Review: Beneath the Heavens by Lindsey Barlow

More Weak Points than Strong Points

Beneath the Heavens starts well, introducing readers to midwife Esther Callen and her son Michael, then flighty teacher Abigail Silver. It’s soon apparent that both women are going to find love during the course of the novel.

This leads to one of the problems with the novel: shallow characters, because it meant there wasn’t enough time to focus on them all. Will’s characterisation was shallow at best, and I never felt any emotion from him. Abigail came across as an inconsistent mix of flighty and intelligent—I would have liked more consistency in the beginning, and more character growth throughout the novel.

Joseph was assertive to the point of controlling, and I wasn’t convinced that was healthy. Overall, Esther was the best character, in that she was the one with the most consistent story and the most believable change.

The plot was typical of a Christian historical romance novels set in the American West in the late 1900’s, although it did try and cram too many romance tropes into a single book. The writing started well, with lines like:

Her father had told her that religion was delusion, but to her, it was conclusion. The answer to all her problems, until it wasn’t.

Unfortunately, the novel as a whole didn’t live up to this early promise, with multiple writing and editing issues such as not using contractions (which made a lot of the dialogue feel unnatural and wooden), confusing point of view changes, punctuation errors, anachronisms (words that are too modern for the 1896 time setting) and some questionable vocabulary (mild swearing and misused words).

Overall, not a novel I recommend.

Thanks to Light Messages Publishing for providing a free ebook for review. You can find out more about Lindsey Barlow at her website, and read the introduction to Beneath the Heavens below:

Review: Finding Margo by Jen Turano

Shows Promise but Needs Polishing.

I’m a big fan of Jen Turano’s Christian historical romance novels published by Bethany House Publishers. I’m also a huge fan of contemporary Christian romance. So when I saw Jen Turano had published a contemporary Christian romance novel, I was keen to read it, and thrilled when Gilead Publishing offered me the chance of a free copy to review.

I was soon to be disappointed.

On the writing side, while Finding Margo has a solid plot, it doesn’t have enough romance to make it a great romance, and it doesn’t have enough suspense to make it a great romantic suspense (I’m not even sure if it was trying for suspense—if it was, the first paragraph killed what suspense there might have been). Finding Margo lacked the wit I’ve enjoyed in so many of Jen Turano’s other novels.

But it wasn’t just the lack of wit which disappointed me. It was the overall lack of polish in the writing—which I now suspect had a lot to do with the skill of Turano’s previous editors. It was also the mistakes, like calling one character the patriarch of his family twice in three pages (as though I’d forgotten), or implying there are 356 days in the year. Sure, that one is an obvious typo, but it’s the kind of typo I expect to see in books from some vanity press notorious for their lack of editing, or the first book from some small press with no background in fiction. It's also a typo based on something which it appears isn't true: the number of times the phrase 'fear not' (or similar) appears in the Bible.

And there were other writing issues I won’t bore you with. Suffice to say I checked Amazon’s Look Inside, and I’m afraid the underpolished version I read appears to be the final published version. This isn’t always the case with NetGalley books, although most publishers take pains to point out it’s the unproofed version and may still contain mistakes—although few do. Once I realised the writing/editing wasn't up to par, I decided I should ignore the obvious issues and focus on the characters and the story.

First, Margo. 

I didn’t like her at first, because she seemed as shallow as her pop star life. I warmed to her more and more in Ohio, especially once she ended up in hospital and I could contrast her with her overbearing mother. Caroline is, to put it politely, a piece of work who brings new meaning to the term ‘shallow’. Margo said she was a Christian although she hinted at having fallen away … something which was never properly explored.

Brock was a strong hero, although perhaps a little too good to be true. But I didn’t feel I got to know him, or where he stood on faith, and I did feel his character could have been developed beyond being the too-perfect foil for Margo. Nor did I ever really feel his attraction for Margo … or any second-guessing of that attraction (which would have seemed natural, given their different backgrounds).

And that leads me to the suspense plot, because this is apparently a suspense novel (at least, according to the Amazon categories).

Well, there was no suspense.

Except, perhaps, who was after Margo and why (and I don’t even know if I’m convinced by that, because it seemed a little chicken-and-egg).

The first paragraph made it pretty obvious who Margo “really” was, and the lines in the novel that hinted at the suspense would have been more powerful and suspenseful if I hadn’t already been handed the big secret. The big reveal of the evildoer was underwhelming—I thought it could have been revealed and written a lot more powerfully. Or perhaps I’d reached the point where I wasn’t paying enough attention.

Overall, Finding Margo is a story which shows promise but needs polishing.



Thanks to Gilead Publishing and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review. You can find out more about Jen Turano at her website, and read the introduction to Finding Margo below:

Review: Pursuing Gold by Cynthia L Simmons

Publisher Fail

Yes, it’s that week where I bury my reviews of the books I didn’t like in the hope you’re all having an enjoyable Christmas break and ignoring all the blogs (I’ll be back to my regular schedule on 3 January).

Amazon Description

With his father dead and his business partner incapacitated, Peter Chandler inherits the leadership of a bank in economic crisis. With only a newly-minted college degree and little experience, Peter joins his partner’s daughter, Mary Beth Roper, in a struggle to keep C&R Bank afloat while the Civil War rages around Chattanooga. Political pressure for unsecured loans of gold to the government stirs up trouble as tempers and prices rise. Their problems multiply when Mary Beth discovers counterfeit money with Peter’s forged signature. Can they find the forger before the bank fails? The two friends must pursue gold on behalf of their business, as they learn to pursue their heavenly Father to find hope and peace.

My Review

Sounds good enough. So what was my problem? There were many.

First we have Perfect Peter. The guy has no faults … and while most romance readers want to (figuratively) fall in love with the hero, he has to be human. And humans have faults.

Then we have Mary Beth. Her problem is similar—it’s not that she’s perfect, and more that she wants what she can’t have. In her case, she wants her (dying) father to live. Okay, I can understand that from a human perspective. Her mother is dead, and she doesn’t want to lose her one remaining parent.

But that’s not enough of a motivation for a novel. The result is a passive character who goes through the story waiting for the thing she’s dreading to happen and not doing much. And that’s not an interesting read.

This is supposed to be a romance, but I never got the feeling Mary Anne had any feelings for Peter beyond friendship. And I wasn’t convinced Peter loved her as a wife. Their relationship seemed more like friends or siblings than potential lovers, and that’s a eww factor for me.

And then there was the editing (hint: books are edited. Financial accounts are AUDITED). This was the first book I’ve read from the new Elk Lake Publishing, and I wasn’t impressed. There were anachronisms, typos, redundancy, and punctuation errors. The writing was slow paced, the dialogue stilted, the scene transitions were clunky, and some of the action reminded me of Batman (the camp 1960’s TV show version, not the movies). I think they’ve done the author a disservice by publishing her book before it’s ready.

Sure, the subplot around the counterfeit money was interesting. But even that lacked suspense, and wasn’t enough to compensate for the other problems. Overall, this was a slow read, something I wouldn’t have finished if I was reading it for pleasure.

Thanks to Elk Lake Publishing and Litfuse Publicity for providing a free ebook for review.

Review: The Room with the Second-Best View by Virginia Smith

Third Time Lucky

This wasn’t t easiest book to get in to – it took me three tries to get past the first few chapters. I suspect part of that is that it’s the final book in a series, and I haven’t read any of the earlier books (I didn’t actually realise it was part of a series when I requested it for review). This made my first two attempts more difficult that they would have been if I’d read the earlier books in the series.

No, it’s not a fast-paced thriller. It’s not a romance (although it’s certainly a story of love and marriage, with Al and Millie providing some important lessons on how to make a marriage last). But it is a well-written character-based novel with a group of interesting characters and a pile of low-key interpersonal conflict provided by Lulu the annoying neighbour (who has odd recipe ideas--recipes included), and Miss Hinkle, the opinionated unexpected guest (opinionated and manipulative).

The overall tone was light drama—once I got into the story, it had a little of the feel of The Most Exotic Marigold Hotel, only set in small-town America (something which is as foreign to me as the Indian location of the Marigold Hotel). Oh, but Al and Millie’s B&B is a lot classier than the Marigold Hotel. Especially once Miss Hinkle has visited.

If you’ve read the earlier books in the series, you’ll enjoy this. If not, you might want to read the earlier books first. And if you have read the earlier books (or this one) ... you won't want to miss A Goose Creek Christmas, the new Christmas novella, available as a free Amazon download (and probably from other retailers as well).

Thanks to Harvest House Publishers and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review. You can find out more about more about Virginia Smith at her website, and you can read the introduction to The Room with the Second Best View below:

Review: O Little Town of Bethany by Rene Gutteridge and Cheryl McKay

Call Me Contrary …

Bethany is a small tourist town in Georgia presided over by Miss Bethany (yes, named for the town), who could give Margaret Thatcher lessons in dealing with the little people. She handpicks each of the tenants for the main street shops, and her latest pick is Holly Truesdale.

Holly is escaping from the city, from parents who argue all the time and an almost-fiance who can’t even be bothered to ask the question. She goes to Bethany, the town she visited with her parents for the best Christmas of her young life, and rediscovers a town where everyone helps

Yes, this is pure escapist fantasy. No one lives like this—well, no one I know. The men are all gentlemen (well, except for Holly’s father and almost-fiance), the women are all ladies who rule with humour and grace, and the town really is a character all of its own.

The romance was sweet, sure (and a little fast for my taste). But I’m a little contrary. For me, the romance was secondary behind Miss Bethany’s story, which brought a tear to my eye. But I’m not going to spoil it for you.

Recommended for those looking for a Christmas story that’s sweet without being sappy.

Thanks to Seranade Books for providing a free ebook for review.

Review: The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill by Julie Klassen

Great Start to a Series

As I was reading The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill, I was reminded of The Gresham Chronicles by Lawana Blackwell. Then I got to the note from the author at the end, where Julie Klassen mentions The Gresham Chronicles, and says:

If you’re anything like me, you probably love village series set in England, whether in books or in film or television. Series like Lark Rise to Candleford, Cranford … close-knit communities with quirky characters, which create an idyllic place to retreat from the hectic modern world.

Well, if that quote resonates with you (as it did with me), then you’re the right person to be reading The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill.

Here’s the book description from Amazon:

The lifeblood of the Wiltshire village of Ivy Hill is its coaching inn, The Bell. But when the innkeeper dies suddenly, his genteel wife, Jane Bell, becomes the reluctant owner. Jane has no notion of how to run a business. However, with the town's livelihood at stake and a large loan due, she must find a way to bring new life to the inn.

Despite their strained relationship, Jane turns to her resentful mother-in-law, Thora, for help. Formerly mistress of The Bell, Thora is struggling to find her place in the world. As she and Jane work together, they form a measure of trust, and Thora's wounded heart begins to heal. When she encounters two men from her past, she sees them--and her future--in a different light.

With pressure mounting from the bank, Jane employs innovative methods to turn the inn around, and puzzles over the intentions of several men who seem to have a vested interest in the place. Will her efforts be enough to save The Bell? And will Thora embrace the possibility of a second chance at love?

Those who have read The Gresham Chronicles will see parallels with some of those stories—the widow left in charge of the inn, the overbearing older woman, the class system, showing that ‘gentlemen’ aren’t always gentlemen. But the plot and writing are all Klassen’s own take on some of these traditional tropes, and it’s excellent.

I will admit that I haven’t especially enjoyed the last couple of Julie Klassen novels I’ve read (I may have unfavourably compared one to the movie Footloose, and that one ‘impressed’ me so much I’ve yet to read the next, even though I bought the paperback close to two years ago).

The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill is, in my view, a return to the kind of form Klassen showed in her earlier novels such as The Apothecary’s Daughter and The Lady of Milkweed Manor—she’s back to addressing social issues in a genteel almost English way. She also points out how everyone in the village is dependent on everyone else:

Village life is like an ivy vine climbing a great oak. You cut off the vine at the root, and all the way up the tree, the leaves wither. We’re all connected.

Yes, it is still obvious from some of the vocabulary that she’s an American writing about a foreign country (although a foreign country she’s familiar with, having visited beautiful Wiltshire several times). But that’s something most readers wouldn’t pick up on unless they too had a very correct English Army officer for a grandfather (back in his day, cute meant sharp. Not pretty).

So if you’re looking for a gentle wander through the pretty villages of 1820’s England, you’ll enjoy a visit to Ivy Hill. For myself, I’m already looking forward to the next book in the series.

Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review. You can find out more about Julie Klassen at her website, and you can read the opening to The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill below:

Book Promotion: Hannah's Journey by Barbara M Britton

It's common knowledge that authors find their muse in many different places, but one author found her muse while teaching Sunday school.

Author Barbara M. Britton recently was featured on the Books of the Month TV program. Today we host the episode, now available online, on demand, courtesy of Preach the Word Worldwide TV Network. Learn how teaching Sunday school to children helped to spur Barbara's story ideas for her now-popular Biblical fiction series "Tribes of Israel."

(if you can't see the video, click here to visit the Preach the Word Worldwide Network TV station page.) 





Purchase Providence: Hannah's Journey today

Pre-order Building Benjamin: Naomi's Journey

Introducing Pursuing Gold by Cynthia L Simmons

PURSUING GOLD BY CYNTHIA SIMMONS

Author: Cynthia Simmons

Take a trip back to the Civil War raging around Chattanooga while Peter and Mary Beth struggle to keep C&R Bank afloat in the midst of political pressure in Cynthia Simmons’ new book, Pursuing Gold. Can Peter and Mary Beth find the forger who created counterfeit money before the bank fails? The two friends must pursue gold on behalf of their business, as they learn to pursue their heavenly Father to find hope and peace.

###

Pursuing Gold (Elk Lake, October 2016)

With his father dead and his business partner incapacitated, Peter Chandler inherits the leadership of a bank in economic crisis.

With only a newly-minted college degree and little experience, Peter joins his partner’s daughter, Mary Beth Roper, in a struggle to keep C&R Bank afloat while the Civil War rages around Chattanooga. Political pressure for unsecured loans of gold to the government stirs up trouble as tempers and prices rise. Their problems multiply when Mary Beth discovers counterfeit money with Peter’s forged signature. Can they find the forger before the bank fails? The two friends must pursue gold on behalf of their business, as they learn to pursue their heavenly Father to find hope and peace.

Learn more and purchase a copy.

{MORE ABOUT CYNTHIA SIMMONS}

Cynthia L Simmons and her husband, Ray, have five children and reside in Atlanta. She has taught for over thirty years as a homeschool mother and Bible teacher. She’s a columnist for Leading Hearts Magazine and she directs Atlanta Christian Writing Conference. Cyndi has a heart for encouraging women in today’s crazy, upside-down world. She loves history and peppers her speaking and teaching with fascinating vignettes from the past. Her first book, “Struggles and Triumphs,” was nominated for 2008 Georgia Author of the Year. She co-founded Homeschool Answers and hosts Heart of the Matter Radio.

Find out more about Cynthia at http://clsimmons.com.

Review: For the Record by Regina Jennings

Should have Read the Earlier Books First ...

It could be just me, but I didn’t find this as compelling as I’d hoped. There was nothing wrong with it in terms of the writing, the plot, or the characters. It just didn’t have the zing I’d hoped for and I found the beginning somewhat awkward.

I think part of the problem might be that it felt like I was supposed to know some of the characters and their histories, and I didn’t. (I later found this is the third book in a series, and I haven't read either of the earlier books, A Most Inconvenient Marriage, and At Love's Bidding). Anyway, that gave me the feeling I’d been dropped in the middle of a social function where everyone else knew each other and I was left trying to infer relationships from what wasn’t being said.

And that’s exactly how Deputy Puckett feels when he arrives in Pine Gap to sort out the problems with the Bald Knobbers who have taken it upon themselves to be the law. It seems the people of Pine Gap want him about as much as he wants to be there – not that either he or the town of Pine Gap have any choice.

Meanwhile, Betsy Huckabee wants to succeed as a writer so she can be financially independent and not have to live with her uncle and his growing family. Her attempts at writing real news stories haven’t paid off in the city paper she’s submitted to, but the arrival of the handsome new deputy gives her a new inspiration … a fiction serial in the women’s section of the paper.

I did enjoy the story once it got going, and there were some excellent lines:

Overall, a solid historical romance novel, but probably more enjoyable if you've read the first two books in the series.

Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review. Click here to find out more about Regina Jennings at her website, and can read the introduction to On the Record below:

Review: Activate by Adele Jones

Excellent End to Series

This is the third and final novel in Adele Jones’s trilogy about mitochondrial disease patient Blaine Colton, and I don’t recommend you read this without reading the other two books first: Replicate and Integrate.

Activate has the same fault as the final book in many other Young Adult series: you’re desperate to read it to find out what happens to characters you’ve come to know and love (or not!) through the previous books, but at the same time you don’t want it to end because that means saying goodbye to those same characters.

And while you’d like to believe it’s going to have a happy ending, the previous novel killed off a major character, which means you’re not entirely sure if Blaine is going to get his happy ending … after all, he has an incurable degenerative disease. Odds are, this isn’t going to end well.

I’m not going to say too much about the plot. Suffice to say it met expectations (which were high, given how much I enjoyed the earlier novels). Yes, there is a lot of science stuff. No, I didn’t understand it all, but that didn’t matter. Yes, there is plenty of suspense—not just in the main plot, but in the underlying race against time to find a cure for Blaine.

Overall, Activate and the other books in this series are fast-paced Young Adult thrillers with a male protagonist—so great options for any teenage boys you know who love reading but don’t want novels with any of that silly romance stuff (although Blaine does have a romantic relationship, it’s not the focus of the plot). The series is also unique in that it’s set in modern-day Brisbane, Australia, not some dystopian future version of the USA, and it reflects a Christian world view.

Thanks to Rhiza Press and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review. Click here to find out more about Adele Jones at her website, and you can read the introduction to Activate below:

October November Clash Champion!

Congratulations to Kara Isaac, with 

Can't Help Falling

 

Buy on Amazon
Buy on Barnes and Noble


A funny, heartfelt romance about how an antique shop, a wardrobe, and a mysterious tea cup bring two C.S. Lewis fans together in a snowy and picturesque Oxford, England.

Emelia Mason has spent her career finding the dirt on the rich and famous. But deep down past this fearless tabloid-reporter façade, there’s a nerdy Narnia-obsessed girl who still can’t resist climbing into wardrobes to check for the magical land on the other side. When a story she writes produces tragic results, she flees to Oxford, England—home to C.S. Lewis—to try and make amends for the damage she has caused.

Peter Carlisle was on his way to become one of Great Britain’s best rowers—until he injured his shoulder and lost his chance at glory. He’s determined to fight his way back to the top even if it means risking permanent disability to do so. It’s the only way he can find his way past failing the one person who never stopped believing in his Olympic dream.

When Peter and Emelia cross paths on her first night in Oxford, the attraction is instant and they find common ground in their shared love of Narnia. But can the lessons from a fantasyland be enough to hold them together when secrets of the real world threaten to tear them apart? Cobblestone streets, an aristocratic estate, and an antique shop with curious a wardrobe bring the world of Narnia to life in Kara Isaac’s inspiring and romantic story about second chances.

What Voters Had to Say:

These authors are all a blessing! Please keep writing...You encourage us all!

The cover alone makes me want to read the book, which sounds like a wonderful read. :)

Loved Can't Help Falling. More please! :)

Keep writing, Kara! Love your books!

Kara Isaac, I have just discovered your books and love them. Keep it up! 

I loved Kara Isaac's first book, Close to You, so am really looking forward to reading Can't Help Falling. I enjoy her style of writing. I recommended Close to You to my book club, so hopefully we'll be reading and discussing it sometime in 2017.

I have read, and enjoyed, Can't Help Falling. As far as the covers, I have to vote for this one because what little you see of the guy's face, it looks like my son!!

I won Kara Isaac's Can't Help Falling on a Facebook giveaway and was wonderfully surprised at how much I loved this book! The cover is amazing and it really catches the eye!

Kara has a zany unique writing style that combines substance with heartfelt laughter

I'm not familiar with some of these authors but really like some of them!  Keep up the good work!

Kara Isaac, you have such a gift bringing comedy, romance, and meaning to your stories. I love them!!

Wish I could have picked two books here, because Can't Help Falling caught me just by the description. I'll be looking for this one!

About the Author:

Kara Isaac lives in Wellington, New Zealand. When she's not working her day job as a public servant, chasing around a ninja preschooler and his feisty toddler sister, she spends her time writing horribly bad first drafts and wishing you could get Double Stuf Oreos in New Zealand. Her debut romantic comedy, Close To You, released April 2016. Her sophomore novel, Can't Help Falling, releases in October 2016 and is an RT Reviews Top Pick. She loves to connect with readers on GoodReads, Twitter, Facebook and through her website.

Book Promotion: Heart of the Mountain by Jeanette O'Hagan

5 - 9 December 2016

Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance

is Introducing 

Heart of the Mountain

(By the Light Books, 1 August 2016)

By Jeanette O'Hagan

About the Book:

Twins Delvina and Retza’s greatest desire is to be accepted as prentices by their parents’ old crew when they stumble across a stranger. Trapped under the mountain, young Zadeki’s only thought is to escape home to his kin. Peril awaits all three youngsters. Will they pull apart or work together to save the underground realm?

YA Fantasy Adventure in the lost realm deep under the mountain.

About the Author:

Jeanette O’Hagan first started spinning tales in the world of Nardva at the age of nine. She enjoys writing fiction, poetry, blogging and editing.



She is writing her Akrad’s Legacy Series—a Young Adult secondary world fantasy fiction with adventure, courtly intrigue and romantic elements. Her short stories and poems are published in a number of anthologies including Glimpses of Light, Another Time Another Place and Like a Girl. She has recently published her short novella, Heart of the Mountain and, in Mixed Blessings: Genrellly Speaking anthology, also a flash fiction 'Space Junk'.



Jeanette has practised medicine, studied communication, history, theology and, more recently, a Master of Arts (writing). She is a member of several writers’ groups. She loves reading, painting, travel, catching up for coffee with friends and pondering the meaning of life.  Jeanette lives in Brisbane with her husband and children.



Sign up to Jeanette O'Hagan's Newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/bbLJKT

Website: jeanetteohagan.com/

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/JeanetteOHaganAuthorAndSpeaker

Twitter: @JeanetteOHagan

Instagram: @bythelightof2moons

Review: Once Confronted by Lynne Stringer

Brisbane teen Madison Craig wanted to spend her gap year in Europe with her friends, but her parents were worried that was too dangerous. Instead, she’s living in Sydney with her hippy Aunt Myrtle, and working in a bookshop with the rather attractive Evan. It’s all a little boring … until Madison and Evan are robbed at gunpoint.

Madison returns to Brisbane afraid of almost everything, at the same time as trying to convince everyone around her that she’s okay. She enrols in a degree in social work, but worries that she’ll never get over her own problems enough to help other people. An older woman on her course suggests a way for Maddie to get past the attack, but she’s not convinced and Evan is dead against it.

Once Confronted is perhaps best described as a confronting read. It doesn’t gloss over the problems social workers face and provided me with a new insight into a hugely challenging job – not one I’d be good at, both because I don’t think I could handle hearing all the hard things, and because I’d want to tell the clients what to do.

(Apparently this is discouraged, as it’s replacing one form of control with another, and the clients need to be given the freedom to make decisions for themselves. Even bad decisions. While I can see the logic, I don’t think this is something I’d be good at!)

Anyway, Once Confronted was a challenging read, but also excellent. I felt it treated both the attack and Maddie’s resulting trauma and stress symptoms realistically, showing there are no quick or easy answers. It also illustrated that each person has different reactions … and that some are more positive and healing than others.

Once Confronted is written in first person point of view, all from Maddie’s viewpoint. I know some readers don’t like this viewpoint, but I felt it worked in this case as it made sure we really understood what was going on inside Maddie’s head. I think third person might have made Maddie seem too distant, which would have made her emotional journey less compelling.

I know this is a total cliché, but I’d really like a sequel!

Thanks to Rhiza Press and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review. You can find out more about Lynne Stringer at her website, and you can read the introduction to Once Confronted below:

I'm Reviewing at Suspense Sisters Reviews!

Today I'm visiting Suspense Sisters Reviews to review Fatal Frost by Nancy Mehl, the first in her new Defenders of Justice series.

Click here to read my review!

Clash of the Titles Oct-Nov 2016

It's the end of our CLASH year, and we've lined up some awesome holiday reading (and gift ideas!) for this month's Clash of the Titles.
Vote for your Ideal curl up in front of a fire read!

Scroll through these releases and cast your vote for your perfect idea of a next read.

It's a tough choice, but it's up to you to determine our Clash Champion!

Risking Love

Brenda S. Anderson

A play-it-safe bank employee falls for a down-on-his-luck, risk-taking widower.
Can she risk loving a man whose home she may have to take away?

An Unexpected Role

Leslea Wahl

Josie's island getaway becomes the summer of her dreams as friendships grow,
romance blossoms and a series of thefts surround her with excitement. But as
she sets out to solve the mystery she has become entangled in, she not only
realizes the importance of relying on her faith but along the way also
discovers her true self.

Forest Child

Heather Day Gilbert

Historically based on the Icelandic Sagas, Forest Child brings the memorable,
conflicted persona of Freydis Eiriksdottir to life and is Book Two in the
bestselling Vikings of the New World Saga.

 

Can't Help Falling

Kara Isaac

A funny, heartfelt romance about how an antique shop, a wardrobe, and a
mysterious tea cup bring two C.S. Lewis fans together in a snowy and
picturesque Oxford, England.

The Cautious Maiden

Dawn Crandall

In an effort to salvage her good name, Violet is forced into an engagement with
a taciturn acquaintance; Vance Everstone. With danger stalking her and a new
fiance who hides both his emotion and his past, Violet must decide who to trust
and who to leave behind. 

The Thorn Healer

Pepper D. Basham

A wounded nurse battles resentment against a German prisoner as the two work together to save an Appalachian town from deception and disease in the wake of World War 1.

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