Category: Contemporary

About

At thirty-four, congressional staffer Mallory Hale is about to embark on an adventure completely off the map. After a whirlwind romance, she is hopelessly in love with two men–fortunately, they’re related. Daniel Everson and his little boy, Nick, are a package deal, and Mallory suddenly can’t imagine her future without them.

Mallory couldn’t be more shocked when Daniel asks her to marry him, move to Texas, and form a family with him and motherless Nick. The idea is both thrilling and terrifying.

Mallory takes a leap of faith and begins a sweet, mishap-filled journey into ranch living, Moses Lake society, and a marriage that at times reminds her of the mail-order-bride stories. But despite the wild adventure of her new life, she discovers secrets and questions beneath her rosy new life. Can she find answers on Firefly Island, a little chunk of property just off the lakeshore, where mysterious lights glisten at night?

Review

This novel was like a cross between a marriage how-to book, thepioneerwoman.com, and Nancy Drew. And I so enjoyed it!. I was especially drawn to the beginning. The whirlwind romance had me completely hooked and as I saw Mallory navigate the waters of being a bride and a step-mom, I kept asking myself internally how I would react to such a situation. Ms. Wingate did a fabulous job of making Mallory come to life. And Daniel. He was both dreamy and realistic. A good guy, but a real guy and I think real guys make the best heroes. The only think that didn’t quite pull me in was the mystery. Though the mystery was clearly prevalent from the start of their arrival in the small town, I don’t think it held my interest as much as it should have. Spiritually, Mallory begins to find out what she believes as she is thrown into this new situation and I love how she has a dream and realizes its significance. This is an enjoyable read. Recommended.

**I received this novel from BethanyHouse. My opinion was not affected in any way.**

About

To Robin Bartlett, men were nothing more than violent users. After a hair-raising childhood, Robin and her two younger half sisters battled simply to survive. Determined to give her sisters a very different life from that of their mother; to never have to rely on a man for anything, she worked two jobs and put them both through college, while accepting help from no one. Her heart had turned to ice and she had no use for men or God.

Antonio “Tony” Viscolli had grown up on the streets, homeless. At seventeen, he entered a downtown church with the intent of casing it, but found himself on his knees at the alter. After being fostered by the youth minister, Tony followed God’s leading and eventually became a very successful and powerful businessman. In a fallen world, he was a gem.

When Tony bought the restaurant where Robin bartended, she immediately resented his intrusion into her well ordered, but exhausting, life. She suspected his offering her special attention and constant kindness was merely his way of expecting something from her in return, something she wasn’t willing to give.

Tony knew God had led him to Robin. Would she ever allow herself to trust him? Could she ever allow herself to trust God? Or would the winter of their tragic youth rise from the shadows of the past and freeze any chance at happiness?

Review

This book surprised me. I’ve read a lot of books about women who have tragic pasts and can’t trust the men in their lives and then a wonderful guy comes along and usually it’s so formulaic it’s boring. But that was not the case with this one. It starts off the same and then there is this WHOA moment and things are different. So appreciated and had me turning the pages. While I do not recommend missionary dating in any shape or form, Tony did a wonderful job of witnessing to Robin. It came across as sincere and the reader could fully appreciate the transformation that Robin went through. I was also glad to see that besides attraction, friendship developed and I think those make the best kinds of romance novels. Fun book and great read. I will be reading the next ones in the series.

About

In the first half of this epic Christian romance novel, Dr. Ayiti Jean-Pierre is
determined to travel back to the homeland that is her namesake,Ayiti–or
“Haiti,” as it is known in English. When she was seven-years-old, Ayiti and her
family were forced to flee the beautiful island to escape the political turmoil
and poverty that was beginning to bring misery to the Haitian people. Once her
family moved to New York, Ayiti never quite got over the feeling of being
displaced. She never quite felt at home. With a deep longing to return to her
homeland, Ayiti throws herself into her studies and becomes a successful doctor.
Ayiti knows she has a God-given call on her life to return and help.
She
moves back to Haiti to provide volunteer medical services with a Christian
Medical Missionary Group. She knows she is responding to
a call God has
placed on her life. What she doesn’t know is that God has so much more in store
for her.

After arriving in Haiti, Ayiti meets an English missionary,
Pastor Jude Patterson. Pastor Jude Patterson has been living in Haiti his entire
life. His British family gave their lives to minister to, and assist, the
Haitian people. Their ministry is focused on helping the Haitian people overcome
their practices of voodoo and witchcraft in order to come to the saving
knowledge of Jesus Christ.

When Ayiti arrives, Pastor Jude falls in love
with her. Immediately, he pursues her, but Ayiti cannot get over the fact that
he is white, seven years younger, and of a completely different cultural
background. She also despises the fact that Pastor Jude seems to be attacking
the very cultural beliefs that she prides herself in.

Ayiti is
determined to do what she came to Haiti to do: save her people. Pastor Jude,
however, will stop at nothing to capture her heart. More importantly, Pastor
Jude wants to help Ayiti let go of her misconceptions, and come to know the
truth about her beliefs about voodoo culture, and the truth about salvation
through Jesus Christ.

Battling issues regarding race, spiritual beliefs,
and age differences, the relationship between Ayiti and Jude is tested to the
limits. Will Ayiti put aside her preconceptions and bitterness to give Jude a
chance? Will she come to learn the truth about her spiritual beliefs and accept
Jesus? Will Jude win Ayiti’s heart?

Review

What a book! I really enjoyed Ayiti and highly recommend it. First, though let me tell you what I loved about it. Ayiti is a Haitian-American doctor who feels like the Lord is leading her to go to Haiti to volunteer her services for a year. Yet, though she believes in Jesus she doesn’t know him and I really liked how the author was able to show the difference between believing and knowing Jesus. This novel also addresses the issue of trying to combine two religions…it simply doesn’t work. I learned a lot of about voodoo and how some people try to practice both Christianity and voodoo. I also loved the love interest. I liked that Jude had two strikes against him so-to speak and he overcame them.

Jude. What a guy. At moments he was so intense and at other moments so sweet that it made him seem real. I loved his relationship with God, but when he was human he really just showed his age. One thing I appreciated about the romance in this novel was that the physical attraction didn’t carry the relationship. Watching the relationship develop into friendship was a joy to read. Furthermore, after Ayiti got saved, she and Jude didn’t just get married. There was time for her to develop as a believer which I think a lot of books don’t allow for.

The downside to this book was probably all the endearments that Jude and Ayiti called each other, maybe since I’ve never been in their shoes I don’t get it, but it was a bit much. I will say there is some adult content that is not usually in most Christian novels, but nothing out of order.

I really enjoyed this book. It was so nice to read something that I don’t usually read and enjoy it. Recommended! And for the record, my review is long because the book is 1000 pages! I felt like I went to Haiti and back!

About

They came on a mission of mercy, but now they’re in a fight for their lives.

High schooler Will Peterson and three friends journeyed to Central America to help rebuild a school. In a poor, secluded mountain village, they won the hearts of the local people with their energy and kindness.

But in one sudden moment, everything went horribly wrong. A revolution swept the country. Now, guns and terror are everywhere—and Americans are being targeted as the first to die.

Will and his friends have got to get out fast. But streets full of killers . . . hills patrolled by armies . . . and a jungle rife with danger stand between them and the border. Their one hope of escape lies with a veteran warrior who has lost his faith and may betray them at any moment. Their one dream is to reach freedom and safety and home.

If they can just survive.

Review

Let me just say, this was one intense book. It had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I few times I had to stop and walk around and shake my head. It was just that good. The novel captured me from the first page of the prologue and did not let me go. Will was such a great protagonist who, I think, was able to successfully capture the emotions that a person would feel in such a situation. And Palmer….well I don’t want to give anything away, but thank God for the Palmers in this world. This book had more action that I usually read, but I didn’t get lost in the details, in fact, I went back and reread them. There was even a hint of a romance that was actually kind of sweet as I saw it unravel on the pages. Spiritually, this book places a huge emphasis on the importance of prayer and how to think of yourself in relation to your soul. Deep stuff. Highly Recommended!

About

What if you could travel inside another person’s soul? To battle for them. To be part of Jesus healing their deepest wounds. To help set them free to step boldly into their divinely designed future.

Thirty years ago that’s exactly what Reece Roth did. Until tragedy shattered his life and ripped away his future.

Now God has drawn Reece out of the shadows to fulfill a prophecy spoken over him three decades ago. A prophecy about four warriors with the potential to change the world . . . if Reece will face his deepest regret and teach them what he has learned.

They gather at a secluded and mysterious ranch deep in the mountains of Colorado, where they will learn to see the spiritual world around them with stunning clarity—and how to step into the supernatural.

Their training is only the beginning. The four have a destiny to pursue a freedom even Reece doesn’t fully fathom. But they have an enemy hell-bent on destroying them and he’ll stop at nothing to keep them from their quest for true freedom and the coming battle of souls.

Review

Whew, what a book! When I finished it I had to go and spend some time in prayer, it was just that kind of book. The novel drew me in with the first mention of prophecy and four warriors and unravels slowly as though you’re peeling an onion and trying to get to the center. I will admit that at first, the warriors were not what I expected, but then you get to see them develop over time. Honestly, though, this reads and feels like a novel that is just laying the foundation as the beginning (and the cover says that it is book 1). I am interested to see what the four go on to do. Spiritually, this novel really dealt with the spiritual world and I love how Mr. Rubart emphasizes reading the whole Bible and not just staying on the cookie cutter parts. While, I think, traveling in people’s souls most likely literally isn’t done, if there is one thing I learned from this book, it is that you can’t limit God who created everything. I really enjoyed this novel. Mr. Rubart doesn’t really write the romance novels that I love, but he is simply a fantastic author and not to be missed!

About
Catch a glimpse of Denali National Park through the eyes of four courageous women. Karon Granger beat cancer, but can she climb Mt. McKinley—the tallest mountain in North America? Is heiress Jolie Decouteau safe from the rugged terrain and an assassin? Will flightseeing tour guide Deline Tsosi uncover the sabotage that endangers her business—and find her heart melting for an Alaskan ranger? Can love conquer all when the past threatens the protective walls of Deanna Smith’s remote job? Will Denali spell disaster or dream-come-true romance?

Review
I usually don’t like short stories or novellas because everything happens so quickly. However, when I saw one of the author’s names, I knew I had to read to this book. And I was not disappointed. Like most short stories there was a kind of assumed background for all the stories, but still each story worked so well. I liked that many of the characters were recycled throughout all four to attempt to give the collection a seamlessness (though I do feel that some of their personalities changed a wee bit). Overall, a great collection and I am so glad I read it. Spiritually, a big theme is overcoming your fear, but that’s not surprising seeing as climbing Denali is a huge part of the novel. For those of you who like short stores, highly recommended.

**I recieved this copy from netgalley. My opinion was not affected in any way.**

About

After specialized underwater training, Ensign Rachel Whitney is posted to a remote island in the North Pacific, a tiny scrap of rock guarding a highly classified secret. She could love her new assignment if her commanding officer, Lt. George Hudson, weren’t so obstinate—and a bit distrustful.

Despite George’s first reaction to her presence on the island, Rachel sets out to prove she is perfect for the job. She doesn’t dream of being a heroine or falling in love, but months later, when word leaks out about the prize they are guarding, Rachel and George have few resources besides each other and their faith in God to foil an enemy attack that could endanger all of America.

Review

This novel was so good.  Frasier Island is a tiny island in the Pacific that requires three people to live on it. Rachel and George are two of them. I loved Rachel’s character because even though she had had some setbacks in life, she wasn’t about to let that keep her from living. George is more distrustful and to a certain degree rude, but I like how in this novel you can see Rachel slowly winning him over. I also loved one of the secondary characters in this novel.  I think the setting really added to this novel, because it was a setting unlike any other. Spiritually, George has to return to his relationship with God and Rachel learns to walk with God and develop her faith more. Good book. Romantic and suspenseful. Highly Recommended.