by admin | Feb 19, 2014 | Amish, Books, Romance
MY REVIEW:
“A Road Unknown” is a somewhat interesting story about a young Amish woman who has run away from home – not to leave her Amish faith but to escape the overwhelming demands of her family. It was interesting to read about Elizabeth’s experiences on her own living with an Englisch friend. Some of her experiences with modern appliances and devices were humorous and she learned a lesson or two when she tried dating an Englisch man. I enjoyed watching Elizabeth’s confidence grow as God seemed to place her in exactly the right place numerous times.
The story moved along at a good pace and contained several interesting characters that included Elizabeth’s friend Paula and her new boss Saul. As expected, Elizabeth finds the romance she has always yearned to have and the book ends pretty much as expected. It is a story about following God’s plan for your life and should appeal to those who love Amish fiction.
This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Book 1 in the new Amish Roads series
Elizabeth is at a crossroad. She’s been given the chance to experience life outside of her community, away from the responsibility to care for her eight younger siblings, but Elizabeth Bontrager can’t decide which road to take. Goshen has its charms and pressures, but Paradise, Pennsylvania, sounds . . . well, like paradise. And it’s also home to her Englisch friend, Paula. Decision made. Elizabeth is Paradise bound.
But will the small town live up to its name? When Elizabeth meets Paula’s friend, Bruce, she quickly learns he wants more than a friendship. And the same might be true of Saul Miller, her new boss at the country story that sells Amish products to the Englisch community. As the two compete for her attention, Elizabeth is surprised to realize she misses her family and becomes even more uncertain about where she belongs. She has a choice to make: return home or embrace this new life and possibly a new love?
Purchase a copy here.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Barbara Cameron is a best-selling author who has a heart for writing about the spiritual values and simple joys of the Amish. She is the author of more than 38 fiction and nonfiction books, three nationally televised movies, and the winner of the first Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award. Barbara is a former newspaper reporter. Some of her non-fiction titles include the “Everything Weddings on a Budget Book” and “Her Restless Heart: A Woman’s Longing for Love and Acceptance.” Cameron currently resides in Edgewater, Florida.
Find out more about Barbara and her books HERE.
Welcome to the campaign launch for Barbara Cameron‘s new Amish Roads series with Abingdon Press. A Road Unknown takes readers on a journey of new experiences, uncertainties, and faith.
Barbara has teamed up with her publisher for a $200 Visa cash card giveaway and a fun “Amish Roads” Facebook party.
One winner will receive:
- A $200 Visa cash card
- A Road Unknown by Barbara Cameron
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on February 27th. Winner will be announced at Barbara’s “Amish Roads” Facebook Party on February 27th. Connect with Barbara for an evening of book chat, Amish trivia, laughter, prizes, and more!
So grab your copy of A Road Unknown and join Barbara and friends on the evening of February 27th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven’t read the book, don’t let that stop you from coming!)
Don’t miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends
via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.
Hope to see you on the 27th!
by admin | Feb 16, 2014 | Biblical, Books, Historical
MY REVIEW:
Jill Eileen Smith has taken a story from the Old Testament that is so familiar to most Christians that we may tend to miss the whole truth in how it could relate to our own lives. The author includes the actual scripture at the beginning of each section of the novel then with the use of much research and her vivid imagination begins to fill in between the lines with a captivating tale that gives her readers with a more intimate look at everyone involved. As we get to know Rachel, Jacob, and Leah better, we begin to see what motivated them. We also get some insight into possible reasons that Joseph’s history played out the way it did.
A story filled with jealousy, manipulation, and deception, “Rachel” was also laced with faith and prayer. It was interesting how the characters acknowledged God’s answers to their prayers yet fell back to their own plots and plans over and over again and only remembered to pray when they became desperate. I realized that many Christians today, myself included, tend to follow their example when our lives would probably run more smoothly if we would only follow the Lord’s will.
“Rachel” was an encouraging lesson as well as an enjoyable way to learn more about Old Testament people and customs. I believe it would be an excellent book to include in the required reading for high school age home schoolers.
This book was provided for review by
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Can true love overcome a legacy of betrayal?
Rachel wants nothing more than for her older half sister Leah to wed and move out of their household. Leah wishes her father would find a good man who would love her alone. Unbeknownst to either of them, Jacob is making his way to their home, trying to escape a past laced with deceit and find the future God has promised him.
But the past comes back to haunt Jacob when he finds himself on the receiving end of treachery. The man who wanted only one woman ends up with sisters who have never gotten along and now must spend the rest of their lives sharing a husband. In the power struggles that follow, only one woman will triumph . . . or will she?
Combining meticulous research with her own imaginings, bestselling author Jill Eileen Smith not only tells one of the most famous love stories of all time but will manage to surprise even those who think they know the story inside and out.
“A faithful portrayal of the story of Jacob and his two wives, Rachel will make you feel the agony of two sisters in love with the same man. Smith has the knack of making her fiction feel truly authentic to the world of the Bible.”
—Tessa Afshar, award-winning author of Harvest of Gold
Read an excerpt from “Rachel” HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jill Eileen Smith is the author of the bestselling Michal, Abigail, and Bathsheba, all part of The Wives of King David series, and of Sarai and Rebekah in the Wives of the Patriarchs series. Her writing has garnered acclaim in several contests. Her research into the lives of biblical women has taken her from the Bible to Israel, and she particularly enjoys learning how women lived in Old Testament times. Jill lives with her family in southeast Michigan. Learn more at www.jilleileensmith.com.
by admin | Feb 15, 2014 | Books, Historical, Post Civil War, Romance
MY REVIEW:
In the final book of Ann Shorey’s Sisters At Heart series, Cassie Haddon takes center stage. In the aftermath of the Civil War, Cassie and her mother find themselves without a home or the means to take care of themselves. Cassie’s mother seems to be in denial and somehow expects that relatives will take care of them – only her brother-in-law has had enough of her and finding her brother turns out to be not the easy task she expected. Despite her mother’s disapproval, Cassie takes the bull by the horns and decides that she must find work and a home for them even if her background has left her ill prepared to earn a living.
Love’s Sweet Beginning has an excellent cast of characters. Cassie and Jacob, the hero and heroine grew on me as I got to know them better. A couple of the characters, one of which was Carrie’s mother, are the kind most readers love to hate. It was also fun to revisit Cassie’s friends from the two earlier books of the series. The plot moves along at a steady pace with drama, a bit of humor, family secrets, a hidden past and of course the requisite romance.
I loved Cassie’s determination and spirit and found it rewarding to watch her confidence grow as she learned new skills. Jacob was a bit more difficult to get to know but I enjoyed seeing him finally let go of his fear over his past. And even Cassie’s mother with all her airs was eventually an overcomer.
Love’s Sweet Beginning is a wonderful story about putting the past behind and moving on with life as God leads. It was a welcome ending to an enjoyable series.
This book was provided for review by
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
What will it take for a once-privileged young woman to make her way in the world?
It isn’t Cassie Haddon’s fault that she has reached the age of twenty-five without possessing any useful skills. Until the War Between the States, she always had servants. Since then, she and her mother have been forced to rely on family to care for them. But now the well of human kindness has run dry–and Cassie must find work to support them.
Unfortunately, leaving the past behind is easier said than done, and Cassie must summon all of her courage and wits to convince local restaurateur and grocer Jacob West that she’s exactly what his business needs.
With her signature sweet romance, Ann Shorey weaves a tale of two people from different backgrounds finding common ground and the hope of a bright future together.
Read an excerpt from Love’s Sweet Beginning HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ann Shorey is the author of the At Home in Beldon Grove series, Where Wildflowers Bloom, and When the Heart Heals. She has also published selections in the Cup of Comfort series and in Chicken Soup for the Grandma’s Soul. Ann and her husband make their home in southwestern Oregon. Learn more at www.annshorey.com.
by admin | Feb 12, 2014 | Books, Contemporary Fiction
MY REVIEW:
The Sinners’ Garden is one of those books that will not be quickly forgotten. I fully expect that various events from the novel will pop into my mind or dreams from out of the blue. It is a beautifully crafted story with a supernatural ambiance that captured my imagination yet left me with some thoughts to ponder.
It was easy for me to connect with the characters of The Sinners’ Garden. They are fairly normal people, although each is emotionally broken in some way. Pain or grief has been a constant companion to some of them. Each is desperately in need of healing. Another thing they have in common is their need for God but like many of us, they are so busy trying to earn His love or feeling unworthy of His attention, that they completely miss His free gift of grace. But God has chosen as unique way to get their attention that is a predominate factor in the plot.
With a strong cast of characters, a well-paced plot, a good dose of mystery and suspense, and a reasonably strong emphasis on faith and forgiveness, The Sinners’ Garden is nearly perfection. There were several scenes where sharing the message of salvation would have fit quite well and would have been so appropriate. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed The Sinners’ Garden and look forward to future books by this author.
This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
In the small Lake Erie township of Benning, someone is at work cultivating a supernatural garden …
Andy Kemp’s young life has been as ravaged as his scarred face. Disfigured by an abusive father, the teenager hides behind his books and an impenetrable wall of cynicism and anger.
As Andy’s mother struggles to reconnect with him, his Uncle Rip returns transformed from a stint in prison and wants to be a mentor to the reclusive boy, doing everything he can to help end Andy’s pain. When Andy begins hearing strange music through his iPod and making near-prophetic announcements, Rip is convinced that what Andy is hearing is the voice of God.
Elsewhere, police officer Heather Gerisch responds to a late-night breaking and entering in one of the poorest homes in town. She soon realizes that the masked prowler has left thousands of dollars in gift cards from a local grocery store.
As the bizarre break-ins continue and Heather pursues the elusive “Summer Santa,” Andy and Rip discover an enormous and well-kept garden of wildflowers that seems to have grown overnight at an abandoned steel mill.
Soon, they realize who the gardener is, and a spree of miracles transfigures this small town from a place of hopelessness into a place of healing and beauty.
Purchase a copy HERE.
Read an excerpt from The Sinners’ Garden HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Over the course of his life, William Sirls has experienced both great highs and tremendous lows–some born of chance, some born of choice. Life lessons involving faith, grace, and forgiveness are evident in his writing. “The Sinners’ Garden” is his second novel. His first novel, “The Reason,” was published in 2012. William makes his home in southern Michigan.
Learn more at William’s website.
