Lake Season - Denise Hunter

Molly, Levi, and Grace Bennett choose to band together after their parents' tragic death, and put their life plans on hold to open the inn that was their parents' dream.  During the last stages of construction, Molly discovers an unsent letter stuck in the walls, and becomes obsessed with tracking down the writer and intended recipient to try to provide healing or closure.  Meanwhile, Adam Bradford, whose pseudonym is the bestselling author Nathaniel Quinn, comes to Bluebell to find inspiration for his next novel.  With no other rooms available during the busy Lake Season, Adam ends up at the Bluebell Inn, and strikes up a friendship with Molly.  Finding himself drawn to both Molly and the mysterious letter, the two of them work closely together to delve into the small town's past to find what they can about this couple that has stolen their hearts.  How close can Adam get to Molly without revealing his secret identity, who just happens to be Molly's favorite author, or without her feeling deceived if he does reveal himself?  Can he trust her with his insecurities that he doesn't measure up to his own heroes?

This book had all the makings of a great summer read - the lake town, the small inn, the tragic beginning, and an author crush, but it fell just a little shy for me.  I wanted the townspeople, or side characters to play a larger part in filling out the feel of the town and story.  The book was entirely focused on Adam and Molly, with a minimal dual timeline addition to give a bit more weight to the letter plot.  Molly's best friend Skye had so much potential, as did Adam's friend Jordan, and Molly's siblings Levi and Grace.  I believe this is intended to be a series, with each sibling getting their turn at a book, so maybe their stories will start to feel more developed.  However, I spent most of the book feeling like I was missing a prequel, or maybe this wasn't meant to be book one, and that I was supposed to already know these people. 

Since Adam and Molly were the focus of the story, I did feel connected to them, and Adam's battle with his father's memory and the insecurities that stemmed from that, as well as Molly's grief and guilt over her parents' death were heartwrenching.  Lizzie and Ben's story was also very emotional, and while I wished for it to be fleshed out a bit more, I did appreciate how well everything tied together in the end.  Some might say too much so, but I didn't mind the coincidences, when attributed to God's sovereignty.

I give this book 4 stars.  November is an odd choice for a beach-y book to release, but maybe you'll want to hold onto it for next summer!  I do plan to read the siblings' stories as they are available, because I think this family set-up is rich for a good tale.

You can find Lake Season HERE.
You can find the author's website HERE.

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

In the Cradle Lies - Olivia Newport

The Tree of Life series is set in the small town of Canyon Mines, and centers around Jillian Parisi-Duffy's work as a genealogist.  Besides her steady paycheck work of hunting down next-of-kin for insurance companies, she can't help but be curious about the strangers who wander into her town with mysterious backstories.  The Inn at Hidden Run introduces Jillian to Meri, who has run away from her family and doesn't want to talk about it.  In the Cradle Lies brings Tucker Kintzler to town, with his piles of cash and crazy dream to find the Inn's Hidden ski run namesake.  In both novels, Jillian works with her father, a lawyer skilled in mediation and getting people to open up to him, as well as a cast of small-town characters, to dig out enough information to piece together the history these folks need to find peace with their pasts and a path for their futures.

This is such an interesting theme for a series of novels; I love that the small town people we meet continue to tie them together, but a new puzzle for Jillian to solve makes each novel unique.  If you can suspend the question of whether Jillian should be looking into people's pasts who haven't asked, it's engaging to watch the story come together, utilizing a dual timeline to bring their past and current stories together.  Tucker's family history was darker than I anticipated, and I had trouble reconciling the quick tying up of ends with the slow reveal of the atrocities. 

I give both books in this series 3 stars; I enjoy the idea of the genealogical mysteries, and I will likely continue to read the series, but I don't see myself reading these again.

You can find The Inn at Hidden Run HERE.
You can find In the Cradle Lies HERE.
You can find the author's website HERE.

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

Aiming for Love - Mary Connealy

Jo Nordegren and her sisters have lived on Hope Mountain their whole lives, having only each other for company once their grandparents have passed on.  They know nothing of the real world, except that their grandmother was terribly afraid of it and told them it was full of sickness and death.  Now, Dave Warden and his family have appeared on their mountain, and the sisters must decide how to handle these strangers from below.

This book was just not for me.  I found the characters to be unbelievable and bordering on preposterous.  Jo and her sisters did not ring true as women who'd lived sheltered from real life their whole lives; their naivete felt forced, convenient to the plot in some sections, yet oddly missing in other situations.  The most interesting character for me was Wax Mosby - the hired gun whose men ran the Wardens off their ranch and into the mountains.  His determination to finish out the job, while not crossing his own pre-determined lines regardless of his ruthless boss, and begin a new life for himself was intriguing, and I wish he hadn't disappeared from the storyline halfway through the book.

So, while I found the idea of this book interesting, and I am curious to know how Wax extricates himself from his situation, I do not foresee myself reading the rest of this series.  I have read other works by this author, however, and I would likely pick up something else of hers in the future.

You can find Aiming for Love HERE.
You can find the author's site HERE.

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

Christmas in Winter Hill - Melody Carlson

Krista Galloway and her daughter have packed up their lives and moved to Winter Hill, in order for Krista to take a job as their city manager.  Once there, Krista realizes that this small town may not be a good fit for her; they center much of their city life around Christmas, a holiday that has always seemed to bring catastrophe to Krista's life.  She also finds that the city government has several unrealized problem areas, making her seem like the bad guy who moved into town and started cleaning house.  Can Krista and her daughter make a life here, or will this be one more Christmas disappointment for Krista?

This was a sweet little Christmas novella, perfect for wintry days by the fireplace.  Krista's rough background serves to fuel her disappointment in life, but she gives it her best to give her daughter, Emily, a better shot at a hopeful life.  There is a good mix of villainous characters and helpful, honest ones to balance out the story.  As with most novellas, the reader doesn't get very deep views into any of the characters, but it was enough to want to root for Krista and to feel the pull of the town against her. 

I give this novella 4 stars.  I think this town and its Christmas-loving people would make for a sweet series of Christmas novellas, filling in the story of Christmasville and the people who bring it together every year.

You can find Christmas in Winter Hill 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.

The Spice King - Elizabeth Camden

Annabelle Larkin has traveled to Washington D.C. to give her sister, Elaine, a chance to find purpose in her life as a blind woman.  She's been given a temporary job with the Smithsonian, with the understanding that if she can convince Gray Delacroix to give up some of his botanical secrets, there may be a more permanent position in store for her.  Gray Delacroix, while reluctant to give anything away for free, and especially reluctant to give anything to the government, finds himself drawn to Annabelle.  When Annabelle is required to search out more than botanical secrets, will she choose Gray or her country? 

I have always enjoyed Elizabeth Camden's penchant for uniquely employed heroines that give an unusual look into her particular periods of history.  Annabelle is no exception; as a botanist working within the Smithsonian and then the Department of Agriculture, the reader is given a peek into the period of time where food additives were not monitored by the government.  I found this setting to be very intriguing and the interplay between Gray's world of food production and the government's growing interest in food safety was an engaging setting for a novel.  The side stories were woven into the larger picture fairly seamlessly, and I am looking forward to finding out how those play out as this series continues!

I give this book 4 stars.  I enjoyed the characters, and I enjoyed the perspective from this view of history.

You can find The Spice King 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.

Shades of Light - Sharon Garlough Brown

Having battled depression and anxiety for most of her life, Wren hits a point where she can't continue to cope on her own.  Taking a leave of absence from her emotionally draining job as a social worker, she seeks help, from professionals, from loving extended family, and from those within her faith.  Making progress, she reaches out to help a struggling friend from her past, but can she help him recover without jeopardizing her own fragile healing?

I don't know that I've ever seen a book this gut-wrenchingly open and vulnerable in regards to mental illness, depression, and anxiety.  Sometimes the intensity and the darkness the characters were experiencing was too much, and I needed to step away to catch my own breath.  However, I've never seen a book take on the heaviness of depression and call out and dash all of the typical "Christian" responses of "you just need more faith," or the belief that Christians shouldn't experience depression.  Those aren't Christian answers, they're lazy answers.

There were themes in this book that I am not personally well-acquainted with, such as the stations of the Cross, and while it didn't detract from my reading experience, I think it would make the book an even richer read for those who are familiar with a more mystical approach to Christianity, with some possibly Catholic rituals added in.  (I apologize if I have mis-categorized the rituals in the book)

I have not read any of this author's previous works, and this book stands alone just fine.  However, I did read somewhere that there are some character crossovers, which I think would enhance the background support of this story if the reader were familiar with them.

I give this book 4 stars.  I don't quite know what else I could wish for from this book, and maybe it's the dark subject matter that leaves me feeling too heavy to say I loved it.  That would be through no fault of the author's writing.  But I know that I could not personally pick up this book back up to read again.  At least not anytime soon.

You can find Shades of Light 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.

Diamond in the Rough - Jen Turano

"Any smidgen of hope that her entrance into New York high society would be deemed a rousing success died the moment Miss Poppy Garrison's tiara became firmly attached to the sleeve of her dance partner."

With that opening, we begin the second installment of the American Heiresses series, and find Miss Poppy Garrison in New York City, living with her grandmother, Viola, participating in the Season.  Viola is determined to show Poppy that being accepted into high society is desirable, and while Poppy was perfectly content living on a horse farm in Pennsylvania, she discovers that she doesn't hate it.  However, mayhem and adventure seem to find her no matter how hard she works on her decorum and poise.  Reginald Blackburn, travelling companion to Lord Charles Lonsdale, is charged with teaching Miss Garrison to fit in to this world of heiresses and money, and yet he finds himself admiring her unflappability in the midst of the chaos that follows her. 

"I've always felt that misfits are far more interesting than normal folks."

I love that Poppy has such a firm grasp on who she is, and what is valuable in the people around her.  The people she is drawn to turn into such rich characters and the relationships that develop throughout the book from such inauspicious connections really made this book great for me.  Poppy owns up to her mistakes, but she is never ashamed of who she is or the accidents that befall her.  She loves others and has a tender heart to those she learns are living in wretched conditions. 

"I think you'll eventually discover that you're delightful just the way God made you, my dear."  "You seem to be an original, my dear, so perhaps you won't feel the need to wait so long before you abandon what's expected of you, embracing who you truly are and who God meant you to be, instead of trying to embrace a sense of who others want you to be."

I love that, even with an entirely new set of characters, by using the same setting as a previous series, Ms. Turano is able to sneak in a cameo of a favorite character from past novels and use her to deliver wisdom from the position of experience. 

This book was one of those rare finds where you don't want to put the book down, but you also don't want it to end too soon!  I loved watching Poppy find herself even more fully, and I enjoyed watching her build up those around her as she did.  I always love Ms. Turano's grouping of friends who enjoy being together throughout the mayhem she puts them through, and this cast of characters is among her best.  I can't wait to hear Beatrix Waterbury's story in the third book!

I give this book 5 stars.  Between Diamond in the Rough and Flights of Fancy, American Heiresses is becoming my favorite Turano series!

You can find Diamond in the Rough HERE.
You can find Ms. Turano's site HERE.

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