Love Starts With Elle, by Rachel Hauck

How I came to read this book:

Another wonderful CFBA book. This one barely made it. I didn’t receive it until a couple days ago and read it in just two days! (No, it’s not a particularly short book, I just hate posting announcements rather than reviews on books!)

Score Summary

• Content: 9
• Writing Style: 10
• Re-readability: 8
• Busy Mommy Scale: 9

Content

Even though I wasn’t able to linger over the story line as much as I would have preferred, I really did enjoy this book a lot. I would like to read more by this author and plan to scope out what else she has written. It’s a nice basic Christian romance. Not too much craziness to confuse, but enough energy and plot to keep me reading.

Writing Style

Very enjoyable. Good use of language to paint pictures without making me struggle to understand.

Re-readability

It’s a keeper - and good to loan out. It’s a good summer reading kind of book.

Busy Mommy Scale

Well, I actually managed to read this book in about two days so it rates pretty well with me!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rachel Hauck is a forty-something, a child of the ’60’s, ’70’s, ’80’s, ’90’s and ’00’s, who roller skated through the ’70’s into the ’80’s with Farrah Fawcet hair and a three-speed orange Camero. She graduated from Ohio State University (Go Buckeyes!) with a degree in Journalism.

After graduation, she hired on at Harris Publishing as a software trainer, destermined to see the world. But, she’s traveled to Ireland, Spain, Venezuela, Mexico, Australia, Canada and the U.S. from California to Maine.

Rachel met Tony, her husband, in ‘87, at church, of all places. They married in ‘92.
They don’t have any children of their own, just lots of kids-in-the-Lord and they love them all. However, they do have two very spoiled dogs, and a very demanding cat.

With a little help from my friends, my first book was published in ‘ 04, Lambert’s Pride, a romance novel. My current release is Sweet Caroline from Thomas Nelson. Romantic Times Book Club gave both books their highest rank of 4.5 stars, with Love Starts With Elle being honored as Top Pick!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Elle’s living the dream-but is it her dream or his?

Elle loves life in Beaufort, South Carolina-lazy summer days on the sand bar, coastal bonfires, and dinners with friends sharing a lifetime of memories. And she’s found her niche as the owner of a successful art gallery too. Life is good.

Then the dynamic pastor of her small town church sweeps her off her feet. She’s never known a man like Jeremiah-one who breathes in confidence and exhales all doubt. When he proposes in the setting sunlight, Elle hands him her heart on a silver platter.

But Jeremiah’s just accepted a large pastorate in a different state. If she’s serious about their relationship, Elle will take “the call,” too, leaving behind the people and place she loves so dearly. Elle’s friendship with her new tenant, widower Heath McCord, and his young daughter make things even more complicated.

Is love transferrable across the miles? And can you take it with you when you go?

If you would like to read the first chapter, go HERE

Hidden, by Shelley Shepard Gray

How I came to read this book:

As a member of the CFBA.

Score Summary

• Content: 9
• Writing Style: 10
• Re-readability: 9
• Busy Mommy Scale: 8

Content

This was a nice little peek into Amish life, and a good simple romance. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and found myself aching for the established routines and simplicity that the story portrayed.

Writing Style

I don’t remember a lot about the writing style, which is a good thing. It means it didn’t get in the way of the storytelling

Re-readability

I’ll hang onto the book to share, and to read again in a few years. It’s not a must re-read, just was pleasant enough to do so.

Busy Mommy Scale

It wasn’t too hard to pick up mid-chapter and continue, but sometimes I had to back up a little to pick up momentum. It was good enough to not let that bother me.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Hidden is Shelley’s first foray into inspirational fiction. Previously, Shelley lived in Texas and Colorado, where she taught school and earned both her bachelors and masters degrees in education. She now lives in southern Ohio where she writes full time. Shelley is an active member of her church. She serves on committees, volunteers in the church office, and is part of the Telecare ministry, which calls homebound members on a regular basis. Shelley looks forward to the opportunity to write novels that showcase her Christian ideals.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Hidden is a remarkable story about the unlikely love between a modern girl on the run and an Amish boy from the family who shelters her.

When Anna decides it’s time to leave her abusive boyfriend, she doesn’t know where to turn. Rob is a successful and respected person in her community. He has completely won over her parents with his good looks and prestigious position at a top law firm. Only Anna has seen his dark side. But when Rob hurts Anna yet again, she realizes that she must finally help herself.

Desperate, she runs to the one place she’s always felt completely safe, the Amish Brenneman Bed and Breakfast, where years ago she and her mother once stayed, and where Anna met life-long friend Katie Brenneman. When Anna shows up years later unexpectedly, the family welcomes her in, with few questions asked, and allows her to stay, dressed as the Amish in Plain clothes, and help around the inn.

But Katie’s older brother Henry doesn’t take too kindly to the intrusion. Anna wonders if it’s because he’s already had his heart broken. To Henry’s shame, from the moment he sees Anna, he feels a strong attraction. To cover his infatuation, he tries to ignore her, knowing no good would ever come from keeping an eye on a fancy woman like her. But as he sees that Anna has a good heart and is not the selfish, spoiled woman he imagined her to be, he feels his heart pointing towards her.

Anna comes to realize that she’s found a home and true love in the last place she’d expected. How can she deny the life she left behind? And will her chance for happiness be stolen away by the man who can’t seem to let her go?

If you would like to read the Prologue, go HERE

Home is…

…currently taking a higher priority and more time than blogging…

See ya ’round!

We love you Dad!
Happy Fathers’ Day

Dad Judy & Lundie	Dad Pinner & John
John and J5

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A wise woman builds her home; a foolish woman tears hers down with her own hands.
Proverbs 14:1

There is so much building we can do as wives and mothers that we may not realize. And in the same way, we can destroy. And though it’s nice, it doesn’t require an “on board” spouse to be a builder. We can begin on our own. God will grant us the wisdom if we just ask Him for it.

Father, please guide my heart and my hands today. Let me be a builder, not a destroyer. Help me to see where I most need to build.

Thank you.

My dear friend Beth’s husband, Guy, was in an accident with his motorcycle and landed on his feet!

Check it out here!

We’re so grateful that Guy is fine. Thanking God!

House of Dark Shadows
 

and 

 

Watcher in the Woods



by Robert Liparulo

How I came to read these books:

As part of the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance. I will be reviewing these books together as they are the first two books of the Dreamhouse Kings series, and they are sharing the blog tour.

Score Summary

• Content: 10
• Writing Style: 9
• Re-readability: 9
• Busy Mommy Scale: 8

Content

Ok, I loved these books. Loved ‘em. The story was so fun! This series is target toward “youth” and I’m afraid, sometimes, that can be me. I just loved books like this when I was growing up. I’m a sci-fi fan, and these enter that realm. I won’t give any spoilers - but to say that this storyline could lend itself to many sequels if done well.

Writing Style

This series is geared more toward a slightly younger reader, so you don’t get much of the adult reactions to things - the sons in the story are the main characters. I still enjoyed it a great deal and plan to share them with my nephew.

Re-readability

I’ll be keeping these to re-read eventually. They were just plain fun.

Busy Mommy Scale

The chapters were not too long and involved. There were a couple of chapters that I hated to break up ’cause I couldn’t commit time, so it gets only an 8, but overall the had the storyline to entice me to carry them all over the house!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Robert is an award-winning author of over a thousand published articles and short stories. He is currently a contributing editor for New Man magazine. His work has appeared in Reader’s Digest, Travel & Leisure, Modern Bride, Consumers Digest, Chief Executive, and The Arizona Daily Star, among other publications. In addition, he previously worked as a celebrity journalist, interviewing Stephen King, Tom Clancy, Charlton Heston, and others for magazines such as Rocky Road, Preview, and L.A. Weekly.

Robert is an avid scuba diver, swimmer, reader, traveler, and a law enforcement and military enthusiast. He lives in Colorado with his wife and four children.

Robert’s first novel painted a scenario so frighteningly real that six Hollywood producers were bidding on movie rights before the novel was completed. His acclaimed debut novel, Comes A Horseman, is being made into a major motion picture by producer Mace Neufeld and his short story “Kill Zone” was featured in the anthology Thriller, edited by James Patterson.

Bob has sold the film rights to his second book, GERM. And he is writing the screenplay for a yet-to-be-written political thriller, which sold to Phoenix Pictures, for Andrew Davis (The Fugitive, The Guardian) to direct!

And his third book Deadfall. debuted to rave reviews!

ABOUT THE BOOKS

House of Dark Shadows
(Dreamhouse Kings Book 1)
Dream house…or bad dream?
When the Kings move from L.A. to a secluded small town, fifteen-year-old Xander is beyond disappointed. He and his friends loved to create amateur films . . . but the tiny town of Pinedale is the last place a movie buff and future filmmaker wants to land.

But he, David, and Toria are captivated by the many rooms in the old Victorian fixer-upper they moved into–as well as the heavy woods surrounding the house.

They soon discover there’s something odd about the house. Sounds come from the wrong directions. Prints of giant, bare feet appear in the dust. And when David tries to hide in the linen closet, he winds up in locker 119 at his new school.

Then the really weird stuff kicks in: they find a hidden hallway with portals leading off to far-off places–in long-ago times. Xander is starting to wonder if this kind of travel is a teen’s dream come true . . . or his worst nightmare.

Watcher In The Woods
(Dreamhouse Kings Book 2)
It’s not just the house that’s keeping secrets.
Pretending everything’s all right is harder than it sounds. But the Kings know that even if they told the truth about the bizarre things happening in their house, no one would believe them. They’re hyper-focused on rescuing their lost family member before anyone finds out what’s going on.

But when a stranger shows up to take their house, their options start dwindling fast. Why would he be so interested in a run-down old place? And what secret is he hiding–just as he hides the scars that crisscross his body?

The mystery gets stranger with each passing day. Will the Kings be able to find a way to harness the house’s secrets and discover who is watching their every move before another gets snatched into an unknown world?

The Dreamhouse Kings Series has three contests that you will not want to miss…Dream the Scene, a weekly “Thanks For Reading Trivia contest, and the Dreamhouse Kings Street Team contest. There are also free bookplates that you can request, and a chapter of each book that you can download!

You can get all those goodies HERE.

Home is…

…in my trusting heart, where Christ is…

Ephesians 3:14-19
When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.