"wild montana skies" by susan may warren

Revell, October 2016

I began reading Wild Montana Skies on the way home from a weekend in Nashville, which seems pretty appropriate, as main character Ben King is a country superstar, one half of the wildly popular duo Montgomery King. The novel is less about country music, though, and more about finding your place—in life, in love, and in faith.

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Bestselling Author's New Series Delivers Romance and Adventure as an SAR Team Searches for Others--and Finds Themselves 

Search and rescue pilot Kacey Fairing is home on leave in Mercy Falls, Montana, twelve years after she joined the military to escape the mistakes of her past. With a job waiting for her as the new lead pilot of Peak Rescue in Glacier National Park, Kacey hopes to reconnect with the now-teenage daughter she sees only between deployments. What she doesn't realize is that someone else is also back in town. 

Ben King has been building his country music career since the day Kacey shut him out of her life. Now all of that's on hold when his injured father calls him home to help run Peak Rescue until he's fully recovered. It doesn't take long, though, to discover his father's ulterior motives as Kacey Fairing walks into the house and back into his heart. 

With Mercy Falls in a state of emergency due to flash floods, Kacey and Ben are forced to work together to save lives. But when floodwaters turn personal, can they put aside the past to save their future?

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Ben and Kacey were high school sweethearts who planned on getting married, but a series of misunderstandings drove them apart. Thirteen years later, they both wind up back in Mercy Falls, Kacey to work with PEAK search and rescue, and Ben to help his father recover following an injury. The sparks are still there—and if you've read other Susan May Warren novels, you know just how sizzling those sparks can be!—but 13 years of anger and heartache (not to mention Ben's music partner Hollie) threaten to stand in the way of their happiness.

There's a secondary romance in Wild Montana Skies involving Kacey's best friend Sierra and Ian, founder of PEAK Rescue. Their story began in the prequel novella If Ever I Would Leave You, and it continues in Wild Montana Skies. One thing to note if you did read the novella: Wild Montana Skies begins three years after the events of the novella. That wasn't super clear right away, and it did cause a little confusion for me at the beginning of the novel. Ian and Sierra's story is a bit unresolved as Wild Montana Skies ends, and I look forward to reading more about them as the series progresses.

One thing I love about Warren's novels, which looks to hold true in the Montana Rescue series, is that the conflict is always realistic. What I like to call "just talk about it already" syndrome, where all the couple's problems could be solved with a simple conversation, is nowhere to be found. Instead, there are real roadblocks to happiness, roadblocks that may, in some cases, be insurmountable (though I hope that isn't the case!).

Wild Montana Skies is a wonderful kick-off to the new Montana Rescue series. Full of romance, adventure, and faith, it kept me flipping through the pages, and I can't wait to continue the series with Rescue Me next year. 5 stars.

Buy the book.
Read my review of the prequel novella, If Ever I Would Leave You (4 stars).

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Susan May Warren is the ECPA and CBA bestselling author of over fifty novels, with more than one million books sold. Winner of a RITA Award and multiple Christy and Carol Awards, as well as the HOLT and numerous Readers' Choice Awards, Susan has written contemporary and historical romances, romantic suspense, thrillers, romantic comedy, and novellas. She can be found online at www.susanmaywarren.com, on Facebook at SusanMayWarrenFiction, and on Twitter @susanmaywarren.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free for review from the author and publisher. 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."

"god bless us every one" by eva marie everson

Abingdon Press, Sept. 2016

It may not feel like Christmas is on the horizon (we're looking at highs in the 70s and 80s for the next week), but I don't think it's ever too soon for a Christmas book!

Eva Marie Everson's God Bless Us Every One released earlier this week, and it's a great book to get you into the spirit of the season ... even if it is only September!

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Charlene Dixon---called Charlie by family and friends---is devastated at the recent loss of her job. For the last five years, the twenty-seven-year-old has blossomed as the activities director of an exclusive all-girls school. But when a misunderstanding with the headmistress leads to a pink slip right before the holidays, Charlie packs up her dreams and returns to her grandmother, Sis, who raised Charlie as her own in the mountains of North Carolina. 

When Charlie arrives---broken and confused---Sis immediately puts her granddaughter to work behind the scenes of the local school's Christmas play, A Christmas Carol. Charlie prickles at working with Dustin Kennedy, the drama teacher and her old crush from schooldays, but is even more put out at that the choice of the Dickens' classic for the holiday performance. When she discovers her estranged father's involvement her world turns on its head once more. But when Sis and Dustin encourage her to take a deeper look at the story behind A Christmas Carol, Charlie learns about trust, faith, and forgiveness and the needs of people in their own community.

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I picked up God Bless Us Every One immediately after reading two suspense novels, and it was a welcome change of pace! It's fairly short—200 pages with a larger-than-normal font and blank pages between chapters—so it makes for a quick read.

When Charlie loses her job right before Christmas, she moves back in with Sis, the grandmother who raised her. While Charlie anticipates staying in Testament only until she can find a new job, her re-connection with two men—her high school crush Dusty and her estranged father John—upends her world and makes her question where she belongs.

God Bless Us Every One is a sweet novella that I enjoyed reading. I especially liked the deeper look at Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol—while I've read it multiple times, I never knew the story behind it—and I enjoyed reading the excerpts at the beginning of each chapter.

While I did think that Charlie was a bit too quick to jump to conclusions about John (her hesitance to trust him made perfect sense, but she had scant evidence of his supposed misconduct that drove her actions for the last half of the novella), overall, I really enjoyed the story and would love to read more of Everson's books. 4 stars.

See what others are saying.
Buy the novella.

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Eva Marie Everson is an award-winning speaker and author of The Road to Testament, Things Left Unspoken, This Fine Life, Chasing Sunsets, Waiting for Sunrise, Slow Moon Rising, and The Potluck Club series (with Linda Evans Shepherd). She is the president of Word Weavers International, Inc., a member of AWSA, ACFW, RWA, the director of Florida Christian Writer's Conference, and the contest director for Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writer's Conference. She and her husband make their home in Casselberry, Florida.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

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 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 biggest story" by kevin deyoung + giveaway

The Biggest Story is an engaging walk through the Bible that speaks to children and adults alike.

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Once upon a time there lived a man and a woman. They were the happiest people on the planet.

True, they were the only people on the planet, but they were still terrifically happy.

Unfortunately, things didn’t stay happy and wonderful for long . . .

The Bible is full of exciting stories that fill children with awe and wonder. But kids need to know how all those classic stories connect to Scripture’s overarching message about God’s glorious plan to redeem his rebellious people.

In The Biggest Story, Kevin DeYoung—a best-selling author and father of six—leads kids and parents alike on an exciting journey through the Bible, connecting the dots from the garden of Eden to Christ's death on the cross to the new heaven and new earth.

The Animated Short Film: Featuring beautifully animated illustrations adapted from the book, The Biggest Story: The Animated Short Film will captivate children and parents alike as they see how all the classic stories in the Bible connect to Scripture’s overarching message about God’s glorious plan to redeem his rebellious people.

The Audio Book: This audio book of The Biggest Story—written and narrated also by the best-selling author Kevin DeYoung—leads kids and parents alike on an exciting journey through the Bible, connecting the dots from the garden of Eden to Christ's death on the cross to the new heaven and new earth.

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I was able to review copies of both the audiobook (on CD) and short film (on DVD). As soon as I received the package, I popped the CD in. I loved the way DeYoung told the story, but I wondered if maybe it was too advanced for children to truly grasp.

I take my cousin's three daughters (preschool, 1st, and 2nd grades) to school, so I decided to have them listen to a couple chapters each day on our way. The preschooler paid zero attention, but the 1st and 2nd grader seemed to enjoy it. We listened to Chapter Ten, the final chapter, today. Then I asked them what they thought. The 1st grader, who tends to be quiet, said she liked it. The 2nd grader, never afraid to give an opinion, said, "It was kinda boring in parts. But I really liked the part about how Jesus died for us!" We also had a very good discussion about Abraham and Isaac, so I know they were listening.

I didn't have a chance to show them the short film, but I was very impressed by it. It's visually stunning! I think that it will help children understand the story in parts where the words are a bit confusing. (And I'm absolutely sure that some parts of the audiobook went over my little cousins' heads.)

I also think that the short film would be totally suitable for an adult Bible study or small group. Like I said, it's quite stunning, and it could also lead to some great discussions. 4 stars.

Buy the audiobook.
Buy the short film.

I have a copy of this CD/DVD to give away! Enter through the Rafflecopter below.

Giveaway rules: Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win. Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. Contest is open in the US and CANADA only. Winner will be selected at random using Rafflecopter.com and will have 48 hours to respond to email notification, or another winner will be chosen.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Kevin DeYoung is senior pastor of University Reformed Church in East Lansing, MI, husband to Trisha, and father to seven children.

Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

"Cold Case Witness" by Sarah Varland

As an older teen, I was totally into the "Love Inspired" romance line—the books were short, cheap, and available at my local Walmart. They were a step up from "Heartsong Presents" (though I loved those books as a young teen—my absolute favorite was Iditarod Dream by Janelle Jamison, aka Tracie Peterson), but as I grew older, I still saw them as "lesser" than other novels.

Perhaps they are, in a sense. After all, they're now published by Harlequin, and I don't think anyone would accuse Harlequin of putting out literary masterpieces. But I've recently read a few "Love Inspired" novels, and they've matched up with what some of the Christian publishers are putting out.

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When her big-city dreams come crashing down, Gemma Phillips returns to her small hometown—and finds herself the target of a violent stalker. And her attacker may be linked to the robbery she witnessed years ago…a case reopened after the police discovered a body, supporting her claims of overhearing a murder. Now there's only one man who can save her: lawman Matt O'Dell. For Matt, solving this decades-old mystery will finally allow him to distance himself from his father's criminal past. But Matt's drive to close the case soon turns personal. He needs to guard his reputation…but first, he must protect the woman he's just discovered he loves.

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Cold Case Witness is a very enjoyable suspense novel. I was drawn in at the very beginning, and I stayed engaged with the novel the whole time. Gemma and Matt are both very likeable characters, and I really enjoyed watching the story unfold.

I especially liked the suspense thread. I was constantly trying to figure out who Gemma's stalker was, and I was soooo wrong! However, the stalker's identity did make sense, even if I never would have gotten there in a million years.

The only thing that didn't ring true to me was the way Matt reacted to a conflict with Gemma near the end of the novel. By this point, it was obvious that someone was trying to kill Gemma. It also was obvious that he was in love with her. So his decision to completely walk away, to leave her protection detail to other officers, didn't make sense to me. Though circumstances dictated a change in the relationship, I can't believe that Matt wouldn't still have done everything in his power to keep Gemma safe. It was Matt's walking away that set in motion the end of the novel, but it felt more to me like a plot device than a realistic reaction.

Aside from that, though, I really enjoyed Cold Case Witness. It's part of Varland's Treasure Point series, and the next novel will release in November. I'm looking forward to it! 4 stars.

Buy the book.

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Sarah Varland lives with her husband and two sons in Alaska, with a view of the mountains that astounds her every day. She loves reading, writing, hiking, kayaking, and baking. Her first book, Treasure Point Secrets, released in 2014 and is set in coastal Georgia. Her second book, Tundra Threat, also released in 2014 and is set in Alaska. Her next few books will return to the coastal town of Treasure Point, Georgia.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author. 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."

it's monday! what are you reading? (9-5-16)

Today, I'm joining in on a new-to-me meme: "It's Monday! What are you reading?" This is hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date, and it looks like a lot of fun. My goal is to post each week, but, well, you know how that goes!

What I read last week:

Without Warning by Lynette Eason. I really enjoyed this romantic suspense novel, although the romance didn't particularly resonate with me. Still, the mystery/suspense was fabulous! (4 stars)

Starving Hearts by Janine Mendenhall. This novel is also romantic suspense—of the historical variety. This reading experience was a bit strange for me in that I was very interested in the villain but didn't really care for the hero or heroine. Side note: The male cover model looks very familiar, and I can't figure out why. Does he look like someone famous? (2-1/2 stars)

The Thirteenth Chance by Amy Matayo. I've been a fan of Matayo's ever since I read The Wedding Game a few years ago. (It's currently free on Kindle, so get it!) I'm so excited to be on her influencer team for The Thirteenth Chance, which releases later this month. I stayed up way too late two nights in a row to finish this—it's one of my favorite reads in a long time, and it's looking good for a "best of" list at the end of the year! (review and rating to come)

What I'm reading now:

God Bless Us Every One by Eva Marie Everson. This is a cute Christmas novella that I'm reading for a Litfuse tour later this month. I picked it up right after my two-in-a-row suspense reads, and it was nice to have a change of pace! (review and rating to come)

 A Tapestry of Secrets by Sarah Loudin Thomas. I've just started this novel, and it looks to be just as good as the two previous ones in the series! (Miracle in a Dry Season: 5 stars. Until the Harvest: 5 stars.)

Cold Case Witness by Sarah Varland. I'm almost finished with this novel about a woman who returns to her hometown 10 years after being a key witness in a court case that rocked the community. I'm really enjoying it!

What I'm listening to on audiobook:

Made Well by Jenny Simmons. I'm on the launch team for this book, written by Addison Road's Jenny Simmons ("Hope Now," "What Do I Know of Holy"). I have an e-copy, too, but when Jenny offered an audio version, I jumped at it. I've recently begun to enjoy audiobooks, and I've been listening to this while I clean. So far, so good!

What I'll read next:

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. This is my pick for Modern Mrs. Darcy's "banned books" category for the 2016 reading challenge. And since I failed so miserably last month, I'm determined to succeed this time!

What books are you reading right now? Let me know in the comments, and check out other posts from the linkup.

Disclosure of Material Connection: 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."

"you're the one that i want" by susan may warren

I've had You're the One that I Want in my possession for several months now, but I just finally got around to reading it. Why? Because I have adored Susan May Warren's Christiansen Family series, and this is the final book. I just didn't want the journey to end!

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Owen Christiansen has been in a downward spiral since an injury ended his NHL career. But a job on an Alaskan crabbing boat offers a fresh start . . . maybe even a shot at romance with Elise “Scotty” McFlynn, the captain’s daughter.

Used to being one of the guys, to never relying on anyone, Scotty doesn’t believe in happily ever after―especially with someone like Owen. Her instinct is confirmed when Casper Christiansen arrives to drag his prodigal brother home, bringing with him a truckload of family drama―and even worse, the news that Casper is wanted for questioning in connection to a crime back in Minnesota.

But Owen is more than the sum of his mistakes, a truth both he and Scotty discover when she escorts both brothers to Deep Haven as part of her new job on the Anchorage police force. Thrust into an unfamiliar world of family, faith, and fresh starts, Scotty begins to see potential for a happy ending . . . if she’s brave enough to embrace it.

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You're the One that I Want is Owen Christiansen's story. Owen, the prodigal son, the family black sheep, the character I most disliked throughout the series. Yet, in a testament to Warren's great writing, as I began the book, I found myself rooting for—and even really, really liking—Owen!

While the book focuses on Owen and Scotty's relationship, it also ties up loose ends from the other Christiansen books—especially regarding Casper. I was surprised to find that I was not "Team Casper" for most of the novel ... and that brings up something that I've greatly appreciated about the Christiansen Family series: the Christiansens are most definitely not perfect, even after a "come to Jesus" moment. The characters mess up—sometimes in major ways—yet they remain a family and love each other, while also not excusing bad behavior. This is especially evident as the family deals with the fallout of both Owen's and Casper's actions throughout the series.

Not only is You're the One that I Want a fabulous conclusion to the Christiansen Family novels, but the entire series is wonderful, and I highly recommend all of the books! 5 stars.

Note: This series is one that is best read in order. Start with Take a Chance on Me, and then work your way through the rest. This is one of my favorite series of all time!

Buy the book.
Read my reviews of other Christiansen family novels: When I Fall in Love (5 stars); Evergreen, a Christiansen family novella (5 stars); Always on My Mind (5 stars); and The Wonder of You (5 stars).

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Susan May Warren is the ECPA and CBA bestselling author of over fifty novels, with more than one million books sold. Winner of a RITA Award and multiple Christy and Carol Awards, as well as the HOLT and numerous Readers' Choice Awards, Susan has written contemporary and historical romances, romantic suspense, thrillers, romantic comedy, and novellas. She can be found online at www.susanmaywarren.com, on Facebook at SusanMayWarrenFiction, and on Twitter @susanmaywarren.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I purchased this book myself and reviewed it by choice. 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."

best of the bunch: august 2016

Recently, I've been looking for ways to spice up the blog a little. It's easy to only publish book reviews, but is it fun? Not so much. I've been kind of stuck in a rut (which explains my measly six posts in August). I came across "Best of the Bunch," hosted by A Cocoon of Books, which highlights the best book you read in the previous month, and I've decided to join in the fun! Because I sometimes read books well in advance of posting a review, I'm going to include books I reviewed in a given month, regardless of when I read them.

The books I reviewed in August are If Ever I Would Leave You by Susan May Warren (4 stars), Tackling the Fields by Janet W. Ferguson (4 stars), Courageous by Dina L. Sleiman (4 stars), Until Then by Krista Noorman (4 stars), and Without Warning by Lynette Eason (4 stars).

It's pretty rare for me to have a month without a 4-1/2 or 5 star read, but I'm sure part of it is that I just didn't read very much in August! Obviously, I had pretty similar feelings about the quality of all of the books, but if I had to choose one as the best, I'd pick ...

If Ever I Would Leave You is a prequel to Susan May Warren's new Montana Rescue series, and it's free to her newsletter subscribers! I absolutely loved this story, and the only thing that kept it from getting a higher rating is the very abrupt ending. I understand why it ended the way it did, but I did find it to be a bit unsatisfying. Still, it's a great lead-in to Wild Montana Skies, a book I devoured in a day! (That review will be coming soon.)

What was your favorite book of August? Let's discuss in the comments, or write up your own post and join the linkup here.