Recommended Valentines Read (Free Kindle Download): Heat by by Holly S. Roberts

Heat

Outlaw Romantic Suspense

(A Hotter Than Hell Novel Book 1)

by Holly S. Roberts

5-star Review

What if the line between good and evil is blurred and the life you live is a lie?

Justice defines Madison Kinlock’s world. When the people she trusts decide she’s an unnecessary liability Madison needs the help of a very dangerous man.

Catch Xavier Moon controls the criminal underworld of Arizona. Safety has a price and when it comes to Madison, he has no interest in money.

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Recommended Read: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Anna and the French Kiss 

by Stephanie Perkins

Amazon Ratings - 70%

About the book:

Anna was looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more.  So she's less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris-until she meets Etienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Etienne has it all . . . including a serious girlfriend.

But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true.  Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?

Stephanie Perkins keeps the romantic tension crackling and the attraction high in a debut guaranteed to make toes tingle and hearts melt.

Book Review (originally posted on April 2013)

It's definitely 5-star for Anna and the French Kiss! Loved this book... SO. MUCH. I initially thought it was a bit teen-ish, that the story is superficial with the teen love being the center of the story. Glad that it was more than that. 

Anna Oliphant believes she's living a perfect life in Atlanta. She has Bridge, the coolest best friend ever and recently, she met the guy of her dreams, Toph. They're almost in a relationship but the romance was cut short because Anna's father, the award-winning novelist, wanted to flaunt his wealth by shipping her off to one of the best boarding schools in Paris. Instead of getting excited, Anna hated it. She doesn't want to leave her old school, not interested in meeting new friends and the fact that she will leave her 3 y.o. brother ... oh she hates her father!

On her first night in Paris, she met Meredith. She seemed cool but when she started talking about her other friends, she didn't think she'd fit with them. She still felt alone and miserable until she met Etienne St. Clair, an English/American guy with an attractive English and French accent. She's falling in love with Etienne but she can't let him know as he's already taken. 

Oh, Etienne St. Clair. Eh-t-yen.... Eh-t-yen. . . You'd go completely gaga over him. Beautiful boy, sweet, charming and the way the author describes the accent - perfect! I also love that this is a French-themed book. I immensely enjoyed the part where Etienne tours Anna in Paris. The story is basically about Anna and Etienne's teen-ish love but what sets it apart with any other books I've read in the past is that the book also focuses on friendship and family. The author provided background stories for each of the character. It was nice to know them all. I read the other day that there is a companion book for Anna and the French Kiss - definitely looking forward to reading that too! I highly recommend this book and I'm sure your money is well-spent on this one.

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Recommended Reads (Free Kindle Download): Far Horizons by Kate Hewitt

Far Horizons

Book One of The Emigrants Trilogy

by Kate Hewitt

Amazon Ratings: 5-star 43%

About the book:

The Highlands of Scotland, 1819: On the eve of his departure for the New World, Allan MacDougall asks his beloved Harriet to wait for his return, when he will be established and able to marry her. When his father discovers his intent he insists it is dishonourable, and so Allan must free Harriet from her promise even as he vows to remain faithful himself. Through years of hardship, heartache, tragedy, and betrayal, Allan and Harriet cling to the love that first brought them together--yet it is the treacherous doubts of their own hearts that could prove to be their undoing, and drive them farther apart than ever. 

Far Horizons is a sweeping saga of that will take you from the Highlands of Scotland to the untamed Canadian wilderness and the bustling streets of Boston. Based on actual events, it celebrates the strength of a promise and the enduring power of love. Written by USA Today bestselling author Kate Hewitt, and Book One of The Emigrants Trilogy.

Book Review (originally posted on June 2012)

Far Horizons is the first book to The Emigrants Trilogy. The book is about the love story of Allan MacDougal and Harriet Campbell. The premise of the story is based on true events while all other are just tales the author wove to make it more appealing for the readers. Allan and Harriet (ancestors of the author) got engaged just hours before Allan's family sailed from Scotland to Canada to start a new life. Allan's father, Sandy MacDougal thought it was dishonorable for Allan to ask Harriet to wait for him so Sandy insisted that Allan set Harriet free. Allan then returned Harriet's letters when he's already at the port waiting for their ship to Canada. This made Harriet feel Allan is not sure of his feelings for her. What would you do if your significant other went away, promised to return and marry you but you received nothing from him/her for years. No calls, no letters, nothing that would assure you that someone is still keeping the promise he/she made the last time you talked? 

If you are in an LDR (long distance romance) situation, this book is totally relatable. I've been in that situation decades ago and it was that hard. It was hard to wait for someone who's oceans away. It was even harder for Allan and Harriet because they were just not oceans away, imagine LDR without phones? Letters can only be sent through a ship that sails for months. Letters are delivered and can only be picked-up in ports? Reading this book made my heart ache, every page is truly heart breaking especially the first quarter of the story.  I loved how the author described Scotland and Canada in 1819. The settings of the story surely enticed me to finish the book quickly.

Far Horizons is a great historical romance novel, I look forward to reading the second book. Highly recommended for book readers looking for a great series to start.

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Recommended Read: Fixed on You by Laurelin Paige

Fixed on You

Book 1 of the Fixed Trilogy

by Laurelin Paige

Amazon Ratings: 5-star - 71%

About the book:

Fixed on You is the first book in a trilogy but ends without a cliffhanger. Due to mature material, it is recommended for ages 17+. 

Stalking and restraining orders are a thing of Alayna Wither's past. With her MBA newly in hand, she has her future figured out--move up at the nightclub she works at and stay away from any guy who might trigger her obsessive love disorder. A perfect plan. But what Alayna didn't figure on is Hudson Pierce, the new owner of the nightclub. He's smart, rich, and gorgeous--the kind of guy Alayna knows to stay away from if she wants to keep her past tendencies in check. Except, Hudson's fixed his sights on her. He wants her in his bed and makes no secret of it. Avoiding him isn't an option after he offers a business proposition she can't turn down and she's drawn further into his universe, unable to resist his gravitational pull. When she learns Hudson has a dark history of his own, she realizes too late that she's fallen for the worst man she could possibly get involved with. Or maybe their less than ideal pasts give them an opportunity to heal each other and finally find the love their lives have been missing.

Book Review originally posted in April 2014

The book tells the story of Alayna, a very intelligent and beautiful woman who is suffering from obsessive love disorder.  Right after finishing MBA, she  hopes to achieve her dreams of getting into the 'upper management level'. She knows what she wants, what to do and definitely what NOT to do. Do not date incredibly gorgeous men. Just focus on work and date 'safe' men. Safe means average men or above average without sparks - fuck and forget type of men. She's been clean for three years until she met Hudson Pierce, her boss.

Hudson needs to break off an engagement with his longtime girlfriend and he believes Alayna is the perfect girl to do it. Since Alayna has money problem and didn't want to disappoint her boss, she accepts the job. Only Hudson cannot be considered as 'safe' and 'average'. She knows it will be a struggle not to fall back to  her problem but she wants to try. 

I picked up this book mainly because I was intrigued by the synopsis. A woman suffering from obsessive love disorder, stalking someone, weird and dangerous behavior, yikes! Read the book and wow, loved it! I read the whole story in 3 hours and double wow, on a weekday! Yay, it was sooo good. 

I liked that Alayna, her character and the situation she is in felt real. Even if I never experienced her obsession over a guy, Alayna's story is relatable. Or maybe because falling in love with someone you 'shouldn't' have I believe everyone can relate to that. It was interesting at the same time depressing to read the story. Aww, the saddest part is falling in love with Hudson, a man who is incapable of loving. I laughed and cried with her, it was such an emotional journey for me reading this book.

Btw, I started the book not knowing (missed that part from the synopsis) this is an erotic romance book, too many HOT sex scenes in here, but I think the story alone is seriously a must read. Definitely reading book 2 soon!

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Recommended Read: It's Nothing Personal by Kate O'Reilley

It's Nothing Personal

by Kate O'Reilley

Amazon Ratings: 63%

About the book:

On a chilly January morning, anesthesiologist Dr. Jenna Reiner made her daily drive to St. Augustine Hospital, completely unaware that her life was about to change forever. One of the surgical technicians has been stealing syringes and infecting patients with hepatitis C. The battle against the thieving surgical technician was only the beginning. Jenna Reiner was about to begin the fight of her life -- the fight for her reputation, her pride, and her sanity. Beautifully composed, and inspired by true events, "It's Nothing Personal" is a riveting, suspenseful, and emotional thriller which chronicles the story of faith and fortitude when an innocent woman finds herself surrounded by corruption and greed.

Book Review originally posted in March 2013

Situation: You badly needed a surgery because there is something wrong in you that needs to be corrected so you entered the operating room (OR), trusted your doctor and the hospital only to find out one illness is gone but somehow in the middle of the surgery process, you acquired a new life-long, deadly disease/infection. What would you do? 

In It's Nothing Personal (based on true events), one of Dr. Jenna Reiner's patients got infected by Hepatitis C after the surgery. It was actually a cosmetic surgery, a bust lift. Imagine, the girl only wanted to improve her appearance but she ended up having that life-long/deadly disease. The infection came from a used syringe infected with Hep C by one of the scrub technicians Dr. Reiner trusted. Apparently, this scrub technician is a druggie and she's addicted to Fentanyl. So before every surgery, the scrub technician steals Fentanyl in a syringe and then substitutes one used and infected with Hepatitis  C syringe filled with saline in the anesthesia cart. Dr. Reiner wouldn't know about the switch because both Fentanyl and saline look the same.  

Okay, let's talk about the trust issues (only one of the many issues discussed in the book). It's a fact, doctors trust staff in the OR, because doctors trust the hospital who hired the OR people. Even I trust those OR people not because I know them personally but because I trust my doctor and the hospital. Even after reading this, I can't decide on the trust issues. It's been three days since I started writing this and yet I still can't finish the review. Oh well, I am about to see my doctor (my OB doctor of 7 years) today for a yearly check-up and maybe I'll ask her something so I can finally stop thinking about this!

Back to the book, the story flowed smoothly. It's like being told by a friend or someone I knew so I just kept on flipping the pages. Every page is interesting at the same time frightening. The protocol for every operation was discussed and I was shocked that the hospital didn't have a clear cut rules on the safekeeping part. I'm not going to say who is at fault, readers of this book can decide for themselves. 

There were too many memorable LOL moments in the question and answer portion (deposition). The questions were mostly brutal but Dr. Reiner handled it pretty well, the answers were intellectually funny. I've worked in two law firms for 10 straight years but never had the chance to be in an actual hearing, only read the hearing transcripts and there are some amusing lines from the defendants like this one. The story has too many interesting facts like the first medical thriller (Morton's Fork) I've read the other month. I really liked Dr. Reiner and her husband. His undying love and support to her made me cry at times. The book did not disappoint. I'm sure your money is well-spent on this one.

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Recommended Read: Gooseberry Island by Steven Machester

Gooseberry Island

by Steven Machester

Amazon 5-star rating - 68%

About the book:

They met at the worst possible moment...or maybe it was just in time. David McClain was about to go to war and Lindsey Wood was there at his going-away party, capturing his heart when falling for a woman was the last thing on his mind. While David was serving his country, he stayed in close contact with Lindsey. But war changes a person, and when he came home very little had the same meaning that it had before – including the romance that had sustained him. Was love truly unconquerable, or would it prove to be just another battlefield casualty?

Gooseberry Island is the most nuanced, dramatic, and romantic novel yet from a writer whose ability to plumb the depths of human emotion knows few peers.

Book review originally posted in February 2015

The story of Gooseberry Island focuses on David McClain, a ranger who had a one time war trip in Afghanistan. When he met Lindsey Wood, he believes he found his soul mate in her. Both tried to make the long distance relationship work and have been counting the days til his return to Gooseberry Island. 

Bad things happened with David and his war brothers. Right after they traveled back home, all of them suffered Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. PTSD is so common for those who served in combat. Lindsey is a daughter of a war veteran who after more than 20 years, the man is still suffering PTSD. Although she loves David so much, she believes it is highly likely that they would separate as she saw this happen to her mom and dad.

Gooseberry Island for me is not at all just a love story. It talks about friendship, family, pride, honor, etc. It was such a heart-warming story. I love every character, not just David and Lindsey. Every story made my heart ache especially Big Al's and Max's. I know someone who married a soldier who is on a war tour and recently she was complaining that she didn't get to see enough of her husband and their babies are looking for their dad. Ok, it was not really complaining but more like a frustration over raising their kids alone. I know she loves the man so much and she reminds me of David and Lindsey. 

I highly recommend this book especially to those people on LDR (long distance relationship) / who are married to a soldier. 

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Recommended Read: The Blood She Betrayed by Cheryse Durrant

The Blood She Betrayed

Book 1 in the Heart Hunters series

by Cheryse Durrant

Amazon 5-star Rating - 67%

About the book:

Book 1 in the Heart Hunters series. 

Thrust into the technology-driven Earthlands, Shahkara must find the ancient Elnara death lantern - the only thing that can save her homeworld from the heart-devouring Taloners. 

She enlists the help of geeky billionaire Max McCalden, but soon finds that, as a half-Taloner herself, her blood demands what she knows she can't have - a human heart. 

Shahkara longs for love, but as deadly enemies attack at every turn, will her lust for Max destroy them both? 

Or will she find the strength to free both worlds from a threat more horrific than the demons that share her blood?

Book review originally posted in November 2013 

The Blood She Betrayed is the first book to the Heart Hunters series by a newbie author, Cheryse Durrant. The fact that this author is from Australia makes me want to jump for joy! lol Honestly, ever since I've read Keri Arthur's books (Australian), I've been looking out for other books with Australia as the setting of the story. Or any other countries aside from the US. Setting is very important to me as this is sometimes my deciding factor whether to continue reading or to DNF a book.

Back to the story, The Blood She Betrayed is about Shahkara, a half-Taloner wanting to destroy the heart-devouring Taloners, her kind. Accidentally, when she entered Earth, she met Max McCalden, son of a billionaire and together they set out to find the Elnara death lantern that can kill all Taloner.

I loved the setting and so the plot of the story. Read the story in less than a week considering I was in 'hell' (busiest days of my work life) those times. I find all the characters interesting. As for the romance part, Shahkara and Max had good times together. Though the earlier part of the story I was annoyed with Shahkara's constant questions on every thing/gadget she sees. And like Max, I kept on forgetting she's from other world/dimension lol. Love the twists and mystery on Shahkara's past. I highly recommend this book, your money is well-spent on this one.

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Recommended Read: A Lady at Willowgrove Hall by Sarah E. Ladd

A Lady at Willowgrove Hall 

(Whispers On The Moors #3) 

by Sarah E. Ladd 

Amazon 5-star Rating - 63%

About the book:

Her secret cloaks her in isolation and loneliness. His secret traps him in a life that is not his own.

Darbury, England, 1819

Cecily Faire carries the shame of her past wherever she treads, knowing one slip of the tongue could expose her disgrace. But soon after becoming a lady’s companion at Willowgrove Hall, Cecily finds herself face-to-face with a man well-acquainted with the past she’s desperately hidden for years.

Nathaniel Stanton has a secret of his own—one that has haunted him for years and tied him to his father’s position as steward of Willowgrove Hall. To protect his family, Nathaniel dares not breathe a word of the truth. But as long as the shadow looms over him, he’ll never be free to find his own way in the world. He’ll never be free to fall in love.

When the secrets swirling within Willowgrove Hall come to light, Cecily and Nathaniel must confront a painful choice: Will they continue running from the past . . . or will they stand together and fight for a future without the suffocating weight of secrets long kept?

Book reviewed originally posted in March 2015

I don't really choose books because of covers but this time I did. It was soooo nice to look at and very intriguing! 

Each character has depth, believable, interesting. Character building is the most important aspect of the book and in novels like this, it is even more important because readers are transported to a historical setting. Readers should be able to connect to the characters and setting and this one has both. Cecily, Nathan and some minor characters have their own back story which also made the book captivating.

As much as I love the book, got one negative things to say. The appearance/revelation of one of the characters in the mid part of the book was so predictable. I was on denial this could happen to a book so good.

Overall, it was engaging and well written. I'd definitely read more books from this author. 

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Recommended Read: Secrets of the Porch by Sue Ann Sellon

Secrets of the Porch

by Sue Ann Sellon

Amazon 5-star Ratings: 54%

About the book:

How long can a person hold their secret safe? The agony alone is unbearable. This porch has a story, a life. It breathes with memories of love and secrets. 

Sixteen-year-old Sophie Mae Randolph, caught robbing a gas station with her boyfriend Gabe, avoids the juvenile detention center by accepting the Judge's alternative: that she spend a year on a Nebraska farm with her grandmother, Lila, whom she has never met. None too happy at first, Sophie eventually settles into farm life and opens up to the love of her grandmother, a dog named Hunner, and a new boyfriend named Blake. 

Along the way, Sophie realizes that not only does she have her secrets, but Lila does too. 

When Gabe reappears, Sophie's very life may be in danger. Will Sophie and her grandma share their deepest secrets, or will they hide in the shells they've created for so many year? Discover the transforming power of love and the Secrets of the Porch. 

Book Review originally posted in April 2015

When Sophie lost her mother, the only one who has shown her real love, she felt God has forsaken her. She questioned HIM for almost every bad thing that comes her way. She became cynical, believing the only way to survive is to be dishonest and selfish. Her boyfriend Gabe, proves this to be a great 'life strategy'. By doing this, he has managed to survive on the street for years. 

One night, Sophie and Gabe were caught robbing a gas station. Gabe was sent to prison while Sophie, as she's a minor, was given a choice to either enter the juvenile detention or live with her grandmother, return to school, and all other conditions which should be met within a year. The latter sounds like a good choice, but thinking about her mom's past, Lila and her husband must have done something wicked that her mother decided to leave them for good, so it couldn't be that good.

After considering her two choices, she decided to try the second one: live with Lila in Nebraska but she will definitely go back to the city once the 'punishment' is completed.

The author wrote a very good, compelling story. Secrets of the Porch has it all; family, maternal affection, friendship, romance, faith, etc. I was intrigued by the secrets ...Why did Sophie's mother left her parents? Why didn't Lila looked for her daughter? Who is Charles?  Once you open the first page, you will feel the need to keep on reading. The 'secrets' were carefully woven, they managed to keep the story interesting until the last pages of the book. These secrets also gave me a wave of emotions I cannot adequately explain, couldn't count the number of times I had to pause reading as my tears kept on falling. 

There are few references to God and faith so I would also label this as a Christian book, though not a hard-core one. This is certainly a very good book I want to recommend to my dear readers. And I thank the author for sharing this book with me, looking forward to reading more from you!

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Recommended Read: Red in the Flower Bed by Andrea Nepa

Red in the Flower Bed

by Andrea Nepa

Amazon 5-star rating: 74%

About the book

The journey of adoption is beautifully depicted with the comforting imagery of a poppy flower who is welcomed into a garden family. It is a charming story of seeds being planted in the perfect place - exactly where they belong. Children and adults will enjoy this simple yet meaningful story and homespun illustrations. The book's loving approach helps children to understand adoption. Andrea Nepa has captured the essence of adoption and family, and has illustrated it beautifully with images and poetry that even a small child can comprehend and enjoy.

Book Review originally posted in December 2010

Red in the Flower Bed is a book about interracial adoption. This tells the story of a seed dropped from a poppy flower that travels to places until it found its new home. The author, Andrea Nepa made a great illustration of adoption in this story book.

The colors are perfect, and I like the way the story is told - through a rhyme which children can appreciate better. The book is recommended to children 4 to 8 years old. A must read with your adopted child.

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Recommended Read: Time Donors Wanted by Russell Scott

Time Donors Wanted

by Russell Scott

Amazon 5-star rating - 67%

About the book:

“If you could have a one-time affair with someone you’d never see again, and no one could ever find out, would you?” That is the question. Jarvis Sloan was an Internet success story. He’d left a thriving private practice as a psychiatrist specializing in sexual medicine in San Diego to form LifeSolutions Seminars. Ironically, it isn’t just Jarvis’s patients that are suffering. His own marriage is a hollow shell. He loves his wife Sharon, when he isn’t hating her, and he loves his sons unconditionally. Jarvis convinces himself that there’s only one way to deal with his growing frustration, affairs. While they may be an answer, they aren’t necessarily a good answer or a safe one. So he tries to come up with a better answer. A site devoted to pairing people to meet one another’s sexual needs on a one-time basis. To avoid any chance of detection he hides the site inside a self erasing server, no notes, no phone calls, no electronic footprints, nothing. It’s a direct connection to another person willing to donate their time to help meet your needs. All information about both parties is erased from the embedded server every seventy-two hours. Making any connections made inside the server impossible to trace.

What starts as a small idea for a limited number of people, is quickly magnified and transformed by the power of the Internet, generating $60 million in its first two years of operation. Willie Weeks, retired from the military six years ago, now he’s the new guy in homicide, at the Phoenix Police Department—he should have just stayed in Burglary, but he didn’t. His introduction to homicide, however, wasn’t looking too promising. He’d already messed up his first case. A mistake that got somebody killed. That screw up put him under the gun. His next case is a murder at a motel on the outskirts of Phoenix, a paper-goods salesman from Muncie, Indiana. Somebody’s left him naked and dead in a puddle of his own blood in a downtown motel room. Robbery wasn’t the motive because his jewelry, wallet, and more than a thousand dollars in cash are still on the nightstand. At first glance it appears that he died from a blow to the head, but when the victim is rolled over it’s obvious that he’s been stabbed multiple times, in both kidneys, a technique Weeks immediately recognizes. It’s called a “sentry take-out” in the Special Forces community. The Medical Examiner confirms what Weeks already knows, but it doesn’t bring anyone any closer to knowing who killed the man, or why.

Two weeks later, another man of about the same age is found lying dead between two cars in a parking garage on the other side of town. There’s nothing to link the two cases, but when the Medical Examiner calls Willie with the cause of death, he knows that it’s the work of the same killer. This time the killer used an archaic assassination technique that had been employed by the intelligence community during the first World War, a needle through the back of the skull. But this isn’t a warrior’s technique, it was developed for women, it allowed a female operative to quickly kill a man she was having sex with. Suddenly Willie has no idea who he’s looking for, other than it’s someone that ‘s obviously been trained at whatever it is that they’re doing.

Book Review originally posted in January 2012

I liked the plot of the story, Jarvin Sloan is a psychiatrist practicing "on line" specializing in sexual medicine for married couples. Jarvin and his friend comes up with a new way to deal with sexual frustrations, that is to create an internet site to pair people to meet one another's sexual needs. This is a one-time basis. All details will be deleted in the database after 72 hours, no one will ever know except those involved in the affair. It seems like everything is okay until one of the first clients of this internet site was murdered and the police are investigating the matter.

Oh I liked this book. I was hooked the first few chapters but I did skim some parts in the middle, I think mainly because the introduction of each character's story is a little bit long for me. When I picked it up again, I was once again hooked until the last pages of the book. When the murderer was revealed, I was confused, so I had to go back to the first chapters and I was like - I didn't see that! Overall, I found this book interesting, the plot is so original. If you're looking for a good mystery book, you might want to pick up Time Donors Wanted.

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Recommended Read : Nickels by Karen Baney

Nickels

by Karen Baney

Amazon 5-star Ratings: 54%

About the book:

Niki Turner has finally arrived. Her career as a Software Engineer is soaring—she has just been offered the company’s most sought after account, Helitronics. Life would be perfect, if she could stop her roommate from playing matchmaker.

Then Kyle Jacobs mysteriously re-enters her life. As painful memories resurface, his presence turns her life upside down and threatens to waylay her career. She must find a way to work with him—after all, he’s the helicopter flight consultant for the new flight control system she’s coding.

Can she forget the past and see him as the new man he has become? Or will her resentment keep her from finding what she has always been searching for?

Book Review originally posted in February 2012

Niki Turner has been hurt in the past, lost her parents to an accident and God also took her brother a few years after the accident. This is the main reason why she doesn't want to keep anyone close to her heart. She is afraid of meeting other people simply because she might lose them too. 

She wants nothing from other people and then she found herself working with Kyle Jacobs, Marcy's (Niki's best friend) brother. Niki is attracted to Kyle but she fears any romantic relationship with him won't last so she's shutting him out. However, Kyle is determined to win her heart. 

At first, I didn't feel any connection with the main character, Niki Turner. I was kind of annoyed with her attitude although I was really trying my best to understand her situation. When Kyle Jacobs appears in the story, I began to like Niki. I began to understand her situation. Kyle is one sweet guy and I liked him instantly. He is also carrying a not-so-good past but I'm glad it didn't take too long for him to realize that digging up the past does no good. I enjoyed reading the story. Though there's one more thing I just couldn't believe in the story. When Niki's brother died, Kyle didn't know about it! It's just unbelievable because Kyle's sister is Niki's best friend! And to think that more than eight years has passed and Marcy never told her brother about it??

All in all, Nickels is a sweet story of trusting and finding love again. I found it a good Christian novel though I think it is "too clean" for my taste.  If you want a "hard core" Christian novel, you might one to pick up this book. 

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Recommended Read: My Mother's Secret: Based on a true Holocaust story by J.L. Witterick

My Mother's Secret: 

Based on a true Holocaust story

by J.L. Witterick

Amazon Ratings: 5-star - 67%

About the book:

Franciszka and her daughter are unlikely heroines. They are simple people who don't stand out… that is, until there is a crisis. In 1939, the Nazis come to Poland and start to persecute the Jews. These are unreasonable times when providing shelter to a Jew has become a death sentence. Despite this, both Franciszka and her daughter hide Jewish families and a German soldier in their small home. For all of them to survive, she will have to outsmart the German commander and her neighbors.

When you look at a piece of steel, can you tell whether it is the ordinary kind used to make forks and knives or whether it is the superstrength type used to construct bridges and high-rises? The honest answer is no. You cannot tell until you apply extreme pressure. People are like that.

This story is a reminder that there are no profiles for courage and character, and that who we become is always a personal choice.

This is my first book, but it feels like something that has been waiting for me for a while.

I just had to be still enough to hear it. As the words flowed and formed, shaping ideas in their dance, it felt divine.

Writing was a process far more intimate than I could have predicted. To be authentic and honest, it is your own life that you draw upon and so, telling a story reveals the truths that reside in your own heart.

I loved creating this story. To be able to say that anything is possible if we connect with each other through kindness, understanding, and courage—and to do it with reference to true events—well, that was exhilarating.

If this story somehow manages to touch you, if it somehow manages to remind you of your own humanity, then I will be incredibly happy.

Living with gratitude,
J. L. Witterick

Book Review originally posted in April 2013

My Mother's Secret tells the story of Franciszka Halamajowa and her daughter Helena. While Franciszka and Helena were real Holocaust heroines, most of the characters and events depicted in the story are fictional. During Hitler's invasion in Poland, Franciszka and Helena hid two Jewish families and a young German soldier all in their home for more than a year. Franciszka's son also helped the Jews during this difficult time but later met his death while transporting a wagon full of supplies to the Jews hiding in the forest.

Franciszka Halamajowa

I hate seeing/reading depressing movies/books. I actually stopped reading/watching Jodi Picoult's and Nicholas Sparks' because of the tragic storylines. However, there is one that I cannot resist reading/watching. Hitler's Holocaust stories. After having seen Schindler's list and Life is Beautiful (Italian) films, I took special interest in reading Holocaust stories. 

In reading My Mother’s Secret, I was given (again!) a chance to reflect the life I’m living. Would I be able to help other people knowing that helping them could lead to the death of my own family? Francisza risked her life and her daughter’s to save other people. She knew if the Germans found out about the Jews hiding in their house, they would kill them. But it didn't matter. They were so brave to provide help to people who asked for it. It was really inspiring yet terrifying. 

When Helena's long time German boyfriend proposed to marry her, Helena had to choose between her happiness and the lives of the Jewish families living with them. This is the part  where Helena almost chose happiness:

Franciszka to Helena:

“Helena, there are three kinds of people in the world. One that would have seen the suffering cat and not have given it a second thought. Another that would have seen the same cat and said to themselves, ‘Oh, isn’t that a pity,’ before continuing about their business. Finally, there is the kind who sees the suffering, feels the empathy, and then goes one step further by taking action to help. That is you. You didn’t leave the cat there to perish. I am proud that you are my daughter. Think what a wonderful place the world would be, if everyone was like that.” 

Heart breaking. . . . choosing between what you want and what is right. . .  

Considering this is a debut novel of the author, I thought it was well- written. If I didn’t read the part in the book where the author told the readers how the book was published, I would have never guessed this was her first. I highly recommend this book, like any other Holocaust stories, My Mother's Secret is totally life-changing. The story will definitely remain with me for a long long time.

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