Before the Season Ends

Burkard, Linore Rose
Xulonpress.com
317 pages





Convinced the Lord wills for her to marry an elderly rector, Ariana is none-the-less excited when her family spirits her away to London. There her heathen aunt promises to introduce Ariana to society as a young debutante. But Ariana's Christian beliefs prevent her from hoping to actually find a suitable match. She certainly has no interest in the rich but churlish Mr. Mornay. His rudeness can hardly be overlooked even when he comes to her rescue not once, but twice.

In the vein of Jane Austen, Burkard weaves a delightful world, rich with detail. Her characters spring to life as they deal with their own struggles and prejudices. I look forward to reading upcoming sequel, The House in Grosvenor Square.

Genre: Christian Fiction, Regency romance
Audience: Women 18-55
Orthodoxy: God will work out events to accomplish what He wills.
Language: None
Morality: Good
Sex: None
Substance use: None
Violence: No

The Other Daughter

The Other Daughter
Ferrell, Miralee
Kregel Publications, 315 pgs.



The evening of her birthday, Susanne Carson experiences every wife's worst fear when the teen child of her husband's secret one-night stand arrives on her doorstep. Their marriage already fractured by her husband's profession of Christianity, this latest revelation seems destined to destroy what hope she has in her husband and in his faith.

David's past returns to haunt him, and his own failures drive Susanne further from the Truth he wants her to accept as her own. Caught in the middle are their two children and the abandoned daughter David doesn't want to acknowledge. He knows his sin led to this current problem, but what would Jesus have him do now?

In her debut novel, Ferrell writes a poignant story of the restoring of hearts and God's grace in reestablishing wounded relationships.

Genre: Christian Fiction, Women's Fiction
Audience: Women 18-55
Orthodoxy: Unwillingness to forgive harms not only the victim, but the innocent bystanders as well.
Adult Themes: Infidelty
Language: None
Morality: Good
Sex: None
Substance use: None
Violence: No

Discussion topics: none

A Shadow of Treason, a novel; Chronicles of the Spanish Civil War

A Shadow of Treason, a novel; Chronicles of the Spanish Civil War
Goyer, Tricia
Moody Publishers, 288 pgs.



After the bombing of Guernica, Spain, artist Sophia Grace finds herself in a convent helping the nuns minister to the war's wounded. Her heart is lured into a love for Spain and its people, as well as for the American volunteer soldier, Phillip, who is on his way to the front. As she fights against the selfish ambition of others, Sophia knows that her loyalty will always be with the Spanish people. But nothing is as it seems. When Walt reappears in her life, she is forced to spy on the man who loved, and betrayed, her.
In this second novel, Goyer ratchets up the suspense. The reader is once again asked to journey with the characters and to look at history through their eyes. But now the characters find their confidence in a God who knows all. You must read the first book in order to fully understand the characters' stories in the second, but this is my favorite of the two books.

Remembered - Fountain Creek Chronicles #3

Remembered – Fountain Creek Chronicles #3
Author: Alexander, Tamera
Publisher: Bethany House, 381 pages


Forced to fulfill the dying wish of her mother, Veronique Girard leaves her life of privilege and her beautiful France for the wild landscape of Colorado Territory. Her search for her missing father, a man she barely remembers, leads to the necessary purchase of one finely built freight wagon and brings her into contact with trail weary Jack Brennan.

After years of leading families to a new life in the west, Jack Brennan decides to put away the memories of the family he lost and begin a new life in Willow Springs. His job as a freighter takes him to surrounding mining towns. He didn't count on playing escort to French aristocracy, but only through the unlikely partnership does he have hopes of fulfilling his own dreams.

Tamera Alexander is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. Her vivid stories plunge me into the events and keeps me turning pages. As both hero and heroine rely on God's help to reach their goals they learn that sometimes God's plans differ from our own.

Language: None
Morality: Good. A man waits outside the bathing room waiting for a lady. After incident with a skunk a woman separates herself from her male companion and baths in a creek.
Romance: Yes
Sex: None
Substance use: None

The Oak Leaves

The Oak Leaves
Author: Lang, Maureen
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, 401 pages



The old journal of great ancestor Cosimo Escott leads Talie Ingram to clues surrounding her family history. But all is not as it seems. As the journal unlocks fear in Talie Ingram's heart for her own family's future, she struggles to accept her developmentally delayed child. Talie digs deeper into the past, she will either be broken by the ancient family secret, or between the faded lines of script lies a surprising legacy, but will it be strong enough to carry Talie past the pain of her present day life.

I felt like a kid exploring my great-aunt's attic, as the story shifted back in time from a current day women's fiction novel to a 19th century historical romance Written from the experiences of her own heart, author Maureen Lang penned a tender story that not only describes Fragile X syndrome but also shows that raising a different child isn't the curse secular society would lead us to believe, but is a blessing sent from the heart of God—All and whatever!

Genre: Christian Fiction, Women's Fiction/historical romance
Audience: Women 18-55
Orthodoxy: God's grace is sufficient for thee
Adult Themes: Fragile X syndrome, genetic diseases
Language: None
Morality: Upstanding
Romance: Yes
Sex: None
Substance use: None
Violence:

Discussion topics: none

Lanterns and Lace, Texas Legacy Book 2

Lanterns And Lace, Texas Legacy Book 2
Author: Mills, DiAnn
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, 317 pages


In search for her dead sister's child, Jenny Martins arrives in Kahlerville, TX. After an embarrassing meeting with Dr. Grant Andrews, she discovers that the dedicated doctor is her niece's legally adopted father. Jenny's fight for custody is complicate by the mysterious Aubrey Turner, who knows entirely too much about her.

As Jenny presses her case, her sister's troubling life is exposed and Jenny is forced to know her own heart to find the answers.

Lanterns And Lace is Mills second book in the Texas Legacy series and may be my favorite. As Jenny discovers that Christians are different than her atheistic father painted them to be, she discovers truth in places she never expected to find it.

Genre: Christian Fiction, romance
Audience: Women 18-55
Orthodoxy: Truth, while painful, is also freeing
Adult Themes: prostitution
Language: None
Morality: Upstanding between main characters
Romance: mild kissing
Sex: None
Substance use: None
Violence: murder, attempted murder

Discussion topics: none

Spoke of Love

Spoke of Love
Author: Hake, Cathy Marie
Publisher: Heartsong Presents,170 pages


After discovering a woman chained like an animal to a hitching post, a Colonial widower parts with his few coins to free her from her abusive master. Despite impulsively purchasing the bride's papers, Samuel Walsh has no interesting in joining himself in marriage to the mute woman.

Sold for her late husband's debt, Garnet Wheelock is sent across the ocean as a New World bride. A horrific ship ride is eclipsed the cruelty of her new master. When she's rescued by a stranger she shows her gratitude by laboring diligently for his family's well-being. She can mother Master Walsh's children, but can she overcome her fears and trust him with her heart.

Set in Colonial Virginia, Cathy Hake tells a charming love story of two broken hearts who depend upon God's providence and each others' care to find security and peace.

Genre: Christian Fiction, Historical Romance
Orthodoxy: God gives His blessings in surprising and unexpected ways.
Audience: Christian Women between 18-80
Language: None
Morality: Upstanding
Romance: hand-holding, huddles for warmth
Sex: None
Substance use: None
Violence: None

Discussion topics: None