Bible 360: Day 109, April 19 - Luke 23

Luke 23
26 As the soldiers led Jesus away, they grabbed a man named Simon, who was from the city of Cyrene. Simon was coming into Jerusalem. They laid the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.

Acts 11 [The Voice]
19 The believers who were scattered from Judea because of the persecution following Stephen’s stoning kept moving out, reaching Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch. Until this time, they had only shared their message with Jews. 20 Then some men from Cyprus and Cyrene who had become believers came to Antioch, and they began sharing the message of the Lord Jesus with some Greek converts to Judaism. 21 The Lord was at work through them, and a large number of these Greeks became believers and turned to the Lord Jesus.
22 Word of this new development came to the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch to investigate. 23 He arrived and saw God’s grace in action there, so he rejoiced and urged them to remain faithful to the Lord, to maintain an enduring, unshakable devotion. 24 This Barnabas truly was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit, full of faith. A very large number of people were brought to the Lord.

Roses Have Thorns: A Novel of Elizabeth I by Sandra Byrd, ©2013

What happens when serving a queen may cost you your marriage—or your life?

Helena von Snakenborg

In 1565, seventeen-year-old Elin von Snakenborg leaves Sweden on a treacherous journey to England. Her fiancé has fallen in love with her sister and her dowry money has been gambled away, but ahead of her lies an adventure that will take her to the dizzying heights of Tudor power. Transformed through marriage into Helena, the Marchioness of Northampton, she becomes the highest-ranking woman in Elizabeth’s circle.

But in a court that is surrounded by Catholic enemies who plot the queen’s downfall, Helena is forced to choose between her unyielding monarch and the husband she’s not sure she can trust—a choice that will provoke catastrophic consequences.

Mary, Queen of Scots

A rich, tautly woven tale of love, deception, and grace, Roses Have Thorns vividly conjures the years leading up to the beheading of Mary Queen of Scots and is a brilliant exploration of treason, both to the realm and to the heart.

Roses have thorns, and silver fountains mud,
Clouds and eclipses stain both moon and sun,
And loathsome canker lives in sweetest bud.

                       —"Sonnet 35," William Shakespeare

November: Year of Our Lord 1564
   Tre Kronor, Stockholm, Sweden

Winter, Spring, and Summer: Year of Our Lord 1565
   At Sea and Over Land

Elin Ulfsdotter ~ Lady Elin von Snakenborg of noble heritage ~ leaves Stockholm as one of the ladies in waiting of Princess Cecelia on their way to England. The seemingly one month sea and land voyage takes ten months.

The ship wound its way through the fjords and into the open ocean. What should have been a journey of perhaps one unpleasant month turned into a nightmare of nearly ten. There was no ill weather that did not bedevil us, from ice storm to windy squall that threatened to scupper the ship nearly every week. The seas churned, gray trimmed with foamy white ribbons like an old man's beard, and most days we kept in our cabins.
   --Roses Have Thorns, 10

Elizabeth I  Queen of England

Elin accepts becoming a maid of honor to Queen Elizabeth I while she is waiting to wed, as the others prepare to return to Sweden. At their departure, Princess Cecelia discloses there is a complication. Elin's intended is legally married to another. Elin changes her name to Helena now that she has chosen to become an Englishwoman. She is dedicated to the queen's service and faithfully serves, bringing her Swedish skills of soothing herbal preparations for relaxation for the Queen. The story is told through her point of view.

With the lack of an heir, the political scene is uncertain. The queen needed a successor and an heir. With enemies plotting the queen's downfall, country backing was so important to eradicate uprisings. Queen Elizabeth I was betrothed to her countrymen and visited sections frequently for the people to be aware of her interest of them.

How readily one may be raised in this realm and how quickly the ennobled may fall.
   --Ibid., 111

Uncertain of whom to trust in and out of the English court, surveillance becomes steeper.

I had arrived on these shores nearly nine years earlier. I’d thought that William had brought me from girl to woman, but that night I had truly reached maturity. I had prayed for the queen, against her enemies in Spain and in France. But I understood for the first time, then, that the enemies with the greatest potential to harm were the ones closest at hand and to heart.
   --Helena, Marchioness of Northampton, Ibid., 129

I liked the depth of research for this novel, which may be read as a stand-alone if you have not read the first two books in the series. Also to be noted are the Family Trees that show the lineage. Roses Have Thorns revealed how much control the queen had over her court, bestowing or withholding honor in their personal decisions during this Tudor era.

Book Details:
Roses Have Thorns:
A Novel of Elizabeth I
Ladies in Waiting, Book 3
Author: Sandra Byrd
Howard Books
336 pages
ISBN 9781439183168
April 2013

Photograph © Studio B Portraits

Sandra Byrd has published more than three dozen books in the fiction and nonfiction markets, including the first two books in her Tudor series, To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn and The Secret Keeper: A Novel of Kateryn Parr. For more than a decade Sandra has shared her secrets with the many new writers she edits, mentors, and coaches. She lives in the Seattle, Washington, area with her husband and two children. For more Tudor tidbits, please visit sandrabyrd.com.

Ladies In Waiting series
 ~ A rich alchemy of fact and fiction, the Ladies in Waiting series chronicles the glittering court lives of three Tudor Queens and the women chosen to be their closest friends and companions. Each book envelopes the reader in sweeping romance, heartwarming and heartbreaking circumstances, and heroines who choose lives worth risking all for.


To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn
Ladies in Waiting, Book 1
     The Secret Keeper: A Novel of Kateryn Parr
     Ladies in Waiting, Book 2
          Roses Have Thorns: A Novel of Elizabeth I
          Ladies in Waiting, Book 3

***Thank you to CFBA ~ Christian Fiction Blog Alliance ~ for sending me a copy of Roses Have Thorns: A Novel of Elizabeth I by Sandra Byrd to read and review on this blog tour. No other compensation was received.***

Sweet Sanctuary by Kim Vogel Sawyer, ©2013

"From the ends of the earth I call to you,
    I call as my heart grows faint;
    lead me to the rock that is higher than I."
   --Psalm 61:2 NIV

Queens, New York
July 1944

Micah Hatcher receives an astonishing letter that sets him on a journey he never would have expected. He is summoned to Boston, Massachusetts, to answer a charge against him. At this point, it is a charge against the heart and not of law.

His mother's voice tiptoed through his mind: "Son, whatever comes your way, the good Lord knew it was comin' and has a solution in mind. Trust Him to guide you." The letter might have caught Micah by surprise, but nothing came as a surprise to God.
   --Sweet Sanctuary, 9

A Story of Hope and Love Set Against the Backdrop of World War II
Lydia Eldredge longs to provide sanctuary for her young son, Nicky. But a constant threat comes from Nicky's drug-addicted father, who wants the boy and seems willing to do whatever it takes to get him.
   Dr. Micah Hatcher faithfully serves the immigrant population of Queens, New York. But under cover of darkness, he has a secret mission that challenges everything he thought he wanted out of life.
   When Lydia and Micah's paths cross, they are suddenly wrapped up in each other's callings. Together, they seek a refuge of safety--for Nicky, for themselves, and for the needy people God puts into their lives. Amid turmoil and discord, can hope and love prevail?

In 1940, Dr. Micah Hatcher and nurse Lydia Eldredge were stationed at the same medical base before she was suddenly called home to Boston. Dr. Hatcher is now working at a mission clinic in Queens, New York, as head doctor for the immigrants in need of medical care. They meet again under different circumstances and their lives become interwoven.

Still engaged in rescuing efforts during war time, Micah and Lydia are bent on survival for those they are helping. Living miles apart, their hearts blend as their desires are the same. They go beyond themselves to help Nic Pankin restore his life. He at one time had worked for Lydia's father, and upon being reinstated, risks his own life to save Lydia's father's. How important we are in each other's lives.

The sins of his past crept from the recesses of his soul and left him feeling stained and ugly and sore. A groan hovered in his throat. He needed comfort. He needed to forget. He needed--Second Corinthians 5:17, one of the verses Micah had insisted he memorize--"Hidin' God's Word in your heart'll send bad thoughts runnin' for cover," Micah had declared--ran through Nic's mind. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." Just as Micah had indicated, the sin reminder scuttled into the shadows, Nic heaved a sigh and offered a silent prayer of gratitude as the shift buzzer blasted.
   --Ibid., 262

A new life, a new hope, rescued from despair. How valuable we are in another's life. Lydia's life is changed when Justina speaks to her. Thankfully, she didn't lean on vain imaginations and destroy her life from what it could have been. So important not to assume what we think is true. Love prevails.

Her heart sang as she thought about the message she'd been given. God's plan for her was about to be revealed.
   --Ibid., 321

Kim Vogel Sawyer is a best-selling, award-winning author highly acclaimed for her gentle stories of hope. She has more than one million copies of her books in print. Kim lives in central Kansas, where she and her husband, Don, run a bed-and-breakfast and enjoy spending time with their three daughters and nine grandchildren. To find out more about Kim and her books, please visit sites listed below.
kimvogelsawyer.com
writespassage.blogspot.com
TheKingsInnBnB.com

***Thank you to Litfuse Blog Tour for sending a copy of Sweet Sanctuary to me to review. No other compensation was received.***

~*~ N-O-T-I-C-E ~*~

@KimVogelSawyer “Sweet Sanctuary” Cupcake Club Giveaway and Facebook Party! {4/30}

To celebrate the release of  Sweet Sanctuary Kim Vogel Sawyer is giving away a Cupcake Club membership (monthly cupcake delivery!) from the amazing Magnolia Bakery in New York and hosting a Facebook Author Chat party {4/30}!

One "sweet" winner will receive:

• Cupcakes from NYC’s Magnolia Bakery delivered to your door every month. (Eat them all yourself or share!)
• Sweet Sanctuary by Kim Vogel Sawyer for you and four of your friends. (Start a book group — cupcakes and a "sweet" read!)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 29th. Winner will be announced at the "Sweet Sanctuary" Author Chat Party on 4/30. Connect with Kim, get a sneak peek of her next book, try your hand at a trivia contest, and chat with readers just like yourself. There will also be fun giveaways - gift certificates, books, and more!

So grab your copy of Sweet Sanctuary and join Kim on the evening of April 30th 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 30th!

The Heiress of Winterwood by Sarah E. Ladd, ©2012 ~ Book #1 in the Whispers on the Moors series

~*~ an inspirational romance novel set in Regency England ~*~

 A Promise *~ is ~* A Promise *~ is ~* A Promise

Holding to her vow to her dying friend, Katherine, Amelia Barrett sets out to secure infant Lucy's future and her own promise given. Will she be received?

Crisp and clear, I really like the typeset of this novel on the creme-colored paper. It is very readable and stands out for the setting of the time period. I like the flow of it. Also, the Regency speech!

With the sweep of her primrose muslin skirt, she quitted the room.
   --The Heiress of Winterwood, 8

Captain Graham Sterling is a naval captain who is fighting in the War of 1812. Late in his wife Katherine's pregnancy he receives word, and months later of her death in childbirth. His daughter Lucy is in the care of Amelia Barrett and is now 9-months-old. His ship has been damaged in battle. Captain Sterling comes to Eastmore Hall, the inherited home of his elder brother William. Amelia's home, Winterwood Manor, is the estate adjoining the Sterling property. Her uncle and aunt, George and Augusta Barrett have remained with their daughter Helena, as guardian to her and to the estate after the death of Amelia's father, twelve years past.

Amelia had befriended Katherine Sterling and pledged to her on her deathbed that she would hand-deliver her final letter to her husband, and care for their newborn daughter. Upon hearing of his arrival, Amelia sends word to Eastmore Hall for Captain Sterling to come to Winterwood Manor to speak with her. Through difficult circumstances, she hopes they may determine together the best care for Lucy. To retain Winterwood Manor, Amelia must marry before her 24th birthday in five weeks, or her inheritance will be forfeited and passed to a distant cousin. She proposes their marriage as the solution; he declines.

Graham Sterling has put up guarded walls. Amelia has tried to keep in control of what she would like to happen. Will they yield to the One who has the best for them? As they open their hearts, they find who they really are.

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths."
   --Psalm 3:5-6

I like the extreme loyalty of the staff at Winterwood Manor. They carry on amid the confusion of those seemingly in charge. Amid the strife and clamor, daily needs are seen to and little Lucy is cared for. This novel is very well-written, concise and riveting as the daily happenings are portrayed in the lives of these families.

 



Thank you to Litfuse Publicity Group for sending me an Advance Reader's Copy of The Heiress of Winterwood to read and review. No other compensation was received.











Sarah Ladd is celebrating the release of The Heiress of Winterwood with a Downton Abbey Kindle Prize Pack Giveaway!

 One winner will receive:

• A brand new Kindle Fire
• Downton Abbey, seasons 1-3

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 30th. Winner will be announced on 5/2/13 {HERE}.

Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.

A Noble Groom by Jody Hedlund, ©2013

This cover has him too cleaned up! Carl Richards leaves his aristocratic life and name behind to join the very ones his father had lorded over. The other side of the fence holds hard work and calloused hands, and feelings he had never experienced.
Carl is sent by the man who had lovingly looked after him from his childhood to the man's brother in America. He is unaware he is expected as a mail-order groom. Instead he comes as the stand-in until a cousin, Dirk, is available to come and claim his bride. Carl comes not as the groom, but as the worker to help save Annalisa Werner's farm from being forfeited, and to save his hide.

Annalisa Werner does not expect love but survival. To this end, she needs a husband to look after her interests. Steadfastly determining at all cost to save her land, she unwaveringly works hard to preserve what she has.

Through trial of drought, fire, an epidemic, and threats by a mill owner to take over her land, she and Carl work together to salvage crops and hope for the return to enable Annalisa to pay for her loan coming due soon. When the bridegroom comes, he will be free to leave; but will his heart be free?

I loved this story!! So detailed and sure, Carl learns what it is like to really live and to recognize the struggle the immigrants have coming to their New World. They are no longer under the barrenness of servitude in their Old Country. They bring their old customs and traditions with them; some very hard to bear. Both protagonists are strong in their beliefs. Hopefully, both will discover they have been watched over by the only One who can protect them.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
   --Jeremiah 29:11

Recently widowed Annalisa Werner has the feeling her husband was murdered but can’t prove it.

Alone with her young daughter in 1881 Michigan, she has six months left to finish raising the money needed to pay back the land contract her husband purchased, and the land is difficult to toil by herself. She needs a husband. With unmarried men scarce, her father sends a letter to his brother in the Old Country, asking him to find Annalisa a groom.

For nobleman Carl von Reichart, the blade of the guillotine is his fate. He’s been accused and convicted of a serious crime he didn’t commit, and his only escape is to flee to a small German community in Michigan where he’ll be safe. He secures a job on Annalisa’s farm but bumbles through learning about farming and manual labor.

Annalisa senses that Carl is harboring a secret about his past, yet she finds herself drawn to him anyway. He’s gentle, kind, and romantic–unlike any of the men she’s ever known. He begins to restore her faith in the ability to love–but her true groom is still on his way. And time is running out on them all.

About the Author

Jody Hedlund is the bestselling author of The Doctor's Lady, The Preacher's Bride, and Unending Devotion. She won the 2011 Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award, the 2011 Award of Excellence from the Colorado Romance Writers, and was a finalist for Best Debut Novel in the 2011 ACFW Carol Awards. Currently she makes her home in central Michigan, with her husband and five busy children. She loves hearing from readers on Facebook and on her blog at JodyHedlund.com.

Thank you to Litfuse for inviting me to participate in this blog tour for Jody Hedlund's A Noble Groom! I thoroughly enjoyed reading and reviewing the copy sent to me. No other compensation was received.


A Noble Groom by Jody Hedlund | Kindle Fire Giveaway and Facebook Party! {5/8}

Jody Hedlund is celebrating the release of A Noble Groom by giving away a Kindle Fire and hosting a Facebook Author Chat Party {5/8}! 

One "noble" winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• A copy of A Noble Groom by Jody Hedlund

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 7th. Winner will be announced at the "A Noble Groom" Author Chat Party on May 8th. Connect with Jody, get a sneak peek of her next book, try your hand at the trivia contest, and chat with readers just like you. There will also be many fun giveaways -- gift certificates, books, and more!

So grab your copy of A Noble Groom and join Jody on the evening of May 8th 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 8th!

Josiah's Treasure by Nancy Herriman, ©2012

Today is release day for Nancy Herriman's novel, Josiah's Treasure. I read and reviewed her first book, The Irish Healer, and was eager to receive the Advance Reader's Copy of Josiah's Treasure.

Josiah's Treasure

by Nancy Herriman

In 1882, Sarah Whittier dreams of opening an art studio run by immigrant women. She plans to use the house left to her by family friend Josiah Cady as collateral for her studio. But will all be lost when the inheritance is challenged by an angry man claiming to be Josiah’s son and legal heir? Rumor of gold nuggets hidden in the house, place Sarah’s life in danger. Her future uncertain and her safety threatened, Sarah has nowhere to turn. That is, unless she can soften a vengeful man’s heart–and they both learn that love is finer than any gold.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

My Review of Josiah's Treasure by Nancy Herriman:

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth

and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and

steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven...for where

your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

--Matthew 6:19-21

San Francisco, California
June 1882

"In this town, Sarah Jane, a man's worth is calculated in dollars and cents. Measured by what he has to show for himself..."
   --Josiah Cady, Josiah's Treasure, 3

And so begins Josiah's Treasure. Sarah Whittier is on her way to secure the lease on the Sansome Street storefront for her design studio, Whittier and Company Custom Design Studio. On her third try and determined outlook, she has met the requirement of backers and receives the keys to this forefront location with perfect lighting and layout for each detailed need for her artists-to-be. Sarah rescues immigrant women from low pay, and equal respect, to enable them to learn a sought-after artistic skill to portray the sites of San Francisco and beyond.

Josiah Cady had communicated his family was no longer living ~ at least they had died to him. Finally, after much searching, his son, Daniel, locates his father's home, only to discover Josiah has died and left his inheritance to his nurse-companion, Sarah Whittier.

Sarah has other things to tend to without this unknown Daniel showing up at her doorstep. Sarah and her girls begin to clear the artist studio with gusto, especially with an Irish lass at hand.

   Sarah took up the broom and retrieved her dustpan to work a pile of soot and old dirt into the center of the room. It was good to hear Cora and Phoebe so happy, so full of life. She shouldn't begrudge them any joy, when outside of this shop they had so little. Sarah started humming along to Cora's tune.
   "Cora, what is that you are singing?" Lottie asked as she scrubbed smudges from the front window.
   "Just a tune my pa is fond of. It's called 'Finnegan's Wake.' It goes like this, Miss Charlotte." Cara cleared her throat while Phoebe stood aside, a delighted look on her face.
   --Ibid., 70

 Irish Rovers Finnegan's Wake ~

Daniel is seeking to claim the rightful inheritance for himself and his ten-year-old sisters. In ascertaining details to determine his father's wealth, information is spread a little too thin and now has someone else on the search for hidden gold that might be waiting for the taking on the Nob Hill premises.

   "I wonder why he thought he wouldn't be spotted by someone. I mean, the sun is hours from setting yet."
   "Loony's why."
   "He must not have cared if he was seen." Lottie, carrying the tea tray into the room, must have overheard Sarah's question. "Perhaps he is a night laborer and daytime is the only time he has for housebreaking." Dispensing the steaming tea through the strainer, she set a cup in front of Sarah. It rattled against the saucer.
   --Ibid., 80

With all of this intrusion by Daniel, Sarah manages to resume her life as usual. Oh a free day, they all take a picnic basket on a streetcar and cable car to Golden Gate Park. And then... Cora decides to topple over into the pond and survey the bottom!

   Suddenly, Cora splashed to the surface, her arms churning. She gasped for air. "Help!"
   "Cora, I'm coming!"
   Cora's head disappeared beneath the water again, the water burbling in her wake. Sarah's heart pounded furiously. Her legs, her feet were numb, but she pushed ahead. She wished she'd spent more time swimming, back in the stream at their farm in Ohio. She might be better prepared to do what needed to be done.
   --Ibid., 111

A freezing ride home, indeed! 

I am about to determine Josiah's treasure is, for sure, Sarah Whittier! She is golden in her kindness and care of those around her. Will Daniel ever be on the receiving end?

About the Author

Nancy Herriman retired from a career as an engineer to chase around two small children and take up the pen. She hasn't looked back. When she is not writing, or gabbing over lattes about writing, she is either watching history shows on TV or performing with various choral groups. She lives in Ohio with her husband and sons, and wishes there were more hours in the day. Learn more online at nancyherriman.com.

***Thank you to Worthy Publishing for sending me an Advance Reader's Copy of Nancy Herriman's Josiah's Treasure to read and review. No other compensation was received.***

The Cadence of Grace, Book 2 ~ Though My Heart Is Torn by Joanne Bischof, ©2013

The final copy of Though My Heart Is Torn is here! I read and reviewed the Advance Reader Copy in December and loved it so much, I wanted to bring it to your attention again!

Author Joanne Bischof brings her characters to life in this second continuing novel after Be Still My Soul. Gideon has himself in a pickle again. He trusts that his love for Lonnie finally is apparent to him and he is on the right road to be the husband and father he desires to be. Long ago he has left behind his arrogance and self-serving, to open his heart to her. Safe.

They are called back home by Lonnie's dad and they are eager to bring their little boy and introduce him to their families. But all is not as it seems. Upon their arrival there seems to be a mix up! Legal papers that Gideon trusted were filed, were not. He signed them, so as far as he was concerned, it was not necessary to bring it up.

For those of you who have read Be Still My Soul, do you remember the young lass giving Gideon the eye? Lonnie has just gotten up to sing in place of her ma and Gideon is in the musical group who is accompanying her. Quite the mandolin player, he is. Cassie. That's her name. But... she has his last name too.

More Than Words ~

Gary Cherone & Nuno Bettencourt - Extreme

Saying 'I Love you' is not the words
I want to hear from you
It's not that I want you
Not to say But if you only knew
How easy it would be to show me how you feel
More than words
Is all you have to do to make it real
Then you wouldn't have to say
That you love me cause I'd already know

What would you do if my heart was torn in two

New Release April 2, 2013

More than words to show you feel
That your love for me is real

What would you say if I took those words away

Then you couldn't make things new
Just by saying I love you

La la ri la la ri la ri la la la , more than words
la la ri la la ri la... uuuuuuuu uuuuuh...

Now that I've tried to
Talk to you and make you understand
All you have to do is
Close your eyes and just reach out your hands

And touch me hold me close
Don't ever let me go
More than words
Is all I ever needed you to show
Then you wouldn't have to say
That you love me cause I'd already know

What would you do if my heart was torn in two

More than words
To show you feel
That your love for me is real

What would you say if I took those words away

Then you couldn't make things new
Just by saying I love you



“Git on up!”
   The horse scaled the steep slope. The clop, clop of his shod hooves and the creaking of leather were the only sounds to be heard. They scaled the hill and the land leveled out into a broad, flat valley. Gideon glanced around. Nothing but open land for miles. He pulled his hat off and used it to shove his hair back before settling it into place. He moved the mount along a stand of trees, the road beneath him unfamiliar. Untested.

   And the urge to run hit him like a blow to the chest.

   His eyelids nearly fluttered closed. A handful of days and he could be at the Bennett’s door. Lonnie’s familiar form in his arms. Her scent. Her tears. His hand gripped the reins tighter when a burn threatened to clamp his throat shut. His son.

   Gideon gently tapped his worn-out boots into Abel’s side, and the horse broke into a trot. A tumble of clouds shifted in front of the sun. The air cooled. He tugged his coat tighter, the oilcloth smooth in his fingers. Moments passed as light danced with shadow before the sun broke free. It hit Gideon’s face in a burst of warmth, and he tilted his chin up, wishing he could ride toward it.

   Ride toward it and never stop.

   Not until he reached his bride. And in her hands he could place the tattered remains of his heart. For she was the only one who could mend it.

   --Though My Heart Is Torn, 170-171

 

More Info About This Book

Gideon O’Riley has two wives—but he doesn’t know it.

Settling into a simple life in the majestic Blue Ridge mountains, Lonnie and Gideon O’Riley have finally found happiness after the rocky start to their marriage. The roguish bluegrass musician has fallen in love with his gentle wife and the God she serves, and Lonnie rests secure in his tenderness for her and their young son. A heartless ruse interrupts their peace, bringing them back to Rocky Knob—and forces them to face the claims of Cassie Allan, a woman who says she is Gideon’s rightful wife.

As Gideon wades into the depths of his past choices, Lonnie is stunned by the revelations. She has no choice but to navigate this new path, knowing that surviving the devastating blow will take every ounce of strength she has.

While Gideon’s guilt and his bitterness towards Cassie threatens to burn up his fledgling faith, Lonnie wrestles to find the courage to trust the God who brought them together in the first place. Will their hard-earned love be able to conquer all?

Lonnie only wanted her husband’s love. Now that he belongs to another, can she surrender Gideon to a God with a bigger plan?

I Have a Shelter ~ 

 

Sneak Peek to Though My Heart Is Torn http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/blog/2013/01/09/sneak-peek-though-my-heart-is-torn-by-joanne-bischof/ Chapter One
Read Chapter One

Author Bio Meeting Joanne Bischof 

Married to her first sweetheart, Joanne lives in the mountains of Southern California where she keeps busy making messes with their home schooled children. When she’s not weaving Appalachian romance, she’s blogging about faith, writing, and the adventures of country living that bring her stories to life.

Snippets from Joanne

From moments that are joyous to moments that are bittersweet and even in the midst of a broken heart, with paper and ink as my medium, I write to illustrate love—the gift that was given to us by the One who loves the most.

I have rejoiced through countless blessings–my amazing children, a husband that I adore, and the privilege to write every day.

Like so many others, I have experienced the full spectrum. I know what it’s like to be so completely broken, I didn’t know if the sun would truly rise the next morning. But I felt God move in a miraculous way. A way that forced me to leap into His waiting arms. A place where safety and peace reign.

I’ve experienced the abundant mercy of Christ when he reached down, picked me up, and held me until the tears subsided. I’ve encountered the promise that out of brokenness springs new life. And in that new life, I discovered the overwhelming urge to rejoice and praise the God who saves.

The God who was, who is, and who is to come.

We all have ways of bringing offerings to His feet. Words and the telling of story are one of those gifts that I lay down. It is my constant prayer that they honor and please Him. It’s my desire to write about characters who have nowhere else to go but up. About characters desperate for God’s strength, mercy, and forgiveness.

When I’m not writing, I’m hanging out with my kids. Our family has decided to go the home schooling route so between coloring projects, letters, numbers and scrubbing down short, muddy humans after a romp in the back yard, I love to read, garden and do anything creative. Whether it’s in the kitchen, yard or some type of art project, I tend to be a whirlwind as I go about life, changing my mind on what I’m into from week to week, driving my local library crazy with all the books I check out on soap making, rug braiding, how to train a goat (kidding). My dad used to call me the “mess maker” and thoroughly warned my husband before our wedding day. My wonderful husband, who’s a total neat freak, follows me around with a trashcan and dust buster.

Joanne's Website
joannebischof.com

~*~ Upcoming Release ~*~
My Hope Is Found available for pre-order

The Cadence of Grace, Book 3

Written by Joanne Bischof

Paperback: 352 pages

Publisher: Multnomah Books (October 15, 2013)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1601424256

ISBN-13: 978-1601424259

FTC disclaimer: I received this final copy of Though My Heart Is Torn by Joanne Bischof for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. No other compensation was received.