A March Bride by Rachel Hauck

A March Bride by Rachel Hauck

Oh, I loved picking up where the Once Upon a Prince left off. If you haven’t read it, I’d recommend starting there, but you wouldn’t have to in order to get caught up rather quickly. Rachel wrote the story in such a way that you could just launch into A March Bride, if you like. 

Let’s begin with the summary:

A Year of Weddings novellas series from Zondervan.  A year’s worth of novellas from twelve inspirational romance authors. Happily ever after guaranteed.

Susanna has found her true prince, and their happily ever after is just around the corner. But when Nate asks her to give up something precious to her, Susanna can’t help but wonder if it’s a sign that their love is not meant to be.

Susanna Truitt (Once Upon A Prince) is three weeks from royalty. She’ll soon marry King Nathaniel II of Brighton Kingdom. But when the government insists she renounce her American citizenship before the wedding, coupled with the lack of involvement by family and friends, Susanna’s heart begins to doubt whether this marriage is God's plan for her.

Nathaniel would do anything for his bride-to-be. But he knows his position requires that 

she give up a lot to be with him. Her life will never be her own---right down to her very identity. When she travels home to St. Simon’s Island, Georgia, right before the wedding, Nathaniel fears she won’t return. Gathering his courage, he devises a plan to win his bride all over again, and together they seek out a kingdom to treasure above all.

And now, my review:

First, the dedication made me say, “Aww…” right out loud! :)

There is always so much going on in a Rachel Hauck novel. First of all, the romantic notion of fairy tales brings an escape of itself. But you’ll find depth. And though there is a fairy tale element, the stories aren’t without challenges and tension, nor the characters without flaws.

While we’re reading about this princess-in-training, readers will see themselves. Our princess-to-be had most of her ducks in a row until a slew of doubts crept in. How many times have doubts stolen your joy as a believer?

There is also symbolism in giving up what we’ve always known for the kingdom of God. We give up our identity to fully enter His. We take a new name and a new identity.

What about running back to the familiar? Yeah, I’ve never done that either. ;) To have her happily ever after, Susannah (whose name means Lily, by the way) must choose to be all in. 

Sound familiar?

I loved this novella.

Highly recommended. 

A January Bride by Deborah Raney

A January Bride

Let's begin with the summary:

What will happen when novelist Madeleine Houser’s “pen pal” friendship with a lonely widower takes an unexpected turn?

Who can work in a house that's overrun by contractors and carpenters? Not Madeleine Houser, a successful novelist who gladly accepts the help of her octogenarian friend, Ginny, to arrange for a temporary office in the charming bed and breakfast owned by Ginny's friend, Arthur. Maddie's never met the innkeeper - but a friendship grows between them as Maddie and Arthur leave messages for each other each day. To Maddie's alternate delight and chagrin, she seems to be falling for the inn's owner - a man who's likely many years her senior - and who she's never even met.

And now, my review:

Our heroine is a writer who desperately needs a quiet place to work. Our hero owns a B&B, which rarely has visitors since his wife’s death.

As a writer, I could relate with the longing to get away from the usual places for writing. So there was a sort of romance in the fact that this heroine got to visit a quiet B&B where she could write.

I liked that the heroine used a picture of the hero as her inspiration, without knowing it was him. I also enjoyed the "pen pal" aspect.

I respect this author and her work in the CBA marketplace. However, this story didn't work for me. As a reader, I sometimes find misunderstandings irritating, especially if one simple step could clear up the mess. That happened in this story and carried on for most of the tale. The hero didn’t take that simple step until two-thirds of the way through. Seemed common sense to me, which didn't help me respect him.

One element I expect from seasoned writers is that I’ll feel what the characters feel along with them—a difficult writing task. That wasn’t the case here. The heroine “acted” as if she cared for her mother, but never grieved the fact Mom didn’t recognize her. So, we didn’t feel (believe) either aspect. The heroine seemed too self-absorbed for readers to respect her or sympathize with her, in my opinion.

The few romantic elements felt contrived in this story. As I mentioned, a misunderstanding kept the hero and heroine apart and once it seemed they might possibly get together for even a page (screen in this e-book) or two, their interactions were muddled with confusion and loads of “skimmable” introspection. 

Overall the characters lacked layers, which meant readers might have a difficult time caring what happens to them and sympathizing with them. All the clichés were also jarring for this reader.  The author heroine explained (author intrusion) how conflict works in her writing, but then the conflict in the story felt contrived. There were POV issues, overused words, and telling instances. Besides the passionless romance, my main issues with the story were related to believability (in regards to character motivation, etc.). I believe in this series, but this book didn’t work for me. Still, I wish the author well.

Review of Smitten Book Club

Smitten Book Club

Ahh... a chance to revisit Smitten, Vermont. And this time, we get to focus on books. Yes!

Let's begin with the summary:

"Consider that your beau is like a coveted novel whose compelling first lines you've just begun to read." —A Gentlewoman's Guide to Love and Courtship

At a rummage sale, Heather, a member of the Fireside Book Club, discovers a turn-of-the-century romantic advice book written by a once-famous Smitten, Vermont, resident. 

When she shares the precious volume with her friends in the club, they find clues about a hidden treasure rumored to be buried in their tiny town.

As Heather, Abby, Lia, and Molly take turns reading the book, each projects onto it her own literary tastes. Heather sees it as a mystery. Abby discovers delicious dashes of Jane Austen. Lia sees in it the idealism of a bygone day. And Molly just wishes they'd made the book into a movie.

One by one, each of the women finds romantic love--often in spite of the historic book's advice. And in searching for the legendary gold, the friends discover the best kind of treasure. The kind that brings hope and healing to each of their hearts.

And now, my review:

I’ve enjoyed this series from the first book. The fictional setting of Smitten, Vermont is a fun place, peopled with relatable characters. I was glad to read this collection for review as this is the last book including author Diann Hunt, who went to heaven last November. She is missed.

Let me begin with the first story, Love by the Book by Colleen Coble.  This novella, as the first in the compilation, had to set up the collection’s characters (somewhat) and overall threads. I liked that we learned about Molly and her financial needs and how the friends were all determined to help her search for the lost gold. But all the character intros and names took away from the focus on romance, and I found the story hard to follow. She ties in the guidebook, which I enjoyed reading excerpts from throughout. It was a quaint thread.

The second story, Shelved Under Romance by Kristin Billerbeck was a favorite, both of this compilation and of books I’ve read recently. I loved this story! The chemistry and characters. The librarian hiding behind dowdy clothes. The hang-gliding scene was delicious. Loved. It. I could especially sense the genuine friendship these authors shared in real life coming through in these four characters. Very enjoyable.

The third story was A New Chapter, by Diann Hunt. I read this one with a heavy heart, grieving with the rest of the writing community the loss of a tender-hearted, God-glorifying woman who left us such a legacy of how to face trials in this life. I know this is a bittersweet project for the dear group of authors who were Diann’s closest friends. My favorite aspect was seeing her heroine’s name: Elliana. Such a beautiful name meaning “God has answered my prayers.”

The fourth story in this book-themed compilation was appropriately titled Happily Ever After and was written by Denise Hunter. I’m a long-time fan of Denise’s fiction. I’ve read most of her books, and this heroine’s voice was so different—quirky. Loved that! Denise did something else fun here. She referenced the movie You’ve Got Mail a lot. Phrases like: “Why had he stopped by? She couldn’t remember.” And how Molly Moore is an alliteration, like Kathleen Kelly. Or “he would never.” The one where I laughed aloud was “my shop’s just around the corner.” Like an inside joke for readers, these phrases endear us to her.

It was such a pleasure revisiting Smitten, Vermont with these authors. So glad we could do it one more time. 

Highly recommended. 

The Nurse’s Secret Suitor by Cheryl Wyatt

The Nurse's Secret Suitor

This author really gets romance!

Let’s begin with the summary:

A Strong-Willed Heart  

Trauma nurse Kate Dalton can handle any challenge—except love. The combat veteran dreams of settling down, but heartbreak is one risk she won't take. Then a chance encounter opens her heart to a masked stranger…who might not be a stranger after all!

Caleb Landis, the army medic behind the disguise, has always admired Kate, even though she only saw him as her best friend's brother. What will it take for Kate to discard her fears and discover the man she's always hoped to unmask? 

Eagle Point Emergency:  Saving lives—and losing their hearts— in a small Illinois town.

And now, my review:

The opening scene is delicious, mysterious, and romantic, with an element you don’t often see in romance novels. I loved it!

Like I mentioned above, this author gets romance! And chemistry.

The element of secret identity is a favorite of mine in romance—from Clark Kent/Superman to this story. It adds a fairy-tale-esque feel that kept me turning pages. The number of encounters between the bandit and Kate was perfect for delighting readers.

Both the hero and the heroine hide behind masks. They’ll have to overcome their fears to let each other in. Our heroine has decided she has to be strong and will not lean on others or let people in. The hero has long ago determined what his future will be. He has tunnel vision toward his goals because of his need to prove himself (another thing these two leading characters have in common). I liked how they echoed each other’s hang-ups between the two of them, though they were a bit blind to their own. Good writing.

What an enjoyable book! Though Love Inspired novels are only in print a short time, you can always get this title for your e-reader. Enjoy!

Highly recommended. 

The Nurse's Secret Suitor (Eagle Point Emergency) (click to go to Amazon)

Switch on your Brain: The Key to Peak Happiness, Thinking, and Health by Dr. Caroline Leaf

Switch on your Brain

I rarely review non-fiction, but after a friend mentioned reading Dr. Leaf’s work, I knew I wanted to check out this latest book.

Let’s begin with the back cover copy:

According to researchers, the vast majority—a whopping 75-98 percent—of the illnesses that plague us today are a direct result of our thought life. What we think about truly affects us both physically and emotionally. In fact, fear alone triggers more than 1,400 known physical and chemical responses in our bodies, activating more than thirty different hormones! Today our culture is undergoing an epidemic of toxic thoughts that, left unchecked, create ideal conditions for illnesses.

Supported by current scientific and medical research, Dr. Caroline Leaf gives readers a prescription for better health and wholeness through correct thinking patterns, declaring that we are not victims of our biology. She shares with readers the "switch" in our brains that enables us to live happier, healthier, more enjoyable lives where we achieve our goals, maintain our weight, and even become more intelligent. She shows us how to choose life, get our minds under control, and reap the benefits of a detoxed thought life.

And now, my review:

Philippians 4:8. You probably know the verse by heart. If not, go check it out. Dr. Leaf’s work centers around that and other Scriptures to back up scientific research about how the brain works—specifically how the mind affects the brain, which affects the body.

Some of the writing is academic and would probably best benefit through slow ingestion. After she explains the science of the mind/brain connection, she gives a 21-day brain detox strategy. This is a useful tool to apply the lessons of the first part of the book.

I liked how she tied Scriptures and science together. She calls scientific discovery a means of glorifying God. I agree.

The research was fascinating—how thoughts (our minds) affect our brains and bodies. Negative thinking doesn’t just affect our attitudes, but also our health. I’ve highlighted multiple passages for review later.

For me, this was a timely tool God used in my life. Perhaps that will be the same for you. The beginning of a new year seems an appropriate time to read it. 

Recommended. 

(e-book format)