Quick Reviews

The Social Graces by Renee Rosen (2021)

High society, the Gilded Age, a feud between Caroline Astor and Alva Vanderbilt - so much to enjoy in this book!  Caroline Astor has been at the top of society for decades, but now Alva Vanderbilt is on the scene, intent on breaking into the upper echelons.  Alva, having come from nothing but now wanting for nothing, doesn't understand why she can't be accepted by the other wealthy women.  It was so interesting to learn about the social norms of the time, the distinctions between old and new money, etc.  I've always enjoyed reading about the Gilded Age, and Rosen does a great job of bringing the time period, and the characters, to life.  There wasn't perhaps as much interaction between the two women as I was maybe expecting, but I did learn more about each one, especially all the heartache Caroline Astor endured in her life.  The story petered out a bit at the end, but it was still an enjoyable read.  4 stars

Dear Henry, Love Edith by Becca Kinzer (2023)

Edith is recently widowed and biding her time before leaving for a volunteer position in South Africa.  She rents a room from what she assumes is an elderly man, who also assumes she's an elderly woman.  While they never see each other in the house, they leave notes where they get to know each other, unbeknownst to the fact that they actually keep running into the other in town, forming a growing bond.  I thought this book was adorable!  I love the mistaken identity aspect and kind of wish it had gone on even longer in the story, where it then moves to a fake dating trope and a little bit of opposites attract.  Edith did not have a great marriage, so I was rooting for her from the beginning to open herself up to love again, although I also liked the idea of claiming her independence and doing something for herself.  Henry was super charming and I loved his devotion to the family business.  The small town setting is very fun, although a little ridiculous with how fast (and wrongly) rumors spread.  A sweet, clean romance, I didn't realize it was Christian fiction at first.  It didn't really hamper my enjoyment of the story, but it can be nice to know these things ahead of time.  4 stars

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Quick Reviews

Blush by Jamie Brenner (2021)

The Hollander Estates winery has been a family-run business for 50 years, but now they might be forced to sell it.  However, three generations of Hollander women may be able to turn it around, with the help of some scandalous books.  I really enjoyed this story!  The characters were so well fleshed out and had such deep and complex backgrounds that I almost forgot I was reading a fictional novel.  It was really interesting to see how matriarch Vivian, daughter Leah, and granddaughter Sadie wanted to save the family business, despite not being allowed major roles in it by patriarch Leonard, and how they bonded over "trashy" novels from the 1980s and were inspired by some of the characters.  The three women showed strength and creativity while facing some tough decisions.  And if you're a fan of wine and cheese, you're going to love all the lush descriptions of the different varieties and the wine-making process.  4 stars

 

The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck (2012)

Charlotte is supposed to be getting married soon, but she can't seem to summon the happiness and enthusiasm she thinks she should be experiencing.  Then, she finds a perfectly preserved wedding dress in an old trunk - as she learns more about the history of the dress, and the three other women who wore it, she hopes she'll find some clarity in her own life.  I really liked the idea of this novel - that there's this sort of magical dress, passed down through the years, and each bride has her own special story - but the execution was lacking a bit for me.  The story mostly moves back and forth in time between Charlotte, in the present day, and Emily, the original bride from 100 years ago.  The other two brides show up so much later in the story, and only for a relatively short time, that it was hard for me to connect to them.  Emily's story was by far the most intriguing, so I enjoyed those chapters.  Charlotte's story felt very slow and it was a little jarring that her love interest received a couple chapters from his own perspective, but I guess it helped explain his wildly swaying emotions.  If you enjoy clean, sweet romances, this might be one for you to try.  3 stars

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Quick Reviews

The Secret French Recipes of Sophie Valroux by Samantha Verant (2020)

 

With her career as a chef sabotaged, Sophie heads to France to help her ailing grandmother with running her chateau and finds her dreams for the future may be changing.  A foodie book set in France?  I couldn't resist, although I didn't love this one as much as I'd hoped to.  The thing I enjoyed most was Sophie's journey and growth - she loses so much confidence after being sabotaged by a coworker that she can't even trust herself in the kitchen, but as she takes on more responsibilities at the chateau, she realizes her capabilities and begins to think that France is actually the place she is meant to be.  The food descriptions were also mouth-watering!  However, I wasn't crazy about the one-dimensional side characters, and while there were bits of drama, they were overcome way too easily.  It lacked depth at times.  3.5 stars

The Key to Love by Betsy St. Amant (2020)

Bri works in a small-town bakery in Kansas, and Gerard works for a travel magazine.  He is sent to write a piece on her bakery after its love lock wall (modeled after the one in France) goes viral.  Gerard isn't impressed by love and romance, but maybe Bri can change his mind.  This book had some cute moments but still suffered from some misses.  I loved the small-town feel, where everyone knows everyone else's business.  I loved watching Gerard's feelings for Bri evolve over the course of the story, as he gets to know her better.  I didn't realize this book was Christian fiction when I picked it up, but the religious tones weren't too overwhelming.  I though Bri's character was a bit erratic - overly emotional while making poor decisions.  I wanted more background of her parent's marriage; she seems to hold them up on a pedestal as the perfect couple, yet what little we learn of them didn't sound all that happy.  Overall, it's a pretty predictable story that still holds some charm.  3.5 stars

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Romance Quick Reviews

To Love a Prince by Rachel Hauck (2020)

When they were children, Daffodil spent a lot of time with the royal family, particularly Prince Augustus, but when she inadvertently stumbles across a royal secret of epic proportions, the Queen banished her.  Now 18 years later, she runs into Gus and they pick up right where they left off, and maybe a bit more.  This was actually a contemporary novel, which I perhaps wasn't expecting at first.  I loved learning about Daffodil's career as an art curator, but the relationship between her and Gus was the heart of the book.  Neither has had great luck in love, and when they meet again, both quickly realize that it's what they've been searching for all along; now they just have to convince the Queen that it's a good match.  This was a sweet and well-written story.  I wanted to know what the big royal secret was, and it was pretty surprising, although not totally dealt with well, in my opinion.  The book is Christian fiction, which didn't really come up often until the end of the book and helped explain some things.  3.5 stars

Squeeze Play by Aven Ellis (2017)

 

Recent college graduate Hayley has found her dream job at a Washington, D.C. nonprofit.  She has no plans to start dating, until she meets professional baseball player, Brody, who challenges her in the best ways.  I didn't love this book, but I did think it was a cute read.  Hayley was a bit of a mixed bag for me - I feel like she tried to portray this really mature demeanor, but she still seemed immature in a lot of ways.  I appreciated that she wanted to better herself and her career, and she seemed to have a pretty solid plan of doing that.  The relationship between Hayley and Brody was sweet with just a little bit of heat.  I loved their banter and the way they challenged each other on what they wanted out of life.  The support and honesty they showed each other was really inspiring.  That said, the writing was a bit simplistic and repetitive.  Their conversations often felt a bit unrealistic and too sugary sweet.  What little drama there was was solved way too quickly and easily.  3 stars

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Mini-Reviews: Pride & Prejudice Retellings

Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev (2019)

As much as I love P&P retellings, this one fell way short for me.  Trisha is a successful neurosurgeon who has been somewhat estranged from her family for almost 15 years.  DJ Caine is a chef whose sister is being treated by Trisha.  The two have their issues from the start, but might they be able to overcome their first impressions?  I did enjoy some things - I loved the culture and the food, and the way the author played with elements of the original story (the two leads are kind of swapped) without tying herself down with trying to incorporate everything.  Unfortunately, there was a lot I didn't like - first, the book was way too long (almost 500 pages!).  It could have easily been 100 pages shorter.  There was so much extraneous background information on so many of the characters.  I just didn't need it all.  I hated the way Trisha's family treated her.  They were basically gaslighting her for something that was in no way her fault (and it also happened when she was a teenager - they need to get over themselves).  The romance was lacking - I know P&P is a slow burn, but to not get a payoff on the romance until literally the last few pages in a book this long was frustrating.  Finally, the writing was very repetitive.  The author would constantly detail what the characters wanted to say in a heated conversation followed by what they actually said.  It was very confusing and I had to keep rereading sections to figure out what was actually happening.  2.5 stars

Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits by Mary Jane Hathaway (2013)

 

A modern take on Pride & Prejudice between two Civil War historians at a small Mississippi college.  Ransom and Shelby's first meeting doesn't go well after he writes a terrible review of her book in a national magazine.  Her blunt honesty and his stoic nature find them in one misunderstanding after another but they eventually get to know each other better.  Although I didn't love this book, I thought there were things to enjoy.  One thing I had an issue with was how nasty some of the characters were to Shelby, and it felt completely unwarranted.  Her department head is constantly finding ways to undermine her, for instance.  I also felt like there were scenes and plot threads that went nowhere.  But I did enjoy the way the author took elements of the classic novel and adapted them to a more modern setting.  She didn't use every character and situation, but the ones she did are easily identifiable.  I also liked the college setting and the fact that the two main characters are historians.  The little touches of Southern history were really interesting.  I didn't realize this book was Christian fiction, so the story was fairly clean and the romance very simplified, but it worked here.  3.5 stars

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Holiday Quick Reviews: Short Stories

Booked for Christmas by Lily Menon (2020)

An author and her worst critic are trapped together in a cabin during a snowstorm in this adorable holiday short story.  Sophie is hosting a holiday party at her cabin when Evan shows up as one of the guest's plus ones; he's unable to leave before a snowstorm hits.  I enjoyed watching these two get to know each other, since they only really know each other's writing.  They both start to understand the other's point of view, and sparks fly.  The writing was super readable and flowed nicely.  Perfectly light and cheery for the holidays!  I thought the ending was a bit abrupt, but I think it's good that I wanted more!  4 stars

Snowed In (Christmas With A Billionaire) by Lila Monroe (2015)

 

If you enjoy your holiday stories with lots of heat, then this is the short story duo for you!  In Snowed in With The Billionaire, party planner Paige is setting up an event at music executive Ace's home when a snowstorm leaves them stranded alone.  Both characters are well-rounded despite the length of the story.  In Christmas with The Billionaire, Broadway actress hopeful Jill plays fake girlfriend for producer Oliver.  There's an interesting angle in this story when Jill gets the role of a lifetime and wonders if it was only because of Oliver.  Although both of these stories were a bit unrealistic (insta-love!), I still enjoyed them.  Monroe is great at creating witty, realistic dialogue, and the mix of humor and steamy scenes was just right.  Both stories are entertaining from start to finish!  4 stars

Once Upon a Christmas by Andrea Boyd, Toni Shiloh, Mikal Dawn, Angela Ruth Strong, and Jaycee Weaver (2019)

 

This collection of five short stories takes your favorite classic fairy tales, modernizes them, and gives them a Christmas twist. I thought these stories incorporated clever modernizations that still kept the essence of the timeless tales.  Sleeping Beauty is updated to tell the story of Talia, who loves being onstage in her family theater but is felled by a strange sleeping disorder; Mulan is a lawyer fighting to save a small business; Snow White is an heiress who flees her conniving fiance and stepmother; Cinderella is a reality TV producer who falls for one of her show's stars; and The Little Mermaid is a college student/hotel worker who longs to open her own art gallery someday.  The stories are easy to read, with little in the way of true conflict - yes, there are dark moments, but you know there will be a happily ever after.  The anthology would fall under Christian fiction, although some stories had more religious themes than others.  If you're looking for sweet, pure romances set during the holiday season, this might be the collection for you.  3.5 stars

Review: The Heart Between Us

The Heart Between Us
Lindsay Harrel
Published March 13, 2018

Megan Jacobs always wished for a different heart. Her entire childhood was spent in and out of hospitals, sitting on the sidelines while her twin sister Crystal played all the sports, got all the guys, and had all the fun. But even a heart transplant three years ago wasn’t enough to propel Megan’s life forward. She’s still working as a library aide in her small Minnesota hometown and living with her parents, dreaming of the adventure she plans to take “once she’s well enough.” Meanwhile, her sister is a successful architect with a handsome husband and the perfect life—or so Megan thinks.

When her heart donor’s parents give Megan their teenage daughter’s journal—complete with an unfulfilled bucket list—Megan connects with the girl she meets between the pages and is inspired to venture out and check off each item. Caleb—a friend from her years in and out of the hospital—reenters her life and pushes her to find the courage to take the leap and begin her journey. She’s thrown for a loop when Crystal offers to join her for reasons of her own, but she welcomes the company and the opportunity to mend their tenuous relationship.

As Megan and Crystal check items off the bucket list, Megan fights the fears that have been instilled in her after a lifetime of illness. She must choose between safety and adventure and learn to embrace the heart she’s been given so that she can finally share it with the people she loves most. - from Goodreads

Megan spent over 20 years of her life being sick, but even after getting a heart transplant, she is still scared to do anything outside her comfort zone.  She finally agrees to meet her donor Amanda's family, and they give her Amanda's diary, which contains a bucket list of items Amanda wanted to do, before she was killed in a car crash.  Megan decides to complete Amanda's bucket list, hoping it will inspire her.  Megan's twin sister, Crystal, decides to accompany Megan on her trip, in hopes of mending their relationship.

First and foremost, this book will give you a serious case of wanderlust!  Amanda's bucket list takes the sisters all over the world, from Peru, to Australia, to Beijing, to Europe.  Not only did Megan and Crystal see all these amazing sights, but I felt like I learned a lot, too, about each place they visited.

Besides all the traveling, the sisters' relationship is at the center of the novel.  Being a twin myself, I could kind of relate to Megan and Crystal, particularly as siblings grow up and start their own lives.  But for Megan and Crystal, it was different.  Megan was stuck in hospitals, while Crystal got to go school, find a great job as an architect, and get married.  When we meet them, the sisters haven't seen each other in years, and it was nice to see them regain their love and trust as the trip went on, although it wasn't easy.

There is also some romance in the book - Megan reconnects with an old friend who also had a heart transplant, and it was sweet to see them experience parts of the trip together, since neither expected they would ever be able to do that.  Crystal, on the other hand, is having marriage issues and wonders if she can really have it all - a successful career and a happy marriage.

I thought the writing was good and the pace of the story was quick.  Each chapter brought a new country.  However, the ending was a little too bland and saccharine for me; it felt like everything wrapped up too quickly and neatly.  The story felt a bit simplistic at times, as well.  This book is Christian fiction, which I didn't realize when I picked it up, but the religious aspects weren't too overwhelming for me (as someone who doesn't identify with any particular religion). 

3.5 stars

Try It, You Might Like It #4: Christian Fiction

"Try it, you might like it" - it's what someone says when they present you with some food you've never had before or your mom wants you to try on some clothes she picked out for you.  I'm using it here on the blog as inspiration to choose books in genres I don't normally read; to branch out from my reading comfort zones; and to maybe find some new favorites!

For this installment, I've chosen Christian fiction.  I read Through Waters Deep (Waves of Freedom #1) by Sarah Sundin (2015).  I was drawn to this book because it's also historical fiction set during WWII, one of my favorite time periods to read about (okay, maybe I cheated a bit by choosing something I already knew I would like!).

It is 1941 and America teeters on the brink of war. Outgoing naval officer Ensign Jim Avery escorts British convoys across the North Atlantic in a brand-new destroyer, the USS Atwood. Back on shore, Boston Navy Yard secretary Mary Stirling does her work quietly and efficiently, happy to be out of the limelight. Yet, despite her reserved nature, she never could back down from a challenge. When evidence of sabotage on the Atwood is found, Jim and Mary must work together to uncover the culprit. A bewildering maze of suspects emerges, and Mary is dismayed to find that even someone close to her is under suspicion. With the increasing pressure, Jim and Mary find that many new challenges--and dangers--await them. - from Goodreads

I'll be honest, I've read a couple Christian fiction books before, because I didn't realize they were classified as such when I picked them up.  It's not a genre I would normally seek out because I'm not religious; it's not a mindset or lifestyle that I particularly relate to.  But I wanted to try it again and keep an open mind.

I did have an issue with this book almost right from the start.  Mary is a secretary at the Navy yard.  Because of an embarrassing incident in her childhood, Mary looked to her faith and decided she was guilty of the sin of pride.  She spent the next several years making sure she never called attention to herself.  She downplayed all her talents, allowing others to finish ahead of her; she wore drab colors; she felt sick when someone even looked at her.  I felt so bad for her that she felt she had to live her life this way.  She could have been doing things that made her happy, like singing, but she felt this need to hide herself away.  Too much of the story is devoted to Mary's inner struggles every time she has to make a decision about anything, questioning her motives about whether she is being prideful.  She started to open up a bit when she began spending time with Navy officer Jim, an old friend from high school, and I enjoyed their friendship that teetered on romance.  Although, at times I just wanted to yell at the two of them to just tell each other how they felt, instead of just assuming they knew what the other wanted!

The historical fiction aspect of the book was something I liked a lot more.  Sundin does a great job of bringing this era to life.  The story focuses on sabotage taking place at the Boston Navy yard, in 1941, before the United States has officially entered the war.  Tension fills the air, from those who want to enter the war and those who may have loyalties elsewhere.

I don't think I would read a lot of Christian fiction in the future.  Although I did appreciate the historical fiction part of the novel, this genre is just not for me.