Review of "Princess Ever After"

Rating: 4 Stars

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Review: Rachel Hauck treats readers to modern fairy tales in her Royal Wedding Series. In "Princess Ever After," fantasy becomes real-life for Regina Beswick when she learns that she is a long-lost princess with the responsibility of a nation's independence on her shoulders. Life as a princess is not all fancy dresses and balls for Regina; she must cope with paparazzi and an influential political opponent.  Hauck sketches Regina as an everyday American girl with her own dreams.  It is easy to relate to her hesitancy in accepting a monumental change and the challenges it brings, both large and small.  Details like riding in the front seat with her chauffeur and asking household staff to address her by first name, reinforce Regina's image as an average person. 

"Princess Ever After" is a fairy tale, but with more believable elements.  Regina's transformation into a princess refreshingly veers from a mere physical change.  Her journey focuses more on emotion, faith, and family. Politics also plays an important role in Regina's path to the throne, and the political climate of Hauck's fictitious Hessenberg is a prominent part of the plot.  Although not complex, the details did not hold my interest, except for in a few tense moments.  

Tanner Burkhardt is a current version of a "Prince Charming."  He has led a far from perfect life, resulting in a failed marriage and broken family bonds.  The relationship between Tanner and Regina is easy and understated, but I would have enjoyed more complexity. Like other parts of the plot, their relationship tied up easily despite difficulties.  "Princess Ever After" is an overall light read with a happily ever after to satisfy readers.  

I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from Zondervan through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Summary from Zondervan: Regina Beswick was born to be a princess.

But she’s content to be a small-town girl, running a classic auto restoration shop, unaware a secret destiny awaits her. One that will leap from the pages of her grandmother’s hand-painted book of fairytales.
Tanner Burkhardt is the stoic Minister of Culture for the Grand Duchy of Hessenberg. When he is tasked to retrieve the long-lost princess, he must overcome his fear of failure in order to secure his nation’s future---and his own.

Yet lurking in the political shadows is a fierce opponent with sinister plans to abolish the throne forever.
Overwhelmed with opposition, Regina must decide if she’s destined to restore old cars or an ancient nation. Together---with a little divine intervention---Regina and Tanner discover the truth of her heritage and the healing power of true love.

Review of "Once Upon a Prince" by Rachel Hauck

Rating: 4 Stars

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Review: "Once Upon a Prince" takes readers into a modern fairy tale, complete with royalty, castles, balls, and romance.  Hauck offers the feel-good elements of a fairy tale while layering them with realistic issues.  While their feelings are mutual, the path to love is neither smooth nor direct for the two main characters, Susanna and Nathaniel. Though a happily-ever-after ending is expected, the question that drives the plot is how can such an ending be achieved.  Susanna carries baggage from a past relationship, and Nathaniel faces political pressures.  

"Once Upon a Prince" was a quick and overall pleasing read, but the political details slowed the plot in some areas. The political situation is a major hindrance to a future relationship between Nathaniel and Susanna, and it adds tension to the plot. Nathaniel's character is developed as he struggles to find a balance between duty to his country and the desires of his heart.  The political background became dull for me midway through the novel, but it was balanced by more interesting scenes.

I always enjoy Hauck's southern settings, and Susanna's hometown of St. Simon's Island is no exception. Hauck portrays the charm and tranquility that is synonymous with southern seaside towns.  Nathaniel's home in the kingdom of Brighton is a stark contrast to St. Simon's.  Hauck's descriptions bring the fictional nation to life, from the festive streets of the capital, to the large castle, and the glittering balls. I enjoyed watching Susanna take in the grandeur of Brighton and meet Nathaniel's royal family.  She is just an average girl, like most readers; so her reactions, emotions, and doubts are very relatable.  Some of my favorite scenes of the novel took place in beautiful county of Brighton, but I was also intrigued by the scenes set in St. Simon's. 

"Once Upon a Prince" is built around the classic scenario of an ordinary girl falling in love with a dashing prince.  Rachel Hauck gives the fairy tale a fresh spin with interesting new elements.  I am definitely looking forward to reading the future books in the Royal Wedding series and revisiting some of the characters introduced in this novel.  


I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Zondervan.  I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Summary from Zondervan:  "Once Upon a Prince," the first novel in the Royal Wedding series by bestselling author Rachel Hauck, treats you to a modern-day fairy tale.

Susanna Truitt never dreamed of a great romance or being treated like a princess---just to marry the man she has loved for twelve years. But life isn’t going according to plan. When her high-school-sweetheart-turned-Marine-officer breaks up instead of proposing, Susanna scrambles to rebuild her life.

The last thing Prince Nathaniel expects to find on his American holiday to St. Simon’s Island is the queen of his heart. A prince has duties, and his family’s tense political situation has chosen his bride for him. When Prince Nathaniel comes to Susanna’s aid under the fabled Lover’s Oak, he is blindsided by love.

Their lives are worlds apart. He’s a royal prince. She’s a ordinary girl. But everything changes when Susanna receives an invitation to Nathaniel’s coronation.

It’s the ultimate choice. His kingdom or her heart? God’s will or their own?

Review of "The Wedding Dress" by Rachel Hauck

Rating: 4 Stars

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Summary from Thomas Nelson: Four brides. One Dress. A tale of faith, redemption, and timeless love. 

Charlotte owns a chic Birmingham bridal boutique. Dressing brides for their big day is her gift . . . and her passion. But with her own wedding day approaching, why can’t she find the perfect dress…or feel certain she should marry Tim?

Then Charlotte discovers a vintage dress in a battered trunk at an estate sale. It looks brand-new—shimmering with pearls and satin, hand-stitched and timeless in its design. But where did it come from? Who wore it? Who welded the lock shut and tucked the dog tags in that little sachet? Who left it in the basement for a ten-year-old girl? And what about the mysterious man in the purple vest who insists the dress had been “redeemed.”

Charlotte’s search for the gown’s history—and its new bride—begins as a distraction from her sputtering love life. But it takes on a life of its own as she comes to know the women who have worn the dress. Emily from 1912. Mary Grace from 1939. Hillary from 1968. Each with her own story of promise, pain, and destiny. And each with something unique to share. For woven within the threads of the beautiful hundred-year-old gown is the truth about Charlotte’s heritage, the power of courage and faith, and the timeless beauty of finding true love.

Review: Enduring, finely detailed, beautiful, and inspiring.  Rachel Hauck's newest novel The Wedding Dress evokes the same qualities of the plot's common thread: a timeless wedding dress.  On the surface, the white wedding dress is just a dress; but as the story progresses, Hauck reveals a deeper symbolism. The perfect and ageless dress becomes an analogy for God's love.  It is also the link between four generations of women searching for the right husband.

Each of the four women in The Wedding Dress brings her own dynamic to the plot. Emily's willingness to break through injustices and social barriers is a powerful example of courage and faith.  I would have enjoyed more direct interaction between Emily and her future husband, but their feelings for each other are obvious even as Emily tries to overcome her emotions.  Mary Grace and her husband enter the novel as an elderly couple in their 90s. The strength of their love, faith, and dedication is sweet and heartwarming.  Hillary's story as a Vietnam War bride is heartbreaking and tragic.  As she discovers the history of her wedding dress with Charlotte, both women find the healing and strength they need.  While the love story of each past wearer of the wedding dress has been written, Charlotte's story is just beginning. She goes through a range of emotions over the course of the novel.  Her doubts about being a bride are understandable, and her love story is rocky at times while she works through her past, present, and future. When she finally lets go of her fears and puts on the wedding dress, her purpose becomes clear and her heart finds peace.

When I first read the summary of The Wedding Dress, I expected the plot to focus equally on each of the women who wore the dress.  Fortunately, the plot was not as predictable as I expected.  The journey of the dress from woman to woman is not a straight path; there are mysteries, twists and turns.  Along the way, Hauck introduces the past owners, each of whom faced different challenges and uncertainties when following their hearts and living faithfully. As present-day Charlotte discovers the story of the mysterious dress, she learns that following the right path can be easy or difficult and bring bliss or sorrow, but it ultimately leads to a perfect purpose.  With romance and mystery spanning four different eras, The Wedding Dress is a perfect fit for a wide range of readers.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review of Love Lifted Me by Sara Evans and Rachel Hauck

Rating: 4.5 Stars

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Synopsis from Thomas Nelson: A fresh start is a gift. So is having a hand to hold.

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Jade and Max share a deep love, though revelations from his past have recently shaken their marriage. And Jade is completely smitten with Max’s little son, Asa, whom she is now raising as her own. Their blended family brings her a joy she’s never known. But there is one more secret to be uncovered. One that will impact them all.

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Max is doing his best to “man-up” and prove himself worthy of Jade’s devotion. As well as that of his young son. It seems like life in Whisper Hollow, Tennessee, will pick up where it left off until Max is faced with an unusual opportunity—leave his family’s law firm to coach high-school football in Texas.

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Realizing a fresh start will bring healing to their marriage, Jade takes the leap of faith and moves with him and baby Asa, bidding good-bye to her beloved Blue Umbrella shop.

The new beginning in quaint Colby, Texas, is soon sullied when Max discovers the high-school program isn’t all it seemed. While Max struggles to rebuild a once glorious football team, Jade wrestles with news that could break Max’s heart . . . and change their lives forever.

Review: I have followed the winding road of Jade's story since The Sweet By and By.  Each novel in Sara Evans' and Rachel Hauck's Songbird series has been as touching and melodic as a country song.  A chorus of love, pain, healing, and faith flows through the series and into the third novel, Love Lifted Me. The conclusion of Softly and Tenderly left me with a lingering anticipation of what the plot of Love Lifted Me would hold for Jade and Max.

Throughout the course of three novels, Jade and Max have been through a multitude of hardships.  They have led imperfect lives, which makes them realistic individuals, not just characters in a book.  In the previous two stories, Max's personality annoyed me.  Love Lifted Me redeems his character and introduces a stronger and less self-centered side of Max Benson. True to the trend if the Songbird series, secrets threaten the tenuous relationship between Jade and Max.

The change in setting from Whisper Hollow, Tennessee to Colby, Texas introduces new characters and new challenges that keep the plot fresh and interesting.  There is a focus on football, which I found less engaging.  As a reader who knows very little about the game, the football scenes were ones that I skimmed. Since my first introduction to Jade, I have hoped for a happy ending to her story. Love Lifted Me is a heart-warming conclusion that flows with a steady tempo.

I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from NetGalley, courtesy of Thomas Nelson.  I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Read an Excerpt:

The Sweet By and By by Sara Evans and Rachel Hauck

Rating: 4.5 stars

As a fan of country star, Sara Evan's music and Rachel Hauck's novels, I was excited to discover that both women have joined forces and released an inspirational novel.  The Sweet By and By is a collaborative effort that successfully blends the emotional story lyrics present in Sara Evan's songs with the character development and humor that defines Hauck's novels.

In The Sweet By and By, Jade Fitzgerald is a young woman who is the owner of a vintage, antique shop and just weeks away from marrying Max Benson, a successful lawyer from an upper-class family.  With pasts that they both wish to forget, they agree to live in the present while embracing the future.  After Jade reluctantly sends a wedding invitation to her estranged mother, Beryl, memories from the family's past set ripples of pain and regret into motion.  These ripples soon turn into a wave of emotion that they must confront.  While the women struggle to reconcile their past, Max also faces the return of his former fiance and a secret that he wishes to keep from Jade.  Will Jade's and Max's love for one another surmount the obstacles that they face?

The Sweet By and By skillfully displays the complexities of family relationships and the power of forgiveness as individuals struggle to come to terms with their past actions and decisions.  While reading this novel, I was drawn to the unfolding story of Jade's and Beryl's tumultuous relationship.  Like this story, real-life is complex with no "perfect" endings.  Our lives are always a work in progress. 

I look forward to Sara Evan's and Rachel Hauck's upcoming novels in the Songbird series.  Hopefully,  readers will once again re-visit the lives of some of the characters in The Sweet By and By, especially Jade's younger sister, Willow.
~K