An Unexpected Grace by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse - A Book Review

  

How fun to be back in Kalispell, Montana and especially to reunite with Marvella Ashbury match-maker extraordinaire! This time she has a young widow, Johanna St. John, and her childhood sweetheart, Parker Bennett, in her crosshairs. This does not sit well with her late husband's brother, as he has his own plans involving Johanna.

I really enjoy books that are the fruit of Peterson's and Woodhouse's collaboration. The settings, main characters, and dialogue are always heartwarming. There is enough conflict to build and hold fast to the reader's interest and attention. The romance is sweet. There is always a sense of hope for the future by story's end. An Unexpected Grace is no exception. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

A Hope Unburied by Kimberley Woodhouse - A Book Review

    

A Hope Unburied is the third and final book in Kimberley Woodhouse's Treasures of the Earth series. This book, like the other books in this series, has a compelling mystery that stirs ones sense of justice, a sweet romance, and a deep theme centered around the historical debate between Creationism and paleontology. The books can be enjoyed in any order.

A Hope Unburied tells the story of Eliza Mills, a paleontologist with the Hall of Dinosaurs at the Carnegie Institute. Eliza, as a woman in a man's profession, had striven to be respected in her field. Now, opportunities are opening up for her, but danger may not be far behind.

I truly enjoyed this book and its series mates. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of A Hope Unburied from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

26 Below by Kimberley Woodhouse - A Book Review

  

My husband read this book weeks ago, and I admire his ability to stay mum about how good it was and not sharing details as he read, waiting for me to have time on my reading calendar for a purchased book between books from NetGalley. I would have had a difficult time not sharing about this wonderful, high tech, cyber crime mystery. While cyber attacks on infrastructure would be devastating anywhere, such things would be particularly deadly during Alaskan winters. Darcie Phillips, newly hired Emergency Operations Center director, was tasked with having systems in place to protect lives in her assigned region should any type of emergency occur. Before the new center was even fully operational, things rapidly became real, real serious that is. With the support of her small team Darcie must defy all odds to fulfill her obligation.

I highly recommend this intense, fast-paced, surprise-laden, suspense novel, and I look forward to reading the next installment in Woodhouse's Alaskan Cyber Hunter series, 8 Down.

Set in Stone by Kimberley Woodhouse - A Book Review

  

Set in Stone is the second book in Kimberley Woodhouse's Treasure of the Earth series. It is the character that remains in the shadows for most of the story that holds the reader's attention. A serial killer lurks in their midst and Martha Jankowski is completely unaware. Martha is focused on fulfilling her lifelong dream of becoming a full-fledged paleontologist. In those efforts, Martha is leading a dig in competition with another for the right to display a full dinosaur skeleton in a Denver museum. While rules are in place to keep the competition above board, someone is pulling strings to cause increased tension between the competitors.

An important part of this story revolves around the compatibility between the Christian faith based on the Bible and science, specifically paleontology. While not all of the questions often posed are answered, one can appreciate the characters wrestling and coming to terms with what seems contradictory to many. One also has to appreciate the author's perseverance in gifting readers with a wonderful story while also caring and grieving for a beloved family member.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Set in Stone from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

The Secrets Beneath by Kimberley Woodhoue - A Book Review

   

Tense and intense are the first descriptors that come to mind when thinking of The Secrets Beneath. Each time things seem to be going well for Anna Lakeman and those she loves, another unexpected and unwelcome event occurs, creating increasingly greater degrees of tension between characters and within the reader. The book has multiple themes, but the one that spoke the loudest to me dealt with showing the love of God when doing so has the possibility, or even the likelihood, of putting oneself in danger. The story touched on how paleontology and Christianity may go hand-in-hand. I truly hope the author expands on this in future books in this Treasures of the Earth series, of which this book is the first.

The Secrets Beneath is a compelling story, one I highly recommend. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

A Deep Divide by Kimberley Woodhouse - A Book Review

  

There are times in life when, only seeing a small piece of the larger picture, we may feel like God does not care about what is happening to us or around us. At those times fear often sets in. In our current times there are many things going on that might elicit a spirit of fear. In A Deep Divide Kimberley Woodhouse takes us back to the early 1900s to examine the theme of fear in relationship to faith, allowing us to examine this separate from the emotions of our current circumstances, then allowing us to apply what we glean to those circumstances.

On a more basic level, A Deep Divide is a wonderful story, with a great balance between historical accuracy, intrigue, and sweet romance. Woodhouse uses her words to paint beautiful pictures of the Grand Canyon's grandeur, as well as to develop her characters into people readers will know and care about.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

Bridge of Gold by Kimberley Woodhouse - A Book Review

Oftentimes authors place background information on the story in the back of the book. I am grateful that Kimberley Woodhouse placed her Dear Reader section in the front. The information provided lent credibility to a portion of the story that might have seemed fabricated otherwise. I possessed very little prior knowledge about the building of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, and the story's mysteries that revolved around it were quite intriguing. The dual timeline, that occasionally dipped into a third, played very well in this story. While I want to avoid any spoilers, I will say the surprise guest near the book's end was quite welcome.

I recommend this enjoyable read by one of my favorite authors, and am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Forever Hidden by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse - A Book Review

   

Forever Hidden introduces us to the Powell sisters whose story we can continue to follow in The Treasures of Nome series. Set in the early 1900s, readers get to see the treatment of the day of pulmonary disease and stroke, complicated by living in the Alaska Territory. The main characters in this novel are models of faith and strength, but also demonstrate the struggles with forgiveness and following one's own agenda that even stalwart Christians face. This novel also addresses the wisdom of keeping secrets, even when it seems the right thing to do.

As always Peterson and Woodhouse have crafted a story not meant solely to entertain, but also to encourage and challenge. As with many series these days, this one is built around a family of three siblings with a book devoted to each. Interestingly, The Treasures of Nome begins with the focus on the middle sister. The eldest and youngest are polar opposites, and I cannot wait to see the direction their stories take. I am grateful to have received a copy of Forever Hidden from Bethany House via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. I was under no obligation to provide a positive review, and received no monetary compensation.

The Express Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse - A Book Review

  

I get so excited every time I see that there is a new book coming out in the Daughters of the Mayflower series, doubly so when the new book is authored by Kimberley Woodhouse. Each book in the series works well as a stand-alone read. So you can jump into the series wherever you like and expect true reading pleasure.

In this book, the ninth in the series, Jacqueline, under the nickname of Jack, is running a Pony Express station and way station for the stagecoach line, assuming her late father's duties and responsibilities. Raised by her dad following her mother's death when she was quite young, Jacqueline loved her family made up of the Pony Express riders, her foster brother, and their only neighbors in this out of the way place. Little did she know how much her life would change with the arrival of Mr. James Crowell and Mr. Elijah Johnson o the stagecoach on October 12, 1860.

The Express Bride includes some intrigue and suspense along with historical romance, making it all the better. Woodhouse includes important spiritual truths without sounding preachy. Faith is so woven into the lives of these characters that their living out of that faith, even while struggling, seems as natural as breathing. Loving and forgiving are a foregone conclusion,not a decision, because as Christians they seek to live like Christ, an example to all readers of this delightful story.

I am grateful to have received a copy of The Express Bride from Barbour Books via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. I was under no obligation to provide a positive review and received no monetary compensation.

The Golden Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse - A Book Review

     

San Francisco has been known for its periods of corruption. This was true during the time of the great Gold Rush, a very dark time in the city's history. The living conditions in tent communities was undisciplined and unhygienic. Prices of goods were unbridled. Human trafficking abounded, along with every manor of vice. Swindling and thievery were commonplace. This is the environment that Olivia Livingston Brighton, a young widow, found herself in as she sought her brother and his protection. Daniel Livingston, a Christian, honest businessman, and restaurateur, along with his best friend, Joseph Sawyer, also a Christian and an owner of a gold mine, worked diligently to improve conditions in their city, and to spread the truth of Christ. Olivia was welcomed into their lives and eagerly joined their efforts. Each of them were willing to sacrifice their lives in these endeavors.

The Golden Bride is the latest installment in the Daughters of the Mayflower series. Readers will be happy to reflect on previous characters as Olivia is inspired by the words of her ancestors, Mary Elizabeth Chapman and Faith Lytton Weber, as she reads their journals which have been saved and passed down through generations of her family. Kimberley Woodhouse has given us another treasure to enjoy and truths to embrace within the covers of this book. I am happy to have received this book from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. I was under no obligation to provide a positive review and received no monetary compensation.

Under the Midnight Sun by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse - A Book Review

      

This is a story of love and its role in setting life's priorities. It is a story of how the love of God and the love of money impact lives in extremely different ways. It is a story of family, both biological family and family built through an even deeper bond, a shared love of Christ. In my devotional reading time recently I read that in today's society many live as if their prayer would be, “Give me this day my daily thrill.” This story reminds us that the greatest thrills come through times of worship, time spent in God's creation, and time spent with the ones we love.

While readers who started at the beginning of The Heart of Alaska series likely see this as the continuing story of Thomas Smith, for me joining this series in the third installment, I see it as the story of Tayler Hale, in which Thomas plays a major role. Thomas, raised in an orphanage and then put out to make his own way at age thirteen, knew no family before coming to work at the Curry Hotel in his native Alaska. Tayler Hale, raised in a close knit family, until it fell apart following her father's death, felt abandoned until she ran away to her new job at the Curry in an effort to escape being pulled down by her collapsing family. Both Thomas and Tayler found strength and courage within the family of believers who took them in and loved them. Both demonstrated the remarkable ability to forgive that comes from truly appreciating Christ's work on the cross.

I recommend Under the Midnight Sun to those who long to see Christianity in action. May we be inspired to seek ways to become more like Christ. I appreciate receiving this copy from Bethany House through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. I was under no obligation to provide a positive review and received no monetary compensation.

The Patriot Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse - A Book Review

  

The Patriot Bride is the fourth book in the Daughters of the Mayflower series. Kimberley Woodhoue wrote the first and fourth books. In this most recent addition to the series, Faith Lytton, great-great-great granddaughter to William and Elizabeth Lytton, was orphaned at the age of ten and made ward of then twenty-year-old George Washington. Faith grew into a fine, Christian woman who embraced the Patriot's cause. Having been widowed after one week of marriage and having never remarried, Faith felt compelled to take on a dangerous mission as messenger between Patriot spies, sparing those women with husbands and children from the dangers involved. Matthew Weber, a close friend of Washington's and a thirty-six-year-old bachelor, was a Patriot spy among the Loyalists. It was to him that Faith carried coded messages while receiving messages in return. Neither anticipated the spark that became a flame growing between them, nor the consequences of the request of the Loyalists whom Matthew moved among that he spy on the Patriots.

Woodhouse provides her reader with an interesting historical romance with a dash of intrigue. While the book is one of a series, it works well as a stand-alone read. The book holds the reader's interest without a great deal of complexity; is is a simple, entertaining, quick read. For me books like this are akin to using a palate cleanser between courses.

I thank NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for providing me with a copy of The Patriot Bride in exchange for an honest review. I was under not obligation to provide a positive review and received no monetary compensation.

The Mayflower Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse - A Book Review

    

     If you read Mayflower Bride by Kimberly Woodhouse, which I recommend, please don’t skip the “Dear Reader” and “Note to the Reader” sections. Woodhouse has provided wonderful information that will add to most readers’ knowledge of the times and events surrounding the crew and passengers of the Mayflower. Where most works of historical fiction include a few real people among the fictional characters, Mayflower Bride includes a few fictional characters among the real people who traveled to the New World on the Mayflower. This book is well researched which adds to the appeal for fans of historical fiction.

     Among the fictional characters are Mary Elizabeth Chapman and her brother David. Their father volunteered to voyage with fellow Separatists in an effort to assuage his grief from the passing of their mother. Another fictional character is William Lytton, a Stranger encouraged and supported in joining the voyage by his mentor and foster father of sorts. Having had the seeds of Christianity planted while living with his mentor, William’s faith grew as he lived among the Separatists on the Mayflower. Mary Elizabeth found her faith strengthened as she worked among the sick during the trying voyage and continuing after their landing in the New World. William and Mary Elizabeth find God’s using their budding relationship to minister to one another as they face many trials.

     I thank NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for providing me with a copy of Mayflower Bride in exchange for my honest review. I received no monetary compensation.