Review: Among the Fair Magnolias: Four Southern Love Stories

Among the Fair Magnolias: Four Southern Love Stories by Tamera Alexander

Dorothy Love, Elizabeth Musser, & Shelley Gray

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

ABOUT THE BOOK
Four Southern women are at a turning point in history . . . and in their own hearts.

A Heart So True by Dorothy Love

Abigail knows all too well what is expected of her: to marry her distant cousin Charles and take her place in society. But her heart belongs to another. A terrible incident forces Abby to choose between love and duty.

To Mend a Dream by Tamera Alexander

The Civil War cost Savannah Darby everything—her family and her home. When Aidan Bedford, an attorney from Boston, buys the Darby estate, he hires Savannah to redecorate. Can she find a mysterious treasure before her job is finished?

Love Beyond Limits by Elizabeth Musser

Emily has a secret: She's in love with one of the freedmen on her family's plantation. Meanwhile, another man declares his love for her. Emily realizes some things are not as they seem and secrets must be kept in order to keep those she loves safe.

An Outlaw's Heart by Shelley Gray

When Russell Stark returns to Fort Worth, he’s determined to begin a new life. But when he arrives at his mother’s homestead, he discovers that she is very ill and the woman he loved is still as beautiful and sweet as he remembered. With time running out, Russell must come to terms with both his future and his past.

MY REVIEW
The only one that I really enjoyed in this book was To Mend A Dream by Tamera Alexander. I enjoyed the interaction between Savannah and Aidan and I loved the story of how Aidan came to buy the property and why. It was a sweet romantic story.

The other three novellas were well written but just didn't grab my attention and had too much angst in them for a short story. I like my novellas to be really sweet...lol. If the story is going to be really short I want to read something sweet and romantic, not a bunch of drama. Just my opinion. :D

*Thanks to Thomas Nelson & Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions stated are my own.*

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Review: The Curiosity Keeper

The Curiosity Keeper by Sarah E. Ladd

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

ABOUT THE BOOK

“It is not just a ruby, as you say. It is large as a quail’s egg, still untouched and unpolished. And it is rumored to either bless or curse whomever possesses it.”

Camille Iverness can take care of herself. She’s done so since the day her mother abandoned the family and left Camille to run their shabby curiosity shop on Blinkett Street. But when a violent betrayal leaves her injured with no place to hide, Camille has no choice but to accept help from the mysterious stranger who came to her aid.

Jonathan Gilchrist never wanted to inherit Kettering Hall. As a second son, he was content working as a village apothecary. But when his brother’s death made him heir just as his father’s foolish decisions put the estate at risk, only the sale of a priceless possession—a ruby called the Bevoy—can save the family from ruin. But the gem has disappeared. And all trails lead to Iverness Curiosity Shop—and the beautiful shop girl who may or may not be the answer to his questions.

Curious circumstance throws them together, and an intricate dance of need and suspicion leads the couple from the seedy backwaters of London to the elite neighborhoods of the wealthy to the lush, green Surrey countryside—all in the pursuit of a blood-red gem that collectors will sacrifice anything to possess.

Caught at the intersection of blessings and curses, greed and deceit, two determined souls must unite to protect what they hold dear. But when a passion that shines far brighter than any gem is ignited, each will have to decide how much they are willing to risk for their future, love, and happiness.

MY REVIEW

I liked Camille's strength of character. Her life has not been easy but she stays strong and determined through it all. She's courageous, a hard worker, and determined to live a different life than the one she discovers her father has fallen into. Jonathan's character was okay. I liked the fact that he's a gentleman who wouldn't stand by and let Camille get hurt and that he's stood up to his father and created his own life. Other than that, I thought his character was rather tame. He does come through in the end with heroic action though so that was good. I didn't care for his sister - very wishy-washy - sometimes nice, other times scheming & selfish. And there was no satisfactory conclusion to her story so I hope there is more about her in the next book. And that she has a stronger character.

I think fans of Sarah E. Ladd and fans of historical fiction will enjoy this book. For myself, although there was a twist that I saw coming and a twist I didn't see coming, I felt like this book was a little on the bland side. I'm not sure why because I really enjoyed her other series. I did enjoy it enough that I will read the second one coming out next year. :D

*Thanks to Thomas Nelson & Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions stated are my own.*


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Review: The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest

The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest by Melanie Dickerson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

"Swan Lake" meets Robin Hood when the beautiful daughter of a wealthy merchant by day becomes the region's most notorious poacher by night, and falls in love with the forester.

Jorgen is the forester for the wealthy margrave, and must find and capture the poacher who has been killing and stealing the margrave's game. When he meets the lovely and refined Odette at the festival and shares a connection during a dance, he has no idea she is the one who has been poaching the margrave's game.

Odette justifies her crime of poaching because she thinks the game is going to feed the poor, who are all but starving, both in the city and just outside its walls. But will the discovery of a local poaching ring reveal a terrible secret? Has the meat she thought she was providing for the poor actually been sold on the black market, profiting no one except the ring of black market sellers?

The one person Odette knows can help her could also find out her own secret and turn her over to the margrave, but she has no choice. Jorgen and Odette will band together to stop the dangerous poaching ring . . . and fall in love. But what will the margrave do when he discovers his forester is protecting a notorious poacher?

An easy to read story about a girl who thinks she is doing good by helping to feed the poor starving children of the village. I must say, I wasn't real impressed with her character at first. Even though she feels the nudging that she's doing wrong by killing the Margrave's deer (basically stealing) she single-mindedly and naively continues. However, her compassion, sweet nature, and the lessons she learns along the way make her a likable heroine.

I liked Jorgen much better. He's honorable, handsome, hardworking and also compassionate. He's also been on the streets so he feels for the poor children that Odette is trying to help. He works hard to find the poacher not knowing that the woman he is falling in love with is the one he is hunting.

Overall this is an easy read with themes of faith, loyalty, compassion, trusting God, and learning to do the right thing as well as some mystery with twists and a fairy-tale romance.

*Thanks to Thomas Nelson & Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions stated are my own.*


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