Archive | September 2019

The Amish Christmas Matchmaker by Vannetta Chapman

Sep10

Dreams

The Amish Christmas Matchmaker by Vannetta Chapman is a delightful contemporary Amish novel that is perfect for any time of year.

Vannetta Chapman has created a wonderful warm set of characters. The Amish are made for community. They work together to meet needs. If one of their own is hurt, the hospital waiting room will be filled with many faces.

The dialogue bounces backwards and forwards between the two main characters as they try to deny their mutual attractions.

God gives us dreams, sometimes they change. When God gives you a dream, nothing and no-one can stop it.

Prayer is important. “Pray about this, seek Gotte’s guidance.” It is always best to live within the will of God.

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Far From True by Linwood Barclay

Sep9

Complex And Gripping

Far From True by Linwood Barclay is a comprehensive contemporary suspense. It is the second book in the Promise Falls series but can be read as a stand-alone. I had not read book one (but I want to now) and I managed to follow the action.

Linwood Barclay has created a thrilling tale where many are not as they seem. As the crimes stack up the reader wonders which way to turn as suspicion and sinister goings on are in the most unlikely places.

The crime spree begun in book one continues. The reader tracks it throughout trying desperately to join all the dots. The story ends perfectly poised for book three which I cannot wait to read.

There is a cast of many. At times I found it hard to keep track – but that was my own fault for not reading book one first. I think it is beneficial to read the paperback (which I was) as it is easier to flick backwards than on a kindle.

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The Little Bakery On Rosemary Lane by Ellen Berry

Sep6

Absolutely Charming

The Little Bakery On Rosemary Lane by Ellen Berry is a most delightful contemporary novel. There is a wonderful light-hearted atmosphere as we discover the value of family and good friends. It is the simple things in life that bring the most pleasure.

Busy London life where appearances matter contrasts with the slower more wholesome life in a Yorkshire town. Here community lives and supports each other which is the opposite of the isolation felt in London.

The main character has a huge heart that drops everything to support a friend in need. She has a desire to be wanted and to be helpful to those around her.

Life is about having the correct priorities. It is about supporting and loving those around us. It is about wearing wellies and walking dogs in the rain, not cocktail parties and networking.

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A Fatal Secret by Faith Martin

Sep6

Good Old Fashioned Policing

A Fatal Secret by Faith Martin is another gripping historical crime novel. It is the fourth book in the Ryder And Loveday Mystery series but can be read as a stand-alone.

I enjoyed returning to Oxford in 1961, being reunited with the crime busting duo of probationer WPC Loveday and aging coroner Dr Ryder. They are an engaging couple with her copper’s nose and his education. A perfect blend of youth and experience. Whenever the police shelve a case, Ryder and Loveday spring into action.

A terrible crime? Or an unfortunate accident? The reader tries, alongside Ryder and Loveday, to piece together the clues, as the locals seem tight lipped. Some seem burdened with a terrible secret. Relationships are strained as lives are exposed and the questions mount up.

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