Beguiled

Beguiled, by Jody Hedlund, tells the fairy tale of Snow White with a new twist.  In this re-telling, Princess Pearl is not running away from her wicked stepmother, but rather from her own mother. When Queen Margery sends her daughter on a hunting expedition, Pearl escapes sure death and and flees to the Isle of Outcasts!

The island is filled with people not accepted by polite society; however, these individuals become dear friends to Pearl.  Prince Mikkel of Scania is also on the Isle, as he is attempting to fulfill his testing to possibly become the next King of Scania.  To complete his testing, Mikkel's focus must be on the thought: To Look on the Heart!

When Mikkel is captured by Pearl's tribe, before he knows it, he finds himself married to Pearl.  Now Mikkel has more to focus on than just his testing.  His wife, Pearl, still needs protection from her mother, who is still seeking her death!

You will see God work on both Pearl and Mikkel's hearts by the time you reach the final page!

I received a copy of this book from the author, in exchange for my honest review.

The Sound of Falling Leaves

The Sound of Falling Leaves is the latest from Lisa Carter.  Following a traumatic event that causes Tessa, a young opera singer, to lose her voice, she has retreated to her aunt's home and apple orchard in the rural hills of North Carolina to recover what she can of her former life.  As soon as Tessa meets the apple orchard's caretaker, Zeke, she senses that they are going to have a conflict!

As Tessa attempts to fit in to her new surroundings, she uncovers another young woman, Leota, who had an unbelievable voice.  However, this young woman disappeared from these hills years ago!

When Tessa looks into what happened to Leota, she is suddenly joined by Zeke, as they both try to make sense of  this strange world in which they live.  You will not believe where Tessa and Zeke end up by the end of this tale.  This story describes some violence; however, it is what one could expect from this type of backward community!

The one positive element of this tale is that you will see God redeem the lives of both Tessa and Zeke by the final page!

I received this book  from Kregel Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

The Love Note

The Love Note, by Joanna Davidson Politano, is a delightful tale.  The year is 1859 in Victorian England and Willa Duvall has just turned down her fourth proposal of marriage.  The only dream in her heart is to someday become a practicing doctor.  Her father is furious with her and demands she promise that after completing her next nursing opportunity he can select the man she will marry.  Willa has no idea what she has committed to!

Willa takes off to care for the matriarch of the Gresham family of Crestwicke Manor.  Once Willa arrives at Crestwicke, she has two goals: first to care for Golda Cresham and next, just as importantly, to discover who is the author of a love letter she found hidden in a desk.  Willa's father had received the desk from the Gresham family, as payment for his medical services, so Willa knows the author must exist somewhere is the halls of the Manor!

 

This is an interesting tale as you get to know all the characters who live at Crestwicke Manor.  It is like looking for the right piece to complete a puzzle as you slowly learn new pieces of info about each member of this family.  This tale will have a surprise ending and it is definitely worth the read!

I received this book  from Revell in exchange for my honest review.

The Price of Valor

The Price of Valor, by Susan May Warren, wraps up her Global Search and Rescue series.  This tale will reunite former Navy SEAL Hamilton Jones with his friend, Signe Kincaid.  Ham and Signe have known each other for years.  At one point, they were actually man and wife.  So when Ham is sent to retrieve state secrets from Signe, he does not know what to expect!

For the past ten years, Signe has been living on the compound of a known terrorist; therefore, Ham does not know where her loyalties lie.  This tale is filled with action and unknowns that do not seem to end!

Watch and see if Ham and Signe are ever able to rebuild their broken relationship!  

I received this book  from Revell in exchange for my honest review.

To Love a Prince

 

To Love a Prince, the latest from Rachel Hauck, tells the story of Daffodil Caron.  As a young girl, Daffodil grew up in the company of the young princes of Lauchtenland.  She always dreamed that one day she would be a princess.  After she was discovered  trying on one of the Queen's dresses, Daffodil was forbidden from returning to the halls of the castle!

Fast-forward to current day and you will find Daffodil and Gus, one of the princes, brought together as they attempt to have an infamous chair, owned by the kingdom, repaired.  It must be returned to its former state before the Queen discovers anything is wrong!

This is an interesting tale to follow as Daffodil, Gus and a carpenter, a mysterious man named Emmanuel, attempt to return this chair to its former glory!

Portrait of Love

 

Portrait of Love, by Roseanna M. White, brings The Codebreakers series to a conclusion.  Lily Blackwell, daughter of Captain Blackwell, has been secretly working with her father at England's Intelligence Division.  Zivon Marin, a Russian cryptographer who fled the horrors in his homeland, has also joined the team.  As you move forward on the pages of Portrait of Love, you will see all of the former characters of The CodeBreakers series work together in the infamous Room 40 to bring an end to the war!

As Lily works hard using her skills with photography, her feelings toward her new co-worker seem to move her in a direction she never expected.  You see Zivon trying to adjust to this new land, as he also must deal with great losses he has left behind in Russia.  When you witness Lily also experience an unexpected loss, you see Lily and Zivon drawn together in their mutual pain!

This tale becomes full of action, on the final pages, as you attempt to put all the pieces of this story together!

I received an e-copy of this book from Bethany House.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.