A Heart Most Worthy

A Heart Most Worthy
Siri Mitchell
Bethany House Publishers
2011
Genre: fiction, romance, historical


It's 1918 in Boston. World War I is still raging and 3 Italian seamstresses from the North End are daring to dream a different dream. The elegance of Madame Forza's gown shop is a far cry from the North End of Boston. Each day Julietta, Annamaria, and Luciana make their way to the shop and create beautiful gowns that will never see their part of town.

Impulsive and lively Julietta longs for something more than what life offers in her family's boring flat. When the mysterious Angelo catches her eye she is instantly drawn to him. He lives on the edge and his passion about a revolution is much more dangerous than Julietta could ever imagine. While Angelo draws Julietta further and further into his confusing web Mauro the family friend and doctor stands waiting for Julietta to notice him. When the danger becomes more than anyone could imagine Julietta must choose between the two men.

Quiet and shy Annamaria is the eldest daughter of her Italian family and thereby is destined to never marry and to take care of her parents until their deaths. Dutiful and accepting Annmaria resigns herself to her fate until the day her mama sends her across the street to the forbidden Sicilian produce stand for some tomatoes. When she meets Rafaello her entire world is turned upside down. A forbidden love in more ways than one Annamaria knows she must ignore what her heart longs for most.

Secretive and cautious Luciana is such because she is the daughter of the Count of Roma who was recently killed in an assassination. Even in Boston the assassins are hunting for her. Forced to find work beading gowns to provide for herself and her grandmother Luciana is constantly looking over her shoulder. The North End is a culture shock but no more so than the Irish son of one of the gown maker's clients. He's drawn to Luciana and creates ways for them to meet. In her desire to see no more people she loves killed she must run again.

I will be the first to admit that I typically approach a Mitchell novel with caution. I'm usually drawn to her books due to the story lines and creativity and I'm always dissapointed. Not so with a Heart Most Worthy. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters flowed well and were very well developed. I was absolutely transported to Boston and I loved it. The amount of detail in regards to the Italian emigrants of that time completely fascinated me. While not the crux of the book I also appreciated Mitchell's handling of the Spanish Influenza which was completely devastating during that time and not often remembered. Seeing the transition Luciana made from being a Countess of Roma to just a regular emigrant living in the dirty North End of Boston was truly engaging. This was a great read and I'm a little sad it's over...which you know means it's a good one!


rated: pg for adult content



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

Beauty for Ashes

Beauty For Ashes
Dorothy Love
Reviewed by: Melissa J. MacDonald
Genre: historical fiction
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Date: 2012

Carrie Daly is a Civil War widow who is somewhat content with her rather ordinary life. She and her brother are happily living together on their childhood farm and her soon to be fiance is a steady likeable fellow. Things change drastically in her ordinary life when her brother takes a peckish wife with two rambunctious and rude boys. Then mysterious horseman Griff Rutledge comes into town and sets Carrie's heart to beating. Unable to endure her mean-spirited sister-in-law Carrie sets out on her own to pave her own wave. However, there is a depression going on and when her brother has to leave to find work and her sister-in-law discovers she is pregnant Carrie moves back in to take over the home. Meanwhile Griff keeps showing up and causing her to rethink what she has always known. Add to this that her "fiance" ran away and got married and you've got a recipe for an interesting book.

Neither Griff nor Carrie are perfect and it's always refreshing to see real characters portrayed in a book. I particularly found the historical aspects of the book to be quite interesting. The depression of that time was really quite severe and it was intriguing to watch the characters struggle through. Griff himself struggles through forgiveness and misunderstanding that adds depth to his character. While it is plain to me that Love had a number of good ideas for some reason the book did not completely mesh and come together for me. The characters could have used a good deal more developing and at times the story line was a bit confusing and down right dull. There were moments of interest and laughter but for the most part this book did not hold my attention for long. I do think Love has great potential and I look forward to reading more from her. If you're looking for an easy read that looks at a time of history in a different perspective than you just might enjoy this read.

Rated: PG 

Thank you to Thomas Nelson for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A Cowboy's Touch

A Cowboy’s Touch by Denise Hunter

Review by: Melissa J. MacDonald

Genre: modern fiction

Publisher: Thomas Nelson Publishers

Date: 2011

Forced to go on sabbatical in Montana, Abigail Jones is less than thrilled to find herself leaving the city far behind to spend the summer with her aging aunt. Abigail finds herself surprised at how quickly she adapts to a slower pace of life. Her blood pressure drops, she’s finding God again, but this investigative reporter just can’t get a possible story out of her head!

Abigail’s neighbor is the handsome Wade Ryan. He’s got a precocious daughter and did we mention he’s handsome. When Wade’s daughter loses her nanny Abigail is more than happy to step in. Wade can’t help but find himself drawn to attractive Abigail. With Abigail’s care both daughter and dad begin to thrive. However, Wade is hiding a secret of monumental proportions and Abigail smells a story.

Who isn’t a sucker for a good cowboy romance? I mean, honestly! City girl goes to the country and meets a handsome cowboy…sigh. The setting is perfect ,set in Montana where western cowboys still exist and still steal women’s hearts. I found Abigail completely annoying at first. She isn’t very well developed at the beginning and you might find yourself annoyed with her desire to find a story and then to keep digging. Wade has his own issues and isn’t as well developed as I would have liked either.  Maddy (the daughter) is a delight and you’ll thoroughly enjoy her. As the story develops you’ll like all of the characters more and you’ll find layers that you weren’t expecting. The story has a bit of a twist that I won’t reveal and the book ends exactly like you would want it to.  Don’t be surprised if you don’t have the sudden desire to go see a rodeo, buy some cowboy boots, or take a trip to Montana. Denise Hunter transports you and I think you’re going to like it.

Rated: Pg- for adult situations

Angel Sister- Ann Gabhart

Angel Sister by Ann H. Gabhart

Review by: Melissa J. MacDonald

Genre: historical fiction

Publisher: Revell

Date: February 2011

Middle daughter Kate Merrit is doing her best to keep her family together. Growing up in Kentucky in  1936, life is hard. Her father is struggling with alcoholism, her mother is just trying to keep going, and her sisters seem oblivious to everything. In one quiet yet shocking moment an abandoned little girl changes everything. Lorena Birdsong is left on the doorsteps of the local church by a destitute family. Kate finds her and takes her home to mama. Slowly but surely Lorena and her story changes the Merrit family.

Perspectives switch throughout the book. We get gritty Kate’s perspective as she deals with all of the changes in her family. Kate’s father Victor lets us into his world of pain as he deals with a painful past and his current struggle with alcoholism. Kate’s mother Nadine’s  perspective shows us a wife who’s heart is breaking with both love and pain for her husband.

This is one of those books that you just have to read to truly enjoy. It starts out slowly but if you stick with it you will find it has a wonderful depth to it. The slowness is needed in order for you to fully enter into the story. Lorena is completely charming and she’ll steal your heart away. Gabhart writes with unbridled emotion and as the reader you truly feel all that the characters are feeling.

Rampant with the theme of love and forgiveness this book will slowly but surely steal you away. Take the time to immerse yourself in it and walk away change for the better.

Thank you to Revell Publishing for providing a copy of this book for review.

Rated: PG- for content

The House on Malcom Street

Leah Breckenridge’s life has been one cruel twist after another. Forsaken by her father, her husband killed, and her baby son a victim of influenza Leah is desperate to find a way to provide for herself and young daughter in 1920. Leah is angry at God and there are days that Eliza, her daughter, is the only thing that keeps her moving forward. Left with nowhere else to turn Leah and Eliza show up on the doorstep of her late husband’s aunt’s boarding house. It doesn’t take long for Aunt Marigold to worm her way into Leah’s heart but will Leah’s heart ever start
mending after all of her losses?

Purpose is found in helping Aunt Mari keep the boarding house running, although there is only one border, Josiah. A relative of her late husband Josiah seems to resent Leah’s very presence in the house. Leah finds escape in the garden as she helps bring life to what was thought to be dead. Josiah has his own story and is dealing with his own loss as the reader will discover as the book switches back and forth in first person between the two characters.

There are a myriad of themes that run throughout this book. Will healing happen? Will Leah be able to face her demons and move forward? You’ll have to read the book to find out.

Leisha Kelly has written some truly wonderful books and I opened the pages of this one with great anticipation. I was disappointed. It’s a very heavy book and the resolution at the end is rather poorly written. I could appreciate all the themes of God’s healing and wholeness but I was hoping for more. I snuggled in expecting to fall in love with the house on Malcom Street and instead I was rather ready to head out the door about halfway through the book. I do, however, believe this provides a very accurate description of what true mourning is like and I am confident there are readers that will find great comfort and healing in this book.

Rated PG- for heavy content

Thanks to Revell for providing a copy for review purposes!

Licensed for Trouble

PJ Sugar is trouble with a capital “T”. Her whole life has seemed to be a series of mishaps and disasters. When she finds out she has inherited the Kellogg family fortune she can’t imagine why. The sole beneficiary of Kellogg’s wealthiest widow PJ is baffled why a woman she hardly knew would leave everything to her. The inheritance turns out to be the Kellogg family mansion that is in complete shambles. Charming with an idyllic setting the mansion is nonetheless in serious need of remodeling. Handyman help comes in the form of Max Smith, a man without a past. Private Investigator in training, PJ takes on Max’s case with no idea where it might lead.

Licensed for Trouble is the third installment in Susan Warren’s PJ Sugar series. This book picks up a few weeks after “the kiss” in book two between PJ and her boss, Jeremy Kane. While PJ can’t deny the chemistry she has with Jeremy she also can’t put former love, Boone, out of her mind. Jeremy remains distant and PJ remains confused. As PJ tries to figure out her love life she also stays busy, and in trouble, trying to find Max’s past, chasing a bail jumper, and discovering secrets about her own past.

PJ’s character development in this book is wonderful and completely relatable. Feeling doomed to always live up to her moniker “nothing but trouble” PJ slowly but surely begins to experience God’s grace and redemption. With the help of the dashing and romantic Jeremy PJ finds the fresh start she’s been longing for. She turns to God and allows him to name her, define her, and love her.

Susan May Warren is a favorite author of mine. Although there are plenty of page turning moments in this book I also found sections that seemed to drag. However, PJ is a delight to get to know and while I would recommend reading the first two books before this book, this one can be read as a standalone. Warren keeps the reader guessing as PJ’s heart pulls her in different directions. You’ll find yourself gasping as PJ is rescued time and time again by one or more of the handsome men in her life. The mystery will keep you guessing and the ending will….well I’m not going to tell you everything. Enjoyable and a great end to this series!

Rated PG- for violence

Thanks to Tyndale Fiction for providing a copy of this book for review!

Still House Pond

Still House Pond

Author: Jan Watson

Genre: Historical, Fiction

Publisher: Tyndale

Date: July 2010

Lilly Gray Corbett is an adventurous 11 year old growing up in Kentucky in 1896. She can’t imagine anything better than living right on Troublesome Creek. She  loves her mama (Copper) and her step-daddy (John) and all of her little brothers and sisters. Lilly’s mama is an accomplished mid-wife and is often traveling around to deliver babies. Lilly  enjoys pleasing her mama but doesn’t always like babysitting all those sisters and brothers. She’d rather be outside near the creek discovering something, or someone, new.

Lilly’s daddy died when she was little in Lexington. One day Aunt Alice writes and invites Lilly to come spend part of the summer with her in the city. Copper has a hard time letting go of her little girl and allowing her to travel by herself on the train. However, she relents and Lilly is ecstatic about her adventure. In a mix-up of catastrophic proportions Lilly misses her train and is kidnapped by an angry neighbor. The family thinks Lilly is on the train bound for Aunt Alice and when that train crashes they fear the very worst. You’ll find yourself caught up as the story jumps between different characters and each character experiences their own defining moments. You throw in the Pelfry family maid who has a run in with a nefarious character and you’ll keep on reading this one.

There is something so effortless about the way Jan Watson writes and they way her books read. She’s been a favorite of mine for some time. She allows you to not only enter into the story but you enter into the lives of the characters. Still House Pond  doesn’t just bring you one event in the life of Lilly and her family, it allows you to join in on their day to day lives. It’s like settling into a warm quilt and enjoying a chat with friends. You’ll easily find yourself caught up in this read. Your heart will race as Lilly is kidnapped, hurt as Copper fears her daughter is dead, and be angry at the carelessness of the characters. You’ll enter in and enjoy every minute of it, I promise!

Rated PG- for birth scenes

Thank you to Tyndale Publishing for providing a copy of this book!