In Thankful, New York Times bestselling author, Shelley Shepard Gray captures the beauty, devotion, and warmth of Amish life in this engaging tale of family, commitment, trust, and love set in the beloved community of Sugarcreek.
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Thankful
By Shelley Shepard Gray
Thankful, Book Two in the Return to Sugarcreek series
New York Times bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray captures the beauty, devotion, and warmth of Amish life in this engaging tale of family, commitment, trust, and love set in the beloved community of Sugarcreek.
Christina Kempf has always known that God chose Aden Reese to be her husband. As children, he was there to save her when she fell through the ice, and he’s been by her side ever since. After his parents died in a car accident ten years ago, the Kempfs raised Aden as one of their own, and everyone sees Aden and Christina as brother and sister. But Christina has never given up hope that Aden will one day ask her to be his wife.
Aden always planned to court Christina. But losing his mother and father changed everything—except his love for her. Her parents generously welcomed him into their home and treated him like a son. He can’t betray their kindness by admitting his feelings for the girl who is like a sister . . . yet so much more.
Pressured by her parents to court, Christina begins to accept the attentions of Sugarcreek’s young men, and now, Aden must make a choice. Will he stand by and watch the love of his life slip away? Or will he risk losing the love and trust of the family he holds dear to tell Christina how he truly feels?
Thankful includes a P.S. section with additional insights from the author, background material, suggestions for further reading, and more.
ISLAND BREEZES
What are you supposed to do when you’re in love with your “brother”? Aden isn’t Christina’s flesh and blood brother, but her parents took him in and raised him as their own when he became an orphan ten years prior.
Aden’s on the hotspot, too. How can he tell these two wonderful people that he wants to marry their daughter – his “sister”? It feels all wrong to him, and the only thing he can think of to do is move away.
It was good to return to Sugarcreek Inn and revisit some of the characters I met previously. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series. I see the potential for so many more stories with the people in Sugarcreek. Thank you, Ms Gray.
***A special thank you to litfuse for providing a review copy.***
Shelley Shepard Gray is a two-time New York Times bestseller, a two-time USA Today bestseller, 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.
Friday Night Love
By Tia McCollors
Zenja Maxwell was widowed in her twenties; she never thought she’d be a divorcée, too. Yet that’s the destiny she resigns herself to after learning of her second husband’s infidelity and kicking him out of the house. She plans a cruise with her best friend, Caprice, to take her mind off Roman and celebrate moving on with her life.
But Caprice won’t let her give up that easily, especially when Roman seems committed to reconciling. Caprice and her husband invite Zenja and Roman to Friday Night Love, a weekly event for couples. Zenja hesitates, but the promise of food and fellowship prevails. She figures she can put up with Roman for one night.
At the events, the women are issued a series of Bible-based challenges designed to help them cultivate respect for their husband. Zenja struggles at first; she isn’t even sure she wants to rekindle the relationship. But Roman is persistent in his pursuit of her, even when he discovers that she dallied with cheating herself. Through tragedies, triumphs, and trusted friends, the couple learns never to underestimate the Author of marriage when husbands and wives surrender to Him.
ISLAND BREEZES
Marriage isn’t easy. Zenja can attest to that. Then again, divorce isn’t easy either. All she’s interested in right now is a cruise with her best friend.
Now, we’re talking one interesting cruise. An old school friend just happens to be on the same cruise, and he’s interested in heating up the action.
Back on land she’s being pursued by this man and also by her estranged husband. Zenga finally caves and attends this Friday Night Love thing with her soon to be ex. This weekly get together at the church may just be the thing to get her marriage together. Or not.
I enjoyed this book and have only one minor complaint. That’s trying to figure out how to pronounce the Z names. I ended up just thinking of them as Z and Z girl as I read.
I’m looking forward to Ms McCollors next book in the Days of Grace series.
***A special thank you to Cathy Hickling of Whitaker House for providing a review copy.***
Tia McCollors used to dream of being a television news anchor, but her destiny led her behind the pages instead of in front of the cameras. After earning a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communications from UNC-Chapel Hill, she went on to work several jobs in the public relations industry. In 1999, a job layoff prompted Tia to discover and pursue a writing career. Following the birth of her son in 2006, she left the corporate arena to focus on raising her children and her burgeoning writing career.
In addition to being an author, Tia is an inspirational speaker and instructor for writing workshops. She particularly enjoys coaching women of faith, female entrepreneurs, and stay-at-home mothers.
A native of Greensboro, NC, she now lives in the Atlanta, Georgia area with her husband and children.
Fatal Exchange
By Lisa Harris
Desperate times create desperate people. And desperate people are dangerous . . .
Though Emily Hunt comes from a family of cops, the relatively quiet life of a high school teacher suits her just fine. She’s saving up to buy a house, slowly moving forward after her brother’s death, and settling into a life she loves. So the last person she wants to spend time with is Mason Taylor.
An undercover cop, Mason is enemy number one as far as her family is concerned. His involvement in the death of Emily’s brother is still up in the air, and now he expects her to help him with a case. Mason has been working with one of her students, Rafael Cerda, whose brother has been kidnapped by a drug cartel. And with time running out to meet their demands, Rafael is getting desperate.
Emily will have to draw on all of her strength to handle what happens next . . .
Fatal Exchange will draw you into a complex matrix of intertwining lives, unraveling secrets, and unexpected love.
ISLAND BREEZES
Her family might be full of cops, but Emily is quite happy being a school teacher, thank you.
Then Mason, an undercover cop who might be involved in her brother’s death, comes along and has the nerve to ask her to help out in his case. That’s a definite no until she finds out the brother of one of her students has been kidnapped.
That’s just the beginning. Emily and family members end up having their lives endangered. It’s like running through a rat’s maze trying to find the answers.
This is another of those books that you won’t want to put down. And then there’s the ending.
It is going to leave you hanging big time. There’s a short teaser at the end from book three of the Southern Crimes series due out in the spring of 2015. Ms Harris, can you please write a little faster? I don’t think I can wait a year.
***A special thank you to Lanette Haskins for providing a review copy.***
Lisa Harris is a Christy Award finalist and the winner of the Best Inspirational Suspense Novel for 2011 from Romantic Times. The author of more than twenty books, including Dangerous Passage, Harris has spent over ten years living with her family as missionaries in Africa. Learn more at www.lisaharriswrites.com.
One Perfect Spring
By Irene Hannon
Independent single mom Claire Summers is doing her best to make lemonade out of the lemons life has handed her. Workaholic Keith Watson is interested only in the bottom line–until a letter from Claire’s eleven-year-old daughter reaches his desk and changes everything.
As the executive assistant to a philanthropic businessman, Keith is used to fielding requests for donations. But the girl isn’t asking for money. She wants help finding the long-lost son of a neighbor. As Keith reluctantly digs into this assignment in his usual results-oriented style, he has no idea how involved he and Claire will become–nor how unusual the results will actually be. Who could have guessed that a child’s kindhearted request would bring love and hope to so many lives . . . including his own?
Through compelling characters and surprising plot twists, fan favorite Irene Hannon offers this tenderhearted story that demonstrates how life is like lilacs–the biggest blooms come only after the harshest winters.
ISLAND BREEZES
Claire’s daughter writes a letter to the head of a foundation asking help for her neighbor. Neither Claire nor her daughter have any idea what this letter might stir up.
This turns into a search for an adoptive son who doesn’t want to be found.by Keith, a man with his own issues.You’re going to be blessed with surprises in this book as well as a couple romances.
Be prepared with tissues.You’ll need them towards the end of the book.
This is not the type of Irene Hannon book I usually read. I’m used to those adrenalin filled page turners, but Ms. Hannon has proven she’s not a one genre writer.
Thank you, Ms Hannon, I’m looking forward to your next book, no matter what the genre.
***A special thank you to Lanette Haskins for providing a review copy.***
Irene Hannon is the bestselling author of over forty-five books, including That Certain Summer. Her romance and suspense fiction has won many awards, including two coveted RITAs, a Carol, two HOLT Medallions, a National Readers’ Choice, a Daphne du Maurier, a Retailers Choice, and two Reviewers’ Choice Awards from RT Book Reviews magazine. In addition, she is a Christy Award finalist, and Booklist included one of her novels in its “Top 10 Inspirational Fiction” list for 2011. She lives in Missouri. Learn more at www.irenehannon.com.
The latest Quilts of Love release, A Promise in Pieces by Emily Wierenga is receiving glowing reviews.
Emily is celebrating the release of her debut novel with a “Women Helping Women” shopping spree giveaway.
One winner will receive:
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 10th. Winner will be announced on the Quilts of Love blog on May 12th. Then be sure to stop by the Quilts of Love Facebook page on May 29th for the “Quilting Bee” Facebook party with Emily and other Quilts of Love authors. RSVP for an evening of book chat, quilting tips & tricks, prizes, and more!
A Promise in Pieces
By Emily T. Wierenga
Quilts tell stories of love and loss, hope and faith, tradition and new beginnings. The Quilts of Love series focuses on the women who quilted all of these things into their family histories. A new book releases each month and features contemporary and historical romances as well as women’s fiction and the occasional light mystery. You will be drawn into the endearing characters of this series and be touched by their stories.
A baby quilt touches many hearts as it travels from family-to-family and through generations.
After the end of World War II, Clara Kirkpatrick returns from the Women’s Army Corp to deliver a dying soldier’s last wishes: convey his love to his young widow, Mattie, with apologies for the missed life they had planned to share.
Struggling with her own post-war trauma, Clara thinks she’s not prepared to handle the grief of this broken family. Yet upon meeting Mattie, and receiving a baby quilt that will never cuddle the soldier’s baby, Clara vows to honor the sacrifices that family made.
Now a labor and delivery nurse in her rural hometown, Clara wraps each new babe in the gifted quilt and later stitches the child’s name into the cloth. As each new child is welcomed by the quilt, Clara begins to wonder whatever happened to Mattie—and if her own life would ever experience the love of a newborn. Little does she know that she will have the opportunity to re-gift the special quilt—years later and carrying even greater significance than when it was first bestowed.
ISLAND BREEZES
All I can say is you’d better have that box of tissues handy, because you can’t get through this book without them.
Clara began her nursing career caring for wounded WWII soldiers, but after the war, the only way she could use her skills was as a midwife assisting the local doctor.
In between those two professions she delivered a note from a dying soldier to his widow. She came back home with a baby quilt that would never see it’s original purpose.
Clara gave this quilt to the used with each new baby she delivered. She embroidered every baby’s name on it. Along the way this led into the founding of an organization to memorialize deceased veterans.
On a trip to the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, life makes a significant detour for Clara and her family.
Ms Wierenga gives us food for thought on many levels in this touching novel.
***A special thank you to litfuse for providing a review copy.***
Emily Wierenga is a former editor, ghostwriter, freelance writer and staff journalist, a monthly columnist for The Christian Courier, and the author of Save My Children (Castle Quay Books, 2008), Chasing Silhouettes (Ampelon Publishing, 2012) and Mom in the Mirror (Rowman & Littlefield, 2013). Emily resides in Alberta, Canada. This is her first novel.
Grave Danger
By Katy Lee
When skeletal remains are found on a small Maine island, forensic anthropologist Lydia Muir is sent to investigate. It’s Lydia’s job to determine whether the homicide happened long ago—or more recently. Island sheriff Wesley Grant seems sure the murder didn’t happen on his watch. But when Lydia uncovers the victim’s identity, someone goes to great lengths to get Lydia off the island. Wes vows to protect her, but is the handsome lawman holding something back? To help catch a killer, she’ll have to trust him—or become the next victim.
ISLAND BREEZES
Who would have thought that looking at a bunch of bones could cause so much excitement. But they aren’t just any old bones, and sorry, Sheriff Grant, that homicide did happen on your watch.
When Lydia identifies the bones, the entire island gets a bit psycho. Even worse, someone is willing to kill again.
Lydia thought she would end up with a promotion. Now she just wants to end up living.
Thank you, Katy Lee. I enjoyed Warning Signs as well as Grave Danger. I’m hoping you’ll write another book in the Stepping Stone Island Series. I really like that little island and it’s quirky residents.
***A special thank you to Katy Lee for providing a review copy.***
As an inspirational romantic-suspense author, Katy Lee writes higher-purpose stories in high-speed worlds. Through her writing, ministry work, and teaching, Katy dedicates her life to sharing tales of love, from the Greatest Love Story Ever Told, to the sweet romantic tales of falling in love. Katy and her husband are born New Englanders and love to travel far and wide with their three adventuresome children. Connect with Katy at www.KatyLeeBooks.com
The Pelican Bride
By Beth White
She’s come to the New World to escape a perilous past. But has it followed her to these far shores?
It is 1704 when Frenchwoman Geneviève Gaillain and her sister board the frigate Pélican bound for the distant Louisiana colony. Both have promised to marry one of the rough men toiling in this strange new world in order to escape suffering in the old. Geneviève knows life won’t be easy, but at least here she can establish a home and family without fear of persecution for her outlawed religious beliefs.
When she falls in love with Tristan Lanier, an expatriate cartographer-turned-farmer whose checkered past is shrouded in mystery, Geneviève realizes that even in this land of liberty one is not guaranteed peace. Trouble is brewing outside the fort between the French colonists and the native people surrounding them. And an even more sinister enemy may lurk within. Could the secret Geneviève harbors mean the undoing of the colony itself?
ISLAND BREEZES
In 1704 the Pelican brides were an early form of mail order brides. They were brought from France to Louisana to wed the men who were stationed in and around Fort Louis.
Most of these brides were orphans, but at least one of them was running from a French prison.
Genevieve decided this would be her only way to escape. She wanted to be a bride, but not to just anyone. Unfortunately, she is falling in love with the only man who doesn’t want a bride.
It gets right down to the wire as Commander Bienville has decreed that if she doesn’t marry in the near future he will cut off the funds and she’s on her own.
Fortunately she does have a skill and chooses not to marry anyone if she can’t have the man she wants.
But that’s not all. There’s mystery and intrigue in the making as well as treason.
This was a bit of history I’d not yet visited. Thank you, Ms White for taking me there. I’m looking forward to the second book in the Gulf Coast Chronicles.
***A special thank you to Lanette Haskins for providing a review copy.***
Beth White’s day job is teaching music at an inner-city high school in historic Mobile, Alabama. A native Mississippian, her passion is writing historical romance with a southern drawl. Her novels have won the American Christian Fiction Writers’ Carol Award, the RT Book Club Reviewers’ Choice Award, and the Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award. Learn more at www.bethwhite.net.
Richard Mabry‘s latest medical suspense, Critical Condition, is receiving high praise. USA TODAY says, “Mabry combines his medical expertise with a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat.”
Richard is celebrating the release with a Kindle HDX giveaway!
One grand prize winner will receive:
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 11th. Winner will be announced May 13th on Richard’s blog.
