Dancing to an Irish Reel by

Twenty five year old Hailey Crossan takes a trip to Ireland during a sabbatical from her job in the LA record business. While there, she’s offered a job too good to turn down, so she stays.

Although Hailey works in Galway, she lives in the countryside of Connemara, a rural area famous for its Irish traditional music.  When Hailey meets local musician, Liam Hennessey, a confusing relationship begins, which Hailey thinks is the result of differing cultures, for Liam is married to the music, and so unbalanced at the prospect of love, he won't come closer nor completely go away.

And so begins the dance of attraction that Hailey struggles to decipher. Thankfully, a handful of vibrant local friends come to her aid, and Hailey learns to love a land and its people, both with more charm than she ever imagined.

Claire Fullerton is an award winning essayist, a magazine contributor, a former newspaper columnist, and a four time contributor to the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” book series. She hails from Memphis, Tn. and now lives in Malibu California. “Dancing to an Irish Reel” is her second novel.

Make sure to check out her pages.
www.clairefullerton.com
https://www.facebook.com/clairefullertonauthor
http://about.me/claire.fullerton

Liam and Hailey. Still thinking in about this one. I love novels set in Ireland, especially if I can listen to them as an audiobook, because what story about Ireland isn't enhanced by a lovely Irish brogue? In this case, I read the book with my own eyes and did the brogue in my head, and as it turns out, I have a pretty good mental Irish brogue. I wonder if I can put that on my resume.

Anyway, back to Liam and Hailey. I've said it a hundred times on this blog: for me, what makes a book great is great characters that stay with you. Liam and Hailey were both definitely complex and the entire novel left me thinking. It's been a long time since I read a book written in a really great lyrical style like this and I really enjoyed it.

Liam was exasperating in such a perfect way.

Hailey was less interesting. It was kind of a mystery what Liam found so intriguing about her because she seemed pretty plain. Everything interesting about her happened before the book even started. However, even though Hailey was doing this I think I'll just stay in Ireland crisis thing, she was the normal one in the relationship. She wasn't the one with issues so much as Liam, but I kind of liked them together, so it was a win.

A slew of interesting characters rounded out this story into an enjoyable read. I quite liked the book and would absolutely recommend it. Do yourself a favor and give this lyrical, delightful novel a try.

Also, feel free to enter the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win prizes associated with the blog tour for Dancing to an Irish Reel.

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First Encounter by Candy O'Donnell

Welcome to our stop on the blog tour!

            Book Blurb:

She didn't only touch his heart... she touched his soul.

Twenty-two year old Eric Holtzer didn't know what hit him when he first encountered Vivian DuCrane in the hotel lobby. Being a Prince from another country did have its benefits--awesome benefits, such as booze, fast cars, and women, but Vivian was something special--and she was about to turn his world upside down!

       Christina's Review: I wasn't immediately drawn into this story. I felt like it started out slow. I also felt like the plot had holes and the story moved quickly, like the plot was rushed. It didn't flow well for me. To me it wasn't G rated but more PG. There was a lot of references to sex and alcohol but the main character is a playboy type. It bothered me that he was "cut off" but then his mom immediately went to his aid and he was given everything back. It was good but not one that I felt like I couldn't put down because I was so captivated by the story. It isn't one that I will go back and read again and again like some other books that I have read.  

About the Author: 

Candy O’Donnell was born in Carmichael, California.

At the age of twelve, she wrote her first mini book. Filled mostly with what took place with her mother and her long tedious bout with leukemia. It was a short story told as extra credit when she suffered a sprained ankle and had to be out of school for over two months. School officials refused to believe a word of what she had written until her grandmother, her guardian back then, entered the school with the truth. Everything she had written down was exactly what took place. Unfortunately her mother succumbed to the disease.

             She earned a Bachelor’s degree in History and Culture. After living with her aunt and uncle for over five years she wished to explore her uncle’s Native heritage and did so with vigor. She also has 6 Grad units in Criminal Justice. Someday she might go back and finish her Master’s.

Unbearable by Sherry Gammon

You met and fell in love with Maggie and Seth as they struggled to survive a couple of ruthless drug dealers and Maggie's incorrigible mom in UNLOVABLE. Next came Cole and Lilah as they found love despite her deception while working with Booker (Much to his dismay) to protect everyone from being murdered.

Now discover Booker and Tess's story!

Booker Gatto is done. Done with women, his old life, all of it. Only the love of his friends in Port Fare keeps him going as he leaves the MET in exchange for the quiet life his new law practice will provide.

Tess Selleck, once as ambitious and determined as she is smart and beautiful, had to leave everything and everyone she loves in San Diego to escape the man who destroyed her dreams and now wants her dead. 

Together Booker and Tess find love when they least expect it, until their pasts drive them apart.

Is there a happily ever after for these damaged lovers? Or is the thought of loving and trusting again simply Unbearable?

Unbearable is the exciting conclusion to the Port Fare Series. Join Booker as he struggles to find his happily ever after.


Misty's review:

SO fun to finally get to see Booker's story, and Tess is so great for him. Despite his easy manner, Booker is a mature character with a lot of life experience under his belt. He recognizes this in Tess, too, and is so great to her because he knows how she feels. I love the guys in the Port Fare series!

If you like romance but have a hard time finding clean romances to read, this series is for you. It also has an element of suspense with a clear bad guy who kind of makes your skin crawl. Gammon's characterizations are fantastic, something that's really important to me when I read a book, and you will feel like you know Booker and Tess. You'll probably wish you were their friend.

All in all, a great romance I would recommend to anyone.

Available as an eBook at:

                 

Also available in Paperback on Amazon!


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Sherry Gammon

For What It's Worth by Karey White

Twenty-four year-old, Abby Benson has dreams of owning her own wedding cake shop. An inheritance from her aunt gives her the ability to make those dreams come true. She hires Dane, a handsome contractor, to help her get the bakery up and running and soon they’re moving toward their own happy ending.

Unsure what to charge for her cakes, Abby has a crazy idea to let the customers decide what they think their cake is worth. This plan has its ups and downs, but the novelty of the idea makes her a local celebrity. When she is interviewed on television about the unusual idea, business booms and Abby has cake adventures she never dreamed possible. But as her fame grows, Abby is swept up in a whirlwind that threatens everything she values. With the challenges that face her, will she be able to determine what is worth the most?


Christina's Review: I thought this story was so cute! I loved the storyline. I love the idea of letting her customers decide what the cake is worth. I loved  the characters. Abby's philosophy is unique and brings a lot of business to her shop. She has to figure out how to manage her time between cakes and Dane. It is a really cute story. I am a fan of Karey White!!!

My Own Mr. Darcy by Karey White

After being dragged to the 2005 movie Pride and Prejudice by her mother, sixteen-year-old Elizabeth’s life changes when Matthew Macfadyen’s Mr. Darcy appears on the screen. Lizzie falls hard and makes a promise to herself that she will settle for nothing less than her own Mr. Darcy. This ill-advised pledge threatens to ruin any chance of finding true love. During the six intervening years, she has refused to give any interested suitors a chance. They weren’t Mr. Darcy enough. Coerced by her roommate, Elizabeth agrees to give the next interested guy ten dates before she dumps him. That guy is Chad, a kind and thoughtful science teacher and swim coach. While she’s dating Chad, her dream comes true in the form of a wealthy bookstore owner named Matt Dawson, who looks and acts like her Mr. Darcy. Of course she has to follow her dream. But as Elizabeth simultaneously dates a regular guy and the dazzling Mr. Dawson, she’s forced to re-evaluate what it was she loved about Mr. Darcy in the first place.

Christina's Review: I thought this was a really cute story. I have read it a few times now. Elizabeth is obsessed with the idea of marrying a Mr. Darcy type. Her mind is made up but her heart is saying something else. The characters are great. The storyline is good. I started reading it and didn't want to stop. I think it is a wonderful story and I recommend it!

And My Beloved is Mine by Kate Nash

Kaycee, thinks she's got everything figured out. Graduate from high school, get out of the small town that she's from, get into Art School, and move to New York with her best friend. She has plans.

Logan didn't even want to move to the tiny town with his family. He has his own plans for his life, plans that don't include a brown eyed girl in a small town.

Can Kaycee come to understand and accept the kind of love that Logan offers? Will their different plans tear both of them apart? Will they find the kind of love that so many spend their entire lives searching for, and so few find?

Christina's Review: After reviewing Fight For You on amazon I was approached by this author to read and review her book, And My Beloved is Mine. I am not the type of reader/reviewer that looks at a book and critiques writing style or technique. I want to read a book that is entertaining and clean. If a book doesn't catch me from the first few pages then I don't want to keep reading. This book had me hooked from page one. I did not want to stop reading. In fact I read it in one day! There were some editing errors but my eyes just catch those. The errors did not deter from the story and the few errors didn't keep me from reading on. The love story was sweet and sappy and clean. . . reading it was just like watching a happy chick flick. I love books like that. A happy love story. An escape from the stresses we face in reality. The characters were good and the storyline was cute and entertaining. The Williams family was really sweet and loving. It would have been easier to endure high school with a sweet handsome boy like Logan. It is a good book and one that I would recommend. I look forward to reading more by Kate Nash!

My Sweetheart (Love and Dessert #3) by Shannon Guymon

Loved it! Strong finish to the trilogy. Loved Jane's story. Great to see all the story lines tied up. Shannon Guymon is a great writer! She has a way of pulling you into her story, into her character's life. There were moments in the story that my eyes got a little misty :) I loved the trilogy. Each book was fabulous! Loved the Kendall sisters and their special bond . I recommend this book -- after you read the first two of course!! And I am already looking forward to whatever Shannon writes nex...more Jane Kendall loves her new life. She loves baking. She loves working with her sisters. And oh yeah, she loves Tate Matafeo most of all. Which would be great if he loved her back. Jane refuses to let heartbreak rule her life though, so she turns to Google and finds 10 easy steps on How To Fall Out Of Love. As helpful as Google is, Tate Matafeo is a hard habit to break especially when her new friend Meredith insists she come to a Rugby game and Tate happens to be on the team. Alex Foster is one man willing to take her mind off of Tate, but Jane knows trouble when she sees it and ends up getting a restraining order. Between Kit’s wedding, Tate’s mixed signals, Alex’s obsession and her father’s rehab, Jane wonders if she’ll ever get her happy ending Christina's Review: Loved it! Strong finish to the trilogy. Loved Jane's story. Great to see all the story lines tied up. Shannon Guymon is a great writer! She has a way of pulling you into her story, into her character's life. There were moments in the story that my eyes got a little misty :) I loved the trilogy. Each book was fabulous! Loved the Kendall sisters and their special bond . I recommend this book -- after you read the first two of course!! And I am already looking forward to whatever Shannon writes next.

Stolen Kiss by Cindy M Hogan

Episode #2 of Confessions of a 16-Year-Old Virgin Lips

With my VL card gone, my flickering light of hope lay with Ryker, someone else who'd caught my eye. Only he could erase the memory of Luke, the boy who lip-raped me. Unfortunately, Luke was determined to keep me, or at the very least, ruin me.

Christina's Review: Episode 2 was just as good and entertaining and the first one. I was stuck from page one. I couldn't stop. I wanted to continue Brooklyn's story. It ended too fast. I immediately went searching to see if #3 had been released yet. These are cute episodes. I hope Cindy M Hogan keeps them coming!

First Kiss by Cindy Hogan

VL. Virgin Lips. You may not have heard of it, but where I live, it's a thing with a card, even if it is a figurative card. I was Brooklyn Hamlin, certified virgin lips, and I planned on clinging to that figurative card with all I had--while dating as many of the hottest guys at school as I could.
Maybe that's a bit strange. I mean, what teenage girl isn't interested in kissing? Locking lips definitely interested me, but the drama that came with it didn't. No kissing, no drama. Simple.
But on my sixteenth birthday, on my first real date even, the drama found me. His name was Luke Graham--cute, funny, and bad news for the whole female race.

Christina's Review: I thought this book was hilarious. It reminded me of being young and becoming of age to date. It was cute, entertaining and fun to read. It was a quick read but it had me smiling and laughing throughout the story. I look forward to more episodes being published.

I Belong With You (Love and Dessert #2) by Shannon Guymon

Kit Kendall moved to Fircrest with her sisters, Layla and Jane in the hopes of starting over. Baking bread instead of painting is quite the transition but she's never been happier in her life. Too bad life has a habit of throwing her curve balls and Rob Downing, the owner of the Iron Skillet might just be too much to handle. She's not sure whether or not she should catch him or throw in her mitt. Especially when Hunter shows up and decides she's the woman for him. As Kit tries to figure out what her heart has been telling her all along, the bakery comes under attack from a saboteur intent on ruining Belinda's Bakery. With Layla and Michael's wedding only weeks away, they're determined to find the culprit because no one's getting in the way of this happy ending.

Christina's Review: I Belong With You is a cute love story. Shannon Guymon has delivered once again another great story! I loved the first one and was so excited to read the second book in the series. It continues following the Kendall sisters' lives and relationships. There is a happy mix of new and old characters. This one follows Kit's search for a happy ending. Will she find it? Shannon writes so well. The characters have you smiling along with them. When they face heartache you feel for them. It is fun to read about sisters who share such a strong bond!! I definitely recommend this series and I am already excited for book 3!

You Belong With Me (Love and Dessert#1) by Shannon Guymon

 

Layla Kendall is the oldest of three sisters. She's a burned out social worker one step away from a major depression and she needs a fresh start. When she and her sisters Kit and Jane inherit their grandmother's bakery, she doesn't know if she can trust her good fortune or not. Life has taught her that happiness is just an illusion. But the chance to be with her sisters and get away from the heart ache and pain she's faced day in and day out is a chance she's going to take. The fact that they don't know anything about running a bakery won't stop them. With Layla's new life, come new connections and friendships including Michael Bender, a single dad and someone who wouldn't mind getting to know Layla better. She doesn't trust men and she doesn't want to change her mind but Michael's little girl Stella grabs her by the heart and won't let go. When Layla and her sisters realize that there are people who want to see them fail, it will take a lot of heart and courage to keep going. Layla will have to let go of the past in order to grab onto the future if she'll ever find the love she needs.



Christina's Review: I have always been a fan of Shannon Guymon. I was sad when her Alpine series finished. I was happy to hear she was starting a new series, the Love and Dessert trilogy. You Belong With Me is the first book in the trilogy. It is a really good story. The series is about three sisters: Layla, Kit, and Jane. You Belong with Me is Layla's story. Layla is a strong woman. The oldest sister who feels like she needs to watch over and protect her younger sisters. I could really relate to her because I am the oldest and I feel that same way. This book is so touching as you read about the three sisters. You can truly feel their love for each other. It is a great book and a great start to the trilogy. You'll be hooked just like I was and will want to continue with book 2!! Loved it! Highly recommend this book!!! Go read it!!

Fight For You by Misty Moncur

Thanks for stopping by on the Fight For You blog tour. Today I have the privilege of reviewing a book written by one of my favorite authors. I love Misty's work. If I really like a book I will go back and read it again and again (just like rewatching my favorite movie) when new books aren't coming out fast enough for me to read. Fight For You is like that for me. If I don't have a new book to read this is what I pick up and love it every time!

After reading Daughter of Helaman I was so excited to find out Misty had written more. I loved Fight For You! I was hooked from page one. From the very beginning you are drawn in and captivated. Once I started reading I did not want to stop!! You'll be hooked just like I was and then you will want to read more. I am already excited for the 3rd book!

Fight For You picks up where the first one leaves off. Keturah is in the army now and is trying to find her place within her unit. The young men in her unit are not making it easy for her to fit in. You will feel for her as she struggles to belong, as she is pulled between her two young men. . . one who has known her for her whole life and the other who understands her warrior heart. And there is a lot more of the handsome warrior, Gideon!  

 Misty Moncur has done it again. It was a wonderful book. I highly recommend it!         



 Keturah fought her way into the army, but now she's in Judea building fortifications, and the only thing she's fought so far is boredom. The work is hard, and the other soldiers don't think she can pull her weight. Her brothers are becoming strangers, and Zeke's jealousy is getting worse - because Keturah is falling in love with the wrong warrior.

But she's not about to let cruel pranks and hurt feelings keep her from doing what she knows to be right. She completes every order with faithfulness - a hasty retreat from the Lamanite army, a spy mission into the enemy stronghold, a midnight assassination. From burying the dead to whiling away hours on guard duty, Keturah will do whatever it takes to protect her religion, her freedom, her peace, and her family.

But in a camp of two thousand boys, the most important thing she has to protect is her heart.

Fight For You is the second novel in Misty Moncur's Stripling Warrior series. Fall in love with these romantic novels set against a vivid Book of Mormon backdrop.


Misty Moncur wanted to be Indiana Jones when she grew up. Instead, she became an author and has her adventures at home. In her jammies. With her imagination. And pens that she keeps running dry.

Misty lives in a marsh near a very salty lake in Utah with her husband and children, where they cuddle up in the evenings and read their Kindles. Well, she does anyway.

Connect with Misty at the links below.

Visit Misty's blog
Like The Stripling Warrior Series
Connect with Misty on Goodreads
Follow Misty on Twitter
Follow Misty on Wattpad

Here is the link to buy the book on Amazon:

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Short-Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer

No one steps on Archer land. Not if they value their life. But when Meredith Hayes overhears a lethal plot to burn the Archer brothers off their ranch, a twelve-year-old debt compels her to take the risk.

Fourteen years of constant vigilance hardens a man. Yet when Travis Archer confronts a female trespasser with the same vivid blue eyes as the courageous young girl he once aided, he can't bring himself to send her away. And when an act of sacrifice leaves her injured and her reputation in shreds, gratitude and guilt send him riding to her rescue once again.

Four brothers. Four straws. One bride. Despite the fact that Travis is no longer the gallant youth Meredith once dreamed about, she determines to stand by his side against the enemy that threatens them both. But will love ever be hers? Or will Travis always see her merely as a short-straw bride?

CHRISTINA'S REVIEW: Another book from Karen Witemeyer to read and enjoy. I picked this one up from the library and loved it. I am so glad that Deseret Book has been putting more books like these on their website to give me ideas of what to read. I have ventured away from only reading LDS fiction and have started reading some Christian fiction.  This will not disappoint. The author pulls you in from the very first page. As a young girl Meredith trespasses on Archer land and meets Travis who becomes the hero of her dreams. When she meets Travis again her dreams and reality crash together. She has always loved him but how does he feel? She is forced to marry one of the four brothers and they draw straws, which isn't a flattering way to be chosen as someone's bride. Travis has always put his land and his brothers first. Will that change? Will he be able to love Meredith as much as he loves his land or will the land always be top priority? Meredith struggles to help her hero throughout the book. She is always trying to help him whether he wants her help or not. She loves him and only wants him to love her back. It is a cute love story; clean romance. Good read. I enjoyed the book.

Head in the Clouds by Karen Witemeyer

Adelaide Proctor is a young woman with her head in the clouds, longing for a real-life storybook hero to claim as her own. But when a husband-hunting debacle leaves her humiliated, she interviews for a staid governess position on a central Texas sheep ranch and vows to leave her romantic yearnings behind.
When Gideon Westcott left his privileged life in England to make a name for himself in America's wool industry, he never expected to become a father overnight. And five-year-old Isabella hasn't uttered a word since she lost her mother. The unconventionality of the new governess concerns Gideon--and intrigues him at the same time. But he can't afford distractions. He has a ranch to run, a shearing to oversee, and a suspicious fence-cutting to investigate.
When Isabella's uncle comes to claim the child--and her inheritance--Gideon and Adelaide must work together to protect Isabella from the man's evil schemes. And soon neither can deny their growing attraction. But after so many heartbreaks, will Adelaide be willing to get her head out of the clouds and put her heart on the line?

CHRISTINA'S REVIEW: Another enjoyable book from Karen Witemeyer! I liked this story but it wasn't my favorite of all the books she has written. Adelaide is a likeable character. She loves to read and is looking for her own happily ever after like in books. She makes a foolish choice to follow after a man but it eventually ends up with her following a different path. She prays a lot in the story and puts her faith in the Lord to make sure she is following His plan for her. I think this one the characters are more religious than her others which is not a negative. It is a clean romance and a cute story!

A Tailor-Made Bride by Karen Witemeyer

From Goodreads.com:
Jericho "J.T." Tucker wants nothing to do with Coventry, Texas's new dressmaker. He's all too familiar with her kind--shallow women more devoted to fashion than true beauty. Yet, except for her well-tailored clothing, this seamstress is not at all what he expected. Hannah Richards is confounded by the man who runs the livery. The unsmiling fellow riles her with his arrogant assumptions and gruff manner while at the same time stirring her heart with unexpected acts of kindness. Which side of Jericho Tucker reflects the real man? When Hannah decides to help Jericho's sister catch a beau--leading to uproarious consequences for the whole town--will Jericho and Hannah find a way to bridge the gap between them?

Christina's Review: I have read several books from Karen Witemeyer recently. I have enjoyed all of them. JT and Hannah have chemistry. Hannah is a dressmaker and gets an incredible gift to open her own dress shop. JT thinks it is shallow because beauty should come from within. His mother put outward beauty first so JT labels her as shallow. The main characters debate over and over again whether looking pretty is evil and vain or not. Hannah is cute and sweet and JT is outwardly gruff but sweet and thoughtful inside. It is a clean and cute romance. It was an enjoyable read. I really liked the plot and the characters. Once you read one of her books you will want to read more!

To Whisper Her Name by Tamera Alexander

Synopsis from Goodreads.com:

Set at Nashville's historic Belle Meade Plantation, the most influential thoroughbred stud farm in America's history, To Whisper Her Name weaves the struggles of real people of the post-war South with the journeys of a man and a woman scarred by betrayal.

Olivia Aberdeen, destitute widow of a man shot as a traitor to the South, is shunned by proper society and gratefully accepts an invitation from "Aunt" Elizabeth Harding, mistress of Belle Meade Plantation. Expecting to be the Harding's head housekeeper, Olivia is disillusioned when she learns the real reason Elizabeth's husband, Confederate General William Giles Harding, agreed to her coming. Not finding the safe haven she expects, Olivia is caught off guard by her feelings for Ridley Adam Cooper, a Southern man who seems anything but a Southern gentleman.

Branded a traitor by some, Ridley Cooper, a Southern son who chose to fight for the Union, is a man desperate to end the war still raging inside him. Determined to learn "the gift" that Belle Meade's head horse trainer and former slave, Bob Green, possesses, Ridley harbors secrets that threaten both their lives.

As Ridley seeks to make peace within himself for "betraying" the South he loved, Olivia is determined to never be betrayed again.

Christina's Review: This book takes place after the Civil War. Ridley and Bob Green meet up during the war and then Ridley goes to the Belle Meade Plantation after the war to learn from him. Only Bob knows his secret. . . a southern man who fought for the Union. I was hooked from the beginning. Olivia's husband was killed for being a traitor and she is an outcast. She fights her own inner struggles as she moves in with her mother's friend. Olivia is a brave woman who changes and grows so much throughout the book. As she lives at the plantation she starts to find her feelings towards slavery changing but have they changed enough to not see Ridley as a traitor? What will she do when she learns Ridley's secret? It is a captivating story. One you will start and not want to put down.

Lydia by Wanda Luce

Goodreads.com: Will Lydia ever find love?

At six and twenty, Lydia Hathaway has endured years of heartbreak, longing for a love that never came. Her deceased father's foolhardiness has left her family bankrupt, and Lydia is eventually left no alternative but to take a position as the governess to Susan Ashcroft of Danbury Park in Surrey. Anxious for peace, Lydia rambles early one morning across the muddy wilds of the Ashcroft estate, where she has a most unimaginable encounter with the notorious Lord Connor Denton.

As their paths continue to cross, Lydia falls ever deeper in love with the charming rogue while battling against his growing assault on her heart. In spite of his forward attentions, she considers his behavior toward her as nothing less than idle flirtation. And why should she think otherwise? As the wealthy son of an earl, Lord Denton may choose from among the most beautiful women of England's first circles. Tormented in a relentless battle to suppress a love she cannot overcome, Lydia resolves to leave the Ashcrofts and Danbury Park forever. After all, she is nothing to Denton isn't she?

Christina's Review: There were some issues with this book that I noticed with my beta reader's eye. There were several sentences in the book that had no spaces between words and then the last portion of the book was in italics because a letter was being read in the story and then the font never changed back. It is a Regency novel. I enjoyed it but it wasn't my absolute favorite. There were bits of the storyline that moved very slow and I couldn't believe when Lord Denton tears up. There were places in the story where I just rolled my eyes :)

A Heart Divided by Kathleen Morgan

Taken from Goodreads.com: It is 1878 and the Caldwells and Wainwrights have been feuding for decades. Still, Sarah Caldwell has misgivings when her father pressures her into distracting a ranch hand while he and her brothers rob the Wainwright place. When it becomes clear that hand is actually Cord Wainwright, Sarah realizes she needs to lay low. But Cord spots her in town and, with the sheriff away, makes a citizen's arrest, dragging her off to the Wainwright ranch until the sheriff's return. As the feud boils over, Cord and Sarah make a most inconvenient discovery--they are falling in love. Can they betray their families for love? Or will their families betray them?
Against the beautiful and wild backdrop of the Rocky Mountains comes this sweeping saga of romance, betrayal, and forgiveness from beloved author Kathleen Morgan.

Christina's Review: This is another book I found on Deseret Book's website. I had a baby in December and I have spent a lot of time reading lately as I feed my newborn a bottle.I thought this was a good story. Cord and Sarah are born into a feud and become sucked in by their fathers. They try and help dissolve the feud as they fall in love but there is too much hate between the two families. Can their love survive the feud? I like Sarah and Cord. Cord has to deal with being a constant disappointment to his father and Sarah has to be caretaker of her family and shoulders a lot of responsibility after her mother dies. The book has a good plot, clean romance, good characters, and a family feud! I have read a few online reviews and there are some list some cons in the book but I guess I got too caught up in the story that I didn't notice these. But I read to enjoy and I enjoyed this book. 

Defying Mars by Cidney Swanson

Jessamyn has escaped Earth with food for her starving world, but her troubles are just beginning. She must rebuild her life without Pavel, the Terran boy whose kiss haunts her. Her success is further tainted by the loss of her beloved brother. Ethan disabled the deadly lasers orbiting Mars, but this has created a fervor to re-open trade with Earth which Jess knows would be disastrous. Add into the mix a secret which could launch an interplanetary war, and Jess finds herself at the center of an intrigue where, in order to save the world she loves, she must defy it.

My review:

Not normally the type of book I would pick up, but by the time I got to the second half of the first book, Saving Mars, I was racing through the pages to see what happened. And by the end, I was DYING to read Defying Mars, the second book in the trilogy.

I love that Jess has faults. Some of them she overcomes, but mainly she just uses them to save the her world. Someone who was strictly obedient to official commands wouldn't have been able to do what Jess does. They wouldn't even dream of it. I love that by the second book, a bit of her naivety has worn off and she's not so raring to fly to Earth. But she does it anyway. She uses more reason to make her decisions, and basically we get to watch her grow up, which is TOTALLY what you want to see happen in a YA novel.

Imaginative, insightful writing make for a great second addition to Swanson's Saving Mars series.

Unrivaled by Siri Mitchell

Synopsis from Goodreads.com: Three-Time Christy Finalist Pens Another Winning Historical Romance
Lucy Kendall always assumed she'd help her father in his candy-making business, creating recipes and aiding him in their shared passion. But after a year traveling in Europe, Lucy returns to 1910 St. Louis to find her father unwell and her mother planning to sell the struggling candy company. Determined to help, Lucy vows to create a candy that will reverse their fortunes.
St. Louis newcomer Charlie Clarke is determined to help his father dominate the nation's candy industry. Compromise is not an option when the prize is a father's approval, and falling in love with a business rival is a recipe for disaster when only one company can win. Will these two star-crossed lovers let a competition that turns less than friendly sour their dreams?

Christina's Review: Since reading this blog I have ventured out from my comfort zone of reading just LDS fiction and a few YA novels. I have started reading some Christina fiction from the library. Some books I have read after reviews on this website and others from looking at deseretbook.com. I saw this one on Deseret Book's website. I immediately checked my library here in Indiana and was happy to see they had it. This is a new book, it was published at the beginning of March. I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed reading a clean romance. I enjoyed the rivalry between Lucy and Charlie. I thought it was well written and it had a very engaging storyline. The book also talks about change and forgiveness. Both characters have to deal with forgiveness, forgiving others, themselves, and learn a great deal about the Lord's forgiveness. Lucy and Charlie learn to put the past behind them and move forward.