"Serving Up Love" by Multiple Authors

Serving Up Love (Nov. 5, 2019) by Tracie Peterson, et al.

The book states that this is “A Four-in-One Harvey House Brides Collection.” In short, Harvey Houses were a chain of successful restaurants built along railroads. Harvey Houses were known for their impeccable hospitality, and, perhaps, even more for their Harvey Girls. All Harvey Girls had to be single and white and were subject to a specific dress code and a strict curfew. They were; however, treated well, given room and board as well as a wage considered generous for the time. This collection contains four novellas from leading inspirational, historical romance writers.

   1. A Flood of Love by Tracie Peterson.

            To fill in for the vacationing house mother, veteran Harvey Girl Gretchen Gottsacker returns to her hometown of San Marcial, New Mexico. It is August 1929. It’s been 10 years since she left the railroad town to train to be a Harvey Girl, and she never thought she’d return. Even more surprising is that her love of a decade ago, Dirk Martinez, has also returned to San Marcial. He has a precocious daughter named Katiann, whom Gretchen has the pleasure of meeting the day of her arrival at the Harvey House (and before she realizes she’s Dirk’s). In truth, Gretchen has never stopped loving Dirk, but when he left without explanation, she felt betrayed. When he explains why he left (it is honorable), can Gretchen find it within herself to forgive him? Can they pick up the missing pieces through sun or rain, dust or devastating flood?

   2. More Than a Pretty Face by Karen Witemeyer.

            A Harvey Girl for five years come 1902, Rosalind Kemp’s tenure has been exemplary. She is a godly, chaste woman. Unfortunately, she has been re-assigned to the Santa Fe Depot in Gainesville, Texas, before the end of her current contract. She was hoping to put in for a transfer to California, thus putting more distance between her and a past that seems determined to disrupt her life and prevent a lasting relationship with any man who is upright and just. A man like Gainesville’s handsome young lawyer, Caleb Durrington. Like any lawyer worth his salt, he is prepared to throw out his most convincing arguments to convince Rosalind to marry him (and I tended to find his obsession with her overbearing and a bit creepy, but not in a dangerous way). He not only struggles to woe Rosalind, but is met with adamant disapproval and disdain from his mother, Estella Durrington (who says the word waitress as if it’s a synonym for the word trollop). (No matter that his mother is motivated by her own overbearing love for her son, her behavior is damaging, embarrassing and atrocious, and I wouldn’t forgive her instantaneously.) What could be so bad that Rosalind wants to run and hide instead of accepting the love of an upstanding man? Will Mrs. Durrington’s meddling ways be irreparably disastrous?

   3. Intrigue a la Mode by Regina Jennings.

            There is love behind the work Willow Kentworth does as a Harvey Girl at the Emporia Harvey House in 1898. She is determined to do the best work, so she can continue to wire money to her parents to help pay her mother’s doctor bills. And Willow does her best work, is the finest at her job even by persnickety Mrs. Sykes’ impeccable standards, until new busboy Graham Buchanan arrives. Not wanting to be associated with his railroad-baron father (and grandfather before him), he takes on the name Buck Graham as he tries to investigate smuggling on their railroad. His search is dangerously life-threatening more than once, and it’s Willow who comes to his rescue both times (she is no damsel-in-distress, that’s for certain). But will Graham’s brushes with those who would have no qualms in leaving him for dead put Willow’s life and/or job at risk? What will she think of the 23-year-old man when his aristocratic manners and patrician accent come out? When she learns he’s “one of the railroad family?” And who is the Pinkerton detective that his family has hired?

   4. Grand Encounters by Jen Turano.

            What’s a New York society girl (related to members within the New York Four Hundred) doing working as a Harvey Girl at the El Tovar Hotel, Grand Canyon, in 1908? One Miss Myrtle Schermerhorn is swearing off men forever. Or that’s what she’s told her good friend and fellow Harvey Girl, Miss Ruthanne Hill. All of that seems to be changing with the frequency of Mr. Jack Daggett’s visits to the Harvey House, and his interest in her is all but confirmed by Jack’s meddlesome, though well-meaning, younger brother, Mr. Walter Daggett. Jack wonders if Myrtle would glide into society life – Chicago society, not New York, as the Daggett family with their more recent wealth would be considered “upstart members of the newly rich.” He’s not fond of society, which is why Myrtle avoids the topic of her high society upbringing. She knows she must tell him and is encouraged to do so by Ruthanne, who’s connected very well with Walter, but Mr. Percy Kane beats her to it. He shows up unannounced and with the assumed declaration that they are still engaged despite his previous rejection of her for another young woman. Will this unforeseen ripple in their new relationship wither like an un-watered flower before it’s had a chance to bloom?

   Overall Thoughts: When I began the book, I wasn’t in the mood for historical romance; however, I found the historical aspect of the stories fascinating. Before this, I was unaware of Harvey Houses and the Harvey Girls that kept them up to perfection. Reading these stories has prompted a wish in me to visit any site that was previously a Harvey House, especially those featured within these four stories. Each of the authors is a virtuoso in her writing craft. No two stories are alike, and each features a smart, independent, empowered lead female. The stories are as impeccably written as the immaculate table settings and crisp, starched aprons every Harvey Girl wears. I have read full novels by each of these authors, and while I have a favorite author amongst them, I have at least liked the novels of each of them.

Rutabaga's Reads 2019: Part 3

Welcome to my first inspirational fiction compilation post of 2019. While YA fiction continues to lead my TBR list, this post shows that I continue to read plenty of inspirational fiction as well.

Caught by Surprise (July 31, 2018) by Jen Turano.

*This is the final book in a trilogy.*

In the few years that Temperance Flowerdew has resided in New York City (it’s now 1883), she’s established herself as a quiet, almost meek, member of the Wallflower set. But no more! Since being ousted from the home of her Flowerdew cousins, who despised taking her in in the first place after the untimely death of her parents, she’s been residing and teaching at Miss Snook’s School for the Education of the Feminine Mind. Unfortunately, she’s one day mistaken for her cousin, grabbed off the sidewalk, dumped unceremoniously into a carriage, knocked out with too much sleeping draught and stuffed into a coffin. Although not a damsel in distress, she’s rescued in Chicago by her childhood best friend Gilbert Cavendish. They return to NYC, but not before a member of society observes them talking together un-chaperoned, which prompts talk of engagement. Gilbert is for it; Temperance is adamantly not.

            The drama does not settle upon return to NYC. It’s been heard that someone has a price on Temperance’s head, but why? Pinkerton agents are on-hand to provide protection, and Gilbert and the other men carry at least one weapon on their persons. Amidst the scares, Gilbert accepts swiftly that he would engage himself to Temperance and finds that he cares about her quite a lot, even if he lacks romantic gestures. When Temperance realizes she’d very much miss Gilbert if something happened to him, she turns to denial. He’s always been a friend, even with their years apart, but for him to be something more catches her by surprise.

            As with the other inspirational fiction novels I’ve read by Turano, I found “Caught by Surprise” to be as delightful as a luscious puff pastry. Turano impresses me with the way she creates her lead female characters to be independent and assertive without being annoying. The story never slows down and her plot is multi-layered like a cake, but isn’t mind-numbingly sweet. I very much enjoyed this concluding novel in the Apart from the Crowd trilogy.

            Book One: Behind the Scenes

            Book Two: Out of the Ordinary

The Cost of Betrayal (Sept. 4, 2018) by Dee Henderson, Dani Pettrey and Lynette Eason.

*This is a novella collection featuring three authors.*

This novel is actually a trio of romantic suspense novellas from three bestselling authors of such fiction. Each novella contains characters who’ve experienced betrayal, but also realize the healing power of faith.

1. Betrayed by Dee Henderson.After almost seven years in prison for a crime she didn’t commit, Janelle Roberts has been pardoned. This is thanks, in large part, to Ann Falcon, a retired homicide detective, and her husband, Paul, a current homicide detective. Ann happens upon the murder weapon in a hodgepodge box of items that she bought at an auction. “I found a murder,” she states, but who’s the murderer? With a keen eye, she makes her decision and Paul agrees. Janelle is taken to an island to remain out of the media spotlight, but also to process with the help of Gregory Tate, one of Ann’s contacts. Ann presents her case and how she came to her conclusion, but Janelle cannot accept it.

2. Deadly Isle by Dani Pettrey.A storm is rolling in, effectively trapping residents on an already isolated island. Talbot (fictional) is a small island off the coast of Maryland. Crisfield is the closest town on the mainland, and it’s still an hour’s boat ride away. Tennyson “Teni” Marlena Kent is an officer with the National Resources Police with specialization in underwater investigations, and former flame Callen Frost works as an Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigator. With their work, they have unilateral statewide jurisdiction, which allows them possession of a body until the ME can safely arrive from the mainland. Unfortunately, the body is Teni’s cousin and best friend, Julia, whose death is found to be a murder. But who is the murderer? Talbot is small, and there are only so many places someone can hide, especially during a storm surge. And now, the killer looks to have set murderous sights on Teni. Why?

3. Code of Ethics by Lynette Eason.When a GSW lands Detective Isaac Martinez in the ER, trauma surgeon Ruthie St. John is there to take it cleanly out. Isaac has been a whistleblower to alleged corruption against a coworker. Nobody likes a tattletale, but it’s seen as the worst betrayal to report a colleague. Isaac’s onto something, though, if someone trying to attack him while he’s recovering in the hospital isn’t telling enough. He plans to head off on his own, but Ruthie won’t allow it, for he is her patient, and she doesn’t want him ripping out stitches. At first, Isaac is dismayed to learn Ruthie belongs to those St. Johns. As in, Ruthie’s five other siblings all work in law enforcement, and their mother, Tabitha, is the Chief of Police. He thinks they won’t understand his side of the story, but it’s obvious that he’s greatly underestimated them. The St. John siblings are not all enlisted to help as they show up and help anyway, because that’s what they do as a family. Should Isaac and Ruthie fall in love while seeking evidence they need to end the danger and outrun and capture the killers, well, surely stranger things have happened.
   
   Overall: I am satisfied with my purchase of this novel featuring a trio of romantic suspense novellas. As expected, there is a continuous current of faith running through each story. It’s not usually obvious like if you had a constant surge of static electricity shocks, but more subtle, like the purring of a cat that’s been purring well before you realized it was purring. I couldn’t choose a favorite story between Pettrey’s and Eason’s; I was an equal fan of both. Regrettably, I didn’t care for Henderson’s. I appreciated Ann’s perspective based on years of investigative skills and an objective lens and found plausible Janelle’s perspective, highly subjective though it was. The island was too perfect a place, but what I missed was that there wasn’t a satisfying conclusion to who killed Andrew. Fortunately, I enjoyed the stories of the other two authors enough that I’d pre-order a novella collection from the three of them again without hesitation.

The Lieutenant’s Bargain (Dec. 4, 2018) by Regina Jennings.

*This is the second book in a series.*

When the stagecoach she’s on is attacked, Hattie Walker is left with no food, no money and none of her possessions, not even her oil paints. Hattie runs for her life, spending a cold night outside and praying that the gunman doesn’t find her. Knowing she can’t stay where she is in unfamiliar Indian Territory, she vacates her hiding spot only to encounter a group of Arapaho. Not knowing they’re friendly, she goes the route of difficult houseguest (they do not call her “One Who Spills Stew in Anger” for nothing). She’s rescued by John “Jack” Hennessey, someone she knew in her youth, but does not recognize right away, Jack having gone from nervous nerd to good-looking lieutenant. Jack recognizes Hattie right away, having been smitten with her since they were youngsters. Wanting to be the hero, Jack makes “saving” Hattie a big deal, complete with a ceremony. Unfortunately for him and despite the progress he’s made learning the language, Jack doesn’t realize the ceremony is a wedding ceremony and is binding in the eyes of the Arapaho.

            Once Hattie learns she’s now Mrs. Jack Hennessey, she is understandably dumbfounded and resistant. She and Jack come to a truce in which she’ll act the part of doting wife in public, but she needs put no fronts on when they’re homebound. Jack struggles not to show how much he truly cares for and loves her, because he knows he’ll let her go to Denver as she planned, and he’ll have to be re-assigned so as not to disgrace the Arapaho. Hattie remains resistant until she doesn’t. Until she really takes notice of the man he’s become. Jack is her safety net, especially since the stagecoach robber and murderer is still at large.

            Having read the first story in The Fort Reno Series, I was anticipating this one, as Jack was my favorite character thanks to his comic relief, but I was missing his wit in this story (guess he was too nervous in this installment). Still, I found Book Two in the series to be overall likable. I liked Hattie’s culture shock with being introduced to the Arapaho and then finding herself on a military base, far from her usual comforts. Those experiences encourage new growth in any of us who trek from our norms. Hattie’s character comes a long way in this story, which is her saving grace, as, for much of the story, I found her to be a shallow woman who thought of nothing and no one outside of herself. This story is one of growth, both personal and spiritual, in the context of historical fiction, but with an element of danger, and Jennings assembles it as deftly as Major Adams commands the fort.

            Book One: Holding the Fort

"Holding the Fort" by Regina Jennings

Holding the Fort (Dec. 5, 2017) by Regina Jennings.*

With her “uncommon talent,” Louisa Bell should audition for America’s Got Talent. As it were, Louisa is a fictional character, and her story takes place in 1885, so that’s not even close to possible. Still, Louisa does have amazing vocal ability, and the first time Major Daniel Adams hears her voice, he’s done something ridiculous and has a head wound. Louisa has traveled to Fort Reno because her brother, a cavalry soldier, has run afoul of his commanding officer (ahem, Major Adams) for hijinks performed. She’s just lost her job as a dance hall singer, so she is hoping for work at the base in Indian Territory.

            Imagine her surprise when she’s mistaken for a governess to Major Adams’ two daughters! Desperate for a position and with nowhere else to go, she works hard to keep up the façade. But Louisa is not whom Daniel was expecting. She is fair of face and younger than he; he was expecting an old widow, “a matron experienced in training young ladies.” Instead, he has a governess whom he finds too attractive. The chemistry is there, but how can Louisa express her true feelings for Daniel with her background and deceit?

            This charming, historical inspirational fiction novel is the first in Jennings’ Fort Reno series. While nothing overly surprised me as the story unfolded, I still found it to be multi-layered with likable protagonists in a dusty, character-driven setting. There’s a lack of cavalry when an uprising seems imminent, a mother-in-law who’s rather like a monster-in-law, secrets and deception. There’s also strong faith and faith absent. Louisa asks some questions, gets some answers and wants to embrace faith and gain a respectable future, but she carries so much shame. She doesn’t understand God’s love for her and feels she’s so undeserving of Him that He could therefore never accept her as His child. It is heartening to see her progress and, yes, struggle through the story to reach Him. “Holding the Fort” is smartly written and is an enjoyable tale that’s easy to enjoy if you’re a fan of the author and/or genre.

            Extra note: My favorite character is supporting character Lieutenant Jack Hennessey. He is quick-witted and funny and is Daniel’s right-hand man. If he’s the male lead in the next book, I want to read it!

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are expressly my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

"For the Record" by Regina Jennings

For the Record (Dec. 6, 2016) by Regina Jennings.*

In the [fictional] town of Pine Gap, Missouri, Betsy Huckabee has dreams of writing for a major newspaper and has written off the notion of finding a special someone. What single men there are in the area have long since moved on, and no one catches her eye anyway. That is, not until Deputy Joel Puckett arrives in town by order of the governor. He’s a bona fide cowboy, he is, from his Stetson hat to his shiny cowboy boots. And, to boot, he hails from Texas. But he has a past that he’d rather not share with the residents of Pine Gap, probably especially the Bald Knobbers, who work toward their own justice in perhaps not the most lawful of manners. And when Betsy finds herself creating a character based on the deputy’s dashing good looks, her Dashing Deputy stories may dash the small sliver of reputable reputation Joel has gained in Pine Gap, for word may get back to the wrong people.

            I found myself quite enjoying this historical fiction novel. Jennings creates a storyscape filled with all the things we’d expect of a good story: strong characters, a detailed setting, a robust plot and a satisfying conclusion. I’ve said this before, but I appreciate stories that feature a strong female lead, and Betsy is definitely that. Full of sass and verve, Betsy is an independent young woman who loves the Lord. She has dreams, but isn’t all head-in-the-clouds, either. As she points out, “God made her for trouble, equipped her for hardship.” Like us, she’ll overcome obstacles as need be and buttress others when times arise. Betsy’s faith is strong, but Joel’s has waned. Someone tells him through his struggle, “You didn’t expect this blow, but if it’s gonna knock you down, make sure you fall toward God, not away.” And that’s sound advice for any year, whether it’s 1885 or 2017!

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are expressly my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

"With This Ring?" by Karen Witemeyer et al.

With This Ring?: A Novella Collection of Proposals Gone Awry (Jan. 1, 2016).*

In this anthology, four Christian fiction authors have created stories of love. Not the sappy love stories that might make you cringe, but those love stories that aren’t fairy tales. Love can be messy and frustrating, but love is powerful, so each story showcases how love triumphs.

I.     The Husband Maneuver by Kate Witemeyer: The bounty hunter extraordinaire is not the work of fiction Marietta Hawkins truly loves, but Dead-Eye Dan’s real-life counterpart, mule trainer and current foreman Daniel Barrett, is. However, Daniel respects his boss, Jonah Hawkins, and one of Jonah’s rules is that his daughter is off-limits to his employees. Daniel will leave Hawk’s Haven soon, as he’s bought his own spread of land, but Marietta is devastated by this news. When the spring trail drive is on, and her dad is away, she conspires to return home from her aunt’s “to exert her feminine independence or some such nonsense.” Miscommunication will ensue and words will be jumbled, not to mention a “Genesis-7, God-flooding-the-earth, better-get-in-the-ark kind of rain.” How will these two finally figure out their love for each other is reciprocated?

II.   Her Dearly Unintended by Regina Jennings: When torrential rains come to Dewey Bald Mountain (in Missouri), Josiah Huckabee crosses the bridge to check on Katie Ellen Watson, who is tending to her parents’ farm while they are away. The river floods and washes away the bridge – the only bridge that allows access to and from the Watson farm. While Josiah ruminates on the best way to win Katie Ellen’s favor, and she frets over how she can be favorable enough to win Josiah’s affections, they struggle to maintain a ruse when a stranger appears in the Watson home, uninvited and unannounced. He carries something suspicious in his coat and tells them, “I heard someone needed burying. I’ve come to do the job.” Which doesn’t sound like it bodes well for them, does it?

III. Runaway Bride by Mary Connealy: Sometimes it is a good idea to flee from an impending marriage. In Carolyn “Carrie” Halsey’s case, it really is a good idea, as there is nothing decent about her betrothed, Damian Kearse. Carrie has fled with her younger brother, Isaac, and they’re making their way to their older sister, Audra Kincaid, with the aid of John Conroy. Big John is a Texas Ranger, used to a solitary life. But he’s agreed to keep Carrie – and Isaac – safe all because “his friend Luke’s, sister Callie’s, husband Seth’s, brother Ethan’s, wife Audra needed a favor.” Danger is pursuing them, but Big John has friends in Broken Wheel. The Regulators. When one of his Regulator friends suggests marriage, how will they handle it? One believes his solitary life as a Ranger is the best way and the other wonders how she could marry someone she doesn’t know …

IV. Engaging the Competition by Melissa Jagears: Nothing gets the blood pumping like a fierce storm. Or taking shelter in a confined space near someone you have feelings for but are certain the other does not reciprocate those same feelings while waiting out said storm. Intellect Harrison Gray and tomboy Charlotte “Charlie” Andrews live this scene of awkwardness. Harrison also goes through it from a very blurry standpoint, as Dante (his horse) has knocked his glasses off. It turns out they’re broken, so he has to send away for more, as his near-sighted prescription (he is myopic, meaning his distance vision isn’t crisp) is high enough that he must send away for them. He ordered two pairs, so he has a back-up, but in the meantime, Charlie acts as his eyes in class. She’s noticed that he’s really quite handsome without the glasses, though she likes him either way; she mostly thinks he doesn’t like her because she isn’t smart enough. And Harrison is leery of her because she’s so competitive and he thinks she outshot him as a youth with his own gun to embarrass him. Miscommunication again. And anyway, Harrison’s too late, since Charlie’s engaged to a man from a bullying family. Why would she say yes to the likes of August Whitaker? Where is the love, “ … the kind of love that lasts?”

      Overall: Although I do not read many anthologies, I enjoy reading them – at least in genres or demographics of interest (e.g. Genre: Christian fiction; Demographic: young adults) – for perhaps the best potential thing about them, besides being an enjoyable read, is that one may discover a new author. Of the four contributing authors, I’d only read a novel by one of them (Melissa Jagears), but after reading these novellas, I’m interested in reading stories from the other three authors!

            These historical romance stories are not steeped in obvious faith, but it is there. This is a good thing, for it allows the reader to enjoy the story and not feel as though one is being preached at about anything. I found all four stories to be charming, and I couldn’t help but root for all of the couples. It was entertaining to read how each author stitched together their respective characters’ paths to togetherness. They’ve created quite a canvas for this collection. I didn’t mentally rank each of the four, but the story that stood out the brightest for me was Mary Connealy’s ‘Runaway Bride.’ I thoroughly enjoyed the escape, the running, the defending, the suspense. I enjoyed the adventure of the story. Overall, a fun read if you enjoy love in a past time with elements of humor, danger and faith.

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are expressly my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”