Welcome to my Book Review Blog. My goal is to connect readers with the wonderful and amazing books I am blessed to reveiw. And to introduce you to the talented and wonderful authors responsible for writing these books. May my love for books show through my reviews on this site.
Full of faith, hope, and romance, this new series takes you into the Heart of Amish country.
As they took turns pushing each other on the swing that hung from a large tree, the mature—for a five-year-old—Jacob Lantz asked Trini Sutter to marry him. The nine-year-old thoughtfully responded that she’d consider his proposal when they were older.
Nearly two decades later, the Amish farmer returns to the beautiful countryside of Arthur, Illinois, to take the independent owner of The Quilt Room up on her promise. Quiet, handsome Jacob is truly in love with the spirited list maker, and Trini finds herself falling in love with Jacob, but the youngest of eleven has big plans of her own.
Jacob’s long-held aspirations are put to the test when he learns that Trini has been holding a secret. He prays for a turnaround of events; however, when Trini moves away from her tight-knit community, he begins to realize that his dream of them being Mr. and Mrs. most likely won’t happen.
Will Trini forfeit her own well-laid plan for the man of her dreams?
About the Author
Lisa Jones Baker writes Amish Inspirational fiction. She grew up near Arthur, Illinois, and became acquainted with the Plain Faith at an early age when they custom-made and installed her family’s kitchen cabinets. On weekends, she and her parents frequented the quaint Amish town, often the setting of her stories, where they purchased meat, cheese, and home-made baking spices. Now, decades later, she still loves visiting; the town and the people yet intrigue her, and she so appreciate the talent of quilt-making almost as much as she loves horse and buggy rides. But there is much more to this perplexing group than meets the eye; they are extremely disciplined, hard-working, and honest…and they don’t all think alike. For these reasons, writing about them is her passion.
Lisa was fortunate to have been raised in a loving, Christian home by two wonderful parents: a reading specialist mother who plays the piano, and a retired Junior High Principal father who’s also an avid fox hunter. She has a B.A. in French Education and is a former school teacher who loves gardening, cooking, reading, positive thinkers, and every dog she meets. Although a homebody, travel has played a large part of her life. Over three decades of working with the airline industry has landed her on five out of seven continents.
More from Lisa
Secrets fascinate me. They always have. From experience, I know that they’re difficult to keep confidential. And when the wrong person gets hold of what you don’t want out. . .There’s no telling what will happen!
List maker Trini Sutter has decided her future, even though what’s ahead comes with great risk. The owner of The Quilt Room in Arthur, Illinois, relishes being in control of her life. But what she doesn’t expect is for someone to get wind of her deep, dark secret and to leak it to her tight-knit Amish community! Now that the quilter’s confidential plan has become public, will she be able to pull it off? Or will Gott override her “list” with the destiny He has planned for her? Find out in The Quilt Room Secret.
Enjoy this short excerpt:
“Trini, look at me.”
She hesitated. Did she dare? She didn’t know what it was about Jacob that stole her voice. Her breath. Her entire being.
With one gentle motion, he placed his finger underneath her chin. He was so close, the light cinnamon on his breath lingered in the small distance between them. His clothes smelled like outdoors. She could see tiny lines around his eyes. They made him take on an even more manly appearance. His voice was barely more than a whisper. “You feel it too, don’t you?”
The last thing she wanted was any romantic complications that would interfere with her plans to leave. I must not lead Jacob on. I must not lead myself on. What I’m feeling…it’s wrong.
The Recorder’s fate has been sealed, but the Consortium is not the only enemy.
Labeled an aberration by the Consortium, the Recorder is not yet free. Time is running out as an engineered bioweapon wreaks havoc on friend and foe alike.
Stopping both the biological agent and the people who created it is no easy task, especially since the Recorder and her friends are trapped on a research station infested with behemoth insects. Without Consortium technology, the probability of neutralizing the threat falls to nothing. In order to save her allies, the Recorder must activate a drone, but her success might destroy any hope for freedom, a future, and a name.
Now enjoy an interview with author Cathy McCrumb
1. Has writing fiction always been in your blood? Yes, I believe it has. Some of my first memories involve telling stories about my imaginary friend, Sally from Clap Hands Land, who “threw the man’s hat in the air,” a story that was much funnier before I was in kindergarten. Recently, I found mimeographed evidence that I was inquiring about submitting books to publishers back in college. After having kids, I stopped pursuing writing except in telling bedtime stories and social media posts. A friend pushed me to write a story about a dream I had, and since then, characters, plots, and themes have tumbled out.
2. Do you like music or silence when you write? I have five kids, with four still living at home, so silence is a rare commodity. (Teens, incidentally, seem to be nocturnal.) If it’s noisy, I need headphones and music. I create soundtracks of instrumental music for writing and playlists songs for thinking about character and plot.
3. Do your characters seem to hijack the story or do you feel like you have the reins? My characters hijack the story whenever they can. In Guardian, for example, there was a point in which the Recorder gives a command that was not in my mind when I planned out the scene. As soon as I typed the words, I cringed. I knew exactly what would happen, and it changed the course of that scene and had ramifications throughout the book. It was, however, exactly what she would have said and was much better than the basic idea I’d had.
4. Which scene was most fun to write? Why? Every time I sink into the scene and the words flow, that’s fun. Frequently, that involved anything with the Recorder and Nate or with the Recorder and Zhen. (Or Lars. I do love Lars.) Zhen DuBois is one of my favorite characters to write. She is prickly, rude, and deeply caring all at once. And Nate? Well, he’s Nate, a protector who has his own internal struggles.
5. Which scene, character or plotline changed the most from first draft to published book? Elliott Ross changed the most from the beginning concept to the end of Guardian. I didn’t like him at all when I wrote Recorder, but after a friend challenged me to examine why, I went back and studied him. Once I saw where he was going, Elliott became a favorite, and I hope that his arc resonates with readers.
About the Author
Cathy McCrumb graduated from Biola University with a degree in English Literature and a love for stories. She and her husband, whom she met while writing letters to soldiers, have five children and currently live within the shadow of the Rocky Mountains. While writing is one of her favorite things to do, she also enjoys reading, long hikes and long naps, gluten-free brownies and raspberries, and crocheting while watching science fiction movies with friends and family.
More from Cathy
Someone asked me recently why I wrote Guardian. My answer was that the whole Children of the Consortium trilogy is my love song to people who feel left out.
In the first novel, the Recorder—a young woman with no name, no family, and no friends—doesn’t see her life as valuable. As she discovers friendship and love, however, she realizes that every person in the system is unique, and this by definition must include her, too.
How often do we doubt our own value and that of the people around us? In a world that prioritizes youth, beauty, health, and success, many people are on the outside, looking in. I suspect that deep down, a lot of us wrestle with who we are and how we fall short of this external measuring tape.
The truth, however, is very, very different from the lie of worthlessness. While we have names (and don’t usually encounter two-meter insects, for which I am extremely thankful), we frequently forget that as humans, even though we are fallen, we are made in God’s image. Furthermore, as Christians, we have been both called and adopted.
Zephaniah 3:17 says that the Lord is with us. He takes “great delight” in us and rejoices over us. What an amazing, beautiful, and comforting image. The One who formed the stars, who breathed life into every human on the planet rejoices over YOU.
My prayer is that you find hope and joy in the midst of darkness, whether or not you find friends in the pages of these novels. Look to the Lord and hold fast to the fact that you are unique and valuable. Because even when you feel like you’re on the outside looking in, you are never alone.
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will award a $30 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
In her dog memoir Happy Harry: A Magical Golden, psychotherapist Barbara Lampert, a lifelong dog lover, tells the story of her beloved Golden Retriever, Harry. Like her first dog memoir, Harry’s story comes from her mostly uncensored daily journal and takes place in Malibu, California.
Harry was a genuinely free spirit – wild, and very wolf-like. Did all this contribute to his being exceptionally happy? Perhaps.
Harry was not only the happiest being Barbara’s ever known, happy to the very core of him, but also the bravest. More than once in his life, Harry had to face true adversity, and each time, Barbara would look at him in wonder, not fully understanding how a being could be so brave and at the same time continue to be so happy.
Harry literally pranced through life, with a joyous attitude that made being around him like magic. Barbara fell in love with Harry. And as you immerse yourself in Harry’s story, it’s likely you will too! Happy Harry is unforgettable!
Read an Excerpt
Harry had a girlfriend for a while when he was about four or five years old. Probably for a couple of years. Oh he didn’t see her every day, but for that two year-or-so stretch maybe once or twice a week. …
Roxie, a one-year-old Yellow Lab – the taller, leaner hunting type – was beautiful, energetic, and happy. Just like Harry. Roxie lived a few miles from our house, on the Point in Malibu. …
When Harry knew he was going to see Roxie, he would get so excited. He would pant, start running around, tail up, and on the ride over he would stand or pace in the back seat the whole time. So eager, such joy. And when we got there, he would literally go flying out of the car, with David at the other end of the leash. Tail up, full steam ahead. And Roxie, being just a year old and still quite a playful puppy, would go equally berserk when she saw Harry. They would sniff and kiss each other through the openings in the fence. …
Sometimes they would chase each other or run together, with the fence between them. David would run with them, since he had Harry on the leash. A few times Roxie’s owner came out and opened the gate to let Harry and Roxie be together. More kissing, chasing, tails up, sniffing. Both not believing their good luck. Both always bursting with joy the whole time they were together. Such a sight. …
Barney didn’t get nearly as excited as Harry about Roxie and didn’t interfere in their relationship. This was Harry’s territory. And it appeared Roxie only had eyes for Harry. …
It was always difficult to leave, because the whole time we were there Harry and Roxie were inseparable. Whenever Roxie’s owner would come out, we’d talk and laugh about the two lovebirds. It was wonderful seeing Harry and Roxie so happy. How he loved her…
About the Author:
My passion is dogs! I’ve had dogs most of my life and hope to have at least one by my side always. Dog energy is the best!
I’m the author of two dog memoirs: Happy Harry: A Magical Golden and before that Charlie: A Love Story. Each about one of my Golden Retrievers. (I told you dogs are my passion!)
I’m a psychotherapist, licensed for over thirty years, specializing in relationships.
I was a flight attendant for nine years. And taught sociology at several universities. I have two master’s degrees and a doctorate.
Gardening is another love – not as much as dogs, but right up there! I see my garden as a work of art and garden as much as possible in my free time. I love being in nature.
I live in Malibu, California with my husband David and, you guessed it, our two wonderful Golden Retrievers, Oliver and Henry.
Book Title: The Promise of Unbroken Straw by Ken Steele Category: Adult Fiction (18+), 379 pages Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Yorkshire Publishing Release date: Mar 2024 Tour dates: Mar 26 to Apr 15 Content Rating: PG
Book Description:
Paul’s teachers say he’s distracted, and they’re not wrong. With the demands of a struggling farm, Allied boots in Europe, and secrets surrounding his mother’s death, who can blame him? And the expectations of his father are seemingly unachievable.
When a financial windfall sparks a rags-to-riches transformation, it also sets in motion events that will test young Paul to his core. This coming-of-age story connects Paul’s tumultuous adolescence to his unfulfilled adulthood. Across those decades, he searches for redemption and reconciliation with the ghosts of his past.
Buy the Book: (coming soon!) Amazon~ B&N add to Goodreads
Meet the Author:
A native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Ken Steele holds degrees in Civil Engineering from Oklahoma State University and MIT.
The Promise of Unbroken Straw is Ken’s debut novel, a work of historical fiction. He resides in Colorado with his wife of 41 years where his days are filled with pickleball, golf, hiking, and all that the mountains can offer.
Can her dreams for the future–and a budding romance–survive the trouble that comes calling?
Larkspur Nielsen is determined to keep her family homestead running and to fulfill their dream of starting a seed catalog, with or without her siblings’ help. With Isaac McTavish back in town, Lark finds herself at odds with her own heart and her determination to shoulder the burden of carrying her responsibilities alone. But Isaac is set on convincing her that he’s here to stay and she doesn’t have to carry everything by herself.
As a new romance blossoms between Lilac and an old schoolmate and the other Nielsen sisters are busy caring for their families, Lark bears more and more responsibility on the farm. When a long-feared threat returns and Lark approaches the breaking point, the life she has always dreamed of is in danger of disappearing forever.
About the Author
Lauraine Snelling is the award-winning author of nearly one-hundred books, fiction and nonfiction, for adults and young adults. Her books have sold more than five million copies. She makes her home in Tehachapi, California.
More from Lauraine
Please provide a brief summary of your new novel, A Season of Harvest.
Lauraine Snelling: With her three sisters all finding their own paths of life and love, Larkspur Nielsen determines to shoulder their family farm and business dream herself and stay single—even if drifter Isaac McTavish, claiming he’s back in town for good, now seeks her heart. When danger from the past comes knocking, Lark must choose whether to insist on going it alone or accept the love and support God—and Isaac—hold out.
Each of the previous books in your current series, Leah’s Garden, follows a different Neilsen sister as the main character. What led you to save Larkspur’s story for the series conclusion?
LS: I’d actually planned Larkspur’s story to be first since she’s the oldest. However, once The Seeds of Change started coming together, Forsythia took over the story! So the first book became hers.
Loyalty plays a key role in A Season of Harvest. Without giving spoilers, can you hint at why loyalty is at the core of the story?
LS: Loyalty threads through the whole series. These sisters are loyal to each other, to their friends, and to everyone they know. Through all the books, they take care of each other so faithfully. Even their initial departure from Ohio stems from drastic action they take to protect each other and their family. Loyalty then streams over into other characters in the series, especially Isaac McTavish, who really grows into loyalty in this book. Even our villain stays loyal to his purpose all the way through.
Which of the four Neilsen sisters do you personally resonate with the most?
LS: Truth be told, I resonate with each of them. But really, I tend to identify with whichever one I’m writing at the moment! 😊
A Season of Harvest returns to a major conflict from the first book in the series, The Seeds of Change. Was it always in your plan to circle back and address that conflict again in the series conclusion?
LS: It wasn’t always in our plan, but as the book came together, it became inevitable. One benefit of a great editor is that they sometimes contribute ideas, and my editor, Jessica Sharpe, pointed out how key it would be for Ringwald to confront Larkspur at the end of the series. As the book went on, it became so important to resolve that conflict, and we kept the villain in the stories just enough to keep readers from forgetting about him.
What do you hope readers learn or take away from this series?
LS: A reminder of how important our families are. The Nielsens stood by each other in so many crises, and that’s what I would hope readers take away—just a reminder of how important your family is and how absolutely critical faith in Christ is. Salton becomes a place of healing, a place for people to recover joy. That we have so many joys and things to learn in this life is a theme that weaves through all my books.
What led you to set these stories in the homesteading period? How was the setting important to the story you wanted to tell?
LS: It’s one of my favorite periods! The homesteading era was such a time of change and adventure. As for why Nebraska, I hadn’t set stories there very much yet. For Kiersti, it was special to join in on The Seeds of Change and get to write about Nebraska homesteaders living in a soddy because her great-grandfather, a son of Danish immigrants, was born in a soddy in Nebraska in the late 1800s.
Is this truly the last your readers will see of the Neilsen sisters and the rest of their community?
LS: As far as we know!
Now that you’ve wrapped up the Leah’s Garden series, what are you working on next?
LS: A series set in 1889 near Decorah, Iowa. Six-year-old Ruth and twenty-one-year-old Amalia are thrown together on a ship crossing over from Norway when their families die of cholera. Ruth’s dying mother gives her daughter into Amalia’s custody, and the two orphans travel to Iowa to take over the family boardinghouse Ruth will inherit. They must battle a greedy relative trying to claim the property and somehow make ends meet for the motley band of orphans who gather under their roof, while finding a way to make this new land home.
To celebrate her tour, Lauraine is giving away the grand prize package of a $15 Amazon gift card and a paperback set of all four books in the Leah’s Garden Series: The Seeds of Change, A Time to Bloom, Fields of Bounty, and A Season of Harvest!! (US Only)
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
Book Title: Pajama Party: The Storyby E.C. Jackson
Category: Teen & Adult Fiction (13 to 18 yrs), 241 pages
Genre: Teen & Young Adult Fiction / Teen & Young Adult Christian Fiction
Publisher: E.C. Jackson
Release date: Sep 30, 2017
Format available for review: e-book
(Gifted Kindle, EPUB, PDF) Tour dates: Jan 15 to Feb 14
Content Rating:
PG + M. These books contain mature themes.
Book Description:
Most sleepovers are simple. Food, fun, and pillow fights. But sixteen-year-old Karen Duncan has bigger plans for her slumber party. Family troubles have changed her over the past year, and she’s no longer the petty, selfish girl she used to be. Now she’s ready to shake things up with her friends. The guest list comes as a surprise to some and a slap in the face to others. This popular girl has invited some not-so-popular guests. Even more shocking, she’s left out some of the girls she’s hung out with since middle school.
Diane and Evette are outsiders, nervous about being stuck in a house with the same girls who tease them at school.
Kathy, Lisa, and Joann come to the party with the confidence of the in-crowd, but they’re masking inner-turmoil that is bound to surface.
Sandy and Angela are usually the voices of reason…usually. And then there’s Linda, the friend that got away. She may not ever forgive the girls who abandoned her years ago. Karen hopes to change her mind. Her agenda is ambitious, and it could spell disaster. But Karen is convinced God will use this party to spark a new beginning for everyone involved.
This companion book to A Living Hope gives us the inspired story Sadie Cummings wrote for the girls of Shiatown.
*** I will be reviewing the entire 6 book series in the next 2 weeks, so stay tuned!!
Pajama Party by E. C. Jackson is a bit different than most pajama parties. With this party, sixteen-year-old Karen Duncan has bigger and better plans. The usually petty, selfish girl, Karen’s life has changed over the past year. She decides to invite girls that don’t run with the popular crowd, but will this change her ‘popular girl’ status around school? You gotta read the book to see.
I think E. C. Jackson has a very good idea in writing this book. I like Karen and the way God uses her to speak to the other girls. As the girls started to arrive at the pajama party, there was a lot of friction between them, as you can imagine. They are teenage girls, after all.
I really like Karen and praise her for this party idea. I like the way she tries to bring the girls together, despite their status at school. Karen thought God wanted her to make this happen, and she does a wonderful job. As the night continues, and the girls keep talking, some of the attitudes starts to change. They were able to talk about the usual things teenagers talk about, and come to a better understanding of each other. Most of them anyway.
This book and its contents seems really realistic to me. I could almost hear this group of girls as they communicated with each other. Bringing the ugly as well as the more pleasant side of each girl out in the open. If you have a teenage daughter, in high-school, whether they think they are more popular, or they are more shy and one that is not treated so well by these girls that think they are ‘it’, all need to read this book. I hope this changes a lot of attitudes around the school fronts these days. I really enjoyed this book and I am giving it Five Stars.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Meet the Author: E. C. Jackson began her writing career with the full-length play “Pajama Party.” Thirty-one years later, she adapted the play into Pajama Party: The Story, a companion book to the second book in the five-book standalone Hope series.
Jackson’s favorite pastime is reading fiction. She enjoys taking the journey along with the characters in the books. That also led to her unorthodox approach to story writing. Her vision for each book she writes is to immerse readers into the storyline so they become connected with each character.
“The Write Way: A Real Slice of Life” is the slogan on her Facebook author page. She feels that if every person reading her books feels connected to the characters, her job is done.
Book: Reckless Yes: Exchanging Worldly Ease for God’s Eternal Adventure
Author: Johnna Hensley
Genre: Christian memoir
Release Date: June 6, 2023
After a shocking diagnosis in 2007 sent her life in an unexpected direction, Johnna Hensley had a decision to make. Though she had walked with God for nearly two decades, she had to choose whether she would follow His leading on a strenuous journey to find the narrow gate that leads to eternal life; or would she take the easy, wide path offered by the temporal world? As she chose to say yes to selfless love, through God’s guidance, she discovered this was the first of many forks in life’s road that would ultimately lead her to a life full of adventure, surprises, and sometimes, even hardships.
Inspiring and encouraging, this true story of one family’s journey is intertwined with relevant teaching of who God is and why we can trust Him in the midst of life’s chaos. Through relatable storytelling, wit, and wisdom, readers will be challenged to shift their perspective toward God’s eternal adventure.
Now check out this interesting question and answer session with the author.
As a non-fiction writer, have you ever thought about transferring over to fiction?
Sometimes I do think about creating a fun fictional story line with cool characters that become like best friends to me. Maybe one day the perfect idea will hit me and I’ll do it!
Do you prefer writing in silence or to music?
I can write in silence or to instrumental music depending on my mood. I definitely cannot write with music with lyrics playing because I was become so distracted by the words and the story being told through song. Sometimes, a nice, quiet silenced workspace is also a beautiful things! (Especially because in a house of eight people, it’s such a rare commodity!)
What do you know now that you wish you’d known at the beginning of your writing/publishing journey?
I wish I had known just how hard writing and publishing was going to be, but also how worth it would become! The first time you hold the proof of YOUR book in your hand it makes all the tears and doubt worth it!
Do you have a favorite vacation spot?
I love the beach so much! Walking through sand and hearing the waves is my most favorite spot to be. Our family’s favorite beach is in Gulf Shores, Alabama. We have so many good memories from our favorite resort there. We can’t wait to make it back there this summer!
What is the most amusing thing that has ever happened to you?
In 2022, my family was on an HGTV show called No Demo Reno. The show created an amazing, beautiful workspace in our primary bedroom for my husband and I to share. And then 17 months later we moved!! I say it’s amusing, but maybe it’s more ironic. We loved the show and the product so much, but when the Lord showed us our new home with so many extra square feet and a real office, we had to jump on it. I still wouldn’t change a thing about our show experience, though!
About the Author
Johnna (pronounced John-NUH) is an author, blogger, and all-time coordinator of chaos. Managing her family of eight, built through biology and adoption, means there’s rarely a dull moment in her days. Through herwriting, she boldly shares the eternal hope and restoration heaven offers. She and Ryan, her husband of eighteen years, reside in the suburbs of Dallas, Texas and are avid supports of foster care, adoption, and disability awareness and advocacy as each has impacted their family. When the chaos subsides, you’ll find Johnna spending time outdoors, enjoying an early morning workout, or on the patio of a Tex-Mex restaurant with friends.
More from Johnna
Reckless Yes is Johnna’s first book, although certainly not her last! This book was years in the making and began through blog posts where she would chronicle the insights she gained from living life caring for her disabled son. It was her insights and experiences during her son’s grand entrance into the world, and many years following, which began to shape and solidify her eternal perspective and the hope of heaven. Reckless Yes is a Christian memoir that reads nearly like a Bible study as Johnna uses a unique strategy of alternating teaching chapters with memoir chapters. Not only will you see her life unfold on the pages, but you’ll see the character of God come to life as well with Johnna’s simplistic, yet interesting, explanation of Scripture. When you’re done with this book, you’ll be asking yourself what YOUR next yes will be! You’ll be equipped and capable, ready to move your life forward into action and be reckless for the Kingdom.
To celebrate her tour, Johnna is giving away the grand prize package of an autographed copy of Reckless Yes, a gold Reckless necklace, and a $25 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
Format available for review: print – softback, e-book (Gifted Kindle, EPUB, PDF)
Tour dates: Jan 15 to Feb 14
Content Rating:
PG + M. These books contain mature themes.
This novel catches your attention in a dramatic opening and holds your attention while you follow the ups and downs of a love story. It is a rarity to find a romance that focuses on the fine tuning of character building and adjustments couples have to make for their relationship to work, particularly while also trying to hold onto faith and personal convictions. There is a place in this day and age for well written literature that goes against the grain of popular media. – review by Catherine Ndhovu
Book Description:
Twenty-one-year-old Neka is a bit of an introvert, she also happens to be stunningly beautiful.
When she discovers her friend James is about to be dumped, she sees the perfect opportunity to escape from her quiet life. Can she summon the courage to leave it all behind?
James Copley comes from a ruthless family. It’s rubbed off.
Years ago, he disengaged from his brother’s smear campaign, but now his father has offered him an ultimatum, “Get married or lose your seat at the table.”
Plotting to stamp his design on the family business, he proposes to a woman, even though he doesn’t love her.
But his carefully laid plans start to unravel when she leaves him on the day she’s due to meet his family.
Could years of planning his comeback vanish with her departure?
A possible solution comes in an unexpected form: Neka. She’s not only a friend, but the daughter of his benefactor. And she’s right there, offering to support him.
But will her support stretch to marriage?
He attempts to win her over to his plan but collides with her powerful father who wants to leverage the situation for his own gain.
In their fight for survival and love, they are forced to face some uncomfortable truths.
Can they overcome thwarted dreams and missed chances to find true love, or does forcing destiny’s hand only lead to misery?
Format available for review: print-softback (USA only); e-book
(Gifted Kindle, EPUB, PDF) Tour dates: Jan 15 to Feb 14
Content Rating:
PG + M. These books contain mature themes.
Book Description:
Two men. One wrong choice.
Tempia Wade’s life had jumped the rails.
One fateful night, she believed a stranger’s lie rather than the assurance of a trusted friend. For her lapse in judgment, she paid an agonizing price.
Her now-bankrupt life featured shattered dreams, ruined friendships, and the loss of a promising relationship. Now, two years later, the twenty-three-year-old prayed for a second chance with the man she had fallen for at first sight.
Would Cory Sanders finally overlook her egregious mistake in accepting a next-day date and liaison with another man? Or would she have to truly accept life without him?
Overflow With Hope is the fifth book in this Hope Series by E. C. Jackson. I have thoroughly enjoyed each book in this series. I keep saying the book I am reviewing is my favorite, and I’ll say it again with Overflow With Hope. I love the way Ms. Jackson puts her characters in every day real life issues. I have related to many of her characters, in one way or another.
Tempia Wade life changed when she made some terrible decisions that would change her life forever. I had a hard time trying to like Quince and how he pulled Tempia into his dishonesty. Tempia frustrates me to no end. After everything she’s done, is there any chance Cory Sanders can overlook and forgive Tempia’s horrible choices? Well, this is where you will need to read the book. And if you enjoy good, clean, inspirational story, Overflow With Hope is a great one to read. I found it to be a pretty fast read. From the beginning the story pulls you in and don’t let go. I love when authors writes amazing books such as this. I’m giving this on Five Stars. It’s worth your time reading!
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Thank you for reading my review of OVERFLOW WITH HOPE. You can also read my review of the other books in this HOPE series.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Also Available for Review:
MY REVIEW FOR
The Living Hope by E. C. Jackson
A LIVING HOPE by E. C. Jacckson
Book Details:
Book Title: A Living Hope : Hope Series, Book 2 by E.C. Jackson
Category: Adult Fiction 18+, 286 pages
Genre: Inspirational Romance
Publisher: E.C. Jackson
Release date: July 31, 2016
Format available for review: e-book (Gifted Kindle, EPUB, PDF)
Tour dates: Jan 15 to Feb 14
Content Rating: PG + M. These books contain mature themes.
E.C. Jackson weaves a story of imperfect people working through misunderstandings, secrets, traumas, and just plain stubbornness. In other words,her characters are like many of us! She builds complex characters with believable struggles. Happy endings don’t come easily, but must be worked through with prayer, honest communication, and the willingness to step out in faith and do the right things.
This is a worthy successor to Jackson’s earlier novel, A Gateway to Hope.
— review by Hog on Ice: Books and Independent Learning
A Living Hope : Hope Series, Book 2 by E.C. Jackson
Book Description:
It was a match made in heaven. Or so everyone thought. Sadie Mae Cummings is all set to marry her childhood sweetheart, Kyle, when she is assigned to tutor Lincoln, the new college football running back. This sophomore phenomenon has all the girls on campus knocking on his door. But Sadie isn’t interested in his advances.
Lincoln’s overblown ego doesn’t take well to being shunned, and he resolves to make Sadie his own. He pursues her relentlessly, until finally Kyle finds himself shut out of Sadie’s life, with their shared future crumbling around him.
After two years, Sadie’sa relationship with Lincoln ends, and she is left having to put the pieces of her life back together. She desires nothing more than to recapture her relationship with Kyle. He has stayed true to the dreams they had planned together, living the vision even without Sadie by his side.
When she moves back to her hometown, she labors to rekindle their love. But things have changed, and Kyle has moved on. Sadie quickly discovers how hard it is to rebuild burned bridges.
Follow Sadie’s story as she fights for a chance to restore broken dreams. Will love endure?
This inspirational romance by E. C. Jackson is book two of the Hope series and is a standalone book.
Just when she thinks she will marry her chidhood sweetheart, Sadie Mae Cummings is assigned to tutor Lincoln, the new college football running back.
Following Sadie’s life is interesting, and sometimes lard to follow. Her life goes through many ups and downs as she tired to find the life she is searching for. As she decides to move back to her home town after several years away, she meets up with her old fling, Kyle. Unfortunately, he’s moved on. But as times goes, they just might get together again.
I love Jackson’s books and I love the way she does romance. Her books go a little bit deeper perhaps than a lot of books, but they are still inspirational fiction reads. I like the way she shows faith in the Christian lift in such a subtle like that it doesn’t defend, yet it is a delightful way she describes it all. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*********************
REVIEW FOR THE CERTAIN HOPE BY
E. C. JACKSON
Another amazing read from author E. C. Jackson “The Certain Hope.”
Book Details:
Book Title: The Certain Hope
: Hope Series, Book 3 by E.C. Jackson
Category: Adult Fiction 18+, 261 pages
Genre: Inspirational Romance
Publisher: E.C. Jackson
Release date: Dec 5, 2018
Format available for review: e-book (Gifted Kindle, EPUB, PDF)
Tour dates: Jan 15 to Feb 14
Content Rating:
PG + M. These books contain mature themes.
The title of this novel is perfectly suitable to its meaning. The Certain Hope is the one of a couple of lonely guys that decided to marry after two weeks of dating. The groom believes that everything will go fine, especially if the bride will do only what he wants. He is control addicted, she is a romantic girl who believes in having met the man of her dreams. Through this behavioral contrast, the author built a great story, focused on the burning topics of marriage, loss and control addiction. In my view, the novel is a little, big literary masterpiece for the underlying meaning that oozes from every chapter. I believe that The Certain Hope deserves to be translated internationally and this thought is my certain hope for the success of this gripping romance novel.— review by Advices books Reviews
Book Description:
Love at first sight. It’s every girl’s dream. But Tara Simpkins is finding out it’s not as easy as it seems. Is this truly the man God sent to be her husband, or is she just desperate to escape her loneliness? The recent loss of both parents has left her reeling, and close friends don’t think she’s in any position to make major life decisions. She and her new-found love are convinced they can live happily ever after in the home of their dreams. His family thinks he’s moving way too fast and might disappoint the kind-hearted woman he’s fallen head over heels for. And then there’s Leah. Leah is supposed to be part of his past, but what if she decides she’s his future? Tara’s match made in Heaven may be over before it truly begins.
MY THOUGHTS ON THE CERTAIN HOPE
The Certain Hope is a book that I thoroughly enjoyed. Tara Simpkins is having work done on the house after losing both parents and is now along. She really feels alone now, but that’s no reason to fall for one of the guys working on the house. But she was attracted, none the less, but he may not even look at her twice. But we will see.
I like Tara. She has the sweetest personality, and she really likes Luke. But as the story goes on, I begin to see red flags with him and didn’t care for his obnoxious attitude at all. And Tara certainly didn’t need him. Her friends also say the same thing, which pulled Tara in two different ways. I’m not gonna give out more information, so you will need to read the book for yourself.
I have read several books by E. C. Jackson, and I have enjoyed each one. I like the way she writes romance with such feeling, with characters written with layers that tells many flaws, yet with faith in God. I did find this book hard to put down because I wanted to find out what happened with Tara. I’m giving this book Five Stars. If you love clean Christian fiction romance, you will love this book.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
(Gifted Kindle, EPUB, PDF) Tour dates: Jan 15 to Feb 14
Content Rating:
PG + M. These books contain mature themes.
Book Description:
Is there hope for this love between friends?
Pamela Hayes is a smart, successful business owner with a supportive family and a thriving bakery. She should be the happiest girl in the world. But she can’t shake the melancholy that accompanies every conversation she has with her best friend, Mark. Pamela doesn’t know how much longer she can hide her true feelings.
Why can’t Mark see how perfect they would be together? She would make a much better girlfriend than the one he currently has. Pamela prays he’ll come to his senses soon and realize he’s with the wrong girl. But when her dream comes true, it isn’t the fantasy she had envisioned.
There is trouble in paradise from the start, and all the red flags she’s been ignoring are starting to threaten her confidence…and her relationship with Mark. She’ll have to rely on family and her faith in God to help her secure the hope she so desperately needs.
In The Confident Hope, E. C. Jackson writes a story of marriage and the problems that come after the I Do! Pamela finally got what she wanted in marrying Mark. But was he her true one and only. I had a problem with Pamela going after Mark like she did, when he really wasn’t avaliable. But I guess that’s how some ladies are. It took me a while to warm up to both of these characters, but they grew on me. Both Mark and Pamela had lots to learn about marriage. They were both so determined to have their way it caused friction in their marriage. I found that lack of communication was also a big part of their problems, and both were to stubborn to acknowledge it.
I do like the way Jackson uses this story to show the twists and turns, ups and downs and all the other differences marriage brings. This would be a great book for anyone, especially a new married couple, or perhaps someone getting married. There are lots of lessons to learn in this book and E. C. Jackson does an excellent job writing this book. It’s one of my favorite in the series. Anyone who enjoys a good clean inspirational books will enjoy this one. I’m giving it Five Stars.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Pajama Party: The Story by E.C. Jackson
Book Details:
Book Title: Pajama Party: The Storyby E.C. Jackson
Category: Teen & Adult Fiction (13 to 18 yrs), 241 pages
Genre: Teen & Young Adult Fiction / Teen & Young Adult Christian Fiction
Publisher: E.C. Jackson
Release date: Sep 30, 2017
Format available for review: e-book
(Gifted Kindle, EPUB, PDF) Tour dates: Jan 15 to Feb 14
Content Rating:
PG + M. These books contain mature themes.
Book Description:
Most sleepovers are simple. Food, fun, and pillow fights. But sixteen-year-old Karen Duncan has bigger plans for her slumber party. Family troubles have changed her over the past year, and she’s no longer the petty, selfish girl she used to be. Now she’s ready to shake things up with her friends. The guest list comes as a surprise to some and a slap in the face to others. This popular girl has invited some not-so-popular guests. Even more shocking, she’s left out some of the girls she’s hung out with since middle school.
Diane and Evette are outsiders, nervous about being stuck in a house with the same girls who tease them at school.
Kathy, Lisa, and Joann come to the party with the confidence of the in-crowd, but they’re masking inner-turmoil that is bound to surface.
Sandy and Angela are usually the voices of reason…usually. And then there’s Linda, the friend that got away. She may not ever forgive the girls who abandoned her years ago. Karen hopes to change her mind. Her agenda is ambitious, and it could spell disaster. But Karen is convinced God will use this party to spark a new beginning for everyone involved.
This companion book to A Living Hope gives us the inspired story Sadie Cummings wrote for the girls of Shiatown.
Meet the Author: E. C. Jackson began her writing career with the full-length play “Pajama Party.” Thirty-one years later, she adapted the play into Pajama Party: The Story, a companion book to the second book in the five-book standalone Hope series.
Jackson’s favorite pastime is reading fiction. She enjoys taking the journey along with the characters in the books. That also led to her unorthodox approach to story writing. Her vision for each book she writes is to immerse readers into the storyline so they become connected with each character.
“The Write Way: A Real Slice of Life” is the slogan on her Facebook author page. She feels that if every person reading her books feels connected to the characters, her job is done.
Book Title: Undomesticated Women, Anecdotal Evidence from the Road by Anna Blake Category: Adult Non-Fiction (18+), 325 pages Genre: Travel Memoir Publisher: Prairie Moon Press Release date: Oct 2023 Formats Available for Review: print-paperback (USA only), ebook (EPUB, PDF) Tour dates: Jan 15 to Feb 26, 2024 Content Rating: PG. oblique mention of dysfunctional family, no sex, drugs, etc
Book Description:
Welcome to our year of living compactly. My dog, Mister, and I took to the road pulling our A-frame trailer, the Rollin’ Rancho. I’m a traveling horse trainer/clinician, who became a non-essential worker during the COVID-19 lockdown. Then, in 2022, we bounced back. We were nomads looking for horse training adventure and liver treats. Work paid for the trip; it was part clinic tour, part travelogue, part squirrel hunt. But mostly an unapologetic celebration of sunsets, horses, RV parks, roadkill, diverse landscapes, and undomesticated women.
It’s a book made of made of adjectives and nouns, blue skies and tornado watches, resorts and reservations, open roads to the horizon, and one-lane dead-ends. We emerge from the truck in a cloud of dog hair and sunflower shells, like disoriented and scruffy rock stars in a GPS haze, not entirely lost or found.
This book isn’t about training, although there are horses in it. It’s a follow-up of Stable Relation, my first book, but my life changed in ways I would never have guessed, so don’t expect the usual sequel. Undomesticated Women is a travel memoir, a peek behind the curtains of what my job is like. I wanted to see this beautiful country, do some time travel, and explore thoughts and memories now that I’ve become a gray mare.
Mister would tell you it’s his memoir about being tasked with the unreasonable job of guarding me against a wild range of dangers. Like eating dinner late.
I’m an animal advocate, award-winning author, solo RV traveler, old-school feminist, dog companion, unabashed lover of sunsets, and professional horse trainer/clinician. I’m sixty-nine years old. I’ve done just about everything and done it well. No longer auditioning.
My books include: Stable Relation, A memoir of one woman’s spirited journey home. Relaxed & Forward: Relationship advice from your horse. Barn Dance, Nickers, brays, bleats, howls, and quacks: Tales from the herd. Horse Prayers, Poems from the prairie. Going Steady, More relationship advice from your horse. Horse. Woman. Poems from our lives. Undomesticated Women: Anecdotal Evidence from the Road
I was born in Cavalier County, North Dakota, in 1954, the youngest daughter in a farm family. Now I live at Infinity Farm, on the flat, windy, treeless prairie of Colorado with a herd of reprobates, raconteurs, and our moral compass, Edgar Rice Burro. Previously, I was a self-employed goldsmith, showing one-of-a-kind artwork in galleries from coast to coast. My Denver studio and gallery was shared with generations of good dogs.
Early writing included a few screenplays, one of which was produced independently, and articles for several periodicals. Every Friday since 2010, I have posted an unconventional and popular blog about life on the farm and horse training. My unique perspective combines Calming Signals and Affirmative Training for a special method of understanding, training, and respecting animals.
Book Title: Charlie Chaloosy is Often Quite Choosy by Brad Mason, Ed. D. Category: Children’s Fiction (Ages 3-7), 32 pages Genre: Children’s Picture Book Publisher: Yorkshire Publishing Release date: January 2024 Formats Available for Review: print-hardback (USA) Tour dates: Jan 22 to Feb 9 Content Rating: G. Suitable for everyone.
Book Description:
The Charlie Chaloosy book series kicks off with its inaugural offering, Charlie Chaloosy is Often Quite Choosy.
The first book focuses on Charlie’s experiences as he learns lessons, gains new experiences, and grows up in a world that happens to rhyme. The story is told through the use of a playful rhyme scheme and enhanced with beautifully colored illustrations of Charlie tackling new adventures in whimsical detail. The book ends with Charlie providing two pages for the reader to become an author by writing their own story.
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
Charlie Chaloosy is Often Quite Choosy is such a sweet book for children. Charlie Chaloosy is pretty choosy about everything. He finds one thing he likes and he sticks with it. Over and over. He likes playing with one thing or doing one activity. He’s bad when it comes to eat because he chooses his food and that’s all he eats.
The beautiful illustrations throughout the book brings the story to life in pictures. I love how the pictures go with the words of each page. This is a beautiful book inside and out.
I love that this cute book teaches children to try new things. Go on adventures that they will enjoy. This a book that will benefit many children. If you are a parent or teacher of a choosy child, you need this book. And the choosy child needs it as well. I’m giving this book 4½ stars.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
My passion for children’s literature stems from 30+ years in education and my re-entry into bedtime stories with the addition of my beautiful grandchildren. I created Charlie as a means for children to learn with Charlie by having a growth mindset when it comes to facing new experiences and learning new things. Children live in a world that is traveling ever faster and my desire is to help them slow down and enjoy childhood through the adventures of Charlie Chaloosy. I hope children have fun with Charlie while engaging their minds through stories that encourage them to read, write, illustrate, and dream a little.
Format available for review: print – softback, e-book (Gifted Kindle, EPUB, PDF)
Tour dates: Jan 15 to Feb 14
Content Rating:
PG + M. These books contain mature themes.
This novel catches your attention in a dramatic opening and holds your attention while you follow the ups and downs of a love story. It is a rarity to find a romance that focuses on the fine tuning of character building and adjustments couples have to make for their relationship to work, particularly while also trying to hold onto faith and personal convictions. There is a place in this day and age for well written literature that goes against the grain of popular media. – review by Catherine Ndhovu
Book Description:
Twenty-one-year-old Neka is a bit of an introvert, she also happens to be stunningly beautiful.
When she discovers her friend James is about to be dumped, she sees the perfect opportunity to escape from her quiet life. Can she summon the courage to leave it all behind?
James Copley comes from a ruthless family. It’s rubbed off.
Years ago, he disengaged from his brother’s smear campaign, but now his father has offered him an ultimatum, “Get married or lose your seat at the table.”
Plotting to stamp his design on the family business, he proposes to a woman, even though he doesn’t love her.
But his carefully laid plans start to unravel when she leaves him on the day she’s due to meet his family.
Could years of planning his comeback vanish with her departure?
A possible solution comes in an unexpected form: Neka. She’s not only a friend, but the daughter of his benefactor. And she’s right there, offering to support him.
But will her support stretch to marriage?
He attempts to win her over to his plan but collides with her powerful father who wants to leverage the situation for his own gain.
In their fight for survival and love, they are forced to face some uncomfortable truths.
Can they overcome thwarted dreams and missed chances to find true love, or does forcing destiny’s hand only lead to misery?
Format available for review: print-softback (USA only); e-book
(Gifted Kindle, EPUB, PDF) Tour dates: Jan 15 to Feb 14
Content Rating:
PG + M. These books contain mature themes.
Book Description:
Two men. One wrong choice.
Tempia Wade’s life had jumped the rails.
One fateful night, she believed a stranger’s lie rather than the assurance of a trusted friend. For her lapse in judgment, she paid an agonizing price.
Her now-bankrupt life featured shattered dreams, ruined friendships, and the loss of a promising relationship. Now, two years later, the twenty-three-year-old prayed for a second chance with the man she had fallen for at first sight.
Would Cory Sanders finally overlook her egregious mistake in accepting a next-day date and liaison with another man? Or would she have to truly accept life without him?
Book Title: A Living Hope : Hope Series, Book 2 by E.C. Jackson
Category: Adult Fiction 18+, 286 pages
Genre: Inspirational Romance
Publisher: E.C. Jackson
Release date: July 31, 2016
Format available for review: e-book (Gifted Kindle, EPUB, PDF)
Tour dates: Jan 15 to Feb 14
Content Rating: PG + M. These books contain mature themes.
E.C. Jackson weaves a story of imperfect people working through misunderstandings, secrets, traumas, and just plain stubbornness. In other words,her characters are like many of us! She builds complex characters with believable struggles. Happy endings don’t come easily, but must be worked through with prayer, honest communication, and the willingness to step out in faith and do the right things.
This is a worthy successor to Jackson’s earlier novel, A Gateway to Hope.
— review by Hog on Ice: Books and Independent Learning
A Living Hope : Hope Series, Book 2 by E.C. Jackson
Book Description:
It was a match made in heaven. Or so everyone thought. Sadie Mae Cummings is all set to marry her childhood sweetheart, Kyle, when she is assigned to tutor Lincoln, the new college football running back. This sophomore phenomenon has all the girls on campus knocking on his door. But Sadie isn’t interested in his advances.
Lincoln’s overblown ego doesn’t take well to being shunned, and he resolves to make Sadie his own. He pursues her relentlessly, until finally Kyle finds himself shut out of Sadie’s life, with their shared future crumbling around him.
After two years, Sadie’sa relationship with Lincoln ends, and she is left having to put the pieces of her life back together. She desires nothing more than to recapture her relationship with Kyle. He has stayed true to the dreams they had planned together, living the vision even without Sadie by his side.
When she moves back to her hometown, she labors to rekindle their love. But things have changed, and Kyle has moved on. Sadie quickly discovers how hard it is to rebuild burned bridges.
Follow Sadie’s story as she fights for a chance to restore broken dreams. Will love endure?
This inspirational romance by E. C. Jackson is book two of the Hope series and is a standalone book.
Just when she thinks she will marry her chidhood sweetheart, Sadie Mae Cummings is assigned to tutor Lincoln, the new college football running back.
Following Sadie’s life is interesting, and sometimes lard to follow. Her life goes through many ups and downs as she tired to find the life she is searching for. As she decides to move back to her home town after several years away, she meets up with her old fling, Kyle. Unfortunately, he’s moved on. But as times goes, they just might get together again.
I love Jackson’s books and I love the way she does romance. Her books go a little bit deeper perhaps than a lot of books, but they are still inspirational fiction reads. I like the way she shows faith in the Christian lift in such a subtle like that it doesn’t defend, yet it is a delightful way she describes it all. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*********************
REVIEW FOR THE CERTAIN HOPE BY
E. C. JACKSON
Another amazing read from author E. C. Jackson “The Certain Hope.”
Book Details:
Book Title: The Certain Hope
: Hope Series, Book 3 by E.C. Jackson
Category: Adult Fiction 18+, 261 pages
Genre: Inspirational Romance
Publisher: E.C. Jackson
Release date: Dec 5, 2018
Format available for review: e-book (Gifted Kindle, EPUB, PDF)
Tour dates: Jan 15 to Feb 14
Content Rating:
PG + M. These books contain mature themes.
The title of this novel is perfectly suitable to its meaning. The Certain Hope is the one of a couple of lonely guys that decided to marry after two weeks of dating. The groom believes that everything will go fine, especially if the bride will do only what he wants. He is control addicted, she is a romantic girl who believes in having met the man of her dreams. Through this behavioral contrast, the author built a great story, focused on the burning topics of marriage, loss and control addiction. In my view, the novel is a little, big literary masterpiece for the underlying meaning that oozes from every chapter. I believe that The Certain Hope deserves to be translated internationally and this thought is my certain hope for the success of this gripping romance novel.— review by Advices books Reviews
Book Description:
Love at first sight. It’s every girl’s dream. But Tara Simpkins is finding out it’s not as easy as it seems. Is this truly the man God sent to be her husband, or is she just desperate to escape her loneliness? The recent loss of both parents has left her reeling, and close friends don’t think she’s in any position to make major life decisions. She and her new-found love are convinced they can live happily ever after in the home of their dreams. His family thinks he’s moving way too fast and might disappoint the kind-hearted woman he’s fallen head over heels for. And then there’s Leah. Leah is supposed to be part of his past, but what if she decides she’s his future? Tara’s match made in Heaven may be over before it truly begins.
MY THOUGHTS ON THE CERTAIN HOPE
The Certain Hope is a book that I thoroughly enjoyed. Tara Simpkins is having work done on the house after losing both parents and is now along. She really feels alone now, but that’s no reason to fall for one of the guys working on the house. But she was attracted, none the less, but he may not even look at her twice. But we will see.
I like Tara. She has the sweetest personality, and she really likes Luke. But as the story goes on, I begin to see red flags with him and didn’t care for his obnoxious attitude at all. And Tara certainly didn’t need him. Her friends also say the same thing, which pulled Tara in two different ways. I’m not gonna give out more information, so you will need to read the book for yourself.
I have read several books by E. C. Jackson, and I have enjoyed each one. I like the way she writes romance with such feeling, with characters written with layers that tells many flaws, yet with faith in God. I did find this book hard to put down because I wanted to find out what happened with Tara. I’m giving this book Five Stars. If you love clean Christian fiction romance, you will love this book.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
(Gifted Kindle, EPUB, PDF) Tour dates: Jan 15 to Feb 14
Content Rating:
PG + M. These books contain mature themes.
Book Description:
Is there hope for this love between friends?
Pamela Hayes is a smart, successful business owner with a supportive family and a thriving bakery. She should be the happiest girl in the world. But she can’t shake the melancholy that accompanies every conversation she has with her best friend, Mark. Pamela doesn’t know how much longer she can hide her true feelings.
Why can’t Mark see how perfect they would be together? She would make a much better girlfriend than the one he currently has. Pamela prays he’ll come to his senses soon and realize he’s with the wrong girl. But when her dream comes true, it isn’t the fantasy she had envisioned.
There is trouble in paradise from the start, and all the red flags she’s been ignoring are starting to threaten her confidence…and her relationship with Mark. She’ll have to rely on family and her faith in God to help her secure the hope she so desperately needs.
In The Confident Hope, E. C. Jackson writes a story of marriage and the problems that come after the I Do! Pamela finally got what she wanted in marrying Mark. But was he her true one and only. I had a problem with Pamela going after Mark like she did, when he really wasn’t avaliable. But I guess that’s how some ladies are. It took me a while to warm up to both of these characters, but they grew on me. Both Mark and Pamela had lots to learn about marriage. They were both so determined to have their way it caused friction in their marriage. I found that lack of communication was also a big part of their problems, and both were to stubborn to acknowledge it.
I do like the way Jackson uses this story to show the twists and turns, ups and downs and all the other differences marriage brings. This would be a great book for anyone, especially a new married couple, or perhaps someone getting married. There are lots of lessons to learn in this book and E. C. Jackson does an excellent job writing this book. It’s one of my favorite in the series. Anyone who enjoys a good clean inspirational books will enjoy this one. I’m giving it Five Stars.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Pajama Party: The Story by E.C. Jackson
Book Details:
Book Title: Pajama Party: The Storyby E.C. Jackson
Category: Teen & Adult Fiction (13 to 18 yrs), 241 pages
Genre: Teen & Young Adult Fiction / Teen & Young Adult Christian Fiction
Publisher: E.C. Jackson
Release date: Sep 30, 2017
Format available for review: e-book
(Gifted Kindle, EPUB, PDF) Tour dates: Jan 15 to Feb 14
Content Rating:
PG + M. These books contain mature themes.
Book Description:
Most sleepovers are simple. Food, fun, and pillow fights. But sixteen-year-old Karen Duncan has bigger plans for her slumber party. Family troubles have changed her over the past year, and she’s no longer the petty, selfish girl she used to be. Now she’s ready to shake things up with her friends. The guest list comes as a surprise to some and a slap in the face to others. This popular girl has invited some not-so-popular guests. Even more shocking, she’s left out some of the girls she’s hung out with since middle school.
Diane and Evette are outsiders, nervous about being stuck in a house with the same girls who tease them at school.
Kathy, Lisa, and Joann come to the party with the confidence of the in-crowd, but they’re masking inner-turmoil that is bound to surface.
Sandy and Angela are usually the voices of reason…usually. And then there’s Linda, the friend that got away. She may not ever forgive the girls who abandoned her years ago. Karen hopes to change her mind. Her agenda is ambitious, and it could spell disaster. But Karen is convinced God will use this party to spark a new beginning for everyone involved.
This companion book to A Living Hope gives us the inspired story Sadie Cummings wrote for the girls of Shiatown.
Meet the Author: E. C. Jackson began her writing career with the full-length play “Pajama Party.” Thirty-one years later, she adapted the play into Pajama Party: The Story, a companion book to the second book in the five-book standalone Hope series.
Jackson’s favorite pastime is reading fiction. She enjoys taking the journey along with the characters in the books. That also led to her unorthodox approach to story writing. Her vision for each book she writes is to immerse readers into the storyline so they become connected with each character.
“The Write Way: A Real Slice of Life” is the slogan on her Facebook author page. She feels that if every person reading her books feels connected to the characters, her job is done.
Format available for review: print – softback, e-book (Gifted Kindle, EPUB, PDF)
Tour dates: Jan 15 to Feb 14
Content Rating:
PG + M. These books contain mature themes.
This novel catches your attention in a dramatic opening and holds your attention while you follow the ups and downs of a love story. It is a rarity to find a romance that focuses on the fine tuning of character building and adjustments couples have to make for their relationship to work, particularly while also trying to hold onto faith and personal convictions. There is a place in this day and age for well written literature that goes against the grain of popular media. – review by Catherine Ndhovu
Book Description:
Twenty-one-year-old Neka is a bit of an introvert, she also happens to be stunningly beautiful.
When she discovers her friend James is about to be dumped, she sees the perfect opportunity to escape from her quiet life. Can she summon the courage to leave it all behind?
James Copley comes from a ruthless family. It’s rubbed off.
Years ago, he disengaged from his brother’s smear campaign, but now his father has offered him an ultimatum, “Get married or lose your seat at the table.”
Plotting to stamp his design on the family business, he proposes to a woman, even though he doesn’t love her.
But his carefully laid plans start to unravel when she leaves him on the day she’s due to meet his family.
Could years of planning his comeback vanish with her departure?
A possible solution comes in an unexpected form: Neka. She’s not only a friend, but the daughter of his benefactor. And she’s right there, offering to support him.
But will her support stretch to marriage?
He attempts to win her over to his plan but collides with her powerful father who wants to leverage the situation for his own gain.
In their fight for survival and love, they are forced to face some uncomfortable truths.
Can they overcome thwarted dreams and missed chances to find true love, or does forcing destiny’s hand only lead to misery?
Format available for review: print-softback (USA only); e-book
(Gifted Kindle, EPUB, PDF) Tour dates: Jan 15 to Feb 14
Content Rating:
PG + M. These books contain mature themes.
Book Description:
Two men. One wrong choice.
Tempia Wade’s life had jumped the rails.
One fateful night, she believed a stranger’s lie rather than the assurance of a trusted friend. For her lapse in judgment, she paid an agonizing price.
Her now-bankrupt life featured shattered dreams, ruined friendships, and the loss of a promising relationship. Now, two years later, the twenty-three-year-old prayed for a second chance with the man she had fallen for at first sight.
Would Cory Sanders finally overlook her egregious mistake in accepting a next-day date and liaison with another man? Or would she have to truly accept life without him?
Book Title: A Living Hope : Hope Series, Book 2 by E.C. Jackson
Category: Adult Fiction 18+, 286 pages
Genre: Inspirational Romance
Publisher: E.C. Jackson
Release date: July 31, 2016
Format available for review: e-book (Gifted Kindle, EPUB, PDF)
Tour dates: Jan 15 to Feb 14
Content Rating: PG + M. These books contain mature themes.
E.C. Jackson weaves a story of imperfect people working through misunderstandings, secrets, traumas, and just plain stubbornness. In other words,her characters are like many of us! She builds complex characters with believable struggles. Happy endings don’t come easily, but must be worked through with prayer, honest communication, and the willingness to step out in faith and do the right things.
This is a worthy successor to Jackson’s earlier novel, A Gateway to Hope.
— review by Hog on Ice: Books and Independent Learning
A Living Hope : Hope Series, Book 2 by E.C. Jackson
Book Description:
It was a match made in heaven. Or so everyone thought. Sadie Mae Cummings is all set to marry her childhood sweetheart, Kyle, when she is assigned to tutor Lincoln, the new college football running back. This sophomore phenomenon has all the girls on campus knocking on his door. But Sadie isn’t interested in his advances.
Lincoln’s overblown ego doesn’t take well to being shunned, and he resolves to make Sadie his own. He pursues her relentlessly, until finally Kyle finds himself shut out of Sadie’s life, with their shared future crumbling around him.
After two years, Sadie’sa relationship with Lincoln ends, and she is left having to put the pieces of her life back together. She desires nothing more than to recapture her relationship with Kyle. He has stayed true to the dreams they had planned together, living the vision even without Sadie by his side.
When she moves back to her hometown, she labors to rekindle their love. But things have changed, and Kyle has moved on. Sadie quickly discovers how hard it is to rebuild burned bridges.
Follow Sadie’s story as she fights for a chance to restore broken dreams. Will love endure?
This inspirational romance by E. C. Jackson is book two of the Hope series and is a standalone book.
Just when she thinks she will marry her chidhood sweetheart, Sadie Mae Cummings is assigned to tutor Lincoln, the new college football running back.
Following Sadie’s life is interesting, and sometimes lard to follow. Her life goes through many ups and downs as she tired to find the life she is searching for. As she decides to move back to her home town after several years away, she meets up with her old fling, Kyle. Unfortunately, he’s moved on. But as times goes, they just might get together again.
I love Jackson’s books and I love the way she does romance. Her books go a little bit deeper perhaps than a lot of books, but they are still inspirational fiction reads. I like the way she shows faith in the Christian lift in such a subtle like that it doesn’t defend, yet it is a delightful way she describes it all. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
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REVIEW FOR THE CERTAIN HOPE BY
E. C. JACKSON
Another amazing read from author E. C. Jackson “The Certain Hope.”
Book Details:
Book Title: The Certain Hope
: Hope Series, Book 3 by E.C. Jackson
Category: Adult Fiction 18+, 261 pages
Genre: Inspirational Romance
Publisher: E.C. Jackson
Release date: Dec 5, 2018
Format available for review: e-book (Gifted Kindle, EPUB, PDF)
Tour dates: Jan 15 to Feb 14
Content Rating:
PG + M. These books contain mature themes.
The title of this novel is perfectly suitable to its meaning. The Certain Hope is the one of a couple of lonely guys that decided to marry after two weeks of dating. The groom believes that everything will go fine, especially if the bride will do only what he wants. He is control addicted, she is a romantic girl who believes in having met the man of her dreams. Through this behavioral contrast, the author built a great story, focused on the burning topics of marriage, loss and control addiction. In my view, the novel is a little, big literary masterpiece for the underlying meaning that oozes from every chapter. I believe that The Certain Hope deserves to be translated internationally and this thought is my certain hope for the success of this gripping romance novel.— review by Advices books Reviews
Book Description:
Love at first sight. It’s every girl’s dream. But Tara Simpkins is finding out it’s not as easy as it seems. Is this truly the man God sent to be her husband, or is she just desperate to escape her loneliness? The recent loss of both parents has left her reeling, and close friends don’t think she’s in any position to make major life decisions. She and her new-found love are convinced they can live happily ever after in the home of their dreams. His family thinks he’s moving way too fast and might disappoint the kind-hearted woman he’s fallen head over heels for. And then there’s Leah. Leah is supposed to be part of his past, but what if she decides she’s his future? Tara’s match made in Heaven may be over before it truly begins.
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
The Certain Hope is a book that I thoroughly enjoyed. Tara Simpkins is having work done on the house after losing both parents and is now along. She really feels alone now, but that’s no reason to fall for one of the guys working on the house. But she was attracted, none the less, but he may not even look at her twice. But we will see.
I like Tara. She has the sweetest personality, and she really likes Luke. But as the story goes on, I begin to see red flags with him and didn’t care for his obnoxious attitude at all. And Tara certainly didn’t need him. Her friends also say the same thing, which pulled Tara in two different ways. I’m not gonna give out more information, so you will need to read the book for yourself.
I have read several books by E. C. Jackson, and I have enjoyed each one. I like the way she writes romance with such feeling, with characters written with layers that tells many flaws, yet with faith in God. I did find this book hard to put down because I wanted to find out what happened with Tara. I’m giving this book Five Stars. If you love clean Christian fiction romance, you will love this book.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
(Gifted Kindle, EPUB, PDF) Tour dates: Jan 15 to Feb 14
Content Rating:
PG + M. These books contain mature themes.
Book Description:
Is there hope for this love between friends?
Pamela Hayes is a smart, successful business owner with a supportive family and a thriving bakery. She should be the happiest girl in the world. But she can’t shake the melancholy that accompanies every conversation she has with her best friend, Mark. Pamela doesn’t know how much longer she can hide her true feelings.
Why can’t Mark see how perfect they would be together? She would make a much better girlfriend than the one he currently has. Pamela prays he’ll come to his senses soon and realize he’s with the wrong girl. But when her dream comes true, it isn’t the fantasy she had envisioned.
There is trouble in paradise from the start, and all the red flags she’s been ignoring are starting to threaten her confidence…and her relationship with Mark. She’ll have to rely on family and her faith in God to help her secure the hope she so desperately needs.
Book Title: Pajama Party: The Storyby E.C. Jackson
Category: Teen & Adult Fiction (13 to 18 yrs), 241 pages
Genre: Teen & Young Adult Fiction / Teen & Young Adult Christian Fiction
Publisher: E.C. Jackson
Release date: Sep 30, 2017
Format available for review: e-book
(Gifted Kindle, EPUB, PDF) Tour dates: Jan 15 to Feb 14
Content Rating:
PG + M. These books contain mature themes.
Book Description:
Most sleepovers are simple. Food, fun, and pillow fights. But sixteen-year-old Karen Duncan has bigger plans for her slumber party. Family troubles have changed her over the past year, and she’s no longer the petty, selfish girl she used to be. Now she’s ready to shake things up with her friends. The guest list comes as a surprise to some and a slap in the face to others. This popular girl has invited some not-so-popular guests. Even more shocking, she’s left out some of the girls she’s hung out with since middle school.
Diane and Evette are outsiders, nervous about being stuck in a house with the same girls who tease them at school.
Kathy, Lisa, and Joann come to the party with the confidence of the in-crowd, but they’re masking inner-turmoil that is bound to surface.
Sandy and Angela are usually the voices of reason…usually. And then there’s Linda, the friend that got away. She may not ever forgive the girls who abandoned her years ago. Karen hopes to change her mind. Her agenda is ambitious, and it could spell disaster. But Karen is convinced God will use this party to spark a new beginning for everyone involved.
This companion book to A Living Hope gives us the inspired story Sadie Cummings wrote for the girls of Shiatown.
Meet the Author: E. C. Jackson began her writing career with the full-length play “Pajama Party.” Thirty-one years later, she adapted the play into Pajama Party: The Story, a companion book to the second book in the five-book standalone Hope series.
Jackson’s favorite pastime is reading fiction. She enjoys taking the journey along with the characters in the books. That also led to her unorthodox approach to story writing. Her vision for each book she writes is to immerse readers into the storyline so they become connected with each character.
“The Write Way: A Real Slice of Life” is the slogan on her Facebook author page. She feels that if every person reading her books feels connected to the characters, her job is done.
Twenty years ago, several people were murdered in Des Moines, and the only evidence left behind was a snowman ornament hanging ominously on a tree in the victims’ front lawns. With a suspect behind bars, the killings have come to an end–or so everyone thought. But now crimes with a similar MO are happening in a small Iowa town, and a local detective believes the killer is back and ready to strike again.
With little time left on the clock before they have another murder on their hands, private investigators River Ryland and Tony St. Clair must work alongside Tony’s detective father to find evidence that will uncover an evil that has survived far too long. As the danger mounts and the suspect closes in, it will take all they have to catch a killer–before he catches one of them.
Wow! What an exciting read. After reading Nancy Mehl’s first book in this series, Cold Pursuit, I have been waiting to read Cold Threat, and it was an awesome mystery thriller for sure. I was so hooked on reading this book I read late into the night and jumped at any noise I heard.
This story goes back many years when people were murdered in Des Moines, and just maybe the killer is still around, it’s just that Tony’s father can’t convince anyone else, so he ask for Tony and Ryland’s help. Tony and Ryland are fabulous characters created by author Nancy Mehl, as well as so many other characters Mehl created to make up this story. I think this story is pretty fast paced, but then the time line for the killings made the book seem like it was at a slower pace. Either way, this is an awesome book to read.
I enjoyed following Ryland and Tony as they made their way through trying to find the person responsible for so many murders, and why. What motivation did this person have. Mehl created such great details for each scene in the book I felt as if it was playing out in my little community. I have always enjoyed Nancy Mehl’s writing style, just as I read enjoyed it in this book. And I’m telling you folks, she can write some scenes that will have you looking out your windows and locking your doors. And I love it!
If you enjoy reading a fast-paced thriller that will have you biting your nails, you need to read Cold Threat. I think it can be read as a stand alone, but reading Cold Pursuit, book one in this Ryland & St. Clair Book (An FBI Profiler Thriller Romantic Suspense Series) I simply can’t wait for Book three to hit the shelves. I’m giving this book Five Stars and I wish I could give it more!
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Author Bio:
Nancy Mehl is the author of more than fifty books, a Parable and ECPA bestseller, and the winner of an ACFW Book of the Year Award, a Carol Award, and the Daphne du Maurier Award. She has also been a finalist for the Christy Award. Nancy writes from her home in Missouri, where she lives with her husband, Norman, and their puggle, Watson.
Book Title: Vivienne in Paris by Maria Castellucci Moore Category: Children’s Fiction (ages 5 to 9), 38 pages Genre: Children’s Book Publisher: Mascot Kids Release date: May 2, 2023 Formats Available for Review: print-hardback (USA), e-book (PDF) Tour dates: Jan 8 to Feb 2 Content Rating: G. Suitable for everyone.
Vivienne in Paris follows a young Parisian girl on a journey through Paris to find what makes her tick. Join Vivienne as she discovers the sights, smells, tastes, and sounds of the city that make her feel alive. What better place to explore, observe, and delight in her senses than Paris?
This book tells a story of mindfulness and insight into how the surrounding world can really move you. It unites curiosity, wonder, and marvel to enlighten, surprise, and tickle your deepest spirit. Sometimes it’s the smallest things that bring you the greatest joy.
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
Vivienne in Paris by Maria Castellucci Moore is the most precious book about a little girl named Vivienne. I so much enjoyed following Vivienne as she takes us on a tour of Paris, with such details as she describes each place she goes. What fun it would be to have someone like Vivienne as a guide through the beautiful Paris.
As I followed this sweet girl, I could feel the presence of the city, as well as taste the cuisine and hear the sights and sounds the city brings. The beautiful illustrations install even more in the minds of the readers just how fabulous this beautiful city is.
I’ve never been to Paris, but this beautiful book has me wanting to go. I think this would be a fantastic book for any child’s library, whether it be in a school room or library, or anywhere a child might be.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Entrepreneur, first-generation American, writer, and mother to four children, María strives to bring passion and enthusiasm to all her endeavors. A lover of all things European, María has found great passion through her travels to Paris, Italy, Spain, and South America. Her affection for winemaking, foreign languages, the arts, ballroom dancing, and traveling has given María a unique and grateful perspective on life. Her love for her family and helping others through charitable giving has enabled María to thoughtfully curate purposeful life adventures.
María Castellucci Moore earned her bachelor of arts degree in finance from Dominican University on a tennis scholarship, and later pursued studying at New York University and the London School of Economics with a focus on global affairs. In 2016, with her siblings, María founded Castellucci Napa Family, a luxury wine and real estate brand. María runs her wine label and a family real estate development company in the greater Bay Area. She is a board member of the San Francisco Opera Guild and is enthusiastic about building opportunity and community through the arts.
Franz Maedler, an officer in the Wehrmacht, loses a leg in Stalingrad and is evacuated just before it becomes impossible to do so. He returns to a desk job with the Army General Staff in Berlin but is deeply conflicted. His father is committed to the Nazi cause, as seems to be his brother Friedrich. Yet his girlfriend Katrin is a devout Christian, as was his now-deceased mother, and his conscience is haunted by things he was a part of on the Eastern Front. He wants to marry Katrin, but she will not agree until he decides who he is and who he follows. Then, unexpectedly, a moment of crisis forces Franz to choose. Will he side with the cross or with the swastika? And what will it cost him?
And now Questions and Answers with the authors
• Why fiction instead of non-fiction?
• Stories are powerful. Our pastor’s most powerful sermons generally begin with the line, “The story is told…” Sometimes it’s the intro to a joke, sometimes a serious story to get us thinking. Jesus taught important lessons in parables. The story makes it memorable and has a way of getting into the heart that non-fiction doesn’t have. (Melinda)
• Most of what I write is actually non-fiction for my work (I am a political science professor). When Melinda and I first got married, we concluded together that it would be a lot of fun to work on a story together. We did not have the idea that led to Faces in the Window until 11 years later, and it was another 13 years before we started writing. Life with three kids was very busy, but we finally did it. She is the real fiction writer, and I came along for the ride. (Andrew)
• Do you like music or silence when you write?
• It depends on the situation. When I’m writing something deeply emotional, I’ll often listen to music that matches whatever emotion I’m trying to convey. Sometimes, music will help me get the flavor of the culture I’m writing about onto the page. If I’m writing a story set in, say, Ireland, I’ll put on one of my Irish folk CDs.
• Almost always silence, unless it is the Christmas season, in which case I will listen to my vinyl records of Christmas carols. (Andrew)
• How did you go about developing the setting(s) for this story?
• We had hoped to travel to Germany to research the setting for this book, but that was in 2020 and of course COVID made it impossible. Instead, we researched heavily. I found old maps of Berlin on the internet. We did lots of historical research in various WW2 texts. We also had a German friend read the story and give us her feedback. When she said that it felt like we had taken her back home, we knew we had been successful with our research. Still, I think we could have made it even better if we’d been able to make the trip we’d planned. (Melinda)
• Also, Melinda spent a year as an exchange student in Germany (though not Berlin), and we have visited a couple of times together, so we had a general sense of the country, and she is fluent in the language. (Andrew)
• Do your characters seem to hijack the story or do you feel like you have the reigns of the story?
• My husband never understood what I meant when I told him the characters had hijacked my story until he actually wrote this novel with me and experienced it for himself. Sometimes they refuse to do what I have planned for them. I’ve learned to follow their lead. When that happens, often it turns out better than what I planned! (Melinda)
• True enough. Melinda had always told me about how her characters would talk with her and take the story in their own direction, but I never really understood until we were writing this book together. Now I do. This is something that doesn’t much happen when one is wring non-fiction about, say, presidential elections. It wouldn’t do for me to tell my co-author “Hey, we need to change the narrative. John McCain told me he won the 2008 election after all.” It happened to us. For the most part, our characters followed our direction, but not always! (Andrew)
• Which scene was most fun to write? Why?
• I think the scene where Klaus Maedler invited his sons to dinner was the most fun to write. My husband and I were in Google Docs together, and we each took some characters and started writing the scene. We had a general idea of what we wanted to do, but the characters took over and it didn’t end up exactly as we’d planned. We had a lot of fun writing dialogue this way! Of course, then we had to go through the scene, choose a POV character, and make sure the POV was consistent throughout. (Melinda)
• Without giving away too much, either the dinner party hosted by Franz’s father, which Melinda talks about above, or Franz and Friedrich conspiring together to trick Franz’s superior into giving them a truck that they need. They both required strong, witty dialogue, and were both pivotal to the story.
Thank you Andrew and Melinda. I enjoyed reading more about you both and I know my viewers will as well. I look forward to what you have for your readers in the future.
About the Authors
Andrew and Melinda Busch were both born and raised in Boulder, Colorado, and were introduced in 1994 by their junior high school math teacher. They married in 1995 and have three grown children. They now live in Rialto, California.
Andrew teaches American government at Claremont McKenna College in southern California. He has authored or co-authored about two dozen books on American politics, government, and public policy. He received his Ph.D. in Government from the University of Virginia. Melinda is a freelance author who has published numerous short stories and children’s books. She received her Master’s degree in education from Concordia University-Portland. Faces in the Window is their first co-authored book.
More from Andrew and Melinda
We came up with the idea for our book after a trip to the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. in 2006, but didn’t start writing it until late 2019. The COVID lock-down gave us a lot of time at home to work on it.
Writing together was fun. Sometimes one of us would draft a section and the other one would revise it and then we would go back and forth until we were satisfied with it. Other times, when there was important dialogue, we would each pick a character, go onto Google Docs, and have the conversation in real time. We had to be sharp, since our characters often found themselves in a tight spot. Though we planned out the story, sometimes the conversations took on a life of their own, and things went in a different direction.
One of us is a poet and an author of children’s books, fantasy stories, and fan fiction, while the other is a professor who has written extensively about American government but has never before dipped his toe into the vasty depths of fiction. Together, we had a great time!
Formats Available for Review: print-softback (USA only), ebook (PDF)
Tour dates: Jan 8 to Jan 26, 2024
Content Rating: PG. Suitable for adult audiences.
Book Description:Being raised in Parkersburg, WVA, Janie didn’t have big aspirations for her life. Tired of her dead-end job at the phone company her best friend suggested she interview to become a Stewardess. Fearful she would be rejected because of her height; she was shocked when she was accepted. A whole new world opened up to her. Seeing places she had only read about, spending time with politicians, movie stars and professional athletes. One special athlete, a professional basketball player named Wendell Ladner stole her heart with his southern charm. An extraordinary ‘connection’ with Elvis Presley allowed her the unique experience to spend ‘one on one’ time with him and remain in touch until his passing. You’ll share with her the challenges of marrying someone so different from her upbringing and coping with attempts to try and fit in. Behind Her Smile reveals a devastating event that deeply affected Beverly and made her reexamine her life and what she truly wanted out of it.
Meet the Author:Beverly Golden Cuevas was born Beverly Jane Golden in Ironton, Ohio in 1945. She spent the first 10 years of her life in Parkersburg, West Virginia with her family. Her father had a job opportunity in Columbus, Ohio in 1955 so away they went. Beverly started working at the age of 14 to contribute to her family finances. She graduated Columbus North High School in 1963. She moved on to work at the Ohio Bell Telephone Company after graduation. In 1965, on the dare of her best friend she went to an interview to be a Stewardess for American Airlines. American hired her and she started her flying career in New York, then commuting from Tulsa, Oklahoma to her Dallas base. She flew both domestic and international. During her career, she never received a bad passenger letter. In 1977, she was 1 of 12 Flight Attendants selected out of 16,000 to participate in a highly coveted special assignment to work at the prestigious American Airlines Golf Classic. Her flying career ended on December 1, 2001 after 35 years. Beverly now lives in Dallas, Texas. She has been married to her wonderful husband Randy for 43 years. She has two sons, Joshua and Kaleb. She is a loving wife and mother, never missing a baseball game or school talent show, in spite of her flying schedule! Mimi is blessed to pass on her knowledge and love of life to her grandchildren Eden, Elijah, Ellie, Logan and Holly.
I thoroughly enjoy Behind Her Smile: The Adventures of a Tall Girl from WVA and Her Life as a Stewardess by Beverly Golden Cuevas. This story explores Janie and her life in Parkersburg West Virginia and her signing up to be a Stewardess. A job Janie was surprised she actually was chosen for, but her dreams.come true. As a Stewardess, Janie was able to see the world, something she never dreamed of doing. Her life was drastically changed in many ways. I enjoyed hearing all of the people she met and was able to socialize with during her time with this job.
I was able to connect with Janie a little bit because I grew up in a small Virginia community and my sister lived in West Virginia for a while. Also a girl I went to school that lived in our small neighborhood was a Stewardess. I always thought her life and job was so interesting. This is one reason I chose this book to read and review. I don’t read a lot of memoirs, but I am glad I read this one. It gives first hand knowledge of what it is like to make a drastic change in your life and make it work. I plan to keep this book and read parts of it again as I reflect on Janie’s story.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Chickens from newborns to old hens have a “pecking order” but bullying is never right! What to do if you’re bullied by those around you!
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
New Chicks at The Peaceable reminds me of growing up on my grandparents farm and all of the chickens they had. These chickens in this book are owned by the author, Caryl McAdoo. This is such a sweet story about the chickens on Ms. McAdoo’s farm. One of the things this author talks about is bullying, for this is something chickens can surely do, bullying other Chick’s. It makes quite the scene to see these chickens fighting. I was always too scared to go near because I didn’t want those old mad hens after me.
I do like that the author teaches children about bullying. There is so much of this going on in schools, and children can be very rude an hurt those they bully, usually bringing other of their friends into the mix. A few years ago, a 12 year old grandaughter of my first cousins took her own life buy jumping from some high building materials, all because she had been bullied for so many years, by the same people. It was so heartbreaking, and still is for my family. I always want to tell the story to try and let kids know the dangers of bullying.
The illustrations in the book are beautiful pictures of the chickens the story is about, so yes, this is a real story. I enjoyed seeing the pictures of the Chick’s on the farm, and I know your children will love to see them as well. A lot of conversations can be started by kids from these pictures. In the back of the book you will find some fun chicken facts that you may not know, as well as some chicken terminology that will be fun for children to read together. I can see where this book will be perfect for any children’s school room or school library’s. I’m giving this book Five Stars!!
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
About the Author
Award-winning, Christian author Caryl McAdoo prays her story brings God glory. Of her best-selling novels, readers love her historical Christian romance family sagas most, but also enjoy their contemporary cousins, Caryl’s Biblical fiction, her new historical mystery series, and tales for young adults and mid-grade booklovers as well as the new picture books for the still younger set. The majority of reviewers award her stories five-stars and praise Caryl’s writing style and the depth of her characters, feeling as though they get to know them well.
The prolific writer loves singing the new songs God gives her almost as much as penning new novels—hear a few at YouTube! She’s been married to Ron fifty-five years, and they share four children and twenty-seven grandsugars. The McAdoos live at The Peaceable in the woods south of Clarksville, seat of Red River County in far Northeast Texas, waiting expectantly for God to open the next door.
More from Caryl
As the chicken population grows at The Peaceable Farm & Bookery, troubles come–all based all on the true story! One of our beautiful ‘Golden Laced Wyandotte’ hens got broody and wanted to sit on a nest and hatch a clutch of chicks!
The wee peepers, designated the “Songsters” and named Reba, Celine, Loretta, and Miley (the last by a reader’s daughter), experience the famous and proverbial “pecking order” chickens are so famous for. In human terms that can be called bullying though, and so Goldie, their mother teaches the girls how to respond those bully chickens!
Grami loves her “backyard birds”, and so does O’Pa! She expects the name of the twenty acres she and O’Pa live on in Red River County—The Peaceable—to be the spur for all its inhabitants to cohabitate peacefully with one another—and that includes the chickens!
She and O’Pa, her husband of fifty-five years have bought an incubator to hatch purebred chicks then raise fine, healthy birds to their laying age—usually four to five months—before finding them forever homes. We love our flock, and the babies grow so fast. Watching them is so much fun and relaxing, too!
Grami knows each hen and rooster by name, and they all are so affectionate! They come running whenever I head out the door (mostly because they want to see if I brought any food! 😊) I love thinking about what they are saying to each other with all their clucking and purring and cackling!
This is why the books are partially written from the hens’ point of view as our first animals’ series, The River Bottom Ranch Stories featuring horses and goats and dogs among other wild animal characters. And all those farm animals were real ones that we owned and loved, too—like the chickens!
This series ‘Grami’s Stories for Children’ also has a narrator speaking throughout—that’s me, Grami McAdoo! I talk to the children through a few pages full of dialogue to teach them about poultry and things of God. In NEW CHICKS at the Peaceable, I talk about bullies and how Jesus teaches us to respond, how they can be scary, but God is always with us and sends His angels to protect us!
The illustrations are photographs of our real chickens and The Peaceable Farm & Bookery. In the back of the book, there are a few pages of “Chicken Terminology” and fun “Chicken Facts” to teach the little ones more about the wonderful world of chickens!
I pray the precious little ones so dear to God’s heart will love the story and be blessed by it! 😊
Two young people from opposite sides of the Great Continent must make sense of their life.
Rune has grown up all of her life in the mountainous northern nation of Kansanai. As granddaughter of the Senior Elder, she has been a devout believer of the Vihishki gods her whole life. Yet, when a prophet challenges the Vihishki gods against his Aivan, the One Truth, everything she thought she knew is turned upside down. Will she be able to let go of the life she thought she deserved for something far greater than what she could have ever imagined?
Rolf goes through the motions of everyday life in the southern nation of Etalentin. Yet, his routine is disrupted when a voice claiming to be the one true God speaks to him. Listening to his heart, he follows Aivan, but he is thrown temptation after temptation on his journey. Will Rolf be able to resist the temptations in order to fulfill Aivan’s plan for him?
Aivan: The One Truth is a story about self-discovery, identity, and faith.
And now a FUN question and answer time with the author.
Where is your favorite setting for a story you have written? I have written several flash fiction stories with Havok. During their World Tour season, I wrote one piece, “The End of the World?” It featured original characters based loosely on Aztec mythology. The setting was the heavens above Tenochtitlan (ancient Mesoamerica)—Huey, the main character, kicks things off by stealing a golden acorn and then continued antics lead to some dire consequences. It was really fun to mix elements from ancient historical codices and my own ideas in this piece (including the setting)!
2. Do your characters seem to hijack the story or do you feel like you have the reigns of the story? My characters are in control, 100%. LOL! They most definitely take over so I rarely spend time on an outline; they’re going to toss it and change everything anyway.
3. If a film were made of your book, who would you cast in the leading roles? I absolutely love this question! Michael Cimino would be the perfect choice to play Rolf in the movie version of Aivan: The One Truth. And I think Elle Fanning would make an excellent Rune!
4. Five things most people don’t know about you. Things most people don’t know? Hmmmm….
When I was five, I, while watching the movie Tarzan, decided to try to swing from my bed to my sister’s bed using a ceiling fan chain…the little chain was most certainly not a vine in the jungle and it instantly snapped. I broke my elbow and had to wear a sling for what seemed like ages—it was only like 8 weeks.
I didn’t always wear glasses. I didn’t realize how bad my eyesight was, but my mom realized something was up when I was struggling to see the projector screen at church. I did so poorly on my eye test that the nurse asked me if I knew my ABCs…at ten years old, I most certainly knew my alphabet—I just couldn’t see. LOL! (The ‘lols’ sprinkled in are showing my age, aren’t they?) Walking into the grocery store after getting my glasses revealed a whole new world; I didn’t realize each aisle had signs listing what items were there!
I collect sugar skulls and figurines called Furry Bones. They are little ceramic skeletons dressed in different costumes. They’re fun and cute!
I studied religion abroad in India as an undergraduate student—one of the best experiences of my life.
I had to stop eating beef after I saw a video of a cow and thought “big grass dog.” The idea of eating a burger after that was unsettling. Similarly, years before, I stopped eating pork because of an episode of Boy Meets World where Shawn gets a pig and names it “Little Corey.” My husband still eats beef and pork, and it doesn’t bother me that he, or other people, do—it’s just not for me
5. Tell us a little about your plans for the future. Where do you see yourself as a writer in five years? I will be releasing a young adult fantasy duology, The Tritonia Chronicles, with Ambassador International in the near future. I also have plans to publish a multi-book series that takes place starting 16 years after Aivan: The One Truth and continues to follow different generations. I have plans for a YA arthurian-inspired fantasy standalone novel, a MG novel, and a picture book. Lots of ideas! My biggest goal is to continue to make time to write stories and to ensure those stories stay kingdom-focused. It would be really amazing to be on the New York Times Bestseller List one day. And having David Tennant narrate an audiobook would be a dream come true!
About the Author
Kayla E. Green is a school librarian, speculative fiction author, and poet who adores her husband and their furbabies. When she isn’t writing, reading, or taking photos for her bookstagram, she loves singing loudly and off-key to KLove Radio, napping, and pretending she’s a unicorn. Her award-winning YA fantasy novella, Aivan: The One Truth, and her inspirational poetry collection, Metamorphosis, are now available through book retailers. Kayla also has stories and poems featured in various anthologies, contest-winning stories published with Clean Fiction Magazine, and several flash fiction stories available online through Havok Publishing.
More from Kayla
Working in education, it often is disheartening to see how much darkness bombards today’s youth. With Aivan: The One Truth, the forthcoming Chronicles of the One Truth series, and all my writing, my primary goal is to offer young readers a beacon of hope in this dark world. Alluding to many stories and lessons found in the Old Testament, Aivan is a fast-paced novella designed to capture young readers and pull them into the world of the Great Continent. It is my biggest prayer with this book that Rune and Rolf’s journey in this fantasy narrative will serve as a guiding light to lead readers of all ages to seek truth in our reality—the truth that can only be found through our one true God.
One of my current projects is developing a companion devotional for Aivan: The One Truth as well as the full-length novels that will be part of the complete Chronicles of the One Truth series (which will be released at a later date). The devotional would be a tool for parents, teachers, and pastors to use along with the book to help young readers understand the themes and biblical parallels.
Two major themes within the novella center around identity and purpose. Rune’s struggles with disappointment with shattered dreams and the heartache of feeling lost, alone, and unfulfilled are struggles that are arguably universal. In looking at Rune’s journey, young readers as well as adult readers can recognize the real-world challenges of identity: Who exactly are we? In today’s world, there is a constant battle between God and society. How can one embrace their identity as a child of God when the world demands us to rage and rebel against that title?
In Exodus 3:11 (NIV) Moses asks God, “Who am I?” after he is told to go to the Pharaoh to rescue the Israelites. God tells Moses, “I am with you,” (Exodus 3:12, NIV). Similar to Moses’ walk of faith, Rune, like us all, must learn to accept the truth. Like Aivan in the fantasy novella, our God, the one true God, is always with us. We may not immediately—or ever—understand His plan; however, through Him we are whole, redeemed, and loved. And in that, we have great purpose.
I pray that whoever reads Aivan: The One Truth finds parallels to our own world and finds solace knowing that we are because God is the great “I Am.”
In my upcoming companion devotional, I will explore the concepts of identity and purpose from a biblical perspective. Anyone who wants updates on this, should follow my blog and subscribe to my newsletter to be the first to know!
To celebrate her tour, Kayla is giving away the grand prize package of a paperback of Aivan: The One Truth, a paperback of Metamorphosis, an Aivan inspired booksleeve, Rune and Rolf character art cards, and a $50 Barnes and Noble gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
Newlyweds Lord and Lady Astley Finally Reach Their Honeymoon Destination Only to Encounter a New Mystery in Need of Solving
Frederick and Grace Percy finally make it to Italy to enjoy a delayed honeymoon a surprise, their friend, Detective Jack Miracle, is also in the city, investigating a series of art heists starting at the house of eccentric millionaire, Laraby Covington. Drawn into a world of boat races, mysterious houses, and parties of the rich and unusual in Venice, Frederick and Grace learn of the existence of the Juliet paintings, (Renaissance paintings feature Shakespeare’s tragic heroine) rumored to hold a secret code to an underground vault of similarly treasured artwork assumed lost over the centuries. As Freddie and Grace are pulled deeper into the mystery and their beloved Detective Jack disappears, can they use their wits and work as a team to find the thieves and Jack before it’s too late.
The Juliet Code is a Freddie and Grace Mystery, sequel to The Mistletoe Countess and The Cairo Curse.
About the Author
Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance peppered with grace and humor with southern Appalachian flair. Both her historical and contemporary novels have garnered recognition in the Grace Awards, Inspys, and ACFW Carol Awards. Her historical romance, The Thorn Healer, was a finalist in the 2018 RT Awards. Her historical romance novels, My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge and The Red Ribbon, and her contemporary novels, the Mitchell’s Crossroads and Pleasant Gap series, showcase her Appalachian heritage, as well as her love for humor and family. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the mom of five great kids, a speech-language pathologist to about fifty more, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus.
More from Pepper
The Ever After
I’ve always loved fairytales.
Especially the romanticized version (#romancewriter).
The wonderful sense of a two people meeting, overcoming obstacles to be together, and then the happily-ever-after?
Well, those are some of my favorite reasons to read and write fiction. However, I didn’t realize the challenge I took on when I agreed to write a second and third book with the main characters staying the same!
You know what I mean?
In most series, the main characters from book one become secondary characters in the consecutive books so that the secondary characters in book one can become the main characters in book 2 (everybody still following along? 🙂)
One of my favorite book series that do this so well is the Amelia Peabody series. I fell in LOVE with Amelia and Emerson in book one, but just loved watching their continued dynamic as a couple grow with each new book. I felt as if I got to know them so much better in their “ever after” while they engaged in all sorts of adventures together.
So…that’s what I hoped to accomplish with Freddie and Grace.
Where The Mistletoe Countess ends with a happily-ever-after, The Cairo Curse and The Juliet Code take over to show us more of the…ever after – my attempt at showing how two main characters continue to grow beyond the end of book one.
I didn’t realize what a daunting feat it would be. Watching two characters meet, fall in love, and show some growth in book 1 was what I was used to doing. But how was I supposed to continue that character growth in consecutive books?
Well, I had to grow myself as a writer to understand how small changes can make lasting differences especially when writing about a beloved couple.
I think The Juliet Code shows a little of that growth – of our Freddie and Grace have not only matured spiritually and, in Grace’s case, experientially, but also as a couple.
Do you have a series that you love where the main characters stay the same?
Two young people from opposite sides of the Great Continent must make sense of their life.
splashesofjoy 