After her mother dies from a heart attack, Sloane Templeton goes from Cyber Crimes Unit to bookstore owner before she can blink. She also “inherits” a half-batty store manager; a strange bunch of little old people from the neighborhood who meet at the store once a week, but never read books, called the Granny Oakleys Book Club; and Aunt Verline, who fancies herself an Iron Chef when in reality you need a cast iron stomach to partake of her culinary disasters. And with a group like this you should never ask, “What else can go wrong?”

A lot! Sloane begins to receive cyber threats. While Sloane uses her computer forensic skills to uncover the source of the threats, it is discovered someone is out to kill her. Can her life get more crazy?

My comments: I love cozy mysteries and this book fit that category well.  This is a brand new author with a brand new book, and I think she did a wonderful job!  The publisher, Abington Press is one of my favorites for Christian fiction.  I met real people with common struggles (our main character especially had a problem choosing men).  Sloan didn’t really like running a bookstore yet changed her mind about selling it to her mother’s partner.  This was hard to understand, maybe the bookstore was growing on her?  I was surprised at the ending – it was somewhat unexpected and I like books that surprise me.  I will read more of these books!

Jenny Bontrager is finally at a place of love and belonging with her husband, Matthew, and his children. Life seems golden with both her family and career as a writer.

But everything Jenny now believes in is thrown into question with the discovery of a long-lost letter from her father. Her sense of peace and contentment destroyed by betrayal, Jenny struggles with her renewed faith–and the love of everyone around her.

My Comments: I love this writer even though I don’t find the stories realistic.  I have a difficult time believing that love would help someone give up all of the conveniences we have in the English world because two characters have done that.  Having said that, I love the stories, I love the writing, and I have a difficult time putting this series of books (Quilts of Lancaster County) down once I begin reading.  Happy endings inspire my day and give me hope for the future.  Please if you know more about the real Amish life than I do, let me know if there is a shred of realism in these books.  As I said, however, I am quite able to suspend disbelief while reading, a because I enjoy the story line and maybe realism isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

READ NUMBER ONE:

Bestselling author Wanda E. Brunstetter brings you three historical stories of finding room for love. Glenna Moore is desperate after she watches her gambling father jump hurriedly from the back of a moving train. Will a young reverend bring stability and love back into her life? Judith King’s life as a new schoolteacher takes an unexpected turn when a widowed father begins to captivate her thoughts. Will she muster enough courage to seek his love? Bev Winters’s job is an answer to prayer until her boss complicates her widowed life. Will her pride allow love after loss?

READ NUMBER TWO:  The Healing

Both of these are classic Wanda Brunstetter.  I enjoy her books and always know I will be entertained with a clean read.

I’m not a huge fan of short stories, but Love Finds a Home is a perfect book for moms of little ones or people who don’t have time to read longer books.  Quality is there, short stories are not developed enough for me personally.

The Healing is a sweet romance between two unlikely (to find each other) people. Reading this book enhances my desire to visit an Amish community and I find out there is one close to where my mother lives!  Next summer here I come (or hopefully sooner).

The Healing comes out the beginning of September.

Travel to Plain City, Ohio, to witness the Mennonite and English culture clash. As Katy Yoder accepts a new job and struggles to define her place in the world, childhood friends and a past romance get in the way. Even when her friends try to help her change her judgmental attitude, Katy is certain that seeing things as black and white is the only way to please God. But as love softens her heart, slowly shades of gray seep into her world, and she discovers the right answer isn’t always the easiest one.

My Comments: Great book, especially for those who struggle with staying in the center and would prefer legalism, or strictly adhering to a set of rules.  It is always difficult to look at things individually and choose based on the circumstances, situations and people involved.  Others don’t always understand or respect our convictions, so we need to make sure they are worth defending.  Katy, the main character, is probably like many young girls raised in a more fundamentalist home.  I’d have to say in my late teens and early twenties I was much like Katy.  Problem with this is the self-righteous nature can easily take over.  I guess at times I became impatient with Katy, and her behavior brought back memories I would rather forget.  This book is great!  I look forward to more by Dianne Christner.

This book will be published early August.  I received an e-galley from NetGalley.

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.