A Loving Heart (Dicken's Inn #3)

*Spoilers*

The third installment of the Dicken's Inn saga picks up where the second left off.  Chas is pregnant with their second child.  Jackson has been baptized and they are looking forward to the time when they can be sealed in the temple.
We immediately find out that the baby Chas is carrying has a heart defect and may die at or before birth.  Jackson's former FBI associate calls to see if he will accept a woman in protective custody (hiding from the mob) at the Dicken's Inn. Jackson's sister comes to stay with the family to help.  Her son, a soldier in the war in the Middle East is injured and ends up moving in to the inn.  And Jackson's old FBI team member finally comes for a visit to help with the woman they are harboring........he may never end up leaving.

I think this may have been the best book in this series so far.  Jackson was all manly and cop like, which is a plus.  I do appreciate the way that Stansfield's characters approach situations and handle themselves very graciously and very gospel oriented, but I don't find it at all realistic.  This time Jackson seemed more human to me......especially when he whipped out his duty weapon.  Aside from the totally obnoxious fact that the characters are usually independently wealthy and function together as a couple.........ALL day, EVERY day (Which I consider to be the biggest work of fiction in these books)...the book was much more palatable.  It didn't have the emotional turmoil that many times harrows up these books.  I am ready for this series to be over.  I love Jackson and if he actually worked full time as an agent or a police officer he would probably be a much better character........but he runs an inn.....and is a little demasculinized by it.

Rating 3.5  More action.  Jackson actually uses a weapon....which he stopped wearing when he retired......and I find absurd.  The storyline containing the new baby was good and even though it was traumatic, it wasn't so mentally emotional that I felt like a dog going in cirlces after my tail.
Rating PG  Shooting!!!!

A Far, Far Better Place

A Far, Far Better Place by Anita Stansfield

Well you already know my opinion about having a police type in the book.  Anita couldn't have chosen a better character.  She did not however take my advice and make him normal.....meaning, living on the wages the state feels inclined to drizzle his way.  Ah, but he is so manly no matter his independent wealth.

Former Agent Jackson Leeds and his wife Chas run a little B&B.  Jackson and Chas are hap, hap, happy with their little inn and their little baby Charles.  Ah, but Stansfield can't let a good thing carry on for long.  Jackson's semi estranged mother dies.  Jackson promises her as she lay dying, to forgive his abusive father (who is also dead).  The anger and hurt that Jackson has always felt for his father bubbles to the surface as his mind and heart refuse to forgive the evil doings.  His intense feelings merge with the PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) that he suffers from due to being kidnapped and tortured as an FBI agent.  Jackson must find away to forgive his father so that his humble life with Chas can continue.

Sometimes I feel like Stansfield uses the same situations with new faces.  I would have to admit that this book is a type of many of her other books.  I did enjoy that she carefully illustrated being a strong, tolerant, loving and supportive spouse.  Chas never even seemed like she wanted to bust a cap in Jackson even though I am sure he was hard to deal with.  She also does a good job of weaving in gospel principles in a way that you can see how they would work in a regular person's life (regular except for the fact that Jackson is always at home to help with the baby and dishes......er getting way from myself).  Besides PTSD, which I found interesting, Stansfield's story centered on forgiveness.  How we all like to hold those grudges close to our hearts and cling on to them by digging in our fingernails!  She was able to show more than one side of the damage, and by doing so, how forgiveness is really for the forgiver.  Letting go of that rubble we pack around can be for us, not just the one we forgive.

Rating 3.5
Rating PG.....the kissing in the night, I am sure lead to sex between a married couple...but that was only insinuated.

First Love Second Chances

First Love Second Chances by Anita Stansfield

Well it seems I wasn't quite finished with being sentimental.........and I took in the second book. 
Clean, romantic, foreign, struggle with emotions and problems unique to the LDS culture.  Sigh.  I felt fulfilled.

This is the second book put out by Stansfield YEARS ago.  Loved it maybe a hair less than the first one.

Hopefully I am now able to move on to other literature.
Rating 5
Rating PG

First Love and Forever

First Love and Forever by Anita Stansfield

This was the first book I ever read by Stansfield and that is when I fell in love.  After my last read of hers, I was feeling a little sentimental so I reread First Love and Forever.

Emily is in an unhappy marriage to the man that she felt compelled to choose after much prayer.  Ryan was able to give her the one thing that the 'other' man couldn't, a temple marriage.  The 'other' man is Michael Hamilton.  A published Australian nonmember author that Emily met at BYU.  And as far as I can tell besides being an nonmember Michael is nearly perfect.  That aside, Ryan and Emily aren't making happy memories when, after ten years Michael comes back into the picture asking Emily to leave Ryan and marry him. 
What will she do?  Even though all works out in the end..........it is a painful process.
Stansfield at her best.  This is probably my number one top pick out of all of her books....actually her first five were great.
So if you either haven't read this particular Stansfield or you just need to revisit the Hamiltons......it is a nice cozy, romantic escape.
Rating 5 I've read it at least half a dozen times.  I love Michael Hamilton.....I will admit after this reading Emily started to wear on me........but then there was Michael.......
Rating PG   Kissing, reference to marital sex.

The Best of Times

The Best of Times by Anita Stansfield

Chas (short for Charles......but she's a girl) runs the Dickensian Inn while caring for her aged Granny.  Tragedy has left her with only that.  But you know Anita.......Chas isn't alone for long once the story opens. 
Jackson is an FBI agent (finally getting warmer Anita) taking a break from the work that has consumed his life and may now ruin it. 

Well after all of these years there is an armed man in one of these books!  If he were only a semi normal police officer........e.g. poor, then she would have finally hit the nail on the head.  But yet again, Jackson has saved all of his money and made great investments.
There was a lot of verbal banter.  I would have to say that this book was one of  those wordy books where I get tired of the characters talking to each other.  It moved up a notch once Jackson had to go back to the FBI.
I loved Jackson. He was like an M&M.....tough shell and sweet inside. Chas was a good woman with great faith.  She just did not do it for me this time.
I did like that this book had  tolerance for non LDS people........most of the characters were not Church members.  I also enjoyed that the various religious or nonreligious backgrounds were able to speak about values without wanting to kill each other (which would have made it more realistic).
It seemed like there was a lot of build up to the couple getting together and then ....meh, there they were. 

This was a fast, soothing read.  It is not one of my all time Stansfield faves. 
Rating 3
Rating G  So clean.......

The Silence of Snow

The Silence of Snow (Jayson Wolfe series #5) by Anita Stansfield

Jayson is just ready to release a new album. Times should be wonderful but he is about to learn the lesson of opposition. Tabloid rumors, rumors in his own ward, and illness bring him to another breaking point.

As always Stansfield has great core subjects. I was pleased that she chose to broach opposition. Jayson and his family come through clearly and without so much emotional turmoil that you can't understand what is happening anymore. This book also delved into dealing with chronic illness. Jayson began suffering debilitating migraines and a family member was diagnosed with Celiac Disease.

The Celiac Disease part was great. I was happy that she showed what a rigid, life/world changing disease this is and how little it is acknowledged by food companies.

The book was sweet, clean, fun and fast. She dropped most of her 'words' that I always look for. She picked up a few others....'glorious', and 'joyous'. Kind of funny.

I want to hear the music created by this character........I may also want to marry him. Mostly because he works from home.........

Rating 4
Rating PG The family talks to their teen about chastity. The ex-wife is abusing drugs.

Shelter From The Storm

Shelter From The Storm by Anita Stansfield

This is the fourth novel in the Jayson Wolfe series. Previously things seemed happily wrapped up. This time Jayson and Elizabeth are happy and progressing nicely when Jayson has some mental drama over a nosy ward member. She believes that Jayson is Hell bound because he plays rock and roll. She refuses to let her son have any contact with him. Jayson is released from his Young Men's calling because of this. Jayson spirals downward emotionally. He used to think that his musical talent was a gift from God. Now he is not so sure.

I always profess to be a Stansfield fan. I still am. Does it sound like I am about to say but? I am. I do adore her and will read her books over and over. However (but) there are some that are better than others. I loved the first three books in this series. This one seemed like a stretch and somewhat pointless. Also as Stansfield tends to do at times.........very mentally harrowing. One person wants to keep their feelings bottled up and the other one won't stop nagging them to just dump their emotion all over the floor like Kool-Aid. This gets tedious. By the end though, Jayson sees his former counselor and she actually wraps up the trauma with a great and concise explanation.

The reason I love Stansfield is because her characters have great character and grit. They abide on a spiritual plain that will take me eons of eternity to reach. So they give me things to think about. Her message.....however long it takes her to reach it......is always worth considering. I like that she is willing to broach timely subjects unique to the culture. I do love that many characters are independently wealthy.......truly helpful, but I would love to have a good juicy story about a daddy cop that has to work 7 jobs to keep the family fed, therefore not truly able to hold most callings where dependability is needed.....nor can he make it to every FHE or scripture reading. I wonder how he would ever make it on such a lofty spiritual plain. Please consider writing this and giving me some ideas. Just a thought.

Rating 4 ish.........love you Anita.
Rating G

Winds of Hope

Winds of Hope by Anita Stansfield

This is the third book in the Jayson Wolfe series. The book opens with Jayson having just committed himself to drug rehab for the prescription med abuse. He became addicted after an injury to his hand left him in pain and unable to play the piano or guitar. He has been staying with his old love Elizabeth and her father Will after Elizabeth feels prompted to call Jayson one night. He is just about to take his own life.
Rehab is a struggle but Jayson learns that his addiction stems from the pain of many years of loss being stuffed into a 'box'. First he was able to dull the pain with his music. After suffering that loss he overcompensated with prescription meds. As Jayson pulls out the pain from his 'box' and faces it he is able to recover. The 'box' was made when Elizabeth left him. He has since put in the 'box'; the death of his band members, his cheating wife and their divorce, his runaway daughter Macy, the death of his mother, his brother Drew having to join another band when their band......Gray Wolf ended, the death of his alcoholic and abusive father that he had no association with for years, the loss of his band, the loss of the use of his hand. He also lost his best friend Derek (Elizabeth's brother) during high school, to a freak car accident. But he dealt with that loss enough that it didn't end up in the box.
While Jayson is in rehab, Elizabeth gets a call on Jayson's cell phone, which she is in charge of, from Macy. Macy is in California, seventeen and pregnant by an abusive boyfriend. She wants to come home but doesn't know where Jayson is. Elizabeth flies out and brings her back to Utah. Jayson is released from a successful rehab and finds his greatest desire.......having Macy home, has come true. As Jayson prayed for the return of Macy, he promised his life to Jesus Christ. He has always believed in Christ but has no use for organized religion.
Things settle down as Jayson and Macy decide to stay with Elizabeth until Macy can birth her baby and return to school in order to graduate. Macy has her baby right after Christmas. She decides to give it up for adoption because she knows she can't take care of it. Jayson is not happy at first because he has always wanted more children. He sees the wisdom in Macy's decision and supports her.
Macy begins high school. She also begins attending Young Women activities after a kind advisor seeks her out and engages her. Macy meets Aaron and they begin dating as Aaron prepares for a mission. Macy investigates the LDS church as she helps Aaron with his preparation. She does not admit this to her father. She fears his reaction because she knows he does not believe in religion. Macy decides to be baptized but not to wait for Aaron.
Jayson meanwhile begins reading the Book of Mormon after Elizabeth's son Trevin gives him one. Jayson keeps this from Elizabeth. He still loves her and wants to marry her but he doesn't want her to think that he is embracing her religion just to placate her. Jayson reads and studies for quite some time, also talking to other members in order to learn all that he can. He decides to be baptized.
Elizabeth is still in love with Jayson. She hopes someday she will marry him. She does however wonder if his refusal to have anything to do with the religion that is such a part of her, will come between them. Her father Will points out Jayson's many good qualities and the fact that they have belonged together for years. Elizabeth still prays for an eternal companion since her dead husband Robert never had anything to do with the LDS church. Elizabeth decides she wants to be with Jayson and she thinks he may come around. She plans to ask him out on a date and make it obvious she is ready to have a romantic relationship with him again. During this time of contemplation for she and Jayson, Elizbeth becomes violently ill. She is rushed to the hospital as she hemorrhages. The doctor wants to do an emergency hysterectomy. Elizabeth asks for a blessing from her bishop. She has felt since the death of her husband and child that she will still have other children. The blessing confirms this. Her body is commanded to heal. The bleeding stops. A benign tumor is removed from her uterus. She and Jayson both hope the children she was promised in the blessing will be theirs.
Jayson and Elizabeth come to each other at the same time to unload their new desires. Jayson schedules his baptism for the 20th anniversary of Derek's death to celebrate the way his life is changing. It doesn't take more than a little dating and some serious thought before they decide to get married. Elizabeth tells Jayson she feels great guilt over leaving him when they were young. She comes clean with the fact that she never stopped loving him even when she left him, she was just scared. She also reveals that she had planned to ask him to come back when she found out that he was married. They both lament the loss of years together and wonder how their lives would have been if they had been married all along. Then they realize that they are grateful for the struggles and events in their lives and even though they wish that they had married in their youth, they know the paths that their lives did take were the right ones despite all of the heartache.
Jayson and Elizabeth marry before Jayson is baptized. His baptism comes and goes. He decides to begin making another album. He has gradually regained the use of his hand and since his conversion and marriage he has had a burst of creativity. Jayson writes all new songs. He calls Drew to see if he will help record. Drew and his new wife Valerie come to live with Jayson and Elizabeth while the new album is created. Elizabeth and Valerie are pregnant. Will has found a wife and has married and moved not far away.
Jayson talks Elizabeth into singing with him on the album. She has some misgivings because she doesn't want to tour with him. She wants to stay home with their children. She prays about it and feels like the right thing to do would be to sing on the album.
The new songs are a hit. The family goes on tour.......including new baby Derek. Life is great.
Elizabeth gets a new church calling in genealogy. She feels inspired to find out if Jayson has any living relatives. He does.......his estranged father's mother and sister. They meet. Jayson feels complete. He and Elizabeth have another baby.
Aaron returns from his mission. He and Macy marry. Happy, happy, happy.
This series is supposed to have one more book. I can't imagine what it could be about. After all of this happiness, I hope it isn't all marred by tragedy!
I had a good time with this book. Stansfield really came around this time and did a great job. She didn't pull the old.........lets mull over our memories and psychological pain until no one understands what is even happening. The characters dealt quickly and thoroughly with any issue they had. I was glad to have Elizabeth and Jayson finally get together after all of the years they wanted to be.
Rating 5
Rating PG totally clean but dealing with drug addiction, teen pregnancy, date rape........this isn't for your eight year old.

A Star in Winter

A Star in Winter by Anita Stansfield

Well, right in the middle of reading the first book in Ender's Shadow series I took a two day detour and read two Anita Stansfield novels. It was a nice break........you gotta have a little romance now and then.

Helen Starkey or Miss Star as she is known to her third grade class, is happy as a single girl. Helen is a healthy eater which I really like! I think I just made her sound like a fat single girl, but that isn't how I pictured her. Miss Star takes time each day to evaluate each of her students. She has been noticing a change in Scotty Brynner since the beginning of school. Her notes to his parents remain without response. One day Scotty is absent from school and Helen decides to pay a visit to his home. Helen discovers that the Brynner home has sold and Scotty's family has moved into a nearby apartment. Helen goes to the apartment and finds Scotty and his little sister Tamara home alone. The sitter canceled, Dad had to work and doesn't know the kids are home alone, and Mom has left to live with Grandma because of an illness. Miss Star comes in to the apartment and into their lives at just the right moment.
Since Mom is gone for an undetermined time. Dad has to work. Mom put the family in extreme credit card debt and Dad (Shayne) had to sell the house in order to pay the bills. Mom (Margie) left, feeling misunderstood and suffering from a minor heart problem which she wants serious attention from. She has let the heart condition get in the way of her taking care of her home and family. The only cure seemed to be shopping trips and staying out late with her friends. Helen asks if she can stay with the kids after school to help the family out. Shayne is happy to have a reliable sitter.
Helen quickly becomes an important part of the Brynner household. She takes over the shopping, cooking and childcare. There are even recipes of her best cooking at the end of every chapter.
Soon we find Margie's true intent all along when divorce papers are served to Shayne. Since he and Margie have been physically separated for sometime, the divorce goes through in days. And Ta-da!!! A serious second later..........Shayne and Helen are in love and planning a spring wedding. They get married and are happier than sin.
The romance happened super quick!! I could see it coming on Helen's part......hanging around Shayne and the kids all of the time, but I was surprised about the Shayne part. I guess he kept it well concealed until it was appropriate.
There were lots of Stansfield markers, which I point out every time just to humor myself........the word 'simple' was used CONTINUALLY!! Does anyone else pick up on this stuff? Simple recipe, simple puzzle, simple, simple, simple. Now the word sounds nutty.
Rating 4 There was cheese but I love cheese........just about every variety except Swiss. Super quick clean read. I picked it up because I knew it wasn't part of a series and I could zip through it. It was like a mini vacation.
Rating G

A Distant Thunder

A Distant Thunder by Anita Stansfield

This is the second book in a three part series. It is the continuing story of Jayson Wolfe and Elizabeth Greer. Jayson leaves Oregon and sets out for the bright lights and big city of L.A. to make his way in the music business. Elizabeth has declined his marriage proposal and goes to Boston for college. The book traverses 20 years of their lives mostly apart. Jayson's career takes an abrupt rise and a life altering crash along with other harrowing events..........true Stansfield style. Elizabeth makes a life without Jayson and has the secure easy going life she always wanted, except for without Jayson, whom she still wants.
The first book in this series, I felt like deviated enough from other Stansfield books that I was pleasantly surprised. This book goes right back to super emotional and of course her writing style and wording never change.
I hate to make it sound like I am bashing Stansfield. I enjoy her books because I like the issues that she undertakes (very pertinent for our times) and I like the way they are resolved even if others find it cheesy......it gives me good ideas on how I SHOULD have handled situations instead of how I DO handle situations. As ever I am a devoted fan that must own every wit of literature she releases.
It was a day well spent reading. I am excited for book three because I am a sucker for a happy ending no matter whom you have to kill off or divorce to get it.
Rating 4 (maybe a hair under since I don't think it was up to par with book 1).
Rating G Characters have good moral standings despite the lack of religious affiliation for much of the book.

The Sound of Rain

The Sound of Rain by Anita Stansfield





This is the first book in a new trilogy by Anita Stansfield. Jayson Wolfe is a musically gifted teen. He has just moved to a new state and is making lasting relationships with those he meets through his music. Jayson thus far, is not an LDS character. Nor are any of the other characters........for those of you not wanting to read LDS fiction. Jayson has had some very hard times in his upbrining and is facing many more as the book continues. The relationships are sincere and clean.


The author has a distinct writing style throughout all of her books. You can always tell that you are reading her material. She seems to use the same phrases or words such as; perfect or perfect joy, peruse, buffer. She uses the same adjectives a lot. Her characters are always talkers. Sometimes they talk too much. They are also always thinkers. Sometimes they think too much. She seemed to strike a better balance in this book than some other her other recent endeavors.


I have taken a lot of flack for reading this author, among friends and relatives. Guess what? I don't care. I enjoy that Anita is a clean, yet romantic author. She deals with some timely issues in most of her writing (death, divorce, illness, mental illness, blended families, pornoghraphy, premarital sex, addiction, abuse, responsibility............). Her female characters are strong yet not femenists. A character trait I detest. Her male characters are strong, good role models, gentlemen and emotional. I realize she is no Bronte sister, but she is still entertaining and uplifting.
I am excited to see what the next book holds in store for the characters.

I rate this book a 4.

I also give it a G +. It is clean, clean, clean language wise. She does deal with sexual issues (ie. chastity) so I wouldn't hand this book over to my little kids. But it is totally clean.