Pegg Thomas

The Irish Matchmaker

The Irish Matchmaker by Jennifer Deibel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A delightful story set in Ireland that showcases the age-old custom of the matchmakers. But the story isn’t about the matchmakers, the story is much deeper than that. It’s the story of loss and longing and finding one’s place in a world of enticing expectations.

Catriona Daly is a matchmaker, but a lonely one. She wants much more out of life than what she has and has very definite ideas about what she doesn’t want.

Donal Bunratty is a widower farmer with a young daughter to raise. His life is all work and no play, he doesn’t have time for it. Scratching out a living is the best he can do.

The annual matchmaking festival tosses them together and expectations start to change, but not everyone is playing fair. There is a solid faith element to the story that brings it all together.

In the Shadow of the River

In the Shadow of the River by Ann H. Gabhart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Well… Ann Gabhart has done it again. Another page-turner with wonderful setting, well-rounded characters, a bit of a mystery, a bit of danger, and just the right amount of romance. It’s not my all-time favorite of hers, but this one is certainly in the top five.

The characters live on a showboat that travels the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. I’d never thought much about what it would be like living on a boat, but the author brought that experience to life and introduced me to a quirky cast of characters who entertained me throughout. Because, after all, it was a showboat, and the show must go on!

Take a ride on the river with this one. You won’t be disappointed.

Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War

Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War by Nathaniel Philbrick
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It took me forever to get through this book because life kept getting in the way of reading time, but it was well worth making the time to finish it. So many books about our Colonial beginnings obviously lean toward either the Europeans or the Natives. This book straddles the line fairly well.

The idea that the Europeans came and turned otherwise peaceful Natives into warriors to protect their homeland is a farce. The Natives were made up of warring tribes who had fought each other for years. And while it’s politically unpopular to admit, they also practiced slavery. They were not a pristine people free of the sins of the rest of mankind.

In the same way, the idea that the Natives just slaughtered Europeans without cause is also a farce. For the first time – ever – the British king was allowing ordinary, everyday subjects (they weren’t citizens yet) to own land. Think of that. Throughout history, land had belonged only to the gentry, to those with titles who were beholden to the king. On the American shores, that changed. And it created another sin known worldwide… greed. With land came a means to create wealth. The Colonists wanted more of the Natives’ land, and they were willing to fight for it.

So after decades of peaceful coexistence, along came King Phillip’s War, birthed in greed and fueled by distrust, bigotry (on both sides), and fear. Philbrick does a good job of showing the attitudes, atrocities, and virtues of both sides.

If you’re interested in Colonial America’s beginnings, this is a good book to read. It can be a little dry in spots, but most of it will hold even a mediocre history buff’s attention.

Rebecca

Rebecca by Shannon McNear
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This one releases on June 26, 2023, and wraps up the series. Rebecca is the perfect finish for Shannon McNear’s Daughters of the Lost Colony series. McNear explores the possibilities of what may have happened and intertwines it with the history we know to weave a story rich in historical detail and peopled with complex characters. A must-read for anyone who enjoyed Elinor and Mary.

Priscilla

Paper Dolls Priscilla by Kara R. Hunt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

We met Priscilla in Hunt’s first book of the series, and she was a difficult character to connect with for several reasons – read book one and you’ll understand. But her personal growth throughout that book set up beautifully for what happens in Priscilla. Challenged by her husband’s grown children, Priscilla must take a deep look at her life, her past, and what the future holds for her. But then things get shady, it’s her friends and her tender faith that support her final decision.

The Real James Herriot

The Real James Herriot: A Memoir of My Father by Jim Wight
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’m always leery about reading books written by the son or daughter of a famous person. So many tell-all books seem to delight in bringing the parent down in the eyes of the public. Well… this is NOT that type of book!

The beginning of the book dragged a bit for me, and I found myself skimming the chapters about Alf Wight’s (the real name of James Herriot) college years. But if you’re a James Herriot fan at all, hang on and keep reading. The insights into his life are wonderfully told. It becomes clear that the James Herriot in the books is, indeed, the veterinarian Alf Wight.

Now I want to reread All Creatures Great & Small. 🙂

Borne by Love

Borne by Love by Jericha Kingston
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was able to read an early copy of this Jericha Kington novel. It’s romantic suspense with a huge twist – a surrogate pregnancy. Something I knew nothing about that until I read this book. Beautiful story, wonderful characters, and enough suspense to keep you flipping the pages.

The Rose Keeper

The Rose Keeper by Jennifer Lamont Leo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It’s no secret… I’m a huge Jennifer Lamont Leo fan! Her books always take me deep into the characters and introduce me to an era in American history that I’m not overly familiar with. The Rose Keeper is no exception. It’s a beautiful study of how a tragedy can influence someone for a lifetime. The story is set in 1945 Chicago, but with trips back to the Eastland disaster in 1915 via Clara’s memories. Clara is a heroine you’ll root for, want to slap, want to shake, will tear up for, and will certainly not forget once you close the book.

One Thousand White Women

One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd by Jim Fergus
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The premise of this book is very interesting, it’s a “what if” story playing on an event in history that didn’t happen, but what if it had? The characters were well-defined – not a small feat with such a large cast. And they were very appropriate to the era and logically could have been in their situation. I thought the author handled that very well. I wanted to love the book, but it didn’t quite get there for me. Not appropriate for younger readers due to sexual content.

As Silent as the Night

As Silent as the Night by Danielle Grandinetti
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is my first time reading something by author Danielle Grandinetti, and I would definitely read more by her. This novella is well-written and engaging. It showcases a historical period I’m not very familiar with, the end of prohibition in 1933 and the heyday of organized crime. Grandinetti does a good job of bringing the time period to life, including plenty of suspenseful moments to balance the sweet romance. Well worth reading.