Until I Fount You by Victoria Bylin

Kate Darby has a plan for her life, but that plan is put on hold when she needs to take care of her grandmother after a stroke. Nick Sheridan, a new Christian, has lived life in the fast lane for as long  as he can remember, but he’s trying to change and go a different direction. With his new faith, he has decided not to date for a year.

Before that year is up, he meets Kate when he rescues her after her car ends up dangling from the side of a mountain as a result of swerving to miss a condor in the roadway.

With the curveballs they encounter, how will their faith withstand the new trials, decisions, and emotions?  

Victoria Bylin crafted an enjoyable and authentic read. The characters are very believable, and there is a great balance of faith presented. Kate’s struggle of what to do with her future is genuine and relatable. This book shows that no matter how much we plan, God can easily change the path we have laid out for ourselves.

This book was provided by Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.

The Last Bride by Beverly Lewis

Tessie Miller is the last of her sisters to marry. Marcus King is who she has her heart set on marrying, but Tessie’s father opposes the union. Marcus and Tessie decide that since they love each other, they will elope. They plan on living as though they are single while trying to convince Tessie’s family to support their relationship. But when the unthinkable happens, Tessie fears no one will believe the truth.

I enjoyed this book more than I expected. The characters were well developed, and Tessie’s desire for her family to believe the truth about her marriage pulls on the reader’s heartstrings. The beginning and ending of the story were the most enjoyable to read. The struggle of Tessie wanting her people to know the truth went on longer than it needed in the middle. This book showcases how we have a way of going about decisions based on our own feelings rather than knowing everything involved.

 

A copy of this book was provided by Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.

A Shining Light by Judith Miller

Andrea Wilson is in an abusive marriage, trying to care for the couple's young son. When her husband goes missing out at sea and is presumed dead, she returns to Iowa where her father had a farm, hoping to build a new life. But she finds that farm burned and her father is no longer alive.

Now she must turn to the hospitality of complete strangers in the Amana village. They welcome her and Lukas into their community, but when a shocking discovery is made, how will she be able to settle down and feel at peace?

I found this book to be more enjoyable than I anticipated. Having read the first book in the Home to Amana series, I expected a similar read. This, however, exceeded those expectations. The characters were more genuine, and it was easy to feel what each character felt. The perspective from which each chapter is told changes, giving greater insight into the characters' thoughts.

Where Courage Calls by Janette Oke and Laurel Oke Logan

Beth Thatcher seems to have it all in her well established life. Everything is easily provided for her, but she takes a leap of faith when she decides to leave the comfort of home for a teaching position in a rural coal mining community. What she finds are deplorable conditions, ones she's certainly not accustomed to. How will she be able to adjust? Her teaching contract is only for a year. Will that be enough time to touch a community reeling from a mining disaster that left many families without husbands and fathers?

What about a man for her to settle down? With two options, will she go with what is expected and planned for her, or will she follow her heart?

Generally, I am a fan of Janette Oke's work, but this book left much to be desired. While the characters felt sincere and realistic, the plot moved along slowly. It did not get interesting until chapter 21, and there was not a huge climax even at that point. If you're looking for an easy book to read before bed, this is it because it's very easy to put down and pick up at another time.

This book was provided by Bethany House Publishers in return for my honest review.

A Bride for Keeps by Melissa Jagears

Everett Cline does not have a good track record when it comes to mail order brides. After three, he's still single, not willing to give it another try. Then Julia Lockwood steps off a train as a fourth bride for him. This time he had nothing to do with it. It was a neighbor who decided to bring her to Kansas to marry Everett.

Julia comes with her own baggage. She is coming from a relationship that did not work, a relationship that left her more wounded than Everett is aware. Will these two ever be able to move beyond the past to see the good in front of them?

Melissa Jagears does a good job supplying just enough information about the characters to keep you satisfied but not enough to make you want to put the book down. She makes you want to keep reading to find out the story with Julia and her ex-fiancé. The plot of this book unravels at an appropriate speed, and the characters are very relatable. They are genuine and multi-dimensional.

This book was provided by Bethany House Publishers in return for an honest review.

Rebellious Heart by Jody Hedlund

It's 1763.

Susanna Smith comes from a family of wealth and prestige and has been given everything she wants, except for an education. She does use her status to help out those less fortunate. Before she knows it, she finds herself in a dangerous mess after helping a poor young woman.

Benjamin Ross is not looked upon favorably by Susanna's family. After all, he's only a lawyer with no land or wealth to his name. He does have a passion for justice and an intolerance for the British military that finds themselves stationed in Massachusetts. When his path crosses with Susanna's desire to help a young woman, the two of them find themselves on a dangerous journey.

Rebellious Heart had a good balance of romance and action. I found the beginning to be slow, but after a few chapters the book took off. There were a few twists and turns along the way that keep you on your toes. The characters in this book were well developed and multi-faceted, helping to drive the plot in a natural progression. I did find there was a lot more sexual innuendoes and slight physical descriptions presented throughout the book than usually found in Christian fiction, which was a surprise to me. It was nothing explicit, but it certainly catches your attention. The author's note at the end of the book adds to the entire story. Jody did a great job weaving history into this fictional piece.

Bethany House Publishers provided a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Adoring Addie by Leslie Gould

A modern tale of star-crossed lovers. The Cramers and Mosiers have been two families against each other for a long time, so long that the younger generation doesn't even know why. They just go along with their parents' animosity...all except Addie Cramer and Jonathan Mosier, who fall in love with each other. The only problem is the Cramers expect Addie to marry Philip Eicher, a man with means but no passion for their daughter. Is there any way Addie and Jonathan can reconcile what happened years ago? To do that, they must first dig to find the source of all the tension, but will that cause even more problems?

This was a book that was easy to get into. The characters were believable, and I liked that not all of them were perfect. Sometimes that seems to be the case in Amish based fiction. Leslie Gould did a great job getting across this universal theme. Many times people have hatred towards others without even knowing why. It's just something that continues generation after generation because that's how the children are raised, but no explanation is given. She clearly showed the effects of that behavior.

Bethany House Publishers provided a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.