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.
While divorce is never the best option from a Christian viewpoint, sometimes it is just downright unavoidable. Finding herself divorced against her own wishes, Kimberly has had great difficulty dealing with her situation and it seemed as if her ex would do almost anything to make things more difficult for her. After losing one more traumatic court battle over summer custody of her sons, Kimberly’s wise father insisted upon her going to the family beach house in Cedar Key, Florida to find a new housekeeper. Although she didn’t want to go, Kimberly complied and soon found that her short beach vacation would change her life forever. Not only does she make new friends and renew an old romance, but Kimberly is forced to face and deal with truths about herself, her family, and secrets from the past.
Chasing Sunsets is the perfect book for long hot summer days. The reader can mentally escape to the beach as she enjoys a great story of self discovery and second chances. With realistically portrayed characters and situations, Chasing Sunsets is both entertaining and emotionally charged. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it.
This book was provided for review by
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK: The Gift Of A Camera At Sunset, The Truth Spoken In Love, A Broken Heart Is Revealed, and The Dam Breaks…
“Don’t waste time, Kimberly. Time is something we all think we’ve got in abundance until suddenly the clock stops ticking. Don’t waste a single minute of your life…”
There is magic along the marshes in Cedar Key, Florida. Kimberly Tucker may just need reminding. Author Eva Marie Everson takes readers to the beautiful Gulf Coast of Florida in Chasing Sunsets (ISBN: 978-0-8007-3436-7, June 2011, 384 pages, $14.99). Time stands still on this tiny island as visitors and residents admire the beautiful sunrises and sunsets and the friendly smiling faces. But Kimberly struggles with the secrets of her past that seem to be locked away in Cedar Key.
Wondering what went wrong with her marriage and realizing the dreams for their future would not come true, Kimberly resents her former husband for moving on with his life. When a judge orders her sons to spend five weeks of summer vacation with their father, Kimberly’s father suggests a respite in the family vacation home on Cedar Key Island. As Kim revisits her childhood memories and former loves, she soon discovers that treasures in life are often buried, and mistakes–both past and present–become redeemable in God’s hand.
Walk alongside Kimberly in Chasing Sunsets as she discovers that God’s answers may not come easily, but they do come.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Eva Marie Everson is a successful speaker, a popular radio personality, and the award-winning author of Things Left Unspoken and This Fine Life. She is coauthor of the Potluck Club series and the Potluck Catering Club series. She lives in Florida.
I am always on the lookout for books by new authors so I was glad for the chance to read Spring for Susannah, Catherine Richmond’s very first published novel. A historical romance set in Dakota territory, the story chronicles the experiences of a mail order bride and her new husband as they attempt to build a life together in their little sod home.
Both Susannah and Jesse had preconceived ideas about what their marriage would be but their expectations were slow to be realized. Jesse had looked forward to a wife who would be a companion to take away some of the loneliness of the long Dakota winters. What he got was a shy silent one who seemed to be afraid of him. Susannah had difficulty believing that anyone could possibly care for her and lived in fear that Jesse would send her away. As time passed, the couple grew to know each other better and love blossomed between them but they each had insecurities that prevented them from recognizing it. One disaster after another tested their endurance and their faith.
Spring for Susannah was a delight. Richmond’s characters were well developed and I cared about what happened to them. I could imagine myself there with them as I read the vivid descriptions of settings and events. Intimate moments between Susannah and Jesse were natural and tasteful. A spiritual message was woven naturally and unobtrusively throughout.
I look forward to future novels from Catherine Richmond and would recommend Spring for Susannah to all who enjoy Christian historical fiction.
This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Booklist says, “Inspired by [folk] lyrics, Richmond arrives on the inspirational fiction scene with a moving debut novel. Readers will be filled with hope that Susannah will learn the true meaning of love. Highly recommended where inspiring, romantic historical fiction is in demand.”
Hundreds of miles from home, Susannah faces an uncertain future as a mail-order bride on the untamed Dakota prairie.
When her parents die suddenly, and no suitors call, Susannah resigns herself to the only option available: becoming a mail-order bride. Agreeing to marry her pastor’s brother, Jesse, Susannah leaves the only home she’s ever known for the untamed frontier of the Dakota Territory.
Her new husband is more loving and patient with her than she believes she deserves. Still, there is also a wildness to him that mirrors the wilderness surrounding them. And Susannah finds herself constantly on edge. But Jesse’s confidence in her-and his faith in God’s perfect plan-slowly begin to chip away at the wall she hides behind.
When she miscarries in the brutal Dakota winter, Susannah’s fledgling faith in herself and in God begins to crumble. Still, Jesse’s love is unwavering. Just when it seems like winter will never end, Susannah finally sees the first tentative evidence of spring. And with it, the realization that more than the landscape has changed.
She looks to the future with a renewed heart. Yet in her wildest dreams, she couldn’t predict all that awaits her.
See what other bloggers are saying about Spring for SusannahHERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Catherine Richmond was focused on her career as an occupational therapist till a special song planted a story idea in her mind. That idea would ultimately become Spring for Susannah, her first novel. She is also a founder and moderator of Nebraska Novelist critique group and lives in Nebraska with her husband.
For more about Catherine, please visit www.catherinerichmond.com.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Many links on this site are supplied by the Reviewer groups that provide the books I review. Occasionally other links may be my personal associate links.
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.
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.
