Showing posts with label Women's Fiction. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 8, 2025

My Thoughts on Tandem Cottage by Carrie Fancett Pagels

About:

Newly minted computer science graduate, Alyssa, has plans to obtain work and finally live independently with her son. Summer programming for Alyssa’s son, who has Aspergers, is tossed when his biological father and new wife, an attorney, insist on summer visitation. With her plans completely upended, Alyssa pursues a job on Mackinac Island with the hopes of acquiring an internship. Young widower, Carter, who has suffered the tragic loss of his wife, is working remotely on Mackinac Island as a computer programmer and hires Alyssa as nanny for his baby girl.

Susan, a social worker with unknown links to Alyssa, is also Carter’s former group therapist. Susan consults at a Mackinac Island summer-long retreat as she mulls retirement options. With Alyssa’s estranged grandmother a famous television evangelist, Susan’s mother the senior-most congressional representative, and a mysterious artist all adding their dramatic flair to the Mackinac Island mix—what could go wrong?

My Thoughts:

This was a story of two hurting people that really needed a new start with life. The author really put them through their struggles, most of it we see in their past, yet that past still is making troubles for their present. There are some really hard subjects tackled in this novel, yet the author does it all with grace and understanding. Overall, it was a nice visit to Mackinac Island, a place I have not had the pleasure to visit yet; however, the author paints a beautiful picture of it with her words.

Alyssa is a single mom of a little boy with Aspergers. When she was sixteen, she went through a traumatic event that produced Sammy, but oh she loves her little boy, and it shows throughout the story. She is looking for a job to give her and her son a better shot at independence and life in general, when Sammy's father steps back into the picture making demands and issuing threats.

Widower and single father Carter has come back to Mackinac Island to get away from the memories of his late wife. He has experienced his own trauma throughout his marriage and her tragic death, that his family thinks it best he comes back home for a while. In the meantime, he hires Alyssa as his nanny.

That is not the job that Alyssa needs or wants to move forward into her career, but life's demands are breathing down her back. She also genuinely likes Carter, and he is a great dad. Throw in some misconceptions and few islanders with their own issues and you have a story of hope and overcoming.

This is the third in the series and the first I have read, but the other stories sound like a great investment into the whole overarching themes of the series.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the author. I was not required to post a positive review, and all views and opinions are my own.

Monday, November 11, 2024

My Thoughts on Tea with Elephants by Robin Jones Gunn

About:

"If you want to travel fast, go alone. If you want to travel far, go together."

African proverb

Ever since Fern Espinoza and Lily Graden met as teenagers volunteering at a conference center in Costa Rica twenty years ago, they have shared a close friendship, even though they live in different states. They can hardly believe it when their teen dream of traveling to Africa together becomes a reality. It's the trip of a lifetime--but life sure isn't what they thought it would be back when they were young.

Along with their suitcases, both women bring emotional baggage that weighs heavily on them. The two best friends slowly open up to each other about the challenges waiting for them back home. Soon they discover that the people they meet and the places they experience have the power to change their hearts--but only if they listen to the gentle lessons God is teaching them in this land of emerald tea fields, graceful giraffes, and rambunctious elephants.

Get ready for an unforgettable adventure on a safari of the heart in this vulnerable exploration of how to move forward in faith even when the future is uncertain.

My Thoughts:

This story took a long awaited and postponed dream and put it into action. Why don't two friends who met as teens do what they dreamed one summer of doing? What is stopping them from dropping everything and going to Africa? Well, life actually and I found this novel a bit daring in the way these two, especially Fern who worked through her fears and went. Even when her life upended right before the trip.

I think young people are so very hopeful and very idealistic especially when the future is wide open. Or so it seems. Then life happens and before you know it, twenty years have passed. That is what happened to Fern when she gets the call from Lilly that the time for their adventure to Africa is now.

This was an adventure of two friends against the backdrop of Africa, getting away from it all for a bit and reconnecting, sharing life stories, and ultimately putting their lives back into focus.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review, and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author:

Robin Jones Gunn is the bestselling and award-winning author of more than 100 books, including Tea with Elephants, the Sisterchicks series, and the Christy Miller series for teen girls. Her books have sold more than 6 million copies worldwide. Robin and her husband have two grown children and four grandchildren and live in southern California, where she co-hosts the Women Worth Knowing podcast. Learn more at RobinGunn.com.

Monday, October 28, 2024

My Thoughts on The Color of Home by Kit Tosello

About:

The life she's designing may not be the life she's meant to live

Bay Area interior designer to the rich and pretentious, Audrey Needham is already on thin ice with her impossible-to-please boss when her great-aunt Daisy asks for support as her husband descends into Alzheimer's. Now Audrey is risking the career she worked hard to build as she returns to Charity Falls, Oregon.

Her feelings toward the idyllic small town are . . . complicated. While she has many good memories of her childhood summers there, Charity Falls is also the place her father was killed in a tragic fire at the Sugar Pine Inn thirteen years ago.

Despite Audrey's intent to avoid emotional entanglement, something should be done about the deteriorating inn. A local girl with an incarcerated father needs a friend. And handsome local do-gooder Cade Carter is coloring Audrey all shades of uncertain. The pull of home is hard to resist.

My Thoughts:

Change is inevitable. In this story, we get Aunt Daisy and her niece Audrey’s perspective on changes happening in their lives. The kind that just sneaks up on you, or in Aunt Daisy’s words, “We just don’t realize they’re so close at hand until they’re on our doorstep, knocking. It’s simply our turn.”

Daisy needs help. Her husband, Dean, has Alzheimer’s, and she just can’t take care of him alone. So, she decides it will be in their best interest to sell their longtime home and move into an assisted living place. But she has much to go through, cleaning and sprucing up, so she reaches out to Aubrey.

Aubrey never really wanted to go back to the town where her father had died. But Daisy needs her, and there is no reason to stay as her job status is up in the air. In this time of the unknown, she goes to help. Only she doesn’t realize the impact the townspeople will have on her. Nor the impact she will have on them.

This was a small hometown read, with no suspense, there is a romance thread, but that is not really what I took from the story. It is really about change, that is what gripped me as I turned the pages. Whether it is moving, a new job, a baby, an accident, or sickness, we really have no way around it. This really impacted me for personal reasons, and I liked the author’s light humor and turn of phrase in the matter of facts of life. This is by no means a heavy story, just one of helping one another through life’s ups and downs.

I was provided a copy of this novel from Revell Publishers through Interviews & Reviews. I was not required to post a positive review, and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author:

Kit Tosello is an award-winning writer of small-town contemporary fiction with a big heart, as well as inspirational essays and devotionals. With her eye trained on the beauty hiding in plain sight all around us, she arranges words with tenderness, humor, and hope. When not writing, Kit can be found in the loose-tea shop she operates with her husband, exploring the great Pacific Northwest, or enjoying the "great indoors"--bookstores and libraries. Always with a matcha latte in hand. Learn more at KitTosello.com.

Monday, March 4, 2024

My Thoughts and More on Who Brought the Dog to Church? by Tracy L. Smoak

About the Book

Book: Who Brought the Dog to Church?

Author: Tracy L. Smoak

Genre: Christian Contemporary Fiction

Release Date: June, 2023

Betty is sure that Ida Lou does not belong in their church when the woman shows up to the Good Friday service with her small dog in tow. But before she knows what’s happening, Betty is pushed into helping the woman as she deals with the sudden hospitalization of her husband. Having lost her own husband just one year ago, Betty is chosen as the perfect person to help walk through this valley with the newcomer—along with the other women of the WUFHs (Women United For Him).

Sarah McAdams knows her husband loves her. He just loses his temper sometimes. It comes with the stress of being a highly recognized police officer. But when Sarah makes the decision that this is not the life she wants for her young son, will she be able to get out alive? Where can she go? And who will help her?

God works in mysterious ways—and through ordinary people. The town of Prosper is about to experience some drama—and it all starts with a dog who comes to church.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

Who brought the dog to church? My mother did. Not what the book is about but my mom has done such a thing and I wonder what other church goers thought. Well, a peak into some of these character's minds might have given a hint.

This novel is a good story. It is heartbreaking and heartwarming. It takes all the characters and pulls them together in their current situations, heartbreaks, and makes something beautiful. I will admit I had a hard time reading certain parts of the story. The author takes us down the road of widowhood and spousal abuse, of loneliness, and grief. She takes those topics and turns them around for some of the characters, reluctantly of course, to be a help and blessing for others experiencing such trials. Keep tissues nearby.

It all started with a little dog being in a place that it shouldn't have been in. How often do we let minor frustrations with others blind our eyes to their hurts and fears? This is a relevant story for those who want eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts full of compassion for their fellow man.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author

A native Floridian, Tracy L. Smoak grew up riding horses and climbing citrus trees. Her passion is to encourage others in their faith journey. Smoak writes for Guideposts. Ambassador International released her debut novel, Who Brought the Dog to Church?. Bold Vision published her Bible study about encouragement titled Refuge of Grace: Finding Your Safe Place.

She loves photography and authored two hardcover devotionals with her original nature art (Living Water to Refresh Your Soul – tranquil lake scenes; and Arranged with Love– floral landscapes).

Smoak holds a master’s in Education and a bachelor’s in Communication. At her church home, she leads small-group Bible studies. She is an active member of Word Weavers International.

More from Tracy

What secrets are hidden behind your neighbor’s door? What do you try to hide?

The idea for this contemporary fiction began in a small country church during an Easter prayer vigil a decade ago. As I sat in the pew late at night, I heard a strange scratching noise. When I turned to locate the sound’s source, I saw a woman across the aisle with a little Yorkie.

The vigil was silent, so I didn’t approach the lady, but I did wonder why that pooch accompanied her in the sanctuary. That scenario, connected with others in my weekly involvement in several volunteer roles, sparked imagination. We judge appearances and may completely miss needs of the heart. Do we know our neighbors?

Experiences as an advocate for survivors of domestic violence started me wondering how do people get free from damaging situations? What are the obstacles holding them back?

Serving as a Stephens Ministry leader in my home church exposed me to people suffering loss. How are we to stand with those crushed with grief?

Another volunteer role helping immigrants settle in the U.S. reminded me of the difficulties they face. How can one fill out an online job application when a person relocates from a refugee camp with no electricity and never has had a computer?

The story’s heart is learning to really see, and know, our neighbors. Three women and their friendships reveal how doing good unites a community. Through comic misunderstandings and risky undertakings, the characters show us how to be Christ’s hands and feet.

Short videos to introduce the main characters can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kuEoU7pFvU&list=PLf6ZzeQjavMcocMuZDOZUvLxZG48BiWm5&index=1.

Audio book excerpts can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwxqS2mNisI&list=PLf6ZzeQjavMcocMuZDOZUvLxZG48BiWm5&index=9.

Video resources for survivors of domestic violence are at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3Aq2myofjo&list=PLf6ZzeQjavMd0mkdKujmZeq7iKDzi8IoQ&index=2.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, February 28

Lighthouse Academy Blog, February 29 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, March 1 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 1

Texas Book-aholic, March 2

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 3

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 4

Pause for Tales, March 5

Artistic Nobody, March 6 (Author Interview)

Lots of Helpers, March 6

Cover Lover Book Review, March 7

Fiction Book Lover, March 8 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 9

For Him and My Family, March 10

Books I’ve Read, March 11

Girls in White Dresses, March 12

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Tracy is giving away the grand prize package of a paperback copy each of Who Brought the Dog to Church? and Refuge of Grace: Finding Your Safe Place!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/2a3cd/who-brought-the-dog-to-church

Friday, September 22, 2023

My Thoughts on He Should Have Told the Bees by Amanda Cox

About:

Beekeeper Beckett Walsh was living her dream, until her father's death sent her world into a tailspin. She suddenly finds she must deal with a new part owner of the family apiary--one who is looking to sell the property--and she cannot fathom why her father would put her in the position to lose everything they built together.

When Callie Peterson is named in the trust of a man she's never heard of, she's not sure what to do. Her fledgling business has just taken wing and her mother has reentered her life asking for help, making Callie's financial situation rather . . . precarious. She's sure she has no right to someone else's farm, but the money from the sale could solve her problems and give her the stability she's always craved.

With an entangled past behind them and an uncertain future ahead, Beckett and Callie must discover why they've been thrown together before all is lost.

My Thoughts:

First, this title really caught my attention. I wondered who it was and what should he have told the bees. Well according to a superstition, beekeepers need to tell the bees when their lives get turned upside down, or the bees may die. Interesting, and this story was quite interesting as well.

We are introduced to two women who both seem to be carrying the world on their shoulders. Many family secrets abound, and when Beck's father dies, their worlds collide, and they need to find a way through this new truth.

Beckett Walsh is a beekeeper who has been an assistant to her father all her life. He suddenly dies and leaves her alone. Alone, she doesn't mind too much, but she lives with an almost debilitating fear that has imprisoned her. After her father's death she needs to deal with things she never even bargained for.

Callie Peterson has never really had a stable life. Her alcoholic mother moved her around constantly and she never really put down any roots. Now she is on the cusp of her girlhood dream to become independent of anyone and open her new business. Until unfortunately everything seems to fall through. She is dealing with financial problems and red tape while trying to open her business. And her mother steps back into her life with all her problems again.

Callie and Beckett are in for a surprise. And that surprise can either heal them or tear them apart more. This is a story of addiction, tragedy, mental illness, family, and the important role of motherhood and how it affects children, good or bad. There is also a couple of men who are ready to help, and a very precocious girl who is very convincing as an alien.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author:

Amanda Cox is the Christy Award-winning author of The Edge of Belonging, The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery, and He Should Have Told the Bees. She holds a bachelor's degree in Bible and theology and a master's degree in professional counseling, but her first love is communicating through story. Her studies and her interactions with hurting families over a decade have allowed her to create multidimensional characters that connect emotionally with readers. She lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee, with her husband and their three children. Learn more at AmandaCoxWrites.com.

Friday, March 31, 2023

My Thoughts on Second Time Around by Melody Carlson

About:

Who doesn't love a second chance?

When Mallory Farrell inherits her grandmother's run-down tourist shop in Portside, Oregon, she knows selling it is the only sensible thing to do. The place holds treasured memories for her, but it would take a fortune to restore it.

But when she learns that her childhood crush, Grayson Matthews, wants to buy the building to redevelop the funky town's business district into a soulless, cookie-cutter outdoor mall, Mallory digs in her heels. With a lot of hard work and a little bit of help, she is sure she can renovate the property herself.

Though Mallory makes incredible progress turning the store into an eclectic home decor shop, she's heartbroken when an exciting opportunity turns into a guaranteed nightmare. Should she surrender her dreams to Grayson's bulldozers? Or is there a future for both of them in this charming seaside town?

My Thoughts:

This was a second time romance for a successful career woman and mother. After her youngest, her daughter got married, Mallory Farrell started having some second thoughts, maybe some regrets, or more just sadness as her three children were grown and she was a divorced woman whose boyfriend just broke up with her. So as Mallory starts taking stock of her life and what she likes, she receives some surprising news. She is the heir to her late grandmother's store and apartment above it along the coast of Oregon in a small seaside town.

Mallory does not understand why she was left the store, and thinking just to sell some things transpire that make her hesitate on that decision. One she meets an old crush, Grayson, who wants to buy the property but for reasons that Mallory doesn't like. Then there is the developing feelings between Grayson and Mallory that complicate things and tends to make things interesting.

This was an overall sweet romance about a woman whose life is not finished yet, even though her kids are grown, and she has successful career, at any age or time in your life new things can blossom.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author:

Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of more than 250 books with sales of more than 7.5 million, including many bestselling Christmas novellas, young adult titles, and contemporary romances. She received a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award, her novel All Summer Long has been made into a Hallmark movie, and the movie based on her novel The Happy Camper premiered on UPtv in 2023. She and her husband live in central Oregon. Learn more at www.MelodyCarlson.com.

Wednesday, February 22, 2023

My Thoughts on What Happens Next by Christina Suzann Nelson

About:

Popular podcaster and ex-reporter Faith Byrne made a name for herself telling stories of greatness after tragedy--but her real life does not mirror the stories she tells. While her daughters spend the summer in Hawaii with her ex-husband and his new wife, she must manage life on her own. All of that changes when she's asked to spotlight her childhood best friend's missing person case on her podcast.

Dora Crane has never accepted that her younger daughter could be dead, keeping her home looking the same as when her daughter disappeared. But when her husband leaves her and her older daughter intervenes, she agrees to counseling and to pack up her missing daughter's belongings under one condition: Faith Byrne comes to Deep Valley and sheds light on the cold case.

As the long-abandoned investigation moves forward, old wounds and long-buried secrets are exposed. Will these two women, whose lives have never been the same, finally get the answers they need to reconcile the past and the future?

My Thoughts:

Wow, this story. First off, I will make note that this is not my usual read. I tend to stay away from stories if I can that is about missing children, unless I know how it ends. However, with that being said, I have read author Nelson before and have liked the way she tells her stories, and the synopsis intrigued me enough to pick up the book.

This was a story about loss and grief and life not turning out to be fair or the way we would like it to be. It is a story about different kinds of loss. Not just every mother's worst nightmare. Without giving anything away, the author delves into loss and grief in a hopeful manner. Now with that being said, this story did break my heart and I was crying by the end.

We are told the story in three different points of view. Dora, the grieving mother who will not give up hope of her daughter returning home, even though it has about cost her everything and everybody else in the thirty-six years Heather has been missing.

Faith was Heather's best friend the summer before Heather disappeared. Faith was not aware of Heather's disappearance as she moved away before it happened, and no one told her. So, when she finds out it comes as a complete shock. Faith actually has an interesting job. She is podcaster who delves into hope, the what happens next aspect of life after tragedy. That is also the name of her podcast.

And the third point of view is Heather herself. The ten-year-old girl having fun in the summer of 1987 with her friends in a small town in the USA. We see and view the events of that summer through her eyes and what was actually happening.

This story is not for the faint of heart. It took me a little time to get through it. I was pulled in the story, but I knew the reading would be hard. It was also not a story to skim, to skip to the end either, I needed to read it straight through, as the revelations happened to the characters in the story too.

A heartbreaking but hopeful read written with beautiful emotion about the love of family and friends and a hope that surpasses all understanding.

I was provided a copy of this novel by Bethany House Publishers through Interviews and Reviews. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author:

Christina Suzann Nelson (www.christinasuzannnelson.com) is an inspirational speaker and Christy award-winning author. Her first novel, If We Make It Home, was honored as one of Library Journal's top five inspirational novels of 2017, and her 2021 novel, The Way It Should Be, won the Christy Award for general fiction.

In 2017, Christina was named the OCW Cascade's Writer of Promise and received a Cascade award for her novel Swimming in the Deep End. Her stories have been published in the Cup of Comfort for a Better World, Cup of Comfort for Adoptive Families, as well as other publications.

Christina is over-the-top about her passions, including the stories created somewhere in the twists and turns of her less-than-focused brain. When she's not writing, Christina serves on the board of Every Child Linn-Benton, a nonprofit where she has the opportunity to influence the lives of families and children in the foster care system.

On a typical day, she chases escaped farm animals, reads, hikes with her dog, and enjoys her husband and six kids.

Tuesday, August 23, 2022

Review, Guest Post, and Giveaway: It Never Occurred to Her by Michelle Jester

About the Book

Book: It Never Occurred to Her

Author: Michelle Jester

Genre: Contemporary Religious Fiction, Women’s Religious Fiction, Contemporary Christian Fiction

Release date: November 28, 2021

For two years Gabriel has followed every lead, no matter how small, in the hope of finding his wife who has been kidnapped. He and the police always seem to be one step behind, until investigators give him information that helps him launch the plan to find her.

When Lena looks up into the eyes of her husband, who she hasn’t seen in two years, she is humiliated and wants nothing more than to run before he recognizes her. And so she does. It’s only when she faces a desperate situation that she is forced to return and ask for his help.

As fate twists its way through both of their lives, they realize it doesn’t matter how much they have prepared to face the realities of losing someone, or finding them again, redemption is in letting go of the past and finding a future just off the beaten path.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

This is a story that was very difficult for me to read, yet it was also so compelling that I did not want to put it down. Right from the first page the author gives trigger warnings that does warn the reader. I knew what I was going into. This does deal with human trafficking, and I did have to skip over some of the happenings.

Lena and Gabriel are living their happily ever after until they are put into a nightmare that neither could imagine. Lena is kidnapped. Gabriel will not give up on finding her. Two years pass. This story was told in past and present chapters. We saw what had happened to Lena during her captivity and the present when she and her husband meet again.

As I was reading, I got to thinking how so many people ask why God lets bad things happen. I have asked that exact question. This time I started thinking why does mankind let these atrocities happen to one another. Man's inhumanity to man is quite horrific at times, and I thought why won't they just stop their cruelty or someone step up and stop this. I know there is a lot of evil in this world, and humans seem to be doing it to one another a lot.

Anyway, this is not a light read. And what Lena and Gabriel must learn is that their future may look a bit different than what they ever dreamed of. There is hope, grace, forgiveness, and love that covers all in this story.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Michelle Jester is the bestselling author of fiction novels, as well as contributing author to the nonfiction #1 bestseller, My Labor Pains Were Worse than Yours. She also writes nonfiction and children’s books. Michelle lives in Louisiana with her husband, high school sweetheart and retired Master Sergeant. She wears a bracelet with a single yellow, rubber duckie charm on it to remind her to enjoy the fun and happy things of life!

You can follow Michelle Jester:

http://michellejester.net

facebook: /authormichellejester

Instagram: @michellejester

TikTok: @michelle_jester

Twitter: @michelle_jester

More from Michelle

When I first started writing this novel, it was because of a dream I had. I woke in the middle of the night crying, sweating, and praising God. I immediately got up, went to my computer and started writing about the dream. I was weeping the entire time and barely able to see through my tears.

In the dream, I was homeless, alone, and had drifted from God. I was hungry and went into a food kitchen to eat. I was dirty, smelled terrible, and missed Larry so much, only I knew I could never go home. I had done too much and had too much done to me to ever make it back to him.

After the person in the food kitchen put the food on my plate, I looked up and it was my husband, Larry. I was humiliated and desperately didn’t want him to recognize me. I was about to leave when in the dream Larry’s face turned to Jesus and He said, “I have been looking for you.”

That dream became the cornerstone of this novel.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, August 11

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, August 12 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 12

Inklings and notions, August 13

For Him and My Family, August 14

Texas Book-aholic, August 15

Spoken from the Heart, August 16

deb’s Book Review, August 16

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 17

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, August 18

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, August 19

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 20

Rebecca Tews, August 21

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 22

Blogging With Carol, August 23

Pause for Tales, August 24

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Michelle is giving away a book gift box that includes: other titles from Michelle Jester, as well as several other authors from Rope Swing Publishing, bookmarks, a coffee mug, and a $20 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/20a82/it-never-occurred-to-her-celebration-tour-giveaway

Friday, August 19, 2022

Review, Guest Post, and Giveaway: Prodigal Lives by Carol McClain

About the Book

Book: Prodigal Lives

Author: Carol McClain

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Release date: April 1, 2022

Life keeps piling problems on Meredith Jaynes. She loses her second foster child—one she was scheduled to adopt. Then Parker Snow refuses to marry her. With only her goats and artisan soap to support her, life will get no better.

If she is honest, though, she still has Crystal. Her funny, happy, loveable toddler makes the sun shine and reminds her of the never-failing love of God.

Pearl Solomon loves her life with her grandfather Guy, but every one of her triumphs is overshadowed by her sisters’ lives. With Mama Meredith, they live a life she envies. Because of her jealousy, she refuses to contact them.

Years later, life for both families twist down paths they do not wish to travel. Pearl knows she’s lost what was most precious in life but has no means of fixing things. Left to her own devices, she spirals out of control.

Meredith finds it harder to mask the despair infertility has brought to her life.

Both families believe they must reconcile themselves to their fates as reality shatters their dreams unless they dig deep for the promise of love.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

This story picks up and follows the lives of foster mom Meredith and the three little girls, Pearl, Roxie, and Crystal, along with Parker, and goes through quite a timeline with them. Like life, time passes all too quickly with good and bad happening all the time.

Meredith is losing her girls one by one, and Parker does not seem to want to commit to a marriage. She just wants a home and a family, especially since losing her first husband and daughter tragically. Meredith continues to foster as other children come and go into her life. The three girls continue to grow up.

Now the back synopsis only gives us a small sampling of what this story is about. I don't want to spoil much by going into more detail, but this story is so much more. Our hearts are tugged every which way as this group of people meander through life. Their heartbreak and hurts, their ups and down, and some topics that are difficult. What happens to this family, and will they get back on the right track? If you have read the first book, Borrowed Lives, this is one you won't want to miss.

I received a copy of this novel from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Carol McClain is the award-winning author of four novels dealing with real people facing real problems. She is a consummate encourager, and no matter what your faith might look like, you will find compassion, humor and wisdom in her complexly layered, but ultimately readable work.

Aside from writing, she’s a skilled stained-glass artist, a budding potter and photographer. She lives in East Tennessee with her husband and growing farm. Inspired by Meredith Jaynes, she owns two goats. One will kid soon.

You can connect with her at carolmcclain.com.

On goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14030286.Carol_McClain

On BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/carol-mcclain

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/author.Carol.McClain

More from Carol

Have you ever thought you’ve seen yourself in a novel?

If you know an author, you probably have.

For years I worked with recovering addicts and those helping them in organizations like Celebrate Recovery, a Christian-styled support group like AA. If I read the events of these people’s lives in a novel, I would say, “Too fake to believe.”

Their lives are tragic, funny, heartbreaking, heartwarming.

Many of their stories made it into my latest novel Prodigal Lives (modified, disguised, and novelized)

I not only incorporate others into my work, but I live through my characters’ lives (Please don’t suggest a sky diving protagonist).

In Prodigal Lives one of my main characters owns goats. For years, I begged my husband too let me have a goat or two. He promised. Then, he wimped out, so I created Meredith Jaynes a successful artisan specializing in goat soap and raising Nubians.

Prodigal Lives is a sequel but can stand alone (reading both books amplifies your enjoyment, of course). This book follows the loss Pearl and Meredith feel as Pearl is adopted by her grandfather. Pearl becomes jealous of her sisters who stay with Mama Meredith, and they lose touch. Although they hear nothing from each other, neither is forgotten.

I believe in redemption. All my work illustrates that no matter how far you fall, a loving Father is going to make a way to redeem you. He’s done it for me, and I was an impossibly problematic child of the King.

I hope you enjoy Prodigal Lives. Sign up for my newsletter and blog and never miss a new release, my Biblical thoughts or an appearance I’m making. Believe me, I wouldn’t live, my blog and newsletter are fascinating.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, August 6

Splashes of Joy, August 7 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 7

Texas Book-aholic, August 8

Inklings and notions, August 9

For Him and My Family, August 10

Artistic Nobody, August 11 (Author Interview)

deb’s Book Review, August 11

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 12

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, August 13

A Reader’s Brain, August 14

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, August 15

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 16

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 17

Spoken from the Heart, August 18

Pause for Tales, August 19

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Carol is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/20711/prodigal-lives-celebration-tour-giveaway

Friday, July 22, 2022

Review: The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip by Sara Brunsvold

About:

A throwaway assignment is about to change two lives forever

Aidyn Kelley is talented, ambitious, and ready for a more serious assignment than the fluff pieces she's been getting as a cub reporter for the Kansas City Star. In her eagerness, she pushes too hard, earning herself the menial task of writing an obituary for an unremarkable woman who's just entered hospice care.

But there's more to Clara Kip than meets the eye. The spirited septuagenarian may be dying, but she's not quite ready to cash it in yet. Never one to shy away from an assignment herself, she can see that God brought the young reporter into her life for a reason. And if it's a story Aidyn Kelley wants, that's just what Mrs. Kip will give her--but she's going to have to work for it.

My Thoughts:

This is a story that I was very intrigued by and really did not know what I would be getting. It is not my usual genre; in fact, I was really hoping that I would not be depressed by the end of this book. Well, I am pleasantly surprised at how this story was told. It is about a woman, Mrs. Kip who is dying. She has cancer, she is in pain, and she doesn't have much time left here on earth. She knows it and everyone around her knows it. There are some who work in the hospice care that have a special gift and can help ease dying people. And there are most people who are just uncomfortable as they are faced with this situation and ultimately, we are faced with a mirror image of our own mortal bodies and what awaits us all. It makes us uncomfortable.

This is why a lot of us would completely understand why Aidyn Kelley would feel uncomfortable with spending so much time with Mrs. Kip even though her editor requires it. However, the more Aidyn and we get to know Mrs. Kip, we sense and get a much bigger story of her life. With flashbacks to her heartbreak and pain, her growth and the great work that she accomplished, I was pulled into her story of this woman who made such a difference, despite the fact that her life's dreams did not pan out. And the time leading up to her death, well the author showed that Mrs. Kip was going to live her life to the fullest right up to her death.

For a book about a woman's dying days, I found much hope and peace within these pages. This was a remarkable story and as for her extraordinary deaths, yes plural, read the story.

I was provided a copy of this novel by the publisher through Interviews and Reviews. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author:

Sara Brunsvold creates stories that speak hope, truth, and life. Influenced by humble women of God who find his fingerprints in the everyday, she does the same in her life and her storytelling. Sara's recognitions include the 2020 ACFW Genesis Award for Contemporary Fiction. She lives with her family in Kansas City, Missouri, where she can often be spotted writing at a park or library. Learn more at www.sarabrunsvold.com.

Tuesday, July 5, 2022

Review, Guest Post, and Giveway: Perfectly Placed by Liana George

About the Book

Book: Perfectly Placed

Author: Liana George

Genre: Contemporary Christian Women’s Fiction

Release date: July 5, 2022

Nicki’s tasked with making New Hope the perfect place for orphaned children.

So why has everything gone wrong?

Six weeks after leaving China, Nicki Mayfield returns to complete two critical tasks: restore order at New Hope Orphanage and re-connect with the little girl who stole her heart. However, between a stubbornly stone walling supervisor, missing documents, and personal tragedy, Nicki faces challenges at every turn. Is she the best person to bring order – and longevity – to the place these children call home? Then, with the help of an unexpected ally, Nicki makes a life-altering decision that upends her well-planned life and the lives of those around her. Will she lose it all, or has she found the way to save what matters most?

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

Nicki Mayfield has a heart for New Hope Orphanage in China, and especially for a little girl, Lei Ming. This particular orphanage deals with children who have heart defects and Nicki wants to do all in her power and the authority given to her by her boss to make sure this place is up and running for years to come. And as a professional organizer she has a limited amount of time to get files organized and make sure everything is running properly. However, from the very first day she steps in she is met with opposition that she will uncover that shows her some serious problems and corruption.

This was an interesting story as the author really brought us in to the Chinese culture from their holidays to a bit how their government is run, and how even they seem view Americans. This story also touches a bit on the serious mental disorder of hoarding along with the sick children issue in China.

The story had many twists and turns in Nicki's way. She grows and begins relying much more on her faith. The ending was nice and a bit unexpected and I hope leads to a third book in this series.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Liana George is a sought-after speaker, blogger, and author. Before pursuing a career in writing, she was a professional organizer and is the former owner of By George Organizing Solutions in Houston. Her debut novel, Perfectly Arranged, Book One in The Hopeful Heart Series, was released in October 2021 from Scrivenings Press. When she’s not putting things in order or scribbling away, you can find her reading, traveling, or watching tennis.

More from Liana

Have you ever eaten at a Chinese restaurant and taken a fortune cookie with you when you left? Yeah, me too. For the longest time, I always associated these Pac-Man shaped treats with Chinese food and by extension, Chinese culture.

I was wrong.

The tsujiura senbei,” or “fortune cracker,” actually originated in Japan and was brought over to the United States sometime between the late 1800s and early 1900s by immigrants. Japanese bakers first began selling and making these crackers in California and Hawaii. With their unique taste and finger-sized slip of paper printed with a pithy fortune or aphorism, they quickly became a hit.

Today, the fascination with these cookies is still at an all-time high, but the ingredients have changed. Originally, they were made with miso and sesame flavoring but now they use butter and vanilla to give it that sweet taste you and I are so familiar with.

So, why am I telling you all this?

Because my novel, Perfectly Placed, book 2 in The Hopeful Heart Series, begins with the main character, Nicki Mayfield, breaking into a fortune cookie and discovering a proverb that will motivate her and move her to action. What was written on that tiny slip of paper? There’s only one way to find out. Grab a copy of Perfectly Placed – and a cookie or two – and start reading!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, June 27

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 28

Texas Book-aholic, June 29

The Sacred Line, June 29

Inklings and notions, June 30

By the Book, July 1

Rebecca Tews, July 2

Splashes of Joy, July 2

For Him and My Family, July 3

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 4

deb’s Book Review, July 5

Pause for Tales, July 5

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, July 6

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 7

Spoken from the Heart, July 7

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 8

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, July 9

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, July 10 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, July 10

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Liana is giving away the grand prize package of a travel kit which includes a signed copy of Perfectly Placed, a travel cube, a travel/passport wallet, luggage tag, travel journal, packing checklist and tips, and a $25 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/1f45d/perfectly-placed-celebration-tour-giveaway

Tuesday, June 7, 2022

Review, Guest Post, and Giveaway: The Sweet Life by Suzanne Woods Fisher

About the Book

Book: The Sweet Life

Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release date: May 3, 2022

Jilted by her fiancé, Dawn Dixon escapes to beautiful Cape Cod on a groomless honeymoon–with her mother. But she didn’t expect her mom to risk everything, on a whim, to move there permanently or buy a rundown ice cream shop in need of repair. In order to make their new life work, they’ll also need her ex’s help.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts:

When life keeps throwing curve ball after curve ball, what do you do? Well in Marnie
Dixon's carefree way of life you buy an ice cream shop. Not just any, but one with
historical value even if bringing life back into it will be next to impossible. Marnie is not
on her own. She has her daughter Dawn as well who has walked through the same
trials and tribulations.

Dawn, a planner all the way, is less than thrilled when her mother on the spur of
the moment buys this rundown shop. While they are on vacation no less, which was
supposed to be Dawn’s honeymoon. Not only did her father die in an accident,
but she just found out about her mom’s health, and her fiancé broke up with her
two months before the wedding.

But Marnie might have a crazy good idea. Will it work? Who knows, but Dawn needs
a distraction, and she also sees that her mom does too. So, she and her mom dig
in and hope they can make the ice cream shop a go. What neither of them realize,
is this might just be the very blessing they needed. A blessing that comes with its
own trials.

I liked this sweet story of a mother and daughter’s relationship. As they try to
maneuver a new path that life has unexpectedly thrown at them. Both need to
come to the realization that they have new dreams opening before them after
accepting the past and moving on. The faith is subtle and shown in real life ways.
This shows how one can slip away from God, but how He is always waiting for them
return. And the romance was a pleasant surprise, and I quite liked the journey the
author took us on. It was bittersweet, but almost perfect.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a
positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author

With over 1.5 million copies sold, Suzanne Woods Fisher is a bestselling author of over 30 books, ranging from novels to children’s books to non-fiction. She is a Christy Award finalist, a winner of Carol and Selah awards, and a two-time finalist for ECPA Book of the Year. She writes stories that take you to places you’ve never visited—one with characters that seem like old friends. But most of all, her books give you something to think about long after you’ve finished reading it. Suzanne lives with her very big family in northern California.

More from Suzanne

The Sweet Life is a story about a mom and a daughter who, both in need of a little respite from life’s bumps and bruises, start an ice cream shop on Cape Cod…thinking it will be easy. After all, who doesn’t love ice cream?

Well, sure. That’s true. Everybody loves ice cream. But ice cream can be tricky. This I can say with authority. My husband is a serious hobby ice cream maker. He even attended Penn State’s Ice Cream School. While Steve was working on his vanilla recipe, he experimented fifty-nine times before he was finally satisfied. 59 times! Other flavors, like chocolate, can mask mistakes. Not vanilla. Too pure.

Here’s a few other things you probably didn’t know about ice cream:

The very first mention of a frozen dessert dates back to Persia in 550 BC, though it might have been sorbet-like. It’s said that Emperor Nero had ice brought down from the Apennine Mountains to produce a sorbet of honey and wine. And then there are those who insist that ice cream came out of China and were introduced to Italy with the help of Marco Polo. Regardless of its origins, a love of ice cream has been around for a very, very long time.

Quaker colonists introduced ice cream to early America, having brought their recipes with them from England. Some argue that the French brought ice cream to America. Regardless, during the colonial era, ice cream was sold in shops in New York.

George Washington loved ice cream. So much so that he even brought ice cream making equipment to Mount Vernon! There are many accounts of “ice creem” (as it was then called) served during his administration.

First Lady Dolley Madison, wife of U.S. President James Madison, served ice cream at her husband’s Inaugural Ball in 1813. Common colonial flavors were soft fruits, like peaches or strawberries, added to a vanilla custard. Dolley had a curious favorite flavor: oyster. (Ugh.)

In September of 1846, a Philadelphia housewife named Nancy Johnson filed patent #3254 for a simple hand cranked ice cream churn. Prior to this point, ice cream belonged to the wealthy. Her hand cranked ice cream churn made it affordable for everyone. Nancy Johnson’s design is still used today.

During the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904, an ice cream vendor ran out of cardboard dishes. The vendor next door offered to make cones by rolling up his waffles. Voila! The birth of the ice cream cone.

The majority of American ice cream companies have been in business for more than 50 years. Many of them are still owned by single families.

For the last 128 years, Penn State University has held Ice Cream School for professionals and serious hobbyists during January (for obvious reasons). All the greats have attended: Baskin & Robbins, Ben & Jerry, Dreyer’s, Nestle’s, Blue Bell Creamery, Dairy Queen, and…my husband.

The most popular flavor in the world? Vanilla. Of course.