First Line Friday

First Line Friday | Week 52 | Miss Serena’s Secret by Carolyn Miller

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from Miss Serena’s Secret by Carolyn Miller:

First line from Miss Serena's Secret: Warm summer sun lit the scene before her: a golden-yellow oak table boasting a squat blue vase with an arrangement of ferns and pink roses.

What’s the book nearest you, and what’s the first line?

About Miss Serena’s Secret

How can a wounded young woman ever trust a too-flirtatious earl with her heart?

With devastating scars in her past, Serena Winthrop is sure no man can be trusted—especially not a man like the too-smooth Viscount Carmichael. His reputation as a flirt and a gambler is everything she despises. And the young artist makes sure that this disreputable heir to an earldom knows of her deep disapproval whenever they encounter one another.

Henry, Lord Carmichael, is perfectly aware of his charms. He’s gambled with plenty of ladies’ hearts as easily as he has with their husbands’ money. But lately he’s wondered if there’s more to life—and if his actions might prove unworthy of an admirable wife such as his friends have found.

When Serena’s guardian asks his best friend to protect his young ward, Henry promises to be on his best behavior and not woo her. But the more he learns of her, the more he realizes she might be his best reason for changing his character.

Then the lady’s art leads her to London infamy. Now Henry must choose between the life mapped out for him as the earl apparent and the love of his life. And Serena’s secret may mean the end of his titled family line.

You can find Miss Serena’s Secret online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

Click the button to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today:

You can then click the link which will take you to the master page of all this week’s #FirstLineFriday posts.

And you can click here to check out my previous FirstLineFriday posts.

Share your first line in the comments, and happy reading!

#ThrowbackThursday | On the Edge by Theresa Santy

It’s Throwback Thursday! Today I’m resharing my review of On The Edge, the debut novel from Teresa Santy, and winner of the FaithWriters 2013 Page Turner Contest. This review first appeared at Iola’s Christian reads in April 2016.

On the Edge is one of the best debut novels I’ve read in a long time.

 

Okay, it takes a while to find itself at the beginning and not everyone will enjoy the first person present tense narration (and that could by why I found the beginning difficult), but it’s worth the effort.

Kristen Craemer is an LA interior designer who is running. She can no longer run in real life, so now she runs in her dreams, and the dreams always turn into nightmares and they always lead her to water—the magnificent Pacific Ocean. Her life is slowly unravelling: she’s making mistakes at work, therapy isn’t helping, and nor is the liquid diet of drugs and alcohol.

Then she meets Jesus-freak Ethan Adams, and soon finds two awkward things: she likes him (as in, really likes him) even though he’s a Jesus-freak, and their mothers are in the same addiction therapy group. So this is a story of a woman whose messed-up childhood is still affecting her adult life, and meeting a guy with a messed-up childhood who seems to have it all together.

One of the difficult parts of writing a review of a book isn’t what you put in to the review, but what you leave out. Readers and authors, quite understandably, don’t want book reviews to include plot spoilers. But some readers also want to be warned about certain aspects of the book they might not want to read. Some reviewers call these trigger warnings: content that might act as a trigger for some readers.

And here’s the problem. I want (need?) to include some trigger warnings for On the Edge, but to tell you any more would act as a spoiler. So be warned: if you read reviews to find out if there’s anything in the book you want to avoid, you might be best avoiding On the Edge.

But you’d be missing out. The plot and characters are outstanding. The writing is outstanding—I loved lines like this:

Quote from On the Edge: This Kierkegaard writes so deep, he makes my brain ache.

On the Edge isn’t typical Christian fiction (too much alcohol, too many drugs), but I think this is what Christian fiction should be: real. Telling difficult stories, and showing Jesus in the lives of characters. Not preaching. Basically, the whole book was outstanding, and you should read it. Unless the triggers . . .

Thanks to Breath of Fresh Air Press for providing a free ebook for review. Although I’ve now bought the paperback as well. Yes, it was that good.

About Theresa Santy

Theresa writes and publishes e-newsletters for a women’s Bible study ministry, and for Beacon For Him Ministries, a multi-service center for the homeless, where she serves giant God-portions of love, offers connections to community and resources, and picks up trash. Theresa lives with her family on the sparkling coast of Southern California. She loves Jesus, laughter, long walks, flip-flops, and fiery sunsets. She’s a big fan of the written word and her favorite book ever written is the Bible.

You can find Theresa Santy online at:

Website

About On the Edge

For as long as she can remember, Kristen Craemer has been running from something. In high school and college, she ran competitively, until her Olympic dreams were shattered. Now, she runs to escape—from her past, from intimacy, from reality, and from the cold, black mist that haunts her nights.

Desperate to stop running, she turns to therapy, alcohol, and pills—anything to dull the fear—but her struggle intensifies with every passing night. Gradually, the nightmares encroach on her days, until everything she holds dear slips further away.

Kristen’s fears increase when she meets Ethan, a bronze-eyed Jesus freak. The claims he makes about God are too unbelievable to be true, and to Kristen they are more terrifying than her recurring dreams. She can’t open her heart to Ethan, and she won’t open her heart to his faith. Instead, Kristen keeps running, and every time she runs she finds herself standing at the shore of the Pacific Ocean, glaring into the crashing waves and fighting the urge to submerge herself beneath the turbulent water forever.

On the Edge is the powerful story of a “girl next door” who struggled to make it out of childhood alive, only to drown daily in shame and fear . . . until she finally dives over the edge and into redemption.

You can find On the Edge online at:

Amazon | Goodreads | Koorong

You can read the introduction to On the Edge below:

Do you read with a favourite beverage by your side?

Bookish Question #68 | Do you read with a favourite beverage by your side?

I always have a drink by my side, no matter what I’m doing.

If it’s morning, it’s likely to be coffee—it takes one or two cups to get me up and running each day. I rarely have more than two coffees, although I might have another if I go to a cafe. I might then treat myself to a Chai Latte … but cafes are usually for meeting up with friends or writing, not reading.

I switch to green tea in the afternoon and evening, and water the rest of the time.

My husband works for an international company with operations in China, so I’m currently drinking some Lychee tea he brought back from a work trip. It’s a lovely green tea with a hint of sweet lychee. (Note that the Dragon tea did not taste of dragon—not that I know what dragon tastes like!).

I usually have a glass or a bottle of water with me all the time. I drink a lot of water—I definitely drink my eight glasses (two litres) a day, and it’s often more. Why not? Our tap water is as good (i.e. tasteless) as any branded bottled water, and it’s free. And calorie-free. We have a Soda Stream, so sometimes I’ll have plain tap water, and sometimes I’ll use the Soda Stream to add the bubbles (but no flavour).

My reading times are usually evenings or weekend afternoons, so I’m usually drinking water or green tea by then. Maybe one, maybe the other, maybe both. Often both.

So yes, I always read with a drink nearby.

What about you? Do you read with a favourite beverage by your side?

Quote from Beneath a Prairie Moon: Why wouldn't the men in town listen to reason? Buying a bride was foolhardy. Maybe even dangerous.

Book Review | Beneath a Prairie Moon by Kim Vogel Sawyer

It was bad enough that Abigail Grant has been forced from her rightful position in society due to her father’s criminal actions. Worse that she has been forced to offer herself as a mail order bride through Mrs Helena Bingham’s matchmaker agency. But she’s now had six matches, and rejected them all … or they’ve rejected her.

She’s down to her last chance when Mrs Bingham offers her a different role.

She has sixteen prospective grooms from a small town in Kansas. Unfortunately, their introductory letters show they are lacking in “social niceties”. But Mrs Bingham has a plan.

She is sending Abigail to Spiveyville to tutor the men and turn them into suitable grooms. And Mrs Bingham is coming to supervise. Unfortunately, the sixteen wife-seeking bachelors of Spiveyville are not well pleased when their brides don’t arrive—only two women who aren’t part of the bridal pool.

It’s a setup ripe with opportunities for humour, and Kim Vogel Sawyer does not disappoint.

The humour is more understated than obvious, but it’s there. There is also a little romance, a little suspense, and a little Christian preaching (although it’s not preachy. It’s just Mrs Bingham sometimes can’t help herself).

Mrs Bingham was a pleasant surprise as a character. My first impression of her was a benevolent dictator with a backbone of steel. She has an element of steel—I expect widowed women needed a healthy sense of their own abilities to run a successful business. But I was impressed by her compassion for the girls she matched, and her genuine desire to make good marriages for her clients.

One thing confused me a little.

I’m used to romance novels where the story is told from the points of view of the heroine and hero (and usually in that order). Under a Prairie Moon had four different points of view, which made me think it was going to be a secondary romance plot. There kind of was, but it didn’t go the way I was expecting (which isn’t bad). But it did leave me wondering why we had the extra points of view.

Overall, I enjoyed Under a Prairie Moon.

I’m sure fans of western romances, especially mail order bride stories, will enjoy it.

Thanks to WaterBrook Press and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Kim Vogel Sawyer

Kim Vogel SawyerAward-winning, bestselling author Kim Vogel Sawyer wears many hats. As a wife, mother, grandmother, song-singer, cat-petter, and active participant in her church’s music and women’s ministries, her life is happily full.

But her passion lies in penning stories that share the hope we can all possess when we place our lives in God’s capable hands. She and her retired military hubby live on the beautiful plains of Kansas, the setting for many of Kim’s books.

In her free time, she enjoys quilting, traveling with “The Hubs,” and spoiling her quiverful of granddarlings.

You can find Kim Vogel Sawyer online at:

Website | Facebook | Twitter

About Beneath a Prairie Moon

Abigail Brantley grew up in affluence and knows exactly how to behave in high society. But when she is cast from the social registers due to her father’s illegal dealings, she finds herself forced into a role she never imagined: tutoring rough Kansas ranchers in the subjects of manners and morals so they can “marry up” with their mail-order brides. Mack Cleveland, whose father was swindled by a mail-order bride, wants no part of the scheme to bring Eastern women to Spiveyville, Kansas, and he’s put off by the snooty airs and fastidious behavior of the “little city gal” in their midst. But as time goes by, his heart goes out to the teacher who tries so diligently to smooth the rough edges from the down-to-earth men. How can he teach her that perfection won’t bring happiness?

You can find Beneath a Prairie Moon online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

You can read the introduction to Beneath a Prairie Moon below:

First Line Friday

First Line Friday | Week 51 | Open Circle by Stacy Monson

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from Open Circle by Stacy Monson. It’s actually not the first line—but it’s close. It’s the last line of the first paragraph:

First line from Open Circle: Why did roses smell so different at a funeral than they did in the backyard?

What’s the book nearest you, and what’s the first line?

About Open Circle

Heartfelt women’s fiction with romance and depth that tackles the hard realities of Alzheimers with tenderness.

Mindy Lee “Minnie” Carlson’s dream job has dropped into her hands, but there’s a catch. She has four months to revive Open Circle, the town’s only Senior Adult Day Center, or the doors will close, leaving her jobless, and the seniors she cares for stranded.

Meanwhile, after decades traveling the globe and documenting the forgotten people of the world, Jackson Young discovers his beloved Grandma Em is still alive in Minnie’s small town.

Overjoyed, he races back to his hometown to reconnect, and discovers Grandma Em has adopted Minnie as her surrogate grandchild for the past twenty years.

Then Grandma Em has a stroke, and his ideas about her care pit him against Minnie’s determination and expertise. For Grandma Em’s sake, and the future of Open Circle, they’ll need to do the impossible–find a way to work together.

You can find Open Circle online at:

Amazon | Goodreads

Click the button to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today:

You can then click the link which will take you to the master page of all this week’s #FirstLineFriday posts.

And you can click here to check out my previous FirstLineFriday posts.

Share your first line in the comments, and happy reading!

Quote from Winning Miss Winthrop by Carolyn Miller: While Italian arias were all very well, one's appreciation might be greater if one more fully comprehended Italian.

#ThrowbackThursday | Winning Miss Winthrop by Carolyn Miller

It’s Throwback Thursday! Today I’m sharing my review of Winning Miss Winthrop, the first in the Regency Brides: A Promise of Hope series by Carolyn Miller. The sequel, Miss Serena’s Secret, is due out later this month, and you’ll want to read Winning Miss Winthrop first!

This review previously appeared at Australasian Christian Writers.

Persuasion is not my favourite Jane Austen novel.

I find it frustrating, because the problems faced by the hero and heroine could be solved by one simple conversation. Unfortunately, Jane Austen lived in a society where men and women were unable to speak plainly to each other. That meant her hero and heroine spent most of the book at odds, even though they had mutual feelings towards each other.

Quote from Winning Miss WInthrop by Carolyn Miller: A woman does not have many choices in this world, but she can still be the heroine in her own life, and not just idle in the wings.

Winning Miss Winthrop is loosely based on Persuasion, and has the same central plot problem. Two years ago, Miss Catherine Winthrop fell in love with her third cousin once removed, Jonathan Carlew. She thought the feeling was mutual, but he abandoned her. Now she is twenty-five years old, at home, and on the shelf. But things are about to get complicated.

Her father dies, and instead of the estate going to the expected heir, it goes to Jonathan Carlew. Catherine and her mother are forced to leave their home and move into the Dower House, with a much-reduced income.

What follows is a frustrating yet enaging read as Catherine and Jonathan have to face up to being in the company of the other, both believing the other to have been at fault in the demise of their earlier relationship. Matters are not helped by Catherine‘s mother, the Dowager Lady Winthrop, who makes Elizabeth Bennett’s mother appear intelligent and self sacrificing.

As usual, Carolyn Miller’s is writing is spot on for the period and location.

Her locations come alive, and she captures the manners of the Regency period perfectly, while introducing a rare spiritual depth. Miller’s writing is full of the wit and subtext present in other Regency novelists such as Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer. And now I’m anxiously awaiting Miss Serena’s Secret, the second book in the series.

Quote from Winning Miss Winthrop by Carolyn MIller: Some people count the cost of things of eternal significance as too high, whilst others are simply blind.

Recommended for all Regency romance lovers. Thanks to Kregel and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Carolyn Miller

Carolyn MillerCarolyn Miller lives in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia. She is married, with four gorgeous children, who all love to read (and write!).

A longtime lover of Regency romance, Carolyn’s novels have won a number of Romance Writers of American (RWA) and American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) contests. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Australasian Christian Writers. Her favourite authors are classics like Jane Austen (of course!), Georgette Heyer, and Agatha Christie, but she also enjoys contemporary authors like Susan May Warren and Becky Wade.

Her stories are fun and witty, yet also deal with real issues, such as dealing with forgiveness, the nature of really loving versus ‘true love’, and other challenges we all face at different times.

Find Carolyn Miller online at:

Website | Facebook | Google+

Goodreads| Pinterest | Twitter

About Winning Miss Winthrop

Years ago, the man who stole Catherine Winthrop’s heart rejected her–and she’s never recovered from the grief. Now tragedy has brought him back into her life. This time it isn’t her heart he’s taking, it’s her home and her family’s good name.

Jonathan Carlew’s serious demeanor and connection to trade, not to mention the rumors surrounding his birth, have kept him from being a favorite of the ladies, or their parents. Now, suddenly landed and titled, he finds himself with plenty of prospects. But his demanding society responsibilities keep pressing him into service to the one woman who captured his heart long ago–and then ran off with it.

These two broken hearts must decide whether their painful past and bitter present will be all they can share, or if forgiveness can provide a path to freedom for the future.

Set in the sumptuous salons of Bath, Regency England’s royal breeding ground for gossip, Winning Miss Winthrop is the first volume in the Regency Brides: A Promise of Hope series. Fans of the wholesome and richly drawn first series won’t want to miss this new set of characters–or appearances by their old favorites.

You can find Winning Miss Winthrop online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

Does your library stock Christian books?

Bookish Question #67 | Does Your Library Stock Christian Books?

Yes! My local library system has a healthy selection of Christian books.

They do tend to focus on the major US publishers rather than buying books from local authors. They also had more of a focus on fiction than non-fiction.

Unfortunately, they aren’t all free.

My library has two sections—fee and paid. New releases and books from popular authors tend to go into the paid section for several months before finding their way into the free section. This does keep waiting times down (I’ve heard of people being 84th in line for a book, but that doesn’t happen here!).

Anyway, books from the paid section cost $3 for two weeks (compared to around $30 to buy the same book in the bookstore that used to be across the road). That’s a fair price for a new-to-me author I may or may not enjoy, or for a book I don’t think I’ll want to read and re-read (yes, there were books I’d borrow then buy).

But I mostly stopped borrowing the paid titles once I started reviewing, because those were the titles I chose to review.

But the library still stocks a great selection of Christian books.

What about you? Does yuur library stock Christian books?

Quote from Fatal Recall: How could she trust her gut when she couldn't even remember who she was?

Book Review | Fatal Recall by Carol J Post

I don’t know why, but I’m a total sucker for amnesia stories. Something about the idea of waking up with no idea who you are captures my curiosity. Perhaps it’s because we’re all formed by our unique personal histories, so amnesia raises a question:

Are we the same person if we can’t remember who we are?

Tanner Brody is canoeing on the Nantahala River, on the edge of the North Carolina Smokies, when he hears a gunshot, followed a scream. He searches, and finds an unconscious woman. When she wakes, she has no idea of who she is, or how she got there.

And now someone is shooting at them both.

Our nameless heroine remembers nothing. Except she prays when things are bad. Then she remembers an attack. A knife. And she’s holding it.

One of the criticisms of Christian fiction is that it’s full of perfect people living perfect lives. Okay, that’s an overstatement. But it can be hard to find a Christian novel that’s dealing with mending broken people without making that the main focus of the plot.

Fatal Recall manages to address this while maintaining the focus of the plot on the mystery of who the heroine is, the suspense of who is after her, and the developing romance between her and Tanner.

There is a clear but understated message that our background forms us into the adults we become—good or bad. But we don’t have to stay that person. Faith in God can help us become the adults He meant us to be.

Fatal Recall is a fast read, as is typical for Love Inspired Suspense. But it manages to pack a surprising amount of plot, character, and spiritual depth in those words. Recommended for Christian romantic suspense fans.

Thanks to the author for providing a free ebook for review.

About Carol J Post

Carol J PostFrom medical secretary to court reporter to property manager to owner of a special events decorating company, Carol’s resume reads as if she doesn’t know what she wants to be when she grows up. But one thing that has remained constant through the years is her love for writing. She currently pens fun and fast-paced inspirational romance and romantic suspense stories. Her books have been nominated for a RITA® award and an RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Book Award.

Carol lives in sunshiny Central Florida with her husband, who is her own real-life hero, and writes her stories under the shade of the huge oaks in her yard. Besides writing, she works alongside her music minister husband singing and playing the piano. She enjoys sailing, hiking, camping—almost anything outdoors. Her two grown daughters and grandkids live too far away for her liking, so she now pours all that nurturing into taking care of a fat and sassy black cat and a highly spoiled dachshund.

You can find Carol J Post online at:

Website | Facebook | Twitter

About Fatal Recall

Amnesia stole her memory – a killer wants her dead

When Paige Tatem loses her memory, she knows just two things: she has a target on her back, and police officer Tanner Brody is the only man she trusts to protect her. As they piece together her past, Tanner wonders what lies hidden in Paige’s mind. And as the truth begins to emerge, it becomes clear that a ruthless enemy wants certain secrets to stay buried.

You can find Fatal Recall online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

You can read the introduction to Fatal Recall below:

First Line Friday

First Line Friday | Week 50 | More than Meets the Eye by Karen Witemeyer

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from More than Meets the Eye by Karen Witemeyer:

First line from More than Meets the Eye: Don't lose heart, children. We have several strong families lined up in Bonham. I'm sure we'll find good homes to each of you.

What’s the book nearest you, and what’s the first line?

About More than Meets the Eye

Many consider Evangeline Hamilton cursed. Orphaned at a young age and possessing a pair of mismatched eyes–one bright blue, the other dark brown–Eva has fought to find her way in a world that constantly rejects her. Yet the support of even one person can help overcome the world’s judgments, and Eva has two–Seth and Zach, two former orphans she now counts as brothers.

Seeking justice against the man who stole his birthright and destroyed his family, Logan Fowler arrives in 1880s Pecan Gap, Texas, to confront Zach Hamilton, the hardened criminal responsible for his father’s death. Only instead of finding a solitary ruthless gambler, he discovers a man not much older than himself with an unusual family. When Zach’s sister, Evangeline, insists on dousing Logan with sunshine every time their paths cross, Logan finds his quest completely derailed.

Who is truly responsible for his lost legacy, and will restoring the past satisfy if it means forfeiting a future with Evangeline?

You can find More than Meets the Eye online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

Click the button to check out what my fabulous fellow FirstLineFriday bloggers are sharing today:

You can then click the link which will take you to the master page of all this week’s #FirstLineFriday posts.

And you can click here to check out my previous FirstLineFriday posts.

Share your first line in the comments, and happy reading!

#ThrowbackThursday | Buried Memories by Carol J Post

It’s Throwback Thursday! Today I’m resharing a review that previously appeared at Suspense Sisters Reviews (which is now defunct). It’s Buried Memories, a Love Inspired Suspense novel from one of my favourite LIS authors, Carol J Post.

About Buried Memories

After her broken engagement, Nicki Jackson hoped her move to Cedar Key would give her a fresh start—instead she quickly learns someone’s out to destroy her. Are the attacks tied to her mother’s recently reopened murder case…or to the nightmares Nicki’s beginning to suspect are actually hidden memories?

With the threats against her escalating, former soldier Tyler Brant vows to keep Nicki safe. He refuses to lose the woman who’s swiftly becoming more than a childhood crush. But when danger circles closer, is Nicki’s traumatic past better left forgotten…or are her memories the key to something far more sinister?

My Thoughts

So Nicki Jackson has settled in her new home of Cedar Key and thinks she’s got her life back on track: house, job, dog, hobby, nice neighbours … especially once she finds Tyler, her teenage best friend, is staying next door.
But this is a Love Inspired Suspense novel, so we know things aren’t going to stay on track for long … and they don’t. There’s plenty of suspense and several plot twists—one of which was kind of given away by the title, but the others certainly caught me unaware.
The characters were excellent. Nicki had a difficult early childhood before being adopted by a lovely couple, yet losing those parents as well. So she’s trying to make it on her own, but also wants to connect with the older sister she hasn’t seen in close to two decades. She’s a strong character who hasn’t had an easy life, but who has chosen to be purposeful and not fall into the same negative patterns her mother did.
We don’t find out as much about Tyler’s upbringing, but we get the impression it also had its low points. But his real issue is his PTSD, something which he’s still struggling to control, and something which gives him and Nicki even more in common … at the same time it could drive them apart (okay, so there was one point in reading Buried Memories where I start on my “men are stupid” rant. But he redeems himself.)
The plot and writing were excellent, and I resented each time I had to leave Nicki and Tyler and Cedar Key because life or children or work or food. Buried Memories is part of Carol Post’s Cedar Key series, but can easily be read as a standalone novel. Overall, an excellent suspense read.

Thanks to the author for providing a free ebook for review.

About Carol J Post

Carol J PostFrom medical secretary to court reporter to property manager to owner of a special events decorating company, Carol’s resume reads as if she doesn’t know what she wants to be when she grows up. But one thing that has remained constant through the years is her love for writing. She currently pens fun and fast-paced inspirational romance and romantic suspense stories. Her books have been nominated for a RITA® award and an RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Book Award.

Carol lives in sunshiny Central Florida with her husband, who is her own real-life hero, and writes her stories under the shade of the huge oaks in her yard. Besides writing, she works alongside her music minister husband singing and playing the piano. She enjoys sailing, hiking, camping—almost anything outdoors. Her two grown daughters and grandkids live too far away for her liking, so she now pours all that nurturing into taking care of a fat and sassy black cat and a highly spoiled dachshund.

You can find Carol J Post online at:

Website | Facebook | Twitter

You can find Buried Memories online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

You can read the introduction to Buried Memories below: