“After September” is an easy-to-read contemporary novel about divorce recovery. Of course it is much more than that. You could also say it is a novel about self-discovery as well as about how the plans we make are not necessarily the plans the Lord has for us. At least that is what Rose Davis found out.
I enjoyed reading about Rose and how she pretty much burned all her bridges before purchasing a cottage in the Caribbean. Although her primary intention was to heal from a sudden and unexpected divorce, Rose soon learned that God had different plans for her life and the life of her daughter also. As is often the case, the road to God’s best for Rose was not particularly a straight and smooth one and she had to overcome some major obstacles along the way but her reward was a new and better love and a renewed and improved relationship with the Lord. What could be better?
“After September” is the first book I’ve read by Stephanie Smith but I plan to keep my eyes open for more of her work in the future.
A free copy of this book was provided for review by Celebrate Lit. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
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From the outside, Rose Davis had the perfect life: a long marriage to a successful politician, two grown children away at college, and respect within her community. When she suddenly finds herself divorced, she turns her back on God.
In an effort to reclaim her life and pride, she spends the summer in the Caribbean. Her plan does not include meeting Patrick, the charismatic local doctor with a tragic past who ignites a passion both unexpected and thrilling.
As she begins to open up to love, doubt and fear creep in. Once again she finds herself broken hearted, left on her own to pick up the pieces. It’s only when she experiences the unmistakable love and grace from the very One she turned away from that Rose realizes what she needed most was there waiting for her all along.
Stephanie’s love of the written word began long before she could read. As a child she would hold a newspaper in hand and move her fingers along the page, pretending to read along.
By the time she was a teenager, she dreamed of writing stories that would touch people’s lives, much like hers had been by so many authors.
She lives in the Pacific Northwest and enjoys listening to Christian rock music while she writes, spending time with her family, watching British television, or reading YA fantasy novels.
GUEST POST FROM STEPHANIE SMITH:
I’m so excited to work with Sandra and Celebrate Lit to launch my debut novel AFTER SEPTEMBER which I’ve come to see as a labor of love and trust in the Lord.
You see, becoming a published author has always been my dream, but every time I’d try to write a novel, the inner critic would kick in and stop me in my tracks. I’d write a few paragraphs before giving up, unhappy with all my written imperfections. So, I continued my day job and the idea of writing a novel, let alone publishing it, became less and less realistic. For some reason I never lost that kernel of hope that it might happen one day. God was speaking to me then, I just didn’t realize it.
In 2010 I was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. After six months of intensive chemotherapy, I was in remission and had the strongest desire to write a novel. At first, the idea was to write a fictional story based on my experience. As I started to write, it just didn’t feel right. I then switched to writing a memoir, but that too fell flat. Frustrated, I gave up on writing once again.
Fast forward to 2013 and the idea of AFTER SEPTEMBER came to me. The premise was about a woman who goes through a divorce, spends a summer in the Caribbean and has a summer fling. The idea was so strong I began to write. I couldn’t help but write. As the story spoke to me, I kept this mantra in my head: “Just write. Just write.” I was finally able to quell my inner critic and nine months later, completed the first draft. Boy did I feel accomplished! Well, the feeling didn’t last very long. After getting feedback from a few beta readers, I re-wrote the entire story in a different point of view.
When I finished I realized I had to put this story in a box. A genre box. Was it women’s fiction? A romance? Christian or secular? After reading more about these genres I realized I’d made a big mistake. I hadn’t identified my brand from the get-go and the story didn’t really fit in any genre. Too secular for the Christian market; too Christian for the secular. It makes sense to me now why the first round of agent queries were declined.
I began to pray in earnest, seeking God’s will for this story. I felt He’d led me to write Rose’s story and realized my agenda had gotten in the way. Why would God have me write a story with pre-marital sex? The answer is He wouldn’t. Once my heart was satisfied I knew the direction He wanted me to go, I was back to the drawing board. Once again, I re-wrote AFTER SEPTEMBER. This time I kept my Christian viewpoint in mind and after the third re-write the final version was born.
Well, life has a funny way of stopping you in your tracks. I’d begun querying agents for the second version, and in June 2014 my cancer came back. You’ve got to be kidding me!
Okay, Lord. I trust you. I put my faith in You.
Another six months of intensive chemo put me back in remission. PRAISE GOD! I resumed my agent query and again met with rejection after rejection. This didn’t stop me. By this point I was bound and determined AFTER SEPTEMBER would be released. My hopes were raised when a small publisher I’d have given anything to work with wanted to read the entire manuscript. With baited breath I waited. When the disappointed rejection came, I nearly gave up. But God had other plans. See, when I placed my trust in Him, I had to accept His will, not mine. His time, not mine.
The last on my list to query before going the self-pub route was Desert Breeze Publishing. I submitted my story with the expectation of another rejection. Around January 1st of 2016 I received THE e-mail I’d dreamed about: an offer for a contract. I was in shock. THANK YOU LORD!! Nine months later, AFTER SEPTEMBER has been published. I want to pinch myself. I feel it’s all a dream and I’ll wake up.
A dream that began in my early teens took until my mid-forties to come to fruition. What I’ve realized is writing isn’t a dream but a calling. God knew this and remained patient with me as I finally figured that out. A calling to give women hope while reading a romance novel. Such became my tagline: “stories of life…love..hope”
What I’ve learned from this is to never give up on your dreams. Never stop believing God has something in store for your life, even when it seems like you are living one struggle after another. He is faithful to His promises!
So what happens when one falls in love with the person they want to see punished? Dani Prescott finds out when she encounters Brett Somers, the man who destroyed her mother’s reputation. One encounter leads to another – Dani can’t seem to escape the man. And as she learns more about him, her compassionate nature softens her heart toward him.
Yes, Brett is the character from “Where She Belongs” that I really didn’t like. Fortunately, since he is the hero of “When Love Arrives”, my heart softened toward him much as Dani’s did. I really enjoyed the banter between Dani and Brett and liked watching their relationship develop despite the secrets both held close. I found myself totally immersed in their story and was sorry to reach the last page.
“When Love Arrives” is an emotionally charged story of forgiveness and restoration with a strong dose of romance. I have loved this series thus far and am eagerly looking forward to the next installment.
A free copy of this book was provided for review by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Dani had planned to spy on Brett–so how did she end up on a date with him?
Dani Prescott can’t believe the lie Brett Somers is trying to sell to the media. During an interview about the plane crash that killed his parents, he blamed Dani’s mother. But the crash killed her as well. Vowing to restore her mother’s reputation, Dani has been following Brett and taking photos, hoping to find something she can use to discredit him. But when she catches his eye instead, she quickly finds herself agreeing to a date. Brett knows this mystery girl is hiding something–but he’s got his own secrets to keep. What will happen when he discovers who she really is?
Johnnie Alexander is the award-winning author of Where Treasure Hides and Where She Belongs. Johnnie is an accomplished essayist and poet whose work has appeared in the Guideposts anthology A Cup of Christmas Cheer. In addition to writing, she enjoys reading, spending time with her grandchildren, and taking road trips. She lives near Memphis, Tennessee.
I have come to look forward each year to Melody Carlson’s annual short Christmas novel. I know I will open its pages to find a heart-warming story that is perfect for the holiday season and I know that within its pages I will also find encouragement and inspiration. “The Christmas Angel Project” thoroughly lived up to my expectations.
Several women meet together to discuss books each month but when their unofficial group leader dies unexpectedly, its members fully expect the group to fall apart without Abby. When each member receives a personalized handmade angel from Abby, they decide to honor her memory with one last special project. To their surprise their project knits their hearts together and has a far greater impact on their lives than they could have imagined.
“The Christmas Angel Project” is beautifully written with just the right characters and circumstances to touch the reader’s heart. I loved how each woman’s special project brought unexpected surprises and blessings to her and others. Another beautiful Christmas book from Melody Carlson that could be a great start for your own Christmas tradition!
A free copy of this book was provided for review by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are my own..
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Abby Wentworth is the glue that holds her book club together. So when she unexpectedly passes away on the cusp of the Christmas season, the rest of the women in the group are stunned, saddened, and sure that, without her, the group can’t continue.
They gather “one last time” to open gifts Abby left behind, little knowing how it will change each of their lives–forever.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books with sales of more than five million. She is the author of several Christmas books from Revell, including the bestselling The Christmas Bus, The Christmas Dog, and Christmas at Harrington’s, which is being considered for a TV movie. She is also the author of many teen books, including Just Another Girl, Anything but Normal, Double Take, the Life at Kingston High series, and the Diary of a Teenage Girl series. She is the winner of a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her many books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series and Finding Alice. Melody and her husband live in Oregon.
For more information about Melody visit her website at www.melodycarlson.com.
Mike Nappa was an unknown author to me when I chose to review “Annabel Lee”. That particular novel was a bit more violent than what I usually read but the story was so clever and compelling plus I loved Trudi and Samuel that I couldn’t help but agree to review “The Raven” also. I really wanted to catch up with the Coffey and Hill team. I was not disappointed.
In the latest installment with a nod to Edgar Allen Poe, a young street magician known as the Raven finds himself in over his head with the Ukrainian Mafia. Samuel is sent to find out if there is any truth to something big might be going down soon – something rumored to have the code name of “Nevermore”. Then there is Mama Bliss who has connections because of her business and seems to know everything going on in her neighborhood. Everyone knows she still grieves her grandson but Mama Bliss has some secrets that would surprise most people. Somehow all these people interconnect in one way or another to the point that it is sometimes difficult to tell exactly what is really going on. But by the end, everything comes together and makes a bit more sense.
“The Raven” is not nearly as violent as “Annabel Lee” but it does have its moments. I really felt for poor Raven even though he probably asked for some of what he got. Despite his sticky fingers, he was actually a likeable fellow. And even with their past history, I can’t help but hope Trudi and Samuel will end up back together.
Mike Nappa, you have captured my imagination with your Poe themed books and I will have to read each and every one of them in this series. Superb writing and unique stories come together to make several hours of intense reading. If you enjoy good suspense novels, take a chance on both “The Raven” and “Annabel Lee”.
A free copy of this book was provided for review by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
As part of his street performance, a deception specialist who goes by the name The Raven picks his audience’s pockets while they watch. It’s harmless fun–until he decides to keep the wallet of a prominent politician, hoping for a few extra bucks. When he finds compromising photos of the councilman and his “personal assistants,” The Raven hatches a plan to blackmail the man. However, he quickly finds himself in over his head with the Ukrainian Mafia and mired in a life-threatening plot code-named “Nevermore.”
Private investigators Trudi Coffey and Samuel Hill must scramble to sort out the clues to rescue The Raven from a wild card bent on revenge.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Mike Nappa is an entertainment journalist at FamilyFans.com, as well as a bestselling and award-winning author with more than one million books sold worldwide. When he was a kid, the stories of Edgar Allan Poe scared him silly. Today he owns everything Poe ever wrote. A former fiction acquisitions editor, Mike earned his MA in English literature and now writes full time.
“Love Everlasting”, Julie Lessman’s second book in the Isle of Hope series is every bit as engaging as the first one. In it the reader revisits the O’Bryen family and not only catches up with what is going on with Dr. Doom and Tess, Lacey and Jack and the rest of the family but gets an intimate view of the stormy romance between sister Shannon and pediatric Dr. Sam Cunningham aka Dr. Love.
To say Shannon and Sam’s relationship was tumultuous might be a bit of an understatement. Shannon has just recently begun to recover from a disastrous college romance and is determined not to get involved with another man. Sam’s party boy reputation made him all wrong for Shannon but she saw through the designer clothing and bravado and found it difficult to resist the wounded boy Sam tried to hide.
“Love Everlasting” is another of Julie’s daring, gritty, and passionate stories that shows life as it really is. Some readers might be offended by the honest portrayal of physical attraction between the couples. That is their prerogative. I personally found the abundant amount of scripture and discussions of faith to far outweigh those scenes. I loved how Shannon tried to help Sam even though she knew it wasn’t a good idea to spend time with him and I loved how just being around her helped make such a drastic change in his life. You know, I wouldn’t be too surprised to hear that someone actually made a decision to follow the Lord after reading this book. It is that powerful!
“Love Everlasting” is an emotionally charged romance (or two) that balances faith and physical attraction. Julie Lessman has done a wonderful job as usual. I would definitely recommend this series to those who enjoy their Christian romance with a generous dose of reality.
A digital copy of this book was provided for review by Singing Librarian Books.
A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Series: Isle of Hope Genre: Christian, Romance Publisher: Julie Lessman, LLC Publication date: September 30, 2016 Number of pages: 307
He sets hearts on fire.
She’s been burned by love.
Can hope survive the flames of the past?
School teacher by day, ghostwriter by night, sweet and shy Shannon O’Bryen doesn’t mind writing romance on the sly, but to live it? No, thank you, not since the man she loved turned out to be a player who broke both her heart and her spirit. Now focused more on her faith and her fiction, she vows the next time she falls in love, it will be safely—through the pages of a book.
Dr. Sam Cunningham is a charismatic player who breaks hearts as regularly as he washes his pearl-white Corvette. Abandoned as a young child, Sam was an orphan shuffled through the foster-care system, bitterly driven to prove he is worthy of love—the kind that lasts forever. Once he learns Shannon is a romance writer, he enlists her help in winning back his ex-girlfriend. She teaches him about faith and the true definition of love, and he soon discovers he’s been seeking it in the wrong place all along—and with the wrong girl. But can he convince a woman who’s been burned by love to open her eyes—and her heart—to a love everlasting?
Julie Lessman is an award-winning author whose tagline of “Passion With a Purpose” underscores her intense passion for both God and romance. A lover of all things Irish, she enjoys writing close-knit Irish family sagas that evolve into 3-D love stories: the hero, the heroine, and the God that brings them together.
Author of The Daughters of Boston, Winds of Change, and Heart of San Francisco series, Julie Lessman was named American Christian Fiction Writers 2009 Debut Author of the Year and has garnered 17 Romance Writers of America and other awards. Voted #1 Romance Author of the year in Family Fiction magazine’s 2012 and 2011 Readers Choice Awards, Julie was also named on Booklist’s 2010 Top 10 Inspirational Fiction and Borders Best Fiction list.Julie’s most recent novel, Isle of Hope was voted on Family Fiction magazine’s Best of 2015, and Surprised by Love appeared on Family Fiction magazine’s list of Top Ten Novels of 2014. Her independent novel A Light in the Window is an International Digital Awards winner, a 2013 Readers’ Crown Award winner, and a 2013 Book Buyers Best Award winner. Julie has also written a self-help workbook for writers entitled Romance-ology 101: Writing Romantic Tension for the Sweet and Inspirational Markets. You can contact Julie through her website and read excerpts from each of her books at www.julielessman.com.
I really had no idea what a book entitled “How to Make Victoria Sponge” might be about – maybe a woman who bakes? Not exactly. Written in the form of a journal, this story is about an ordinary mother of four and what happens when she wakes each morning and responds “Yes” to whatever the Lord has planned for her day. Actually Victoria is pretty extraordinary in the way she relates each and every thing that happens throughout her day to God.
In many ways, I had difficulty with this book. First of all, the style is not my usual cup of tea. I am one who enjoys a good dialogue between characters. There were times that I just couldn’t relate to the character because her thought process was so different than my own. But…”How to Make Victoria Sponge” did make me think…especially about my own shortcomings and how just maybe I need to be more open to the Lord’s leading myself. And sometimes, maybe the Lord has me read a book that is out of my comfort zone because He has something to teach me through it.
Victoria was a unique character and so inclined to one disaster after another. Written in a different style, some of her exploits would have been pure slapstick. But at the end of the day, no matter what had happened, Victoria knew she had done her best in the sight of her Lord. And that is exactly what we all should aspire to.
A copy of this book was provided for review by Celebrate Lit.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
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Victoria Sponge – a well-known cake? Maybe, but also a wife and mother of four children. Disorganized and chaotic, with obligations galore, sweet Victoria clings to God, her best friend who shares His amazing love with her. From tripping over a hoover left in the hallway to discovering her son’s desire to die because he is different, she journeys through her own Lent. Giving up is not an option, but saying ‘yes’ to God each day is. Tragedy and comical events follow Vicki through her week. Does Victoria Sponge rise through all the messiness that life offers or does she sink?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Born in England, Margaret Kazmierczak loves storytelling, but dyslexia made writing difficult. After marrying and birthing three children, she finally got around to it. She and husband Peter live in Dorset, United Kingdom with two daughters.
Guest Post from Margaret Kazmierczak
For those that know me cooking is not a talent that I am famous for. I follow the recipes, but for some unknown reason my cakes remain flat, albeit cleverly disguised with chocolate. My friends were, quite understandably, shocked that I appeared to have written a cookery book.
My friends let me introduce the Baker who inspired me to write, ‘How to Make Victoria Sponge’. His name is God the Father. This cook needs all the help she can get.
In 2010 God literally took me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to become vulnerable. He took away my health and job. An active middle aged woman reduced to a shell. For two years I struggled to come to terms with my condition. Then one night I prayed and asked what I was supposed to do now? The message was simple, “write a book”. Well I could think up a million and one reasons why not to write a book. I declared them one by one but God the Father was having none of it. He reminded me of WHO was commissioning me.
To say that my reading and writing skills were on a par with my cooking skills was an understatement. So I stopped questioning and listened to His answer. “I shall give you the ingredients and you provide the humour and story outline with your life experiences.” So Victoria Sponge was born. Not a cookery book per se but a recipe for a closer relationship with God the Father through story and petition.
This journey took two years, a long time to wait for a cake to rise! The proof, however, was in the tasting which for some time was bitter due to rejection. Then a sequence of events happened one after the other and ‘How to Make Victoria Sponge’ was cooked, oops, birthed. I have been blown away with the face to face reviews in England of the book. A Methodist minister used it to empower her congregation, to show them how even the simplest things in life can lead to a prayerful response.
Victoria known as Vicki, married to Bob, is a normal woman with four children. The book looks at a week in her life and compares it to Jesus’ Lent week. Many issues are explored through the pages. Vicki Sponge could be you or me and the response to each situation, a solution to your own challenges.
Without the Baker this book would end up like my cakes! The writing of it helped me to begin a new life and I hope it helps you to do so too if you read and journey through its pages.
To celebrate her tour, Margaret is giving away a themed gift bag containing an apron, whisk, Bible, and a limited 1st edition paperback copy of How to Make Victoria Sponge!
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Stephanie’s love of the written word began long before she could read. As a child she would hold a newspaper in hand and move her fingers along the page, pretending to read along.
Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books with sales of more than five million. She is the author of several Christmas books from Revell, including the bestselling The Christmas Bus, The Christmas Dog, and Christmas at Harrington’s, which is being considered for a TV movie. She is also the author of many teen books, including Just Another Girl, Anything but Normal, Double Take, the Life at Kingston High series, and the Diary of a Teenage Girl series. She is the winner of a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her many books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series and Finding Alice. Melody and her husband live in Oregon.
Mike Nappa is an entertainment journalist at FamilyFans.com, as well as a bestselling and award-winning author with more than one million books sold worldwide. When he was a kid, the stories of Edgar Allan Poe scared him silly. Today he owns everything Poe ever wrote. A former fiction acquisitions editor, Mike earned his MA in English literature and now writes full time.
Born in England, Margaret Kazmierczak loves storytelling, but dyslexia made writing difficult. After marrying and birthing three children, she finally got around to it. She and husband Peter live in Dorset, United Kingdom with two daughters.
