A Most Inconvenient Marriage - a Regina Jennings Launch Team review

A Most Inconvenient Marriage
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (December 2, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0764211404

Book Description
Abigail Stuart Thought She was Jeremiah Calhoun's Widow.
But Jeremiah Calhoun Is Very Handsome, Very Alive, and Very Perplexed.
Most Inconvenient Indeed.
With few options of her own, nurse Abigail Stuart agrees to marry her patient, a gravely wounded soldier calling himself Jeremiah Calhoun. They arrange a quick ceremony before he dies, giving Abigail the rights to his Ozark farm and giving Jeremiah the peace of knowing someone will care for his ailing sister after he's gone--a practical solution for both of them.

After the war, Abigail fulfills her side of the bargain--until the real Jeremiah Calhoun shows up, injured but definitely alive, and wastes no time in challenging Abigail's story. Abigail is flummoxed. After months of claiming to be his widow, how can she explain that she's never seen this Jeremiah Calhoun before? How can she convince him that she isn't trying to steal his farm? And will she find a way to stay, even though this practical arrangement has turned into a most inconvenient marriage?

My Thoughts
Historical romance is one of my favorite genres. When it's coupled with an inspirational theme, I'm on it! When I had an opportunity to review Regina Jennings' newest novel, I jumped on board. There's nothing that I appreciate more than a well-written novel and characters who seem life-like. Jennings accomplishes both of those. She's an author who, although she's relatively new, manages to tell a story in such vivid detail that I can see the action in my mind as if it were a movie. I like that!

While reading this novel, I found myself having to tear myself away from it. I went through several frustrating real-life situations that demanded my attention during the time that I was attempting to read, and I found myself longing to get my hands on it so that I could continue reading! It isn't often that I carry a book to the bathroom with me to prop up on the counter while I'm fixing my hair or putting on makeup. It's not often that I take a novel along with me in the diaper bag in the hope that I could even sneak in two minutes of reading time somewhere. THIS is one of those books. And because of my desperate attempts to get at it during the chaos that held me captive, the book is a little worn. It now wears the marks of a well-loved novel. lol

The novel's setting takes place just after the Civil War has ended, and its location is in the Ozarks. Prison hospital nurse Abigail Stuart managed to get herself hitched to a dying Civil War prisoner named Jeremiah Calhoun. When he asks her to go back to his home and take care of his sister and his ma, Abigail has no qualms about heading that way. Her own family had basically disowned her because of a misunderstanding, so a trip to the Calhoun property was accepted as her new home. However, when she got "home" and realized that Jeremiah wasn't dead after all, but was instead someone totally different than the man whom she had married, Abigail felt the foundation underneath her begin to crumble.

When Jeremiah got home, injured and war-beaten, and found that some woman claimed to be his bride, he did his best to try to convince everyone that Abigail was definitely not his wife. Jeremiah had someone waiting on him, after all! But when he found out that Laurel had given up on him after hearing that he'd died and instead had set her affections on another, Jeremiah found himself one frustrated man.

I loved this story. There was some interesting and gripping conflict at the end of the novel (that I won't spoil for you) that surprised me. I love when an author can accomplish that element of surprise!

If you've never read any of Regina's novels, I highly, HIGHLY recommend you give her a try! If you're a local, just ask me and I'll loan you my copy of A Most Inconvenient Marriage! ;)

Regina Jennings is one of my favorite authors. She's a relatively new author who has published four novels, all of which I've had the pleasure of reviewing. It has also been my pleasure to be a part of Regina's read and review launch team, which has enabled me to provide feedback directly to Regina, given me the opportunity to have a copy of her novel(s) in exchange for an honest review. My comments are my own and not a paid review.

If you'd like to read more from Regina, check her out on Facebook!

Caught in the Middle - a Bethany House review

• Series: Ladies of Caldwell County, Book 3
• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House (April 1, 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764209922

Book Description

She Wants the Freedom of the Open Plains. 
He Wants the Prestige of a Successful Career.
Neither is Ready for What Comes Instead. 
The train to Garber, Texas, is supposed to bring life's next victory to Nicholas Lovelace. Instead, it gets held up by robbers who are thwarted by the last person Nick ever expected--Anne Tillerton from back home in Prairie Lea.
 
Anne's been hiding away as a buffalo hunter. She's only in town to find their runaway cook, but the woman flees--leaving Anne with her infant son. With Nick the only person Anne knows in town, the two form an unlikely team as they try to figure out what to do with the child.
 
But being in town means acting and dressing for polite society--and it's not going well for Anne. Meanwhile, Nick's work is bringing new pressures, and being seen with a rough-around-the-edges woman isn't helping his reputation. Caught between their own dreams, a deepening relationship, and others' expectations, can the pair find their way to love?

My Thoughts

This was a novel that caught my attention from the very beginning. Train holdup. Robbers. Business dude meets rough-shod, trouser wearing girl who saves his life. True to form, Regina Jennings drew me in to her characters and their situations.

When Anne Tillerton got "stuck" with a baby who was abandoned by his mother, the last thing she knew how to do was to take care of him. On a search for the baby's father, Anne soon realizes that her suspicions about the baby's father were indeed true--baby's daddy was an outlaw. Emphasis on was. 

Nick Lovelace has his own demons to deal with. Grandfathered into the position of commissioner after the previous one unexpectedly died, Nick falls into the position of feeling obligated to run for office after his term is finished. Falling prey to some greedy individuals, Nick is put into a position where he has to decide if he's going to be on the side of good or evil when it comes to his political future.

Regina is fantastic at weaving a story that will tug at your heartstrings. Her talent keeps on building, book after book. The book has enough humor, romance, and heart-touching drama to make you want to read more!

About the Author Regina Jennings is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University with a degree in English and a history minor. She has worked at The Mustang News and First Baptist Church of Mustang,along with time at the Oklahoma National Stockyards and various livestock shows. She now lives outside Oklahoma City with her husband and four children.

I received Caught in the Middle as a complimentary gift in exchange for review from Bethany House Publishers. My comments and opinions are my own.

A Bride for Keeps - a Bethany House review

I love a good, Christian romantic western novel. Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, but I particularly love American westerns. This novel takes place post-Civil War.

Julia Lockwood ran from her life in Massachusetts. After her father promised her to another man as a business pawn, Julia was deeply hurt and abused. After having the opportunity to becoming a mail-order bride to what an acquaintance promised was a wonderful man, Julia found it her last chance to get herself out of what would be a potentially dangerous situation in her own home state. Heading to Kansas was her last chance for what she hoped would be a happier life.

Everett Cline had been jilted by three mail-order brides. Knowing that there was no way he'd humiliate himself again by requesting yet another bride, Everett soon finds out that his neighbor friend went behind his back and requested one for him!

Once Julia arrives in Kansas, Everett can't see past her beauty--why would someone so beautiful want to settle down on a homestead and work so hard? Julia, knowing that her beauty has always been what attracted men, was determined to prove that she was more than just a pretty face.

I really enjoyed this novel. I highly recommend it, if you're a lover of inspirational historical fiction. The characters were believable and the situations were captivating.

Go to Melissa's website to download for free the novella that introduces this book. You can also read Chapter 1 of A Bride for Keeps for free!

I received A Bride for Keeps as a complimentary gift in exchange for review from Bethany House Publishers. My comments and opinions are my own.

Love in the Balance - a Bethany House review

Regina Jennings is a fairly new author. Love in the Balance is her second novel published, and her first novel Sixty Acres and a Bride, which I reviewed, was absolutely fantastic. So, when I had the opportunity to get my hands on this second novel, I jumped at the chance!

Love in the Balance is a historical romance, Christian fiction, set in Lockhart, TX, in 1879. Molly Lovelace has been brought up by "fancy" parents. Her father owns a mill, and they want only the finest things for their daughter--including a well-to-do bachelor to wed. Molly, although liking some of the finer things in life, wants to get out from under her father's controlling clutches. So, she moves out of town and gets a job working for a judge.

Meanwhile, she has her eye on a handsome hard-working, though poor Bailey Garner. She finds his character and his handsome good looks charming, and she finds herself drawn to him inexplicably. In turn, Bailey is captivated by HER, too.

But when a family tragedy strikes and Molly sees her opportunity to wed someone well-off, who is she going to pick? Someone who can provide for her and appease her father, or the man who she really has her eyes on?

I'm not gonna tell!!! You'll have to find out for yourself.

I really like Regina's writing. She has a knack for creating personable, hilarious characters and situations. The characters were not without flaw--Regina created them to be realistic and sometimes frustrating to the reader! Sometimes I wanted to shout out, "C'mon, people!! Common sense, here!" at some of the characters. haha Also, I felt that the storyline wasn't completely predictable. She took me by surprise with the direction she took the story.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I look forward to reading more! This is definitely an author you will want to watch!

I received Love in the Balance as a complimentary gift in exchange for review from Bethany House Publishers. My comments and opinions are my own.

Courting Cate - a Bethany House Review

It isn't too often that I want to bang my head against a wall from the stubbornness and unmoving character qualities of a heroine. But that's what I desperately wanted to do while I read Courting Cate by Leslie Gould.

Cate Miller, a self-proclaimed spinster at age twenty-three, has tried her best to be happy with her life as her father's store secretary. Her father was considered wealthy, and any time that Cate thought a man might make a move on her, she and her fiery attitude cut him down. He was only after her father's money, right? Cate believed that she wanted to stay unmarried--let her younger sister Betsy have the husband and kids!

But when her father Bob decides that Cate has to get married before Betsy can, things get ugly. Cate, in her stubbornness, attempts to refuse. Betsy, flirty and friendly (unlike Cate), is already being courted. Knowing that her father has made this declaration, Betsy is driven to grief and hatches a plot to get Cate hitched.

When drifter Pete Treger comes to town looking for a job and a wife, Cate's family gets some bright ideas. (Or not so bright.) But Pete arrives in town with his own issues to deal with, and, like Cate, is about as stubborn as they come. When he gets a job working for Bob Miller in his store, he soon proves his worth to Bob. And Bob's decision for Cate to marry first is just all the more solid in his mind.

I found a few things in this novel that irritated me, and it's all about the character development. SPOILER ALERT!!

First was the feeling that the author was trying too hard to make these two butt heads. Their behaviors were very annoying to me. Second, Cate had no homemaking skills. This didn't add up for someone who had decided to be a spinster--she'd still need to take care of herself, right? Third, Cate raised her sister Betsy after their mother died, and Betsy ended up being a bit spoiled and conniving. Although I will say at the beginning of the story, Betsy didn't seem that way. The fact that Cate made a decision that would benefit Betsy so much seemed a bit too unreal to me. Fourth, Pete started out as this nice, friendly guy who doted on Cate, and then in the middle of the book he became this hard, uncaring person who paid her no attention. Shoot, he even made her hitch-hike to another state in the pouring rain!! For a guy who seemed to really really like her at first, this just felt unbalanced. Fifth, at the end of the story, Cate comes to an epiphany about Pete's family that was too rushed. When I read it, I turned back a page to see if I'd missed something--it was that shocking to me. Sixth, it was devoid of feeling between the two main characters until the very end, and even then it wasn't a "Wow, they are SO in LOVE!" moment for me.

I liked this story, though, because I think that Leslie genuinely had a nice story line. The plot was very much more developed than the characters were. Her description was very good, and the writing was very nice. There were bits of unpredictability thrown in that was refreshing. The story is written in First Person POV, and it read smoothly.

All in all, I liked this book and look forward to the next book in the series.

I received Courting Cate as a complimentary gift in exchange for review from Bethany House Publishers. My comments and opinions are my own.

No Safe Harbor - a Bethany House review

I have read some great books lately, and Elizabeth Ludwig's No Safe Harbor is one of them! This is one of those books that I love--it drew me in from the first page, left me with questions I wanted answered, and by the time I got to the last page, my questions were answered! This novel is very well written, the dialog matches the characters, and the scenes unfold naturally. It has a soft ending, making way for the second story in the Edge of Freedom series which is due for release sometime in 2013.

Set in the late 1890s in New York City, No Safe Harbor tells the story of Cara Hamilton, who has sailed from Ireland in hopes of finding her brother Eoghan whom she fears is dead. She finds her way to a female boardinghouse with the help of a countryman. Knowing that she should not reveal her brother's name because of the danger that it could put her and him in, Cara is guarded. But when a fellow Irishman named Rourke offers to help her, her wall gradually comes down. When she finds out who Rourke is and the whereabouts of her brother, Cara is forced to decide between Rourke and her own twin brother.

No Safe Harbor is filled with suspense, intrigue, romance, and edge-of-your-seat anticipation! If you like historical fiction, this one won't disappoint!!

About the Author 
Elizabeth Ludwig is an award-winning author whose work has been featured on Novel Journey, the Christian Authors Network, and The Christian Pulse. Her first novel, Where the Truth Lies, which she co-authored with Janelle Mowery, earned her the 2008 IWA Writer of the Year honors. This book was followed in 2009 by “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” part of a Christmas anthology collection called Christmas Homecoming, also from Barbour Publishing.

In 2010, her first full-length historical novel Love Finds You in Calico, California earned Four Stars from the Romantic Times. Books two and three of Elizabeth’s mystery series, Died in the Wool (Barbour Publishing) and Inn Plain Sight (Spyglass Lane), respectively, released in 2011.


Coming in 2012 is Elizabeth’s newest historical series from Bethany House Publishers. No Safe Harbor, the first book in the Edge of Freedom Series, will release in October, with two more books following in 2013 and 2014.


Elizabeth is an accomplished speaker and teacher, and often attends conferences and seminars, where she lectures on editing for fiction writers, crafting effective novel proposals, and conducting successful editor/agent interviews. Her popular literary blog, The Borrowed Book, enjoyed a wide readership in its first full year, with more than 17,000 visitors in 2011. Along with her husband and two children, Elizabeth makes her home in the great state of Texas.

I received No Safe Harbor as a complimentary gift in exchange for review from Bethany House Publishers. My comments and opinions are my own.