Category Archives: Baker/Revell

Christmas At Harmony Hill

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Christmas At Harmony Hill by Ann H. Gabhart

Have you ever gone through a pregnancy alone, without your spouse?

Heather is a washer woman for the Union. She took this job so that she could remain with her husband, Gideon, during the war. Heather is pregnant, and as she advances in her pregnancy, Gideon feels it’s no longer safe for her to remain with the troops. So he sends her father’s house – when she arrives, all sorts of calamaties await her arrival. As a result, she finds herself at the Shaker Village. Heather’s Aunt Sophronia is a Shaker, and she hopes the Shaker people will provide shelter for her while she awaits the birth of her baby.

Sophronia struggles with the feelings she has toward her niece. Shakers are not to have special feelings for worldly family. The Shakers are all brothers and sisters – living together – sadly trying to create heaven on earth as they shun marriage, pregnancy, sex, attraction – these things are sinful, and they can’t allow such worldly ways in their village. However, 50-year old Sophronia has romantic feelings toward the Shaker doctor. What can she do about her budding feelings toward the doctor, and the familial affection she has for her niece, such feelings are worldly and wrong.

This book was a good little Christmas story that shows you how life was for the Shakers. Like I’ve mentioned in other blog posts, the Shakers leave me feeling a bit unsettled, but overall, the story was enjoyable. Gives a great message about forgiveness.

So, have you ever gone through a pregnancy alone, without your spouse? Have you had to birth your child without your husband because he was away in the military? Tell me about it – leave a comment.

Deadly Devotion by Sandra Orchard

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Deadly Devotion by Sandra Orchard

Deadly Devotion by Sandra Orchard

What would you do if your friend’s cause of death was a suicide – yet you knew that the suicide was not the real cause of death? Would you confront the police to re-open the case?
Kate Adams is devastated when her elderly friend/mentor (Daisy) dies by committing suicide. However, Kate is convinced that her friend’s death was NOT a suicide. She storms into the police station and confronts police officer Tom Parker. Shouldn’t they re-open the case? There’s no way that Daisy could have poisoned herself, her faith was too deep, and Daisy realized that the Lord would frown upon her taking her own life.

Daisy and Kate were in the midst of discovering an herbal remedy for depression. Is it possible that this breakthrough was the cause of Daisy’s death? Kate is convinced that Daisy was murdered, and now she needs to convince Tom Parker that they need to find the killer as soon as possible.

I liked this book because it dealt with the subject of suicide – I loved how Kate believed in her friend, refusing to accept that Daisy would take her own life. I also liked how the different herbs and teas were described. I’m sort of interested in herbal remedies and it was kinda cool reading a novel where herbs and remedies were discussed. Also, there were so many twists and turns in the book that you kept guessing until the very end. There were also some interesting and quirky secondary characters who took this story into several page-turning directions. This book was a pretty good suspense read.

So, what would you do if your friend’s cause of death was a suicide – yet you knew that the suicide was not the real cause of death? Would you confront the police to re-open the case?


***My e-book, Milk Money, is only 99 cents! Download it now before the price goes up! :-)

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~Cecelia Dowdy~

 

Love At Any Cost by Julie Lessman

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Love At Any Cost

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

Cassidy McClare travels to San Francisco to spend the summer with her rich cousins. She needs to heal from her broken heart – her ex has broken up with her – and she realizes it’s because she’s no longer wealthy.When she arrives in San Francisco, she literally slams into gorgeous Jaime McKenna! They start off on the wrong foot – Cassidy can’t trust Jaime, after all, he’s a good-looking man and she knows how dangerous a good-looking man can be. Cassidy doesn’t need a man in her life, after all, she’s a cowgirl – all she needs is a lasso and the open range to be happy.

However, Jaime finds himself smitten with Cassidy – he’s determined to marry her. After all, she’s rich, and he needs a rich wife to help fund the surgery for his crippled sister. Jaime has a lot of emotional baggage – he blames himself for his sister’s unfortunate accident, and he doesn’t need God in his life. Why should he trust in God since God’s never been there for him during the rough  times, especially when he was a poor youth living in the slums.

This book was TOTALLY awesome! From the first page I was hooked, and kept reading. The attraction between Jaime and Cassidy literally jumped off the page, and you could see how drawn they were to one another. Also, the conflict between this couple was so deep. Jaime is not a Christian, and, Cassidy is in love with him, yet, it’s against her faith to be romantically involved with a non-Christian.

I think Jaime’s character was so deep – he had lots of layers of emotional angst – anger, depression. He can’t forgive himself for something that happened a long time ago, he wants to take all of his problems and solve them himself, not relying on God. I think, by reading this book, it just shows that we can’t solve all of our problems on our own, we have to rely on HIM, God, to help us through all our troubles. Also, we need to remember that He has already forgiven us for all of our sins, so, feeling guilty for years and years will not help, only relying on God and accepting His gift will help us through our pain and turmoil.

Like the rest of Julie’s books, I loved the passion and the physical descriptions of the characters! Also, I felt like I was really there, the sights, smells, and descriptions of the characters were so realistic!

If you want a good, passionate, emotional Christian read then you should buy this book!


Many thanks to Baker Revell for providing me with a free review copy!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

 

 

Nothing But The Right Thing – From The Archives

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Nothing But The Right Thing by Stacy Hawkins Adams

This book was fantastic! I had the pleasure of meeting Stacy Hawkins Adams, the author of Nothing But The Right Thing, at the 2006 Faith-Based Literary Arts Weekend. She can sure write a story that will stay with me for a long time. Erika has been abused by her husband, Elliott, for the last four years. This is a story about her struggles in dealing with abuse.

Meanwhile, Serena, Ericka’s best friend, along with her husband Micah, are dealing with fertility issues.

The characters work through numerous, realistic struggles.

This story shows how we need to lean on God and trust in Him while dealing with our issues.

This is the first book I’ve ever read by Ms. Adams, but I do plan on reading more in the future.

From the back cover:

Serena McDaniels is successful, sassy, and saved. Life is good. She has a loving husband and a new home. But there’s one dream that remains just out of reach. When she left a high-profile advertising agency to pursue her dreams of having a family, Serena never imagined that the stress of her husband’s pastorate and their desire to follow God’s will might delay their dreams of becoming parents. And when a dear friend makes a life-altering decision to leave an abusive relationship, Serena knows she has to help. Will she have to postpone her dreams forever? Or will she hear God’s still, small voice and realize his plan for her? Nothing But the Right Thing is a heartwarming novel that explores the journey of faith, friendship, and the power of prayer.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Vanished By Irene Hannon

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Vanished by Irene Hannon

Moira is driving on a dark, country road on a rainy night. She’s lost and when she spots a distressed woman, she accidentally hits the woman with her car. Distressed, she wants to help this woman and a man appears, offering her help and solace. Moira then passes out, and when she awakens, she discovers that she can’t find the woman whom she’s hit and she can’t find the man who offered his assistance. Plus, there are other disturbing things that happened during the course of her accident that don’t add up.

Determined to get to the bottom of that dark, rainy night, she hires Cal, a former policeman who runs a private detective agency. Cal and Moira are instantly attracted to one another as they work together, trying to piece together the clues they find from the crime scene.

This is a suspenseful, intriguing romance with Christian characters. The characters are also overcoming their past emotional experiences so that they can be free to find love again. Over all, this was a good read. Thanks to Baker Revell with providing me a free review copy.

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~Cecelia Dowdy~

 

 

Christmas Roses By Amanda Cabot

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If your parent had abandoned you when you were a child, would you search for him/her for two years when you were an adult?

That’s the premise for Christmas Roses by Amanda Cabot. Mark Williams was abandoned by his father when he was a child. Now, he’s determined to find his dad, trying to discover why he’d left his mother alone to raise Mark. Mark’s mother had told Mark that his father had died when he was a youngster. However, after his mother’s death, he discovers that his mother had not been telling him the truth about his dad.

Mark goes on a two year search from town to town, trying to find his dad, using his carpentry skills to make a living. When he stops in a small Wyoming town, seeking lodging while he continues his search, he meets Celia Anderson. Celia, a Swedish woman, is raising her daughter alone since her husband was killed in a mining accident one year ago. Celia is drawn to Mark, however, he’s bitter against his absentee father, and he’s also bitter against God. It appears that there’s no way that a relationship could work between them.

This was a light read that you can finish in a few hours. The story was refreshing. I felt that the conflict between the characters was deep and realistic. I also loved the small, close-knit, religious town. The townspeople socialized together, enjoying a group dinner on Thanksgiving. It’s heartwarming to see an entire town celebrating a holiday with one another. I thought it was interesting that Celia was Swedish. You learn a bit about Swedish customs, plus, there’s a great-sounding Swedish pound cake recipe in the back of the book!

Many thanks to Baker/Revell for providing me with a free review copy!

So, if your parent had abandoned you when you were a child, would you search for him/her for two years when you were an adult?

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~Cecelia Dowdy~

The Christmas Pony By Melody Carlson

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The Christmas Pony by Melody Carlson

When you were a child, which gift did you MOST want to receive for Christmas? Did you receive this most-wanted gift for the holiday?

It’s 1937 and Lucy Turnball wants a pony for Christmas. However, times are hard and her mother and grandmother struggle to make ends meet since the death of her father. They own a rooming house yet, they have no boarders.

However, things change when two boarders, George and Veronica, show up at their home. Veronica is beautiful, glamorous, and she’s anxious to get to Hollywood to become a movie star! George is quiet and thoughtful. Why are they traveling together? Also, why are there strange vibes between George and Lucy’s mother?

As Lucy gets to know George and Veronica, she realizes that first appearances are not always accurate. She also stresses about playing the angel in the Christmas play. Will she get to play the coveted role this year?

This book was a light, somewhat fun read and I could imagine a lot of children and young teens would enjoy this story since it’s told from the viewpoint of a 12-year-old girl. It’s a nice Christmas story to enjoy over the holidays along with a cup of warm cocoa.

So, when you were a child, which gift did you MOST want to receive for Christmas? Did you receive this most-wanted gift?

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~Cecelia Dowdy~

 

A Love Surrendered By Julie Lessman

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A Love Surrendered by Julie Lessman

When you were dating and in love, how did you keep your Christian values when you were attracted to your significant other? What did you do to put the brakes on a sexual relationship with your boyfriend or girlfriend?

One of many reasons why I loved this book so much was because it dealt with a tough issue that young people face while dating: strong physical attraction.

Steven O’Connor is a prohibition agent, breaking up speakeasies along with his best friend, Joe. He takes his job seriously and doesn’t have a lot of time or desire to date. After all, the last time he had a serious relationship, ended in disaster. Steven still thinks about his tumultuous relationship with Maggie – he still regrets the way his relationship ended with Maggie, after all, he was in love with her, but, they simply went too far while dating.

Now that he’s a prohibition agent, he hangs out with his friend Joe and other friends, burying his pain. When he encounters young Annie Kennedy, he finds himself drawn to her for some odd reason. She’s beautiful, but, she’s not very street smart. Joe feels that Annie is too young for him, and he just needs to leave her alone, and not pursue a relationship with her. After all, the last time he had a relationship, it ended in disaster. Steven feels that it’s not healthy for him to pursue a relationship with Annie.

Annie is also smitten with Steven. However, she discovers that Steven is her sister, Maggie’s old boyfriend. Realizing her sister was in love with Steven is like a splash of cold water in Annie’s face. How can she have a relationship with Steven when her sister used to be in love with him?

Annie finds it hard to fit in in the Boston area. She’s new in town, recently orphaned and living with her aunt, and it appears that her sister, Maggie, has left behind a negative reputation. For the time being, Annie keeps her sisterly relationship to Maggie a secret from her new friends and from Steven. Annie finds it a bit hard to hang out with her new friends – friends who enjoy partying, drinking, and wearing revealing clothing.

I loved how Annie’s and Steven’s feelings, physical feelings, escalated, showing how hard it was for them to NOT have a sexual relationship. Not acting on their strong physical attraction causes MAJOR conflict within their relationship. Plus, Annie is still trying to get things right with God, and Steven doesn’t appear to share her deep faith. How can they be serious about one another when their deep faith in God is not a shared trait?

It was a really neat treat to revisit other characters from the Daughters of Boston and Winds of Change series, too. These characters sparkle, and you feel like you know them – they’re like real people and that you can know and love.

So, how did you keep your Christian values when you were attracted to your significant other? What did you do to put the brakes on a sexual relationship with your boyfriend or girlfriend?

Also, have you read any of the Daughters of Boston or Winds of change books? If so, which ones have you read?

Leave a comment!

Many thanks to Baker/Revell for providing me with a free review copy! I really loved this novel!!

 

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~Cecelia Dowdy~

The Ride Of Her Life By Lorna Seilstad

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The Ride Of Her Life by Lorna Seilstad

Lilly is a widowed mother who is financially struggling to raise her son (Levi) alone. Ben, her deceased husband, was a well-to-do lawyer from an upscale family. Ben’s parents are determined to take their grandson (Levi) away from Lilly. They even call the sheriff to help them get custody because Lilly is living in a tent at Lake Manawa with her son since she can’t afford her own house. Lilly makes other living arrangements, but, she’s determined to purchase a home of her own – it’s her dream to have her own house.

Lilly works hard at Thornton’s Lunch Counter, making breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day for Nick (the crew leader) and his rollercoaster crew. Nick hates that Lilly’s in-laws are trying to take her son away to send him to boarding school, so, he’s determined to help Lilly in any way that he can. He even becomes a father figure to Levi. Levi is a classic boy who enjoys climbing trees, chasing frogs and having pet snakes. However, Lilly finds herself wondering what’ll happen when the summer comes to an end and Nick’s roller coaster crew leaves when the construction of the roller coaster is done? Will Levi be crushed because Nick, his father-figure friend, will be leaving Lake Manawa? Lilly doesn’t want her son to get his feelings hurt, however, Levi is not the only person that Lilly wonders about.

Lilly finds herself becoming smitten with Nick. She enjoys his company a little too much. However, she’s hesitant on starting another relationship with a man since she’s still struggling to raise her son alone after the death of her husband. Does she really need to get emotionally involved with another man right now? Will Nick be dependable?

Nick suffers from his own scars. He’s spent part of his childhood in an orphanage and he’s lost his little brother. Plus, he had a broken engagement. It’s kind of hard for him to trust others, too. He’s out to prove his worth by making sure his roller coaster project is a success. He works hard to complete the roller coaster in time for the summer season. However, it appears that someone is out to sabotage his project and he’s determined to defeat whomever is trying to make him fail.

This story was refreshing and I found it interesting that the author showed a roller coaster being built during a historical time. I also liked the setting. Lake Manawa is a vivid, pleasant place to spend the summer. I also enjoyed reading about Lilly cooking food for Nick’s crew. I loved reading about the different meals she prepared and I also liked how she taught Eugenia, her kitchen assistant, how to cook. I enjoy reading stories that are set in a kitchen because food is one of my favorite subjects to read about in a novel! Overall, this was a good, intriguing, and slightly-suspenseful read.

Thanks to Baker/Revell for providing me with a free review copy.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

The Christmas Shoppe By Melody Carlson

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The Christmas Shoppe by Melody Carlson

When Matilda Honeycutt moves to town, she purchases an old building that was up for sale. One a townsman (one of the town’s politicians) catches wind of the sale, he’s mortified. He’d wanted to purchase the building for his own gain.

However, Matilda has other plans. She wants to open a Christmas shop. The town’s people believe that her shop will have Christmas lights, ornaments, etc. for sale, however, they’re in for a big surprise when they actually open the doors to this new establishment.

Is Matilda a witch, a sorcerer, or just somebody who seems to know all the townspeople’s needs. People come into her shop out of curiosity, but leave with changed/upbeat personalities.

I found this book a little hard to get into. I didn’t really start to enjoy this novella until about halfway through the book. I thought the beginning was kind of slow and I initially had a hard time connecting with some of the characters.

However, the connection finally happened, and, overall, this is a joyous story. There’s also a romance thread within this novel. The town manager finds herself smitten with the town’s newspaper owner. Both of these people have inner conflicts to resolve before they’re free to fall in love again.

This is a nice, short, joyous read to enjoy over the holidays!

~Cecelia Dowdy~