Lilies in the Moonlight a Review

this post contains affiliate links
Lilies in the Moonlight


He’d lost his zest for life. She was just lost. Will they find the healing and love they long for?
After a roaring night on the town, fun-loving flapper Lilly Margolis, dazed and disoriented, twists her ankle and falls into the backyard of a wealthy family where the effects of the Great War—over for more than half a decade—are still endured. Inside the walls of the Burnside mansion, Cullen Burnside, a disillusioned and disfigured veteran, and his widowed mother, Betty Ruth, who daily slips a little further into dementia, lead a lonely existence … until Lilly. Whimsical, lighthearted, and beautiful, she rejuvenates their sad, disconnected lives and blossoms in the light of their attention.

But Lilly, like Cullen, is hiding from a painful past. And when Cullen insists on returning her to her faraway home, their budding attraction seems destined to die on the vine. The resulting road trip becomes a journey of self-discovery—but what will Cullen and Lilly find at journey’s end? 

My Thoughts:

This is a really cute book. I love the idea of the "flapper"in this story. A young woman who has rebelled against her teachings finds love and compassion from an elderly lady. While spending time with Betty Ruth, Lilly finds what it means to really have a love for God and knows what it is to have someone truly love her. Life was not always  easy for Lilly. She brings with her a ray of sunshine even though it may not be proper in the society that the Burnside family is in.

The whole story in general shares the love, compassion, and forgiving of our Heavenly Father while telling the story of Lilly and Cullen.  This is definitely a good book to add to a reading list.

** I received this book for free from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers in return for my honest opinion.**

Lilies in Moonlight: A Novel - eBook By Allison K. Pittman / Multnomah

A New Do

When I set out to grow out my hair I did not have any reason except to save money on hair cuts. This all started in 2005 when I became a full time stay at home mom. I thought that it would be easy to be at home while I became the cousin of the Old English Sheep Dog. Yeah, they're cute right? Well, I wasn't! My hair was having to grow from a "cut around the ear" type of hair do and all I can say is TORTURE!

As my hair continued to grow, I kept snipping here and there to help with the process. Once my hair sat on my shoulders, I decided that it was time for a perm. What a mistake!

To shorten that little story up ~ I'll never put another perm in my hair. After spending several months of straightening my hair and one really bad day in June of 2007, I went to see if I could get some help with my hair. Sadly, the day I went the lady that did my perm and snip was not there.

So, I trusted some half wit that took everything I said seriously. There was no trying to talk me out of cutting my hair. When the scissors took the second snip ~I cried! There was no going back. All the work that I put into my hair was dead, done, gone,  kaput, ruined, wasted.When I got into the car to leave, I said never again! I was a little surprised at how I was so attached to my hair.

From that day on, I worked hard to grow my hair out. I will say, that I had some moments, but my hairdresser was so supportive and helpful that she highlighted my hair with red and burgundy. Yeah, I know what you are thinking. Once the initial jaw dropping color faded, I loved it. My husband loved it and even my son. He's the one I have to worry about. My husband could care less since it's my hair. My son, he's not too keen on new things.

When we lived in western Montana, I saw a commercial for Pantene Beautiful Lengths and thought, if my hair ever gets long enough, I'll donated it. That was in the fall of 2007. Since then, I've worked hard letting my hair grow out.

During the growing out process, I've had layers put in and several inches cut off at different times, to keep my sanity. For the past 6 months, I trimmed the ends to keep them from drying out and becoming split. I've spent every waking moment with my hair up in a clip. I've slept in a single braid until I could not take the lumpiness. Then I went to the two braided pig tails to ease with sleeping with all this hair.  Now mind you, it's not just that my hair is long,  it is super thick!

About a month ago, I had my husband measure my hair and I had 8 inches from right above my shoulders. I was a little excited and little upset since it wasn't longer. I knew that I was going to have to wait until October to have the full 8 inches, with enough hair to keep it from being too short when it was cut.

On Saturday, I went in and had my hair measured at Great Clips. I normally don't go to these places, since most of the people working there are right out of school or they can't get in a better place.  I will say, that I did go to one for several years, because of a lady that could actually cut hair. Since she moved and opened her own salon, I couldn't find anyone that was good.

Any way, the lady that measured my hair told me that I could cut 10 inches and still have enough hair to be at the shoulders. I told her that I only wanted 8 inches cut and she replied that the hair cut will be for free if I cut the 10 inches.  Who can resist FREE?  I told her to go ahead. As she began snipping my hair, my stomach was up in my throat. I kept saying, this is going to a good cause. This is going to some precious person who is dealing with hair loss from cancer. It'll grow back out.

Here's the new look. You'll have to over look the sleeveless top. I  came home and changed into my yard working clothes.  I'm so excited! I laid the pony tail out for the hair to dry and I'll be sending it off this week.

If you have ever thought about donating your hair, do it. Research who you are giving your hair to. Pantene donates the wigs to the American Cancer Society who in turns gives the wigs to ladies who are dealing with hair loss from chemotherapy. The best thing about this is, it's FREE for the recipient.

There are some organizations that do charge on the slide for a wig, and they sale unneeded hair to offset the cost. That's fine. Both of these are reasons why I chose to donate to the PBL.

An Unlikely Suitor

this post contains affiliate links

An Unlikely Suitor

New York dressmaker Lucy Scarpelli befriends socialite Rowena Langdon as she's designing her 1895 summer wardrobe. Grateful for Lucy's skill in creating fashions that hide her physical injury, Rowena invites Lucy to the family mansion in Newport, Rhode Island, encouraging the unusual friendship.
One day Lucy encounters an intriguing man on the Cliff Walk, and love begins to blossom. Yet Lucy resists, for what Newport man would want to marry an Italian dressmaker working to support her family?
Rowena faces an arranged marriage to a wealthy heir she doesn't love, but dare a crippled girl hope for anything better?
And Lucy's teenage sister, Sofia, falls for a man well above her social class--but is he willing to give up everything to marry a woman below his station?
As the lives of three young woman--and their unlikely suitors--become entangled in a web of secrets and sacrifice, will the season end with any of them finding true happiness?

My Thoughts:

I loved An Unlikely Suitor! It's a rags to riches story. Lucy is a wonderful character who takes on the role as head of household to provide for her mother and sister.  The story includes the bratty, jealousy thoughts and actions of the little sister and it just made me want to pinch her head right off. This book includes more than romance. There is a mystery buried inside along with an evil villain that gets whats coming to him. The only thing about this book that I did not like in fact it was horrible ~ was the ending. There was so much leading up to the end and then it fizzled out. I felt like I had been cheated the way it ended. I was more than a little disappointed in the end. But, like in all romance stories, the girl gets the guy.

**I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers in return for my honest opinion.**

DayBook

Outside my window... it's a hot spring day. I can't believe that it is already June. My, my how time flies.



I am thinking... about taking a nap before VBS tonight.
I am thankful for... the shoes and clothing, that I found at Penney's and the thrift store this morning.
From the learning rooms... we are finished with school work for the summer. But there are still some learning experiences that are going on throughout our day.
From the kitchen... nothing! We will be eating at the church every night this week.
I am creating... nothing at the moment. I've lost a size 8 knitting needle and can't work on my afghan. I do have a new dish cloth in the making, but it is only being worked on while in the car.
I am reading... I have several books going at the moment.
I am praying... about a burden that my husband and I have. We need the Lord to supply the needs for this.
Around the house... I'm still trying to get everything put away. I can't wait to have my spare room straightened back up, so I can get to sewing again.
A few plans for the rest of the week... we have VBS this week, so we'll have to see how everything works out.
A photo I'd like to share...

This was taken on Memorial Day. My husband played with this picture using the editing software ~ something that he really does not like and won't do often.

Our Weekend to the North Georgia Mountains

I can't hardly believe that today is June 1st. It seems like time is moving right along and is not taking a moment to slow down. I've always been told that when I got older, that time would fly. It really is and I'm working on not being overwhelmed with the idea.

This weekend was GORGEOUS! We spent time up in the mountains enjoying the beauty that God created. Our family loves to hike to waterfalls. Georgia is home to so many, that you could spend every week visiting one and still not see them all in a year. Here are a few pictures I wanted to share.

Our first stop was Toccoa Falls.  I was a little surprised to see some of the azaleas still in bloom.

Our second stop was Amicalola Falls. The two top pictures are of the main waterfall, the bottom two are of some of the cascades?/smaller falls. We drove to the top, and my husband took several pictures from there, but the lighting was way off and so there is none to show. The falls are so large, that you can not see the top from the bottom where we were standing.

The wildflowers were so beautiful in the mountains. 

The last stop was at Helton Creek Falls. This is up on Blood Mountain and the Appalachian Trail. I love being here. It is probably my favorite of all the waterfalls that we have been to. It is so peaceful and there is hardly ever anyone at this falls. When we were walking down to the falls, we noticed a lot of trees were down. My husband reminded me of the weather that came through. After we got to the falls, we were able to see some of the aftermath of the tornadoes and storms that came through the area several weeks ago.

Beyond All Measure of Love

this post contains affiliate links

Beyond All Measure of Love

Unless she can trust God's love to cast out her fears, Ada may lose the heart of a good man.

Ada Wentworth, a young Bostonian, journeys to Hickory Ridge, Tennessee, in the years following the Civil War. Alone and nearly penniless following a broken engagement, Ada accepts a position as a lady’s companion to the elderly Lillian Willis, a pillar of the community and aunt to the local lumber mill owner, Wyatt Caldwell. Ada intends to use her millinery skills to establish a hat shop and secure her future.

Haunted by unanswered questions from her life in Boston, Ada is most drawn to two townsfolks: Wyatt, a Texan with big plans of his own, and Sophie, a mulatto girl who resides at the Hickory Ridge orphanage. Ada's friendship with Sophia attracts the attention of a group of locals seeking to displace the residents of Two Creeks, a "colored" settlement on the edge of town. As tensions rise, Ada is threatened but refuses to abandon her plan to help the girl.

When Lillian dies, Ada is left without employment or a place to call home. And since Wyatt’s primary purpose for staying in Hickory Ridge was to watch over his aunt, he can now pursue his dream of owning Longhorns in his home state of Texas.

With their feelings for each other growing, Ada must decide whether she can trust God with her future and Wyatt with her heart.

My Thoughts~ Dorothy Love, is an amazing story teller. I truly could not put down Beyond All Measure of Love, I read it in one day. Something that does not happen too often at my home. The characters were so life like, I  had to keep reminding myself that they are fictional. Other than the romance part of the book, can I say unpredictable? There were things that went on that I had not clue was going to happen. Some of the town's citizens just got my goat! Being able to lead the reader down one path and end up on another without a lot ofconfusion is a talent not all writers have.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Beyond All Measure, Hickory Ridge Series #1 By Dorothy Love / Thomas Nelson Ada Wentworth, a young Bostonian, journeys to Hickory Ridge, Tennessee, in the years following the Civil War. Alone and nearly penniless following a broken engagement, Ada accepts a position as a lady's companion to the elderly Lillian Willis, a pillar of the community and aunt to the local lumber mill owner, Wyatt Caldwell. Ada intends to use her millinery skills to establish a hat shop and secure her future. Haunted by unanswered questions from her life in Boston, Ada is most drawn to two townsfolks: Wyatt, a Texan with big plans of his own, and Sophie, a mulatto girl who resides at the Hickory Ridge orphanage. Ada's friendship with Sophia attracts the attention of a group of locals seeking to displace the residents of Two Creeks, a "colored" settlement on the edge of town. As tensions rise, Ada is threatened but refuses to abandon her plan to help the girl. When Lillian dies, Ada is left without employment or a place to call home. And since Wyatt's primary purpose for staying in Hickory Ridge was to watch over his aunt, he can now pursue his dream of owning Longhorns in his home state of Texas. With their feelings for each other growing, Ada must decide whether she can trust God with her future and Wyatt with her heart.

My Foolish Heart

this post contains affiliate links 

About My Foolish Heart:

Unknown to her tiny town of Deep Haven, Isadora Presley spends her nights as Miss Foolish Heart, the star host of a syndicated talk radio show. Millions tune in to hear her advice on dating and falling in love, unaware that she’s never really done either. Issy’s ratings soar when it seems she’s falling in love on-air with a caller. A caller she doesn’t realize lives right next door. 

Caleb Knight served a tour of duty in Iraq and paid a steep price. The last thing he wants is pity, so he hides his disability and moves to Deep Haven to land his dream job as the high school football coach. When his beautiful neighbor catches his eye, in a moment of desperation he seeks advice from My Foolish Heart, the show that airs before his favorite sports broadcast.  Before he knows it, Caleb finds himself drawn to the host—and more confused than ever. Is his perfect love the woman on the radio . . . or the one next door.

 
My Thoughts:

My Foolish Heart is out of my norm. I usually don't read modern day fiction, but when I read about the book, I thought, "Why not?" I have read one other book by Susan May Warren and wasn't too thrilled with it, but I took a chance on this one. I actually enjoyed it. It was not a book that I couldn't put down, but the story line kept me coming back.

Isadora Presley's character is so real, to feel the pain and emotion of suffering from PTSD and what seems to be agoraphobia is unnerving.  The hiding the fact that she is "Miss Foolish Heart" a radio talk show host giving advice to the lovelorn, is quite amusing.  Issy has had no real dates and has a list that her perfect man will have live up to, to be the perfect 10. Funny, that list has not helped her one bit. Nor is it really helping the lovelorn that calls into her show.

Caleb Knight's character is amazing. I felt the compassion he had for Isadora while helping her get through some of her rough moments. And the sweetness of his calling the Miss Foolish Heart show, to ask advice on how to woo his neighbor ~ Isadora, not knowing that they are both the same people.

A cute book to add to any reading list.

I received this book for free in return for my honest opinion from Tyndale House Publishers.

Mine is the Night

this post contains affiliate links

Mine is the Night

This is my first Liz Curtis Higgs book. I'm not sure why I've never read any of her books until now. I'll definitely be working that.   Within the first couple of sentences, I was transported to 18th century Scotland. The story is written well, and kept me reading.

Mine is the Night is a story that parallels with the story of Ruth and Naomi in the Bible. Marjory and Elizabeth Kerr are a Mother and Daughter in law who have lost everything from including their husbands, titles, and financial security due to their family's Jacobite leanings.

When Marjory and Elizabeth return to Skelkirk, Marjory's home village. They are returning in hopes of  lodging from a distant cousin, Anne Kerr. Not knowing the reception that they would receive, they had no where else to turn.  After spending time earning a meager wage as a seamstress, Elizabeth is hired to become the dress maker for the newly hired help at the estate of Admiral Lord Jack Buchanan.

With Elizabeth working at the estate, a romance begins, but not only for her, but Marjory and Anne. Which makes the story even better.

 The character of Admiral Buchanan is unbelievable! His kindness, compassion, and let's not forget his sense of humor is a perfect picture of what Boaz would have been like.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Mine Is the Night By Liz Curtis Higgs / WaterBrook When Elisabeth and Marjory Kerr leave behind the crowded streets of Edinburgh to flee to the Borderland, they've lost their husbands, their titles, their property and nearly everything they hold dear. As supporters of Bonnie Prince Charlie's rebellion, they've been branded as traitors and outcasts. An accomplished seamstress, Elisabeth eventually finds work as a dress maker for the local gentry, which brings her into contact with Lord Jack Buchanan, an unmarried gentleman of considerable means. Will Lord jack step forward to help Elisabeth and Marjory, or will their scandalous ties to the Jacobite rebellion prove too great a risk to his reputation and wealth?