House of Mercy

 

When Beth’s world falls apart, can she ever be whole again?

Beth has a gift of healing—which is why she wants to become a vet and help her family run their fifth-generation cattle ranch. Her father’s dream of helping men in trouble and giving them a second chance is her dream too. But it only takes one foolish decision for Beth to destroy it all.

Beth scrambles to redeem her mistake, pleading with God for help, even as a mystery complicates her life. But the repercussions grow more unbearable—a lawsuit, a death, a divided family, and the looming loss of everything she cares about. Beth’s only hope is to find the grandfather she never knew and beg for his help. Confused, grieving, but determined to make amends, she embarks on a horseback journey across the mountains, guided by a wild, unpredictable wolf who may or may not be real.

Once I realized this was more of a character driven story I settled down and got to know the characters. At times there seemed to be too much going on that threatened to be too big of a distraction. The authors does a great job of describing the setting and brings out thoughts on the choices we make, the consequences of those choices that have impact on others as well as ourselves.  Some loose ends makes me wonder if the story will continue...

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Erin Healy is an award-winning fiction editor who has worked with talented novelists such as James Scott Bell, Melody Carlson, Colleen Coble, Brandilyn Collins, Traci DePree, L. B. Graham, Rene Gutteridge, Michelle McKinney Hammond, Robin Lee Hatcher, Denise Hildreth, Denise Hunter, Randy Ingermanson, Jane Kirkpatrick, Bryan Litfin, Frank Peretti, Lisa Samson, Randy Singer, Robert Whitlow, and many others.

She began working with Ted Dekker in 2002 and edited twelve of his heart-pounding stories before their collaboration on Kiss, the first novel to seat her on "the other side of the desk."
Erin is the owner of WordWright Editorial Services, a consulting firm specializing in fiction book development. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers and the Academy of Christian Editors. She lives with her family in Colorado.

Visit the author's website. Author: Erin Healy
Book Details



This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Rick Roberson and B & B Media Group and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

Need You Now

When big-city life threatens the safety of one of their children, Brad and Darlene Henderson move with their three teenagers from Houston to the tiny town of Round Top, Texas.

Adjusting to small-town life is difficult for the kids, especially fifteen-year-old Grace who is coping in a dangerous way.

Married life hasn’t always been bliss, but their strong faith has carried them through the difficult times. When Darlene takes a job outside the home for the first time in their marriage, the domestic tension rises.

While working with special needs children at her new job, the widowed father of one of Darlene’s students starts paying more attention to her than is appropriate. Problem is, she feels like someone is listening to her for the first time in a long time.

This is a highly relatable book.  The family deals with today's issues and you will find yourself relating to one or more of the characters.  There is devastation, but hope as the strength of marriage and the bond of family is tested.  The message I take away from this book is that even though life is messy, forgiveness and healing is possible.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

When a personal crisis tested and strengthened her faith, award-winning journalist Beth Wiseman was advised by her agent to consider writing a Christian novel, particularly an Amish one. Encouraged by her agent’s urging, she began exploring the Amish lifestyle and soon developed a great appreciation for the more peaceful way of life. In 2008 Wiseman wrote her debut novel, Plain Perfect, featuring the Amish lifestyle within the context of a fictional love story. It was a bestseller, as have been all of the full-length novels and novellas she has written since.

While Need You Now is Wiseman’s first non-Amish novel, she is confident it will not be the last. She is already making plans to write a second contemporary novel in the near future. Like Need You Now, it will also be set in small-town Texas, a familiar background she thoroughly loves exploring and writing about.

Wiseman’s previous releases have held spots on the CBA (Christian Booksellers Association) and the ECPA (Evangelical Christian Publishers Association) bestseller lists. In 2010, she received the INSPY Award for Amish Fiction (chosen by blog reviewers). In 2011, she received the Carol Award and was the Inspirational Readers Choice winner for her book Plain Paradise. Her novel Seek Me with All Your Heart was the 2011 Women of Faith Book of the Year. In addition, Wiseman has been a Retailers Choice Finalist, a Booksellers Best Finalist and a National Readers Choice Finalist. Prior to becoming a novelist she received many honors for her work as a journalist, including a prestigious First Place News Writing Award from the Texas Press Association.

Today, she and her husband are empty nest parents of two grown sons, enjoying the country lifestyle and living happily with two dogs, two cats, two pot-bellied pigs, two chickens and a single pygmy goat in a small community in South Central Texas. Along with writing, she enjoys cooking, reading, traveling and watching good movies. Her favorite pastime, however, is spending time with friends and family.

Visit the author's website.



This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from B & B Media Group and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

The Accidental Bride

Shay Brandenberger has built her entire life on the shifting sands of what others think. Constantly seeking the approval of others, she has struggled through a rocky childhood, a failed marriage and single parenthood. Now it looks like she's losing the ranch that has been in her family for three generations, a surefire way to mark her as a failure in the eyes of the community. When Travis McCoy, the high school sweetheart who very publicly broke her heart fifteen years before, returns to Moose Creek, she is less than pleased. Not only does his re-appearance dredge up a deluge of painful memories, it also reminds everyone in town that it was he who left her, not the other way around. To make matters worse, Shay and Travis are unwittingly paired to play bride and groom in the annual Founder's Day wedding re-enactment where, much to her chagrin, she discovers he still has the power to take her breath away.

After years of successfully following the rodeo circuit, Travis's one regret in life is having hurt Shay so badly. He's determined to make the past up to her, so when, through a series of flukes, the marriage ceremony is "accidentally" made official, he seizes the opportunity to make things right. But can Shay let go of her pride and stop worrying about what others think long enough to let him? Or will she remain convinced their accidental marriage is just one more mark against her in the eyes of her neighbors?

Wow, my first book of the New Year could have not been more relatable. The character suffers a betrayal and the following devastation affects her deeply. Having suffered a recent devastation, I could so relate to her feelings and understand her reluctance to trust again and the fight of wallowing in the hurt and bitterness, but knowing it does more harm than good. A book that was not only enjoyable, but spoke to my heart as a great reminder to me to move on and forgive.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Denise lives in Indiana with her husband Kevin and their three sons. In 1996, Denise began her first book, a Christian romance novel, writing while her children napped. Two years later it was published, and she's been writing ever since. Her books often contain a strong romantic element, and her husband Kevin says he provides all her romantic material, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too!

Visit the author's website.
Book Details



3 Bears

This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Audra Jennings, The B and B Media Group and Thomas Nelson Publishers and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

False Witness - Guest Review

Reviewed by Courtney

Clark Shealy is a bail bondsman with the ultimate bounty on the line: his wife's life. He has forty-eight hours to find an Indian professor in possession of the Abacus Algorithm—an equation so powerful it could crack all Internet encryption.

Four years later, law student Jamie Brock is working in legal aid when a routine case takes a vicious twist: she and two colleagues learn that their clients, members of the witness protection program, are accused of defrauding the government and have the encrypted algorithm in their possession. After a life-changing trip to the professor's church in India, the couple also has the key to decode it.

Now they're on the run from federal agents and the Chinese mafia, who will do anything to get the algorithm. Caught in the middle, Jamie and her friends must protect their clients if they want to survive long enough to graduate.

An adrenaline-laced thrill ride, this retelling of one of Randy Singer's most critically acclaimed novels takes readers from the streets of Las Vegas to the halls of the American justice system and the inner sanctum of the growing church in India with all the trademark twists, turns, and the legal intrigue his fans have come to expect.

This was my first time reading this author... I'm a fan. Right from the start Singer pulls you in with non-stop action that doesn't let up until the last page. The characters were well developed with out "wasting" too much time on their details. Best of all, multiple twists and turns kept the pages turning right till the end.

Author: Randy Singer
Published: April 2011 (reissue 2007)
Pages: 432
Genre: Christian Fiction Suspense
Source: The B & B Media Group




This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from The B and B Media Group and in no way influenced my review of this book.  These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.”

The Lightkeeper's Ball

It is the dawn of a new century and Olivia Stewart is heiress to an empire. Her family numbers among the Four Hundred – those considered the wealthiest and most distinguished in America. Unfortunately their wealth has nearly disappeared, and now their security rests solely on the Stewart daughters’ marrying well.

Olivia’s sister, Eleanor, was engaged to Harrison Bennett, one of the nation’s wealthiest men, but has since died. Now the pressure is on Olivia to take her place, despite her suspicions about Eleanor’s fiancé. Using her family’s long-forgotten English title, Olivia travels to Mercy Falls, California, as Lady Devonworth, hoping to learn more before committing to marriage. There she finds that Eleanor’s death was no accident. And Harrison is not the man she thought he would be.

When Mercy Falls holds a charity ball masquerade to raise funds for the new lighthouse, secrets–and truths long hidden–will be revealed. But can Harrison really love Olivia when he finds her true identity? Can she live with the repercussions of failing her family, or will she finally realize that nothing–not money, family, or romance—will ever compare to God’s unconditional love?

I will always reach for a Colleen Coble book. The character's were interesting and looking forward to the future of "flying machines". The mystery captured my attention and I was surprised when all was revealed. This book is part of a series centered around a Lighthouse in Mercy Falls but stood alone well.  However, I did feel I was reading a series book and missing some character information and that drives me nuts.  It is a personal thing, and may not impact your reading of this book.

Author: Colleen Coble
Published: April 2011
Pages: 296
Genre: Historical romantic mystery
Source: Audra Jennings & The B and B Media Group
Finished: 5-4-11



This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Audra Jennings of The B and B Media Group and in no way influenced my review of this book.  These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.”