Eyes Like Mine (Julie Wright)

A story of family that transcends time William has been missing for two days. And even though the rest of the wagon company has decided they must continue on to Zion, Constance Brown refuses to go any further until she finds her husband. All she can think about is the last time she saw him — he lovingly touched her face and then sang their baby girl to sleep. Will that memory be all Constance has to hold on to?
In a future time and place, Liz King is a teenager struggling with her identity in the modern world. The embarrassment she feels because of her parents’ divorce and her family’s new-found financial problems turns to bitterness.
Through an inexplicable twist of fate, Constance and Liz are brought face to face. Liz recognizes Constance’s name from her mother’s endless lectures on their family history, and she also recognizes her eyes — they are exactly like her own. Were these distant relatives brought together in order to help each other?
Will Constance be able to return to her own life and find William, and will Liz be able to keep from telling Constance how her story ends? In this irresistible novel filled with gripping adventure and heartfelt emotion, two young women from drastically different times and settings learn that the challenges life holds for them are not so different after all.

Another pioneer story with a twist of the pioneer women having to come to the future to help her posterity. I liked this story.

The Undaunted: The Miracle of the Hole-in-the-Rock Pioneers (Gerald N Lund)

The journey was impossible.But they had no other choice.
At the call of their prophet, they left well-established farms and businesses to strike out yet again into the untamed wilderness. A small band of men, women, and children formed the 1879 pioneer company.
Their mission: stand as a buffer between lawlessness and civilization.Their road: only what they created themselves, blasting out a perilous trail over slick rock and through desolate cliffs.Their hearts: UNDAUNTED

Listen to an interview with Gerald N. Lund from The Cricket and Seagull Fireside Chat Podcast.
To find out more about about this book visit Undaunted-thenovel.com

I really enjoyed this book. I would like to go visit some of the places that these pioneers crossed and be able to see some of the artifacts that were left behind on their travels. I definately recommend this book. It has facts from some of the pioneers journals to back up some of the events that the author has chosen to share.

The Ties That Bind (Kristen McKendry)

After losing both parents at a young age, Daniel McDonald grew up disconnected from his family history. Now, as he approaches the birth of his first child, he feels deeply unsettled about his severed familial bonds. Before Daniel can feel ready to be a father himself, he knows he must unravel the painful mystery of his past and make peace with what he finds.
This quest begins as Daniel discovers the story of his grandmother, a woman of great faith who wanted nothing more than to have her family sealed together eternally, but whose untimely death led to the scattering of her offspring. Daniel’s journey of understanding unfolds as he forms new connections with relatives he never knew he had and gains long-lost insight about the difficult circumstances that entangled his family tree. From a past riddled by abuse, abandonment, and alcoholism, Daniel comes to see himself and his future in a promising new light.
Inspired by actual people and events, this novel poignantly imparts unforgettable lessons about love and loss, choice and accountability, and the everlasting ties that bind generations.

This is another quick read. I loved it because it compared the life story of a guy living in this decade to his grandparents living in harder times. I love the family history story behind this book.

Agent in Old Lace (Tristi Pinkston)

Shannon Tanner has it all—a perfect family, a perfect job, and a perfect boyfriend. Or so she thinks. What Shannon doesn’t know is that her boyfriend, Mark, is stealing money from her father and making millions doing it. When Shannon learns Mark’s secret, he turns on her, and Shannon’s life abruptly goes from perfect to perilous.
In an effort to protect Shannon, the FBI assigns their only female agent to go undercover as her personal bodyguard. But when the agent breaks her leg the day before the assignment, they turn to the next best thing: their top agent, Rick Holden—in a dress.
Quote from Agent in Old Lace: Life seems safe again for Shannon with Rick by her side and Mark apparently gone for good. Then Shannon gets word that her best friend has been kidnapped, and it becomes clear that Mark isn’t going to stop any time soon. Shannon realizes the only way to save herself and her friend—and stop Mark once and for all—is by sending Rick, her only source of protection, away. Can Rick save Shannon before it’s too late?
Tristi Pinkston’s contemporary novel debut promises to entertain and uplift her fans and new readers alike

This was a quick read of just under 200 pages. The characters were humorous. I loved this story.

The Last Waltz (G G Vandagriff)

The heroine of The Last Waltz, Amalia Faulhaber, comes onstage as an innocent socialite with a strong personality in the nervous splendor of the last days of the Hapsburg Empire. It is the "Golden Age" of music, art, fashion, cuisine, and drama.
Amidst the sparkle and neuroses of Vienna, Amalia has been educated in the fine art of flirtation by her aristocratic grandmother and in matters of conscience by her socialist uncle. She shapes and is shaped by her relationships with the men in her life—a Prussian soldier, a Polish doctor, and an Austrian baron--always remaining faithful to her own growing ideals. The story of Austria's descent into fascism is counterbalanced by the developing love that she feels for her husband with whom she has a "marriage of convenience." As flawed characters are transformed, the theme of the piece emerges as the redemptive power of love.
The book is a virtual journey into the events before, during, and after World War I. An understanding of this period is critical for us to comprehend why democracy failed in Germany and Austria. This understanding lays the foundation for a true perspective of present domestic politics and international relations with the Western and Eastern European Countries.

This book is divided into multiple sections. I hard a really hard time staying focused in the first section, but it was necessary to build you up for the rest of the story and to give you an understanding of who each of the characters are. I enjoyed the book by the end.

Pathway Home (Michele Ashman Bell)

After just one year of a blissful marriage, Cami Gardner is alone, mourning the loss of her departed husband. She's struggling to continue down the pathway of life, searching for a reason to feel alive again.
But on a seemingly ordinary summer night, a group of mysterious strangers checks into the Sea Rose Bed and Breakfast that she tends with her grandfather. One is a handsome man with eyes that hold a glimpse of pain . . . something Cami recognizes from her own heart. The others speak of a lost treasure, the legend of Spanish gold buried somewhere along the nearby coastline.
For Cami, the future holds an adventure more exhiliarating and perilous than anything she's ever imagined. And, with tensions nearing their breaking points, she'll be forced to make a choice that may cost her her very life. She's also about to take the most perilous journey of all-- inviting someone else onto the pathway she's walked alone for so long . . . and her heart may never be the same.
Comments about Pathway Home from the author:
It was wonderful to come back to Seamist and the wonderful characters from the book, "Love Lights the Way". I fell in love with the Oregon coast as I did research for that first book and through the encouragement of readers, and my own longing to return to the coast, I wrote the long awaited sequel, "Pathway Home".
There's something mystical, magical and romantic about the setting in this book and the atmosphere just seemed to lend itself to a story of mystery, adventure and romance. I enjoy the characters of this book and was happy to let the grow and find closure to each of their lives. I think that the greatest story in this book is the strength each character gains as they learn to resolve issues and heartaches from their past and finally find faith to move forward, with hope.
This is a message I know we all need at some point in our lives, so hopefully this story can uplift and inspire readers, as well as captivate and entertain them.
One word of warning, fight the urge to skip to the back of the book and read the ending. I guarantee, you'll be happy with the ending, but you're in for some great surprises and a lot of mystery and fun. You may get a tug at her your heartstrings and even get teary eyed in a few spots, but it's all worth it.
Thanks to all the wonderful requests for more of Ashlyn and Cami. I appreciate reader input and you never know, one of your ideas or suggestions is bound to show up somewhere in one of my books, so stay in touch and don't hesitate to contact me with suggestions. Enjoy!

I really enjoyed this book, it was one of those I couldn't put down until it was finished. The murder mystery even gave me chills a couple of times when you felt like you were in Cami's shoes. I am going to have to find out what other book has Ashlyn and Cami's story in it and definately read it.

Eyes of a Stranger (Carol Warburton)

The year is 1907, and Matthew Cameron has questions no one in his small Mormon settlement can answer. But answers come fast and furious when a man who looks eerily like Matthew saves him from a deadly attack. Rafael, the rescuer, may be charming, but he is also a ruthless exploiter. When Matthew refuses to cross a moral line, Rafael begins to destroy all that Matthew holds dear. Angry and alone-armed only with his unfailing belief in God-Matthew struggles to start a new life. Faced with a disturbing past, along with bitter racism in his new community, Matthew is surprised to find his sole defender is a beautiful, spirited young woman. Against the wishes of everyone around them, Matthew and Sabra begin to fall in love. When Sabra's life is jeopardized, Matthew must make some final choices: between love and hate, between right and wrong, and between life and death. Carol Warburton, master of LDS historical fiction, delivers a sweeping novel of suspense, adventure, and romance that is sure to keep readers breathlessly turning the pages of this unforgettable story.

This was a very good love story.