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Tag Archives: Great Reads 2014

The Secret of Pembrooke Park by Julie Klassen

05 Friday Dec 2014

Posted by Jennifer in Books I LOVE, Reviewed Books

≈ 2 Comments

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Great Reads 2014, Julie Klassen, The Secret of Pembrooke Park

The Secret of Pembrooke Park

I have read most of Julie Klassen’s books over the last few years, and I have to say that this might be my favorite one yet.  First, it’s a beautiful cover and begs to be read. Secondly, the book is nice and thick, 451 delightful pages! Most importantly, The Secret of Pembrooke Park is a great story you will not regret spending your time reading. I loved it!

In The Secret of Pembrooke Park, Abigail Foster’s family is facing financial ruin and has  accepted an offer of housing from distant relatives at Pembrooke Park. Abigail and her father find the old home just as the last family left it….eighteen years ago. The house is draped in mystery and frankly, a little creepy. Abigail works to put the house in order and begins to unravel the secrets of Pembrooke Park. She also meets a very attractive local curate, William. He and his family have some part to play in the house and the secrets it holds. Abigail must decide who to trust and with whom to exercise caution.

There are several things about this book that made me love it. I love all things Regency Era, and the fact that this title is a love story plus a mystery makes it all the more wonderful. I never found myself skimming pages, I enjoyed every word. Even in the middle. The Secret of Pembrooke Park isn’t long for the sake of being long. Thank you Julie Klassen for another terrific read!

I was given a complimentary copy of this book from its publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I have not been compensated.

Love’s Fortune by Laura Frantz

17 Wednesday Sep 2014

Posted by Jennifer in Books I LOVE, Favorites, Reviewed Books

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Great Reads 2014, Laura Frantz, Love's Fortune, Reviewed

Love's FortuneEveryone who loves a good book has a favorite author. Laura Frantz is mine. I am always elated to read one of her books.  Love’s Fortune is another novel by Laura Frantz I will be adding to my shelf of favorites. It is third in her Ballantyne Series and it is magnificent!

While this book stands alone, I enjoyed seeing all of the characters from the prior novels in this story. At nearly 400 pages, this book is no novella, but I could not put it down until I had finished every last word. At roughly 2 a.m. a few nights ago I turned the final page with a sigh of satisfaction . In my state of exhaustion the following day, I was tempted to read it again to savor it.  But I am saving my second read for an upcoming lengthy plane ride.

In Love’s Fortune, Wren Ballantyne travels to Pennsylvania to meet her extended family, most for the first time. She is thrust into unfamiliar territory for a simple girl from Kentucky.  A handsome steamboat pilot, James Sackett, is there to help her navigate all of the rules of society.  It is the relationship between them that kept me turning pages through the night!

No one writes like Laura Frantz. She is a historian, a poet, and a master of detail. Her stories are not overdone, they are simply wonderful. I devour every chapter like it’s a Godiva truffle. If you have read the first two books in the series, you will cry when you see Eden and Silas Ballantyne in their later years. I know, because I did!! Thank you Laura Frantz for another amazing novel!

Here are a few quotes from the book that were featured on Laura Frantz’s Facebook page.

Loves fortune 2

 

Lauar frantz2I was given a complimentary copy of the this book by its publisher in exchange for an honest review. (I would have purchased it anyway. It’s a guaranteed good read!) All opinions are my own and I have not been compensated.

Just for fun, here is the story behind the cover of the Novel. I love seeing how they create a cover to match the identity of the character.

The First Time We Saw Him by Matt Mikalatos

28 Thursday Aug 2014

Posted by Jennifer in Uncategorized

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Great Reads 2014, Matt Mikalatos, review, The First Time We Saw Him

The First time we saw him“Gospel stories retold for today,” a tag line that certainly grabbed my attention. One, because I am a fan of Francine Rivers and Liz Curtis Higgs who have retold Bible stories with great skill. I knew this book could be either incredible or truly terrible. Especially if the Gospel got lost in the modern retelling. However, to my surprise, this book is quite amazing.

I am the prime example of the person who grew up in church and vacation Bible school, in the cinder block basement rooms of Baptist Churches. I dare say there isn’t a Bible story I haven’t heard at least 100 times.  Author Mike Mikalatos managed to retell the Gospel story in such a way that it challenged and unsettled my heart.  The First Time We Saw Him, left me hungry and desperate to go back and read these astonishing accounts in scripture with new eyes. More importantly, after reading the first few chapters, I leapt into action to assist a neighbor I had been avoiding helping for several years. I know…a shameful admission, but its true. Mikalatos retelling of the Good Samaritan was eye-opening to my own failings to reach out to those who might slow me down during my “too busy for interruptions” day.

I highly recommend this book to anyone. It is well worth the few hours it took me to consume it. Read this book! I was given a complimentary copy of this book by BakerBooks in exchange for an honest review. I have not been compensated and all opinions are my own.

P.S.  The First Time We Saw Him is currently on sale on Amazon, Kindle version, for $1.99!

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