Love Comes Calling

Love Comes Calling
Siri Mitchell 
Bethany House Publishers 
Fiction, Historical, Romance 
March 4, 2014

Dreaming of becoming an actress, Boston socialite Ellis Eaton captures Griff Phillips' attention. But while filling in for a look-alike friend at the telephone exchange, she overhears a call that threatens Griff's safety. With handsome policeman Jack Flanigan investigating - and her heart in a muddle - will she discover what might be the role of a lifetime?

The unfortunate part of this book is that I never actually liked Ellis, the main character. I found her bratty, spoiled, self-centered, and obnoxious. I also found her captivating. So while I was annoyed with her I kept reading the book to see what would happen next. Mitchell continues to write at about a 4 start level. Never amazingly good but never so bad I quit reading. This book felt a bit like a hot mess and all over the place. Multiple levels of stories left me grasping a bit. Jack is easy to like and keeps the book moving. Overall a decent read, just be prepared for a bit of annoyance over the main character. 

My thanks to Bethany House Publishers for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my real and honest review. 

A Love Surrendered

A Love Surrendered

Julie Lessman 

Revell Publishing

Oct 2012

Fiction, Romance, Historical 

 

Orphaned in Iowa, Annie Kennedy moves to Boston to stay with her spinster aunt. She longs for romance to fill the void left by her parents' death. But when she falls hard for Steven O'Connor, the man who broke an engagement to her sister, Annie is worried. Will he break her heart too when he discovers who she really is?

With heart-pounding romance, intense family drama, and emotional twists and turns, A Love Surrendered is everything Julie Lessman's many fans have been waiting for.

Steven the "hero" of the story is a likeable guy with his own demons. He has a hard time getting over the fact that Annie was so young. I tended to agree with him. The other snag was the fact he had slept with her sister. Seriously, there are times I wonder if it's necessary to complicate things so much in fiction.  Annie is a sweetie with her own journey. She's a great character. 

As always it's wonderful to catch up with the entire O'Connor family. Seeing how all the characters from previous books are growing and changing is always a delight. You'll enjoy the twists and turns of this book although I wouldn't say it's one of Lessman's best ones. 

 

Lessman is an excellent writer. I always enjoy her books and the O'Connor family feels like family. She writes with depth, historical accuracy, and passion. Some readers may find the passionate side of things to be a bit much for Christian fiction. I'm not convinced that she needs to be as detailed as she is to round out her story. In some cases it seems to distract from an excellent story line. 

My thanks to Revell Publishing for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.