Book Notes: October 20, 2021 - A Romance Mix

 Welcome back for another round of book reviews! I'm still reading up a storm and I've blasted past my Goodreads goal of 100 books this year. I guess that's a sign of being in a rut. Every time I find myself listing on a 'calm' sea, I bury myself in books. I'm praying about it and seeking the scriptures on it and looking for positive ways to bump myself out of it. No matter what happens though, God is good. That's how I know His plan is good, even if I don't always understand it and can't see the big picture. 

On with the book reviews!

Redemption's Edge (Redemption Mountain, #1) by Shirleen Davies

Redemption's Edge by Shirleen Davies
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

(Please note: I'm writing this review after having finished this book almost two months ago. I probably finished reading it with grit in my eyes and thought I'd review when I woke up later. *heh* Since then, I don't know how many other books I finished. I'll do my best, though.)
This was a pretty good book. I thought the plot was interesting. It bothered me that the hero was so dead-set on turning down a working ranch with such a vast area of land when it was just handed to him, especially since he had people willing to help him keep it running and his brother was enthusiastic about running the place with him. That just didn't make a whole lot of sense to me.
*****
(Possible spoilers coming...
so if you don't like that,
just skip the rest
of my review.)
*****
As for the heroine, I don't know... I know she was forward-thinking because she really wanted to be a nurse after having done work in that area during the war. That's such an admirable thing and not usually something a woman would choose during that era. That she allowed Dax to take some liberties (and he was /pushy/...o.O) amazed me since she'd pretty much determined she'd never marry. Her capitulation happened too quickly, IMO. We, the readers, get it...to a certain extent. But if people were already viewing this woman in a negative light, why would she want to add to that stigma when she wanted to be accepted in the new town? She just made a few decisions I had a hard time justifying concerning the era, even with her forward-thinking personality.
My problem with heroes and heroines exhibiting this kind of deviation from good morals is that I want a hero or heroine I can look up to and try to emulate. There were certainly some admirable character traits in each of these MCs, but it's hard to take a character seriously when they allow momentary passions to override good sense. That's just me, though, and hardly applies to most people. So please do take that into consideration.
I did get invested in the plot. I wanted to know if the brothers would succeed in their endeavors at the ranch and whether 'love would conquer all.' It was a good, solid 3-star story for me.
I'd recommend this book to people who enjoy a fanciful, yet gritty, American west historical romance.

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(This is the kind of review I can write when I'm fully awake and have had time to stew over the contents of the book. I just would never get all the reviews written if I did them all this way. *sigh*)

Her Dream Cowboy (Sagebrush Ranch #1) by Laura Ann

Her Dream Cowboy by Laura Ann
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a sweet story, almost fairy-tale-ish in nature with a strong but sensitive hero and a lively heroine who isn't afraid to try new things and go after her dreams. It's easy to read and I really wanted to know how everything was going to play out. I don't think I've read many books by this author so it's possible she was new for me. I like the style, but at the same time, I like a richer story in most cases. The characters were interesting and I wanted to get to know them a little better. I'm definitely interested in reading some of the stories about the other characters at Sagebrush Ranch, particularly Levi, Oli, and Violet.
Things that kept this from being 5-star for me...it's sweet, but it's not inspirational and I usually try to find inspirational romances to read. This one popped up in an email newsletter so I thought I'd give it a try. Also, it just seemed like there could've been a little more richness to the story. It was easy enough to put myself on the ranch. The author painted the setting very well, I thought. I also liked that family closeness and abiding friendship were touched on, but I wished that had been fleshed out a bit more.
Still, this book was a good one and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys a sweet romance.

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I just finished this book this morning. You know you're tired when you get 92% of the way through the book and your eyelids and hands are fighting against your desire to complete what you started. 

This contemporary romance was certainly lighter than the historical romance. I think I'll enjoy reading some more books by Laura Ann, especially when I'm having a rough day. Her books are similar to my friend, Leah's, books with the main difference being Leah's are inspirational and Laura's leave out the faith element. Both seem to wish to leave the reader smiling and content at the end of the book. 

Thank you so much for stopping by to read my offerings today. I appreciate your support and encouragement as I continue striving to be a better writer. Check back in on Friday for an update on my Nano prep work if you're interested in seeing where I am at the moment. 

Until next time...