*The Ride of Her Life* GREAT book!

This book review is for the novel "The Ride of Her Life" by Lorna Seilstad.

This is the third book in the Lake Manawa Summers. I read the first book in this series " Making Waves" and you can read my review for it HERE!
I have the second book in this series sitting in my kindle list but haven't had the chance to read it quite yet but am looking forward to it!

I am becoming such a fan of Lorna's work that I get excited whenever I see one of the tours has her name as the author!
Her books really suck you into the story right away. I sat down with this book one very busy day with a plan to just read the first few pages or until just the end of chapter one and then come back to it later. I realized like 30 pages in that I had gone well past my intended first chapter. ha!
But that is the way this book is, or at least was for me. I start reading and just dive right into the story and don't quite realize how many pages have been turned.

~~~~~~~~~
Lilly Hart has been widowed for three long years and is raising her six year old son by herself. She took the brave step of leaving her, very well off, in law's house, to raise him the way she wanted by herself.
They fancied boarding schools and a more hands off approach to his raising while she clung to the fact that their son and she never wanted that to happen to their child.

Lilly's greatest mission is to purchase a house and give her son, Levi, the home base that she never had growing up.

What she hadn't counted on, however, was increasing pressure and threats from Levi's grandparent's to take custody of her child. During one such argument, a handsome man defends her and starts the course of a friendship between himself and Levi and eventually Lilly as well. She has her guard up more than just a little high, though, and it will take even more planning and maneuvers than designing his roller coasters take, to get Lilly to fall for him.
~~~~~~~~~~

This book keeps you wondering and fully engaged until the end. It's also fun seeing how things were in the 1960's as well. Definitely another winner for author Lorna Seilstad!

Hope you all enjoy your weekends!
Jenny


*Note* I received a free copy of this book from Revell in exchange for a review. I am not required to post a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own and they are sincere.

*My Stubborn Heart* A blog tour!

This review is for the debut novel "My Stubborn Heart" by Becky Wade.

I absolutely love finding new authors to read that have tremendous talent and Becky Wade is just such an author!
I love this story because not only does it use at least two generations of family together it weaves a wonderful tale of life, death, pain, redemption and grace.
Becky brings her characters to life with poignancy. The opening of the book was quite unique and immediately peaked my interest in the story. It was almost like the beginning of a fairy tale and was sure to be a charming story I thought. I do, however, hesitate to stick with my charming thought as it almost seems too trivial of  a word to use when, the wonderful author, Becky, manages to bring such depth and feeling to their lives and stories. She truly does an amazing job of weaving human characteristics into this story and gives you a glimpse into how different people deal with loss and pain while maintaining a thread of hope for something better to come for them.

~~~~~~~~~~
Kate Donovan has walked through the past months in a lackluster daze. She does her job as a social worker well but really she is only going through the motions.
A request from her grandmother, for Kate to take a three month hiatus from her 9-5 and accompany her to her old hometown of Redbud, Pennsylvania to help restore the old family home, she jumps at the opportunity to escape her doldrums.
She is tired, lonely and depressed. At 31 she was sure God had her spouse out there for her and has prayed faithfully for him since she was young but still finds herself single wondering if he will ever appear.
Then Kate meets Matt Jarreau who is the hunky carpenter her grandmother hired to help them re-do the house.

Unsure of why, but knowing with a strong fact that she feels this way, Kate senses a deep and guarded sadness to Matt. Feeling attracted but waving it away by proclaiming him to attractive for her, she instead determines to pull Matt out of his shell and befriend him. Kate and her grandmother set out to do just that very thing and feel sure that they can succeed.

Could God be finally answering Kate's long uttered prayers or is Matt just in her path so she can help him along the rode to finally healing from his traumatic past?
~~~~~~~~~~

I wholeheartedly recommend that you pick up this debut novel and read it for yourself! I think that you will find yourself sucked into the story and just as eager as I was to find out what happens to these very likable characters!


Also be sure and enter the author's fun giveaway!

Win a Nook Simple Touch™ with GlowLight™ in Becky Wade's My Stubborn Heart Giveaway and RSVP for FB Party {5/24}!

Celebrate with Becky by entering her My Stubborn Heart Giveaway and connecting with her during the Author Chat Party on 5/24!

One fortunate winner will receive:

• A Brand New Nook Simple Touch™ with GlowLight™
• A $25 Barnes & Noble Gift Certificate
• A copy of My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on May 24th. Winner will be announced at the "My Stubborn Heart" Author Chat Facebook Party on 5/24. Becky will be hosting an book chat, testing your trivia skills and giving away some great prizes!



So grab your copy of My Stubborn Heart and join Becky on the evening of the May 24th for a chance to meet Becky and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book - don't let that stop you from coming!)

 



Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 24th!

http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/13491775/beckywade

Happy week and reading to you all!
Jenny

*Note* I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my review. I am not required to post a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own and they are sincere.

~Sweeter Than Birdsong~

This review is for the novel "Sweeter Than Birdsong" by Rosslyn Elliott.


It is the second book in "The Saddler's Legacy".


I cannot say enough about Rossyln's books! They are amazing and each one has gotten better than the last! These books pull you into the pages of this story and it is as if you are living it out with the characters as you fly through the scenes. I can easily see these books becoming movies!

When I got this book I literally finished reading it by the second day of picking it up as I did not want to put it down! It was so entertaining, moving and has such great historical quality to it! I cannot wait until the third book releases!!! Rosslyn has obviously done her research and her writing gets better and better with each book. She is a definite story teller :)
~~~~~
It is 1855 in Westerville, Ohio and Kate Winter's dreams have almost come true. When she becomes one of the first women to graduate Otterbein College she will be guaranteed her wish of escaping her house and the dark secrets that lurk there.

Public speaking, however, is Kate's nemesis and one she is required to conquer in order to graduate and fulfill her dream. It is the only thing standing in the way of her escape.

Desperation almost causes her to do the unthinkable, but God always has a way of working things out for our good.

When her mother insists she sign up for a school performance and sing, she is inexplicably thrown together with one of the young men helping to run it, Ben Hanby.

Little do either Kate or Ben know that they both hold their own secrets far from the light of day and other peoples prying eyes.

Kate holds them close for the shame they would cause and Ben does, simply for the dangers to himself and his family if they were to be discovered.

God has a way of always having perfect timing and that is exactly how it is for Ben and Kate.

They are put into each others path just when it's needed and just when the timing is right.

~~~~~~~~~~

Read part of the book here: Book Excerpt


About Rosslyn:

Rosslyn Elliott is the award-winning author of Fairer than Morning, the first in the Saddler's Legacy series. She holds a B.A. from Yale University and a Ph.D. in English from Emory University. Her study of American literature and history inspired her to pursue writing fiction. Elliott lives in Albuquerque, where she homeschools her daughter and works in children's ministry.

For more about Rosslyn, visit her website: http://rosslynelliott.com

Link to buy the book: Buy The Book!

Enter 2/9-2/28!

In this second in the award-winning Saddler's Legacy series, Rosslyn Elliott has written a stirring novel of hope and faith inspired by real historical people and events. With Ben Hanby, a genius composer, Kate Winter, one of the first female college graduates in America, and John Parker, an ex-slave who risked his life time and again to help fugitive slaves, Sweeter than Birdsong is full of real heroes to inspire us. "I hope readers will find a renewed sense of strength in their own lives," says Elliott, "knowing that change is possible, and our efforts matter. I want them to remember these unique, brave people in history who left us a shining example of what it means to live out one's beliefs with passion and commitment."

So to celebrate the music in all of us, Rosslyn and Thomas Nelson are hosting this "sweet giveaway".

One fortunate winner will receive:

• A Brand new iPod Nano (Winner's choice of color!)
• Fairer than Morning by Rosslyn Elliott
• Sweeter than Birdsong by Rosslyn ElliottEnter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on February 28th. Winner will be announced at Sweeter than Birdsong Author Chat Facebook Party on 2/28. Rosslyn will be chatting with guests, sharing a sneak peek of the next book in the series, hosting a trivia contest, and more! She'll also be giving away some GREAT prizes: gift certificates, books, season 1 of DowntownAbbey, and a book club prize pack! (Ten copies of the book for your small group or book club AND a LIVE Author Chat for your group with Rosslyn.)

So grab your copy of Sweeter than Birdsong and join Rosslyn and friends on the evening of the 28th for an evening of fun.

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 28th!




Once again, Rosslyn, I commend you on your impeccable attention to historical detail and I loved diving into this book! I am very eagerly awaiting the last one but hope it is just the first series of many for you! And I give you a standing ovation hands down!



Highly recommend that you pick up this novel and dive into the pages of amazing writing!

Jenny






*Note* I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review. I am not required to post a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own and they are sincere.

*The Accidental Bride*

This book review is for the novel "Accidental Bride" by Denise Hunter.

It is "A Big Sky Romance".

~~~~~~~
Shay Bradenberger is raising her daughter all alone in Montana on her childhood ranch, which she is struggling to keep afloat by herself and one teenage hired hand.

Travis McCoy, the boy who broke her heart, is back in town and the last thing she wants to do is run into his smug face.

Add in a meddlesome town and a town event and you've got Shay not only running into Travis...you have her married to him in a freak accident.

Deciding to take Travis up on a crazy proposal in order to save her ranch, Shay may be in serious danger of losing her heart to this man for the second time in her life.
~~~~~~~


I am a huge Denise Hunter fan and was so excited to read this new release! I was not disappointed and will defiantly be putting this one on my shelf to read again!
Denise always manages to draw you into the story so well you don't want to put the book down until you have finished the entire story.


Highly recommend you pick this book up for yourself.

Jenny



*Note* I received this book for free from the B&B Media Group, Inc in exchange for a review about it. I am not required to post a positive review. Any opinions expressed are my own and they are sincere.

Love Love Love~Before The Season Ends~

This review is for the novel "Before The Season Ends" by Linore Rose Burkard.

This first book is A Regency Inspirational Romance. There appears to be at least one more book in this series and I am super excited to read it!

I cannot say enough good things about this book! When they say for the Jane Austen Soul they are not exaggerating. If you have been reading my blog you know I loveeeee Jane Austen and always get excited when I find books that are reminiscent of her writing and style.
Linore definitely captures it!

I don't remember ever reading anything by Linore before but you can be assured I will now be looking for more things by her after reading this book.

And Linore if you read this..I commend you on superior writing and such great names for your characters! Love it!!

~~~~~~~~~

Ariana Forsythe finds herself shipped off to London to a wealthy aunt for her first season, after setting her cap at a man her parents find most unsuitable...he is old enough to be her father.

Ariana is all young beauty, promise, faith filled, wonderstruck girl, who marvels at the excess of her aunt and the society that makes up London's Ton.

The things she sees in London is unlike anything she has seen in her short nineteen years.

When a scandal rocks her world, she cannot believe the cruelty of people and finds herself thrown  together with the man known as the "Paragon".

He is notorious for his sharp tongue and steady disapproval of all young girls, Ariana included. Not only is he known to be rude, he is mostly known for his riches and his more than confirmed bachelorhood. At thirty everyone has given up on any young women ever "catching" the darkly handsome Mr. Phillip Mornay.

However, the scandal that is spread from house to house like a sickness, involves on Mr. Mornay and our young Ariana, throwing them together in the post unpredictable of circumstances.

Perhaps what was meant for evil will turn out for good and blessings.

Now if only Mornay shared our beautiful Ariana's faith and actually wanted to get married to someone....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once again cannot say enough good things about this book! Absolutely loved it and highly recommend it to all!


Happy happy week my friends!
Jenny


*Note* I received this book for free from Harvest House in exchange for a review about it. I am not required to post a positive review. Any opinions expressed are my own and they are sincere.

the glory of green

This book review is for the novel "the glory of green" by Judy Christie.

I will admit to loving the "Green" series. I have previously reviewed the first book  Gone to Green and the second book Goodness Gracious Green in this awesome series.

The third book is no exception to the greatness of the series and I cannot wait to read and review the next two!

Lois Barker has created her perfect wedding and can't wait to walk down the aisle to her own handsome catch. The only bothersome thing so far is his extensive collection of stuffed, ceramic and all kinds of materials, catfish collection. In addition to the wedding she is plotting how to rid him of all these before he moves them and himself into her house....wait, wait...their house, or at least it will be after this amazing wedding.

What starts as an amazing wedding ends in a whirlwind....a REAL whirlwind. Forget the cake! It just flew past on tornadic winds. Only to Louis Barker would a tornado interrupt the perfect wedding.

What comes next is weeks and weeks of destruction and pain while Lois and her new husband try to pick up the pieces of Green and rebuild the community into something better than it was before.

Can they work together and pick up the pieces or will strife and differences cause Green to never recover this tragedy and be wiped off the map for good?

Lois didn't bargain for being a newlywed and barely seeing her husband on top of losing her home and having to set up married life in a motel. Will Chris and Lois be able to overcome their rough start and enjoy being married and having at least a somewhat less hectic life? Read along and see!

Hope you guys liked all my posts today!

:)
Jenny


*Note* I received this book for free from Abingdon Press in exchange for a review about it. I am not required to post a positive review. Any opinions expressed are my own and they are sincere.

~Never the Bride~

This book review is for the novel "Never the Bride" by Cheryl Mckay & Rene Gutterridge.

Hold onto your hats for this review because this is truly one of the most unique and amazing books that I have EVER read!

This novel was a screenplay that was turned into a book. There will actually be a movie coming out next year for this which I am super excited to see!!


Jessie Stone has spent her life writing into hundreds of journals her dream proposal and how her dream man should be. Her purple feather pen is her lifeline for these books and you better be prepared to lose a finger if you want to so much as touch it. Her purple pen is what she writes her very dreams and hopes with. She has the very idea of what she wants in a man, the way he should propose and her dream house planned.
 The only thing missing is...the man to fulfill the plan she has come up with.

The one she thought would be the ONE, cheated on her with a blonde and crushed her to bits. The only other man who she could see herself with happens to be her very best friend, Blake, who seems to be blind to what she is sure are her many many charms.

Approaching her 35th birthday and just having made ten years at her very steady job with only her pen and journals to keep her warm at night....Jessie has something happen to her that makes her question her very sanity... God shows up. In the flesh, looking like a very handsome man and requesting of her the one thing she doesn't want to give. Control.

Will she hand over her very feathery purple pen to Him, will she surrender, will she trust Him and let Him write her long awaited love story. No matter how long it takes or however crazy what is asked of her seems to be. Will she trust? Will she stop fighting, stop asking why and just trust Him. Will she obey and will she surrender?

I LOVE this book. It is so touching, so poignant and so thought provoking. God is the ultimate love story. He can make happen for any of us things so much better and so much more amazing than we can ever dream for ourselves if we trust and surrender to Him.

Please pick up a copy of this book. I think it will touch you and inspire you in ways you never thought. I think it will make you see a little bit of how I think God sees us and wants us to see Him. As our passionate love story.

Still loving this book,
Jenny


"For I know the plans I have for you,declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:11

P.S. If you have read or do read this book please share your comments and thoughts with me. I would love to read them!

Also be sure to rank what you thought of my review and how I did on it. When you do, you are entered to win a copy of the book for yourself!







*Note* I received this book for free from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers in exchange for a review about it. I am not required to post a positive review. Any opinions expressed are my own and they are sincere.