The Gift by Shelley Shepard Gray

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the LitFuse Publications book blogger campaign. 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.” 



About the book:

The Gift: The Amish of Hart County(Avon Inspire, November 2017)

A special Christmas story about love and blessings in the next book in the Amish of Hart County series

The Schwartz family is happy to be spending Christmas on their new farm in Hart County. But when Susanna Schwartz hears gunshots that causes her buggy to overturn, and then her little sister falls through a wooden bridge into the icy creek, it becomes clear from these dangerous "accidents" that someone wants them gone.

Neil Vance has been heartbroken ever since his parents lost their family farm. He knows it's not the Schwartz family's fault, but he can't help but be resentful. Until he meets Susanna. She is kind-hearted and bold, and Neil can't stop thinking about her pretty green eyes.

Neil thinks the accidents are just that, but Susanna's father is convinced the Vance family is responsible. Susanna refuses to believe Neil would do anything to harm her. She's fallen in love with him and knows he is a good man. But her family is ready to pack up and move, and time is running out to uncover the truth before someone gets hurt . . . or worse.

Learn more and purchase a copy.

About the author:

Shelley Shepard Gray is a "New York Times" and "USA Today" bestselling author, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time HOLT Medallion winner. She lives in southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town's bike trail.

Find out more about Shelley at http://www.shelleyshepardgray.com.

Dynamic Uno here: The more I get to know the characters in Hart County, the more I want to get to know them.  The Gift is book three in the series of The Amish of Hart County and the suspense of who was causing the accidents is what grabbed me from the start.  After all, in a "sleepy little Amish town" everyone knows everyone else.  Why would someone try to deliberately hurt their neighbors?  

As I continued to read and get wrapped up in the plot, I enjoyed getting to know the characters even more.  It seemed like Amanda had never met a stranger (much like my sister) and Suzanne was a bit more reserved and quiet (like I am).  Reading about their family dynamics and seeing how close-knit their relationships were, made me long for the same with my own relationships.

The themes of forgiveness and trust are prevalent throughout the novel.  Once forgiveness had been granted, it paved the way for Suzanne to trust Neil more resulting in a beautiful friendship between the two characters.  And really, isn't it that way in life?  God forgave us (for our sins) and as long as we trust Him, we have a beautiful relationship too?

I enjoyed reading The Gift.  Between the "who done it" suspense and the relationships of the characters, I had to keep reading to find out what happened next!

Even if you're not a fan of Amish fiction, but enjoy a mystery with a touch of romance, you'll enjoy this book.  It is book #3 in a series, but can stand alone if you haven't read Her Secret or His Guilt.  Give it a try today--you'll love it!

Let me know what you think and Happy Reading!

A Sister's Wish and An Amish Family Christmas by Shelley Shepard Gray

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received these books free from the publisher through the LitFuse Publications book blogger campaign. 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.” 

About the book: 

A Sister's Wish (Avon Inspire, September 2016)

In Shelley Shepard Gray's third book in her Charmed Amish Life series, a respectable young woman finds herself falling for an Amish man from the wrong side of the tracks.

Amelia Kinsinger is the perfect Amish woman---at least according to her neighbors. And while Amelia takes pride in her role as homemaker, she's also harboring a secret: She's been in love with bad boy Simon Hochstetler for as long as she can remember. Too bad he's about as far from "perfect" as an Amish man could get . . . but that's exactly why she's so drawn to him.

Life hasn't been kind to Simon. He ran away from an abusive home at fifteen and things went downhill from there. Eventually, Simon landed in prison. But the experience changed him. Now back in Charm as a grown man, he's determined to make a new life for himself and not think too much about his wild past . . . unless it pertains to Amelia.

He's loved Amelia for years. To him, she represents everything good and kind in the world. When he realizes that she returns his affections, he starts calling on her in secret, even though her older brother Lukas---who just happens to be Simon's best friend---has made it perfectly clear that Amelia deserves better. Simon disagrees and believes he's the only one who can truly make her happy.

But when Amelia gets hurt, it sets off a chain of events that forces them to consider their future together---and face their past mistakes. There's a chance for love . . . but only if Simon dares to trust Amelia with the secrets of his past.

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/2e2XBTQ

About the book: 

An Amish Family Christmas (Avon Inspire, October 2016)

In Shelley Shepard Gray's fourth book in her Charmed Amish Life series, an unlikely Amish romance reveals that Christmas is a time for family, miracles---and love.

Ever since his father died in a tragic fire, Levi Kinsinger has felt adrift. Newly returned to Charm, Ohio, Levi is trying to fit into his old life, only to discover he seems to have outgrown it.

But when Julia, his young widowed neighbor, asks for his help with a Christmas project, Levi finds a sense of purpose for the first time in months. She and her daughter are new to Charm and could use a friend, a job Levi takes personally. Soon enough, friendship grows into attraction, but Levi can't help having doubts. There's something about Julia that doesn't ring quite true . . .

Like Levi, Julia Kemps has survived her fair share of hardships---but only by hiding the truth of her past. Being an unmarried mother in an Amish community was unthinkable. Feeling hopeless, Julia did the only thing she could do: she moved to a new town and pretended to be a widow. But meeting Levi, she's hopeful for the first time. Little by little, she begins to imagine telling him her darkest secret, and eventually . . . perhaps even sharing her life with him.

Christmas is a time for family, and as the holiday draws closer, Julia and Levi will have to face their pasts together . . . in order to find the healing, support and love they so desperately desire.

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/2dYRwqr

About the author:

Shelley Shepard Gray is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time HOLT Medallion winner. She lives in southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town's bike trail.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest 

Dynamic Uno here: I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the fictional people living in the Amish town of Charm, Ohio.   The first two books in the series: A Son's Vow and A Daughter's Dream were just the introduction to the Kinsinger family saga, with these two as the book-endings.

A Sister's Wish is book 3 in the series and focuses on Amelia, the sister who takes care of the home front while the other siblings are off either working, or in Levi's case, away from the family.  While she is by far the sweetest of the Kinsinger clan, I could see why she had a soft spot for the rough and tumble Simon.  (After all, isn't the stereotype that the good girls want the bad boys because they see a sense of adventure and daring that they wouldn't have otherwise?)  Thankfully, for Amelia's sake, Simon no longer lived the rough lifestyle that he grew up with and that carried over into part of his adult life.  

I enjoyed this book in the series because it reminds us all that no matter what we have done in our past, God still forgives and has redeemed us.  Something I know that I need to be reminded of on a regular basis.


Book 4, An Amish Family Christmas, was a great way to wrap up the series--although if it were up to me, it would have been waaaaayyyy longer because I don't want to say goodbye to the characters.  Levi has finally returned home after fleeing to Pinecraft, Florida after their father's death.  Rather than live in the large family home, he decides to rent a house in town.  There, he begins a friendship with his neighbor Julia and her daughter Penny.  Julia has her own issues and secrets, but after Levi befriends her, she begins to realize that she doesn't have to be ashamed of her past and her secrets no longer have to stay that way.

I think out of all four of the books in the series this one was my favorite.  All of the siblings found their life-match and despite the difficulties they had to endure, they were able to overcome them with the help of friends, family, and their faith in God.  

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this series.  The Kinsinger clan and the the other characters were realistically written and had to overcome many of the same struggles that you and I face each day.  It's nice to read an author who is not afraid to tackle these challenges in her writing and to portray them in such a way that hope and love are the remaining responses.

If you think the Amish have an idealistic life and that nothing bad ever happens to them, you're wrong.  They suffer from the same tragedies and heartaches that the rest of us face, but they rely on their faith, friends, and family to help them get by.  This is an excellent series and I can't wait to read more by this author!

Let me know what you think in the comments section and Happy Reading!

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BOOK GIVEAWAY TIME...

Click on the link below to enter to win the book pack giveaway!

https://promosimple.com/ps/a725

Kissed by a Cowboy by Debra Clopton

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the LitFuse Publications book blogger campaign. 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.” 

Kissed by a Cowboy (Thomas Nelson, February 2016)

Cassidy was looking for a home and a place to belong . . . not for a cowboy to steal her heart.

Having lived through her parents’ endless string of “matrimonial bliss gone wrong,” Cassidy Starr knows when the odds are not in her favor. Divorced and humiliated, her faith on rocky ground, Cassidy is through with love. She’s been bucked off that horse far too many times. Instead, she returns to Wishing Springs, Texas, and the rundown farm she’s inherited from her great aunt Roxie. She’ll reopen the strawberry farm and a bed & breakfast and follow in her aunt’s footsteps, remaining forever-independent, happy . . . and single.

Rancher Jarrod Monahan’s hands are full running the ranch, looking after his ailing grandfather, and chasing down a group of rustlers on the loose. He’s pushed his longing for a family to the bottom of his list of priorities. Besides, he was in love once but ran scared and lost his shot at happiness. But suddenly, the biggest regret of his life has moved in next door with a wounded heart, determined to become a spinster . . . and that’s a challenge that Jarrod can’t pass up.

Jarrod sets his mind to breaking down the walls around Cassidy’s stubborn heart. How can he show her that a cowboy’s kiss lasts forever? For the good folks of Wishing Springs, falling in love has never been so much fun to witness.

Purchase a copy here.

About the author:

Debra Clopton is a multi-award winning novelist and has written more than 22 novels. Along with writing, Debra helps her husband teach the youth at their local Cowboy Church. Debra's goal is to shine a light toward God while she entertains readers with her words.

Connect with Debra: website, Twitter, Facebook

Dynamic Uno here: 

Maybe it's the Texas girl in me, but I've always been in love with the idea of dating a cowboy and the three Monahan brothers just made my heart swoon.

Kissed by a Cowboy focuses on Jarrod, the oldest of the three brothers and his new/old neighbor Cassidy.  There are many bruises and bumps in their relationship, but their long-standing friendship forces them to work together.  The matchmakers from their town of Wishing Springs also throw in their two-cents and the typical mayhem occurs.

I'm sad that our time in Wishing Springs has come to an end because Debra Clopton's characters are so relatable and realistic that I feel like I've known them my entire life.  If you enjoy cowboys and romance, then this is the author for you!  

Betting on Hope and Counting on a Cowboy are books one and two respectively, so you may want to start with them before reading Kissed by a Cowboy, so you can meet the rest of the characters, but this novel will also stand on its own.

Let me know what you think and Happy Reading!

The Aleppo Code (Jerusalem Prophecies book #3) by Terry Brennan

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Kregel Publications book blogger campaign. 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.”  


ABOUT THE BOOK:
The Aleppo Code

Will the code reveal history's most powerful weapon for destruction--or humanity’s only hope? 

The living members of Tom Bohannon's band of adventurers gather again in Jerusalem--physically battered, emotionally exhausted, spiritually challenged, and in various stages of shock--to examine a copy of the tenth-century Aleppo Code, the oldest complete text of Jewish scripture. What the clues inside reveal could lead to the reuniting of the Ark of the Covenant with its true source of power, a weapon that could lead to victory for this ragged bunch trying to save the world. 

Hunted by the relentless assassins of the Prophet's Guard and caught in the web of an international conspiracy plotting the conquest of Europe, Bohannon's team searches the ruins of Ancient Babylon. Their search lands them amid the chaos that engulfs western Iraq, but they must press on to accomplish one of the most pivotal pieces of end-times prophecy. This intrepid group will uncover secrets that require them to risk everything for their faith, their country, and the peace of all mankind. 

Unfolding against the backdrop of an Israeli/U.S. strike against Iran and the planned economic overthrow of the European Union by the sinister, secret head of the international Muslim Brotherhood, The Aleppo Code is a heart-pounding race. Brennan takes an epic story on a grand scale and tells it primarily through the eyes of one man who is desperately trying to save the world as he follows God's purpose for his life. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Website/  Facebook/ Twitter 




The Aleppo Code Book Trailer





Dynamic Uno Here:   Before I go any further, if you have not read book #1-The Sacred Cipher, or book #2-The Brotherhood Conspiracy, please go read them first or you will not understand what is happening in this third installment of the story, nor will you enjoy the plot.  Don't say I didn't warn you...


While still reeling from the deaths of their friends, Tom and his team are still on the run in Jerusalem. While hiding among their new found friends, they learn that their adventure is not quite over.  It seems that there is still a scroll out there whose meaning, once deciphered, will lead to the most powerful weapon in the world--the one that threatens to bring about the end of the world. 

Tom and his companions are being pursued because the Prophet's Guard believe that they know how to decipher the scroll and find the hidden weapon to bring about total world destruction.  With the help of friends around the world, Tom and his group try to stay ahead of their pursuers while trying to break the code to find the staff of Aaron (the greatest weapon in the world).

If you enjoy action and suspense with a little bit of biblical history thrown in, you'll enjoy the Jerusalem Prophecies series by Terry Brennan.  These books are full of well-researched facts that have been interspersed with current events and a bit of imagination.  Welcome to the new age of treasure hunting biblical artifacts!  

Let me know what you think and Happy Reading!

A Wedding at the Orange Blossom Inn (Amish Brides of Pinecraft book #3) by Shelley Shepard Gray

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Litfuse Publicity Group book blogger campaign. 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.”  

About the book: 

A Wedding at the Orange Blossom Inn (Avon Inspire, September 2015)

A wedding brings together two young widowed parents . . . and gives them a second chance at love.

Emma Keim was heartbroken when her husband, Sanford, passed away, leaving her to raise three young daughters alone. Though several years have passed, her relatives have made it no secret that they expect Emma to remain a widow, mourning Sanford indefinitely. But when she meets Jay Hilty—a handsome widower with three young sons of his own—Emma is delighted to have a new friend who understands her struggles. Still, she is dismayed that her family is so opposed to their friendship—and the idea of it ever becoming anything more. She honors her husband’s memory every day, but is she destined to be alone forever?

Emma’s gentleness with Jay’s boys stirs something in his heart that’s been quiet for far too long. But when his oldest son becomes engaged to a local woman, suddenly Jay, Emma, and their children are swept up in wedding preparations. Witnessing his son’s joy, Jay wonders if it’s time for him to move forward, too, and find happiness again.

Once again, love has come to Pinecraft. But can these two parties of four become a happy, healthy family of eight?

Learn more and purchase a copy.

About the author:

Shelley Shepard Gray is a two-time New York Times bestseller, a two-time USA Today bestseller, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time Holt Medallion winner. She lives in Southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town's bike trail.

Find Shelley online: website, Facebook, Twitter



Dynamic Uno Here:   The Promise of Palm Grove (book #1) and The Proposal at Siesta Key (book #2) introduce us to the small village of Pinecraft, located in Sarasota, Florida.  (Yes, it's a real place and I absolutely love visiting there!)

Frankie is such a crazy, silly, and frustrating dog and this time was no different.  He decided to escape from Emma's back yard and steal a pizza from the Hilty family as they stayed at the Orange Blossom Inn.  When Emma, finally caught up to Frankie and realized what he'd done, she offered to buy them another pizza.

From that moment on, Emma and Jay (the father of the Hilty clan), began a friendship that had several of the Amish folks staring their way.  (After all, both were widowers and Emma's relatives thought she should remain in mourning for her husband even though he passed away several years ago.)

Despite the stares and the comments, Emma and Jay continue with their friendship and help one another with their daily struggles, as  they start to realize their attraction for one another.

Is it too late to learn to love again?  Will their families be able to join as one?  And who is getting married at the Orange Blossom Inn?  You'll have to read the book to find out!

The Amish Brides of Pinecraft series has been one of my favorites because it combines the simplicity of Amish life in Florida, and adds a touch of romance and whimsy.

 I think I've always idealized the Amish because from the outside there seems to be an order for everything and a peacefulness about their lives.  However, after reading this third installment of the series, I've begun to realize that the Amish have struggles and strife in their own lives as well--it's just not plastered on the front of every tabloid or Facebook posting as we do in the English culture.  The more I read about the Amish, the more I have grown to love their ways, or at least the ways of the characters in these books.  :)  I can't wait for book #4, A Christmas Bride in Pinecraft!

Let me know what you think and Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesdays

http://adailyrhythm.com/
All text and photo for Teaser Tuesdays belongs to MizB of A Daily Rhythm, with the exception of quotations and links I have provided to the book(s) I am reading.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teasers:

"Frankie was on the loose.  Again"

~p.1, A Wedding at the Orange Blossom Inn by Shelley Shepard Gray

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks!

How to Catch a Prince by Rachel Hauck (The Royal Wedding series book #3)

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Litfuse Publicity Group book blogger campaign. 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.”  




ABOUT THE BOOK:

How to Catch a Prince (Zondervan, February 2015)

She caught her prince once. Can she catch him again?

American heiress Corina Del Rey’s life was devastated by war. Every thing she loved was lost. But after five years of grief, she’s shed her grave clothes and started over in the sunshine along the Florida coast.

But some things are not so easily forgotten. When a secret from her past confronts her face to face, she realizes she must follow her heart. Even if it cost her everything.

Prince Stephen of Brighton Kingdom is a former Royal Air Command lieutenant turned star rugby player, trying to make sense of his life after the devastation of war.

When his brother, King Nathaniel, discovers Stephen’s pre war secret, he must deal with an aspect of his life he longed to forget. But how can he do so without exposing the truth and breaching national security?

Yet, true love has a destiny all it’s own. As the cathedral bells peal through Cathedral City, Corina and Stephen must chose to answer the call of love on their hearts.

Or let it be lost forever?

Learn more and purchase a copy at Rachel’s website.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rachel Hauck is an award-winning, best selling author of critically acclaimed novels such as The Wedding Dress, Love Starts with Elle, and Once Upon A Prince. She also penned the Songbird Novels with multi-platinum recording artist, Sara Evans. Booklist named their novel, Softly and Tenderly, one of 2011 Top Ten Inspirationals. She serves on the Executive Board for American Christian Fiction Writers and is a mentor and book therapist at My Book Therapy, and conference speaker. Rachel lives in central Florida with her husband and pets.

Find Rachel online: website, Facebook, Twitter

Click here to learn more about How to Catch a Prince.

Dynamic Uno Here:  Once Upon a Prince (2013) and Princess Ever After (2014) are the first two books in the Royal Wedding series by Rachel Hauck, with How to Catch a Prince as the third.  While I prefer to read the books in order because some of the characters do reappear in the other stories, all three can be read as stand-alone books.

One of the many things I enjoyed in How to Catch a Prince were the characters.  I loved how despite their seemingly perfect lives, (who wouldn't want to be an American heiress married to a Prince?) we were able to get a glimpse into their very heartaches that make them seem so real. 

I also love the fact that Corina lives and works in Melbourne, Florida.  I live in the Tampa Bay area so to read about a character who lives in an area that is just a few hours away makes me smile.  (Maybe I too can meet a fabulous newswoman like Gigi who will give me a job so I can own a condo on the beach.  I know, keep dreaming.)

Another element I enjoyed were the "angels in disguise" at The Manor.  You'll have to read the book to find out what I'm talking about, but I felt like Adelaide and Brill added a bit of whimsy and gave sage advice when it came to Corina's decisions about Stephen.  Love well and Trust.

Overall, I really adored the characters in this book (and series) and I hope that there are many more to come!

Let me know what you think and Happy Reading!

The Secret of the Journal: Rope of Sand by C.F. Dunn (book #3)

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book for free from the publisher through the Kregel Publications' book  blogger campaign and 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.”


About the Book: (Information taken from the Kregel Publications site)

The third installment of the acclaimed romantic thriller series

This third volume, set in rural Maine’s deep winter, follows the developing relationship between British historian, Emma D’Eresby, and American surgeon, Matthew Lynes. Emma unravels Matthew’s alarming past and begins to comprehend how very different her future might be with a man whose identity must never be revealed.

Emma nervously meets Matthew’s family. She encounters his seventy-year-old son, Henry, and learns how unique the family really is. As Christmas approaches, it is clear that Emma is not welcomed by all: what does Matthew’s great-granddaughter have against her, and what might his sinister psychiatrist granddaughter, Maggie, be prepared to do?

Bound by their faith, Matthew and Emma have accepted that they must wait to be together until his wife dies. Very reluctantly, Emma meets Ellen—an elderly woman with a core of steel—and learns how living with Matthew will mean concealment and lies. How can they have a life together?

Read an Excerpt here!

About the Author: (Information taken from her Goodreads Author Page)
Writing as CF Dunn, I thrive on creating romantic thrillers with a historical twist, drawing on a degree in history and a career in literacy development to write stories that touch on people’s frailty and their unexpected strengths. Everyone has a story to tell, and I explore how the legacy of the past impacts on the present and shapes the future. The question is, can anyone escape their history, and how will it determine the path they choose to take?

My love of Maine and my family's long legacy in the county of Lincolnshire provide a rich heritage and vital elements in the evolving story of The Secret of the Journal series.

Blessed with a historian husband, two creative daughters and a quirky Corgi, I divide my time between running a specialist dyslexia and autism school we founded in Kent, and writing in Cornwall.

Stalk the Author: Website / Twitter / Goodreads / Facebook



Dynamic Uno here: I fell in love with The Secret of the Journal series while reading book #1, Mortal Fire.  The characters had so many facets and intricacies woven into their stories that I became engrossed in learning more and more about their lives, and ultimately, worried about their outcomes.  (Can you say addicted?) 

Somehow I missed the release of book #2, Death Be Not Proud, so I was unaware that the lives of Matthew, Emma, and the others were continuing without me.  Thankfully, I ordered it through Amazon: Death Be Not Proud (The Secret of the Journal)  and started reading it right away so that I could find out what happened after the cliffhanger of Mortal Fire.  (It was just as captivating!) 

I immediately dove into book #3, Rope of Sand, when I finished book #2.  The beginning pages of this book were a recap from the ending of Death Be Not Proud, but some of the details were changed a bit so it threw me for a bit of a loop at first.  However briefly distracted, I was immediately sucked back into the story as Emma celebrated Christmas with Matthew and was introduced to his "extended" family members.

While most of Matthew's family accepted Emma into their fold, there were a few family members who resisted the idea that she would eventually become a permanent fixture within their household. The resentment resulted in a bit of mischief that almost caused Emma to die.  Fortunately, Matthew and his son, Henry, are doctors, so they were able to revive Emma before she was lost to them all.  Tests were run, and it was discovered that Emma had her own special gift of helping others (although you'll have to read the book to find out about her talent).

When classes resume on campus, Emma learns that Professor Staahl is accusing her for his damaged reputation when she gets served with the court papers. Realizing that her nightmare has returned in real life, she grows concerned when she realizes that the only people who really know what happened on the night she was attacked were Staahl, Matthew, and herself--inevitably throwing Matthew in the spotlight, a place he has learned to avoid.

Will Matthew's secret be divulged through the trial?  Will Emma be able to produce evidence that she was not complicit in the attack by Staahl, or will his hidden allies manage to set him free?  All these and questions and more will be answered by reading Rope of Sand.

I enjoyed reading this installment of The Secret of the Journal series because we finally met characters we had only been introduced to briefly and were able to see how they interacted with one another.  I felt that this book was a bit heavy and drawn-out with the court case thrown in because it wreaked havoc on everyone's lives, but it did bring more of the "family secrets" to life and caused Emma and Matthew's family to claim "sides."  

I was a bit disappointed because I had hoped we would see a wedding  and get the "happily ever after" ending that I so want to see for Matthew and Emma, but this was not the case at this point in their lives.  Guess I'll have to wait for the penultimate book #4, Realm of Darkness, to be released.  (Yay!  More Matthew and Emma!!)

If you enjoy suspense, mystery, intrigue, and history, you'll love this series--although you MUST start at the beginning or you'll have no idea of what's happening and why certain details and story-lines are so important.  

Purchase the Book here: Kregel Publications 

Let me know what you think and Happy Reading!