Remembered

Remembered was my least favorite of the three books in the Fountain Creek Chronicles.  Hey, now!  Be nice.  Yes, I know it won a Christy Award, but it still did nothing for me.

Book Rating:  Here a little, there a little

I have a strong feeling that I would feel differently about this story if I had not read A Lasting Impression first.  I felt like those two stories were awfully identical in a lot of ways, so this book got boring for me real fast: A beautiful, sweet French girl who is a good artist, doesn’t have any parents and is basically alone in the world. Crazy, huh?  It was just much too similar to me.

That being said, there are great elements of the story.  The character of Jack Brennan is wonderful, and if you don’t like him as a leading man, I will be quite surprised.  (Maybe kinda like how you are surprised I didn’t really like this book…)  The Christian message is good as well.

Veronique is in Colorado searching for her father, and she needs Jack Brennan to help her in her search.  (Another thing…here is a girl who needs a “guide”… which in my opinion is very similar to Revealed.  Just another element that made me a bit more disinterested.)

Over the course of the book the two protagonists fall in love, and it’s a great ending as you can imagine.  If you had read this book, I would love to hear what you think about it!  If you haven’t read it, please let me know once you have and what you thought as well.

I would love to write more and really gush about this book, but I can't.  Sorry gals.

Happy Reading!
Buy it!

From a Distance

From A Distance is the first in the Timber Ridge series.  Out of all of Alexander’s books these are my favorites.  This book in particular is very good and extremely popular—it even won a Christy award.  As much as I like it, I have to say it unfortunately my least favorite of the three.  --Don't look at me that way, you're making me feel bad.

Book Rating:  Up All Night’er

OK, yes this book does get my second highest rating, but deep in my heart I am not sure if I would go back and read it again.  Well, maybe I would…give me another second to think about it.

This book was kind of like Beyond This Moment where I just felt like people were hiding too many things.  It really bothers me when people hide stuff—in books or in real life!  (Keep that in mind, dear friends, so that you do not incur the wrath of Amber. Grrrrrrrr….)

But I do always love Alexander’s books and the messages she includes are always heart warming and very inspiring.

This book is about—you guessed it—a pretty lady (good job!) named Elizabeth who travels to Timber Ridge to, well, here’s where all the secrets come in...  She is there because she wants a job at a newspaper back east, but she doesn’t tell anyone forever—it just bugs me so bad!  So she tells them all this other stuff and they believe her--like in the other book!  AH!  I’m getting exasperated just thinking about it…  It does resolve though, in the end, so don’t get too worried.

Daniel is an extremely rugged (and did I mention swooningly handsome?) man that conjures up images of Jeremiah Johnson…only with longer hair…and I don’t think Daniel is supposed to look anything like Robert Redford…but, you get the idea.  He is dealing with a lot of guilt and heartache from his past and he just wants to be left alone.  But now that Elizabeth is around, that’s not gonna happen.  (You want details?  Go read it!)

I was honestly quite confused by this story.  I guess maybe I should read it again, cuz it might make more sense the second time around.  The things I did really enjoy about it were of course, the romance!  *sigh *  I also loved that all the charaters from the other Timber Ridge books were in this book, too.  That made it totally fun!  There’s plenty of excitement to keep ya comin’ back for more.

Happy Reading!
Buy it!

A Bride Most Begrudging

Let’s face the facts, shall we?  I’m not a writer. *Gasp*  I’m an even worse speller. *Double gasp*   Hopefully that part will remain hidden from your notice thanks to spell-check.  (Spell-check, I bless your name.)  So why then, you ask, do I want to have a blog?  I will remind you, dear reader, that I am doing this merely for my own enjoyment and having you along with me is an added benefit.  So please be kind in your reviews of my reviews.

Book Rating:  Best of the Best

What can be said about such a book?   If you read only a few HCRs in your lifetime this really has to be one of them. A Bride Most Begrudging is truly fabulous!  Let me just say—hello, romance!!! It won a Christy Award so you know it’s gotta be good.  Here you will find the perfect blend of everything—character, storyline, Christian message—it’s got it all!  For some reason I was reluctant to read it.  That happens to me sometimes when a book is so highly rated or so popular with a particular group that I get nervous that maybe for some reason I won’t like it as much.  This did not happen at all!  It was love at first read. 

The time-period in which the story takes place is original, and truly magnificent—you’ve heard of the pilgrims? It’s pretty much that. Early (very, very early) America. Love it! I am, as you know, extremely partial to the Wild West, but this book made me forget my need for Stetsons and calico.  Gist is gifted at bringing the story together quickly, instead of taking forever to get things going, so within a matter of a few chapters you simply don’t want to put it down!

Constance is a beautiful, red-haired, freckled-covered girl taken against her will to the Americas.  (Want to know why?  Read the book.  Teehee) She is sold as a wife to a man named Drew O’Connor.  Swoon!!!  Give me a second to compose myself….  OK.  I’m OK.  Now, neither of them are keen on the idea of having to be married, but it must be done.  The course of the book takes you through the journey of their relationship as a couple, but also through their individual relationships with God as they deal with the trials of life.  There is A LOT of excitement, and if you don’t shed some tears, I have some serious concerns about you as a human being.

All the characters are enjoyable and learning a bit about that time in America's history was also very enlightening.  This book really delivers on all levels!!

Happy reading!

Buy it!