Review of "Promise Me This" by Cathy Gohlke

This is the second book I've read recently related to the sinking of the Titanic - and I loved this perspective.

Siblings Annie and Owen Allen are orphaned in England and their wealthy (and awful) Aunt Eleanor is calling all the shots.  When Owen decides to sail to America on the Titanic to make a better life for he and his sister, he has no idea what impact that decision will have on all of their lives.

Michael Dunnagan is another orphan who has known no kindness since his parents died and his beloved younger sister was stolen away.  He and Owen strike up an unlikely friendship, and the intense circumstances surrounding the Titanic will change all of their lives forever.

I really enjoyed not only the story, but the obvious research the author did and how she went one step further into history, writing about WWI.

I highly recommend this book and I will definitely be seeking out the past and future books of Cathy Gohlke!

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Review of "The Search Committee" by Tim Owens

A church in the south is looking for a new pastor and a group of individuals who are to represent the church's wishes are sent on a number of church "field trips" to find one.  They are all struggling in different areas, some on several serious topics, and we see glimpses of them not only together but in their individual lives, trying to figure things out.

As a pastor's daughter, sister, and wife (yep -surrounded), the concept of a Search Committee is not new to me.  I can't say I've ever read a book about one though...so in theory, this book's premise was super appealing to me.

In reality, in complete honesty I had a hard time finishing it.  I thought the writing was fine, especially for a first time author, and initially I had a hard time putting my finger on what specifically I didn't love, but the bottom line?  It just didn't come together for me.  I think the primary reason is that I found many of the main characters unlikeable.  I get that they were supposed to be "flawed" (and that is a large part of the point), but I just didn't find it to be enough.

I did enjoy the differing viewpoints and the layering approach the author seemed to take in revealing more and more about the main characters as the story goes on.  And the ending seems fitting!  Ultimately, I will be happy to read more by Tim Owens but this one, for me, wasn't my favorite.

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Review of "Flame of Resistance" by Tracy Groot

This is the first book I have had the opportunity to read by this author.  The setting is just before D-Day in Normandy, and the Nazis are not making France a pleasant place to live. Brigitte Durand is an interesting main character - she is a prostitute at a Germans-only brothel, who longs for not just her freedom but her country's as well, and she is willing to fight however she can for it.  She has a deep love for France and struggles with the choices she has made to get to this place.  Tom Jaeger is an American fighter pilot shot down during a battle, discovered by the Resistance.  Because his appearance is so strikingly 'German', he is pressed into service with Flame, a resistance cell - and things begin to change very rapidly.

Although I enjoyed this novel and overall would recommend it, it took me some time to really get going, to truly get a feel for it.  I also struggled at times to understand their "languaging", especially since many of the references (some historical, some the expressions of the times) felt a little obscure to me at first.  However, once I got a little further along it all began to come together.  And the end made it all worthwhile!

I will look forward to reading more from Tracy Groot.  Enjoy!

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Review of "Accused" by Janice Cantore

Janice Cantore is a former police officer and this book is the first in a new series focusing on the main character, Carly Edwards.

Carly is a veteran member of the (fictional) town of Las Playas in Southern California.  Recently divorced because her fellow cop husband, Nick, cheated on her, she is on the verge of becoming bitter, and is often defensive towards just about everyone she comes into contact with - work, friends, and family alike.  Additionally, her father died of cancer five years ago, and she just cannot reconcile God loving her with Him allowing her father die.  This thought process, combined with her husband's infidelity, has very much shaped her into the person we meet in this book.

The plot focuses on solving the murder of Las Playas' mayor, complicated by a potential corruption in the police department that appears to have very far reaching tentacles.  Carly just isn't sure who she can trust, but is compelled to solve the mystery.

I had mixed feelings about this book....I enjoyed knowing the author clearly knew what she was writing about, but felt that some of the conversations were stilted and seemed unnatural.  However, overall I enjoyed trying to figure out the mystery along with Carly, and I will read the second book in this new series when it comes out.

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Review of "Trauma Plan" by Candace Calvert

Riley Hale was a great ER nurse before being cruelly attacked - she was pushed down a flight of stairs and broke her neck.  A year later, she still hasn't fully regained the use (to the level she needs to return to her former position) of her dominant arm - and her frustration is mounting.

Dr. Jackson Travis is somewhat of a maverick who runs a local community clinic.  This clinic is the source of ire for the upscale neighbors, and they are determined to shut it down.

Cross the paths of these medical professionals, add in a little heiress angst and daredevil doctor along with some excellent supporting characters, and you've got a great story!  Although I guessed the "mystery" portion of the plot early on (and I was right), it in no way diminished my enjoyment of this book.  It was great to see how she brought it all together.  I highly recommend it!

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"The First Gardener" by Denise Hildreth Jones

I'm not sure I can say ENOUGH nice things about this book, but here goes.

Let me preface this by sharing that Denise Hildreth Jones is one of my all time favorite authors.  I have read every book she has written.  Some more than once (I can't get enough Savannah...I laugh out loud - even in the second and third readings....but I digress) and "The First Gardener" truly exceeded my expectations.  It's true, I was prepared to like it, but really, I *loved* it.

We begin with the enviable and lovely life of the first family of the great state of Tennessee.  They are beautiful inside and out, successful, in love, kind to others...the happy list goes on and on.  They long for many children but have only one, their 5 year old daughter, Maddie.  She is the light of their lives and a delight to all.  Jeremiah Williams is the Head Gardener of the governor's mansion and has been tending the first families' gardens for 25 years.  He has a special place in his heart for this entire family.  When tragedy strikes and all of their lives are forever changed, he is an integral part of their healing.

The entire story is handled in ways that I found realistic without being hopeless; funny, yet never irreverent; and most importantly, it communicated biblical truths without being even a little trite - especially in the face of such major heartbreak.  At the risk of sounding a little dramatic, The First Gardener actually changed my life.

I can't recommend it enough.

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Review of "The Shadow of Your Smile" by Susan May Warren

I love coming back to Deep Haven, and I don't even like snow!  :)

Noelle & Eli Hueston have been married for many years, but the last few have been, well, worse than routine.  Struggling already, things were compounded by the death of their only daughter, and at the point we meet them, they have genuinely lost their way.  The book begins with Noelle attempting to evade a robbery when she slips and falls on a patch of ice and suffers a head injury, which in turn causes some pretty serious amnesia.  She doesn't remember being married or her children, she definitely doesn't remember her daughter Kelsey, and she thinks she is in college -she is very upset that her (deceased) parents won't come visit her in the hospital!  You can imagine the confusion this causes, as the amnesia lasts for some time.

There are also several great "sub"-story, one that includes her oldest son & Kelsey's best friend, and I really enjoyed how they were all tied together in the end.  This book deals with a number of serious issues and still manages to retain a sense of humor and emotional pull, all without being overdone.  Well played, Susan May Warren!

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