At Home in Wishing Bridge by Ruth Logan Herne - Audiobook Review

At Home in Wishing Bridge
By: Ruth Logan Herne
Narrated by: Erin Bennett
Series: Wishing Bridge, Book 2
Length: 10 hrs and 1 min
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 10-02-18
Language: English
Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Five Stars Plus! *****

Review by Carrie Fancett Pagels

I absolutely loved this book. I loved the first novel, too, in this series. I listened to the story as an Audible.com download. The narrator was wonderful and perfect for the story. On Amazon the novel has ranked at #1 on Christian Women's Fiction but there's a lot of romance in the novels, too, and the story is listed under Clean Romance. 

The book is available in multiple formats and published by Waterfall Press, Amazon's imprint. They specially pick authors to publish for them. Ruth Logan Herne does a fantastic job with her stories so it is not wonder they invited her. 

We got to know Nurse Practitioner Thea in book one. She's got some dark secrets and deep hurts. Thea also has a sky-wide big heart. I love all the children who populate the book. As a former psychologist I was delighted how Ruth nailed all the possible reactions kids can have to difficult situations. Dr. Ethan Brandenburg is an interesting and well-developed character. He's not perfect. He has some big flaws. And he has a big spiritual arc that I loved. You'll need to listen to or read the story to find out what happens with these two. 

I can't wait for the next book in this series!!! Highly recommend!!! 

Publisher's Summary

Ruth Logan Herne, the bestselling author of Welcome to Wishing Bridge, invites readers back to the small town where big dreams come true.

After surviving the streets of South Philly, Thea Anastas never thought she’d wind up working in rural New York. But a call from a friend in need convinced the nurse practitioner to make the trip. Now her temporary position is making a difference in Wishing Bridge—though Thea can’t afford to make a difference, to fill a gaping hole in the sweet, small town. After all, the current medical practice is being dissolved in three months, and bigger opportunities are luring her away…

Her partner, Dr. Ethan Brandenburg, has his own struggles: caring for his orphaned niece and nephew and holding firm to his decision to leave Wishing Bridge for a prestigious job in Chicago. Though Thea’s no-nonsense advice in the office has been good for business, her compassion in Ethan’s personal life has been good for his heart. But how can he offer a commitment to a woman when they’re both about to say goodbye?

Wishing Bridge may be surrounded by forests and farms, but Thea is starting to realize that friendships and family form its heart—and that what she wants in life and love may be right in front of her eyes.

GIVEAWAY: Giving away winner's choice of a paperback copy or a Kindle copy. Leave a comment to enter. 

Bonnie Reviews Ruth Logan Herne's Home on the Range & Silent Night, Star-Lit Night

Home On The Range

by Ruth Logan Herne

Reviewed by Bonnie Roof

Five Stars *****

Home On The Range is the second in the Double S. Ranch series - the story of Nick Stafford and Dr. Elsa Andreas. After a tragedy in her family therapy practice, Elsa retreats in seclusion to a small cottage in the woods of Grays Glen, Washington. Abandoned by his mother at a young age, Nick blames his father Sam Stafford's parenting techniques and is resentful of the time his father has spent building up his name and  large ranch in central Washington. Abandoned again, by his wife, Nick was left to raise two daughters alone and is determined not to make the same parenting mistakes his parents made. Having stayed to work his family's large ranch after his brothers left to pursue their own passions - Nick's life becomes even more complicated when his oldest daughter, Cheyenne, creates problems at school.

When Cheyenne's school principal persuades the principal's sister, Elsa, to guide Nick's daughters, and hopefully draw Elsa out of seclusion in the process - a love/hate relationship is set off between Elsa and Nick re Elsa's therapy techniques with his children. Nick is forced to re-examine his own plans for his children and his opinion of his chronically ill father while Elsa faces a crisis in which she is confronted with her feeling of guilt over past mistakes.

Home On The Range is a beautiful romance and family story of forgiveness, acceptance, change, hope, redemption, restoration, and faith - one of my favorite stories from Ruth Logan Herne, as well as my favorite of her beautiful book covers.

***~~***

Silent Night, Star-Lit Night

By Ruth Logan Herne

Reviewed by Bonnie Roof

Five Stars *****

December 18th

Eight and one half month pregnant E.R. nurse Mia O'Loughlin is preparing to leave for the 1200 mile drive from San Diego, California to Roslyn, Washington to visit her dying grandfather when cowboy Jed Taylor appears at her door. The longtime best friend of her husband Daniel - killed in Afghanistan, Jed had been summoned by his mother and Mia's aunt, Pauline, to escort Mia home. His father deceased, Jed works with  cranky Uncle Pete in operating the family's Taylor Farm, Ranch, and Home Supply - in addition to his 400 head of cattle and horse ranch. He's anxious to complete his mission and return home due to the 12" of early snow, blizzard threats, and there being no one able to fill his shoes at the store or ranch where December's sales are a large part of end-of-year profit margins.

When their journey is detoured by heavy snow, causing a rock slide, and later - a snowdrift avalanche blocking the road, Mia and Jed are forced to walk to seek shelter. Finding the Star Inn Bed and Breakfast in the small picturesque town of Heywood, Oregon, Mia and Jed spend the time becoming more closely reacquainted and helping the town's storm victims. Mia struggles to come to terms with the dysfunction of having been raised with an indifferent alcoholic father after the death of her mother, her feelings of lack of self-worth, the guilt from only infrequent visits to her grandfather, and secrets of repercussions from a cheating husband.

Silent Night, Star-Lit Night is a beautifully touching, inspiring romantic novella and story of two families - their hope, forgiveness, and healing through the true spirit and message of Christmas.

***~~***

Links to purchase:
Home on the Range

Christian Book Distributors

AMAZON

BARNES & NOBLE

Silent Night, Star-lit Night:

AMAZON

BARNES & NOBLE

Giveaway: Ruth Logan Herne is generously providing a signed paperback copy of Home On The Range as a giveaway to one blessed commenter on the above reviews of her books. If the winner is an international resident, an e-Book will be provided instead. AND two winners of ebook copies of Silent Night, Star-Lit Night!!!

Please leave your email address in a safe format - for contact purposes, should you be our winner.

How to Catch a Prince by Rachel Hauck - Audiobook Review

How to Catch a Prince - Royal Wedding Series, Book 3
(Print book from Zondervan.)
by Rachel Hauck 
Oasis Audio
Audiobook Review

Five Stars *****

How to Catch a GREAT Listen!!! 

By Carrie Fancett Pagels

How I missed this audiobook when it released in 2015, I do not know! But I think it is because it came out right before I had major emergency surgery that put me in the hospital for a while. But, was I ever happy to discover that I had this title in my Audible.com library collection!!! I just listened to it this past weekend.

This is a Christian contemporary romance set initially in America and later abroad in the fictional kingdom of Brighton. I saw one person give a low rating online because the story was Christian. That's what I love about Rachel's books, besides them being so well written -- she doesn't shy away from rock solid faith.  

Spoiler alert: I want to say I love, love, loved two very "special" characters in this book who weren't actually of the earthly realm. Extremely well done use of these angelic characters in the storyline.

Bibliotherapy: Survivor's guilt, PTSD, keeping secrets, loss of a sibling, loss of a friend, parental grieving, and a few more!

Narrator: The narrator did an excellent job. There were a couple of times when I'm pretty sure she mispronounced words, i.e., I don't think those were the British pronunciations either. But she had an enthusiasm for the story that showed.

What a unique twist to have a prince be the survivor of a military attack on his unit. He blames himself for the deaths of his friends. His case of survivor guilt is pretty extreme, but it makes sense in this story. 

The heroine is a beautiful former Miss Georgia from an extremely wealthy family, but Rachel Hauck makes her very likable and relatable. 

Great writing, great story line, fabulous characters, beautiful voice, and nice narration -- all wrapped up in a great Christian fiction listen. What else can you ask for?

Unmasked Heart by Vanessa Riley - Audiobook Review by Carrie Fancett Pagels

Blurb: Shy, nearsighted caregiver, Gaia Telfair always wondered why her father treated her a little differently than her siblings. She never guessed she couldn't claim his love because of a family secret, her illicit birth. With everything she knows to be true evaporating before her spectacles, can the mulatto passing for white survive being exposed and shunned by the powerful duke who has taken an interest in her? 

Ex-warrior, William St. Landon, the Duke of Cheshire, will do anything to protect his mute daughter from his late wife's scandals. With a blackmailer at large, hiding in a small village near the cliffs of Devonshire seems the best option, particularly since he can gain help from the talented Miss Telfair, who has the ability to help children learn to speak. If only he could do a better job at shielding his heart from the young lady whose honest hazel eyes see through his jests as her tender lips challenge his desire to remain a single man

Compelling Listen!

My review of Unmasked Heart: Challenge of the Soul, Book One. 

The narrator did a good job with Vanessa Riley's latest release. What a delight to be able to read this as an audiobook listen! Gaia is a sympathetic heroine whose heart belongs to an undeserving man with fickle romantic aspirations. William is a heartsick hero who has been betrayed. The two have the common experience of gut-wrenching betrayal by the very ones who should love them most.  Gaia also has the shocking discovery that she is not the person she's been told she is all her life.  

William has been receiving threatening letters for some time, as a blackmailer warns that the truth about William's unfaithful wife will be disclosed. And that blackmailer is getting bolder and bolder. Will the blackguard prevail? Can a biracial Regency-era young lady and a wealthy Duke possibly make a match -- against all odds? Or is Gaia right, and there is no way it could happen? Will her first love prevail and steal her from William?

I received an audible.com download of Unmasked Heart from the author, the beautiful Vanessa Riley - pictured below, and am under no requirement to write a positive review. My opinions are my own.

Giveaway: We're giving away a copy of Unmasked Heart (winner's choice of format). Answer this question -- have you experienced rejection or prejudice because of something you have no control over?

Noela reviews A GLIMMER OF HOPE by Julie Lessman

A Glimmer of Hope

A Glimmer of Hope: A Novella Prequel to Isle of Hope

by Julie Lessman

Julie Lessman LLC (March 1, 2016)

Reviewed by Noela Nancarrow

5 Stars *****

Love, passion, and faith

Julie Lessman adeptly weaves intense passion into a heart-rending, candid tale of a powerful love that’s battered by the cruel assault of rejection, insecurity, and unbelief. Prepare to be swept up in the lives and soul-deep love of the all too human characters Lacey and Jack, as a battle of natural-self versus spirit creates a compelling and riveting reading experience.

Eighteen year old Lacey Carmichael’s father makes her feel worthless by berating and belittling her way too often. This makes Lacey desperate for affirmation and love from other sources. Namely Jack. Reliable and loving Jack O’Bryen, whom she’s known since childhood and makes her feel special. He’s always been there to comfort her and pull her together but with Jack being away at college, Lacey’s insecurities increase exponentially. Influenced by her wayward friend Nicki, and distressed by fights with her dad; Lacey’s need for intimacy reaches an all-time high when Jack arrives home.

Jack deeply respects and admires his preacher father, and is happily following in his footsteps. Jack’s faith and relationship with God means everything to him. Jack is also thoroughly and passionately in love with Lacey, and needing one too many cold showers. Will Jack be able to resist the temptations and demands that Lacey places upon him while reassuring her of his love? Or might Lacey drive him away? Can there be a glimmer of hope for a love that’s so strong, yet so vulnerable?

I should be used to Julie Lessman’s striking writing-style by now after having read every one of her novels, but still I find myself in awe of Julie’s passion and heart for the broken—expressively and eloquently interlaced throughout. This would be an invaluable book for the dating Christian. If you haven’t read the ‘Isle of Hope’ which follows on from this novella, it is an exceptionally breathtaking must-read and I wholeheartedly recommend both books!

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ 

You may purchase this bargain-priced novella from here: AMAZON

GIVEAWAY: We have TWO e-book copies of 'A Glimmer of Hope for giveaway! Leave a comment below for a chance to win one of them! Leave your email to be eligible, using (at) and (dot) to protect against spammers. 

A Glimmer of Hope by Julie Lessman Reviewed by Bonnie Roof

A Glimmer of Hope by Author Julie Lessman

Review by Bonnie Roof
5 Stars *****

Since their first kiss - pastor's son, seminary-bound Jack O'Bryen has known he will always love tomboy neighbor Lacey Carmichael. Sharing his faith - her witty, full-of-life personality is the perfect attraction for his sensibility and seriousness.

Eighteen-year-old Lacey has loved Jack since she was twelve years old. Her surgeon father Ben's continual rejection, verbal and emotional abuse compel her to seek affirmation of being loved through Jack's expressions of affection. Determined to serve God and feeling intense pressure and spiritual conflict, Jack meets Lacey's amorous advances with resistance.

When Lacey allows cousin Nicki to lead her astray by plotting to make Jack jealous through furthering the attentions of "bad-boy" Royce Barrister, Ben's abuse intensifies. Lacey's search for consolation becomes even more bold and Jack is forced to make serious decisions affecting their relationship and his faith.

"A Glimmer of Hope" is the prequel to Julie Lessman's emotional,  compelling story of hope and forgiveness , "Isle of Hope". Previous readers of "Isle of Hope" will love learning the background of Jack and Lacey, new readers will more fully appreciate Lacey's transformation after reading "A Glimmer of Hope".

Never have another prequel and novel touched my heart as deeply as have "A Glimmer of Hope" and "Isle of Hope". Based on Julie Lessman's relationship with her father, the realism of the characters and life situations takes readers through a gamut of emotions - alternately ripping the heart out through empathy for the characters, then filling it with joy through their redemption by a loving God. The story of Jack and Lacey is one to which many readers will relate/have related - it's reviews bearing testimony of His using it's power to inspire, heal emotional pain, and change lives of readers.

Giveaway: Julie Lessman has generously donated THREE eBook giveaways of "A Glimmer of Hope"!! For contact purposes be sure to leave your email address written (at) and (dot) to protect yourself from spammers.