Widowed and jobless, Lydia King moves her son and herself to Charm, Ohio, to be close to her mother and help with her grandfather. Menno Troyer, a furniture store owner, is also recently widowed and the father of four energetic boys. Levi Stutzman, another newcomer to the area, is the only one in his family not handicapped by dwarfism and has dedicated his life to caring for them. As fall colors the countryside, will anonymous gifts left for Lydia bring her hope for a new life and romance, or will another tragedy flood her with infinite despair?

My Review: I always love reading books about the Amish.  I think the simple and hard-working life appeals to me, even though I would never want to live that way myself.  Wanda Brunstetter does a great job writing about the Amish lifestyle, and in each book she seems to hit an issue.  In this book, dwarfism is the issue.  People who are “tall” don’t really consider what little people deal with on a daily basis. We are always curious about people who have different challenges than we do.  Wanda Brunstetter in “Lydia’s Charm” puts this challenge within the context of the Amish. The book also deals with death – the death of a husband, grandfather and child.  In my finite mind I think the characters work through their grief very quickly, but as of yet I have not lost a spouse nor a child, so I don’t have first-hand knowledge.  I read this book in one day.  It kept me totally engaged and my emotions ran all over the place from crying to laughing.  If you love reading about the Amish and/or different lifestyles; if you love reading books about people facing adversity, if you love reading books with happy endings; you will enjoy Wanda Brunstetter’s books.  I enjoyed this book as well as all of her others and I look forward to reading more from her.  I would recommend these books for girls age 13 and up.  Brunstetter’s books contain good, solid, Biblical principles and lessons.

Book will be available September 1, 2010.

Product Description
Bree Nichols gets the shock of her life when her husband-presumed dead-reappears.

Bree Nichols and her search and rescue dog Samson discover a crying infant in the densely forested woods outside of Rock Harbor, Michigan. Against objections from her husband, Kade, who knows she’ll become attached, Bree takes the baby in. Quickly she begins a search for the mother-presumably the woman reported missing just days earlier.

While teams scour the forests, Bree ferrets out clues about the missing woman. But she soon discovers something more shocking: Bree’s former husband-long presumed dead in a plane crash-resurfaces. Is he really who he says he is? And should she trust him again after all these years?

An engaging, romantic suspense novel from critically-acclaimed author Colleen Coble.

My Review:  All I can say is that I am glad this is a three-day weekend because I devoured this book in a day and a half.  I love books about dogs and families.  Throw in a little suspense and romance and I’m hooked.  I have read all of the books in this series.  This book has been added to the Rock Harbor series after quite a break in time, but it picks up where the others left off.  The setting of fictional small town Rock Harbor in the Upper Peninsula in Michigan just adds to the suspense – cold, snowy, icy weather.  This setting brings back great memories of living in northern Iowa and COLD winter weather.  Samson the rescue dog is just plain lovable and a real hero!  The main character Bree Matthews is very easy to relate to and has a lot of impossibly difficult decisions to make.  A few surprises are thrown in as well.  If you enjoy mystery, suspense, romance, small town living, and main characters oozing of integrity, you will enjoy this book.

Product Description: In his 14th book, bestselling author Nicholas Sparks tells the unforgettable story of a man whose brushes with death lead him to the love of his life.

Is there really such thing as a lucky charm? The hero of Nicholas Sparks’s new novel believes he’s found one in the form of a photograph of a smiling woman he’s never met, but who he comes to believe holds the key to his destiny. The chain of events that leads to him possessing the photograph and finding the woman pictured in it is the stuff of love stories only a master such as Sparks can write.

My Review: I always find Nicholas Sparks’ books rather surreal, and this one was no exception.  I will say it was the first one I have finished since Night in Rodanthe (I have all the ones in between as well).  He is a great writer and the story was riveting, just not at all true to life.  The characters are likeable (except the one you are not supposed to like), the setting was great (a dog kennel in rural North Carolina), and the story which was quite romantic was also very engaging. I read it in two days.  I have a problem with the dichotomy of a couple going to a Baptist church also sleeping together.  I don’t know why this is always necessary.  However, I liked this book and recommend it if you are looking for a great and entertaining escape.  I wonder if this one will become a movie?

About the Book: In one short month, cheerful army nurse Madeline Bright has become the darling of Prairie Springs, Texas. And if ex-pilot Jake Hopkins isn’t careful, she might just conquer his heart. She’s young, pretty and blithe-spirited…he’s older and jaded. But being around Maddie brings back too many painful memories. Jake still feels guilty about failing to save Maddie’s brother in an army helicopter crash years ago. So no matter how much Maddie wants to be in his life, for her own good, Jake can’t allow that. He’ll never have a normal, stable life.
And sweet Madeline deserves nothing less.

My Review: First of all, if you like clean romance, sweet romance I recommend Steeple Hill’s Love Inspired line. These are generally shorter books that are perfect for tucking into your purse or spending a few hours reading.
I enjoy reading these books, (I really do read every genre!) and Brenda Coulter’s At His Command is one I recommend! The story is very sweet, the prose is strong, and the characters are likeable. Plus, it’s interesting to read a love story with such a huge age difference! There are certainly some different things that come into play there.
At His Command is available now in stores, but if you can’t find it, you can order it on Amazon.

Amber Miller’s first novel, Promises, Promises addresses a question many of us have struggled with at one time or another. Where is God when I am hurting? When tragedy strikes, Raelene feels as though God has stopped caring for her; He has abandoned her. Left with not only her grief but also the weighty responsibilities of her farm, Raelene struggles to determine if everything she has been raised to believe is really true. Through her pain and confusion, the overseer of her farm – though at times enfuriating – becomes a trusted friend and even more. . .

Promises, Promises is a great reminder of the fact that God is always with us, even in the face of tragedy and pain. He is indeed the only One who will never break His promises.

I appreciated the historical aspect of the book and enjoyed how Ms. Miller incorporated a portion of a message from Jonathan Edwards into the text. Without wanting to give any part of the plot away, the section where Raelene is listening to that message is probably my favorite part of the book.

Overall it is a great debut novel for Amber Miller. I will say that I did find the plot a bit predictable, but it is still an enjoyable book to read and the message is an important one. I look forward to seeing what she does with her next novel!

Order Promises, Promises

Amber’s second book, Quills and Promises is also available now here!

Visit the other sites on the Promises, Promises tour (some of them have giveaways)!

From the back of the book: After years of running, Hannah Schwartz has finally built a life for herself–far from the insecure husband who bullied and abused her. Far from the close-knit Amish community who raised her, then shunned her. Still haunted by nightmare memories of her parents’ murder and the guilty secret that made her anathema–a true outcast–from her friends and family.

Only love can bring her home again. Love for a child she had feared was lost forever. And love for the peaceful people who shaped her life. But can love heal old wounds . . . or keep the community safe from a deadly danger?

My Review: I LOVED this book. I was in a rotten mood this weekend and felt I needed a good escape and I definitely found it within the pages of this book. I have been reading ALL the Amish books because I find the Amish lifestyle fascinating. This book brings things up a step. The book shows the Amish as real people and highlights their values of family, faith and honest hard work. All of the elements I love about fiction are included in this book – suspense, love, Christian worldview, murder mystery, and believeable characters.

I have read most of Colleen Coble’s books and love all of them. She usually includes a great dog and this book is no exception, so dog lovers will not be disappointed! Her books keep getting better and better. This is definitely my favorite so far! I couldn’t put this book down and read it in a day and a half. I highly recommend “Anathema.”

Anathema was published by Thomas Nelson and is available now.

About the Book: Single mom of three, Sierra Montgomery is desperate to find a new job to keep from having to move back home and be smothered to death by her mother’s good intentions and overbearing love. So when Sierra inherits Chance, a quirky old gelding she doesn’t have a clue what to do with, she thinks her best bet may be to sell the horse to cover another month’s rent–a decision that devastates her children.
Enter Ross Morgan, a handsome landscaper who just happens to have an empty barn and fenced pasture… perfect for an old horse to live out his days as the pet of three wounded kids. Ross develops a soft spot for eldest child Braden…and he just might have one for Braden’s mother. But what he doesn’t have is time for distractions–he’s got a landscaping business to run and nursery plants to tend.

But there’s just one problem. Sierra’s terrified of horses and–thanks to her past–wary of attractive men. Yet seeing the way her angry son idolizes Ross and adores that old horse forces Sierra to confront her fears. Will she remain distrustful and self-reliant, or will she seek help from God and those who love her?

My Review: I’ve been reading a lot of really heavy or high concept books lately and was definitely ready for something a bit lighter. This book fit the bill! This is such a lovely story with a sweet romance, lots of hope, and great characters!

First of all what kids would not want a pet horse given to them? I know my niece would love it! But the complication lies with Sierra’s painful memories of a horse related death. You can really tell that Sierra loves her kids. She constantly seems to want what is best for them, but sometimes overprotection can be a problem, too! There’s a lot of challenges facing her as well in her personal life so her plate is definitely full! She does experience a lot of growth throughout the book, though I don’t want to give much away!

This is the kind of book that you just want to dive into and devour. It’s a sweet story with really fun and likeable characters!

If this sounds like a book you would enjoy, I have a giveaway copy! To be eligible to win, just hop on over to Sherri’s blog and leave a relevant comment on one of her posts. Then, come back here and tell me where you left a comment. Be sure to use the same name so I can verify! I know it’s a little hoop jumping, but a free book is worth it, right? To sweeten the deal, I’ll throw in a five dollar Starbucks gift card so you can enjoy a coffee while you read!

Be sure to check out Sherri’s website!
Check out Leave it to Chance on Amazon!

I enjoy the Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense line when I’m looking for a quick read with a bit of thrills and a healthy dose of romance! Just Cause caught my eye, because I thought it might be more in the legal thriller line. It’s not really a legal thriller though it does involve a court case!

From the back of the book:
“I didn’t kill my husband!”

But no one believed Laurel Hatcher. On trial for murder, Laurel prayed for a miracle. And she got one, sort of: a deadlocked jury. A mistrial meant going through the ordeal all over again, but at least she’d have more time to prove her innocence. And now handsome police officer Dan Ryan was on her side, determined to find evidence that would clear her name. But Laurel didn’t even know what to look for— or who would want her husband dead. Until Dan took her back to the scene of the crime…where a killer was waiting.

My Review: I enjoyed this as the quick escapist read I expected it to be. Davis’s prose is solid which is really important to me in any book and the romance was sweet while there was just enough suspense to keep you guessing! The characters are all quite likeable as well. My only gripe was that Laurel didn’t really seem to grieve her husband much. Just a tad bit more exploration of the loss of her husband while being wrongly convicted would have been fascinating to me, but in 246 pages what can you expect?

A solid 8 out of 10.

From the publisher: Not even a big budget can help Alex make her sister’s wedding the event of the year. The usually calm and collected Alex is rattled when the man who walked out on her sixteen years ago to pursue a rock-and-roll career returns to be the best man. In desperation, she calls on her three best friends to help pull off the shindig, and keep her away from the devastatingly handsome Josh. Tomboy Ellen, shy Jan, and vivacious Sue Ann join forces to keep Alex on track. But fate won’t be stopped in this small seaside town. Alex finds it as impossible to avoid Josh as it is to deny that he’s a changed man. Is it too late for their love? Only faith, family, and best friends will tell.

My Review: I thought this book was a great romance. The four friends that make up the Bosom Buddies ( I imagine there will be a book for each) are very diverse and there’s enough groundwork laid to be very interested in how all of their stories will play out. This story, while a bit predictable, was still very enjoyable. Windsor’s writing style is solid and the romance was believable. Josh is a great hero, but it seems I’m reading a lot of books lately with ex-Nashville star heroes! Piper Cove is an appealing setting and this book is a solid effort. I happily give it 8.5 out of ten stars.