Thursday, February 20, 2020

Woman Of Sunlight

Woman Of Sunlight by Mary Connealy is the second book in the Brides of Hope Mountain Series.  I had been waiting rather impatiently for this book ever since I finished Aiming For Love, the first book in the series.  Now that I have finished this one I am already counting down the days until the third book releases!  I love this series so much.

Ilsa and her sisters have been raised in isolation in the mountains of Colorado.  They were raised by their grandparents and were taught to fear people and that going to town would bring sickness and possibly death.  With both of their grandparents gone the girls have been living alone and are extremely self sufficient.  When the Warden family comes to the mountain in need, the sisters help them out.  

Mitch has left his life in New York City and is now living on the mountain with his family.  Ilsa and Mitch are drawn to each other, but it seems that the thing they do best is fight.  When Mitch's past catches up with him, he realizes that he has put everyone's life in danger.  He is determined to resolve the problem, but that means a trip to town and Ilsa insists on going with him.  Once in town they embark on a very surprising adventure!

This book was so entertaining!  It had me laughing out loud on several occasions and it had a sort of  "Tarzan and Jane" feel with the roles reversed.  I have to admit that I was very surprised with the twists and turns of this book.  It was a lot different than I expected it to be and I loved the suspense.  I don't want to include any spoilers, so I'll just say that I didn't see that coming! 

I enjoyed getting to catch up with Dave and Jo from the first book and the ground work has been set for the third book which will be Ursula's story.  It's going to be good!  I can't wait to see how this series wraps up.  

Thanks to Bethany House Publishing for providing me with this book.  

Tuesday, February 11, 2020

Two Steps Forward

The Deacon's Family Series comes to an end with Two Steps Forward.  You could probably read this book as a stand alone, but I would not recommend it.  There are many repeat characters and as you read through the series you become quite connected to them.  When you see their story continuing to unfold in each book it's like visiting an old friend.  You want to hear about all that's been going on in their life and how they are doing. In this series it is Luke and Izzy.  I loved revisiting them!

Two Steps Forward is about Jimmy and Sylvie.  Jimmy has been away from the Amish community for four years working in Colorado with horses.  He is used to getting by on his good looks and his charm...until Sylvie.  Sylvie is a widow and she hires Jimmy to work on her farm because of his knowledge of horses, but it seems that is all she's interested in.  However, it's not long before he manages to steal her heart. 

Jimmy's mom Edith believes that Sylvie's farm belongs to her and she is working on a way to claim back the land.  Has Sylvie made a terrible mistake in falling for Jimmy?  Has he been using his charm just to get her land? 

Suzanne Woods Fisher is an amazing Amish fiction author.  Her series wraps up perfectly.  What I like best about her books is that they are, what I call, easy reads.  They are enjoyable, and steady paced.  Not a lot of surprises, but such well developed characters that you can connect with.  This is the kind of book I like to snuggle up under a cover with and read while drinking coffee. 

***Thanks to Revell for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Collision of Lies - A Book Review

Collision Of Lies by Tom Threadgill is a book you are not going to want to put down until the last page is read.  It has page turning suspense and if you are like me and like to read at night, be prepared for lack of sleep!

Several years ago there was a tragic accident between a freight train and a school bus. All the children on the school bus were killed.  There is one mom who refuses to believe her child perished and after a strange phone call she seeks the help of law enforcement.  Amara agrees to look into it even though she believes all the children died in the crash.  It doesn't take long that she starts to think otherwise, but how is she going to convince everyone else that the boy is still alive when all evidence points to the opposite.  Could it be that the whole collision was based on lies?  Are the other children alive as well? Amara is determined to find the answers.  No matter the cost.

This book was the first I've read by author Tom Threadgill and he made me a fan!  It has everything I like in a good suspense novel.  The element of surprise with plenty of twists and turns, well developed characters and suspense that keeps you guessing.  I can usually tell if I will like a suspense novel if the first chapter captivates me.  That's exactly what this book did.  If you love suspense novels, I encourage you to read this one.  You're sure to love it! 

***Thanks to Revell for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Land Beneath Us by Sarah Sundin

The Land Beneath Us is the third book in the Sunrise at Normandy series by Sarah Sundin.  It makes a great stand alone book as I did not read the other two books in the series before this one, but trust me, if you love this book as much as I did you are going to want to read the other two as soon as you finish so you might as well start from the beginning!

It is a historical Christian Romance set in England during 1943/44.  The historical aspect shows the training of the U.S. Army Rangers up to D-day and their invasion.

Clay Paxton has been betrayed by his brothers in the worst way and he struggles with forgiveness.  Due to a recurring dream he has about his death, he now has purpose.  He must fulfill God's will for his life, by seeing the dream come to pass.

Leah Jones works as a Librarian at Camp Forest.  During her spare time she searches for clues to her family.  When she was four years old her and her twin sisters became orphans when their parents suddenly died in a horrible accident.  She longs to be reunited with her sisters, but her life is turned upside down when she is brutally attacked.  Clay saves her life and marries her to save her virtue.  When he is shipped out to train for D-day him and Leah keep in touch through letters.  As time passes their relationship strengthens and love blossoms, but neither of them can ignore Clay's dream. They know what his future holds due to his recurring dream.  Will their love be strong enough to save Clay from impending death?

I could not put this book down.  When I wasn't reading it I was thinking about it.  It was one of the best books I have read in a long time.  Leah's outlook on life is so uplifting despite the tragedies that always seem to follow her.  She is definitely an overcomer and her faith in God is inspiring.  Clay is so kind-hearted and driven by his love for God and pursing God's will.  As you read the book you can see both Clay and Leah grow in their relationship with each other and God.  The self sacrificing love portrayed in this book is one of my favorite things about it.

I can't recommend this book enough.  You're sure to love it!

***Thanks to Revell for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.