Two Steps Forward

from the the publisher...
Back and broke in Stoney Ridge, Jimmy Fisher has coasted as long as he could through life on charm, good looks, and deep-set dimples. They always worked just fine for him--until they didn't. His smile has no effect on the violet-eyed beauty he met at the Bent N' Dent, the one with that stunning horse. She's offered him a job, but nothing else.

The last thing Sylvie Schrock King needs around Rising Star Farm is a grown boy working for her, especially her neighbor Edith's son. The woman holds a serious grudge against Sylvie and her son, and hiring Jimmy Fisher will only fan the flames of Edith's rancor. But Sylvie is desperate for help on the farm, and Jimmy understands horses like no one else.

While Jimmy's lazy smile and teasing ways steal Sylvie's heart, Edith is working on a way to claim her land. Has Sylvie made another terrible mistake? Or is it too late to outfox the fox? More importantly . . . just who is the fox?

Writing with both wit and warmth, Fisher delivers a supremely satisfying conclusion to the popular Deacon's Family series.

my thoughts...
Two Steps Forward is one of those books that will keep my thoughts captive for many days and when I reread it I will enjoy it just as much.  All of the characters in Stoney Ridge are like old friends.  You see them again from book to book as another member of the community's story unfolds.  So it is with Two Steps Forward Jimmy Fisher returns from being an Amish Cowboy in Colorado.  He was an incorrigible lad when he was introduced in The Keeper, book one of the Stoney Ridge Series.  What he didn't think of for mischief, nobody else could imagine.  Now he was home and life would never be the same. His dogged determination to prove what he can do is just the opposite of what anyone expected.
 Suzanne Woods Fisher is a master story teller.  She has a way of hooking you into a story from the moment you turn the first page.  Her characters, like Jimmy Fisher, are entertaining but have a lot of lessons to give us all. In Suzanne's books a lot of difficult topics are intertwined into the story.  While reading Stitches In Time Suzanne introduced the topic of foster care in Amish homes.  Luke Schrock, newly appointed deacon wished to fulfill beloved Amos Lapp's wish to empty the system by finding homes for those children.  Knowing the impact of that system on his own wife, Luke has been diligent in keeping his promise.  While Two Steps Forward is focusing on Jimmy and Sylvie, there is a larger issue at hand.  Luke and his wife Izzy are championing the cause of unwanted babies.  Recent issues out in the English world seem remote yet closer than one would suspect.  Rather than sitting back and being passive about the issue of unwanted babies, the community is united in finding ways to help one baby at a time.

This book is funny, it is entertaining and it leaves the reader something to think about before the book is closed.  Things are never what they seem and people will surprise you when you least expect it.  I could wax on about this book for a long time, but then, why give the story away when you can enjoy it yourself?  It will put your mind on things that are happening in the world today that impact all of us, no matter where we live.

5 stars for this book and the entire Deacon's Family series by Suzanne Woods Fisher!  Many thanks to Netgalley.com and Revell for the opportunity to review this book.  The opinions offered regarding this book are mine alone.

Settle in At Driftwood Bay by Irene Hannon

...publisher's notes...
After tragedy upends her world, Jeannette Mason retreats to the tiny Oregon seaside town of Hope Harbor to create a new life. Vowing to avoid emotional attachments, she focuses on running her lavender farm and tea-room--until a new neighbor with a destructive dog and a forlorn little girl.

Yet when both Jeanette and Logan find themselves pulled into the life of a tattered Christian family fleeing persecution in war-torn Syria, might they discover that love sometimes comes calling when it's least expected?

Bestselling and award-winning author Irene Hannon invites readers back to the charming seaside town of Hope Harbor, where they are sure to find peace, healing, and a second chance at happiness.
invades her turf. But she needn't worry. Dr. Logan West is too busy coping with an unexpected family, a radical lifestyle change, and an unruly pup to have any interest in his aloof and disagreeable neighbor.

...my thoughts.
I was waiting for Driftwood Bay to be published since reading the author's tease in Pelican Point, book 4 in the Hope Harbor series.  It is like meeting up with an old friend and catching up on their lives.  We vacation along the Oregon Coast for about a week each summer and the charm of Hope Harbor resonates with me.

Logan is new to Hope Harbor and although Jeanette has been pouring herself into her new business for over a year, she hasn't really connected with many people and that was her plan when settling in the tiny coastal town.  Irene Hannon has the gift of creating characters that she can delve into and bring out their best traits and leaves them happy for the changes.  Logan and Jeanette do not seem, at first to have any chance of becoming good neighbors let alone friends. I enjoyed the pace that their pasts emerged as they began to change.

Charlie, a constant in all Hope Harbor books, has the wisdom and insight that leaves many wondering how he can know their thoughts or what they need.  Does he have special gifts or are his words of advice simply coincidence?  Either way, he is near when least expected and knows when you "might" show up for one of his famous fish tacos.

I recommend this book with 5 stars simply because it is that good.  Hope Harbor is a special place in the heart of Irene Hannon's fans.  Just enough magic inspired by faith, love and a wonderful location to change the hearts of those who need it most.  I am already looking forward to book 6 in this series.

We Hope For Better Things A Strong Debut Novel by Erin Bartels

...my thoughts....

I enjoyed reading We Hope for Better Things,  a compelling time slip novel that easily slips between three very different times in our country, specifically in Detroit.  From the Civil War to racially charged Detroit in the sixties to present day unrest.  Each time centers on a strong female character who is faced with finding her voice in circumstances beyond her control.

Erin Bartels has woven the subject of race discrimination among beautiful descriptions of the big family farm that is almost its own unique character in the story.  We meet Mary Balsam, a young, barely married wife sending her husband off to war, not knowing how she will manage the crops or the big house.  Mary's granddaughter, Nora, married a black man in the sixties after a Martin Luther King Jr. rally in 1963. They found refuge at the abandoned farm after she was disowned by her father.  Forbidden love is all the sweeter when it is requited in the smallest way.  Nora, after seeing the big picture said, "William was the right man, all right. But it was the wrong time, that's all."  Elizabeth Balsam, Nora's great-niece found a reclusive Nora after losing her job as a journalist at the Detroit Free Press. A generation is skipped between each woman's story and each is so tightly woven the reader will keep reading to see what is going on next in each era.

The stories of the Civil War and its aftershocks were still a bit freshly written when I was a child.  While most of the players were long gone, the stories were rich but not always pleasant.  That was a terrible time for our country.  When we think we cannot emerge stronger or better today, we can look back on how bad things were after President Lincoln was killed and the war ended. 

I remember the turmoil of the sixties although I lived far from those hot spots of the time.  We did not have cable news and in a way, I am glad of that.  Today, with news at the ready, it seems we get so many theories and guesses that it still takes a few days to sort things out.  The turmoil in our country today is not new.  We may have thought we were past some of the injustice handed to others based on their race, politics or faith.  We have not, though, I pray some day we will. 

This book is a gentle reminder that we need to tell our stories so that our family history continues to the next generation.  I am grateful for the stories that my mother wrote down and eagerly share stories with my grandchildren. We Hope for Better Things is an engaging family story that was worth telling.  While it is fiction, it could be pieces of many stories.  I recommend this book with 4 stars. 

...from the publisher... 

When Detroit Free Press reporter Elizabeth Balsam meets James Rich, his strange request--that she look up a relative she didn't know she had in order to deliver an old camera and a box of photos--seems like it isn't worth her time. But when she loses her job after a botched investigation, she suddenly finds herself with nothing but time.

At her great-aunt's 150-year-old farmhouse, Elizabeth uncovers a series of mysterious items, locked doors, and hidden graves. As she searches for answers to the riddles around her, the remarkable stories of two women who lived in this very house emerge as testaments to love, resilience, and courage in the face of war, racism, and misunderstanding. And as Elizabeth soon discovers, the past is never as past as we might like to think.

The Sound of Distant Thunder by Jan Drexler

...notes from the back cover....
Katie Stuckey and Jonas Weaver are both romantics. Seventeen-year-old Katie is starry-eyed, in love with the idea of being in love, and does not want to wait to marry Jonas until she is eighteen, despite her parents' insistence. So much can happen in a year. Twenty-year-old Jonas is taken in by the romance of soldiering, especially in defense of anti-slavery, even though he knows war is at odds with the teachings of the church. When his married brother's name comes up in the draft list, he volunteers to take his brother's place. But can the commitment Katie and Jonas have made to each other survive the separation?

From the talented pen of Jan Drexler comes this brand new Amish series set against the backdrop of the Civil War. She puts her characters to the test as they struggle to reconcile their convictions and desires while the national conflict threatens to undermine and engulf their community.

...my thoughts...

If you have followed Jan Drexler's writing you find this book a bit different.  Set during the Civil War in 1862, this story is compelling because of the role the war will play within the Amish community.  The Amish people do not fight, choosing pacifism instead.  When Jonas chose to take his brother's place in the Army, the war had a profound effect on him.  He was a true believer and his faith was a light in his actions.  HIs love for God, Katie and his family were as much a part of him whether he was home in the cornfields or along the battlefield in Fredericksburg. 

I was inspired by Jonas.  He was definitely a young man who wanted to marry young but he was willing to work hard to show was ready to marry Katie.  Rather than get upset when Katie's father asked them to wait a year, he decided to take that time to clear land and build the home they would settle in.  

I wasn't as sure about Katie.  She was sure she was ready to marry at seventeen and it took Jonas to make her realize that the wait would make no difference, they would just be better prepared with their home.  As the time passes and Jonas leaves for training, she began to change.  She began to see how her actions could help others.  She gained new understanding of her mother's dark moods and did what she could to ease the pain of old memories.  Her love for Jonas never faltered and she grew into a formidable young woman whose strength stood difficult times.  In the course of the story my admiration for her grew.  

I received a copy of this book with no obligation to review it.  I am happy to recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Historical Christian Fiction.   

Jane Kirkpatricks latest....Everything She Didn't Say a Compelling Story

...from the publisher...  

In 1911, Carrie Strahorn wrote a memoir entitled Fifteen Thousand Miles by Stage, which shared some of the most exciting events of 25 years of traveling and shaping the American West with her husband, Robert Strahorn, a railroad promoter, investor, and writer. That is all fact. Everything She Didn't Say imagines Carrie nearly ten years later as she decides to write down what was really on her mind during those adventurous nomadic years.

Certain that her husband will not read it, and in fact that it will only be found after her death, Carrie is finally willing to explore the lessons she learned along the way, including the danger a woman faces of losing herself within a relationship with a strong-willed man and the courage it takes to accept her own God-given worth apart from him. Carrie discovers that wealth doesn't insulate a soul from pain and disappointment, family is essential, pioneering is a challenge, and western landscapes are both demanding and nourishing. Most of all, she discovers that home can be found, even in a rootless life.

With a deft hand, New York Times bestselling author Jane Kirkpatrick draws out the emotions of living--the laughter and pain, the love and loss--to give readers a window not only into the past, but into their own conflicted hearts. Based on a true story.

….my thoughts.....

Everything She Didn't Say by Jane Kirkpatrick is an amazing book.  I just put the book down after spending the day between the covers.  Carrie Adell Strahorn was called the "Queen of the Pioneers" or "Mother of the West" by many and once you read her compelling story you will agree.  

What a life this pioneering woman led.  The book begins on the day she married Robert E Strahorn, and from that day on she literally embarked on a trip that would take her by stage, foot, train, steamer and foot on journeys white women never ventured.  She rode in a cow catcher, scaled a mine, laid on her belly overlooking Yellowstone Falls in the snow.  Her stay in a Wyoming hotel with electricity contrasted with harrowing stage rides amid war with the Bannocks.  I can't imagine living up to those challenges but she was determined to be supportive of her husband in his endeavors as an author who wrote travel pamphlets for the Union Pacific Railroad.  He was always one step ahead of settling down with what she longed for; a home and family.  

What really impressed me about Carrie Strahorn was the depth of her faith and perseverance.  I loved that her travels intersected with my own travels and life in Spokane. It was in Spokane that Robert bought the Pines for Carrie and under the direction of famous architect Kirtland Cutter it was redesigned as she wished.  She felt so at home in Spokane, a feeling she hadn't had since leaving her beloved Caldwell.  

As with all of her historical novels, author Jane Kirkpatrick engages the reader into historical events with wonderful story telling and impeccable research.  I highly recommend this book to the reader who loves historical fiction, especially when it includes how this wonderful west was settled.  Many thanks to Revell Books for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review of this book. 

A Rumored Fortune Invites A Wealth of Treasure Hunters!

A Rumored Fortune by Joanna Davidson Politano is full of mystery and intrigue.  From the opening pages of the book, Tressa Harlowe came to life for me starting when she is summoned home from abroad only to learn her father had died and she was left to care for a mother who was needy and self indulgent. Under normal circumstances it wouldn't be too bad for a family with their wealth.  However, her father's fortune was shrouded by mystery and uncertainty and well hidden, leaving Tressa no money to run the large estate.  She found new problems at every turn.  

These things provided an interesting backdrop for a fine mystery complete with long lost relatives, a former suitor and a tall, dark, handsome stranger who seemingly was hired by her father to manage the vineyard.  He is not all that he seems...or maybe he is more...

I liked this book for the strong female character who overcame difficult situations that would leave many a Victorian lady to swoon after the first offer marriage simply for protection.  In the end I found her to be a resilient, faithful young woman.  Love and fortune are not always found in the usual places and this author provides  profound  lessons among the pages of viticulturist's journal!

 I am happy that I was introduced to this author's works by Revell Books who provided me with a copy for an honest review.  I recommend it for those who love a good mystery set in Victorian times.

Reviewing: Where Two Hearts Meet by Liz Johnson

Prince Edward Island is the setting for Where Two Hearts Meet and I have to admit that is what first caught my attention. After all I am a big fan of the Anne of Green Gables Series so naturally I wanted another glimpse of this beloved place.  It takes more than a lovely setting, however, for a book to hold its own. The characters need to come alive and resonate with the reader.

Caden Holt is the heroine of our story and like many who we encounter in our lives, she could be just that sweet shy young lady who is a fantastic cook.  She is so much more as Adam Jacobs discovers when he arrives at her kitchen door.

Adam is a journalist on sabbatical and is mistaken for the promised visitor from a renowned travel magazine that could fill up the inn for the next year. Caden is charged by her boss Marie to show Adam the island and all its charms. The problem is, Caden doesn't feel she has any charm to charm the journalist. 

I enjoyed this story, not just for the glimpse into the location but for the insight into two lives overcoming challenges that kept them 

This is the first time I have read a book written by Liz Johnson. I received my copy from Revell to provide an honest review and honestly, this was a good story for the message as well as the wonderful characters.  

Reviewing: What Matters Most

Once again Kellie Coates Gilbert tackles a difficult subject in her writing. What Matters Most, book 4 of her Texas Gold series gives us a glimpse of the impact dementia has on the lives the family left behind to face devastating loss of love, income, and the intricacies of managing the web of healthcare.

Leta Breckenridge was working toward a career as a landscape architect. Midway through college her mother is diagnosed with dementia and can no longer care for herself. This forces a new path that has Leta dropping out of school and working two jobs and supporting her mother's mounting costs in an assisted living facility.  She barely has enough to keep her bills paid and juggle the payments for her mother's care. The anguish of providing the best care possible for her mother is the driving force behind her life of work, work and look for more work!

This book is compelling in giving us information on a disease we continue to learn more about.  Nathan Emerson, the man who Leta meets and falls for is a renowned research doctor who has made inroads to cognitive brain studies. He is also a candidate for governor of Texas. After Leta met Nathan, she is drawn to his work on dementia and is impressed with the work he plans to continue in this area as governor.

In a twist of fate she is offered a research job at a prestigious public relations firm.  It isn't long before she is assigned to a special project with the goal of derailing Nathan's campaign. Her company represents the incumbent, a man who has plenty to hide. Although her new job comes with a premium salary she is forced to make a choice between her values and keeping up the payments at her mother's care facility. The decision is a tough one that many in our society face today. It is difficult to leave loved ones in a care facility. In addition to the burden of providing the best care possible, much rides on knowing that the said facility lives up to its promised level of care.

In addition to a good story this book gives us look into the underbelly of political campaigns. What I saw was unexpected. We have seen how campaigns can get dirty and I don't like it. The taste for power drives some to incredible lengths. While this is a work of fiction, the author has written it well enough that I can imagine these things happening. Campaigns come and go and we read of things we would rather not see. Careers can be ruined with the click of a camera or stroke of a pen. The lengths the rival campaign goes to in the effort to win is astonishing.

After reading this story I feel compelled to see more disclosure on how our tax dollars are really spent when used for special programs. Are those little known accounts being used for what they are meant to be used for?

I was pleased to receive this book from Revell to read and review. It is much more than a Christian romance. It is a book that is well researched by a woman who loves to do her homework, no doubt honed by a successful legal career. I wasn't sure how she would tie all this book up into a neat ending but she delivered. If you are looking for a good book to read in this campaign season, pick up Kellie's book What Matters Most.

Nikki Boyd Is Back In Missing by Lisa Harris

Looking for a good suspense novel?  Missing, Book 2 in the Nikki Boyd series, is full of intrigue that will keep you wondering who, what and where. Award winning Author Lisa Harris' latest gives us a well written plot full of twists and turns leaving us in a wake of bodies and an unthinkable white collar crime.  Mac Hudson, a lead scientist for Byrne Laboratories discovered a deadly secret about the drugs his company produced.  The secrets cost him his life and now Nikki Boyd of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Task Force and her team are frantically searching for Mac's missing wife Lucy.

Counterfeit drugs are finding their way into mainstream America, short circuiting strict FDA regulations and lining the pockets of a few men who play a new kind of hard ball. While searching frantically for Lucy, Nikki, Jack and Gwen pull out all stops. This special missing person's task force of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation refuses to lose ground as the deadly killers forge ahead as though unstoppable.

Vivid descriptions and well developed characters set this suspense novel apart from your average whodunit. The plot is fresh and unpredictable. As the story progresses, more information emerges that will surprise you enough to keep turning the pages.  From the beginning I was enveloped into the case and finally let go when the author tied everything together like a sailor slips a knot.  Add this to your reading list if you like suspense. I am already looking forward to her next book in the series, Pursued, coming in spring 2017. Many thanks to Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group for the opportunity to review this book.