An Unexpected Inheritance

Mark was close to his Aunt Vivian as a child, but he hadn’t heard from her in years when he finds he’s the sole beneficiary of her estate which includes a house in Manistique, Michigan. Manistique is near the midpoint of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and quite a trek for Mark. It’s remote and when he arrives his first thought is to figure out how to get rid of the house.

He’s looking through the house when he’s surprised by a knock at the door. Dr. Emily Davis, a recent medical school graduate, on her way to Mackinack Island, hit a deer near Manistique and shattered the windshield. She needs a place to stay and was told that Mark’s house is a bed and breakfast. This is news to Mark, but she’s in trouble, so he agrees to let her stay for at least a day.

Mark’s surprises are far from over when more guests arrive, and he finds that he is actually operating a bed and breakfast. One day leads to the next,  and Mark and Emily find themselves enjoying each other’s company, but there are more surprises in store.

This is a fun read. Mark is the clueless innkeeper to whom things keep happening. It’s hilarious to see him deal with his new role. Emily is a likable character and makes a sensible foil for Mark. The character development in this story is thin, but the action is fun and fast.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

A Daring Trek Through Egypt to Rescue Rasha

Rasha is writing in her journal when a group of bandits enters the town of Rekeem. She thinks she’ll be safe if she hides , but she’s the prize the bandits are after. They hope to be able to demand a ransom from her father Zafir, a leader of the Abdali-ud-din. Rasha fears she will be killed and sends a note to Bassam telling him of her enduring love.

Bassam is devastated. He must find Rasha. He sets out on a trek across Egypt to rescue Rasha seeing the pyramids, and the Nile before turning back and recrossing the desert. The travel is filled with dangers. On the return journey, Bassam finds himself the hunted rather than the hunter and endures great hardship and danger.

I find all stories of Egypt fascinating. This one is particularly well researched and gives a picture of the daily life of the people. The descriptions of the pyramids and the Nile are breathtaking. It was also interesting to visit the ancient towns along the route to Egypt.

This is the third book in the saga of Bassam. As such, it focuses on the preservation of the love between Bassam and Rasha rather than the story of their falling in love. The characters of Bassam and Rasha are compelling, but my favorite character was Shamar. He appears to be a hard-bitten old man but the veneer covers a soft heart.

If you enjoy adventures stories with a background of ancient Egypt, this is a good one.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

A Family Reunion in Rainy Paris

The Malagarde family is cerebrating their father Paul’s, seventieth birthday and the parents fortieth wedding anniversary. The reunion at the mother Lauren’s request is limited to family members only. Both Linden, the son, and Tailia, the daughter, have significant others, but this is to be only for the family that grew up together.

Lauren has planned a series of activities, but the rain is pouring down threatening disaster for the city of Paris. The deluge curtails many of these sightseeing and dining trips throwing the family on their own resources. Each member has secrets and stories to tell. Just as the rain threatens Paris, the secrets threaten the family unity. Watching both Paris and the family deal with the unexpected and struggle to survive is wrenching and heart warming.

Linden is the narrator. Torn between French and American culture, he has never felt at home in either society. Although he has become an international success as a photographer, he wonders if he will ever win his father’s regard. Linden is a troubled character, but dealing with his issues makes for intense reading.

The descriptions of Paris in the rain are very atmospheric giving exactly the right tone to the family’s struggle as well as that of the city of Paris. The book has a leisurely feel. The author spends the early part of the book recounting the family background. It’s interesting and good preparation for the rest of the story, but it does take some perseverance to get to the present situation.

I enjoyed the book and recommend it if you enjoy a well written family drama

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I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

Hard Work, Great Deals, and Family

Welcome is a great name. I loved the story of how Welcome Wilson got it. Twenty-two days is a long time to worry about a baby’s name, but in the end the choice was excellent, and I’m sure it has always made him feel welcome. I think the name sums up Wilson’s life very well. He has had many positions from academia, to the military, government and real estate development. In all instances he’s been a success. He’s had failures, and he doesn’t gloss over his mistakes, but the willingness to listen and make correction has served him well. It’s a lesson all entrepreneurs should learn.

The other part of the book I liked was his emphasis on family and the tremendous support he received from his wife Joanne. Striving for success can lead too many people, women as well as men, to put family second if not tenth or later.

Welcome is a good story teller. The book is an easy read. If you’re from Texas or a budding entrepreneur, you’ll love the book, but it can be read and enjoyed by anyone.

I received this book from PR by the Book for this review.

Sharing and Friendship on Fall Feast Day

Porcupine is excited about Fall Feast Day and ready to make her famous cranberry pie. The first step in the recipe is “Wash the berries.” Porcupine sets off for the river. On the way she meets her friends, squirrel, bear, and doe. They too are excited by Fall Feast Day, but each lacks an ingredient to prepare their special dish.

Porcupine is a generous friend. She gives each animal the ingredient they need to make their treat. When she reaches the river she looks in her pail – no cranberries. Now she can’t make her special dish. What will she do?

This is a delightful story of sharing and friendship; one young children will enjoy. The pictures are perfectly suited to the story. They make the fall theme come alive. One of the best parts is the inclusion of the Friendship Pie recipe. A great activity for you and your child.

I received this book from PR by the Book.

Fighting Temptation

Francis Rose, lead singer for a Christian rock band, is suddenly finding fame and fortune. The popularity of the band has sky-rocked since doing benefit concerts in Haiti to build villages on the island.

Francis returns from his latest successful tour and is delighted to be reunited with family, Mary and the two children Heather and Eddie, who has Down syndrome. However, the temptations are beginning. Each band members was to receive ten-thousand dollars for their part in the concert, but when Francis opens his envelope, he finds thirty-thousand. The temptation is strong to keep the money.

Then a beautiful Russian actress asks for his help in developing a musical. Francis knows it’s wrong, but the temptation to have an affair is very strong. The temptations keep coming affecting both Francis’ family and his work. Will his strong faith eventually help him to be saved and return to his family and deep Christian roots?

This is a fast paced story of a man dealing with the temptations of success. Francis is a struggling man that you can relate to. He knows some of the things he does are wrong, but can’t help being pulled toward the bright shiny objects. Because sex is one of Francis’ temptations there are some rather graphic scenes, more than you might be used to in a Christian book. If graphic sex bothers you, this may not be your book.

I recommend this book for anyone who thinks this couldn’t happen to me.

I received this book from PR by the Book for this review.

Flood Waters Reveal a Murder Victim

As Pelican, Louisiana prepares for their Mardi Gras celebration, a terrible storm dumps tons of water on the town leaving many homeless and others with a massive cleanup project. Cleaning up behind the Crozat Plantation B&B, the cleanup team finds a body under the rubbish. Not someone who died in the floods, but a murder victim.

The town isn’t about to let the storm or a murder ruin their Mardi Gras celebration. The Miss Pelican Mardi Gras Gumbo Queen Pageant must go on and when Maggi’s grandmother is unable to serve as a judge, Maggie is tapped to take over. She hates the role, particularly when one of the judges is murdered and others are threatened.

Maggie would rather be working on the painting, damaged by the flood waters, that she has been asked to restore, or helping to prepare for the Orphan Train Exhibit. Then there’s her relationship with Detective Bo Durand that seems to have taken a wrong turn.

This is a delightful cozy mystery. The descriptions of Pelican and the historic mansions are worth the read. The characters, particularly Maggie’s grandmother, are delightfully quirky. It makes you want to visit the town for Mardi Gras.

The Orphan Train Exhibit adds a bit of history and the plot is complex. It all keeps you guessing and hoping that Bo and Maggie can work things out.

I recommend this book is you enjoy colorful cozy mysteries.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

Joy Davidson and C. S. Lewis: A Love Story

Joy Davidson was struggling with her conversion to Christianity and with her writing career. When a friend suggested she write to C. S. Lewis, she didn’t expect much. She received the response to her first letter and the feelings they shared evolved into a correspondence that sustained both of them.

During this time, Joy’s marriage was falling apart. She loved her two sons, but her husband was a womanizing alcoholic. When her cousin Renee, came to live with them to escape her alcoholic husband, things came to a head. Joy was ill and Renee suggested that she get away to get better. Joy chose England where she and C. S. Lewis met. The attraction was instantaneous, but Joy couldn’t completely leave her boys. When she returned home, things were even more stressful than when she left. Her husband and Renee had become lovers.

This is a very emotional story and well developed by the author. The love story was a much a meeting of the minds as it was a romance. Indeed, it seemed that it might never become consummated. I could feel Joy’s desire and pain. It was a very moving experience.

I highly recommend this book. It is a love story, but it also takes you into the atmosphere at Oxford. I loved the descriptions. The book has an obviously religious background, but it can also be enjoyed as a character study of two very cerebral people falling in love.

I received this book from BookLook Bloggers for this review.

In the Early 1900s Three Sisters Struggle with the New Rights for Women

Lida, a widow, has two chldren, Sara Jane, 14, and Cole, 5. She has recently received her certification as a doctor, but the only job she can find is as a physician to the Catholic refuge for needy women, House of the Good Shepard. The work is time consuming, but Lida is glad to have the position so she can take care of her family.

When Lida’s two sisters, Mildred, 4 years older, and Eva, 15 years younger, arrive for a six-week visit, Lida is excited to see them because it opens the possibility of healing the family rift caused by her marriage. The visit doesn’t start on a promising note. Mildred has good very heavy and is moody and controlling like their mother. Eva is recovering from a serious illness and is delicate, but she’s excited because she’s met the love of her life. Eva’s romance is causing as many problems with the family as Lida’s did.

This historical novel looks at early 1900s Colorado. Women have received the right to vote, and temperance is a strong movement. Women can now get training for careers like medicine, but it’s not easy to be accepted in a predominantly male profession. There are also the social problems of marrying outside your social class and geographic area. The book does a good job addressing these problems with a cast of likable characters. The plot is interesting and shows well the problems facing women embarking on a new century with new rights.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

Support for Hitler in WWII from Surprising Places in the US

In 1941, the country was divided. Some people supported Hitler, some wanted to avoid war, and some wanted to support Britain. The opening to Hart’s book details the three perspectives on WWII. I found it fascinating. Being too young to remember the news, I found that there were many things I had missed in the lead up to WWII.

Britain assuredly wanted the support of the US and had agents, including those from IM6, operating in the country. What I didn’t realize was how organized the Nazis were in the US. Hart’s chapters discuss the Nazi organizations that were in the US prior to WWII. They include information of the Bund, a primarily German organization; the Silver Legion; The Religious Right, primarily Father Coughlin’s Christian Front; senators who supported Nazi Germany to keep the US out of the war; businessmen who supported the Nazis for profit; students who were sucked into the Nazi propaganda through their universities; America First, which supported Charles Lindberg; and the spies who stole military secrets to support the German regime.

The book is easy to read and is supported by copious research. If you’re interested in the pre-WWII era in the US, you will enjoy this book. I found it particularly interesting because I didn’t realize how divided the US was prior to WWII. One tends to think of the divides of one’s own era, but this book suggests that we have always been a people who think for themselves which leads to social divides.

I recommend this book. It’s well written; we’ll researched; and will give you a view of America at at another crossroads.

I received this book form Net Galley for this review.

Summer Romance at a Remote Lodge in Alaska

Josie Avery didn’t expect to fall in love with Alaska, particularly the remote area around the small town of Ponder. She had always wanted to be a chef. With her dream job waiting in Seattle, she takes a job for the summer at the Caribou Lake Lodge not far from the Arctic Circle.

Josie becomes friends with Palmer Saxon, a famed swordsmith and a very attractive man. She also finds a friend in Jack Corcoran. His appetite is legendary. He’s willing to be the guinea pig for any recipes Josie wants to try.

As the summer ends, Josie is torn. She loves Ponder and has become very fond of Palmer, but her job and her mother are waiting in Seattle. She can’t give up the dream job she’s worked so hard for. After a tension filled goodbye, Josie falls asleep and doesn’t wake until the last ferry of the season has left. How will she get back to Seattle? Palmer wants her to stay and be his wife, but he won’t keep her against her will, so he finds a way to get her back to civilization.

This is a lovely romance. I liked both Josie and Palmer. They’re obviously meant for each other. The only problem is Josie’s commitment to a career she thinks she wants. My favorite character, however, was Jack Corcran. His lines are some of the funniest in the book, particularly when he tries to teach Palmer how to be romantic and talk to women.

This is a quick read. The scenery is beautiful and the romance is light. It’s a great book for a winter afternoon.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

The Gilded Age: a Little Supernatural, and a Lot of Romance

The Montrose family fled Boston because of a scandal. Ensconced in Willow Hall their country home, tensions in the family flare. Catherine, the older daughter, is dissatisfied with the lack of company, Emmeline, the youngest, loves the outdoors and is strangely drawn to the pond. Lydia, the middle daughter, wishes for romance, but fears that stuck in Catherine’s shadow, she will always be a spinster.

John Barrett, their father’s new business partner in the mill, seems uncomfortable with the family living in Willow Hall. He’s an attractive man. Catherine makes a play for him, but he is quiet and not very interested. Lydia, although she doubts she has a chance, is immediately and powerfully attracted to him.

Beneath the overlay of romance, dark forces seem to be gathering. Lydia can feel it, but she doesn’t know how to protect her family.

Although the supernatural plays a substantial role in this story, it is also the story of young women falling in love and dealing with family issues. Lydia narrates the story. She is caught between Catherine’s selfishness and Emmeline’s need for supervision and love. The story is filled with eerie descriptions giving a sense that something is not right about the house and the surrounding area.

I enjoyed the story. There is just enough supernatural to be creepy, but the interactions between the sister are normal and realistic. The background of the Gilded Age with all the manners and restrictions on young ladies is well done. I recommend this book if you like spooky, but not too frightening.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.