Luck of the Draw

Luck of the Draw
by Rachael Renee Anderson



Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Romance, Young Adult

Rating: Y

Content: Clean

Summary:

When Brighton's roommates bet him that he can't get three girls to go out with him at the same time, he has no doubt that he's up to the challenge. Besides, the prospect of an entire month of free laundry is just too enticing to resist. Of course, that's before he meets Dani--a girl who's never had a problem turning down a not-so-perfect guy. Soon Brighton realizes that winning the bet might mean losing what really matters most. This fast-paced modern romance is told with wit, sweetness, and a healthy dose of fun. It's a sure bet that Luck of the Draw will keep you laughing to the very last page.

Personal Review:

This book was an enjoyable read. I was surprised to find that the little summary of the book is just a small portion of what this book is about. This is the type of book that I would read when in the mood for a chick flick (however you have already seen all of the good clean chick flicks and so you have to read one instead.)

-Curry

If you enjoyed this you may also like:

Trial of the Heart by Sierra St. James
Counting Stars by Michele Paige Holmes
All's Fair in Love War and Highschool by Janette Rallison

A Girl of the Limberlost

A Girl of the Limberlost

by: Gene Stratton-Porter

Genre: Historical Fiction/Inspirational/Romance/Young Adult

Rating: Y

Content: Clean

Summary:  (from goodreads)

Set amid Indiana's vast Limberlost Swamp, this treasured children's classic mixes astute observations on nature with the struggles of growing up in the early 20th century. Harassed by her mother and scorned by her peers, Elnora Comstock finds solace in natural beauty — along with friendship, independence, and romance.

Personal Review:

Someone gave this book to my sister while I was in high school, that was the first time I read it. It became one of my favorites and has remained so ever since. I would borrow it from my sister for years at a time until recently when I discovered that the ebook was free on the Kindle. Cool Fact: this book was published in 1909, something I didn't realize till recently. I always thought it was just a historical fiction but turns out it was contemporary during its time. Why do I love this book so much? Let’s see, it is well written, the characters are well developed, the setting really comes to life, you get to watch a girl turn into a remarkable young women, and spoiler alert she end ups with an amazing man.

-Felicity

If you like this you may also like:

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

Freckles by Gene Stratton-Porter

The Apothecary's Daughter

by Julie Klassen

Genre: Regency Romance, Young Adult, Adult

Rating: Clean

Summary:

As Lilly toils in her father's apothecary shop, preparing herbs and remedies by rote, she is haunted by memories of her mother's disappearance. Villagers whisper the tale, but her father refuses to discuss it. All the while, she dreams of the world beyond --- of travel and adventure and romance.

When a relative offers to host her in London, Lilly discovers the pleasures and pitfalls of fashionable society and suitors, as well as clues about her mother. But will Lilly find what she is searching for --- the truth of the past and a love for the future?

Personal Review: 

I loved this book. What I like about Julie Klassen's books is that they are very well paced. She takes the time to develop her plot lines and characters, there isn't too much going on, and yet it never gets boring. And what girl doesn't like a well written romance? Good Read!

-Curry

If you enjoyed this you might like:

The Maid of Fairbourne Hall by Julie Klassen

Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson

Becoming Lady Lockwood by Jennifer Moore

Rapunzel Untangled

Review by Felicity

Rapunzel Untangled

by: Cindy C Bennett

Genre: Fractured Fairytales/Contemporary fiction

Rating: Y

Content: clean

Summary:  (from goodreads)

Rapunzel is not your average teenager. For one thing, she has a serious illness that keeps her inside the mysterious Gothel Mansion. And for another, her hair is 15 feet long. Not to mention that she’s also the key to ultimately saving the world from certain destruction. But then she meets a boy named Fane, who changes all she has ever known, and she decides to risk everything familiar to find out who she really is. Filled with romance, adventure, and mystery, Rapunzel Untangled is one story you won’t want to put down. Discover the true meaning of love and friendship in this modern twist to the classic fairytale.

Personal Review:

I have not read many if any versions of Rapunzel since I was a child. I remember vaguely tales from my childhood and the Disney version is most prominent in my mind. I read the authors note before the book and was reminded of the more original telling of this fairy tale, she pointed out that Rapunzel is an inherently dark tale. This book successfully modernized Rapunzel and gave me new insight into this fairy tale. This book is not Tangled, however I really enjoyed it and would read it again.

-Felicity

If you liked this you may also enjoy:

Golden by Cameron Dokey

My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

The Hourglass Door

Review by Curry

The Hourglass Door
by: Lisa Mangum



Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance

Rating: Y

Content: Clean

Summary:

His past. Her future. Can love bring them together in time?Abby's senior year of high school is textbook perfect: She has a handsome and attentive boyfriend, good friends, good grades, and plans to attend college next year. But when she meets Dante Alexander, a foreign-exchange student from Italy, her life suddenly takes a different turn. He's mysterious, and interesting, and unlike anyone she's ever met before. Abby can't deny the growing attraction she feels for him. Nor can she deny the unusual things that seem to happen when Dante is around. 

Review:

This book was an interesting one for me. In some ways it kind of reminded me of the first Twilight book, only without all of the things that I really hated about Twilight (and no vampires.) The story line was interesting and the writing was done well. Sometimes the romance could be a little too lovey dovey to me but overall it was pretty good. There were also some things that would have been more believable if there had been an explanation behind it, but overall a good clean book. There are three books in this series.

-Curry

If you liked this you may also like:

The Golden Spiral (Hourglass Book 2) by Lisa Mangum
Erasing Time by C.J. Hill
Ruby Red Trilogy by Kerstin Gier

The Lost Art

Review by Felicity

The Lost Art

by: Jennifer Griffith

Genre: Romance, Contemporary Fiction

Rating: Y

Content: clean

Summary:  (from goodreads)

Dowdy art exhibit coordinator Ava Young is happy with her man-suits and sensible clogs. She likes the way they clip-clop on the museum’s tile floor. But they don’t win her any lovelorn looks from her office crush. In fact, the handsome new guy calls her “sir” when they first meet. Oh, well. She’s always known the only way a guy would take a second look at her was if she was the only person in the room. And on fire.

But after her workplace crush devastates her by, frankly, calling her something super-duper mean, Ava is ready to make some drastic changes inside and out, even if it means giving up chocolate, or taking hilariously out-of-date but strangely wise-sounding advice on femininity from a 1959 book on “How to Snare a Modern Man.”

Either way, she’d better hurry because when a priceless art exhibit gets a theft threat on Ava’s watch, a billionaire bachelor and a handsome FBI agent will be taking a good, long look at the art and at Ava

Personal Review:

Fun, Flirty, and Clean are the three words that sum up this book. It has several good tips on flirting, and a great concept that was executed well.

- Felicity

If you like this you may also like:

Prejudice Meets Pride by Rachael Anderson

Just One Wish by Janette Rallison

Super Daisy! by Jennifer Griffith

Becoming Lady Lockwood

Becoming Lady Lockwood

by Jennifer Moore

Genre: Regency, Young Adult

Rating: Y

Content: Clean

Summary:

Amelia is a widow that never had a chance to meet her husband before his untimely demise. The new Earl of Lockwood does not want to bequeath the third of his estates to his brother's conniving widow. As Amelia sails from her home in Jamaica to London to the trial that will decide if she is the former Countess of Lockwood, she finds it impossible to avoid her faux brother in law and soon finds she doesn't want to. But the law may decide she is his sister and the last person that he should have feelings for.

Personal Review:

I really enjoyed reading this book and May or may not have stayed up till 2:30am reading it. Which may not be significant since I have stayed up late for many unworthy books. With this book, I simply lost track of time. I really enjoyed the characters. I thought that Amelia was well rounded heroine without being so obviously sainted by the author. I thought both the hero and heroine could have been real people and that they were consistent. Something that I really liked about this book was the lack of problem most romances have: the conflict between couples that is blown out of proportion and could be cleared with a simple conversation. Maybe mainly because the conflict was that they couldn’t have a conversation. But either way it was refreshing. This book also didn’t have the main characters thinking things like I don't know why I want to be around them always, and when another person shows attention to them I am jealous, but of course I can't figure out that I love them, or am even interested in them for like 5 years. Again, it was refreshing. This book is comparable to Sarah Eden or Julianne Donaldson, at least right now, I liked it better. SPOILER ALERT The only thing that I could say negatively about it is that I’m not sure if the legal problem between them as far as not being able to marry your brother’s widow. Maybe that’s true but other than it being somewhat suspect or questionable I think it was legal. I don’t know, if you do please let me know.

- heyes

If you liked this you might also like:

Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson

Seeking Persephone by Sarah Eden

The Tutor’s Daughter by Julie Klassen

Cybele's Secret

Review by Curry

Cybele's Secret 
By Juliet Marillier



Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Adventure

Rating: Y

Content: Clean

Summary:

Scholarly eighteen year old Paula and her merchant father journey from Transylvania to Istanbul to buy an ancient pagan artifact rumored to be charmed, but others, including a handsome Portuguese pirate and an envoy from the magical Wildwood, want to acquire the item as well.

Personal Review:

Cyblele's Secret is a companion book to one of my favorite books, Wildwood Dancing.  I strongly recommend reading Wildwood Dancing before reading Cybele's Secret because there will be some spoilers in this book if you read them out of order. Cybele's Secret tells the story of Paula, Who is the sister of Jenica the main character in Wildwood Dancing. It takes place several years after the first book. Cybele's secret was a good and entertaining book however, because I loved the first book so much, this one fell a little short for me. That being said, it is still a good book and I know others that liked it more than the first. There were some things that were a little predictable but I can often look past that easily. My biggest disappointment with Cybele's Secret was purely a matter of a opinion. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book. It's fun and exciting.
(you can see my review for Wildwood Dancing here.)
P.s. isn't the cover of this book gorgeous! I love it. hehe

- Curry

If you liked this you might also like:

To Catch a Pirate by Jade Parker
Bewitching Season by Marissa Doyle
The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry

Head in the Clouds

Review by Felicity

Head in the Clouds

by: Karen Witemeyer

Genre: Christian/Historical Romance

Rating: Y

Content: clean

Summary:  (from goodreads)

Adelaide Proctor is a young woman with her head in the clouds, longing for a real-life storybook hero to claim as her own. But when a husband-hunting debacle leaves her humiliated, she interviews for a staid governess position on a central Texas sheep ranch and vows to leave her romantic yearnings behind.

When Gideon Westcott left his privileged life in England to make a name for himself in America's wool industry, he never expected to become a father overnight. And five-year-old Isabella hasn't uttered a word since she lost her mother. The unconventionality of the new governess concerns Gideon--and intrigues him at the same time. But he can't afford distractions. He has a ranch to run, a shearing to oversee, and a suspicious fence-cutting to investigate.

Personal Review:

The best way to describe this book is simply that it is a Cowboy style Jane Eyre. Confession: I never liked ‘Jane Eyre’ so luckily for me this book isn’t really the same story but it has that feel.  Karen Witemeyer has a wonderful way of using the lawless west (namely Texas) as a wonderful backdrop to romances filled with christian values.

- Felicity

If you like this you may also like:

Short-Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer

Once Upon a Prince by Rachel Hauck

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

My Fair Godmother

Review by heyes

My Fair Godmother

by Janette Rallison

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Romance, Fractured Fairy-tale

Rating: Y

Content: Clean

Summary:

We have all heard it before. Jane is a nerd and no guys notice her, but wait actually she’s pretty and gets the guy she’s been in love with for forever. Fast forward… this story isn’t about Jane it is actually about Savannah; beautiful, popular, and couldn’t care less about school, Savannah. She’s just been dumped and humiliated. Enter Chrysanthemum Everstar. She’s Savannah’s Fair Godmother. Fair because she takes a page from Savannah’s book when it comes to school work. Now Savannah’s miserable life is Chrissy’s extra credit assignment. Savannah gets three wishes to turn her pathetic life into something more. The problem is when a broken-hearted teenager that has no idea what she actually wants makes wishes granted by a fairy who didn’t pay attention in school and a disgruntled leprechaun, Savannah doesn’t get Prince Charming. She gets an evil step mother, ugly step sisters, and the middle ages.

Personal Review:

My book club just read this book for book club and everyone loved it. This book is written so cute and cleverly and all the characters are great. The author is so talented when it comes to making you like characters that are likable and ones that you normally root for. The romance is cute and clean. The morals made in this story are good morals that I want my kids to learn. i.e. “Well if you wanted a guy that is smart why haven’t you been developing that attribute in yourself” (Very paraphrased) This is a book that will have you turning pages all night and wishing for more. Which is great since there is a second one out and a third currently being written. But honestly if you like this book you don’t need to wait for the third. You can’t go wrong with anything Janette Rallison writes.

-heyes

If you liked this you may also enjoy

-My Unfair Godmother by Janette Rallison

-Unenchanted by Chanda Hahn

-Erasing Time by C.J. Hill

As You Are

Review by Felicity

As You Are

by: Sarah M. Eden

Genre: Regency Romance

Rating: Y

Content: Clean

Summary:  (back of book)

A horse breeder by trade, Corbin Jonquil is more at home in the stables than in the ballroom of his sprawling estate. Corbin is the quietest of the Jonquil brothers and has always faded into the background, contentedly unnoticed. When a mysterious young widow, Mrs. Clara Bentford, moves into the neighborhood, however, Corbin quickly comes to realize that being noticed has its advantages. But how to catch the eye of the lady? According to his brothers, Corbin need only make a few simple changes to transform himself into the object of any woman's desire dubious advice, indeed. Following a series of misadventures, Corbin and Clara slowly lower the facades behind which they've been hiding, leaving Corbin shocked by the horrors that haunt the woman he's coming to care for so ardently. When the menace of Clara's past threatens to tear them apart and tensions mount, will the couple have the courage to fight for the promise of forever?

Personal Review:

This is my new favorite of Sarah Eden’s books. Corbin is not your usual hero which makes him all the better. I also love how you get to see so many other characters from her other books. I suggest reading ‘Seeking Persephone’ if you haven’t already because my favorite part of this book is when the Duke of Kielder makes an appearance.

- Felicity

If you like this you may also like:

Seeking Persephone by Sarah M. Eden

Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson

The Tutor’s Daughter by Julie Klassen

It's a Mall World After All

Review by Curry

It's a Mall World After All
by: Janette Rallison



Genre: Romance, Contemporary Fiction, Young Adult, Young Readers

Rating: Y

Content: Clean

Summary:

It's too bad they don't give out diplomas for what you learn at the mall, because I could graduate with honors in that subject.  No really.  Since I've worked there, I've become an expert on all things shopping-related. For example, I can tell you right off who to distrust at the mall:
  
1) Skinny people who work at Cinnabon.  I mean, if they're not eating the stuff they sell, how good can it be?

2) The salesladies at department store makeup counters.  No matter what they tell you, buying all that lip gloss will not make you look like the pouty models in the store posters.

3) And most importantly--my best friend's boyfriend, Bryant, who showed up at the food court with a mysterious blonde draped on his arm.

Yeah, I saw it, and yeah, I told my best friend all about it.

You would think this would mean trouble for Bryant, but you would basically be wrong.  Somehow, the evil boyfriend turned everything around, and now I'm the one who has to prove myself!  But I will. Even if Bryant--and more importantly his best friend, Colton--keep trying to stop me.

Personal Review:

Do not judge this book by it's cover! (or by the title) Yes, it is true that the title is cheesy and this is a teen high school book, but this is such a fun read for any girl no matter the age. If you are a female and you can read, then I recommend this book. Janette Rallison's writing is clever and hilarious. She has such a good way of making fun of her characters and yet making the reader understand them and fall in love with them. I like how the main character, Charlotte, was able to grow in this book. Heyes is actually the one that introduced me to this author, when I was in high school, and I love her! If you are like me and love cute romantic comedies but sometimes have a hard time finding clean ones, then you will love this book. Actually, you will probably love any Janette Rallison book.

- Curry

If you liked this, you might also enjoy:

All's Fair in Love War and High School by Janette Rallison
When the Bough Breaks by Kay Lynn Mangum
Slayers by C.J Hill

The Reluctant Bachelorette

The Reluctant Bachelorette
by Rachael Anderson

Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary Fiction

Rating: Y

Content: Clean

Summary:

Taycee hates change. She has everything she wants in her small town of Shelter Springs. She owns her own shop, has a nice boyfriend and the best friend in the world. But when she realizes that she doesn’t want to be serious with her boyfriend because of unresolved issues with her high school crush, she decides dating needs to be pushed to the back burner for awhile. Unfortunately fate and her best friend have other plans. Plans that include Taycee dating 21 guys on a dating show and her long lost high school crush is one of them. Can Taycee save her town without losing her heart?  

Personal Review:

First of all, who says I can’t write those cheesy summaries on the back of the books? I mean look at that summary, special attention to the last bit. Ha ha. Okay so this book was what I categorize as a great chick flick book. It’s a great read to curl up on the couch when you want something light and cute. The characters are good people and the story is just enough unpredictable to keep you turning pages. I really liked Taycee I thought that her issues that kept her out of relationships was real without making you hate her. And I liked her best friend because she forced Taycee out of her comfort zone. None of the characters are perfect but they were all trying to be good people.

-heyes

If you enjoyed this you might also like

What the Doctor Ordered by Sierra St. James
Divinely Designed by Rachael Anderson
Persuasion by Rebecca Jamison
Cross My Heart by Julie Wright

The Kiss of a Stranger

Review by Felicity

The Kiss of a Stranger

by: Sarah M Eden

Genre: Regency/Romance

Rating: Y

Content: Clean (the villain is a physically abusive uncle)

Sarah M Eden is currently one of my favorite authors. Her books are quick and easy reads with fun and exciting romantic heroes and heroines set mostly in the regency period.

Summary:  (from goodreads)

When Crispin, Lord Cavratt, thoroughly and scandalously kisses a serving woman in the garden of a country inn, he assumes the encounter will be of no consequence. But he couldn't be more mistaken--the maid is not only a lady of birth, she's the niece of a very large, exceptionally angry gentlemen, who claims Crispin has compromised his niece beyond redemption. The dismayed young lord has no choice but to marry Miss Catherine Thorndale, who lacks both money and refinement and assumes all men are as vicious as her guardian uncle.

Trapped between an unwanted marriage and a hasty annulment, which would leave his reputation tainted and Catherine's utterly ruined, Crispin begins guiding his wife's transformation from a socially petrified country girl to a lady of society. Their unfolding relationship reveals encouraging surprises for both of them, and privately each of them wonders if theirs may become a true marriage of the heart. But their hopes are dashed when forces conspire to split asunder what fate has granted. As a battle of wits escalates into a life-threatening confrontation, will it be possible for Crispin and Catherine to live happily ever after?

Personal Review:

In this book you will watch a married couple fall in love and see all the dysfunction that comes from poor communication. I will admit the story is rather unnecessarily dramatic at times and yet I loved every moment of it. This book also has the bonus of introducing the Jonquil brothers which go on to be the heroes of three of her other books I also love.    

- Felicity

If you like this you may also like:

As You Are by Sarah M Eden

The Silent Governess by Julie Klassen

Friends and Foes by Sarah M Eden