Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Too Rich For A Bride

From the back of the book: Ida Sinclair has joined her sisters, Kat and Nell, in the untamed mining town of Cripple Creek, Colorado, for one reason: to work for the infamous but undeniable successful businesswoman Mollie O'Bryan. Ida's sisters may be interested in making a match for their determined older sister, but Ida only wants to build her career.

Under Mollie's tutelage, Ida learns how to play the stock market and revels in her promising accomplishments. Fighting for respect in a man's world, her ambition leaves little room for distractions. She ignores her family's reservations about Mollie O'Bryan's business practices, but no matter how she tries, she can't ignore the two men pursuing her affections-Colin Wagner, the dashing lawyer, and Tucker Raines, the traveling preacher.

Ida wants a career more than anything else, so she shrugs off the suitors and pointed "suggestions" that young ladies don't belong in business. Will it take unexpected love-or unexpected danger-for Ida to realize where her priorities truly lie?

My review: Too Rich For A Bride continues the story of the Sinclair sisters. Even though I have not read the first book, I did not feel lost in this one. It can certainly stand alone. For the most part this is a typical romantic fiction book, however; I appreciate that the author did not focus so much on how each character looked on the outside, but what was on the inside. The characters are likeable and the situations are real. Mrs. Hodgson set this story in the late 1800's, but the lessons learned are so relevant for today. This was an easy enjoyable book to read. I look forward to reading more about the Sinclair sisters.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Waterbrook/Multnomah Blogging for Books blogger program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Desert Gift

From the back of the book: A nationally known marriage expert, Jillian Galloway is at the pinnacle of success. Her syndicated talk radio show is a hit and her first book is about to release. But just as she's leaving for her West Coast publicity tour, Jill's faithful husband of twenty-four years drops a bombshell: he wants a divorce.

As her world crashes down around her, Jill flees to her parents' home in the California desert, wondering if everything she's built her career on-and everything she's built her life around-is a sham. She thought she'd done everything right. So how did her marriage slowly slip away? And will she ever get it back?

My review: I especially enjoyed the plot in this book. A marriage expert whose own marriage falls apart was a great idea that has not been overdone. I think Mrs. John did a good job developing a storyline that will pull the reader in and hold their attention. I will have to say though that Mrs. John's choice of character names was rather corny. While I enjoyed the story I had a hard time getting past the names Jack and Jill as well as the references to the nursery rhyme. I think it was just plain silly and didn't fit at all. If it weren't for the nursery rhyme references I would highly recommend this book. However, I will only give it a 3 out of 5 stars.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Daddy Dates

From the back of the book: "Daddy Dates" is about a guy taking his best shot at being a successful dad by trying to know his girls-really know their fears, dreams, and opinions-and how he stumbles across an incredible strategy to do that with daughters of any age or stage. This funny, insightful, and relatable book poses the wildly original concept that should be a "duh" for most dads-but isn't. In order to raise a confident woman-to-be, show your daughter what it feels like to be treated with love, respect, and true interest by a man who loves her.

"Daddy Dates" is not another "how to" book from a parenting expert. It's a personal, eye-opening, often humorous look at an Average Joe's intentional pursuit of his daughters' hearts and minds, and the love-inspired steps he is taking to solidify Dad's place in each of their lives, forever.

My review: Daddy Dates is a great book for a dad (and mom) who has daughters. The book is fun, easy to read, and is full of practical advice. Greg Wright is open and honest about what has and has not worked for him in relation to his daughters. Even though some dads might already take their daughters on dates, Greg gives ideas and specifics about what does and does not constitute as a date. Some dads might find that their idea of a date is not going to make the cut. Each chapter is short and full of humor, so men that don't enjoy reading as a general rule will find this book very easy to read. Greg has also included helpful tools at the end of the book to help jump-start dads who might be unsure exactly what to do and how to start. Every dad who has daughters needs to read this book. Moms need to read the book as well if for no other reason than to support dad in one of his most important endeavors: "Becoming her hero, one date at a time." I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers through their Booksneeze blogger program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Lilies in Moonlight

From the back of the book: After a roaring night on the town, fun-loving flapper Lilly Margolis, dazed and disoriented, twists her ankle and falls into the backyard of a wealthy family where the effects of the Great War-over for more than half a decade-are still endured. Inside the walls of the Burnside mansion, Cullen Burnside, a disillusioned and disfigured veteran, and his widowed mother, Betty Ruth, who daily slips a little further into dementia, lead a lonely existence...until Lilly. Whimsical, lighthearted, and beautiful, she rejuvenates their sad, disconnected lives and blossoms in the light of their attention.

But Lilly, like Cullen, is hiding from a painful past. And when Cullen insists on returning her to her faraway home, their budding attraction seems destined to die on the vine. The resulting road trip becomes a journey of self-discovery-but what will Cullen and Lilly find at journey's end?

This is another book that I really enjoyed. It was fun getting to know each of the three main characters. I especially enjoyed Betty Ruth. The reader never quite knows what Betty Ruth will do next. Toward the end of the book the author had me a little worried about an idea that Betty Ruth presented. I was afraid the book was going to end in an unbelievable way, but Mrs. Pittman managed to pull away from the unbelievable and end in a satisfactory way. I was very glad that she did!

Mrs. Pittman also painted a very realistic picture of Lilly's background. The absence of grace and love in Lilly's growing up years is unfortunately common in many fundamental circles today. Lilly finds that the picture her mother painted of God is not accurate. Through the character of Lilly, Mrs. Pittman does a great job portraying true forgiveness. This is a great book to read! I received a complimentary copy of this book from Multnomah Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.