First Line Friday

First Line Friday | Week 34 | Hurricane Season by Lauren K Denton

by Iola Goulton

It’s First Line Friday, which means it’s time to open the book nearest you and share the first line. Today I’m sharing from Hurricane Season by Lauren K Denton, which releases on 3 April:

She usually stayed in bed until at least six, but this morning she was restless, like animals get when the barometric pressure drops before a storm.

About Hurricane Season

Betsy and Ty Franklin, owners of Franklin Dairy Farm in southern Alabama, have long since buried their desire for children of their own. While Ty manages their herd of dairy cows, Betsy busies herself with the farm’s day-to-day operations and tries to forget her dream of motherhood. But when her free-spirited sister, Jenna, drops off her two young daughters for “just two weeks,” Betsy’s carefully constructed wall of self-protection begins to crumble.

As the two weeks stretch deeper into the Alabama summer, Betsy and Ty learn to navigate the new additions in their world—and revel in the laughter that now fills their home. Meanwhile, record temperatures promise to usher in the most active hurricane season in decades.

Attending an art retreat four hundred miles away, Jenna is fighting her own battles. She finally has time and energy to focus on her photography, a lifelong ambition. But she wonders how her rediscovered passion can fit in with the life she’s made back home as a single mom.

When Hurricane Ingrid aims a steady eye at the Alabama coast, Jenna must make a decision that will change her family’s future, even as Betsy and Ty try to protect their beloved farm and their hearts. Hurricane Season is the story of one family’s unconventional journey to healing—and the relationships that must be mended along the way.

You can find Hurricane Season online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

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

First Line Fridays hosted by Hoarding Books

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 | A Lady in Disguise by Sandra Byrd

by Iola Goulton
It’s Throwback Thursday! Today I’m sharing a review I originally wrote for Suspense Sisters Reviews in May 2017. Most of the romantic suspense novels I’ve read have been contemporary, but A Lady in Disguise is set in Victorian London, a great setting!

My Review

I wasn’t sure what to expect from A Lady in Disguise—the title didn’t seem to match the description (and the description ranges between somewhat misleading and coming uncomfortably close to revealing major plot points, in my view).

No matter. The review is of the novel, not the Amazon description.

And the novel was excellent. The balance was more on suspense than romance, partly because Gillian was never sure who she could trust—with good reason, because there were a lot of untoward events occurring and a few too many ‘coincidences’. The plot was complex, with many unpredictable yet satisfying twists.

The real strength of this novel was the research.

This struck the perfect balance between comprehensive and unobtrusive. The setting was perfect in terms of details about the social customs and social issues of the time. Some of the descriptions brought back fond memories of my own time in London—it’s a city steeped in history, and it’s easy to imaging Gillian walking through Victoria Station or along Drury Lane.

Every detail was spot on, and a testament to the level of care taken in the planning, writing, revising and editing of the novel, and the importance of good first readers: Byrd thanks two English readers who “edit the work to ensure the characters sound English and not American, Victorian and not twenty-first century”. The effort is noted and appreciated, and made the novel a pleasure to read. I wish more American authors would take this level of care when writing historical fiction set outside the USA. (Or am I the only one who gets distracted by details which are inconsistent with the supposed setting?)

I also found the writing strong.

I like the intimacy of first person point of view, although I know many readers don’t. The entire novel is from Gillian’s point of view, and she is a strong and intelligent character. I enjoyed the supporting characters as well, especially the irrepressible Ruby, who I feared for as much as Gillian did.

Overall, an excellent novel, and recommended for those who enjoy historical suspense.

Thanks to Howard Books and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Sandra Byrd

Author Photo: Sandra ByrdBestselling author Sandra Byrd has published more than fifty books over an editing and writing career spanning better than twenty-five years. Her traditionally published books include titles by Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster, Tyndale House Publishers, WaterBrook Press, and Bethany House. She’s also an independent author; Redemption Press will soon publish many of her established indie titles.

Sandra’s series of historically sound Gothic romances launched with the best-selling Mist of Midnight, which earned a coveted Editor’s Choice award from the Historical Novel Society. The second book, Bride of a Distant Isle, has been selected by Romantic Times as a Top Pick.

Sandra is passionate about helping writers develop their talents and their work through content coaching and line editing, and has been a working editor for more than two decades. She mentored hundreds of writers through the Christian Writers Guild and continues to guide developing authors toward success each year.

You can find Sandra Byrd online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

About A Lady in Disguise

In this intriguing novel of romance, mystery, and clever disguise set in Victorian England, a young woman investigates the murder of her own father.

After the mysterious death of her father, Miss Gillian Young takes a new job as the principal costume designer at the renowned Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. But while she remembers her father as a kind, well-respected man of the Police Force, clues she uncovers indicate he’d been living a double life: a haunting photograph of a young woman; train stubs for secret trips just before his death; and a receipt for a large sum of money. Are these items evidence of her father’s guilty secrets? His longtime police partner thinks so.

Then Gillian meets the dashing Viscount Thomas Lockwood. Their attraction is instant and inescapable. As their romantic involvement grows, Gillian begins to suspect even Lockwood’s motives. Does Lord Lockwood truly love her? Or is his interest a front for the desire to own her newly inherited property? And what should she make of her friend’s suggestion that Lockwood or men like him were involved in the murder of her father?

Soon Gillian is convinced that her father has left evidence somewhere that can prove his innocence and reveal the guilty party. But someone wants to stop her from discovering it. The closer she comes to uncovering it, the more menacing her opposition grows. With her life on the line, Gillian takes on an ingenious disguise and takes on the role of a lifetime to reveal the true killer—before it’s too late both for her and for those that she loves.

You can find A Lady in Disguise online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

You can read the introduction to A Lady in Disguise below:

Introducing Toni Shiloh

Author Interview | Introducing Toni Shiloh

by Iola Goulton

Today I’m interviewing Toni Shiloh about life, reading, writing, and her latest release, Grace Restored. It’s contemporary Christian romance with an emphasis on Christian. Welcome, Toni!

About You

First, please you tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from?

I’m from the great state of Texas. I was born and raised there but I haven’t lived there since I was 18. I joined the Air Force straight out of high school, met my husband, and after serving and his commitment to the Air Force ended, we’ve moved based on his job. We now reside in Virginia with our two boys.

It’s said that authors should write the kind of book they like to read. What is your favourite genre? Who are your favourite authors?

I love romance books. I don’t care if the romance is historical, suspenseful, or even in a dystopian setting. As long as there is romance, I’m there. 🙂 My favourite authors (in no ranking order) are Ronie Kendig, Lynette Eason, Becky Wade, Jennifer Peel, Irene Hannon, Jennifer Rodewald, and Sarah Monzon, to a name a few.

Some great authors in that list 🙂

What was the last book you read? Would you recommend it? Why/why not?

The last book I read was Finding Evergreen by Jennifer Rodewald. It was superb. I would recommend anything she’s written, her books are that fantastic.

I’m currently reading Finding Evergreen,and will review it next week!

About your book

Tell us a little about Grace Restored. Who do you think will enjoy it?

I’ll tell you a little secret, Grace Restored is my favourite book I’ve written. I know some authors don’t choose, but Michelle and Guy’s story is it for me. The heartache they go through, the friendships that are made, and the discovery of God’s grace seals the deal. I think anyone searching for those elements in a story will enjoy it.

Grace Restored has a lot more of a Christian theme than many contemporary Christian romances I read. What made you choose to write for the Christian market and include such overt faith elements?

The grace I received from God was so overwhelming, I let Him know that I wanted to be used by Him. When I realized (through completing my Bachelor’s degree) that I had some talent in writing, I surrendered it to Him. I can’t imagine writing books without the faith elements because faith is my life.

And I love the way it comes through in Grace Restored 🙂

Quote from Grace Restored by Toni Shiloh: Michelle wished she had that kind of peace. Thankfully, the more she talked to God, the more it seemed within reach.

Most Christian fiction seems to focus on people of European ancestry, with the occasional Native American character. Why do you think this is?

I think statistically speaking there are more writers from a European ancestry than others. However, there are many African American writers in Christian fiction, they are just hard to find because they often end up in the African American section of a bookstore versus the Christian fiction section.

Guy is Haitian, although he was raised in Freedom Lake. How has his different cultural heritage influenced his life?

You can see the influences in his speech, his mannerisms when people are welcomed into his home. Like other people who have a different culture than the place of their birth, he can assimilate depending on who he is interacting with.

I loved the way he’d slip into a version of French.

There are a lot of broken characters in Grace Restored, which links to your main theme of restoration. What prompted you to choose this theme?

I knew Guy and Michelle would end up together before I wrote their story. As I wrote, Freedom Lake book one in the series, bits and pieces of their story came to me and I realized just how broken they were. I knew they needed to discover the saving grace of God and there the theme was born.

Grace Restored is set in the town of Freedom Lake? Is that a real place?

It’s not. I found freedom in creating a fictional setting. You can make it your own without the worry of offending people from an actual real setting.

You drop a few hints about the history of Freedom Lake as a town. What can you tell us about Freedom Lake, and how the town influenced your plot and characters?

Freedom Lake is based off a real place. In times of segregation in the US, African Americans needed a place to getaway and relax. There were AA towns in different places of the U.S. where they could go and vacation without the worries of breaking a Jim Crow law. Freedom Lake represents those towns but in a modern setting where segregation is no longer.

How interesting!

It is said that reading great Christian fiction should challenge the reader’s ideas and beliefs. How do you hope Grace Restored challenges your readers?

I pray that after they finish, they have gained compassion and empathy for their fellowman. That they will search themselves and see if they’re refusing grace in an area they desperately need it. Most of all, I hope it draws them closer to God.

What are you working on now? Can we look forward to another story from Freedom Lake?

Most definitely! Book three has already been written it just needs the wonderful works of revisions and editing. 🙂 Before I get to that, I will be finishing book four in the Maple Run series.

About Toni Shiloh

Author Photo - Toni ShilohToni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and Christian fiction writer. Once she understood the powerful saving grace of the love of Christ, she was moved to honor her Savior.
She writes soulfully romantic novels to bring Him glory and to learn more about His goodness.

Before pursuing her dream as a writer, Toni served in the United States Air Force. It was there she met her husband. After countless moves, they ended up in Virginia, where they are raising their two boys.

When she’s not typing in imagination land, Toni enjoys reading, playing video games, making jewelry, and spending time with her family.

Toni is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) as well as the president of the ACFW Virginia Chapter.

You can find Toni Shiloh online at:

Website | Facebook | Google+ | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

About Grace Restored

Michelle Thomas has it all. Beautiful and successful, she’s just opened her own law firm in Freedom Lake. What more could she want? When her old flame rolls back into Freedom Lake, she’s intent on ignoring him. But how can she give the widower and his precious twin girls the cold shoulder?

Still reeling from the death of his wife, Guy Pierre returns to Returning Home to take over as town sheriff and raise his twin daughters. Alone. Yet, life keeps throwing Michelle in his path and sparks of interest began to rise.

Will old secrets tear them apart again or can they find the faith to let God’s grace restore what has been broken?

You can find Grace Restored online at:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads | iTunes | Kobo

Do you know of any novels featuring Easter?

Bookish Question #50 | Do you know of any novels featuring Easter?

by Iola Goulton

There are plenty of Christian novels (and general market novels) set around the Christmas season. We discussed some back in Bookish Question #38. There are also many—especially romance novels—that feature Valentine’s Day, which we discussed in Bookish Question #45.

But Easter? There should be plenty, especially Christian novels.

Holy Week and the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are the central aspects of our faith, so you would think someone had thought to write a novel using the background of Easter as a theme. Maybe that’s the problem. Maybe it’s too obvious, because I can’t think of any titles.

What about you? Do you know of any Christian novels featuring Easter as a key time setting or plot point?

Quote from Grace Restored by Toni Shiloh: The idea of being forgiven for every wrong I've ever committed is like a glass of water in the middle of the desert. I'm desperate enough to drink.

Book Review | Grace Restored by Toni Shiloh

by Iola Goulton

Michelle and Guy dated in high school, but haven’t seen each other since Guy deserted Michelle when she needed him most. Now he’s back in town, a widower with twin daughters.

It’s taken a while, but Guy has adjusted to the fact he’s a single father. He’s coping … but seeing Michelle again brings back memories of what once was. As is to be expected, the course of true love doesn’t run smooth, and both Guy and Michelle have a lot to learn—about themselves, about each other, and about God.

There were lots of reasons to love Grace Restored. It’s a restoration story on several levels, and there is a clear gospel message of grace, love, and reconciliation. Both Guy and Michelle have things to get over in their past before they can move into the future God has planned for them, and it’s great to see that.

Freedom Lake is a unique setting—a town where African Americans are the norm, not the minority (well, that was how I read it). It’s a refreshing change to see Christian fiction better reflecting the diverse world we live in.

Grace Restored is the second book in Toni Shiloh’s Freedom Lake series, following Returning Home. I haven’t read Returning Home yet (it’s one of those bought-but-not-read books on my Kindle), and I didn’t feel I needed to have read it for Grace Restored to make sense. But I’ll be moving it on up the to-read pile now!

Recommended for fans of contemporary Christian romance with an emphasis on the Christian.

Thanks to the author for providing a free ebook for review. And come back on Wednesday, when I have an interview with Toni Shiloh about Grace Restored and Freedom Lake.

About Toni Shiloh

Author Photo - Toni ShilohToni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and Christian fiction writer. Once she understood the powerful saving grace of the love of Christ, she was moved to honor her Savior.
She writes soulfully romantic novels to bring Him glory and to learn more about His goodness.

Before pursuing her dream as a writer, Toni served in the United States Air Force. It was there she met her husband. After countless moves, they ended up in Virginia, where they are raising their two boys.

When she’s not typing in imagination land, Toni enjoys reading, playing video games, making jewelry, and spending time with her family.

Toni is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) as well as the president of the ACFW Virginia Chapter.

You can find Toni Shiloh online at:

Website | Facebook | Google+ | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

About Grace Restored

Michelle Thomas has it all. Beautiful and successful, she’s just opened her own law firm in Freedom Lake. What more could she want? When her old flame rolls back into Freedom Lake, she’s intent on ignoring him. But how can she give the widower and his precious twin girls the cold shoulder?

Still reeling from the death of his wife, Guy Pierre returns to Freedom Lake to take over as town sheriff and raise his twin daughters. Alone. Yet, life keeps throwing Michelle in his path and sparks of interest began to rise.

Will old secrets tear them apart again or can they find the faith to let God’s grace restore what has been broken?

You can find Grace Restored online at:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads | iTunes | Kobo

First Line Friday

First Line Friday | Week 33 | A Season to Dance by Patricia Beal

by Iola Goulton

It’s First Line Friday, which means it’s time to open the book nearest you and share the first line. Today I’m sharing from A Season to Dance by Patricia Beal, which I won in a giveaway at International Christian Fiction Writers. Here are the first lines (I couldn’t stop at one):

First Line from A Season to Dance by Patricia Beal: This is for them. This is for the magic. This is for every little dreamer in the room.

Isn’t that brilliant?

About A Season to Dance

Ana Brassfield has her path to the stage of the Metropolitan Opera House all figured out until her first love, renowned German dancer Claus Gert, returns to Georgia to win her back. Despite a promising start towards her ballet career and pending marriage to landscape architect, Peter Engberg, Ana wonders if her dreams of dancing at the Met are as impossible as her previous romantic relationship with Claus.

Then, an on-stage kiss between Ana and Claus changes everything.

Convinced the kiss is more than a one-time mistake, Peter breaks off their engagement. With an old dog crippled by arthritis and dreams deferred but not left behind, Ana moves to Germany to be with Claus. But the ghost of his late wife, Ana’s own feelings for Peter, and the pressure of earning a spot in a large ballet company are a high price for a shot at success. Ana seems on the verge of having everything she ever dreamed of, but will it be enough?

You can find A Season to Dance at:

Amazon | Goodreads 

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

First Line Fridays hosted by Hoarding Books

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!

Are you a reader or a writer or both?

Bookish Question #49 | Are you a reader or a writer or both?

by Iola Goulton

I’m both, although it took me several years and hundreds of book reviews to admit I actually am a writer. I write in three main areas:

Book Reviews

I have 1,000 posts on my original book review blog, Iola’s Christian Reads, although they aren’t all book reviews. I have dozens more here, and at blogs such as Australasian Christian Writers and International Christian Fiction Writers. I used to guest review at Suspense Sisters Reviews, but the blog was closed, so I’ll be reposting those reviews over the next few months as well.

If you want to know what I read, sign up for my newsletter in the box on the right, and I’ll send you a list of my favourite authors.

Writing about Writing

I’m also a freelance fiction editor, so I write about writing, editing, publishing, and marketing at my website, Christian Editing Services, and at Australasian Christian Writers.

Contemporary Christian Romance

I’m also writing my own fiction … kind of. I’m currently in the pre-editing procrastination phase. I’ll get there!

So are you a writer, a reader, or both?

Let me know in the comments, or pop over to Australasian Christian Writers and join the conversation!

Quote from The Heart Between Us: What was the point? God would do what he wanted whether she prayed or not.

Book Review | The Heart Between Us by Lindsay Harrel

by Iola Goulton

Thirty-two year old Megan Jacobs has spent most of her life wrapped in proverbial cotton wool, the result of a diagnosis of hypertropic cardiomyopathy. She spend much of her teenage years in hospital, watching National Geographic and the Travel Channel and daydreaming of a life travelling the world as a freelance journalist with her best friend and fellow heart patient, Caleb.

She received her heart transplant a year ago, but never followed her dreams despite Caleb—a successful freelance photographer—offering her an opportunity in London. Instead, she’s still stuck in her same old job and same old routines.

That changes following a meeting with her donor family.

Eighteen-year-old Amanda had everything to live for, as shown in her diary. It contains her 25-point bucket list, a list which inspires Megan to chase Amanda’s dreams even if she doesn’t have the courage to face her own.

Crystal is Megan’s identical twin. Except she’s always been healthy, and is now married to Brian, a firefighter, and working in her dream job as an up-and-coming architect in New York. She’s in line for a promotion, but her marriage is suffering, and her relationship with her twin is non-existent. So they’re off to visit five continents in five weeks, and hopefully rediscover their relationship, and themselves.

The Heart Between Us is excellent, both as armchair travel and as a novel that examines twin sisters, their ambitions, dreams, and relationships, and the way we sometimes make dumb choices because they are the safe choices,and how life doesn’t always work out as planned.

The writing was excellent, and I especially liked the way there were no easy answers. Both Megan and Crystal had to work through their problems, and both had to learn to turn to God. A great novel about the power of choices. Recommended.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Lindsay Harrel

Linsay Harrel, author of the Heart Between UsLindsay Harrel is a lifelong book nerd with a B.A. in journalism and M.A. in English. She lives in Arizona with her young family and two golden retrievers in serious need of training. Lindsay has held a variety of jobs, including curriculum editor for two universities, medical and business writer, and copywriter for a digital marketing agency. Now she juggles stay-at-home mommyhood with working freelance jobs, teaching college English courses online, and—of course—writing novels.

When she actually has time to do other things, she loves to sing, read, and sip passion iced teas from Starbucks. She loves to watch God work in ordinary lives to create something extraordinary, and she writes to bring hope to those who may have lost it along the way.

You can find Lindsay Harrel online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

About The Heart Between Us

Megan Jacobs always wished for a different heart. Her entire childhood was spent in and out of hospitals, sitting on the sidelines while her twin sister Crystal played all the sports, got all the guys, and had all the fun. But even a heart transplant three years ago wasn’t enough to propel Megan’s life forward. She’s still working as a library aide in her small Minnesota hometown and living with her parents, dreaming of the adventure she plans to take “once she’s well enough.” Meanwhile, her sister is a successful architect with a handsome husband and the perfect life—or so Megan thinks.

When her heart donor’s parents give Megan their teenage daughter’s journal—complete with an unfulfilled bucket list—Megan connects with the girl she meets between the pages and is inspired to venture out and check off each item. Caleb—a friend from her years in and out of the hospital—reenters her life and pushes her to find the courage to take the leap and begin her journey. She’s thrown for a loop when Crystal offers to join her for reasons of her own, but she welcomes the company and the opportunity to mend their tenuous relationship.

As Megan and Crystal check items off the bucket list, Megan fights the fears that have been instilled in her after a lifetime of illness. She must choose between safety and adventure and learn to embrace the heart she’s been given so that she can finally share it with the people she loves most.

You can find The Heart Between Us online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

First Line Friday

First Line Friday | Week 32 | The Heart Between Us

by Iola Goulton

It’s First Line Friday, which means it’s time to open the book nearest you and share the first line. Today I’m sharing from The Heart Between Us by Lindsay Harrel, which I’ve read and am about to review:

Amy says in order to move forward, I have to stop clinging to the past. But it's not that simple.

That’s from Amanda, the original owner of the heart in the title. One of the items on Amanda’s bucket list was to give her heart away—which she did. To Megan. So The Heart Between Us is the story of heart transplant recipient Megan, and her twin sister, Chrystal. I’ll post my review of this brilliant book next week!

About the Book

Megan Jacobs always wished for a different heart. Her entire childhood was spent in and out of hospitals, sitting on the sidelines while her twin sister Crystal played all the sports, got all the guys, and had all the fun. But even a heart transplant three years ago wasn’t enough to propel Megan’s life forward. She’s still working as a library aide in her small Minnesota hometown and living with her parents, dreaming of the adventure she plans to take “once she’s well enough.” Meanwhile, her sister is a successful architect with a handsome husband and the perfect life—or so Megan thinks.

When her heart donor’s parents give Megan their teenage daughter’s journal—complete with an unfulfilled bucket list—Megan connects with the girl she meets between the pages and is inspired to venture out and check off each item. Caleb—a friend from her years in and out of the hospital—reenters her life and pushes her to find the courage to take the leap and begin her journey. She’s thrown for a loop when Crystal offers to join her for reasons of her own, but she welcomes the company and the opportunity to mend their tenuous relationship.

As Megan and Crystal check items off the bucket list, Megan fights the fears that have been instilled in her after a lifetime of illness. She must choose between safety and adventure and learn to embrace the heart she’s been given so that she can finally share it with the people she loves most.

You can find The Heart Between Us online at:

Amazon | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

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

First Line Fridays hosted by Hoarding Books

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!

Book Review | The Long Highway Home by Elizabeth Musser

by Iola Goulton

An Outstanding Story of Christian Faith

The Long Highway Home is the story of Bobbie, an ex-missionary who has been diagnosed with inoperable cancer at the age of 39. It’s the story of Tracie, Bobbie’s niece, who accompanies her to Europe, to visit the missionaries she used to serve with before tragedy sent her back to the US. It’s the story of Hamid, a devout Muslim who is forced to flee Iran after a well-meaning missionary gives his six-year-old daughter a New Testament.

But my favourite character is Rasa, the child with a faith that puts mine to shame.

The structure of The Long Highway Home is more like a thriller novel than the women’s fiction and romance I’m more used to reading. There are a lot of viewpoint characters spanning the US, Holland, France, Austria, and Iran. Unlike most thrillers, it’s always obvious who the characters are and how they are related, which kept me turning pages to find out how they’d eventually be brought together.

The author has drawn on her own missionary experiences in writing this excellent novel.

This shines through in both the story of Hamid and his family, and in the advice from some of the minor characters (e.g. Peggy, the elderly prayer warrior who supports Bobbie). These sound like real conversations Ms Musser has had in her years as a missionary—stories of the refugees who survived the refugee highway and made it to The Oasis in Austria.

It’s a story of human courage in the face of adversity, persecution, and possible death.

It’s a story of hope, of perfect love driving out fear. It challenges our views of refugees by introducing us to real refugees—we know Hamid and Rasheed and Rasa and Omid aren’t real people, but at the same time their stories have that ring of truth, of authenticity. They could be real stories. They may well be.

After all, significant elements of the story are real.

The Oasis is a real place, and welcomes volunteers and short-term missionaries (and long-term missionaries!) to support its outreach to refugees in Austria. Elizabeth Musser is a missionary with International Teams, an organisation dedicated to helping those who survive the refugee highway. World Wide Radio was inspired by the real-life work of Trans World Radio, which broadcasts in 230 languages to reach listeners in 160 countries.

It’s inspiring and humbling to read about people like this—missionaries who are risking their lives to bring the gospel to others. Refugees who are risking their lives to escape a government that wants them dead. Normal, everyday people who are doing extraordinary things every day.

Recommended.

Thanks to Elizabeth Musser for providing a free ebook for review.

About Elizabeth Musser

Author Photo Elizabeth MusserElizabeth Musser writes ‘entertainment with a soul’ from her writing chalet—tool shed—outside Lyon, France. Elizabeth’s highly acclaimed, best-selling novel, The Swan House, was named one of Amazon’s Top Christian Books of the Year and one of Georgia’s Top Ten Novels of the Past 100 Years (Georgia Backroads, 2009). All of Elizabeth’s novels have been translated into multiple languages.

From an interview with Publisher’s Weekly, “Elizabeth Musser likes to say she has two part-time jobs. Not only is she an award-winning novelist, but she and her husband serve as missionaries at a small Protestant church in Lyon, France. In both lines of work, she avoids preaching and simplistic answers, choosing instead to portray a God who cares in the midst of life’s complexity…”

Elizabeth adds, “My desire is to offer the best literature I can write, drawing the reader into a story that is compelling, believable and sprinkled with historical detail. I seek to give a realistic picture of what faith lived out in this world looks like, and, as always, I hope that my stories can be appreciated by all audiences, not just those readers who hold my same religious beliefs. It is a delight to receive confirmation of this through reader letters.”

For over twenty-five years, Elizabeth and her husband, Paul, have been involved in missions’ work in Europe with International Teams. The Mussers have two sons, a daughter-in-law and three grandchildren who all live way too far away in America.

You can find Elizabeth online at:

Website | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter

You can read her Friday Fifteen here.

About The Long Highway Home

When the doctor pronounces “incurable cancer” and gives Bobbie Blake one year to live, she agrees to accompany her niece, Tracie, on a trip back to Austria, back to The Oasis, a ministry center for refugees that Bobbie helped start twenty years earlier. Back to where there are so many memories of love and loss.

Bobbie and Tracie are moved by the plight of the refugees and in particular, the story of the Iranian Hamid, whose young daughter was caught with a New Testament in her possession back in Iran, causing Hamid to flee along the refugee Highway and putting the whole family in danger. Can a network of helpers bring the family to safety in time? And at what cost?

Filled with action, danger, heartache and romance, The Long Highway Home is a hymn to freedom in life’s darkest moments.

Find The Long Highway Home online at:

Amazon | Goodreads

You can read the introduction to The Long Highway Home below: