A Moment in Time (Lone Star Brides #2)

A Moment in Time by Tracie Peterson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The second book of the series, Lone Star Brides, picks ups with Marty Wythe and Alice Chesterfield becoming closer as economic troubles force them to lose their beautiful home and move into the local orphanage to help. Alice takes a job in a local diner to earn a small income but is threatened once again by Mr. Smith. As things worsen, against Marty's wishes, she and Alice move back to Texas to reunite with Jake, who had left to work as a ranch-hand. Marty fears for Jake's life as her late husband had died from his injuries on the ranch she had sold to her brother and her faith is stretched to the breaking point when he is injured. Alice learns to love the beauty of Texas and starts to have feeling for a new character, neighboring rancher, Robert.

I didn't enjoy book #2 as I did the first in the series. Certain aspects was dragged out too long to make it not work well. I do look forward to book #3 to see if it is an improvement.

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Different Tides

Different Tides by Janet Woods
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Clementine is an 20 year old orphan who has a heart for little ones so when she is ask to be a governess to two lonely, orphaned children, she jumps at the chance. One of the children is a 5 year old Earl and the other, his 4 year old sister, both fresh from Australia. Both have experienced too much tragedy for being so young and carry the scars of fear. Can Clementine ensure they have a happy childhood...one that she, herself, did not enjoy?

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Stuck Together

Stuck Together by Mary Connealy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Stuck Together ends the Trouble in Texas series, another historical romantic comedy by Mary Connealy. The budding romance between Tina Cahill and "Invincible" Vince Yates heats up like their Texas surroundings as does the quick courtship between Jonas Cahill and Vince's new to town stepsister, Melissa. But with all the sparks flying, real gunshots ring out threatening the little town's Regulators and those they love. With trouble at his door and an abandoned mother showing symptons of dementia to shelter, Invincible Vince puts his love life on the back burner.

Mary Connealy always makes me giggle throughout her books - her main characters are always good guys and gals with hilarious quirks and thoughts. In this series, I believe my favorite was the first: Swept Away.

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Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland

Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland by Roseanna White
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Annapolis, Maryland, the country's capital, is the place to be - a hotbed of new hopes and ideas. Lark Benton, after being betrayed by the only man she's ever loved, with her beloved brother's help flees from her father's plantation in Williamsburg, VA to friends in Annapolis over the Christmastide. Once there, Lark's friendship with the Randels deepens and new friends are made with the Calverts, even though they are considered Tories. When Lark’s betrothed follows her to Annapolis, she has no intention returning home and sets out to prove her loyalty to her country, amidst the city’s Loyalists and Patriots.

Although White’s book is fictional, it is very interesting look at Annapolis, our nation’s capital for only six months, the Liberty Tree where the Sons of Liberty met, Bladen’s Folly and the State House in the year 1783.


Perfect for those of you who love historical fiction/historical romance..

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A Home for My Heart

A Home for My Heart by Anne Mateer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Historical fiction that tugs at your heart - Miss Sadie Sillsby helps run the Raystown Home for Orphan and Friendless Children, caring for the orphans on a daily basis and assisting the Matron and dear friend, Hazel. But when Hazel offers her the position of Matron, as she herself is marrying soon, Sadie will have to set aside her own marriage plans to Blaine. A matron can not be married and must attend to the many duties of running the orphanage, including keeping the finances straight and acquiring needed donations. Sadie accepts the position without consulting Blaine and forges ahead with her new career, even though she is sorely lacking math skills. The home continues to operate in the red and her records don't match the bank figures. On top of these problems, Sadie realizes she may soon lose Blaine to someone else. Sadie must take a hard look at herself and ask some very difficult questions...

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Fired Up

Fired Up by Mary Connealy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Book two in the Trouble in Texas series starts off fast. Glynna and her two children are smack dab in the middle of moving from the ranch that her ex-husband had stolen from Luke Stone. As she and Luke's Regulator friends travel through the narrow cut, boulders avalanche down from the hill, narrowly missing them but Doc Dare Riker suffers from a deep gash to his back. When they finally arrive in town, Glynna decides to open a diner in one of the empty storefronts and surprising does an amazing business, even if she can't cook and burns everything she makes. Dare in the meantime has healed from the rockslide incident but encounters more things that threaten his life - his home is torched while he's sleeping and Dare is leery of Glynna's cooking although it sends many men with upset stomachs to his doctoring business. The tension is strong between Glynna and Dare, as she and her children do not want another man in their life that could possibly hurt them again but she can't help being drawn to the honest, heroic doctor.

Themes are forgiveness, faith in what God has called you to do, honesty, and loyalty. You'll giggle at some of the antics including Glynna's cooking skills. The third book in the series will involve Regulator/lawyer, Vince Yates and new-to-town Tina Cahill, Jonas's sister.

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The Tutor's Daughter

The Tutor's Daughter by Julie Klassen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Emma Smallwood enjoys assisting her father with his small boarding school. But, things have fallen away since the death of his wife and Emma's mother two years before. Attendance has dropped and finances are becoming tight. Emma has written to former graduates Phillip and Henry Weston's father, a baronet in Cornwall, to inquire of the two younger sons. Mr. Weston is more interested in the Smallwoods joining him at his estate on the coast and teaching the boys onsite. When Emma and her father arrive in the nearby village, no one is there to meet them so a young boy and cart are hired to take them to Ebbington Manor, where unfortunately not only had their arrival slipped Sir Giles mind but his wife, Lady Weston had not even been informed of the teaching position being filled. The rude beginning gets worse, when the younger sons, twins, do not like being taught and mystery and suspicion surround the Manor - especially at night, when howling can be heard.

Written along the lines of Jane Eyre, readers of historical and Regency romance will enjoy this novel.

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Swept Away

Swept Away by Mary Connealy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Mary Connealy is known for writing her female characters full of grit and determination - definite factors needed in the Old West and pioneering days. In Swept Away, Ruthy MacNeil is that strong personality that can handle a gun and a horse, quite easily at that! Used to working hard from sunup to sundown, when she falls in with rancher and ex-regulator Luke Stone, who is bent on recovering his ranch, Ruthy doesn't even blink. I'm looking forward to the second book in the series, Trouble in Texas to continue this engaging, sometimes-hilarious, historical romance.

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Touching the Sky

Touching the Sky by Tracie Peterson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Somehow I missed reading Book 2 in the series, Land of the Lone Star, and jumped from Book 1, Chasing the Sun to Book 3, Taming the Wind. Although the books could be read alone, I think there is enough re-mentioned in each, but it's nice to be able to tie the missing bits and pieces together.

Laura Marquardt meets the handsome, Union Captain Brandon Reid, in of all places, an alley where she had been accosted by two Confederate sympathizers. Unfortunately, Captain Reid jumps to the wrong conclusion and mistakenly takes her for a sympathizer as well and so he rebukes her. When Captain Reid is ask by his superiors to join a party for Union supporters, he runs into Miss Marquardt again and is quickly set straight where her sympathy lies! As the two butt heads and learn about the other, Laura's younger sister Carissa has been making plans to marry her Confederate fellow, Mr. Malcolm Lowe - but to Laura there is something shifty and fake about him. Unknowing to her, Captain Reid has been watching Lowe, undercover, and has come to the same conclusion.

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Taming the Wind

Taming the Wind by Tracie Peterson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Carissa Lowe loves her young daughter, Gloria and has made a new life after the death of her abusive husband – but it includes never trusting another man and never marrying just to have a father for Gloria. Living in Texas with her sister Laura’s family, while her parents are away, proves to be one harrowing adventure after another. When the man who saved her life comes calling at the door, Carissa stands her ground that she’ll never need another, but Gloria has no doubts that Tyler could be her new papa.

Set in Texas when anger still burns hot from the Civil War and dangerous cattle drives and Indian raids are the norm, Taming the Wind, finishes the adventures of the Land of the Lone Star.


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An Outlaw's Christmas

An Outlaw's Christmas by Linda Lael Miller
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A light little historical romance from Linda Lael Miller on yet another grandson of matriarch Angus McKettrick. This time Sawyer McKettrick is riding into town from the station to take over the position of town Marshall and contemplating the snow squalling around him when a gunshot enters his shoulder. Unconscious but resolutely hanging onto the saddle Sawyer soon drops from his horse into the snow that surrounds a tiny schoolhouse. Inside Piper St. James, the schoolmarm is ready to brave the storm outside to fill her meager supply of water when she trips over his body. Somehow dragging him into the warm building, Piper is now left to clean and bandage the stranger's wounds alone until the storm abets. Tongues will wag when the town harpies hear that Blue River's unmarried teacher has a man in the schoolhouse.

I usually don't read Miller's romances but I do enjoy her Christmas series - great reads for those who love her McKettrick series.

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Short-Straw Bride

Short-Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you want to read a light, wholesome, historical romance - then this is the perfect novel. Set in the 1880s, Texan Meredith Hayes is determined not to marry ambitious Roy Mitchell and when she overhears him plotting to burn the barn of her childhood hero Travis Archer - she lights out for the reclusive Archer farm to warn him and his three brothers. But as she gets caught up in the fight to save the barn, Meri is seriously hurt and ends up staying for days, compromising her reputation. Under threat from Meri's uncle, the Archer brothers draw straws to determine who will marry the feisty gal and to her delight Travis is left holding the short straw. The only woman now on the land, Meri sets out to teach the Archers a new kind of love and courage.

Also written by Karen Witemeyer:
A Tailor-Made Bride
Head in the Clouds
To Win Her Heart


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