The Innkeeper's Daughter ~ Review

The Innkeeper's Daughter
By Michelle Griep

Johanna Langley is mere days away from entering the workhouse along with her mother and her younger brother. She's desperate for much-needed funds to keep the family's inn going and pay this month's rent and her hearth payment. But most avoid the Blue Hedge Inn and its dilapidated appearance. 

And it is too this less than stellar inn Officer Alexander Moore finds himself staying as he tries to track down potential traitors to the crown. Alex is more than a little put out to find himself working on vague rumor and little more. Worse the assignment finds him at odds with his duty and his heart.

His childhood finds him strangely drawn to the Langley family and their plight and Johanna is a distraction from his mission - one he can ill afford as not only the nation is in danger so are the very lives of those closest to his investigation.

Sometimes when all looks bleakest there is but one course of action remaining - prayer and faith. But can Johanna and Alex discover this truth for themselves before it is too late?

The Innkeeper's Daughter is historical romance fiction set in the early nineteenth century when England was constantly keeping an eye out for French threats. Faith and family are central to the story as is duty. Just have far we allow duty to dictate our actions and at what cost is examined. The range of characters adds layers to the story as one has to determine who one can trust and just how they all fit together in an unfolding and shifting that holds the reader's attention from cover-to-cover. At just 319 pages this would be a perfect weekend read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. All opinions expressed are my own.


About the Book:

A London officer goes undercover to expose a plot against the Crown

Dover, England, 1808: Officer Alexander Moore goes undercover as a gambling gentleman to expose a high-stakes plot against the king—and he’s a master of disguise, for Johanna Langley believes him to be quite the rogue. . .until she can no longer fight against his unrelenting charm.

All Johanna wants is to keep the family inn afloat, but when the rent and the hearth payment are due at the same time, where will she find the extra funds? If she doesn’t come up with the money, there will be nowhere to go other than the workhouse—where she’ll be separated from her ailing mother and ten-year-old brother.

Alex desperately wants to help Johanna, especially when she confides in him, but his mission—finding and bringing to justice a traitor to the crown—must come first, or they could all end up dead.

A Loyal Heart ~ Review

A Loyal Heart
An Uncertain Heart #4
By Jody Hedlund

Sir Aldric has determined to right the wrongs he has committed and has been working for Lord Pitt to pay off the debt he owes him. His latest mission for Lord Pitt is to lay siege to Castle Ludlow and capture the daughters of the Earl of Ulster. But capturing Lady Olivia is a challenge - especially keeping her prisoner until he can present them to Lord Pitt.

Olivia is not some docile maiden given to bouts of swooning when danger comes and she is determined to defend her home and thwart the schemes Lord Pitt seems determined to carry out against her father all in the name of the king. But Sir Aldric is a determined knight and she is willing to use his gallantry against him if it will aid her in escape and fulfilling her father's quest for a relic.

But when Olivia is caught up in her own blind loyalty she must determine what her future holds and where her loyalty truly lies ~ is it duty to her father or to her heart?  Will her answer be the continuation of what she knows or will she embark on a new path? And can she trust Sir Aldric though he is but a lowly soldier in service to the whims of a lord?

Sir Aldric is determined to not repeat the mistakes of the past. With the painful loss of his first wife, he has determined never marry again. But Lady Olivia's feisty personality and beauty have a way of getting to him. And when the only chance of saving her from herself is a betrothal Aldric has to set aside his own fears. But can he truly set aside his fears of the past?

Those who have read the previous books in the An Uncertain Heart series will enjoy this story that follows the story of Sir Bennett's less than happy brother from For Love and Honor. Though intended for a YA audience looking for clean fiction any fan of historical romance fiction will enjoy this clean and entertaining story. This is a story of second chances and redemption.  And if you enjoy a battle scene with some expert sword skills all the better as this has both.

As a note of recommendation, I have purchased a copy of this book for my own use though I was provided a pre-release digital copy from which this review was based.

I was provided with a digital review of this book with no expectation of a positive review - all opinions expressed are my own.

 

About the Book:

He’s taken her as his prisoner. 

But she’s holding his heart captive. 

In gaining their freedom, will they lose what matters most?

When Lady Olivia’s castle is besieged, she and her sister are taken captive and held for ransom by her father’s enemy, Lord Pitt. Loyalty to family means everything to Olivia. She’ll save her sister at any cost and do whatever her father asks—even if that means obeying his order to steal a sacred relic from her captor.

As Lord Pitt’s commander, Sir Aldric is in charge of the beautiful but feisty new prisoner. He has his hands full attempting to keep Lady Olivia out of trouble. When Lord Pitt throws her in the dungeon and threatens to hang her for stealing, Aldric conceives a plot to save Olivia’s life—betrothal to him.

Can Olivia give up the prestigious match her father has arranged with a wealthy marquess in order to marry a lowly knight like Aldric? And can Aldric move beyond his past mistakes to embrace love again? When loyalties are tested, they’re thrust into danger that could cost them their love and their lives.

Pope: The Most Powerful Man in History ~ Trailer and Giveaway

There is an air of mystery about the man who rules the Catholic Church who takes on the title of Pope. The mystery that has surrounded centuries of this personage is about to be explored in a new upcoming series presented by CNN in POPE: The Most Powerful Man in History.

Here is a little about it:

Synopsis:  POPE: The Most Powerful Man in History explores the truth about the one world leader who is neither politician nor general – but commands the attention of both. For more than 2000 years, the head of the Roman Catholic Church has wielded unimaginable influence – shaping the world and our daily lives in surprising ways. Now, combining never-before-seen footage, exclusive interviews, and dramatic recreations, this upcoming six-part television series focuses on the men who have held this unique and complicated position, and reveals the unexpected true stories from the Vatican’s past.  The series also delves into the important historical moments that forever changed the Catholic Church – from the foundations of the Reformation to the origins of a new religious order within Catholicism – the Jesuits.  The series premieres on Sunday, March 11 on CNN.

WIN A TRIP TO ROME

Inspired By The Upcoming Television Series, Pope: The Most Powerful Man In
History, One Lucky Winner Will Have The Opportunity To Experience A Roman Holiday And A Rare Private Tour Of The Vatican.

Pope: The Most Powerful Man In History will debut Sunday, March 11 at 10 p.m.ET/PT on CNN.

LOS ANGELES - March 2, 2018 – History buffs, travel enthusiasts, and anyone who has ever dreamed of visiting (or revisiting) one of the most iconic cities in the world will have a chance to win a once-in- a-lifetime trip to Rome. Inspired by the upcoming television premiere of Pope: The Most Powerful Man In History, contestants can vie for the opportunity to win by visiting the website: www.myvaticanvacation.com.

Giveaway begins March 8 and ends on April 15.

The winner of the giveaway will receive the following:
* Airfare and five nights of hotel accommodations for two in Rome.
* A $500 gift card.
* A rare and private tour of The Vatican.

The Vatican is home to some of the greatest works of art including The Pieta, Raphael’s Transfiguration, Leonardo Da Vinci’s St. Jerome In The Wilderness, the statue of Apollo Belvedere, and a painting of The Last Judgement by Michelangelo, located inside The Sistine Chapel. The Sistine Chapel is famous throughout the world as the location where The College of Cardinals from The Roman Catholic Church, meet when a new Pope has to be elected.

Narrated by Liam Neeson, Pope: The Most Powerful Man in History, is a six-part CNN Original Series that explores how 12 apostles became 1.2 billion Catholics today, linking recent news events surrounding the Vatican with their unexpected origins.  “Ever since a man, claiming to be the Son of God, was nailed to a wooden cross over 2000 years ago, the Catholic religion has had a huge and profound influence and impact on our society," said Neeson. "As an amateur scholar myself, I was delighted to learn more about this by narrating a series that sheds a detailed light on how the Popes, past and present, and the Catholic Church came to be a prevailing force through fair means and foul, and along the way inspired some of the world’s greatest works of art.”

The series’ debut episode, “The Rise of the Pope,” examines the origins of the papacy and how Catholicism, against all odds, spread throughout Europe. Pope: The Most Powerful Man in History, will premiere Sunday, March 11 on CNN.

Words From the Heart ~ Review

Words From the Heart
An Amish Letters Novel #3
By Kathleen Fuller

Ivy Yoder's life has changed much recently and it is about to once again as her job at Miller's Bookbinding is coming to an end. With her closest friends and sister married and no prospects of marriage in her future Ivy feels a bit adrift.

When an older woman within the community asks for Ivy's help she agrees - after all she has the time. But cleaning up Cevilla Schlabach's attic has a few stipulations attached to it - she has to do it with Cevilla's great-nephew Noah. And even more perplexing is Cevilla's insisting that Ivy and Noah have to be in the attic together working together no solo work, but at her age Cevilla is allowed a few peculiarities.

Noah is hoping to make so finds of importance - he is after all an auctioneer and articles of value intrigue him. Ivy is curious as well but most of the boxes hold little of monetary value though there are a few treasures that with a little TLC might be of note. But when they come to a box of old letters they discover the true treasure that the attic is hiding - but these letters hide a secret one that affect them both.

Those around them are convinced that Ivy and Noah are perfect for one another - but Ivy and Noah aren't convinced. Ivy like her life and the closeness she shares with her family in Birch Creek while Noah like traveling around as an auctioneer and he doesn't even call the state of Ohio home. And Noah has a secret of his own one that could have a last effect on what his future holds.

This is the third book in the Amish Letters series and continues the story of those who call Birch Creek, Ohio, home. If you have not read the two previous books you can still easily follow this story you just won't have the back story of the secondary characters. This is a lovely story about family, friendship and a second chance at love. And fans of Amish fiction will enjoy yet another book from Kathleen Fuller.

I was provided a review copy by the publisher through the BookLook blogger program with no expectations of a positive review ~ all opinions expressed are my own.


About the Book:

Her fingertips brushed against 

something else in the box of doilies. She lifted a bundle 

of letters, neatly tied with a thin red ribbon . . .

Ivy Yoder hasn’t heard from John King in over a year. She knows it’s time to let go of the idea that they will one day marry, but she’s humiliated to be one of the oldest single women in her Amish community of Birch Creek. When quirky Cevilla Schlabach asks her to help clean out an attic, Ivy is grateful for the distraction.

Noah Schlabach isn’t from Birch Creek, or even Ohio. His job as an auctioneer takes him around the country and away from a typical Amish life, but he still remains devoted to his family. So when his aging aunt asks him to help clean out her attic, he agrees. Plus, who knows what curious items he might find up there?

As Noah and Ivy work side by side, they come across a different kind of treasure: a packet of letters written during the Korean War. Soon they are swept up in the story of two young people falling in love—even as they remain determined not to fall in love themselves.

Words from the Heart is a moving story of lost love letters, fragile fears, and the beauty of taking another step forward.

A Song Unheard ~ Review

A Song Unheard
Shadows Over England #2
By Roseanna M. White

Willa Forsythe has a new assignment - one that she had never thought would come her way. She is tasked with getting close to Lukas De Wilde because of his father. Lukas is believed to possess a cypher key created by his father and Willa is to secure it for the English government using her unique skills as a thief.

As a famous violinist, Lukas was touring when his home and country were overrun by the German army. With his mother and sister still somewhere in Belgium Lukas has little chance of finding them with his home gone. With her untrained natural skill with a violin Willa couldn't be more pleased with her assignment. But getting close to a mark is never a good idea especially this time.

With her past, Willa is determined to not get too close to Lukas especially with his reputation. And she's determined to not fall to the same fate as Rosie. Love is overrated and Willa knows she will never experience it - her parents proved that all too well when they abandoned her all those years ago.

But when it becomes obvious that others are after Lukas as well, Willa's mission has just become that much more difficult and she just may have to call on her "family" for assistance if she is to get the key before foreign interests claim it for their own.

A Song Unheard is set in 1914 during the early days of the First World War and is centered in Wales and Belgium as Willa and Lukas's stories play out while the life that his mother and sister unfolds in an equally intriguing manner.  This is the second book in the Shadows Over England series but one can read this book without first reading the previous book of the series A Name Unknown.  This book is complete in itself as it focuses on Willa as a primary character with the other characters in secondary or supporting roles. The story is easy to follow and quickly draws in the reader. This a story of second chances and finding a peace that is beyond what we can create for ourselves. I highly recommend this book for those who love historical fiction.

I was provided a review copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations of a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.


About the Book:
If Betraying Her Heart Means Saving Countless Lives, Will She Find the Courage?
Willa Forsythe is both a violin prodigy and top-notch thief, which makes her the perfect choice for a critical task at the outset of World War I--to secure a crucial cypher key from a famous violinist currently in Wales. 

Lukas De Wilde has enjoyed the life of fame he's won--until now, when being recognized nearly gets him killed. Everyone wants the key to his father's work as a cryptologist. And Lukas fears that his mother and sister, who have vanished in the wake of the German invasion of Belgium, will pay the price. The only distraction he finds from his worry is in meeting the intriguing and talented Willa Forsythe.

But danger presses in from every side, and Willa knows what Lukas doesn't--that she must betray him and find that key, or her own family could pay the same price his surely has.

I Will Not Fear ~ Review

I Will Not Fear 

My Story of a Lifetime of Building Faith Under Fire
by Melba Pattillo Beals

Sometimes it is hard to realize just how short a time ago we had such a segregated country. When one doesn't live through an event it feels farther away than it truly is. But the hatred and tyranny that Melba had to face just to have a chance at equality is truly unimaginable to me. I went to a school that had a well-balanced mix of students of every color and color had no bearing on my choice of friends. But sixty years ago this was not an expectation one had in the segregated South. 

Melba's fight for equality and fair treatment though began before her birth as her Grandmother India fought through persistence to get her delivery to be allowed within the walls of a white hospital. But her fight didn't end with her graduation from high school but rather continued on to her higher educational endeavors and her fight for acceptance into the world of journalism as both a woman and a person of color.

There are moments of heartbreak and moments of joy and triumph that will touch the heart of the reader. And the sustaining force in Melba'a life was the faith that her grandmother shared with her. A faith that allowed her to go forth each day into what could be her last. A faith that sustained her as she raised her children and struggled to keep them safe in a world that was a dangerous as the one she negotiated as a teenager.

I highly recommend this book for those who want to see faith in action in the face of a fallen and hate-filled world. This is not light reading and each chapter should be taken in slowly and thoughtfully so as to have the greatest impact on the reader's own life. This would make an excellent book club choice and be a good addition to the shelf of any library - public, school or personal.

I was provided a review copy of this book by the publisher Revell with no expectations of a positive review ~ all opinions expressed are my own.

About the Book:

In 1957, Melba Beals was one of the nine 

African American students chosen to integrate 

Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas.

But her story of overcoming didn't start--or end--there.

While her white schoolmates were planning their senior prom, Melba was facing the business end of a double-barreled shotgun, being threatened with lynching by rope-carrying tormentors, and learning how to outrun white supremacists who were ready to kill her rather than sit beside her in a classroom. Only her faith in God sustained her during her darkest days and helped her become a civil rights warrior, an NBC television news reporter, a magazine writer, a professor, a wife, and a mother.

In I Will Not Fear, Beals takes you on an unforgettable journey through terror, oppression, and persecution, highlighting the kind of faith we all need to survive in a world full of heartbreak and anger. She shows how the deep faith we develop during our most difficult moments is the kind of faith that can change our families, our communities, and even the world.

Encouraging and inspiring, her story offers hope that faith is the solution to the pervasive hopelessness of our current culture.

In Spite of Lions ~ Review

In Spite of Lions
By Scalette Pike

First off let me just say this is an absolutely gorgeous story that I highly recommend to any reader who wants to get lost within the pages of a fantastic story!

Anna is determined to leave the life she has known behind and if breaking with the protocols and expectations of society will aid her she will do it. Offering none her surname but rather her first name. By faith, Anna set out on her new life with her final destination unknown.  Boarding a ship to an unknown destination was not what was to be expected of a young lady of Anna's social standing but she was determined. 

And this journey led her to Mary Livingstone who with her two children was returning home and her husband David in the southern reaches of Africa.  Unfortunately, the captain of the ship she boards knows Anna from her former life and she knows Captain Dunna as well and the knowledge benefits neither in their estimation of the other.

But despite the hardships of weeks aboard ship Anna is not dissuaded from the path of faith that she is following. Attaching herself to Mary Livingstone Anna soon finds herself traveling into Africa to Kolobeng to aid Mary and lodge with the Livingstone family.

Anna's journey will change her as she leaves behind the pain that has shaped her but one can never run from the memories that one carries... Anna will discover who she truly is and just how far she will go for those she loves.

In Spite of Lions will introduce the reader to a world only briefly touched upon in history books. The harshness and isolation of Africa in the 1840s and 1850s is both daunting and beautiful as seen through the glimpses one is offered in this book. But be forewarned there will be a sequel that one will most eagerly be awaiting.

I was provided a review copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations of a positive review ~ all opinions expressed are my own.

About the book:

How does a young lady of means escape her high society fate? By booking passage on the first ship to Africa and promptly tossing her petticoats overboard! Now Anna is trading London’s luxuries and restrictions for the wild unknown. Of course, shedding her old life would be much easier without the disapproving looks of a handsome sea captain and the demons in her past haunting her from worlds away.

About the author:

Scarlette Pike became a writer by being an avid reader of Georgette Heyer and many other Regency authors. She is a senior in UVU’s English program with an emphasis in Literature Studies. In Spite of Lions is her first finished novel inspired by her love for the Regency era. The story has been carefully researched in order to preserve and promote historical accuracy.

Excerpt:

“My future was vague and friendless. I had no indication of where I would sleep, who should help me, or how I could reach a new home. I had made no plans and knew little to nothing of how to fend for myself. I had never spent a single night away from my mother’s house. Yet faith, when used in proper context, dismisses anxiety with an iron hand. Carts and horses pushed along the street, trying, I believe, to make as much noise as they were capable of. Vendors cried out from their seats on the ground and little boys and girls ran down the center of the road. Yet from the mayhem I could discern the Thames rushing by, singing her methodical and lovely song. I was a quiet island in the midst of chaos. I realized now that I had always been so.”