Review of Love Everlasting by Tracie Peterson

Book review of Love Everlasting by Tracie Peterson

 

From goodreads.com:

 

Love Everlasting (Brides of Seattle #3) by Tracie Peterson

Abrianna Cunningham has always viewed her longtime friend, Wade Ackerman, as
a protective brother. Lately, however, she's begun to see him differently and finds
herself attracted romantically to him. But she's confused and overwhelmed by these
unfamiliar feelings.

Wade, on the other hand, has loved Abrianna for some time and has been waiting for her to realize they are more than just friends. When he asks her to marry him, she asks for time to adjust to their changed relationship.

And then there's Priam Welby, who has been relentlessly pursuing Abrianna. Will his underhanded tactics succeed in luring Abrianna into marriage with him?

Paperback, 352 pages
Published October 6th 2015 by Bethany House (first published September 29th 2015)
ISBN0764210637 (ISBN13: 9780764210631)edition language English

 

 

Leona's review:

 

This is not my first read by Tracie Peterson but the first for the Brides of Seattle series. It is a stand alone read and I may go back and read the others.

 

It really took the second half of the book for me to have a real interest and I had written in my notes "this is a personal struggle book" when I was somewhat into the book. Things did change and became more interesting with murder, jail, false accusations and a man who wanted to marry Abrianna by any means.

 

I liked the characters of Abrianna and Wade and the aunts were a wonderful addition. As I write this, I think a cat would have also been an addition.  Abrianna is headstrong but Wade seems to flow with any problems added to what is happening. He keeps his head when their are problems and prays a lot. The aunts are also strong characters with their opinions and accomplishments. I could almost see them sitting together and talking. Jay, the father of Abrianna has come back into her life. Friends are also an important part of the book.

This is a Christian book without pushing. I like that God is in the hearts of the characters and spoken of often.

 

Abrianna helps the poor with food and housing; this seems to be her calling. Wade has taken the job of becoming the substitute minister at the church and fully understands her.

I loved the personal talk between Wade and Abrianna. This made them seen so real and in love.

 

I received a complimentary copy of Love Everlasting by Tracie Peterson from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions are my own.

I give this book a 5 star rating.

Tracie Peterson may be reached at her website: www.traciepeterson.com

Leona Olson

http://www.mnleona.blogspot.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book Review of After a Fashion by Jen Turano

  

  Book Review of After a Fashion by Jen Turano

From jenturano.com:
Miss Harriet Peabody dreams of the day she can open up a shop selling refashioned gowns to independent working women like herself. Unfortunately, when an errand for her millinery shop job goes sadly awry due to a difficult customer, she finds herself out of an income.
Mr. Oliver Addleshaw is on the verge of his biggest business deal yet when the lady he brought to town to assist him with entertaining his potential business partner reneges on their agreement. When this unreliable, and slightly deranged, lady causes the hapless Harriet to lose her job, Oliver tries to make it up to her by enlisting her help in making a good impression on his business partner.
Harriet quickly finds her love of fashion can’t make her fashionable. She’ll never truly fit into Oliver’s world, but just as she’s ready to call off the fake relationship, fancy dinners, and elegant balls, a threat from her past forces both Oliver and Harriet to discover that love can come in the most surprising packages.

Leona's Review:
This book begins in new York City in 1882 . The author takes the reader into this time era with her descriptions of the area, clothing and language.
Harriet Peabody works as a milliner in the back room of the shop. She is to deliver some hats to a customer at the home of Mr. Oliver Addleshaw. The woman who has ordered the hats is Miss Birmingham who is under the assumption she is engaged to Oliver Addleshaw. This arrangement does not go well and Oliver asks Harriet if she would a be woman who would help him with a business deal; Harriet lost her job as a result of the encounter she had with Lily Birmingham. Oliver needed a woman who would help him make a good impression of the business deal. They become engaged by word only.
I find Harriet is such a strong and feisty woman and holds her own with Oliver. Their discussions leave the reader with a smile. Harriet was raised by an aunt who never really cared for Harriet for whatever reason Harriet is not sure.
Oliver is rich and seems to care only to become richer. He leaves the running of his business for the people working for him to his managers, which are not doing the right things. We see the lower class and upper class in this book.
Many characters,  which have  their own personality, are in this book. I especially liked Buford, the dog, and was so glad Jen Turano included him.
This is the first book I have read by Jen Turano and I now have her on my TBR list of authors.
It is an easy read and since it is a Christian book,  it is a good read for anyone. I would like to see some of the characters in other books.
I received a complimentary copy of After a Fashion by Jen Turano from Bethany Books to read and review. The opinions are my own.
I give this a 5 star rating. I could even re-read this book and still enjoy it.

Leona Olson

http://www.mnleona.blogspot.com

Playing by Heart by Anne Mateer Book Review

   

 

Playing by Heart by Anne Mateer Book Review

Book description from back of book:

Lula Bowman has finally achieved her dream: a teaching position and a scholarship to continue her college education in mathematics. But then a shocking phone call from her sister, Jewel, changes everything.

With a heavy heart, Lula returns to her Oklahoma hometown to do right by her sister, but the only teaching job available in Dunn is combination music instructor/basketball coach. Lula doesn't even consider those real subjects!

Determined to prove herself, Lula commits to covering the job for the rest of the school year. Reluctantly, she turns to the boys' coach, Chet, to learn the newfangled game of basketball. Chet is handsome and single, but Lula has no plans to fall for a local boy. She's returning to college and her scholarship as soon as she gets Jewel back on her feet.

However, the more time she spends around Jewel's family, the girls' basketball team, music classes, and Chet, the more Lula comes to realize what she's given up in her single-minded pursuit of degree after degree. God is working on her heart, and her future is starting to look a lot different than she'd expected.


Leona's Review:

This was my first book I have read by Anne Mateer and it did not disappoint.

Lula Bowman has to put her dream of getting a graduate degree in mathematics on hold to help her sister who has lost her husband. The dream of Lula and her father is for Lula to get a graduate degree; her father had always encouraged Lula.

She returns to Dunn, Oklahoma and gets a job as a music teacher. There is no basketball coach for the girl's team and Lula becomes the coach for extra money. This is a new sport at the time and Lula has no clue of what to do. She uses her handbook, Spalding's Official Basket Ball Guide for Women, 1916-1917, on basketball and the coach, Chet Vaughn, of the boy's basketball team to help her.

 

We have a telephone and a Tin Lizzie owned by Chet but still a single woman cannot be alone with a man. The book is set during WWl when so many men are at war.

 

Playing by Heart is a Christian romance and God is called upon many times for help. Have some tissues handy because it is also a book that is emotional because there is death, illness, and a little boy's loss of his father for a few examples.

 

We also see hope, love, sacrifice, history and caring in this historical novel.

The chapters are in first person, one chapter by Lula and the next by Chet and so forth. It gives the reader the feelings of the main characters.

Lula is in Dunn to help her sister and Chet is there to be with his widowed mother while his brother is off to war.

 

I received a complimentary copy of Playing by Heart from Bethany House to read and review. The opinions are my own.

This would be a good book club read.
I give it a 5 start rating.

 

Anne Mateer may be reached at www.annemateer.com

 

Leona Olson

www.mnleona.blogspot.com

 

From Amazon.com:



"Tracie Peterson Delivers Romance and Adventure



When Chantel Panetta's younger sister claims to be in love with Orlando Calarco, Chantel knows there is no hope. The Panettas and Calarcos have been sworn enemies for decades, and young love cannot heal the deep wounds between the two iron-mining families. Yet, unable to resist Isabella's pleas, Chantel agrees to help her sister spend time with Orlando...only to have a run-in with Dante, Orlando's brother. The older, more handsome one.



Chantel can't deny the attraction that flares when she's with Dante. But when a tragedy occurs at the mine, is there any hope that the hatred that has simmered between these two families might be resolved? Or will Chantel's hope for love be buried amidst decades of misunderstanding?"


Leona's Review



Another good book from Tracie Peterson. This is the third book of the series, Land of Shining Waters. We are taken to Ely, Minnesota to October 1890.

Chantel Panetta has returned for a year long visit to her Nonna and Nonno (grandparents) in Italy. The parents send their unmarried children to Italy when they turned twenty-one.

Things have changed when she finds her younger sister has fallen in love with Orlando Calarco. The tension between the two families began in the old country decades ago and the story is that is it over the death of a mule. The women of both families accept the love but the fathers are still at odds until an accident in the mine changes that. God is also very involved with the families. " You believe God spoke to you." Father Buh replied. "I believe God speaks to all of His children"

The author brings the reader into the tension and love in her books with the characters. There are some laughs and some tears.

The descriptions of the area and the mines brought memories of my grandfather and uncles who worked in the coal mines of Colorado. Chantel's family moved to Michigan and then to Minnesota; mine moved from Michigan to Colorado. Tracie Peterson talks about the dinner pail and I have my grandfather's pail he used in the mines. My grandparent's used Nona and Nono instead of Nonna and Nonno. One of the men's name was Vittorio, my first uncle's name. When I was doing research for when he came to America, I kept looking for the name Victor on the immigration records before I realized that was his Americanized name. This book really connected personally for me.

In the book there are references to the foods, the needlework (tatting), chores (chopping wood) and a Minnesota winter. Many words are in Italian: "Si, che fa bene. That's good".

The miner's lady is dedicated to Chantel Karch, You are an awesome woman. Always look to Jesus!.

The books of the Land of Shining Waters are The Icecutter's Daughter, The Quarryman's Bride and The Miner's Lady.

Tracie Peterson's web site is www.traciepeterson.com

I received a complimentary copy to read and review from Bethany House. The opinions are my own. I give it a 5 star rating.

Leona Olson

www.mnleona.blogspot.com

Barefoot Summer by Denise Hunter

Barefoot Summer

By Denise Hunter
Published by Thomas Nelson

Book Description

Madison’s heart has been closed for years. But one summer can change everything.
In the years since her twin brother’s drowning, Madison McKinley has struggled to put it behind her. Despite the support of her close-knit family and her gratifying job as a veterinarian in their riverside town, the loss still haunts her.
To find closure, Madison sets out to fulfill her brother’s dream of winning the town’s annual regatta. But first she has to learn to sail, and fast.
Beckett O’Reilly knows Madison is out of his league, but someone neglected to tell his heart. Now she needs his help—and he’ll give it, because he owes her far more than she’ll ever know.
Madison will do anything—even work with the infamous Beckett O’Reilly—to reach her goal. And as much as she’d like to deny it, the chemistry between them is electrifying. As summer wanes, her feelings for him grow and a fledgling faith takes root in her heart.
But Beckett harbors a secret that will test the limits of their new love. Can their romance survive summer’s challenges? And will achieving her brother’s dream give Madison the peace she desperately seeks?

Leona's Review.
This was a very good and fast read. I read it in one day. It was a nice Christian romance novel with messages.

Madison McKinley comes from a large family who really care for each other but I found still cannot communicate at times. Both parents and the siblings are part of the story. Beckett O’Reilly has a father that is a drunk, a mother who left when the kids were young and a sister, Layla, that seems to have her feet on the ground. Beckett was a problem in school but has turned his life around or so he hopes.

Beckett has a grandfather who has Alzheimer's disease and is in nursing home; this is emotionally hard on Beckett but he has his faith to help him. Madison, who is a veterinarian, takes animals to the nursing home to help comfort the elderly. There are personalities with the residents and they help make the story as well as the nurse and her personality. "Mrs. Etter gave the pup a final kiss and handed him to Mrs. Marquart, who passed him to Mrs. Stuckey, arms outstretched': (page 75).

The town of Chapel Springs is a small town where everyone knows everyone. There is a fundraising play where the local play the parts. Madison is involved with play as well as Layla. A lot happens in this novel but the stories do flow.

The animals in the book also have their own personalities. As I write this, I do not remember any small children in the book. The book is so natural and I think most readers can relate. "Go potty," Madison told her and the collie trotted down the porch steps and into the yard." (page 152)

Madison has nightmares and feels if she fulfills Michael's dream, she will be at rest. As she begins the task, she must learn to sail as well as get the boat in condition. Beckett works on boats and builds them; he helps Madison when she is trying to get a boat ready for the regatta, a dream of her twin brother who died at the age of seventeen. He wanted to be the youngest person to win the regatta.

There are some light moments in Barefoot Summer as well as some sad ones. "She thought of Michael, the last moment she'd had with him" (page 166). Parts of the book goes back to the high school days of Madison and Beckett who went to the same school.

God is part of this book but religion is not over done. I found the references moving and at the right time when there are problems. "His dad was a might be a wreck, his own heart a tangled mess, but up on this hill, it was just him and God." (page 238).

There is a Reading Group Guide at the back of the book that may be used for a reading club. (page 319).
I give this a 5 star in the ratings. I really liked Barefoot Summer. No sex or bad language.
I received a complimentary copy of Barefoot Summer to read and review from www.booksneeze.com. The opinions are my own.
Leona Olson
www.mnleona.blogspot.com
Denise Hunter may be reached at www.DeniseHunterBooks.com or Denise@DeniseHunterBooks.com

The Icecutter's Daughter by Tracie Peterson

 

The Icecutter's Daughter by Tracie Peterson, A Land of Shining Water Series

Dedicated to : To the Ladies of our morning study.

I have read a number of Tracie Peterson's book and I was not disappointed. I like her style and the strong characters she has in her books. Keep tissues handy because there is always a sad moment or two in a Christian romance.

The Icecutter's Daughter begins on December 31,1895 in a small town in Minnesota. Merrill Krause is trying to help a Belgian mare deliver her foal.

She has four older brothers and a father; Merrill had promised her dying mother she would care for them and that was ten years ago.

She is a strong character and can cook as well as help with the horses and ice cutting in the frozen lakes. Carl Jorgenson tells Rurik she is a good cook and always wins at the fair.

Rurik Jorgenson has come to Waseca, Minnesota to help his Uncle Carl Jorgenson with his furniture building business as Carl has been in poor health. Rurik is from Kansas and had recently broken up with his fiance, Svea Olsson. This was an arranged marriage as was the Swedish custom but a fading custom. Svea broke up with Rurik when she found he was going to Minnesota.

Rurik helps with the ice cutting with Merrill's father as well as helping his uncle build furniture.

The story leads us into a romance when Rurik falls in love with Merrill. Problems arise when Svea and her brother, Nils, arrive in Waseca and she tells Rurik she is carrying his child. Rurik denies he has ever been with her but not all believe him. Nils also falls for Merrill and so the story continues.

The story has a lot of history, both Swedish and German. The ice cutting is still happening in 1895 however, technology is beginning to make this a dying need.

I will say at this point, that my husband and brother-in-law remember the ice cutting in Minnesota lakes in the 1940s when the store cut ice and sold it from Mille Lacs Lake in northern Minnesota.

Be prepared for the food Merrill makes and serves; strudel and spaetzle for two. It would have been nice to have a recipe or two in the book.

Tracie Peterson did have some prayers in the book.

Rurik tells Merrill " One of my very first things I remember memorizing was the Lord's Prayer-in Swedish." (page 213)

The Lord's Prayer was said by Rurik in Swedish: "Fader Var som ar i Himmelen. Helgat varde Ditt namn. Tillkomme Ditt Rike. Ske Din vilja, sasom i Himmelen sa ock pd Jprden. Vat dagliga brod giv oss idag Och forlat oss vara skulder sasom ock vi forlata dem oss skyldiga aro och inled oss icke i frestelse utan frals oss ifran ondo. Ty Riket ar Ditt och Makten och Harlingheten i Evighet. Amen."

(my husband has his grandmother's Swedish Bible)

A German prayer said by Merrill's father: "Komm, Herr Jesu; sei du unser Gast, und segne, was du uns bescheret hast. Amen." (page 87)

"Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest and bless what you have bestowed. Amen"

A good read for some history and a Christian romance.

I give this a 5 star rating.

I received a complimentary copy from Bethany House to read and review. The opinions are my own.

Tracie Peterson can be reached at www.traciepeterson.com

She is the author of more than 90 novels, both historical and contemporary.

Leona Olson

http://www.mnleona.blogspot.com

The Captain's Bride by Lisa Tawn Bergren

The following is from goodreads and describes the book:

The Captain's Bride (Northern Lights #1)

by Lisa Tawn Bergren (Goodreads Author)

The Captain's Bride (Northern Lights, #1)

Elsa Anders's dream of marrying Peder Ramstad is about to come true. But as this independent, strong-willed woman discovers her own creative gifts--a love for travel, painting, and the sea--can she find happiness with a captain who insists upon leaving her safely on shore?

Leaving their home in Norway behind, Elsa and Peder embark on a new life with their closest friends. Elsa Anders's dream of marrying Peder Ramstad is about to come true. But as this independent, strong-willed woman discovers her own creative gifts--a love for travel, painting, and the sea--can she find happiness with a captain who insists upon leaving her safely on shore?

Leaving their home in Norway behind, Elsa and Peder embark on a new life in with their closest friends, including: Kaatje Jansen, a woman seeking a new beginning for the sake of her marriage and for the child growing within her; Elsa's sister Tora, a sly young vixen who knows exactly what she wants--and exactly how to get it; and Karl Martensen, a man torn between his friendship for Peder and a forbidden, secret love for Elsa, a man tormented by emotions that threaten to ruin them all.

From the gentle hills of Bergen, Norway, to the rocky coast of Camden, Maine, and across the crashing, danger-filled waves of the open sea--experience an epic saga of perseverance and passion, faith and fidelity, in the Northern Lights series: the new historical series by Lisa Tawn Bergren.

Review by Leona:

The Captain's Bride by Lisa Tawn Bergren

The book begins with a group from Norway planning their voyage to America. Some would go to Camden-by- the Sea in Maine and some to North Dakota.

After the marriage of Elsa and Peder, the group sails to America. There are trials and hardships along the way. When they arrive in America, 20 of the group leave for North Dakota, promising to write and keep in touch.

Peder wants to build a shipyard in Maine with Karl as his partner. Karl wants to build the new steamship and Peder still likes the sails. His father has a shipyard in Norway.

The book takes us to many areas: Maine, Boston, New York, North Dakota, Minnesota, San Francisco and Cape Horn for some.

This book is more about Elsa and Peder but pulls the other characters into the book. Characters go their different ways but still make connections. The stories of the characters are separated by chapters but it is not confusing for the reader; each character has their problems and their blessings.

This is a Christian romance book with prayers to help overcome the hardships and thanks for what they have.

There is no sex or bad language so appropriate for all readers. Maybe a good book for those young people interested in heritage. Keep the tissues handy.

I had an interest in this book because I have been doing the genealogy of my husband's family and his mother's side came from Norway, settled in North Dakota and ended in Minnesota.

Some characters are :

Peder Ramstad- The captain of the Herald, the ship that takes the people to America (24 years old)

Elsa Anders Ramstad- The Captain's Wife (20 years old)

Tora Anders- Younger sister of Elsa (16 years old)

Corina- Older sister of Elsa

Gratia and Amund -Parents of Elsa

Leif Ramstad and Burgitte- Parents of Peder

Garth Ramstad- Sister of Peder

Karl Martensen- Close friend and second mate for Peder

Astrid- Pregnant wife of Kristoffer

Knut Martensen- Son of Kristoffer and Astrid, 3 years old

Gustav and Sonje- Parents of Karl

Kaatje Janssen- A pregnant friend of Elsa

Soren Janssen- Husband of Kaatje

Bjorn Erickson. Kristoffer Swenson and Mikkel Thompson-Workers at Ramstad Shipyard

Ebba- Wife of Bjorn Erickson

Ola- Wife of Mikkel Thompson

Nora Paulson- Teacher of English to the voyagers

Einar Gustavson- friend/ fiance of Nora Paulson

Some crew of the Herald: Riley, Vidar, Stefan and Rees

I received a complimentary copy of The Captain's Bride to read and review. The opinions are my own. I am giving it a 5 star because it held my interest. In fact, I had forgotten to do the review and this is a re-read for me and I still liked it a second time.

Leona Olson

www.mnleona.blogspot.com

http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2664586-leona-olson

Accused by Janice Cantore

 

From the Back Cover

“Time to prove she isn’t a broken cop.”
An officer-involved shooting six months earlier takes Detective Carly Edwards off the street and sends her to a boring desk job in juvenile. When a troubled youth is arrested for the murder of the mayor, Carly is summoned to the crime scene. Homicide thinks it’s a quick, open-and-shut case, and Carly hopes this will be her ticket back to patrol.

Though her professional life seems to be on track, Carly still has unresolved issues in her personal life. Nick, her ex-husband and fellow police officer, is determined to show Carly that he’s a changed man, but she isn’t convinced he won’t betray her again.

As the murder investigation progresses, Carly suspects a cover-up and strikes out on her own, uncertain whom she can trust. But she soon realizes the case may put her directly in the killers’ crosshairs.

Janice Cantore is a retired Long Beach police officer who now writes suspense novels to keep readers engrossed and leave them inspired. Her years of experience on the force lend authenticity to her stories. Accused is the first in the three-book Pacific Coast Justice series.

I usually do not add the information about the book from the covers but this time I did because it gave a good explanation of the book.

This is the first book I have read by Janice Cantore, and I did find a fast-moving book but I found there were too many directions the book was going. It was a quick read and I thought I knew some of the ending but I did not know all for it; this is what makes a good book.

As a reader, I could feel the frustrations of the main characters and I also wondered who was to be trusted.

Carly's mother, who in religious, tries to tell Carly to believe and trust in the Lord. This is a Christian romance novel but not overly pushed. I like the relationship between Carly's mother and Carly's ex, Nick.

Because the author was an officer at one time, you will find "police talk" in the book, which brought some realism into the book. There is some violence.

Janice Cantore can be found at www.janicecantore.com

I am giving this book a 4 star because it keep me interested even if I did get confused sometimes.

I checked this book out of my local library.

Leona Olson

mnleona.blogspot.com

Attracted to Fire

Review of Attracted to Fire by DiAnn Mills

Secret Service Agent Meghan Connors has been assigned to protect Vice-President Hall's daughter, Lindsay, who has drug and alcohol problems. Also assigned are Agent Ash Zinder and other agents. Lindsay has been sent to the Dancin' Dust Ranch in West Texas, owned by Press Secretary Scottard Burnette, along with a psychologist, Dr. David Sanchez, and his nurse who will treat Lindsay with vitamins and healthy foods. The ranch is about 100 miles west of Austin. (I am guessing in the Kerrville area of Texas because of the description area and that the Barton Creek Mall is in the south part of Austin. Not Llano or Brady because I would think there would be a reference to Bar-B-Q. Personal opinion because I can picture it more).

This is a mystery that involves the President and Vice-President of the United States. The President has cancer, resigns and Vice-President Hall is sworn in as President. Lindsay is frightened for the safety of her father and she also fears for her life. Drugs and alcohol has helped her cope with the problems.

The book is also a Christian romance and so no bad language (one time) and no sex. I was impressed on page 19 when "he has a reputation for being a pain in the rear" were the words instead of the common word today, a**. DiAnn Mills had me at that point.

The book is a page turner and the reader is trying to find the ones in the book who are committing the crimes.

There is murder, assassinations, drugs, romance, Secret Service Agents and power. The cast of characters are: Chip Leonard, son of Ethan Leonard who runs the ranch for the Press Secretary; Pepper who is the cook at the ranch, cooks spicy food and has a care less attitude (I think); the nurse, Carla and a number of agents, on the ranch and off.

I did not like the cover of the book I got from the library and made a remark when I checked it out. Don't judge a book by it's cover and this is a good example. My copy has a woman, not with red hair, holding a gun.

I am giving Attracted to Fire a 4 star. I like the descriptions, the personal contacts and the fact author kept the reader wondering even though the reader will probably guess some of the outcome.

I chose this book as part of the Tyndale Reading Program: http://mediacenter.tyndale.com/X_SRP/X_Secure/login.asp

I look forward to reading other book by this author. You man reach DiAnn Mills at www.diannmills.com and www.facebook.com/diannmills

Check out the Tyndale Reading Program and receive a book.

Leona Olson

www.mnleona.blogspot.com

A Lady Like Sarah

A Lady Like Sarah

Reverend Justin Wells was a minister in Boston but now is heading to Texas to become the minister in Rocky Creek, Texas.

He finds a U.S. Marshal and his prisoner on a trail and the marshal shot. As hard as they try to help him, the marshal dies but Justin had promised him he would take his prisoner to Rocky Creek and her fate is the gallows. Along the journey, they find a dying mother that had been attacked by Indians and her baby. Justin takes the baby, Elizabeth, and Sarah and Justin continue.

Sarah Prescott has three brothers who are Wells Fargo stagecoach robbers. Sarah has never robbed but she is condemned by a judge in Rocky Creek for the death of a passenger on a stagecoach.

The journey has a lot of twists and turns but Justin has faith in God and has an answer for almost everything.

This is my second book I have read by Margaret Brownley and both are good reads. A Lady Like Sarah is a Christian romance book and the trials God seems to put them through.

Some of the sayings that I liked are Monkey Wards, for Montgomery Wards (my father who was from Oklahoma and Texas, where I was raised, used to always say this). Noah was the pack mule, Moses, and his horse, Noah. When someone died, Justin said God received them with open arms, he did not say they had died. Longhorns, quilting bee,hand cranked sewing machine, grasshoppers, mail order catalog, Barnum's Circus, click of the tongue (to encourage a horse) and pulling my leg are some words that Margaret Browning uses that add to the descriptions of the story. Something I never thought about was where did bone china get the name and the answer is partially in this book. Longhorn cattle bones were collected to be sold and used to make the china. http://www.visitdodgecity.org/documents/Visitors%20Guide/2012%20Visitors%20Guide.PDF see page 3.

A Lady Like Sarah is an easy read and I look forward to her other books.Find Margaret Brownley on Facebook under Margaret Brownley Books and also her site margaretbrownley.com

Leona Olson

mnleona.blogspot.com