To the Farthest Shores by Elizabeth Camden

It has been six years since army nurse Jenny Bennett's heart was broken by a dashing naval officer. Now Lieutenant Ryan Gallagher has abruptly reappeared in her life at the Presidio army base but refuses to discuss the inexplicable behavior that destroyed their happiness.

Ryan is in an impossible situation. One of the few men in the world qualified to carry out a daring assignment, he accepted a government mission overseas that caused his reputation to be destroyed and broke the heart of the only woman he ever loved. Honor bound never to reveal where he had been during those six years, he can't tell Jenny the truth or it will endanger an ongoing mission and put thousands of lives at risk.

Although Ryan thinks he may have finally found a solution, he can't pull it off on his own. Loyalty to her country compels Jenny to help, but she never could have imagined the intrigue she and Ryan will have to face or the lengths to which they will have to go to succeed.

To the Farthest Shores was an intriguing and enjoyable read that explored some heart wrenching consequences of duty, secrets, and dueling commitments. I enjoyed learning more about the pearl trade and industry in the early 1900's, and I loved how pearls both tore Ryan and Jenny apart and forced them to work together again. I could certainly see the depth of research Camden put into her story, and it made the novel very believable. The plot line of this novel was superbly written, and featured suspense, danger, intrigue, and romance in a way that left me glued to the pages. The topics of forgiveness, trust, and honesty were beautifully interwoven throughout the novel in a way that left no doubt of their importance in friendships and deeper relationships. I thought the characters in this novel were well developed, realistic, and easy to relate to. Jenny and Ryan were both complex characters that had much to learn from one another and from God as they sought to move beyond their pasts and to not repeat the same mistakes again. I also appreciated the other minor characters and their role in bringing the main characters together. Overall, I highly enjoyed this novel, and I would definitely recommend it and all of Elizabeth Camden's novels to any reader who loves a complex, satisfying historical romance.

I received this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Big Book of Paleo Slow Cooking by Natalie Perry

  In The Big Book of Paleo Slow Cooking, well-respected and widely read paleo blogger Natalie Perry focuses mostly on main courses for dinner, but there are breakfast, lunch, snack, and sweets/desserts ideas as well. The more than 200 recipes in the book include appetizers and snacks, soups and chilis, poultry, beef, pork and lamb, fish and seafood, vegetable sides, desserts, and pantry basics. The recipes are creative and new incorporating global flavors with roots in Asian, Latin, and Middle Eastern cuisines. Most of these recipes have never before appeared in print.




I thought this cookbook was well written and included a good variety of Paleo recipes. I already follow Natalie Perry's blog, and I was very excited to see this cookbook! I definitely plan on incorporating many of these recipes into my weekly meals, and I think many of these recipes fit my need for meals I can just throw into the Crockpot but that also improve my variety in meals that I can prepare. I thought the organization was also helpful, and I liked the variety of cooking styles available in the book. I definitely plan on buying this cookbook, and I would highly recommend it to fellow Paleo eaters looking to increase their slow cooker recipe collection.

Threads of Suspicion by Dee Henderson

Evie Blackwell's reputation as a top investigator for the Illinois State Police has landed her an appointment to the governor's new Missing Persons Task Force. This elite investigative team is launched with plenty of public fanfare. The governor has made this initiative a high priority, so they will have to produce results--and quickly.

Evie and her new partner, David Marshal, are assigned to a pair of unrelated cases in suburban Chicago, and while both involve persons now missing for several years, the cases couldn't be more different. While Evie opens old wounds in a close-knit neighborhood to find a missing college student, David searches for a private investigator working for a high-powered client.

With a deep conviction that "justice for all" truly matters, Evie and David are unrelenting in their search for the truth. But Evie must also find answers to the questions that lie just beneath the surface in her personal life.

Threads of Suspicion by Dee Henderson is the second novel in her Evie Blackwell Cold Case series, but it can be read as a standalone novel, as far as plot line goes. However, to fully appreciate Evie as a character and to have a better understanding of her development, I would recommend reading Traces of Guilt first. Threads of Suspicion is a well crafted novel that dives into two separate cold cases related to mysterious disappearances...that might not be as separate as they first thought. I enjoyed seeing how Evie and David collaborated with one another, other members of their team, and other agencies to rebuild these cold cases and to begin to track down missing clues. I thought that the storyline flowed well, though there were times when the story dragged some, even if it did match how the characters were feeling about their cold cases. I also appreciated the character development into Evie and David as they learned more about one another and themselves as they were placed under increasing tension and stress related to both their jobs and their personal lives. Overall, I enjoyed the plot and characters of this novel, and I would highly recommend this book (and Dee Henderson's novels in general) to anyone who loves a good suspense/mystery novel that also does not shy away from full character and story development.

I received this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

My Daughter's Legacy by Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould

Virginia, 1864
Therese Jennings cannot abide the thought of owning slaves. When her widowed mother inherits a plantation, Therese flees to Civil War Richmond, where she works as a governess by day and tends to wounded soldiers at night. But when trouble befalls her family, can she reconcile her obligations with her beliefs? And will love—whether with an old beau or a handsome new suitor—ever fit in her broken world?

Virginia, present day
Nicole Talbot’s life is back on track after years of substance abuse. Home from college for the summer, she’s finally ready to share a shocking secret, one that raises new questions about a traumatic childhood experience. But when facts she uncovers cast doubt on her family’s legacy, she must risk all that she’s gained—her fresh start, her family’s trust, and her growing relationship with a new man—to unlock the secrets of the past.
Learn more and purchase a copy.

My Daughter's Legacy is the third novel in the Cousins of Dove trilogy, and it wraps up a truly intriguing mystery that has stretched across the three novels. I picked up this book without realizing it was the last book, but I still heartily enjoyed the mystery and suspense of Nicole's past, along with the other three girls. I thought the authors did an excellent job creating both a good conclusion and an interesting stand alone novel. The novel delves into two women's lives, one in modern day Virginia, and the other in a Civil War torn Richmond.

The modern day story, Nicole's, was told with first person narrative, and I felt very connected to Nicole's thoughts and emotions as she wrestled with her old fears and her new life. Since I did not know the extent of her past from the first two novels, I did not have as much of a comparison of her previous life choices to her current life as a recovering addict, but I could still appreciate her courage and her reliance on both God and other Christian people around her to maintain her changes.

The Civil War story concerns Therese Jennings, one of Nicole's relatives, and it was told with third person narrative, but I still felt connected to Therese's struggles and dreams as she tries to navigate the divide between her family duties and her personal convictions. I enjoyed the suspense I tried to figure out which Talbot man she ended up marrying, and I was satisfied with the result, if not completely sold on the build up to that point.

Overall, I thought the two parallel stories worked well together, and I liked how there were multiple chapters at a time from one woman's perspective so that the parallel stories were not too scattered. I also enjoyed the conclusion of the past tragedy that had haunted Nicole and her cousins, and I was definitely surprised by the results. I look forward to going back and reading the first two novels now.

I received this novel from Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for an honest review.

Mindy Starns Clark is the bestselling author of more than 20 books, both fiction and nonfiction, with over a million copies sold. Mindy and her husband, John, have two adult children and live in Pennsylvania.

Leslie Gould, a former magazine editor, is the author of numerous novels, including "Beyond the Blue" and "Garden of Dreams." She received her master of fine arts degree from Portland State University and lives in Oregon with her husband, Peter, and their four children.

Grounded Hearts by Jeanne M Dickson

A brave midwife. A wounded pilot. A risky secret.

In the midst of World War II, Ireland has declared herself neutral. Troops found on Irish soil must be reported and interned, no matter which side they are fighting for. When midwife Nan O'Neil finds a wounded young Canadian pilot at her door, she knows she's taking a huge risk by letting him in. Not only is she a widow living alone, but if caught harboring a combatant, she'll face imprisonment.

Still, something compels Nan to take in "flyboy" Dutch Whitney, an RAF pilot whose bomber has just crashed over County Clare. While she tends to his wounds and gives him a secret place of refuge, the two begin to form a mutual affection-and an unbreakable bond.

But Nan has another secret, one that has racked her with guilt since her husband's death and made her question ever loving again. As Nan and Dutch plan his escape, can he help restore her faith?

Learn more and purchase a copy.

Grounded Hearts by Jeanne M. Dickson was a well written and heart warming story detailing an aspect of WWII that is not usually present in WWII novels. Ireland is not typically a setting used or discussed in the WWII books I read, and it was very interesting to see the decisions this Irish community had to make concerning aiding an RAF pilot when they secretly were in support of his mission. I thought that the plot line was engaging and included sufficient suspense, danger, and romance for me to devour the novel in one sitting. I really enjoyed the characters, particularly Nan and Dutch. I loved Nan's community, especially her closest friends, and how they looked after one another and pulled together when time called for it. The other minor characters also had many different quirks and amusing characteristics that helped me remember them as the reader and added flavour and depth to the story. Nan and Dutch were both well developed and interesting, and I enjoyed seeing how Dutch and other characters slowly were able to help Nan move past her guilt and realize that she is forgiven by God. There were some aspects of the theology in this novel that I did disagree with, but it did add authenticity to the area where Nan lived. Overall, I highly enjoyed this novel, and I cannot wait to read more of Jeanne Dickson's novels. 

I received this novel from Litfuse Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review.

Landing Page for other Grounded Hearts Reviews:  http://litfusegroup.com/author/JMDickson

About the author:

Jeanne M. Dickson was born into an Irish American family, the only girl surrounded by four brothers. She credits her mother, her aunts, and her grandmother with her love of storytelling. Perfecting her craft, she attends many writer's conferences and over the years, she has won and finaled in numerous RWA romance writing awards including the Daphne du Maurier Award, the Maggie Award, The Molly, The Tara, and she was the overall contest winner of Launching A Star. Today she lives in Coastal San Diego with her fabulous husband, her two wonderful girls, and a dozen disobedient rose bushes.

Find out more about Jeanne M. at http://www.jeannemdickson.com.

  

Heart on the Line by Karen Witemeyer

Grace Mallory is tired of running, of hiding. But when an old friend sends an after-hours telegraph transmission warning Grace that the man who has hunted her for nearly a year has discovered her location, she fears she has no choice. She can't let the villain she believes responsible for her father's death release his wrath in Harper's Station, the town that has sheltered her and blessed her with the dearest friends she's ever known.

Amos Bledsoe prefers bicycles to horses and private conversations over the telegraph wire to social gatherings with young ladies who see him as nothing more than an oddity. His telegraph companion, the mysterious Miss G, listens eagerly to his ramblings every night and delights him with tales all her own. For months, their friendship--dare he believe, courtship?--has fed his hope that he has finally found the woman God intended for him. Yet when he takes the next step to meet her in person, he discovers her life is in peril, and Amos must decide if he can shed the cocoon of his quiet nature to become the hero Grace requires.

Heart on the Line is the second novel in Karen Witemeyer's Ladies of Harper Station series, and it was just as entertaining and well written as her other novels. This novel was filled with suspense, romance, danger, and unexpected twists and kept me enthralled throughout.While this novel can be read without reading the first novel, it is certainly better if you are already familiar with the ladies of Harper Station from the first novel. I definitely went back and looked at the first book, No Other Will Do, in order to remember a little bit more about each character. I enjoyed learning more about Grace and her past after being introduced to her in the first novel. My perspective of her completely changed while reading this novel and seeing more of her underlying character.  I also enjoyed meeting Amos Bledsoe and how he was almost the complete opposite of what Grace was hoping for and of her personality as well. I loved how their relationship began over the telegraph wires and continued to be communicated via Morse code even when they were in the same town. I liked how they brought out the best in one another and how each was forced to step beyond their comfort zone as they grew closer and had to deal with what was going on.

The other characters in this novel were fantastic as well. I enjoyed seeing old faces like the two maidenly aunts, Emma, Victoria, and Helen. It was great to see how both Emma and Malcolm and Victoria and Ben had grown in their relationships since the first novel. I also enjoyed learning more about Helen and see her soften and change as she was forced to see past her distrust of all things male. Overall, I highly enjoyed this novel, and I cannot wait for the next one.

I received this novel from Netgalley and Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.

With You Always by Jody Hedlund

When a financial crisis in 1850s New York leaves three orphaned sisters nearly destitute, the oldest, Elise Neumann, knows she must take action. She's had experience as a seamstress, and the New York Children's Aid Society has established a special service: placing out seamstresses and trade girls. Even though Elise doesn't want to leave her sisters for a job in Illinois, she realizes this may be their last chance.

The son of one of New York City's wealthiest entrepreneurs, Thornton Quincy faces a dilemma. His father is dying, and in order to decide which of his sons will inherit everything, he is requiring them to do two things in six months: build a sustainable town along the Illinois Central Railroad, and get married. Thornton is tired of standing in his twin brother's shadow and is determined to win his father's challenge. He doesn't plan on meeting a feisty young woman on his way west, though.

With You Always is the first novel in Jody Hedlund's new series on the Orphan Train, and it is just as fantastic as her other novels. The storyline was well crafted and kept me glued to the pages. The novel was well paced and contained a perfect mixture of suspense, romance, danger, and betrayal that kept me continually guessing. I enjoyed learning more about the orphan trains, especially those where women signed up to go out West to earn money for their destitute families in the East. I was familiar with where they sent children out West if they were orphans or their families could not afford to care for them, but I did not realize that the women and men would often do the same thing to try to earn a living. I was saddened by the conditions that these people were forced to work in and how they were often never able to free themselves from the 'debt' they had to fulfill for the train ride and housing once they made it out West.

I enjoyed the interactions between Thornton and Elise. Both characters were well developed and engaging, and it was great to see how they challenged one another to look past their stereotypes and pride and then be able to use that to help others. The other more minor characters added greatly to the story, and while some of their situations were left in pieces at the end of this novel, I know that we will see them again in future novels. I cannot wait to see what comes next in this new series!

I received this novel from Netgalley and Bethany House Publishing in exchange for an honest review.