Tacos for Two - Betsy St. Amant

 

Rory Perez has been working hard to keep her aunt's food truck, and family legacy, alive.  Finding no joy in cooking, she remains out of family loyalty and dedication.  As the business struggles, she looks for ways to keep it afloat and to keep those she loves safe.

Jude Worthington doesn't struggle for money, but he also doesn't find joy in what he does.  Under family obligations of his own, he wonders what it would be like to break free and to strike out on his own, doing something unconventional, like running a food truck.  

Rory and Jude's lives and hopes become entangled in each other and through each other's choices.  Can they each find a way to find the joy of their hearts again?

This book had me at "tacos."  Add in food trucks, and family complications, and I found myself reading late at night and googling for taco places in my neighborhood.  This is definitely my favorite of Betsy St. Amant's works so far.  I love the food truck storyline, and the need to find joy, not just obligation.  While family is important, and caring for them is honorable, knowing that they want you to love your own life as well is a good lesson for Rory to learn.  

Even the small things in this book made me love it.  I love the banter between the online personalities.  I love that each main character has a best friend - we don't always see male characters have a supportive friend in fiction.  And I love that Rory finds confidence in what she's doing, even if she doesn't love doing it. 

I give this book 4 stars.  Fun, good characters, and it left me wanting Mexican food every day I read it.

You can find Tacos for Two HERE.
You can find the author HERE. 

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

Autumn by the Sea - Melissa Tagg

 

A blueberry farm on the coast of Maine has been in the Muir family for generations.  Neil MacKean is not officially a Muir, but under the custody of Maggie Muir since he was a child, he has poured his heart and soul into the farm, and now struggles to let Maggie know the depth of the financial hole the farm has found itself in.  Maggie herself has become physically tied to the farm's property as she has been on a hunt for her adopted daughter's child since Diana's mysterious accident many years ago.  Her latest search results have turned up Sydney Rose, who has come the farm with her own mystery of finding who her birth mother actually was, and hoping against hope to find her father as well.  What she finds may be a surprise to everybody.

Oh, what a great start to a new series by Melissa Tagg!  I love the Maine setting, on the rocky coast, with a blueberry farm and a small town with generations of history and mystery.  I loved Neil and his adopted sisters, Lilian and Indi, with mysteries and secrets of their own.  I did not expect there to be so many layers to this story, and I cannot wait to explore the depths of them in the books to come!

I give this book 4 stars - I was not expecting the central mystery to remain unresolved, but it gives me more incentive to watch anxiously for the next installment!

You can find Autumn by the Sea HERE.

You can find the author HERE.

I received a digital copy of this book, via NetGalley, from the publisher, and I have gladly provided an honest review.

The Orpheus Plot - Christopher Swiedler

 

Net Galley - 

"Lucas Adebayo grew up on a small mining ship in the asteroid belt, but wants to join the Navy and become the best pilot in the galaxy. The Navy has never accepted a Belter cadet before, but Lucas’s skills secure him a place on the training ship, the Orpheus.

Life in the Navy couldn’t be more different than life in the Belt, and Lucas struggles to find his place. As a Belter, he’s an outsider among his peers; as a Navy cadet, he doesn’t quite fit in at home anymore, either. Lucas is caught between the worlds of his past and his future when a Belter rebellion puts everyone’s lives at risk. Only he can lead the way to peace."

Wow. I just read this book and it was amazing. I really loved how Lucas came from nowhere and got somewhere. I also liked how the book focused on a smaller group of three main characters and included other important but not as important people in the story. Another great thing about this book is that 98% of important characters developed and grew as a person throughout the story. In my opinion even though Lucas comes from nowhere he is given enough tools and abilities to succeed without it being too easy or too hard. I think that the book was very well written, and  I would give it a 5 out of 5.

You can find The Orpheus Plot HERE.
You can find the author HERE.

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

Paint and Nectar - Ashley Clark

 

From christianbook.com:

"In 1929, a spark forms between talented watercolorist Eliza and William, a charming young man who has been hired to forge her popular paintings. Her aunt makes it clear Eliza should stay away from him because of a feud between their families over missing heirloom silver. But the source of the rivalry was long ago, and as the two get to know each other, they fall in love. William regrets the job that desperation led him to take and their families' ongoing bitterness, but setting things right comes at a cost.

In present-day Charleston, Lucy Legare has just inherited an old house from a mysterious benefactor, along with all the secrets it holds, including an old silver heirloom. Declan Pinckney is determined to buy the house for his family's development company. But as Lucy uncovers secrets about the house, garden, and silver, she becomes more determined than ever to preserve the historic Charleston property, not only for history's sake but also for her own."

"A movement that can be summed up in this - that redemption, like sunlight, always reaches through the gates, and that we, like flowers, bend toward what grows us.  So that the imitations and likenesses we have accepted as originals are exposed as deception, and we are left with the hope of a truer inheritance, a truer promise: a second garden, where all the dead things come alive and all that is forfeited is restored , and all that is fractured becomes a mosaic of color." (emphasis mine)

The redemption theme and generational legacy that carried throughout this book were deeply engaging and gripping.  Learning the "better" thing, the "better" choice, the "truer" purpose in life is an important lesson for not just the characters in this book, but for the reader as well.

There are many ties to the author's first book, The Dress Shop on King Street, and while it would have been a spoiler before reading them both, I feel like I needed a character chart to keep everyone's relationships straight.  

Regardless of the periodic confusion, I really enjoyed this book, and give it 4 stars.  I love Ms. Clark's writing style and she does a great job tying in the past to its consequences on the present.

You can find Paint and Nectar HERE.
You can find the author HERE.

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

Hooked on You - Kathleen Fuller

 

Riley McCallister never planned to come back to Maple Falls; she'd planned to become a renowned artist in New York.  Hayden Price never planned to work at his family's hardware store; he'd planned to become a major league baseball pitcher - which he did, for one pitch.  When Riley's grandmother takes a hard slide at a church softball game and breaks her leg, Riley finds herself back in her grandmother's yarn store, planning to only be there long enough to get her grandmother literally back on her feet.  Hayden, however, has adjusted his plans, and is looking forward to settling into Maple Falls, until he finds that his family may have different plans of their own.  Can Riley and Hayden find a way to be content with their plans being changed?  

After reading through a string of overly sappy romances, this novel hit many of the right notes for me.  Riley, the self-proclaimed artistic loner, and Hayden, the popular athlete, were a great combination of characters.  I loved that this wasn't a second-chance story, per se; Riley and Hayden never connected in high school, each thinking the other never even noticed them.  I loved the Bosom Buddies, Riley's grandmother's collection of friends who bonded over knitting and crocheting and had been together so long as to be able to speak truth to each other, while also watching out for each other.  I loved how the younger version of them, dubbed the Musketeers by Hayden, easily took Riley in, even through her resistance.  

If you're looking for a Christian novel with strong threads of faith, this isn't the book for you.  While the characters go to church, there are no conversations about God, or prayer, or the Bible.  However, it is a clean novel, with themes of love and forgiveness, and how blood family is not the only kind of family.

I give this book 4 stars.  I'm excited that this is a series, and I can't wait to see which characters get the spotlight next!

You can find Hooked on You HERE.
You can find the author HERE.

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

Facing the Dawn - Cynthia Ruchti

 

From christianbook.com:

"While her humanitarian husband Liam has been digging wells in Africa, Mara Jacobs has been struggling. She knows she's supposed to feel a warm glow that her husband is nine time zones away, caring for widows and orphans. But the reality is that she is exhausted, working a demanding yet unrewarding job, trying to manage their three detention-prone kids, failing at her to-repair list, and fading like a garment left too long in the sun.
Then Liam's three-year absence turns into something more, changing everything and plunging her into a sunless grief. As Mara struggles to find her footing, she discovers that even when hope is tenuous, faith is fragile, and the future is unknown, we can be sure we are not forgotten . . . or unloved.
With emotionally evocative prose that tackles tough topics with tenderness and hope, award-winning author Cynthia Ruchti invites you on a journey of the heart you won't soon forget."

This was well written, but such a hard read.  So much sorrow, with an even greater amount of healing.  But, oh, the sorrow.  And yet, amidst the sorrow, the author did a phenomenal job of pointing the reader to the only true Healer.

"I can't know the end of my story, God.  And I have to be okay with that, don't I? But I know your heart.  Verse-verse-verse Redemption. Sorrow-sorrow-sorrow-Jesus." 

Mara starts out as bitter as she believes her name implies, but just as the story of her biblical namesake, she finds love and healing in the people who still surround her and teach her that life is still worth living, and there is still hope to be found.

4 stars; the hope within was beautiful, but it was almost too hard for me to read.

You can find Facing the Dawn HERE. 
You can find the author HERE.

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

All That Really Matters - Nicole Deese

 

From christianbook.com :

"Molly's trendy fashion and beauty advice gains her a substantial social media following and an audition to host a makeover show for underprivileged youth. One problem: she has zero experience with kids in need! So she volunteers for a transitional program. Silas, the director, isn't impressed. Can she win him over---and discover what matters most in life?"

Oh my goodness, what an amazing book!  Such a deep commentary on today's attraction to social media and celebrity status and pretty things.  It seems so appealing and worth attaining, and yet there are so many more substantial purposes in life.  So many people more worth our time and talent and treasures.  SomeONE more worth our hearts.

Watching Molly's transformation from social media darling to a mentor of young adults in transition from foster care, was an amazing journey to follow.  Reading the foster kids' stories, which are likely close to many in real life, was heartbreaking.

5 stars!  This may be my favorite book so far in 2021! I really hope we get a sequel with Miles!

You can find All That Really Matters 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.

The Kingdom of Ink and Paper - Matthew Newman

 

From Net Galley -

"Every book you’ve ever read. Every story you’ve ever heard. What if they were all true?

When high school student Will Morgan goes on a school trip to Boston, he doesn’t expect to witness a murder. But when best-selling novelist Arthur O’Neill is found dead, Will realizes there’s more to this writer’s books than just words.

After O’Neill’s death, Will receives a mysterious package: a copy of The Redstone Keep, one of O’Neill’s famous novels. Upon reading the book, Will passes out and is introduced to a man named Tam Desmond, The Redstone Keep’s protagonist. Tam explains that he is a resident of the World of the Written, a universe parallel to our own where everything ever published by humans comes to life.

Through his conversations with Tam, Will learns that something was targeting Arthur, and that same force is now after him. Armed with his new powers and a magical sword, Will sets out on a journey to solve the mysteries surrounding the murder; however, all the while, Arthur’s death may have just been the start of something much more sinister."

In my opinion the quality of this book was fair. While the plot and characters were interesting, it reminded me of Here There Be Dragons, and there were several smaller plot holes. In the story the characters gain their powers much too quickly, and there isn't much of a real challenge. However, I did like the involvement of Characters, or people from the story that the Writers are in. Overall I would say that there was not a lot of character development outside of powers/abilities. I would give Kingdom of Ink and Paper a 3 out of 5 stars.

You can find Kingdom of Ink and Paper HERE.

You can find Matthew Newman HERE.

The Prince of Spies - Elizabeth Camden

 

In this conclusion to the Hope and Glory series, Luke Delacroix has returned from Cuba and while trying to regain his health and strength, he is determined to take down the congressman who has been his family's nemesis for years - Clyde Magruder.  However, when he meets Marianne Magruder, the congressman's daughter, his agenda becomes cloudy.  Can he find a way to pursue his goals of food safety, without harming the woman he is falling in love with?

The Prince of Spies was a very satisfying conclusion to this series.  I loved how different each sibling's story was, yet how they fit together as a family.  Besides the intriguing background of the regulations regarding food safety, it was super interesting to read about the planning and development of the National Mall.  I don't think I've read anything else set in DC during this time period, and I really enjoyed it.

I give this book 4 stars.  Elizabeth Camden has a knack for unusual storylines, and this was another one done well.

You can find A Prince of Spies 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.

The Key to Love - Betsy St. Amant

 

From christianbook.com:

"The only thing Bri Duval loves more than baking petit fours is romance. So much so, she's created her own version of the famous Parisian lovelock wall at her bakery in Story, Kansas. She never expects it to go viral--or for Trek Magazine to send travel writer Gerard Fortier to feature the bakery. He's definitely handsome, but Bri has been holding out for a love story like the one her parents had, and that certainly will not include the love-scorned-and-therefore-love-scorning Gerard.

Just when it seems Bri's bakery is poised for unprecedented success, a series of events threaten not just her business but the pedestal she's kept her parents on all these years. Maybe Gerard is right about romance. Or maybe Bri's recipe just needs to be tweaked.

Novelist Betsy St. Amant invites you to experience this sweet story of how love doesn't always look the way we expect--and maybe that's a good thing."

This was a cute story, with some deeper meaning.  Is anyone's story as perfect as it looks?  Is being comfortable enough, or are risks necessary?  Should you believe in someone's take on love, or experience it for yourself?

I ached for Bri - all she wanted was to believe in her parents' perfect love story and experience it for herself.  She was clinging to the bakery as her safe place for memories of her mother.  But as all of those security blankets fell apart on her, she had to choose to look somewhere else for her security, and she had to choose a messy imperfect love. knowing there's only One who can love perfectly.  Her growth wasn't easy and she didn't necessarily go willingly, but it was important to see her finally realize that she'd only had a shell of what she was looking for when she tried to stay in her box.

3 stars; this story was cute, but a little light for me. 

You can find The Key to Love HERE.
You can find the author HERE. 

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

Dreams of Savannah - Roseanna M. White

 

I started this book really conflicted.  With the eye-opening chaos within the country over the last year concerning racial issues, I had a hard time with a book set in the south during the Civil War.  I didn't want to find myself sympathizing with characters who felt like slavery was okay, as long as they treated their own slaves decently, or who really felt like the whole war was over states' rights.  I should have known that Roseanna White would do better than that.  There are still stories to be told about the south, from both white and black points of view, and there had to be turning points for some to realize that the way of life they were used to was not the right way to live.  So, while this book still made me uncomfortable, I think it fell mostly on the side of highlighting just how wrong it really was.

4 stars - I almost put it down early on, but I am glad that I did not.  It's tough for me to read stories with characters who are just wrong, and refuse to open their eyes to what's right, but I was glad for those characters whose eyes were open to the people they had chosen not to see before.

You can find Dreams of Savannah 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.

Nicole - Sarah Monzon

 

This third book in the Sewing in SoCal series centers around Nicole, mother of Sierra, and outspoken environmentalist vegan.  She's just trying to raise her daughter well and to convince others that her passionate stances are valid, and maybe use her friends' insistence on matchmaking to her causes' benefits.  However, when Drew continues to show up in her life and push her buttons repeatedly, she may find that her passion has other outlets as well.

Nicole was definitely my favorite of this series so far! While I enjoyed Molly and Jocelyn, Nicole herself is so relatable - between her passion for God's creation, which comes off as radical environmentalism to some, and her vulnerability about her size, she is a well-crafted, deeply engaging character.  Drew was also an easy character to love, as the reader gets to watch him enjoy Nicole for every bit of who she is, and as he draws out what some see as her weaknesses, he frames them as strengths, and complements them with his own personality.  The multiple viewpoint format of this book really helps highlight the growth in the characters and their growing feelings for each other.  

I also enjoyed getting to keep in touch with the Sewing Circle of friends, as well as the men they've been adding to their group along the way.  They're such an eclectic collection, and I can't wait to see what happens with Amanda's and Betsy's stories!

I give this quirky, yet deep story 5 stars.
You can find Nicole HERE.
You can find the author HERE.  I love that she frames her writing as "Redeeming Romances."

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