A Lady of Willowgrove Hall by Sarah E. Ladd

About the book: 

Her secret cloaks her in isolation and loneliness.

His secret traps him in a life that is not his own.

Cecily Faire carries the shame of her past wherever she treads, knowing one slip of the tongue could strip away everything she holds dear. But soon after accepting the position of lady's companion at Willowgrove Hall, Cecily finds herself face-to-face with a man well-acquainted with the past she's desperately hidden for years.

Nathaniel Stanton has a secret of his own --- one that has haunted him from birth and tied him to his father's position as steward of Willowgrove. To protect his family, Nathaniel dares not breath a word of the truth. But as long as the shadow looms over him, he'll never be free to find his own way in the world. He'll never be free to fall in love.

When the secrets swirling within Willowgrove Hall come to light, Cecily and Nathaniel must confront a painful choice: Will they continue running from the past . . . or will they stand together and build a future without the suffocating weight of secrets long suffered?

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/CsnBw

About the author: 

Sarah E. Ladd has more than ten years of marketing experience. She is a graduate of Ball State University and holds degrees in public relations and marketing. The Heiress of Winterwood was the recipient of the 2011 Genesis Award for historical romance. Sarah lives in Indiana with her amazing husband, sweet daughter, and spunky Golden Retriever.

Find Sarah online: website, Facebook, Twitter





My Take:  Can we just take a moment to truly appreciate the gorgeousness of this cover.  It truly is beautiful. Now on to the story.  This story is all about secrets and whether or not to reveal them to someone you care about.  I think most of us have been confronted with this situation because let's face it if you have lived on this earth for several years we all come with baggage.  I really liked the way that the author handled this in the story and it made for a very sweet read.  This was a very good series and I will be looking for more by this author.

I received a review copy of this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review. 

The Daughter of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky

About the book: 

The Daughter of Highland Hall || Book 2, Edwardian Brides (Waterbrook Multnomah, October 2014)

What if the title, the estate, the life of security and splendor . . . what if it isn't enough?

Strong-willed and beautiful, debutante Katherine Ramsey feels ready to take the London social season by storm, and she must. Her family estate, Highland Hall, has been passed to older male cousin Sir William Ramsey, and her only means of securing her future is to make a strong debut and find a proper husband. With her all-knowing and meddling aunt as a guide, Katherine is certain to attract suitors at the lavish gatherings, sparkling with Great Britain's elite.

When a shocking family scandal sidelines Katherine, forcing her out of the social spotlight, she keeps a low profile, volunteering with the poor in London's East End. Here Katherine feels free from her predictable future, and even more so as a friendship with medical student Jonathan Foster deepens and her faith in God grows. But when Katherine is courted anew by a man of wealth and position, dreams of the life she always thought she wanted surface again. Torn between tradition and the stirrings in her heart for a different path, she must decide whom she can trust and love---and if she will choose a life serving others over one where she is served.

Learn more, purchase a copy, and read an excerpt: http://ow.ly/C7LAY

About the author: 

Carrie Turansky is an award-winning author of more than a dozen novels and novellas. She has written contemporary and historical romances, women's fiction, short stories, articles, and devotionals. She lives in New Jersey with her husband, Scott, and they have five adult children and four grandchildren.

Find Carrie online: website, Facebook,Twitter

My Take:  This will strike a cord with Downton Abbey fans who miss Sybil's sense of justice.  Kate finds herself wanting more out of her life other than waiting for the proposal from someone who would be considered proper for her position in life.  When she starts reading the Bible and seeing what others who are less fortunate than herself go through she questions what is the predictable path for her life and what might be a more fulfilling path. 

I received a review copy of this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Guess Who Noah's Boat by by Matt Mitter, Ela Jarzabek (Illustrations)
from Goodreads.com
Children will love this interactive new telling of the Noah's ark story. With fun, rhyming text, each spread asks kids to guess which animal is heading toward the ark. The answer is revealed under the cleverly designed flap. With eye-catching illustrations and easy-to-understand text, Guess Who Noah's Boat is sure to become a favorite.

My Take:  All I can say is that my two granddaughters love this book.  They have read it over and over again and love it.  The pictures are beautifully illustrated and the children really like the hidden pictures and guessing what is under the flap. A great book for toddlers . 

I received a review copy of this book from Kregel Publications in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Buried Beneath the Words by Betel Arnold

About the book: 

Words! Words! Words!

Words all over the place. Accusing, blaming, and degrading words are the worst of all. After hearing those words over and over again, we begin to feel the weight of them threatening to crush the very life out of us.

Buried Beneath the Words cleverly shares a true life story about the different ways someone can end up buried beneath the weight of negative words. Then it shares a Christian course for how God's word can revive us. By putting the advice given within these pages into practice, you will experience an awakening of the real you---the you that has been buried way too long.

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/BCxmQ 

About the author: Betel Arnold is a Certified Christian Life Coach, her passion is to reach out to women with compassion, empathy and encouragement. She is the creator, co-producer, and co-host of Simply Talking, a local public television show addressing issues drawn from our daily lives to deeper questions that come from our personal tragedies. Betel has learned to integrate her roles as wife, mother, inspirational speaker and family advocate. It is Betel's personal life experiences of overcoming adversity where she was able to find the inspiration and inner strength to do the impossible. She inspires others to overcome the challenges that keep us from moving forward in our lives and achieving our goals. Betel Arnold has embraced her life's conviction to help women become all that God has called them to be.

Find Betel online: website, Facebook, Twitter

My Take: This is a great book that I think all women can benefit from.  Not only will you be able to conteract the negative words that may be spoken over you but you will also start to  think twice about the words that you speak over others.  There is alot to consider in this small book and you will want to chew on what you read. 

I received a review copy of this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Hidden in the Stars by Robin Carrol

About Quilts of Love: Quilts tell stories of love and loss, hope and faith, tradition and new beginnings. The Quilts of Love series focuses on the women who quilted all of these things into their family histories. A new book releases each month and features contemporary and historical romances as well as women's fiction and the occasional light mystery. You will be drawn into the endearing characters of this series and be touched by their stories.

About the book: 

A quilt holds the secret to a killer still at large---and who his next victim will be.

Following an attack that killed her mother and stole her ability to speak, 21-year-old Sophia Montgomery has no choice but to accept her estranged grandmother's offer to return to their family home. Although detective Julian Frazier is working hard on the case, Sophia unknowingly frustrates him because her inability to speak thwarts her eyewitness evidence. The fact that Julian is undeniably attracted to Sophia doesn't help either, so Julian hides his feelings as concern for a trauma victim and focuses instead on finding the killer.

Little do they know, the clues to solving the case may be right in front of them, displayed in Sophia's mother's "special" quilt design. Who will realize the secret Sophia's unwittingly been hiding in plain sight? When the truth comes to light, will Sophia find her voice again? Or will the murderer---still at large---silence her forever?

Learn more about this book and the series at the Quilts of Love website.

About the Author: 

Robin Caroll is the author of 22 published novels. When she isn't writing, Robin spends time with her husband of 20-plus years, her three beautiful daughters and two handsome grandsons, and their character-filled pets at home in Little Rock, Arkansas. She gives back to the writing community by serving as conference director for ACFW. Her books have been named finalists in such contests as the Carol Award, HOLT Medallion, Daphne du Maurier, RT Reviewer's Choice Award, Bookseller's Best, and Book of the Year.

Connect with Robin: website, Facebook, Twitter

My Take:  This book was a different take on murder mystery.  It must be very frustrating that your one eye witness is unable to speak.  Julian Frazier finds this out when he is investigating the attack of  Sophia and the murder of her mother.  This was an interesting mystery that kept me turning the pages to try and find out what the killers wanted and if Sophia would figure it out.  If you like mysteries this would be right up your alley. 

I received a review copy of this book from Litfuse is exchange for my honest opinion.