Two Spinsters and a Corpse by Eve Tarrington

Two Spinsters and a Corpse
by Eve Tarrington

ISBN-13: 9798227676665
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Tenacious Teacup Press
Released: September 1, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
When Miss Judith St Clair's father accepts a lucrative new position as the rector of a parish in Derbyshire just before Christmas, she is dismayed that she and all her siblings must move to this cold and inhospitable country while still in mourning for their mother. What’s worse, her father’s patrons are the rich and imposing Haddingtons, a family recently settled at Wycliff Castle.

Miss Louisa-Margaretta Haddington is in love with a Jewish man. Her parents, who will not consent to the match, have removed her from harm by buying an enormous estate in Derbyshire. Louisa-Margaretta is determined to avoid everyone, but when she and the rector’s daughter both take refuge in the library during a ball, they are unwitting witnesses to a murder.

Though each young woman despises the other, they know they will need each other’s help if they are to find the killer. When one of them has a brush with death disguised as a hunting accident, they realise that they must be quick, or they shall risk running out of time.


My Review:
Two Spinsters and a Corpse is a mystery set in the Regency period in Britain. This isn't a puzzle mystery. The heroines didn't work together, just investigated on their own and then told the other why their guess was wrong. They initially simply chose the person they least liked from the possible suspects. In the last quarter of the book, they did find clues but the author refused to give the reader even a hint of what they were until the big reveal. Neither heroine was skilled at thinking on their feet or logically thinking things through.

The heroines weren't likable as both were very self-centered and determined to dislike everyone. They had to justify meeting together and so called each other 'friend' enough that both eventually decided that the other was maybe tolerable. Neither was really a spinster, either. Louisa-Margaretta intended to elope with a Jewish man that her parents refused to allow her to marry, but she hadn't had an opportunity to run away yet. Judith showed no marked interest in any of the potential suitors at the Christmas house party, yet at the end, we're told she's interested in one of the men.

The historical details were generally okay, though some things made little sense (though I can't explain without spoilers). There was no sex or modern bad language. As I prefer mysteries where I can guess whodunit and which have likable heroines, this series clearly isn't a good match for me.


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.

Death by Misadventure by Tasha Alexander

Death by Misadventure
by Tasha Alexander

ISBN-13: 9781250872364
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Released: September 24, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
In the winter of 1906, Lady Emily and husband Colin are invited to the opulent home of Baroness Ursula von Duchtel in the Bavarian alps. Outside is a mountainous winter wonderland with a view of Mad King Ludwig's fairy tale castle. Inside, the villa hosts a magnificent but eclectic art collection--as well as an equally eclectic collection of fellow guests, among them a musician, an art dealer, a coquette from the demi-monde, and Kaspar, the Baroness' boorish son-in-law, whom, it begins to appear, someone wants dead.

Almost forty years earlier, Niels, a young German lord, sings to himself in the forest surrounding those same alps, capturing the attention of a not-yet-mad King Ludwig. Niels and the king become fast friends, their relationship deepening into something more as their time together stretches on.

Decades later, Emily continues to investigate Kaspar's increasingly lethal "mishaps" when tragedy strikes, ensnaring the guests in a web of fear and suspicion. It's up to Emily to sift through old secrets and motivations, some stretching far into the past, to unmask the killer.


My Review:
Death by Misadventure is a mystery set in 1906 in the Bavarian alps. There's also a secondary story going on in 1868 that details a romance between the king and the husband of one of the characters in the 1906 timeline.

Emily and Colin asked good questions, followed up on clues, and considered possible scenarios until she figured out what was going on. Frankly, I guessed whodunit before the murder even happened then decided it was too obvious. By the end, I felt like this whodunit wasn't really convincing. Mostly, the murder need so much planning and preparation yet whodunit couldn't have known the opportunity would present itself until it did. I don't know. The mystery just didn't seem realistic or satisfying, and I didn't find the 1868 story interesting. It could have been completely cut without affecting the mystery.

There were no sex scenes, though sex was implied. There were only a few uses of bad language. This book is the 18th in a series. You can understand this book without reading the previous ones, and this story didn't spoil the mysteries or major events of the previous books.


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.

Texas Revenge Target by Jill Elizabeth Nelson

Texas Revenge Target
by Jill Elizabeth Nelson

ISBN-13: 9781335980168
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: September 24, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
After Texas Ranger Brianna Macguire catches up with the fugitive she’s hunting, she finds herself ensnared in the crosshairs of a revenge-driven cartel — and evading a sniper attack. Cameron Wolfe, a man in hiding and with a bounty on his head, offers Bree shelter…only for Cameron’s secrets and Bree’s attackers to catch up with them both. On the run in the Texas desert, danger stalks them at every turn. Can they outwit their relentless enemies before they both lose their lives?


My Review:
Texas Revenge Target is a Christian romantic suspense. Cameron respected Bree's training and abilities. He was willing to risk himself to protect her, even if it meant giving up the safety he'd gained by taking on a new name and life. Cameron and Bree worked well together, and they came to admire and care for each other as they got to know each other. The suspense was high because they were constantly attacked and faced challenges from the terrain and weather. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable romantic suspense.


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.

Furever After by Sofie Kelly

Furever After
by Sofie Kelly

ISBN-13: 9780593548738
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: September 3, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Kathleen is busy running the library and planning her upcoming wedding to detective Marcus Gordon, when she suddenly stumbles across a body in the library. She is surprised to learn that the deceased was in the middle of an unlikely heist—it seems like he was trying to steal one of the paintings that had been in a box in the library’s workroom. Kathleen never knew any of the library’s artwork was valuable and can’t imagine what the dead man wanted with it.

But then an art history expert called in by the police identifies the almost-purloined painting as a piece that might have been part of a previous high profile art theft. Owen’s and Hercules’s whiskers are already twitching, and events soon make Kathleen realize that whoever killed the wannabe art thief has more than murder on their mind.


My Review:
Furever After is a cozy mystery. This is the 16th book in the series. There was more filler than normal, and the wedding-related ending was tied up with such a fantasy, happily-ever-after bow that it felt like the end of the series. It probably is simply because there's no realistic way to keep the cat's magical abilities secret anymore as unreliable children will be around the cats so much now.

It's a clue-based mystery, and Kathleen figured out both who originally stole the paintings and who killed the art thief. She didn't follow the obvious question--how did valuable paintings end up in her library--but tried to figure out how the thief was connected to the original theft. She researched online with the help of her cats. The explanation for why the thief died in the library made no sense, though: if badly wounded, a person doesn't think, "Gee, this is the perfect time to break into a building and steal a painting."

I had a problem with the ending suspense sequence, too. Riley's supposed to be smart, but she just kept putting everyone in danger. She knows someone's being held by the killer, but she called in Kathleen. Not the cops. Kathleen asked her to call the cops as they needed help, but Riley refused because she wanted to help Kathleen. And she's not a help while repeatedly putting everyone else in danger. Riley also should have known that it wasn't urgent to immediately retrieve her lost phone, but she rushed back into deadly danger. Unbelievably, she somehow found her phone (and she didn't know where she dropped it) in the pitch dark in water so deep she had to swim. I hope they remove this mad dash by Riley before the final version of the story as it wasn't necessary and was so unrealistic.

There was no sex. There were only a few uses of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this story to fans of the series.


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.

Death of a Flying Nightingale by Laura Jensen Walker

Death of a Flying Nightingale
by Laura Jensen Walker

ISBN-13: 9781685125592
paperback: 284 pages
Released: Sept. 10, 2024


Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from NetGalley:
Three very different young women serve as air ambulance nurses bravely flying into WWII combat zones risking their lives to evacuate the wounded. Irish Maeve joined the RAF after her fiancé was killed; streetwise Etta fled London’s slums in search of a better life, and farm girl Betty enlisted to prevent the wounded from dying like her brother. Newspapers have given these women a romantic nickname: “The Flying Nightingales.” Not that there’s anything romantic about what they do. The horrific injuries they encounter on a daily basis take their toll.

When one of the Nightingales is found dead, they wonder: Was it an accident? Suicide? After another nursing orderly dies mysteriously, they think: Someone’s killing Nightingales. The friends grapple with their loss all while keeping a stiff upper lip and continuing to care for casualties as they’re being strafed by the Luftwaffe.


My Review:
Death of a Flying Nightingale is a romance set in 1944-1945 in England. There was no mystery, just people dying. A pregnant nursing orderly from a nearby base was murdered, but the main characters quickly forgot about her. Another nursing orderly was found dead, apparently suicide. But was it? They soon stopped questioning it but hid that it might have been a suicide to make it easier on her parents. Then another nursing orderly's found clearly murdered. They left the investigation to the military police. Later, someone spontaneously confessed. So, not a mystery.

Most of the story was about the growing romances between Maeve and a doctor, Etta and a nurse, and Betty with one of her patients. Betty's romance was mostly through letters, but many of the women in the story were having sexual relationships outside of marriage. It didn't seem very realistic that so few were shocked by or disapproved of the barely-hidden sexual encounters going on, including Etta ending up in a lesbian relationship and a reoccurring male character in a homosexual relationship.

There were scenes describing the types of situations that a nursing orderly dealt with. While interesting, I never felt immersed in the story nor was I left feeling like these people might have really existed. Which is a little ironic since some of these scenes were based off of a real person's experiences as a 'Flying Nightingale.' There were no sex scenes. 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.

A Token of Love by Carrie Turansky

A Token of Love
by Carrie Turansky

ISBN-13: 9780764241062
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Released: September 3, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
In 1885 London, Lillian Freemont embarks on a treacherous journey to reunite with her long-lost niece, Alice, who was abandoned at the Foundling Hospital eight years ago. Fueled by her sister's plea and armed with the gold token that identifies her niece, Lillian teams up with investigative reporter Matthew McGivern to expose the grim reality of the shadowed streets of London. As Lillian and Matthew unravel the mystery of Alice's disappearance, their partnership blossoms into one of shared purpose and undeniable attraction.

In present-day London, Janelle Spencer finds herself unexpectedly running the Foundling Museum. When filmmaker Jonas Conrad arrives to document the museum's history, their collaboration takes a surprising turn as they uncover articles from the past that shed light on a haunting connection to the present. As Janelle becomes caught between exposing the truth and protecting the museum's reputation, she must decide if she can risk everything for what she believes.


My Review:
A Token of Love is a romance with two connected stories, one set in 1885 London and the other in present day. The main characters were likable and reacted realistically to events. The romantic pairs worked well together. Historical details were woven into the story. My only complaint is that the men in the 1885 story were all disrespectful toward women, even the hero. Lillian's a wealthy widow who had been handling her own affairs for years. Matthew's a stranger from a poor background. He thought about how he's so far beneath her that no relationship could occur. But then he started acting like her husband or relative, ordering her staff around and guiding her actions.

For example, in one scene early on, Lillian and Matthew were in a closed carriage together, he suggested they have the coachman leave them alone, and she agreed. He told the coachman to leave, and he did. Wait, Lillian's the one who paid him. The coachman ought to make sure she's okay and wanted to be left alone with a man. Yet he never questioned the orders of a stranger. In another scene, Lillian walked down a street while dressed plainly but respectably when two constables arrest her as a prostitute. They'd be able to tell by her dress, education, and the fact she's not a known prostitute that she's a respectable lady. Instead, they refuse to listen to her....until Matthew vouches for her.

Lillian didn't mind Matthew taking over, and they shared a passion to help poor women and children, so they made a good pair. It's just that I doubt most men were that disrespectful toward respectable women. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this historical-focused 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.

Waiting for Christmas by Lynn Austin

Waiting for Christmas
by Lynn Austin

ISBN-13: 9781496476289
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Released: September 1, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
For the first time in her privileged life, Adelaide Forsythe won’t be swept up in society events for Christmas. That’s not to say her transition from Miss to Mrs. has been without challenge. Though she doesn’t regret marrying for love instead of wealth, she can barely light the hearth or cook more than burnt toast. She feels woefully unprepared to run her own household.

Then, on the first Sunday of Advent, winter winds bring change through two unlikely means: a young orphan boy, hiding near Adelaide’s front steps, and a seasoned housekeeper who seems too good to be true.

The boy, Jack, claims he isn’t an orphan at all and is desperate to reunite his family. Adelaide and her husband Howard work tirelessly to help Jack, while Adelaide’s new endeavors open her eyes to a world beyond her past experience—and all the challenge and possibility it holds.


My Review:
Waiting for Christmas is a Christian novella set in 1901. It's a continuation of the events from the story "All My Secrets." Howard wants to be the provider for his wife and insists that she keep the money she inherited in reserve in case of emergency. Adelaide wants to live life as a normal housewife, but she doesn't know how to cook or clean. Howard doesn't want her doing that anyway, so they hire a cook and someone to clean the house. Adelaide intends to live within her budget, but expenses pile up as she tries to help an 8-year-old boy find his younger sister after they're separated when their mother died. And how can they let his father know where to find Jake when his ship returns on Christmas?

Historical details about tenements and orphanages were woven into the story. The main characters were likable, complex, and acted realistically. Adelaide and Howard had to work through certain expectations they had for their marriage. Adelaide methodically tried to track down Jack's sister, and Howard helped when he didn't need to be working. In my experience, an 8-year-old would have remembered a great deal more about his father's job and ship than Jake did, but, hey. And after one miracle, I would have thought Adelaide and Howard would have been more positive about another happening, but instead they tried to solve certain problems before they even occurred. Still, it was a nice story. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable, well-written Christmas novella.


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.

Lethal Standoff by DiAnn Mills

Lethal Standoff
by DiAnn Mills

ISBN-13: 9781496485090
Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: Tyndale Fiction
Released: September 3, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Hostage negotiator Carrington Reed is called to the scene when reports come in that fifteen hostages are being held by the Kendrix brothers in an abandoned house in south Texas. When she arrives on site, Carrington quickly learns that the brothers are armed and refuse to release their victims, a group of undocumented immigrants, until the local police identify their father’s murderer.

Working closely with Levi Ehrlich, a handsome investigative reporter who has covered some of Carrington’s negotiations in the past, she finds herself being undeniably drawn to him. Carrington digs deeper into the death of the Kendrixes’ father and begins to notice that some details surrounding his death aren’t adding up.

As Carrington investigates the brothers’ claims and tries to piece together their motive for taking innocent people captive, it soon becomes clear that they are trying to hide something and that revenge for their father’s death may not be what they’re really bargaining for after all. To protect the hostages and ensure the brothers don’t carry out the rest of their sinister plot, Carrington must get to the bottom of one family’s secret and the truth they’re trying so hard to hide before time runs out.


My Review:
Lethal Standoff is a Christian romantic suspense novel. The characters were likable, complex, realistic people, if a little crazy. (Hey, you know that place we went where we both got badly injured in an unexpected attack and our law friends told us not to do that again? Yeah? Want to go back again? Count me in!) Carrington's a skilled negotiator who genuinely cares about everyone involved in the situations she's called out on. Levi's an investigative reporter who wants to present the facts to the reader, not give news a political spin. After the hostage negotiation ends, their role should have been done. But some aspects of what happened just didn't add up, plus they cared about the devastated families. They followed up with those involved to try to figure out why things happened as they did...only to uncover a bucket-load of secrets. Carrington and Levi worked well together and made an effective team.

The suspense was from physical danger to several characters, including Levi and Carrington. I expected the 'twist' at the end, but I'm beginning to think I've read too many novels to be surprised by a correctly foreshadowed twist. Levi was a Messianic Jew while Carrington struggled to believe in a good God with all the suffering she saw around her. There were no sex scenes. There was no bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting, suspenseful 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.

The Cloverton Charade by Sarah E. Ladd

The Cloverton Charade
by Sarah E. Ladd

ISBN-13: 9780785246862
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Released: September 3, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Olivia Brannon's knowledge of antiquities is unparalleled, having learned everything she needs to know from her broker father. She longs to use that knowledge to make a future for herself, but as a woman, her options are limited . . . until the day a former client, who happens to be the previous mistress of Cloverton Hall, approaches Olivia about evaluating her private collection. But there is a catch: the evaluation must be conducted in secrecy to prevent the widow's nephew, the new master of Cloverton Hall, from having knowledge of it. Olivia sees this as her one and only chance to prove her worth, so she agrees to attend a house party at Cloverton Hall and conduct the evaluation covertly.

The younger son of England's foremost antiquities purveyor, Lucas Avery represents the future of his family business. When he learns that the new master of Cloverton Hall intends to liquidate his deceased uncle's impressive collection, Lucas is determined to be the broker who oversees the sale. The new master of Cloverton Hall invites Lucas to a house party on the estate, during which time he will have full access to the collection. Lucas jumps at the opportunity, for if successful, he stands to make a great deal of money, as well as solidify his family's future.

Olivia and Lucas both arrive at the house party under the guise of guests and quickly recognize each other as business rivals, raising their suspicions. It becomes clear to them both that some of the pieces in the collection are counterfeit. They join forces to understand the scope of the deception. Then when one of the most famous pieces in the collection is broken during the house party, everyone is a suspect. Both Olivia and Lucas must decide how much they are willing to risk not only their professional reputations but also their hearts.


My Review:
The Cloverton Charade is a romance set in 1818 in England. Olivia's father taught her to be a competent antiquities dealer. But when he died, he left the entire business to his partner, her uncle, and she's now dependent on him. He resents her superior knowledge and won't even consider her as an employee of the business. When a recent widow asks Olivia to secretly assess her personal antiquities collection, Olivia hopes she'll prove her value and be allowed into the business. She has no desire to marry, just travel the world doing antiquities business (which, frankly, was an unrealistic hope considering the time period, even if she might be accepted locally).

I found it odd that Olivia's father left nothing for his daughters and that the rich man who died with at last two estates didn't leave anything for his wife. Usually the rich left the widow at least an allowance and a place to live for her lifetime, but this one basically gave everything (even unentailed property) to a nephew that he knew would have to be forced to promise to take care of the widow. This neglect of the men to provide for their women in their wills left me feeling like this was a fantasy rather than historical, but the story was generally enjoyable.

Lucas appreciated Olivia's knowledge and asked to consult with her. She liked feeling like she was appreciated for who she was and for her knowledge. He supported her goals and admired her beauty. Along the way, he uncovered a bunch of counterfeits in the antiquities he evaluated, and she helped uncover who was replacing the true items with fakes. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this not-very-historical romance.


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.

Christmas at Sugar Plum Manor by Roseanna M. White

Christmas at Sugar Plum Manor
by Roseanna M. White

ISBN-13: 9780764242922
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Bethany House
Released: September 3, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
As the beloved stepdaughter of the Earl of Castleton, Lady Mariah Lyons cherishes her home at Plumford Manor, but her idyllic world will be threatened when the estate passes to Cyril Lightbourne, a childhood friend she hasn't seen or heard from in years. Once, Mariah dreamed their friendship would kindle into something more, but that was before she heard Cyril was courting the cruelhearted Lady Pearl. Now Mariah is willing to welcome him as a friend and pray he will be the heir her stepfather needs, but she'll keep her heart locked safely away from anyone with such poor taste.

Cyril Lightbourne has long avoided returning to Plumford Manor, yet he reluctantly arrives in time for Christmas. When his friendship with Lady Mariah reignites, he finds himself caught between his affection for her and her family's misunderstanding of his attachment to Lady Pearl. Then, more trouble arrives in the form of a Danish lord on a mission to win Mariah's hand by Christmas. Will the magic of the holiday season help lead to the discovery of true love, or will duty to country leave all longing for what could have been?


My Review:
Christmas at Sugar Plum Manor is a delightful, sweet romance set in 1902 in England. Mariah wants a husband who will appreciate her for who she is: Her sense of child-like fun. Her caring for the people of the village. But her sister is much pretty than her, and her current suitors both came very close to proposing to the beautiful but self-centered Lady Pearl. It's clear she'd only be their second choice, mainly desirable for her connections and as a way to get back at the other suitor. Cyril fully appreciates her sense of whimsy and caring, but how to prove it? The Danish lord isn't marrying for love and assumes she'll grow out of her silliness, but Mariah's sister encourages him to treat her as a person rather than a goal.

The characters were likable, complex, and acted realistically. Historical Christmas details were woven into the story. A moment happens when both men realize they've been acting badly and need to change their behavior. Everyone gets a happy ending, filled with fun and delight in the Christmas season. The focus of Christmas was the birth of Christ, and why He came was woven into the story. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this enjoyable novella.


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.

When the Mountain Crumbled by Angela K Couch

When the Mountain Crumbled
by Angela K Couch

ISBN-13: 9781636099224
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Barbour Fiction
Released: September 1, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Discipline and rules are the foundation on which Samantha Ingles has built her life—the life of a spinster schoolteacher in a small mining town in the Canadian Rockies. All that crumbles from her grasp when part of a mountain crashes down on their community.

Constable Nathan Stanford has little patience for the strict schoolmarm but leaves his three young nieces in her care while he tries to discover the fate of his brother. Already, the girls have lost their mother and a brother to the landslide and await the fate of their father, possibly buried in the coal mine.

With the mountain looming over their heads threatening more lives, and the town scrambling to save who they can from the rubble, can hearts find healing—both for their own sakes and the children in their care?


My Review:
When the Mountain Crumbled is Christian fiction set in the Canadian Rockies in 1903. Historical details about the Frank landslide were woven into the story. Beyond the first night, Samantha and the girls showed little trauma from being trapped in the slide and most of the focus was on the loss of family and how their lives changed. I wouldn't call this a romance. Nathan had such distain for Samantha in the first half of the book. He deliberately spent very little time with her or getting to know her until his promise to do so at 95%. Then we abruptly jumped to them being married. I saw no romance.

Nathan spent the first half of the story believing that Samantha had no feelings, so he could treat her cruelly and it wouldn't matter. He repeatedly thought of her as a witch and as looking like a rat. He broke her glasses, told her that he'd get them fixed, then neglected to do so for about a week (leaving her to see the world in a blur). He promised to protect her reputation by not sleeping in her tent with the girls, then did so once against her protests. He pushed her to do things she didn't want to do (like eat half an apple pie), decided things for her without asking her or considering her stated desires, and criticized her for doing her best to take care of the girls while injured and traumatized. He offered her no pay, refused to take over when given leave to do so, and basically avoided taking any responsibility for them.

He asked his siblings to take the girls. But when they showed up, he didn't want them to take the girls anymore mostly because he didn't like his siblings taking charge. Nathan didn't start changing what he thought about Samantha until he'd broken her down into tears with his cruel words (at 58%). Then he thought her not so bad looking after all (without her glasses and with red-rimmed, tear-filled eyes). At 77%, he proposed marriage 'for the sake of the girls' and so he could spite his oldest brother.

Samantha was neglected by her parents and raised in boarding schools, making no lasting friendships and being told to rigidly control her feelings. Even though she's a respectable woman, the men and sometimes women went out of their way (even though she clearly wasn't looking for a husband) to mock her saying no one would ever marry her. Samantha felt lonely, liked the girls, and felt like Nathan was her only prospect for a husband.

The tragedy of the landslide both made Nathan doubt that God cared but also showed that God had a hand in numerous miracles that happened to save people's lives. He struggled with why some people died while others lived. There was no sex or 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.