Just A Kiss by Denise Hunter

Book Description

Riley Callahan’s plans to reveal his secret feelings for his best friend are ruined when his life is drastically altered in Afghanistan.

Watching the love of his life falling for his brother was enough to send Riley straight to boot camp. But over a year later, he’s officially a marine, and Beau and Paige are no longer an item. When Riley’s tour in Afghanistan is up, he intends to confess his feelings to Paige and win his best friend’s heart once and for all.

But all that changes when an IED takes the life of a comrade and leaves Riley an amputee. Now he’s heading home, injured and troubled. His plans to win Paige are a distant dream. She deserves so much more than the man that’s left. All he can do now is put some healthy distance between them. But upon his return he discovers his family has arranged for him to stay with Paige.

Paige is a nurturer at heart and happy to take care of her best buddy. By all appearances he’s adjusting miraculously well to his disability. But as the days pass, Paige begins to see that the smiles and laughter are just a mask for the pain he’s hiding. He has nightmares and mood swings, and his unwavering independence keeps him from accepting help from anyone, including her. To make matters worse, her job is in serious jeopardy. The animal shelter that she’s poured her heart into has lost its funding, and she has three months to come up the money needed to save it.

As the weeks wear on with the two in such close proximity, Paige’s feelings for Riley begin to shift into unchartered territory. Why is she suddenly noticing his corded arm muscles and the way his lips curl at the corners? Will she be able to deny her feelings for another Callahan brother? And will Riley let his heart heal so he can let Paige in?

My Review

Another wonderful ending to a wonderful series! The Summer Harbour series couldn't have ended better. I did find it interesting in the introduction that this book was written as a stand alone but is still apart of the series. Good news for anyone starting from this book for sure!

Riley's story is sort of heartbreaking and sweet. He's loved Riley for so long but having to deal with her dating his brother, it became too much and he enlisted in the military forces to escape, runaway. Now he's back but a little less for wear. After an IED leaves him an amputee, he was prepared to relax in the comfort of his own apartment, but turns out his family and friend Paige already have everything planned out and it's not what he was expecting; not thrilled would be to say the least of Riley's reaction. 

Paige has been in love with a Callahun brother before and it was hard getting over the first one, but why now are feelings stirring for her best friend Riley? Or have they always been there? Paige is a sweet character, I loved her throughout the series! 

The chemistry between them is no longer deniable! But the constant back and forth, not talking (JUST TALK ALREADY) I found myself screaming at them a few times to just talk! I loved every word of it!

Fill with faith, hope, and love you can't get a better book than this. :) 

I give this book a 4 out of 5!

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

Falling Like Snowflakes by Denise Hunter

Book Description

Eden Martelli is too busy fleeing the clutches of danger to realize she’s running straight into the arms of a new love.

Speeding north through rural Maine, Eden Martelli wonders how her life came to this—on the run with her mute five-year-old son dozing fitfully in the passenger seat. When a breakdown leaves them stranded in Summer Harbor, Eden has no choice but to stay put through Christmas . . . even though they have no place to lay their heads.

Beau Callahan is a habitual problem solver—for other people anyway. He left the sheriff’s department to take over his family’s Christmas tree farm, but he’s still haunted by the loss of his parents and struggling to handle his first Christmas alone.

When Eden shows up looking for work just as Beau’s feisty aunt gets out of the hospital, Beau thinks he’s finally caught a break. Eden is competent and dedicated—if a little guarded—and a knockout to boot. But, as he soon finds out, she also comes with a boatload of secrets.

Eden has been through too much to trust her heart to another man, but Beau is impossible to resist, and the feeling seems to be mutual. As Christmas Eve approaches, Eden’s past catches up to her.

Beau will go to the ends of the earth to keep her safe. But who’s going to protect his heart from a woman who can’t seem to trust again?

My Review

I can't tell you how much I have come to love Denise Hunter's stories and how I am always excited to start a new adventure with her! The start of her Summer Harbor series was not a disappoint! As each of Denise Hunter's books go, they are always filled with fantastic, lovable, and relatable characters!

The camaraderie that Beau and his brothers, and the people of Summer Harbor, shared warmed my insides to the core. But I think I related most to Eden/Kate. That it was not her fear of trusting other people but of trusting herself. After the emotional trauma she endured, she lost her self worth, her identity and she couldn't trust that she wouldn't lose herself again. I have felt, still struggle feeling that way at times. But the lesson being learned is that that fear can keep God's greatest gifts from us!

The story was exciting, almost thrilling at some points, and perfect for the cool winter months. I can't wait to read the next two novels!

I give this book a 5 out of 5!

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for this honest and unbiased review as part Thomas Nelson’s blogging for book program.

A Sparrow in Terezin by Kristy Cambron

Book Description

Two women, one in the present day and one in 1942, each hope for a brighter future. But they'll both have to battle through their darkest days to reach it.

Today. With the grand opening of her new gallery and a fairytale wedding months away, Sera James appears to have a charmed life. But in an instant, the prospect of a devastating legal battle surrounding her fiancé threatens to tear her dreams apart. Sera and William rush to marry and are thrust into a world of doubt and fear as they defend charges that could separate them for life.

June 1942. After surviving the Blitz bombings that left many Londoners with shattered lives, Kája Makovsky prayed for the war to end so she could return home to Prague. But despite the horrors of war, the gifted journalist never expected to see a headline screaming the extermination of Jews in work camps. Half-Jewish with her family in danger, Kája has no choice but to risk everything to get her family out of Prague. But with the clutches of evil all around, her escape plan crumbles into deportation, and Kája finds herself in a new reality as the art teacher to the children of Terezin.

Bound by a story of hope and the survival of one little girl, both Sera and Kája will fight to protect all they hold dear.

My Review

From the author that brought us the first captivating Hidden Masterpiece novel "the Butterfly and the Violin", Kristy Cambron has done it again with her sequel "A Sparrow in Terezin". From the moment I finished her first book and saw there was to be a second novel, I couldn't wait to read it! I waited 9 months and I was not the least bit disappointed.

Kristy Cambron brings to the life two women with incredible tales.

Sera James Hanover who is scared to death that her newly wed husband will have to spend a decade in prison for something she believes he did not do. But the Hanover's are keeping a secret from her. No one, including William, will tell her why his father left them all those years ago. Their afraid to talk about it. But it might be the only thing that could save William from serving from a crime he didn't commit.

Kája Makovsky after leaving Prague and her family, finds herself as an assistant at the The Daily Telegraph in England where she meets the strange but handsome reporter Liam Marshal. Just as their love began to blossom, before it had really even had the chance, London was bombed and the world of London changed. But that didn't seem to stop them from falling in love, in fact, I think it made them realize how much they loved each other from the very moment they met!

Both woman travel to the ends of the earth to help the ones they love. Connected beyond years, these two stories are woven with amazing hope and love.

"I command you--be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you where you go." ~Joshua 1:9 NLT

When I first started reading this book, I was so engrossed with Kája and Liam all I wanted to do was skip right past Sera's chapters to see what happened next. But my sister advised against that and I'm glad she did because as the chapters went on I began to see the connection between the two. Like the Butterfly and the Violin, a special piece of memory passed down from 1942 would be a key puzzle piece. So you don't want to miss a single page of this book! It's filled with depth of story and character all the way through. And I love how Sophie is connected in both books. It's woven in so perfectly.

I absolutely love this book! I have no idea if there is to be any more sequels at this moment, but I truly hope there is. If not, I'd read just about anything Kristy Cambron writes. She is an amazing author. Especially when it comes to historical fiction, I could read that from her all day. History has always intrigued me as some of you might already know, but it does take a well writing author to make Historical Fiction worth reading. Kirsty Cambron not only brings the characters to life, but you can't help but fall in love with them and want to be apart of their lives long after you've closed the book.

I also have to add that I really love Penny! I was so glad more story was added for her!

When I finished this book I cried. I couldn't even pick up another fiction book for days because I wasn't ready to leave that world with the sparrows.

I highly recommend buying it and if you haven't read the first Hidden Masterpiece the Butterfly and the Violin then I highly recommend you get on that ASAP!

I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars!

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