Tag: Coastal Hearts

She didn’t wish to die, only to not be here anymore. If she could just make everything stop.

Book Review | Healing Skye by Janet W Ferguson

Despite her traumatic childhood, Skye Youngblood has persevered and earned a doctorate in marine biology. She’s moving to Dauphin Island, Alabama, to take a role researching manatees for the local Sea Lab.

Widower Pete Thompson is the solo father of a six-year-old daughter, Olivia. He’s first on the scene when Skye has an accident on the bridge to the island, and realises she’s the newcomer who’s renting his grandparent’s house.

This book confused me at first. I’ve read Star Rising, the story of Star Youngblood, and the name was similar enough that I wasn’t sure about the character relationships. I also wasn’t sure about the location. The books are part of a series, so I’d expected to read about some familiar characters. If any of these characters were from previous books in the series, I don’t remember them.

Once I’d worked that out, I was able to settle in and enjoy the story. It’s obvious from the first scene that Skye has some pretty serious issues from her past. She’s petrified of men, worries about Olivia living with only her father, and has an uncanny ability to spot scars, both physical and emotional.

Pete runs the family fishing charter business and preaches to his tiny beach church on Sunday morning. And he hears God speak … although he doesn’t always like what he hears. A preacher-fisherman called Peter seems like a bit of a cliche, but Pete lived up to his name. No, he’s not perfect (and there were a couple of times when I wanted to give him a stern talking-to), but he loves God, loves his daughter, and isn’t afraid to do the right thing (even when that includes apologising. there is nothing better than a meaningful apology in a romance.

Healing Skye by Janet L Ferguson is an excellent novel, and it's great to read a #ChristianRomance where the faith elements are so central. #BookReview Click To Tweet

Skye is broken, but the island – and Pete and Olivia – give her the chance to heal, and that’s great to see (that’s not a spoiler: the clue is in the title). I loved the faith elements and the seamless way they were integrated into the story. It’s rare to read a Christian romance where the faith elements are so central, yet so un-preachy (that’s a word, right?)

Healing Skye is book 6 in the Coastal Hearts series, but can easily be read as a standalone novel (in fact, I might not have been as confused if I hadn’t read some of the earlier books).

Overall, the novel is excellent, and I couldn’t stop reading.

Recommended for Christian romance fans who like plenty of Christian in their romance.

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

About Janet W Ferguson

Janet W FergusonJanet W. Ferguson grew up in Mississippi and received a degree in Banking and Finance from the University of Mississippi. She has served her church as a children’s minister and a youth volunteer. An avid reader, she worked as a librarian at a large public high school. Janet and her husband have two grown children, one really smart dog, and a few cats that allow them to share the space.

 

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About Healing Skye

People can’t be trusted.

Animals always made more sense than humans did to marine biologist Skye Youngblood. After her mother’s suicide, she left Alabama and never looked back. These days, she pours her heart into protecting nature’s sea creatures. When she returns to Dauphin Island, Alabama, for a temporary manatee migration study, her dark past is much too close. She can’t let her guard down. But how can she keep her heart hidden when a kind man with a genuine smile makes her want a fresh start?

Charter fishing pays the bills for widower Pete Thompson and his little girl, but like his father, a pastor, Pete can’t help but fish for men. Only, after growing up under constant scrutiny as a preacher’s kid, Pete’s ways are a bit more unconventional. And the bulk of his life revolves around raising his precious daughter.

When he witnesses the car wreck of a new marine biologist on the island, it doesn’t take a genius to see that more than just her physical pain needs tending. Pete feels called to help Skye find true healing, but he’s navigating dangerous waters. And he’s not at all sure he’ll walk away unscathed.

You can find Told You So online at:

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First Line Friday

First Line Friday | Week 165 | For the Love of Joy by Janet W Ferguson

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 For the Love of Joy, the next release in Janet W Ferguson’s excellent Coastal Hearts series. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

Weddings—the best of times, the worst of times, depending on one's vantage point.

 

Doesn’t that make you want to keep reading?

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

About For the Love of Joy

Is he married or isn’t he?

Years ago, a Dear John letter and then an IED explosion overseas rocked Davis Donnelly’s world and left him unclear about his marital status. He’d signed divorce papers, but broken mentally and physically, he’d never bothered to find out if his marriage actually ended. Now that he’s about to start a new position as an outreach minister, it’s time to settle things once and for all. At the moment he tracks down his wife—or former wife?—she takes a tumble while chasing a little boy. Her son. And that’s when life flips upside down.

Joy Jennings Donnelly made her share of mistakes. But one thing she never considered a mistake was her child, and she’ll do anything to protect him. Even keep his paternity a secret.

When she’s suddenly injured with not a soul to help her or her son, Joy is forced to rely on the man who has the most reasons to hate her.

You can find Told You So online at

Amazon | Goodreads

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

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Quote from Star Rising: She could only do her small part and leave the rest to God. That's where she found peace—realizing she didn't have to do—couldn't do—God's job.

Book Review | Star Rising (Coastal Hearts #4) by Janet W Ferguson

Star Youngblood is rebuilding her life.

A horrible childhood sent her into alcoholism and addiction. She’s now a Christian, has been sober for a year, and is supporting herself by working as an aide and housekeeper for the elderly Mrs. Kelly, who has become surrogate mother. Star’s troubles start when Mrs. Kelly has a heart attack. Her son, Paul, returns and takes an instant dislike to Star.

Then Mrs. Kelly decides she wants to complete the trip she’d planned to take with her husband—to Ireland. She invites Star along as her caregiver, a move which raises Paul’s ire and suspicion. He ends up tagging along, more to keep an eye on Star than to care for his mother.

Star has problems, but she has identified them, is working on them, and most are a direct or indirect result of her childhood mistreatment. While I couldn’t Star’s background from personal knowledge (thankfully), I could respect and admire her progress into becoming the woman God created her to be. Paul Kelly? Not so much.

I will admit that I had a lot of unChristian feelings for Paul.

Sure, he’d given up on Christianity, but he’d also turned into an unkind and suspicious person. I also suspected he never had a deep Christian faith to begin with, as the event that caused him to lose his faith didn’t seem a big enough deal to abandon faith in God. (Abandon the church, sure. But not God.) That low baseline meant Paul had a lot of room to grow and improve— and he had a lot of improving to do if he was going to be worthy of Star.

Janet Ferguson did a brilliant job of redeeming Paul.

By the end I was convinced that he and Star would make a great couple. This is a credit to the excellent writing. Overall, Star Rising is an excellent example of Christian romance, with an emphasis on the “Christian”. The Christian elements are well integrated into the plot so they’re essential, but never preachy.

Recommended.

Note that Star Rising is the third novel in the Coast Hearts series, but can easily be read as a standalone story.

Star Rising by @JanetwFerguson is another excellent example of Christian fiction showing the challenges new Christians face, and their victory over their pasts. #BookReview #ChristianRomance Click To Tweet

About Janet W Ferguson

Janet W FergusonJanet W. Ferguson grew up in Mississippi and received a degree in Banking and Finance from the University of Mississippi. She has served her church as a children’s minister and a youth volunteer. An avid reader, she worked as a librarian at a large public high school. Janet and her husband have two grown children, one really smart dog, and a few cats that allow them to share the space.

Click here to read my interview with Janet W Ferguson.

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About Star Rising

Star Youngblood has always been a fighter–a necessity after her mother married a monster of a man. Now, she’s finally on the path to the stable life she’s always wanted. Her employer, Priscilla Kelly, is a sweet woman ravaged by rheumatoid arthritis, and Star will do anything to help her. Even if that means going toe to toe with Mrs. Kelly’s neglectful son.

After being betrayed on the mission field and devastated by the tragic death of his father, Paul Kelly gave up on God. He lives life on his own terms, biding his time as a corporate pilot until he can save enough money to begin his own flight school closer to home. His mother is all he has left, and he wants to be near her. He just didn’t expect her health to decline so quickly. When he discovers his mother has taken in a stray—a woman he’s not at all sure can be trusted—his protective instincts kick into high gear. Paul’s handled a lot of turbulence, but he’s never gone up against a force like Star.

As Paul and Star strive to protect his mother in their own ways, they soon find their own hearts are at the greatest risk.

Find Star Rising online at:

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Read the introduction to Star Rising below: