The Message in a Bottle Romance Collection by Joanne Bischof, Amanda Dykes, Heather Day Gilbert, Jocelyn Green, and Maureen Lang | Christian Romance Review

The Message in a Bottle

Romance Collection

Joanne Bischof, Amanda Dykes,

Heather Day Gilbert, Jocelyn Green, 

and Maureen Lang

The Distant Tide

Heather Day Gilbert

1170: County Kerry, Ireland

When a Viking bent on revenge mistakenly raids the castle of a bookish Irish princess, will she cast her fears aside to befriend the enemy, finally realizing God's plan for her life?

A Song in the Night

Amanda Dykes

1715: Scotland and England

When a Scottish story-weaver loses her family in a clan war, she finds herself aided by a handsome, secretive bagpiper in a race against time to reunite with someone she never dared hope she'd see again.

The Forgotten Hope

Maureen Lang

1798: New York

As a champion of the sick, a young New Yorker never doubted her worth until a new doctor arrives to work with her father, one who believes her to be nothing more than a social butterfly. Can she gain his respect--and his love?

A River Between Us

Jocelyn Green

1864: Roswell, Georgia

When a Georgian cotton mill worker is arrested and sent North, the Union officer who tries to protect her is the last person she wants to forgive--and the only man who can bring hope and healing to her heart.

The Swelling Sea

Joanne Bischof

1890: Coronado Island, California

After washing ashore on the California coastline, a young woman's yearning to discover her past leads her to the courageous oarsman who helps her find the key.

My Thoughts

What a wonderful collection of authors and stories! I've enjoyed the works of the individual authors so I was pretty sure that I was going to have an interesting read before me. I was right!

The prologue begins in a monastery in Northern Ireland in the year 834 AD. That is where the bronze bottle first appears and the stage is set for a wild adventure involving that mysterious bottle. Each of the stories that follow take us through time and travel. While the individual stories are unrelated the bronze bottle appears in each.The epilogue was a fun ending in present-day California and it neatly tied the whole thing together.

I really like that the stories were stand-alone titles. It's hard to keep a continuity of character traits and voice when different authors are writing for the same characters. By changing stories completely it made the book a delightful collection that could be read over several afternoons. With five different novellas the book as a whole is quite hefty but the layout makes it reader friendly.

I would be hard pressed to pick a favorite story. I liked each one of them in different ways. Each of the stories had a strong message of faith. Due to the talent of each of the authors the characters really came alive. I was left wondering about what happened after the story ended. How did they live out their happily ever after? That's a nice feeling at the end of a good book.

The genres in this book are a mixed bag. Romance winds through each of them but there is history and mystery mixed in as well. I believe it would appeal to a wide audience. 

A Husband's Christmas Prayer by Kathi Macias | Christmas Book Review

A Husband's Christmas Prayer

Kathi Macias

Christian Fiction / Christmas

WILL MINISTRY TO HIS OWN FAMILY

BE ENOUGH TO MAKE A HAPPY HOME?

Pastor Paul has been handed the promotion of his dreams, but his formerly supportive wife doesn't share his sentiment about moving. She liked where she was--her home, church family, and coffee with friends while the kids were at day care. Why did they have to move? For the first time in their seven-year marriage Paul feels distance growing between them. As he struggles to minister to difficult people in his congregation, he also finds he has to minister to his own family. Will it be enough in time to create a united home for Christmas?

My Thoughts

A Husband's Christmas Prayer is my first Christmas book of the season and I am so excited. Granted it's still in the upper 80s around here and October may seem too soon to dive in but for me it's just perfect. 

Each year I look forward to Kathi Macias' Christmas book. I think I've read all of her past seasonal novellas and thoroughly enjoyed them. This year's edition was another delight. The main characters are Paul and Diana Michaelson. When we first meet them Paul has just accepted a Senior Pastor position in the tiny community of Desert Sands. Unfortunately Paul got all caught up in the "we are one" aspect of marriage and forgot to include Diana in the discussion. Diana is a wonderful wife and she set aside her reticence to follow her husband. But the hurt ran deep and eventually it just had to be dealt with.

I particularly enjoyed the use of Ephesians 5:21-33 in the storyline. Pastor Paul preached a sermon on it that was meant to encourage his flock. But God is so gracious that he used Paul's own message to speak to his heart. 

Another of my favorite things about this novel was the supporting characters. Virginia and Mitchell are beautiful examples to each of us as we get older. Until you breath your last God has a plan for you. The McDonald family reminds us to be aware of those around us that aren't in our usual circles. After all the Bible instructs us that we are blessed to be a blessing.

Now for all of you that are still saying that it's too early for a Christmas book, let me say that the majority of this book has nothing to do with Christmas. The culmination of the story is on Christmas but the heart of the narrative takes place in the months leading up to it. You literally can read this book at any time of year and be moved by it. I heartily recommend it to all.

Other Reviews For This Author

The Moses Quilt

Unexpected Christmas Hero

The Deliverer

A Christmas Journey Home

Connect With The Author

www.KathiMacias.com

Facebook - Twitter - Pinterest

Saving The Marquise's Granddaughter by Carrie Fancett Pagels | Historical Fiction Review

Saving The Marquise's Granddaughter

Carrie Fancett Pagels

Historical Fiction / Christian Fiction

In a land fraught with religious strife, they must break the barriers between status and faith to forge a fresh future in a new world . . .

After her Huguenot father is arrested, aristocrat Suzanne Richelieu escapes Versailles. Handsome German peasant, Johan Rousch, risks his life to bring her to the safety of his family's farm in the Palatinate duchy, but when Suzanne's brother and the French army arrive with a warning that they plan to burn the area, she and Johan are forced to flee. With no money or options, both become indentured servants in exchange for safe passage to Philadelphia.

Suzanne falls gravely ill aboard ship and marries Johan, only to survive with no memory of the wedding--a reality made worse when Johan spots the "priest" who married them working as a surveyor and later in Quaker cleric garb. Are their wedding vows valid?

When Suzanne's former fiance arrives in port, planning to abduct her, Johan must save her again--but can he do so before Suzanne is lost to him forever?

My Thoughts

Saving The Marquise's Granddaughter is the first novel I have read by Carrie Fancett Pagels but it most definitely won't be the last. She is not a new novelist, in fact after looking up her works I would have to say she is quite prolific. I'm not sure how I have missed reading her books up to this point.

The story takes place in France during the mid 1700s. During this time-period it was not a good thing to be a Huguenot. In fact it could get you arrested and possibly put to death. Suzanne Richelieu's family are Huguenots and as such have put into place an escape plan but they are hopeful that it will never have to be used. 

But inevitably the plan had to be enacted. Suzanne's harrowing escape through the help of the handsome German Johan Rousch takes up the majority of the novel which makes the novel proceed rapidly. At several points it looks like all is lost. But Providence has more in store for the two. 

I really enjoyed this story of two strong families from completely different backgrounds, one of privilege and the other of meager means. While their circumstances were different they each loved their families deeply. And as a die-hard romantic the budding romance between Suzanne and Johan is just beautiful. At the end I just wanted to cheer, "Love wins!"

If you enjoy a lovely romantic story set in an historic time period you really should check this one out. Carrie Fancett Pagels has done her research so even the little details will educate you as you are enjoying the overall story. I know I came away from it both entertained and feeling like I learned more about Huguenots and their plight. 

Connect With The Author

www.CarrieFancettPagels.blogspot.com

Google+ - Facebook - Twitter

Pinterest - Goodreads - LinkedIn

Book Review ~ Merry Humbug Christmas by Sandra D. Bricker

Merry Humbug Christmas

Sandra D. Bricker

Contemporary Fiction/Christmas

About the book:

A Merry Humbug Christmas features two holiday romance novellas from hilarious and heartwarming author Sandra D. Bricker. -- the perfect gift to yourself or someone else at this most wonderfully stressful time of year.

In "Once Upon a Jingle Bell," A Bah! Humbug cruise to the Mexican Riviera is Joss Snow’s answer to this year’s quest to avoid the holidays completely; at least until she’s rebooked on a different kind of cruise altogether. Candy canes, holly wreaths, reindeer and ornaments seem to be stalking her on the 12 Days of Christmas holiday cruise extravaganza. An escape back to land is her only goal . . . until she meets a kindred spirit in rugged Irishman Patrick Brenneman, and then the game is on! Avoid Christmas festivities at all costs . . . except maybe for that one stop under the mistletoe.

In "It Came Upon a Midnight Deer," Reese’s guilt over abandoning best friend Joss on their holiday tradition of avoiding all things Christmas is trumped by the joy of her recent engagement. Meeting Damian’s family for the first time on idyllic Sugarloaf Mountain is about as far from that Bah! Humbug cruise as she can get, and Reese can hardly wait to get there. But from the moment they hit that deer in the road just two miles from the cabin, everything seems to go wrong. There are no drummers drumming or pipers piping this particular year! And once she sets her future in-laws’ family cabin ablaze, she’s pretty sure there won’t be even ONE golden ring in her future.

My thoughts:

Are you already put out with this winter weather? Do you need something to give you a much needed laugh on these cold and dreary days? Well look no further than Sandra Bricker's adorable new book, Merry Humbug Christmas. This book combines two novellas that intertwine to create one zany Christmas story. 

Best friends, Joss (aka Merry Christmas Snow) and Reese (as in the delicious candy bar) have a distinct disdain for all things Christmas. For the past several years they have diligently avoided anything associated with the holiday. Like all great romance inspired books a man (or men in this case) is going to come along and change everything!

Fans of Sandie have come to expect her trademark humor and they will not be disappointed in this novel. Other authors just couldn't pull off all the craziness that goes on without you shaking your head, but somehow Sandie makes it all seem perfectly plausible. 

In a funny way I think most of us could relate to the catastrophes that ensued. Okay so maybe most of us have never booked a Bah! Humbug cruise only to be bumped to an all things Christmas cruise. But I have shown up to something only to find out it all changed without my knowledge. Joss' cruise fiasco is funny but for me Reese's meeting of the Norman Rockwellesqe future in-laws could actually be classified as hilarious.

Be sure to pick this one up for yourself as well as a friend. I think it would be great therapy after the holidays. After all laughter makes the heart merry like a good medicine!

Connect with the author:

www.SandraDBricker.com

Facebook

Twitter ~ @SandieBricker

Book Review ~ I, Saul by Jerry B. Jenkins

I, Saul

Jerry B. Jenkins

Contemporary Fiction

Back of the book:

A MURDERER who would change the WORLD

From multi-million copy best-selling novelist Jerry Jenkins comes a compelling international thriller that conveys you from present-day Texas to a dank Roman dungeon in A.D. 67, then down the dusty roads of ancient Israel, Asia, and back to Rome.

A young seminary professor, Augustine Knox, is drawn into a deadly race to save priceless parchments from antiquities thieves and discovers a two- thousand-year old connection with another who faced death for the sake of the truth. I, Saul consists of two riveting adventures in one, transporting you between the stories of Augustine Knox and Saul of Tarsus.

Filled with political intrigue, romance, and rich historical detail, I, Saul is a thrilling tale of loyal friendships tested by life-or-death quests, set two millennia apart, told by a master storyteller.

My thoughts:

I love a good redemption story and this new book by Jerry Jenkins has two storylines that qualify! The first chapter starts in modern day Texas and thrusts us into the life of seminary professor, Dr. Augie Knox. While giving end of term finals Dr. Knox gets a mysterious text from a friend in trouble. Augie feels compelled to help and puts everything on hold to fly across the world to see what he can do.

Chapter two brings us to first century Rome where we find the Apostle Paul imprisoned during his final days on earth. Luke, the disciple of Christ comes to minister to him and help him prepare for his impending execution. Nero wants Paul kept alive so they can put him to death. Paul isn't so concerned about dying but he is adamant about finishing his memoir for his friends and family.

From that point on the two stories are woven together with a sense of mystery and intrigue that has the pages flying by. Even if you are very familiar with the story of Saul of Tarsus and his Damascus road experience that allows him to become the Apostle Paul, I think you will be drawn into the details that Mr. Jenkins has written. I appreciated how the story stayed true to scripture yet it fleshed out the characters with feelings and emotions that brought them to life. Even though I knew Paul was headed to execution I wept at his familiar words.

While my favorite part of the book was that of Paul, the story of Augie is also an intriguing read. Throughout the tale we are slowly introduced to the difficult relationship that Augie has with his adopted father. I won't give anything away, but the redemption that is brought about with the father and son is very heartwarming.

If you enjoy a fast paced mystery that is filled with historical facts I think you will really enjoy this new book by Jerry Jenkins. I particularly think this is his best work yet.


Connect with the author:

www.jerry-jenkins.com

Facebook

Twitter ~ @JerryBJenkins

Book Review ~ The Secret Keeper by Beverly Lewis

The Secret Keeper

Home to Hickory Hollow, Book 4

Beverly Lewis

Contemporary Fiction/Amish

Back of the book:

Jennifer Burns shocks everyone when she bids farewell to her modern life in favor of the Old Order Amish world, settling in with Samuel and Rebecca Lapp.

The people of Hickory Hollow are curious about the beautiful young seeker among them--one handsome Amishman in particular--and Jenny faces many challenges in the Proving time the brethren set for her . . . challenges of the heart, as well as the spirit.

Read An Excerpt

My thoughts:

If you think that you've grown weary of Amish fiction you should give it one more try and pick up the Home to Hickory Hollow series by Beverly Lewis. I've been reading Beverly's work from the beginning and I am thrilled with this new series and particularly this fourth book.

This series explores different aspects of the Amish life than what is typically covered in a book of this genre. The main character, Jenny Burns, is a seeker from the English world and is determined to become a devout Amishwoman. I've often wondered what it would entail for someone to become an Amish convert. The story is detailed about the requirements and the hardships someone would face as they try to assimilate to this new lifestyle. I enjoyed the honest way Jenny's struggles were portrayed and also the realistic way the brethren struggled to accept her.

While this is considered a stand-alone novel, several of the characters from previous books in the series make appearances. We are treated to more of the Wise Woman's compassionate yet feisty opinions of the goings on around her. Katie and Dan are still under the Bann but that hasn't stopped them from reaching out to the ones they love the most.

As I said earlier I think this is Beverly's best work yet. The series just continues to surprise me with the different situations that have been introduced. Beverly has definitely earned the status of queen of Amish fiction. I hope that you will enjoy it as much as I have.

Connect with the author:

Photo Credit: Gene Photography

www.BeverlyLewis.com

Facebook

Book Review ~ Harriet Beamer Strikes Gold by Joyce Magnin

Harriet Beamer Strikes Gold

Harriet Beamer, Book 2

Joyce Magnin

Contemporary Christian Fiction

Back of the book:

Adventure is never far away.

After a whirlwind cross-country move, Harriet and her donut-loving basset hound, Humphrey, have settled into a new life in Grass Valley, California. When Harriet learns that she’s going to be a grandma for the first time and gets a new suite with room for her salt and pepper shaker collection, she can’t wait for her best friend, Martha, to come visit so she can share her good news.

But adventure is never far away when Harriet is around. After listening to the pleas of a desperate teen whose daddy needs money right away—and happens to have a gold mine to lease—Harriet falls hook, line, and sinker into the venture. Although she’s nervous about her investment, Harriet chooses to keep it a secret from her son, Henry, and his wife. She can only imagine what she’ll do if this turns out to be her ticket to a golden windfall.

When suspicions arise, though, it becomes clear that Harriet may never see an ounce of gold. But will she continue to trust and risk losing everything? The fate of the young teen and a family emergency show Harriet where her true treasure lies.

My thoughts:

She’s baaa-aaack! The zany yet lovable Harriet Beamer is back in all her glory! She has completed her cross country move and is settling into her new place with her son and daughter-in-law. The problem is that it has been three months and she still feels like a visitor. Her room is tiny and her daughter-in-law just doesn't seem to share her sense of style. Harriet is missing her own space and her best friend Martha.

It doesn't take long for Harriet to get mixed up in her next adventure. When Harriet meets Lily and decides to become an investor in the gold mine Lily’s father Winslow is involved in, the shenanigans begin.

From her red high top Converse All Stars to her hip yellow Vespa scooter Harriet Beamer is a force to be reckoned with. Her son Henry, daughter-in-law Prudence and her friends Martha and Florence have their hands full just keeping her out of the trouble that just seems to fall in her lap.

Joyce Magnin has put together another rollicking adventure for her readers. Her characters are quirky, funny and delightful all rolled together. While this is book two in her current series I think that you can still enjoy this book as a stand-alone but of course you’d really be treating yourself if you went back and read HarrietBeamer Takes the Bus.

Connect with the author:

www.Joycemagnin.blogspot.com

Facebook

@JoyceMagnin

Book Review ~ Wings of Glass by Gina Holmes

Wings of Glass

Gina Holmes

Contemporary Christian Fiction

Back of the book:

On the cusp of adulthood, seventeen-year-old Penny Carson thought she’d found her Prince Charming in farmhand Trent Taylor. With flashy promises and a handsome face to back them up. Trent was her escape from an overbearing father and her one-stop-sign town. But Penny’s happily-ever-after lasts no longer than their breakneck courtship.

Out of options, she resigns herself to the fate of a woman controlled by a man with no control . . . until a welding accident at work forces Trent to finally allow Penny to take a job cleaning houses. Here she meets two women from very different worlds who open up her life to endless possibilities, teach her to live and laugh again—and lend her their backbones just long enough for her to find her own.

My thoughts:

Domestic violence is such a difficult subject. Those of us that have never experienced it have a hard time understanding what keeps someone in that situation. Why don’t they just leave and get help? Isn’t it as simple as that?

Gina Holmes delves into the intricacies that are involved in these complex relationships. Through her written voice you are able to see what goes on in the mind of not only the perpetrator but also the victim and those that are trying to help the victim.

Trent is an unlikable person. He’s mean and deceitful when he is healthy and he’s mean and deceitful when he’s injured. The one trait that I have to admire about Penny is that she continues to cling to hope that he will improve, especially after the accident. As the story unfolds and light is shed on the darkness of their marriage we can begin to see that we’re all victims of a sin nature just waiting to be set free.

This is an emotion ridden story told by a broken momma to her son. At times it will make you want to weep and at other times it will make you want to rage at the injustice of it all. In the end I hope you will come away with a sense of hope as I did. Some things aren't set right in the way we deem it to be, but have no doubt about it, in the end all will be justified by the One who is faithful and true!

Connect with the author:

www.GinaHolmes.com

Facebook 

The Chance ~ A Moving Tale by @KarenKingsbury

Disclosure *I was given a copy of this book. All thoughts are from @FitzysMom of Rambles of a SAHM

The Chance

Karen Kingsbury

Christian Fiction

Buy it on Amazon! 

About the book:

The day before a teenage Ellie moved from Georgia to California, she and her best friend Nolan sat beneath the Spanish moss of an ancient oak tree where they wrote letters to each other and buried them in a rusty old metal box. The plan was to return eleven years later, dig the box up, and read the letters. But now, as that date approaches, much has changed. Ellie has abandoned the faith she grew up with, her days consumed with loving her little girl and trying to make ends meet. Sometimes she watches TV to catch a glimpse of her old friend Nolan, now an NBA star, whose faith is known by the entire nation. But few know that Nolan’s own personal tragedies have fueled both his faith and athletic drive. Despite his success, Nolan is isolated and lonely, plagued by a void in his heart that has remained since that night beneath the old oak tree with Ellie. For both Ellie and Nolan, the coming date is more than just a childhood promise. It’s the chance to make sense of it all—the chance to find out if it’s ever too late to find love again.

Karen Kingsbury weaves a moving tale of heart-wrenching loss, the power of faith, and the wounds that only a forever kind of love can heal. She delves deeply into a theme that resonates within us all: Hope lives for those willing to take a chance.

About the author:

Website: KarenKingsbury.com

Facebook Page

Twitter @KarenKingsbury

Karen Kingsbury is America’s favorite inspirational novelist. There are more than 25 million copies of her award-winning books in print, including several million copies sold in the past year. Karen’s recent dozen titles have all debuted at or near the top of the New York Times Bestseller’s list.

She is also a public speaker, reaching more than 100,000 women annually through various national events. Karen lives and works outside Nashville, Tenn., with her husband, Don, and their five sons, three of whom were adopted from Haiti. Also living nearby is their only daughter, Kelsey, an actress in inspirational films and married to Christian recording artist Kyle Kupecky.

My thoughts:

In The Chance Karen Kingsbury brings us back to the writing style that we’ve all come to know and love. Yes, it is a storyline that has been done before and some of the characters are larger than life and way above reproach. Do they have flaws? Maybe, but they are few and far between.

The truth is that none of that matters. In The Chance we are taken on a journey through some seemingly impossible situations and in the end God provides a way. We are reminded that our good intentions often have not so good motives. Our righteous indignation is just that . . . ours. We use God to get others to act according to our thinking instead of seeking His wisdom in our own actions.

I enjoyed the premise of young love and the hope that it could become more than that someday. I thought that Nolan was a wonderful depiction of Christ’s love for us in the way he accepted and loved Ellie. Ellie’s parents’ story is proof that forgiveness is powerful for all involved.

A fun aspect of the book was getting to catch up with Molly and Ryan from The Bridge. I am enjoying this new non series that Karen has put together. I like the aspect of returning characters that pop up in future books. It is refreshing after a long drawn out series of series. 

Disclosure: The opinions expressed in this review are those of @FitzysMom from Rambles of a SAHM. A book was provided free of cost in order to facilitate this review. This post contains affiliate links. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or Services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising"