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Sunday, June 5, 2016


AN UNBROKEN HEART by KATHLEEN FULLER

Everytime I read a book from this author, I know it is going to be an unforgettable story that is filled with love, forgiveness and a story that is mesmerizing. I love how the author develops the characters with a soft and gentle spirit about them.

Joanna is in the buggy with her parents discussing her desire to marry Andrew. The feelings were a bit strained between her and her parents over the marriage. Her mother was explaining why she thought Joanna was not ready for marriage when suddenly a car hits their buggy. Joanna's life is suddenly turned upside down. She finds herself with a broken pelvis and cuts on her face . She is in for a long recovery and as she also has to deal with the loss of her parents.

As she recovers in the rehabilitation center she feels hopeless, empty inside and alone in the world. Her  self worth became  very low  the longer her recovery took. Andrew is very upset with all Joanna is going through. He doesn't want to lose her and knows that she is the one he wants to spend the rest of his life with. He proposes to her and she accepts it with a bit of uncertainty. She knew she should be overjoyed, but the feelings are mixed .


As her wedding day arrives , will she follow through and marry Andrew? Is Joanna struggling with her parents death? Can she find hope in God to show her how precious she is? The author does a great job of showing the emotions, and struggles that Joanna goes through. I'm sure we have all felt unhappy with ourselves at one time. Joanna must learn that God sees her as a beautiful young woman with no scars. In her journey with God, she will learn to be strong and find courage to overcome her emotional feelings. It is hard to deal with losing someone when the last words exchanged were in anger. Can Joanna forgive herself for the angry words she said just before the accident? The book is an emotional journey that will keep readers glued to the story. It is another great story by a very gifted author.

I received a copy of this book from The Fiction Guild for an honest review.

Saturday, June 4, 2016


LOVE IS SOMETHING YOU DO by SHERRY and BOBBY BURNETTE

I started reading this book as emotions overwhelmed me. Each step the Burnettes'  took on their journey is filled with hope, struggles, unconditional love and a faith that is powerful beyond words.  I loved when Bobby said, " I learned that we should do everything that's possible for us to do, and let God do the impossible."  I know that sometimes I try to get ahead of God , instead of relying on Him. How many of us have tried to "help" God, only to realize He didn't need our help at all. He can do the impossible if we only allow ourselves to move out of His way.

This book takes readers on a journey with Booby and Sherry as they travel to different countries serving the Lord. It is hard to even imagine some of the things they encountered in these foreign places where water and food was not easy  to obtain. Their devotion to spread the word about God and His unconditional love is very evident in their descriptions as they traveled with hope and encouragement. I was so intrigued by their different travels like going to the Philippines . They were surrounded by headhunters which had to be a culture shock to them.  I know that had to really take a strong faith in God to believe that He would protect them.

Haiti was devastated January 12, 2010 as a 7.1 earthquake  struck. The Brunettes' had  been in Haiti for  awhile before the earthquake hit and had established relationship with people there. The disaster must have been heartbreaking to witness. But their love and dedication to these people brought help from the United States. There was so much work to do. They needed immediate places for the injured to go, fresh water, supplies, food and volunteers. My emotions became so great that I put  the book down  for a few minutes. To think that this wonderful couple had dedicated their lives  to help others was so powerful and filled with great passion. As they continued to see medical supplies and medical staff come to Haiti , they worked harder and never gave up. Be sure and pick this book up and find out how a couple dedicated their lives to helping others and seeing miracles happen as they worked alongside the people to restore their land.

"The child who cries in the house and the one who cries at the door are the same." " The  Lord wants us to care for all His children."

I received a copy of this book from The BookClub Network for an honest review.

Friday, June 3, 2016

A Daughter's Dream- Cover
A Daughter’s Dream by Shelley Shepard Gray
Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/20vVAye
Rebecca Kinsinger has always dreamed of being a teacher. But when she’s given the opportunity she’s been waiting for at Charm Amish School, she’s dismayed to discover that teaching is hard work—work she’s afraid she’s not very good at.
That is, until Lilly Yoder joins the class. A thirteen-year old who’s just lost her parents, Lilly is in need of someone like Rebecca. For the first time since starting her new job, Rebecca feels a sense of purpose. But when she meets Lilly’s uncle, Jacob, his good looks and sweet, easy-going temperament are hard to ignore. How can she even entertain romantic thoughts of Jacob when his niece is her student?
Suddenly becoming Lily’s sole caregiver, Jacob Yoder never thought he’d be a single parent—or a farmer. Having been living in Florida as a carpenter, Jacob feels more at home wielding a hammer than a backhoe. The only bright spot in his life is Rebecca Kinsinger. As Lily and Rebecca develop a bond, Jacob’s fondness for the pretty teacher grows, too.
But when a fateful accident brings them together, Rebecca and Jacob must choose between duty and desire. Will they follow the path before them? Or set out to find true happiness…and true love?
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As we grow up we all have a dream of being something. It may be a dream to be a nurse, firefighter, doctor or even an author. For Rebecca her dream was to be a teacher. She wanted to teach children and watch their smiles as they learned their lessons each day. But alas, it was only a dream since she worked at the family's mill . She was a hard worker and was a very kind hearted person. She always tended to others needs and put her own aside. Her one bright spot in her day was the opportunity to volunteer at Charms Amish school house. What joy it brought her to be able to help at the school house.

Jacob has returned to Charm Ohio so he can be the guardian for his niece Lily. He also has come back to help his dad on the farm.  As he begins to work long hours on the farm and observes  how well he rebuilt a stall , his dad suggests he get a job working at the mill. I wonder who he will see there everyday at the mill?

I absolutely loved the story and felt surrounded by the characters as they came to life with the soft gracefulness of the authors writing. The story just flows so easily and really keeps your attention. Will Rebecca's dream ever come true? Will Jacob get up the courage to pursue Rebecca when he realizes his attraction to her? Sometimes we look for love everywhere, when it was right in front of us all along.

This is a  wonderful story that reminds us that sometimes our dreams aren't always what God has planned for us. The main characters will deal with conflict, decisions and find out that their talents are valuable and can be used in places they never considered before. Thank you for another exceptional story that I will remember for a long time.

I received a copy of this book from the author for an honest review.


Enter to win a copy of A Daughter’s Dream—five winners will be chosen! The winners will be announced June 8 on Shelley’s blog!
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Shelley Gray
Shelley Shepard Gray is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time HOLT Medallion winner. She lives in southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town’s bike trail.

Connect with Shelley:
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Thursday, June 2, 2016

ECLAIR AND PRESENT DANGER large banner640

Éclair and Present Danger
by Laura Bradford

I truly enjoyed the scenarios that the author created and thought that they were very clever.
~Girl Lost in A Book
Éclair and Present Danger is well written and it is an original concept.
~MysteriesEtc
Well let me tell you, Laura just gained herself a new lifelong fan! ÉCLAIR AND PRESENT DANGER is a smart, snappy read and I was struck over and over again how absolutely creative the author is.
~Cinnamon and Sugar and A Little Bit of Murder
This book is fast paced the way that I like it. Just the right amount of suspense and mystery.
~cherylbbookblog
ECLAIR AND PRSENT DANGER
Éclair and Present Danger (An Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery)
New Cozy Mystery Series
A Berkley Prime Crime Mystery (June 7, 2016)
An Imprint of Penguin Random House LLC
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0425280898
E-Book ASIN: B016JPTP4G
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Synopsis

The first book in the delicious new Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery series from national bestselling author Laura Bradford.
With her rent rising faster than her pie crust, bakery owner Winnie Johnson had hoped to be rescued by an inheritance from her wealthy friend and neighbor Gertrude Redenbacher. Instead all she inherits is the widow’s hostile hissing tabby, Lovey, and a vintage ambulance, restored by Gertrude’s late husband. As her dream crumbles, Winnie makes her final delivery—a peach pie to an elderly widower. But she finds Bart Wagner lying on his kitchen floor, smothered by a pillow.
To comfort her frightened and grieving neighbors, Winnie comes to the rescue with her baked goods—and an idea is born: dessert delivery via her ambulance and a new business called the Emergency Dessert Squad. When she’s not speeding to the scenes of dessert emergencies, Winnie is also racing to track down Bart’s killer—before she needs to call a real ambulance for the next victim…
laura bradford
About The Author – 
Laura Bradford (aka Elizabeth Lynn Casey) is the author of several mystery series and a handful of romance novels. She is a former Agatha Award nominee and the recipient of an RT Reviewer’s Choice Award.  In her free time, Laura enjoys making memories with her family, baking, playing games, and catching up with friends. In addition to the Emergency Dessert Squad Mysteries, Laura writes The Amish Mysteries and The Jenkins & Burns mysteries, as well as The Southern Sewing Circle Mysteries (as Elizabeth Lynn Casey).
For more information, visit Laura’s website: www.laurabradford.com  or get to know her even better on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/laurabradfordauthor, and on Twitter:  @bradfordauthor
Twitter:  @bradfordauthor
  Purchase Links:
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This is the first book  in an  exciting series that is sure  to be a hit with all cozy mystery readers. The characters are funny, resourceful and downright a blast to read about. I really enjoyed the book and the concept. I also want to mention that I love the cover. It is definitely an eye catcher and compliments the book.
We are introduced to Winnie who is a baker that  has hit on hard times. She finds herself not being able to continue paying rent on her beloved bakery. What is a person to do? Well there is an ambulance that she just inherited that could be used for  something. I had to laugh as I read that. Who leaves an ambulance to someone in a will? I thought how brilliant and creative the author was with this concept. I knew I was in for a great ride as I read the story. Yes the pun was intended . The book is just so well written . The Emergency Dessert Squad has officially become a business for Winnie. I would love to have her come to my neighborhood. I am always having dessert problems. Wouldn't it be a great business to have? Winnie is sure it will become profitable . Now there does seem to be a little problem with her elderly neighbors that has her concerned .  When she finds one of her dear neighbors is  dead she knows that trouble is around the corner . Who is killing her neighbors?
You are in for a treat with this wonderful start to a very interesting series. The characters are wonderful and an added plus is the recipes that are included in the book. I cannot wait for the next in the series to hit the shelves. Be sure and grab your copy of Éclair and Present Danger and be ready to laugh and enjoy this great mystery.
I received a copy of this book from Great Escape Book Tours for an honest review






Tour Participants
June 1 – Girl Lost In a Book – REVIEW
June 1 – MysteriesEtc – REVIEW
June 2 – The Self-Rescue Princess CHARACTER INTERVIEW
June 2 – cherylbbookblog – REVIEW
June 3 – Shelley’s Book Case – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
June 3 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW *
June 3 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, INTERVIEW *
June 4 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST
June 5 – Island Confidential – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
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June 6 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
June 6 – fuonlyknew – REVIEW*
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