So for the month of April in Book Club we decided to read A Reluctant Queen. It caught my eye a few weeks ago when it came into the library as a donation and I was tempted then to bring it home and add it to the pile, but I passed. Then last week at Book Club Deanie was telling about how this book caught her eye when she was covering it. So even though it wasn't in stock at our beloved BAM! we decided to choose it anyway.
I must admit I was surprised I read this in only 3 or 4 days. It wasn't really a hard book to read, but I didn't expect it to catch my fancy like it did. Two things come to my mind to share:
1. You can tell the author did a lot of research on this because the palace rooms and many of the settings were described in great detail. Also, the clothing everyone wore was also described in great detail. Now, I am one for detail, but it seemed a little overboard for me.
2. I am not opposed to reading a book set in Bible times, but when it comes to "novelizations" of stories in the Bible, red flags raise up to me pretty fast. Not that I am a Bible Scholar and know all the details of the stories, but to me you have to be very careful when reading between the lines in tried and true Bible stories. Many moons ago, when this Book Club was still a day club, we read the Lineage of Grace series of novellas by Francine Rivers. Besides The Red Tent, this was my first foray into novels about Bible stories. I really liked the first few, but the one about Mary I held very far from my heart. To me, it's one thing to "fill in the blanks" with Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, but when you get to "making up" things about what "might have been" with Jesus in the Mary book, well, that was a little too much for me. That said, there were some questions I had about this book as I was reading through it. Or devouring it, as the case may be. I was familiar with the basics of the story, but some things that happened in the book just did not ring a bell with me. Let me just say that I think The Author's Note that she wrote should have been in the front of the book instead of the back, and then I could have read it a little more freely.
You've read it as a biblical tale of courage. Experience it anew as a heart-stirring love story.
She was a simple girl faced with an impossible choice. He was a magnificent king with a lonely heart.
Their love was the divine surprise that changed the course of history.
The beloved story of Esther springs to fresh life in this inspired novel that vibrates with mystery, intrigue, and romance. (picture and description from amazon)
O:)
Melissa
Ah, nothing like a quick trip to the beach during these remaining blah days of winter. My mom gave me this book for Christmas because she loves Charleston and I had recently visited there. It was a sweet little book with just enough serious stuff to not make it too fluffy. Yes, it didn't take too long until you knew how it was going to end, but as my cousin Pam says, "You never know how they're going to get there!"
First impressions, thank goodness, really can’t be trusted! When marine
biologist Holly Leonard agrees to help Parker Brant write a book on
giant sea turtles, she expects a charming and charismatic charter boat
captain—not the strait-laced, all-business dud who greets her. For his
part, Parker is surprised to find that Dr. Leonard is not the matronly
grandmother he expected but a blue-eyed beauty who’s lively, fun— and a
total klutz. Unfortunately, the harder Holly tries to shed her “Holly
Folly” nickname, the clumsier she becomes. Holly’s has breezed into
Parker’s well-ordered world like a hurricane—but will he welcome the
disruption? (picture and description at amazon.com)
O:)
Melissa
Last summer in Book Club we read the first book in this series so last month when we found the next one had been written we jumped at the chance to read it. Rachel Hauck did not disappoint! In the first book, the future king of Brighton, an imaginary small European country, has fallen in love with an American, a non-royalty girl, and there is trouble all around but they go on to, we assume, "live happily ever after." In this book, the Grand Duchy of Hessenburg, which has been in an entail with Brighton, is about the be able to break free from that entail, but an heir to the throne must be found, or the country will either have no government or be forever linked with Brighton. Of course, the long-lost princess, Regina, ends up being a small town girl content on being an old-car restorer. Tanner, the Ministry of Culture for the duchy, has been assigned to bring her home as fast as possible. And with that the story takes off pretty much where you think it will go, but it's always a treat to find out the path it takes!
Regina Beswick was born to be a princess. But she’s content to be a
small-town girl, running a classic auto restoration shop, unaware a
secret destiny awaits her. One that will leap from the pages of her
grandmother’s hand-painted book of fairytales. Tanner Burkhardt is
the stoic Minister of Culture for the Grand Duchy of Hessenberg. When he
is tasked to retrieve the long-lost princess, he must overcome his fear
of failure in order to secure his nation’s future---and his own. Yet lurking in the political shadows is a fierce opponent with sinister plans to abolish the throne forever. Overwhelmed
with opposition, Regina must decide if she’s destined to restore old
cars or an ancient nation. Together---with a little divine
intervention---Regina and Tanner discover the truth of her heritage and
the healing power of true love. (picture and description from amazon.com)
O:)
Melissa
