Shine Like the Dawn by Carrie Turansky

Shine Like the Dawn by Carrie Turansky ISBN-13: 9781601429407 Trade Paperback: 320 pages Publisher: Multnomah Books Released: Feb. 21, 2017

Source: Review copy from the publisher through Blogging for Books.

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
In a quiet corner of northern Edwardian England, Margaret Lounsbury diligently works in her grandmother's millinery shop, making hats and caring for her young sister. Several years earlier, a terrible event reshaped their family, shattering an idyllic life and their future prospects. Maggie is resilient and will do what she must to protect her sister Violet. Still, the loss of her parents weighs heavily on her heart because she wonders if what happened that day on the lake might not have been an accident.

When wealthy inventor and industrialist William Harcourt dies, his son and Maggie's estranged childhood friend, Nathaniel returns from his time in the Royal Navy and inherits his father's vast estate, Morningside Manor. He also assumes partial control of his father's engineering company and the duty of repaying an old debt to the Lounsbury family. But years of separation between Nate and Maggie have taken a toll and Maggie struggles to trust her old friend.

Can Maggie let go of the resentment that keeps her from forgiving Nate and reconciling with God? Will the search for the truth about her parents death draw the two friends closer or leave them both with broken hearts?


My Review:
Shine Like the Dawn is a Christian romance set in 1903 in England. The historical details weren't heavy and were woven into the story. If the hat-making aspect was a draw, be warned that only one scene involved hat-making. The main characters were well-developed, and I liked Nate, Violet, the grandmother. I was interested in the challenges that Nate faced in building a relationship with his half-sister, dealing with a pushy step-mother, and trying to stop a strike when he had only limited power and influence in the company.

But I don't see what two men found so attractive in Maggie that they wanted to marry her. Where Nate gave people the benefit of the doubt, Maggie condemned people as guilty until proven innocent. She briefly wondered if it's unfair of her to hold Nate responsible for his parent's hurtful actions yet she still did so. She won't even credit Nate's efforts to help her due to her grudge and because he can't stop bad things from happening to her.

As for the mystery, Maggie snooped around and found some clues. Though she lacked proof, she was ready to accuse and ruin someone's reputation even when Nate felt she shouldn't go to the police yet. Basically, he had to choose between supporting her even if he had doubts or losing her trust.

The Christian element was Maggie learning to trust God again and to realize where her attitude had led her. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting story even if I didn't understand why men were attracted to Maggie.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Telling Tails by Sofie Ryan

Telling Tails by Sofie Ryan ISBN-13: 9781101991206 Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime Released: Jan. 3, 2017

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
When Sarah Grayson opened a secondhand shop in the quaint town of North Harbor, Maine, she didn't expect to be adopted by a rescue cat named Elvis and kooky senior sleuths known as Charlotte’s Angels.

Sarah’s employee (and one of those Angels), Rose, agrees to deliver purchase for a customer. Rose arrives just in time to see the customer murdered by a woman--right before Rose is knocked out. When she wakes up, no one believes her, especially after the wife claims her husband is very much alive and has left her for someone else—and has a text message and empty bank account to prove it. Sarah, Elvis, and the Angels are determined to unravel this mystery.


My Review:
Telling Tails is a cozy mystery. It's the fourth book in a series. I'd recommend reading the previous books first as you'll better understand the character's actions in this book. There were also references to events that happened in previous books, though no whodunits were spoiled.

The main characters were engaging. The mystery was clue-based, and the story focused on collecting those clues. I was annoyed that the author didn't clearly state when Rose saw the apparent crime happen as the characters seemed to know. It's hard to confirm how solid an alibi is without that information. Still, whodunit could be solved using the given clues (and before the Angels figured it out). However, the explanation at the end was difficult to follow as it seemed overly complicated. The clues were all explained, yet important details about how the murders were done were glossed over.

There was no sex. There was a minor amount of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this mystery.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Good Good Father for Little Ones by Chris Tomlin & Pat Barrett

Good Good Father for Little Ones by Chris Tomlin & Pat Barrett ISBN-13: 9780718086978 Board Book: 24 pages Publisher: Thomas Nelson Released: Jan. 31, 2017

Source: Review copy from the publisher through BookLook.

Book Description, Modified from BookLook:
With sweet, rhyming text, Good Good Father for Little Ones explores many of the attributes that make God such a good, good Father: like a warrior, He protects you; like a teacher, He helps you learn and grow; like a king, he rules with your very best in mind; like a farmer, He grows the yummy food you need; like a musician, He loves to see you dance and giggle. Most of all, a good, good Father loves you!

Illustrated with stunning art by Lorna Hussey and penned by Grammy Award-winning Christian music artist Chris Tomlin and Pat Barrett.


My Review:
Good Good Father for Little Ones is a children's board book. I thought it was supposed to be about God, but there isn't a single mention of God in the text. The book started by asking "What is a good, good father like?" and then describes this father. But unless you know that the lion with the crown is meant to be God, it sounds like a list of things that a good human father will do.

Perhaps if the text had said, "God is a good, good father," I would have liked the book. The illustrations and rhyming text are simple, but nice. The book did describe some things about God--he protects you, teaches you, grows food, loves to see you dance and giggle, listens to you, forgives you, etc. A few are a little obscure, like "gives you medicine and fixes boo-boos," which a real dad might do, but not how I'd described God. And even a human father won't do all these things (like garden) which may be confusing for children. Since the book isn't clearly about God and could be confusing, I was disappointed.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

A Bend in the Willow by Susan Clayton-Goldner

A Bend in the Willow by Susan Clayton-Goldner ISBN-13: 9781370816842 ebook: 275 pages Publisher: Tirgearr Publishing Released: Jan. 18, 2017

Source: ebook review copy from the author through the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from NetGalley:
Willowood, Kentucky - Robin Lee Carter is abused as a child and made fun of as "dirty junkyard trash" by other kids. In 1965, she disappears the same night a fire kills her rapist. She reinvents herself and lives a respectable life as Catherine Henry, married to a medical school professor in Tucson, Arizona.

In 1985, their 5-year-old son, Michael, is diagnosed with a chemotherapy-resistant leukemia. Their only hope is a bone marrow transplant, but no match is found. She must admit that she's been lying about her past and face the family she's left behind: her brother who thinks she's dead and a 19-year-old son, a product of her rape, who she gave up for adoption. She knows her return may lead to a murder charge, but Michael is suffering terribly and her husband no longer trusts her. Will she lose everything in her attempts to save her dying son?


My Review:
A Bend in the Willow is women's fiction set in 1985 with frequent flashbacks to Robin Lee's childhood. I expected the book to focus on healing from the past. But, no, it's basically watching Robin Lee be physically and emotionally tortured--by sexual, physical, and emotional abuse in her past and by guilt now.

We're told the details of the horrible things the sick son has to endure and of the abuse she and her siblings endured as children, but apparently that wasn't enough. The husband's father is also sick with cancer. The husband may lose his dream job. And so on.

So many pages were spent adding layers of pain and guilt that relatively little time was spent on rebuilding the relationships and finding healing--the things I was interested in. People initially refused to even listen to Robin Lee because they felt so hurt but would decide that they needed to get over it for the sake of the sweet, sick boy.

In the last 4% of the story, things started looking hopeful. Then the story ends. We're left with hope that Michael may get better yet uncertain if things really do work out okay in the end. This left me feeling very frustrated.

There were some graphic details when describing the sexual abuse. There was a fair amount of bad language.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Betrayal at Cleeve Abbey by Anita Davison

Betrayal at Cleeve Abbey by Anita Davison ISBN-13: 9781786690821 Paperback: 294 pages Publisher: Aria Released: Dec. 1, 2016

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Flora Maguire is now happily married to Bunny Harrington and living in Richmond when she receives an alarming telegram informing her of her father's tragic death in a suspicious riding accident at Cleeve Abbey.

Heartbroken, she and Bunny return to her former home, where she was Governess to Eddy, Viscount Trent, and her father was Butler to Earl Trent.

Flora’s intention was to bury him next to Lily, her mother, who passed away when Flora was a small child. But mystery surrounds the final resting place of Lily, and no-one is willing to talk. Flora must uncover hidden family secrets as she also solves her father's murder.


My Review:
Betrayal at Cleeve Abbey is a mystery set in 1902 in England. It's the second book in a series, but you don't need to read the previous books to understand this one. However, the characters referred to some events in the previous novel including (I think) spoiling whodunit.

The characters were interesting. I liked how Flora's husband was very supportive of her and that Flora was able to handle herself creditably in a dangerous situation. The many historical details (like news, technology, dress, etc.) were woven into the story without slowing the pacing.

The story involved several mysteries--past and present--that might or might not be connected. Some mysteries were a matter of finding the person who knew what had happened and was willing to talk about it, which wasn't exactly easy. For the murder mystery, Flora asked questions and uncovered clues until she had a good picture of what had happened. I was not surprised by whodunit, but I hadn't guessed whydunit until the confession scene.

There were no graphic sex scenes. There was no bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable historical mystery novel.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

An Uncommon Courtship by Kristi Ann Hunter

An Uncommon Courtship by Kristi Ann Hunter ISBN-13: 9780764218262 Paperback: 352 pages Publisher: Bethany House Released: Jan. 3, 2017

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from NetGalley:
The last thing Lady Adelaide Bell expected was a marriage of convenience to save her previously spotless reputation. What's worse is that her socially ambitious mother could have saved Adelaide's reputation and now clearly hopes to use her to gain social position for her favorite daughter, Adelaide's sister.

Lord Trent Hawthorne had grand plans of wooing and falling in love with the woman of his choice. When he finds himself honor bound to marry a woman he doesn't know, his dream of a marriage like his parents' seems lost forever. Already starting their marriage on shaky ground, can Adelaide and Trent's relationship survive the pressures of London society?


My Review:
An Uncommon Courtship is a Christian historical novel set in 1814 in England. It's the third book in the series. You don't need to read the previous novels to understand this one, but you'll probably enjoy it more if you know the history behind the "for love" marriages of the other characters.

Frankly, I felt like the story started in the wrong spot. I would have loved seeing Trent and Adelaide interacting when trapped in the ruins, but that's skipped over. The first chapters were mostly each character thinking about what had happened, their dashed hopes, and their worries. I tend to be bored by beginning chapters that are mostly a character thinking rather than interacting. Once the main characters started interacting, I found the story more engaging.

Trent wanted love in his marriage, but what is love? Knowing a person's favorite color or being able to finish their sentences? He consulted with his family and married friends (from previous stories) to learn the answer, and they directed him to the Bible for answers about love and marriage. Whereas the advice of Adelaide's mother seemed more likely to ruin the marriage.

Because Trent and Adelaide are married, they do have sex (though no sex scenes) and have some vague discussions about sex with others (as no one had prepared them for their wedding night). There was no bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this book to fans of the Hawthorne House series. If you haven't read any of them, though, I'd recommend starting with an earlier story.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Mystery in the Channel by Freeman Wills Crofts

Mystery in the Channel by Freeman Wills Crofts ISBN-13: 9781464206719 Paperback: 278 pages Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press Released: Jan. 3, 2017

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from NetGalley:
The Chichester is making a routine journey across the English Channel on a pleasant afternoon in June, when the steamer’s crew notice something strange. A yacht, bobbing about in the water ahead of them, appears to have been abandoned, and there is a dark red stain on the deck… Two bodies later, with no sign of a gun, there certainly is a mystery in the channel.

Inspector French soon discovers a world of high-powered banking, luxury yachts and international double-dealing. British and French coastal towns, harbours – and of course the Channel itself – provide an alluring backdrop to this nautical adventure, along with a cast of shady characters.


My Review:
Mystery in the Channel is a mystery novel that was originally published in 1931 and is set in England. We followed Inspector French as he carefully tracked down every lead in the case. He's clever, so he can see the potential of a clue as fast as the reader might. It's not really a mystery were you guess whodunit (though it's possible) but rather an enjoyable ride along as the mystery unfolds. It was an interesting case and I liked the main character, so it was an enjoyable read.

There was no sex. There was a minor amount of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable mystery.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.