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.