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About the Book

Fame gave her a reason to hide. Can anyone unlock her guarded heart?

Reality star ADDISON LEWIS had the perfect life in LA. Or so she thought. After her fiancé betrays her she’s left with one option. Escape. But is anywhere safe from the relentless paparazzi?

LOGAN HART is caught off guard when a mysterious young woman becomes stranded at his family’s ranch. Past heartbreak makes him reluctant to let anyone close, but the city girl’s amusing antics draw them together.

While two lonely hearts collide and secrets loom on the horizon, could God be orchestrating something miraculous behind the scenes?

My Review

Addie seems to have it all. She comes  from a very wealthy and well known family. Her dad is an actor and Addie is engaged to be married. What more could a girl want? The big day arrives and Addie starts to have butterflies. She isn't sure if this is what she really wants. Is she really in love? Something happens before the wedding takes place that finds her running out of town and away from the paparazzi . What happened to make Addie run away from her wedding?

She finds herself in a town where the land is beautiful and she is far away from noise , reporters and the man she thought was the right one. I really enjoyed getting to know Addie and watching her discover another place where life is simpler. She finds herself stranded on the side of the road and along comes a cowboy to rescue her. The banter between her and Logan is great. Addie is determined that she doesn't need his help, but soon realizes she could find herself all alone on a dark road late at night. Being stubborn sometimes gets us in trouble.

Logan has come back to his family's ranch to help out since the accident that devastated his family. Will Logan be able to get over the pain he feels for an accident that caused a great loss to the family? As he gets to know Addie he starts to let his guard down and begins to have feelings for her. Will Addie be able to tell Logan about her family? The story is very well written and has such great characters that I found myself engrossed in the story. I had to read it to the very end without stopping.

The book has so many great lessons for us. Logan is dealing with bitterness when he finds out that Addie has been deceiving him. Will he let bitterness come  between them? "Don't let bitterness take root in your heart." Is he angry at Addie or is there something else that is causing his anger ? The story flows so well as each character goes through trials. They will have to look deep inside themselves and ask God for help. Be sure you pick up a copy of this book and discover what happens when bitterness, deceit, unforgiveness and loss will do to your life if you don't let go and let God heal your broken heart.

"Come to me , all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit for an honest review

About the Author

Rachel Skatvold is an inspirational author and stay-at-home mom from the Midwest. She enjoys writing inspirational romance, devotions, encouraging blogs. Rachel has just finished her first series, the Riley Family Legacy Novellas and is now working on her first full length novel, Enduring the Flames. Other than writing, some of her hobbies include singing, reading and camping in the great outdoors with her husband and two young sons.

Guest Post from Rachel Skatvold

Have you ever needed to escape?

Every year my husband and I plan our summer vacation several months in advance. We hardly ever plan anything lavish or expensive. Most of the time we just hook up our camper, load our kids and family dog in the truck and head to a state park for our “escape.” Some of our most treasured family times have been enjoyed without television, electronics or other luxuries. It’s refreshing to leave the noise of the city for a while and enjoy a nice walk in the woods or a quiet night roasting marshmallows over a campfire. It gives us time to rest and appreciate the simple blessings that God has given us.

If someone ever needed to escape, it’s Addison Lewis. From the outside it seemed like she had it all; fame, fortune and a handsome and successful fiancé. However, when her dreams of a happy future come crashing down Addison flees her home in LA and ends up stranded at a dude ranch in the Montana wilderness. There she meets a handsome young rancher named Logan and his family. Will the Hart family’s faith and simple ways help Addison discover God’s true purpose for her life?

Escaping Reality is inspired by Mathew 11:28 which says, “…Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” This theme verse is prevalent throughout the story because Addison is searching for a refuge that will provide peace and rest from her stressful lifestyle. However, in the end she discovers that the peace and rest she’s looking for is not a physical destination but a condition of the heart.

Addison and Logan’s story was one of my favorites to write because of Addie’s spunky personality (not to mention her tendency to fall into mud puddles J) and Logan’s courage during hard times. This story might make you laugh out loud and shed a few tears but most of all I hope it inspires you to recognize and appreciate God’s simple blessings. Happy reading, friends and I hope you enjoy reading Escaping Reality.

Blog Stops

July 5: Book Reviews From an Avid Reader

July 6: Blossoms and Blessings

July 7: The Editor’s Note

July 8: Bukwurmzzz

July 9: Texas Book-aholic

July 9: Cassandra M’s Place

July 10: 100 pages per hour

July 11: Reviewing Novels Online

July 12: Inklings and Notions

July 13: Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner 

July 14: Christian Chick’s Thoughts

July 15: Daysong Reflections

July 16: D’S QUILTS & BOOKS

July 17: Carpe Diem

July 18: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Rachel is giving away an autographed copy of her book along with a $10 Amazon gift card. Click here to enter: https://promosimple.com/ps/9e0a.

IN SEARCH OF FATHER'S BLESSING by DOUG STRINGER

I have heard a lot  about this author. Growing up in Houston myself, I remember when Somebody Cares was started. Mr. Stringer has a big heart for the youth and the program is helpful in mentoring youth that are at-risk. It is a much needed program and has been very successful .

Many children grow up with fathers and that void is felt everyday by them. God wants to be the Abba-Father to us. He wants us to have an intimate relationship with Him. The book is very intense at times, but written with such grace and compassion that I at times cried. We have forgotten who our Heavenly Father is. When you are little and are rejected by your father, that hurt carries over into adulthood. What is it like to know that you were never wanted as a child? How does it feel to know that you are not protected or loved? Those feelings can cause you to grow up and not trust anyone. God wants you to know that He is your Heavenly Father and He was always there when you cried yourself to sleep.

The book is very well written and touches on subjects like "How to be a spiritual father and find a spiritual father." I especially liked the chapter about broken trust. Many of us have experienced the rejection by one or both of our parents. That hurt is deep and hard to overcome. God is there to heal our broken hearts, restore relationships and learn to trust again. It is comforting to know that , "He will never leave us or forsake us."

I have been so encouraged by this book. It has helped me to release some pain from my childhood and try to understand why my parents were the way they were. I'm glad that my Heavenly Father loves me unconditionally .

"God waits with open arms for  His prodigals to return, and He has sent His Son to find the lost. Are you willing to go the extra mile and join Him?"

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

PRAISE IS MY WEAPON by DAN WILLIS

Love is the universal language. Everyone one of us wants to be loved , but sometimes we don't feel loved. When you just love Jesus, you are taking a "want to" approach and not "a have to" approach. I really like when the author said that. We don't have to love Jesus but I sure "want" to love Him. When you love Jesus you have a desire and want to make Him happy. We shouldn't  do it because we want something from Him, but because of who He is and what He did for us. He died on the cross because He loved us so much He wanted our sins to be washed away. What a sacrifice He made for us.

The author brings up a very good point about becoming numb or inactive when we are hurt or wounded. We look like a little child in a fetal position with no hope . We need to stand strong in our trials , praise Him through the storms and overcome the enemy. "On Christ the solid rock I stand." It is so encouraging to read the author talk about being more than conquerors. He says  to fight the spirits controlling whatever it is that is pushing us down. As I continued to read this powerful book, I could feel strength rising in me. Yes, I want to praise Him and yes I will praise Him no matter what.

"Praise means to magnify, glorify, and exalt the Lord." Are we doing that? Have we become too complacent and forget that we need to praise Him at all times? As we are praising Him, the enemy can't distract us. We need to place our focus on Jesus . "Praise is what manifests the promises of God! " The victory is in the Word of God. "

I cannot tell you how much this book has encouraged me to praise Him more and stop worrying about my circumstances. The author so plainly says, " If it's good, then it's from God; if it's evil, it's from the enemy." We need to recognize when it is the enemy is trying to do and ignore him. He is cunning and subtle, but  Jesus says, "My sheep hear my voice , and I know them, and they follow me." Thank you for a book that is uplifting , encouraging and reminds us to praise him at all times.

" Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise Ye the Lord," (Psalm 150:6)

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

SISTER EVE and THE BLUE NUN by LYNNE HINTON

Sr. .Eve is back with another mystery that was pretty interesting. She has come back to the monastery to make some hard decisions. Should she continue her life as a nun? Will the church ever accept her even though she is a woman?

St. Eve is looking forward to attending a conference that she finds very intriguing. It is about The Blue Nun who is a  sister from Spain. The Blue Nun is said to have mystical powers that allowed her to convert a Native American tribe in the 1600s.im sure that was a hard feat to accomplish and I can't imagine how she was welcomed at first. Did the native Americans fear her ?  That was a very intriguing topic and I liked how the author pulled history into the story which made it more interesting.   Before the conference can even begin a murder happens. Who is murdered? What is stolen that could be vital to the Blue Nun? The race is on to find out who the killer is. I enjoyed the twists and turns of the story. It was a nice read and I look forward to more adventures with St.Eve. As a side note, the story of The Blue Nun is true. I highly recommend you look her up. It is fascinating to read about her and how she struggled to be accepted by the church.

I loved that St. Eve rides a motorcycle . It reminded me of the show "The Flying Nun." She was always getting into messes, but found her way out of them. The struggle St. Eve has with her faith is very emotional and I found her journey for answers very heartfelt and real.

"Sometimes nuns and priests and monks choose a different path later in their lives. It doesn't mean they broke their vows or left the order . It could mean they received guidance leading them into new areas of service."

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