Rhonda's Doings !

Review of Silver Spurs (Horses & Friends #2) by Miralee Ferrell Kate’s dream of owning a horse has finally happened. But now her best friend Tori has no money to buy a horse. So Kate comes up with a plan—she’ll raise money by boarding horses and hosting a show in her family’s barn. It seems the perfect solution until Melissa, the girl who disses Kate and Tori at school, shows up to board her horse, determined to compete in their show and win the silver spurs. Will their plan be ruined—or does God have something better in store for them all? Silver Spurs  is a tale of overcoming fears and trusting God with your dreams. MY REVIEW:   What a great book for young readers this one is!   Kate is thrilled to have her own horse and now she plans to teach her best friend, Tori, to ride as well.   She has a plan to fund this dream as well.  She just needs to convince her parents to board horses at their barn.   But is it worth having to put up wit...

Review of Justified (Mended Hearts #2) by Varina Denman In a small Texas town ruled by gossip, Fawn Blaylock believes others are justified in condemning her untimely pregnancy. Stifled by guilt, she yearns for grace while the local football coach treats her with gentle respect. Justified perfectly captures the rhythm and romance of life in a small town, telling the unforgettable story of a woman searching for renewal, a man looking beyond what others see, and a community torn between judgment and love. It is the unforgettable story of broken dreams, second chances, and relentless hope. MY REVIEW:    Gossip, judgment, and everyone knows your business!   That's small town life at its worst and Fawn, the little rich girl, finds herself pregnant, unmarried, and thrown out of her parents' mansion.   The whole town is talking and pointing fingers and the high school coach who taught her in the recent past is one of the few people treating her with kindness. ...

Review of The Heart of the Amish:  Life Lessons on Peacemaking and the Power of Forgiveness by Suzanne Woods Fisher Everyone has been hurt. Everyone experiences conflict, great and small. Everyone has someone to forgive. But sometimes we just can't bring ourselves to forgive someone who has wronged us or we don't take the need to forgive seriously--not like the Amish do. Forgiving others in order to live at peace is woven into the very fabric of their faith. To the Amish way of thinking, "You can't love the stream without knowing the source. " We must forgive others, they believe, because God forgave us.  "The Heart of the Amish" invites readers into the world of a people renowned for their ability to forgive. Through true stories gathered from a variety of Amish communities, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher illustrates how they are able to release their pain and desire for revenge, and live at peace with others. Her in-depth, personal re...

Review of Huckleberry Harvest by Jennifer Beckstrand The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill book #5 Anna and Felty Helmuth’s zest for matchmaking is unstoppable—and with grown-up grandchild number three on her way to their home in lovely Huckleberry Hill, Wisconsin, what better reason to put their talents to work once more?... When Mandy Helmuth hears that her best friend Kristina’s heart has been broken, she decides to visit her grandparents and cheer her up. Mandy never liked Noah Mischler anyway, with his rough exterior and outspoken ways. Unfortunately, she can’t avoid him—especially after he saves her life… If he weren’t helping Felty with home repairs, Noah would be more than happy to stay away from uppity Mandy Helmuth. Of course, then he wouldn’t have been able to rescue her—and she wouldn’t have had the chance to discover the real Noah beneath the tough persona—the one she falls in love with… MY REVIEW:  It is almost impossible for readers not to fall in love w...

Review of Murder Freshly Baked by Vannetta Chapman When delicious baked goods become lethal, it's time to find a killer.  Kindness is a virtue  Meanness is a sin  Better watch your bakery pies  For poison I've slipped in The Amish Artisan Village in Middlebury, Indiana, has been decorated with every color of balloon and flower for the Race for a Cure. As manager of the Village, Amber Bowman is thrilled to see the turnout--and relieved to have something to distract her from the "Poison Poet"--an individual who has been sending notes containing bad poetry to warn of poisoned baked goods. Then Ryan Duvall crosses the finish line of the race--and falls down dead, murdered in broad daylight. But who did it? And why? The police suspect Preston Johnston, but Amber refuses to believe her employee could do such a thing. Amber once again looks to her young Amish friend Hannah Troyer to help her find the killer--and to determine if it's the same person lea...

Review of Change of Heart by Molly Jebber A modern new century brings a young Amish woman an unexpected new life—and a chance to discover love's true way home… Ohio, 1899.  Soft-spoken midwife Becca Yost lived by her Amish faith's strict rules—until her fiancé jilted her before their entire community. She's never been away from home, but the bustling Englischer town of Massillon, Ohio, is a welcome unexpected refuge. Especially when she goes to work for Dr. Matt Carrington, who shares her passion for healing those in need. His outgoing spirit and gentle strength show Becca a surprising new world of choices—and irresistible love. But there is one formidable obstacle: Matt's wealthy mother is determined her son will marry a society woman. With her newfound resolve challenged, Becca decides that she and Matt must not be destined for each other after all. She accepts that she will have to forge a life alone—until a wrenching crisis and life-changing revelations tea...

Review of Until the Harvest by Sarah Loudin Thomas "Once in a while a new author...makes you sit up and take notice."--"Library Journal"  When a family tragedy derails Henry Phillips's college studies, he's left unmoored and feeling abandoned. Although Henry tries to find escape in bad company, the only things that can tamp down his anger and grief are the family farm, his fiddle, and sweet but unusual pre-teen Mayfair Hoffman.  Unfortunately, Mayfair's older sister, Margaret, with the freckles and cute, turned-up nose, has the opposite effect. Worse, she's his grandmother's housekeeper and helper, so she's always around and ready to push his buttons. At first he thinks she doesn't care about his loss, before beginning to understand she's facing her own struggles. Mayfair's health and unique gift sit at the heart of those worries, and Henry and Margaret soon find themselves relying on each other as both Henry's futu...

Review of Taken by Dee Henderson Abducted at the age of sixteen and coerced into assisting the Jacoby crime family, Shannon Bliss has finally found a way out. She desperately wants to resume some semblance of normal life, but she also knows she has some unfinished business to attend to. She has enough evidence to put her captors behind bars for a very long time. When Shannon contacts private investigator and former cop Matthew Dane to help her navigate her reentry into society, she quickly discovers that gaining her freedom doesn’t mean her troubles are over. For one thing, her brother is the leading candidate in the race for Illinois governor, and news of her escape will create a media frenzy. For another, the ransom her family reportedly paid years earlier appears to have been a scam; no one knows what happened to the money. And then there’s the fact that Shannon’s escape involved faking her own death. If the Jacoby family learns she is still alive, they’ll stop at nothing t...

Review of Summer's List by Anita Higman A dying wish alters the course of a young woman's life. Life hadn't been easy for Summer Snow. In acts of selflessness-caring for her ailing parents and running her grandmother's bookstore-she had forfeited her youth and dreams for the needs of others. And the only tries she had at love... didn't turn out. She had the bookstore, she had her beloved granny, but she was missing something-or  someone . Opportunity strikes when Granny sends Summer on an unexpected adventure with one Martin Langtree, a kind but gangly young man from Summer's past. A childhood friendship is rekindled, a romance is sparked, and mysteries are solved in one magical Texas summer. Will Summer strike out on love again, or will things finally go her way? With lovable characters and surprising twists,  Summer's List  is a simple delight.   MY REVIEW:   "You can say it, " Granny said.  "I'm going to die.  And so must we...

Review of   The Creole Princess by Beth White All along the eastern seaboard, the American struggle for independence rages. In the British-held southern port of Mobile, Alabama, the conflict brewing is quieter--though no less deadly. The lovely Frenchwoman Lyse Lanier is best friends with the daughter of the British commander. Rafael Gonzalez is a charming young Spanish merchant with a secret mission and a shipment of gold to support General Washington. As their paths cross and their destinies become increasingly tangled, Lyse and Rafael must decide where their true loyalties lie--and somehow keep Lyse's family from being executed as traitors to the British Crown. With spectacular detail that brings the Colonial South alive, Beth White invites readers into a world of intrigue and espionage from a little-known side of the American Revolutionary War. Her richly textured settings and characters delight while fast pacing and closely held secrets will keep readers turnin...