The Best of Intentions - Canadian Crossings Book 1 - Susan Anne Mason

My Rating

★★★★ - You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you. (More Info)

About the Book

She Swore to Protect Her Nephew at Any Cost. But What if That Price is a Chance at Love? 
In the aftermath of WWI, Grace Abernathy is determined to reunite her family, crossing an ocean to convince her widowed sister to return home to England. Yet, in Toronto she discovers more tragedy--her nephew Christian in the custody of his paternal relatives, the formidable Easton family, who rejected Grace's sister because of her low social status. 

Unconvinced the Eastons can be fitting caretakers, Grace uses an assumed name to secure the position of Christian's nanny and moves into the Easton estate. There she can observe the family up close, while ensuring Christian's well-being. In the course of her new role, she is shocked to find herself falling in love with Andrew Easton, the boy's guardian. Unfortunately, Andrew is promised to a spoiled socialite who is sure to make a terrible stepmother for Christian. Will Grace be able to protect her nephew . . . and her heart? (Bethany House)

My Thoughts

This story is filled with so many emotions! Grace's life has been filled with so much heartache. When she finally finds her nephew, she is determined to keep him in her life, at any cost. The need to protect him and reunite her family drives Grace to a place she never thought she would go. But is she really just running from forgiving herself for the past?

Andrew Easton has spent his life serving to please others. But what about his own dreams and desires? Will he sacrifice everything he longs for just to please his family? Or will he stand up for himself and take the path for the future HE wants?

There are so many interesting characters in this story. The layers of personality are lovely. Virginia is one of my favorite people and I am so glad we get to follow her story too! 

Set in the beautiful city of Toronto, it is wonderful to get a new perspective of history in the early 1900s.

I received a complimentary copy of The Best of Intentions from the publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

About the Author

Susan Anne Mason's debut historical novel, Irish Meadows, won the Fiction from the Heartland contest from the Mid-American Romance Authors Chapter of RWA. Also a member of ACFW, Susan lives outside of Toronto, Ontario, with her husband and two children. 

Blog // Facebook // Pinterest// Website

More Books by Susan Anne Mason

      

Coming Soon

The Orphan's Wish - Hagenheim Book 8 - Melanie Dickerson

My Rating

★★★★ - You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you. (More Info)

About the Book

From the streets to an orphanage in a faraway kingdom, Aladdin has grown up alone. Until he meets Kirstyn. With a father who is the Duke of Hagenheim and a mother who is the patroness of the orphanage where Aladdin lives, Kirstyn is a member of the most powerful family in the land . . . and way out of his league. Despite the difference in their stations, Aladdin quickly becomes Kirstyn’s favorite companion for taking walks in the forest, and their childhood friendship grows along with them.

Through his scrappy skills, intelligence, and hard work, Aladdin earns a position serving in the duke’s house. But he knows it isn’t enough to grant him his one desire: Kirstyn’s hand in marriage. If he hopes to change his station in life and feel worthy of marrying Kirstyn, he must leave Hagenheim to seek his fortune.

But once Aladdin leaves, no one is around to protect Kirstyn, and the greedy men desperate to take advantage of her father’s wealth take notice. Now, more than Aladdin’s background stands in the way of the future he’s worked so hard to obtain. His only hope is to rescue Kirstyn and somehow manage to win her hand as well. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts

Fairy Tale retellings have always been a favorite of mine. And Melanie Dickerson's are among my absolute favorites! She has a unique way of taking the fantasy stories and making them come alive in the real world. In The Orphan's Wish, Melanie's latest release, we get to see Aladdin's story. Not only do these stories have realistic qualities to them, but they are also sprinkled with faith and hope in God, our Father and Creator. 

Having been orphaned at a young age, Aladdin has been searching for his worth and fortune his whole life. Kirstyn is a tender-hearted young woman who always looks for the good in those around her. Aladdin and Kirstyn have been friends their whole lives, but will their friendship ever blossom into something more? What will happen when evil threatens the life of Aladdin's closest friend? 

Get whisked away into the world of Kirstyn and Aladdin. You will be on the edge of your seat as events unfold. Feel the agony of betrayal, the joy of family, and the hope of our faith...And fall in love with Aladdin and Kirstyn. You don't want to miss this newest adventure.

I received a complimentary copy of The Orphan's Wish from the publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

 About the Author

Melanie Dickerson is the New York Times bestselling author whose two favorite time periods are Medieval, which she has combined with her love of fairy tales, and Regency England, which stems from her love of Jane Austen. She is a 2-time Christy Award finalist, a 2-time Maggie Award winner, winner of The National Reader's Choice Award for 2010's Best First Book, and winner of the 2012 Carol Award in Young Adult fiction. She earned her bachelor's degree in special education from The University of Alabama and has taught children with special needs in Georgia and Tennessee, and English to adults in Germany and Ukraine. Now she spends her time writing, hanging out on facebook, and being with her husband, two daughters, and two guinea pigs near Huntsville, Alabama. (From Melanie's Amazon author page.)

Facebook // Instagram // Pinterest // Twitter // Website

Books by Melanie Dickerson on Bookworm Mama

Medieval Fairy Tale Romance

 Hagenheim

 Coming Soon

Coming February 2019

Top Ten Tuesday - Storytime Mash-Up

Today we are talking about stories we'd mash together...the topic was submitted by Rissi @ Finding Wonderland. Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.

Harry Potter and Doctor Who

The Thorn Bearer and A Name Unknown

Huck Finn and Peter Pan

Chronicles of Narnia and Alice in Wonderland

Treasure Island and The Count of Monte Cristo

Cinder and Pride & Prejudice

Unblemished and The Silent Song Bird

Storm Siren and The Princess Bride

Behind the Scenes and A Noble Masquerade

Murder at the Flamingo and Always Watching

First Line Fridays - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Happy Friday!

Ok...I jumped on this band wagon. I saw that Netflix was releasing the movie for this soon and I REALLY want to read the book first (yes, I am a nerd like that). Have you read it? I can't WAIT!!! I may end up listening to the audiobook through SCRIBD though. (If you haven't checked out SCRIBD yet, you can get a FREE 30-Day trial HERE. Yes, it's really a FREE trial and you can cancel anytime. SCRIBD has changed my life!)

Today’s first line is from...

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Mr. Sidney Stark, Publisher

Stephens & Stark Ltd.

21 St. James's Place

London S.W.1

England

Dear Sidney,

Susan Scott is a wonder.

GOODREADS | AMAZON

What is your favorite Bookish Book?

Head over to Hoarding Books to link up with your own FLF post! (Please keep it family 

friendly...Or note otherwise in the link up)

The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond - Jaime Jo Wright

My Rating

★★★★★ - You have bewitched me, body and soul. (More Info)

About the Book

For over a century, the town of Gossamer Grove has thrived on its charm and midwestern values, but Annalise Forsythe knows painful secrets, including her own, hover just beneath the pleasant faade. When a man is found dead in his run-down trailer home, Annalise inherits the trailer, along with the pictures, vintage obituaries, and old revival posters covering its walls. As she sorts through the collection, she's wholly unprepared for the ramifications of the dark and deadly secrets she'll uncover. 

A century earlier, Gossamer Grove has been stirred into chaos by the arrival of controversial and charismatic twin revivalists. The chaos takes a murderous turn when Libby Sheffield, working at her father's newspaper, receives an obituary for a reputable church deacon hours before his death. As she works with the deacon's son to unravel the mystery behind the crime, it becomes undeniably clear that a reckoning has come to town--but it isn't until another obituary arrives that they realize the true depths of the danger they've waded into.

Two women, separated by a hundred years, must uncover the secrets within the borders of their own town before it's too late and they lose their future--or their very souls. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts

I couldn't read this book fast enough! Jaime Jo Wright weaves such a tale of mystery and suspense that you won't want to put it down. Thankfully, when house duties called, I have SCRIBD, so I could listen to the book while I did dishes, vacuumed, and did the laundry. 

Filled with so much agony for all that these characters go through, the empath in me had a rough go of it. But, all said and done, the author created the perfect balance with the tension, the hope, the suspense, and the romance. I am not sure how much more I can say without giving away the story! I couldn't figure out who the "bad guys" were for the longest time. I was trying so hard to figure out how everything all meshed together...But couldn't work it out on my own.

Annalise and Libby are two women that I think are incredibly strong, brave, and heroines of the best sort. Sure they have made mistakes (who hasn't), but the important thing is that they learned from them, grew, moved on, and are helping others. 

I just want all of Jaime's stories in my hands right now! I could read them all year. Haha! I adore her voice and the vision she has behind her stories. They truly are remarkable and deserve the highest praise.

I received a complimentary copy of The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond from the publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

About the Author

Professional coffee drinker & ECPA/Publisher's Weekly best-selling author, Jaime Jo Wright resides in the hills of Wisconsin writing spirited romantic suspense stained with the shadows of history. Coffee fuels her snarky personality. She lives in Neverland with her Cap’n Hook who stole her heart and will not give it back, their little fairy Tinkerbell, and a very mischievous Peter Pan. The foursome embark on scores of adventure that only make her fall more wildly in love with romance and intrigue. Jaime lives in dreamland, exists in reality, and invites you to join her adventures at jaimejowright.com

Website // Facebook // Twitter // Pinterest // Instagram // Goodreads // Amazon