Piggy Banks to Paychecks book review: How to teach your kids to understand the value of money

Piggy Banks to Paychecks
Helping kids understand the value of a dollar
By:  Angie Mohr, CA, CMA
Publisher:  Fitzhenry & Whiteside
Publish Date:  3/1/2012 -- available now!

Buy at Amazon (US)

or
Buy at Amazon (Canada)


Many, many years ago, I got my first job.  It was washing dishes at a local restaurant and I remember my mom helping me get my very own checking account at the bank in town where I would go and cash my check, keeping some spending money for lunches and snacks, but keeping most of the money in there for future college expenses.  I felt so grown up being in charge of my own money and paying for my own wants instead of having to ask my parents for money.  It felt like a huge step, at 15, toward what every kid wants at that age:  to be a grown up!

Thank goodness my parents had the good sense to talk to me about money back then.  They cautioned me that you can't write checks for more than you have in your account and not to go MAC card happy and rack up fees that would eat away at what I did have in my account.  I was in charge of my finances and even filed my own tax returns, after mom looked them over, of course.


Piggy Banks to Paychecks is easy to read and I found the conversational tone engaging.  I can remember my eyes glazing over with having to read economics texts back in college, but financial concept discussed in Ms. Mohr's book is very easy to understand and offers suggestions on how we, as parents, can easily and seamlessly incorporate money smarts into our kids' lives without having to sit them down and give them a boring lecture.  There are fun, educational activities listed that parents can use to teach concepts such as compound interest, why and how currency developed, and developing a business plan for a child's business (such as lawn mowing).

What I took away from Piggy Banks to Paychecks is that while I'm doing an OK job of teaching my kids money smarts, there are a few areas where I could be doing a better job of teaching them how ultimately be a responsible adult with some money sense.  Simple things like asking my 10 year old to plan a grocery store trip with a budget in mind and money challenges that encourage frugality and giving to others.  No matter how old your children are, whether they're toddling around or older teens, there is practical advice inside to help your child gain the financial tools they'll need as an adult.

You can't count on schools to teach financial literacy -- we parents have to step up to the plate and make sure that our kids graduate high school with the money smarts that they'll need to get by in life.  

Disclosure:  The author of Piggy Banks to Paychecks, Angie Mohr, provided me with an advanced reader copy to facilitate this review.  Though her book was provided to me at no cost, the opinions herein expressed are my own and I was not required to write a positive review.  I was not compensated for this review, though I do disclose that I am friends with the author. 

If you'd like to purchase a copy for yourself or as a gift to someone else, Piggy Banks to Paychecks is available on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca.

Buy at Amazon (US)

or
Buy at Amazon (Canada)

Book Review: The Maid of Fairbourne Hall by Julie Klassen

Title:  The Maid of Fairbourne Hall

Author:  Julie Klassen

Publisher:  Bethany House

Publish date:  January 12

Available for purchase now

Set in the Regency period, historical fiction fans might enjoy The Maid of Fairbourne Hall's look into the stark differences between being a servant and being a Lady.

In Julie Klassen's The Maid of Fairbourne Hall, Ms. Margaret Macy flees London because she has overheard a conversation between her step father and his nephew directing to secure her by any means possible.  Due to inherit in just a few months' time, Margaret is unwilling to be compromised and forced into a marriage that isn't based on love.  She decides to leave London in disguise and eventually finds herself hired on as a housemaid at Fairbourne Hall, the home of a man whose marriage proposal she rudely refused a few years prior, and his brother, whom she hoped to marry instead. 

As she literally fumbles through learning her job as a housemaid, she comes into contact with Nathaniel Upchurch, the man whose proposal she spurned.  As she edges closer to becoming of age to claim her inheritance, focus is turned toward Fairbourne Hall in her step father's search for her.  Will he give her away to get revenge for her refusal, or will he keep her secret?

The end is neatly tied up and I enjoyed the look at a servant's life.  Most historical fiction books that I read focus on the rich lords and ladies and not on those who are in service to them.   The Maid of Fairbourne Hall had a good pace.  It didn't seem rushed, nor did it seem to drag on painfully slow. There was even a bit of sword play mixed in to the storyline.  If you're a fan of Regency period romance, you may enjoy this romantic story of a woman who valued herself and her virtue enough to flee and not allow her stepfather to manipulate her into a marriage not borne of love.

Disclosure:  A complimentary copy of The Maid of Fairbourne Hall was provided at no cost to me for the purpose of review.  This blog review is not compensated and the opinions are 100% my own.

Kathryn the Grape's Colorful Adventure {book review}

Kathryn the Grape is back in book two of the Kathryn the Grape series.  In Kathryn the Grape's Colorful Adventure Kathryn feels what almost every kid in their life feels:  that their parents love a sibling better than they love them.  She gets sent to her room, where her friend Maggie the magical butterfly comes to the rescue and offers some sage advice... and an adventure! 

Throughout her adventure, Kathryn learns some life lessons and finds her own rainbow inside herself. 

I was actually kind of surprised... it was my 6 year old son who liked this book the best.   Kathryn the Grape would appeal more to girls, I'd think, because she's a girl and there's a bracelet involved in this book. I wouldn't necessarily pick this title out for a boy, but my son enjoyed it.  We read it together once and he has read it to himself a few times since.  I imagine little boys might feel like their parents love their sister more, just like little girls like Kathryn might feel the opposite.  I think he likes the positive message and isn't focused on the girl elements.

The book is upbeat and it has a good message that both boys and girls need to hear every now and then.  Confession:  I actually liked Kathryn the Grape's Colorful Adventure better than the first book in the series!  The authors are really beginning to define the character in this second book and I can't wait to see what Kathryn is up to in the 3rd book,  

Kathryn the Grape's Colorful Adventure can be purchased at the Kathryn the Grape website for $16.99.  It's also available at Amazon.com as a hardcover and Kindle e-book.  KTG books are also available on nook.


Disclosure:  The authors provided me with a copy of this book for the sole purpose of review.  This blog post is uncompensated and the opinions are my own or related to my family's experience with this book.  Please visit www.kathrynthegrape.com for more information about Kathryn, her books, the authors, and more.

{book review} 'The Doctor's Lady', by Jody Hedlund - Hard to put down

I love historical fiction and truth be told, I'd rather read it than contemporary romances if given the choice.  There's just something about the past that's so foreign and new, as odd as that may seem.  Perhaps I enjoy historical fiction so much because I love history in general and love to imagine how life would be back then before smart phones, electricity, and indoor plumbing.  Recently, Bethany House Publishers sent a list of books that were available to review and Jody Hedlund's The Doctor's Lady jumped right out at me.  I was pleased as punch when it arrived late last week and packed it to take with me on an overnight trip, leaving another book I was reading languishing instead.

I read the bulk of The Doctor's Lady on a lazy Sunday afternoon, curled up in my bed with my heating pad and an achy back.  It was a cozy read and one that I felt immediately drawn into.  The story begins with the heroine, Priscilla White, waiting on news from the Mission Board because she desperately wanted to go to India to spread the Gospel as a missionary.  Unfortunately, the Mission Board refused her request because she is unmarried.  Due to a medical condition, she has chosen not to marry, and is devastated to be denied her dream of being a missionary.

Enter our hero, a doctor, Eli Ernest, who wants to be a missionary too and is also denied due to his marital status.  He doesn't want to marry either, but the two decide on a marriage of convenience so that they can both fulfill their dreams of being a missionary.  They then begin a long, arduous journey to Oregon to minister to the Indians there.  Throughout the book, they face many dangers together and find themselves not minding each others' company after all.  What will it take to finally make these two break down and agree that they were meant to live as a normal husband and wife?

I connected with the characters in this book.  I can only hope I would have been as strong as Priscilla was with all that she faced on her journey west. 

My thanks to Bethany House Publishers for providing a review copy of Jody Hedlund's The Doctor's Lady at no cost to me for the purpose of review.  No compensation was provided to me for making this blog post.


Note:  This post does contain an Amazon Affiliate link (the image) and shopping through that link may benefit me.  This book sells for approximately $10 on Amazon.com.

Glow Crazy Distance Doodler and Glow Crazy Glow to Go: Great Glow-In-The-Dark Fun For Kids! {Review and Giveaway}

Want to have some glow-in-the-dark fun with your kids?  Glow Crazy Distance Doodler is a great choice for some fun family time... in the dark!  One thing I loved about these products is that they're not messy.  I hate messy toys with a passion!  I don't have to worry about anything leaking or melting in my car (in reference to the Glow to Go product).  They remind me of the Aquadoodle we once had, but without the mess of water or the wait to have the canvas dry before doodling some more.

Glow Crazy Distance Doodler:  The Glow Crazy Distance Doodler was something that my youngest enjoyed very much.  How it works:   You hang the reusable GlowClings on your wall (doesn't harm your wall) and use the Light wand to draw.  The GlowClings can also be cut into different shapes if you wanted to get creative with an easel for your child's glow-in-the dark art.  My son also enjoyed the stencil sheets that came with the Glow Crazy Distance Doodler.  What made this toy so much fun was that you could doodle from up to 10 feet away.  I can easily see us hanging a GlowCling on our child's ceiling instead of a regular wall, but I imagine I'll be confiscating the Magic Lightwand if he has too much fun and won't go to sleep.

Glow Crazy's Distance Doodler is for ages 6 and up.  

Tip:  Stencils make the Distance Doodler lots of fun.  Check out the Christian stencils on the GlowCrazy Facebook page.  Their first line of Christian stencils is a Noah's Ark theme.  Their second line, which launches on September 15, will include Christian symbols -- a loaf of bread, fish, and boat.

Glow Crazy Glow to Go:  This toy was the glow-in-the-dark choice of my 10 year old daughter.  What made the Glow to Go so much fun for her was that it was something that she could hold in her lap to doodle with in the car.  The handles make it so easy to carry too.  We took the Glow to Go with us on a trip back home to PA and my kids fought over it in the back seat.  Parents, save yourself the hassle and buy two!  What I liked about it was that though it glows in the dark, it didn't put off enough light to distract a driver or other passengers.  The kiddos can play tic, tac, toe in the dark or draw quietly in the dark.

Glow Crazy Glow to Go is for ages 3 and up.

Tip:  Use the wide beam to help the Glow Crazy canvas fade faster so that you can draw again.  Your glow doodlings will last about 3 minutes in the dark! 

Doodle of my 10 year old on Glow Crazy Distance Doodler

Buy it!  The Distance Doodler is available at the Glow Crazy website. By ordering direct from Glow Crazy, you can receive an exclusive free bonus pack with your order that includes 1 Light writer, 5 canvas wallclings and 4 stencils for free (you just pay $5.95 p&h).


Giveaway:  Win your own Glow Crazy Distance Doodler!  Distance Doodler toy includes:  1 dual-action Magic Lightwand, 2 Jumbo Wall Clings (12" x 30" each), 4 stencil sheets, and a fun tip booklet that will help you get the most fun out of your prize.


Glow Crazy has generously offered one lucky winner a Glow Crazy Distance Doodler of their very own. (ARV: $24.99)  This giveaway will run through 9/25/2011 at 11:59 PM with the winner being selected via Random.org on or about 9/26/2011.  Winner will have 48 hours to respond back to a request for shipping information.  If winner does not respond within that time frame, a different winner will be chosen.  Therefore, it is imperative that you leave an email address for me to reach you should you win.  Suggestion:  Leave an email in your mandatory comment or ensure that your Blogger profile is set to public so I can view it. This giveaway is limited to U.S. residents 18 and older.


Mandatory Entry:   Visit Glow Crazy's website and then come back and tell me something you learned while you were there. You must do this entry for the extra entries to be valid.

Extra Entries:  Each action is worth one extra entry.  Leave a separate comment for each action you complete.  If tweeting/Facebook sharing daily, you must leave a separate comment for each daily share.  If you already liked/follow/subscribe, just leave a comment saying so because it counts.

• Like GlowCrazy on Facebook

• Follow GlowCrazy on Twitter

• Watch this YouTube video and them come back and tell me which fun activity highlighted is something you'd do with the Glow Crazy Distance Doodler if you won.

• Like Making Ends Meet on Facebook

• Subscribe/be subscribed to Making Ends Meet via email (Right side bar - be sure to confirm your subscription via the Feedburner link within the email that's sent.)

• Become/Already be my Google Friend (right side bar)

• Share this giveaway with your friends on Facebook.  Please leave a link to your post.  You can do this extra entry daily.

• Tweet this giveaway out via Twitter.   Please leave a link to your tweet.  You can do this extra entry daily.  Sample tweet:  Enter to win an @GlowCrazy Distance Doodler, a super fun glow-in-the-dark toy at Making Ends Meet!  http://ow.ly/6tDho  #giveaway #toys  

• Like Blog POP! on Facebook so you'll be in the know with all the latest on our upcoming 'Christmas Wishes' blog event in November. 

GOOD LUCK TO ALL!  PLEASE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL OF THE EXTRA ENTRIES THAT YOU CAN TO INCREASE YOUR CHANCE OF WINNING.  TWEETING/SHARING DAILY IS AN EASY WAY TO BOOST YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.

Disclosure:  Many thanks to Glow Crazy for the opportunity to review these Glow Crazy products.  My kids truly fought over them.  These products were provided to me at no cost to me; however, this did not affect my opinion.  The opinions expressed are 100% my own or are based upon my family's experience with the product.  

World's Best Origami book review and giveaway!

World's Best Origami
by:  Nick Robinson

ISBN: 9781615640539, Alpha Books
Published: November 2010
Retail price:  $19.95 hardcover
$9.99 in ebook format


When I received World's Best Origami, I never expected my children to swipe the book before I even got a chance to crack the cover.  My children had gotten a taste for origami last summer at Vacation Bible School, where we made doves to represent the Holy Spirit. To be quite honest, I wasn't confident in my origami skills and begged my husband to take some personal time off from work to assist me with helping 40 kids fold their papers into glorious representations of the Holy Spirit.  


The main reason I begged him to help me was because I couldn't follow the diagram of the origami model I had found online.  It took me a long time to fold my paper to look like the diagram and even longer to have my dove look beautifully folded.  That is one thing that is so nice about World's Best Origami is that the diagrams are easy to follow.  It even says things like "this is how your model should look" meaning if it doesn't look exactly like that, you did something wrong!  Finally an origami book for paper folding dummies like me.


I also like the way World's Best Origami is organized.  Each chapter is divided into items that you can fold.  For instance, Chapter 4 shows how to fold various flowers and Chapter 6 deals with containers.  The whole first chapter is devoted to how to fold and what various symbols mean while reading diagrams.  Don't skip the first chapter!  You'll be lost and you want to be sure that you are following the directions correctly.  There's even an index in the back if you are looking for a specific origami model to fold for a project.


Another convenient aspect of the book is that you can choose origami diagrams based upon difficulty.  Of course, as you fold through the models, you gain skills that only build upon each other for more difficult models later.  


My husband and kids made a water lily.  Even my 5 year old!  They really enjoy origami and I love that this book provides so many different models to fold.  It is an educational boredom buster on a rainy or snowy day.  There's a Difficulty 5 Angel that I think would be fun to try to fold.  I'm sure she'd look beautiful on our tree. 

Buy it:  World's Best Origami is available via Penguin Group USA's website for $19.95 hardcover and $9.99 ebook (Epub or Adobe  Reader).


Win It:  Want to win a copy of World's Best Origami by Nick Robinson?  I know you do!  This contest will run through January 1, 2011 at 11:59 PM and the winner will be chosen via Random.org on January 2.  Open to US residents only who are 18 or older.   Winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email asking for shipping information.  If winner does not respond within that time frame, I will have to choose a different winner.  Shipping will be the responsibility of the sponsor. 


Mandatory Entry:  Tell me if you are an origami folding pro or if you are a novice like me.  Leave a comment indicating your paper folding abilities.  You must complete this entry for extra entries to count and you must either leave your email or let me know that your email is available in your Blogger profile.  I can't contact you if I can't find you!


Extra entries:  There are four ways to get extra entries - 1 entry each action.  Please leave a comment for each entry.

• Visit Nick Robinson's website and come back and tell me something you learned about the author.  

•  Follow me via Twitter (right side bar) and tweet about this contest.

• Follow me via Google Friend Connect (right side bar)

• Subscribe via email (right side bar)

If you already follow or subscribe, just let me know in a comment.   Please share this contest since this book would be a great resource for a teacher or homeschooler.



Disclosure:  I was provided with a complimentary copy of World's Best Origami by Nick Robinson for the purposes of review.  I was not compensated for this blog post.  The opinions are 100% my own or are derived from my family's experience with this book. 

Kathryn the Grape Just Like Magic Book Review #kathrynthegrape

Authors: Kathryn Cloward and Jody Duhamel

Illustrated by: Christine Winscott

Kandon Publishing 

Hardcover, 40 pages

Website: www.kathrynthegrape.com

My thanks to author, Kathryn Cloward, who provided a copy of Kathryn the Grape Just Like Magic to me for review purposes.

Last week, I received a very purple book to review. Kathryn the Grape Just Like Magic is the first of a planned series of books that will teach life lessons to children.  In this book, we are introduced to Kathryn and her magical butterfly friend, Maggie. We follow her as she deals with events that school-aged kids might encounter.

My thoughts: I read this book twice, once by myself and once with both of my children, ages 5 and 9.  In this book, Kathryn attends a new school.  She's nervous, but makes friends quickly with a little help from her friend Maggie and her magic wand.

Kathryn learns that her magic can only be used for good, since it doesn't work when she wishes bad things on people.  I liked the positive message that you should only wish good things on people.  In the end, she also learns that everyone is magical, not just her.  The book also reveals how she got the nickname of Kathryn the Grape!  Be sure to visit the website to learn the back story for this true-to-life nickname.

My kids liked this book too.  My 9 year old liked it because it was all purple!  She identified with the main character because her gym teacher gave her a nickname back in Kindergarten --- Sara Pancake House, which is after the Aunt Sarah's Pancake House chain that has a presence here in Virginia.  My 5 year old said he liked the book too.  I think he identified with her fear of under-the-bed monsters.  Let's hope he waves his magic wand to make them go "poof!" instead of paying me a midnight visit with a frantic, "I'm scared!"

Overall, we liked the book very much and can't wait to see what Kathryn the Grape is up to next.  The next book is due out mid-2011.  I also loved the charity aspect.  $1.00 from every book sold through KathryntheGrape.com is donated to charity via the Kathryn the Grape Foundation. This book is also available at other booksellers, including Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com.

Love the book?  Connect with the authors via Twitter or Facebook.


Disclosure:  I received an autographed copy of Kathryn the Grape Just Like Magic at no cost to me for review purposes.  Though this book was provided to me for free, the opinions stated herein are 100% my own.  I have linked to the author's store above and I will not receive compensation for any purchases made through that link.

Mission:Explore book review: 102 missions to explore your world

I was recently given the opportunity to review Mission:Explore, by The Geography Collective and illustrated by Tom Morgan-Jones.  Mission:Explore is geared toward the 9-12 age group and contains 102 missions to help them explore the world around them.  Want to see some of the missions?  Check out Mission:Explore's Flickr photos.


My Take on this book:

I read through this book and found it to contain many great adventures.  Some suggested missions were silly (such as having a conversation with a cow) and some sounded like a lot of fun and would require physical exertion (not a bad thing).  The whole idea of this book is to get kids interested in the world around them --- the outside world.  Not the one in their video game.  Mission:Explore is engaging in that several missions suggest online activity (ie: interaction with websites or twitter) and that might be a turn off to some parents.  I think, though, done with parental supervision and knowledge, sharing mission information can add another dimension to the whole adventure.  After all, our world has a long history of explorers who couldn't wait to return to their homeland and share all of their adventures (not to mention spices and gold) with their family and friends.

Another thing I want to note briefly is that this is a British book.  Therefore, there are some words and phrases that may appear unfamiliar.  For instance, "zebra crossing" is a crosswalk (unless you happen to live where zebras live and they indeed have a crossing....)  However, I do want to also point out that this in itself doesn't detract from the book.  These British words and phrases were used contextually enough to get their meaning.  Part of all good explorations is the ability to follow directions and sometimes exploration might require a little research.  If they need to look up a word or a phrase's meaning, that is just part of the adventure!

Safety:  Mission:Explore priority number 1

Mission:Explore is written by a team.  This team includes a doctor and there is a kid-friendly first aid section in the back of the book.  Aside from that, the book is also very careful to weave warnings into the missions such as asking permission from land owners before entering, not doing anything unsafe, being mindful of traffic, strangers, etc.  Therefore, the book doesn't advocate exploring willy-nilly.  The book urges safety and caution, while still providing fun and exciting missions for the young explorer to complete.

A very nice feature is that there is lots of space throughout the book to record observations, draw maps or write detailed mission reports.  It is guided exploration and encourages kids to use their powers of observation to complete mission tasks.  If the mission is to meet the neighbors, then they are asked to include details about where they are from and what they like to do in their mission notes. In this sense, it acts like a journal of missions completed.  It is meant to be written in and well-loved. 

Buy it in Paperback!

This book is meant to be taken with the child on their missions, therefore, it comes as a paper back.  It's only 4 ounces shipping weight, so it is very light to carry on grand adventures. Mission:Explore is available at Barnes and Noble for $12.99 or can be purchased slightly cheaper if you purchase it online.  This book would make a nice birthday gift or Christmas present for the young explorer in your life.  It would also be a good book to give a child at the beginning of summer when you start to hear those infamous words, "I'm bored.  There's nothing to do!"


Disclosure:  I evaluated a digital copy of Mission:Explore. Access to the digital copy was provided at no cost to me for the purposes of facilitating this review.  I was not compensated for this review and the opinions stated herein are 100% my own.  None of the links provided in the body of the text above are affiliate links that would provide me with a material benefit, but are instead included to provide links to information relative to the book reviewed herein.

Tamera Alexander's Within My Heart (book review)

Bethany House provided me with a review copy of Tamera Alexander's new novel, Within My Heart, which published in September. 

Within My Heart begins with a chilling prologue that won't make sense until much later, but will be significant much later in the book... don't skip it!

We are introduced to Rachel, a widow with two young boys.  She was in love with her husband, who met his demise two years prior.  She is doing the best that she can to keep her husband's ranch going, but finds herself in over her head when it comes to animal husbandry.  She tolerates the town doctor, Rand Brookston, and learns to like him more as the story unfolds when he comes to her rescue more than once and also provides care to a very close friend of hers. 

They butt heads a bit.  She has him pegged as a pompous doctor, just like her dad, and poor Rand keeps finding ways to stick his foot in his mouth to seemingly prove her opinions about him right.  However, as they work closely together to provide care for an ailing friend, she learns to see him for what he truly is  - that is, nothing like her father - and finds herself falling for the young doctor.

My Take:

I really loved this book.  In fact, I spent a whole Sunday reading Within My Heart from cover to cover.  I was introduced to this book via the author's website, when she was asking for reviewers. She had included an excerpt and I knew once I had finished it that I would definitely fall in love with the characters.

Rachel is everything I would hope to be if I had lived in the West after the Civil War.  A pioneer woman of sorts, hard working and extremely driven.  Rachel was also deeply in love with her husband and missed him terribly as she tried to keep putting one foot in front of the other, with her eyes on the prize and doing whatever she needed to do to make the ranch - her husband's legacy - thrive.  She accepted setbacks that came along, but kept the hope alive by finding unique solutions to the problems that plagued her ranch.  She is extremely proud and that is something that I could identify with.  She never wanted to feel that she owed somebody anything.  She paid her debts and then some.  Sometimes her pride would get in the way of better judgment - something that I am guilty of at times.  In short, I saw a lot of myself in her.

Rand Brookston, the town doctor, was a nice match for Rachel.  He has his own demons chasing him and in reality, they are both the same.  They put on a brave public front while being haunted by the past.  Yet, they persevere.  He was really a good match for Rachel because he complemented her so well.  She was the town healer before he came to town and made a great help mate to him when he needed a surgical assistant.  She understood his lifestyle because she once lived it since her father was a doctor.  She would make the perfect wife for him if she could get past her feelings toward doctors in general, having painted them all - Rand included - with a wide brush.

Within My Heart is the third book in the Timber Ridge series.  I haven't read the first two books, but I can only imagine that they are just as good or better than Within My Heart.  The story did touch on two other figures, whom I imagine were from the previous books.  However, I like that this book stood easily on its own.  Referencing past books is a nice way to let a reader know that they might enjoy reading a previous book, while not hinging the book upon knowledge that a reader who picked up the series late wouldn't be privy to.   Going back and reading the the first two books would only enhance Within My Heart, while in reality they were not required reading to enjoy this book.

Overall, I loved the book and enjoyed the characters immensely.  When I finished, I felt like there was room for the author to write another book instead of stopping at three.  I could easily see her writing a new love story, one involving a newcomer to town and a recently widowed shopkeeper...

Disclosure:  I received a copy of Within My Heart at no cost to me, courtesy of Bethany House.  Though the book was provided to me at no cost, the opinions stated herein are 100% my own.  If you are interested in reading more about this book, please click here.

Love's First Bloom by Delia Parr (book review)

If you knew me IRL, you'd probably pick up on my love of historical fiction.  I have always loved history and historical romances combine both history and passion, an unbeatable mix!  I was fortunate to have received a copy of Delia Parr's new novel, Love's First Bloom, from Bethany House to review.

The story begins with Ruth, who flees New York City at the insistence of her father.  A scandal is brewing and he is going to be tried for murder.  He wants her, and a little girl named Lily, as far away as possible.  He ships her off to Tom's River, New Jersey, where she is taken in by a loving couple.  She lives there under a double alias, first as a former prostitute to her caretakers and secondly as a widow with a child to the townsfolk.

Ruth finds some solace in a nearby garden, but must interact with it's injured owner, Jake Spencer, who is really newspaperman sent to find her.  Exposing Ruth would mean Jake could be reunited with his brother and rejoin their newspaper honorably.  Falling in love with her was unexpected and now leaves Jake torn between two futures:  life with Ruth if she'll have him or redemption as a reporter.

My Take:

Love's First Bloom took a while to get into.  I just didn't feel the "can't put the book" down feeling with this novel.  I liked Ruth's character well enough and felt like I was given enough back story to make her feel whole.  I found her character to be very believable and endearing.

With Jake Spencer's character, I didn't like him nearly as much.  As a disguise, he fakes an injured back.  This got old.  I wish that the author would have cured him half way through or at least not given him such a severe fake injury.  I think it impeded the love story, though it made for good drama when he finally came clean.

Bethany House does publish Christian romances, of which this is one.  What I liked about Love's First Bloom was that while there was religion, it was very light.  The author wove it into the story quite well, and didn't make you feel that it was just shoved into the story line because Ruth happened to be a daughter of a man of the cloth.  There were even a few scenes that I wept with Ruth as I felt her pain of loss and frustration.

The mystery of the secret of the box was not one that I expected, yet was very fitting.  I like to be surprised and not have guessed the mystery half way through.  It also wasn't hokey or "Scooby Doo-ish" the way it was revealed.

Overall, I liked the book and it is worth hanging in there despite the slow start.  Please visit Bethany House's website to learn more about Love's First Bloom.

Disclosure:  I received a copy of Love's First Bloom at no cost to me, courtesy of Bethany House.  Though the book was provided to me at no cost, the opinions stated herein are 100% my own.