WHEN THE AVALANCHE ROARED by LAURALEE BLISS

Publication date 1/1/25

WHEN THE AVALANCHE ROARED by LAURALEE BLISS is a novel in the historic North American disasters series, which will keep you rivetted as you follow Lillian Hartwick and Griffin Jones in their fight to save the people affected by the devastating avalanche that hit the small railway community,of Wellington. The characters are very well portrayed, especially as we see how the rather spoilt Lillian, who is marking time until she marries her rich and self important fiance, settles into a much simpler way of life as a companion to her pregnant cousin Elizabeth. I like to see her compassion for her new friends, and the way she teaches Griffin, the gentle giant to read, and keeps the people who are stranded on the trains, especially the children, occupied. I also like the strong Christian message of hope running through the story……

I cannot recommend this inspiring book strongly enough.

I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Barbour Publishing The opinions in this review are completely my own.

BEFORE THE KING by HEATHER KAUFMAN

Publication date 21/1/25

BEFORE THE KING by HEATHER KAUFMAN is well written Biblical fiction, based strongly on the Bible and on the Author’s research on the time in which Joanna lived. I cannot recommend this beautiful read strongly enough. With Joanna’s experiences faithfully following the Scriptures, and her thoughts and emotions well portrayed, this novel is a gem which should not be missed. The other characterd are also very well portrayed particularly as we see their various responses to Jesus and the Word of God. 

We are made aware of the difficulties and dangers of life at the time, the falseness and cruelty of the earthly king Herod as opposed  to the love and mercy of God the Father shown in Jesus Christ as He walked amongst men, many of whom reviled Him, the entitlement of the upper class and the error in the teachings of most of the Pharisees and Sadducees………

Joanna and Chuza each have a secret that threatens their marriage……

I’m not going to tell you any more for fear of spoiling  things for you. 

I found Before the King most inspirational and a story to be savured.

I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

THE CHOICE by D.L. WOOD

To say that THE CHOICE by D.L. WOOD  is exciting is an understatement! I guarantee you will not be able to put the book down until the last page.

With interesting characters, dysfubctional family dynamicx, a luxury cruise, murder and mayhem - what more do you want in a nail biting thriller?

There is also some romance and a strong Christian message.

Sadie Miles, a waitress living on the outskirts of southern Nashville with her beloved little Matty and her neighbour Captain Kyle, has never known her father, and is both intrigued and fearful when she sets off with her father’s lawyer Liam Prentice to meet him at last……..

I am not going to tell you any more for fear of spoiling your read.

I cannot recommend The Choice highly enough.

CLOAKED IN BEAUTY by KAREN WITEMEYER

Publication date 17/12/24

CLOAKED IN  BEAUTY by KAREN WITEMEYER is a most enjoyable novel based largely on two fairy tales,namely Little Red Riding Hood and Sleeping Beauty. The story takes place in 1881.It is charming, exciting and very well told. i cannot recommend Cloaked in Beauty strongly enough.

The story starts with six year old heiress Scarlett Radcliffe being sent to live with her grandmother in a cabin in the woods to escape her wicked uncle who is after her fortune. There she lives happily with her precious grandmother and Rusty, her pet wolf. With her red cloak and chosen name of Letty Hood, she brings to mind her favourite fairy story……

Letty’s mother employs Pinkerton agent Philip Carmichael to bring her home safely before her twenty first birthday, and he and her faithful Rusty are her

protection detail as they travel cross country, racing against time and trying to hide the truth about their precious cargo…….

I love the main characters, with their strong faith in God and their compassion for the less fortunate, and of course the  love story is fairy tale worthy!

The villain and his cohorts are well described as we see them literally stop at nothing to get the prize.

I was given a free copy of the book by Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

AN HONORABLE DECEPTION by ROSEANNA M WHITE

Publication date 19/11/24

AN HONORABLE DECEPTION is the third novel in the Inposters series by ROSEANNA M WHITE  but it can easily stand alone. I have ejoyed the whole series for the great characters and the strong Christian message.

The story starts with Lady Alethia Barremore, the daughter of the former viceroy of India, employing Mr A of the Imposters Ltd, to find her ayah, Samira, who has disappeared in London. Alethia and Samira share a dreadful secret and there are men who are willing to kill to keep Alethia silent, as Yates finds out when she is shot after their meeting. He takes her to Fairfax Tower in Northumberland to keep her safe and where she meets the rest of the Imposters, their friends, the circus people and animals ……..

The book is very well written with some humour balancing out the heavier parts, strong camaraderie amongst friends, some cmplicated romance, and the seriousness and danger intrinsic to righting the wrongs in society. It is a most enjoyable, well rounded and exciting story, and one I cannot recommend highly enough.

I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

THE SEASIDE HOMECOMING by JULIE KLASSEN

THE SEASIDE HOMECOMING is the third novel in the On Devonshire Shores series by JULIE KLASSEN. I have been looking forward to this addition to the series and am definitely not disappointed! It is a beautifully written and well researched book, with great characters whose emotions one can literally feel, sweet romance and a strong Christian message of redemption. I particularly like the very apt quotations at the beginning of each chapter, from Jane Austen and other authors of the early nineteenth century.

It is good to come across most of the same characters as before, namely the Summers family, as well as some interesting and mostly delightful new ones, in the same beautiful seaside setting.

When the rigidly religious and seemingly unfeeling Aunt Mercer dies, Claire Summers, who has taken refuge with her aunt in Edinburgh, bravely sets off to Sea View, hoping to at least see her sisters, even if her mother still refuses to reconcile with her after her unforgivable sin.

With some trepidation she answers an advertisement to go into partnership in Broadridges boarding house, hoping that her past is never found out by her business partner, Mr William Hammond………

I am not going to tell you any more for fear of spoiling your read.

I cannot recommend this enjoyable and thought provoking book strongly enough. I am now looking forward to the fourth novel in the series.

I was givena free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

THE QUEEN’S COOK by TESSA AFSHAR

Publication date 19/11/24

THE QUEEN’S COOK is the first novel in The Queen Esther’s Court series by TESSA AFSHAR  It is the lovely story of the beautiful and brave Queen Esther and her friendship with her beautiful and brave “Little Cook” Roxannah. The queen speaks to her as a friend as she encoutages her and praises her cooking, and we read of Roxannah that “She had come to love Esther, the fragile queen who held her world together with nothing but threads of love and grace.” I felt as though I was savouring a delicious meal, with the scriptures heading each chapter, the gorgeous setting and the lovable and strong characters.

Adin, the palace physician, is a strong and godly Jewish man who trusts the Lord, but the death of his wife has made him guard his heart, not wanting to lose a loved one again.

Roxannah, who has spent most of her life hiding from her abusive, drunken father, tends to either hide or run away when things get tough, but as she comes to know the Jewish God, “The God who had gven her mother peace and Darab dignity and Esther courage and Adin healing,” she becomes stronger and when she and Adin help Amestris and Queen Esther thwart a vicious plot she feels that, like Esther, the Lord has put her in the palace “for such a time as this.”

I am not going to tell you any more for fear of spoiling things for you.

I cannot recommend this beautiful and inspirational book strongly enough and am looking forward to the next novel in the series.

I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.