by admin | Aug 2, 2016 | Books, Historical, Key West, Romance
MY REVIEW:
“Honor Redeemed” was one of those books that made me wonder continuously how everything would eventually be resolved. For most of the story, it certainly looked like Prosperity might choose the doctor although her heart was still tender toward her former fiance. Then it would look favorable for David for awhile and change yet again. My goodness, I was second-guessing that girl through the entire book!
Christine Johnson’s writing is superb! I could literally feel the intense heat and heavy, humid air of the Florida Keys and hear the crashing waves and sea birds. Her characters were deftly drawn with both good and not-so-good characteristic that made them all the more believable. David’s mistakes were unfortunate and made me think of warnings to young men from the book of Proverbs. Surprisingly, I found David easier to relate to than Prosperity (great name, by the way!) but was never certain quite why that was.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed “Honor Redeemed” and my return visit through its pages to the Florida Keys. I look forward to the next installment of this series.
A copy of this book was provided for review by
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Two years ago, Prosperity Jones waved farewell to her beloved David as the army sent him to faraway Key West. Now with her parents gone, she has but one prospect for the future: make the dangerous journey from Nantucket to Key West to reunite with David and secure a happier life.
But when Prosperity arrives penniless in the South, she is dismayed to find David has not been eagerly awaiting their reunion. In fact, he is married to someone else. Scrambling to survive and nursing a broken heart, Prosperity gains the friendship–and the affection–of a kind doctor. Could he be the answer to her loneliness? Or will her life be upended by circumstance yet again?
With a deft hand, Christine Johnson fills the senses with the sights, sounds, and smells of Key West in this heartwarming story of honor lost, honor redeemed, and a love forged in adversity.
Read an excerpt from “Honor Redeemed” HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
© E.A. Creative Photography 2013
Christine Johnson is the author of several books for Steeple Hill and Love Inspired and has been twice named a finalist for Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart® award. When not writing, she loves to hike and explore God’s majestic creation. These days, she and her husband, a Great Lakes ship pilot, split their time between northern Michigan and the Florida Keys.
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by admin | Jul 29, 2016 | Books, Historical, Regency, Romance
MY REVIEW:
I found “An Elegant Façade” to be a thoroughly enjoyable read although I sometimes have difficulty understanding all the societal dictates of that era. Although some readers have complained about repetition, especially for the first few chapters, it was helpful for me to refresh my memory from “A Noble Masquerade” and to also see the same events through Georgina’s viewpoint.
Georgina was a piece of work! Her determination to garner attention by her unique style was just a subterfuge to distract from her low self-esteem due to a secret she hid from even her own family. She hoped that if she could marry well, her husband would protect her and her secret from ever becoming public. Her desperation for the right husband led to the brink of disaster on more than one occasion.
I was well into the book before Georgina’s secret was revealed and I was certainly surprised by it. I had actually imagined something more shameful but the revelation brought understanding about some of her actions even though her reasoning was pretty skewed. I was so happy when a close call and a good friend’s intervention helped her to see the truth.
I was rooting for Colin from the very start even if he technically was not qualified as a match to Georgina. He was the perfect hero and most importantly, a true friend to Georgina despite his frustration with her actions.
“An Elegant Façade” was the perfect follow-up to “A Noble Masquerade”. I loved both books and can’t wait to get my hands on the next one. Kristi Ann Hunter has earned her place on my favorite authors list!
A copy of this book was provided for review by the author and Bethany House.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Lady Georgina Hawthorne has always known she must marry well. After years of tirelessly planning every detail of her debut season, she is poised to be a smashing success and have her choice of eligible gentlemen.
With money and powerful business connections but no title, Colin McCrae is invited everywhere but accepted nowhere. He intends to marry someday, but when he does it will not be to a shallow woman like Lady Georgina, whose only concerns appear to be status and appearance.
But beneath her flawless exterior, Georgina’s social aspirations stem from a shameful secret she is desperately trying to keep hidden–and that Colin is too close to discovering. Drawn to each other despite their mutual intent to avoid association, is the realization of their dreams worth the sacrifices they’ll be forced to make?
Read an excerpt from An Elegant Façade Here.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kristi Ann Hunter graduated from Georgia Tech with a degree in computer science but always knew she wanted to write. Her debut novel, A Noble Masquerade, is a RITA double finalist. She lives with her husband and three children in Georgia. Find her online at www.kristiannhunter.com.
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by admin | Jul 28, 2016 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Romance
MY REVIEW:
“Through Raging Waters” was action packed from the very first pages. As if severe thunderstorms compounded with spring snow melt threatening to destroy the town of Timber Springs were not enough, personal health crises, a nearly impossible rescue effort, and a dangerous hostage situation complicate matters for everyone involved. The story moves along at a speedy pace that leaves very little room for the reader to catch her breath.
Most of the narrative revolved around the Fitzgerald family and those closely associated. It was evident early on that the Fitzgeralds had some serious problems among its members that played out often through their angry outbursts. Melissa Hampton, a close family friend, had her own issues. She was determined to prove herself and frequently made impulsive decisions that put her own life and those of others in serious danger.
On one hand, I enjoyed reading about life in Timber Springs and how the townspeople worked together to save it. Blare’s descriptions of the terrain and life in the area were intriguing. On the other hand, I never could develop much of a connection with any of the characters. The relationship between Paul and Melissa lacked something vital – I simply couldn’t seem to care one way or another if they got together. Hopefully some of the family issues will be resolved in a sequel to this novel. There were a few signs that was beginning to happen but I did not discern any actual resolution.
Overall, the author handled a very complicated story well. I did like the way her characters grew in their faith as they met nearly insurmountable odds. “Through Raging Waters” would be a good read for those who enjoy fast action and adventure.
A copy of this book was provided for review by Celebrate Lit.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
If Mother Nature has her way, Timber Springs will never be the same…
A warm spring and early rainstorms melt the snowpack. Spring runoff compounded by the storm of the century sends Timber Springs into a tailspin.
Tossed into the role of rescuer, local pharmacist Paul Fitzgerald must face his past before the whole world falls apart. While he fights to contain the beast around him, he finds his steadfast control slipping through his fingers. And life…everyone’s life…hangs by a thread…once again.
She isn’t a hero. Melissa Hampton has her own demons to battle. After she learns of her mysterious beginnings amidst her mother’s keepsakes, she faces more than just the river rushing outside her door. Now, she must discern friend from foe…but as waters rise and tension climbs within Timber Springs, she needs to rise to the challenge or lose the only man she’s ever loved.
Can two people find each other through raging waters?
Purchase your copy here.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Renee Blare’s nose has been buried in a book for as long as she can remember. Raised in Louisiana and Wyoming, she started writing poetry in junior high school and that, as they say, was that. After having her son, a desire to attend pharmacy school sent her small family to the University of Wyoming in Laramie. She’s been counting pills ever since. While writing’s her first love, well, after the Lord and her husband, she also likes to fish and hunt as well as pick away on her classical guitar.
Nestled in the foothills of the Wind River Mountains, she lives in Wyoming with her husband, crazy dogs, and ornery cat. She serves her beautiful small town as a pharmacist while penning her stories about struggling Christians as they travel along the journeys of their lives. She loves to interact with readers and invites you check out her website, blog, and social media.
Blog: Renee’s Inspirational Moments
Group Blog: The Diamond Mine of Christian Fiction
Website: Renee Blare|Christian Author Website
GUEST POST FROM RENEE BLARE:
I Wrote a Book
Five years ago, I wrote a book…and then I wrote another and another and another. Many said that the words flowed like a river onto the page. Or I painted a picture with letters. As for me? I simply write what I see so you can see it too. What about you? Do you want to write a book?
If so, there’s one thing I’d like you to know. A book’s like a child. It starts out small or simple with garbled language…often repetitive and indistinguishable. Kind of like when a baby babbles “dada” over and over. And then that moment comes when you rejoice because you hear him say “mama.” That’s the growth every book…writer…reader…yearns for.
Different stories float around inside an author’s mind, flowing in a way much like labor. Some authors plot, others don’t. And still others combine the process in a convoluted method. But like birth, no matter how the words eventually find their way to the page, the development of a book doesn’t stop with its first dawn. It takes time, energy, and growth.
Take my first release, To Soar on Eagle’s Wings. Five years ago, I wrote it, my very first book, in three months. And it was awesome! I couldn’t believe it. God brought the plot together in a phenomenal way. But publication wasn’t the next step. I had a lot to learn before that could happen.
My latest release, Through Raging Waters is the example of a writer’s growth, but also her soul. I learned that I had to leave more than my knowledge and my heart on the page. I needed to leave a piece of my soul. When you read Paul’s struggles, you read mine. Melissa’s fear and confusion? Yes, they’re mine. The anger, the pain . . . the trials, the lessons learned are scriptural but also first-hand, taught by my Father.
Writing is more than a job. It’s more than a hobby. It’s sharing your knowledge, your hope with the world. So if you want to write a book. Do it. Then take that next step, and the next. You’ll get there. Oh, and I can’t wait to read it!
BLOG STOPS:
July 19: Pause for Tales
July 20: Book Reviews From an Avid Reader
July 21: Captive Dreams Window
July 21: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations
July 22: Singing Librarian Books
July 23: A Reader’s Brain
July 24: A Greater Yes
July 24: Eat, Read, Teach, Blog
July 25: bigreadersite
July 25: Cassandra M’s Place
July 26: D’S QUILTS & BOOKS
July 26: Splashes of Joy
July 27: Blossoms and Blessings
July 27: Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner
July 28: Daysong Reflections
July 29: Quiet Quilter
July 30: Texas Book-aholic
July 30: Lights in a Dark World
July 31: Bukwurmzzz
July 31: Through the Open Window
August 1: Carpe Diem
GIVEAWAY:
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To celebrate her tour, Renee is giving away a wonderful package that includes a $20 Cabelas gift card, a set of her series paperbacks (books 1 and 2), and fleece blanket.
Click here to enter: https://promosimple.com/ps/9f08 |
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by admin | Jul 26, 2016 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, FBI, Law Enforcement, Romance, Romantic Suspense, Suspense
MY REVIEW:
“Deadly Encounter” may be one of my favorite novels by DiAnn Mills to date. From the discovery of a dead man and an injured dog at the very beginning all the way to its exciting conclusion, I had difficulty putting the book down.
The sometimes fast but always steady paced plot contained plenty of danger and excitement which included dead bodies, mysterious illness, military drones, and so many possible suspects it was no wonder even the FBI had trouble solving the case. The romantic element was subdued and for the most part took a back seat to the action and suspense. I liked the primary characters, especially the extremely gifted Whitt who tried to steal the show from Stacy and Alex. Woven into this wonderful tale is a thread of faith as Stacy and Alex realize they need to return to theirs and Whitt’s fear that God might just be like his own abusive and negligent father.
You can’t go wrong with any of DiAnn’s novels and “Deadly Encounter” would be a great one to start with if you’ve never read any of them.
A copy of this book was provided for review by the Tyndale Blog Network.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Airport Ranger volunteer Stacy Broussard expected a peaceful Saturday morning ride around the perimeter of Houston’s airport. What she encounters instead is a brutal homicide and a baffling mystery. Next to the body is an injured dog, the dead man’s motorcycle, and a drone armed with a laser capable of taking down a 747.
Though FBI Special Agent Alex LeBlanc sees a clear-cut case of terrorism, his past has taught him to be suspicious of everyone, even witnesses. Even bleeding-heart veterinarians like Stacy. But when her gruesome discovery is only the first in a string of incidences that throw her life into a tailspin, Alex begins to wonder if Stacy was targeted. As a health emergency endangers Stacy’s community, and the task force pulls in leads from all directions, Alex and Stacy must work together to prevent another deadly encounter.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She combines unforgettable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels.
Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests. Library Journal presented her with a Best Books 2014: Genre Fiction award in the Christian Fiction category for Firewall.
DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers; the 2015 president of the Romance Writers of America’s Faith, Hope, & Love chapter; a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, and International Thriller Writers. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas. DiAnn is very active online and would love to connect with readers on any of the social media platforms
listed at her website.
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by admin | Jul 23, 2016 | Amish, Books, Contemporary Fiction, Romance
MY REVIEW:
Cindy Woodsmall has a unique talent for taking an Amish novel and making it so relevant for almost everyone, no matter what their religious preference might be. “Fraying at the Edge” is the second book in her The Amish of Summer Grove series and continues the story of two babies accidentally swapped at birth who have spent their lives with the wrong families. The two young women could not be much more different and when forced to live with their biological families for one year, their lives are changed forever.
Ariana misses her Amish family and finds modern life in the city stressful and confusing, however she quickly learns to adapt and even enjoys driving a car. She is only allowed to be in contact with one Amish person, Quill, a long-time friend but she is still angry with him because she believes he lied and deceived her more than once. Nevertheless, Quill is the only person who can help answer some of her questions so she is in contact with him frequently. If she only knew he loved her would she run the other way?
Skylar is not at all happy to be a part of a large Amish family and resents helping with the chores and work around the farm and in Ariana’s restaurant. Not only that but it has become increasingly difficult for her to find the drugs she needs to support her addiction. Is there any hope for Skylar and can the selfless love of her Amish family help her overcome?
“Fraying at the Edge” is such a powerful novel that I find it difficult to put into words. Each character is so well defined that I felt I knew them intimately. Each of them had things in their lives that made them react the way they did. I liked the way Quill and Ariana discussed their faith which made her question why she believed what she did. I also loved seeing the changes in Skylar’s behavior as she responded to the unconditional love of her family.
“Fraying at the Edge” is one of those books that is better read in order in its series. Book one, “Ties That Bind” lays the background necessary to understand “Fraying at the Edge” more completely. Now I cannot wait for the final book of the series.
A copy of this book was provided for review by Blogging For Books.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Family, community, faith, and love.
These “quilt blocks” sewn together made Ariana’s beautiful life.
When they are pulled to pieces, will anything familiar remain?
The Old Order Amish life Ariana Brenneman loved vanished virtually overnight with the discovery that she was switched at birth twenty years ago. Now she’s immersed in the Englischer world, getting to know her mother and under the authority of her biological father, an atheist intellectual with resolute plans to expand Ariana’s worldview. Only Quill Schlabach, a childhood friend living Englisch, can help steady Ariana’s tilting ground between the two worlds, but can she trust him after so many betrayals?
At the same time, Skylar Nash is forced to choose rehab or spend several months with her true relatives, the large Brenneman family and their seemingly backward life—no electricity, no technology, no fun. What the young woman can’t leave behind is her addiction to illegal prescription drugs and deep emptiness from the belief that she doesn’t belong in either family.
New ties are binding Ariana and Skylar to the lives they were meant to have. Can they find the wisdom and strength they’ll need to follow God’s threads into unexpected futures?
Fraying at the Edge is the second novel in The Amish of Summer Grove series.
Read an excerpt of Fraying at the Edge
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Cindy Woodsmall is a New York Times and CBA best-selling author of numerous works of fiction and one of nonfiction. Her connection with the Amish community has been featured widely in national media. She lives in the Foothills of the North Georgia Mountains with her family.
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by admin | Jul 23, 2016 | Books, Historical, Romance, Texas, Western
MY REVIEW:
I am not ashamed to admit that I love Mary Connealy’s novels! I grew up watching TV westerns with my Dad and have had a weakness for the west and cowboys ever since. I thoroughly enjoy escaping to the Old West through Mary’s novels for a few hours and especially love her strong female characters. “No Way Up” is her latest novel and the first of the new Cimarron Legacy series.
I learned quickly that Chance Boden, owner of the Cimarron Ranch had three children but only the one of them interested in the ranch was Justin who helped his dad run it. Older son Cole lived in town and ran the family mine business from there. Daughter Sadie also lived in town and was committed to helping at the orphanage. When Chance was severely injured in a rock slide, he demanded that Cole and Sadie immediately move back home or they would all lose the ranch at his death. That is where the fun and drama began.
I loved, loved, loved the fact that Heath Kincaid is all grown up and the hero of “No Way Up” and he grew up into a fine young man. (what else would you expect?) Heath was definitely the perfect match for Sadie who had a mind of her own and wasn’t afraid to jump right in there with the menfolk with chores and refused to be left behind on dangerous missions – even climbing cliffs.
The story is full of Mary’s trademark humor, plenty of drama, action, mystery, and suspense as well as romance and kissing – lots of kissing. What is not to like about “No Way Up”? A fun story about family loyalty and faith, this novel left me eagerly waiting for the next installment of The Cimarron Legacy. Hope I don’t have to wait too long!
A copy of this book was provided for review by
Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
The Fight for the Cimarron Ranch Has Just Begun!
When Cimarron Ranch patriarch Chance Boden is caught in an avalanche, only the quick actions of hired hand Heath Kincaid save him. Before leaving by train to receive treatment to save his leg–and possibly his life–Chance demands that Heath read the patriarch’s will and see its conditions enforced immediately. If Chance’s three bickering adult children, Justin, Sadie, and Cole, don’t live and work at the ranch for an entire year, ownership of the ranch will pass to a despised distant relative.
Before long, however, Heath discovers that the avalanche may have been intentionally set–and that more danger lurks ominously. Finding his own future–and a desired future with Sadie–locked up in saving the Cimarron Ranch, Heath and the Boden siblings must work together against outside forces that threaten them all.
Read an excerpt from “No Way Up” HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Photo courtesy of Ginger Murray Photography
Mary Connealy writes “romantic comedies with cowboys” and is celebrated for her fun, zany, action-packed style. She has more than half a million books in print. She is the author of the popular series Wild at Heart, Kincaid Brides, Trouble in Texas, Lassoed in Texas, Sophie’s Daughters, and many other books. Mary lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero. Learn more at www.maryconnealy.com.
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