by admin | Jan 13, 2015 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Romance
MY REVIEW:
From their very first somewhat explosive encounter, PJ McKinley and Cole Evans are destined to strike a few sparks but not only the romantic kind. They soon learn that they are in competition to be awarded a historic home and both of them are depending on winning because neither can afford to finance their dream without it. When the owner decides to give them a year in the house as co-tenants to prove which of them deserves to win, the stakes are raised and it is open season. As any reader of romantic fiction can guess, the setting is perfect for a romance between the competitors. PJ and Cole find themselves helping each other out and even liking each other despite their rivalry.
PJ and Cole are both endearing characters who think they have something to prove to themselves or others but really just need to turn it all over to the Lord. The story moved at a perfect pace with just the right amount of drama, humor, and surprises along the way. Of course the romantic tension was just right also. I liked the way PJ and Cole’s attitudes changed during the course of the book and the examples of self-sacrifice shown by both of them.
You can never go wrong with a novel by Denise Hunter and I suggest that readers grab “The Wishing Season” as well as the other Chapel Springs novels.
This book was provided for review by the BookLook Blogger Program
of Harper Collins Christian Publishing..
ABOUT THE BOOK:
She daydreams of whipping up sauces and soufflés in her own restaurant. His heart is set on helping foster children. Both dreams are at stake. So are their hearts.
With grand plans to open her own bed & breakfast in Chapel Springs, PJ McKinley can’t afford the most crucial part: the brick and mortar. But when the owner of a local historic home announces a contest and promises her property to the worthiest candidate, PJ makes a fervent wish and tosses her name into the hat.
Cole Evans is cool, confident, and successful, but he’ll never forget his roots. He’s thankful for how far he’s come and knows his life could have turned out drastically different. If he can win the stately old mansion, he’ll turn it into a home for children aging out of the foster system.
When the eccentric house owner narrows the entries down to only two applicants, she extends the contest, giving PJ and Cole one year to prove which one of them can make the best use of her beloved home. As the pair competes in close proximity, something deeper than rivalry sparks between PJ and Cole. And in this battle, they’re likely to lose their hearts.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Bestselling novelist Denise Hunter has received the Holt Medallion Award, Reader’s Choice Award, Foreword Book of the Year Award, and is a RITA finalist. She lives in Indiana with her husband and their three sons.
by admin | Jan 13, 2015 | Books, Historical, Romance, Suspense
This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingSoul PainterWhiteFire Publishing (March 15, 2014)byCara LuechtABOUT THE AUTHOR:
A Word from the Author:
I never planned to be a writer. In fact, it took me a while to finish college. But I did, and here I am. And I now I can’t imagine not being a writer.
By day, I am an English Instructor at MATC, Marketing Manager for Degnan Design Builders, Inc., mother to four amazing children, wife to an eternally patient and supportive husband, and Worship Leader for Living Hope Fellowship in Sun Prairie, WI. In the evening, when I can squirrel away some quiet time, I read and write historical fiction.
I have a B.A. in English Lit. from UW Whitewater and an M.F.A in Creative Writing from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, NJ.
If you have a question for me, or if you are local and would like me to stop by your book club or writer’s group, please drop me a line via the “Ask the Author” tab. I always love the opportunity to meet with others who share my love of books.
Learn more about Cara and her books on her website.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Miriam paints the future…but can she change it?
Chicago – 1890
Miriam watches the people jostle their way below the windows of her warehouse home, never thinking to look up at her as she paints their faces. But Miriam’s gift as an artist goes beyond a mere recording of what is: Miriam paints their futures. Only once was she wrong. One woman doesn’t match the future Miriam saw. The bright girl was supposed to grow into a respected businesswoman. Instead, Ione disappears nightly into the shadowed alley next to the cathedral with the other prostitutes. Then one night, while walking through the city fog, Miriam finds Ione broken and beaten. Miriam is forced to open her home to the stranger whose face she knows so well and open her life to change she never could have foretold. Women are missing—some found floating in the river, some never seen again. The deacon from the cathedral is the first to help. Soon Miriam’s solicitor, Michael, aids her in rejoining society so they might uncover the evil at work in the corrupt city…and awakens feelings she had never considered before. Finally engaged with the world she has so long observed, finally stirred by love and friendship, Miriam realizes the responsibility of her gifting. No longer can she just paint what will be. She must now help Ione find the future she is meant to have…and find her own along with it.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Soul Painter, go HERE.
MY REVIEW:
I almost hesitate to review Soul Painter, partially from fear of revealing too much and partially because I am not sure I have the words to adequately describe my impressions of it. I have always loved what many call “gothic romance” novels and read innumerable books by authors such as Mary Stewart and Victoria Holt back in the day before good Christian fiction became so readily available. Soul Painter has that dark and brooding atmosphere so prevalent in the best of the classic gothic novels. Many readers of Christian fiction may possibly find it too dark for their sensibilities.
Soul Painter is the story about Miriam, a reclusive heiress who has chosen to remain in an apartment above her deceased father’s warehouse that is located directly across from the neighborhood cathedral. An artist, Miriam enjoys watching the people from her window and often walks among them during the evening. The discovery of an injured prostitute one evening changes Miriam’s life as she is compelled to become involved with several other people as they endeavor to find and stop the person responsible for the attacks and disappearance of so many women from the area near the cathedral.
I thoroughly enjoyed every page of Soul Painter and was not happy to reach its end. The characters were so well developed and the author set the perfect scene for the plot. Although the crimes depicted were disturbing, they were described tactfully and without the gratuitous violence and obscenity found in many secular novels. I loved how Miriam, John, Michael, the doctor, and the pastor’s family reached out to “sinful” women and showed them the true love of Christ without judgment. I look forward to future novels by this new-to-me author. I sincerely hope I won’t have to wait too long.
by admin | Jan 10, 2015 | Books, Military, Romance, Suspense
MY REVIEW:
For some reason I cannot resist a novel by Ronie Kendig. Before I even opened “Hawk” I knew I would be in for a fast-paced and emotional ride and for a moment I thought to myself, “I’m just not up to it right now.” But I had received a copy in good faith that I would review it and because my review calendar somehow got way overloaded, I was already running behind on getting a review in. Of course all it took was one chapter (or less) and I was sucked right into the middle of the action.
Once more I found myself surrounded by men and women dedicated to the other members of their team despite the sometimes desperate circumstances they faced. In the second novel of The Quiet Professionals series, Raptor continued to be toyed with by an unknown terrorist who had somehow gained access to confidential intel.
Brian “Hawk” Bledsoe struggles with issues that date back to his childhood – issues that could send him home in disgrace if he doesn’t’ get them under control. Fekiria Haidary has a few secrets that make her actions seem suspicious but Brian cannot get her out of his mind. Fekiria has responded to Brian the same but any relationship between them is impossible. They soon find themselves involved in a fight for their own lives and the lives of others.
“Hawk” is a book that was difficult to put down once I started reading it. Just had to know what would happen next. Of course it ended with a HUGE cliffhanger so now I have to wait until the next installment to get the whole story. It is worth it though. A great book in an excellent series! I recommend it.
This book was provided for review by The Book Club Network.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Raptor’s communications expert, Staff Sergeant Brian “Hawk” Bledsoe is struggling with his inner demons, leaving him on the verge of an “other than honorable” discharge. Plagued with corrupted intel, Raptor team continues to track down the terrorist playing chess with their lives. Afghan pilot Fekiria Haidary is devastated when a systems glitch on her aircraft forces a weapons launch on a safe target. And when the deadly bombing separates Brian from the team, he must make an impossible choice: save his brothers-in-arms, or save the woman and children depending on him to survive a brutal snowstorm.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ronie Kendig is an award-winning, bestselling author who grew up an Army brat. She married a veteran, and together their lives are never dull with four children and two dogs–a a Maltese Menace and a retired military working dog, Vvolt N629. Ronie’s degree in psychology has helped her pen novels of intense, raw characters.
Since launching onto the publishing scene in 2010, Ronie and her books have hit bestseller lists and garnered awards and critical acclaim, including:
2014 INSPY Award Finalist – Talon: Combat Tracking Team Dog 2013 HOLT Medallion Winner – Trinity: Military War Dog (Best Book by a Virginia Author) 2013 Selah Award Winner – Firethorn (Fiction – Suspense) 2013 Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award Winner – Trinity: Military War Dog (Romantic Suspense) 2012 Christy Award Winner – Wolfsbane (Contemporary Romance)
2012 Lime Award Winner – Firethorn (Suspense)
2012 Carol Award Finalist – Wolfsbane (Romantic Suspense)
Christian Retailing’s 2011 Readers’ Choice Awards Finalist – Nightshade
2011 Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award Finalist – Nightshade (Romantic Suspense)
Named one of the Top 25 Christian Fiction Suspense, Mystery, and Thriller Writers by FamilyFiction (Sept 2011)
2011 FamilyFiction Readers’ Choice Awards – 3rd place as New Favorite Author, 8th place with Nightshade for Novel of the Year.
INSPY Award Shortlist final in Mystery/Thriller (Dead Reckoning)
The Christian Manifesto’s 2010 Lime Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction (Nightshade)
Ronie’s titles include: –>DEAD RECKONING –>The Discarded Heroes series (NIGHTSHADE, DIGITALIS, WOLFSBANE, FIRETHORN) –>A Breed Apart series (TRINITY:MILITARY WAR DOG, TALON:COMBAT TRACKING TEAM, BEOWULF: EXPLOSIVES DETECTION DOG) –>The Quiet Professionals Series (RAPTOR 6, HAWK, FALCON).
Ronie’s has also written several novellas including the 7 Hours direct-to-digital novella collection (WHOLE PIECES), Central Park Rendezvous novella collection (DREAM A LITTLE DREAM), and the Denali Dreams novella collection (DARING HEIGHTS, TAKING FLIGHT).
Ronie can be found at www.roniekendig.com, on Facebook (www.facebook.com/rapidfirefiction), Twitter (@roniekendig), and GoodReads.
by admin | Jan 8, 2015 | Books, Historical, Quilts, Romance
MY REVIEW:
Masterpiece Marriage is a delightful historical romance between two perfectly mismatched individuals. Although Zenus would love to have a wife and family, he has never found a woman he can tolerate who also fits his idea for the perfect wife. When he meets Mary Varrs, he is instantly drawn to her but a more inappropriate woman for him could not exist. Mary’s determination to achieve the scientific success she believes will prove her worth would leave her no time to care for his home and children. On the other hand, Mary finds Zenus a bit pompous for her own taste when they first meet. Could their differences combine to create a masterpiece?
I thoroughly enjoyed Masterpiece Marriage and all its intricacies. I loved some of the humorous situations Mary found herself in as she attempted to learn to quilt. For some reason I had a problem with Zenus’ name – I kept reading it as Zeus. That was a new one for me! Other than that tiny point, I found everything else to be exemplary. The wealth of historical facts, interaction between characters, the humor, and the romance was all first rate.
For those who have enjoyed other Quilts of Love novels, Masterpiece Marriage is a don’t miss book. For those unfamiliar with the series, this would be a good place to start.
This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
He wants to save his business. She wants to be a professor. But are they asking for more than they can really have?
After a flood damages the looms at Zenus Dane’s Philadelphia textile mill and the bank demands loan payment, Zenus turns to his aunt for help repurposing his textiles. Trouble is . . . his aunt has already been hired by the lovely yet secretive Englishwoman Mary Varrs.
Eager to acquire his aunt’s quilt patterns, Zenus attends the summer Quilting Bee, a social event his aunt has uniquely designed with the secret purpose of finding Zenus a wife. However Zenus only has eyes for Mary, but Mary has no such desire for him.
Though his aunt is determined to design a masterpiece marriage, both Zenus and Mary will have to overcome their stubborn ways. Can he realize that love requires stepping out of his routine? And will she recognize that following her heart doesn’t mean sacrificing her ambition?
Find out more and purchase a copy at the Quilts of Love website.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Gina Welborn is the author of several novels and novellas, including “The Heiress’s Courtship.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers; the president of Faith, Hope and Love; and a founding member of InkwellInspirations.com. She lives in Cache, Oklahoma, with her pastor husband and their five children. Visit her online at GinaWelborn.com.
Find out more about Gina at http://ginawelborn.com.
Don’t miss the newest Quilts of Love book, Masterpiece Marriage by Gina Welborn. December’s QOL release celebrates the ebb and flow of marriage.
Enter to win a Kindle HDX!
One winner will receive:
- A Kindle Fire
- Masterpiece Marriage by Gina Welborn
- Swept Away by Laura V. Hilton and Cindy Loven
- Quilted by Christmas by Jodie Bailey
Enter today by clicking the button below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on January 18th. Winner will be announced on the Quilts of Love blog January 19th.
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by admin | Jan 8, 2015 | Books, Historical, Quilts, Romance
This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducing
Masterpiece MarriageAbingdon Press (December 16, 2014)byGina WelbornABOUT THE AUTHOR:
After Gina Welborn earned a Communications degee from an Oklahoma university, she thought the perfect career choice was working at a news radio station writing commercial copy, public service announcements, and news reports. A PSA writer, sadly, can only be so creative when describing ketchup and Geronimo’s grave. (No, she never combined those two elements in the same script, but now that she thinks about it, she wishes … ) Thus Gina “retired” to focus on goal, motivation, and conflict within her family before discovering her niche in writing romances. A member of RWA and ACFW, Gina has four published novellas, including one in the ECPA-bestselling Mistletoe Memories, and three short historical romances: The Heiress’s Courtship, The Marshal’s Pursuit, and Masterpiece Marriage. A moderately obsessive fan of Community, Once Upon a Time, and Chopped, Gina lives in Oklahoma with her pastor husband, their five Okie-Hokie children, a box-lab, two rabbits, four guinea pigs, and a fancy Russian dwarf hamster named Tom Bob Deucalion. Gina is represented by the Steve Laube Agency.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
After a flood damages the looms at Zenus Dane’s Philadelphia textile mill and the bank demands loan payment, Zenus turns to his aunt for help repurposing his textiles. Trouble is . . . his aunt has already been hired by the lovely yet secretive Englishwoman Mary Varrs. Eager to acquire his aunt’s quilt patterns, Zenus attends the summer Quilting Bee, a social event his aunt has uniquely designed with the secret purpose of finding Zenus a wife. However Zenus only has eyes for Mary, but Mary has no such desire for him. Though his aunt is determined to design a masterpiece marriage, both Zenus and Mary will have to overcome their stubborn ways. Can he realize that love requires stepping out of his routine? And will she recognize that following her heart doesn’t mean sacrificing her ambition?
If you would like to read the first chapter of Masterpiece Marriage, go HERE.
MY REVIEW:
Masterpiece Marriage is a delightful historical romance between two perfectly mismatched individuals. Although Zenus would love to have a wife and family, he has never found a woman he can tolerate who also fits his idea for the perfect wife. When he meets Mary Varrs, he is instantly drawn to her but a more inappropriate woman for him could not exist. Mary’s determination to achieve the scientific success she believes will prove her worth would leave her no time to care for his home and children. On the other hand, Mary finds Zenus a bit pompous for her own taste when they first meet. Could their differences combine to create a masterpiece?
I thoroughly enjoyed Masterpiece Marriage and all its intricacies. I loved some of the humorous situations Mary found herself in as she attempted to learn to quilt. For some reason I had a problem with Zenus’ name – I kept reading it as Zeus. That was a new one for me! Other than that tiny point, I found everything else to be exemplary. The wealth of historical facts, interaction between characters, the humor, and the romance was all first rate.
For those who have enjoyed other Quilts of Love novels, Masterpiece Marriage is a don’t miss book. For those unfamiliar with the series, this would be a good place to start.
by admin | Jan 5, 2015 | Books, Historical, Rome, Time Travel
MY REVIEW:
A bit of time travel combined with a fictional tale based on actual historical facts is what the reader finds when she opens the pages of first “The Healer of Carthage” and now the greatly anticipated second volume of The Carthage Chronicles, “Return to Exile. A love story that spans the centuries, “Return to Exile” paints a graphic picture of the dangers faced by the early Christians in Roman Carthage. Surrounded on every side by deadly epidemics, power-seeking politicians, or disgruntled traitors, daily existence is a trial that takes nearly superhuman effort just to survive. Yet knowing the dangers, Dr. Lisbeth Hastings makes the choice to return, hoping her modern medical knowledge can make a difference in history.
Lynne Gentry has written a compelling novel that is at times difficult to read but equally difficult to put down. This story has it all – time travel, romance, danger, intrigue, a few surprises, and historical facts that are interwoven with a story of a faith to die for and characters willing to lay down their own lives for others. “Healer of Carthage” and now “Return to Exile” each have cliffhanger endings that leave the reader craving the next installment.
Lovers of Biblical fiction, this series is not to be missed. I am quite certain others will love it also.
A copy of this book was provided for review by the author in exchange for my honest review.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Six years ago, impossible circumstances forced Dr. Lisbeth Hastings to leave behind the love of her life, not just in another country, but in another time. Her work as a top-notch epidemiologist and parenting her little girl helps alleviate the pain, but at night when her exhausted head hits the pillow, images of her beloved Cyprian haunt her sleep.
Cyprian Thascius returns from political exile a broken man. He’s lost his faith, the love of his life, and his purpose. He attempts to move on, to face the danger that is looming over Carthage, but when Cyprian’s true love suddenly reappears, his heart becomes as imperiled as the fledgling church he seeks to save.
Have the years that kept Lisbeth and Cyprian apart created too wide a chasm to bridge? In the midst of a new epidemic and rising oppression, will their love be the most costly fatality? Filled with gripping action and raw emotion, this spell-binding adventure of star-crossed lovers captivates with every turn of the page in this electric continuation of The Carthage Chronicles.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lynne Gentry has written for numerous publications. Her novel, Healer of Carthage, is the first in The Carthage Chronicles series and Return to Exile is the newly released and greatly anticipated second book of the series. She is a professional acting coach, theater director, and playwright with several full-length musicals and a Chicago children’s theater curriculum to her credit. Lynne is an inspirational speaker and dramatic performer whose first love is spending time with family.
Watch the video where Lynne discusses how she got her ideas for The Carthage Chronicles:
