Love Inspired: Inspirational Romance

The Love Inspired books, published by Steeple Hill, are among some of the sweetest Inspirational Romance books I love to read. Each book is based on Faith, Love, and God’s word. These books remind me of the innocent days gone by. The Authors each have a different story to tell and each bring about a sense of peace by journey’s end.

 

This week, I’ve read Finally a Family by Carolyne Aarsen and His Small-Town Girl by Arlene James.

 

In Finally a Family, Carolyne Aarsen touches on a subject that has caused many fights among family; the reading of the will. Hannah Kristoferson once thought that the man she considered to be a father, had left and never given her a second thought. Ethan Wetserveld has sworn off women and is rather upset, an understatement, at what is Uncle Sam has done.

Hannah is called to the hometown of Sam; the only man she ever knew as a father. She’s been called in for the reading of his will. With no clue as to why she would need to be there, she is astonished once she finds out.

Ethan has worked his Uncle’s farm for years. When this Hannah woman is called in to hear the will, he is beyond mad about what his Uncle has written. However, with determination and prayers about, Ethan not only has his work cut out for him, but must learn that every “city woman” is not the same.

Can these two work together and fulfill Uncle Sam’s will?

 

For Tyler Aldrich, he just wanted to get away and have some peace. However, when he reaches Eden, the type of peace he was looking for, is not the type he finds. Charlotte Jefford knows what type Tyler needs. Showing him the meaning of family, love, and what it means to have God in your life, Charlotte shows him that money is not everything.

In Arlene James’s His Small-Town Girl, Tyler learns what family truly is. Never being around people of little money, he realizes that he is the odd ball in the town of Eden. Soon, he also comes to see what is more important than anything that money can buy; God. God is the only One that can give us peace – The peace that passes all understanding.

 

Both of these Love Inspired books were great. They always leave me wanting for more at the end, but the journey through the characters and their trials is always amazing. I only with that life was a simple as these books.

 

Finally a Family by Carolyne AArsen

Publisher: Steeple Hill; Published: June 1, 2008; Category: Fiction – Adult: Other: Christian: Women’s Fiction; Format: Paperback; Source: Own

His Small-Town Girl by Arlene James

Publisher: Steeple Hill; Published: June 1, 2008; Category: Fiction – Adult: Other: Christian: Women’s Fiction; Format: Paperback; Source: Own

 

 

 

Follow my Book Blog Friday

Hosted by: Parajunkee.com

To join the fun and make now book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com} and any one else you want to follow on the list
2. (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers – http://nakeshabrown.blogspot.com/
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”
6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love…and the followers
7. If you’re new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

 

This weeks question:

Share your current fav television show! Tell us a bit about it…

 

This one is a little hard. I used to watch TV all the time; however, in the last year or so, I’ve started back reading. So, I can only share a few that I, at least, listen too:

The Real Housewives – I watch several of these shows. Atlanta, New Jersey, Beverly Hills, and such. These women can be funny and really mean. Their over abundant life styles drive me crazy. Many are superficial, ignorant, and rather selfish. I wouldn’t have any idea what it would be like to have a maid, a nanny, or a credit card with no limit.

 

Nancy Grace – I enjoy watching Nancy Grace and many other true crime shows. She is usually brutally honest with her opinions of people and situations. Some of the things people do and say are just beyond me.

 

Hoarders – This is a newer show that I’ve come to love watching. I feel so bad for some of these people. Their compulsion has taken over their lives.  It’s unimaginable how much stuff some people collect.

 

Sunny Chandler’s Return by Sandra Brown

 

 

Going home, could you show your face in your home town, years after walking out on your wedding day?

Sunny Chandler did. Sandra Brown kept me wanting more in Sunny Chandler’s Return. Sunny is back in her home town for her best friend’s wedding. Not wanting to be there, she is still the object of the busy bodied people of the small town. All she wants is to be there for her friend and leave again.

Ty Beaumont is the town’s sheriff and he is dead set on bedding Sunny. However, he has his work cut out for him. Ty thinks he is every woman’s dream; but with Sunny, he has another thing coming. His straight forward approach is something that brushes her the wrong way from the very beginning.

Sandra Brown brings about a strong-willed woman in Sunny Chandler. She knows what she wants and she works hard to get it. Sunny doesn’t trust easily and one Mr. Ty Beaumont is definitely not to be trusted. Sunny Chandler’s Return is one of Sandra Brown’s novels that I will read again. Its characters are strong and stubborn.

Some women don’t seem to really want a man, and some men don’t seem to know when they’ve met their match.

Publisher: Bantam; Published: January, 2004(first Published in 1987); Category: Fiction – Adult, Romance; Format: Hardcover; Source: Won

This signed copy, was won from a giveaway through Goodreads.com, by the Author.

 

 

Book Blogger Hop #2

 

The Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Crazy-for-Books. The Book Blogger Hop lasts Friday-Monday every week.  This is a weekly event!  Come join in on the fun and stop back throughout the weekend to see all the new blogs that are added!

I’ve missed the last few Hops, so I’m playing catch-up with this post.

February 25-28: “Do you ever wish you would have named your blog something different?”

No. Since I just started my blog, I tried to chose a name that was different from others.

February 18-21: “What book(s) would you like to see turned into a movie?”

This is a hard one. There are so many good books out there, but I think Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake series might be a good one. It would be neat to see how they would break down the books.

Februrary 11-14: “Tell us about one of your posts from this week and give us a link so we can read it (review or otherwise)!”

Most of my posts are book reviews.

February 4-7:

“What are you reading now and why are you reading it?”

Currently, I am reading The Iron King by: Julie Kagawa. I’ve wanted to read this book since I took up reading, again. It seems everyone raves over the trilogy, so now it’s my turn to see what these books are about.

I hate that I’ve missed these weeks and hopefully, I will not miss any in the future.

Thanks to Crazy-for-Books for hosting this Hop; it’s been a great way to meet new people and learn so much about the Authors and books that are out there. Don’t forget to come by and join in on the fun!!!

 

 

In My Mailbox #2

 

 

 

 

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.

This is my second In My Mailbox. I actually debated on whether to go ahead and do a weekly update or every other week; as you can see, I decided to go ahead with weekly.

This week for review:

Deadly Ties by: Vicki Hinze

This book was sent to me from

WalterBrook Multomah Publishers for free for review purposes.

This week I won:

The Iron Fey Trilogy: by: Julie Kagawa

The Iron King

The Iron Daughter

The Iron Queen

Special Thanks to Amy at My Friend Amy and the Author for a great giveaway!!!

2011 Christian Fiction Reading Challenge

 

Hosted by The Book Junkie’s Bookshelf.

I just came across this and decided to participate. I have already read 10 Christian Fiction books, so I will try and double the 12 needed for the challenge.

 

The Rules:

1. Create a post for the challenge using the image above and link back to this post.

–Non-Bloggers: You are welcome to join too. Post your list of books in the comment section of the wrap-up post.

2. Sign up with the Mr. Linky.

–Link to your challenge post when you sign up please.

3. The goal of this challenge is to read AT LEAST 12 novels that are Christian based fiction between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011. Books read before January 1, 2011 do NOT count towards the challenge.

4. Audio, eBooks, paper all count. Re-reads are ok but try to keep them to a minimum. Cross overs from other challenges are ok.

5. There is no need to create your list now. Please feel free to use your challenge post to keep track of your titles if you so desire.

 

Deadly Ties by Vicki Hinze

What would you do if the things that you thought you knew weren’t true?

Dr. Lisa Harper learns the truth about things from her past that she never knew; she learns that some things are not always what you remember.

In Vicki Hinze’s Deadly Ties, Lisa is trying to help abuse victims. She has not only lived through some abuse, but has lived with the fact that her mother is in an abusive marriage. Wanting to help her mom, she continually seeks God’s counsel to help her through the trials and tribulations of each day.

Mark Taylor is a former spy; a secret agent, if you may. His love for Lisa is what keeps him beside her, helping her and her mother try to come together after many years apart. However, when Lisa is abducted, he reaches out to friends for help. Through constant prayer, each person of the former spy team tracks down the people responsible.

In the end, Lisa and everyone in her town are overwhelmed at the truth behind her abduction. Many tales and truths come out and the unbelievable meanness of someone is revealed.

Deadly Ties was a wonderful read. From the beginning, Vicki Hinze kept me wanting more. This suspense filled novel was one I didn’t want to put down. We learn, through Lisa and Marks prayers, that even when the going gets tough, all you need to do is prayer for God’s help. We may not always feel it, but we have to remember that God has a reason for everything that happens.

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:” Ecclesiastes 3:1

Publisher:WaterBrook Multomah Publishers ; Published: February 8, 2011; Category: Fiction – Suspense; Format: Publisher; Source: Review copy received from Author/Publisher

A copy of this book was received from WalterBrook Multomah Publishers for free for review purposes.

 

Insatiable by Meg Cabot

Do you believe?

In good and evil; that something so vile can be good? The ask Meena Harper how she feels.

For Meena, each day brings about new events. Will someone change their fate today? Will someone die? Meena deals with the results of her gift in silence. She doesn’t tell the person what is about to happen; as they probably would call the psych ward quickly.

Vampires…they’re not real. Meena is sick of them.

Insatiable by Meg Cabot, is a good read. Meena is a writer for the television show, Insatiable. Being overlooked for a promotion, she now has the job of writing in a Vampire.  Hating the idea, Meena goes home for the day, only to meet the Prince of Darkness.  Lucien is a Vampire; his father was and is known world-wide. Meena can’t help but fall for him. Not knowing his secret, she agrees to a date. Little does she know that she is now the one in danger.

Meg Cabot’s novel is a bit different but still has its similarities to other vampires. The short chapters allow for a quick read. In the beginning I was a little worried that I couldn’t get into it; but, I finally did and couldn’t put it down. Even the small history lessons added to its appeal. I only wish that Cabot would have added a little more at the end.

Publisher: William Morrow; Published: June 8, 2010; Category: Fiction – Adult; Format: Hardcover; Source: Purchased

H.: The Story of Heathcliff’s Journey Back to Wuthering Heights by Lin Haire-Sargeant

 

Did you ever wonder?

One day while at the library, I came across H – The Story of Heathcliff’s Journey back to Wuthering Heights by Lin Haire-Sargeant. I am not a fan of the original, but was intrigued with the idea of this book.

Charlotte couldn’t have imagined that her train ride would have resulted in learning about the death of Heathcliff. Hearing speak of Heathcliff, Miss Charlotte Bronte is excited to read the papers of Mr. Lockwood’s. Curious as ever, Charlotte wonders if the Heathcliff of Mr. Lockwood’s is the same Heathcliff that her dear sister Emily had spoken of.

It seems that Heathcliff got lucky on his leaving Wuthering Heights. He was taken in, educated, and given ample opportunity to become a gentleman. Yet, he never could forget his Cathy. As stubborn as a mule, Mr. Are still pushed forward in helping the bloke.

In the end, Lin Haire-Sargeant suggests that there could have been more to the story of Heathcliff and Cathy. With Emily detailing certain “imaginations” to Charlotte, the idea of both Heathcliff and Cathy being together, only raised more questions.  Haire-Sargeant’s tale of Heathcliff’s away years is contrite; to the one and only Ms. Dean.

Truly, was he a man of gentleness or a man of pure hatred?

Publisher: Pocket Books; Published: July 1, 1992; Category: Fiction –General Fiction – Literary Fiction/Classic; Format: Hardcover; Source: Library

 

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte is a classic. I recently did a review of the book for Fictionista Workshop.  You can read it here: http://www.fictionistaworkshop.com/category/projects/courting-the-classics/

 

 

In My Mailbox #1

 

In My Mailbox is hosted by TheStorySiren.

 

This is my first In My Mailbox. Since I just started blogging a few weeks ago, I have been getting books from the library, online – eBooks and purchasing, and from book stores; yet, I did receive 2: 1 from the Author and 1 from WaterBrook Multnomah. I have really enjoyed getting back to reading books. I forgot how nice it was; a good escape from the day to day grind of my reality.

So, this first set of books, I purchased online through the Literary Guild:

The Parting by: Beverly Lewis (The Courtship of Nellie Fisher – Book 1)

The Forbidden by: Beverly Lewis (The Courtship of Nellie Fisher – Book 2)

The Search by: Suzanne Woods Fisher

Hush, Hush by: Becca Fitzpatrick

Insatiable by: Meg Cabot

Marked by: P. C. Cast & Kristin Cast

Rooms by: James L. Rubart

How to Bake a Perfect Life by: Barbara O’Neal

 

 

This set I purchased from a couple of second-hand places in town:

Revelations of a Single Woman by: Connally Gilliam

Sunday’s at Tiffany’s by: James Patterson & Gabrielle Charbonnet

The Bronte Project by: Jennifer Vandever

The Sugar Queen by: Sarah Addison Allen

Julia’s Chocolates by: Cathy Lamb

The Eyre Affair by: Jasper FForde

 

 

Also, I did get 2 books In my Mailbox:

Tandem by: Tracey Bateman (from the publisher)

Sunny Chandler’s Return by: Sandra Brown (from Goodreads giveaway by the Author)