The Words We Lost - Nicole Deese

 

Ingrid Erikson has worked her way up from an internship at a publisher, to its golden editor with the submission and meteoric rise of her best friend's best selling series.  When Cece passes away unexpectedly, before the final installment of the series can be submitted, Ingrid finds herself not only drowning in grief, but also in danger of losing her job. With one final ultimatum from her boss, she returns to the only place she's ever called home, to confront her grief in the form of her ex-boyfriend, her best friend's mom who treated her like a second daughter, and the secrets that she didn't even know were there to discover.

There are so many layers to this novel that it's impossible to do it justice in a short review.  The writing is gorgeous, the characters are tragic and compelling, and the story reels you in in so many directions you don't know which answer you want first.  Even the title is layered within the story, with words "lost" in so many ways - the physical manuscript, the relationships with words left unspoken, and the reading comprehension that grief has stolen from Ingrid.  I found myself torn over whether to tear through this book to reach the conclusions, or to savor its depth slowly.  I see that it's listed as part of a series, and that is an exciting discovery.

I give this book 5 stars.  Nicole Deese has astounded with her last several novels, and this one is just another shining installment.

You can find The Words We Lost 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.

A Match in the Making

 

Gwendolyn Brinley has decided to take the summer apart from her position as her cousin's companion, and to spend it with Mrs. Parker in Newport.  What she doesn't plan for is Mrs. Parker breaking her leg and assigning Gwendolyn the role of assistant matchmaker.  When she inadvertently reveals the existence of matchmakers to the "catch of the season," Walter Townsend, she finds herself inundated with requests and conflict as the society set duke it out to make the most advantageous matches. How can she keep herself removed from the tumult while seeking to learn as much as she can about the people involved?

Gwendolyn is yet another of Mr. Turano's unconventional, strong-minded, female characters: insightful, compassionate, and independent.  And, of course, she manages to find an ending that sacrifices none of those elements of her self, but one that enhances and sweetens the person she already is.

Once again, Jen Turano has managed to draw me into her fictional world within the first few pages, to care about her characters, and to be sorry when the story is over.  I can only hope that at some point this series will involve Gideon and Adalaide's story, because I know that one will be just as amusing and satisfying as this one was.

5 stars, and I cannot wait for the next installment in the Matchmakers Series.

You can find A Match in the Making HERE.
You can find the author HERE.

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

To Win a Prince - Toni Shiloh

 

After In Search of a Prince, we return to the African island of Oloro Ile, where Iris has started a fashion design company with the intent to help the women and economy of the island.  The man who was convicted of attempting to betray the crown (and Iris's best friend) has been sentenced to work with her.  Can she deny her attraction to him while staying to true to her best friend, her new company, and her adopted home?

I love this series; the friends and characters feel so authentic, even while ensconced in a totally foreign setting, and I love how God-centered their relationships are.  They don't hesitate to call each other out for their behavior or doubt, and they're quick to pray for each other.  I wish more books demonstrated such loving, Christian friendships.

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

You can find To Win a Prince HERE.
You can find the author HERE.

Yesterday's Tides - Roseanna M. White

From Christianbook.com:
When special agent Sterling Bertrand is washed ashore at Evie's inn, her life is turned upside down. While Sterling's injuries keep him inn-bound for weeks, making him even more anxious about the man he's tracking, he becomes increasingly intrigued by Evie, who seems to be hiding secrets of her own.
As Evie and Sterling work to track down an elusive German agent, they unravel mysteries that go back a generation. The ripples from the Great War are still rocking their lives, and it seems yesterday's tides may sweep them all into danger again today.

I spent a little too long trying to get the pieces of the two time periods to fit in my head; with the time splits being less than 30 years apart, my brain wanted them to fit more quickly, and I think I missed out on enjoying the characters for themselves until I fit them into their slots.  Once I did, I was able to enjoy the side by side tale of two wars and a continuous family thread that tied them together.  I enjoyed the intelligent female characters and the men who respected them for it.  I enjoyed the connection to previous works by this author to some of my favorite characters in fiction.

It did feel like it wrapped a little too quickly, but maybe that was because once I found out how everyone was connected, I wanted to enjoy those connections a little longer.  Maybe I'll just have to read it again!

I give this book 4 stars.  I have loved all of this author's works, and she is an automatic read for me every time she releases something new.

You can find Yesterday's Tides 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.

 

Dear Henry, Love Edith - Becca Kinzer

 

In search of adventure and a new start, Edith finds herself staying in the upstairs of what she believes to be a disabled old man's house.  Meanwhile, the homeowner, Henry, is under the impression that an elderly widow, who's a retired nurse, is occupying his upstairs apartment.  Through a series of letters and unrelated interactions, they find themselves drawn to two separate people, for very different reasons, without knowing it's the same person.  When they do finally "meet," how will they reconcile their impressions and their wildly different visions for their futures?

In the end, this book turned out cute, but in the beginning I mostly found myself wishing for an extended version of the mistaken identities and written communication.  Once they found out the truth, the book took several rabbit trails with a variety of plots and more miscommunication that were less unique.  The twists seemed to cloud what could have been a very strong message from the story; both Edith and Henry needed to find that what they thought was God's calling could end up different than they originally thought, and through their journey find that they were loved and cherished.  The journey to those realizations is one that many readers likely find themselves taking.

I give this book 3 stars; I enjoyed the initial premise and the concluding wrap-up, it just got too messy for me in the middle.

You can find Dear Henry, Love Edith 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.

What Happens Next - Christina Suzann Nelson

 

From christianbook.com:
Podcaster/ex-reporter Faith Byrne gained a following telling tales of triumph after tragedy. But her own life is in shambles---her children are summering in Hawaii with her ex and his new wife. When Dora Crane, mother of Faith's childhood friend who went missing, asks Faith to investigate the long-abandoned case, will they finally find answers and healing? 

This was a compelling mix of mystery and introspection for the characters involved.  How does one move on from such a tragic loss? If a family member is so stuck in the past that they can't see the present with the people still there, do they move on alone and leave the stuck family member behind? Or do they then lose 2 family members?

I could appreciate the journeys the characters had to take and I was invested in finding out what had happened to Heather.  It was an odd juxtaposition to see things through her ten-year-old eyes, compared to those who had aged without her, but as she was forever ten in their memories, it made sense.

I give What Happens Next 3.5 stars.  As always, this author's writing is engaging, raw, and fairly realistic.

You can find the book 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.

Hearts of Steel - Elizabeth Camden

 


In this continuation of the Blackstone Legacy, we meet Maggie Moriano, a woman driven by her fear of falling back into poverty, and who pinches every penny to turn her ice cream business into a success.  She is on her way, until she makes a personal enemy of Charles Morse, both by calling him out on his underhanded dealings and by forging a relationship with Liam Blackstone.  Maggie and her fellow Garsden Street business owners become collateral damage in the war between the greedy, immoral capitalist Morse and the undereducated but people-focused Liam.

Elizabeth Camden once again delivers a story of an interesting and undertold slice of history.  In fictionalizing the plight of good people working hard, only to be felled by unregulated monopolies and loose laws and corrupt systems, she forces the reader to consider lines and boundaries of profits versus charity and justice versus revenge.  The characters demonstrate repeatedly that the quick solution isn't always the best solution, and that sometimes self sacrifice is required to make the world better for everyone.

4 stars.
I do wish we'd seen more of previous books' characters.  Although they make appearances, it would be nice to feel that we were still following the larger story of those we'd previously met in this fictional journey.

You can find Hearts of Steel 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.