My Comments: This is a great Amish fiction read!  It begins with a tragic accident and goes on to describe how the family copes.  Throw in a little forbidden romance and this book kept ME engaged!  The characters are likable, the Christian message sweet, and I want to read the other books in this series.  I love beginning with book 1, and I look forward to reading the rest in this series.

Thank you NetGalley!

My Comments: This book tackled a topic we always wonder about with “Christian celebrities”  that is:  what is their marriage REALLY like?  I would imagine that some are just as portrayed in this book.  I’m not sure how marriages can remain solid with all of the stress and strain that celebrity life entails.  Busy ministry life in any form can be stressful on a good marriage.

Having said that, I read this book and enjoyed it.  The story was engaging, the characters likable, and the ending satisfying.

I always enjoy this author and her writing style.  She writes about older (as in mid-life – not seniors) characters and now that I am there I find the simple Christian romance stories don’t hold my attention as well as they used to.  Books like this book hold my attention.  I like the last line on the back cover “God is always at work, even in the desert.”  This statement is so true and so hopeful.

About the Author

This book hasn’t been published yet, but you can pre-order it from Amazon.com.  I received a preview e-copy from NetGalley.

In a matter of seconds her entire world shifted…

An early morning call shatters Caryn Becker’s world. Unable to cope with her brother’s news that he is gay, Caryn rejects him and disappears into her own turbulent life as a young widow and single mom. But when David is attacked and nearly killed, Caryn is forced to make hard choices about family, faith, and her own future; choices that take her to the very edge of grace.

My Comments: This was definitely a different type of Christian fiction read for me.  I’m not sure some of these issues have been grappled with before in Christian fiction, but of course I have not read every book.  The author, Chista Allan was brave to break new ground here.

The story was not a page turner for me and was somewhat predictable, even so I kept engaged and read the book from start to finish.  The issue of homosexuality is one the church needs to explore more, I agree.  I wasn’t sure if the main character was a Christian or not.  She definitely had ideas of where the church stood on issues, however.  Caryn wrestled with God and events that took place in her life, but the book  never states that she herself was a believer.  Instead the book stated that she did not attend church, and she had many preconceived ideas.  The characters, however, seemed genuine.  I am sure we will be reading more books like this in the future.

When Carolyn’s grown daughter tells her she needs to “get a life,” Carolyn decides it’s time to step out of her familiar routine as a single woman in San Francisco and escape to her mother’s home in the Canary Islands. Since Carolyn’s mother is celebrating her seventieth birthday, the timing of Carolyn’s visit makes for a perfect surprise.

The surprise, however, is on Carolyn when she sees Bryan Spencer, her high school summer love. It’s been seven years since Carolyn lost her husband, but ever since that tragic day, her life has grown smaller and closed in. The time has come for Carolyn to get her heart back. It takes the gentle affection of her mother and aunts, as well as the ministering beauty and song of the islands to draw Carolyn into the fullness of life. She is nudged along by a Flamenco dance lesson, a defining camel ride and the steady gaze of Bryan’s intense blue-gray eyes.

Is it too late for Carolyn to trust Bryan? Can Carolyn believe that Bryan has turned into something more than the wild beach boy who stole her kisses so many years ago on a balmy Canary night?

Carolyn is reminded that Christopher Columbus set sail from the Canary Islands in 1492 on his voyage to discover the New World. Is she ready to set sail from these same islands to discover her new life?

My Comments: I enjoyed this book because it reminded me in so many ways of the Sister Chick books also by Robin Jones Gunn.  The traveling, the new culture, the close family, and the renewed romance made this book a relaxing, enjoyable, entertaining read.  The returning to Christianity after being bitterly disappointed also spoke to me because of experiences I have had with that in my own life.  Turning back to God is the ultimate happy ending to a story.  If you enjoy a great escape, I recommend this book.

I received this book as an ebook from Simon Schuster.  Thank you!  It will be released the beginning of July.

Tying the knot may be the toughest thing Nick Polchak has ever tried to do.

Nick Polchak is comfortable with bugs. Their world is orderly. He knows where he stands and exactly how to interpret the signs they give him. But a fiancee and an upcoming wedding? Not so much.

That’s why-a mere four days before the nuptials-Nick finds himself driving to Philadelphia for the monthly meeting of the Vidocq society. Being among a group of forensic professionals consulting on cold cases will surely allow him to feel useful and normal.

But while there he discovers that a close friend has been murdered . . . and in classic Nick style, begins to follow the trail of evidence rather than returning to his fiancee. Fearing that his one-track mind won’t lead him home by Saturday, Alena and three of her dogs go to track him down.

When she finally finds him, nothing is as Alena expected . . . because the twists in this case will surprise even the most dedicated Bug Man fans.

My Review: I have read most of these books and enjoy them a great deal!  Nick, the main character is so funny.  He says whatever he is thinking whether or not it’s appropriate and I find that refreshing!  I must have missed the book where he got engaged, so I ordered it to read.

There were a few funny, unexpected twists and turns that kept me so engaged that I read this book in just a couple of days.  I found it difficult to set down.  I just love that Alena and Nick both solve mysteries, but in different ways – she with dogs and he with bugs.  I learn by reading these books as well as enjoy them.  I highly recommend this series by Tim Downs!

I received an e-copy from NetGalley – thank you very much!  The publisher is Thomas Nelson and it was released May 17, 2011.

This riveting conclusion of Grace Winslow’s fight for freedom carries her from England to America’s Deep South. After learning that her husband, Cabeto, is on a South Carolina plantation, Grace dons a sailor’s disguise and boards the only ship headed for America—a detestable slave ship. When her secret is discovered, Grace is locked up in the hold.

In South Carolina, Grace is bought immediately, but soon sold to a man who is not a slave keeper. Moved by her story of perseverance and faith, John Hull makes Grace’s mission his own. Grace now has a dear brother in Christ to help her, but a restored sense of hope does not mean the path to finding Cabeto will be clear—or free of trouble . . .

My Review: This is a GREAT book.  Not only am I being entertained by a great story while I read, but I feel like I am learning as well.  I have the rest of the series “Grace in Africa” on my wish list.  I love finding out about these type books.  One of my new favorite publishers is Abingdon Press!  We received this as a review copy.

mUjuElSoftly and Tenderly on YouTube

Jade Fitzgerald’s hope for a perfect marriage shatters when her husband confesses he has an illegitimate son. What’s more, he wants to raise the boy in their home.

Hurting and confused, Jade embarks on a road trip to Iowa to take her sick mother to her childhood home. In the comfort of the old homeplace, Jade struggles with her fears and the tug of her first love. With the help of her family and her faith, she comes to understand her future doesn’t rest on the power of her past, but in the goodness of God’s mercy.

My Comments: This book is categorized as Christian fiction, but it reads like a soap opera.  The characters have lots of issues to deal with, adultery, sex outside marriage, barrenness, abortion, and more.  Also the characters profess Christianity which is somewhat disappointing considering their lifestyle. This reminded me of a country style song.  God is given a glance here and there.

On a positive note, the book kept me reading and engaged.  I finished reading it.  I really don’t think I’ll read the whole series though.

I’m sure many would enjoy this book and want to read the whole series, even though I wouldn’t.  To form a better opinion for yourself, watch the YouTube video above.

I received this e-book from NetGalley.

Randy Singer

Clark Shealy is a bail bondsman with the ultimate bounty on the line: his wife’s life. He has forty-eight hours to find an Indian professor in possession of the Abacus Algorithm–an equation so powerful it could crack all Internet encryption. Four years later, law student Jamie Brock is working in legal aid when a routine case takes a vicious twist: she and two colleagues learn that their clients, members of the witness protection program, are accused of defrauding the government and have the encrypted algorithm in their possession. After a life-changing trip to the professor’s church in India, the couple also has the key to decode it. Now they’re on the run from federal agents and the Chinese mafia, who will do anything to get the algorithm. Caught in the middle, Jamie and her friends must protect their clients if they want to survive long enough to graduate.

My Comments: Great read second time around as well as first.  There are some changes, so if you want to know why – check out the video.  Click on Randy Singer above to view.  I always love Randy Singer’s books and this is no exception, although some of the subject matter is beyond my comprehension, I still enjoy the suspense and drama!  I love that the main characters are law “students.”  This may give them a little more freedom.

Although this is characterized as Christian fiction, I think all can enjoy the story without offense.  A GREAT read!

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