Tag Archives: Revell Reads

#BookReview: The Return by Suzanne Woods Fisher

20 Aug

Fisher’s wonderful storytelling brings history to life in The Return! Betsy Zook and Tessa Bauer are two young women who experience tumultuous journeys. Inspired by true events, the details of their stories are affecting and emotional. I was fascinated by this glimpse into the past and enjoyed the intertwining of historical and Amish fiction in this compelling tale. Although The Return revisits characters found throughout the Amish Beginnings series, this novel takes place many years later and can also be read as a stand-alone story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

 

About the book:

Beautiful and winsome, Betsy Zook never questioned her family’s rigid expectations, nor those of devoted Hans, but then she never had to. Not until the night when she’s taken captive in a surprise Indian raid. During her captivity, Betsy faces brutality and hardship, but also unexpected kindness. She draws strength from native Caleb, who encourages her to find God in all circumstances. She finds herself torn between her pious upbringing and the intense new feelings this compelling man awakens within her.

Handsome and complex, Hans is greatly anguished by Betsy’s captivity and turns to Tessa Bauer for comfort. Eagerly, Tessa responds, overlooking troubling signs of Hans’s hunger for revenge. When Betsy is finally restored to the Amish, have things gone too far between Hans and Tessa?

Learn more about the book and the author.

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#BookReview: Fault Lines by Thomas Locke

17 Aug

Fault Lines was my first foray into Thomas Locke’s writing. While science fiction is not my normal reading pleasure, I was intrigued and fascinated by this story line. The narrative began a bit slowly for me, but it steadily gained momentum with each turn of the page. Thomas Locke blends science and technology in a techno-thriller that is sure to engage and entertain fans of the genre. I enjoyed this cleverly crafted tale and look forward to reading more of the Fault Lines series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

 

About the book:

As a security expert, Charlie Hazard is all about taking control of the situation. But when the stunning Dr. Gabriella Speciale draws him into a secret psychological project, risk parameters are shattered. Every move brings him to the edge of one fault line after another, and Charlie struggles to stay clear of a maelstrom of entangled dangers.

The research team abandons the lab on the Florida coast and flees to a mountain refuge in Italy. The battles in Charlie’s mind are overtaken by real life attacks. He must grapple with the daunting realization that a conspiracy is taking hold on both internal and external levels. Can Gabriella be trusted, or is she just part of the scheme?

Leave behind your assumptions about the way the world works, and race along the unknown corridors of human consciousness in Fault Lines.

Learn more about the book and the author.

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#BookReview: Chasing Secrets by Lynette Eason

15 Aug

Chasing Secrets is an exciting suspense! Haley and Steven are complex characters, and their story is brimming with intrigue. The drama and danger unfold quickly, and the cleverly crafted plot kept me guessing until the end. With its thrilling twists and turns, Chasing Secrets is my favorite of the Elite Guardians, a series I recommend for suspense readers who enjoy strong characters and unique story elements.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

 

About the book:

Elite Guardians bodyguard Haley Callaghan may be in South Carolina, but when a photo leads investigators in West Ireland to open a twenty-five-year-old cold case, her life is suddenly in danger. Haley knows how to take care of herself; after all, she’s made a career out of taking care of others. But after an uncomfortably close call, Detective Steven Rothwell takes it upon himself to stay with her–and the young client she has taken under her wing. A protector at heart, he’s not about to let Haley fight this battle alone.

Learn more about the book and the author.

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#BookReview: Friends, Partners, and Lovers by Kevin A. Thompson

6 Jun

Friends, Partners, and Lovers shares Kevin A. Thompson’s thoughts and experiences on “what it takes to make your marriage work”. Thompson discusses three critical roles of a spouse and offers strategies and suggestions for developing and maintaining a healthy relationship. “Healthy marriages do not have less conflict; they have more positive interactions.”

I enjoyed the insight, practical approaches, and simple instructions outlined in the book, as well as the intentional thoughts and discussion questions that conclude each chapter. “Marriage at its best harnesses both the strength of two individuals and the power of a united couple.” Friends, Partners, and Lovers is a great source of encouragement for couples at any stage of marriage!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

 

About the book:

Great marriages don’t just happen–they’re made, intentionally, day by day. Yet most of us enter the covenant of marriage thinking that the role of spouse will be easy, natural, effortless. Rarely is this true. In fact, the number one cause of divorce isn’t adultery or finances or disagreements. It’s apathy–a lack of intentional emotional, physical, and mental investment in the relationship.

With engaging stories and clear, simple language, pastor Kevin A. Thompson explains the three critical roles of a spouse–friend, partner, and lover–and shows how to nurture those roles in order to keep a marriage healthy and strong. Using solid biblical principles, he helps couples understand how to grow their friendship, be a supportive partner through the good times and the bad, and develop a healthy and satisfying sex life.

Friends, Partners, and Lovers offers essential insight for couples at any stage of marriage but will be especially helpful to those who are struggling and those who are engaged or newly married and looking to start their marriage on strong footing.

Learn more about the book and the author.

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#BookReview: Under a Desert Sky by Lynne Hartke

5 Jun

Under a Desert Sky is a candid and compelling read! When faced with her own cancer diagnosis, as well as the diagnoses of both her parents, Lynne Hartke wrestled with a myriad of thoughts, questions, and emotions. Relating her experiences to the Sonoran Desert, Hartke illustrates both the desolation and the beauty to be found in life’s desert places. Heartfelt and hopeful, Under a Desert Sky is a stirring memoir!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

 

About the book:

There comes a time in life when we find ourselves in the desert place of burning questions: Why? and Why me? But even as we shake our fist heavenward, the heart whispers another question: Who? Who are you, God? Who are you to me?

Against the backdrop of the Sonoran Desert, Lynne Hartke asks her own hard questions as cancer arrives like a thief with one goal: to take it all. Hair. The contents of a stomach. A marriage. A life. As her days become a blur of doctors’ appointments, treatments, and surgeries, she wrestles with a tumble of tangled emotions, a shaken faith, and crushing self-doubt. And then, the unthinkable. Cancer is now threatening not only her own life but also the lives of both her parents.

Through her raw, lyrical words, Hartke invites you to discover, as she did, that even in life’s hardest places, you are not alone in your fear, you are not foolish to hope, and you are never forgotten by a loving, pursuing God. Never.

Learn more about the book and the author. 

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#BookReview: Trusting Grace by Maggie Brendan

22 May

Trusting Grace is a touching and tender tale! Well-crafted and wonderfully characterized, I found Grace and Robert, along with their families, to be most endearing. Overcoming their pasts, they share a heartwarming journey toward a promising future. It was a pleasure to step back in time and visit Montana’s Gallatin Valley; the setting is a lovely part of the story’s charm. While Trusting Grace concludes the Virtues and Vices of the Old West series, it can also easily be enjoyed as a stand-alone story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

 

About the book:

All of her life, Grace Bidwell has longed for a loving husband and children, but now the chances of her dreams coming true are looking slim. Widowed and caring for her elderly father, she struggles to maintain her late husband’s ranch, until she places an ad for a hired hand.

Robert Frasier arrives in town with three pitiful, bedraggled children who have nothing but the tattered clothes on their backs and a load of hurt, pride, and anger. Believing this is divine intervention in her life, Grace welcomes them with open arms. As feelings grow between her and Robert, Grace will have to convince him that she is a woman who can be trusted with his heart.

Purchase a copy | Visit the author’s website

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#BookReview: What Hope Remembers by Johnnie Alexander

18 May

It was such a pleasure to return to the community of Misty Willow! Having read the first two books in this series, I was eager to discover more about Amy Somers and delve deeper into her story. I enjoyed Amy’s rekindled relationship with Gabe Kendall and the navigation of their dramatic journey. I also enjoyed revisiting beloved characters from previous stories. Heartfelt and emotional, What Hope Remembers is a lovely addition to a charming series!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

 

About the book:

When Amy Somers loses her job as a lobbyist, she moves to Misty Willow, well aware that she’s crossing bridges she’d burned years before. With all the mistakes she’s made and the uncaring things she’s done–even to her own family–she can hardly believe that happiness will find her, especially when Gabe Kendall, her first crush and her first kiss, rides back into her life atop a buckskin mare.

A former Marine, Gabe is at loose ends after serving a prison sentence for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He sees beyond Amy’s hard exterior to the girl he once knew and loved, and he longs to see her open her heart. Yet with his vision clouded by shame for his past and fears about the future, he finds it difficult to see the path ahead.

But the memory of that long-ago kiss just may have the power to reignite a romance that brings out the best in both of them.

Purchase a copy of What Hope Remembers.

Visit Johnnie Alexander’s website.

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#BookReview: Sandpiper Cove by Irene Hannon

22 Apr

Sandpiper Cove is full of charm! Irene Hannon has crafted a community that springs to life on the page, and I always delight in the time I spend in this seaside setting. Lexie Graham and Adam Stone are contrasting characters, yet they share more in common than they realize. I loved their story and the complexities of their relationship; theirs is my favorite Hope Harbor romance to date. As with each visit to this special place, I also enjoyed the endearing cast of secondary characters and the wisdom they dispensed. Hope and healing resonate through this heartwarming series, and I’m already anticipating its next installment!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

 

About the book:

Hope Harbor police chief Lexie Graham has plenty on her plate raising her son alone and dealing with a sudden rash of petty theft and vandalism in her coastal Oregon hometown. As a result, she has zero time for extracurricular activities–including romance. Ex-con Adam Stone isn’t looking for love either–but how ironic is it that the first woman to catch his eye is a police chief? Yet wishing for things that can never be is foolish.

Nevertheless, when Lexie enlists Adam’s help to keep a young man from falling into a life of crime, sparks begin to fly. And as they work together, it soon becomes apparent that God may have a different–and better–future planned for them than either could imagine.

Purchase a copy.

Visit the author’s website.

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#BookReview: A Stolen Heart by Amanda Cabot

27 Mar

A Stolen Heart is a delightful blend of mystery and romance! Amanda Cabot takes readers to the Texas Hill Country where Cimarron Creek residents are less than welcoming to Northern newcomer Lydia Crawford. Their resentment is not the only surprise that awaits her, and an engaging tale of mystery and secrets soon unfolds. Well-told with great characterization, I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet story and look forward to returning to Cimarron Creek as the series continue!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

 

About the book:

From afar, Cimarron Creek seems like an idyllic town tucked in the Texas Hill Country. But when former schoolteacher Lydia Crawford steps onto its dusty streets in 1880, she finds a town with a deep-seated resentment of Northerners–like her. Lydia won’t let that get her down, though. All will be well when she’s reunited with her fiancé. But when she discovers he has disappeared–and that he left behind a pregnant wife–Lydia is at a loss about what to do next. The handsome sheriff urges her to trust him, but can she trust anyone in this town where secrets are as prevalent as bluebonnets in spring?

Purchase a copy.

Visit the author’s website.

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#BookReview: The Newcomer by Suzanne Woods Fisher

20 Feb

the-newcomer

The Newcomer is the second installment in the Amish Beginnings series. Although I have not read Book 1, Anna’s Crossing, I was able to follow the story line and enjoy this book as a stand-alone story. As Anna Konig and the other Amish settlers enter the New World, unexpected happenings abound. I enjoyed the wealth of history woven through their story, as well as the threads of mystery and romance. Anna and Bairn share a dramatic journey, one I look forward to following as this series continues.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.

 

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About the book:

the-newcomer

In 1737, Anna Konig and her fellow church members stagger off a small wooden ship after ten weeks at sea, eager to start a new life in the vibrant but raw Pennsylvania frontier. On the docks of Port Philadelphia waits bishop Jacob Bauer, founder of the settlement and father to ship carpenter Bairn. It’s a time of new beginnings for the reunited Bauer family, and for Anna and Bairn’s shipboard romance to blossom.

But this perfect moment cannot last. As Bairn grasps the reality of what it means to be Amish in the New World–isolated, rigid with expectations, under the thumb of his domineering father–his enthusiasm evaporates. When a sea captain offers the chance to cross the ocean one more time, Bairn grabs it. Just one more crossing, he promises Anna. But will she wait for him?

When Henrik Newman joins the church just as it makes its way to the frontier, Anna is torn. He seems to be everything Bairn is not–bold, devoted, and delighted to vie for her heart. And the most dramatic difference? He is here; Bairn is not.

Far from the frontier, an unexpected turn of events weaves together the lives of Bairn, Anna, and Henrik. When a secret is revealed, which true love will emerge?

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/2kQUTRa

Visit the author: http://suzannewoodsfisher.com/

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