By Kelly Bridgewater
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Thank you for your support!
Hopefully, next time I am on this is because I
have signed a book contract.
"Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic." J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows
By Kelly Bridgewater
n the heart of occupied WWII Paris, an
elegant fashion house is the unlikely headquarters of a daring resistance
network. Behind closed doors, courageous women vie to save loved ones and
strangers alike from the Nazis in this powerful story of survival, friendship
and second chances.
France, 1942
Once, Paulette Leblanc spent her days flirting, shopping and drawing elegant
dresses in her sketch pad. Then German tanks rolled into France, and a reckless
romance turned into deep betrayal. Blaming herself for her mother’s arrest by
the Gestapo, Paulette is sent away to begin a new life in Paris, working as
apprentice to fashion designer Sabine Ballard.
But Maison de Ballard is no ordinary fashion house. While seamstresses create
the perfect couture gowns, clandestine deals and secrets take place out of sight.
Mademoiselle Ballard is head of a vast network of resistance fighters—including
Paulette’s coworker and friend Nicolle Cadieux—who help escort downed military
men and Jewish families to safety.
Soon Paulette is recruited as a spy. Working as a seamstress by day, gathering
information at glamorous parties by night, Paulette at last has a chance to
earn the redemption she craves. But as the SS closes in, and Nicolle goes
missing, Paulette must make life-and-death decisions about who to trust, who to
love and who to leave behind…
My
Thoughts:
The
Last Fashion House in Paris by Renee Ryan is a World War
II story that takes place in Paris, France in a fashion house. The two heroines
are brave and daring as they face the challenges of trying to hide from their heritage
and their past. Readers will learn about the world of fashion and see the way
that the fashion was used to help rescue Jews from Paris as the Nazi's tried to
take over. The plot is predictable and mingles in with some plots of other
novels that I have read about world war II. The setting will be familiar to
readers of World War II novels. Occupation from the Nazi's and trying to escape
their wrath. Guilt does haunt the two main characters, but they learn to let
their guard down and learn to trust others again. Enough to make better
decisions that will affect others lives through their choices. Overall, The Last Fashion House in Paris by Renee
Ryan fits nicely into the World War II fiction genre, but the story was
predictable.
I received a complimentary copy of The Last Fashion House in Paris by Renee
Ryan from Harlequin Trade Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.
My
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Purchase The Last Fashion House in Paris
By Kelly Bridgewater
Last week, I shared why I started blogging ten
years ago.
I have written TONS of book reviews to help new
authors, accomplished authors, and budding authors.
I have tried giveaways to no avail.
No one ever comments.
Not many people visit my blog.
My name is out there. Authors have approached
me with wanting to me review their novels.
On Netgalley, the publishing companies have
auto-approved me for novels, which sounds exciting.
BUT . .
.
clipart-library.com |
After 10 year of doing this, I have not written
any books since my Daddy passed away on Halloween 2015.
I have decided that at on December 27th to
celebrate my 10.5th year anniversary of this blog that I won’t be
doing this anymore.
I will still read.
That will never end.
BUT . . .
I need to spend time writing the stories that
God has placed on my heart. I have the ideas and scribbles for about a dozen
different novels.
I need to spend time focusing on writing or one
day, I will be on my deathbed and regret that I have never written a story for
publication.
I need to spend more time learning how to dive
deeper into my character’s emotions and write these stories that will not go
away.
Thank you for supporting me and reading my
reviews!
Maybe someday soon, I will have a book or more
than one book that someone will review for me.
Maybe even you could review it for me.
Maybe this will come back with more information
about an upcoming book release!
By Kelly Bridgewater
The Nutcracker and Edwardian-Era England
combine to weave a magical tale of love and friendship at Christmastime.
As the beloved stepdaughter of the Earl of
Castleton, Lady Mariah Lyons cherishes her home at Plumford Manor, but her
idyllic world will be threatened when the estate passes to Cyril Lightbourne, a
childhood friend she hasn't seen or heard from in years. Once, Mariah dreamed
their friendship would kindle into something more, but that was before she
heard Cyril was courting the cruelhearted Lady Pearl. Now Mariah is willing to
welcome him as a friend and pray he will be the heir her stepfather needs, but
she'll keep her heart locked safely away from anyone with such poor taste.
Cyril Lightbourne has long avoided returning to
Plumford Manor, yet he reluctantly arrives in time for Christmas. When his
friendship with Lady Mariah reignites, he finds himself caught between his
affection for her and her family's misunderstanding of his attachment to Lady
Pearl. Then, more trouble arrives in the form of a Danish lord on a mission to
win Mariah's hand by Christmas. Will the magic of the holiday season help lead
to the discovery of true love, or will duty to country leave all longing for
what could have been?
My Thoughts:
Christmas at Sugarplum Manor
by Roseanna M. White has a beautiful cover that makes the reader think of all
the good feelings toward the holiday season. The plot does have a good manor
landlord who takes care of the people in his village. Giving them gifts for
Christmas and allowing them to have a good meal. A treasure hunt for the
children. Of course, there is snow on the ground for the Christmas season.
However, there are two gentlemen fighting for Lady Mariah’s affections, so the
story does read a little boring at times. One of them is an old friend, and the
other one has darker intentions. While romance is one of the major threads in
the story, readers will lean toward one gentleman over the other. This story
does have a Lifetime Christmas move feel to it. As for me, the writing was
pretty dry because White spent a lot of time in thoughts of the character
instead of moving the action along. I don’t mind getting the characters’
thoughts, but I don’t need pages and pages of thoughts while the characters
stands around. Overall, Christmas at Sugarplum Manor by Roseanna M.
White is not the Christmas story for me. It was kind of dry and boring at
times. Yes, it does have its good parts, but I needed more.
I received a complimentary copy of Christmas
at Sugarplum Manor by Roseanna M. White from Bethany House Publishing, but the opinions
stated are all my own.
My Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Purchase Christmas at Sugarplum Manor
By Kelly Bridgewater
I’m not that old.
When I started my first job, they trained us
how to bag groceries for an entire day.
When I moved to a cashier, we trained how to be
a cashier.
When I worked in the bookstore, we were trained
in how to order books, imprint on Bibles, and take special orders.
When I worked at Taco Bell, we were trained on
how to make each item on the menu.
At my current position, they gave me a handbook
and told me to go to websites to learn all the things I need to know for the
state and federal regulations. No one trained me on anything.
Yes, you were observed by the supervisor, but
they wanted to make sure that you do your position correctly.
Have you looked at job postings lately?
Must have three degrees, 20 years of
experience, and know how to do everything the job requires before they will
even think to look at your resume. Let alone go to an interview.
That is ridiculous.
No one wants to teach employees.
Must come in with all the head knowledge.
Degrees are not the answer for that.
I have a BS in English and a MA in Writing.
I can write and communicate effectively, have
customer service skills, management background, scheduling background,
accounting background, organizational skills at the maximum, have a
photographic memory where I can remember exactly what the screen looked like
when I saw it or where it was found in the handbook, the ability to prove
through facts the answer to a question, and understand how to use the internet
or handbooks to figure out the answer if I do not know the answer. I will find
the answer somehow. I use my resources effectively.
That does not matter anymore.
If you do not have a degree in Nursing, OIT,
Teaching, Business, or Truck driving, you are going to barely make enough to
pay your bills.
What happened to our hiring process?
Use the computer to look for key words in the
resume.
I copy word for word what is written in the
qualifications.
Crickets.
It is depressing, to say the least, that I
score as a genius, have two degrees, and make barely above Indiana’s minimum
wage. As my husband and a number of other people that I have worked with have
said, “No one recognizes you for how smart you are.” Then they wonder why
sometimes I’m depressed at work.
Every other employee in my office comes to me
for suggestions on how to fix a solution or how to talk to a customer about an
issue.
But I’m not good enough to be paid more.
They just use my brain for them to look good.
What about you? Do you have a job that actually
trains you? Are you recognized for what you brought to the table and learned at
the hands of others in your office?
By Kelly Bridgewater
Trust no one in the shadows of the
piney woods . . .
Letty
Hood has spent the last fifteen years of her life hidden away with her
grandmother in the backwoods of east Texas to escape the deadly schemes of an
uncle who wants her dead. Now, with her twenty-first birthday on the horizon,
she is forced to accept the escort of a stranger and return to Houston in
secret so she can claim a birthright that will make her one of the wealthiest
women in Texas. If she lives long enough to inherit.
Pinkerton agent Philip Carmichael has one duty: get the Radcliffe heiress home
alive. Expecting a spoiled girl, Philip is surprised to encounter a woman of
rare strength with a kind soul and keen wit. As they journey together, Letty's
resilience wins his admiration, breaking through his hardened cynicism. Yet the
threat to her survival grows more menacing with every mile, and Philip fears
that keeping Letty out of harm's way may be just as impossible as keeping her
out of his hear
My Thoughts:
Cloaked in Beauty
by Karen Witemeyer reminds readers a little bit of “Little Red Riding Hood.”
There are obvious similarities, but there are differences too. Witemeyer does a
wonderful job at crafting characters that readers will want to stay with as
they journey back to Hood’s “home” in Houston, Texas. The plot has plenty of
action with moments of secretive journeys and hiding from the main road. The
plot moves forward at a nice pace. As for the ending, I wish the climactic
moment was a little spread out a little. Felt a little rushed by the time the
characters took us to that ending. In other words, there is some romance that
occurs between Letty, the heroine, and Philip, the hero. When characters spend
that much time together, obviously sparks are going to fly. Overall, Cloaked
in Beauty by Karen Witemeyer is a joy to read with movement and romance to
spark any Fairy tale reader’s interest.
I received a complimentary copy of Cloaked
in Beauty by Karen Witemeyer from Bethany House Publishing, but the
opinions stated are all my own.
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Purchase Cloaked in Beauty
By Kelly Bridgewater
Here are my favorite books of 2024: (All images come from Goodreads.)
Majority of these books were non-stop action, which I need to make a good story. Meyer and Raybon surprised me with their unique, yet lovable story lines. Shocklee's story tore at my heart, and I have recommended it to a number of people to read. I have put Under the Tulip Tree on my Christmas Wish List. I can't wait to dive into it again.
One Last Chance by Susan May Warren
One Last Stand by Susan May Warren
Fury by Ronie Kendig and Steffanie Webb
For a Lifetime by Gabrielle Meyer
Truth be Told by Patricia Raybon
Under the Tulip Tree by Michelle Shocklee
Quell the Nightingale by Michelle Israel Harper
I would love to know if you read these books, what did you think?