Reviewed by Anne Boiling for Readers' Favorite

The setting varies but begins in England in the 1860s. Martha was looking forward to the dancing, gowns, parties and balls. Her father had different plans. He forced Martha to marry Jebediah Whitaker. The man was a widow with 3 sons. Not only did Martha not want to marry him but she did not like him. He proved himself a cruel, heartless, scoundrel with no morals. Jebediah took Martha and his sons across the ocean to America. From there they traveled to Wyoming by wagon train. Jebediah was a slick character and convinced the others traveling with him that he was an upstanding man. Eventually they came to call him Pastor and built him a church. Little did they know the bible he carried was stolen.

When Martha's father realized Jebediah was a swindler, murderer and scoundrel he sent for Jeremy Whitaker (Jebediah's brother) and Austin Wells (Martha's best friend since childhood.) The two men headed to Martha's rescue. What they discovered shocked them. Martha and the boys had suffered repeated beatings, mental and emotional abuse.

Shirley Roe has written several books about the Whitaker family. This installment takes place before Return To Whitakerville and The Whitaker Family Reunion. Of Dreams and Nightmares is the beginning of the Whitaker saga. There are several characters but I had no problem keeping up with who, what, when and where. It was fascinating watching Martha grow from an immature, spoiled, impulsive socialite into a mature woman. Jebediah was determined to break Martha's spirit, he raped her, beat her and threatened her life. She was terrified of Jebediah and yet she stood up to him when he was beating Abraham.

Dreams and Nightmares is a delightful historical romance. Roe effortlessly transports readers back in time. I felt as though I was riding in the wagon with Martha. Together we stumbled through the snow and comforted the boys. I was right there with Abraham when he was hiding under a bush. This tale takes place in several different settings: England, on board ship, in a wagon, at a fort, Wyoming, and St. Louis. Martha was the lead character in each of these settings and each setting was responsible for another facet of her character. The protagonist in this tale was Jebediah. He was a frightening person. I suspect he was a sociopath. Isaac was a fascinating character. He was damaged by the things his father did. Watching the change in his character made me eagerly turn pages. While I have previously read the other two books in this series, I now want to go back and reread them. Each book stands well alone but I like to read books in order.

I'd like to mention Abraham's gift. He would dream something and it foretold the future. As he matured he considered it a gift from God. I would like to see Roe write another book with Abraham as the lead and share more of his story, including his gift.

I'd be remiss if I did not mention Bo the dog. He was a canine hero. This is a very special book. It is easy to highly recommend this book to both young adults and adults.

Reviewed by Lynette Fowlston for Readers' Favorite

The setting is the Vietnam era. Randy Thayer joined the military so that he could fly. He did not seek to go to war but that was the price he paid to fly a helicopter. Andrea Tremblay is Randy’s girlfriend. Randy’s being a soldier does not bother her but going to war does. She is willing to do whatever she can to keep him home including involving him in the family business. To compensate she throws herself into her career at her father’s company. Faith Beckwerth is the girl next door. She hangs on Randy’s every word. She listens closely to everything he says. She is his biggest supporter and attempts to ease his fears. Distance, dedication and differing lives challenge Andrea and Randy’s relationship. Despite Faith’s dedication Randy is still drawn to Andrea.

The characters in this book are strong and passionate. The plot reveals the hardships of military training and life in corporate America. The author is a master at characterization. The characters come to life and draw the reader into the story. I became passionate about the characters. I cheered for them and fussed at them. Randy is faced with doubts, perplexity and a sense of duty. Andrea has a strong work ethic almost to the point of being narrow focused and a workaholic. Faith is naive, blameless, and easy to love.

Reviewed by Anne Boiling for Readers' Favorite

Calvert Hart was fascinated with Naomi Atkins from the moment he heard her laughter. The red haired beauty with turquoise colored eyes captivated him. Unfortunately for him, her parents considered him worthless. His parents were not any happier but love won out and the two eloped. They had been married months before revealing their secret.

Cal and Naomi made a meager home for themselves on his family’s farm in Missouri. They were happy until the war intruded on their lives. The land was worn out, the soldier burned everything in sight and the jayhawkers stole what they could. Time had come for the couple to move on. They were going west to the Arizona Territory. The couple packed all they owned and made the long trek.

Naomi proved she was made of tough stuff. She survived and thrived despite hardship of the era and the territory.

This is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. I loved Namoi’s spunk.

Reviewed by Anne Boiling for Readers' Favorite

The setting was Rome at its height of power. The people were ill-treated. Death sentences came swiftly. Our story begins with the birth of a child. The mother suffers great distress. She knew her child would be taken from her and given to a wealthy man. Barnabas’ wife had not borne a child so he took one for her. The male child was raised as Barnabas’ son.

Asaneth was an orphan. She accepted life as it was dealt to her. Eventually she was adopted by Abraham. He was kind to her and loved her. She looked like his deceased wife. Abraham was an accomplished cook. Asaneth was later befriended by a gladiator. The gladiator shared a story with her concerning Abraham.

The gladiator told her of a beautiful woman that caught the attention of Barnabas. She was brought to the palace and forced to become one of his many wives. The woman already had a husband, Abraham. He came to fetch his wife but Barnabas declared they were never married. The beautiful woman took her own life rather than marry Barnabas.

Years later, the gladiator shared the story with Barnabas’ brother Nicholas. Appalled at what his brother had done, Nicholas sent the gladiator to Masada to rescue Abraham. He was accompanied by Asaneth.

"Fortress In The Desert" is not an easy read. The style is almost prose. The author transports readers back in time. He successfully depicts the life of the Jewish people. He does this without a religious tone. The reader will question the relationship between Asaneth and Abraham. The relationship is one of endearing love. It does not appear to cross the boundaries of incest, yet Abraham’s love for Asaneth goes beyond the love of a father for a daughter. Asaneth at times speaks to Abraham as a father and at other times seems to speak to him as though she is his deceased wife. I kept expecting the gladiator to declare his love for Asaneth.

Reviewed by Anne Boiling for Readers' Favorite

"Shall Never See So Much" is the story of siblings a world apart. The siblings were estranged. Their lives were very different, as was their political philosophies. The setting is 1968. The US was at war in Vietnam. The times were turbulent.

First Lieutenant Tom Flanagan was a 24 year old Marine, serving in the dark, sweltering jungles of Vietnam.
Kate Flanagan was on the staff of Robert F. Kennedy, as he makes a bid for the office of President.

Gerald Gillis draws readers into the lives of the siblings. While both are different, I came to care for each of them. He transports readers back in time. I remember watching the riots on TV, hearing the death tolls. I remember the draft lottery and the fear in the eyes of those drafted. Families were torn apart by the war.

Gillis brings the era back to life. He successfully conveys the atmosphere, the conflicting emotions and the politics. Whether you were part of the era, or not, you will feel as though the events are unfolding before you.

Reviewed by Anne Boiling for Readers' Favorite

David Quinn has developed an historical accounting that grabs the reader and relates history while also conveying the human emotional elements that surely accompanied the actual event.

The story details the doomed voyage of the seven-masted sailing ship The Thomas W. Lawson on its maiden Atlantic crossing in the winter of 1907. The ship was reported as unstable but Captain George Dow, the maternal great-great uncle of the author, decides his mastery of previous ships will stand him in good stead with the Lawson. He then discovers that nature has its own agenda for the ship and its crew. The methodical research done in order to write the book serves the reader well, with historical fact interspersed with human interest.

Leviathan's Master is an easy read for sea lovers and land lovers alike. It poses interesting ethical dilemmas as well as thoughtfully presented skills essential to early ship trading.

Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite

This story begins in a tea room at a museum. The people listened closely as he told the story of the Starwatchers and Boann. Theirs was a simple society. They were concerned because foreigners were moving in. their Pikes would be useless against the weapons the warriors brought with them. Cian left the village to live with the warriors against the elders wishes. Boann was just learning the secrets of her people. The Invaders as they called themselves were on a mission to find resources. They had no respect for the simple people of Boyne.

I immensely enjoyed Bending The Boyne. I was so caught up in the story that I actually did a little research on the Battle of The Boyne. The story is well told. I found myself wondering how much was based on fact. Boann was my favorite character. The plot flows smoothly and told more than a bit of history. History buffs will enjoy Bending The Boyle. Well done.

Reviewed by Anne Boiling for Readers' Favorite

This novel focuses on WW I. However the tale takes place between the years of 1870 to 1914, a time when espionage was plentiful between France and Germany. The two main characters of this novel Christian Dejoux was born in Strasbourg, France and Wolfgang Loewenhardt who was born in Berlin, Germany. Christian was from a humble family and Wolfgang born into wealth. Wolfgang had the best of everything, schools and careers and Christian had to learn to survive and fend for himself. The only common thread the two shared was intense loyalty to their country. The future of their countries lay in their hands.

The reader follows the two men throughout the war. We see them agents working on foreign soils. We follow them from brothels to hospitals, to the circus. If they are caught they will face certain death. They survive by pure instinct.

The author Robert Nowak’s To Snare A Wolf is a fascinating look at the men and women who sacrificed not only their jobs and family life but also their lives for the good of their country. This would make an excellent made for TV movie documentary. It reads like a nonfiction novel. It was hard to believe the people and events were fictional. I was quickly drawn into the plot. I felt as though I was living it. This book needs proofreading and editing. To Snare A Wolf is well written, I highly recommend it.

Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite

Sir Walter Scott was just a child sitting at the knee of his grandmother listening intently as his she and his Aunt Jenny told the tale of Robert Bruce’s efforts to win Scotland’s freedom from England in 1314. Years later Scott would retell the story of King Robert in his poem “Lord of the Isles.”

Robert’s grandfather was angered and declared his namesake Robert Bruce was unfit to rule Scotland. However, Bruce was a determined man. He was a knight with royal blood lines both Celtic and Norman. Bruce paid a high price, as did many Scotts, his family was held captive by the English, his wife imprisoned.

The English underestimated their opponent. The Scotts were outnumbered 10-1, like the old saying goes, “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight but the fight in the dog.” Bruce was a brilliant strategist.

It is obvious that Bo Macreery spent much time researching his topic. The reference to spiders is fascinating. I will never look at a spider the same way. The determination one a spider to spin his web gave Bruce the renewed encouragement he needed to fight for Scotland’s independence. Macreery bring history to life on the pages of his book Why We Don’t Kill Spiders. I felt as though I was on the battlefield witnessing the battle. Macreery is a brilliant author; he has captured the essence of the Scottish people.

Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite

Seventeen year old Maggie Hagger expects the Virginia Colony to be a paradise. She was indentured to John White for four years. He paid sixteen dollars for her to care for his pregnant daughter. The land was not the paradise she expected. There were savages, harsh weather, and little food. At times it was difficult to tell who the savages were.

White Seed is a fictional story based on actual events. The plot is very realistic and I imagine it could have happened that way. The characters are well developed. I was enchanted by Maggie and Manteo. There love story was well done. I was quickly caught up in the story and could not put it down until I’d read the last word.