Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher

Series: Nantucket Legacy

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: July 3, 2018

Reviewer: Jennifer S. Roman

Following the descendants of the Starbucks, Macys, and Coffin families as the first settlers of Nantucket, Minding the Light picks up a few generations after its predecessor, Phoebe’s Light.  In this story, Daphne Coffin picks up the pieces of her sister Jane’s family after Jane’s unfortunate death.  Leaving behind two children and a sea captain husband who has just returned after a six-year whaling voyage, Jane is estranged from her widowed mother who wants nothing to do with Jane.  Jane eloped with her sea captain Reynolds “Ren” Macy years ago, and socialite Lillian is more worried than her reputation than her grandchildren.  Daphne is expected to become betrothed to Ren’s cousin Tristram, one of the island’s most eligible bachelors, but something doesn’t feel right to Daphne.  As the story progresses, readers see just what Daphne battles as she does her best to care for Jane’s family.

As with Phoebe’s Light, Minding the Light alternates between Daphne’s story and excerpts from her Great Mary’s journal, which was passed down to Jane before her father’s passing.  Daphne finds it and starts reading it as she sits at Jane’s sick bed.  Not only is she comforted by the clear connection to her past relatives, she is also shocked by some family secrets.  She too takes a dip in the buried family treasure and adds her story to the legend.  By the end of the book, Daphne makes some hard decisions and learns some painful truths about family and just how far people will go to have things their way.

Minding the Light is a quick and easy read, but is far from lighthearted.  The Puritan ways of life are explored as the next generations settle Nantucket.  Slavery is abolished on the island but is still an issue there.  Secrets haunt families in ways that only buried secrets can.  It’s intriguing and sad at the same time, as the characters quickly grab readers’ attention and draw them into their dramas.  Nothing is over the top, yet it’s, in a way, nice to know that people back then had similar issues that we have today.

There is nothing in this book that should be offensive to readers, although some of the subject matter is for mature readers.  I highly recommend this book, though, as I thoroughly enjoyed the history lesson wrapped up in a soap opera of sorts.  Readers who enjoy historical fiction will enjoy keeping up with the Macys, Starbucks, and Coffins.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.  The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Author: Rachel Fordham

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: July 3, 2018

Reviewer: Jennifer S. Roman

When an injured, dirty, malnourished young woman arrives in Azure Springs, Iowa, in 1881, nobody knows who she is or how she got there.  They just know that they have to take care of her and then figure out how to help her.  The Howell family, owner of the local mercantile, volunteers to take her in and nurse her back to health.  After suffering the loss of their sons to the fever, they have their own hurts to heal.  Sheriff Caleb Reynolds is tasked with finding out who this young woman is and why she has mysteriously appeared in his town.  As he gets to know the young woman, known as Em, he learns that her past is connected to some serious trouble.  Em learns to trust again as she slowly lets the Howell family, and Caleb, into her heart.  Out comes her horrible story of being shipped on an orphan train from New York to Iowa and of losing her sister along the way.  Feeling unwanted and unworthy are the lesser pains of her previous life as she lived with an unsavory man in his barn.  Despite being a plain girl with unremarkable features, Em is able to capture the heart of the town and of the town’s most eligible bachelor.

Written from a perspective of several people, The Hope of Azure Springs explores the past and how its fingers grab onto the present.  Em is trying to deal with the horrible feelings of loss, guilt, and rejection from childhood as she loses both parents and then later her sister.  She experiences additional hurt when all the other children on the orphan train are chosen and she is not; eventually, she is chosen last minute and is immediately sorry as the man who takes her in neglects her and leaves her to fend for herself.  Caleb, one of several boys, feels rejection and inadequacy.  It seems as though his parents don’t see him after his older brothers are killed in the war, and he is always living in their shadow.  Not being expressive people to begin with, he doesn’t know how they feel about him and tries to earn their love and appreciation.  Abigail Howell, the matriarch of the Howell family, has her own loss to deal with as she tries to move on after her sons die from the fever.  She dotes on her older daughter Eliza to the point of creating a spoiled brat who has no empathy towards others.  Thankfully, she realizes it before it is too late for Eliza and her younger girls.  Throughout the story, all of the characters face their troubled pasts and look forward to the future with optimism and hope.

There is some violence in the book that is mild by today’s standards.  Overall, however, The Hope of Azure Springs does not have much objectionable in it.  Adults and mature teens should be fine reading it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.  The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Author: Melanie Dickerson

Series: Hagenheim #8

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Release Date: June 26, 2018

Rating: 4 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A fun retelling of the beloved tale Aladdin with a daring rescue and a love story for all.

After being orphaned at a young age, Aladdin travels around trying to find his place to belong. When he ends up at an orphanage and meets Lady Kirstyn, the daughter of the Duke of Hageneim, they quickly form an unbreakable bond.  Aladdin didn’t let being an orphan stop him from working hard and proving his worth.  Every day he strived to prove he could be more than a poor orphan.  He wants to show he can put his past of having to steal behind him and make amends for his wrongs.  He wants to earn his fortune so he can be considered to marry Lady Kirstyn, but in order to do that he feels he must leave Hagenheim.  Shortly after Aladdin leaves, Lady Kirstyn is kidnapped and used against both her father and Aladdin.  Aladdin has to decide what is more important, his fortune he has worked for to prove he is worthy of Lady Kirstyn or saving the woman he loves.

At first I didn’t realize this was a retelling of Aladdin and was surprised with a few of the aspects of the book that made me chuckle. I enjoyed the way Aladdin worked hard despite all of the obstacles in his way.  Lady Kirstyn was put in some difficult situations as well but never gave up hope in those she loved and her own abilities.  This is one of the types of books I enjoy sitting down to read without having to think too much about, just enjoying the story while I’m in it and not worrying about anything else.  The characters, with exception to one or two, were enjoyable to me in the story and I am happy to say the story played out well and didn’t leave me hanging or angry. There isn’t much negative I have to say about the story except for the fact that at times the story did feel a little slow but didn’t take long to pick up and keep me going.  I haven’t read a lot of Melanie Dickerson but am sure to keep her on my list for upcoming reads.  I recommend this book to those that enjoy a good historical romance with fun little tid-bits sprinkled in to make the story light hearted.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Author: Beth White

Series: Daughtry House #1

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: June 5, 2018

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

It is obvious through every page that Beth White has done her research and turned A Rebel Heart into a must read for lovers of historical fiction.

It’s been five years since the War Between the States ended and Selah Daughtry has worked day in and out to keep herself and her family safe, and fed. Their land is about to go under in debt and giving it up is the last thing she wants to do.  When it seems like all hope is lost Levi Riggins, a former union cavalryman comes and starts to investigate some inconsistences and possible sabotage to the Daughtry family land.  Selah doesn’t know if she can trust him when he tells her he can help save her land if she agrees to turn the family home into a hotel.  Trusting Levi is the only option she has, what she didn’t expect was her heart to fall for him during this difficult time when love is the last thing she is looking for.

A Rebel Heart is the perfect book for lovers of historical fiction. With the setting in Mississippi and the family struggling to keep their land and each other together, the tension mounts quickly as the fight to keep what is theirs together.  The connection between Levi and Selah is immediate and you know the tension between them is going to build to a romance they won’t be able to turn away from.  I enjoyed the way Levi worked to keep his mission a secret and still do the work he was there to do.  It was hard for him to keep his distance when he obviously wanted to be with Selah.  The book kept a good pace throughout and I enjoyed the way it played out at the end leaving room for more to come but wrapping things up nicely.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Author: Lisa T. Bergen

Series: The Sugar Baron’s Daughters #1

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: February 6, 2018

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

Historical fiction is a difficult genre for some of today’s authors but Bergren does it with ease giving an amazing setting and characters we can’t help but long to see succeed.

Lady Keturah Banning Tomlinson has found herself in a difficult spot. The year is 1773 and she and her sisters are about to lose everything their family has worked so hard for. As the heiresses of their father’s estates in England and the West Indies, they know they must leave the comforts of their English home and sail to the West Indies in order to save all they have.  An unprecedented venture for women did at this time, but that doesn’t stop Keturah and her sisters from continuing their journey without a man. Keturah has been under the thumb of men all her life and refuses to let herself be put in a helpless position again. No matter how hard she tries to avoid it, every man on the island tries endlessly to win her hand, and with it the ownership of her family’s plantation.  The only person she can trust is a childhood friend that has journeyed to the island as well to gain his own wealth. She isn’t sure of his motives but she has no one else besides her sisters and without letting him help she risks losing everything.

It doesn’t seem to matter which genre Bergren writes in, she is always able to provide readers with a story they won’t soon forget and long for more. I loved her YA series and have been a fan of her work ever since. The setting of Keturah was beautifully described along with the characters and the struggles they faced.  The three sisters are forced to band together and work harder than they ever have in order to save the family plantation and secure their future.  I love the way they come together and work this out instead of looking to a man to give them the security they could have and so many others probably would. Keturah knows that she is in charge of her future and happiness and I love the way she lets her strength shine through even with the trials she has faced in her past. The relationship between Ket and Gray develops well and I enjoyed seeing him win her trust and how loyal they both were to the people around them.  With this being the first in a new series, I am curious to see how the next will play out with the other sisters most likely taking the lead.  I recommend this book to readers that enjoy historical romance with a beautiful setting and characters they can’t help but fall in love with.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Author: Sarah Sundin

Series: Sunrise at Normandy #1

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: February 6, 2018

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

This new historical fiction romance series has definitely gotten my attention and I’m looking forward to the next installment!

American naval officer Lt. Wyatt Paxton is stationed in England in 1944 getting ready for the invasion of Normandy. Wyatt has been running away from his past when a tragic accident spit him and his family apart, so he joined the Navy to get away.  While in England, he meets a  young 2^nd Office in the Women’s Royal Navy Service (Wren) named Dorothy Fairfax.  Dorothy lost her family to the London Blitz and is now estranged with her father even though they live together.  She and Wyatt find themselves thrown together in an unusual circumstance that leads to a friendship.  As each finds strength in their friendship to face their past troubles, Dorothy believes that romance can never be as she is smitten with a British naval officer.  But she may never get the chance to find out as Wyatt is sent to sea duty for the invasion.

This new series is very promising. As a huge fan of World War II, it plays right into my interest.  The excitement of Normandy also piqued my interest throughout the book and how the exercises were used to finalize the details.  I also really enjoyed the romance between Wyatt and Dorothy through all the surprises that occurred.  Both characters matured through the story as they were hardened and had to put their trust in God.

If you are not hooked to this story in the prologue, I’m not sure what else could have been done to trap you! I recommend this new series to history lovers and those that love a natural romance.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.