Jaded by Varina Denman

Their small-town church wants them apart. But God has other plans.

        As a child, Ruthie was shunned by the local congregation. Now, thirteen years later, Ruthie’s heart begins to stir when an attractive single preacher arrives. But their relationship is bitterly opposed, and a string of secrets are unearthed that threaten to turn the church, the town, and her world upside down.

        Jaded is the rare novel that is a love story between both a woman and a man…and God and His church. Plunging deep into the waters of shame, forgiveness, and restoration, this book will resonate with every woman who’s experienced a loss of heart…and a thirst for hope.

My Bookshelf: A Dream of Miracles by Ruth Reid

Mattie is at opposition with Bo before they even meet. And the stirrings of love are overshadowed by the need for a miracle to heal a young boy.

        Widow Mattie Diener’s son is terribly sick, and she doesn’t know why. At her wit’s end, she takes him to the local hospital, except a city doctor is filling in for the usual physician. When the new doctor accuses Mattie of child abuse because of the boy’s mysterious symptoms, Mattie’s nightmare turns from bad to worse.

        Bo Lambright works for social services and is assigned to the case. Even though he believes in his heart that Mattie is innocent, he is required to investigate the boy’s symptoms.

        Mattie checks her son out of the hospital against medical advice, but is arrested. Bo ends up bailing her out, but she feels she can’t trust him because of the horrible accusations, and she would never harm her children. Meanwhile, Bo is having dreams that seem crazy but might actually be the answer to all of their prayers.

Books I Own But Somehow Still Haven’t Read

Today’s Top Ten Tuesday is actually all about what we think are the top ten bookish things, but I just wasn’t really feeling that topic this week. So instead, I thought I would write all about the books I own but yet still haven’t read. That was actually the reason I started doing a My Bookshelf post every Tuesday: because I have so many books that I still haven’t read! So, since there’s still far too many, I decided to feature them for today’s Top Ten Tuesday. I had more than ten, so I picked the ten I’ve had for the longest. Here are my top ten!

Without a Trace by Colleen Coble

Without a Trace is the first book in Colleen’s Rock Harbor series.

Must-Have May Releases

        How is it already almost May?! I have absolutely no idea, but I am so glad, because that means I get out of school this week! Summer break is finally here, and I am so glad as I desperately need it! Also, I’m so excited for all of the books releasing the next couple of months, and I’ll actually have time to read them because I won’t be doing schoolwork. So, get ready for lots of reviews! For now, though, here are the May releases I’m excited for!

Dawn at Emberwilde

Annabelle is about to enter the world of le bon ton. But there is more to it than meets the eye. And not all of it is good.

        Fellsworth School is the only home that Annabelle Creswell has ever known. An artist at heart, she is curious about what adventure lies beyond Fellsworth’s walls. When her long-lost aunt invites Annabelle and her younger half-sister to accompany her to Bellfield Crossing for the summer, Annabelle cannot resist a new adventure.

        Colin Ashton, on the other hand, has more adventure than he cares for. As a magistrate in Bellfield Crossing, he focuses on keeping illegal activity at bay. He has little time for frivolous activities, which he’s certain are Annabelle’s focus.

        Annabelle is enamored by the opulence that surrounds her at her aunt’s home—more wealth than she has ever known—but it is the orphans at the local orphanage who really capture her heart. As she works among the community, Annabelle quickly finds herself the interest of several suitors. Colin warns her not everyone can be trusted, but she wonders if she can trust him. After all, she has been told stories about him.

        Colin’s and Annabelle’s paths continue to cross as Colin works to unearth the local smuggling ring and Annabelle takes her place in high society. Could Colin have been telling the truth? And will her aunt listen when Annabelle voices her concerns? Or will she send Annabelle back to Fellsworth and away from the life…and man she has come to love?

My Bookshelf: The Bachelor Girl’s Guide to Murder by Rachel McMillan

Beneath the façade of a wealthy aristocrat may beat the black heart of a killer…

In 1910 Toronto, most girls are perfecting their domestic skills and finding husbands.

        But Merinda Herringford and Jem Watts have never been ordinary. As the two detectives launch their business, the deaths of two young Irish women lead them deep into the mire of the city’s underbelly.

        While searching for answers, donning disguises, and sneaking around where no proper ladies would ever go, they pair with Jasper Forth, a police constable, and Ray DeLuca, a reporter in whom Jem takes a more than professional interest. Merinda could well become Toronto’s premiere consulting detective, and Jem may just find a way to put her bachelor girlhood behind her forever—if they can stay alive long enough to do so.

Ten Books That Will Make You Laugh

Today’s Top Ten Tuesday is all about the books that make us laugh. I’ve tackled this topic once before, so I’ll try not to repeat, but forgive me if there’s just a little bit of overlap. And if you want to see my full review of one of the books, you can just click on the coral titles in the text. Anyway, I’ve picked ten books that I absolutely love, and I can promise that they are definitely funny. So, here is my list!

Playing the Part by Jen Turano

Playing the Part is the third book in Jen’s A Class of Their Own series, coming behind After a Fashion and In Good Company.

My Bookshelf: Back in the Saddle by Ruth Logan Herne

The prodigal is coming home.

        It’s been a long time since Colt Stafford shrugged of his cowboy legacy for shiny Manhattan loafers and a promising career on Wall Street. But when stock market manipulations leave him financially strapped, the oldest son of legendary rancher Sam Stafford decides to return to the sprawling Double S ranch in Gray’s Glen, Washington. He’s broke, but not broken, and it’s time to check in with his ailing father and get his legs back under him by climbing into the saddle again.

        He doesn’t expect to come home to a stranger pointing a loaded gun at his chest—a tough yet beautiful woman that Sam hired as the house manager. Colt senses there’s more to Angelina Morales than meets the eye and he’s determined to find out what she’s hiding…and why.

        Colt’s return brings new challenges. Younger brother Nick has been Sam’s right-hand man at the ranch for years and isn’t thrilled at having Colt insert himself into Double S affairs. And the ranch’s contentious relationship with the citizens of Gray’s Glen asks all the Stafford men to examine their hearts about what it truly means to be a neighbor. And as Wall Street recovers, will Colt succumb to the call of the financial district’s wealth and power—or find the courage to stay in the saddle for good?