The Finding of Miss Fairfield by Grace Hitchcock

The Finding of Miss Fairfield by Grace Hitchcock is the first in the Aprons & Veils series.  Sophia has been told she is marrying a man twice her age by her father for business reasons .  His stepson, Carver, is in charge of taking care of her while he is away.  Sophia knows she can not live the life that is planned for her, and Carter is someone she wished she had met first.  

Carver is a wonderful hero who you love rooting for. Sophia is such an interesting character who has to decide what she wants in life, if she is willing to take risks, and what she will do to make her life happen.  It was a pleasure to watch her grow and change in this character driven story.   

This charming read takes us from Charleston, South Carolina, to Las Vegas Mexico and back to  New Orleans. I enjoyed learning about the Harvey Girls, traveling across the country by train, and  about women living in 1899.   The author has written a delightful read with a touch of mystery and intrigue.  I enjoyed The Finding of Miss Fairfield and recommend it.

The author's Pinterest board.

I was given a copy by the publisher and not required to write a positive review.   

Grace Hitchcock is the author of multiple historical novels and novellas. She holds a Masters in Creative Writing and a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in History. Grace lives in Baton Rouge with her husband, Dakota, son and daughter. Connect with her online at GraceHitchcock.com.

Kit McBride Gets A Wife by Amy Barry

Kit McBride Gets a Wife by Amy Barry is the first in the series of The McBride's of Montana. Maddy has come a long way from Ireland and knows nothing about the wilds of Montana. The McBride brothers are simply trying to survive on the side of a mountain while trying to raise their 14 year old sister properly. Their sister, Junebug, thinks her brother, Kit, needs a wife and composes an advertisement that only a fed up fourteen year old sister could write.

Junebug’s perspective on life kept me smiling and it was wonderful to see the devotion of the McBrides to each other. I enjoyed the sweet romance and visiting a small Montana moutnain town in the 1880’s. The story is told from multiple points of view with colorful secondary characters that helped me feel like I was living on the side of the mountain as well. I was very invested.

I felt this delightful original story was refreshing, laugh out loud funny, and a pleasure to read. I did not want it to end and can not wait till Morgan’s story comes out next year. I highly recommend it.

I was given a copy by the publisher and not required to write a review.

Amy Barry writes sweeping historical stories about love. She’s fascinated with the landscapes of the American West and their complex long history, and she’s even more fascinated with people in all their weird tangled glory. Amy also writes under the names Amy T Matthews and Tess LeSue, and is Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at Flinders University in Australia.

The Last Way Home by Liz Johnson

The Last Way Home by Liz Johnson is the second in her Prince Edward Island Shores series. Eli Ross left home eleven years ago, and is back. Violet has been working making pottery with Mama Potts for many years, but no one seems to know anything about her life before she came to Prince Edward Islands.

I was enchanted by this story of two broken people who must find a way through their brokenness. The characters were very relatable and the setting on Prince Edward Island was perfect. The author does an amazing job sharing both Violet and Eli’s story from their point of view endearing you to the characters. Both of them have secrets, feel unworthy and need to forgive themselves.   As readers we get to watch them both change, fall in love, and be transformed into who they were meant to be.

I love stories of redemption and this is a beautifully written one.   Plus there were some great hockey games, road trips around the island, and some very swoony kisses.    I highly recommend The Last Way Home.

I was given a copy by the publisher and not required to write a positive review.

 

By day Liz Johnson is a marketing manager. She makes time to write late at night—that’s when she thinks best anyway. Liz is the author of more than a dozen novels, a New York Times bestselling novella, and a handful of short stories. She’s a Christy Award finalist and a three-time ACFW Carol Award finalist. She makes her home in Phoenix, Arizona, where she enjoys exploring local music, theater, and doting on her nieces and nephews. She writes stories of true love filled with heart, humor, and happily ever afters.

Lucy Checks In by Dee Ernst

Lucy Checks In by Dee Ernst was a joy to read.  Lucy is almost cleared by the FBI for a scandal involving her last hotel.   One of the only jobs she receives after this is one to help revitalize an old  hotel in Rennes, France.  When she arrives she realizes the job is not exactly what she had envisioned and the adventure begins.  

It was a pleasure to read Lucy’s narration of the story and watch her become a better version of herself as the story progressed.  The author did a nice job weaving Lucy’s past and present together making for a lovely read.  The hotel is filled with quite a cast of characters, and I enjoyed meeting them and learning their unique stories.   Reading about the hotel renovation was similar to  watching HGTV, and I found myself becoming quite invested in everything  coming together to open.  

Lucy Checks In eloquently tells the story of Lucy and how she makes a new life after devastating life events.  It was a good reminder to me that you can choose to make your life better, and to hope in the future. I highly recommend this book.  

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.

To see the hotel on the author's web site. 

Dee Ernst was born and raised in New Jersey, which may explain her attitude toward life. She moved around a bit, had a husband or two, a daughter or two, and settled back in New Jersey where she writes women's fiction, romance, and cozy mysteries. And a bit of YA and SFF.​

She has self-published under the 235 Alexander Street imprint. She has been published by Montlake, Lake Union, and in 2021, released Maggie Finds Her Muse with St. Martin's Griffin. Her next book, Lucy Checks In, comes out August 16, 2022.

Sophie Go's Lonely Hearts Club by Roselle Lim

 
"There is an ancient Chinese belief that an invisible, unbreakable red thread connects all those who are destined to be together. This magical cord may stretch or tangle, but never break. "

Sophie Go's Lonely Hearts Club by Roselle Lim is a delightful women’s fiction novel with a touch of romance. Sophie is trying to start a new life as a matchmaker. Things are very complicated with her overbearing parents, and the limited amount of time that she has to get accredited as a matchmaker.

This story was delightful, humorous, and whimsical. We are introduced to the idea that Sophie sees red threads in the people who she is trying to match. Her goal is to find someone to connect her clients’ red thread to. Sophie starts by working with a group of septuagenarian men in her new apartment complex to find them matches. I fell in love with the “Old Ducks” and rooted for all of them to find a happily ever after. The author uses Sophie’s parents to explore Asian culture and family expectations in such an interesting way. I appreciated her perspective.

I found this a delightful read, and appreciated the whimsical yet serious nature of the story. I recommend Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club.  This story come out Tuesday August 16, 2022.  

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy, and I was not required to write a positive review.

Roselle Lim is the critically acclaimed author of Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck and Fortune, Vanessa Yu’s Magical Paris Tea Shop and the upcoming Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club. She lives on the north shore of Lake Erie and always has an artistic project on the go.
You can find her as @rosellewriter on Instagram and Twitter.

You Are the Reason by Mary Felkins

 

You Are the Reason by Mary Felkins is the first book in The Heart of Moreland Manor series.  Everly has inherited her family's home and has been asked by her mother before she passed to fix it to its original glory. Gabe is the contractor  chosen by her mom and Everly was his high school crush.   Gabe is incredibly kind and compassionate but fights his past demons.   

 
I enjoyed this well written character driven story written from both Everly and Gabe’s point of view.  Walking through the lives of both characters had me very invested in their story as they restored the house and their lives.  It was a pleasure to watch them deepen their faith, make peace with their past, and  learn to live more fully.  

The side stories kept me engaged and broadened my view as a reader of Gabe and Everly.  Learning about Moreland Manor’s pre-civil war history was fascinating, and I longed to visit.  .

  
This beautifully woven story had such depth making it a very  satisfying read.  The author has the gift of speaking truth without being preachy.  It  was a  pleasure to watch Everly and Gabe face their fears, look at their lives more closely, and become people who knew their true value. I highly recommend You Are the Reason. The story is on Kindle Unlimited  
 
I was gifted a copy and not required to write a positive review. 

Mary A. Felkins is an inspirational romance author, blogger and contributor to writer's blogs. Call to Love is her debut, inspirational romance novel. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers and My Book Therapy. Raised in Houston, Texas (and forever a Lone Star girl), Mary and her husband Bruce moved to the foothills of North Carolina in 1997.

They are blessed to parent four young adult children. She can be lured from her writer's cave if presented with a large, unopened bag of Peanut M&Ms or to watch an episode of Fixer Upper. A surprise appearance by her teen idol, Donny Osmond, would also do the trick, although she’d likely pass out. If, upon introduction, she likes your first or last name, expect to see it show up in one of her novels. To receive Mary’s weekly story-style devotions and quarterly book news via email, join other #Felkinsfans at www.maryfelkins.com

Just Another Love Song by Kerry Winfrey

Just Another Love Song by Kerry Winfrey is a pure delight.  Sandy and Hank were friends who dated in high school in the small town of Baileyville, Ohio.  They parted in college and now Hank is back in town fifteen years later.  Sandy feels like her life does not resemble the one she had planned.  Hank is a famous musician.  

It was a pleasure to watch Sandy evolve and change in the story from seeing herself as Baileyville Sandy to realizing who she could truly be.  Hank was the kind of guy you could not help but love and want to be your friend too. I enjoyed all the small town references and the cast of characters who lived in Baileyville.  From Sandy’s best friend Honey, the town veterinarian, to Hot Pants Ed who dances and performs magic the secondary characters  were relatable, interesting, and kept me laughing.  Baileyville was the quintessential small town.  Watching the planning of the town festival was hysterical and very relatable to this fellow Ohioan. 

Kerry Winfrey brings a certain delight and charm to her stories that makes me smile!  Just Another Love Song hit all the right notes for me.  It was charming, had wonderful characters, and had depth that kept me engaged.  I highly recommend this book.  

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts in this review are my own

Kerry's Pinterest Board for JALS Playlist for JALS

Kerry Winfrey is the author of the romantic comedies WAITING FOR TOM HANKS and NOT LIKE THE MOVIES,  both published by Berkley. Her next book, VERY SINCERELY YOURS, will be out in 2021. She’s also the author of the YA novels LOVE AND OTHER ALIEN EXPERIENCES and THINGS JOLIE NEEDS TO DO BEFORE SHE BITES IT, both from Feiwel and Friends. When she’s not writing, she’s most likely baking a pie or watching far, far too many romantic comedies. She lives with her family in the middle of Ohio.

Sold On Love by Kathleen Fuller

 

Sold on Love by Kathleen Fuller is the third in the Maple Falls Romance Series.  I am a huge fan of the town of Maple Springs, and felt like I was coming home to see my friends in this story.  It was fun to revisit characters from previous stories including Riley, a real estate agent, and Rusty who owns his own auto repair shop. 
 
This seems like an opposites attract kind of story, but I believe it is more about two people with similar values who come to love and appreciate each other.  The secondary characters gave the story depth and had their own issues we watched play out.  The author did a wonderful job developing all of the characters and we watched them grow and matured throughout the story.

This delightful story weaves  in themes of forgiveness, the value of relationships, and learning to figure out what really matters in life.  I am a huge fan of this series and was glad I could return once again to Maple Falls, Arkansas.   I highly recommend this story. 

I was given a copy by the publisher and not required to write a positive review. 

With over a million copies sold, Kathleen Fuller is the author of several bestselling novels, including the Hearts of Middlefield novels, the Middlefield Family novels, the Amish of Birch Creek series, the Amish Letters series, the Brides of Birch Creek series, the upcoming Mail Order Brides of Birch Creek, as well as a middle-grade Amish series, the Mysteries of Middlefield. She has also contributed to numerous novella collections.

She and her husband James live in Arkansas and have three adult children. When she’s not writing, Kathleen is avidly crocheting, reading, and traveling, sometimes all at the same time. She runs the Facebook group Books & Hooks, which combines her love of books, crochet, and collecting recipes that she’ll never have enough time to make.