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Back Home Again (Tales from Grace Chapel Inn, Book 1)

Melody Carlson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

When you want something light and soothing 5 out of 5 stars.
16 of 16 people found this review helpful.

Newly available in paperback, and the first in a series by multiple authors, BACK HOME AGAIN delivers just what its cover promises --- a nice, faith-filled escapist read. Veteran author Melody Carlson (who has written more than 90 books) pens book one in the Tales from Grace Chapel Inn.

The saga of three aging sisters begins as they succumb to the Christian fiction cliché: turning their family's old Victorian house into a bed and breakfast. Yes, you've seen this in so many other Christian novels, but Carlson is a competent author and crafts a relatively smooth story around this worn plot idea. The house is in need of paint and a new roof, and hasn't been kept up for many decades. Alice, the protagonist, notes, "Of course, she knew the house was run down, but it was a friendly sort of wornness, like a pair of old slippers that had been properly broken in, or so it seemed to her." The three Howard sisters converge upon the rambling Victorian after their father's death, and their inheritance proves to be a turning point for their future.

Alice is an even-tempered nurse looking into retirement, Louise a feminine "fuddy-duddy" musician who teaches piano, and Jane a free spirit and new divorcee who is artistically inclined and enjoys cooking a good meal. Some mild tension ensues as they squabble over paint chips, wallpaper samples and the direction of the B&B, but Alice the peacekeeper smoothes everything over without a lot of trouble. More remodeling glitches lie ahead, but faith and family lend resilience to the women, and readers will never feel more than a mild concern that the eventual outcome will be just fine.

The setting is Acorn Hill, Pennsylvania, a quiet town whose most avant-garde business is Nine Lives Bookstore where Viola Reed, the owner, is quick to criticize the customer's taste in books. (This reviewer, a former bookseller, would like to note that this seems bad for business.) Plainly named, The Coffee Shop provides opportunities for readers to meet other members of Acorn Hill, including Craig, the owner of a small florist business called Wild Things, and Hope, the proprietor of the coffee business.

Acorn Hill is one of those timeless small towns that eschew change, and when the sisters begin their renovations some mild tension ensues. Several of the church board movers and shakers of Grace Chapel next door are upset that the former parsonage is about to become a business, and some of the townsfolk are up in arms that the color of the house is changing from peach to the original hues. "...There are plenty of folks in this town who like things just fine the way they are," notes Alice's walking companion, Vera. But the plucky Alice replies, "Sometimes change is good."

Aunt Ethel provides some light conflict when she can't control her tongue, but the family fracas never really progresses to anything heavy. Forgiveness and apologies are abundant and never long in coming when needed. Faith is woven throughout the lives of the sisters, whether Alice is attending a church board meeting and navigating the diverse personalities there, or creating the motto for the B&B, "A place where God is at home."

Some wordiness and repetition of words slow down the pacing, and there's not much depth to the story or the characters. But this is a pleasant, restful read that won't tax you; a nice escape from reality that promises nothing more upsetting than remodeling troubles or a few mildly troublesome relatives. Pick up this story on a cold winter's afternoon along with a cup of hot chocolate, or on a day at the beach when you want something light and soothing. If you enjoy BACK HOME AGAIN, look for book two in the series, RECIPES AND WOODEN SPOONS, by Judy Baer.

--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby

Editorial Review:

The sleepy town of Acorn Hill is in for a surprise when the three Howard sisters reunite after the death of their father. Each has inherited a share of his worn-down Victorian house, and they dream of turning the family home into a bed-and-breakfast.  But these three women are as different as siblings can be—can they survive living together, let alone going into business together? It looks like their dream may be headed for disaster!  Only by learning to work together, trusting in God, and accepting a little help from their friends can the three sisters see Grace Chapel Inn open its doors.

A Time to Embrace

Karen Kingsbury

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 19 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Their whole life was a series of miracles. Can they really hope for one more? And as tragedy pulls their lives apart, can they somehow find that all-important time to embrace?

After twenty-one years, John and Abby Reynolds are back together and feeling like newlyweds. Together they are convinced they can handle the issues of their past, the questions from their children, and even the high-school politics that drain the joy from John's coaching career. But then disaster strikes...the type of tragedy John and Abby never expected.

The squeal of brakes and the crunch of metal changes everything. Suddenly devastation tears at the heart of their family, and the depth of their existence. In the process, their children falter in their faith and guilt colors everything about the future. Fumbling for forgiveness and hoping for a miracle, John and Abby must remember what is important and cling to that above all else.

Together, they're determined to move on with their lives. but is "together" enough for a future they never expected?

Love's Enduring Promise (Love Comes Softly Series #2)

Janette, Oke

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 18 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Love's Enduring Promise is Endearing 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

What can I say, people reading the book expecting to see the same story as the movie will be disappointed. The plot and story that you find within the movie is a completely different story. The book and the movie only share the title and the characters and that is it. Missie doesn't have to choose between Willie and some rich guy, Willie has no little brother and plays a very minor role in the overall book.

The book covers 13 years, and it is a rather short book to cover that length of time. The book picks up 3 years after the first book. Missie is five years old and the book ends with her wedding day.

There is no central plot, but a combination of plots woven together that Marty sees and experiences. Everything to Wanda and Cam's "different" son, the new teacher and pastor, her adopted daughters growing up, Ma Graham's son falling in love with an Indian girl, and that is just the tip of the heart seen in this book.

Editorial Review:

Book 2 of Love Comes Softly. Their family growing, Clark and Marty look to bind each other together with love and faith. Over 800,000 sold!

A Lady of Hidden Intent (Ladies of Liberty, Book 2)

Tracie Peterson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

He believes them to be strangers... The door opened suddenly, and there she was. Carter forgot what he was saying and simply stared at the vision before him. Hang his imagination; this woman was far more intriguing in the flesh... Yet she knows the truth... Catherine found she couldn't look away, he was so very handsome. His face had a rather rugged look, perhaps more so than she'd noticed five years ago. How strange that he'd never married... Now that their paths have crossed again, can Catherine break free from the past to embrace the chance for love?  A life of privilege becomes only a distant memory when Catherine Newbury's father is falsely imprisoned and she is whisked away from her home in England to America. Forced to disguise her past and create a completely new life, Catherine takes on a servant's last name and carves out a tenuous future for herself as a seamstress. Soon her dress designs are sought throughout Philadelphia. When the dashing Carter Danby accompanies his mother and sister for a design consultation, Catherine suddenly encounters her past face-to-face. Is Carter's avid interest in her genuine...or does he, as she suspects, recognize her as the young lady he met while touring England? She cannot deny the attraction, but admitting her true identity may jeopardize her father's only hope for freedom. Will Catherine be forced to sacrifice her dreams of love?

Between Sundays

Karen Kingsbury

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 27 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Good but not great 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I've been reading Karen Kingsbury books for a few years now and must say that I do enjoy reading them. I was unsure of what this was really about when I started reading and knew that it would be faith filled I just think the story was not as layered as some other books. There were times the story actually iritated me, in particular when the DNA test arrives. There is no way in reality that a father would not check them out. At other times I thought the story laboured but others it really worked. I will continue to read her books I'm just hoping I wont be let down again. I'm a massive fan of the redemption series so I recommend that. Happy reading.

A Great Read! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Karen Kingsbury has done it again. I could hardly put Between Sundays down. This uplifting story tackles modern issues from the foster care system to the impact that famous sports figures have on society. If you like Christian fiction, this is a must read!

Editorial Review:

Football season becomes a time of realization that life’s most important victories are won off the field. A star running back with much to learn, a younger player with much to give, and a woman with a heart for underprivileged kids—thrown together into a time of self-discovery and a new awareness of the things that matter most.

One Tuesday Morning (September 11 Series #1)

Karen Kingsbury

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 38 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

One Tuesday Morning 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Excellent 10 out of 10! This author is fabulous! I have read many of her books and have not read 1 I did not like.

Wonderful uplifting read 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Kingsbury handles a very difficult story line with grace, offering testimony of God's amazing love even through horrible times. The author says the story was given to her during the 911 attacks, and this book will help us all heal. Difficult to put down, this beautiful story lifts spirits out of the ashes of that dreadful day and its aftermath and into hope for times to come.

Soo good! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I couldn't put this book down and I have two small children to care for! I was able to stop only towards the end because I was crying so hard and couldn't see the pages. After a short break, I went back to it. The book showed how one person's life can have a huge impact on other people. It was inspiring!

Editorial Review:

A devoted fireman and a driven businessman, strangers with the same face. On that fateful Tuesday, one will leave the Twin Towers alive--but will he ever find his way home? Winner of the Silver Medallion Book Award.

The Betrayal (Abram's Daughters #2)

Beverly, Lewis

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 30 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

The Ebersol family has secerets yet revealed.....Great book. 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This second book of Abram's Daughter series is another excellent continuation of the first book The Covenant, where Sadie birthed a child telling no one.

In this book, Sadie is still extremely depressed and does not want to be one of the Amish people. Leah her younger sister, as well as Lizzie, their aunt, have kept her secret.

Leah is in love with Jonas, much more than she ever could be with Gideon, the Smithy's son. With Jonas having a job in Ohio as an apprentice, they are far apart and Leah looks forward to his letters every day. Jonas wants Leah to come up there with him for the last of his time before they marry, but knowing Sadie needs to get away, she sends her instead to help the Amish people there. Leah helps Sadie get away in secret, and once her parents find out, they are very upset of course. It is then that Leah knows she must unburden her heart, and not keep Sadie's secret any longer before her own baptism vows before the People. Once she tells the bishop and her parents what really went on with Sadie, there is the threat of the shunning for Sadie if she doesn't return home to make her own confessions. Sadie does not want to do this. And once Sadie knows that her sister spilled the beans, she is very very angry with her for awhile.

There is a secret of Lizzie's that applies to Leah as well from a long time ago. Her parents have kept it all this time and have never ever told Leah knowing it would hurt her deeply. Abram tells Jonas what it is, and says he plans to tell Leah soon and that she needs to know now. But he can't bring himself to tell even after he says he will, knowing the terrible pain it would cause Leah and that she might not accept it.

Mary Ruth and Hannah are quickly growing up and coming of age. Mary Ruth is in love with books, and she goes to the library and hides them away until she is found out. Reading books other than the bible in the Amish community is a big wordly sin, and therefore absolutely not allowed. Mary Ruth has ambitions of becoming a teacher though, and I look for her to pursue her dreams. Hannah is always afraid that Mary Ruth will go off and leave her alone. Since the two are twins, they are so very close to one another.

These books are hard to lay down, and I look forward to the next one, The Sacrifice.

Editorial Review:

Book 2 of Abram's Daughters. Spanning three generations, the Abram's Daughters series paints a powerful family portrait of four Amish sisters growing up in Gobbler's Knob, Lancaster County. In Book One, The Covenant, when oldest sister Sadie is beguiled by a handsome, dark-haired "Englischer," it is younger sister Leah who suffers from her sister's shameful behavior. In Book Two, The Betrayal, Leah and her beloved Jonas are separated for half the year when he accepts a long-desired carpenter's apprenticeship in Ohio. They are confident that by letter and heart-felt promises, their love is strong enough to survive the temporary separation. But never could they have foreseen the bitter test facing them and their families.

A Lady of Secret Devotion (Ladies of Liberty, Book 3)

Tracie, Peterson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A Lady of Secret Devotion 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I thought "A Lady of Secret Devotion" an entirely delightful story. It is so important not to be unequally yolked, and the story tells how God can work out all of the details in order to bring about many circumstances. Whether it is bringing the man you care for into a relationship with Him, or keeping you safe from unwanted attention and protection. Tracy Peterson uses her gift of writing to proclaim God's love for us all without doing it in a preachy way. She shows us ways to be in God's will by simple example. I would recommend this book along with the other two in the Ladies of Liberty series, "A Lady of High Regard" and "A Lady of Hidden Intent". They were books you don't want to put down until you come to the end, which is always too soon.

Great Book 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

We really enjoyed this Tracie Peterson book. We always look forward to the new releases from Tracie. Keep up the great work!

Editorial Review:

Peterson delivers adventure, romance, and inspiring characters in this latestwork in the Ladies of Liberty series.

Allison's Journey: Brides of Webster County, Book 4 (Truly Yours Romance Club #23)

Wanda E. Brunstetter

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Allison's Journey 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I love all of Wanda Brunstetter's books. The books make you feel as if you are a part of them. Hard to put down.

Great book! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

It was too far between books to see how it all ended, but the book was great. I really enjoyed it.

Wonderful 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Great purchase, came extremely fast. Would buy from seller again. Wonderful condition and transaction.

A GREAT ENDING TO THIS SERIES 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

THIS IS A GREAT ENDING TO THIS SERIES. IF YOU WANT TO LEARN ABOUT THE AMISH LIFESTYLE AND HOW GREAT THE PEOPLE ARE PLEASE READ THIS SERIES.

Book Review 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Just finished this book. Lovely romance. Enjoyed reading the book and am looking forward to other books she has written.

Editorial Review:

Allison Troyer is of marriageable age and needs to learn how to manage an Amish household. Can a girl who feels as faceless, purposeless, and neglected as her tattered Amish doll, find her way among strangers? James Esh likes what he sees when Allison Troyer walks into the barn. Will anything keep this brash young Amish man from stealing her affections? Aaron Zook has vowed never to lose his heart to another. Yet when James makes advances on Allison, Aaron can't help but intercede. Can threads of faith and love unite tattered hearts?

The Princess (Contemporary Romance)

Lori Wick

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 165 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

HILARIOUS! 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

This book is so poorly written that it's actually extremely funny - my sisters and I have garnered hours of fun from reading it aloud to each other to shrieks of mirth. That said, I have re-read it numerous times and genuinely enjoy the story each time. Lori Wick has a knack of making the reader care about her characters which transcends her incredulous plots and terrible prose. I mean, yes, it's completely ridiculous to imagine that anyone in real life could be as *perfect* as Shelby, but I can't help liking her anyway. It comforts me to pretend, for a few hours at least, that a world exists where nobody bears the royal family of a small pseudo-European country ANY ill-will and there is no such thing as a dissatisfied citizen. The characters seem to have nothing to do except have banal conversations and bake cookies, but don't get annoyed by the lack of realism! Just let go of your cynicism and enjoy the dream.

Editorial Review:

Now with a new cover, Lori Wick’s bestselling contemporary love story The Princess (over 200,000 copies sold) will reach even more readers.

In the Land of Pendaran, Shelby Parker lives a humble but good life. Her special qualities are eventually noticed by the king and queen of the House of Markham, who seek a new wife for their widowed son, Prince Nikolai.

To uphold the tradition of their country, Shelby and Nikolai agree to an arranged marriage. But while Nikolai is a perfect gentleman in public, he remains distant at home, leaving Shelby to wonder what is in his heart. Will the prince ever love her as he did his first wife? Can the faith they share overcome the barriers between them?