The Refuge

The Refuge by Ann H. Gabhart grabbed my attention and held it from the very first page to the very last.

With the threat of a cholera epidemic at their heels, Darcie and Walter Goodwin joining the Shakers, whose villages seem immune to the disease.  It's meant to be temporary, but when Walter is killed in a riverboat accident, destitute Darcie has little choice but to stay with the Shakers.  To complicate matters, she is expecting a baby conceived before she and her husband came to the Shaker village.  Marital relationships are considered sinful in this celibate community, putting Darcie in a unique and lonely position.  Can the arrival of widower Flynn Keller and his headstrong Daughter offer Darcie the hope of happiness.

This book shed a lot of light on the Shaker religion for me. I was not very familiar with their beliefs before reading this and I have to say I was somewhat surprised, especially with their belief in celibacy.  So many of their beliefs are not scriptural but yet in other ways they show such love and are so willing to help others. 

I loved the character of Darcie and my heart just broke for her.  I couldn't imagine being left alone in a community that you don't embrace the beliefs of, especially after finding out your with child, something that you know goes against the rules.  It was engaging to see how she started her life over and how the community continued to help her.

If you have never read one of Ann H. Gabhart's books this would be a great one to start with.  Probably my favorite to date!

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

The Heart Of A King

I always "proceed with caution" when reading biblical fiction.  I'm pretty particular about this genre and I don't want to read anything that is going to veer to far from God's truth.   That is something I never have to worry about with Jill Eileen Smith.  Her biblical fiction books always stay as close to the Bible as possible in a fiction story.

If I read biblical fiction and it draws me deeper into God's word by giving me a desire to reread and study out an individual or a story, I feel like it is time well spent.  This book did just that for me.  I had a desire to reread from the Bible Solomon's story.  The book made me think about things that I had never considered before and I love that.

I can't recommend this book enough.  It is well written, well developed characters and the story line is never dull.  I must also say that the cover is beautiful!

Get swept away by a story of love, loss, and longing

King Solomon could, and did, have anything he wanted, including many women from many lands.  But for all of his wealth and wisdom, did he or the women he loved ever find what they were searching for?

In this engrossing novel, find yourself whisked away to ancient Israel, where you'll meed four remarkable women:  Naamah the desert princess, Abishag the shepherdess, Siti the daughter of a pharaoh, and Nicaula the queen of Sheba.  As you experience the world of Solomon through his eyes and theirs, you'll grapple with whether this king's stored wisdom ultimately benefited him and those he loved...or betrayed them.

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

On a Summer Tide

I always know that when I pick up a book by Suzanne Woods Fisher that I am going to enjoy it.  I own many of her books and I am thrilled to add On A Summer Tide to my collection.  This book is the first book in the Three Sister's Island.

Sometimes love hurts-and sometimes it can heal in the most unexpected way.

Camden Grayson loves her challenging career, but the rest of her life could use some improvement.  "Moving on" is Cam's mantra, but there's a difference, her two sisters insist, between one who moves on and one who just keeps on moving.

Cam's full throttle life skids to a stop when her father buys a remote island off the coast of Maine.  Paul Grayson has a dream to breathe new life into the island.  A dream that includes reuniting his estranged daughters.  Certain dad has lost his mind, the three sisters rush to the island.  To Cam's surprise, the slow pace of island life appeals to her, and so do the locals.  One in particular:  Seth Walker, the scruffy island schoolteacher, who harbors more than a few surprises.

This book was just an enjoyable read.  I was able to relate to a couple of the characters and there were a few places that I found myself laughing out loud and a few that had me holding back tears.  It is a story of hope and restoration.  I can't wait to read more about these sisters in the following books in this series.


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

The Baggage Handler

Occasionally I step away from my normal genres and try something new.  I was a little reluctant about this book, but glad I chose it in the long run. 

Everyone carries baggage.  Some of us don't like to admit it or maybe we don't even realize how much it is weighing us down, but it's there and the sooner we get rid of it the happier we will be.  The Baggage Handler tell the story of three people, and all three are so easy to relate to. I don't know why it's so hard to give God our baggage, but it is.  For some reason we hold on to things that we were never meant to carry. 

This book gives you so much to think about and it's one of those books that you will still be thinking about long after you lay it down.

When three people take the wrong suitcase from baggage claim, their lives change forever. 

A hothead businessman coming to the city for a showdown meeting to save his job.

A mother of three hoping to survive the days at her sister's house before her niece’s wedding.

And a young artist pursuing his father’s dream so he can keep his own alive.

When David, Gillian, and Michael each take the wrong suitcase from baggage claim, the airline directs them to retrieve their bags at a mysterious facility in a deserted part of the city. There they meet the enigmatic Baggage Handler, who shows them there is more in their baggage than what they have packed, and carrying it with them is slowing them down in ways they can’t imagine. And they must deal with it before they can leave.

In this modern-day parable about the burdens that weigh us down, David Rawlings issues an inspiring invitation to lighten the load.

***Thank you to booklookbloggers.com for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.