Mary Connealy: The Accidental Guardian

By Kelly Bridgewater

When Trace Riley finds the smoldering ruins of a small wagon train, he recognizes the hand behind the attack as the same group who left him as sole survivor years ago. Living off the wilderness since then, he'd finally carved out a home and started a herd--while serving as a self-appointed guardian of the trail, driving off dangerous men. He'd
hoped those days were over, but the latest attack shows he was wrong.

Deborah Harkness saved her younger sister and two toddlers during the attack, and now finds herself at the mercy of her rescuer. Trace offers the only shelter for miles around, and agrees to take them in until she can safely continue. His simple bachelor existence never anticipated kids and women in the picture and their arrival is unsettling--yet enticing.

Working to survive the winter and finally bring justice to the trail, Trace and Deborah find themselves drawn together--yet every day approaches the moment she'll leave forever. 

www.goodreads.com

My Thoughts:

I have only read two of Mary Connealy's previous novels, but The Accidental Guardian appeared to be a decent novel by its synopsis, so I signed up for a chance to read one of her novels. Being a historical western, I knew there would be cowboys and women trying to survive in the wild west of early America with plenty of conflict and unrest. Connealy does exactly that.

Her writing takes you into the untamed wilderness and allowed me to struggle with the characters. Her point of view is third person, and she does a great job at staying in a single person's point of view when she is in that section of the novel.

The plot is different. I honestly don't know much about the Wagon Trains that have moved west. I have heard about them and even played the green and black version of Oregon Trail as a child, but other than that, I really had no interest in learning more. But Connealy does create a captivating story with wonderful characters who shine and prove their worth on the page. Also, another thing that bothered me was making the second house for the just arrived girls. It would NOT take five days to cut down the logs and build a house. It would take ALL summer and tons of work. Very unrealistic.

The romance appeared really rushed just like building the cabins. Deb and Trace meet and start to feel emotions right away and take action on those feelings not long into the story. I shook my head in disbelief. Why so quickly? Yes, they have to survive a winter together in the middle of nowhere, but did they really have to rush through their emotions? Couldn't they have gotten to know each other better?

Overall, The Accidental Guardian by Mary Connealy shows why she is a popular writer when it comes to historical westerns. I had no problem visualizing the wild west and the non-modern world. The characters struggle with challenges I don't face with today. I believe fans of Karen Witemeyer, Regina Jennings, and Melissa Jagears might enjoy another historical western novel.

I received a complimentary copy of The Accidental Guardian by Mary Connealy from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 3.5  out of 5 stars

Susan May Warren: Storm Front

By Kelly Bridgewater

A tornado has destroyed a small Minnesota community and among the missing are not only a group of students but PEAK Rescue team leader Chet King. Ty Remington will stop at nothing to rescue his mentor, not even when the girl he loved--and lost--walks back into his life. But Brette needs his help more than he knows, despite her stubborn determination to push him away. And when he gets a second chance, loving her just might cost him more than he can imagine.

A blogger for Vortex Storm Chasers, Brette Arnold didn't expect her adventures to land her in the same place as Ty, the guy who she walked--no, ran--from over a year ago. She had her reasons--good ones. The kind that tell her that falling for him again would only lead to heartache. But Ty isn't the kind of man to give up--not on the missing students, or on her.

Life and love hang in the balance in Susan May Warren's breathless story of holding on to hope during a deadly summer of storms.

From Amazon

My Thoughts:

Susan May Warren is one of my go-to writers when it comes to pleasure reading. With her Montana Rescue series, it is an unique idea featuring a rescue team from Montana who travels to save other members of the team. One of my favorite features is the dynamic team who appears over and over in all of the books. Including in her latest Storm Front. The book maybe Ty and Brette's love story, but the other members have come to the rescue during a tornado outbreak in Minnesota. A previous couple also takes center stage in showing their progression in their current relationship. While the plot twist and turned, I eagerly turned pages waiting to see what would happen. Would they find the missing people? Would Brette and Ty allow their walls to fall down and seek the love they knew they needed? The romance didn't feel cheap or sappy to me either. Warren does a good job at showing their realistic fears and allowing me to empathize with the characters. The only issue I had with the plot is the cliff-hanger at the end of the novel. Why does Warren do that to me? Of course, I'll return to the conclusion of the series, Wait for Me,  but the ending made me grip my Kindle and wander why. Overall, I believe fans of Susan May Warren's writing will enjoy this novel and be wrapped up in all the tension and romance we have come to expect from Warren.

I received a complimentary copy of Storm Front by Susan May Warren from Revell Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Kindle Dilemma

By Kelly Bridgewater

Last week, I mentioned the problems I have with going to tons of book sales always on the lookout for the next great find.

This week, I want to talk about my Kindle.

Don't get me wrong. I LOVE my Kindle. It is easy and convenient to carry around 600 plus books in a tiny device.

My issue is the ability to get new books instantly in my own home. All I have to do is shop at Amazon's store, and the book will download instantly.

At last count, I was at 800 plus books downloaded to my Kindle and the cloud. If you read my post two weeks ago, I showed you the links to where I hunt for discounted e-books. Nothing wrong with that.

But my problem is: having books on my Kindle that I couldn't wait to read, but never getting actually around to reading them.

I spend days, weeks, and months hunting for the next cheap Kindle book to purchase, but then, I jump at the chance to purchase them when they reach my price range. But once I have them, it is a slim chance that I will ever get around to reading them because I have physical books to read and review books to read.

Don't get me wrong. I do read them eventually, but it can take a long time for me to get around reading them.

Amazon has a great racket with their Kindles.

I buy the book. Okay. A lot of books, but I keep buying more. I haven't read a lot of them yet either. I buy Kindle versions of the physical books I own. Just in case, I go on a trip somewhere and need that book.

AAH!!!

A never-ending cycle that runs around and around, begging me to buy and download another Kindle book.

How about you? Do you have a Kindle? Do you have the same issue with Kindle books like I do?

Beth K. Vogt: Things I Never Told You

By Kelly Bridgewater

It’s been ten years since Payton Thatcher’s twin sister died in an accident, leaving the entire family to cope in whatever ways they could. No longer half of a pair, Payton reinvents herself as a partner in a successful party-planning business and is doing just fine―as long as she manages to hold her memories and her family at arm’s length.

But with her middle sister Jillian’s engagement, Payton’s party-planning skills are called into action. Which means working alongside her opinionated oldest sister, Johanna, who always seems ready for a fight. They can only hope that a wedding might be just the occasion to heal the resentment and jealousy that divides them . . . until a frightening diagnosis threatens Jillian’s plans and her future. As old wounds are reopened and the family faces the possibility of another tragedy, the Thatchers must decide if they will pull together or be driven further apart.

From Amazon

My Thoughts:

I have read the Destination Wedding series by Beth K. Vogt, not her other contemporary women's fiction, even though I do own them. With a contemporary women's fiction story, I expect to be taken for a heartfelt journey through something difficult. It could be difficult for me and for the characters. With Vogt's newest book and first in the Thatcher Sisters series, Things I Never Told You, I was taken for an emotional journey.

I have a little sister, and we aren't as close as I want to be. I don't really argue with her, but our lives don't intersect as much as I would like. She hangs out with her husband, kids, and friends more than me. I'm a last resort. I understand the dynamics of a working relationship with your parents and siblings after you move out and move on.

I sympathize with Payton the most. No, I have not lost a twin sister, nor am a part of twin set. But my mother is a twin, and 2.5 years ago, I lost my Daddy unexpectedly. I understood her pain. It gripped my heart at certain moments. My favorite line that smack me upside the head was, "Nothing's worked since you died, Pepper. I don't know how to do me without you . . . Don't you get it" (238)? I had to stop and put the book down. Tears started to flow. I have felt that way every since my Daddy died. I'm not the same person I was before he passed away. The ultimate question is how do you move on with your life without that person? Honestly, you don't. I have learned to numb my emotions toward my Daddy and learn to live without him being just a phone call away.

As for the plot, I really enjoyed how Vogt dove into two of the sisters and showed how their hurt and struggles. I really can't wait to see more internally of why Johanna acts the way she does. There had to have been something in her past to make her such a control freak. I really enjoyed the story and finished it one day. I eagerly await the next installment to see what will continue with these Thatcher sisters. The spiritual element is there, but Payton is flirting with the idea of God, not a full devotion, which I was grateful Vogt didn't make her believe in God right away. It is a leap of faith.

Overall, Beth K. Vogt's Things I Never Told You is a great story of forgiveness and learning to handle grief. I liked my introduction to the Thatcher sisters, and I can't wait to learn more about them. I believe fans of Catherine West or Katie Ganshert should pick up this book and be prepared to have tissues handy.

I received a complimentary copy of Things I Never Told You by Beth K. Vogt from Tyndale Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Where to connect with Beth K. Vogt:

Amazon Author Page

Goodreads

Website

Facebook

Where to purchase Things I Never Told You:

Amazon

Barnes and Nobles

Christianbook Distributors

Beth K. Vogt's Author Bio:

From Amazon

Beth K. Vogt is a non-fiction author and editor who said she’d never write fiction. She’s the wife of an Air Force family physician (now in solo practice) who said she’d never marry a doctor—or anyone in the military. She’s a mom of four who said she’d never have kids. Now Beth believes God’s best often waits behind the doors marked “Never.” As a contemporary romance novelist, Beth is a 2016 Christy Award winner, a 2015 RITA® Finalist and a three-time ACFW Carol Award finalist. Her 2014 novel, Somebody Like You, was one of Publisher’s Weekly’s Best Books of 2014. In 2015, Beth introduced her destination wedding series with both an e-novella, Can’t Buy Me Love, and a novel, Crazy Little Thing Called Love. She continues the series in 2016 with the e-novella You Can’t Hurry Love (May) and the novel Almost Like Being in Love(June). A November Bride, was part of the Year of Wedding Series by Zondervan. Beth enjoys writing contemporary romance because she believes there’s more to happily-ever-after than the fairy tales tell us. Find out more about her books at bethvogt.com. An established magazine writer and former editor of Connections, the leadership magazine for MOPS International, Beth is also part of the leadership team for My Book Therapy, the writing community founded by best-selling author Susan May Warren. She lives in Colorado with her husband Rob, who has adjusted to discussing the lives of imaginary people, and their youngest daughter, Christa, who loves to play volleyball and enjoys writing her own stories.

Becky Wade: Falling For You

By Kelly Bridgewater

Famously beautiful model Willow Bradford is taking a temporary break from her hectic schedule to work as the innkeeper at her family's small-town bed-and-breakfast. She was enjoying the peace of her hometown, Merryweather, Washington, right up until she came face-to-face with Corbin Stewart, the man she loves to hate. A thoughtful rule-follower by nature, Willow threw caution to the wind four years ago when she entrusted her heart to Corbin--and suffered the consequences when it all fell apart.

Former NFL quarterback Corbin is forceful, charming, and accustomed to getting what he wants . . . except where Willow Bradford is concerned. Unable to forget her, he's never stopped regretting what happened between them. When their paths unexpectedly cross again, he's determined to make her give him a second chance.

When a decades-old missing persons case finds Corbin and Willow working together, they're forced to confront their past and who they've become--and whether they can risk falling for one another all over again.

From Amazon

My Thoughts:

Falling for You by Becky Wade is the second book in her Bradford Sisters Romance series. In the first book, I learned about Nora and her life. In the second book, we are introduced to Willow, the oldest sister, and the sister with the most to lose.  I was introduced to her in the first book and couldn't wait to see her story. Wade does not disappoint. With the inception of Willow's story, Wade drew me into the plot pretty quickly. I liked Willow and seeing her hurts. They stuck out to me as I watched her struggle with her identity, past forgiveness, and love. Willow transforms by the end of the novel, which is what I enjoy seeing from my characters. As for Corbin, he transformed before the pages of this story started. He already transformed to the man Willow needed. This story flows like a contemporary romance with a predictable ending, but I do enjoy how Wade dives deep into her character's hurts and make them relatable. I had a really hard time putting down the book. I finished it in one day. As an added bonus, Wade threw in a mystery with a hunt for a missing person. As an avid suspense reader, this captured my attention too. Fans of Wade's other works or contemporary romance novels might enjoy this book. I sure did. Can't wait to read the third sister, Brit's story.

I received a complimentary copy of Falling for You by Becky Wade from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Physical Dilemma

By Kelly Bridgewater

For the next couple of weeks, I want to talk about a huge issue I have with books. I'm praying someone or many people can relate to what I have to say.

Today, I want to talk about the physical dilemma I have been having.

Every bookworm can probably relate. How many physical books do you have? If you're like me, then you probably have 1,000 plus physical books scattered around your house or organized neatly in a library.

But the problem I'm talking about is the problem to stop buying books.

Whenever we go on a trip, I always hunt for a nearby bookstore. Even if I don't need any books at the moment, it doesn't hurt to browse, does it? Every time we travel to Indianapolis, we always visit Half-Price Books.

I know when all the book sales happening within a hundred miles happens.

Every month, our local library has a book sale the first Saturday of the month.

Half-Price book has a clearance sale, where everything is $2 or less, in June and October.

There is also a Half-Price Book Outlet store an hour from my house. About every quarter, they have a $1 sale, where everything in their store is $1.

Speedway Public Library has a $5 paper bag sale where you can fill a paper bag of books, puzzles, or movies for $5.

Even if I can't find something, I usually need to buy something. Either from an author I have heard of but haven't read or pick up a book that sounds interesting.

Buying the books so cheap, I don't mind passing them on when I'm done reading them if I don't want to re-read them.

How about you? Are you addicted to book sales and book stores? How do you find physical books cheap?