love to paint

A few years ago, Jen Turano wrote A Change of Fortune .  It was a fun, humorous read that made me laugh outloud.  I enjoyed the other stories in that series that Ms. Turano wrote, but not nearly as much as the first.  The humor was not as potent in the sequels. BUT, in the first book of Ms. Turano's new melodramatic series, the humor has returned!   After a Fashion is the first book (I suspect) in a new series about three friends.  I laughed as I began this book.  It is a melodrama, but a fun one.  Harriet Peabody, the main character, made me smile.  I appreciated her integrity and spunk.  She was admirable, but flawed.  But, first, I'll back up a moment. After a Fashion is a historical Christian romance set in the 1800s (a similar setting to Ms. Turano's first series).  The story begins with Harriet Peabody, a hat maker being assigned the troublesome task of delivering  some hats to a Miss Bellingham, a difficult and ...

I have enjoyed watching Downton Abbey on PBS.   It has become so popular!  It seems as if historical fiction with similar themes has risen in popularity alongside this show. One such book with a similar theme is Olivia Newport's novel The Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow .  This novel tells the story of Charlotte, a young woman who's son has been in the care of another woman while she was a housemaid in a large home.  I assume that it is because the help lives in the home that children are not allowed.  The woman who has been caring for her son has to leave and can't care for him any longer.  Charlotte is at a loss as to what to do.  Her employer, Lucy, was on her side, but she is away on her extended honeymoon.  The story follows the events of what happen as Charlotte struggles with her love for her son and fear of her supposed husband who she ran away from.   Plot:  The plot has plenty of twists and turns.  It also has a happy e...

Yesterday in the car, I turned on NPR and listened to a local talk show radio host interview an author about parents and their expectations of their children.  The host was talking about how parents have unrealistic expectations of their children so they can't live up to them.  My 8 year old daughter suddenly says from the back seat that no child can be good enough.  It took me a second to comprehend what she was saying and then I remembered what the sermon at church on Sunday had been about and the Bible study discussion from Sunday night.  I probed her and asked what she meant.  I learned that she understood that none of us are good enough to earn God's love.  We are loved by God and are good enough because Christ died for our sins.  We are saved by grace through faith--not by our own good works.  She didn't understand why the adults on the radio were having the discussion at all.  I reminded her of a time when she told me she was a horribl...

It is difficult to find fun fiction to read that I feel good about reading.   But, I picked two books up recently and enjoyed them both.   They were light hearted.   I got to escape--in a good way--for a little while and simply enjoy the good stories. The first is In Every Heartbeat by Kim Vogel Sawyer.   Storyline:   The storyline is about three young adults heading off to college from an orphanage where they've grown up together in 1914.   They all have different stories and hurts.   As the book progresses, the story centers around the family of one of the three and what happens when finds them. Writing:   The writing is good and easy to read.   It isn't very distinct, but it is enjoyable. Plot:   The plot works.   There are twists and turns that make the story interesting and fun to read.   Honestly, this book is what I expect of historical fiction.   What I liked best about it was that the romance didn't overtake ...