BookLoverAmanda

  Just as I Am by Mandi Blake Book 1 in the Unfailing Love Series 4 Stars I am going back and reading Mandi's backlist and really enjoying my time with them. These are always a good time with a fierce protector guy, sweet, clean romance and good faith moments. We follow Adeline and Declan. She goes to her aunt and uncles house in Georgia as she went on the run from her abusive ex-boyfriend and meets Declan. He is newly home from the Army so he is naturally a protector. When he sees Adeline in danger from her ex, he saves her from the situation and they fake date due to the circumstances. Their fake relationship turns to real one really fast. The stakes get high as her ex keeps creeping in and coming after her. The suspense at the end was wild! I liked the characters and friend group was really good to be introduced to. While the romance is quick, I still had a good time with it. This was Mandi's debut book and I love going back to her backlist and seeing where she started. I ha...

                                                     The Lady's Mine by Francine Rivers 4 Stars I finally read The Lady's Mine by Francine Rivers and I really enjoyed it! Katheryn is a strong willed young woman sent to a rough mining town (Calvada) during the gold-rush era, where she inherits her uncle's newspaper, mine...etc. She is determined to stand "10 toes down on business" and reopens the paper, quickly becomes a voice for justice in town filled with corruption. She settles in her new life and finds herself in a slow-burn romance with Matthias Beck, owner of the local hotel and saloon. He is steady, grounded....and the perfect balance to Kathryn's fire! I liked how their romance had tension, banter and respect for one another. It felt like a partnership, not just a romance. While som...

  DNF Review: A Deeper Well by Jill Eileen Smith (No Star Rating – Content-Based DNF) I received a review copy of A Deeper Well from the publisher. As always, my thoughts are entirely my own. This is one of those reviews that’s hard to write. I do like a good biblical fiction with redemptive themes and Jesus shown bringing hope in their depravity.  However, I chose to DNF this book because the content became heavier than I was personally prepared for. I want to be transparent about that so readers can make their own informed decision if this is right for them or not. Maybe at another time of my life I could read this, but as a Mom, it was just too much for me. First, what I can say - I think Jill Eileen Smith is a skilled author. The writing is immersive and very richly detailed and you can tell she did a lot of research in writing it.  However, this story is just sooo sad and intense. It follows Nessa, who is married off at thirteen to a much older man and then pa...

  The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate 4 Stars Book 1 in this series  This is a powerful story that uses a gentle voice of animals to explore captivity, friendship and small acts of kindness. This book is narrated by Ivan, who is a silverback gorilla who has spent most of his life in a shopping mall enclosure. He considers himself an artist and a survivor.....because his past is tragic with how the humans have treated him and the family he loved.  Ivan becomes friends with a young elephant named Ruby and older one named Stella. Ruby starts to change what he thinks about where he is and their purpose. He is also friends with a stray dog named Bob that adds warmth and humor to the story.  Ivan is thoughtful and he really carries the books. Ruby is young and the emotional presence of the book. Ivan is protective of her. Stella is also wise. This book asks the reader to see the world through Ivan's eyes and to realize the importance of treating animals humanely a...

  When Justice Comes by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker Book 3 in the Tupelo Grove Series  4 Stars What an ending! This is a Christian Romantic Suspense series I have followed since the beginning with What We Hide. We left book 2 in that "I NEED TO KNOW" status and this delivered everything I needed to know! Very satisfying ending. If you don't know what this series focuses on, it's essentially Hez and Savannah's second chance romance after their divorce and tragic loss of their daughter years ago. Their young daughter passed away in a drowning incident at their home and it left their marriage in shambles. Lots of legal drama ensues with family secrets, college lawsuits and fraud, murders, legal mysteries....its kind of like a legal Christian thriller in a way.  I enjoyed my time with it. I think the faith could have been explored a bit more, especially through their grief and loss, but overall I am glad to finally know all the things from what happened since book 1....

                          B ook Review: The Lighthouse at the Cove by Amy Clipston 4.5 Stars I picked this book up during a tough season and it arrived at the right time. I started the audio and liked it so much I went out and bought the physical copy for my shelves! This is a warm, small-town romance like a good, hallmark movie. We follow Kaiah who is a journalist on an east coast road trip following a bad break up. She has car trouble and she meets Reid who is a single Dad and firefighter and they join forces to save Coral Cove's lighthouse through the town festival.  Reid lost his wife several years ago in a car accident, and while this does depict grief, it gives grief room without letting it dominate the story. It feels realistic without being heavy and made the story feel honest and gentle all together.  I loved Reid so much as a single Dad with his sweet little girl, Piper. The small town and fes...