A Bakery in Paris by Aimie K. Runyan

 From the author of The School for German Brides, this captivating historical novel set in nineteenth-century and post-World War II Paris follows two fierce women of the same family, generations apart, who find that their futures lie in the four walls of a simple bakery in a tiny corner of Montmartre.

1870: The Prussians are at the city gates, intent to starve Paris into submission. Lisette Vigneau--headstrong, willful, and often ignored by her wealthy parents--awaits the outcome of the war from her parents' grand home in the Place Royale in the very heart of the city. When an excursion throws her into the path of a revolutionary National Guardsman, Th�odore Fournier, her destiny is forever changed. She gives up her life of luxury to join in the fight for a Paris of the People. She opens a small bakery with the hopes of being a vital boon to the impoverished neighborhood in its hour of need. When the city falls into famine, and then rebellion, her resolve to give up the comforts of her past life is sorely tested.

1946: Nineteen-year-old Micheline Chartier is coping with the loss of her father and the disappearance of her mother during the war. In their absence, she is charged with the raising of her two younger sisters. At the hand of a well-meaning neighbor, Micheline finds herself enrolled in a prestigious baking academy with her entire life mapped out for her. Feeling trapped and desperately unequal to the task of raising two young girls, she becomes obsessed with finding her mother. Her classmate at the academy, Laurent Tanet, may be the only one capable of helping Micheline move on from the past and begin creating a future for herself.

Both women must grapple with loss, learn to accept love, and face impossible choices armed with little more than their courage and a belief that a bit of flour, yeast, sugar, and love can bring about a revolution of their own.

My thoughts:

This is an interesting, beautifully written novel. We meet Lisette in 1870, a strong young woman who leaves the comfort and wealth of her family behind for the man she loves. Later in we meet Micheline in 1946 who is left to take care of her siblings after the loss of her father and the disappearance of her mother. Two strong women, generations apart but both part of a family bakery that is their saving grace.

They both face many obstacles and challenges in life and yet both are filled with determination to make lives better for themselves and their loved ones. I loved the storyline, characters and the recipes that were included.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary of this book.  Opinions are my own.

 

The Return of the Monarchs (An Amish Romance) by Beth Wiseman

From a bestselling and award-winning author who has sold over 2.5 million books.

Janelle Herron isn’t interested in having a boyfriend. She wears black clothes, dark makeup, and sees herself metaphorically as a caterpillar who hopes to transform into a butterfly someday. She hopes that she will grow into a vision of herself that she can live with, and she has her reasons—reasons that only her parents are aware of—but her metamorphosis doesn’t include having a romantic relationship. But when she sees a handsome Amish man being harassed by bullies, she gets involved and she becomes friends with Thomas Schrock. He’s safe. They can never be together romantically because he’s Amish.

Thomas Schrock is intrigued—and a little embarrassed—when a Goth-looking young English woman intervenes in a one-sided fight Thomas is about to be lured into by three bullies. Janelle is spunky, brave, and might even be pretty behind all the dark makeup she wears. She is easy to talk to, fun to be around, and as they spend more time together, he begins to understand some of the reasons she dresses the way she does. But as Janelle and Thomas’s feelings begin to lean toward romance, Janelle holds tightly to a secret she has no intention of sharing. Her plan is to stay on course and leave for college at the end of the summer.

But will a magical meadow filled with monarchs and a little divine intervention turn things around for Janelle? Will she finally share her secret with Thomas and become the butterfly she’s always wanted to be?

My thoughts:

This may be a short story, but Ms. Wiseman has filled each page with fantastic characters and an engaging story.  I loved Janelle and Thomas, there is a huge difference between the girl who dresses in black, wears makeup and the young handsome Amish man who being bullied and a bit naïve

I loved how the monarchs were included in the storyline and the transformation in Janelle.  This is such a delightful story with charming, unforgettable characters with the bonus of recipes.  Suitable for readers of all ages and a sweet quick read.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions are my own.

 

 

The All American by Susie Finkbeiner

 

It is 1952, and nearly all the girls 16-year-old Bertha Harding knows dream of getting married, keeping house, and raising children in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan. Bertha dreams of baseball. She reads every story in the sports section, she plays ball with the neighborhood boys--she even writes letters to the pitcher for the Workington Sweet Peas, part of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.

When Bertha's father is accused of being part of the Communist Party by the House Un-American Activities Committee, life comes crashing down on them. Disgraced and shunned, the Hardings move to a small town to start over where the only one who knows them is shy Uncle Matthew. But dreams are hard to kill, and when Bertha gets a chance to try out for the Workington Sweet Peas, she packs her bags for an adventure she'll never forget.

Join award-winning author Susie Finkbeiner for a summer of chasing down your dreams and discovering the place you truly belong.

My thoughts:

Susie Finkbeiner knocks it out of the park in The All American, this will be my only baseball reference, mainly because I don’t really know too much about the subject. Which is fine since this novel has more than baseball, they face hardships, false accusations, starting over while never giving up on your dreams.

Sisters Bertha and Flossie Harding are both charming and I loved following their story.  It wasn’t always easy for their family but their lives were filled with love, books and of course baseball.

I loved the finely crafted characters, the time period, and the story is perfectly paced. This is one of my favorite books this year.

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

The Letter Tree by Rachel Fordham

 Mere words can’t end their families’ feud, but the Campbell heir and the Bradshaw heiress plan to write a future together. Buffalo, NY, 1924 Laura Bradshaw adores stories with happily ever afters. But since her mother died seven years ago, the Bradshaw Shoe Company heiress has been as good as locked away in a tower. Her overbearing father cares little for her dreams, throwing himself instead into his tireless takedown of his competitor, the Campbell Shoe Company. However, Laura has been gifted with a a mysterious friend with whom she’s been exchanging letters. As heir to the Campbell Shoe Company, Isaac Campbell is a sought-after bachelor who has never felt an inkling of desire for the women who constantly bat their eyes at him. His thoughts are consumed by an oak tree in the Buffalo Zoo—or rather, the mystery woman he exchanges letters with courtesy of the tree. She’s been one of Isaac’s only joys in a life consumed by his father’s tireless hatred of Bradshaw. A hatred that, Isaac is coming to realize, may affect him more personally than he ever imagined. 

When Laura’s father orchestrates a match between her and an important business owner, she resolves to pursue her only chance at freedom. But Isaac believes their story isn’t bound for a tragic ending. He’s certain there’s more to the Bradshaw-Campbell feud than meets the eye. And he won’t stop digging until he uncovers the truth that might bridge the divide between him and the woman whose words have captured his heart.

My thoughts:

Rachel Fordham has penned another pleasurable novel which was hard to put down once I started reading it.  I loved Laura and Isac; their fragmented friendship was heartbreaking.  All because of a feud between their families that caused such unnecessary pain and sadness for everyone involved.

I was rooting for this friendship to be rekindled and loved the way Ms. Fordham wrote this story was sweet and very touching.  I loved the both the setting and the time period.  Highly recommend.

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

Famous in a Small Town by Viola Shipman

 

"Full of summertime delight…and sweet, nostalgic charm, Famous in a Small Town is a beautiful reminder to…fully embrace the magic that lives inside you." —Heather Webber, USA TODAY bestselling author of Midnight at the Blackbird Café

For most of her eighty years, Mary Jackson has endured the steady invasion of tourists, influencers and real estate developers who have discovered the lakeside charm of Good Hart, Michigan, waiting patiently for the arrival of a stranger she’s believed since childhood would one day carry on her legacy—the Very Cherry General Store. Like generations of Jackson women before her, Cherry Mary, as she’s known locally, runs the community hub—part post office, bakery and sandwich shop—and had almost given up hope that the mysterious prediction she’d been told as a girl would come true and the store would have to pass to…a man.

Becky Thatcher came to Good Hart with her ride-or-die BFF to forget that she’s just turned forty with nothing to show for it. Ending up at the general store with Mary is admittedly not the beach vacation she expected, but the more the feisty octogenarian talks about destiny, the stronger Becky’s memories of her own childhood holidays become, and the strange visions over the lake she was never sure were real. As she works under Mary’s wing for the summer and finds she fits into this quirky community of locals, she starts to believe that destiny could be real, and that it might have something very special in mind for Becky…

Bursting with memorable characters and small-town lore, the enchanting new novel from the bestselling author of The Clover Girls is a magical story about the family you’re born with, and the one you choose.

My thoughts:

Viola Shipman is a gifted storyteller as evidenced in this novel.  I have read a few books penned by this author and I fall in love with the writing style and characters with each book.  This one is the epitome of small-town charm, filled with lovable characters and a feel-good storyline.

Becky and her friend take off on a much-needed vacation to Good Hart, Michigan where they meet Mary Jackson and her delightful friends and family.  I loved Mary and the Very Cherry General Store.  Mary is a spunky 80 year old who is legendary in the small town, not only for her ability to run the post office, bakery and sandwich shop but for something much more interesting. 

Famous in a Small Town brought a smile to my face but also tears to my eyes. I will always remember the town, characters, and the wonderful storyline.

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

Letters of Comfort (Friendship Letters #2) by Wanda E.Brunstetter

 

Friendship Letters Series — Doretta Schwartz has always enjoyed writing letters and feels her letters can be a bit of a ministry to her friends. In this series, exchanging letters that contain open and honest feelings and struggles helps Doretta and two of her best friends through the darkest challenges of their lives.
 
A Ministry of Letter Writing Restores Hope to the Writer
 
Doretta Schwartz used to be so happy and passed her positive attitude along to friends in several letters she wrote each month. But that all changed the day she learned of her fiancé’s death and a heavy weight of depression fell upon her. Feeling empty, she puts away her letter writing and won’t even respond to calls from friends. William’s twin brother, Warren, is also grieving his loss, while at the same time, trying to be supportive to his parents and Doretta. Doretta responds to Warren’s friendship, but is he just becoming a replacement for the once-in-a-lifetime love she lost?

My thoughts:

I have found the premise of this series to be interesting, exchanging letters by the Anish certainly isn’t new or unique, but having a novel written in this way held my interest.   Doretta Schwart who we met in the first book offered encouragement and friendship to her friends by writing letters each month sharing her positivity and being there for those she cares for.  In this novel, she is the one in need of positivity, friendship, and caring to get her through a difficult time.

Eleanor is there for Doretta just as Doretta was there for her during a difficult time.  I felt so bad for the heartache and trying times that Doretta faced after the loss of her fiancé and the depression she suffered with.  The support of Elanor, family, and friends along with her faith finally brings the light back to her darkest days.

Overall, I thought this book was engaging and the characters are ones you genuinely care about. 

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary of this book.  All opinions are my own.

 

The Laws of Attraction (Wyoming Sunrise #2) by Mary Connealy

If widowed town seamstress Nell Armstrong has to make one more pair of boring chaps for the cowboys in her tiny Wyoming town, she might lose her mind. So meeting Brand Nolte, a widower father struggling to raise three girls, seems like her dream come true. Brand has no idea how to dress the girls, and Nell finally has a chance to both create beautiful dresses and teach the girls to sew.

But Nell is much more than a seamstress, and the unique legal and investigative skills and knowledge she picked up alongside her late lawman husband soon become critical when a wounded stagecoach-robbery survivor is brought to town. As danger closes in from all sides, Nell and Brand must discover why there seems to be a bull's-eye on their backs.

Fan favorite Mary Connealy invites you back to 19th-century Wyoming for this adventuresome Western romance, complete with a budding romance, witty banter, and an absorbing mystery.

My thoughts:

In this 2^nd book in the Wyoming Sunrise series, we get to know Nell a lot better.  Nell has been f interest to me since we met her in the 1^st book, and I absolutely loved her story.  A talented seamstress who has been pressed into making chaps for the heavily male populated town, while her she longs to make frilly dresses.  Her dreams are about to come true when she meets the three young daughters of widower, Brand Nolte. 

Nell would love to help Brand and his girls by making dresses for them, of course he must be stubborn and believe its charity which he will not accept. I loved the pairing of Nell and Brand and rooted for them have a loving relationship; and make a home as a family The storyline has the perfect blend of clever dialog, mystery, strong female characters and moves at a great pace.

I am looking to the next book in the series since I know its going to be as good as the first two. 

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.  Opinions are my own.