Wings Like a Dove Review

Can the invisible walls that separate people ever come down?
In 1933, Anna Leibowicz is convinced that the American dream that brought her Jewish family here from Poland is nothing but an illusion. Her father has vanished. Her dreams of college can’t make it past the sweat-shop door. And when she discovers to her shame and horror that she’s with child, her mother gives her little choice but to leave her family. Deciding her best course of action is to try to find her father, she strikes out…hoping against hope to somehow redeem them both.
When Anna stumbles upon a house full of orphan boys in rural Indiana who are in desperate need of a tutor, she agrees to postpone her journey. But she knows from the moment she meets their contemplative, deep-hearted caretaker, Thomas Chandler, that she doesn’t dare risk staying too long. She can’t afford to open her heart to them, to him. She can’t risk letting her secrets out.
All too soon, the townspeople realize she’s not like them and treat her with the same disdain they give the Sisters of Mercy—the nuns who help Thomas and the boys—and Samuel, the quiet colored boy Thomas has taken in. With the Klan presence in the town growing ever stronger and the danger to this family increasing the longer she stays, Anna is torn between fleeing to keep them safe…and staying to fight beside them.
Oh, that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest…

My thoughts: This book is amazing! The historical aspect of it was so interesting and gave me a lot to think about. Like, how hard it must of been to come to the "Land of the Free" to find that there were still prejudices over here that could get one hurt. And, how hard it was for those small towns that suffered from the prejudiced running them to change and uphold the laws. I was blown away by Camille's writing. She gives readers an excellent, thought provoking story about one brave young woman who seeks to make the world around her a better place by putting her family and her unborn child's needs before her own, causing her to strike out on her own. This is an excellent story to pick up! I look forward to reading more of Camille's stories!
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Purchase a copy here:

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About the Author:
Camille writes poignant, inspirational love stories some call “more than a romance.” She lives in Oregon with her husband and is a mom, grandma, office admin, lead foot, cinnamon roll baker, and a bass guitarist. She’s a fan of muscle cars, tender romance, and Peanut M&Ms.

More from Camille
If Only I Could Fly Away…
“Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. I would flee far away and stay in the desert; I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and storm.” -Psalm 55:6-8
What do you think of when you read this passage from Psalms? Does the idea of escape tempt you? Have you ever cried out for relief from life’s storms?
In Wings Like a Dove, Anna faces growing difficulties in her life. Psalm 55:6 is brought to her attention and she ponders it more than once, especially as the difficulties in her life steadily increase.
As Polish Jews in the early 1900s, Anna’s family lived in constant upheaval, so fleeing danger is nothing new to her. The problem is that Anna craves connection and community. While she was often uprooted, at least Anna enjoyed the security of family—until now. As the story begins, she is turned out of her home and must journey across the country alone, a heartache that only intensifies the persecution she faces as a Jew, an immigrant, and an unwed woman with child.
But her journey is temporarily delayed out of necessity, and she quickly falls in love with those who have taken her in. The idea of leaving them is as painful a prospect as leaving her own family, but because of the troubles that follow her, it seems she has no choice.
Psalm 55:6 isn’t tempting Anna to leave her surroundings; it tempts her to escape the negativity that robs her joy.
For Anna, and for the rest of us, we can’t flee trouble any more than we can grow wings and fly. The desire for relief is understandable. But what if there is a purpose in the difficult situations we face? What if we are called to more than simply outlast life’s storms? What if our weakest moment is exactly what God wants to use to show his power, love, mercy, and grace?
What if God is waiting for us to stop fluttering our wings and find joy in knowing that we are in the very place we need to be, for a purpose, for such a time as this?
Quote from Anna:
“If these past months have taught me nothing else, they have taught me that though I am only a seed blowing in the wind, I must still be fruitful wherever I land. I have learned that wherever we find ourselves, we must have the courage to stretch out roots and produce something useful, even in times of difficulty. We must bloom boldly in whatever field our seed has fallen.”
May you find the sweet spot of joy and purpose in the midst of your storm!

-Camille

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, Camille is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon card & a signed book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

The Wedding Dress Christmas

December covers quaint Heart’s Bend, Tennessee with a blanket of white and the glitter of Christmas lights.
For JoJo Castle there’s no place like home. It’s her safe place. Her one-time love of adventure ended when life in the big city shattered her hopes and dreams. Now that she’s returned to Hearts Bend, she never wants to leave again.
Buck Mathews, the biggest country singing sensation in decades, has the world on a string – his guitar strings, to be exact. However, when news of his mother’s illness sends him back to Hearts Bend for the holiday season, he remembers how good it can be to live among family and friends.
Working with her cousin Haley in The Wedding Shop, JoJo has no aspirations of love. Leaving home, surrendering her heart again, is just too risky.
When she runs into her friend and high school crush Buck Mathews, she discovers Love might have other plans for her .
Buck’s career is on the verge of an momentous leap. But seeing JoJo awakens feelings he’d buried long ago. Falling in love is easy, but winning her heart will take more than one of his melodic tunes and clever lyrics.
JoJo and Buck want opposite things for their lives, leaving no room for compromise. Can love, especially the kind that touches hearts at Christmastime, overcome her fears and his quest for greatness?
When a very special gown – the wedding dress – begins to make its presence known, JoJo and Buck’s hearts bend in a way neither ever thought possible.

My thoughts: I enjoyed the previous books in this series, so I was thrilled to get a copy of this novella length story! While it is like catching up with old friends for readers who have read the previous books, it still works well as a stand alone story.
I enjoyed JoJo's story-getting to know her as she leans to work through the fear that sent her home to Heart's Bend. I also really enjoyed that Buck is a musician, since I'm married to one and have a soft spot for heroes who are musicians.
This is a delightful Christmas story to pick up!
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Purchase a copy here:


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About the Author:
Rachel Hauck is an award winning, New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author.
Her book The Wedding Dress was named Inspirational Novel of the Year by Romantic Times Book Reviews. She is a double RITA finalist, and a Christy and Carol Award Winner.
Her book, Once Upon A Prince, first in the Royal Wedding Series, was filmed for an Original Hallmark movie.
Rachel has been awarded the prestigious Career Achievement Award for her body of original work by Romantic Times Book Reviews.
A member of the Executive Board for American Christian Fiction Writers, she teaches workshops and leads worship at the annual conference. She is a past Mentor of The Year.
At home, she’s a wife, writer, worship leader and works out at the gym semi-enthusiastically.
A graduate of Ohio State University (Go Bucks!) with a degree in Journalism, she’s a former sorority girl and a devoted Ohio State football fan. Her bucket list is to stand on the sidelines with Ryan Day.
She lives in sunny central Florida with her husband and ornery cat.


More From Rachel
Hello Royal Rockstar Readers!
I’m thrilled to share The Wedding Dress Christmas with you. I’ve heard from so many how much The Wedding Dress has touched them, and as I noodled over new story ideas, my thoughts drifted toward the wedding dress and Christmas. What’s more romantic than a Christmas wedding?
This novella is set in Hearts Bend, Tennessee, the fictional town of The Wedding Chapel and The Wedding Shop. Even if you’ve never read one of books in The Wedding Collection, you’ll enjoy this story, the mystery of the dress, and the women whose lives it changed.
I love weddings. They remind us of the purity and the hope of love, the power of commitment. Something powerful is released when two people pledge to spend their lives together, loving and serving one another in both good and bad times. Every wedding I attend reminds me of the vows I made to my husband and I sign up all over again.
Stories are a powerful reflection of life. Yes, fictional stories are often told with wild hyperbole, but that’s what makes them fun to read.
I also love wedding stories because they remind us of God’s love for us, and that one day there will be the grandest wedding of them all. Isn’t it wonderful that God planned a wedding before He created the earth?
In The Wedding Dress Christmas, JoJo and Buck have their issues, but love proves strong enough to conquer them all.
Thanks for going on this little tour with me and The Wedding Dress Christmas.
Yours,
Rachel

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, Rachel is giving away a print copy of the book and a Visa gift card for $25. Swag!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

The Dating Charade

Just when you think you’ve met your match . . . the charade begins.
Cassie Everson is an expert at escaping bad first dates. And, after years of meeting, greeting, and running from the men who try to woo her, Cassie is almost ready to retire her hopes for a husband—and children—altogether.
But fate has other plans, and Cassie’s online dating profile catches the eye of firefighter Jett Bentley. In Jett’s memory, Cassie Everson is the unreachable girl-of-legend from their high school days. Nervously, he messages her, setting off a chain of events that forces a reluctant Cassie back into the dating game.
No one is more surprised than Cassie when her first date with Jett is a knockout. But when they both go home and find three children dropped in their laps—each—they independently decide to do the right and mature thing: hide the kids from each other while sorting it all out. What could go wrong?
Melissa Ferguson’s hilarious and warmhearted debut reminds us that love can come in very small packages—and that sometimes our best-laid plans aren’t nearly as rewarding and fun as the surprises that come our way.

My thoughts: This story is the perfect Rom-com to pick up! I loved the characters, especially Cassie with her big heart for the kids she works with. Really, both she and Jett are all heart as they put others ahead of their relationship. Both try juggling "double" lives when each of them have kids dropped in their laps, which results in some funny dates. This is an excellent story with a beautiful message. I look forward to reading more by Melissa!
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Purchase a copy here:

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About the Author:
Melissa Ferguson lives in Bristol, Tennessee, where she is an adjunct professor at King University and pens books that make her laugh and grow. She used to have hobbies like running and backpacking the Appalachian Trail outside her door. Now she and her husband are outnumbered, and her hobbies include diaper changes, chasing toddlers in parking lots, and admiring the Appalachian Trail out her minivan window while singing “Winnie the Pooh.” She survives by Jesus, rom coms, and roughly two espresso shots a day. The Dating Charade is her first novel.

Read an Excerpt
Read an excerpt of The Dating Charade here.

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Mistletoe Melody and Mistletoe Mission

Mistletoe Melody:
Former musician, Melody Staff, spends Christmas at a bed and breakfast in the village of Mistletoe Meadows. While everyone sings familiar carols of Christ drawing near, Melody stumbles over misplaced notes. Her recent diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis has scared off her fiancé and thrust her life into a grand pause. She’s not sure her heart will ever sing again.
Quentin Oxford has endured a devastating year. His preteen daughter suffered a stroke, and they’ve grieved his wife’s sudden death, but the Lord coaxes a surprising refrain from Quentin’s heart as God rewrites his and Melody’s score into a holiday love song that will last for Christmases to come.
Mistletoe Mission:
While her own relationships always end up doomed, Emily Colt is still determined to create happily-ever-afters through her wedding and event planning business. In hopes of expanding her business, she enters her latest project–staging the Christmas wedding of the year–into a town-wide contest. But between crossing paths with the first man to break her heart and dodging a saboteur, she doubts even career success is within her grasp.
Jilted pastor, Luca Wilson, fled to the mission field to escape a broken heart. All the hurt rushes back when he returns home to officiate his cousin’s wedding, and he finds Emily, the girl to whom he once promised forever, organizing the celebration. Despite his lost faith in love, their unforeseen reunion rekindles a spark, and Luca vows to help her save her struggling business. But to succeed, they will have to learn what it means to trust each other and believe in the God of Christmas miracles.

My thoughts: Mistletoe Melody is the story of two people who are thrown together at Christmas time that are both suffering from things that have happened in their lives. Quentin is holding back from truly living after losing a wife to drugs and left in the care of raising their daughter. Melody is struggling to come to terms with a diagnosis that cost her both her fiancé and her career. Can they find hope during the holiday season? This story really struck home for me, since the holidays have become a bittersweet time for my family, since it has many good memories for my husband and I as a couple (getting engaged before Christmas 11 years ago), but then also some sad memories like my sister in law going through two surgeries to remove a brain tumor within a year of each other (which we eventually lost her to). I can see how the holidays can be a difficult time for those who have lost loved ones or morn over fading dreams. This book is an excellent story that reminds the reader of hope and love.
In Mistletoe Mission, readers are invited back to Mistletoe Meadows for a wedding that seems to be falling apart from the start. I enjoyed the chance to return to some of the characters in the previous book, and wish that this one was full length! Emily is a wonderful character, and I thought that Stacey did an excellent job of bringing the characters and their stories to life. I look forward to reading more by Stacey!
I received these books from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

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About the Author:
Stacey Weeks is the multi-award-winning author of Glorious Surrender (2016) and Chasing Holiness (2020), inspirational romances The Builder’s Reluctant Bride (2016), Mistletoe Melody (2018), Mistletoe Mission (Dec 2019) and inspirational romantic suspense novels In Too Deep (2017), and Fatal Homecoming (2019). Stacey lives in Ontario where she speaks at women’s conferences, teaches writing and bible study workshops, and writes about the things of the Lord. www.staceyweeks.com

More from Stacey
It is strange, sometimes, what inspires a story. At the time of writing Mistletoe Melody, the ten-year-old daughter of a good friend was on the recovery side of a massive stroke. This young girl inspired Janie, and she gave the character her contagious smile, a mischievous pre-teen sense of humor, and a fierce love for family. You don’t read all of Janie’s story in Mistletoe Melody, but perhaps you will in a later novella.
Melody was the result of my lovely twenty-something niece receiving a shocking diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis. She endured painful tests, had hopes raised and dashed, and was blessed when the Lord saw fit to work through a drug trial to ease her suffering. Watching her life, her plans, and the things she assumed were a given for her future get shaken to their core sent me to the Scriptures.
Not too long before drafting Mistletoe Mission (book two set in Mistletoe Meadows), my husband and I travelled to Haiti. As our driver transported us from the airport to the compound on which we stayed for the duration of our trip, he pointed in the general direction of the beach that receives cruise ships and tourists. He said that portion of Haiti is separated from the rest and is considered by some to be the most beautiful section of Haiti. I disagree.
To be fair, I didn’t visit the cleaned-up beach just around the other side of the mountain, but I saw something most tourists do not get to see. I met the people and visited several in their homes. I witnessed the determination and hard work that life requires from them. I observed a light in their eyes, fueled by a love for Jesus. There is nothing more beautiful than a person on fire for the Lord, a person who is ready to be a light in a dark land.
Luca’s character is loosely based on the Director of Missions and Compassion at Hope Bible Church in Oakville, Ontario. He arranged our trip – my first overseas mission trip – and it changed my life. I have huge respect for the work he is doing, and I am thrilled to see how God is blessing the work.
Another real-life connection that made its way into Mistletoe Mission is a business that inspired the fictional start-up I called One Village. Little by Little is a business for mission committed to empowering Haitian parents. Little by Little sells the Morse Code bracelet featured in Mistletoe Mission. I fell in love with the concept of this business, and it was my delight to write a fictional version into the story. You can visit Little by Little’s website and order a bracelet like the one featured in the book (or maybe you’ll win the one I am giving away on this tour!). http://www.littlebylittle.ca/store/p326/morse-code-bracelet.html
Be blessed this holiday as you seek the Lord who has done and is doing great things.
Stacey

A Gift from Stacey:
Coloring pages based on the books!

Mistletoe Melody Miracle

Mistletoe Melody

Mistletoe Mission

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Micro-read


Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, Stacey is giving away the grand prize of the winner’s choice of a Morse Code Bracelet!! (found here: http://www.littlebylittle.ca/store/p326/morse-code-bracelet.html)
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

Collateral Damage

Honorably discharged from the Army after an explosion nearly killed her, former military psychiatrist Brooke Adams has set up shop to help others--but her days of helping military personnel are over. She's got her own battles to fight from her time overseas, and she's not equipped to take on more. Former Army Special Ops Sergeant First Class Asher James could handle anything that war sent his way--terrorists, bombs, bullets. The only thing that scares him now is sleep. As the shadows close in, the nightmares begin.

Finally convinced that he needs help, Asher makes an appointment with a counselor, and Brooke is pressed by her boss to take him on. When he arrives at her office she isn't there--but a dead body is. Brooke is devastated when she walks in, and Asher is a conveniently strong shoulder to cry on. But she can't take him on as a client after sharing such an intimate and unprofessional moment, can she? And he's not sure he can handle sharing his deepest fears with such a beautiful woman.

When it becomes clear that Brooke was the real target of the attack--and that her secrets go even deeper than his own--Asher vows to protect her no matter what.

Bestselling author Lynette Eason is back with a new series that spans the globe and will have your heart working overtime.

My thoughts: Collateral Damage kept me on my toes as I read through the story! At first, it seems like there are a lot of puzzle pieces to the mystery, with no clear idea on how they fit together. I loved reading through Brooke and Asher's story as they got to know one another better while trying to stay one step ahead of the danger they didn't understand. This is an excellent start to Lynette's newest series! The mystery has a lot of twists and turns. I look forward to seeing where the series goes from here!
I received this book from Revell. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Purchase a copy here:

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Brand of Light Review!

There’s a price on her head, and it has everything to do with the brand on her arm.
Tertian Space Coalition has blessed every planet in the quadrants with high technology, save one: Drosero. But in spite of their tenuous treaty with the ruling clans, TSC has plans for the backward planet. And they’re not alone.
After a catastrophic explosion, Kersei Dragoumis awakens in a derelict shuttle, alone, injured, and ignorant of the forbidden technology that has swept her into a nightmare. The brand she’s borne since childhood burns mysteriously, but the pain is nothing to that when she learns her family is dead and she is accused of their murders.
Across the quadrants, Marco Dusan responds to the call of a holy order—not to join them, but to seek a bounty. Gifted—or cursed—with abilities that mark him a Kynigos, a tracker sworn to bring interplanetary fugitives to justice, Marco discovers this particular bounty has nothing to do with justice and everything to do with prophecy. One that involves the hunter as much as the hunted.

My thoughts: Brand of Light is a fantastic start to this new series by Ronie Kendig! I loved the world that she builds with this space, sci-fi series. I thought that the characters were well written, though I always have this sense (at first) with her stories that I missed a prequel and have to play catch up with the story and characters. I don't know if that is just me and partially because a lot of her stories have a lot to do with the military, and I find some of the abbreviations hard to keep track of. I felt like my equilibrium was off balance for the first bit of this story with trying to figure out the different players and how they fit into the world. That said, it was well worth sticking with the story, since it has multiple layers and twists that are surprising to the reader. I highly recommend this story to high school/Young adult readers on up! The only downside is having to wait for the next book to come out!
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Purchase a copy here:

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About the Author:
Ronie Kendig is an award-winning, bestselling author of over twenty titles. An Army brat, Ronie lives a shot train ride from New York City with her husband, twin sons, and two fur-sons, VVolt N629, a retired military working dog, and Benning the Stealth Golden. Described as an empath by her literary agent, Ronie has used her degree in psychology to write books that have won the coveted Christy Award, Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, HOLT Medallion Award, and more. Her books have also hit the CBA Bestseller List multiple times.

More from Ronnie
In November 2005, I lurched into a story that started with one small element—what if a hero could literally smell fear? And so I delved into the story with the characters, and felt like I’d fallen into the vortex. I wrote over 90,000 words in one month, this story just gushing out of me.
But I was a very new writer. And if you saw the first draft that gushed out of me, you’d snicker. I sure have. It’s appallingly bad writing, yet the story’s bones are healthy and intact. So, I teased the story into shape over the last fourteen years. In 2012, I took a hard look at it and tried to shape up the writing. I’d even gotten to know Kathy Tyers, who wrote for the Star Wars franchise as well as the much-beloved Firebird series (*insert reverent pause here*), and I bravely asked if she would take a peek at the first fifty pages or so. Being gracious as Kathy is, she agreed to take a look.
Um, yikes. Haha. Make no mistake—Kathy is a brilliant writer, and I will never write like her, but I learned so much her feedback and took it to heart. Clearly, I still had a long way to go before that story was ready for the world, so I delved into honing my craft and deepening this story. Honestly, I was afraid show Brand of Light to anyone again, because I love this story so much and did not want to see “her” fail. Nore correctly—I did not want to fail this story.
About three years ago, I sensed a deep conviction that it was time to stop hiding and, as an act of faith and obedience to what God had given me, to send Brand of Light out into the world. As I write this, she is still 1.5 months out from the release, and I’m scared. I want this beauty to be loved, but even if it’s not, *I love this story and know I honored God with my writing and sending her out. I can rest here for a long while, reveling in the gift God gave me with this storyworld and its characters. I’m excited to see her launch out into the deep now. As Marco and the hunters always say, For Honor.

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, Ronie is giving away the grand prize package of a Tinted Prose edition of Brand of Light, Galaxy Tumbler, “Kersei” Dio Adorable Candle, 3 Character Cards (to include Marco, Kersei, Tigo), and 2 Maps (to include Drosero and the planetary map)!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

No Space Like Home

If life were only as simple as following a yellow brick road.
Gail’s quiet life among the Kansa Station turbines ends with a hug, a prayer, and a shove… into space.
She thinks she knows who she is, but she’s wrong. Who is she really? She’s about to find out.
Of course, landing on the wrong planet is complicated enough without crashing into things. Add to that spybots, waspbots, and cyberwolves and it’s no wonder Gail just wants to go home. Back to a life without this interplanetary circus and its flying monkeys.
Intrigue, secrets, and more than a little danger turn a “simple mission” into a hair-raising adventure as Gail—and three friends she meets along the way—accept a mission to save O-Zoras.
In the end, Gail wants nothing more to go home. She’s just not sure where that is anymore. “I’ve decided that home is more about who than where.” Well, that’s a good thing, Gail, because you’re not on Kansa anymore. It’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz meets Firefly in this fresh, a little zarbi, but totally licit YA space adventure.
Grab your copy today and see what ALL that even means!

My thoughts: A book that is a combination of The Wizard of Oz and Firefly? Sign me up! While the Wizard of Oz isn't a favorite classic story of mine, I still thought the combination sounded delightful. I'm so glad that I picked this up, since Dell does a wonderful job of taking the classic story and making it her own. I feel like it can be a fine line of mimicking a classic while making it original and interesting. No Space Like Home was a fun story about four young space travelers who wind up having to save the world from crooked prime ministers, dodgy kings, and flying monkeys. I can't wait for the next book in the series!
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Purchase a copy here:

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About the Author:
Dell lives on the windswept Wyoming plains with her husband, six children, a cardigan corgi dog, a calico cat, and a flock of chickens.
A lifelong reader, and lover of words, she also loves the Word; God’s good news to us.
She takes the path less traveled, and that has made all the difference.

More from Dell
We are our heavenly father’s children, created to create.
When I set out to write this novel, I craved challenge—something that would stretch my own imagination. The wild, otherworldly, frontier of science-fiction winked at me like a distant star in the night-sky of possibility. I admire teens and young-adults for their eagerness to seize the wonder of “What if.” So, young-adult sci-fi it is!
Creating an entire fictional solar system was every bit of the creative rush I hoped. Orchestrating a dance of stars and planets, designing a space ship, imaging cultures, people-groups, values, and linguistic quirks provided ample opportunities to stretch my creative muscles.
And then there was the naming! Names are yet another way we reflect our divine author. Our loving and personal God spoke each star into being and calls each by name. In No Space Like Home, I named the four-sun solar system, “Hiraeth.” It’s a Welsh word for that vague, yet poignant yearning for a place to which you can never return, have never been, or even that never was. It’s a deep, inborn longing for someone, something or somewhere just out of reach of our plane of existence. As Christians, we feel this keenly. This world isn’t our eternal home. We thirst for Jesus. We hunger for heaven. We long for a garden—unmarred by thorns and thistles of the fall. We ache to know ourselves and our loved ones as God designed– in perfect relationship with Him, unfettered by sin.
As part of this longing, we create and we name. We are all world-builders, designing with the materials around us, and bringing order to our sphere in small ways and large. We are image-bearers of our holy Author and Creator.
Whether we paint (like my No Space Like Home heroine, Gail), design software (like George), weld parts (like Nic), or develop strategies (like Leo), we are all inventors and designers. Create today. Spin a bit of beauty, order, and identity from the nameless, swirling, chaos.

For a complete list of blog stops, go here.

Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, Dell is giving away the grand prize package of a copy of Gail’s Bible: ESV Illuminated Bible (Art Journaling Edition), a paperback copy of No Space Like Home, and Frang Bingham’s Ard Ri game!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

The Way of the Brave

Former pararescue jumper Orion Starr is haunted by the memory of a rescue gone wrong. He may be living alone in Alaska now, but the pain of his failure--and his injuries--has followed him there from Afghanistan. He has no desire to join Hamilton Jones's elite rescue team, but he also can't shirk his duty when the call comes in to rescue three lost climbers on Denali.

Former CIA profiler and psychiatrist Jenny Calhoun's yearly extreme challenge with her best friends is her only escape from the guilt that has sunk its claws into her. As a consultant during a top-secret mission to root out the Taliban, she green-lighted an operation that ended in ambush and lives lost. When her cathartic climb on Denali turns deadly, she'll be forced to trust her life and the lives of her friends to the most dangerous of heroes--the man she nearly killed.

Her skills and his experience are exactly what's needed to prevent another tragedy--but in order to truly set Orion free from his painful past, Jenny will have to reveal hers. They'll have to put their wounds behind them to survive, but at what cost?

Leap into action with this high-octane, breakneck new series from bestselling author Susan May Warren

My thoughts: While this is an excellent start to a new series by Susan May Warren, I think I prefer her books/series once they are a couple of books in, since she does a wonderful job of setting up the whole series from the get go and has on going stories that slowly resolve as the series continues. For that reason, I highly recommend starting with the first book in any of her series and reading them in order, otherwise you miss part of the story.
I enjoyed getting to know Orion Starr and finding out what lead him to hide in Alaska. When danger does knock on his door, he braves it head on, despite the fact that it means putting his heart on the line....
Fans of rescue stories and Susan Mae Warren alike will fall in love with this new series!
I received this book from Revell. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Purchase a copy here:

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Counter Point

Someone is determined to finish the final assignment of a murdered hitman.
Her father’s gone. Her diner’s closing. Her car’s in the lake. Cat McPherson has nothing left to lose.
Except her life. And a madman’s bent on taking that away.
Her former boyfriend, Ray Alexander, returns as a hero from his foreign mission, bringing back souvenirs in the form of death threats. When several attempts are made on Cat’s life, she must find a way to trust Ray, the man who broke her heart.
Keeping Cat safe from a fallen cartel leader might prove impossible for Ray, but after seeing his mission destroyed and several godly people killed, he knows better than to ignore the man’s threats. Cat’s resistance to his protection and the stirring of his long-denied feelings for her complicate his intentions, placing them both in a fight for their lives.
How can a small-town girl survive when ultimate power wants her dead?

My thoughts: I love reading mystery/suspense, so I was thrilled to pick up this story! I thought that Marji did a great job of writing a unique story that brought attention to something most of us don't really think about, the danger that missionaries put themselves in, as well as their families when they share the love of Christ with those in the drug cartels. I thought that the characters were well portrayed and that the mystery was fantastic! It's always hard to write about a book like this, since I don't want to give anything away. Suffice it to say that this is one you need to pick up!
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Purchase a copy here:

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About the Author:
Marji Laine has completed seventeen years of homeschooling, but with her publishing business, her various volunteer activities, and her large family, she will likely never live a life of leisure. When she does find spare time, she enjoys watching sports and Hallmark movies and mysteries, loves having game night with her family and friends, and enjoys talking “shop” with other authors. You can usually find her in her favorite recliner, plucking away at her keyboard with her rescue fur-babies at her feet or at www.MarjiLaine.com.

More from Marji
COUNTER POINT takes place in a small town in East Texas. A family-owned diner provides the backdrop for many of the scenes. The owner, Cat McPherson, makes a point of smiling and chatting with everyone who stops by. Even the superior and difficult Mrs. Heath—of the Heath’s Point Heath’s, make no mistake. Mrs. Heath might think she’s all that, but she is still dependent on Cat’s diner for a slice of her favorite Magnolia Pie.
Have you ever had a piece of this custard paradise? Smooth, creamy, and with the minutest crisp of a glazed caramel on top of it. I can practically taste one now. This favorite of mine had to go into my book. I first tasted a Magnolia Pie (my adopted grandmother called it Buttermilk Pie because Magnolia Pie sounded too southern and she was from New Jersey) at a Christmas Eve celebration. It was my instant favorite.
I’ve searched for my grandmother’s recipe through old books that she gave me and a collection that she and several others put together when I got married. Sadly, I cannot find that original recipe that she used. But I think it must have been something like the one I was thinking of when I included Magnolia Pie in my book.
Let me know if you make this recipe! I’d love to enjoy a virtual slice of pie with you!

Magnolia Pie

Ingredients:
3 eggs at room temperature
1 stick of softened butter
1½ cups white sugar
3½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 9-inch unbaked pie shell

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Whisk the eggs until foamy.
Cream together sugar, butter, nutmeg, and flour. Add the eggs and other ingredients, beating until smooth.
Pour into pie shell and bake for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool completely or chill before serving.

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, Marji is giving away the grand prize package of a “reading S’mores” Christmas Ornament, a book light, and copies of COUNTER POINT and the first book of the Grime Fighter series, GRIME BEAT!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

A Season to Dance Review

“This is for them. This is for the magic. This is for every little dreamer in the room.”

Everyone has a dream. A passion. You work hard, you get there. Right? But what if you don’t get there? Despair? It happens… Then what? Give up? Try harder? What if all this time, you’ve been going after the wrong dreams? What if the best part of life hasn’t even started?

Ana Brassfield tries everything to be happy. An important career. A dream of dancing. A famous boyfriend. A move overseas. But all she experiences is a series of almost successes with a side of heartbreak. Then when she hits rock bottom, a stranger opens an unexpected door. Could she change her whole life? Should she? Or would this be another mistake in a life defined by rushed decisions and wrong turns?

A Season to Dance is a journey. From hard to better. From striving to being.

“Readers who believe in second chances and a twist in the Happily Ever After will delight in this tale!” –New York Times Bestselling author Rachel Hauck.

“A story of grace in all forms, ultimate romance and finding spiritual center. Thank you, Patricia Beal!” –New York Times bestselling author Tosca Lee.

Be part of the journey. For them. For the magic. For dreamers. For you.

Written for the General Market (G) (I): Contains little or no; sexual dialogue or situations or strong language. May also contain content of an inspirational nature.

My thoughts: I have mixed thoughts about this book. While it has a great message, I felt like most of the book was focused more on the poor decisions that lead Ana to the place she winds up being in the prologue and that Patricia could of spent just a little more time developing the important part of her journey and how she arrives at some of her conclusions. I don't want to give anything away, and I did think that the book has a good message, but I wish the last few chapters would of had more to them about Ana's choices she makes.
While there are some things in this book that are normally not in Christian fiction (unmarried partners living together), it is handled fairly well and not graphic.
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review.

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About the Author:
Patricia Beal is a 2015 Genesis semi-finalist and First Impressions finalist. A Season to Dance is her debut novel (Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas, May 2017). Her second novel comes out in February of 2020. Patricia graduated magna cum laude from the University of Cincinnati in 1998 with a B.A. in English Literature and has worked for the U.S. Army as a writer and editor for many years. Patricia writes from Fayetteville, North Carolina, where she lives with her husband and two children. You can find more info about Patricia on her website here.

More from Patricia
A Season to Dance: The Book That Wrote Me
When I wrote the first line of my first novel in January of 2011, I wanted to get published because I was desperate to feel important.
I finished writing A Season to Dance that fall and hired coach Gloria Kempton via Writer’s Digest to look at the whole thing and tell me if it was any good.
She saw potential in the story of a small-town professional ballerina with big dreams, but explained I needed a clearer quest, more telling details, better scene structure, and better balance between sequels and dramatic scenes. I joined Gloria’s critique group and spent a year rewriting.
During that year, my husband got orders to move the family from Fort Benning, Georgia, to Germany, and he deployed for the sixth time soon after we settled on a lovely mountaintop in Idar-Oberstein.
When I finished rewriting, Gloria said the novel looked good and had everything a novel was supposed to have. But… “Something’s still missing. I don’t know what it is. We’ve covered it all.”
So of course I did what any writer desperate for validation would do. I told my coach that surely nothing was missing and that it was time to query. I hired a service to blast queries everywhere for me. I know… Shame on me… But God used that.

God’s Plan—Phase One
One query ended up with Mrs. Joyce Hart, of Hartline Literary. The novel wasn’t Christian—I wasn’t a Christian. She shouldn’t have received my query. But she did. She sent me a note saying she liked the storyline but that in Christian novels the protagonist couldn’t live with her love interest without being married. She was very kind and said that if she was missing the point and if the novel was indeed Christian that I should resubmit explaining the living together piece.
When I read it I laughed and rolled my eyes. I started typing a condescending reply. Something about Christian fairy tale brains and me living in the real world, but I decided not to send it.
Days passed. A week passed. A month passed. And all I did was collect rejections. I became bitter. Bitterly sad at first. Then bitterly discouraged. And then bitterly ugly. I’d never been ugly before. Not like that.
See, up to that point, I’d believed that there was some kind of “god” and that somewhere, somehow, being good was right and that it paid off. But with the disappointments of the publishing journey those beliefs became a joke to me. I stood in the middle of my empty German kitchen—husband deployed, kids at school, my first dog had just died. And I looked at that inbox full of rejections and stated to whomever or whatever was out there: “God is dead.”
Mercy. Surely I said that to the “god” of my imagination, and not to the real God—God as He reveals Himself in the Bible. But I know that He was in that kitchen with me. And phase two of His plan was about to start.
Luke 22:31-32: “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.”

God’s Plan—Phase Two
As I lost all restraint and became the worst version of myself, God removed me from my green German mountaintop.
After less than eighteen months in Germany, we were sent back to America, to the Chihuahuan Desert in West Texas. To a place called Fort Bliss—a place from which you can see a Mexican mountain with the words: “Cd. Juárez. La Biblia es la verdad. Leela.” That translates to “City of Juárez. The Bible is the truth. Read it.” Gotta love it. God is good.
During the first six months back in America, I went to two secular writers’ conferences and met more rejection. My lack of restraint and my selfishness didn’t really make me happy. I wanted to go to therapy. I wanted a job. I still dreamed of that book deal that had to be just around the corner. I wanted, I wanted…
But nothing happened, and it didn’t matter how hard I tried to get help, get happy, and find any kind of relief for the pain I felt. Nothing. Happened. I’d never seen so many closed doors—slammed-shut doors—ever in my life. Even the shrink kept double booking, closing early, and somehow cancelling on me. It was ridiculous.

The One Open Door
When God planted our family in the desert, He planted us two blocks from a friend from the Fort Benning years. A friend whose claim to fame was church shopping whenever the Army moved her family. I asked her to take me to church on the first Wednesday of January of 2013.
I fell in His arms. Surrendered, defeated, and dependent. Or what God likes to call—ready. I was born again two weeks later and was baptized on Super Bowl Sunday that February.

Gloria’s “Something Missing”
I had tickets to go to New York for the Writer’s Digest conference that spring, but sometime in March, it dawned on me: “You silly goose of a girl. You wrote a salvation story without the salvation piece.” My first coach, Gloria Kempton, had been right all along. There was something missing!
A Season to Dance isn’t just the story of a small-town professional ballerina who dreams of dancing at the Met in New York and the two men who love her. It’s also the story of a girl desperately trying to fill the God-shaped hole in her heart with often misguided career and romantic pursuits.
I deleted Mrs. Hart’s email that week. Yes, it was still in my inbox. Job well done, Mrs. Hart.
Now, I had work to do. I spent 2013 and the first half of 2014 rewriting the novel. Five ladies from my Sunday school read chapter after chapter as I produced them and cheered me on through that gruesome process. I couldn’t have done it without their support. God is good.
Jeff Gerke edited my novel in the summer of 2014 and had me read Robert McGee’s The Search for Significance: Seeing Your True Worth Through God’s Eyes. God is good.
I went to my first Christian writers conference, the ACFW 2014 in St. Louis. Two weeks later, Les Stobbe offered to represent me. God is good.
ACFW 2015 was fantastic and many houses are looking at that first manuscript. God is good.
In early 2016, we sold the manuscript to Bling! Romance, an imprint of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. A Season to Dance released in the spring of 2017. God is good.
My family got saved, too. My husband in July of 2013. Our son in December of 2013. My mom in the fall of 2014. And our little girl just this past summer, the summer of 2015. God is amazingly good!

For a list of blog stops, go here!

Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, Patricia is giving away the grand prize package of a themed basket of book-inspired coffees and chocolate!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

Darling Hedgehog Goes Down the Foxhole

Darling Hedgehog learns about the animal nature of things in high humor and carefree, cute, and winning episodes. This childhood story reads a bit like Aesop’s Fables or a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, for children 4-8 or preschool and kindergarten, as a read-to-me picture book, and first grade and second grade as a chapter book.

Pictures similar to the Mercy Watson series are characterized and painted in full-color, though the pages are set up like a chapter book.

This book helps to train children in natural wisdom, analysis, and discernment. It helps to balance the teachings of acceptance of everyone and friendliness to all. There may be good purposes for everyone to exist under heaven, yet all purposes may not be good for a child. So, beware, be discrete, and flee from crafty foxes especially when they are holding your parents in the pantry.

My thoughts: This book has a good message for children (and adults) through the telling of Darling Hedgehog's story. When she goes looking for her parents, she stumbles into a fox's home and thinks she is making friends with Miss Fox. I feel like the moral of the story could of been explained clearer for children at the end, since we have a book of Aesop's fables and it always has a bit at the end of each story that shares what the moral is. It is a good book to foster discussion with the children in your life about how we should be careful about strangers, especially those who give gifts and want something in return.
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Purchase a copy here:

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About the Author:
Auralee Arkinsly writes in good humor about serious subjects because kids of all ages can learn a lot from laughing. She is a strong believer in right and wrong but knows that getting onto the right path can mean falling down a slippery slope. She reckons if she can save some from the bumps and bruises, then she has done her job

More from Auralee
I’m so excited to launch my children’s book, Darling Hedgehog Goes Down a Foxhole with the Celebrate Lit crew! You are a river of hope for a new author.

So, here’s the story behind the story.

My friend and fellow author, Kathy Joy, left me a small hedgehog in a tutu as a going away gift on her guest bed after she had been visiting. I put it on the windowsill in my bedroom, and every morning, I would see it when I awoke.

I don’t know if you can relate to this experience, but I often wake up from a good night’s sleep with the gift of a problem being solved. Sometimes, I wake up with a creative idea. Well, one day, I awoke to find that I had the beginnings of a child’s story about where the hedgehog found her tutu.

Initially, it was a simple story about Darling Hedgehog finding a foxy friend who helps Darling find her calling.

I wrote out the story and then asked a talented neighborhood girl if she would like to draw the pictures for the tall tale. Having seen a lot of Julia’s sketches as she grew up, I thought that she might like to know what it felt like to earn money from her talents and at the same time, learn about the process of creating a book with an author to propose to a publishing company.

She agreed. Julia was in ninth grade. She was at the age where she was beginning to think about high school jobs and even to make plans for college and a career.

The same day we wrote out our contract, Julia sent me her first image of what she imagined Darling to look like. It clearly was not a mistake to hire this young artist!

When I awoke another morning, I believed God had given me another bit of advice. I needed to do better research on the nature of hedgehogs and foxes, their habitats and characteristics. The outcome caused the story to take a turn towards intrigue. It became a fable. It became an action-adventure animal story. It became better.

A librarian encouraged us to continue with it no longer as a picture book for very small children but as an early reader chapter book for second graders learning about similes.

I hope that we can teach children to notice facts and objective truth as they are being trained for life. So, I’ve accepted that my child’s fantasy had to grow some legs of gravity and wisdom. I’ve trusted my editors and beta readers that this is true, but I’m not above being told off.

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, Auralee is giving away the grand prize of a set of Darling Hedgehog greeting cards!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

Breath of Joy

The final book in the series, Breath of Joy, Winter Whispers speaks of the deep quiet earth movements that echo human proving grounds and transitions during rest. Photo Art and Prose. Three everyday celebrations on every page spread are not commercially Christmas but rather interrelational and spiritually poised. This is simply, because in Winter when the earth’s axis is the farthest away from the sun, people warm themselves and grow in the wonder of darkness, where God still sees us, breathing life.

My thoughts: As we go into Winter, and especially as we get past the holidays and into the cold, dreary part of Winter, this is a fun book to pick up and focus on the fun things that go with it. A cozy blanket. Time spent with friends. A cup of hot chocolate served with friendship. I wouldn't say that I get the Winter blues, but it can be hard to be cooped up in the house so much. I liked that this book reminds the reader of all the wonderful things that come with the cold. The photography is a lot of fun too!
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Purchase a copy here:


About the Author:
Kathy Joy enjoyed being a popular Christian radio D.J. in Colorado for many years. When her husband wanted to move to Pennsylvania to take over the family farm, Kathy Joy accompanied him with their two young daughters. Four years later, Kathy Joy found herself a widow raising two teenagers. To stave off despair, she began writing three every day celebrations in a journal. Friends on Facebook began prompting her to write a book, and so the beginning of the Breath of Joy series began. Kathy Joy now works in human services, speaking wonder on the weekends to grief therapy groups, motivational corporate meetings, and women’s retreats. Some of her topics include Vision Board workshops, Being a Harbor Pilot, Mirroring the Savior, The Fifth Season, and A Christmas Tea.

More from Kathy
I’m so excited to join Celebrate Lit for this first real blog tour of my Breath of Joy series!

As a collector of celebrations, curating pithy delights and sharing them with my readers, I do hope you enjoy the visual experience and personal comfort offered in my Winter Whispers book.

Wintertime, especially Christmas and Valentine’s day, can be some of the toughest times of the year for people who have experienced trauma, or significant loss and grief. I’m one of those people. Collecting three everyday celebrations for me was a means of refocusing on common joys in my life. They were a means of turning my despair into faith. Now, by publishing four books in less than two years, I have encountered another ladder of faith and I continue to face fear in order to live the adventure that God has for me.

Don’t you know, the Lord gives us many different kinds of gifts, and some of those gifts we would rather return to Him? However, my seasonal “Breath of Joy!” books helped me not only to be thankful for the phase of life in which I found myself, but writing these books also built depth into my relationship with my real self, not my public persona, and specifically with the real God of the Bible.

It brings joy to my heart to collect snapshots of life and give my readers an opportunity to experience simple blessings in fresh, new ways. My books were borne out of sudden loss and grief when my husband of 23 years died of a massive heart attack. Gathering up my will to go forward, I remembered he always encouraged me to collect “beautiful moments” and write them down.

Now, when people connect with me, they say things like, “I couldn’t sleep, and so I picked up your book, and it gave me a new perspective that has helped me go on. If you can do it, so can I.” / “I went to one of Kathy Joy’s vision board making workshops. When I posted my board on the refrigerator, I had no idea how much I would rely on it to get me through the next year. I am writing this to thank you for helping me stay out of the hospital for a full year.” /
“Just downloaded your file/book. Absolutely beautiful. I thought you wrote prose/poetry. Forgive me for putting you off. I loved perusing the pages. I went through it too fast. I need to sip it. I will peruse it again tomorrow. Totally different from what I thought it’d be. Hmmm. It’s more than a coffee table book. Gift book. Calming book. Nice, very nice. Let me sit with it and ponder it. Lovely creation.

These kinds of receptions make my day. They let me know that God still has adventures for me to take and purposes for me to speak wonder into other people’s lives.

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, Kathy is giving away the grand prize of a copy of the book in reader’s choice of format!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

Building a Ridiculously Great Marriage

Building a Ridiculously Great Marriage: Pre-Marital and Marital Habits

It’s no secret that couples in great marriages do different things than couples in bad ones.

But what are those things and how do ordinary folks start doing them? How can couples take a struggling marriage or even one that is “pretty good” to one that is, quite frankly, ridiculously great?

Based on thousands of counseling hours and personal practice, Gil Stieglitz spells out the 15 essential habits found in great marriages that aren’t found in difficult ones. Building a Ridiculously Great Marriage provides the short and dirty version of what it takes to have a marriage that is so great, other couples will stand up and notice—they might even call it “ridiculous.”

This book is a real game-changer for engaged couples just starting out, couples who are struggling, or couples who just want to take their marriage from good to ridiculously great. It is also a terrific resource for pastors, ministry leaders, and counselors who work with couples for pre-marriage and marriage counseling.

My thoughts: This is a great book to give to engaged or newly married couples, but is also a great resource for those of us who have been married for a while, since it is easy to settle into habits that might not be the best. I liked that this book has 15 different points that it focuses on. I also like that it focuses on nurturing and protecting your marriage. With young children at home, sometimes it is easy to let my marriage take a back seat, but I have started thinking about what we can do now as a couple to make sure we aren't strangers when the kids leave the house (though that is in the very distant future!). This book came at a great time for us and some of the things I had been mulling over.
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Purchase a copy here:

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About the Author:
Dr. Gil Stieglitz is a prolific author, engaging speaker, and insightful pastor who has spent thousands of hours helping, coaching, and strengthening marriages. Gil has written over twenty-five books on marriage, parenting, soul development, and spiritual warfare, including top-seller Becoming a Godly Husband, God’s Radical Plan for Wives, and Marital Intelligence. He speaks to thousands of people each year about the wonders of God’s principles. Gil now serves as Discipleship Pastor at Bayside Church, a dynamic multi-site church near Sacramento, CA. He is on faculty with Principles to Live By, a nonprofit organization that helps people connect to God’s principles in everyday life. He and his wife, Dana, enjoy a ridiculously delightful life in Northern California. For more information, visit ptlb.com.

More from Gil
After thousands of hours counseling couples for marriage and pre-marital issues, I had a few couples who just wanted to know the very basics of what they needed to do differently to have a much better marriage. These concepts, coupled with some pre-marital counseling I was doing at the time, allowed me to develop a quick and dirty list of the top ten habits couples should develop if they really wanted a terrific marriage. I asked them to trust me in what I was telling them, and they did what I requested. The results were amazing.

For the purposes of this book, I have added five more habits great couples do to make the material even more robust and effective, and I included the exercises I used in my counseling sessions for couples to practice and work out. Think of this book as the low down of what makes a marriage “ridiculously great.” This is the kind of marriage that will constantly surprise you with delight, love, growth, energy, longing, and connection. It is beyond the norm—where you feel like you lucked into this great relationship with this amazing person.

If you showed up in my office and asked me to give you the bottom line, these are the things I would tell you to do. Many people know what they are doing is not working, and they just want to know what to do. These fifteen things are what work…no joke.

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Giveaway!
To celebrate his tour, Gil is giving away the grand prize package of a $100 Amazon Gift Card plus a signed copy of Gil’s book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.

The Forever Sky

Can a young widow with no faith in love hope for a future with the man who broke her heart?


Maisey isn't about to give Rob another chance to reject her love. Why should she believe that the man who left town without a backward glance three years ago cares about her? Life had taught her all about broken dreams, and she didn't want to hope again. If only her young daughter would stop adopting Rob as a father, ignoring him--and her own emotions--would be a whole lot easier.


Thoughts of the woman he'd left behind haunted Rob for three long years. It wouldn't have been fair to ask Maisey to wait while he mined a gold claim. After making his fortune, he's returned to his family in Montana's Bitterroot Valley. Rob is ready to settle down, and he'd rather do so with Maisey. But after their first encounter, it's clear that he's lost her forever.


Circumstances force Maisey and Rob into one another's company. They learn, through hardship and loss, that the only way to one another is to surrender first to God's love.

Based on actual historical events during a time of unrest in America, The Forever Sky explores faith, love, and courage in the wild west.

My thoughts: I loved the historical detail in this story and throughout the whole series! This is the 4th book in the Montana Gold series. While it can be read alone, I think it is best enjoyed reading the series as a whole and in order, since the characters from the previous books make appearances and Maisey's story starts in the other books.
I thought it was fascinating how this book deals with some of the difficulties that pioneers faced, especially when Maisey is kidnapped by the Salish. Things become even more mixed up when she and Rob grow closer together, only to have her jealousy threaten their growing relationship. This story is full of interesting history, unique characters, and layers of emotions. I enjoyed it tremendously!
I received this book from Just Read. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Purchase a copy here:

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Love You, Truly

Blake Carlton, the camera-shy son of Hollywood’s Darling, dodges the invasive limelight and scripted relationships that so often accompany fame. But when his mother’s popularity declines and she falls into a depression, he offers himself up as the next bachelor on a reality show, hoping to reignite interest in her career while creating a way for them to finally connect.

After her fiancé dumps her for her best friend, aspiring photographer Harlow Tucker is done with romance—until her beloved, disabled sister requests her aid to start a nonprofit. Harlow agrees to do whatever is needed to raise funds, even reluctantly costarring on a dating show with a notorious womanizer who distrusts anyone behind a lens.

As Blake and Harlow navigate the superficiality of a reality show, their preconceived notions of love are challenged. Deciding to trust each other feels like the ultimate risk, but taking that chance could lead to a love truly picture-perfect, worth both of their hearts.

My thoughts: I'm not one to sit and watch reality tv shows, especially not ones like the Bachelor or the Bachelorette, but I do enjoy fictional stories about being on the set of a reality dating show! Love You, Truly is such a fun story with great characters. I especially loved Harlow and how she doesn't get starry eyed when she meets Blake and signs on to be a part of his reality tv show. Both Blake and Harlow have their own reasons for signing on, neither of them believing they might find true love. This is such a lovely story to pick up!
I received this book from Just Read Tours. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Purchase a copy here:

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Touched by Fate

Analyn Richards likes life the way she likes her wedding planning business—orderly and predictable. All doubts aside, getting engaged to the successful man she’s been dating is the natural next step, right?

But on her wedding day uncertainty makes an unscheduled appearance. She finds herself deciding whether to go along with her wedding as planned or whether to make another choice.

Will this perfectionist find the courage to take a chance on the unpredictable?

My thoughts: I thought this short story was incredibly well written, pulling off a lot for such a short book! I loved getting to know Analyn as she prepared for her second wedding and suffers from pre-wedding jitters. Having had a first marriage that didn't last, can she trust her intuition this time around? I loved the culture that Analyn comes from (Afro-Filipino). I wish that this book were longer, since the characters are nicely written and leave the reader wanting more! The only downside for me is that there are some curse words, but otherwise it was a great story.
I received this book from Just Read. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Purchase a copy here:

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Seconds to Live

When cybercriminals hack into the US Marshals' Witness Protection database and auction off witnesses' personal details to the highest bidders, the RED Team led by FBI Agent Sean Nichols begins a high-stakes chase to find the hacker. But before he can even get started, the first witness is targeted and barely escapes with her life. Sean believes Phantom, an obsessed hacker who previously outwitted the top minds in the field, is behind the attack, and Sean needs this witness's help, as she's the person who has come closest to discovering Phantom's identity.

Trouble is, she's a witness under the care of US Marshal Taylor Mills, and Sean is reluctant to work with the captivating marshal who knows his deepest secrets. But Phantom claims he knows where the witness is hiding and will kill her, so to stop the hacker, Sean and Taylor must work through their personal pain and learn to trust each other. . . . The seconds are ticking down before someone dies.

My thoughts: This is the first book I have read by Susan and I found it very enjoyable. I love that it brings the different agencies together, though it mostly focuses on the witness protection program. The mystery was interesting, though not as fast moving as I thought it would be, but I still enjoyed it. I look forward to read the other books in the series.
I received this book from Bethany House. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Purchase a copy here:

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The Camera Never Lies

David Rawlings, author of The Baggage Handler, returns with another probing story: what would you do if your secrets were revealed to those around you?
Daniel Whiteley is a successful couples counselor who regularly puts families back together, helping them face up to the things in life they hide. But his own marriage is falling apart.
His wife, Kelly, knows Daniel is hiding something from her, but she doesn’t dare probe for fear her own secrets will be revealed.
When his grandfather dies, Daniel inherits an old SLR camera from a time when cameras pointed away from the person taking the photograph. On the camera is an inscription: “Use this camera wisely and remember, regardless of the picture you think you took, the camera never lies.”
When Daniel first uses his new camera he finds someone has already filled the roll of film. Annoyed, he processes the film and finds photos of a secret that he’s been hiding from his wife and daughter.
He has no idea who took them.
Now every time he uses the camera, the photographs reveal another secret about himself the he is desperate to keep-as well as those of his wife, which he is desperate to uncover.

My thoughts: What if all your secrets were exposed through the lens of a camera? If the pictures it produced exposed your soul to those who looked at it? When Daniel's Gramps passes away, he leaves his grandson with an unusual inheritance-a camera that produces pictures that show the subjects secrets. Suddenly, Daniel must come to terms with the price that he and his family have had to pay for fame and fortune. The traps they have found themselves in, but also the hope that can save them. This story was so creative! I enjoyed reading through it and seeing where it went.
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

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About the Author:
David Rawlings is an Australian author, and a sports-mad father of three who loves humor and a clever turn of phrase. Over a 25-year career he has put words on the page to put food on the table, developing from sports journalism and copywriting to corporate communication. Now in fiction, he entices readers to look deeper into life with stories that combine the everyday with a sense of the speculative, addressing the fundamental questions we all face.

Read an Excerpt here

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Crown: 30 Wife changing lessons

Whether you’re in the honeymoon stage or celebrating your fiftieth anniversary, you have never before been in this season of your marriage. Your family dynamics, finances, health, emotional state, location, ministry, employment status—all the factors of your life—are in a perpetual state of transition. As a married woman, you are continually wife-changing. The Scriptures never change, but they can always be freshly applied to every season of marriage.
Crown is a resource that combines solid Bible teaching, humorous and humbling tales from the author’s own marriage journey, and dozens of compelling stories from real women just like you. Based on Proverbs 12:4, “An excellent wife is the crown of her husband,” Crown includes concrete Scriptural truths and real-life examples that will equip you to be the excellent wife God created you to be. Complex issues such as biblical roles within marriage, physical intimacy, communication, forgiveness, and home management are all addressed with candid honesty, encouragement, and biblical substance. In thirty wife-changing lessons, you will be instructed, challenged, and motivated to walk in obedience to God’s beautiful design for marriage.

My thoughts: I wasn't sure what I would think of this book when I picked it up, but I'm glad that I did! I enjoyed the stories that Nancy shares and how she weaves together the topics (order, smile, increase, yield). Filled with solid Scriptural wisdom, I really appreciated this book and the help that it offers to wives. I never know how a marriage book is going to go, and felt like this one is unique and has a lot of wisdom in it. I highly recommend Crown!
I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.

Purchase a copy here:
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This post contains affiliate links.

About the Author:
Nancy Kaser is a passionate pastor’s wife and veteran missionary. For over twenty-five years, she has taught women’s Bible studies, provided biblical counseling, and been a dynamic women’s conference speaker. Based in Southern California, Nancy teaches literature and history classes at The Writtenburg Door. She and her visionary husband also lead short-term mission trips with the Calvary Chapel movement and run a child-sponsorship organization.

More from Nancy
Closing the church door after my seventh counseling appointment that week, I was overcome with the realization that every appointment had been relatively indistinguishable. The women I counseled from our congregation were generally unsatisfied, disappointed, and disillusioned with their marriages, and some were downright rebellious in their role as wives. The same anxieties, the same troubles, (and the same sins creating the anxieties and troubles) came up in almost every meeting. Though these church ladies may have been well-versed in the scriptures, no one had taught them how to live out biblical principals in their everyday lives.
As a pastor’s wife, I wished I could meet with every married lady in my church and offer practical discipleship with this hope: that a glorious, fulfilling, and God-honoring marriage—to the same guy she is married to right now! —is absolutely possible through obedience to God’s word.
Crown – 30 Wife-Changing Lessons is a resource that combines solid Bible teaching, humorous and humbling tales from my own marriage journey, and dozens of compelling stories from real women just like you. Based on Proverbs 12:4, “An excellent wife is the crown of her husband,” Crown includes concrete, scriptural truths and real-life examples that will equip you to be the excellent wife God created you to be. Complex issues such as biblical roles within marriage, physical intimacy, communication, forgiveness, and home management are all addressed with candid honesty, encouragement and biblical substance.
Whether you’re in the honeymoon stage or celebrating your fiftieth anniversary, you have never before been in this season of your marriage. Your family dynamics, finances, health, emotional state, location, ministry, employment status— all the factors of your life—are in a perpetual state of transition. As a married woman, you are continually wife-changing. The scriptures never change, but they can always be freshly applied to every season of marriage. In thirty wife-changing lessons, you will be instructed, challenged, and motivated to walk in obedience to God’s beautiful design for marriage.

For a complete list of blog stops, go here!

Giveaway!
To celebrate her tour, Nancy is giving away the grand prize package of 2 copies of Crown and a $50 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link here to enter.