Sunday, September 18, 2016

THE RANCHER'S TEXAS MATCH by Brenda Minton


Tanner Barstow is an area rancher who is also Vice President of the Lone Star Cowboy League. He helps out the troubled kids who live at the Boys Ranch.  Macy Swanson finds herself in Haven when she becomes guardian of her nephew, Colby. Colby is currently living at the Boys Ranch trying to deal with the loss of his parents and accepting his Aunt Macy as his new guardian.  Macy is unsure whether she would be the right person to raise Colby or whether she’d ever fit in to the small community of Haven, since she came from Dallas.  Tanner and Macy are attracted to each other but Tanner thinks Macy will eventually take Colby and head back to Dallas.  But the more time Macy spends in Haven the more she’s feeling at home. Will Tanner be able to convince Macy that being a mom to Colby and staying in Haven just might be the best option, for both of them.

This was a very enjoyable story.  I love the idea of a ranch where troubled kids can go and learn some ranching skills and have folks that love them through their problems.  There are three different series having to do with the Lone Star Cowboy League.  There is the ‘Lone Star Cowboy League’, the ‘Lone Star Cowboy League: The Founding Years’ and ‘Lone Star Cowboy League: Boys Ranch’.  This book falls in the Boys Ranch series.  The books have connective threads so reading them in order is probably best, but that said, I still enjoyed this story without reading the other books in the series.  It did make me want to read the other books though.  I really enjoyed all the folks in Haven.  It’s a close-knit community where everyone helps each other out. Macy and Tanner were both great.  You could understand Macy’s hesitation about assuming the roll of mom and living in the house her brother and sister-in-law lived; that would be really difficult.  Tanner was a great guy but wasn’t really interested in a relationship, until Macy that is!  Although you kinda know how things might turn out with them, there are other things going on that remain unresolved and carry through to the next book.  I look forward to returning to Haven and catching up with all the happenings.

*This complimentary copy was provided by Harlequin through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

A couple favorite moments:

He didn’t know Macy very well, but he had to admire how she could calm a group of rowdy boys with a story  If he was being honest, there were other things to admire, things a man couldn’t help but notice.  He sure didn’t mind admiring or noticing.

“I know you’re afraid you can’t do this.  We all feel that way when we are looking a problem head-on and thinking that this is our future.  In time you come to a place where you realize you’ve survived it, and that, through it all, God made you a little stronger.”



Sunday, September 11, 2016

TWILIGHT AT BLUEBERRY BARRENS by Colleen Coble


Kate Mason has dealt with so many difficult things in her life recently.  Now the family farm she’s caring for doesn’t seem to be producing its usual crop of fruit.  With the need for additional income, she decides to fix up the small cottage on her farm and rent it out.  Although that won’t cover all the expenses, it will help.  Before she’s even done fixing it up, an unexpected renter comes along.  Drake Newman is now responsible for his two nieces since his brother and sister-in-law died.  Not believing the story local law enforcement is telling him, Drake, along with his nieces, head for Maine where he intends to find the truth about what happened to them.  Before he gets to town he runs across this cute little cottage and decides to stop and check it out.  Kate is thrilled when Drake wants to rent the place but then finds out he also needs a nanny to care for the girls while he investigates.  He hires her and sparks fly between them but there’s also an undeniable attraction.  Things become complicated though when Kate learns her uncle has escaped from prison and to make matters worse, a stalker is relentlessly pursuing her.  Kate and Drake are determined to find the truth and settle all these matters, but it won’t be easy with danger lurking around every corner.

Colleen Coble takes you on another thrill ride in Twilight at Blueberry Barrens.  This is the third installment in the Sunset Cove series and we once again find ourselves in beautiful Maine. Be prepared, however,  for a bumpy road, unexpected twists and turns and several nail-biting moments along the way.  I throughly enjoyed the fact that it was loosely connected with Denise Hunter’s Summer Harbor Series; that was fun.  You’ll find all the folks you’ve come to know from the previous two books as well as meeting Drake Newman.  I enjoyed getting to know him although I must say, at first I wasn’t sure I liked him, but as in real life, first impressions aren’t always accurate.  Kate is a lovable person and your heart goes out to her for all she’s been through, yet through it all, she has not become bitter, which I greatly admired.  Her faith remained strong, but like us, she questioned, at times, what God was doing.  The story was a great blend of suspense and romance and you are kept guessing, until the end, just how it all turns out; which I love.  I wish though, that there would have been an epilogue or just a glimpse into the future.  You could probably read this as a stand alone and enjoy it but I encourage you to read the previous two books first (The Inn at Ocean’s Edge and Mermaid Moon) not only because they’re good but it makes for a richer reading experience.

This complimentary copy was provided by Thomas Nelson through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Some Favorite moments:

His hand came around her waist, and a shiver raced up her spine at his touch.  It took all her strength not to turn and shift closer.  What was it about this man that moved her?  she’d thought she was immune to attraction this overpowering.  For the first time she realized how strong physical attraction could be.

“I think your family has made you feel like you don’t deserve to be happy, to enjoy life and to be loved by others.”  …What good is life if you’re always turning away from a gift God wants to give you?  You think he’s like your real dad and will pull a bait and switch on you by offering you a blessing, then snatching it away at the last minute?”  She licked her lips and still didn’t look at him.  “Of course not.  I know God is always giving me blessings.”

He reached over and took one of her tightly clenched hands.  “Look at me.”  For a long minute he thought she wouldn’t meet his gaze, but she finally looked up.  “Is it your past illness that makes you afraid to live?  Every day is a gift, Kate.  None of us knows when one day is our last.  But that’s all the more reason to take hold of every day we're given and live it to the fullest.  That usually means risking yourself.” 

For more information about this book or other books by this author, I encourage you to visit her website at http://colleencoble.com.



Book I've Been Reading...

Sherry's bookshelf: read

Almost Like Being in Love
Wanted: Royal Princess Miracle Bride: Royal Hearts of Mondoverde Series, Vol. 3
Her Rancher Bodyguard
Traces of Guilt
The Stronghold
Close to You
Protecting Her Daughter
The Goodbye Bride
The Rancher's First Love
Reclaiming His Past
Keeper of the Stars
Cold Shot
Mermaid Moon
Thin Ice
Buried Secrets
Murder at Black Lake
Christmas With Miss Austen
Falling Like Snowflakes
Married 'til Monday
Second Chance Hero


Sherry's favorite books »