Against the Tide

 

**** 1/2

PG

{UM}

Whole Heartedly Recommend

This is the sequel to Lady of Bolton Hill and in my opinion it is even better!

I love this book!

It has adventure, tension, a tender love story and intrigue!

Elizabeth Camden truly knows how to tell a good story.

There are only a couple of slightly {Uncomfortable Moments} that I noticed but super clean and recommend friendly.

It has been years since I first read it and reading it a second time did not disappoint...such a fantastic book!

The Lady of Bolton Hill

 

****

PG

little bit {TMP} {SM}

Easily Recommend

I actually reread a book!

It is a rare thing :)

This was one of my earliest historical fictions that I read when I really started getting into my motherhood reading phase :)  This was also before I started book blogging so now I have the opportunity to actually write a review.

I love Elizabeth Camden!  She always has depth in her stories which I really appreciate.

In this one there is just a little bit {Too Much Passion} for me and her {Subject Matter} can get kind of heavy.  Also, the second time through I felt like character transformation was a little bit unrealistic but I still love the book :)

I can feel good about recommending this book...and there's a sequel :)

Keturah and Lord Death

 

***

PG

Could Recommend But Probably Won't

A respected author highly recommended this book so I gave it a try.

I must not be very sophisticated in my literary taste because I struggled to see the draw.

It was kind of interesting but didn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

There was a touch of fantasy/magic/otherworldliness spread throughout.

It just seemed a bit odd and I didn't love it.  I don't know how else to put it.

I could recommend it based on cleanliness but probably won't based on my lack of appreciation for the story.

The Gentleman and the Thief

 

***1/2

PG

a tiny bit {TMP}

Easily Recommend

I liked this installment in Eden's Victorian Mystery series.

  As with the first, there could have been more mystery for me but I will take what I can get :)

It was cute, the characters were fine...nothing too exciting but worth a read.

I did feel like there was just the slightest bit more passion than what I normally expect in her books but of course, that is still pretty tame.

I could easily recommend this book based on cleanliness/content.

The Love Note

 

****1/2

PG

little bit of a {BSt} tiniest bit of {TMP}

Will Easily Recommend

Truly a lovely story!

I really like Joanna Politano because her books are more than just fluff.  She writes deeper and with meaning.  She also likes to incorporate bits of mystery of which I am always a fan!

This story keeps you guessing and has little twists and surprises throughout.

I liked her Point of View approach because she uses first and third person to relate the story and I found that very interesting.  (Maybe it's just because I'm taking a writing class and we recently discussed POV.  I don't know that I would have noticed otherwise :)

There is a bit of a {Backstory} towards the end and the slightest hint of {Too Much Passion} for my taste but otherwise a super clean novel that often points to God and His role in our lives.

I loved it and WILL recommend this book to friends!

Refining the Debutante

 

***

G

Could Recommend

This book was okay...I didn't love it and I didn't hate it.  I can't think of any objections I had to it other than it didn't really have anything that set itself apart from all the other regencies.

I could recommend it but I am not eager to tell anyone about it so...there's that.

Maybe I was just in a blah mood when I read it :(

The Duke's Brother

 

***

PG

{UM}

Recommendable

Even though there were a few {Uncomfortable Moments} I truly enjoyed this novella length story.

The main character, even though we don't get to know her too well, was very likable and unique.

There were a couple of things that bothered me a bit besides the {UM}...

First, the author twice uses the word "inferno" to describe a character...is not the correct term "infernal"?  Maybe it's appropriate since I have a hard time seeing that being missed in editing...but I don't know...it seemed off.

Secondly, the heroine is a lover of creatures, yet there is a scene where she treats one rather inhumanely in my opinion so that didn't work for me either.

Anyway, a couple of nit-picky critiques but the story is so short that they kind of stuck out to me.

Overall, I would feel comfortable recommending this book.