The Wishing Garden (Anita Stansfield)

Anita Stansfield’s clutch on the world of Mormon romantic fiction got a little stronger with the release of her newest novel, “The Wishing Garden.”

After venturing into historical fiction with her last several books, Stansfield returns to modern times as she tells the story of a dejected mother seeking to build a new life after a string of tragic events.

Following a catastrophic car accident that robbed her of the lives of her husband and one of her adopted twin daughters, Mary Cranford-Bewkes reluctantly returns home to live with her dying father. A cruel and bigoted man, Mary absorbs his abuse and intolerance while caring for him only so that she and her daughter — a beautiful Hispanic 6-year-old — will have a place to live.

When Mary hires a handsome man more than 10 years her junior to transform the estate’s neglected gardens, she accidentally disrupts the careful balance of her life. Whit, a practicing member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with Mexican heritage, is immediately drawn to Mary as well as her daughter, forcing her to face emotions she had deeply buried.

However, as her feeling for Whit begin to take shape, unsettling events draw Whit’s troubled past to the forefront, leaving Mary to wonder if the tender gardener is really what he seems. She must rely on the truth in her feelings or the mounting evidence, as well as her father’s ugly prejudice, might drive the couple apart.

“The Wishing Garden” highlights Stansfield’s love of exploring her characters' emotions and underlying motivations. The book is full of deep sentiment, and romantics will be absorbed by the heartache Mary and Whit have each battled. The characters are lovable and interesting, making them easy to follow.

While the story does seem a bit slow to develop, the angst and loathing provided by Mary’s father pull readers to her defense, truly drawing them into the book. Once the action picks up, the tale gallops through twists and intriguing turns involving not only romance but assault, gang turf wars and courtroom drama.

Stansfield’s fans will surely enjoy this unique addition to her flourishing literary collection. - Deseret News

The Chimney Sweep Charm (Marcia Lynn McClure)

There was the muffled sound of audience members standing up, and Baylee and Candice turned to look behind them."Holy smokes!" Baylee breathed."It's like a Navy SEAL convention or something," Candice added.And it was! Baylee couldn't believe that over twenty-five of the people in the orientation audience were tall, dark, handsome, buff guys dressed all in black. Each man stood with his feet apart and hands held at his back-similar if not exactly like a military "at ease" stance."They're all packing heat too," Baylee whispered to Candice as she noted all the holstered sidearms."I guess Mr. O'Sullivan wants to be prepared," Candice said."I suppose you girls are all wowed now, right?" Tate said from the front row."Let's see," Candice began, looking to Tate and feigning an expression of thoughtfulness. "Let's say I'm being assaulted by some weirdo in the street...and who am I going to look to for protection? One of these guys?" she said, nodding toward the security staff. "Or you, Tate? You...who freaked out in June when we were in New York and you thought some guy was looking at you funny. You freaked out and slammed Megan's finger in the door and cut it off! Who do you think I'm going to trust?""It was an accident, and you know it," Tate grumbled. Baylee did know it. Still, she found her eyes glancing down the row of chairs in front of her to Megan-to the missing first joint and fingertip on her right hand."Yeah, it was," Candice admitted. "But you still cared more about yourself than Megan. The guy was stalking Megan...not you. Real heroic, Tate. Way to go to instilling a sense of confidence in me that you would have my back.""Whatever," Tate grumbled, turning around in his seat to pout."Thank you," Brian said to his men. Baylee watched as the security staff sat down in unison. "So there you have it...our extra security staff for the next two months. As I said, if you need assistance...just grab a chimney sweep."Baylee giggled. "Grab a cab, grab a snack...grab a chimney sweep."Candice giggled too. "And you know what? I just figured out what I want for Christmas.""Absolutely," Baylee agreed. "I'll never ring 'Chim Chim Cher-ee' with the same mental pictures again."

This is a quick love story set at Christmas Time ... If you want a quick book to sit down to a one day read.

Before the Dawn (Dean Hughes)

When the bishop calls Leah Sorensen to be Relief Society president, her first impulse is to assume he is joking. "They'd all vote against me if you put my name up," she tells him, "and I'd vote with them."
She's prickly and proud, a farm widow who doesn't get along with the town women at all. Why would the Lord want her?
Because it's 1932, the depth of the Great Depression, and, as the bishop tells her: "You lost your husband and you didn't give up. You know how to survive hard times, and some women in our ward don't. I'm not looking for a nice church lady right now. I'm looking for someone with some grit, and that's what you've got."
But will grit be enough when the opposition begins?

I fell in love with Leah, she reminds me of many women in my life... Just shows people are put in the right place at the right time for reasons we will never know, we are also all given different trials because we all have different personalities and can make certain trials work for our own needs.

Passage on the Titanic (Anita Stansfield)

Ella Brown grew up in one of London’s privileged homes, with all the comforts and luxuries that money can buy. But when sudden financial reversals strike her household, leaving her father dead by his own hand and her mother broken by trauma, Ella is forced from a life of safety and abundance to one of scarcity and fear. Clinging to survival on the filthy streets of the city, she’s betrayed by her only friend and burdened by an ill-fated pregnancy. By the time Ella arrives at the hospital in premature labor, she desperately needs an angel of mercy, and one soon arrives: Irene Corbett, a Mormon midwife who has come to London for advanced medical training at the great sacrifice of her family. Irene soothes Ella’s pain as she births a son, who lives only minutes, helps her back on her feet, and joins her on a voyage to America on the ship Titanic—where epic disaster rips the two friends apart. Bereaved and alone, Ella finds comfort and healing in the care of rescue crewman Jonathan Moreau and his loving family. But will the dark weight of Ella’s past destroy her delicate hopes for the future? Bestselling author Anita Stansfield delivers a story of compassion, hope, and survival set against a backdrop of the greatest tragedy of the early twentieth century

If you like Titanic history, this was a new point of view of what happened that night and the after affects that the survivors had to suffer through.

Shadows of Brierley : In the Valley of the Mountains (Anita Stansfield)

Jamie walked away . . . He wondered why he was even trying. He felt certain there was nothing he could ever say or do to compete with a man like Hugh Montgomery, and he was fooling himself to believe that he could ever be a contender for Gillian Brierley's heart.
The year is 1862, and the setting is Salt Lake City. Gillian — Ian and Wren's eldest daughter — has grown into a lovely young woman who is a source of help and strength to her family. Little does she realize that her life is about to be turned upside down.
Suddenly she must choose between two men who love her, yet whose lives and lifestyles are completely divergent. Honorable and trusted family friend Hugh Montgomery is safe and steady, while young Jamie MacBrier, recently arrived from Scotland, is impetuous, passionate, worldly, and completely unschooled in the principles of the gospel. Yet he has created feelings in Gillian that are new and exciting — and frightening. Can she be true to both her faith and her heart?
In this deeply moving conclusion to the Shadows of Brierley series, beloved LDS author Anita Stansfield delivers an unforgettable story of love and the many ways in which it can break our hearts and heal them. In the Valley of the Mountains is compelling and tender, with insights that linger long after the last page has been turned.

I Loved this series, but I feel that they needed one more book between Volume 3 and Volume 4.

The Lady of the Storm, The Lord of Illusion (Kathryne Kennedy)

 Giles is bound to protect her...

In a kingdom viciously ruled by warlike elven lords, village blacksmith Giles Beaumont reluctantly swears to protect the half-elf, half-human Cecily Sutton, never dreaming that he will fall under her enchanting spell.

But duty soon turns to desire...

When Cecily's father disappears, Cecily and Giles set out to find him. But, as their journey unfolds, duty is quickly replaced by desire--and the search for Cecily's father leads to a magical destiny that could end the rule of the elven lords forever ...

He'll do anything to save her...

Rebel Lord Drystan Hawkes dreams of fighting for England's freedom. He gets his chance when he finds a clue to opening the magic portal to Elfhame, and he must race to find the slave girl who holds the key to the mystery. But even as Drystan rescues Camille Ashton from Dreamhame Palace, it becomes unclear exactly who is saving whom.

For the fate of humankind lies with Camille...

Enslaved for years in a realm where illusion and glamour reign, Camille has learned to trust nothing and no one. But she's truly spellbound when she meets Drystan--a man different from any she's ever known, and the force of their passion may yet be strong enough to banish the Elven Lords from this world forever.
 
These are the 2nd and 3rd books of The Elven Lords series by Kathryne Kennedy. I really enjoyed these stories. I did find myself getting bored at times in some scenes because the author tends to run on and give more detail than I would like and it seems to really slow the story down. The actual story line is sound though so if you can skim read those parts it is worth it.

Because You're Mine (Lisa Kleypas)

Young, high-spirited Lady Madeline Matthews is expected to wed an aging, lecherous lord. But she would rather shame herself in the eyes of society than sacrifice her freedom, and resolves to render herself unmarriageable by indulging in a torrid affair with Britain's most acclaimed actor and notorious womanizer, Logan Scott.
He is legend in the footlights and in the bedchamber. But when the curtain falls, Logan is an intensely private, guarded man still tormented by past betrayals that cut deep into his pride and his heart. Now a forward little minx who seems completely out of place in the bright, sophisticated world of the London stage is disrupting his orderly existence with her constant presence, her unspoiled beauty and vibrant charm. And what begins with an onstage kiss threatens to blossom into something more rapturous and real. But first Logan and Madeline both must drop the masks they hide behind...and reveal their true selves in the golden glorious light of love.

This was able to keep my attention all the way through. Its a sweet love story! It does have some steamy scenes.