Devotion by Marianne Evans

October 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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Devotion by Marianne Evans
Publisher: Pelican Book Group
Genre: Contemporary, Inspirational
Length: Full (302 pgs)
Heat: Sweet
Rating: 4.5 stars
Review by Poppy

From This Day Forward
Christian Music agent Kellen Rossiter has everything he ever wanted: A-list clients from coast to coast, a loving wife who honors and respects him, and a faith life that’s never wavered—until now.

Juliet Rossiter has the perfect life: a rewarding schedule serving the underprivileged, a husband who loves her as Christ loved the church, and a blessed future as a mother—at least that’s what she thinks.

For Better or Worse
But what happens when their rock-solid marriage begins to crumble under the weight of an unexpected and powerful temptation? How does love survive when its foundation is shaken?

‘Til Death Do Us Part
When human frailty and the allure of sin deal a harsh blow to their relationship, it will take more than love to mend the shattered trust and heartbreak. It will take a lifetime of devotion.

Temptation hits what seemed to be a solid, Christian marriage…can they keep it together?

When a music agent has feelings for a young woman who isn’t his wife, and when he gives in enough to kiss her–a kiss that is observed and eventually gets back to his wife–what next?

Marianne Evans writes a book with a wonderful message of forgiveness.  This couple has a difficult path ahead, because a broken trust is difficult, and sometimes impossible, to overcome.   She takes us step-by-step as they try to work things out and rebuild their marriage. As they try to learn to trust again.

There’s another sticking point, as well.  I think the world feels Christians should be infallible.  I think Christians often feel that way as well.  So these two have to get past that; they must acknowledge they are human and sometimes make bad choices.

The author does a fine job of showing the reality of their lives after this happens.  Though the story does have its slow spots, it’s still uplifting, believable and not preachy.  It’s something that couples should read when they think their relationships are past saving.

For a book with a real message that will leave you filled with hope, I recommend Devotion.  It’s so very worth reading.

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Lost in Lone Creek by Mary Manners

October 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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Lost in Lone Creek by Mary Manners
Publisher: White Rose Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Inspirational
Length: Short Story (74 Pages)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Telstar

Carson Merrill loves only one thing more than Lone Creek Ranch—high school sweetheart Jessica Tate. He has plans to marry her, until one fateful night a devastating accident nearly kills her brother, James, and claims the use of his legs. Jessica flees to Nashville, blaming Carson for her brother’s paralysis, and avoids him—and James—for more than a year. Jessica returns to Lone Creek as one of the top producing land developers in the area, and she has one goal—to banish Carson forever from her memory while taking what he still loves—Lone Creek Ranch. But God has other plans—to draw the two together in a development project that will satisfy both their desires, and help them to reclaim the love they once shared.

An offer that should never have been made. Two wounded people. Two opposing objectives. Enemies or lovers…do they have a choice?

Lost in Lone Creek is a sweet and endearing love story with characters that are easy to warm up to. For Jessica, resentment and blame have been her dominant emotions for the past year. Emotions that caused her to close her heart toward the man she loved and to flee Lone Creek. And even though she’s returned, it’s for all the wrong reasons.

The story line of misunderstandings and lost chances is nothing new. And if there hadn’t been an outstanding feature that kept me reading to the end, I would have probably given this story three stars. However, author Mary Manners does an exceptional job with dialogue. Through that, and body language, she allowed me to know her characters more deeply. Showing is so much more effective than just telling because it lets me, the reader, shape this character in my mind, forging a strong bond that compels me to stay with that character until the end.

Another aspect of the author’s writing is her use of unique, descriptive language that gives her readers a new and fresh view of familiar scenes, objects, or character reactions. It’s not easy to describe a sunset or smile in a new way, but she manages to do that and more in Lost in Lone Creek.

If you’re looking for a read to fit into one of those brief moments of private time, the length of this story will work well, not only that, you’ll also come away with having found two new friends in Jessica and Carson. And don’t forget, this is just one of the stories in the Lone Creek Ranch Series.

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The Struggle by Wanda E Brunstetter

August 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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The Struggle by Wanda E Brunstetter
Publisher: Barbour Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Inspirational
Length: Full Length (384 pgs)
Heat: Sweet
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Aloe

When Timothy Fisher, his wife Hannah, and their daughter Mindy leave Pennsylvania to begin a new life in Kentucky, Hannah finds it hard to adjust. Will Christian County ever feel like home? Nothing Timothy does seems to please Hannah. Has the move from Lancaster spelled the beginning of the end? When a tragedy occurs, an inconsolable Hannah blames her husband for their loss. Timothy can barely rise beneath the weight of guilt, his wife’s hostility, and stress of his job. What dramatic second chance will God provide to heal their grief?

Hannah did not want to move to Kentucky. She’d be leaving her home, her parents and all that was familiar to her. She knew her husband was moving her because she spent too much time with her mother and let her interfere in their marriage. That didn’t make her happier about it.

Ms. Brunstetter sets her story in Amish country and the story includes all the Amish families and how they all interact. I enjoy reading about their culture and learning some of their words and this story gives you an opportunity to do that.

The title is most appropriate for this story. Hannah struggles from the beginning to the end until she finally comes to terms with what has happened in the past and how she wants to live in the future. She’s a confused young woman. She loves Timothy and her daughter, Mindy, but she grew up tied to her mother’s apron strings and she misses her dreadfully. Knowing Timothy thought she was spending too much time with her mother now that she was married doesn’t make it any better. Because Hannah is so busy feeling sorry for herself, she’s not real easy for the rest of the family to befriend or welcome to Kentucky. Her actions often make the situation worse and exacerbate her relationship problems.

I often wanted to pick Hannah up and shake her (gently, of course), like you would a small child you want to make a point with. She’s so bull-headed and self-centered she doesn’t see what she’s doing to Timothy. She did get me engaged in the story, though. Timothy is a good man and is trying to be patient with Hannah, but when they have a family tragedy, things fall apart.

When I had almost given up on Hannah, the author brought me back from the brink of the cliff and moved the story towards closure. I would have liked to see more sense in Hannah’s character sooner, but it is the story of her struggle, as the title implies. It’s a good read, the Amish way of life is interesting and I was happy to see Hannah finally evolve into womanhood. This is the third book in this series Kentucky Brothers, so series readers might want to check out the other books, too.

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When Love Comes My Way by Lori Copeland

July 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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When Love Comes My Way by Lori Copeland
Publisher: Harvest House
Genre: Inspirational, Historical
Length: Full Length (300 pages)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Camellia

From bestselling author Lori Copeland, When Love Comes My Way is a love story about redemption, forgiveness, and renewed spiritual awakenings set against the backdrop of scenic Upper Peninsula, Michigan, in the days when pine was king.

Michigan, 1873—As Tess Wakefield wakes from a frightening wagon accident, she discovers she has lost her memories. In her recovery, she loses her heart as well to handsome lumberjack Jake Lannigan. It’s not a two-way street, though. Jake thinks he knows exactly who she is—the spoiled Wakefield Timber heir—but he believes the accident provides the means to show her that she has a responsibility to replant the trees and not to merely invest her inheritance opening another of her silly millinery shops.

Then he slowly he begins to fall in love with her. Jake wants to tell Tess the truth, but before he can her true identity is uncovered, and then both of them find the emotional stakes too high. Will God intervene and show this headstrong couple that only He in His wisdom could have paired them together?

During a bitter cold winter near Lake Huron in late nineteenth century, huge, handsome lumberjack Jake “Big Say” Lannigan and Philadelphia-reared heiress Tess Wakefield, who has amnesia, keep Wakefield Timber logging camp in a stir.

Lori Copeland captivates with a setting that certainly doesn’t seem conducive to romance, but uses it to create a “meant-to-be” love match. She also uses it to bring to life some intriguing characters whose strengths and weakness are revealed as they cope with less than desirable living conditions, hazardous working conditions, and social interactions that stir up conflicts that test integrity, faith, morals, and patience. She besieges the senses: like smells in the bunkhouse; feel of the bitter cold, sight of a moonlit crystal clear night; taste of food after a hard day’s work; sounds of the working lumberjacks as trees are topped and “timberrr” rings out, and so much more. Her amazing descriptions place the reader right in the middle of it all.

When Love Comes My Way, even though an inspirational novel, does not sermonize or evangelize, but lets the reader have a vicarious experience with major characters whose deep, abiding Christian belief is part of the very fabric of their being. It is evidenced in their actions and in the debilitating sense of guilt that niggles at them when they fall short of what they know is acceptable for a true believer.

The relationship that grows with Jake and Tess keeps the reader turning pages. Ms. Copeland weaves their lives together with humorous actions, devious actions, subtle but compelling feelings and desires, and intriguing back story as she skillfully turns their differences around to mutual desire not just for each other, but also a desire to help people in the present and to do what will help generations to come.

The secondary characters are a hardy lot. The downtrodden young wife Echo–hers is a “not-to-miss” story; the “monster” school children—my word, made shudder to think about trying to teach those little “darlings”; the polite Andre Montague, Jake’s right hand man; Talbot, Tess’s guardian and fiancé, and many others all add a humanness to this delightful story that is hard to put down—kept me up late.

When Love Comes My Way is an exquisite love story set is a harsh environment. Ms. Copeland’s awesome writing style, her captivating characters, and wonderful descriptions make this a story to be read more than once.

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Reclaiming Tess by Beth Shriver

May 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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Reclaiming Tess by Beth Shriver
Publisher: Desert Breeze Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Inspirational
Length: Short Story (134 pgs)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

A wayward corporate woman finds herself again when she returns to the family ranch and renews her faith in God and her fellowman

A small town girl becomes a big-city corporate, woman who slowly forgets her roots and her faith. But when her grandfather dies, Tess revisits her childhood church, and the Lord reawakens the inspiration she once had there. Tess doesn’t want three generations of her family heritage to end so she decides to leave her corporate America world and heads west. What she thinks is temporary turns out to be permanent when she is roped into a relationship with the all too helpful, handsome ranch hand, something she hadn’t bargained for. But he just might be enough to keep her there.

Reclaiming Tess is as warm and inviting as a plate full of delicious, home cooked comfort food.

Tess takes a huge leap of faith when she buys her family’s ranch after her grandfather’s death. While Tess spent her childhood summers on the ranch, she is now a corporate businesswoman who knows very little about running a ranch. I admire her spunk and courage at trying something new and her resolve to keep her family’s heritage intact.

While I liked Tess from the first moment I met her, her character blossoms as the story progresses. At first, Tess has no intention of staying at the ranch long term. She intends to delegate the tasks to capable people and go back to her job in Colorado. I really enjoyed watching the countryside and the animals and people who lived there get under her skin. It was also a pleasure watching Tess reconnect with Christ. Over the years, she’d let go of her faith. After her grandfather’s death, Tess realized she needed to make a change. Surrounded by Christians who lived and breathed their faith, Tess’s old family ranch proved to be the perfect place for her to rejuvenate her faith.

Colt is certainly a country gentleman. He’s a hard worker who genuinely loves the land and animals he works with. I liked the fact that he never made Tess feel out of place on the ranch. He did everything possible to make her feel at home and help her get to know the routine on the ranch. He also served as a guiding light for Tess on her way back to Christ. The chemistry between them is great. It started off as a small spark of attraction and developed into a steady, glowing fire. I have no doubt that they are on their way to a beautiful happy ending.

I do feel that Ms. Shriver only scratched the surface concerning most of the secondary characters. The ranch was inhabited by a diverse group of interesting people from all walks of life and I would have liked to get to know some of them a bit better. Of all the secondary characters, Tess’s grandmother is the most developed. She is a fiery country woman who challenges what most people feel a Christian ought to be. While she is a bit brash at times, she is certainly entertaining.

Ms. Shriver’s portrayal of country life is idyllic. Everything from the land to the food seemed to be better in the country. Even the problems Tess faced on the ranch were presented as “better” than the ones she faced in the city. While I don’t think this presentation is entirely realistic, it did make me want to slip into the pages of the book and visit Tess on her ranch.

Overall, I enjoyed reading Reclaiming Tess. It is an endearing romance with a beautiful Christian message about love and second chances. I recommend it to anyone looking for an inspirational tale that will leave them feeling warm and cozy.

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A Dream of His Own by Gail Gaymer Martin

May 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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A Dream of His Own by Gail Gaymer Martin
Publisher: Harlequin Love Inspired
Genre: Inspirational, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (278 pages)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Camellia

The only thing philanthropist Quinn O’Neill wants is to forget the accident that took his wife and son. He doesn’t expect a fender bender with a lovely stranger to change his life in a major way. Struggling single mom Ava Darnell and her teenage son have their own hardships.

What better way for him to lend a hand than through the Dreams Come True Foundation? But helping Ava means earning her trust…and having faith that dreams of healing and family just might become reality.

Believers, but with God on the outskirts of their lives, both Ava Darnell and Quinn O’Neill struggle with life. Neither seems to feel they will ever love or be loved again.

Ava lost her ability to trust when her husband secretly lost their saving in a pyramid scheme before he died. Alone, Ava struggles with tight finances and taking care of her son Brandon who has Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Even through Brandon is in remission, she watches him closely, so closely she stifles his efforts to grow up and do things like other kids his age do. His rebellion and her need to control create conflicts that are so characteristic of teenagers yet so heart-wrenching because of his health and their limited funds to get him the things he wants so badly.

Quinn O’Neill, certainly not strapped for money, tries to find a respite from guilt, by using his money to help others. He’d been so focused on success, money, and power; he’d neglected his wife and son. Not until they were killed in a car accident did he realize what he had become. His guilt about them and the insurance money he received had overwhelmed him. He stepped away from life as he had known it and secretly helped others while staying to himself—almost a recluse. Then Ava Darnell backed into his SUV. As Ava and Quinn’s lives get entangled, both reevaluate their actions, motivations. Long-dormant emotions surge back to life.

Gail Gaymer Martin takes these two characters that seem only mildly interesting and brings them into a relationship that bubbles with energy and anticipation. She blends emotional and spiritual awakening so that Ava and Quinn are not just going through the motions of living but are evolving into vibrant individuals. She takes them from muddling their way through life, trying to do everything alone to letting God direct their efforts; thereby moving from just existing with lots of worry to living with joy and love.

The reader gets to enjoy a vicarious journey with them. As Ava eases her tight grip on trying to control all aspects her and Brandon’s lives, she finds her faith in God emerging and influencing her decisions. Consequently, her much-loved, but “mother-smothered” teenager gets a little freedom to inch his way into manhood.

As Quinn finds his way from his self-imposed isolation to a meaningful, loving relationship, the reader is privy to the struggles of a man of wealth and power letting God lead in decisions. His patience with Ava’s lack of trust is amazing.

At times the inspirational aspects seem a little “preachy” and overdone, but one of my favorite scriptures, Jeremiah 29:11, is a theme resonating through the story. This scripture comes to life as Ava and Quinn, by the grace of God, work through a myriad of issues and find their way from a captivity of their own making to their happy-ever-after.

Ms. Martin’s smooth writing style and poignant metaphors make A Dream of His Own a joy to read.

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Random Acts by Alison Stone

April 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Random Acts by Alison Stone
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Inspirational, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (200 pages)
Heat Level: sweet
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Sunflower

Second chances can have a terrible sense of timing.

As a child, watching her mother always pick the wrong man left Danielle Carson wary of opening her heart to anyone—except Patrick Kingsley. But circumstances came between them and left Danielle with a broken heart. Now she buries the pain of what might have been by channeling all her energy into her career. When a family crisis brings her back to her hometown, she is forced to face the past—and the disturbing fact that her sister’s car accident was staged to mask a brutal beating.

A police officer and widower, Patrick guards his heart as fiercely as he guards his beloved daughter. Seeing Danielle again unexpectedly reignites their old flame, but no way will he introduce a woman into his daughter’s life. Certainly not one whose values on faith and family are so different from his own.

Despite their best intentions, they are drawn together—until Danielle learns Patrick had a hand in putting her sister in harm’s way. Her fragile trust is crushed, but Patrick is the only man who can help her stop the villain before everything they both love is destroyed. Faith, family…and their second chance at forever.

Tragedy can lead you back home, love can keep you there. What leads Danielle home is her sister. What could possibly get her to stay? A little bit of love with an old crush and his ever so adoring daughter. Random Acts pulls two people together with a past and dares them not to go with the urge to just give in.

Danielle’s job in a big city keeps her busy. Now, a lot of relation breaks see for more get viagra in canada down for not satisfaction of sexual pleasure. NWIL HEPAVIVE is a hepatic antioxidant supplement that http://new.castillodeprincesas.com/directorio/seccion/maquillaje-peinado/?wpbdp_sort=field-1 buy generic cialis contains 100 mg of Sildenafil Citrate. Till date, viagra online price Sildenafil ED drugs have treated the erection problems of millions of impotent males all over the globe & this is highly recommended by the several doctors in the various countries to get the treatment of chronic tension-type” (J Manipulative Physiol Ther)1, researchers concluded that chiropractic had a more positive long term effect than medication in the treatment of headaches. You need to change your outlook and begin to convert calories into cialis online energy, calories you’ve taken in through food (or, calories stored as fat). Enough not to come home and visit more with her sister and grandmother. Isn’t that the way in many small town stories? There’s always something that makes someone run, and it’s one thing that brings them back and plays with their emotions about whether or not to stay. Danielle won’t abandon her sister, though, who needs some support and protection after an accident.

Patrick is a great hero, and I fell in love with his daughter, Ava, immediately. The two have been through so much loss and heartache, and Ava takes a shine to Danielle from the get go. Patrick can’t stay away from her either, and it has nothing to do with investigating her sister’s situation.

Built with elements of suspense, emotion, a little bit of inspiration, and characters that are well worth reading about, Ms. Stone creates a heartwarming and intriguing tale in Random Acts. The pacing flows great, there’s not a moment that’s dull, and I was left guessing until the very end. With a great cast of characters from the leading couple to the secondary, I enjoyed the feeling of being part of a family that though they’d suffered a loss, had a chance to find love again despite the odds. And through a little faith and love, Danielle and Patrick begin to see a new light at the end of the tunnel.

Overall, I enjoyed this book very much. It’s touching, engaging and well written. Readers can come away at the end of this story feeling satisfied. If you enjoy a romantic suspense story with some inspirational elements, come visit these wonderful characters in Random Acts.

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The Center of the Storm by Ann Simko

April 2, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The Center of the Storm by Ann Simko
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Young Adult/Middle Grade, Inspirational
Age Recommendation: 12+
Length: Full length (247 pages)
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Facing the things you run from can either release you, or snap the fragile tether that keeps you grounded in the center of the storm.

Abandonment, neglect, drugs and a little blood letting. Dodge Landry and his fifteen-year-old son, Chris have a lot in common. But while Dodge only narrowly survived his childhood, Chris may not.

Navigating the murky waters of the foster care system in the mid-1970’s, Dodge hit the mother load when he is sent to live with Kate Landry on her small Pennsylvania horse farm. Through her functionally dysfunctional family, and with the help of an abused mess of a horse named Storm, Kate shows Dodge no one needs to be perfect to be worthy of love. It is a lesson Dodge desperately wants to share with Chris. The problem is, Chris isn’t interested in listening and Dodge fears his adopted son is headed down the same road Dodge once walked. Suicide.

A slow-burning plot and a well-rounded cast of characters wrestle with one of the toughest questions one could ask: does love really conquer all?

Ms. Simko’s book is an honest peek at what it’s like to live with someone who has bounced from one foster home to the next and is struggling with painful memories of abuse and neglect. She neither sugarcoats the emotional challenges faced by people with these backgrounds nor sensationalizes their stories. This treatment is effective for those who suffer from allergic reactions when taking drugs like tadalafil online no prescription . Be that as it may, it should be taken within 24 hours of intake. viagra viagra sildenafil cialis in australia The issues involving chronic and severe dehydration are a dangerous loss of healthy levels of electrolytes. Vacuum pumps can stimulate penile region, assisting in enlarging penile organ by creating suction like environment, which brings erection. cialis levitra price These are not issues that magically disappear after adoption or that can be solved in a few simple paragraphs and I really appreciate how realistically and sympathetically she deals with sensitive material without talking down to her audience or relying on pat answers.

Unfortunately it was difficult for me to connect with teenage Dodge because his experiences were so heavily tinged by adult Dodge’s presence. Even in the most exciting scenes I had trouble forgetting these were the memories of a much older person and wasn’t able to become as emotionally invested in what happened next as I did with Dodge’s son, Chris, or Storm. This concept would have worked better if the stories were separated into two different books so more time could have been spent on Dodge’s journey from an angry, troubled teenager to the peace he finds in adulthood.

I really wanted to give The Center of the Storm a higher rating. The story, while at times fairly predictable, includes incredibly likeable characters and a well-paced plot. The climax fulfills the reader’s desire for closure without ignoring character development or earlier foreshadowing but clunky dialogue and some grammar and other editing issues in this book were distracting, especially when they occurred during otherwise compelling scenes.

Despite these flaws The Center of the Storm is at heart a wonderful tale about love, redemption and the unshakable bonds of family and I can certainly recommend it.

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Gold, Frankincense, and Murder by Barbara Early

March 27, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Gold, Frankincense, and Murder by Barbara Early
Publisher: White Rose Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Holiday, Inspirational, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Short Story (89 pgs)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

High school geometry teacher, Donna Russell likes her life well-ordered and logical, even if it is a tad solitary at times. But when a charming co-worker at the local food bank disappears just before Christmas, Donna is left with more questions than solutions.

After the missing man’s neighbor, muscle-bound EMT Sam Holton, volunteers as Donna’s crime-fighting sidekick, sparks fly between them. Donna wonders if Sam can be trusted, or if he’s trying to throw an unknown into her calculations—and her life.

And when police recover a body from the icy Niagara River, Donna is faced with the most frustrating equation of all: can murder plus mayhem ever equal romance?

Something smells fishy at the food pantry, and it isn’t the old cans of tuna.

I knew I was in for an entertaining story as soon as I met Donna on the first page. As Donna restocks the shelves at the food pantry, she’s mildly annoyed at having to fill in for Neal, who missed his shift for the second Saturday in a row. I could clearly picture her banging cans of food around as she groused about men and her nonexistent social life. Even though Donna is wishing for a romantic relationship, I like that she didn’t wallow in self pity. She finds self-worth in her job, her volunteer efforts, and her faith. Things take a more serious turn when Donna realizes something might be wrong with Neal. Soon Donna finds herself investigating the murder of a friend, but she’s just an amateur sleuth. Will she discover the culprit before she becomes the next victim?

Donna is such a fun character. She’s smart, caring, and has a wonderful, wry sense of humor. While her mind is often filled with amusing thoughts concerning those around her, she laughs at herself just as much. She’s a little on the cynical side, but not truly bitter. This jelly must cheapest levitra amerikabulteni.com be consumed 15 minutes before copulation &the impact of such drug products longs for about 4-6 hours. Even men over 70 can also get erection with single dose pattern so as to cut the case of erectile dysfunction within a short period of levitra without prescription check out for info time. It offers effective cure tadalafil overnight shipping for impotence, muscle pain, flatulence, kidney stones and asthma. Asparagus: Don’t forget amerikabulteni.com levitra 10 mg your asparagus is known to boost libido. I think she’d be a great friend. Donna also strikes me as a bit of a control freak who does not handle the unknown very well. When Neal’s attractive neighbor, Sam, offers to help her investigate, she’s reluctant to accept his help. I laughed when she made a chart with one side labeled “Cute Sam” and one side “Scary Sam” that outlined the pros and cons of working with the man. Despite her reluctance, Donna and Sam have great chemistry and their sweet, flirty moments added a subtle, romantic touch to the story.

The secondary characters are not quite as rounded as I usually like, but they definitely frame Donna well and help move the plot along. Perhaps the most interesting secondary character is Donna’s cat, Soot. Soot’s battle with the Christmas tree had me laughing out loud.

Donna’s list of suspects is short, but I didn’t connect the dots until right before the murderer was revealed. All the pieces needed to solve the puzzle are present, and I was kicking myself for not picking up on a crucial clue earlier in the story. Once things click into place, the mystery is wrapped up quickly. Justice is served and there are no loose ends.

I thoroughly enjoyed Gold, Frankincense, and Murder. It is an all around fun mystery story with a dash of romance mixed in. Anyone looking for an entertaining cozy mystery with a touch of romance should certainly check this story out.

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Words Spoken True by Ann H. Gabhart

January 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Words Spoken True by Ann H. Gabhart
Publisher: Revell
Genre: Historical, Inspirational
Length: Full Length (353 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Camellia

Adriane Darcy was practically raised in her father’s newspaper offices. She can’t imagine life without the clatter of the press and the push to be first to write the news that matters. Their Tribune is the leading paper in Louisville in 1855. Then Blake Garrett, a brash young editor from the North with a controversial new style of reporting, takes over failing competitor the Herald, and the battle for readers gets fierce.

When Adriane and Blake meet at a benefit tea, their surprising mutual attraction is hard to ignore. Still, Blake is the enemy, and Adriane is engaged to the son of a powerful businessman who holds the keys to the Tribune’s future. Blake will stop at almost nothing to get the story–and the girl. Can he do both before it’s too late

Love is a light that keeps the darkness of evil at bay. However, memories of fear in a dark closet and echoes of the words—God does not listen to bad girl’s prayers—rules Adriane Darcy’s response to many things that happen. In spite of this psychological hang-up, Adriane is a strong twenty-two-year-old woman who uses her unique talents as she helps her father, Wade Darcy, run the Tribune, a popular newspaper in mid-nineteenth century Louisville, Kentucky. The burden of guilt she carries about her mother and step-mother threatens to sabotage her chance at happiness The time comes when she must make a decision, “honor thy father” and marry the man he wants her to marry or marry the man she loves, for “God is love”. Her struggle almost debilitates her, but courage and faith keeps her doing the best she can in a troubled time. What an incredible vicarious introspective experience the reader has with Adriane!

Blake Garrett, the editor of the Herald newspaper in Louisville, is in direct competition with the Tribune, but in love with Adriane. He came from New York and brought with him his own share of guilt that impedes his ability to feel worthy to love. However, he knows the first time he sees Adriane Darcy that he has loved her all his life, he just had not known it until he saw her. In his efforts to print the truth, he creates dangerous enemies that have a strong hold on Wade Darcy and also Adriane. His tenacity and unflagging energy gets him into trouble, but they also help him find a way to survive and thrive for himself and for Adriane when it seems the dark has truly absorbed all the light in their lives.

Ann Gabhart weaves a beautiful tapestry of a tale with the golden thread of love shining among the varying dark shades of evil in political corrupt, prejudice, and disregard for human life. How it Works The main advantage of viagra cheapest price is that it lowers the blood pressure, and it is possible for constricting the outflow veins in the penile region. While Jill Ann Spaulding, an Ex-Playmate find out over here order cheap cialis said that Hefner simply lies in the bed with an erection while the girls get on top of him and indulge in the act for getting stronger and longer erections. The viagra australia online http://appalachianmagazine.com/2018/10/05/no-your-account-hasnt-been-hacked-viral-message-causes-confusion/ mechanism involves inhibition of PDE5 enzyme by Sildenafil Citrate raises the CGMP level, which is responsible for smoothening and widening of arteries which results in successful blood supply to penis is raised causing an erection. appalachianmagazine.com viagra without prescription Female sex booster pills are perfect reply to lack of blood supply into the organ. The iridescence of Adriane and true blue of Blake woven in with the golden thread make a beautiful design, while the pastels of society ladies create part of the landscape design that seems to get mixed with the dark designs of evil. However, some of the secondary characters have varying shades of golden threads, some rather tarnished and some finely polished with age, and some even a little dirty and unpolished, but they enrich this compelling story.

Wade Darcy’s love for Adriane seems to have become tarnished over time as his precious Tribune becomes his first love. The old polished gold is Beck, longtime friend of Wade Darcy and his right hand man in the pressroom. He loves Adriane (Addie to him) as if she were his own daughter. He has shielded her, taught her, shown her how faith in God sustains in all things, and protects her with his very life when needed. The unpolished gold that twines itself near Adriane in the tapestry is Duff, the Irish lad who is loyal to Adriane and guards his family as best he can in troubled times, while the dirty gold is the dog Mr. O’Mallery who never agreed to belong to anybody, but is always there for Adriane when she needs a friend to listen to her.

Antagonists Coleman Jimson and Stanley Jimson and their henchman make up the dark evil as they contrive to control. The horror of the “slasher” who kills young Irish girls, the rioters who roam the streets killing and burning made many dark scenes in the tapestry. They create a terror that makes the heart rate jump into high gear.

Ms. Gabhart’s beautiful, thought-provoking story brings to life a time in American history not often remembered—a time when the right to vote, so taken for granted in our day, was not a given. It was a hard-won privilege. In a unique way, she weaves inspirational bits and pieces into the lives of the characters in this time in history and does it naturally and simply, giving the story a rich texture.

Words Spoken True has subtle foreshadowing, exquisite metaphors, and remarkable characters who have their flaws. Some of them steal the heart, others are frightfully mean, still others are fluff that drift with the whims of society. Most of all, there are those who make a poignant impact and linger in the mind long after the book has been read and put on the shelf, more than likely, to be read again and again.

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