A Reluctant Bride

   This summer, I received a book titled A Reluctant Bride, by Jody Hedlund, to read and review. I have always enjoyed Jody's books in the past, so I was looking forward to this one. Mercy Wilkins has a chance to escape her life in the slums of London, by last minute joining a group of women sponsored to immigrate to British Columbia. It isn't until after she is on the ship that Mercy realizes that it is a bride ship. While on board, she finds herself the assistant to the ship's surgeon. It isn't long before the two have fallen in love- but she is meant for those awaiting them in British Columbia.
     I enjoyed this novel. It has been awhile since I've read a historical romance, and this was a nice one to break the streak with. I stayed up late to keep reading it, and managed to finish it within a few days, even though my life was pretty busy. One thing I really appreciated -though it wasn't until I read the Author's Note at the end- is that this book was loosely based on truth. The ship was real, as was its purpose, and the ship's surgeon really did fall in love with and marry one of the women intended as brides. All in all, I would say this book was a satisfying read!
    *** Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. ***

Jerusalem's Queen

This past Sunday, I had spent a majority of the day with my nose in a book. Jerusalem's Queen by Angela Hunt, to be exact. A book in the Silent Years series, it follows Salome Alexandra, a simple country girl who becomes Jerusalem's queen. After the death of her father and sister, a distant relative -also the high priest- takes Salome and nurtures her, providing her with everything she needs to become an influential woman. Her thirst for learning is recognized and encouraged, but when Salome grows older, she realizes that she still is just a pawn to be used by her guardians.

I enjoyed this book. It provided an interesting look at the time that the Bible is silent on. I found Salome and Kissa and the other characters to be real and I felt like I could connect with them. It was a satisfying historical read, for anyone who is interested in that era!

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Mind Games

I recently had the opportunity to read a book called Mind Games by Nancy Mehl. From the beginning, the novel intrigued me. This novel is about Kaely Quinn, an FBI Behavioral Analyst who is the daughter of a serial killer. Many people don't agree with Kaely's methods, by they have always proved to be effective. Now, a killer is taunting Kaely, seemingly mocking her and daring her to find him. Kaely and her new partner, Noah, must race to figure it out before its too late.
From the beginning, the characters felt real and I was invested in this novel. I started reading and didn't want to put it down. I thoroughly enjoyed this first book in the Kaely Quinn Profile series. It wasn't completely unpredictable, but that's okay. I enjoyed it all the same!
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.