I am very glad I did not read the back of the book cover before reading the book! Too much information! And by page 56, I pretty much had it figured out, but read on. This book will be controversial.
The protagonist chooses to carry a child for a barren couple. She has three choices of a match and selects a vineyard owner and his wife in France. They oddly, I thought, carried on a close relationship, emailing and visiting prior to the birth. The story is written in first person. Near the end, I would have liked to have heard the thoughts of the husband and wife receiving the baby; especially the wife's.
Beyond a job to supplement their income, Mandy is to be uninvolved about the child she is carrying as she is the supplier. She had her mind make up before going to her husband and family with her plan that would only take a year out of their lives. But our days are not our own, and unexpected results follow.
I liked the closeness of Mandy's husband's family and their acceptance of all within their doorway. Cooking together and sharing meals enriched the lives of the family members.
The content covers topics not often discussed. Although well-written and researched, I think too much was given away before getting too far into the novel.
Angela Hunt ~ Expect the Unexpected
Five Miles South of Peculiar, Howard, 2012
The Fine Art of Insincerity, Howard, 2011
***I received a copy of The Offering by Angela Hunt from Litfuse Publicity Group. No other compensation was received. This review is my own opinion.***
Win a Nook HD from Angela Hunt and RSVP for her June 5th Facebook Party!
Angela Hunt is celebrating the release of The Offering with a Nook HD Giveaway and an Author Chat Party on Facebook {6/5}.
One winner will receive:
A Nook HD
The Offering by Angela Hunt
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 4th. Winner will be announced at the "The Offering" Facebook Author Chat Party on June 5th. Connect with Angela for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Angela will also share an exclusive look at her next book and give away books and other fun prizes throughout the evening.
So grab your copy of The Offering and join Angela on the evening of June 5th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)
Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 5th!
Oh, Joanne Bischof! We can hardly wait to open the pages!
Book 3 in the Cadence of Grace Series ~ Coming Oct 2013
Note from Joanne Bischof:
I am overjoyed to share with you that coming this fall, is the third book in the Cadence of Grace series, MY HOPE IS FOUND.
The cover designer has
done an amazing job of capturing each individual story while also
running a thread of growth and change through the series. He has a gift
for capturing the subtle details and I’m so thankful for how he’s
brought these books to life. I’d love to hear your thoughts!
A HUGE
thank you to everyone who has been a part of the Cadence of Grace
series. You all are like a second family to me and that blesses me to no
end. It’s my constant prayer that these stories bless you.
For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
--Colossians 1:13-14
So often we hold on to things that are no longer ours to hold on to ~ faulting, blame, blocking our future ~ needlessly. Catch a Falling Star is a story of what can happen when we relinquish who we are fully to the One who made us and has His best for us, beyond what we could ever think or imagine. Several stories are going on, as lives around us are in real life. It flows effortlessly as Beth K. brings to life her characters with their weaknesses and strengths. Most beneficial? Being available to change. I especially like the growth in Griffin as he discovers his worth. I like the relinquishment of Kendall's as she releases an heirloom, only to receive her own. Grace. Beyond measure.
About Catch a Falling Star:
What does a girl do when life doesn't go according to her plan?
At
36, Kendall Haynes has seen some of her dreams come true. She's a
family physician helping kids with severe allergies and asthma achieve
more fulfilling lives―a childhood struggle she knows all too well. But
the feeling of being "the kid never picked" looms large when romance
continues to evade her and yet another one of her closest friends gets
engaged. Are Kendall's dreams of having it all―a career, a husband,
children―nothing more than childish wishing upon a star? Should she hold
out for her elusive Plan A? Dust off Plan B? Or is it time to settle?
God says he knows the plans he has for her―why can't Kendall figure them
out and be content with her life?
Griffin
Walker prefers flying solo-both as an Air Force pilot and in his
personal life. But a wrong choice and health problems pulled him out of
the cockpit. His attempts to get out of "flying a desk" are complicated
by his parents' death―making Griffin the reluctant guardian of his
sixteen-year-old brother, Ian. How did his life get so off course? Can
God get his life back on track ... or has there been a divine plan all
along?
Catch a Falling Star reminds readers that romance isn't just
for twenty-somethings and that sometimes letting go of your "wish I may,
wish I might" dreams is the only way to embrace everything God has
waiting for you.
Beth
K. Vogt is a non-fiction author and editor who said she'd never write
fiction. She's the wife of an Air Force family physician (now in solo
practice), though she said she'd never marry a doctor―or anyone in the
military. She's a mom of four, though she said she'd never have kids.
She's discovered that God's best often waits behind the doors marked
"Never." Her contemporary romance novel, "Wish You Were Here", debuted
in May 2012 (Howard Books), and "Catch a Falling Star" releases May 2013.
An established magazine writer and former editor of Connections, the
leadership magazine for MOPS International, Beth is also the Skills
Coach for My Book Therapy, the writing community founded by best-selling
author Susan May Warren. More about Beth K. atbethvogt.com.
Beth K. Vogt’s “Catch a Falling Star” Romantic Weekend Getaway Giveaway & June 4th Facebook Party! Celebrate the release ofCatch a Falling Star (Howard Books) with Beth K. Vogtby entering to win a Romantic Weekend Getaway and RSVPing for her June 4th Author Chat Party.
One "lucky" winner will receive:
A $200 Visa Cash Card (Perfect for a weekend stay at a hotel or B&B!)
Catch a Falling Star and Wish You Were Here by Beth Vogt (Swoon-worthy!)
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 3rd. Winner will be announced at the "Catch a Falling Star" Facebook Author Chat Party on June 4th. Connect with Beth for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Beth will also share an exclusive look at her next book and give away books and other fun prizes throughout the evening.
So grab your copy of Catch a Falling Star and join Beth on the evening of June 4th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)
Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 4th!
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
***Special thanks to Rick Roberson for sending me a review copy.***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lysa TerKeurst is a New York Times bestselling author and national speaker who helps everyday women live an adventure of faith. She is the president of Proverbs 31 Ministries, author of 15 books, and encourages nearly 500,000 women worldwide through a daily online devotional. Her remarkable life story has captured audiences across America, including appearances on Oprah and Good Morning America. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and five children.
This Bible will help you live up to your God-given potential. Insightful daily devotions written by the women at Proverbs 31 Ministries help you maintain life's balance in spite of today's hectic pace. Dive into the beauty and clarity of the NIV Bible text paired with daily devotions crafted by women just like you---women who want to live authentically and fully grounded in the Word of God.
MY REVIEW:
Easy to follow day-by-day in this 366-day devotional Bible, or by continuing by author-select devotionals, with more verses to explore alongside.
The Bible is set in two-column pages with references at the bottom and subject headings above verses. There is also a topical index, a table of weights and measures, and an overview about the authors and other contributing writers in the back.
Woman-to-woman, you will enjoy these insights for everyday life.
As heiress to her father's business as majority stockholder, Meg Cole leaves her home in Tulsa to return to her childhood home, Whispering Creek, to take over her place as head of Cole Oil in Dallas. She and her father agreed she would have ten years after college on her own before coming to Cole Oil. As an art history major, she had been enjoying her chosen career at a
museum which has now ended after the passing of her father. First on the list is dismissing her father's entourage of no longer required personal staff and his thoroughbred horse ranch with its net earnings and losses. She agrees to give it six months to recoup its start-up from four years earlier and close down. She is having anxiety attacks with the
overpowering position she has now been placed into as CEO. Cole Oil had been in their family since her great-great-grandfather had struck oil in East Texas.
Bo Porter is the manager of the horse farm she has inherited. He wants to retain his employees, especially his brother, Jake, and their combined interest in horse ranching. He invites Meg out to see the operation and meet the employees in hopes of her having a change of heart in selling. A change of heart they both have had is an attraction to each other. Bo is older brother to brothers Ty and Jake, and sister Dru in this beginning story of the Porter siblings.
Meg has chosen not to live in the main house but instead the guesthouse because of the loneliness she felt as a youth in the big house being an only child. Meg's past comes calling in connection with her former husband, Stephen McIntyre, and the trail he has left behind. Amber and her son, Jayden, were left before his birth. She comes looking for information Meg might have about Stephen's whereabouts, and is invited to stay. I like Meg's kind heart and seeking the Lord for what she is to do next, aware He certainly knows His plans for her. I am glad there is continuance in her life; Meg's former nanny, Sadie Jo, the housekeeper, Lynn, and landscaper, Mr. Son. I am looking forward to reading the next novel in the series.
About Undeniably Yours:
When Meg Cole's
father dies unexpectedly, she's forced to return home to Texas and to
Whispering Creek Ranch to take up the reins of his empire. The last
thing she has the patience or the sanity to deal with? Her father's
Thoroughbred racehorse farm. She gives its manager, Bo Porter, six
months to close the place down.
Bo knows he ought to resent the
woman who's determined to take from him the only job he ever wanted. But
instead of anger, Meg evokes within him a profound desire to protect.
The more time he spends with her, the more he longs to overcome every
obstacle that separates them and earn her love.
Just when Meg
realizes she can no longer deny the depth of her feelings for Bo, their
fragile bond is broken by a force from Meg's past. Can their
relationship-and their belief that God can work through every
circumstance-survive?
Becky
Wade is a graduate of Baylor University. As a newlywed, she lived for
three years in a home overlooking the turquoise waters of the Caribbean,
as well as in Australia, before returning to the States. A mom of three
young children, Becky and her family now live in Dallas, Texas.
***Thank you to Litfuse Publicity Group for inviting me to be a part of the blog tour for Becky Wade's new novel and for sending me a copy. No other compensation was received.***
Quote from Becky Wade's Spring Newsletter: why fictional men are better than real men You
do not have to buy groceries for them. They do not expect you to
cook. You'll never once have to pick up their dirty socks or do their
laundry.
“Undeniably Yours” by Becky Wade | Kindle Fire Giveaway and 5/29 Facebook Party! Becky Wade is celebrating her latest swoon-worthy novel, Undeniably Yours (Bethany House), with a Kindle Fire giveaway and hosting an Author Chat party on Facebook {5/29}!
One winner will receive:
A Kindle Fire
Undeniably Yours and My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 28th. Winner will be announced at the "Undeniably Yours" Facebook Author Chat Party on May 29th. Connect with Becky for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Becky will also share an exclusive look at her next book and give away books and other fun prizes throughout the evening.
So grab your copy of Undeniably Yours and join Becky on the evening of May 29th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)
Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 29th!
And now... the first four chapters of Undeniably Yours by Becky Wade!
How I've come to understand who I am.
--Alexandra Kuykendall
Alexandra, I am so thankful we are the Artist's daughters!!
He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.
They were glad when it grew calm, and He guided them to their desired
haven.
--Psalm 107:29-30
I am so thankful for the Lord in our lives. Our Restorer, our Defender. "Alex" speaks with clarity and openness as she lays her memoir to the light with those around her, loving her, speaking into her life. Realizing unmet expectations of what others do not have to give or do not choose to give. A story of settling (not "settling for" but "settling in"), of finding a place to live, to be alive with hope. As a mother hen spread her wings over her chicks to fend off harm, the Lord has done this for Alex. So dear, and so close, His breath is near.
To join your past with open ears and hearts, to open feelings to the unknown. To come aware of what is lacking, to reach out for what is not to be. A heart of passion, a heart of caring, Alex feels her way as she begins to close the gap for others, searching and sharing where they are.
Alexandra Kuykendall is a giver as she exposes her heart with gratitude; becoming aware of what she has been given.
Each time he said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in
weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the
power of Christ can work through me.
--2 Corinthians 12:9
Will we allow the Lord to lead us in our story? Alexandra weaves yesterday and today in a vivid and soothing relating of a life hidden and revealed. She has entered with others in hopes of connection and openness to bring life alive out of the darkness into His marvelous light. What is exposed cannot remain hidden to bring you to freedom, to set the captives free.
Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.
--Psalm 119:111
In vulnerability, she shows what receiving grace means, what it has done; to be loved with an everlasting love.
Listening to the above video by Alexandra, the author of The Artist's Daughter,
I understand the strengthening that comes from loss and separation,
from abandonment in our lives. Who I am can better be answered by Whose I
am. I am loved. I am cared for. I am complete in Him.
Psalm 139
New King James Version (NKJV)
God’s Perfect Knowledge of Man
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of
David.
139 O Lord, You have searched me and known me. 2 You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. 3 You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. 5 You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it.
7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” Even the night shall be light about me; 12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You.
13 For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.
17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! 18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You.
19 Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God! Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men. 20 For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take Your name in vain. 21 Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? 22 I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; 24 And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.
The very first time I read this Psalm, it all came together for me. My mother died the month before I was six. I longed for her. The Lord has always been with me. I have not been alone. He has seen to the end of my life here on earth, and has come to walk through it with me. I trust Him. Death ~ earthly separation. My firstborn and only son died of a heart attack, June 3, 2011. The Lord has upheld me. I know it is so.
It takes a lifetime to know what-and who-defines you.
When
Alexandra Kuykendall became a mother, she knew she had to go back to
the beginning. To that hot July afternoon in Barcelona when she met her
father for the first time. The only daughter of a single,
world-traveling mother and an absent artist father, Alexandra embarks on
a soul-searching trip into the past to make sense of the layers of her
life―both the memories she experienced and the ones she wished for.
The Artist’s Daughter will
take you on a journey of discovery through childhood, marriage, and
motherhood. Through short vignettes full of both wonder and heartache,
Alexandra seeks answers to three life-defining questions: Am I lovable?
Am I loved? Am I loving? If you long to better understand the path your
life has taken, where it is heading, and who is guiding you, this
revealing and refreshing story will push you toward those answers as it
changes your heart.
Alexandra Kuykendall lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband
Derek and their four daughters. She is on staff at MOPS International
(Mothers of Preschoolers) where she is a regular contributor and
consulting editor to various publications and a frequent speaker for the
organization. While she spends most days buckling and unbuckling car
seats and trying to find a better solution to the laundry dilemma, she
manages to snatch minutes here and there to write about the quest for
purpose in it all.
***Thank you to Revell Blog Tour Network Nonfiction for inviting me to be a part of the blog tour for Alexandra Kuykendall's The Artist's Daughter and for sending me a copy of the book. No other compensation was received.***
Questions for Reflection are included in the back of the memoir for each section.
Molly Lovelace dreams of handsome wrangler
Bailey Garner, but he doesn’t have her parents’ approval. Bailey
imagines doing great things for God, but his devotion might conflict
with Molly’s and his plans. Will their choices tear them apart or will
they find love in the balance? http://www.reginajennings.com/blog/the-trust-chronicles-molly-lovelace
Tuesday, May 14th:
Cassie Allan
Blue Ridge Mountains, Virginia, 1901
Gideon O’Riley has two wives–but he doesn’t know it. http://www.joannebischof.com/?p=4857
Wednesday, May 16th:
Bonnie McDonnell
Lake Tahoe, California, 1906
From Among the Pines*
Far from the dangers of her former life,
Bonnie McDonnell cherishes her quiet refuge at Stonehaven Estate. But
following the great San Francisco earthquake, her world is upturned by
the arrival of two refugees: a mysterious ex-prisoner, and the
aristocrat who nearly ruined her all those years ago. When Bonnie’s
hard-won trust is betrayed, can she sacrifice all she’s fought for to
save the man she loves?
Since Prohibition made a criminal of her
father and her only brother, Laurie prays to find one man worthy of her
trust. Convinced that newcomer Daniel Shepherd is connected with her
brother’s gang of rumrunners, Laurie turns to a handsome federal agent
for help. But first impressions are never what they seem. http://www.karenbarnettbooks.com/2013/05/trust-chronicles-laurie-burke.html
Friday, May 18th:
Lt. Georgie Taylor
Termini Airfield, Sicily, August 1943
Homesick flight nurse Lt. Georgie Taylor
arrives in Sicily and strikes up a friendship with Sgt. John Hutchinson,
who longs to become one of the Army’s first pharmacy officers. When
Georgie and Hutch’s lives back home fall apart, can they weather the
hurt and betrayal? Or will the pressures of war destroy the fragile
connection they’ve made? http://sarahsundin.blogspot.com/2013/05/trust-chronicles-georgie-taylor.html
We invite you to join us each weekday this week as we hop through cyberspace and history, gleaning hope from each heroine’s journey.
**Each post will go live on the date indicated below.**
To visit each post on or after its date, click on the author name in blue.
Monday, May 13th:Regina Jennings (Heroine: Molly Lovelace, Love in the Balance)
Tuesday, May 14th: Joanne Bischof (Heroine: Cassie Allan, Though My Heart is Torn)
Wednesday, May 16th: Amanda Dykes (Heroine: Bonnie McDonnell, Among the Pines)
Thursday, May 17th: Karen Barnett (Heroine: Laurie Burke, Mistaken)
Friday, May 18th: Sarah Sundin (Heroine: Georgie Taylor, On Distant Shores)
I am very glad I did not read the back of the book cover before reading the book! Too much information! And by page 56, I pretty much had it figured out, but read on. This book will be controversial.
Meet Beth: 
Meet Becky:
