Christmas at Rose Hill

Bess Riehl is preparing Rose Hill Farm for her Christmas wedding, but her groom isn't who she thought it would be. Billy Lapp is far away from his Amish roots working as a rose rustler for Penn State and wants nothing to do with Stoney Ridge, his family, or Bess. And that suits Bess just fine. Why should she think twice about a man who left without a word, without any explanation? It's time she moved on with her life, and that meant saying yes to Amos Lapp, Billy's cousin and best friend. But as Bess and Amos's wedding day draws near, her emotions tangle into a tight knot. She loves Amos. Yet she can't forget Billy.

When a "lost" rose is discovered at Rose Hill Farm, Billy is sent to track down its origins. Get in, identify the rose, and get out. That's his plan. The only catch is that he's having a hard time narrowing down the identity of the lost rose, and he can't get those tropical blue eyes of Bess Riehl out of his mind.

As the history of the lost rose is pieced together, it reminds Bess and Billy--and Amos, too--that Christmas truly is the season of miracles.

Join bestselling, award-winning author Suzanne Woods Fisher for an Amish Christmas to remember. Filled with heart-twisting moments amid the sweet anticipation of love, this story will charm readers into the holiday spirit.

My thoughts: With the weather starting to turn Autumn like, I am ready to stock up on some holiday books.;) This was the perfect read! I enjoyed the story, the characters are charming and there is plenty going on. So, make yourself a cup of tea and enjoy it with this delightful story!

Take Ten

Top Ten under appreciated marriage books.
1. The Most Important Year in a Woman`s Life by Wolgemuth and Devries

2. The Most Important Year in a Man`s Life by Wolgemuth and Devries

3. Love Life fot Every Married Couple by Ed Wheat

4. The Act of Marriage by the Lahaye`s

5. The Five Love Languages

6. The Love Dare by Kendrick

7. Any of Gary Smalley`s marriage books

8. Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts by the Parrott`s

9. Love and Respect by Eggerichs

10. His Needs, Her Needs by Harley

There. I thought I would do something a bit different this week, since a lot of my book memes circle around the same stories. I have a huge stack of books to get through this next month or so, though, so I should have some new material to talk about.;)

Heaven Touching Earth

 

 A thin curtain separates the physical world from the unseen spiritual realm. And sometimes God pulls it back to give us a glimpse of the other side. In Heaven Touching Earth, ordinary people share more than forty all-new stories of miracles, healing, divine provision and protection, and encounters with angels and demons.

These true, uplifting stories will remind you that even when you don't see obvious evidence of God at work in your life or get quick answers to prayer, there is a loving Father who protects and provides and is always working on your behalf in the invisible realm.

Whether you're simply curious about the supernatural world or longing for a fresh experience of God's presence, these inspiring stories will touch your heart and strengthen your faith in the God of miracles.

My thoughts: I love reading collections of testimonies where God has touched someone's life, whether it is to intervene in a time of peril or great need, or just to let an individual know they are loved by the  God of the universe. This book is a wonderful, encouraging collection of evidence that God still works with us today. 

Playing by Heart

 

 Lula Bowman has finally achieved her dream: a teaching position and a scholarship to continue her college education in mathematics. But then a shocking phone call from her sister, Jewel, changes everything.
With a heavy heart, Lula returns to her Oklahoma hometown to do right by her sister, but the only teaching job available in Dunn is combination music instructor/basketball coach. Lula doesn't even consider those real subjects!
Determined to prove herself, Lula commits to covering the job for the rest of the school year. Reluctantly, she turns to the boys' coach, Chet, to learn the newfangled game of basketball. Chet is handsome and single, but Lula has no plans to fall for a local boy. She's returning to college and her scholarship as soon as she gets Jewel back on her feet.
However, the more time she spends around Jewel's family, the girls' basketball team, music classes, and Chet, the more Lula comes to realize what she's given up in her single-minded pursuit of degree after degree. God is working on her heart, and her future is starting to look a lot different than she'd expected.

My thoughts: I found this story quite interesting! It is the story of a young woman who wants more for her life than is socially acceptable for woman at the time. The story is a unique one of changing times and one woman's dream that evolves as she grows to know the Lord. Two thumbs up! I like that the story is solid and the characters are well written. 

Emma, Mr. Knightley, and Chili-Slaw Dogs

From the bestselling author of Pride, Prejudice, and Cheese Grits comes a new and comical contemporary take on the perennial Jane Austen classic, Emma.

Caroline Ashley is a journalist on the rise at The Washington Post until the sudden death of her father brings her back to Thorny Hollow to care for her mentally fragile mother and their aging antebellum home. The only respite from the eternal rotation of bridge club meetings and garden parties is her longtime friend, Brooks Elliott. A professor of journalism, Brooks is the voice of sanity and reason in the land of pink lemonade and triple layer coconut cakes. But when she meets a fascinating, charismatic young man on the cusp of a brand new industry, she ignores Brooks’s misgivings and throws herself into the project.

Brooks struggles to reconcile his parents’ very bitter marriage with his father’s devastating grief at the recent loss of his wife. Caroline is the only bright spot in the emotional wreckage of his family life. She’s a friend and he’s perfectly happy to keep her safely in that category. Marriage isn’t for men like Brooks and they both know it… until a handsome newcomer wins her heart. Brooks discovers Caroline is much more than a friend, and always has been, but is it too late to win her back?

Featuring a colorful cast of southern belles, Civil War re-enactors, and good Christian women with spunk to spare, Emma, Mr. Knightley, and Chili-Slaw Dogs brings the modern American South to light in a way only a contemporary Jane Austen could have imagined.

My thoughts: I do believe that this series is one of my favorite re-telling of Jane Austen's beloved stories! The author sticks to the original story well enough, though I like that she has added her own style to it, making it Southern and a tad different from the original. Though, never fear, for Emma and Mr. Knightley are every bit as loveable in this one too! I look forward to reading the next book in the series!

take ten

This week`s top ten subject is to come up with ten characters who would of sat at one`s lunch table at school. To celebrate going back to school, I suppose.
1. Katniss from The Hunger Games. Because she is self sufficient and someone you want on your side. In all honesty, she probably wouldn`t want to be at anyones table. lol.
2, 3, 4. Ron, Hermoine, and Harry from The Harry Potter books. There would never be a dull moment with these three! I think I would have a very ecclectic group of kids.;)
5. Lucy from The Chronicles of Narnia. She would be quite the peace maker and just sweet. I would of appreciated her stories of another world, even though I wouldn`t of entirely believed her.
6. Sir Percy from The Scarlet Pimpernel. He`s a loveable fop, but brilliant under his facade.
7. Cinder from Cinder. She can fix just about anything, and would be a fun person, er, Cyborg.
8. Lizzy from Pride and Prejudice. Her quick tongue and wit would be great fun to have around!
9. Anne Shirley from Anne of Green Gables. Another fun and witty character!
10. Skeeter from The Help. She is interesting and can go against the norm when it means making the world a better place.
So, there you have it! I would have quite the

How Much Do You Love Me?

It's December 1941, and the Japanese have bombed Pearl Harbor. Politicians fuel anti-Japanese hysteria and campaign to segregate Japanese Americans. During this period of hate and racial frenzy, Keiko and James, a Japanese American and a Caucasian, fall in love and marry.Before long, James goes off to war and Keiko to an internment camp.

Sixty years later, Keiko has a stroke and lies near death, while James suffers from Alzheimer's. Coincidentally, ac hance incident makes their daughter, Kazuko, born in the camps, suspect a  

family secret . Fighting the clock before her mother's death, she races to unravel the mystery. What she uncovers represents nothing short of the epitome of human love and self-sacrifice. But beyond Kazuko's dramatic discovery, only the reader knows that this is only half the story.

My thoughts: I enjoyed this book and the rich history that the author incorporated, even though it was not a pretty time in American history. I thought that he handled it well and that it was interesting to see through the eyes of a couple who was on both sides of the issue. The secret is a little out there, and I thought that it would of been nice to give the story a bit longer to develop, but  it is still worth taking the time to read this one!