The Glassblower by Laurie Alice Eakes

The Glassblower by Laurie Alice Eakes


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Meg has a strong desire to be a teacher for the young in her community. She was sent away to school and she wants more than anything for young girls to be able to stay at home while learning. Joseph is a wealthy landowner who wants his future wife to spend her time entertaining governers, presidents, etc. She won't have time for knitting, teaching, and spending time with her friends. When Meg's dad announces to her that she is to marry the Sunday after Easter, Meg does her best to hide her disappointment. She and Joseph have been friends from childhood but she just doesn't feel like he's "the one". However, being a good young lady, Meg will do as her daddy wishes.

One day while rescuing a cat from a tree, Meg gets herself in a predictament. She will either not reach the cat and the cat will fall, or Meg will. From out of nowhere this gorgeous man comes to her rescue. She learns this is the new glassblower in town and she is not to fraternize with her dad's employees. As time goes on, Meg and Colin run into each other and form a friendship. It's this friendship that jeopardizes Meg's family's future as well as Colin's. She just can't seem to resist the Scot though!

It's not until her father is out of town on business that many things start coming to Meg's attention. The accidents, the roof of the schoolhouse, etc are all starting to add up. Whatever should Meg do? Follow her heart or follow her father's wishes?

This is my first read by Laurie Alice Eakes and hopefully not my last. This made for enjoyable Sunday reading while stranded several hours from home awaiting a way back home.

This is my first completed read for the Christian Historical Fiction challenge!

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Book Review: Trail to Justice by Susan Page Davis

Trail to Justice tells the story of Ruby, an avid horse rider, and Chuck, the local veterinarian. There's a 100 mile horseback ride coming up that Ruby wants to enter and Chuck just so happens to want to do it as well. Ruby works with her horse daily until and accident occurs that sends Chuck out to her farm. Was it more than just friendship? Was he just a little too nice for a professional visit?

The day of the ride was quite an exciting one and a day that Ruby and Chuck will not forget.

I enjoyed this book so much that I read it in about 3 hours. While it was pretty intense, I was hoping the end wouldn't come too soon.

I seem to be a sucker for books involving horses lately. I have always wanted a horse of my own and reading books about them is not helping the desire to go away.

Book Review: Love by the Yard by Gail Sattler

This is a super sweet book about an abused widow with two small children and her landscaper. Oh, yeah, and a crazy dog named Boffo!! For some reason, Boffo is my favorite character in this book. He's absolutely hilarious and I found myself with bated breath wondering what antic he was going to enact next. That's quite a bit coming from a non-big dog lover. Don't get me wrong, I love dogs...I just don't want to be around when they jump up on me or lick my face.

Anyway, back to the story....

Poor Brendan can't get any work done with Boffo around and Shanna can't get any work done with the kids underfoot and, of course, Boffo. Somewhere along the way, a compromise is made between Shanna and Brendan which changes the course of their lives.

What's Boffo's greatest antic? It's the last part of the book....but don't read the last chapter first like some are known to do (ahem...Ali!)

If I were to ever have another son (not likely to happen...I already have plenty of children) I would want to consider the name Brendan. I like the sound of it!!

Book Review: Straight For the Heart by Vickie McDonough

Straight for the Heart by Vickie McDonough is the story of Sara Oakley and her orphaned brother and sister. They left their home after losing their parents to go live with their Uncle Harlen. He wasn't the same man he had been several years earlier when they had met him. In fact, they wished they'd never gone to him for help.

Trying to do the best for her family, Sara gets herself into a bind while trying to do the right thing. That little issue gets her bound for life to a young man named Quinn McFarland. How does it all work out? Well, I guess you will have to read this to see.

What I love most about this book is the setting. It's in North Dakota (somewhere I've never been but hope to visit one day) and it's in the times when bank robberies on horseback were very common. The dresses were full and had lots of undergarments (i.e. MODEST!). Quinn lives on a huge ranch...something I've always dreamed of. I really wanted to be Sara in this book...even when the times weren't good. If I could pick a time period in which to live, it would be back in the old settlin' days.