Glamorous Illusions by Lisa T. Bergren

I'm participating in Litfuse's blog tour for Glamorous Illusions by Lisa T. Bergren.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

It was the summer of 1913, and Cora Kensington's life on the family farm has taken a dark turn. Not only are the crops failing, so is her father's health. Cora is carrying on, helping her mother run their Montana farm until a stranger comes to call, and everything changes.

MY THOUGHTS:

I am only familiar with Lisa T. Bergren from her children's book: God Gave Us You (which my husband and I love and read to our daughter and son from belly to toddlerhood)! It's hard to know what to expect from an author

Short-Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer

Today, CFBA introduces Short-Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

No one steps on Archer land. Not if they value their life. But when Meredith Hayes overhears a lethal plot to burn the Archer brothers off their ranch, a twelve-year-old debt compels her to take the risk.

Fourteen years of constant vigilance hardens a man. Yet when Travis Archer confronts a female trespasser with the same vivid blue eyes as the courageous young girl he once aided, he can't bring himself to send her away. And when an act of sacrifice leaves her injured and her reputation in shreds, gratitude and guilt send him riding to her rescue once again.

MY THOUGHTS:
Sweet and satisfying romances are what Karen does best, and I thought Short-Straw Bride was her finest work yet.

I loved the gruff, protective side of Travis - especially when his brothers teased him about Meredith, proving his attraction to her. Of course, Meredith questions his gruffness and causes him to seriously consider his past and future decisions.

Meredith was just as easy to love. She was brave, although sometimes rash in her bravery, but she was also hesitant and unsure in Travis' presence. I loved that she visited Myra, an older Christian woman, with questions about her marriage. Great example!

And we mustn't forget the brothers. Do I hear 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers?' Ok, it wasn't quite like that, but several spots in the book made me think of the musical, and it endeared me even more to the characters.

Again, Short-Straw Bride was sweet and satisfying - with another fun and beautiful cover to boot! Karen writes standalones, but I enjoyed Short-Straw Bride so much that I was a bit sad when it ended. I became attached to the characters, and I'd really like the storyline(s) to continue!!

Nice job, Karen!

AND FOR YOU, a peek into the book:
Short-Straw Bride

Thank you to Karen and Bethany House through CFBA for sending me a copy to read and review!

Also reviewed on Amazon and Christianbook.



**DISCLOSURE: I was given a free product in exchange for an honest review. Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**

Skip Rock Shallows by Jan Watson

Today I'm sharing my review of Skip Rock Shallows by Jan Watson, courtesy of the Tyndale Blog Network.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Lilly Gray Corbett has just graduated from medical school and decided to accept an internship in the coal camp of Skip Rock, Kentucky. Her beau, Paul, is doing his residency in Boston and can’t understand why Lilly would choose to work in a backwater town. But having grown up in the mountains, Lilly is drawn to the stubborn, superstitious people she encounters in Skip Rock—a town where people live hard and die harder and where women know their place. Lilly soon learns she has a lot to overcome, but after saving the life of a young miner, she begins to earn the residents’ trust.

As Lilly becomes torn between joining Paul in Boston and her love for the people of Skip Rock, she crosses paths with a handsome miner—one who seems oddly familiar. Her attraction for him grows, even as she wrestles with her feelings and wonders what he’s hiding.

MY THOUGHTS:
I attempted a previous book by Jan, but felt like I’d tuned into a Walton’s episode a half hour late. I was afraid I’d done the same thing when I agreed to review Skip Rock Shallows and saw that the main character was ‘Lilly Corbett,’ the same Lilly from the book I felt lost in.

Somehow, the books aren’t listed as a series, but they are definitely chronological.

The good thing about Skip Rock Shallows: it felt like a standalone novel to me. Phew! A few things were mentioned about the past that probably would have been easier to understand if I’d read the previous books, but I did not feel lost or confused.

Quite the contrary. I truly enjoyed Skip Rock Shallows.

Lilly Corbett has arrived in Skip Rock, Kentucky to complete her medical internship. Skip Rock’s residents don’t take kindly to a female doctor. Lilly has her work cut out for her, amid mistrust and superstition.

I loved the Kentucky hills setting. I loved Jan’s description of mining life -- although it gave me shivers to think of working in the cold, dark belly of the earth. I loved the tight-knit, down-to-earth people of Skip Rock.

I would have enjoyed a longer ending. The conclusion tied up a bit too quickly for me, needing a longer epilogue....or just another chapter or two! Then again, perhaps Jan has more planned for Lilly in another book?

Skip Rock Shallows was a cozy, curl-up-in-a-blanket-on-a-rainy-day kind of read. I recommend - and it makes me want to go back and attempt rereading Still House Pond!

AND FOR YOU, a peek into the book:
You can read the first chapter of Skip Rock Shallows HERE.

Thank you to Jan and Tyndale Blog Network for sending me a copy to read and review!

Also reviewed on Amazon and Christianbook.



**DISCLOSURE: I was given a free product in exchange for an honest review. Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**