We Three Kings by John Pontius

We Three Kings by John Pontius

Dust Jacket:

"For six hundred years we have been living and dying because of our faith in someone that none of us has seen. Now that Christ is living on this earth, it is madness to not go and seek him."

When the signs of the Savior's birth appear in ancient America, the prophet Nephi witnesses another miracle—the Liahona starts working again. Now he must begin a quest that will take him far across the ocean to find the King of kings.

Join Nephi, Timothy, and Cephus on a journey that ultimately changes their lives—and the course of history—as they become the legendary Three Wise Men.

Masterfully written and wonderfully entertaining, this book is bound to become a family favorite for years to come.

My Review: 3.5 Stars

Interesting adventure, cheap relationship, written for men.

The Good: So there are some really great things I loved about this book. It was really creative and thought out. It flowed pretty smoothly from actual scriptural account to fictional account. Some things were pretty far fetched, but when you get to fill in the holes, you can put whatever you want in there, right? I loved the interactions with the Christ Child. Nephi's journey to Jerusalem felt like a recreation of Lehi and Nephi's journey from Jerusalem, from the Liahona to the wickedness to the doubting and complaining.

The Not-So-Good: This book felt very man-fantasy-adventure. Though very creative and eventful, after lots of details, reasons, planning, purpose and faith our hero saves the day. Feelings are not pondered over and do not weigh heavily upon our characters but put into action. The romance is also underdeveloped. It would have been better left out. Instead it felt very, "Me, man. You, wife." On my soap box I'd say, don't bother including a relationship in a story if you aren't going to develop the relationship. She just becomes an objectified trophy at the end of his quest. I am sure 80% of the readers thought it was just fine.

Though interesting, I probably won't pass this book around.

Content: drinking, some (non-graphic) violence, scantly clad women

Marrying Christopher by Michele Paige Holmes

Marrying Christopher by Michele Paige Holmes

Dust Jacket:

From Amazon Top 100 Regency Romance author, Michele Paige Holmes, comes MARRYING CHRISTOPHER, a regency romance from the Hearthfire Romance series.

Having seen both his sisters Grace and Helen happily married, Christopher Thatcher is free to pursue his dream of life in America. With adventure in his heart and mind, he boards one of the first steamships set to cross the Atlantic in the record breaking time of only twenty-five days. Within the first two of those, his resolve—to avoid women and the complications they often bring to a man’s life—falters when he meets Marsali Abbott, a young woman with a past even more troubling than his own. Whether from years of habit protecting his sisters, or simply because he feels drawn to Marsali, Christopher chooses to help her and becomes her friend. As the truth about what awaits Marsali in America becomes evident, he is faced with a more difficult choice, one that will impact their lives far beyond four weeks together at sea.

Other Hearthfire Romances:
Saving Grace
Loving Helen


My Review: 5 Stars!

'Nurturing Love in Barren Soil' kind of book. Loved it!

Christopher is determined to be independent of his sisters, charity, and any woman. Embarking on a journey by steam ship across the Atlantic, at a time when these ships were brand new, he attempts to avoid the three other passengers on ship, all women. Even though Christopher is done taking care of his sisters and anyone else, he can't help himself but want to watch out for a woman, Marsali, who gratefully takes care of herself, even in horrible circumstances.

Among circumstances seemingly barren, an unexpectedly beautiful flower of friendship, true love, and admiration unfold. The nature of the characters provide all the nutrients needed to grow a loving garden and new life for Christopher. (Maybe corn or wheat is more manly than a flower, but you get the idea. Love that Christopher wants to be a farmer and work the land and that this first "crop" took root at sea. Did I say I love Michele Paige Holmes? Can't wait for her next book!)

Can be read as a stand alone BUT the first two books are so good. Just read them, too!

This book is clean and the characters inspiring. I would recommend it to anyone.

*Received a copy for an honest review.

Eye On Orion by Laura D Bastain

Eye On Orion by Laura D. Bastain

Dust Jacket:

Falling in love with your gorgeous new neighbor isn't a bad thing, but when he turns out to be the bodyguard of a princess from a planet nine billion light-years away, life gets complicated. Seventeen-year-old stargazer Holly Adams never imagined she’d find herself trying to prevent the overthrow of an alien government. When Jai and his sister Amira move into the house down the street, Holly is immediately drawn to them. Jai acts suspicious of her from the start, making Holly more curious about their oddities. When Holly learns they are from a different planet, she does what she can to help protect Amira from Shander, a man who wants to marry her by force in order to take over the kingdom her father rules. Mistaken identity, a botched kidnapping, and a first kiss that bonds Holly and Jai for life are hard enough, but when Shander believes Holly to be the princess, things get even more dangerous.

My Review: 5 Stars!

Wow! This book is Awesome! It is a stargazer's story - not exactly sci-fi. Filled with the wonders of two people coning together from worlds across the universe. This is a sweet YA story that is very creative and even believable. There is just enough reality and 'what if' weaving though the story line to keep you turning pages.

This story could be a stand alone but you will want to read the sequel to find out what happens to the rest of the characters. It is clean with some modest kissing. It is even somewhat educational as they talk about the stars, their stories, and the universe. I would recommend it for all ages.

The Kiss That Launched 1000 Gifs by Sheralyn Pratt

The Kiss That Launched 1000 Gifs by Sheralyn Pratt

Dust Jacket:

Each weekday from 2:00-4:00 p.m., Grace and Ashton cohost Battle of the Sexes, a radio program arguing the he-said/she-said issues of the day. Their fiery debates often have listeners wondering if there’s more to their relationship than just talk, even though Grace has been dating Phillip, Mr. Tall, Dark, and Perfect, since long before she ever met Ashton Miller.

Yet when news comes that Battle of the Sexes is on the bubble for cancellation, Grace and Ashton need to step up their efforts to engage their audience to keep the show alive. When a charity organization approaches them and proposes that the two of them kiss for a fund raiser, Grace and Ash agree to kiss for a good cause. A kiss is just a kiss, right?

Or can one kiss really change everything?

My Review: 4 Stars

This book was full of sassy and sexist banter. Tall handsome macho male co-host clashes with is petite spitfire feminist counterpart in daily battle of the sexes radio show. Sparks are flying all over that sound booth. Even the listeners think their getting together is inevitable. But she has a three year boyfriend and he knows he doesn't have a chance.

This book was fresh, fun, sassy, and kind of sexy. Lots of oogling each others hot bodies and denied attraction. The banter and show debates are really well done. The author switches points of view, keeps the characters and their positions clear all while smoothly delivering clean and quick moving story.

Content: Oogling body parts, talk of rape, talk of characters' sex lives, relationship mostly built on sexual tension and consistent history of interest

Meet Your Match (No Match For Love) by Lindzee Armstrong

Meet Your Match (No Match For Love) by Lindzee Armstrong

Dust Jacket:

Sixteen-year-old Brooke Pierce doesn’t need her mom to tell her all boys are trouble. After watching her dad break up the family for a woman half his age, dating is the last thing on her mind.

On the first day at a new high school Brooke meets Luke, the school flirt with a reputation for heartbreak. He’s interested. She’s not. That only makes him chase her more. After a shocking revelation from her dad, Brooke and Luke form an unexpected bond, complete with crazy rules to keep them safely in the friend zone. Problem is, that’s the worst place to be when you’re falling in love.

My Review: 4 Stars

This novella is a prequel to Miss Match. It is sweet and clean. In this story High School Brooke and Luke start building the solid foundation of their friendship, even though they are attracted to one another. They deal with life issues and learn to navigate the opposite sex. The story sets up the first book in the series, Miss Match.

Content: clean, friendship, maybe a few crude comments

My Pride, His Prejudice by Jenni James

My Pride, His Prejudice by Jenni James

Dust Jacket:

When Will Darcy proposes out of the blue, Eliza Bennet's world comes crashing down. Of course she tells him no, but why would he ask her in the first place? Haven’t they always been enemies? For the past year, Eliza has worked for Will's company, Revolutionary Innovations, as an efficiency expert. Her whole goal has been to raise profits, finish her contract, and then get out. She assumed Will wanted the same, but now she's not so sure. And more importantly, she has begun to wonder if she made a mistake in telling him no.

Jenni James, author of The Jane Austen Diaries series for teens, does it again! Now she's creating a whole new series just for adults, Austen in Love. Book #1 is a delightful adaptation of Pride and Prejudice that has all the components of Jane Austen's amazing love story, sticking true to the original theme, while taking modern liberties to give this a fresh, new twist for the clean romance genre.

My Review:

Fun, modern remake of Austen's Pride and Prejudice. This story starts right in the middle at Darcy's wedding proposal. While kind of strange, it works. This is not an exact remake but rearranges and omits elements of the original book, while really becoming its own. The story still keeps the tension and banter and sweet discovery of Austen's story. The story was a little bit short, but the amount of plot the author covered it was a great length. It felt like someone remade a scene to your favorite play, but included elements of the other scenes to make a complete story.

It was clean and fun. I look forward to other books in this series.

Snowed Inn by Kate Palmer

Snowed Inn by Kate Palmer

Dust Jacket:

A woman rancher hitches the community’s dreams to her sleigh ride business and ropes in a heap of trouble for them and her heart.

Jayne Gardner turned her family’s ranch into the successful Snowed Inn Lodge and Restaurant. After she learns the community has one month to earn funds needed for a grant, she donates her company’s sleigh rides for a community fundraiser.

When Jayne’s new volunteer sleigh driver turns out to be Forrest Hunsaker, the man who left her three years ago, Jayne sets up three rules to maintain a professional distance and protect her heart.

When vandals strike Snowed Inn, Jayne must team up with Forrest to prevent a fundraiser fail. Now Jayne must decide if breaking all her rules will break her heart. Again.

My Review: 4 Stars

An All-in-one Cowboy Family Mystery for the Holidays.

This 'one that got away' novella is set on a snow covered ranch and is full of mystery, danger, love, horses, teens, family, capable entrepreneurs, and a fundraiser. Read how this family and community pull together in (hopefully) the craziest holiday season of their lives.

The emotional tone of the story feels real and believable. The flow is good. The romance is sweet and natural. The mystery and dangers are engaging. Great quick read that will keep you turning pages.

Content: clean