Today I have a copy of Montana Rose by Mary Connealy up for grabs. As always, please leave a comment on this post by Thursday, August 20. I will announce the winner on Friday.
Please enter only if you are a U. S. resident.
This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Montana Rose
Barbour Publishing, Inc (July 1, 2009)
by
Mary Connealy
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Mary’s writing journey is similar to a lot of others. Boil it down to persistence, oh, go ahead and call it stubbornness. She just kept typing away. She thinks the reason she did it was because she was more or less a dunce around people—prone to sit silently when she really ought to speak up (or far worse, speak up when she ought to sit silently).
So, Mary had all these things, she wanted to say, in her head; the perfect zinger to the rude cashier, which you think of an hour after you’ve left the store, the perfect bit of wisdom when someone needs help, which doesn’t occur to you until they solve their problems themselves, the perfect guilt trip for the kids, which you don’t say because you’re not an idiot. She keep all this wit to herself, much to the relief of all who know her, and then wrote all her great ideas into books. It’s therapeutic if nothing else, and more affordable than a psychiatrist.
So then a very nice, oh so nice publishing company like Barbour Heartsong comes along and says, “Hey, we’ll pay you money for this 45,000 word therapy session.” That’s as sweet as it gets.
Mary’s journey to publication is the same as everyone’s except for a few geniuses out there who make it hard for all of us. And even they probably have an Ode to Roast Beef or two in their past.
Mary has signed an exclusive contract with Barbour that will have her writing eighteen (18) books for them over the next four years! This book is the first in the Montana Marriage Series. The second book will be the Husband Tree, and the third will be Wildflower Bride
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Fire up your love of romance with Montana Rose.
When surrounded by a mob of ill-bred, foul-smelling, women-hungry men, the newly widowed and seemingly spoiled Cassie “China Doll” Griffin has no choice. Marrying handyman Red Dawson seems the only alternative to Cassie’s being hitched to a brutal rancher. But can this “China doll” bear exchanging smooth silk for coarse calico? Red was reluctant to be yoked to an unbeliever, but sometimes a man has no choice. Will Red change Cassie’s heart by changing her name? Wade Sawyer is obsessed with saving Cassie from a marriage of convenience. How far will he go make her his own?
If you would like to read the first chapter of Montana Rose, go HERE
MY REVIEW:
I have never been disappointed by any book written by Mary Connealy and Montana Rose is no exception. A rollicking, fun-filled story of the old west tempered with serious real life situations and deep spiritual truth, Montana Rose touches on such issues as physical and emotional abuse, pregnancy, violence, courage, faith and trust. Mary has so skillfully developed her characters that they come alive on the pages. Their pain is your pain and you laugh with them, cry with them, and rejoice in their triumphs.
One important theme of Montana Rose is about being careful not to judge by appearances. In particular, Cassie was thought to be a stuck up, spoiled woman who expected only the best at any cost. Once the townspeople got to know her, they found that they had severely misjudged her. The issue of abuse is also deftly handled throughout the book with examples of the deep emotional scars and character flaws that can be the end result.
However, Montana Rose is above all a romance and as in most romantic novels, you can expect a happy ending. There are some surprises along the way. One situation in particular has an entirely different outcome than might have been expected and in my opinion that was a definite plus. Another solution could have been justified but Mary didn’t take the easy way out. Mary, I like the way you think!
I would definitely recommend Montana Rose to anyone who enjoys a good romance, especially those set in the old west. If you have yet to try any of Mary Connealy’s books, Montana Rose would be a good place to start. I pretty much guarantee that once you have read one, it won’t be your last.
MY REVIEW:
I have been somewhat amazed at the increasing popularity and proliferation of Amish romance novels in recent months. I have actually read quite a few of them and have found some to be well-crafted worthwhile reads while others have seemed to be pretty much formula stories. It makes me wonder if some have been written expressly to take advantage of the current market for Amish fiction while it is in demand.
I will tell you that A Man of His Word is not a formula book – far from it. The characters have a depth that invites the reader to get to know them a little better. The plot itself pulled me in and kept me interested until the end. Unlike many Amish novels I have read lately, this one did not feature an Amish/Englischer romance but took place entirely in the Amish community with more than one love story to follow. A Man of His Word is filled with love, betrayal, tragedy, faith, and even some humor as well as all the corresponding emotional ups and downs. It presents the reader with a realistic look at the Amish community and its people without belaboring the ways their beliefs and practices are different than the rest of the world.
I would recommend A Man of His Word to everyone who enjoys a good romantic novel, especially those who are fans of Amish fiction.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Moriah’s heart will only be safe with A Man of His Word
When Moriah Byler married Levi Miller, she thought they would share a long life together. She is astonished when one day he abruptly leaves the Order, and her along with it. She is hopeful that they’ll reconcile, but Levi has a fatal accident. Unbeknownst to him, Moriah is pregnant.
Moriah finds herself alone and unsure where to turn. She’s reticent about trusting her heart to anyone. What Moriah doesn’t know is that Levi’s twin, Gabriel, has loved her for years, but has kept this to himself. Gabriel is a man of his word–and a man of God’s word. After another unexpected tragedy, Moriah must learn to unguard her heart and accept his love so she can be made whole again.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kathleen Fuller is the author of twelve novels and novellas. When she’s not writing, she enjoys traveling and spending time with her family and farm pets. She currently lives in Ohio with her husband of fifteen years and three children. Kathleen has a masters degree in Special Education, emphasis on teaching the blind and visually impaired, and a Bachelors in Early Childhood/Elementary Education. She has taught all age groups ranging from age 4 to age 18. A few of her favorite things: her relationship with Christ, chocolate (of course!), autumn, a satisfying book, good friends, a sense of humor, people who don’t take themselves seriously, haunting melodies, and NFL football.
In today’s drawing, Justaflipflopmom has been chosen as the winner of The Night Watchman by Mark Mynheir.
I want to thank everyone who entered. If you didn’t win this time, there will be several more opportunities to win books this month. Be sure and watch for the announcement and leave your comments to enter.
MY REVIEW:
The Believer is the first book I have read by Ann H. Gabhart. If it is any indication of her writing skills, it probably won’t be the last. I was hooked from the very first page as she set the stage with Ethan’s early history and how he came to be a part of the Shaker community at Harmony Hill. I found the wealth of details about Shaker life to be enlightening but the true star was the story. Each primary character in The Believer is so richly developed that it is quite easy to become involved in their lives. Of particular note are Elizabeth, her younger sister , Brother Issachar, and Ethan.
When Elizabeth seeks refuge for herself and her younger brother and sister at Harmony Hill after her father’s death, she finds it hard to adjust to the strict rules and regulations and different beliefs embraced by the men and women of the religious community. To complicate matters, she is strongly attracted to Ethan who has a firm commitment to the Shaker faith. As winter progresses, each of them struggles with their mutual attraction and with their faith. Things are further complicated by several events that impact both their lives.
The Believer is both a historical novel and a romance but is also filled with conflict, suspense, and a serious look at personal faith and the importance of following the heart.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Elizabeth Duncan has nowhere to turn. In charge of her younger brother and sister after their parents die, her options are limited. When she hears that the Shaker community in the next county takes in orphans, she presents herself and her siblings at Harmony Hill. Despite the hard work and strange new beliefs around her, Elizabeth is relieved to have a roof overhead and food to eat. But when she feels a strong attachment to a handsome young Believer named Ethan, life gets complicated. Ethan has never looked on the opposite sex as anything but sisters, but he can’t shake the new feelings that Elizabeth has awakened in him. Will Elizabeth be forced to leave the village to keep Ethan from stumbling? Or will Ethan’s love for her change their lives forever? Following on the heels of the successful book The Outsider, The Believer is Ann H. Gabhart’s newest exploration of love and devotion in this quiet Shaker community.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Living just thirty miles from a restored Shaker village in Kentucky, Ann H. Gabhart has walked the same paths that her characters might have walked in generations past. Her thorough research provides a convincing and colorful backdrop for her Shaker novels. Gabhart is also the author of Orchard of Hope and Summer of Joy.
You can purchase a copy of The Believer here.
