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West of Heaven by Victoria Bylin - Harlequin Historical Western #714 - Jul 04 In the prologue of this book, Jayne Dawson has only been married a few days to a man she barely knows when he leaves to complete unfinished business. Now I didn't feel anything for this hero. And I love all of Vicki's heroes. So what was going on? Well, I'm glad I kept reading b/c he wasn't the hero of the book. A few days later Jayne has found her new husband - dead and almost buried - on a ranch just hours before a blizzard hits. Ethan Trent is the rancher who buries Jayne's husband. He's going through his own personal hell and doesn't want her there. She's supposed to go back to town but doesn't and the storm hits. She spends the night in Ethan's barn. The next morning, Ethan finds her. She's feverish. In the aftermath of the storm, he realizes no one can ride through the deep snow to town so he takes her into his tiny cabin and nurses her to health. And that...

Dangerous Secrets (Harbor Intrigue) by Lyn Cote - Love Inspired Suspense #62 - Jul 07 This book was very suspenseful. I thought I knew who the ‘bad guy' was and what the motive was, but there were enough red herrings in my way to keep me from being positive. I like that, because it keeps the suspense up and yet I felt justified when the end revealed I'd been right. Sylvie Patterson, owner of a small book store, is right where she wants to be. She suffers daily pain from an old injury but she's still mobile so she can live with the inconvenience of a limp. Guilt stemming from the accident that caused her injury was something she'd battled and won. With her father close by, she has everything she needs in the town of Winfield. Then her old crush, Ridge Matthews comes back to town and Sylvie realizes that her life isn't quite complete yet as she still has feelings for Ridge. And those feelings are getting stronger the more time she spends with him. But why would a hand...

Dangerous Game (Harbor Intrigue) by Lyn Cote - Love Inspired Suspense #53 - May 07 This is the best book I've read by Lyn Cote. I can take or leave Suspense books but this one kept me intrigued and I didn't want to put it down. It's the story about a deputy, Trish Franklin and an ex-con Grey Lawson. In the book Trish, a Christian, can't understand why she has feelings for a man who recklessly took other lives, drunk or otherwise. But you can't control your heart. I believe God has chosen one special person for each of us. Whether you feel the pull of your heart and accept it or ignore it is up to you. And that's the decision Trish and Grey must face. In Dangerous Game, Trish is not only fighting her own feelings for Grey, she also has to contend with her father and family's hate for the man who killed her uncle. When Grey returns home and the ‘chicken' games start again, Trish's family is determined to believe that Grey is at fault once more. For wha...

Of Men and Angels by Victoria Bylin - Harlequin Historical #664 - Jul 03 This book is going on my 2008 Top 10 list. I was hooked from the 1st page. Vicki has the ability to write compelling, totally believable characters in realistic situations. She puts you right there where you not only see and hear the action, but you feel like you're a part of it. The story opens when a deluge of rain takes out a stagecoach, leaving the heroine, Alexandra Merritt, alone in the middle of nowhere, attempting to help a stranger give birth. Her only aid is the good sense God gave her. Jake Malone is minding his own business when he hears an angel singing. Curious, he follows the voice and comes upon a scene he'll never forget. All Jake wants to do is high-tail it out of there but something holds him back. He's drawn to Alex and against his better judgment, he escorts her home, and even stays to work her parents' peach farm. Regardless of what he's done, Jake finds love and acceptanc...

Where Love Abides by Irene Hannon (Heartland Homecoming) Love Inspired 443 - May 08 This is the final book in the Heartland Homecoming Trilogy. We met Sheriff Dale Lewis in the first 2 books. He's the compassionate law officer with integrity. Unfortunately, Christine Turner has been betrayed by her ex-husband and the law so she doesn't trust her feelings where Dale is concerned. But Dale has such a precious daughter who wants a mommy. Dale's already been married to a woman with emotional scars. He doesn't want to do it again. But is Christine emotionally scarred? Or can she overcome them with his love? ------------------------ Heat Level: Sensual (due to one scene in her memory) My Rating: Very Good - 4 stars (excellent one time read) ------------------------ Books in the Heartland Homecoming series: 1 - Nov 07 - From This Day Forward LI 419 2 - Feb 08 - A Dream to Share LI 431 3 - May 08 - Where Love Abides LI 443 ------------------------- Harlequin 100,000 Book Chall...

A Dream to Share by Irene Hannon (Heartland Homecoming) Love Inspired 431 - Feb 08 Mark Campbell is a playboy. I didn't like him much. Until his father sends him to a small Missouri town that rolls up its sidewalks at 6 pm. Mark can either find something useful or useless to do with his time. Thankfully, he chooses the former and I start to like him as a hero. And then we find out why he is the way he is. Abby Warner is the workaholic editor of a small town newspaper that Mark's father is looking to acquire. Mark is told to take 3 months doing a financial and operational audit of the newspaper. Shouldn't be too bad with a pretty lady like Abby to spend time with at the end of the day. Except Abby keeps her door closed and avoids Mark like the plague. -------------- Heat Level: Affectionate (kissing and hand holding but nothing more) My Rating: Very Good - 4 stars (excellent one time read) -------------- Books in the Heartland Homecoming series: 1 - Nov 07 - From This Day Fo...

From This Day Forward by Irene Hannon (Heartland Homecoming) Love Inspired 419 - Nov 07 I really enjoyed this book. I'm always sad when I hear a couple is splitting up after years of marriage whether they have children or not. In this book, Sam and Cara Martin are childless which seems to be a blessing to their hectic lives especially when they separate. The story starts about a year after their separation. Cara has suffered a traumatic experience that triggers extreme panic attacks. After an exhausting month with no sleep where she huddles in her home refusing to go anywhere, she accepts an invitation from her husband for refuge. But she makes it clear that one betrayal was enough. She'll never trust him again. Sam was an esteemed surgeon when he realized he was human. A patient's spouse took offense and ended his career as he knew it. And he took it out on Cara. Her leaving was his wake up call. Unable to operate, he moved to small town America and became a family practi...

Hearts in the Highlands by Ruth Axtell Morren - Love Inspired Historical #6 - Apr 08 This book is a fascinating look at the years just prior to the turn of the century when treasures were being discovered in the pyramids along the Nile. It's a sweet and warm love story of 2 people who find love despite their different stations in life. Following his uncle's footsteps, Reid Gallagher has embraced the new field of archaeology. He's only back in England while red tape is hashed out with the politicians but he'll be going back to Egypt very soon. He's lonely but he's still loyal to his wife although he's been a widower for 10 yrs already. Maddie Norton is the companion to Reid's aunt who seems on the brink of death several times a day if the subject of conversation doesn't suit her. But Maddie is gentle and patient with her. She's ‘on-call' 24/7 and yet she receives a pittance for a salary. Maddie lives each day in that in-between world: she'...

The Road to Love by Linda Ford - Love Inspired Historical #7 - May 08 Linda Ford does an great job of bringing history alive in a memorable tale of love, laughter and leaving. Until I read this book, the closest I've been to the dirty 30's was playing an extra in the movie ‘Prairie Giant - The Tommy Douglas story'. For the movie, once we had our hair and make-up done, they took this bag filled with some kind of grey chalky stuff and proceeded to ‘dirty us up'. The result was a very authentic looking movie but at the end of our filming day, I was glad to take the clothes off, wash up, and climb into my relatively clean car. Kate Bradshaw, the heroine in this moving book is an optimist. She's survived the death of her husband and she knows there are good times ahead. Her belief that God put her on that farm to preserve for her children is reflected in everything she does. Even when the crop is failing to grow due to lack of rain, or when the tractor refuses to budge, ...