Lila Brooks believes in fairytale endings for everyone but herself. She coaxes her dream of opening a wedding shop into reality when she commissions Morgan Holt to transform a run-down Victorian house into an all-inclusive bridal boutique, Diamond Knot Dreams. Clover Cove’s residents have whispered that the house is filled with spirits, but superstitions have no place in Lila's life.
Morgan Holt spent the better part of his youth transplanted from one foster home to another. Separated from his older brother, Gunnar, at an early age, they’re reunited shortly after Morgan’s arrival to Clover Cove. But the last thing Morgan wants is to trust his heart again to a family—or a woman as beautiful as Lila Brooks. He has plans to finish work on the Victorian and then ride off into the sunset, a move he’s perfected over the years.
Soon Lila and Morgan have a chance at their own Happily Ever After, but will events from the past destroy their future?
Mary Manners is a country girl at heart who ives in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee with her husband Tim and their rescue dog Axel, cats Colby and Rascal, chickens and an aquarium teeming with fish.
Mary writes stories full of faith and hope. Her books have earned multiple accolades including two Inspirational Reader’s Choice Awards, the Gail Wilson Award of Excellence, the Aspen Gold, the Heart of Excellence, and the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award.
Mary loves long sunrise runs, Smoky Mountain sunsets, and flavored coffee. She enjoys connecting with reader friends through her website: www.MaryMannersRomance.com.
Lila Brooks has picked Clover Cove, home of the Cutler’s and the Cutler’s Nursery as her perfect place to start her wedding business.
Morgan Holt agrees to assist Lila with renovating a charming, albeit neglected, Victorian home into a one-stop bridal shop.
Things go awry from the beginning and don’t seem to get better as time goes on.
I enjoyed this story for a lot of reasons, not the least of which was the renovation aspect. The details of what is and is not possible during the renovation brought back pleasant memories of when I worked in new and renovation construction.
My heart felt for Morgan; I could understand how hard it was for him to let his guard down enough to allow others into his life.
Mary Manners always pulls you into the story and doesn’t let go. Her characters are relatable, her cities ever so charming and she doesn’t paint life as always being a bed of roses. In fact, she has quite a few thorns that have to be avoided or picked out after getting too close!
Veiled Gems, book one of the Diamond Knot Dreams Books, is just the right size story for a quick escape, one I’m sure you will enjoy!
I really enjoyed reading this book. Lila and Morgan got off to a little bit of a rocky start, but were able to get past it. There was a lot of emotion in this book. Both characters had things happen in the past that they had to come to terms with. I really liked the way that God’s timing isn’t always our timing was brought out in the story. It would probably be easier to get to know the minor characters by reading the Wildflowers and Wishes series that precedes this one. However, it is not necessary and I was able to sort out the characters without too much of a problem. I would recommend this book. I was gifted a Kindle copy of this book from the author and was not required to write a positive review.
The language in Veiled Gems flows smoothly and there is an absence of typos, which is always welcome. However, this stand alone Christian romance with an element of mystery, is a little bit "preachy" and I found myself getting frustrated with Lila's patronising attitude. There is romance in the story although the focus of the book was on dealing with mistakes of the past rather than the relationship between Lila and Morgan. The book is obviously the first in a series and it would appear that there will be other episodes to follow as there are unresolved issues such Lila and Morgan's discovery in the attic. I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily post this review. This is my honest review.
I enjoyed every bit of this book, though its quite emotional. Lila wanted to open a bridal boutique and sought the help of a builder, Morgan to help renovate an old Victorian house she bought. Morgan came from Nashville to Clover town for it and met his long lost brother, Gunnar, who they parted ways several years ago under terrible circumstances and had to live in various foster homes, so he held that grugde against his brother for a long time. But, he was able to overcome it and forgive him. The book is mostly about overcoming past hurt and mistakes mixed with a little romance. It's a nice christian romance. "I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review".
A new series by Mary Manners. I love it so far. Veiled Gems is in the Diamond Knot Dreams book 1. Lila Brooks moves to fulfill her fairy tale dream. She is going to open a Wedding shop. She bought this old Victorian house. Hiring the work to redecorate it to Morgan Holt. A story goes along with the house it has spirits living there from the pass . But what was that that moved across the window? Why is the third floor door locked and no key? Morgan has his own skeleton's in his closet. Can Lila end up with her fairy tale coming true or will things of the pass keep them apart? Awesome story with developed characters. Hope to see more of them.
Short Christian Story. 2.5* Both Morgan and Lila have suffered anguish and loss in their past but although their stories were sad, I didn't feel how it had affected them nor was I moved to tears. I wouldn't call this a romance but more a coming to terms with a past with the help of God. I was surprised that the book ended with an engagement as I never felt a emotional connection between the two of them. The story for me lacked depth. I received a complimentary copy of this book from eBook Discovery. I was not compensated for my review, and I was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed here is my own.
This is another sweet love story by Mary Manners. I've read a few of her other stories and they were nice too, but this one was just a little bit too religious for my tastes. In all honesty I wouldn't have chosen this to read if I had known, but it was still a nice read. It would be great for anyone happy to read a love story with a few mentions of God and church etc. Not my cup of tea though.
I received a copy of this book from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.
I appreciate the opportunity to get to read the first book in the Diamond Knot series. This is a "what dreams are made of" book. A young woman getting to fulfill her heart's desire and meeting someone very special at the same time. Some drama to break up the pace, a few "unexplained" occurences, love, family and faith, all you could ask for in a book. It is a very quick read but you will be ready to start the next book to get to know more about these characters.
When Morgan comes to work on the wedding shop he is surprised when he finally meets Lila. Morgan is truly a amazing man, he struggles with his childhood memories. Lila is a amazing woman who helps by listening to him. When Gunnar shows up at the pizza place Morgan’s life will change. The characters in this book are all very special people. The author will have you on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next. You will feel God working throughout this whole story. I had the honor to review this book for the author for a honest review.
This is a short sweet story where faith and love are the main focus of the plot in this story, however, I must say that I am not the most church people ever I still like it what bothered me was the fact that I wished that the characters were more developed but on the whole it was a pretty good short story.” I received a copy of this book from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.
I received a copy of this book from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.
This is a really cute short read that has some very unexpected drama. Lila and Morgan are so great together, but they both have their own problems in the past that they have to deal with and overcome. This book definitely goes into how important faith is to Lila and helps Morgan with his own faith. I liked this book and it definitely held my interest even though it was so short.
Veiled Gems is the first book in a new series by Mary Manners. It is a story that proves one must deal with the past in order to move forward with the future.
I enjoyed the start of this series and will be reading Jeweled Dreams which is the next book in the series. I am looking forward to reading more about the characters of Clover Cove.
"I received this book from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily reviewed this book and this is my honest review"
Wonderful start to the series. Lila is excited to get her wedding shop up and running and also to meet Morgan, the man that's doing the restoration. Morgan came from Nashville to the small town to do this project for Lila. He ends up with so much more. Loved the characters and the storyline. Sweet and clean romance.
A short, small town romance with good characters with backgrounds I'd love to see fleshed out more. I wish it was a longer, full length novel, but there was good stuff here. I met characters from Magnolias and Mercy later on in their lives.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
She plans on opening a bridal shop - and has hired a man she thinks can help her renovate it When they meet to discuss it - he finds his brother who he has not seen since a child!!! This is such a good book - God can work thru very unusual circumstances!!!! I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts and comments are my own.
What a super love story. Loved how Morgan and Lila met and how they handled their relationship. Wow, what forgiveness needed to take place between Morgan and .... but that would be a give a way. You must read this delightful story for yourself. Guaranteed to be a true heart warmer.
Lila is opening an bridal shop and she hires Morgan and he has to come from Nashville. When he comes to Clover Cove to remodel the house for the bridal shop he finds a lot more there. Another great book by Mary Manners. Love the description of the scenes in the book.
Veiled Gems is a wonderful story that tells how Lila and Morgan meet, but it is also about the reuniting of a family. If you love small town romance where people support one another, then you will love this series.
This romance is about overcoming problems to find love. I loved the storyline and the amazing characters. This book is recommended for those who love Christian romance.
Renovate a Victorian mansion and find a long lost brother in the process. Lila is just opening and she has bookings for weeks as the town booms around her to make Diamond Knot Dreams a reality.
Very enjoyable book to read. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series. Learning about the next people has me anxious to continue reading.
There may be more than one gem for Lila to discover
Mary Manners delivers the start of another series of sweet small town romance. If you like her Honeysuckle Cove series, you will love these as well. Lila is determined to fix up the sweet little house for her bridal boutique, but she's given up on being a bride herself. Morgen is running from his idea of a past that haunts him horribly. When he comes to remodel the boutique with Lila & discovers he was wrong about the past, can the 2 move beyond tragedy & Embrace love?
I received a free copy of this book from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review. The main characters are fairly likeable, This is a sweet, clean romance ....Both characters had things happen in the past that they had to come to terms with... i found ita bit preachy so was bored ....couldnt hold my interest.... Lila's character is strong , her dreams of opening a wedding shop & trying to achieve it quite inspiring...Morgan's character is quiet understanding...overall a good read... i found d book ok....
I received a copy of this book from Ebooks Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review. Short and sweet. I really enjoyed this little story. Great characters. I love how it's all about God's timing, forgiveness and second chances.
2.5 stars. A short story that lacked relationship development. Most of the book was spent dealing with the H&h baggage in a very religious focused way, with the h coming across as very preachy. A longer story could have helped flush out the romance. Overall, an OK story but not one I would reread. * I received an ARC of this book from eBook Discovery and this is my voluntary and honest review.