Love and Other Mistakes - Jessica Kate

Natalie has always intended to take up her father's ministry and carry on his legacy, however, life has gotten in the way, and instead, she finds herself in a dead end job, until the company closes.  Now, her ex- fiance is back in town, and needs her help.  At the same time, the perfect ministry opportunity presents itself.  Can she balance both?

What a surprising book!  I didn't expect much going in, either from the cover (sorry! Cover snob here), or the description, but there was so much more to this book than I thought I was going to get.  This story was definitely deeper than the outward appearances gave it credit for; these characters struggle with hard things (affairs, alcohol, single-parenting, custody issues, and more), and it does not all work out perfectly in the end.  Yet, even in the hardness, there is hope, and there is love, and there is sacrifice for each other. All of which, in the end, points the characters and the reader to the One who sacrificed for all.

I give this book 5 stars.  It's unusual to see so many real-life struggles in a Christian fiction book, especially ones that, like real-life, don't magically work out by the last page.  I will definitely be looking into other books by this author!

You can find Love and Other Mistakes HERE.
You can find the author's page HERE.

I received a digital copy of this book, via NetGalley, from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.

Fragments of Fear - Carrie Stuart Parks

Evelyn McTavish has been struggling to recover from her fiance's alleged suicide, an allegation that she doesn't think adds up.  When she is called to pick up a dog that isn't hers, she is swept into a whirlwind of secrets and cover-ups and danger until she doesn't know whom she can trust.  FBI agent Sawyer Price is working his own case when he gets pulled into Evelyn's situation, and they find themselves trying to stay alive long enough to put all of the pieces together.

I really enjoyed the characters of Evelyn and Sawyer.  Mostly Tavish (Evelyn), who was dealing with low self esteem, a mother who didn't care, a dead fiance, and a crazy never-ending mystery.  Speaking of which, the mystery itself didn't really appeal to me.  There were too many moving parts, and too many of them seemed to not really tie into each other.  There were too many pointless deaths, and too many trails pointing the reader away from the actual plot.  When the antagonists were revealed, it didn't feel like a clicking of the pieces together.  Also, the wrap up of the story and then movement into "The Months Later" felt jarring.  The story took so long to come together and reveal the characters that the conclusion should have been a little more gradual as well. 

I give this book 3 stars; Tavish was compelling enough to keep me turning pages, but I was dissatisfied with the overall story.  If you like twisty, turny, suspense stories, with lots of murders to keep you wondering, you may enjoy it more than I did, though!

You can find Fragments of Fear HERE.
You can find the author HERE.

I received a digital copy of this book, via NetGalley, from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.

Sweet on You - Becky Wade

Sweet on You is the conclusion to the Bradford Sisters trilogy, and gives the readers the story of Britt and Zander.  Britt runs her own chocolate shop, Sweet Art, in Merryweather Historical Village, and Zander has just returned from a year and a half of travelling around the world in order to attend his Uncle Frank's funeral.  Zander has been in love with Britt forever, but she has always seen him as one of her best friends.  Should he make his feelings known, or should he try yet again to move on?  And what is the truth about Uncle Frank's death, was it really just an accident? 

I love Becky Wade's sweet romances, and I love the Bradford sisters.  I didn't quite connect with Britt as much as Nora and Willow in the previous novels, but I did enjoy seeing how everyone was doing, and seeing Britt and Zander work through their relationship changes.  I also loved seeing snippets of the caring things they'd done for each other over the years, without the other's knowledge.  It certainly made for a "sweet" friends to more romantic tale.  The mystery component of the book, while intriguing, wasn't even the highlight of the book for me; I enjoyed revisiting these sisters and their expanding family so much more!

I give this book 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.  Overall, this series comes together nicely, and I hope that maybe the author finds another reason to end up in Merryweather so that we can check in on the Bradfords!  I definitely recommend reading them in order, starting with True to You, followed by Falling for You, and concluding with Sweet on You.

You can find Sweet on You HERE. 
You can find the author's page HERE.
She's also very active on Facebook HERE.

I received a digital copy of this book, via NetGalley, from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.

The Noble Guardian - Michelle Griep

Abby Gilbert leaves a loveless home situation with high hopes that her planned marriage to a Lord will turn out to be a love match, even though she's only met the man once.  Along the way, she encounters Samuel Thatcher, a lawman with his own baggage and doubts, but one who takes his duties very seriously.  As the two travel long distances through dangerous situations and complications arise such as a request to deliver a small child to her aunt, they each must face whether the holes they're looking to fill can be met by a person, themselves, or whether they need to look to Someone greater.

I am not a huge fan of historical fiction, but the more I heard about this book, the less I could resist it.  I am so glad that I finally picked it up; Abby and Samuel are such compelling characters that you can't help but want their hearts to heal and for them to find their fulfillment with God.  I always love when a male character appreciates the strong points of the female character, rather than just her curves or fine features, and Abby's bravery and inner strength were what drew Samuel to her over and over again.

I give this book 4 stars.  It seems that this is part of a series, but it was definitely enjoyable as a standalone novel.  I will be looking for the first two, though, if they're as good as this one!

You can find The Noble Guardian HERE.
You can find the author's website HERE.

I received a digital copy of this book, via NetGalley, from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.

Half-Finished - Lauraine Snelling

When Mary Jane, known to her friends as MJ, and Roxie decide to hold each other accountable for their unfinished projects, they realize that their community might enjoy the chance to spend time together while working on their own backlog of projects. The idea is a success, and the town finds itself finishing more projects together than they even imagined.  In the process, more than just crafts come together.

This book was such a sweet change of pace.  Based on a group of characters mostly of retirement age, it was enjoyable to get a glimpse into the lives and friendships of a demographic of folks not usually included in fiction.  Seeing them interact within friendships, decades-long marriages, and as grandparents made for a rich story, and the characters were so real that I wept with them as their lives changed dramatically. 

I give this book 4 stars.  It's not a book I'll likely read again, but I would highly recommend it to readers looking for a slower-paced, character-rich story, or those in a later stage of life looking to connect with similar characters.

You can find Half-Finished HERE.
You can find the author's page HERE.

I received a digital copy of this book, via NetGalley, from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.