"the goodbye bride" by denise hunter

For several years now, Denise Hunter's new releases have been "must reads" for me. As soon as I got my hands on her latest, The Goodbye Bride, well, it leapfrogged over several other review books that I simply must read ASAP ... because I couldn't wait another minute to dive into the novel!

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She only remembers loving him. But he can’t forget the way she left.

Lucy Lovett can’t remember the last seven months of her life. She doesn’t remember leaving her fiancé Zac Callahan weeks before their wedding or moving to Portland, Maine. And she sure doesn’t remember getting engaged to another man. All she remembers is loving Zac more than life itself.

Zac was just beginning to get his life back on track after Lucy left him with no explanation. And now she’s back—vulnerable, homeless, and still in love with him. Has he been given a second chance with the only woman who stirs his passion and haunts his dreams?

Lucy knows she must unlock those missing months and discover why she threw everything away. And Zac knows that if he follows his heart he’ll win back the love of his life—but if Lucy’s memory returns, his would-be bride might say goodbye forever.

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Just when I think there's no way I could possibly like a new Denise Hunter book more than the last, she surprises me again. Honestly, when I heard that the next book in the Summer Harbor series would be about middle Callahan brother Zac, I was a bit disappointed. You see, Hunter did such an excellent job of building up the potential romance between youngest brother Riley and oldest brother Beau's former girlfriend Paige in Falling like Snowflakes that I just wanted to get to their story. I didn't particularly care about Zac or his runaway fiancee Lucy.

Then I started reading the book. Immediately I was swept into Lucy's story and the questions it brought up: how did Lucy lose her memory, who is her new fiance, and will her memory ever come back?

Lucy is such an incredibly likable character that I couldn't help but pull for her happily ever after. Hunter did a magnificent job of portraying Lucy's confusion, fear, and determination, and, due to Hunter's choice to let the audience in on Lucy's past only when Lucy learns about it herself, there's a sense of mystery and suspense that runs throughout the novel, adding another layer to the story.

The Goodbye Bride is a wonderful love story that will keep readers turning pages long into the night. This is a must-read for fans of Christian romance! 5 stars.

Note: While you could technically read this book without first having read Falling like Snowflakes, you'll definitely miss out on some of the nuances of the characters if you don't have the background information. And Falling like Snowflakes IS a wonderful book, so do yourself a favor and pick up both of these novels!

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Read my reviews of Hunter's Falling like Snowflakes (5 stars) and the Chapel Springs books: Barefoot Summer (5 stars), A December Bride (4.5 stars), Dancing with Fireflies (5 stars), The Wishing Season (5 stars), and Married 'til Monday (4.5 stars).

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Denise Hunter is the internationally published bestselling author of more than 20 books, including Dancing with Fireflies and The Convenient Groom. She has won The Holt Medallion Award, The Reader's Choice Award, The Foreword Book of the Year Award, and is a RITA finalist. When Denise isn't orchestrating love lives on the written page, she enjoys traveling with her family, drinking green tea, and playing drums. Denise makes her home in Indiana where she and her husband are raising three boys. You can learn more about Denise through her website DeniseHunterBooks.com or by visiting her FaceBook page at facebook.com/authordenisehunter.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission. 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."

"the hearts we mend" by kathryn springer

Early last year, I picked up Kathryn Springer's The Dandelion Field and read the whole thing in one evening. I knew then that the world and characters Springer had created were special. So when the second book in her Bannister Falls series released, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it!

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Planning and Post-It notes are the epitome of Evie's life. But when she meets Jack, her life gets more than a little complicated.

Thirteen years ago, Evie's firefighter husband was killed in the line of duty, leaving her to raise their young son, Cody, alone. Now, Cody is marrying the love of his life, and as he packs up his belongings, the house feels as empty as Evie's heart. But for all her planning and mad organizational skills, Evie could never have anticipated the dramatic shift her life is about to make.

Tattooed, rough-around-the-edges Jack raises quite a few eyebrows in the tight-knit community of Banister Falls. Where Evie's life is stream-lined, Jack's approach to living is moment-by-moment. But as Evie gets drawn into Jack's world---a world that isn't as safe or predictable as the one she's worked so hard to create---he challenges her to open her eyes to the problems outside the walls of the church.

Jack doesn't make Evie feel comfortable, but he definitely makes her feel something. Something she hasn't felt since Max passed away---or, maybe ever. Because even though Jack isn't anything like her late husband, he just might be everything she needs.

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Evie Bennett's life hasn't always been easy—she lost her firefighter husband when their son was very young; her son fell in love his senior year of high school and soon announced his girlfriend was pregnant and they were getting married—but it has always been safe. She lives in an upper middle class neighborhood, she works as the women's ministries director at her church, and she is surrounded by friends who stepped in to fill the gap after her husband's death. When Jack Vale enters her life, he challenges her to step outside the safety of the church walls and "love your neighbor as yourself." As Evie is drawn into Jack's world, she begins to really experience life in all its messiness for the first time since her husband's death.

I honestly don't think I can say enough good things about The Hearts We Mend! Because of my love for the first novel in this series, I knew I wanted to read the book—but I did wonder if author Kathryn Springer could match the quality, depth, and realness of The Dandelion Field. Well, she did; in fact, I think I actually liked The Hearts We Mend better!

Not only did I love the romance between Evie and Jack, but I also enjoyed Evie's transformation into a strong, independent woman who began pursuing the dreams God placed on her heart.

Ultimately, while I enjoyed The Hearts We Mend, it also challenged me to get out of my Evie-like comfort zone and look for opportunities God has given me to impact the world outside the church doors ... and it did it without coming across as preachy. The Bannister Falls series is a must read for anyone looking for faith-filled, realistic romance. 5 stars.

Note: The Hearts We Mend can be read as a stand-alone title, but I'd recommend reading The Dandelion Field first, as Evie's journey really begins there.

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Read my reviews of Springer's The Dandelion Field (5 stars) and A September Bride (4 stars).

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Kathryn Springer is a USA Today bestselling author. She grew up in northern Wisconsin, where her parents published a weekly newspaper. As a child she spent many hours sitting at her mother's typewriter, plunking out stories, and credits her parents for instilling in her a love of books --- which eventually turned into a desire to tell stories of her own. Kathryn has written nineteen books with close to two million copies sold. She lives with her husband and three children in Marinette, Wisconsin.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. 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."

"the jazz files" by fiona veitch smith

Going through Downton Abbey withdrawals? Did you love the strong, independent woman that Lady Edith became in the final seasons? If you answered "yes," then you should check out The Jazz Files, the first novel in the new Poppy Denby Investigates series. Lady Edith would definitely approve of Poppy Denby.

"tying the knot" by rob green

While I'm not married, I hope to be one day. With that in mind, I agreed to read and review Rob Green's Tying the Knot, a premarital guide for couples.

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Advised by both tellers of fairy tales and harbingers of doom, many engaged couples simply don't know what to expect from marriage, so they focus their anxious energies on the wedding day.

Rob Green, a pastor, counselor, and veteran of many premarital counseling sessions, shares that the joy, fun, companionship, and love couples hope for before marriage are not only possible, they are actually God's plan for marriage. But none of these wonderful things happen automatically when you tie the knot. A strong and satisfying marriage must be intentionally built on Jesus.

Tying the Knot offers soon-to-be-married couples a practical vision of Christ-centered marriage that is realistic, hopeful, and actionable. This nine-session study guides couples through issues like conflict, expectations, communication, finances, and intimacy, showing how each can be successfully resolved with Christ at the center of the marriage.

Knowing the stresses and needs of a couple in their season of engagement, Green has helpfully designed the study to require a manageable (and healthy) 60 minutes of at-home work per session, with questions and exercises to build communication and intimacy at the end of each chapter. Tying the Knot also includes an appendix for mentors, making it easy for a married couple, lay leader, or counselor to lead an engaged couple through the book.

Field-tested and recommended by multiple counselors in a thriving counseling practice, Tying the Knot has already guided many couples into a stronger and more joyful union. 
Let this nine-week premarriage study reorient your life and marriage around Christ, so you both will experience all the blessings of marriage as God designed it.

-Presents a day-to-day vision of Christ-centered marriage that is realistic, hopeful, and practical
-Demonstrates clearly---in just nine chapters or sessions---how issues like conflict, expectations, communication, finances, and intimacy can only be successfully and satisfyingly approached with Christ at the center of a marriage
-Field tested and recommended by multiple counselors in a thriving counseling practice
-Highly practical and accessible for couples, requires about 60 minutes of weekly at-home work
-Includes chapter-by-chapter exercises and questions for couples to do separately and together to build communication and intimacy
-Includes an appendix for mentors to guide couples through the book

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Tying the Knot is an easy-to-read yet in-depth premarital counseling guide. Each chapter focuses on one area of marriage: love, communication, conflict, etc. Author Rob Green also stresses the importance of each person's relationship with Christ—the one relationship that should be more important than the one between spouses.

Each chapter ends with discussion questions that, if taken seriously, can draw a couple closer together, as well as reveal potential relationship problems. This is a great guide for a couple preparing for marriage. 5 stars.

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Rob Green, MDiv, PhD, is the Pastor of Counseling and Seminary Ministries at Faith Church (Lafayette, IN), as well as an instructor and counselor at Faith Biblical Counseling Ministries, Biblical Counseling Coalition Board member, and author of counseling minibooks. He and his wife Stephanie have three children.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. 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."

"and it was beautiful" by kara tippetts

I became aware of Kara Tippetts' story and her blog, Mundane Faithfulness, shortly before her death last March. Like most people (I assume, anyway), I don't like thinking about death—especially death we would consider "untimely." I didn't read much of Kara's blog for that reason. But recently I learned about And It Was Beautiful, which is mainly a collection of writings from Kara's blog, and something told me to read it. I'm glad I did.

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"I was here. I saw beauty. I embraced it." -Kara Tippetts

How do you live out extravagant love in the everyday moments? How do you celebrate grace when your life turns out differently than the one you dreamed?

Kara Tippetts discovered how to find joy in the small moments of life. She learned how to hold tight to hope even while battling intense physical and emotional pain. And she lived out the truth that God can redeem any story.

In her final book, Kara offers gentle reflections on living and dying well. She invites us to cultivate soft hearts even when we face great disappointment. Her ideas for living are hard-won, wrestled with in the crucible of family, illness, and faith. And her constant reminder is that whether we are in the midst of dark days or mundane moments Jesus is always there, life is surprisingly beautiful, and God is forever good.

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I picked up And It Was Beautiful with a bit of trepidation, fearing I was facing 250 pages that would make me want to cry. I couldn't have been more wrong. The subtitle, "Celebrating Life in the Midst of the Long Good-Bye," so clearly communicates what Kara did through her writing—she struggled, she cried, she questioned ... but she also found humor in the pain, lived life to the fullest, and trusted in the One who knew the number of her days.

Yes, I did cry as I read the book's final pages, but I closed the book thankful for the gift of being able to see the grace, dignity, and hope that Kara left behind as her legacy. 5 stars.

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Kara Tippetts was the author of The Hardest Peace and the co-author of Just Show Up. She blogged faithfully at mundanefaithfulness.com. Since her death in March 2015, her husband, Jason, has been parenting their four children and leading the church the couple founded in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. 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."

"i said yes" by emily maynard johnson

As an avid fan of The Bachelor and all of its spin-offs, I'm well acquainted with Emily Maynard. I remember loving her on Brad Womack's second season (yes, the man did get to be the Bachelor twice, though neither turn led to lasting love), and I enjoyed her season of The Bachelorette (though I cared more about the guys than I did about her quest for love). Now Emily has written a book about her life on and off TV, and I jumped at the chance to read it.

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When her high-profile search for romance led Emily Maynard to dead end after dead end, real love finally found her.

Millions know Emily Maynard Johnson from her unprecedented double appearances on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. Millions also know that neither of the relationships from those shows lasted much longer than a commercial break.

Overcome with embarrassment following her nationally televised failures at romance, Emily finally committed her heart to the only one she knew would never leave her empty and alone. Abandoning her desire to be chosen by men and finding peace in the fact that she was already chosen by God, Emily found the joy she had been looking for in serving God.

In I Said Yes, Emily tells the story of her life before and after reality TV fame, describing the profound new reality she discovered when she forsook fame in favor of the Lord. At the end of a long, fruitless search for a man, this courageous young woman found the truest love of all waiting right in front of her. To that love, Emily said yes.

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While the description of I Said Yes makes this book sound like it will be about Emily's spiritual journey, it really isn't ... for the most part. The first third of the book talks about Emily's childhood and her romance with Ricky Hendrick, who died in a plane crash when Emily was pregnant with their daughter. Much of the rest of the book outlines her time on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, while the final pages discuss her growing relationship with Christ and her romance with her now-husband, Tyler.

By far, my favorite section of the book was when Emily talked about her time on the shows. (Would I have liked more details? Yes.) The tidbit that I found most interesting was that she was annoyed by Kalon from the very first night (she says his helicopter entrance was "a tacky, off-putting gimmick that came across as pretentious"), yet she kept him around because "can you imagine how boring the show would be if I only kept the nice guys around the whole time?" I wanted her to go one step further and confirm what I've long suspected, that the producers "encourage" the lead to keep certain people around, but she didn't.

As far as details about the show and the resulting relationships go, Emily probably spent the most time talking about her relationship with Brad. She pretty clearly explained what went wrong in their relationship, which is something I had been curious about. Her Bachelorette relationships, though, were kind of glossed over, and I found that disappointing.

After I finished reading I Said Yes, I got to thinking: why do we read autobiographies? This marks the third one I've read in a year (after Sean Lowe's For the Right Reasons and Candace Cameron Bure's Dancing Through Life), and in all three cases, I chose to read the book because the author is a "celebrity" whose life and experiences interest me. When I read an autobiography, I'm looking for insight into someone's life. While I got that with both Sean and Candace, Emily's story felt more surface-level to me. Sure, it was entertaining, but I didn't feel that I finished the book with a deeper understanding of Emily. I think the biggest reason for this is the writing style, which is fairly simplistic. I felt like I was getting a basic sketch of the events as Emily experienced them, rather than an insider look at her thoughts and feelings. She tends to talk in vague terms about her various relationships, including her relationship with Christ. This book feels like it just scratches the surface of who Emily is, making for an enjoyable, yet ultimately unmemorable, read.

Bottom line: If you're looking for a Bachelor/ette tell-all (which, let's be honest, I was), you won't find it here. 3 stars.

Note: I just read in an article in the Charlotte Observer that Emily didn't intend for I Said Yes to be a tell-all, so perhaps I'm unfairly judging it; still, it's not what I was expecting.

Buy the book.

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Emily Maynard Johnson is best known for her appearances on ABC’s The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. She lives with her daughter, Ricki, and her husband, Tyler, in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she writes a popular fashion blog for InStyle.com, manages her website and blog, and designs and markets a successful jewelry line.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission. 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."

"cold shot" by dani pettrey

When Dani Pettrey's Alaskan Courage series wrapped up last year, I began eagerly anticipating whatever she would write next. Cold Shot is that "next"— and what a great "next" it is!

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In college, Griffin McCray and his four best friends had their lives planned out. Griffin and Luke Gallagher would join the Baltimore PD. Declan Gray would head to the FBI, and Parker Mitchell would go on to graduate school as a crime scene analyst. But then Luke vanished before graduation and their world–and friendships–crumbled.

Now Griffin is a park ranger at Gettysburg, having left life as a SWAT-team sniper when a case went bad. The job is mostly quiet–until the day he captures two relic hunters uncovering skeletal remains near Little Round Top. Griffin just wants the case to go away, but charming forensic anthropologist Finley Scott determines that the body is modern–a young social justice lawyer missing since spring–and all evidence points to the work of an expert sniper.

When FBI agent Declan Gray takes over the case, past and present collide. Griffin soon realizes he’ll need to confront some of the darkest days of his life if he–and those he cares about–are going to escape a downward spiral of murder that crosses continents.

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Cold Shot is a wonderful beginning to Pettrey's new Chesapeake Valor series. Full of compelling characters and an intriguing mystery, Cold Shot is just the kind of novel I've come to expect from Pettrey.

My favorite part of the novel is the romance between Griffin and Finley: their chemistry is palpable, and I loved watching their relationship progress. There's also a secondary romance (though "romance" is probably a little strong of a description at this point) between Griffin's friend Parker and Parker's assistant Avery. I'm looking forward to reading more about those two!

The suspense in Cold Shot isn't too suspenseful—that is to say, I never feared for the lives of Griffin or Finley. However, the mystery is completely compelling, with twists I did not anticipate. This is exactly the type of suspense I enjoy—something that keeps me guessing but won't keep me from sleeping!

As was the case with the Alaskan Courage series, in Cold Shot, Pettrey introduces multiple characters who will be present throughout the series. When I read Submerged (Alaskan Courage #1), I had trouble keeping all of the McKennas straight, and that hampered my enjoyment of the novel. Not so here—Pettrey introduces the core characters at different times, and each character is so distinct that I never struggled to remember who was who.

Fans of Dee Henderson, Lynette Eason, and Irene Hannon (as well as those who loved Pettrey's Alaskan Courage series) will love Cold Shot. It really is wonderful romantic suspense! 5 stars.

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Read an excerpt.
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Read my reviews of Pettrey's Alaskan Courage series: Submerged (4-1/2 stars), Shattered (5 stars), Stranded (4-1/2 stars), Silenced (5 stars), Sabotaged (4-1/2 stars).

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Dani Pettrey is a wife, home-schooling mom, and the acclaimed author of the brand new romantic suspense Chesapeake Valor series, as well as the well-loved Alaskan Courage series which includes her bestselling novels Submerged, Shattered, Stranded, Silenced, and Sabotaged. She feels blessed to write inspirational romantic suspense because it incorporates so many things she loves–the thrill of adventure, nail biting suspense, the deepening of her characters’ faith, and plenty of romance. She and her husband reside in Maryland, where they enjoy time with their daughters, son-in-law, and super-adorable grandson. Keep up with Dani: Website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free for review from the author and Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. 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."