With Autumn's Return

With Autumn's Return
Amanda Cabot
Revell Publishing
Fiction, Romance, Historical 
January 21, 2014

Elizabeth Harding arrives in Cheyenne, Wyoming, to establish her medical practice thanks to the wooing of her two older sisters who extolled the beauty of the land. She's certain she'll have a line of patients eager for her expertise and gentle bedside manner. However, she soon discovers the town and its older doctor may not welcome a new physician. Even more frustrating, the handsome young attorney next door may not be ready for the idea of a woman doctor. For his part, Jason Nordling has nothing against women, but he's promised himself that the woman he marries will be a full-time mother.

Despite their firm principles, Elizabeth and Jason find that mutual attraction--and disdain from the community--is drawing them ever closer. And when the two find themselves working to save the life and tattered reputation of a local woman, they'll have to decide how far they're willing to go to find justice--and true love.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the Westward Winds series from Cabot and this book did no disappoint. Elizabeth is a great character. A wonderful mixture of spunk and softness. I liked her from the very beginning. She was prickly but she quickly grew on me. Jason is a sweet guy who develops nicely through the book as well. This is an easy read but not necessarily a moving read. In many ways it feels like there are too many storylines throughout the book. There's a murder, there's a Madam, there's an overweight single mother, there's a wanna be rancher, there's a doctor, and there's a lawyer. At times I wasn't completely sure where exactly we were going. However, I was in the mood for an easy read so I didn't get overly worried about the confusion. I would like to see Cabot take a stance and stick with it at some point. 

Elizabeth and Jason grow together as friends and then fall in love. It's sweet, it's how ideally real life may look like. I appreciated that. While they didn't resolve all of their issues between careers and marriage I was fine without having everything wrapped in a neat little bow. I think you'll be too. Sit back and enjoy. 

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

Waiting for Spring

Waiting for Spring
Amanda Cabot
Revell Publishing
Historical, Fiction, Romance
Available January 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

After the loss of her husband and the birth of her baby, Charlotte has had a long, hard year. But when a notorious robber believes she knows the location of a long-lost treasure, she flees to Cheyenne and opens a dressmaker's shop to lie low and make a living. When wealthy cattle baron and political hopeful Barrett Landry enters the shop to visit her best customer, Charlotte feels drawn to him.

If Barrett is to be a senator of the soon-to-be state of Wyoming, he must make a sensible match, and Miriam has all the right connections. Yet he can't shake the feeling that Charlotte holds the key to his heart and his future.

Soon the past comes to call, and Barrett's plans crumble around him. Will Charlotte and Barrett find the courage to look love in the face? Or will their fears blot out any chance for happiness?

Amanda Cabot is a good author and if this book speaks for what's to come she continues to get better and better. Both Charlotte and Barrett are well developed and are fun to watch grow throughout the book. The historical value of the time and location is well researched and fascinating to read. While the plot line might not seem overly unique there are just enough twists thrown in to make it feel new. I loved that Charlotte was a dress maker and that her son was blind. The implications of both of those things in the era was very interesting to read about. 

I felt "the baron" (the bad guy) was a bit far fetched and Charlotte's fear of him almost drove me crazy. The kidnapping scene is extremely unbelievable but gripping to read. Charlotte's son is 1 and in my opinion there were a lot of creative allowances taken with his cognitive development. None of these things took too much away from the book. It was still a good read and I enjoyed it. 

What a perfect time of year to put a quilt on your lap, read while snow falls, and wait patiently for spring. Your waiting will be much more enjoyable with this book in hand. 

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

Christmas Roses

Christmas Roses
Amanda Cabot
Revell Publishing
2012
Fiction, Historical, Romance

Celia Anderson doesn't need anything for Christmas except a few more boarders, which are hard to come by in this small mining town. She certainly doesn't have a husband on her Christmas wish list. But when a wandering carpenter finds lodging at her boarding house, she admits that she might remarry if she found the right man--the kind of man who would bring her roses for Christmas. It would take a miracle to get roses during a harsh Wyoming winter. But Christmas, after all, is the time for miracles . . .

This is a light easy read that is perfect for the holiday season. It's a quick read that I promise you'll enjoy. There are no great cliff hanging moments or massive amounts of angst, it is a simple story. The characters are believable and surprisingly developed for such a short book. I recommend making some peppermint hot chocolate, wrapping up in a cozy blanket, and sitting down for a nice winter's read. You'll be glad you did!

You can find more information at the author’s site. Published by Revell. My thanks to Revell Publishing for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.