Hannah G

A new favorite and has a tender romance as well.

Someday I am going to find my own copy of this book! Maseden is an American rancher in South America when a rogue stages a coup and takes over, arresting Maseden on strength of having supported the ousted leader. In a travesty of justice, Maseden is tried and convicted and sentenced to die at sunrise. However, the leader also orders him to marry an American woman who is in some sort of trouble before the hour of his death. While he knows the request is strange, he decides to attempt an escape through it, so he marries the girl and makes a daring attempt at escape. He thinks he will get to the coast and take a ship back to safety in America. No sooner does he gain the ship than he overheard something that makes him believe his new wife—who he has only seen heavily veiled—is on board too. Next comes a storm and a shipwreck...but which lady among the survivors is actually his wife?

This book is always in the box that goes in my car when I move!!! It's one of those immensely touching stories that can't ever quite be forgotten. I loved Maud, and it makes it all the better to think that she's an actual person that one could have met in the old days.

Maud's mother, foreseeing troubled times for old England, allows her daughter to be married to Rupert Melville, a dear friend and neighbor of hers, when Maud is yet only a child. The king himself attends the wedding; soon after, the boy-bridegroom goes to France to finish his schooling.

Sure enough, the civil unrest erupts. It is the days of Jacobites and brother against brother. As Maud grows up, her mother dies young, and her father develops dementia. Her sister and brother-in-law take her in to their home. Continually they urge her to have her marriage annulled; in the unrest, she has not heard from Rupert in many years, and she is now a young woman, eligible to make an advantageous match.

But Maud can't believe her first love faithless, despite having been too young at the time of her marriage to even know the meaning of romantic love. He was her best friend, and she knew he was a child of God and an honorable man. Regardless of his long silence, she determined to find him. Leaving her sister's, she moves in with some family members near Newgate.

Here we see her faith in action. Despite her own sorrow, she reaches out to the wretched prisoners, freely spending her own tiny nest-egg to alleviate their suffering. She goes into the prison, with her faithful helper Gowrie, and does what she can—long before the days of such reformers as Mrs. Fry.

By this time, of course, we're fully rooting for such a courageous leading lady. But her sister and brother-in-law and an unwanted suitor begin to intrude again, and her time of freedom to search and serve is nearing an end. And, when she finally hears of Rupert, it is in the worst possible circumstances.

How will she and faithful Gowrie cope? Will her worst fears come true, or can she honestly hope for a miracle? Ah...find your own copy. You must!

2021 reread: Still fresh and enjoyable on a second read. Definitely ordering my own copy.

2017: What a clever little tale! I've been meaning to try Alice Duer Miller's writing for several years now, and when my GR friend Madelyn start dishing out stars by the plenty for her works, I decided to try her sooner rather than later. I'm glad I did. This was a fun story of high society in the early 1900s, where expectation meets idealism between two strong souls. From the beginning it's pretty plain that neither of them can actually expect a happy ending, but even a good one might be too much to ask...right? Very unusual tale with plenty of little twists to keep it interesting.

Content: a few swears

Kim Vogel Sawyer has definitely become a favorite author of mine. I love the colorful characters, strong Christian message, and the quiet romance.

Grace is a delightful character. I love how well the cover portrays her, with the green dress and even the letter on the desk. And her Preacher...well, this book is best enjoyed with knowing very little about the plot, and watching it unfold bit by bit, so I'm really not going to say much about the Preacher.

Theophil, Mrs. Kirby, Uncle Philemon, Earl, and the rest...ah, I just want to meet them all in real life (except Deacon Judd)!

I loved the message given...definitely a Christian book geared toward Christians (there's not a specific salvation message given, but instead one of how Christians should live different lives). Also, I always highly appreciate it when authors tone down the touchy-feely parts of romantic stories. I am glad to say this book would be suitable for all ages!

Thanks to NetGalley for a review copy.

Ah, just the right sort of old fashioned thriller! We have here a diabolical villain, a young lady trying to overcome the past shadowed by a relative's wrongdoing, a young man who is worthy of her, and a friend who is wholly deceived by the villain. Add to that an old murder charge, unsolved, and the murdered man's priceless rubies.

If you can find a copy, you are sure to enjoy the thrill of the ride.

This is the second of three books, the sequel to “The Trail of the Serpent” and the prequel to “The Test of Love”. I read it in a day and enjoyed every moment. Lots of questions are answered, but plenty of others remain for the third book to solve.
I read the online scans from Internet Archive.

A fast-paced thriller with spies and U-boats and loads of secrets. Of course, they could have arrested the bad guy, and half the thrills would be out of the story, but of course they let him run about in a hope that he'll reveal his contacts, and of course that's the whole thing that drives the story. What's not a matter of course is the big twist ending that I sure didn't see coming! It's the ending that bumped it up to five stars for me.

Content: a few swears and mentions of some affairs

This was a fun, suspenseful story. I enjoyed it so much that I spent my break time at work today reading as many pages as I could! It is entirely unpredictable!

This was an unusual adventure, set in northern India/present-day Pakistan with a great mogul, the woman he desired, and two Englishmen out to make their fortunes. There are plenty of clashes–jealous lovers, religions, politics–and a great deal of peril for our main characters. Almost a swashbuckler in the amount of action, though the setting is atypical for one.

I'd had Berta Ruck recommended to me by a friend, so when I saw this copy, I bought it. Turns out it is a light, sweet little romance, with some fun bits thrown in about travel in Austria, etc, in 1937. I began thinking I would like neither Christopher nor Diana, but they both stole my heart while they fumbled their honeymoon horribly and hoped against hope to find some sort of meaning in their companionship. They weren't very good at communicating, but they did learn their lesson and improve a bit. I also liked the side bits about Frances and enjoyed the caring fellow Rudi.

Wow, I loved every book in this series! I do have to say, I'm glad I only just discovered it, because I would have very much disliked being on the waiting end of any of these stories. They lead very quickly one to another and I am very sorry now that I have to say goodbye to the spirited Hunt family!

This has to deal with Emily, the schoolteacher sister, getting involved in a hostage crisis that might just be more than meets the eye. Mason, her brother's former undercover partner and best friend, is right there working the case, and it's up to them to help a young man realize his dreams and get Avery's daughter Tess out of this mess alive.

Philip Weld, a rich young fellow, has been laid low for the first time in his life with an attack of grippe that turns into crippling rheumatism. The Old Doctor, who attends him, at length invites him to his home to finish his recovery, since he has been occupying a hotel room during his stay in South Carolina. But there, in the beautiful old Southern home, is the Doctor's niece, Joyce.

I didn't like a certain lie Joyce told, and it did bring my rating down a bit. But, overall, an enjoyable piece of short vintage romance and a very pleasurable read.

*Content: language used toward black people which would now be considered offensive: “Darkey” etc.

Being a bit of a tea fanatic myself, I will say it was definitely fun to have a book that takes place mainly in a tea room. Paul's antics in an effort to get Natalie to notice him are often quite funny...he's really not good at this courtship thing. Often it looks pretty hopeless, but he won't take no for an answer, and there's quite a twist for him to face at the end (the explanation of the actual golden heart).

A short and enjoyable retro romance.

What a heartwarming story! It started out in the midst of civil war in Greece, in an abandoned monastery where some sisters give shelter to dozens of war orphans. Chrysantza is a young girl who has no family to claim her; one of the sisters has a small contrivance or else a large gap in her memory, and Santza goes along to England with three siblings who have been friends of hers, of a sort. I love how she throws herself into that role of big-sister and the sweet sacrificial love she shows for them. I also loved Uncle Tom and Aunt Sheila, who took them in!

A new favorite.

I borrowed the ebook through OpenLibrary/archive.org
https://archive.org/details/welcomesantza00save/page/n9

Cute little Christmas story, with plenty of fun atmosphere and Christmas cheer. However, we don't actually make it to Christmas Day after an avalanche secrets right at the end, which are left unresolved, so the ending feels rushed and unsettled. Also, I need to know what happens with Elaine.

Maybe an expanded version can be published someday?

I've definitely discovered another good author to follow. The Christian message in this book is deep and real and given a very practical application. The writing is excellent also. I'm definitely going to be reading the rest of this series!

I loved that the main characters wanted to save their marriage and became willing to meet each other halfway. It's a delight when books take you beyond the initial euphoria of newlyweds and show that life isn't all fun and roses beyond, and it's great to see these two learning to deal with the issues of life as adults.

4.5 stars
A redemptive story about a former hockey star returning home with his career in shambles and the mafia after him for 50 grand. It explores the meaning of family and the idea of what sorts of things might “qualify” us for getting the privilege of having a good family. I loved the subject of family from both characters' POVs and how they came to different but complimentary resolutions.

I am loving this series and am not happy about waiting a full year for the next one!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required. This review is based off a final copy I bought.

Whew, can you imagine getting a brief text from a long-missing sister? Most people would probably think it a tasteless prank but this heroine isn't about to let this clue go. She's going to turn over enough stones to prove once for all what happened to her sister—but will she die trying? Someone sure doesn't want her poking around!

Excellent story with a second chance romance. Be sure to read the series in order.

A delightfully creepy story in which the heroine quickly learns there's no one to trust. No one to confide in, because the only people around her can't be trusted for various reasons. She has less than a month to decide between two men courting her, to solve a sudden death, and to decide if she will take or refuse an inheritance.

I loved the atmospheric feel of the story and the many secrets to uncover, from motivations to secret rooms and passages. And why'd Mr Cluett ask her to court such unsuitable men? What secrets did he have?

Outstanding story and definitely a keeper for my shelf.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required.

Not a story for the faint of heart! This one has a real baddie of a villain and it takes a bit to figure out who he is. Also, there are scenes in his POV, so this particular story end up being more on the level of Irene Hannon or Criminal Minds style reading. It's intense and creepy.

I loved Penny and Holt as MCs. They are both good at their jobs and go about solving the crimes with a determination to find their bad dude and willing to risk their lives to get him off the streets. There are several solid leads that kept me guessing until the end. I wasn't honestly sure-sure of who it was until after Penny gets attacked!

I loved the vivid scenery described and felt like I was back in the Blue Ridge and downtown Asheville (though it did honestly make it a bit creepier to have spent time living there before!) and I also liked getting to know Penny's team. It's definitely set up to be another great series.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required.

A delightful little novella that I first read a few years ago and now enjoyed just as much as the first time. It's set in 1830s Yorkshire and is a little romance between a doctor and a widow just before Christmas.

This is a Regency era tale with a gentle murder mystery and a gentle romance, along with a delightful measure of mysterious cloaked figures, secret passageways, characters in disguise, and people who are not what they seem.

I felt like it was one of Klassen's best efforts to date, and I was absorbed in the story from the moment I picked up the book. I didn't want to stop reading to live life! In fact, I dinged up my brand new cover a bit because I dropped it in my purse to go shopping...

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required. The review is based off the final paperback version.

2.5 stars
I had trouble getting into the story and keeping straight the plethora of characters. It felt like I was constantly being distracted from one thing to see what another character was doing “Here, look over here” style, and that made it hard to stay focused. Also, the length is too short for the scope of the crime, which resulted in too much telling and not the amount of showing I prefer; so the tale stayed a bit distant and formulaic.

I loved the big twist near the end and would have liked a little more time to see that relationship developed rather than just “they are working through it” and dismissed out of hand.

I'll still read the next in the series to see if it's a little better balanced in terms of pacing and number of characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required. This review is based off a finished paperback copy I own.

3.5 stars, rounded up for the unique plot angleI've always been intrigued by novels that feature someone else's letters, but especially ones that feature the dead letter office ([b:The Dead Letter 23120320 The Dead Letter Metta Victoria Fuller Victor https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1409240719l/23120320.SX50.jpg 3142791] was one of the first ones I read and enjoyed) and it's a concept that really catches my eye. The story is sweet and I really connected with it most in the middle. The two leads are really endearing and their friendship made me really believe in their romance lasting awhile. The ending was a bit too melodramatic but I enjoyed the rest of the book so well that I forgave that. I'll definitely be picking up the next book by this author.Thanks to the publisher for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required.