Book Reviews

A Garden in Paris, by Stephanie Grace Whitson

An enjoyable book, written in an almost haunting tone with a more 'literary' style than I expected. I love it when I find a likable main character my own age (as I get older, they seem to be harder to find!) In this book, newly widowed Mary is at odds with her only daughter, and takes off to Paris over the Christmas holiday to revisit her past. That past includes a handsome French sea captain with dreamy blue eyes.

The daughter is a thoroughly dislikable young woman who has landed a gem of a fiance, but Whitson manages to make me care about her at the same time I wanted to put her across my knee. I figured out the plot's surprise element fairly early on, but that didn't stop my enjoyment of seeing the story develop. I wanted to see it played out, and enjoyed the way it did. Some touching moments, and even a chuckle or two. It made me want to return to Paris. There were just enough details of the setting to whet my appetite and lend an air of authenticity to the setting, but not enough to make me feel like the book was a tourist promotion gimmick, as many with foreign settings are.

This is the first book I've read by this author. Whitson is a good writer, and I look forward to reading more of her work.

The Outsider, by Ann Gabhart

This is a beautiful historical novel set in the 1800's in a Shaker community located near Harrodsburg, Kentucky. The main character is a young Shaker woman who is completely happy living with her Shaker sisters and brethren, until an outsider intrudes on their lives and her thoughts. The Shaker culture and society are so realistic I felt like I was there, like I knew these people. There are a gazillion Amish novels out there, but this is the first Shaker book I've read and I really enjoyed it. The whole story doesn't unfold on the grounds of the Shaker farm, either. Readers are given a realistic glimpse of war during that era, and medical practices as well. I read this book in one sitting, and gladly gave up several hours' sleep to finish!

The writing is exactly what I've come to expect from Ann Gabhart, smooth and beautiful. My eye just glides across the page while my mind builds pictures. If you like realistic, thoughtful characters, intelligent romance, and feeling like you've stepped a hundred years into the past, you're going to love this book.

If you'd like to purchase this book, please buy it through your local bookstore. The economy has not been kind to independent booksellers, and they need our support! You might also consider requesting that your local library order a copy for their shelves.

If you'd like to visit the author's website, click here.

A Not-So-Simple Life, by Melody Carlson

"These two things I know for sure: (1) nothing about life is fair, and (2) it is not going to get better."

Not a great outlook for a fifteen-year-old girl, is it? But Maya Stark, the biracial heroine of Melody Carlson's latest book, A Not-So-Simple-Life is completely justified in her pessimistic opinion. On the outside, Maya's life is enviable. She lives in a Hollywood mansion, her mother is a beautiful former starlet, and her father is a rock star. Really, a rock star! But behind the facade Maya's life is an ongoing nightmare. Her dad is on the road, and therefore nonexistent. Her drug addict mother is unpredictable and unreliable. Maya is on her own in a scary, sometimes abusive world that is totally alien to most of us, and yet hauntingly familiar at the same time.

That sounds really dark, doesn't it? But the book isn't dark. It's gritty, but Maya's personality rescues the stark surroundings, and her determination to succeed won me over from the very beginning. I loved her "Green Tips," such simple wisdom as not letting the water run while you brush your teeth. And I loved Maya. She's a unique, unforgettable personality.

I was honored to have the opportunity to endorse this book. I'll let my endorsement speak for itself:

"As Maya Stark pours her heart out in her journal, readers are treated to an inside view of a life that is at times exotic and unfamiliar, and at other times hauntingly similar to our own. Maya’s struggles become our struggles, her pain our pain, which makes her successes even sweeter. A Not-So-Simple Life is another triumph for Melody Carlson."

This book was released July 15th, so you'll probably be able to find it at your local bookstore. They can definitely order it for you. If you prefer to shop online, click here.

Let Them Eat Cake, by Sandra Byrd

When I picked up this book, I expected a few jabs at Marie Antoinette, or maybe a heroine who was as cluelessly pampered. Instead I met Lexi, a likable heroine who is anything but pampered, and I developed an appetite for French pastry. Lexi is fired from her boring job, and is about to be thrown out of the family nest as her parents literally sell her home right out from under her in preparation to moving to their retirement dream home. Lexi takes a job that is far beneath her abilities and income requirements, but one that indulges her love of all things French – counter help at a French café. She’s hoping for a promotion into management, and for a shot at a relationship with the handsome French owner. But things don’t turn out exactly as Lexi planned.

A humorous and entertaining story, I recommend Let Them Eat Cake to anyone who enjoys chick lit. Not heavy reading by any means, but don’t be surprised if you find yourself staying up late at night, compelled to turn page after page to find out what happens to Lexi next.

If you’d like to purchase this book, please support your local bookseller and ask them to order it for you. If you buy online, click here.

Sisterchicks in Gondolas!, by Robin Jones Gunn

Are you a Sisterchick fan? If so, you do not want to miss the sixth book in Robin Jones Gunn’s delightful series. In this installment, sisters-in-law Sue and Jenna take a trip that I’ve always wanted to go on myself – to Venice! Gunn acted as my tour guide while I went along for the ride and saw the incredible sights. When I finished the book, I’d picked up a few words of Italian and a yearning for some gelato and freshly baked Italian bread. And of course I enjoyed the wonderful developing relationship of two women I will add to my list of memorable fictional characters. This book received the Christy Award in 2007 for the ‘lit’ category. Infused with light humor and weighty truth, Sisterchicks in Gondolas! is one you won’t want to miss.

This book is one to add to your Sisterchick collection. Support your local bookseller and buy it from them. If you decide to purchase online, click here.

Quaker Summer, by Lisa Samson

Lisa Samson has quickly become one of my all-time favorite authors. In this 2007 Women of Faith Novel of the Year and Christy Award finalist, Heather, the main character, is a well-to-do shopaholic with a terrific kid and married to a handsome surgeon who is nuts about her. She lives in a house that most people only dream of, furnished with the best of everything. On the surface, life is grand. But are all the ‘things’ merely anesthetic for a pain too deep to be faced? In order to find the peace to move ahead, she must confront her own shameful past. To do that, she finds help from some unlikely sources – among them a nun, and a couple of ancient Quaker women.

Quaker Summer is one of those books that captivates you so deeply and draws you into the story so masterfully that you can’t put it down. It changed the way I think – about a lot of things. It’s beautifully written, and full of so much wisdom I wanted to grab my highlighter as I read. I challenge you to read this book and not come away changed. It’s never preachy (if you know me, you know I detest preachy books), but the message is powerful and profound. Samson spins a wonderful tale with strength and skill.

Support your local bookseller and buy the book from them. In fact, if they don’t have it in stock, tell them they should order a few copies. Their customers won’t be disappointed. If you purchase online, click here.

Hallie's Heart, by Shelly Beach

Mona is the owner of an antique shop struggling to make a go of her business. But she struggles with more than that – her past is haunted with anguish and guilt. And her teenage niece, Hallie, is caught in the same agony. As their tale unfolds, Beach slowly reveals the story of their painful past, and the hidden guilt they share.

When the book opened, I thought I’d picked up a light read as I tagged along with Mona to an estate auction to find treasures she could sell. The story changed as the author began hinting that all was not well with Mona’s family relationships. There’s a sister who barely speaks to her, and a niece she’s not allowed to see. Despite the appearance of a neurotic wiener dog and a memorable antique shop employee, this isn’t a ‘feel good’ novel – at least not through most of the book. But it’s a poignant story with realistic characters who love each other and want to help one another through the pain of loss and guilt.

Check to see if your library has a copy of Hallie’s Heart. It’s a Christy Award finalist, so if they don’t have it, you might suggest that they order a copy for their shelves. If you decide to purchase online, click here.

Doesn't She Look Natural, by Angela Hunt

Jennifer’s life is at a low point. She has recently divorced and is forced into selling her home in the D.C. area. And politics being what it is, she can’t find a job because her husband not only humiliated her by leaving her for her kids’ nanny, his position as an aide for a well-known senator has turned her into a leper to everyone in the area. So when she discovers that her great-uncle has died and left her his family business, she leaps at the opportunity to travel to Mt. Dora, Florida, and check it out. Of course, her enthusiasm flags when she discovers the nature of the business – it’s a mortuary. And it comes complete with a resident mortician.

There’s a reason this book is a Christy Award finalist. It’s fun and entertaining and well-written. I enjoyed getting to know Jennifer and her family, and I was fascinated by the glimpse into a business about which I knew nothing. As any good book does, by the time I closed the back cover I felt like I had been to Mt. Dora. And I attended a couple of really cool funerals, too. I can’t wait for the next book in this series.

Support your local bookseller and buy the book from them. If you purchase online, click here.

Where the Truth Lies, by Elizabeth Ludwig and Janelle Mowery

Since I cut my reading teeth on Agatha Christie novels, I just love cozy mysteries. Forget the CSI-style graphic details, give me a mug of hot tea and a good “who dun it.” That’s exactly what I found in Where the Truth Lies.

Casey Alexander is called to the small town of Pine Mills when her beloved relative, Aunt Liddy, disappears. She’s stunned to discover that the police are certain Aunt Liddy committed suicide. The stubborn investigating detective refuses to listen when Casey insists Aunt Liddy would never kill herself, so she sets out on her own to discover what happened. The trail of clues she uncovers leads her right into danger – and into the arms of Luke Kerrigan. But even those arms are full of danger, because Casey is almost positive it was Luke’s truck that forced her car off the road.

Casey is a terrific heroine, with a bulldog determination, a penchant for Post-It Notes and a troubled past that endears her to readers. And to Luke. Where the Truth Lies is a great debut for Elizabeth Ludwig and Janelle Mowery. Keep ‘em coming, ladies. I can’t wait to read more.

Where the Truth Lies will be generally available through online retailers like Amazon in a few months, but for now it’s available exclusively through Heartsong Presents Mysteries. Ordering a copy is easy – just call 1-800-847-8270.

Embrace Me, by Lisa Samson

Embrace Me is the first book I’ve read by Christy Award winning author Lisa Samson. I can promise you one thing: it won’t be the last. This book touched me deeply with a beautiful story so skillfully told I found myself more than once stopping to read a passage again and again, savoring the words as they rolled across my soul like honey rolls across my tongue.

The story traces the paths of two people who are both deeply wounded and trying to escape lives they can no longer bear to live. Drew, the pastor of a church that’s steamrolling toward megachurch status, is running from the disaster he inflicted on himself and others by his own ambition, and fed by his desire to live up to his demanding father’s expectations. Valentine, a.k.a. Lizard Woman, deals with the disfiguring burns inflicted on her by a crazed woman the only way she can, by hiding them behind a scarf and showing them only to people who pay for the privilege when they visit the sideshow that employs her. As their stories unfold, we are drawn forward, compelled to find out how the lives of these two vastly different people intersect. When they do, the result is a deeply moving message of grace and forgiveness that brought tears to my eyes.

I’ve read a lot of books in my lifetime, so I don’t say this lightly: Embrace Me is among my top ten favorite novels of all time. I urge you to run right out to your local bookstore and buy a copy. This isn’t one you’ll want to borrow – you will want to own it for yourself. If you’d rather purchase online, click here.