Forsaking All Others by Allison Pittman

This is definitely a book that should be read after reading the first book in the series, For Time and Eternity, as this book picks up right where the first book ends. In this second book, Camilla Fox is rescued from the near fatal snow storm after having left the Mormon faith desiring to return to her parents home. In the care of Colonel Charles Brandon, Fox must first recover after the snow storm before trying to make her way to her childhood home. Camilla desperately desires to have a home of her own in which she can care for her two girls. But before they can be with her, she will have to return to Salt Lake City to fight for them.

I read both book one and two within 3 days. Once I started book one, I didn't want to stop. Sadly, when I did finish book one, I didn't have book two with me, so I had to wait a few agonizing hours before being able to start the next book. These books make me feel sorry for those who get caught up in the lies of Mormonism and feel they have no way out, once they see the truth. Camilla found love from Nathan, but when her parents objected to the relationship, she felt it was simply because he was a Mormon. Camilla didn't understand what her parents saw, and they weren't able to articulate it to her. If that were different, Camilla might have made a different choice.

I give this book 5 stars. I loved it! I can't wait to read what Allison Pittman writes next!

Cottage By The Sea by Robin Jones Gunn

Erin Bryce has just opened a wedding planning business, The Happiest Day, with her friend, Sharlene. When she gets the news that her father has some serious health issues, she travels from her home in Southern California up to the Oregon coast to spend time with him and his second wife, the brusque and very odd, Delores.

Erin is about to be overwhelmed with the new business, her own son's wedding to Sierra Jenson, and spending time caring for her ailing father. Will she be able to keep her sanity and her focus during this chaotic time?

Robin Jones Gunn has been one of my favorite authors since I was in late elementary school and this book did not disappoint! I enjoyed reading about Sierra's wedding, but what I enjoyed even more was Erin's devotion to her father. While Erin and her husband were trying to move him to a nursing home near their California home, Erin stayed in Oregon to take care of her father. And while spending time on the Oregon coast, Erin falls in love with the Cottage by the Sea.

I give this book 4.5 stars.

I received this book from Howard for the purpose of this review.

The Anniversary Waltz by Darrell Nelson

Set in 1946 and briefly in 2006, The Anniversary Waltz tells the story of Adam Carlson and his wife Elizabeth. The book opens at the Carlson's 60th anniversary party, and Adam is asking his wife to waltz with him, like they have for every anniversary prior. Then they sit down and share the story of how they met, dated, and married. Theirs is a story of true love, courage, and overcoming adversity in many areas. In 1946, Adam has just come home from the war and has returned to his family's farm in Montana. A few days after returning home a town festival, Adam meets a young woman, Elizabeth, who is going steady with Nathan Roberts, Adam's high school rival and now an influential banker.  After Adam and Elizabeth share a waltz together, it seems their future is sealed. It was love at first dance, but things are never that easy.

This story made me laugh and cry with the characters. While I knew Adam and Elizabeth had to have gotten married, their journey was filled with obstacles they had to overcome. I wondered how they would be able to do it, when all seemed to be lost. Some parts of the book were predictable, but other parts took me by surprise and kept me turning the pages. In fact, about halfway through the book, I figured I would stop and go to bed and then finish the book in the morning, but I couldn't stop reading, I had to finish the book that night, and about three hours after starting it, I finished reading it.

I give this book 5 stars. It was a great read, and I loved it!

I received this book from Glass Road Media for the purpose of this review.

Covenant Child by Terri Blackstock

I saw this book when i was in college, but didn't read it then. Boy was I missing an amazing book! This is a reprint of the original published in 2002

Kara and Lizzie were born heiresses to a huge fortune. But their mother died when they were infants, their father and paternal grandparents died when they were three, and their stepmother lost a custody battle because their adoption was in process, but not final. Kara and Lizzie are sent to live with relatives who only tolerate the children to get a piece of their fortune, while their step-mother, Amanda, is not allowed to have contact with them. Kara and Lizzie grow up feeling like they are worthless and seeking anything to make them feel special. After being fed lies all their life, they are finally told the truth on their 18th birthday. Will the allow the truth to change their lives?

Christians and nonChristians will enjoy reading this book. It gives a clear picture of what God did for us, but is also a moving story. This is quite easy a new favorite book. I give this book 5 stars.

I received this book from Booksneeze for the purpose of my review.

Finally and Forever by Robin Jones Gunn

This is the 4th book in the Katie Weldon series. At the end of the third book, Katie has decided to join Eli in Kenya and she surprises him at the airport. Finally and Forever begins with Katie and Eli on the plane traveling to Africa. Katie gets to watch at Eli goes home, she gets to see him in his element and meet his family. As Katie and Eli spend time at Brockhurst, the retreat center Eli's parents work at, Katie meets people who help her figure out what is next and what her purpose at Brockhurst is.

I've grown up reading all of Robin Jones Gunn's books. As I read and reread each book, it's like being with great friends. This book was no different. I couldn't wait to read it. It came in the mail yesterday, and I tossed it in my bag to start reading when I was on break at work, then I stayed up after work until I finished reading it. I had the biggest smile on my face while I read it, and was even giddy with laughter reading it! I hope that there will be another series, Katie and Eli, the African Years. I can only hope!

I give this book 5 stars!!!

I received this book free from Zondervan for the purpose of this review.

The Discovery by Dan Walsh

From the back cover: “When aspiring writer Michael Warner inherits his grandfather’s venerable Charleston estate, he settles in to write his first novel. But within the confines of the stately home, he discovers an unpublished manuscript that his grandfather, a literary giant whose novels sold in the millions, had kept hidden from everyone-but which he clearly intended Michael to find. As he delves deep into the exciting tale about spies and sabotage, Michael discovers something that has the power to change not only his future but his past as well.

Laced with suspense and intrigue, The Discovery is a richly woven novel that explores the incredible sacrifices that must be made to forge the love of a lifetime. Author Dan Walsh delivers yet another unique and heartfelt story that will stick with you long after you’ve turned the last page.”

I truly loved this story within a story. Even though I had a pretty good idea where it was heading, there where twists and turns that I didn’t see and kept me guessing exactly how it would go. In the book, the true gem is the story itself and the journey to reach the end. I stayed up quite late two nights in a row reading this story!

I give this book a resounding 5 stars!

I received this book from Revell for the purpose of this review.

The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck

From the back cover: “Charlotte owns a chic Birmingham bridal boutique. Dressing brides for their big day is her gift-and her passion. But with her own wedding day approaching, why can’t she find the perfect dress-or feel certain she should marry Tim?

Then Charlotte purchases a vintage dress in a battered trunk at an estate sale. It looks brand-new, shimmering with pearls and satin, hand-stiched and timeless in its design. But where did it come from? Who wore it? Who welded the lock shut and tucked the dog tags in that little sachet? Who left it in the basement for a ten-year-old girl? And what about the mysterious man in the purple vest who insists the dress has been “redeemed”?

Charlotte’s search for the gown’s history - and its new bride - begins as a distraction from her sputtering love life. But it takes on a life of its own as she comes to know the women who have worn the dress. Emily from 1912. Mary Grace from 1939. Hilary from 1968. Each with her own story of promise, pain, and desting. And each with something unique to share. For woven within the thread of the beautiful hundred-year-old gown is the truth about Charlotte’s heritage, the power of courage and faith, and the beauty of finding true love.”

This was a book that I knew I wanted to read just by the cover. Then when I saw a video by the author about the book, I was in love with it. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the book! I was intrigued by the idea of a dress being worn by three women, and the story of all four women. While they lived over a span of over 100 years, this one dress connected them in ways they knew understood, until Charlotte found them and their stories. This dress bore witness of their lives and their journeys.

This is definitely a 5 star book and one of my favorites!

 received this book from Litfuse for the purpose of this review.

"True Beauty" Facebook Party & $200 Visa Cash Card Giveaway!
Enter Today and Save the Date-4/19!

What is "true" beauty? Join the conversation at Rachel's Author Chat Party Event Page. On the eventing of 4/19 we'll gather to talk about inner and outer beauty and share moments of beauty in our lives.



In the meantime, celebrate with Rachel by entering her True Beauty Giveaway!



One "beautiful" winner will receive:

• A $200 Visa Cash Card (Treat yourself to a spa day or weekend get-away!)
• The Wedding Dress (by Rachel Hauck)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends 4/18/12. Winner will be announced at Rachel's "True Beuaty" Author Chat Facebook Party on 4/19. Rachel will be hosting an evening of beauty (inner/outer) chat, fun trivia, laughter, and encouragement - bring your friends! She'll also be giving away some GREAT prizes:
gift certificates, books, and a Book Club Prize Pack! (Ten copies of the book for your small group or book club and a live chat with Rachel
via Skype.)

So grab a few of your friends and your copy of The Wedding Dress and join Rachel on the evening of April 19th for an evening of fun.

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 19th!

Illusion By Frank Peretti

From the back cover of the Advance Reader’s Edition:

Dane and Mandy, a popular magic act for forty years, are tragically separated by a car wreck that claims Mandy’s life--or so everyone things. Even as Dane mourns and tries to rebuild his life without her, Mandy, supposedly dead, awakes in the present as the nineteen-year-old she was in 1970. Distraught and disoriented in what to her is the future, she is confined to a mental ward until she discoveres a strange magical ability to pass invisibly through time and space to escape. Alone in a strange world, she uses her mysterious powers to eke out a living, performing magic on the streets and in a quaint coffee shop.

Hoping to discover an exciting new talent, Dave ventures into the coffee shop and is transfixed by the magic he sees, illusions that even he, a seasoned professional, cannot explain. But more than anything, he is emotionally devastated by this teenager who has never met him, doesn’t know him, is certainly not in love with him, but is in every respect identical to the young beauty he first met and married some forty years earlier.

They begin a furtive relationship as mentor and protegee, but even 

Since I don’t want to give anything more away than the back cover gives the reader, that’s all the summary I will give. This book was amazing. I will rate it as one of the best books that I have ever read. The story had a depth to it that I never expected and a complexity that kept me turning the page wondering how it all fit together. For the first half of the book, I was wondering how all the pieces fit together. Then as Peretti started brining the pieces together, I wondered how they would all work out. I raced through the last 100 pages still trying to figure the story out, and until it ended, I still wasn’t sure what was going to happen and how. This is only the second Peretti book that I have read, the first being Tilly (c 2003) and now I am curious about his other books.

I give this book a resounding 5 stars! This will most definitely be on my list of top books of 2012!

I received an Advance Reader’s Edition free from Handlebar Marketing for the purpose of this review.


Giveaway Announcement:
Handlebar Marketing gave me a second copy for a giveaway. Again, I choose to reward one of my followers with the giveaway copy. Congratulations to one of my newer followers, Dennis for winning this great book!

The Measure of Katie Calloway by Serena Miller

From the back cover:

Her heart seeks sanctuary in the deep woods. But will trouble find her even here?

The Civil War has ended, but in Katie Calloway’s Georgia home, conflict still rages. To protect herself and her younger brother from her violent and unstable husband, she flees north, finding anonymity and sanctuary as the cook in a north woods lumber camp. The camp owner, Robert Foster, wonders if the lovely woman he’s hired has the grit to survive the never-ending work and harsh conditions of a remote pine forest in winter. Katie wonders if she can keep her past a secret from a man she is slowly growing to love.

With grace and skill, Serena Miller brings to life a bygone era. From the ethereal, snowy forest and the rowdy shanty boys to the warm cookstove and mouth-watering apple pie, every detail is perfectly rendered, transporting you to a time of danger and romance.

My Review:

This is another book that I really enjoyed reading. Having worked in camps, I know how much food is needed to feed a large group. But what it takes to do it with a cookstove used more than 100 years ago is beyond me. However, Katie Calloway’s character shows a determination to survive and thrive that was much more common in those living on the frontier or in the west than it is today. This is a book that I really enjoyed reading and would love to share with others.

I give this book 5 stars.

I received this book from Serena Miller for the purpose of this review.

The Maid Of Fairbourne Hall by Julie Klassen

From the back cover:

To escape a scheme to marry her off to a dishonorable man, Margaret Macy flees London disguised as a housemaid. If she can remain unwed until her next birthday, she will receive an inheritance, and with it, sweet independence. But she never planned on actually working as a servant. And certainly not in the home of Nathaniel and Lewis Upchurch--both former suitors.

As she fumbles through the first real work of her life, Margaret struggles to keep her identity secret when suspicions arise and prying eyes visit Fairbourne Hall. Can she avoid a trap meant to force her from hiding?

Brimming with romance and danger, The Maid of Fairbourne Hall takes readers inside the fascinating belowstairs world of a 19th-century English manor, where appearances can be deceiving.

My Review:

This is my first book by Julie Klassen that I have read (I do have two of her other books on my kindle waiting to be read). I loved how it was not the typical Regency England book. It did not focus on the upper class, although they were certainly part of the story, but it focused on the lives of the servants within the house. It was a very well written book that really captured my attention. I read the whole book in less than 24 hours (even reading it when i was supposed to be doing a few other things....) I loved Margaret Macy’s determinedness to succeed in her new life as well as the secrecy and irony of her new life.

I give this book 5 stars, and with the popularity of shows like Downton Abbey, this book should be very popular.


I received this book free from Bethany House for the purpose of this review.

Tomorrow’s Sun by Becky Melby

Emily Foster won’t allow herself to move on until she earns enough money to make restitution for the accident that stole a young girl’s dreams. Flipping houses sounds like the fast track to her goal, but when her first project turns out to be a stop on the Underground Railroad, Emily finds herself drawn to, but at odds with, the contractor she hires. Jake Braden needs to focus on gaining guardianship of his late sister’s twins, but the story of lost love uncovered in Emily’s house sets the stage for what might become his own lost love.

My Review:

I loved how this was a modern book that had ties to the underground railroad and life in the 1850’s and 1860’s. More of the story took place in the present day, and the snippets of history came from the characters learning more about the house, the underground railroad, and the letters that Emily found in her house. All of the characters are interesting and well rounded. My favorite character is Lexi, one of the twins, as her antics are things I could easily imagine a kid doing.

This book is definitely a favorite! I give it 5 stars!

I received this book free from the author for the purpose of this review.

Promise Me This By Cathy Gohlke

From the back cover:

Annie Allen never imagined the day she watched her brother, Owen, sail on Titanic would be the last time she’d see him. Nor could she guess how the tragedy would forever knit her life to Michael Dunnagan, who survived through Owen’s sacrifice.

As Annie struggles to navigate a challenging life in England, Michael labors in New Jersey to create the gardening business Owen once dreamed of and to heal Annie’s grief through letters. In time, as Annie begins to lay aside her anger that Michael lived when her brother did not, a tentative friendship takes root and blossoms into something neither expected.

Bound by a promise yet battling circumstances beyond their control, Michael and Annie dreamed of the day she can join him in America. Just when Michael saves enough money for her passage, WWI erupts in Europe. Then Annie’s letters mysteriously stop, forcing Michael to risk everything to find the woman he’s grown to love before she’s lost forever.

My Review:

Promise Me This takes place just before the Titanic sets sail and goes through the end of Word War I and is set in Ireland, England, and America. From the very first page, this book grabbed me and I didn’t want to put it down. I loved the story line as well as the historical period it was set in. Annie’s story captured me, from her being an orphan watching her brother set sail on the Titanic, then loosing her brother when the ship sinks, to dealing with her aunt. But the other characters around her were not overshadowed by her. They each had their own story and history that was unique. But I felt like I was reading about real people.

This was an amazing book. I look forward to sharing it with my friends and family and reading.

I received this book free from Tyndale for the purpose of this review.


www.cathygohlke.com


 Tyndale.com

When The Smoke Clears By Lynette Eason

From the back cover:

After a brush with death due to equipment failure, smokejumper Alexia Allen is ordered to take time off while the incident is under investigation. She makes a last-minute decision to recuperate at her mother’s home and attend her high school reunion. Yet trouble seems to be following her, and within hours of arriving home she is confronted with murder, arson--and a handsome detective.

But the conflicts ahead are nothing compared to the ghosts of her past. As she struggles to accept and forgive her family’s past, she must also decide if the secret she’s been guarding for the last ten years must finally come to light.

Chock-full of the suspense and romantic tension you’ve come to expect from Lynette Eason, When the Smoke Clears is the explosive first book in the Deadly Reunions series.

My review:

This was a great suspense book. Alexia returns home after 10 years to walk into a murder, then danger seems to follow her or even going a step ahead of her! I knew who didn’t commit the crime, but I wasn’t sure who actually did it. Eason kept me guessing I had several suspicions, but even the end was still a cliffhanger. The ending answered some of the questions, but left you wanting to start reading the next book immediately.

I think there is a fine line with suspense books between what I like, and what I don’t. This book surprised me and keep wanting more. The crimes weren’t explained in gory details that would have turned me off. The writing was faced paced and kept the story moving. I give this book 5 stars.

I received this book free from Revell for the purpose of this review.

Summer of Promise by Amanda Cabot

Westward Winds, Book 1

Abigail Harding knows something is wrong when she reads her sisters letters to her. So she travels from her home in Vermont to spend a few weeks with her sister at Fort Laramie, Wyoming. Her sister Charlotte is married to an officer stationed at the fort. Abigail believes Wyoming to be a boring place, but all of that changes when her stagecoach is attacked near the Fort. As Abigail learns of her sister’s life and life at the fort, she finds herself drawn to the land and its people. Will she find all that she is looking for or will she go back to Vermont longing for her old life?

Amanda Cabot has weaved a great story about life in the west. Set not as a part of life on the Oregon Trail, Summer of Promise tells of life at Fort Laramie, Wyoming, which while it was a major stop on the Oregon Trail, was also a quiet fort without any wars and few conflicts in its last decade of existence in the 1880’s. “Instead it was a place where officers lived in relative luxury, where their wives held teas and balls, and where the parade ground boasted gaslights and birdbaths” (Letter to the Reader, 406).

I must say that I greatly enjoyed reading this book, but I am sad that the next book doesn’t come out until spring 2013. I don’t think I can wait that long to find out what happens next! I give this book 5 out of 5 stars! You will see this book again at the end of the year on my list of top reads for 2012!

The Rose of Winslow Street by Elizabeth Camden

In the small town of Colden, Massachusetts, most of the neighbors know what is going on with each other. So when Michael Dobrescu comes to America from Romania and moves into the home of Professor Sawyer and his daughter, Libby, while they are away on vacation, the townspeople know something is up! Then when he claims to be the rightful owner of the house, the townspeople alienate him and his family. He cannot buy food in town, his children can’t go into town without getting into fights with the other children. But Libby sees the injustice and has to step in and help, even though there is a lawsuit between her family and the Dobrescu’s.

When I requested Camden’s first book, The Lady of Bolton Hill, she offered to put me on the list to review her second book, The Rose of Winslow Street, even saying that the second book was better. Well, I read the first book in about a day and absolutely LOVED it. I didn’t think the second book could be better, but as much as I loved Camden’s first book, her second book was off the charts AMAZING. I will rate this book in my top five favorites of all time, and even dare to put it in first place of that list! I can’t stop raving about this book and I can’t wait to see what Elizabeth Camden has up her sleeve for her next book. It’s going to be awesome!

I received this book free from the author herself for the purpose of this review.