Jennifer Slattery's Beyond I Do ~ Reviewed

Beyond I Do
by Jennifer Slattery
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: New Hope Publishers (August 4, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1596694173

Description:

Marriage . . . it’s more than a happily ever after. Eternally more.

Ainsley Meadows, raised by a hedonist mother, who cycles through jobs and relationships like wrapping paper on Christmas morning, falls into a predictable and safe relationship with Richard, a self-absorbed socialite psychiatrist. But as her wedding nears, a battered woman and her child spark a long-forgotten dream and ignites a hidden passion. One that threatens to change everything, including her fiancé. To embrace God’s best and find true love, this security-seeking bride must follow God with reckless abandon and realize that marriage goes Beyond I Do.

Review:

Jennifer Slattery has penned a novel that is both a good story and informative about a serious issue. I've read a few agenda novels and rarely feel inspired by them because it's difficult to turn hard cold fact into interesting fiction. 

Slattery has a passion for the homeless and it shows in her novel. She also manages to weave in several other issues and more impressively ties them up satisfactorily. Mental illness, deceptions and bitterness that have taken root, elderly parents, family dynamics, relationships between believers and non-believers, and finding God's will and path are some of the topics her characters deal with. 

Slattery also manages to write in comic relief to keep the book lighthearted. 

Overall, Beyond I Do is definitely worth checking into further whether you just love a good romance or whether you feel a passion for social issues. 

Reviewed by: Kelly Klepfer

Sarah Ladd's A Lady at Willowgrove Hall ~ Reviewed

A LADY AT WILLOWGROVE HALL

Whispers on the Moors Book 3

Sarah E. Ladd

2014

Thomas Nelson

ISBN: 1401688373

BACK COVER:

Willowgrove Hall is full of secrets, but soon everything hidden is brought to light.

Cecily Faire has a secret—and she intends to keep it. But when she arrives at Willowgrove Hall to serve as a lady’s companion, she comes face-to-face with the only person who knows the truth about her past.

As the steward of Willowgrove Hall, Nathaniel Stanton is dedicated to serving those around him. Nothing escapes his notice—including the beautiful new lady’s companion. He is certain the lovely Miss Faire is hiding something, and he determines to uncover it. But Nathaniel has a secret of his own: he is the illegitimate son of Willowgrove’s former master. Falling in love was not part of his plans . . . until he meets Cecily Faire.

When Willowgrove’s mistress dies, everything changes. Fear of exposure forces Cecily to leave under the cover of darkness, embarking on a journey to finally find her long-lost sister. When the will is read, Nathaniel’s inheritance makes him question his future plans. Cecily and Nathaniel are forced to make decisions that will change the course of their lives. Is their love strong enough to survive?

MY REVIEW:

Secrets. Intrigue. A dashing hero and a heroine you root for. All these add up for one fantastic Regency read in book 3 of the Whispers on the Moors series. Don't worry if you haven't read the first two books. This story does just fine as a stand-alone as well.

Cecily Faire starts out as a head-strong young girl about to run away with her beau. Bad idea, especially since her father catches them. The story ten fast-forwards to Cecily all grown up and much more tame. She's sent to become a lady's companion, and of course, that's where she runs into her former beau. There are several twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end.

Author Sarah Ladd pens a beautiful read filled with gardens, a ball, a gorgeous manor, and a yummy hero. If historical fiction is your thing, this is the read for you.

Reviewed by: Michelle Griep

Beth Wiseman's The Promise ~ Reviewed

• 
  The Promise
  Beth Wiseman
  Paperback: 320 pages
  Publisher: Thomas Nelson (September 30, 2014)
  Language: English
  ISBN-10: 1401685951
  
  
  Description:
  
  
  
  
  Mallory’s search for happiness leads her to a faraway place. There she finds heartache, betrayal—and danger.
  
  Mallory Hammond is determined that no one will stand in the way of her goal—to save a life. She had that chance years ago, and she failed to take it, leaving her adrift and in search of the real meaning of her life. Finally, she meets a man online from a volatile corner of the world who offers her the chance to find that purpose. But she will have to leave everyone she loves behind in order to take it.

Tate Webber has loved Mallory for many years. He understands that Mallory will never be happy with him until her deepest heart’s desire is satisfied. When Mallory decides to travel across the world to fulfi ll her dreams, Tate begs her not to go but tries to give her the space she needs. Mallory embarks on her dangerous journey only to discover how swiftly and easily promises can be broken. And Mallory can only pray that she will make it out alive.

Inspired by actual events, The Promise is a riveting love story that asks the question: how far will we go for love?

Review:

Mallory struggles to find herself and a god she can trust while driven by an old promise to save someone's life. This passion has placed her in the right place at the right time to do just that. 

All it will take is a small financial sacrifice, a few weeks out of her life and the willingness to trust a kind relative of her boss, far, far from home. 

Against the advice of all those who care about her, Mallory steps onto a plane and into a nightmare. 

The Promise is a page turner. One of those where I felt compelled to sit down with Mallory and have a heart to heart. But her stubborn desire to do good would've left me as frustrated as her friends and family. The chilling part of this is that Mallory's story is based on true stories of women who have found themselves in similar situations. Definitely consider reading this novel if you are at all intrigued by Mallory's story or the story behind the story. 

Reviewed by: Kelly Klepfer

Donn Taylor's Lightning On a Quiet Night ~ Reviewed

Lightning on a Quiet Night

By Donn Taylor

Print Length: 315 pages

Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas

Language: English

ASIN: B00P70CCA4

In the years following World War II, a town too proud of its own virtues deals with its first murder. 

Despite the implications of this crime, the town of Beneficent, Mississippi, population 479, tries desperately to hold onto its vain self-image. The young veteran Jack Davis holds that idyllic vision of the town and tries to share it with Lisa Kemper, newly arrived from Indiana. But she is repelled by everything in it. While the sheriff tries to find the murderer, Jack and Lisa's contentious courtship reveals the town's strange combination of astute perceptions and surprising blind spots. Then they stumble onto shocking discoveries about the true nature of the town. But where will those discoveries lead? To repentance or to denial and continuation in vanity?

Review: 

1948 and the boys were home from the war. It was an era of innocence, where people only saw the good. A good, nostalgic time for this book to be set. It is somewhat different from Taylor's other books. Those who know me know I shy away from thrillers and suspense, but this story is so compelling, I had to keep reading. With characters you'll care about and snippets of Taylor's tongue-in-cheek humor, it's a book I highly recommend. 

Reviewed by: Ane Mulligan, president Novel Rocket, author of Chapel Springs Revival

Varina Denman's Jaded ~ Reviewed

Jaded
By: Varina Denman
More in Mended Hearts Series
Format: Paperback
Number of Pages: 336
Vendor: David C. Cook
Publication Date: 2015
ISBN: 1434708373




Description

Ruthie Turner resents the Christians in her small Texas town, but when she falls for the new preacher, she must release her bitterness, and learn to love.

On the surface, nothing seems to change in this dull town--yet God always works beneath the surface. As a child, Ruthie was shunned by the local congregation after a scandal involving her parents. 

Thirteen years later, her interest in an attractive single minister is bitterly opposed--unearthing a string of secrets which threaten to turn the church, the town, and her world upside down.

Review:

Jaded is an intriguing and slightly convicting novel full of small town drama, religious misuse and abuse, broken hearts and crushed dreams. And it's a novel full of the promise of redemption, imperfect people who know the perfect God and hope. 

I appreciated the realism Denman captured in her characters and small town life. She also managed to portray bitterness and unforgiveness in a way that I was able to fully understand the struggles and have hope for the characters to pull out of the cycle they were caught in. 

Of note, some readers might not appreciate a relationship that develops between a believer and one who is struggling to understand exactly how to feel about the Lord. So if unequally yoked is an area of struggle or concern for you be warned. I had to look inward a bit to assess my own level of religiosity. I think that fiction that makes a reader consider their own life, the world and God is great fiction indeed. 

Reviewed by: Kelly Klepfer

Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl ~ Reviewed

Gone Girl 

Gillian Flynn

Paperback

434 pages

Crown

June 2012

Back cover:

On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer? 

Review:

I know this book is technically an older read, but it appears to be making the literary rounds once again, and has certainly jumped to the front of the bookstore shelves, or more accurately, “hot read” tables That was where I found it at my local Barnes and Noble when it was recommended to me by based on my love of the Maze Runner and the Help. Which is interesting, because this novel is nothing like either of the aforementioned stories, except in that it was exceptionally well-written and kept me turning the pages. 

That’s not to say, however, that I liked it. Nor is it to say I didn’t like it. If pressed to give an overall opinion, I’m not sure I could. Honestly, I had mixed feelings regarding this book. As I said, it was incredibly well-written, and it drew me in immediately. We begin the novel with Nick, her hero (a very unfitting term, I must add) receiving a phone call from his neighbor. It appears the front door to his house has been left open and his cat is outside. And what begin as an annoyance soon turns into the stuff bad, like insanely bad, dreams are made of. 

The rest of the story? Well, let’s just say it  unfolds into a scenario that may be the stuff, for readers, bad dreams are made of. I liked Nick initially… I think. I was never sure what to think of him. He certainly wasn’t the most concerned husband one would expect to find. He had a weird habit of giving a crazy grin at all the wrong times and in all the wrong places—like during a press conference regarding his wife’s disappearance. Of course, this is explained—bad affect caused by, well, I’m not sure. Emotional brokenness? We’re led to believe he simply responds inappropriately to stressful and emotional situations. I get that. When I get nervous, I have a tendency to laugh, which got me in quite a bit of trouble when I was a teen. But there’s nervous behaviors and then there’s downright… I’d say psychosis but that might give too much away. 

Then there’s Amy, his wife. We learn about her through her journal, a chunk of which I skimmed through. I’ve never been a fan of huge sections of backstory inserted between the pages of the real story. That being said, there were times when her journal interested me, and truly made me question Nick’s motives and heart. I found, at story’s end, I was wise to do so. But he wasn’t the only character I should’ve been doubting. Again, I don’t want to give too much away, but this novel had some interesting twists for sure. And because of that, I loved it. However, I hated both characters, and I hated the ending even more. And yet, it’s become a best-seller, and someone even purchased movie rights, so… 

For those planning to pick this one up or see the movie, I should mention, it’s not rated G and therefore contains more sensuality and crude language than I found necessary. (Then again, I think one can tell a great story without adding any sensuality or profanity.) And yet, for a secular novel, it was fairly tame in that regard. 

Would I read it again? Maybe. Would I spend money to read it again? Um… 

Reviewed by: Jennifer Slattery

Beth Vogt's Somebody Like You ~ Reviewed

Somebody Like You
Beth Vogt

Format: Paperback
Number of Pages: 336
Vendor: Howard Books
Publication Date: 2014
ISBN: 1476737584

Description

Can a young widow find love again with her husband's reflection?

Haley's three-year marriage to Sam, an army medic, ends tragically when he's killed in Afghanistan. Her attempts to create a new life for herself are ambushed when she arrives home one evening-and finds her husband waiting for her. Did the military make an unimaginable mistake when they told her Sam was killed?

Too late to make things right with his estranged twin brother, Stephen discovers Sam never told Haley about him. As Haley and Stephen navigate their fragile relation-ship, they are inexorably drawn to each other. How can they honor the memory of a man whose death brought them together-and whose ghost could drive them apart?

Review:

Somebody Like You is about a young woman named Haley. She was married for three years to Sam, an army medic whom she rarely saw during their marriage as he was deployed many times. Before she could tell him she was expecting a baby, he was killed in Afghanistan. Now, she is trying to fix up the house she bought, prepare for her baby, and figure out what to do with her life. In the meantime, Stephen's twin brother, whom Haley knew nothing about, learns about his Sam's death and decides to go meet Haley. Not surprisingly, Haley is shocked when she sees who she at first thinks is Sam, standing at her door. After Stephen's explanation that he and Sam had grown apart after their parent's divorce, she is faced with the decision as to whether to dismiss him from her life, or help him re-discover the brother he hadn't seen in years. Stephen doesn't give her much choice, though, as he constantly comes around to help her around the house, and even helps her through the birth of her baby, Kit. Not surprisingly, they find themselves attracted to each other, however, both feel that it's an impossible relationship, and aren't sure where they stand with each other. 
I LOVED this book. It was so well written. I really felt for Haley. How devastating to lose a husband that you rarely saw, only to find out he hid things from you and you possibly didn't really know him at all. Then, to have an exact replica show up at your door and have to face him. And then there's Stephen. I felt so bad for him and his broken relationship with Sam. It just goes to show you that we may think we have forever to make things right with those we may have had a falling out with, but you never know how much time you have left. It's best to settle those things as soon as possible. 

Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers

Julie Arduini's Entrusted ~ Reviewed

Entrusted

By Julie Arduini

Paperback: 320 pages

Published by Write Integrity

Nov. 5, 2014

Back cover:

Jenna Anderson, sassy city-girl, plows—literally—into Speculator Falls with a busted GPS, arriving in town as the new senior center director. She has only one goal—that of belonging no matter how out of place she appears and how angry she makes town councilman and grocer Ben Regan.

Her new life is so rural there are no traffic lights, and when she learns her car isn’t equipped to handle the mountain terrain, Ben’s grandmother offers her late husband’s vehicle, further alienating the local businessman.

As she endears herself to the seniors at the center and creates a vision full of ideas, programs, and equipment, she ruffles Ben’s plans to keep Speculator Falls void of change, including the store his grandfather built.

The two work through community events and shared heartbreak only to face off in a town council meeting where Ben publically rejects her proposal for the senior center, causing Jenna to react out of her fears about belonging.

She returns to Ohio where she realizes she needs to surrender her plans for the center and fears about belonging and trust her Heavenly Father when facing fear, change, loss, and love.

Review:

As I read Entrusted by Julie Arduini I could easily envision the small town of Spectacular Falls. In the first scene, I had such detailed images of the forested, winding road Jenna barreled down. Julie’s voice was fun and spunky, and as a result, I tended to see Jenna in the same way. She seemed truly out of her element in the close knit community she tried to embrace, and I felt her loneliness during her transition time authentic. I also enjoyed learning about what might go on in a senior center, and I found Howard delightful. I especially enjoyed how Jenna interacted with him, gracefully helping to soften his rather grumpy side.

Julie Arduini has a witty voice with a gift for visual description. I have a feeling we all know of a place like Spectacular Falls, filled with community, great food, and, perhaps, a few town members with a stubborn resistance to change. If you enjoy light-hearted novels with small town settings, I encourage you to try Entrusted. 

Reviewed by: Jennifer Slattery

Michelle Griep's Brentwood's Ward ~ Reviewed

Brentwood's Ward
by Michelle Griep (Author)
Paperback – January 1, 2015
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Shiloh Run Press; Gld edition (January 1, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 163058679X

Description:

Place an unpolished lawman named Nicholas Brentwood as guardian over a spoiled, pompous beauty named Emily Payne and what do you get? More trouble than Brentwood bargains for. She is determined to find a husband this season. He just wants the large fee her father will pay him to help his ailing sister. After a series of dire mishaps, both their desires are thwarted, but each discovers that no matter what, God is in charge.

Review:

Michelle Griep is an artist with smells being her forte. Seriously, this woman can paint an olfactory smorgasbord. Unfortunately, she writes gritty historical details that leave the smells...well, more pungent than pleasant. 

But, blessedly, Griep doesn't just stick with smells. The woman can write a scene. Whew. A near kiss, a glance, kidnapping, torture, meals, she offers up rich sensory emotions as well.

Rich prose full of amazing sentences and paragraphs build complex characters. Those bad guys are wicked bad. The heroines are multifaceted and either unfurled rosebuds just waiting for the courage to bloom, or wilted wounded blooms in need of a gentle touch, or thistles requiring the some serious groundwork. Her heroes are good men who've had bad to overcome and are in need of redemption and man enough to be aware of it. 

Brentwood's Ward. All of that and more. Action, check. Love, check. London society, check. Danger, check. Sorrow and loss, check. A happy ending, check. 

If you love a good historical, a touch of escapism or just a fine page-turner, get a copy. 

Reviewed by: Kelly Klepfer

A Road Unknown: 
by Barbara Cameron
Series: Amish Roads (Book 1)
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Abingdon Press (February 4, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 142674059X

Description:

Elizabeth is at a crossroad. She's been given the chance to experience life outside of her community, away from the responsibility to care for her eight younger siblings, but Elizabeth Bontrager can't decide which road to take. Goshen has its charms and pressures, but Paradise, Pennsylvania, sounds . . . well, like paradise. And it's also home to her Englisch friend, Paula. Decision made. Elizabeth is Paradise bound. 

But will the small town live up to its name? When Elizabeth meets Paula's friend, Bruce, she quickly learns he wants more than a friendship. And the same might be true of Saul Miller, her new boss at the country story that sells Amish products to the Englisch community. As the two compete for her attention, Elizabeth is surprised to realize she misses her family and becomes even more uncertain about where she belongs. She has a choice to make: return home or embrace this new life and possibly a new love?

Review:

A Road Unknown is part of the Amish Road Series. Elizabeth Bontranger is the oldest of nine siblings, and has fallen into the role of caretaker for her younger brothers and sisters, to the point that she has no life outside of her home, except for the few hours she works in a local fabric store. She gains a good friend in Paula, an Englischer whom Elizabeth met earlier in the year when her family vacationed in Elizabeth's hometown of Paradise. They became pen-pals, and developed a strong friendship. Elizabeth decides she's in need of a change and moves to Goschen to live with Paula and try to figure out which direction she wants to take for her life. On the bus ride there, she meets a young Amish man named Saul Miller. They keep bumping into each other, and eventually, Elizabeth starts to work at Saul's country store. They're relationship develops as they spend time with each other, but Elizabeth still needs to sort out what she wants to do, and whether she needs to return home or make a new life for herself in Goschen.

I enjoyed this book very much. I felt for Elizabeth's character. How hard it must have been to leave the family you love, yet feel smothered by. And I can't imagine how scary it would be, especially as a young Amish woman, to up and leave your family to live in an English world. She was fortunate to have found such a good friend in Paula and such a wonderful man in Saul. This was a fun read.

Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers

Susan May Warren's Always On My Mind ~ Reviewed

Always on My Mind (Christiansen Family Book 4)
Susan May Warren (Author)
Print Length: 400 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (December 18, 2014)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B00LPQLIKY


Description:
After a failed dig in Honduras, aspiring archaeologist Casper Christiansen heads home to Minnesota to face his unresolved feelings for Raina Beaumont, the woman of his dreams. But when he arrives unannounced on her doorstep, he receives the shock of a lifetime: Raina is pregnant with someone else’s baby.

Heartbroken, especially when he discovers the identity of the baby’s father, Casper tables his dreams and determines to be dependable for once, helping his older brother, Darek, prepare the family resort for its grand reopening. Casper longs to be the hero of at least one family story, but a never-ending Deep Haven winter and costly repairs threaten their efforts—and the future of the resort.

Worse, one of Casper’s new jobs constantly brings him into contact with Raina, whom he can’t seem to forget. A tentative friendship begins to heal fresh wounds, but can they possibly overcome past mistakes and current choices to discover a future together?


Review:

I am a fan of novels by Susan May Warren. I enjoy her stories and her writing. Always on My Mind is the 4th book in the Christiansen Family novel series. I have not read the first three books so I was a little reluctant about reading this one. But even though this is a continuing story about the Christiansen family, I was able to enjoy this one by itself. The author is skillful at weaving in important details from past novels so that you understand the story. In this story, Caspar Christiansen has been away to an island near Honduras treasure hunting but also running away from issues back home. He decides to return and confront the woman he loves and find out if he has a chance with her. But he is shocked when he finds out the condition Raina is in and what her plans are. The story explores Casper and Raina’s feelings for each other and whether or not they will ever have a chance. Also, all the relationships within the Christian family are involved to some degree. The author does a good job of juggling lots of characters yet keeping the story going. There is also a mystery from the past, which is shared through a diary Raina finds. So there is a parallel story that is told along with Raina's own story. Raina has some deep wounds she is running from. Will she make the wrong decision about which man to love? Will Caspar be able to accept the choices she has made? Will they solve the local mystery by following clues in Aggie’s diary? What about Caspar’s older brother, Darek? Will he make a decision that could hurt his family?

   

I enjoyed reading how Caspar handles his own feelings and struggles by learning to pray and ask God’s help as he goes. This is a story about people of faith but they are shown as real people who struggle as we all do. They make mistakes, learn from them and grow. I got bogged down at one point in the story because of a charsacter I didn’t like but that could be a sign of good writing. I am glad I finished reading the book. It is well written and has elements of romance, friendship, mystery, faith, abusive relationships, pregnancy, sibling relationships and adventure. It even has a little bit of historical fiction shown through Aggie’s diary and other historical finds. At the heart of the story is a message about God’s unconditional love and how His grace can redeem any situation. I think anyone who is a fan of contemporary romance will enjoy this story.

I received a copy of Always On My Mind to review but I was under no obligation to give a positive review.

Reviewed by: Susan Aken

Travis Thrasher's ~The Remaining ~ Reviewed

The Remaining 
by Travis Thrasher
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.; MTI edition (September 1, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1414397526

Description:

The Remaining is a novelization of the apocalyptic movie from Sony Affirm. Just after a young couple says their vows, the earth shakes, and some people die suddenly and are taken away. The rest of their wedding party and friends are left to wrestle with what happened and with their faith. Characters struggle with secret love, dreams, hopes, and beliefs as they continue to evaluate their faith. This book and movie are both action-packed thrillers that will encourage audiences to think about their beliefs.

Review:

This compelling novel puts a whole different spin on end times fiction. The rapture doesn't leave behind empty clothing, instead it leaves behind bodies. Lots of bodies, and lots of destruction and a whole bunch of terror. 

In other post rapture fictionalizations there is the opportunity to gradually have questions about God answered and time to study and even do some research. Not so much in The Remaining. This is a adrenaline laced page turner with twists and unexpected turns. 

Prepare to feel unsettled if not out right horrified. However, fans of suspense, horror and make-you-think fiction might want to put this one on their must read list. 

Reviewed by: Kelly Klepfer 

Review:

One word: creepalicious. This is one book you will not want to read on a stormy dark night all alone in the house. This is a scare-your-pants-off kind of tale. Author Travis Thrasher knows how to take a reader to the edge of fright and then dangle him over the edge a bit, and as always, he does it with style.

The Remaining is an end of the world rapture story, but NOTHING like the Left Behind series. Think Stephen King meets Ted Dekker, then click it up a few notches. The story revolves around six college friends who discover that there's nothing tame about God's wrath. 

Because there are technically six main characters, the beginning of the book was a little confusing, trying to keep sorted who was who. But once you figure that out, buckle up because the story takes off. I finished this book in two days, which is super freaking fast for me.

Disclaimer: don't read this story if you don't like horror. I mean, seriously . . . is there anything more horrific than God's wrath?

Reviewed by: Michelle Griep 

Stephanie Reed's The Bargain ~ Reviewed

THE BARGAIN
Stephanie Reed
Series: Plain City Peace (Book 1)
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Kregel Publications (September 19, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 082544215X

Description:

It’s 1971, and Betsie Troyer’s peaceful and predictable life is about to become anything but.

When their parents flee the Amish, nineteen-year-old Betsie and her seventeen-year-old sister Sadie are distraught. Under the dubious guidance of a doting aunt, the girls struggle to keep the secret, praying their parents will return before anyone learns the truth—a truth that may end all hopes of Betsie’s marriage to Charley Yoder.

Worse still, Betsie must learn a trade while she boards with a dysfunctional Englisher family: Sheila, a twelve-year-old desperately searching for a friend and in dire need of her mother; the free-spirited mother, who runs off to "find herself" on the stage; the angry father whose structured life crumbles; and Michael, a troubled college dropout nearly killed in the Kent State Massacre.

Thrust into the English world, Betsie must grapple with the realities of war and miniskirts, pot parties and police brutality, protests and desertion. Can she help the Sullivan family and find peace in her new surroundings, or must she forget the bargain she made and seek refuge back in Plain City with protective and reliable Charley?

Review:

The Bargain takes place in 1971, a time when America was still involved in the Vietnam War. We meet a young Amish woman named Betsie Troyer, who's life is turned upside down when her parent's “find Jesus” and leave the community. On top of trying to keep it a secret from the community, she is also starting a new job with an “Englisch” family, running the harness show her cousin bought from them while her cousin is away in the war. Betsie tries to distance herself from the family, but finds herself becoming attached, particularly to young Sheila. Without meaning for it to happen, she also gets close to Sheila's older brother, Michael, a hippie and known protester of the Vietnam War who comes and goes as he pleases, wears his hair long, and dresses in a way completely opposite from Amish men. Betsie begins to find herself torn between her Amish life and this new Englisch world she's been thrown into.

I haven't yet read an Amish story in this time period, so I thought it quite interesting. I was really interested in Betsie's parents and their new faith in Christ. The Amish are all viewed as so religious, yet when confronted with the truth, many, like Betsie, want nothing to do with it. She is afraid her parents are now going to hell for leaving the community, yet she herself is unsure of what she really believes. I'm really looking forward to reading book two to see what happens next, as the story really leaves you hanging!

Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers

Allison Pittman's All for a Story ~ Reviewed

All for a Story
Allison Pittman
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (October 1, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1414366817

Description:

Monica Bisbaine loves being a modern girl in the Roaring Twenties. Her job writing a gossip column allows her access to all the local speakeasys in Washington, D.C., where she can dance the night away—and find fodder for her next article. But when the owner of the Capitol Chatter newspaper passes away, Monica wonders what will happen to her job, and the lifestyle she loves.

Max Moore may hold the title of editor-in-chief for evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson’s paper, The Bridal Call, but Aimee calls all the shots. So when Max learns that his great-uncle has passed away, leaving him all his earthly possessions, Max resigns and heads to D.C. Determined to take over the Capitol Chatter, infuse it with his values, and turn it into a respectable paper, Max is soon bumping up against the equally determined Monica Bisbane.

Under Max’s direction, Monica embarks on her most challenging assignment yet: infiltrating and reporting on the Anti-Flirt Society. Though reluctant at first, as Monica meets and mingles with the young women of the club, she begins to question the innocence of her flirtatious lifestyle. And when romance begins to blossom between Max and Monica, she must choose where her loyalties lie: with the young women of the society or the alluring pull of the speakeasy and its inhabitants.

Review:

All For A Story is about Monica Brisbane, a young, modern woman in the roaring 20's. She writes a gossip column for a local paper, which allows her access to all of the local speakeasies in Washington DC. This is the perfect job for her as it allows her to drink and dance the night away, and get paid for writing about it. Her life changes quite a bit when the owner of Capital Chatter passes away, and the paper is taken over by the next of kin, Max Moore. Max has recently been working with Aimee Semple McPherson, but decided moving on his own might be just the change he needs, so he moves to Washington DC to claim the inheritance left to him by his uncle, including the newspaper, Capital Chatter. Max and Monica find themselves oddly attracted to each other, yet each, so set in their ways, that they aren't sure what to do with the other.
 
   This story was really interesting. I haven't read up a lot on the 20's, but I really enjoyed it. One forgets there was a time when alcohol was illegal, and that there were all of these secret places people could go to drink and “have a good time.” I really enjoyed seeing Monica's character grow up, however, I was disappointed in how the book ended. She started coming around to things, but didn't really seem to come to know the Lord, and Max, who is supposed to be a Christian, seems ok with it. The book just seemed to leave that part of the story hanging for me, leaving me disappointed. I think it really bothered me because towards the end of the story, Max realized that for as much as he cared for her, he had never really shared the Lord with her. And he never really did seem to after that, yet he seemed ok with the fact that she wasn't quite ready in the end. It made the end of the story a downer for me.

Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers

Hannah Conway's The Wounded Warrior's Wife ~ Reviewed

The Wounded Warrior’s Wife
by Hannah Conway
File Size: 1195 KB
Print Length: 277 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1939603587
Publisher: Olivia Kimbrell Press; 1 edition (September 22, 2014)
Language: English
ASIN: B00NE9DZV0

Battles Raging Within Are Those You Must Fight to Win 

WHITLEIGH CROMWELL dreamt of a happily ever after with her newlywed soldier husband. COLLIER CROMWELL loved God, his wife, and his country, though military life exacted a demanding toll. 


An unexpected deployment during the height of war sends Collier away for yet another year. Their lives tumble down a path marked with struggle, and fatalities.Burdened with unseen emotional wounds and crippled faith, Collier's homecoming only increases their trials. 


The angry, defeated hermit at Whitleigh's side barely resembles the loving, faithful hero she married two years earlier. Concerned about possible career repercussions, admitting his need for help proves difficult for Collier and his behavior worsens. 


Angry outbursts — and his cold, callous nature — isn't all that provokes Whitleigh to pack her bags. Collier seeks solace for his private suffering in the worst possible place leaving Whitleigh to walk away from shattered pieces of broken trust. 


Will Collier seek the healing he desperately needs in time to save their marriage, or is it over? Are there wounds too deep, marriages too broken, and lives so far gone they fall beyond even God's ability to restore?

Review:

Whitleigh and Collier Cromwell’s romance began in their tender teenage years in rural Kentucky. Both dreamed of a happily ever after that included prosperous careers and a loving family filled with children. Collier’s choice to join the Army, however, forever changed the outlook of their futures. With terrors and changes on the home-front in Colorado and a second unexpected deployment to the Middle East, both Whitleigh and Collier struggle to adjust to the Army’s demanding lifestyle during their first year of marriage. After a year away from home he returns burdened by the devastations of war and holding little faith—a shell of the man that Whitleigh married. With the struggles and challenges increasing every day after Collier’s return as he fights the emotions from the devastations and traumas of war, Whitleigh loses the little strength she has left to hold her marriage together. God awaits their understanding that only through Him can Whitleigh and Collier achieve peace, but this is easier said than done by two people who over the past two years have learned to thrive on their independence for survival.

The Wounded Warrior’s Wife is a story an Army soldier and his wife—of their hopes and dreams for the future and also of their realities. Whitleigh is a wife like so many of American Army wives find themselves to be: loyal to her spouse but frustrated with the constant fear and worry for her husband. She finds herself an independent spouse and parent surrounded with care from family and friends but without the support from her husband that she needs to truly take care of herself and their child. The Wounded Warrior’s Wife is also a story of the solider with the heart of warrior who desires to make the world a better a place but, in striving to protect his wife from the horrors of war, brings those horrors deeper into himself and creates a drift that damages his marriage beyond anything imaginable. This novel discusses the hopes and perils of war…the joys of returning home and freeing people from oppression, but also the difficulties that soldiers and spouses experience for the chance of freedom.

Author Hannah Conway has crafted a story of love, life, and learning in The Wounded Warrior’s Wife. An Army wife herself, Conway intimately understands the solider and the wife’s point of views of the horrors and hopes of deployment. There is no one better to write a story about Army life than someone who lives it—the challenges, struggles, and hopes are so unique to this circle that a non-Army spouse has a close chance of misunderstanding the emotions the soldiers, spouses, and families experience. The Wounded Warrior’s Wife holds characters from every angle of military life, and Conway brilliantly weaves each one’s attributes and faults with no bias or favoritism. Soldiers, wives, friends, children, and parents each play a significant role in the story, emphasizing that military life depends upon the support of a community.

Whitleigh and Collier—Conway’s female and male protagonists—are hugely loveable in this story. As an Army wife, Conway is equipped to understand Whitleigh inside and out. All of the frustrations an Army wife experiences during a deployment and upon her soldier’s return home are played out in The Wounded Warrior’s Wife. Readers will easily empathize with Whitleigh throughout the novel because her pain and suffering are displayed so eloquently; however, Conway does not shy away from using the secondary characters to show that military spouses hold just as power in the breaking and repairing of relationships. One of Conway’s significant lessons in The Wounded Warrior’s Wife is that spouses and families often are capable of ensuring soldiers’ healing because they have the ability to love others and control their emotions at the same time. Through Collier, Conway teaches that soldiers’ emotions upon their return are out of their control because of their need to not emote while at war; Whitleigh, as the warrior’s wife, learns that she is just as responsible for the outcome of her marriage—despite Collier’s harsh words and actions—because she has the ability to feel while his responses still react to situations seen in the Middle East. Readers will fall in love in Collier for his handsome appearance, desire to be a dutiful and loving husband and father, quirky sense of humor, sense of loyalty to his friends and soldiers, and his ability to recognize his faults.

The Wounded Warrior’s Wife is Conway’s debut novel; however, the story reads nothing like one of a typical new writer. Her characters are fully developed; her dialog is true-to-life; her pacing is even, with each scene necessary to move the story along; and her descriptions are vivid. Readers will easily visualize the splendid Colorado scenery and the gritty, malodorous, and dirty Iraqi landscapes. Her ability to so thoroughly create the scenes in The Wounded Warrior’s Wife ensures that no reader will walk away from this book without fully comprehending the grotesque and inhumane lives of American soldiers in the Middle East that are left out of the daily news.  Collier’s battle scenes are so heartbreaking that readers feel his sadness through aches in their chests and downturned mouths. On happier notes, the deep characterizations that Conway creates through having experienced these emotions herself also mean that the scenes of homecoming and friendship are just as fulfilling as the battle scenes are necessary for plot. The sincere gratitude of families and spouses for the soldiers return from deployment is a scene someone can appreciate regardless if they have ever been on a military base before.

The Wounded Warrior’s Wife is a superb novel for adult readers who enjoy stories love, family, and honor. The novel is clean: there is no course language and no intimate scenes; however, the trials of military life are discussed in the novel, so anyone younger than teenage age should be cautioned towards the novel. Elements of faith are discussed in The Wounded Warrior’s Wife and are present in the protagonists’ lives.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by the author and by Olivia Kimbrell Press. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

Reviewed by Marisa Deshaies