The One

If you’re looking for average, go ahead and put down this book. No hard feelings.

Most people will admit that they are looking for an amazing love story. We’ve all seen those couples, the ones holding hands or whispering to each other as they stare into one another’s eyes as if they share an awesome secret. We watch them and wonder, what’s up with those two?
We never anticipated becoming one of “those couples.” When we met, we just worked on listening to God and preparing ourselves for the story he planned for us. What we learned and want to share is that no matter what your relationship status may be, this amazing story begins with you.
In this book we share more than the events happening around “The Surprise Wedding.” We share our triumphs and our mistakes, both before and after that day. You’ll learn healthy habits you can start practicing today, ones that will help you lay the groundwork for an incredible marriage later. God has something amazing in mind for you, but he can’t get you there without your help.

We absolutely believe in The One. And we believe that you’re it.

My thoughts: When Ryan over heard his girlfriend mention to a friend that she would like to get engaged and married on the same day, he decided to work on making it happen. Seeking to give Amanda the wedding she always wanted, he starts on a fun journey that leads to their wedding video going viral.
I actually had never heard of Ryan and Amanda Leak, but it was fun to read about their wedding and the thoughts they have on finding the one. While I don't think getting engaged and married on the same day would work for every couple, they have a lot of great insight on how to center your relationship on the Lord.
I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

The Midwife's Tale

Martha Cade comes from a long line of midwives who have served the families of Trinity, Pennsylvania, for generations. A widow with two grown children, she's hopeful that her daughter will follow in her footsteps. But when Victoria runs off, Martha's world is shattered.

Worse, a new doctor has arrived in town, threatening her job, and she can't remember a time when her faith was more tested. Still determined to do the work she knows God intended for her, Martha is unprepared for all that waits ahead. Whether it's trying to stop a town scandal, mending broken relationships, or feeling the first whispers of an unexpected romance, she faces every trial and every opportunity with hope and faith.

My thoughts: Having had a midwife when my daughter was born, I loved reading this book and getting a glimpse of what it was like in 1830 for a midwife. While a lot of the old ways of doing things are no longer common (some, I am sure for good reasons, though one of the biggest ones is leaches, which was more of the Dr's way of doing things...), it was fun for me to see how nice it was for their to be a profession for women who didn't have a lot of options. I also like the characters and that there is a lot going on in the story. Most of all though, it is just a neat story that shows the miracle of new life.
I look forward to reading the next book in the series!
I received this book from Bethany House in exchange for my honest review.

The Heart's Betrayal

Emmie finds shelter in the arms of a soldier, but her secret could drive them apart.

When Emmie Croftner answered the door to her late husband's home, she discovered a terrible truth. A woman she's never met reveals that she and Emmie shared the same husband and that the bigamist had never divorced his first wife. The home and farm are not Emmie's property after all.

Suddenly displaced and powerless, Emmie realizes she can't stay in Wabash, Indiana, any longer. She makes for Fort Laramie, Wyoming, where her friend Sarah Montgomery and a new beginning await her. But when she arrives, she discovers she's carrying a child, conceived before her husband's death. Was the new start she'd hoped for only a mirage?

At Fort Laramie, a soldier named Isaac Liddle begins to court Emmie, prompting her to wonder whether she could ever really be his--and whether she dares to tell him she is carrying another man's baby

My thoughts: As with the other books in this serial, I found this installment to be an interesting, fictionalized portrayal of what it would of been like to live out in the American West during the late 1800's. I think that Colleen does a wonderful job of showing how fort life was, both the pros and cons of the different parties involved. I like that she introduces some new characters in this one too, and look forward to seeing where the series takes them!
I received this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review.

A Friend in Me

Young women long for relational connection with women further ahead of them on the journey. Yet, without realizing it, many of us tend to distance ourselves from those in younger generations. Can we really have close relationships with women who have different thoughts on church, different experiences with family, and different ways of talking about God? Where do we start?

In A Friend in Me, Pam Lau shows you how to be a safe place for the younger women in your life. She offers five patterns women need to internalize and practice for initiating relationships and talking about issues such as faith, forgiveness, sexuality, and vocation. Most significantly, she reminds you that there doesn’t need to be a divide between generations of women. Together, we can have a global impact—and experience a deeper faith than we’ve ever known.

My thoughts: I enjoyed reading this great resource for women about our need for relationships that have meaning and how to mentor. While a lot of it is geared towards older women and their learning how to connect with the young women in their families and at church, I really enjoyed the personal stories that were shared (though some of them are heartbreaking!). She also does a fabulous job of tackling the issues that younger women face and how they aren't all that different from what older women have gone through or are still going through.
This book is an excellent resource!
I received this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review.

Empires End

Jerry B. Jenkins’s new novel is filled with adventure, drama, historic people and places, and even romance. Empire’s End tells the story of a man who single- handedly turned the Roman Empire on-end. It will be the heart-stopping story of the year! Only a few snapshots of Paul’s life are revealed in the Bible. In this fictional account, Jenkins tells of a devout Jewish scholar, who after only three years in the Arabian wilderness, emerges as the greatest Christian theologian in history. This novel explains how, after supervising the death of Jesus’s disciples, Paul would be moved to effectively conquer the Roman Empire with a message about a Jewish man named Jesus. You’ll be captured by the shocking “thorn in the flesh” that burdened Paul’s heart. Empire’s End will cause you to rethink whether Paul ever experienced the love of a woman or the embrace of a child.

My thoughts: Jerry B. Jenkins gives us a new look at Saul, who became Paul. In this thought provoking, fictionalized novel, the New Testament days are brought to life! I enjoyed reading about what the times were like that Paul lived in. I found it especially interesting to think of the death of Stephen, since it would of been hard to have grown up with the Ten Commandments saying to have no other God but the Lord, and to suddenly have to figure out how Jesus Christ figures into the equation. This is a wonderful, interesting story that will keep old and new fans alike reading to the last page!
I received this book from Worthy in exchange for my honest review.

Desperate Measuers

Researcher Kate Adams has finally pinpointed the medicinal plant responsible for tearing her family apart. She's certain that discovering its secrets is her only hope of solving the mystery surrounding the disappearance of her father. Kate will risk anything to find the truth--even her budding relationship with Detective Tom Parker. But more people than she can fathom are after the plants and going it alone just might prove to be a fatal mistake.

My thoughts: More secrets come to light in the third and final book of the Port Aster Secrets series. I loved how the characters developed over the whole series! The author keeps readers guessing on what is going to happen with the story, since there is so much going on. I thought she did a fabulous job with the secondary characters and mystery. Two thumbs up!
I received this book from Revell in exchange for my honest review.

Take Ten

This week, the topic for Top Ten Tuesday is ten most anticipated releases for the rest of 2015.

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I even have a ARC of this one.;) I just need to take the time to read it!

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I'm able to get a review copy of this one too, which I look forward to reading!

5.
I love her attention to historical detail, so this one should be a treat!

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