The Summer House - Lauren K. Denton

From christianbook.com :
"When Lily Bishop wakes to find her husband's goodbye note and divorce papers, she takes a position as hair stylist at the Safe Harbor retirement community for income. She soon livens up the place Rose Carrigan founded just before her spouse ran off with his assistant. Will these jilted women become friends---and discover second chances at love? "

It feels weird to say that I really liked this book, when it started on such a rocky note.  But, if you can get past the opening of a woman's husband leaving her out of the blue, there's a lot to gather here about second chances and opening up to the people whom you find in your life.  Between Lily's fresh start, and Rose's path to forgiving herself and letting people in, the characters in this story were heartrendingly realistic, and down-to-earth, yet colorful and engaging.  I loved watching the interplay between the members of this community who had lived among each other for years, yet with the fresh perspective of 28-year-old Lily becoming part of them.  I could see a series set in this community of Safe Harbor, delving into the rich histories of those who live here, and perhaps interacting with and passing on their wisdom to the next generations.  

I give this book 4 stars.  Lily and Rose were traveling separate paths, yet both needed forgiveness, healing, and fresh starts, and I loved watching how their journeys affected each other and the community they were a part of.

You can find The Summer House HERE.
You can find the author's website HERE.

I received a complimentary copy of this book.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A Gilded Lady - Elizabeth Camden

In this second installment of the Hope and Glory series, we get to revisit the Delacroix family, this time with the focus on Caroline Delacroix, as she serves as secretary to the First Lady, Ida McKinley.  While she is hoping to solidify her political connections in order to request a presidential pardon for her twin brother Luke, Nathaniel Trask is working to solidify security surrounding the president. 

I really enjoyed this view of William McKinley's presidency, and I appreciated the historical notes included by the author to clarify which parts of the story were historically accurate.  I did find myself tempted to Google the event that I knew was coming, to see when/where it was going to happen, but I resisted in order to let the novel's suspense build at its own pace. 

Caroline was a complicated character, and it was interesting to watch her internal processes as she tried to balance a difficult First Lady, a potential relationship with a guarded man, and the drama of her twin brother in a Cuban prison.  The peek into White House life, and the picture of political life and the delicate dance it requires was fascinating. 

I give this book 4 stars.  I am looking forward to continuing this family's story, and learning more about Luke in the third installment to come!

You can find A Guilded Lady 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.

Mosaic of Wings - Kimberly Duffy

Nora Shipley is in a tough spot; as a rare female college student, striving for an exclusive scholarship, she needs to set herself apart.  With her mother's health on the edge, and her stepfather delivering ultimatums, she takes the opportunity to travel to India on an entomology expedition. Her closest competition, Owen Epps, travels with her, and they find themselves not just exploring India's flora and fauna, but also their relationship and potential futures.  India challenges Nora in ways she could not have foreseen, and leaves her changed forever.

This was such a unique book!  I love reading about unique careers, and uncommon literary settings.  A female entomologist doing field work in the late 19th century was a fascinating mix. Nora's delight in bugs and scientific study was engaging, even though I am not the least bit interested in entomology.  When she encountered a cultural clash with India's religious practices that she could not reconcile with her own beliefs, I felt her conflict, and I was so upset on her behalf when she couldn't find an ally. 

I give this book 5 stars. It was a unique story, and it didn't shy away from hard topics.  I believe that it was a debut novel from this author, and I certainly look forward to reading more from her!

You can find A Mosaic of Wings 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.

Storing Up Trouble - Jen Turano

In Storing Up Trouble, the third installment in the American Heiresses series, we get to read about Beatrix Waterbury, one of New York's elite Four Hundred, as she is sent to Chicago to spend time with her Aunt Gladys, known as a wealthy, yet eccentric, woman among Chicago society.  Once she arrives, she is surprised to find that Aunt Gladys is requiring her to take a working position at a well-known department store, and as such, Beatrix keeps her identity as an American grand-heiress under wraps.  Meanwhile, she encounters Norman Nesbit, another odd character within Chicago society, and his female scientific partner and friend, Theodosia, known as Theo.  With danger on their tails, and their eyes opening to the world around them, how can these men and women work together to keep their loved ones safe and to find their calling of a larger purpose?

I loved finally getting Beatrix's story!  And there were so many awesome new side characters to love: eccentric Aunty Gladys, who takes in women to teach them skills and give them friendship; the women themselves, including Blanche who likes to experiment with hair solutions and makeup concoctions; Roberta who creates 7-course dinners, and Mamie who adds fun and quirkiness.  Then there's Norman and Theo, the unusual scientific pair of friends whose lives Beatrix finds entwined with her own.  I loved that these tow, rather than being concerned with gossip and society's opinion that they were odd, instead embrace the freedom that comes from already being seen as non-conforming and use it to their advantage to avoid unnecessary society appearances and concentrate on their scientific research.

However, there was so much more to this book than its engaging characters - there was amazing change and growth within these characters as they allowed their eyes to be opened to the lives of the people around them.  Beatrix, by taking on the position of a low-paid salesgirl, was able to see the conditions under which women were working, and it softened her heart and opened her mind to find ways to improve their lot in life.  Norman, once he looked beyond his science, was transformed into a man who cared for the people in his life and was able to put his considerable intellect to use bettering their lives and working on projects that would benefit those beyond his immediate circle.

Overall, this was a delightfully amusing novel, with just enough eye-opening change to give it weight.  I give this book 4 stars; I have thoroughly enjoyed the American Heiresses series, and I am disappointed to not be able to visit these characters again.

You can find Storing Up Trouble HERE.
You can find the author's website HERE. She is always a delight to read, and I always anticipate her next release!

When I Meet You - Olivia Newport

From Christianbook.com :
"A trunk abandoned at Denver’s Union Station more than a century ago leads Jillian and Nolan to untangle the mystery of its contents—including correspondence with the head of Pinkerton’s National Detective Agency Denver office. While Nolan digs into the legalities of the findings, Jillian searches for the descendants of a stolen identity who might not be who they think they are on Colorado ranch land. When Drew seems anxious to hear what Jillian has to say but his Great Aunt Min slams the subject closed—twice—Jillian is all the more determined to find out what happened to the woman who never claimed her luggage, why Min doesn’t want to talk about it, and what will happen for Drew if he gets the answers he seeks.
 
When I Meet You is the third book in the Tree of Life series by Olivia Newport. You’ll want to return to the lovely Colorado mountain town of Canyon Mines again and again to explore and celebrate unforgettable family stories that will inspire you to connect with your own family histories and unique faith journeys."

This is the third book in the Tree of Life series that I've read.  I still love the characters of Jillian the genealogist and her father, Nolan, the opera-singing, gourmet-cooking, lawyer, as well as the side characters in their town of Canyon Mines, Colorado.  I liked how this installment brought us a bit more backstory to Jillian and the loss of her mother, as well as the family history there that she's trying to uncover.

However, the rhythm of this story was a little bumpy for me.  I can handle the time shifting, but the correspondence added an additional layer of time lines, and trying to tie Jillian's ancestors in with the woman who was lost to history, as well as trying to unravel the financial mystery...it took me awhile to get the gist of what was happening.  

I give this book 3 stars.  I still love the concept of using genealogy and family history to tie people together and to even solve mysterious questions of the past and present, but I struggled to get into this one.  The ending wrapped up the story well, though, and I was glad I persisted.

You can find When I Meet You 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.

Joy of Falling - Lindsay Harrel

"They may have started out doing this for their husbands and family, but somewhere along the way it has also become about them.  About fighting for a new life that didn't have to end with the tragedy that had overtaken them.  About finding joy in the journey."

Eva and Angela are sisters-in-law, united not only by their marriage to brothers, but in their grief over the loss of both their husbands in the same accident.  While this should draw them together, they're dealing with their loss very differently and find it difficult to share the common ground peacefully.  When Eva convinces Angela to attempt an ultra-marathon in New Zealand, in memory of their husbands, they will each need to face their grief, their loss, and their fears, in order to face their future.

There was a lot of depth and emotion in this book; it didn't gloss over the journeys each woman had to travel through her grief, even though the timeline was perhaps compacted for a novel-length story.  It really highlighted how differently people can process loss, and how that might look quite different on the outside than what they're actually feeling inside.  The temptation to idealize the departed is prevalent, but the reader can see the characters work through their guilt over their less than perfect relationships and acknowledge the gaps, and learn from their mistakes.

I give this book 4 stars.  It had depth without feeling heavy with its look at grief and learning to live again.

You can find Joy of Falling HERE.
You can find the author's website HERE.

I received a complimentary copy of this book.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The House at the End of the Moor - Michelle Griep

An innocent man wrongly imprisoned; not just wrongly imprisoned, but targeted and accused, in order to stall his work to improve the lives of the poor.  A beautiful opera singer, propositioned with the threat of blackmail, forced to leave her gift behind and live an anonymous life on the barren moor.  A daring escape, an injured stranger, a Constable bent on meting out justice, plots uncovered  - in all of this, what is God's plan? Where is His justice?

There was so much action, redemption, and reconciliation in this book; it was thrilling, heartbreaking, and gripping.  Yet, the dark characters and the violent evil they wrought on undeserving and unsuspecting recipients was harsh and difficult to stomach.  I understand that it highlighted their depravity and lack of understanding of God's mercy and justice, but I felt that it could have been hinted at, but left a bit more off of the page.

I give this book 4 stars; I loved so much of it, it would have easily been a 5-star read without so much violence.

You can find The House at the End of the Moor HERE.
You can find the author HERE. I will definitely be looking to read more from her!