After a Fashion by Jen Turano

Miss Harriet Peabody dreams of the day she can open up a shop selling refashioned gowns to independent working women like herself. Unfortunately, when an errand for her millinery shop job goes sadly awry due to a difficult customer, she finds herself out of an income.

Mr. Oliver Addleshaw is on the verge of his biggest business deal yet when he learns his potential partner prefers to deal with men who are settled down and wed. When Oliver witnesses his ex not-quite-fiance cause the hapless Harriet to lose her job, he tries to make it up to her by enlisting her help in making a good impression on his business partner.

Harriet quickly finds her love of fashion can't make her fashionable. She'll never truly fit into Oliver's world, but just as she's ready to call off the fake relationship, fancy dinners, and elegant balls, a threat from her past forces both Oliver and Harriet to discover that love can come in the most surprising packages.

I found this book to be entertaining.  Harriet’s trying to learn the ways of the social was quite comical at times.  Also, how she stood up for herself with Oliver.  Oliver could be a tyrant if Harriet would have allowed him to be. He was use to being in control and everyone doing as he says as he was very wealthy. 

The part I disliked about the book was that Harriet was always being referred to as the hat girl and her lower than low position in society.  It was repeated way too often. 

The ending came as quite a surprise to me.  I would never have guessed it. 

I would recommend this to anyone who wants a light read.

I was given this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any way.

By Your Side by Candace Calvert

ER nurse Macy Wynn learned essential, gritty lessons in the California foster care system: land on your feet and trust no one. She’s finally located the fellow foster child she loves like a sister, but the girl’s in deep trouble. Macy’s determined to help, no matter what it takes. Her motto is to “make it happen” in any situation life throws at her—even when she butts heads with an idealistic cop.

Deputy Fletcher Holt believes in a higher plan, the fair outcome—and his ability to handle that by himself if necessary. Now he’s been yanked from Houston, his mother is battling cancer, and he’s attracted to a strong-willed nurse who could be the target of a brutal sniper.

When everything goes wrong, where do they put their trust?

Macy is as tough as nails after growing up in foster care.  She believes in God but doesn’t consult him on some of biggest decisions of her life.  The same can be said about Fletcher. Only he grew up in a loving family.  This is the story of their journey.  The journey is rocky at times as they find out the ones they thought they could trust the most is not who they thought they were.  Fletcher has to realize that he is not in control of his mother’s cancer.  Macy has to learn what happiness means.

This is not a high suspense novel.  I was expecting more. The sniper did make it suspenseful in some parts.  Overall it was a good book. One I would recommend to someone who likes light suspense with romance thrown in. 

I was given this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any way.

The Trouble with Patience by Maggie Brendan

Patience Cavanaugh has lost hope in romance. The man she yearned to marry is dead and her dreams are gone with him. Now she is consumed with the restoration of a dilapidated boarding house in order to support herself. Despite her desire for solitude, Jedediah Jones, the local sheriff with a reputation for hanging criminals, becomes an ever-looming part of her life. It seems like such a simple arrangement: Patience needs someone with a strong back to help her fix up the boardinghouse, and Jedediah needs a dependable source of food for himself and his prisoners. But Patience gets more than she bargained for as she explores the depths of the "hanging lawman"--and finds both betrayal and love.

Patience is an independent woman whose walk with God is something to be admired.  Her forgiving spirit gave me something to think about.  It was interesting watching her and Jedediah’s romance blossom. Jedediah has some issues of his own.  He has to learn how to forgive himself for things he has done in the past. 

This a pretty predictable book as I knew pretty much how it would end.  There were some twists that I did not see coming.  I would recommend this book to anyone who would like a light read. It is not one that I will probably read again. But a good book none the less. 

I received this book from the publisher for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any way.

How to Catch a Prince by Rachel Hauck

Corina Del Rey is happy with her life in Melbourne, Florida. She spends her days engrossed in her career as a journalist and has her sights set on climbing the corporate ladder-if for no other reason, to distract herself from her dissolving family. But when she is confronted with the past she fought so hard to put behind her, she struggles to make sense of her future.

Prince Stephen of Brighton Kingdom has moved on since the tragic death of his buddies in Afghanistan. A star professional rugby player, he has no intention of looking over his shoulder at what could've been

But when a notice arrives in the mail requiring his and his wife's appearance before the courts to dissolve their marriage, he must deal with the questions rumbling around in his heart. He thought his marriage had been annulled long ago, but his memories of Corina Del Rey remain close. Does he still love her? Can he even find her? Above all, can he tell her the truth about that fateful night in Afghanistan seven years ago? If he does, he might really lose her forever.

My review:  I really enjoyed reading this book.  It showed how one single tragedy affected so many people. After five and a half years Corina was just beginning to build a new life. Prince Stephen was hiding behind his rugby career. Corina’s parents are still mourning.  Corina is still in love with Stephen and it is quite apparent that Stephen is still in love with her.  So she doesn’t understand why he wants an annulment and why he won’t tell her how her brother Carlos died. The story revolves around Stephen working through survivors guilt and Corina trying to understand Stephen.

I also found The Manor, Adelaide, and Brill fascinating.  You can draw your own conclusions about what is happening there.  Have you ever been helped by angels unawares.  In hindsight, I can say that I have been. 

I have found all three of the Royal Wedding books a delight to read.  I would highly recommend them all to anyone. It is not necessary to read the first two to read this book.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any way.

You Can't Hide by Wendy Davy

Cara Dalton lives a normal, routine life until her first daring adventure lands her in imminent danger. Mistaken as a witness to a brutal crime, she becomes the target of a ruthless drug smuggler who is willing to stop at nothing to silence her. Now, she must place her safety in the hands of a wounded stranger. Undercover agent Gage McKenna knows all too well the dangers Cara is up against. Recovering from a life altering injury-inflicted by the same man who now hunts Cara, Gage faces an uncertain future of his own. As Gage and Cara team up to fight this highly motivated killer, they must learn to rely on each other or risk losing it all.

The book started out a little abruptly.  I felt I was dropped into the middle of a story.  In a way I was but after a few pages it started making sense to me.  I loved the suspense that was all the way through the book.  The interaction between Gage and Cara is interesting as well.  Gage is bitter and has withdrawn from the world because of his injury.  Cara doesn’t let him wallow in self pity.  The ending was pretty much a given from the very beginning.  But I enjoyed reading the story to get to the end.  I have never read any books by Wendy Davis.  I can honestly say I will be looking for other books by this author.

I was given this book to read by the Pelican Group to read in exchange for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any way.