For a Lifetime ~ Review

For a Lifetime

Timeless #3

By Gabrielle Meyer

Grace and Hope are twin sisters who have inherited their mother's ability to live in two different time periods.  But living in 1692 Salem, Massachusetts, is dangerous for anyone accused of witchcraft  While living in 1912 is full of freedoms and experiences that can't be found in 1692. 

Every night Grace and Hope time-cross, rather than dreaming they live a day in one of their "times". In 1692, they're treated like servants in their father's tavern. While in 1912, Hope is a pilot, and Grace is a newspaper reporter. With months until their 25th birthday, they know where they want to live their futures. But some choices aren't ours to make, as they discover when something changes everything. 

For a Lifetime offers a few twists that previous books in the Timeless series didn't, including a mystery that they may only be able to solve because of their time-crossing gift. I can't imagine having to make a choice like this, a choice to never see a family member ever again, and that is exactly what Grace and Hope face. How does one weigh which life is more meaningful? Does one have regrets once the decision is made? I realize that this decision is the same that each MC faces in this series, but this one seems more difficult and emotional. 

This is the third book in the series, but it can be read as a stand-alone title. Yes, there are characters from the previous book but they are secondary characters in this one. This book is engaging as the story progresses in alternating times and viewpoints. Overall this is an excellent read that I have no qualms recommending. 

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Grace and Hope are identical twin sisters born with the ability to time-cross together between 1692 Salem, Massachusetts, and 1912 New York City. As their twenty-fifth birthday approaches, they will have to choose one life to keep and one to leave behind forever--no matter the cost.

In 1692, they live and work in their father's tavern, where they must watch helplessly as the witch trials unfold in their village, threatening everyone. With the help of a handsome childhood friend, they search for the truth behind their mother's mysterious death, risking everything to expose a secret that could save their lives--or be their undoing.

In 1912, Hope dreams of becoming one of the first female pilots in America, and Grace works as an investigative journalist, uncovering corruption and injustice. After their parents' orphanage is threatened by an adversary, they enter a contest to complete a perilous cross-country flight under the guidance of a daring French aviator.

The sisters have already decided which timeline they will choose, but an unthinkable tragedy complicates the future they planned for themselves. As their birthday looms, how will they determine the lives--and loves--that are best for both of them?

AUTHOR BIO

Gabrielle Meyer (GabrielleMeyer.com) is an ECPA bestselling author. She has worked for state and local historical societies and loves writing fiction inspired by real people, places, and events. 

She currently resides along the banks of the Mississippi River in central Minnesota with her husband and four children. By day, she's a busy homeschool mom, and by night she pens fiction and nonfiction filled with hope.

The Elusive Truth of Lily Temple ~ Review

The Elusive Truth of Lily Temple

By Joanna Davidson Politano

Lily Temple was warned that a man would come seeking her, she's always known this could happen. Little is known about her and that's just the way she wants it. She lives to tell stories and her skill as a silent-film actress is a perfect extension of her storytelling. But when she spins into Peter Driscoll's life, neither will be the same again.  

Lily's life is hidden in half-truths and tales she's created. But to understand her Peter must listen to the story she isn't speaking. Using the skills he's developed as an investigator, he's seeking answers only she can tell him in her own unique way. But the truth he seeks doesn't come without danger, because someone wants the truth Lily knows to remain hidden.       

The Elusive Truth of Lily Temple is a multilayered story that starts at the end before revealing what came before in snippets of incidents. We are not told what set Lily on the path she was on until much later in the story. The most important question we need to ask is who is Lily Temple. This same question drives the story as Lily seemingly flits through life. But as Peter soon discovers there is more to Lily than is on the surface. She hides as much as she reveals in the stories she tells.

This is one of those books that deserves a second reading. It is easy to miss moments of import to the story, and I've discovered with the author's previous works it is easy to miss important clues during the first reading. 

The mysteries hidden within the book captured my imagination from the beginning. There is the Briarwood Teardrop, long presumed missing. Or is it? There is Lily herself. The mysterious man who seems to be seeking her out.  And then there is Peter Driscoll, who invites Lily into his investigations to better understand her and the sapphire she keeps close. All combine into a historical romance you won't want to miss.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

                                                                                       

About the Book:

Peter Driscoll, an underground investigator to the wealthy, has never met anyone like Lily Temple. The beautiful silent-film actress spins fairy tales and plays frivolous roles in front of the cine-camera, but beneath the costumes and stage makeup is a woman with a quick wit--and a murky past.

Peter has been tasked with locating the legendary Briarwood Teardrop, an exquisite sapphire, which Lily wears beneath her gown. In order to stay close to her and hopefully unravel the mystery of her story--and the sapphire--Peter employs Lily's help on a case, which leads to a useful partnership. But as they are investigating together, Peter is also investigating Lily. The closer he gets to the truth, the more danger they face. And the closer he gets to Lily, the clearer it is that he needs her even more than she needs him.

Award-winning author Joanna Davidson Politano whisks you away to Edwardian England in 1903 for a whimsical and layered tale that treads the crooked line between real and make-believe.

The Girl From the Hidden Forest ~ Review

The Girl From the Hidden Forest

By Hannah Linder

She doesn't remember her life before the forest. But she remembers her nightmares and the beast that haunts them. Eliza Ellis calls the forest home, which is isolated with just her dog Merrylad and Captain, her father. She knows and loves her home. She dreams about the worlds that live within her books, never thinking she would ever see them. 

But when Felton Northwood steals her away from all she's known, her world is shattered. He tells her that the life she's known is a lie. For 14 years her life has been a lie. But Eliza knows the truth. Captain is her father, not some unknown viscount. And she never witnessed her mother's murder. And yet there is something familiar that nags.

Felton knows that Eliza is the key to clearing his family's name of the murder of Lady Gillingham. If only she can remember the truth he knows that the true killer will be identified and the cloud hanging over the Northwood name will be destroyed.

But nothing is ever easy and Eliza's return awakens danger - someone seems determined to keep her memories hidden away, even if it means ending her life.

Anyone who loves fiction with a Gothic feel will LOVE this book. This has forbidden romance, a displaced character, unwanted attraction, family secrets, and a beast. This book has emotional swings as Eliza tries to adjust to everything while longing for what she had. The forest and its simple, uncomplicated living calls to her. 

This book does an excellent job of concealing the true villain, and there were several likely suspects. The way the story comes together is perfect. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants an excuse to stay up all night reading. This is a can't put it down book.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

The nightmares may free her…but destroy the man she loves.
 
Eliza Ellis has stayed hidden in Balfour Forest for as long as she can remember. Perhaps her only friends are the trees, or her little dog, or her story-telling father called Captain. But at least she is safe from the cruel world outside, a world Captain has warned her against and protected her from.
 
That is, until a handsome stranger named Felton Northwood invades her quiet forest and steals her away. Why does he tell such lies? Why does he insist that her name is Miss Eliza Gillingham, daughter of a viscount, who disappeared fourteen years ago after the murder of her own mother? A murder Eliza is said to have witnessed.
 
When Felton returns Eliza to Monbury Manor and reunites her with a man who is told to be her father, all she remembers are the strange nightmares that have plagued her since childhood. Why have they suddenly grown worse? Are the answers hidden inside her own mind?
 
As danger mounts and lethal attempts are made on her life, Eliza and Felton must work together to uncover the identity of a killer who has stayed silent for fourteen years. When she finally uncovers the horrendous memories trapped in her mind, will divulging the truth cost her the man she loves—and both of their lives?

AUTHOR BIO

Hannah Linder resides in the beautiful mountains of central West Virginia. Represented by Books & Such, she writes Regency romantic suspense novels filled with passion, secrets, and danger. She is a four-time Selah Award winner, a 2023 Carol Award semi-finalist, a 2023 Angel Book Award third-place winner, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). When Hannah is not writing, she enjoys playing her instruments--piano, guitar, ukulele, and banjolele--songwriting, painting still life, walking in the rain, square dancing, and sitting on the front porch of her 1800s farmhouse.

 To follow her journey, visit hannahlinderbooks.com.

The Orchids of Ashthorne Hall ~ Review

The Orchids of Ashthorne Hall

By Rebecca Anderson

Hyacinth Bell has come to Ashthorne Hall to care for the estate's orchids. But soon she is caught up in the mystery surrounding the estate - rumors of hauntings are soon not just rumors. But more is going on at Ashthorne than is readily apparent. 

When Hyacinth meets Lucas Harding, the manor’s caretaker, she feels a connection with him. But she can tell that he is hiding something. Something that may be vital to understanding what is going on at Ashthorne. 

And unless Hyacinth can discover the truth, those who call the estate home and even her beloved orchids will be in danger. Because someone haunts the halls and she very much fears that it isn't a ghost that threatens them all.

There is definitely a Gothic thread running throughout and it adds a deliciously tantalizing undercurrent throughout. There is a serious side to this book, one that delves into the plight of the worker and how those in power and authority misuse them. This is a powerful yet entertaining story, which I highly recommend.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

A ghostly estate. 

A handsome caretaker hiding a secret. 

And the intrepid Hyacinth Bell who is set on solving the mystery of both.

1887, the Cornwall coast

For years, rumors have flown through the village of Suttonsbury about Ashthorne Hall—that its occupants hoard pirate treasure, that a ghost walks its halls—but botanist Hyacinth Bell only cares about the estate’s extensive, one-of-a-kind orchid collection. As an independent woman, she is eager to focus on her career, even if it means waiting to pursue a romantic relationship. After all, love—like an orchid—must be nurtured and tended before it can bloom.

What she doesn’t expect is to be swept away by Lucas Harding, the manor’s caretaker, upon their first meeting. He is handsome and charming, and the connection between the two is nearly instantaneous. Hyacinth is certain this autumn will be the season that everything good in her life takes root.

But then strange things start happening in the seemingly empty halls of the estate: unexplainable noises, items appearing then disappearing from her room, threatening messages, and glimpses of a woman in white who vanishes into the dark. Lucas dismisses Hyacinth’s worries, insisting that there is no ghost at Ashthorne Hall, but she suspects he is withholding information and decides to investigate the mystery herself.

Armed with little more than her instincts and her courage, Hyacinth must venture deep into the shadows of Ashthorne Hall to uncover the truth Lucas is keeping secret before she herself falls victim to the dangers hidden in the estate.

Sleeping Spells and Dragon Scales ~ Review

Sleeping Spells and Dragon Scales

By Wendy S. Swore

With a title like this one imagines a fantasy story with maybe some laughs. But this book is more an idea of fantasy instead. There is a serious aspect to it that is actually the main story.  Liam and Alaina are really good friends, but when Liam starts having sleeping spells and seeing things that aren't there Alaina is the only friend who believes him. 

She knows what it's like to have strange symptoms and feel like your body is just weird. Alaina has type 1 diabetes and has been living with it for several years. And she has a theory about how to help Liam.

Alaina believes the two of them have upset the fairies, accidentally. But she believes they have to try breaking Liam's curse before it is too late. And they'll use her research and knowledge of fairies and fairy tales to do this.

Sleeping Spells and Dragon Scales is a contemporary set chapter book that uses Magical Realism perfectly as Lian and Alaina work together to try to understand and figure out what is wrong with him. Because something must be wrong even if the doctors say he is fine.

This book is perfect in explaining the troubling aspects of having an unknown and chronic condition. We are introduced to the struggle to explain what is difficult to explain and even harder the cruel comments and accusations of lying. How do you convince others that something is wrong when the experts say you're fine? And how long do you keep going on before you give up?

I think this is a book that all middle-grade readers should read. It is an eye-opening read about diabetes, narcolepsy, and cataplexy. I know the words sound scary and the reality of living with these conditions daily is just as scary. I think this book excellently presented this allowing the reader to experience the unknown - the feelings, the pain, and even fear. 

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

Can two friends solve the mystery of Liam's "curse" by using their knowledge of fairy tales?

Something is wrong with Liam. He collapses during soccer practice, he can’t stay awake in class, and he’s starting to see a ghostly white fox that disappears into smoke. His parents and teachers accuse him of being lazy and staying up too late, but he knows it’s something worse.

No one believes him except for Alaina, a friend and self-proclaimed expert in fantasy and fairy tales. She’s seen this sort of thing before and believes Liam has been cursed with a powerful sleeping spell. Her journal is full of possible ways to break a curse. Liam is skeptical, but with his normal life slipping further away, he agrees to try her potential cures.  

As they search for answers in stories, Alaina shares that she also is dealing with something no one else can see: type 1 diabetes. It rears its head like an invisible dragon, and she carries her medical equipment as a knight’s lance and dragon-scale shield to battle it. 

As Liam’s mystery illness worsens, he will need Alaina’s friendship—and perhaps a bit of fairy magic—to find a way to understand the truth of what is happening and regain the pieces of himself that are lost.

Sandcastle Inn ~ Review

Sandcastle Inn

Hope Harbor #10

By Irene Hannon

Vienna Price never wanted to lose her place on the corporate ladder. Still, the sacrificed weekends, non-existent holidays, and skipped vacations couldn't save her from the corporate chopping block of restructuring. With a strange desire to see her mom in person (in her not-so-new home in Hope Harbor), Vienna does just that. What she never expected was to put her MBA and work skills to use on a B&B floundering on the edge.

When Matt Quinn responded to his sister's plea for assistance, he never expected his guilt to make him try to help her with the B&B she bought without seeing beyond the realtor's spiel. But what does a veterinarian from San Francisco know about getting a B&B into shape? 

Sandcastle Inn takes the reader to Hope Harbor, Oregon, a place where the seagulls know when something special is about to happen. Hope Harbor sounds so full of possibility, and it is, but it doesn't happen overnight. It takes work, but it also offers healing. I love how there was a secondary story of a down-on-their-luck couple Andrew and Paige who are trying to rebuild their lives after being blindsided and betrayed by an employee. I love how these three seemingly unrelated life-changing events bring these people in need of hope together. This a lovely contemporary story. If only everyone could so easily find and embrace their own harbor of hope when they most need it.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

Vienna Price never intended to return for more than a passing visit to Oregon and all the bad memories she'd left behind. But when your career tanks, home is where you go to nurse your wounds and chart a new course. Only temporarily, of course--because as much as she loves her quirky mom, anything more than a short stay would drive them both crazy.

A trip to Oregon isn't in Matt Quinn's plans, either, until a perfectly timed appeal for help arrives from his sister. What better place to decompress after a shattering loss than a quiet, seaside town named Hope Harbor? But R&R isn't on the agenda when he arrives to find his sister's new enterprise on life support.

Vienna, however, may have just the skills needed to resuscitate the foundering B&B--if Matt can convince her to hang around long enough to mend an inn . . . and his heart.

Abandoned Shores ~ Available Now

 Abandoned Shores by C.J. Milacci is now available!

This book is a campanion book to the Talionis series.

About the Book:

In a world shattered by chaos and divided by the brutal reign of the Raiders, one woman longs to break free from the shackles of her family’s legacy. Born into darkness and raised to become heir to the ruthless Raiders, Princess Catori yearns for a life beyond the violence and oppression that defines her existence. When she meets Micah, a riverboat captain with an unwavering sense of justice, she sees a glimmer of hope for a different future. But her grandfather, founder of the Raiders, has a plan for Catori’s life that he refuses to relinquish. He’ll stop at nothing to see her become all he has prepared her to be, whether she wants that existence or not. Will Catori and Micah ever escape to the safety of the new life they long for, or is Catori destined to become something she despises? In this gripping companion novel set in the world of the Talionis Series, readers will be transported on a thrilling journey with Catori and her companions. Filled with action, suspense, and romance, Abandoned Shores is a story of survival, hope, and the power of love in the face of adversity. Available to purchase at Amazon.