Perfect Reads for Spring

As many books as I read, I can't always review each one. Here's a list of great books I've read recently, perfect for enjoying under a tree in this beautiful spring weather.

Courting Morrow Little by Laura Frantz

Morrow Little is haunted by the memory of the day her family was torn apart by raiding Shawnee warriors. Now that she is nearly a grown woman and her father is ailing, she must make difficult choices about the future. Several men--ranging from the undesired to the unthinkable--vie for her attentions, but she finds herself inexplicably drawn to a forbidden love that both terrifies and intrigues her. Can she betray the memory of her lost loved ones--and garner suspicion from her friends--by pursuing a life with him? Or should she seal her own misery by marrying a man she doesn't love?

This sweeping tale of romance and forgiveness will envelop readers as it takes them from a Kentucky fort through the vast wilderness to the west in search of true love.

I couldn't devour this book fast enough. I gave it 5 stars!

 Love in the Balance by Regina Jennings

Molly Lovelace dreams of being a society leader in 1879 Lockhart, Texas, but being smitten with handsome wrangler Bailey Garner doesn't seem the quickest route. If only he would settle down so he could support a family.

Bailey imagines doing great things for God, but his greatest obstacle is Molly. As long as he thought they'd be married, he excused their stolen kisses, but when she keeps refusing, he vows to earn her love. In town, he tries his hand at several different trades, but everywhere he turns he runs into the mysterious stranger Edward Pierrepont. No surprise that Molly's always making calf eyes at the wealthy adventurer.

As pressure from Molly's parents grows she is forced into a hasty decision. Had she weighed all her options and will she find love in the balance?

I was hooked from the first page. A beautiful story of love and grace. I gave this book 5 stars!

It Had to Be You by Susan May Warren

Eden Christiansen never imagined her role as her younger brother Owen’s cheerleader would keep her on the sidelines of her own life. Sure, it feels good to be needed, but looking after the reckless NHL rookie leaves little time for Eden to focus on her own career. She dreamed of making a name for herself as a reporter, but is stuck writing obits—and starting to fear she doesn’t have the chops to land a major story. If only someone would step up to mentor Owen . . . but she knows better than to expect help from team veteran and bad-boy enforcer Jace Jacobsen.

Jace has built his career on the infamous reputation of his aggressive behavior—on and off the ice. Now at a crossroads about his future in hockey, that reputation has him trapped. And the guilt-trip he’s getting from Eden Christiansen isn’t making things any easier. But when Owen’s carelessness leads to a career-threatening injury and Eden stumbles upon a story that could be her big break, she and Jace are thrown together . . . and begin to wonder if they belong on the same team after all.

For a girl who has never cared about sports...I am now a hockey fan thanks to Jace Jacobsen. I gave this books 5 stars!

Montana Rose by Mary Connealy



When Cassie Griffin s husband dies, leaving her and her unborn child alone in Montana Territory, she finds herself fair game for every ill-bred, foul-mouthed suitor in town. That is, until Red Dawson steps in to make an offer. Will this china doll be safe in the hands of a rough-and-ruddy rancher? Although attracted to Cassie from the start, Red is reluctant to wed a nonbeliever. But it seems he has no choice. Will Red eventually win over this doll heart and soul? Or will he lose everything to a man obsessed with making Cassie his own?

Mary writes great cowboy love stories with humor. I gave this book 4 stars!

Kissed by a Cowboy by Lacy Williams

Just shy of her thirtieth birthday, Haley Carston returns to Redbud Trails, Oklahoma, to care for her dying aunt. She thinks she’s ready for this homecoming. She’s spent years escaping her perpetual shyness and being Katie Michaels’ tag-along friend, but being back in her hometown brings back a lot of old memories, especially when she is faced with the cowboy she never forgot—Katie’s older brother, Maddox.
 
Twelve years ago, Maddox Michaels was supposed to be somebody. He had everything. A football scholarship. A Division I team scouting him. Maybe even a chance at the pros. Now, he’s a burned-out cowboy working day and night to stay ahead of his brother’s medical bills and keep their family farm from going bankrupt. And trying to be a father-figure for his niece, Olivia.
 
When Haley and Olivia start spending time together, Maddox can’t help remembering those dreams that died alongside his sister. Will being with Haley open his heart to new dreams?  

Short read. This novella had it all--romance, humor, and a few tears. I gave this book 5 stars!