Category: Reviews by KyLee

KyLee Woodley a cohost, producer, and reviewer for Historical Bookworm. She live in Oregon with her three children and husband.
KyLee has a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education, with a Minor in Creative Writing from the Karen Kingsbury Center of Creative Writing at Liberty University. She has published creative nonfiction work and won and finaled in writing contests through American Christian Fiction Writers.

Learn more about KyLee on her website KyLeeWoodley.com, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

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Fairest of Heart by Karen Witemeyer

The audio version of this review was first shared in Episode 65: A Bookchat about The Metropolitan Affair with Jocelyn Green & a Review of Fairest of Heart by Karen Witemeyer.

The Book

Beauty has been nothing but a curse to Penelope Snow. When she becomes a personal maid for a famous actress whose troupe is leaving Chicago to tour the west, she hides her figure beneath shapeless dresses and keeps her head down. But she still manages to attract the wrong attention, leaving her prospects in tatters—and her jealous mistress plotting her demise.

After his brother lost his life over a woman, Texas Ranger Titus Kingsley has learned to expect the worst from females and is rarely disappointed. So when a young woman found in suspicious circumstances takes up residence with the seven old drovers living at his grandfather’s ranch, Titus is determined to keep a close eye on her.

With a promotion hanging in the balance, Titus investigates a robbery case tied to Penelope’s old acting troupe. The evidence points to her guilt, but Titus’s heart divines a different truth—one that might just get Penelope killed.

An enchanting Western take on the classic Snow White fairy tale, Fairest of Heart will sweep you away from once upon a time to happily ever after.

The Review

I just finished reading Fairest of Heart by Karen Witemeyer and I absolutely loved it. This is  a book that gets you tight in the throat in a good way.

The spirit of Snow White is so well captivated in sweet, strong Penelope that I found myself connecting with her on an emotional level. True, she is nearly angelic, but Karen’s portrayal of her goodness is so authentic one could hardly claim it contrived, at least—that is— if you know your Bible. Why, is this you ask? More than her personality or characteristics, what makes Penelope a princess is her kind and gentle spirit of Godly love and selflessness.

As for the Seven Dwarfs, that is seven retired ranch hands, Doc had me missing my childhood pastor while sweet Rowdy (who portrays Dopey from Disney’s classic version) had me wanting to dive into the pages and wrap my arms around him. And did I mention Grumpy. I mean Jeb. Nothing like a cantankerous, loving old man to make you want to watch a John Wayne movie.

As for the hero—Titus Kingsley (I love that name!) is a hardened man though not so much he treats Penelope, or anyone else, like a doormat. He is wise when confronted with Narcissa—the beautiful actress extraordinaire. I really enjoyed reading about a heroic man who was flawed yet didn’t turn into a complete numbskull in the face of a seductress like the female villain. This is by far, my favorite retelling of Snow White.

If you are feeling reminiscent for the old Disney we grew up on but want something wholesome and endearing with a Western spin, pick up a copy of Karen Witemeyer’s Fairest of heart!

The Author

For those who love to smile as they read, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer offers warmhearted historical romance with a flair for humor, feisty heroines, and swoon-worthy Texas heroes. 

Voted #1 Readers’ Favorite Christian Historical Author in 2023 by Family Fiction Magazine, Karen is a multiple award-winning author and a firm believer in the power of happy endings. 

She is an avid cross-stitcher, tea drinker, and gospel hymn singer who makes her home in Abilene, TX with her heroic husband who vanquishes laundry dragons and dirty dish villains whenever she’s on deadline.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

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The Souls of Lost Lake by Jaime Jo Wright

About the Book

Wren Blythe has long enjoyed being among the Northwoods, helping her father with programming at a youth camp. But when a little girl in the area goes missing, an all-out search ensues, reviving the decades-old campfire story of Ava Coons, the murderess, who still roams the woods. Joining the search, Wren stumbles upon the Coons cabin ruins and a rotting porcelain doll. But even more terrifying is seeing her name etched on the doll’s foot like a sinister omen.

In 1930, Ava Coons has spent the last ten years carrying the mantle of mystery since she emerged from the forest as an eight-year-old girl, spattered with blood, dragging a logger’s axe. She has accepted she’ll never remember what happened to her family. When a member of the town of Tempter’s Creek is murdered, rumors spread that Ava’s secret is more malicious than previously imagined.

Both women discover that to save the innocent, they must face an insidious evil.

The Review

Although a full grown woman, Ava is emotionally frozen at the age of 10 when she came from the woods dragging a bloody ax. The town, for the most part, ignore her until a man is murdered with an ax just like her family had been. Suspicion falls on her, so the handsome reverend takes her into his protection for fear that a mob might try to take matters into their own hands.

The modern storyline takes place in a Bible camp where the main character, Wren, helps to search for a lost little girl. Losing a child in the wilderness is scary enough without ghost stories creeping from memory to reality.  Wren seems to be singled out by a fantom-woman, and when details about her mother come to light she is forced to dig deeper into her past than she ever expected. At her side is her hot boyfriend, eccentric brother, and her closest friend–Eddie. 

As mysteries unfold, Wren is forced to look at her entire life in a new light while Ava, in the historical storyline, dredges further into violence and mystery to remember what happened to her family at Lost Lake and finally find herself in the ruins.

If you love books by Erin Bartels, Michelle Griep, and Christina Suzann Nelson, you will enjoy this compelling suspense featuring two women from different time periods who face the shadows of their pasts to find their future. The Souls of Lost Lake is a must-read.

This review was originally shared in episode 28

About the Author

Jaime Jo Wright is a winner of the Christy, Carol, Daphne du Maurier, and INSPY Awards. She’s also the PW and ECPA bestselling author of three novellas. Jaime brings to life the stories of the past and intertwines them with the present, to bring readers award-winning time-slip novels.

Disclaimer: The publisher offered a complimentary copy of this book. The review was given freely, without payment. All views expressed are only the honest opinion of a member of the Historical Bookworm Review Team.

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The Curator’s Daughter by Melanie Dobson

About the Book

1940. Hanna Tillich cherishes her work as an archaeologist for the Third Reich, searching for the Holy Grail and other artifacts to bolster evidence of a master Aryan race. But when she is reassigned to work as a museum curator in Nuremberg, then forced to marry an SS officer and adopt a young girl, Hanna begins to see behind the Nazi facade. A prayer labyrinth becomes a storehouse for Hanna’s secrets, but as she comes to love Lilly as her own daughter, she fears that what she’s hiding–and what she begins to uncover–could put them both in mortal danger,

Eighty years later, Ember Ellis is a Holocaust researcher intent on confronting hatred toward the Jewish people and other minorities. She reconnects with a former teacher on Martha’s Vineyard after she learns that Mrs. Kiehl’s mother once worked with the Nazi Ahnenerbe. And yet, Mrs. Kiehl describes her mother as “a friend to the Jewish people.” Wondering how both could be true, Ember helps Mrs. Kiehl regain her fractured childhood memories of World War II while at the same time confronting the heartache of her own secret past–and the person who wants to silence Ember forever.

The Review

Melanie Dobson’s book The Curator’s Daughter is a heart wrenching yet inspiring read.

The modern day character Ember is shrouded in mystery so the unraveling of her traumatic past as well as that of her past romance, is fascinating. 

Hannah, the main female character in WW2 Germany is troubled–typical of one living in war time. Her struggle to do what is right amidst the ravishment of her country and the expulsion and murder of Jewish people is heart wrenching to read.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

About the Author

Melanie is the award-winning author of more than twenty historical romance, suspense, and time-slip novels. Five of her novels, Memories of Glass, Chateau of Secrets, Catching the Wind, The Silent Order and Love Finds You in Homestead, Iowa, have received Carol Awards. Catching the Wind received the Inspirational Fiction Audie Award in 2018 and was nominated for a Christy Award in historical fiction. The Black Cloister, her novel about a dangerous cult, was named the ForeWord Religious Fiction Book of the Year.


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Braced for Love by Mary Connealy

About the Book

Left with little back in Missouri, Kevin Hunt takes his younger siblings on a journey to Wyoming when he receives news that he’s inheriting part of a ranch. The catch is that the ranch is also being given to a half brother he never knew existed. Turns out, Kevin’s supposedly dead father led a secret and scandalous life.

But danger seems to track Kevin along the way, and he wonders if his half brother, Wyatt, is behind the attacks. Finally arriving at the ranch, everyone

is at each other’s throats and the only one willing to stand in between is Winona Hawkins, a nearby schoolmarm.

Despite being a long-time friend to Wyatt, Winona can’t help but be drawn to the earnest, kind Kevin–and that puts her in the cross hairs of somebody’s dangerous plot. Will they all be able to put aside their differences long enough to keep anyone from getting truly hurt?

The Review

I’m glad to have the opportunity to tell you about Mary Connealy’s latest release, Braced for Love. for years I read Mary’s books because her works always promised me a safe, fun historical read.

In her usual fashion, Mary spins a fun western tale; and while the series is centered around a family of brothers, like many of her other series, this one is different because these brothers appear to be enemies. My favorite thing about this book was the setting. The terrain is described beautifully as frontier life on a cattle ranch. From the ranch to the cattle, the hills, rivers, and a waterfall. I also enjoyed seeing the other minor characters interact and wonder who would end up with whom. Mary always gives hints as to who might star in the next book as the romantic couple.

For our more conservative listeners, you will be happy to know that kisses are sweet not steamy, and the violence is neither gory nor unnecessary.

If you enjoy reading clean, western romance with a little danger, family values, and a marriage of convenience, you won’t want to miss Braced for Love, book 1 in Mary Connealy’s Brothers in Arms Series.

This review was originally shared in episode 6 of the Historical Bookworm Show.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

About the Author

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy with cowboys always with a strong suspense thread. She is a two time Carol Award winner, and a Rita, Christy and Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist.
She is the bestselling author of 48 books and novellas.
Her most recent three book series are: Cimarron Legacy, Wild at Heart, Trouble in Texas, Kincaid Bride for Bethany House Publishing. She’s also written four other series for Barbour Publishing and many novellas and several stand-alone books for multiple publishers.
Mary will be a published author for ten years in 2017 with nearly a million books in print. She has a degree in broadcast communications with an emphasis in journalism and has worked at her local newspaper.


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A DANCE IN DONEGAL by Jennifer Deibel

The Book

All her life, Boston-born Moira Doherty has relished her mother’s descriptions of the Emerald Isle. When her mother dies unexpectedly in the summer of 1920, Moira is compelled to fulfill her dying wish–that she become the teacher in Ballymann, the beloved village in Donegal, Ireland, she’s heard so much about.

After an arduous voyage, Moira begins a challenging new job in an unfamiliar and ancient country. Though a few locals offer a warm welcome, others are distanced by superstition and suspicion.

Rumors about Moira’s mother are unspoken in her presence but threaten to derail everything she’s journeyed to Ballymann to do. Moira must rely on the kindness of a handful of friends–and the strength of Sean, an unsettlingly handsome thatcher who keeps popping up unannounced–as she seeks to navigate a life she’d never dreamed of . . . but perhaps was meant to live.

Review

A Dance in Donegal is an exquisite Irish love story. Jennifer Deibel weaves this 1920s era love story in the Irish countryside with just enough suspense, mystery, and romance that you cannot help but hold your breath from chapter to chapter. 

As far as steaminess, this book gives enough romantic tension to tease, yet descriptions are discreet and wholesome. There is one violent scene that might be a trigger for more sensitive readers. A man attempts to assault a young woman. This scene was short and tactfully portrayed. 

The spiritual arc was accompanied by Bible verses in the characters’ thoughts, oftentimes presented as though God himself was speaking. 

If you’re in the mood for a sweet Irish love story with beautifully described countryside, fun Gaelic colloquialisms, and the theme of how God restores one woman’s reputation–thereby cementing her place and call in Ireland–you won’t want to miss A Dance in Donegal by Jennifer Deibel

This review was originally shared in episode 6 of the Historical Bookworm Podcast.

Disclaimer: The publisher offered a complimentary copy of this book. The review was given freely, without payment. All views expressed are only the honest opinion of a member of Historical Bookworm Review Team.

About the Author

Jennifer Deibel is a middle school teacher whose work has appeared on (in)courage, on The Better Mom, in Missions Mosaic magazine, and others. With firsthand immersive experience abroad, Jennifer writes stories that help redefine home through the lens of culture, history, and family. After nearly a decade of living in Ireland and Austria, she now lives in Arizona with her husband and their three children. You can find her online at www.jenniferdeibel.com . Her debut novel, A Dance in Donegal, releases Feb. 2, 2021 from Revell and is available for pre-order wherever books are sold!

Order A Dance in Donegal here:

Baker Book House
ChristianBook
Barnes and Noble
Target
Amazon
Books-A-Million
IndieBound
Walmart

 

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