The Seamstress by Allison Pittman

Book Description:  France 1788 On a tranquil farm nestled in the French countryside, two orphaned cousins―Renée and Laurette―have been raised under the caring guardianship of young Émile Gagnon, the last of a once-prosperous family. No longer starving girls, Laurette and Renée now spend days tending Gagnon's sheep, and nights in their cozy loft, whispering secrets and dreams in this time of waning innocence and peace.

In the worst of times...Paris groans with a restlessness that can no longer be contained within its city streets. Hunger and hatred fuel her people. Violence seeps into the ornate halls of Versailles. Even Gagnon’s table in the quiet village of Mouton Blanc bears witness to the rumbles of rebellion, where Marcel Moreau embodies its voice and heart.

It is the story the this never been told...In one night, the best and worst of fate collide. A chance encounter with a fashionable woman will bring Renée’s sewing skills to light and secure a place in the court of Queen Marie Antoinette. An act of reckless passion will throw Laurette into the arms of the increasingly militant Marcel. And Gagnon, steadfast in his faith in God and country, can only watch as those he loves march straight into the heart of the revolution.

My Thoughts:  Ahh...what a story!  And the cover-the French flag is displayed on the seamstress's dress.  And the story....

An interesting, if not, magnificent story of the how and when even the where of the French Revolution.  Of read a few things about the French Revolution but the story of Renee and Laurette and how they came into a chance encounter that would forever change how they lived and breathed.

Now Laurette has a reckless nature and with passion she throws herself at Marcel.  Big mistake but then hunger and hatred are the voices of the people.  

Allison Pittman writes with a pen the brings the voices to life.  With passion and clarity.

A read about the French Revolution...like none other!

A novel that seems more like a diary of all that transpires with two young ladies and young men who care...and a nation ready for more but goes into a revolution like none other.

*This book was provided for review by Tyndale*

• Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (February 5, 2019)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1414390467
• ISBN-13: 978-1414390468

With Winter's First Frost (An Every Amish Season Novel) by Kelly Irvin

Book Description:  At age seventy-three, Laura Kauffman knows she is closer to the end of life than the beginning. If God willed it, she would join her beloved late husband soon. Even so, Laura wonders what purpose God might have for her in this winter of her life—and why this season seems so lonely.

Widower Zechariah Stutzman is facing his own barren season, despite the great-grandchildren swirling around him. With his Parkinson’s worsening, he had no choice but to move in with his grandson’s family, though now he feels adrift and useless.

When Laura offers to help with Zechariah’s five great-grandchildren after their mother has a difficult childbirth, Zechariah is unsure how he will adjust to the warm but tart demeanor of this woman he has known since grade school. But soon Laura and Zechariah learn they are asking God the same questions about loss and hope. And they begin to wonder if He is providing answers after all.

My Thoughts:  This is the fourth book in the Every Amish Season series.  And I've been able to read each one.  Each book is a story in itself and oh.so.good!

What struck me most about this story was the winter month of life.  Laura Kauffman and Zechariah Stutzman are both in their seventies and both have lost their mates.

Laura wonders what her purpose in life is now that is old and alone, and at the same time Zechariah is struggling with the same questions only Zechariah is struggling with Parkinson's too.

The ironic thing is that Zechariah and Laura have known each other since primary school but, yet, they don't know each other.  So, when Zechariah's granddaughter has almost difficult child birth, Laura steps in to help care for the children.

This is a wonderful story of those "winter" years and how God is not finished with us yet.  Learning and adjusting even romance can come at any age. 

*This book was provided for review by BookLook*

• Series: An Every Amish Season Novel (Book 4)
• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (February 5, 2019)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 031034817X
• ISBN-13: 978-0310348177

{Fiction Guild Blog Tour} The Teacher's Bride (An Amish Brides of Birch Creek Novel) by Kathleen Fuller

Book Description:  Christian Ropp moves to Birch Creek to accept a teaching position in the rapidly growing Amish community. He’s determined to put the rambunctious school in order as well as check another task off his list: finding a wife. Of course, that would be much easier if women were like textbooks, straightforward and logical.

When an accident puts Christian out of commission, a new community member named Ruby Glick takes over his classroom. But Ruby’s exuberant teaching style clashes with Christian's careful methods and he worries his students will never be the same.

My Thoughts:  I was so excited to see that Kathleen Fuller has a new novel out.  She's a master story teller in my book!  😊

Christian Ropp is like a lot of teachers he not only wants to help the students but he won't allow chaos to rule the classroom either.  Well, when an accident causes Christian to be out of school for awhile Ruby Glick who is new to the community substitutes for Christian.  

Ruby's teaching techniques are not quite like Christian's procedures.  Ruby is rambunctious and happy to put it lightly.  Ruby doesn't seem to have a serious thought or a constructive idea.  However, the kids do love her and do seem to be learning.

Poor Christian he doesn't know what to think!  Will he ever have control over his class again.

Such a fun and humorous read!  Lots of laugh out loud moments and trying to guess what will happen next.

Sometimes we learn to take ourselves less seriously and have faith for the moment.

Loved, loved this read!

*This book was provided for review by the Fiction Guild*

• Series: An Amish Brides of Birch Creek Novel (Book 1)
• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (December 4, 2018)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310355079
• ISBN-13: 978-0310355076

{Fiction Guild Blog Tour} Tell Her No Lies by Kelly Irvin

Book Description:  Nina Fischer carries a camera wherever she goes—so she can view life through a filter. Safely. After her mother abandoned her to the streets, Nina has kept people at a distance, including her uncle, who adopted Nina and her sister. Wealthy and proud, he is a good man, a fair judge, and someone many in San Antonio admire. 

But when he is murdered, and the detective assigned to the case accuses Nina of the crime, she knows she must act. She’s determined to use her journalism background to find the real killer. The two men in her life want to help, but can she trust them?  She’s known Rick since they were children, but now he’s an attorney whose political aspirations seem more important than Nina’s tragic loss. And then there’s Aaron, a news videographer; using their friendship could break the biggest story of his career.

My Thoughts:  Kelly Irvin is a new to me author.  But she's one I'll be keeping on my to go list.

Tell Her No Lies is filled with a lot of action, suspense!, and a smidgen of romance.  

I love, love suspense and this book kept me on the edge of my seat.  literally!

Nina is a strong young woman who has been dealt a rather bad hand in the life department.  But Nina is one to let it keep her down.  However, she does have an unusual way of dealing with her life...she keeps a camera hanging around her neck and looks a life through a filter.  

When her uncle is killed and she is accused of the murder she is more than determined to find the killer.

Using her journalism skills and her camera Nina is on the move to find the bad man but then Rick, whom she's known since childhood wants to help her and Aaron, the news videographer, wants to help her too.  But whom can she trust?  It seems the men in her life haven't always been a help.

Quite a story with a somewhat surprising ending!  Loved it!

*This book was provided for review by the Fiction Guild* 

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (November 13, 2018)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0785223118
• ISBN-13: 978-0785223115

WOW {Warm Oven Wednesday}

{Barbour Blog Tour} Camp Club Girls: Bailey by Linda Carlblom

Book Description:  Whether the Camp Club Girls are investigating the whereabouts of eccentric millionaire Marshall Gonzalez, encountering out-of-control elk stampedes in Estes Park, uncovering the rightful ownership to a valuable mine, or solving the case of frightening events in Mermaid Park, you'll encounter six charming, relatable characters who combine their mystery-solving skills to save the day.

My Thoughts:  This is a 4-in-1 mystery book.  Yay!  Four stories to enjoy!

I'm always on the lookout for great YA stories with a message for my young niece.

And Bailey with four great stories is a book not.to.be.missed.

The Camp Club girls first mystery is to investigate the millionaire Marshall Gonzalez and find out why he is missing.  

The second mystery is about elk.  Bailey and Kate are almost run over as elk go amok  in Estes Park.  The Camp Club Girls help keep people safe as well as keeping animals in their natural habitat.

Then in the third mystery which happens to be my favorite one simply because its in New Mexico and its about Native American Indians.  Bailey and Elizabeth go help a distant cousin in her pottery shop.  And when the mystery of who wins a mine arises, Bailey and Elizabeth are there to help set things right.

The last mystery takes place in Florida as Bailey and Sydney go to spend part of the summer with Bailey's grandma.  When suspicious activities happen in Mermaid Park Sydney and Bailey are happy to help find the culprits.

Four short mysteries for girls that have them traveling to four different states in America.

Great mysteries for 4th-6th grade girls.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing 

and was under no obligation to post a review."

• Age Range: 8 - 12 years
• Grade Level: 4 - 6
• Series: Camp Club Girls
• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Barbour Books (February 1, 2019)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1683228286
• ISBN-13: 978-1683228288

{Fiction Guild Blog Tour} Chosen People by Robert Whitlow

Book Description:  During a terrorist attack near the Western Wall in Jerusalem, a courageous mother sacrifices her life to save her four-year-old daughter, leaving behind a grieving husband and a motherless child.

Hana Abboud, a Christian Arab Israeli lawyer trained at Hebrew University, typically uses her language skills to represent international clients for an Atlanta law firm. When her boss is contacted by Jakob Brodsky, a young Jewish lawyer pursuing a lawsuit on behalf of the woman’s family under the US Anti-Terrorism laws, he calls on Hana’s expertise to take point on the case. After careful prayer, she joins forces with Jakob, and they quickly realize the need to bring in a third member for their team, an Arab investigator named Daud Hasan, based in Israel.

To unravel the case, this team of investigators travels from the streets of Atlanta to the alleys of Jerusalem, a world where hidden motives thrive, the risk of death is real, and the search for truth has many faces. What they uncover will forever change their understanding of justice, heritage, and what it means to be chosen for a greater purpose.

My Thoughts:  Robert Whitlow has become a favorite author of mine.  He pens about out.of.the.healine stories with a legal and suspenseful twist.

This story takes place in Israel.  And o,my!  this could be on our news headline.

It seems like a "regular" attack that takes place at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.  When the attack takes place a mom sacrifices her own life to save the life of her four year old daughter.

Hanna Abboud is a christian and works with the Atlanta law firm when her language skills are needed.  So when her boss is contacted about the Israeli woman's case. her boss asks Hana to join the legal forces on behalf of the family.  Hana is not sure so she takes time to pray about it and then agrees to help.  Before long Hana and Jakob realize they need more help in this matter and seek the help of an Arab investigate, Daud Hasan.

Soon the three are in the alleys of Jerusalem seeking motive and knowledge about the case. 

What a story!  Robert Whitlow takes us beyond a legal matter into a heart matter.  What people do for love, justice and county!

*This book was provided for review by the Fiction Guild*

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (November 6, 2018)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0718083040
• ISBN-13: 978-0718083045