Come Fly With Me

"Because that's what you do - fly into town, entertain your whims, and poof, you're off again on an adventure, leaving people to clean up your messes."

Those were the exact words that Luanne Palmer used to describe, Roy Bennett, a journalist and professional aeronaunt who found himself grounded and staying with her brother Geddes, who also piloted hot air balloons. Now waiting the next Hot Air Balloon Race in Helena, Montana, he never expected to find himself falling for Luanne, a schoolteacher at the Central Secondary School. She had signed a contact committing herself for the next year to be above reproach in all she does as one of the teachers. If she so much as tarnish her reputation in any way, it will be the end of her teaching career. So she must do what she can to persuade Mr. Bennett, that she is immune to all his charms. Now if only she could make herself believe it, it might come across as convincing.

Only she is faced with severe opposition as her family is convinced that she needs rescuing and Mr. Bennett is just the man for the job. Spending most of his life, traveling the world and writing about it to further his own travels, he isn't ready to give up his career to stay in Helena, Montana. He has many more travels planned along with a promising journalism career for one of the larger publications companies. Yet despite all his arguments, he hopes that he might be able to sway Luanne to follow her own adventurous heart and join him in his journey discovering places few have ever seen. But no matter how hard he tries to court her, she is unwilling to bend. He also faces competition with Professor Tate, whom seems convinced that Luanne would make the perfect mother to his six orphan children. Again, not an offer, Luanne wants to entertain.

So when her students listen to Roy speak at school, they seem more eager to learn about their own futures despite the standard jobs of thieving and prostitution. Luanne wants them to learn more so those are the types of jobs they won't want and instead shows them that any dream is possible if one is willing to pursue it. Perhaps it is advice she might take herself is she is to be honest and truthful with them. So when an afterschool project of building a hot air balloon begins to take flight, with the approval of the school board, Luanne is helpless to refuse. But with this new project be just the beginning of her own future or the end of one? Only time will tell.

I received Come Fly With Me by Gina Welborn and Becca Whitman, compliments of Zebra Books and Kensington Publishing as well as 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. I absolutely love the inspiration that Luanne instills within her students to hope for something better on the small frontier when not much opportunity existed for most of the towns citizens. She puts all her heart into her efforts as well as her charitable communities, showing that she is unwilling to settle for what others think is best for her. She is a take-charge woman with hopes and dreams that may or may not be beyond the borders of her own small town. I give this a 4 out of 5 stars and is a quick novel to complete in a matter of hours. The story remains engaging all the way to the end and readers are given a quick peek at another series, the Montana Brides, coming soon by the author as well.

For more information about Come Fly With Me, Gina Welborn, Becca Whitman or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Come Fly With Me by Gina Welborn and Becca Whitman

You can find Gina Welborn on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Come Fly With Me, please visit Kensington Publishing's website. 

Last Promise

Perhaps my favorite novels are those that combine two different genres into one unforgettable story as Last Promise by Scarlett Dunn. This is the last novel in the McBride Brothers trilogy and highlights the final romance of Luke McBride, one of three brothers running the McBride Cattle Ranch. While his other brothers have found true love on the frontier, the last thing on Luke's mind is marriage. He loves the wild and single lifestyle and being graced with great looks and charisma, he has no problem finding suitable companionship in Promise, Wyoming especially with the soiled doves at the saloon in town. He only problem is convincing them, he is not ready to settle down and get married. He loves his life just fine.

Mary Ann Hardwicke is leaving her life behind in England where her father has all but made up his mind about her. He believes that her recent encounter with Edmund Stafford has left her compromised and thus the need for her to wed. But that isn't what happened, she was trying to get away from him and her dressed ripped when he wouldn't release her. Now her only hope to get some much need perspective from her controlling father is to leave west and stay with her Uncle George who owns a hotel in Promise, Wyoming. She just never expected to see such differences in cultures between being a future heiress in England and learning to make her own way out West.

When the two collide, Mary Ann's opinion of Luke is just what she sees, a man who is what she has read about, a pistolier, and she has made her mind, she isn't going to have anything to do with him, especially when he makes promises to the women he escorts around time to show them a good time. Luke is about to lose his senses when a beautiful woman arrives from the stage and literally takes his breath away with her beauty and poise. He just never expected a fight to happen right in front of her as one of the drunken men stumbled out of the saloon and right into one the women he was escorting to lunch. He just never expected to defend his own honor as well as hers. Now he will stop at nothing to turn her head and make her see a side of him that no one else but his family does or die trying.

I received Last Promise by Scarlett Dunn compliments of Zebra Publishing and Net Galley for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a free eBook in exchange for my honest and personal evaluation of the book. What I love most about Mary Ann is that she is strong and determined. She is never the victim even though technically she is in regards to the situation with Edmund. She forms opinions quickly and is surprised to learn that she is not as effective in her character judgment as she thought. This make the story believable and had me inhale it one sitting. I love the chemistry between her and Luke and find myself relating to her quite a bit. I had hoped she might have more ground to stand on when her father discovers her instead of being forced back to England, but it doesn't end there. This is like a western fairy tale and I loved it. Well worth every single 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about Last Promise, Scarlett Dunn or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Last Promise by Scarlett Dunn

You can find Scarlett Dunn on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest books.

For more reviews on Last Promise, please visit Zebra Publishing's website. 

Breath of Spring

 Spring is a time of renewal and for new beginnings and that is just what's in store for Annie Mae Knepp. After standing up to her father, the ex-bishop of Willow Ridge, a small Amish community nestled in the heartland of Missouri. When her father conned most of the towns residents with less than reputable dealings and left to create another community called Higher Ground, he had expected Annie Mae and her sister Naomi to join him. It simply is the Amish way to honor and obey your parents, but that is not what she did. She stood her ground and refused to go. Now faced with the challenges of supporting her and her sister, she gets a job as a waitress at the Sweet Seasons Cafe.

It's something she did naturally, caring for people and seeing to their needs. In fact, the entire town is supporting her efforts and has vowed to make sure that Annie Mae and Naomi are cared for in whatever they need. Annie Mae just never figured she would find love, but God has other plans. Adam Wagler is the one person who notices more about Annie Mae than simply what's on the menu and how she caters to those who dine at the cafe. It's the little things, like how she squints when looking at the menu or trying to see small print on things and offers her a spare pair of glasses. At first Annie is offended because she thinks that they make her look worse than they do. In fact she seems to have a low self esteem since her overbearing father drove most of the eligible young men away from courting her when he was around. But that is not the case anymore and most of the young men seem to take notice of this as well. But the last thing Adam has on his mind is courting Annie but everyone else can see what he apparently can't. That he can't take his eyes off of her whenever she is around.

I received Breath of Spring from Charlotte Hubbard compliments of Pump Up Your Book Tours and Kensington Books for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions are strictly my own. This is the fourth book in the Seasons of the Heart Series and truly is a breath of fresh spring air. I love going back to the lives of the people in Willow Ridge, the one's I've come to know as friends from Charlotte's previous novels, Summer of Secrets, Autumn Winds and Winter of Wishes. The best part of her novels is that she keeps the characters real. They aren't perfect even if their lives are simple. They deal with the same issues we all do, but they have their faith as their foundation to support them. They deal with family problems, financial challenges and problems of the heart much like we all do. That is what I believe makes you fall in love with each book in this captivating and heart warming series. For me, it was like coming  home and well deserving of 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about Breath of Spring, Charlotte Hubbard or where to pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Breath of Spring by Charlotte Hubbard

You can also find Charlotte Hubbard on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Breath of Spring, please visit Pump Up Your Book Tour's page.