82. Blue Skies Tomorrow

Blue Skies Tomorrow. Sarah Sundin. 2011. Revell. 434 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Helen Carlisle strolled up G street, careful to keep a pained expression. Some days the performance of grief was easier than others, but it was always necessary for her son's sake. 

Blue Skies Tomorrow is the third book in the Wings of Glory trilogy by Sarah Sundin. The series focuses on the Novak brothers--Walter, Jack, and now Ray. Ray Novak is a flight instructor who--at the start of the novel--hasn't seen combat. Helen Carlisle, our heroine, is a war widow with a heavy burden and daunting task. 

I decided to reread all three books in 2021. I'm posting my original review below, with additional comments in red. 

I really LOVED Sarah Sundin's A Memory Between Us, the love story between Jack Novak and Ruth Doherty. I LOVED Blue Skies Tomorrow just as much. This third novel in the Wings of Glory series focuses on Ray Novak, another pastor-pilot in the family. He has been able to spend most of the war flying out of combat as an instructor, but, times are changing and he's given a choice, an opportunity, to risk more for his country. And soon Ray has joined his brother Jack in England flying dangerous missions. But. Before Ray leaves, he has the opportunity to fall deeply in love with "grieving" widow Helen Carlisle. 

Helen has become used to hiding the truth. When the novel opens, Helen is hiding the fact that she was secretly relieved when her husband died. She hides behind her work, her charity work, her good causes, etc. She hides behind her roles. The truth is, there are very few people in Helen's life she feels comfortable being completely honest and open with. But that begins to change when Helen begins to fall in love with Ray. She tells him the truth, and he believes her. But the truth-telling, well, it's a little too late or so it appears. For it gets a bit ugly and tense BEFORE his departure, and, well, correspondence helps mend a friendship, but there is so much left unsaid by both. [Blue Skies Tomorrow needs trigger warnings. It does. I almost felt like I was reading a different book this time around. The book is HEAVY and deals with serious topics: spousal abuse, child abuse, gaslighting and manipulation, and dare I say blackmail? Helen's biggest fear is that her son--now a toddler--will grow up to be physically abusive. She seems to think it is in his genes--that he cannot escape this destiny. She sees his fits as a toddler as proof of that. Granted, I'm not saying that fits should be dismissed and not dealt with. (I'm really not). But just because you have a toddler that hits, slaps, or bites in anger at age 2 doesn't mean he's going to behave the exact same way at 22. This book doesn't focus solely on nature versus nurture.] 

[Also what seems to have slipped my mind completely in my first review, was the book's treatment of the Port Chicago Disaster. I'm linking to the wikipedia article. I have since read a nonfiction book on the subject, and am more familiar with it. But the book in addition to all the heaviness of physical and mental abuse deals with racial injustice. It isn't just background, but plays an integral role in the story.]

This one is told in alternating voices, and it is intense--very, very, very, very intense in some places. It is  incredibly compelling. If you enjoyed Memory Between Us, then you HAVE to read this one too. Readers will continue to learn about Jack and Ruth! (Also Allie and Walter).

This one has plenty of romance and plenty of drama!!!

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

30. Come Back To Me

Come Back To Me (Waters of Time #1) Jody Hedlund. 2021. [July] 384 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: “Your father is in a coma.” “What did you say?” Marian Creighton fumbled with her phone and almost dropped it. “I don’t think I heard you correctly.” “I’m sorry, Marian.” Harrison Burlington’s English accent on the other end was as loud and clear as if he’d been sitting at Jasper’s desk opposite from hers. “Unfortunately, you did hear me all too correctly. I’m afraid your father is in a coma.”

Premise/plot: Marian Creighton, our heroine, is determined to save both her father (who is in a coma) and her sister (who is dying of a genetic disease). Her father (before his coma) was mad determined as well. He has been obsessed with finding the tree of life. Yes, you read that correctly. The tree of life. Perhaps not the actual-actual tree, that might be a bit much, but any seeds that may remain from the tree of life. His theory is that those seeds were carried to England (at one point) and have blessed several springs with healing powers (just read your history). He is looking for that holy water. And it is up to his daughter (now that he is in a coma) to finish his research...before his competitors steal it (because of course they have an agenda).

Marian spent years--if not decades--of her life distancing herself from her father's obsession. But now that he is in a coma and she's found a few cryptic notes, she's convinced that the only way to save her family is to carry out her father's research--even if that comes at great risk to herself. (Then again, experimenting on one's self and taking big risks with the hope of great reward might be part of the whole mad scientist thing?)

Here is where I recommend readers suspend all disbelief. And I do mean all--all while you're reading (book in hand), all while you're thinking about what you've read, all while you're thinking about thinking about what you've just read. 

So now that you're willing to believe everything without asking any questions (not even one), this novel features time travel via drinking holy water. The solution to many of her problems may be found in the past--the year 1381 to be exact.

Will she find what she's looking for? Or perhaps will she found what she has never bothered looking for?

My thoughts: I definitely found this one compelling. Even when I found it over the top ridiculous I found it compelling. 

I loved the past setting of Come Back To Me. True I thought she was very UNprepared and very naive as she oriented herself to the past. (Honestly, who wouldn't be to a certain degree.) It seems to me she could have spent a little more time researching and planning before she drank herself to the past. (That's a very odd sentence). Still, it was the past that made this one an exciting read. 

This one may pretend to be many things--a mystery, a thriller, science fiction--but at its heart, at its core it is essentially a romance (and a STEAMY, STEAMY, STEAMY romance at that).

Let's talk steam. On the one hand, ALL THE STEAM happens in a marital relationship. On the other hand, even though it isn't in any way improper for the characters to be in a steamy, sensual, oh-so-intimate relationship, that might not be the case for the book's readers. 

For some readers who have had struggles in the past or are currently struggling with smutty-smut romance addiction, the steam in this one may not make this one a good choice. If reading this one makes you tempted to pick up that addiction again. (Be it romance novels or movies).

I would say also that Christian fiction tends to be labeled "safe" and "clean" and "appropriate" for readers of most ages (think 8+). I know I was certainly reading Janette Oke when I was in elementary school. This one would not be one you'd want young(er) readers to read. I think older teens it might not be a bad choice--especially if they read widely from secular publications--this is probably oh-so-tame/lame in comparison to the heavy stuff. But it might not be the absolute best choice either. 

If you are "triggered" (and I don't know that this is the best word choice) easily, this might be a gateway back into a sin you're trying to recover from.

But every reader is different. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

63. The Love Note

The Love Note. Joanna Davidson Politano. 2020. 384 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: It always came to this, didn’t it? Amid the glittering swirl of music and gowns, I looked up into the handsome face of Lord Cumberland and forced a smile as if nothing at all were about to happen.

Premise/plot: Willa Duvall is a determined, strong-willed heroine who has one thing and one thing only on her mind: becoming a doctor. The problem? The year is 1859 and she hasn't found a medical school to accept her into any program. So she nurses and continues to pursue knowledge and provide the best possible care for patients. Another problem? (You didn't think they'd only be one problem to solve, did you???) Her father is determined that enough is enough is enough. It's time for his daughter to MARRY. And since she's turned down the last five--possibly four or six (since math isn't my subject) proposals, it's his turn to pick. The solution? Well, a trial of sorts. Willa gets her father to agree that she can keep on nursing--for a bit--and if she has one successful patient, she'll get to keep pursuing her dream of medicine. (But who determines what makes a case successful??? The patient living? The patient getting better? The family agreeing that you've helped a patient??? Reaching a point where your services are no longer necessary????) She chooses a case that will take her to Crestwicke. Her patient is Golda Gresham. She lives with her son, Gabe, and her stepchildren, Burke and his wife, Clara, and her spinster daughter, Celeste. Why did she choose Crestwicke, well, THE LOVE NOTE, of course. She discovers a letter from a secret admirer hidden within a secret compartment in her writing desk that mentions Crestwicke, I believe. Plus the writing desk originally came from there. The letter doesn't say WHO it is for or who it is FROM, but she's determined to find out because it is a mighty powerful letter.

My thoughts: I really LOVED, LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this one. That being said, I wish it didn't include a jarring error: having the characters be familiar with Alice in Wonderland and discussing it like it was a beloved classic or even a new classic. NEWS FLASH: Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland was published in 1865 and the book opens in 1859 and the epilogue brings us to three years later. Still way too many years before its actual publication. What makes it even more cringe-worthy is the fact that they are specifically talking about the second book which was published in 1871.

“Oh, it is. Wonderfully so. Have you read Alice’s Adventures in the Looking Glass? It’s something like that, I believe. A person simply falls down this hole, completely against his will, and finds himself in this foreign yet completely enchanting world.” “Crestwicke doesn’t have those sorts of holes,” Celeste mused. “The people here all remain on solid ground, I’m afraid.”

Someone had fallen in love the way Alice fell into that rabbit hole. I would find them, and the letter would be delivered—it was merely a matter of time.

Now that negativity is behind, I will just say that I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED the storytelling, the writing, the relationships. Not just the potential romantic ones--but ALL of the relationships. The character development is strong in this one.

Highly recommend.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

20. Uncommon Woman

An Uncommon Woman. Laura Frantz. 2020. 384 pages. [Source: Review copy] [Historical; Romance; Christian]

First sentence: Why could she not quit pondering that flounced petticoat?

Premise/plot: Every day seems to be a struggle and adventure in Laura Frantz's newest historical romance set in colonial (Western) Virginia between the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War. The heroine, Tessa, has already lost her father--will a brother be next in the strife and conflict between settlers and natives?! The book opens with some tension--and closes with tension. There are dangers for living on the frontier at the very edges of (colonial) civilization.

Clay Tygart, the hero, has experienced much in his years--including witnessing the murder of his family and being taken captive--for years. Still, he's a man with a strong sense of duty and conviction. He's there to keep settlers safe--or safer. He's not there to fall in love...

My thoughts: I love, love, love Laura Frantz. I find her books compelling and well written. An Uncommon Woman is no exception. This one is told in alternating view points. Readers get to spend equal amounts of time with Clay and Tessa. It would not have been easy--could not have been easy to make a home on the frontier and to face these dangers and risks every single day. Life as a woman in the eighteenth century would not have been easy either--even in a "civilized" town with luxuries. But it required gumption--spirit--and some hope and optimism to be happy on the frontier...

I would definitely recommend this one!

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: The Refuge

The Refuge. Ann H. Gabhart. 2019. Revell. 400 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: You can't cheat death. We thought we could. At least we hoped we could. That was why I was in a blue Shaker dress, staring across a narrow table at Eldress Maria in her like garb as she told me about Walter.

Premise/plot: Walter and Darcie Goodwin joined the Shaker community hoping to escape a cholera outbreak. It was meant to be temporary. Neither Walter nor Darcie wanted to give up traditional marriage in favor of the Shaker lifestyle of celibacy. (As is evident by the fact that Darcie is with child when the novel opens.) But Walter is killed in an accident leaving Darcie little choice but to remain--again temporarily--with the Shakers. Darcie fears that she will be "trapped" there forever and ultimately lose her child. (Parents are not allowed to raise their own children. This is done communally.) Will she find a way out?

Flynn Keller is still mourning the loss of his wife. He struggles at times to take care of his young daughter, Leatrice. He has NO intentions of leaving his daughter with the Shakers permanently. Far from it. But he is seriously considering leaving her there for a few months so that she can attend their school. That would give him time to make some much needed repairs on his new home and make it fit for them both to live.

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. The plot is much more complex than I shared in the above summary. (I didn't want to give too many details away after all.) I really liked getting to know the hero and heroine of this one. Their encounters with one another were necessarily brief and infrequent. In some ways, there isn't much "romance" to this one. It is a very good thing that I love historical fiction just as much as historical romance.

What I liked best about this one were the relationships between the women. Sister Darcie lives with the Shaker women for months--perhaps even a year or a little more. During this time she becomes close with several other women. Some of them have chosen the Shaker lifestyle wholeheartedly. Others are there because of limited options for women. I came to care for quite a few of these women and children.

A note on the cover...I do find it intriguing that the first sentence says the Shakers all dress in BLUE and there is a woman with a RED dress on the cover. But I didn't even notice this discrepancy until I'd finished the book and began writing my review.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: A Surprise for Lily

A Surprise for Lily (The Adventures of Lily Lapp #4) Mary Ann Kinsinger and Suzanne Woods Fisher. 2013. Revell. 272 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: All morning, Lily hurried to pull weeds in the garden.

A Surprise for Lily is the fourth and final book in the series by Mary Ann Kinsinger and Suzanne Woods Fisher. I knew going into it that it was the last--but it was still sad to come to the end.
Lily Lapp has matured so much since the first book. Now she's in fifth grade and experiencing the highs and lows of growing up. She's still struggling with a few of her classmates; but she's doing it with a certain amount of grace and dignity. Most of the time.

It is just a treat to spend time with the whole Lapp-Miller family. I love them all. I even love to "hate" a few of the characters. (Think Nellie Oleson.)

I think it would be awesome if the authors decided to write a young adult or even adult series starring an older Lily. Just enough time has passed--in the real world--for Lily to mature into a young woman who might just be interested in boys and courting and marriage and settling down. Would Aaron Yoder still be a PEST and NUISANCE? Part of me really wants these two to get together.


© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: A Big Year for Lily

A Big Year for Lily (The Adventures of Lily Lapp #3) Mary Ann Kinsinger and Suzanne Woods Fisher. 2013. Revell. 267 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Lily's toes felt tingly.

This is the third book in this contemporary Amish middle grade series. When the series first started Lily was oh-so-precious and just six years old. In this one she turns ten years old. She's matured so much since that first book. Which is both good and bad. Good because maturity is to be expected and appreciated. One can't stay frozen in time. It's impossible. Bad because I miss the Lily-that-was. The little-Lily made me laugh time and time again.

Lily at home. Lily at school. Lily at church. That's what we get to see in this newest book. Lily continues to struggle to "get along" with her two archenemies--Effie and Aaron. Lily has a VERY HARD time understanding why her cousin Hannah thinks Aaron is oh-so-dreamy.

I am still loving the series. I am. I am a little sad that there's just one more book in the series. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: Life With Lily

Life with Lily (The Adventures of Lily Lapp #1) Mary Ann Kissinger and Suzanne Woods Fisher. 2012. Revell. 280 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: It was still dark outside. Lily tried to keep up with Papa's long strides as he carried little Joseph across the yard to where the horse and buggy were tied to the hitching post.

Life with Lily is a middle grade novel set in the Amish community in modern times. It is not a historical novel, though it may remind readers--particularly adult readers--of historical novels that have achieved classic status.

It covers a year--give or take a month or two--in the life of Lily, our heroine. (I believe she's six.) She is the oldest of three children.  She has two younger brothers: Joseph and Daniel. Daniel is just a wee little thing--in fact when the novel opens he's getting ready to make his entrance into the world.

Readers see Lily at home with her immediate family, visiting her family that lives close (her grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins), attending church meetings, going to school, visiting neighbors (she delivers milk and eggs).

Lily is a curious child--and observant.

Though Lily may have her moments when she seems more like Mary than Laura, she is not a perfect child by any means. She struggles with temptations and sometimes disobeys her parents.

The book definitely reminds me of Little House in the Big Woods or even All-of-a-Kind Family. There is something wholesome about it. But not in a bad way. That almost seems silly to say--that if you call a book wholesome it carries negative connotations. Like if a book is wholesome then it must not be enjoyable. Or if a book is wholesome then it must be preachy. Or if a book is wholesome then it must not be relatable.

I definitely related to Lily. One of her least favorite things in the whole world is to have her hair brushed. I could also relate to her love of dolls and kittens.

I did not find it preachy. Yes, it is a Christian book. There are teachable moments throughout where Lily observes her parents living out the faith. But it isn't preachy-preachy.

I found it very enjoyable. I loved rereading it. In fact I think I loved it even more the second time around.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: Made for the Journey

Made for the Journey: One Missionary's First Year in the Jungles of Ecuador. 1998. Revell. 176 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: It is unsettling to me now to know that people who are making a tour of South America can take a short, easy side trip and see the Colorados.

This one was originally published as THESE STRANGE ASHES.

Made For the Journey is a memoir written by Elisabeth Elliot. In the book she recounts her first year as a missionary. This was before her marriage to Jim Elliot. Elisabeth worked with several other single women--some trained to be doctors/nurses--in a small jungle in Ecuador. Elisabeth's mission was to learn the language of the Colorados and translate the New Testament.

In the jungle, you might say, Elisabeth Elliot learned to wait. Things certainly weren't working according to her own time table.

In the book she shares the many lessons she learned--often the hard way--in the jungle during her first year.

The book brought to mind one section of Scripture.

As the rain and the snow
    come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
    without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
    so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
    It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
    and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:10,11

I wish I'd read this book before reading her fiction novel, No Graven Image. If you do read Made for the Journey, it would be worth your time to seek out the other as well. The books complement one another well.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: A Bound Heart

A Bound Heart. Laura Frantz. 2019. Revell. 400 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence:

Isle of Kerrera, Scotland, 1752
As the sun slid from the sky, Lark pressed her back into the pockmarked cliff on the island's west shore. 

Laura Frantz's A Bound Heart is historical fiction set in the 1750s in Scotland, Virginia, and Jamaica. The hero and heroine find themselves far from their native land--and not by choice. Both are "transported" to the colonies, albeit different colonies to serve out their indentures.

Lark MacDougall, our heroine, is a joy to spend time with. She's a bee keeper and a keeper of the stillroom. Like her grandmother, she knows how to make elixirs and remedies for most of what ails you. Unfortunately, she hasn't found an elixir that can cure infertility which is what her mistress is demanding of her.

Magnus MacLeish, our hero, is also a joy. He's also a laird, and Lark's employer. (These two have known each other all their lives, grown up together.) His city wife isn't adapting well to Kerrera. It doesn't help that she's been unable to have a child, an heir. With every miscarriage, she loses the will to live a little more.

I won't spoil the novel by telling you the details his crime or her crime. That should probably be "crime." For the justice system is more an injustice system for these two Scots.

But I will add in a thousand loves. I loved, loved, LOVED this novel. It was giddy-making. I loved the characters. I loved their big hearts. I loved their strength and determination. Magnus is definitely a swoon-worthy hero. Lark was lovely. Lark and Magnus just belong together. I was cheering for them from the beginning. I loved the setting as well. Scotland. Virginia. These are two places my own ancestors lived. The novel swept me up, up, and away. It was just a delight to read.



© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: River to Redemption

River to Redemption. Ann H. Gabhart. 2018. Revell. 336 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Adria Starr didn't want her mother and little brother to stop breathing the way her father had. She wanted to take care of them.

Premise/plot: River To Redemption by Ann H. Gabhart is set in Springfield, Kentucky in the 1830s and 1840s. Adria Starr, our heroine, is orphaned by a cholera epidemic. The epidemic essentially devastates the community--leaving many dead, most--if not all--families effected. But one man stands as a hero in the community, a slave named Louis. He cares for the sick, and buries the dead. One whom he rescued is Adria. Louis and Aunt Tilda save her and love her like family in the weeks following the devastation. But they also know that they can't keep raising a white girl--even an orphaned white girl with no family. They find a new home for her. The school teacher's wife has been widowed. The two need each other.

After Louis' owner dies, Adria--and subsequently Ruth--are determined to remind the town of Louis' heroics. If ever a man deserved his freedom, it is Louis. She's hoping that even those in the community who believe in slavery will recognize this. (As for Adria and Ruth, they believe that slavery is wrong. They are abolitionists.) With the help of the local pastor, they're on a mission to raise money to buy Louis' freedom--he's due to be auctioned off in the coming weeks.

River to Redemption is loosely based on history. There was a slave named Louis who stayed behind in Springfield, who nursed the sick, buried the dead, kept the businesses safe. The community did come together and purchase his freedom and helped him set up a partnership with a blacksmith. There is a monument in the town honoring him. All the other characters of the novel are fictional.

My thoughts: I really found this one compelling. The focus is on Ruth AND Adria. I loved, loved, loved Ruth's romantic storyline. Adria doesn't have much of a romance in this one. I'm unsure if this is the start of a series or a stand alone novel. I'm fine either way. I am. I wouldn't mind reading more about Adria. But the story feels complete as is.


© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: Phoebe's Light

Phoebe's Light. (Nantucket Legacy #1) Suzanne Woods Fisher. 2018. Revell. 345 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Phoebe Starbuck flung back the worn quilt, leapt out of bed, and hurried to the window.

Premise/plot: Phoebe Starbuck finds herself learning things the hard way despite receiving her great-grandmother's journal as a birthday gift. The novel--the first in a series--is set in a whaling community of Nantucket in 1767. Her father is one of the few men not directly or indirectly in the whaling business. That plus his financial woes leave the pair on the fringes of society. Phoebe has ambitions, and those ambitions lead her to give her heart away to Captain Phineas Foulger. The captain will have readers booing and hissing from the start. But Phoebe is stubborn. Will she live long enough to see the errors of her ways?

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. I didn't love, love, love it like I have some of Fisher's other novels. But I enjoyed it. There are two narratives within the book. The "current" story of 1767 starring Phoebe, Matthew,  and Captain Foulger, etc. And the "past" story set in the 1650s and 1660s starring the original community of settlers. At first I struggled to get into the journal aspect of the story--perhaps because of the font. But by the end I was invested in both stories.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: When Tides Turn

When Tides Turn. (Waves of Freedom #3) Sarah Sundin. 2017. Revell. 285 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: A touch of kindness and enthusiasm could transform a person's spirit, and Quintessa Beaumont delighted in participating in the process.

Premise/plot: When Tides Turn is the third book in the Waves of Freedom trilogy. Tess--Quintessa--is the heroine. The book series is set in Boston during the Second World War. In this one, Tess decides to join the WAVES and do her part for the war effort. After training, she is stationed back in Boston--to her surprise--and her job is to supervise the other WAVES and to be in charge of the war bond drives there in Boston. Her new job has her working closely with her crush, Dan Avery.

Dan Avery has always resisted the idea of love and romance because he wants to stay focused on his career. But being around Tess and getting the chance to know her better is beginning to influence him. Maybe a family life is just as important as a professional career. But will the war allow them to have their happily ever after?

My thoughts: I love, love, love Sarah Sundin. I find her books to be enjoyable and satisfying. I've enjoyed spending time with all the young women and men who have starred in the series. I like the fact that the books are in a series and that you really never have to say goodbye to the characters you've become attached to.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: The Sea Before Us

The Sea Before Us. (Sunrise at Normandy #1) Sarah Sundin. 2018. Revell. 375 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Wyatt Paxton never realized coming home could be as bittersweet as leaving.

Premise/plot: Sarah Sundin's newest historical series is set during World War II in England. Wyatt Paxton is a Texan with a shady past who finds himself falling in love with a WREN, Dorothy Fairfax. Dorothy--thinner but still as freckled as ever--is head over heels with her childhood crush, a friend of her brothers. Wyatt and Dorothy become close friends as they both work towards the goal of invading Normandy and advancing victory. This friendship is advanced, in part, because Wyatt and her father get along so well. And Dorothy needs people in her life who can help her with her difficult father. The two have never been close, but since the war started things have become even more strained.

My thoughts. I loved, loved, LOVED this one. Truth be told I've loved all of Sarah Sundin's novels. Some series I love more than others. But she is a true favorite author of mine. I do recommend her often to anyone and everyone with an interest in World War II or historical fiction in general. I really love how Christian her books are; Christian without being preaching. Dorothy struggles in this one. She feels that since the war, God has struck down everyone that she has ever loved or cared for. Her feelings are genuine, and Sundin addresses an age-old question in this one.


© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: The Lacemaker

The Lacemaker. Laura Frantz. 2018. Revell. 416 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Elisabeth took a breath, breaking an intense hour of concentration. Mindful of the pinch of her stays, she straightened, the ache in her back and shoulders easing. In her apron-clad lap was the round pillow with the new lace she'd worked.

Premise/plot: The Lacemaker is Laura Frantz's newest historical novel; it is set in Virginia in 1775-76. Elisabeth Lawson, our heroine, has grown up in an unhappy--though extremely privileged--home.

Her mother and father have VERY different political views. Elisabeth has always proven herself to be a submissive and obedient daughter, unlike her mother perhaps. She's even agreed to a loveless arranged marriage with a scoundrel. But the political turmoil "caused" by the dispute between Loyalists and Independence Men threaten her marriage before it can even take place.

Several days before her wedding, her father runs away essentially--he takes flight with several other prominent loyalists--leaving her behind. He assumes, perhaps, that her fiancé will go through with the marriage, take her into his home, protect and look after her. After all, the dowry has been paid, the betrothal publicly and extravagantly celebrated. Miles isn't such a good guy. His cousin is, however. And it is into his home that she goes, taking her indentured maid with her. His name is Noble Rynallt; he's a patriot, an "Independence" man.

But will she remain under his care and protection? Or will she struggle to find her own independence? Can a woman make a respectable living for herself? Maybe--maybe not. It doesn't help that her father was a very prominent (though unpopular) Loyalist. The town is in many ways glad to be rid of him and see little use for his daughter.

This novel is all about new beginnings and self-discovery.

My thoughts: I loved, loved, loved, LOVED Laura Frantz's newest book. She is one of my favorite authors; though I don't love every single novel equally. This isn't my absolute favorite time period. But that didn't end up mattering very much in the end. The characterization was well done; the romance was just right. I cared about the characters, found the book to be well-paced, and enjoyed it cover to cover. The Welsh hero was swoon-worthy.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: The Return

The Return. (Amish Beginnings #3) Suzanne Woods Fisher. 2017. Revell. 330 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: As Betsy climbed up from the creek carrying two buckets of water, she heard the sound of her brothers' laughter, and then a man's deeper laugh.

The Return is the third book in the Amish Beginnings series by Suzanne Woods Fisher. The first two in the series are Anna's Crossing and The Newcomer. Several decades have passed and this novel mainly focuses on the next generation. One of the heroines, for example, is Tessa Bauer the daughter of Bairn and Anna. The other heroine is Betsy Zook.

Tensions are HIGH between the white settlers and the Native Americans. While many of the Amish are happy to be at peace--stay at peace--there are a few men in the community that are hotheaded and lack common sense and decency. John Elder, for example, is one advocating the philosophy that the only good Indian is a dead Indian. Anna and Bairn think differently, as do most of the characters in the novel. But HANS (the foster brother of Felix and Bairn) goes a bit nuts when Betsy Zook, the supposed love of his life is kidnapped. Tessa sees Betsy's kidnapping by Indians as an opportunity to win Hans affection and attention.

The narrative shifts between Betsy and Tessa--mostly. Betsy meets Caleb, a "half-breed" with a Mennonite mother and an Indian father. The two become super-super close. And if I'm honest Caleb is without a doubt my favorite character in the book. In fact I HATED Hans. (I probably shouldn't say that.)

I definitely liked the book. I loved some characters; I liked some characters; and then there was Hans!

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: Taking My Life Back

Taking My Life Back. Rebekah Gregory and Anthony Flacco. 2017. Revell. 272 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: On April 15, 2013, the world came to know me as "Rebekah Gregory--Boston Marathon bombing victim."

Premise/plot: Rebekah Gregory shares her story with readers in this memoir. She provides some background story throughout, but, the main focus is on her life since the bombing. This includes her time in the hospital, her time at home trying to get back to normal, what her new normal looks like, her new career as a public speaker, her private joys of being a wife and mom. Faith is also central in this one.

My thoughts: I am glad I read this one. I read Joni earlier this year, and, I think the two would pair together nicely as examples of how you can suffer and "endure" really difficult things and still find your peace and joy in Jesus.

I found it to be a quick, compelling read. I would recommend it if you enjoy autobiographies and memoirs.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: Trusting Grace

Trusting Grace. Maggie Brendan. 2017. Revell. 326 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Grace Bidwell pushed her way through the busy mercantile store in the bustling town of Bozeman, certain that it would be the most beneficial place to post a HIRED HELP sign for everyone to see.

Premise/plot: Grace, the heroine, needs help on her potato farm. She is busy caring for her widower father, Owen. Her own husband, Victor, has died. So it's the two of them alone now. Robert is new to town and desperate for work. More desperate than he might have been if he was on his own. His wife surprised him with three children from a previous marriage. The kids showed up soon after the wedding, they hadn't been married many weeks before she died. Robert has trust issues especially where women are concerned. Tom, Becky, and Sarah need a lot of attention and love, Grace is happy to get involved--once she realizes who they are and how they've been living. Grace isn't the only one being courted, Stella is also new to town and she catches Owen's attention. He is ready for a second chance at love.

My thoughts: I'll start with the strengths. The characters that are essential to the story are very well developed. The relationships between characters are definitely developed as well. In particular the relationship between Owen and Grace, and Owen and Robert. I love seeing Robert's family blend so well with Grace's family. This even begins to include Stella. The children are not a plot device of the author. There is a very human element to the story, to the writing. That is the good news.

The bad news is that the plot is a disastrous mash-up of unoriginal plot devices. I won't name them all, but if you've read more than a handful of Christian bestsellers, you've probably come across them all. It's the fact that tired twists show up boom, boom, boom, boom, one after another in the last third of the novel for no real reason that makes me cranky. I really was loving the first two hundred pages, but the last one hundred and twenty-five were upsetting. You don't want to spend that much of your time yelling at the characters. The writing was so strong in the beginning. I just don't know why the author had to include enough drama for five different romance endings.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: A Stolen Heart

A Stolen Heart. Amanda Cabot. 2017. Revell. 352 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: No matter what anyone said, she wouldn't believe this was a mistake.

Premise/plot: Lydia Crawford is following her heart--following a promise--to Cimarron Creek, Texas. But when this Yankee arrives in town she discovers a couple of things: her "fiancé" is missing, her "fiancé" is is someone's husband, he's soon to be a father in fact! (Also the town's sheriff is REALLY cute, not that she's ready to trust ANY man right now.)

The sheriff, the obvious hero of the tale, is Travis Whitfield. He points her in the direction of his great-aunt Bertha. There isn't a boarding house or hotel for this oh-so-beautiful Yankee girl to stay. But Bertha would make her feel quite welcome, he's sure!

One other thing Lydia learns is that acceptance doesn't come easy. Travis and Bertha and Catherine (a cousin, I believe) welcome her sure. But everyone else in town--including Travis' father--see her as a trouble-maker, a carpetbagger, a devil-in-disguise. That is until she wins them over with her confectionary skills. What Cimarron Creek needs is a candy store. What western town would be complete without a candy store? Peanut brittle and fudge and lemon drops are essentials, you know!

But all is not sweet in the town. Trouble lurks. Well jealousy more like it. Perhaps a touch of insanity as well. Someone in town has a grudge against the sheriff….

My thoughts: I really found this a quick, enjoyable, oh-so-satisfying read. I loved Bertha. I loved Lydia. I loved Opal. I liked Catherine. And Travis? Well, he made for a good hero. I do wish, in a way, that there would be romance books out there where the hero and heroine weren't described as being the most amazingly beautiful people ever to grace the earth. Why can't heroes and heroines ever be average looking? Why the need for perfection? Still, I can't find fault with A Stolen Heart for that. I think 98% of romance books are guilty of that!!!


© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: The Newcomer

The Newcomer. Suzanne Woods Fisher. 2017. Revell. 336 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Bairn was suffocating. Not literally, mayhap, but as close as a man could get. Hardly a week had passed since he had been joyfully reunited with his father, and then, with each passing day, joy slipped away, and in its place swept anxiety, disappointment, frustration, even panic.

This one is the sequel to Anna's Crossing and is part of Fisher's Amish Beginnings series. The three main characters are Bairn, Anna, and Dorothea. Each will be tested mightily throughout the novel.

Bairn is torn between his old life and the new. Should he remain a sailor or settle down with his family and farm. He does love Anna very much, but feels a stranger to the others. He cannot pretend those years apart didn't happen. Felix, his younger brother, is a dear. The time they spend together getting to know one another is one of my favorite things about this one.

Anna doesn't like waiting for Bairn to make up his mind. She wants to be with him and doesn't fully understand why he needs just one more trip before settling down for good. Why does the sea call so loudly to him? When their group faces unforeseen separation, every plan seems to stall and crumble. If only Bairn were there to lead them. But Henrik, the newcomer, seems to be a strong, persuasive leader, just what the group needs at the moment.

Dorothea has always followed her husband Jacob in every little thing. Her husband has never really opened up any opportunities for her to think deeply and at length about anything. He speaks for the family and for the community. But now that he's sick, dying even, she is on her own with an infant. But is she alone?! God has a lot to teach her in this 'wilderness' experience.


I loved this one. I loved the time period, 1730's in Pennsylvania. I loved the characters. I loved how everything unfolded and came together. I'm not usually a fan of multiple narrators, but the narration was just right!

Even if you don't seek out Amish books, I would recommend this author. She is wonderful.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible