by admin | Jun 27, 2014 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Quilts, Romance
This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingRival HeartsAbingdon Press (June 17, 2014)byTara RandelABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Tara Randel has enjoyed a lifelong love of books, especially romance and mystery genres, so it didn’t come as a surprise when she began writing with the dream of becoming published. After finding Romantic Times magazine in a bookstore many years ago, she found information about writing organizations. Soon after, she joined Romance Writers of America. She located the local RWA chapter and immediately attended her first meeting. There was no stopping her after that!
Through Tampa Area Romance Authors, Tara learned all about the business of publishing, starting with the craft of writing to behind the scenes of publishing. She served as contest coordinator for four years and served as President for one year, enjoying the organization and the lasting friendships made there.
When not writing, Tara owns a business with her husband and stays busy with her two daughters. She lives on the West Coast of Florida, where gorgeous sunsets inspire the creation of heartwarming stories, filled with love, laughter and the occasional mystery. Enjoy!
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Molly Henderson and Ben Weaver have been rival magazine writers for the same publishing group for years. When both come up for the same promotion, they find themselves in an unexpected competition to win the spot. Molly, editor of Quilter’s Heart, and Ben, editor of Outdoor Adventures, must switch roles, each working for the other for one month, then submit an article at the end of their quests.
Can girly-girl Molly survive the outdoor adventures that Ben has planned? Can Ben navigate the perils of the social dynamics of quilting events without destroying a valuable quilt in one short month? More importantly, in this he-said, she-said situation, will Molly and Ben give in to their attraction and fall in love, no matter who wins?
If you would like to read the first chapter of Rival Hearts, go HERE.
MY REVIEW:
Rival Hearts was a light-hearted contemporary story in which two co-workers are forced to compete to win a coveted promotion. The catch is that each must succeed at something the other excels in which presents a bit of a challenge. Molly is a talented quilter but has never been outdoorsy or athletic because of her childhood allergies. On the other hand Ben is an outdoorsman/sportsman extraordinaire. As one might imagine, things get quite entertaining as Molly attempts to learn to kayak and Ben tries his hand at a quilt.
A fun and often humorous tale, Rival Hearts held my attention throughout. The characters were well-rounded and the plot revealed a few surprises as it progressed. This novel is just the right thing for a lazy summer day when you want a book that doesn’t make you think too hard. I enjoyed Rival Hearts and would read another book by this author.
by admin | Jun 8, 2014 | Books, Historical, Quilts, Romance
MY REVIEW:
I have enjoyed most of the novels in the Quilts of Love series so far but I have to be honest and admit that “A Stitch and a Prayer” fell a bit short for my personal preferences. For one thing, I was never really able to connect with the characters. They never quite came to life for me. I also had a problem with the way Florence’s husband Will left her virtually alone and pregnant to fend for herself in the wilderness in view of her previous medical history.
“A Stitch and a Prayer” did have a few moments of interest and historical background and I enjoyed the quilting details. I did like how other characters pitched in to support and take care of Florence and how her faith was strengthened as she was forced to depend on the Lord.
This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
A quilt becomes a labor of love for a lonely wife mysteriously separated from her young husband.
After her fiancé returns from the Klondike gold rush in 1897, Florence Harms sets about building a new life in her new marriage—even though the lingering effects of illness have left her weak and vulnerable. She and her young husband, Will, work tirelessly to clear the land around their Northwest cabin, content with their modest life.
But then a stranger comes knocking and Florence suddenly senses a restlessness in Will’s spirit that she had never seen before. When he leaves her with only a note that tells her he will return before their baby’s birth, she is devastated, and the illness that stiffened her joints returns. Counting the days until Will walks back through her door, Florence busies herself with a Tree of Life quilt displaying a map of the farm they call home. Doubts claw at her heart as Florence struggles to believe Will’s promise to return to her. Will her labor of love-and faith in God—sustain her as she waits to see her beloved once again?
Learn more and purchase a copy at the Quilts of Love website.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Eva Gibson is the author of twenty books, including “The Gift of Forgiveness” and “The Three Marys.” She currently teaches “writing your life story” classes for Portland Community College and is an active member of Oregon Christian Writers. She has lived most of her life on the family farm in Wilsonville, Oregon, which is the setting for “A Stitch and a Prayer.”
by admin | May 27, 2014 | Books, Historical, Quilts
This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingA Stitch and A PrayerAbingdon Press (May 20, 2014)byEva GibsonABOUT THE AUTHOR:
(No image available) Eva Gibson is the author of twenty books, including A Stitch and a Prayer, the latest release in the Quilts of Love series from Abingdon Fiction. She currently teaches Writing Your Life Story classes for Portland Community College and is an active member of Oregon Christian Writers. She has lived most of her life on the family farm in Wilsonville, Oregon, which is the setting for her novel.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
After her fiancé returns from the Klondike gold rush in 1897, Florence Harms sets about building a new life in her new marriage—even though the lingering effects of illness have left her weak and vulnerable. She and her young husband, Will, work tirelessly to clear the land around their Northwest cabin, content with their modest life.
But then a stranger comes knocking and Florence suddenly senses a restlessness in Will’s spirit that she had never seen before. When he leaves her with only a note that tells her he will return before their baby’s birth, she is devastated, and the illness that stiffened her joints returns. Counting the days until Will walks back through her door, Florence busies herself with a Tree of Life quilt displaying a map of the farm they call home. Doubts claw at her heart as Florence struggles to believe Will’s promise to return to her. Will her labor of love—and faith in God—sustain her as she waits to see her beloved once again?
If you would like to read the first chapter of A Stitch and A Prayer, go HERE.
by admin | Apr 21, 2014 | Books, Historical, Quilts, Romance, WWII
This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingA Promise in PiecesAbingdon Press (April 15, 2014)byEmily T. WierengaABOUT THE AUTHOR:
A Word from the Author:
I’m Emily, and I’m honored and humbled to meet you, friend.
We’re all stumbling along on this journey and you can approach me about anything okay? I’m an open book, with dog-eared pages and a worn cover.
I’m mama to two boys, ages two and four, and married to a farm-boy-turned-math-teacher. We live in a small Dutch hamlet with three churches, one Co-Op and no stop lights. There are a lot of fields out here, there’s a lot of space and sky for breathing and running and writing.
We foster two boys in addition to our own two, and before I had kids, I took care of my Mum who had brain cancer. She fought back and has recovered, all glory to God, and my pastor-father still holds her hand while they go for daily walks.
I battled anorexia nervosa as a child, and then again as a newly married woman, and I write a lot about body image now and have a passion for women to learn to love themselves.
My husband and I have battled infertility and are currently trying to adopt our third child through the local Alberta government.
I hurt for the church, and believe in it, and pray for it, as I’ve grown up inside its walls and have heard its groanings.
I have a heart for Africa, particularly Uganda, and went there in January on a bloggers’ trip with World Help.
My favorite things to do are read literary novels, play guitar, snowboard, paint with oil and acrylics and hug my babies.
I am the author of two books on eating disorders, a novel releasing this spring, and a memoir coming out this summer.
I hope you’ll connect with me on FB: https://www.facebook.com/emilytwierenga, or if you prefer, Twitter: @emily_wierenga. I’d love to have a virtual glass of wine, or cup of coffee, with you.
Peace to you friends,
e.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
After the end of World War II, Clara Kirkpatrick returns from the Women’s Army Corp to deliver a dying soldier’s last wishes: convey his love to his young widow, Mattie, with apologies for the missed life they had planned to share.
Struggling with her own post-war trauma, Clara thinks she’s not prepared to handle the grief of this broken family. Yet upon meeting Mattie, and receiving a baby quilt that will never cuddle the soldier’s baby, Clara vows to honor the sacrifices that family made.
Now a labor and delivery nurse in her rural hometown, Clara wraps each new babe in the gifted quilt and later stitches the child’s name into the cloth. As each new child is welcomed by the quilt, Clara begins to wonder whatever happened to Mattie—and if her own life would ever experience the love of a newborn. Little does she know that she will have the opportunity to re-gift the special quilt—years later and carrying even greater significance than when it was first bestowed.
If you would like to read the first chapter of A Promise in Pieces, go HERE.
MY REVIEW:
The legacy of a special baby quilt is told to a grandson by Clara during a lengthy family road trip to New Orleans for a special purpose. Clara’s story fills most of the novel but snippets of the present add contrast to the tale. A Promise in Pieces was a sweet story that chronicled most of Clara’s life complete with moments of joy, loneliness, tragedy, and grief. The characters were painted with a realistic touch and I particularly enjoyed reading about the loving relationship between Clara and her grandson. The story was well-written and should appeal to all who enjoy historical fiction as well as quilt lovers.
by admin | Mar 30, 2014 | Books, Quilts, Romance
MY REVIEW:
With Native American ancestry in both my family and my husband’s family, I am always interested in reading about them. There have also been quite a few quilters in our families and I have quilted some myself so the entire Quilts of Love series has been special. A Sky Without Stars combines the two and was both entertaining and informative.
Interestingly enough, the novel took place the year I was born. I was somewhat surprised at the amount of prejudice toward the Native Americans that was still prevalent during that era and also by the contempt so many of them held toward the “white God”. A Sky Without Stars opened my eyes to how these people were treated – possibly with good intentions to help improve their lives but with total disregard to their history and culture. No wonder they resisted the gospel!
I enjoyed A Sky Without Stars very much. The story was well-written and easy to read with strong characters that I could care about. Situations and emotions throughout the book were realistic and believable. I liked how everything was resolved at the end and would not mind reading more about these characters. I actually hated to see the story end.
This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.
About Quilts of Love: Quilts tell stories of love and loss, hope and faith, tradition and new beginnings. The Quilts of Love series focuses on the women who quilted all of these things into their family histories. A new book releases each month and features contemporary and historical romances as well as women’s fiction and the occasional light mystery. You will be drawn into the endearing characters of this series and be touched by their stories.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
In 1951, Frankie Chasing Bear is a Lakota caught between cultures. She wants to raise her son Harold to revere his Lakota heritage, but she knows he will need to become as a white man to succeed. After his father’s killed in a barroom brawl, Harold and Frankie move to Arizona, where she begins a Lakota Star pattern quilt for Harold with tribal wisdom sung, sewn and prayed into it.
She distrusts Christians, as her own parents were forced to convert at an Indian School, until she meets BIA agent Nick Vandergriff, a half-Lakota who’s also caught between cultures. Nick must convince Frankie that white men and Christians aren’t all bad as he tries to win her heart in order to put the stars back into her sky.
Purchase a copy and learn more at the Quilts of Love website.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Linda S. Clare is an award-winning coauthor of three books, including “Lost Boys and the Moms Who Love Them” (with Melody Carlson and Heather Kopp), “Revealed: Spiritual Reality in a Makeover World,” and “Making Peace with a Dangerous God” (with Kristen Johnson Ingram). She is also the author of “The Fence My Father Built.” She has taught college-level creative writing classes for seven years, and edits and mentors writers. She also is a frequent writing conference presenter and church retreat leader. She and her husband of thirty-one years have four grown children, including a set of twins. They live in Eugene, Oregon, with their five wayward cats: Oliver, Xena the Warrior Kitty, Paladine, Melchior, and Mamma Mia!
Learn more about Linda at: http://www.lindasclare.com
by admin | Mar 24, 2014 | Books, Historical, Quilts, WWII
This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingMaybelle In StitchesAbingdon Press (March 18, 2014)byJoyce MagninABOUT THE AUTHOR:
A word from the Author:
I am the author of seven novels. Five adult novels and two middle grade readers. I never wanted to do anything else but write and every day I wake up astonished that I get to do what I always dreamed about. My days are filled with words and images along with the usual family stuff. I have three children, Rebekah who is married to Joshua. They have three of the most adorable boys on the planet, Lemuel, Cedar and Soren. My daughter Emily Kate is a lovely young woman anthropologist and my son Adam is fourteen and a student–he’s a genius who loves frogs and lizards and fish and plants. He amazes me.
I have never eaten a scallop. I love cream soda. Drink way too much coffee. I do not like elevators but I do enjoy needle arts and of course books. I prefer jazz over country (no offense), milk chocolate over dark, but not roller coasters although my life has often resembled a roller coaster ride.
One of my life’s desires is to meet Amy Grant so I can tell her she saved my life.
Learn more about Joyce and her books on her Blog.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Maybelle can’t sew. But when she finds an unfinished quilt in the attic of her mother’s house, she gets the crazy idea to complete it. At first, it’s just a way to fill the lonely nights while her husband, staff sergeant Holden Kanzinzki, is away fighting in World War II.
Yet when Maybelle discovers that the quilt is made from scraps of material that can be traced back through her family heritage, the project is suddenly much more important. Then word comes that Holden is missing in action, and with little else to do, Maybelle clings to the quilt as much as to the hope that her husband is still alive. As neighborhood friends gather around Maybelle to help her through the unknown days and nights ahead, it is the quilt that becomes a symbol of her unflagging belief that Holden will return—to her, to their home, and to their quilt-covered bed.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Maybelle In Stitches, go HERE.
MY REVIEW:
Maybelle In Stitches is one of the latest additions to the Abingdon Press Quilts of Love series. Although I did have a bit more difficulty getting into the story, I found plenty to interest me once I did. The story takes place during World War 2 with a primary focus on the wives of soldiers fighting in the war. As these women waited for their husbands to return home, they not only managed their homes but often worked in factories to help the war effort. Maybelle and her best friend Doris both work as welderettes on ships but their evenings and weekends are extremely lonely and long. Working together on a quilt started by Maybelle’s mother, the friends and a few other military wives fill their free time putting together a quilt of hope.
The story manages to give the reader insight into the lives of these women as they experience life without their husbands and go through good times and tragedy together. A strong emphasis on the faithfulness of God no matter what the circumstance is present throughout the narrative. Another major theme is the importance of friendship in our lives.
