The Crossing - Serita Jakes

Imprisoned by memories, Claudia Campbell lives each day in the shadow of a ten-year-old murder. Who can set her free?

On the way home from a football game, a decade earlier, a masked gunman opened fi re on a Texas school bus.  Cheerleading coach B.J. Remington was killed, but her murderer was never found. Claudia, who had a close friendship with the young, spirited teacher, constantly relives the anguish of that day, caught in one moment in time. When her husband, the assistant district attorney, becomes determined to uncover the mystery of that tragedy, the secrets buried over the years threaten to tear their family apart.

Officer Casio Hightower will never forget the day his dreams were destroyed. A star quarterback with a promising future, Casio was on top of the world—until one bullet changed everything. He is eager to help Victor Campbell find B.J.’s killer, the man who shot him. Maybe solving the case will help silence the demons driving Casio to hurt the woman he loves.

As the Campbells and Casio teeter on the brink of losing everything, will they be able to discover that what begins at the crossing ends at the cross?

MY REVIEW

This is the first book by Serita Jakes that I have read, and it certainly won't be the last. Written slightly different than any other I have read, it didn't take her long to have my undivided attention. The novel is divided into three parts with the verses of the Rock of Ages hymn preceeding them. It is written in the third person point of view, with headings to keep the reader in the loop as to whose thoughts and actions we are privy to at this moment. Claudia and her husband Victor, as well as a classmate of Claudia's are the main characters. BJ Remington, the cheerleading teacher who was murdered on the bus surrounded by her students and the football team makes her appearance in her thoughts immediately after the shooting, and until she dies. Although I was not sure I would appreciate this approach, Serita handled it very well without making it an element of paranormal.

Although not an extremely emotional story, the reader is drawn into the characters' lives with words drawing rich pictures of the relationships between parents and children, husband and wife, peers who have been touched by the same incident. Through it all PTSD is explored and faced.

This novel opened my eyes to the effects of PTSD and how it can affect those around them.

i received this book free from WaterbrookMultnomah Publishers through their Blogging For Books program, in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive one. The opinions expressed are my own.

The Wounded Heart - Adina Seft

Product Description

A widow with two small children, Elizabeth is struggling to make ends meet. She is running her late husband's business, but it's not what she was raised to do, which is run a home. When she gets an offer for the business from Eli Walker, she's only too relieved to consider it--especially when it looks like Eli's interest might include more than just the shop. But when she begins to experience strange physical symptoms and is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, it's difficult not to question God's will. Because how fair would it be to allow a man to marry her when she may not be able to be a wife to him for long?

The Wounded Heart , by Adina Senft

Tells the story of Amelia, a young Amish woman, widowed too young, with two young boys. She owns and runs the pallet shop her late husband had, while trying to be the woman expected of her by her neighbours, friends and relatives.

Anita Senft did an awesome job of making me as a reader feel sympathy for the young Amish woman. And made me look at myself to see if i would have been able to submit myself to others as Amelia learnt to do in her circumstances.

It did not take a lot of reading for me to like the characters, and I cried when Amelia got her multiple sclerosis diagnoses. The story flowed well, the characters were exceptional, and the word scenes brought the story to life. She uses third person view point, and it is easy to follow. Amelia and her friends will live on in my thoughts.

I thoroughly enjoyed this first book in her Amish Quilts series and am sure that anyone who enjoys Amish and romance novels will want to try this one. I will be looking for the next novel in the series.

I received this ebook free from Netgalley for the purpose of review only. I was not required to write a positive review, only an honest one. These opinions are my own.

The Christmas Singing by Cindy Woodsmall

After Gideon coldly broke her heart, can the warmth of the season revive Mattie’s hopes? 
Mattie thought her childhood sweetheart adored her until he abruptly ended their engagement on Christmas Eve.
 
Three years later, will learning the truth behind his rejection restore her Christmas joy – or open the door to even deeper heartbreak?
 
Spend Christmas with the Amish in this story of love, romance, heartache, and restoration.

My Review

What a delightful story author Cindy Woodsmall brings to us this Christmas season - right from the heart of Amish country, from an Amish community in Ohio to one in Pennsylvania. I believe it is because the Amish have intentionally removed themselves from many of the things we use, that they are able to cultivate the closeness of community that we all wish for. 

Although this is a novella, Cindy very aptly deals with all the issues you might find in a full length novel, and the characters are all well developed. Issues like betrayal, heartache, loss, and restorationone are some of the most promanent in this novel. Since this is a Christmas novella, the story is short and fast, but sweet and easy to relate to. Mattie is sincere, but easily distracted, Gideon feels he can control life. How often don't we tend to fall into the same things?

The story is told both from Mattie's view point as well as from Gideon's. This might be confusing, except the author has done a very good job keeping this clear in the reader's mind.

I read this in one afternoon, and would recommend it to any of my friends. Even if you don't particularly enjoy Amish romance, I believe that you would enjoy this short glimpse into the life of Mattie and Gideon.

I received this book from WaterbrookMultnomah Publishers through their Blogging for Books program in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to make a positive review, and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Softly & Tenderly - Sara Evans & RAchel Hauck

Maybe in the wide-open country she can learn to breathe again.

Happily married and owner of two successful boutiques, Jade longs to begin a family with her husband, Max. But when she discovers that Max has an illegitimate son - who he wants her to help raise - Jade's life is turned upside down.

She flees to her childhood home, a rambling Iowa farmhouse, with enough room to breathe. There - while her mother's health grows fragile, and the tug of her first love grows stronger - Jade begins to question everything she thought she knew about family, love, and motherhood. In the wide-open landscape, Jade begins to see a future that doesn't rest on the power of her past, but in the goodness of God's tender mercies.

My Review

In Softly and Tenderly, Sara Evans and Rachel Hauck had me from the first sentence to the unexpected end! The story starts in spring in Whisper Hollow, Tennessee, with Jade and her mother-in-law in a favorite old pickup along a rough road. This sets the scene for a turbulent, fast-paced novel. It seems most novels I read these days are about women and relationships, and I am not sure if it is what's out there, or what I am attracted to. Having said that, this one stands out from the rest. Many issues are covered, from barreness, to infidelity, illigemate child(ren?) to big business ethics, but all interconnected in the way life is, and through it all God's mercy is underlying and sure.

These ladies have a way of drawing in the reader with words, and I could feel the jostling of the vehicle, the anger, the pain of a loved one suffering from cancer, the hopelessness, but also the peace. The scenes came alive and when the doe and her babies jump out in front of the truck, your heart about stops together with the women in the truck. When baby Asa calls for his Mom, the heart contracts with sympathy.

The reader will be anxiously waiting for the sequel, and not all issues are resolved in this first of a series.

I received this ebook free from ThomasNelson Publishers through their Booksneeze program for the sole purpose of writing an honest review. I was not required or asked for a positive one. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Giveaways on Legacy of a Writer blog

Katie McCurdy of http://katie-mccurdy.blogspot.com has some awesome giveaways going on year around. Sorry, they are only open to U.S. residents, but for those of you that live here, please hop on over. Right now she has Fairer than Morning by Rosslyn Elliott  and Warring Spirits by April Gardner as giveaways. See you there.

Bittersweet Surrender - Diann Hunt

Book Description

Carly Westlake is living the dream. She spends her days at a spa (okay, so she owns the place), she's dating a hunk, and she's surrounded by chocolate—milk chocolate, her favorite—that she uses for the chocolate facials that made her spa famous.

But when long buried secrets threaten Carley's business and her friendship with business-partner Tom, she fights like crazy to keep the dream—and the illusions—afloat.

It takes a miracle of grace to get Carley to finally make that bittersweet surrender to love and real life.

My Review

Although I love chocolate as much as the next woman, I am not sure I would be able to deal with being wrapped in it, or seeing other women wrapped in it, as in a chocolate spa. The idea is totally unique, though, and well done in that the reader is not subject to the sights of this.

Diann Hunt manages to deal with many issues in this novel. Relationships between siblings, in-laws, at work, between friends, and everything in between, obviously, but also infidelity, gambling, anger, grief are touched on here. The story flows smoothly, told mostly from Carly Westlake's point of view, but also from those her life touches. She tries to be everything everyone else needs from her brother's keeper to her old flame's daughter's friend, then feels disappointed when her needs are not met. Her husbands unfaithfulness when she was dealing with breast cancer, though it happened before the story starts, is very much a part of her, as is the death of her best friend, who was manager of her spa, and also was the wife of her accountant. Secrets threaten the relationships. Romance is in the air.

A well written novel, that I would be glad to recommend to friends.

i received this ebook free from ThomasNelson publishers through their Booksneeze program for the purpose of reviewing. i was not required to give a positive review, just an honest one.