For the Rest of my Life by Harry Kraus, M.D.

This is the second book in the Claire McCall Series and it picks up where book one leaves off. Could you read it as a stand alone? Yes, but you will enjoy the story so much more and understand the characters better if you read book one first (it was really good too). Is there romance? Yes, but it isn't the focal point of the story. Is there mystery and suspense? You bet! There is also some very brutal treatment of ladies, but handled very well in this story. This is written from a medical profession prespective and you get a real feel for what happens when you are a small town doctor.

  I like the description I read of this book because in a few words it describes it well: "A disabled parent, a rekindled relationship, an on-hold engagement, and a brutal attack-all weigh heavily on Dr. Claire McCall's mind. But her greatest worry is the pending results of medical tests to see if, like her father she carries the fatal gene for Huntington's Desease. Can she keep trusting God for her safekeeping?" This story also handled some very tough questions about suffering and commitment and love. A few of my favorite phrases, "A commitment to Christ doesn't give us an exemption from pains", "God reveals some things to us in his timing for our good. We would never choose hardship, but it is the trials that bring the sweetest character," and "fear is alot like faith except with a different object of focus". There were just alot of thought provoking lessons to be learned as I read this story and I really appreciate how this author writes; very real to life, with a solid message behind the story. I will say this isn't a story I recommend you read at night if you are home alone. There were parts in the story that got a little intense and frightening for me, it got the old heart pumping at times. Looking forward to reading the 3rd book in this series, "All I'll Ever Need"!

WILDFLOWERS FROM WINTER by Katie Ganshert

This is the first book I have read by this author and I look forward to reading more of her work. She mentions looking out for "Wishing on Willows", which will follow up with one of the characters in this story. I will definately be reading that story when it comes out.

This was a story filled with people letting go. Bethany Quinn had alot she had to deal with in this story. She had to let go of so much, but I think the one things that topped it all was letting go of her misconception of God since she was a young girl. Her view of God centered around a man (a preacher) who did not live up to his calling. So she spends her life avoiding anyone who claims to be a Christian. As a young architect making her way in Chicago, she feels the need to return to the town she ran from 10 years ago to visit her grandpa on his farm after hearing of his heart attack. She also needs to face Robin, her one true friend who she walked away from when she found she had "religion". Robin also has to let go of someone she loves and the story deals with her heartache and struggles too.

This was not an easy read, but a very realistic look at life and how you deal with tough times. The handsome farmhand, Evan Price, tries to get Bethany to trust in someone other than herself. It is a tough battle between Evan and Bethany throughout the story. This was not a lighthearted, fun romance story. But is was a very realistic love story on many different levels. It was intense at times, with alot of heartaches and pain, but through it all there was hope, love and a peace to attain. It was hard for me to put the story down and when I did, I found myself thinking about the characters when I wasn't reading the book.

The back of the book describes the author, Katie Ganshert as someone who "writes stories about finding faith and falling in love" and I would say she did a great job of that in this story. Looking foward to the next installment in this series!

Thanks goes to Blogging for Books, a part of WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for sending me this book for my review.

Paperback:
320 pages
Publisher: WaterBrook Press (May 8, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0307730387
ISBN-13: 978-0307730381

HEART OF GLASS by Jill Marie Landis

Jill Marie Landis does a good job of writing a story that holds your attention and also that takes you to the time and place you are reading about, and makes you feel that you are there. This is the 3rd book in her Irish Angel series and although this could easily be read as a stand alone, I encourage folks to read them in the order they were written. This series is about a family of young sisters whose parents died in the 1800's and whose relatives gave them up to an orphanage and where the girls went from there. This story takes place in Louisiana in the late 1800's and the sister is Kate Keene who has been adopted and raised by two parents who gave her alot physically, but didn't spend much time with her. She spent alot of time growing up with the Delany family on their "plantation" home and Amelie became like her sister. Amelie's brother Colin though she has loved since she was a teenager. The war is over, Kate is trying to save the plantation and help Colin "get over" the war and his injuries (even though he wants nothing to do with her). This was a story of determination. Kate was determined to save the Delaney home, Colin is determined to not accept Kate's help, and then tragedy strikes and Kate must renew her energy and hope and press on. The characters in the story seemed very real and although there was alot of heartache throughout the story, there was also enjoyment watching these two main characters interact. Another well done story in this series.

A TEXAN'S HONOR by Shelley Gray

Shelley Gray does an excellent job as a storyteller! This is book two in the "Heart of a Hero" series and the stories just keep getting better. This book can easily be read as a stand alone, although it does mention characters that were in book one. I think the title of this story and the cover do a great job of representing this story.

The setting is Texas in 1874. The scene is a train that has been taken over by the notorious Walton Gang. One of the hostages is a young innocent woman, Jamie. She fears for her life amidst men who have no problem killing folks. Will McMillan is a part of the Walton Gang, but he can't condone harming a woman, so he jumps the train and takes Jamie with him. They are now running for their lives and Scout Proffitt is sent to find them and kill them.

Can a woman learn to trust and even fall in love with her captor? Can a man who seems to be so hard and ruthless really change and become a man of honor? One of the questions from this book that I really thought was good was, "What consituted a person? At the end of the day, what made up their character? Was it their occupation or their family? Was it their relationship with their friends? Or was it their walk with God?" You begin to figure this out as you read this story.

There were really two different stories going on in this book, which I enjoyed and both men turned out to be men of honor. You will get to know Will and Jamie, but will also get to know Scout and a lady he rescues along the way. There was an ending to the story that totally surprised me, which I always appreciate. This story was full of adventure and action, of danger and deception, and also of love and loyalty and honor. Great job Shelley Gray; I am looking forward to reading more in this series!

Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Abingdon Press (March 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1426714637
ISBN-13: 978-1426714634

LOVE IN DISGUISE by Carol Cox

This was a very enjoyable story to read. It truly was a blend of romance, suspense and history as the back cover of the book states. Ellie Moore finds herself jobless, when she hears about a job with the Pinkerton Detective Agency. She needs to prove to the Pinkerton Agency that she can do the job (and to herself that she really can act) by disguising herself as a middle aged widow in a town where silver shipments are being stolen and no one knows who is involved. Steven Pierce is one of the mine owners who needs to find answers before he goes broke from all the robberies. He befriends the gray-haired widow, who is really Ellie, but starts to fall in love with her mysterious and beautiful niece (who is also played by Ellie). It gets quite complicated for Ellie at times, but she is determined to find the thieves.

The story line was quite interesting and the mystery of who was behind all the stealing wasn't fully figured out by me until the very end. I liked the mystery and the romance, but especially liked the character Ellie. It was a well written book and I want to thank LibraryThing for sending me the book for review.

Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (June 1, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0764209558
ISBN-13: 978-0764209550

LOVING by Karen Kingsbury

As always, Karen Kingsbury writes another story that captures your heart. This was the last book in the Bailey Flannigan Series and although all through this series I wasn't sure if she would be able to pull out a happily ever after ending for Bailey that would make me happy, I must say I was very satisfied with the way she ended this series.

There are challenges, joys and heartaches for Bailey as she seeks to make the right decisions for her life. There was passion, but it was with purity. Brandon Paul is a guy who loves Bailey the way any parent would want their daughter to be loved. But there are obstacles that stand in the way of this love. Cody and Bailey still have issues they need to come to terms with and there was alot of closure to the end of the series, but also alot of beginnings for various people from this series.

One of the things I appreciate the most about Karen Kingsbury's books is the solid testimony her characters give of the way the Lord can and will work in the lifes of people who put their trust in Him and keep Him first in their lifes. The solid convictions that Bailey and others in the book held to and the way the Lord worked all things out for His glory and their best was just refreshing to read about. Are there reall challenges and struggles a believer will experience in their lifes? You bet! But He always proves Himself faithful. I am always encouraged after reading a Karen Kingsbury book and highly recommend this Baily Flanigan Series!

Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Zondervan (March 27, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0310276357
ISBN-13: 978-0310276357

WHEN LOVE COMES MY WAY by Lori Copeland

I had fun reading this story. The characters were full of life and the rugged timber country was descibed in such a way that made you want to travel there and visit. The setting is 1873 in the rough and tough timber camp of Wakefield Timber. You have the lumberjack Jake Lannigan who runs the camp in a strict but fair way, but he doesn't own the camp. The problem is that the Wakfield heir is Tess Wakefield, who wants to sell the camp. Jake prepares to meet with her when an accident happens en route and Tess can't remember who she is. Jake has a little fun at her expense and convinces her she is the new school teacher for the camp and puts her in the worst of accomodations. Tess has spirit though and nothing seems to get her down for long.

I loved the way Tess reacted to each situation she found herself in. She had tenacity and took on the handsome but belligerant lumberjack, Jake, and didn't let him bully her. This was one headstrong couple and it was fun watching them fall in love. Was it a predictable story with an ending you knew was going to happen? Yes, but it sure was fun watching it all take place.

I want to thank Harvest House Publishing thru NetGalley for sending me this story to read and review.
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers (June 1, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0736930213
ISBN-13: 978-0736930215

COULD I HAVE THIS DANCE? by Harry Krause, M.D.

"Claire McCall is used to fighting back against the odds; after discovering her father has Huntington's Disease, Claire is afraid to test herself and possibly lose her internship at the hospital. While Claire moves from trying to win God's favor to a realization of his grace, her engagement dissolves, she fights a malpractice suit, and she finds someone wants her dead." (one of the book's descriptions taken off the internet)

This was a gripping story of the life of an intern, Claire McCall. I felt the grueling requirements of her goal to become a surgeon; the determination it takes, the competitiveness to be the best so you can succeed, the sacrifices and choices one must make. There was alot of medical jargon going on in this story and although I didn't understand it all, I felt this just made the story that much more realistic. The title of this book was very cleverly chosen and I was taken in a whole different direction than I thought I would go with this title.

Claire McCall makes some wrong decisions in her life, just like we all do, but watching her struggles really made you think about some of the choices we all make in our life and how sometimes we put the Lord on the back burner. The ending to this story was very fast paced and unexpected by me. I began to figure things out near the end but wasn't really expecting it to play out the way it did. I don't know how I would have handled the whole disease issue in this book. Do you take the test and know the outcome of your life, or not take the test and live your life each day as it comes? Does the truth set you free?? I don't want to give alot of the story line away, but I will say that I enjoyed myself and found my heart racing near the end. If you want a good gripping story of life in the medical world, along with some romance and a good mystery to unravel, then I recommend you pick up this book and read it. There are two other books in this series and I plan to read them soon.

IN TOO DEEP by Mary Connealy

This is the second book in The Kincaid Brides series and it was another delightfully entertaining story. I know this could be read as a stand alone, but it would be so much better if you start with book one, because this story picks up where that one leaves off. The Kincaid brothers are as different as can be, but there is a strong bond between them and they all have different fears and stories to tell of their experiences within the caves on their land.

In this story Ethan Kincaid finds himself proposing marraige to Audra Gilliland, a mother of 2 little girls, so she will have a place to live and won't be a bother to her newly wedded step-daughter (who has just married another Kincaid brother). Ethan has no clue how to be a husband and the thought of loving someone terrifies him. Audra wants to be a woman who can take care of herself, but finds herself leaning on Ethan and learning to love him. But there is danger in this story and someone is out to hurt Audra unless she tells them where her deceased husband has hid the money he stole. No one enjoys going down into the caverns (except the 3rd Kincaid brother, Seth) but they all find themselves facing their fears and going into the caverns when someones life is in danger.

Seth is a little "loco" and I enjoyed getting to know him better in this story. I also appreciated the way the brother interacted with each other. There was alot of humour in this story and I loved how Ethan and Audra learn to understand one another and they adjusted to their marriage of convenience . There is also some mystery and danger, and I found myself enjoying another delightful story by Mary Connealy. Looking forward to reading book 3 in this series.

I would like to thank Bethany House Publishers for sending me this book to read and review!