by admin | Aug 24, 2013 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Humor, Romance
MY REVIEW:
Janice Thompson’s newest series Weddings by Design takes her readers back to Galveston where new characters interact with familiar friends from her earlier Weddings by Bella series. In “The Icing on the Cake”, the Rossi family and the fantastic trio from Splendora play supporting roles for Scarlet Lindsey and Bella’s brother Armando shows up as a primo character. Can a romance be possible between the self-conscious, overweight baker and the handsome Italian bad boy?
“The Icing on the Cake” is filled with light-hearted banter and an abundance of humor in this delightful new romance. I love the way Janice manages to work in references to classic music, movies, or TV shows because it adds an extra dimension to the story – especially to those of us who actually remember those days. Scarlet’s identification with “I Love Lucy” adds just the right spice to her character. Overall, this book was loads of fun but it contained just the perfect touch of soul-searching and a strong message of faith – not to mention a romance that was just right.
I hate to give away too much about a story so I will avoid that by not even hinting at what happens. I will say that the scene near the end that took place at the talent show was so touching that it had me in tears. “The Icing on the Cake” is a great book that spends some time examining self-esteem issues and the importance of finding one’s self-worth and confidence in the Lord.
This book was provided for review by
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Scarlet isn’t sure if she has just the right ingredients for true love–or utter disaster
Scarlet Lindsey is busy making her dreams come true. She’s moved her bakery to a prime spot on Galveston’s most popular street, she’s planning an extravagant cake for her best friend’s wedding, and she has a great relationship with Bella Neeley, the island’s most popular wedding coordinator. Business is booming and Scarlet is enjoying the ride.
But when Bella’s dangerously handsome brother Armando breezes into her life, Scarlet is faced with a sticky situation. Should she stay with the safe, sweet guy who’s been a fixture in her life for years? Or will this brash Italian hunk melt her guarded heart?
Fan favorite Janice Thompson is back with more wit, more weddings, and more of what you love best–bridal-business drama laced with laughs.
“Not only does Janice Thompson know how to spin a delightful tale, she knows weddings and wedding cakes. If you’ve ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes, take a big bite of this sweet, romantic story. It will leave you laughing and looking for the nearest confectionary!”–Lisa Wingate, bestselling author of Firefly Island and The Prayer Box
“Janice Thompson has done it again! From characters that will jump right off the page and into your heart to a story that had me laughing even as I cheered them on, The Icing on the Cake is a sweet treat. I urge you to indulge–you won’t be sorry!”–Kathleen Y’Barbo, bestselling author of The Secret Lives of Will Tucker series
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Janice Thompson is a seasoned romance author and screenwriter. An expert at pulling the humor from the situations we get ourselves into, Thompson offers an inside look at the wedding business, drawing on her own experiences as a wedding planner. She is the author of the Weddings by Bella series and the Backstage Pass series, as well as Picture Perfect. She lives in Texas. Visit www.janiceathompson.com for more.
by admin | Aug 17, 2013 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Romance, Western
MY REVIEW:
While “Welcome to Last Chance”, the debut novel by Cathleen Armstrong is not perfect, it definitely shows plenty of promise for future novels by this author. The story is set in the small New Mexico town of Last Chance whose very name is indicative of the point Lainie Davis has reached in her life. The first person Lainie meets is Ray, a bartender whose life has been on hold for awhile.
One thing I usually enjoy in novels about small towns is the eclectic blend of local characters. “Welcome to Last Chance” has its share of them. Lainie was not exactly a likeable character at first. A product of an unfortunate background, she has learned to protect herself by not allowing anyone to get very close and the walls around her heart discourage trust in any form. After some time passes the residents of Last Chance manage to penetrate her walls through their loving and nonjudgmental acceptance.
“Welcome to Last Chance” includes both drama and a bit of humor with the romance between Ray and Lainie playing a prominent role with its ups and downs. At times the plot gets a little busy but keeps on track most of the time. The author is not afraid to write about real life issues and is to be commended for the way she handled them. I will definitely be on the lookout for her next novel.
This book was provided for review by
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
The red warning light on her car dashboard may have driven Lainie Davis to seek help in the tiny town of Last Chance, New Mexico, but as she meets the people who make this one-horse town their home, it’s her heart that is flashing bright red warning lights. These people are entirely too nice, too accommodating, and too interested in her personal life-especially since she’s on the run and hoping to slip away unnoticed.
Yet in spite of herself, Lainie is increasingly drawn into the small-town dramas and to a handsome local guy with a secret of his own. Could Lainie actually make a life in this little town? Or will the past catch up to her even here in the middle of nowhere?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Cathleen Armstrong lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, but her roots remain deep in New Mexico, where she grew up and where much of her family still lives. Her debut novel, Welcome to Last Chance, has already won the 2009 American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Award for Women’s Fiction.
Praise for Welcome to Last Chance
“With equal parts hope, charm, and tender faith, Cathleen Armstrong spins a tale as warm and welcoming as a roadside cafe on a dusty highway. Exit from the fast lane and visit Last Chance. It’s a place you won’t soon forget.”
Lisa Wingate, bestselling and award-winning author of Firefly Island and Blue Moon Bay
“Cathleen Armstrong packs a lot into her debut novel: the suspense of danger lurking on the edges of Lainie Davis’s life, a touch of can-this-really-go-anywhere romance, small-town friendships becoming like family, and the disappointment of family being less than ideal. With an eclectic cast of characters and well-developed plot, Welcome to Last Chance pulls the reader in from the first blink of the warning light on the dashboard of Lainie’s car to the happily-ever-after waiting at the end of her last chance to get her life right.”
Beth K. Vogt, author of Catch a Falling Star and Wish You Were Here
“An outstanding debut novel! Welcome to Last Chance gives us a warm but never sentimental view of small-town life, sprinkled with characters full of quirks and faults–all seen through the eyes of a tough but fragile heroine. Cathleen Armstrong has crafted a story to cherish.”
Sarah Sundin, award-winning author of With Every Letter
by admin | Aug 17, 2013 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Romance
MY REVIEW:
“Winter in Full Bloom” is the story of the adult twin sisters of a highly dysfunctional family and a male friend who is also separated from his own family. It is a beautiful tale of God ordained encounters, emotional healing and eventually family reconciliations. I loved the way the relationships played out between each of the characters, especially the sweet romance between Marcus and Lily. The author made the people and the places come alive for me and I appreciated the strong Christian theme that was a vital but unobtrusive part of the story. “Winter in Full Bloom” is definitely a keeper for my already overflowing library.
This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Lily Winter’s wings are folded so tightly around her daughter that when empty nest arrives, she feels she can no longer fly. But Lily’s lonely, widowed life changes in a heartbeat when she goes to visit a woman who is almost a stranger to her-a woman who also happens to be her mother. During their fiery reunion, her mother reveals a dark family secret that she’d been hiding for decades-Lily has an identical twin sister who was put up for adoption when they were just babies.
Without looking back, Lily-with her fear of flying-boards a jumbo jet and embarks on a quest to find her sister which leads half way around the world to Melbourne, Australia. Befriended by imprudent Ausie, he might prove to be the key to finding her sister. But her journey becomes a circle that leads her back home to attempt a family reunion and to find the one dream she no longer imagined possible-the chance to fall in love again.
Purchase a copy here.
Find out more at Anita’s website.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Best-selling and award-winning author, Anita Higman, has over thirty books published (several coauthored) for adults and children. She’s been a Barnes & Noble “Author of the Month” for Houston and has a BA degree, combining speech communication, psychology, and art. Anita loves good movies, exotic teas, and brunch with her friends.
by admin | Aug 14, 2013 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Romance
MY REVIEW:
I first ran across Lisa Wingate’s books quite by accident while browsing eBay trying to find something to fill my insatiable appetite for books. There is no way I can afford to purchase all the books I want to read new. I was intrigued by Lisa’s Texas Hill Country series and sure enough, after reading them I was hooked. Since that time I have either bought or had the privilege of reviewing her entire library. I am thrilled to be able to review her latest novel “The Prayer Box”. I wish I could just tell you to run right out and pick up your very own copy because I’d like you to discover the wonder of Lisa’s talent for yourself. But then that wouldn’t quite be a review would it?
I will admit that I did not care very much for the primary character Tandi Jo Reese. I thought she was self-centered and a poor excuse of a mother. But Lisa has a way of making her readers care about the characters so that they want to stick around long enough to see if things will get any better. It didn’t take me very long to realize that Tandi Jo was a wounded soul and had been since childhood. Her lifelong search for affirmation had led her to make poor choices, some of which had quite negative effects on her relationship with her children. It was encouraging to watch how Tandi Jo’s viewpoint changed as she read the letters she discovered in deceased Iola Anne Poole’s prayer boxes and the effect it had on her relationship with her children. Other living characters positively impacted the lives of Tandi and her children who in turn played a huge role in the future of their new town.
“The Prayer Box” is a special story that made a big impression on me. I loved reading Iola’s letters and her almost poetic voice as she shared her life with her Lord. I am certain that many readers will be prompted to create their own prayer boxes after reading this beautiful book.
This book was provided for review by The Tyndale Blog Network.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
When Iola Anne Poole, an old-timer on Hatteras Island, passes away in her bed at ninety-one, the struggling young mother in her rental cottage, Tandi Jo Reese, finds herself charged with the task of cleaning out Iola’s rambling Victorian house.
Running from a messy, dangerous past, Tandi never expects to find more than a temporary hiding place within Iola’s walls, but everything changes with the discovery of eighty-one carefully decorated prayer boxes, one for each year, spanning from Iola’s youth to her last days. Hidden in the boxes is the story of a lifetime, written on random bits of paper–the hopes and wishes, fears and thoughts of an unassuming but complex woman passing through the seasons of an extraordinary, unsung life filled with journeys of faith, observations on love, and one final lesson that could change everything for Tandi. – See more HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lisa Wingate is a magazine columnist, speaker, and the author of nineteen mainstream novels, including the national bestseller, Tending Roses, now in its eighteenth printing. She is a seven-time ACFW Carol award nominee, a Christy Award nominee, and a two-time Carol Award winner. Her novel, Blue Moon Bay, was a Booklist Top Ten of 2012 pick. Recently, the group Americans for More Civility, a kindness watchdog organization, selected Lisa along with Bill Ford, Camille Cosby, and six others, as recipients of the National Civies Award, which celebrates public figures who work to promote greater kindness and civility in American life. When not dreaming up stories, Lisa spends time on the road as a motivational speaker. Via internet, she shares with readers as far away as India, where her book, Tending Roses, has been used to promote women’s literacy, and as close to home as Tulsa, Oklahoma, where the county library system has used Tending Roses to help volunteers teach adults to read. – See more HERE.
by admin | Aug 10, 2013 | Amish, Books, Contemporary Fiction, Romance
MY REVIEW:
Suzanne Woods Fisher’s “The Letters” is the first novel in her new The Inn at Eagle Hill series. In this book, readers will be able to revisit Stoney Ridge and catch up a bit with familiar characters from earlier novels that took place there. “The Letters’ features the Schrock family, especially Rose, who moved to Stoney Ridge after the failure of her husband’s investment business and remained after his untimely death. Rose’s primary goal is to care for her family as well as to find a way to repay all her husband’s investors who lost their savings. An ailing and grouchy mother-in-law only makes Rose’s life more difficult but somehow in the midst of all her troubles, Rose manages to keep a smile on her face and encourage everyone around her. When Rose feels led to open a Bed and Breakfast in the basement of their home, she meets with resistance from her mother-in-law but with the help of her children and a helpful neighbor, she soon opens the doors to her first guest who decides to stay for awhile. Interaction between Rose, her children, her guest, and her neighbor Galen King profoundly affects each of their lives in unexpected ways.
As I have come to expect from previous novels, the plot of “The Letters” moves at a steady pace with surprises galore. The characters are well-rounded and life-like and most of the situations and events are true to life and believable. I would love to be able to follow Rose’s example and learn to remain so calm and steady in the midst of everything life has for me whether good or bad. I look forward to reading about the family at The Inn at Eagle Hill in Suzanne’s next installment.
This book was provided for review by
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Suzanne Woods Fisher Invites Readers Back to Stoney Ridge in New Series
With her signature plot twists combined with gentle Amish romance, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher invites readers back to Stoney Ridge for fresh stories of simple pleasures despite the complexity of life. Fisher’s tale of God’s providence and provision will delight her fans and create many new ones. Welcome to the Inn at Eagle Hill.
Rose Schrock is a plain woman with a simple plan. Determined to find a way to support her family and pay off her late husband’s debts, she sets to work to convert the basement of her Amish farmhouse into an inn. While her family, especially her cranky mother-in-law, is unhappy with Rose’s big idea, her friend and neighbor, Galen King, supports the decision and he helps with the conversion. As Rose finalizes preparations for visitors, she prays. She asks God to bless each guest who stays at the Inn at Eagle Hill. As the first guest arrives and settles in, Rose is surprised to discover that her entire family is the one who receives the blessings, in the most unexpected ways. And she’s even more surprised when that guest decides to play matchmaker for Galen King.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author ofThe Choice,The Waiting,The Search,The Keeper andThe Haven, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace. Her interest in the Anabaptist cultures can be directly traced to her grandfather, who was raised in the Old Order German Baptist Brethren Church in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Suzanne is a Christy Award finalist and a Carol Award finalist. She is the host of internet radio show Amish Wisdom and a columnist forChristian Post Cooking & Such magazines. She lives in California.
For more information, please visit www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and connect with her on Twitter @suzannewfisher.
by admin | Jul 25, 2013 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Romance, Suspense
MY REVIEW:
I am a long-time fan of Colleen Coble’s books so I was excited to have the chance to read and review her latest, “Rosemary Cottage”. Just as expected, I was quickly pulled into the lives of the residents of Hope Beach. It was fun to revisit several characters I met in “Tidewater Inn” and to meet new ones as well. In my opinion, Colleen Coble is an expert when it comes to writing a romantic suspense that will keep me turning the pages and hating to put the book down while I attend to the required tasks of daily life. I confess that some of those tasks may have been neglected while I was immersed in “Rosemary Cottage”.
The primary characters of Amy and Curtis were perfectly portrayed. I liked the way their occupations and hobbies were an integral part of the story. Although not necessary to plot development, the well-rounded characters made the story that much more realistic for me. I also liked the fact that Amy and Curtis fluctuated between strong attraction and heated quarrels that were usually in defense of one of their deceased siblings. “Rosemary Cottage” has a fast-moving plot with rapidly escalating danger and suspense. As the story progressed, more than one potential suspect was introduced. Plenty of twists and surprises as well as a red herring or two kept me guessing until nearly the end. I can’t say I was entirely pleased by the way everything turned out but even that made the tale more realistic. After all, life does not always turn out the way we’d like.
I would highly recommend that you grab a copy of “Rosemary Cottage” for yourself as soon as possible. You might also want to pickup “Tidewater Inn” while you’re at it if you haven’t read it. I can almost guarantee you’ll want to read both.
This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Amy came to Rosemary Cottage to grieve, to heal, maybe even find love. But there’s a deadly undertow of secrets around Hope Island….
The charming Rosemary Cottage on the beach offers Amy Lange respite she needs to mourn her brother, Ben. She’s even thinking of moving her midwife practice to the Outer Banks community. It’s always been a refuge for her and her family. She also wants to investigate Ben’s disappearance at sea. Everyone blames a surfing accident, but Amy has reason to wonder.
Coast Guard officer Curtis Ireland has lost a sibling too. His sister, Gina, was run down by a boat, leaving him to raise her infant daughter. If anyone knew who little Raine’s father was, Curtis could lose his beloved niece. Yet he can’t help being drawn to Hope Beach’s new midwife, Amy. He even agrees to help her investigate what happened to both Ben and Gina.
Can two grieving people with secrets find healing on beautiful Hope Island? Or will their quest for truth set them at odds with each other…and with those who will go to any length to keep hidden things hidden?
Purchase a copy here.
Learn more at Colleen’s website.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Best-selling author Colleen Coble’s novels have won or finaled in awards ranging from the Best Books of Indiana, ACFW Book of the Year, RWA’s RITA, the Holt Medallion, the Daphne du Maurier, National Readers’ Choice, and the Booksellers Best. She has nearly 2 million books in print and writes romantic mysteries because she loves to see justice prevail. Colleen is CEO of American Christian Fiction Writers and is a member of Romance Writers of America. She lives with her husband Dave in Indiana.
Find out more about Colleen at http://www.colleencoble.com/.
Colleen Coble’s “Rosemary Cottage” Nautical Summer Giveaway
Water can be calming and healing, but it can also be dangerous, as Amy Lange and Curtis Ireland both found out. Both lost their siblings to the sea, and they hope to find healing on Hope Island. But will they find it, or will their quest to find answers set them at odds with each other and with those who have secrets that need to stay hidden?
Find out in Colleen Coble’s latest book, Rosemary Cottage, which released July 9. To celebrate, Colleen is hosting a 12-day Nautical Summer Giveaway. From July 16-27, Colleen will be giving away a new nautical prize every day. She’ll announce the winners on July 29 on her website, so mark your calendars for that date to see if you were picked as a lucky winner!
Not on Facebook? Enter here.
