The Silent Songbird
by Melanie Dickerson
Rating: 4/5
Book 7 of Hagenheim series
Thomas Nelson – Fiction | Historical Romance

Meet Evangeline. She has the most beautiful singing voice and is privileged to be a ward and cousin of the great King Richard II, so she gets to live at Berkhamsted Castle. She would completely be satisfied with her comfortable life, right?

Unfortunately, due to her royal blood (even if she was illegitimate) she has never been free to go and do whatever she wanted. The walls of Berkhamsted always seem to be her own personal dungeon and nothing changes when she hears that King Richard II has agreed to Lord Shiveley’s marriage proposal for her. Lord Shiveley is rich, twice her age and one of the king’s trusted advisors, but Evangeline longs to fall in love just like in the poems and songs she sings.

With her impending wedding, Evangeline makes an impulsive decision to leave everything she knows and rely on the kindness of a stranger, Westley le Wyse. Though she has never lived as a peasant, she is determined that she would have more freedom to live and marry if she became a peasant. In order to disguise her identity, she tells her companion, Muriel, to say that she is mute. Her brilliant red hair and striking green eyes along with her substantial height already attract enough attention.

When the travelers reach Glynval, Evangeline learns that Westley is actually the eldest son of Lord le Wyse and not just a peasant. She is disappointed but she tries her best to fit in as a servant. Obviously, antics ensue since she’s never worked a day in her life, but Westley’s kindness to her even in the face of her inadequacies stirs her heart toward him. How can she ever tell Westley the truth about who she is without completely having him hate her? Westley feels pity and compassion toward her because he thinks she lost her voice from being abused by her master.

Will Evangeline ever be able to tell Westley the truth? Could they possibly find a way to be together despite Lord Shiveley’s frantic search for her? Is there more to what Lord Shiveley desires and can Evangeline discover this before it’s too late?

Yay! The newest installment in the Hagenheim series! I am a HUGE fan of Melanie Dickerson. What women doesn’t love a good fairytale? I didn’t even realize it was a reimagining of The Little Mermaid until the very end. This book can stand alone but Westley’s parents are from The Merchant’s Daughter so it was nice to see them again. I really liked how Evangeline grows as a character. Every girl needs to know how to defend herself and believe that she is loved for who she is. As much as I enjoyed Westley’s character, he almost seemed too good to be true – he could have had more flaws to make him more real in my opinion. This historical romance is full of romance and vivid scenery that transports the reader into medieval times. I highly recommend this series and I can’t wait to read what’s next.

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

Through My Eyes
by Tim Tebow with Nathan Whitaker
Rating: 5/5
(Published 2011)
HarperCollins – Biography

Tim Tebow was almost never born. A doctor advised his pregnant mother to abort the baby, but she refused and the rest is history.

Tim grew up in a large family, homeschooled by his mother, heavily involved in sports, and raised to believe and trust in God. He had a seemingly picturesque childhood which laid the foundation for an incredibly strong man of God who always pushed himself to be the best he could be. This is his journey  of growing up and attending college at University of Florida. His many admirable accomplishments on and off the field are chronicled in a detailed account that any sports fan will enjoy.

Not being the most avid football fan, especially college football fan, I approached this book with curiosity. Having just finished reading about Olympic gold medalist platform diver, David Boudia, I was curious to see how well written this biography was. I was very impressed with the detailed writing. I felt this book was written and flowed better than David Boudia’s book. Tim’s story was quite charming to read but some of the football lingo was a bit lost on me (he tried to insert explanations but the visual learner in me was still a little confused). I’m not sure I will ever understand everything about football but you can tell that Tebow is incredibly passionate about the sport – basically lived and breathed football.

Since I’m not the biggest fan of football, why did I pick up this book to read? Actually, why did I request this book for a Christmas gift? I admire his passionate faith. As a Christian and someone who fell in love with the Philippines on a short term missions trip, I can relate to Tebow’s life in some ways. His passion to do everything for the Lord and be a good example is inspiring. He constantly pushed himself to do and be better – not for selfish gain, but in order to honor and give glory to God. How can I not admire his determination and fortitude to stand for morality and not back down when confronted? He is truly an amazing example of what God can do with someone willing to be a chosen vessel? Throughout this story, Tebow weaves in his relationship with God and is very transparent about his feelings. He shows great depth and courage and the reader can’t help but to support him on his journey. He continues to pursue his dreams and honor God in the process.

I highly enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it, especially if you are a college football fan.

I also just saw that Tebow has another book coming out soon, Shaken (Amazon link), coming out in October 2016, and can’t wait to read it.

Note: As someone who is currently pursuing her dream of becoming a doctor, Tebow’s story encouraged me to press on and never give up. I want to continue to honor God in everything that I do.

No Way Up
by Mary Connealy
Rating: 5/5
Book 1 of the Cimarron Legacy
Bethany House – Fiction | Historical Romance

Chance Boden is determined to continue the Cimarron legacy that his father-in-law entrusted to him all those years ago and rewrites his will to ensure that his children obey his wishes. When Chance gets injured during an avalanche, hired hand Heath Kincaid saves his life and rushes to help his boss in any way that he can. Since he is badly hurt, Chance has his new will read which says all three of his children must live and work at the Cimarron ranch for one year or else the ranch will go to their disliked cousin Mike.

While investigating the avalanche, Heath discovers that what happened was on purpose and not an accident. Heath enlists Justin, Sadie and Cole’s help to investigate what really happened and find out why strange things are happening around the ranch. Heath especially needs the beautiful Sadie’s help and soon finds himself unable to dream of life without her. Can they find out what really happened and who is behind this? Will Heath ever be good enough for the lovely Sadie?

As a huge fan of Mary Connealy and having read her prequel, The Boden Birthright, to the Cimarron Legacy series, I was excited to read this new installment. I enjoyed following the investigation of the attempted murder of Chance Boden and was definitely involved in the story so much that I didn’t want to put the book down. The dynamics of Justin, Sadie, and Cole’s relationship was very interesting and I look forward to the next books in the series.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical romance with some intrigue.

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