Book Review: Come Back to Me by Jody Hedlund

 

Book Review

While searching for her missing father, Marian accidentally goes back in time and falls hard for handsome knight William Durham. 

I've read and enjoyed a number of Jody Hedlund's books - mainly the YA ones - and when I saw that her newest was a time travel romance (a favorite genre), I jumped at the chance to get an ARC from the publisher. But, well ... I honestly didn't like this book very much. 

The romance moved too fast and wasn't based on very much. The characters didn't take very much time to get to know each other before rushing headlong into a serious relationship. Some of it was influenced by the circumstances, but I still think they could have gotten to know each other better and focused less on the heat.

What's more, the only characters who were three-dimensional were Marian and William. The others were pretty flat, and I especially didn't that William's kids were among the two-dimensional characters because the kids shouldn't be afterthoughts in a relationship. 

Lastly, the time-travel theory was the wildest, most unbelievable theory I've ever encountered. Kudos for creativity, but it was too far-fetched for me to appreciate it. 

So, yeah, I didn't like this book much. I suppose there were a few good points - the settings were interesting and I liked William's sister. But I will stick to Jody Hedlund's other books, which I liked a lot better. Perhaps if you take a chance on this book, you'll find you like it. But it isn't for me. 

I received a complementary copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for sharing them. 

Three Book Reviews: Angel Paws Rescue Series by Mimi Milan

Today, I'm featuring a three-book series called the Angel Paws Rescue. Each one is a cute contemporary romance featuring a loving pet. Each book has a review with it - enjoy!

About Book One

Scent of an Angel (Angel Paws Rescue #1)

by Mimi Milan

Description from Goodreads: 

To fight... or fall in love?

The only thing Tanner McKoy wants is to disappear into the backwoods of North Carolina, hopefully forgetting about his tour in Afghanistan. However, forgetting seems improbable. And disappearing is impossible when a determined grad student uses her new shelter rescues to track him down.

After a miserable breakup with her fiance, Eva Perez returns to grad school to complete her thesis and become a physical therapist. Unfortunately, that means assisting on several case studies - one of which includes a surly army veteran who refuses help. How can she win a battle with someone still stuck in combat mode?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35411311-scent-of-an-angel 

Review of Scent of an Angel

Scent of an Angel is a cute contemporary romance novella. Like all the books in this series, it features an injured veteran who is paired with a pet from the Angel Paws animal rescue center. In this one, Tanner is struggling with having the will to live, after the war in Afghanistan took his legs and his friends. But a grad student named Eva, and her rescue dog, are determined to help him.

The story was short and sweet and reminded me of a Hallmark movie. The romance moved quickly and had a satisfying ending. And the characters grew into better people throughout the story. The story couldn’t have been developed a lot more, but it was a fun quick read as it was.

I enjoyed the Scent of an Angel and recommend it to fans of Hallmark movies.

I received a complementary copy of this book. All opinions are my own, and I am not obligated to provide a positive review.

About Book Two

Scent of an Angel (Angel Paws Rescue #2)

by Mimi Milan

Description from Goodreads: 

An explosion during a tour in Afghanistan took Rhett Marshall's sight, but not his mind. Too bad his family can't seem to grasp that fact. He'll do anything to regain control over his life again... even take drastic measures like marrying a complete stranger just so he can call his own shots.

Luciana Lopez came to the United States on a student visa - which is about to expire. Unfortunately, finding an employer to petition for her so she can stay in the country has proven impossible. Could marriage to a desperate army veteran be the answer to her immigration problem?

Enjoy the second novel in the groundbreaking, heartwarming series, Angel Paws Rescue, that donates twenty percent of proceeds to help army veterans and shelter animals.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35239314-touched-by-an-angel

Review of Touched by an Angel

Touched by an Angel is a contemporary marriage-of-convenience romance novella about a military veteran who gains a cute rescue dog and falls in love with a beautiful woman. Rhett lost his sight while serving in the military, and he asked for help from Luciana, an international student from his college who desperately wants to stay in the USA but whose visa is running out.

Touched by an Angel was an enjoyable, quick read. It was short and sweet and reminded me of a Hallmark movie. The characters and the plot could have been more complex, but for the length that it was, the story was pretty well done. I enjoyed how sweet the story was and the creativity of the author in creating the plot. There was a fade-to-black romance scene between married characters, but otherwise the book was clean.

On the whole, I enjoyed the story and recommend it to fans of Hallmark movies.

I received a complementary copy of this book. All opinions are my own, and I am not obligated to provide a positive review.

About Book Three

When Angels Sing (Angel Paws Rescue #3)

by Mimi Milan

Description from Goodreads: 

Fast food, fast cars, and fast women...

Eddie Rivera, a Chicano rock star hoping to break into the American music scene, has always lived life in the fast lane. The last thing he planned on was a country cutie with the belief that a guy "won't buy the cow if he's getting the milk for free." Can a shot at her lifelong dreams and a rescue kitty help him change her mind?

From boys to battlefields, Rachel Linden may have lost her hearing but she has never lost a fight. Of course, she's never had her dream of singing dangled in front of her either. Is there a strategy she can employ to win a war of wishes... without compromising her standards?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35411291-when-angels-sing

Review of When Angels Sing

When Angels Sing is a cute contemporary romance about a rock star and a semi-deaf veteran who fall in love. I really enjoyed this novel, more so than the others in the series. It was a novella like the others, and featured a veteran (a woman this time), a romance, and a rescue kitty. The story compared the lifestyles of the two characters - one, a singer with a raucous lifestyle, and the other, a farm-girl-turned-soldier with strong morals. It was interesting to see how they interacted and ultimately fell in love. And the plot twist was pretty cool. There were some inappropriate comments and insinuations in this novel, but otherwise it was pretty clean.

I enjoyed When Angels Sing and recommend it to fans of Hallmark movies.

I received a complementary copy of this book. All opinions are my own, and I am not obligated to provide a positive review.

Book Review: Tranquility: A Prayer and Reflection Coloring Journal by Amie Carlson

 

About the Book

Tranquility: A Prayer and Reflection Coloring Journal

by Amie Carlson

Description from Goodreads: 

Tranquility: A Prayer and Reflection Coloring Journal invites you to mix creative journaling and coloring into your personal time with God. Prayers that focus on topics such as being thankful, dealing with stress and heartache, caring for yourself and others, listening for God’s leading, and waiting patiently on Him will guide your thoughts and calm your spirit. Filled with more than 100 designs to color, plenty of space for journaling, and 40 needs-based prayers, Tranquility will help you express your devotion to God with your whole heart.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34793847-tranquility

Review

Tranquility: A Prayer and Reflection Coloring Book. This coloring book is beautifully designed in the art style demonstrated on the cover. Verses, devotionals, prayer suggestions, or empty spaces for writing can be found on every page. And the background to these are designs for coloring. Most of the designs are either verse graphics, nature and animals, or vintage items like ornate mirrors and even a phonograph. A few of the pages were mostly colored in when printed, including a couple of black and white photographs. I imagine these were met to set a peaceful tone via the color schemes and to provide a couple of options for days when you don’t want to color too many details.

I enjoyed this coloring book. It is beautiful, and the verses were decently chosen. I recommend it to those wanting to try a new Christian coloring book.

I received a complementary copy of this book. All opinions are my own, and I am not obligated to provide a positive review.

Book Review: The One True Love of Alice-Ann by Eva Marie Everson

About the Book

The One True Love of Alice-Ann 

by by Eva Marie Everson

Description from Goodreads:

Living in rural Georgia in 1941, sixteen-year-old Alice-Ann has her heart set on her brother's friend Mack; despite their five-year age gap, Alice-Ann knows she can make Mack see her for the woman she'll become. But when they receive news of the attack on Pearl Harbor and Mack decides to enlist, Alice-Ann realizes she must declare her love before he leaves. Though promising to write, Mack leaves without confirmation that her love is returned. But Alice-Ann is determined to wear the wedding dress her maiden aunt never had a chance to wear--having lost her fiance in the Great War. As their correspondence continues over the next three years, Mack and Alice-Ann are drawn closer together. But then Mack's letters cease altogether, leaving Alice-Ann to fear history repeating itself. Dreading the war will leave her with a beautiful dress and no happily ever after, Alice-Ann fills her days with work and caring for her best friend's war-torn brother, Carlton. As time passes and their friendship develops into something more, Alice-Ann wonders if she'll ever be prepared to say good-bye to her one true love and embrace the future God has in store with a newfound love. Or will a sudden call from overseas change everything?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30956079-the-one-true-love-of-alice-ann?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=jx6Gf4aLqh&rank=1

Review

In 1941, Alice-Ann is a sixteen-year-old with her heart set on her brother's friend Mack. But when he leaves no promises when WWII calls him away, she is left wondering about his affection for her. They write letters for years, but then the letters stop altogether. Heartbroken though she is, Alice-Ann still finds the strength to be there for her best friend's brother, Carlton, as he heals from a terrible injury. Will she be able to discover who her true love really is?

The One True Love of Alice-Ann is a sweet romance set during WWII. When all the men go off to war, how will a young woman discover who will be her true love? Alice-Ann certainly has trouble figuring it out. During this book, she grew from a teenager with a crush to a young woman who knows her heart, but it took her a long time and a lot of pain.

This book went at a relatively slow pace as readers follow Alice-Ann's struggle through the years of the war. She certainly grows up as a young lady, but the central romantic focus takes some time to develop. There is a little bit of a love triangle, but it takes until the middle of the book to even discover who the second young man is, much less who she will choose.

Despite the relative slowness, it was an interesting book. I enjoyed the peek into the life of a WWII woman waiting through the war at home in the US. It could not have been easy, but even during the war, life goes on.

Overall, I enjoyed The True Love of Alice-Ann, and I recommend it to fans of sweet historical romance.

I received a complementary copy of this book. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for sharing them.

Book Review: All of You by Sarah Monzon

About the Book

All of You (Carrington Family #2)

by Sarah Monzon

Description from Goodreads:

Maryland, Present Day

Jacqueline Rogers can rebuild anything...except the shambles of her past. A restorer of vintage planes, she's worked hard to earn the reputation of being one of the guys. The last thing she needs is a former Navy pilot fighting his own inner demons stepping in to defend her from dangers she thought she’d outrun long ago. Some battles must be fought alone.

After a freak accident severs Lieutenant Michael “Finch” Carrington’s dreams, as well as two limbs, he’s left with nothing but a fragile faith and a duty-bound promise to watch out for his friend’s baby sister. A promise she insists is as unnecessary as it is unappreciated. But when she turns the tables and begins to weld together the broken parts of his life, it may be his heart that is in need of protection.

England, 1942

With the world at war yet again, Alice Galloway rejects her father’s traditional expectations and offers her piloting expertise to the Air Transport Auxiliary. She may be a woman in a man’s world, but when she overhears key intelligence, she must find the strength to transcend boundaries and her own fears. Or countless people may die.


Sometimes the past reaches forward to bring hope to the future.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34603638-all-of-you

Review

All of You weaves two storylines together in a beautiful tale of love and acceptance. The first is of Jacqueline "Jack" Rodgers, an airplane mechanic and refurbish-er, and Lieutenant Michael "Finch" Carrington, a military pilot grounded by an injury resulting in amputations. Both characters have severe problems to overcome. Jack's abusive ex-fiance is back from deployment, and he is threatening her. Jack's brother calls in his friend Michael, amputee or not, to guard Jack from the jerk. Sparks fly, but they are both too afraid to let go and love. The second storyline features Alice Galloway, an American pilot who traveled to England to help in WWII. She struggles with the prejudice against women in the military, her love for a handsome journalist, and the fight to come out from her father's strict influence in order to be herself. Danger abounds, but love could flourish if given the chance.

With two separate storylines, All of You is a little complicated. The two tie together loosely in the end, and it is worth the wait. Jack and Michael's story is featured the most, since they make up two of the three POV characters. Readers get to see both of their internal struggles as they cope with all life throws at them, including their struggle not to let themselves love one another. There is so much hurt in their past that it is hard to trust and to let go of fear. I really enjoyed reading their story. They are two normal people, and yet they are beautiful even in their struggles. Watching them grow and love each other made me happy.

Alice's story was a bit different. She lived decades before the others and faced a completely different set of trials. I never realized how difficult it was for women to be respected in the military. Alice and her peers were the pioneers of women in military and piloting. They were allowed and sanctioned by the government to work and fly in the war. But that didn't mean they were accepted. Prejudices against them abounded, and there was little they could do about it. They had a far-reaching impact, though, and deserve the honor of being the first women fliers in the military. Add in the romance to Alice's story, and it was as sweet as it was enlightening.

I thoroughly enjoyed All of You, and I'm hoping to read more of the series and from Sarah Monzon. She won herself a fan! I hope you, readers, will like it too. It's perfect for fans of contemporary and historical romance.

I received a complementary copy of this review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for providing them.

Book Review: The Shattered Vigil by Patrick W. Carr

 

About the Book

The Shattered Vigil (The Darkwater Saga #2)

by Patrick W. Carr

Description from Goodreads: 

Award-Winner Carr Delivers Latest in Fantasy Saga

Victory over the dark forces during the feast of Bas-solas should have guaranteed safety for the continent. Instead, Willet and the rest of the Vigil discover they've been outsmarted by those seeking to unleash the evil that inhabits the Darkwater. Jorgen, the member of the Vigil assigned to Frayel, has gone missing, and new attacks have struck at the six kingdoms' ability to defend themselves.

Just when the Vigil thought they had quenched the menace from their enemy in Collum, a new threat emerges: assassins hunting the Vigil, men and women who cannot be seen until it's too late. The orders of the church and the rulers of the kingdoms, fearing the loss of the Vigil's members altogether, have decided to take them into protective custody to safeguard their gift. On Pellin's orders, the Vigil scatters, leaving Willet to be taken prisoner by the church in Bunard.

In the midst of this, Willet learns of the murder of an obscure nobleman's daughter by one of the unseen assassins. Now he must escape his imprisonment and brave the wrath of the church to find the killer in order to turn back this latest threat to the northern continent. 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28561660-the-shattered-vigil

Review

The Shattered Vigil is the second book in the Darkwater Series by Patrick W Carr. It is an epic fantasy novel, for adults, from a Christian perspective.

Willet, and the rest of the people in the Vigil, have the ability to see all of a person’s memories with a single touch. Unfortunately, the Vigil’s enemies were not vanquished as was thought but are striking back harder than before.

The Shattered Vigil was too dark for me. There is so much darkness in the human soul, and Willet has the ability to see all of it. Subsequently, this book was also very dark, darker than most Christian fantasy novels. Death, betrayal, an evil that seeped into people’s souls from exposure to the Darkwater Forest — all of it was thoroughly present in this novel. Now, Willet and others fought the evil, and so there was good in their world filled with evil. But still, the evil seemed to permeate the book via a dark tone.

The good things about the book were: unique characters, a complex plot, a well-developed world, deep questions and soul-searching, engaging writing, and a fantastic cover. I did love Patrick Carr’s other series, the Staff and the Sword.

I recommend it to fans of dark-ish fantasy with a Christian perspective. Perhaps fans of Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti.

I received a complementary copy of this book. All opinions are my own, and I am not obligated to provide a positive review.

Book Review: Shadow of the Wyrm by

About the Book

Shadow of the Wyrm

by Susan Spitale Precht

Description from Goodreads: 

Until unknown relations show up unexpectedly to their summer camp, Torg, Rache, Berr, and Brom were never told that their Dvargen clan was a tiny remnant of a more advanced culture which had been hunted to near extinction by creatures known as the Wyrm. The world that they had expected to inhabit ceases to exist while the rules they had been framed by only serve to maintain the fiction their grandsire had crafted to keep knowledge of the Wyrm away. Left alone to discover the truth of their past, and to define the realities of their present, they are thrust into a dangerous adventure that will ultimately decide their future.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16110926-shadow-of-the-wyrm

Review

Shadow of the Wyrm is a YA fantasy novel about four teens in a cave-man-like setting who’s existence is threatened by the re-emergence of the Wyrms. Shadow of the Wyrm was an interesting read. It was easy-to-read, and so younger teen readers would probably enjoy it. The story world was interesting, and the setting the culture reminded me of cavemen. Not many books have a similar setting, and so I enjoyed reading about it from this author’s perspective. The four teens were unique characters who began to learn new things about their people’s pasts and had to decide how to react and what to make of their world as a result. In this way, it was a coming-of-age novel. And I love the cover! I enjoyed it and recommend it to fans of YA Fantasy. I received a complementary copy of this book. All opinions are my own, and I am not obligated to provide a positive review.