This book is a one-of-a kind, realistic look at what happens when people face tragedy and pain and are forced to come out the other side. Greer Hadley is a talented musician who has lost her chance in Nashville and returns to her hometown of Madison, TN with her “tail between her legs.” Because of multiple wrong choices, she ends up having to do community service. Thus, the stage is set for a wonderful love story, told with so much pathos that the emotions jump off the pages. One of the persons that Greer is supposed to help is Ally, a sarcastic and bitter teen whose father has just died. She also is assigned to help Emmett, a soldier home from the war who is wounded in body and spirit. The path that Greer takes to help the two of them find joy in life again is amazing! Greer demonstrates sarcastic wit and wisdom in her interactions with those whom she is supposed to help. The characters are well-crafted in such a way that their weaknesses are believable. The drama in the book is slowly revealed, like an old Polaroid photo that slowly becomes colorful and detailed. I loved the entire book, and as the wife of a retired military member, it is hard to impress me with a book having anything to do with war victims. This is a cheerful, clean romance that will uplift the readers and make us all beg for more from this talented author.

Disclaimer

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

You can buy this book today at the following sites or at a local bookstore:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Hero-Heart-Book-ebook/dp/B07SCS49RT/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=An+Everyday+Hero&qid=1580821453&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/an-everyday-hero-laura-trentham/1131936712?ean=9781250145567#/

This is a charming romance set in a town that is a vision of what we all would like to live in, Redemption, Texas. The characters in this town were funny, realistic and at times markedly boisterous in their beliefs. Tucker McBride has come back home after serving as a U.S. Army Ranger. He has a plan to use his skills to set up a wilderness training school. Setting up his shop next to Gillian Thacker’s Bridal Bliss boutique, Tucker is immediately taken by the boldness of this young woman. The conflict comes when both want to use the same space in the small town. Although this is part of a series, I can attest to the fact that it can be easily read as a standalone since I have not read any of the other books myself. My favorite character was Tucker, a strong protagonist with strong beliefs about his own talents and what he wants from life. The theme seemed to be the importance of family and learning to trust others after being burned. I thoroughly enjoyed my first glimpse into the lives of the McBrides and will search out the other books in the series to check out their heroes. Fans of clean, light romance will enjoy this book.

Disclaimer

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Available for pre-order now:

https://www.amazon.com/Eternity-Springs-McBrides-Texas-Tucker-ebook/dp/B07SCTC5Q3/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=Tucker+by+Emily+March&qid=1580740712&sr=8-2

I’m going to be totally honest here. It has been hard to rejoice lately because of problems with my spine causing extreme pain and because of some things going on in my family. But, I have been trying to do so because God tells us to rejoice.

Photo from Pinterest.com

This same scripture says to pray continually. I liken that to picking up my spiritual phone in the morning and talking to the Father and then just keeping Him on the line and talking to Him throughout the day. I read a devotional this morning that said that some people say it’s hard to pray continually. The devotional pointed out that we check our cell phones constantly. That is what being in touch with God is like…always checking in for messages from Him and sending Him messages about how our day is going.

The final thing we are supposed to do is to give thanks in all circumstances. ALL circumstances! When I am in pain and not able to sleep during the night, instead of moaning as I am accustomed to doing, I should be giving thanks. When circumstances in my family are overwhelming me, I should give thanks. That does not mean that the circumstances are going to change, but it does mean that my heart will. Thus, that is my plan from today on.

This is the other Scripture that spoke to me this week. I want to be like a tree, trusting in God no matter what is happening around me. No worries! Do you see that? No worries! I’m just supposed to keep on bearing fruit for the Lord. And that is your job, too, if you are a child of His! Just grow, send out deep roots, keep your contact with the Lord and grow so that you can bear fruit for Him. I’m feeling blessed and energized now, and I pray that you have received some truth from reading this post today.

Blessings to you as you go check in with the Father and keep that line open!

I must confess that historical romance is not usually the genre that I choose to read, but the premise of the book enticed me to read it. Susannah Eversoll’s husband of twenty years committed suicide, so she reluctantly offers to be a mail-order bride, taking her adult daughter Melissa to Oregon with her. Once there, Susannah fulfills her obligation to marry David, but she seems resigned to live without love and to take care of his two rambunctious boys whom she was not prepared to care for. One night, Susannah and David go to the town’s skating party and everything changes when Susannah is hurt and suffers from amnesia. David continues to hope that Susannah will regain her memory and we begin to see that he really cares for her. There are a couple of mysteries woven into the story, one of which threatens David and Susannah’s new marriage. I enjoyed the book because the pace was quick and the characters were sympathetic and believable. The few twists that were included certainly added to the story for me! Fans of historical romance will enjoy this clean read.

Disclaimer

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

My rating:

My rating is mostly based on the fact that there were some events that seemed too coincidental, but otherwise, I was impressed with the author’s tight writing.

Available today:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2t7EFx8

I read this devotional this morning and it really struck me that Jesus is the Keeper of Peace in our hearts. I have not been sleeping well lately because of joint and spine pain. I went to my ortho doctor yesterday and I am scheduled to have a spinal injection next week, hopefully to alleviate the pain. Regardless of the outcome, the Lord keeps speaking peace to my heart. He keeps saying, “Trust me.” I leave you today with a prayer for a blessing on your day and your life and a prayer that you will have God’s peace in your hearts.

https://www.faithgateway.com/the-fruit-of-the-spirit-peace/?utm_source=devosdaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=devosdaily20200128#.XjLhtS9OmhA

Photo from biblestudytools.com

This book will be available on February 4, 2020, but it is available for pre-order now.

Once again, Christina McDonald has sent me into the world of a deeply dark domestic thriller and would not let me escape. Eva Hansen wakes up in a hospital after being struck by lightning and is told that her mother Kat has been murdered. And she is a major suspect in the murder! Eva’s snatches of disjointed memories adds to the stunning, unexpected twists throughout the book. The book takes place in Seattle, where Eva lives, and London, where her mom used to live. It is told from the points of view of both Eva and Kat and from the times of present and past. All of these changes back and forth kept me so absorbed in the book that I did not realize sometimes how late I was staying up to read. I felt like a pinball at the beginning of each chapter, and I mean that in the best way possible. McDonald sent me spinning each time, bouncing from one twist to another and waiting for the lights to zing in my head and show me what was really going on. There were clues, but they were subtle and very well-written. This was a book about mother-daughter relationships (or lack thereof), but it was so much more! It also included sibling rivalry and the budding love relationship with a new fiancé. This book was a thriller like no other that I have ever read and I read a lot of thrillers! I loved it and absolutely devoured it! Fans of thrillers and suspense will definitely want to read this fast-paced and fascinating book. In fact, I want to read it again to read all of the clues that I skipped over, not noticing what the author was telling me in her tricky and masterful way!

Disclaimer

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. (But I also want to say that I have purchased an e-copy and a hard copy for myself to own! I love this author’s books so much!) I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

My rating:

This rating is based on how well the book was written and what a good job it did of entertaining me. For those looking for a clean read, this is not one since it includes violence as well as the “F” word repeatedly.

This cover is a perfect representation of what is happening in the book: shattered memories and running on an unknown path towards an unknown future.

Links to purchase:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/37DUxX8

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/36BtUB1

I remember many farewells, probably because we moved so many times. I recall telling good friends at different bases that we would keep in touch…and then I didn’t. I confess that I got busy with my new life at the next base and forgot those that I had left behind. From all our friends at all the bases we lived, I have one good friend with whom I keep in touch. Well, at least, we exchange a letter every Christmas about what is happening in our family these days, if that counts as keeping in touch. It seems that I have forgotten more than I remember.

But one thing I have vowed never to forget. Today is Holocaust Remembrance Day. No, I did not live during the Holocaust. However, as a young teen, I read the “Diary of Anne Frank” and cried over the loss of someone so young. As a young Christian, I read about the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps in books by such people as Corrie Ten Boom. I was afraid that such a thing could happen to so many people while the world did nothing, so I feared that it could happen again. I understand that there was not technology like we have today, a world in which images are sent worldwide in seconds. Nevertheless, I am determined to raise my voice for those who can no longer do so, because the Nazis in their fervent hatred of all things Jewish did their best to wipe out an entire population. Thank the Lord that they did not succeed! Where did such hatred come from? Dr. Denison has good insight into this:

https://www.denisonforum.org/columns/daily-article/international-holocaust-remembrance-day-three-reasons-people-hate-the-jews-and-an-incredible-example-of-courage/

I will close with a Scripture verse, taken from a wall sign on sale at Amazon.com:

God loves each of us, especially His chosen people, the Jews. Today, we call them Israelites because they have their own country. Pray for Israel! Pray for peace in Jerusalem! And pray that another Holocaust never occurs again! May God bless the souls of those destroyed by hatred and may God’s great love spread throughout the world! Thank You, Lord, that you do not forget your people. Thank you, Lord, that you are our God and that you love us so that we can love others.

This wonderful book is recommended for ALL children everywhere! It is a clean read that is a creative and beautifully illustrated view of creation. Available on January 28th, but you can pre-order it today!

This is an amazing book with wonderful illustrations. It is Biblically accurate about the story of creation, told in a way that will attract children and help them to remember the awesomeness of God and the diversity of His creation. I loved the illustrations; each page was an adventure to see and a wonder to behold. I enjoyed the way the story of creation unfolded with rhymes and vocabulary to expand a child’s world. I highly recommend this for all parents, grandparents, for anyone who wants to tell the Biblical story with truth and color.

Disclaimer

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Links to purchase:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2TUNLZ2

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/2Gr0tXv

Books-a-Million: http://bit.ly/30Px7eQ

CBD: http://bit.ly/37qWGWj (lowest price, by the way)

To my readers: I sincerely hope that you will consider buying this book as a gift for a young person in your life. The vocabulary is fantastic, a whole world of new words in a rhyme scheme that is unbelievably creative.