The Daughter of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky

What if the title, the estate, the life of security and splendor… what if it isn’t enough?

        Strong-willed and beautiful, debutante Katherine Ramsey feels ready to take the London social season by storm, and she must. Her family estate, Highland Hall, has been passed to older male cousin Sir William Ramsey, and her only means of securing her future is to make a strong debut and find a proper husband. With her all-knowing and meddling aunt as a guide, Katherine is certain to attract suitors at the lavish gatherings, sparkling with Great Britain’s elite.

        When a shocking family scandal sidelines Katherine, forcing her out of the social spotlight, she keeps a low profile, volunteering with the poor in London’s East End. Here Katherine feels free from her predictable future, and even more so as a friendship with medical student Jonathan Foster deepens and her faith in God grows. But when Katherine is courted anew by a man of wealth and position, dreams of the life she always thought she wanted surface again. Torn between tradition and the stirrings in her heart for a different path, she must decide whom she can trust and love—and if she will choose a life serving others over one where she is served.

        The Daughter of Highland Hall is the second book in Carrie Turansky’s Edwardian Brides series, coming after TheGoverness of Highland Hall. While I definitely enjoyed the first book in the series, I have to say, I liked The Daughter of Highland Hall better. With a much more suspenseful plot, this novel kept me captivated; I never was completely sure what would happen. Personally, I felt like the happy ending was much more glorified, much more unexpected (if a happy ending can be unexpected) and exciting. Besides, I found Katherine and Jonathan to be even more relatable than Julia and William.

        All her life Katherine Ramsey (yes she is William’s niece) has dreamt of marrying a wealthy man of society and securing her future, especially since her family estate became her uncle William’s when her father died. As she begins her first season among London’s elite, Kate believes she will be able to do just that, until family secrets and scandal threaten to ruin her chances. Longing for her life to mean something, Kate joins Julia’s medical-student brother, Jonathan Foster, as he volunteers in the East End. What she finds is nothing like she expected; instead, she realizes she loves helping out where she can, and she is enjoying her time with Jon far more than she thought she would. Will she give up everything she thought she wanted for a life unlike any she’s ever known, or will she sacrifice her chance at a life of happiness for the security she’s always longed for?

        Honestly, I cannot tell you how refreshing Kate was. Her honesty never failed to astonish me, and I loved watching her relationship with God deepen as time went on. She had more compassion and love than I originally gave her credit for, and I enjoyed seeing her find fulfillment in helping others. I liked watching her with Jon, too (wink wink). I couldn’t get enough of the two of them. Their attraction was palpable, to me anyway, and you could practically see the sparks fly between them. It also didn’t hurt that Jon was such a sweetheart. From the day he met her, Jon constantly felt the need to protect Kate—whether from the dangers of East End or the incredibly rude and pushy remarks from her irritating aunt—and that was so sweet to behold. And I have to say, it’s hard not to love a man with such deep faith who puts the needs of others before his own. I would’ve been shocked if I—and Kate—hadn’t fallen for him.

        Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. While I found the plot, and the characters, interesting and wonderful, I also really loved the elements of faith in this novel. After reading both The Daughter of Highland Hall and its predecessor, that is something I really applaud Carrie for. She does an amazing job of weaving her faith into her books in a way that is touching and inspiring, and I love her for it. Obviously I must give this novel all five bookshelves. I loved it too much to even consider giving it less. And I highly recommend it because I am sure you, dear readers, will love it too.

        Happy reading!

You can purchase a copy of  The Daughter of Highland Hall here.

All credit for the italicized synopsis goes to Carrie Turansky and Multnomah Books.

The Governess of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky

Worlds lie between the marketplaces of India and the halls of a magnificent country estate like Highland Hall. Will Julia be able to find her place when a governess is neither upstairs family nor downstairs help?

        Missionary Julia Foster loves working alongside her parents, ministering and caring for young girls in India. But when the family must return to England due to illness, she readily accepts the burden for her parents’ financial support. Taking on a job at Highland Hall as a governess, she quickly finds that teaching her four privileged, ill-mannered charges at a grand estate is more challenging than expected, and she isn’t sure what to make of the estate’s preoccupied master, Sir William Ramsey.

        Widowed and left to care for his two young children and his deceased cousin Randolph’s two teenage girls, William is consumed with saving the estate from financial ruin. The last thing he needs is any distraction coming from the kindhearted-yet-determined governess who seems to be quietly transforming his household with her persuasive personality, vibrant prayer life, and strong faith.

        While both a tending past wounds and guarding fragile secrets, Julia and William are determined to do what it takes to save their families—common ground that proves fertile for unexpected feelings. But will William choose Julia’s steadfast heart and faith over the wealth and power he needs to secure Highland Hall’s future?

        The Governess of Highland Hall is the first book in Carrie Turansky’s Edwardian Brides series, and is also the first book I have ever read by her. Though I must say I am pleasantly surprised with how excellent it was, I cannot say I didn’t expect it to be—at least a little. Based on the description and the many positive reviews, I was sure this novel would be one I would enjoy, I just didn’t expect I would love it as much as I did. Although The Governess of Highland Hall wasn’t a mystery—which you know I am very fond of—it was suspenseful and hard to put down nonetheless.

        Julia Foster quickly became one of my favorite heroines. Her grace, compassion, and Christ-like attitude proved her to be a woman of worth, while her determination and refusal to back down on what she believed in were more of her qualities I long to possess. As I got to know her better through the pages, she became like a friend to me. Always putting others’ needs before her own, Julia was constantly being one character or another’s confidant and support in times of need, and I couldn’t help but love her for it. And the way she refused to let her pain and heartache—past and present—make her bitter was completely inspiring. That was what I took most from Julia, why I loved her as much as I did: because I felt I could learn from her. I could become a better person just by reading about her and following her example.

        Sir William Ramsey was extremely lovable as well, although for totally different reasons. Despite his mistakes and his sometimes flawed way of thinking, William had a good and compassionate heart, and I couldn’t help admiring him, flaws and all. Honestly, I think it is because of his imperfections that I loved him as much as I did. He was human, more so than Julia—although she made mistakes as well—and that was what made him more relatable. But I also really enjoyed the way William and Julia related to one another. To me, their attraction was palpable, and I loved watching them fail to guard their hearts, despite their best efforts—although I wouldn’t feel that way if I was in their shoes—it was enjoyable to watch them fall for one another.

        Since The Governess of Highland Hall was so completely enjoyable and packed full of sweet, heartwarming moments, I gladly give it all five bookshelves. I just finished reading the second book in the series—The Daughter of Highland Hall—and I loved it as well. Look out for my review of it tomorrow, as well as the third book, which releases in a couple of months. I’m excited to see how the rest of the story pans out!

        Happy reading!

You can purchase any book from the Edwardian Brides series here!

All credit for the italicized synopsis goes to Carrie Turansky and Multnomah Books.

Top Ten Tuesday: Authors I’ve Read the Most

        This is my first time linking-up with Top Ten Tuesday, and I’m super excited! This link-up seems like a lot of fun, and I know I will be enjoying it as I continue to link-up over the next few weeks! So, here’s my top ten authors I’ve read the most!

1. Carolyn Keene (???)

        I honestly have no idea how many of her books I have read. I have been a huge fan of mysteries since I was young, so I have read quite a few in my relatively-short lifetime (compared to how many more years of reading I still have left of course). Nancy Drew is a favorite for many girls, especially preteens, so when I was about that age, I started reading her mysteries. There are so many of them out now that I couldn’t possibly keep track, but I am positive I have read at least eighty of them. Honestly, I still enjoy them, and would read them all over again if I had the time. Nancy Drew will forever be a favorite.

2. Beverly Lewis (49)

        I have read all but three of Beverly’s books. Her Amish novels are some of the absolute best, and I never fail to enjoy them. They are always full of just enough secrets and drama to keep you hooked until the last page. Her happy endings are wonderful, too. I think, of all of her series, I love The Rose series the best. They just held so much suspense and relatability that I remember to this day. I really enjoyed Sanctuary as well.

3. Janette Oke (42)

        Another author whose works I have almost finished, Janette Oke is a HUGE favorite of mine. Her Love Comes Softly series is to die for—I have read it more than once and seen most of the movies—and I absolutely loved her Prairie Legacy series, which was a continuation of Love Comes Softly. The Acts of Faith series that she wrote with Davis Bunn is my absolute favorite series about Biblical Times, and I cannot forget how much I loved her Song of Acadia series, even though I read it years ago. Her Canadian West series was just as good, which is why I actually jumped up and down when I first found out about the spinoff Hallmark show, When Calls the Heart (the absolute best show on television). Obviously Janette Oke is one of my favorite authors (he he).

4. Karen Kingsbury (36)

        I absolutely love Karen’s books. They are always so full of drama and relatable life situations that you cannot help but be drawn in, and many times end up crying before the story is over. Every single one of her books that I have read has touched me in some way or another, especially her new Angels Walking series. But my favorite of everything she has ever written is the Bailey Flanigan series. I have already read all four books more than once, and am planning on reading them again in the near future. They are fantastic, and I cannot get enough of them.

5. Robin Jones Gunn (34)

        I have actually read more of Robin’s Young Adult novels than anything else, but that is simply because I first stumbled upon her writing in a YA section…as a young adult. That is how she first became one of my favorite authors. Today, she is one of my favorites because of her Katie Weldon series. Those four books are absolutely wonderful, and still some of the best I have ever read.

6. Nancy Rue (31)

        Another author whose YA books are mostly what I have read…okay, actually everything I have read by her was YA fiction. What can I say, her YA novels are fantastic! Especially the Real Life series. Those four books really touched me when I read them as a young teenager. I still cannot forget them and the impact they made on my life.

7. Kim Vogel Sawyer (18)

        I absolutely love Kim’s writing. Her historicals are to die for, and I really enjoyed the first two books in her Zimmerman Restoration Trilogy, which I just read a few weeks ago. All in all though, I think my favorite out of all of her novels are the My Heart Remembers series—that I have already read twice, they are completely and utterly perfect—and What Once Was Lost. I am still so glad I purchased that novel.

8. Tracie Peterson (13)

        I have been a fan of Tracie Peterson for a while now, although I must say I was disappointed to find one of her latest novels a complete letdown. Nevertheless, her Ladies of Liberty series was amazing, and I loved her Broadmoor Legacy series.

9. Lori Wick (13)

        I first heard of Lori from a friend of mine who lent me some of her books. Okay, okay, so that’s how I read all thirteen novels by her. But I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed them. Bamboo & Lace was my absolute favorite, and I really loved Pretense as well.

10. Wanda E. Brunstetter (12)

        I really love Wanda’s Amish novels. I’ve known of her works for a fairly long time, and have read those twelve books over a fairly spread out period of time, so I really can’t remember as much about them as I would like to. However, I am certain I liked Lydia’s Charm the most. So far anyway (wink wink).

        That’s my top ten most read authors! Happy reading!

Linking up with Top Ten Tuesday.

My Bookshelf: The Colonel’s Lady by Laura Frantz

        In 1779, genteel Virginia spinster Roxanna Rowan braves the wilds of the frontier to reach a remote Kentucky fort. Eager to reunite with her father, who serves under Colonel Cassius McLinn, Roxanna is devastated to find that her officer father has been killed on a campaign. Penniless and out of options, Roxanna is forced to remain at the fort. As she spends more and more time with the fiery Colonel McLinn, the fort is abuzz with intrigue and innuendo. Can Roxanna truly know who the colonel is—and what he’s done?

        Laura Frantz is a relatively new author to me—The Colonel’s Lady is the first book I have read by her—but I must say she quickly has become one of my favorites. Laura does a wonderful job of weaving mystery, intrigue, and romance together in this Revolutionary War historical, making it nearly impossible to put down. She draws you in with bits of tragedy and hidden truths before rooting you to your spot with heart-melting scenes that renew your faith in love and compassion. After reading such a sweet, well-written story, I can assure you that I will most definitely be reading more of her books in the future.

        With nowhere else to go and no one else to turn to, Roxanna Rowan puts aside her fears of danger and ventures into the frontier in an attempt to get to her father, who is serving as an officer in a fort in the Kentucke territory. After receiving the devastating news that her father was killed on a campaign, Roxanna has no choice but to remain on the fort until she can find a way back to civilization. She begins to settle in to her life on the fort, and before much time has passed, she finds herself becoming closer and closer to Cassius McLinn—the colonel in charge of the fort. But Cass’s heart remains a mystery, and she cannot help but wonder if she can truly trust a man who holds so many secrets, even though he is also the man who holds her heart. Will Roxanna ever be able to put aside old—and new—hurts and forgive the Colonel? Will she ever find the love she’s been longing for?

        So let me just say, I absolutely love Cass. Yes, I know, he’s Mr. Gruff-and-Tough, and he holds more secrets than any man ever should, but I could not help falling for him. On the inside he is such a sweet, gentle man, and you see that time and again as he cares for Roxanna and Abby (who you’ll meet later). When he lets his guard down and stops trying to hold the weight of the whole fort on his shoulders, Cass becomes the most compassionate, kind, gentle-hearted soul you can imagine. And honestly, I like men who can be a little gruff sometimes. They have to be able to protect you, right (ha ha)? Anyway, Cass quickly became one of my favorite heroes, especially as I watched him struggle with his secrets, the possibility of a spy, the British soldiers (and all the things they threatened which I cannot tell you), and his own humanness (like illness and such, also things I cannot tell you). Add all of that together, throw in some breathtakingly romantic scenes, and you’ve got a story—and a hero—you’re not likely to forget.

        Since this book was so completely chock full of extremely interesting Revolutionary Period facts, intrigue—this was one mystery I couldn’t figure out, until it was obvious of course—and romance, I cannot help but give it all five bookshelves. Laura weaved an unforgettable tale of humility, love, and forgiveness that I am sure I will be reading again. I cannot wait to read more of her novels, because I am sure each one will be a treat, just like this one.

        Happy reading!

You can purchase a copy of this book here!

Linking up at Bloggers Who Have Inspired Me and Totally Terrific Tuesdays. 

All credit for the italicized synopsis goes to Laura Frantz and Revell Publishing.

Murder Freshly Baked by Vannetta Chapman

When delicious baked goods become lethal, a trail of poetry leads to a sweet-toothed killer.

Don’t taste it/Don’t share it/Just throw it away/If you try my bakery pie/You won’t live to see another day.

        The Amish Artisan Village of Middlebury, Indiana, might be the last place you would ever expect to find a murderer. But Amber has been managing the Village for decades and there’s nothing she hasn’t seen. Or so she thought.

        When poetic notes begin appearing around the bakery, warning that some of the pies have been poisoned, Amber is as confused as she is concerned. Who poisons pies? And more to the point, who leaves poems of warning after they’ve done it? When Amber decides to help the police track down the sweet-toothed saboteur, she enlists Hannah Troyer for another round of Amish-style detective work.

        Can Amber and Hannah help the police before the Poison Poet strikes? Both women will need to draw on their faith to preserve the peaceful community they’ve built in Middlebury…and to protect the girls who work in the Amish Artisan Village.

        Murder Freshly Baked is the third book in Vannetta Chapman’s Amish Village Mystery series, coming after Murder Simply Brewed and Murder Tightly Knit, both of which I read and reviewed just a couple of months ago. I enjoyed all three of them pretty equally since I love mysteries, and the way Vannetta tied the Amish and Englisch worlds together. As was the case with Murder Simply Brewed, I wasn’t sure of the murderer’s identity until the very end, although I did have my suspicions. The rest of the book, however, left me completely puzzled, because the “poison poet” made for an absolutely baffling mystery. For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out his/her motives or plans, possibly because I had no idea who he/she was!

        Since Hannah and Amber were the main sleuths in both of the previous novels, I already knew and loved them before I opened this book. Preston, however, was another story. He had been introduced as a minor character earlier, so I was well aware of him and his role in Amber’s life, but I hadn’t been able to fully grasp what a great man he is. Believe me when I say I became well aware of it after I had read just a few chapters. Despite all the hardships and pain he faced leading up to his job at Amber’s Amish Village—and even what he faced while he worked there—he remained strong and proved himself to be worthy of all of my admiration. And his dog Mocha, oh my goodness, must be the smartest dog on the whole entire planet. I already love dogs anyway, so I couldn’t help but fall in love with her. Why can’t my dog be that smart?

        Anyway, I absolutely loved how, despite the differences in their ways of life—and ages—Amber, Tate, Hannah, Jesse, Pam, and Preston all were the closest of friends, and how they rallied together to try to catch the poet. I couldn’t help but be captivated by the story, since it was so completely mysterious and I never knew what would happen next. I really had no idea who the culprit was or where they would strike next, and many events had me gasping in surprise. Although, now that I’ve had time to dwell on it, the whole plot was genius, really. Both the culprit’s plot and Vannetta’s. Since I really enjoyed this novel, I gave it all five bookshelves, and I highly recommend it as a wonderful mystery to cozy up with on a rainy day (or any day).

        Happy reading!

You can purchase a copy of this book, or the ones that precede it, here.

Linking up at Let it Shine.

All credit for the italicized synopsis goes to Vannetta Chapman and Zondervan Publishers.

High Five for Friday

Happy Friday! This is my first time linking-up at High Five for Friday, so I’m super excited. My sister has been doing it for a while now and she loves it, so I thought I’d give it a try! Here goes!

                1. Although I feel like all I ever post about is books, I have to mention one of the novels I read a few days ago because it really was one of the highlights of my week. I absolutely love to find stories that not only are interesting, fun stories to read, but also bless you in little ways you never expected they would, and Sweetwater Gap by Denise Hunter was one of those books. Even now, three days after I finished it, I cannot stop thinking about it; it was that great.

You can check out my full review here.

                2. I’ve started my first audiobook!! I know, I know, I’m a little late jumping on board the ‘audiobook train’, but I was so worried I wouldn’t like them nearly as much as physical books. So I kept putting off trying my first one, insisting I would—just not yet. However, this week I picked one up from the library, just for the fun of it—and with my life picking up speed over the next few weeks I knew I would need to go over to the dark side (ha ha). Anyway, I knew it was time. And I love it. I’m listening to Mrs. Grant and Madame Jule by Jennifer Chiavarini and I cannot get enough. The book is wonderful, so that helps, but it’s also great to be able to get some of my reading done while painting my nails or cleaning or doing whatever else it is that needs to be done. I’ll let you know my full impression of both the story and the audiobook after I finish it in the next couple of weeks.

                3. I have a confession to make. I have become totally and completely obsessed with nail art. I don’t know how or why—up until a few weeks ago I rarely even painted my nails at all—but all the sudden nail art became one of my favorite things to do. Although it is slightly time-consuming, depending on the design, I love coming up with different designs, color schemes, and patterns, like the ones in the picture below (I did those yesterday). I’m thinking sometime in the next week or so I’ll do a post about my most recent nail designs and give you some steps on how to do them. Nail art might become one of my new things! We’ll see…

                4. I’m getting a haircut today! I know, I know, that’s a highlight of my week? It’s just a haircut, right? Wrong. I haven’t had a haircut since May, and I sorely need one, but with everything going on I just haven’t had a chance to get one. So that is a really big highlight for my week. Last time I went I got my curly locks cut into a nice asymmetrical-bob-sort-thing, with the front being a bit longer than the back. I also got layers (curly-hair typically must have them), and I got the back stacked a bit, which I really loved. So today, I’m just getting it shaped up and back to that haircut because so far—with my short hair anyway—that is my favorite style so far.

                5. I have closing program practice tonight! I’m super excited because I know it will be loads of fun. My church, for the last couple of years, has done a summer long Vacation Bible School instead of just the week long one, which everyone really has come to love. Each year, at the end of the summer, they put on a closing program for the whole church, where they sing their VBS songs and show pictures of what they’ve done and learned, and there are usually a few skits. This year, the skit is a bit longer and has a few more characters than usual, so our children’s director asked a few people who weren’t in the children’s department to do the acting instead, so that she could really get the point across, and it would be fun for the kids to watch. So, I am one of those actors, and it is a blast. The skit is adorable and funny, and I love the rest of the actors; they make everything hilarious, including practices. There is never a dull moment with any of them, and since one of them is my best friend and the other two are absolute goofballs, I am sure tonight’s practice will be more fun and less work.

                So, that’s my week! Happy Friday!!!

Linking up at Bright on a Budget. 

All credit for the photo of Mrs. Grant and Madame Jule goes to Amazon.

Sweetwater Gap by Denise Hunter

She wished she could go back and change things…but live doesn’t give do-overs. Could anything but good-byes be waiting on the other side of Sweetwater Gap?

        Josie Mitchell’s sister Laurel thinks she’s come home to pitch in with the apple harvest and save the family orchard. Her brother-in-law Nate thinks she’s there to talk the overworked, very pregnant Laurel into finally selling the family business. The orchard’s new manager Grady Mackenzie just thinks she’s trouble with a capital T. They’re all right…and all wrong. Because no one really knows what drove Josie from home in the first place. Why she’s never come home before, even for her own father’s funeral. Why she pushes herself so hard…and what she’s running from. And nobody, not even Josie, is prepared for the surprising new fruit she’ll find on her last trip home.

        Denise Hunter has been one of my favorite authors ever since I first read Dancing with Fireflies, so as soon as I found an empty spot on my blog calendar, I hurried to fill it with one of her books. Once again, I wasn’t disappointed, as Sweetwater Gap has become one of my favorite novels. I cannot help but be drawn in whenever a book’s description makes it apparent that the story is full of secrets, just as this one does, so as soon as I picked it out to read and review this month, I couldn’t wait to read it. Happily, it more than met my expectations, just going to show I did well in picking Denise as one of my favorite authors. She weaved such a poignant tale of secrets, past hurts, and regrets that made me want to weep for many of the characters, especially Josie.

        Josie is so full of pain. I almost couldn’t stand it, especially as I got deeper into the story and learned why, and realized that some of it was self-inflicted, although she wouldn’t have known it. With so much heartache from her past, and even some that had begun when she was only a child, I almost couldn’t tell where the pain stopped and where Josie began. I cannot tell you just how sorry I felt for her, just how much I wish things had been different—someone had told her the truth and helped her to realize she was worth more than she thought—although it wouldn’t have been much of a story if someone had. Denise did a wonderful job of slowly bringing Josie’s secrets, her inner torment, to light for us readers while still having it remain unknown to the other characters, which made it easy to sympathize with Josie when her family unknowingly touched on a sore spot in her life.

        While many different elements play into my love for this book, the main point is the way the story ends. Though I don’t want to spoil anything for you, I will say that it is written perfectly, and reminds me of Dancing with Fireflies in a way. Obviously the same events do not occur, but Denise brings everything to a head, has something suspenseful happen, and then resolve the whole conflict in a way that is reminiscent of Dancing with Fireflies. I love the way an ending like that pulls you in, almost convincing you that maybe there won’t be a ‘happily ever after’, right before making everything just the way it should be. It is the opposite of predictable.

        Can I take another moment to dwell on how wonderfully heartwarming this story was? I have not read a novel that touched my heart more. The hurts these characters face are real, and completely believable, especially with the way Denise slowly brought them to light while giving you little glimpses into the hearts of those who carried them. As I got deeper and deeper into the story, I realized more and more just how realistic—and possible—Josie’s heartbreak was, and it caused every decision she made to make perfect sense. And, unlike many other romances, the hurt and fears that made Josie and Grady reluctant to give in to their growing feelings for one another never once felt forced, but rather played in perfectly to their stories and were perfectly valid reasons that anyone would face today.

        Denise did a wonderful job of weaving the characters’ heartbreaking pasts into a story that not only held your interest all through the conflict, but left you blessed as you made your way to the resolution, ending the book with peace and redemption. I cannot help but give such a touching, faith-filled tale all five bookshelves, and say that I would recommend it to absolutely anyone, but especially someone who likes to be reminded of the goodness of God. This story really blessed my heart, as I am sure it will bless yours as well.

        Happy reading!

You can purchase a copy of this wonderful novel here.

Linking up at Let it Shine

All credit for the italicized synopsis goes to Denise Hunter and Thomas Nelson.