Decades of loss, an unsolved mystery, and a rift spanning three generations
Hazel DeFord is a woman haunted by her past. While berry picking in a blackberry thicket in 1943, ten-year old Hazel momentarily turns her back on her three-year old sister Maggie and the young girl disappears.
Almost seventy years later, the mystery remains unsolved and the secret guilt Hazel carries has alienated her from her daughter Diane, who can't understand her mother's overprotectiveness and near paranoia. While Diane resents her mother's inexplicable eccentricities, her daughter Meghan-a cold case agent-cherishes her grandmother's lavish attention and affection.
When a traffic accident forces Meghan to take a six-week leave-of-absence to recover, all three generations of DeFord women find themselves unexpectedly under the same roof. Meghan knows she will have to act as a mediator between the two headstrong and contentious women. But when they uncover Hazel's painful secret, will Meghan also be able to use her investigative prowess to solve the family mystery and help both women recover all that's been lost?
About the author:
Kim Vogel Sawyer is a highly acclaimed, best-selling author with more than one million books in print, in several different languages. Her titles have earned numerous accolades including the ACFW Carol Award, the Inspirational Readers Choice Award, and the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence. Kim lives in central Kansas with her retired military husband Don, where she continues to write gentle stories of hope and redemption. She enjoys spending time with her three daughters and grandchildren.
Find out more about Kim at http://www.kimvogelsawyer.com/.
   
It’s been awhile since I have read a book with this much emotion that had me crying so much. It is so beautifully written you can’t help but devour each word. It’s funny that I could relate to each character at some point. I saw myself in Hazel as a small child. She was so despondent over something that happened she couldn’t forgive herself. It hurt to read that her parents blamed her and to carry that guilt over the years broke my heart. I thought she was a warm and loving person. The author writes her character with a strong faith in God. I loved how she wanted to mend her relationship with her daughter and solve a mystery that has kept her a prisoner for so long in her mind.
Diane and her mother have not had a great relationship. She blames her mom for being overprotective and not allowing her to ever do anything. Diane was very stubborn and I had to laugh when she shows up at her mom’s house at the same time as her daughter Meghan. There is a strain you can feel between Hazel and Diane. I loved how Hazel stood her ground and tried many times to get through to her daughter. I saw a pattern forming as they each shared their childhood and how they felt smothered by their mother. My children will tell you I am a very overprotective mother. I wanted to keep them safe and was so afraid to let them out of my sight. Diane experienced that as she grew up and that has made her bitter towards her mom.
Meghan decides to visit her grandmother when she needs to recuperate from a car accident. I loved how the author showed a soft side to Meghan and how much she wanted her mom and grandmother to mend their relationship. The bond between grandmother and granddaughter was so moving and I could feel the closeness they shared. I loved the mystery the author wrote into the story and when it is revealed it will explain a lot about why Hazel has carried guilt for seventy years. The story has so many good things in it I didn’t want to put the book down. I cried so many tears because for me it brought back memories that are painful for me while growing up. I connected so well to the storyline about mother and daughter relationships.
The book is rich in history and takes readers on a journey of forgiveness, mending relationships, finding faith and experiencing unconditional love. I have to say this has been one of my favorite books of 2017. With such gripping emotions and connecting with characters, the story was written with such passion I could feel the author laboring over each word. Don’t miss the story of three generations and a mystery that will have you crying and cheering at the same time.
I received a copy of this book from LitFuse. The review is my own opinion.
Landing page:http://litfusegroup.com/author/ksawyer
Blog Tour Schedule:
9/28
Angela | A Holland Reads
Debra | 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too!
Jalynn | A Simple Life, really?!
chantal | This Chattanooga Mommy Saves
Stacey | Books,Dreams,Life
9/29
Margaret | The World As I See It
Chastity | Chas Ray's Book Nerd Corner
Joan | Book Reviews From an Avid Reader
9/30
Billy | Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer
Dianna | Savings in Seconds
Joy | Splashes of Joy
Gayle | BOOKS REVIEWs ETC
Karen | Karens Korner
Jennifer | Jen Around the World
DEBI | 2014 AND BEYOND!
Connie | Gccbookworm
Corinne | Corinne Rodrigues
Carla | Working Mommy Journal
10/1
Amy | A Nest in the Rocks
Becky | Christian Chick's Thoughts
Amanda | Inklings and notions
Rachel | Rachel L Miller.com
Lady | LittleLadyPlays.com
10/2
Andrea | The Young Girl Who Loved Books
Jenna | Hello babybums
Ashley | Bringing Up Books
Kathleen | Reviews From The Heart
10/3
Joy | Deco My Heart
Paphapin | Feeling in Red
Nancy | SUNNY ISLAND BREEZES
Lori | Red Headed Book Lady
Linda | Mocha with Linda
Jessica | A Baker's Perspective
Julia | Christian Bookaholic
10/4
Hallie | Book by Book
10/5
Carole | The Power of Words
Annie | Just Commonly
Jill | I am believing God
10/6
Kristie | Moments
Michelle | Let's Talk About Books
Sherry | My Journey Back
Leah | As We Walk Along the Road
Megan | Pursuing Intentional Living
10/10
Becky | Living Outside the Lines
Sarah | Running Through The Storms
Leslie | Did YOU Hear About the Morgans?
Denise | Rejoice in the Little Things
10/11
Veronica | Veronica's 'Views
Lena Nelson | A Christian Writer's World
Britney | Buzzing About Books
Connie | Because I said so -- and other adventures in Parenting
Sarah | Fiction, Faith, and Fun
10/12
Marissa | The Review Stew
Sydney | Singing Librarian Books
Rachel | EmpowerMoms
Wendy | Life at Rossmont
10/13
Stephanie | Have A Wonderful Day
Alison | NOVA Frugal Family
Amy | Pause for Tales
10/14
Cindy | All Things Are Possible
10/15
Deana | Texas Book-aholic
Denise | The Help Meet Wife
Vera | Chat With Vera
Janice | Janices book reviews
10/16
Andrea | Two Points of Interest
Barbara | i'm Hooked on Books
Wendy | Wall-to-wall books
Beth | For The Love of Books
Maureen | Maureen's Musings
10/17
Mackenzie | Spreading His Grace
Lisa | Seeking with All Yur Heart
Amanda | The Talbert Report
Mindy | A Room Wihtout Books is Empty
10/18
Lydia | Noveltea
Bethany | The perfect beginning
Sue | Thoughts from Mill Street
Leslie | Edits and Reviews by Leslie
Katiria | Kati's Bookaholic Rambling Reviews
Suzanne | Clicking Her Heels
Vicky | Walking in Grace
|
Sunday, October 15, 2017
About the Book
Name of book: Almond Street Mission
Author: June Foster
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: September 6, 2016
When Glorilyn Neilson’s nineteen-year-old brother, Tannon, goes missing without a trace, she’s frantic. Prayer and volunteering at the local homeless shelter in El Camino must fill the time until her sibling returns. But her sapphire eyes and auburn hair inadvertently cause a stir among the male population at the center. Her life changes one evening when she’s attacked by a burly vagrant intent on rape in the alley behind the building.
Jeremiah Goodman loves the Lord, but he’s homeless. When he witnesses a foul-mouthed vagrant overpowering one of the volunteers at the homeless shelter, he defends her, saving her from unwanted advances.
When Glorilyn offers him a way of escape from his impoverished lifestyle, he can’t tell her why he must live the life of a vagrant. What powerful secret keeps him on the streets?
Click here to purchase your copy.
About the Author
An award-winning author, June Foster is a retired teacher with a BA in education and MA in counseling. June’s book Give Us This Day was a finalist in EPIC’s eBook awards and a finalist in the National Readers Choice Awards for best first book. Ryan’s Father was one of three finalists in the published contemporary fiction category of the Oregon Christian Writers Cascade Writing Contest and Awards. Deliver Us was a finalist in COTT’s Laurel Awards.
June has written four novels for Desert Breeze Publishing. The Bellewood Series, Give Us This Day, As We Forgive, and Deliver Us, and Hometown Fourth of July. Ryan’s Father is available from WhiteFire Publishing. Red and the Wolf, a modern day retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, Books One, Two, and Three in the Almond Tree Series, For All Eternity, Echoes From the Past, and What God Knew are all available from Amazon.com.
Recently June has seen publication of Christmas at Raccoon Creek, Lavender Fields Inn, Misty Hollow, Almond Street Mission, Restoration of the Heart, and Letting Go, all published by Forget Me Not Press, a division of Winged Publications.
June enjoys writing stories about characters who overcome the circumstances in their lives by the power of God and His Word. June uses her training in counseling and her Christian beliefs in creating characters who find freedom to live godly lives. Find June on line at junefoster.com.
Guest Post from June Foster
Stories Behind the Story
Almond Street Mission tells the story of Glorilyn Neilson whose younger brother, Tannon, has gone missing, hurling her entire family into turmoil. Prayer and volunteering at the local homeless shelter fills the empty, lonely hours. One evening, she’s attacked by a brawny vagrant intent on rape. Another vagrant, Jeremiah Goodman, defends her, saving her from unwanted attention.
Jeremiah loves the Lord but is homeless. The mission director, Mr. Harris, offers him and nineteen-year-old, Tank, a place at the shelter. But when Jeremiah later tries to protect a drug addict in hope of sharing the gospel with him, Mr. Harris finds heroin on Jeremiah, and he’s booted out. Tank chooses to leave with him.
On the street, Jeremiah and Tank try to scrape up a meal, but even trash cans around the city park don’t provide food for their hungry stomachs. Taking a chance on getting arrested, they beg for food in front of an elegant downtown Italian restaurant. Two older women walk out. One ignores them but the other looks at them with kind eyes and offers an entire pizza.
All this to explain a real life happening which gave me an idea for this scene. My daughter and I were in Chattanooga, Tennessee, at an Italian restaurant. We each ordered a small pizza, but the waiter brought me a Hawaiian pizza though I’d order pepperoni.
When I pointed out the mistake, the server brought out a second pizza for me, this time pepperoni, and told me to keep the first one. No way I could eat another pizza, and we didn’t have anywhere to keep it at the hotel, so I asked him if he knew any homeless people. The waiter said yes, that they congregate nearby, and he’d deliver it to a hungry vagrant.
In the story, the other woman who gives the extra pizza to Jeremiah and Tank is above average height. I wrote myself into a brief portion of the scene, and my 5’10” height qualifies as tall! When Tank says “God bless you,” the lady says “He does, everyday.” The sentiments of my heart. Real life always provides rich fodder.
Another story behind the story is when a friend at my church mentioned a Christian homeless ministry in the nearby city of Birmingham, Alabama, The Jimmie Hale Mission. I called and asked if I could take a tour. A chaplain welcomed my husband and me and scheduled a time for us to visit. He promised to personally conduct our visit.
When we arrived, the chaplain took us through the dining facility, exercise room, chapel, clothing bank, computer rooms, classrooms, and dorms. While in the dining area, we met the efficient kitchen manager, a paid employee who provided three delicious meals a day for the residents. Tingles ran down my arms when he shared his experience. He was once a drunk and resident of the mission. Today, he loves the Lord, is reunited with his wife, and holds down the manager’s job. As a side note, I based two characters’ situations on this real life man.
While at the mission, the men learn job skills and have opportunity to take classes. When they leave, they’re fully grounded in the Lord and on their way to a new life. A few are employed at the facility.
Before we left, the chaplain generously gave me his cell phone number and offered to answer any further questions, and I had several. Research for this story provided a rich insight into how God’s power can change and equip those that society may have chosen to discard.
The first thing that popped into my head as I read this book was that God wants us to be His hands and feet. He walked among those who others shunned and witnessed to them. He extended a hand and fed those who were hungry . This story parrells what God wants us to do. What would it be like to be homeless? For one character he took a step of faith and went to live on the streets to witness for God. I loved this story so much and thought the author did an amazing job of bringing life to a subject that we all know exists, but few do anything about.
I loved the character Jer also known as Caleb. He was such a compassionate person who genuinely cared for others. He heard a call on his life and accepted it with eyes wide open. I can’t imagine being homeless. Jer wanted to reach people who had been forgotten or shunned and I loved that he didn’t hesitate to walk among the homeless. He lived among them and I could feel his heart break as he heard their stories. Everyone has a story but some never get to tell it. Jer made sure they had a voice and listened to them. He did find himself in some dangerous situations, but he knew God would protect him.
The author writes a story that is real and shares scriptures through several characters. I have never been homeless but I have been abused, lonely, hurt, unloved and ashamed. The characters that Jer meets all have one thing in common which is they want to be loved. Oh how my heart ached as Tank shared how he knew his mom didn’t want him anymore. I know that feeling so well. It hurts to the core but for Tank he allowed Jer to speak life into him and showed him that he is loved by God.
Glorilyn was a wonderful character. She has a heart for the mission she volunteers at. When her brother turns up missing, the reality was verwhelming for her. She wanted her brother off the streets and I loved how she and Jer prayed for him. I found it interesting that she had a trust issue. I won’t give anything away, but it really will hit home for many. Trust is something many of us deal with and it goes hand in hand with forgiveness. As I read the book I truly understand homelessness better. We forget that those living on the streets are human. They are looking for that one person who will help and listen. I applaud the author for writing a story that takes us into the streets and helps us see through the eyes of Jesus that they are important and loved.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
Blog Stops
Quiet Quilter, October 5
A Baker’s Perspective, October 6
autism mom, October 7
Christian Bookaholic, October 7
Avid Reader Book Reviews, October 8
Daysong Reflections, October 8
Blogging With Carol, October 9
The Fizzy Pop Collection, October 10
A Greater Yes, October 11
Remembrancy, October 11
Multifarious, October 12
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 12
Pause for Tales, October 13
Redeemed Hope Dweller, October 14
Texas Book-aholic, October 15
Janices book reviews, October 16
Carpe Diem, October 17
Tell Tale Book Reviews, October 18
Giveaway
In honor of her tour, June is giving away a grand prize collection of 1 signed paperback copy of Almond Street Mission, a $25 Amazon card, and 12 handmade cards! Click the link below to enter! https://promosimple.com/ps/c0a6
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