Praying for Your Future Husband: Preparing Your Heart for His

Song Stuck on the Brain: Home by Marc Broussard

Praying For Your Future Husband:

Preparing Your Heart for His

by

Robin Jones Gunn

&

Tricia Goyer

MY TAKE:

I was 8 when Mom told me I should be praying for my future husband. I know, at 8 most kids aren't even thinking about falling in love, much less getting married. But I was a little different. I've wanted to fall in love, get married and have a solid relationship like my parents for as long as I can remember. At 8, I knew who I was going to marry. A boy I went to school and church with. I told Mom and rather than laugh, she said I should ask God if that's who He wanted me to marry. (It wasn't.)

It was something I hadn't thought of and yet made perfect sense.

Then she told me how she had almost married another man. Looking back she could see he was overbearing and controlling, life would have been very different for her. But a minister from church came to her and told her that God didn't want her to marry her fiance. It was a tough thing to hear. But after a lot of prayer she broke off the engagement. About a year later she met my dad.

I've been praying for my future husband ever since. I've kept a prayer journal with my thoughts for him. Who knows if he'll ever see it, but it's helped keep me on track. Now I have 3 young nieces that are growing faster than light and I've been sharing with them the same thoughts mom shared with me.

Tricia and Robin were truly inspired in writing this book, their openness in telling their own experiences make it unique and engaging. More importantly, they connect with young girls in an honest and straight forward manner. They lay out a plan for how to pray for "The One" as well as how to pray for yourself to grow and mature in the right ways too. Even as an adult, I found it meaningful to my own prayer life and encouraged me to see knew areas where both of us need prayer.

I'm excited to see a book that encourages girls to be God Lovers and to hold the men in their life up to that standard. This could revolutionize the meaning of real love and true commitment. Even better, it has the potential to revitalize the meaning of the marriage covenant for future couples.



ABOUT THE BOOK:

Have you ever thought about praying for your future husband?
Will it make a difference?
There's only one way to find out…

From when we were small girls, most of us dream of “The One,” our future husband. We think about what it would be like to be a bride. We wonder who that special guy is and when we'll find him. The great news is that what you do now can make a difference in your life and the life of your future husband!

Authors and good friends Robin Jones Gunn (Christy Miller series) and Tricia Goyer (author and former teen mom) believe God answers women's prayers for husbands—even husbands they may not meet for years. They invite young women to pray boldly for their future mate … while also asking God to prepare their own hearts.

In Praying for Your Future Husband, Robin and Tricia share their two vastly different experiences, including the things they did right and the mistakes they made on the path to meeting and marrying their husbands. Each chapter includes helpful Bible verses, prayers, and practical application, along with true stories of women who prayed for a husband and how God answered in remarkable ways.

God has a beautiful romance prepared for you. Prayer is the key to unlocking the love story … with your future husband and with God, the lover of your soul.




ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Robin Jones Gunn was born in Wisconsin and lived on a dairy farm until her family moved to southern California when she was five years old. She grew up in Orange County and spent her summers at Newport Beach with friends from her church youth group. After attending Biola University and Capernwray Bible School in Austria, Robin and Ross were married and spent the next two decades working together in youth ministry.

It was the young teens at Robin’s church who challenged her to write stories for them. She hadn’t thought much about being a writer, but took their request to heart and set her alarm for 3am, three days a week. With two small children it was the only time she could find to write the first story about Christy Miller. After two years and ten rejections the novel Summer Promise was accepted for publication in 1988. Robin hasn’t stopped writing since. Over 4 million copies of her 75 books have sold and can be found in a dozen translations all over the world.

Robin and her husband now live in Hawai’i where Ross is a counselor and Robin continues to write to the sound of tropical birds chattering in the palm trees outside her window. Their children are grown but manage to come to the islands with their families every chance they get. Robin's awards include: three Christy awards for excellence in fiction, a Gold Medallion finalist, Mt. Hermon Pacesetter and the Mt. Hermon Writer of the Year award. Robin travels extensively and is a frequent key-note speaker at various events around the world. She serves on the Board of Directors for Media Associates International and Jerry Jenkin’s Christian Writer’s Guild.

Tricia Goyer is the author of twenty-six books including Beside Still Waters, The Swiss Courier, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer's Conference in 2003. Tricia's book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion in 2005. In addition to her novels, Tricia writes non-fiction books and magazine articles for publications like MomSense and Thriving Family. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences, and has been a workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Conventions. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife. Visit www.triciagoyer.com for more about Tricia and her books.



I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Glastonbury Tor by LeAnne Hardy

Song Stuck on the Brain: My December by Josh Groban

(Yes, he did sing it. At his live concert. You can find the video on Youtube.com)

Glastonbury Tor
A Novel

by

LeAnne Hardy

MY TAKE:

A fantastic read. Authentic on every level and hard to put down. Glastonbury comes to life, alive and full of memory, it through the mists of time like only Scottland seems to do. Colin quickly becomes someone you want to see succeed in his journey. The circumstances that set him on his path may be far different from yours or mine, but the struggles in his heart and his desire to find peace is universal. I connected with him and loved every moment.


ABOUT THE BOOK:

His mother wanted him to be a monk…
His father wanted him to be a man…
A priest tempts him to pursue power…
But Colin must find his own way.

After his mother’s tragic death, seventeen-year-old Colin Hay is so consumed with anger that he tries to kill his cruel father. Running from these tormenting desires and his home, he seeks the protection and cleansing of the Glastonbury monastery, at a time when King Henry VIII is closing monasteries all over England.

But Colin’s past has followed him to Glastonbury. As he now pursues forgiveness and salvation, Colin is conflicted by the doctrines he learns at the monastery and the grace he receives from a local family with a forbidden English Bible. And then there is a quick-tempered priest whose lust for power threatens to compromise Glastonbury Abbey, and to destroy the astonishing treasure it holds—the Holy Grail.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

LeAnne Hardy has traveled the world responding to God's call to be a missionary, a call that has taken her to Africa, South America, and Eastern Europe. The diverse settings and plots in her books have been inspired by her real-life encounters there. Many of the stories and scenes from her books come from her family's experiences on the mission field or are based on true stories of others.

I received this book free from Kregel Publishing for review.

CFBA: Canary Island Song by Robin Jones Gunn

Song Stuck on the Brain: I Try by Macy Gray

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing:





Canary Island Song


Howard Books; Original edition (July 5, 2011)




by



Robin Jones Gunn

MY TAKE:

What a great story about renewing your life and finding happiness and purpose again. I love how Carolyn steps outside her comfort zone and allows God to enlarge her borders. It's scary and yet inspiring and fun. You cheer for Carolyn every turn of the page.



ABOUT THE BOOK:

When Carolyn’s grown daughter tells her she needs to “get a life,” Carolyn decides it’s time to step out of her familiar routine as a single woman in San Francisco and escape to her mother’s home in the Canary Islands. Since Carolyn’s mother is celebrating her seventieth birthday, the timing of Carolyn’s visit makes for a perfect surprise.

The surprise, however, is on Carolyn when she sees Bryan Spencer, her high school summer love. It’s been seven years since Carolyn lost her husband, but ever since that tragic day, her life has grown smaller and closed in. The time has come for Carolyn to get her heart back. It takes the gentle affection of her mother and aunts, as well as the ministering beauty and song of the islands to draw Carolyn into the fullness of life. She is nudged along by a Flamenco dance lesson, a defining camel ride and the steady gaze of Bryan’s intense blue-gray eyes.

Is it too late for Carolyn to trust Bryan? Can Carolyn believe that Bryan has turned into something more than the wild beach boy who stole her kisses so many years ago on a balmy Canary night?

Carolyn is reminded that Christopher Columbus set sail from the Canary Islands in 1492 on his voyage to discover the New World. Is she ready to set sail from these same islands to discover her new life?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Canary Island Song, go HERE.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Robin Jones Gunn was born in Wisconsin and lived on a dairy farm until her family moved to southern California when she was five years old. She grew up in Orange County and spent her summers at Newport Beach with friends from her church youth group. After attending Biola University and Capernwray Bible School in Austria, Robin and Ross were married and spent the next two decades working together in youth ministry.

It was the young teens at Robin’s church who challenged her to write stories for them. She hadn’t thought much about being a writer, but took their request to heart and set her alarm for 3am, three days a week. With two small children it was the only time she could find to write the first story about Christy Miller. After two years and ten rejections the novel Summer Promise was accepted for publication in 1988. Robin hasn’t stopped writing since. Over 4 million copies of her 75 books have sold and can be found in a dozen translations all over the world.

Robin and her husband now live in Hawai’i where Ross is a counselor and Robin continues to write to the sound of tropical birds chattering in the palm trees outside her window. Their children are grown but manage to come to the islands with their families every chance they get. Robin's awards include: three Christy awards for excellence in fiction, a Gold Medallion finalist, Mt. Hermon Pacesetter and the Mt. Hermon Writer of the Year award. Robin travels extensively and is a frequent key-note speaker at various events around the world. She serves on the Board of Directors for Media Associates International and Jerry Jenkin’s Christian Writer’s Guild.

CFBA: Shadows on the Sand by Gayle Roper

Song Stuck on the Brain: Gilligan's Island theme song

Angel and I were singing old sitcom themes to my niece. We covered Beverly Hillbillys, Green Acres, Brady Bunch and Gilligan's Island. Gilligan got shipwrecked on the brain and now Professor and Mary Ann are permanant residents.

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing:


Shadows on the Sand
Multnomah Books (July 19, 2011)


by


Gayle Roper




MY TAKE:

I'm sorry to say I haven't had a chance to finish this one yet, but it's been fantastic so far. I know I can't go wrong with Gayle and this book is just more evidence to that fact. I'll post more when I've had a chance to finish the book, but don't wait around for me. Go find a copy of your own, it's a pretty safe bet you'll like it.




ABOUT THE BOOK:

Carrie Carter’s small café in Seaside, New Jersey, is populated with a motley crew of locals although Carrie only has eyes for Greg Barnes. He’s recovering from a vicious crime that three years ago took the lives of his wife and children—and from the year he tried to drink his reality away. While her heart does a happy Snoopy dance at the sight of him, he never seems to notice her, to Carrie’s chagrin.

When Carrie’s dishwasher is killed and her young waitress disappears, Greg finds himself drawn into helping Carrie solve the mysteries … and into her life. But Carrie has a painful past, too, and when the reason she once ran away shows up in town, the fragile relationship she’s built with Greg threatens to implode from the weight of the baggage they both carry. Two wounded hearts struggle to find a way to make one romance work. Failure seems guaranteed when Carrie locates her waitress but is taken hostage...

If you would like to read the first chapter of Shadows on the Sand, go HERE.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Gayle is the award winning author of more than forty books. She has been a Christy finalist three times for her novels Spring Rain, Summer Shadows, and Winter Winds. Her novel Autumn Dreams won the prestigious Romance Writers of America's RITA Award for Best Inspirational Romance. Summer Shadows was voted the Inspirational Readers Choice Contest Book of the Year (tied with fellow author Brandilyn Collins).

Gayle has won the Holt Medallion three times for The Decision, Caught in a Bind, and Autumn Dreams. The Decision won the Reviewers Choice Award, and Gayle has also won the Award of Excellence for Spring Rain and the Golden Quill for Summer Shadows and Winter Winds. Romantic Times Book Report gave Gayle the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Her Amhearst mystery series, Caught in the Middle, Caught in the Act, and Caught in a Bind, originally published by Zondervan, was reprinted in 2007 by Love Inspired Suspense with a fourth original title added, Caught Redhanded. Another original single title, See No Evil, was also released. Caught in the Middle has been optioned for film.

For her work in training Christian writers Gayle has won special recognition from Mount Hermon CWC, St. Davids CWC, Florida CWC, and Greater Philadelphia CWC. She directed St. Davids for five years and Sandy Cove CWC for six. She has taught with Christian Leaders, Authors and Speakers Services (CLASS), serving for several years as their writer in residence. She enjoys speaking at women's events across the nation and loves sharing the powerful truths of Scripture with humor and practicality.

Gayle lives in southeastern Pennsylvania where she enjoys her family of two great sons, two lovely daughters-in-law, and the world's five most wonderful grandchildren. When she's not writing, or teaching at conferences, Gayle enjoys reading, gardening, and eating out.

CFBA: Falls Like Lightning by Shawn Grady

Song Stuck on the Brain: I Wish I Were An Oscar Meyer Weiner.

I woke up around 3 am singing this song in my head. And it had nothing to do with my dreams, because I was dreaming about a house in the country that had a huge pond in the front yard full of giant bass fish. Before I woke up, a giant bass was leaping up to the bridge and grabbing my sleeve to pull me into the pond. It was like Jonah and the big fish big. My dreams just got weirder the rest of the night. You'd think I had been reading fantasy novels for days on end, but I haven't. Go figure.

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing:


Falls Like Lightning
Bethany House (July 1, 2011)


by


Shawn Grady

MY TAKE:

I could practically smell the smoke rolling off the page and I may have even singed a finger turning pages. You can tell that Shawn Grady lived this life. Great romantic elements and the action is off the charts in my opinion. The opening fire scene had me holding my breath. Another fantastic job by Mr. Grady.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

When hotshot smoke jumper Silas Kent gets his own fire crew, he thinks he's achieved what he's always wanted. But a lightning-sparked fire in the Desolation Wilderness of the Sierra Nevadas has his team in a plane before they can even train together.

Pilot Elle Westmore has been called up to drop the crew into the heart of the forest infernos. A single mother of a mysteriously ill six-year-old, she can't imagine her life getting any more complicated.

It doesn't take long for things to go very wrong, very quickly. A suspicious engine explosion forces Elle to make an emergency landing. Silas is able to parachute to safety but soon discovers his crew can't be trusted. They're hiding something, and now Silas is on a race to save himself and Elle from the flames--and from a more dangerous threat: his own team.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Falls Like Lightning, go HERE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Shawn Grady signed with Bethany House Publishers in 2008. He was named “Most Promising New Writer” at the 39th Annual Mount Hermon Writers Conference. He is the author of the novels Through the Fire, Tomorrow We Die & Falls Like Lightning.

Shawn has served for over a decade as a firefighter and paramedic in northern Nevada. From fire engines and ambulances to tillered ladder trucks and helicopters, Shawn’s work environment has always been dynamic. The line of duty has carried him to a variety of locale, from high-rise fires in the city to the burning heavy timber of the eastern Sierras.

After graduating from James Logan High School in Union City, California, Shawn attended Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego as a Theology undergrad. There he found clarity of direction and proceeded on to acquire an Associate of Science degree in Fire Science Technology as well as Paramedic licensure through Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno, Nevada.

Shawn currently lives in Reno, just outside of Lake Tahoe. He enjoys spending time in the outdoors with his wife, three children and yellow Labrador.

CFBA: Pattern of Wounds by J. Mark Bertrand

Song Stuck on the Brain: The Light Within by Janice Kapp Perry

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing:





Pattern of Wounds

Bethany House (July 1, 2011)





by





J. Mark Bertrand


MY TAKE:

Pattern of Wounds is another sequel I've been (not so) patiently waiting for. J. Mark Bertrand truly impressed me with his first Roland March mystery. It was gritty, fresh and yet a little bit of a throw back to the original hardboiled kind of detectives of older novels. Spot on perfect blend.

He did it again. Pattern of Wounds is gripping, a real page turner for me. I was completely caught up in solving the crime, and yet found the forays into March's personal life and thoughts just as compelling.

With mystery/crime novels especially, I try not to discuss the plot too much because I hate it when someone gives away something good. I won't risk ruining a great read for you, I'll just stamp it with a big thumbs up approval. Oh, and be sure you have time to read, because once you start, you aren't going to want to be interrupted.




ABOUT THE BOOK:

It's Christmas in Houston, and homicide detective Roland March is on the hunt for a killer. A young woman's brutal stabbing in an affluent neighborhood bears all the hallmarks of a serial murder. The only problem is that March sent the murderer to prison ten years ago. Is it a copycat -- or did March convict the wrong man?

Alienated from his colleagues and with a growing rift in his marriage, March receives messages from the killer. The bodies pile up, the pressure builds, and the violence reaches too close to home. Up against an unfathomable evil, March struggles against the clock to understand the hidden message in the pattern of wounds.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Pattern of Wounds, go HERE.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

J. Mark Bertrand lived in Houston, where the series is set, for fifteen years, earning an MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Houston. But after one hurricane too many he relocated with his wife Laurie to the plains of South Dakota. Mark has been arrested for a crime he didn't commit, was the foreman of one hung jury and served on another that acquitted Vinnie Jones of assault. In 1972, he won an honorable mention in a child modeling contest, but pursued writing instead.

Heartless wins Christy Award

Buy Heartless on Amazon

Congratulations to Anne Elisabeth Stengl for winning the Christy Award in the First Novel category for Heartless. Way to go!!!

CFBA: Vigilante by Robin Parrish

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing:


Vigilante


Bethany House (July 1, 2011)



by


Robin Parrish

MY TAKE:

Who hasn't wished for a someone like Nolan Gray to come along at some point in their life? We all know that vengance is the Lord's, but as our weak human nature is often pointing out, we don't like to wait for vengance we may never see in our lifetime. We see injustice and atrocities all around us and in many cases it feels as if no one cares or is doing anything to fix it. We may not have the courage of skills to become the hero we crave, but the craving is still there. I think Nolan Gray was not only someone I could identify with in many ways, but was in a sense the 'hero' the world wants. Vigilante justice of course isn't the answer, and thank God that Jesus is our true Savior and Hero. However Robin Parrish makes you see and consider the meaning of true justice and the world around you in a new light. He's a strong writer with lots of intensity and suspense to keep you paging long into the night.


ABOUT THE BOOK:

Nolan Gray is an elite soldier, skilled in all forms of combat. After years fighting on foreign battlefields, witnessing unspeakable evils and atrocities firsthand, a world-weary Nolan returns home to find it just as corrupt as the war zones. Everywhere he looks, there's pain and cruelty. Society is being destroyed by wicked men who don't care who they make suffer or destroy.

Nolan decides to do what no one else can, what no one has ever attempted. He will defend the helpless. He will tear down the wicked. He will wage a one-man war on the heart of man, and he won't stop until the world is the way it should be.

The wicked have had their day. Morality's time has come. In a culture starving for a hero, can one extraordinary man make things right?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Vigilante, go HERE.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Robin Parrish wants to take you on a ride.

A wild ride -- which is exactly what you're in for when you pick up one of his books. And he's adamant that it will never be the same kind of experience twice.

Robin's stories mix, mingle, and meld various genres together to create thoroughly original suspense/thrillers. His Dominion Trilogy, for example, mashed up superhero action, secret societies, ancient myths, and an apocalyptic setting to create an entirely new take on the classic "hero's journey." Offworld mixed science fiction and an end-of-the-world scenario with high-octane action. Nightmare, his 2010 novel, is a spine-tingling examination of the world of the paranormal, paired with can't-put-it-down mystery. His 2011 novel, Vigilante, is an action-packed story about a soldier who sets out to change the world. Later this year, he's releasing his first ever Young Adult novel, titled Corridor.

Always pushing the envelope, ever on the edge of where modern storytelling is going, Robin Parrish will gladly and unapologetically tell you that he's an entertainer, a weaver of stories that ignite the mind and delight the heart. Defying labels and refusing pigeonholes, his imagination is fueled by the possibilities of asking "What if…?", and as anyone who's read his work knows, he has a very big imagination.

His influences as a novelist range from television and film storytellers like Joss Whedon and J.J. Abrams, to masters of the modern myth like J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. Akin to Philip K. Dick's search for the meaning of identity, most of what Robin writes about boils down to his own ponderings and examinations of just what this thing we call "existence" is.

Robin is a full time writer. He and his wife Karen and two children live in High Point, NC.


"Robin Parrish is a keen-eyed, passionate pop cultural savant,

whose writing is as incisive and insightful as it is entertaining."

- Allan Heinberg, Executive Producer, Grey's Anatomy

CFBA: Veiled Rose by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Song Stuck on the Brain: Something Like You by NSync

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing:





Veiled Rose



Bethany House (July 1, 2011)


by


Anne Elisabeth Stengl





MY TAKE:


Veiled Rose has been a highly awaited book for me. Anne's debut novel, Heartless was fantastic and I've been on pins and needles waiting for more. Rose Red is a compelling character and you can't help but feel for the loneliness she experiences. It's her courage and bravery though that make you love her. She and Leo's journey is nothing short of exciting and I couldn't read fast enough. This definitely marks Anne Elisabeth Stengl as a writer to watch (and read!)

You can read my review of Heartless HERE.


ABOUT THE BOOK:

Rose Red trusts no one with her secret. She hides in the forest, her face veiled in rags, shunning the company of all save her old father and her nanny goat. Her life is bleak and lonely.

Until she meets a privileged young man sent to spend his summer in the mountains. Leo, a lonely lad, befriends Rose Red, and together they begin hunting for the Mountain Monster which, rumor says, stalks these lands.

But the hunt which began as a game holds greater risk than Leo supposes. Rose Red can scarcely guess at the consequences should he insist on continuing his search. Dare she trust him with her secret? Or tell him what dwells at the top of the mountain in the cave only she can find?

Above all, when Leo asks Rose Red to leave the mountain and follow him to the low country, dare she agree and risk the wrath of a Monster that is all too real?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Veiled Rose, go HERE.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:



Anne Elisabeth Stengl makes her home in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she enjoys her profession as an art teacher, giving private lessons from her personal studio, and teaching group classes at the Apex Learning Center. She studied illustration at Grace College and English literature at Campbell University. Heartless is her debut novel.

CFBA: Lion of Babylon by Davis Bunn

Song Stuck on the Brain: Baby by Justin Beiber. Thanks to my 14 yr old niece, this song has been stuck for 2 days straight. Very catchy.

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing:


Lion of Babylon
Bethany House (July 1, 2011)


by


Davis Bunn


MY TAKE:

I'm never disappointed by a Davis Bunn novel. They're always well researched and the action is faster than a sandstorm rising in the desert. Lion of Babylon delivers just as fast. The politics are detailed but not overwhelming. You don't have to be an expert on the Middle East to 'get' the story. Culture, landscape, military procedure and lingo are fed in wonderful digestible little bites that just make you want to devour the book a little faster. A very compelling story and a powerful glimpse of a world that may be foreign to us, but not to the many American soldiers that live in the Sandbox.


ABOUT THE BOOK:

Marc Royce works for the State Department on special assignments, most of them rather routine, until two CIA operatives go missing in Iraq--kidnapped by Taliban forces bent on generating chaos in the region. Two others also drop out of sight--a high-placed Iraqi civilian and an American woman providing humanitarian aid. Are the disappearances linked? Rumors circulate in a whirl of misinformation.

Marc must unravel the truth in a covert operation requiring utmost secrecy--from both the Americans and the insurgents. But even more secret than the undercover operation is the underground dialogue taking place between sworn enemies. Will the ultimate Reconciler between ancient enemies, current foes, and fanatical religious factions be heard?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Lion of Babylon, go HERE.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Born and raised in North Carolina, Davis left for Europe at age twenty. There he first completed graduate studies in economics and finance, then began a business career that took him to over forty countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
Davis came to faith at age 28, while living in Germany and running an international business advisory group. He started writing two weeks later. Since that moment, writing has remained both a passion and a calling.

Davis wrote for nine years and completed seven books before his first was accepted for publication. During that time, he continued to work full-time in his business career, travelling to two and sometimes three countries every week. His first published book, The Presence, was released in 1990 and became a national bestseller.

Honored with three Christy Awards for excellence in historical and suspense fiction, his bestsellers include The Great Divide, Winner Take All, The Meeting Place, The Warning, The Book of Hours, and The Quilt.

A sought-after speaker in the art of writing, Davis serves as Writer In Residence at Regent’s Park College, Oxford University.

BH: The Lady of Bolton Hill by Elizabeth Camden

This week, I'm reviewing on behalf of Bethany House. They were kind enough to send me a free copy of this book.




The Lady of Bolton Hill

Bethany House (June 1, 2011)


by


Elizabeth Camden

MY TAKE:

Elizabeth Camden did a masterful job with this story of love and forgiveness. I was sucked into the story from page one and barely breathed through the rest of the tale. There was so many heartbreaking incidents woven through the lives Daniel, Clara and Alex. Things that made you cringe and wonder if you really could have handled things any differently. But Clara is a true light for God and her selfless love does change lives, even her own. And despite the heartbreak, the book never feels heavy or overwhelming. In fact it's lit with humor and hope and a lot of fantastic suspense. The overall message of love and forgiveness is strong, but it never felt preachy or too heavy handed. Well done.



ABOUT THE BOOK:

Female journalists are rare in 1879, but American-born Clara Endicott has finally made a name for herself with her provocative articles championing London's poor. When the backlash from her work forces a return home to Baltimore, Clara finds herself face-to-face with a childhood sweetheart who is no longer the impoverished factory worker she once knew. In her absence, Daniel Tremain has become a powerful industry giant and Clara finds him as enigmatic as ever. However, Daniel's success is fueled by resentment from past wounds and Clara's deeply-held beliefs about God's grace force Daniel to confront his own motives. When Clara's very life is endangered by one of Daniel's adversaries, they must face a reckoning neither of them ever could have foreseen.

When Clara Endicott and Daniel Tremain's worlds collide after twelve years apart, the spark that was once between them immediately reignites into a romance neither of them thought possible.

But time has changed them both.

Daniel is an industrial titan with powerful enemies. Clara is an idealistic journalist determined to defend underprivileged workers.

Can they withstand the cost of their convictions while their hearts, and lives, hang in the balance?

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Lady of Bolton Hill, go HERE.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A research librarian and associate professor, Elizabeth Camden has a master’s in history from the University of Virginia and a master’s in library science from Indiana University. She has published several articles for academic publications and is the author of four nonfiction history books. Her ongoing fascination with history and love of literature have led her to write inspirational fiction. Elizabeth lives with her husband in central Florida.

A word from Elizabeth: I am a college librarian in central Florida by day, but by night I can be found pounding out inspirational historical novels the moment the sun goes down. I love writing books about fiercely intelligent people who are confronted with profound challenges. As a rather introverted person, I have found that writing is the best way for me to share my faith and a sense of resilience with others.

As for who I am? I love old Hitchcock films, the hour before sunset, a long, sweaty run through the Florida countryside, and a glass of good wine. After spending my entire adult life on a college campus (either as a student or a librarian) I have finally been able to pursue my ultimate goal of writing professionally.