Enjoyable Romance! "Back in the Saddle - Double S Ranch 1 - by Ruth Logan Herne

About the book:

Colt Stafford has been trying to prove himself on Wall Street for years, but when his investments go south, he comes home with his tail between his legs.  His father and brother run the successful Double S ranch, but his father has developed some serious health problems and can't help with the busy calving season.  Colt comes home to help and regroup.  Ever since Colt's mother died when he was young, his father hasn't gotten along with anyone, including his two sons and a third boy he took in.  He's thrown himself into the ranch and making money.  His relationship with Colt, especially, is on rocky ground, but he's come back to his faith with his health scare and wants to make up for lost time.  Colt meets the house manager, Angelina, when she points a gun at him and can't help feeling drawn to her tough yet caring ways.  He also suspects she's hiding a secret.  His brother is busy with two little girls acting up after his wife walked out on them and helping to run the ranch.  A town tragedy forces the Stafford men to decide what's important in life and in their community.  Will Colt find his place on the ranch or does he belong back on Wall Street?  What is Angelina's secret and how will that impact her decisions about her future?

I enjoyed this cute romance about coming home and life on a ranch.  I liked seeing Colt evolve from a self-centered guy who only cared about money to starting to care about his family and community. It was interesting to see how Colt became so perceptive of other's feelings.  That was a unique touch I don't see often.  We see Colt's thought process as he starts to embrace the faith he lost, but he never really discussed it with Angelina and that's something I thought she should have clarified.  It was sweet to see the couple fall in love and try to figure out if they could overcome their obstacles.  There were also some really cute moments with the children in the story.  I recommend this book if you like sweet romances!

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

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Gorgeous! Israel - God's Heart: Landscapes and Legacy of Israel - by Ron Gafni & Kathleen Barrett

Israel-God's Heart: Landscapes and Legacy of Israel 

(Skypics Israel, November 2016)

Soar across the skies of beautiful Israel and visit contemporary and historic sites beckoning visitors to stay and explore.

The beauty of Israel from above is captured by top aerial photographer Ron Gafni.  As you sweep over ancient ruins, fly high in hot air balloons, and view vignette's of Israel's modern lifestyles, Holy scripture will also come alive. Author Kathleen Barrett offers reflective narrative with scripture pointing to God's redemption plan for the world.

My review:

This is an absolutely gorgeous book!  The pictures are breathtaking and it's amazing to see these historical sites from a bird's-eye-view.  I was actually able to visit Israel a couple of years ago and it was very cool to see some of these sites again, but from a different viewpoint.  There was also a lot of beautiful scenery and some photos of modern life.  I would love to be able to have some of these pictures blown up on my wall.  The devotional thoughts tied in to some of the pictures and were short and to the point.  The thoughts that stood out to me were on leaving a legacy and freedom in Christ.  They made a nice addition, but the photography was really the main focus.  I would highly recommend this book if you like photography.

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

Learn more and purchase a copy.

About the authors:

Ron Gafni works as a professional aerial photographer after spending more than a decade in Israel's High-Tech Industry. He brings his vast experience and personal perspective through the lens of a proud Israeli citizen. His work has been featured in "National Geographic," and his company, Skypics.co.il, provides books from its "Israel From Above" collection to the Israeli government, Army and Air force, as well as to large corporations in Israel. 

Kathleen Barrett, a south Florida resident and former teacher is a student of the Word. She shares her thoughtful point of view in "Israel-God's Heart" from a personal, 40 year walk of Christian faith and study. In 2002, she authored a children's devotional. Before that and since then, she has published numerous articles from mission's outreach to local political events. Her more personal and reflective work has been featured in a number of collections.

Find out more at http://skypics.co.il.

 

Martin Luther In His Own Words: Essential Writings of the Reformation - by Jack D. Kilcrease & Erwin W. Lutzer, Editors

About the book:

"Didn't he write the Ninety-Five Theses?"
Though most Protestants--approximately 900 million believers worldwide--trace their spiritual roots back to the Reformation, many people today have only a vague knowledge of Martin Luther's extensive writings. Jack Kilcrease and Erwin Lutzer step into this vacuum with Martin Luther in His Own Words, a carefully selected collection of Luther's works.

Organized around the five solas of the Reformation (sola Scriptura, sola fide, sola gratia, sola Christus, soli Deo gloria), the selections offer readers an accessible primer on works that are foundational to the theology of Protestantism in all its forms. An introduction to each writing includes an explanation of its historical context and theological significance.

Students of the Bible, pastors, teachers, and seminary students will find this collection an enlightening introduction to Luther in his own words and a useful addition to their libraries.

My review:

This was an interesting and informative book featuring some of the key ideas Martin Luther wrote about.   I really appreciated the introduction to each chapter that gave some of the background and circumstances surrounding the writing along with a short summary.  A lot of the things he said were pretty amazing considering the time in which he wrote them.  He didn't mince words calling out the pope. priests, etc., for the way they were leading people astray, especially for saying we depend on works to get to Heaven, instead of on God's grace.  I knew his life was in danger, but hadn't realized how confrontational he was.  I also never knew that he wrote so much or that he translated the Bible into German, the language of the people.  I also found it interesting to learn about some of the practices the Catholic Church was enforcing, such as not being able to eat certain foods at certain times of the year and actually calling it a sin if you did so.  I learned a lot about some of the theological views present then and now; this book really made me think more deeply about my faith.  My favorite chapters were about freedom, the views of Christ's suffering and how Christ took our sin.  I would recommend this book if you're interested in Martin Luther, the Reformation or theology!

I received this book free from Baker Books.

The Authors

1. 

   Jack D. Kilcrease

   Jack D. Kilcrease (PhD, Marquette University) is professor of historical and systematic theology at the Institute of Lutheran Theology. He is a church elder at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Grand Rapids. He is the author of The Self-Donation of God: A...
   

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2. 

   Erwin W. Lutzer

   Erwin W. Lutzer (BTh, Winnipeg Bible College; ThM, Dallas Theological Seminary) is pastor emeritus of Moody Church in Chicago. He has led tours to the sites of the Reformation in Europe, including Wittenberg, Worms, Geneva, and Zurich. He is the ECPA Gold...
   

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4. 
   

A Love So True - Teaville Moral Society 2 - by Melissa Jagears

About the book:

Evelyn Wisely loves working at the local orphanage, but her heart can't ignore the women of Teaville who are also in need. Her boss is willing to help build a shelter for them, but only if she gains the cooperation and financial support of other local businessmen.

While David Kingsman plans to stay in Teaville just long enough to get his father's business back on solid ground, he's intrigued by Evelyn's cause and finds himself more invested with each passing day.

Will their plans and partnership fall apart when confronted with all that is stacked against them, or can they trust in God's plan despite it all?

My review:

This was a wonderful story with an intriguing plot and characters I loved.  Evelyn was a selfless, caring woman with a painful secret that caused her to push men away.  David is drawn to Evelyn despite her distant demeanor and wanted to help her with the women and children of the Red Light District.  I loved how he jumped in even though he was new to town and new to this kind of ministry. He really seemed to care about both their physical and spiritual needs.  He wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty.  I also loved that he liked and knew how to cook!  He did struggle to stand up to his father, however, who he worked for.  I really admired Evelyn's selflessness and her belief in a good God, no matter what she was going through.  She really had faith and believed that if God said no, it was because He had something better planned.  I got a little frustrated with her for listening to someone who did not have her best interests in mind, but it all worked out for the best.  I liked the theme of waiting on God's perfect timing.  It was nice to see characters from the previous book, which I also loved, but this worked nicely as a stand-alone.  There's some romance.  I highly recommend this well-written historical novel!

I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers.

 The Author

1. 

   Melissa Jagears

   Carol Award-winning author Melissa Jagears is a homeschooling mom who writes Christian historical romance into the wee hours of the night. She's the author of the Unexpected Brides series, the Teaville Moral Society series, and Love by the Letter, a...
   

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My Review of The Great Chattanooga Bicycle Race Blog Tour and $75 Amazon Giveaway with Mike Mizrahi!

About the book:

Chattanooga society is turned upside down as a young woman has the audacity to ride a bicycle-in bloomers!

It's 1895. Anna Gaines, 19, struggles to conquer her insecurities after a horrible fall years ago from her beloved horse, Longstreet. On a visit with her aunt in Brooklyn, she's drawn to the new pastime of bicycling. But back at home, cycling is a scandalous sport for a proper lady. Southern women did not engage in activities meant for men.

Anna has her eye on Peter Sawyer, president of the Cycling Club. As community outrage grows, an unexpected turn of events pits Anna against Peter in a race between the sexes.

Will Anna prove that women deserve the same right as men to ride "the wheel?" Will she choose to live a quiet, traditional life of a housewife and mother? Or will she pursue college and become one of the "new women" emerging into the twentieth century on the seat of a bicycle? What will become of the spark between Anna and Peter?

Faith, patience, and courage help Anna to become the person she was meant to be.

My review:

This was an interesting book about a subject I wasn't that familiar with.  I had no idea that women riding a bicycle was such a big problem for so many people in the 1800's.  It made me have more of an appreciation for women who've stood up to criticism and worse as they fought for women's rights.  Anna was actually in a sort of love triangle as she was dating a different man through most of the story.  Peter was interested, but didn't really talk to her much, so later it seemed like more was made of a relationship than there actually was.  I was actually a little frustrated with Peter for not explaining some situations to Anna throughout the story.  I was also frustrated with Anna for automatically believing things about him or situations without having any facts to back them up.  I liked a sub-plot about an African-American woman Anna meets who's sick and needs help with her three children and with finding out what happened to her husband after he left to find work two years ago. It was interesting as Peter got involved and what they ultimately discovered.  Hattie had some very good advice about choosing who or what you're going to worship, whether it's God or other people's approval. A couple things did bother me.  There was an instance of using God's name loosely and a mention of a man telling "white lies" as a boy with no mention of a lie being a lie and always wrong.  I also thought there wasn't much justice for the criminals at the end of the story.  There was a little bit of romance and some good spiritual thoughts in the book.  Overall, if you like historical fiction, you might like this story.

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

Learn more and purchase a copy.

About the author:

Mike Mizrahi has a master's degree in public relations, advertising and applied communication from Boston University. After a career in corporate public affairs, he retired to pursue a deep passion: writing.

Mizrahi and his wife, Karen, led a mission trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo four years ago and were so moved by the experience, Mizrahi wrote his first novel, which he hopes will one day be published. The Great Chattanooga Bicycle Race is his debut published work.

Mizrahi loves reading and writing stories about "sozo," which means to be rescued in Greek. He and Karen are very active in their church and community and love to hike, travel and go the movies together. The Mizrahis live in Woodland Hills, California, where they raised their children who are now adults.

Learn more about The Great Chattanooga Bicycle Race and Mike H. Mizrahi at www.mikehmizrahi.com or on Facebook (AuthorMikeMizrahi) and Twitter (@MikeHMiz). 

  

Take a ride through 1895 Chattanooga as it's turned upside down when a young woman has the audacity to ride a bicycle-in bloomers-in Mike H. Mizrahi's new book, The Great Chattanooga Bicycle Race! Anna Gaines, 19, struggles to conquer her insecurities after a horrible fall years ago from her beloved horse, Longstreet. On a visit to Brooklyn, she's drawn to the new pastime of bicycling. But back at home, cycling is a scandalous sport for a proper lady. Anna has her eye on Peter Sawyer, president of the Cycling Club. As community outrage grows, an unexpected turn of events pits Anna against Peter in a race between the sexes.

Celebrate the release of Mike's new book by entering to win his $75 Amazon gift card giveaway!

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of The Great Chattanooga Bicycle Race
• A $75 Amazon gift card

Enter today by clicking the banner below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on June 14. The winner will be announced June 15 on Mike's blog.

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