To Follow Her Heart by Rebecca DeMarino

Book Description

It is 1664 and Patience Terry is devastated to learn that Captain Jeremy Horton's ship has been shipwrecked off the coast of Barbados, with no survivors. She had hoped that Jeremy would someday give up the sea and settle down with her in Southold, Long Island. 

Unaware his memorial service is being planned, Jeremy is rescued and aboard a British Naval Gunship with secret orders to attack New Amsterdam and claim it for the British Crown. When he makes his surprise return to Southold--and to an overjoyed Patience--it's not the happily-ever-after his beloved had hoped for. 

My Review

This has been a highly anticipated book for me! These books can stand alone but I highly recommend reading them from start to finish; I started with book two, unknowingly, but I can't wait to get my hands on the first book!

To Follow Her Heart is the third book in this series. Again, Rebecca has captured a beautiful and captivating story! 

Patience had much more patience than any ordinary woman would to wait to marry a man.  I related to her, because I'm a pretty patient, big heart, kind of person myself I feel like that would have been me in that time period! Captain Jeremy is a knucklehead that I wish I could have knocked some sense into! Making her wait that long and putting her through the heartache!

            Weaving together all the characters and history, this was a wonderful ending to a beautiful series! I loved it so much.

I give it a 5 out of 5!

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for this honest and unbiased review as part Revell Tour blogging program.

Not By Sight by Kate Breslin

Book Description

Gripping Sophomore Novel from a Rising Historical Romance Talent

With Britain caught up in WWI, Jack Benningham, heir to the Earl of Stonebrooke, has declared himself a conscientious objector. Instead, he secretly works for the Crown by tracking down German spies on British soil, his wild reputation and society status serving as a foolproof cover.

Blinded by patriotism and concern for her brother on the front lines, wealthy suffragette Grace Mabry will do whatever it takes to assist her country's cause. When she sneaks into a posh London masquerade ball to hand out white feathers of cowardice, she never imagines the chain of events she'll set off when she hands a feather to Jack. 

And neither of them could anticipate the extent of the danger and betrayal that follows them--or the faith they'll need to maintain hope.

My Review

            I couldn’t contain the enthusiasm when I first heard that Kate Breslin was coming out with another book. I squealed when I ordered it seven months later. I jumped for joy when it arrived in my mailbox (silently thanking the Lord the mailman didn’t bend it, stuffing it in my mailbox!) It’s taken me longer to around to reading it sadly, but it was more than worth the wait!

            Grace is such a wonderfully believable character. Innocent yet admirable, she sets out to do her part in the war effort as a suffragette, to support her twin brother who is fighting overseas. That’s how she meets Jack Benningham. Dressed as Pandora, Grace and her maid crash a wealthy ladies lavish Masquerade ball to handout their white feathers of cowardice.

            Jack Benningham is not what he appears. Secretly working for British intelligence, seeking to reveal the traitors to their country. However, he didn’t plan on meeting Pandora that fateful night.  As her beauty captivates him and he charms her with a gentle kiss on her hand, he becomes amused and enraptured by her boldness as she hands him a white feather. Sadly, he let her beauty distract him from the mission and in pursuit of the spy Jack is devastatingly injured. Jack must not only live without his sight, but he must learn to live by faith; a faith not by sight.

            Fit with humor, love, and faith this book is one to have on your bookshelf! You will fall in love with it as soon as you open the book and want to share with others.

I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars!

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for this honest and unbiased review as part Bethany House blogging for book program.

Fire & Ice by Mary Connealy

Book Description

Bailey Wilde is one of the best new ranchers in the West. She's been living disguised as a man for a while, but when Gage Coulter comes to drive her off her homestead, he quickly realizes he's dealing with a woman--a very tough, very intriguing woman at that.

Gage is an honest man, but he didn't make his fortune being weak. He won't break the law, but he'll push as hard as he can within it. Five thousand acres of his best range land is lost to him because Bailey's homestead is located right across the only suitable entrance to a canyon full of lush grass. Gage has to regain access to his land--and he's got to go through Bailey to do it.

Spending a winter alone has a way of making a person crave some human contact. In a moment of weakness, Bailey agrees to a wild plan Gage concocts. Can these two independent, life-toughened homesteaders loosen up enough to earn each other's respect--and maybe find love in 
the process?

My Review

Yes, yes, yes! Mary Connealy has concluded yet another wonderful series! 

Bailey Wilde was definitely an interesting character, I wasn't always sure what to make of her. She had layers I couldn't begin to figure out on my own. I had to read through to finally see who she was (which I guess is the point, to keep reading, right?) Bailey being the oldest of the Wilde Women, she has always looked after her two younger sisters, shielding and protecting them from their not so great, rather low life, of a father. With the war over, now she wants nothing more than to keep to herself and run her ranch, away from people, especially men. But not because she's secretly a woman, no, there's a deeper fear hiding behind the disguise! Each of the Wild Women fought in the Civil War and each one came back with their own battle scars, but scars only become scars once they've begun to heal. Otherwise, they are just open wounds. 

Gage Coulter, icy, fierce...lovely! I was not expecting to fall for this guy! In the beginning I thought he was gonna A) Be a villain. or B) Constant thorn in everyone's side. He sort of was, especially in Bailey Wilde's case! But I was not expecting to find out he's actually a really good and decent guy! A good ole' Texas man moved across the country to the mountains. All we know in the beginning is that he fled to escape fighting in the Civil War. This book explains it all! Don't worry, I won't spoil it for you. Even if you begged me to tell you I wouldn't! 

I will tell you, however, the twist I didn't see coming even a mile away! Gage tells his mother in one of his letters that he is happily married to get her off his case but now he finds out she's on her way across the country to come see him and his wife! Now he has to find one...you guessed it, Bailey Wilde! If you read the other two books you saw this coming but it was still a great surprise! Now with these two married it got that much better! It doesn't end there, now that Mama Gage is there they can't seem to get her to leave. What will Bailey do with her running and calling the shots in her new groom's life?

And like the previous two books: Tried & True, Now & Forever, there is imminent danger lurking in the mountains! Lives are in danger as someone is trying to kill Gage and stage it to look like an accident! Who is this villain? Guess you'll have to read to find out!

Discovering the meaning of love and trust, Bailey must learn to depend on someone other than herself. Not just Gage, but God!

I give this book a 5 out of 5!

I received this book for free from the publisher’s in exchange for this honest and unbiased review as part of Bethany House Review program.

The Memory Weaver by Jane Kirkpatrick

Book Description

Eliza Spalding Warren was just a child when she was taken hostage by the Cayuse Indians during a massacre in 1847. Now the young mother of two children, Eliza faces a different kind of dislocation; her impulsive husband wants them to make a new start in another territory, which will mean leaving her beloved home and her departed mother's grave--and returning to the land of her captivity. Eliza longs to know how her mother, an early missionary to the Nez Perce Indians, dealt with the challenges of life with a sometimes difficult husband and with her daughter's captivity.

When Eliza is finally given her mother's diary, she is stunned to find that her own memories are not necessarily the whole story of what happened. Can she lay the dark past to rest and move on? Or will her childhood memories always hold her hostage?

My Review

Jane Kirkpatrick is by far one of my all time favorite authors. She just has this way about writing that draws you in and makes you want to keep reading. My first book (series) from her was Emma of Aurora and I read the entire series in such a ridiculous short amount of time. Needless to say, I couldn't wait to read Memory Weaver. 

I didn't get quite as drawn in to this book as I did Emma of Aurora but not because of her writing! For me the story was not really my cup of tea but Jane Kirkpatrick's writing still kept my attention (that's how you know you have a good writer!) So even though this book was not my cup of tea perhaps others of you out there will  enjoy it and be captivated by it. I say give it try!

I give this book a 3 out of 5!

I received this book for free from the publisher’s in exchange for this honest and unbiased review as part of Revell Review program.

To Capture Her Heart by Rebecca DeMarino

Book Description 

It is 1653 and Heather Flower, a princess of the Montauk tribe, is enjoying her wedding feast when her groom is killed and she is kidnapped by a rival tribe and held for ransom. Though her ransom is paid by an Englishman, she is nonetheless left to die in a Connecticut forest--until she finds herself rescued by handsome Dutch Lieutenant Dirk Van Buren. Torn between her affection for Dirk and her long friendship with family friend Benjamin Horton, Heather Flower must make a difficult choice--stay true to her friend or follow her heart.

My Review

“He ransoms me from death and surrounds me with love and tender mercies.” –Psalms 103:4

The story of Heather Flower and Dirk and Benjamin was delightful and fascinating. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen all the way up to the very end! I liked the stories Heather Flower shared of her people and their customs with Mary and friends. Reading it truly has given me a desire to one day take a trip to Long Island and visit the Southold Museum. The love that she shares with both Dirk and Benjamin is beautiful, and with the people of Southold and even ones further out of reach.

I was excited when I ordered this book but quickly became skeptical when I saw it was the second in the series. It’s always hard starting in the middle of a series. You feel like you should know characters that come walking in but you don’t who they are or how they are related to the story. It was the same for this one, however, about 5 chapters in you get into the rhythm and never want put it down.

I recommend reading the first book if possible, but if you can’t don’t worry. Rebecca DaMarino didn’t make this book impossible to read if you missed it like I did.

Her writing style is captivating to me and the flow between characters was just right. Though I have to say, I wanted more of Dirk! Still, there were a few times I couldn’t tell who was talking or asking a question because of the way some of the paragraphs ended and began, but when I got used to her style of writing it was quick to see. The only thing I was a little disappointed in was from the description of the book it sounds like the entire book is all about Heather Flower and her romance with Dirk. However, it was not. You see more of the characters from the first book, like Mary and her friends and family and hardly ever see Dirk and Heather Flower. This love between Dirk and Heather Flower didn’t really have any development either. However, I still really enjoyed it.

“He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!” – Psalms 103:5

Rebecca DeMarino captured my heart with this historical masterpiece. I’ve never heard of the Horton’s or of Southold, Long Island and the Indians that lived in that territory but this book makes me want to learn more about it all. I can’t wait to go back and read the first book and patiently awaiting the third novel.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars!

 received this book for free from the publisher’s in exchange for this honest and unbiased review as part of Revel Review program.

PS: Don't forget to checkout Rebecca DeMarino's awesome giveaway!

To Capture Her Heart Book Launch