In Search of a Prince by Toni Shiloh

About the Book

It seems like a dream come true . . . until it forces her to question everything.

Brielle Adebayo is fully content teaching at a New York City public school and taking annual summer vacations with her mother to Martha's Vineyard. But everything changes when her mom drops a bombshell--Brielle is really a princess in the island kingdom of Ọlọrọ Ilé, off the coast of Africa, and she must immediately assume her royal position, since the health of her grandfather, the king, is failing.

Distraught by all the secrets her mother kept, Brielle is further left spinning when the Ọlọrọ Ilé Royal Council brings up an old edict that states she must marry before her coronation, or the crown will pass to another. Brielle is uncertain if she even wants the throne, and with her world totally shaken, where will she find the courage to take a chance on love and brave the perils a wrong decision may bring?

My Thoughts

Some books you go into with certain expectations and this was one of those. With this stunning and eye catching cover I was instantly intrigued and then sweetening the pot with it being a royal romance I knew I had to check it out! Adding to that the fact that I’ve been hearing lots of good things about this author and I was excited for my chance to read it.

Unfortunately this quickly became a case of expectations not being met. At the start I was interested and hopeful but then things started to go off the rails and it became a bit of a struggle for me to finish.

Brielle had a big heart and she handled the crazy life changes about as well as could be expected. I just wanted a little more maturity from her because she read a little more like a YA heroine rather than a 25 year old teacher.

The hero in a novel that is written in first person from the heroine’s perspective is always a little tricky to make stand out and sadly Tomori just read kind of flat in my opinion. I appreciated the way he supported and was there for Brielle but I still wanted him to have a little more of a backbone and personality.

As with most royal stories the author created a fictional country and she definitely spent a lot of time crafting it which was very evident. The unique names and language were a bit hard to follow and took me out of the story at times trying to pronounce them but they did add some authenticity.

The faith element was extremely strong in this book, but it felt more forced in there rather than being a natural out flowing. It’s a difficult balance to find between clearly displaying the faith thread and not hitting the reader over the head with it and unfortunately in this book it came across a bit disingenuous.

There was also a little bit of a mystery thread which was a fun surprise (though I totally called the whodunnit).

Ultimately I think this book will hit the right spot with other readers but for me it was a miss.

Meet the Author

Toni Shiloh (www.tonishiloh.com) is a wife, mom, and multi-published Christian contemporary romance author. Her novel Grace Restored was a 2019 Holt Medallion finalist, and Risking Love was a 2020 Selah Award finalist. As a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), Toni loves connecting with readers and authors alike via social media. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. 

Until Leaves Fall in Paris by Sarah Sundin

About the Book

As the Nazis march toward Paris in 1940, American ballerina Lucie Girard buys her favorite English-language bookstore to allow the Jewish owners to escape. Lucie struggles to run Green Leaf Books due to oppressive German laws and harsh conditions, but she finds a way to aid the resistance by passing secret messages between the pages of her books.

Widower Paul Aubrey wants nothing more than to return to the States with his little girl, but the US Army convinces him to keep his factory running and obtain military information from his German customers. As the war rages on, Paul offers his own resistance by sabotaging his product and hiding British airmen in his factory. After they meet in the bookstore, Paul and Lucie are drawn to each other, but she rejects him when she discovers he sells to the Germans. And for Paul to win her trust would mean betraying his mission.

Master of WWII-era fiction Sarah Sundin invites you onto the streets of occupied Paris to discover whether love or duty will prevail.

My Thoughts

Sarah Sundin is one of the many reasons that WWII is my favorite historical time period, no one writes this genre quite like she does!

Sometimes I forget just how long WWII was brewing in Europe before the US joined and I’ve been really appreciating the way Sundin has been highlighting what things were like in those early days in this book and her last novel.

Paris isn’t my favorite city for books to be set in (don’t come at me) but it was also fascinating to see how things progressed in the city of love as the Germans invaded.

Lucie was such a bright soul, seeing beauty wherever she went. But she also had a strength and resilience to her.

Paul was much more on the serious side, seeing life through rules and order, but had a good heart and a desire to see good prevail.

Paul and Lucie fell for each other hard and fast, they were like puzzle pieces fitting together, each having what the other needed to balance them out. They didn’t have an easy road though and they had to fight countless battles to be together.

I greatly admired the way both of them did their part to help the Allies even at great risk to themselves and their livelihoods. They stood strong under pressure and thought quickly on their feet in ways that I just don’t think I could.

This book had me on the edge of my seat, anxiously turning pages to see what would happen but also had many sweet and romantic moments to balance it out.

Overall this was another hit from Sundin and I cannot wait for her next one!

Meet the Author

Sarah Sundin is the bestselling author of When Twilight Breaks and several popular WWII series, including Sunrise at Normandy, Waves of Freedom, Wings of the Nightingale, and Wings of Glory. She is a Christy Award finalist and a Carol Award winner, and her novels have received starred reviews from Booklist, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly, and have appeared on Booklist's "101 Best Romance Novels of the Last 10 Years." Sarah lives in Northern California. Visit www.sarahsundin.com for more information

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. 

To Treasure an Heiress by Roseanna M. White

About the Book

1906

Beth Tremayne has always been drawn to adventure. During her childhood, she fed that desire by exploring every inch of the Isles of Scilly. Now, after stumbling across an old collection of letters and a map buried on her family's property, she's found more adventure than she ever anticipated in the hunt for pirate treasure. But in order to discover where the clues lead, she must search alongside Lord Sheridan, a man she finds insufferable.

Sheridan has spent years pursuing whatever archaeological interests pique his imagination. And when he discovers that Beth's search connects with one of his far-removed pirate ancestors, he can't help getting involved. Plus, he finds her irresistible, even though she insists he stole a prized possession of hers.

As they work together following different clues and drawing closer to danger, they start to piece together a story of tragic love and piratical adventure. But which treasure will bring the greatest surprise--the one they find in each other or the one just out of their reach?

My Thoughts

I wasn’t fully sure what to expect going into this book after the last couple from this author weren’t my favorites. But thankfully this one seemed to be more in the direction of her previous works!

We met Beth and Sheridan in the last book but didn’t really get to know them all that well so I didn’t have a lot of preconceived notions about them.

Sheridan was a delight-he had a bit of boyish enthusiasm and charm to him but could also be serious when the situation called for it. The way he was utterly enchanted with Beth from the start was so entertaining and sweet. He was unashamed in his affection and unwavering as well and it could have slipped into obnoxious but he rode the line perfectly and I found it endearing.

Beth was slower to come around to Sheridan but she made her way there and they were adorable together. They both had a similar passion for adventure and discovery and just fit together so perfectly.

This book had a secondary story like the first one did (which was one of my least favorite parts about that one) but it was a lot less in your face so I didn’t mind it as much.

The continued search for pirate treasure didn’t capture me as much as it probably will other readers but it was entertaining at times (occasionally the research bits got a little dry) and overall enjoyable.

The cast of side characters continued over and they’ve slowly won me over to their charming island ways.

All in all this book was a great read and I’m curious about book three!

Meet the Author

Roseanna M. White (www.roseannamwhite.com) is a bestselling, Christy Award-nominated author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. She pens her novels beneath her Betsy Ross flag, with her Jane Austen action figure watching over her. When not writing fiction, she's homeschooling her two children, editing and designing, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of numerous novels, ranging from biblical fiction to American-set romances to Edwardian British series. Roseanna lives with her family in West Virginia. Learn more at www.roseannamwhite.com

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. 

To Disguise the Truth by Jen Turano

About the Book

When a man arrives at the Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency, anxious to hire them to find a missing heiress, Eunice Holbrooke realizes her past has finally caught up with her . . . and that she may no longer be able to hide under the disguise that has kept her safe for so long.

Arthur Livingston's goal in life is to make his mark on the world as a mining industrialist, but after the man who could help him achieve his goal is murdered, Arthur feels compelled to seek justice for the family--but he's left with more questions than answers after the eccentric Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency refuses to take on his case.

Desperate to conceal her real identity and avoid the irritatingly handsome Arthur, Eunice takes on a different case that requires her to go deep undercover and entangles her in one troublesome situation after another. When other secrets come to light, Eunice has no choice but to confront her past, hopeful that it will set her free but knowing it could very well place her life--and the lives of those she loves--in jeopardy.

My Thoughts

Nobody does eccentric historical humor like Jen Turano! Going in you know exactly what you are going to get except you have no idea just how it will play out!

Eunice has been quite the mysterious character in the first books of this series so it was fun to get to finally know her backstory and get a better look at who she was. She was definitely independent and tenacious but she also had a softer side that had been mostly hidden as she kept a low profile.

I wasn’t sure what to make of Arthur at first but he quickly grew on me and I liked the way he was determined to see to Eunice’s safety and best interests.

They made a strong couple and I liked them together!

There were some parts of the story that confused me as to why they were included since they didn’t seem necessary and were overly detailed. And things definitely got a little chaotic at the end but that’s par for the course with a Turano novel!

Overall this was a fun read and a satisfying conclusion to the series!

Meet the Author

Named one of the funniest voices in inspirational romance by Booklist, Jen Turano is a USA Today bestselling author, known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. Her books have earned Publishers Weekly and Booklist starred reviews, top picks from Romantic Times, and praise from Library Journal. She's been a finalist twice for the RT Reviewers' Choice Awards and had two of her books listed in the top 100 romances of the past decade from Booklist. She and her family live outside of Denver, Colorado. Readers can find her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and at jenturano.com

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. 

Dancing With Dandelion by Tara Grace Ericson

About the Book

They can’t agree on anything—except that the job comes first.

Dandelion “Andi” Bloom has sacrificed a lot for her career in the Army. Now that she’s retired, playing security guard at Bloom’s Farm for high-profile events is a welcome change of pace. That is, until hosting a string of political events means working with a Secret Service detail – including a certain special agent she would have rather left behind in Virginia.

Special Agent Ross McClain takes his job seriously. Even if he has to come to Middle of Nowhere, Indiana to work events for the vice presidential candidate. On Bloom’s Farm, Ross runs into a familiar—and unwelcoming—face. Could this assignment get any worse?

Despite their mutual disdain, Andi and Ross must work together to provide security for the farm and the candidate. As the assignment goes on, it becomes impossible not to clash over every decision—and even harder to deny their growing chemistry.

My Thoughts

And just like that we’ve reached the end of the Bloom Sisters!

We haven’t gotten to see a whole lot of Andi in the previous books so it was interesting to get to see her character fleshed out. I’m not gonna lie, she did rub me wrong at some points (like her unfounded dislike for Ross basically just because he was a confident male) but I did warm up to her at times.

Ross was great-he knew how to be professional and get the job done but also had a fun side. I enjoyed seeing him wear down Andi’s prickly sides.

The two of them were kind of hot and cold throughout, but they had some good moments of banter and seemed to make sense as a couple.

The little bit of a mystery was a fun edition and a good precursor to this author’s upcoming suspense series!

I enjoyed getting to catch up with all the Bloom siblings in the epilogue and get a glimpse of where they were now.

Fans of this series will be satisfied with this conclusion I’m sure!

Meet the Author

Tara Grace Ericson lives in Missouri with her husband and three sons. She studied engineering and worked as an engineer for many years before embracing her creative side to become a full-time author and mom.

She loves cooking, crocheting, and reading books by the dozen. She also loves a good “happily ever after” with an engaging love story.

That's why Tara focuses on writing clean contemporary romance, with an emphasis on Christian faith and living. She wants to encourage her readers with stories of men and women who live out their faith in tough situations.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. 

Life Flight by Lynette Eason

About the Book

EMS helicopter pilot Penny Carlton is used to high stress situations, but being forced to land on a mountain in a raging storm with a critical patient--and a serial killer on the loose--tests her skills and her nerve to the limit. She survives with FBI Special Agent Holt Satterfield's help. But she's not out of the woods yet.

In the ensuing days, Penny finds herself under attack. And when news reaches Holt that he may not have gotten his man after all, it will take all he and Penny have to catch a killer--before he catches one of them.

Bestselling and award-winning author Lynette Eason is back with another high-octane tale of close calls, narrow escapes, and the fight to bring a nefarious criminal to justice.

My Thoughts

This author’s books tend to be hit or miss for me, either I’m raving about them or struggling to get through. Somehow this book was a little bit of both.

The suspense angle and villain were exceptionally done. Intriguing and dark but not pushing the creepy too far for me. I was invested in all the aspects of the hunt for the serial killer the entire time.

The characters themselves were great but the romance angle is kind of where this fell apart for me because there really wasn’t any. They had had some previous interactions and continued to have moments together throughout the story but there was no chemistry or spark. They felt like two people involved in a case together. Not saying that they didn’t work as a couple, because I could see how they’d be compatible, but nothing that was on the page screamed “these people are romantically involved.”

I was also a little confused about the inclusion of the stuff with the hero’s sister. I don’t know why we needed another whole crime to be on the back burner throughout, and the guy was being an absolute idiot not telling the girl about what was going on while at the same time being mad that she hadn’t told him things about her past-major eye-roll moment.

I did overall enjoy reading this book though and the small problems I had with things were never enough to make me question finishing the book. Overall I think this will be a hit with fans of this author and I’m curious about future books in the series.

Meet the Author

Lynette Eason is the bestselling author of Life Flight and the Danger Never Sleeps, Blue Justice, Women of Justice, Deadly Reunions, Hidden Identity, and Elite Guardians series. She is the winner of three ACFW Carol Awards, the Selah Award, and the Inspirational Reader's Choice Award, among others. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and has a master's degree in education from Converse College. Eason lives in South Carolina with her husband and two children. Learn more at www.lynetteeason.com.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. 

Sunrise by Susan May Warren

About the Book

Pilot Dodge Kingston has always been the heir to Sky King Ranch. But after a terrible family fight, he left to become a pararescue jumper. A decade later, he's headed home to the destiny that awaits him. 

That's not all that's waiting for Dodge. His childhood best friend and former flame, Echo Yazzie, is a true Alaskan--a homesteader, dogsledder, and research guide for the DNR. Most of all, she's living a life Dodge knows could get her killed. One of these days she's going to get lost in the woods again, and his worst fear is that he won't be there to find her.

When one of Echo's fellow researchers goes missing, Echo sets out to find her, despite a blizzard, a rogue grizzly haunting the woods, and the biting cold. Plus, there's more than just the regular dangers of the Alaskan forests stalking her . . .

Will Dodge be able to find her in time? And if he does, is there still room for him in her heart?

My Thoughts

Susan May Warren always provides a rollercoaster of an adventure and this book was no different!

I loved the setting of Alaska, and felt like the author did a great job of portraying the beauty and danger of the state.

I love how SMW keeps connecting her series so the fact that Dodge is the little brother of a heroine from another series was really fun! I liked Dodge and the way he was a man of honor who tried to do the right thing even when it was hard. And the way that he loved Echo even through their years apart was so sweet. Echo was a tough cookie and she definitely had a lot of resentment from her past but she still had a good heart and was willing to take risks if it meant saving someone else. Both Echo and Dodge had some growing to do but I enjoyed seeing them find their way back to each other!

There wasn’t really a mystery in this book but there were several high suspense scenes to keep you on the edge of your seat!

This book was definitely an adventure and I already can’t wait for the next two books about the other triplets!

Meet the Author

Susan May Warren is the USA Today bestselling author of more than 85 novels with more than 1 million books sold, including the Global Search and Rescue and the Montana Rescue series, as well as Sunrise and Sunburst. Winner of a RITA Award and multiple Christy and Carol Awards, as well as the HOLT Medallion and numerous Readers' Choice Awards, Susan makes her home in Minnesota. Find her online at www.susanmaywarren.com, on Facebook @SusanMayWarrenFiction, and on Twitter @SusanMayWarren.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.