Honor Redeemed - Keys of Promise 2 - by Christine Johnson

About the book:

Her future--and her heart--hang in the balance.
Two years ago, Prosperity Jones waved farewell to her beloved David as the army sent him to faraway Key West. Now with her parents gone, she has but one prospect for the future: make the dangerous journey from Nantucket to Key West to reunite with David and secure a happier life.

But when Prosperity arrives penniless in the South, she is dismayed to find David has not been eagerly awaiting their reunion. In fact, he is married to someone else. Scrambling to survive and nursing a broken heart, Prosperity gains the friendship--and the affection--of a kind doctor. Could he be the answer to her loneliness? Or will her life be upended by circumstance yet again?

With a deft hand, Christine Johnson fills the senses with the sights, sounds, and smells of Key West in this heartwarming story of honor lost, honor redeemed, and a love forged in adversity.

My review:

This was an interesting story about a woman caught in a horrible situation.  I really felt for Prosperity, to go meet up with her fiance expecting to marry after losing everything and finds him married to someone else!  She has no money to get back home, so does what she must and finds a job.  I admired her faith in God, but she wasn't perfect.  She struggled with forgiveness and bitterness and was about to make a horrible decision.  I felt she was somewhat dumb because she knew the reasons she shouldn't marry a certain person, yet was going to do it anyway.  She let pride get in the way and was so insistent on not taking charity that she was going to make a horrible mistake.  I was also frustrated with David.  He should have explained the situation and told Prosperity the truth, but instead he didn't want to speak ill of the dead!  I would think the truth is more important!  There was a lot of back and forth where each kept rehashing their feelings and I felt it was too repetitive.  There was a lot about faith, from reading the Bible and praying to turning back to God after rejecting Him and blaming him for bad circumstances or hypocritical people.  There was a wonderful message about forgiveness, that it's a choice and not dependent on feelings.  There was also some suspense as David tried to figure out who was stealing and then his formidable father showed up.  I had a hard time liking this book because I was so frustrated with the two main characters and their choices.  You might like it if you like historical fiction.

I received this book free from Revell in exchange for an honest review.

About the author:

 The Author

1. 

   © E.A. Creative Photography 2013

   Christine Johnson

   Christine Johnson is the author of several books for Steeple Hill and Love Inspired and has been twice named a finalist for Romance Writers of America's Golden Heart® award. When not writing, she loves to hike and explore God's majestic creation. These...
   

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Missing - The NIkki Boyd Files 2 - by Lisa Harris

About the book:

Nikki Boyd isn't usually called in on homicides; her forte is missing persons. But when a case with two murdered and two missing pops up on a quiet suburban street, she's ready to start the investigation and find missing homeowners Mac and Lucy Hudson. When the first clues lead her to the boat of her friend Tyler Grant--and another dead body--Nikki must untangle what ties Tyler to the Hudsons. The clues pull her into a deadly maze of counterfeit drugs and a killer who will stop at nothing to silence anyone who threatens his business--including Nikki.

Christy Award-winning and bestselling author Lisa Harris puts you right into the action in this fast-paced thriller.


My review:

This was a wonderful romantic suspense I could hardly put down!  I found the investigation fascinating as they delved into the missing couple's life to figure out if they were kidnapped or ran away and what was going on in their lives at the time to put them in danger.  There was also plenty of action as Nikki was racing against time and the bodies kept piling up!  There was some romance, also, as Nikki continued to fight her feelings for Tyler, the husband of her deceased best friend.  It was also interesting to see some more information come to light on the disappearance of her sister years ago.  Harris does a good job of balancing the action with the emotional component of the story.  Nikki was a woman of faith who prayed for help at different times and there was some talk of faith.  I really liked Nikki and admired her strength to do what she does, to deal with her sister's disappearance and the not knowing and also the recent death of her best friend.  Tyler seemed like a great guy, too, though I had a hard time with a decision he made toward the end of the book.  This book worked fine as a stand-alone regarding the suspense aspect of the story, but the relationship between Tyler and Nikki did continue from book one, so you might want to read book one first to get the background on their relationship and also a lot more information about Nikki's sister.  I really enjoyed that book, too.  I highly recommend this book and series and look forward to the next one!

I received this book free from Revell in exchange for an honest review.

About the author:

 The Author

1. 

   Lisa Harris

   Lisa Harris is a bestselling author, a Christy Award winner, and the winner of the Best Inspirational Suspense Novel for 2011 from Romantic Times. She has sold over thirty novels and novella collections. Along with her husband, she and her three...
   

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The Loyal Heart - Lone Star Hero's Love Stories 1 - by Shelley Shepard Gray

About the book:

Robert came to Galveston to fulfill his promise to a dying man and look after his widow. He didn’t expect to find love in the unlikeliest of places.
Robert Truax, former Second Lieutenant and Confederate officer in the Civil War, made a promise to his comrade Phillip Markham. If anything happened to Phillip, Robert would look after his beloved wife, Miranda. She was his life, his world, his everything.
After the war, Robert is left to pick up the pieces and fulfill his pact. When he arrives at Miranda's home in Galveston, Texas, things are worse than he imagined. Phillip's name has been dragged through the mud, everyone in town believes him to be a traitor, and his widow is treated as an outcast. Even more disturbing is her emotional well-being. Miranda seems hopeless, lost, and so very alone.
Robert had thought his duty would be simple. He would help Miranda as quickly as possible in order to honor a promise. But the moment Robert laid eyes on her, his plans changed. He's mesmerized by her beauty and yearns to help her in any way he can.

He makes it his duty to protect Miranda, turn her reputation around, and to find some way to help her smile again. But it doesn't prove to be an easy task—Robert knows something about Phillip that could shake Miranda to the core and alter her view of the man she thought she knew so well.

My review:

I really enjoyed this story about a very interesting and unusual situation!  It was certainly intriguing to figure out who was spreading rumors and why.  It was somewhat shocking to see how these people treated Miranda at a time when I think of people acting very civilized.  I liked how we got both Miranda's and Robert's viewpoints, especially the flashbacks Robert had to being in a prison camp and the light it shed on the situation now.  I also liked seeing the romance develop and being able to read their thoughts.  There's talk of faith and believing in God, but it doesn't go very deep.  At one point, there's mention of praying for a man's soul after death and that he'd find comfort, which seemed like more of a Catholic viewpoint.  I liked the twist to the story and the element of suspense.  I also enjoyed seeing Miranda's transformation from depressed and suicidal to having hope again.  That's not a topic you see a lot in Christian fiction, especially during a historical time period.  I think men and women would enjoy this book equally.  I'd recommend this book if you like historical fiction.

I received this book free from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review.

Check out the book here:

http://www.zondervan.com/the-loyal-heart

Sit, Stay, Love: A Novel for Dog Lovers - by Dana Mentink

About the book:

Take one abrasive professional athlete, a quirky out-of-work schoolteacher, and an overweight geriatric dog, and you're ready for a lesson in love...Tippy style.

Pro baseball pitcher Cal Crawford is not a dog guy. When he inherits his deceased mother's elderly dog, Tippy, he's quick to call on a pet-sitting service.

Gina isn't thrilled to be a dog sitter when her aspirations lie in the classroom. Furthermore, she can't abide the unfriendly Cal, a man with all the charm of a wet towel. But with no other prospects and a deep love for all things canine, she takes the job caring for Tippy.

As Gina travels through Cal's world with Tippy in tow, she begins to see Cal in a different light. Gina longs to show Cal the God-given blessings in his life that have nothing to do with baseball or fame. When her longing blooms into attraction, Gina does her best to suppress it. But Cal is falling in love with her too...

Discover the charming story of Tippy, the dog who brought a family together.

My review:

This was such a cute story!  I absolutely loved Gina; she was such a fun character with a wonderfully caring personality.  I ended up really liking Cal, too, though he started out as a bit of a selfish jerk.  Tippy was funny and so endearing; how could you not love her?  I enjoyed seeing Cal grow emotionally and spiritually as he realized he couldn't measure his worth by his pitching and there was more to life than baseball.  Gina's faith and positive attitude influenced him also.  Forgiveness and moving on from past hurts were a major theme in the story.  I enjoyed seeing Cal going back to his roots as he visited his childhood home, aunt and uncle and especially when he helped teach a kids' baseball team.  There were some cute romantic moments and also a little suspense.  I highly recommend this story, especially if you like animals or romance.

I received this book free from Harvest House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Meet the author

Dana Mentink

Dana Mentink is a multi-published, award-winning writer. When she’s not clacking away on the keyboard, she busies herself teaching third grade. Mostly, she loves to be home with her husband, two daughters, a rascally rescued terrier, a chubby box turtle, and a feisty parakeet.

Read More >

- See more at: https://www.harvesthousepublishers.com/books/sit-stay-love-9780736966078#sthash.yaZ9Hmnb.dpuf

Take one abrasive professional athlete, a quirky out-of-work schoolteacher, and an overweight geriatric dog, and you’re ready for a lesson in love…Tippy style.
Pro baseball pitcher Cal Crawford is not a dog guy. When he inherits his deceased mother’s elderly dog, Tippy, he’s quick to call on a pet-sitting service.
Gina isn’t thrilled to be a dog sitter when her aspirations lie in the classroom. Furthermore, she can’t abide the unfriendly Cal, a man with all the charm of a wet towel. But with no other prospects and a deep love for all things canine, she takes the job caring for Tippy.
As Gina travels through Cal’s world with Tippy in tow, she begins to see Cal in a different light. Gina longs to show Cal the God-given blessings in his life that have nothing to do with baseball or fame. When her longing blooms into attraction, Gina does her best to suppress it. But Cal is falling in love with her too…
Discover the charming story of Tippy, the dog who brought a family together.
- See more at: https://www.harvesthousepublishers.com/books/sit-stay-love-9780736966078#sthash.yaZ9Hmnb.dpuf

Take one abrasive professional athlete, a quirky out-of-work schoolteacher, and an overweight geriatric dog, and you’re ready for a lesson in love…Tippy style.
Pro baseball pitcher Cal Crawford is not a dog guy. When he inherits his deceased mother’s elderly dog, Tippy, he’s quick to call on a pet-sitting service.
Gina isn’t thrilled to be a dog sitter when her aspirations lie in the classroom. Furthermore, she can’t abide the unfriendly Cal, a man with all the charm of a wet towel. But with no other prospects and a deep love for all things canine, she takes the job caring for Tippy.
As Gina travels through Cal’s world with Tippy in tow, she begins to see Cal in a different light. Gina longs to show Cal the God-given blessings in his life that have nothing to do with baseball or fame. When her longing blooms into attraction, Gina does her best to suppress it. But Cal is falling in love with her too…
Discover the charming story of Tippy, the dog who brought a family together.
- See more at: https://www.harvesthousepublishers.com/books/sit-stay-love-9780736966078#sthash.yaZ9Hmnb.dpuf

No Other Will Do - A Ladies of Harper Station Novel - by Karen Witemeyer

About the book:


A Ladies of Harper Station Novel
She Trusts Him for the Job,
But Can She Trust Him With Her Heart?
Men are optional. That was the credo Emma Chandler's suffragette aunts taught her and why she established Harper's Station, a women's colony that offers a fresh start to females in need. But when a dangerous and shadowy assailant tries repeatedly to drive the women out, Emma is forced to admit they might need a man after all. One who can fight. And there is only one man she trusts enough to ask.

Malachi Shaw has finally earned the respect he's always craved by becoming an explosives expert for the railroad. Yet when Emma's telegram arrives, he rushes back to Texas to repay the girl who once saved his life. Only she's not a girl any longer. She's a woman with a mind of her own and a smile that makes a man imagine a future he doesn't deserve.

As the danger intensifies, Emma, Mal, and the ladies of Harper's Station must choose safety or whether to risk everything to fight for their future.

My review:

This was an enjoyable story with a very feisty heroine!  I thought the idea of a women's colony was very unique and I enjoyed getting to know the different women who made up the colony.  There was a lot of excitement and action, yet the story did seem a little long for me.  I think I wanted a little more to the romance and relationship between Malachi and Emma, though there were some cute moments.  There was a good spiritual element, as Malachi struggled with asking God for help and not relying on himself.  The whole town also had to forgive the person threatening them.  I liked Emma and her strong personality and how much she cared about the women under her protection.  I also thought it was very cool that she ran a bank.  Malachi seemed to be the real star of the book, though, as he not only protected the women, but also strove to figure out who was behind the threat in order to put a stop to it.  He struggled with his feelings for Emma because he didn't feel worthy of her as he had a very tough childhood, yet he was very self-sacrificing.  He was really a character to admire and root for.  I'm looking forward to reading more in this series!

I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.

 The Author

1. 

   Photo courtesy of Amanda Carpenter

   Karen Witemeyer

   Winner of the HOLT Medallion and the Carol Award and a finalist for the RITA and Christy Award, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer writes historical romance to give the world more happily-ever-afters. Karen makes her home in Texas, with her husband and three...
   

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Fascinating! My Review of They Were Christians - The Inspiring Faith of Men and Women Who Changed the World - Cristobal Krusen

About the book:

What do Abraham Lincoln, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Louis Pasteur, Frederick Douglass, Florence Nightingale, and John D. Rockefeller Sr. have in common? They all changed the world--and they were all Christians. With passion and precision, Cristóbal Krusen brings to light the little-known stories of faith behind twelve influential people of history.

They Were Christians reveals the faith-filled motivations of these important world figures who made some of the most outstanding political, scientific, and humanitarian contributions in history. Discover the true stories behind

· the founding of the Red Cross
· the family crisis that drove America's favorite president to his knees
· the supernatural call that led a beautiful English socialite to save thousands of soldiers
· and more

The fascinating profiles of these faithful history makers will encourage, entertain, and inspire you to deepen your faith, pursue excellence in your vocation, and serve others.

My review:

This was a fascinating book that focused on the faith journeys of some of the most famous people in history.  There were a few I hadn't heard of, but most I had.  I learned quite a bit about not only their faith, but also turning points in their lives.  The author starts out relating personally to the subject by telling of memories he had of them or something he had in common with them.  Then their story is told in a very readable style with many quotes from the subject themselves.  Finally, the author wraps up their story with a few thoughts of his own about their influence.  I loved the details I learned that gave insight into choices they made and how their faith sustained them, some through incredible trials or under intense pressure.  It was inspiring to see the influence they had on their countries and in their different fields.  It definitely made me think about how I could serve others more and live out my faith no matter where I work or what I'm called to do.  I highly recommend this book!

 I received this book free from Baker Books in exchange for an honest review.

 The Author

1. 

   © Dani Werner Photography

   Cristóbal Krusen

   Cristóbal Krusen is a screenwriter, film director, and author who has lived and worked in Latin America, Australia, and the United States. In 1988, he founded Messenger Films, a nonprofit film production company. He studied English literature at Harvard...
   

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Take Hold of the Faith You Long For - by Sharon Jaynes

About the book:

Let go of your insecurities. Take hold of God's promises.On the outside, many of us are well-put-together churchgoers with trendy shoes, beautiful families, and wide, white smiles. On the inside, we're little girls hesitating at the edge of the playground, wishing we could join in but feeling something's not quite right. We don't know how to truly take hold of the "life to the full" that Jesus offers us. So we settle for a life that's . . . less.

But a mediocre, mundane faith is not your destiny! In this liberating and empowering book, Sharon Jaynes reveals the most common reasons we get stuck in our Christian faith. She shows you how to break free of all that holds you back, move forward with all that God promises, and live the adventurous faith of bold believing. She shows you how to leave behind feelings of inferiority, insecurity, and inadequacy that hold you hostage and take hold of the mountain-moving faith God intends. She uncovers untapped sources of confidence and courage, equipping you to move from simply knowing the truth to actually living it out boldly in a life marked by true freedom and expectancy.

My review:

This was a wonderful book filled with amazing insights!  I loved how she used her own personal stories and examples from the Bible, especially the life of Moses, to point out issues we all struggle with and how to overcome them.  She also used a lot of Scripture verses to point out the truth we all need to hear.  She talked about the difference between being set free, but not really living free.  We've accepted Jesus as our Savior, but we're still letting insecurity, fear, unforgiveness, shame, disappointment, comparison, etc., hold us back from doing what God wants us to do.  We're stuck instead of living the adventure.  We feel we're not perfect enough or good enough to do His work, but He just wants willing people who will be obedient.  This was very inspiring and really caused me to look at my faith and what might be holding me back.  I can see myself referring back to this book again for a good reminder of who I am in Christ.  This book includes a study guide at the end with quite a few questions for each chapter.  This was the first book I've read by Sharon Jaynes, but it won't be the last!  I highly recommend it!

I received this book free from Baker Books in exchange for an honest review.

 The Author

1. 

   Sharon Jaynes

   Sharon Jaynes has been encouraging and equipping women through ministry for over thirty years. Former vice president of Proverbs 31 Ministries and cohost for their daily radio feature, she is the author of eighteen books. She has written articles and devotions...
   

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