Wanda E. Brunstetter’s Amish Friends Healthy Options Cookbook

 

Loaded with dozens of Amish recipes for the health conscious.
New, from New York Times bestselling author of Amish fiction, Wanda E. Brunstetter, is valuable cookbook that offers healthy recipe options.
 
Everyone wants to feel healthy, right? Food can be one of our best medicines, and many Amish are known for seeking ways for health to begin in the kitchen. Brand new, from New York Times bestselling author of Amish fiction, Wanda E. Brunstetter, is a helpful cookbook from Amish and Mennonite cooks who offer healthy recipe options. Over 200 recipes are divided into traditional categories from main dishes and sides to desserts and snacks with labels for gluten free, dairy free, sugar free, etc. Also included are health tips and remedies. Encased in a lay-flat binding and presented in full color, home cooks of all ages will be eager to add this cookbook to their collections.

My thoughts:

I have several of Wanda Brunstetter’s cookbooks and I treasure each and every one of them. I was super excited to get this for several reasons, the excellent quality, the beautiful photos, the healthy recipes and the index of contributors was interesting to me.

I love how her cookbooks are broken into various sections and include homemade remedies, I love reading those and find them fascinating.  There are over 230 recipes, tips and remedies included in this book, so I think it’s safe to say that there is something for everyone in Wanda’s newest cookbook.  Plus, it’s a lovely addition to add to your collection.

I received a copy of this book from Barbour Publishing. All opinions are my own.

Dusk's Darkest Shores (Regency Wallflowers #1) by Carolyn Miller

How can a meek wallflower help a returning war hero whose dreams are plunged into darkness?

Mary Bloomfield has no illusions. Her chances for matrimony have long since passed her by. Still, her circumstances are pleasant enough, especially now that she has found purpose in assisting her father with his medical practice in England's beautiful Lake District. Even without love, it's a peaceful life.

That is until Adam Edgerton returns to the sleepy district. This decorated war hero did not arrive home to acclaim and rest, but to a new battle against the repercussions of an insidious disease. Mary's caring nature cannot stand to see someone suffer--but how can she help this man see any brightness in his future when he's plunged into melancholic darkness, his dreams laid waste by his condition?

Adam wants no charity, but he's also no coward. If this gentle woman can work hard, how can he do less? Together they struggle to find a way forward for him. Frustration and antipathy slowly develop into friendship and esteem. Then a summer storm atop a mountain peak leads to scandal--and both Mary and Adam must search the depths of their closed hearts for answers if they hope to find any future path with happiness at its end.

Best-selling author Carolyn Miller is back with a fresh series that will not only thrill readers eager for more of her work, but bring in new fans looking for beautiful writing, fascinating research, deftly woven love stories, and real faith lived out in the Regency period.

My thoughts:

What a wonderful beginning to this new series by Carolyn Miller.  I have been a fan of her writing for quite some time, but, after having read Dusk’s Darkest Shores, I am an even bigger fan.

I loved Mary Bloomfield from the start, she’s kind, sweet and someone you wish you could spend time with. As much as I adored her, I admit to loving Adam Edgerton just a little bit more.  Their story is everything this reader could possibly want and perhaps just a little more than I expected. They are both fabulous characters, they have experienced heartache, and yet, they go on with their lives as best as they can.

Overall, there is so much to love about this book and in my opinion one of the best novels penned by Ms. Miller.  The writing is superb, the characters some of the best she’s crafted and one of the best books I have read so far this year.  It’s going to be hard to wait until the next book in the series is released.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher.  All opinions are my own.

At Lighthouse Point (Three Sisters Island, #3) by Suzanne Woods Fisher

 

Blaine Grayson returns to Three Sisters Island with a grand plan--to take Camp Kicking Moose to the next level. Her dream starts to unravel when she discovers Moose Manor's kitchen has been badly remodeled by her sister, Cam, who doesn't know how to cook. Added to that blow is the cold shoulder given by her best friend, Artie Lotosky, now a doctor to the unbridged Maine islands.

As old wounds are opened, Blaine starts to wonder if she made a mistake by coming home. Little by little, she must let go of one dream to discover a new one, opening her heart to a purpose and a future she had never imagined.

Bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher invites you back to the coast of Maine for a story that reminds you to release what doesn't matter and cling to what does: faith, family, and friendships.

My thoughts:

I have always enjoyed my visits to Three Sisters Island, so I was pretty excited to reconnect with this family and their friends.  It saddens me to say that I wasn’t a fan of this book and it’s because I didn’t enjoy Blaine Grayson, even though I was anxious for her story.

I loved most of the other characters, thought the writing was good, but didn’t warm up to Blaine as I did in the previous books in the series.  There were parts that were amusing which kept me interested, but I thought the ending was rushed.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher.  All opinions are completely my own.

Pint of No Return (Ice Cream Shop Mystery #1) by Dana Mentink

The first in new dessert cozy mystery series! A murder in town is bound to shake things up...

After her divorce from her thrice-married embezzler husband, Trinidad Jones is finally ready for a fresh start. So when she's left one of ex's businesses in Upper Sprocket, Oregon, she decides to pack up her dog, cash in her settlement, and open her dream business: the Shimmy and Shake Shop, introducing the world to her monster milkshakes. And even with a couple sticky situations underway, namely that the other two ex-wives also call Sprocket home, Trinidad's life seems to be churning along smoothly.

That is, until she discovers her neighbor, the Popcorn King, head down in his giant popcorn kettle. When one of Trinidad's fellow ex-wives is accused of the murder and Upper Sprocket descends into mayhem, it's going to take a supersized scoop of courage to flush out the killer. 
 

My thoughts:

Pint of No Return is the first book in the new Ice Cream Shop Mystery series by Dana Mentink.  Yes, it is a cozy mystery and also yes, the author has written a cozy!    So, one of my favorite authors has a penned one of my favorite genres and I am happy to say this book is a pure delight.

Trinidad Jones is getting on with her life after a divorce from her embezzling husband, so off she goes to Sprocket, Oregon where she opens the Shimmy and Shake Shop.  She did get the storefront from her ex, but, his other two ex-wives received business opportunities from him, too.   Of course, they are all in the same small town, and you just know the town seemed a lot smaller when Trinidad ran into them.

Trinidad is doing well in her new town and she has high hopes for her new life, until she discovers her neighbor, the Popcorn King dead in his shop.  Quite honestly, that would make me think twice about staying there, but, luckily, she is much braver than I am and she decides to help solve the crime. 

I loved this fast paced, entertaining novel and the characters in this book, especially Papa Luis and Noodles who didn’t do well as a service dog, but he’s so cute that it doesn’t matter. I am ready for the next book in the series to find out what’s going on in Sprocket. If you enjoy a cozy mystery, then I highly recommend this one.  Pairs nicely with your favorite ice cream, please don’t ask me how I know this.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

                                                                                                                                                                        

 

The Nature of a Lady (The Secrets of the Isles #1) by Roseanna M. White

 1906

Lady Elizabeth "Libby" Sinclair, with her love of microscopes and nature, isn't favored in society. She flees to the beautiful Isles of Scilly for the summer and stumbles into the dangerous secrets left behind by her holiday cottage's former occupant, also named Elizabeth, who mysteriously vanished.

Oliver Tremayne--gentleman and clergyman--is determined to discover what happened to his sister, and he's happy to accept the help of the girl now living in what should have been Beth's summer cottage . . . especially when he realizes it's the curious young lady he met briefly two years ago, who shares his love of botany and biology. But the hunt for his sister involves far more than nature walks, and he can't quite believe all the secrets Beth had been keeping from him.

As Libby and Oliver work together, they find ancient legends, pirate wrecks, betrayal, and the most mysterious phenomenon of all: love. 

My thoughts:

I have read several novels penned by Ms. White, have loved all of them, but I have to say this one quickly became a favorite.  The setting was one I was unfamiliar with, not that it mattered, because through the descriptive writing, I could easily imagine the beauty of the Isles of Scilly.  

With a delightful cast of characters, a touch of mystery, romance and likable characters, this is a book you will definitely want to read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.  All opinions are my own.

All Through the Night by Tara Johnson

 

With her stammering tongue and quiet ways, Cadence Piper has always struggled to be accepted. After the death of her mother, Cadence sets her heart on becoming a nurse, both to erase the stain her brother has left on the family’s honor and to find long-sought approval in the eyes of her father. When Dorothea Dix turns her away due to her young age and pretty face, Cadence finds another way to serve . . . singing to the soldiers in Judiciary Square Hospital. Only one stubborn doctor stands in her way.

Joshua Ivy is an intense man with a compassionate heart for the hurting and downtrodden. The one thing he can’t have is an idealistic woman destroying the plans he’s so carefully laid. When the chaos of war thrusts Cadence into the middle of his clandestine activities, he must decide if the lives at stake, and his own heart, are worth the risk of letting Cadence inside.

Everything changes when Joshua and Cadence unearth the workings of a secret society so vile, the course of their lives, and the war, could be altered forever. If they fight an enemy they cannot see, will the One who sees all show them the way in the darkest night? 

My thoughts:

All Through the Night is one of the best books I have read this year and I can easily imagine it being one of my favorites of 2021, it’s that good. I am a huge fan of historical fiction and this one was absolutely fascinating from start to finish.

Cadence and Joshua are wonderful characters, I couldn’t read their story fast enough.  It isn’t always an easy story to read story but well worth it.  I enjoyed the medical aspect and learning more about Dorothea Dix and her work during this time in history.

Overall, I loved everything about this novel.  From the time period, the characters and the artful writing of Ms. Johnson, this is a must-read book.

I received a copy from the publisher through Netgalley.  All opinions are my own.

Bookshop by the Sea by Denise Hunter

Sophie Lawson should be enjoying her sister’s wedding day. But nothing could have prepared her to see the best man again.

After her mother became bedridden and her father bailed on the family, Sophie found herself serving as a second mother to her twin brother, Seth, and younger sister, Jenna. Sophie supported her siblings through their college years, putting aside her own dream of opening a bookshop in Piper’s Cove—the quaint North Carolina beach town they frequented as children.

Now it’s finally time for Sophie to follow her own pursuits. Seth has a new job, and Jenna is set to marry her college beau in Piper’s Cove. But the destination wedding reunites Sophie with best man Aiden Maddox, her high school sweetheart who left her without a backward glance.

When an advancing hurricane strands Aiden in Piper’s Cove after the wedding, he finds the hotels booked to capacity and has to ask Sophie to put him up until the storm passes. As the two ride out the weather, old feelings rise to the surface. The delay also leaves Sophie with mere days to get her bookshop up and running. Can she trust Aiden to stick around? And will he find the courage to risk his heart?

Includes discussion questions for book clubs

My thoughts:

It’s been quite some time since I have read a book by Ms. Hunter, but this one kept catching my eye and I’m glad it did.  This was such a lovely story with well-developed characters, ones you really waned to get to know.  I loved the setting of Piper’s Cove and of course the bookshop.

Sophie Lawson is selfless, putting the needs of her siblings before her needs and wants.  The story of Sophie is such a sweet but emotional read.  I rooted for her to see her dreams become a reality and for her to find the happiness she deserved.  This is a fantastic story and one of my favorites penned by the author.  A perfect summer read for the beach or for just sitting on your porch enjoying a nice sunny day.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley.  All opinions are my own.

 

Samuel's Return (The Amish of Southern Maryland #6) by Susan Lantz Simpson

 

The first scent of blooming flowers, fresh green fields, and invigorating days of sunshine. A Southern Maryland Amish spring bursts with hope, bright promise--and a practical young widow's chance to try love anew...

With two lively daughters, an active newborn, and a huge farm to tend, Lena Troyer has no time for impossible what-ifs. She just can't let herself be distracted by Samuel Mast's unexpected return. Even though her childhood sweetheart became the man she longed to marry, Samuel never saw or wrote Lena again after his family abruptly moved away. Now a widow, Lena is determined to keep Samuel's helpful ways and irresistible good humor at arm's length--no matter how often he's there when she needs him most...

A restless father with a shameful secret was the reason Samuel's many letters never got to Lena. And it's why Samuel can't bring himself to tell Lena the truth--though he's doing everything he can to regain her trust and prove he's worthy of the resourceful woman she's become. But as a rival for his affections complicates matters, Samuel and Lena must somehow put the past to rest--and believe that faith, honesty, and rekindled love will be more than enough to finally build a family together... 

My thoughts:

I loved everything about this sweet story and it’s my favorite in this series by Ms. Simpson. Lena Troyer and her adorable children are impossible not to love.  Samuel Mast is pretty special, too and I loved the time they spent together. He’s the kind of person you would want in your life, even though Lena was hesitant to let him close to her and I can’t say I blamed her given their past.

Filled with memorable characters, warmth and some pretty funny moments when the young ladies in the community try to win Samuel’s heart, this is a wonderful story.  This heartwarming, well-paced novel held my attention from beginning to end.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.