This Road We Travel by Jane Kirkpatrick

Book Description

When Tabitha Brown's son makes the fateful decision to leave Missouri and strike out for Oregon, she refuses to be left behind. Despite her son's concerns, Tabitha hires her own wagon to join the party. Along with her reluctant daughter and her ever-hopeful granddaughter, the intrepid Tabitha has her misgivings. But family ties are stronger than fear.

The trials they face along the way will severely test Tabitha's faith, courage, and ability to hope. With her family's survival on the line, she must make the ultimate sacrifice, plunging deeper into the wilderness to seek aid. What she couldn't know was how this frightening journey would impact how she understood her own life--and the greater part she had to play in history.

My Review

I like Jane Kirkpatrick ever since I read her Emma of Aurora trilogy. I haven't been able to read too much of her books since that one (I read one but it wasn't quite as good to me; Emma of Aurora was just that good to me!) but I'm glad to say this one was good!

This story takes places in the mid-1800's on the Oregon trail with Tabitha (Tabby) and her family. Late in life, around 66 I think it was, she decides to travel with her two children and their family from Missouri to Oregon.
Jane Kirkpatrick writes beautifully and adds a nice little vocabulary to her works.
Much of this was based on true events and a true person. Now, I've sadly never heard of Tabitha before so I can't say what I thought of this story in comparison to her real life but that's fiction for you.
If you like Historical fiction, especially this time period, then pick up this book!

I give this book a 4 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.

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.

Always Watching #1 by Lynette Eason

Book Description

The bodyguards of Elite Guardians Agency have more than just skill and prowess in common--they're also all women. When it becomes clear that popular psychiatrist and radio personality Wade Savage has a stalker, his father secretly hires Elite Guardians in order to protect his son.

But when Wade's bodyguard is attacked and nearly killed, agency owner Olivia Edwards must step in and fill the gap. Olivia's skills are about to be tested to the limit as Wade's stalker moves from leaving innocent gifts at his door to threatening those closest to him. Olivia has the feeling that she's next on the list. And to complicate things even further, she realizes that her heart may be in as much danger as her client.

My Review

Get ready to hold onto your seats ladies and gents! When I saw this book coming out, I thought, "this sounds good, intriguing. I think I'll give it a try!" Now if you know me at all, I don't usually go for these kind of books. Not that they don't sound good, but usually I put them to the side in my "when-I'm-in-the-mood-for-that-kind" pile. This was my first time picking up one of Lynette Eason's book.

I AM SO GLAD I DID!

From the first page I was, "this is good." But the more I read the more I realized it wasn't simply good, I was HOOKED. What I loved about the book most was it was that the romance element was not it's primary focus. Don't get me wrong, I love a good love story but sometimes mixing romance in an action adventure such as this can come off very cliche! 

NOT WITH THIS ONE. 

It has just the right dose of romance without distracting from the plot, the stalker! I shudder thinking about that character. Good grief! This book was well written and kept me turning the pages. And I really loved how Lynette was able to incorporate Christianity into the whole thing too. It was natural, nothing felt pushed or cliche in the least!

This novel turned out better than I expected and I CANNOT WAIT to read the next one! (yes, there is another one coming out!!!)

I give this book a 5 out of 5! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for this honest and unbiased review as part Revell's blogging for book 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