The Accidental Bride, by Denise Hunter

When I first started reading The Accidental Bride, by Denise Hunter, the word that kept coming to my mind was "dramatic." In the first few chapters, the main character, Shay, struck me as over-dramatic and I wasn't sure that I would keep reading. But I'm so glad that I did. Here's the description from the publisher:

Shay Brandenberger is raising her daughter in Moose Creek, Montana on her childhood ranch, nestled against the Yellowstone River. Despite her hard work, she can’t seem to keep her head above water—and now the bank is threatening to foreclose. She prays for a miracle, but the answer she receives is anything but.

Having agreed to play the bride in the Founders Day wedding reenactment, Shay is mortified to be greeted at the end of the aisle by none other than Travis McCoy, her high school sweetheart—the man who left her high and dry for fame and fortune on the Texas rodeo circuit.

Then the unthinkable happens. Thanks to a well-meaning busy body and an absent minded preacher, the wedding reenactment results in a legal marriage. But before Shay can say annulment, Travis comes up with a crazy proposal. If she refuses his offer, she’ll lose her home. But if she accepts, she may lose her heart.

At first, I just couldn't get into the story - it all seemed so preposterous. However, as the story kept going, I found myself caring for Shay and Travis more and more. I especially appreciated the relationships between Shay and her daughter, and Travis and the daughter, because they rang true to me. In all, this ended up being a great book that held my attention. For me, the test of a good book is whether or not I think about the characters when I'm not reading the book, and I thought about this book quite a bit. I recommend this book to any fans of Christian fiction.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Nearing Home, by Billy Graham

I'm the first to admit that I'm not the target demographic for this book. I'm in my mid-twenties, whereas the book was written for those who are much older than me, and preparing to go to their heavenly home. However, I had never read a book by Billy Graham, and I thought it looked interesting.

While I'm not the target demographic, I still appreciate what Mr. Graham has to say. A lot of the subjects that he covers, such as living a life that matters, staying strong despite your circumstances, and most importantly, the hope of Heaven, are subjects that span all generations.

This book has also helped me to appreciate what is going on in the lives of the elderly people in my life. I’m ashamed to say that many people of my generation don’t stop to put themselves in another’s shoes, so to speak, and this book has helped me understand more of what happens as you age.

I did glean a few morsels from this book, and I believe that the demographic it is intended for will gain true peace, comfort, and perspective from it.

Lonestar Angel, by Colleen Coble

I'm a big fan of Colleen Coble. She's written some great books, that all have the perfect blend of romance, mystery, and Christian values. Lonestar Angel is no exception. In fact, I found this book so thrilling that I have barely put it down since receiving it in the mail.

Coble jumps right into the story with Eden and Kent having a romantic dinner. Eden knows Kent has every intention to propose, and she has every intention to accept. But right in the middle of their dinner, her ex-husband, Clay, interrupts them. He says that their daughter Brianna, who was kidnapped a six weeks old and presumed dead ever since, is in fact alive and Eden has to come with him immediately so that they can go get her. She's on a ranch with four other girls, and they're all foster children who have been taken from bad situations. It's up to Clay and Eden to figure out who their daughter is, and quick, because the kidnapper has come back and wants revenge on the couple.

Like I said, I couldn't put this book down. Coble weaves a fantastically intricate story, and leaves her readers constantly guessing at what's going on. Clay and Eden are both wonderfully written characters, and seem to leap off the page at times. Additionally, the five little girls are at times both heartbreaking and hilarious. I can't recommend this book highly enough, especially for fellow fans of Colleen Coble.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

There You'll Find Me, by Jenny B. Jones

In short, "There You'll Find Me," by Jenny B. Jones, is a fantastic book. I was immediately caught up in the story from the first sentence, and couldn't/wouldn't put it down until I was finished. It's the story of Finley, who goes to Ireland not only for a year of a foreign exchange program, but also to escape her past. She brings along her late brother's journal, and is determined to follow along in his footsteps and feel closer to him in the process. On the plane ride over, she meets Beckett Rush, a handsome twenty-something actor who stars in vampire films. She immediately hates him, and he's taken aback and amused by this woman who doesn't automatically throw herself at him. Of course, a friendship blooms, and then romance.

This book has a little bit of everything - romance, travel, humor, sarcasm, a little bit of reality, and a great Christian perspective. I really appreciated that the author didn't try to make the characters perfect - a main character deals with loneliness, bitterness, bullying, and even battles an eating disorder. It felt real enough to truly invest myself in the characters, which I didn't expect. Additionally, the romance that buds between the two main characters has its share of problems, and it feels as though you are actually experiencing every bump in the road with them. I loved Beckett Rush especially - his charm, wit, sarcasm, and level-headedness made him a character to cheer for.

While I recognize that I'm a little older that Jenny B. Jones' typical audience (I'm in my mid-twenties, and I believe she usually writes for teens), I nevertheless enjoyed this book thoroughly. I would recommend it to any teenage girl to read, partly because it has a very honest look at some harder issues that teens face. I'd also recommend it for anyone who wants a breezy, fun read - you won't be disappointed!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Surprised by Oxford, by Carolyn Weber

I thought Surprised By Oxford would be the perfect book for me: spiritual journey, a little bit of romance, and it takes place in Oxford, a huge plus for an Anglophile like me. The book centers around Carolyn Weber's search for Truth, and her eventually finding faith in God while she pursues a Master's Degree at Oxford.

While well-told and often interesting, I hate to admit that Weber's book was a little too scholarly for me. Although I consider myself intellectually not-too-shabby, I found myself reading and re-reading pages, to try and figure out what she had been talking about. Add this to the fact that the book is north of 400 pages, and it became pretty laborious to read after a while.

Weber does a good job of describing her wrestling with questions and with God, but I found it odd for her to say that she had been so closed off to the very idea of God, and then was almost immediately open to exploring theology upon her arrival to Oxford. While I'm sure her book is an absolutely accurate portrayal of what happened, I found it hard to believe that people who all disagreed so vehemently on important issues could get along so well.

In all, I think this was a pretty good book. It's definitely suited for more intellectual types, and if you're not wanting to finish a book in less than a week, it's great.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

A Reluctant Queen, by Joan Wolf

The word that kept ringing in my mind as I read A Reluctant Queen was "accessible." Joan Wolf has done a marvelous job of taking the biblical story of Esther and making the key historical figures accessible. They are not just words on a page anymore - they seem to be living, breathing people who are following the course that has been set out for them.

The story centers around Esther. In this fictionalized take on the historical Esther, Esther is portrayed as confident but shy, and fairly unassuming. Her uncle, Mordecai, enlists her to enter the king's beauty competition to find a new wife, so that she can be a secret representative of the Jewish people. As most readers already know, the king picks Esther over hundreds of other girls, and Esther unexpectedly becomes queen.

The meat of this book is undoubtedly the growing relationship between the king (Ahasuerus) and Esther. As was customary in that time and region, they barely knew each other when they married. However, Esther finds herself appreciating him more and more, and they begin to form a tentative relationship. I loved the dialogue between these two - alternately formal and informal. It was great to see the relationship take root and finally blossom, and I found myself smiling on more than one occasion.

The only downfall to the book, in my estimation, is how much political talk there is. I recognize that it is historical, and quite central to the story, but I found it to be detracting from the love story. That being said, Wolf does a great job of portraying Haman as an incredibly jealous man, and by the end (*SPOILER*), when he is hanged, the reader is glad to see him go.

I enjoyed this quick read, if for no other reason than to have these characters come alive so vividly. I highly recommend this book!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Lightkeeper's Ball

I have a horrible habit - I almost always read the last few pages of a book after I've read the first third of a book or so. Usually that way, I find out who the villain is, and look for clues through the rest of the book that hints at the eventual unmasking of the villain. However, in the case of The Lightkeeper's Ball, by Colleen Coble, reading the last three pages still left me with a surprise in store. I won't say what it is, but it was great to be surprised by an ending!

The story revolves around Olivia, whose sister mysteriously dies in the first chapter. She journeys west to San Francisco to find out the real story, find out if anyone killed her sister, and find out more about her enigmatic fiance, whom Olivia is leery of. While on the way to San Francisco, Olivia is attacked, thrown overboard, and left to drown. The person who saves her is an unlikely hero: her sister ex-fiance! The rest of the story revolves around finding out how her sister died, her ex-fiance's secrets, and finding out who is trying to kill Olivia.

I enjoyed this book immensely - I've always been a big Colleen Coble fan, and this one did not disappoint. I know it's part of a series, but it worked well as a stand-alone book. It takes a while for it to get going, but once you're in, you're hooked.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”