Review: Stealing the Preacher

Book Description:

A cowboy who wants to be a preacher. An outlaw's daughter who wants to change his mind.

On his way to interview for a position at a church in the Piney Woods of Texas, Crockett Archer can't believe it when he's forced off the train by an outlaw and presented to the man's daughter as the preacher she requested for her birthday. He's determined to escape--which would be much easier if he could stop thinking about Joanna Robbins and her unexpected request.

For months, Joanna had prayed for a minister. A man to breathe life back into the abandoned church at the heart of her community. A man to assist her in fulfilling a promise to her dying mother. But just when it seems her prayers have been answered, it turns out the parson is there against his will and has dreams of his own calling him elsewhere. Is there any way she can convince Crockett he ended up right where he was supposed to be?

With her signature blend of humor, history, and lively western romance, two-time RITA Award finalist and bestselling author Karen Witemeyer delivers a Texas love story sure to steal your heart.

 My Review: 

If you love "Short-Straw Bride" you must read this book! It was so nice to get a peak back in to the lives of the Archer family. 

The characters in this book were absolutely delightful, and I really enjoyed the light humor in the story. I also enjoyed the thread of faith that pulls the whole book together. 

If you haven't read the first book, don't worry this one will read just fine as a stand-alone. 

I must mention that I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.

 Preview it:

Stealing the Preacher by Bethany House Publishers

A Christmas Journey Home: Miracle in the Manger

Image Source

Book Description Publication Date: October 5, 2011

During Isabella Alcantara’s seventh month of pregnancy, her parents and siblings are murdered in gang- and drug-related violence, simply because their home was targeted by mistake. Isabella knows she was spared only because she now lives in a different location, but she knows too that the same thing could easily happen to her and her husband, Francisco. When her grandfather offers to hire a “coyote” to bring them across the border to America, she agrees. But Francisco and Isabella are abandoned by the coyote and left to die. Francisco then valiantly sacrifices himself to get Isabella to safety. Homeless, nearly penniless, pregnant, and alone, Isabella determines to find a way to honor her promise to her beloved husband.

 Living on one of the smaller spreads along the Arizona border, Miriam Nelson becomes furious with God and turns from her faith when her  border patrol agent husband, David, is killed in a skirmish with drug smugglers. Though her mother and young son do their best to woo her back from the anger and bitterness that have overtaken her, they make little headway.
Two widows—one driven by fear and a promise, the other by bitterness and revenge—must make their journeys along different pathways, but with the same destination: a barn full of animals that stands waiting for them on Christmas Eve. Forced to face their personal demons, Isabella and Miriam soon discover a common yearning that will bind them together in a most miraculous way.

*Description Source

*****

This was the best Christmas story I think I have ever read. It is not a warm fuzzy gooey book but it is a very powerful story with a clear Christian message.
I found this book to be riveting - I read it in less than 24 hours. I found that I genuinely cared what happened to the characters, and found myself engrossed with the story.
At first I was a little unsure about a Christmas story dealing with such a hot political issue, but I found that it really helped me see all sides of the issue with much better understanding. The book is not for or against illegal immigration - there is no "winning side" - but it does bring to light, in a very powerful way, many of the issues on both sides.

I would highly recommend this book!

Harvest of Grace

Source: http://www.amazon.com/

Product Description:

Reeling from an unexpected betrayal, can Sylvia find relief from the echoes of her past…or will they shape her future forever?

Although Sylvia Fisher recognizes that most Old Order Amish women her age spend their hours managing a household and raising babies, she has just one focus—tending and nurturing the herd on her family’s dairy farm. But when a dangerous connection with an old beau forces her to move far from home, she decides to concentrate on a new start and pour her energy into reviving another family’s debt-ridden farm.

After months in rehab, Aaron Blank returns home to sell his Daed’s failing farm and move his parents into an easier lifestyle. Two things stand in his way: the father who stubbornly refuses to recognize that Aaron has changed and the determined new farmhand his parents love like a daughter. Her influence on Aaron’s parents could ruin his plans to escape the burdens of farming and build a new life.

Can Aaron and Sylvia find common ground? Or will their unflinching efforts toward opposite goals blur the bigger picture— a path to forgiveness, glimpses of grace, and the promise of love.

My Review:

I found this book to be very aptly titled. God's grace in forgiveness and restoring relationships is modeled all throughout this book. I found it to be very refreshing and encouraging to read.

I just adored some of the characters and could really relate to their struggles. The characters were deep and rich, and it was evident that they were growing in grace and faith.

Also, I really appreciate that before the story begins the reader is given a brief overview of what happened in the previous Ada's House novels and there is a list of main characters and important details about them. This makes it much easier for readers who have not read the previous books to keep track of who is who and whats already happened.

Overall, this was a great book book for any Amish fiction lover.

*I must mention that I received a complimentary review copy of this book from Waterbrook Multnomah.

About the Book:

Sometimes small towns hold the biggest secrets.

Ambitious young attorney Tom Crane is about to become a partner in a high-profile Atlanta law firm. But first he must clear one final matter from his docket-the closing of his deceased father's law practice in his hometown of Bethel, Georgia. Killed in a mysterious boating accident, John Crane didn't appear to leave his son anything except the hassle of wrapping up loose ends.

But instead of celebrating his promotion, Tom finds himself packing up his office, having suddenly been "consolidated." To add insult to injury, that same night his girlfriend breaks up with him . . . by letter.

Returning to Bethel with no sense of his future and no faith to fall back on, Tom just wants to settle his father's final affairs and get back to Atlanta. But then he runs into an unexpected roadblock-two million dollars of unclaimed money stashed in a secret bank account. And evidence that his father's death may not have been accidental. Worse still, a trail of data suggests his father played a role in an international fraud operation.

Tom follows the money into a tangled web of lies, theft, and betrayal. Along the way, he meets a woman who is as beguiling as she is beautiful. And her interest in the outcome of the case is just as high as his. She challenges Tom's assumptions . . . and his faith. Now he has to decide who he can trust-and how far a father's love can reach.
*source: www.amazon.com

My Review:

This intense, fast-paced page turner is a piece of fiction reminiscent of John Grisham. It is full of suspense from the very beginning, and every time you think you have it figured out, a new mystery unfolds. The characters are endearing and the storyline complex. What I most appreciate about this book, however, is that it truly is Christian fiction. Its not just an occasional mention of God, or a Scripture verse here or there, but the story includes Tom Crane’s conversion, repentance, and growth detailed thoroughly throughout.

I strongly recommend this book.

I must mention that I received a complimentary review copy of this book from Thomas Nelson publishers through their Book Sneeze program. That in no way influenced my opinion of it.

Never the Bride

About the book:

Eleven Bridesmaid Dresses Don’t Lie

Since she was just a little girl, Jessie Stone dreamed up hundreds of marriage proposals, doodled the romantic ideas in her journal with her treasured purple pen, and fantasized about wedding dresses and falling in love. She’s been a bridesmaid nearly a dozen times, waved numerous couples off to sunny honeymoons, and shopped in more department stores for half-price fondue pots than she cares to remember.

But shopping for one key component of these countless proposals hasn't been quite as productive–a future husband. The man she thought she would marry cheated on her. The crush she has on her best friend Blake is at very best…well, crushing. And speed dating has only churned out memorable horror stories.

So when God shows up one day, in the flesh, and becomes a walking, talking part of her life, Jessie is skeptical. What will it take to convince her that the Almighty has a better plan than one she’s already cooked up in her journals? Can she turn over her pen and trust someone else to craft a love story beyond her wildest dreams?

My Review:

The character of Jessie Stone is unique, complex, and fun in a very “OCD” way. This makes for a fun and interesting “romantic comedy” type novel. I appreciated the light-hearted manner in which her part of the story was told.

However, the other characters were rather dull and under-developed.  There is little detail given to any of them, and I really didn’t find myself able to connect with them.

My biggest problem with the book, however, was the casual manner in which God was portrayed. Rather the being portrayed as the Author and Creator of the Universe, the perfectly just Judge, and the One Who is sovereign over all, He is portrayed as some sort of cosmic cupid who exists merely for the purpose of writing our love stories. There was a kind of gospel presentation towards the end, but with no mention of sin, judgment, or repentance. For that reason, I cannot recommend this book.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

You can read the first chapter here.

Treasuring Emma by Kathleen Fuller

Book Description

Emma has put everyone else first in her life. Now at nearly 25, has she missed her chance at marriage?

Emma was Adam's first love but circumstances made them both choose different paths in life. Emma's heart breaks all over again when Adam returns to the Amish community of Middlefield, Ohio, years later.

For the past ten years, Emma has been a care-giver. First for her mother who unsuccessfully battled breast cancer, and now for her grandmother who gets more frail with each passing year. Emma has always put the needs of others above her own. With more time on her hands, she determines to focus on herself and her dream of opening a rescue shelter for stray animals in the community.

With Adam's return come feelings Emma's long buried. They're older and life hasn't turned out the way they thought it would. Adam's feelings for Emma are stronger than ever, but will he be able to convince her to put the past aside and give their love a chance?

******

My Review:

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author has a talent for making you feel what the characters feel and drawing the reader into the story. Emma was so real to me; there were times when I could have cried with her. I could also relate to the worries of her sister, and her tendency to try to fix things first and go to God later.

The story moves along quickly, with the elements of suspense, subtle romance, and growing faith carefully woven throughout.

The setting really seemed “authentic Amish” – from the descriptions of their farms to their day-to-day life, it seemed very much in keeping with what I know of Amish life

What really made this book though, were the characters. A long-lost love, a wise grandmother, a somewhat overbearing sister, and the mysterious cousin from out of town – all very well developed and intriguing. These characters seemed so real. They had to wrestle with issues of faith, family conflict, and grief just like the rest of us. The issues dealt with in this book are ones that most of us face at one time in our lives, not just the Amish.

I would strongly recommend this book to anyone was loves Amish fiction.

I must mention that I did receive a complimentary copy of this, in ebook format, for review purposes. That in no way influenced my opinion of it.

 



She Makes it Looke Easy by Marybeth Whalen

Ariel Baxter has finally moved to the neighborhood of her dreams – Essex Falls. A mother of three boys and an excellent photographer, she is busy but never feels like she has it all together. Her tendency to be disorganized and forgetful has her feeling that she is just not good enough, even in her new home.

Her new neighbor, Justine, seems to have everything that she doesn’t – a clean and organized house, well behaved girls, perfect recipes, a great singing voice, popularity in the neighborhood – in short, she appears to be perfect. Ariel hopes that her friendship with Justine will bring some of these things into her life, all the while ignoring the signs that something might not be quite right.

I really enjoyed this book. Parts of it were truly laugh-out-loud funny and yet it dealt with some serious issues too. I love the detail that the author put into the setting, making it easy to picture and feel like you were there. What I most appreciate about this book, though, is that it’s so real. I could so easily relate to the characters because they seemed so true to life, and the situations that arose and temptations that they faced are ones that most of us deal with at some point in our lives. Which one of us hasn’t looked at the “perfect mom” across the street and wished we could be like her?

There are also valuable lessons to be reminded of woven throughout the book, like the importance of putting God first in all things, and what a true friend really is.

This is an excellent book that I would recommend for all Christian women.


*Disclosure: I received a Advance Reading Copy of this book through the Amazon Vine reviewers program.