Nashville Sweetheart by Rachel Hauck

★★★★★
Goodreads | Amazon

What do you do when the past you've been dodging shows up at your door with cameras rolling?

Aubrey James ruled the charts as the queen of country for over a decade. She'd rocketed to fame in the shadow of her parents' death – both of them pioneers in gospel music. But while her public life – high-profile romances and fights with Music Row execs – made for juicy tabloid headlines, the real and private Aubrey has remained a media mystery.

When a former band member betrays Aubrey's trust and sells an "exclusive" to a tabloid, the star knows she must go public with her story. But Aubrey's private world is rocked when the Inside NashVegas interviewer is someone from her past – someone she'd hoped to forget.

All the moxie in the world won't let this diva run any longer.

Rachel Hauck’s Nashville Sweetheart (previously titled Diva NashVegas, I believe) is a lot of fun to read. Switching between classic first-person narrative, interview dialogue and media snippets to explore life in the spotlight of the country music world, Hauck kept me on my toes and I couldn’t put the novel down. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a quick inspirational read. Thanks again to BookLook Bloggers for providing me with a free digital copy of this novel, as well as the opportunity to honestly review it. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. (I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”)

Take This Cup by Bodie and Brock Thoene

★★★★★
Goodreads | Amazon

Nehemiah, the young son of a Jewish woman, a weaver from Jerusalem, is born and raised among the Jews who didn't return to Jerusalem from the Exile. Educated by Rabbi Kagba, one of the magi present at Jesus' birth thirty years earlier, Nehemiah grows up with the expectation of a soon-coming Messiah. Could the Yeshua of Nazareth, who is walking the earth, reportedly doing miracles, be that Messiah?

When young Nehemiah must travel the long caravan road to Jerusalem, he is charged with an unusual mission – to carry a mysterious object back to the holy city of Jerusalem… an object whose reappearance heralds the Messiah's arrival. Nehemiah arrives in Jerusalem just as the final events of Jesus' earthly ministry are coming to a climax: the Feast of Dedication, the Triumphal Entry, the last cleansing of the Temple, and culminating at the Last Supper in the Upper Room. Only Nehemiah understands the true sacrifice that is to come as he makes the cup worthy of his Savior.

Bodie and Brock Thoene’s Take This Cup fascinated me. The Thoenes have an extraordinary ability to weave together prophecies and histories and teachings from all over the Scriptures into one brilliant and cohesive story. The narrative presents and connects the material in an original way, one I hadn’t previously considered even though I am familiar with the referenced texts. In light of Indiana Jones and Monty Python, this exploration of the Holy Grail’s theoretical origins and history leading to the Last Supper continually and completely intrigued me, and I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in biblical literature. Although it is the second novel in The Jerusalem Chronicles series (following When Jesus Wept), Take This Cup can be read on its own without confusion. Thanks to BookLook Bloggers, I received a free copy of this book, as well as the opportunity to honestly review it. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. (I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”)

Through the Deep Waters by Kim Vogel Sawyer

★★★★★
Start reading chapter one of
Through the Deep Waters here.
Goodreads | Amazon

A past filled with shame can be washed away with a love that conquers all.
 
Born to an unloving prostitute in a popular Chicago brothel, timid seventeen-year-old Dinah Hubley was raised amidst the secrets held in every dark, grimy room of her home. Anxious to escape, Dinah pursues her dream of becoming a Harvey Girl, waiting tables along the railroad in an upscale hotel. But when she finds out she isn’t old enough, her only option is to accept a job as a chambermaid at the Clifton Hotel in Florence, Kansas. Eager to put everything behind her, Dinah feels more worthless than ever, based on a single horrible decision she made to survive.
 
The Clifton offers a life Dinah has never known, but blinded to the love around her, Dinah remains buried in the shame of her past. When a handsome chicken farmer named Amos Ackerman starts to show interest, Dinah withdraws further, convinced no one could want a sullied woman like her.  Despite his self-consciousness about his handicapped leg and her strange behavior, Amos resolves to show Dinah Christ’s love. But can she ever accept a gift she so desperately needs?

After reading Kim Vogel Sawyer’s Echoes of Mercy, the opportunity to read and review her Through the Deep Waters seemed too good to pass up. And after finishing the novel, I can say Sawyer does not disappoint. Again, with her genuine characters and well-researched historical backdrop, she creates a truly captivating story. Brimming with the truth of grace, worth and forgiveness, I found this novel reminiscent of Francine River’s Redeeming Love in many ways, while still remaining uniquely enjoyable. Through the Deep Waters is definitely worth reading and I absolutely appreciate receiving a copy of it from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group, with the opportunity to read and honestly review it.


Now, enter for a chance to win a copy of Kim Vogel Sawyer's Through the Deep Waters before the giveaway ends. The contest starts on July 31, 2014 at 6:00am EST and ends on August 20, 2014 at 11:59pm EST. One winner will be chosen at random on August 21, 2014 and will be alerted by email. For a complete listing of the rules, please see below.

Bluebonnet Bride by Colleen Coble

★★★★★
Goodreads | Amazon

At the turn of the 20th century, Elli Korpela boarded The Baltic as a mail order bride. But the threat she thought she was escaping somehow followed her to America…

Escaping a forced engagement, Elli sought refuge in an arranged, mail-order marriage. Her betrothed is a Texan named Nathan White. As she glimpses her future husband and his darling niece at the train station, she instantly knows her risk will prove the best decision she's ever made.

Nathan White never took an interest in marriage until he became the guardian of four-year-old Hannah. He’s arranged a mail order wife to love and care for his orphaned niece. But his mind changes when he first sees the beautiful Elli Korpela.

After a glorious wedding ceremony in the gardens of a place called Butterfly Palace – the grandest estate Elli's ever seen – a peaceful beginning takes a disquieting turn. An intruder brutally attacks Elli. Nathan intervenes, but the devil escapes unidentified, leaving Elli to face two chilling possibilities: either the attack was arranged by strike workers in Nathan's employ or her shadowy past followed her across the sea.

As the danger mounts, Elli and Nathan must face their enemy together, fighting for their newfound marriage – and for their lives.

Like other novellas I have read recently, Colleen Coble’s “Bluebonnet Bride” is a quick yet thoroughly enjoyable read. The fast-moving mix of romance and intrigue, combined with the perfect amount of character description and backstory, compelled me to turn page after page until reaching the satisfying resolution. At the end, I found myself eager to read Coble’s Butterfly Palace, which I believe precedes “Bluebonnet Bride” and introduces several of the mentioned characters. Yet, this novella still can stand on its own and I would recommend it to anyone with a couple hours available, looking for a heart-racing and heartwarming read. I thank BookLook Bloggers for providing me with a free copy of this novella and the opportunity to honestly review it. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. (I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”)

The Quilted Heart Omnibus by Mona Hodgson

★★★★★
Begin your reading here.
Goodreads | Amazon

“A quilted heart is a transformed heart.”

Like a beautiful patchwork quilt, the three novellas in The Quilted Heart tell stories of lives stitched together with love and God’s unending grace. 
 
Once a week, Elsa Brantenberg hosts the Saint Charles Quilting Circle at her farmhouse on the outskirts of the riverside town of St. Charles, Missouri. The ladies who gather there have all experienced heartache related to the intense hardships of the Civil War, and together, they are facing their painful circumstances with friendship and prayer. Can the tattered pieces of their hearts be stitched together by God’s grace? 
 
“Dandelions on the Wind”: When Maren Jensen took a job on Elsa Brantenberg’s St. Charles, Missouri farm, she never expected to call the place her home. As she grows to love Mrs. Brantenberg and her granddaughter, Gabi, Maren is transformed from a lonely mail-order bride-without-a-groom to a beloved member of the Brantenberg household. But when Gabi’s father, Rutherford “Wooly” Wainwright, returns to the farm unexpectedly, everything changes for Maren, and she feels compelled to find another job. Are her choices in obedience to God, or is she running from His plan? 
 
“Bending Toward the Sun”: Dedicated to her education and to helping her father in his general store, Emilie Heinrich is convinced she doesn't have time for love. But when a childhood friend returns to St. Charles, Missouri, after serving in the Civil War, his smile and charm captures Emilie’s eye and her heart. Will she be forced to choose between honoring her father and a future with a husband and family of her own? 
 
“Ripples Along the Shore”: Change is brewing in St. Charles. A group of brave souls are preparing to head west on the Boone's Lick Wagon Train, led by the mysterious and handsome Garrett Cowlishaw, who served as a Confederate soldier in the war that killed Caroline’s husband. Despite her dislike for him, Caroline is tempted to join the wagon train and start fresh somewhere new, but when Mr. Cowlishaw forbids her – a single woman – to travel with them, will one man’s prejudice destroy Caroline’s hope for a new future? Or will the ripples of God’s love bring the answer she needs?

Mona Hodgson’s The Quilted Heart Omnibus collects three sweet novellas: “Dandelions on the Wind,” “Bending Toward the Sun” and “Ripples Along the Shore.” With quilting and its correlation with God’s unending grace as the connecting theme, each novella explores the lives of a different set of characters within this post-Civil War society of Saint Charles, Missouri. Hodgson creates characters and stories I would love to delve into even deeper, though I understand with the limitations of a novella all the details cannot always be explained and elaborated. Admittedly, I would have liked a bit more closure with the storyline at the end of the collection (but I have no problem reading Prairie Song to find the answers to my questions). Regardless, I honestly enjoyed each of Hodgson’s quick stories and would recommend them for an easy afternoon read. I thank WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for providing me with a copy of this novella collection. I greatly appreciate the opportunity to read and honestly review it.

*Previously I wrote a review specifically for the novella, "Dandelions on the Winds," and it can be found here.