Mrs. Ryan Moser's Book and Movie Reviews

Sunday, May 11, 2025

The Mother’s Day Tea by Martha Fouts

The Mother’s Day Tea is the third book I have read, written by Martha Fouts, and I look forward to reading more. This was such a great book; it does not have to be read only around Mother’s Day, but it was a joy to read coming up to the celebration of the day. I was able to enjoy the audiobook, read by Lisa Lynn Sandlin, and she did such a great job. I cannot get enough of her audiobooks. Her voice just brings the characters to life and makes it so enjoyable. The character development was so good. I loved getting to know Brooklyn and seeing her struggle with all that Mother’s Day brings. It was a great reminder that the celebration of mothers can also be a hard day for some. Jonah has his own hurdles he must overcome. As he is working on co-parenting with his ex-wife while she is moving on. Jonah must overcome these obstacles and seek God in the process. The storyline was great and very hallmark. I loved the meddling aunt, the baker/caterer meets firefighter- single dad, it made for a great story. The pastor’s wife, Maureen, plays matchmaker and asks Brooklyn and Jonah to work on a silent auction for the Mother’s Day Tea at church. Oh course, nothing is that simple. The relationship between Brooklyn and Jonah was a sweet, low-spice romance. I loved watching them fall in love and seeing them both open up their hearts and pasts. Martha Fouts did a fantastic job intertwining faith throughout the book. I was encouraged. *I received a complimentary copy from the author and voluntarily chose to review it. All opinions are my own.

The Mother’s Day Letter by Martha Fouts

The Mother’s Day Letter is the second book I have read, written by Martha Fouts, and she has become an instant read for me. This is a novella, so it is a shorter book, but don’t skip it and miss out on this sweet story. I enjoyed the audiobook read by Lisa Lynn Sandlin, and she did such a great job. She made the characters come to life, even singing parts in the book. Here is your fair warning: once you start it, you will not be able to put it down. The character development is good. Natalie is dealing with a lot of different things in her personal life. Seeing her work through her past, to be able to move forward. The storyline was great. Natalie is trying to navigate the first Mother’s Day after her aunt Wanda died, who was like her mother to her. Her aunt left her with a letter with things to do. I love the whole concept. Watching Natalie try to fulfill her aunt’s letter while being a party planner. She finds herself in trouble in different situations. The relationship between Natalie and Shawn is a second chance, it is a very low spice. Martha Fouts did a fantastic job intertwining faith throughout the book. *I received a complimentary copy from the author and voluntarily chose to review it. All opinions are my own.

Friday, May 9, 2025

The Shop Down the Lane by Leslie Gould

The Shop Down the Lane is the first book I have read written by Leslie Gould, and it was such a joy. The nod to You’ve Got Mail and the bird watching elements was a fun dynamic. I could not put this book down. The character development was good. I enjoyed getting to know Lois and learn more about her community. It was interesting looking at her struggles of being from a smaller family, having lost both parents, so she is battling figuring out living on her own in the Amish community. Moses was an interesting character. It took a little bit to figure him out, and I’m not sure I really understood him totally. He was Amish and chose to become Mennonite. He is taking care of his mom; she is in an assisted living facility, but he is trying to bring her back home. Which would take a lot out of anybody. Dealing with his past and trying to manage his future is a lot. The storyline and setting were fantastic. I enjoyed the Lancaster County setting. With the rolling farmland and small Amish community. I enjoyed the You’ve Got Mail feel to the story. I had a personal connection to this story with the bird watching as my family is starting to do a bird watching class. I enjoyed that aspect of the story. It was fun seeing the letter circle. What a fun concept. The romance element was sweet and clean. Low-spice, slow build, as it was an enemies-to-lovers element. It was perfect. Leslie Gould did a good job including faith elements throughout the book. *I received a complimentary copy from the author and voluntarily chose to review it. All opinions are my own.

Wednesday, May 7, 2025

Rescued Heart by Megan Besing

Rescued Heart is the second book I have read written by Megan Besing, and it was fantastic. This is the seventh book in the Last Chance Fire and Rescue series, though it can be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone. There is some crossover in characters. The character development was good. I enjoyed getting to know Bia and Eddie. Bia is an actress and has layers to peel back to figure out who she truly is. Eddie and his heart for the foster kids is truly sweet. The storyline was good. I felt it lacked a little bit of the traditional Lisa Phillips/Last Chance County elements. It was a lot more on the acting side of the storyline than the fire and rescue aspects. Though we do see a lot of that in the story, it had a different feel, not necessarily in a bad way, just different. The relationship between Bia and Eddie was sweet and low-spice. A fake dating relationship turned into more. Megan Besing did a great job intertwining faith throughout the book. *I received a complimentary copy from the author and voluntarily chose to review it. All opinions are my own.

Tuesday, May 6, 2025

Giveaway and Review: Perfect by Kimberly Keagan

Perfect JustRead Blog Tour

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Perfect by Kimberly Keagan, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Perfect
Series: Hearts on Display #1
Author: Kimberly Keagan
Publisher: Ventana Publishing, LLC
Release Date: May 6, 2025
Genre: Historical Romance

In the glittering era of the Gilded Age, the heirs of Philadelphia’s Denwall Department Stores navigate family expectations, relentless ambition, and unexpected love.

William Walraven’s picture perfect life is turned upside down when his fiancée jilts him for an English aristocrat and his father refuses to name him as his successor. To prove he’s worthy of leading Denwall Department Stores, Will must open their first New York store under budget and before the Christmas shopping season.

Overwhelmed by disappointment and a nearly impossible deadline, Will has no time for distractions—especially not the captivating bookseller he saves from being crushed by a beer wagon.

Ivy King and her aging grandmother are barely keeping their struggling bookshop afloat. Though drawn to the charming, enigmatic man who saved her life, Ivy has no illusions about her place in the world. It certainly isn’t beside a department store heir whose dazzling emporium threatens to close her family’s business.

Brought together in the wake of an attack on Will’s brother, Will and Ivy find themselves at a crossroads—torn between the expectations that define them and a future neither expected.

Perfect is a clean, wholesome historical romance featuring opposites-attract tension, class differences, a touch of mystery and humor, and an inspirational journey of faith and love.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

About the Author

Kimberly Keagan discovered her love for romance novels at thirteen, often choosing a book over chores. She believes there's nothing like being transported to another time and place to find a happily ever after.

Kimberly is blessed to have her own handsome hero husband and two wonderful children. After earning a degree in accounting, she enjoyed a career in investor relations, writing financial reports and press releases—terrific jobs, though not very romantic. Now, she's pursuing her dream of writing historical romance. Her short stories have been published in Spark Flash Fiction and Short Fiction Break. Kimberly's debut novel will release in 2025. When not reading or writing, Kimberly enjoys baking, gardening, watching sports, and researching her family tree.

Connect with Kimberly by visiting kimberlykeagan.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email newsletter updates.

Review

Perfect is Kimberly Keagan’s debut novel. It was a pleasure to read her first published works. I look forward to reading some more of her works. It was a sweet Gilded Age story.

The character development was good. I enjoyed getting to know William and see how he went through being jilted by his fiancée. Seeing his heart, his desire to launch the new department store for his father, while also helping out Ivy and spending time with her. Ivy was fun to get to know. She has a past to overcome, losing her parents and trying to keep their dreams alive, while also dealing with her leg that is shorter, which seems to be an embarrassment to her.

The setting was perfect: Manhattan, New York, in 1895. I loved walking the streets and envisioning the city at that time, seeing the beginning of department stores, the pushback, and the thoughts behind the need for them. I enjoyed the storyline. It made for a slightly slower pace after some of the other books I have been reading, but it was perfect.

The opposites attract relationship that blossoms between Ivy and Will is great. I loved watching them fall in love, and then overcome the hardships of being from different classes and untold truths. It made for a great low-spice romance.

Kimberly Keagan does a great job intertwining faith throughout the book.

*I received a complimentary copy from the author and voluntarily chose to review it. All opinions are my own.

Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will receive a “Perfect” Tea Time Bundle which includes a lovely tea set, a signed copy of Perfect, and other cozy reader treats—like a candle, stickers, coaster, and bookmark!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight May 6, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 13, 2025. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Saturday, May 3, 2025

Not Quite Mr. Knightley by Kim Griffin

Not Quite Mr. Knightley is the second book I have read by Kim Griffin, and it was great. Once again, she has written a book in which I connected with the characters on such a deep level that when I got to the end, I had to pause for a moment to say goodbye.

The character development was great. Nancy goes through quite the refiner’s fire. I love watching God work in her life as she goes through heartache and overcoming the consequences of her sin. Walt is such a caring guy. I loved watching him grow as a husband and faith.

The storyline was great. I loved that though Nancy's sin was more evident, Walt shared his past with his wife. Even though they had some hurdles to overcome, they were able to make things work.

The romance was good. Very low spice, the marriage of convenience, boy/girl next door trope was a slow burn, but I loved seeing it all work out.

Once again, Kim Griffin did such a great job intertwining faith throughout the whole novel. I came away refreshed and encouraged in my faith.

*I received a complimentary copy from the author and voluntarily chose to review it. All opinions are my own.

Tuesday, April 29, 2025