The Romantic Fiction Shelf

A Stranger Comes
Ewan Smith
Linford Romance Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444851052, $24.50, PB, Large Print, 252pp

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-stranger-comes-ewan-smith/1143106034

Synopsis: Velma is a lively young widow who runs a thriving inn in the bust= ling port of Evenmouth. Her reputation as a hostess is unrivaled, and even = Lady Osanna and Lord Durwin at the castle often seek her help when putting =
on their banquets. Now, she watches with interest as a curious ship from di= stant parts comes in with the tide. She will soon find that there is someth= ing oddly familiar about the intriguing stranger who arrives with it!

Critique: As a novelist, Ewan Smith is exceptionally adept at crafting memo= rable characters and a fully engaging romance plot laced throughout with un= expected twists and turns. This large print paperback edition of "A Strange=
r Comes" from the Linford Romance Library is a solid and recommended pick f=
or both the personal reading lists of dedicated romance fans and community = library Historical Romance collections.

Editorial Note: Ewan Smith (https://www.literaturewales.org/lw-blog/from-no= w-on-ewan-smith) has worked as a journalist, house-husband, child-minder, t= eaching assistant and primary school teacher. In 2016, he retired to the se= aside in North Wales where he and his wife, Anna, are currently living the = dream. He writes poetry, short stories and pocket novels for women's magazi= nes and is keenly learning Welsh. He won the poetry prize for Welsh learner=
s at the National Eisteddfod.

Beth And The Captain's Ghost
Victoria Garland
Linford Romance Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444851076, $24.50, PB, Large Print, 312pp

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beth-and-the-captains-ghost-victoria-garla= nd/1143106033

Synopsis: After the sudden death of her lacklustre husband, Beth is despera=
te to get away from his overbearing sisters. Clifftop Cottage seems to be t=
he perfect escape -- until she discovers its resident ghost, Captain Daniel=
s! But the Captain takes a shine to Beth and her two children, and is happy=
for them to stay. In fact, he helps her get her life together again - not =
to mention giving a spiritual helping hand to Beth's fledgling romance with=
his grandson Mike.

Critique: With a very special appeal to fans of romance and the supernatura=
l, "Beth And The Captain's Ghost" is an original, deftly crafted, and wonde= rfully entertaining story by novelist Victoria Garland. This large print pa= perback edition from Linford Romance Library is especially commended for in= clusion into community library Romance Fiction collections and personal rea= ding lists.

Editorial Note: Victoria Garland (http://victoriagarland.com) is a romantic=
novelist who lives and works in Dorset, England. She is the author of Brie=
fs (a collection of quirky short stories) and is currently working on A Mon=
th of Secrets, a full length novel which she is writing for RoNA's New Writ= ers' Scheme. She also writes children's stories under her maiden name - Pau=
la Haughey.

The Boyfriend Candidate
Ashley Winstead
Graydon House
http://graydonhousebooks.com
9781525804960, $18.99, PB, 384pp

https://www.amazon.com/Boyfriend-Candidate-Novel-Ashley-Winstead/dp/1525804= 960

Synopsis: As a shy school librarian, Alexis Stone is comfortable keeping ou=
t of the spotlight. But when she's dumped for being too meek (in bed!) she = decides she needs to change. And what better way to kick-start her new more=
adventurous life than with her first one-night stand?

Enter Logan, the gorgeous, foul-mouthed stranger she meets at a hotel bar. = Audacious and filterless, Logan is Alexis's opposite -- and boy, do opposit=
es attract! Just as she's about to fulfill her hookup wish, the hotel catch=
es fire in a freak lightning storm. In their rush to escape, Logan is disco= vered carrying her into the street, where people are waiting with cameras. = Cameras Logan promptly (and shockingly!) flees.

Alexis is bewildered until suddenly pictures of her and Logan escaping the = fire are all over the internet. Turns out Logan is none other than Logan Ar= thur, the hotshot candidate challenging the Texas governor's seat. The sala= cious scandal is poised to sink his career (and jeopardize Alexis's job) un= til a solution is proposed: he and Alexis could pretend to be in a relation= ship until election day... in two months. What could possibly go wrong?

Critique: The stuff of which Hallmark Channel Rom-Com movies are made, "The=
Boyfriend Candidate" by Ashley Winstead is an original and fun read from c= over to cover. While unreservedly recommended and popular pick for communit=
y library Contemporary Romance collections, it should be noted for the pers= onal reading lists of fans with an interest in romantic comedies that "The = Boy Friend Candidate" is also readily available in a digital book format (K= indle, $10.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audi=
o, 9798212658386, $41.99, CD).

Editorial Note: Ashley Winstead (www.ashleywinstead.com) is an academic tur= ned novelist with a Ph.D. in contemporary American literature.

Seven Exes
Lucy Vine
Harper Perennial
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
9780063299849, $17.99, PB, 432pp

https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Exes-Novel-Lucy-Vine/dp/0063299844

Synopsis: Esther is nearing thirty, with a great job and a flat she shares = with her two best friends, Bibi and Louise. But her life is missing that sp= ecial someone. Tired of being single and sick of bad date after bad date, s=
he thinks she's found the answer to her romance problem in an old women's m= agazine.

According to the magazine's dating column, there are seven archetypes a wom=
an will date before finding Mr. Right. It all seems silly at first, until E= sther realizes she has exactly seven exes that match the profiles: The Firs=
t Love, The Work Mistake, The Overlap, The Friend with Benefits, The Missed=
Chance, The Bastard, and The Serious One. Is it so hard to believe that pe= rhaps one of them is The One?

Deciding she must have left her true love in the reject pile, Esther contac=
ts each of her old boyfriends. But finding her soulmate isn't as simple as = she hoped it would be. Madness, mayhem, laughs, and tears ensue as she vali= antly works her way through her past love life and faces up to her previous=
mistakes. It's an odyssey of the heart that will teach her a lot about her= self -- and just might lead her to the man of her dreams!

Critique: "Seven Exes" by novelist Lucy Vine is an original, memorable and = fun read from cover to cover -- especially for fans of contemporary romanti=
c comedies. Exceptionally well written and oh-so-familiar to anyone who has=
labored hard to find Mr. Right, "Seven Exes" will prove to be an immediate=
and popular addition to community library Romance Fiction collections. It = should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated Rom-Com fan=
s tht "Seven Exes" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.9= 9).

Editorial Note: Lucy Vine (https://lucyvine.co.uk) is a writer, editor and = the author of Hot Mess, What Fresh Hell, Are We Nearly There Yet? and Bad C= hoices. Her books have been translated into sixteen languages around the wo= rld, with Hot Mess optioned for a TV series. She has been nominated twice f=
or the Comedy Women In Print Award and hosts the podcast and live event ser= ies Hot Mess Clubhouse, celebrating funny women. Her journalism has appeare=
d in international publications, including Grazia, Stylist, heat, Fabulous,=
New, Now, Marie Claire, Glamour Online, Cosmopolitan, The Daily Telegraph,=
The Sun, and The Mirror.

The Secret to Happiness
Suzanne Woods Fisher
Fleming H. Revell Company
c/o Baker Publishing Group
www.revellbooks.com
9780800743154, $29.99, HC, 294pp

https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Happiness-Cape-Cod-Creamery/dp/0800743156

Synopsis: Fired from her dream job after making a huge mistake, Callie Dixo=
n lands at her aunt's Cape Cod ice cream shop, hoping that in time, she'll = bounce back. But she made that mistake for a reason that time won't help. W= hen her cousin drags her to a class on happiness, the instructor (curiously=
gloomy and demanding) has a way of turning her feelings upside down!

Critique: Original, memorable and a fun read from first page to last, "The = Secret to Happiness" showcases author Suzanne Woods Fisher's natural flair = for originality and the kind of deftly scripted and narrative driven storyt= elling style that keeps her reader's rapt and entertained attention from co= ver to cover. While highly recommended for community library Contemporary R= omance collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of th= ose seeking clean and wholesome Christian romance novels that "The Secret t=
o Happiness" is also readily available in a paperback edition (978080073948=
5, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, 9.99).

Editorial Note: Suzanne Woods Fisher (www.suzannewoodsfisher.com) is the au= thor of more than 30 books, including The Moonlight School, Anything but Pl= ain, The Sweet Life, and The Secret to Happiness, as well as the Three Sist= ers Island, Nantucket Legacy, Amish Beginnings, The Bishop's Family, The De= acon's Family, and The Inn at Eagle Hill series. She is also the author of = several nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace and Amish P= roverbs. She lives in California. She can be followed on Facebook @SuzanneW= oodsFisherAuthor and on Twitter @suzannewfisher

The Front Porch Club
Michelle Major
Canary Street Press
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
www.blackstoneaudio.com
9781335430656, $9.99, Mass Market PB, 384pp

https://www.amazon.com/Front-Porch-Club-Carolina-Girls/dp/1335430652

Synopsis: The downside to having a picture-perfect life is that there's now= here to go but down -- and Annalise Haverford is falling fast. Once, she wa=
s the self-proclaimed queen bee of Magnolia, North Carolina. Now her husban=
d has been arrested for fraud, and she's become an outcast in the shallow c= ircles she used to rule. There's only one affordable rental in town, and it=
's owned by the woman Annalise got fired from a lucrative job.

Much as single mother Shauna Myer would like to refuse Annalise, who treate=
d her like dirt on the bottom of her red-soled shoe, she needs that rent mo= ney. But when Shauna's first love arrives in town, unraveling secrets she'd=
hoped to keep, Annalise becomes her unlikely defender. Meghan Banks, an el= ementary school art teacher whose quiet existence suddenly descends into ch= aos, is thrown an unexpected lifeline by Annalise, too.

As spring ripens into a sultry summer, the three spur each other on to shar=
e their fears and dreams, face new challenges, and seize second chances. Be= cause no matter how turbulent life may be, it's much easier to navigate tho=
se choppy waters when you're buoyed by true friendship.

Critique: Also featuring a bonus novella (A Carolina Dance), "The Front Por=
ch Club" by Michelle Major will have an immense appeal to fans with an inte= rest in small town/rural fiction in general, and Contemporary Romance in pa= rticular. With a decided flair for originality, creating memorable characte=
rs and the kind of narrative driven storytelling style that keeps the reade= r's invested from beginning to end, "The Front Porch Club" is unreservedly = recommended as a popular addition to community library Romance Fiction coll= ections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Front Porc=
h Club" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99) and as a=
complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9798212224314, $41.9=
9, CD).

Editorial Note: Michelle Major (www.michellemajor.com) writes contemporary = romance stories with a focus on hope, humor and a place to call home -- sto= ries of new beginnings, second chances and always a happily ever after.

Man of Shadow and Mist
Michelle Griep
Barbour Publishing
1810 Barbour Drive, Uhrichsville, OH 44683
www.barbourbooks.com
Oasis Audio
www.oasisaudio.com
9781636095653, $15.99, PB, 320pp

https://www.amazon.com/Man-Shadow-Mist-Monsters-Men/dp/1636095658

Synopsis: England, 1890. Vampires are alive and well in North Yorkshire, le= astwise in the minds of the uneducated. Librarian Rosa Edwards intends to d= rive a stake through the heart of such superstitions. But gossip flies when=
the mysterious Sir James Morgan returns to his shadowy manor. The townsfol=
k say he is cursed.

James hates everything about England. The weather. The rumours. The scorn. = Yet he must stay. His mother is dying of a disease for which he's desperate=
ly trying to find a cure -- an illness that will eventually take his own li= fe.

When Rosa sets out to prove the dark gossip about James is wrong, she disco= vers more questions than answers. How can she accept what she can't explain=
-- especially the strong allure of the enigmatic man? James must battle a = town steeped in fear as well as the unsettling attraction he feels for the = no-nonsense librarian.

Can love prevail in a town filled with fear and doubt?

Critique: Deftly crafted and impressively original, "Man of Shadow & Mist" =
by author Michelle Griep that will have special and enduring appeal to read= ers with an interest in historical Christian romance novels. A fun and fasc= inating read from cover to cover, "Man of Shadow & Mist" will prove to be a=
n immediately welcome and enduringly popular pick for community library Rom= ance Fiction collections and is also readily available in a digital book fo= rmat (Kindle, $9.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Oasis Aud= io, 9781685924034, $37.99, CD)

Editorial Note: Michelle Griep (https://michellegriep.com) is the Christy A= ward-winning author of historical romances: A Tale of Two Hearts, The Captu= red Bride, The Innkeeper's Daughter, 12 Days at Bleakly Manor, The Captive = Heart, Brentwood's Ward, A Heart Deceived, and Gallimore, but also leaped t=
he historical fence into the realm of contemporary with the zany romantic m= ystery Out of the Frying Pan.

The Weaving of Life
Linda Byler
Good Books
www.goodbooks.com
c/o Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781680998603, $16.99, PB, 304pp

https://www.amazon.com/Weaving-Life-New-Directions/dp/1680998609

Synopsis: Susan Lapp is a hardworking Amish woman in her early twenties. Sh=
e enjoys the financial independence that working two jobs (one as a house c= leaner and the other in a local deli in Lancaster) affords her. And based o=
n her sisters' tumultuous experiences with their husbands, she has no inter= est in dating or marriage. She's perfectly content with her life as it is, = thank you very much.

When Susan's best friend Beth begins to date Susan's brother Mark, the coup=
le is determined to play matchmaker for Susan. Susan begrudgingly agrees to=
humor them and soon finds herself caught between an undeniable attraction = for one of Mark's coworkers and her unflinching commitment to staying singl=
e.

Soon, her complicated feelings take her in directions she once couldn't hav=
e imagined. She experiences hardship like she never has before, including h= omesickness, miserable weather in a place that feels so foreign, and an inc= redibly challenging job. And despite her attempts to escape romantic entang= lements, she finds herself longing for the stability and familiarity of a c= ommitted relationship back home.

Still, she wrestles with fear and uncertainty. How is she to know God's wil=
l for her life?

Critique: Of special and particular appeal to readers with an interest in C= hristian Romance fiction, "The Weaving of Life" is the debut volume of nove= list Linda Byler's 'New Directions' series. A deftly crafted, fun, and inhe= rently interesting read from beginning to end, "The Weaving of Life" will p= rove to be an immediate and enduringly popular pick for community library R= omance Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists t= hat "The Weaving of Life" is also available in a digital book format (Kindl=
e, $12.99), while librarians should be advised that it is also available in=
a Library Binding edition (Thorndike Press, 9798885791502, $32.99, Large P= rint).

Editorial Note: Linda Byler (https://broadview.org/linda-byler-amish-author=
) grew up Amish and is an active member of the Amish Church today. Well kno=
wn within the Amish community as a columnist for a weekly Amish newspaper, = she is also the author of the Amish romance novel series, Lizzie Searches f=
or Love.

Twelve Hours in Manhattan
Maan Gabriel
https://www.maangabriel.com
She Writes Press
www.shewritespress.com
9781647423957, $17.95, PB, 312pp

https://www.amazon.com/Twelve-Hours-Manhattan-Maan-Gabriel/dp/1647423953

Synopsis: Two worlds. One heart. Twelve hours.

Bianca Maria Curtis is at the brink of losing it all when she meets Eric at=
a bar in Manhattan. Eric, as it turns out, is the famous Korean drama cele= brity Park Hyun Min, and he's in town for one night to escape the pressures=
of fame. From walking along Fifth Avenue to eating ice cream at Serendipit=
y to sharing tender moments on top of the Empire State building, sparks fly=
as Bianca and Eric spend twelve magical hours far away from their respecti=
ve lives. In that time, they talk about the big stuff: love, life, and happ= iness, and the freedom they both seek to fully exist and not merely survive=
..

But real life is more than just a few exhilarating stolen moments in time.

As the clock strikes the twelfth hour, Bianca returns back to the life she = detests to face a tragedy that will test her strength and resolve -- and th=
e only thing she has to keep going is the memory of a man she loves in secr=
et from a world away.

Critique: An original and fun novel by Maan Gabriel, "Twelve Hours In Manha= ttan" is especially recommended to the attention of readers with an interes=
t in coming of age novels and stories of contemporary big city romance. Mem= orable characters set in a storyline that has more twists and turns than a = Coney Island roller coaster, "Twelve Hours In Manhattan" is especially reco= mmended for both personal reading lists and community library Romance Ficti=
on collections. It should be noted that "Twelve Hours In Manhattan" is also=
readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).

Editorial Note: Maan Gabriel (https://www.maangabriel.com) is a mom, wife, = dreamer, writer, and advocate for women's stories in literature. She earned=
her BA in communications from St. Scholastica's College in Manila and MPS =
in public relations and corporate communications from Georgetown University=
.. She is also the author of the novel "After Perfect".

The Tapestry of Grace
Kim Vogel Sawyer
WaterBrook Press
http://waterbrookmultnomah.com
9780593194386, $17.00, PB, 320pp

https://www.amazon.com/Tapestry-Grace-Kim-Vogel-Sawyer/dp/0593194381

Synopsis: With classes paused for the planting season, Alexandertol's schoo= lteacher Augusta Dyck is glad for some meaningful work to occupy her time. = She even knows exactly who their town's benevolence society should help fir= st: quiet, reserved widower Konrad Rempel and his young twin sons.

Konrad Rempel, however, is adamant that he doesn't want help. His boys are = mischievous but good-hearted. And though Konrad may be struggling, he doesn=
't want anyone else sticking their nose in and telling him what his sons ne= ed. Or what he needs.

For her part, the charity's founder Martina Krahn is relieved to have a rea= son to spend time outside her unhappy home. It even occurs to her that she = may, through her work, encounter a boy in need of a family and so find a so=
n for her husband since they have no children of their own.

Augusta, Konrad, and Martina each have deep needs and desires, and each ima= gines how they should be met: by reaching out or by being left alone. But G= od, indeed, knows best. Will the competing agendas of Alexandertol's reside= nts prevent them from receiving God's help? Or will the members of this sma=
ll Mennonite community find the answers to their prayers in the very last p= lace they expect -- in one another?

Critique: An impressively written novel of historical Christian romance by = veteran author Kim Vogel Sawyer, "The Tapestry of Grace" is the stuff of wh= ich Hallmark Movies are made and is unabashedly recommended reading for the=
growing legions of Kim Vogel Sawyer fans. While with the highest recommend= ation, "The Tapestry of Grace" will prove a welcome and enduringly popular = pick for community library Romance Fiction collections. It should be noted = for personal reading lists that "The Tapestry of Grace" is also readily ava= ilable in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99). Librarians should be awar=
e that there is a large print edition for "The Tapestry of Grace" (Thorndik=
e Press, 9798885788694, $33.99, Library Binding).

Editorial Note: Kim Vogel Sawyer (https://kimvogelsawyer.com) is a highly a= cclaimed author with more than 1.5 million books in print in seven language=
s. Her titles have earned numerous accolades including the ACFW Carol Award=
, the Inspirational Readers Choice Award, and the Gayle Wilson Award of Exc= ellence.

Love Buzz
Neely Tubati Alexander
Harper Perennial
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
9780063292918, $17.99, PB, 304pp

https://www.amazon.com/Love-Buzz-Novel-Neely-Tubati-Alexander/dp/0063292912

Synopsis: A wretched maid of honor. A hangover from hell. Raucous Mardi Gra=
s crowds. There isn't much Serena Khan is enjoying about this four-day New = Orleans destination bachelorette party for her semi-estranged cousin, the b= ride-to-be.

That is until sparks fly with a handsome stranger, at the ladies' last stop=
of the evening in a Bourbon Street bar. He (like her) is also from Seattle=
.. After their conversation is cut short, Serena is overwhelmed by the desir=
e to find the charming man with the brooding eyebrows, but her list of clue=
s is pretty short -- His name is Julian. He lives on Chamber Hill. He works=
at a tech company. He loves Lil Wayne and Nirvana.

The need to find him is, for Serena, both irresistible and totally irration= al. In a few short weeks, her college alumni magazine is featuring her in a=
"Life at Thirty" feature, cementing her as a success story. She will have = officially achieved the safe, stable life her late mother insisted upon. Ju= lian is not part of the plan.

As she combs Seattle for her New Orleans flame, stripping away the perfectl=
y curated life that would have made her mother proud, Serena must decide if=
the pursuit of real passion is worth it, and fast, before she destroys the=
life she always thought she wanted.

Critique: Funny, thoughtful, original, and romantic, "Love Buzz" is an deft=
ly crafted novel by Neely Tubati Alexander that will have a very special ap= peal to readers with an interest in Rom-Com style contemporary romance. The=
stuff of which Hallmark Movies are made, "Love Buzz" is unreservedly recom= mended for community library Romance Fiction collections and is also readil=
y available for the personal reading lists of dedicated Rom-Com fans in a d= igital book format (Kindle, $11.99).

Editorial Note: Neely Tubati Alexander (https://www.neelytubatialexander.co=
m) is the author of women's fiction with rom-com feels you can escape into = with a smile.

Come November
Scott Lord
https://scottlord.com
Greenleaf Book Group Press
www.greenleafbookgroup.com
9798886450521, $28.95, HC, 424pp

https://www.amazon.com/Come-November-Scott-Lord/dp/B0BZNNNHZ1

Synopsis: November 1947: Jeanne and John, two newspaper journalists, fall i=
n young love as they travel from Chicago to New York to witness the momento=
us vote of the United Nations to partition Palestine and create the State o=
f Israel. When they discover an assassination plot meant to swing the outco= me, they must put their personal lives on hold and race the clock to stop i=
t, uncovering elaborate details of international politics along the way.

Fifty years later, having gone their separate ways, the two reconnect in It= aly. Set against a stunning pastoral backdrop, Jeanne and John relive those=
turbulent days together and explore whether their love has stood the test =
of time.

Critique: "Come November" by novelist Scott Lord will have a very special a= ppeal to readers with an interest in an operatic Italian romance, politics,=
family bonds, misunderstandings, and second chances, and international thr= illers. With more plot twists than a Disneyland roller coaster, "Come Novem= ber" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Histo= rical Romance and Suspense Thriller collections. It should be noted for per= sonal reading lists that "Come November" is also available in a digital boo=
k format (Kindle, 16 Hours, 5 Minutes).

Editorial Note: Scott Lord (https://www.audible.com/author/Scott-Lord/B0C36= JNHNY) is a longtime Los Angeles trial lawyer, writer, and librettist. He i=
s a graduate of UC Santa Cruz and Santa Clara University School of Law.

In This Moment
Gabrielle Meyer
Bethany House Publishers
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton Road, Ada, MI 49301
www.bethanyhouse.com
9780764241796, $29.99, HC, 390pp

https://www.amazon.com/This-Moment-Timeless-Gabrielle-Meyer/dp/0764241796

Synopsis: Maggie inherited a gift from her time-crossing parents that allow=
s her to live three separate lives in 1861 Washington D.C., 1941 Pearl Harb= or, and 2001 DC. Each night, she goes to sleep in one time period and wakes=
up in another. Until she turns twenty-one, when she will have to forfeit t=
wo of those lives (and everyone she knows in them) forever.

In 1861, Maggie is the daughter of a senator at the outbreak of the Civil W= ar, navigating a capital full of Southern spies and wounded soldiers. In 19= 41, she is a navy nurse, grappling with her knowledge of the future when sh=
e joins a hospital ship going to Pearl Harbor. And in 2001, she's a brillia=
nt young medical student, fulfilling her dream of becoming a surgeon.

While Maggie has sworn off romance until she makes her final choice, an int= riguing man tugs at her heart in each era, only complicating the impossible=
decision she must make, which looms ever closer. With so much on the line,=
how can Maggie choose just one life to keep and the rest to lose?

Critique: A deftly penned and strikingly original novel that will have a sp= ecial appeal to readers with an interest time travel romances, "In This Mom= ent" by Gabrielle Meyer will prove to be a an inherently fascinating and si= mply riveting novel and one that will be an enduringly popular addition to = community library collections. It should be noted for personal reading list=
s that "In This Moment" is also available in a paperback edition (978076423= 9755, $17.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).

Editorial Note: Gabrielle Meyer (www.gabriellemeyer.com) has worked for sta=
te and local historical societies and loves writing fiction inspired by rea=
l people, places, and events. She currently resides along the banks of the = Mississippi River in central Minnesota with her husband and four children. =
By day, she's a busy home schooling mom, and by night she pens fiction and = nonfiction filled with hope.

One More Seat at the Round Table
Susan Dormady Eisenberg
https://www.susandeisenberg.com
Atmosphere Press
www.atmospherepress.com
9781639888023, $17.99

https://www.amazon.com/One-More-Seat-Round-Table/dp/1639888020

It's unusual to see a blend of Broadway music history and romance, but One = More Seat at the Round Table offers both, icing its story with an attractiv=
e tone and drama that bring to life the creation of the stage production Ca= melot. One More Seat at the Round Table surveys the history of the American=
musical's development as it follows two characters whose growth and romanc=
e develop in conjunction with the advent of a special form of musical theat=
er that cements their connections and advances their professional careers. = Susan Dormady Eisenberg creates interplay between real-world facts and scen= arios, from the streets of New York City to actors Julie Andrews and others=
, whose efforts contributed to the play's creation.

At the heart of these events are Jane and Bryce, who face their own separat=
e challenges in overcoming expectation and precedent to make their marks on=
life in ways nobody before them has achieved. Eisenberg's dance between ro= mance and full-flavored life challenge not only gives this story its realis= tic edge, but provides a satisfyingly complex evolutionary structure that d= eparts from any notion of formula romance writing. This creates a saga that=
is as strong in its artistic, historical, and cultural influences as it is=
in the psychological developments that motivate and drive the main charact= ers. Readers familiar with actor prompts, challenges in getting into charac= ter, and the special charge of bigger-picture thinking in translating scrip=
t to stage will be especially delighted by the time Eisenberg takes to recr= eate the process of bringing a play to life.

Between its detailed pursuit of a production that will change the face of A= merican stage and Jane's first-person revelations about her choices and wha=
t she stands to lose by making a name for herself, the story excels in both=
historical and psychological revelations: "I couldn't predict when I'd fin=
d the courage, but my darkest fear was that I'd already lost him. And if th=
is was the case, I thought, trudging back up to stage left, I might never r= ecover. Worst of all, I'd have no one to blame but myself." These concurren=
t struggles of the heart, art, and career make for a memorable, involving s= tory that teaches much about stage efforts and living the show and life "mo= ment by moment." Libraries and readers seeking a story that gives equal str= ength to performances that lead to growth and new realizations both on and = off stage will welcome One More Seat at the Round Table, recognizing it as = both a romance story and an exploration of the foundations and processes of=
a pivotal point in Broadway history.

Reluctant Hearts
Linda Griffin
Wild Rose Press
https://wildrosepress.com
9781509248827, $16.99 Paper/$3.99 Kindle

https://www.amazon.com/Reluctant-Hearts-Linda-Griffin/dp/150924882X

Reluctant Hearts is a romance story that arrives with the added twist of co= ming from not the usual singular perspective; nor even a couple's insights,=
but from four different viewpoints. Four couples represent different facet=
s of love under challenging, seemingly impossible situations. Their dispari= ties and attractions receive satisfying descriptions that contrast their li= ves and choices in a story that evolves to follow the growth of very differ= ent people. As the characters interact, so readers will find that "all the = pieces fit together perfectly." This contrast in lives and hearts works bec= ause Linda Griffin takes the time to trace the fears, reluctance, and possi= bilities each person brings to the table of love.

From women's friendships that evolve against the backdrop of shifting lives=
and new connections to gender disparities revealed during realistic conver= sations, Griffin's attention to detail produces discussions that will lend =
to book club debates as well as individual enlightenment. Romance evolves i=
n different ways under different circumstances and perceptions. Reluctant H= earts is as much a story of awakening and discovery as it is a psychologica=
l profile of very different people brought together by circumstance, chance=
, and their own visions of what love looks like. Romance readers receive de=
ep psychological inspection, interludes of sexual exploration, and love sto= ries that are thoroughly engrossing and thought-provoking.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promo= ting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no fund=
s from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to post any of these=
reviews on thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups, listserves, inte= rnet discussion groups, organizational newsletters, or to interested indivi= duals. Please give the Midwest Book Review a credit line when doing so.

The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines "Califo= rnia Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwat= ch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available=
for free on the Midwest Book Review website at www (dot) midwestbookreview=
(dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugal= muse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publish= er, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number=
, and list price).

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

--- MBSE BBS v1.0.8 (Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: ---:- FTN<->UseNet Gate -:--- (3:633/280.2@fidonet)