Masquerade by Nancy Moser

This book was an entertaining book with a couple of twists and turns one might not expect. It is a great lesson in being thankful for the many blessings God had given you. Also, that not living your life in truth can cause many unnecessary burdens to fall upon you. Charlotte Gleason lived a spoiled life but family secrets tear it apart and she is forced to go to America to marry a man she doesn’t know. She is accompanied by her maid Dora who Charlotte forces to impersonate her and go with the man she was supposed to marry. The trails of untruths lead to many difficult circumstances’ for both girls, but in the end they both find the place in their world they were meant to be.
I enjoyed this easy read and was captivated by the web of lies and trouble Charlotte kept weaving and the trouble it was causing for both her and Dora. I would recommend this book.
This book was free from the publisher.

The Vigilante's Bride by Yvonne Harris

Emily McCarthy had no choice but to leave all she knows and travel to Montana by train to marry a man she doesn’t know. She is trying her best to realize she has no other choice when she is suddenly kidnapped on the stagecoach while it is being robbed. The man who kidnaps her does it because he feels he is saving her from a horrible marriage to an old man who he knows personally as unkind and abusive. She is not amused, but the story unfolds into a love story of two people who were not expecting to find love in the mist of the wild cattle range of Montana.
I enjoyed this book. It was a romance story with adventure and kept my interest throughout. I would recommend this book.

This book was free from the publisher.

In Every Heartbeat by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Libby, Pete, and Bennett are three friends who are just starting college and trying to figure life out. All three were raised in an orphanage and each has different dreams to follow. Libby’s dream of becoming a journalist takes her into Pete’s past which cause Libby and Pete to rethink their dreams and goals. Bennett struggles with trying to figure out his place when he sees that his friends Libby and Pete seem to have a focus.
This book was not one of my favorites. I thought the story line was sometimes drawn out instead of keeping my interest and moving along. In the end, it does have a great message about submitting your life to God’s will. Overall is was an okay read.

This book was free from the publisher.

The Thorn by Beverly Lewis

As always, Beverly Lewis does not disappoint and I am on the edge of my seat waiting for the next book in the series.
Hen fell in love with an English man and married without any family present . As she watches her daughter grow up worldly instead of with the good character traits of an Amish child, she begins to desire her old life, but cannot dishonor her marriage.
Rose is a good, obedient Amish girl who joined the church early to prove to her parents that she will not fall prey to the English world as her sister Hen did. Rose has her eye on one Amish boy but finds herself drawn to Nick, her best friend. Nick’s rebellious ways baffle Rose, but she is still drawn to a connection she has with him and the desire to see him happy.
Both sisters know their decisions could have large consequences, but their desires to be happy and to make others happy weigh heavily on their hearts. Will they both be able to have the desires of their heart without hurting others?
This book kept my interest throughout and was difficult to put down when I needed too. Beverly Lewis’s books always put you there in the lives of the characters. I actually took a trip to Lancaster County while I was reading this book and I could imagine Rose and Hen living there in one of the beautiful farms I saw. I definitely recommend this book and look forward to reading about what happens next.

This book was free from the publisher. Thanks so much!!

She walks In Beauty by Siri Mitchell

Clara is the beautiful daughter of a widowed doctor in the late 1800's. Her aunt decides to have Clara debut a year earlier than she was expecting and Clara is quickly spending all of her time learning how to behave and fit it with high society. Her father and aunt expect her to win the proposal of the most wealthiest bachelor, so that she will be fully accepted into high society and have money. Her two biggest problems are learning all she needs to know in a short amount of time and dealing with her best friend who is also debuting and is expected to get married to the same man. Clara struggles through out the season with her feels of marrying for love or doing what her father and aunt tell her must be done. While struggling with these feelings she learns some upsetting things about her mother's death and her father's business choices. This book was a wonderful book. I was drawn and captivated to it from first page to the last. I loved her descriptions of every scene and the interactions between the character's seem so real. I would highly suggest this book and I am looking forward to reading more from this author.

This was a free book from the publisher.

Sixteen Brides by Stephanie Grace Whitson

Sixteen women set out west on a train, under false pretenses, to make a new life for themselves. They all have a past which they are trying to run from or leave behind. What they don’t know is what or who is waiting for them once they get there.
This book was not a favorite of mine. It took me quite a while to get into the book and then it held my interest. I realized half way through the book that the name for this book was, in my opinion, not a good title. There are only sixteen women through the first five chapters of the book and then it narrows down to six women. And those first five chapters where confusing because of the so many female characters. Once the number of characters narrows down and you can start focusing on their stories and the townspeople’s stories, then you start settling in and enjoying the story line. The story is fairly predictable with a couple of shockers to keep your interest. I did love the determination of the six women to accomplish some independence. Overall, this book would be a good book to borrow from a friend for a weekend read.

This book was free from the publisher.

Somewhere to Belong by Judith Miller

I love Judith Miller and she doesn’t disappoint in this captivating book. This story is about two young women and their search for where God wants them to be. This is one of those life lessons we all go through and continue to learn even as we get older and wiser. The story takes place in a devout Christian community in Amana, Iowa. Johanna ( love the name, but only because it is my eldest daughter’s name) has grown up in Amana her whole life, but is fascinated by the outside world and wants to go discover what keeps her older brother from moving back to Amana. She is an exceptional daughter and member of her community. She believes strongly in what she has learned as a Christian growing up, but a family secret rattles her to the core. Will she be able to overcome what she has learned and find her path?
Berta is used to high society in Chicago, but her parents decided to move to Amana and she is greatly upset. She does not want to work hard or follow the rules given to her. Johanna is assigned to teach her how to behave and how to act. Can Johanna’s gently ways guide Berta or will a shocking discovery in her life send her down a path of destruction? Will Berta find some peace in her life?
This was a great book. I was highly interested in the life style of the villages in Amana and was caught up in the two girls and their stories. I spent a very relaxing Mother’s Day weekend reading this delightful story. This looks to be a series and I am looking to forward to the next book.
This book was a free book from the publisher.