by admin | May 16, 2014 | Amish, Books, Contemporary Fiction, Romance
MY REVIEW:
Although “Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio” has an Amish community setting and features several Amish characters, the story itself it not what one find in most Amish fiction. Primary characters are Rachel Troyer, a policewoman in Sugarcreek, and Joe Matthews, a stranger in town who finds shelter at the inn belonging to Rachel’s Amish aunts. With her skeptical nature, Rachel quickly suspects that Joe has secrets and she fears for the safety of her aunts. Despite her best intentions, Rachel is drawn to Joe as she gets to know him better.
“Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio” is a fascinating story with plenty of secrets, drama, action, romance, humor, and even danger to hold the interest of even the most discriminating reader. Rather than focus on the rules and regulations of the Amish faith, this novel features the kindness, generosity, and love of family that is common among these people. The renewal of both Rachel and Joe’s faith was special and I liked watching them grow to depend on the Lord.
Although Amish fiction is not my favorite genre, “Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio” was so good that I will definitely have my DVR set to record the movie based on it when it premieres in June.
This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Guideposts Books is excited to announce the premiere of a new film based on the book Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio (Summerside Press) by Serena Miller.
A mysterious outsider casts a long shadow on Ohio’s Amish country. Policewoman Rachel Troyer has always looked after her three elderly Amish aunts, proprietors of a farmhouse inn near Sugarcreek, Ohio. The idyllic town is popular with tourists, who come to sample its famous Amish goods. But one thing is clear to Rachel – Joe Matthews is no tourist. When the bearded stranger lands on her aunts’ doorstep, begging shelter for himself and his young son, Rachel is suspicious.
Will she be able to uncover Joe’s secrets despite her aunts’ – and her own – growing affection for him?
| ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Prior to writing novels, Serena Miller wrote for many periodicals, including Woman’s World, Guideposts, Billy Graham’s Decision Magazine, Reader’s Digest, Focus on the Family, Christian Woman, and The Detroit Free Press Magazine. She has spent many years partnering with her husband in full-time ministry and lives on a farm in southern Ohio near a thriving Amish community. |
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Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio – THE MOVIE!
Guideposts Books is excited to announce the premiere of a new film based on the book Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio (Summerside Press) by Serena Miller. The movie, produced by Mission Pictures International and filmed last fall in the actual town of Sugarcreek, will premiere on Sunday, June 1, 2014, at 7:00 PM EDT on Up TV (formerly the Gospel Music Channel).Visit the movie website for more information.
Serena and Guideposts will be celebrating with a Facebook viewing party!
Join Serena and readers on Facebook while you tune in to watch Love Finds You in Sugarcreek to share your thoughts about the movie, chat with other viewers, and win fun prizes. Just use hashtag #LFYSugarcreek to join the discussion on June 1st.
Check your local listing for UpTV (http://up.viewerlink.tv) to find out when it airs in your timezone.
Excited? Help me spread the word! Just share this link and information on your social media along with the hashtag #LFYSugarcreek! Plus, we’ll be tracking the hashtag and giving away Amazon & Starbucks cards to people at random who help to promote all throughout the month of May. Winners announced at the Love Finds You in Sugarcreek viewing party on June 1st.
“This is so exciting for Serena Miller and Guideposts! We are thrilled that Up TV has chosen Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio to make into a movie,” said Lenore Lelah Person, vice president and editorial director of Guideposts Books and Inspirational Media. “With Serena’s wonderful story and a beautiful backdrop in Ohio Amish country, fans of the story and the series will enjoy seeing it on screen. For more information read the media release.
For those who are not familiar with the Love Finds You™ series, this will be a great opportunity to introduce them to these uplifting and engaging romances.” Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio is one of more than 50 releases in the popular Love Finds You™ series uniquely titled after actual American towns with unusual but intriguing names and combines travel, romance and faith in one package. The series includes both historical and contemporary releases, and each fictional story draws on compelling history or the unique character of a real place. Stories center on romances kindled in small towns, old loves lost and found again on the high plains, and new loves discovered at exciting vacation getaways. Mission Pictures has purchased the movie rights to the entire series and plans to produce additional films based on the series in the future.
by admin | May 16, 2014 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Humor, Romance
This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingRise and ShineRiver North; New Edition edition (May 1, 2014)by
Sandra D. BrickerABOUT THE AUTHOR:
For more than a decade, Sandra D. Bricker lived in Los Angeles. While honing her chosen craft of screenwriting in every spare moment, she worked as a personal assistant and publicist to some of daytime television’s hottest stars. When her mother became ill in Florida, she walked away from that segment of her life and moved across the country to take on a new role: Caregiver.
The author says that it was her 8th novel that opened the door to finding her way as a writer. “I’m a Christian woman, first and foremost,” she says. “So it was a bit of a dream-come-true when Summerside Press chose me as one of two authors to launch the Love Finds You line.”
Sandie’s real-life role as cancer survivor has parlayed into her steadfast commitment to raising awareness and funds for ovarian cancer research. Spearheading a series of devotionals for Summerside Press (such as the popular His Grace is Sufficient…Decaf is Not), the author has stipulated that a portion of each contributor’s proceeds will go to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.
“Being allowed to combine my faith and my humor with raising funds for my pet projects … and still pursue my writing dream,” says Bricker, “well, that’s the best of all worlds, as far as I’m concerned!”
And one of the author’s pet projects is animal rescue, evidenced by the special bond she has created with one particular formerly-abandoned puppy — a red-haired collie with “killer brown eyes and the heart of the class clown.”
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Shannon Malone thought she’d found her happy ending when she married Edmund Ridgeway, but a diving accident on their honeymoon left her in a coma. Waking up to the news that she’s thirty years old would have been daunting enough . . . but she also learns that Edmund has lost his interim battle with cancer and the world has marched on without her. Her gorgeous doctor, Daniel Petros, seems to know everything about her and becomes Shannon’s tour guide into a whole new world of madness where reality television has taken over the planet and everyone’s life appears to revolve around a tiny screen on their cell phones!
As Shannon struggles to navigate through the changes-both in the world and in her-she also must discern real memories from imagined ones. Did she really ever wear capri pants and entertain in her living room, or was that Laura Petrie from her favorite classic TV show? And where is her beloved dog, Freeway? Oh, wait! That was Jonathan and Jennifer Hart’s dog, not hers.
Shannon’s three elderly aunts flit through her life in true Sleeping Beauty style with her well-being always a priority. And Edmund’s sister Millicent descends like the Evil Queen she is, trying to extract Shannon from any claim on the Ridgeway family fortune. When a tornado moves through town and Shannon is knocked unconscious, will Daniel’s kiss awaken her once and for all?
If you would like to read the first chapter of Rise and Shine, go HERE.
MY REVIEW:
I always enjoy Sandra Bricker’s fun approach to romance and Rise and Shine was no exception. Loosely based on the classic fairytale “Sleeping Beauty”, this particular modern tale features Shannon who has just woken from a ten-year coma following an accident that took place on her honeymoon. Not only must she adjust to all the changes that have taken place in the world while she slept, but she learns that her husband has also died during that time. Meanwhile, Dr. Daniel Petros has watched over her all those years and intends to honor the promise he made to Shannon’s husband.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and loved the characters from Shannon’s delightful aunts to the dreamy Dr. Daniel. The story was a reminder about how much has actually changed in our daily lives over the past ten years, especially in the form of modern technology. The frequent references to classic TV shows were fun, especially how they affected Shannon’s memory as they were played while she was in her coma. An excellent example of forgiveness was the icing on the cake.
Rise and Shine was fun and easy to read as well as appropriate for all ages.
by admin | May 12, 2014 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Romance
MY REVIEW:
The morning after an impulsive wedding in Vegas and a one night honeymoon, Celia’s new husband Ty insists that he has made a big mistake and returns to his rodeo career without a backwards glance. Devastated, Celia goes her own way and attempts to put her life back together. After several years, Ty decides to contact Celia and is surprised to learn that they have a daughter Celia has struggled to raise on her own.
It didn’t take me long to figure out that Ty and Celia would end up back together but who knew just how clueless Ty could be and how stubborn Celia would be. Actually Ty was a great guy who wanted to be sure that both Celia and their daughter were taken care of. He just had his mind made up about who he was supposed to marry and was conflicted at best. Celia’s stubbornness was mostly for self-protection. She knew she couldn’t let Ty back in her heart because she couldn’t trust him not to hurt her again.
“Meant to be Mine” is great contemporary romance with excellent interaction between the characters. I loved the way God finally got Ty’s attention and how he and Celia finally resolved their differences and committed to a lifetime together.
This book was provided for review by
Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Ty Porter has always been irresistible to Celia Park. All through high school–irresistible. When their paths cross again after college–still irresistible. This time, though, Ty seems to feel exactly the same way about Celia. Their whirlwind romance deposits them at a street-corner Las Vegas wedding chapel.
The next morning they wake to a marriage certificate and a dose of cold reality. Celia’s ready to be Ty’s wife, but Ty’s not ready to be her husband. He’s a professional bull rider, he lives on the road, and he’s long planned to settle down with the hometown girl he’s known since childhood.
Five and a half years pass. Celia’s buried her dreams so that she can afford to raise her daughter. Ty’s achieved all of his goals. Or thought he had, until he looks again into the eyes of the woman he couldn’t forget and into the face of the child he never knew he had.
How much will Ty sacrifice to win back Celia’s trust and prove to her that their spontaneous marriage can still become the love of a lifetime?
Read an excerpt from “Meant to be Mine HERE.
Praise for Becky Wade
“Definitely one for the keeper shelf!”–USA Today on Undeniably Yours
“A sweet contemporary romance that will make for the perfect summer read.”–Novel Crossing on Undeniably Yours
“A feisty heroine, romance, and comedy make this a fabulous debut and Wade an author to follow.”–Library Journal on My Stubborn Heart
“A perfect 5 out of 5 stars…can’t wait to find more from Becky in the near future. This is a must-read for your summer love stories!”–Reviews from the Heart blog on My Stubborn Heart
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
by admin | May 12, 2014 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, Romance
MY REVIEW:
A poignant story set in motion by the death of Haley’s husband Sam, “Somebody Like You” kept me reading far past my bedtime. It could be difficult to believe that a wife would not know that her husband had an identical twin and that she might fall in love with the twin after her husband’s death but in Beth Vogt’s new novel, it makes perfect sense.
“Somebody Like You” is a story about regrets. Stephen regrets that he waited too late to reconcile with his brother Sam but hopes that in some way he can learn more about his brother’s last years by getting to know Sam’s widow. Haley regrets not telling Sam that they were expecting a child before his death. The discovery that Sam had an identical twin caught her off guard and she wanted to have nothing to do with Stephen; however Stephen’s persistence got past her walls and she soon became dependent on him. Frequent readers can see where this tale will end but the journey is filled with obstacles and seeming impossibilities.
I loved this faith filled story of love, forgiveness, and reconciliation. I would recommend it to all who enjoy a romance with a message.
This book was provided for review by Howard Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
In this beautifully rendered, affecting novel, a young widow’s world is shattered when she meets her late husband’s identical twin—and finds herself caught between honoring her husband’s memory and falling in love with his reflection.
Haley’s whirlwind romance and almost three-year marriage to Sam, an army medic, ends tragically when he is killed in Afghanistan. As she grapples with widowhood and the upcoming birth of her son, her attempts to create a new life for herself are ambushed when she arrives home one evening—and finds her husband waiting for her. Did the military make an unimaginable mistake when they told her that Sam had been killed?
After a twelve-year estrangement, Stephen hopes to make things right with his brother—only to discover Sam died without revealing Stephen’s existence to Haley. As Haley and Stephen struggle to navigate their fragile relationship, they are inexorably drawn to each other. Haley is unnerved by Stephen’s uncanny resemblance to Sam, and Stephen struggles with the issue of Haley loving him as Stephen—and not as some reflection of his twin. How can Haley and Stephen honor the memory of a man whose death brought them together—and whose ghost could drive them apart?
Somebody Like You reminds us that while we can’t change the past, we have the choice—and the power through God—to change the future and start anew.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Beth K. Vogt is a nonfiction author and editor who said she’d never write fiction. She’s the wife of an air force physician who said she’d never marry a doctor—or anyone in the military. She’s a mom of four who said she’d never have kids. She’s discovered that God’s best often waits behind the doors marked “Never.”
by admin | May 11, 2014 | Books, Contemporary Fiction, France, Historical, Romance, WWII
MY REVIEW:
“Chateau of Secrets” tells two related stories, one that is current and one that took place in France during World War 2. Through alternating chapters the reader learns the historic story of Gisèle Duchant and the risks she took to hide French resistance fighters as well as saving numerous others after the German army moved into the family chateau during the German occupation of France. The contemporary story follows Gisèle’s granddaughter Chloe Sauver as she travels to France to answer questions for a documentary featuring the family history.
“Chateau of Secrets” is a fascinating novel that held my attention until the very end. It was easy to follow each story thread and I enjoyed reading what happened to Gisèle at the same time Chloe learned more about her. The historical setting and details were excellent. I almost felt as though I was there. The dramatic tension was perfect and surprises were revealed at just the right moments. Chloe’s love interests added extra depth to the narrative but in my opinion Gisèle was the star of this book.
A special story, “Chateau of Secrets” is a book I would recommend to all lovers of historical fiction.
This book was provided for review by Howard Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
A courageous young noblewoman risks her life to hide French resistance fighters; seventy years later, her granddaughter visits the family’s abandoned chateau and uncovers shocking secrets from the past.
Gisèle Duchant guards a secret that could cost her life. Tunnels snake through the hill under her family’s medieval chateau in Normandy. Now, with Hitler’s army bearing down, her brother and several friends are hiding in the tunnels, resisting the German occupation of France.
But when German soldiers take over the family’s château, Gisèle is forced to host them as well—while harboring the resistance fighters right below their feet. Taking in a Jewish friend’s baby, she convinces the Nazis that it is her child, ultimately risking everything for the future of the child. When the German officers begin to suspect her deception, an unlikely hero rescues both her and the child.
A present day story weaves through the past one as Chloe Sauver, Gisèle’s granddaughter, arrives in Normandy. After calling off her engagement with a political candidate, Chloe pays a visit to the chateau to escape publicity and work with a documentary filmmaker, Riley, who has uncovered a fascinating story about Jews serving in Hitler’s army. Riley wants to research Chloe’s family history and the lives that were saved in the tunnels under their house in Normandy. Chloe is floored—her family isn’t Jewish, for one thing, and she doesn’t know anything about tunnels or the history of the house. But as she begins to explore the dark and winding passageways beneath the chateau, nothing can prepare her for the shock of what she and Riley discover…
With emotion and intrigue, Melanie Dobson brings World War II France to life in this beautiful novel about war, family, sacrifice, and the secrets of the past.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Melanie Dobson is the award-winning author of thirteen historical romance, suspense, and contemporary novels. Two of her novels won Carol Awards in 2011, and Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana won Best Novel of Indiana in 2010. Melanie lives with her husband Jon and two daughters near Portland, Oregon. Visit her online at MelanieDobson.com.
Becky Wade is a graduate of Baylor University. As a newlywed, she lived for three years in a home overlooking the turquoise waters of the Caribbean, as well as in Australia, before returning to the States. A mom of three young children, Becky and her family now live in Dallas, Texas.
