Rhonda's Doings !

Review of The Last Heiress by Mary Ellis Bestselling author Mary Ellis (A Widow's Hope) presents The Last Heiress, a new romantic standalone that intertwines the lives of a British manufacturing heiress and an American merchant caught in the turbulent time of the War Between the States. When Amanda Dunn sets sail from England for Wilmington, North Carolina, she hopes to somehow restore shipments of raw materials for her family's textile mills, which have been severely disrupted by the American Civil War. Though there is not much one individual can do, the wealthy young woman feels she must try, as her mother and hundreds of employees at Dunn Textiles are dependent on Southern cotton. When Amanda meets Nathaniel Cooper, her desire to conduct business and quickly return to England changes. Though captivated by one another, neither is fully aware of the other's true nature. Nathanial, who on the outside appears to be a poor but hardworking merchant, is actually a secr...

Review of Keys of Heaven by Adina Senft  Sarah Yoder is learning to help the people in her Amish community as a Dokterfraa , creating teas and tinctures using the herbs she grows. But her latest patient seems to have a problem that can't be resolved with anything in Sarah's garden-a woman who, in Sarah's mind, would flourish anywhere but in the place she lives. Meanwhile, Sarah's relatives have decided to do a little matchmaking between her and a visiting Amish man. He would make a wonderful husband, and she knows she should be willing for God to show her His choice of partner...and not allow her friendship with her neighbor, Henry Byler, to grow into anything more. Henry has seen some success as a potter since a major store commissioned a line of his work for their catalog. The trouble is that they want to market him as Amish. Though he was raised in the faith and now lives in Amish country, he has never joined church-and doesn't plan to, either. Which mea...

Review of Remember the Lilies  by Liz Tolsma Irene and Rand come from very different walks of life. Will they find common ground in their fight to survive?  Irene has grown up in the jungle as a missionary with her Aunt Anita, but now she and countless others are imprisoned by Japanese soldiers at the Santo Tomas Internment Camp in the Philippines. Irene and her aunt are safe there, and she keeps busy with her duty of delivering censored messages to the camp’s prisoners, but like everyone else, she prays for the war to end and for her freedom. Rand is a wealthy, womanizing American, whose attempted escape from the internment camp has put himself and others in danger. When Rand and Irene’s Aunt Anita meet one another in the hospital, Irene learns more of his story and her heart is determined to save his family. But the danger outside the walls of the hospital worsens every day, and life in this exotic place is anything but luxurious. Can Irene find Rand’s family before...

Review of Where Trust Lies by Janette Oke and Laurel Oke Logan Beth Thatcher returns home from her first year as a schoolteacher in the mining town of Coal Valley and steps into a whole different world. Her life back among her wealthy Eastern family is a stark contrast to her primitive life in the West, and Beth isn't sure where she belongs anymore. She barely has time to settle in before her mother announces plans for a family holiday--a luxurious steamship tour along the eastern coast of Canada and the U.S. Wishing to reconnect with her mother and sister, Beth agrees to go but quickly finds herself at odds with her mother's expectations. After enjoying complete freedom in the western wilds, Beth isn't sure what to make of her mother's ongoing efforts to direct her life--and her heart. Beth keeps in touch with her Mountie beau, Jarrick, even as young men more of her station catch her eye. Is she ready to fully give her heart to Jarrick, knowing it will mea...

Review of The Amish Clockmaker by Mindy Starns Clark & Susan Meissner From bestselling authors Mindy Starns Clark and Susan Meissner, The Amish Clockmaker (Book 3 in the Men of Lancaster County series) explores the men of an Amish community in Lancaster County, how their Amish beliefs play out in their unique roles, and the women who change their lives. Newlywed Matthew Zook is expanding his family's tack and feed store when a surprising property dispute puts the remodel on hold--and raises new questions about the location's mysterious past. Decades earlier, the same building housed a clock shop run by a young Amish clockmaker named Clayton Raber. Known for his hot temper, Clayton was arrested for the murder of his beloved wife, a crime almost everyone--including his own family members--believed he'd committed, even after charges were dropped. Isolated and feeling condemned by all, Clayton eventually broke from the church, left Lancaster County, and was never ...

Review of Finding Love in Tombstone, Arizona by Miralee Ferrell First published as Love Finds You in Tombstone, Arizona  Love and second chances aren't easy to come by in a town named Tombstone.  When Christy Grey receives an urgent summons to Tombstone, Arizona, she reluctantly leaves her new life in California. The trip goes from bad to worse when four masked men hold up Christy’s stage. She finally arrives in  Tombstone to find her mother ill and her brother trapped in a life of gambling. Desperate for money to support her family, will Christy bow to pressure from the local saloon owners and return to the life she thought she’d given up for good?  Nevada King has problems of his own. He's been dodging bullets for years and wants nothing more than to settle down and get married. But he's on the run from outlaws bent on revenge, and the one woman who captures his interest recognizes him from the stagecoach holdup. Will Christy turn Nevada in to the authorit...

Review of Harvest of Blessings by Charlotte Hubbard The tranquil little town of Willow Ridge is facing a startling challenge. Wealthy Nora Glick Landwehr is determined to make it her home again--and put her past to rest. Cast out by her own family, Nora can't reconcile with Old Amish ways or her strict father. But she'll do anything to help her community embrace the future . . . and make amends to the daughter she had to give up. So, she certainly has no time for her reckless new neighbor Luke Hooley. They disagree about almost everything. And how can she trust him if he always seems to believe the worst about her? Somehow, though, his unexpected support and passionate heart are helping her find her own way in faith. And Nora will discover that even in the face of insidious lies and unyielding judgment, God creates unexpected chances for forgiveness--and love. MY REVIEW:   "Maybe you won't have to worry about sitting through church.    You haven't bee...

Review of Heaven Help Heidi by Sally John From bestselling Christian fiction author Sally John comes the second book in a series featuring new beginnings and unexpected romance. Welcome to the Casa de Vida--eleven quaint bungalows located three blocks from the Pacific Ocean in tiny Seaside Village, California. Owner Liv McAlister never advertises vacancies beyond a small hand-lettered sign out front, preferring to trust that God will send the right tenant at just the right time. And He always does. Heidi Hathaway's life has been turned upside down. After an accident leaves her injured, unable to work, and incapable of negotiating the stairs in her multilevel oceanfront condo, she leases her home and moves into a cozy little cottage in the charming garden complex where her friend Piper lives. There she finds so much more than a place to rest and recover. Piper Keyes knows Jared is not coming back from Afghanistan. After making it through the fifth anniversary o...

Review of Waiting Hearts by Beth Ann Stifflemire Living with a rare heart condition, Kayla Parker a twenty-six year old elementary school teacher chooses to keep things simple, never yearning for love or the drama that inevitably comes with it, especially after experiencing the pain of losing her father to a similar condition. Kayla plays it safe, avoiding the nightlife and dating scene that surrounds her in the budding music city of Austin, Texas. That is until the charismatic easy on the eyes musician Gabe Parker falls into her life at a local coffee house and all of her rules on love fly out the window. Gabe opens her eyes and heart to a love Kayla never imagined when he accepts all of her, even her condition, but when the music world Gabe's a part of comes knocking with big opportunities she second guesses herself and her love. Life changing decisions are made that result in a combination of tragic and bittersweet aftershocks. Can their love surpass circumstance? Can he...

Review of   An Amish Cradle by Beth Wiseman, Amy Clipston, Kathleen Fuller,  and Vannetta Chapman Tiny fingers, Tiny toes, And lives that will never be the same. Journey with four families as their lives are about to change forever. "In His Father s Arms" by Beth Wiseman Ruth Anne has been dreaming about motherhood her entire life. Now she is doubly excited that she and her best friend are due with their children the same week. But when Ruth Anne s baby is born with Down's  syndrome, she and her husband struggle to understand God's plan. MY REVIEW of In His Father's Arms:   5 Star Amish novella *****This is a beautiful story of two friends eagerly anticipating their new arrivals, but Ruth Anne receives a shock when her new baby has Down's syndrome.  Her husband, Levi, and she have a lot to grieve and deal with.  I remember the delight and fear that I experienced with my first pregnancy and birth.   Every parent feels concern over th...