Under A Summer Sky

Growing up, I had a boy that lived next door to us and our families were the very best of friends. The kind you plan vacations together and then at some point, you see that boy next door as something else besides just your childhood friend. Perhaps a future romance?

In Under A Summer Sky by Melody Carlson, Nicole Anderson is searching for something to inspire a bit of creativity in her lesson plans as a high school art teacher in Seattle. Her mother has the perfect idea and with just a weekend to plan for it, they take an unexpected shopping trip to prepare for her summer job. Vivian Graham is taking a three month world cruise with her husband and has offered a manager position at her art gallery in Savannah, Georgia. She believes that Nicole has just what this shop needs in order to run it, despite the looming presence of Amyra, the employee just about everyone in the Graham family despises. She believes since Vivian will be gone, the job of managing the art galley belongs to her and it's just a matter of time before she sends Nicole packing.

Vivian has offered Nicole the luxury of staying in their palatial Southern home in her absence along with the keys to her SUV to lend her the opportunity to transport any art pieces as needed. She has also placed an order for business cards for Nicole as manager, but she fails to let Amyra in on that little detail. Not to mention that the Grahams are long time friends of the Anderson's, she now learns that Alex, the most handsome of the brothers, whom she had a crush on, is now newly divorced with a teenage daughter as well as Ryan, the youngest brother who has just ended a relationship with Amyra and seems to be in a potential engagement to the town's sweetheart Cassidy. One thing is certain, this summer won't be boring in the least!

I received Under A Summer Sky by Melody Carlson compliments of Baker Publishing Group and Net Galley. In accordance with the new FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, you should assume that every book reviewed here at Reviews From The Heart was provided to the reviewer by the publisher, media group or the author for free and were received, unless specified otherwise. This is such a sweet summer romance, coupled with two very different eligible men who fancy Nicole's attention along with the rocky relationship she has with Amyra who has her target set on Nicole for the job at the Graham Gallery. With moss lined trees and ghost tours, the Savannah southern charm is bound to get readers in the mood for some southern romance. I give this novel a 5 out of 5 stars because it is one I could relate to from my early childhood and this one keeps you longing for those southern summer nights complete with fireworks aplenty. This is the third novel in the Follow Your Heart series with Once Upon A Summertime and All Summer Long preceding this one. Available in paperback and eBook formats.

For more information about Under a Summer Sky, Melody Carlson or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Under A Summer Sky by Melody Carlson 

You can find Melody Carlson on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Under A Summer Sky, please visit Baker Publishing Group's website. 

The One That Got Away

I don't think there isn't a person who hasn't seen movies like Family Man with Nicholas Cage or It's A Wonderful Life. In both of them is the opportunity for the main characters to get a sense of a different life for them. For Abbey Lahey, her moment comes when she is asked to take back an over-priced purse she bought on a whim to make herself feel better at Nordstroms. It is simply a purchase she can't afford since her family has been struggling to make ends meet since her husband's landscaping business is slowly drying up thanks to the recession hitting the economy. Just for once she wished she didn't have this life of wondering where the money would come from, how to manage to pay the overdue bills when there isn't anything to pay them with and how can she motivate her husband to provide for their family if he isn't inspired to look for another job even if it means working for someone else for now.

As she is taking the escalator to return the purse, she takes a spill and lands on the piano bench and marble slab below. When she awakes she sees a very attractive man and clearly not in the county hospital where she should be. The man is very concerned about her well being and when she asks who she is, the man is puzzled because as his wife, she should know who she is. She learns she is married to Alex Van Holt, a childhood crush she had many years ago, but never took him up when he asked her out on a date. Now she realizes she is married to him and she is Abbey Van Holt. She still has the same two kids, thankfully but now her life is carefree and money is something she clearly has a lot of. Now she is thrust in the midst of helping her husband Alex make his run for Congress and she has to do what she can to keep everyone from realizing she has no clue who she is and what she has done in the past. If she admits it, Alex has concerns she might be better of being institutionalized in order to help her figure out what is happening.

I received The One That Got Away by Leigh Himes compliments of Hachette Book Groups and TLC Book Tours. In accordance with the new FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, you should assume that every book reviewed here at Reviews From The Heart was provided to the reviewer by the publisher, media group or the author for free and were received, unless specified otherwise. This is book does contain some sexual content and profanity which may offend some readers but the overall story line is amazing. I found myself relating to Abbey's character because I had the opportunity to live the life of a Van Holt, but found myself falling for a humble and honest love over the one with financial success. It takes Abbey a bit to realize that money can't buy everything and even though she might have it all, she doesn't have the love that she found in her heart when she married the love of her life and now has to figure out how to get back to her former life. I give this novel at 4 out of 5, just based on my own personal reviewing criteria, but it really has a wonderful story of what love truly is and the humor side of things that comes across when Abbey is trying to fit in to this wealthy lifestyle is unforgettable.

For more information about The One That Got Away, Leigh Himes or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The One That Got Away by Leigh Himes 

You can find Leigh Himes on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on The One That Got Away, please visit TLC Book Tour's page.

I Hope You Dance

I can't only imagine how hard it must be to find yourself dealing with the grief of losing your husband, but then learning that you are left penniless and with a mountain of debt you didn't even know existed. With no where to go, Ruth Henderson decides to pack up her stuff and leave her old life behind and move back in with her parents in Southwell, Nottinghamshire along with her 14-year old daughter Maggie, whose way of dealing with what she is going through is coloring her hair wild colors. It doesn't make her all that popular in school and soon she finds herself being teased. Her only outlet is to resort to violence which leads to repetitive phone calls from the principal to have Ruth attempt to curtain her daughter's wild side.

Ruth knows in order to move forward she has to find a way to pay off the debt without her parents help, even though they offer to write a check to cover all her debts. She wills herself to take a job working for a classmate, who subsequently had an interest in the boy she fell in love with at school and soon retribution occurs when Vanessa, the clothing store owner, takes out her frustrations on Ruth as a way of her coming to beg for a job. Ruth finds solace in her mother's well intentions to get out of the house and make some friends and finds herself meeting with a great group of women once a month, who share their own frustrations in life at the moment over some great food, and plenty of prayers.

Ruth's only regret is the love she left behind even after she married her husband, and that is of her best friend and neighbor David Carrington, who is a TV personality on his own wildlife safari show and comes to town fairly regularly. With trying to find a way to keep her own head above water and keep her feelings for David locked away in the past, you know it is only matter of time before they too come to the surface to be dealt with. It is a story of hope, love, forgiveness and redemption that come with a life well lived.

I received I Hope You Dance by Beth Moran compliments of Kregel Publications. I did not receive any monetary compensation, aside from a free copy of this book in exchange for my own honest and personal opinions. This is the second book I have read from Beth Moran and once again love the escape back to old England to immerse myself in the small town life and English literature that accompanies her books. The characters are well developed and ones that seem truly genuine that you can care about what is going on in their lives. Not only do you find yourself rooting for Ruth and David but the many secondary characters we are introduced to like David's housekeeper Ana Luisa and his father, but also between Maggie and Seth who have more in common than they think. For me, this one deserved a full 4.5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about I Hope You Dance, Beth Moran, or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

I Hope You Dance by Beth Moran 

You can find Beth Moran on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest books.

To read more reviews on I Hope You Dance, please visit Kregel Publications website. 

Seeking the Star

As a book lover, almost any time of the year is exceptional when you find a great novel, but by far for me, Christmas books are my favorite, especially if they contain a great message behind them just perfect as we begin to roll into the holiday season. Traci Borum has written a truly inspirational and heartwarming book, Seeking the Star and one I can honestly highly recommend if you love Christmas books half as much as I do.

Late one winter's night a drifter collapses just outside the door of an elderly couple, George and Mary Cartwright, in the English Cotswold village of Chilton Crosse. They immediately take him in and nurse him back to health, not knowing why he's been out in the weather or what his story is. They fell that when he is ready he will open up, and for now set about making him feel welcome. They invite him to stay through the holidays as a winter storm approaches and soon learn that Ben has a past that he isn't ready to share just yet. He finds solace in working among the people in Chilton Crosse as a way of staying busy enough until it is time to move on, a journey of no destination and one he wishes he could find a sense of peace with.

As the days move forward, Ben soon begins to make small changes, first shaving his overgrown beard, then his hair and finds a confident in Mac MacDonald, a man of many talents. Ben begins to let down his guard with Mac and is able to share a few things with him while the two working on the nativity set for the town. He is that wise old sage that offers advice without needing to know the full story and can see that Ben is still working something out from his past.

As more time unfolds, Mary is able to get Ben to open up more as George shares the story of the death of their son Sheldon and how they are able to find peace without him being with them any longer. Mary tries to talk to Ben about God, but Ben has simply given up on the God he used to know. She explains that only through her faith in God have they found that peace to keep going in spite of their difficulties, but she knows she can't push him to reveal what he is trying so hard to forget. The only clue is a silver angel that Ben keeps close to him at all times.

I received Seeking the Star by Traci Borum compliments of Red Adept Publishing for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. I can't imagine dealing with the things that Mary and Ben have had to face and still hold onto their faith, but I also know that without it, you are truly locked in a prison of your own making. My only hope after finishing this book is that Traci will create a sequel to tell us what the outcome of Ben's life will be. If not, I guess we can all dream up our own outcome to what happens next, but I believe that is what all readers want when they read such an exceptional and heartwarming story like this one. I've truly been blessed to read this one and now it's my turn to share it with you in hopes you'll pick this one up and add it to your Christmas collection. It has now found a permanent home in mine and thus a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion. This is the third book in the Chilton Crosse series.

For more information about Seeking the Star, Traci Borum or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Seeking the Star by Traci Borum 

You can find Traci Borum on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest books.

You can pick up a copy of this book at Amazon in paperback or for your Kindle. 

Vintage -

Behind every piece of clothing is a story. That is what makes Hourglass Vintage something unique than your usual retail clothing stores. There is the story of how each item found its way into the store and thus the reason why Violet Turner had desperately wanted her store to succeed. She took the time to understand the purpose behind acquiring each item she sold. She had hoped with each rent payment she made that she would someday own the store she ran and the apartment she lived in above. It was one of the very reasons she entered into the contract with Mortenson & Son Properties Inc.

The last thing she had ever expected to see what a man in her store serving her an eviction notice. Knowing she can't possibly afford to fight this with a high price attorney, she meets with Ted Mortenson to see what options she has. (1) she can pay the market rate for the building, which is around a million dollars, or (2) take a compromise offer of two months of rent and vacate the property in a couple of months. Violet knows she can't possibly come up with the down payment to buy back the building and meets with her life long friend, Karen Young who is an attorney who offers to help her stall the process to give Violet more time.

Meanwhile Violet receives an offer from her friend Betsy Barrett, a wealthy women who was a member of a local women's organization to consider taking on a young pregnant girl, April Morgan who needs a job to help her cope with the recent break up with her boyfriend Charlie. It will enable her to put her math skills to work aiding Violet in establishing a system of organization within her shop and keep April from worrying too much about her future as a mom, now that Charlie cancelled their wedding plans thanks to the encouragement of his wealthy parents to pay for his medical school costs.

As the story progress we get to meet quite a few of Violet's customers who are going through their own personal struggle which brings them into her store. It's more about finding hope through common circumstances as each of the women in Violet's life gives her more than just articles of clothing to sell in her store, they are giving her a piece of their past lives and in some cases ones they don't want back.

I received Vintage from Susan Gloss, a debut novel in The Friday Night Knitting Club compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions in this review are strictly my own. This novel does contain some profanity as a caution to readers who would be caught unaware picking this one up. I would have liked to have seen the author omit it since it's not necessary to move the novel forward or pertaining to Violet's character. I am a huge fan of antiques and vintage items because of the history behind each one you pick up much like the items in Hourglass Vintage which become the chapter starters in this novel. The story toggles between Violet's customers as each share their struggles in both their past and present lives through the articles them bring into her store. I give this novel a 4 out of 5 stars in my opinion based on my personal rating system.

For more information about Vintage, Susan Gloss or where to order a copy of this novel, please click on the links below:

Vintage: A Novel by Susan Gloss

You can also find Susan Gloss on Facebook to stay up to date with all her novels.

To read more reviews on Vintage: A Novel please visit William Morrow's website. 

The Wedding Bees

Sugar "Honey" Wallace never believed that she could ever find love again. In fact, she had only one mission in life and that was to keep moving as often as her bee's provided a new location. She never imagined that all of her running would end when she arrived in Manhattan armed with nothing but a hive of sixth generation bee's, a birdbath, and the supplies of honey that she intends to sell. While she was trying to locate a place to park with her friend Jay, a homeless man ran out in front of their van. Not knowing if he was alright, she got out of the car just as he was colliding with a man chatting away on his cell phone. Love finds you in the strangest of places and from that moment on, Sugar had met her match.

Theo Fitzgerald, a lawyer for a non profit company housing the homeless, knew in a instant the moment he met Sugar, he had a feeling they would be walking hand in hand forty years from now, living a life of wedded bliss. His mother always said he would met the "one," he just never imagined that would literally run right into one another. The only problem with their relationship besides his inability to convince her that they are destined to be together forever after just meeting moments ago is when he learns she is a bee keeper and he is allergic to bees.

What transpires over the course of Sarah-Kate Lynch's novel The Wedding Bees is the story of how Sugar Wallace became interested in bees and why she spends every year moving from place to place without setting up any roots. Now she finds herself in the middle of Alphabet City and the residents that live in the same apartment building as her are truly in for a treat of the sweetest kind. From Lola, the balloon lady who has a child that no one in the building can stand because of his crying at all hours of the night and day, to Ruby, the young girl who lives alone and rarely comes out to see anyone. There are the older couple Mrs. Keschl and Mr. McNally who live on different floors but spend all their time yelling at one another over the silliest of issues. Topping it off with the pasty genius of a recluse named Nate whose sweet smelling creations drive the entire complex into mouth-watering fits. What happens in the course of the novel is truly an unforgettable and memorable time you will enjoy.

I received The Wedding Bees by Sarah-Kate Lynch compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation and the opinions in this review are strictly my own unless otherwise noted. I thoroughly enjoyed this romantic comedy and now find myself craving honey in a different way, wanting honey scented candles to fill my home with their intoxicating fragrance much like the products that Sugar created for sale. Readers should be cautioned that there is some profanity and adult subject matter in this book but overall the story is enjoyable and worth immersing yourself in if you love movies like Steel Magnolias or Runaway Bride! I personally rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars based on my rating system.

For more information on The Wedding Bees, Sarah-Kate Lynch or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Wedding Bees by Sarah-Kate Lynch

You can find Sarah-Kate Lynch on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

For more reviews on The Wedding Bees, stop by William Morrow's website. 

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (January 28, 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062252607
• ISBN-13: 978-0062252609
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.3 x 1 inches