Sunday, August 12, 2018

My Review - Patriot Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse


3 out of 5 stars

THE PATRIOT BRIDE by Kimberley Woodhouse is the perfect book for those who want to immerse themselves in history. Unfortunately, I am not one of those people.

Faith Jackson is willing to do anything for the cause of freedom. Widowed, wealthy, and fearless, she inserts herself in the dangerous practice of passing messages to a spy among the Loyalist. Even though her meetings with Matthew Weber are brief and in the shadows of darkness, she soon feels a spark of interest that surpasses patriotism.

Matthew Weber has put himself in a dangerous position. With friends on both sides of the political tension, he becomes a spy in both camps. Backing the Patriot’s battle for freedom, he must find a way to get messages to their leaders. When Faith becomes his go-between, his heart becomes involved. When the fear of being captured heightens, Matthew worries that the woman he loves is putting herself in danger. Especially when he finds out an admirer of hers is obsessive in his pursuit for Faith’s affections.

As I said earlier, THE PATRIOT BRIDE is loaded with historical information and references. Since I’m not a history buff, the number of pages dedicated to these facts bogged down the story. I liked the characters of Faith and Matthew, and the references to George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Paul Revere, and Clayton’s interactions with Faith always made me smile. Even so, I am not a fan of novels that are labeled “romance” when the main characters are kept at arms-length for the majority of the book. That being said, if your interest in history is more than the average reader, you will enjoy THE PATRIOT BRIDE.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

Saturday, August 11, 2018

My Review - Reckless by Marylu Tyndall


4.5 out of 5 stars
Being the best female pirate isn’t enough for Captain Reena Charlisse. She has two goals she’s determined to achieve—find the Fountain of Youth and find the love of her life. The only problem . . . she might have to sacrifice one for the other.
Leaving his pirate life behind, Fredrick Carlton has chosen to follow God and walk away from the only woman he’s ever loved. Knowing he needs to put as much distance between Reena and himself, Fredrick boards a Royal Navy ship where he can preach the Word of God to the men on board. But joining the Royal Navy doesn’t stop Reena’s pursuit. She “liberates” Frederick from his ship, which labels him a deserter. Wanting to set the record straight, Fredrick demands Reena take him to Kingston, Jamaica where he can plead his case. Reena agrees to take him back, but not before she finds the elusive Fountain of Youth. 
Fredrick battles the feelings he still has for Reena, knowing he cannot serve God and live the life they once shared. But Reena is convinced if Fredrick co-captains her ship long enough, he will once again be lured by the adventures and excitement of sailing the high seas as the pirates they are. And when she finds the Fountain of Youth, they will be able to live their love for eternity.
As always, I couldn’t wait for another installment in the Legacy of the King’s Pirates series. With each generation the adventure grows. Though the story was focused on Reena, I enjoyed the character of Fredrick “Freddy” more. In fact, Reena was downright irritating at times with her self-centered behavior. She insisted she loved Freddy, and wanted to recapture what they once shared, but her obsession with the Fountain of Youth and her lust for eternal youth, constantly derailed her promise to return Freddy to Kingston. On the other hand, I sympathized with Freddy. Even though he felt the pull to his former life, and knew pirate blood ran through his veins, his devotion to God helped him set his course to what was good, and right, and pure. Nevertheless, even with my frustration with Reena, I loved the story. I loved the characters. I loved the adventure. Marylu Tyndall paints scenes that are so vivid—you smell the salt air, feel the roll of the ship’s deck beneath your feet, and imagine the juggle foliage that is the perfect setting for Reena and Freddy to reignite the relationship they once shared. 
Reckless is the perfect blend of romance, adventure, and redemption. The only reason that prevents me from giving RECKLESS 5-stars, is the pacing. The back and forth between Reena and Freddy became a little redundant. But other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and was under no obligation to post a review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.