Marybeth Whalen is the wife of Curt and mom of six children. The family lives outside Charlotte, NC. Marybeth is a member of the Proverbs 31 Ministries writing team and a regular contributor to their daily devotions. Her first novel,The Mailbox was released in June 2010. Her next novel, She Makes It Look Easy, will be released in June 2011. Additionally, she serves as director of She Reads, Proverbs 31 Ministries’ fiction division.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Ariel Baxter has just moved into the neighborhood of her dreams. The chaos of domestic life and the loneliness of motherhood, however, moved with her. Then she meets her neighbor, Justine Miller. Justine ushers Ariel into a world of clutter-free houses, fresh-baked bread, homemade crafts, neighborhood play dates, and organization techniques designed to make marriage better and parenting manageable. Soon Ariel realizes there is hope for peace, friendship, and clean kitchen counters. But when rumors start to circulate about Justine’s real home life, Ariel must choose whether to believe the best about the friend she admires or consider the possibility that “perfection” isn’t always what it seems to be.
Philippians 4:11 [English Standard Version (ESV)] Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.
If there is one predominant message in She Makes It Look Easy, it is the scripture above. How much pain and heartache Justine could have avoided if she had just learned to be content instead of imagining her life away. She still had not learned that lesson by the end of the book. On the other hand, Ariel had many of the right answers from the beginning but didn’t know it. Fortunately she learned the truth before it was too late.
She Makes It Look Easy was an interesting if not entertaining story that brought home some very strong truths. This narrative was so realistic that I saw things about my own past through it. Not a comfortable feeling which detracted from its entertainment value. The story is told from two points of view – Ariel’s and Justine’s. I was never able to like or even empathize with Justine. She was manipulative and just never seemed to be genuine. I also became frustrated with Ariel’s naivete and wanted to shake her until she could see clearly how she was being used.
Well, as my grandma used to say, “It all came out in the wash.” Actions have consequences and everything that is hidden will be revealed. And that is the way She Makes It Look Easy concluded. Such a sad story yet it was so full of lessons in real life. Be aware that this book will challenge more than entertain. It’s not for a day when you need a light distraction.
Too Rich For A Bride is the second book in Mona Hodgson’s series The Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek and features the oldest Sinclair sister, Ida who is more interested in pursuing a career than a husband. Interestingly enough, although she immediately obtains a good job working for Mollie O’Bryan, she finds herself pursued by not one but two eligible men. Colin Wagner, the dapper lawyer appears to be the most suitable beau but Ida finds herself more attracted to the entirely unsuitable itinerant preacher/iceman Tucker Raines.
The basic concept for Too Rich For A Bride is a good one but I would like to have seen a bit more plot and character development as well as more details about the progress of Ida’s romance. Then too, more build-up to the suspenseful confrontation would have been nice. For me it was somewhat unexpected and over and done with much too quickly.
Other than that, I found Too Rich For A Bride to be a light, entertaining read that is perfect for a lazy summer day.
This book was provided for review by Blogging For Books.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
As the business-savvy Sinclair sister, Ida has never wanted to settle down.
Instead of love, she craves success.
But while searching for one, she just might find the other.
Ida Sinclair has joined her sisters, Kat and Nell, in the untamed mining town of Cripple Creek, Colorado for one reason: to work for the infamous but undeniably successful businesswoman, Mollie O’Bryan. Ida’s sisters may be interested in making a match for their determined older sister, but Ida only wants to build her career.
Under Mollie’s tutelage, Ida learns how to play the stock market and revels in her promising accomplishments. Fighting for respect in a man’s world, her ambition leaves little room for distractions. She ignores her family’s reservations about Mollie O’Bryan’s business practices, but no matter how she tries, she can’t ignore the two men pursuing her affections—Colin Wagner, the dashing lawyer, and Tucker Raines, the traveling preacher.
Ida wants a career more than anything else, so she shrugs off the suitors and pointed “suggestions” that young ladies don’t belong in business. Will it take unexpected love—or unexpected danger—for Ida to realize where her priorities truly lie?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
In 1987, Mona Hodgson began writing articles, poems, and short stories for publication and has had several hundred printed in more than 50 different publications. Her publishing credits now include two historical novels, nearly 30 children’s books, and contributions to 11 books for adults.
Mona is a speaker for women’s retreats, schools, conferences for educators and librarians, and at writers’ conferences throughout the United States and Canada. She holds professional memberships in the American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, Women Writing the West, Christian Authors Network, Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, the Society of Southwestern Authors, and Arizona Reading Association.
Verse: John 15:5 Apart from Me you can do nothing.
Tagline: Challenging Women to Live in Truth
A passionate writer and speaker, Lynn is a woman who presents a compelling message to encourage women to thrive in their marriage. She speaks at events nationwide where she challenges the myths women believe about love, pointing them to life-changing freedom through a relationship with Jesus. She reveals the zany yet meaningful stories of marriage challenges, truths, and triumphs in her life and invites women to share her view from her front row seat to an amazing journey; life lived for Christ.
Married since 1992 to her best friend and biggest enthusiast, Mike, she lives in Temecula, California. They have a son and a daughter and a wacky dog named Peanut. She loves to laugh, enjoys a strong cup of coffee and Fantasy Football and not necessarily in that order.
She lives each day in awe of the grace of God in her ordinary life.
Dineen Miller
Verse: Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Tagline: Igniting the Soul
Dineen readily admits that one of the greatest lessons she’s learning about life is that there’s purpose in our trials. And it’s all about trusting God and putting our hope in Him. Her favorite stories will always be of the miracles God has wrought in the lives of her family.
Through this lens she also believes her years as a youth counselor, a Stephen Minister, a women’s ministry leader, and a small group leader have prepared her for God’s calling on her life—to write for and speak to those in mismatched marriages like hers.
In addition to writing for Spiritually Unequal Marriage, Dineen writes for Laced with Grace and various other fiction online magazines and newsletters. She’s also won several prestigious awards for her fiction, and her devotional writing has been featured in Our Journey and Christian Women Online Magazine.
Married for 23 years to a guy who keeps her young, she lives in the Bay Area with her husband, two precious daughters, and their dog Shasta, who no doubt is an angel in disguise.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Week after week, they sit in church . . . alone. They are the spiritually mismatched, those who are committed to a spouse who does not share their faith. Feeling abandoned by their spouse and forgotten by their church, they live out their faith in survival mode, guarding the spiritual flame yet never feeling free to share it. But God wants them to thrive—not just survive.
Winning Him Without Words presents 10 Christ centered keys to thriving in a spiritual mismatch. Readers are encouraged to commit to Christian community, to release their spouse to God’s capable hands, to find peace in their relationships with Christ and with their spouse, to continue their pursuit of a growing faith and to love their spouse with fresh enthusiasm. God wants every marriage to exude peace and love, and Winning Him Without Words empowers readers to create that environment in their homes and thrive as God works.
Although I sometimes grow weary of all the Amish fiction that arrives in my mailbox for review, I always enjoy Beth Wiseman’s books. Her stories usually approach the Amish life from a different angle without disparaging it. Her honest depiction of characters, the choices they face, and their ultimate decisions add a fresh dimension to this genre.
Plain Proposal features two young women – one who is Amish but loves a young man who plans to leave the Amish community and the other is an Englischer whose father left the Amish before she was born. As Miriam’s love for Saul grows, she faces the difficult decision of whether to go against her family’s wishes or to give him up. Troubled Shelby finds peace and the love of the family she always wanted and is reluctant to leave them for her old life.
Interesting characters and a clever plot kept me turning the pages and several surprises were appreciated. Plain Proposal is an excellent story about love, acceptance, loyalty, and family that clearly illustrates the series theme of what it means to be a Daughter of the Promise – a lesson that applies to all daughters of Christ.
This book was provided for review by Amazon Vine.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Miriam secretly vows to follow Saul no matter what the future holds. She never thought that future might take them away from their Amish community.
Miriam Raber could have her pick of any of the eligible bachelors in Lancaster County. But she only has eyes for one . . . Saul Fisher. He captured her heart years ago, and she’s never looked back. Even when rumors circulate that Saul may leave their Amish community to pursue a once-in-a-lifetime apprenticeship, Miriam makes a bold assertion: she will stand by him, whether he stays or goes.
Saul Fisher has experienced an inordinate amount of loss in his short life. Raising his two brothers and caring for a grieving father who privately seeks solace in the comfort of his homemade wine, Saul has kept his father’s drinking from the community. But if he leaves Lancaster, the burden of secrecy will be left to his young brothers. How does he balance this with the dream that burns bright within him?
As Miriam and Saul consider leaving their lives behind, God starts revealing things to Miriam that make her think twice about what it means to be a Daughter of the Promise, and what it means to make a home.
Experience this love story with a surprising resolution by one of the most popular voices in Amish fiction.
To read the first chapter of Plain Proposal CLICK HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Beth is the best-selling author of the Daughters of the Promise series — Plain Perfect, Plain Pursuit, Plain Promise, Plain Paradise and Plain Proposal. Her new series–Land of Canaan– debuted in the fall of 2010 with Seek Me With All Your Heart which has been selected as the 2011 Women of Faith Novel of the Year. She is contracted with Thomas Nelson Publishing and is currently working on her first non-Amish novel due for release in the spring of 2012. All of her books have held spots on both the CBA (Christian Book Association) bestseller list and the ECPA (Evangelical Christian Publishers Association) bestseller list.
Heart of Ice is a chilling look at the heart of a psychopath. Elizabeth is a woman who tends to remove every obstacle that stands in her way – even if it requires murder. After spending time institutionalized for the deaths of two children when she was still a child herself, Elizabeth has mastered deception and manipulation to the point that she usually manages to get someone else to do her dirty work.
Federal prosecutor Allison Pierce, FBI special agent Nicole Hedges, and TV crime reporter Cassidy Shaw are three friends who call themselves the “Triple Threat Club”. After Cassidy meets Elizabeth and joins her boot camp at the health spa, she is so impressed that she talks Allison and Nichole into joining. Although Allison and Nichole are not as taken with Elizabeth, they have no idea that she could possibly be behind the rapidly escalating and bizarre crimes in the area.
Because this book is written from several points of view, it is evident from the beginning that Elizabeth is responsible so there is no real mystery here. However, the insight into the way her mind worked and the suspenseful progression of the story kept me turning the pages. Overall, the characters are well rounded and realistic and the plot worked for me.
This books is published by Thomas Nelson so I expected a bit more spiritual content than I found. One character is a Christian and prayer was mentioned several times. Heart of Ice is a contemporary crime/suspense novel and contained several adult scenes; however they were all handled tastefully without gratuitous sex or violence. As books of this genre go, Heart of Ice is definitely worth reading. I will probably try more of this series in the future.
This book was provided for review by Amazon Vine.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Elizabeth Avery could easily be the girl next door.
But what she has planned will make your blood run cold.
At first glance, the crimes appear random. Arson. Theft. Fraud. Murder. But these are more than random crimes. They’re moves in an increasingly deadly game. And the one element they have in common: a woman who is gorgeous, clever . . . and lethal.
Elizabeth Avery has a winsome smile and flawless figure, but underneath is a heart of ice. She’s a master at manipulating people, convincing strangers to do the unthinkable. And she orchestrates it all without getting too close. Until now.
When Elizabeth ruthlessly disposes of an inquisitive young reporter, her crime catches the attention of Federal Prosecutor Allison Pierce, FBI Special Agent Nicole Hedges, and crime reporter Cassidy Shaw. They know they’re dealing with a cold-blooded murderer who could strike at any time. What they don’t know is that they’re already on a first-name basis with the killer.
And one of them may be next on her list.
Because Elizabeth has no intention of getting caught !?? not when she’s having this much fun. She learned a long time ago that the safest place to hide is in plain sight . . . and the greatest way to defeat those weaker than her is to make it personal.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Lis Wiehl is one of the nation’s most prominent trial lawyers and highly regarded commentators. Currently, she is the legal analyst and reporter on the Fox News Channel and Bill O’Reilly’s sparring partner in the weekly “Is It Legal?” segment on The O’Reilly Factor. Prior to that she was O’Reilly’s co-host on the nationally syndicated show The Radio Factor. She is also a Professor of Law at New York Law School. Her column “Lis on Law” appears weekly on FoxNews.com.
Prior to joining Fox News Channel in New York City, Wiehl served as a legal analyst and reporter for NBC News and NPR’s All Things Considered. Before that, Wiehl served as a Federal Prosecutor in the United States Attorney’s office.
Wiehl earned her Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School and her Master of Arts in Literature from the University of Queensland.
Wiehl is also the author of The 51% Minority, which won the 2008 award for Books for a Better Life in the motivational category, and Winning Every Time.
She lives with her husband and two children in New York.
Noted author Roald Dahl help New York Times bestselling author April Henry take her first step as a writer. When April was eleven, she sent the famous children’s author a short story about a frog who loved peanut butter. He read it to an editor of an international children’s magazine, who then asked to publish it. April has since written several highly acclaimed mysteries and thrillers. Her books have been short-listed for the Agatha Award, the Anthony Award, and the Oregon Book Award, and translated into several languages. Two have been chosen for BookSense by the independent booksellers of America. April lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and daughter.
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