The Sound of Light

 4 out of 5 stars. 

Excellent WWII read!!

In The Sound of Light, I was transported back to Denmark in 1943.  The Nazis are in town, but the Danes have negotiated with them so that they can keep Danish law.  Many work alongside the Nazis and some even join a police corps with them, but many are aware of the danger they pose and are secretly resisting.  

Henrik Ahlefeldt was once a titled baron living a wastrel life, but has redeemed his actions by posing as a shipyard worker during the day and rowing secrets across the water to Sweden at night.  Else Jensen is a brilliant physicist who finds herself unable to do nothing and joins the ranks of the resistance also. 

When our two main characters find themselves at the same boarding house, Else finds herself falling in love with the uneducated and slow talking ship yard working Hemming. Little does she know, he's a well educated baron and a resistance legend.  What will happen when secrets come out, the Nazis come for them and characters are tested?  

This was a thrilling story with lots of interesting historical background!  I didn't know much about the Nazi occupation of Denmark, but found it fascinating how the Danish people managed, with the help of Sweden, to save 90% of of the Jews.  I also found it so inspiring to know how many "average" people became courageous heros to save their fellow countrymen and fight the evil of the Nazis.  

This book had my heart racing and me constantly increasing the speed of the audiobook to find out more quickly what would happen!  

If you're looking for a book rich in history, with an exciting plot and courageous characters pick this one up!  

Dirty Thirty, Evangeline Bond

Rating 4 out of 5 Stars

Note-While I review Christian fiction, this book is secular.  I decided to include it because this series is a big part of my reading journey.  However, there is some language and situations that don't make this a squeaky clean read.  

Favorite Quotes:

"Most of the mob has either died or moved away, and the young people just sit home frying their brains with their eyes glued to their smartphone screens.  If you ask me, they'd be better off going out and stealing cars. At least they'd be learning a trade." - Grandma Mazur

"I don't like that you were hit in the face, but it should improve the dinner conversation." -Ranger

"There would be a lot of a problem with drugs in this country if people ate more meatloaf."-Grandma

Stephanie's life may not be changing a lot, but it's OK because she's got her crew...Connie, Lula, Grandma Mazur, and even her mother.  She's got job security from the delightful assortment of bail jumpers and not one, but two very exciting men in her orbit.  No two days look the same for this girl and who knows what danger and excitement is waiting around the corner.

In this adventure, Morelli leaves Bob the giant orange dog with Stephanie to go out of town for work.  This leads to an additional level of chaos for every fugitive recovery and visit to the Plum kitchen.  Add in some moonlighting work to find a possible jewel thief, a mysterious intruder into Lula's apartment and a some surprising interactions with Ranger and you have a fun story.  

These books aren't what they used to be.  HOWEVER, I'm a true fan and will always read them, laugh a lot and feel a huge sense of comfort and coziness.  I do have to say the last 50% of the book really picked up and I enjoyed the plot a lot.  I am big time hoping for there to be a lot of material about the cliff hanger that Ms. Plum left us with on this one!!!!!

So what about you?  Ranger?  or Morelli???

   

A Hope Undaunted, Julie Lessman

 

Rating 4 out of 5 stars.

*Note* This is the first book of Julie Lessman's Winds of Change series.  However, it is a continuation of the Daughters of Boston series and those should be read first.  It will be really hard to follow and understand what's going on with all the side characters if you haven't.  These books are a family saga, so to speak, and so relying on having read the previous books is a must in my opinion.  

Set in 1929 Boston, things are changing in the world.  Katie O'Connor, the youngest in a large Irish Catholic family, wants out from under the thumb of a man.  She loves her father but doesn't want him or anyone else to tell her what to do.  She has Jack, her "perfect" boyfriend, under her thumb and plans to ride his coattails to the top.  Katie has big plans.  Law school, marriage to a connected man, and making big changes for women as a politician. However, this attitude makes her unlikely to stick to the rules at home and after a series of curfew breaking and generally bad behavior, Katie is grounded by her father, forced to stop seeing her boyfriend and required to volunteer for the entire summer at the Boston Children's Aide Society (BCAS).  Change is coming for Katie, but not the kind she had so carefully planned.  Her boss at BCAS is non other than Cluny McGee, now Luke,  the little runt who used to drive her crazy when she was 10.  But he's not little anymore, and he's different from the other boys in her life...he won't be wrapped around her little finger.  Throw in complicated situations from Luke's past, Katie's hardheaded determination to stick to her original goal, and some unexpected chemistry between Luke and Katie and you've got a great story!!

Review:

My first book of 2023! Wow.  This was a big one...500 pages!!  I thoroughly enjoyed the first 400 pages.  The story was so exciting and quick, the descriptions of 1920s Boston and the fashion of the day painted a great picture,  and watching Katie learn and grow had me glued to the pages. This book was a solid 5 stars for me until about the last 100 pages.  There were some twists and turns that I just really wasn't there for.  I was ready for the book to be wrapped up with a happy ending when some over the top things happened that I felt like were a little too much.  However, the writing is so good and the book itself so exciting, that I am still so glad I read it and am looking forward to the next book in the series!  

As I was reading through reviews on this one I kept coming across a couple of things.  One, that the characters were too hard to keep strait, two, that it was too "spicy" for Christian fiction and that Katie fell in and out of love too much.  The first I already addressed; make sure you read the Daughter's of Boston series first!  It is a huge treat to see where Faith, Charity and Lizzie are at with their families and to visit Marcey and Patrick in Southie at their home.  I loved "catching up" with them!  As for the spiciness.  Well, we've got 4 married and in love couples.  They're women and men and they think about and do things married people do!  I didn't find it inappropriate, but I've been a wife for 20 years.  I sometimes wonder if these comments are from 20-something, purity culture folks. Or maybe just from people that plain don't want that mentioned in their books.  That's fair, but Julie Lessman just isn't going to be your girl for your reading choices.  In all honestly, I think maybe her books are best for women who have been married a few years.  It's inspiring to read about couples who still love each other and find each other attractive.  

Katie did fall in and out of "love" a lot.  Or what she thought was love.  But honestly, most girls do!  They date, they fall hard, there's drama and heartbreak and then they learn to move on.  It's a part of many a girl's story and Katie was no different.  She was also learning who she was, coming to Christ and changing her priorities accordingly.  

One last thing...and it main contain spoilers a bit...but probably not...was the way the Collin/Evelyn situation was handled.  Collin (who used to be loose with the ladies) hires a girl he was involved with in the past and starts to spend evenings with her and her very sick son.  This happens so much so that Faith finally gets a call from a neighbor of Evelyn to make sure she knows that Collin is over there most nights.  She didn't.  You know why?  Because Collin wasn't telling her! He went against the advisement of Brady and lied to Faith through omission over and over again with this girl.  He never cheated, and he never even seems attracted to her, but he should have been honest with Faith.  Faith relied on her trust in her husband and her faith in God especially to get her through this uncertain time.  But the way Collin acted was never addressed!  He never apologized, he never admitted that allowing his wife to find out he was spending tons of time at another woman's home through a neighbor instead of himself (like he promised Brady he would) was not ok, and never acknowledges Faith for the gift of trust.  He should have, after that whole mess, promised to set better boundaries...if I were Faith, I'd have a lot of trouble trusting my husband in the future after how shady is was about that whole situation.  

I'm not sure where the author was going with this.  My thoughts were that maybe she was showing what a spouse could do in a situation like this.  Faith would have helped NOTHING by throwing a fit, being mad a Collin or insisting he fire her.  The other thought I had was that it showed Collin had changed.  He was trustworthy around another woman and had learned compassion and to be faithful.  However, he just came off as a liar and jerk to me.  But I'm speaking as a wife.  

Overall, great book, great series, great writing and time well spent in a book!

Happy New Year's Everyone!

Wreath of Snow, Liz Curtis Higgs

Rating 4 out of 5 stars

Meg's life has been be followed by a dark cloud of doom since her brother's accident many years ago.  A chance meeting with the (now grown) man who hurt her brother leads to a path of forgiveness for all. 

Review:
Well, Victorian Scotland.  Do I need to say anymore?  Snow, train stations and old stone churches set the scene for this touching Christmas novella.  I appreciated that even with its short length, the story and characters were well developed and Ms. Higgs managed to paint a beautiful picture of the town and setting.  This would be such a quick and cozy read for a snow day or winter afternoon. 

Love Finds You in Daisy, Oklahoma, Janice Hanna

Rating 4 out of 5 stars.

Rena is 38 and basically an old maid.  She's been living with her brother in Mississippi since her parents died in a house fire when she was 14.  While she loves them, the work she does knitting and sewing for charity just seems like such a small offering.  When Rena becomes aware of a need for a director at a children's home in Oklahoma, she is convinced it's what she's meant to do.  It's in a town called Daisy...and that's her favorite flower.  She quickly writes and accepts the position. 
However, the actual job of caring for 17 rambunctious children is more than she thought it would be.  Not to mention that half the town is convinced that the orphanage should be closed.  Thankfully, she has the support of the local sheriff, a widower who just happens to be kind and pretty good looking.  Can Rena win over these children and get a handle on this orphanage director thing?  And what does she do about the secret love letters showing up occasionally? 

This was a very sweet and fun read.  One unique part was that each chapter begins with "parenting tips" from one of the characters in the story which is something I have not seen before. 
The characters were likable and even the most grouchy softened over time.  I didn't give this five stars because the first 2/3s of the book was just OK.  Fun enough to read but not terribly exciting.  It really did pick up in the last 1/3, however.  I wouldn't read it a second time, but I'm glad to have found it for this once.  It would be a great summer or beach read! 

These Healing Hills, Ann H. Gabhart

Rating 4 out of 5 stars

It's the end of WWII and Francine thought that would mean marrying her high school sweetheart.  However, a letter breaking their engagement and a picture of a pretty English girl circling town puts an end to that plan.  Feeling that she needs a change, Francine signs up for the Frontier Nurse's Corps and heads to Appalachian Kentucky to be a nurse and learn midwifery. While there, she finds herself falling in love with the mountain, her work of "catching babies" and the people.  A good-looking, just returned, medic seems to be showing up in her path quite a lot, also...which is a very good thing considering her inclination to getting lost.
Are these hills Francine's future?  Can people from such different cultures meet in the middle?


Any book set in the Appalachian Mountains is a thrill for me...adding in midwifery (babies!!) and horses just added the icing to the cake. I found myself wishing to head back to eastern KY again this fall for vacation at least once a chapter.  I flew through the first 2/3s then I felt there was a little bit of a lag for a few chapters.  However, it wasn't hard to get back into and I really did enjoy the ending, although it felt just a tad rushed for some reason.  While I won't re-read it most likely, I did enjoy meeting these characters and traveling to the mountains for a bit.  I would read other books by this author, especially if they were in the same setting.  This was a solid read and great for fall!

Holding the Fort, Regina Jennings

Rating 5 out of 5 stars!!!!!

Summary:
Lola Bell, the saloon hall singer, is out of luck.  She's been kicked out of a job for a younger woman, has no parents to speak of and nowhere to go.  A better life sounds like a good idea, but how the heck is she going to find it?  Right before her job is lost, she hears that her brother, a cavalry soldier at Ft. Reno, is in trouble again.  Lola decides she'll go out there, straighten him out and get a job doing whatever they'll hire her to do...laundry, entertaining the troops...whatever.  On the way, she meets a governess on her way to teach the commander's children.  Unfortunately, the governess lady has allergies that are going to make her have to turn back.  Arriving at the fort armed with boxes for the girls, Lola is mistaken as the governess. It seems natural for her performing self to play the role in order to keep an eye on her brother and secure a job.  Will she be able to pull it off?  Will the consequences be terrible?  And what about her handsome employer?  What's she supposed to do with these feelings that seem to be forming within her deception?

Oh my!  I LOVED this book.  Throughout the entire book, I was laughing out loud.  The other soccer moms may have thought I'd lost my mind a little, but the comedy is so genius and would catch me off guard and I just had to laugh. 
If I had to say something I didn't like about this book it would be that the ending seemed a teeny bit unrealistic.  But hey!  We're talking historical romance people...it's not supposed to be exactly like real life.  Otherwise, I loved the comedy, the characters were quirky,, charming and just so loveable (I"m excited to see more of them in the next 2 books!), and the story kept moving forward and there was none of that "middle of the book lag" that I often run into while reading fiction. 

I'm going to go now and reserve the next book at the library...

Happy Reading!

Though Waters Roar, Lynn Austin

Rating 4.5 stars

This.book.was.beautiful.  I don't know how else to describe this winding story that spanned the lives of four strong women.  A great-grandma who fought slavery, a grandma who fought "demon rum", a mother who went from a high society frivolity to fighting for the vote, and the daughter who wanted to be like them all. 
Through this story we visit a farm, a high society house, the civil war and a devestating floor brought on by a dam bursting.  We see characters rise to the occasion and fail, parents disappointing children and come to an understanding of how point of view changes the way one sees another. 
This book was real.  No love story, happy ending, waltz away into flowers, but real life grit, disappointment and triumphs all mingled together. 
Even a "light, fun, happy ending" type reader found this one to be absolutely remarkable.  Thank you, Ms. Austin, for bringing us on such a beautiful journey through this book. 

Stuck Together, Mary Connealy

Rating 4.5 out of 5 stars

Luke hasn't ever had it easy.  From a overbearing, cruel father and addled mother to time in the infamous Andersonville prison during the civil war, he's learned to never let his guard down.  And he's determined not to marry and either turn into his father or pass on what seems to be heredity insanity to any children. 

Tina is pretty sure she's unlovable.  She was left with an aunt who was less than maternal who quickly kicked her out when she found a husband.  Tina went to Texas to live with a brother she hardly knew...and she's pretty sure he doesn't love her all that much either

I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed this book!  In traditional Mary Connealy style, I found myself laughing at the hilarious thoughts of the characters and turning pages as fast as possible through old west gun fights and gun draws.  The characters were so endearing also.  Luke was a man who could handle gunfire and prison breaks but one pretty woman had him spinning.  Tina was somewhat ridiculous while trying to single handedly shut down the town saloon, but was one feisty and hardworking lady as this story went on.  I identified with them both thinking they weren't enough, weren't worth loving...who doesn't sometimes?  But they were and we all are, too! 
I struggled just a bit with keeping the characters strait as it had been awhile since I read book one, and even considered writing them down to refer to, but I'm not exactly known for my good memory so I'm sure it was just me!  That didn't take away anything from the book, however, and I read and enjoyed pretty much every page.  This book would be perfect for anyone who is looking for a light and fun read, who enjoys cowboys and clean, hilarious romance and wants to travel back to the old west for a bit! 

The Mistress of Tall Acre, Laura Frantz

Rating-I don't know...

This book is about 400 pages.  It was just OK until about page 327 (I would have rated it a 3 maybe) when it started to pick up and get exciting (then it would have been a 4.5).  How do I feel about that?  I don't know...that maybe the book could have been about 250 pages and been just as good or better?  Hmm...I seem to either love or be pretty disappointed in Ms. Frantz's books.  My favorite book ever (tied for first at least) is Courting Morrow Little, so I will always read Ms. Frantz's work.  I have to be honest.  Sometimes I wonder if when I read a certain type of book I'm just not in the "mood" for it at that time.  Perhaps another time I would have loved this book?  I guess I just did not feel myself falling in love with these characters the same way I have in her other books or felt the same "heart tug" throughout the book.  But again...maybe it's just me!  I will definitely be reading some lighter fiction next as a palate cleanse before I get back into anything deep again. 

The Outlaw Takes a Bride, Susan Page Davis

Rating 3.75 out of 5

A cowboy who is accused of murder rides out to his brother's ranch to find him recently murdered.  Fear and familial resemblance causes him to take on his brother's identity.  This tangled web gets especially tricky when a mail order bride shows up with the understanding she will be married right off the train.  A friend who seems to be more help than trouble, a wife who thinks she's married to someone else and a gang out outlaws keeps this book moving with excitement and feeling.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book.  Having never read or heard of this author, I worried that it might not be the best.  But CBD had it on sale quite cheap and amazon had good reviews so I decided to give it a try.  I was glad I gave it a shot!

While I would not read this book a second time (most likely), I really did enjoy reading through it.  At first the dialogue was a bit painful, but as the book went on it got so much better.  I was never bored reading this and found myself sneaking away to read more.  Where's mom?  Reading in the bathroom again? 

Chasing the Sky, Tracie Peterson

Rating 3.75 :)

What is a young woman to do?  Hannah is responsible for her small brother and sister, her father is missing/probably dead and a man shows up at their ranch saying he is the rightful owner.  Throw in trouble with local Indians, an unwanted, not to mention pushy and ugly suitor and a unwavering faith in God and you have an exciting story in this first in the Land of the Lone Star series. 

This book did not get the best reviews on Amazon, but I had found it at the library book sale and decided to give it a try.  I'm glad I did!  While it was not the best book ever or anything, I found it very true to Ms. Peterson's style.  Slow and steady with a few swoon worthy scenes mixed it.  There was excitment and characters that I loved and hated.  I may even check out book two at the library. 

One other thing that I enjoy about her books is that I'm always motivated to do more at home.  The author highlights the women's' abilities to cook well for their men and to make their homes look welcoming.  These are not my strong suits and I enjoy some encouragement in that area.  This fact may be one of the reasons I love western and pioneer historical fiction.  What amazing women. 

At the Wood's Edge, Lori Benton

Rating 3.5 stars

A sudden decision changes the lives of many, leaving some to the ruin of guilt and the others to the chains of vengeance. 

I was really excited to get this book in the mail.  Burning Sky, Ms. Benton's first novel, is one of my favorite books ever.  The pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn was also good, but not as good as Burning Sky.  Unfortunately, At the Wood's Edge was my least favorite of the three.  It is not at all that the writing was poor or that that character's lacked depth.  It was that there was a little too much history in this historical fiction for my taste.  Also, my personal preference is that a book deals with a hero and heroine as opposted to many main characters.

The second book in this series is coming out this year and I do hope to read it at some point.  Burning Sky was so good and I really want to love one of Ms. Benton's books like that again. 

Under a Blackberry Moon

Rating 4.5 out of 5 stars

Under a Blackberry Moon takes us about where The Courage of Katie Calloway leaves off, but this time the main focus is on Moon Song, the beautiful Indian mother and widow.  While almost being attacked in Bay City, it is decided that it is the right time for Moon Song to travel home to her people in upper Michigan.  Being confident and competent she plans to head out on foot, but her employer will not hear of it and takes up Skypilot on his offer to accompany her. 
Skypilot is a lumberjack who was once a preacher.  He is a friend of Moon Song and looks at taking her home as an adventure.  However, when the trip turns dangerous he starts to view her in a very new light. 

Have you ever thought that just maybe you don't like reading anymore/  I was feeling that way until i picked up this book.  In just two days i had the book finished and my love of reading restored.  It was fascinating to read about the lives and growth of the character and the culture of the Indian people and the horrid breakdown of their lives and society as they knew it.  If I had to say something that I did not like about this book it might be that I felt that Skypilot did all the work in the relationship, and that Moon Song was more independent than I am used to in a heroine, but it really seemed realistic so I cannot even count it as a con.    Will I read this again/  Probably not, but it was such a fun journey to read this time and so glad that I found it on sale at CBD. 

The Golden Braid, Melanie Dickerson

 
Rating 3.5 out of 5
I am always a bit worried when I try a new genre and especially a new author.  A book review blog I follow had great things to say about Melanie Dickerson, but I was a nervous about reading "grown up" fairy tale books.  Seeing this beautiful cover on the library's self made me want to give it a try, however and I was very pleasantly surprised!  This was quite an enjoyable read and I will certainly read Melanie Dickerson again. 

We all know the story of Rapunzel so I won't give you a summary, but I will say that this story kept me interested the entire way through and was super clean and sweet without being corny or preachy.  Technically this is a YA fiction book, but as an adult I didn't find it immature reading at all.  I highly enjoyed this trip through fairy tale land and it's happily ever after! 

Charity's Cross, MaryLu Tyndall

Rating 5 out of 5
Charity is involved in an accident that kills her husband and she runs in fear. She has spent their marriage enduring horrid abuse and is relieved to be free of him. However, his brother is determined to find her and make her pay for the death of his brother. Charity escapes on a ship and after docking in port realizes her brother in law is after her. She jumps over the side and treated to an unwanted rescued by the handsome, reformed pirate Elias Dutton. He immediately feels responsible for her safety and they set out on an adventure where he must rescue her more than once. Feelings develop along the way, but will the skeletons in Charity's closet keep them from each other?

So once upon a time I read a MaryLu book that I didn't like. It was LONG and I felt like I was constantly waiting for something exciting to happen. Ok, well there was a lot of fighting between ships and things, but basically nothing between the hero and heroine. By the end I was so frustrated I almost didn't read her books anymore. However, I found one on sale and liked it. Then I found another and really liked it. This one was even better, and it is the first five star book I've read in a long time. This book was so much fun to read. I'm kind of a sucker for a damsel and distress and a strong hero with a jaded past. While Charity was in big trouble and needed almost constant rescuing, I did not find her character to be weak or faint. Elias was a little bit bigger than life, but I'm not reading fiction for real life that's for sure! While I have never had too much of an interest in pirates, this whole series (The Charles Towne Belles) is definitely making me see the romanticism of the Caribbean's blue waters, handsome pirates with cutlasses and an exciting life at sea.

A Thousand Shall Fall, Andrea Boeshaar

 
 Rating 4.5 out of 5 Stars

 Carrie Ann is a small but sassy Virginian caught in a tough spot during the civil war.  Her father has gone off to be a journalist for the war, her mother is touched in the head and her sisters are not behaving like ladies.  Not to mention she is living in horrid conditions in an Inn while working there to pay for room and board since their house burned down.  After her little sister runs off with a no account peddler, Carrie Ann dresses up as a Union Solider to go and find her.
She had not gotten far when she finds herself caught up in a tree and meets the dashing Colonel Peyton Collier.  She travels with his company a bit and helps with the wounded until she is placed at the Colonel's home with his spinster Aunt.  A slip of the tongue and Carrie finds herself in a hilarious yet precarious predicament...and falling in love.

This book was an absolute delight to read.  It was funny, fast paced and had a touch of romance, too.  I don't even know how I ended up buying this one.  I think maybe a book reviewer posted that it was free for a short time?  Must have been because now it is 10 dollars on Kindle and I almost never spend that kind of money on a book.  However it happened, I am sure glad I came across this one.  After a string of mediocre books that were hard to even get through, I had begun to lose hope in Christian fiction.  A Thousand Shall Fall has restored my hope!  While I have a list of "to-reads" I hope to read more from this author in the future! 

A Bride for Keeps, Melissa Jaeger

 Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

 How well could a marriage between a girl hurt by men and a man that has been jilted 3 times really go?  Talk about some HUGE trust issues and defensive walls.  I won't give away too much but let's say it led to a happy ending with excitement, tears and character development along the way.  Lately I had almost given up on Christian Romance, but this book I really enjoyed.  I hope to read some more like this!  The characters, setting (Kansas!!) and plot really hooked me. 

A Place in His Heart, Rebecca Dimarino

 














Rating 2.5 out of 5 Stars
 Rating 2.5 out of 5 stars
Mary and Barnabas marry for convenience after the death of Barnabas's beloved first wife, Ann.  While Mary loves him, Barnabe refuses to let himself love her and instead holds onto his late wife's memory with all his power.  Will he ever learn to love her? 

I really did not enjoy this book very much.  The characters were hard for me to get my head around and understand.  The dialogue was almost painful for me to read, but I am giving it the chance that it was just true to the time period.  A lot of the hints about the main character led me to almost believe he was unfaithful, but that wasn't the truth at all...maybe this was just to help me understand how not attentive he was to her feelings?   I really wanted to see what happened in the ending, but was disappointed there, too. 

To Win Her Heart, Karen Witemeyer

 
Rating 3 out of 5 stars

Summary:
Eden is a wealthy and beautiful woman living in Texas.  After being hurt badly in the past by a lying suitor who was only after her inheritance, she decides that the spinster life is for her.  She pours her time into the lending library she has started in her home with her own personal book collection.
Levi is fresh out of jail.  In his past he was a rebellious youth with a taste for fighting.  During one match an opponent was killed and Levi went to jail.  While this would normally be horrible, it led to Levi's salvation and a promise never to fight again.  Now he's in a new town with a fresh start.  But will his past stay...in the past? 
Here comes handsome, strong Levi to town and Miss Eden seems to be rethinking her "no man" decision.  Will Levi pursue her?  What about the nasty town sheriff?  He's interested in Eden and intent on shedding light on Levi's past.  Will the town turn on Levi?  Will Eden be able to trust him?

Review:
I had a hard time getting into this book.  In fact, I almost stopped reading it, but really did want to know what happened.  However, around 75% the story really picked up and I thoroughly enjoyed the last 25%.  This seems to be a theme of mine with Ms. Witemeyer's books.  They just seem too long to me for some reason?  It was a fun, easy read though and I love a happy ending.