Working Mommy Journal

In The Element of Love, Laura mixed danger, desperation, and deception together. Love was not the expected outcome.

About the Element of Love

With their sharp engineering minds, Laura Stiles and her two sisters have been able to deal with their mother’s unfortunate choice in husband until they discovered his plans to marry each of them off to his lecherous friends. Now they must run away–far and fast–to find better matches to legally claim their portion of their father’s lumber dynasty and seize control from their stepfather.

During their escape, Laura befriends a mission group heading to serve the poor in California. She quickly volunteers herself and her sisters to join their efforts. Despite the settlement being in miserable condition, the sisters are excited by the opportunity to put their skills to good use. Laura also sees potential in Caleb, the mission’s parson, to help with gaining her inheritance. But when secrets buried in Caleb’s past and in the land around them come to light, it’ll take all the smarts the sisters have to keep trouble at bay.

My Thoughts

This was an interesting tale of three sisters with very unique and brilliant minds. Each one having a very special talent that when combined they are unstoppable. This is a gift of education from their equally talented and late Father who felt that it was extremely important to educate his daughters who would one day take over his company.

So many of their dreams and the future that was originally planned out for them fell apart with their father’s death and their mother’s remarriage. So much so that the sisters plan an elaborate escape from their family home in the hopes of finding a man to marry. On their way to marriage, they cross paths with a mission group and their lives are forever changed. Not only are they forced to learn to trust (and love) but they would do anything to protect these people.

I loved the unique nature of this story, it was definitely not something that I had ever read before and definitely kept me on my toes! The sisters themselves are loveable and quirky, your heart goes out to them for the difficult hand they were dealt later in life and the steps that they must take to overcome this. A great summer time read!

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 4/5

About the Author

Mary Connealy writes “romantic comedies with cowboys” and is celebrated for her fun, zany, action-packed style. She has sold more than half a million books. Mary lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero. Learn more at www.maryconnealy.com.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

In Along the Rio Grande, recently widowed Susanna Jenkins has decided to follow her family to the booming town of San Marcial, New Mexico, for a fresh start and to aid in her family’s sudden change in fortune. 

About Along the Rio Grande

Is her compassion doing more harm than good?

Recently widowed Susanna Jenkins has decided to follow her family to the booming town of San Marcial, New Mexico, for a fresh start and to aid in her family’s sudden change in fortune. They are tasked with managing her uncle’s new Grand Hotel, and it takes all her patience to try to help her parents see the good of their circumstances and relinquish their sense of entitlement.

She’s hopeful when her brother becomes determined to get a job and make his own way, and she feels drawn to his kind boss, Owen Turner, who works as a boilermaker for the Santa Fe’s train shops in town. But the hard work only seems to fuel her brother’s anger, and his rough new friends give her pause.

When misguided choices put Susanna’s family in an even more precarious situation, she worries her help has only made things worse. Leaving her family to fend for themselves seems like the best option, but how can she walk away from the true friendships–and love–that she’s found?

My Thoughts

Susanna is a strong, independent young women who has dealt with difficult parents (and a sibling) and the death of the love of her life. While she came from money, she has a solid head on her shoulders, spends frugally and well, learning important lessons from her Uncle (someone whom she seems closer to than her own Father). This is in complete contrast to her own parents and brother who can’t seem to control their spending, wastefulness, and consistently make bad decisions.

Those bad decisions cause her parents to have to move to New Mexico – a move that they have fought the entire way. She is there to observe and report to her Uncle but she is not supposed to interfere with the lesson that they must learn (and oh boy what a lesson it is!). We are taken along for the ride as her parents and brother fight back at every opportunity they get to live a minimalist lifestyle and to work for a living. The way they treat Susanna at times is horrible and my heart breaks for her. Through all of this, she remains humble, forgiving and resilient. Despite the loss of the love of her life, she experiences a spark in a new flame which gives new home at finding love and building a new future for her.

I loved Susanna’s story and I feel this novel will make a great summer beach read!

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 4.5/5

About the Author

Tracie Peterson is the award-winning author of over 100 novels, both historical and contemporary. Her avid research resonates in her many bestselling series. Tracie and her family make their home in Montana. Learn more at www.traciepeterson.com.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

In The Master Craftsman, award-winning author Kelli Stuart transports you into the opulent and treacherous world of the Russian Revolution to unearth mysteries long buried.

About The Master Craftsman

Three generations later, world-renowned treasure hunter Nick Laine is sick and fears the secret of the missing egg will die with him. With time running out, he entrusts the mission of retrieving the egg to his estranged daughter, Ava, who has little idea of the dangers she is about to face. As the stakes are raised, Ava is forced to declare her own allegiance–and the consequences are greater than she could have imagined.

This modern-day treasure hunt from award-winning author Kelli Stuart transports you into the opulent and treacherous world of the Russian Revolution to unearth mysteries long buried.

My Thoughts

I fell in love with this incredible story right from the start (truth be told – it was the cover that first grabbed my attention but then once you start to read the novel, you do not want to put it down.

The novel follows two different time periods – Nick Laine (treasure hunter) and his daughter (his new protegee) and the Russian Revolution and the Faberge eggs. We are transported to this rich and whimsical world prior to the Russian Revolution and the mystery of the Faberge eggs. In this particular story – we learn about the possibility of one very special egg with significant meaning behind the Revolution, one that would have ruined Faberge and many went to great stakes to hide. Nick has to quickly and remotely train his daughter (whom he has is estranged from due to his own personal choices) to act on his behalf to uncover the mystery behind this egg crafted during the Revolution. What no one would expect – the depth of deceit and cover ups to hide this precious artifact.

I loved every moment of this story – it was one of those novels you cannot put down as you have to learn what happens next. You can’t help but become invested in the characters. I loved how we switched back and forth between both time periods to really dive deep into the story of the eggs and how intricate the plot was. The story had so many twists and each one kept getting better and better! The Master Craftsman is a definite must read novel.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Kelli Stuart is the author of the Carol Award-winning Like a River from Its Course, as well as A Silver Willow by the Shore and Life Creative: Inspiration for Today’s Renaissance Mom (with Wendy Speake). Stuart has written for The Huffington Post, 5 Minutes for Mom, Tonic.com, Disney, American Girl, The MOB Society, Extraordinary Mommy, God Size Dreams, Short Fiction Break, and (in)courage. Kelli is a storyteller at heart, fluent in the Russian language, and has spent the last two decades studying the Russian and Ukrainian culture. Kelli lives in Tampa, Florida, with her husband and five children.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.