Christian Novels

Friday, January 17, 2014

A Hope Undaunted by Julie Lessman

About the Book
The 1920s are drawing to a close, and feisty Katie O'Connor is the epitome of the new woman smart and sassy with goals for her future that include the perfect husband and a challenging career in law. Her boyfriend Jack fits all of her criteria for a husband good looking, well connected, wealthy, and head over heels in love with her. But when she is forced to spend the summer of 1929 with Cluny McGee, the bane of her childhood existence, Katie comes face to face with a choice. Will she follow her welllaid plans to marry Jack? Or will she fall for the man she swore to despise forever? A Hope Undaunted is the engrossing first book in the Winds Of Change series from popular author Julie Lessman. Readers will thrill at the highly charged romance in this passionate story.

My Thoughts
From the moment Luke and Katie met in A Passion Denied you knew their relationship was going to be a fun one! They butted heads from day one but there was always an underlying of more-and oh boy what a “more” it was!
I absolutely love Luke! He was a scrappy little boy living on the streets who worked hard, never gave up, and became a man who was a champion of those who'd grown up like him. It would be impossible not to love Luke. His determination to do the right thing, his love of kids, his fierce love for those close to him, and his relationship with God, all serve to make him one amazing hero. Of course he does have his faults but he tries so hard to be the man he is supposed to be, and he truly is a man to admire!
As for Katie, she's always been a determined one who doesn't like being told what to do and it was amazing to watch as she let God into her life and really grew up! She goes from being a spoiled little girl to a woman who is willing to do things God's way.
The two of them together cracked me up so much as they constantly baited each other and jokingly bickered. And while I laughed out loud too many times to count this book also made me cry several times! I won't spoil anything but suffice it to say there was a lot of heartbreak in these pages!
And I know I keep saying this but the secondary cast of characters was awesome! Parker with his gentle strength and his friendship, Betty with her caring and friendly heart, Bobbie Sue with her no nonsense ways, and Gabe with her rebellious heart just looking for love! And then of course there are the characters that have been around for awhile, the rest of the O'Conners, the McGuires, Dennehys, Bradys, and Emma.
So even though this book put me through an emotional roller-coaster I loved every minute of it and can't think of this book without a smile on my face!

Meet the Author

Julie Lessman is an award-winning author whose tagline of "Passion With a Purpose" underscores her intense passion for both God and romance. Winner of the 2009 ACFW Debut Author of the Year and Holt Medallion Awards of Merit for Best First Book and Long Inspirational, Julie is also the recipient of 14 Romance Writers of America awards and was voted by readers as "Borders Best of 2009 So Far: Your Favorite Fiction." Chosen as the #1 Romance Fiction Author of the Year in the Family Fiction magazine 2012 and 2011 Readers Choice Awards, Julie was also awarded #1 Historical Fiction Author of the Year in that same poll and #3 Author of the Year, #4 Novel of the Year and #3 Series of the year. She resides in Missouri with her husband, daughter, son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter and is the author of "The Daughters of Boston" series--A Passion Most Pure, A Passion Redeemed, and A Passion Denied. Book 1 in her "Winds of Change" series A Hope Undaunted ranked #5 on Booklist's Top 10 Inspirational Fiction for 2010. You can contact Julie through her website at www.julielessman.com

P.S. She's just an all around amazing person!

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a signed copy of the Julie Lessman book of your choice!

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Friday Memes 1/17

Hosted by: Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer

The Question:

Do you blog for a living or for fun?

My Answer:

I'd say a little of both! Since I really don't have a steady job I don't often have extra money to just spend on books and definitely not hot of the press books, so reviewing books gives me the chance to get books I never could get otherwise. In that way I "do it for a living" but in reality I do it mainly because I have fun!

Hosted by: Rose City Reader

"Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name."

So help me, if I get caught tonight, Peggy Pankow's name is "Mud." Susannah Grace Kennedy braced herself against the cool of the salty sea air-and her guilt-and hurried down the dark street toward Revere Beach, almost regretting she'd let her new friend talk her into sneaking out of the house.
A Love Surrendered by Julie Lessman
My Thoughts
So my first thought was how this would be just how I'd be thinking if I decided to do something I wasn't supposed to-afraid I was going to be caught, feeling guilty, and second guessing my decision!

Thursday, January 16, 2014

A Passion Denied by Julie Lessman

About the Book
Has she fallen in love with a man who cannot love her back?
Elizabeth O'Connor has been like the little sister John Brady always wanted, sharing his love of literature and his thirst for God. But in the throes of the reckless Roaring Twenties, Lizzie has grown up. Suddenly she wants more from the man who has been her friend since she was a child. When this shy little bookworm blossoms into a beautiful young woman bent on loving John, she discovers that his past won't let him return that love. But Lizzie refuses to give up--until his shocking secrets push her away.
Can true love survive the betrayal and deceitful of a painful past . . . or will it be shattered like the fairy-tale dreams of a girl in love?
Brimming with romance, longing, and redemption, A Passion Denied, will quicken your pulse and gladden your heart with a riveting story of the true power of love

My Thoughts
Ok I'm pretty sure this is my favorite book in this series! From the first time we met Elizabeth O'Conner in A Passion Most Pure I knew I was going to love her since I could identify with her shy quietness and her love of books. And I also loved Brady as soon as he came on the scene being Collin's friend and helping lead Him to God. So needless to say I could not wait to see how their story would play out!
I think one of my favorite things about this book was the fact that both Brady and Lizzie had a passion for God from the beginning and they both strove to honor Him with all that they did. I loved how close Brady's relationship with God was, how he lived it out all the time, and how he seemed to be constantly drawing others to Him. Brady is just one of the very best heroes ever written and I actually cried when he thought he had done something awful when he was younger because he was just that close to God that the thought of his sin crushed him. Ok I better stop but I really could go on about Brady for quite awhile!
Lizzie, she is so innocent, sweet, and kind that you really just can't help loving her. My heart broke for her as she dealt with rejection from Brady and then the pain of some truly awful discoveries. But through it all she still remained the Lizzie we knew and loved with a few moments of Irish temper thrown in.
Once again the secondary cast of characters was amazing! I loved Father Mac and his unique ability to mix being a priest and a friend. And Cluny McGee was such fun especially with knowing how he was going to grow up! And of course the O'Conners, McGuires, and Dennehys were fantastic!
Like Julie Lessman books often do this book made me cry at some points and at others left me with a huge grin splitting my face! So in short it was simply amazing!

Meet the Author

P.S. She's just an all around amazing person!

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a signed copy of the Julie Lessman book of your choice!

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Wednesday, January 15, 2014

A Passion Redeemed by Julie Lessman

About the Book
No man can resist her charms. Or so she thought.
Charity O'Connor is a woman who gets what she wants. Her stunning beauty and flirtatious ways have always succeeded with men. Until Mitch Dennehy, that is. Brilliant and dangerously handsome, Mitch is a no-nonsense newspaperman who wants nothing to do with her. Charity burned him once, destroying his engagement to the only woman he ever truly loved. He won't play with matches again. But Charity has a plan to turn up the heat, hoping to ignite the heart of the man she loves. And she always gets what she wants--one way or another.
Or does she? Will her best-laid schemes win his love? Or will her seductive ways drive him away forever?

My Thoughts
When I read this for the first time I was very wary. Charity was, to put it plainly, awful in A Passion Most Pure and I was a little scared that I would hate this book since she was the main character. But I shouldn't have been worried, this is after all a Julie Lessman novel and I ended up loving it!
Charity was still a little hard to like at the beginning but we were also given the chance to see what made her act the way she did. I loved watching as she grew into a wonderful heroine that you can't help falling love with! She goes from a snotty little brat to a woman of God and it was a beautiful thing to watch!
Mitch was once again amazing. His had been a hard road of rejection and my heart truly broke for him. But I loved how he let God change his life and lived as He would have wanted. I also loved how despite how he felt about Charity he didn't give in to her and instead helped draw her closer to God even if at first it was more to get him rather than truly let God transform her (that came later)! He was always trying his dead level best to do the right thing no matter how hard it was and that was what made him so great!
The other side characters were fantastic too! Mrs. Lynch with her mothering of Mitch and her no nonsense ways, and Charity's grandmother and great-grandmother with their love and guidance. I also loved Emma with her gentle ways, and her love for God and Charity. And Bridie and Kathleen from the Irish Times! Bridie with her teasing of Mitch and the way she would talk to him, and Kathleen with her sweet ways! Ooh and I can't forget John Brady! We got to see a little of him in APMP but we got a lot more in this one and he is awesome! I love how close his walk with God is! And of course I can't forget all the other O'Conners and the McGuires!
There were lots of hard times in this book where you wanted to either smack characters or give them a hug! And then there was the character that you wanted to strangle for all the evil things he did! I laughed, I almost cried, and all in all thoroughly enjoyed this second book!

Meet the Author

P.S. She's just an all around amazing person!

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a signed copy of the Julie Lessman book of your choice!

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Waiting on Wednesday #95: A Beauty So Rare

Hosted by Breaking the Spine.

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases that we're
eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

A Beauty So Rare by Tamera Alexander
Bethany House-April 1, 2014

About the Book

ink was not what Eleanor Braddock ordered, but maybe it would soften the tempered steel of a woman who came through a war--and still had one to fight.

Eleanor Braddock--plain, practical, no stunning Southern beauty--knows she will never marry. But with a dying soldier's last whisper, she believes her life can still have meaning and determines to find his widow. Impoverished and struggling to care for her ailing father, Eleanor arrives at Belmont Mansion, home of her aunt, Adelicia Acklen, the richest woman in America--and possibly the most demanding, as well. Adelicia insists on finding her niece a husband, but a simple act of kindness leads Eleanor down a far different path--building a home for destitute widows and fatherless children from the Civil War. While Eleanor knows her own heart, she also knows her aunt will never approve of this endeavor.

Archduke Marcus Gottfried has come to Nashville from Austria in search of a life he determines, instead of one determined for him. Hiding his royal heritage, Marcus longs to combine his passion for nature with his expertise in architecture, but his plans to incorporate natural beauty into the design of the widows' and children's home run contrary to Eleanor's wishes. As work on the home draws them closer together, Marcus and Eleanor find common ground--and a love neither of them expects. But Marcus is not the man Adelicia has chosen for Eleanor, and even if he were, someone who knows his secrets is about to reveal them all.

Why I Want It

I have enjoyed all of the Tamera Alexander books I've read especially the first Belmont Mansion novel so I'm really looking forward to reading this one!

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Carolina Gold by Dorothy Love

I am so sorry I am posting this a little later than I was supposed to! I have been sick, we've had tons of company, and we've been helping my brother whose basement flooded and in all the craziness I just forgot!

About the Book
The war is over, but at Fairhaven Plantation, Charlotte's struggle has just begun.
Following her father’s death, Charlotte Fraser returns to Fairhaven, her family’s rice plantation in the South Carolina Lowcountry. With no one else to rely upon, smart, independent Charlotte is determined to resume cultivating the superior strain of rice called Carolina Gold. But the war has left the plantation in ruins, her father’s former bondsmen are free, and workers and equipment are in short supply.
To make ends meet, Charlotte reluctantly agrees to tutor the two young daughters of her widowed neighbor and heir to Willowood Plantation, Nicholas Betancourt. Just as her friendship with Nick deepens, he embarks upon a quest to prove his claim to Willowood and sends Charlotte on a dangerous journey that uncovers a long-held family secret, and threatens everything she holds dear.

Inspired by the life of a 19th-century woman rice farmer, Carolina Gold pays tribute to the hauntingly beautiful Lowcountry and weaves together mystery, romance, and historical detail, bringing to life the story of one young woman’s struggle to restore her ruined world.

My Thoughts
This book was a bit of a disappointment for me. There were things I liked but they were outweighed by the things I didn't. I'm gonna start with the good though!
I loved the way this book gave us a glimpse into post Civil War in the south. I have read countless books that take place shortly after the war but they are almost always either set in the west or the north so it was cool to see the other side! I also liked Charlotte and I admired her perseverance and tenacity. Nick and his girls were fun too though I didn't feel like I ever really got to know Nick.
Now for the bad, I hate this part but I was asked for an honest review so an honest review I will write. To begin the story started off really slowly and never really picked up though about 200 pages in I did start turning the pages faster to see how it would turn out. Then there was the whole secret that is talked about in the synopsis, I figured out part of it early on and it was rather anticlimactic in the end. I also didn't like the way Nick and Charlotte reacted to something in the story (don't want to spoil anything!). They claimed to have feelings for each other but the way the handled the situation left no evidence of that. And lastly I felt that the end was a little rushed.

I still did enjoy the book especially the historical aspects of it!

Meet the Author
An accomplished author in the secular market, Dorothy Love makes her inspirational fiction debut with her Hickory Ridge series of historicals set in her native South. Her skillful blending of the historical and the personal reflect her passion for discovering the histories of ordinary people who accomplished extraordinary things and set her apart as an authoritative voice of Southern historical fiction.

I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Don't miss Dorothy Love's latest historical novel, Carolina Gold. Fun news: The release of Carolina Gold coincides with Dorothy's birthday. Celebrate with her by entering the Southern Essentials Giveaway and RSVPing to her Facebook party on January 14th!

Between January 3–14, visit Dorothy Love's Facebook Page to enter to win a new giveaway each day and be entered to win the $100 Visa Cash Card grand prize. Winners will be announced at the Facebook Author Chat party on January 14th! (Don't have a Facebook account? Enter here.) RSVP today for Dorothy's Carolina Gold Author Chat Party on Facebook.

During the party Dorothy will be hosting a book chat, testing your trivia skills, announcing the winner of the Southern Essentials Giveaway, and giving away books, gift certificates, and more. Oh, and she'll also be giving partygoers an exclusive look at her next book!

So grab your copy of Carolina Gold and help Dorothy celebrate her birthday on the evening of January 14th! (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. HOPE TO SEE YOU ON THE 14th!

A Passion Most Pure by Julie Lessman

About the Book
She's found the love of her life.
Unfortunately, he loves her sister.
As World War I rages across the Atlantic in 1916, a smaller war is brewing in Boston. Faith O'Connor finds herself drawn to an Irish rogue who is anything but right for her. Collin McGuire is brash, cocky, and from the wrong side of the tracks, not to mention forbidden by her father. And then there's the small matter that he is secretly courting her younger sister. But when Collin's affections shift, it threatens to tear her proper Boston family apart.
Book 1 of the Daughters of Boston series, A Passion Most Pure will carry your heart from the sophisticated streets of Boston to the green hills of Ireland as men go off to war and women long for their return. Full of passion, romance, rivalry, and betrayal, it will captivate you from the first page.

My Thoughts
So I wrote a review for this book awhile ago but I waited to long after reading the book and I really don't like it! It in no way gave my full feelings for this book so after rereading it I'm going to give a second try!
Words cannot fully express my love for this book! Several times I would just stop reading to hug the book and give a happy sigh-yeah I'm a bit ridiculous! This book gives you the full spectrum of emotion. I laughed out loud several times and other times tears made it hard to read. Julie Lessman is one of those amazing authors that can make you happy to be sad and it is a true gift. And knowing what was coming didn't help any in lessening the emotions in fact since I read the prequel I think it was even harder!
Faith is an amazing heroine! Her relationship with God was so close and real; it was truly inspiring! I also was insanely impressed with how she kept God as her priority and refused to be with anyone who didn't love Him as much as she did!
Collin is not that admirable of a hero to begin with but as his love for Faith draws him closer to God he begins to turn into a man you really like. And when he finally gives his heart to God he becomes one of your favorite heroes!
Patrick and Marcy's relationship was made even more special after reading A Light in the Window which is the story of when they fell in love! I love how even after over twenty years their love has not dimmed but instead has grown!
In short I once again loved all the characters with the exception of Charity but knowing how much I ended up loving her in the other books made her much more bearable in this one! I love the O'Conner family dynamic and each of them endeared themselves to my heart. The other characters were pretty awesome as well from Mrs. Gerson to Mitch, and Faith's friends at both The Herald and the Irish Times.
So now that I've rambled for awhile I will end by saying I adored this book and it is truly one of my absolute favorite books!

Meet the Author

P.S. She's just an all around amazing person!

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a signed copy of the Julie Lessman book of your choice!

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Top Ten 2014 Debuts I'm Excited For

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

#1. For Such a Time by Kate Breslin

#2. Storm Siren by Mary Weber

#3. A Place in His Heart by Rebecca DeMarino

#4. Worth the Wait by Laura Jackson

#5. The Butterfly and the Violin by Kristy Cambron

#6. Hope at Dawn by Stacy Henrie

#7. Prelude for a Lord by Camille Elliot

#8. Vow Unbroken by Caryl McAdoo

And that's all I could come up with...!

Monday, January 13, 2014

A Light in the Window by Julie Lessman

About the Book
One Woman.
Two Men.
One stirs her pulse and the other her faith.
But who will win her heart?
Marceline Murphy is a gentle beauty with a well-founded aversion to rogues. But when two of Boston's most notorious pursue her, she encounters a tug-of-war of the heart she isn’t expecting. Sam O’Rourke is the childhood hero she’s pined for, the brother of her best friend and a member of the large, boisterous family to which she longs to be a part. So when his best friend Patrick O’Connor joins in pursuit of her affections, the choice seems all too clear. Sam is from a family of faith and Patrick is not, two rogues whose wild ways clash head-on with Marcy’s—both in her faith and in her heart.

While overseeing the Christmas play fundraiser for the St. Mary’s parish soup kitchen—A Light in the Window—Marcy not only wrestles with her attraction to both men, but with her concern for their spiritual welfare. The play is based on the Irish custom of placing a candle in the window on Christmas Eve to welcome the Holy Family, and for Marcy, its message becomes deeply personal. Her grandmother Mima cautions her to guard her heart for the type of man who will respond to the "light in the window," meaning the message of Christ in her heart. But when disaster strikes during the play, Marcy is destined to discover the truth of the play’s message first-hand when it becomes clear that although two men have professed their undying love, only one has truly responded to “the light in the window.”

My Thoughts

After adoring the O'Conner family in the Daughters of Boston and Winds of Change series I was extremely excited to read this prequel about the O'Conner parents! And oh what a book it was! I loved it like I've loved every other one of Julie's books I've read. This author has such an amazing talent and once again played with my emotions. It was such fun seeing a younger Marcy and Patrick and watching their journey to love that we'd gotten hints of in the other stories. On one hand knowing how the story would end up made it easier to read and on the other hand it made it more painful. It was painful to watch all the turmoil they had to go through and watching Marcy almost end up with Sam when you knew how amazing her life was going to be with Patrick. I would get so frustrated during the scenes Marcy and Sam were together and then get a dopey grin on my face whenever she was with Patrick. I loved watching as his love for Marcy transformed Patrick into the amazing hero I knew and loved and brought him close to God. I also loved Marcy and her close relationship with God and how that kept her from making the wrong choices! Oh and I can't write this review without mention how much I loved Patrick's interaction with the kids especially Tillie. It was just so stinkin' cute! I could go on for days on how much I loved this book but I better end it so I can go reread the rest of the O'Conner saga!

About the Author

P.S. She's just an all around amazing person!

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a signed copy of the Julie Lessman book of your choice!

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It's Monday! What Are You Reading #105 & Bout of Books 9.0: Wrap-Up

Hosted By: Book Journey

I'm combining my It's Monday post and my read-a-thon wrap up post since it really is the same information! I came really close to meeting my goals but an unexpected evening of helping my brother threw me off a bit and I wasn't able to finish the last book to meet my goal. I did managed to finish 7 books and read half of another resulting in a total of 2,909 pages! All in all I'm pretty happy with what I was able to get in since things kept coming up to take me from reading!

Here is what I finished last week:

I loved all of these books so much! The first time reads were awesome and the rereads were just as good as they were the first time!

What I am currently reading: