Glen and his daughter, Ava, recently moved to town for a fresh start. One day, Ava insists on placing a wish on the tree, as he reaches to tie the wish, a gust of wind carries it away and out of sight. Nicole is a long term resident of Linden Falls who is looking to the new year as life changing. As she works as a waitress at the Crooked Porch restaurant, a slip of paper falls from the sky onto her tray. The simple message gives her the idea that fate isn’t done with her just yet. 

I love The Wishing Tree series and when the group of authors announced new books in the series, I was super excited. A Wish in the Wind is the final book of this new wave of books. It is a quick, fun read with great moments of hope and magic. I loved Hunter as a newly single father left blindsided following his sudden divorce and worrying about providing his daughter with everything she needs. I loved Nicole as a person full of hope for the future. As they keep crossing paths, even for a small town, something seems to bring them together. Readers do not need to read the entire series in order to enjoy this book. Although I highly recommend reading the entire series. It is an uplifting series full of hope, magic and wishes. I highly recommend A Wish in the Wind. 

A Wish in the Wind will be available in eBook on October 17, 2024

A Feather on the Water: a post-World War II novel

A Feather on the Water by Lindsay Jayne Ashford is the story of three women in postwar Germany. In 1945, as the world war ended, it was a time of hope for the lost and found as the world tries to rebuild. Three women from different regions of the world come to Germany to run a Displaced Persons (DP) camp. They long to rebuild the shattered lives the war had created, including their own. Martha comes to Germany to escape her violent marriage. Kitty arrives from England, hoping to find her parents who stayed behind in Germany. Delphine comes to Germany to escape the ghosts she left behind in Paris after the death of her husband and son. As the residents of the camp grow to more than two thousand, the three women rely on each other to endure the pain and devastation and give hope to the hopeless. Can they also find the strength to bring closure to the past and find a brighter future? 

In the genre of historical World War II fiction, the aftermath is rarely featured in a full length novel and it is usually left to a brief epilogue. It is why when I heard about A Feather on the Water, I jumped at the chance to read it. From the opening chapters, the story was very interesting and engaging as readers followed Martha, Kitty and Delphine from their various homes to the hard work of helping the displaced people who were liberated from the camps, forced from their own and left with nothing in the aftermath of war. The fear, the prejudice and the anger is very present as they try to come to terms with the events of the war. The only downfall was it had no urgency, no tension, no real conflicts other than trying to find the supplies needed to help these people. Overall, though, I did enjoy it. If you enjoy World War II history, I recommend A Feather on the Water. 

A Feather on the Water is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Walking on Sea Glass: a faith based romance with realism and emotion

Walking on Sea Glass by Julie Carobini is the first book in the Sea Glass Inn series. Liddy Buckle comes to work at a seaside resort after her marriage falls apart. The dream of starting fresh is set back by a sudden health issue. As she struggles to grapple with her diagnosis, she finds herself drawn to Beau Quinn. Beau has a wounded heart himself as he is still dealing with the death of his wife and the urging of his community to move on. As their relationship grows, Liddy struggles to trust herself and a man again and Beau must decide if he is ready to commit to a woman who faces a challenging diagnosis. While they struggle with their challenges, there is something going on behind the scenes at the Sea Glass Inn with late night deliveries and secret meetings. Will Liddy and Beau find the courage and faith to face the challenges in their paths? 

Walking on Sea Glass is my first book by Julie Carobini and is described as a book that “weaves a romantic story of courage, faith, and the power of true love.” I loved the faith aspect of this story as it is real, gritty, emotional and yet filled with hope. While Liddy was not my favorite character, I enjoyed the romance between Liddy and Beau as they are drawn together and yet not quite trusting their connection as their own wounds still run deep. That being said, there is a lot happening in this story that I felt bogged down the flow. From the after hours activities at the inn to the hit and miss attempts at other relationships, I feel a lot of it was not necessary to the central story of Liddy and Beau. Overall, I enjoyed Walking on Sea Glass. If you enjoy faith based romance with realism and emotion, I recommend Walking on Sea Glass. 

Walking on Sea Glass is paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Finders Keepers Library: a heart-warming second love story with hope and healing

The Finders Keepers Library is the first book in the Love in Bloom series by Annie Rains. Savannah Collins’s life has been filled with lots of thorns and zero roses lately. As a gardener with a green thumb, she finds herself out of a job, dumped and evicted, all in one swoop. With all her belongings in her car, she heads to her Aunt Eleanor’s in Bloom, North Carolina, to spend the summer and hopefully figure out a new plan. What she doesn’t expect is to run into Evan Sanders, her childhood crush. Eleanor shares her love of literature with the Finders Keepers Library, located in the beautiful garden her late husband cultivated; anyone can stop by to pick a book or even leave a book. When a sudden summer storm destroys a portion of the library and the garden, it is a race to clean it up for a coming wedding. 

The Finders Keepers Library is a heart-warming second chance love story about hope and healing. It is a sweet story with a few tears and self-discovery. I loved the great applications of books into life situations. From classic stories like Anne of Green Gables to modern stories like The Hunger Games, the characters show us that books can be entertainment as well as  life lessons and inspiration. I also loved that the story uses the therapeutic aspect of gardening. I loved all the characters. From Savannah to Evan to Aunt Eleanor and to the secondary characters, just wonderful, wonderful characters. Their hopes, dreams and struggles were relatable and inspiring. I am looking forward to the more books in this series. I just didn’t want this story to end. If you love stories of second chances, healing with books and gardening, I highly, highly recommend The Finders Keepers Library. 

The Finders Keepers Library is available in paperback and eBook

Someone to Trust: an inspirational story about faith, hope and joy

Someone to Trust is the second book in the Life Unexpected trilogy by Melanie D. Snitker. Chess Summers never got a “real” family growing up. Entering the foster care system at a young age and he grew up feeling alone. As an adult, he created a makeshift family with other former foster kids that finally gave Chess the sense of belonging. However when his insecurities from the past threaten his future, Chess sees everything he holds dear begin to fall away. Brooke Pierce has had a tough life but her trust in Christ has kept her going. She has harbored a crush for Chess but he has made it clear that he saw no future for them. When Chess begins to see Brooke differently and as Brooke starts to move on, Chess must ask himself the difficult questions, especially his own doubts about God and faith. 

Someone to Trust is a wonderful inspirational Christian novel that hits the tough questions about the power of faith, hope, and the joy found in redemption. I enjoyed Chess as he struggles with his doubts and the honesty in his questions. I also enjoyed the answers that he received as real and honest. There was no flowery, everything will be perfect in their answers but faith helps the struggles lighter. One of my favorite quotes from Chess’s brother, Joel, as he answers Chess’s questions: “We can’t control what happens around us, Chess, but we can control the choices we make in the midst of it all.” So very true! I devoured this book and I look forward to reading the third and final book in the trilogy.  I highly recommend Someone to Trust as well as the first book in the trilogy, Safe in His Arms.

Someone to Trust is available in paperback and eBook

The Hope Chest: family drama about love, hope and healing

The Hope Chest by Carolyn Brown is a family drama about finding love, hope and family. Three estranged cousins, Nessa, Flynn and April, gather in Blossom, Texas for the finalization of their grandmother’s will. After a year in court when Nessa’s father, Isaac, tries to contest the will on the grounds that his mother was not in her right mind, the cousins set out to fulfill her final wishes. The cousins share the inheritance of her house as well as a hope chest that was to be unlocked when they complete a special task. They must finish her cherished quilt. As they set out to hand stitch the quilt, Nessa, Flynn and April work on piecing together their own lives. For Nessa, the house was an escape from her strict parents. Flynn is determined to end the lifestyle that his father raised him on and April returns to Blossom looking for answers to her troubled childhood. Thread by thread, memory by memory, the three cousins piece together their grandmother’s troubled past, the secrets she held tight against her chest and their own healing toward a brighter future.

My mom had a hope chest that sat at the end of her bed when I was growing up. It was filled with pictures and mementoes. When I came across this book, I was intrigued by what the cousins would find inside their hope chest. The Hope Chest is a good family drama dealing with many deep issues. From past hurts, life changing decisions, mental illness, parental expectations and forging one’s own path, The Hope Chest is a slower moving novel as Nessa, Flynn and April come together, each with their own hurts, desires, and hopes. One of my favorite quotes from the book is “Failure doesn’t have to define us. It can be the turning point in our lives that leads us to something better.” There is a bit of romance but it doesn’t overshadow the family drama and healing these three go through. My only real complaint is that Flynn is often teased for being short. He’s described as 5’8” which isn’t overly tall for a man but is above the average height for men (which is 5’6”). Overall, I enjoyed The Hope Chest and highly recommend it. 

The Hope Chest is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook