Mini Reviews, Four of Them

Title: The Painter's Daughter

Author: Julie Klassen

Genre: Christian Fiction

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

source: publisher

Sophie Dupont, daughter of a portrait painter, assists her father in his studio, keeping her own artwork out of sight. She often walks the cliffside path along the north Devon coast, popular with artists and poets. It's where she met the handsome Wesley Overtree, the first man to tell her she's beautiful.

Captain Stephen Overtree is accustomed to taking on his brother's neglected duties. Home on leave, he's sent to find Wesley. Knowing his brother rented a cottage from a fellow painter, he travels to Devonshire and meets Miss Dupont, the painter's daughter. He's startled to recognize her from a miniature portrait he carries with him--one of Wesley's discarded works. But his happiness plummets when he realizes Wesley has left her with child and sailed away to Italy in search of a new muse.

Wanting to do something worthwhile with his life, Stephen proposes to Sophie. He does not offer love, or even a future together, but he can save her from scandal. If he dies in battle, as he believes he will, she'll be a respectable widow with the protection of his family.

Desperate for a way to escape her predicament, Sophie agrees to marry a stranger and travel to his family's estate. But at Overtree Hall, her problems are just beginning. Will she regret marrying Captain Overtree when a repentant Wesley returns? Or will she find herself torn between the father of her child and her growing affection for the husband she barely knows? 

I was so excited for new Julie Klassen. I've loved all of her books, which is no small feat. While I still enjoyed this one, I don't think I loved it quite as much as all of her other books.

Of course, this one one starts with quite the scandal. Sophie has yet to tell anyone that she's pregnant, when she finds herself abandoned by the father. When his brother Stephen arrives to collect his stuff and find where he's gone, he proposes. Sophie accepts, and they return to his home. They are just getting to know each other, when Wesley comes back.

As always, Klassen writes her characters so well. I enjoyed Sophie and Stephen, and thought they were well fleshed out. I feel that we really got to know them. Klassen always does a really great job of writing secondary characters, and we get to know them just as much as the main characters. I always appreciate authors who do that, and love seeing the other stories and characters intertwining with our main story.

I usually do not like historical either, but Klassen always has a way of writing that draws me in. With her beautifully detailed setting, and surprising plot twists, Klassen's writing will hook you from the start. I wouldn't say this one was quite as plot twisty as her others, and there was nothing too unpredictable, but I still found this to be a great story.

This review can also be found on   

Julie Klassen:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Title: Undaunted Hope

Author: Jody Hedlund

Series: Beacons of Hope, #3

Genre: Christian Fiction

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

source: publisher

Tessa Taylor arrives in 1870s Upper Peninsula, Michigan, planning to serve as a new teacher to the town. Much to her dismay, however, she immediately learns that there was a mistake, that the town had requested a male teacher. Percival Updegraff, superintendent and chief mine clerk, says she can stay through winter since they won't be able to locate a new teacher before then, and Tessa can't help but say she is in his debt. Little does she know that Percival will indeed keep track of all that she owes him. 

Determined to become indispensable, Tessa throws herself into teaching, and soon the children of the widowed lighthouse keeper have decided she's the right match for their grieving father. Their uncle and assistant light keeper, Alex Bjorklund, has his own feelings for Tessa. As the two brothers begin competing for her hand, Tessa increasingly feels that someone is tracking her every move, and she may not be able to escape the trap that has been laid for her.

When I saw that the main character in this one was a secondary character from book 2, I was intrigued. Tessa was not the most liked character from that story, so I was interested to see how the author would turn the tables. And in fact, Tessa might have been my favorite of the MC's from this series.

Tessa has been running since the events of the previous book. She is trying to put her past behind her, and has matured into a lovely young lady. She arrives as a teacher for this new town, only to find that they are not willing to have a female teacher. She talks them into agreeing to let her stay through the winter, and then throws herself into proving she deserves to stay.

Tessa has become a very strong, independent character, and I loved her for it. She hates the way the townspeople are treated, and starts to do something about it. I loved seeing this change in her. She still has a lot to work through, but it's obvious she is now a very different person.

I loved the other characters in this one too, from the kids to Alex and his brother. I did have issues with Alex when he and his brother tried to make decisions for Tessa as if it was their right, but Tessa quickly put a stop to that, which I admired her for. All in all, I thought this was a great addition to the series.
This review can also be found on   

Jody Hedlund:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

Title: At Love's Bidding

Author: Regina Jennings

Series: Ozark Mountain Romances #2

Genre: Christian Fiction

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

source: NetGalley

After helping her grandfather at their Boston auction house, Miranda Wimplegate discovers she's accidentally sold a powerful family's prized portrait to an anonymous bidder. Desperate to appease the furious family, her grandfather tracks it to the Missouri Ozarks and makes an outlandish offer to buy the local auction house if they promise not to sell anything until he arrives.

Upon their arrival, however, they discover their new business doesn't deal in fine antiques, but in livestock. And its manager, ruggedly handsome Wyatt Ballentine, is frustrated to discover his fussy new bosses don't know a thing about the business he's single-handedly kept afloat. Faced with more cattle than they can count--but no mysterious painting--Miranda and Wyatt form an unlikely but charged partnership to try and salvage a bad situation getting worse.

This is only the second book I've read by Regina Jennings, and while I don't think I liked it as much as the first book in this series, I did still enjoy this second installment.

Miranda has always done what she is told. She just wants to be a good daughter and keep the peace. But when she is charged with accompanying her grandfather to find a lost painting, Miranda has to learn how to take charge. I liked Miranda. She was sweet, and just wanted what was best for her family. And we get to see her grow and learn what's best for herself as well.

I did like Wyatt, as well as the other characters, some of which we saw book 1. The plot didn't really hook me though, as I put the book down a few times, and wouldn't pick it up again for a very long time in between. The communication issues did frustrate me a little bit, as I was screaming at them to "just talk already". I also got a bit lost there at the end, with everything that happened. It seemed a bit fast, everything at once. However, I did think this was a cute story, and I did enjoy it.

This review can also be found on   

Regina Jennings:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

Title: Every Bride Has Her Day

Author: Janice Thompson

Series: Brides with Style #3

Genre: Christian Fiction

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

source: publisher

Katie Fisher is ecstatic. Pro basketball star Brady James has proposed, and she can't wait to start planning their life together. She's confident she'll make it down the aisle this time--but it still may be easier said than done. A high-society Houston bride has Katie and the Cosmopolitan Bridal team scrambling to get the perfect dress done in time for her spectacular wedding. Meanwhile, Katie finds herself bombarded with everyone's competing visions regarding her own special day--and she's beginning to worry that her own ideas will get lost in the crossfire. Will she ever manage to settle all of the details for "her" perfect day? Or will bridal shop chaos and overzealous friends and family make a mess of everything? 

I have loved this series, and I thought this was a cute, fun end to the series. I love Janice Thompson's books for how fun and sweet they are, and this one was no different.

I did have a few more issues with this one. I felt like...nothing happened. As in, there was no real plot. Yes, I know Katie is getting married, but it seemed very lacking. I felt like a lot of the conversations were repeated, even Katie's inner monologue. They were just saying the same things over and over again, and nothing was really happening. Also, I know it's a romance, and they tend to be slightly unrealistic anyway, but the amount of engagements/weddings/etc. in this one seemed over-the-top and excessive. I mean, I could see why Jane was feeling a little bitter.

But in true Thompson fashion, the story was hilarious and quirky and sweet. It was still a fun read, and I'm glad we got to see the whole gang one last time, all together. I thought it was super cute, and I can't wait for more from Janice Thompson.

This review can also be found on   

Janice Thompson:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

The Secret of Pembrooke Park {by Julie Klassen}

Title: The Secret of Pembrooke Park

Author: Julie Klassen

Genre: Christian Historical/Regency fiction

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Received via NetGalley

Abigail Foster fears she will end up a spinster, especially as she has little dowry to improve her charms and the one man she thought might marry her--a longtime friend--has fallen for her younger, prettier sister. 

When financial problems force her family to sell their London home, a strange solicitor arrives with an astounding offer: the use of a distant manor house abandoned for eighteen years. The Fosters journey to imposing Pembrooke Park and are startled to find it entombed as it was abruptly left: tea cups encrusted with dry tea, moth-eaten clothes in wardrobes, a doll's house left mid-play . . . 

The handsome local curate welcomes them, but though he and his family seem to know something about the manor's past, the only information they offer Abigail is a warning: Beware trespassers who may be drawn by rumors that Pembrooke contains a secret room filled with treasure. 

Hoping to improve her family's financial situation, Abigail surreptitiously searches for the hidden room, but the arrival of anonymous letters addressed to her, with clues about the room and the past, bring discoveries even more startling. As secrets come to light, will Abigail find the treasure and love she seeks...or very real danger?

I don't usually read regency fiction, but Julie Klassen has hooked me from the first book of hers I ever read, and her books have never disappointed. This was no exception. I loved it from start to finish, and it kept me enthralled the whole time.

This one was filled with more mystery and intrigue than most of her others. One of the reasons I love her books is because of the twists and turns that keep you guessing, that I don't see coming. I'm not saying some things aren't predictable, after all she does get her influence from classics, but there have been many a time when I didn't know what was going to happen or was surprised.

Abigail Foster's family is seeing some financial hard times. Forced to sell their house to downsize, they are not sure what to do, until a strange man comes to them with an even stranger proposition: his employer has offered them use of Pembrooke Park, which has sat idle for 18 years, abandoned under mysterious circumstances. The offer is almost suspicious, but as her sister still expects to have her season in London, Abigail and her father agree. But, everyone around the house is guarded and suspicious, refusing to tell Abigail anything, except to warn her about any visitors named Pembrooke.

I liked Abigail. She was hard-working and kind. Although she had a bit of a martyr complex about her--oh, my sister is so much prettier than I am and no one notices me and everything is my fault--I liked that most of the book was actually set with her at the manor by herself, because we really got to see her, not her under the shadow of her sister. Abigail really shines, becoming more comfortable with herself and learning how to manage a household. 

Although I am usually not a fan of love triangles, I enjoyed both the boys in this one. Before William became a key player, I was kind of hoping that Gilbert would show up and something would happen between them. But by the time Gilbert did show up, William had already won me over. And honestly, I didn't like Gilbert for Abigail for this point. I like the best-friends-from-childhood romances, but that wasn't the case here. 

But those weren't the only secondary characters that I liked. I loved all of them really. Leah, Mrs. Webb, and trying to figure out how they all worked into the big picture. What they were hiding, what they knew.

There was a lot going on in this one. Not to the point where you were so confused it took away from the joy of reading, but enough that it kept you intrigued the whole time. But I also loved how everything tied together. Nothing happened that didn't somehow play into the story later. And I loved the way it all came to conclusion. 

I'm pretty sure this was one of Klassen's best yet. Or at least, one of my favorites so far. It is slightly longer than her others, and although it felt like it at the beginning, the end flew by. I cannot recommend it enough.

This review can also be found on   

Julie Klassen:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

The Dancing Master {by Julie Klassen}

Title: The Dancing Master

Author: Julie Klassen
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Leaving London, dancing master Alec Valcourt moves his mother and sister to remote Devonshire--but is stunned to discover that dancing is prohibited! He finds an unlikely ally in Miss Julia Midwinter, but her questions about his past are becoming harder to evade. Together, can they bring new life to this quiet village--and heal long-kept-secret scars?

I don't know if I've said before, but I do not read historical fiction. I do not read Regency romance. I do not read Christian historical fiction or Regency romance. It is just not my thing. But there is just something about Julie Klassen and her books. I've read every. single. one. of her books, and I've loved all of them. The Dancing Master was no exception. 

Julia is the daughter of the town's matriarch. She finds her mother to be strict, oppressive, and hiding way too many secrets for Julia's liking. Julia lashes out by being rebellious and reckless, and flirting with any man she can, trying to find someone who will take her away from this horrid place. Alec has moved to the tiny town of Beaworthy with his mother and sister when they were driven out of London by scandal. Except, he is a dancing master...and dancing is forbidden. Forbidden by none other than Julia Midwinter's mother, twenty years ago. 

I will say, Julia is probably one of my least favorite main characters, out of all Klassen's novels. She was immature, reckless, spoiled, and bratty. She refused to listen to anyone, belittled her mother for petty reasons, and was all-around pretty selfish. She complains about how her life wasn't as perfect as it seemed, but it mainly seemed so because she made it that way, because she wanted people's attention. She seemed like a petulant child for most of the novel, even though she's older than most characters you might usually see in this position (19). That said, she wasn't a deal breaker for the book. I suppose all of it was necessary to show just how much she changes by the end of the book. (In my opinion, not much.)

Because of this, I couldn't ever really figure out why Alec liked her so much. Alec himself wasn't too bad. I'll admit, he wasn't the most swoonworthy of Klassen's male lead characters, but he was noble. He was sweet and charming, although he could be a bit stuck-up, when it came to manual labor and such. (He's a gentleman after all.) 

I did love the secondary characters a lot. Patience, James, and Walter Allen were among my favorites. (I want a book about one of them. I don't care which, just one of the Allen's. Or all of the Allen's. Write ALL the things!) I loved the friendship between them and Alec and Julia. I also loved how they were as a family, their parents included. I liked Ben and Tess Thorne and all the other townspeople. And of course, Alec's mother, and sister Aurora. Some of them weren't the most developed secondary characters I've ever read, but they were a lot of fun and kept a smile on my face.

Lady Amelia, Julia's mother, was one of my favorites. I very much enjoyed the small scenes from her POV, as well as the flashbacks. They taught us so much more about the story. They also showed us that she isn't some overbearing, crazy strict mother as Julia would have us believe. She's been hurt by Julia nearly as much as Julia's been hurt by her. Not to mention, all the other hurt she's experienced in her life. Her and Julia may not act in the best way about their feelings, which is partially responsible for all the hurt that keeps piling up, but they eventually see the error of their ways and start fixing things between them.

The plot itself was also very much well-written. The book is slightly long, and in places seemed to drag, but other than that, it was great. The secrets and mysteries surrounding the characters will keep you guessing. Although some of the "twists" were predictable, that didn't take away (much) when you actually found out the truth. And there are some twists that you won't see coming, that will not go as you thought it would.

I will say, the religious aspect of this was sort of non-existent most of the way through, and then it was just...there. Slightly awkward placing, almost randomly. I feel that for it to have been more effective, it should have been immersed throughout the entire book.

Even with its few faults, I loved this book just like all her other ones, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is loves historical or Regency romances, clean romance, or Christian romances.

*This novel is Christian fiction

I received an eARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This does not affect my opinion in any way.

This review can also be found on   

Julie Klassen:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads