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The Three Sisters Inn #1
Hide in Plain Sight
"PLEASE, GOD, IF YOU'RE LISTENING, KEEP RACHEL SAFE."
She couldn't turn her back on her family in their time of need. So when her sister was injured, financial expert Andrea Hampton traded the big city for Amish country to help turn her grandmother's house into an inn.
But life with the Plain People took a treacherous turn when a string of accidents and pranks threatened her family. Someone didn't want the secrets the old house harbored to come to light. Trusting anyone--even the handsome carpenter who seemed so genuine--was a battle for Andrea, but her life depended on her ability to find the truth.
She couldn't turn her back on her family in their time of need. So when her sister was injured, financial expert Andrea Hampton traded the big city for Amish country to help turn her grandmother's house into an inn.
But life with the Plain People took a treacherous turn when a string of accidents and pranks threatened her family. Someone didn't want the secrets the old house harbored to come to light. Trusting anyone--even the handsome carpenter who seemed so genuine--was a battle for Andrea, but her life depended on her ability to find the truth.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2007
1398 people are currently reading
4873 people want to read
About the author
Marta Perry
201 books769 followersMarta Perry is a Pennsylvania-based author of over 35 novels, many of them inspirational romances. She uses her rural Pennsylvania life and her Pennsylvania Dutch heritage in writing her books, especially in her Pleasant Valley Amish series for Berkley Books and her new Amish-set suspense series for HQN Books.
Marta and her husband live in a centuries-old farmhouse in a quiet central Pennsylvania valley. They have three grown children and six beautiful grandchildren, and when she's not busy writing her next book, she's usually trying to keep up with her gardening, baking for church events, or visiting those beautiful grandkids.
Marta and her husband live in a centuries-old farmhouse in a quiet central Pennsylvania valley. They have three grown children and six beautiful grandchildren, and when she's not busy writing her next book, she's usually trying to keep up with her gardening, baking for church events, or visiting those beautiful grandkids.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 664 reviews
April 6, 2011
What a steaming pile of donkey dung this book was. I chose this book because it was free on Kindle, and I was looking for some light entertainment, a "palate cleanser," if you will, in between serious novels. This was more like drinking sour milk on a dare.
So the main character comes to Amish country, Pennsylvania, because her sister has been in a car accident. But as soon as she meets the Main Hunk, she has some sort of freaking lust-inspired, career-ending, life-changing epiphany and, even though she's questioned her faith for many years, suddenly she Believes. And lest you think this book may be a steamy romance, I'll tell you now, it's strictly G-rated stuff. More Disney than Harlequin.
So I realized partway into this novel, oh no! This is some sort of wacky religious propaganda disguised as a mystery novel! Then I convinced myself I was wrong, but no. I was right. I looked up the author after I finished this insipid piece of garbage, and sure enough, she started out writing brochures for her church. She describes herself as a writer of "inspirational romances." Yeah, it inspired me, all right. Mostly it inspired me to Google an unknown author before wasting my time in the future.
So the main character comes to Amish country, Pennsylvania, because her sister has been in a car accident. But as soon as she meets the Main Hunk, she has some sort of freaking lust-inspired, career-ending, life-changing epiphany and, even though she's questioned her faith for many years, suddenly she Believes. And lest you think this book may be a steamy romance, I'll tell you now, it's strictly G-rated stuff. More Disney than Harlequin.
So I realized partway into this novel, oh no! This is some sort of wacky religious propaganda disguised as a mystery novel! Then I convinced myself I was wrong, but no. I was right. I looked up the author after I finished this insipid piece of garbage, and sure enough, she started out writing brochures for her church. She describes herself as a writer of "inspirational romances." Yeah, it inspired me, all right. Mostly it inspired me to Google an unknown author before wasting my time in the future.
May 30, 2011
Still being new to Christian fiction, this is the first Love Inspired Suspense novel that I've read. The author, Marta Perry, does a good job of creating a sense of suspense, but the characters are a bit one-dimensional.
Also, I wasn't a fan of the theme running throughout the novel: it's contrary to a life well-lived for God to be ambitious about your career. Cal, the love interest, is a former-attorney-turned-carpenter. Andrea, the main character, is an up-and-coming financial guru who's job gets in the way of being there for her family. While I agree that family should come first, I also believe that God needs just as many Godly attorneys (if not more!) as he does Godly carpenters. (In the interest of full disclosure, I should mention that I am a Godly attorney, albeit one who works part-time.)
Summary: it was a quick read and it kept me interested, but I hope to find better in this genre.
Also, I wasn't a fan of the theme running throughout the novel: it's contrary to a life well-lived for God to be ambitious about your career. Cal, the love interest, is a former-attorney-turned-carpenter. Andrea, the main character, is an up-and-coming financial guru who's job gets in the way of being there for her family. While I agree that family should come first, I also believe that God needs just as many Godly attorneys (if not more!) as he does Godly carpenters. (In the interest of full disclosure, I should mention that I am a Godly attorney, albeit one who works part-time.)
Summary: it was a quick read and it kept me interested, but I hope to find better in this genre.
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March 23, 2022The Three Sisters Inn #1
When her sister was injured, financial expert Andrea Hampton traded the big city for Amish county to help turn her grandmothers house into an inn. But life with the Plain People took a treacherous turn when a string of accidents and pranks threatened her family. Someone didn't want the secrets the old house harboured to come to light.
This is a quick book to read. It's not a book I would normally pick up and read. Each character discovered what was important to them. Andrea meets Cal who has a secret. She's also disturbed to find out more of the things that had been happening to her community. But someone is trying to prevent the bed and breakfast from being built.
#FreeKindleBook
When her sister was injured, financial expert Andrea Hampton traded the big city for Amish county to help turn her grandmothers house into an inn. But life with the Plain People took a treacherous turn when a string of accidents and pranks threatened her family. Someone didn't want the secrets the old house harboured to come to light.
This is a quick book to read. It's not a book I would normally pick up and read. Each character discovered what was important to them. Andrea meets Cal who has a secret. She's also disturbed to find out more of the things that had been happening to her community. But someone is trying to prevent the bed and breakfast from being built.
#FreeKindleBook
April 26, 2017
I wouldn't say that Hide in Plain Sight is exceptionally well-written, original, or riveting, but I loved it all the same. I found it to be interesting, entertaining, and heart-warming enough that it was perfect for a casual read.
I think I enjoyed this book in large part because of the religious and family unity aspects of the story. The notion of a family and a community banding together to help each other in the midst of trials gave the story a feel-good aspect that I found to be refreshing.
There was definitely an element of romance in the book, but it wasn't over the top like in so many other books. For me the romance was probably the hardest to read, just because it felt somewhat forced and unnatural with the characters involved.
All in all this was a great story that I enjoyed very much. If you like a good, clean mystery, you should definitely read this book.
I think I enjoyed this book in large part because of the religious and family unity aspects of the story. The notion of a family and a community banding together to help each other in the midst of trials gave the story a feel-good aspect that I found to be refreshing.
There was definitely an element of romance in the book, but it wasn't over the top like in so many other books. For me the romance was probably the hardest to read, just because it felt somewhat forced and unnatural with the characters involved.
All in all this was a great story that I enjoyed very much. If you like a good, clean mystery, you should definitely read this book.
February 22, 2015
What a great story! Marta Perry did a fantastic job of casting doubt on several people and keeping you guessing on who the real culprit was. It wasn't until near the end that I was certain which characters were involved and to what extent. I enjoyed the contrast between the characters and the growth in the female lead as she drew closer to God and His heart, seeing things gradually more from His perspective.
June 8, 2018
Entertaining with good characters. This is a suspenseful read. I'm looking forward to reading her other books set in Amish country.
June 17, 2012
Plot: Unfortunately, this book wasn't long enough for both a mystery/suspense plot and thorough fleshing out of characters, so one venue had to be chosen and utilized. Marta Perry chose the plot.
I must admit that, from the beginning (and finding out that it was a LoveInspired book), I wasn't expecting much. Of course, since it was recommended to me, I was expecting it to be readable. The end result was rather surprising.
The plot was a typical sabotage-and-prowler type. It's Nancy Drew-esque and rather anticlimactic. But it's a romance novel - suspenseful or otherwise - and I've noticed that pure romance novels never have surprise endings.
As was noted by a professional reviewer on a book I once read I would have to say that Hide In Plain Sight had "moments of brilliance". There were times when I actually thought "wow. I wasn't expecting such an accurate observation from a pulp fiction writer".
Despite its generic-ness, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself enjoying this book.
Characters:
As I said before, characterization was pushed a bit to the back burner here. We got a brief outlining at the beginning of the looks and characteristics of the three Hampton sisters (one of which was not even in the book) and then they sort of dissolved into the plot and let it take over.
Andrea Hampton: Main character and heroine
Andrea wasn't bad. She reminded me of myself - sort of efficient, organized and judgmental. I expected her to be a typical Christian romance female, but she was surprisingly tart and opinionated. It took her longer than I expected to thaw out to the hero. She had a lot of promise, but not enough page-space to really take advantage of it.
Cal Burke: Hero
Can't say I thought much of him until he started moving furniture out of the attic. He was too much a mysterious, quiet, cliche hero and I got tired of Andrea telling me about him. I think I can figure out that he's pretty buff from carpentry work without her mentioning it every time she bumps into him - which happened to be a lot. I found him to be rather colorless, though I appreciated the fact that he was careful about relationships (most of the time) and not getting entangled in one that would hurt both him and Andrea.
Likes: Though this book was set in Amish Country (and I've read enough Beverly Lewis to really garner a dislike for the genre) it was hardly Amish - something I was thankful for. We understand, they're different, but not that fascinating.
That the romance was discreet - though at times rather tacky - and there weren't a lot of messy kisses and gush and sappiness.
That there was actually some humor and good dialogue and creative descriptions.
Dislikes: I knew how it was going to end. It's the bane of pulp-fiction. It always ends happily, perfectly, cliche-ly.
The content that made it "Christian" was pretty weak. Out-of-the-blue Andrea suddenly thought "my goodness, the atmosphere here must be bringing God back into my life" and then she's suddenly praying and asking God for wisdom and ect. It's not believable or really challenging or thought-provoking. It's just put there so "inspirational" can be stamped on the cover and the I-don't-want-to-read-a-Danielle-Steele-type-book group will read it.
Conclusion: I can't say I'll ever read Hide In Plain Sight again but I can't say that it was a waste of time either. I got some good ideas out of it and anything that gives me an idea was worth the time spend on it. It offered some easy, summer reading and - though predictable - was pleasantly interesting.
I must admit that, from the beginning (and finding out that it was a LoveInspired book), I wasn't expecting much. Of course, since it was recommended to me, I was expecting it to be readable. The end result was rather surprising.
The plot was a typical sabotage-and-prowler type. It's Nancy Drew-esque and rather anticlimactic. But it's a romance novel - suspenseful or otherwise - and I've noticed that pure romance novels never have surprise endings.
As was noted by a professional reviewer on a book I once read I would have to say that Hide In Plain Sight had "moments of brilliance". There were times when I actually thought "wow. I wasn't expecting such an accurate observation from a pulp fiction writer".
Despite its generic-ness, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself enjoying this book.
Characters:
As I said before, characterization was pushed a bit to the back burner here. We got a brief outlining at the beginning of the looks and characteristics of the three Hampton sisters (one of which was not even in the book) and then they sort of dissolved into the plot and let it take over.
Andrea Hampton: Main character and heroine
Andrea wasn't bad. She reminded me of myself - sort of efficient, organized and judgmental. I expected her to be a typical Christian romance female, but she was surprisingly tart and opinionated. It took her longer than I expected to thaw out to the hero. She had a lot of promise, but not enough page-space to really take advantage of it.
Cal Burke: Hero
Can't say I thought much of him until he started moving furniture out of the attic. He was too much a mysterious, quiet, cliche hero and I got tired of Andrea telling me about him. I think I can figure out that he's pretty buff from carpentry work without her mentioning it every time she bumps into him - which happened to be a lot. I found him to be rather colorless, though I appreciated the fact that he was careful about relationships (most of the time) and not getting entangled in one that would hurt both him and Andrea.
Likes: Though this book was set in Amish Country (and I've read enough Beverly Lewis to really garner a dislike for the genre) it was hardly Amish - something I was thankful for. We understand, they're different, but not that fascinating.
That the romance was discreet - though at times rather tacky - and there weren't a lot of messy kisses and gush and sappiness.
That there was actually some humor and good dialogue and creative descriptions.
Dislikes: I knew how it was going to end. It's the bane of pulp-fiction. It always ends happily, perfectly, cliche-ly.
The content that made it "Christian" was pretty weak. Out-of-the-blue Andrea suddenly thought "my goodness, the atmosphere here must be bringing God back into my life" and then she's suddenly praying and asking God for wisdom and ect. It's not believable or really challenging or thought-provoking. It's just put there so "inspirational" can be stamped on the cover and the I-don't-want-to-read-a-Danielle-Steele-type-book group will read it.
Conclusion: I can't say I'll ever read Hide In Plain Sight again but I can't say that it was a waste of time either. I got some good ideas out of it and anything that gives me an idea was worth the time spend on it. It offered some easy, summer reading and - though predictable - was pleasantly interesting.
May 25, 2011
Who is trying to sabotage the opening of the Bed & Breakfast, Three Sisters Inn, in the quaint Amish community? Who doesn't love a good mystery? One of the sisters, Rachel, was the vicitm of a hit and run. Sister, Andrea, while enroute to the hospital to see about Rachel had a car accicent. Or was it an accident? I am currently reading this novel and the suspensful plot will keep the reader turning the pages. There's mystery, romance budding on the horizon, and the setting is in the quaint Amish communuity.
I am eager to find out who is responsible for the prowlings and most recently, who tried to run down Andrea and Cal in the back yard of the soon to be Bed & breakfast. Is it the metally challenged Amish son of their housekeeper, is the owner of another bed & breakfast who does ot want the competiton, or could it be the long time friend of their late grandfather? You find out.
I am eager to find out who is responsible for the prowlings and most recently, who tried to run down Andrea and Cal in the back yard of the soon to be Bed & breakfast. Is it the metally challenged Amish son of their housekeeper, is the owner of another bed & breakfast who does ot want the competiton, or could it be the long time friend of their late grandfather? You find out.
January 30, 2010
Free Harlequin romance ebook. Basically this is a "what would a romance be if the woman was raised Amish"? Answer: boring. The peek into Amish life isn't any more than you can get from watching Witness, which was a MUCH more interesting suspense story. This one, I was like.... if you'd actually just tell the whole thing to one of four people, so much drama could have been avoided. Frustrating. A waste of time to read.
January 20, 2016
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So I’m gonna do a little something different, I’m gonna let you in on a little secret. I am a believer but I wasn’t always. As a teenager I did not believe, in fact I absolutely hated the faith, for reasons we are not gonna go into, suffice it to say, everybody’s got a story right? At any rate, it took me a long time to come to terms with my faith and it wasn’t until I became pregnant with my daughter in my late twenties that I realized I did in fact believe in god. I’ve always been a casual observer, going to church once a month maaaaybe. But recently, as my daughter has become more involved with the church I have as well. I have been going more often and I like it. I felt I needed to let you know because this book is a christian romance and I have nevr read one before.
I don’t generally read Christian based books because while I am a believer, the faith still is kind of uncomfortable for me, even after all these years. Too many chefs in the kitchen and I already know how to cook thank you very much.
This book really spoke to me in that aspect because it wasn’t on every page or being thrust in my face. It was very casual and understated. It wasn’t the main focus; it was just like a hint of it. On the edge of your peripheral. As someone who is a casual observer I really liked that. A lot.
There were a lot of poignant moments in the book between the two MC’s that really spoke on a deeper level. The romance was very minimal, PG rated. Totally appropriate for 14+. It was more about coming together as a family and finding out who you are as a person and where you stand in the world. And I really liked that. I think that the underlying suspense in the book is what drew me in to begin with. Then all the layers of their self-discovery and going on this path together really brought it all together. I think I will read more.
It’s interesting to note how books can influence you in so many ways with regards to your lifestyle and your faith. I like what this book brought out on me.
So I’m gonna do a little something different, I’m gonna let you in on a little secret. I am a believer but I wasn’t always. As a teenager I did not believe, in fact I absolutely hated the faith, for reasons we are not gonna go into, suffice it to say, everybody’s got a story right? At any rate, it took me a long time to come to terms with my faith and it wasn’t until I became pregnant with my daughter in my late twenties that I realized I did in fact believe in god. I’ve always been a casual observer, going to church once a month maaaaybe. But recently, as my daughter has become more involved with the church I have as well. I have been going more often and I like it. I felt I needed to let you know because this book is a christian romance and I have nevr read one before.
I don’t generally read Christian based books because while I am a believer, the faith still is kind of uncomfortable for me, even after all these years. Too many chefs in the kitchen and I already know how to cook thank you very much.
This book really spoke to me in that aspect because it wasn’t on every page or being thrust in my face. It was very casual and understated. It wasn’t the main focus; it was just like a hint of it. On the edge of your peripheral. As someone who is a casual observer I really liked that. A lot.
There were a lot of poignant moments in the book between the two MC’s that really spoke on a deeper level. The romance was very minimal, PG rated. Totally appropriate for 14+. It was more about coming together as a family and finding out who you are as a person and where you stand in the world. And I really liked that. I think that the underlying suspense in the book is what drew me in to begin with. Then all the layers of their self-discovery and going on this path together really brought it all together. I think I will read more.
It’s interesting to note how books can influence you in so many ways with regards to your lifestyle and your faith. I like what this book brought out on me.
June 28, 2011
I decided to review these together since it is a series. However, I believe it would be okay to read them separately or out of order. I believe you can understand more of the back story if you read them in order, but I think they could easily be read on their own also and still be enjoyable.
Back in high school, I remember a librarian taking me around the library trying to help me find books I was interested in. I really hated reading when I was younger. I just couldn’t seem to find anything I liked. This librarian introduced me to mystery books and I finally found something I could read without wanting to put it down after a few pages.
I hadn’t read any mystery books in years though and these books reminded me how much I enjoy mysteries. I really enjoyed these books because I also enjoy Christian Romance/Love Stories. I don’t like the hard-core, I’m-in-the-bedroom-with-you type romances, but I really enjoy the more toned down, real life romance stories, which is what the Love Inspired selections of books is all about. This series is a great combination of the love story aspect along with mystery/suspense. I honestly did not want to put these books down, which is to say a lot for a book for me. Even though I really enjoy reading, there are few books that I really just want to keep reading and reading and reading until the end without breaks!
I also enjoyed this series because it didn’t give too much away. I couldn’t figure out the whole twist and/or bad person too soon in the story, which is also great for me. I don’t like figuring out “who did it” in the second chapter of a book because then it’s more likely I’ll put the book down & not even finish it – unless it’s like a Columbo movie! These books were all wonderful because they held my attention & didn’t give too much away & were really page-turners for me!
Back in high school, I remember a librarian taking me around the library trying to help me find books I was interested in. I really hated reading when I was younger. I just couldn’t seem to find anything I liked. This librarian introduced me to mystery books and I finally found something I could read without wanting to put it down after a few pages.
I hadn’t read any mystery books in years though and these books reminded me how much I enjoy mysteries. I really enjoyed these books because I also enjoy Christian Romance/Love Stories. I don’t like the hard-core, I’m-in-the-bedroom-with-you type romances, but I really enjoy the more toned down, real life romance stories, which is what the Love Inspired selections of books is all about. This series is a great combination of the love story aspect along with mystery/suspense. I honestly did not want to put these books down, which is to say a lot for a book for me. Even though I really enjoy reading, there are few books that I really just want to keep reading and reading and reading until the end without breaks!
I also enjoyed this series because it didn’t give too much away. I couldn’t figure out the whole twist and/or bad person too soon in the story, which is also great for me. I don’t like figuring out “who did it” in the second chapter of a book because then it’s more likely I’ll put the book down & not even finish it – unless it’s like a Columbo movie! These books were all wonderful because they held my attention & didn’t give too much away & were really page-turners for me!
March 8, 2009
This is my second dip into Harlequin's Love Inspired line, and this book was miles better than A Very Special Delivery in pretty much every single way: story, characters, plot, writing. I do take exception to the title, though; nobody was really hiding, and the one reference to the title was récherché and not at all related to any of the story's themes.
The religious faith aspect of this book was much more subtlely done, to my delight. The setting is the heart of Lancaster County, PA (Amish country), and the supporting characters are Amish, but the lead characters are what the Amish call English, and the two leads are both finding their way to faith rather than questioning it or living secure within it.
This book adds 'suspense' to the recipe of romance and faith, and the strange and dangerous events that threaten the opening of the Three Sisters Inn provide a suitable background for attraction and suspicion to grow into trust and love, though the denouement will come as no surprise to anyone who's ever seen a "the place is haunted" episode of Scooby-Doo. One can almost imagine the villain crying "I'd have got away with it, too, if it weren't for you interfering kids!" as the police car drives away.
There were weak bits, but by and large I thought this was a pretty decent category romance.
The religious faith aspect of this book was much more subtlely done, to my delight. The setting is the heart of Lancaster County, PA (Amish country), and the supporting characters are Amish, but the lead characters are what the Amish call English, and the two leads are both finding their way to faith rather than questioning it or living secure within it.
This book adds 'suspense' to the recipe of romance and faith, and the strange and dangerous events that threaten the opening of the Three Sisters Inn provide a suitable background for attraction and suspicion to grow into trust and love, though the denouement will come as no surprise to anyone who's ever seen a "the place is haunted" episode of Scooby-Doo. One can almost imagine the villain crying "I'd have got away with it, too, if it weren't for you interfering kids!" as the police car drives away.
There were weak bits, but by and large I thought this was a pretty decent category romance.
June 2, 2012
Another book I got free on my Kindle and finished reading is Hide in Plain Sight by Marta Perry. This book too is a Christian romance set in Amish country.
When Andrea's sister is injured Andrea returns to her early childhood home where her Grandmother and sister are in the process of opening an Inn.
Andrea, a business woman, intends to stay just long enough to see her sister recover, but soon finds herself and her family the victims of a serious of pranks and untimely accidents. Believing her Grandmother, sister and now herself are in danger, Andrea wIth the help of Cal, her Grandmother's tenant, sets out to discover why her and her family are being targeted.
This book reminds me a little of the Phyllis Whitney romantic suspense novels I used to read as a child, only with a Christian element to them as the characters are concerned with praying and letting God lead in their lives.
If you are looking for a Christian romantic suspense novel, I would recommend this face paced page turner, which is a light enjoyable read.
When Andrea's sister is injured Andrea returns to her early childhood home where her Grandmother and sister are in the process of opening an Inn.
Andrea, a business woman, intends to stay just long enough to see her sister recover, but soon finds herself and her family the victims of a serious of pranks and untimely accidents. Believing her Grandmother, sister and now herself are in danger, Andrea wIth the help of Cal, her Grandmother's tenant, sets out to discover why her and her family are being targeted.
This book reminds me a little of the Phyllis Whitney romantic suspense novels I used to read as a child, only with a Christian element to them as the characters are concerned with praying and letting God lead in their lives.
If you are looking for a Christian romantic suspense novel, I would recommend this face paced page turner, which is a light enjoyable read.
September 13, 2019
I read this way in the beginning of the year. So forgive me if I can not remember much about it. It been that long since i read the book.
I know that i enjoyed it and that the romance is something. I know she is trying to find the truth about something what that a surprise to find out by reading. I know it a free on barnes and Noble and I still think it might be. If you want you could read it and it cost you nothing and also it about amish a bit and a mystery mixed in as well.
I know that i enjoyed it and that the romance is something. I know she is trying to find the truth about something what that a surprise to find out by reading. I know it a free on barnes and Noble and I still think it might be. If you want you could read it and it cost you nothing and also it about amish a bit and a mystery mixed in as well.
March 9, 2016
This was the first book that I read by this author. I really liked the writing style. The story flowed and the characters were ones a reader could identify with/get behind. I loved the suspense part of the story. It kept the reader "on their toes" so to speak. Since I read this long before joining goodreads, I am attempting to write an intelligent review based on memory... the fact that I can still remember the story and the author attests to the fact that they made an impression ... 'nuf said
February 1, 2019
I have no idea how this book ended up on my Kindle, but it wasn't for me. It's a fairly generic series romance novel, a Christian romance. It's about a business woman who goes to Amish Country to help her stupid sister and grandmother open an inn when the sister breaks both her legs and the grandmother "loses" all the money her husband left to her because she's not smart enough to check finances and there's an ornery carpenter living in the barn and of course they fall in love somehow even though he considers himself to be a sinner and thinks that she's the same and evil because anyone who lives in the big city and wants a freaking career must be a sinner. But gosh darn it, they're attracted to each other. That's ok, SPOILER God saves the day.
I must have liked the cover....
I must have liked the cover....
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2010
This was a first in many ways for me - my first novel by Marta Perry, my first book from the Love Inspired line at Harlequin and my first foray into the world of romantic suspense. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. Don't let the cheesy blurb fool you - this is a lovely, simple romance that will keep your attention but not require a lot of brain power.
Andrea has a prestigious job in the city and is cautious about leaving it to come home to her family in Lancaster County when her sister, Rachel, is injured in a car accident. She loves her job - but her boss and colleagues don't take too kindly to her putting family matters before her work. But it's undeniable - her grandmother and sister need her help setting up their family home as a B&B, even more so now that Rachel is out of action. Further difficulties arise when there appears to be a prowler on the lose. Is this person simply a troublesome teenager or is something more sinister going on?
Thankfully for Andrea's family, grandmother Kathryn has rented out her barn to a carpenter named Cal. Cal is only too happy to help out the family in their time of need, although Andrea is suspicious about his intentions. Is he the prowler? Is he trying to take advantage of her grandmother's generosity? Or is Andrea simply too worried to take notice of what is right in front of her, and the attraction she has for this man?
I liked how Marta interwove the mystery of the troublesome prowler and Andrea's internal battle over whether to leave her family in the comforts of the country and return to her high-flying job in the city, thus leaving behind any chance she had with the handsome new stranger she'd just met. While I guessed that Andrea and Cal would hit it off (a bit obvious as this is, after all, a romance novel), I'm afraid that my years of reading Nancy Drew did not detain me from following the red herrings in this story. I thought I had the whole mystery figured out, but there was a little twist towards the end that I didn't see coming.
As someone who has never read a Love Inspired book before I'd have to say that I enjoyed it more than I expected. While the blurbs, and sometimes the covers, can be incredibly cheesy, the story itself was quite well written and very compelling. This novel was only 250 pages long so obviously there were not dozens of intricate sub-plots, but considering the word-limit and the restrictions of this particularly Harlequin line, I think that Marta has created a rather good novel. I liked that the characters sought help from God in times of need, but the references weren't overdone to the extent that they were unbelievable. At each time that Andrea prayed for guidance or help I found myself thinking that I would have done the same in her position. I also liked the fact that Marta made it obvious that there was chemistry between Andrea and Cal. I'm under the impression that some Christian authors like characters to form good friendships then suddenly fall in love, but never experience attraction or romantic feelings - this isn't how it works in real life! Andrea and Cal clearly had chemistry between them, even if they did to try hide it, and this made them all the more realistic as characters.
My only real complaint would have to be that the "bad guy" gave a rather cheesy monologue at the end of the novel, when their identity was revealed. I have to admit, I cringed a little. One other thing that bugged me was that the characters' clothing was often described, and I didn't really see the need for this to be commented on time and again, but I suppose that other women might be more interested in this.
All in all, I was pleased with my first attempt at Marta Perry, Love Inspired and Romantic Suspense. This was a nice, easy read, perfect for sandwiching in between the books I've been reading for my university courses. I'll definitely be reading more books by Marta Perry. 7/10
Andrea has a prestigious job in the city and is cautious about leaving it to come home to her family in Lancaster County when her sister, Rachel, is injured in a car accident. She loves her job - but her boss and colleagues don't take too kindly to her putting family matters before her work. But it's undeniable - her grandmother and sister need her help setting up their family home as a B&B, even more so now that Rachel is out of action. Further difficulties arise when there appears to be a prowler on the lose. Is this person simply a troublesome teenager or is something more sinister going on?
Thankfully for Andrea's family, grandmother Kathryn has rented out her barn to a carpenter named Cal. Cal is only too happy to help out the family in their time of need, although Andrea is suspicious about his intentions. Is he the prowler? Is he trying to take advantage of her grandmother's generosity? Or is Andrea simply too worried to take notice of what is right in front of her, and the attraction she has for this man?
I liked how Marta interwove the mystery of the troublesome prowler and Andrea's internal battle over whether to leave her family in the comforts of the country and return to her high-flying job in the city, thus leaving behind any chance she had with the handsome new stranger she'd just met. While I guessed that Andrea and Cal would hit it off (a bit obvious as this is, after all, a romance novel), I'm afraid that my years of reading Nancy Drew did not detain me from following the red herrings in this story. I thought I had the whole mystery figured out, but there was a little twist towards the end that I didn't see coming.
As someone who has never read a Love Inspired book before I'd have to say that I enjoyed it more than I expected. While the blurbs, and sometimes the covers, can be incredibly cheesy, the story itself was quite well written and very compelling. This novel was only 250 pages long so obviously there were not dozens of intricate sub-plots, but considering the word-limit and the restrictions of this particularly Harlequin line, I think that Marta has created a rather good novel. I liked that the characters sought help from God in times of need, but the references weren't overdone to the extent that they were unbelievable. At each time that Andrea prayed for guidance or help I found myself thinking that I would have done the same in her position. I also liked the fact that Marta made it obvious that there was chemistry between Andrea and Cal. I'm under the impression that some Christian authors like characters to form good friendships then suddenly fall in love, but never experience attraction or romantic feelings - this isn't how it works in real life! Andrea and Cal clearly had chemistry between them, even if they did to try hide it, and this made them all the more realistic as characters.
My only real complaint would have to be that the "bad guy" gave a rather cheesy monologue at the end of the novel, when their identity was revealed. I have to admit, I cringed a little. One other thing that bugged me was that the characters' clothing was often described, and I didn't really see the need for this to be commented on time and again, but I suppose that other women might be more interested in this.
All in all, I was pleased with my first attempt at Marta Perry, Love Inspired and Romantic Suspense. This was a nice, easy read, perfect for sandwiching in between the books I've been reading for my university courses. I'll definitely be reading more books by Marta Perry. 7/10
February 4, 2016
Someone out there is so afraid for the Bed and Breakfast Inn to open their doors that person will kill to get their point over. Andrea has no choice after her sister Rachel was in a hit and run accident to be at her sister side. But on her way to her sister Andrea is in a car accident herself that brings a man to her side to help her out the hole her car landed in. Cal turns out to be her Grams helper for the soon to be B and B Inn. In the mean time Andrea can’t wrap her mind around dropping her life and returning to help her family. Rachel accident has put her in a wheel chair just before the opening. Andrea tries her best to explain to Grams why she can’t stay, but the love for Grams out weighed her love for that job. Andrea is not just fighting to keep the Inn open but fighting her childhood demons that were left behind.
Andrea starts off as a selfless all about me attitude that makes you just want to slap her, but in due time her attitude change once she’s slap with the reality of her grandfather past. She still questioning of years of “Why her grandfather didn’t step in to rescue the two from their mother taking them away from the Amish life.” All the years she has been mad at him for something he couldn’t prevent.
Cal is this handsome guy that comes to Grams with a helping hand and talent to craft furniture. Grams give him a chance to revamp his life while all the time is holding back his secret life that he left behind. Andrea is the only one that gets close enough to open that vault that only Cal has the combination to that still hunts him.
Grams have a lot to deal with at her age, her husband of so many years dies and leave her with financial problems. So she leases out some of her property and listen to Rachel to open up the B and B Inn. Grams want Andrea help but keep her at arm length when it comes to the financial problems. Something Andrea has to break through by going to their closes and dear friend Nick.
This is a mystery of who did it with the twists and turns of a great page turner that I just couldn’t put down. Out of all the characters the only one I didn’t feel was Rachel and Andrea sister to sister bond. I don’t know what it was but the bond wasn’t developed into the story. Andrea has more of a role then Rachel in the story, but the author could have given Rachel more interaction with everyone.
Andrea starts off as a selfless all about me attitude that makes you just want to slap her, but in due time her attitude change once she’s slap with the reality of her grandfather past. She still questioning of years of “Why her grandfather didn’t step in to rescue the two from their mother taking them away from the Amish life.” All the years she has been mad at him for something he couldn’t prevent.
Cal is this handsome guy that comes to Grams with a helping hand and talent to craft furniture. Grams give him a chance to revamp his life while all the time is holding back his secret life that he left behind. Andrea is the only one that gets close enough to open that vault that only Cal has the combination to that still hunts him.
Grams have a lot to deal with at her age, her husband of so many years dies and leave her with financial problems. So she leases out some of her property and listen to Rachel to open up the B and B Inn. Grams want Andrea help but keep her at arm length when it comes to the financial problems. Something Andrea has to break through by going to their closes and dear friend Nick.
This is a mystery of who did it with the twists and turns of a great page turner that I just couldn’t put down. Out of all the characters the only one I didn’t feel was Rachel and Andrea sister to sister bond. I don’t know what it was but the bond wasn’t developed into the story. Andrea has more of a role then Rachel in the story, but the author could have given Rachel more interaction with everyone.
April 24, 2012
I was pleasantly surprised. I'm used to reading murder mysteries and rough humor but this feel good book was a nice change of pace. I was looking for some more books to download on my Kindle and this one was free so I took a chance with no real high expectations. I was absolutely wrong! This book was great.
This book takes place in Amish Pennsylvania. You have Andrea Hampton the financial expert from the big city looking to get her promotion at the company she works for. She is called home because her sister Rachel was involved in a car accident. Her main goal is to come back to her grandmother’s home and talk her and her sister out of opening a B&B called Three Sisters Inn. However as expected once she arrives there she is forced to rethink things that happened to her in the past and get over a grudge she has been holder for her grandfather. Strange things start to happen before the opening of the Inn, to many to be consequential. She meets her love interest Cal Burke.
Cal came to the Inn to get over his own demons in his past high paced life of being a Lawyer. I must admit his story is not what I was expecting and eventually I was pulling for him and Andrea to get together.
I felt that some of the book was pretty predictable (Andrea and Cal getting together). The more I read though the more I was wondering who was behind all the issues they were having before opening the Inn. I kept thinking that I had it down and I knew who did it and in the end I was completely wrong. There was also a part in the book where I was sure Andrea and Cal would finally get together and I was wrong yet again. So if you’re looking for a book that is innocent with some twists and turns this is the book for you. I'm so pleased with this book that I think I'm going to download the other 2 books in this series.
This book takes place in Amish Pennsylvania. You have Andrea Hampton the financial expert from the big city looking to get her promotion at the company she works for. She is called home because her sister Rachel was involved in a car accident. Her main goal is to come back to her grandmother’s home and talk her and her sister out of opening a B&B called Three Sisters Inn. However as expected once she arrives there she is forced to rethink things that happened to her in the past and get over a grudge she has been holder for her grandfather. Strange things start to happen before the opening of the Inn, to many to be consequential. She meets her love interest Cal Burke.
Cal came to the Inn to get over his own demons in his past high paced life of being a Lawyer. I must admit his story is not what I was expecting and eventually I was pulling for him and Andrea to get together.
I felt that some of the book was pretty predictable (Andrea and Cal getting together). The more I read though the more I was wondering who was behind all the issues they were having before opening the Inn. I kept thinking that I had it down and I knew who did it and in the end I was completely wrong. There was also a part in the book where I was sure Andrea and Cal would finally get together and I was wrong yet again. So if you’re looking for a book that is innocent with some twists and turns this is the book for you. I'm so pleased with this book that I think I'm going to download the other 2 books in this series.
January 12, 2012
In her rush to be by her sister's side after a hit and run accident Andrea herself becomes involved in a car accident. While she is not seriously injured, like her sister Rachel had been, this leaves her stuck at Grams without a way to return home. It also throws her into the arms of Cal, her Grams handyman and tenant. Solid, dependable Andrea finds herself face to face with the challenge of making her grandmother and sister make the responsible decision -- give up the idea of a B&B, sell the farm, and secure a financial future. Someone else also wants to stop the B&B from opening, going to great lengths to create obstacles for the family. Working with Cal to discover who is trying to thwart their plans, Andrea discovers that there are things in life that are more important than a career and financial security. she also comes to terms with long held grudges and misunderstandings that had kept her away from the farm. Cal, in turn, discovers that it is okay to open up and trust people again.
Perry creates a suspenseful atmosphere, and leads the reader to a variety of conclusions before revealing the true identity behind te criminal activities. She had me convinced I knew "who dunit" a few times, before leading me in yet another direction. To me that is a sign of a good mystery novel!
Perry creates a suspenseful atmosphere, and leads the reader to a variety of conclusions before revealing the true identity behind te criminal activities. She had me convinced I knew "who dunit" a few times, before leading me in yet another direction. To me that is a sign of a good mystery novel!
January 18, 2012
You will really enjoy this if you enjoy Christian fiction.
Andrea meets Cal while she takes a break from her corporate job to visit her Grandmother and sister (Rachel) when Rachel has had an accident. She is opposed to her grandma's and sister's crazy idea to turn her grandma's mansion into a Bed and Breakfast. But when sinister stuff starts happening she finds herself staying around to help sort things out. Her priorities change the longer she is around Cal, too. Although they seem so different at first, their attraction for each other is undeniable. Her grandmother is starting to show signs of aging and her sister is recovering from a hit-and-run accident -- which leaves Cal and Andrea depending on each other.
I really liked the addition of Amish characters in this story. I don't know much about the Amish and it was fun to see their personalities mixed in with Andrea's family!
Andrea meets Cal while she takes a break from her corporate job to visit her Grandmother and sister (Rachel) when Rachel has had an accident. She is opposed to her grandma's and sister's crazy idea to turn her grandma's mansion into a Bed and Breakfast. But when sinister stuff starts happening she finds herself staying around to help sort things out. Her priorities change the longer she is around Cal, too. Although they seem so different at first, their attraction for each other is undeniable. Her grandmother is starting to show signs of aging and her sister is recovering from a hit-and-run accident -- which leaves Cal and Andrea depending on each other.
I really liked the addition of Amish characters in this story. I don't know much about the Amish and it was fun to see their personalities mixed in with Andrea's family!
June 20, 2012
This is a cute story about a girl, Andrea, who is faced with the challenge to give up her career in order to be with her family. She struggles between the thought of helping her grandmother and sister and her powerful job in the city. Meanwhile she meets a nice guy named Cal who has a secret. Andrea is disturbed by some facts that have been happening in her community and tries to solve the mystery with the help of Cal. The two don't get along at first, but they become friends. Like I said, it's a cute story, especially for people who like Christian novels. I did find a little too predictable and at times not believable.
Perry did a great job keeping the novel PG rated.
Rate: PG
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes Christian novels and/or a very innocent love story. Keep in mind it's very predictable.
Perry did a great job keeping the novel PG rated.
Rate: PG
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes Christian novels and/or a very innocent love story. Keep in mind it's very predictable.
November 6, 2013
Andrea returns home after her sister has an accident and ends up in the hospital. Rachel, will be fine but Andrea's grandmother needs help to turn her home into a bed and breakfast. Andrea can't really spend the time, she has a job to get back to, but she feels guilty that there are things going on with her grandmother financially that she knew nothing about. Cal is renting a room in the converted tack room of the barn. He seems to know more about her family than Andrea does. Some strange things start happening on the property before the Inn is to open and Andrea and Cal join forces to find the saboteur.
I liked the story and it kept me guessing but some of the Christian parts seemed unbelievable in the parts of Cal and Andrea. I enjoyed the friendship between the Amish and the English.
I liked the story and it kept me guessing but some of the Christian parts seemed unbelievable in the parts of Cal and Andrea. I enjoyed the friendship between the Amish and the English.
September 15, 2014
This is a fun, quick-paced story sprinkled with suspense and romance.
What I liked: Each person in the story grew in character and discovered what was important to them as individuals. Ms. Perry kept you guessing about which one of the minor character was the one thwarting the women in the book who were struggling to open a bed and breakfast. Also, I enjoyed the display of love all the characters demonstrated and the way they supported family, friends and neighbors.
Overall, I give this book 5 stars. I enjoyed it thoroughly and would highly recommend it to anyone loving suspense and romance blended together to make a book worth reading.
What I liked: Each person in the story grew in character and discovered what was important to them as individuals. Ms. Perry kept you guessing about which one of the minor character was the one thwarting the women in the book who were struggling to open a bed and breakfast. Also, I enjoyed the display of love all the characters demonstrated and the way they supported family, friends and neighbors.
Overall, I give this book 5 stars. I enjoyed it thoroughly and would highly recommend it to anyone loving suspense and romance blended together to make a book worth reading.
February 5, 2011
Down loaded this to my Kindle on a whim.
I enjoyed the book. I probably wouldn't have picked it up if it had been properly filed in a religious category. And while I get that religion plays a center role in the Amish Country side, the energy spent in this book having the characters commune with God and Finding their way back to Him could have been better spent on character development.
This book also wasn't terribly long. Simply expanding the book with character development wouldn't have hurt either, even with the velvet wrapped bible thumping.
I enjoyed the book. I probably wouldn't have picked it up if it had been properly filed in a religious category. And while I get that religion plays a center role in the Amish Country side, the energy spent in this book having the characters commune with God and Finding their way back to Him could have been better spent on character development.
This book also wasn't terribly long. Simply expanding the book with character development wouldn't have hurt either, even with the velvet wrapped bible thumping.
May 17, 2010
If it wasn't for the intermittant "God, please show me the way" bits in this book, I think I would have liked it better. Not poorly written, has a decent theme, but I'm not much of a Christian literature fan and probably wouldn't have downloaded the book on my Kindle if I'd have known it was in here. The good news is that the bits about religion are relatively easy to ignore, and since the book also talks about Amish country, it doesn't seem TOO out of place.
July 8, 2009
I am not usually into romance. But this was a free book from Amazon on the Kindle. On the plus side it is clearly a Christian fiction book that doesn't preach at you. It assumes some faith and goes from there. It is also an ok love story and slight mystery. On the negative, it is pretty predictable. But it was a quick read, it was a clean love story and it was free.
January 9, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. It was about Andrea a city girl that has a hard time letting go of bad memories especially being called back to Amish country where a lot of them occurred.
Danger finds her there and she must have help from the carpenter living on the property, who has secrets from his own life. A book you want to keep reading.
Danger finds her there and she must have help from the carpenter living on the property, who has secrets from his own life. A book you want to keep reading.
October 29, 2009
Moderately good romantic suspense - I've certainly read worse!
Not a bad way to while away an hour or so, and as a bonus, it was a freebe download~
Not a bad way to while away an hour or so, and as a bonus, it was a freebe download~
January 13, 2012
Ending was a little lame but loved it to that point!
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