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Book Review: Fire & Ice by Mary Connealy

Fire & Ice
by Mary Connealy
Rating: 4/5
Book 3 of the Wild at Heart Series
Bethany House – Fiction | Christian | Historical Romance

Bailey Wilde is the last of the Wilde sisters to stick around in the West. She is also one of the best (and smartest) ranchers in the area. Ever since she served in the Civil War, she’s disguised herself as a young man and worked hard to be the son her father wanted and loved. Her only real competition is Gage Coulter, who is trying to gain back access to his canyon of 5,000 acres of grass for his cattle. Ever since he found out that Mr. Bailey Wilde had set up a homestead at the entrance to his canyon, he’s been trying to find a way to buy the land or barter a deal to trespass through her land to give his cattle access. He’s determined and will get his way, despite any warning gunshots that Wilde shoots his way.

When Gage finally figures out the truth about Miss Bailey Wilde, he continues to try to barter a deal with her, but she refuses. When Gage shows her his plans to force another opening to the canyon, Bailey gives up. She will have to find another place for her herd to graze. She is disappointed but still determined to make this work.

After a long and lonely winter, Bailey is overjoyed to see Gage, despite the circumstances. She is shocked when he proposes marriage, in order to fool his mother, who is coming to visit him. In her loneliness, she decides to marry Gage in exchange for the rights to the canyon and her homestead. Can Bailey and Gage find a way to make this marriage work? Can they learn to trust and respect each other’s skills? Can they learn to let go of their pasts and see the promising future that’s before them?

Ending this novel was bittersweet. I didn’t want the series to end. I’ve enjoyed all three books in the Wild at Heart series and I can’t wait to see what else Mary Connealy comes up with next. She is incredibly talented at creating characters that are flawed and lovable and frustrating and endearing! I love all of the humor and faith she infuses into her stories. She pulls me right into the historical setting and I’m not content until I find out what exactly happens to the main characters.

Although you could read this book by itself, I would recommend reading the other two books first just to be more familiar with some of the other characters. I recommend this book to anyone who loves a great historical romance with comedy!

I received this book for free from the publisher and NetGalley but was not required to give a positive review.

September 29, 2015 by Kim Book Reviews

Book Review: With Every Breath by Elizabeth Camden

With Every Breath
by Elizabeth Camden
Rating: 4/5
Bethany House – Fiction/Historical

After Trevor McDonough beats her in a competition to get a college scholarship, Kate Livingston spends years working her way up the ranks in the government in D.C. to help support her family’s boarding house. When she’s offered a job working with a research doctor from Harvard, she jumps at the chance until she realizes who the doctor is. For some reason, Trevor has changed his last name and offered her a job as his assistant. Trevor is trying to find a cure for tuberculosis and needs her help.

When Kate agrees to their partnership, she tries to discover why Trevor is the way he is, why he changed his last name, and what secrets he’s keeping. Along the way, Kate develops feelings for Trevor despite her loyalty to her late husband and high school sweetheart. Has Kate fallen in love with a man she barely knows? Can Trevor find a cure for tuberculosis before he loses everything? Will his past mistakes put Kate in danger?

I don’t believe I’ve ever read a book by Elizabeth Camden, but I definitely enjoyed her writing style. Her writing transported me into the late 19th century and painted a picture of what life was like for a woman like Kate. I honestly wasn’t too interested in the first 1/3 of the book, but I kept reading hoping the story got better and it did. As someone who majored in biology and is on her way to medical school, I was really interested in the history of tuberculosis and its treatment. I really appreciated all of the research that went into the book. Everything was fairly believable. The characters were well developed and relatable for the most part.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction.

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

August 29, 2014 by Kim Book Reviews

Book Review: A Bouquet of Love by Janice Thompson

A Bouquet of Love
By Janice Thompson
Rating: 4/5
Book 4 of Weddings by Design series
Revell – Fiction / Contemporary Romance

After her large Greek family moved from Santa Cruz, California to Galveston, Texas, to open up another restaurant, Cassia Pappas lands her dream job in a flower shop owned by the Rossi family, her family restaurant’s competition. Being part of the family restaurant has always been a part of her life, but Cassia’s love for flowers and floral design has her excited to go to work. Meeting a Greek Adonis named Alex Rigas doesn’t hurt either. Since Alex’s family grows and supplies the flowers for the shop, he and Cassia are constantly thrown together, and they cannot deny the attraction to each other. Will her overbearing and controlling father find out about her friendships with the Rossis? Can she help her father see the truth about how similar they all are?

I’ve been a fan of Janice Thompson for a while and this story did not disappoint. I loved the floral design angle because I grew up wanting to work with flowers. I loved all the fun and quirky characters. The characters are endearing and hilarious. I loved getting to catch up other characters from her previous books too. She’s created such a fun world and even makes me want to go visit Texas – a place this California girl has never been. I also enjoyed the Judy Garland thread throughout the story – such a refreshing perspective. As I read the book, I thought the story read like a movie – after reading that Thompson is a screenwriter, my reaction made a lot of sense.

I definitely recommend this book to those who love romantic comedies like My Big Fat Greek Wedding and love to smile/laugh their way through books.

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