Review of "Winning the Gentleman" by Kristi Ann Hunter

Aaron Whitworth has long accepted his place in society as the illegitimate -but acknowledged- son of a Marquis. Educated alongside the aristocracy, he's made lifelong friends (whom he sometimes wrongly assumes he shouldn't ask anything of). He's also earned a great deal of respect along the way, but he still carries some pretty serious burdens emotionally that perhaps he shouldn't.

Sophia Fitzroy and her twin brother Jonas's situation has been precarious since their father died. When he has an accident that renders him unable to sit or stand for long periods of time, their dreams of a riding school are put aside to find a means of survival. When Aaron is in need of a jockey, he unwittingly hires Sophia and serious hijinks (and love, of course!) follow.

This is the second book in the author's Hearts on the Heath series, and a solid offering.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Review of "From This Moment" by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Jase Edgar and his fiancee had their whole lives ahead of them when she is killed in a tragic car accident. In the process of moving forward in spite of his sadness and disillusionment, Jase takes a new job as a youth pastor in Bradleyville, Kansas.

Told from multiple points of view, the author weaves together a story of redemption and healing.

The take on the Amish from Kenzie's point of view is not typical and very interesting. The relationships are beautiful and supportive, and the struggles the characters are going through are varied: grief, health issues, food addiction, foster care, humility, honesty...

There is a small mystery that is not hard to sort out, but it was still fun to watch it unfold. If you are looking for a story to encourage you to be encouraged and find hope, this is a great book for you.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Water Brook/Random House Publishers and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Review of "Plot Twist" by Bethany Turner

What a fun, unique, and just plain GREAT take on a romantic comedy.

Writer Olivia works for a greeting card company but is not so secretly working on a screenplay and would love to be in a serious relationship. She is 30, after all. She also is convinced that she will never be the leading lady - only a supporting character. This mindset messes with her in a number of ways...and really, there's too much to attempt a summary so here are my bullet points for your review reading pleasure:

• The relationship with her longtime best friend is basically, the best
• The card quotes are awesome
• The timeline that follows our heroine through the years is well paced and interesting
• There is plenty of sassy repartee and a ton of laugh out loud moments
• I was surprised multiple times - and frankly, that doesn't happen very often in this genre

The most important takeaway: this book was a pleasure to read and I definitely recommend it!

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Thomas Nelson Publishers and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Review of "At Lighthouse Point" by Suzanne Woods Fisher

 This is the third book in the author's Three Sisters Island series, and I think it's actually my favorite!

Youngest sister Blaine may have had some growing up to do when she left the island to "find herself in Europe", but she also needed healing from some intense trauma that really came to the forefront during her trip. When she returns to the island two years later with her hard won diploma from Le Cordon Bleu and dear friend Jean-Paul in tow, Blaine finds a number of changes - not only on the island, but in her family and Camp Kicking Moose as well. Some of those changes cause Blaine to reassess her purpose and place in this world, and they also require her to fight to hold on to her newfound peace.

There are some lovely surprises and new visitors to the island, and it's fun to see the "progress" that has been made in the two years since we were last with this family. The author's delightful sense of humor shines through in this entire series, with the quirks of several characters just enough to be fun rather than simply strange :) You will definitely want to visit Three Sisters Island when you are done with this series!

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Revell and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.