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!
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Twice Promised

This novel is very cute, but you wanna know what I liked the most? The title! (And as a side note, I very much dislike “faces” on the covers of books, but I really thought this girl looked like how they describe her in the story. Very pretty.)

Book Rating: Up All Night’er

I just really, really love the title of this book! TWICE PROMISED. Perfect!

This story comes right after DEEPLY DEVOTED and in that book you became acquainted with Greta Olsen, the lovely young sister of Catherine Olsen. (I have a feeling Anna’s story will be next, but I could be wrong. She’s the youngest sister by the way…*wink *)

Greta was madly in love with a man named Bryan in the previous story, but at the beginning of this book we find out that he died. Very sad. Greta saw how well the mail-order-bride thing worked out for her sister, so she gives it a try herself. Little does she know there is another woman who's come to Central City, Colorado to marry the same man! And, she knows even “littler” than that, that the man she came to marry is the brother of the man she just lost! Hooo! Crazy, huh?

I thought this story was just plain cute. I can’t think of any other word that describes it as well. You actually get to follow two couples as they fall in love—the more romance the better, right? That being said, I thought the actual romance was a bit slow at times and for some reason I had a hard time becoming very attached to the characters as adorable as they were.

Jess (the main leading man…Zach was the other one, but I won’t go into detail on him) just didn’t do it for me. I know that all leading men can’t be the same or these books would get real boring, real fast (or would they?…hmmm…Drew O’Connor…). Eh hem. I digress. There wasn’t much about him that I found appealing. I think Brendan wanted to describe how much he needed a woman’s influence in his life, but for me he came across as messy, forgetful and disorganized. So, that was a bit of a disappointment, but wasn't a complete turn-off.

Overall, very enjoyable read and I do recommend it.

Happy Reading!
Buy it!

*Thank you to Revell for the free review copy*

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!
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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*

October's Authors of the Month: Stacy Henrie and Joanne Bischof

 Welcome to October, all you lovely ladies out there! September was wonderful and I LOVED featuring Jody Hedlund. She is a doll. I hope that you have already read her new book UNENDING DEVOTION at least three times, because it really is that wonderful!!

One of the blessings of having my blog, is that I get to "meet" new people who truly enrich my life--and that's how I feel about the ladies I am spotlighting this month.

For October, I am featuring TWO new and TOTALLY wonderful authors!  I am thrilled to introduce to you (if you don't already know them) Stacy Henrie and Joanne Bischof! (This is where we stand up, cheer, whistle and clap until our hands hurt!!!) I have read both LADY OUTLAW and BE STILL MY SOUL, and each story is wonderful and uplifting. If you haven't read them go out and yourself a copy of each ASAP! *teehee*

So, here you go, you awesome HRC fans! Here's my questions for these ladies and their FUN answers.
Also, BOTH authors has been sweet enough to offer to do a book GIVEAWAY! If you want to be entered to win, please comment and TELL ME what you liked most about these interviews, and please remember to include your email address. The drawing will take place ONE WEEK from tomorrow (Oct 8th). I'm very excited to see what you all have to say!


STACY HENRIE~

First, give us the low-down on Stacy Henrie: (Tell us about you, and include something fun and funky...if you want! :)

My husband and I have been married 11 years, last month - we actually met in high school, though we weren’t boyfriend/girlfriend. By the time we married, we’d known each other seven years. Which is probably why my heroes and heroines seem to always start out as good friends! J I’m a stay-at-home mom to our three children - two boys and a girl.

I’m a California-native, but I’ve lived in Utah most of my life. If I could live anywhere, I’d probably say England. I’ve always had a fascination with the British Isles. It was actually on a trip to England, before I got married, that I got my first story idea!

In addition to writing and reading, I love digital scrapbooking, interior decorating and singing. I also enjoy acting and ballroom dancing, though I haven’t done either in years! J I have a fear of heights and sharks, and I can’t talk or read about blood without getting sick. (Though I just made it through typing that sentence okay, so that’s a victory!)

I’ve always liked history and reading historical fiction, so it’s only natural that I like to live out those “olden days” through my characters! My favorite historical time period is the 19^th century, though with writing my new WWI series, the early 20^th century is really growing on me. I’m a Downton Abbey fan and wish January would hurry up and get here already so I know what’s going to happen next!

I’m a chocoholic! If a dessert doesn’t have some kind of chocolate in it, then it’s not really dessert, in my opinion.  I’m not a big candy person, though. However, I recently discovered Dove dark chocolates and it’s definitely challenged my whole candy philosophy.

How long had you known you wanted to be a writer?

As an 11-year-old, I wrote in my journal that one of the things I wanted to accomplish in my life was to write and publish a book. I wrote poems, started some stories and wrote a 50-page novella. But it wasn’t until a couple months after my oldest son was born that I got serious about writing.

LADY OUTLAW is my first published book. I also have a three-book, WWI series coming out with Grand Central Publishing in 2014. 

Tell us your favorite things about Jennie and Caleb! What did you enjoy most about them when writing your book?

Jennie and Caleb’s romance was so fun to write because they’re both struggling to overcome and forgive the past, and it’s through helping each other that they are able to do this.

Caleb didn’t always have the tragic past that he does now, but once I added that element, I loved him so much more! He can be a tease and has a fairly laid-back personality, similar to my husband.

Jennie, on the other hand, is quieter until one gets to know her, but she loves to banter with those she knows well - she and I are alike in those two respects. J I love Jennie’s independence and bravery. It was fun giving the typical outlaw tale a twist with a female outlaw, but I also love Jennie’s journey back to a life of honesty and hope.

I liked exploring the idea of what would make one desperate enough to turn to outlawing, but on the flip side, how things - like land or wealth - are not what matters most in life. In the end both Jennie and Caleb give up something they thought they wanted/needed for the other, which shows their growth and love for each other.

What is your favorite scripture story?

It’s hard to pick just one! The one that comes to mind right away, though, is when Jesus heals the woman who’d been sick for 12 years. I love how she had such complete faith, that despite all she’d been through and the lack of a cure, she just knew that if she touched the hem of Jesus’s garment she’d be totally healed. And she was. Her faith is the kind of complete faith I want to have in my Savior.




JOANNE BISCHOF~ 

First, tell us about you! (You can include something fun/silly if you want.:)

I'm one part writer, one part homeschooling mommy and one part domestic arts nerd. My husband and I joke that he's the mathematician and I'm the mess maker. We're a good fit and while he balances the check book, I'm usually in the kitchen, stirring something up with flour or at the table doing a craft of some sort. The kids and I have so much fun spending our time together working in the garden or reading books and when I'm not writing, I absolutely love to be with my family.

What do you love most about this genre of book?

I love historical romance because of the added element of suspense that it lends to romance. Culture was so different back then. Rules had to be followed. I think of Stacy's book, Lady Outlaw, a heroine who's an outlaw is absolutely fascinating. With Be Still My Soul, a goodnight kiss gone wrong results in a shotgun wedding. If these stories happened today, they probably wouldn't have been such a scandal. But historically speaking, honor, decorum and manners adds a whole other element to a love story. The setting or time period is almost a character of its own. I think that's what makes writing historical romance so fun!

Tell us how you came up with the idea for your story!! What did you like best about writing it?

I really wanted to show how love can blossom even between two very mismatched people. Even when all hope seemed lost. I absolutely love to write about redemption. Taking someone like Gideon, who is an unlikely hero, and show his growth through the story--his grown that makes him taking strides toward becoming a man to deserve Lonnie, was a challenge. I hope readers will see in this story that hope is never lost and that the seemingly impossible is unattainable when God works in a life.

What is your favorite story in the Bible?

This might not qualify as a story, but it's what comes to mind. Ephesians 4:28 is one of my absolute favorites. "Let him who stole, steal no longer, but rather, let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need."

I learned this verse while walking the amazing path of redemption with my husband. He was saved just over a year ago and it's been a miraculous time in our marriage. So many blessings, including the birth of our third child. This verse is a constant reminder that change can always happen, but that it is a choice, an action...and it's work. When men and women rise up, and with God's help, decide to make the right choice, grow, become a person that both honors God and their family, it's one of the most awing events.



~~~

Wasn't that fun?! I love these ladies, and I have had a wonderful time communicating with them. I thank you both--Stacy and Joanne--for letting me spotlight you!!  God Bless you!!

Happy Reading!

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!