Daughters of Northern Shores

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.

I was blessed with a copy of this book to read, courtesy of Joanne Bischof  and the Publisher, Thomas Nelson. All opinions are my own, and I was not required to review the book positively.


Synopsis:
Aven Norgaard understands courage. Orphaned within an Irish workhouse, then widowed at just nineteen, she voyaged to America where she was wooed and wed by Thor Norgaard, a Deaf man in rural Appalachia. That the Lord saw her along the winding journey and that Aven now carries Thor’s child are blessings beyond measure. Yet while Thor holds her heart, it is his younger brother and rival who haunts her memories. Haakon—whose selfish choices shattered her trust in him.
Having fled the farm after trying to take Aven as his own, Haakon sails on the North Atlantic ice trade where his soul is plagued with regrets that distance cannot heal. Not even the beautiful Norwegian woman he’s pursued can ease the torment. When the winds bear him home after four years away, Haakon finds the family on the brink of tragedy. A decades-old feud with the neighboring farm has wrenched them into the fiercest confrontation on Blackbird Mountain since the Civil War. Haakon’s cunning and strength hold the power to seal many fates, including Thor’s which is already at stake through a grave illness brought to him as the first prick of warfare.

Now Haakon faces the hardest choice of his life. One that shapes a battlefield where pride must be broken enough to be restored, and where a prodigal son may finally know the healing peace of surrender and the boundless gift of forgiveness. And when it comes to the woman he left behind in Norway, he just might discover that while his heart belongs to a daughter of the north, she’s been awaiting him on shores more distant than the land he’s fighting for.

Sequel to the critically-acclaimed Sons of Blackbird Mountain 

My Thoughts:

This book is the sequel to Sons of Blackbird Mountain and is another great book of Joanne!! This book is mostly about Haakon trying to find himself. He leaves Blackbird Mountain and sails at sea for four years. After seeing the world for four years he cannot seem to forget about what happened before he left Backbird Mountain, so he goes back home and face everyone he left and seek the forgiveness he so desperately needs. Can the family he left behind forgive him for the things he did? Haakon comes home to a war between the Sorrels and his family a life long feud that will result in the final battle between families. Haakon and Thor never really got along but, during this battle they have to learn to trust one another again and work together as a team if they want to get to the other side alive! If you have not read this book I highly recommend it. If you haven't read the first book Sons of Blackbird Mountain you should definitely read it first! Both of these books are just so good! Joanne is a very talented and amazing writer. 

About the Author:

A Christy and Carol Award-winning author, Joanne Bischof writes deeply layered fiction that tugs at the reader’s heartstrings. She was honored to receive the SDCWG Novel of the Year Award in 2014 and in 2015 was named Author of the Year by the Mount Hermon Writer’s conference. Her 2014 novella This Quiet Sky broke precedent as the first self-released title to final for the Christy Awards. To Get to You, her 2015 release, was the second. Joanne’s 2016 novel, The Lady and the Lionheart, received an extraordinary 5 Star TOP PICK! from Romantic Times Book Reviews among other critical acclaim. She lives in the mountains of Southern California with her three children.

I continue to say this, Joanne is one my favorite authors! I have never read a book I have not liked from her. Ever since the first book I have read from her I have not been able to stop reading her books. 

If you would like to visit Joanne's page just Click Here
If you would like to visit her Facebook page Click Here
If you want to purchase the book you can at most of your local bookstores or online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or CBD.
Also if you would like to visit Joanne's Pinterest Page she has a lot of pins to show what the characters are like.

The Gift - Ta'mara Hanscom

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.

I was blessed with a copy of this book to read, courtesy of the author, Ta'Mara Hanscom. All opinions are my own, and I was not required to review the book positively.

“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”1 Corinthians 13:11-12

Foreword:

Noah reached for her hand, and to his surprise, she didn’t try to get away. He felt the warmth and softness inside of his palm, and he smiled into her eyes. “I know everything about you. I know that you love white roses and brand new puppies. Your favorite story is The Sound of Music, and you get up before the sun. You make the best ravioli on the planet, and your brothers adore you. You wear Chanel No. 5…” Noah deeply inhaled, “and it still smells great on you. And sometimes when I look at you, it’s like yesterday all over again—I wish it was yesterday and we could have another chance.” 

Noah Hansen, June 1987

My Thoughts: 

This is the fourth book in the Caselli Family Series. I haven’t gotten to finish this book yet, but so far I am loving it! 

This book is really about hope, redemption, and learning about God’s timing. 

From book one I have wanted Noah and Tillie to get together, but the timing has never been quite right. Tillie has always been faithful to the Lord trying to follow His will for her life, even when it has not been an easy for her. Now her dreams are starting to fall into place after it seems like everything in her life has fallen to pieces. Saying to much about this book will definitely give the whole thing away, and I don’t want to do that. I definitely think if you have not read this series you should! You will for sure want to start with the first book and read them in order. 
Book One - The Pretender
Book Two - Pit of Ambition

Book Three - A Blackguard's Redemption

Book Four - The Gift

About the Author:

Ta`Mara Hanscom was born and raised in South Dakota. She has lived in Sioux Falls, Tea, and Rapid City, the primary location of her fictional series, The Caselli Family Series. She has traveled the United States and Italy extensively, adding an authentic tone to the adventures of the Casellis.

Ta`Mara is a dedicated Bible scholar, specializing in the Old Testament which she teaches at her home church. She also teaches AWANA Sparks, youth group Sunday school, and speaks at women’s events.

An avid baseball fan, Ta`Mara follows several AAA pipelines, American Legion teams, and MLB—her favorite club being the Detroit Tigers. She visits Detroit often, and prays for the recovery and deliverance of the city.

She works full time on her writing and Bible lessons in northwest Iowa, where she currently resides with her husband Jim. 

If you would like to visit Ta'Mara's website Click Here

If you would like to visit her Facebook page Click Here

If you want to purchase the book you can purchase it online at Amazon