The Christian Book Report

  My Rating: 4 Stars Synopsis: Mental health therapist Natalie Marsh and her husband, Gideon, become involved with a police investigation after witnessing the aftermath of a strange assault at a charity gala. In the following days, things quickly escalate as the primary suspect for the assault also becomes the primary suspect for a police officer's death--and he asks Natalie to help him clear his name, as well as the name of his brother who was convicted of murdering his own wife years before. Although she tries to distance herself from the case, Natalie finds she is becoming more and more bound to the center of it all. She and Gideon must find the truth and report it before the murderer tries to silence her forever. Review: I liked how this book didn't take long to really get going. Almost from the first chapter it was a whirlwind of detail! There were plenty of confusing, plot-twisting clues. I have to be honest though, the whirlwind-like quality of the plot flow made it a li...

Image courtesy of Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/Capture-Heart-Proper-Romance-Victorian/dp/1639930515   My Rating: 4 Stars During the summer 1886, Eva Caldwell finds herself employed as photographer for a 10-day fundraising party, hosted by Detective Inspector Nathaniel Winston's mother at the Winston family estate in Seaside. Nathaniel and Eva agree to act enamored with one another to help Nathaniel stave off a few marriage-hungry harpies that have been invited to the party. As the party rolls on, two things become apparent: their affection for one another may not just be a show, and someone on the premises has murderous intentions. Eva and Nathaniel must have the courage to share their true feelings for one another and outwit the villain before he claims his victims. This is a cute companion story to Nancy Campbell Allen's other book, The Matchmaker's Lonely Heart . I enjoyed the appearance of a few familiar characters throughout the course of this story.  The roman...

  My Rating: Four Stars This book offers a fascinating glimpse into life as a royal under Queen Victoria’s rule. The story follows Princess Louise, who was the fourth daughter and sixth child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of England, during a ten-year period from age 13 until age 23.  T he book is well-named because it seems like Queen Victoria attempts–and often succeeds–to control as much of Louise’s life as possible, despite the princess's fiercely independent nature. At times this book felt a bit slow-paced and at other times the text was fairly repetitive. However, the work as a whole is worth recognizing because it is very well-researched and there are even historical notes included at the back of the book. I found these just as interesting to read as the story itself.  I will give warning: do not pick up this book expecting it to be a historical romance. Yes, it does take place during a historic time period, and yes, there is some romance. However, I would c...

    My Rating: 5 Stars Marseille, France, 1792. Civil unrest and tension grip French society as revolution becomes more and more likely. Marie-Caroline--a royalist, and Gilles--a Jacobin, are caught in the middle of the uncertainty. Though technically in the same social class, they see things very differently and cannot help but feel like oil and water around each other. That is, until circumstances require that they learn trust each other or suffer dire consequences. Can a precarious relationship survive between Marie-Caroline and Gilles when betrayal and violence between their respective political parties seem to swirl around them? I was very impressed by the character development in this book. It felt to me like Marie-Caroline had it all figured out from the beginning and her character development wasn't nearly as stark as Gilles'. Gilles, however, began the story as a young revolutionary who allowed others to think for him, and grew into a man, dedicated to his family and ...

  My Rating: 5 Stars Synopsis: Indomitable amputee. Actress. Factory worker. Idealist. The the people that helped defend justice and humanity during World War II came from varied backgrounds and with varied skill sets. However, when freedom was on the line, each dug deep and found ways they could help fight against Nazi Germany and its allies. Each made incredible sacrifices--and for many, those sacrifices affected their daily life for the remainder of their lives, even after the war was won. In honoring these real, flesh-and-blood people, their stories need to be told, their courage and selflessness must never be forgotten. Review: I really enjoyed this book. I usually really enjoy a good WWII story to begin with, but I find it particularly exciting that these stories are real. They really happened, and it is humbling to realize that their incredible courage--which often placed them right in front of death itself--was real too. To think a human being can be so courageous, so self-...

Image Credit: Shadow Mountain Publishers My Rating: 5 Stars London, 1885--During a time of surging societal changes, naive Amelie Hampton has joined the ranks of respectable working women and is employed at The Marriage Gazette , where she corresponds with readers and occasionally tries her hand at matchmaking. She longs for the day when she meets her true love and her lofty romantic ideals color her outlook on life. Grouchy Detective Michael Baker does not possess a natural affinity for tact, but he does have a strong intuition. This aids him when a young woman’s body is pulled from the Thames and he cannot rest until he discovers the circumstances leading to her death. After a chance meeting, Amelie agrees to help Michael gather information on a suspect. As they become more and more involved in the case, they begin to develop a relationship deeper than camaraderie--which is a beautiful surprise to both of them. However, all is not roses and daydreams, as the villain is watching them ...