Amalie Wiese is traveling from New York to Iowa to join the new Amana communities as a head cook. She’s also engaged to marry Friedrich, another man in the Amana community. It takes five weeks of brutal travel by wagon train to reach Iowa, and Amalie’s train is almost stopped by Rebel soldiers burning Yankee cities and towns and running the wagon train travelers off in to the forest where who knows what evil waits.

When Amalie arrives in Amana, she is anxious to see Friedrich. But he is no where to be found. Then she learns that he went off, against the wishes of the community, to fight in the War Between the States. Friedrich’s best friend, Matthias is still there, but he’s distant and cold.

When Matthias also leaves for the battlefront, war rages in Amalie’s heart. Who will claim the victory?

LOVE FINDS YOU IN AMANA, IOWA is set thirty years earlier than Ms. Dobson’s Love Finds You in Homestead, Iowa which is also set in the Amana communities. I loved the book in Homestead, Iowa, and was looking forward to reading this one. A friend of mine actually received this book for review but she hated it, and passed it on to me to review instead.

LOVE FINDS YOU IN AMANA, IOWA is a slower paced story, dragging at times, and Amalie at times seems a cold and uncaring heroine, but that is only because she cares so deeply she’s afraid to let herself feel—she might violate the rules of the community. Friedrich is also a caring man. Deeply in love with Amalie, but also hating the war that is raving between the states, and what it is doing to the oppressed people. Matthias himself is torn by the war, but he is above all, obedient to his leaders and if they say no, the answer is no. I cared for all these people, and had to keep reading to find out what happens, but the story is very slow, enabling people to put it down and not forcing them to keep reading. I’m giving it 4.5 stars. $12.99. 315 pages.

I received this book in return for review from Christian Bookworm Reviews

In August of 1944 Paris is on the cusp of liberation. The soldiers of the Third Reich are fleeing the Allied advance, but enroute they steal countless pieces of irreplaceable art. Reichsmarschall Hermann Goring will stop at nothing to claim the most valuable piece of all, the Mona Lisa.

Swiss OSS agents Gabi Mueller and Eric Hofstadler are on a mission to rescue the valuable French pieces of art – but can they save them not only from the ravages of war, but also from German hands?

CHASING MONA LISA is a book that I hoped I would love. I loved all of Ms. Goyer’s historical fiction set during World War II and before, but this book left me cold.

Loosely based on a true story, about how people tried to protect the famed Mona Lisa, this book had potential. But it is written in a style that left me skimming, with lots of art information and historical facts tossed in, as well as overly descriptive accounts of the landscape and other sights.

Unfortunately, CHASING MONA LISA read like it tried to be authentic with the many facts, but there was no real story line which left me hopelessly confused and bored. However, I see many reviews across the board equally balanced between 3 and 5 stars so don’t take my word for it—this is only my opinion. You might totally love this book. I don’t. $14.99. 322 pages.

Danna Carpenter cannot buy help, since her husband was murdered, she is now the Sheriff and cannot get any help. It is nearly like there is a plot against her. A new man in town offers his help, turns out he is a private investigator hired to find out who is stealing cattle in the area. Throwing his hat in the ring to help her, sets him up as a target too.

Trying to find out who murdered her husband is at the top of Danna’s priority list. But she is hindered by the fact that no one will help her as deputies, and she keeps wondering if someone is threatening the former deputies, keeping them from helping her and causing her fail at her job.

The attraction to the new guy in town, also really alarms Danna. She has never felt like this, even with her husband who was murdered.

This was quick read, really sweet story with a happy ending. Definitely a book to read and enjoy on a quiet afternoon. 4 stars

This book was provided by Christian Bookwormreviews for review purposes only..no payment was received for this review.

Georgie Gail is a rural switchboard operator, and proud of her independence. She may live in a man’s world, but she does a man’s job…or at least she did, until the telephone company sends out Luke Palmer to look over her shoulder.

Luke Palmer is more than just an employee of the telephone company. He is a Texas Ranger, sent there to apprehend a notorious gang of train robbers. Repairing telephones and tangling with the tempestuous telephone operator is the last thing he wants to do.

But when his stake-out puts Georgie in peril, he realizes more than his job is one the line.

LOVE ON THE LINE is the latest high-powered romance by bestselling author, Deeanne Gist. I have read almost all her books and have loved almost all of them, including this one. I absolutely love the tension between the hero and heroine.

Georgie and Luke don’t exactly make good impressions on each other on their first meeting…nor the second or the third. Readers will root for this unlikely hero and heroine. Be prepared for some unexpected surprises. The author’s note at the end of the book is interesting as well. $14.99. 368 pages.

Title: REMEMBERING YOU
Author: Tricia Goyer
Publisher: Guideposts
November 2011
ISBN: 978-0-8249-4812-2
Genre: Inspirational/contemporary/general

Ava Ellington has just broken up with her boyfriend, Jay, and her job is quickly going south. Fearing she’ll be fired, Ava promises to come up with a news story that people will want to see, not turn the channel. But she doesn’t know what it is—at least until her mother falls and breaks her leg, and Ava is asked to accompany her elderly grandfather to Europe to visit all the World War II battle sites and concentration camps. She plans to video tape the men talking about their memories and the battle fields.

When Ava and her grandfather get to Paris, plans go awry. First, Ava is shocked that her grandfather’s best friend, Paul, is accompanied by his grandson, Dennis—Ava’s first love. Secondly, their tour guide cancelled and they were going to skip all the battlefields but go straight to the concentration camp. Ava’s and her grandfather decide to break off from the tour and go on their own, but then Ava learns that Dennis and his grandfather are breaking off too. They decide to travel together.

But traveling with two elderly men and an old flame isn’t easy—still, Ava hopes that she’ll be able to reconnect with her grandfather, keep her job—and possibly stir up the embers that once connected her and Dennis.

REMEMBERING YOU is another “World War II” book from Ms. Goyer. Not exactly like the ones I loved (From Dust to Ashes, etc) but instead this one is contemporary with a modern day hero and heroine, and the war heroes of the day telling their stories. As a result, the book is more telling, as the men looked at the fields and talked, but it is still quite interesting. I think I would have liked to have seen pictures.

If you like contemporary romances with a large helping of history, then Tricia Goyer’s REMEMBERING YOU will be perfect. It might also be perfect for the WWII veteran on your Christmas gift list. Fascinating notes from the author are included at the end of the book, as well as discussion questions. $14.99. 311 pages.

Title: BABY, IT’S COLD OUTSIDE
Author: Susan May Warren
Publisher: Summerside Press
September 2011
ISBN: 978-1-60936-215-7
Genre: Inspirational/historical/romance

Dottie Morgan made a mistake. The blessing was that she had a son. But now her son, a high-school football champion, is dead, killed in WWII, and Dottie is in mourning. She wonders if she’ll ever survive the loss.

Violet Hart went to serve in factories, installing wheels on the vehicles that were used in the war. She came home with everyone seemingly blaming her for putting the boys in the line of danger, blaming her for the deaths of the boys that didn’t come home, because she did a man’s job. She fell in love with another soldier, Alex, but now the Christmas card she sent him was marked “return to sender.”

Dottie has few food supplies in her house when a storm blows in. Violet goes out to her farm to try and borrow a star from Dottie and rescues Dottie from certain death. But she’s involved in an accident on the way out of Dottie’s yard. And two more join them as the evening progresses, all stranded by the storm. Will this holiday be more than a parade of memories? Could it bring hope?

BABY, IT’S COLD OUTSIDE is set in the aftermaths of WWII, after the boys who were returning had returned. When those who loss someone were still mourning. And when all were trying to find the strength to go on.

Dottie was bitter, hurt and upset for things that happened to her. So much so that she couldn’t see what was right in front of her eyes. Violet wants to open the town of Frost, Minnesota up to living again—restarting the Christmas story hour, hanging the star, and reviving other old traditions—ones that Dottie holds captive in her bitterness. But each of these women have someone in the background—someone they never realized was there. This is a really good Christmas story and includes a recipe at the end of the book. $12.99. 314 pages.

Audrey was the pastor’s wife. But then false accusations took away her husband’s career, and suddenly their hobby had become their life and she was now the baker’s wife.

Audrey is driving the car to the bakery when her she drives through some fog. She is slowing down, but runs through an intersection and her car hits something. The motor scooter half under her car belongs to the local math teacher. Blood is everywhere. But…there’s no body.

Jack Manfield is the local police detective. And the man who ruined Audrey’s husband’s life. He is also the husband of the woman who owns the motor scooter. And he is positive that Audrey is behind Julie’s disappearance.

THE BAKER’S WIFE is the first book I’ve read by Erin Healy, but it probably won’t be the last. The story seems to have some paranormal beings in it, a spiritual warfare going on. And Audrey is at the center of it. I knew some how the story would play out. There were things mentioned in the book that would apparently have no bearing, no importance, yet they showed up—again—and again, providing clues.

I have to admire the way Ms. Healy wove together a story, from start to finish, with all the intricate details included in such a fascinating way. I can’t imagine the planning that must go into a novel like this. If you are looking for a good suspense, then THE BAKER’S WIFE is a book that you’ll want to read. Discussion questions are included at the end of the book. $15.99. 345 pages.

$Title: HEIRESS
Author: Susan May Warren
Publisher: Summerside Press
July 2011
ISBN: 978-1-60936-218-8
Genre: Inspirational/historical/women’s fiction

The heiress daughters of newspaper magnate August Price have been given everything their hearts desire. But what if they want only to be loved—without an enormous price tag attached?

Esme is tired of society. She wants to write for her father’s paper, but she’s a woman and expected to marry a good match. She’s being courted by one man, but her heart yearns for another. Esme gets around the writing rules by writing under a penname, and she is being published—without her father knowing who she is. But will she be able to keep this dream—or forced to give it up?

Jinx is in love with her sister’s beau. She is not officially out in society, but she dreams of when she can be. She doesn’t think Esme deserves Foster, and she is determined to do whatever it takes. But will Foster give her happiness?

HEIRESS is the first book in Ms. Warren’s Daughters of Fortune series. Set in the Gilded Age, each of the women must navigate the expected roles of woman to forge their own way and try to achieve their hearts’ desires.

I was looking forward to reading this book because Susan May Warren is one of my favorite contemporary romance writers –and I even liked her romantic suspense real well. But this book – and her other ones with Summerside Press – were disappointing. I know they are “real life” and not everyone has a “happy-ever-after” but these wealthy ladies were somewhat depressing. There were some real touching romantic moments in both Esme’s and Jinx’s stories. HEIRESS is very well written, but I just wasn’t a fan of this style. Discussion questions are included at the end of the book. $14.99. 367 pages.

Title: A LANCASTER COUNTY CHRISTMAS
Author: Suzanne Fisher Woods
Publisher: Revell
September 2011
ISBN: 978-0-8007-1995-1
Genre: Inspirational/Amish/Women’s fiction

Jaime has not been handling life so well since her mother was killed in a freak accident. She’s been on sleeping pills to try and cope, but when she needs her prescription refilled, there’s a different doctor seeing her, and he gently suggests that maybe she needs a different sort of help, something more than sleeping pills.

Mattie is an Amish woman who has just miscarried yet another baby. She’s fearful, scared that something will happen to the one child she has, coddling Danny from even working with her husband, Sol. Sol tells her the boy needs to grow to be a man, but yet, he’s guilty of doing the same thing.

When Danny leaves a toy at the doctor’s office, the doctor asks Jaime to deliver it. Jaime is hesitant. She and her husband are on their way to meet her father and go on a Christmas cruise. But she reluctantly agrees. And this visit will change both her life and Mattie’s life in ways they never imagine…

A LANCASTER COUNTY CHRISTMAS is a sweet story about very real characters who are struggling to get things right. About letting go, and letting God. About even believing that a good, kind God could allow bad things to happen to good people. And it’s set in Lancaster County, during winter, with back-to-back blizzards coming in.

A LANCASTER COUNTY CHRISTMAS started a bit slow as we were introduced to the characters, but it soon picked up. All of the main characters were very real and struggled with different issues, from Danny, to his cousin, Zach, and all four of the adults. The entire story took place during a three day time period, and there were six points of view included in it, telling the story from their stand points. There’s a saying, “you see what you see because you are where you are.” This is brought to life as you see the story through the different characters’ eyes.

I thoroughly loved this book, and highly recommend it. Discussion questions are included at the end of the book. $15.99 hardcover. 200 pages.

Jackie Donovan is pushing thirty and her loving relatives want to get her married off. But while Jackie would love to marry an honest, wonderful man, even more she wants to own a bed-and-breakfast on the beautiful Outer Banks of North Carolina. While she waits for the bed-and-breakfast to dream, she works as a journalist for the Lighthouse Views featuring local businesses.

There is one property Jackie is considering for the bed-and-breakfast, including a fabulous old house located right on the ocean. Only things—the house seems to hold secrets and mysteries and the huge price tag.

But then Jackie meets the handsome Davis Erickson who owns the house she wants. Jackie believes God is finally answering her prayers. But then she learns things that disturb her. Will Jackie risk her long-held dreams to discover the truth?

HATTERAS GIRL is a chicklit, written in first person, and set in an absolutely charming area. I would love to visit this part of the country in person and see the Outer Banks. Jackie is the only character that we get to know in this novel, and while she was interesting in spots, in others she dragged—much like real people, but it made it hard to keep reading.

I did figure out who the “love interest” was at the beginning of the book, and I wondered why Jackie was so blind and how and when she would open her eyes and see what I saw. If you like first person, present tense stories, then HATTERAS GIRL is a book to consider. If you prefer third person, past tense, then be warned. Otherwise, good story, great location. Love the back cover. Some yummy sounding recipes and discussion questions are included at the end. $14.99. 320 pages.