The Wonder of Advent

The Wonder of Advent is the latest devotional from Chris Tiegreen.  This devotional has a clear and simple set-up, that will lead you through the days of Advent, from November 24th through the end of December!

Each day will conclude with questions to lead you to reflect on the subject discussed. You will begin to view Advent in a totally new way after completing this easy-to-read devotional!

I received this book from Tyndale in exchange for my unbiased review.

An Inconvenient Beauty

Kristi Ann Hunter has just published, An Inconvenient Beauty, the final tale in her Hawthorne House series.  You find Griffith, the Duke of Riverton, feeling the pressure to marry. Now that his siblings are all married, he decides he must identify the perfect woman to marry himself. Once Miss Frederica St. Claire is selected, Griffith soon learns that she is already in love with a man lost in the war!

When Griffith crosses paths with Frederica's cousin, Miss Isabella Breckenridge, he instantly knows that this beautiful woman is the exact opposite of what he is looking for in a wife.  Frederica's father has brought Isabella to London to join in with the season.  Her uncle Percy is hoping her beauty will help him get the votes needed to pass an apothecary law.  After his lost his wife and son to an untrained medical man, this law is near and dear to his heart!

Soon you will see Griffith's mindset change, as he realizes that there is much more to Isabella than just her beauty.  Watch and see where these two will end up by the final page of this tale!

I received this book from Bethany House in exchange for my unbiased review.

These Healing Hills

These Healing Hills is the latest from Ann H. Gabhart.  You will meet Francine Howard on the opening pages of this tale.  She suffers the loss of her fiance, Seth, when she learns he has found someone new, after serving in the war overseas.  Now Francine must find a new purpose for her life.  She decides to leave her job, as a nurse in Cincinnati, Ohio, and join the Frontier Nursing Service in the rugged hills of eastern Kentucky!

You will walk the hills with Francine, as she attempts to learn the people and the area of her new home.  She soon meets Woody Locke, the youngest son in the Locke family, and definitely the most talkative!  Woody definitely helps Francine learn more about her new surroundings.  The Locke family soon rejoices when their eldest son, Ben, returns safely from his time in the war.  Now Ben must figure out what to do next.  Will he stay with his family or find a new path outside his life in the mountains?

It is interesting to see how God works in both Francine and Ben's lives to point them toward His plans for their lives.  Seth shows up in the midst of Francine's new world and further complicates her decision!


I received this book from Revell in exchange for my unbiased review.

Behind the Scenes

The latest novel by Jen Turano is entitled Behind the Scenes.  You will meet Miss Permilla Griswold as she is approaching yet another social event.  As Permilla and her stepmother, Ida  approach the Vanderbilt mansion, you quickly understand that Ida is not happy with Permilla for not fitting in with the members of high society.  Permilla is left once again to blend in with the other wallflowers at the ball!

Unbeknownst to the other attendees at the ball, Permilla is looking around, making notes on her dance cards about the costumes that many are wearing.  She needs this information for the column she is anonymously writing for a local newspaper.  As she is lurking about the Vanderbilt's costume ball, she happens upon two men discussing how they are planning to kill Mr. Asher Rutherford, the owner of an up-and-coming department store in New York City.  Even though Permilla had not gained a positive impression of Mr. Rutherford, on the two occasions they had crossed paths, she knew she must inform him that someone was out to get him!

This is a fun tale as you follow Permilla and Asher around town, while they both attempt to learn who is determined to end Asher's life and understand the motivation behind it.  A lot of details will come to light by the end of this tale!

Because Of You

Because Of You is a recent book from T.K. Chapin.  Samantha thought all was well with her husband Dakota, their daughter Kimmy, and their baby boy on the way, when they suddenly learn that Dakota is being deployed by the Army to go back to Afghanistan. Samantha fears the worst.  After the worst does happen and Dakota is labeled missing in action, Samantha cannot stop the tears from falling.  When Samantha's baby finally arrives, she names him, Dakota, after his father!

Fast forward two years and you will find Samantha, her daughter, and her young son living in the same town as her mother and sister.  Family provides Samantha with support she needs during these initial troubling days.  Once Samantha's feet are finally planted firmly on the ground, she suddenly meets Mason.  This man, dressed in Army camouflage, is too much a reminder of her missing husband.  As time goes on Samantha becomes more comfortable with the situation and it seems that something more may be developing in her relationship with Mason!

As you walk through these pages with Samantha, you will see her relationship with God growing to the point, where she is depending on Him to help her through all these changes in her life.  This tale, with it's short chapters, will keep you reading until you reach the final page.  You will not believe where and with whom Samantha ends up!

I received this book from T.K. Chapin for my honest review.