The Golden Braid

The Golden Braid is the latest novel released in Melanie Dickerson's Medieval Fairy Tale Romance series.  You meet Rapunzel on the opening pages as her mother is preparing to move them yet again, because a young man from the village has declared his undying love for Rapunzel and his wish to marry her.  Her mother has declared, in no uncertain terms, that she will never allow this to happen!

As they begin the journey to their new home in Hagenheim, Rapunzel and her mother run into some evil men who attempt to harm and rob them.  Rapunzel is surprised when Sir Gerek, a knight from Hagenheim, comes out of nowhere to their rescue.  While Sir Gerek attempts to accompany these ladies the rest of the way to Hagenheim, he experiences a freak accident on his horse that leaves him with a broken leg and a broken arm!

While Sir Gerek is recovering at a nearby monastery, Rapunzel and her mother continue their journey and safely arrive in Hagenheim.  As they settle into this new town, Rapunzel ventures back to the monastery almost daily, where Sir Gerek begins to teach her to read.  A sweet friendship begins to grow between them!  When Rapunzel's mother learns what has been going on, she threatens to drug Rapunzel and take her far, far away, if she ever finds her with Sir Gerek again!

Wait and see what happens after Rapunzel runs away to work as a servant at the castle.  Will her mother take action on her promise to take Rapunzel away?  What will happen when a mystery about Rapunzel's former life is revealed to all? 

This is a fun ride.  Hang on tight and you will be pleasantly surprised by the ending to this tale!


I received this book from Thomas Nelson in exchange for my unbiased review

Whispers in the Reading Room

Whispers in the Reading Room, written by Shelley Gray, is the latest book for her The Chicago World's Fair Mystery series.  You are introduced to Lydia Bancroft on the opening pages of this tale.  She is a young woman working as a librarian at the Lincoln Lending Library in Chicago, Illinois.  Lydia loves everything about working here.   She enjoys helping the patrons of the library find the exact book they are looking for, especially a handsome gentleman who has frequented the library for the past year.  Away from the library, Lydia feels pressure to help her mother regain their place in society after the death of her father and their subsequent loss of financial standing! 

When Lydia becomes engaged to a wealthy man of high standing, she and her mother begin to feel more secure.  One afternoon, Lydia goes with her fiance to a tea at the luxurious Hartman Hotel, she is shocked when she spies the library's mystery patron across the room!  Lydia experiences a further shock when her fiance suddenly becomes enraged when she seems to know this man.  She soon learns this man's name is Sebastian Marks and that he is a well-known, wealthy man who lives on the top floor of this hotel!  When Lydia's fiance begins to physically harm her,  Sebastian steps in and comes to her rescue!

You will not believe the places Lydia will go and the things that she will see as her friendship with Sebastian grows!  This tale is a fast moving ride until you finally discover where Lydia and Sebastian end up!


I received this book from Zondervan in exchange for my unbiased review

Out Of The Ashes

Out of the Ashes is the latest book by T.K. Chapin.  This story centers around another member of fire station #9.  Kane McCormick is a young fireman who not only fights fires, but has a fiery temper that goes off when you least expect it!

When Kane learns that his mother's cancer has returned, he is not sure how to best handle the situation.  He ventures out to his mother's home to spend time with her.  Kane is shocked, when the morning after he takes his mother on a hike to the mountains that she loved, he learns that she has suddenly died!  In the midst of his grief and a drinking binge that lands him at the bottom of a ravine,  Kane finds himself on his knees, turning again to God and drawing strength from the only source he can truly count on...his heavenly Father!  Now Kane knows that he must be there for his sister and his nephew, to point them toward the only hope they can have.  As these three deal with their grief, a secret comes out of his mother's past that Kane never expected...he has an older brother that he never knew about and this brother is the lone recipient on his mother's life insurance policy!

The main question is how will Kane respond to this surprise.  Will he side with his sister, who wants to contest the will, or will he let God's spirit within him lead in another direction?

You will be surprised to discover the conclusion to this tale!


I received this book from the author, T.K. Chapin, in exchange for my unbiased review

Amongst The Flames

Amongst The Flames, by T.K. Chapin, tells the tale of Cole Taylor.  For Cole, being a firefighter is a lifestyle that he has perfected!  Cole and his team of fellow firefighters have perfected the speed and precision they need to perform their job of saving lives in the midst of out-of-control flames.  You soon learn that Cole has not been able to apply that same precision in regards to his marriage!

When constantly faced with life and death situations, you can see how easily rapport can develop between these firefighters; however, after an accident on the job leaves Cole, injured and recovering at home, he soon realizes that a deficiency exists in his relationship with his wife, Megan!

When Megan leaves home with their two young sons and proclaims that she has no plan of returning, Cole dives into panic mode.  What will he do?  When his firefighting partner, Micah, encourages Cole to reach out to God and invite Him in to help save his marriage, Cole experiences an amazing awakening in his relationship with his heavenly Father!

The only thing is, will it be in time?  Hang on to the end of this tale to discover the impact that only God can impart on those who seek Him!



I received this book from the author, T.K. Chapin, in exchange for my unbiased review

Love in the Details

Becky Wade's latest novella, Love in the Details, is a fun ride!  On the opening pages, you meet Holly, a young woman, who still lives in her hometown of Martinsburg, Texas.  As Holly is working on her career, writing YA fiction, she is interacting with friends, new and old.  When Holly's former high school boyfriend, Josh, shows up in town, Holly just wants to run and hide!

Seven years ago, Holly had broken things off with Josh, at his single mother's bequest.  Josh was ready to start college, across the country at MIT, and his mother did not want anything interfering with his focus on his degree.  Unfortunately, Holly has never gotten over him.  Now, what would she do with this man she still loves, who is a billionaire living in Paris?

Holly decides to buckle down and offer to help Josh with the planning for his best friend's wedding.  You have no idea what they will decide to do; especially, when they both find that their feelings are stronger than ever! 

Will they each just let go and let God direct their path?


I received this book from Zondervan in exchange for my unbiased review

An Endless Christmas

An Endless Christmas, the latest novella by Cynthia Ruchti, is a delightful read that will have you turning page after page.  The story begins with Micah introducing his girlfriend, Katie, to his entire family.  After Katie meets his parents, all of his aunts and uncles, his cousins and finally, his eighty-year-old grandparents, Micah suddenly asks Katie to marry him!

When Katie answers with a resounding "no", you wonder how she will survive in this new environment.  She had already committed to spending the Christmas holiday with Micah's family; however, she has no idea how they will react to her negative response to Micah's proposal.  Katie soon discovers that this family response is totally opposite to what she had experienced within her own dysfunctional family.  The entire family shows Katie unconditional love and acceptance from the start.  You soon learn that Katie's fear of being able to commit to marriage (because she has never seen it in her own family) is what is keeping her from accepting Micah's proposal!

As you watch Katie function within this new family atmosphere, you see Katie slowly change her expectations. She begins to let go of the ideas and thoughts that have her holding back.  When Micah's grandfather is suddenly whisked off to the ER, watch and see how this family responds to the crisis!

You will have a hard time waiting to reach the last page of this tale to see what God may do within Katie's heart and mind!


I received this book from Worthy Publishing in exchange for my unbiased review.

Fire and Ice

Fire and Ice, written by Mary Connealy, is the final book in her Wild at Heart series.  This tale opens with the eldest sister, Bailey Wilde, holding Gage Coulter at gunpoint as he tries to step foot on her ranch.  As you watch these two tussle over who has control of the land leading down to Gage's grasslands in the canyon, you will never believe that in the end they agree to become man and wife!

Gage had previously informed his mother by letter that he had gotten married.  When he learns that she is soon heading in from his father's ranch in Texas, he becomes so desperate for a wife that he promises to sign over his canyon grasslands to Bailey if she will marry him.  They are barely married in town when a stagecoach shows up carrying his mother!  As they journey toward Gage's ranch, both Gage and Bailey are injured by some unknown assailant.  Now the craziness has begun.  With Bailey in bed recovering, Gage's worst fear is realized - his mother has taken control of his house!

Will Bailey survive her controlling mother-in-law and will Gage survive with his very life?  This is an action-filled tale as both Gage and Bailey work hard to discover who is out to kill Gage!


 I received this book from Bethany House in exchange for my unbiased review.