All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes - by Betsy St. Amant

Kat Varland enjoys baking in her aunt's bakery, Sweetie Pies, but she longs to serve more gourmet flavors than vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry, the only recipes allowed in the bakery.  So she practices her unique combinations on Lucas Brannen, high school football coach and her best friend.  Her best friend who happens to have fallen in love with her, and to show her, decides to sign her up for a reality baking show. He wants Kat to know how good she is, but he didn't count on the show's grand prize being a year's internship in New York - a long way from Bayou Bend, Louisiana.  If she wins, can he let her go?  Or does he hope she loses?

In general, there were no big surprises in this plot, best friends who have individually realized they have feelings for the other, yet don't want to ruin their friendship by putting those feelings out there if the other person doesn't feel the same way.  However, the reality competition was fun, and Kat and Lucas were fairly cute in their attempts to preserve their friendship while hiding their feelings.  Kat's cupcakes sounded delicious, and I really wished my copy had included the recipes she prepared (It looks like the final editions will include at least some of them, but the early release left them out).

This was a good summer read, and I really really want a cupcake now.
I give this book 3 stars.

You can find All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes HERE.
You can find the author's website HERE.

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

Revolutionary - Krista McGee

Revolutionary  is the third and final installment in the Anomaly trilogy.  Thalli, Berk, Rhen, Dallas, and Alex are back in the State, under the control of Dr. Loudin.  They are trying to find a way to work together to thwart his plans to remain in control of not just the State, but to reach out and control or annihilate the remaining pockets of survivors on the surface.  Can Thalli trust the Designer to work all things for good?  How does she explain the things she learns of and the horrors she witnesses?  Can she and her friends stop Dr. Loudin?

I have enjoyed this series, beginning with Anomaly, and found this to be a fairly satisfying conclusion.  Dr. Loudin is written as so truly evil that I hated him passionately as I read, and I ached for Thalli and her friends as they experienced his torture and twisted plans.  He was truly a futuristic-based Hitler.  As true to character as his plotline fell, it was hard to read; the torture and deaths were agonizing and grievous.  My biggest issue was that I felt that the ending was abrupt, and it left me feeling unresolved.

Overall, I feel like this trilogy is a viable alternative to the current YA dystopia trend.  There may be more complex storylines and settings, but this trilogy's search for meaning and the Designer gives this series depth and purpose that a secular book would leave untapped.  Thalli's experiences, within her constructed setting, of searching for faith and experiencing God - as well as her doubts - rang true, and not over-the-top.  I could definitely see this trilogy as a set of movies or a mini-series; the cast of developed characters was small, but well-rounded, and the setting was intriguing and easily visualized.

I give this book 3.5 stars.  Having read everything the author has written thus far, I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

You can find Revolutionary HERE.
You can find Krista's website HERE.

I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson, as part of their booklook bloggers program, in exchange for my honest review.

Veil of Secrets - Shannon Ethridge and Kathryn Mackel

Melanie Connors has been through the stress and excitement of a campaign battle before, with her father as the candidate.  Now that her husband is running a presidential campaign, and her daughter is involved with the process, she can't ignore the toll it has taken on her marriage and the scars she suffered in her past.  Will loves Melanie, but can't seem to break through to her heart to get their marriage back on track.  How can they find each other again, in the midst of election chaos, while also dealing with potential terrorists, political scandals, and family trouble all around them?

I've said this before about other books, but it fits well here: this is not an easy book to read.  That isn't to say it isn't a good book, or that it doesn't hold the reader's attention, but that there are several trigger areas that may be difficult for many readers.  Marriage struggles, infidelity, miscarriage, unplanned pregnancy, statutory rape, drug and alcohol use, and prostitutes - all topics included in this book.  Logical in the storyline, dealt with sensitively, but there all the same.  The overarching theme of the story is what Will and Melanie have to do to heal their marriage, and whether they're willing to deal with their pasts and their individual mistakes and scars to get to a better place, together.  Their storyline is done well; it's not glossed over, it's not made to seem easy, but they both have to put a lot of work into understanding where the other person is coming from.  Society frequently tells us that if a marriage is broken, it's easier to dispose of it and move on than to invest in the reparation of the relationship.  This book says differently, and it's an important message.

I give this book 4 stars; books that tackle hard topics can't be easy to write, but this book does it well.
I do wish I had known this was book 2, however, because I would have liked knowing some of the characters better from their earlier story.

You can find Veil of Secrets HERE.
You can find Shannon Ethridge's site HERE (along with lots of resources related to the topics she writes about).
You can find Kathryn Mackel's site HERE.

I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson as part of the BookLook Bloggers program, in exchange for my honest review.

Miracle in a Dry Season - Sarah Loudin Thomas

Perla Long arrives in 1954 Wise, West Virginia with a daughter, no husband, and a mysterious gift with food.  The fatherless daughter raises eyebrows and turns some backs, but when the town experiences a horrible drought, can they allow themselves to see Perla's gift as a miracle, or will they continue to suspect the devil's work?  Can Casewell Phillips see past his initial judgement of Perla to the woman she is and the lessons she can teach if he's willing to open his heart to the God of forgiveness?

I've been in a book slump lately, picking up several books and not getting more than a chapter or two into them before setting them aside.  This novel, however, didn't get set down much at all in the day and a half it took me to read it.  While Perla's gift with food should seem illogical, it fits within the book and serves as a catalyst to change for so many of the characters, bringing healing and forgiveness and opening doors long since closed.  As she says at one point in the book, "All too often sorrow and joy come skipping into your life holding hands."  This could be the summary statement for this book; even as the town withers away within the drought, miracles happen, lives are changed, love is found, and fresh chances are given.

I loved how the author not only weaved together so many stories of characters needing forgiveness, but she used unusual folks to deliver the messages they needed to hear.  For instance, the town drunk, long left alone, turns out to have his own story to tell, and forgiveness to both extend and receive.  As a reader, I felt invested in this small town, its people, and their need for a healed community to move forward.  The circumstances of a drought forcing them to rely on each other and to get past their misconceptions gave depth to a story and intriguing cast of characters.

I give this story 4 stars.  I'm excited that it's the first in a series, and I look forward to reading more from this author!

You can find A Miracle in a Dry Season HERE.
You can find the author's website HERE. (I may have to try the peach cobbler recipe;  I only wish I had seen the apron contest before it ended - my children look adorable in their aprons!)
You can connect with the author on Facebook HERE.

I received a copy of this book from Bethany House publishers, in exchange for my honest review.

Woman of Courage - Wanda E. Brunstetter

Amanda Pearson has essentially been left at the altar, as her fiance tells her just before their wedding that he's leaving her for her best friend.  Rather than remain in shame within their Quaker community, Amanda convinces her father that they should set out for the Oregon Territory to bring the Good News to the Nez Perce Indians.  Trials and hardships shadow Amanda as she travels, and she is forced to examine her faith and her decisions to pursue this path.

I don't read a lot of historical fiction, but I do enjoy the time period of the expansion west.  I can't even imagine the hardships of crossing the country on horseback, with very few comfort items and months on the trail.  Amanda doesn't immediately strike the reader as one of hardy stock, yet she perseveres through tragedy and difficult circumstances while keeping her faith intact and even attempting to share the Word with all she comes in contact with.  Her character comes across as naive, yet sincere, and it's believable that she would grow on the people who initially resist her "Bible thumping."  However, I did find it difficult to believe that that many tragedies could befall both her and every person she met.  Maybe not the tragedies themselves, but the catalyst they provided to turn the characters to God felt too neat and tidy.  Not all tragedies lead to conversions, and not all conversions are proceeded by tragedy, but you wouldn't know that from this book.

Overall, I give this book 3 stars.  It could have felt a little deeper, with more examination of the faith that Amanda was sharing, but the characters were tied together well; and as a reader, I cared about them enough to be happy when things turned out well for them.

Edited to add:
This book contains several references to, and scenes of abuse - both domestic and child.  I wouldn't want any readers to be unaware of this facet, whether it might affect them personally, or be something they'd want to be aware of before recommending it to others.

You can find Woman of Courage HERE.
You can find Wanda's website HERE.

Odd disclaimer: I was supposed to receive a copy of this book from Barbour Books, in exchange for my honest review.  However, there seems to be a mix-up, and I never received my copy.  But no big deal, I borrowed the e-book from my library so that I could still review it as I promised!

Heaven Sent Rain - Lauraine Snelling

Dinah Taylor has structured her life around being a biochemist and CEO of a nutritional supplement company that aims to help people live healthier lives.  Her career and her homelife have been orderly, clean, and fulfilling, and have also served to distance her from her past.  However, now, she finds herself investing in a child she knows little about, her company is under fire, and she comes into contact with a man who seems to hate her at first impression.  What is happening to her neatly compartmentalized life, and who can she turn to when nothing makes sense anymore?

There were several compelling components to this story: I was completely intrigued by Dinah's need for white everywhere, and I was drawn into Jonah's life and his interactions with Dinah.  I also though Garrett to be an unusual character - a veterinarian who's an amazing artist on the side?  Unfortunately, I felt like the story didn't fully realize its potential, and had some pacing troubles along the way.  There were so many aspects of Dinah's past that were hinted at several times throughout the book, and then there was one conversation where she dumped most of the personal details, yet others were never explained at all.  Jonah, also a character with lots of potential, a seemingly gifted second-grader, who's had a complicated life, yet managed to thrive anyway, his emotions and reactions were made to seem tangential to Dinah and he was never completely filled out on his own.

I really thought this plot line was an interesting, and I'm sad that it fell short of what I felt that it could be.  I would have liked a little less of Dinah's wallowing, and more character development with the rest of the people in her life, as well as a more thorough, natural unveiling of her past problems.  I give this book 3 stars - mostly for feeling different than so many of the other books that I've read lately.

You can find Heaven Sent Rain HERE.
You can find the author's site HERE.

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

A Match of Wits - Jen Turano

Agatha Watson has been given a traveling assignment for her newspaper because there are people in New York City who want her dead.  Who does she happen upon in her travels, but Zayne Beckett, the man she has loved from afar who left to marry his fiance 2 years ago.  However, due to injury and disappointment, Zayne is not the man he was when he left.  Agatha, being Agatha, plots and plans to restore Zayne to his family and to the man and friend he was.  Meanwhile, those around Agatha, including Zayne are busy trying to keep her alive.

I have loved this Ladies of Distinction series by Jen Turano:
A Change of Fortune
A Most Peculiar Circumstance
A Talent for Trouble

I have loved the characters, and have enjoyed following them through all of the books and watching their friendships and relationships develop.  Even though I liked A Match of Wits, it didn't grab me quite as much as the rest of the series. I think that what was missing was the relationships between the women that made the first three books so entertaining.  Their interactions, their mischief, and their friendships were what gave the books humor and depth, but for most of this book Agatha was on her own.  Even her strong character was dulled a bit by not having others to involve in her hi-jinks.  Part of it was logical - her friends were married and having babies, and that's a natural progression in their timelines, but it made Agatha seem more lonely.

I still loved this series, and I enjoyed seeing more of Agatha's story.  I still highly recommend this series the whole way through, and I hope that Jen Turano continues to write - either more with these characters, or an entirely new set to love!
I give this book 3.5 stars, but the series as a whole gets 4 stars!

You can find A Match of Wits HERE.
You can find Jen Turano's website HERE.
Or you can interact with her on Facebook, HERE, where she's about to do some more giveaways!

I received a copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers, in exchange for my honest review.