Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse: With Each Tomorrow

By Kelly Bridgewater

Even in the midst of adversity, love and faith can flourish.

As the formation of Glacier National Park takes Eleanor Briggs and her conservationist father on a journey west to advocate for public lands, her heart carries the weight of a painful past. Since the death of her mother, she has spent her life traveling the country with her father and helping him with his work, but now he's considering settling down and writing a book--and she's not sure what that means for her future.

Carter Brunswick faces trials of his own when the Great Northern Railway's departure threatens his family's livelihood and the entire town of Kalispell. In the visiting conservationist's daughter, Ellie, he finds a spirited woman who challenges his convictions in ways he never anticipated, and his own dreams for the future begin to change.

When tensions over the railroad's departure boil over, Ellie and Carter are drawn together on a daring journey that tests the depths of their feelings and their faith in God.

 

My Thoughts:

With Each Tomorrow by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse is a heart wrenching story of the beginnings of what would become Glacier National park. With each appearance, Peterson and Woodhouse craft characters that are enduring and transformative. The main characters of Eleanor and Carter come to argumentative in their first meeting. As the story moves along, Eleanor learns to trust God and find peace in him again. As for Carter, he learns that he needs to trust God more with his future plans. Also, I love the setting of Kalispel, Montana. I love the wilderness and the coming town that has expanded and does not want anything to happen to its population and job growth. As for the plot, the dual authors create a little bit of mystery along with the historical aspects of the story. More historical writers are including mystery elements in their plots, and I love this idea. Gives the story a little more to look forward to. Overall, With Each Tomorrow by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse is a delightful story to spend time with. Readers will be transported to early twentieth century Montana and swept away by the relationships and the historical aspects of the story.

I received a complimentary copy of With Each Tomorrow by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse from Bethany House Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating:  4 out of 5 stars

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Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse: The Heart's Choice

By Kelly Bridgewater

They must uncover the truth before it's buried forever.

After witnessing a wrongful conviction as a young girl, Rebecca Whitman--the first female court reporter in Montana--is now determined to defend the innocent. During a murder trial, something doesn't sit well with her about the case, but no one except the handsome new Carnegie librarian will listen to her.

Librarian Mark Andrews's father sent him to college hoping he would take over the business side of the family ranch, but Mark would rather wrangle books than cows. When a patron seeks help with research in hopes of proving a man's innocence, Mark is immediately drawn to her and her cause.

In a race against time, will Rebecca and Mark find the evidence they need--and open their hearts to love--before it's too late?

 

My Thoughts:

The Heart’s Choice by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse is a delightful historical novel set in Montana at one of their Carnegie libraries. Peterson and Woodhouse are a dynamic duo who crafts a stirring story that allows readers to escape to the world of a court reporter and a librarian who find and grow their love of books and eventually each other. The plot does have a mystery element to it. I really like how Peterson and Woodhouse allowed the heroine to use her knowledge of mysteries to help uncover the mystery of an innocent man. I do like how Peterson and Woodhouse mirrored the past event in the heroine’s life and allowed it to guide her to solve the current mystery. The romance was not over the top. A little budding romance as they spent more time together. The setting was nicely described and displayed for the reader’s imagination. Overall, The Heart’s Choice by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse was a good escape novel to spend a little bit of time with. I am glad that this is a first book in a series. I will definitely want to see what else happens.

I received a complimentary copy of The Heart’s Choice by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse from Bethany House Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating:  4 out of 5 stars

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Serving Up Love

By Kelly Bridgewater

Bestselling novelist Tracie Peterson joins Karen Witemeyer, Regina Jennings, and Jen Turano in this collection of four novellas, each featuring a Harvey Girl heroine. From Kansas to Texas, the Grand Canyon to New Mexico, the stories cross the country with tales of sweet romance and entertaining history.

In Karen Witemeyer's "More Than a Pretty Face," a young woman works her hardest to escape poor choices from her youth. Tracie Peterson offers "A Flood of Love," where reuniting with an old flame after more than a decade offers unexpected results. Regina Jennings's "Intrigue a la Mode" delights with a tale of a young woman determined to help support her family, despite warnings of danger nearby. And Jen Turano's "Grand Encounters" heads to the Grand Canyon with a tale of a society belle intent on finding a new life for herself.

From Goodreads

My Thoughts:

"A Flood of Love" by Tracie Peterson

A sweet romance sprinkled with a hint of the realities of the Harvey Girls. Peterson uses a little girl to capture readers and Gretchen's heart from the encounter in the beginning of the novella.  My favorite character was the little girl. The romance sprung up from the past and flirted across time into the beginning of the story. The plot was short and sweet. Definitely a little too fast for my taste. Not enough depth to the plot. Peterson does a fabulous job at writing a story in the word limit and allowed her character's transformation to occur in the small space.

"More Than A Pretty Face" by Karen Witemeyer

If readers are familiar with Witemeyer's previous book, More Than Words Can Say , readers will recognize Rosalind Kemp and her past which was mentioned in this novel. Witemeyer does a wonderful job at creating a character that fits right into her original writing. The romance was just right for the page limit. I enjoyed reading Rosalind's story and glad to see her reach her happily-ever-after moment. The plot kept me focused on the plot. The transformation of the character was a complete with a romantic gesture by Caleb.

"Intrique a la Mode" by Regina Jennings

Another wonderful addition to this novella collection. Regina Jennings is the only author in this collection that I have not read anything else by her. I enjoyed the mystery element mingled with the historical element of hiding things across the rail lines. Willow shares a unique way to help Graham solve the mystery. The plot was different, and I actually liked it. Again, the romance was predictable, but well-written and entertaining at the same time.

"Grand Encounters" by Jen Turano

Jen Turano is one of my favorite writers, so I couldn't wait to dive into Grand Encounters. If readers have read her Wallflower's series, than Mytrle should be a familiar character. It was nice to see a story for her, even if it was a short story. Turano again does a fabulous job at bringing her character's stories to life for the readers. Even though the romance is predictable, I really enjoy the way the romance comes to a head at the end of the story. It had me laughing, and I really proud of Myrtle standing up for what she really believed in.  The plot really captured my attention and was my favorite of the four novellas.

I received a complimentary copy of Serving Up Love by Tracie Peterson, Karen Witemeyer, Regina Jennings, and Jen Turano from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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Tracie Peterson: What Comes My Way

By Kelly Bridgewater

Ella Fleming is on the run from her past and the secrets that could tear her family apart. As a member of the Brookstone Wild West Extravaganza, a wild west show comprised of all-female performers, her uncanny talent for trick riding impresses the viewers. Only while performing can she forget the truth about who she really is--the daughter of a murderer.

Phillip DeShazer blames himself for his father's death and has done his best to bury his guilt in work and drink. Realizing he needs something more, he seeks answers and finds support and kindness from the beautiful Ella Fleming. However, the more she comes to his rescue, the more his guilt grows. He's fallen in love with her and feels confident that she returns his feelings, but until he can overcome the past and let God guide his future, Phillip knows he's not worthy of Ella's love.

Uncertain of what will come their way, Ella and Phillip must learn to trust God even when the road they travel takes them in different directions. Only then can love be a part of their journey.

From Goodreads

My Thoughts:

What Comes My Way by Tracie Peterson is a wonderful way to end the Brookstone Brides series. I loved hanging out with these characters and watching them change and fall in love by the end of the series. With What Comes My Way, Peterson tied up a lot of loose ends and allowed the predictable romance to follow its path. Even though I knew how the romance would play out, I was still invested each of the characters' lives and couldn't wait to see how the story ended. Not much a spiritual element to the plot, but overall, the characters lived out God' s love in their stories. Organically included in the story. I enjoyed it that way. The plot was wonderfully written, and I really can't wait to buy all three novels and place them on my keeper shelf. I believe anyone who enjoys historical stories should pick up this novel and leave reality for a couple of hours.

I received a complimentary copy of What Comes My Way by Tracie Peterson from Bethany House, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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Tracie Peterson: Wherever You Go

By Kelly Bridgewater

Mary Reichert is one of the best sharpshooters in the country, and in the Brookstone Wild West Extravaganza her skills are on display in every performance. But unless the man responsible for her brother's death is brought to justice, Mary's fame and accomplishments seem hollow. She feels helpless in the face of the murderer's money, power, and connections. The only bright spot in her days is the handsome journalist who keeps attending their shows.

Christopher Williams has been assigned to follow the Brookstone show on its 1901 tour of England and write a series of articles for his magazine. As he gets to know the cast he quickly finds himself irresistibly drawn to the show's sharpshooter. But getting close to someone would threaten to bring his past to light. How could he ever win Mary's heart if she knows the truth? Mary and Chris will both have to trust God if they are to heal from the wounds of the past and chart a new future together.

From Amazon

My Thoughts:

I wasn't a huge fan of Tracie Peterson, but her current and previous two series have been a delight to read. I love how realistic her characters appear. I love how she uses issues of faith as a natural conversation from one character to another. Peterson doesn't spew verses on the page to threaten the reader. She makes the faith look tempting, even though it can be challenging. Her plots are interesting and unique. With Wherever You Go, Peterson continued the series with the Wild West show. This time the show travels to London for about a third of the book. I have seen many movies about these type of characters, but to read about their struggles on and off the stage make it more sympathetic. There is still a danger hanging over from the first book, which still isn't resolved by the end of this novel. Probably in the third book coming out later this year. I really enjoy stories that feature reoccurring characters. Make them more rounded, and I love seeing what they have been up to. It's not fun to see a character, enjoy them, and they disappear from the world. Thank you, Peterson, for allowing familiar characters to populate the sidelines of the story. Overall, Wherever You Go is a enticing tale of the members of a Wild West Show  while hinting at moments of danger. Fans of Kristy Cambron's The Illusionist Apprentice and Dumbo might enjoy this series.

I received a complimentary copy of Wherever You Go by Tracie Peterson from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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About the Author:

From Amazon

Tracie Peterson is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than one hundred books. Tracie also teaches writing workshops at a variety of conferences on subjects such as inspirational romance and historical research. She and her family live in Montana.

Visit Tracie's web site at: http://www.traciepeterson.com (Taken from Amazon.)

My Favorite Covers

By Kelly Bridgewater

What makes a cover appealing to you?

Is it the colors?

Is it the gesture of the heroine and hero on the cover?

Is it the allure of the suspense hidden in the pages?

I enjoy a cover that hints at what the story is about without actually giving away too much.

So for today, I want to share some of my favorite covers. In a couple of weeks, I will share the covers that really don't do it for me, even though I'm sure the story inside will take me away.  (Images taken from Goodreads, unless noted.)

The Captive Maiden by Melanie Dickerson

 

The Number of Love by Roseanna M. White

 

Wings of the Wind by Connilyn Cossette

 

Kissing Father Christmas by Robin Jones Gunn

 

Blue Skies Tomorrow by Sarah Sundin

 

From This Moment by Elizabeth Camden

In Places Hidden by Tracie Peterson

 

Out of the Ordinary by Jen Turano

 

What about you? Do you enjoy some of these covers? Do you have any favorites you want to add to this list?