Let It Be Me

 

Becky Wade's Let It Be Me tells the love story of pediatric heart surgeon Sebastian Grant and math- prodigy-turned-teacher Leah Montgomery.  Several obstacles stand in the their path to true love, however; Sebastian's best friend has been in love with Leah for months, Leah  professes not to believe herself capable of romance or attraction, Leah finds herself distracted by a quest to discover how and why she was evidently switched at birth, and Sebastian admittedly holds himself apart from others as a result of his troubled childhood.  In the end, predictably, the problems resolve and the happy couple waltzes off toward the Georgian horizon.  

After reading in the afterward that Wade is a fellow Baylor Bear, it pains me to profess that I am not at all a fan of this book. Before you accuse me of disliking the novel because it isn't historical fiction, bear in mind that there have been several contemporary romance series from Bethany House that I've enjoyed, like Liz Johnson's Prince Edward Island Dreams, Susan May Warren's Montana Rescue, or Irene Hannon's Hope Harbor.  First, there were simply far too many unrelated plotlines.  The love triangle issue and the whole "switched at birth" saga were unnecessary, distracting, and borderline bizarre.  Second, I may have been able to overlook the first issue if I had found the love story compelling or even believable.  I'm honestly not sure why either Leah or Sebastian managed to even like each other.  Despite physical attraction, which Wade described at one point as "a pleasurable menstrual cramp," the characters didn't seem to have anything in common or any reason to find themselves in love.  Sebastian, despite being a rich, handsome heart surgeon, regularly deliverers cringe-inducing lines like, "I want to make out with you" and sometimes behaves like a maniacal stalker.  Which brings me to my final point, the characters' actions simply don't make sense.  Sebastian goes to great lengths (mostly spending inappropriate amounts of money) to get Leah to go on a date, but has no intention of maintaining a long-term or serious relationship with her.  If it weren't Christian fiction, I'd assume he just wanted to get in her pants then dump her.  It was all very confusing.  I won't be reading any other Misty River books.  

I received a free copy from the publisher.  No review, positive or otherwise, was required—all opinions are my own.

Winning the Gentleman

 

In Kristi Ann Hunter's 2nd installment of her Hearts on the Heath series, Winning the Gentleman, readers experience the sweet love story of Sophia Fitzroy and Aaron Whitworth.  Aaron, the illegitimate son of an earl, has always had to work hard to maintain his reputation as a gentleman, businessman, and horseman.  When he mistakenly hires Sophia as a temporary jockey, however, his well-ordered life and painstakingly crafted image begin to crumble.  Sophia regrets the trouble she has caused, but still can't see another way to save her brother and herself from the itinerant life they've led since their father's death.  Will Sophia and Aaron hold tight to old dreams and vulnerabilities or take a chance on each other?  

While this wasn't my favorite of Hunter's novels, I did enjoy Sophia and Aaron's story.  The story took a while to get moving; from the back cover the reader knows that Aaron will hire Sophia, so the several chapters prior to her arrival at the Heath seemed to drag.  The ending, however, was as sweetly romantic as I could have hoped.  Even though I've read all of Hunter's books, I found myself confused by the cast of characters from time to time.  Aaron himself, for example, featured in two other of Hunter's novels.  This flaw, however, didn't hinder my ability to follow the primary plotline, and I absolutely loved getting to see Trent and Adelaide from An Uncommon Courtship again!  All in all, Winning the Gentleman and its prequel, Vying for the Viscount, are worth reading, but I haven't loved them as much as her Hathorne House series.  

I received a free copy from the publisher.  No review, positive or otherwise, was required—all opinions are my own.

The Nature of a Lady

 

In the first installment of her newest series, The Secrets of the Isles, Roseanna M. White transports her readers to the fascinating history, culture, and geography of the Scilly Isles off the southwestern tip of England.  The Nature of a Lady's heroine, Lady Elizabeth "Libby" Sinclair, hasn't ever felt that she belongs among London's society and decides to spend an idyllic summer in the Isles with her maid.  When she arrives at her cottage, however, she discovers its former occupant has mysteriously vanished.  Libby and her maid, who hails from the Isles, join with the missing girl's brother, the dashing Oliver Tremayne, to find her.  The team wade through ancient legends, treasure maps, and forbidding caves and castles as the search becomes more fascinating and dangerous.  What will they discover about the nature of science, history, faith and love?  

The Nature of a Lady is nothing short of White at her finest.  I adored her Ladies of the Manor series (A Lady Unrivaled, The Reluctant Duchess, The Lost Heiress), liked her Shadows over England series, and tolerated her Codebreakers series, but if this first installment is any indication, I may soon have a new favorite.  The characters were believable and dynamic, the plot was fast paced and full of adventure, and her overarching theme of finding the difficult balance between faith and science was compelling.  I'll be anxiously awaiting the next novel and a return trip to the Scilly Isles!   

I received a free copy from the publisher.  No review was required, and all opinions are my own.

March Reads

 Fiction: 

• To Sir Phillip with Love by Julia Quinn 
• 3 Stars 
• This is my last Bridgerton book.  For real this time.  I now know what happens to all of my favorite characters from the show, so I'm finally content to let the series lie.  I mean it.  
• A Vow So Bold and Deadly (Cursebreakers #3) by Brigid Kemmerer 
• 4 Stars 
• I read the first two installments of this series last summer while quarantined and have been impatiently waiting to get my hands on this finale from the library.  I wasn't disappointed.  I read several very negative reviews, so my hopes weren't high going in, but I ended up liking the ending just fine.  
• The Cursebreakers Series is a fun YA series loosely based on "Beauty and the Beast".  It's definitely worth reading for tween and teen girls!  
• Veiled in Smoke by Jocelyn Green 
• 3 Stars 
• This is the first installment by Green in a historical series set in Chicago with this particular novel chronicling the Great Fire. 
• I enjoyed the story and the historical perspective, but the writing seemed clunky and the characters a bit over done.  If I can find the next in the series from the library i and don't have anything else I'm dying to read, it might be worth the time.  We'll see.  
• Lady Clementine by Marie Benedict 
• 4 Stars 
• Our book club pick for Women's History Month, this historical-fiction novel tells the story of Clementine (pronounced so it rhymes with Josephine) Churchill from the day of her wedding to Winston Churchill to VE Day.  While I learned a great deal about the Churchills, the story seemed to drag a bit toward the end and most ladies at our meeting couldn't bring themselves to like the heroine much.  I'd be interested in reading more about her for a different perspective!  
• The Forest of Vanishing Stars by Kristin Harmel 
• 5 Stars 
• I managed to nab an early-release copy of this book from Netgalley, so you can read my full review here, but I absolutely ADORED this book.  It's probably my favorite from the month.  
• All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr 
• 4 Stars 
• First let me say that I did enjoy this book.  However, I can't help but wonder why so many people love it as much as they do.  The story follows two characters through the trials of WWII both in Germany and France.  While I loved getting a German perspective and the writing was truly beautiful, the story undeniably dragged through the middle.  Maybe it's a personal flaw in my own tastes and unrealistic in WWII fiction, but I would've enjoyed a slightlier happy ending as well!  
• Number the Stars by Lois Lowry 
• 4 Stars 
• One unexpected silver lining of new school COVID procedures is that the Monster, now in 5th grade, had to purchase each novel he has read in his ELA class this year and bring it home when he's done!  I've loved getting to read what he reads and chat about it. 
• This short, middle grades novel chronicles the story of a young Danish girl whose best friend has to flee the Nazis.  I love WWII and I love historical fiction, so I loved getting to share both with one of my favorite people!  
• The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah 
• 4 Stars 
• While I wholeheartedly loved The Nightingale and Winter Garden, I needed a Kristin Hannah break after I tortured myself and sent my brain into an anxiety spiral with Firefly Lane.  
• I wasn't sure what to expect with The Four Winds when I heard some people complain about Hannah having an "agenda" in telling stories of the Dust Bowl and California immigration during the 1940s.  I can see where this complaint would spring from, but it didn't bother me, and I wouldn't go so far as to say Hannah was forcing any contemporary commentary or comparison.  It was fascinating and well written, but I just don't know that Hannah can beat some of her earlier work.  
• The Selection by Kierra Cass 
• 4 Stars 
• After some heavy, dark reading this month I really needed some "brain candy"; I needed something shallow, sweet, and purely enjoyable, and "The Selection" series fit the bill!  
• This YA series is essentially a post-apocalyptic version of The Bachelor.  Again, there's not much substance, but it was easy and fun.  As far as teen romances go, too, I'd argue this one is more realistic and healthy than others of the same genre.  
• The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner 
• 5 Stars 
• Set during the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, this fun novel had love, mystery, and adventure.  

Nonfiction: 

• Composting for a New Generation by Michelle Balz 
• 4 Stars 
• The Hubby built me a beautiful garden for my birthday with an accompanying compost bin, so I obviously needed to read a book about composting!  
• I didn't need to understand the science of the decomposition process nor plans and instructions for nearly a dozen compost bins/devices, but the book had some very helpful calendars, lists, and charts to get me going.  
• The Mediterranean Diet for Beginners by John Chatham 
• 5 Stars 
• This is another Hubby-induced book pick.  His doctor instructed him to lower his cholesterol by adopting a "Mediterranean Diet," but didn't give much instruction beyond that.  Again, the library came to the rescue!  This book provided an excellent introduction to the diet, explanations as to why it works, charts for weekly and monthly meal planning, and a handful of great recipes.