An Inconvenient Beauty - Book Review

An Inconvenient Beauty – Hawthorne House Series

Kristi Ann Hunter

•°o•:*:•.SIGH.•:*:• o°•

1815 London, Regency Era, England

We have finally come to Griffith Hawthorne’s story.  This story really flowed along at a nice pace as the characters got to know each other.

The Duke of Riverton is the eldest sibling.  He is logical and organized, even a bit subdued at times.  But, he has many layers to him.  His family has a legacy of marrying for love.  He has ‘decided’ the time has come for him to marry, so he sets out to find a reasonable wife, who will ‘fit’ into his life, and then he can come to love her. Enter Frederica St. Clair; a plain but fitting woman who should do the trick.

Isabella Breckenridge has practically made a deal with the devil.  Her uncle, Percy St. Clair, is wealthy and connected.  Her family is poor with little chance at a good future now that her father has been injured.  When her uncle, and cousin Frederica, decide to visit them after many years, he discovers what an undeniable beauty she has become and hatches a plan to benefit them both.  She is soon whisked to London during the high season and put on display for all of society to admire.  Her intent is to fulfill her uncle's demands and return home to continue helping her family along with financial relief and glowing recommendations for her brothers to attend school.  Her intent is NOT to fall in love since she has no use for such things.

But, what does God have planned?

Special Quote - Ch. 32 “Have you prayed about ?” “Every day.” Every moment. Griffith wasn’t sure there was an hour he’d been awake when some part of him hadn’t been crying out to God for a way to fix this dull ache in the middle of his chest that refused to go away as long as there was a chance…

I love this because sometimes I too feel like there are some parts of me crying out to God, more than a conscious prayer.  Very well stated by the author.

The story was sweet and endearing, and at times I laughed aloud.  I even sighed happily as I turned the last page.  Now that the series is finished, I plan to go back and read the books again.  They were that enjoyable.  Kristi Ann Hunter weaves wonderful stories.  And Bethany House has blessed her with lovely book covers.

© October 2017 Bethany House

373 pages

In exchange for my honest opinion, I received a copy from Bethany House Publ. which I am privileged to provide with no other compensation. - 5 stars

Read: 10/04&05/2017 - Reviewed: 10/14/2017

HAWTHORNE HOUSE SERIES
“The Hawthorne House Series follows a set of aristocratic siblings led by the Duke of Riverton. Set from 1812 - 1815, these stories show how beautiful life, love, and family can be when you let God be a part of them.”
(I love that there are more than 3 books, but we also did not have to wait forever between stories!)
A Lady of Esteem – Free eNovella – 7/1/2015
A Noble Masquerade – Book 1 – 9/8/2015 You’ve Got Mail, Regency Style
An Elegant Façade – Book 2 – 7/5/2016
An Uncommon Courtship – Book 3 – 1/3/2017
An Inconvenient Beauty – Book – 4 - 09/2017

Blessings and a cup of Autumnal Tea, 

For the Record by Regina Jennings

(borrowed from ReginaJennings.com)

Boondock hill country of Pine Gap, Missouri 1885

In my previous review, for book #2, At Love’s Bidding, Betsy Huckabee is a young girl from the hills who has GREAT insight.  She is spunky, outspoken and very protective of those she cares about.   In this book, she is all grown up and is a local reporter for her uncle’s newspaper.  She has a desire to become a journalist for a major paper someday.  She believes herself to be married to her career, and has carefully avoided suitors up to this point.

Deputy Joel Puckett, from Texas, has been transferred to the tiny town of Pine Gap, and quickly decides it needs his expertise to gain control over the criminals that have been terrorizing the town, along with the local vigilantes trying to protect the town through less than legal means.  Joel carries a secret with him, that has forced him to leave Texas, and he is in no mood for the head-strong reporter who has decided she wants to shadow his every move. Plus, the townspeople seem less than interested in welcoming a new-comer. While it’s been agreed they will provide a horse for him, the tiny pony awaiting him does not exactly command respect.

Betsy is excited to finally have someone new from which to draw on for her stories, so she decides staying close to the new sheriff is her best bet.  However, she also has a responsibility to her uncle’s family, where she feels like an outsider taking advantage, being that she is a full grown woman, and still living under his roof.  If she can just use the new sheriff for inspiration, maybe she could make some money selling fictional stories to a larger paper.

She soon finds there is much more to Joel Puckett than inspiration, and he finds there is more to the strong-headed local girl than just being a nosy, in-the-way reporter.

I enjoyed this historical, Christian romance, that weaves wit and mystery into the story, and recommend it to others.

Find it for an excellent price here: CBD

5 stars

© 2016 Bethany House

329 pages

I received a copy from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.

Love's Faithful Promise Book Review

Enjoyed tea and toast while switching between
this wonderful novel & my daily Bible reading.

Love’s Faithful Promise –Courage to Dream Book #3

Susan Anne Mason

•°o•:*:•.LOVED IT.•:*:• o°•

Final installment does not disappoint. Again, extremely detailed and several characters with different points of view.

Matthew Clayborne carries heavy burdens from his past, failed marriage.  Now a widower raising a fragile young girl, he is desperate to provide for her, while not letting anyone in to break his heart again.  He splits his time between his daughter, and helping rehabilitate wounded soldiers with new physical therapy techniques.

Deirdre O’Leary, a young nurse, aspiring to one day become a pediatrician, has been sent by her father to convince the doctor to leave Canada and travel to Irish Meadows in New York, in order to help her mother who recently suffered a stroke.  She is bold and determined to persuade the stubborn doctor, or learn the techniques herself. 

There is another story that takes place between Jo, a stable hand, and Connor O’Leary set amongst the wonderful O’Leary horses.  It is a great story as well. It’s like reading two books in one. 

The relationship between the O’Leary parents and really the entire family is so endearing and enjoyable.  It’s a family you want to visit or be a part of.  There is a lot of kindness and love there.  There are also dangerous moments that send the heart rapidly beating, such as when young nephew get a little too adventurous.  And there is faith and prayer as well.  The weather is crisp and cool, until finally it snows, so I enjoyed reading this book in Autumn (-smile).

The cover of this book was another gorgeous picture that grabbed me instantly. The back shows Irish Meadows covered in snow tucked behind the leafless trees of winter.

5 STARS
(Keep updated at the author’s website, SusanAnneMason.com)

Thank you to Bethany House and the author for an advance copy to review as part of the Influencer Team. My opinion is my own, and given freely. Read: September 20/21, 2016

SERIES: Courage to Dream
Irish Meadows - Book#1 – 06/30/2015
A Worthy Heart – Book #2 – 01/05/2016
Love’s Faithful Promise – Book #3 – 09/13/2016 -388 pages

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE

Happy Reading Friends!

In addition to my blog, reviews posted at:
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A Heart Most Certain Book Review

I received my Influencer copy of this book August 1st, and took it on a little outing to capture a lovely picture of it.

Click here to purchase

I even posed it in this little garden wall I found, 

to create a fun profile picture. 

Melissa Jagears has captured my heart with her newest book, A Heart Most Certain.  Her story is so rich with prayer and growth of faith, and held my interest throughout.  I cannot recommend it enough.

The story takes place in Teaville, Kansas, 1905. STOP! Seriously?  Well, be still my heart… what a perfect name for a town!  It takes a hard look at how the poorest parts of town survived by being a “red light district”, and the very difficult attempt some made to climb out of that life.  It also shows how the middle and upper class viewed those people as so much “less-than” believing they were at fault for their lifestyles, and did not deserve any grace or mercy.  However, that is not the case for every citizen.  Nicholas secretly gives charity and does good works to better their lives and make a difference.  Lydia King, although quite poor in her own right, also does her part, by being a part of the Teaville Moral Society and sewing quilts for the less fortunate.  When the group decides they need sewing machines to increase their production, she is tasked with requesting a donation from the town’s miser, Mr. Lowe.

Old Fashioned Quilting Bee: Pg. 11 The heavy front doors of the massive sandstone church slammed behind her, and she scurried down to an out-of-the-way room in the dank basement.  About a dozen women sat around the room’s large quilting frame.  Half of them were the matriarchs of the church, the other half their daughters or young women without children.

Pg. 15 Lydia took the comb back before Mama could turn her wavy locks into a massive cloud.

There is the occasional bit of witty sarcasm:

Pg. 68, “Don’t tell me you’re that rigid.” Henry tossed a glass paperweight between his hands. “Jesus drank wine.” Nicholas rolled his eyes. “Next time you’re over, bring a barrel of water with you, and pray for a miracle.”

Chapter 7 had me balling! Pg. 129 “Lord, help me stop these children from going where they cannot return. Surely you sent me and Lydia here this day for this reason.  Help me convince Pepper.”

Pg. 185 Wool blankets would be cheaper and could help more people, yes, but I know how it feels to have ‘good enough’. But to receive something beautiful…”She ran a hand down her sleeve, catching the bit of satin ribbon at the end.

This quilt was actually made at the same time our story is set!
(internet photo)

Pg. 193 A shiny new Burdick sewing machine with an intricate wrought-iron treadle and gleaming black-and-gold body stood in the center of the room.

Sometimes, God says, “No.”  In Ch.33, we see Lydia say a prayer that she does not get recognized in the height of danger, but later we learn that indeed she was identified.  I appreciate the fact that not all prayers get a “Yes” answer in the story, because God’s was are not our ways.

This story was packed with detail and deceit.  But it was also rich with people desiring to better themselves for God's glory, and a beautiful love story stitched together over time and circumstances orchestrated by the hand of God.

Finishing up with a cup of tea and a sigh.

5 stars

© 8/2/2016 Bethany House, 388 pages

I received a copy from Bethany House Publ., in exchange for my honest opinion, with no other compensation, which I am privileged to provide.

Read: 08/11-13/2016 - Reviewed: 8/15/2016

SERIES: TEAVILLE MORAL SOCIETY

Book 1 is actually
a novella featured within
the collective book,
With This Ring by
various authors

Here is a fun picture we took to get 

young people interested! LOL!!!

contributing to the PokemonGo craze!

I do hope you will check out this book. 

Until next time,

Hugs and a cup of tea!

In addition to MY BLOG, Reviews posted at:

Alibris
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/review/R1MYFRBGBT729W/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

Amazon Canada https://www.amazon.ca/review/R2EWLT5G4HVNQ7/ref=pe_1086170_134824320_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R3BD0J5ART979N/ref=pe_1572281_66412651_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

Books A Million

Barnes & Noble

CBD

GoodReads https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1729258088

Google Play https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Melissa_Jagears_A_Heart_Most_Certain_Teaville_Mora?id=eOwtCwAAQBAJ&hl=en#details-reviews

Indigo

Kobo

Scribd.com https://www.scribd.com/book-preview/316268458/review/15360143

My FB, My IG, Influencer’s FB page, My Pinterest

And requested my local library to carry

A Lady Unrivaled Book Review

 Ladies of the Manor Book#3, 

by 

Roseanna M. White

•:*:•. ENGAGING .•:*:• 

The Cotswolds, Ralin Castle March 1913

Lady Ella Myerston is featured on the cover.  The model beautifully captures the essence of the character, with her sneaky little smile and lovely red hair, though Ella would call it auburn (-smile).

She has such a wonderful outlook on life and is very inquisitive.  She chooses to find joy in the moment, be an explorer of her world, but is also fiercely protective of those she loves, as she proves by trying to unravel the mystery of the Fire Eyes diamonds in order to keep further harm from coming to her family.  I really enjoyed her character from the get-go.

Cayton was a bit complex, but never annoyingly.  His great love of his 9 month old daughter, and his overwhelming desire to become a good and God following man for her sake were both charming and admirable.  Ella does a wonderful job of breaking through his walls, and seeing past his masks.

Paris, France - Kira, the prima ballerina, has made some bad choices in life, and her conscious will constantly remind her of it.  However, it’s a very dangerous game she is playing at, in order to keep her Russian benefactor/boyfriend happy. In fact, so many people in this book play at being spies, certainly someone is bound to get caught, or worse.

Lady Catherine, having suffered a terrible loss in book 2, is barely living, just a waif-like shadow of her former, blustery self.  No longer inclined to be conniving and conspiring for the Fire Eyes with her brother, Lord Rushworth, she simply lets him steer her life.  Lord Rushworth, however, has nothing else on his mind, and is quite determined to acquire them, no matter the cost, dragging his grieving sister from France, to the Cotswolds, where he believes the jewels are.

It was unexpected, and fun to have three pregnant women all due at essentially the same time.  Each woman shows remarkable strength and resilience when push comes to shove.  While there were sad moments, they weren’t overly so.  I never felt them weighing me down.  There were many happy and amusing moments. And there was a bit of danger, which enhanced the story. 

Scriptural Reference: I was pleased to see faith beautifully woven into and throughout this story.

Beginning of book, and again in Ch. 24 -  “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” –Romans 5:5

image found on Pinterest & traced back to 100LayerCake.com

Tea Moment: Ch. 12 “The tea room wasn’t nearly as grand as the ones in London to which she was permitted to slip away unchaperoned – no orchestra, no dancing, no high-arching windows. But it was lovely, all fair, bright colors and copious amounts of light, …The waitress headed their way, wheeled cart before her and a casual smile upon her lips.  Conversation halted while the girl set out their teapot and sugar and cream, the tiered tray filled to bursting with sweets.

I definitely recommend this book. (5 stars)

As the winner of a contest (Yay me!) held by the author, I received an Advance Reading Copy for no compensation from BETHANY HOUSE PUBL.  Some final edits were still in progress after I received my copy, but the author tells me they were merely typo corrections (smile).  My opinion is my own.

Read: 06/10&11/2016

SERIES: Ladies of the Manor

The Lost Heiress –  Book #1 – 2015

The Reluctant Duchess – Book #2 – April 2016 CLICK HERE to read my review

A Lady Unrivaled – Book #3 – September 2016

Until next time, blessings and a cup of tea

THE BACHELOR GIRLS GUIDE TO MURDER Book Review

photo credit (used by permission) BooksAndBeverages.org / Jamie Lapeyrolerie
Click HERE to order or read book description.

A Herringford and Watts Mystery

by Rachel McMillan

•°• PERFECT LITTLE MYSTERY •°•

Several things about this book grabbed me right away. 1) It’s not too overwhelming in size, so a perfect little summer read. (and as I have said of these books before, I LOVE the covers).

2) I LOVE FONTS – I’m actually rather obsessed with them, so to see a fun, scrolly (cause that’s a word, right?!) font displayed at the beginning of a letter from Jem’s parents as well as Chapter #s puts a big ol smile on my face. 3) There are silhouettes & pretty designs throughout the book! Another smile, and yet another reason I prefer delicious paperbacks over eBooks!  4) The author puts footnotes throughout.  Who does this in fictional stories?  It’s like she’s passing us secret notes in class!  Super fun!

September 1910, Toronto, Canada: told in 3^rd person, (unlike the eNovellas).

The story opens with the murder of a beautiful young woman found at the Elgin Theater, and our lady detectives are determined to help solve the case. One of my favorite things about this story, was Ray DeLuca’s journal.  Getting to know him in a very personal way, and what ends up happening because of it (avoiding spoilers here), was heartwarming. 

Excellent Picture of these Lady Detectives: Ch. 2 – “Jem realized early in her acquaintance with Merinda Heringford that attempting to solve a crime as an amateur and a woman meant leaving any semblance of pride or dignity behind.  She became all too familiar with hiding her attractive feminine traits – her soft curves and curls – under the dirty, mangy tweed folds of her flatmate’s nifty disguises.”

Amusing Quote: Ch. 2 - “I have to return the reporter’s coat,” said Jem. “Though I suppose if I take it off, half of Toronto will notice I have no pants on.”

Faith: (faith is lightly sprinkled in this book). – Ch. 2 “She breathed a prayer for the rain to hold off and to avoid detection, at which Merinda smirked, scolding her friend for conversing with an invisible God.”

Ch. 15 – “Women in the Bible didn’t sit at home braiding mats for the men in battle.  They went to battle too.  Look at Deborah. Look at Esther.”

Ch. 19 – “God is going to speak to you no matter where you decide to meet him.”

Tea Moment:

Who recognizes this famous
housekeeper?

Ch. 7 – “Jem cleared her throat, inviting Gavin to sit in the armchair as she settled onto the sofa.  Mrs. Malone arrived with the tea service, which featured assorted dainties arranged to ornament the tea.  Jem pinched a fairy cake and licked the icing.”

Crokinole (Board Game): Pg.10 ok, so I totally had to google this, and in case you don’t know either, here’s what it looks like.

Click for More Info.

this board was appropriately made in Canada :)

This author is very approachable through her FB page: https://www.facebook.com/rachkmc

I purchased this from CBD.  Overall, I would recommend this book to a friend.

5 stars

© 04/01/2016 Harvest House Pub., 219 Pages

Read: 6/08/2016 Reviewed: 6/9/2016

Others In Series:

*A Singular & Whimsical Problem – (eNovella) 12/2015 click for my review

*Of Dubious and Questionable Memory – (eNovella) 5/31/2016 click for my review

*A Lesson in Love and Murder 9/1/2016 

Hugs and a cup of tea,

FAIR PLAY a book review

Fair Play Deanne Gist

•°o•:*:•. PG-13 or higher .•:*:• o°•

                      

Very disappointing.  This book seems to be trying to cater to two different audiences; Christian and secular. I kept expecting the tone of inspiring lust to change, but instead it continued to build.  It made me very uncomfortable to read.  I kept thinking about my best friend that I share books with, who then passes them to her teenage daughter.  I would never want her to read this book. 

Ch. 4 Pg., 32 “She would start her new job with a new gown, a new hat, new gloves, new stockings, and the most wicked undergarments she’d ever owned.” Her risqué undergarments get referenced repeatedly throughout the novel.

The story takes place at the 1893 World’s Fair, the same as the first book in the series, but only once do we “glimpse” the original characters from book one, so they are both stand-alone books.  Dr. Billy Jack Tate has hung her shingle in the exciting town of Chicago, and is pushing the odds to attempt to run her own practice.  She has an outstanding resume, but people are prejudice against female doctors. Hunter is a Texas Ranger on loan to the Fair.  The story is ripe for an enjoyable diversion, and exploration as they get to know each other.  Instead, this book delves deeply into the deplorable conditions of the west side tenements, the disgusting jails, where children are kept with men who have syphilis and half their tongues are missing, and hookers, and other criminals, while they all share the same cup for drinking, and trough for relieving themselves.  That’s just one example of the details shared!  The two main characters are constantly drawn to each other, and think about each other provocatively. Ch. 53 Pg. 404 “Shaking her head, she started soaping and washing her instruments…. He admired the view, mesmerized by the jiggling that occurred while she scrubbed.”  So much of this was throughout the book, it became an annoying distraction. In addition, there is rape, and murder of innocents.  Just because the author found these deplorable conditions in her research, does not mean we, the readers, want to sit back to enjoy a pleasant evening reading, and be slapped in the face with all of it.  I did finish the book, in order to give it my best effort, but I can not, in good conscience recommend this book.

H (1 star)

Read: 04/21&22/2016

I purchased this book from Christian Book Discounters (CBD) and my opinion is my own.

SERIES: World’s Fair Series

It Happened At The Fair –  Book #1 – April 2013

Fair Play – Book #2 – May 2014

Tiffany Girl – Book #3 – May 2015

Pressings Matters Publ. Co., Inc., - Howard Books

From This Moment book review

•°o•:*:•. GRABS YOU BY THE THROAT! .•:*:• o°•

CLICK HERE TO ORDER THIS BOOK

Seriously, this book does not let go.  I often found myself quite worked up with all of the injustice the characters were dealing with, which tells me the author was doing her job and really pulling me into the story.

1897.  Stella West (aka Westergaard), has left the extravagant art world to come to Boston, undercover, in search of her sister’s killer.  The police have ruled the death an accident, but she has reason to believe otherwise.  As she follows the clues and her gut, she does more than just ruffle some feathers, and becomes the target of people seeking to silence her.

Romulus White, part owner of an esteemed scientific magazine, has been trying for years to lure her to Boston to come work for him, and finally push his advertisements to the next level.  When he receives a letter returned to him, listing her new forwarding address, IN BOSTON, he cannot believe his luck and immediately sets off to find her, landing himself smack dab in the middle of her investigation.  Romulus is a self-proclaimed bachelor, who enjoys frolicking about town with many beautiful women, and who will not entertain the idea of marriage until age 40.  An idea he came up with to fend off his many starry-eyed suitors, and keep the risk of getting hurt again at arm’s length. He has a keen fashion sense, far above most men in the city (I kept picturing Rupert Everett in the 1999 Rom-Com, An Ideal Husband).  Ch. 5 “Mr. Townsend looked stunned. “Did you run off and get married while no one was looking?” “Perish the thought,” Romulus said with a mild shudder. “If I ever get married, the entire city will know it, as my mother shall hire a choir of angels to sing from the mountaintops.”

TRIBUTE TO TEA (tea is my thing): Ch. 7 – One of the few tea moments in this book, and rather amusing… since even though he is quite vexed, Romulus still feels good manners are paramount. “I’m heading downstairs for a bite to eat,” he said. “Miss West is shamefully late.  If she arrives while I’m gone, please scold her for me, then offer her a pot of tea until I get back.”

This book is filled with strong characters and story line, great detail, art and subway history, danger and intrigue.  Romulus and Stella complement each other nicely and are able to help each other grow and shed some of their insecurities and flaws. Prayer and God are softly weaved into the story line as well.

I do recommend the book, and appreciate receiving an advance eCopy from Bethany House through NetGalley. My opinion is my own.

HHHHH (5 stars)

368 Pages

Bethany House Publ., scheduled for release June 7, 2016

Read: 4/18&19, 2016 

Playing The Part a Book Review

CLICK HERE FOR AFFORDABLE PURCHASING OPTIONS

Playing the Part – A Class of Their Own Book#3

Jen Turano

•°o•:*:•. GENIUS .•:*:• o°•

I received my influencer copy LATE in Saturday’s mail so I knew better than to attempt to start it until Sunday.  It took me between 8-9 hours to read it cover to cover (ahem, as per usual with any Jen Turano book).

I absolutely loved it! In a nut-shell, it is mysterious, witty, romantic, dangerous and faith filled, with several laugh-out-loud moments.

Lucetta Plum is a head-strong, wonderful actress, but is being pursued by a stalkerie (I’m making that a word) type character. Her imposing (but secretly a big softie) security man, Mr. Skukman, and her self-appointed guardian, Abigail, whisk her away to her grandson’s home of Ravenwood. 

Bram Haverstein has hired all sorts of misfits to help him maintain Ravenwood, and he’s rescued a number of mistreated or unwanted animals who make for delightful story points.

P.40 “I think you’re forgetting a very important fact, sir. You’re Mr. Bram Haverstein, a gentleman in possession of a very fine fortune, your own castle, a summer house on Long Island, more carriages than I care to count, a steamboat, and you’re apparently possessed of a face that all ladies find swoon-worthy.”

The castle has all sorts of unusual goings on, including many uninvited ladies showing up and trying to weasel their way into Bram’s life.  There’s a mote, hidden passages, a crazy goat, and the place just might be haunted. {Side note: I wonder if Bram was named after Bram Stoker, what with all eerie references…hmmmmm.}

TEA REFERENCES (because tea is my ‘thing’)

P.21 “And…I just recalled that tea is very good for soothing the nerves.  And because of your dastardly situation, your nerves must need soothing, so….”

P.43 “Should I ring for tea?” Mrs. Macmillan asked. “I’m not sure I’ll be asking the trespassers in for refreshments, Mrs. Macmillan. While I certainly don’t want to fire cannonballs at them, offering tea might be taking the social niceties a bit too far.”

I could go on and on in pure delight, but I’ll leave the rest to you.  I do HIGHLY recommend this and all of Jen’s books. Each one has received a 5-star review from me! Be sure to look up Jen on FB as I have always found her to be very approachable.

It is my great privilege to be included in Jen Turano’s Influencer List and I received this copy for no compensation.  My opinion is my own.

Read: 2/28/16

SERIES: A Class of Their Own

After a Fashion - Book#1 – 2015 CLICK HERE FOR MY REVIEW

In Good Company – Book #2 – 2015 CLICK HERE FOR MY REVIEW

Playing the Part – Book #3 – 2016

                  

Until next time, Hugs and Cup of Tea,

New App, Tea, Valentine Madelines, Ranger to the Rescue Book Review

Teatime with a kitty is always an improvement.

I have been playing with a new app called CameraNCollage that seems to have endless backgrounds and stickers you can download.  I am enjoying playing with it on my Samsung phone as shown above.

Yesterday, I made a pot of Mother's Bouquet by Harney and Sons.  

It is extremely refreshing with local honey.  I had some left over, and put it in the fridge, and find it is just as delightful cold.  Even my son, who really dislikes tea (or so he thinks, tea-hee), asked if he could have the rest of it.  It usually goes on sale around and certainly after Mother's Day.  Click here to order.

You'll notice I had a madeline on my saucer.  Tealightful!  Well, then I spotted the below picture on FB and thought it too darling not to share.  How easy would it be buy some madelines (Sugar Bowl Bakery brand is wonderful from WalMart or Costco!), dip in white melting chocolate, add some valentine sprinkles and some seasonal M&Ms ?

credit on photo

And finally, I picked up this book from my HUGE TBR (to-be-read) pile last night.  Usually when I read Christian novels they are very oversized (like 5x7), but this was pocket sized and only 186 pages, so I easily finished before bed.  Below is the review.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE

Ranger to the Rescue - Book 2 by Renae Brumbaugh

•°o Danger & Romance Held my Interest o°•

For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear; I will help you. –Isaiah 41:13

1881 Houston, TX

Amelia Cooper is a headstrong newshound trying to prove herself in a man’s world.  She is typically assigned stories of a feminine nature, recipes, apron patterns, etc.

Evan Covington is trying to make a name for himself as an up-and-coming lawyer.  He was wrongly accused of a crime (in book 1), and apparently Amelia helped clear his name, so they have some history together.  In this story, they butt heads a few times, but the attraction is obvious, and they spend more and more time together.  They are particularly thrown together when Evan is requested to be the attorney for a local fisherman, and Amelia smells opportunity in the story.  As she tries to dig deeper, Evan is led by God to help protect her.  She also has lost a past love, Gerald, who was shot and killed in cold blood (book 1 I believe), which makes trusting difficult for her.  Later, more twists and turns add even more adventure and danger to the story, including kidnapping, wildlife, and guns. This tests their faith, and we hear the characters pray and use their wits to escape all sorts of peril.  This was an easy, pocket-size book to read in an evening and I very much enjoyed the story.

I did not realize this was part of a series and the characters carry over from Book 1, however I had no problem enjoying the book, and would recommend it (4 stars).

I purchased this book from CBD and I am offering my honest opinion for no compensation.

©2015 Love Inspired by Harlequin

186 Pages

Read 01/27/2016 / Reviewed 01/28/2016

SERIES:

Lone Star Ranger – Book #1 (2015)

Ranger to the Rescue – Book #2 (2015)

Until next time, hugs and a cup of tea~

"When from our better selves we have too long

Been parted by the hurrying world, and droop,

Sick of its business, of its pleasures tired,

How gracious, how benign, is Solitude;"

– William Wordsworth, from “The Prelude”

Calico Spy Book Review

Hello again friends.  Today's book review will also include some fun history about Harvey Girls!  I hope you enjoy it and are as intrigued as I am to learn more about them, and you also give this book a try.  

CLICK HERE to purchase

Calico Spy – Undercover Ladies Book 3

Margaret Brownley

•°o Wonderful Pinkerton Mystery Set in Kansas o°•

Opening scripture: The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. -Nahum 1:7

1880 Calico, Kansas

Two women have been murdered and it’s up to Katie Madison to go undercover as a Harvey Girl and find the killer.  Unfortunately she has NO experience as a waitress, hostess, or food handler of any sort.  It was fun to watch her muddle through and try to learn the “cup code”.

P. 9 “Tonight you’re the drink girl.  Do you think you can handle that?” Plastering a smile on her face, she nodded. How hard could it be to pour tea?

china made especially for Harvey House by Syracuse China. Pictured above is the Harvey House Normandy hand-painted pattern of a bowl, plate and cup.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO.

P. 10 “You do know the cup code, right?”  “Uh?” There was a code for cups? “Cup in the saucer means coffee.” “A flipped cup against the saucer for ICED tea.  A cup next to the saucer –milk.” “As for hot tea, the cup will be flipped upon the saucer.” He then explained how to tell if the customer wanted black, green or orange pekoe tea by the direction of the cup handle. “Any questions?”

A 'Harvey Girl' in Emporia, Kan., where that
restaurant  opened in 1888.  UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA LIBRARY

Harvey Girls were required to where clean, starched uniforms of a black dress with high collar, starched white apron (which must be clean at all times, and therefore several were changed throughout the day), black shoes and stockings, and always, always have a big smile pasted on (uniforms would change and evolve with the times). 

 There were prominent restaurants located along the train stops, which made them very successful.  While it did give young women an opportunity to earn an honest living, it was also very hard on them.  They worked long days, and they had to live above the restaurant with a strict curfew, and were not allowed to marry while under contract.  I enjoyed getting to know the ins and outs of it all.  

Here is an interesting 2013 blog link with more detail on Harvey House: CLICK HERE

Fun FB page: CLICK HERE

Wall Street Journal Article: CLICK HERE

Katie has a lot of issues with her past.  She lost her fiancé to her sister.  She believes she is ugly with her red hair and freckles.  She feels she is to blame for her father’s death.  But, she is a woman of faith, and a good detective. P. 31 “God, don’t let me mess up this job.  You know how my mouth gets away from me and I say things I shouldn’t. You have my permission to bang me on the head if I don’t curtail my tongue.  And please forgive my envious heart.  I’m sure You had a good reason for giving me hair the color of a rooster’s comb, and maybe one day You’ll let me know what that reason is.”  (Ha!) - She reminds me of Anne Shirley!

Throughout her investigation, she keeps putting herself in harms way.

However, a certain local sheriff is there to keep an eye on her. Branch Whitman has absolutely no use for Pinkerton detectives, but he has no idea she is one, until it’s too late.  He’s intrigued by the new Harvey Girl, and insists on keeping an eye on all the girls since two have already wound up dead, and he has an open investigation to run.  But, he dare not get to close since his wife died 8 years ago, and his responsibilities are stretched thin between his son and his job.  He is stubborn, but kind and a praying man. 

There are past secrets to uncover, old wounds that need mending, and trust is a hard thing to give when so many are suspect, and some might just be plain crazy.  

Amusing tea reference: P.43 "He was a high-strung man with a pencil-thin mustache and a tea-strainer nose." {Yikes, can you imagine?}

Definition: I had to look up what what cackleberries were from P.87.  They are diner talk for hens eggs. -smile.

I give it 5 out of 5 stars and would recommend it to others.

The author has shared she has written these as stand-alone-stories, so you can read them in any order.  They simply have the same theme of female Pinkerton agent. The story ends well, with no lingering questions which is always a plus.

Included at the end of the book: Discussion Questions, and a bit of interesting commentary on detective work.

I purchased this book from CBD and I am offering my honest opinion for no compensation.

©2016/01 Shiloh Run Press-Barbour Publishing

312 Pages

Read 01/25/2016

Reviewed 01/26/2016

SERIES: Undercover Ladies

*Petticoat Detective – Book 1 – 2014 (5 stars) MY GOODREADS REVIEW - CLICK HERE

*Undercover Bride – Book 2 – 2015 (5 stars - MY BLOG REVIEW  CLICK HERE)

*Calico Spy – Book 3 – 01/2016 

Hugs and a cup of tea,