Told in alternating first-person segments, "A Shining Light" is a
compelling inspirational historical romance from author Judith Miller. Set in
the 1890's, the story begins in Baltimore, Maryland as Andrea Wilson learns that
her husband, Fred, has died at sea. After years of suffering abuse and poverty
due to her husband's cruel nature and drunkenness, Andrea feels more relief than
grief. She determines to make a better future for herself and her young son,
Lukas, by returning to her family home in Iowa. Hoping to reconcile with her
father, Andrea is devastated to discover that he died in a fire on the farm, and
the property now belongs to someone else. Members of the nearby Amana village
offer refuge, and Lukas finds a friend and mentor in the tinsmith, Dirk Knefler.
As time passes, even as they must get used to a very different life than they
had known, Andrea and Lukas find a measure of comfort in the simplicity of the
village life. The bond between Lukas and Dirk grows, as does a tentative
relationship between Dirk and Andrea. However, an unexpected and life-changing
turn of events will threaten the future happiness of them all. Their religious
faith and their faith in each other will be put through a mighty test--one they
cannot afford to lose. Will their devotion win out over all? "A Shining Light"
is Book Three in author Judith Miller's involving "Home to Amana" series.
Review Copy Gratis Bethany House Books
At nearly thirty five years in age, childless and widowed,
Marty Dandridge Olson was contemplating a major life change. Lonely, and still
angry over the tragic death of her husband four years earlier, Marty was
considering remarriage. Not for love, not to someone with whom she had a fond
acquaintance, but to a stranger who had placed a newspaper ad for a "Lone Star
Bride" willing to leave Texas and move to Colorado. Jacob Wythe is a
career-minded Texan making a name for himself in the banking boom in Colorado.
As a bank manager, the pressure was on for him to make a suitable marriage to
prove himself stable and worthy of his position. Having failed at love before, a
marriage in name only seemed like a most sensible arrangement to Jake, and the
widowed Marty Olson appears to be the perfect candidate. However, the
best-intended plans are often derailed by unexpected twists of fate, and Marty
and Jake will find themselves caught up in a challenging situation. When
problems at the bank threaten Jake's job security, he longs for a return to
ranching. Complicating matters are the growing feelings between Marty and
Jake--along with a very big secret that Marty is keeping. Will Marty's heart
lead her to be completely honest with Jake? When the truth comes out, will
Jake's love be strong enough to withstand Marty's misguided betrayal? Once
again, gifted author Tracie Peterson reminds us that faith can move
mountains--even if it moves one hill at a time.
Review Copy Gratis Bethany House Books
"Meant to be Mine" drew me in, turned me inside out and
upside down, and then set me right again. Author Becky Wade is an extremely
gifted storyteller, effortlessly developing her characters and adding depth to
the story line while treating her readers to appealing touches of humor. Celia
Park had a nomadic childhood, with her father's job moving the family every few
years to a new city. As they settled into Plano, Texas just as Celia was about
to start high school, she was miserable and found little to interest her in her
new home. That all changed when Ty Porter came into her life. A year ahead of
her in school, he shared a class with her and soon had her mesmerized.
Good-looking and much too charming for his own good, Ty sailed through life,
surviving one escapade after another, and remaining well-liked through it all.
Celia was infatuated with him, and while he dated the most beautiful and popular
girls in school, he was always kind to Celia. After he graduated, Ty enlisted in
the Marines. A year later, after her own graduation, Celia went away to college
in Oregon. It would be over seven years before she would see Ty again. By then,
he'd become a successful bull rider, and when a friend persuades Celia to attend
one of Ty's events in Las Vegas, she and Ty fall into a whirlwind romance.
Abandoning her natural common sense and practicality, Celia headily agrees when
an inebriated Ty rushes her into a kitschy Vegas wedding. The next morning,
sober and sorry, Ty crushes Celia by telling her that he made a mistake and that
he loves someone else. His bluntness is almost bone-shattering, but a devastated
Celia manages to move on. Over five years later, Ty is now a three-time world
champion bull rider--wealthy and a certified celebrity. Still legally married to
Celia, and wanting to tie up loose ends, Ty seeks her out. He finds Celia to be
more lovely and endearing than ever, and she has a very big secret that will
change Ty's life forever. When Ty discovers that Celia never wanted him to know
that she gave birth to his daughter, Addie, his world is rocked. He wants his
child, and he wants her mother too, but he'll have to work hard to gain Celia's
trust. Both Celia and Ty have much to learn about themselves and about each
other. A near-tragedy brings them together in close circumstances, and the two
of them want the best for their child. Having everything come to him so easily
in life, Ty had never spent much time contemplating his faith. Having suffered
some major disappointments, Celia had let her love for Addie and her anger at Ty
propel her through her own life. She too had drifted away from faith and prayer.
Can Ty let go of his long-held guilt and accept a newfound faith? Can Celia
truly forgive both Ty and herself and reach out for a love and joy she never
expected? A recommended read for fans of redemption, renewal, and a romance
worth the wait.
Review Copy Gratis Bethany House Books
A young girl, Nattie, is orphaned at age four when her adoptive parents are
killed in a tragic accident. Her single, carefree uncle, Jack Livingston, is
chosen as her guardian. The young Amish woman, Laura Mast, who had been shunned
by the Amish community, had worked for Nattie's parents. She continues as
Nattie's nanny after the child goes to live with her uncle. A sad and struggling
young woman, Kelly Maines, searches for years to find the daughter who was
stolen from her as an infant and sold to "baby buyers". Compelling characters
are brought together in an involving story line in "Child of Mine", an
inspirational contemporary romance from the husband-and-wife writing team of
David and Beverly Lewis. Irrepressible Nattie is an inveterate list-maker and a
determined matchmaker. She wants a mother, and she thinks Laura would be the
perfect choice to marry her uncle Jack. When Jack meets Kelly, however, she
captures his immediate interest. Checking out one more lead from the private
investigator she had hired to help her locate her daughter, Kelly makes her way
to Jack's aviation business. Her original intention had been to tell him the
truth of her visit, but something about Jack makes her hold back, and she
pretends to want to take flying lessons. The more Jack talks about Nattie, the
more Kelly hopes that the girl will turn out to be her own daughter. Laura, who
has always been like a mother to Nattie, is harboring a secret of her own--a
secret which will greatly affect all those around her. "Child of Mine" is a
touching and intriguing story, a reminder of the roles that faith and fate play
in all our lives. This is a heartfelt tale of loss and forgiveness, discovery
and redemption, and at the center of the story there is one small girl with a
big personality.
Review Copy Gratis Library Thing
I am a longtime fan of author Victoria Bylin's historical western romances,
so it comes as no surprise that I was captivated by "Until I Found You", her
first contemporary release. Written with thoughtfulness and humor, this
well-paced story is both touching and charming. Set in California "condor
country", the setting adds great depth to the story, with the majestic birds
themselves adding poignancy and spiritual relevance as the story line unfolds.
On her way back to the small town of Meadows to help with the after-stroke care
of her grandmother, Leona, Kate Darby's journey takes a dangerous side route. To
avoid a collision with huge condor sitting in the middle of the road, Kate slams
on the brakes, causing the car to slide and hang precariously from the side of
the road. Terrified, and afraid to move, Kate is eventually rescued by Nick
Sheridan, who pulls her to safety just before her car plummets and bursts into
flames. Upon seeing, Nick already knows who Kate is--he is friends with her
grandmother, and he also helps Leona with her small local newspaper, "The
Clarion". Kate is appealing and beautiful, but Nick is working out a year-long
pact he made with God to get his life in order. After living a life filled with
often reckless indulgence, a personal tragedy had given Nick new perspective on
life and faith. After much personal loss in her own life, Kate had very little
faith of her own, and she was spiritually adrift. She loved her grandmother
greatly, however, and leaving her job in Los Angeles and putting her own life on
hold to care for Leona was something she did without question. Leona was all the
family that Kate had left, and they had always been close. Finding much to enjoy
in Meadows, including her unexpected friendship and attraction to Nick, Kate
begins to reflect on her future and to tentatively seek out a real relationship
with God. Much occurs to cloud her vision, and Nick is suffering through
personal doubts of his own, but he knows one thing for sure--Kate is the love of
his life. Does she feel the same for him? Could she share with him the kind of
future for which he longs--a happy family life in Meadows with Kate by his side?
Knowing that she is struggling with her concern for Leona and the
responsibilities of her job back in L.A., can he be patient and give her the
freedom she needs to find her true answers? "Until I Found You" is a
wonderfully-written inspirational romance with appealing characters and an
interesting, compelling story line that will keep the ready involved until the
very end. A fabulous contemporary romance debut for the very talented
storyteller Victoria Bylin.
Review Copy Gratis Bethany House Books
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