Sweetly Seasoned Snack Size Reviews

What's a girl to do as Valentine's Day approaches? Well, for me, I guess that would be doing what I do the rest of the year: read a romance (or a dozen). ;) Here are a few sweet romance stories I've enjoyed recently!

So True a Love (Daughters of His Kingdom, Book 2) by Amber Lynn Perry
Rating: Spring/Summer
Currently $3.99 for Kindle

As an inspirational historical romance fan, I was hard-pressed to pass up this lovely cover and the story's promising premise! And the book delivered on an intriguing, suspenseful read set during the Revolutionary era. I do confess that the plot is rather frustrating in terms of secrets kept and the obvious overlooked time and again, but it wasn't so bothersome that I couldn't appreciate the romantic tension and the hope that all would be revealed and worked out in time. An engaging excursion into another era!

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The Vow (An Uncertain Choice Novella) by Jody Hedlund

Rating: Fall/Spring

Currently $1.99 for Kindle

It's exciting that talented historical fiction author Jody Hedlund is trying her hand at YA (young adult) fiction! I enjoyed this snippet as a sample of her upcoming novel release. The time period is fraught with peril and hardships, and poor Rosemarie has to deal with a lot of trauma for a young woman barely out of girlhood. As the set-up for An Uncertain Choice that provides interesting back story, The Vow is a nice teaser; as its own novella, there isn't much of a story so much as a promise of one to come. Lots of shifting emotions (understandably!), but not much substance that's overly compelling or satisfying in and of itself. I'll be curious to see how the novel plays out, though!

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A Woodland Miracle (Amish Wonders, Book 2) by Ruth Reid
Rating: Spring/Summer
Currently $8.89 for Kindle

It's really hard to stay away from the book section when I'm in Walmart. The last time I browsed the shelves, my eyes caught on an Amish book with a cover I simply love and by an author who wrote another Amish story I enjoyed. But my gaze also snagged on this one, and the back cover copy completely intrigued me. ("Endanger their lives"? I had to know what that was all about!) Well, I bought the former because I trusted the author would deliver a good story (and yes, I'm a sucker for lovely covers), but I couldn't resist looking up this book online. After seeing the reviews and reading more about it, I one-clicked it.

A Woodland Miracle was all its back cover said it would be and just what I wanted! Unique Amish characters and setting (which has to be getting pretty rare in this genre), plenty of tension, and a suspense element that didn't wait until the very end to make itself well and clearly known (kudos to the author for that!). Yes, I think some of the characters and themes could have gone a smidge deeper, but all in all this was a very satisfying and intriguing read that kept me glued to my Fire tablet until the very last swipe of the virtual page.

[This snack size review is bordering on a full meal...thanks for indulging me!]

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Love on the Mend (Full Steam Ahead Novella) by Karen Witemeyer

Rating: Spring

Currently $2.51 for Kindle

Karen Witemeyer writes so cleverly and crafts such fun and likable characters that reading any of her stories is bound to be an enjoyable experience. Though just a short and sweet novella, Love on the Mend is trademark Witemeyer and includes some great bonding scenes and a satisfying conclusion. While perhaps not my favorite of her books, it was still fun to spend an evening catching up with Jacob from Full Steam Ahead and watching him get completely bowled over by the indomitable Mollie Tate. ;)

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Have you read any sweet romances lately that you'd recommend? What's on your Valentine's reading list? 

"Seasoned" or "unseasoned" is in reference to my book rating system. Thanks to Juju of Tales of Whimsy for the inspiration regarding mini reviews!