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4.5/5

She’s the One is the 1st book in a 5 part Counting on Love series by Erin Nicholas. It is apparently a continuation of sorts to Nicholas’ Bradford series with some characters bridging the gap. I haven’t read the Bradford series as of yet but with some characters I’ve met I definitely will start asap.

Amanda Dixon is the oldest of her 3 sisters. Her brother Connor is their oldest sibling and has been a father figure in their lives since their Dad died unexpectedly years ago. She is the leader, the mother hen, the one she wants her sister to come to for advice, help or anything really. She doesn’t want to let her brother or sisters down, even as she has a secret in her past only Connor knows about. She knows she needs to have more of a life for herself but she can’t seem to stop. Can she find a way to work and have fun too?

Ryan Kaye is an all around manly man. He is a top-notch paramedic, football player and party guy. He knows the Dixon sisters as well as their brother Connor, his quarterback, and can honestly say he is interested. Emma has flirted with him in the past but they’ve never hooked up, not that he corrects the assumptions on that rumor.

Amanda assumes Ryan and her sister Emma have hooked up in the past, she envys Emma and how she handles herself. During a birthday party for her youngest sister, Olivia makes a birthday wish that Amanda and Emma trade places for one weekend. Each living life the way the other one would. That leads Amanda to make some wild choices for her weekend and she wants Ryan along for the ride. A motto of WWED (What Would Emma Do) makes her realize she had the wild child inside already.

Ryan can’t believe Amanda wants him to be a part of her wild weekend. He is definitely the man for the job. What he doesn’t count on is being the tame one during their night out. He realizes Amanda needs to get something out of her system and he doesn’t like the way she thinks about him and his past. He does the hardest thing by walking away. Can he make her realize she needs him for more than just one wild night?

They have quite a few obstacles to overcome, Connor, a car accident and missed signals but Amanda and Ryan are both strong characters who know what they want.

I read this book 2nd after reading book #2 first. I can honestly say that usually bugs the heck out of me. Not so with this author and this series. Each book is individual even though part of a series. You can easily read each on its own and know pretty much all there is to know to enjoy the story. I love that about books in a series. It doesn’t always help my OCD with reading order but it wasn’t unbearable.

I will most certainly read more from Erin Nicholas (and have already).
  
Leah, daughter of the cheesemaker has had a hard life living with a violent father. Leah marries Judah and finds protection and care. But the land is controlled by Antiochus IV, who is descended from one of Alexander the Great's generals. When he issues a decree that all Jews are to comply with Syrian laws, the devout Jews chance it all to follow the law of Moses.

Judah's father Mattathias decides to move his family from Jerusalem Modein to flee the punishment for defying the decree. By defying the decree, it begins a war that will cost many their lives. Before his death, Mattathias commands Judah to continue the war, otherwise, the Jewish lineage and their lands would be annihilated. Leah wants peace and wrestles with her husband's decision to be the commander of the army. Will there ever be peace?
This is the incredible chronicle of the Maccabees, told through the wife of Judah, who learns what courage and sacrifice are all about.

The author Angela Hunt has done an incredible amount of research and has produced a powerful history lesson entwined with her own creative writing. The author has a way of captivating the reader's attention while teaching us historical content. I like the way the author writes her novels through the eyes of people that were actually there, teaching us history through their eyes.

This is an excellent read, especially for those who love history.


 I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are 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.”
  
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8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Pelican Point is the fourth novel in the Hope Harbor series. In this intriguing novel, we are introduced to Army doctor Ben Garrison who has arrived back to Hope Harbor for his grandfather's funeral.

Ben, being sole heir is left everything, including the run-down lighthouse at Pelican Point. Ben wants to settle his grandfather's affairs and move on to his new practice in Ohio and that means selling an old lighthouse no one wants to buy; until a developer puts in a bid to buy it and the whole town comes together thanks to Marci, the local newspaper editor to save the landmark.

Can Ben who wants nothing more to settle the estate can't push past the feelings he has for Marci, the strong-willed red headed newspaper editor. Both Ben and Marci are dealing with past issues that have made them skittish about forming relationships. Will they be able to move past these issues and yield to their feelings?

The writer has done a great job of bringing you into the small town of Hope Harbor and into the lives of the characters she has created. I especially appreciated the way all the characters in Hope Harbor revolved around the lighthouse and Charly the taco king.

I like the way she artfully interweaves the characters in this story and creates a subplot.

Although this novel is the fourth in a series, it can stand alone without reading the first three, but once you've read this one you will want to read the rest.

 I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are 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.”