Delighting in Your Company by Blair McDowell

Greetings!  Dead Memories by Angela Marsons is out today.  It is the tenth DI Kim Stone Crime Thriller.  They are wonderfully fast paced suspense novels.  When You Are Near by Tracie Peterson comes out on March 5.  It is the first book in the Brookstone Brides series. 

Delighting in Your Company is the latest novel by Blair McDowell.  Amalie Ansett has just gone through a rough divorce and was forced to sell her family home.  She is cleaning out her mother’s sewing room when Amalie comes across an unopened letter from Josephina Ansett from St. Clements Island.  Amalie contacts Josephina and arranges to visit.  Amalie is taken with the island and her newly found relation, Josephina.  One day Amalie notices a man dressed in old fashioned garb whistling as he walks along the beach and stops to chat with him.  Josephina shares the family history with Amalie who is surprised to discover that she looks just like a two hundred year old ancestor, Amalie Ansett Benstone who has an intriguing history.  Curious to know more about her forebearer, Amalie digs through the local historical society archives.  A slave ledger provides Amalie with a vivid dream and the discovery that Jonathan is a ghost.  Jonathan was to marry the original Amalie, but a terrible tragedy happened.  To help Jonathan, Amalie must go back in time to 1810.  Amalie will need to use what she has learned from the archives and Jonathan.  Is it possible for Amalie to change to past?

Delighting in Your Company in an intriguing paranormal romance.  The book begins with Amalia in Los Angeles and then travel with her to St. Clements Island.  The story fluctuates between the present and the past.  Jonathan’s story unfolds and then we have Amalia traveling back in time with him.  There was some repetition as Amalia traveled back to fix the past.  She had to learn from her mistakes (reminded me of a recent episode of The Flash).  I like Blair McDowell’s conversational writing style.  It has an ease to it that helped me to become immersed in the story.  The author did her research for this tale.  We get to experience life on this remote island in the early 1800s where sugar plantations thrived thanks to slave’s hard work (unfortunately).  Slaves were sold on the island and some owners did not treat them properly.  Women were also treated as property and they had few rights.  I like how we get to see the past from a modern woman’s perspective.  Delighting in Your Company held my attention as this emotive story played out.  I kept wanting to find out what would happen next.  I admit that I was not a fan of the descriptive steamy intimate scenes (they took the novel in a different direction).  Delighting in Your Company gets more stimulating as the story progresses.   I appreciated the author’s epilogue that wrapped up the various storylines.  I am giving Delighting in Your Company 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it).  Delighting in Your Company has romance, mystery, history, a ghost, time travel, tropical island, desire, and lovely characters.

Blair McDowell has also written Where Lemons Bloom, Romantic Road, The The Memory of Roses, and Fatal Charm.  Tomorrow I will be a part of the Celebrate Lit Tour featuring Ladies of Intrigue by Michelle Griep.  Three 19th Century romance novels in one book. I will be sharing my review and they are hosting a giveaway.  I hope you will join me.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris
The Avid Reader

Courage of the Shipyard Girls by Nancy Revell

Greetings!  A Sister's Sorrow by Kitty Neale and Courage of the Shipyard Girls by Nancy Revell  are out today.  Chocolate Cream Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke will be available on February 26 (find out what happens next in the Hannah Swensen and Ross saga).  Broken Bone China by Laura Childs releases on March 5 with Silent Night by Danielle Steel.  

Courage of the Shipyard Girls by Nancy Revell has readers revisiting Sunderland in 1942.  Polly Elliot has just received a letter that her fiancé, Tommy Watts is missing in action.  Polly will be relying on her friends and family to get her through the uncertain days ahead.  Rosie is worried about her new husband, Peter who is currently on assignment in France.  Her sister, Charlotte is causing trouble at her expensive boarding school because she wants to live with Rosie.  Rosie, though, is worried that Charlotte would find out about her night job.  Gloria is raising her daughter, Hope on her own since Jack Crawford was forced away to Scotland.  Thankfully, they can keep in touch through letters and phone calls.  Helen Crawford has not heard from Jack which has led to her current predicament.  Helen has been spending time with Gloria and Hope.  The tough shipyard manager needs guidance and Gloria is the one person who can provide it.  Angie and Dorothy are getting an opportunity to have their own flat thanks to Rosie’s friend, George.  Getting them away from their families help alleviate some of the leverage Miriam Crawford holds over the welders.  The shipyard girls are going to need each other to get through the rest of the war and the devastation that lies ahead.

 

Courage of the Shipyard Girls is the sixth novel in The Shipyard Girls series.  You do need to read the books in this series in order.  Otherwise, you will not have the characters backstories.  I thought Courage of the Shipyard Girls was well-written with charming characters.  I always look forward to each new adventure with the shipyard girls.  We have been with the ladies since they first joined the work force at J.L. Thompson & Sons.  I have enjoyed watching these ladies grow as individuals and with their friendship over the last six books.  Polly, Helen, Rosie and Gloria are the featured characters in Courage of the Shipyard Girls.  The other ladies are present, but they are not as prominently featured.  Angie and Dorothy provide comic relief as always.  The story progresses at a nice steady clip as we delve into the characters lives.  You never know what will happen next in these ladies lives especially with Miriam thrown into the mix.  I certainly hope she gets her comeuppance.  Courage of the Shipyard Girls is an emotional and realistic novel.  Nancy Revell has captured what it felt like for these people to be at home, working hard while the men are off fighting.  The bombings that took place, working hard to make and repair ships, rationing of food and clothing, blackouts, children sent away from areas that are being bombarded by the Germans are some of the elements featured in the books.  I especially like how the ladies are always there for each other.  They are going to need each other if they are to have the courage to carry on and survive the war.  Admirers of The Shipyard Girls series will enjoy how the story ends (I could not read fast enough) and we get a glimpse of what is to occur in the next book in The Shipyard Girls series. 

I hope I have helped you find a new book to read.  I will be sharing my thoughts on Delighting in Your Company by Blair McDowell tomorrow.  I am off to change out our kitchen faucet.  It has decided to start leaking (seems a trend in my home).  Wish me luck (I will need it).  I hope you have a splendid day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris
The Avid Reader

The Street of Broken Dreams by Tania Crosse

Good Day!  Tania Crosse always dreamed of writing historical novels and now it has come true.  Tania has written a series of books based on her beloved Dartmoor and is now setting her stories in London and the south east.  Readers can connect with Tania Crosse on Facebook and Twitter (@TaniaCrosse).

My Thoughts

The Street of Broken Dreams by Tania Crosse takes us back in time to 1945 in London.  Eva Parker is considered the matriarch of Banbury Street and is always the first person to greet newcomers.  Eva is married to Stan and they have six children.  Currently only Mildred and Jake are living at home.  Bridie and Ron Creswell are moving into 12 Banbury Street with their three children:  Cissie, Zac and baby Jane.  Cissie is a dancer who works with the Romaine Theater Company to entertain civilians during the war.  She is currently recovering from an ankle injury, but it is obvious that something else is bothering her.  One night in May of 1944 destroyed Cissie and she has not found a way to move forward.  The family is hoping the move to Banbury Street will provide a new start.  Mildred Parker is engaged to Gary who is currently fighting in the pacific.  She works as a bus conductress where she meets Oscar Miles.  Mildred begins to have doubts about committing herself to a man she barely knows.  Eva keeps watch over her children and the other people on the lane.  She offers guidance and comfort to those who need it.  When Cissie is offered an opportunity to get justice, she seeks out Eva’s counsel.  Mildred is faced with an impossible choice.  Eva will support her daughter’s decision, but Mildred will have to live with the consequences.  World War II is drawing to a close, but the effects will last for many years to come.

 

The Street of Broken Dreams is the second installment in Banbury Street Series.  I do recommend reading The Candle Factory Girl before embarking on The Street of Broken Dreams.  Provides good background on Price’s.  I thought The Street of Broken Dreams was well-written with steady pacing.  The transitions between storylines was smooth.  I do want to let readers know that the book has a disconcerting beginning.  It is a necessary scene, but it is unsettling with the violence.  There are great characters in the story beginning with Eva Parker who has a big heart.  Mildred became engaged to Gary at the beginning of the war.  It was hasty and they hardly knew each other.  Cissie loves to dance and, after a terrifying night, it is the only thing that brings her relief.  Jake Parker is a thoughtful, caring young man who is smitten with Cissie.  He can see that she will need time to heal and he is willing to wait.  I found that Tania Crosse captured this period in time especially with the attitudes and emotions of the people.  England had been at war much long than the United States.  They had been suffering with severe food shortages.  Rationing was strict and it was a complex system (ration coupons, points).   The Street of Broken Dreams is an emotional novel that takes us through the end of World War II.  I like that we get to see the war through a civilian’s perspective.  I appreciated the reillumination of Big Ben was included as well as people crowding around Buckingham Palace when the end of the war was announced.  People wanted to see the King, Queen, Princesses and the Prime Minister.  I liked the epilogue that takes us six years later and gives readers a satisfying ending to the story.  Come along to Banbury Street in The Street of Broken Dreams to join Mildred Parker and Cissie Creswell on their journeys. 

Extract

May 1944

She stared up, motionless, at the dark, cold arc of the sky. A dead, three-quarter moon struggled overhead, peering between banks of grey mocking cloud and spilling its liquid silver glow over the bomb site. She couldn’t move, pinned by shock to the rubbled ground and broken bricks beneath her, eyes trained on the ether that hovered above, every detail searing into her memory forever. 

That stretch of her nightly journey home always made her stomach clench with uneasiness. Five minutes’ walk from where she got off the last bus, she turned down the long street that was no longer a street. Once upon a time, it had been a continuous terrace where people and families had lived and played, a pleasant, tree-lined road opposite a small London park. But since the bombs had come, it was an empty void, the site only partially cleared, tottering walls propped up to make them safe until the bulldozers moved in. The burned-out beams were like black skeletons against the sky, and in the darkness, the ruins were but a tangle of shadows where writhed the ghosts of those who had perished in the blasts.

Tonight, though, had been different. The wondrous reverie that swirled in her head had been but mildly interrupted by the kerfuffle as she’d waited on the platform at the back of the bus. As it drew to a halt at her stop, a large figure had crashed down the stairs from the upper deck. It had landed in a heap by her feet. In the gloom of the blackout, she’d just been able to distinguish the shape of an American forage cap. And by the smell of alcohol that wafted around the fellow, he’d clearly had far too much to drink.  ‘Sorry, ma’am.’ An instant later, the silhouette of a second GI had followed down the stairs and hauled his inebriated compatriot to his feet.

‘Best get him home, sonny,’ the bus conductor, an older man, had said with a mixture of disgust and sympathy. ‘Best thing’s vinegar and a raw egg – if yer can find such a thing,’ he ended with a grimace.  The girl had waited while the sober GI dragged his companion onto the pavement before stepping down off the platform herself. While they staggered away down the road, she’d paused to let her eyes focus in the darkness. She’d tipped her head skyward and a beam of moonlight had fallen across her face as the clouds parted for a brief moment. At least it wasn’t utterly pitch-dark and she should be able to grope her way along the familiar route home without any trouble.

‘Hey, little lady, d’ya want a ciggie?’  The lurching voice at her elbow had made her jump. She’d known who it was before she’d even turned her head. The gust of cigarette breath laced with beer and whisky fumes had fanned her nostrils, and she’d pulled back with a shudder.  ‘Put that out!’ she’d retorted as he’d waved a lit cigarette in front of her. ‘That’s all it’d take if there was a bomber overhead.’

‘But there ain’t no bombers—’  ‘Yeah, give me that.’ The other soldier had suddenly appeared and, easily grabbing the little white stick with its glowing tip from his friend’s hand, had ground it out under his foot. ‘My apologies again, miss. He gave us the slip. Come on, Chuck. Let’s get ya back.’

The second chap’s voice was deep and sonorous, and the girl couldn’t quite make out his accent. It was American, yes, but there was something else mixed in with it. Casting a quick, disdainful glance in his direction, she got the impression in the glimmer of moonlight that he was dark-skinned. Ah, that might explain it. There were plenty of black GIs in the US Army, after all.

But she wasn’t going to hang around to find out if she was right. She’d set off down the road, rolling her eyes in annoyance as she heard the drunk GI’s voice raised in protest.  ‘But look at her! She’s a little beauty. And she’s got spunk. Ya saw her face in the moonlight. Ain’t she the prettiest thing ya’ve seen all night?’

‘I’m surprised ya can see anything at all, ya’re so pie-eyed. Time to sleep it off, I reckon. Now, come on!’

The sober Yank had grunted in exasperation, and when the girl dared to risk a furtive look over her shoulder, she saw he was half dragging his stumbling pal away – thankfully in the opposite direction. Well, that was a relief! Within moments, she’d forgotten all about the incident as she’d made her way through the unlit streets, and she slid back deliciously into the glorious fantasy. It hadn’t been a fantasy, though, had it? It had been real.

The Street of Broken Dreams is available on Amazon, Kobo, Google Play, and iBooks.  The Candle Factory Girl is available on Kindle Unlimited on Amazon (great program).  Thank you for visiting today.  Please take the time to visit the other stops on The Street of Broken Dreams Blog Tour (schedule below).  I will be sharing my thoughts on Courage of the Shipyard Girls by Nancy Revell tomorrow.  It is the sixth novel in The Shipyard Girls Series.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

The Sky Above Us by Sarah Sundin

Welcome!  Leave No Scone Unturned by Denise Swanson releases on March 26 with The Hidden Corpse by Debra Sennefelder.  Mother's Day Mayhem by Lynn Cahoon comes out on April 2.  The Patient One by Shelley Shepard Gray will be available on April 9.  So many delightful new books! 

The Sky Above Us by Sarah Sundin transports readers to October of 1943.  Lt. Adler Paxton is shipping to England with the 357^th Fighter Group.  He is ashamed of what he did three years prior and is estranged from his family in Texas.  Adler is determined to become an ace pilot, but his commanding officer has other ideas.  If Adler is to have the business he dreams of after the war, he needs to become a flying ace.  Maybe God has other plans for this flyer.  Violet Lindstrom wishes to become a missionary, but she will not be accepted without a husband.  Violet was teaching in her hometown until she turned twenty-five and joined the Red Cross.  She wants to work with children, but instead is assigned to be director of an aeroclub.  Violet and Kitty Kelly work to provide entertainment and food to the men of the 357^th.  Violet even comes up with a program to help the local children and she recruits Adler to assist her.  Slowly Adler opens up to Violet about his past and she along with Nick Westin encourage him to write to his family.  Can Adler overcome his misjudgments?  He needs to come to terms with what happened and ask for God’s forgiveness.  Adler also needs to find a way to forgive himself.  D-Day is quickly approaching, and Adler will be in the thick of the battle.  Come along for Adler’s journey in The Sky Above Us.

 

The Sky Above Us is a well-written and captivating historical novel.  The pacing is mixed throughout the book. Sarah Sundin captured the time-period and historical elements very well.  I can tell that the author did her research for this series of books.  Lt. Adler Paxton loves to fly, and his dream is to become an ace pilot.  Major Shapiro believes Adler needs to learn to be a team player and assigns him to be the wingman for Capt. Nick Westin.  You can feel the struggle Adler is going through with this new assignment.  Violet wants to become a missionary, but they only accept married couples.  Her former fiancé, Dennis Reeves was influenced by money and decided to take a different path.  Violet now finds herself in England working for the Red Cross and managing an aeroclub.  Her job is to feed and entertain the off duty pilots.  Unfortunately, thefts are thwarting her mission.  Violet will lose her job if she does not find the culprit.  There is plenty of activity in The Sky Above Us.  Adler is flying mission, Violet setting up the aeroclub, both are dealing with their past, activities with local children, uncovering a thief, and much more.  I like how Sarah Sundin incorporated the Christian elements into the story.  One of my favorite phrases is “only God can take away the pain”.  The author provides vivid details that brought the story alive.  As a reader, I could visualize the scenes and characters thanks to Sarah Sundin’s writing.  It was interesting to learn more about aeroclubs and how the pilots flew their missions.  I did find the book slowed down in the middle and I could have done without some of the kissing scenes (they were a bit much).  I did, though, like how Violet and Adler’s relationship progressed, and how she never let go of her Christian values.  The Sky Above Us can be read alone if you have not picked up The Sea Before Us.  There is a preview of the next Sunrise Over Normandy novel included which features Clay Paxton and Leah Jones.  Discussion questions are also provided which are a good aid for book clubs.  If you are looking for an intriguing historical novel, then look no further than The Sky Above Us.

Thank you for reading my review today.  I will be showcasing The Street of Broken Dreams by Tania Crosse tomorrow.  It is the second novel in The Banbury Street series.  I hope you will return.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris
The Avid Reader

Eclairs, Scares and Haunted Home Repairs by Erin Johnson

Eclairs, Scares & Haunted Home Repairs

by Erin Johnson

About the Book

 

Eclairs, Scares & Haunted Home Repairs (Spells & Caramels)

Cozy Mystery

9th in Series

Self Published (February 15, 2019)

Print Length: 298 pages

ASIN: B07NLJS93J

A bakehouse in the making. A dangerous ghost in the tower. Will their welcome to the neighborhood be short-lived?

Imogen wants nothing more than to complete her sweet dream. With her adoring fiancé Hank at her side, the witch and her friends dive into renovations for their new home and soon-to-be bakery. But all their efforts seem futile when they wake to find the house eerily ripped apart all over again…

As Imogen examines her humble abode's shady history, she discovers evidence for a malevolent spirit living inside. But with less-than-welcoming neighbors keeping a close, suspicious watch, she wonders if it’s not the dead but the living who pose the biggest threat…

Will Imogen root out the culprit, or will her culinary future collapse under the weight of an unsolved murder?

Eclairs, Scares & Haunted Home Repairs is the ninth book in the charming Spells & Caramels paranormal cozy mystery series. If you like lovable characters, chilling twists, and enchanting adventures, then you’ll love Erin Johnson’s marvelous tale.

Buy Eclairs, Scares & Haunted Home Repairs to solve a magical whodunit today!

About the Author

Erin Johnson is a native of Tempe, Arizona, Erin spends her time crafting mysterious, magical, romance-filled stories that’ll hopefully make you laugh. In between, she’s traveling, napping with her dogs, eating with her friends and family, and teaching Pilates (to allow her to eat more).  You can connect with Erin Johnson on her website, Facebook, and Twitter.

My Thoughts

Eclairs, Scares and Haunted Home Repairs by Erin Johnson has readers traveling back to Kusuri in the month of June.  Imogen Banks and her friends have recently received a home from the town council.  The group is checking out the house to see what repairs they need to make.  It will not only be their home, but their new bakery as well.  The house is in a state of disrepair and no one has lived in it for the last ten years.  Imogen and Iggy are exploring the tower room when they see a semi-translucent man with a rope around his neck hanging from the rafters.  The image disappears before the others can arrive in response to the screaming.  Ms. Tomoko, of the council, believes the twins who have a bakery in town are behind the antic and promises to have a word with them.  The group begins working on the home by repairing the large holes in the roof.  They arrive the next day to find all their hard work has been undone plus someone has written threatening messages in red.  Imogen decides to dig into the houses history and is surprised by what she learns.  No matter what they do to the house, it continues to fall apart.  The bakers decide to consult the local necromancer to see if she can aid them.  Imogen is unsure if someone living or dead is the culprit, but she intends to get answers. 

Eclairs, Scares and Haunted Home Repairs is the ninth book in the Spells & Caramels series.  You do need to read the books in order as they build upon each other.  The Spells & Caramels has great characters that are friendly, warm and magical.  This group of bakers have been through some difficult situations and they are looking forward to settling down in their own home and bakery.  They should have known that it would not go smoothly.  Erin Johnson has a casual, engaging writing style which I enjoy.  I find myself immediately drawn into the story with its unique world.  The story has steady pacing with vivid descriptions of the characters, the baker’s new abode, the forest filled with unusual monsters, and their magic.  Our bakers are finding mates, but they still maintain their close friendship.  I have enjoyed watching them grow closer and become a family.  It is nice that Imogen is getting to know her brother, Horace.  He can still be exasperating and vague with his answers.  Horace is working on a new project and I hope he is successful.  My favorite character is Iggy, the magical flame.  I just love his witty and often sarcastic comments.  They add just the right touch.  I think it would be delightful if the author gave us a novella telling a story from Iggy’s perspective.  I believe it would be highly entertaining and humorous.  The mystery was intriguing with its various twists and turns.  The necromancer was a unique character.  I would not want to venture into her lair.  The ending will delight fans of the series (I do not want to spoil it for you).  I am eager for the next Spells & Caramels novel.  I will be sad to see this charming series come to an end.  Join Imogen, Iggy, Hank and their friends on their latest adventure in Eclairs, Scares and Haunted Home Repairs.

Eclairs, Scares and Haunted Home Repairs is available on Amazon (and Kindle Unlimited).  You can find a list of the books in the series here on Amazon.  Would you like to win a digital copy of Eclairs, Scares and Haunted Home Repairs?  All you need to do is leave a comment with your name and email address (so I can contact you if you win).  The contest end on February 24 at 11:59 p.m. (EST).  Good Luck!  Visit the other stops on the tour (see schedule below) to see what other readers thought about the book and more chances to win.  I will be featuring The Sky Above Us by Sarah Sundin tomorrow.  It is the second book Sunrise at Normandy series.  May you have an enchanting day.  Stay safe and Happy Reading!

Kris
The Avid Reader

Tour Participants

February 18 – The Avid Reader - REVIEW

February 18 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW

February 19 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT

February 19 – My Reading Journeys – SPOTLIGHT

February 20 – The Montana Bookaholic – REVIEW

February 20 – This Is My Truth Now – REVIEW

February 21 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

February 21 – Carla Loves To Read – REVIEW

February 22 – A Chick Who Reads – REVIEW

February 22 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

February 23 – CelticLady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

February 23 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

February 24 – Cozy Up With Kathy – SPOTLIGHT

February 24 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT

February 25 – I'm Into Books – SPOTLIGHT

February 25 – Laura’s Interests – SPOTLIGHT

February 26 – A Wytch's Book Review Blog – SPOTLIGHT

February 27 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW

February 27 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT

February 28 – Valerie's Musings - REVIEW

Searching for You by Jody Hedlund

Welcome!  I am still wading through my craft room trying to sort through the dozens of boxes.  I have a feeling this is a long term project.  I also keep finding books under furniture, in boxes, and tucked into corners.  Of course, that does not stop me from obtaining new books!  Trouble on the Books by Essie Lang will be out on March 13 with Something Read, Something Dead by Eva Gates.  Murder Once Removed by S.C. Perkins publishes on March 19.  

Searching for You by Jody Hedlund takes readers back to 1859.  Sophie Neumann is seventeen years old and has been dating Danny Sullivan, a gang leader in the Bowery.  After witnessing a shooting between two rival gangs with her friend Anna, they decide it would be in their best interest to leave town.  Sophie has been caring for two orphans, Olivia and Nicholas and she will not abandon them.  They head to Children’s Aid Society which has an orphan train heading for Illinois in two days.  Sophie is hoping to find a family willing to take her and the children.  When the train reaches Mayfield, Sophie is faced with a difficult decision.  Reinhold Weiss has purchased a farm near Mayfield and is working hard to have a successful harvest.  He is surprised when he goes to the Duff farm and finds Sophie.  Reinhold knows that Sophie’s sisters have been diligently searching for her, but Sophie does not wish to be found.  As time passes, Reinhold finds himself falling for Sophie.  Reinhold, though, does not feel it is the right time to fall in love.  But then Sophie needs his assistance and Reinhold cannot refuses her request.  Find out how Sophie and Reinhold’s story plays out in Searching for You.

                                           

Searching for You is the third book in Orphan Train series.  I find it beneficial to have read the books in order.  Sophie’s story is a little darker than that of her sister’s, but it suits the character.  Sophie is trying so hard to make a home for Nicholas and Olivia.  Her actions are driven by her love for them as well as the shame she feels.  It is this shame that prevents Sophie from reuniting with her older sisters.  I thought Searching for You was well-written and it captured my attention.  I enjoyed the author’s writing.  She has created solid characters that are real.  Jody Hedlund provides descriptions, but she is not overly descriptive (we are not bogged down with unnecessary details).  You can feel the emotions of the characters.  I thought the time period was captured with the attitudes of the people, the clothing, conveyances, the homes, goods available and the descriptions of the towns.  Orphan trains were not always welcome and, unfortunately, not every child ended up in a good home.  Sophie is high-spirited and determined young woman with a big heart.  Euphemia Duff is a delightful character.  She is a warm, loving woman with a large family (would love a book with Euphemia’s story).  I like that she took Sophie into her home and treated her like a daughter.  Some of the Christian elements mentioned are forgiveness of others and oneself, praying to God, and the God loves us and guides us.    The Orphan Train series has an ending that will delight readers. 

Searching for You is available on Kindle Unlimited.  With You Always and Together Forever are the first two books in the Orphan Train series.  Thank you for joining me today.  I am going to share my review of Eclairs, Scares and Haunted Home Repairs by Erin Johnson tomorrow.  It is the ninth book in the Spells & Caramels series and there will be a giveaway.  I hope you have a magical day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader