Saturday, March 20, 2021

About the Book

Book: Hosea’s Heart

Author: Linda Wood Rondeau

Genre: Contemporary Women’s Fiction

Release date: 2018

How much should a wronged husband forgive?

Aubrey Beaumont has spent the last fifteen years in search of his runaway, drug-addicted wife. Now a respected Silver Spring pastor and chaplain, ready to give up and move on, his life takes unexpected turns when she suddenly contacts him. Terminally ill and having found faith, she begs Aubrey’s forgiveness. How can he overlook her past prostitution and liaison with one of Washington’s most vicious drug lords?

Grateful for a chance at reconciliation, Joanna Beaumont prays that her seemingly wasted life might serve some purpose in her final days. Perhaps her testimony against her former lover’s cartel will bring her the peace she craves.

Joanna and Aubrey’s paths will crisscross the Capital District’s underworld where they discover how God weaves threads of failure into tapestries of hope.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

A veteran social worker, Linda Wood Rondeau has earned critical acclaim for her heart-warming stories of deliverance and forgiveness. The author now resides in Hagerstown, MD with her husband of forty years. Active in her local church, she enjoys playing the occasional round of golf, a common feature in many of her books. Readers may contact the author through Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Pinterest, and Instagram or visit her website: www.lindarondeau.com.

More from Linda

Folks ask me why I kept searching for Joanna.

I don’t really see myself as a martyr, self-sacrificing, or even like the prophet Hosea as some have compared me to.

Perhaps I searched so long because Joanna was the only woman I ever truly loved. We met at the Top Notch Lounge when I had stopped in to buy a getaway package for my parents’ twenty-fifth anniversary.

I turned to my friend, Gregg, a private detective, and said, “See that girl over there? I’m going to marry her.

Gregg shook his head “You’re crazy. That broad is nothing but trouble.”

“And you know this, how?”

“Instinct, buddy.”

I left Gregg standing at the reservation desk and walked confidently toward a future that I could only guess. She smiled at me as I approached her table and glanced at her beverage. “Cinnamon tea?” I asked.

I sniffed the scent. Then, it was like an aphrodisiac. Now the aroma makes me nauseous. If I had known then what I know now? Moot question because life rarely offers a mulligan.

Gregg gave me a sign that he’d wait for me at the restaurant.

I sat down next to her. “Aubrey Beaumont.”

“Joanna Curtis.”

We talked, though not about anything of importance. I knew no more about her after an hour than her name and that she’d been deserted by her boyfriend. Yet, I knew I loved her.

“Have you had dinner yet?”

“No. Actually, I haven’t eaten all day. I should keep up my strength. I’m eating for two.”

I suppose most men would be scared away at that point. But something tugged at me. I sensed she didn’t need me—but I needed her, as intoxicating as any drug.

“Why not join me and my friend at the restaurant downstairs.”

Despite Gregg’s loud protests, Joanna and I married two days later. I adopted her unborn daughter, though not of my flesh, a child of my heart. I didn’t know about Joanna’s addiction until the first time she left us. Though she had been to rehab numerous times, she relapsed again and again. The last time she left, I held her note in my hand, my heart sliced by the knowledge she’d not be back.

The intelligent thing would be to let her disappear … what she wanted. I always led with my heart, not common sense. Perhaps why God called me into the ministry after Joanna’s first relapse.

My fruitless search took me into the Capital District where I pastored a church in Silver Spring. Hope waned … and I even thought I might find love again with a woman named Cynthia. Until Joanna found me and called me to her side.

Fifteen years have passed since she left me the last time. Now, here I stand … face-to-face with reality. Cancer will take Joanna away forever. What does God require of me now? I can forgive her addiction. But sometimes a wife’s betrayal goes beyond the forgivable –her liaison with Joey Juarez, the worst drug czar in the Washington, D.C. area.

I have every right, scripturally and logically, to divorce her and move on. Yet, that same voice that called me to her so many years ago calls to me now. “Till death part us.”

READER: What would you do if you were Aubrey? How would you advise him?

MY REVIEW

This may have been a short book but it sure did have a powerful message. Many readers may pick Aubrey as their favorite character. I can understand why. He exemplifies what unconditional love means. No matter how many times Joanna messed up he still wanted her back. The day she walked out, leaving Aubrey and her kids, some would have said they were done. Aubrey loves this woman with everything he has and never gives up on reconciling with her. I loved his humbleness and heart for the lost. He went to places others would not go to preach the love of Jesus. Yes he is a great example of how we should love the unloveable.

I may shock a few but my favorite character was Joanna. Oh I know she wasn’t exactly mother of the year, and she definitely wasn’t a helpmate to Aubrey. Her journey into violence, drugs and other sins put her in danger everyday. She gets so wrapped up in this world that others have given up on her. God sees His sheep. If one is lost he will go after that one and leave the ninety-nine behind. I have heard that story many times. but never as powerful as illustrated in this story. Joanna reaches the bottom of the pit of darkness crying out for help. I cried along with her as she wanted forgiveness and to have a chance to make amends.

I can’t tell you the rest because it will spoil the book. If you are looking for a story that is filled with undeniable faith and hope, this one is for you. Are you wandering around lost? Do you feel like no one loves you? Can you ask for forgiveness as well as receive it? This book is for you. Let this story guide you if you are dealing with a fractured relationship with God. Allow this story to lead you to freedom from sin and rejoice in the arms of Jesus.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, March 17

Susan K. Beatty, Author, March 18 (Author Interview)

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, March 18

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

Texas Book-aholic, March 20

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, March 21

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 22

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 23

Tell Tale Book Reviews, March 24 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 25

For Him and My Family, March 26

Inklings and notions, March 27

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 28

deb’s Book Review, March 29

By The Book, March 30 (Author Interview)

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, March 30

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Linda is giving away the grand prize of a book from her Amazon Author page!

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/10986/hosea-s-heart-celebration-tour-giveaway

Friday, March 19, 2021

About the Book

Book: Broken to Beautiful

Author: Jeannine Bennett

Genre: Christian Nonfiction

Release date: July 29, 2019

What do you do when life is unfair, all hope is lost and God seems absent?

Life does not always turn out the way we hope. It is often unfair, filled with hurt and rocked by disappointment. Even as Christians we find ourselves wondering if God is really there.

Jeannine Bennett is no exception; she understands all too well the struggles of life that hit so hard they take your breath away and leave you broken. But she’s also discovered that our greatest trials in life are always used by God for good, nothing we experience is ever wasted. In Broken to Beautiful, Jeannine invites us into her journey of how God captured her heart. With vulnerability, tenacity and humor, she helps us to recognize that brokenness is not the end of our story. God has a plan for each of us and it is beautiful. No matter how great your struggle, your loss, or your disappointment, God is still in control and his promises are real. She helps us understand that it’s not just our story its God’s story too.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Jeannine Bennett is a wife, mother, and grandmother. She is also the founder and CEO of Vision to Purpose, located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, an adjunct faculty member in the School of Business for Liberty University Online, and an executive coach for The Honor Foundation.

To those who know Jeannine, she is simply a woman who loves Jesus, is devoted to her family, and struggles with life’s challenges like the rest of us. She is not immune to bad hair days, shrinking clothes (weight gain), or sleepless nights. She loves learning and sharing the knowledge acquired to help others learn too. Her favorite ice cream is a toss-up between butter pecan and mint chocolate chip. And, although she has lived in Virginia for more than 30 years, she still calls a water fountain a bubbler. A term she grew up saying in her hometown of Racine, Wisconsin.

More from Jeannine

“To Be a Light for Others”

People often ask why I chose to share such personal details of my life. Truth be told, to be a light for others. For years I wanted to write a book. It took me a long time to grow the courage necessary to begin the journey. Since I was sharing my testimony, I had to be okay with being vulnerable. I needed to be strong enough to reveal those intimate life details with others. The process became easier once I realized my story was God’s story, too!

Everyone goes through struggles in life, but those trials do not have to leave us broken. We can find hope, peace, and restoration with God, even in the most difficult of circumstances. Nothing we experience is ever wasted. God uses everything.

In Broken to Beautiful, you will find a series of events that read like a tragedy, comedy, drama, and horror show. It is full of hurt, deceit, grief, heartache, and devastation. However, thanks to God, it is also full of great joy, many blessings, countless rewards, lots of love, and a whole bunch of never-ending hope.

It is my sincerest desire that this book serves as a blessing to those who read it.

In Christ,

Jeannine

MY REVIEW

Between the pages of this book is a story that gives readers hope while seeing how God is always there with us. I enjoyed reading the author’s personal story and how she went through many trials. At a young age she experienced rejection which followed her through her adulthood. I cried when I read about how her brother was injured and became the main focus of the family. I can understand how she felt pushed aside at times.

One thing I noticed was how history seemed to keep repeating itself in the family. With divorce, alcoholism and depression the author was destined for failure. The most shocking thing in the book was the incident with her mother. Anger can overtake us sometimes and if we don’t know how to cope, it can end up causing split decisions that are devastating. I was sad that her mother had a hard life and saw a pattern of generational curses being passed on to others.

The author in her darkest moment realizes that God was the only answer . I loved how she slowly changed and found a way to forgive her mother. It is not easy to forgive, but when you do you are set free. The key element in this story is not only forgiveness but understanding that Gods has as plan for our lives. I liked the scriptures used and the questions at the end of each chapter.

I would love to hear her speak someday. Her story is powerful and shows how God was working in her life even as a child. Her testimony is healing as she demonstrates each situation she faced and how blessings came from it. God uses our trials to strengthen us, help us grow in faith and to learn to trust Him with everything. This would be a perfect book to use in a Bible study. Her honesty and compassion are tools that God can use to reach others who feel abandoned, hopeless and rejected.

“God uses every lesson to teach us and prepare us for things to come.”

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, March 11

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, March 12

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, March 13

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, March 14

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 15

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, March 15

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, March 16

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 17

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 18

Texas Book-aholic, March 19

Mary Hake, March 19

Rebecca Tews, March 20

Inklings and notions, March 21

For Him and My Family, March 22

Godly Book Reviews, March 22

deb’s Book Review, March 23

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 24

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jeannine is giving away the grand prize of 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/10938/broken-to-beautiful-celebration-tour-giveaway

Monday, March 15, 2021

About the Book

Book: The Feeler

Author: James W. Goll

Genre: RELIGION / Christian Living/Spiritual Growth

Release date: March 9, 2021

The Scriptures give us a full-color picture of a God who is moved by emotions such as yearning, love, and compassion. Our human emotions reflect the emotional qualities of our Creator, who made us in His own image. Feelings have a vital place in any believer’s life, not just in those who have a more sensitive nature due to their personalities.

The Feeler by James W. Goll delivers a remarkable biblical perspective on our emotions and how they help us to discern and act on God’s voice. We experience the love, joy, and presence of God with our feelings. Our emotions have an impact on our bodies, our level of holiness, our relationships, and our decisions.

The Bible tells us we need to have our “senses trained to discern good and evil”(Hebrews 5:14 NASB). What are we training? Both our natural senses and our spiritual senses. Our physical senses, with the addition of “knowing,” correspond to our spiritual senses in these ways:

Eyes (sight): visions and dreams
Ears (hearing): voices and sounds
Heart (touch): emotions and feelings
Tongue (taste): good and evil
Nose (smell): good and bad
Mind (knowing): divine thoughts and impressions

This book will show you how to listen for and recognize the often subtle ways God’s Spirit speaks to believers, as well as how to discern good and evil spirits. With consecrated gifts and senses, you can reach out to the body of Christ and to the world at large in both spiritual and practical ways, making you much better equipped to fulfill your role as an ambassador of the gospel.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

DR. JAMES W. GOLL is the president of God Encounters Ministries, formerly known as Encounters Network, and has founded numerous ministries including Prayer Storm and Women on the Frontlines. He is a member of the Harvest International Ministries (HIM) apostolic team and an instructor for the Wagner Leadership Institute and Christian Leadership University.
With great joy, James has shared Jesus in more than fifty nations, teaching and imparting the power of intercession, prophetic ministry, and life in the Spirit.
James is a prolific author. Among his books are The Seer, The Discerner, Strike the Mark, Releasing Spiritual Gifts Today, Passionate Pursuit, The Coming Israel Awakening, The Lost Art of Intercession, and the award-winning The Lifestyle of a Prophet. He has also recorded multiple classes with corresponding study guides and full curriculum kits.
In the spirit of revival and reformation, James desires to facilitate unity in body of Christ by relationally networking with leaders of various denominational streams. His passion is to “win for the Lamb the rewards of His suffering.” Praying for Israel is a burden of his heart as Israel fulfills her role in the consummation of the ages.
James and Michal Ann were married for thirty-two years before her graduation to heaven in the fall of 2008. James has four adult children, Justin, GraceAnn, Tyler, and Rachel, all of whom are married, and a growing number of grandchildren. James makes his home in the rolling hills of Franklin, TN.

More from James

THE FEELER is a fascinating biblical look at how to receive divine direction through your God-given emotions. Though not part of an official series, THE FEELER completes a trilogy [The Seer and The Discerner] that stimulate our spiritual senses in hearing and acting on God’s voice.

MY REVIEW

I tend to shy away touchy-feely people. I tense up when someone wants to hug me and try to avoid it at all times. That was me several years ago. I have gotten better at hugs but I still hide my emotions very well. This book was very helpful in many ways and I liked learning about how God shows us how much He loves us. He doesn’t want us miserable and sad, but delights in our happiness.

Have you ever heard of the saying, “stinkin thinkin.” Well I will enlighten you on this term I quite often use. I have struggled with depression and anxiety for years. My mind tends to look at things as sad and hopeless at times. In this book I discovered that God really does love me and I need to grasp that truth. My days of feeling unwanted and unloved are fading as I allow His words to soak my soul with hope.

I enjoyed reading the author’s story about verbal abuse and his strained relationship with his earthly father. His openness helped me understand my own struggles and that I am God’s favorite. Yes we each are each His favorite and should rejoice in that knowledge. The author’s in-depth look at the Fruits of the Spirit are grounded in the Word and shows us how our emotions work closely with those gifts.

I really enjoyed the book and liked the prayer at the end of every chapter. I walked away feeling better and have a fresh understanding about allowing our feelings to show. We each have spiritual gifts that work together in harmony. Each gift cannot function alone without the others. I am reminded of a pastor illustrating this fact in a message once. He said think about a bicycle. It has many parts but what if a tire was missing? How would the bike work? Some of us have the gift of mercy, while others may have discernment, administrative, teaching or other gifts not listed here. God designed us to use our gifts to work together to be His hands and feet.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, March 13

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 14

Texas Book-aholic, March 15

Holly Jo Morris, March 15

Inklings and notions, March 16

For Him and My Family, March 17

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 18

Transformation Journey, March 18

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, March 19

deb’s Book Review, March 20

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, March 21

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, March 22

Spoken from the Heart, March 23

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, March 23

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, March 24

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 25

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 26

Mary Hake , March 26

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, James is giving away a $20 Starbucks gift card and copy of the book!!

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/1093b/the-feeler-celebration-tour-giveaway

Sunday, March 14, 2021

Texas Target Standoff

About the Book

Book: Texas Target Standoff

Author: Virginia Vaughan

Genre: Inspirational Romantic Suspense

Release date: March 1, 2021

Texas Target Standoff Cover A sniper lurks closer…

and only a navy SEAL can save her.

When psychologist Shelby Warren suddenly becomes a sniper’s target, navy SEAL Paul Avery springs into action to protect her. He needs her evaluation to get back to his team…and rescuing her might finally give him the redemption he’s been searching for. But when danger follows them to his family’s Texas ranch, keeping Shelby safe could be his most difficult assignment yet.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

virginia-vaughan-HR-2 Bestselling author Virginia Vaughan writes inspirational romantic suspense. Blessed to come from a large, southern family, her fondest memories include listening to stories recounted by family and friends around the large dinner table. She was a lover of books even from a young age, devouring gothic romance novels and stories of romance, danger, and love. She soon started writing them herself. A former investigator for the State of Mississippi, Virginia utilizes her criminal justice background with her love or writing to transform words into powerful stories of romance and danger.

More from Virginia

As writers, we discover many new and interesting things while researching a story. For TEXAS TARGET STANDOFF, I decided I wanted the hero to have a dog so I started looking at different photographs of dogs online until I found the one image I wanted to use—a sweet little border collie I named Bullet. He helps my navy SEAL hero find comfort and friendship while he’s recovering from injuries at his family’s ranch. But looking at dog photos on the internet did more than help my character grow, it also inspired me to adopt a dog of my own.

My home had been pet-free for many years since my beloved dog Miss Duchess died from cancer five years ago and, although the ten-year-old nephew I’m raising had been asking for a dog for about a year, I hadn’t reached the point of pulling the trigger and bringing another one home. Only the research I did for this book reopened that desire inside of me for canine companionship. In September of 2020, my son and I searched the shelters in search of a family dog and, when I spotted this adorable border collie mix, I knew we had to bring her home. We named her Ivy and, since joining our family, this sweet girl has brought us lots of love and laughter, plus a new adventure—dog training. I’ve never trained a dog in my life and little Ivy is a stubborn one. I’ve scoured YouTube for videos, taken classes, and worked daily on the simplest of commands like sit, wait, lie down. Slowly, we are making progress although barking, jumping, and walking on a leash are still some areas where we’re struggling.

I’d love to hear about your pets or your best training tips! To learn more about my family, including my training journey with Ivy, follow me on Facebook or subscribe to my newsletter at the links below. And look out for the next book—little sister Kellyanne’s story—in my Cowboy Lawmen series coming June 29, 2021.

Blessings!

Virginia

MY REVIEW

Take a deep breath, exhale and relax. Now you are ready to take a journey with thrills, suspense and adventure. The story is full of danger as Shelby and Paul find themselves fighting to stay alive. Someone is out to kill Shelby and will not stop until the job is finished. I liked Shelby but I think she got too close to Paul from the beginning. It’s like she forgot about professionalism and crossed the line with her patient.

I can’t believe all the close calls on Shelby’s life and at times it frustrated me. The author certainly knows how to write suspense but maybe there were too many near misses that seemed over the top. I loved getting to know more about the Navy Seals and how intense their missions are. The author talks about PTSD and allows readers to see how incidents can affect people. Can you imagine being in danger everyday? Paul was a good character and I liked how he kept his cool under extreme danger.

What I thought was good was the importance of evaluating people before allowing them to return to action. Shelby does take her job seriously but I have to wonder if her profession really goes to each home to evaluate their patients. I liked the story mostly but there were a few times I think the author took some liberties that made the story hard to believe could happen.

The author redeems herself with a surprising ending. I never once suspected this person or the reason behind the attacks. Once again the scripture, “the love of money is the root of all evil,” takes center stage in this action packed adventure. After finishing the book I thought about how easy it was for some people to be attracted to a quick rich scheme no matter the cost. In the end I came to really like the story and appreciate the intense series of events.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.