Lesson I Learned in the Dark by Jennifer Rothschild

Jennifer Rothschild says it well when she says, "This is not a book about blindness, it's a book about learning how to really see." She lost her eyesight early on in life, and does a great job of sharing those things she has learned while walking in the dark. She is truly walking by faith and not by sight and I was encouraged and strengthened in my walk by reading her book. One of my favorite quotes from her book was, "Even when it is not well with our circumstances, it can be well with our souls." Each chapter enriched my heart and helped me see things with a new perspective, and I loved the words to her songs after each chapter. This is a book I highly recommend.

OUT OF CONTROL by Mary Connealy

This was a fun western romance that keeps you smiling throughout the book, but you will also find danger, mystery, tragedy and loss. It captured my attention right from the beginning with the rescue of Julia from a deep cave she has been stranded in with a man who wanted to do her harm. Rafe Kincaid rescues her and from the beginning she totally disrupts his well ordered life. Rafe is someone who likes to be in control and trust me, Julia is someone who will stretch him to his limit, and find himself enjoying it in the process. Then there is Julia's family members to contend with and Rafe's long lost brothers to deal with and for someone who likes to be in control, Rafe finds himself "Out of Control". You can't help but like Julie, even though she is a little fixated on fossils, and the chemistry between Rafe and Julia is fun to read about.

All in all a totally enjoyable story with alot of it taking place underground in caves, which makes it different and interesting. I am looking forward to the next book in this series by an author who makes reading fun. As a side note, loved the cover of the book; good job.

The Gathering Storm by Bodie & Brock Thoene

This is the first book in the Zion Diaries series and pick up pretty much right where the last book in the Zion Covenant Series leaves off (and helps you see what happens to some of the people from that series). It takes place around 1940 and deals with the lives of those who fought during Hitler's dark days of rising to power in World War II. You will feel the bombs drop and cities and people's lives destroyed. You will agonize and weep with those who lost so much. The Thoene's do such a good job of making you understand what truly took place in Europe during the war.

American born Loralei Kepler, daughter of missionary parents, finds her and her family fleeing Brussels before the Germans take over their country. It is a harrowing flight and they rescue some orphaned children along the way. Lora will find herself loving two men in her lifetime, but the one will have a lasting impact upon her live forever.

This story was filled with danger, love lost, love found, heartache, death and sadness. But through it all you will find strength and a will to overcome evil and rejoicing over every life saved. The history behind who Eban is was a little outside of my box of "could this actually be possible", but kept the story all the more interesting. I look foward to reading the next two books in this series.

NOW AND ALWAYS by Lori Copeland

Katie Addison is a determined young woman, a hometown girl who has opened her ranch to abused woman and injured horses. She is fighting an uphill battle when it comes to finanically paying the bills, but determined to keep her home open for women who need help. Warrent Tate was a nerd in high school when Katie knew him, but has returned home as a successful business man who is "done" with women! (Katie would like to help him change his mind about that.) Sheriff Ben O'Keefe has never been able to get Katie to take him seriously, ever since he didn't show up to take her to her prom years ago. Katie has just taken in a high profile woman who is being abused and now mysterious things are starting to happen and someone seems out to get Katie and close down her home. Katie finds herself perplexed about who she can lean on for help, Warren or Ben??

I enjoyed reading this story. I really liked the way the women at Katie's home interacted and how they stood together in helping each other out. I liked the humorous way Ben and Katie interacted with each other, and enjoyed reading about Katie's obsession with her lattes. This was a heartwarming story filled with mystery, some danger and a complicated romance. The author had me guessing and wondering just who would end up catching Katie's heart. I must say the one who did, gets a "high five" from me for how he goes about doing it! Have fun reading this story and seeing how it ends!

UNEXPECTED KISS by Regina Tittel

First off, I loved the book's cover and the title and the beginning scene and how all three are tied together. It was a great beginning to an enjoyable story. This had mystery and danger, but mostly alot of tender romance, which makes for a good story. As it is so well said in the beginning of this book, "Regina Tittel's books are written to uplift and encourage each individual while also entertaining them with a great story. The author hopes readers of Unexpected Kiss will better understand God as their heavenly father and accept His offer of forgiveness through His Son, Jesus Christ." After reading this, I knew I was going to like this book, because I knew it would have a good message weaved into it. And I was uplifted and encouraged and entertained, so another good job Regina!!

Carli is a woman who shops at secondhand stores for name-brand clothing to give her confidence. She has a good job and one good friend. She never knew her father and is trying to find him and find some answers. Because she feels her own father didn't love her enough to stay, she has a hard time believing her heavenly Father could love her unconditionally. Then Ethan Durham very unexpectedly enters into her life. She sees him as "arrogant and cocky", but also "completely likeable". Ethan wants to help Carli figure out who is out to do her harm and why. But can she trust a stranger that he won't fail her or leave her? Ethan has his work cut out for him, but he is a determined man, who wants to show Carli what love looks like, and love means you don't leave someone even when they try to push you away.

I really enjoyed getting to know each of these characters and enjoyed watching them fall in love. This is book two in the Ozark Durham Series and so far I have been having a wonderful time reading the first two books in this series. I eagerly await reading book 3, "Coveted Bride". I highly recommend them to anyone who enjoys a wonderful romance, with an uplifting message.

Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 236 KB
Paperback: 234 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace (November 8, 2011)
ISBN-10: 1466449209
ISBN-13: 978-1466449206

ABANDONED HEARTS by Regina Tittel

What I really appreciated about this story and about this author is the reasons she gave for writing this story at the beginning of her book. "Regina Tittel's books are written to uplift and encourage each individual while also entertaining them with a great story. It is the author's prayer that Abandoned Hearts will clearly explain the benefit of scripture memorization and abstinence before marriage. Just because one dedicates their life to Christ doesn't mean they'll no longer be tempted. Temptations are the same for everyone; it is how we prepare ourselves for them that make the difference." Thank you Regina, I couldn't have said it any better!! And this story really did uplift and encourage and entertain!

Although you don't find instant attraction turning into love quite as quickly as it did in this story, it was very well written and believable for me as I was reading and getting to know the two main characters. Ann McHaven finds herself stranded in an old truck on a dirt road with a flat tire and rain is coming. When Jacob Durham comes across her on his horse they both form a dislike of one another, but also a form an interest in each other. Jacob likes her spunk and Ann likes his rugged good looks and a feeling of safety. She finds herself having to be rescued and staying at Jacob's cabin with his two small children, who instantly take a liking to Ann. The way Jacob talks to Ann and the way he can see right through her was fun and satisfying. Their spark of interest in each other was delightful to read about. The romance abounds in this story, but there is also danger lurking around and I found myself totally enjoying it all!

As a slight disclaimner, I started reading this book while my daughter started going into labor with our 5th grandchild and finished it while I spent the night at the hospital holding my grandchild, so who knows, I was a little distracted, so maybe my rating could have been even higher; but the book still held my interest through all the turmoil going on!

Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 324 KB
Paperback: 236 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace (July 31, 2011)
ISBN-10: 1463620276
ISBN-13: 978-1463620271

BEACH DREAMS by Trish Perry

This is the 3rd book in the Beach House Series, but the 1st book in the series that Trish Perry authored. She did a very good job of picking up the beach house theme where author Sally John left off. I enjoyed myself as I read this story and would find myself smiling and laughing out loud a few times. As the back of the book adequately states this is "a book that tells the touching and humorous story about how God uses even our mistakes to bring about His divine purposes." Tiffany LeBoeuf has lost her job, her Mom has recently passed away and her social life is going nowhere. Then she bumps into Jeremy, and instantly feels an attraction to this handsome man, but who she later discovers already has a girlfriend. So when Jeremy books his girlfriend to enjoy 2 weeks at a beach house, and Tiffany and her Dad accidentally book the same 2 weeks, things get complicated at the beach house; especially when Jeremy shows up to straighten things out. There are a series of surprises and mix-ups and although things get humorous at times, they also get a little heated at other times. There is a whole cast of characters I just enjoyed thoroughly and found myself totally enjoying my time at the beach!

CASTLES IN THE SAND by Sally John

Drake Starr is the pastor of a mega San Diego church. His only daughter, Kenzie, comes home from a trip and tells her parents that she is pregnant and that her and her boyfriend have no plans to marry. Now that is enough to have the bottom drop from out beneath you. What do you do? Well Pastor Drake and his wife Susan cut their ties with their only child until she "comes to her senses". Susan, trying to be submissive, has no contact with her daughter, until one day she finds herself at the familiar beach house, calling the boyfriends house and talking to his mother. Things get a little complicated for each family, but in the end forgiveness is found and God's love and mercy is experienced.

Both sets of parents come from totally different views on how to handle this situation. As Mom Susan said in the book, "It's not just we're hurting because our dauther has got herself in trouble. It's more like 'Help!' What did we do wrong? What do we do now? How do we communicate love and forgiveness and not condone living outside God's order?" This was a huge problem for this author to tackle. And although at times I felt like folks were a little too condoning and loving, without letting this couple know that they would have to answer to God about the choices they were making, I felt that she brought it all together at the end in a very emotional but realistic way, and appreciated how she handled this sensitive and very real situation. There were things that needed to be dealt with in the parents life, as well as in their childrens, but God can and will work all things out, if we are willing to listen to Him and not to our wants and desires when it goes against His Word. A very thought provoking story for me.

This is book 2 in the Beach House Series, but you can very easily read this as a stand alone book, or out of order in the series, as the main tie in to both books is the house on the beach and the different people who "get away" there.

THE BEACH HOUSE by Sally John

This was a refreshing story to read. The description on the back of the book says it so well, "A book full of God's faithfulness, The Beach House warmly portrays the love, comfort, honesty and support friendship can offer women in the face of vulnerability, loss, change, and self-discovery". That is exactly what this book does. It is warmhearted and looks at how loving true friends can be as they honestly share with one another and support each other. These ladies seemed very real, as did their problems, and I appreciated how the author worked through each ladies emotional struggles and how the Lord played such an important part in helping each one of these ladies.

Four ladies who have known each other since high school find themselves drifting apart in life and so on the 40th birthday of one of them they all decide to meet at a beach house in San Diego for a week. Jo, Char, Molly and Andie come from different parts of the country but they all make it to San Diego and their friendship gets them through struggles and decisions each one is facing. It was such a great story of what true friends can do for each other and how much prayer and a persons testimony can change the course of events. I found myself thoroughly enjoying this story and seeing how God can and will work things out for His good. Well done Sally John!

DAWN COMES EARLY by Margaret Brownley

Kate Tenney, from Boston, finds herself answering an ad that reads, " 'HEIRESS WANTED' Looking for hardworking, professional woman of good character and pleasant disposition willing to learn the ranching business in Arizona Territory. Must be single and prepared to remain so now and forevermore." Kate finds herself in Cactus Patch, Arizona determined to be the person that can fulfill all the requirements of the ad. What she wasn't counting on though was the handsome, trustworthy and caring Luke Adams, who was the town's blacksmith. Kate is determined though that men cannot be counted on or trusted so she does everything she can to fight her feelings for Luke.

This book had alot of very interesting characters throughout the story. The ranch hands, Luke's two aunts, and the town villian, Cactus Joe; they all kept the story interesting. This was a lighthearted read for me. It was not a page turner or "I can't put it down until I see how it will end" type of story. I really liked the ending and the loving and endearing way Luke showed Kate how much he cared. I want to thank BookSneeze for sending me this book for review.
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (March 13, 2012)
ISBN-10: 1595549684
ISBN-13: 978-1595549686