Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke

Even though I read this book a long time ago, it was still a joy to re-read it.  Once I got started I couldn't put it down.  The dire situation Marty, the heroine of the historical Christian fiction novel, found herself in consumed me and made me stick with it until the final page.  It is also light, easy reading which allowed me to finish it in two days.

Summary:

Oke begins her story with the death of our heroine Marty's beloved husband. Soon to be a mother,  Marty realizes she has lost not only the love of her life, but she is practically destitute with only a broken down wagon and a few meager possessions to her name.  A complete stranger, Clark Davis, has also lost his wife and is left to raise his two year old daughter alone as well as work full time running his farm and homestead.  In circumstances beyond their control, the two find themselves drawn together for the sake of convenience.  The underlying question in the situation of course, is will this situation work out?  And more importantly, how will it work out, if it does?

Marty also learns about God through Clark's daily faith.  She knows little about Christianity except at weddings and funerals, so I enjoyed seeing her fresh perspective as she watches Clark pray and read scripture as a part of everyday life.  I could not wait to see how her exposure to the Scriptures would affect her life, and this propelled me on to the last pages as well.  Oke is an engaging storyteller as she wove both romance and faith into the telling of Marty and Clark's story.

Favorite Quotes:

"There's more than one way thet love comes.  Oh, sure, sometimes it comes wild like, makin' creatures into wallerin' simpletons.  I've seed 'em, I've been there myself; but it doesn't have to be thet way, an' it's no less ral an' meanin'ful iffen it comes another way.  Ya see, Marty, sometimes love comes sorta stealin up on ya gradual like, not shoutin; bold words or wavin' bright flags.  Ya ain't even aware it's a growin' an' growin' an' gettin' stronger until...  All the sudden it takes ya by surprise like, an' ya think, 'How long I been a feelin' like this an' why didn't I notice it afore?"

  "Thet wouldn't be right... We can't stay back in the past nursin' our sorrow... Christmas, seems to me, be a right good time to lay aside hurtin' an' look fer somethin' healin."

Final Thoughts:

I recommend this book.  It's simply written, yet tells a powerful story of love.  Even though it is fiction, the setting and circumstances are realistic enough to draw you in while the story keeps you turning pages. This afternoon I am looking forward to a hot cup of coffee and the second book in this series.

Love Comes Softly - This is an affiliate link to Amazon.  Any purchases will bless the owner of this blog.  Thank you for clicking.

  

My Word For The New Year And What I'm Reading Now

 Ready or not, welcome to 2021!  Grab a cup of coffee, your favorite mug, and join me.  I'm sitting down after a busy day of cleaning and getting outside with family.  After morning quiet time, I resisted the urge to read one more chapter of my current read (more about that later in this post) and began cleaning my kitchen early this morning before the kids were stirring.  I've been on a week long mission to deep clean my kitchen and today happened to be wiping and sometimes scrubbing cabinets.  When the cabinets were shiny and dust free, I took time declutter and wipe the inside of one cabinet.  Then I moved on to my floor which I swept then spot scrubbed and mopped.  I washed two loads of laundry and cooked breakfast just as the kids were beginning to wake.  Bacon, sausage, and eggs smelled heavenly in our fresh smelling, clean kitchen.

Homeschooling went a little faster knowing we could get out into the sunshine after lunch.  Everyone worked hard the last two days to finish in time to spend our early afternoon in the surprisingly nice January weather we've had.

Need some homemaking motivation?  Check out Amy Maryon's latest video here.  She inspires me with not only her cleaning, but her freezer meals as well.  We tried her bowtie casserole recipe today for lunch.  It was delicious.  I think she calls it Jarrod's Casserole.

Since I shared my homemaking day with you, now I'd like to share my word for 2021.  I've been growing in my walk with the Lord with baby steps.  I've learned so much by getting into His word and during these sometimes difficult growth seasons, He's taught me to allow him to mold me and shape me.  So as I share my word with you, I want to do so while humbly pointing to the Lord's leading.  I want to do what pleases him, so my plans are tentative.  I want to always seek my Heavenly Father's will in my life.

Intentional

1.  With things on the world stage being what they are at this point in time, I want to intentionally strive to make my house a home for our family and others the Lord sees fit to bring to us for hospitality.

2.  I want to be intentional about implementing ACE in our homeschool.  We are slowly getting back into the rhythm, but my kids did not check their own PACES when we used it previously or fill out their own goal charts.  I want to strive for them to be more independent since they are older now, so it is important for me to follow through.

3.  The kids and I are beginning a one year Bible reading plan on YouVersion.  I want to make sure this happens during our morning time.

4.  I want to be intentional about losing weight.  I hope to lose ten pounds by the end of January.  So far I've lost six.  I need to lose about thirty pounds in all.   I'm cutting back, even the creamer in my coffee!

5.  My fifth area is related to number one.  In order to have a cozy home for our family and bless others with hospitality, I must be intentional about getting our home clean.  So, I am working on the kitchen each day.  When it is deep cleaned I think I will move to the dining room, since it needs redecorating.  Right now it looks odd since we removed the Christmas tree.  I like to decorate the table for Valentine's Day, so we will see how that goes.

What I Am Reading

Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Life is a favorite of mine, so I am rereading it.  I just made it to my very favorite chapter: The Heart of Worship.

Favorite Quotes:

"...surrendering to God is the heart of worship.  It is the natural response to God's love and mercy."

"Surrendered hearts show up best in relationships.  You don't edge others out, you don't demand your rights, and you aren't self serving when you're surrendered."

"Retirement is not the goal of a surrendered life."

I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses inner strength into me, that is, I am self sufficient in Christ's sufficiency.  Phillip 4:13 (Amp.)

"The problem with a living sacrifice is that it can crawl off the alter..."

And so, I will work at my list above intentionally, as a sacrifice to the Lord, realizing that I must die to myself daily, as Paul says because I am likely to fail and must crawl back onto the alter.

Happy New Years!  What is your word for 2021?  Leave a comment below.

  

After Christmas Chat About Christmas cookies and Sunday School Ideas

Grab a cup coffee and join me for a post Christmas chat.   In October we begin playing our Christmas music. I have a Kenny G. cd that I have enjoyed for a long time - I can't believe it still works!  And of course there are a few others we enjoy as well.  The music of Christmas is so beautiful, it just seem like a shame not to enjoy it for longer than just a month. By December we are tiring of our CD's, so I like to turn on our local gospel radio station which is playing lots of Christmas tunes by that time.  We love Christmas music at our house.  In fact, my son and daughter are sounding great on their own keyboard and guitar as they are learning "What Child Is This" and other family favorites.

It's been quiet, but we've taken time to celebrate the coming of Christmas in our home.  We enjoyed hot chocolate with cream on top for movie night.  And both kids prefer candy canes as their favorite Christmas tree decorations.  They like the traditional red and white striped canes better than the newer flavors we have noticed in the dollar store. We made chocolate chip cookies and tried peanut butter thumb print cookies for the first time.  The thumb print cookies were a hit, but I definitely need to tweak my recipe, or maybe what I did to the recipe, as it was a little too dry and crumbly.  Here is a link to Amy Maryon's video where she shares this wonderful , easy Christmas cookie recipe.  If you haven't watched Amy's homemaking videos, you are in for a treat!  She is so energetic and inspiring!  And best of all, I completed my You Version Advent Challenge.  It was 25 days of Bible reading which helped me prepare my heart to celebrate the birth of my Savior.  I read several of the devotionals for the kids Bible Study time.  We enjoyed this free resource very much!

We've been missing going to Sunday school for months now.  But really for longer than that.  Since we moved to our new home about three years ago, our kids have really missed their old Sunday school teachers and classes, so I was excited when I discovered this site mentioned on Youtube.  Unfortunately, I cannot remember who mentioned Sunday School Works in their video, but I sure am thankful for it - thanks again for sharing, whoever you are!

This Sunday we will be studying Simeon and Anna meeting baby Jesus in the temple.  The lesson is well laid out and even includes two crafts.  Several applicable Bible verses are listed, and I think that links to coloring sheets are included. I signed up for the newsletter every Tuesday, so that I  wont forget to gather my supplies for the crafts.

This is a new, polished version of a sight that has been around for a long time.  I've used the older version of this site before, and it was a blessing then.  But now, the site has been updated and renamed apparently.  And it is such a help since we will be doing Sunday school at home at least for the time being. So if you need Bible study resources for your elementary age kids, I think you will be pleased with this site.  

And finally, we enjoyed crafting snowmen this morning and adding in a little Bible journaling to our creations!

Want to know more about what's going on at The Mysterious Bookshelf?  Here's what I am reading in December.  

Book Review: Light On Snow by Anita Shreve

 Light On Snow by Anita Shreve

 If you are looking for a Christmas reading suggestion, this book is for you. 

  I picked it up at the library yesterday and finished it this morning, Saturday.  I just could not put the book down.  The story kept me engaged and I wanted to know what was going to unfold next all the way to the end of the story.

Summary:

A man and his twelve year old daughter go for a winter walk to end their day, but there is much more in store for them on this walk than they ever dreamed.  Their lives intersect with a baby barely clinging to life, abandoned in the snow.  Events begin to spiral for these main characters in the days leading up to Christmas, as they face memories in their past as well as how their actions will affect the future of others.  And into the mix is a raw but beautiful coming of age story.

My Thoughts:

The time frame of the story which occurs a few weeks before Christmas makes this a great novel to choose for Christmas reading.  I know I certainly enjoyed it.  Also, the imagery of the snow sets the stage for the story beautifully.  The snow reflects the light as the title implies, makes a background for blood, serves as a reason for isolation and companionship, and provides a place for healing.  It is an eye opening novel, and I look forward to reading more of Shreve's novels.

Here is a link to Anita Shreve's Light On Snow on Amazon.  This post contains affiliate links.  Any purchases resulting from clicking on these links will result in a small percentage going to the writer of this blog and will probably be used to buy more books or homeschooling curriculum.  Thanks for taking a peek!

Homeschool Morning

We stayed up later than usual, so we enjoyed sleeping late this morning.  I greeted the kids when they tumbled out of bed with a warm breakfast and lighted lamps.  Our family sat together discussing life, eating our breakfast, and enjoying being together before we began the business of our day.  Work began a little later for all of us on this chilly day, but taking time for each other came first.  And  that is my important work - setting the stage for it with warm food and cozy lights.  Pretty dishes and good morning hugs and kisses.  

For more on this topic, check out my review of Sally and Sarah Clarkson's Life Giving Table.

Going Back To Favorite Curriculum

How Is Our Homeschool Year Going?

I love to find ways to save money and be frugal with what I have. I try to use wisely. Maybe I am not always the best at doing this, but I do make an effort. Usually, it works. For instance, watching the grocery sale ads and planning my shopping trips and menus accordingly. Turning out the lights when leaving a room is another way I try to save money. But this time my money saving scheme for homeschool curriculum did not work. I had read of a solution to history and science that sounded wonderful. But for my family and me it did not work.  This idea suggested providing reading material on the coffee table or other prominent areas of the house.  The family who suggested this had children who would pick up the books and read them on their own without any structured guidelines.  In other words, they would read it for the enjoyment of reading.

For pleasure reading, we tend to choose fiction.  Or picture books.  Even poetry.  Not nonfiction, encyclopedia books.  My kids picked up two books from the coffee table twice and the books have never been touched since.

As I deep cleaned the house during Thanksgiving break, I mentally assessed how our school year was going.  I was forced to admit, as I dusted the science and history books, with a shake of my head and a chuckle, that our curriculum did not seem to be working.

And as I tackled the organization of the utility room later that day, I considered our Language Arts and Math.  While arranging the canning jars, I was pleased to admit the children were learning lots in those areas.  They were stretched.  But then I sighed because I had to admit they were learning a lot at the expense of a ton of preparation on my part.  I paused for a second in my vigorous pre-Thanksgiving sweeping and mopping as I remembered that I had been concerned that I might not be able to stay ahead of them in laying out the lessons and preparing.  And now I had to admit that I was falling behind.  And I admitted that I was mentally tired of trying to keep up with the planning and preparing.

What to do?

Our kids enjoyed ACE Curriculum in the past.  However, for me the grass had always seemed greener on the OTHER side and the lure of "less expense" and more reading had drawn me away from the curriculum, but now I see that more structure, for us - for our family, does equal more reading.

When I asked the kids about returning to the ACE curriculum, they smiled.  BIG smiles.  And I thanked the Lord...  Some decisions are hard to make, but this one was easy.

Fast Forward to the First Day of Using ACE Again:

Each pace begins with a character quality and definition. Each day the kids have a Bible verse  for each subject to read and memorize that goes along with the character quality.  By the end of the three week division of work, called a PACE, the student is to have the Bible verse memorized.  We are excited to return to this structured, organized way of memorizing scripture and learning about character.  Following a plan gets it done!  

Which reminds me of FLYLADY!  But that is for another post!

Final Thoughts

When we bowed our heads at the Thanksgiving table, I counted another blessing.  I knew exactly what we would be doing in our homeschool.  It was all planned!

 Want to know more about ACE homeschooling?  Check out this video from Andrea Mills.

What I Am Reading: Common Place Entry For Pilgrims Inn

 

After receiving my lovely copy of Pilgrim's Inn in the mail, I have read to about the middle of chapter three.  I have found the experience similar to peeling back the layers of a sweet onion. Each character has so many facets of themselves. They are not simple people.  For instance, just when I think Grandmother is practically a saint for the way she heroically handled the war, I am confronted with the rather controlling side of her nature.  Nadine must follow Grandmother's detailed plan for securing a nanny after she discovers that Grandmother  arranged the meeting in the first place.  After this revelation, I am not sure what to think of Grandmother and I feel sympathy for the clearly non-domestic Nadine.  And to think that I did not care Nadine just a few pages before!  What is happening?  I guess I will have to continue reading to find out...

Quotes From Pilgrim's Inn by Elizabeth Goudge:

"There was nothing of desperation in the firm hold she kept upon her beauty;  it was rather that she appeared to be taking good care of something entrusted to her care, but did not seem to regard it as an integral part of her."

"It had been her opinion that in wartime old people were a great nuisance, and the best thing they could do was to keep, at whatever cost, a tranquil exterior, and get on with their knitting.  She was too humble a woman to assess her wartime activity at its true value."

Do you think you would enjoy Elizabeth Goudge's Pilgrim's Inn?  I was introduced to her through a great book about books which I discussed in my previous post here.  I'm always on the look out for great reads, and this book does not disappoint.  You'll find more information in this post.

And Something Else I'm Excited About...

Homeschooling?  We are going back to a curriculum we used previously after a year long switch.  I plan to do a longer blog about it soon, but meanwhile, here is some information about the curriculum we are excited to switch back to.  

This post contains affiliate links.  Any purchases resulting from clicking on these links will result in a small percentage going to the writer of this blog and will probably be used to buy more books or homeschooling curriculum.  Thanks for taking a peek!

Happy Mail and Christmas Reading

 What We Have Been Reading and Listening To In Our Home 

Happy Mail

Our mail is slow right now.  It was a long time before my package arrived in the mail, so you can imagine how excited I was to find my very own copy of Pilgrim's Inn in great shape.  It's a lovely green antique that will look lovely on the bookshelf - after I read it, of course.

So far, I've made it to chapter three and I'm loving her lively, realistic descriptions of the characters in the story.  Sally's conversation with David Eliot shows who she is beautifully.  In other words, as of right now, I'm loving Goudge's writing style and cannot wait to read more.

Sarah Clarkson recommended Pilgrim's Inn in A Book Girl.  I'm so glad I read Sarah's book about reading books.  She gives so many great suggestions, including this one!

Update:  December Homeschool Reading

We gathered together with steaming mugs, Christmas lights twinkling, and A Christmas Carol read aloud on librivox.  It is so full of those moments that allow us to dig deeper and discuss with our kids the true meaning of Christmas.  Not to mention, it is a great story.  Dickens is a master of creating the moods of each episode in his tale, so that the reader is just drawn into the story, watching the events unfold alongside the old Scrooge.  Oh, how we loved ringing in the Christmas season with this book!  I highly recommend it for older and middle school age children.

Need Ideas for December Homeschooling?

I found many helpful ideas from Aimee at The Sweet Spot Homeschool:

https://youtu.be/0jLISPtNJu0 

Coming Soon:

Exciting Homeschool Changes:  We Are Going Back To ACE Homeschool Curriculum!

I hope to update on this change soon.  Meanwhile check out Andrea Mill's blog for helpful information about the curriculum.

Andrea Mills Video on ACE

This post contains affiliate links.  Any purchases resulting from clicking on these links will result in a small percentage going to the writer of this blog and will probably be used to buy more books or homeschooling curriculum.  Thanks for taking a peek!

The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

 The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe 

by C.S. Lewis

Reading The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe was a valuable addition to our homeschool year.  I am so glad we did, and I felt it was a valuable way to spend our time together.

Our family read this book together in the late summer and early fall.  The hot weather kept us inside, but we still enjoyed hot coffee, tea, and homemade cookies as we read.  In fact, delving into the world of Narnia provided a perfect escape from the hot sun raging outside.  We were cool and comfortable while enjoying our read aloud.

The characters in this book stick with us even though we've finished it.  My daughter now has a small stuffed lion she carries in her purse.  During church, I noticed the lion quietly comes out to be cuddled during the sermon.  If you've read the book, I'm sure you can guess his name. Likewise, Mr. and Mrs. Beaver, Lucy, Susan, Edward, and Peter stay with us as characters in classic literature tend to do.  Their noble character, or sometimes learning of it, as well as their realistic personalities interact with our souls, becoming friends in only the way book characters are able.

What was my favorite part of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe?  I enjoyed the scene in which the Beavers provide a cozy meal for the children.  It takes place in the Beavers' very snug little home where the tools of their daily lives are displayed efficiently on the walls.  Also efficient, Mrs. Beaver herself readily leaves her task of sewing and prepares a meal of very fresh, delicious fish upon which C.S. Lewis waxes eloquent on the necessity of the fish being fresh.  Although he tells this with humor, I must agree whole heartedly that the fish must be fresh when you cook it...  But that is another story, for another day.

 Mr. and Mrs. Beaver, Lucy, Susan, Edward, and Peter stay with us as characters in classic literature tend to do.  Their noble character, or sometimes learning of it, as well as their realistic personalities interact with our souls, becoming friends in only the way book characters are able.

"And when each person had got his (or her) cup of tea, each person shoved back his (or her) stool so as to be able to lean against the wall and gave a long sigh of contentment.  Then Mr. Beaver takes his own cup of tea, lights his pipe, and says, "why, now we can get to business."

He and his wife are an excellent example of hospitality.  I am reminded of Jesus feeding his hungry disciples' breakfast on the beach before they began the business of sharing the gospel.  And so, satisfied with a meal and companionship in this strange land of Narnia, the children are ready to begin their own business at hand.

They believe their business is to locate Mr. Tumnus, the creature Lucy met in her first visit to Narnia, but Aslan has a much more important quest for the young people.  It will take a lifetime to complete, beginning with their brother Edmund's betrayal.  In fact, his betrayal sets in motion a series of actions to not only save the boy's life, but the life and health of the whole land of Narnia.  But not without sacrifice.  In the midst of this adventure, the children must grow in character and the rewards of that growth and their faithfulness to Aslan are immense.

Even if you have watched the movie, I would encourage you to read the book.  The imagery that points back to the life of Christ is remarkable.  We had lots of heart discussions about this book during our lunches.  Reading The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe was a valuable addition to our homeschool year.  I am so glad we did, and I felt it was a valuable way to spend our time together.

Here is a link to The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.  This is an affiliate link from which I will receive a small percentage if you choose to make a purchase.  Thank you for taking a peek!

The Angel's Command by Brian Jacques

 

First A Little Book Chat

I picked up this read at the library because the dust jacket caught my eye, in particular the author's biography blurb on the back cover.  It's well written and informative, but what sold me that day in library was  the interesting life Jacques led.  I was sure after reading his various employment positions combined with his previous story-telling success, according to the blurb, that this would be a high interest tale not to miss.

And I am not disappointed.  At this point, I am over half way finished with this young adult fiction novel, and I've found the stories he weaves through the lives of his two main characters, Ben and his trusty dog Ned, to be packed full of adventure.  In addition, the English major in me admires Jacques well written story line.  It flows.

At one point in the story, I condsidered putting the book down.  That's right, I almost stopped reading a great novel.  But, I didn't.  And I'm glad I didn't.  This is a young adult fiction novel and I was trying to read a cozy mystery along with it.  Reading the two books together just did not work.  So, I finished one at a time.  And I enjoyed both novels very much, but separately and at different times...  Has this ever happened to you?

And now  that I have completed The Angel's Command,  here's a summary:

I was delighted to note that each chapter is a well written adventure of its own. So this grand adventure begins with a teenage boy and his dog.  Only, the boy and his dog are much older than they appear.  An angel saved them from a ship fraught with trouble and evil, and as part of the curse on the ship's occupants, Ben and the the Labrador Ned must wander the earth, never growing old.  This unique situation provides the two with ample opportunity to intervene in the lives of others who, through the Angel's prophetic words, are in need of the pair in different ways.  

The beautiful ocean is the setting of the first part of the adventure.  Ben and Ned find themselves, eventually on board a buccaneer's ship with anything but smooth sailing.  Captain Thuron is  a good captain and says the boy and his best friend bring him luck. 

"The captain's stubby finger turned Ben's chin until their gazes met.  There was sea in the boy's clouded blue eyes - ancient deeps and far horizons lurked in them."

 Ben and Ned use their ability to communicate words without talking to bring about good things for the Captain and his ship.  Gold on board, as well as the captain's wish to begin living an honest life, brings danger into their buccaneer narrative.  Add in a crew of ghosts doomed to wander the earth from Ben and Ned's past and the adventure reaches its high point.

The second part of the of Angel's command begins as Ben and Ned begin a new adventure - this time on land.  This adventure takes them from the top of rocky mountain ledges to a cave nestled behind a waterfall in a valley where the goatherder who lives in the cave with her goats promises the friends, "I'll make you a special treat of mine.  Mountain bread and herbs with good goat cheese, 'tis my secret recipe, you'll like it." Jacques creates scenes throughout the novel like this of food, family, and fellowship.  It reminds me of C.S. Lewis' and Tolkien's writing styles.

Ben and Ned find themselves in the company of a courageous if outspoken young girl, Kayray and Dominic, a young painter who catches people's true character in the portraits he draws.  New adventure presents itself when the group meets Compte Bregon who has lost his nephew to the boy's villainous kin, a deplorable clan of people, the Razan, who dwell inside a mountain.

The battle for good and evil comes to a head when Ben must face the wicked leader of the Razan clan, Maguda.  Brian Jacques, the author of this tale, does not disappoint with the close of this novel.  In fact, it was my favorite part!  He brings the two separate stories told in Angel's Command together beautifully at the end of the novel. I didn't see the plot twist coming, so it was a lovely surprise. 

My Concern

This is book is not for very young children.  There are witches and ghosts, as you will encounter in fairy tales and adventure movies, so use your parental judgement as appropriate.

Here is a link to Angel's Command on Amazon.  This is an affiliate link, so if you use this link to make a purchase it will be a blessing to me at the Mysterious Bookshelf.

Tea Rose

Tea Rose is the second installment in the Tea Room Mystery series in which I find myself intrigued with the setting of this Maine lakeside series. The main characters  are widow ladies in their mid- fifties who began their own tea room business in a delightful Victorian home they purchase during their first mystery, Tea Room for Two, which I recommend here.

I was excited to find Tea Rose on our local library shelves, after reading Tea Room for Two and quickly added it to my stack.  However, I was concerned when I discovered later that these two books in the same series are written by different authors!  Could a different author pull off the same wonderful setting while developing an interesting story line?

A Little Concern...

Now I was curious to see if the book would be as good as the first mystery in the Tea Room Mystery series, as it had a different author.

A Possible Road Block?

I began the book but soon ran into another problem of my own making.  Since studying Charlotte Mason's philosophy of education, I tend to read three books or more each at a sitting.  One chapter at a time, and then take a break before reading the next chapter..  Unless it's a real page turner.  So a I began Tea Rose and a young adult fiction read, Angel's Command.  And I really had the worst time focusing on the two.  I believe I continued this routine for about a week.  I felt I was getting nowhere and began to dread reading two very interesting books.  I am not sure if it was mixing the two genres which didn't work or exactly what was wrong.  By the end of  this past week, to avoid quitting both books, as I was tempted to do, I allowed myself to focus on one book, Tea Rose.  And this weekend I found myself enjoying this gentle read much more.  When I reached the turning point of the book, I did not want to put it down.  I am so glad I made the decision to stop reading both books at once and focus on one at a time!

Tea Rose Summary

A beautiful three story Victorian home, complete with its own tower continues to be the setting in this series.  The lovely first floor parlors become the home for much of the mystery to unravel.  Main characters Jan and Elaine help their co-worker Rose look for answers to her confusing past that has ties to far away Germany.  Into the Victorian tea rooms come characters from the delightful small town they live in, including some friends and at least one mysterious stranger who catches the tea drinking detectives' attention as the plot thickens. In fact, small town life is further woven into the mystery when Rose's father, running for election as selectman , faces complications from his daughter's past possibly shedding a bad light on his campaign.  Suspicions grow when he and Rose find their home broken into and find themselves questioning the motives of people in their own community as well as summer visitors who flock to the lovely Maine lake.  Jan and Elaine, while baking sweets and serving tea, find themselves helping to sort out the many threads of this cozy mystery.

Final Thoughts

I enjoyed this read for the setting as much as the mystery.  I felt that I knew the characters well by the end of the story and I liked the overall coziness of the mystery in how the mystery details were handled - such as the break-in as well as the detailed descriptions of the lives of the characters.  It was my cup of tea!

Here is a link to Tea Rose on Amazon.  This is an affiliate link which will provide a small percentage for me, the author of The Mysterious Bookshelf.  Thank you for taking a peek!