Saved By the Matchmaker ~ Review

 

Saved By the Matchmaker

A Shanahan Match #2

 By Jody Hedlund

 

Enya Shanahan thought she was marrying the love of her life, but once the vows were said his true character and motivations were revealed. He was after her family's money. Now he's gone and her father will do whatever he can to prevent the family name being dragged into further scandal. And that means the first man in need of the local matchmaker is about to become husband number two. Ouch, thanks Daddy!

 

Sullivan O'Brien knows his only attraction is his family's name and there wealth. His injures have left him scarred both inwardly and outwardly. But the matchmaker he employs to find him a last minute bride knows he can find Sullivan the perfect bride. One can only hope.  

To the surprise of both Enya and Sullivan they are the perfect match for one another, at least in the eyes of Bellamy McKenna. The way forward won't be easy as each is holding tight to their past and the pain it has brought into their lives. And there are secrets just waiting to be discovered and dangers that threaten to destroy them.

Saved by the Matchmaker is the second book in the Shanahan Match series and I have to admit I like it better than the first book. The romance factor is turned down in this one which is more to my reading tastes. I enjoyed learning about the historical aspects of steamboats and how they were an important part of life for those living along the Mississippi River. The dangers involved in this way of life are also explored. 

 

Slavery is touched on in this book and the cruel relentlessness of those unwilling to allow a slave to seek their freedom. This is actually a thread that Enya and Sullivan have in common though they are unaware of just how important this turns out being in their lives. One that also threatens their future.

Overall this was a fairly good read. It deals with the consequences of making decisions and how important listening to the insights others may have. Rash decisions can be our undoing and leave us with regrets.

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

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

After her annulment is finalized, Enya Shanahan finds herself caught in a web of scandal and obligation while carrying a secret that threatens to shatter her family's reputation. Determined to find a suitable marriage for Enya, her father turns to a wily matchmaker to save them from their circumstances.

Sullivan O'Brien, a steamboat captain committed to aiding enslaved people on their path to freedom, is faced with an ultimatum from his father. Forced to marry or lose his livelihood, a marriage of convenience seems to be the only solution. As he and Enya face the trials of their pasts and a city consumed by fire, they must confront their deepest fears and learn to trust in love, even when darkness threatens to engulf them.

AUTHOR BIO

Jody Hedlund (JodyHedlund.com) is the bestselling author of more than fifty novels and is the winner of numerous awards. Jody lives in Michigan with her husband, busy family, and five spoiled cats. She writes sweet historical romances with plenty of sizzle.

Winter's Maiden

Winter's Maiden
The Nordic Wars #1
By Morgan L. Busse

Winter's Maiden opens with Brighid's birth, a birth about which lies a secret and results in her being one of the clanless. The clanless are not claimed by any of the clans, and Brighid feels this lack deeply. When offered a chance to change her foreseeable future, she, of course, jumps at the possibility of having a better future than the one that is before her. 

This is an intriguing premise, and the story does not disappoint. I love how Brighid struggles to find her place in this world where she feels that she has no place. Her family didn't claim her, and if not for the midwife who oversaw her birth, she would have been lost.

But this is not a world at peace; war is on the horizon. And someone is stirring the unrest, manipulating those living in Nordica. Kaeden has been avoiding his past, but when he is given a chance to attend to those from the south in need of a healer, his skills give him a chance to interact with a captured soldier and an insight no one else has. But how can he use the knowledge he's gained to prevent a war that could destroy their whole world?

In this world Morgan M. Busse has created, we are given a world in turmoil, with characters who are searching for a place to call their own, their family. I am interested in seeing where the next book goes from here. I think this quote from the book is an example of Brighid's life:

"Unwanted at birth, barely surviving this life.

If she disappeared into the darkness forever,

would anyone even notice?"

This feels so bleak, but there are moments of truth. 

Such as:

I will be with you, warrior of the North.

Moments like this make me want to read the next book and hope for something more.

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:

Warrior

Survivor

Daughter of the North

From the moment she is born, Brighid fights to survive in the wastelands of Nordica as a clanless one. But when a new power arrives offering a trial to join the Nordic warriors, Brighid enters, hoping to rise above her station. Soon she becomes one of their fiercest fighters and joins the war against the south.

Kaeden carries the blood of the ancient Eldaran race in his veins but turns away from his heritage after the death of his parents. Years later, he is called back to his homeland and invited to be a healer for the southern forces. With the help of an old mentor, the power inside of him starts to awaken. However, his life is turned upside down when a mighty warrior of the Nordic forces is captured.

As Kaeden interacts with the enemy, he discovers there is a darkness behind the Nordic Wars, one that is manipulating the people of the north. But who will believe him? And is there a power strong enough to break the hold of this hidden adversary? Or will the world burn in the flames of war?

About the Book:

Morgan L. Busse is a writer by day and a mother by night. She is the author of multiple series including The Ravenwood Saga and Skyworld series. She is a three-time Christy Award finalist and won the INSPY, Selah, and Carol Award for best in Christian speculative fiction. During her spare time she enjoys playing games, taking long walks, and dreaming about her next novel.

Release Day for Saved By the Matchmaker

Today is the Release Day for

Jody Hedlund's

Saved By the Matchmaker

 

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

After her annulment is finalized, Enya Shanahan finds herself caught in a web of scandal and obligation while carrying a secret that threatens to shatter her family's reputation. Determined to find a suitable marriage for Enya, her father turns to a wily matchmaker to save them from their circumstances.

Sullivan O'Brien, a steamboat captain committed to aiding enslaved people on their path to freedom, is faced with an ultimatum from his father. Forced to marry or lose his livelihood, a marriage of convenience seems to be the only solution. As he and Enya face the trials of their pasts and a city consumed by fire, they must confront their deepest fears and learn to trust in love, even when darkness threatens to engulf them.

AUTHOR BIO

Jody Hedlund (JodyHedlund.com) is the bestselling author of more than fifty novels and is the winner of numerous awards. Jody lives in Michigan with her husband, busy family, and five spoiled cats. She writes sweet historical romances with plenty of sizzle.

Murder in Highbury ~ Mini Review

 

Murder in Highbury
An Emma Knightley Mystery #1
By Vanessa Kelly

Emma Woodhouse now Emma Knightley, has given up matchmaking. She is perfectly content being married and doing all the tasks expected of her as the wife of the master of Donwell Abbey.

But Emma's life and indeed the lives of all who call Highbury home are disrupted when Augusta Elton is discovered murdered in the church. Such shocking news is not to be born! But with a murderer on the loose certain precautions must be taken.

When the investigation doesn't answer Emma's concerns she is determined to see that justice is found for Mrs. Elton. And Emma isn't about to let concerns be brushed off like an annoying fly. There is only one thing to be done--she must undertake the investigation herself.

With the same tenacity she used for matchmaking, Emma resolves to solve the travesty that has destroyed the peace that Highbury has long enjoyed. Emma's less than stellar matchmaking and idle gossip aside. And Mr. Woodhouse's complaints. And Miss Bates's excitable, talkative nature. So maybe peaceful isn't quite the right word but it was normal for Highbury and their greatest concern was chicken thieves not murderers.

My full review will be shared closer to the book's November release date so check back later for more on Emma's investigation.

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.

Target Acquired ~ Review

Target Acquired
Lake City Heroes #2
By Lynette Eason

I have to admit I loved this book. It has an intriguing link to the 1940s that is relevant to the present day. In fact, several threads link several crimes to the current situation Kenzie King and her SWAT team find themselves in. We know this because the book takes us back and forth between 1947 and now. 

The reader doesn't know what the link is or why it is important. Even more concerning is why the SWAT team, specifically Kenzie, is being targeted. 

In addition to the outside pressures of being a target, Kenzie is having to deal with attitudes concerning her place on the Lake City SWAT team. Rumors have a way of taking root, and Kenzie's ties have some, not just whispering but talking that her name got her in. The fact that Kenzie is pulling her weight and doing her job doesn't crush the talk.

Then there is her teammate Cole Garrison, who has mixed emotions about Kenzie. She could be the one, but he is her superior, and he takes the whole trying to keep everything professional very seriously. But when she becomes a target, his emotions and concerns for her just might make him confront his feelings.

This was another excellent read from Lynette Eason. The characters have depth, and the suspense is maintained throughout. If you are looking for a clean read, suspense. No lines are crossed as the stakes are raised. There are moments when it seems as if the perpetrator may win the day, but with a team of professionals having their backs, there is hope that they will prevail.

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:

Tough-as-nails Kenzie King has finally earned her place as a tactical medic on a SWAT team. But not everyone on the all-male team accepts her. Rumor is, she didn't get the position because of what she could do but because of who she knew. Which means she has to work harder and longer than anyone else to prove herself.

Cole Garrison is a man with deep faith who is finally ready to settle down and build a family of his own--if he can find the right person, that is. Kenzie sure has set off his interest meter, but trouble seems to follow in her wake. Since she joined the team, someone has begun to ambush and pick off team members, one by one.

It's all hands on deck to discover the culprit and end the killing. Can Kenzie and Cole put aside their differences and work together as a team? Or will their budding attraction be snuffed out by a sniper's bullet?

As you've come to expect from bestselling author Lynette Eason's stories, this tightly wound plot unfurls at breakneck speed and will leave you breathless.

The Sisters of Corinth ~ Review

The Sisters of Corinth

The Emissaries #2

By Angela Hunt

 

This is an interesting read. In this book we are taken to first century Corinth to the home of Narkis Ligus, who is Chief Magistrate. Narkis's home is a blended one and an example of the admonitions about an unequally yoked marriage as he and his daughter, Prima worship the gods of Rome, while his wife, Hester and step-daughter, Mariana worship the Jewish prophet Yeshua.  

This is a story that finds the faith that Hester and Mariana claim to be facing opposition from the Roman Empire, an empire threatened by the love and devotion that the followers of Yeshua don't offer to Rome. Meanwhile the home life of these women mirrors the growing threat as Prima's jealousy and dislike drives her to greater status through a marriage to the local governor's son. And when Prima's hopes are thwarted, well let's just say she is nasty in her dealings to make those in her way pay.

It is interesting watching as these two "sisters" take different paths in life and see the resulting aftermath of their choices. Hope and despair ; love and hate. 

This is the second book in The Emissaries series. Now I will admit I did not know this was the second book in the series and I had no problem getting into the story from the beginning. So don't let that 2 scare you away if you haven't read book one. This was a good book but also sad as one sees the results of Prima's choices, choices made out of jealousy. Highly recommend to those looking for historical fiction about the First Century Church.

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:

When the new provincial governor arrives in Corinth, the esteemed Chief Magistrate Narkis Ligus, father to Mariana and Prima, is delighted. He sees a golden opportunity to propel himself to greater power and fortune by uniting his and the governor's households through the marriage of one of his beautiful unwed daughters to the governor's firstborn son.

Yet complications quickly arise in Narkis's own family. Mariana, his stepdaughter, holds steadfast faith in Yeshua, rendering her hesitant to marry a man devoted to the Roman gods, despite Narkis's urging. On the other hand, Prima, his daughter by birth, yearns for a life of wealth and status and is willing to go to great lengths to secure a marriage that fulfills her desires--even if it means betraying Mariana to do so.

A Kingdom to Claim ~ Review

A Kingdom to Claim
By Sian Ann Bessey

I'll admit it: I love Historical Fiction. I love getting glimpses of what was. A Kingdom to Claim was a wonderful blend of fact and fiction that was entertaining. This book presented information that I had previously read, but it was wrapped up in shiny new packaging that made it new and fresh.

I loved getting to know Aisley, a young woman determined to keep her home and her people free of Viking rule. She's not about to let her father's death be for naught. No, she'll do what is needed to fight for the land and people she loves. And she'll do it with the help of a man she knows to be loyal to King Alfred, even if it means standing against her own brother.

I enjoyed this book. It was fresh and new, though the basics of the story itself are old. The presentation was attention-holding and not just a stale retelling of the historical details. The author has a way with words so that you care about the outcome (though if you remember your English history, you already know what happened). I love when history comes alive and becomes relevant as one works through the book. I would recommend it to those who enjoy early English history, and if you are a high schooler in need of a suggestion for a historical fiction read, here you go!

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:

Aisley lost everything in a Viking attack.
Now, working alongside the one man she trusts,
she is ready to fight for her people—and for love.

Wessex, AD 878

Aisley’s young life was changed forever when her father accompanied King Alfred into battle and lost his life in a deadly skirmish with the Vikings. Now, almost seven years later, the Vikings are once again rallying on Wessex’s borders, and Aisley fears that her older brother may have treacherous plans to betray the king by aligning himself with the invading Norsemen. But when Aisley encounters a handsome nobleman in the market, she feels the first stirrings of hope. Though they met only once when Aisley was little more than a child, she recognizes him immediately as one of King Alfred’s most trusted men.

It has been years since Brecc has seen Aisley, but when he spots her in the marketplace, he finds himself inexplicably drawn to the copper-haired young lady with a gift for healing. Before his fledgling feelings for her can develop into something more, however, a Viking attack tears them apart. King Alfred is forced into hiding, and in a matter of days, the Saxon nation is brought to its knees. Unwilling to forsake their people, the king and his men embark on secret raids of Viking encampments. But when Aisley joins the fight, Brecc must reconcile his steadfast loyalty to King Alfred with his growing love for the king’s newest warrior.