Books! AKA What I've Read Recently

 Hey Y'all!

I actually have a few to share this month, much better than January...

1) -4) This series:

The Hayden Family Series, Jennifer Millikin

While these books are stand alone, it's definitely worth reading the whole series. Each sibling has there own story to tell, and all four are complex, with their own issues, conflict, and resolutions. Each one is a well written character, you can really submerse yourself in the ranch, and surrounding areas. 

While book 3 was probably my favorite, it's hard to believe X is a psychologist, therefore IDK that I'd want her working in that capacity. (Trying not to spoil it, but if you read these, let me know your opinion!)

A bit from each book:

The Patriot-

I'm a soldier.
A cattle rancher.
A Hayden.

My family's legacy is spread out in front of me, just waiting for me to seize it. If it weren't for one outdated rule, I'd be the owner of the Hayden Cattle Company and my aging father could retire.

When Dakota Wright shows up to buy and develop twenty acres of Hayden land, I see more than a pretty mouth and strawberry blonde hair. I see a way around the decree keeping me from getting what I want.

And, as luck would have it, Dakota has a big problem of her own. We strike two deals: one for the land, and a second that'll make both our problems a distant memory.

It isn't too long before I realize I'm in over my head. I've convinced myself the ends should justify the means, but everything begins to fall apart when my birthright is no longer all that I'm after.

I never thought there'd be anything I could love more than my ranch and my country.
I was wrong.

Turns out, I want it all.
Including her.

The Maverick-

I know you’ve heard about me.

The middle Hayden brother, the one whose wife ran off.

I’m not the short-tempered new owner of the Hayden Cattle Company, like my big brother. I’m not the wild stallion with a mystery ax to grind, like my little brother.

I’m Warner Hayden. Single-father, second-in-command of my family’s ranching dynasty, and my steady, secure world is about to get rocked by America’s sweetheart.

I’d heard Tenley Roberts was coming to our small town to film her latest movie, I just didn't think she’d be driving a 1976 Bronco. So, no, I didn't know the identity of the beautiful stranger I helped on the side of the road, but I figured it out a few days later. And I haven't been the same since.

Tenley is unexpectedly funny, and complicated. I’m recently divorced, fearful of the way she makes my heart beat double-time, and gun-shy.

Despite all this, we’re too wrapped up in each other to care.

But then things with Tenley take an unforeseen turn, and everyone assumes I’ll take my licks the way I always have.

Not this time.

Maybe I am the nice, dependable brother.

But I’m also a Hayden, born and bred.

And this bull has horns.

The Outlaw-

There’s a thin line between being a hero and a villain, and I’m well aware I walk right down the middle of it. My reputation precedes me, even when I’m making a bad choice for the right reason. This is how I wind up in the back of a police car late one night.

My infamous last name keeps my record clean, with a single caveat: community service at a ranch recently purchased by Jo Shelton. I think I’d rather go to jail than serve time with the woman who has made it clear she can’t stand me, even though we used to be friends.

Despite the tense atmosphere and how she keeps me at arms’ length, I show up every day, ready to work. Quickly I learn a valuable lesson: while it’s difficult being around someone I don’t like, it’s far more difficult being around someone I find myself intensely attracted to, but cannot have.

Because Jo, the woman who's driving me crazy with her quiet strength and beautiful face, is in a relationship. With a man who, I’d like to point out, is not out there getting his hands dirty on his girlfriend’s ranch. Possession is 9/10th’s of the law, and as far as I’m concerned, I’m currently in possession of Jo’s time and attention.

One day, the unexpected happens. Her blue eyes pierce my callused exterior, seeing deep down into a wound I work hard to hide. It’s in this moment, and so many that follow, that I become certain there’s no hope left for me. I’m in love with Jo, and I’m desperate to show her I’m someone worthy of her love in return.

Lucky for me, nobody rises to the occasion quite like an outlaw.

The Calamity-

I’ve made a mess of things again. Not that anybody is surprised.

After I’m politely asked to withdraw from college for my antics, I return home to my family’s cattle ranch. The sweeping views, the towering pine trees, and the whisper of the wind remind me I belong on this land. My heart is in the alpine air, my soul mixed into the soil. All I’ve ever wanted is to run the ranch alongside my oldest brother, but my family refuses to see me as anything but a walking disaster.

If I’m going to show them what I’m capable of, I have to prove myself. Lucky for me, I’m a Hayden through and through. I’ll dirty my hands in more ways than one.

That includes the man who showed up in town again after all these years. Sawyer Bennett. I’ve heard the stories about his family, and they don’t scare me. Our attraction is undeniable, and the best part? Sawyer looks at me with fresh eyes. When I’m with him, I get to be the woman I’m fighting to become. And I’m learning just how much I want to be that woman.

But then I make the ultimate mistake: I utter the word perfect. I should've known better. There’s nowhere to go but down after that. And down we go, until we hit rock bottom.

Sawyer unearths a long-buried secret, and challenges everything my brothers and I grew up believing. Nobody is surprised I’ve brought disaster to our doorstep again, but it’s not over.

Because when it rains out on the ranch? It pours.

5) Next I continued the Bridgerton series, and this one wasn't my favorite. I feel like we already knew most of what was happening. It's also almost solely from Michaels point of view. I feel like I don't really know Francesca at all... And that doesn't bother me.

When He Was Wicked, Julia Quinn

In every life there is a turning point. A moment so tremendous, so sharp and breathtaking, that one knows one’s life will never be the same. For Michael Stirling, London’s most infamous rake, that moment came the first time he laid eyes on Francesca Bridgerton.

After a lifetime of chasing women, of smiling slyly as they chased him, of allowing himself to be caught but never permitting his heart to become engaged, he took one look at Francesca Bridgerton and fell so fast and hard into love it was a wonder he managed to remain standing. Unfortunately for Michael, however, Francesca’s surname was to remain Bridgerton for only a mere thirty-six hours longer—the occasion of their meeting was, lamentably, a supper celebrating her imminent wedding to his cousin.

But that was then . . . Now Michael is the earl and Francesca is free, but still she thinks of him as nothing other than her dear friend and confidant. Michael dares not speak to her of his love . . . until one dangerous night, when she steps innocently into his arms, and passion proves stronger than even the most wicked of secrets . . .

6) &7) Wildwood Society Romance Series, Roxie Nior

Why it's called that I don't know, it's only mentioned (by name) once or twice across books 1 & 2.

Both of these were good, quick afternoon reads. Easily stand alone books, the first one mentions the friend group, and they get together far more than book 2. I'll save up my Google Play points to get the rest in the series.

I like that the cast of characters each are unique and flawed. They are well written, as is the book series, except the F word gets tossed around far too much to make it remotely impactful. Especially in the character that has a lot of religious trauma. It just doesn't fell like he'd say it that much compared to the way he talks/acts otherwise. It's like the writer couldn't think of a different word, so she just shoves that one in, regardless of if it actually "fits". Still good stories though... A bit steamier than my usual read.

The One Month Boyfriend-

Silas and I agree on one thing, and one thing only: my ruthless, heartless, narcissistic jerk of an ex-fiancé needs to be taken down a notch.

So we do what anyone would do: we pretend to be a couple.

Even though Silas and I are polar opposites. Silas is a loud, cheerful, over the top showboat. He’s his hometown’s golden boy, the Marine who came back to rescue kittens from trees and walk old ladies across the street.

And me? I'm the awkward new girl who freezes up around strangers and can’t make small talk to save my life.

It shouldn’t work. We can barely have a conversation without arguing. There's no way we should be friends, let alone dating, except... Everyone believes it.

Especially my ex.

Now I'm having way too many real fantasies about the man who gets on my last nerve. My fake boyfriend is starting to feel a whole lot like a real one.

The kisses feel real.
The way he protects me feels real.
The night we spend together in a hotel bed feels very real.

This was supposed to be fake, but I think I might have fooled myself most of all.

The Two Week Roommate- 

There are probably worse things than being stuck in a remote cabin with the rugged-yet-grumpy forest ranger who saved my life in a blizzard. Getting mauled by a bear, for example, though I might prefer that to eating breakfast with Gideon Bell, the guy who nearly ruined my life when we were kids.

It was twenty years ago. We haven’t spoken since. Our families still hate each other, and our lives are completely different. I’m not sure we’ve got anything in common besides childhood memories.

But when it’s just the two of us for a couple of weeks, none of that really matters.

What matters is the way Gideon grumbles, but makes my tea exactly the way I like it. What matters is how he always gives me the spot on the couch closest to the fireplace. What matters is how he looks at me when he thinks I’m not paying attention.

And those childhood memories? He’s in all my favorites.

Up here, in the cabin, it’s easy to look past all that because it feels so good to kiss him. It’s easy to spend a wild night in front of the fireplace and wake up still wrapped together. But back in the real world, where everything that drove us apart is still alive and kicking? It’s a lot harder.

Can Gideon and I fix what broke twenty years ago, or does what happens in the cabin have to stay in the cabin?

8) I know I said in a previous blog I wasn't going to read any more of the Deliverance Co books, but I think this one is stand alone enough. Hubby picked it up for me from a local thrift store.

The Sooner The Better, Debbie Macomber

I liked this one more than book one. Overall the story was more interesting, and the main characters far more likable. I won't look for book 2.

She’s stuck with Jack…

Lorraine Dancy has just discovered that everything she believes about her father is a lie—starting with the fact that Thomas supposedly died years ago. Now she’s learned that not only is he not dead, he’s living in a small town south of the border. In the process of tracking him down, she manages to get framed for theft and pursued by the real thief, the police and a local crime boss. Her father’s friend Jack Keller agrees to help her escape, although Lorraine’s reluctant to depend on a man like him.

And he’s stuck with her!

Jack’s every bit the renegade Lorraine thinks he is—an ex-mercenary and former Deliverance Company operative. He’s also the one person who can guide her to safety. But there are stormy waters ahead, including an attraction neither of them wants to feel. An attraction that’s as risky as it is intense—for both of them. The sooner he can get Lorraine home, the better!

8 books this moth was pretty good! What should I read next? Let me know in the comments below!

Have a great day,

Craftin' Wife

Books July, August & September!!

 Hey Y'all!

It's been awhile on our book blogs, and I'm positive I've forgotten a few. I still have a few to share, so here we go!

First off I've continued the Bridgerton series, by Julia Quinn, with books 4 & 5. It deviates rather largely from the series at this point, both are good but in my opinion the books are always better (than the TV show or movie adaptations).

Penelope and Colin's story is fairly accurate to the most recent TV season, some things are changed to make it make sense on TV, some are change for other reasons, but the "meat" of the story is the same.

Eloise's story hasn't been adapted yet, but it's a rather quick love story and mostly in letters no one knew about so we'll see how that pans out in the TV series in the future... Her getting to know Sir Phillip's children was a big chunk of the story, and I don't see that being the route the show takes with her, assuming she gets her own season.

SPOILER: Skip to after the photo if you don't want to read...

In the books Marina is a Bridgerton cousin we never "meet". However, we've met her in the show, as a Featherington cousin, who is already pregnant and attempts to marry Colin. She then attempts to force a miscarriage, which fails, and eventually marries the brother of her babies father, Sir Phillip. In the book Sir Phillip does marry her for the same reason, his brother dies in war. I wonder how this will pan out, if we get Eloise's story.

An excerpt from the prologue of Romancing Mister Bridgerton:

...But no, she had to go and fall in love with Colin Bridgerton when he fell off a horse and landed on his bottom in a mud puddle. It was highly irregular, and highly unromantic, but there was a certain poetic justice in that, since nothing was ever going to come of it.

Why waste romance on a love that would never be returned? Better to save the windswept-moor introductions for people who might actually have a future together.

And if there was one thing Penelope knew, even then, at the age of sixteen years minus three days, it was that her future did not feature Colin Bridgerton in the role of husband.

She simply wasn’t the sort of girl who attracted a man like him, and she feared that she never would be.

An excerpt from To Sir Phillip With Love:

Eloise Bridgerton smoothed the well-read sheet of paper across her lap. There was little light by which to read, even with the full moon shining through the windows of the coach, but that didn’t really matter. She had the entire letter memorized, and the delicate pressed flower, which was actually more pink than red, was safely protected between the pages of a book she’d nipped from her brother’s library.

She hadn’t been too terribly surprised when she’d received a reply from Sir Phillip. Good manners dictated as much, although even Eloise’s mother, surely the supreme arbiter of good behavior, said that Eloise took her correspondence a bit too seriously.

It was common, of course, for ladies of Eloise’s station to spend several hours each week writing letters, but Eloise had long since fallen into the habit of taking that amount of time each day. She enjoyed writing notes, especially to people she hadn’t seen in years (she’d always liked to imagine their surprise when they opened her envelope) and so she pulled out her pen and paper for most any occasion–births, deaths, any sort of achievement that deserved congratulations or condolences.

She wasn’t sure why she kept sending her missives, just that she spent so much time writing letters to whichever of her siblings were not in residence in London at the time, and it seemed easy enough to pen a short note to some far-off relative while she was seated at her escritoire.

I've yet to find books 6 or 7 at a good price, but I did recently find 8 at a Goodwill, so I have it ready when I eventually come across the others.

This next book was also good, but a bit different than what I'm used to reading from Debbie Macomber:

The Trouble With Angels, didn't know this was a series of books until just now. This is book two, and it focuses on three angels, and three individual stories. Each one is different, but it's easy to follow. 

When irrepressible angels Shirley, Goodness, and Mercy set out for the City of Angels to grant three rush Christmas prayer requests, they are sure they can help without resorting to, er, divine intervention. But they soon find it will take more than one miracle to teach their precious lessons of love—as well as make three special holiday dreams come true!

Angels Shirley, Goodness and Mercy have been sent to Los Angeles to act as prayer ambassadors for three difficult cases. Shirley finds herself assigned to Karen Woods, a young girl who has been having nightmares since her parents painful and messy divorce. Mercy is sent to Catherine Goodwin who is praying her grandson finds a love that will rival the one she experienced years before and Goodness finds herself with a demanding case. Assigned to Paul Morris, Goodness must help the pastor to regain the faith he has lost since the death of his wife.

I found Paul's story the least interesting, but all three were good. I didn't love this style of writing/reading so I won't seek out the others, but if I came across them I'd probably read them.

Lastly, and I know it's not last, it's just the last one I took a picture of. I know I read a few other couple hour read books, but nothing too great or too bad, therefore not entirely memorable...

This book I didn't even finish, I just couldn't:

Little Vampire Women just wasn't for me. I really enjoyed Pride & Prejudice & Zombies, so I thought this sounded good too... I was wrong. The writing wasn't great, and the story was a bit boring. They can't all be winners.

What have you read this month? Any recommendations? Leave them in the comments below!

Have a great day,

Craftin' Wife

My Shopping Haul (From A Day Out With My Sister)

 Hey Y'all!

Since I wasn't around for my birthday my sister took me out for the day yesterday. (My mom & I are going out this coming Saturday, let me know if you'd like to see that haul too!)

First we dropped off my niece at color guard practice, then my sister had a doctor's appointment (I watched the bulk of the Little House on the Prairie pilot while waiting in the lobby.)

Once all that was done, we went to the local used book store, and she bought me these:

*She's also ordered book 3 of the Bridgerton series for me, it was cheaper online.

By then we were both hungry, and she treated me to lunch at Blue Moose Burgers. We both really enjoyed our burger and the atmosphere was nice. From there we checked out a few consignment stores before heading to the mall where she had an Ulta return, and we browsed around there before hitting up Forever 21's $5 sale, and I bought these jeans:

After that we left the mall, and headed to T.J. Maxx, where we were disappointed in the makeup section, but I did buy these:

To finish out our day we headed back to her house, and picked up some pizzas.

It was a really good time!

Are you interested in blogs like this going forward? Let me know in the comments below!

Have a great day,

Craftin' Wife

Catching Up... Again (Kinda) Mostly About Books

 24th, Mon- How To: Crafting With Cricut Joy- Large Decal

26th, Wed- June Makeup Looks

28th, Fri- Books!!!

Hey Y'all!

So yeah, excuses?

We were traveling on Monday & Tuesday, Wednesday was my scan day and it showed something... maybe. So Friday I had a PET scan, and we're waiting for results. 

So no, I didn't craft at all.

Also, remember how last month I said Makeup Looks were back? In June I don't think I wore makeup but one time, and I didn't take any pictures. We were mainly hanging with family and working on the van. I'll try to do better in July.

BOOKS!!

I did read, a lot in June...

Here's May: https://craftinwifescreations.blogspot.com/2024/05/books-what-ive-read-this-month.html

I believe I had mentioned finding the first two Bridgerton books at Unclaimed Baggage, so I started with them, since I had just finished the prequels.

The Duke & I

The Viscount Who Loved Me

Both were good, and really with a few exceptions, the show follows the books pretty well. One major difference is the Queen doesn't exist in the books. A more minor character, a fourth Featherington sister, is missing in the show. I really don't know why Julia Quinn didn't come up with another "P" name, and instead called the youngest Felicity.

This review  sums up my thoughts on book 2 well:

KCarter

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than the adaptation!

Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2024

Verified Purchase

I enjoyed this even more than the tv adaptation of this book. The situations, and circumstances of the characters felt so much better and more natural. Such as her also participating in the season. The ending and how they came to be together was FAR better. Kate was also much more likable, while Anthony was a bit more of a rake and edgy. And to be honest, I like not having the queen so heavily involved like in the show as well. Again it leans more towards realism in the relationships and dynamics between characters.

Overall a fantastic read that I quite enjoyed!

Books one:

I don't 100% agree with this review, but they do a good job with a summary. They gave it a 2 star and I'd say 4... it made me want to read the others (which I did already know from seeing seasons 1 & 2 on Netflix to be fair.)

Alicia Butler

3.0 out of 5 stars A womb doesn't quicken without healthy seed.

Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2020

Verified Purchase

Maybe, it's because I just left the beautiful world of Pride and Prejudice. Perhaps, it's because I just spent five months reading Diana Gabaldon's writing. Or, maybe, this one just didn't live up to the hype for me.

*May contain spoilers*

It's very simple in terms of prose. For those who like their books to be devoid of the fluff and flower, this one is up your alley. I like the metaphor and buttery descriptions though. I like the rhythm and movement of language. So, for me, it was a bit lacking.

Prose: 1 out of 5 stars.

The characters were a different story. I loved them, until I didn't. And, once I didn't it took a long time for me to love them again. When we first meet Daphne, she's a poised albeit, slightly sarcastic lady of society. As the oldest girl in the Bridgerton family, she feels immense pressure from her mother to marry. Daphne, however, doesn't want just any husband. She wants a well-suited match in which she can at least find happiness as a wife.

Enter Simon, a handsome duke who suffers from an overload of childhood trauma. Simon's mother died upon his birth. His father abuses him for not living up to the expectations of perfect Hastings heir. And, Simon has vowed that he'll never take a wife. Nor have children.

Here's what I liked about them:

Daphne is sweet, witty, and she knows what she wants. As the younger sister to three brothers, she has no problem putting the men around her in their place. Until she does. Once she falls in love with Simon, it's like those things I loved about Daphne completely disappeared. She became naive, immature, and thoughtless. And, then suddenly, with one giant fight she's both capable of putting him in his place and a complete bully about it all at once. Characters should grow as the story evolves. For me, Daphne didn't.

Simon, on the other hand, does experience a lot of character growth. He goes from being an insolent man with a chip on his shoulder, to a loving husband who adores his wife. But, it takes a massive toddler-like meltdown and him leaving her for two months to get him there. And, here's the thing, I don't blame Simon for his reaction in that moment. Just like I don't blame Daphne for her reaction to his truth. I do blame him for his reaction to her reaction. I blame him for the belligerent drinking and fighting. It was just too melodramatic for my tastes.

Characters: 3 out of 5 stars

In terms of style, I give Ms. Quinn credit. She knows how to tell a story that makes you want to turn the page. It was an easy, uncomplicated read. And, I found myself wanting to see more of what was happening "off screen" because there was enough intrigue for the world of the Ton. I would love an Upstairs/Downstairs or Downton Abbey style glimpse at the servants of this crew. I'd love to hear their thoughts on the melodramatic lives of their superiors. Julia Quinn isn't fancy in terms of writing, but that's a good thing for this story.

Style: 3 out of 5 stars

The reason I consider it to be a good thing that Ms. Quinn writes in such a simple manner is the plot. Oh, the melodrama. I'm pretty sure this book could put soap operas to shame and I hope the Netflix adaptation tones it down some.

Plot: 2 out of 5 stars

Total: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Next I read this:

The Life We Bury, Allen Eskins

College student Joe Talbert has the modest goal of completing a writing assignment for an English class. His task is to interview a stranger and write a brief biography of the person. With deadlines looming, Joe heads to a nearby nursing home to find a willing subject. There he meets Carl Iverson, and soon nothing in Joe's life is ever the same. Carl is a dying Vietnam veteran--and a convicted murderer. With only a few months to live, he has been medically paroled to a nursing home, after spending thirty years in prison for the crimes of rape and murder. As Joe writes about Carl's life, especially Carl's valor in Vietnam, he cannot reconcile the heroism of the soldier with the despicable acts of the convict. Joe, along with his skeptical female neighbor, throws himself into uncovering the truth, but he is hamstrung in his efforts by having to deal with his dangerously dysfunctional mother, the guilt of leaving his autistic brother vulnerable, and a haunting childhood memory. Thread by thread, Joe unravels the tapestry of Carl’s conviction. But as he and Lila dig deeper into the circumstances of the crime, the stakes grow higher. Will Joe discover the truth before it’s too late to escape the fallout?

I really liked this book, the story and the is Carl guilty was a pretty easy solve, but the who done it was a bit less obvious. His mother and brother were a heartbreaking dose of some people's real life. 

This is a five book series, but it seems like, from looking them up that they don't follow the same story. If I came across the other books I'd read them, but I'm not actively looking for them. 

After than I read a Wanda Brunstetter book, but I didn't take a photo and don't remember which one. It wasn't very good, and even though I bought book two I've yet to attempt it.

I then read the first two books of this Nora Roberts series:

Boonsboro Trilogy

I really liked the first two, which I got from a thrift store. I'd like to find the third, and complete the brother's stories. 

The first book:

The historic hotel in BoonsBoro, Maryland, has endured war and peace, changing hands, even rumored hauntings. Now it's getting a major facelift from the Montgomery brothers and their eccentric mother. As the architect of the family, Beckett has little time for a social life. But there’s another project he’s got his eye on: the girl he’s been waiting to kiss since he was sixteen.

After losing her husband and returning to her hometown, Clare Brewster soon settles into her life as the mother of three young sons while running the town’s bookstore. Though busy, Clare is drawn across the street by Beckett’s transformation of the old inn, wanting to take a closer look…at both the building and the man behind it...

Don't miss the other books in the Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy
The Last Boyfriend
The Perfect Hope

Book 2:

Owen is the organizer of the Montgomery clan, running the family's construction business with an iron fist - and an even less flexible spreadsheet. And though his brothers give him grief for his compulsive list making, the Inn BoonsBoro is about to open right on schedule. The only thing Owen didn't plan for was Avery MacTavish....

Avery's popular pizza place is right across the street from the inn, giving her a first-hand look at its amazing renovation — and a newfound appreciation for Owen. Since he was her first boyfriend when they were kids, Owen has never been far from Avery's thoughts. But the attraction she's feeling for him now is far from innocent.

As Avery and Owen cautiously take their relationship to another level, the opening of the inn gives the whole town of BoonsBoro a reason to celebrate. But Owen's hard work has only begun. Getting Avery to let down her guard is going to take longer than he expected — and so will getting her to realize that her first boyfriend is going to be her last....

The "main family" has a a great dynamic and all are interesting characters and have their own depth, which makes you want to read the next book. The love stories happen realistically, and not every aspect is perfect (which I enjoy). 

After I read those two, I took a bit of a break from reading books, and flipped through a few of my Mother in laws magazines. Then for a few days I just played with the kids, watched a few movies, or played games on my phone.  

Just this week I finished book one in this series (and started book 2):

Piecing It All Together, Leslie Gould

When Savannah Mast’s fiancé dumps her a week before their wedding, she flees California for the safety of her Amish grandmother’s farm near Nappanee, Indiana. She’s not planning on staying long but becomes unexpectedly entangled in the search for a missing Amish girl. She can’t leave – especially not when her childhood friend Tommy Yoder is implicated as a suspect.

When Savannah accompanies her grandmother to Plain Patterns, a nearby quilt shop, the owner and local historian, Jane Berger, relates a tale about another woman’s disappearance back in the 1800s that has curious echoes to today.

Inspired by the story, Savannah does all she can to find the Amish girl and clear Tommy’s name. But when her former fiancé shows up, begging her to return to California and marry him after all, she must choose between accepting the security of what he has to offer or continuing the complicated legacy of her family’s faith.

I enjoyed both the main story, and the story within the story. I will say in the beginning I found Savannah to be a little... dumb. But, she realizes how much she was depending on and changing who she was and redeems herself for me. I liked this review:

Kris Anderson, The Avid Reader

4.0 out of 5 stars A Charming Tale!

Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2020

Piecing It All Together by Leslie Gould is the beginning of the Plain Patterns series. I thought Piecing It All Together was well-written with developed characters in a picturesque setting. Savannah Mast is at crossroads when her fiancé calls off the wedding a week before the big day. It inspires her to make a change and go back to the place she loved growing up which was her grandmother’s house. Her mammi, Dorothy Mast, welcomes her and introduces her to the quilting circle at Plain Patterns owned by Jane Berger. Besides running the quilting shop, Jane writes a column for the Nappanee News and is a local historian. Jane knows that God will send someone to her who will need one of her historical tales. When Savannah gets involved in the disappearance of local teen, Jane begins telling her a story that echoes what is happening. I soon found myself engrossed in this novel and did not want to put it down. I like how the two stories (Savannah and Emma) worked together. I enjoyed both women’s stories. Piecing It All Together is a story about friendship, family, faith, and love. It was interesting learning about midwifery. I loved the descriptions of the Home and Hearth quilt the ladies created for someone special. I like how all the loose ends were wrapped up with a satisfying ending. I look forward to reading A Patchwork Past when is comes out in the spring. Piecing It All Together is a charming story with an unfeeling fiancé, an AWOL adolescent, a determined deputy, a quilt quandary, an emergency midwife, and ancestral anecdotes.

What are you reading this summer? Any recommendations? Let me know in the comments below.

Have a great day,

Craftin' Wife