All Categories - T. N. HAYDEN

The Guilty Proposal

6/29/2021

I found this book on Audible Escape under Story Themes in the Kidnapping category. It was a short listen (3 hrs, 17 min), and it sounded interesting, so I decided to give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this novel. The characters were interesting, funny, and romantic. The hero, Travis, finds himself engaged to a friend out of pity because he blames himself for an accident that may leave her lame for the rest of her life. But then he meets Evaline, who he develops strong, romantic feelings for.

I didn't realize this Western was also a clean, Christian romance, but I was pleased it was. Faith is a main motivation for Travis, especially since Evaline sometimes tempts him to go further than they should before marriage. Her faith journey is simple but fun. It isn't a deep story, but it was enjoyable and feel good. It is the first of the Heroes of Hays series.

The Guilty Proposal by Barbara Goss. ASIN: B01MZ9TDK7. 170 pages. Amazon.com Services LLC. January 13, 2017.

Love Only Once

6/25/2021

Grab a book close to you and write the first line:

"The fingers holding the brandy decanter were long and delicate."

Love Only Once by Johanna Lindsey. ISBN-13: 978-0380899531. 358 pages. Avon Books; Reissue edition. March 29, 2005.

Ella Enchanted

6/22/2021

One of my favorite fairy tales is Cinderella, and one of my favorite Cinderella books is Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine. If you've seen the movie and haven't read the book, then you need to pick this one up and read it. It is completely different than the movie and SO MUCH better!

Ella was "gifted" obedience by a fairy when she was born, but Ella feels like she's cursed. She cannot make her own decisions if someone gives her an order, something that makes her want to rebel against orders. When she meet Prince Char, they become friends.

Ella is sent to Finishing School with two mean girls, one of whom figured out she's always obedient. When Ella is forced to stop being friends with the only kind girl at school, she runs away. She and Char meet once again, and their friendship continues to grow.

Ella's father wants to marry her off because he needs money. He ends up marrying for money instead, and his new wife is the mother of the girl who knows Ella's biggest secret.

Prince Char leaves to learn at another kingdom, and he and Ella write letters. They both fall deeply in love, and when he writes those words, she is elated. But then she thinks of her curse, and she knows it would never be safe for him if they were married.

After Ella breaks his heart, she dreams of the day she is no longer cursed. When Char returns home, his parents (yes, parents to those who have only seen the movie. His parents are alive, and so is his sister) host three balls. Ella decides to heal her broken heart a little by seeing him at the balls. But what will Char do if he realizes who she is? How can she protect the man she loves?

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine. ISBN-13: 978-0064407052. 240 pages. HarperCollins; Reprint edition. May 2, 2017.

The Switch

6/18/2021

Grab a book close to you and write the first line:

"Lord Radcliffe drew his horse to a halt and stared at the spectacle being played out before him."

The Switch by Lynsay Sands. ISBN-13: 978-0062019820. 384 pages. Avon; Reissue edition (November 26, 2013).

The Lost Heiress

6/15/2021

I really wanted to love this book, but I found it hard to want to keep listening and being invested. I couldn't quite figure out what it was that annoyed me about it, but I think it was the main characters.

Brook and Justin grew up as friends, and he is the one who realized who she truly was, the lost Heiress. When they leave France and go to England, Brook's biological family, including her father, welcome her into their world, so different than the one she grew up in. I enjoyed her unconventional aspects (breaking wild horses in, pistol shooting, interest in cars), but I felt like she worries about what other people thought of her too much, even though she didn't really care?

Brook and Justin are in love, but they don't know the other loves them. He rejects her multiple times once she becomes an heiress as he looses family members, and he wants to get his estate in order to make sure no one thinks he married her for her money (especially since he is the one who brought her back). But instead of him telling her any of it, he just leaves and doesn't offer her an explanation through most of the book. It takes WAY too long for them to have an honest conversation and understand each other once more. It was super annoying.

The back of the book says "And then, for a second time, the heiress of Whitby Park (Brook) is stolen away because pf the very rare treasure in her possession - and this time only the servants of Whitby can save her." First off, the servants of Whitby pray for her, but a servant at another household saves her. Also, this plot line happened with less than 2 hours left in the book, and the book was over 15 hours long. I kept waiting for her to be stolen away, and for it to be a much larger plot line. It was disappointing.

My favorite character was her friend Brice. He was witty, kind, and complex. He came across as a lady's man at times, but he was also a man of God who believed in the power of prayer more than some of the other characters. He is the main character in the second book of the trilogy, which is the only reason I want to listen to continue this series.

I also enjoyed the relationship between Brook and her father. They are similar and understand each other. It felt real and never felt frustrating (as her relationship with Justin did).

It wasn't a terrible read, but it was slow going through most of the book. I started it on Friday, didn't listen on Saturday or Sunday, and finished it on Monday. I didn't have a desire to finish the book over the weekend.

The Lost Heiress by Roseanna M. White. ISBN-13: 978-0764213502. 442 pages. Bethany House Publishers (September 8, 2015).

By Your Side

6/8/2021

I found this book through Fantastic Fiction (which if you haven't checked out is an awesome website), and I listed to it on the Libby app through my local library system.

Autumn has anxiety, but she keeps her medical issue from her friends and the boy she hopes will be her boy friend. The group is hanging out at the library, completing a paper, before they plan to go to the beach for a bonfire and then the girls to a cabin. Autumn has to use the bathroom, and her friends accidently leave her.

The library closes, for three days because of Martin Luther King Jr Day, and Autumn gets locked in the library. She is surprised when Dax, a loner/bad boy, is also locked in the library. He is very closed off, something he learned to protect himself after being passed around in different foster homes the past four years after his drug addict mother signed away her parental rights.

Autumn teaches Dax to have fun, and he teaches her that her mental health is just as important as what other people think about her.

They are a great couple because they help each other grow. Their matching friendship bracelets meant for kids are adorable, and Autumn finally understands what it's like for a friend, or perhaps more than a friend, to like her for her true self.

About half the book takes place in the library, and the other half is the "fall out" of those days. I really enjoyed this fun teen romance!

By Your Side by Kasie West. ISBN-13: 978-0062455864. 352 pages. HarperTeen (January 31, 2017).

The Selection

6/4/2021

Grab a book close to you and write the first line:

"When we got the letter in the post, my mother was ecstatic."

The Selection by Kiera Cass. ISBN-13: 978-0062059949. 352 pages. HarperTeen; Reprint edition (March 26, 2013).

Pride

6/1/2021

Pride by Ibi Zoboi is a retelling of Pride and Prejudice written by a black author featuring black characters. It was a great, fun, and fast listen.

I enjoyed Zuri, the "Elizabeth" character, and her changing relationship with Darius Darcy. A familiar story in which I kept saying in my head "that must be Collins" or "that must be Wickham" when the characters came up.

As a white author and reader, I enjoyed the feel, rhythm, and obvious diverse pride spoken about in the book. The title has a ton of different meanings to the book.

There are a few F-bombs in the book, which would make it R-rated in a movie, but the language was few and far between. (When it comes to language, I cannot stand the overuse of the F-word...) But other than the language, the book is clean. It is a Young Adult Novel with it set in the summer before the main character's senior year of high school.

I love different versions of Pride and Prejudice (one of my favorite versions is the Indian movie Bride and Prejudice). Highly recommend this diverse version of a story well known.

Pride by Ibi Zoboi. ISBN-13: 978-0062564047. 304 pages. Balzer + Bray; Signed copy edition (September 18, 2018).

Stealing the Preacher

5/28/2021

Grab a book close to you and write the first line:

"Crockett Archer stretched his legs into the aisle as the train pulled away from Caldwell station."

Stealing the Preacher by Karen Witemeyer. ISBN-13: 978-0764209666. 352 pages. Bethany House Publishers; 1 edition (June 1, 2013).

The Peasant's Dream

5/25/2021

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is one rare series in which I have read them in order. While not essential, it is very helpful. In preparation for the release of this book, I listened to the first ten books on Audible.

I was super excited to get a complimentary advanced copy of this book, and I read it in less than two days (which for me is very fast). I loved the main characters: Frederick and Adela. I do think the girls tend to focus on their one main flaw a bit (spoiled being Adela's focus), but other than that, she was an enjoyable character.

This is a "reverse Cinderella" book with Frederick being the "Cinderella" character. His hardships working for his father while wanting to fulfill his dream were realistic and heartbreaking at times. I also loved that Frederick and Adela were both artists and understood each other in a way that others didn't.

In the description of the book, it says "When he gets swept up into a plan to kidnap the duke’s daughter, both are shaken by what they learn about the other." I was really looking forward to this part in the book, and it was not at all how I envisioned it happening. On one hand, I was disappointed because it was not how I expected it to happen, but on the other hand, I was glad it went better for Frederick's character as a good, honest man.

I loved the ending of this book. It kept me guessing in a few parts, wondering if family members would find each other in different situations. I loved how Melanie Dickerson brought Frederick's whole family together at the end.

As a fan of the series, I was thrilled that all of Adela's siblings and their families made it to her wedding. It is so hard to see this family series end because I want to know more about Toby and all of Adela's nieces, nephews, and future children. It was a beautiful send off to a terrific series!

The Peasant's Dream by Melanie Dickerson. ISBN-13: 978-0785228332. 320 pages. Thomas Nelson (July 7, 2020).