Just A Second: May 2018

Thursday, May 31

Monthly Bookshelf Review - May 2018

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May's Books Completed and Reviewed

The Accidental Guardian by Mary Connealy - Despite starting out with a wagon train attacked by outlaws, this was a rather light read, and a fast-developing romance. (Read my full review HERE.)

There'd be no vengeance today. He needed to tend babies and women and dodge diaper-changing duty with every ounce of his cunning. That'd keep him mighty busy for who could say how long.

No Less Days by Amanda G. Stevens - A contemporary fantasy in which a man who can't die finds companionship and new dangers when he finally connects with the few other 'immortals' in the world. (Read my full review HERE.)

If only he could include the others in his explanation, but that wouldn't be right; and why should she believe that five people on the earth couldn't die if she refused to believe in one?

As Death Draws Near (A Lady Darby Mystery) by Anna Lee Huber - Kiera and Gage investigate murders in an abbey in Ireland, against the backdrop of religious and political unrest. (Read my full review HERE.)

It wasn't long before the mother superior and Mother Paul arrived, peering around Bree through the gap in the wall. From my position standing solemnly next to Mother Fidelis's body, I could see the pale wide-eyed strain on their faces, the lines of grief.

A Treacherous Curse (A Veronica Speedwell Mystery) by Deanna Reybourn - Stoker may be a suspect when a member of an Egyptian expedition team is missing and presumed dead under mysterious circumstances. Veronica and Stoker are prevailed upon to solve the case in an effort to protect his name from further scandal. (Read my full review HERE.)

I rose the next day in a state of decided satisfaction. We had scarcely begun our investigation into John de Morgan's disappearance, but we had clearly agitated someone if we were being followed.

During May I continued reading:

Downsizing The Family Home: What to Save, What to Let Go by Marni Jameson - I didn't read much in this how-to book. In fact, I considered marking it as shelved, but I do hope to continue with it soon.

Don't be the family storage locker. Mary Kay adds that a recurring theme she hears from empty nesters is that they wish their adult kids would have claimed their stuff sooner.

During May I started reading:

Delilah: Treacherous Beauty by Angela Hunt - the story of Samson and Delilah told from the imagined point of view of the lady herself.

I needed a champion who could defeat the Philistines with nothing to lose but his life . . . I needed Samson the strongman, but after so many years I had no idea where to find him. And I could think of no reason why he would want to help me.

The Captured Bride: Daughters of the Mayflower - book 3 by Michelle Griep - Recently started reading, so not much I can say yet about this one. Mercy Lytton's unique upbringing has earned her a place as a scout during the French and Indian War.

The accusation crept in like a rash, hot and uncomfortable. Of course she did not want to see it, because if she did, she'd have to look long and hard at her own life.

Mother-Daughter Duet by Cheri Fuller and Ali Plum - I just downloaded this book and really have only read the introduction.

It's common for a mother and daughter's interaction to be rocky during the transition from adolescence and the twenties and even through adulthood. The mom-daughter connection is an intricate, close relationship that is static and changing at the same time.

Coming Up in June!

A Daring Venture by Elizabeth Camden
A Brush with Shadows (A Lady Darby Mystery) by Anna Lee Huber
Praise Habit: Finding God in Sunsets and Sushi (Experiencing God) by David Crowder
Together Forever (Orphan Train) by Jody Hedlund
Treacherous Is the Night (A Verity Kent Mystery) by Anna Lee Huber

This post will be linked at:

5 Minutes For Books - What's On Your Nightstand? May 29
The Book Date - Reading Month In Review

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Wednesday, May 30

Recent Reads - The Accidental Guardian

This post contains affiliate links.

The Accidental Guardian by Mary Connealy - It takes only a couple of paragraphs to get the action started in this story, and everything - including the inevitable romance - moves at quite a clip throughout! Deb Harkness and her younger sister Gwen have been caring for two small children in the small wagon train west, and it's fortunate that the four of them make an early morning trip away from the wagon circle. It's during those few minutes that outlaws attack and set the wagons on fire, leaving no survivors. Other than the Harkness sisters and their two small charges. Soon Trace Riley happens by, and Deb takes a huge chance that he's a decent man and will help them. Trace has taken on the responsibility of secretly guarding the trail since his own wagon train was attacked years ago, so despite his surprise he doesn't hesitate in taking the little band back to his ranch and providing shelter and protection for them.

Having just returned from a cattle drive, Trace and his two ranch hands are preparing for winter, so they spring into action building new and improved quarters so the newcomers can spend the winter in comfort. Trace is also determined to hunt down the men that attacked the wagon train and bring them to justice, and doesn't want to let too much time go by. Since Deb is the only survivor that has seen the men and can identify them, Trace is eventually convinced to take her along on a scouting trip to the nearest settlements and lawmen. And it's on this trip that they decide to get married. See? I said the story moved quickly!

Connealy's novels usually feature humorous situations and plenty of light banter between the love interests, and although some wry humor comes through in this one, it's a little more serious overall. The urgency of finding the outlaws before they strike again, and of building sturdy cabins before winter drives the story along, and even the attraction between Trace and Deb hurries from kind stranger to new friendship to marriage at an almost breakneck speed. The breathless pace certainly kept me turning pages, but everything felt a bit rushed - from the developing romantic storyline to the way all the characters settled so quickly into their 'new normal'. However, despite the grim circumstances at the beginning of the story, it wound up as a pretty good read, with a tone that was light yet not frivolous.

From the publisher:

She's the only witness to a wagon train attack.
Keeping her safe, though, means his world is about to be turned upside down.

When Trace Riley finds the smoldering remains of a small wagon train, he recognizes an attack by the same group who left him as sole survivor years ago. Living off the wilderness since then, he's finally carved out a home and started a herd--while serving as self-appointed guardian of the trail. He'd hoped the days of driving off dangerous men were over, but the latest attack shows otherwise.

Deborah Harkness saved her younger sister and two toddlers during the attack, and now finds herself at the mercy of her rescuer. Trace becomes an accidental guardian when he offers the only shelter for miles around and agrees to take them in until they can safely continue their journey. His simple bachelor existence never anticipated kids and women in the picture and their arrival is unsettling--yet enticing.

Trace and Deborah find themselves drawing ever closer as they work together to bring justice to the trail and help the group survive the winter--but every day closer to spring means a day closer to leaving the mountains forever.

By the same author: Over the Edge, Swept Away, The Boden Birthright, Out of Control, No Way Up, Fire and Ice, Now and Forever, Tried and True