Irish Meadows - Courage to Dream Book1 - Susan Anne Mason

 Romance, drama and faith can be found on every page of Irish  Meadows. Delve into the pages of this book and get lost on Long  Island, 1911.

 In order to save his farm from complete ruin, James O'Leary  pressures his family to do what they have to do in order to save  their home. His daughters, Brianna and Coleen, have very  different plans for their future however. Brianna wishes to further  her education by attending college. And Coleen is content to  marry, as long as the man in questions meets her standards.  Gilbert Whelan, who has practically been adopted by the  O'Learys, returns and Brianna begins to question her outlook on  her future. While Rylan Montgomery, a distant cousin attending  seminary, sends Coleen's heart on a wild ride. Will they live the  life that James has dictated for them? Or will they have the  courage to dream?

 Irish Meadows had me riding an emotional roller coaster from  beginning to end. This book is packed with dramatic events that left me frustrated, yet I kept turning

London Tides - The MacDonald Family Trilogy - Book 2 - Carla Laureano

London Tides by Carla Laureano
Reviewed by Rachel Dixon
Radiant Lit Blog Tours
Genre: Romance
Publisher: David C. Cook
Date Published: June 1, 2015

Grace Brennan has seen the brutality of war first hand. Will she give up her identity in her career to build a new life with the man she loves?

Ian MacDonald has not seen Grace since she left him ten years ago. Grace has suffered very severe trauma with her job as a conflict photojournalist. As she searches for a place to call home, can she lay to rest the ghosts of her past? When their lives are thrown together again, they are different people than they were ten years ago. Will they be able to forge a new life together? Or will the past push them further apart then ever before?

                                      Hope leaves no room for despair

London Tides had me biting my nails till the last page. There are a lot of ups and downs and I had no idea which direction Carla Laureano would take me next. The romance was a little more heated than in

Hearts Made Whole (Beacons of Hope - Book 2) - Jody Hedlund

With sorrow and uncertainty all around, Caroline will do anything to keep her family safe and protected.

Caroline Taylor's family has had their fair share of suffering. With their father having recently passed, their beloved home is now being threatened. But in 1865, because Caroline is a woman, the inspector sees fit to replace her with a man, Civil War veteran Ryan Chambers. Ryan is haunted by the pain of the past. All he wants to do is drown his sorrows any way that he can. Will they try to find their own solutions to their problems? Or will they turn to the only One who can heal their hearts and make them whole again?

"God is good all the time, no matter what bad things come into their lives." - Hearts Made Whole

There is something about Jody Hedlund's books that grip my heart. My laundry has sat forsaken the last few days and I have burned the midnight oil finishing Hearts

The Vow: A Novella - Prequel to An Uncertain Choice - Jody Hedlund

Tragedy and despair have come knocking at the door. If the door remains shut will it go away?

Lady Rosemarie's life has been turned upside down in more ways the one. With her plans for the future completely demolished, she holds her head high with a determination to be the best that she can be.

How can Jody Hedlund snare my attention so effectively in just seven chapters? My only regret is that I can't start An Uncertain Choice quite yet. I was quickly swept away to the late 1300s in this novella. The detail and language is exquisite. Definitely worth a read.

Published by Zondervan

Look to the East - The Great War Series Book 1 - Maureen Lang

Out of the east comes a terror that will attempt to destroy the world.

At the dawn of World War I, the village of Briecourt is nestled in relative safety. That all changes when the German Imperial Army marches in and takes over. Life will never be the same for the villagers, who have had a family dispute for generations. Will having a common enemy finally bring them together? Julitte Toussaint, the adoptive daughter of a seaman, has to withstand the scorn of the de Colvilles for the shadows of her past. When she finds an unexpected "visitor" hiding in the cellar of the church, she feels the pull of love for this man she hardly knows. Charles Lassone is a Belgian entrepreneur caught behind enemy lines. He longs for escape so that he can join the Allies cause and win the respect and love of Julitte. With a dispute running so rampant, who can be trusted? The difference between friends and foes could not become more complicated.

This is both the first book that I have read by Maureen Lang and my first book set during World War I. Unfortunately, The Great War is not always as popular of a topic as its "sequel" is. Labor camps

Now & Forever (Wild at Heart #2) - Mary Connealy

Romance and suspense in the mountains of Idaho Territory, 1866.

Shannon Wilde, the middle sister, has a soft spot for animals. She cares for her flock of sheep on her homestead. When her life takes a dramatic turn off of a cliff with Matthew Tucker, she finds herself married to the rugged mountain man. Shannon is a strong independent woman who is not used to being protected by a man. But as attacks begin to try and drive her off her land, maybe she needs that protection after all. The attacker picked the wrong family to mess with, Tucker's fury is not something to trifle with. But will he be able to protect the wife that he is falling in love with? Will her past drive a wedge between them? Find out on another adventure with the Wilde family!

Mary Connealy is quickly becoming one of my favorite western authors. Her romantic comedy has a side of action and terror, which makes her books well balanced. Now & Forever is not for squeamish stomachs however. I found myself grimacing as I read through a couple of the scenes. I was hooked from the start though, and I couldn't put it down through