Always on My Mind By: Susan May Warren

Back of the Book

After a failed dig in Honduras, aspiring archaeologist Casper Christiansen heads home to Minnesota to face his unresolved feelings for Raina Beaumont, the woman of his dreams. But when he arrives unannounced on her doorstep, he receives the shock of a lifetime: Raina is pregnant with someone else’s baby.

Heartbroken, especially when he discovers the identity of the baby’s father, Casper tables his dreams and determines to be dependable for once, helping his older brother, Darek, prepare the family resort for its grand reopening. Casper longs to be the hero of at least one family story, but a never-ending Deep Haven winter and costly repairs threaten their efforts—and the future of the resort.

Worse, one of Casper’s new jobs constantly brings him into contact with Raina, whom he can’t seem to forget. A tentative friendship begins to heal fresh wounds, but can they possibly overcome past mistakes and current choices to discover a future together?

My thoughts

If you have been counting down the days for the next Chrstiansen family novel, the count down is over, and it is well worth the wait. Susan May Warren did such an amazing job on this book, it was emotional, entertaining and really made you pause and ask the question "what would I do?"  As both Casper and Raina struggle with their own past mistakes they must learn to forgive each other.  Always on My Mind reminds us that we must learn from the past but find peace and joy by looking towards the future.  I would recommend this book and can't wait to start reading it again. (But I will have to wait, because I have loaned it out to family.)

I was given this novel free from Tyndale House Publishers for my honest opinion.

A Most Inconvenient Marriage By: Regina Jennings

Back of the Book

Abigail Stuart Thought She was Jeremiah Calhoun's Widow.
But Jeremiah Calhoun Is Very Handsome, Very Alive, and Very Perplexed.
Most Inconvenient Indeed.

With few options of her own, nurse Abigail Stuart agrees to marry her patient, a gravely wounded soldier calling himself Jeremiah Calhoun. They arrange a quick ceremony before he dies, giving Abigail the rights to his Ozark farm and giving Jeremiah the peace of knowing someone will care for his ailing sister after he's gone--a practical solution for both of them.

After the war, Abigail fulfills her side of the bargain--until the real Jeremiah Calhoun shows up, injured but definitely alive, and wastes no time in challenging Abigail's story. Abigail is flummoxed. After months of claiming to be his widow, how can she explain that she's never seen this Jeremiah Calhoun before? How can she convince him that she isn't trying to steal his farm? And will she find a way to stay, even though this practical arrangement has turned into a most inconvenient marriage?

My Thoughts

  A Most Inconvenient Marriage is an entertaining novel that centered around the Calhoun family farm.  Jeremiah and Abigail seem to go back and forth between her staying or going, and Jeremiah liking her or going back to the girl he left before the war.  I never felt a real connection with anyone in the story to keep me drawn into the book. The setting for the novel was the end of the civil war and I did find it interesting to see how the town was divided because of the war, and some of the issues they faced because of those divisions.  

I was given this book free from Bethany House Publishing for my Honest review.