"Missionary Daddy" by Linda Goodnight

About this book:

  “To: Ashley From: Samantha
    Re: Sis, I've seen "him" again!
  Remember the handsome missionary I met during the modeling shoot? Well, his name's Eric Pellegrino--he's the new assistant director at the adoption agency "here in Chestnut Grove!" He's trying to find homes for the world's orphans, including two he's crazy about. International adoption isn't easy, especially with Tiny Blessings rocked by scandal--something we Harcourts unfortunately know all about. Eric wants a house full of kids, only I'm afraid my secret will keep us apart. Maybe with faith and a couple of matchmaking teens, the four of us can become a family!”


Series: A Love Inspired book and part of the “Tiny Blessings Tale” mini-series, but not directly related to any other books in the series (though other characters may be mentioned).


Spiritual Content- 1 Samuel 16:7 at the beginning; Scriptures are read, quoted, mentioned, & talked about; A bit of Bible reading; Prayers, Thanking God, & Blessings over food; Being witnessed to; A Sunday school lesson, church going, & a sermon; Thinking about God; Many Talks about God & being a Christian; Some ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Eric is a missionary; Sam isn’t sure what she believes, but is curious *Spoiler* halfway she asks Christ into her life *End of Spoiler*; A baby dedication; Many mentions of God; Many mentions of churches, mission teams, & missionaries; Many mentions of a young pastor, youth groups, Sunday school classes, & church going; Mentions of prayers & talking to God; Mentions of witnessing & Bible lessons; Mentions of Bibles & studying; Mentions of those in the Bible; Mentions of Christians, religions, & faiths; Mentions of dedicating children to the Lord; A few mentions of hymns & singing; A few mentions of being blessed; A mention of a miracle.

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘sissy’, two ‘idiot’s, three forms of ‘stupid’, and three ‘wimp’s; Mentions of crimes; Mentions of deaths, AIDs, & malaria; Mentions of when someone was nearly killed, the attempted murder, & threats; Mentions of babies being sold away from their mothers; A few mentions of blackmail; A few mentions of cancer; A few mentions of lies & lying; A few mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of almost drowning (teasing); A couple mentions of drinking & partying; A mention of a murder; A mention of hunting;

             *Note: A few mentions of brand names (Prada and Gucci); A mention of a celebrity.

Sexual Content- two palm/finger kisses, a cheek kiss, three almost kisses, two barely-above-not-detailed kisses, two semi-detailed kisses, and a detailed kiss; Wanting to kiss & embrace; Touches, Nearness, & Smelling (up to semi-detailed); Blushes; Noticing & Staring (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of Sam’s sister’s teenage pregnancy (no detailed); Mentions of touches, kissing, kisses, & almost kisses (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of boyfriends, girlfriends, crushes, & dates; A few mentions of jealousy; A mention of teens feeling pressured about sex; A mention of a teen not being pregnant; A mention of King David’s adultery; A mention of a chaperone; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;

             *Note: *Spoiler* Sam had an eating disorder and still struggles with the negative voices. Because of the effect it had on her body, she cannot conceive children *End of Spoiler*; Many mentions of & Talks about eating disorders (anorexia and bulimia); Mentions of models & modeling for a swimsuit edition (Samantha is a model); A couple mentions of a biological clock.

-Samantha “Sam” Harcourt

-Eric Pellegrino
                                P.O.V. switches between them
                                                        251 pages

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Pre Teens-

New Teens-

Early High School Teens-

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating-

{Not for those sensitive to eating disorders.}

While the writing wasn’t the best in this book (head jumping and odd descriptions), it was a decent read. I liked Sam and Eric along with learning what causes they were passionate about. There was a good amount of faith content, but I wasn’t a fan of all the kissing.  

See y’all on Friday with a new review!

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

"Time Will Tell" by Anne Mateer

About this book:

  “Returning home after two years at the Buffalo Ladies’ Seminary, Annis Jackson believes God has blessed her with the perfect homecoming: a whirlwind romance with a man she’s loved from afar during her time at school. Except the object
of her affections, Hugh Hylton, is related to her father’s most bitter enemy, a man determined to see Toledo firmly in the grip of the state of Ohio and the very one funding Hugh’s newspaper venture.
  After several years of newspaper work in Buffalo, New York, Hugh Hylton jumped at his uncle’s offer of financial help to start a newspaper on the opposite shore of Lake Erie. And when he discovers during the steamship voyage to his new home that the woman he’s been dreaming about for the past year, Annis Jackson, loves him back, his future seems secure. He arrives in Port Lawrence, part of the newly named town of Toledo, ready to approach her father and declare his intentions toward her.
But Annis fears Hugh doesn’t understand the depth of the personal conflict over the positioning of Ohio’s state line and persuades him to conceal their relationship until she can prepare her father to accept Hugh in spite of his family connections. Then the Michigan militia arrives in the Toledo Strip, determined to prevent Ohio elections, and the situation gets out of hand, making their secret more difficult to guard. Suddenly the future of the newspaper—and their relationship—is as unstable as the fate of Toledo itself.
  Will Hugh and Annis survive their feuding families? Only time will tell.”


Series: Book #2 in the “Coast-to-Coast Brides” series. They are not connected, but Here is the review of Book #1!


Spiritual Content- Ecclesiastes 3:11 at the beginning; A few Scriptures are quoted, mentioned, & talked about; Prayers & Thanking God; Talks about God & praying; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Hugh says he doesn’t hold to a personal God (he believes that God isn’t interested in the details of his life), and while he does find himself wishing he had a faith like Annis, he also wavers in that thought at times; Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers, praying, blessings over food, & thanking God; Mentions of churches & church going; Mentions of faiths & Christians; A couple mentions of the Bible; A mention of a godly plan; A mention of sin;

             *Note: A mention of someone’s name that is almost likens it to the devil.

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘dumb’, an ‘egads!’, and a ‘stupid’; A mention of wanting to curse (possibly); Annis sneaks out to meet Hugh; Annis does lie a bit to her parents (and she’s concerned with how easy it has become and repents near the end of the book); Pain & Injuries (up to semi-detailed); A bit of eye rolling; Mentions of a possible war & fighting; Mentions of violence & someone having the idea to stab another (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of pain & injuries (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of lies & deceit; A few mentions of possible deaths & flying bullets; A few mentions of gossip.

Sexual Content- a palm kiss, three forehead/head kisses, a cheek kiss, an almost (barely-above-not-detailed) kiss, a not-detailed kiss, eight barely-above-not-detailed kisses, and a border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kiss; Wanting to kiss (barely-above-not-detailed);

Touches, Embraces, & Nearness (up to semi-detailed); Wanting to embrace; Noticing; Mentions of blushes; A few mentions of chaperones; Love, being in love, & the emotions.

-Annis Jackson, age 20

-Hugh Hylton, age 24
                                P.O.V. switches between them

                                           Set in 1835
                                                  150 pages

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Pre Teens-

New Teens-

Early High School Teens-

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating-

While this wasn’t my favorite Anne Mateer book, it did have its cute moments. I thought it was different that the couple is already in love, so we don’t get to see their falling in love process like most “romance” books. I don’t think I ever quite warmed up to Hugh and Annis had some parts that I was shaking my head at, but it was overall interesting. I never knew about the Toledo war, so I learned some history through this novella.

See y’all on Wednesday with a new review!

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.