by admin | Jun 4, 2014 | Books, Contemporary Fiction
MY REVIEW:
It is amazing how quickly life can change – how everything you take for granted can be snatched away in an instant. One would hope you would react appropriately and courageously but the initial shock might induce the opposite reaction. I personally hope I never have to learn that particular lesson the way Claire Massey did.
“A Woman of Fortune” chronicles what happened to the Massey family after a criminal investigation leads to the loss of nearly everything. Reactions of each family member differed in sometimes surprising ways. Claire experienced a gamut of emotions as she found her life changing daily. Her decisions were not always applauded by others but she was determined to make a future for herself. Forced to choose between bitterness and forgiveness, Claire bravely sought to do the right thing.
Well written and honest, “A Woman of Fortune” was not always easy to read due to some of its gritty but tactful scenes. The story contained valuable lessons for everyone – not just the very rich and powerful who find themselves taken down a peg or two. A thoughtful story with a strong theme of forgiveness and restoration, this novel is well worth reading.
This book was provided for review by
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
You never know what you’re really made of until you lose everything.
Texas socialite Claire Massey is living the dream–designer clothes, luxury cars, stunning homes. But everything comes crashing down when her charming cattle broker husband is arrested for fraud. Suddenly she finds herself facing attorneys, a media frenzy, and a trail of broken hearts. Betrayed and humiliated, Claire must face incredible odds to save her family–and discover a life worth living.
Author Kellie Coates Gilbert delivers a story both poignant and emotionally gripping that celebrates the kind of fortune that lasts.
Read an excerpt from “A Woman of Fortune” HERE.
Endorsements:
“In a story torn from the headlines, Kellie Coates Gilbert follows the roller-coaster ride of a white-collar fall from grace. With a unique feel for one woman’s struggle to heal the wounds of broken trust, A Woman of Fortune delves deftly into the meaning of family, the bonds of love, and the healing power of faith.”
Lisa Wingate, national bestselling author of Wildwood Creek and The Prayer Box
“Gilbert’s writing is smooth and engaging, and she explores emotional issues with grace.”
Julie Kibler, bestselling author of Calling Me Home
“Kellie Coates Gilbert has penned an emotionally complex story, depicting how the powerful Massey family handles a critical disruption in their lives. As each member of the family deals with the damage differently, their journey inspires us to explore our own hearts and our ability to survive painful challenges with our souls intact.”
Julie Cantrell, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Into the Free and When Mountains Move
“I didn’t want to watch, but I couldn’t look away as Claire Massey’s seemingly idyllic life shattered around her well-heeled feet. Kellie Coates Gilbert takes an engrossing, all-too-real story of crime and greed and surprises us with a tribute to the overcoming power of true love.”
Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, the Belle of All Things Southern and author of Sue Ellen’s Girl Ain’t Fat, She Just Weighs Heavy
“Kellie Coates Gilbert’s background as a legal investigator sets A Woman of Fortune apart. Countless times throughout this harrowing story, I found myself engrossed not only in the plot and characters but also in the detail given to the Massey family’s tumble from fortune and subsequent rise to the true meaning of life and love. Heroine Claire Massey’s decision to embrace forgiveness after such an intense betrayal will surely resonate with readers from every walk of life.”
Jolina Petersheim, bestselling author of The Outcast
“From the heights of glittering Dallas society to gray prison walls, Kellie Coates Gilbert deftly draws readers into a world of privilege, avarice, betrayal, and ultimately, redemption. A Woman of Fortune, the story of one woman’s struggle to know herself and protect her family, is not to be missed.”
Cathleen Armstrong, award-winning author of Welcome to Last Chance and One More Last Chance
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kellie Coates Gilbert is a former legal investigator and trial paralegal who investigated the largest cattle fraud case in US history. Her legal experience gives her an insider’s view into how people react under pressure. Gilbert explores the complexity of relationships in her emotionally charged stories about women in life-changing circumstances. The author of Mother of Pearl, she currently lives in Dallas, Texas, with her husband. Learn more at www.kelliecoatesgilbert.com.
by admin | May 30, 2014 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Romance
This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingUntil I Found YouBethany House Publishers (May 6, 2014)byVictoria BylinABOUT THE AUTHOR:
A word from the Author:
This may sound crazy, but I was driven to write romance by giant bugs and killer rabbits. I just couldn’t take it anymore. My husband and two sons would be camped in front of the television watching a movie about spiders the size of bowling balls, and I’d be wondering when the handsome scientist would get around to kissing the spunky woman with the bug spray. When it didn’t happen, I decided to write my own happy endings–without the giant bugs…
Known for her realistic, likable characters and vivid writing, Victoria Bylin writes both western and contemporary inspirational romance. Her books have finaled in the ACFW Carol Awards, the Rita Awards and RT Magazine’s Reviewers’ Choice Awards. She and her husband currently live in Lexington, Kentucky and have two grown sons.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Finding each other was only the beginning . . .
When Kate Darby swerves off a mountain road to avoid hitting a California condor, she ends up trapped in her car, teetering on the edge of a cliff. Terrified, she breathes a prayer that changes her life.
It’s Nick Sheridan who comes to Kate’s rescue. Nick is handsome and confident, and he seems to develop a habit of rescuing her, but Kate is in town only until her grandmother recuperates from a stroke. She’s not planning to get involved with one of the locals.
Nick is a reformed veteran of life in the fast lane, a new Christian, and a travel writer. When he sees a car dangling on the edge of a cliff, the daredevil in him jumps into action. He doesn’t expect to be swept off his feet by the car’s occupant. He’s made a vow–no dating for a year–but keeping that vow is going to be a lot more difficult now that he’s met Kate Darby. . . .
If you’d like to read the first chapter of Until I Found You, go HERE.
MY REVIEW:
Until I Found You is a story about choices that affect one’s life. Nick Sheridan has lived life his way and the world’s way for many years but has recently turned it over to the Lord. Kate Darby is fairly successful in her career and has great ambitions to become even more so. Their encounter on the side of a mountain when Nick saves Kate’s life is the beginning of changes and challenges for each of them.
Beautifully written, Until I Found You probes the depths of human emotions in a way that hits close to home on many levels. Both Nick and Kate are authentic and believable characters who touch the reader’s heart. Each of them encounter and overcome major obstacles in their lives and eventually find the truth and love they seek.
I loved the story of Kate’s grandmother and the condors that is woven so seamlessly within the pages of this book. Grandmother Leona was a special lady and a major supporting character.
by admin | May 23, 2014 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Romance
MY REVIEW:
“All My Belongings” is a powerful and emotional novel that deals with some very difficult subjects. Pain, grief, and regret are present throughout the story but hope, faith, love, and forgiveness eventually overcome all obstacles.They say you can’t run from your past. In Becca’s case, her attempts to escape the aftermath of her father’s infamous trial and conviction only added to her stress levels. A new name and a new job across the country seemed to call for a reinvented history but Becca was not entirely comfortable with the lies that required. All too soon, Becca’s past caught up to her and the repercussions were not pretty. In many ways Becca’s situation was ironic due to her background, but God used those circumstances to eventually give her the home and family she had always yearned to have. One particularly difficult decision forced Becca to totally rely on God’s grace to see her through.
Becca’s employer/friend Isaac Hughes is just the type man that Becca has dreamed of but he too has some personal issues that need to be laid to rest. Although he has loved and been loved by his adoptive parents, Isaac still has questions about his origins that he would like to have answered before he pursues a life with Becca.
“All My Belongings” is dramatic, suspenseful, and has several surprises in store for the reader. I highly recommend this one.
This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
A new life and a new identity can’t protect Becca from a past that refuses to go away.
After spending years running from the shame her father put on her family, Jayne is determined not to let him steal her future in the same way he stole her childhood. Changing her name to Becca Morrow, she moves to California and settles into a new life and new job caring for ailing mother of handsome young businessman, Isaac Hughes.
But just as she’s wondering if she and Isaac are headed for a relationship, Becca’s patient passes away under unusual circumstances. Suddenly, her past catches up with her and the unnerving details of her heritage threaten to destroy all sense of home and all hope for love.
Even if she could clear her name, a phone call wraps a suffocating shroud around her heart. Her estranged father needs her help. But can Becca open her new life to the man who ruined her past?
Purchase a copy and learn more at Cynthia’s website.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Cynthia Ruchti has more than three decades of radio broadcast experience with “Heartbeat of the Home” radio and currently serves as Professional Relations Liaison for American Christian Fiction Writers. Find Cynthia on the Web at www.cynthiaruchti.com.
All My Belongings | Enter to win a $200 Visa Card from @CynthiaRuchti & RSVP for 6/11 LIVE Webcast Event
Cynthia Ruchti asks what it takes to overcome your past and become who you were meant to be in her latest novel, All My Belongings. Cynthia has woven a heart-wrenching tale of forgiveness, grace, and learning what it means to truly belong.
Cynthia is celebrating the release of her latest novel with a fun giveaway and a live webcast event!
One winner will receive:
- A $200 Visa cash card
- All My Belongings by Cynthia Ruchti
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 11th. Winner will be announced at the All My Belongings LIVE webcast event on June 11th. Connect with Cynthia for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Cynthia will also be taking questions from the audience and giving away books, fun prizes, and gift certificates throughout the evening.
So grab your copy of All My Belongings and join Cynthia and friends on the evening of June 11th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven’t read the book, don’t let that stop you from coming!)
Don’t miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today by signing up for a reminder. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 11th!
by admin | May 21, 2014 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Mennonite, Romance, Suspense
This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingGathering ShadowsBethany House Publishers (May 6, 2014)byNancy MehlABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Nancy Mehl lives in Wichita, Kansas with her husband Norman and their dog, Watson. She’s authored thirteen books and is currently at work on her newest series for Bethany House Publishing.
All of Nancy’s novels have an added touch – something for your spirit as well as your soul. “I welcome the opportunity to share my faith through my writing,” Nancy says. “It’s a part of me and of everything I think or do. God is number one in my life. I wouldn’t be writing at all if I didn’t believe that this is what He’s called me to do. I hope everyone who reads my books will walk away with the most important message I can give them: God is good, and He loves you more than you can imagine. He has a good plan especially for your life, and there is nothing you can’t overcome with His help.”
She and her husband attend Believer’s Tabernacle in Wichita.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Wynter Evans is a promising young reporter for a television station in St. Louis, but even a bright future doesn’t take away her pain over the disappearance of her brother nine years ago. So when she stumbles across a photograph of a boy with an eerie resemblance to him, she can’t pass up the chance to track him down. With research for work as her cover, she sets out with one of the station’s photogs for the place where the picture was taken: the town of Sanctuary.
Almost as soon as she arrives, she meets the town’s handsome young mayor, Rueben King, and together they begin to uncover long held secrets that could tear the small town apart and change everything Wynter thought she knew about her life. As the truth of her family’s past hides in the shadows, it’s clear someone will stop at nothing to keep the answers she’s searching for hidden forever–even if the cost is Wynter’s very life.
If you’d like to read the first chapter of Gathering Shadows, go HERE.
MY REVIEW:
Sanctuary is an isolated town in rural Missouri that is populated primarily by old school Mennonites – and those who like the seclusion and privacy the town offers. When Wynter Evans decides to feature Sanctuary in a travel series for her television station, she also has some personal reasons to spend time there. Odd events, threats, and even a death convince Wynter that she may be closer than she thought to finding her long lost brother.
Gathering Shadows is definitely a page-turner. Its pages are filled with secrets, suspense, and several surprises. The obligatory romance was secondary to the real meat of the story as far as I was concerned although I did like the character of Rueben King. Renewed faith and restored relationships were of prime importance.
As with all Nanch Mehl’s previous novels set in Sanctuary, I thoroughly enjoyed Gathering Shadows.
by admin | May 19, 2014 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Romance, Western
MY REVIEW:
I enjoyed Cathleen Armstrong’s “Welcome to Last Chance” so I eagerly agreed to review “One More Last Chance”. I can verify that I enjoyed it as much if not even more than the first installment of this excellent series. Each of the books can easily stand on its own but the combination is dynamite. Last Chance, New Mexico is small town life at its best in my opinion.
It was fun to find familiar and loved characters within the pages of “One More Last Chance”, especially Elizabeth, Juanita, and Carlos. The Dip ‘n’ Dine was once more a prominent setting, yet it too had undergone a few changes, particularly in ownership. Chris and Sarah were perfect as the leading characters and I liked the subtle way their relationship changed over the course of the book. Once again Elizabeth imparted her love, wisdom, and matchmaking skills in ways that impacted those around her positively.
A wonderful story of love, forgiveness, and doing what is right no matter what it costs, “One More Last Chance” is a special story that will find its place among my keeper books.
This book was provided for review by
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Some things never change . . . and some things change you forever.
Sarah Cooley has come home to Last Chance, New Mexico, for one reason–because it doesn’t change. After a relationship gone bad with a man who wanted to change everything about her, Sarah is more than ready for the town whose motto may as well be, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Chris Reed, on the other hand, wants nothing more than to spark some change in the little town. As the new owner of the Dip ‘n’ Dine, he’s shaking things up to draw folks from all over the Southwest into his restaurant.
As it turns out, the winds of change are blowing into Last Chance–just not in the ways that Sarah or Chris might expect.
With the same evocative writing and charming characters that won fans for her debut novel, Cathleen Armstrong invites you back to Last Chance for a heartwarming, romantic story of two people navigating the twists and turns of life in a small town.
Praise for Welcome to Last Chance
“Armstrong’s style is as comfortable as a pair of well-worn jeans.”–Crosswalk
“Readers will enjoy the simplicity of Last Chance.”–New York Journal of Books
“Armstrong’s enjoyable debut will pull readers into the joys–and trials–of a small town.”–RT Book Reviews
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Cathleen Armstrong lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, Ed, and their corgi. Though she has been in California for many years now, her roots remain deep in New Mexico where she grew up and where much of her family still lives. After she and Ed raised three children, she returned to college and earned a BA in English. Her debut novel Welcome to Last Chance won the 2009 American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Award for Women’s Fiction. Learn more at www.cathleenarmstrong.com.
by admin | May 16, 2014 | Amish, Books, Contemporary Fiction, Romance
MY REVIEW:
Although “Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio” has an Amish community setting and features several Amish characters, the story itself it not what one find in most Amish fiction. Primary characters are Rachel Troyer, a policewoman in Sugarcreek, and Joe Matthews, a stranger in town who finds shelter at the inn belonging to Rachel’s Amish aunts. With her skeptical nature, Rachel quickly suspects that Joe has secrets and she fears for the safety of her aunts. Despite her best intentions, Rachel is drawn to Joe as she gets to know him better.
“Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio” is a fascinating story with plenty of secrets, drama, action, romance, humor, and even danger to hold the interest of even the most discriminating reader. Rather than focus on the rules and regulations of the Amish faith, this novel features the kindness, generosity, and love of family that is common among these people. The renewal of both Rachel and Joe’s faith was special and I liked watching them grow to depend on the Lord.
Although Amish fiction is not my favorite genre, “Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio” was so good that I will definitely have my DVR set to record the movie based on it when it premieres in June.
This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Guideposts Books is excited to announce the premiere of a new film based on the book Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio (Summerside Press) by Serena Miller.
A mysterious outsider casts a long shadow on Ohio’s Amish country. Policewoman Rachel Troyer has always looked after her three elderly Amish aunts, proprietors of a farmhouse inn near Sugarcreek, Ohio. The idyllic town is popular with tourists, who come to sample its famous Amish goods. But one thing is clear to Rachel – Joe Matthews is no tourist. When the bearded stranger lands on her aunts’ doorstep, begging shelter for himself and his young son, Rachel is suspicious.
Will she be able to uncover Joe’s secrets despite her aunts’ – and her own – growing affection for him?
| ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Prior to writing novels, Serena Miller wrote for many periodicals, including Woman’s World, Guideposts, Billy Graham’s Decision Magazine, Reader’s Digest, Focus on the Family, Christian Woman, and The Detroit Free Press Magazine. She has spent many years partnering with her husband in full-time ministry and lives on a farm in southern Ohio near a thriving Amish community. |
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Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio – THE MOVIE!
Guideposts Books is excited to announce the premiere of a new film based on the book Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio (Summerside Press) by Serena Miller. The movie, produced by Mission Pictures International and filmed last fall in the actual town of Sugarcreek, will premiere on Sunday, June 1, 2014, at 7:00 PM EDT on Up TV (formerly the Gospel Music Channel).Visit the movie website for more information.
Serena and Guideposts will be celebrating with a Facebook viewing party!
Join Serena and readers on Facebook while you tune in to watch Love Finds You in Sugarcreek to share your thoughts about the movie, chat with other viewers, and win fun prizes. Just use hashtag #LFYSugarcreek to join the discussion on June 1st.
Check your local listing for UpTV (http://up.viewerlink.tv) to find out when it airs in your timezone.
Excited? Help me spread the word! Just share this link and information on your social media along with the hashtag #LFYSugarcreek! Plus, we’ll be tracking the hashtag and giving away Amazon & Starbucks cards to people at random who help to promote all throughout the month of May. Winners announced at the Love Finds You in Sugarcreek viewing party on June 1st.
“This is so exciting for Serena Miller and Guideposts! We are thrilled that Up TV has chosen Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio to make into a movie,” said Lenore Lelah Person, vice president and editorial director of Guideposts Books and Inspirational Media. “With Serena’s wonderful story and a beautiful backdrop in Ohio Amish country, fans of the story and the series will enjoy seeing it on screen. For more information read the media release.
For those who are not familiar with the Love Finds You™ series, this will be a great opportunity to introduce them to these uplifting and engaging romances.” Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio is one of more than 50 releases in the popular Love Finds You™ series uniquely titled after actual American towns with unusual but intriguing names and combines travel, romance and faith in one package. The series includes both historical and contemporary releases, and each fictional story draws on compelling history or the unique character of a real place. Stories center on romances kindled in small towns, old loves lost and found again on the high plains, and new loves discovered at exciting vacation getaways. Mission Pictures has purchased the movie rights to the entire series and plans to produce additional films based on the series in the future.
