TOMORROW'S GARDEN, by Amanda Cabot

In Tomorrow's Garden, Harriet Kirk is the new schoolteacher in Ladreville, Texas. She takes the job as a means to escape past secrets, but doesn’t realize that Ladreville possesses a few secrets of its own.

As she struggles for acceptance in the community, she also has the daunting task of mothering her younger siblings, some of whom resent the move to a new community. When did teenagers ever feel happy about being uprooted? In her efforts to parent her siblings, and gain respect among the children in her classroom, Harriet comes across as strict and unbending.

Ladreville’s mayor/sheriff is former Texas Ranger Lawrence Wood, who was a minor character in the previous novel in this series, Scattered Petals. He’s made it clear to the community that his tenure there is only to last six months. His early encounters with Harriet leave him thinking that six months is too long.

Tomorrow's Garden is a heartwarming story of a woman who needs to learn to love. Although this is the last book in the series, it isn’t necessary to have read the first two in order to enjoy every moment of this powerful novel. Amanda Cabot has skillfully woven in bits of backstory without stopping the forward motion of Tomorrow’s Garden. That’s not to say you shouldn’t read the first two books! I recommend the entire series.

My thanks to Revell for providing my review copy. My opinions are my own.

FINALLY A BRIDE, by Vickie McDonough

Finally a Bride is a story brimming with romance. Jacqueline "Jack" Davis harbors ambitions to leave tiny Lookout, Texas, for a career as a reporter in Dallas. When a new pastor arrives in town, she believes if she can get the scoop on his past, the resulting story will propel her straight to the big city. What she hadn't counted on was her growing attraction to the handsome preacher.

Finally a Bride is the third book in the Texas Boardinghouse Brides series, but McDonough gives readers enough background information to keep them from getting lost.

This story is filled with Texas charm and enough original similes to keep readers smiling. Finally a Bride is a fun read. I recommend it for everyone who enjoys romance, Texas-style.

Thanks to Barbour Publishing for providing my review copy.

THE DEEPEST WATERS, by Dan Walsh

When John and Laura Foster decided on an ocean voyage for their honeymoon, they had no idea of the tragedy that awaited them. A hurricane strikes and their ship goes down. Laura is rescued, along with the other women, but all the men on board are gone into The Deepest Waters.

Walsh based his novel on an actual event from 1857, and spins the tale with emotional honesty. On board the rescue ship, Laura befriends a slave named Micah, whose kindness carries her through the numb days following her loss. Without John, Laura is sailing toward New York --a place she's never lived and where she knows no one. It's difficult to review this book without revealing plot twists! There are several surprises awaiting the reader.

The tale is told with stirring authenticity. I could visualize the women's trials on board the small ship, and the elegant New York City setting during the pre-Civil War period. The Deepest Waters is a delightful story that the whole family will enjoy. I thoroughly recommend it.

My thanks to Revell for providing me with a review copy.