Book Review ** City on Fire by Tracy L Higley

I enjoyed reading City on Fire: a Novel of Pompeii by Tracy L. Higley. This book was originally published as Pompeii: a City on Fire. It is well written and obvious that the author has done her background research.  There is a helpful list of words in the front that the reader can reference as they read.

The prologue of the book is set in Jerusalem, AD 70, where Ariella is a 16 year old Jewish girl who falls into the hands of the Romans as they are taking over the city.  The reader is then taken to Rome, nine years later where Ariella is now a slave for the house of Valerius, how she escapes from the evils that she has to endure there and poses as a boy, Ari, to join the gladiators.  She is able to escape detection as the troupe of gladiators move from Rome to Pompeii. Upon arrival in Pompeii, Ari, tries to leave the gladiators and regain her own identity, but is unable to successfully do so. An old Jewish man who does cooking for the troupe is the only person in the gladiator troupe that realizes who Ari really is and takes Ari under his wing for protection.  When he is injured, he directs Ari to take him to the group of Christians in Pompeii.  Cato, a new citizen in Pompeii, who was formerly a politician in Rome, finds Ariella as she is trying to regain her identity and tries to help out.  Eventually he is able to purchase her from the gladiators as a slave for his household without letting them know that she is actually a girl.  He brings her to his household and gives her as much freedom as he can. Cato and Ariella are both intrigued with the group of Christians. Meanwhile, Vesuvius is preparing for eruption with small warning signs that everyone is ignoring. Neither Cato nor Ariella can predict what will happen when her past comes back to haunt her in the present.  Will they be able to escape with their lives and the lives of their loved ones when confronted with Ariella’s past and Vesuvius erupts?

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson through the BookSneeze® book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Book Review ** Gunpowder Tea

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Gunpowder Tea by Margaret Brownley. This is book three in the Brides of Last Chance Ranch series. Here you can read my reviews of the first two books, Dawn Comes Early and Waiting ForMorning.  It is an easy read that you don’t want to put down until you have finished the book.  The characters are well developed and there is a bit of mystery surrounding the hero and heroine that makes you wonder how things will work out.

Miranda Hunt, is a Pinkerton Detective, using the assumed name of Miss Annie Beckman, is on assignment in Cactus Patch, Arizona Territory at the Last Chance Ranch to discover who the Phantom is that has been terrorizing the area for more than a year, robbing banks and rustling cattle. She arrives as Ms. Eleanor Walker’s latest heiress and the train is robbed just before arriving in town.  The marshal has been tipped off that the train robbery is taking place and arrests the perpetrators upon arrival in Cactus Patch; however one of the robbers, Jeremy Taggart, isn’t what he seems. Known as Branch to the ranch hands, Jeremy Taggart is actually a Wells Fargo Detective who was hired by the banker to work at the ranch and uncover the secret of the Phantom. Will Miranda and Jeremy continue their suspicion of each other or will they decide to work together when their true identity is revealed to each other?

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson through the BookSneeze® book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Book Review ** Barefoot Summer by Denise Hunter

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Barefoot Summer by Denise Hunter.  It is an easy read that you don’t want to put down until you have finished the book.  The characters are well developed and there is a bit of mystery surrounding the hero that makes you wonder how things will work out between him and the heroine.

Madison McKinley, a vet, has to face her biggest fear to meet her goal that she has set for herself – to win the Sailing Regatta before she turns 27; a goal that originally was the goal of her deceased twin brother.  In order to meet her goal, she must win the bid for sailing lessons that are being auctioned off. She wins the bid, but her plans backfire on her when the instructor has some family emergencies and asks Beckett O’Reilly to teach the lessons. While Madison has had a crush on Beckett since high school, she blames him for her sister, Jade’s, disappearance, and is Madison’s biggest rival for winning the Sailing Regatta. Beckett also has feelings for Madison, but blames himself for her twin brother’s death and feels that he isn’t worthy of her due to his family background.  Will Madison and Beckett be able to overcome the obstacles and find love? What will happen to Madison’s dream when her partner for the Regatta has an emergency and can’t make it? Will she still be able to sail or will she have to give up on her dreams?

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson through the BookSneeze® book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

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Book Review ** A Bride For All Seasons

I’ve always enjoyed reading mail-order bride stories and A Bride for All Seasons was another fun read.  It is a collection of four stories in one book. Put together with a marriage broker who makes changes to his clients’ letters to “make them look better”, four prospective grooms and four mail order brides might end up with more than they bargained for.

In And Then Came Spring by Margaret Brownley, Mary-Jo Parker goes by train from her home town in Georgia to meet her intended groom, Daniel Garrett in Kansas.  When she gets to Kansas she waits for two hours at the train station before heading out to look for Mr. Garrett only to find out that he is at the church. What a shock she gets when she finds out that he’s at the church because he’s dead and they’re having his funeral.  Also a shock is finding out that he has a son named Eddie! Can Eddie and his Uncle Tom Garrett, the sheriff help Mary-Jo realize that her circumstances have nothing to do with luck, as she believes, and everything to do with God’s appointments.

In An Ever After Summer by Debra Clopton, Melvina Eldora Smith becomes a mail-order bride at the demand of her very proper seamstress aunt, who has held the death of her sister, Melvina’s mother, brother-in-law, Melvina’s father, and her husband against Melvina for 19 years.  Teased and nicknamed “Murderin’ Melvina”, she is ready to start over again as Ellie Smith and applies to be the mail-order bride of a widower, Matthew McConnell, with a young daughter, Sophie. Ellie is excited to become a mother and rancher’s wife but can she win the love of her husband when she tries to help him out with the ranch.

In Autumn’s Angel by Robin Lee Hatcher, Luvena Abbott and her orphaned nephew and two nieces travel from Massachusetts to Idaho to meet her intended groom, Clay Birch.  Clay is restoring a opera house and wants a strong, young bride with business sense that can help him get the opera house going.  He isn’t interested in a widow with children because he feels that he isn’t cut out to be a stepfather and the town where he lives isn’t good for children. Boy is he ever surprised when Luvina steps off the stage with three children.  Can Luvina and Clay work things out or will he send them packing?

In Winter Wedding Bells by Mary Connealy, Megan McBride responds to David Laramie’s ad for a mail order bride.  David only wants a wife who he can teach to run the ranch out west and raise his two sons, as he thinks that he is dying and only has six months to a year left to live, due to having had pneumonia and the best doctor in Chicago has diagnosed him with a heart condition as a result.  Megan, whose mother died from pneumonia and who nursed her brothers through the same illness, doesn’t believe that David is dying and insists on David drinking the tea and using the poultices that she used with her family is determined that David is getting well. She makes him go visit the new doctor in their town who reveals the best doctor in Chicago as a fraud and diagnoses him with pleurisy.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson through the BookSneeze® book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Book Review ** Once Upon A Prince by Rachel Hauck

Are you fascinated with Royalty? Do you enjoy the romance of a nobody falling in love with royalty? If you do, you will probably enjoy Once upon a Prince by Rachel Hauck, the first book in the Royal Wedding series.

Susanna Truitt a struggling landscape architect has just been dumped by her boyfriend of 12 years, marine Adam Peters. She has recently moved from Atlanta to her childhood hometown on St. Simons Island where she works part time at her family’s restaurant, Rib Shack, and part time as a landscape architect for a high school classmate.   

Crown Prince Nathaniel (Nate) Henry Kenneth Mark Stratton of the House of Stratton, Kingdom of Brighton is enjoying his last vacation before becoming King at his family’s vacation house on St. Simon’s Island.  Nate is just trying to relax and spend a few weeks of anonymity before having to return to Brighton where his father has been diagnosed with leukemia and is dying.

After being dumped, Susanna goes for a drive and ends up with a flat tire under the “Lovers Oak” where she had always dreamed that Adam would propose to her.  Nate goes for a drive, leaving his bodyguards behind at the house, and comes upon Susanna trying to change her flat.  He helps her out, and hires her to design and update the gardens that his father had planted at the cottage.  Susanna names the garden “The Kings Garden” not realizing that Nate really is royalty.

In the next few weeks, Susanna and Nate get to know each other, and Susanna finds out that Nate is really the Crown Prince. Nate realizes that he has feelings for Susanna and tells Susanna that because of a law that was made almost 100 years ago; he can never marry her, just before he gets word that his father has passed away.  Susanna denies that she has feelings for Nate, but when she is invited to the Coronation Celebration, she decides to take her sister Brighton for the ceremony.  Nate has no idea that Susanna has been invited and is surprised to see her.  After the coronation, Susanna realizes that she really does have feelings for Nate, but knowing that nothing can come from it returns to her home, determined to be content with her lot.

Will Nathaniel be able to find a way to marry the woman he loves? Can Susanna forget Nate and move on with her life?

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson through the BookSneeze® book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Book Review ** Stress Test by Richard L. Mabry, MD

If you like to read medical thrillers, you will enjoy reading Stress Test by Richard L. Mabry, MD.  Stress Test is the fourth book that I've read by Dr. Mabry, and all of them have been captivating. You don't get bogged down with medical jargon because he explains things in layman’s terms and you want to keep reading to find out what is going to happen.

In Stress Test, Dr. Matt Newman, has just finished his last day of practice as a general surgeon, before becoming a staff member at the Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas and is looking forward to his evening date with his girlfriend, Jennifer, who is a clerk at the District Attorney’s office. As he is leaving the hospital late that night he is kidnapped, bound and gagged with duct tape, and placed in the trunk of his car by two men.  He manages to escape from the trunk, unknowingly leaving his wallet and cell phone behind, as his attackers are driving around but runs down a dead end alley.  Realizing that there is a stack of pallets at the end of the alley, he makes a desperate attempt to elude his attackers by climbing on top of them, allowing his attackers to overlook him.  As he tries to come down from the stack of pallets, he falls head first onto the pavement and blacks out.  A pawn shop owner finds him and calls the ambulance, taking him to Southwestern Medical Center where he has to have surgery to relieve the bleeding on his brain from the fall.  While still in the hospital, two Dallas police detectives come to talk to him.  Dr. Newman’s car has been found with a woman’s body in the trunk and his wallet underneath it.  Suddenly, Matt Newman is a person of interest in a murder case.  Matt, realizing he needs a lawyer, calls Jennifer and asks for the name of a Defense attorney.  She gives him the name of the best defense attorney around, Sandra Murray, has just recently broken off a relationship with a doctor because he couldn’t believe in things he couldn't see. Sandra, whose hardest job as a defense attorney is defending criminals that she feels probably are guilty, hears Matt’s story and realizes that he truly is innocent, but wonders if she will be able to adequately defend him when the police department seems to be finding everything they can to pin on Matt.  God uses Sandra and Matt’s brother, who is a missionary in South America, to get Matt to really seek God and realize that all of this was part of God’s plan.

Will Sandra be able to help Matt? Will there be more attempts on Matt’s life? Who is really behind all of the crimes? Will Matt and Sandra have a chance to explore the feelings that seem to be developing between them or will Matt end up in prison?

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson through the BookSneeze® book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Book Review** The Heiress of Winterwood

I really enjoyed reading The Heiress of Winterwood by Sarah Ladd. Set in the English countryside during the War of 1812, it was captivating and hard to put down.

Amelia Barrett is the heiress of Winterwood, but only if she is married by her 24^th birthday. Since both of her parents are dead, she lives at Winterwood with her Uncle, Aunt and cousin. The book starts with a prologue, in which Amelia’s close friend, Kathleen Sterling, died just days after giving birth to a baby girl, Lucy, which Amelia agrees to take care of. Lucy’s father, Captain Graham Sterling is a naval officer that is out to sea for months to years at a time.

Lucy is nine months old by the time that Captain Sterling returns to England. Amelia is engaged to Edward Littleton at the encouragement of her relatives, but is beginning to realize that Edward is not all he seems to be and cares more about her inheritance than he cares about her.  When Amelia comes to understand that Edward is against her keeping Lucy, she takes drastic measures and proposes to Captain Sterling a marriage of convenience.  After much thought, Graham Sterling agrees, but what will happen when Edward Littleton and Amelia’s family find out? Then, two days before Amelia and Graham are to marry; Lucy and her nurse are kidnapped! Who is behind the kidnapping and can Graham and Amelia make their marriage one of love instead of one of convenience?

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson through the BookSneeze® book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Book Review ** Bathsheba: Bathed in Grace

Bathsheba: Bathed in Grace by Carol Cook is an interesting read. She has done in-depth research and paints vivid word pictures of the lives and feelings of eight Old Testament women. 

Bathsheba, a victim of King David’s lust, gains victory and becomes his confidant.  From her story we can learn that we can be victorious even when our circumstances seem hopeless.  Sarah shows us how we can overcome our control issues when we let go and let God take the reins of our life.  Hagar, who felt invisible, was important to God and became the mother of many nations, just as Sarah did. Rebekah, who showed favoritism with her children, shows us pitfalls to avoid.  Through Leah we can learn how to overcome unrealistic expectations and through Rachel we learn that bitterness, if allowed to continue to grow, becomes fatal.  Tamar had skeletons in her closet but was still used of God and Eve is the ultimate story of perfection. This book also includes a glossary of terms and a list of books that she referenced.  At the end of each woman’s story is the reference to the Biblical account of their story. 

 I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and getting fresh insights into the lives of these eight Old Testament women and the lessons we can learn from their lives.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson through the BookSneeze® book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Book Review ** Waiting For Morning

I enjoy reading books about ranches and cowboys.  Waiting for Morning by Margaret Brownley doesn't disappoint. This is book two in the Last Chance Ranch series and follows Dawn Comes Early which I reviewed here.

Welcome back to Last Chance Ranch. This time meet Eleanor Walker’s newest heiress, Molly Hatfield, and her wheelchair bound brother, Donny.  Molly feels responsible for her brother’s injury because she was watching him as a baby when he was injured.  After losing almost all of their possessions in a fire in Dobson Creek, Molly and Donny make their way to Arizona and The Last Chance Ranch.  Molly, who sang in a saloon in Dobson Creek, has a lot to learn about ranch life.  Also new to town is Dr. Caleb Fairbanks.  He begins working with Donny to help him gain strength and become independent.  Along the way, Dr. Caleb also falls in love with Molly.  While Molly seems to do better with horses than cattle, can she overcome that and take over the ranch? What lessons can Molly learn from Miss Walker’s blind colt, Orbit? Will Molly agree to sign Miss Walker’s contract and never marry or will she give up the ranch and marry Caleb?

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson through the BookSneeze® book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Book Review**The Trouble With Cowboys

I always enjoy reading books about cowboys and The Trouble with Cowboys by Denise Hunter, book three in the Big Sky Romance series, didn’t disappoint. I had already read A Cowboys Touch (book one in the series).  I think that you’ll enjoy this book as well.

Annie Wilkerson is a horse trainer that on the side is continuing her grandfather’s horse training advice column in the Montana Living magazine. Annie’s sister, a single-mom, and nephew are also living with Annie.  Annie’s experience with her father and step-fathers (all cowboys) has soured her on cowboys. Dylan Taylor is a local rancher whose favorite horse is going blind. He asks Annie to help him out rather than put the horse down. Annie refuses because of her past history with Dylan and her distrust of cowboys.

When Annie finds out that her column in the magazine is being replaced with a relationship advice column and she is expected to write it, she makes a deal with Dylan to exchange horse training advice for advice for the column. When Dylan’s brother shows up and Annie’s sister starts acting strange, Annie finds out he is her nephew’s father.

Can Annie and Dylan work out their differences?  Can Annie learn that not all cowboys are like her father? What will happen when Dylan’s brother sees Annie’s sister and his son?

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson through the BookSneeze® book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.