Prodigal Patriot by Darlene Franklin

I just finished this book in one sitting. Not because the story lacked depth, or even due to the fact that this is a short book. I have read novellas that dragged. . . No, this was a quick read because the characters invited me into their world of Revolutionary War Vermont, and drew me with their hardships, ingenuity, and pluck. The writing disappeared and allowed a vivid story world to emerge. I was invested.

Sally Reid lives next door to Josiah Tuttle, the handsome, attentive son of a Tory. Sally's brother and Father are Patriots and serve with Ethan Allen's Green Mountain Boys. Tragedy strikes both families, and their worlds will never be the same. How can new love survive grief, violence and suspicion?

This is a story about faith, endurance and prevailing love. Hero and heroine discover the depth of their grit and find that affection between friends, neighbors and sweethearts can indeed overcome insurmountable obstacles in this beautiful portrait of our country's historical and spiritual roots.

In the Manor of the Ghost by Tina Pinson

Few books have had this effect on me: I finished in three days, and most of the time, I was reading past midnight to find out what would happen next. The story questions were beyond compelling; they were insistent. Who is the ghost? What are the mysteries lurking in the secret passageways of the manor, and why so much grief and guilt in the eyes of those who live In the Manor of the Ghost?

When Devlin Clayborne arranges to have Kaitlyn Dupree marry him, he has no intention of personal interaction with his beautiful, loving bride. Instead, he writes a business arrangement wherein she serves as "mother" to his child, and in turn, she becomes lady of the manor. Her reputation for kindness and her love for his son precedes her, and when she comes to stay, he does not account for the way her compassion and tenderness affect him. But will it be enough to dispell the shroud of gloom from the home, or from his soul?

Kaitlyn comes to the Manor with reluctance. The master of Clayborne Manor gives her the creeps. She has heard the ugly rumors about him, and she wants no part of him until her brother-in-law talks her into accepting the contract. She loves his son, but she also feels responsible for the womens shelter from which he threatens to withhold funding if she does not agree to wed. But she has something that Clayborne needs more than all of his wealth and land and titles. God's grace. Will it prove enough to go around?

Clever writing, a twisting plot, and many slowly unraveling mysteries await in this gothic-feeling romance. Secrets, rumors, and a sparking romance pulled me onward to see if a happily ever after ending would win out as two stubborn souls with painful pasts find solace in one anothers' arms. For a debut novel, Ms. Pinson has proven herself with a riveting tale and characters that will keep you guessing.

Tailor-Made Bride by Karen Witemeyer

I simply could not believe this was a debut novel for author Karen Witemeyer. I would have assumed from the smooth-as-dressmaker's-silk prose and the finely crafted characters with their compelling conflict shooting sparks between them, that this was a novel from somewhere in the middle of an illustrious career.

Jericho "JT" Tucker couldn't be more gruff or imposing when Hannah Richards comes to town holding the lease to the shop he wanted. And to make matters worse, she has designs on opening a fine dressmaker's shop--the last thing on earth he believes the town needs. She's sure to fill the simple gals with ideas and create discontent with her highfalutin styles and fancy fabrics.

He hasn't counted on her generosity and sincere kind-heartedness, or her work ethic. Or the way her beauty weaves around his heart and drags him like a roped calf, making him go out of his way with gifts and acts of kindnesses for her.

The first third of this had me laughing out loud--and I can't say many (or any) books have ever done that to me. The middle made me fall in love with Hannah and Jericho, hoping they could get past their stubborn independence to embrace their growing attraction to each other. And the last third had me biting my nails in suspense, when an unexpected element threatens to end their dreams of a happily ever after.

This book has it all--lovable, memorable characters, beautiful writing, a message that affirms the virtue of visual aesthetics, and a romance that I felt from my tingling fingertips to my swelling heart.

Bravo, Ms. Witemeyer. I hope for many more to come from you.

Love finds You in Golden, New Mexico by Lena Nelson Dooley

I've really enjoyed every Summerside romance I've read so far, and this one is no exception. The "Love Finds You in. . ." series has given me a glimpse of places to which I may never travel, with lovely descriptions of the land and architecture and history of the towns featured.

Golden, New Mexico is a desert mining town, set in 1890 after the initial gold rush. Jeremiah Dennison is a former mine owner turned rancher who looks after an elderly friend and mentor, Philip Smith. Philip's health is failing, and he seeks a caregiver to ease his last days, so he asks Jeremiah to take out an add for a mail order bride for him. But there is more to his motivation than wanting a bride for himself.

Madeline Mercer is a privileged young lady from a wealthy Boston family. When her father died, the Mercer estate is left up in the air when one of his business associates makes a claim to his business and Madeline's hand. Meanwhile, Madeline's charitable heart leads her to help an impoverished young lady about to give birth in a freezing shanty. The girl dies but not before she makes Madeline promise to raise the child. When Mr. Mercer's colleague presses his suit and threatens the baby, Madeline must flee Boston. Enter Philip's mail-order-bride ad.

When Madeline reaches Golden, will it be a golden opportunity for a fresh start, or will she have toughened ore to pick through before she finds the vein? I enjoyed Madeline's determination and pluck as she endeavors to raise a child, navigate a new town, minister to Philip, and hold her finances together, all the while deciphering her confusing feelings for Jeremiah.

I loved the tender portrait of elderly friendship and faith, and the unique personality the author gave to the infant. Characterization is a well-honed skill of Lena Nelson Dooley, and her three-dimensional people really add a depth to the book.
Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico is one of those romances that was so much more than a romance--it is a story of the love of a land, love that surpasses generations, and the forgiveness that makes a love relationship between God and man possible. A beautiful read.

Wildflower Hearts by Vickie McDonough

Vickie McDonough is quickly becoming my favorite writer. With her skilled way of building her story world in the Dakotas amidst the rugged and untamed beauty of the badlands like a Rich Mullins CD, she did it--she placed me there and made me never want to leave. From there, she crafted characters who grew on me, from independent and proud Mariah, the dime store novelist who steals master artist Adam MacFarland's heart, to Anna MacFarland and her US Marshall Beau, and finally, my favorite of the three short novels' heroes, Quinn MacFarland and his young bride Sarah.

Each story stands alone, but all three together build until the last and eldest MacFarland sibling falls hard to romance. McDonough's lively and suspenseful plotting and pacing make each of these stories un-put-downable, but at the same time, I wanted to savor every nuance and relish every word. I have read many books that compelled me with a clever plot or engrossing characters to skim to the end, but in Wildflower Hearts, the writing itself was so lovely, I had to pour over every line.

In Wild at Heart, Adam MacFarland must overcome a secret he has kept since his father's untimely death, a secret that keeps him from peace with God and his calling as an artist, and accepting the love of others. When he invites a novelist from back east to spend time out on the family ranch for research, he never suspects a woman. Not to mention, a woman like Mariah Lansing. Refined and accomplished, she surprises him with her pluck and willingness to adapt to ranch life. But is the attraction he feels for her enough to over come a burden of guilt and regret that seems destined to keep him single the rest of his life?

Outlaw Heart features Anna MacFarland, Adam's twin, who has been chided to learn the arts of housekeeping and to give up her tomboyish ways by her practical older brother Quinn and her mother. She yearns for freedom and adventure, which takes her to Bismarck in search of work outside the home. She finds excitement of a different sort, in the aftermath of a bank robbery. Confused for an accomplice by the town Marshall, she is followed by the handsome Brett Wickham, who seeks to avenge his brother's death in the robbery before he retires his badge. Can Anna prove her innocence with her sweet carefree ways and steal his heart before his overwrought sense of justice ruins the potential for romance?

Quinn MacFarland's romance, Straight for the Heart, proves the old adage "the bigger they are the harder they fall." Quinn has been the solid rock after the father's death, the go-to guy that saved the family ranch. Now that his mother has passed and his siblings have married and moved away, he is alone with a well-intentioned but meddling grandmother who plots to marry him off. Enter nineteen-year-old Sarah Oakley, an orphan left to care for her two younger siblings after their parents' tragic death. She had sought refuge with an uncle who turned out to be a dangerous outlaw, and as she attempts to escape with his gold and their lives, her path crosses with Quinn. Can the aloof but tender heart inside him yield to Sarah's innocence and devotion?

After reading two of McDonough's previous books, and loving them, I am on the fast track to fan-hood. This short novel collection not only did not disappoint, but each was a surprising delight.