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| Hosted weekly by Freda's Voice. |
Happy Friday!
It's been an adventurous week on the Oregon Trail for me: I started with Jane Kirkpatrick's This Road We Traveled, and today, I'm finishing Rinker Buck's The Oregon Trail: A New American Journey.
30 September 2016
The Candidate by Lis Wiehl with Sebastian Stuart
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| ★★★★★ Goodreads | Amazon |
How far would a candidate go to become President of the United States?
In covering the presidential election campaign, star newsmaker Erica Sparks notices that favored candidate Senator Mike Ortiz seems dependent on his wife to an unnatural degree. Celeste Ortiz is a brilliant and glamorous billionaire who—along with her best friend and confidant Lily Lau—has engineered her husband’s meteoric rise. The White House is within their reach. But the more Erica investigates the Ortizes’ strange relationship, the more intrigued she becomes.
Erica begins an investigation. But everyone material to her probe ends up dead. With each death, her foreboding grows. Is she next? And can she find out in time if the country’s beloved candidate is what he seems...or a threat to national security?
28 September 2016
Waiting on Wednesday: Unblemished & Child of the River
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| Hosted weekly by Breaking the Spine to spotlight eagerly-anticipated upcoming releases. |
Author: Sara Ella
Publisher: Thomas Nelson/HarperCollins
Expected Publication Date: 11 October 2016
Eliyana has always recoiled from her own reflection in the mirror. But what if that were only one Reflection—one world? What if another world existed where her blemish could become her strength?
Eliyana is used to the shadows. With a hideous birthmark covering half her face, she just hopes to graduate high school unscathed. That is, until Joshua hops a fence and changes her perspective. No one, aside from her mother, has ever treated her as normal. Maybe even beautiful. Because of Joshua, Eliyana finally begins to believe she could be loved.
But one night her mother doesn’t come home, and that’s when everything gets weird.
Now Joshua is her new, and rather reluctant, legal Guardian. Add a hooded stalker and a Central Park battle to the mix and you’ve gone from weird to otherworldly.
Eliyana soon finds herself in a world much larger and more complicated than she’s ever known. A world enslaved by a powerful and vile man. And Eliyana holds the answer to defeating him. How can an ordinary girl, a blemished girl, become a savior when she can’t even save herself?
Eliyana is used to the shadows. With a hideous birthmark covering half her face, she just hopes to graduate high school unscathed. That is, until Joshua hops a fence and changes her perspective. No one, aside from her mother, has ever treated her as normal. Maybe even beautiful. Because of Joshua, Eliyana finally begins to believe she could be loved.
But one night her mother doesn’t come home, and that’s when everything gets weird.
Now Joshua is her new, and rather reluctant, legal Guardian. Add a hooded stalker and a Central Park battle to the mix and you’ve gone from weird to otherworldly.
Eliyana soon finds herself in a world much larger and more complicated than she’s ever known. A world enslaved by a powerful and vile man. And Eliyana holds the answer to defeating him. How can an ordinary girl, a blemished girl, become a savior when she can’t even save herself?
Author: Irma Joubert
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Expected Publication Date: 18 October 2016
Persomi’s dreams are much bigger than the world of poverty and deprivation that surround her in the Bushveld of the 1940s and 1950s in South Africa.
Persomi is young, white and poor, born the middle child of illiterate sharecroppers on the prosperous Fourie farm. Persomi’s world is extraordinarily small. She has never been to the local village and spends her days absorbed in the rhythms of the natural world around her. Her older brother, Gerbrand, is her lifeline and her connection to the outside world. When he leaves the farm to seek work in Johannesburg, Persomi’s isolated world is blown wide open. But as her very small world falls apart, bigger dreams become open to her—dreams of an education, a profession, and of love. As Persomi navigates the changing world around her—the tragedies of WWII and the devastating racial strife of her homeland—she finally discovers who she truly is and where she belongs.
A compelling coming of age story with an unlikely and utterly memorable heroine, Persomi’s English language publication solidifies Irma Joubert’s important place in the canon of inspirational historical fiction.
27 September 2016
Top Ten Tuesday: Books on My Fall TBR List
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| Hosted weekly by The Broke and the Bookish. |
The Cautious Maiden by Dawn Crandall
Child of the River by Irma Joubert
Finding Margo by Jen Turano
The Forgetting by Sharon Cameron
The Portrait of Emily Price by Katherine Reay
The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
The Ramblers by Aidan Donnelley Rowley
Shadow of the Storm by Connilyn Cossette
Shaken by Tim Tebow
What are you planning to read this fall?
Long Way Gone by Charles Martin
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| ★★★★★ Goodreads | Amazon |
“No matter where you go, no matter whether you succeed or fail, stand or fall, no gone is too far gone. You can always come home.”
At the age of eighteen, musician and songwriter Cooper O’Connor took everything his father held dear and drove 1,200 miles from home to Nashville, his life riding on a six-string guitar and the bold wager that he had talent. But his wager soon proved foolish.
Five years after losing everything, he falls in love with Daley Cross, an angelic voice in need of a song. But just as he realizes his love for Daley, Cooper faces a tragedy that threatens his life as well as his career. With nowhere else to go, he returns to his remote home in the Colorado Mountains, searching for answers about his father and his faith.
At the age of eighteen, musician and songwriter Cooper O’Connor took everything his father held dear and drove 1,200 miles from home to Nashville, his life riding on a six-string guitar and the bold wager that he had talent. But his wager soon proved foolish.
Five years after losing everything, he falls in love with Daley Cross, an angelic voice in need of a song. But just as he realizes his love for Daley, Cooper faces a tragedy that threatens his life as well as his career. With nowhere else to go, he returns to his remote home in the Colorado Mountains, searching for answers about his father and his faith.
When Daley shows up on his street corner twenty years later, he wonders if it’s too late to tell her the truth about his past—and if he is ready to face it.
A radical retelling of the story of the prodigal son, Long Way Gone takes us from tent revivals to the Ryman Auditorium to the tender relationship between a broken man and the father who never stopped calling him home.
24 September 2016
Newton and Polly by Jody Hedlund
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| ★★★★★ Starting reading here right now. Goodreads | Amazon |
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
that saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now am found…
Now remembered as the author of the world’s most famous hymn, in the mid-eighteenth century as England and France stand on the brink of war, John Newton is a young sailor wandering aimlessly through life. His only duty is to report to his ship and avoid disgracing his father—until the night he hears Polly Catlett’s enchanting voice, caroling. He’s immediately smitten and determined to win her affection.
An intense connection quickly forms between the two, but John’s reckless spirit and disregard for the Christian life are concerns for the responsible, devout Polly. When an ill-fated stop at a tavern leaves John imprisoned and bound, Polly must choose to either stand by his side or walk out of his life forever. Will she forfeit her future for the man she loves?
Step back through the pages of history, to uncover the true love story behind a song that continues to stir the hearts and ignite the faith of millions around the globe.
23 September 2016
A Lady Unrivaled by Roseanna M. White
About the Book
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| ★★★★★ Goodreads | Amazon |
Lady Ella Myerston can always find a reason to smile--even if it's just in hope that tomorrow will be better than today. All her life everyone has tried to protect her from the realities of the world, but Ella knows very well the danger that has haunted her brother and their friend, and she won't wait for it to strike again. She intends to take action...and if that happens to involve an adventurous trip to the Cotswolds, then so much the better.
Lord Cayton has already broken two hearts, including that of his first wife, who died before he could convince himself to love her. Now he's determined to live a better life. But that proves complicated when old friends arrive on the scene and try to threaten him into a life of crime. He does his best to remove the intriguing Lady Ella from danger, but the stubborn girl won't budge. How else can he redeem himself, though, but by saving her--and his daughter--from those dangerous people who seem ready to destroy them all?
Lord Cayton has already broken two hearts, including that of his first wife, who died before he could convince himself to love her. Now he's determined to live a better life. But that proves complicated when old friends arrive on the scene and try to threaten him into a life of crime. He does his best to remove the intriguing Lady Ella from danger, but the stubborn girl won't budge. How else can he redeem himself, though, but by saving her--and his daughter--from those dangerous people who seem ready to destroy them all?
The third Ladies of the Manor novel A Lady Unrivaled continues and concludes the drama of Fire-Eyes danger, suspense, and intrigue that connects the series, while promoting two familiar characters, Lady Ella Myerston and Lord Cayton, to lead roles - fans of the series will love it.
As can be expected, Roseanna White tells a story with plenty of romance, adventure, and mystery, mixed with great character development and witty humor. Throughout the dramatic plot, Ella and Cayton shine as a complicated yet worthwhile pairing, and I couldn’t help but root for them growing and enduring amidst the danger and difficulties.
A Lady Unrivaled will delight and intrigue readers from start to finish, and I highly recommend it to those who enjoy reading historical romance. I do think it’s best to read the Ladies of the Manor series in order (The Lost Heiress, The Reluctant Duchess, then A Lady Unrivaled), but fortunately, each book is an excellent, uplifting read - I loved them all and look forward to reading more from Roseanna White!
Thanks to Celebrate Lit, I received a copy of A Lady Unrivaled and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.
Back in 2008, I went to my first writers conference, where I met my current best friend and critique partner. I’d been pitching the first book in a series I was rewriting from my childhood, so this was the first project of mine our newly formed critique group did together. Specifically, the third book in the series, which I was then calling Diamond Blaze.
It was about a girl very much like me. Optimistic in the extreme. Always looking for a reason to smile. Her name was Lady Ella Myerston, and though she was the heroine in the third novel in a series—friend to heroine from book 1 and sister of hero in book 2—Ella stood on her own. Or I hoped she did. You see, it’s not very often I try to write a character so much like me, and I wasn’t sure what my new critique partners would think.
I was delighted and relieved when my critters, as I call them, loved her—it felt a little like them loving me. 😉 With Stephanie, that BFF/critique partner, Ella became part of our language. “That’s so Ella” meant “that’s so hopefully and optimistic.” It’s a phrase we used for years, long after that series got shelved and we focused on other projects.
When I finally sold a rewrite of the first book to Bethany House and The Lost Heiress released last September, I was so excited to get to breathe new life into the other books in the series as well. I gave some new twists and turns to Brice’s and Rowena’s story in The Reluctant Duchess, took it to new depths, but it was still largely the story I’d first written seven years before.
Ella’s story, though . . . we eventually settled on the title A Lady Unrivaled, but it was the hardest one in the series for us to name. And writing! Ella’s story didn’t work anymore as I’d had it. I had to toss out the entire thing and start fresh, with a new premise and new plot. But Ella—Ella had to remain Ella. I learned more about her as I rewrote the series, of course, and I added a few things not like me, naturally. But Ella still seeks a reason to smile, always. She still believes in hope, in every situation. And her knack for misplacing things—herself included—might be borrowed (and exaggerated) from my remarkable ability to lose things that I sat down right there two minutes ago.
Ella got new adventures, new goals, new excitement in her life—but she’s still the Ella I got to know all those years ago. And her hero, Cayton, is still the sometimes surly, too-realistic, very different-from-Ella man he has to be to counteract her.
My editor, in her notes to me, said, “Cayton and Ella are so very different. In a way, you wonder how they’ll make it work. And yet you can’t help think they will, and want them to.”
The love story in this book is partly mine, too. Because though on the surface my husband isn’t much like Cayton, in the ways that matters, he is. He’s my opposite, but my perfect complement. He doesn’t always see the bright side I cling to, but he’d never ask me not to cling on anyway. We view the world very differently—and can face it because we’re together.
I love all my books, all my characters. But A Lady Unrivaled . . . well, it’s just so very Ella. I hope you love it just a fraction as much as I do!
About the Author
Roseanna M. White pens her novels beneath her Betsy Ross flag, with her Jane Austen action figure watching over her. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two children, editing and designing, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels and novellas, ranging from biblical fiction to American-set romances to Edwardian British romances. She makes her home in the breathtaking mountains of West Virginia. You can learn more about her and her stories at her website.
Guest Post from Roseanna White
So Very EllaBack in 2008, I went to my first writers conference, where I met my current best friend and critique partner. I’d been pitching the first book in a series I was rewriting from my childhood, so this was the first project of mine our newly formed critique group did together. Specifically, the third book in the series, which I was then calling Diamond Blaze.
It was about a girl very much like me. Optimistic in the extreme. Always looking for a reason to smile. Her name was Lady Ella Myerston, and though she was the heroine in the third novel in a series—friend to heroine from book 1 and sister of hero in book 2—Ella stood on her own. Or I hoped she did. You see, it’s not very often I try to write a character so much like me, and I wasn’t sure what my new critique partners would think.
I was delighted and relieved when my critters, as I call them, loved her—it felt a little like them loving me. 😉 With Stephanie, that BFF/critique partner, Ella became part of our language. “That’s so Ella” meant “that’s so hopefully and optimistic.” It’s a phrase we used for years, long after that series got shelved and we focused on other projects.
When I finally sold a rewrite of the first book to Bethany House and The Lost Heiress released last September, I was so excited to get to breathe new life into the other books in the series as well. I gave some new twists and turns to Brice’s and Rowena’s story in The Reluctant Duchess, took it to new depths, but it was still largely the story I’d first written seven years before.
Ella’s story, though . . . we eventually settled on the title A Lady Unrivaled, but it was the hardest one in the series for us to name. And writing! Ella’s story didn’t work anymore as I’d had it. I had to toss out the entire thing and start fresh, with a new premise and new plot. But Ella—Ella had to remain Ella. I learned more about her as I rewrote the series, of course, and I added a few things not like me, naturally. But Ella still seeks a reason to smile, always. She still believes in hope, in every situation. And her knack for misplacing things—herself included—might be borrowed (and exaggerated) from my remarkable ability to lose things that I sat down right there two minutes ago.
Ella got new adventures, new goals, new excitement in her life—but she’s still the Ella I got to know all those years ago. And her hero, Cayton, is still the sometimes surly, too-realistic, very different-from-Ella man he has to be to counteract her.
My editor, in her notes to me, said, “Cayton and Ella are so very different. In a way, you wonder how they’ll make it work. And yet you can’t help think they will, and want them to.”
The love story in this book is partly mine, too. Because though on the surface my husband isn’t much like Cayton, in the ways that matters, he is. He’s my opposite, but my perfect complement. He doesn’t always see the bright side I cling to, but he’d never ask me not to cling on anyway. We view the world very differently—and can face it because we’re together.
I love all my books, all my characters. But A Lady Unrivaled . . . well, it’s just so very Ella. I hope you love it just a fraction as much as I do!
Blog Stops
September 22: 100 pages per hour, Smiling Book Reviews
September 23: Book by Book, Bibliophile Reviews
September 24: bigreadersite, Jeanette’s Thoughts
September 25: The Power of Words, Pause for Tales
September 26: Reading Is My SuperPower, Faithfully Bookish
September 27: History, Mystery and Faith, Back Porch Reads
September 28: cherylbbookblog, D’S QUILTS & BOOKS
September 29: Blossoms and Blessings, Heidi Reads…
September 30: The Scribbler, Karen’s Krayons
October 2: Simple Harvest Reads
October 4: Reader’s cozy corner, A Baker’s Perspective
October 5: Books and Beverages, Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Roseanna's giving away a complete set of the Ladies of the Manor Series PLUS a special surprise straight from England! (US addresses only for paperbacks; an international winner is eligible for digital gifts, though!) Click here to enter to win!The Friday 56: Newton and Polly
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| Hosted weekly by Freda's Voice. |
Happy Friday!
It's been quite a week, and I'm so glad it's Friday now. I've been ready for it all week... And I'm also glad to be sharing a quote from Newton and Polly - I've loved every book I've read by Jody Hedlund, and this one was no exception. Highly recommended!
"'You need more bookshelves,' Newton said to Mrs. Catlett as she returned several volumes to a small shelf overflowing with more books than he'd ever seen in one place."
"'You need more bookshelves,' Newton said to Mrs. Catlett as she returned several volumes to a small shelf overflowing with more books than he'd ever seen in one place."
Goodreads Synopsis:
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
that saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now am found
Now remembered as the author of the world's most famous hymn, in the mid-eighteenth century as England and France stand on the brink of war, John Newton is a young sailor wandering aimlessly through life. His only duty is to report to his ship and avoid disgracing his father until the night he hears Polly Catlett's enchanting voice, caroling. He's immediately smitten and determined to win her affection.
An intense connection quickly forms between the two, but John's reckless spirit and disregard for the Christian life are concerns for the responsible, devout Polly. When an ill-fated stop at a tavern leaves John imprisoned and bound, Polly must choose to either stand by his side or walk out of his life forever. Will she forfeit her future for the man she loves?
Step back through the pages of history, to uncover the true love story behind a song that continues to stir the hearts and ignite the faith of millions around the globe.
So, who is an author you usually love?
21 September 2016
Fifth Column by Mike Hollow
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| ★★★★★ Goodreads | Amazon |
Detective Inspector Jago investigates, uncovering deception and betrayal.
At first glance, the young woman found in the early hours of the morning where bombs have landed is just another casualty of the previous night's air raid. But when the post-mortem shows signs of strangulation, Detective Inspector Jago is called on to investigate.
The dead woman is smartly dressed but carries no identification. However, a local engineering company reports a staff member has failed to appear at work that morning and the body is quickly identified as that of Miss Mary Watkins.
DI Jago's initial interviews yield little fruit; no one can think of a reason why Mary would be murdered. But as the investigation continues DI Jago begins to uncover a trail of deception and betrayal.
Waiting on Wednesday: Tangled Webs & Long Way Gone
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| Hosted weekly by Breaking the Spine to spotlight eagerly-anticipated upcoming releases. |
Author: Irene Hannon
Publisher: Revell
Expected Publication Date: 4 October 2016
After a disastrous Middle East mission ends his six-year Army Ranger career, Finn McGregor needs some downtime. A peaceful month in the woods sounds like the perfect way to decompress. But peace isn't on the agenda once he crosses paths with publishing executive Dana Lewis, a neighbor who is nursing wounds of her own. Someone seems bent on disrupting her stay in the cabin she inherited from her grandfather. As Finn and Dana work together to discover who is behind the disquieting pranks, the incidents begin to take on a menacing tone. And when it becomes apparent Dana's foe may have deadly intent, Finn finds himself back in the thick of the action--ready or not.
Bestselling author Irene Hannon draws readers into a web of psychological suspense where danger lurks in dark corners . . . and keeps them captive until the very last page.
Bestselling author Irene Hannon draws readers into a web of psychological suspense where danger lurks in dark corners . . . and keeps them captive until the very last page.
Author: Charles Martin
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Expected Publication Date: 4 October 2016
At the age of eighteen, musician and songwriter Cooper O’Connor took everything his father held dear and drove 1,200 miles from home to Nashville, his life riding on a six-string guitar and the bold wager that he had talent. But his wager soon proved foolish.
Five years after losing everything, he falls in love with Daley Cross, an angelic voice in need of a song. But just as he realizes his love for Daley, Cooper faces a tragedy that threatens his life as well as his career. With nowhere else to go, he returns to his remote home in the Colorado Mountains, searching for answers about his father and his faith.
When Daley shows up on his street corner twenty years later, he wonders if it’s too late to tell her the truth about his past—and if he is ready to face it.
A radical retelling of the story of the prodigal son, Long Way Gone takes us from tent revivals to the Ryman Auditorium to the tender relationship between a broken man and the father who never stopped calling him home.
“No matter where you go, no matter whether you succeed or fail, stand or fall, no gone is too far gone. You can always come home.”
At the age of eighteen, musician and songwriter Cooper O’Connor took everything his father held dear and drove 1,200 miles from home to Nashville, his life riding on a six-string guitar and the bold wager that he had talent. But his wager soon proved foolish.
Five years after losing everything, he falls in love with Daley Cross, an angelic voice in need of a song. But just as he realizes his love for Daley, Cooper faces a tragedy that threatens his life as well as his career. With nowhere else to go, he returns to his remote home in the Colorado Mountains, searching for answers about his father and his faith.
When Daley shows up on his street corner twenty years later, he wonders if it’s too late to tell her the truth about his past—and if he is ready to face it.
A radical retelling of the story of the prodigal son, Long Way Gone takes us from tent revivals to the Ryman Auditorium to the tender relationship between a broken man and the father who never stopped calling him home.
20 September 2016
Top Ten Tuesday: Books That Remind Me of One Direction Songs
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| Hosted weekly by The Broke and the Bookish. |
Well, here's my confession for the day: I love One Direction, and earlier this year, for a solid three months, I listened only to One Direction. (This brief habit started completely by accident, I promise.) And during those One-Direction months, I began to connect songs with books I had read (some making better matches than others, admittedly), so even though it's a little goofy, I couldn't think of any list I'd rather share for this audio-themed TTT. Enjoy (because I sure did)!
"18": Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Beth K. Vogt
"I have loved you since we were 18
Long before we both thought the same thing
To be loved and to be in love"
This song easily reminded me of second-chance couple, Vanessa and Logan, who elope their senior year of high school but divorce when their lives go different directions in college. Years later, they happen to cross paths and discover that their teenage chemistry still exists, despite all the challenges they've faced.
"Back for You": Just a Kiss by Denise Hunter
"Lately, I've been going crazy
So I'm coming back for you"
Riley joins the military so he doesn't have to watch his best friend Paige date other men. When her latest relationship ends, he determines to return home and win her heart, which reminds me of the "coming back for you" mentality of this song. (That is, before an unfortunate turn of events complicates his plan.)
"End of the Day": My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
"All I know at the end of the day
Is you want what you want and you say what you say
And you'll follow your heart even though it'll break
Sometimes"
When Samantha begins a relationship with boy-next-door Jase and his family, who her mother vehemently does not like, she encounters a series of difficult choices to make. Through it all, caught between her family and the Garretts, she tries to follow her heart and do the right thing.
"Half a Heart": Remember to Forget by Ashley Royer
"I'm half a man at best
With half an arrow in my chest
With half an arrow in my chest
I miss everything we do
I'm half a heart without you"
The death of his girlfriend leaves Levi mired in depression and doubt, definitely feeling like "half a man at best." When he relocates to live with his father, he begins to learn how to heal and move forward, even as he misses that relationship.
"Heart Attack": The Wrath & the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh
"I'm trying to be okay, I'm trying to be alright,
But seeing you with him just don't feel right."
This song choice is for Tariq, the left-behind childhood sweetheart who absolutely does not like seeing his beloved Shahrzad with the monstrous Khalid. He has the hardest time letting go of her love and the possibility of a future with her and, hoping to save her, causes all kinds of trouble.
"Heart Attack": The Wrath & the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh
"I'm trying to be okay, I'm trying to be alright,
But seeing you with him just don't feel right."
This song choice is for Tariq, the left-behind childhood sweetheart who absolutely does not like seeing his beloved Shahrzad with the monstrous Khalid. He has the hardest time letting go of her love and the possibility of a future with her and, hoping to save her, causes all kinds of trouble.
"I Should Have Kissed You": The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
"'Cause you were right here and I should've taken the chance
But I got so scared and I lost the moment again"
The Rosie Project is full of will-they-or-won't-they moments as both Don's search for a wife and friendship with Rosie progress. Don does not always read social interactions well, so he mistakes opportunities, especially with Rosie, and later realizes his regret.
"I Want to Write You a Song": P.S. I Like You by Kasie West
"I want to write you a song"
The explanation here is really quite simple: this song about writing a song reminded me of P.S. I Like You's Lily, an aspiring songwriter with a secret pen pal inspiring her lyrics. Besides songwriting, nothing else about the two are necessarily similar.
The explanation here is really quite simple: this song about writing a song reminded me of P.S. I Like You's Lily, an aspiring songwriter with a secret pen pal inspiring her lyrics. Besides songwriting, nothing else about the two are necessarily similar.
That might fit like this
And I will give you all my heart
So we can start it all over again"
To me, this song suggests giving a relationship another shot, so it reminds me of another second-chance couple, Ryan and Abby. They have plenty of baggage between them when they end up on a road-trip together and need to pretend to still be married. As the situation allows them to confront their brokenness, they see if staring over again could be possible.
"Stand Up": Stealing the Preacher by Karen Witemeyer
"So put your hands up
'Cause it’s a stand up
And I won’t be leaving
'Cause it’s a stand up
And I won’t be leaving
‘til I finish stealing every piece of your heart"
Of course a book with a main character held up while traveling by train and taken hostage for an outlaw's daughter makes me think of "Stand Up."
"Through the Dark": Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
"And you don't need, you don't need to run
And you will see it's easy to be loved
I know you wanna be loved"
Having experienced only a life of mistreatment and prostitution, Angel is wary when Michael offers a new start with love, healing, and truth. Yet, despite her denials and rejections, Michael never gives up on her and continues to love her, pursue her, comfort her until she understands the truth of her worth.
So... any book that makes you think of a certain song?
Having experienced only a life of mistreatment and prostitution, Angel is wary when Michael offers a new start with love, healing, and truth. Yet, despite her denials and rejections, Michael never gives up on her and continues to love her, pursue her, comfort her until she understands the truth of her worth.
So... any book that makes you think of a certain song?
19 September 2016
The Wedding Shop by Rachel Hauck
About the Book
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| ★★★★★ Goodreads | Amazon |
Two women separated by decades. Both set out to help others find their dreams when their own have crumbled.
It’s the early 1930s, but Cora Scott is walking in stride as a career woman after having inherited her great aunt’s wedding shop in Heart’s Bend, Tennessee, where brides come from as far away as Birmingham to experience her famed bridal treatment. Meanwhile, Cora is counting down the days until her own true love returns from the river to make her his bride. But days turn into months and months to years. All the while, Birch Good continues to woo Cora and try to show her that while he is solid and dependable, he can sweep her off her feet.
More than eighty years later, former Air Force Captain Haley Morgan has returned home to Heart’s Bend after finishing her commitment to military service. After the devastating death of her best friend, Tammy, and discovering the truth about the man she loved, Haley is searching for her place in life.
It’s the early 1930s, but Cora Scott is walking in stride as a career woman after having inherited her great aunt’s wedding shop in Heart’s Bend, Tennessee, where brides come from as far away as Birmingham to experience her famed bridal treatment. Meanwhile, Cora is counting down the days until her own true love returns from the river to make her his bride. But days turn into months and months to years. All the while, Birch Good continues to woo Cora and try to show her that while he is solid and dependable, he can sweep her off her feet.
More than eighty years later, former Air Force Captain Haley Morgan has returned home to Heart’s Bend after finishing her commitment to military service. After the devastating death of her best friend, Tammy, and discovering the truth about the man she loved, Haley is searching for her place in life.
When Haley decides to reopen the romantic but abandoned wedding shop where she and Tammy played and dreamed as children, she begins a journey of courage, mystery, and love.
As Cora’s and Haley’s stories intertwine through time in the shadow of the beloved wedding shop, they both discover the power of their own dreams and the magic of everyday love.
Now The Wedding Chapel must compete with The Wedding Shop for my favorite Rachel Hauck book... It’s a difficult choice, since both take place in Heart’s Bend, Tennessee with dual timelines full of romance and second chances, and I really just love them both.
Haley Morgan returns to her small Tennessee town after years in the military and, keeping her promise to her best childhood friend, decides to restore and run The Wedding Shop. As Haley tackles this daunting and doubt-inducing task, Hauck intertwines her story with the one of The Wedding Shop’s previous proprietress, Cora Scott. With each passing page, their experiences around The Wedding Shop connect and complement each other beautifully to share an excellent narrative of grace, forgiveness and restoration.
Readers of historical and contemporary romance, be sure to read this latest novel from Rachel Hauck. It’s a heartwarming read with another good blend of the historical and the contemporary - I highly recommend it.
Thanks to Celebrate Lit, I received a copy of The Wedding Shop and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.
Rachel Hauck is a USA Today bestselling author. Her book, The Wedding Dress, was named Inspirational Novel of the Year by Romantic Times and was a RITA finalist. Her book Once Upon A Prince was a Christy Award finalist.
Rachel lives in central Florida with her husband and two pets and writes from her ivory tower. Visit her online at her website, Facebook, and Twitter.
While all books are my “babies,” this one found a special place in my heart.
This standalone novel is part of the Wedding Collection – The Wedding Dress and The Wedding Chapel – and it came to life when I discovered the story of Cora Scott, a 1930s wedding shop owner.
At 30, she’s an old maid, but the best “bride’s maid” in fictional Heart’s Bend, Tennessee. But she’s in love with a charismatic, charming river boat captain.
The contemporary heroine, Haley Morgan, is a retired Air Force captain returning to Heart’s Bend to restart her life. She’s recovering from a broken heart. The handsome, dynamic, charming man she loved was nothing but trouble.
Returning home, Haley is set on keeping a childhood promise she made with her best friend—to open the old wedding shop.
The shop is legend in Heart’s Bend. Haley grew up with stories of Miss Cora and the shop, hearing the town’s mothers, grandmothers, and great grandmothers reminiscing about their “day in the shop,” walking down the grand staircase in their wedding gown.
But in 2016, the shop is dilapidated, neglected and in need of more money than Haley possesses.
While writing this story, I had to ask a lot of questions. Why reopen the old shop? Why not just open a new one?
Haley was a combat veteran, deployed to Afghanistan twice, why would she want to open a wedding shop?
I also investigate the meaning of the shop to the town? To Cora? To Haley?
As I developed the backstory for the characters, the shop and the town, Cora’s came to life. She fascinated me. I admired this fictional woman. She exuded ingenuity, courage, and deep, deep devotion.
On the other hand, Haley was a bit of a mystery but from the start, she saw value in something no one else did.
What if we all saw value in people or places others wanted to reject?
Isn’t that what Jesus does for us?
The heroes of the book, Birch and Cole, are just stellar guys. Princes among men. I love writing about slightly wounded but strong and tender men.
The theme of family and community populates the story. Also, how misconceptions and preconceived ideas often ruin relationships.
Booklist gave The Wedding Shop a Starred Review and called it, “Spellbinding.”
There’s a lot of fun drama in this book! I hope you enjoy spending time with Cora and Haley, the men they love and the shop they bring to life.
I’d love to hear your thoughts! Connect with me at www.rachelhauck.com.
About the Author
Rachel lives in central Florida with her husband and two pets and writes from her ivory tower. Visit her online at her website, Facebook, and Twitter.
Guest Post from Rachel Hauck
Hey everyone! I’m so excited to share The Wedding Shop with you. This book is one of my favorites.While all books are my “babies,” this one found a special place in my heart.
This standalone novel is part of the Wedding Collection – The Wedding Dress and The Wedding Chapel – and it came to life when I discovered the story of Cora Scott, a 1930s wedding shop owner.
At 30, she’s an old maid, but the best “bride’s maid” in fictional Heart’s Bend, Tennessee. But she’s in love with a charismatic, charming river boat captain.
The contemporary heroine, Haley Morgan, is a retired Air Force captain returning to Heart’s Bend to restart her life. She’s recovering from a broken heart. The handsome, dynamic, charming man she loved was nothing but trouble.
Returning home, Haley is set on keeping a childhood promise she made with her best friend—to open the old wedding shop.
The shop is legend in Heart’s Bend. Haley grew up with stories of Miss Cora and the shop, hearing the town’s mothers, grandmothers, and great grandmothers reminiscing about their “day in the shop,” walking down the grand staircase in their wedding gown.
But in 2016, the shop is dilapidated, neglected and in need of more money than Haley possesses.
While writing this story, I had to ask a lot of questions. Why reopen the old shop? Why not just open a new one?
Haley was a combat veteran, deployed to Afghanistan twice, why would she want to open a wedding shop?
I also investigate the meaning of the shop to the town? To Cora? To Haley?
As I developed the backstory for the characters, the shop and the town, Cora’s came to life. She fascinated me. I admired this fictional woman. She exuded ingenuity, courage, and deep, deep devotion.
On the other hand, Haley was a bit of a mystery but from the start, she saw value in something no one else did.
What if we all saw value in people or places others wanted to reject?
Isn’t that what Jesus does for us?
The heroes of the book, Birch and Cole, are just stellar guys. Princes among men. I love writing about slightly wounded but strong and tender men.
The theme of family and community populates the story. Also, how misconceptions and preconceived ideas often ruin relationships.
Booklist gave The Wedding Shop a Starred Review and called it, “Spellbinding.”
There’s a lot of fun drama in this book! I hope you enjoy spending time with Cora and Haley, the men they love and the shop they bring to life.
I’d love to hear your thoughts! Connect with me at www.rachelhauck.com.
Blog Stops
September 13: History, Mystery & Faith, A Holland Reads
September 14: Giveaway Lady, Daysong Reflections
September 15: Book Bites, Bee Stings, and Butterfly Kisses, Bibliophile Reviews
September 16: Bigreadersite, The Scribbler
September 17: Books, Dreams, Life, ASC Book Reviews
September 18: Book Babble, D’S QUILTS & BOOKS
September 19: Pause for Tales, Book by Book
September 20: The Power of Words, Lighthouse Academy
September 21: Proverbial Reads, Splashes of Joy
September 22: Faithfully Bookish, Singing Librarian Books
September 23: Tell Tale Book Reviews, Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations
September 24: Quiet Quilter, Reading Is My SuperPower
September 25: For The Love of Books
September 26: His Grace Is Sufficient, Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Rachel is giving away her Wedding Collection Series! Click here to enter to win.
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