Book Reviews

Every Bride Needs A Groom
by Janice Thompson
Rating: 4/5
Book 1 of Brides with Style
Revell – Fiction | Contemporary Romance

Katie Fisher is ready to get married to her long-time boyfriend and settle down in the small town where she’s grown up. Who would ever want to live in the big city? This Texas girl is sure her boyfriend is going to propose soon since he’s been making a couple trips to Dallas – possibly to buy a ring? With her cousin’s urgings and after reading the fine print, Katie enters a contest in Texas Bride magazine to win a custom designer bridal gown. However, when her boyfriend breaks up with her and moves away, Katie is devastated and confused, but her essay about her perfect dress and wedding for the contest wins her the dress and a photoshoot/interview with the magazine. Should she come clean about her lack of a groom and wedding date? Will Katie ever be able to find someone to wear the dress for? Will the manager of the bridal boutique – a pro basketball player helping his mother – allow her to keep the dress? Can they spin the story for the magazine?

I absolutely loved this story by Janice Thompson. I love her characters because they are always so fleshed out. She creates characters that are endearing and authentic. I also love how she incorporates characters from her other books into the story so I can catch up with them. As a woman, I can definitely relate to planning the fairytale wedding and I didn’t want to put the book down to see what happened next. I loved all the small town antics and definitely felt like I would love to live there. I also enjoyed the side story with the grandmother, which had me laughing and crying at times.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a light, clean, fun romance.

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Legacy
by Dan Walsh & Gary Smalley
Rating: 3/5
Book 4 of the Restoration Series
Revell – Contemporary Fiction

Doug Anderson has been living a double life. While at home, he portrays a good son who goes to church and doesn’t drink or do drugs. While at college, Doug has a gorgeous girlfriend that sleeps over and friends that party hard. Doug’s father feels he is to blame for the rift between father and son. Doug feels like he can never live up to his parents’ expectations and all their religious rules. Christina, a family friend, can’t ignore what she’s been seeing on social media about Doug and who he’s hanging out with. When Doug’s double life is discovered, everything starts to spiral out of control. Can Doug find his way back as the Prodigal Son did? Can his father make the right decisions regarding Doug’s life choices? Can Christina find a way to bring him back to his faith?

While I’ve never read anything by Dan Walsh, I have read some books by Gary Smalley and love his writing and insight. I was disappointed by this story though but that could be because this is the fourth book in a series that I’m unfamiliar with. They jump into the story and characters with very little introduction. I had a hard time connecting with Christina and Doug as characters. Doug’s father’s choices also grated on me as I yelled at him through the pages. Obviously, I have a different perspective of how the tense situations should have been handled, but he made me so frustrated. I finally did enjoy the last third of the story enough to grant it 3 stars but unfortunately, the story really felt like it was missing something and didn’t really hook me in the beginning. The book gets 3 stars because despite its faults, it is still a story that needs to be told and I loved the ending.

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Creole Princess
by Beth White
Rating: 4/5
Book 2 of the Gulf Coast Chronicles
Revell – Fiction | Historical Romance

In 1776, the British controlled Mobile, Alabama, where a young (mostly) French girl, Lyse Lanier, grew up as the best friend to the daughter of a British commander at Fort Charlotte. Smart, well read, and opinionated, Don Rafael is quickly impressed after meeting Lyse. Don Rafael is a rich Spanish merchant from New Orleans, who travels along the Gulf Coast. As the colonies begin their journey to independence, Lyse must decide whose side she wants to be on. Tensions are escalating as war seems imminent. What side will Spain take in the war? Can Lyse trust this new man in her life?

Beth White does it again! I absolutely could NOT put the book down once I started reading. The rich details of the time are woven throughout the story in a way that transports the reader to a little known piece of American history. The author is a master at bringing these fictional characters to life. The story was so interesting and intriguing that I had to keep reading late into the night and morning. I had to know what happened between Rafa and Lyse. Their characters were so complex and endearing. I loved learning about Mobile and its role in the American Revolutionary War. I have a special place in my heart for history and was so impressed with all of the research that the author had to do to get all the details just right in her writing.

As much as I enjoyed Book 1, The Pelican Bride, I think I enjoyed The Creole Princess even more. I look forward to reading more from Beth White and hope she never stops researching and writing.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction with some romance and intrigue.

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for a review.