A heartfelt, warm, and sweet tale of an urban city woman escaping a dire situation in LA to the Amish community where she learns new ways to look at life, about faith in God, and falls so adorably in love with the neighbor. This story had such a welcoming inclusive vibe, it was truly a pleasure to read and experience. The community was helpful, kind, and considerate, they embraced Leah Porte, took her in, and taught her their ways, as she requested and wanted to learn more. I loved Leah's development in this story as she gains an understanding of Amish ways she learns about her self as well. For the first time, she truly hears about God and is intrigued, wanting more. Leah is easy to like, she is smart and kind and considerate and assimilates so easily into the new culture and ways of the Amish. She yearns to know more, to understand, and as she does she accepts the simple ways herself. The romance with Isaac is a delightfully precious slow process, yet the feels they have for each other are real, believable, and on a strong foundation. A solid, admirable tale of searching for meaning, learning to trust, to have faith, to love, and live your life's purpose. ~ Four Spoons Living on a remote self-sufficient homestead in North Idaho, Patrice Lewis is a Christian wife, mother, author, blogger, columnist and speaker. She has practiced and written about rural subjects for almost thirty years. When she isn’t writing, Patrice enjoys self-sufficiency projects, such as animal husbandry, small-scale dairy production, gardening, food preservation and canning, and homeschooling. She and her husband have been married since 1990 and have two daughters.
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A perfect story to escape into. A smooth and sweet romance of two adults who have seen life, experienced pain and loss, and success and are open and willing to see the possibilities that the future might hold. I enjoyed this story, it felt so natural, so calm and peaceful, and beautiful. There are sorrow and pain regarding the loss, an aspect that gives the tale great depth, yet mainly there are all the gleeful days of summer on a lakeside that shines like sunrays. I could hear the windchimes making a racket, the birds singing, see the kid with her dog in a hammock enjoying the summer days... Cam Maguire and Meredith Price have a connection, the attraction might be instant but the relationship takes time to develop. I liked how they interacted with the people in town and with each other. There were respect and maturity, it felt real, with true emotions, and their drama but it was created by the situations in life and solved with real solutions without dwelling in angst. More Than Neighbors is just what the world needs right now, it's uplifting, cheerful, joy-filled tale. And as a book one in a new series it delivers a great platform to build on, promising there's more to come and I can't wait! ~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side
An emotional and touching love story of two friends in a crossroads of life, struggling with their past tragedies, with the losses they have faced and with the passion they feel for each other. It is easy to adore and admire Ryder Daniels, the head of a family, who put everything else aside as a young man, to take care of the family when needed. He is loyal, kind, considerate, stubborn, strong, and generous, he would do anything to protect his family. His best friend of 17 years, the light of his life, the sun on his sky, Sammy Marshall, thought him how to smile again, and now she is showing him how to feel again... While Ryder was so easy to love and admire, Sammy took some effort to understand. The place of trauma Sammy comes from, where she grew up in, the physical, mental, and emotional abuse she had faced, it is unimaginable and thus hard to grasp. As the story unfolds and the damage to Sammy's soul is unveiled, it is heartwrenching to feel an ouch of the immeasurable pain she has had to carry with her most of her life. This story went directly to my feels. At first, it was all fun and banter and cute and ardent. And then it got real and raw, there were heartache and agony, and the angst was high even when everything seemed so lovely and tender and sweet cause there were still major pieces of the puzzle missing. This beautiful story of love and life, friendship, and family, finding your true north and daring to take the journey towards it was an intense, fervent, spirited tale that took me for a wild ride and pulled all the feels to the surface. A book hangover? Oh yes, in the best possible way. I think part of Sammy and Ryder will live in my heart from now on... ~ Five Spoons!
An amazingly beautiful love story in a heart-wrenching situation, an emotionally wild ride from devastation and distress to filling my mind, my heart, and uplifting my spirit. Redwood Ridge is one of my favorite romance series. I fell head over the heels in love with the townfolks, the characters, the battleaxes, the matchmaking, and mostly - with the love stories. And this admiration towards the series has just grown with each new book. The sheriff of Redwood Ridge, Parker Maloney, has been on the sidelines of the stories, and I am so glad he got his own HEA. Parker is such a cool guy, tough yet gentle, he is thoughtful, kind, considerate, generous, he is loyal to his friends, openminded, and just everything Madeline Freemont needs, even if that is not obvious at the beginning. Madeline's backstory and current situation broke my heart in two. And to know that it is the reality to too many people, left a little ache in it as well in the matter of 'take action to prevent that happening'. It was all so real and raw, yet at the same time wonderfully ardent and marvelous. A beautiful story of forgiveness, redemption, acceptance, and most of all, learning to trust and daring to take that leap of faith to open your heart to love. ~ Five Spoons!
A twisted, action-packed tale with charming characters in the middle of perilous, potentially lethal situations delivers a captivating story that I couldn't put down. It is no secret that I love Laura Scott's style of writing. Her ability to tell a story where intense suspense and heartwarming romance enchant the mind, endearing characters win the hearts over, and their unwavering faith in God inspires. It has been a few books ago when I read the first book in the series, yet as soon as I started to read this one, the previous events came rushing to my mind, and I was eager to find out what's going on. The connection between Ryker Tillman and Olivia Habush was sweet, believable, and natural, so tender - fragile even - as she is pregnant with her late husband's baby, I got all the warm and snuggly feels from them. How Ryker interacted with Olivia's kid, how the bond and trust was formed, it was all a testament to Ryker's good character, to his distinction and decency despite his doubts. A fabulous faith-based romantic suspense story that easily could be read as a standalone book, yet is volume two in a series that I can highly recommend! ~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side
This story has it all, the deep feels, the angst, the passion, the cute kids, friends for life, the family drama, and falling in love against all the odds. And all of that is wrapped in a smoothly flowing, riveting tale that made me smile, and sigh, and swoon, and even tear up but they were happy tears cause it was just so beautifully brought together. The connection between Mara and Parker was tangible on so many different layers. Their past brought in the painful conflict, their present was sizzling with attraction, and the future didn't seem like a realistic possibility because of the emotional baggage both of them had. Yet all the fears and doubts and hassles in the protagonist's minds are balanced with the little joys in life, with the support of family and friends. And through those reservations and skepticism, the characters grow and learn to trust and to open up, to dare to take the ultimate leap of faith. I admire and adore Major's writing and her style to tell a story so that it wraps around your heart and mind and imagination like you are part of the townfolks witnessing the events happen in real-time. The Last Man She Expected delivered beyond all my expectations! ~ Five Spoons
From the eruptive start to the very last scene the fast-paced tale of action and intrigue is a wild ride of survival; to stay alive, to find out who is behind the attacks and to deal with the combustible attraction still simmering between Texas Ranger Eli Slater and his ex, Ashlyn Darrow. A lot is going on in this story, the non-stop action, the deadly attacks, and the multiple suspects, the tension between the exes, the efforts to keep the baby safe... I took a deep breath and jumped right in the middle of a tale that kept going forward like a high-speed race that left very little room for anything else than to fight back and hope for the best. Eli and Ashlyn had known each other since childhood and they have a romantic history from their high school years. Now in the mids of the mayhem brought to their doorsteps, facing a potentially deadly situation, the realization that the attraction still burns piping hot seems like a lifeline for both of them. There is no chance to deal with what happened before or develop a relationship while guns are blazing and madmen are lurking around every corner, yet the emotional connection is like a fierce, strong, palpable pull towards the other. I loved the premises of the story. I liked the characters, the tale itself was intense and frenzied, the suspense, the whodunit was filled with intensity. What I wished would have gotten more attention was the ardent second chance love story between Eli and Ashlyn. ~ Three Spoons with a teaspoon on the side
A beautiful heartfelt tale of family, finding yourself, finding love when and where you least expect it and finding redemption, hope, and new beginnings... I loved every moment of West Caldwell and Pansy Daniels' story, I think this is one of my favorites in one of my favorite series, so what do I give to it - six spoons?! I feel like I am still on cloud nine after the amazingly swoon-worthy ending in this book! The meet-cute for West and Pansy was a perfect start for their fervent tale. The banter that follows, the daring actions that they take, the passion that burns scorching hot between them, as they get to know each other was charming and sort of enchanting, I could not get enough of these two. They are by no means perfect, either of them, yet they complete each other like few people rarely do, and with each other's support and some inner struggles, they bloom to show their true selves. Both West and Pansy have a broken past, their stories are different yet they get each other,. They understand the road each of them had to take to come to this point in their lives. They both have to learn to accept themselves and their role in their families, in their relationships, even in their community, to be able to take on the new chances and brighter future at their grasp. The story is filled with life lessons and one-liners that I wanted to underline and ponder about later on. I adored the tangible passion between Pansy and West, and the deeper emotions taking root. The relationships with their family members were complex and complicated, which turned into life lessons and moments of growth. As part of an ongoing series, you can always get a deeper grasp of the story if you have read the previous books, yet this tale could stand alone as well. Loved every emotional, passionate, banter-filled moment of Pansy and Wess' love story ~ Five Spoons!
An intense, fierce, and ardent romantic suspense novella that pulled the reader into the tale from the very first scene, and held the interest throughout the story. I loved so many things about Logan and Allison's story. It is relatable, fervent, and emotional. The connection between them is heartfelt, the chemistry is tangible, and the fact that they are best friends and have known each other for years made it even sweeter and even more believable. The tension-filled strain in Allison's life is her ex who has violent tendencies and enough money to get away with his crimes. Things escalate as Tanner insistently keeps coming around and harassing Allison. Logan's military experience is put to a test in a civilian world, to keep Allison safe, unharmed - and ultimately - alive. Regan's Brotherhood Protectors World is filled with tales of intrigue and passion. The suspense reaches from domestic threats that could escalate into international conflicts to up close and personal attacks and aggressions, whereas the love stories are genuine, warm, sincere, and fervent. Add to that the loyalty and reliability of the brotherhood at the Guardian Agency, and you get stories that fascinate, charm and entertain ~ Five Spoons
Breathtakingly fast, explosive action against the Russian mobsters and second chance romance for a divorced couple carries this rapidly unfolding tale. I loved the fast tempo of the tale, and I think it was the force that kept my interest high, wanting to know how it all would conclude: you have no other option than hold on to the wild ride! The book is part of a series, and I think it would have benefited me greatly if I have had read the previous books. There are a lot of characters, a lot of references to past events and people in them, and I think I would have been more interested in them if I knew their story, as well. The fight against the Russian mobsters, undercover law enforcement working on the task force, and quest to find missing information boxes before the gangsters, it all worked for me because everything happens so swiftly I had no time to wonder if it was believable or not, just holding on for the bumpy roll-a-coaster ride. When it comes to the romance between Coral Staufer and Trevor Stone I am conflicted, like always when the reason for a split of a relationship, not to mention divorce, is self-sacrifice and lack of communication. Even the love scenes between them seamed riding on angry energy than passionate chemistry. Through halfway of the book, I wasn't sure if they would end up together - and this is a Harlequin romance. So yes, I was conflicted with Coral and Trevor, yet the author showed her skills to tell a dynamic, vigorous tale with spry twists in the plot, full of vim and vigor, in a book that turned out to be so entertaining it was unputdownable. A captivating adventure, a wild ride for Coral to find peace of mind, in her heart, and to her farm that changes her life completely ~ Four Spoons
A wildly entertaining, action-packed tale with explosive action, intrigue that keeps you on the edge, and ardent swoon-worthy romance that had me at the meet-cute... So far my favorite book in the series, it seems as the stories are getting more intense with each installment. Jessie Kegan and Brandon Garrett had amazing chemistry and connection between them. Brandon is a smart, kind-hearted, considerate, protective warrior who can accept his limitations and asks for back up when needed, who appreciated Jessie's abilities and treats her like an equal. Jessie is a smart, strong, capable woman who can hold her own yet doesn't act recklessly, and knows when to lead and when to follow. I adored them together, they are a team, they got each other, and they communicate, they have difficult conversations, and share painful memories. There are tough times and dangers and threats they have to face, yet there isn't unnecessary emotional drama, their life is traumatic enough right now. All the multilayered, deadly action coming at Jessie and Brandon seemed at times a bit too much, yet the plot held all the strings well together. And when things started to unfold the virulence was tangible, like a fervent pulse beating on the pages, gripping the scenes, carrying on the twists and turns. I'm rather enamored with this tale and I can not wait to get back to the exciting world of the Maximum Security. ~ Five Spoons
The story jumped right into the action and mayhem. The chaotic attempted crime giving an edge to the tale, the heroic reactions shining a bright light to Vivienne and Hank. In all the disarray Vivianne meets FBI agent Caleb Black, and sparks are flying and igniting as they start to work together. I liked the story and I found it entertaining. There is an obvious connection between Caleb and Vivianne, but they do have several obstacles to work through to even get along. Caleb is struggling with his faith in God, with the loss of his family, and is shut down from any future romantic entanglements. Vivianne is a capable and strong officer, yet she has a need to prove it to Caleb again and again, to the point of stubbornness and making dangerous mistakes. A tale that detonates on all aspects, with the constant twists and turns with the suspense, with the romance that lights up instantly despite the challenges it faces, and with the inner struggles to trust for the divine guidance, to find that inner peace and deliverance of past doubts and sorrows. ~ Three Spoons and a teaspoon on the side
A delightfully diverse story filled with intense suspense, sweet romance, soul searching, and the amazing abilities and connections search and rescue dogs and their handlers have. The suspense is fierce and explosive. The serial killer's patterns arise questions, the twists in the plot managed to take me by surprise. How Blue reacted in different situations, how the dog's moods changed as bodies were found was palpable and heartfelt. As well as was the connection developing between Officer Levi Wicks and Adriana Steele. Yes, it was building up fast and under duress, yet it was believable and authentic. I admired how naturally Adriana and Levi talked about their faith in God, how they shared about their life struggles and losses. As the story started to unfold the friction from the beginning dissolved, the growth and character development were tangible as they battle the attacks towards them and fight to stay alive. Alaskan Showdown was a compelling story that was hard to put down. All the three main elements, suspense, romance, and faith in God, were well imbedded into the twists of the plot making it entertaining, inspirational, genuinely wholesome tale. ~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side
The story starts immediately with a nightmarish type of action and the intensity and danger continue throughout the book. I liked the premise of the tale - on the personal level with the characters - the healing of the deep personal wounds both protagonists suffer with, finding the peace of heart and mind after tragic events, the resolution for forgiveness, and renewing your faith in God. Allison Moore and Jackson Archer struggle with their issues and personality faults while trying to stay alive and avoiding the attraction budding in between them, all the mayhem delivering a lot of drama, danger, and imperilment. An overall great, entertaining story that was a quick, enjoyable, adrenaline rush read. There were a couple of points when a bit of polish could have made a difference, yet no major issues that would be putting me off from reading future books by this author. ~ Four Spoons  As a native Texan, Theresa loves to write suspenseful stories that happen in small Texas towns with old fashioned Southern values. She’s an elementary teacher and mom to two boys—the oldest being in law enforcement, which comes in handy when she’s researching. When she’s not teaching kids or writing, she loves to cook, read a good suspense, and binge-watch episodes of Dateline. She is a member of RWA (Romance Writers of America) and ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers). She actively promotes fellow Christian Fiction authors on her blog. She also loves to hear from readers who enjoy Christian Fiction and can be found at www.theresalynnhall.com and @theresalynnhall.  One Christmas Eve by Shannon StaceyMy rating: 5 of 5 stars I've never done Christmas in July before and now I am so happy I'm doing it, cause this Christmas novella From Shannon Stacey hit all the feels. I love her Christmas stories, they always manage to capture the spirit of the season with warm and fuzzy feels with laughter and love. The romance between Preston and Zoe is delightful, ardent, and sweet. They both have been hurt before, wounds they carry nearly wrecking their dreams and hopes for the future. This story had me laughing out loud with the banter, swoon and sigh with the passion between the protagonists, and even tear up with the power of love, with the magic of the season, and cheer for conquering life's hurdles. A potent tale in a shorter form of a novella. ~ Five Spoons View all my reviews  Coming Home for Christmas by RaeAnne ThayneMy rating: 5 of 5 stars A brutally beautiful tale of life, love, forgiveness, new chances, and Christmas miracles. It's a story of family, it touches the darkness of depression, and it underlines the chances for condonation, the power of love, and wonder of the season. I inhaled this story in one evening. The heartache of Elizabeth and Luke and their children pulled me in, the possibilities of new chances and new beginnings held me captive. I have wanted Luke and his children to find all the love and happiness and peace of heart and mind they yearned for and this story filled my heart to overflowing. RaeAnne Thayne is a master of sweet, heartfelt, clean romance stories that still delivers all the feels of adoration and passion without going into the details. These tales show how everyday miracles still happen, how love still wins, how by doing the hard things in life, the rewards are captured, how family and community can do wonders when they set their minds into uplifting others. Coming Home for Christmas was indeed a homecoming literally and figuratively, with all the splendor and marvel and intensity of a delightful love story. ~ Five Spoons View all my reviews  A Tale of Two Christmas Letters by Cathy Gillen ThackerMy rating: 3 of 5 stars The story has all the makings of holiday cheer, little kids, puppies, cookie making, tree decorating, family, and caroling... It is a sweet and passionate story of second chances, new beginnings, and dreams coming true if you just dare to get your walls down and take the risk of being honest and vulnerable with your feelings. I liked the characters, I liked the setting, a texas hospital, and two large merging families at Christmas time. The story does have a little thrid person drama, going on a date with someone else after the initial attraction. The conflict in the story is my least favorite type, and it keeps repeated several times throughout the book: lack of communication, not being honest about feelings, emotions, hiding the true reasons for actions. A constant in the tale is the inner monologue from both of the protagonist that shows how their true thoughts and emotions are far from what they show and communicate. I know some enjoy that yet I find it frustrating. Overall a cute Christmas love story ~ Three Spoons View all my reviews  Soldier's Christmas Secrets by Laura ScottMy rating: 5 of 5 stars An intense and thrilling start to the story pulled me in and the twists in the fervent tale had me inhaling it at one sitting. The story is engaging, filled with deadly danger, desire to survive, to have a new chance in life, to make amends, to redefine their fate in God and His guidance in life. I enjoyed all aspects of the tale so much that I didn't even stop to consider if the plot was plausible, and honestly, I don't care, it entertained, it inspired, and gave me an adrenaline rush like a great thriller does. The protagonists have both had so much sorrow and hardship, yet their hearts and minds were filled with grace and forgiveness. The Love Inspired books are all based in Christian faith, and Jillian's strong, unvarying trust in God, and Hawk's doubts and weariness to believe anything or anyone was true, palpable, and natural part of the harrowing events their go through while fighting to survive in the hands of the culprits. There are heartfelt, adorable, and emotional moments as Jillian and Hawk deal with their relationship and Hawk getting to know his daughter. I loved the connection between Hawk and his friends, the Callahans, who were the stars of a previous series with the author. A fabulous, potent start to a new spinoff series, highly recommend ~ Five Spoons View all my reviews  Cowboy Christmas Redemption by Maisey YatesMy rating: 5 of 5 stars Raw and real emotions, turbulent inner conflict, sorrow, guilt, and pain, exhilaration, passion, and adoration... As the story is told mostly by the fervent inner monologue of the protagonists, every feeling and all the turmoil in their hearts and minds are palpable forces that shape their characters, makes them grow and change them to be the people they were always meant to become. I knew the story of Caleb Dalton and Ellie Bell was going to be an emotional roll-a-coaster, only this tale dived into such deep, dark storms of the mind and heart that it blew me away. There is no doubt that these two best friends loved each other, but were they ever going to be able to grow into the profound (romantic) emotions they awoke in each other, that was left to be found out in this unique tale of life, loss, and love, of family, friends, and lovers. From sweet and adorable to ardent and heartwrenching, I felt all the feels and textures of the turmoil and mayhem in their minds and hearts. Yet, there is redemption, there is deliverance, there is hope eternal, and there is faith for the future. There is growth and maturing from the loss, there is peace from the childhood drama, and there are even those delightfully lovely holiday moments that will your heart to overflowing. A beautiful, unputdownable emotion-filled, fervent and heartfelt tale that took my breath away. ~ Five Spoons View all my reviews  Christmas in Winter Valley by Jodi ThomasMy rating: 4 of 5 stars Jodi Thomas is a talented storyteller, whose words on paper paints vivid pictures into the reader's mind, embedding them into the tales, while wrapping their hearts to the warm, loving feels radiating from her characters. Christmas in Winter Valley tells the tales of four couples destinies, endearing romances on the side of the most adorable, heartfelt bromance between a young orphan boy and Cooper. The characters all are charming and sweet, the drama is limited, and while passion and loving are notching the temperatures up in the cold winter weather, the action mostly happens off the pages of the book. With multiple storylines fusing into one plot, the happiness, joyous, miraculous Christmas spirit is a tangible force bringing people and families together. Of course, the multiple narratives have no chance or space to dig deep into all of the characters and the nuances of the romances budding through the ranch. Yet the message of the season, that there are hope and faith for the future if love conquers all, that is the genuinely tangible happily ever after in the air at the Holloway ranch at Christmas in Winter Valley ~ Four Spoons and a teaspoon on the side View all my reviews  A Coldwater Christmas by Delores FossenMy rating: 4 of 5 stars Going to Cold Water and meeting the Laramie brothers and their extended family is always like going home. A chaotic home, where emotions are high, where everyone wants to know the other's business, yet are willing to stand up for each other when need arise. When it comes to creating a world where readers feel like part of the community is just one of the reasons why I love Fossen's books. The oldest brother, Kace, has been the caretaker of everyone else since their father walked out on the family, and he truly deserves a happily forever after. I loved the connection and palpable attraction between Kace and Lana. And the way Lana's little girl reacted to Kace, was truly heartwarming. Lana and Kace seemed to be on the same frequency, the same wavelength, they understood each other and why they were the way they were. Even though I am not big on angst, I wish there would have been a bit more about why Lana and Kace divorced the first time and a clear solution to those issues. But I felt them at the bottom of my heart, rarely is there a couple - even in romance novels - who so tangible belong to each other. Even in the tumultuous disarray of all the family drama and Coldwater reacting to it, this tale delivers all the feels of family and home, a community where you belong to, and love that will survive even in the toughest times and the biggest obstacles. I laughed, I sighed and I swooned, and mostly I enjoyed the last installment of the saga of Laramie brothers. ~ Four Spoons View all my reviews  Rancher's Wild Secret by Maisey YatesMy rating: 4 of 5 stars Revenge, passion, deep, bold emotions, pretentious facades hiding secrets that are causing family drama... A breathtaking quick read with a raw ardent coupling that gets a chance to be something more, bigger, deeper, and real while Holden McCall works on his vengeance towards Emerson Maxfield's father. I love Yates' style of storytelling and her ability to adjust the writing to a different category, even while writing in the same series and their spinoffs. This story, part of the new spinoff and Desire books in Harlequin, had the focus on the fierily igniting, undeniable lust the protagonists have for each other. There was still space for drama, and most importantly the characters to grow and develop, find their selves while finding a new normal in their lives while desperately falling in love. An intensely fervent tale of hunger for more, in love as well in life, that surely brings on the heat and entertains. ~ Four Spoons View all my reviews |
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