Steal Away Under Scottish Stars--"Under Scottish Stars" by Carla Laureano—Review

My Review

Scotland?  Yes please!  If you know me, Scotland is my favorite location in the world.  So, of course I wanted to read this book.  I loved the first two books in the “MacDonald Family Trilogy” and have been eagerly awaiting my next return to Skye in this third installment.  It did not disappoint!  This book can be read as a standalone.

"Under Scottish Stars" is like a love letter to Skye and Scotland.  It transported me to the remote Isle of Skye with its amazing views and wild, rugged beauty.  I just want to live in this book.  Ms. Laureano masterfully describes this beautiful place, while also weaving in a wonderful love story.  Even though this is a contemporary story, it feels a bit like stepping back in time due to the remoteness of the Island.

The characters are very relatable, flawed and loveable.  I love following the journey of Serena (our main character) as she travels back to Skye.  She has a great character arc.  Malcom, the hero, is pretty much a dream guy.  It is fun to follow their love story (be prepared for a little more steaminess than the average Christian fiction book, but nothing more than PG-13).  I loved being back with the MacDonald Family.  Overall, this is a fantastic end to the series!

Content:  I give this book a PG-13 rating.  Some examples of the content are: mention of alcohol and drugs; the word “hellish” is used; mention of people cursing, but the words are not actually written; mention of a woman’s cleavage; a reference to drugs; a reference to making love.

Rating: I give this book 4 stars.

I want to thank Carla Laureano, Tyndale and NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.

 

About Carla Laureano:

Carla Laureano is the RITA Award-winning author of contemporary inspirational romance and Celtic fantasy (as C.E. Laureano). A graduate of Pepperdine University, she worked as a sales and marketing executive for nearly a decade before leaving corporate life behind to write fiction full-time. She currently lives in Denver with her husband and two sons, where she writes during the day and cooks things at night.

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A Sweet "Cinderella" Story (Reversed)--"The Peasant's Dream" by Melanie Dickerson—Review

My Review

"The Peasant's Dream" by Melanie Dickerson is the eleventh and final book in the “Hagenheim” series.  It is a sweet, gentle, reverse “Cinderella” story, telling the story of Adela, the youngest daughter of Duke Wilhelm.  It can be read as a standalone.

I love the diversity of Melanie’s characters and their personalities.  In this series, there is a hero and heroine to suit everyone.  There are kick-butt heroines and valiant knights.  In this installment, the hero and heroine are both gentle, kind and artistic.  Adela loves to paint, and Frederick loves to carve wood.  I love how they bond over their passion for art and creating things with their hands.  Frederick, especially, is very masculine, but also kind and gentle.  I love how he looks out for others; one example being how he is kind to his prison guard and even prays for him.  Adela grapples with the reality that she may have a hard time going from the privileged life of a Duke’s daughter, to the poor wife of a woodcarver and farmer.  I find it very refreshing to see a character not jumping headlong into a new life without really considering the ramifications.  I admit, some parts of this story were a little slow for me.  But the end picked up and it was one of my favorite Dickerson endings!  I loved not only seeing the conclusion of Adela and Frederick’s love story, but the love story of Frederick’s mother pan out.  And the family reunion and updates on characters from the other books in the series were so satisfying to read.  I am sad to see the end of this wonderful series!  I cannot wait to see what Ms. Dickerson writes next!

Content: I give this book a PG rating.  Some examples of the content are: a man drinks a lot of alcohol and is verbally and physically abusive; a woman is pregnant out of wedlock; some of the more “uncomfortable” Bible stories are mentioned; it’s said that men curse, but the words aren’t actually written.

Rating: I give this book 4 stars.

I want to thank Melanie Dickerson, Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.

About the Author

Melanie Dickerson is the New York Times bestselling author who combines her love for history, adventure, and romance. Her books have won a Christy Award, two Maggie Awards, The National Reader’s Choice Award, the Christian Retailing’s Best Award, the Book Buyer’s Best Award, the Golden Quill, and the Carol Award. She earned her bachelor’s degree in special education from The University of Alabama and has taught children and adults in the U.S., Germany, and Ukraine. Now she spends her time writing stories of love and adventure near Huntsville, Alabama.

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