Life, Love and Books

  Counter Attack  by Patricia Bradley In the latest series by Patricia Bradley we are taken to Pearl River, an quaint little town in Russell County, Tennessee. Alexis Stone has other plans than coming back home to fill in as interim chief deputy after  her grandfather collapses. But when the Queens Gambit Killer follows her to her hometown, Alexis has to join forces with Pearl Springs Chief of Police Nathan Landry to solve this case. Nathan is surprised to see his high school sweetheart back in his life, but now has has to protect her from the danger that has come to their beloved hometown. If you are looking for an book that not just checks all the boxes, but also keeps you turning the pages to the end this the one for you. I have to say I was not able to put this book down, without wanting to know what was going to happen next. I truly cant wait for the next book in this series comes out. I was provided a complimentary copy of this book the publisher and did not receive...

  The Swindler's Daughter  by Stephenia H. McGee This is the second book that I have read by Stephenia H. McGee and I have to say that her  books are very much a delight to read. In The Swindlers Daughter we meet a precious young lady,  Lillian Doyle who has just  learned the truth about her father. Her journey to see the inheritance left behind, turns into a path of  finding her freedom and following her dreams. Along the way she finds the love of family and the hope of having a future with Jonah. But there is some obstacles in Lillian and Jonahs path that they each have to face down. Wil they each be able to place their hope in God as they face down what is in front of them? Oh my, I loved reading this book!! It has a mix of romance, mystery and action all rolled into one. I didn't want to put it down, before I got to the last page. I would recommend this book to all who loved reading a mix of romance with a dash of mystery. I  was provided a complim...

  Yes Sisters by Angelia White Friendships are amazing, the people we surround ourselves with can build us and at times they can pull us down. That one time that someone says something negative or we hear the word no, can send us deep into a dark place in our lives. Maybe someone has crushed a dream that you have had since you was a little girl. Or maybe it was a dream to start your own business and someone told you that you would not be good at that. For me it was teacher who said to me that I was not going to be able to pursue a dream in the medical field if I was not able to understand Math. But I had several women who was placed in my life in very strategic times that pushed me to pursue my dreams. Angelia helps us to see how building friendships with women who become our YES Sisters can help us to pursue our dreams. She shares personal stories that give us hope to keep moving forward. Also she shows we can overcome the negativity that has been thrown...

Two Steps Forward By Suzanne Woods Fisher In the third installment of the Deacons family, we return to Stoney Ridge to meet prodigal son Jimmy Fisher. His return stirs up an old family feud for his family, but Jimmy has no longing to be part of this. When Jimmy  is offered a job by his mothers rival, the pretty violet eyed Sylvie; he jumps at the chance to train her Arabian horse. Sylvie Schrock King has a dream to build Rising Star farm into a breeding farm for buggy horse for the Amish around her. When she finds out that the grown son of her next door neighbor is a expert at working with horses, it seems that she has hope on the horizon. As Jimmy's lazy smile and teasing ways work their way into Sylvie's heart, but is she being wooed so he can have the land that his mother has been claiming belongs to her family. Will Sylvie and Jimmy find the hope that come from above and the love that is growing between them? Suzanne Woods Fisher has done...

An Uncommon Woman  by Laura Frantz I am a big fan of historical reads and this one from Laura Frantz did not disappoint me. Also I was even surprised to find some areas mentioned that seemed very familiar to me. So it was very interesting to find that the area was being written about is now part of Pennsylvania.  It takes place the mountains of western Virginia territory in 1770, we meet the heroine  Tessa Swan, who was raised with 5 brothers. So she has learned to be tough and face the challenges straight on. One day into her life walks Clay Tygart, the one man that can truly intrigue her like no other has. But he brings back into her life her long lost friend, Keturah. This adds a little confusion to their lives, the stigma of being an Indian captive can cause a lot of issues for her friend. But Tessa is willing to help her dear friend to acclimate back to living in her old life.  As a former Lenape Indian captive himself, Clay ...

An Amish Christmas Bakery by Amy Clipston, Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller and Kelly Irvin Sorry I am a little late on sharing this review, but I think we need a little Christmas Cheer at the beginning of this new year.  Cookies and Cheer by Amy Clipston Alyssa Byler has amazing ideas for the bakery store display window, for this Christmas season she comes up with the idea of a Sugar cookie Nativity scene. She reaches out to the local blacksmith's son, Kyle Smoker to make the much needed cookie cutters. When the display brings in more customers than the bakery can handle, Alyssa starts to put in more hours at work then she has time for. While Kyle is starting to feel overwhelmed by the amount of orders that are coming in for the cookie cutters. Will Kyle and Alyssa be able to put aside the craziness of the holiday rush to see what it is right in front of them? Will they be able to see the beauty of Christmas and the love it bring to us?...

Strong Brave Loved by Holley Gerth Author Holley  Gerth takes her writing to the another level in this devotional/journal. She touches us deep, where the longing is intense to be a confident and victorious woman. This devotional takes us on that journey toward finding the woman we want to be in our lives. Toward becoming Strong to stand our ground, Brave enough to face the battles in front of us and Loved deep enough to take the leap of faith. We all struggle with fears and insecurities in our lives, this devotional helps us to take a moment and get the hope we need. This devotional is a must read for women of all ages, I would recommend it for all to read. "I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by the  publisher. A favorable review was not required, all views expressed are my own."

Listening to Love by Beth Wiseman   In the second installment of the Amish Journey series, we find englischer Natalie Collins and Lucas; the older brother of Levi Sheltar having friday night suppers together. As time passes, the two have become very much best friends to the concern of their family and dear friends Levi and Mary. The opinions of those around them, starts to frustrate Natalie, who adamantly says that it is friendship only. But deep down she is realizing that her feelings have grown toward love for Lucas.  Lucas loves getting to talk with Natalie in the late night hours, but time has come that he has to face the truth of the struggle between their two ways of life. To leave would cause so much pain for his family. Also he knows that asking Natalie to walk away from her plan to become a veterinarian, would break her heart. But the more time they spend together the truth starts coming out that they have feelings for each other When Natal...

               Cross My Heart By Robin Lee Hatcher In Cross My Heart, we meet Ashley, the owner of a horse rescue farm and Ben, who is starting up a equine therapy farm. When Ashley and Ben first  meet, they find they have several things in common. Having been both raised by single mom's and sharing a passion for helping those who are hurting. While Ashley and Ben work together to bring forth Ben's dream, they both feel drawn toward a deeper relationship. But there is a big issue that is standing in their road toward this. Being that they both have very broken pasts that have affected their choice's in life. Carrying these burden's  can also drive them apart instead of bringing healing to their lives if they do not face the truth. Will they choose to hand these burdens over to the one who can handle them or walk away from a beautiful thing in each of their lives? This is a beautifully written story about he...

  The Women Who Met Jesus By Dorothy Valcarcel We as women all struggle with heartaches and desires in our lives, it was no different with the women of the New Testament. Jesus reached out and touched each of these women in different ways. Twenty stories of women whose lives was changed by the words that was spoken to them. These same words that can touch our lives to bring healing to the wounds in our lives. Each of the chapters come with a "Time of Reflection", exploration, inspiration and affirmation at the end of the chapter. I really like how the stories are shared from another women's perspective on things that happened in her life. It helps to see how we are not alone in life's struggles. I would recommend this book to other women as a study. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions stated are my own.

Home All Along by Beth Wiseman In the third installment of the An Amish Secrets Novel, we find Charlotte struggling with choosing to commit to a relationship with Daniel. Her desire for a family and home is being threatened by painful memories and fears. Just when she thinks she has found the peace that she has been longing for, chaos is stirred up with the arrival of a long lost sister. Daniel's life is upset when a illness strikes a beloved member of his family and the arrival of a shunned aunt. This combination of an unexpected death, a prodigal relative's return and the grim medical diagnosis enter into the lives of this couple. Will their love for each other and their faith in God pull them thru this time of struggles.   Beth Wiseman is an amazing writer who writes a story that touches our hearts. While also giving the message of overcoming difficulties and struggles with the hope of God in our lives. This series tells a story of a young woman searching for...

Peace in the Valley  by Ruth Logan Herne Ruth Logan Herne has brought another heartwarming cowboy story to us. The Stafford Family is made of three brothers with all different lifes, that is connected by their rancher father and the town. Trey the youngest brother is the famous musical singer, Lucy is the distrustful neighbor that has suffered from the greed of his adopted father. Each of these characters are very well developed that they draw us each into their story. It is a story that touches the heart and makes us fall in love with Ruth Logan Herne's writings. The third novel in the Double S Ranch series, brings back home to the ranch the youngest of the Stafford sons. Knowing he owes his life to the legendary rancher Sam Stafford, Trey Walker Stafford returns to save Sam's life. Having left the ranch to pursue a musical career against the advice of his adopted father. Now Trey returns home with fame and success on his heels, still struggling to get over the tra...

Love Bears All Things (An Amish Secrets Novel) by Beth Wiseman In the second installment of the An Amish Secrets series, we find Charlotte Dolinsky needing time to recover from a bad breakup with her boyfriend. When suddenly the answer to her troubles shows up on her doorsteps in the form of her Amish friend's brother. Turning away from all of her life issues, she focuses on helping this young man in his time of struggle. In the midst of all the things going on. Charlotte chooses to be very deceptive of what is going on. But she is not the only one that is hiding secrets from their friends. Daniel Byler lives with a struggle to heal every day in his beloved Amish community, after being betrayed by his fiance. Now his pain has turned to fear after he discover's that another of his family members is in danger of being shunned.His only hope is to turn to the most unlikely person for help, an  Englisher, Charlotte Dolinsky. As the two spend time together,...

Shadow of the Storm by Connilyn Cossette This is the first book I have read written by Connilyn Cossett, the first thing that interested me in reading her books was the biblical aspect of her story line. From the moment I picked up the book to the end I was hooked to the story. Getting to take a step back into the time period of Moses was a delight for me. It gives me a different look at the scriptures and helped me to understand some of the events that happened  during the long journey to the promised land. This is the second installment to the Out Of  the Egypt series, it continues with the Israelite's journey to the promise land. Shira now is living in freedom with her family at the foot of Mt Sinai.When the opportunity comes along for Shira to learn a new trade, it awakens a new desire in her. Going against her mother's wishes to continue in the families weaving trade; she pursues the calling of becoming a midwifes apprentice.  When a delivery goes wro...

Shine like the Dawn by Carrie Turansky Carrie Turansky brings us a very beautiful story that is set in time of  Edwardian Northern  England, Margaret Lounsbury life was uprooted four years ago when tragedy struck in the form of a boating accident taking the lives of her parents and older sister. Her grandmother took in Margaret and her younger sister providing them with a roof over their head and food on the table. Their days are spent with Margaret working in her grandmothers Millinery Shop, while she helps to raise her younger sister. Even though she is willing to do anything to protect her sister, her heart still weighs heavy with the loss of her parents and sister.  When Nathaniel Harcourt receives news from his stepmother telling him of his father's illness. He returns  back home to Morningside Manor in time to say his last goodbyes to his father. Now he is the heir to the partial control of his father's engineering company and the duty of repaying ...

Today we will be having a very special person visiting the Blog!! We welcome Rachelle Dekker, the author of the Seers series. The Returning  by Rachelle Dekker When I heard that Rachelle Dekker was the daughter of Ted Dekker, it really peaked  my interest in reading her first book The Choosing. I truly do love getting to read new authors books, because I never know when I might find another fave.   After I read The Choosing I was hooked and could not wait to read the next book. Rachelle is very good at taking a story line and moving it along in years; without making you feel like you missed out on something. Also she takes the Christian faith and puts it into a very different way of thinking that even had me looking at my life differently. It made me take a step back and see how much we are like Elise. That we each as believers have a light inside of us that we need to let shine on all who is around us. Also being able to see our Lord Jesus Christ po...

Take Your Life Back:  How to Stop Letting the Past and Other People Control You by Stephen Arterburn , M.Ed.  and David Stoop, Ph.D. Just as the title says is what this book truly about, making the choice to take your life back and to become the person you are to be in life. If you are looking for hope in your life of overcoming feelings and habits that have controlled you for a long time look no more. Overcoming the hurts and habits that are keeping us from moving forward, while taking new and very positive steps toward change in our lives.Getting healing from the hurts, setbacks and broken relationships that have effected every day of our lives. As I was reading this book, I myself had to take time and look at my past to see the issues that was holding me back from going further in my life. I found this book to be very helpful at working on the problems that I felt I was stuck on and could not find the freedom from. To anyone that needs or is looking for a way ...

Wild Montana Skies by Susan May Warren I was blessed with the opportunity to meet Susan May Warren in person, recently at our local community library. She had chosen our library as one of her stops on her book tour for Wild Montana Skies. Her visit to our little local reading spot was a bright spot for several of our regular patrons. Susan spent some of her time with us telling us about her newest series and giving us some tips on becoming an author. In her newest series called Montana Rescue, Susan introduces us to a new group of unsung heroes. A SAR  (Search and Rescue) team that has been put together by a very wealthy benefactor in the town of Mercy Falls, Montana. In Montana Rescue we meet a former military search and rescue pilot Kacey Fairing who has returned home on a leave. During her time home she has accepted an offer to fly for the local SAR team, with the hopes of reconnecting with her teenage daughter. At the same time Ben King has placed his dreams and c...

What Matters Most  Kellie Coates Gilbert  In book 4 of the A Texas Gold series, we are introduced to Leta Breckenridge a devoted daughter to her mother who suffers from dementia. When a job opportunity comes up that Leta can not pass up to be able to pay for her mothers care. She takes the job, but as time passes and she starts to see what is really going on behind closed doors. Nathan Emerson is a rising political star that may be the next candidate for the race for Governor. Already in a relationship with a beautiful woman who would make a good politician's wife, he can't understand why he is attracted to this pretty and feisty girl. Could Leta be the one he has been looking for, who holds not just the keys to the future; but also the keys to his heart.  Kellie Coates Gilbert writes an amazing story about politics and the battles that can happen in them. If  you are looking for a excellent story to read, this is the o...

                                                      A Book Review of:                                   Sea Rose Lane                                             by Irene Hannon After suffering from a devastating layoff, attorney Eric Nash heads back to the one place that where things have not changed. Only to find out that his childhood home  is being transformed into a bed and breakfast.  Where he thought he would find peace and quiet to contemplate his next move in his career; instead he finds noise, chaos and distractions in the form a prickly blonde architect named BJ Stevens.  BJ is not looking...