Thursday, February 27, 2014

Book Review: Princess Ever After

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Regina Beswick was born to be a princess.

But she's content to be a small-town girl, running a classic auto restoration shop, unaware a secret destiny awaits her. One that will leap from the pages of her grandmother's hand-painted book of fairytales.

Tanner Burkhardt is the stoic Minister of Culture for the Grand Duchy of Hessenberg. When he is tasked to retrieve the long-lost princess, he must overcome his fear of failure in order to secure his nation's future---and his own.

Yet lurking in the political shadows is a fierce opponent with sinister plans to abolish the throne forever. Overwhelmed with opposition, Regina must decide if she's destined to restore old cars or an ancient nation. Together---with a little divine intervention---Regina and Tanner discover the truth of her heritage and the healing power of true love.

Wow, wow, wow. I fell in love with this book from page 1. It has a bit of everything...love, life changes and major decisions, not to mention an international flair! Which one of us hasn't wanted to wake up one morning to discover that they're really the long lost princess of some far away land? I think I can safely say that anyone who has ever seen a Disney movie has. So, as the snow came falling down here, I had the perfect excuse to curl up in bed with what turned out to be an amazing book. Regina was an amazingly relatable character, even if her life does turn out to be something from a fairy tale. Reading about Tanner's struggles made me sigh and want to give the poor man a hug. When I reached the end of the book, I wanted to keep reading, but there just weren't anymore pages! I certainly hope that this isn't the last time readers hear about Tanner and Regina, even if they come back as minor characters in a future book.


Rachel Hauck is celebrating the release of her latest "swoon"-worthy romance,  Princess Ever After, with a fun $200 "Princess" prize package giveaway and a Facebook "Princess" party on March 6th. Grab your tiaras and RSVP today!

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  One winner will receive:
  • A $200 Visa cash card (buy your very own "princess ever after" gown or tanks of gas for your "royal" ride)
  • Princess Ever After, Once Upon a Prince, and The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on March 6th. Winner will be announced at Rachel's "Princess" Facebook Party on March 6th. Connect with Rachel for an evening of "royal" book chat, princess-themed trivia, laughter, prizes, and an exclusive look at the next book in the Royal Wedding series!

So grab your copy of Princess Ever After and join Rachel and friends on the evening of March 6th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP todayTell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 6th!


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I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions are 100% my own.
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Sunday, February 23, 2014

Book Review: My Amish Boyfriend

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Sixteen-year-old Shannon McNamara has exciting plans for the summer, and she can't wait to get to them. Unbeknownst to her, however, her widowed and ailing mother has plans of her own--to relocate them both to the heart of Amish country in Ohio where she has relatives who can look after her. Shannon quickly learns that living a "simple" life is actually a lot of hard work. But when a hot young Amish guy named Ezra enters the picture, she's ready to get an Amish makeover and even consider making it a permanent change. But does Ezra share her attraction? Will Shannon really make the jump into this new way of life? And will it be for the right reasons?

Teen favorite Melody Carlson brings fans another sweet story of worlds--and families--colliding, exploring themes important to teen girls through an engaging tale.

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This one took me a bit before I really started to enjoy it. While I love Amish fiction, I felt as if Shannon's character was never fully developed properly. Also, since this was a teen book, the writing style met with that level of reader and I think that's part of what threw me off. I haven't been a teen for quite some time (though it's awful to admit that!). All in all, I think it's a book that a lot of teens will enjoy, but adult readers may not enjoy quite as much.

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I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions are my own.
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Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Book Review: A Road Unknown

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"Elizabeth is at a crossroad. She's been given the chance to experience life outside of her community, away from the responsibility to care for her eight younger siblings, but Elizabeth Bontrager can't decide which road to take. Goshen has its charms and pressures, but Paradise, Pennsylvania, sounds . . . well, like paradise. And it's also home to her Englisch friend, Paula. Decision made. Elizabeth is Paradise bound.

But will the small town live up to its name? When Elizabeth meets Paula's friend, Bruce, she quickly learns he wants more than a friendship. And the same might be true of Saul Miller, her new boss at the country story that sells Amish products to the Englisch community. As the two compete for her attention, Elizabeth is surprised to realize she misses her family and becomes even more uncertain about where she belongs. She has a choice to make: return home or embrace this new life and possibly a new love?"


Y'all know me and Amish fiction. I can't seem to resist it and in this case, I am so glad that I didn't even try to resist the opportunity to review this book. Imagine leaving everything you know to go and live in a place that you've never been and where you only know one person and her life is nothing like yours...Terrifying and maybe just a little bit exciting to be sure. I've never read any of Barbara Cameron's other books, but I loved this one. The characters are so well rounded and have depth. Elizabeth's struggles are so real that you can't help but hold your breath as she goes about discovering who she is and what she wants from her own life. If you have a chance to read this book and love Amish fiction or heck, just good writing, I can't urge you enough to check it out.

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Barbara Cameron is celebrating the release of A Road Unknown with a $200 Visa cash card giveaway and a fun "Amish Roads" Facebook party.
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One winner will receive:
  • A $200 Visa cash card
  • A Road Unknown by Barbara Cameron
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on February 27th. Winner will be announced at Barbara's "Amish Roads" Facebook Party on February 27th. Connect with Barbara for an evening of book chat, Amish trivia, laughter, prizes, and more!

So grab your copy of A Road Unknown and join Barbara and friends on the evening of February 27th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP todayTell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 27th!

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I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions are 100% my own.

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Monday, February 17, 2014

Book Review: The Redcoats are Coming

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The first of a three-book story arc about the American Revolution, The Redcoats Are Coming follows Patrick and Beth as they assist the revolutionaries by waking up the sleeping citizens of 1775 Concord before the Redcoats come. In this adventure, the cousins meet Paul Revere, Samuel Adams, and John Hancock. They help smuggle musket balls, sound the alarm that the Redcoats are coming, and deliver a secret message to Paul Revere. Along the way they learn that most of the revolutionaries leaned on God’s direction and even pastors helped in the cause.

Imagination Station books rarely let you down and this one was no exception. Filled with history in such a way that kids can not only relate to but hold onto, this book was a delight to read. Each of the books takes you through a different historical period and this one about the revolution was not only easy to read, but held our attention to the very end. The fact that it's the first book in a three story arc is almost a bonus! It means there's more to come!

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I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions are my own.

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Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Book Review: Love's Sweet Begining

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It wasn't Cassie Haddon's fault that she had managed to reach the age of twenty-five without possessing any useful skills. Until the war, she had always had servants to wait on her. Since then, she and her widowed mother had moved from place to place, relying on family to care for them. Now she's forced to find work to support them both. What isn't in her plans is falling for Jacob West, a local restaurateur and grocer. She needs a job and he needs help. But what they both need is love.

With her signature sweet romance, Ann Shorey weaves a tale of two people from very different backgrounds finding common ground and the hopes of a bright future together.
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Another unexpected love for my bookshelf. Ann Shorey does a wonderful job of creating characters that are relatable and that you feel as if you've known them forever. The relationship between Cassie and Jacob is one that you'll keep your fingers crossed for while at the same time wondering what poor Cassie is going to do about her mother! If you love historical romance or just good, sweet romance that has you captivated, this is one that you're going to want to check out.

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I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions are my own.

If you like what you've read here, please share it with others using these buttons:

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