From This Moment by Elizabeth Camden

Stella West artistic talent has set her high in London.  When her only sister mysteriously dies in Boston, she leaves everything behind and foes to Boston to find answers.  She single determines, on her own, she will find an answer to all the secrets around her sister's death.

Romulus White is a publisher of a popular scientific magazine that has been trying to get Stella come be an artist for him for years.  He wants her to be the answer for what is missing from his magazine.  Stella wants Romulus to be the answer to what she needs - connections to high power people.  People that can help her get what she needs.

Sparks begin to fly between to the two as they clash and it's not all arguments.  Stella and Romulus find themselves falling for each other (and fighting it the whole time!)  Is Romulus the answer to what Stella needs to find out what happened to her sister?  What will happen as the danger around them rises as they get closer to answers?

The history in this book in the start of the Boston subway was fascinating.  The historical details put into the story was wonderfully done.

I loved the interaction between Stella and Romulus was electric.  I was laughing at his remarks about her clothing, especially what he called her clothes when she works in the City Hall.   I was also grinning at how Romulus learned that sometimes the life long plans you make can be changed, in ways you don't expect it to.

Not only did Stella find herself growing closer to Romulus, but more importantly, by the end of the story she found herself closer to someone she had wandered away from - she found herself closer to God.

This book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.   I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are entirely my own.

A Haven on Orchard Lane by Lawana Blackwell

Charlotte Ward was a famed actress but stepped away from the Victorian London stage.  She finds her self in desperate circumstances, and when a role is offered to her (one she has played before) is offered, she eagerly accepts - only to experience a complete fall out.  Charlotte's daughter Rosalind, who hasn't seen her spoke to her mother in years, reluctantly comes to her and takes her away to recover in a small remove village.  

As Charlotte and Rosalind reconnect with each other, love seems to blossom for Rosalind at the same time.  Rosalind struggles with reconnecting with the mother she never really knew, and doesn't have time for romance!

As the threats of the recent months come closer to where they are they have difficult decisions to make.  Who can they trust to help them?  Will they bond that is growing between them be broken?  Will Rosalind find love?

While there is the romance between Rosalind and Jude, the story line is mostly about the growing bond between Charlotte and Rosalind.  It's about the relations between mother and daughter and the connections they make with each of those in the village - both the good and the bad!  The story lines of all the characters are woven together to make a wonderful story line.

This book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.   I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are entirely my own.

No Other Will Do by Karen Witemeyer

 

Emma Chandler was taught by her suggragatte aunts growing up that men were optional.  She establised Harper's Station to be a women only colony where women could have a fresh start.  Where they could be on there and work in positions, that women normally would be in.

Someone is out to hurt the ladies and wants them out of the town they have set up. Not knowing what else to do, Emma reaches out to the only man she could trust, the only one she knows can help them.

Malachi Shaw has finally earned the respect and acceptance he has always wanted.  He loves his job as a explosive expert for the railroad.  When Emma's telegram reaches he, he returns to Taxes to finally payback the girl who has rescued him and helped him so many years before.  He realizes that she is no longer the little girl he remembers, but a woman with a mind of her own - one he quickly falls in love with.

Emma and Malachi work together (much to Malachi's chagrin at times!) to find out what is behind all that is going on at Harper's Station.  Who is helping the person responsible for the threats that are happening?  How far will the person go?  

Malachi's compassion and tender heat shows the ladies at Harper's Station that not all men are to be feared.   Not only is he able to be a help to the ladies, but he is also a "fatherly" help to the children in the community.  

This book is intriguing and one that is hard to put down as you get closer to the end.  It is a very good read!

This book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.   I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are entirely my own.

Beloved Mess: God's Perfect Love for Your Imperfect Life by Kimm Crandall

Life can throw a lot at you.  You can appear to others that you have it all together and are doing well, but inside you are a crumbling mess.  We may be the only shining light of Jesus that others will see and we put on a brave front to let our light shine.    We need to open up and admit where we struggle and the issues we face.

Kimm Crandall opens up her life story and tells us the struggles she faced and what God taught her through all of it. She reminds us that God loves us just the way we are.  We don't need to "clean up" to get him to love us. but he loves us for who we are and the way we are.  He wants us to turn to him and he will help us through it all.

Kimm makes it believable that you can overcome anything that comes into your life. She opened up her life to us and tells us the struggles she went through, some that most people would probably never want others to know.  She uses scripture throughout the book for every area that she talks about.  Each chapter ends with questions for us to think on and ponder.

This book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.   I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are entirely my own.

Miracles from Heaven

This is a movie about faith and healing.  This movie is based off the real life experience of Anna Beam.

Anna is diagnosed with a rare disorder.  Her family does everything they can to find treatment for her and do what they can to help prolong her life.  Anna is playing in a tree with her older sister when she falls through a hollow part of the tree and falls several feet to the bottom of the tree.  While inside the tree she experiences what can only be described as a miracle.

Make sure you have tissues when watching this movie!  It's heartwarming and beautiful.  You feel for the family as they go through the struggles as they adjust to Anna's diagnosis and the struggles that come with it.  Dr. Nurko brings much needed laughter to the family and to us as we watch the movie!

In the end the family realizes the miracles that were around them each and every day.  Miracles they couldn't see.  From friends they meet in Boston that helped them out, to the new receptionist working for Dr. Nurko to the person working the airport check in counter.  

The only thing I would have to say is that I didn't care for most of the music in the movie and had to hit mute while watching it until the music over.  Other then that it was a wonderful family movie and I would recommend it!

This video has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.   I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are entirely my own.

Sea Rose Lane by Irene Hannon

Eric Nash is on the fast track for partner in a prestigious law firm when he suddenly laid off.  He returns to his home in Hope Harbor, only to find his childhood home is being turned into a bed and breakfast.  While he wants to look into his next career move in peace and quiet, he finds himself surrounded by noise - and an attractive architect  BJ Stevens who is leading it all.  He gets himself off on the wrong foot with her, not once but twice!  BJ finds her client's son to be very handsome, but she isn't ready for a new romance.

BJ's heart is with the elderly residents of Hope Harbour and wants to help them out.  She has a plan that she wants to put into action.  Eric works with her to help the residence, and one of BJ's employees at the same time.   While they work together to help the residence, they help each other at the same time.

Eric finds his old friend Charley to be the same as he remembered.  Always there to help. Always there to encourage and point him in the right way.  When a job on the fast track opens up, will he take it?  Will Eric go back to the fast track of earning a partnership in a prestigious law firm?  Or will he stay in Hope Harbour helping the residence there, and picking up his paint brush again.  Will BJ and Eric pursue the feelings the have for each other?

Irene Hannon has written a wonderful romantic story.  You could feel the pull between the two characters as they drew closer to each other.  I loved Eleanor!  I so wished that BJ's plan would come together and work out to help her, and not only help her but to help Louis as well.

I loved the seagulls and how they seemed to be so human and that Charley seemed to know them so well. The seagulls and along with Casper brought some great humor into the story!

This book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.   I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are entirely my own.