Life, Love and Books

My Dating Journey: Meeting My Hubby  I did not start dating till I was twenty years old, my first date was with a guy that I had met thru a mutual friend. I truly enjoyed going out on the date with this guy, but we did not hit it off very well. I was told by the mutual friend that I talked to much. It was a year before I went on another date with a guy that my boss had wanted me to meet. He was interesting, but he did not like that I was focused on volunteering as an EMT/FF. I even went on a few blind dates, each of them ended up not calling me back. One of my rules for dating was I only went out once with the guy and if I did not feel a connection with him I did not go out with him again. I struggled with being single and not having someone to be with. I dedicated myself to volunteering with my local fire and EMS company. Also I spent my weekends volunteering at a dirt racetrack with our ambulance. It was not till I was 30 did I meet the guy that would sweep me off my feet

You're Already Amazing "Life Growth Guide" by Holley Gerth With this interactive guide to her book You're Already Amazing, Holley Gerth brings us a guide to help us embrace who we are.  Each of these six sessions have a exercise to go with each one, the sessions are: 1. Who God Created Us to Be 2. What's True No Matter How We Feel 3. Our Amazing Journey with Jesus 4. God's Plan for Our Relationships 5. God's Purpose for Our Lives 6. How We Can Thrive for a Lifetime If you are looking for hope that you can cling to, this is the book for you. This book will help every woman to embrace who she is, from the relationships inn our lives. To the work we do from day to day, to the dreams we are pursuing in our lives.  Being able to embrace the women that we are is every womens longing, this is a book to help all of us become who God wants us to be. I received this book for free from Revell for a honest review.

Catch A Star by Tamika Catchings Growing up all Tamika Catchings wanted was to be able to fit in with others. Born with moderate hearing loss, she had to wear hearing aids that made things more difficult by other kids bullying her for being different than them. With her parents getting a divorce gave her another challenge in her life to overcome. Preserving thru the obstacles in front of her, Tamika pushed her way up the ranks to become a WNBA star. Tamika had a dream and she rose thru so much to catch a star of her own.  I would recommend this book to any parent that has a child that is struggling with bullying and anyone that is struggling to overcome life's obstacles.  As a child I struggled to overcome many obstacles in my life, several people was placed in my life to help me get thru and become who I am. Tamika chose to become a light to young boys and girls who are struggling as she had struggled. I hope to do the same for girls around me. This book wa

Change of Heart by Courtney Walsh Evelyn Brandt's life has been carefully constructed for her from the time she married her husband. One day her life is thrown into chaos when the FBI crashes her society lunch with the news of her husband being arrested for an embezzlement. She soon realizes that everything she thought he was, was truly the opposite of the man she thought she fell in love with. Choosing to walk away from the facade of a life, Evelyn withdraws from everyone and everything around her. The Valentine Volunteers  are not willing to allow one of their own to wither away and become a loner. Teaming up they make big plans to use Evelyn's long forgotten talent to re renovate the iconic lamppost hearts. By doing so Evelyn will be forced to work closely with her Ex-husband's best friend Trevor Whitney. Although Trevor has came to her rescue and offered her a place of refuge; his uneasiness to be around her shows every time they are together.  As the

Room For Hope by Kim Vogel Sawyer Neva Shilling has carried the most of the responsibility of raising her two kids, while her husband Warren travels to neighboring communities selling items from his wagon. She ran the mercantile all on her own, working her hardest to keep their business going in the midst of the Depression. Late one evening a wagon pulls up, rushing out to shower a warm welcome on her husband after his long trip; Neva and her kids are met with bad news. A deputy had come bearing the news that Warren and his wife had died and left behind three young children that he wanted to live with their "Aunt Neva".  Shocked by the news of her husband's death and betrayal of their marriage vows, Neva chooses to pick up the pieces of her life and continue her life without her husband. Knowing what it was like to live in an orphanage, she does not want these little ones to have to go thru the struggles she went thru growing up.  By taking her husbands

Annabel Lee by Mike Nappa Fourteen miles east of Peachtree, Alabama; a secret is hidden  from everyone. Stowed away in a deep underground military-style bunker, Annabel does not know why she has to stay hidden. All she knows is to not let anyone in except for her uncle and that the guard dog that is left with her to guard her.  Miles away in Atlanta Trudi Coffey, a private investigator is visited by a very interesting older man. This man who calls himself  Dr Smith knows about the secret hidden in Peachtree. Calling on the help of her ex-partner Samuel Hill, the two will have to join forces to unravel this mystery. This book is not a book I would read, when I started to read it the first paragraph turned me off. It takes alot to make me not want to read a book with crime, trauma and stuff like that. But this book turned me away at the first page. This book was received for free for a honest review by Revell. 

A Powerful Secret by Dr Kevin Leman and Jeff Nesbit As the middle child Sean Worthington has fought to find favor in his father's eyes all of his life. When his older brother su suddenly abandons the Senate race without a warning, Sean is faced with alot of questions with no answers to them. When things seem to be bad it turns worse for Sean, a powerful secret is revealed bringing everything crashing down around him. Not knowing where to turn, Sean does the only thing familiar to him; he goes off the grid.  When the Worthington family can not get a hold of Sean for a few days, they start getting concerned. As news comes to light that a man has jumped off  of a local bridge and the description matches Sean. As the days pass the family is filled with sorrow at the loss of a family member, until hope comes in the form of a pair of sneakers.  Will Sean find his way back into the fold and will the family be able to find closure for the pain in their life.  This is the firs

A Fool and His Monet by Sandra Orchard When she joined the FBI Art Crime Team, Serena Jones secret hope was that one of her cases would lead to solving the murder of her Grandfather. Her passion for recovering lost and stolen art is fueled by this secret hope. Her mother's thought is she wants her daughter to have a job where her daughter would not be in danger all the time. When a dear friend of Serena's reaches out to ask for help, Serena steps up and takes on a new case: a missing Monet at the local museum.  Leaping into action, Serena starts investigating the missing Monet. Along the way she gets some help in form of  her great aunt, a cousin of a member of the mob and the super of her apartment building. This is only the second book I have read written by Sandra Orchard and I am truly hooked to this series. The first thing is the mystery part of the story, then she mixes in a bit of humor and romance into the story line. Serena Jones is a very delightful ch

        The Calling  by Rachelle Decker In the second book of the Seer Series, we find that a year and half has passed by and a daughter has been born to Remko and Carrington. The following of Seers has grown to a larger number and keeps growing as the people are more oppressed by the new president of Authority City. Anyone who chooses to disobey and follow the rebel Aaron is executed and the people are forced to watch the executions.  As the tactical leader Remko faces many challenges leading his team to perform many missions inside the city. Also as a father he faces the challenge of protecting his family from the danger that faces them. From the day that I finished The choosing, I couldn't wait to read the next book in  the series. I loved getting to see Remko's side of the story, it gave a different outlook to the story. The timeline has moved forward a year and half after Remko and Carrington left authority city very smoothly in the story line. Rachelle De

Flirtation Walk  by Siri Mitchell    As the daughter of a con man, Lucinda Pennyworth has spent most of her life in and out of  boarding schools when she was not with her father. When she receives a letter informing of the sudden death of her father, she turns to the only family she knows of her mother's sister. Arriving at her aunt's house, Lucinda is determined to put her old life behind her and start a new one with her newfound family. Upon meeting Seth Westcott a young West Point cadet, hope blooms in her heart that there is a chance of finding a life of her own with a husband.  Seth Westcott is in a bind his mother has suddenly passed away and his sister was has lost their inheritance to a swindler. Unable to leave West Point, he chooses to lose all the hard work and be demoted from his position to be able to catch the guy that swindled his sister. Forced with a choice of losing his position and the girl he loves; he choses to what he can to get himself sent we

A Sweet Misfortune  by Maggie Brendan The second book in the Virtues and Vices of the Old West takes a step into the world of dancehall girls. Rachael Matthews is homeless and alone, with no where to go she turns to the world of dancehalls to support herself. When he brother finds out she has become a dancehall girl, he sends a concerned letter to his best friend with a plea for his best friend to rescue his sister from the life she has turned too.  Cattle Baron John McIntyre is focused on acquiring as much land as he can to build his ranch as the best in Montana. The las thing on his mind is dealing with his best friends kid sister who has turned to the profession of  being a dancehall girl. But his devotion to his best friend urges him to go and play the prince on horseback.  Stubborn Racheal sees John as someone who is trying to stop her from earning a living, until he tells her that he holds  the deed to her parents land. Determined to get the land back, she choose

By Your Side by Candace Calvert ER Nurse Macy Wynn learned some life lessons early on after being put into the California Foster Care system, one of them was land on your feet and trust no one. When she has finally located her foster sister, she finds out that she is in trouble. Determined to do what ever she can do to help her sister get better, Macy decides to take a big step in her life and go searching for a house. When life throws a twist at her at a major accident scene with a sniper firing shots at the stranded motorists.  Deputy Fletcher Holt has came back from Houston to assist his mom during her time of illness, while his dad is away at work. Still fancying himself in love with the girl next door, he does not know how to tell her of his feelings. When the sniper sets his eyes on going after Macy, Fletcher sets his eye on finding the sniper before he fulfills his plans to harm others.  As the two spend more time together, each of them learn something about e

The Gift of Friendship  By Dawn Camp This book takes a deep look into friendships and how it effects women of all walks of life. A collection of stories that has been gathered together from an amazing group of women who took time out to share some of the ways other have touched their lives. Take some time out of your busy day and dive into this book for a breath of fresh air. Learn to cherish the friendships that we have and to build other along the way. I truly loved getting to read this book, it made me think back on the many friends I have made in my life. This book was given to me for a free review from Revell Reads.

On Lone Star Trail by Amanda Cabot The third book to the Texas Crossroads series brings back the beloved characters of the first two books. Not sure of where she wants to go next in life Gillian Hodges heads to the Rainbows End Resort for some much needed R and R. Upon her way to the Resort she witnesses a motorcycle accident and stops to assist the rider.  TJ Benjamin had set out to fulfill his wifes bucket list, with no thought of what is ahead for him in the future. When a sudden thunderstorm blows in causing him to wreck on the roadway. Having no where to turn to, he takes up Gillian's offer to take him to Rainbow's End Resort.  What TJ thought was a plan to just finish the list his wife had before she died, turns into a search for his true self and a fulfilling of God's plan in his life. For Gillian all she has ever known is playing the piano, now after suffering a bad accident that crushed her hands, she has to look at her future and find a new purpo