A Cowboy for Keeps by Jody Hedlund

About the Book

Greta Nilsson's trip west to save her ailing little sister, Astrid, could not have gone more wrong. First, bandits hold up her stagecoach, stealing all her money. Then, upon arriving in Fairplay, Colorado, she learns the man she was betrothed to as a mail-order bride has died. Homeless, penniless, and jobless, Greta and her sister are worse off than when they started.

Wyatt McQuaid is struggling to get his new ranch up and running and is in town to purchase cattle when the mayor proposes the most unlikely of bargains. He'll invest in a herd of cattle for Wyatt's ranch if Wyatt agrees to help the town become more respectable by marrying and starting a family. And the mayor, who has promised to try to help Greta, has just the candidate in mind for Wyatt to marry.

My Thoughts

I’m always excited when an author I like starts a new series and the fact that this was a marriage of convenience (my favorite trope) had me anxiously awaiting its arrival.

Wyatt was great and I loved the way he let Greta set the pace of things and was a true gentleman about it. I also admired the way that he didn’t bat an eye over the fact that her little sister came with her and took time to form a relationship with her.

Greta had a caring heart which was evident in the deep love she had for her half-sister and the lengths she was willing to go to give her a better chance at life.

I will admit though that for most of the book I wanted to smack Wyatt and Greta’s heads together and hope that knocked some sense into them. It was like they both were constantly waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop and making assumptions about the other one even when they were clearly saying the opposite. They both had people in the past who hadn’t treated them well and said things that they were letting affect their lives years later. In the end I was happy they worked things out but man they could have had such a richer relationship if they weren’t always looking to give the other person an out. There were still some great moments between them though and those were my favorite parts! Astrid, the little sister, was hard to handle for sure and drove me crazy with the way she acted and the fact that she basically ran unchecked.

Overall this was an interesting start to the series and I’m definitely looking forward to the next books!

Meet the Author

Jody Hedlund is the author of over 20 novels and is the winner of numerous awards including the Christy Award, Carol Award, and Christian Book Award. She received a bachelor's degree from Taylor University and a master's from the University of Wisconsin, both in social work. Jody lives in central Michigan with her husband, busy family, and five spoiled cats. She loves hearing from readers on Facebook and on her blog. Learn more at www.jodyhedlund.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. 

A Bride of Convenience by Jody Hedlund

About the Book
Unemployed mill worker Zoe Hart jumps at the opportunity to emigrate to British Columbia in 1863 to find a better life and be reunited with her brother, who fled from home after being accused of a crime.
Pastor to miners in the mountains, Abe Merivale discovers an abandoned baby during a routine visit to Victoria and joins efforts with Zoe, one of the newly arrived bride-ship women, to care for the infant. While there, he's devastated by the news from his fiancee in England that she's marrying another man.
With mounting pressure to find the baby a home, Zoe accepts a proposal from a miner of questionable character after he promises to help her locate her brother. Intent on protecting Zoe and frustrated by his failed engagement, Abe offers his own hand as groom. After a hasty wedding, they soon realize their marriage of convenience is not so convenient after all.

My Thoughts
Jody Hedlund has been on my favorite authors list since the very first time I read one of her books almost 8 years ago! And I have faithfully read everything she has written ever since. The first two books in this Bride Ships series being among some of my favorites for sure so I was more than a little excited to read this book especially when I realized it would contain my all-time favorite trope, marriage of convenience! But, this one didn’t quite live up to my expectations.
We met Pastor Abe in the previous books and I was looking forward to seeing him get his happily ever after. He seemed like such a great guy and after watching him help his friend win over his girl I was excited for him to find someone too. He was a very selfless and giving person, always going out of his way to care for everyone around him and I admired that. There were just times that I wanted him to have more of a backbone and actually stand up for something rather than kowtowing all the time.
Zoe Hart (always love seeing any part of my name in books) was a bit of an enigma, sometimes being brazen and bold but then turning around and acting shy. They way she was willing to care for children left in dire straits was certainly commendable even if sometimes it felt illogical.

Zoe and Abe had an interesting relationship, there was a lot of confusion and moments of hot then cold and so much could have been cleared up with an honest conversation that never happened. They were well suited though and their way to their own happy ending.

Meet the Author
Jody Hedlund is the bestselling author of over 20 historical novels for both adults and teens and is the winner of numerous awards including the Christy Award, Carol Award, and Christian Book Award. She lives in central Michigan with her husband, five busy teens, and five spoiled cats. Visit her at www.jodyhedlund.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. 

The Runaway Bride by Jody Hedlund

About the Book
Wealthy Arabella Lawrence flees to British Columbia on a bride ship still wearing the scars of past mistakes. One of the few single women in the boomtown, she immediately has suitors, but she is determined not to find herself trapped again by a poor choice.
Vying for her hand are two very different men. Lieutenant Richard Drummond is a gentleman in the Navy and is held in high esteem. Peter Kelly is the town's baker and has worked hard to build a thriving business. He and Drummond not only compete for Arabella's affections, but clash over their views of how the natives should be treated in the midst of a smallpox outbreak.
As Arabella begins to overcome her fears, she discovers someone in dire need--a starving girl abandoned by her tribe. Intent on helping the girl, Arabella leans on Peter's advice and guidance. Will she have the wisdom to make the right decision or will seeking what's right cost both her and Peter everything?

My Thoughts
I have been a Jody Hedlund fan since almost the beginning of her writing career and I have to say this series is fast becoming a favorite of mine! After loving A Reluctant Bride and getting to meet Arabella in that book I was more than I little excited to dive into this one! So much so that I finished it less than ten hours after starting despite having work and volunteer obligations-I literally read it every spare second I had! This is one of those books that is just a pure joy to read from start to finish and it was everything I was hoping it would be!
I really liked Arabella and it was good to finally find out what had happened in her past. While to an outsider it would seem like she lived a charmed life, the way she was controlled and the things she had done to her broke my heart. I loved watching her blossom as she finally had space to discover who she really was and actually dream about a life she could find joy in. Despite her upscale upbringing she had a tender heart and was willing to try and do things that many could, and did, consider below her station.
And Pete, gosh I loved Pete! From the moment he showed up on the page I knew he was going to be a hero to root for! His self-assured charming ways endeared him to me immediately, especially since he also had such a kind, generous, and selfless heart! His confidence as he pursued Arabella had me smiling so much as I read and while I understood the reasons she felt she couldn’t have a relationship with him I couldn’t wait for her to realize how wrong she was! The two of them together were just so perfectly sweet and natural and everything each other needed! Pete was also a man of integrity, which I loved. He never made any secret about the mistakes he had made in the past and his determination to never make them again. And he never stooped to the lieutenant’s level of underhanded ways in the battle to win Arabella’s love.
Basically this book was absolutely wonderful and I couldn’t have loved it more!

Meet the Author
Jody Hedlund is the author of over twenty historicals for both adults and teens and is the winner of numerous awards including the Christy, Carol, and Christian Book Award.
Jody lives in central Michigan with her husband, five busy children, and five spoiled cats. Although Jody prefers to experience daring and dangerous adventures through her characters rather than in real life, she’s learned that a calm existence is simply not meant to be (at least in this phase of her life!).
When she’s not penning another of her page-turning stories, she loves to spend her time reading, especially when it also involves consuming coffee and chocolate.

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. 

Foremost by Jody Hedlund

About the Book

A second princess. Another key to the treasure. And a cruel king desperate to squelch the growing rebellion.
Raised in an isolated abbey, Lady Maribel desires nothing more than to become a nun and continue practicing her healing arts. She’s carefree and happy with her life…until a visitor comes to the abbey and reveals her true identity as one of the lost princesses.
When he was a young boy, Edmund Chambers helplessly watched King Ethelwulf murder his family. Edmund escaped and has lived in the abbey ever since, uniquely trained to work with wild animals. Secretly, he loves Maribel and desperately hopes she doesn’t complete her holy order vows.
When King Ethelwulf’s army arrives at the abbey to capture Maribel, she flees with Edmund across the desolate Highlands in an attempt to reach Adelaide’s rebel army. Edmund can no longer hide his love, but can Maribel give up her dreams of becoming a nun to love him in return?

My Thoughts
I think this is my favorite of the series so far! I liked Maribel a bit more than Adelaide (not that anything was wrong with Adelaide it was just qualities that made her a good leader are also qualities that sometimes rub me wrong in heroines). I loved Maribel’s desire to help everyone, even if she was a little laser focused at times. Edmund was a great hero, he had more of a quiet strength and his ability to communicate with animals was kinda cool. I felt bad for him as he wrestled with loving Maribel even though it looked like it was doomed to be unrequited but I also admired the way he didn’t force his feelings on Maribel. Even though it was torture he’d rather live with the pain than take her away from what she thought she wanted.
It was fun to see Adelaide and Christopher again and to see them get one step closer to defeating the evil king! Can’t wait to get the end of the story and meet Emmeline!

Meet the Author
Jody Hedlund is the author of over twenty historicals for both adults and teens and is the winner of numerous awards including the Christy, Carol, and Christian Book Award.
Jody lives in central Michigan with her husband, five busy children, and five spoiled cats. Although Jody prefers to experience daring and dangerous adventures through her characters rather than in real life, she’s learned that a calm existence is simply not meant to be (at least in this phase of her life!).
When she’s not penning another of her page-turning stories, she loves to spend her time reading, especially when it also involves consuming coffee and chocolate.

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. 

Evermore by Jody Hedlund

About the Book

An ancient key. A secret treasure. And a princess destined to use them both to fight evil and restore peace.
Raised by a noble family, Lady Adelaide has always known she’s an orphan. Little does she realize she’s one of the lost princesses and the true heir to Mercia’s throne…until a visitor arrives at her family estate, reveals her birthright as queen, and thrusts her into a quest for the throne whether she’s ready or not.
Unable to tolerate King Ethelwulf’s cruelty and lawlessness, Christopher Langley left Mercia years earlier, training a group of rebels in neighboring Norland. When he returns home after his mother’s death, he discovers that not only is Adelaide all grown up, but she’s also the rightful queen of Mercia.
When King Ethelwulf discovers Adelaide’s location, he’ll stop at nothing to capture her and the key she holds to the ancient treasure. Christopher is just as determined to protect Adelaide so she can lead the growing rebellion. When feelings ignite between the two old friends, forces threaten to destroy their love and rip them apart forever.

My Thoughts
This was a great follow-up to the prequel novella! Adelaide was a character you could rally behind, she was definitely queen material. She had a combination of strength and fighting ability with a kind and generous heart. Christopher was a good complement to her, especially since they'd grown-up together so he wasn't cowed by her new found royal status and he wasn't afraid to stand up to her when the situation called for it. Their romance was sweet and I enjoyed watching them reconnect as adults and seeing them reconnect. The other brother, Mitchell, wasn't my favorite character, especially when he got petty. But he wasn't all bad.
Hedlund does a great job of transporting you to her medieval world, without bogging you down with details, and keeping you hooked into the story. Everything moved at a pretty fast pace and kept you turning pages to find out what was gonna happen next. It was definitely written to gear toward the YA market and I know teens will love this story! I enjoyed it even though I'm a few years past my teens!

Meet the Author
Jody Hedlund is the author of over twenty historicals for both adults and teens and is the winner of numerous awards including the Christy, Carol, and Christian Book Award.
Jody lives in central Michigan with her husband, five busy children, and five spoiled cats. Although Jody prefers to experience daring and dangerous adventures through her characters rather than in real life, she’s learned that a calm existence is simply not meant to be (at least in this phase of her life!).
When she’s not penning another of her page-turning stories, she loves to spend her time reading, especially when it also involves consuming coffee and chocolate.

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. 

Always by Jody Hedlund

About the Book
A fierce elite guard. A loyal lady in waiting. They must work together to save three princesses from certain death.
On the verge of dying after giving birth to twins, the queen of Mercia pleads with Lady Felicia to save her infant daughters. With the castle overrun by King Ethelwulf’s invading army, Lady Felicia vows to do whatever she can to take the newborn princesses and their three-year old sister to safety, even though it means sacrificing everything she holds dear, possibly her own life.
Gravely wounded in battle and knowing all is lost to his enemy, the king of Mercia tasks Lance, one of his fiercest elite guards, to protect his family along with keys to an ancient treasure. As Lance makes plans to sneak the princesses out of the capital city, he doesn’t need or want Lady Felicia’s help.
With the dark enemy in pursuit, Lance and Felicia must put aside their differences to outrun King Ethelwulf and prevent him from killing the princesses. In a desperate attempt to hide the young girls, Lance and Felicia agree to a marriage of convenience, a decision that will change their lives—and hearts—forever.

My Thoughts
This little novella got started with a bigger bang than I anticipated and the story just kept moving right till the end! My heart was racing as Lance and Felicia fought to keep the princesses safe from those who chased them! I greatly admired the way they both thought nothing of sacrificing everything to protect the rightful heirs to the throne! I really liked both of their characters and enjoyed seeing their relationship develop.
Hedlund created a great story world and perfectly set up the books that are coming in this series! I definitely recommend reading this first so you can see how everything gets started! I’m looking forward to reading each of the princesses stories and seeing how the story will end!

Meet the Author
Jody Hedlund is the author of over twenty historicals for both adults and teens and is the winner of numerous awards including the Christy, Carol, and Christian Book Award.
Jody lives in central Michigan with her husband, five busy children, and five spoiled cats. Although Jody prefers to experience daring and dangerous adventures through her characters rather than in real life, she’s learned that a calm existence is simply not meant to be (at least in this phase of her life!).
When she’s not penning another of her page-turning stories, she loves to spend her time reading, especially when it also involves consuming coffee and chocolate.

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. 

A Reluctant Bride by Jody Hedlund

About the Book
Living in London's poorest slum, Mercy Wilkins has little hope of a better life. When she's offered an opportunity to join a bride ship sailing to British Columbia, she agrees. After witnessing so much painful heartache and loss in the slums, the bride ship is her only prospect to escape a bleak future, not only for herself but, she hopes, someday for her sister.
Wealthy and titled Joseph Colville leaves home and takes to the sea in order to escape the pain of losing his family. As ship's surgeon, he's in charge of the passengers' welfare aboard the Tynemouth, including sixty brides-to-be. He has no immediate intention of settling down, but when Mercy becomes his assistant, the two must fight against a forbidden love.

With hundreds of single men congregating on the shore eager to claim a bride from the Tynemouth, will Mercy and Joseph lose their chance at true love, or will they be able to overcome the obstacles that threaten to keep them apart?

My Thoughts
Jody Hedlund's books are always fascinating to me! I love the way she takes a bit of history that is often overlooked or not even known about and creates a beautiful love story around it! This book, and the ensuing series, give us a peek into the lives of women who found themselves on one of the "bride ships" headed to the other side of the world.
Mercy and Joseph were both great characters! Though they came from completely different stations in life they both had a heart to help others in need. I loved how even though Joseph was an aristocrat he never hesitated to help those who society deemed beneath him, regardless of what his peers thought. And Mercy had a servant's heart willing to literally give the clothes off her back if it meant someone else was taken care of. They had some obstacles to work through in their relationship but their romance was sweet.
This book didn't have a lot of surprising twists and turns or any huge dramatic moments but I honestly really enjoyed that fact. It was at it's core just a beautiful romance set during a unique part of history. Definitely another win from an amazing author!

Meet the Author
Jody Hedlund is the bestselling author of over twenty historical novels for both adults and teens and is the winner of numerous awards, including the Christy, Carol, and Christian Book Award. Jody lives in Michigan with her husband, five busy teens, and five spoiled cats. Visit her at jodyhedlund.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. 

Searching for You by Jody Hedlund

About the Book
Despite years on the run, Sophie Neumann is determined to care for two young children. She won't abandon them the way she thinks her older sisters abandoned her. But times are growing desperate, and when she falls in with the wrong crowd and witnesses a crime, she realizes fleeing 1850s New York is her only option.
Disappearing with her two young charges into a group of orphans heading west by train, Sophie hopes to find safety and a happy life. When the train stops in Illinois for the first placement of orphans, Sophie faces the most difficult choice of her life.

Reinhold Weiss has finally purchased his own small farm. With mounting debts, a harvest to bring in, and past scars that haunt him, he's in no position to give his heart away . . . but can he say no when his long-lost friend shows up on a nearby train pleading for his help?

My Thoughts
Finally we get to discover what happened to Sophie after she disappeared! The girl we meet as the book begins is not the same one we last saw. Not only is she older but life has hardened her. Beneath it all though her kind heart still shines through, in the way she cares for Olivia and Nicholas and in other little ways. She had a lot of past hurt and loss to work through and I enjoyed seeing the way she matured as the book went on.
Reinhold has appeared frequently in the previous books of this series and I’ve always liked him. He works hard without complaint and strives to be a better man than his father. He had some personal demons to wrestle with but he had a good heart that just wanted the best for those he cared about.
I wasn’t sure about them as a couple due to his history with Sophie’s sisters but you could see how well matched they were as the story unfolded and in the end they were just what each other needed.
I really loved the Duff family with their big personalities and bigger hearts!

The end of this book made me quite happy and I loved seeing everything come together! A wonderful conclusion to another fantastic series from Jody Hedlund!

Meet the Author
Jody Hedlund is the author of over twenty historicals for both adults and teens and is the winner of numerous awards including the Christy, Carol, and Christian Book Award.
Jody lives in central Michigan with her husband, five busy children, and five spoiled cats. Although Jody prefers to experience daring and dangerous adventures through her characters rather than in real life, she’s learned that a calm existence is simply not meant to be (at least in this phase of her life!).

When she’s not penning another of her page-turning stories, she loves to spend her time reading, especially when it also involves consuming coffee and chocolate.

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. 

Top Ten Tuesday: Short Stories/Novellas

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

I didn't realize how many novellas I love until I tried to make this list-lol! So I decided to do ten contemporary and ten historical!

CONTEMPORARY NOVELLAS

#1. Three Little Words by Melissa Tagg

#2. Enchanted novellas by Melissa Tagg

#3. As Easy As Riding a Bike by Bell Renshaw

#4. One Christmas in Winter by Bell Renshaw

#5. Love in Three Quarter Time by Rachel McMillan

#6. Oh The Weather Outside is Frightful by Susan May Warren

#7. Second Impressions by Pepper Basham

#8. A Place to Belong by Melissa Tagg

#9. Crossfire by Susan May Warren

#10. Titanis & Lygos by Ronie Kendig


HISTORICAL NOVELLAS

#1. This Quiet Sky by Joanne Bischof

#2. A Lady of Esteem by Kristi Ann Hunter

#3. For Love of Liberty by Julie Lessman

#4. Facade by Pepper Basham

#5. Out of the Storm by Jody Hedlund

#6. Love by the Letter by Melissa Jagears

#7. Worth the Wait by Karen Witemeyer

#8. Gentleman of Her Dreams by Jen Turano

#9. A Search for Refuge by Kristi Ann Hunter

#10. Bourne & Tributary by Lisa T. Bergren

Together Forever by Jody Hedlund

About the Book
Marianne Neumann has one goal in life: to find her lost younger sister, Sophie. When Marianne takes a job as a placing agent with the Children's Aid Society in 1858 New York, she not only hopes to give children a better life but seeks to discover whether Sophie ended up leaving the city on an orphan train.
Andrew Brady, her fellow agent on her first placing trip, is a former schoolteacher who has an easy way with the children--firm but tender and funny. Underneath his handsome charm, though, seems to linger a grief that won't go away--and a secret from his past that he keeps hidden. As the two team up placing orphans amid small railroad towns in Illinois, they find themselves growing ever closer . . . until a shocking tragedy threatens to upend all their work and change one of their lives forever.

My Thoughts
I loved this book so much!! Jody Hedlund never fails to deliver beautifully written books that I can barely stand to put down, and this one was no different! From the very beginning I was completely enraptured and could think of little else. We got to meet Marianne in the previous book and I was excited to get her story and see her find happiness. Her life had been far from easy and she’d faced tremendous loss but through it all she never gave in and managed to keep her head up.
I absolutely loved Drew’s character! The way he cared for the children and Marianne was enough to make any sane female melt. Add in his playfulness and humor and I was a goner!
Drew and Marianne were beyond perfect for each other, she was more serious and structured than he was but she was always willing to go along with his antics and never criticized who he was. Their banter and challenges to each other were the best and made me smile and laugh quite a lot!
It was fun to once again visit the setting of the orphan trains and get an inside glimpse of what it was like.

In short, this book was absolutely amazing and I couldn’t love it more! Highly recommend it!

Meet the Author
Jody Hedlund is the author of over a dozen novels, including With You Always, Love Unexpected, Unending Devotion, The Preacher's Bride, and A Noble Groom, and winner of the 2014 Carol Award for historical romance. She received a bachelor's degree from Taylor University and a master's from the University of Wisconsin, both in social work. She lives in Michigan with her husband and five children. She loves hearing from readers on Facebook and on her blog at www.jodyhedlund.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. 

Top Ten Books With 'Heart' in the Title

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

This is going up late because life has been a little non-stop the past few days and then my battery died on me the one chance I had to get it up. But better late than never! There are a lot of frequently used words in Christian Fiction book titles and one I come across quite a lot is the word "heart" I found about 20 titles with the word on my shelves and here are ten of them!

#1. A Heart Revealed by Julie Lessman

#2. Heart on the Line by Karen Witemeyer

#3. My Foolish Heart by Susan May Warren

#4. My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade

#5. Paper Hearts/A Change of Heart by Courtney Walsh

#6. The Bound Heart by Dawn Crandall

#7. The Heart Between Us by Lindsay Harrel

#8. Rebelious Heart by Jody Hedlund

#9. A Heart Most Certain by Melissa Jagears

#10. When a Heart Stops by Lynette Eason

Top Books on My Spring TBR

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Upcoming Releases I Hope to Get

Storm Front by Susan May Warren

Falling for You by Becky Wade

The Accidental Guardian by Mary Connealy

Pelican Point by Irene Hannon 

Together Forever by Jody Hedlund

Books I Hope to Read off My Shelf

The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck by Bethany Turner

Love's Faithful Promise by Susan Anne Mason

The Thirteenth Chance by Amy Matayo

Jane of Austin by Hillary Manton Lodge

A Most Inconvenient Marriage by Regina Jennings

Can't Wait Wednesday: Together Forever

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. 

Together Forever by Jody Hedlund

Orphan Train #2

May 1, 2018
Bethany House Publishers

About the Book

Marianne Neumann has one goal in life: to find her lost younger sister, Sophie. When Marianne takes a job as a placing agent with the Children's Aid Society in 1858 New York, she not only hopes to give children a better life but seeks to discover whether Sophie ended up leaving the city on an orphan train.
Andrew Brady, her fellow agent on her first placing trip, is a former schoolteacher who has an easy way with the children--firm but tender and funny. Underneath his handsome charm, though, seems to linger a grief that won't go away--and a secret from his past that he keeps hidden. As the two team up placing orphans amid small railroad towns in Illinois, they find themselves growing ever closer . . . until a shocking tragedy threatens to upend all their work and change one of their lives forever.

Why I Want It
Jody's books are always so beautiful! I loved book one in this series and I can't wait to find out what happens with these characters!

Top Ten Authors I Discovered My First Year of Blogging

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

My first full year of blogging was 2012 and I read 232 books that year! It was a year of discovery for me. Finding new authors, figuring out exactly what kinds of books I loved, what kinds I liked, and which kinds weren't for me. These ten authors are ones that I first read that year and to this day they are still favorites of mine! I'll also show which book was my first of each author!

Dani Pettrey

Becky Wade

Katie Ganshert

Elizabeth Camden

Jen Turano

Laura Frantz

Jody Hedlund

Denise Hunter

Julie Klassen

Jocelyn Green 

With You Always by Jody Hedlund

About the Book
When a financial crisis in 1850s New York leaves three orphaned sisters nearly destitute, the oldest, Elise Neumann, knows she must take action. She's had experience as a seamstress, and the New York Children's Aid Society has established a special service: placing out seamstresses and trade girls. Even though Elise doesn't want to leave her sisters for a job in Illinois, she realizes this may be their last chance.
The son of one of New York City's wealthiest entrepreneurs, Thornton Quincy faces a dilemma. His father is dying, and in order to decide which of his sons will inherit everything, he is requiring them to do two things in six months: build a sustainable town along the Illinois Central Railroad, and get married. Thornton is tired of standing in his twin brother's shadow and is determined to win his father's challenge. He doesn't plan on meeting a feisty young woman on his way west, though.

My Thoughts
I absolutely love this author’s ability to make the more obscure parts of history come alive on the page. Growing up as a Christian and a homeschooler historical fiction was my bread and butter and I recall a decent amount of stories surrounding the orphan trains. But I don’t recall ever reading about the women who were placed out west to work. So the history nerd in me was soaking up all the little historical tidbits. But the fascinating time when the story takes place wasn’t the only thing I loved, every other part of it was equally rich and I was completely lost in the story. After meeting Elise in the novella that preceded this book I had already begun to admire her. Life seemed to have dealt her blow after blow but through it all she stood strong and was determined to do whatever necessary to keep her family together and safe. I can’t even imagine what it would be like to travel so far from your family at the time, when letters were the only form of communication and that could take weeks. But Elise was willing to make the sacrifice for the hope that she could provide a better life for her siblings.
Thornton couldn’t have grown up more different than Elise. He was the son of a wealthy businessman and had never wanted for anything. Though thankfully he hadn’t let that turn him into a completely stuck-up snob. Sure he was oblivious to much of what the poor had to go through but when confronted with his misconceptions he was willing to change. To the outside observer there were a million reasons why Elise and Thornton shouldn’t even speak to each other let alone fall in love but despite their differences they were exactly what each other needed. I loved how Elise constantly challenged Thornton to see things differently and how listened and then went and did something about it, he wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty.
The challenge issued by Thornton’s father was certainly out of the ordinary and it provided quite the interesting twist to the story.
So yeah, this book was brilliant and wonderful and I hated to put it down! I’m looking forward to the rest of this series!

Meet the Author
Winner of 2016 Christian Book Award for fiction and Christy Award for historical romance, best-selling author Jody Hedlund writes inspirational historical romances for both youth and adults.
Jody lives in central Michigan with her husband, five busy children, and five spoiled cats. Although Jody prefers to experience daring and dangerous adventures through her characters rather than in real life, she’s learned that a calm existence is simply not meant to be (at least in this phase of her life!).
When she’s not penning another of her page-turning stories, she loves to spend her time reading, especially when it also involves consuming coffee and chocolate.

I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

An Awakened Heart by Jody Hedlund

About the Book
Trying to heal the ache she feels in her empty life, wealthy Christine Pendleton decides to volunteer at Centre Street Chapel. Ministering to one of the most deprived parts of New York City, the chapel aims at making a difference in the lives of the impoverished immigrants flooding the city. After seeing firsthand the hopelessness of the poor women and orphans, Christine is convinced more can be done to help them.
Guy Bedell has been serving at the chapel and pouring his heart out for the people he's grown to care about. When Christine begins to challenge his methods and offers a new vision for reaching out to the community, can he trust that perhaps God has bigger plans in store for him--plans that may include this feisty socialite?

My Thoughts
This was a great prequel novella and got me really excited for this new series. Guy and Christine weren’t your typical historical hero and heroine since they were both a little older. But to be honest I kept forgetting that fact. They both had a passion for helping the lost and the poor though they had slightly differing opinions on how to go about it. I loved how they worked together, blending their ideas to do the best they could for those they were trying to help. They really were the perfect pairing, their individual strengths complementing the other’s weaknesses. We also got to meet the Neumann sisters and I’m excited to get more of their stories!

Meet the Author
Winner of 2016 Christian Book Award for fiction and Christy Award for historical romance, best-selling author Jody Hedlund writes inspirational historical romances for both youth and adults.
Jody lives in central Michigan with her husband, five busy children, and five spoiled cats. Although Jody prefers to experience daring and dangerous adventures through her characters rather than in real life, she’s learned that a calm existence is simply not meant to be (at least in this phase of her life!).
When she’s not penning another of her page-turning stories, she loves to spend her time reading, especially when it also involves consuming coffee and chocolate.

Top Ten Novellas

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

This week's topic was all about one-sitting reads so I decided to feature some of my favorite novellas! All of these are either prequels to or continuations of one of the author's series but they can be read on their own. Though reading any of these will probably make you want to read the rest of the series!

Three Little Words by Melissa Tagg

Grace Like Rain by Julie Lessman

I Really Do Miss Your Smile by Susan May Warren

A Lady of Esteem by Kristi Ann Hunter

Gentleman of Her Dreams by Jen Turano

Out of the Storm by Jody Hedlund

Sophie's Other Daughter by Mary Connealy

The Husband Maneuver by Karen Witemeyer

Fairchild's Lady by Roseanna M. White

Love by the Letter by Melissa Jagears