Surprised By Love

I have always done my very best to make sure I am kind and honest in my appraisal of the books I review. I understand that everyone has different opinions and tastes in what they read and that every author will write books we like and books we don't...

I'm thrilled to have read many very glowing reviews of Surprised By Love and as I am a HUGE fan of Julie Lessman I'm bummed I can't give it my highest rating, but that doesn't mean it won't be a win for you.

Book Rating: Here a little, there a little

I absolutely devoured Julie's first six books. I mean, I really had a hard time putting them down. They are wonderfully written and the characters are deep, rich and intriguing. This new series promised much, though was an intended departure from her pervious style--less passion between characters, etc. Unfortunately, for me this new setting and these new people seemed almost to be a new "version" of the family (and setting) from the previous books which in a way I found confusing. The things they did and the way they communicated (playing games as a family, the heroes giving the heroines pet-names), things that were such a hallmark of the previous family/books-- drew me away from the story. I had a difficult time being hooked into the plot and following who everyone was because of this difficult-to-explain lack of individuality so to speak.

Here's the blurb:

"Shy and unattractive as a child, Megan McClare has always been teased by her classmates. But when she returns home from her senior year in Paris, the wallflower has suddenly blossomed into a beauty. With ambitions to become a lawyer or doctor, Megan accepts an internship at the district attorney's office only to discover that she will be working with Devin Caldwell, a boy who mercilessly mocked her at school--and with whom she was hopelessly enamored. She turns to her dear friend Bram Hughes for support and advice. But Bram's vision is clouded by his sudden unwelcome attraction to a girl he had always thought of as a kid sister. He advises forgiveness, but can he forgive himself for pushing the woman he loves into the arms of another man?"

There's a lot of fun to be had with this idea, but for me, it wasn't a hit.

I don't mean to steer you away from this book or this series, I think everyone needs to come to their own conclusion. This is just the way I felt about this. The first two books were fun, quick reads, but again, just a very different style from her first books.

Have you read it? What did you think? I do absolutely love Julie and I'm looking forward to what she has coming up in the future. :)

(I'm glad this is via cyberspace...that way if you throw tomatoes at me it won't leave a stain. LOL)

Happy Reading!
Buy it!

Dare to Love Again

Before this book I never cared much for San Francisco.

Not any more!

Before this book the name "Nick" was synonymous with a fat-middle-aged-hairy-Greek-dude.

Not any more!

Before this book I thought Julie Lessman was one of the best writers out there--

And this book proved SHE ABSOLUTELY IS!!!!

Book Rating: Up All Night'er

Oh, friends. What can I say? Once you start this book, you won't want to stop!! I went into this expecting something a bit different than her others, because I'd heard tell that is was somewhat milder (in number of kisses, etc) than her others. But WOW! Even though there were fewer kisses, the passion and tension was as strong as ever and her characters are full of life and simply jump off the pages. Her ability to draw you into a book, and play to all your senses is unparalleled. I can always see, smell, touch, taste and hear everything that happens. I love it!

When Allison and Nick first meet, they don't think much of each other. So when Nick is contracted to teach Allison jiu-jitsu neither of them are thrilled. But the sparks between them are undeniable--and from there, ladies, the passion is only just beginning.

Let's take a second here to talk about Nick. Oh wow. I like to think of him looking like Henry Cavill--only with greener eyes. *sigh* So dreamy. He's tough as nails on the outside, and just a cuddly teddy bear on the inside. Awwww! What's not to love about that?! The drama that ensues between him and Allison is great, and their relationship is SO fun.

The other story that is happening--between Cait and Logan--now, THAT was killer. GAH! I cannot wait until the next book to find out what happens with them. Their relationship is riddled with heart-thrashing drama. Literally, I am still thinking about it. LOVE IT!

Actually, one of the really great things about this story is how Julie kind of gives you a tour of "historic" San Fran! I had so much fun being a "fly on the wall" as Allison and Nick made their way through town on the trolley car (and I could totally relate to Nick's um... well... let's just say I'm not fond of trolleys either....*teehee*). Chinatown--for example--just came to life for me. I could read that again and again.

If you haven't read any of Julie's books yet, you are in for a HUMUNGONORMOUS (just invented that word... it means REALLY REALLY BIG.....) treat. *grin*

Have you read it yet?! You loved it, right?

I knew it. *wink*

~Thank you to Revell for my free copy in exchange for my honest review~

Happy Reading!
BUY IT!

Julie Lessman Interview

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?! 

I am SO excited I can hardly keep my head on straight!! As you know, I'm a HUGE fan of master-writer Julie Lessman and today I am honored to have her join me for an interview about her new and FABULOUS novel DARE TO LOVE AGAIN. (A side note here . . . I've been known to fly through Julie's books in a single day--forgetting everything {and I mean everything} in order to finish the book. This one is now exception! I seriously cannot wait to write my review--I already have a rough draft nailed down and I'm just itching to post it!!)

Below you will find Julie's delightful answers to my questions. Please leave a comment below and make sure you enter Julie's contests, follow her on FB and sign up for her newsletters, etc! She is AMAZING about connecting with her readers, so make sure you let her know how much you love her!

AND . . . da da da da!!! {trumpets} Julie is doing a GIVEAWAY for you delightful women--aren't you lucky?! *teehee* Comment below and on Jan 22 I will be picking one lucky winner who will be the recipient of a Lessman book of their choice!! Spantabulous, right?! Be sure to comment below and leave your email addy!!

IF by some strange twist of fate you are visiting from Mars and this is your first exposure to Julie, then you are in for a REAL treat! *giggle* Seriously though--if you are new to Julie's books, do yourself a favor and start with her first novel A PASSION MOST PURE. I promise you, your life will never be the same. *wink*

Enjoy the interview, ladies!!



1.) Tell us what you have in common with Allison and what is totally different?

LOL … almost nothing except the temper and the drama-queen tendency, although I want to go on record right now that I have never hit my hubby with a stick!  Allison is adventurous—I am not. Allison is brave in a scary part of town—I am not. She was engaged or nearly so three times before she met Nick, while I had trouble finding even one guy to pop the question. Fortunately for me, it was the RIGHT guy!!  As far as other commonalities, Alli is perky and bouncy and a wee bit scatterbrained, and so am I, so check—check—check!

2.) Did you write Nick to be 'like' anyone particular?

Not particularly, but he sort of came out as a grouchy mix of Magnum P.I. and Columbo—a tall, dark Italian police detective who’s as disheveled as Peter Falk’s raincoat and as adorable as a young Tom Selleck’s dimples.

3.) For those who haven't read it, of all your other heroes, who is he most like?

Well, once I started getting to really “know” him—his short fuse, stormy eyes, and no-nonsense manner—I realized he reminds me a lot of one of my favorite heroes I’ve written, Mitch Dennehy from A Passion Redeemed. The difference between the two is Mitch has blond hair and blue eyes, and was a sophisticated bad boy, while Nick has dark hair and gray-green eyes and is leery of women—especially “society dames” like Allison—since he was betrayed by one. But where Charity bats her eyelashes and plots to get Mitch to do things her way, Alli simply whacks Nick with a stick, which he generally breaks in half before he stomps out and slams the door.

4.) Can you give us a hint of your favorite scene in this book?

Mmm … a “hint” implies anything short, and we both know I don’t do “short” well.  So, here’s one of my favorites where Officer Nick Barone has been strong-armed by Alli’s Uncle Logan to teach Alli jiu-jitsu—the new self-defense method popularized by then President Teddy Roosevelt. Keep in mind that Alli has already whacked Detective Barone with a stick two or three times by now in the book, so he’s not real thrilled, but this will give you some idea of the head-butting that goes on when Alli shows up for her first lesson in her bicycle bloomers and straw hat:

“Take the hat off,” he ordered, refusing to teach jiu-jitsu to anyone wearing ribbons and straw.
“Pardon me?”
He nodded at her head. “The hat—we’re not bicycling through Union Square, Miss McClare, we’re learning self-defense. You need to be unencumbered for freedom of movement.”
She blinked, a long sweep of black lashes fanning her face. “But . . . but . . . I’ll always be wearing a hat, won’t I?” she said in a rational tone. “I mean, if the need for self-defense should arise?” He could almost feel the flutter of lashes. “Shouldn’t I learn the same way?”
His jaw started to grind. “Not in my class, lady. Take it off.”
Her jaw elevated at least an inch. “Not unless you ask nicely.”
He kneaded his temples with his fingers, counting to five slowly before finally peering up. “Take it off, Miss McClare—now.” He forced the next word through clenched teeth. “Please.”
“Certainly,” she said with a bright smile, unpinning the hat from her head. She carefully laid it aside and turned to face him, hands clasped behind her back. “Shall we begin?”
His gaze dropped to her flat leather shoes. “You’ll need to take off your shoes as well.”
She arched a brow.
“Please,” he said sharply.
“Why?”
Lowering his head, he pinched the bridge of his nose, smothering a groan. “Miss McClare,” he said, glancing up through tired eyes, “we both have had a long day, and I have a long night ahead. It would go so much easier for both of us if you would simply defer to me as the teacher in this class just like your students do with you.”
“But even I tell my students why, Mr. Barone,” she said softly.
He drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “All right, Miss McClare, point taken.” He slacked a leg, hands low on his hips. “Whenever I teach a class to the officers within the precinct, I ask them to remove their shoes to avoid wear and tear on the mat, which is very expensive, you see, and socks or stockings help to keep it clean.”
“Well, now, see?” she said sweetly, promptly slipping off her low-heeled shoes, “That makes perfect sense, doesn’t it? Thank you.”
Yeah, perfect sense. He issued a silent groan. Unlike this class.
She carefully tiptoed over and tested a toe on the rubber mat like she was taking a dip in a lake before slowly inching in to stand before him, hands clasped behind once again.
He stared down at her as she peered up, her green eyes calm for the moment. In her stockinged feet, she barely came to his shoulders, and he shook his head, a smile inching up on one side of his mouth. “Blue blazes, woman, you’re a little mite of a thing, you know that?”
She arched a brow, the barest semblance of a smile shadowing her lips. “But big enough to whop you with a stick, Mr. Barone.”
“Don’t remind me,” he said with a short bow at the waist. “I guess I should be grateful you didn’t bring it.”
She returned the bow. “No need, it’s right down the hall.”
“Thanks for the warning.” He took a step back. “First we limber up with warm-up exercises, loosen those muscles, if you will.” He demonstrated with his hands on his hips while he performed several squats. She followed suit nicely while they continued to a count of twenty. Next he ran her through the paces with leg lunges and several sprints around the room.
Ten minutes later she was leaning against the wall with a palm to her chest, huffing and puffing. “I . . . already . . . know . . . how . . . to . . . run, . . . Mr. . . . Barone,” she said in between breaths, a hint of irritation in her voice.
With a jerk of his head, he motioned her back to the mat, grinning when she huffed out a sigh and shuffled over, lips compressed as she stood before him.
Tempering his smile, he folded his arms and gave her a half-lidded gaze. “Basic rules,” he snapped. “No striking, punching, or kicking unless part of the exercise. And no eye gouging, hair pulling, twisting, or grabbing fingers, understood?”
A hint of a smile twitched on her face. “Sure, take away all my fun.”
The corner of his mouth hooked. “And no sticks, though I know that’ll break your heart.”
“You have no idea.”
“Oh, I think I do. Now, since the most likely advance of danger will come from an arm choke from behind, I’ll teach you a series of moves to counter it, all right?”
She nodded, eyes wide as she fiddled with her nails.
“First off, I’ll show you the steps by having you choke me from behind, which,” he said with a teasing jag of his brow, “should thrill you to no end.” He grabbed one of the chairs from a nearby stack and placed it on the mat, then tapped the back of it. “Hop up here.”
Her lips thinned.
“Please,” he said quickly, quite certain she’d have him trained way before he trained her.
Carefully placing her palms on the seat, she positioned a tiny stocking-clad foot on the edge of the chair and made a shaky attempt at rising with dignity, taking so long that Nick blew out a noisy breath and plucked her up by that tiny waist to plop her on top. She spun around and slapped hands to her hips. “I am perfectly capable of scaling a chair, Mr. Barone.”
“I’m well aware, Miss McClare, but if it’s all the same to you, I’d like to finish sometime tonight.” He slowly turned his back on her, never more grateful she didn’t have a stick. Limbs loose at his sides, he butted up to the edge of the chair. “Now choke me from behind with one arm, okay?” His voice veered toward sarcastic. “And try not to enjoy it.”
He waited. Nothing. Nerves twitched everywhere in his body until a light bulb went off in his brain as if Miss McClare were dangling it overhead herself. He huffed out a sigh. “Please.”

5.) What's the message you hope people will take away from DARE TO LOVE AGAIN?

Basically that trust in God is FAR more important in a relationship than trust in the other person. When I pitched the series to my publisher, here’s what I told them about Dare to Love Again, which will give you a little more insight into the message I intended.

1-Line Premise:
A sassy socialite burned by love twice butts heads and hearts with a jaded cop burned by the upper class.

Moral Premise:
Avoiding relationship because of past hurt leads to bitterness and loneliness, but investing in relationship in light of past hurts and God’s help leads to communication and love.

Scripture Theme:
May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you. —Psalm 33:22

***

Thank you SO much, Amber, for this wonderful opportunity! I LOVE to hear from reader friends, so if they like, they can contact me through my website at http://www.julielessman.com, either by sending an e-mail via my site or by signing up for my newsletter at http://www.julielessman.com/sign-up-for-newsletter/.

Also, I have a cool blog feature on my website called “Journal Jots” at http://www.julielessman.com/journal-jots1/, which is a very laid-back Friday journal to my reader friends that will give your readers an idea as to my relaxed style of writing. Or readers can check out my favorite romantic and spiritual scenes from each of my books on the “Excerpts” tab of my website at http://www.julielessman.com/excerpts/. Finally, I can be found daily at The Seekers blog at http://seekerville.blogspot.com/, a group blog devoted to encouraging and helping aspiring writers on the road to publication.

And finally, just as an FYI for your readers:

CURRENT GIVEAWAYS/SALES/CONTESTS GOING ON RIGHT NOW: For those interested in reading my books, I have a number of fun things going on, so I hope you’ll take advantage of these opportunities:

 JAN. 16 IS THE LAST DAY TO ENTER “SPIRIT OF SAN FRANCISCO” GIVEAWAY! In honor of my new release DARE TO LOVE AGAIN, my publisher is giving away a $100 gift card, Ghiradelli Chocolate Tower, Fisherman's Wharf Bread Basket & more ... plus copies of my "Love at Any Cost" and "Dare to Love Again." Here’s the link, so GOOD LUCK!! http://bit.ly/1d5crDt.

 FREE DOWNLOAD of my debut novel A Passion Most Pure! American Christian Fiction Writers 2009 Debut Book of the Year, A Passion Most Pure has 328 five-star reviews on Amazon and some of readers have actually read it more than 20 times! Here are the links for your free download!  AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE, CHRISTIANBOOKSTORE.COM

 Newsletter Contest!! Want to have a character named after you in my next book, a signed copy of that book, and a $50 gift card? Well, here’s your chance with a newsletter contest I have going on now through 3/31/14 where posting even one short review for any of my books will enter you to win a character named after you in my next book, a signed copy, and if you are the top poster, a $50 gift card. So if you're interested, just sign up for my newsletter (I send out two a year) at http://www.julielessman.com/sign-up-for-newsletter/, and I will send you the info, okay?

 SALE TO END SOON ON 99-CENT A LIGHT IN THE WINDOW! I hope you’ll check out
my video for my Irish love story, A Light in the Window, which stars my daughter and has won three awards and garnered 121 five-star reviews. It’s still only 99 CENTS, but only for a little while longer, so check out the video here: http://bit.ly/1kkzvlC.

A LIGHT IN THE WINDOW

Ladies,

I am sure that by now you have heard about the great giveaway/contest that my dear friend Julie Lessman in doing for her fabulous Christmas novel A LIGHT IN THE WINDOW. But if not, I am here to remedy that!!! You can thank me later. (I accept chocolate and books... *wink*)

You can find all the information you need on her latest Journal Jots entry, and you can hop over there right now to check out the DETAILS!!

But, I MUST share this great book trailer... and I must admit I did get a little sneak preview of this and let's just say, it made me want to go back and read it all over again!

Make sure you enter and PLEASE, don't forget that A LIGHT IN THE WINDOW is only .99 cents right now for the ebook!!! What a deal!! But it is ALSO available as a paperback, so if you are like me and LOVE the feel of a good old-fashioned book in your hands, you are in luck!

With no further ado, enjoy the video. (Then, go get a copy of the book and ENJOY yourself even more!!)

Love at any Cost

Oh, to hear Tony Bennett croon, "I left my heart in San Francisco..." (I gotta hear that song again!)

After reading this book, I gotta agree with Tony. This book took my heart and planted it right in the middle of San Fran, ladies!

Book Rating: Up All Night'er

Come all Julie Lessman fans, and feast your minds on another fabulous novel by the Queen of Romance herself. *wink* This story is excellent and I know you are going to love it. (BTW, its out today, in case you didn't already know, so if I were you I would go out and get a copy...like now. *giggle*)

Cassie McClare won't have anything to do with men--not after her heart was ripped out and stomped on by a man who was only interested in her money. But when she comes to San Francisco, she meets another "pretty boy" by the name of Jamie McKenna who is poised to steal her heart again. Jamie wants to marry well, and marry into money-- but his motivation to do so isn't what it seems.

These characters are lots of fun. If you are afraid of how you might warm to them after having gotten so attached to the O'Connors, don't fret. I'm willin' to bet you will take to this new crowd real quick. *wink again* In many ways they reminded me of the O'Connors--in how they talked, and how close they were as a family, so I think you will like that.

There are some excellent twists and turns in the story, where you might say (like I did), "Holy crud! No way!"That's another thing I like about Lessman, there's always something unexpected--and that's a good thing!!!

Great spiritual message, as in all of Lessman's books, so you can be assured that in that department you will come away with a stronger faith in God.

As for romance, my friends, Lessman never disappoints! It really is fabulous!!

You must tell me what you think about it after you've read it. I can't wait for you to enjoy it as much as I did.

Thank you to Revell for providing me with this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Available April 15, 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group

Happy Reading!
Buy it!

A Light in the Window

A pure joy!

Book Rating: Best of the Best

As I've mentioned before, I am a Lessman addict. All of her stories are heartwarming and truly uplifting. (Uh, not to mention ridiculously romantic and always filled with drool-worthy leading men.)

This lovely book was no different. A Light in the Window recounts the romance between Patrick O'Connor and Marceline Murphy. Now that I know how these two fabulous characters got together--and the faith and passion that fueled their lasting relationship--I totally want to go back and read the rest of Lessman's books over again!

Marcy is such a strong woman, and her faith is magnificent. She is a great example of trusting in the Lord and staying true to what you believe. (Have you noticed how I'm talking about her as if she's a real person?! That's what Lessman does--she makes these characters so dang real, you feel like you know them!) Marcy has been in love with a man named Sam O'Rourke for many years and he cares for her too--but his "passion" is very physical and Marcy isn't sure what to do... Enter, Patrick O'Connor. (Patrick and Sam are actually best friends...that's what makes this so awesome!!)

Patrick has got to be one of my favorites. His love for Marcy is so powerful that he changes who he is and turns from a well-known rogue to a strong follower of Christ. Not only is he good looking, he's sweet with children, and thinks about others before he thinks about himself. *Awww!* The ending totally made me teary!!

There are some great twists and turns, but over all, I just felt that this was a sweet, thoroughly enjoyable story and you won't be able to put it down. The spiritual message was lovely--Lessman has orchestrated another truly fabulous tale.

If you are looking for a perfect holiday themed HCR my friends, your search is over. This book is available now so if you haven't ordered it--what are you waiting for???!!! Snuggle up in your favorite spot with a nice warm cup of cocoa and enjoy!!

Happy Reading!
Buy it!

November's Author of the Month: Julie Lessman

Greetings to all of my fellow HCR addicts! It's November, can you believe it? (I do know this is a few days early, but with  my personal schedule it was now or a few days late and I chose now...*big grin*)

October was wonderful and I LOVED having Stacy and Joanne in the spotlight. Please tell me you've read their stuff! Well, if you haven't yet, there's still time to repent... *just teasing!* They really are fabulous authors and they have more books in the works--yay for us!!

This month I am beyond excited to feature, the one, the only: JULIE LESSMAN!! As you know, I just recently read ALL of her books and I loved every single one. She is a dear, sweet lady with a hilarious sense of humor and a killer writing style! Her books will have you sucked in with the first sentence. No, I'm not just saying that--they really will. Along with creating living, breathing characters, her messages of faith and Christ are very inspiring!

(Now, all you readers may be wondering about the GIVEAWAY! Well, I am happy to say that I will be doing the drawing on NOV 8! So, if you want to be entered to WIN, please SHARE this post on FB, TWITTER or by FOLLOWING this blog!!! And you will RECEIVE 1 point for DOING each of those things for Julie's CONTEST!!! YAY!!! So, you MUST tell me what you did so that you can get all the points you deserve, whether it be 1, 2 or 3! Make sure when you include your email that it's a spam-free format, IE: historicalchristianreview(at)gmail(dot)come. You will love her books if you haven't read them and you'll want to be entered in her contest for sure!!)

I must try and reign in my excitement over this interview...down, Amber down. {teehee} Below, you will find her answers to my questions. Be prepared for a good time, y'all! This woman is 100% lovable!

Tell us about yourself! And please, include one fun/silly/unique fact that people may not already know!

Well, I’m a baby boomer (how’s that for side-stepping the age issue?) married to a man who makes me feel like I’m living my own personal romance novel. I have a 29-year-old son and a doctor daughter-in-law (for whom I prayed since my son was a baby) and a precious year-old granddaughter. I also have a 25-year-old daughter that just graduated from law school who hates to read (and, yes, it’s true—I paid her $20 just to read the first chapter of A Passion Most Pure. I’m happy to say it hooked her, and the rest of the books didn’t cost me a dime! ).

My romance-writing career began at the tender age of twelve when I read Gone With the Wind, after which I immediately sat down to begin my own novel, a 150-page, single-spaced manuscript that is actually the basis for my debut novel, A Passion Most Pure. I was SO hooked on romance after reading GWTW, that when I was in high school, I actually dressed up as a nun to go to a free showing for the local religious and clergy. One of my friends had a sister in the convent, so she loaned us novice habits and off we went! I sat there mesmerized, shoving free popcorn into my mouth as I watched the tug-o-war between Rhett and Scarlett. It was one of the most fun times of my teens … until we ran into the nuns from our high school! Whew, we got into trouble … but it was soooo worth it!

You have created SO many wonderful characters in your books. If you could BE any of the O'Connors who would you pick?

Uh-oh … probably Charity, because I’m pretty much a pistol just like her and, well, Mitch Dennehy happens to be my favorite hero of all those I’ve written—hubba, hubba! But to be honest, both Faith and Charity reflect my personality A LOT. Faith, the sister heroine of A Passion Most Pure, is my spiritual self and mirrors the intimate relationship I have with God. Like Faith, I talk and pray to Him as naturally as if He is my best friend (and He is!), but I also get angry with Him too. You might say that Faith and I are emotionally engaged with the God of the Universe—we laugh with Him, tear up at His goodness, and worship Him with all our hearts.

Charity, the sister heroine of Book 2, A Passion Redeemed, is my rebellious and “passionate” self, before I came to the Lord. You see, I was a wild child of the seventies, like so many of us today, and actually pulled many of the shenanigans that Charity pulls on Mitch in book 2. Hard as it may be for some people to believe, I absolutely LOVE Charity (just like I loved Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With the Wind), maybe because she is so wonderfully flawed and needy of love, not unlike I used to be before Christ. In fact when my husband read A Passion Redeemed, I was shocked to discover that he didn’t like Charity AT ALL. The poor guy—I didn’t have the heart to tell him he’s been married to her for over 34 years, although clearly without the looks!

The romance in your stories is THE BEST! Where do you get the inspiration for the romance (and awesome kisses *wink*) in your books?

HA! I keep a picture of my hubby when we were married right next to where I write, and let me tell you, that’s pretty darn inspiring!! But I think I was always meant to be a romance writer because as a little girl, I used to sneak downstairs to watch romantic movies after my parents went to bed, totally enamored with the idea of romance and falling in love. I thrived on wonderfully romantic old movies like Kisses for Breakfast, Pillow to Post, and Susan Slept Here, That Touch of Mink, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and my all-time favorite, Gone With the Wind.

Initially my inspiration was Rhett Butler and Scarlett O’Hara, because from the moment I read Gone With the Wind, I was hooked on romance. So much so that as I said before, I immediately set out to write (along with thousands of other love-struck young girls, I’m sure), what I hoped would be “the great American novel.” Obviously my dreams of grandeur didn’t go anywhere, but in 2001, I was sitting in a beauty shop reading a Newsweek cover article about how Christian books, movies and music were on the threshold of exploding. Something in my spirit said, “Now is the time to finish your book,” so I started it the next month. Hard to believe that almost forty years passed before God breathed new life into that early attempt and inspired me to finish my childhood novel of passion—only this time the “passion” would be for Him!

I have been so inspired by the Christian messages you include in your books and it's obvious you have a strong love of Christ. What is your favorite Bible story/scripture?

Well, when you’re a hyper CDQ (caffeinated drama queen), you tend to have LOTS of favorite Scriptures because frankly you need them to hold you up! But as far as being a writer, my favorite would have to be 2 Corinthians ll:3: Do not let my mind “be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.”

Why? Because I wish I’d known what an emotional roller-coaster it was going to be AFTER I got published. Like a lot of unpublished writers, I thought all the anxiety and self-doubt would dissipate after I signed on the dotted line. I mean that would validate me, right? Give me confidence as a writer? But I discovered (AGAIN!) that true confidence is not in accolades from your editor or a really good review, but instead in where your heart is with God. HE is my confidence when my sales rankings on Amazon.com are high or low, which is why I CLING to this Scripture and many others.

Any final words?

Thanks, Amber, for allowing me to connect with your readers. I LOVE to hear from reader friends, so if they like, they can contact me through my website at http://www.julielessman.com, either by sending an e-mail via my site or by signing up for my newsletter at http://www.julielessman.com/sign-up-for-newsletter/. My newsletter is chock-full of fun info on my books and there’s always a contest featuring signed book giveaways including two right now to win a Kindle Fire or have a character named after you or a loved one in my next book. Contest details can be found at http://www.julielessman.com/contest/. Also, I have a cool feature on my website called “Journal Jots” at http://www.julielessman.com/journal-jots1/, which is a very laid-back, Friday journal to my reader friends that would give your readers an idea as to my relaxed style of writing. Or readers can check out my favorite romantic and spiritual scenes from each of my books on the “Excerpts” tab of my website at http://www.julielessman.com/excerpts/. Finally, I can be found daily at The Seekers blog at http://seekerville.blogspot.com/, a group blog devoted to encouraging and helping aspiring writers on the road to publication.

Hugs,
Julie


Was that not AMAZING?! Oh, Julie, I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to do this! I have truly loved getting to know you, and I know that God is working through you to bless people's lives, because I know you have blessed mine. Thank you for sharing your gifts with the world!

Now, all you readers may be wondering about the GIVEAWAY! Well, I am happy to say that I will be doing the drawing on NOV 8! So, please comment below--and tell us your FAVORITE Lessman character --and leave your email address if you want to be entered to WIN!!!

And lastly, Lessman's ebook A LIGHT IN THE WINDOW comes out this month as well!! I cannot wait for that! So, if you are like me and are chomping at the bit for another awesome Lessman story you are in luck! Check out her website at http://www.julielessman.com/ for more details and exciting giveaways such as a Kindle Fire, having a character named after you in Julie's next book, $50 and $20 gift cards, and free books!!

God Bless all you wonderful ladies out there, and HAPPY READING!!

A Heart Revealed

Wowy-kazowy!

This book is now in my top ten!!!

Book Rating: Best of the Best

I was not at all prepared to be so totally consumed, and truly LOVE this book as much as I do. (Somewhere in the dark recesses of my mind I hear a second grader sneering, “If you love it so much, why don’t you marry it?” Very funny, Joey. Very funny.)

There are many reasons why I will certainly be re-reading this book, but one major reason stands out above the rest. And her name is Emma Malloy.

Emma is SO wonderful and I could not love her more. She is by far my very favorite heroine out of all of Lessman’s books. Her strength, faith and unending devotion are traits I would love to emulate. She has quite a haunting past, (so does Sean...) but she holds herself with grace despite it all. Oh! And the way her relationship with Sean develops is absolutely, heart-meltingly delectable!

Now, speaking of Sean…to me, he is just as amazing, and ranks up there with Luke. I may be a bit prejudice, because his personality is very much like my husband's, so I couldn’t help but like him, right?!  *teehee * Sean is a very manly man—I just swoon at how he loves Emma! Ah! Holy cow. I think I’m gonna re-read this again starting tonight.

I have to say something really quickly about Luke since I mentioned him earlier... You better have your smelling salts on-hand because, believe it or not, he just gets more scrumptious and you will likely faint from his all-consuming deliciousness. (You didn’t think it was even possible for him to be more yummy, did you? Oh, it’s possible!)

The other inter-twining stories are also just as wonderful. I mean, all of it. Totally fabulous. Need I say more?! I don’t think so. If you haven’t read it, please do yourself a favor, will ya? Buy it, borrow it, whatever you please, but Marvin K. Mooney will you please read it now?! *teehee *

Happy Reading!
Buy it!

A Hope Undaunted

*tap, tap, tap * Is this mic on? I’d like to dedicate this song to Luke McGee. “You make me feel/ You make me feel/ You make me feel like a na-tu-ral woman. Wom-a-a-an.”

Get your towels ready, ladies. Luke is 100% delicious.

Book Rating: Best of the Best

Seriously. Best of the best. I loved this book from beginning to end.

Now, if you’ve read all these books then you are familiar with all these lovely characters and know their histories. It would be hard to pick this up and read it, expecting it to make sense, if you haven’t already enjoyed the first three.

Katie O’Connor is the heroine here and honestly, I had a bit of a hard time liking her at the beginning since she is SO stubborn, but... she really grew on me and I loved her by the end. (Speaking of the end, in my opinion this was the BEST ending of all her books.)

Luke McGee was a character you came to know in the last book as Cluny. He was only a kid in that one, but “he’s all growed up” and gals, he’s a hunka-munka!! I totally fell in love and I will be surprised if you don’t swoon all over him like everyone else does. *wink * I wish I could write a 20 page essay on this guy, because there is so much depth to his character, and I LOVED everything about him. He is devoted, caring, sweet, gentle, kind, tough, rugged, manly—not to mention H-O-T! (I like to think about him looking a bit like Chris Evans of Captain America fame. Yum!)

Katie and Luke knew each other as kids and had a playful love/hate relationship. Mostly hate. But, now that they are older they can’t deny the chemistry. The problem is, Katie is in love with Jack and Luke doesn’t want anything do with her. But that’s all about to change!

ALL of Lessman’s books are wonderful and I can’t wait for you to enjoy them like I do. Her messages of Christ and faith are always uplifting and I know you will feel the desire to be more like our Savior and share His love when you read these stories.

Happy Reading!
Buy it!

A Passion Denied

I liked this book for different reasons than you may think...

Book Rating: Up All Night’er

You will never read a Lessman book and be disappointed. Never. Her stories are well crafted and the romance to die for.

For some reason, this story’s main characters just didn’t do it for me. But, because I was invested in them—after getting to know them through the other books—I kept reading. And so, even though the main thread of the story wasn’t as enticing as the others, I kept on reading because, like I said, these people are family now! I gotta see what happens next! I wanted to find out what would happen with Charity and Faith, etc. (I love Charity to death now, by the way...) It was the sub-plots of the story that actually drew me in the most. I really couldn't get enough!

Lizze has been head over heels for John Brady for many moons. But, she fears he will never see her an anything more than his little buddy. So she tries to move on…but it’s almost impossible for her to forget her one true love. As for Brady, he knows that his feelings for her are growing, but for both of their sakes (he’s hiding something major), he keeps tries to keep things platonic. Good luck with that, Brady. *snicker *

Talk about drama. There is TONS of delicious drama in this novel. You will be on pins and needles until the last few pages!!

I read this so dang fast. In fact, my mother-in-law swiped it from me when I was only a few chapters in and I had to wait until she was done to finish it! But, that was OK because she was done in a few days, she loved it that much! Yep, just goes to show you won’t be able to put it down. Guaranteed.

Happy Reading!
Buy it! 

A Love Surrendered

This is an excellent romance. Just remember: do as I say, not as I do.

Book Rating: Up All Night’er

Allow me to let you in on a little secret. This was Lessman’s last book about the O’Connor family and I broke a cardinal rule. Again. I read this book first! Bad idea. As much as I loved it, it was confusing to me because I had no idea who all the characters were, etc.

So, that’s why I’m telling you to do as I say, not as I do.
*cheesy grin * You really need to read these books in order. I promise they will just get better and better, and the stories will make more sense to you when you understand the family dynamics, and so forth. Some series books you can read out of order, but in my opinion you can’t with these.

I love the “pure passion” in all of Lessman’s stories. You will devour all the romance, but it never goes too far which is wonderful. The messages in this story were strong and very clear to me, and I enjoyed that a lot. Now a’days people don’t often think about the importance of purity before marriage, but in Lessman’s books I find that to be a continuing theme and I really appreciate that.

Annie Kennedy is a sweet and innocent young girl who almost gets sucked into the wrong crowd. But the O’Connor family helps her stay close to Christ. Steven O’Connor (who has been a naughty boy in younger days) is falling for her, but a HUGE secret might keep them apart.

In this story, as I mentioned in my review of A PASSION MOST PURE, the leading man had a VERY serious relationship with Annie's sister...and then he goes and falls in love with Annie. To me, it was a bit uncomfortable, but in the end it wasn't so bad. But wow, this story really kept me guessing until the last few pages.

As far as leading men go, Steven really didn't make me swoon. It's hard to put a finger on why, but let's just say I wasn't crazy about him and I didn't care too much for the way he treated Annie even though he didn't really treat her badly... Anyway, what did you think of him?

I liked this book a lot and honestly (now that I’ve read the first three Lessman books) I will go back and read it again (after I read the next two books…) because I understand who all the characters are and I know it will make more sense.

In the end, you will be very sad to finish this story. I am SO attached to all these characters and I hate to see a great series come to a close. But c’est la vie. You can go back and read them over and over if you didn’t feel like you got a good fill. I imagine that I will do just that…these people are like family now! *wink *

Happy Reading!
Buy it!

*Thank you to Revell for the free review copy*

A Passion Redeemed

Two things happened to me when I read this book. First, I fell madly in love with Mitch Dennehy. Second, my self-esteem reached record lows after reading about how flippin’ gorgeous Charity O’Connor is. Don’t worry, I’ve found a good counselor... *wink *

Book Rating: Up All Night’er

This is the second book in the mega-saga known as The Daughters of Boston. Holy cow. I can see why everyone likes these books so much. I feel like I’ve been sucked into a clean/uplifting kind of soap opera and I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen next!!

Charity O’Connor is the star of this lovely book. (‘member her? She’s the one I wanted to feed poison to after book one. *teehee * But, she has grown on me in a good way and I'm really beginning to like her.) She is sure that Mitch is the man for her—but Mitch is not so convinced. (She gets him in the end though, don’t worry.)

Speaking of Mitch…he will leave you breathless, ladies, so just be prepared. If you read book one then you are already familiar with his total and complete masculine dreaminess. And you will get your fill here, so be sure to enjoy every juicy (and I mean juicy!) morsel.

Mitch loves God and wants to make sure he is following His will for him. Charity on the other hand, has a ways to travel before her testimony is strong. But her journey is very good, and I have a feeling she will be growing even more as the books continue.

I do want to say something about a serious issue that is addressed in the book that hit close to home for me and it may do the same for you, so I wanted to make you aware. Charity was sexually abused as a child, and I was a bit surprised to find that out. This is a BIG issue for Charity to deal with (as it is for anyone who has suffered such abuse) and Lessman handled it well.

The romance is great, as always!! Also, the spiritual messages were SO enlightening.

Again, a fabulous story and I imagine that you will have a hard time putting it down. I did!

Happy Reading!
Buy it!

A Passion Most Pure

Only one word comes to mind. Epic!

Book Rating: Up All Night’er

Everyone has been telling me I gotta read Julie Lessman. And finally, I finished her first novel! Literally, I stayed up all night. (Well, OK maybe just until midnight…a mom’s gotta have a few hours of sleep, right. *wink *)

First of all, I’m a big fan of Boston, MA so that was a winner for me right there. Lessman’s style is very easy to read and downright beautiful. She adds just enough detail to make it come alive, but you don’t feel bogged down with unneeded fluff.

In this story Faith O’Connor is trying to deal with an unrequited love, so to speak. She has been head over heals for Collin McGuire for many years. But, as luck would have it, he’s in love with her sister. Say, what? (Yes, now, for me this was S-uper weird, and apparently, this is a theme in Lessman’s books because I also just read her latest book A LOVE SURRENDERED…review coming Oct 1, just FYI…and it was the same thing in that story. Only, that one was even more crazy if you can believe it. Personally, I do not think that I could kiss someone that my sister kisses all the time. And I mean "kisses" because both relationships Faith and Charity/Collin are going on at the same time. I’m sure it happens…like I say, that’s just a personal thing and it was weird for me.)

Anyway, back to the book. Faith is a strong Irish girl and her faith in God is wonderful. She tries to get Collin to turn his life to Jesus, but he won’t, and her grief is complete.

Collin is determined to marry Charity except—he’s not really sure he loves her because he has growing feelings for Faith that he never thought he would have. AHHHHH! Those emotions play with poor little Faith and everything just gets more intense as the book goes on.

Speaking of Charity. Wow. That girl is pure, unadulterated EVIL! I don’t like to use this word, but seriously, I hated her. I really did. The next book in the series is about her, and I just don’t know if I can read it. PLEASE, please tell me she changes. Some one please tell me she finds Christ and becomes a nice person, so I can read the next story!!

There is really SO much that happens in this book that it’s impossible to explain it all. Needless to say, it has a happy ending and leaves you hanging for the next one.

This book doesn’t really follow traditional HCR fashion, in that, you will read from MANY character’s POV. For me, this wasn’t really a bad thing, but I didn’t love it either. Because I spent so much time in other people’s heads (the parents, and others…) I didn’t really feel myself understanding the main characters as well as I would have liked. So, for that reason alone, I cannot give it my highest rating.

The passion really is totally awesome. I loved it. I plan on staying up until midnight (or later if I’m feeling daring) reading the rest of her books.

So, long story short (no pun intended…) I love Lessman, and I loved this book. If you haven’t read her stuff, you’ll want to put it at the top of your to-be-read list, ladies!

Happy Reading!
Buy it!