The Kissing Tree: Four Novellas Rooted in Timeless Love by Karen Witemeyer, Regina Jennings, Amanda Dykes, Nicole Deese Reviewed

 

About the book:

Title: The Kissing Tree: Four Novellas Rooted in Timeless Love

Authors: Karen Witemeyer, Regina Jennings, Amanda Dykes, and Nicole Deese

Bestselling novelist Karen Witemeyer joins award-winning authors Regina Jennings, Amanda Dykes, and Nicole Deese for this Texas-sized romance novella collection. Each of the authors' unique voices is on display in stories where courting couples leave a permanent mark of their love by carving their initials into the same oak's bark. 

In Regina Jennings' Broken Limbs, Mended Fences, a small-town teacher has her credentials questioned by a traveling salesman. 

Karen Witemeyer's The Kissing Tree Inn tells the tale of an unlikely woman building a very unexpected lover's retreat.

From Roots to Sky by Amanda Dykes follows a young WWII naval airman who heads to Texas to meet the sister of a lost compatriot.

Heartwood by Nicole Deese is a modern-day romance where the aftermath of a giant storm brings changes for the owner of a historic inn.

Goodreads || Amazon

About the authors:

For those who love to smile as they read, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer offers warmhearted historical romance with a flair for humor, feisty heroines, and swoon-worthy Texas heroes. Recently voted #1 Readers' Favorite Christian Romance Author by Family Fiction Magazine, Karen is a two-time winner of the ACFW Carol Award and three-time RITA® finalist. Karen is a firm believer in the power of happy endings. . . and ice cream. She is an avid cross-stitcher, and makes her home in Abilene, TX with her husband and three children.

Regina Jennings is the winner of the National Reader’s Choice Award, a two-time Golden Quill finalist and a finalist for the Oklahoma Book of the Year Award. A graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University with a degree in English and a minor in history, Regina has worked at the Mustang News and at First Baptist Church of Mustang, along with time at the Oklahoma National Stockyards and various livestock shows. She lives outside of Oklahoma City with her husband and four children when not traveling the world. 

Amanda Dykes has written and published a few short stories including, “Bespoke: a Tiny Christmas Tale“, the critically-acclaimed bicycle story that invited readers together to fund bicycles for missionaries in Asia. A former English teacher, she has a soft spot for classic literature and happy endings. She is a drinker of tea, a dweller of Truth, and a spinner of hope-filled tales, grateful for the grace of a God who loves extravagantly.  Also, by Amanda Dykes: “Tin Can Serenade” and “A Song in the Night” featured in the Message in a Bottle Romance Collection.

Nicole Deese's eight humorous, heartfelt, and hope-filled novels include the 2017 Carol Award-winning A Season to Love. Her 2018 release, A New Shade of Summer, was a finalist in the RITA Awards, Carol Awards, and INSPY Awards. Both of these books are from her bestselling Love in Lenox series. When she's not working on her next contemporary romance, she can usually be found reading one by a window overlooking the inspiring beauty of the Pacific Northwest. She lives in small-town Idaho with her happily-ever-after hubby, two rambunctious sons, and princess daughter with the heart of a warrior.

My Thoughts

This is a delightful collection of stories that are centered around a tree where couples etched their initials in hopes of happily ever after. I loved the idea and each of the stories flowed together easily keeping me reading.

This is the second novella collection I've read this fall and I love them because they're like a short story I can finish in an afternoon.

Each of these authors wrote fun and engaging stories tying each one together. I was sad to see them come to an end.

I enjoy each of these author's work individually so having them together in a collection was a delight.

I highly recommend this collection!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book via the publisher. I was not required to write a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Top Ten Tuesday - Fall TBR

Today's Top Ten Tuesday is our fall TBR. A good number of my fall TBR was on last week's top ten so, I may have some duplicates.

Might as well add this bad boy because I'll be going back to school and I'll be reading it more than anything else. 

My Best Novella Collection and Speculative Reads of 2019

I am finally on my last list of Best Reads of 2019. I don't say that in a 'Whew, it's over!' it's more of a 'Oh, my goodness, this was so hard!' attitude. I wish I could've just chosen ten books but then so many wouldn't have been highlighted and they definitely deserved to be highlighted!


NOVELLA COLLECTIONS

SPECULATIVE 

David Rawlings really touched this reader's heart when he took the comments I made right after reading his book and made this cool graphic.

I hope you've had some fun as you've followed my Best Reads of 2019 posts. I've enjoyed looking back and remembering each of these stories and how they touched my heart as I read them. Hang on tight, because I've seen some of the books coming out in 2020 and I am going to make a very strong prediction that they are going to be as wonderful if not more amazing than the books of 2019!!



In case you missed my other Best of 2019 lists you can check them out from the links below.

Swoon-Worthy

Historical

Contemporary and Time-Slip

Suspense and Biblical

Debut/New to me and YA

First Line Friday - Featuring Serving Up Love: A Harvey House Brides Collection

Happy Friday!!! Welcome to another edition  of First Line Friday sponsored by Hoarding Books.                                                         
It's November, Y'all! Can you believe it's November?! I can't!!! Seems like my grand kids just started back to school.

I just received this book yesterday in the mail so it's the closest to me. 

A Flood of Love by Tracie Peterson

First Line: 

August 1929

Gretchen Gottsacker stepped from the train and looked around at the tiny town of San Marcial, New Mexico ---- pronounced Mar-see-al by those of Spanish descent and Mar-shall by the white settlers. 


More Than a Pretty Face by Karen Witemeyer

Gainesville, Texas 1902

"I'm not going to marry her, Mother." Caleb Durrington bit the inside of his cheek to keep the rest of the words piling up on his tongue from escaping. 

Intrigue a la Mode by Regina Jennings

Emporia, Kansas 1898

The breakfast rush had ended, and Willow Kentworth had already reset her station. There was nothing to do now except patrol her table and guard against horseflies dying on the starched tablecloth or lilies wilting in the crystal vase. 


Grand Encounters by Jen Turano

El Tovar Hotel, Grand Canyon, Arizona 1908

"I know you mentioned you've sworn off gentlemen forever, but Mr. Tall, Dark, and ---- need I say Delicious is here again, and, unsurprisingly, he's sitting in your section."



Aren't these great first lines? I am really partial to Jen Turano's but I love them all!

About the book: 

Bestselling novelist Tracie Peterson joins Karen Witemeyer, Regina Jennings, and Jen Turano in this collection of four novellas, each featuring a Harvey Girl heroine. From Kansas to Texas, the Grand Canyon to New Mexico, the stories cross the country with tales of sweet romance and entertaining history.

In Karen Witemeyer's "More Than a Pretty Face," a young woman works her hardest to escape poor choices from her youth. Tracie Peterson offers "A Flood of Love," where reuniting with an old flame after more than a decade offers unexpected results. Regina Jennings's "Intrigue a la Mode" delights with a tale of a young woman determined to help support her family, despite warnings of danger nearby. And Jen Turano's "Grand Encounters" heads to the Grand Canyon with a tale of a society belle intent on finding a new life for herself.

Now, it's your turn . . . 

What are you reading? Open the book nearest you and post the first line in the comments. Then for some more first line fun go to Hoarding Books to see their first line and other reader's first lines.

Character's That Remind Me of Me

Welcome to another Tuesday edition of Top Ten Tuesday. I think one of the reasons we keep reading is because we identify with characters and today's topic is which characters that remind me of me.


ONE - Liberty from For Love of Liberty

TWO - Temperance from Caught By Surprise

THREE - Stephanie from Fetching Sweetness

FOUR - Lady Sabine from For Love and Honor

FIVE - Betsy from For the Record

SIX - Alice from Wonderland Creek

SEVEN - Katie from A Dream Fulfilled


Each of these female leads remind me of me in so many ways. If you know me very well you know that I can be snarky, sassy, stubborn, outspoken, and bookish. You also probably know that I love with all of my heart, I'm protective of family and friends, and God is my center. Like the heroine's listed their heart is in the right place they just might not go about everything in the best way. Like me!

What about you? What character's remind you of you? Let me know in the comments!