Love in a Tuscan Kitchen

Wow, Love in a Tuscan Kitchen could very well be made into a movie. Not only is this story true, it's a fairy tale come to life. The book is filled with love, recipes and Italian culture.  The fear of taking a chance at a dream keeps many from following their heart, but this author took hold of what she wanted and filled her life with passion. What an inspiring read!

Sheryl Ness pens this story so well, I felt like I walked the cobblestone streets, met the people within the small Italian village of San Gusme, and discovered the glorious food right along with her. But the best part of the book is the love story.

The sweet emotions shared between her and Vincenzo while they fall in love is charming. I will let you delve into that part of the story yourself. I also loved the colorful characters who resided in this village tucked away in the hills of Tuscany. The photographs were a nice surprise too. However, every scene was so well described, I already pictured it. 

There are some recipes tucked lovingly within the pages of this book, and I can’t wait to sample them. The lemon cream one will be the first one I attempt to make.

The inspirational story will make anyone want to follow their innermost dream. Not only is this author a brave soul, she is an amazing storyteller. 

 4 stars

Complimentary copy from Net Galley. All opinions are my own.

Judah's Wife

Judah’s Wife, by Angela Hunt, holds a powerful message. The spiritual vein throughout the story is moving. I never really knew about the ancient Israelites lives. At the end of the book, the author writes about why she entwined fiction with the written word, and I highly recommend reading what she has to say. It gives insight about the telling of this story. 

Leah is one of many characters in this book, but the story’s point of view shifts between her and her husband, Judah. I enjoyed the inside look into each character’s frame of mind and emotions. 

Their relationship is strained at times, and Leah has a lot of trust issues. Judah, a hulk of a man, has the nickname of hammerhead, but he is very tender with her. Leah’s difficulty at accepting Judah’s love was frustrating because he constantly showed his loyalty. However, it was Leah’s unhappy past which made her this way. Eventually, she discovers more about herself, in turn, settles into a peaceful life with Judah. 

Then their lives are thrown into peril, and Judah takes over as head of the army when his father dies. The battles Judah lead are described in detail, and the many sacrifices are heart wrenching. Though Leah initially abhors the role of a warrior’s wife, she find’s purpose by becoming the storyteller about the battles fought and won. Over the years, she grows into a very strong woman, as well as a supportive wife.

Not only did I learn about Judah’s wife, I gained a lot of insight about the Maccabees during the silent years. I empathized with all the passion and heartbreak during battles fought to worship as they wished.  It is an awe-inspiring story well worth the read. 

4 Stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Net Galley. All opinions are my own.

Bella Figura

Bella Figura is a travel memoir written by a high-powered magazine editor, Kamin Mohammadi. This British woman dives into the unknown and takes a year away from all she knows to follow a dream of writing a book. I wish she had received support instead of scorn from her mother, but admired the author for packing her bags anyway.

Kamin eventually learns that life in Florence, Italy isn’t what she expected. The many twists in this story kept me turning the pages. The addition of Italian recipes sprinkled through the chapters made my mouth water.

This engaging author writes with wit and honesty. The descriptions are beautiful, be it emotions, food, local people, or the breathtaking landscapes. Most important, the self-discovery of this author was astounding and inspiring.

Though the premise of this book initially reminded me of Eat Pray, Love, I quickly found it was not what I expected. The personal look into this woman’s love, life and liberating growth is beautiful.

4 Stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book from First to Read. All opinions are my own.

Hurricaine Season

Hurricane Season is the first I’ve ready by Lauren K. Denton. 

This story revolves around two sisters, Jenna and her older sister, Betsy. They share a loving, but strained relationship.

Jenna, a free spirited single mother, is trying to support two little daughters on a barista’s paycheck. When an opportunity to follow her dream as a photographer basically drops in her lap, she grabs it. However, she must leave her children with her older sister, Betsy while to follow this opportunity. I know this move was to better herself, but at times, I found this character selfish, especially when Jeanna extended her stay at the retreat. 

Betsy loves her life as a farmer’s wife. The only thing that's missing is children of her own. She takes her nieces in, though she has doubts of her ability to take care of two small children. Her fears of becoming too invested in her nieces is strong at first, but the little girls broke through that wall in no time. I really liked this character, and my heart went out to her. 

Ty, Betsy’s husband, was by far my favorite character, despite the story focusing more on the sisters. He’s a man of few words. However, he doesn’t shy away from speaking his mind when the situation calls for it. Ty is hard-working, kind, and loving man. Though his marriage with Betsy is filled with love, they’ve lost the carefree intimacy they once shared ever since Betsy miscarried their child. I love how he handles this with understanding. His soft-spoken, yet strong personality endeared me to this man.

This charming story captivated me, and though at times I was frustrated with Jenna, I ended up loving all the characters.

4 Stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Net Galley. All opinions are my own.

Exibit Alexandra

The mystery between the pages of Exhibit Alexandra is pretty interesting ...at first. After a few chapters, one of the characters doles out too much information. That fact disappointed me as a reader. I like to be kept guessing. And I wasn't. I easily figured out the plot too soon. Due to that fact, I pretty much lost interest midway through the story.

 I didn't dislike this book, but I simply didn't love it. I did enjoy the intriguing information about his wife, which honestly was the best part of this whole story. 

Summary: The premise of the story is good, but I think the main plot was given away too quickly.

3 Stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Blogging for Books. All opinions are my own.