"where she belongs" by johnnie alexander

A woman faces more opposition—and receives more acceptance—than she'd expected when she buys back her family home.

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Can love redeem a broken past?

Shelby Kincaid is ready to move forward after the death of her husband left her devastated. With high hopes for the future, she longs to purchase her family's homestead, Misty Willow, so she can raise her young daughters in the only place she ever truly belonged. She plans to transform the abandoned house into the perfect home of her memories. But she has her work cut out for her.

AJ Sullivan never wanted Shelby's family homestead in the first place. His grandfather left it to him as punishment for not following his wishes, and he's let it fall into ruin. AJ's more than happy to unload it to this spitfire of a woman. But even after angry exchanges over the state of the house, he can't get her off his mind.

With writing that evokes a strong sense of place and family history, Johnnie Alexander deftly explores the ties that bind us to home--and the irresistible forces that draw us to each other.

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Where She Belongs is a sweet romance about a widow who returns to her family farm with her daughters to rebuild her life. Though there's a sweet, gentle feel to the novel that makes it easy and enjoyable to read, there's also mystery and opposition that add intrigue.

Alexander's writing is rich and descriptive, and I found myself immersed in Shelby's world.

Though the novel ended rather suddenly, and I didn't quite understand how the main conflict regarding the ownership of Shelby's house was resolved or what exactly happened to Shelby's grandfather, I was quite satisfied with the main story. I'm also very glad to know that the series will continue, with the next novel to focus on AJ's cousin (and Shelby's one-time pseudo suitor) Brett. I'm eager for a return trip to Misty Willow! 4 stars.

Buy the novel.

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Johnnie Alexander is the award-winning author of Where Treasure Hides. Johnnie is an accomplished essayist and poet whose work has appeared in the Guideposts anthology A Cup of Christmas Cheer. In addition to writing, she enjoys reading, spending time with her grandchildren, and taking road trips. She lives near Memphis, Tennessee.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell through the Revell Reads 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 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."

"whatever is lovely" by waterbrook press

Adult coloring books have certainly become a craze, haven't they? My youngest sister has been into coloring for as long as I can remember, but I never really had any interest. Several months ago, though, I decided to try coloring as a stress reliever. It worked! I've never been particularly creative or artistic, but coloring inside the lines is something I can do. So when I saw Whatever Is Lovely up for review, I eagerly requested this coloring book.

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Color your way to peace and worship.

We live in such a busy, hectic world—but what waits for you inside this cover is a way to quiet the noise, express creativity, and spend some sweet time with God. Each page features an original design from one of a dozen different artists, beautifully illustrating a contemplative quote from an inspirational writer, a beloved hymn, or Scripture. 

When we create, we echo the heart of our Creative God who designed everything and gave us the capacity to recognize beauty. 

So go ahead! You have permission to pick up your colored pencil and be reminded of truth in a fresh way. 

To help set the perfect mood for worship, contemplation, and creative expression, a link to the “Whatever Is Lovely” playlist is included. 

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I'll be honest: I judged the book by its cover. How could I not? It's beautiful, and it made me very excited for the coloring pages I'd find inside. What surprised me was the variety within the pages. Some feature very intricate designs (like this one I haven't finished yet).

Others are quite simple.

Still others remind me of pages you might find in a kids' coloring book.

Each page has a Bible verse, a saying, or song lyrics incorporated into the design. The intent is truly to draw the user into worship. I really enjoy coloring while I'm listening to my favorite sermon podcast or some worship music.

The pages have good weight to them, and my markers (used in the second photo) didn't bleed through at all. The only thing I'd change would be to perforate the pages for easy removal so they can be displayed.

If you're looking for an adult coloring book for yourself or to give as a gift, I'd highly recommend this one. 4 stars.

See what others are saying.
Buy the book.

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WaterBrook Press is committed to creating products that both intensify and satisfy the elemental thirst for a deeper relationship with God. By communicating encouraging and life-enriching truths, WaterBrook provides resources that can be trusted to be spiritually sound and readers will find to be captivating and enlightening. In providing these products as a Christian publisher, we hope that readers of all ages will gain a deeper understanding of God and live a life pleasing to Him.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free for review from Blogging for Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links on this page are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase a product, I will receive a 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."

2016 reading challenge

My sisters and I have decided to participate in Modern Mrs. Darcy's 2016 reading challenge. Each month we'll read a book from the same category and then post our thoughts on my personal blog, Coffee & Conversation.

Our introductory post is live now, and our January post will go up on Sunday. This month, we're reading a book that can be finished in a day.

Here's a glimpse at some of the books I'll be reading this year:

We hope you'll join in the fun, too! Come read with us!

"the painter's daughter" by julie klassen

After I was completely charmed by The Maid of Fairbourne Hall several years ago, Julie Klassen became my go-to regency fiction author. Each year, I eagerly await her next release. When I learned The Painter's Daughter would soon be arriving on my doorstep, I was ecstatic!

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Sophia Dupont assists her father in his studio, keeping her own artwork out of sight. In private, she paints the picturesque north Devon Coast, popular with artists—including handsome Wesley Overtree, who seems more interested in her than the landscape.

Captain Stephen Overtree is accustomed to taking on his brother Wesley's responsibilities. Near the end of his leave, he is sent to find his brother and bring him home. Upon reaching Devonshire, however, Stephen is stunned to learn Wesley has sailed for Italy and left his host's daughter in serious trouble.

Stephen feels duty-bound to act, and strangely protective of the young lady, who seems somehow familiar. Wanting to make some recompense for his own past failings as well as his brother's, Stephen proposes to Miss Dupont. He does not offer love, but marriage "in name only" to save her from scandal. If he dies in battle as he fears, she will at least be a respectable widow.

Desperate for a way to escape her predicament, Sophie finds herself torn between her first love and this brooding man she barely knows. Dare she wait for Wesley to return? Or should she elope with the captain and pray she doesn't come to regret it?

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The Painter's Daughter is just as wonderful as I'd hoped it would be! Full of heartache, scandal, mystery, and romance, the novel kept me completely engaged from beginning to end. I especially loved Stephen, a man who "did his duty" by offering to marry Sophie and soon found himself falling in love with her.

As much as I loved Stephen, I despised his brother Wesley. His selfishness and hesitancy to take responsibility for his actions grated on me to no end—and I think I was supposed to have that reaction!

By the plot's very nature—revolving around a woman pregnant out of wedlock—this book is slightly more mature than some. However, I never felt that it crossed the line into sensuality, and I think it would be perfectly appropriate for teen girls.

I greatly enjoyed The Painter's Daughter, and I look forward to Klassen's next novel. 5 stars.

Buy the novel.

Read my reviews of Klassen's The Apothecary's Daughter (3-1/2 stars), The Maid of Fairbourne Hall (4-1/2 stars), The Tutor's Daughter (5 stars), The Dancing Master (4-1/2 stars), and The Secret of Pembrooke Park (4 stars).

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Julie Klassen loves all things Jane—Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Julie worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full time. She is a three-time Christy Award winner and a 2010 Midwest Book Award winner for Genre Fiction. Julie and her husband have two sons and live in a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota.

Learn more about Julie at http://julieklassen.com.

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."

"if i run" by terri blackstock

Terri Blackstock is known for writing page-turning suspense, and her latest novel, If I Run, is a great addition to her catalog.

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Casey knows the truth. But it won't set her free.

Casey Cox's DNA is all over the crime scene. There's no use talking to police; they have failed her abysmally before. She has to flee before she's arrested . . . or worse. The truth doesn't matter anymore.

But what is the truth? That's the question haunting Dylan Roberts, the war-weary veteran hired to find Casey. PTSD has marked him damaged goods, but bringing Casey back can redeem him. Though the crime scene seems to tell the whole story, details of the murder aren't adding up. Casey Cox doesn't fit the profile of a killer. But are Dylan's skewed perceptions keeping him from being objective? If she isn't guilty, why did she run?

Unraveling her past and the evidence that condemns her will take more time than he has, but as Dylan's damaged soul intersects with hers, he is faced with two choices. The girl who occupies his every thought is a psychopathic killer . . . or a selfless hero. And the truth could be the most deadly weapon yet.

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If I Run is fascinating, fast-paced suspense. It is written in first-person, present tense, alternating between Casey's and Dylan's point of view. While this perspective took a bit to get used to, once I did, I felt like I was right there with Casey and Dylan, experiencing the action as they did.

Casey's journey is particularly compelling, as she runs for her life and tries to stay out of anyone's notice but can't help caring for those she meets who are in need. Her quest to set things right—both in her own life and in a missing persons case she finds herself mixed up in—puts her in grave danger, yet she simply cannot walk away.

When the novel ends, some things are wrapped up, but Casey's story isn't resolved, giving me hope for another book in the future. I've never before read a book quite like If I Run, which is suspenseful without being grisly. I highly recommend it! 4-1/2 stars.

Watch the book trailer:

See what others are saying.
Buy the book.
Read my reviews of Blackstock's Distortion (5 stars) and Twisted Innocence (4-1/2 stars).

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Terri Blackstock has sold over seven million books worldwide and is a New York Times bestselling author. She is the award-winning author of Intervention,Vicious Cycle, and Downfall, as well as such series as Cape Refuge, Newpointe 911, the SunCoast Chronicles, and the Restoration Series.

Connect with Terri: website, Twitter, Facebook

Casey Cox doesn’t fit the profile of a killer . . . but her DNA is all over the crime scene, and she's now a fugitive. Don't miss Terri Blackstock's next page-turner, If I Run. Unraveling her past and the evidence that condemns her will take more time than Dylan has, the war-weary veteran hired to find Casey. But as Dylan’s damaged soul intersects with hers, he is faced with two choices. The girl who occupies his every thought is a psychopathic killer . . . or a selfless hero. And the truth could be the most deadly weapon yet.

Join Terri in celebrating her new book with a Fitbit giveaway and a special $4.99 digital pre-order deal!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of If I Run
• A Fitbit One™ or a Fitbit Flex (winner's choice)

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry! The giveaway ends on February 16th. The winner will be announced February 17th on the Litfuse blog.

Plus don't miss out on the special $4.99 digital pre-order pricing, now through February 15. Pre-order the book through your favorite e-book retailer; details here.

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 hope you dance" by beth moran

Just over a year ago, I was introduced to British author Beth Moran through her novel Making Marion. While I didn't understand everything in the book due to cultural differences, I found the characters and plot to be simply charming. I was eager to go back for round two with Moran's latest release, I Hope You Dance. (And isn't that cover just so whimsical? I love it!)

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Can dancing mend Ruth's broken heart? 

Ruth Henderson has moved back in with her parents--something she swore she would never do, especially not at the age of thirty-three. But in the face of the mountain of debt left by her late partner, and the fact that her teenage daughter, Maggie, is expressing her grief through acts of delinquency, there was really only one option. 

Returning to a house Ruth swore never to set foot in again is bad enough. Add to this an estranged father, whirlwind mother, and David--the boy next door who broke her heart--and it is little wonder Ruth can barely make it out of bed. 

But then, reunited with her old friend Lois, Ruth is persuaded to go along to a monthly girls' night. Here she meets a bunch of incredible women and for the first time since leaving home at eighteen, Ruth begins to make some genuine friends. 

She also has her first ever date--with the charming Dr. Carl Barker. However, after a disastrous dinner, and an upset Maggie still struggling with her father's death, Ruth promises her daughter she won’t go out with any other men. A promise she quickly regrets when David, the boy next door, asks her to dance. . . 

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I Hope You Dance is, in a word, delightful. While Ruth deals with serious issues like debt, stalking, teenage rebellion, and family drama, the story never feels heavy. I think much of this is due to the supporting characters--colorful women who stand by Ruth's side through thick and thin and whose personalities bring joy and humor amidst the drama. These characters are so vividly drawn that I felt as though I knew them.

While I Hope You Dance contains romance (some from rather unexpected places), and of course the reader wants to know if Ruth and David will find their way back to one another, I found myself caring far more about Ruth's friendships than I did about her love life. In fact, I was more concerned about Ruth's friend Ana Luisa's romance than I was about Ruth's. I would love to revisit Ruth's world in the future to check back in with her friends!

I Hope You Dance is not inspirational fiction in the way we perceive it in the United States. A few characters swear, and while church plays a major role in the story, a relationship with Christ is not emphasized. I'm not saying either of those things means you shouldn't read the book (in fact, I hope you do read it!); I just think readers should know what they're getting and not getting when they buy this book.

I loved I Hope You Dance, and I look forward to Moran's next book. 4-1/2 stars.

Buy the book.
Read my review of Moran's Making Marion (4 stars).

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Beth Moran has a background as a research scientist and adult educator. She now concentrates on church work and is part of the national leadership team of the UK women's network Free Range Chicks. She is married with three children and lives in Nottingham, England.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free for review from Kregel Publications. 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.”

cover reveal: "the cautious maiden" by dawn crandall + giveaway

Last year, I read the first three books in Dawn Crandall's Everstone Chronicles. I loved them! So I'm very excited to be able to share the cover for the fourth book, The Cautious Maiden, with you today. The book will release this fall—which can't come soon enough for me!

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Violet Hawthorne is beyond mortified when her brother transforms her deceased parents’ respectable country inn into a brothel to accommodate the lumberjacks in the area. When her reputation is compromised, she finds herself forced to enter into an engagement with Vance Everstone. Can she trust this man she hardly knows who has a scandalous reputation in his own right?

Add to Goodreads.

See my reviews of The Hesitant Heiress (4 stars), The Bound Heart (5 stars and #2 on my Best of 2015 list), and The Captive Imposter (4 stars).

Dawn is also hosting a giveaway in celebration of the cover reveal. Enter below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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A graduate of Taylor University with a degree in Christian Education, and a former bookseller at Barnes & Noble, Dawn Crandall didn’t begin writing until her husband found out about her long-buried dream of writing a book. Without a doubt about someday becoming traditionally published, he encouraged her to quit her job in 2010 in order to focus on writing her debut novel, The Hesitant Heiress. It didn’t take her long to realize that writing books was what she was made to do. Dawn is represented by Joyce Hart of Hartline Literary.

Apart from writing books, Dawn is also a first-time mom to a precious little boy (born March 2014) and also serves with her husband in a pre-marriage mentor program at their local church in Northeast Indiana.

Dawn is a member of Romance Writers of America, American Christian Fiction Writers, secretary for the Indiana ACFW Chapter (Hoosier Ink), and associate member of the Great Lakes ACFW Chapter.