A Talent for Trouble by Jen Turano

Recently I received a copy of the following book in exchange for my honest review. This post will have book purchase advertisement. The FTC requires you to be given a fair warning! Now relax and enjoy the review.

This book is a good book I haven't gotten through the whole thing but I know what's going on. Miss Felicia Murdock has dreamed of marrying Reverend Michael Fraser for four years now, ever since he complimented her on her outfit. Now he is marrying someone else and she is heart broken. If you like romance and some humor this is the book for you! :) The author Jen Turano has written three books in this series this being the third. The first one was great I laughed through the whole thing. :) This one is good too and just as humorous. Although they are a series you can read the individually and still understand everything. They can stand alone. So don't worry if you haven't read the first two. Hope you enjoy it also. :)

My Hope Is Found

My Hope Is Found by Joanne Bischof

Recently I received a copy of the following book in exchange for my honest review. This post will have book purchase advertisement. The FTC requires you to be given a fair warning! Now relax and enjoy the review.

Gideon O’Riley has been given another chance at a life with Lonnie.

But will the fight for her heart risk it all over again?

Book 3 in the Cadence of Grace Series ~ Coming Oct 2013 

After finally finding love with his sweet bride Lonnie, Gideon’s heart was torn when a woman from his past claimed to be his true and rightful wife, forcing him away from his family. God’s merciful hand saw Gideon through the heartache, and with Cassie’s blessing, he is able to return home. Though his journey back through the Blue Ridge Mountains will hold a trial he never anticipated.

Meanwhile, Lonnie determines to seal off her heart from Gideon, convinced he is lost to her forever. Strengthening her resolve to move on is the fondness she has for the handsome Scotsman, Toby McKee—the young reverend she has come to care deeply for. His proposal of marriage offers a bright future for her and her young son. 

Yearning to allow joy back into her life, Lonnie must put aside the broken pieces of her heart that still love Gideon. When he returns to find her betrothed to another, he has to place his hope in God, trusting that the One who redeemed their love once can do it again.

• About Joanne

Christy Award-finalist and author of Be Still My Soul and Though My Heart is Torn, Joanne Bischof has a deep passion for Appalachian culture and writing stories that shine light on God’s grace and goodness. She lives in the mountains of Southern California with her husband and their three children. When she’s not weaving Appalachian romance, she’s blogging about faith, folk music, and the adventures of country living that bring her stories to life. To learn more about Joanne and her books you can go to her website HERE.

• This is what Joanne says about her writing:

What is Heartfelt Fiction?
 From moments that are joyous to moments that are bittersweet and even in the midst of a broken heart, with paper and ink as my medium, I write to illustrate love—the gift that was given to us by the One who loves the most.

What is this love?

Undeniably Yours

Undeniably Yours by Becky Wade


Recently I received a copy of the following book in exchange for my honest review. This post will have book purchase advertisement. The FTC requires you to be given a fair warning! Now relax and enjoy the review.

 

Undeniably Yours
A Porter Family Novel, #1

    When Meg Cole’s father dies unexpectedly, she becomes the majority shareholder of his oil company and the single inheritor of his fortune. Though Meg is soft-spoken and tenderhearted  -- more interested in art than in oil -- she’s forced to return home to Texas and to Whispering Creek Ranch to take up the reins of her father’s empire.

The last thing she has the patience or the sanity to deal with? Her father’s thoroughbred racehorse farm. She gives its manager, Bo Porter, six months to close the place down. 

Bo’s determined to resent the woman who’s decided to rob him of his dream. But instead of anger, Meg evokes within him a profound desire to protect. The more time he spends with her, the more he longs to overcome every obstacle that separates them -- her wealth, his unworthiness, her family’s outrage -- and earn the right to love her.

But just when Meg begins to realize that Bo might be the one thing on the ranch worth keeping, their fragile bond is viciously broken by a force from Meg’s past. Can their love, and their belief that God can work through every circumstance, survive?

Becky's biography:

During her childhood in California, Becky frequently produced homemade plays starring her sisters, friends, and cousins. These plays almost always featured a heroine, a prince, and a love story with a happy ending. She's been a fan of all things romantic ever since.
Becky and her husband lived overseas in the Caribbean and Australia before settling in Dallas, Texas. It was during her years abroad that Becky's passion for reading turned into a passion for writing. She published three historical romances with Avon Books, then put her career on hold for several years to care for her three kids, then recently returned to writing sheerly for the love of it. She felt led to move to the genre of contemporary Christian romance and couldn’t be more thrilled with it.
These days Becky can be found failing but trying to keep up with her housework, sweating at the gym, carting her kids around town, playing tennis, hunched over her computer, eating chocolate, or collapsed on the sofa watching TV with her husband.

 

My thoughts:

Meg's father died and now she has to manage Cole's Oil all by herself. A company her father had, along with his father, that has passed on from generation to generation. Meg's father had his hobbies like horse ranches and other things. She's ready to close down the horse ranch, but Bo the manager of the ranch doesn't want her to close it down. He would do almost anything to convince her to keep it open, until he starts developing feelings for her. Something a employee and employer should not do.

This has been a pretty good book. I haven't finished it yet, although I want to I've just had a hard time reading lately. It's been slow but it's coming along.  Another reason I have had a hard time reading is I'm drawn more towards historical romance than modern romance. I'm not saying it's bad but it's a lot different than historical. I haven't found anything of question but some people have said there are a few places in the book where the character curse under their breath, or are in a bar in one part. I haven't gotten there yet.


You can read an excerpt of this book if you CLICK HERE

You can order this book on Amazon or Barnes and Nobles any book store really. :)

Thank you Bethany House for letting me review this book for you. Sorry it has taken a while.

A Noble Groom

Recently I received a copy of the following book in exchange for my honest review. This post will have book purchase advertisement. The FTC requires you to be given a fair warning! Now relax and enjoy the review.

 

Recently widowed Annalisa Werner has the feeling her husband was murdered but can’t prove it.

Alone with her young daughter in 1881 Michigan, she has six months left to finish raising the money needed to pay back the land contract her husband purchased, and the land is difficult to toil by herself. She needs a husband. With unmarried men scarce, her father sends a letter to his brother in the Old Country, asking him to find Annalisa a groom.


For nobleman Carl von Reichart, the blade of the guillotine is his fate. He’s been accused and convicted of a serious crime he didn’t commit, and his only escape is to flee to a small German community in Michigan where he’ll be safe. He secures a job on Annalisa’s farm but bumbles through learning about farming and manual labor.

Annalisa senses that Carl is harboring a secret about his past, yet she finds herself drawn to him anyway. He’s gentle, kind, and romantic–unlike any of the men she’s ever known. He begins to restore her faith in the ability to love–but her true groom is still on his way. And time is running out on them all.

 

My review:

I have recently read Jody's last book Unending Devotion it was one of the best books I've read. Jody pulled you in more and more by each page. This book is just as good. The handsome man on the front page is just one reason why I wanted to read it. With each page you laugh with the book, cry with the book, and grit your teeth when you get mad about something. This book was based in the 1800's life wasn't the same as it is now. You weren't married for love you were married because you needed a man and the man needed someone to cook and take care of house chores. Love was not important life it is now. Most of marriages were arranged marriages. God designed us to be help meets for our husbands. This book also talks about immigrants from Germany. To me it is very interesting to learn stuff about history. Annalisa is working on her trust. This is a good book feel free to read it.

About the author Jody Hedlund:

Jody has written novels for the last 20 years (with a hiatus when her children were young). After many years of writing and honing her skills, she finally garnered national attention with her double final in the Genesis Contest, a fiction-writing contest for unpublished writers through ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers).
Her first published book, The Preacher’s Bride (2010 Bethany House Publishers), became a best seller and has won multiple awards.

 

Thank you Bethany House for sending me this book as a review book.

I'm No Angel

I'm No Angel by Kylie Bisutti

I recently received this book as a free review copy from the publisher in return for my honest review about what I thought about it. This post will have book purchase advertisement for the following book. It is required by the FTC that you are given a fair warning. Now enjoy the review.

In December 2011, 21-year-old Victoria’s Secret model Kylie Bisutti stunned the fashion industry when she chose faith over fame and fortune and made the switch from supermodel to role model.
In I’m No Angel, Kylie shares her story—from her early years struggling to make it big in the cut-throat world of modeling, her “big break” winning the Victoria’s Secret Runway Angel competition, and the disillusionment and spiritual warfare that followed, to the moment she realized that she could no longer reconcile her career with her Christian beliefs, surrendered her life to God, said goodbye to the runway and dedicated her life to preaching a message of modesty and inner beauty.
Along the way, Kylie talks about her personal struggles with inadequacy, low self-esteem, and her near-constant quest for approval in a world where you can never be thin enough, pretty enough, or sexy enough. She helps readers understand that true beauty lies within and that real fulfillment comes from knowing, loving, and serving Christ.

My review:

Kylie and her husband, Mike

I haven't finished this whole book yet but, so far it is amazing! It tells you what your true values should be and not what the world thinks. The world will always come up with one more thing to fix about you, but God made you just the way you are and He did that for a reason! Don't let what the world says change you morals! Being a rols model is far better than being a super model! I've been there, I've thought that I wasn't good enough I've thought everyone was pretty than me and better than me, but God made me in his image and why would I want to change that? Why would you want to change that? Kylie goes from being a super model to being a role model. She quits her Victoria's Secret modeling career to become a role model for Christ. Beauty doesn't come from just outside. Beauty comes from the inside, from your heart!

You can purchase her book on her website kyliebisutti.com or Amazon. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did

Thank you Tyndale for sending me this free book as a review copy for my honest opinion about the book.

Unrivaled

I recently received this book as a free review copy from the publisher in return for my honest review about what I thought about it.

Unrivaled

Falling in love could be a recipe for disaster.

Lucy Kendall returns from a tour of the Continent, her luggage filled with the latest fashions and a mind fired by inspiration. After tasting Europe's best confections, she's sure she'll come up with a recipe that will save her father's struggling candy business and reverse their fortunes. But she soon discovers that their biggest competitor, the cheat who swindled her father out of his prize recipe, has now hired a promotions manager - a cocky, handsome, out-of-towner who gets under Lucy's skin.

Charlie Clarke's new role at Standard Manufacturing is the chance of a lifetime. He can put some rough times behind him and reconnect with the father he's never known. The one thing he never counted on, however, was tenacious Lucy Kendall. She's making his work life miserable... and making herself impossible for him to forget.

My thoughts:

Lucy Kendall went on a tour of the continent, while she was gone her father got extremely sick, but she didn't know it. When she got home she found out and it upset her so much. She traveled to find the best candies for her fathers candy store. after finding out her mother plans to sell the candy shop, she convinces her mother to give her a month to try to saev his business. The candy shop means so much to Lucy!

Charlie Clarke a young man who got bailed out of jail by his soon to be step father. His father left his when he was just a young boy and he has worried about keeping a roof over his mothers and sisters head ever since. Now fifteen years later his father calls and offers him a job at the company his father owns.

I'm enjoying this book a lot. Hopefully you will enjoy it as much as I do! :)

About the author:  Siri Mitchell is the author of nearly a dozen novels, among them the critically acclaimed Christy Award finalists Chateau of Echoes and The Cubicle Next Door. A graduate of the University of Washington with a degree in business, she has worked in many different levels of government. As a military spouse, she has lived in places as varied as Tokyo and Paris. Siri currently lives in the DC-metro area. Visit Siri's website here.

If you would like to buy her book you can do so at amazon

Thank you Bethany House for sending me this review book for me to read and reveiw!

Talent Night at AWANA



Beginning of the process



A couple weeks ago we had talent night at AWANA and I made a cake out of cupcakes. It was a cupcake tree! :) Not sure what to write. It was a yellow cake and I made cakepops that look like little owls.

Owl Cakepops






Adding a little color









pink owls :)

 Hey, it actually looks like a tree what about that?

The owls are getting eyes and and beaks and feet! :)



Finished project













All finished, the project is done! :) I thought it turned out prettty good. Not to brag or anything. But I think it turned out pretty well.



Close up of the owls



The owls are just so cute and tasted just as ood as they look if not better! 

Firefly Island

 Firefly Island

Mallory Hale meets this charming man a Capitol Hill, and it justt happened to be Saint Patrick's Day. You know, if you meet someone on Saint Patrick's Day you are destined to be together. Sure enough they met again and started dating. Not to long after Daniel had to go out of town for business and Mallory stays with his son, Nick, unfortunately enough they both get the flu while he's gone. Daniel comes back to two sick people and has some news for Mallory, Daniel has been offered a job in Moses Lake, Texas. Mallory couldn't stand the though of losing Daniel and Daniel didn't want to leave Mallory. So what comes next? Right there in his house with her sick he proposed, although it wasn't a very romantic proposal. Within a few weeks they were married and headed to the middle of nowhere, to meet a questionable boss they never met. To find out the rest you will have to read it yourself.

Firefly Island is written really well, Lisa Wingate is a great author, I also read Talk of the Town, which was great as well.

Lisa Wingate is a popular inspirational speaker, magazine columnist, and national bestselling author of several books, including Tending Roses, Good Hope Road, The Language of Sycamores, and Drenched in Light. Her work was recently honored by the Americans for More Civility for promoting greater kindness and civility in American life. Lisa and her family live in Central Texas.

 

 

Thank you Bethany House for sending me this book to review. :)

Pit of Ambition

Pit of Ambition

This is the second book of the Caselli family series.

Tillie Caselli has married Alex Martin a famous lawyer. Before they were married he’d do anything to spend time with her but, now this young man is too focused on work, fame and fortune. Tillie is sick an can barely go to school. She goes to the doctor to find out she’s pregnant.

Noah Hansen has married Carrie and they are very happy together until the tragic death of Carrie’s mother  then fishy stuff starts happening. Carrie is expecting again and Noah is the best husband that anyone could have, coming home from work to check on his wife not working late more than he has to.

Guiseppi  finally realizes he made a big mistake by not telling Tillie what him and her mother knew about Noah from before they met. He can’t tell her now though, what good would that do? It would only make matters worse.

Alex and Noah are still good friends, Guiseppi meets Noah when he comes to Sioux Falls to check on a job building Angelo’s 2, Guiseppi’s second restaurant. He’s regretting the decision he has made.

This book was just as good as the first and I cannot wait to read he third one A Blackguards Redemption.

Ta`Mara Hanscom has worked on The Caselli Family Series since 1996. Within three weeks she had created a 900 page rough draft of what would become a five- novel series of the epic love story of Tillie Caselli and Noah Hansen.

Loving all things Italian, Ta`Mara created the Caselli family true to their ethnic name. Born and raised in South Dakota, she brings this traditional family alive on the Great Plains where she has spent the entirety of her life.

I got this book from my mom’s bookshelf.

Though My Heart is Torn

Though My Heart is Torn

"Lonnie only ever wanted to be loved. Now that she won her husband's heart will his past destroy their happily ever after?"

In the Blue Ridges Mountains of Virginia, Gideon and Lonnie O’Riley settle down. Gideon hadn’t planned on a wife, but when he did something he shouldn’t have they were forced to get married. Off they went to find a home, Gideon’s temper got the best of him and when Lonnie could not keep up with him walking he got abusive. Jebediah saved her and Gideon started to change. He started living his life for the Lord. Lonnie and Gideon love each other and have a son named Jacob. When a letter comes that Lonnie’s mother is sick, Gideon agrees to go back to Rocky Knob but, when they get there they find out it was only a trick. Now Gideon must face his past. You see, before he and Lonnie were married he was married to Cassie Allen but, Gideon wasn’t exactly the husband type and she didn’t want him around anymore so they signed the divorce papers and Gideon was free, or was he? Cassie was supposed to take care of the papers and give them to the clergy man to take to the courthouse. Now Gideon is forced back into this relationship with Cassie and must leave the family he loves with all his heart, the only ones he will ever love. How can Gideon make the best of this situation? What’s going to happen to Lonnie and Jacob? Lonnie feels betrayed, hurt, and lied to because Gideon never told her. She wants to hate him with every part of her but she can’t she loves Gideon with all her heart. Read the book to find out the rest of this story that will have you on our toes wanting to know what happens next!!

 This book was really good. Now I want to go back and read he first one Be Still My Soul. The third book in the Cadence of Grace Series, My Hope Is Found, will come out in October 2013. Joanne Bischof is a great author, I really enjoyed this book. To find out more about her go to her website here.

Thank you Waterbrook Multnimah for sending me this free review copy!

The Pretender

My Jean-Marc’s uncle was married to an English woman, and she told us once, a very long time ago, that in this world there are men of two kinds.

The one, the KNIGHT, is the man possessing only strength and quality of moral character. He will never ask a lady to compromise her honor for less than a vow, and never, ever will he consider another once he has captured her heart. A knight keeps his vow, even when it hurts, and the honor of a knight is a thing a country is built upon. A knight comes along only seldom these days.

Now, a BLACKGUARD is a man who can be found quite easily, for it is an easy thing to be a blackguard. He attempts to trick the young ladies into taking him home and caring for him, making them believe their honor can be given away as a mere trifle, offering no vow, and making only human demands. The blackguard is to be avoided at all costs, for to settle for someone like him is to settle for something less than ideal.

I Rapid City, South Dakota, Tillie Casseli meets Noah Hansen. After a weekend of fun in the beautiful Black Hills and Mount Rushmore, it's love at first sight. They make a promise to each other before Tillie goes back home promising to return again. But when she returns a few weeks later she cant's believe what she sees. Could it be real or just a mistake? But Tillie doesn't stay to find out. Is Noah a blackguard or a knight? Tillie can usually see a blackuard from a mile away. What happened this time? How could she be wrong?

I love this book so much! I stayed up until 1 in the morning I don't know how many nights. I could not put it down, my mom was "making fun" because she doesn't normally see me with a book in my hand constantly. Ta'mara had me hookat first chapter and I cannot wait to read the second book!! I could give you the whole story but that would give it away when you should really read it yourself. She has five book out and writing the sixth one as well as seven and eight. Book two is Pit of Ambition. To learn more about Ta'mara go to her website here.

I Still Believe

• I Still Believe by Jeremy Camp

In I Still Believe Jeremy talks about his life from childhood till now. He talks about many things we ourselves face in our own lives. In his teen years Jeremy went out with his friends for a "fun night" in the town, drinking, smoking, and there is no telling what else they did. But the summer after his sophmore year at camp he gave his life to the Lord, and came home changed. He transferred highschools because he didn't want to face the temptation of that again. He graduated highschool and moved to a Bible College in California. It wasn't until after he graduated college he met the one he knew he was supposed to marry. Jeremy and Melissa dated for a while but things didn't fall into place and they broke up. Jeremy was heart broken because she was the ONE and he knew it. Later on in 1999 Jeremy found out Melissa had a cyst that was cancerous. She went through ups and downs in and out of the hospital , Jeremy did all he could to be helpful during her chemo treaments. One day Melissa told Jeremy she finally realize she loved him too, and a few days later he asked her to marry him. She said yes and they got married after the doctors told her the cancer was gone. They went to Hawaii for their honeymoon. Soon after they got back home she finds out the cancer has returned, three and a half months after their wedding she passed away from the ovarian cancer. Jeremy took it hard she was supposed to be healed!! Why would God take her if He wanted Jeremy to marry her?? Not wanting to do anything after Melissa's death, Jeremy's world crashed around him. But one day Jeremy felt God telling him to pick up his guitar and play. Jeremy was finally being able to express his feelings again through writing songs. God began healing Jeremy. He has written many songs especially during his hard times with Melissa's battle. He wrote Walk By Faith and has witnessed to many people with that song and Melissa's story.

This is a great book!! So many teenagers go through the years where they want to look good to their friends and will do anything to be accepted. My heart goes out to them, I just want to tell them that they don't realize how special they are to God but not only to him to their family and me. They don't have to destroy their bodies with all the drugs and alcohol or anything else. They just need to find good godly friends that will lift them and encourage them not bring them down. So many people lose loved one today from some kind of cancer, Jeremy has been throught that too and knows how it feels. With God's help he got through hard times he faced and kept his faith through it all. Most of the time we see music artists as people who never go through anything bad and they just live it up, but they are humans too. They go through sad times, times they don't understand, and times they think their world is falling apart. Just because they are popular and everyone loves them doesn't mean they are perfect and everything goes perfect for them, a lot of times we fail to realize that. This book shows up that they go through the same stuff we have gone through.

Jeremy Camp is a Christian music artist who just had a new album released this month called Reckless. To earn more about Jeremy Camp, check out his website here.

Special thanks to Tyndale Publishers for providing me with this book for reviewing purposes.

A Change of Fortune

A Change of Fortune

Miss Sumner, or better known as Lady Eliza Sumner, daughter of Lord of Sefton, is living in New York. After losing her family, her faith, her inheritance, and because of that her fiance', she traveled to America to find Mr. Hayes the man who stole her fortune. She passes herself off as a governess while searching for him. While work for the Watson's she has to attend a high society dinner in place of Miss Agatha Watson. She is to sit between Mr. Hamilton and Mr Zayne Beckett, who Mr. and Mrs Watson intend for Agatha to marry one of them. Not wanting to be noticed as an aristocrat to tried to disguise herself with a pair of spectacles and she makes a mess of things, bringing more attention to herself than planned. She tripped on her gown and fell to the floor, making a bug scene because she can't see what was in front of her. During dinner she learns that Mr. Hayes and his wife live in New York not far from the Watson's, and he is calling himself Lord Southmoor. Not only has he stolen her fortune he has also stolen her father;s title as Lord. She is determined to find him and take back what is rightfully hers. One night Eliza slips out and goes to Mr/ Hayes house, but Agatha follows her even when she told her not to. While in the house they realize they aren't the only one who has broken into the house. Mr. and Mr. Beckett are in the house as well, looking for information in Mr. Eugene Daniels. Hearing the police they try to escape by jumping out the window and over a wall. THE WRONG WALL. They land themselves in jail because they are mistaken as women of the night. Hamilton and Zayne some to the rescue and bail them out. Eliza and Agatha arrive home to find agitated Mr. and Mrs. Watson waiting for them. Mr Watson learns they were in jail and fires Eliza on the spot. Hamilton invites Eliza to stay with him and his mother, Gloria Beckett. Hamilton lost his wide two years ago in an accident, since then his children have been through many nannies and he doesn't think he is capable of loving ever again. The children fall in love with Eliza as well as her growing attached to them. I could go on and on but I'm going to leave you hanging. To find out the rest you with have to read the book yourself. What will happen??

Jen Turano is an AMAZING author. I could not put this book down and finished it within a week, which is really surprising for me. This is the first book in the Ladies of Distinction series. She has a novella Gentleman of Her Dreams which is like a prologue to the series. Book 2, A Most Peculiar Circumstance comes in July 2013. I am very excited!!

Thank you Bethany House for sending me this book to review

Against The Tide

Against The Tide

Lydia Pallas was a young girl when her parents passed away. Having just moved to Boston she was sent to the Crakken orphanage where she learned English and went to school. When she was old enough to move out of the orphanage she got an apartment at the Laughing Dragon and a job at the Navy Yard translating important documents. Alexander Banebridge, an old friend of Admiral Fontaine's, needs a translator, the Admiral recommends Lydia. Bane brings Lydia document after document for her to translate. the more translating she does the closer she gets to Bane. But he cannot love a woman and can never ever marry. Bane leaves Lydia broken hearts and because of him she loses her job as well as her apartment she's always known as home. Now she has to readjust to a new home and a new job. Although she still hasn't forgotten Bane, she's making it through life. A few months has gone by and Bane shows up again, he needs Lydia's help one more time. The Admiral's son has been kidnapped. Will Lydia agree to Bane's request or will she walk away? She fell in love with him and he broke her heart, promising he would never marry. Lydia is still determined to get the man she wants. What will happen? Should she just walk away? It would break her heart from shattering again.

This book was great! Elizabeth Camden has written a great book. I am excited to read The Lady of Bolton Hill!! To see more books of Elizabeth's click here.

I received this book from Bethany House Publishers as a review book. Thank you Bethany House! :)