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Showing posts with label Marie Higgins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Marie Higgins. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Book Review: Heart of a Hero by Marie Higgins

This is a fun, sweet historical western with a strong, if stubborn, heroine.
Heart of a Hero
by Marie Higgins
  • File Size: 445 KB
  • Print Length: 291 pages
  • Publisher: Brigham Distributing (January 1, 2010)
  • ASIN: B0051UT9M4
Genre: Historical Western Romance, Inspirational
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0


Book Description
Publication Date: January 1, 2010
There's a new hero in town... When Summer Bennett returns to Richfield after a five-year stint at her aunt's finishing school, she discovers a lot has changed. Her father has suffered a crippling injury, and Summer is desperate to get the money to pay for surgery that could allow him to walk again.

She hears of a reward offered for the capture of a cunning gang of bank robbers, and her years of etiquette training fall by the dusty roadside.

What Summer doesn't count on in her quest to capture the bandits is the competition from her family's longtime friend, Jesse Slade. Now a deputy marshal and local hero, Jesse keeps thwarting Summer's plans, just like he did when she wore pigtails. She would like nothing more than to use Jesse's head for a slingshot target, but soon Summer finds her aim shifting from his head to his heart. Problem is, Jesse is engaged to her sister Violet.


Review:
Summer Bennet was a childhood tomboy always competing with her family’s friend, Jesse Slade. At fifteen Summer went off to her Aunt’s finishing school where she learned how to be a lady although she didn’t lose all of her bold ways. Five years later she is returning home when the stagecoach is attacked by bandits. Summer crawls out the window to help the driver defend against the attack. She is able to disable or kill several but takes a shot herself but then is rescued by a deputy marshal coming from town. She is glad for the help until she discovers the hero is none other than her childhood nemesis, Jesse.

Jesse is shocked to discover the person fighting the bandits is Summer. Although it is clear she is still willing to face danger she has matured into a beautiful young woman. She still immediately takes offense at his rescue but he can’t help but be attracted to her spirit and beauty. He can’t be too attracted though because he is engaged to Summer’s sister, Violet.

Jesse and Violet have been engaged for a number of years but she keeps putting off their wedding date. Some think it is because Jesse is not a man of faith while Violet and Summer’s family rely on their faith in God. Jesse and Violet know that they no longer share a tender attraction but have just a comfortable friendship. They have been reluctant to tell Summer’s family since her father, the local blacksmith, suffered an accident that paralyzed his legs.

Jesse, his older brother Clint, another deputy marshal, and other marshals are trying to catch the bandits. Summer decides that she wants to catch the gang so she can use the reward for doctors for her father. Of course this means sneaking around in her old trousers and getting into dangerous situations that Jesse has to rescue her from.

Summer doesn’t understand her attraction to Jesse and feels especially guilty because of the engagement between Jesse and Violet. Summer and her family are glad to welcome attentions from Albert, a young man of a wealthy family who met Summer while she was with her Aunt. Summer tries to turn her attention away from Jesse but she isn’t totally comfortable with Albert. Jesse doesn’t think Albert is all he claims to be but perhaps Albert can offer Summer more than he can.

This is a fun, sweet romp with interesting tension and misunderstandings between Summer and Jesse. Neither wish to acknowledge their feelings and when they finally try there are more mixed messages. I really enjoyed the bright, strong characters and the underlying faith in Summer’s family. The story is warm and easy, enjoyable reading. This is the second story I have read by Marie Higgins. I enjoy her writing style and look forward to reading more of her books.

I received this title from Walnut Press for review.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Book Review: Winning Mr. Wrong by Marie Higgins

This story is a delightful winner!
Winning Mr. Wrong
by Marie Higgins


  • File Size: 325 KB
  • Print Length: 97819 pages
  • Publisher: Walnut Springs Press (January 1, 2010)
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B00514HJLS
Genre: Contemporary Romance
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0


Book Description
Publication Date: January 1, 2010
Whoever said the quest for love wasn't comical never met Charlene Randall. Charley is looking for a man who wants to start a family, a man who will take her to the temple. Problem is, she has never dated a man for longer than three months. When she reads an internet article called "Ten Ways to Win Your Man," she decides to try it on her new coworker, Maxwell Harrington. Max was her crush in high school, but the superstar sports anchorman doesn't even remember her.

Enter ladies' man Damien Giovianni, Charley's handsome neighbor, who agrees to help her win Max over. What follows is a hilarious tale of mishaps and misunderstandings where Charley learns that what she really needs may be right in front of her.


Review:
Charlene Randall is a young woman who has struggled through several boyfriends. She wants someone who can be serious marriage material who will share commitment to family and her religion.  She reads an internet article “Ten Ways to Win Your Man” and decides to but the plan in action. She thinks that her new coworker, Max, her old high school crush, is the perfect target for her campaign. The problem is she gets completely tongue tied around Max and her attempts to get his attention soon turn into unintended danger and disaster.

Charley is aware of her handsome neighbor, Damien, an Italian charmer, but she’s seen him playing the field with a different blonde every night. Yes, he’s a nice guy but he’s surely not serious marriage material.  When Charley is mugged at her doorstep it is Damien who comes to the rescue.  He steps in further to build a friendship and even agrees to help her pursue Max.

But Damien has had enough of women chasing him for money.  The more he is around Charley the more he respects her honest values and sincere commitment to family and her faith. He is beginning to believe that it is time for him to settle down and he thinks that Charley is the right woman for him. But how can he get her to look at him as a potential mate rather than focusing on Max? And how is Charley going to react if she learns that he has omitted a few facts about his business and a past relationship?

Charley is a delightful character. She is sweet, natural and a bit inclined to stumble into trouble. The mishaps that occur as she tries to follow the ten steps to win her guy are hilarious. Meanwhile it is heart warming to watch Damien focus his charm in a serious effort to win Charley’s heart.

This story reads smoothly with great humor and charm. Ms. Higgins shows Charley’s determination to maintain the commitment to her faith as a basic part of who she is. There is a point of revelation for Damien when he recognizes that he has gone far from God and misses his relationship. However there is no preachiness that should offend anyone. So any romance reader who enjoys humor and a light, sweet read would enjoy this story.  I am definitely looking forward to reading more from this author.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
These are words I thought and jotted while reading this book:
                           Charming, cute, a little sappy, sweet, fun, delightful.

Charley’s initial view of Damien:
Women still flocked to him like dieters to a chocolate factory, and they devoured his charm just as quickly. Location 41.
Charley’s reaction to Max:
She moved from the file cabinet to her chair so she wouldn’t end up on the floor like warm JELL-O. Location 521.
A final question: (you’ll have to read the book to get the answer.)
“So, what do you really think about that Internet article? Do you think it works? Did I win your heart?” Location 2071.
I received this title for an honest review from the Publisher, Walnut Springs Press.
This story is set in Sacramento, CA for my Where Are You Reading Challenge. I will also add it to my New Author challenge list.

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