Baroness

Baroness

by Susan May Warren

Yes, this is another book review I wasn't required to write! But since I did a review on Heiress, the book that preceded this one, I thought I should follow up on my excitement for the series! I certainly wasn't disappointed with this second book!

Baroness picks up a few years after Heiress left off. It jumps into the stories of Lillie Hoyt (daughter of Esme Price Hoyt) and Rosie Worth (daughter of Jinx Price Worth). The two girls are 19 years old and on a vacation in Paris in the Roaring 20s. When Paris becomes more a place for broken hearts for the two girls, Lillie ends up trying to go back home to Montana and Rosie goes back to New York City.

Like the first novel, I found myself not wanting to put this one down - though, I have to admit that I liked the style of Heiress a little better. Again, I found myself drawn to the way Susan May Warren created her characters so "real," with faults just like you and me. I am really hoping she writes a third novel - though I have looked at her website and Amazon and haven't found a title or synopsis yet! I definitely recommend this one!

About the author:

Susan May Warren is an award-winning, best-selling author of over twenty-five novels, many of which have won the Inspirational Readers Choice Award, the ACFW Book of the Year award, the Rita Award, and have been Christy finalists. After serving as a missionary for eight years in Russia, Susan returned home to a small town on Minnesota’s beautiful Lake Superior shore where she, her four children, and her husband are active in their local church.

Susan's larger than life characters and layered plots have won her acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. A seasoned women’s events and retreats speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. She is also the founder of www.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice.

Susan makes her home in northern Minnesota, where she is busy cheering on her two sons in football, and her daughter in local theater productions (and desperately missing her college-age son!)

A full listing of her titles, reviews and awards can be found at: www.susanmaywarren.com.

Heiress

Heiress

by Susan May Warren

It's not often that I review a book for which I wasn't required to write a review. But this book was so good, I feel like I can't not write a review! This one has been on my list for some time, ever since it came out back in September. I love all of Susan May Warren's books and I didn't want to miss this one!

Esme Price is a debutante heiress whose father owns the New York Chronicle. Her father wants her to marry the wealthy Foster Worth. She wants to marry for love, which she doesn't feel for Foster. Jinx (Jacqueline) Price is Esme's younger sister, forced to put off her debutante status until Esme gets married. When circumstances arise that allow Esme to get out of marrying Foster, what will she do?

I absolutely loved this book. I loved and hated that the book was cut up into chunks that featured Esme at one point and Jinx at another. Just as I was getting caught up in what was going to happen to Esme, it was back to Jinx's story! But this really is a good thing, and a great way to sweep the reader up into the story. Susan May Warren really does an outstanding job creating her characters and making them come to life.

I was halfway through the book when I knew I was going to have to buy the second book in the series, Baroness. I did, and it is on my Kindle, waiting for me to start it!

I give this book a "5" and can't wait to continue reading this series! My friend Becky wrote a review of the book too. You can read it here!


About the author:

Susan May Warren is an award-winning, best-selling author of over twenty-five novels, many of which have won the Inspirational Readers Choice Award, the ACFW Book of the Year award, the Rita Award, and have been Christy finalists. After serving as a missionary for eight years in Russia, Susan returned home to a small town on Minnesota’s beautiful Lake Superior shore where she, her four children, and her husband are active in their local church.

Susan's larger than life characters and layered plots have won her acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. A seasoned women’s events and retreats speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. She is also the founder of www.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice.

Susan makes her home in northern Minnesota, where she is busy cheering on her two sons in football, and her daughter in local theater productions (and desperately missing her college-age son!)

A full listing of her titles, reviews and awards can be found at: www.susanmaywarren.com.

Waiting for Dawn

Waiting for Dawn

by Susan May Warren

Jim Micah has two things on his mind: his regret of losing the woman he loves, Lacey Galloway, and his mission in Iraq. It is 1991 and the Gulf War is winding down, but things soon begin to heat up for Micah. When he and the men on his special operations team are attacked and taken prisoner by unknown enemies, he has to face his fears and decide who to trust. When Lacey hears Micah has gone missing, she decides to do everything she can to find him. Will she be successful? And will the two find happiness together?

This novella almost immediately jumps right into the action. I have not read a lot of novellas, save a few of those books that offer 3 or 4 short novellas in one, but this one caught my attention from the start. The novella ends kind of abruptly, in my opinion. Had I not read the author's afterword, I would have been sorely disappointed. Apparently this is supposed to be the prequel to Flee the Night, the first novel in Warren's Team Hope series. Warren states in the afterword that many of her readers had been asking for background on Micah's story, so hence the creation of Waiting for Dawn. Reading this short story made me interested in reading the rest of the Team Hope series. I will definitely read those books now. 

I would give this novella a 4.5 out of 5, simply because of my confusion at the end of the story.

Waiting for Dawn was released directly to digital edition and is available on Amazon.com and other digital retail sites.

About the author:

Susan May Warren is the award-winning author of seventeen novels and novellas with Tyndale, Steeple Hill and Barbour Publishing. Her first book, Happily Ever After won the American Fiction Christian Writers Book of the Year in 2003, and was a 2003 Christy Award finalist. In Sheep’s Clothing, a thriller set in Russia, was a 2006 Christy Award finalist and won the 2006 Inspirational Reader’s Choice award. A former missionary to Russia, Susan May Warren now writes Suspense/Romance and Chick Lit full time from her home in northern Minnesota.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Tyndale House Publishers, as part of the Digital First program through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. 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.

My Foolish Heart

 

My Foolish Heart

by Susan May Warren

Isadora Presley ("Issy") can barely leave her house without a panic attack, ever since her mother's fatal car crash 2 years ago. And even though she's never had a date, she hosts a radio show called "My Foolish Heart," where the lovelorn call in to ask advice. Caleb Knight is her new next door neighbor - he has a war injury and a thing for Issy, though she only rates him a "6." He's vying for the Deep Haven High School football coach position along with Seb Brewster, who was a hometown football hero in his day. Seb and Lucy Maguire, Issy's best friend, used to be an item until she caught him kissing one of the cheerleaders. Lucy has put up armored shields around her heart since his betrayal. When Seb returns to town, what will Lucy do? And will Issy and Caleb get together?

I loved this book. It was one of those that I wanted to stay up late reading, just to find out what was going to happen to these 4 fascinating characters. It was the perfect mix of romance, wit, drama, and enjoyable story line. I found myself identifying with both Issy and Lucy, for different reasons. I am looking forward to reading the previous 2 novels in the Deep Haven series, along with Susan May Warren's other books.