A Portrait of Emily Price ~ Review

A Portrait of Emily Price
By Katherine Reay

Emily Price has been sent to Atlanta for an emergency restoration - a house and a family have been affected by a fire that resulted in water and smoke damage.  But while she's in Atlanta Emily learns her own life is in need of restoration, but when she meets Benito (Ben) Vassallo her life takes a totally unexpected turn.

Within two weeks of their first meeting Emily and Ben have married and are on their way to his family's home in Italy. But life isn't how Emily envisioned it ~ happily ever after isn't the immediate result of saying I do.

Fixing things gives Emily a feeling of satisfaction but in Italy she has come across something she can't fix - herself.  But when the Vassallo family confronts a long hidden secret that finds Emily center stage she determines that before she can go further she must first find herself.  But will finding herself force her to leave what she has come to hold dear behind or will she embrace it more fully?

A Portrait of Emily Price is another delightful exploration of life and personal discovery from Katherine Reay. Everything is seen through Emily's eyes and her transformation as a person is seen through her artistic endeavors. But as Emily (along with the reader) discovers life can't restored to the original, the pains and joys make us who we are and as one character says they must be endured.

THe one thing I like with Katherine Reay's books is that they all are standalone books so when one reads one the story is complete. Though I have to be honest I would love to have the stories continue on just to see what happens next. The setting is contemporary though there are references to classical literature and art that help Emily discover herself. This is a book that ends on an up-note so that the reader is left satisfied and looking forward to the sunset (reference to several scenes in the book).  

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher through the Fiction Guild, no expectation of a review positive or otherwise was expected.  All opinions expressed are my own.



About the Book:
Art restorer Emily Price has never encountered anything she can’t fix—until she meets Ben, an Italian chef, who seems just right. When Emily follows Ben home to Italy, she learns that his family, however, is another matter . . .

Emily Price—fix-it girl extraordinaire and would-be artist—finds herself in Atlanta, repairing objects damaged in a house fire. As she works to restore the home and dreams of one family, she strives to keep the pieces of her own life in perfect order and secure her own happy ending—a gallery show of her own. There is no time for distractions, especially not the ultimate distraction of falling in love.

But Chef Benito Vassallo’s relentless pursuit proves hard to resist. Visiting from Italy, Ben works to reconnect with his brother and breathe new life into his aunt and uncle’s faded restaurant, Piccolo. And soon after their first meeting, he works to win Emily as well—inviting her into his world and into his heart.

Emily astonishes everyone when she accepts Ben’s proposal and follows him home. Upon landing in Rome, she is enchanted with Italy. But instead of allowing the land, culture and people to transform her, Emily imposes her will upon everyone and everything around her, alienating Ben’s tightly knit family. Only Ben’s father, Lucio, gives Emily the understanding she needs to lay down her guard. Soon, Emily’s life and art begin to blossom, and Italy’s beauty and rhythm take hold of her spirit.

Yet when she unearths long-buried family secrets, Emily wonders if she really fits into Ben’s world. Will the joys of Italy become just a memory, or will Emily share in the freedom and grace that her life with Ben has shown her are possible?

Never Forget ~ Review

Never Forget
Beacons of Hope #5
By Jody Hedlund

Abbie Watson will do anything to keep her Gramps on Rose Island and she is willing to admit it. Her marriage to her missing husband Nate is proof of just how far she'll go to keep him in his home. But when a fellow lighthouse keeper threatens to take Gramps position Abbie becomes desperate to find a solution.

When a stranger washes up on shore after a storm he offers her a possible solution ~ he has no memory of who he is and he assumes that that he is her no account husband. Can Abbie allow this stranger to continue in his mistake? Nathaniel is nothing like Nate - for one thing it is obvious that he comes from a different background based upon his appearance alone. But Nathaniel has an almost instant connection with Gramps that has a calming effect on him. And Nathaniel is determined to become a better man than he has been - he views his loss of memory and identity as a second chance to right the wrongs of his past.

But Nathaniel is more than just a washed up survivor, he is Nathaniel Winthrop III, former fiancé to Victoria Cole and the now reigning Bad Boy of Newport.  Can he truly change and if his memories return will the changes a simple life brings make a permanent change? Or will his former ways hold sway?

But when the truth becomes known everything could be lost. But who will lose more Abbie, Nathaniel, or Gramps? Time is not on Abbie's side and she needs to be prepared.

Never Forget is the fifth and final book in the Beacons of Hope series. Each story is complete in itself but there is a person who carries over tying the books together and there is a wooden cross which is a fixture throughout. If you haven't read the previous books you will have no problem reading this book from cover to cover. Readers who enjoy historical romance fiction will enjoy this newest offering from Jody Hedlund. The historical connections are discussed in the back of the book so that the reader can more fully grasp the setting of the book.

I was provided a digital ARC of this book by the author with no expectation of a positive review or otherwise - all opinions expressed are my own.



About the Book:

Rose Island Lighthouse, Rhode Island

June 1880

Will she betray his trust to stay on the island she love?

Abbie Watson is content to spend her days clamming, crabbing, and
tending Rose Island Lighthouse. Her grandpa is the head light keeper, but
his senility may lead to their eviction. Since leaving the island would kill her
beloved Gramps, Abbie will do anything to keep him in the one place he
knows and loves.

Wealthy Nathaniel Winthrop III’s wild living has gained him a reputation as
the ‘bad boy’ among the elite social circles of Newport. After a blow to the head
in a yachting accident washes him up on Rose Island, Nathaniel has no memories
of his past.

Abbie tends the wounded stranger in her home only to realize he assumes they’re
married. Although she knows she needs to correct Nathaniel’s mistake, his presence
calms Gramps and provides a way to prevent eviction from the island she loves?

The longer the charade continues, the harder it gets for Abbie to tell Nathaniel the
truth, more so as she begins to fall in love. Everyone she’s ever loved has abandoned
her. Will Nathaniel leave her too, once he discovers he’s not really her husband?

About the Author:

Winner of the 2016 Christian Book Award and finalist for the Christy Awards, best-selling author Jody Hedlund writes inspirational historical romances for both youth and adults.

Jody lives in central Michigan with her husband, five busy children, and five spoiled cats.Although Jody prefers to experience daring and dangerous adventures through her characters rather than in real life, she’s learned that a calm existence is simply not meant to be (at least in this phase of her life!).

When she’s not penning another of her page-turning stories, she loves to spend her time reading, especially when it also involves consuming coffee and chocolate.

Wishing All a Happy New Year!

Broken Trust ~ Review

Broken Trust
Mission League #3
By Jill Williamson

Spencer Garmond is hoping to recover from his torn ACL in time for his senior year of HS basketball in hopes that he can still get a scholarship. But he's got other issues to deal with - like why he's of such interest to the people tracking him, whether he'll blow it with Grace, his long-strained non-friendship with Nick, and these dreams that he keeps having. All Spencer wants is to be a normal teenager but that's not going to happen anytime soon.

With preparation for their summer assignment ~ Outdoor Survival Training in Alaska ~ and Occupational Training Missions this was looking to be a busy summer. And Spencer has his own personal investigation that he's pursuing, one that focused on the Jolt movie series. And now that Nick's seeing one of the actresses from the movies Spencer is even more motivated.

But someone is about to betray the trust of Spencer and the Mission League and unless they can do some fast thinking, relying on their training the Mission League may lose one or more of their own. But when you've been betrayed who do you trust? Spencer is about to learn that there is only One in whom one can trust in.

This is the third book in the series and with references to previous missions it is helpful to read the series in order though one can follow along fairly easily if you haven't read them. Tweens and teens will enjoy this book. The chapters are presented as if they are filed reports so one has a basic timeline understanding of the book. This is action and adventure that will keep the attention of the reader as the climatic conclusion is reached.

I was provided a ARC copy of this book by the author with no expectation of a review positive or otherwise. All opinions expressed are my own.


About the Book:
In the midst of training for the outdoor survival trip to Alaska, Spencer is distracted by a mysterious young woman--Nick's new girlfriend. He's not just wondering how someone that gorgeous would waste her time on a jerk like Nick, he recognizes this girl from her bit part in one of the cultish Jolt movies he's been investigating. She's up to something, and Spencer is determined to find out what. As he gets closer to the truth, it becomes harder to know who to trust. Things are getting dangerous. Can Spencer figure out what's going on, or will this mystery leave him M.I.A?

Mischief & Manors ~ Review

Mischief & Manors
By Ashtyn Newbold

Breaking a promise might just be the

best way to keep it....

For five years Annette Downing has been living her promise to her parents - she has put every other interest out of her life except her little brothers. Orphaned at 14 years of age she is determined to protect her brothers Peter (7) and Charles (5) from the hateful abusive spite of her Aunt Ruth Filbee.

But when Aunt Ruth gives Annette an ultimatum ~ turn her brothers into proper gentlemen or see them shipped off to a Scottish orphanage ~ Annette welcomes the brief reprieve that an unexpected trip to Kellaway Manor promises. Her childhood memories of the place were pleasant except for Owen Kellaway and a fall from a tree. When Owen is asked by his mother to assist Annette in her efforts to tame her brothers she fears he may be as mischievous as her young brothers.

But turning two young boys into gentlemen may be hazardous to her health especially with Owen assisting. And it could prove even more hazardous to her heart ~ a heart that she has promised exclusively to Peter and Charles ~ now if only she can get her heart to listen to her.  But the love and kindness she finds at Kellaway Manor just may open the barriers she put around her heart to protect it from the cruelty she's experienced since her parents death.

But Kellaway Manor has something important for Annette to learn if only she will listen with her heart as well as her mind. Her promise to her parents was not a closet meant to shut her away from all life had to offer her. And sometimes tears are necessary to heal and not a sign of weakness.

This is a delightful story and one that I was sorry to have conclude. The characters cover a range of personalities which are true to life. Some one would enjoy getting to know over a cup of tea and others would send one looking for the nearest door through which to escape.

This is a story of family and of promise. Those who enjoy reading books set in the Regency time period will enjoy this book which is set in 1818.  Fans of Jane Austen will enjoy Mischief & Manors.
And Manors in this case refer to both manors and manners. I look forward to future works by this author who managed to keep me reading instead of baking for Christmas. (whoops!)

The future of her heart is at stake but so much more depends upon her decision.

I was provided a review copy of this book by the publisher with no expectation of a review, positive or otherwise - all opinions expressed are my own.



About the Book:

I could feel battling forces within me,

one ordering me to pull away,

the other tempting me to lean closer...

When Annette Downing and her mischievous little brothers were orphaned, Annette closed off her heart, dedicating her life to raising her brothers and protecting them from her abusive aunt. But when her hateful aunt sends them to Kellaway Manor for the summer to reform the boys, she hopes for a relaxing escape. But Annette finds her closeted heart in jeopardy when reunited with the handsome Owen Kellaway, a childhood acquaintance and respected gentlemen. When Owen is enlisted to help the boys with their behavior, Annette wonders if he has just as much mischief up his sleeve as her brothers. Bound by a promise she made to her late parents, and amid a frightening mystery, Annette faces a difficult decision when she finds herself falling for Owen’s charm.

The Cottage ~ Review

The Cottage
Secrets of the Shetlands #2
By Michael Phillips

Two weeks ago Alonnah "Loni" Ford found out that she was the heir to property in the Shetland Islands. But the Cottage is more than just a quaint Scottish home and the majority of Whales Reef is part of her inheritance.

Will the people ever accept an American as their Laird? And learning that the island is now in the hands of a woman might be more than the people of Whales Reef can accept. And when Loni hears that the Chief is not fond of Americans she's uncertain that she wants to meet the man the community feels she usurped.  

With everyone having an opinion about her fitness to determine the future of Whales Reef Loni herself becomes uncertain of her next step. Does she accept her inheritance and the responsibilities that come with it? Or does she decline it allowing the courts to decide the island's fate?

Before she can make a decision Loni must confront that which has held her hostage all her life - secrets have defined her life and now she must peel back the layers that have made her who she is. Can she discover who she is before it is too late?

In typical style Michael Phillips's book takes place in different times as the past of Whales Reef is revealed in connection with the current upheaval the island and community now faces. The past is taken from a journal that belonged to Loni's great-grandmother and is easily identifiable in the reading as it is in italics. I personally love this back and forth format that slowly reveals the back story. Also fun is allusions to previous series Michael Phillips has written (I quickly identified the Stonewycke and Heathersleigh Hall series character references). It is not necessary to read the first book in the series to be able to enjoy this (somehow I managed to miss the first book and yet still thoroughly this book, but now I want to know what happened earlier).

I received a copy of this book from the publisher with no expectation of a review positive or otherwise - all opinions expressed are my own.


About the Book:

Is the Future of Whales Reef in the Hands of an Outsider?

When Loni Ford is informed that she has inherited property in the Shetland Islands, she laughs. She wants nothing more than to sell it and be done with it. But when she arrives in the North Sea enclave, she is stunned to find that "the Cottage" is not at all what she expected, nor is David Tulloch, the man most of the islanders believe to be the rightful heir.

The locals could hardly be more surprised that the heir is a woman--and an American. Loni, in turn, finds the islanders quaint and a bit behind the times. Expecting David to be as provincial as the rest of his clan, she discovers that there is far more to the man than meets the eye. And there is something about the peaceful atmosphere of the place--and the character of its most prominent citizen--that soon gets under her skin.

Beneath the peaceful surface, however, change is threatening the island of Whales Reef. David's cousin Hardy Tulloch, whose claim to the inheritance now in Loni's hands was backed by oil investors, has not been deterred in his aim to control the island. But his co-conspirators have plans of their own, plans that put Loni's very life in danger. . . .

The Spirit of Christmas ~ Thoughts and Giveaway

✧
The Spirit of Christmas 

Over the years Christmas has changed as evidenced by the songs 

that we sing and have sung through the years. Is Christmas still the 

happiest time of the year? Do strangers go out of their way to smile 

at the passerby?

Christmas has been caught up in the rush to get through our to do lists,

our to buy lists, and our end of the year lists. But Christmas doesn't have 

to be a struggle and a stress. When we look to what we consider the first

Christmas we see it was a simple stable with animals and bedding. There

were no grand gifts or grand visitors. The only ones to celebrate the night 

of Christ's birth were simple shepherds who left their fields in the clothes 

that they were wearing, they didn't stop to get the most fashionable look of

the day. They celebrated a special event in the quiet of the night, surrounded 

by the sounds and smells of animals.

The simplicity of the season is what I love.  A lighted candle, the beauty of song

and the remembrance that a child's birth was about to change the world forever.

But the manger, most likely crafted from roughened wood, was but the first step to 

the cross, which was also crafted from roughened wood. 

Faith is what makes the season come alive.

It isn't about getting.

It is about receiving 

the greatest gift 

of  all.

Life 

with

God.

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HILLSONG – LET HOPE RISE and  GREATER release to DVD on Tuesday, December 20th.

And the producers would love to be able to share these with you.

Please leave a comment below saying what Christmas means to you or share a favorite memory.

Be sure to mention which DVD you would like to be gifted in your comment.

On December 26, 2016 someone will be selected to have a copy of their preferred DVD sent to them.

Due to postage costs this is only available to US residents - when contacted please respond with your 

US shipping address by December 29, 2016 so that your DVD can be sent to you as soon as possible.