All Summer Long - Follow Your Heart 2 - by Melody Carlson

About the book:

She's ready to take on a new challenge. What she doesn't expect is an old flame.
Tia D'Amico is thrilled to move to San Francisco to help her aunt transform an old luxury yacht into an upscale floating restaurant. What's not to love? Sunset dinner cruises, posh wedding receptions--the possibilities are endless and far more appetizing than staying in a monotonous job in her Podunk hometown. Besides, some of her best memories are tied to San Francisco--especially the memory of Leo Parker, her crush from a long-ago sailing camp.

When Leo Parker himself turns out to be the yacht's captain, Tia is floating on air. But will it all come crashing down around her when she discovers his heart belongs to someone else?

Get ready for a romantic summer in San Francisco, where the future glistens brighter than the Bay at sunset.

My review:

This was a fun story about following your dreams and taking a risk and finding romance along the way!  It was such fun to see Tia move to San Francisco, a city I enjoyed visiting, and work to create a restaurant on a yacht.  It was such a different plot than any book I've read.  I liked seeing how the boat was transformed.  The sightseeing around San Francisco was fun and brought back some good memories.  I really liked Tia as she seemed to have a good head on her shoulders.  She tried to keep an emotional distance from Leo, which was smart.  I'm a foodie, so I could really relate to Tia's love of food and I enjoyed all of the talk of the food Tia made and ate!  There wasn't much romance in the story as Leo was with someone else for most of it, so I was a bit disappointed with that.  I liked him, but he also seemed to be a bit of a pushover, which got frustrating.  I felt bad for Tia as she had to watch Leo with someone else, especially when she felt caught in the middle.  There was mention of both Leo and Tia attending church.  This is a complete stand-alone from book one with different characters and setting.  This was a fun, lighthearted story I would recommend if you like romance or books about following your dreams.

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

 The Author

1. 

   Melody Carlson

   Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books with sales of more than five million. She is the author of several Christmas books from Revell, including the bestselling The Christmas Bus, The Christmas Dog, and Christmas...
   
   

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Sea Rose Lane - A Hope Harbor Novel - by Irene Hannon

About the book:

Two people starting over . . . in a town known for second chances
After a devastating layoff, attorney Eric Nash heads back to Hope Harbor--only to discover that his childhood home is being transformed into a bed and breakfast. Instead of plotting his next career move in peace, he's constantly distracted by noise, chaos--and BJ Stevens, the attractive but prickly blonde architect who's invaded the house with her motley crew. As for BJ, her client's son might be handsome, but after a disastrous romance, dating isn't high on her agenda. Yet when they join forces for to help Hope Harbor seniors, might they also find healing, hope, and a new beginning themselves?

Come home to Hope Harbor--where hearts heal . . . and love blooms

My review:

This was an enjoyable story set in a picturesque setting that I really want to visit!  Hope Harbor sounds like it's peaceful and scenic and felt like another character in the book.  I also really liked Eric and BJ and how much they were willing to go out of their way to help other people.  The focus on helping the elderly was a wonderful message, especially with a lot of the population getting to be that age in America.  Choosing priorities and finding your purpose in life were a couple of the themes in the story.  BJ had been burned by love before and had a hard time trusting a corporate type, especially one who probably wasn't going to be around long.  Eric had some difficult choices to make as he had worked hard for years to become a partner in a law firm, but had given up his passion for art in the process.  I liked the romance and the honorable way Eric treated BJ as he strove to protect both their hearts in case he moved away.  There was talk of faith as Eric seemed to get back in touch with his when he came home and they both regularly attended church.  I liked the supernatural elements, such as when Charley, a local artist and taco chef, seemed to know things that no one told him.  I'm glad we got the different perspectives of not only BJ and Eric, but also Luis and Eleanor, both people that BJ and Eric were trying to help.  This worked great as a stand-alone.  I highly recommend this book!

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

 The Author

1. 

   © DeWeesePhotography.com

   Irene Hannon

   Irene Hannon is the bestselling author of more than fifty novels, including One Perfect Spring, Hope Harbor, and Sea Rose Lane, as well as the Private Justice and Men of Valor suspense series. Her books have been honored with three coveted...
   

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She's Done It Again! My Review of Anchor in the Storm - Waves of Freedom 2 - by Sarah Sundin

About the book:

In a time of sacrifice, what price can one put on true love?
Nothing slows Lillian Avery down--not her personal challenges and certainly not America's entry into World War II. She finally has a chance to prove herself as a pharmacist in Boston. The demands of her new job energize her. But society boy Ensign Archer Vandenberg's attentions only annoy--even if he is her brother's best friend.

During the darkest days of the war, Arch's destroyer hunts German U-boats in vain as the submarines sink dozens of merchant ships along the East Coast. Still shaken by battles at sea, Arch notices his men also struggle with their nerves--and with drowsiness. Could there be a link to the large prescriptions Lillian has been filling?

As the danger rises on both land and sea, the two must work together to answer that question. But can Arch ever earn Lillian's trust and affection?

My review:

This was another wonderful book by Sarah Sundin!  I loved Lillian Avery and her determination to succeed despite having lost part of her leg as a child and getting around on a prosthetic.  She had also been burned by love before, so was wary of men.  Her interactions with Archer were amusing as he wasn't used to women not falling all over themselves to date him since he was rich, handsome and charming.  However, he was tired of women not getting to know the real him.  I loved seeing how they struggled to trust each other and trust God instead of putting their trust in themselves or other things such as a career.  I also liked how they learned to depend on God's strength and not their own.  I thought it was interesting to learn about PTSD, known as combat fatigue in World War II, and how it was dealt with back then.  I also found it interesting to see how Lillian dealt with working for a difficult boss, especially in a time when society didn't want to take a woman's career seriously or a person with a disability seriously.  There were some cute romantic moments, but I would have liked to have seen them get together later in the story.  I also liked the investigating that both Archer and Lillian did to find out what was going on with the drug problem.  I wasn't as crazy about the technical aspects of Archer's job on a destroyer, but it didn't get overly wordy.  This worked as a stand-alone, but characters from the first book showed up frequently as the main character was Lillian's brother and Archer's best friend.  I highly recommend both books in the series and can't wait for the next one!

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

 The Author

1. 

   Sarah Sundin

   Sarah Sundin is the author of Through Waters Deep and Anchor in the Storm, as well as Wings of the Nightingale and the Wings of Glory series. A graduate of UC San Francisco School of Pharmacy, she works on-call as a hospital pharmacist. During...
   

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Very Enjoyable! Review of The Quieting - The Bishop's Family 2 - by Suzanne Woods Fisher

About the book:

It was a well-laid plan--but it wasn't her plan . . .
It's all her grandmother's fault. For the last few months, Abigail Stoltzfus has helped her father with his genealogical research, hoping that breaking through a client's brick wall would also break his melancholy. But now her intrusive grandmother has set her sights on marrying off Abigail and insists she come to Stoney Ridge, where there is a plethora of eligible bachelors. 

Except that Mammi is mistaken. There are no eligible bachelors in Stoney Ridge, barring one, and he's all wrong. Dane Glick has the wrong last name and the wrong relatives--including the bishop who is at odds over a church matter with Abigail's uncle, minister David Stoltzfus. 

As the conflict grows, setting family against family, it's becoming clear that the path to a solution may lead to a Quieting--a removal of a church leader. But for which one? And when Abigail stumbles onto a curious connection during her genealogical research, it could help David solve one problem--but will it create another?

My review:

This was a wonderful story with a very unique and amusing heroine!  I loved Abigail and her straight-forward ways.  It was amusing to see how she took what people said at face value and didn't understand humor or sarcasm.  It was so cute to see her interactions with Dane;  I was really impressed with his character and his patience with Abigail.  I also really liked David and thought it was interesting to see how he handled the tough situation he found himself in.  David's mom, on the other hand, drove me (and everyone else!)  a little nuts with her meddling and controlling ways.  I loved the genealogy focus as I'm fascinated with people's history and ancestry.  That's something I would love to do myself.  I liked seeing characters again from not only the previous book, but other books that featured Stoney Ridge.  I really liked the spiritual aspects in the story, how David thought deeply about his faith and the truths he was reminded of and in turn, that I was reminded of, such as that God is sovereign.  This worked well as a stand-alone, but I would recommend reading the first book, too, as that was wonderful as well.  I highly recommend this book!

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

 The Author

1. 

   © Dan Davis Photography

   Suzanne Woods Fisher

   Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of The Letters, The Calling, the Lancaster County Secrets series, and the Stoney Ridge Seasons series, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace. She is also the...
   

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Finding God in the Hard Times - by Matt & Beth Redman

About the book:

On the Road Marked With Suffering . . . How Will You Respond?
Come rain or shine, hardship or ease, confusion or clarity, worship is always a choice. But what does it look like when worship meets suffering? How can God be good when it seems the world is collapsing around you?

In this inspiring book, Matt and Beth Redman draw on their experiences to explore how to offer praise even in the face of hardship and pain. Focusing on the psalms, they reveal how difficult or tragic circumstances, and the choices you make, can propel you toward God or away from him. Learn how to weather the storms of life with a cry of "blessed be your name" on your lips.

Previously published as Blessed Be Your Name. Now includes end-of-chapter questions for personal reflection or group use.

My review:

This is an enjoyable book with a lot of good points.  The chapter headings are taken from lines in the song, "Blessed Be Your Name," which the Redmans wrote.  One of the things they pointed out that people struggle with is knowing that God is good, but trying to reconcile that with the hardship they're going through.  They suggested going to the Bible to read about people who've gone through hard times and being encouraged by all the ways He's been faithful in the past.  You can also remember how He's been faithful to you or people you know.  This builds faith, which will lead to worship. I thought this was a wonderful way to get the focus on God and the amazing things He's done and off of yourself.  It an be so easy to focus on your problems and the hard time you're going through and to start feeling sorry for yourself.  They also point out that suffering can strengthen us and God can end up bringing good out of the bad. They shared struggles they've had in their own lives and how they've turned to God through them.  They also shared letters they received about how their song has helped people who'd lost a loved one.  Have a tissue handy!  I really appreciated their transparency as they shared some tough memories and how God worked through them.  I liked the chapter about the discipline of thanksgiving and how it's important to thank God in the good times and bad.  There's also a discussion guide and a guide to the Scripture references in the book.  This was a short book, but it packed a lot of wisdom into its pages.  I highly recommend it!

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

 The Authors

1. 

   Matt Redman

   MATT REDMAN is the writer of many songs including "The Heart of Worship," "Better Is One Day," "Let My Words Be Few," and "Blessed Be Your Name." Matt has been leading worship full time since age 20, and this journey has...
   

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2. 

   Beth Redman

   Beth Redman, together with her husband, Matt, has written popular songs "Let My Words Be Few" and "Facedown." Beth is the author of Soul Sister and Beautiful. Based in West Sussex, England, Matt, Beth, and their...
   

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Another Winner! My review of Her One and Only - Porter Family 4 - by Becky Wade

About the book:

After ten years in the NFL, superstar Gray Fowler is accustomed to obsessive fans. But when Gray starts receiving death threats from a stalker, his team hires an executive protection agency to guard him until the culprit is caught. Dealing with bodyguards 24/7 is a headache, especially when one of them is a young, beautiful woman. How can a female half his size possibly protect him better than he can protect himself?

Dru Porter is a former Marine, an expert markswoman, and a black belt--none of which saved her from disaster on her last assignment. In order to rebuild her tarnished reputation, she's determined to find Gray's stalker and, since relationships between agents and clients are forbidden, avoid a romantic attachment between herself and the rugged football player with the mysterious past.

Yet every secret that leads Dru closer to the stalker also draws her closer to Gray. As the danger escalates, they'll survive only if they can learn to trust their lives--and their hearts--to one another.

My review:

I absolutely loved this book!  I'd been looking forward to this book ever since we first met Dru back in book one and it did not disappoint!  Dru was such a fun, spunky character and I loved the witty banter between her and Gray.  You don't often see such a strong female character physically, in that she can beat up pretty much anyone, while also having a strong personality.  The element of suspense was great and it was interesting to see Dru try to figure out who Gray's stalker was.  The spiritual conversations were wonderful and told important truths, such as we can only find meaning in God, that everything else is hollow.  I really enjoyed the emotional and spiritual journey Gray took as he realized he needed to deal with his past in order to move forward.  Learning to trust and forgive were two major themes in the story.  There were some nice romantic moments.  I have to say the man they chose for the cover did not fit the description, which bothered me.  I'm really sad to see the Porters go as this is the last book in the series.  It works well as a stand-alone, but you get so much more out of the book if you've read the other stories about her siblings.  I highly recommend it and the rest of the series!

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

 The Author

1. Photo courtesy of Ginger Murray Photography

   Becky Wade

   Becky Wade is a native of California who attended Baylor University, met and married a Texan, and now lives in Dallas. A favorite among readers of Christian contemporary romance, Becky has won a Carol Award, an Inspirational Reader's Choice Award, and an INSPY...
   

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