Heart of the Glen by Jennifer Deibel (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

Do you have a favorite book, movie, or TV Show that is set in Ireland?  I’ve read so many good ones.  One that has stuck with me is The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue.

Saoirse Fagan arrives at Drumboe Castle to start a new job as a housemaid and finds it abandoned.  A tragedy has taken her family and home, and she is not sure what to do or where to go.  She wanders on the road until a young woman, Aileen, finds her and invites her to stay in her barn.  Will Saoirse find out what path life wants her to take?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I loved the Irish setting for this novel.

·       I loved the romance between Saoirse and Aileen’s brother, Owen.

·       This novel had a slow build and forced proximity romance tropes.  These are both tropes I enjoy.

·       I thought the details on weaving were fascinating.

·       I also loved Stout – Owen’s dog in the novel.  He’s a very faithful dog and also loved Saoirse.  They know she’s a good person as the dog loves her.

·       There is a landslide in the novel, and it made for a harrowing read.

·       Saoirse carries a lot of guilt about the death of her family. She struggles and work through it by talking to her new friend Bridie as well as listening to Father Cunningham’s sermons.

·       I was disturbed on how Owen was attacked repeatedly, and his sheep almost taken.  Desperate times lead to desperate men.

·       This novel is a sweet and clean romance.

·       There is a great author’s note at the end of the novel about the inspirations for the story.

·       There is also a preview of last year’s book by the author, The Irish Matchmaker.  I want to read this book.

Overall, Heart of the Glen by Jennifer Deibel was a sweet historical romance with a great Irish setting and theme of forgiveness.

Book Source:  Review copy from Revell Books as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

When Saoirse Fagan arrives to start her new job as housemaid at Drumboe Castle, she is dismayed to learn that the lord of the house passed away a week prior. Already running away from the tragedy that claimed the lives of her family members, Saoirse wanders the road with nowhere to go until Aileen McCready offers her a lift and possibly a place to stay for the night.

Sheep farmer and weaver Owen McCready is known for his intricate and impeccably woven tweed. But when he's injured in an attack by bandits, his entire livelihood is endangered. A new—and distracting—mouth to feed adds fuel to the fire, and Owen struggles to keep his family afloat. Though Saoirse is eager to help, even offering to learn the weaving craft, Owen is hesitant to accept aid from this strange young woman, no matter how inexplicably magnetic he finds her.

But Saoirse is not one to give up easily. It may take extra effort on her part, but she's determined to convince the McCreadys that they need her--perhaps as much as she needs them.

AUTHOR BIO

Jennifer Deibel is the author of A Dance in Donegal (winner of the Kipp Award for Historical Romance), The Lady of Galway Manor, The Maid of Ballymacool, and The Irish Matchmaker. With firsthand immersive experience abroad, Jennifer writes stories that help redefine home through the lens of culture, history, and family. After nearly a decade of living in Ireland and Austria, she now lives in Arizona with her husband and their three children. You can find her online at JenniferDeibel.com.

The Christmas Tree Farm by Laurie Gilmore

 

Real or fake Christmas tree?  We did a real tree a couple of years with the kids which was fun, but otherwise, I have had a fake tree my entire life.

Kira North has bought an old Christmas tree farm in a small town in the Northeast.  She is trying to determine where to go with life. Even though she hates Christmas, she decides to sell Christmas trees to make enough money to fix up her house.  Bennett (Ben) Ellis meets grumpy Kira while walking his three dogs on her farm.  Ben helps Kira with fixing things up on her farm.  Will the two be able to move beyond their broken pasts to start a new romance?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       It reminded me of a spicy Hallmark Christmas romcom movie.

·       It was a cozy Christmas read that I enjoyed at the beginning of January.

·       Kira was grump at first, but she really grew on me.

·       Grumpy x Sunshine romance, forced proximity, slight enemies to lovers. 

·       This was a steamy romance with a lot of sweet romance and basically one really steamy scene.

·       This was the third novel in the Dream Harbor series.  I haven’t read the previous two books, but they are on my list.  This worked as a standalone, but I think I would have enjoyed the side characters even more if I knew their back stories.

Overall, The Christmas Tree Farm by Laurie Gilmore was a good romance with great characters, and it was a quick read.

Book Source: This book was a Christmas gift from a dear friend. Thank-you! 

Rising Courage by Heather Moll (Book Tour) and GIVEAWAY!

 

Have you read any books that feature kidnapping?  The book I always think of that featured kidnapping was The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney, which I read in middle school.  I always enjoy the suspense of kidnapping, and especially enjoy when the main character escapes and is able to return home.

Rising Courage is a Pride and Prejudice variation which asks the question, what if Elizabeth and Darcy were kidnapped after his first proposal?  How will forced proximity alter their romance?

My thoughts on Rising Courage:

·       I love that instead of reading a response letter from Darcy after her refusal of his first proposal, she learns everything directly from him while they are held hostage.

·       I REALLY loved the forced proximity.  I felt like they really got to know each other better than a typical couple would during Regency times.

·       The romance was tender and romantic.  The novel does get steamy.

·       I chuckled when I realized that of course Lady Catherine was the cause of all the problems.

·       I thought it was an interesting side note that Darcy didn’t use sugar due to the slave trade and I loved learning about his bees and beekeepers.

·       I enjoyed the action in this novel as well, although I was worried about what the kidnappers would do.  It was thrilling.

·       I enjoyed the child Kirby in the story.  He had a difficult life, and I liked the humanity that both Darcy and Elizabeth showed him.

·       Author Heather Moll has a great writing style and really captures the personalities of Elizabeth, Darcy, and other Pride and Prejudice characters.  I especially like the inside jokes that Elizabeth and Darcy had with each other.

·       Elizabeth makes a decision towards the end that I did not agree with, but I did enjoy the suspense.

·       Isn’t the cover of this novel beautiful?  I love it.  Darcy is very dreamy.

Overall, Rising Courage was an enjoyable romantic suspense story with a great forced proximity storyline.  This is a great read for all lovers of Austenesque fiction.

Book Source:  Review copy from author Heather Moll as part of the Book Tour. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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