A bride at last by Melissa Jagears

A Bride at Last (Bethany House, July 2015)

Abandoned by his mail-order bride, Silas Jonesey has fought an uphill battle to recover from a pattern of poor choices. Now his prayers for reconciliation have finally come true and his estranged wife has contacted him with her whereabouts.

Kate Dawson was supposed to be a mail-order bride, but upon realizing she’d been deceived about her intended groom, she’s now settled into life as a schoolteacher. When the mother of a student passes away, Kate assumes she’ll take on care of nine-year-old Anthony–until two men suddenly show up in town, claiming to be the boy’s father.

Silas can see Anthony loves Kate, so he enlists her help in reaching out to the boy and attempting to prove his paternity to the court. When a common interest in Anthony leads to an interest in each other and Silas and Kate begin to think they can overcome their rocky start, neither is prepared for the secrets and past hurts that have yet to come to light. Can Silas, Kate, and Anthony’s wounded souls bind them together or will all that stands between them leave them lonely forever?

My opinion: This was an interesting read, I really enjoyed the characters as liked watching them as they grew and developed throughout the book. I appreciated the flaws and growth of these characters and seeing how they change and become a lot more likable. This book had enough going on to make it interesting and I read it fairly quickly.  At times I wanted to smack Silas because of how he acted towards Kate, but it all worked out in the end. I received a copy of this book for my honest opinion.

Thriving in Babylon by Larry Osborne

Thriving in Babylon (David C. Cook, April 2015)

Meet a man forced to live in a fast changing and godless society. He faced fears about the future, concern for his safety, and the discouragement of world that seemed to be falling apart at warp speed.

Sound familiar? His name was Daniel, and with the power of hope, humility, and wisdom, he not only thrived, he changed an empire while he was at it. Though he lived thousands of years ago, he has a much to teach us today.

Even in Babylon, God is in control.

In Thriving in Babylon, Larry Osborne explores the “adult” story of Daniel to help us not only survive – but actually thrive in an increasingly godless culture. Here Pastor Osborne looks at:

—Why panic and despair are never from God
—What true optimism looks like
—How humility disarms even our greatest of enemies
—Why respect causes even those who will have nothing to do with God to listen
—How wisdom can snatch victory out of the jaws of defeat

For those who know Jesus and understand the full implications of the cross, the resurrection, and the promises of Jesus, everything changes—not only in us, but also in our world.

My opinion: This book was a very interesting read and was a great reminder for me that many of those people in times past have faces the struggles and challenges that we face in this day and age.  The story of Daniel has always been one of my favorites, he was someone who trusted in God and did not let the world around him sway who he was. This book is a great reminder that much like Daniel we live in a very wicked society and like Daniel we have the opportunity to change the world we live in. This was a well written, engaging read that really got me thinking. I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

A heart's promise by Colleen Coble

{MORE ABOUT A HEART’S PROMISE}

A Heart’s Promise (Thomas Nelson, July 2015)

Emmie makes a promise to her friend that, if fulfilled, could mean the end to her dreams of a future with Isaac.

Emmie Croftner let Isaac Liddle go to avoid telling him about her past. But Isaac remains determined to win Emmie’s heart and hand. Though Emmie resolves to keep her heart in check, it hurts when she sees that another woman has set her bonnet for Isaac.

Then Emmie’s dear friend extracts a costly promise: if anything happens to her in childbirth, Emmie will marry her widower and raise the baby herself. And it seems Emmie may have to fulfill that promise. But can she live happily without Isaac?

My opinion: The saga continues, these books are like a soap opera, with so much drama and unrealistic life situations thrown in. I have liked some of Ms. Coble's newer series but this series is just really a bit too much. Good thing they are so short! The characters are okay, but I had a hard time relating to them. I could see one or two bad things happening to the,.I understand the pioneers had a hard life, but all of the drama gets really old. I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Drawing Fire by Janice Cantore

I am a huge fan of Janice Cantore's books, I mean she is probably my favorite Christian suspense and cop fiction writer and is it any surprise with her being a retired cop herself? I feel her books give a more gritty and realistic view of what being a cop is like.
I really liked the character of Abby and loved the story line that kept me on my toes and hooked until the end. This book really sucks you in with great characters, a intriguing plot and an unexpected ending. I consider this to be another fine work by Ms. Cantore and reminds me of why I enjoy her books so much. I also really like how the book is suspenseful without being totally creepy so I am still able to sleep at night.:)
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Through a man's eyes by Shaunti Feldhahn and Craig Gross

I was so very excited about the latest book from Shaunti Feldhahn as I have always appreciated her books and the fascinating differences she points out between men and women. I was equally delighted to see that she teamed up with Craig Gross who I had heard of because of the work he has done to bring people out of pornography through xxxchurch.com.
This book certainly lived up to the expectations I had for it. I really appreciate how it talks about how men are very visual, what we can do to help them,why it is such a struggle for them and how women need to have grace towards them.
This book is very easy to read, well written and utterly intriguing, I think it is an excellent read for women to help us understand how visual men really are.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Tattered and mended by Cynthia Ruchti

A crumbling statue. A torn tapestry. A discolored painting. 

Artisans can reclaim exquisite beauty from the broken, frayed, and hopelessly shattered—perhaps once thought beyond repair. But what about us? What of the wounds that keep us from living the life we want to live?

In Tattered and Mended, readers walk through a gallery of reclaimed and restored art as well as broken and restored lives of those who have gone before us. With a gentle touch and personable wisdom, Cynthia Ruchti shows how even the most threadbare soul can once again find healing and hope.

My opinion: This was an intriguing book that makes one realize that there is hope and restoration in the gospel. This book is filled with books that is very inspiring and stays with you long after you read it. I love books that use stories of people who have struggled and have overcome and this book is filled with plenty of great stories about that. I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Shadows of Ladenbrooke manor by Melanie Dobson

Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor (Howard, June 2015)

When Heather Toulson returns to her parents’ cottage in the English countryside, she uncovers long-hidden secrets about her family history and stumbles onto the truth about a sixty-year-old murder.

Libby, a free spirit who can’t be tamed by her parents, finds solace with her neighbor Oliver, the son of Lord Croft of Ladenbrooke Manor. Libby finds herself pregnant and alone when her father kicks her out and Oliver mysteriously drowns in a nearby river. Though theories spread across the English countryside, no one is ever held responsible for Oliver’s death.

Sixty years later, Heather Toulson, returning to her family’s cottage in the shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor, is filled with mixed emotions. She’s mourning her father’s passing but can’t let go of the anger and resentment over their strained relationship. Adding to her confusion, Heather has an uneasy reunion with her first love, all while sorting through her family’s belongings left behind in the cottage. What she uncovers will change everything she thought she knew about her family’s history.

Award-winning author Melanie Dobson seamlessly weaves the past and present together, fluidly unraveling the decades-old mystery and reveals how the characters are connected in shocking ways.

Set in a charming world of thatched cottages, lush gardens, and lovely summer evenings, this romantic and historical mystery brings to light the secrets and heartaches that have divided a family for generations.

My opinion: As always I loved this book by Melanie Dobson. Her books are so interesting and I like how she goes back between the past and present weaving an interesting story in the process. I really found it interesting how the author talked about autism and how it was viewed over 40 years ago, I had never really thought about it but it was interesting trying to understand what people thought about it and how they treated people who had it. I wouldn't say this was my favorite book by Ms. Dobson but I still really enjoyed it and finished it up in no time.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.