Life, Love and Books

The Story of Love  by Beth Wiseman We return to Montgomery Indiana in the An Amish Bookstore series, where we find Yvonne Wilson starting a new chapter in her life. Her dear friends have offered her a job at their little bookstore, a place where Yvonne can start to heal after the loss of her fiancé. Her return stirs up feelings for the handsome police officer Abraham Byler. Abraham is in the middle of a dilemma himself, he is dating the vibrant Brianna, but his heart belongs to another.  Beth Wiseman writes some very delightful reads, she weaves faith and family all into a beautiful story. If you love reading amish books this series is a must read.  I was provided a complimentary copy of this book the publisher and did not receive anything in return  for  my honest opinion of the book. The opinions expressed here are completely of my own are without any influence.

Anything But Plain by Suzanne Woods Fisher In Anything But Plain, Suzanne Woods Fisher takes the reader back to our dearly loved Stony Ridge. We meet the bishops daughter Lydie Stolzfus; a delightful young lady who has struggled with understanding where she belongs. She does not feel like she fits in with the other Amish girls and secretly plans to leave. When Lydie is given an opportunity to work for the local doctor for  few months, she sees it as chance to form her goodbye to a dear friend. Nathan Yoder has been more than just an next door  neighbor to  Lydie; their friendship has grown over the years until recently. Nathan is confused by Lydies actions and has started to believe that his childhood friend is in love with his brother. After spending time with her niece, Dok has come to a realization that Lydie may have a rare disorder. Will her brother allow her to take the steps to help Lydie or will he reject her assistance. Will Lydie come to see that her home is wit...

Hostile Intent By Lynette Eason In the 4th installment of the Danger Never Sleeps, we meet Ava Jackson who has had to make a very difficult choice to leave the military to spend time with her ailing mother.  One day after a visit at the home where her mother is at, Ava is attacked by a strange man. Not knowing why she is a target Ava turns to an friend from her past FBI Special Agent Caden Denning.  Caden knows that Ava holds the key to solving the murders that landed on his desk and needs her help to save another life. But it seems that Ava is also a target of a killer with an agenda. Ava has been hiding some secrets from all of her friends, but these secrets are going to be what she needs to help Caden solve this case. Can Caden find the killer before he gets to Ava? Will Ava figure out what is the connection to her family and the killer?  Lynette Eason has written another suspense filled novel, her series truly takes you for a thrill ride.  I was provided a compli...

A Lady in Attendance By Rachel Fordham In the latest book by Rachel Fordham when venture into the life of a young lady who has recently been released from a State reformatory. Hazel has finally found a job as the lady in attendance for the local dentist on the little town she has settled in. Her job comes with more than just an income, she finds a friend in the very quiet dentist. Dr Gilbert Watts was just looking for an assistant to help him in his practice. What he did not realize was this redheaded beauty was going to draw him out of his shell with her chatter each day they worked together.  As the days go by their friendship grows, Hazel realizes she needs to be open and tells Gilbert her secret. Gilbert and her friends band together to find the truth behind the lies that sent Hazel to the reformatory. Their quest to find the truth also has Hazel facing her past straight on. When she thought she would not be wanted she was welcomed with  open arms by those she had left beh...

A Life Once Dreamed by Rachel Fordham This is my first time ever reading a book written by Rachel Fordham, I truly love getting to read new to me authors. The first thing that draws me to this book is the cover which portrays an genre that I have loved since I was a little girl, the genre historical.  As you open to the first page you are drawn back to a time when things were very different than they are know. A time when things were more simple, but also women  only had some many choices of what they could do in their life. Our heroine Agnes Pratt has a deep secret that sent her running away from the life that she had dreamed of. It has led her to the small  town of Penance, where she has established herself as the beloved schoolteacher of the their kids. Life has settled into a rhythm for Agnes and she has built friendships in the six years in her new home. But when her life is upset by the arrival of her childhood friend, things turn upside d...

Don't Keep Silent by Elizabeth Goddard In the third installment of the Uncommon Justice series, we return to the McKade ranch in snowy Wyoming. Liam Mckade has returned to his childhood home to find out what he want to next in his life. Never did he ever think when he came back home to see his brothers did he think he would run into the one woman he didn't want to see again. Rae Burke's sister in law has disappeared for the second time and Rae's investigative reporter skills have been called upon by her brother. The clues lead her to the wintery Wyoming and its busy  ski slopes. But she was not prepared to run into someone from her past, that she has caused pain in their life. As Rae discovers clues along the way about her sisters in law past, that make her wonder if she ever knew  her sister in law at all. Her search starts to lead her down some very dark  twists and turns that lead her head on into danger....

Standoff By Patricia Bradley In the newest book by Patricia Bradley, she takes us to the Natchez Trace and we meet the Park Rangers that serve that area. Brooke Danvers is getting ready to change positions and join her father as a Park Ranger. Before she can be sworn in her father is found dead and his death is ruled a suicide.  Determined to find out who killed her father, Brooke starts investigating on her own with the assistance of her childhood friend Luke Fereday. Luke has been working as an undercover park ranger, trying to infiltrate a drug origination to stop the flow of drugs into the area. When he gets a phone call from Brookes dad informing him of a drug drop. But he arrives on the scene to late to help his old friend, determined to figure out who killed Brooke's dad.  When Luke realizes that Brooke has now became the target of the person who killed her father, he has to do the r...

  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...

Collateral Damage By Lynette Eason Oh my, Oh my...this one is truly a breath taker to read. I just finished reading book and I was not able to put it down because I wanted to know if they finally caught the bad guys. In the first installment  of the Danger Never Sleeps series; we meet Brooke Adams,  a military psychiatrist who is wounded in a café bombing. Several months later she is still facing down the fears that follow at times after having a traumatic incident. Having made a decision to join a practice with a fellow colleague, but when she walks into the office one day to find her friend dead on the floor, her life is turned upside down again.  As a  former Special Ops Sergeant First Class Asher James has faced down many things in his time in the military. But now he is struggling with the one thing that is most needed by the body, sleep. Realizing he needs to find someone who can help him to face down this nightmare. When he mak...

100 Words of Affirmation Your Wife Needs to Hear by Matt Jacobson For all those men out there searching for some hope toward learning how to boost you wife, here is a book to help you find the words to say. Each of us have the power to build each other up or tear each other down. Marriage is one of those places where our relationships are more at danger for this. We have a purpose to speak encouraging words into those who are in our lives. Or we can cause harm to those around us, that can hurt those we love dearly. Make the c hoice to build those around you up with words of affirmation. "I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by the publisher. A favorable review was not required, all views expressed are my own." 

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."

                100 Ways to Love your Wife by Matt Jacobson This book is a companion to 100 Ways to Love your Husband, by Lisa Jacobson the wife of Matt Jacobson. It is a very simple read that gives you tips on loving your wife as a husband. Maybe you are preparing to enter into marriage or just looking for something to help you learn to love your wife better. This book is for you men!! I love that it is very simple and not a very long read. The 100 ways are going to be a blessing to wives and husbands all around. I would recommend this to men of all ages to read.         "I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Revell. A favourable review was not required, all the views expressed are my own. "

Amish Celebrations by Beth Wiseman In the newest addition to the books written by Beth Wiseman is Amish Celebrations. Four stories in one that brings hope to all of us who love a good story.  The Gift of Sisters , We meet a set of Twins getting ready to enjoy their rumschpringe together. Both are different as night and day, but when they meet a new guy in their community things start getting hairy. With each young women falling for the same guy, it drives the sisters apart from each other. Will they see that the bond between them is the love doe each other? A New Beginning A young couple in love and ready to be baptized into the church, when one night out on his rumschpringe makes his beloved question their future. As they navigate the turns and twists of the road of relationships, will they be able to see the hope and light at the end of the tunnel.  A Perfect Plan When her beloved pops the question on her 19th bday, Priscilla starts planning her w...

The One True Love of Alice Ann  by Eva Marie Everson This is the first book I have read by Eva Marie Everson, the thing that drew me to the book was the story line based during WWII. When I picked up the book and started to read it, I was drawn in to the story about a young girl during a time that was in a upheaval. I went thru a time period where like Alice Ann, I had a crush on a guy who had no interest in me. As the story progresses Alice Ann corresponds with her elder brothers friend Mack, that has been shipped overseas to fight the war. Letter writing was one of the ways to share news from home to the guys on the war front during that time period. Which compared to now days we have email, social media, cell phones, where we can just share news at the drop of a hat. The boys on the war front loved getting mail and packages from back home. In this story the letters that passed between Alice Ann and these two young men shared so much news of life on the front and at home...

Pursued by Lisa Harris In the third book in the Nikki Boyd Files, finds a very excited Nikki flying home from Nashville. Looking forward to getting to spend time with her dear friend Tyler Grant. When suddenly the plane she is on has to make a sudden crash landing. Nikki instincts are kicked into gear when the passenger beside her disappears.  When Nikki is drawn into assisting the FBI with finding the missing passenger, she starts to see that things don't seem to add up for the investigation. As the time ticks down on the clock, the more rocks are overturned that leaves more questions than answers for Nikki and her TBI Team. Nikki has longed for some quiet family time and it seems that will be on hold for awhile till she can solve this case. It seems someone is determined to keep them from finding Erika Hamilton. Now Nikki is the one who is targeted by the bad guy! Pursued brings a high action packed story line, that makes you want to not stop till you get to the ...

An Amish Home: Four Novella's Beth Wiseman, Amy Clipston, Ruth Reid and Kathleen Fuller Four very amazing authors come together to create An Amish Home: Four Novellas. Each of these stories is very heartfelt and draw the reader into the book.  In A Cup Half Full, we meet a dear wife who longs for a child. Before they can have a family, Sarah was in an accident that causes her to lose the use of her legs. As her husband works to transform their home to adapt to the changes in their lives. Sarah to goes thru a transformation of her own in her spirit.  Home Sweet Home finds Chace and Mia O'Conner homeless and desperate to find a place to stay. When they are offered a place to stay and a job for Chace to bring in an income. Finding themselves living in a very rustic cabin with no modern conveniences, it wears on both of them. Instead of turning toward each other for the hope they end up at each other's throats blaming the other person.  With the hel...

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,...

Home on the Range by Ruth Logan Herne The second book in the Double S Ranch series brings us back to Gray's Glen, Washington. We find the town still trying to rebuild after the disaster that has struck them. At the same time the Stafford brother Nick, has put his whole focus on working his family ranch and is now struggling to raise his daughters on his own. Ruth has done it again and written a story that pulls you in to the book. The little girls struggling with the issue of not having a mother in the picture, then all of sudden she reappears in their life. This story deals with a issue that is not touched very often in fiction. The struggle of a doting father trying to make the right decisions for his daughters without causing them more pain in the long run. Also the pain of having a parent that leaves and then chooses to reinsert themselves in their child lives for alternative reasons. I loved the way she created her characters to each have their own uniqueness a...

                A Book  Review of :                              All Summer Long                                               by Melody Carlson The second book in the "A San Francisco Romance" series; introduces us to Tia D'Amico a young chef that is still looking for her place in life. When the dream job drops into her lap via her Dad's sister; Tia jumps at the chance to go to San Francisco. After inheriting her in-laws old luxury yacht Tia's aunt decided to transform it into an upscale floating restaurant. Hiring Tia to be the chef and a young man from their church to captain the yacht.  Before Tia can make it to her destination her uncle is hospitalized and all the demo work is laid in her lap. Excited to prove s...

The Quieting by Suzanne Woods Fisher  In the second book in  "The Bishops Family" series we meet Abgail the niece of the bishop who has come with her sister to help her uncle out in their time of need. Her second goal is to finish her father's genealogical project for a client that lives in Stony Ridge. Unbeknownst to Abgail, her grandmother has other plans for her elusive granddaughter. She has set her sights on finding a husband for Abgail and plans on finding the right one there in Stony Ridge. Stony Ridge is not overrun with eligible bachelors, except for one who is not right for Abgail in many ways. Bearing the last name Glick and a relative to the church bishop that is at odds with Abgails's uncle. Dane Glick has his sights set on marrying Abgail, but she does not have her sights set on marriage. Her goal is to help her father break out of his mood of melancholy that he is stuck in. As the conflict grows between the two families, relationships...