Thursday, January 7, 2016

Review: Fire and Ice by Mary Connealy


Heidi Reads... Fire and Ice by Mary Connealy

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.comhttp://www.barnesandnoble.comhttp://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

Bailey Wilde is one of the best new ranchers in the West. She's been living disguised as a man for a while, but when Gage Coulter comes to drive her off her homestead, he quickly realizes he's dealing with a woman--a very tough, very intriguing woman at that.

Gage is an honest man, but he didn't make his fortune being weak. He won't break the law, but he'll push as hard as he can within it. Five thousand acres of his best range land is lost to him because Bailey's homestead is located right across the only suitable entrance to a canyon full of lush grass. Gage has to regain access to his land--and he's got to go through Bailey to do it.

Spending a winter alone has a way of making a person crave some human contact. In a moment of weakness, Bailey agrees to a wild plan Gage concocts. Can these two independent, life-toughened homesteaders loosen up enough to earn each other's respect--and maybe find love in
the process?


My Review

The author's trademark humor and action are in full play in this novel, but what stood out to me was the layers and depth of Bailey's character. I've been looking forward to her story since in the previous two books she seemed like the toughest and hardest of the three Wilde sisters. Her father encouraged her to go to war dressed as a man, and the experiences she had not only strengthened her, but gave her vulnerabilities she struggles to overcome. We see both sides of her personality as her ranch is threatened and she endures a harsh lonely winter. Gage is also a contrast of strength and vulnerability and once they let their guard down, the two connect in ways that help heal their trauma from the past. I enjoyed reading the conflict Gage's mother brings into the mix with several chuckles, and was glad that the sisters' dysfunctional relationship with their father was finally put to rest. This book reads well as a stand alone but I recommend you read the whole Wild at Heart series for full enjoyment- they are all 5 stars in my book!

(Thank you to Bethany House Publishing for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Books & Beverages - The Shoppe!


I'm super excited to share that fellow blogger Jamie Lapeyrolerie from Books and Beverages has opened an online store, The Shoppe!


It features the extraordinarily useful Book Blogger's Planner which was designed specifically for book bloggers, by a book blogger! The pages are clean and easy to navigate, with 6 non-dated monthly calendars, weekly checklists and weekly notes pages, pages to record the books you’ve read, and pages just for writing down your favorite quotes.


Jamie is the biggest C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien fan I know (check out the Inklings series on her blog), and the other fun products in The Shoppe! are postcards, stickers, bookmarks, and iPad cases featuring memorable and profound quotes from the authors.


I am impressed by the quality of the design as well as the high quality materials. I highly recommend visiting The Shoppe! and finding something special for yourself or the book lover in your life :)

When you purchase items from The Shoppe, you are also helping to change the world! A portion of the profits goes to:

● World Vision’s work with refugees
● Compassion’s work with students and education
● Children’s Hunger Fund work to help kids in America and around the globe with supplies they need to go to school
● Mocha Club's Action Project

About the owner
The Shoppe! was started by Jamie Lapeyrolerie, author of Books and Beverages and She Laughs With Dignity. You can connect with Jamie on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and
Pinterest! If you enjoy a podcast, J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, please check out Jamie’s
podcast, Jack & Tollers: An Inklings Podcast!


Review & Giveaway: Three Little Words by Jennie Hansen, K.C. Grant, Aubrey Mace


Heidi Reads... Three Little Words by Jennie Hansen, K.C. Grant, Aubrey Mace

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.comhttp://www.barnesandnoble.comhttp://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

The road to true love never did run smooth, but a few bumps along the way make it all the more thrilling. This timeless truth is showcased in Three Little Words, a charming compilation of short stories written by a trio of popular LDS romance novelists. Readers are invited to follow the journeys of three young women as they encounter love where they least expect it.

Rescuing Bailey by Jennie Hansen
For as long as she can remember, Bailey has loved the boy next door. But despite her feelings, his schedule and his little brother keep getting in the way. Will her childhood crush finally blossom into something real, or will she discover that true love is waiting just around the corner?

Three Little Words by K.C. Grant
The bet is simple: Elizabeth, a speech therapist, has three days to teach a country bumpkin with a drawl as thick as molasses how to speak like a gentleman. But as she gets to know her charming student, it soon becomes clear that there may be more to him than meets the ear.

A Crying Shame by Aubrey Mace
Cassandra is in love with the idea of love, though after her most recent breakup, the possibility of finding Mr. Right seems hopeless. But when she meets a handsome classmate in her painting class, she may end up learning more about chemistry than about art.

My Review

A common aspect of these three delightful stories is that the main character needed to re-evaluate her perception of others. I enjoyed the unrequited love theme in Rescuing Bailey, but didn't quite connect with her character. There was a bigger focus on her day-to-day actions than showing the interactions with Gunter. She came off as an isolated person who didn't reach out to others. In Three Little Words, I was instantly a fan of the nod to My Fair Lady, with a fun twist since Elizabeth is in the role of Higgins and her project Matt didn't actually need reforming. My favorite of the three was A Crying Shame, once Cass's BFF Elle gets her out of her heartbreak hangover and challenges her to have fun for once at a evening painting class. It was a realistic portrayal of Cass slowly warming up to the idea of being herself and discovering that she and others really do like the real her. Her admirer Max is adorable with his sincere flirting and the descriptions of the class made me want to bust out a canvas and some acrylics :)

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Sunday, January 3, 2016

Review: The Mariposa Hotel by Julie Wright, Melanie Jacobson, Heather B. Moore


Heidi Reads... The Mariposa Hotel by Julie Wright, Melanie Jacobson, Heather B. Moore

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.comhttp://www.barnesandnoble.comhttp://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

Welcome to Tangerine Street

Tangerine Street is a must-see tourist stop with a colorful mix of one-of-a-kind boutiques, unique restaurants, eclectic museums, quaint bookstores, and exclusive bed-and-breakfasts. The Mariposa Hotel, a new resort, has revitalized Seashell Beach, bringing new life to the sleepy beach town. In the charming gardens of the hotel sits a three-hundred-year-old wishing well transported from Mexico. One toss of the coin, a sincere wish, and lives are changed forever…

Other books in the Tangerine Street Romance series:
The Fortune Café
The Boardwalk Antiques Shop


My Review

The Ghost of 913
Mari, a hotel maid working to pay college tuition and studying criminology, notices the tiniest details and is intrigued by the "ghost" who barely leaves a trace in his room. U.S. marshal Grant is involved with witness protection and feels he can't share details about his work with Mari which sets the scene for misunderstanding as they instantly connect but his job eventually gets in the way.

My favorite story of the three, I loved the dimension to each of the characters. Mari and Grant both have deeper struggles they are working to overcome and find healing in their relationship with each other. I also appreciated that they took a week or two to get to know each other before diving into a romance.

Butterfly Kisses
Ridley, acclaimed photographer who subs as concierge while in town shooting a surf competition meets Brooke, a plastic surgeon trying to recruit doctors to join her on a charity trip to repair cleft palates. Both make assumptions about the other based on stereotypes without getting the whole story, but end up falling for each other as they entertain what was supposed to be just a fling.

This story seemed a little more "surface" to me as Brooke and Ridley flirted with each other despite the stereotypes they each disdained about the other. They did share some pretty romantic moments, but there wasn't a foundation of trust behind their initial relationship.

Dreams Come True
Regean is the hotel events manager handling a charity gala for Hollywood producer KC Woods with a demanding assistant, but when she meets Kevin in the lobby, accepts a date only to discover later he is one and the same. More mistaken assumptions complicate things but Reagan bravely gives him a second chance and helps him smooth out some family drama that followed him to the hotel.

I liked the chemistry between Kevin and Reagan, even though it moved pretty quickly. There was a decent balance of physical attraction and appreciation of personality. The fact that Reagan stepped out of her comfort zone to embrace the romantic moments with Kevin made their relationship more special. The subplot of Kevin's family drama rounded out the story nicely.

(Thank you to Ebooks For Review for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)