Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Review: An Uncommon Courtship by Kristi Ann Hunter

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After a night trapped together in an old stone keep, Lady Adelaide Bell and Lord Trent Hawthorne have no choice but to marry. Dismayed, Adelaide finds herself bound to a man who ignores her, as Trent has no desire to connect with the one who dashed his plans to marry for love. Can they set aside their first impressions before any chance of love is lost?

My Thoughts:

Two words stand out to me when I think of summing up the book An Uncommon Courtship by Kristi Ann Hunter; they are tenderhearted and cherished.  This was a lovely story of two people thrown together into a marriage that neither one had wanted or anticipated.  Yet, both decided (albeit alone), to make the best of the situation. However, somewhere the meaning of marriage was lost in good intentions. 

We are treated with both Trent’s and Adelaide’s viewpoints.  On the outside it looked as if all their problems might be solved by just sitting down and speaking to each other.  But these two were virtual strangers to each other and even though both came from well to do families, they did have different upbringings.  Adelaide was the middle child and ignored for most of her life and so continues to hide herself in submission and solitude.  Trent, the second son, tries not to ever outshine his most beloved older brother, Griffith the duke, so he keeps his most personal thoughts to himself.  Neither knew where or how to begin to have a marriage.

Trent decides to court his wife.  While the plan sounded good to him, the way he went about it was very unconventional.  But again these two people haven’t really changed their circumstances at all.  We as the reader get to go on this journey with them and see how these two very hurting individuals can make their marriage work.  I really felt like this was such a great example of new marriage in general.  Two people trying to now live and work together for the common goal of a successful marriage and life together.  There were delicate matters that were addressed in the book, but they were done tastefully and realistically between two innocents. 

There was delicateness to this book, asking important questions like what is love and how do we love?  Something I think our society, our world on a whole could take a lesson from.  I enjoyed seeing the rest of the family and friends and chuckled at what I would call the bite and loving one-liners that came from older brother Griffith.  I am looking forward to his story next.  This is a story that will stay with me for a while.

I received a copy of this book for free.  I was not required to give a positive review and the views and opinions expressed are my own.

Review: Would you like to know? Collection by Tim Dowley and Graham Jefferson, Illustrated by Eira Reeves

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In this new addition to the fantastic Would You Like to Know? series, six little books are featured in one boxed gift set. Each book offers a starting point for young children to explore some of the key points of their faith and gain a greater understanding of Christianity. Each title has accessible illustrations, an inscription page, and notes for parents. A wonderful gift for those getting to know the church.

Contains:
Would You Like to Know About God?
Would You Like to Know How to Pray?
Would You Like to Know Jesus?
Would You Like to Know the Bible?
Would You Like to Know the Story of Christmas?
Would You Like to Know the Story of Easter?

My Review:

The Would you like to know? series is a collection of books written to explain to children in the simplest terms about God, Jesus, prayer, Christmas, Easter, and the Bible.  All six books come in a sturdy card board box and the books themselves are small enough for little hands. The books are paperbacks but made from sturdy stock. The pictures are bright, colorful, and simple as to not overwhelm and also correspond with the message being delivered.  The message inside is short and concise yet packs a powerful punch in what is being taught.  I would recommend this box set for parents to read to toddlers as they are easy to hold and not very long so as to lose their attention.  I have a six year old and these books are just short enough to help him with his reading comprehension.  Overall, I am impressed with the quality of these little books and I recommend them wholeheartedly.  They would make nice Easter basket gifts or even Christmas stocking stuffers.  They are also a nice addition to a home school or family devotional time.  It is never too early to teach our kids the truth of the Bible and of God.

I received a set of these books for free.  I was not required to provide a positive review and the views and opinions expressed are my own. The books have been loved and tested by my six year old son as well.

Monday, February 27, 2017

Review: Unblemished by Sara Ella

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Eliyana can’t bear to look at her own reflection. But what if that were only one Reflection—one world? What if another world exists where her blemish could become her strength?

Eliyana is used to the shadows. With a birthmark covering half her face, she just hopes to graduate high school unscathed. That is, until Joshua hops a fence and changes her perspective. No one, aside from her mother, has ever treated her like he does: normal. Maybe even beautiful. Because of Joshua, Eliyana finally begins to believe she could be loved.

But one night her mother doesn’t come home, and that’s when everything gets weird. Now Joshua is her new, and rather reluctant, legal Guardian. Add a hooded stalker and a Central Park battle to the mix and you’ve gone from weird to otherworldly.

Eliyana soon finds herself in a world much larger and more complicated than she’s ever known. A world enslaved by a powerful and vile man. And Eliyana holds the answer to defeating him. How can an ordinary girl, a blemished girl, become a savior when she can’t even save herself?

My Review:

Unblemished by Sara Ella is in a class of its own. At first, I wasn’t sure what genre it was, but now I see that it is a bit of a combination of fantasy, science fiction, and superheroes with just a pinch of Cinderella thrown in. Anyway, this story does a very good job of ‘nothing is as it seems’ as we learn that some thorns are actually roses- and vice versa. The language was beautiful, descriptive, and poetic, and the heroine grew with the story. As for the hero… Well, he’s not the one you’d expect (is he even the hero?), but he definitely stole my heart. The story itself was almost hypnotic and the climax was full of twists and turns. This is definitely one of my favorite stories.


I received a copy of this book for free.  I was not required to post a positive review and the views and opinions expressed are my own.

Reviewed by Jes


Friday, February 24, 2017

Review, Guest Post, and Giveaway: The Amish Wanderer by Laura V. Hilton


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About the Book
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Book: Amish Wanderer
Author: Laura V. Hilton
Genre: Amish Romance
Release Date: February 14

Bethany Weiss is ready to leave town. Tongues haven’t stopped clacking in Jamesport, MO, since her daed, the bishop, was admitted to a mental hospital after hurting their small Amish community. But her sharpest wounds Bethany hides from prying eyes, quietly biding her time until she can take a chance at a new life—away from Jamesport and away from God.

Silas Beiler was kicked out of his own home. Dogged by a rough childhood and a family who blames him for each new disaster, he begins hitchhiking across the country, sleeping in barns where he can, working for food when possible—headed for Pennsylvania in the hope of some stability.

When Bethany spies a man asleep in the hayloft, she first fears the return of an unwelcome suitor. But when it is Silas who turns and speaks, the memories flood back: a happy summer six years ago full of lemonade, long walks, and budding courtship. Now, however, those months of bliss seem naïve and idyllic. Was their old love strong enough to overcome new pain? Or will hurt and rejection continue to haunt their path?

My Review:

The Amish Wanderer is a grittier and edgier Amish novel dealing with abuse- physical, emotional, and spiritual.  Bethany and Silas have both experienced abuse from those who should have loved and protected them.  Silas is on the run from his past and Bethany wants to be on the run to her future.  This story takes place over a shorter period of time and we get both of their perspectives.  There are some twists and turns this story takes, but more than anything we really get inside their heads and see what is really going on behind their actions.  The feelings of unworthiness, the sense that their spirits seem broken, and both barely holding on to the thread of hope that God does really love them come alive in this very transparent read.  So this story was much more of an emotional one as we watch these two grasp the love of God.

I like how the author shows the love of the Father God in her story and answers questions that we all have had or will have at some time in our lives.  Like the big one; why does God allow bad things to happen?  I enjoy this author’s work as she gets down to the nitty gritty of human behavior without the sugar coating or glossing over of the harder things of life.

I received a copy of this book for free.  I was not required to give a positive review and the views and opinions expressed are my own.

About the Author



Laura V. Hilton

Amish fiction lovers responded positively and immediately to Laura V. Hilton’s debut novel, Patchwork Dreams, when she burst on the scene in 2009 with her unique series, The Amish of Seymour, set in the tiny town of Seymour, in Webster County, Missouri. Fans of the genre immediately recognized Hilton’s insider knowledge, not only of the Webster County community, but Amish culture in general. Her natural speech and writing patterns, she says, are uniquely “Amish,” acquired from her Amish maternal grandparents. The Amish of Seymour, includes Patchwork Dreams, A Harvest of Hearts, and Promised to Another. Her second series, The Amish of Webster County, is comprised of Healing Love, Surrendered Love, and Awakened Love. A stand-alone title, A White Christmas in Webster County, was released in September 2014. The Amish of Jamesport includes The Snow Globe, The Postcard and The Birdhouse. In spring 2016 she released The Amish Firefighter with the setting in Jamesport, MO, the same as for The Amish Wanderer.

Laura is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and a professional book reviewer. Laura and her husband, Steve, have five children, whom Laura homeschools. The family makes their home in Horseshoe Bend, Arkansas.

Guest Post from Laura Hilton


I didn’t intentionally set out to write an Amish story loosely based on a true story. If fact, when people asked me if I would write my maternal grandparents’ story, I told them no.

But when time came to write Bethany’s story, all I knew was a short paragraph blurb about it. Bethany and her once-upon-a-time boyfriend Silas who left that particular Amish district and her before their relationship became serious. I didn’t know their backstories, really, and had no idea how the story would proceed. And since I don’t plot, I spend a lot of time praying about the story, because really, I want to write what He says to write. He knows who He wants it to reach.

So I sat down to pray about it. And God gave me a verse. Which is unusual at the beginning of the story. Usually, for me, it’s at the middle when God reveals His theme for the book. But this time, it was at the beginning. The verse is:
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 (KJV)
And the verses caused more prayer. What am I supposed to do with it?

I was driving to Melbourne (Arkansas, not Australia) to pay property taxes and get my vehicle tags renewed, listening to the radio as we (my three daughters and I) drove down Larkin Road (that’s not the real name, just what everyone calls it—we have a lot of those around here: Day Road, Moko Road, etc—because there are ghost towns on these roads so they are called by the name of the ghost town). A song came on the radio and I don’t remember the name of it, or even who the singer was, but when I arrived in Melbourne, I had the opening line to my story.

The sky is falling and I’m searching for somewhere to hide.

I’m sure the people at the county clerk’s office might have been a little concerned about the state of my mental health when they saw the words scribbled at the top of my bill. I did get a strange look. I didn’t offer an explanation. And they didn’t ask.

When I got home, I started writing and paying close attention to Bethany’s mental clues (and Silas’s) to figure out what their stories were. And how they tied into the verse God had given me.

And then, without even realizing it until it hit, I knew who’s story I was writing.

My grandmother’s. My grandfather’s.

Except they are different. My grandmother wasn’t date raped. It was a member of her own family. And she wasn’t in love with my grandfather. She just discovered he was leaving the Amish and she wanted—needed—to escape.

Neither were Christians at the time. My grandfather was saved on his death bed. My grandmother’s youngest child was a teenager when she was saved. My mother, her sister, and all their girlfriends went to a tent meeting for a United Brethren Church and my grandmother attended one of the meetings with her daughters and was saved as a result. And their testimonies ultimately led to the salvation of my uncle and my grandfather.

Both of my grandparents had a lot of issues to work through as to why God allowed the bad things in their lives to happen. That they eventually came to Christ is a miracle but I’m glad they did, as I was raised in a Christian home.

Why does God allow bad things to happen to people? The short, pat answer is: because sin entered the world. Yes, God could stop them. But what if He uses the bad thing to refine a person’s faith, to draw them closer to Him as a result?

How a person reacts to the bad things directly ties in to how they affect them. In my story, Silas chose to trust God even though he feared for his life. No, he didn’t like what had happened, but even though he didn’t see how, he trusted God was working behind the scenes to bring Silas to where he needed to be, spiritually and physically. On the other hand, Bethany believed God had rejected her. Pushed her away and didn’t care about her. If He didn’t care for her, why should she care about Him? So she went into a stand-off with God.

The lessons ultimately learned, for both my grandparents and my characters, brought them to their knees before the living and holy God who was, and is, and is to come. And I trust God will use this story to help a reader out there who might be questioning something terrible that happened in their life.

You might not see how now and may not know why until eternity, but God has this. Keep praying. Keep trusting. Keep believing.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 (KJV)


Blog Stops


February 14: inklings and notions
February 15: A Rup Life
February 15: D’S QUILTS & BOOKS
February 15: Lane Hill House
February 16: Daysong Reflections
February 16: Blogging With Carol
February 17: Bigreadersite
February 18: Rhonda’s Doings
February 18: Jeanette’s Thoughts
February 19: A Greater Yes
February 19: A Holland Reads
February 21: Mom Is Forever
February 22: Splashes of Joy
February 23: Moments Dipped in Ink
February 23: Carpe Diem
February 24: Pause for Tales
February 24: Quiet Quilter
February 25: For The Love of Books
February 25: Donna’s BookShelf
February 26: Christian Bookaholic
February 27: Giveaway Lady
February 27: Autism Mom

Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Laura is giving away  Amish Wanderer, Patchwork Dreams (Amish of Seymour #1), Snow Globe (Amish of Jamesport #1),
a 10 x 17” canvas banner: “Do justly, love mercy, walk humbly” (Micah 6:8), and
Abba Scripture Candle (3” natural, clean-burning wax, scented) – “With God All Things Are Possible”! Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/b0d8

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Review: Moving Target by Lynnette Eason

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Award-winning author Lynette Eason offers readers nonstop action as Maddy McKay and the man she loves find themselves pawns in a game with a madman.

My Review:

Lynette Eason’s Elite Guardians series just keeps getting better and better with this addition of Moving Target.  This one was very creepy and from the first page I was holding my breath.  I have been rooting for Maddy since I first met her in the opening pages of Always Watching especially after what happened to her.  And then Quinn’s dilemma in Without Warning had me on the edge of my seat, so I was pretty happy these two were getting their own story.  What a story it was.  It was like Hunger Games mixed with the TV show Castle.  Not really sure who the Chosen One was or how he/she/them was able to do all they could really had me even looking over my shoulder.

Within these pages of action, romance, and even terror, we have deeper issues like the topic of forgiveness for oneself and family.  Maddy and Quinn make a great team and I like that they already had an established relationship even though it was a bit of a murky one.  However the care and obvious love they had for each other made the uneasiness of this story much more bearable.

I think these covers are the best covers I have seen for a romantic suspense series and I am so glad Ms. Eason is continuing with number four in the series.  I hope there is more after that; there are a few more members on the bodyguard team I would like to get to know better.  I am highly anticipating Haley’s story next.

I received a copy for free.  I was not required to give a positive review and the views and opinions expressed are my own.  

Friday, February 17, 2017

Review, Guest Post, and Giveaway: The Newcomer by Suzanne Woods Fisher


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About the Book
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Book: The Newcomer
Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher
Genre: Historical; Amish
Release Date: January 31

In 1737, Anna Konig and her fellow church members stagger off a small wooden ship after ten weeks at sea, eager to start a new life in the vibrant but raw Pennsylvania frontier. On the docks of Port Philadelphia waits bishop Jacob Bauer, founder of the settlement and father to ship carpenter Bairn. It’s a time of new beginnings for the reunited Bauer family, and for Anna and Bairn’s shipboard romance to blossom.

But this perfect moment cannot last. As Bairn grasps the reality of what it means to be Amish in the New World–isolated, rigid with expectations, under the thumb of his domineering father–his enthusiasm evaporates. When a sea captain offers the chance to cross the ocean one more time, Bairn grabs it. Just one more crossing, he promises Anna. But will she wait for him?

When Henrik Newman joins the church just as it makes its way to the frontier, Anna is torn. He seems to be everything Bairn is not–bold, devoted, and delighted to vie for her heart. And the most dramatic difference? He is here; Bairn is not.

Far from the frontier, an unexpected turn of events weaves together the lives of Bairn, Anna, and Henrik. When a secret is revealed, which true love will emerge?

My Review:

The Newcomer by Suzanne Woods Fisher is her continuing story in the Amish Beginnings novels and we start off where the first book has left off.  This little Amish church that has been through persecution in their old country has now arrived at the Promised Land in America.  Jacob and Dorothea have been reunited with their long lost son Bairn, and Anna is ready to move forward in this new place and begin anew with Bairn.  However doubts and fears begin to arise and this looks like it will not be a pleasant move forward.

This is not like your typical Amish fiction.  The story shows the bravery these poor souls needed to endure the rigorous pioneer life and new challenges: Native Americans, French and British hostilities, and new sicknesses they had to face.  Bairn has real doubts about this new life facing him.  He loves Anna and his family, but he has been away from the Amish lifestyle for so long he is unsure if it is right for him.  Poor Anna in many ways is alone in this world and I could feel her longing to belong and for her community to survive.  She is hurt deeply by Bairn and when he asked for her to wait for him I understood Anna’s hesitation.  I also understood why Bairn wanted to make sure this was what he wanted.  Ms. Woods did a great job of putting us in both of their shoes and seeing all sides. 

This church is struggling and at times does not seem to be making wise choices.  I understand that they wanted to live apart from the rest of the world, but in my mind it did bring up some questions.  I know that we as believers are not of this world any longer, but we are still living here and we are required to be the lights.  It was also interesting as the author shows us some other religious groups and their ways of life, even to the extreme that they felt called to live.  All in all this was an interesting historical read about the beginnings of the Amish and the world that they lived in and the part they played in America’s big melting pot.

I am very interested in how this series wraps up.  We are left with hope and trouble at the end of each book and I look forward to continue on this journey with Anna, Bairn, and this little Amish community.

I received a copy of this book for free. I was not required to give a positive review and the views and opinions expressed are my own.

About the Author



Suzanne Woods Fisher is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than a dozen novels, including Anna’s Crossing, The Bishop’s Family series, and The Inn at Eagle Hill series, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace and The Heart of the Amish. She lives in California. Learn more at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and follow Suzanne on Twitter @suzannewfisher.



Guest Post from Suzanne Woods Fisher


Pennsylvania of 1737, the setting for The Newcomer, is like a foreign country. Parts of it might seem familiar—the same hills and creeks and blue sky, but we’d hardly recognize the settlers. People like Anna, or Bairn, or the mysterious Newcomer. We wouldn’t be able to understand their language, their customs and traditions. Their world was that different from our modern one.

The first group of Amish immigrants (first written about in Anna’s Crossing and followed up in The Newcomer) settled northwest of Philadelphia, then a vast wilderness, and relied on each other for safety, security, building projects, and church. In nearby Germantown, settlers were tradesmen, so they clustered houses together in small knots. The Amish farmers took out land warrants for sizeable properties and lived considerable distances from each other.

In The Newcomer, Anna cooked food in a cauldron over a large hearth. One-pot meals can trace their beginnings to open-hearth cooking when ingredients for a meal went into a large kettle suspended over the fire. Traditional dishes—ham and beans, pork and sauerkraut—used sturdy, available, and simple ingredients that improved with long, slow cooking. The dishes could be easily expanded when the need arose to set a few more places at the table. And it did, often. Large families and unannounced company inspired Amish cooks to find ways to “stretch the stew.”

Noodles (including dumplings and rivvels) could be tossed into a simmering broth to make a meal stretch. Most farms had a flock of chickens, so eggs were easily at hand. Today, homemade noodles are still a favorite dish.

Another “stew stretcher” was cornmeal mush, originally eaten as a bread substitute. Early German settlers who made their home in eastern Pennsylvania roasted the yellow field corn in a bake oven before it was shelled and ground at the mill. The roasting process gave a nutty rich flavor to the cornmeal. Mush is still part of the diet the Old Order Amish—cooked and fried, baked, added into scrapple, smothered in ketchup. Dress it up and you’ve got polenta.

Now here’s one thing we do have in common with 1737 Pennsylvania immigrants…a love of good food and a shortage of time! Here’s one of my favorite one-pot recipes—probably not the kind of stew Anna might have made for ship carpenter Bairn or the mysterious Newcomer (ah, which man one stole her heart?)…but definitely delicious. Enjoy!

Lentil Chili

Here’s one of my favorite “stew stretchers.” You can expand it even more by serving over rice.
Ingredients:
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
10 c. water
1 lb. dry lentils
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt (season to your taste)
½ tsp. pepper
2 c. salsa (your favorite variety)
29 oz. canned tomatoes, crushed


Blog Stops

February 7: cherylbbookblog
February 8: Just Commonly
February 9: A Reader’s Brain
February 9: Genesis 5020
February 10: Lane Hill House
February 10: Blogging With Carol
February 11: Quiet Quilter
February 11: Daysong Reflections
February 12: Christian Bookaholic
February 12: Jeanette’s Thoughts
February 13: Karen Sue Hadley
February 13: Just the Write Escape
February 14: Rhonda’s Doings
February 14: Bigreadersite
February 16: Bibliophile Reviews
February 16: Book by Book
February 17: Pause for Tales
February 17: A Holland Reads
February 18: A Greater Yes
February 18: The Power of Words
February 19: Lighthouse Academy
February 20: By The Book
February 20: Giveaway Lady

Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Suzanne is giving away a Kindle! Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!https://promosimple.com/ps/b0d1

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Review: Rescue Me by Susan May Warren

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Deputy Sam Brooks is committed to keeping the town of Mercy Falls safe. But when a deadly storm strikes, Sam must abandon all his safety rules to rescue the woman he's falling in love with.

My Review:


Rescue Me by Susan May Warren is in my humble opinion her best book yet.  To be fair, I have not read all of her books, but I have read many and this book just really captured me to the point that I am still thinking about it and it will not be a story I will soon forget.  This story is the second in the Montana Rescue series and picks up where the first one left off.  One of the things I really like about this series is that for the most part the stories wrap up, but just at the very end the author throws out a trail of crumbs and I anxiously await the next in the series.

This story focuses on Sam and Pete Brooks who are two brothers still reeling from a family tragedy that happened years ago, and this tragedy has altered their relationship.  Not only with each other, but also with the women they love.  Sam is the responsible one and Pete is reckless.  Enter the ladies and these two must rescue their happily ever after’s.

We really get to know more about Willow and see how she works, her very positive outlook on life and agonize with her as she tries to keep her feelings for Sam hidden since her sister Sierra and him appear to be perfect for each other.  Jess also comes into the limelight in this story and we get a little more background information on her and there is much more to her then first appears.

This story had me on the edge of my seat from the first page with grizzly attacks, snowstorms, and watching this team fight nature tooth and nail to save those they love.  I really enjoyed the first in this series but this book really ramped up the danger and action.  Sam and Willow’s romance was just so beautiful to watch unfold and the rocky road they had to travel to get there was worth the late nights I stayed up reading.  What I think touched me the most was the symbolism of the title, Rescue Me, and after reading the author’s heartfelt notes, I can really see how much her heart and soul was in this story. 


I received a copy of this book for free. I was not required to give a positive review and the views and opinions expressed are my own.   This is one story I will be rereading a lot.

Friday, February 10, 2017

Review: Maybe it's You by Candace Calvert

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ER nurse Sloane Ferrell escaped her risky past—new name, zip code, job, and a fresh start. She’s finally safe, if she avoids a paper trail and doesn’t let people get too close. Like the hospital’s too-smooth marketing man with his relentless campaign to plaster one “lucky” employee’s face on freeway billboards.

Micah Prescott’s goal is to improve the Hope hospital image, but his role as a volunteer crisis responder is closer to his heart. The selfless work helps fill a void in his life left by family tragedy. So does a tentative new relationship with the compassionate, beautiful, and elusive Sloane Ferrell.

Then a string of brutal crimes makes headlines, summons responders . . . and exposes disturbing details of Sloane’s past.

Can hope spring from crisis?

My Review


Maybe it’s You is a story that is about second chances.  This story deals with some pretty tough issues like abuse, alcoholism, and trafficking and shows different types of bondage people are in whether it is physical, mental, or spiritual.  I do have to say that Sloane Ferrell is one tough cookie.  She has been through a lot in her life and has the scars, inward and outward to prove it.  To play it safe and to keep safe, she has decided to do her best not to become attached to anyone and to close her heart off to the world.  But Sloane has much too big of a heart to pull that off even if she doesn’t see it. 

Enter Micah Prescott who notices Sloane in a big way with how she treats everyone.  She reaches out even to the ones that no one else wants to care for, the dregs of humanity.  Why?  What makes her different?  However, when unwanted attention brings Sloane and Micah together, sparks fly in both bad and good ways.  Micah is trying to boost the hospital image in the community and Sloane is trying to stay under the radar from her past.  Neither one is prepared for what unprecedented danger is already in their town and coming. 

This book takes a closer look at what a Christian life should look like and the topic of do we love and forgive others like Christ does.  This book is in no way preachy but interweaves a message of hope, forgiveness, and worthiness in its pages, even forgiveness for our own mistakes and regrets.

I have only read this book and the first book of the Crisis Team series but I have enjoyed them both very much.  I like a medical drama that doesn’t shy away from the hospital procedures or ignore the very real problems going on in this world.   And neither the intrigue, danger, nor the romance overwhelms the story but all work together to compliment and flesh out a truly wonderful series.

I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher.  I was not required to give a positive review and the views and opinions expressed are my own.

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Review, Guest Post, and Giveaway: Two Suitors for Anna by Molly Jebber


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About the Book


Book: Two Suitors for Anna

Author: Molly Jebber
Genre: Amish Historical Romance
Release Date: January 31, 2017

In 1903 Ohio, a young Amish woman must choose between the life she has long planned for and a new, very different future…

Since Anna Plank moved to Berlin, Ohio, with her widowed mamm and two schweschders, she’s found a real sense of belonging. As soon as her beloved Noah Schwartz proposes, they’ll begin a new chapter here together. But Noah has a surprise for Anna: once they’re married, he wants them to travel and live in other communities. Anna, who loves her home and her job at the quilt shop, is distraught when he takes her hesitation as rejection—and leaves.

Daniel Bontrager’s arrival adds to Anna’s confusion. Since taking over his late brother’s farm, the handsome roofer has offered friendship and gentle attentions. Yet the pull of first love is strong and deep, especially when Noah returns. Through each revelation, Anna must search her faith for guidance, knowing she is choosing not just a husband, but a life to nurture and to share…
Praise for Molly Jebber’s Change of Heart


“Endearing characters and a delightful story make this a keeper for fans of Amish romance.” –Emma Miller


“This is a wonderfully written historical romance with Amish and Englisch characters who are loveable and considerate of others. The storyline is believable and heartwarming. Jebber is a talented author.” –RT Book Reviews

My Review:


Two Suitors for Anna by Molly Jebber is of a slower pace than the books I have been reading of late.  That is a good thing as sometimes I need to sit back and take a breather.  Here in this story we have Anna, eldest daughter and a very close to her widowed Mother and two sisters.   Anna and Noah have an understanding and both love and want to marry each other.  However, something has happened and Anna cannot quite measure up to Noah’s exacting standards of late.  Noah and Anna also have very different goals for their lives.  Noah wants to leave and for Anna to come with him. Not knowing what else to do and not wanting to leave her home or her family, Anna and Noah separate and Noah goes off on his own.

There were definite warning signs in their relationship, and I am glad to have seen that Anna was a mature enough character not to just marry blindly for loving feelings.  I felt for Anna, because as in real life, we are going along and expect certain things/dreams to line up and when they don’t there is a real grief that comes that we must work through.

In the meantime there is another gentleman who has just moved to Berlin and has set his eyes, hopes, and dreams on Anna.  As Daniel pursues Anna, she realizes that her heart may just heal from Noah.  However, Noah returns remorseful and asking for forgiveness from her for leaving and wants her to take him back.  What is a girl to do as there is something powerful in first love?  But which one is true love?

The author does not give her characters an easy road.  They do experience their fair share of troubles brought on by the outside world and their own sinful regrets.  This was a refreshing read with a slower pace of life. 

I received a copy of this book for free.  I was not required to give a positive review and the opinions and views expressed are my own.

About the Author


Molly Jebber’s books have been featured in Publisher’s Weekly, USA Today’s HEA, and Romantic Times has given them a near excellent rating. She’s on RWA’s Honor Roll. She’s a speaker for Women’s Christian Connection, and she offers presentations on writing, publishing, Amish lifestyle and traditions. She has received widespread media coverage, including live interviews, across the United States for her books and speaking engagements.

She’s just signed a new contract for four more Amish books! She loves interacting with her readers. She loves God, her husband, family and friends. She has a hard time saying no to cupcakes, swimming, nine holes of golf, and walks on the beach. Coconut, oatmeal, and onions, on the other hand, are not hard to say no to!

Guest Post from Molly Jebber


What prompted Two Suitors for Anna?
Have you had to choose between two men you love? Or maybe a friend?  I gave Anna this dilemma and added to her turmoil by throwing in a bundle of twists and turns to the story.
Noah proposes to Anna, and he takes her rejection as hesitation and leaves town. Daniel moves to Berlin and offers her friendship which is blossoming into something more, when Noah returns and asks her forgiveness and another chance. I hope you enjoy it!

Blog Stops

January 31: cherylbbookblog
January 31: Giveaway Lady
February 1: A Greater Yes
February 2: Lane Hill House
February 3: Just Commonly
February 4: Bigreadersite
February 5: Quiet Quilter
February 7: Pause for Tales
February 8: Splashes of Joy
February 10: inklings and notions
February 11: Carpe Diem
February 12: Donna’s BookShelf
February 13: autism mom
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Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Molly is giving away a Kindle Fire HD. Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/af95