"Paper Roses" (Texas Dreams Book 1 series) by Amanda Cabot

Paper Roses by Amanda Cabot takes place in the 1800s in Texas.  Sarah is a mail-order bride with a younger sister to care for who is angry at her father for shooting her mother and then himself.  She leaves Philadelphia and the loneliness to start a new life in Texas but finds something very different than what she expected.

I enjoyed this story because of the mystery included to make it more than just another Christian fiction romance that is predictable.  Although the romance part was predictable from the start, I did not figure out who the murderer was until it was revealed at the end.  The theme of the book is that God can bring good out of bad situations.  I liked the characters and I always looked forward to getting back to reading it to see what would happen next. 

This is the first book I've read by this author but plan on reading more by starting with completing this trilogy.
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

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"Deeply Devoted" (Blue Willow Brides Series) by Maggie Brendan

Deeply Devoted (Blue Willow Brides) by Maggie Brendan is a light romance about a mail-order bride from Holland to a farmer in Wyoming in the 1800s. Catherine answers Peter’s ad for a bride and they correspond for six months but neither make mention of certain things. When Catherine arrives with her two teenage sisters, Greta and Anna, Peter is very surprised but accommodates them all nonetheless. Peter’s mother is shocked when she finds out he is marrying Catherine because he never mentioned anything about it to her. His mother is suspicious of Catherine so hires a private investigator to check out her background and uncovers a secret she neglected to tell Peter.

I enjoyed reading this light historical fiction romance. It’s about trust in a marriage and how important it is to be honest with your spouse. I liked the younger sister, Anna, best though and her puppies. It’s a quick read.
(Karen's review, 4 stars)

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"Ruby (Dakota Treasures-Book 1)" by Lauraine Snelling if a Fun Read

Don't know why libraries can't put their stickers on the back!

Ruby by Lauraine Snelling is a good read about Ruby and her younger sister Opal (9 yrs. Old) who move to the Dakota territory from the east when their father sends for them just before he dies to give them their inheritance. It’s hardly a town at all with just a saloon/brothel, the Dove House that they inherit and another saloon, small store and a few other buildings. No sheriff, no children, no school, no church. The father’s dying wish was that Ruby would take care of the girls. She promised him she would before she finds out that they are prostitutes. Ruby is very uptight about everything and Opal is fun loving, friendly and adventurous. Ruby decides to stay only because she promised her father so decides to discontinue serving liquor, and the brothel, changing it into a respectable hotel that serves food and coffee. She agreed to permit the card room to stay open for gambling certain hours and let Belle run it.

I enjoyed this book very much because it was interesting to see how Ruby persuaded the others in the business to stay on and help change things. I liked Opal better than Ruby. I didn’t understand why Ruby did not pray more in this Christian fiction book than she did when she kept running into so many problems and challenges. It seemed she just complained a lot, yelled a lot and bossed people around, expecting Charlie to take care of everything. If you like historical fiction, I would recommend this book. Although it is classed as Christian fiction, I didn’t really find all that much Christianity in it.
(Karen's review, 5 stars)


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"Under a Painted Sky" by Stacy Lee

Under a Painted Sky by Stacy Lee is about a young girl named Samantha in 1849.  She longs to move back to New York to be a professional musician.  When a tragic accident takes her father’s life and then another problem comes to her, she is forced to go to the frontier with the help of a runaway slave named Anna Mae. 

I liked the action in this book.  Its been a long time since I read a book about the Old West so I enjoyed it.  I liked the two girls very much—well worth reading!  

 (Gerard's review, 5 stars)

 

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"Within My Heart" by Tamera Alexander - Good Love Story

Within My Heart by Tamera Alexander is about friendship, death, fear, faith and love that takes place in the 1800s.  Rand is a fine doctor who gave up the opportunity for a lucrative practice in Boston to become a doctor in Timber Ridge, Colorado.  Rachel is a young widow with two young boys and a ranch she is trying to keep to fulfill her late husband’s dream for their sons (Mitch and Kurt) even though she’d rather assist the doctor with his patients than take care of a ranch.  Rachel fights against loving any other man, wanting to stay loyal to her dead husband and also not wanting to go through the pain of losing another one. 

This Christian historical romance novel quickly got my interest and the characters are very likable.  This book deals with life and death issues well and I enjoyed learning about early medicine through Rand.  I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys good Christian historical fiction or stories about strong women and struggling families. 

(Karen's review, 4 stars)

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"The Inheritance" by Tamera Alexander (Christian Historical Fiction)

The Inheritance by Tamera Alexander takes place in Colorado during the late 1800s.  McKenna and Robert Ashford, older sister and 14-yr-old brother, move to Colorado to live with their cousin until they can get a fresh start when they cannot make the payments on their home and livery business their parents left them.  When they get to Colorado, they find things are not at all what they expected.  McKenna soon finds herself struggling to be a mother to her cousin’s little girl, Emma, when her cousin died in childbirth shortly after McKenna and Robert arrived. 

This is a good Christian historical fiction novel about a rocky relationship between a sister and her rebellious brother whom she feels sorry for and responsible for.  I liked the main character and of course the predictable ending that is characteristic of Christian fiction.  The story line with Robert and the U.S Marshall added an interesting dimension to the book.  It has discussion questions in the back for book club use.  

(Karen's review, 4 stars)

 

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