Wildflowers from Winter by Katie Ganshert

About the Book:

A young architect at a prestigious Chicago firm, Bethany Quinn has built a life far removed from her trailer park teen years. Until an interruption from her estranged mother reveals that tragedy has struck in her hometown and a reluctant Bethany is called back to rural Iowa. Determined to pay her respects while avoiding any emotional entanglements, she vows not to stay long. But the unexpected inheritance of farmland and a startling turn of events in Chicago forces Bethany to come up with a new plan.

Handsome farmhand Evan Price has taken care of the Quinn farm for years. So when Bethany is left the land, he must fight her decisions to realize his dreams. But even as he disagrees with Bethany’s vision, Evan feels drawn to her and the pain she keeps so carefully locked away.

For Bethany, making peace with her past and the God of her childhood doesn’t seem like the path to freedom. Is letting go the only way to new life, love and a peace she’s not even sure exists?

My Review:

Wow! What a powerful story, I do not think I even know how to describe how much I loved this book. This book hooked me from the sentence and I could not put book the down. That must be why I finished it within a day. This is a contemporary Christian fiction book that so many people could relate to and personally it is my favorite genre to read in. Between the raw emotions describe in the book and the descriptive writing style of Katie, you can not help but think you are right there in Peaks, Iowa alongside the incredible characters. It is hard to believe that Wildflowers from Winter is Katie Ganshert's debut novel, the quality of the writing and detailed story would make you think that she is a seasoned author. 

I really loved both Bethany and Robin in this story and in ways could relate to them and really felt the emotions they were dealing with. Throughout the book I kept going back and forth on who I liked more and to be honest I am still not sure. This is a book that I recommend to anyone wanting a good solid, deep book full of emotion, issues, and learning how to leave the past in the past and move forward. 

I will definitely be reading more of her in the future and was a little bummed to find out I have to wait a whole year to read her next book! Way to go Katie on a great novel! Final rating 5 out of 5 stars!!!!

Click Here to download the first chapter!

* With thanks to Blogging for Books for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.

By the Light of the Silvery Moon by Tricia Goyer

About the Book:

Amelia Gladstone's hopes are tied up in the Titanic--hopes for a reunion with her sister and an introduction to an admirer. But when she offers a spare ticket to a down-and-out young man, her fate is about to change.

Quentin Walpole is stunned when a sweet lady secures his passage to America--and even more surprised to find his wealthy father and older brother on board the ship. Suddenly Amelia finds herself caught between the attentions of two men, but who should she entrust her heart to? As the fateful night arrives, will Amelia lose everything to the icy waters?

My Review:

There is something about the Titanic that draws many of us back to that time and that fateful night. For many back then the Titanic held dreams and hopes for its many travelers. While this story is fictional the story still portrays the what it must have been like to be on the Titanic. Tricia Goyer does a fantastic job at making you feel like you are walking the halls of such a beautiful ship. I loved Amelia Gladston, her caring and tender heart sets her apart. She would much rather help others than help herself and that is demonstrated through out the book. Quentin is another great character who has a lot of growing to do. I loved how Tricia Goyer weaves in faith and re tales a popular bible story also.

I would recommend this book to everyone who loves a good romance, the Titanic, unforgettable characters and so much more. I know I loved it and will be reading more from Tricia Goyer in the future. Final rating 4.5 out of 5 stars!

Book Trailer:

Song of My Heart by Kim Vogel Sawyer

About the Book:

Sadie Wagner has always been devoted to her family. So when her stepfather is injured and can't work, she decides to leave home and accept a position as a clerk at the mercantile in Goldtree, Kansas. Goldtree also offers the opportunity to use her God-given singing talent--though the promised opera house is far different from what she imagined. With her family needing every cent she can provide, Sadie will do anything to keep her job.

Thad McKane comes to Goldtree at the request of the town council. The town has been plagued by bootlegging operations, and Thad believes he can find the culprit. After he earns enough money doing sheriff work, he wants to use it to pay for his training to become a minister.

Thad is immediately attracted to the beautiful singer who performs in Asa Baxter's unusual opera house, but when he hears her practicing bawdy tunes, he begins to wonder if she's far less innocent than she seems. And when Sadie appears to be part of the very crimes he's come to investigate, is there any hope the love blossoming between them will survive?

My Review:

As soon as I got this book in the mail yesterday I could not wait to read it. The cover is so beautiful and so I settled down to read it, though not planning to end up finishing it within the day. Sadie Wagner's character just fascinated me and drew me right in. I could feel her emotions of having to leave her family in order to provide for them or when she was wrestling with what to do do about a certain situation. I can't forget to mention the Melva and Shelva Baxter, the twin sisters that own the mercantile and take Sadie in, they are a hoot!! Most scenes that involved them had me laughing. Kim Vogel Sawyer weaves together a very interesting plot with many little details that keep the story going and make it more than a simple love story, actually it is no where near simple. There is also an excellent message in this book about how when you choose what goes against your morals and how it leads to a guilty conscience. 

I have read several of Kim Vogel Sawyer's books and this one is one of her best and would highly recommend it to any one who enjoys a good historical romance filled with laughter, faith, romance and more. Final rating 5 stars out of 5!

*Thank you Bethany House for providing me with this copy in return for an honest review!

The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck

About the book:

Four brides. One dress.

A tale of faith, redemption, and timeless love.

Charlotte owns a chic Birmingham bridal boutique. Dressing brides for their big day is her gift—and her passion. But with her own wedding day approaching, why can’t she find the perfect dress—or feel certain she should marry Tim?

Then Charlotte purchases a vintage dress in a battered trunk at an estate sale. It looks brand-new, shimmering with pearls and satin, hand-stitched and timeless in its design. But where did it come from? Who wore it? Who welded the lock shut and tucked the dog tags in that little sachet? Who left it in the basement for a ten-year-old girl? And what about the mysterious man in the purple vest who insists the dress had been “redeemed”?

Charlotte’s search for the gown’s history—and its new bride—begins as a distraction from her sputtering love life. But it takes on a life of its own as she comes to know the women who have worn the dress. Emily from 1912. Mary Grace from 1939. Hillary from 1968. Each with her own story of promise, pain, and destiny. And each with something unique to share. For woven within the threads of the beautiful hundred-year-old gown is the truth about Charlotte’s heritage, the power of courage and faith, and the beauty of finding true love.

My review:

This was such a fun book to read. I enjoyed it so much that I finished it within 48 hours! This book in a way reminded me of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants books with how one item (in this case a wedding dress) could fit four different women perfectly and not require any alteration. The big difference is that the dress was worn by four women 100 years apart. I loved reading Emily's story the most, not sure why but just did. She was a bold, courageous and wanted to find true love which in the upper society in 1912 was hard to do. The Wedding Dress is not your typical contemporary christian romance in my opinion since it is so much more than that. I personally think the biggest theme is finding your heritage and what it means. I would recommend this book to all, it is such a fun read. Final rating 5 out of 5 stars!

*I received this book through booksneeze.com in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you booksneeze.com.

Promise Me This by Cathy Cohlke

About the book:

Michael Dunnagan was never supposed to sail on the Titanic, nor would he have survived if not for the courage of Owen Allen. Determined to carry out his promise to care for Owen’s relatives in America and his younger sister, Annie, in England, Michael works hard to strengthen the family’s New Jersey garden and landscaping business.

Annie Allen doesn’t care what Michael promised Owen. She only knows that her brother is gone—like their mother and father—and the grief is enough to swallow her whole. As Annie struggles to navigate life without Owen, Michael reaches out to her through letters. In time, as Annie begins to lay aside her anger that Michael lived when Owen did not, a tentative friendship takes root and blossoms into something neither expected. Just as Michael saves enough money to bring Annie to America, WWI erupts in Europe. When Annie’s letters mysteriously stop, Michael risks everything to fulfill his promise—and find the woman he’s grown to love—before she’s lost forever.

About the author:

Cathy Gohlke is the two-time Christy Award–winning author of the critically acclaimed novels Promise Me This, William Henry Is a Fine Name, and I Have Seen Him in the Watchfires, which also won the American Christian Fiction Writers' Book of the Year Award and was listed by Library Journal as one of the Best Books of 2008.

Cathy has worked as a school librarian, drama director, and director of children's and education ministries. When not traipsing the hills and dales of historic sites, she, her husband, and their dog, Reilly, make their home on the banks of the Laurel Run in Elkton, Maryland. Visit her website at www.cathygohlke.com.

My Review:

A sweeping adventure over two continents and a promise to fulfill bring excitement, tears, romance, and more to this outstanding book by Cathy Gohlke. This book was amazing, I loved every minute of it. Cathy Gohlke did a great job at making me feel like I was right there. It brought WWI to life in a way most books don't and I could feel the emotions the characters were going through. I will say it makes me feel blessed to have not had to live through WWI or WWII. While this book has a section about the Titantic it really was the small part of the story. I loved Micheal's determination to fulfill his promise to  Owen and loved Annie and it was heartbreaking seeing the things she had to endure. This story reminds me of the third Anne of Green Gables movie and anyone who has seen it and enjoyed will love this book. This book has easily became a favorite that will be re-read many times. Final rating: 5 out of 5 stars.

*I received this book through Tyndale in exchange for my honest review. Thank you Tyndale!

Illusion by Frank Peretti Giveaway

About the book:

Dane and Mandy, a popular magic act for forty years, are tragically separated by a car wreck that claims Mandy’s life—or so everyone thinks. Even as Dane mourns and tries to rebuild his life without her, Mandy, supposedly dead, awakes in the present as the nineteen-year-old she was in 1970. Distraught and disoriented in what to her is the future, she is confined to a mental ward until she discovers a magical ability to pass invisibly through time and space to escape. Alone in a strange world, she uses her mysterious powers to eke out a living, performing magic on the streets and in a quaint coffee shop.

Hoping to discover an exciting new talent, Dane ventures into the coffee shop and is transfixed by the magic he sees, illusions that even he, a seasoned professional, cannot explain. But more than anything, he is emotionally devastated by this teenager who has never met him, doesn’t know him, is certainly not in love with him, but is in every respect identical to the young beauty he first met and married some forty years earlier.

They begin a furtive relationship as mentor and protégée, but even as Dane tries to sort out who she really is and she tries to understand why she is drawn to him, they are watched by secretive interests who not only possess the answers to Mandy’s powers and misplacement in time but also the roguish ability to decide what will become of her.

Frank Peretti has crafted a rich, rewarding story of love and life, loss and restoration, full of twists and mystery. Exceptionally well written, Illusionwill soon prove another Peretti classic.

Check out a sample of the book here.

Winner is Nora!!!!!!!!!!!!

My Review:

Book in progress, coming soon.

Blue Moon Promise by Colleen Coble

Click to purchase

About the book:

Book Number One in the Under Texas Stars series

A love like Lucy and Nate’s only comes along once in a blue moon . . .

Lucy Marsh's worldly resources are running out, but she's fiercely determined to care for her younger brother and sister. When she discovers that their father's recent death was no accident, Lucy is eager to leave town. She accepts a proxy marriage she believes will provide safe refuge. But trouble follows her to Texas where her new husband is surprised to suddenly have a wife and children to care for.

Nate Stanton always hoped he'd marry someday, but running the family ranch meant he had no time for romance. When his father deposits Lucy Marsh—a city girl—on his doorstep, with two siblings in the bargain, he expects ranch life will send her running on the first train out of town. But Lucy is made of tougher stuff than Nate imagined. When danger moves in, Nate finds he'd give anything to protect Lucy and the children he's grown to love. Even if it means giving up his ranch.

About the author:

Best-selling author Colleen Coble's novels have won or finaled in awards ranging from the Best Books of Indiana, ACFW Book of the Year, RWA’s RITA, the Holt Medallion, the Daphne du Maurier, National Readers' Choice, and the Booksellers Best. She has nearly 2 million books in print and writes romantic mysteries because she loves to see justice prevail. Colleen is CEO of American Christian Fiction Writers and is a member of Romance Writers of America. She lives with her husband Dave in Indiana.

For more about Colleen and her other books visit www.colleencoble.com

My Review:

I just loved this book. It was so much fun to read and at many times I found myself laughing out loud. Watching Lucy and Nate figure out how to love each other, live with each other and work alongside one another was downright funny. They each had so much to learn from each other and about each other but with God and time they learn they are perfect for each other. On top of the budding romance Colleen throws in the mystery of what really happened to Lucy's father. Oh the twists and turns this book takes and in the end it is nothing like what was expected. Colleen Coble tells a western tale set in 1877 Texas that weaves together romance, mystery, secrets, lies and humor. I give this book 4.5 stars out of 5!

About the Party:

Blue Moon Promise is a story of hope, romance, and suspense . . . immersing the reader in a rich historical tale set under Texas stars.

To celebrate Colleen is teaming up with her publisher Thomas Nelson for a "Blue Moon Promise" Facebook Chat party where she will giveaway a KINDLE Fire and a Texas-sized gift basket (fabulous Texas treats and fun Lucy-inspired housekeeping products)!

RSVP today at  http://www.facebook.com/events/265518396856118 for the Facebook Party and mark the date on your calendar!

         Kindle Giveaway and More! Save the Date - 3/13!

                                                          

To see what others are saying about this book check out the blog tour at:  http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13458569/bluemoonpromise

Sarai by Jill Eileen Smith

About the Book:

He promised her his heart. She promised him a son. But how long must they wait?

When Abram finally requests the hand of his beautiful half sister Sarai, she asks one thing--that he promise never to take another wife as long as she lives. Even Sarai's father thinks the demand is restrictive and agrees to the union only if she makes a promise in return--to give Abram a son and heir. Certain she can easily do that, Sarai agrees.

But as the years stretch on and Sarai's womb remains empty, she becomes desperate to fulfill her end of the bargain, lest Abram decide that he will not fulfill his. To what lengths will Sarai go in her quest to bear a son? And how long will Abram's patience last?

Combining in-depth research and vivid storytelling, Jill Eileen Smith brings to life the beautiful and inscrutable Sarai in this remarkable story of love, jealousy, and undaunted faith.

My Review:

Sarai is book 1 of Jill Eileen Smith's new Wives of the Patriarchs series and tells the story of Abram and Sarai. Jill Eileen Smith does a spectacular job at portraying the emotions of the characters and the setting. She has definitely researched the bible and other texts to make this is accurate as she can and I did not feel like she changed the story. I enjoyed getting to read the story of Sarai and Abram in a different way but at the same time had a hard time getting into it since I already knew what was going to happen. Biblical fiction is a great way to read the stories and the bible and get another view of them as long as they are accurate, which this one is. While I do not know if biblical fiction is a genre I enjoy reading I am glad I gave this one a chance and know many others will love it. Final rating 4 out of 5 stars.

*I received this book from Revell Books in exchange for my honest review.

Heiress by Susan May Warren

About the Book:

They can buy anything they want— fame, power, beauty, even loyalty. But they can’t buy love.

The beautiful and wealthy heiress daughters of August Price can buy everything their hearts desire. But what if their desire is to be loved, without an enormous price tag attached? When one sister betrays another for the sake of love, will she find happiness? And what happens when the other sets out across the still untamed frontier to find it—will she discover she’s left it behind in the glamorous world of the New York gilded society? What price will each woman pay for being an heiress?

Set in the opulent world of the Gilded Age, two women discover that being an heiress just might cost them everything they love.

My Review: 

What a fantastic book this was! I loved every minute of it and found myself not wanting to put it down which is most likely why I read it within a day. Heiress is book one of Susan May Warren's Daughters of Fortune series and it is one not to be missed!  

Glamour, glitz, power, wealth, but where is the love. All Esme and Jinx want is to be loved,by there father and a husband when the time comes but set in the world of Mrs. Astors 400 in the early 1900's makes this hard if not impossible. Will Esme and Jinx find the love they are seeking while be surrounded by clouds of lies? This book took my emotions on a roller coaster from the first page to the last. This is not your normal happy, happy book, for many parts it is down right heartbreaking but so true for that society. A society where women are meant to plan parties, produce heirs and run the house while the men do as they please. Through it all the women take joy in their children and want it to be better for them in the future. This is a solid 5 star book and I can not wait to read the next in the series, Baroness.

* I received this book through the author and Amy Lathrop for the pupose of this review, an honest opinion was all that was requested. Thank you! 

Dawn Comes Early by Margaret Brownley

About the book:

Disgraced dime novelist Kate Tenney fled the city that banned her latest novel for the emptiness of the desert. Answering an ad to be “heiress” to a vast cattle ranch in the Arizona Territory, Kate hopes ranching turns out to be as romantic as she portrayed it in her novels.

But what awaits her is a life harder than the one she just left. There is no room for mistakes on a working cattle ranch, and Kate is ill-prepared for her new life. She quickly learns that dawn comes early. But she is tenacious.

Having been abandoned by a string of men, Kate has no intention of ever marrying. But she didn’t expect to meet Luke Adams, either. Luke awakens feelings inside Kate she doesn’t recognize, and his steady presence is a constant distraction. She has only written about love in the past, never known it herself. But her feelings for Luke stand in the way of all she has to gain if she is chosen as the heir.

Perhaps God brought Kate to the barrenness of the desert to give new life to her jaded heart.

My Review:

Kate Tenney thinks she is cut out for ranching based on the sole reason that she writes stories about it, but she learns quickly how hard it is yet very rewarding. Join Kate on her adventures, which are rather numerous at times, as she learns to be a rancher and as she learns what she really wants in life.  

This was a very fun book to read and I am looking forward to the next book in the series, Waiting for Morning, which comes out in January 2013. Having never read Margaret Brownley before I was excited to try her out, well I am sold and will be reading more of her books. I just loved Kate in this book! Her spirit and determination to learn how to be a rancher was both inspiring and encouraging. So many people today and in the past would just give up when things were hard and seemed hopeless, but not Kate! This is a great book for anyone who loves a good western story filled with romance, hard work and some humor. Final rating 4.5 stars out of 5!

* I received this book through booksneeze.com in exchange for my honest review.

A Hope Undaunted by Julie Lessman

About the Book:

What happens when the boy she loved to hate becomes the man she hates to love?

The 1920s are drawing to a close, and feisty Katie O'Connor is the epitome of the new woman--smart and sassy with goals for her future that include the perfect husband and a challenging career in law. Her boyfriend Jack fits all of her criteria for a husband--good-looking, well-connected, wealthy, and eating out of her hand. But when she is forced to spend the summer of 1929 with Luke McGee, the bane of her childhood existence, Katie comes face-to-face with a choice. Will she follow her well-laid plans to marry Jack? Or will she fall for the man she swore to despise forever?

My Review:

A Hope Undaunted is the first book in Julie Lessman's Winds of Change series but it may as well be book 4 of her last series since it continues telling the story of the O'Connor family. This is Katie's story and what a story it is filled with so much drama and passion.

From page one I just knew I was going to love this story and I think it just may be my favorite book or at least tied with A Passion Redeemed from Julie so far!!! I loved Luke McGee in this book with his kind heart to orphans, his sense of wanting to do what is right and wanting to help out a friend in need. No wonder Katie likes him, who wouldn't?  Be prepared to laugh and cry throughout this book and fall in love with Katie, Luke and the rest of the gang, though only if you have read her first series. You wouldn't want to miss out on Faith, Charity and Lizzie's stories. I have completely fallen in love with the O'Connor family and can not wait to read more about them. Julie Lessman has definitely become one of my favorite authors! Final rating 11 stars out of 10!

Heart's Safe Passage by Laurie Alice Eakes

About the Book:

One woman tak,es the treacherous journey toward redemption . . . and love.

All Phoebe Lee wants out of life is to practice midwifery in Loudon County, Virginia. But when she refuses to accompany her pregnant sister-in-law to help save her husband from an English prison during the War of 1812, Phoebe finds herself pressed aboard a British privateer.

Captain Rafe Docherty promises to get Phoebe's brother-in-law out of prison in exchange for information Rafe needs to exact revenge on the man who destroyed his family. As he realizes his attraction to Phoebe, she determines to get ashore before her patient goes into labor--and before her own heart is in danger. But an enemy in their midst threatens to end their plans--and their very lives.

My Review:

Heart's Safe Passage is the second book in Laurie Alice Eakes Midwives series but stands along rather well. I did not have time to read book one, Lady in the Mist, and was able to follow along really well. I think that it helps that most of the book is set on a ship and so the main characters from the first book play a very very small role in this book. Laurie Alice Eakes does a great job at setting a story just about entirely on a ship and keeping it interesting and weaves together a romance of two very different people.  I sadly though did not find this to be a favorite book. I had a hard time getting into the story and staying focused on it. I know we all read book that we love and ones that we don't and in the end it is only our personal opinion. Just because I did not care for it does not mean others won't like it either. It is heartbreaking to not like a book that you looked forward to reading. Oh, before I forget the cover is stunning and really helps set the setting. Final rating 3.5 out of 5 stars.

*I received this book from Revell in exchange for my honest review.

A Passion Denied by Julie Lessman

About the book:

Has she fallen in love with a man who cannot love her back?

Elizabeth O'Connor has been like the little sister John Brady always wanted, sharing his love of literature and his thirst for God. But in the throes of the reckless Roaring Twenties, Lizzie has grown up. Suddenly she wants more from the man who has been her friend since she was a child. When this shy little bookworm blossoms into a beautiful young woman bent on loving John, she discovers that his past won't let him return that love. But Lizzie refuses to give up--until his shocking secrets push her away.

Can true love survive the betrayal and deceitful of a painful past . . . or will it be shattered like the fairy-tale dreams of a girl in love?

Brimming with romance, longing, and redemption, A Passion Denied, will quicken your pulse and gladden your heart with a riveting story of the true power of love.

My Review:

Julie Lessman has written another fantastic novel about the very passionate O'Connor family and takes you on a grand adventure. Once I started this book I had a very hard time putting it down and found myself reading over half of it (480 page book) in one night! I may have lost some sleep due to it but it was so worth it and I would do it again. The twists and turns that Julie takes you on is very similar to riding the most twisty roller coaster you can think of. There is no way of predicting how the story will play out and that is what makes it fun to read. Predictable is boring and boring is one word that will never describe a Julie Lessman book! There are so many things I loved about this book including seeing Lizzie and John Brady fall in love, John dealing with his past, everything about Charity and so much more. Way to go Julie on another amazing book!


A Passion Denied is book three in Julie Lessman's Daughters of Boston series and don't even consider reading these books out of order. If you have not read this trilogy yet don't walk but run to your nearest christian bookstore and pick up these wonderful books filled with so much passion, both romantic and spiritual and discover this amazing family! This is definitely a 10 start book out of 5 stars!