The Enchanted April

by Elizabeth Von Arnim
Rated PG

I'll file this 1922 novel under "Classics I'd Never Heard Of." Until I saw it mentioned as a reader favorite in a magazine article, that is. Of course, I'm always on the lookout for good books, so I picked it up at my local library right away and dug in.

The Enchanted April is aptly named, telling the story of 4 London women, near strangers to each other, who share a month's holiday at an Italian villa. Each with her own reason for desiring a few weeks of solitude and beauty, they find their attitudes and even their attributes changing as the spell of the place infects them.

A quaint little read in some ways, there were also moments where I cried in my mind, "Yes, that's just how it is!" Take as an example Lotty, a woman who entered the villa dissatisfied with nearly every aspect of her life, but as the serenity and beauty of her surroundings softens her heart and fills it with love instead of gloom, she finds it so much easier to overlook the shortcomings in others that used to plague her, to love without regard to being loved in return...in short, to be her better self. Whew! That was a long sentence, sorry about that. Hopefully, after reading this novel, you're so full of love that you'll disregard my literary shortcomings.

There are certain roundabout references in the book to the married bedroom, and one husband who makes a living writing biographies of royals and their mistresses, meriting the PG rating, but the references are general and vague, and I feel safe in saying this is a clean book.


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Interrupted

by Rachel Coker
Rated G

Already dealing with the loss of her beloved mother, Allie Everly's life is further uprooted when she is suddenly sent to the adoptive home of a woman she's never met, in a state she's never been to. Always something of a loner, Allie struggles to adjust and can't seem to open her heart to those who are trying to love her.

When Sam, a childhood friend / pest, suddenly shows up one summer, Allie has to decide if she is finally going to trust someone, or let her past forever weigh her down.

Although it's set in the 1940s, if the teenage dialogue in this book rings true, it may be because the author herself is still a teenager!

This book is squeaky clean (thanks, Rachel!) and Allie's conversion to Christ is a part of the plot, making it a good candidate for our General Christian category.

Edenbrooke

by Julianne Donaldson

Rated PG


I admit that I'm not much of a romance reader, and I have two very good reasons for that! First, there are almost always too many inappropriate scenes that I have to skip over, and second, after reading a romance novel I usually come away feeling like my life is lacking somehow because my heart doesn't flutter and my cheeks don't flush 20 or more times per day.

I couldn't resist, however, when Shadow Mountain Publishing contacted me about a new brand of novel they are promoting, the "proper romance". Billed as "...everything a romance novel should be, without all that other stuff..", I figured the genre sounded perfect for a review on this blog.

Edenbrooke does live up to the publisher's billing. A debut novel set in the Regency era, it's a well-written blend of romance and intrigue, helped along by charming settings, a headstrong female protagonist, and of course, a dashing, well-to-do gentleman.

Marianne Daventry is the spirited young lady who has weathered tragedy and is living a pretty somber existence with her grandmother in Bath. When she receives an unexpected invitation to spend a few weeks at an estate in the country with her twin sister, she jumps at the chance. Knowing that her sister has already laid claim to the dashing young heir of the estate, Marianne plans to spend the summer enjoying the countryside. Instead, she finds herself stalked by an unsavory character determined to have her grandmother's fortune, while at the same time losing her heart to the one man she can't give it to.

I ended up reading this novel in one day (at the expense of dinner making, housecleaning, and child rearing). The quick read makes it a great addition to your list of beach reads this summer. And as for the genre...I tip my hat to Shadow Mountain, women will be collecting these novels, I'm sure of it.

Edenbrooke is rated PG for some kissing and mild violence. Certainly appropriate for teens and up. I did not have to skip any scenes, but as for the other...I am more certain than ever that my heart doesn't flutter nearly enough!


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Heart on a Chain

by Cindy C Bennett
                               Rated PG-13

For Kate, life is pain. Pain at school, where her secondhand clothing and withdrawn personality make her the perfect target for bullies, but an even worse pain at home, where she lives with an alcoholic father and physically abusive mother. There is no safe place for Kate, except maybe her backyard swingset where, if she stays long enough, her mom will sometimes forget all about her and she can sneak safely into her bedroom after everyone is asleep for the night.

But all of that changes when Henry moves back into town. Her childhood crush, Henry seems to be the same kind, honest and gorgeous guy he always was, but Kate can no longer trust anyone's motives. Is Henry's attention just a set-up for a bigger humiliation? And even if Henry is sincere, the increasing level of abuse in Kate's home makes a relationship unlikely if not dangerous.

Ms. Bennett has crafted a realistic teen drama that was hard to put down. She has a great ear for YA voices, and I'm her newest fan.

This book was clean - there's quite a bit of kissing but it never goes beyond that. However, some of the abuse scenes are difficult to read, which is why I gave this book a PG-13 read. Not for tweens maybe, but appropriate for teens.


clean books, books that are clean, clean book reviews, clean books for teens, clean romance