Susan Anne Mason: The Brightest of Dreams

By Kelly Bridgewater

Quinten Aspinall is determined to fulfill a promise he made to his deceased father to keep his family together. To do so, he must travel to Canada to find his younger siblings, who were sent there as indentured workers while Quinn was away at war. He is also solicited by his employer to look for the man's niece who ran off with a Canadian soldier. If Quinn can bring Julia back, he will receive his own tenant farm, enabling him to provide a home for his ailing mother and siblings.

Julia Holloway's decision to come to Toronto has been met with disaster. When her uncle's employee rescues her from a bad situation, she fears she can never repay Quinn's kindness. So when he asks her to help find his sister, she agrees. Soon after, however, Julia receives some devastating news that changes everything.

Torn between reuniting his family and protecting Julia, will Quinn have to sacrifice his chance at happiness to finally keep his promise?  

From Goodreads

My Thoughts:

I really enjoy how Bethany House actually put the hero on the cover of Susan Anne Mason's latest novel, The Brightest of Dreams. So many books in the Christian fiction market always has the heroine on the novel. It was nice to see a different perspective for the cover. I have read the first two books in Mason's Canadian Crossing series, and I couldn't wait to read Quinn's story. It does have a ring of familiarity to it, but I felt engrossed in the plot, and I couldn't wait to see if Quinn actually kept his promise to his father, so I stayed glued to the story. The romance was sweet and organic. I enjoyed seeing hints of the main characters in another book in this series.  loved how the story ended. It made me smile. Overall, The Brightest of Dreams is a delightful read filled with heartfelt characters who captured my imagination. I can't wait to see what Mason comes up with next.

I received a complimentary copy of The Brightest of Dreams by Susan Anne Mason from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Click here to purchase The Brightest of Dreams

Susan Anne Mason: The Highest of Hopes

By Kelly Bridgewater

After her beloved grandfather's death, Emmaline Moore is shocked to discover that her "deceased" father is actually living in Canada. Having no other family, Emma decides she must find him, and so embarks on a journey across the ocean, accompanied by her best friend, Jonathan. Unfortunately, Randall Moore and his well-to-do family aren't thrilled by her arrival, fearing her sudden appearance will hinder his chance at becoming mayor of Toronto in 1919. Despite everything, Emma remains determined to earn their affection.

Jonathan Rowe has secretly loved Emma for years and hopes that during their trip he can win her heart. Concerned that Randall might reject her, Jonathan is ready to console Emma and bring her home. When she informs him that she has no intention of returning to England, Jonathan begins to despair. Can he convince Emma to find value within herself rather than seeking it from a virtual stranger? And will she ever come to see that Jonathan is her true home?

From Amazon

My Thoughts:

Susan Anne Mason is a wonderful writer of historical romance. With her newest novel The Highest of Hopes, Mason crafted a story filled with heart, romance, and wonderful characters. Mason brought the world of 1919 Canada to life with her words and her descriptions. While the plot isn't original, I did enjoy reading it and flew through the pages of the story. The romance between Emmaline and Jonathon was one-sided for the majority of the story. I really liked how Mason created a romance from Jonathon's perspective before Emmaline came on board. This was really unique, and I enjoyed it. Jonathon's emotions rang true, even when Mason described the symptoms of PTSD from Jonathon. Overall, The Highest of Hopes was an entertaining read populated by wonderful characters. This book definitely belongs on my keeper shelf with all of Mason's other novels.

I received a complimentary copy of The Highest of Hopes by Susan Anne Mason from Bethany House Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

About the Author:

From Amazon

Susan lives in a suburb near Toronto, Ontario, Canada, where she works part-time as a church secretary. She is a wife and the mother of two amazing kids, and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and Romance Writers of America (RWA). In addition to writing, she likes to scrapbook and to research her family history on-line. You can connect with her on Facebook or on her website www.susanannemason.net. (Taken from Amazon.)

Susan Anne Mason: The Best of Intentions

By Kelly Bridgewater

In the aftermath of WWI, Grace Abernathy is determined to reunite with her family, crossing an ocean to convince her widowed sister to return home to England. Yet Toronto holds more tragedy and her nephew Christian is now in the custody of his paternal relatives, the formidable Easton family, who rejected Grace's sister because of her low social status.

Unconvinced the Eastons can be fitting caretakers, Grace jumps at the chance to be Christian's nanny and observe the family up close under an assumed name. In the course of her new position, she is shocked to discover herself falling for Andrew Easton, the boy's guardian. Unfortunately, Andrew is promised to a spoiled socialite who will make a terrible stepmother for Christian. Will Grace be able to protect her nephew . . . and her heart?

From Amazon

My Thoughts:

Historical Romance is much different than contemporary romance. Yes, both genres are completely predictable, such as most romance stories are, but I enjoy traveling to a different time period and watching people live in their different worlds. Seeing things we don't have around anymore. Living in houses with customs we don't hold dear anymore. Susan Anne Mason has created a new story The Best of Intentions taking place at the end of World War I, and I loved watching the characters interact in this world.

Mason does a wonderful job at inviting me into the Eason's massive house with all their finery and money. She shows me what I need to see when I need to see it and invites me to travel through the property with Grace. Mason stays in Grace or Andrew's point of view. She really doesn't head hop, but she allows me to understand and empathize with their emotions.

Grace is a strong character who lives with a lot of guilt and wants to discover forgiveness from her mother. From things in her past to her sister and brother. Mason doesn't show us if the return to England brings the forgiveness she is looking for, but I do know that Grace has accepted God's forgiveness and hopefully, she can move on with her life now.

Andrew is a sweetheart of a man who only wants to do what is expected of him since his brother Frank disappointed his parents. But at what cost? His future and his happiness. Changes bloom and change at the Eason home for a number of important characters.

The plot has been seen before, but I enjoy that Mason does throw a couple of surprises near the end. The story captured my attention, allowing me to rush through the pages, begging for more of the story and budding romance between Grace and Andrew. The ending made me smile, and I was grateful for their predictable happily ever after.

One issue I had with the story is the world surrounding the Easons and Grace. It is right after World War I. Everything around them appeared to be happy and go-lucky, but I wish there was more of the aftermath of World War I mentioned in the story. Like for instance, did Canada take any hits? Was the world different for the people? How did the war affect Mr. Eason's job and money? What about the visitors to the hotel? The world changed after World War I, but in the plot, it didn't really affect the characters expect they lost family members, which is horrible in itself I understand, but I wanted more to make the time period stand out. This story could have been written during the Regency period, and I don't believe anything would have changed.

Overall, The Best of Intentions by Susan Anne Mason is a delightful read with strong characters and a wonderful story. The time period fell a little short for me, but I still enjoyed spending time with Grace and Andrew. Fans of Mason's other stories, Rachel McMillan, or Jen Turano would, I believe, enjoy The Best of Intentions.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars