Ask Me to Stay by Elise Ackers

Ask Me to Stay is a story about tragedies, love and a very dark hidden secret.  Ethan returns to his very small, close-knit hometown for his sister-in-law's funeral. Everyone expects him to leave before the day ends, but he stays, slowly working his way back into a community that had effectively shunned him when he abruptly left over a decade ago.  In the process, he reconnects with Sam, the girlfriend he left behind and her brother; his old friend Cal. Ethan also works his way into the hearts of his niece and nephew as they also work their way into his heart. In the end, the secret is revealed during a passionate argument, which leads to a healing of the rift between Ethan and his brother Dean and ultimately a full welcome back into the community he had tried to protect.

This book was full of dark emotions, but even at it's darkest these was always a glint of hope.  There were several things that I really loved about this book.  First, I immediately loved Ethan's character.  The reader immediately sees that he is not the bad boy everyone wants to believe and that he has a soft and protective side. From the very beginning, I was rooting for him to have a happy ending.  Second, I loved the depth of friendship between Dean, Cal, Sam and Ethan.  They were the portrayal of the true meaning of friendship.  Although this book was labeled a romance, it was much more than that. I believe it would also be enjoyed by a much wider audience that enjoys stories about overcoming the lemons life throws us and joining together as a family and community.   I do wish it was longer, so I could read more about Sam and Ethan once they were back together, but hopefully I will see more of them in the next book.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a review.

Blowing on Dandelions by Miralee Ferrell

Blowing on Dandelion is the story of a widow, Katherine, her two daughters, Lucy and Amanda, and Micah Jacobs and his son Zachary.   Katherine runs a boardinghouse and soon finds out that her mother's visit was planned to be a permanent move. She has not had a great relationship with her mother and as she dwells in this, a fire takes the home and business of Micah Jacobs, a widower.   Mr. Jacobs moves into the boardinghouse while he recovers from injuries and gets his business back together.  In the meantime, more boarders arrive: a Mr. Tucker and a Mrs. Wilma Roberts along with her twenty year old niece.  As various problems arise and conflicting personalities clash, a sweet story of love is told.

I really enjoyed this book.  This story begins with am image most girls can relate to-- blowing the "puff" off of dandelions and making wishes.   It represents an ideal time of life when our lives were perfect and we felt safe and secure.  I expected a deeper book when it began with this, but it was actually a lighter read despite quality messages within.  I liked the characters, though I wish we could have seen more personal growth in all of them rather than just in Mrs. Cooper.  (Several other characters did have personal growth moments also such as Micah and his faith in God, but I think it should have been delved into just a bit more.)  One other thing that I really appreciated about this book is that although it was set in the 1800's, I still felt like it could easily apply today and even have most of the story occur in present day.  I definitely recommend this book to anyone wishing to read an entertaining, thoughtful romance based on Christian values.

A copy of this book was provided to me free of charge by the publisher via Netgalley.

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