March Mag 2 2022

a sister and an active Inspirational octogenarian aunt out of trouble. why the owner of the mansion He doesn’t have time for serious Her Hometown Dream won’t sell to her. The story does romance, and no matchmaking Rachelle Paige Campbell carry many typos and grammar efforts can match the sparks he errors. Both main characters felt for the unknown woman he repetitively rehash their feelings, kissed in Vegas. Mykah Wagner which affect the overall pacing. has spent years focusing on her Lastly, there are times when scene career with Creekdale Enterprises believability is questionable. Still, and pretending she never grew up “Her Hometown Dream” shines on a dairy farm. When she arrives with the heroine’s faith and her in Eastern Washington on her strong character, the hero’s latest assignment, she discovers ultimate honor, and a small town that the charming urban location that has a strong sense of she expected is in fact very community. reminiscent of her childhood but with the handsome cowboy she’d Emerson Matthews kissed and never forgotten living locally. She’s determined to focus Amy Parker returns to her A Homecoming to Cherish on work, except the longer she hometown after a ten-year stint (Cherish Series Book 5) stays, the more the residents, the away. She discovers the mansion Josie Riviera region and Trevor begin to remind that has always been a deep tie to her of the best things from her her family is up for sale and leaps Nora Lancaster grew up in past she’d forgotten and what she at the chance to buy it. The Cherish but couldn’t wait to get could have again. mansion is largely the reason she out of that small town. She studied historic home restoration. married a young boy and took off. A sweet and wholesome romance, She approaches the lawyer Now years later she is back, “Remembering Christmas” is a handling the sale, only to be told divorced, a single mother with a holiday read that is good all year the seller will not take an offer rebellious daughter, to help at the round. As a later book in the from her. Like a house of cards inn her parents used to own. As series, it features many cameos crumbling, her dream shatters. she is volunteering at the inn, she from former books but can stand Jake Grant is the lawyer tasked meets Julian Wilson, a alone as Trevor and Mykah ind with selling the mansion. He is businessman who is in town to family with one another. Featuring also an old friend of Amy’s from scope out a place for a chain a handsome and caring cowboy grade school. And he blames her restaurant. Nora and Julian enjoy and a career driven city girl, fans for the death of his best friend. each other’s company. But he is of this genre will ind this book Now that the ten-year anniversary deeply religious, and she lost her meets expectations and provides is coming, he wants to start a non- faith long ago. As Julian and Nora’s a slow pace, plenty of sparks pro it organization to honor his friendship grows Nora must allow between the lead characters, but a friend’s memory. Except he needs God to heal her heart if she will clean romance with minimal Amy’s knowledge with non- con lict. In short, this book is very pro its. 101 Hallmark worthy. Sweet with plenty of eye candy but with few Ms. Campbell has penned another surprises. Overall, it’s perfect for sweet Christian novel with an fans of this genre and only adds appealing small-town setting and fun to the series. believable characters. There is a lot going on between the pages. Sarah E Bradley We have old school friends Amy and Jake. She’s oblivious to his long-held anger at her and he’s in need of her professional services, just like she’s in need of his. If that’s not complicated enough, there is the mysterious reason ff fff

Inspirational ever be able to allow herself to to Cherish” is a delightful story love again. illed with faith and scripture to lift the religious reader up and A sweet summer love story. Nora leave them smiling. is a strong, stubborn woman with a teenage daughter who keeps her Cara Cieslak on her toes. The friendship between Nora and Julian that begins to blossom into love is tender and dear. Nora coming back to Cherish seemed forced because the innkeeper doesn’t want her there, and she has no connection to the inn besides an emotional connection. There is also no explanation about how Nora is making ends meet as she takes a summer off from her big city accounting job. The relationship between Nora and Julian progresses in a pleasing way, however, some of the other relationships feel rushed and incomplete leaving the reader frustrated and wishing for more. Despite its laws, “A Homecoming 110022 ff

Other Truth and Other Lies Maggie Smith WOMEN'S FICTION: After a mistake ended in her being ired from her dream job on the same day she discovers a devastating truth that ends her relationship with the love of her life, Megan Barnes leaves New York City and returns home to Chicago to re-start her life and career. But she soon discovers getting a job as an investigative reporter is impossible now that her mother has decided to run for Congress. Everything changes, though, when a chance encounter introduces Megan to her journalistic idol, Jocelyn Jones, who offers her a position in her PR group. Ambitious and driven, Megan dives in to promote the woman she admires most. But she soon realizes all might not be what she believed. Could Jocelyn be hiding dark secrets yet uncovered? Could Helen really be more than the suffocating, right-wing mother Megan always knew her as? Truth and lies come to a head as she learns nothing is what it seems. A poignantly told yet easily readable story. With a masterful touch, this author successfully navigates such hard topics as politics, cover-ups, and a myriad of other timely topics! Megan is a perfect representation of a young, progressively liberal woman with a decidedly conservative mother. Her journey from idealist young journalist to realistic and enlightened woman is truthfully told and honestly written. Helen’s reasons for keeping her secrets didn’t ring true considering the severity of the consequences, and there could have been a bit more depth in some areas, but overall this is a top-notch, feminist leaning, exploration. Realistically, it doesn’t end in happily ever after but with a lovely touch of future hope! Ruth Lynn Ritter 103 f

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