Review of Courting Miss Amsel

Edythe Amsel, the new schoolmarm of Walnut Hill, Nebraska, is about to turn the tiny town upside down with her unorthodox teaching methods and strong determination. Almost immediately, many parents try to stand against her, with the prime exception of John Townsend, who finds her contemporary ways – not to mention her rosy lips and pretty eyes – delightful. Edythe must place her faith in God to trust that He will provide a way for her, and He, of course, is faithful to prepare her for plans that are greater than she could ever have imagined.

I love books that surpass my expectations, and this was one of them. I enjoyed it so much that I was a bit disappointed when it ended. I must admit, however, that I started getting a bit frustrated with John and Edythe, and I almost found myself wishing that John would be successful in moving on and finding someone else. All in all, this was a wonderful read, and Kim Vogel Sawyer is a very talented author.

I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers as a part of their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review; my opinions, therefore, are completely unbiased.

Review of Promises to Keep

Roz is an eleven-year-old girl whose world has been turned upside down when her mother decides to leave her alcoholic father and move the family to a new home. There, the family meets an elderly stranger named Tillie, who makes a significant impact on all of their lives. Despite multiple warnings, all Roz wants is her father back, and she, along with a new friend with a similar wish, is determined for this to happen. Secrets form and grow beyond Roz's control, and the consequences of them teach her important lessons along the way.

I feel as though I can't say enough about how much I loved this book. I hadn't expected to like it this much, but I found almost immediately that once I started reading, I didn't want to put this book down. The writing itself is powerful and beautiful, and the story is a truly captivating one. At first, I found myself annoyed with both Roz and Tillie, each for different reasons, but to my delight, they both developed into lovable characters (despite Roz's constant need to learn her lesson – until the end, of course). All in all, this was an excellent book, and I've already been recommending it to others.

I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers as a part of their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review; my opinions, therefore, are completely unbiased.

Review of Masquerade

The year is 1886, and Charlotte, “Lottie,” Gleason is leaving her life in England to marry a wealthy heir from America, whom she has never met. In her journey to find herself and mature, Lottie's life is changed in numerous ways, most notably when she decides to exchange identities with her lady maid, Dora. Both women must trust God to give them strength and to be a guide in their paths.

Though I can't explain why, I've always been interested in servants finding love with the higher class, and I assume that that is what drew me to this book in the first place. Nancy Moser has done a wonderful job of exploring the lavish Gilded Age, and once I started reading this story, I found that I didn't want to stop! I liked that Lottie was flawed but not in the sense that it appears the author made a noticeable effort to make the main character imperfect. This was a lovely book by Nancy Moser, and I would love to read more from her in the future.

I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers as a part of their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review; my opinions, therefore, are completely unbiased.