On My Kindle ~ Remember Me by Lara Van Hulzen

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The Cover Story~

Detective Ben Russo is in trouble.

He just can’t remember why.

When a car accident lands Ben in the hospital, he can’t recall anything about his life. What he does know is he’s enchanted by a tiny nurse named Tess, but can’t shake the feeling they’re both in danger.

After being left at the altar, Tess Jansenn moves to a new town and starts over. When her ex-fiancé, Ben, shows up in the ER where she works with no memory of her, she must decide – tell Ben who he is or let him remember on his own.

Can Tess forgive and forget what drove them apart, and when Ben remembers, will the consequences of his choices make it too late for love?

Sharing My Thoughts~
Tess Jansenn is finally moving on after ex-fiance, Ben Russo, abandoned her just before their wedding. That doesn't mean she's over Ben, and he surely never stopped loving Tess. When Ben shows back up mysteriously, she must choose whether to turn her back on him or help, and that wasn't an easy choice.

I just love romances about second chances and Remember Me fits the bill! It's also a great reminder that things aren't always as they seem, which is especially true of this book. Not just once, but three times I slapped my forehead with a "Wow! I didn't see that one coming!" The gentle faith thread just ratchets it up several notches for me on the "ahhh" scale. :)

"I believe we meet God in places that aren't always buildings. For me, sometimes church is out there." She motioned to the water with her chin. 

Remember Me is Lara Van Hulzen's debut novel, and I LOVED it! I'm already tapping my foot, waiting impatiently for the next one, Get to Me, which I was thrilled to discover will feature Dane and Aimee. I dug into Remember Me at the start of a six hour drive to visit our son, and didn't stop devouring it until the last page. It was that good!

Disclaimer: I purchased a copy of Remember Me. The opinions expressed in this review are my own, and I received no monetary compensation.

With Autumn's Return by Amanda Cabot~ My Review

With Autumn's Return
Buy Link~DeeperShopping.com

About the book~

When Elizabeth Harding arrives in Cheyenne to open her medical practice, she is confident that the future is as bright as the warm Wyoming sun. Certain she'll have a line of patients eager for her services, she soon discovers the town may not welcome a new physician—especially a lady doctor. Even Jason Nordling, the handsome young attorney next door, seems to disapprove of her chosen profession.

When a web of deceit among Cheyenne's wealthiest residents threatens to catch Elizabeth and Jason in its snare, they must risk working together to save one of Elizabeth's patients—even if it means falling in love.

Sharing my review~
After her experience in medical school, Dr. Elizabeth Harding chose progressive Cheyenne to set up practice. Assured by her sister that the town would embrace a female doctor, Elizabeth is disappointed when nobody's waiting outside her office door, even more disappointed when handsome attorney Jason Nordling expresses his scathing opinion of working women. Jason and Elizabeth suffer career setbacks, and when both defend the other, you know the romance is about to begin! 

"She might not have gained any patients, might instead have alienated several, but she had accomplished at least one thing. Not only had she and Jason forged a truce, but she was beginning to believe she'd been mistaken about him. In the time they'd been together, she had seen his arrogance disappear, falling away like a butterfly's chrysalis, revealing a man with surprising vulnerabilities as well as fundamental strengths." ~Elizabeth

Working together to solve a crime reshaped Jason's opinion of marriage and the partnership role each would assume, and left Elizabeth wondering if it was possible to combine a career with a family. This conflict between Jason and Elizabeth unfolded, an organic and essential component of the plot.

With Autumn's Return captured my attention from the first page, and the engaging plot kept me turning pages quickly, anxious to see how everything would turn out. Each character brimmed with depth, and (bonus!) I got TWO romances in one book! With Autumn's Return is a "must read" and left this romance lover with a huge sigh of satisfaction and a smile on her face! I'll definitely be looking for Cabot's next book.

Disclaimer: Sending a big thank you to Amanda Cabot and Revell for providing me with a copy of With Autumn's Return in exchange for my fair and unbiased review. This review features only my opinion, and I received no compensation.

Sharing my Review of GATEWAY WEDDINGS by Myra Johnson

About the Book:

Three Missouri women enter the gateway to life, love, and longing. Valerie Bishop, suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, is afraid to leave her home. Can ex-con Healy Ferguson show her the path to freedom? Sailor Kern is enamored of romance author Chandler Michaels. Will she fall for his lines or find a real hero in Parker Travis? Jilly Gardner has reluctantly agreed to help out her estranged foster parents. Will Cam Lane help the family heal the breach? Will these three couples be open to the plan God has for their lives—and loves?


My Reviews:

Romance by the Book

Shy water aerobics instructor Sailor Kern believes herself in love with Chandler Michaels, a romance author she's never met. That's fine with her because she's more comfortable with books than actual romance and teaching over dating. It's not like she meets many men in her line of work anyway. Until Parker Travis shows up for class. Parker isn't your stereotypical hair-stylist, and doesn't appreciate the doctor's RX for back pain: water aerobics. After all, isn't that where his grandmother and her friends play? What a sweet romance! You'll enjoy journeying along as Parker wooed Sailor, showing her that true romance is so much better than her imagination.

Where The Dogwoods Bloom

A broken ankle forces tennis pro Jilly Gardner on crutches and out of work. Burned out Bible College Professor Cam Lane heads to the Dogwood Blossom Inn, intent on spending time with old friends, Harvey and Alice, and leading retreats. He doesn't expect to find Alice in the hospital. Cam's call to Jilly requesting that she come back and help out her foster parents with the running of the Inn surprises Jilly and leaves her even more off balance than her broken ankle. I enjoyed the playful, teasing interaction between old friends, Jilly and Cam. The road to romance was believable and not at all rushed for a book of this length. I like Ms. Johnson's writing style, interjected with spots of dry humor. Filled with romance, a little intrigue, and an oh-so-sweet ending, you won't want to miss this one!

Autumn Rains
I confess to reading the other two stories in Gateway Weddings first, mainly because I wouldn't typically pick up a book with an ex-con for the main character. But don't let that throw you off reading this wonderful story. Healy Ferguson captured the essence of what it means to make mistakes and suffer through the consequences. Rather than becoming bitter, he allows God to change his heart and his life, and focuses his efforts on helping others see the impact of their bad choices. Valerie Bishop suffers severe consequences, but not of her own making. Unable to leave the prison her house and yard have become, Valerie must come to the point where she's willing to move forward and leave the past behind. Healy helps her see beyond the walls of her internal prison. I enjoyed this sweet romance and the delightful way Ms. Johnson created a hero out of an ex-con. And the ending? Sure to leave you with an "ahhh!" Oh, and I love how the author weaves the title, Autumn Rains, into the story. A book full of healing, redemption, and forgiveness!

Three fantastic stories in one awesome read! 

Purchase Link for Gateway Weddings

Disclaimer: An unbiased review, based on my purchase of this book. 

About Myra Johnson....

Myra Johnson’s roots go deep into Texas soil, but after surviving five Oklahoma winters, she now enjoys the milder climate of North Carolina and living near three of her six grandchildren. Empty-nesters, Myra and her husband share their home with two loveable (and very spoiled) dogs. Her debut novel, One Imperfect Christmas, was a September 2009 release from Abingdon Press. She also writes for Heartsong Presents. Her November 2009 release, Autumn Rains, won the 2005 RWA Golden Heart for Best Inspirational Romance Manuscript and was named a 2010 ACFW Carol Award finalist.

Myra’s writing career was launched in 1985 when she sold her first short story while taking a course through the Institute of Children’s Literature. Myra later joined the ICL staff as a magazine writing instructor, teaching hundreds of students the fundamentals of story and article structure, plotting, character development, and market analysis. She now writes full-time and is active in her church as well as local and national writers groups. Myra and her husband have been married since 1972. The Johnsons have two married daughters and six grandchildren.